Kansas

Starring:Matt Dillon, Andrew McCarthy, Leslie Hope, Alan Toy, Andy Romano, Brent Jennings, Brynn Thayer, Kyra Sedgwick, Harry Northup, Clint Allen, Arlen Dean Snyder, Jim Lovelett, Louis Giambalvo, Craig Benton, James Lea Raupp, John Lansing, Gale Mayron, Timothy Graham, Annie Kellogg, Mimi Wickliff
Director: David Stevens
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
Product Type: DVD

Average customer rating:

Classic Western Roundup
Non-shoot-out Movie About the West
Great Western fare, thanks to Universal

Classic Western Round-Up, Vol. 1 (The Texas Rangers / Canyon Passage / Kansas Raiders / The Lawless Breed)
Starring: Dana Andrews , Susan Hayward , Brian Donlevy , Audie Murphy , and Rock Hudson
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Westerns | Genres | DVD | Video

Classics | Westerns | Genres | DVD | Video

( C ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
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Broken Arrow
Unconquered (Universal Cinema Classics)

ASIN: B000N3T0G4
Release Date: 2007-05-08

Description

Journey back to the Old West for timeless adventures in the Classic Western Round-Up: Volume 1! Relive all the gunfights, barroom brawls and romance with The Texas Rangers, Canyon Passage, Kansas Raiders and The Lawless Breed. Starring Hollywood favorites Rock Hudson, Fred MacMurray, Audie Murphy and Dana Andrews, this action-packed collection features some of the most exciting films ever to hit the silver screen! The Texas Rangers (1936) Two crooks (Fred MacMurray and Jack Oakie) reluctantly enlist in the Texas Rangers as a means of staying one-step ahead of the law. Canyon Passage (1946) Adventure awaits when a pack-mule express owner (Dana Andrews) escorts a young woman (Susan Hayward) home to a remote Oregon town. Kansas Raiders (1950) Jesse James (Audie Murphy) and his brothers join William Quantrill (Brian Donlevy) and his vengeful raiders in an effort to save the Confederacy. The Lawless Breed (1953) When famed outlaw John Wesley Hardin (Rock Hudson) is released from prison, he gives an in-depth account of his scandalous life to a local newspaper.

Customer Reviews:

Classic Western Roundup.......2007-07-02

Well going in I had high hopes based on earlier reviews concerning Canyon Passage. That turned out to be a pretty good old style western. If all of the other movies had the same standard then the disk would have been rated 5 stars. The others are good but not as good as CP and that is what brought it down. All of the fils were pretty well played, good plot development and any fan of the old stuff should like this collection.

Non-shoot-out Movie About the West.......2007-05-22

Fine picture of mostly non-violent pioneers in the Pacific Northwest. A loyal rendering of Ernest Haycox's novel. Dana Andrews stalwart as Logan, the shopkeeper, Susan Hayward as sweet and loyal Lucy, Brian Aherne as Lucy's fiancee, with a problem with gambling. Hoagy Carmichael is a townsman, who introduced his theme song "Old Buttermilk Sky," Lloyd Bridges a gold prospector, Ward Bond a sweaty ruffian. One for kids to see it wasn't all saloons and gunmen who settled the West.

Great Western fare, thanks to Universal.......2007-02-16

This is volume I of the two volume set of Classic Westerns to be issued by Universal, and it includes four excellent oaters, and if past history is any guide, Universal will give us great transfers in excellent color (where the movies are in color). Fred MacMurray (THE TEXAS RANGERS) was an accomplished Western actor, with not only THE TEXAS RANGERS to his credit but classics such as AT GUNPOINT, GUN FOR A COWARD, GOOD DAY FOR A HANGING, QUANTEZ, and others demonstrating his prowess in the genre. He doesn't disappoint here. CANYON PASSAGE was one of Dana Andrews finest roles, and it's a excellent picture, with Hoagy Carmichael providing some delightful music. Audie Murphy stars in KANSAS RAIDERS, and doesn't disappoint (his legion of fans will be delighted!). Finally, Rock Hudson, again a fine Westerner, is very fine in THE LAWLESS BREED. In sum, four very fine and entertaining Westerns, which, along with volume II, should please Western fans and movie viewers in general.

Kansas City Confidential (MGM Film Noir)

Average customer rating:

Finally - The Official MGM DVD Release! Great Film Noir!
Excellent cops and robbers movie.!!
A good example of what second-feature B movies were all about: Not too bad, not too good.
I have to echo these other positive reviews
"You been giving me the fisheye all night."

Kansas City Confidential (MGM Film Noir)
Starring: John Payne , Coleen Gray , Preston Foster , Neville Brand , and Lee Van Cleef
Director: Phil Karlson
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Crime | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Classics | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Drama | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

The Woman in the Window (MGM Film Noir)
The Stranger (MGM Film Noir)
A Bullet For Joey (MGM Film Noir)
Film Noir Classic Collection, Vol. 4 (Act of Violence / Mystery Street / Crime Wave / Decoy / Illegal / The Big Steal / They Live By Night / Side Street / Where Danger Lives / Tension)
Ace in the Hole - Criterion Collection

ASIN: B000PMFRVK
Release Date: 2007-07-10

Customer Reviews:

Finally - The Official MGM DVD Release! Great Film Noir!.......2007-06-03

For years Kansas City Confidential has languished in the Public Domain Hell. Released in a woefully substandard version from Alpha (watch the video wiggle at the bottom of the screen every 10 seconds), and a much better, but still flawed version from Image (the picure is just a bit too dark and has some minor print damage), along with several "dollar" DVD versions that were even more flawed than the Alpha and Image releases, Kansas City Confidential was a movie that most Film Noir fans thought would never see an "official" DVD release by MGM (owner of the master print, and - presumably - the negatives).

But here it is - MGM is actually releasing (or has released, depending on when you read this) the "official" DVD for this fantastic Film Noir. Based on their track record of releasing official versions of movies previously relegated to public domain releases (see He Walked By Night as an example - MGM's DVD is flawless!), this should see a drastic improvement in both image and sound quality over all of the previous versions released to date.

The movie itself is a tightly written, well acted (John Payne is fantastic, and the supporting cast of Preson Foster, Lee Van Cleef, Neville Brand, Jack Elam, and Coleen Gray are all near perfect in their roles), and extremely well directed by Phil Karlson. The cinematography by George E. Diskant should also get special mention, as Kansas City Confidential has the classic look of Film Noir.

This is a classic crime/wrong man framed and sets out for revenge movie. For fans of Film Noir this is truly a, "Must Have," DVD.

Excellent cops and robbers movie.!!.......2007-04-29

Stars John Payne as a flower deliveryman who is set up as a fall guy for a robbery planned by disgruntled cop Preston Foster. Released from police custody for lack of evidence, Payne follows leads to Mexico where he uncovers the real criminals. Very good performances all round and a classic "cops & robbers" movie. Excellent!!

A good example of what second-feature B movies were all about: Not too bad, not too good........2006-11-26

Is Kansas City Confidential a noir? Some critics think so. Some have even gone so far as to praise the movie. For me, the film is just one more B-level programmer, churned out in the thousands during the Forties and early Fifties to fill out double bills. The one thing it has going for it is a clever plot idea that combines a crime caper with a resentful Mr. Big who disliked being placed on forced retirement. Is that enough to take the premise seriously? I don't think so, but the way the payback for the retirement is planned and carried out isn't bad.

The movie turns on two plot pivots. First is a bank heist. Three tough guys are recruited by Mr. Big, who wears a mask. He makes the others wear masks, too. Only Mr. Big knows who everyone is. Their getaway leaves behind an innocent patsy, Joe Rolfe (John Payne), a war hero who once got in trouble with the law. After the Kansas City police try to beat a confession out of him, they realize they have the wrong man and let him go. Joe gets mad and decides to track the robbers down.

The second pivot centers on a small Mexican resort village where Mr. Big and the three accomplices have gathered, months later, to split the loot. Joe has taken the identity of one of them, Pete Harris. Joe had tracked Harris down and was forcing him to go together to the resort. By coincidence, Harris was gunned down by police at the Tijuana airport while Joe was at the ticket counter. Complicating things is Tim Foster (Preston Foster), a retired police captain from Kansas City who likes to fish, and his daughter, Helen (Coleen Gray). Helen, soon to pass her bar exam, showed up unexpectedly to visit her father. We're often reminded that there is a substantial reward for whoever captures the crooks and finds the money. There are beatings, slappings, double crosses, cold-blooded murder, noble sacrifice and a promised happy ending for Joe and Helen. A lot goes on, but it's something of a slog to get to Joe's and Helen's big kiss.

Second bill programmers were most often noted for only adequate acting, workmanlike but often clunky scripts, music scores that telegraphed what we were supposed to be feeling and the barest budgets the studios could get away with. This didn't mean that the movies were bad, just that there needed to be something -- an occasional standout script, or a solid actor, or an unusual concept or mood -- to make the movie worth remembering. With Kansas City Confidential we have, to my way of thinking, just two things that stand out. First, is that clever plot idea. Second, are the actors who play the three goons recruited by Mr. Big. There's Neville Brand playing Boyd Kane. Kane is dumb and violent. Brand's tough features and rough voice make him believable. There's Lee Van Cleef as Tony Romano, smooth and sleazy...not a guy you'd want to leave your daughter alone with. And there's Jack Elam as Pete Harris, a sweaty chain smoker, a squirming coward unless he's holding the gun. With Harris, you can almost smell his cigarette breath and body odor. Elam really does a fine job. But then we have John Payne as the hero. Payne, in my opinion, was a handsome, colorless, reactive actor. He acts tough, but it's as phony as Robert Stack acting tough in House of Bamboo. While I doubt even Bogart or Cagney could do much with lines like this, "I know a sure cure for a nosebleed: a cold knife in the middle of the back," Payne just looks irritable when he says it. Coleen Gray doesn't help much; her job is to be perky and sympathetic, almost in spite of the dialogue: Says Joe Rolfe, "Look, you're a nice girl, but in case you're thinking of mothering me, forget it! I'm no stray dog you can pick up, and I like my neck without a collar. Now get lost!" Says Helen, "Now I'm supposed to be hurt. Maybe even cry. But I won't. I think you're in trouble, and I'm going to help you!"

My advice: Watch it and learn what programmers were about. You might find you like it well enough. The film is in the public domain. The Image version is so-so; too dark and with too much contrast. It's not as bad as some public domain releases are. There are a few extras, including a cream-puff interview with Coleen Gray by noir specialist Eddie Muller. He also provides liner notes for an insert in the DVD case.

I have to echo these other positive reviews.......2006-10-09

I have to throw my two cents in along with some of the other reviewers. Kansas City Confidential is one of the finest examples of gum shoe film noir I can think of. As a noir fan and collector, I have seen hundreds of films of this nature. Kansas City Confidential is one of the handful of films I watch over and over again. If you are a fan of film noir, and this fantastic film has not yet made it into your collection, BUY IT NOW !!! You won't regret it.

"You been giving me the fisheye all night.".......2006-04-29

Revenge fueled noir about a police chief forced into an early retirement who nearly gets away with the perfect crime. Using masks all the time to conceal their identities, even from each other, he recruits three tough guys (Neville Brand, Jack Elam and Lee Van Cleef!) to help him rob an armored car using a fake florist delivery van. That way the driver of the real florist van (John Payne) will initially get blamed for the robbery.

They go through with the plan and it goes off without a hitch, now they split up with the intention to meet up at a later date to divide the money, and at this later meeting the ex-cop will bust `em and get the $300,000 reward. Only problem is he didn't guess just how pissed off the fall guy would be. Once freed, but not before the cops clobber him all over the joint, he hunts down the bad guys and let `em have it. "Thanks - FOR NOTHING!"

Some of the scenes are a little cheesy with the tough guy stuff and the final scene is too soft, but those fight scenes were riveting. I especially enjoyed Van Cleef.

The DVD by Alpha Video has a rough looking picture and no extras, but hey is 8 bucks so what do you expect?

Average customer rating:

hilarious
Best quote of the film:
I liked it better when it was called "Fandango"
Excellent Movie
A gem of a stoner movie

Rolling Kansas
Starring: Kelly Bright , Ryan Thomas Brockington , Greg Dorchak , Charlie Finn , and Ed Geldhart
Manufacturer: Monarch Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0002CR09U
Release Date: 2004-08-17

Customer Reviews:

hilarious.......2007-03-25

this movie isn't for everybody, but if you like movies like super troopers and dukes of hazzard, you might want to check this one out.

Best quote of the film:.......2006-10-24

What do ya got in that box there?
-oh, just Bunnies, sir.
Look like dog snacks to me!

I liked it better when it was called "Fandango".......2006-06-03

This movie was essentially a rip-off of the MUCH BETTER Fandango, which starred (seriously) Kevin Costner. The characters, the basic plot, the basic geography were all lifted from Fandango, and shamelessly so.

Not since the "Point Break" rip-off, "The Fast and the Furious", have i seen such a blatant rip-off of a film.

Quality-wise, it is quite weak.

Excellent Movie.......2006-04-17

I love this movie. It is a total stoner film! I was laughing so hard during every scene! 5 STARS!!!

A gem of a stoner movie.......2005-07-31

This little gem of a stoner movie had me rolling on the floor, literally. In the vein of Liquid Sky, Pot Luck, and Half Baked, it tells the story of 5 guys who are out to make a profit following a "treasure map" to a secret government forest of marijuana, left to them (the map, not the weed) by their parents. Also showing his face in this little ditty is veteran actor Rip Torn, playing an ex agricultural government agent who has prefected the art of growing sensimilia. On their journeys, the 5 boys have lots of misadventures before finding the "magic forest of marijuana." One of the guys is a parapalegic, one has narcolepsy, one is a nerd, and one (Kevin) turned out to be gay.
I wouldnt recommend this film if you are looking for oscar winning performances by talented actors. I would suggest this if you are a fan of Kevin Smith films (the early ones). Dont buy this film, rent it, you'll laugh, you'll cry, you see strippers, and LOTS of pot!

Average customer rating:

Not 100% happy with this preformance!
Reason #1 why I dislike DVDs-
Get this DVD
KANSAS AT ITS BEST
Quite good (ignore the naysayers and complainers!)

Kansas - Device, Voice, Drum
Starring: Kansas
Manufacturer: COMPENDIA MUSIC GROUP
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Rock | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B00006L924
Release Date: 2002-10-08

Amazon.com

This exceptional DVD will convince you that the best American progressive rock band is still Kansas. Shot on Super-16mm film and digitally mastered, Device, Voice, Drum was recorded before an appreciative audience in Atlanta on June 15, 2002. The two-hour concert finds Kansas in peak form, the band members now in their 50s, with thicker waistlines (except for trim vocalist-keyboardist Steve Walsh) and sounding better than ever in pristine 5.1-channel Dolby. "Just because they call you a dinosaur band doesn't mean you can't rock," says violinist Robby Steinhardt in the DVD's bonus interviews, and the group backs those words with a high-precision set of ballads and epic anthems. "The Preacher" includes a full choir; "Dust in the Wind" is still an all-time classic; and of course "Carry On Wayward Son" perfectly embodies Kansas's signature sound (even though Walsh now avoids the highest notes). Featuring a dazzling computer-animated music machine (illustrated on the DVD cover), this well-produced disc proves that the band is anything but fossilized. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

Not 100% happy with this preformance!.......2007-02-07

Well,being a Kansas follower and after seeing this DVD, I haven't upgraded my like for them any! I mean where can you find any DVD put out by Kansas other than here! Some of the songs sounded like they were rushed and the feeling that was once their has been removed from them and gives one a feeling that they are just getting a concert over and done with in places. ( I know that sounds rather hard but, its felt as well as heard throughout most of this recording )
I give it a 3 because Kansas is on a DVD but,the preformance has alot of work left to go before it bears writing a good review from me currently! ( sorry guys )

Reason #1 why I dislike DVDs-.......2007-01-10

What's up with the crowd in the background- were they paid? Subpar performances....feels strained and forced...screetchy, scratchy vocals from Walsh...tired of hearing standard issue Kansas songs...Hey, I love this band but I've seen them live 4 times and they were so much better. The whole package seems too sanitized. Sorry Folks.

Get this DVD.......2007-01-10

If you are a fan of classic rock, this dvd is a must have for your collection. I've seen Kansas close to a dozen times with the most recent show at Station Casino in St Charles Missouri, like wine, they get better with age.....

KANSAS AT ITS BEST.......2006-12-24

THIS IS A GREAT CONCERT BY A TRULY GREAT GROUP OF MUSICIANS. THE KANSAS ARRANGEMENTS ARE VERY INTRICATE AND REALLY WELL PERFORMED. THE AUDIO IS EXCELLENT, AND THE VIDEO IS VERY GOOD. THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST ROCK CONCERT DVD'S YOU CAN BUY. THE SONG SELECTION IS VERY GOOD. THEY PLAY MOST OF THEIR HITS THE 2ND HALF OF THE CONCERT. WELL WORTH THE MONEY IF YOU LIKE KANSAS.

Quite good (ignore the naysayers and complainers!).......2006-12-02

The group picked a great collection of songs for this, with more or less at least one song from each album (except for albums like Power and Freaks of Nature, which are not represented). Even the first songs leap from one end of the band's history to the other (Belexes was written before the formal formation of the band, and Icarus II is from the latest Somewhere to Elsewhere).

The band plays with lots of energy and enthusiasm, and I noticed no mistakes in the songs. The colors and visuals are also nicely done. They compliment the music, and don't get in the way of it.

Steve Walsh deserves special attention for his ability to handle both his keyboard parts and Kerry Livgren's, often while singing at the same time! As a musician, I know that that takes enormous physical and mental coordination. As for his voice, it's really not that bad. But you either accept it as-is, or dwell on it and obsess over it until it is a problem for yourself. The choice is yours. I'd like to see the complainers try to sing songs hundreds of times over many years and see how well they do! There sure is a lot of petty nickpicking from some of the so-called Kansas fans here.

It's great seeing Robby Steinhardt back with the band. His absense was a bigger void than Kerry Livgren's, in my opinion. This is especially true live, where he was always more of the frontman than Steve Walsh. He brings back a lot of power and reminds me of when I saw them on their Point of Know Return tour.

The only complaint I have about Drum-Voice-Device is that the violin is mixed poorly. It has a thin, buzzy, sound to it. Contrast that with the fuller, more natural sound like on live CDs Two for the Show and Somewhere to Elsewhere, and you'll see what I mean.

A great concert souvenier from one of the greatest bands from America. Great job guys!

Average customer rating:

Kansaa City Bomber
It's About Time!
Raquel Welch
Bomber Hits Target
Crash and burn

Kansas City Bomber
Starring: Raquel Welch , Kevin McCarthy , Helena Kallianiotes , Norman Alden , and Jeanne Cooper
Director: Jerrold Freedman
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0007TKNJW
Release Date: 2005-05-31

Description

Baseball has its Bull Durham. Basketball has Hoosiers. Football has Rudy. And the mad sport of the roller game has Kansas City Bomber. Step aside, boys, she's coming through. Disco was in, polyester was cool and the roller game was the hottest thing on wheels when this smash-mouth spinfest elbowed its way onto screens. Raquel Welch plays K.C., a single mom (Jodie Foster plays her daughter) who laces up to earn a living for her family. Real competition venues provide settings. Some true-life roller-game players appear in the film. And Welch adds to the authenticity, navigating the banked oval like a rocket-powered bumper car. Round and round she goes. Where she stops may be the top of the roller world.

Customer Reviews:

Kansaa City Bomber.......2007-05-07

Excellent movie that is on DVD for anyone who loves the sport of roller derby.

It's About Time!.......2007-01-20

I was very surprised to see "Kansas City Bomber" finally released on DVD. It was never released on VHS in North America, only in the U.K. It's a classic that I have not seen on TV for years! It looks great on DVD. The video transfer utilized is clear, and the sound is good too. Although, this movie is not an Academy Award Winner, it has it's own type of charm. It cashed in on the Roller Derby craze of the early '70s. I always liked this movie because Raquel Welch starred in it, and she also did all of the roller stunts for this movie too. There is some historically incorrect information in the synopses located on the back cover. It is mentioned that "Disco" was hot when this movie was released. "Disco" didn't break until 1974, and really blew-up and was in full swing by 1976. This is a small piece of info that should be deleted. All and all, I am very happy with this DVD, and this classic Raquel Welch movie. I recommend it highly for people that like early '70s fare movies.

Raquel Welch.......2007-01-11

Excellent roller-skating pro contests, and very well done by Welch. Even if she had a double, I'll bet she got a lot of bruises in this one--tough job!!! Excellent story, with many true-to-life highlights. The movie tells the story, without dwelling on any maudlin aspects of the business too much.

Bomber Hits Target.......2006-03-04

Racquel in spandex and on wheels is a wow. I had the pleasure of working on this film on location in beautiful Portland, Oregon. I am not giving this film five stars because I appear in it. Kansas City Bomber was a very special film for Racquel. The script by Barry Sandler was written expressly for Ms. Welch. This was also the first film for Jodie Foster who played Racquels daughter. Vetran character actor Norm Alden gave the best performance of his life as Horrible Hank Hopkins.
Racquel plays KC Carr, a roller derby diva who's life is in turmoil. Her relationship with her children is strained as she tours the country with her derby team. Her team mates are at odds with her believing that she is sleeping her way to the top with the owner of the team (Kevin McCarthy). KC must come to grips with life and what she really wants to achieve.
You'll find yourself rooting for KC to find herself, and she does. The film ends with an exciting skate off between KC and Jackie Burdett. The skate off is set up for KC to take a fall so that she can be traded off to another team, but at the last minute KC and Jackie decide to "keep it real". The climatic skate off is filled with thrills as KC wins the title, and resolves to be the roller derby diva she is.
There are not many films on roller derby, however, this is clearly the best.

Crash and burn.......2005-12-26

I was ecstatic when one of my fond childhood memories had finally been released on DVD. How could I have been so incredibly wrong?

I remember Kansas City Bomber serving up an abundance of thrills and chills and gripping drama on and off the roller derby ring, but having recently seen it as an adult it was like a test of endurance to make it all the way to the end of the disc. I'm not trying to be overly dramatic when I say this movie was horrible. If there was an actual screenplay involved it must have been written within a twenty-four hour deadline.

Here's an example of how nonsensical the screenplay is. Early in the movie we hear rumors that KC's roommate/teammate was traded because of it possibly having something to do with KC's lusty relationship with the team owner. KC is appalled at even the mere thought of such a thing and she takes action to confronts the owner head-on. The first thing he says is "Of course that's not the reason I traded her!" and the seccond thing he says is "OK, so maybe I was a bit jealous she gets to spend more time with you than I do",. And KC basically says something like "Well, you could have been a bit nicer about it", as they both carry on with the rest of their happy-go-lucky day. It's simply absurd!! First, why would the owner kick a player off of the team all because it's his lover's roommate--esspecially when he plans to give her her own swanky little nest on the water?? And what happened to KC going to save her teammates position on the team?? Incredibly muddled writing.

The action scenes in the ring would have been great if it weren't for Welch's big, mannish stunt woman overtly and clumsilly hiding her face with a wig and keeping her head facing the ground. There's no second guessing which shots feature Welch mainly because Welch isn't really doing much of anything that resembles action. As a matter of fact much of the roller derby action was handled with corny cartoon buffoonery. This movie makes the WWF look like the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

And then there's KC's seasoned old rival who's bitter towards KC because she knows KC is there to take her crown as the roller queen. It's just a one note performance of a woman grousing and crying in her beer and any scene that begins to give us a glimpse into who this woman is/was quickly turns into a sloppy meaningless fight scene. And all the men in the movie (with the exception of the gentle giant Hank) are relegated to being rude, crude, crotch-grabbing, raping neanderthals.

This is just the shell of a movie. It's also the seed of a GOOD movie. Unfortunately the only thing that grew out of this one is stink weed. And what an insult to Rachel Welch's career to even infer this was the greatest roll of her career. You don't have to be a rocket scientist to know the studio's main objective was to find yet another action-packed way of selling Welch's undeniable sex appeal in a tight outfit and THAT they were successful in.

Average customer rating:

The Battle Of Kansas City Jazz Or The Deception Of Beauty
Atmosphere and little else.
Might Have The Best Ending Ever
Someone other than Altman should have cut this film
Ovelooked and underated American Film Noir Masterpiece

Kansas City
Starring: Jennifer Jason Leigh , Miranda Richardson , Harry Belafonte , Michael Murphy , and Dermot Mulroney
Director: Robert Altman
Manufacturer: New Line Home Video
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ASIN: B0006Q9482
Release Date: 2005-02-15

Amazon.com essential video

Robert Altman wanted to captured a sense of what life was like in his hometown during the Depression, both in a story about the people who lived there and, more impressionistically, in the jazz that sprouted there before moving to New York. But his plot here is rambling and undramatic: A small-time hood double-crosses a vicious black gangster (Harry Belafonte) and is grabbed by him, marked for death. To save his life, the hood's dim blond wife (Jennifer Jason Leigh) kidnaps a rich politician's wife (Miranda Richardson) and spends the day driving around town with her, on the theory that the politician can convince the gangster to free her husband. Leigh is jittery, Richardson seems bored--and the lengthy jam sessions we see (involving contemporary musicians such as Joshua Redman) serve only to prolong an already slow-moving film. Possibly worth seeing for the silky menace of Belafonte, but there is little else to recommend it. --Marshall Fine

Customer Reviews:

The Battle Of Kansas City Jazz Or The Deception Of Beauty.......2005-12-30

When one listens to the gorgeous music of Lester Young, Charlie Parker(I think he was "shown" in a scene as well) and Coleman Hawkins and William Count Basie,a jazz fan is left with a sense of wonder what must have gone down at KC in those days...Now we have a great depiction of the music and what life might have been like with great music revisited and performed by these "new giants of jazz" recreating the high swinging good time sense of euphoria sweeping those magical tunes..
Yet, at the same time, music lovers see the battle going on between the somewhat bluesier, aggressive playing of the giant Coleman Hawkins contrasted clearly with his major rival Lester Young, the more sweeter melancholy player..These 2 contrasting visions play-out throughout the entire movie not only as a backdrop as a soundtrack but a portrayal of the contradictory lives played by it's characters.
There is no difference between the Downtown KC of crime, brothels and booze(opium and cocaine as well) with it's underworld in contrast to the Americana of the Uptown KC with it's quaint Democratic lifestyle untouched by the jazz going down at the Hey-Hey Club...ultimately leading to murder from all sides.
This is a powerful message and why the movie scores big besides the wonderful music and the 2 Cd's spurned out which are equally impressive.
The moral equivalency of these 2 worlds makes this movie a great one.

Atmosphere and little else........2005-09-19

Even the mighty have their moments when they stumble and KANSAS CITY is one of those moments for maverick director Robert Altman. There's little more than atmosphere in this film; the period-recreation of 1935-ish Kansas City Missouri, the great jazz throughout every frame and a bravura performance by Harry Belefonte as a gambler/crime kingpin named "Seldom Seen" don't mask the fact that the plot's thinner than newspaper and that every other actor save Belefonte is chewing the scenery and burping after every chew. On the surface, this movie's approach isn't much different from Altman's others--there's constant activity, so much that it's initially disorienting to try and figure out all of the threads of the story, but in many of his films (NASHVILLE, MASH and GOSFORD PARK, for instance), those threads gradually come together into a whole. It never happens in KANSAS CITY. The threads stay threads and you're left with a jumble, albiet a jumble with a great score.

Might Have The Best Ending Ever.......2005-04-28

Bottom line, whether you love or hate "Kansas City" will depend on your reaction to Jennifer Jason Leigh's performance. Leigh's character Blondie anchors the story as a desperate wife trying to save her husband from the gangsters he tried to rob. Leigh looks great in this role, she is fit and trim which makes her face that much cuter. The contrast between her almost angelic appearance and her tough persona is intentional because the toughness is an affectation, qualities she has adopted because she loves her husband and they are a turn-on for him.

Her's is the key performance of the film, the twist is her emulation of Kansas City native Jean Harlow ("The Public Enemy" and "Girl from Missoui"). Watch Harlow in "Red Headed Woman" to see the incredible physical resemblance between these two short actresses. Personally I found it touching, humorous, and inspirational. And her character worthy of the brave heroine hall of fame. But it is almost a caricature and many are put off by this tiny woman talking so tough.

As in "Nashville", there are great songs (but jazz rather than country) throughout the film. It is important to realize that "Blondie's" behavior is intended to mirror the "cutting contests" between the jazz musicians on-stage at the club. Just as the musicians borrow from one another and weave each others stuff into what they are improvising, "Blondie" borrows from the movies and weaves Harlow's tough girl phrases and expressions into her conversation.

Leigh and Miranda Richardson spend most of the film in each other's company. Although Richardson's character is doped up on laudanum (tincture of opium) most of the time, you get the idea that she is taking in a lot more of the situation than she is letting on. It is a fascinating pairing. One of them has lost all restraint, the other has lost everything but her restraint. There is almost a "Thelma and Louise" quality to their relationship, in part because Leigh doing Harlow ends up sounding a lot like Geena Davis doing Geena Davis.

Richardson's character is unexpectedly touching. An emotional bond is subtly forged between the two women as the film proceeds, with Richarson actually becoming protective of her kidnapper. The ending is shocking but you understand the motivation (or you will if you watch it again), then looking back you pick up on the various foreshadowing devices that Altman placed throughout the film. He goes out with a bass duet of Duke Ellington's "Solitude" performed by Ron Carter and Christian McBride.

Like many films with downbeat endings, "Kansas City" is destined to be more appreciated 25 years after its release.

Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.

Someone other than Altman should have cut this film.......2005-03-28

There are the makings of a good movie here, but obviously Altman had final cut approval, and his gift was quite off on this one. Belefonte endlessly pontificates nonsensibly, Jason Leigh surpasses her legendary how-annoying-can-she-get Hudsucker Proxy performance, it's long, the jazz performances just make the film drag.

Such a shame - beautifully shot, great actors, shame about the director's inability to look in the mirror and notice the obvious bloat. A dreadful, annoying film.

Ovelooked and underated American Film Noir Masterpiece.......2004-03-09

Robert Altman, one of the foremost filmakers of the last thirty years followed up what many consider to be his magnum, "Short Cuts", with this quietly more ambitious project. "Short Cuts" finished 'place' at the Oscars to "Shindler's List" and helped spawn the career of Juliana Moore (sort of like Sissy Spacek in "Welcome To L.A.") although I personally liked virtually all the other performances better (and there are some great ones in it).
The release of "Kansas City" followed hard upon the heals of the Oscar 'second best', and met with 'mediocre' to 'ok' critical reviews. Thus, the film didn't have much of a run in the theatres, playing to sparsely filled houses, who basically came to see the novelty of Harry Belafonte playing a rip-snorting gangster in an Altman film. Nor was the DVD release much of a hit.
What kept the movie alive basically was the magnificent soundtrack - a group of the best of the new generation of jazz musicians playing Kansas City jazz - well - as well as Count Basie and that guy who invented the jazz saxophone (what was his name?) - oh yeah, Coleman Hawkins, themselves. The CD became a classic, and a few people discovered that Altman had fostered this long time love for Kansas City jazz, and now that he was a bigshot and could finally raise lots of money to make any film he wanted, he decided to act on his long time dream to recreate the Kansas City Jazz scene in the early thirties in a movie.
And what an incredible recreation it is! There is even a separate one + hour film which Altman made of simply the bands (as recreated by the contemporary musicians playing all the tracks in the film and on the CD and more, and nothing else!) This film evokes an amazing, dreamlike experience and ranks with any performance of twentieth century music currently on DVD, and I wish they would release it when they release the director's cut, which I predict they will (my 30 year track record is pretty good).
Simply put, "Kansas City" is a noir masterpiece. Jennifer Jason Leigh gives an incredibly complex, brilliant performance and which is only to be matched by her foil, Miranda Richardson. One of the great "two chick" flicks of all time, one wonders why Altman seems to be the only director who sees Leigh for what she is: the best American actress of her generation. Belafonte and the rest of the cast are up to the searing standards demanded by these lead performances, and the script and the almost superhuman attention to detail evidenced in the sets, editing, and every frame, make one wonder what exactly the critics had in mind when they watched this film for the first time.
But the music . . . the bands themselves take on a certain personification and become characters participating in the action of the story.
I believe "Kansas City" is due for a re-evaluation and may go down as the greatest venture of both Leigh and Altman, and that's saying a lot.

NFL History of the Kansas City Chiefs (2pc)

Average customer rating:

NFL History of the Kansas City Chiefs (2pc)
Starring: NFL History of the Kansas City Chiefs
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Sports | Genres | DVD | Video

Documentary | Sports | Genres | DVD | Video

NFL History of the New York Jets (2pc)
WKRP in Cincinnati - The Complete First Season
NFL Super Bowl XLI - Indianapolis Colts Championship DVD
That Girl: Season Three
NFL Films - Denver Broncos - The Complete History

ASIN: B000PY52E0
Release Date: 2007-08-07

Description

It began with one man and a dream. It continued with Len Dawson, Willie Lanier, Hank Stram, and an upset in Super Bowl IV. Today, the history of the Kansas City Chiefs lives on in the finest stadium in the land with over 79,000 fans in a vibrant sea of red creating one of the NFL's greatest home field advantages. Now, for the first time, the Chiefs' story is available in this thrilling two-DVD set - The Complete History of the Kansas City Chiefs. From Lamar Hunt's quest to build a second professional football league, to Larry Johnson, Herman Edwards and the Chiefs of today, The Complete History of the Kansas City Chiefs takes you inside one of the NFL's finest franchises. Join NFL Films as they re-capture the team's greatest moments and profile the legendary names that circle the field at Arrowhead. Re-live the thrilling playoff victories, the heart-breaking defeats - all amidst the renown class and style that define the Kansas City Chiefs. The Complete History of the Kansas City Chiefs is a must for any Chiefs fan - buy yours today!

Average customer rating:

Gunman From Bodie
Rough Riders

Rough Riders Triple Feature 3 (B&W)
Starring: Buck Jones , Tim McCoy , Raymond Hatton , Luana Walters , and Dave O'Brien
Director: Howard Bretherton
Manufacturer: Critic's Choice
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Westerns | Genres | DVD | Video

Classics | Westerns | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Television | Genres | DVD | Video

4-for-3 Television | 4-for-3 DVD | Stores | DVD | Video

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

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

Rough Riders Triple Feature 2 (B&W)
Rough Riders Triple Feature #1
Buck Jones Double Feature: Sunset of Power/Outlawed Guns
Ghost Town Law
Tex Ritter, Triple Feature 4

ASIN: B0008GROEQ
Release Date: 2006-07-18

Product Description

Digitally remastered black and white full length episodes: Down Texas Way, West of the Law, and Dawn of the Great Divide

Customer Reviews:

Gunman From Bodie.......2007-02-13

Very bad resolution - Buck Jones was my boyhood idol and it was a shame to see this movie of him in a film in such a bad condition. Box said "Digitally Restored" - but I very much doubt that - due to the terrible resolution.

Rough Riders.......2007-01-10

If you like old westerns, you'll enjoy this movie, they always have plenty of action. You don't have good western movies anymore hardly, these old one's are always in style. You will enjoy this one.

Legendary Outlaws, Vol. 1 (The Great Jesse James Raid / Renegade Girl)

Average customer rating:

Worth the price
Welcomed releases from VCI
"The King of B-Westerns & Serials...VCI Entertainment ~ Legendary Outlaws Vol.1"

Legendary Outlaws, Vol. 1 (The Great Jesse James Raid / Renegade Girl)
Starring: Ann Savage , Alan Curtis , Edward Brophy , Russell Wade , and Jack Holt
Director: William A. Berke , and Reginald Le Borg
Manufacturer: Vci Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Westerns | Genres | DVD | Video

Classics | Westerns | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $9.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

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

Legendary Outlaws, Vol. 2 (The Return of Jesse James / Gunfire)
Legendary Outlaws, Vol. 3 (Dalton Gang / I Shot Billy the Kid)
Western Film Noir, Vol. 1 (Little Big Horn / Rimfire)
The Man Behind the Gun / Thunder Over the Plains / Riding Shotgun
Colt .45 / Tall Man Riding / Fort Worth

ASIN: B000F9RL7G
Release Date: 2006-05-30

Description

Actors: Willard Parker, Barbara Payton, Tom Neal, Wallace Ford, Jim Bannon, Barbara Woodell, Richard Cutting, Ann Savage, Alan Curtis, Edward Brophy, Russell Wade, Jack Holt, Claudia Drake, Ray Corrigan, Chief Thundercloud - The Great Jesse James Raid: Jesse James (Willard Parker) retired and living under a different name in St Joseph, Missouri, agrees over the protest of his wife Zee to join Bob Ford and Sam Wells in a Colorado gold raid. Second feature, Renegade Girl: Jean Shelby (Ann Savage) is a member of a family of Confederate sympathizers in Missouri during the Civil War. The family has been providing valuable information about the Union Army to Confederate Raiders. Loyalties are put to the test, when Jean and a Yankee captain fall in love. DVD Bonus & Features:Scene Selection Menu, Bios, Promo Trailer Product Specs:DVD-9, Dolby Digital, NTSC/All Region, English Language

Customer Reviews:

Worth the price.......2007-02-12

Both movies on this DVD are not without merits. The Great Jesse James Raid is a classic heist movie in the manner of Rififi or Asphalt Jungle, which just happens to be a Western as well. The heist scheme is unusual, the gangsters want to reach gold stashed for transport in a mine by blasting a tunnel from another unused mineshaft. There is a lot of action and 50ies sexpot Barbara Peyton is not wasted on this one. She slaps the men and the men slap her in turn. The garish colors of the filmstock enhance a general atmosphere of despair and doom.
Another resolute woman of Hollywood's poverty row stars in Renegade Girl. Anne Savage (Detour) plays the daughter of a family who support rebels fighting against Union troops after the Civil War. She falls in love and finds cause to question her motives. Anne Savage was an excellent actress who never had a breakthrough, I cannot find fault in her performance. And she was a hell of a horsewoman too, apparently even doing the stunts (including falling of the horse) herself. I tip my hat to her.

Welcomed releases from VCI.......2006-09-28

I heartily second "Mr. Jim's" comprehensive review of Legendary Outlaws, vol. I...two fine films, the kind one used to see on the Saturday matinees, or perhaps late at night. VCI has done its usual great job in this release. Both this volume and volumes II and III are highly recommended.

"The King of B-Westerns & Serials...VCI Entertainment ~ Legendary Outlaws Vol.1".......2006-06-13

VCI Entertainment presents "Legendary Outlaws, Vol. 1" (The Great Jesse James Raid (1953) / Renegade Girl (1946) --- (Dolby digitally remastered)....relive those thrilling days from the early '30s, '40s and '50s when western action took us down the dusty trails and the plains to exciting adventures....some of the best B-Westerns ever to grace the Saturday Matinee Screen...just remember double thrills, chills, mystery and suspense...hitting the bull's eye with excitement...don't miss any of the features loaded with top notch directors and actors that will leave you wanting more of their B-Western adventures, so pop some popcorn, sit back and enjoy the movie.

First up we have "The Great Jesse James Raid" (1953) (73 min - color)...under director Reginald Le Borg, producer Robert L. Lippert Jr , screenplay by Richard H. Landau, music score by Bert Shefter ...the cast includes Willard Parker (Jesse James), Barbara Payton (Kate), Tom Neal (Arch Clements), Wallace Ford (Elias Hobbes), James Anderson (Jorrette), Jim Bannon (Bob Ford), Richard H. Cutting (Sam Wells), Barbara Woodell (Zee James), Marin Sais (Mrs. AngusEarle Hodgins (Soapy Smith) ----- our story ask the question can Jesse James come out of retirement and ride the outlaw trail again...let's see if Willard Parker, Tom Neal, James Anderson and Jim Bannon be able to cope with Wallace Ford and all that dynamite...is Barbara Payton the girl who turned many a head in Hollywood during tis filming...keep the horse ready for a quick and clean getaway ----- special footnote actor Williard Parker started out as a tennis pro, switched careers at the age of 25 and was signed by Columbia in the 40s and moved into "B" movie leads and co-leads, "The Fighting Guardsman" (1946), and the western actioneers "Calamity Jane and Sam Bass" (1949), "Apache Drums" (1951), "The Great Jesse James Raid" (1953), "Lone Texan" (1959) and his Cole Younger in "Young Jesse James" (1960), also appeared as the bombastic Texan vying for the affections of Kathryn Grayson in the musical "Kiss Me Kate" (1953), in the 50s, Willard as Ranger Jace Pearson developed a semi-strong following partnered with Harry Lauter as Ranger Clay Morgan in the TV action show "Tales of the Texas Rangers" (1955-1959) ----- second special footnote, great character actor Wallace Ford found work in theatrical troupes and repertory companies, on Broadway he acted in "Abraham Lincoln", "Abie's Irish Rose" and "Bad Girl", Ford left Broadway in 1932 to appear with Joan Crawford in "Possessed", appeared in over 200 films including 4 directed by John Ford "The Last Hurrah", "The Whole Town's Talking", "The Lost Patrol and The Informer",. Ford appeared with Henry Fonda in the TV series "The Deputy.", Wallace Ford ended his film career with his powerful portrayal of Elizabeth Hartman's vacillating father in "A Patch of Blue" (1965), always a credit to his craft and a scene stealer in just about every film he appeared. ----- another great B-Western under the Lippert Pictures banner.

BIOS:
1. Willard Parker (aka: Worster Van Eps )
Birth Date: 2/05/1912 - New York New York
Died: 12/04/1996 - Rancho Mirage, California
2. Barbara Payton (aka: Barbara Lee Redfield)
Birth Date: 11/16/1927 - Cloquet, Minnesota
Died: 5/08/1967 - San Diego, California
3. Tom Neal (aka: Thomas Neal)
Birth Date: 1/28/1914 - Evanston, Illinois
Died: 8/07/1972 - North Hollywood, California
4. Wallace Ford (aka: Samuel Jones Grundy)
Birth Date: 2/12/1898 - Bolton, Lancaster, England
Died: 6/11/1966 - Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California
5. James Anderson
Birth Date: 7/13/1921/- Wetumpka, Alabama
Died: 9/14/1969 - Billings, Montana
6. Reginald Le Borg - (Director)
Birth Date: 12/11/1902 - Vienna Austria-Hungary (now Austria)
Died: 3/25/1889 - Los Angeles, California

BONUS FEATURES:
1. Photo Gallery
2. Trailers for "Apache Rifles", featuring Audie Murphy, Michael Dante, Linda Lawson, John Archer and L.Q. Jones

Second on the double bill is a "Renegade Girl" (1946) (65 min. B/W)....under director/producer William A. Berke, screenplay by Edwin V. Westrate, musical score by Darrell Calker ....the cast includes Ann Savage (Jean Shelby), Alan Curtis (Capt. Fred Raymond), Edward Brophy (Bob Crandall, raider), Russell Wade (Jerry Long, raider), Jack Holt (Maj. Barker), Claudia Drake (Mary Manson), Ray Corrigan (William Quantrill), John 'Dusty' King (Cpl. Brown), Chief Thundercloud (Chief White Cloud), Edmund Cobb (Sgt. James), Dick Curtis (Joe Barnes, raider), James Martin (Bob Shelby), Harry Cording (Burly Raider), Ernie Adams (Gang Member Ted), Forrest Taylor (Dr. Manson) ----- our story is a battle between the North and the South with two people Ann Savage and Alan Curtis caught in the crossfire...will Jack Holt, Ray Corrigan and Chief Thunder Cloud meet half way through the film and give us all the action and gunplay we've signed up for...what is this unknown hate against the leading lady and her family by Chief Thundercloud...don't miss the final reel and find out if love triumphs or the history of the Civil War ----- special footnote actress Ann Savage started off in innocuous war-era films for Columbia such as "Two Senoritas from Chicago" (1943) and "Saddles and Sagebrush" (1943), with her hard, knockout looks and shapely figure proved a natural at playing devilish, cigarette-dangling dames, "Apology for Murder" (1945) and "The Last Crooked Mile" (1946) set the pace, but her seedy, black-mailing, good-for-nothing Vera who practically bullies a luckless tough-guy musician (Tom Neal) into her schemes in the classic Detour (1945) was without a doubt the apex of her 'bad girl' career. The combustible team of Ann and Tom Neal had them making five films together, including "Klondike Kate" (1943) and "The Unwritten Code" (1944), "Jungle Jim in Pygmy Island" (1950) ----- second footnote actor Chief Thunder Cloud (real name Victor Daniels), best known for creating the role of faithful sidekick "Tonto" in the serial "The Lone Ranger" (1938) and its sequel "The Lone Ranger Rides Again" (1939), "Rustlers of Red Dog" (1935), "Hi-Yo Silver" (1940), also played the title role of Paramount Pictures' Geronimo (1939), Badman's Territory (1946), in all Chief Thunder Cloud appeared in 52 Westerns, 13 Serials, 14 Features with a total of 79 Films. . . . . . . .there's a great deal of entertainment here for all the film noir fans out there...all courtesy of VCI Entertainment, who in my humble opinion is the best there is in restoring early serials and features like this one.

BIOS:
1. Ann Savage - (aka: Bernie Lyon)
Birth Date: 2/19/1921 - Columbia, S.C.
Died: Still Living
2. Alan Curtis (aka: Harry Ueberroth)
Birth Date: 7/24/1909 - Chicago, Illinois
Died: 2/02/1953 - Los Angeles, California
3. Chief Thundercloud (aka: Victor Daniels)
Birth Date: 4/12/1899 - Muskogee, Indian Territory [now Oklahoma]
Died: 12/01/1955 - Ventura, California
4. William A. Berke (Director)
Birth Date: 10/03/1903 - Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Died: 2/15/1958 - Los Angeles, California

Own this and others now on DVD....if you crave action, drama and plenty of adventure then this is the place for all of the above...if you enjoyed this collection check out two other releases from VCI Entertainment presents "Legendary Outlaws, Vol. 2", "The Return of Jesse James" (1950), featuring John Ireland, Ann Dvorak, Henry Hull, Hugh O'Brian and Reed Hadley and on the second bill "Gunfire" (1950) featuring Don 'Red' Barry, Robert Lowery, Pamela Blake, Wally Vernon and Claude Stroud...the story lines are excellent with outstanding action scenes and production with over an hours worth of entertainment

Great job by VCI Entertainment for releasing "Legendary Outlaws, Vol. 1" (The Great Jesse James Raid (1953) / Renegade Girl (1946), digital transfere with a clean, clear and crisp print...looking forward to more of the same from the '40s and '50s vintage...order your copy now from Amazon or VCI Entertainment, stay tuned once again with riding the range with B-Westerns that only VCI Entertainment (King of the Serials) can deliver...just the way we like 'em!

Total Time: 138 mins on DVD ~ VCIV544DVD ~ (5/30/2006)

The Last of the Blue Devils - The Kansas City Jazz Story

Average customer rating:

Blue Devils
Joe Turner and friends - Kansas City Reunion
A Musical Genius
Oklahoma Music and Lester Young footage
This is the supertop of Kansas City music

The Last of the Blue Devils - The Kansas City Jazz Story
Starring: Gene Ramey , Jo Jones (II) , Charlie Parker , Jesse Price , and Herman Walder
Director: Bruce Ricker
Manufacturer: Rhapsody Films
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | Musicals & Performing Arts | Genres | DVD | Video

Documentary | Musicals & Performing Arts | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Music Video & Concerts | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

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

Thelonious Monk - Straight No Chaser
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Louis Armstrong - Satchmo

ASIN: B00005M2CK
Release Date: 2001-08-14

Amazon.com

Kansas City in the 1930s was a wild, wide-open place. Under political boss Tom Pendergast, the booze flowed freely, prostitution and gambling flourished, and the Depression pretty much passed the city by, making it an ideal spawning ground for some great music. Pianist-bandleader Count Basie, saxophone immortals Lester Young and Charlie Parker, and blues belters Big Joe Turner and Jimmy Rushing were all working there, along with a host of lesser- known but equally formidable musicians, and they all played the blues, Kansas City style.

Director Bruce Ricker's 90-minute The Last of the Blue Devils chronicles the 1979 reunion of many of these legendary players, combining interviews, vintage film footage, photos, and some inimitably swinging performances by Basie, Turner, pianist Jay McShann, and many others to create an intimate, good- natured portrait of what one old-timer calls the "cool, relaxed sound" of the city. The camaraderie among these men, all of whom are colorful raconteurs (drummer Ernie Williams's harangues to some bemused local kids are especially entertaining), is palpable. But it's the music, unsurprisingly, that's the main attraction; performances include some familiar tunes, like Turner's "Shake, Rattle & Roll" and a Basie big band version of "Night Train" (featuring tenor saxophonist Jimmy Forrest, the tune's composer) that's as greasy as the local barbecue. The Last of the Blue Devils is an absolute delight. --Sam Graham

Customer Reviews:

Blue Devils.......2007-07-03

About 1986 or close to it, I saw a portion of "The Last of the Blue Devils" on late night TV, and I have always watched for it to be aired again, but I have not seen it. When I saw this CD listed, I jumped on the opportunity to buy it, hoping to see more of Lester Young than his brief appearance. But all in all, I still enjoyed the CD.

Joe Turner and friends - Kansas City Reunion.......2007-01-10

As an account of the history of Kansas City jazz "The Last of the Blue Devils" is a bit thin on detail. However this nostalgic record of a gathering of aged musicians is very interesting and at times highly entertaining. For those who are seriously interested in tracing the history and influences of Kansas City Jazz there are plenty of other sources to be explored but Big Joe Turner and friends enjoying themselves is something well worth experiencing - and a bit of the Kansas City jazz story creeps in too.

A Musical Genius.......2006-11-28

The Blue Devils never sounded so good as this. Jay has now completed his 5th Symohony (198 pages) which was written at the age of thirteen. It has been recorded for Sony BMG in the same studios where the Beatles' songs were recorded. This fifth composition was played by the London Symphony Orchestra in England,

He was not your normal twelve year old, not interested in sports. He was bored to distraction in history class. He sees music as a hobby, and not his destiny. He hears the music in his head at the speed of light. He hums what's channeled to him as he walks. He is the musical Einstein.

At the age of ten, he enrolled at Julliard. Now, at the age of fourteen, he is a 3rd year college student. Jay need to question his 'gift' like Beethoven and studies piano lessons. He played cello at the age of three. He had started writing music at the age of two. His mother is Israli and father lost his sight at the age of 36.

At twelve years, he became known as a musical prodigy and declares that "it comes right the first time." He writes the music for each instrument of the orchestra even though he has not played them. He write "when I am inspired;" when one long session is completed, he starts another immediately. I fear he will burn out before he reaches twenty. He writes what he has imagined and when asked "who can really define happiness" he answers "keeping one's mind challenged."

This was a good documentary filmed both in America and Britain as he takes his bows after the performance of his 5th Symphony. He may know music, but I would advise him to change his mind about history, as that is where we come from and is to be the result of our family heritage and genes as to what his future holds for him. He is an inspiration to all.

Oklahoma Music and Lester Young footage.......2006-11-10

I ordered this movie to supplement a class I am taking about the Culture of Jazz and Oklahoma music. The wonderful footage of some of the founding fathers of Kansas City Jazz, including the Oklahoman Jay McShann, is a treat!
This is a good movie for anyone interested in what musicianship can be...

This is the supertop of Kansas City music.......2004-09-18

I have seen this on film and video about 5 times and never got bored.
If you like the Kansas City Blues and Big bands of the 30ties and 40ties this is the DVD for you.

DVD:

DVD List

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