Glory

Starring:Matthew Broderick, Denzel Washington, Cary Elwes, Morgan Freeman, Jihmi Kennedy, Andre Braugher, John Finn, Donovan Leitch, JD Cullum, Alan North, Bob Gunton, Cliff De Young, Christian Baskous, RonReaco Lee, Jay O. Sanders, Richard Riehle, Daniel Jenkins, Michael Smith Guess, Abdul Salaam El Razzac, Peter Michael Goetz
Director: Edward Zwick
Studio: Sony Pictures
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com
One of the very best films about the Civil War, this instant classic from 1989 is also one of the few films to depict the participation of African American soldiers in Civil War combat. Based in part on the books Lay This Laurel by Lincoln Kirstein and One Gallant Rush by Peter Burchard, the film also draws from the letters of Robert Gould Shaw (played by Matthew Broderick), the 25-year-old son of Boston abolitionists who volunteered to command the all-black 54th Regiment of the Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry. Their training and battle experience leads them to their final assault on Fort Wagner in South Carolina, where their heroic bravery turned bitter defeat into a symbolic victory that brought recognition to black soldiers and turned the tide of the war. With painstaking attention to historical detail and richness of character, the film boasts superior performances by Denzel Washington (who won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor), Morgan Freeman, Cary Elwes, and Andre Braugher. Directed by Edward Zwick (co-creator of the TV series thirtysomething), this unforgettable drama is as important as Schindler's List in its treatment of a noble yet little-known episode of history. --Jeff Shannon

Blades of Glory (Widescreen Edition)
Average customer rating:

one of the best

Great Movie, Whats with the Bad Reviews???

Ferrell and Heder are good for a few laughs, but ultimately crash to the ice!

Blades of Glory

The best stupid/spoofing/subtle comedy in years!

Blades of Glory (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Will Ferrell , Jon Heder , Will Arnett , and Amy Poehler
Manufacturer: Paramount Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000R7I3XM
Release Date: 2007-08-28

Amazon.com

Take two male figure skaters, throw in a preposterous storyline, and you've got Blades of Glory, a surprisingly funny film that almost makes you forgive Will Ferrell for his back-to-back 2005 clunkers Kicking & Screaming and Bewitched. This time around, Ferrell eats the scenery in his role as a sex-addicted, cocky skating champ named Chazz Michael Michaels. When he gets into an on-podium fight with his nemesis and co-gold medallist Jimmy MacElroy (Jon Heder, Napoleon Dynamite), both skaters are banned from competing in men's figure-skating events. Forever. Their fall from grace is brutal. Chazz is forced to work for a D-list skating show, while pampered Jimmy is disowned by his wealthy and cold-hearted adoptive father (excellently played by William Fichtner), who only wants to be around winners. When Jimmy points out that he tied for gold, his dad cruelly says, "If I wanted to share, I would've bought you a brother." Flash forward 3-1/2 years and Jimmy's No. 1 stalker Hector (Nick Swardson) says he's found a loophole. Jimmy's been banned from men's singles events, but there's nothing that says he can't compete in pairs skating. After a chance meeting with Chazz, mayhem ensues as the two rivals team up to go against the brother-and-sister team of Stranz and Fairchild Van Waldenberg (played by Will Arnett and his real-life wife, Amy Poehler of Saturday Night Live and Mean Girls fame). The Van Waldenbergs will stop at nothing to beat the competition, even if that means literally beating up the competition. They have no qualms manipulating their sweet little sister (Jenna Fischer, The Office) to seduce both men to try to break up the team.

The finale will be no surprise to moviegoers who know that comedies like this aren't set up to make its leading men losers. But there is one brief skating sequence set in North Korea that will surprise (and shock) many viewers because of its brutality. Ferrell and Heder make a great comedy team. Though he has been accused of playing the same role since his breakthrough performance in Napoleon Dynamite and, to a certain extent, plays a similar type of role here, Heder is spot-on as Jimmy. He manages to convey innocence, bitterness, and longing--all within the span of a few seconds and while wearing a peacock unitard (You can understand why Hector is so enthralled with him). Look for guest appearances by real-life skating champs Scott Hamilton, Brian Boitano, Peggy Fleming, Dorothy Hamill, Nancy Kerrigan, and Sasha Cohen, who gets to sniff Chazz's jockstrap. --Jae-Ha Kim

Beyond Blades of Glory

More "Blades" on DVD
More DVDs with Will Ferrell
The Soundtrack

Stills from Blades of Glory (click for larger image)

Product Description

"Blades of Glory is pure hilarity, a gold medal comedy winner" staring comic superstar Will Ferrell (Talladega Nights) and John Heder (Napoleon Dynamite). Bitter figure skating rivals Chazz Michael Michaels (Ferrell) and Jimmy MacElroy (Heder) brawl after tying for the gold medal at the world championships. Banned for life from men's competition, these archrivals beat the system thanks to a loophole that allows them skate again--in pairs competition! Co-starring Crag T. Nelson, Will Arnett, Amy Poehler and Jenna Fischer.

Customer Reviews:

one of the best.......2007-07-03

i thought this was one of the best comedies i've seen. the casting was superb and acting was absolutely brilliant.

Great Movie, Whats with the Bad Reviews???.......2007-06-19

I loved this movie and I thought it was one of the best blockbusters so far. I don't understand why people on Amazon hate it so much. It is funny, it tells the story of two competing rival ice skaters who get eliminated from the competition due to a fight, and the only way they can get back in the ring is to ice skate together. They even learn the forbidden Korean ice skating move which has decapitated all who have tried to master it. This movie is very fun and I reccomend it to anybody.

Ferrell and Heder are good for a few laughs, but ultimately crash to the ice!.......2007-05-28

BLADES OF GLORY is most certainly not a perfect 6.0, but there are enough laughs available to make it worth a one time see!.Chazz Michael Michaels (Ferrell) and Jimmy MacElroy ( Jon Heder) once shared a Gold Medal in Men's Figure Skating, but both have been banned for unbecoming behaviour by the National Figure Skating Association.Both skaters have drifted in and out of cheesy ice shows and sports sales shops for three years until Coach (who else but Craig T. Nelson in a VERY bad toupee) espouses that both men can reenter the world of skating competition as the first male couple team in history.That is essentially it.We watch Jimmy and Chazz learn to skate with one another and that is where the few laughs that exist actually are (and they are funny!); but ultimately that really is about all you will get as the rest of the film falls pretty flat like a failed triple axle!

Figure Skating fans will ultimately either get all of the inside jokes or be completely insulted; but the film never intends to be anything more than a spoof and for that a few laughs is worth the $3 I paid to see it at a second run movie house! Cameoes by Dorothy Hammill, Brian Boitano,Peggy Fleming,Nancy Kerrigan,Scott Hamilton and a jock-sniffing Sasha Cohen prove that the finest skaters in the world were all in to simply have a good time and poke fun at themselves.Relax with this film, have a good time, a few laughs and never watch it again!

Blades of Glory.......2007-05-28

I tend to enjoy Will Ferrell as an actor, although I am always very cautious about seeing his movies because much of his humor tends to be more gratuitous than actually funny. However, I was encouraged by the previews, his costar Jon Heder, and my imminent boredom to see the movie. I certainly found a few parts of the movie entertaining, particularly the character of Jon Heder and the scene of their first skate as a couple. As a whole I would venture to say that the first half of the movie was very entertaining while the second half was only mildly (if at all) humorous. All the same, I would probably recommend the movie to someone who liked movies such as Nacho Libre or Night At The Roxbury.

The best stupid/spoofing/subtle comedy in years!.......2007-05-08

Will Ferrell is a rock 'n' roll ice-skater with a whirlwind sex drive, a heavy-lidded gaze and an ego twice the size of his brain. Banned from skating after fighting with his by-the-book rival (straight man Jon Heder), they are forced to become a pair in order to continue. Several skating luminaries appear in cameos. First-time directors Josh Gordon and Will Speck can't quite balance their spoof of the skating world with the "inspirational" story, the villains and the love interest, but Ferrell makes up for everything with his flawless delivery, both subtle and outrageous. He has by now established a bona-fide comic persona -- a deadpan channeling of the adolescent id -- that ranks him alongside Harry Langdon and the other great screen clowns.

Note: It appears that Ferrell and Heder did a little of their own skating, but the very difficult stunts were apparently done by body doubles with the stars' faces digitally grafted on.

Average customer rating:

Compelling Battles, a Social Conscience, & a Different View of France's Liberation.
Not an Epic - but still a good movie
They were so so days.
worth owning, a war movie that tackles racism and cultural questions
Flawed, but very good overall

Days of Glory (Indigenes)
Starring: Jamel Debbouze , Samy Naceri , Roschdy Zem , Sami Bouajila , and Bernard Blancan
Director: Rachid Bouchareb
Manufacturer: Weinstein Company
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Letters from Iwo Jima (Two-Disc Special Edition)
Breach (Widescreen Edition)
The Last King of Scotland (Widescreen Edition)
The Good German
The Painted Veil

ASIN: B000NVT0RU
Release Date: 2007-06-12

Description

(War/Action) Set during WWII, North African soldiers enlist in the French army and battle their way across Europe to liberate the "fatherland" and confront discrimination.

Customer Reviews:

Compelling Battles, a Social Conscience, & a Different View of France's Liberation. .......2007-06-30

Director Rachid Bouchareb made "Days of Glory" to draw attention to the plight of men from France's protectorates and colonies who served in the French military during World War II but who were denied their pensions after 1959, because their countries had won independence from France. The film is very politically charged in France, where its title is simply "Indigenes", meaning "natives". It inspired President Jacques Chirac to finally address the pension inequities. Bouchareb doesn't hide his agenda or his bias: The North African soldiers in the film joined the French army mostly for money, occasionally for opportunity. They fought valiantly and loyally to free France from German occupation. They were stifled by discrimination and quotas during the war and discarded afterward. The specific events and characters in the film are fictional, though some French towns were, indeed, liberated by regiments of mostly North African soldiers.

In 1943, France's African Army recruits soldiers from Algeria, among them a young shepherd named Said (Jamel Debbouze), and from "goumiers" in Morocco, including Yassir (Samy Naceri), who hopes to make enough money for his brother to marry well. In 1944, the 7th Algerian Infantry Regiment, under the command of French "pieds-noir" Sergeant Martinez (Bernard Blancan) and Arab Corporal Abdelkader (Sami Bouajila), win France's first victory against the German army in Italy. They arrive in Marseilles to much fanfare, where their marksman Messaoud (Roschdy Zem) begins a relationship with a French woman (Aurelie Bouab). Abdelkader is increasingly frustrated with the lack of promotion and "liberte, egalite, and fraternite" for African soldiers, inspiring a minor civil rights movement. But the war goes on, and the Regiment will be the first French in Alsace, as they attempt to hold the Germans off until the Americans arrive.

"Days of Glory" won't pack the political punch for Americans that it does for French, but this is a terrific war movie. It tells a World War II story that we haven't seen before, and it features two of the most compelling battle scenes I've ever seen: Flushing the Germans out in mountainous Italy elucidates the fear of the soldiers in their first battle and the utter randomness of who lives or dies. The defense of the Alsacian town is in some ways the opposite, as we know the soldiers well by this time and hope they will survive. The four North African leads represent diverse types: Unsophisticated Said's boyish devotion to his Sergeant, mature Messaoud who is not savvy enough to see the hypocrisy around him, mercenary Yassir whose dedication to his comrades grows, and idealistic Abdelkader who hopes their service to France will advance the position of North Africans. Viewers inevitably sympathize with those most like themselves, but those characters involve us emotionally in the events. In French and Arabic with optional subtitles.

The DVD (Weinstein 2007): "The Making of Days of Glory" (24 min) interviews the director, producer, and writer Olivier Lorelle about researching the film, bringing the story of their ancestors to the screen, and shedding light on the role of North African troops. The cast discusses their preparation and characters. Subtitled. "The Colonial Friend" (8 min) is an animated film by director Rachid Bouchareb about the experience of Senegalese infantrymen who fought for France and met a worse fate than the North Africans. The animation style is a unique, eye-catching black-and-white. No dialogue. English and Spanish subtitles are available for the film.

Not an Epic - but still a good movie.......2007-06-25

I would not call this movie an epic, not by a long shot. It is good, yes, the acting in fact is very good - but it is no "Saving Private Ryan".

Much of the fighting is small scale, still good, but not to the beach assault scenes that we have come to expect of great WW2 movie epics. The story to be told, is certainly political, and while it is difficult to get emotionally attached or close to any of the characters in the movie you find yourself angered at the manipulation and lies that are used by the French Officers to coerce and cajole the Algerians to blindly continue the fight for their beloved France.

My only criticism of the movie would be that I found it extremely distracting that one of the main characters, Sai`d (actor Jamal Debbouze) went through the entire war with his right hand stuck in his jacket pocket and I kept wondering why? I later found out that Debbouze, lost the use of his right arm in a childhood accident. But surely, in a war movie such as this you would be able to find ample opportunity to write into the script a reason that would adequately cover such a wound - other than just having the arm super-glued into an army jacket pocket??? I mean to take nothing away from Debbouze's skill as an actor, because I thought he did a great job in the part as Sai`d in this movie, I just think it a shame that rather than allowing me to focus on the character he portrayed so well, my attention was constantly drawn to his damn right hand in that damn pocket!!

They were so so days........2007-06-22

The movie is incoherent. The acting is stiff, not convincing.
There are two touching scenes in the whole DVD. One is where an Algerian soldier stepped on a case of fresh tomatoes and said to his French captain "If tomatoes are not given to everybody, then nobody will get one".
The second is where another Algerian soldier rushed to a room and tried to carry his wounded French captain away from the house while the Germans were entering it. They ended up being killed by the German anti-tank gun. Had the soldier just run away by himself and left his commander behind, he would have had escaped death.
The film is good in term of anti-racism. It is worth renting not buying.
Saving Private Ryan, Band of Brothers, the Longest Day, the Lost Battalion, Gettysburg and Gods and Generals are still the only titles on my list of Best War Movies of All Times.

worth owning, a war movie that tackles racism and cultural questions.......2007-06-21

I like war movies, i glanced at the box in the video store, quickly misinterpreted what it was about and rented it.

From this fortunate mistake came an interesting and worthwhile experience. For i knew nothing about the colonial French army in WW2 and this is an excellently done movie, that not only informs but motivates and interests me in the topic as well.

Usually movies with an deeply felt political or social point, loose the film making quality, sacrificing it for the bigger emotional point that the authors wish to get across. It is rare for a movie to have good historical knowledge-it's often twisted to fix predispositions, good film making technic-character development, coherent plot, and good filming, and a deep political point or as this movie does tackle currently hot button topics. "Z" and "The Battle of Algiers" and "Hell in a Very Small Place" are the only other movies quite like this one that i can remember, combining war with political and social commentary and not loosing sight of the need to present the film technically well.

The big point is explained in the "making of days of glory", the usual dvd additional features, for once worth watching and much better than the usual shovelware. That is for those French citizens today of North African (or Sengalese) descent to relearn the sacrifices their grandfathers and great-grand fathers made in liberating France from the Nazis. As a second point, for those French citizens of European descent to be more aware and thankful for the few remaining ex-colonials soldiers in their midst before they die, and to acknowledge that those people in their lives from Africa have long ago paid in blood for their right to be there and to be genuine Frenchmen.

The movie is about racism, judging a person by the color of their skin or the culture of their parents without making any attempt to hear their stories, to see what they have done, where they have come from or what they believe. The movie in a rather nice but complex way shows several ways that racism twists and distorts human relationships. It is also good to see the arena as something other than the US, for racism is not just an American problem but a human one.

The scene with the tomatoes. Only white French troops are given them, the North Africans and Sengalese are not. But as the movie points out, bullets don't discriminate, they indiscriminately kill anyone wearing a French uniform. The scene with the ballet dancers, culture is deeply embedded in us all and we can only see it oftentimes when it grinds into another one and the differences are made obvious to us. When the main character mounts the box and tells the soldiers that both France and the colonials must change, there is a veiled reference to the post-WW2 colonial wars of independence that make the issues of the movie so complex and difficult to understand. When you see the violence with which the sargent responses to the knowledge that he is a son of a Berber women, you can (as all good movies do) feel both his shame and the surprise of the other man at his comment being so hated when it was offered in deep and understanding sympathy. And that is the great value of learning with movies, the visceral, the emotional impact of images and a story told with them. Now i can, and probably will, look into the issue with more reading, but this is an excellent place to learn something about a neglected and important time in recent history.

Pieces of the movie are very attractively done, the uniforms-baggy North African turbans and robes with sandals, in the French winter (how can anyone live in this cold?, a point echoed in me). The fear, the brotherhood of warriors, the French white women plus the Berber soldier and the way society seems to conspire to destroy their relationship, the way some of them steal from the dead. The movie is full of unique and moving pieces that will make it a movie worth owning and watching again, there is too much going on, too many new connections for the viewer to make to be satisfied with a single pass through it.

I think that this movie is a genuine contribution to the ongoing dialogue between not just the European colonial powers and their African colonies, but between Islam and Christianity, racism and cultural conflicts. I need only remember that Augustine was called names because he was small and dark, for Monica was a Berber, to remember that Christianity is not European, not in origin nor in extent. I can hate and fear Islam as the greatest competitor of my faith, but that does not mean that every Muslim is my personal enemy, nor does it mean that i can't respect and honor them for their good deeds.

it is a worthwhile experience, not only for the excitement and passion but for an analysis of the deeper and more important issues that it tries to teach and push us into. thanks to all involved in making this movie and making it available to me to watch

Flawed, but very good overall.......2007-06-16

As a military history buff, I must first say that I am pleased that a film was made at all about this subject, which is little known by most people,especially Americans. World War II was the swan song of the old "Armee D'Afrique", the French colonial army that was similiar in many ways to the British Indian Army of the Raj. Since the vast bulk of metropolitan Frenchmen were under German occupation, or in German POW camps as a result of the defeat in 1940, the bulk of any French Army had to consist of the North African Regiments, from Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia, along with Senegalese and other colonial troops.
Anyone who has read the book "France, Soldiers, and Africa" will not be surprised by the events depicted in this movie; the treatment of the "native" troops was often shameful and ungrateful, despite their sacrifices on the battlefield, for a country that most had never seen.
The acting I believe was generally good, but the characters were not as fleshed out as I would like; perhaps as result of the number of major characters portrayed. The first set piece battle scene had large numbers, but was weakly drawn, and not that coherent; the final action scenes were better, in my opinion. Uniforms and equipment seemed to be reasonably authentic, but a mention of the U.S. 37th Division was incorrect; the 36th Division would have been correct, but I nit-pick.
Could the film have been improved upon? Yes, but the fact that was done at all, and reasonably well, made it well worth my time.

Average customer rating:

INSPIRING
Good Look at the man behind the books
conversations with god dvd
You have to understand this is just an Autobiography
how do we know? who do we trust?

Conversations With God
Starring: Henry Czerny , Vilma Silva , T. Bruce Page , Ingrid Boulting , and Zillah Glory
Director: Stephen Deutsch (II)
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000K7VHY6
Release Date: 2007-02-27

Description

Based on Neale Donald Walsch's best-selling, acclaimed trilogy comes a film you won't want to miss! Starring Henry Czerny and Frances Fishers, Conversations with God is an entertaining yet practical exploration of perhaps the most spiritual experience a person can have, regardless of their faith. See why everyone is talking about this exciting, empowering film!

Customer Reviews:

INSPIRING.......2007-07-04

This DVD was inspiring! Just a little disjointed but the over all message and feeling was beautiful. I am savoring the book with each chapter. Our God IS an AWESOME God. We all may not hear Him talk as clearly as Neale Donald Walsch did. But He does speak to each of us. He did in leading me to this DVD & book.

Good Look at the man behind the books.......2007-06-25

I was looking for a movie at blockbuster and came across this. I thought the movie was really good and sad. I did not know that his writings were actually books until I saw the movie. I know own all three books. This is a good film that gives a look at the life of Neal donald walsch.

conversations with god dvd.......2007-06-15

This was an excellent movie showing how the process of enlightenment happens. It is usually a slow process and we have to reach rock bottom in order to hear spiritually messages. I loved the movie!

You have to understand this is just an Autobiography.......2007-06-13

This is not so much about his books as it is just an autobiography of his life. Still I rate it 5 stars because the books doe not talk about his life and the DVD helps shed some light on how the books came about.

The DVD is cool, but definitely buy the books! I need like 10 stars to rate them.

how do we know? who do we trust?.......2007-06-09

i'm a sucker for any book or movie that sounds spiritual. the title had the movie in my hand at blockbuster, despite my not knowing a thing about it, except the title. so what if i get a lot of stinkers choosing movies this way? the few good ones repay my interest many times over. however this book is neither a winner nor really a loser, i'd rate it a B-. nice uplifting story, realistic (i loved the guy protecting his area, we had the same problem canning on a beach, where the regulars had divided it all us and kept out all causal competition), dumpster diving (we've seen people living in dumpsters, scubbing them down and recycling everything thrown in them), cheap camping (i sure wish there was more of it, thanks to salinas' rodeogrounds parking lot and the catholic workers house Mary's Place there). We certainly identify with the author, having lived for nearly a decade on the streets in a converted bookmobile with kids. But identifying with a movie's characters is only the first step in a good movie, not the be all to end all.

the movie is a biography, a rags to riches story with a new age spiritualist twist. He talks to God, actually it is closer to a lecture, but the idea is there. the result of this `dialogue' is at least 1, as i read online about it, i find out-3 books and lots of spinoffs out there. First, if it was a good movie, i would have bought the book immediately, i've done that before, see my review on Whale Rider for one example. I didn't, nor will it, the movie doesn't see me on the necessity of me reading the book, now, without delay. that makes the movie "unsuccessful" as far as i am concerned. Second, if it was a good movie to me, the ideas would resonance as being true or at least interesting (interesting means buy book, now), they not only do not sound true, they don't sound even close. This is the big point, the movie is about a very specific way of looking at life, my life and your life, God and the world. If you don't like the basic orientation then the movie is not going to be compelling to you, period. Propaganda works in this way, it is something you really would like to believe and the images and plot of the movie give you permission to believe like it's authors, and hence you are converted to their position, if you are not already a fellow traveller.

I'd like to believe things that are true.
What does it mean to be true? for example, did the birth mother of the boy killed in a motorcycle accident (yep, i ride a motorcycle, it's not a matter of if, but when and how bad) described in the bookstore, really die before? or even, did that incident happen? or where did he get the insight to answer in such a compelling way?
How we perceive the world around us matters. How we interact with people matters. The more positively, the more hopefully, the more responsively we act, in the long run the better response we will have. no surprise there. Uplifted spirits, positive attitude, etc are utilitarian, they do work, they will (again in the long run) make life better, more happy, more money, more spiritual insights blah blah blah. so what? truthfulness is not judged by it's utility or it's usefulness or even if it increases your bank account, truth is judged by it's truthfulness. Now can utility help us judge truthfulness? probable. The real, the true, the greater corresponding to reality, seems to be, and probably ought to be a hallmark of the true. However there are lots of useful lies in our societies, some of them have been very motivating and very compelling, but that doesn't make them right, only useful lies. and it is liars who seem to do best with useful lies, not honest people.

Is the universe friendly? is there a loving God that cares for His creation? does it matter if i was here or not? is the universe more than simply matter in motion? The movie, and i suppose the books he wrote will propose a consistent set of answers to these big important questions. The movie hints at some of the questions and answers a few of them. but there are a few questions to ask of these answers. One, how do we know, two, how do we identify the truth when we see it, and lastly, so what or why should i care?

The real answer that the movie proposes is because he had this experience, he heard this voice, and lots of people concur with him that it is good stuff and as a result he had lots of money and tried to do good with it when he got it. Essentially it is an argument from utility followed by goodness. It works and it makes things better, not just for him but for everyone around him. He inspires people, he motivates people, they have changed lives and everyone lives happily ever afterwards. Therefore the voice must be telling him true things. This is the answer to the how do we know question. Because it works, people get happy, some get wealthy, and everyone agrees that feeling good and positive and uplifted is a good thing, and this marks the truth.

Is the universe friendly? does it or God care about me, or about you? how do you know or how do you find out? when you have a potential answer, say these 3 books, how do you determine if he found The Truth, or at least a glimmer of it? not only are they good questions, which makes it a good movie that it asks and tries to answer them, but they are part of that constellation of the most important questions we can ask about our lives. For that reason alone the movie is to be recommended, because it asks the questions, something i suspect most people never really get the time to. for as the movie points out, we are all too busy making a living to make a life.

beyond the fact that i disagree with the basic system of the answers that the movie proposes, one problem is that it portrays the Christian answer to these questions as judgemental, God as a vengeful father-figure, with all the smugness and self righteousness of "inclusive" systems. the idea being that we(the new age, happy fellows, inclusive, universalist, God will save everyone because He is a loving God folks) don't know all the answers, except that we know anyone who is exclusive(makes any kind of claim that their is the right way or worse yet the only way) is wrong. The movie takes what i think are an excessive number of swipes at Christianity, big deal, lots of movies and books do, but i'd rather have them get the theology right that they criticise, rather than a parody of it.

But the big question really is the epistemological one. How do i know that the voice is real and it is telling him true things? (ignoring all kinds of auxillary question about transmission etc) If i sat down in my easy reading chair now, and a voice appeared to me and started telling me things, ought i to trust either my perception of the the voice or what it says? If an angel appeared before me with a manuscript should the experience validate what he/she/it tells me? do we trust our experiences, do we trust his? should we? how do we know? good questions, and for their asking i thank both the author and the movie.

Average customer rating:

Copy Cat for history In The Haditha Marine Case
............"THE SCOURGE OF WAR".........
A classic for reflection
Paths of Glory
One Of The Greatest Films Ever: A Masterpiece!

Paths of Glory
Starring: Kirk Douglas , Ralph Meeker , Adolphe Menjou , George Macready , and Wayne Morris
Director: Stanley Kubrick
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
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All Quiet on the Western Front (Universal Cinema Classics)
Barry Lyndon
Spartacus
All Quiet on the Western Front

ASIN: 0792841409
Release Date: 1999-06-29

Amazon.com essential video

Stanley Kubrick had already made his talent known with the outstanding racetrack heist thriller The Killing, but it was the 1957 antiwar masterpiece Paths of Glory that catapulted Kubrick to international acclaim. Based on the novel by Humphrey Cobb, the film was initiated by Kirk Douglas, who chose the young Kubrick to direct what would become one of the most powerful films about the wasteful insanity of warfare. In one of his finest roles, Douglas plays Colonel Dax, commander of a battle-worn regiment of the French army along the western front during World War I. Held in their trenches under the threat of German artillery, the regiment is ordered on a suicidal mission to capture an enemy stronghold. When the mission inevitably fails, French generals order the selection of three soldiers to be tried and executed on the charge of cowardice. Dax is appointed as defense attorney for the chosen scapegoats, and what follows is a travesty of justice that has remained relevant and powerful for decades. In the wake of some of the most authentic and devastating battle sequences ever filmed, Kubrick brilliantly explores the political machinations and selfish personal ambitions that result in battlefield slaughter and senseless executions. The film is unflinching in its condemnation of war and the self-indulgence of military leaders who orchestrate the deaths of thousands from the comfort of their luxurious headquarters. For many years, Paths of Glory was banned in France as a slanderous attack on French honor, but it's clear that Kubrick's intense drama is aimed at all nations and all men. Though it touches on themes of courage and loyalty in the context of warfare, the film is specifically about the historical realities of World War I, but its impact and artistic achievement remain timeless and universal. --Jeff Shannon

Description

Safe in their picturesque chateau behind the front lines, the French general staff passes down a direct order to Colonel Dax (Kirk Douglas): take the Ant Hill at any cost. A blatant suicide mission, the attack is doomed to failure. Covering up their fatal blunder, the generals order the arrest of three innocent soldiers, charging them with cowardice and mutiny. Dax, a lawyer in civilian life, rises to the men's defense but soon realizes that, unless he can prove that the generals were to blame,nothing less than a miracle will save his clients from the firing squad. A compelling masterpiece from world-class director/writer Stanley Kubrick and screenwriters Calder Willingham and JimThompson, Paths of Glory is a blistering indictment of military politics and "an unforgettable movie experience" (Newsweek).

Customer Reviews:

Copy Cat for history In The Haditha Marine Case.......2007-07-01

Kirk Douglas was enlisted in the US Navy he saw how pride gets in the way of ownership. He was able to show how a leader supports his men even when the noose is around their necks. Something our current house of representatives and the senate should be watching for the comparisons in the Haditha Marine case. [...]

The prosecutors should be held accountable for the destruction of these Marines lives. as the prosecutor Mike Nifong in the Duke La Cross case is.
Thanks for the good job, Kirk.

............"THE SCOURGE OF WAR"................2007-06-06

Awesome and powerful movie this, "Paths of Glory"...I surfed into Kirk Douglas on an interview show, and he made a statement about why he wanted to star in this movie...his reasoning was because of the Korean War [as well as WW1]...with the clashes between Truman and MacArthur pertaining to positional warfare and static warfare [the attrition of trench/bunker mentality]...Actor Kirk Douglas admired Gen. MacArthur for taking on his President who wanted this "old trend"....to talk peace; yet, wage war with delibating results of years and years of neither side advancing or getting the advantage for a clear/cut victory...Gen. Mac Arthur, all though his illustrious 50 yrs of dedicated service to the American people, fought to perpetuate the American fighting/warrior spirit to achieve VICTORY before appeasement to any enemy...so it unfolds in Kubrick's masterpiece as the French High Command 'fights' the war from the fine-dining and opulence venues of Paris while their loyal troops get chewed up into little bits at the Grinder [ The Ant/Hill]...what is the life, of but 3 'insignificant' soldiers to be scapegoated and executed for returning to their trenches after sustaining prolific/horrendous casualties from withering German machine guns registered-in fields of fire out in No Man's Land...anyone, yes, anyone would withdraw staring at your last day on earth under such lethal fire power...the final scene: as the French troops mock and leer at a young captured German girl...she shows grit/courage as a frighten virgin amongst the enemy French...she turns her sentimental song in their faces so innocently, that the French soldiers start crying at the whims of what war brings to friend or foe...Kirk Douglas is immense as a combat officer who gives a good darn about his enlisted troops and puts his miltary career on the line [exactly like Mac Arthur]...no matter what...at any cost, of decency to save his troops lives instead of the luxuries of the Chiefs of Staff Officers where they indulge, oblivious, to the slaughter of their men in the dank-rat-infested trenches and bunkers for years of no gain..no win...[1914-1918]....this was repeated in Korea by President Harry S. Truman until Gen. Douglas Mac Arthur decided to get in Truman's face...by don't scapegoat our brave troops for appeasement!!...ever think, it might be your son/daughter who dies for nothing!!....this is a cerebral film to ponder....want to compare it to Korea, Vietnam and today in Iraq??.....Semper Fidelis....SSGT CHRIS SARNO-USMC FMF

A classic for reflection.......2006-11-10

In our times of war, we see this movie and think that all the times and epocs the war is the same: grief, horror and sadness. This movie is an excellent classic for educational use.

Paths of Glory.......2006-11-05

Probably Stanley Kubrick's most underrated film. Kirk Douglas's performance is extraordinary as the officer Dax who honorably defends three soldiers put to death because they refused to follow orders in attempting a suicide mission. If there is an antiwar film that has a powerful message, this has to be near the top of the list.

One Of The Greatest Films Ever: A Masterpiece!.......2006-10-21

This is not only one of the greatest films ever, but one of the greatest anti-war films ever made. I have seen this film countless times, and it has not only held up to time, but is as relevant today as it was when it was first released. There was a program called 'BATTLE CRY' when I was a kid, and I remember first seeing this on the television with my father. I had 7 great uncles who faught in France during WWI [one was KIA] and two of them died before I was old enough to talk to them about this war. The last surviving one, who was severly wounded at the Argonne Forest, died in 1996 [at the age of 98] This film reminds me of all of them. The story's narrative deals with military incompetence and the implications that are about to befall three men whose actions are deemed as cowardice in the face of the enemy.

General Mireau (George MacReady) is insistant that the latest failure of his troops to advance further into the German strongholds must be dealt with in a severe fashion. He wants men selected for summary execution for cowardice. MacReady does an excellent portrayal of the French General who cannot accept the reality that the war is a stalemate. Neither side can enroach on the other, and the casualties are horrendous. When Gen. Mireau demands that the 'Ant Hill' be taken [an important military objective] He is warned by Colonel Dax (Kirk Douglas) that it is impossible. Not willing to listen to reason, Gen. Mireau orders his troops to take the hill.

The hill is neither taken, nor is there any good news about the condition of the men on the mission. Many have been killed and wounded, and advancement is no longer a priority with the men, as they retreat back to their trenches. As a result, Gen. Mireau order executions of those who returned to the trenches. A problems exists however, as everyone [officers included] retreated due to the impossible conditions of the battle. When Colonel Dax is told that three men are to be selected for courts-martial, [and execution if found guilty] he decides to defend them. As council for defense he brings to light many inconsistencies and errors of judgment on the part of Gen. Mireau. This film is great. It is in black-and-white, and is my favorite Stanley Kubrick film. A must have for your collection. At least rent it once anyway. Highly recomended. [Stars: 5+]

Average customer rating:

Incredibly moving
The finest Civil War movie
Completely satisfied, Excellent condition.
This is the definition of a truly great war movie.
Wonderfully acted and filmed...

Glory
Starring: Matthew Broderick , Denzel Washington , Cary Elwes , Morgan Freeman , and Jihmi Kennedy
Director: Edward Zwick
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures Home Ent
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ASIN: 0800177967
Release Date: 1998-01-20

Amazon.com

One of the very best films about the Civil War, this instant classic from 1989 is also one of the few films to depict the participation of African American soldiers in Civil War combat. Based in part on the books Lay This Laurel by Lincoln Kirstein and One Gallant Rush by Peter Burchard, the film also draws from the letters of Robert Gould Shaw (played by Matthew Broderick), the 25-year-old son of Boston abolitionists who volunteered to command the all-black 54th Regiment of the Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry. Their training and battle experience leads them to their final assault on Fort Wagner in South Carolina, where their heroic bravery turned bitter defeat into a symbolic victory that brought recognition to black soldiers and turned the tide of the war. With painstaking attention to historical detail and richness of character, the film boasts superior performances by Denzel Washington (who won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor), Morgan Freeman, Cary Elwes, and Andre Braugher. Directed by Edward Zwick (co-creator of the TV series thirtysomething), this unforgettable drama is as important as Schindler's List in its treatment of a noble yet little-known episode of history. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

Incredibly moving.......2007-06-13

It's been 15 years since I last saw this movie and was as excellent as I had remembered it. The movie is superbly cast and is beautifully written and directed. Of particular note are the sweeping vistas of the military gatherings. They're big and rich and really set the tone for the magnitude of a great war epic. It's a great picture and should be viewed by all to gain an appreciation for just how important the black military was in effecting the outcome of the Civil War.

The finest Civil War movie.......2007-05-18

Quite simply, this is the very best (by a long shot!) Civil War film ever made by anyone. It is the gold standard by which all other films of the era should be measured. Outstanding acting by all, brilliant direction, stunning visuals and music, if you haven't seen this yet, all I can say is don't wait any longer, see it now!!!

Completely satisfied, Excellent condition........2007-04-04

The product is excellent.
The condition represented online is what I received.
I am completely satisfied.

Thanks you,
Larry Tucker

This is the definition of a truly great war movie........2007-03-23

To be quite honest, I had low expectations for "Glory." It was just another boring day at school sitting in my history class drawing random drawings in my notebook. Suddenly my teacher says we're going to watch a movie. I wake up from my dreamy state and I decide I'll give it a chance. He loads the VCR tape into the machine and I fix my eyes upon the screen.

I will put "Glory" into a few words--this is what every war movie strives to be and beyond. Glory tells the story of a Civil War colonel (Matthew Broderick) who leads the war's first all-black volunteer regimen into battles and discovers along the way he has to confront the moral question of racial prejudice within, and outside of, his regimen.

So as I'm sitting in history class watching "Glory," I immediately begin to perk up. From the explosive first scene, I was fully awake. My luck skyrocketed when I discovered two of my all-time favorite actors in the film, Morgan Freeman and Denzel Washington. The movie progressed and I found myself becoming yet more and more drawn into the film--not just watching it, but actually EXPERIENCING every ounce of war, prejudice, and moral questions that face the characters in the movie.

What's even more, is that you find yourself becoming attached to ALL of the characters--every single black soldier--in some strange way, so strange, that when these men fall in battle you feel a jolt of power inside of you that is converted to emotional sadness in your mind.

The final scenes in Glory are mesmerizing. No, more than that--utterly spectacular. The final battle scene at Fort Wagner is so amazingly shot you will think you're actually there fighting along with the black regimen. You're not in your seat watching the film--you feel like you're there! The final battle scene is so spectacular, it will easily remain one of the most memorable battle scenes I've ever witnessed in all of film. After watching Glory, you will find yourself truly moved in all ways possible. You will almost feel like a new person.

All of this paired with a beautiful score by James Horner, Glory is simply one of the best war movies of all-time. Anyone who misses this film is missing out one of the most powerful, moving, and memorable experiences a movie can bring you.

I'm so glad I found myself in history this year.

Wonderfully acted and filmed..........2007-03-13

and mostly true, this look at the doomed black soldiers accepted into the Union Army during the waning days of the Civil War shouldn't be missed. Matthew Broderick gives perhaps his best performance, and the supporting cast is stupendous.

Average customer rating:

Awsome
Dust to Glory
Great DVD
Long Dusty Road
Dust to Glory is a great movie.

Dust to Glory
Starring: Steve McQueen , Robby Gordon , Chad McQueen , James Garner , and Ricky Johnson (III)
Director: Dana Brown (II) , and Rawn Hutchinson
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
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Accessories:

Enduroshot Energy Shots, Maximum Energy, Orange Velocity, 15 drinks [33 oz (975 ml)]

ASIN: B0009XT8C4
Release Date: 2005-08-23

Amazon.com

Don't be surprised if you feel a dry, tickling sensation in the back of your throat after watching the slam-bang racing documentary Dust to Glory. It's probably from the lingering sand and silt spewed from the knobby wheels of an array of machines that skitter from one end of the Baja Peninsula to the other. Using 90 cameras in a variety of formats, director Dana Brown captures the giddy danger of the race with truly visceral force. In 1967, a few California thrill-seekers had the Eureka spirit to take their homemade race cars for some whooping-up in the wide-open land just a few hours away. Since then, the Baja 1000 has turned into a party-fueled happening that's more akin to Burning Man than the Indy 500. It's billed as the world's longest nonstop race, running point-to-point for 1,000 miles through the Mexican desert from Tijuana to La Paz--pretty much the entire length of Baja.

Dana Brown is the son of Bruce Brown, whose 1966 film The Endless Summer sparked a surfing craze, and still holds up as an incomparable ode to the existential surfing lifestyle. Dust to Glory is by no means so profound and uses more of a Warren Miller thrill-marketing style (he of the annual throwaway extreme-skiing films). Cameras swoop down from helicopters, careen through silt, and are put into tracks over which vehicles pass at extreme speeds. In spite of the adrenaline rush, Dust to Glory is ultimately more about what people think about the higher implications of the competition. One veteran finisher describes it this way: "It's like having all 10,000 close calls of your life in one day. It makes regular life feel like slow-motion." --Ted Fry

Description

From the creators of Step Into Liquid comes this "amazing" (Variety), "absolutely exhilarating" (LA Weekly) film about the most notorious and dangerous race in the world: the Tecate SCORE Baja 1000. Showcasing Mario Andretti, Robby Gordon, Johnny Campbell and J.N. Roberts, and packed with awesome helicopter footage, in-your-face POV shots and stories of raw courage, Dust to Glory follows a wild assortment of motorcycles, dune buggies, ATV quads and tricked-out trucks in a 32-hour dash across 1,000 miles of unforgiving terrain and delivers such pulse-pounding thrills that "you feel like you've been there" (LA Weekly)!

Customer Reviews:

Awsome.......2007-06-16

If you call yourself a fan of off-road racing, then this is a film that you need to have at the top of your DVD collection. With some of the most awsome footage that I personally have ever seen and an awsome narration by the director, the story of the Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 takes on a whole new light. This is a must see.

Dust to Glory.......2007-06-09

Amazing video - edge of your seat excitement and great human interest stories. Even I enjoyed it - purchased for my husband - have lent ittoseveral motorcycle friends.

Great DVD .......2007-06-08

I watch this DVD at least once a month. It is very inspiring and enjoyable. It makes you feel like you were actually in the race. It provides for a great experience and one that I wish I could live for real. Hats off to the produces of this documentary. Very good DVD, 5 Stars.

Long Dusty Road.......2007-06-08

In the style of his father. Good movie.. About 20 minutes to long.

Dust to Glory is a great movie........2007-05-15

This is one of the best off road movies I have ever seen. This movie definately gets the insight of the Baja 1000 and tells the story through the riders and drivers point of view, along with other point of views. This is my favorite movie, by far.

Katharine Hepburn Collection (Morning Glory / Undercurrent / Sylvia Scarlett / Without Love / Dragon Seed / The Corn Is Green [1979])

Average customer rating:

What a Pleasure!
An odd mix of films, with some great moments
KATHERINE HEPBURN 100TH ANNIVERSARY COLLECTION
FINALLY
Finally Katie gets one of her own!

Katharine Hepburn Collection (Morning Glory / Undercurrent / Sylvia Scarlett / Without Love / Dragon Seed / The Corn Is Green [1979])
Starring: Katharine Hepburn , Cary Grant , Douglas Fairbanks Jr. , Adolphe Menjou , and Walter Huston
Director: George Cukor , and Vincente Minnelli
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Tyrone Power: The Swashbuckler Box Set (Blood and Sand / Son of Fury / The Black Rose / Prince of Foxes / The Captain from Castile)
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Lucille Ball Film Collection (Dance Girl Dance / The Big Street / Du Barry Was a Lady / Critic's Choice / Mame)
Ball of Fire
Jane Eyre

ASIN: B000NJXG68
Release Date: 2007-05-29

Amazon.com

Katharine Hepburn fans--and let's face it, who isn't one?--will be delighted by The Katharine Hepburn 100th Anniversary Collection. It showcases juicy, sometimes overlooked roles played by the winsome Hepburn both early and later in her career. The set includes 1933's Morning Glory, for which Hepburn won her first Best Actress Oscar, playing a determined young actress who just knows she's going to make a splash on the stage, and not fade like, well, a morning glory. The early screwball-era tempo is infectious, and young Kate, though insecure and--Lord help us all--skinny, beats the odds as she forges ahead in her career. Her rapid-fire delivery rivals that in another underrated Hepburn classic, Desk Set. Up next is Undercurrent, a gripping film noir that's slow in starting, but gets under the viewer's skin. Hepburn plays against type as an Ashley Judd-style gal-in-peril (or is she?), with a menacing husband (Robert Taylor) and a brother-in-law (Robert Mitchum) whom she may not be able to trust.

Sylvia Scarlett is a George Cukor-directed gem costarring Cary Grant, though Hepburn and Grant are most decidedly not in wacky Bringing Up Baby mode. The film wasn't well received when it was released in 1935, but it's a revelation now, for its daring homosexual subtexts--quite apparent to the modern viewer--and for Grant's against-type dark persona. Without Love, from 1945, is one of the first films to team Hepburn with Spencer Tracy, and yes, their onscreen chemistry is palpable. The conceit is one they would go on to use successfully time and again--plucky single woman resigned to living solo; rumpled, affable, slightly clueless bachelor who only needs to be shown just how much in love with our heroine he is. The supporting cast includes a terrifically cast Lucille Ball and Gloria Grahame.

Dragon Seed (1944) is an honorable misfire, an earnest period drama about the Japanese invasion of China. Through 21st-century eyes, Hepburn's impersonation of an Asian woman isn't great casting, and yet, Hepburn's honest, clear-eyed portrayal saves it from caricature. The Corn Is Green, a TV film from 1979, is an excellent counterbalance to all the brash, dewy-eyed roles in the rest of the set. Hepburn reteams with director Cukor for what is both a showcase for the diva's mighty talent, and yet also a completely even-handed ensemble piece, about a teacher's dedication in a small Welsh village.

Extras are plentiful on this already-packed disc, and include public-service and other shorts compiled by Warner Bros. that provide a window into mid-20th-century life. The short "Traffic with the Devil" (from the MGM Theatre of Life series) showcases the musings of a traffic cop, the real life Sgt. Chuck Reineke, who helps clueless, hapless drivers over what appear to be the wide-open spaces of L.A. highways. As a window to the truly more innocent times in Hollywood, the shorts are priceless. --A.T. Hurley

Studio description

Includes: Morning Glory (1933), Undercurrent (1946), Sylvia Scarlett (1935), Without Love (1945), Dragon Seed (1944), The Corn Is Green (1979).

Customer Reviews:

What a Pleasure!.......2007-07-03

What a pleasure to watch Kate! After buying this collection, I recently spent a day off from work with Katherine Hepburn (one from the 30's- "Slyvia Scarlett," one from the 40's- "Undercurrent" and one from the 50's- "The Rainmaker,"--not in this set.) She was fascinating in each of those decades.

Something must be said about "Dragonseed." I loved this film when I saw it as a teenager on TV years ago and have been waiting for it to come available on DVD. Much will be said about non-Chinese actors playing Chinese with the funny-looking make-up, etc. Points well made. But also points to be forgiven. If the viewer can get over these things (with this one and with "The Good Earth") and get into the characters and stories, this is wonderful story-telling and these are worthwhile stories to be told, both as the Pear S. Buck novels and as the MGM films, Caucasian actors notwithstanding.

I would collect "The Good Earth," "Dragonseed," and "The Inn of the Sixth Happiness," to get a sense of pre-WW2 China and the Japanese invasion.

An odd mix of films, with some great moments.......2007-06-18

2007 is the centenary of quite a few who touched the movies one way or another:
the poet W.H. Auden, novelists Robert A. Heinlein and Daphne Du Maurier, singers Gene Autry, Kate Smith, and Connee Boswell, bandleader Cab Calloway, film score composer Miklós Rózsa, director Fred Zinnemann, and the actors Dan Duryea, Cesar Romero, Buster Crabbe, Laurence Olivier, John Wayne, Barbara Stanwyck, Fay Wray, Burgess Meredith - and one Katharine Houghton Hepburn of Connecticut.

We have already seen tributes to Wayne, and no doubt Olivier and Stanwyck will also be acknowledged. In honor of Miss Hepburn, Warner has issued a rather odd and quite endearing six-disc boxed set of films not previously available on DVD. They range widely in both chronology and quality, and few would put these particular films at the very top of the Hepburn canon, even the one that won her her first Oscar. But as I watched this motley group of films - two from RKO in the 1930s, three from MGM in the 1940s, and one TV film from the late 1970s, I was reminded what a treasure she was and is. Even in the midst of misguided melodramas and not-quite-good-enough romantic comedies, she gives unique, memorable performances. In two cases, her acting may in fact be memorably off-key rather than memorably wonderful, but she makes all these worth seeing.

Morning Glory (1933) won Hepburn an Academy Award. She's excellent as a stage-struck young woman who is trying to make it as a Broadway actress. Her eccentric, fascinating performance can even be seen as a stylized self-portrait. The film itself, directed by Lowell Sherman, is dated in fascinating ways: the stilted storytelling, the 1920s/1930s view of Broadway as the ultimate place to become a dramatic star, the sexual mores. Although it's presented rather obliquely, the parts of the plot involving Hepburn ending up in bed with big producer Adolphe Menjou, falling instantly in love with him and being just as summarily dumped, may leave your jaw dropping both at the "adult" subject matter and the attitudes of another era. Of course, Hepburn eventually understudies for a star-making part, and gets her chance to shine. The bittersweet last scene is both wonderful and a bit ridiculous; this isn't just from an earlier time - it seems to be from another planet.

Without Love (1945) is often described as the worst of the pictures Hepburn made with Spencer Tracy. It's no classic, but if you set your expectations accordingly, it's very entertaining. Defense industry scientist Tracy and well-to-do young widow Hepburn decide to enter into a marriage "without love," based on mutual respect rather than, well, sex. This being Hollywood, you can guess how long that lasts (about ten minutes less than the running time). Lucille Ball and Keenan Wynn have amusing supporting roles - it's fun to see Ball playing a sexy sophisticate, leagues away from Lucy Ricardo. The competent but uninspired direction is by Harold S. Bucquet. His name was up until now unknown to me, but he co-directed another film in this very DVD set (see below), after doing mostly Dr. Kildare series movies before that. And although this is based on a play by Philip Barry, in which Hepburn starred on Broadway in 1942, it is a much less satisfying piece than Holiday or The Philadelphia Story, two earlier Barry-Hepburn collaborations. But she's very charming and perfectly cast.

Dragon Seed (1944) is the oddest of these six movies. It features a largely Caucasian cast playing poor Chinese farmers during the Japanese invasion of the 1930s. It's just about impossible for a 21st-century audience not to respond with appalled laughter at what seems now like a stunt. But the script, based on a Pearl S. Buck novel, is nothing if not sincere, and it has its effective moments. Still, seeing the inconsistent and almost entirely unconvincing ways the Hollywood makeup artists try to make Hepburn, Walter Huston, Agnes Moorehead and others look like Asians - well, this is entertainment in itself, after a fashion. But only for half an hour or so, and the film runs a stultifying 148 minutes. It was lavishly produced by MGM. The co-directors were Bucquet (of Without Love) and Jack Conway. Hepburn manages to project some real feeling through the silly makeup and the platitudinous dialogue.

Hepburn gives the nearest thing to a poor performance (in this set, I mean) in Vincente Minnelli's noirish melodrama Undercurrent (1946). Married to yet another war-era defense scientist (Robert Taylor), this one with a mysterious past, she's supposed to be meek and scared, and as we all know, that just ain't Hepburn. But the glossy production, along with Minnelli's gift for décor and movement, keep this one interesting, even, or especially, when it's ridiculous. Robert Mitchum plays a supporting role that many have called inappropriate for him, but I think he's just fine, as is Edmund Gwenn as Hepburn's father (he turns up again in this set, too).

Although it's flawed, George Cukor's Sylvia Scarlett (1936) is probably the best movie in the set. It features a fierce, sexy, and delightful performance by Cary Grant as a Cockney con man - a role quite different from most of his starring parts. Hepburn is on the run from the French police with her gambler father (Gwenn again), and to put them off the trail she cuts her hair and dresses as a boy - Sylvia becomes Sylvester. This leads to some startling and very entertaining scenes with a bit of bisexual innuendo: a woman kisses and tries to seduce "Sylvester," and both Grant and Brian Aherne find themselves strangely attracted to this young man. At one point, Grant and Sylvester are set to bunk together in close quarters. "It's a nippy night out," says Grant, "and you'll make a nice little hot water bottle." Sylvester flees in fright, even though Sylvia of course has a crush on Grant. The Grant and Aherne characters are both visibly relieved when Sylvester transforms back into Sylvia, but the audience may feel a letdown: Sylvester is a captivating, unusual presence, while Sylvia tends to mewl and whine too much. The later twists and turns in the comic-melodramatic plot are far from convincing, but it's all stylish and fun nonetheless.

I considered cheating a bit on this review and skipping the 1979 The Corn Is Green, also directed by Cukor. But although it is formulaic, it hooked me right away and I enjoyed it right through to the happy-teary climax. The story is a familiar one, a la Pygmalion and To Sir With Love, an 1890s period piece about a teacher, done up in the Hallmark Hall of Fame manner, and Hepburn is probably 25 years older than the part as written. (Bette Davis, born a year later than Hepburn, played this same role in a 1945 film when she was about 36; Hepburn was about 71! Still, Ethel Barrymore was over 60 when she played the part on Broadway in 1940.) There is beautiful Welsh scenery and a fine cast, and Cukor guides it home like the old pro he was by 1979.

Produced under the auspices of Turner Classic Movies, the discs all offer splendid picture and sound quality, and all include short subjects from their era, such as a Tex Avery "Wolf" cartoon and a fabulous Technicolor travelogue of Los Angeles in the forties. Maybe you only want to see the pedigreed Katharine Hepburn classics like Little Women and Adam's Rib and Summertime; if so, only Morning Glory and Sylvia Scarlett come close to that grade here. But the other, less familiar movies offer aspects of Hepburn you may not see elsewhere, and their Hollywood craftsmanship, as wrapped by Warner and Turner Classics in nice shiny packages, provides several hours of great entertainment.

KATHERINE HEPBURN 100TH ANNIVERSARY COLLECTION.......2007-06-02

For once, WB have chosen not to detail the extra features on this set....and it's probably because they're underwhelming. Here's the lowdown:

MORNING GLORY(RKO, 1933)
-Menu(1933 MGM short), Pete Smith, 2 strip Technicolor
-Bosko's Mechanical Man(1933 WB cartoon)

WITHOUT LOVE(MGM, 1945)
-Purity Squad(1945 Crime Does Not Pay short)
-Swing Shift Cinderella(1945 MGM Tex Avery cartoon)
-Trailer

SYLVIA SCARLET(RKO, 1935)
-Los Angeles: Wonder City Of The West(1935 Traveltalk short)
-Alias St. Nick(1935 Happy Harmonies cartoon)

UNDERCURRENT(MGM, 1946)
-Traffic With The Devil(1946 MGM Theatre Of Life short)
-Lonesome Lenny(1945 MGM Tex Avery cartoon)
-Trailer

DRAGON SEED(MGM, 1944)
-20 Years After(1944 MGM Romance Of Celluloid short)
-Happy Go Nutty(1945 MGM Screwy The Squirrel cartoon)
-Trailer

THE CORN IS GREEN(1978, TV movie, matted 1.85:1)
-No Extras

As with other recent WB sets, the selection of films here does not represent the "best of" Katherine Hepburn. Since many of her better films have already seen DVD release, the WB classics folks had to choose from "the best of what's left!" Like any backseat driver, I would have made other selections than they did.

What we get is a lesser known Tracy/Hepburn vehicle(WITHOUT LOVE), a landmark early Hepburn performance(MORNING GLORY), a clever comedy(SYLVIA SCARLET), a horribly miscast and botched epic(DRAGON SEED), a lukewarm suspenser(UNDERCURRENT), and one of her last great roles(CORN IS GREEN).

The sources look pretty good overall. As usual, the MGM transfers are the best, with the RKO transfers from existing materials of varying quality. SCARLET looks pretty good, MORNING GLORY has white botches all over the picture and a soft, dupey quality.

I have to pick another bone with WB over the packaging. I've gotten used to the keepcases or slimcases featuring original poster art. In a departure from the normal, this thing is presented in a digipack(discs stacked 2x2 on three panels) with a clear plastic cover (like that seen on the WB/BBC new DR. WHO series). The individual discs also do not feature poster art...mostly black with pink lettering! Pink!?! I doubt Kate would have approved! Hopefully, this is a one-off and WB will return to original poster art covers for subsequent classics releases.

Anyway, given any negative statements, it's a pretty good set overall.

FINALLY.......2007-03-09

Thank God Warner Bros is on the ball with Katharine Hepburn!

She deserves this and so do her fans.

"Sylvia Scarlett"- panned in 1936 when RKO released it, this gem directed by George Cuckor with Hepburn and Cary Grant about con artists and sexual ambiguity was scandalous at its time, and although the plot is thin in certain parts, as a whole today it's a great movie. Hepburn looks great dressed as "Sylvestor."

"Without Love" - one of the lesser known pairings of Hepburn and Tracy, but still a gem about a loveless marriage of convienance. Lucille Ball plays Hepburn's best friend/realtor.

"Undercurrent" - beautiful cinematography, yet Hepburn never struck me as the "victim." Robert Taylor and Robert Mitchum costar with her in a story about a newly married couple, and Hepburn's worries over her husband's mysterious past and mysterious brother.

"Morning Glory" - "My name is Eva Lovelace, my stage name, you've probably never heard of me because I'm just starting." - Hepburn won her first Oscar for Best Actress as a stagestruck girl destined to get into the theatre. There's supposedly a cut scene between her and Douglas Fairbanks Jr. where they perform the balcony scene from Romeo and Juliet, and I wish they would include it on the extra features, but I don't think they will for some reason. Adolphe Menjou co-stars as well.

"Dragon Seed" - this is probably the only one of the bunch that I wish they'd left out. At the time it was critically acclaimed (it was 1944), yet by today's standards having American actors portraying Chinese peasants is ludicrous. The movie isn't horrible; however, I don't see why they couldn't have actually used Chinese actors, but blame the Studio System of the 1940's and racial intolerance for that. Hepburn however does portray and independent, freedom fighter peasant woman, and that is the only admirable thing I can think about this movie based on Pearl Buck's novel.

Finally Katie gets one of her own!.......2007-02-27

Not a moment too soon, the Katharine Hepburn Signature Collection finally arrives on DVD. A brief description of the titles:

Morning Glory (1933)
Eva Lovelace, would-be actress trying to crash the New York stage, is a wildly optimistic chatterbox full of theatrical mannerisms. Her looks, more than her talent, attract the interest of a paternal actor, a philandering producer, and an earnest playwright. Is she destined for stardom or the "casting couch"? Will she fade after the brief blooming of a "morning glory"?

Undercurrent (1946)
Young bride Ann Hamilton soon begins to suspect that her charming husband is really a psychotic who plans to murder her.

Sylvia Scarlett (1935)
Escaping to England from a French embezzlement charge, widower Henry Scarlett is accompanied by daughter Sylvia who, to avoid detection, "disguises" herself as a boy, "Sylvester." They are joined by amiable con man Jimmy Monkley, then, after a brief career in crime, meet Maudie Tilt, a giddy, sexy Cockney housemaid who joins them in the new venture of entertaining at resort towns from a caravan. Through all this, amazingly no one recognizes that Sylvia is not a boy...until she meets handsome artist Michael Fane, and drama intrudes on the comedy.

Without Love (1945)
In World War II Washington DC, scientist Pat Jamieson's assistant, Jamie Rowan, enters a loveless marriage with him. Struggles bring them closer together. Written by Ed Stephan {stephan@cc.wwu.edu}

In WWII Pat Jamieson is a scientist working, without backing, on a high-altitude oxygen mask for fighter pilots. But he has nowhere to conduct his research until he meets Jamie Rowan, a woman with a large empty country house. She has no hopes of marrying for love (and neither does Pat) but Jamie wants to help the war effort and she likes this quirky scientist and his dog, so to satisfy the proprieties they agree on a business arrangement: a marriage of convenience and partnership. They happily work on oxygen mixes instead of honeymooning. But as the footing of their relationship begins warm up, Jamie is courted by another man and the old flame that broke Pat's heart is back in his life. It will take a sleepwalking ruse, dodging in and out of doors, and a working oxygen mask to get them together again.

Dragon Seed (1944)
The lives of a small Chinese village are turned Upside down when the Japanese invade it. And heroic young Chinese woman leads her fellow villagers in an uprising against Japanese Invaders.

The Corn is Green (1979 TV version)
A strong-willed teacher, determined to educate the poor and illiterate youth of an impoverished Welsh village, discovers one student whom she believes to have the seeds of genius in him.

Let's hope they do a 'Warner Night at the Movies' section for this release :o)

Average customer rating:

Blades of Glory [Blu-ray]
Starring: Will Ferrell , Jon Heder , Will Arnett , Amy Poehler , and Jenna Fischer
Director: Josh Gordon , and Will Speck
Manufacturer: DreamWorks
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: Blu-ray

General | Blu-ray | Formats | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B000RGSO7I
Release Date: 2007-08-28

Amazon.com

Beyond Blades of Glory

More "Blades" on DVD
More DVDs with Will Ferrell
The Soundtrack

Stills from Blades of Glory (click for larger image)

Product Description

Average customer rating:

Great Movie
A very fine historic sports movie
A Fitting Tribute to Legendary NCAA Basketball Coach Don Haskins
Excellent
Works Great As A Sports Film

Glory Road (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Josh Lucas , Derek Luke , Austin Nichols , Jon Voight , and Evan Jones
Director: James Gartner
Manufacturer: Buena Vista Home Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000EXZFCQ
Release Date: 2006-06-06

Amazon.com

One of the greatest basketball games in NCAA history is immortalized in Glory Road, an engaging sports movie that dramatizes a pivotal milestone in the racial integration of college athletics. While it may not be as rousing as similar movies like Hoosiers or Friday Night Lights, this fact-based drama gains depth and substance from the groundbreaking achievement of Don Haskins (well-played by Josh Lucas), who coached the 1965-66 team from Texas Western University to the NCAA championship, using the first-ever all-black lineup in the championship game and forever changing the rules of college basketball. Texas Western's underdog season is followed from anxious start to glorious finish, as Haskins recruits many of his black star players from the North, including Bobby Joe Hill (Derek Luke) and Willie Cager (Damaine Radcliff), and this typically wholesome Disney film doesn't flinch from the harsh realities of racial tension (including player beatings and vandalized motel rooms) that Texas Western's black players had to struggle against as their victories began to draw national attention. Jon Voight (under heavy makeup) makes a memorable cameo appearance as legendary Kentucky coach Adolph Rupp, whose favored all-white team was no match for Texas Western, and Haskins' unforgettable achievement is celebrated in an end-credits sequence that demonstrates the positive ripple-effect of his color-blind coaching. Glory Road relies a bit too heavily on sports-movie clichés, but its shortcomings are easily overlooked in favor of its greater historical significance. --Jeff Shannon

Description

The studio that brought you REMEMBER THE TITANS now delivers another winner with this exciting and inspirational true story of the team that changed college basketball -- and the nation -- forever! Josh Lucas (SWEET HOME ALABAMA) stars as future Hall of Fame coach Don Haskins of tiny Texas Western University, who bucks convention by simply starting the best players he can find: history's first all-African American lineup. In a turbulent time of social and political change, their unlikely success sends shock waves through the sport that follow the underdog Miners all the way to an epic showdown with all-white, #1 ranked Kentucky for the National Championship!

Customer Reviews:

Great Movie.......2007-03-15

This is an awesome movie. Everyone should make the effort to watch this.
Thank you for inquiring.
Ella J. Givens

A very fine historic sports movie.......2007-03-15

Glory Road is the true story of Texas college basketball coach Dan Haskins.

In 1965, white players dominated college basketball and a predominantly black team was just not even thought of, especially in Klan infested Southern states.

The coach assists his Texas-Western players in breaking down race relation obstacles still grasping the nation and even more brazenly evident in violent Jim Crow South.

Coach Haskins drives all his players, both on the court, and demands more then passing academic grades in the classroom as well.

Classic Soul and R & B music of the mid-1960's era play a key part through out this well made picture.

"The incredible story of the team that changed the game forever / Based on a true story"

A Fitting Tribute to Legendary NCAA Basketball Coach Don Haskins.......2007-02-19

The year was 1966. Then President Lyndon B. Johnson, only one year before, had signed into the law the Civil Rights Act; President Johnson sent more American troops to South Vietnam; the Soviet space craft Venera 3 became the first man-made object to land on another planet; and in March of that year, a monumental event occurred within U.S. collegiate sports thanks to the abilities of the basketball coach Don Haskins. The late 1960's were a tumultuous period in U.S. history due the number of changes that were occurring in society. Most notably, the Civil Rights movement as lead by Martin Luther King, Jr., which lead the U.S. Congress and President Johnson passing the Civil Rights Act and end segregation. Up until that time, southern colleges and universities were highly segregated, especially their sports teams. So, when the little known university named "Texas Western College" in El Paso, Texas hired a new basketball coach to help their ailing team (the Miners), they didn't know what they were getting themselves into as the man they hired, Don Haskins, was more interested in an individual's athletic abilities than the color of his/her skin. As shown in the 2006 film "Glory Road", after Don Haskins (played by Josh Lucas) began to recruit African-American basketball players for the university's basketball team, not everyone was happy; but as the team began to repeatedly win against teams from other universities that were mostly (if not completely) Caucasian, both the university and the residents of El Paso cheered for their mostly African-American team. The team's success under Don Haskins allowed the Texas Western College Miner basketball team to then be included in the prestigious NCAA Basketball Tournament, where it's abilities took them all the way to the final game with the predominantly Caucasian team from the University of Kentucky Wildcats, whose head coach was the legendary Adolph Rupp (played by Jon Voight).

With a brilliantly written screenplay (thanks to the writers Chris Cleveland and Bettina Gilois), great direction (thanks to director James Gartner and superb acting, "Glory Road" is a truly wonderful film and a fitting tribute to the real coach Don Haskins. Other notable characters in the film include the 1966 Texas Western College College basketball players, which included Bobby Joe Hill (Derek Luke), Willie 'Scoops' Cager (Damaine Radcliff), Willie Worsley (Sam Jones III), David Lattin (Schin A.S. Kerr), Jerry Armstrong (Austin Nichols), Orsten Artis (Alphonso McAuley), Nevil Shed (Al Shearer), Harry Flournoy (Mehcad Brooks) and David Palacio (Alejandro D. Hernandez). Other notable characters in the film include Don Haskin's wife Mary Haskins (Emily Deschanel), Harry Flournoy's mother (Elizabeth Omilami) and Jerry Armstrong's father (Graham Timbes). Though the film received no Oscar nominations, it did win the "Best Sports Movie" from the ESPY Awards (Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly Awards). My overall rating for the film is 5 out of 5 stars and highly recommend it. Today, at the University of Texas at El Paso (the former Texas Western College), the main basketball sports arena is named the "Don Haskins Center" and can seat 12,000. Thanks to the real Don Haskins, the doors to collegiate sports were opened to everyone regardless of the color of one's skin.

Excellent.......2007-02-17

This is a GREAT movie to add to your collection. If you have seen Remember the Titans, this movie is as good at that one only the coach in this one is white and this is about basketball instead of football during the time of segregation in the south.

Works Great As A Sports Film.......2007-02-16

There is no doubting that director James Gartner knows how to tweak a story to make it more dramatic. His "Glory Road" attests to that. As others have stated, writers Chris Cleveland and Bettina Gelois loosened up quite a bit with the accuracy of the events that lead up to Texas Western's 1966 showdown with college basketball juggernaut, Kentucky, in order to make the tale even more of an underdog tale than it actually was. Things start out with coach Don Haskins (Josh Lucas) being offered a shot at coaching Division I college ball at Texas Western (eventually UT-El Paso). When he's handed the reins of the basketball team, he learns he must live with his family in the dormitory with the players. He also quickly learns that he has very little funding to go out and recruit legitimate college basketball talent. After a number of rejections, Haskins heads out to recruit black players and eventually attracts seven of them to the west Texas town of El Paso. Things take a dramatic turn as Haskins' team wins game after game. Along the way, they are faced with countless derogatory remarks, they get spit on, they get beat up, receive death threats, etc. Mind you, this doesn't just happen to the black players. The viewer is made well aware of the fact that the white boys playing on the team draw their fair share of racist heat as well. Haskins and his family receive death threats and, in typical college sports movie style, the alumni association threatens to pull its support of the team. When the pressure really turns up, the black players turn on their white teammates, showing that racism doesn't always come from one side of the court. In the end, the players, the NCAA, and, hopefully, all of America comes to realize that skin color doesn't make you what you are, it's what's inside that really matters.

As stated before, the writers took great liberties with this story. In fact, they took so many that I don't really know what did and didn't actually happen. For this reason, I'm forced to take a star away from the rating of this movie. I really must admit that it's nice to see a film in which racial tensions not only affect the black people in the film, but the white people as well.

Overall, the film is quite enjoyable to watch. Jon Voight is nearly unrecognizable as Kentucky legend, Adolph Rupp. He does a wonderful job in a true scene-stealing role. It's been stated by others that Rupp never was the racist that he is portrayed to be in this film. Much like Lane Frost's father in the equally wonderful "8 Seconds," I feel that dramatic license was taken with the character in order to further solidify the "underdog" aspect of the film.

This movie really is a wonder to watch. Great music, wonderful cinematography, and solid direction make for a nice film. It has drama, comedy, and even a little suspense (even though we all know the outcome).