American Eagle

Starring:Asher Brauner, Robert F. Lyons, Vernon Wells, Kai Baker, Anthony Fridjohn, Ron Smerczak, Robert Whitehead, Joe Ribeiro, Diane Appleby (III), Ruben Nthodi, Lawrence Ginsberg (II), Drummond Marais, Al Karaki, Carrie Glyn, Terence Reis, Dennis Folbigge, Patrick Lyster, Scott J. Ateah, Kimberleigh Stark, Patricia Lewis (IV), Robert J. Smawley, Asher Brauner, Kai Baker
Director: Asher Brauner, Robert J. Smawley
Studio: Platinum Disc
Product Type: DVD

Average customer rating:

The One and Only Broken Arrow
Broken Arrow
Broken Arrow - James Stewart
Realistic Western from the 50's!
One of the Absolute Best

Broken Arrow
Starring: James Stewart , Jeff Chandler , Debra Paget , Basil Ruysdael , and Will Geer
Director: Delmer Daves
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
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Hell and High Water

ASIN: B000OT6V0U
Release Date: 2007-05-22

Description

In 1870, when white men and Indians are fighting bitterly, Tom Jeffords (Stewart) strongly believes the Apaches are treated unfairly. After befriending their leader Cochise (Jeff Chandler) and arranging a truce, he is called upon by a U.S. Army general to negotiate a government peace treaty. Though he fulfills his mission, Jeffords soon experiences great tragedy when he, his Indian wife (Debra Paget) and good friend Cochise become targets of a renegade ambush.

Customer Reviews:

The One and Only Broken Arrow.......2007-07-04

A rare movie for the 1950's where the Indians are protrayed as real people.
Excellent casting and acting. Though Jeff Chandler and Debra Paget are not Native Americans.

Broken Arrow.......2007-06-27

Jimmy Stewart is always great. In this film Debra Paget is super great. While she usually plays a lady of fashion or a college student but as the American Indian girl she has hit her "ZENITH"!!!

Broken Arrow - James Stewart.......2007-06-17

James Stewart and Jeff Chandler have fine performances in thie 1958 Western. Good portrayal of the American Indians. This production was nominated for three Academy Awards, "damn good western" with plenty of action. Good performance by Debra Paget who plays the part of an American Indian woman. This is a Ten (10) excellent.

Realistic Western from the 50's!.......2007-06-08

This really is a terrific Western! The story you probably know by now, what you may not know is the great DVD tranfer, great color, and great Sedona Ariz. filming locations!
Jimmy Stewart starting doing westerns in 1950 with Winchester 73', a black and white film and a classic. Broken Arrow was his second entry and 5 more followed in the 1950's. But none were to top Broken Arrow. Or Winchester 73'!

Not only is the story very solid, fiction based on real events and people, but all the actors casting is flawless! Will Geer, an emotionally hurt settler, Debra Paget at 17 looking like a Indian instead of a young startlet, and Jeff Chandler as Cochise in a very believable good performance. Mabye his best!

And make sure to check out Jay Silverheels in the role of Geronimo, a top notch performance and I think biggest speaking part of anything he'd ever been in, including the Lone Ranger series. When he defies Cochise to follow the peace trail, his emotion is so powerful that it jumps off the screen. A truly great moment in the film. I had to replay that scene many times because I liked it so much!

I'm proud to place this among my Western Collection of DVDs!

One of the Absolute Best.......2007-06-07

From time to time on the net I come across these ever-present lists where someone is sounding off about what they say are the "best" of such and so . Frequently I see "best westerns" or "best war movie" lists and find myself laughing out loud when one of these things omits something universally acknowledged to be a Classic. When that happens you know you're dealing with a relative "newbie" in the world whose exposure to genre cinema isn't nearly as expansive as they think it is. War Movie lists that leave off "Sergeant York" (out of sight for along time) come to mind. So do "Best Westerns" lists that ignore "Broken Arrow" (another hard to find one for quite a while). This film is a treasure.

To all who think "Broken Arrow" is a John Travolta/Christian Slater military action thriller, I've got news for you: Travolta/Slater is just an "ehhh" popcorn programmer that happens to LIFT the title of one of the
most admired, acclaimed, respected, and loved westerns of all time; one that belongs up there with "The Searchers" , "Fort Apache", and others in the category of "the greatest".

Released in 1950, this Delmer Daves film tells the true (with very little ...and, even then, only minor...fictionalization) story of ex-Army officer Tom Jeffords and his early-1870s interactions with the great Apache warrior Cochise; a relationship that led to a major degree of peace in Arizona in the long run. It is a tale well written, well told, and beautifully photographed. Nominated for several Oscars and Golden Globe Awards, it won the Golden Globe for best screenplay.

Shot in magnificent locations in Sedona and Flagstaff, Arizona, and Lone Pine, California, the scenics are just gorgeous and the color cinematography absolutely superb.

The cast is fabulous as well. Jimmy Stewart turns in a great performance as Jeffords (gee, what a surprise! Stewart ALWAYS delivers!) but the performance to watch is Jeff Chandler as Cochise. It is awesome and well worthy of the Oscar nomination he received for it. To those unfamiliar with Jeff Chandler , he was a VERY popular he-man (like Duke Wayne or Robert Mitchum) actor of the fifties who possessed a facial bone structure like carved granite and a head of thick, prematurely grey hair. This was a guy born to play in westerns and private detective thrillers.
Chandler was on his way towards icon status when he died unexpectedly much before his time. He lives on here as Cochise, though, and this is not a bad legacy to leave behind.

Also here is one of the greatest acting beauties of the 50s, the breathtakingly beautiful Debra Paget. Paget could hold a male audience spellbound and get them all agitated when directors would kill her off ,as in "Broken Arrow", and, when they had her jump into a volcano as a self-sacrifice in the 2nd version of "Bird of Paradise" ( I remember yelling "Noooooooooo!" when I first saw that on tv years ago).

Many familiar character actors turn up here, among them Iron Eyes Cody and Arthur Hunnicutt. Hunnicutt, bearded and carrying a bugle, would, some eighteen years later, appear as "Bull" with Duke Wayne and Bob Mitchum in Howard Hawks' "El Dorado". Here he is "Milt Duffield" a friend of Tom Jeffords.

Also making a splash in "Broken Arrow" is Mohawk character actor Harold J. Smith, playing Cochise's nemesis, Geronimo. Don't know him? SURE you do. You just know him as Jay Silverheels, and, at the same time he was playing hard-edged bad boy Geronimo for 20th Century Fox, he was off
also playing good guy Tonto with Clayton Moore's Lone Ranger for George Trendle.

All these elements combine here to make for a wonderful movie, western or otherwise.

It would also be interesting to note that this film has an affiliation with John Ford's "Fort Apache" in that, in "FA", Henry Fonda's unscrupulous "Col.Thursday" uses John Wayne's "Capt. York" character to deceive Cochise into a parley where he insults him (to Wayne's horror and disgust) and tries to capture his band. Fonda "gets his" because of this, deservedly so. One could almost watch "Fort Apache" and then "Broken Arrow" one right after the other and get a sense of this chief and his people...and understand that, in order to have any common ground with him, you did not try to trick him, con him, or lie to him. You did so at your peril.

One might also note that the popularity of this film carried over into a t.v. show in the fifties. The t.v. "Broken Arrow" starred John Lupton as Jeffords and Michael Ansara as Cochise. It featured mainly "keeping the peace" and "countering Geronimo" type stories.

Again, this one is real keeper. Rent it, buy it, watch it. You won't be sorry in the least. I am very glad its available again.

Average customer rating:

MY FAVORITE JOHN WAYNE FILM
Perhaps the Ultimate Western.
GREAT JOHN WAYNE CLASSIC!
Early Duke Classic
Exciting, highly enjoyable, and beautiful!

She Wore a Yellow Ribbon
Starring: John Wayne , Joanne Dru , John Agar , Ben Johnson , and Harry Carey Jr.
Director: John Ford
Manufacturer: Turner Home Ent
ProductGroup: DVD
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The Searchers (Two-Disc Anniversary Edition)

ASIN: B000O599NK
Release Date: 2007-05-22

Amazon.com essential video

The second installment of John Ford's famous cavalry trilogy (which also includes Fort Apache and Rio Grande), this meditative Western continues the director's fascination with history's obliteration of the past. It features one of John Wayne's more sensitive performances as Capt. Nathan Brittles, a stern yet sentimental war horse who has difficulty preparing for his impending military retirement. All things considered, he refuses to leave before fulfilling his obligation to the local Indian tribe. It's a film about honor and duty as well as loneliness and mortality. And Oscar-winner Winton C. Hoch beautifully photographs it in Remington-like Technicolor tones (you've never seen such stunning cloud-covered skies). The combination of melancholy and farce (Victor McLaglen makes a perfect court jester) evokes comparisons to Shakespeare. Best of all, the scene in which Wayne fights back tears when receiving a gold watch from his troops is unforgettably bittersweet. If you view the whole trilogy, it actually makes sense to save this for last. --Bill Desowitz

Description

A masterpiece of mood and heroics, this second film in director John Ford's renowned cavalry trilogy (Fort Apache and Rio Grande are the others) features one of John Wayne's most moving performances as a cavalry officer in his final week of service on the frontier. Under makeup aging him some 20 years, he inhabits the role of a wily veteran who knows the sting of war and vows to make his last mission one of peace. The ritual of outpost life, the sweep of battle, the advance of the patrol beneath ominous skies: She Wore a Yellow Ribbon, an Academy Award winner* for its color cinematography, paints a memorable portrait of the honor, duty and courage in the finest tradition of the cavalry. And of Ford filmmaking.

Customer Reviews:

MY FAVORITE JOHN WAYNE FILM.......2007-07-04

Although Red River, The Searchers, and possibly True Grit and The Shootist might arguably contain better acting performances from the Duke, this film is my favorite. Everything works in this film, and works well. John Ford loved the U.S. Cavalry, as can be clearly seen in the trilogy, and also in the Civil War film, The Horse Soldiers. While I love all the aforementioned films, this one is the one where everything worked perfectly. The contrast of Wayne's seasoned Capt. Brittles with the two younger officers, the lonely life Brittles lives with no wife or family vs. the younger men competing for the hand of lovely Joanne Dru, the comedy relief provided by the incomparable Victor McLaglen, the savvy wisdom of(former confederate captain) Sgt. Tyree, nothing is missing. This was John Ford's stock company at it's best, with perhaps only The Searchers to compare. The passing years only make me love this film more. everyone was at the absolute top of their game for She Wore a Yellow Ribbon. See it soon!!!

Perhaps the Ultimate Western........2007-04-17

John Wayne lives this part. A battle hardened veteran of the war between the states, a career officer - Captain Nathan Brittles - finds himself on the Western Frontier nearing the end of his career. A man for whom the military is not just a way of life, it is life. And, in a remarkably sensitive fashion for the time, the "hostiles" are shown to be a civilized and intelligent people who have been pushed time and time again by the western expansion of this nation and are simply fighting to survive. It would have of course been easy just to shoot another movie reflecting an Indian uprising with calvary charges and heroic gestures. Thank goodness we're spared that. Instead, we have a deeply well orchestrated movie developing many different characters and plot lines. While he is Army through and through, Captain Brittles still poignantly takes time to water the desert flowers on his wife's grave and to talk to her gently until that day comes that he joins her. And, Sgt Tyree, the irrepressible scout that is almost an extension of Captain Brittles, has another life too that we learn about, in a touching and well done scene not often witnessed in today's pyrotechnic oriented films. Is this the best western I've ever seen? Maybe, maybe not, but the Searchers (who can forget that shadowy ending shot with John Wayne framing the door?) is close (not to mention the sleeper The Tin Star with Henry Fonda) and so are Fort Apache, My Darling Clementine (Henry Fonda again), and Gunfight at the OK Corral (Kirk Douglas) - some of which have been mentioned by other reviewers as well. I would give this movie more than 5 stars if I could, and you cannot go wrong viewing it.

GREAT JOHN WAYNE CLASSIC!.......2007-03-11

Without any doubt - this is my favorite John Wayne classic movie.
All actors are playing wonderful and the movie was shot on a great
place - Monument Valley/Arizona.

Just perfect for every Western fan.

Thank you John Wayne!

Early Duke Classic.......2007-01-19

See another side of John Wayne. This movie stands with The Shootist as one of Wayne's more layered roles. *****

Exciting, highly enjoyable, and beautiful!.......2006-11-08

'She Wore a Yellow Ribbon' remains for many viewers their favorite Ford film, and it is certainly the most striking visually... Winton C. Hoch won an Oscar for his Technicolor photography...

The compositions and photography around Ford's new stamping ground of Monument valley are great to look at as always... The Monument Valley goes from bright sunlight to hail and sleet...

There is a melancholy mixed together in those incredible vistas, with a certain sense of dreamlike contemplation... A backdrop so complex but so significant as the human characters...

Ford has superbly achieved a huge and composite demonstration of all the legends of the frontier cavalryman... Never have the legendary troops been through the silent 'Indian country' and across the magnificent Western plains so brilliant, vivid, exciting and romantic...

Ford has surely done better himself, unquestionably with 'My Darling Clementine,' and 'The Searchers,' yet one has to admit the undisputed merits of 'She Wore a Yellow Ribbon.' Even the usual criticism launched against it-that it is a Western influenced by feeling rather by reason--can be dismissed at the start... Certainly Ford can be sentimental but only when the springs of honest feeling run dry and lose their inspiration, and this never really happens in 'She Wore a Yellow Ribbon.'

The story is that of an older cavalry officer (John Wayne) who is six days from retirement at Fort Stark when he's sent out, in a last mission, to escort the Major's wife (Mildred Natwick) and her niece, an attractive single lady (Joanne Dru) out of the danger area... Wayne tries to fulfill his military role protecting his female charges against the uprising of the Sioux, Cheyenne, Kiowa, Comanche and Apaches...

Wayne possibly more than any other Western star has re-created and heightened the mythology of the West-one has only to watch again his absolute and ideal image in 'She Wore a Yellow Ribbon,' or his avenging Ethan in 'The Searchers,' to be reminded of how irresistible the Duke has been on the cinema screen...

'She Wore a Yellow Ribbon' is above all a sentimental movie, with irresistible scenes, full of Ford's best touches:

- The cavalry engaged in its everyday work... Wayne simply can't picture himself in a world far from the army...

- The comic interaction between Wayne and Victor McLaglen, two hardcore professional officers...

- The bravery of Sgt. Tyree (Ben Johnson), chased by hostile Indians, who must finish his mission by reporting to the captain what he saw...

- The rivalry of two young cavalry lieutenants (John Agar and Harry Carey Jr.) in love with the same woman, each competing to have her wear a yellow ribbon as a token of his love...

- The 'beloved brute,' the tough-soft cavalry sergeant sharing his saddle with a little orphan rescued from a devastated stage station...

- Ford celebrating McLaglen's lachrymose in self-indulgent fisticuffs in an epic saloon fight...

- The last inspection of the C. troops almost bringing tears to Wayne's and the audience's eyes, as he reads the inscription that means so much to him...

- Wayne riding into the war camp of the Indians to stop a war...

- The U. S. cavalry at full gallop descending upon the encampment, firing wildly and stampeding hundred of Indian ponies...

- The evocative use of music, notably the gay and spirited theme song of the yellow ribbon, played countless times...

'She Wore a Yellow Ribbon ' is an exciting story with strong characters and sentiment, highly enjoyable, and beautiful...

Average customer rating:

powerful!!!
Skins
skins
Veil Between the Material and Non-material worlds
Skins will keep your attention!

Skins
Starring: Joseph American Horse , Nathaniel Arcand , Wilda Asimont , Dave Bald Eagle , and Bruce Bennett (IV)
Manufacturer: First Look Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B000087F0X
Release Date: 2003-03-25

Amazon.com

A dark and moving tale of bitter helplessness turned to vigilante rage, Skins is the second feature film directed by Chris Eyre (Smoke Signals). As with the previous movie, Skins concerns two very different and determined protagonists who have grown up together: a cop, Rudy Yellow Lodge (Eric Schweig), on the Lakota reservation's police force, and his older brother Mogie (Graham Greene), an unrepentant drunk. Frustrated by Mogie's self-destruction and outraged by rampant alcoholism throughout the rez (with the disease's concomitant social violence and general hell-raising at an all-time high), Rudy resorts to off-duty, anonymous jungle justice--beating suspects and torching a Nebraska border-town liquor store--with tragic consequences. Eyre's unflinching eye for reservation horrors and the exploitation of Indians is compelling; his compassion for characters grasping at hope is equally strong. Skins benefits mightily from Schweig and Greene's strong performances; in all, this is an underrated drama waiting for a real audience. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

powerful!!!.......2007-06-01

I must have seen this film (at least) four years ago. I loved it then, and, upon recalling the plot, still appreciate the power and intensity it presented to us, through its depiction of the turbulence and pain of the Plains Indian experience on the "rez" (reservation). Rudy Yellow Lodge (Eric Schweig), a man employed to uphold honor and accountablity, snaps in the face of his brother, Mogie (Graham Greene)'s alcoholism and the desolate existence of his fellow residents. In defiance, Rudy decides to take part in random acts of violence (beating a white supremacist, destroying a liquor store in a fiery act of arson, fueled by anger). Though, Rudy's original intention is to take a bold (but violent) stand against the multitudes of injustice laid on the heads and hearts of his Native brothers on sisters, his plan backfires on him.

Director Chris Eyre (SMOKE SIGNALS) boldly directs this film and takes us all on a gothic, violent and very disturbing journey down the path of anger, oppression and (attempted) redemption. I really got a sense of the rage blazing behind the camera (in the director's chair) as I did in the eyes of the actors who so masterfully portrayed such powerful and disturbed characters. SKINS challenges the stereotype (and stigma) of alcoholism in the Native American community, as well as everyday racism that occurs as easily as breathing in and out. Eyre's unflinching account of these experiences is beautiful and heartbreaking. Watch SKINS purely for the reason that not enough people have heard of the film (but ought to). What's more, you will walk away with a perspective that you may not have possessed upon initially pressing the "play" button on your DVD player.

Skins.......2007-05-10

Chris Eyre does a wonderful job of bringing to light the truth of what happens on the reservation. This movie is serious yet has some comic relief. All of the main characters are portrayed by Native American actors. Chris pulled together a great cast. This movie is thought provoking and deep. I would highly recommend this movie to anyone interested in or wanting a deeper look into present-day reservation life.

skins.......2007-04-12

Great Movie... FINALLY I can watch a movie with REAL Indians portraying themselves. I truly enjoyed this movie.

Veil Between the Material and Non-material worlds.......2007-02-24

Excellent movie for any viewer to get a fundamental understanding of the inter-connectedness of all humans and the spirits, or the parallel worlds and other dimensions, on this level of reality .

Skins will keep your attention!.......2007-01-12

Is a terrific and well produced movie with great actors in it!

Average customer rating:

the true story
Goy-Ak-la An American Hero
GERONIMO THE BARBARIAN MEETS DIRTY HARRY
Don't forget Tom Horn... Geronimo wouldn't have.
Great Movie

Geronimo - An American Legend
Starring: Jason Patric , Gene Hackman , Robert Duvall , Wes Studi , and Matt Damon
Director: Walter Hill
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: 0767817672
Release Date: 1998-11-17

Amazon.com

Walter Hill's revisionist take on the American cavalry's campaign to capture renegade Chiricahua Apache warrior Geronimo (Wes Studi) is, like Clint Eastwood's Unforgiven, a dark tale that both celebrates and critiques myths of the American West. Despite its title, Geronimo is really about the American cavalry officers who undertake the responsibility of recapturing the warrior, in particular the young narrator Lt. Charles Gatewood (Jason Patric), a Civil War hero who respects the great Geronimo and brokers a treaty with the Chiricahua, only to see it collapse when the army kills the tribal medicine man. Gene Hackman plays Gen. George Crook, the proud but sympathetic officer charged with bringing in the renegades who take to hills after the killing. Robert Duvall, the tough, racist army scout and Indian fighter Charlie Sieber, practically steals the picture with his cagey, underplayed performance. More complex and complicated than most Westerns, this is a Walter Hill film through and through: lean, ironic, beautiful to look at (it was shot on location against the astounding landscape of southeastern Utah), and driven by a wonderful Ry Cooder score. Don't confuse this with the 1993 TNT cable film by the same name; it confounded many viewers at the time of its release and may have been at least partially responsible for its box-office disappointment. --Sean Axmaker

Customer Reviews:

the true story.......2007-05-13

A very good historial movie. It has the Indians side of the story, which is refreshing to see. A great action movie that will hold your attention.

Goy-Ak-la An American Hero.......2007-04-27

Those who gave this movie low marks are neither as bright nor knowledgeable as they would have you believe. True - the movie was not historically accurate because it is a MOVIE. The public does not go to the theater to watch documentaries.

Who really knows the whole truth? If you desire more information about Geronimo, (Goy-Ak-la was his real name), I strongly suggest that you read the books; Geronimo, In His Own Words and The Truth About Geronimo, written by Bitton Davis. Davis was an Indian scout leader and knew most of the people highlighted in the MOVIE. He was not fond of Geronimo, but wrote a very interesting account of his attempts to capture the so-called renegade. The victors in any clash of cultures, all to often, write the history. My studies of Native Americans have convinced me that the original inhabitants of this country usually provide the most reliable accounts of these clashes.

About the movie: I agree with those who felt that the action scenes were well done and the scenery was breathtaking. The directing and acting was very good, especially Wes Studi and Robert Duvall. The movie, while it may not be historically accurate, gave the audience an insight into the issues and adventures of the main characters. This movie should be in the libraries of anyone who loves a good western or action movie, even those who appreciate a history lesson every now and then.

GERONIMO THE BARBARIAN MEETS DIRTY HARRY .......2007-04-09

A movie never comes from nowhere. John Milius, who wrote GERONIMO - AN AMERICAN LEGEND, had already written in 1993, among others, the screenplays of Dirty Harry, Jeremiah Johnson, Apocalypse Now and Conan the Barbarian, nothing less. He's one of the most influential authors of the American film production of the last thirty years. The John Milius hero is a rebel who tries to impose his own law or his own ideas on the society he has to cope with. Who else could have dared to glue the word legend with the figure of Geronimo, the Indian terrorist in essence ?

Now, the historical accuracy of the events described in Walter Hill's GERONIMO - AN AMERICAN LEGEND is not so important, Hill and Milius's purpose was not to present a documentary film about one of the last Indian rebellions than to make us think about the motives that actuated 50 Chiricahuas warriors to defy 5'000 U.S. cavalry soldiers. Everybody is entitled to have his own opinion about the events pictured in the Walter Hill movie but we should nonetheless take the time to think about certain issues raised by Geronimo (the movie character, of course) : Why does the White Man need so much space ? If the White Men hadn't been so many, would they have still had the right to claim the Indian territories ? These questions need to be asked and, let's hope so, there always will be a John Milius to irritate us with them.

A DVD zone guilty conscience.

Don't forget Tom Horn... Geronimo wouldn't have........2007-04-08

Geronimo was a renegade Chiricahua Apache warrior but not the tribal leader. He was in fact a war chief and medicine man with an uncanny ability to elude the US Cavalry. This movie might be made well but I'll never know because I won't watch any film so historically inaccurate. The cast includes all the major characters of this very real part of American history except the most important one other than Geronimo himself. Tom Horn. Trained by Al Sieber as a civilian scout and known as "Talking Boy" to the Chiricahua Apaches because he spoke their language better than any white man ever did, including Al Sieber whom he replaced as Chief Civilian Scout when Sieber retired. Tom Horn was the only man able to track Geronimo and twice talked the great Chiricahua Apache warrior into surrendering himself to the US Military authorities. I suggest that anyone interested in this part of American history should read Life of Tom Horn: Government Scout and Interpreter by Tom Horn. It's not great literature but it was written by the man himself. A man that Geronimo greatly respected and many white historians seem to want history to forget. Life of Tom Horn, Government Scout and Interpreter

Great Movie.......2007-04-01

I think this was a great movie telling a story of what happen to a great war chief Geronimo. I think what the government did to the indians was very bad. I wish they would make a sequel of what happen to Lt.Gatewood after he was transfered.

Average customer rating:

Usual great stuff from Mann and Stewart
A tale of anguish and vengeance...
Powerful western
Solid Stewart western
man from nowhere

The Man From Laramie
Starring: James Stewart , Arthur Kennedy , Donald Crisp , Cathy O'Donnell , and Alex Nicol
Director: Anthony Mann
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
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The Far Country
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ASIN: B000031EGW
Release Date: 2000-02-15

Amazon.com

Only John Ford excelled Anthony Mann as a purveyor of eye-filling Western imagery, and Mann's best films are second to no one's when it comes to the fusion of dynamic action, rugged landscapes, and fierce psychological intensity. The Man from Laramie is the last of five remarkable Westerns the director made with James Stewart (starting with Winchester '73 and peaking with The Naked Spur). This collaboration marked virtually a whole new career for Stewart, whose characters are all haunted by the past and driven by obsession--here, to find whoever set his cavalry-officer brother in the path of warlike Indians.

The Man from Laramie aspires to an epic grandeur beyond its predecessors. It's the only one in CinemaScope, and Stewart's personal quest is subsumed in a larger drama--nothing less than a sagebrush version of King Lear, with a range baron on the verge of blindness (Donald Crisp), his weak and therefore vicious son (Alex Nicol), and another, apparently more solid "son," his Edmund-like foreman (Arthur Kennedy). There are a few too many subsidiary characters, and the reach for thematic complexity occasionally diminishes the impact. But no one will ever forget the scene on the salt flats between Nicol and Stewart--climaxing in the single most shocking act of violence in '50s cinema--or the final, mountaintop confrontation.

For decades, the film has been seen only in washed-out, pan-and-scan videos, with the characters playing visual hopscotch from one panel of the original composition to another. It's great to have this glorious DVD--razor-sharp, fully saturated (or as saturated as '50s Eastmancolor could be), and breathtaking in its CinemaScope sweep. --Richard T. Jameson

Customer Reviews:

Usual great stuff from Mann and Stewart.......2006-11-21

Director Anthony Mann and star James Stewart made a great combination. I always found their westerns together reached a part of me that other westerns didn't reach. Along with Bend of the River, Winchester '73 etc, this is top-notch stuff, not necessarily heavy on action, but with a lot of heart.

The rest of a really great cast includes Donald Crisp, Arthur Kennedy and Aline MacMahon.

A tale of anguish and vengeance..........2006-11-08

Some of the best Westerns of the fifties were those directed by Anthony Mann and John Ford, straightforward and unpretentious, but each with an interesting approach to the requirements of the genre... Mann's films were the more prestigious, usually featuring James Stewart who, with John Wayne, was the fifties' biggest box-office draw... "The Man From Laramie" best known because of the Frankie Laine theme strong which accompanied it, is notable for (among other things) Alex Nicol's extraordinary projection of sadism, an element which dominated the best of Mann's movies... The motion picture was to be the last of the Mann-Stewart Westerns...

Stewart is cast as a wagon handler from Laramie, Wyoming, but is, really, an army officer out to avenge the death of his younger brother, a U.S. Cavalryman, massacred by the Apaches who were buying guns from unknown persons... It is these persons that Stewart is looking for..

Soon Stewart gets involved in an area of New Mexico which is ruled by the iron hand of a cattle baron Donald Crisp, a strong authoritarian "who can't live with a lie"... Crisp's one weakness is his love and care for his spoiled son, Alex Nicol...

Wild but feeble, yet vicious, Nicol - with extraordinary projection of sadism - accosts Stewart in several confrontations in which (among other outrages) Stewart is dragged through fire by horses, and has his hand held tight while Alex puts a bullet through it... Mann proceeds in this mood throughout the movie, growing even more sadistic...

Arthur Kennedy, a hard-working heavy, plays the adopted son of Crisp... He is a son in disguise, jealous of Alex, pretending to be his brother's ally and protector...

A lot of good supporting actors are cast including Cathy O'Donnell, the fragile beauty who has little to do but await patiently for an opportunity; Aline MacMahon, the fine 'ugly' woman who never leaves the old man, and Jack Elam who tries to knife James Stewart in the back...

Anthony Mann adopted an altogether tougher approach to Western mythology than John Ford... His obsessive, neurotic characters and his emphasis on violence foretell the work of Peckinpah, Leone and Eastwood...

Filmed in Technicolor, "The Man From Laramie" is a Western with new touches of brutality touching off the wide screen spectacle...

Powerful western.......2006-09-02

This ambitious western concerns a corrupt landowning family (the Waggomans) who finally disintegrate when an outsider, Will Lockhart (James Stewart in his best role for Mann), is drawn into its closed world.

Mann's dramatic presentation, here as in most of his 50s westerns, is Shakesperian in its power and intensity. Mann's widescreen compositions of the 50s are among the best uses of that then fresh format when people were still exploring its possibilities. His landscapes create a superbly configured canvas against which the conflicts are played out.

Donald Crisp is the family patriarch (going blind in more than just a physical sense) who is preoccupied with dynastic succession. His natural son (Alex Nicol) is a psychopath who, early in the film, overturns and brutally burns Stewart's trading wagons, shoots his mules and has him roped and dragged through the dirt, all in a pitiful bid to assert his authority in front of his men. In a later incident, he shoots Stewart's hand at point blank range, as if castrating him (a violent and potent sequence). Crisp's foreman and surrogate son (Arthur Kennedy in a fine performance) feigns worthiness but plots to usurp the succession and betray his father-surrogate.

Stewart as catalyst and protagonist, fulfils his own quest for justice and revenge with an obsession/pathology bordering on madness. Strong stuff!

Solid Stewart western.......2005-09-12

The collaboration of director Anthony Mann and the righteous Jimmy Stewart again provided the ingredients for a successful movie. Filmed against the sprawling picturesque terrain of New Mexico, the movie tells the tale of Will Lockhart, a loner and ex-Army man who is now delivering freight via wagon train.

He winds up in the town of Coronado on the border of Apache territory, in part looking for the party responsible for the death of his younger brother. He was killed in an Apache massacre with rifles illegally supplied to them by an unknown arms dealer.

The town is under control of Alec Waggoman, a cattle baron played by Donald Crisp. Stewart soon runs afoul of Crisp's ill tempered son Dave played by Alex Nichol coming into conflict with the family who own the huge Barb ranch. Ranch foreman and filial figure to Crisp, Arthur Kennedy playing Vic Hansbro, is also the guardian of Nichol, keeping him out of harms way.

Stewart manages to upset the Waggoman family dynamic as he pursues the answers to his brothers death as well as trying to keep the Apaches at bay. With help from two local women the elderly Aline MacMahon playing tough rancher Kate Canady and Cathy O'Donnell playing Crisp's niece Barbara, Stewart eventually gains the trust of Crisp.

man from nowhere.......2005-06-18

Lochart (James Stewart) was told that the salt was free for the taking But then he was caught stealing the salt by the son of the cattle baron who actually owend the land and most of that town,so the son wanted to teach Lochart a lesson in front of his sidekicks that how tough he is,so he burned the wagons and shot his mules.But the baron when found out wants to compromise with Lochart as he saw in his vision that a man will come one day and kill his no good and only son,but (JIMMY STEWART ) SAYS I NEVER OWENED AN ACRE OF LAND -NEVER WANTED TO AND YOU COULD'NT LIVE WITH AN ACRE LESS THAN YOU GOT-WHERE DO WE BEND. jimmy stewart gave a very powerful performance in this movie "again" as always.I cant forget and i still remember the scene where jimmy stewart was pinned down by few and the barons son shoots him in the palm of his gun hand.A very memorable movie which leaves the lasting impression on the viewers. The credit goes to the people who made this movie bringing it to big screen the struggle, hardship and tough life earlier pioneers faced to shape United States what it is today and for todays generations to injoy and live a better life.legacy of western movies must continue.It is a lesson in History and a way of life.

The Black Crowes - Freak N Roll into the Fog

Average customer rating:

With the Crowes it's about the music...as always
Good Crowes Performance
Great live band captured.
If you are a Black Crowes fan, you will love this!
well i knew it

The Black Crowes - Freak N Roll into the Fog
Starring: Chris Robinson (VIII) , Rich Robinson (III) , Marc Ford , Steve Gorman (II) , and Ed Hawrysch
Director: Mark Lucas
Manufacturer: Eagle Vision USA
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Rock | Styles | Music

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Freak 'N' Roll... Into the Fog
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ASIN: B000EHSVO6
Release Date: 2006-03-21

Description

Shot live at San Francisco's Fillmore Auditorium in August 2005, The Black Crowes present a set of their all-time greatest hits with their first-ever DVD, Freak `N' Roll ...Into The Fog.

Shot in Hi-Def, this two-and-a-half-hour concert features an impressive mix of material from The Crowes' 6 studio albums, including hits like "Sting Me", "Jealous Again" and "Hard To Handle". Acoustic versions of "She Talks To Angels" and "Sunday Night Buttermilk Waltz" are also highlights of this show.

Tracklisting:
1) (Only) Halfway To Everywhere
2) Sting Me
3) No Speak No Slave
4) Soul Singing
5) Welcome To The Goodtimes
6) Jealous Again
7) Space Captain
8) My Morning Song
9) Sunday Night Buttermilk Waltz
10) Cursed Diamond
11) She Talks To Angels
12) Wiser Time
13) Non Fiction
14) Seeing Things
15) Hard To Handle
16) Let Me Share The Ride
17) Mellow Down Easy
18) Remedy
19) The Night They Drove Ol' Dixie Down

Bonus Feature:
Behind-the-scenes short film.

Customer Reviews:

With the Crowes it's about the music...as always.......2007-06-30

I laugh out loud when i read the reviews of anyone who says this sucks or it's not as good as it could have been. The Crowes put the music first! No big fanfare, no fireworks, no gimmicks! It could be said the Black Crowes are the opposite of Kiss. Both bands give you your moneys worth, but with the Crowes its the music. No spectacle, no posturing and best of all NO Pretense! This shows the band with their best line up at the top of their game. That being said, I would have prefered to watch the band during the extended jamms instead of them walking around town. Also, I would have liked to see a longer soundcheck...but those are small gripes because the rest of this DVD is just awesome classic rock done with a style and class most bands don't have a clue about. I've seen the Crowes live several times and with different members and I just have to say I'm totally impressed with this DVD...Crowes fans have been waiting a long time for this and we were not dissapointed...you can play this for your children(it's not angry or weird) and you could play it for you folks(they won't say 'what the hell is this?)...this is what music and watching music should be...REAL!

Good Crowes Performance.......2006-11-05

This one is pretty straight forward - the band comes out, plays their set and then good night. The song selection was representative of the best of the albums with Mark Ford on guitar with a few extras and some from the first album. They did em pretty much note for note with a little jam band stuff in the middle of some songs. I could have lived without the montage segments durning the jams. The back stage extras were OK but not really worth revisiting. A few with Kate Hudson hanging out with the band. This is a good overview of the Black Crowes and a solid performance. I don't regret the purchase and have watched it many times over by this point, as I am a big fan of their music.

Great live band captured........2006-09-25

The Black Crowes certainly never treaded any new territory, musically speaking...and they never claimed to. All they do is play great rock-n-roll, and they do it very well. This relatively inexpensive dvd captures them intimately. The sound is very good, and there are very few cheesy film effects in this dvd. What you get is a classic rock band performing their songs. No gimmicks. For $15 usd, you can't go wrong.

If you are a Black Crowes fan, you will love this!.......2006-07-27

I was at this concert and couldn't wait unitl this DVD came out. The Fillmore is such an awesome venue and the concert was one of the best Black Crowes concerts I've ever been to. The setlist is great and to see them up close doing there're thing is very cool. Lots of shots of San Francisco. This is a great music DVD. Highly recommended.

well i knew it.......2006-07-26

well i knew it. first off, I like to LISTEN to this band. but in a concert, borrrrringggggggg. not much going on here, all just jammed on a small stage, plugging along.

And Chris, how DOES these guys get the babes? I have a cousin that looks pretty close to him, greasy hair beard and all. and my cousin sings kinda of, not even as good, but still, he is a real nice guy. and his chicks? haha, looks nothing like Goldies daughter! oh wait, he is middle class wages, yea like that has nothing to do with it! hahaha.

but anyway, glad I bought the dvd, just to see, even tho I had a feeling it was going to be boring no action like this. better on dvd money than concert money! music is cool tho, jam it when its on the radio

Listened with Sennheiser 595's, the best that I have found, had 555 for a couple years they are nice too, but cant touch 595's, pay the dif and see, er I mean hear.

Average customer rating:

Best of Tony Hillerman's - to date!
Major Mystery Transformed into Movie Disappointment
Thief Of Time is time well spent.
PowWow In the Ivory Tower
Great Mystery

A Thief of Time
Starring: Gary Farmer , Adam Beach , Ernest Tsosie III , Wes Studi , and Sheila Tousey
Director: Chris Eyre
Manufacturer: Pbs (Direct)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

( T ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

All | PBS | Specialty Stores | DVD | Video
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Skins

ASIN: B0002CHJPA
Release Date: 2004-08-03

Description

Navajo tribal policemen Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee are back for a third thrilling MYSTERY! case, based on the bestselling novels of Tony Hillerman. An archaeologist turned pottery poacher thinks she has cracked the secret of the vanished Anasazi culture, when she herself vanishes. As other poachers start dropping dead, Leaphorn and Chee must piece together a case as complicated as the mysteriously decorated pots that seem to motivate the killer.

Customer Reviews:

Best of Tony Hillerman's - to date!.......2005-11-29

Personally, I found this film ... out of the current films based on Tony Hillerman's books the best of the films! However, I suggest anyone thinking about buying ... and not having seen any of the 3 films released to date ... (see these films first) ... otherwise you maybe dissapointed.
I have seen all 3 films ... and, have read the other reviews here posted which I might add, all have valid pro's & con's about made about this film that are helpful. They do not though mention how this film breaks out -of the box- compared to the others, in that it uses a HISTORICAL angle in it's script touching on the 'Anasazi culture' and 'Chaco Canyon' which was refreshing to me ... in that I find history interesting especially in relation to Native American Indian history.
(If you feel the same way, and think you might like one of the Hillerman based movies mentioned in reviews here - this maybe the one out of the 3 movie/DVDs for you). Then again you may not want any of -or- want all of them?

Major Mystery Transformed into Movie Disappointment .......2005-05-25

I have read each and every Tony Hillerman mystery and thoroughly enjoyed each one. Likewise, I eagerly awaited this DVD, A Thief of Time. Unfortunately, I cannot say anything very good about it. Unlike the many (read British) PBS series that have dramatized great detective novels into entertaining movies, this installment in the initial "American Mystery" series is a hopeless dud.

Tony Hillerman writes a rich, vivid novel in the nuance of the Navajo culture. His details and characters are too much for a 93 minute DVD to digest. Scenes flit around in small one and three minute sequences, disjointed and disorganized. Hillerman's plot device of having parallel plot lines join at the end create too many complexities for a rushed presentation.

I deeply regret the disservice to a wonderful author and mystery novel, and frankly wish I could say something more positive. Well....let's try...the Four Corners scenery is beautiful.

Thief Of Time is time well spent........2005-04-20

I'm a fan of Tony Hillerman, having read most of his books. Frankly, I'm surprised at the middling ratings most people have given this movie. I thought it was wonderful, and the performances given by the cast were very satisfying. It's always a treat to watch a cast like this. My eyes are likely to brighten when I see the names Graham Greene, Wes Studi, Adam Beach and Tantoo Cardinal participating in a movie venture. I have added Sheila Tonsey and others to this last as well, having greatly enjoyed their roles in this series. Graham Greene has given another unforgettable performance as the oily Slick Nakai. I have to believe that he's now in my top five American actors. Tantoo gave a brief but typically engaging perfomance. Wes and Adam are now locked in my minds eye as Jim Chee and Joe Leaphorn. It was good seeing Peter Fonda again in is role. Chris Eyre did a fine job directing, and conveying the intent of the novel. Included is an engaging bonus feature with Tony Hillerman.

The review below me made some defamatory comments intending to be caustic, but which are patently untrue. Any resemblance to a soap opera has entirely escaped me. His observation that this movie sneers at Navajo attitudes toward the dead, Navajo spiritual or cultural matters, is impossible. Anyone who is acquainted with Chris Eyre knows the integrity of the director, having directed Smoke Signals and Skins, and has shown is dedication toward negating stereotypes and prejudice. Seems that the reviewer below was just looking for an opportunity to flog around the term "injun". People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones, and the below reviewer might be concerned that his education has failed him. Moreover, keep your eyes on Chris Eyre, who promises to be attached to quality movies in the future.

I thoroughly enjoyed the movie, and hope to see more. I will continue to devour anything written by Tony Hillerman, and seek out anything by these cast members.

My thanks are to Robert Redford as a co-producer of this series. I have admired the integrity of this man for quite some time, watching him place his effort and resources in the right place, time and time again. I tip my hat once again to PBS Pictures for distributing this series. PBS has been involved in offering us quality which is hard to find.

PowWow In the Ivory Tower.......2005-03-18

Take a novel. Hand it to an inexperienced script-writer who only knows genre dialogue, and has never been outside the soap opera community. Make a movie or a tv show that ignores the original audience because the script-writer doesn't read books. So instead of the tongue-in-cheek dry dialogue of a Tony Hillerman, you get a stilted cliche As The World Turns with Injun cops. And I use the word "Injun" advisedly. The sneering at the Navajo attitude toward the dead, and at their culture is unbelieveably crass. And the writing down for an American audience -- well, perhaps our reputation for a trashed educational system is getting too well recognized in the world.

Great Mystery.......2004-11-08

I cannot agree with the negative reviewers. I thoroughly enjoyed this movie, like I did the two previous ones in this series. I love mystery novels/films, and this one was not difficult to comprehend at all. An added bonus is the setting of the story in the for me - a European living in the US - completely new world of Native American history and culture. I don't know the novels of Mr. Hillerman, so I don't have the great expectations of someone who has read them. I think anybody who loves a good mystery and is interested in getting an introduction into Native American lore and culture of the Southwest should enjoy the movies in this series. I certainly hope there will be more of them.

The Black Crowes: Freak 'N' Roll... Into the Fog [Blu-ray]

Average customer rating:

Wow Black Crows still knock me out!
Amazing show by an Awesome band!!

The Black Crowes: Freak 'N' Roll... Into the Fog [Blu-ray]
Starring: The Black Crowes
Manufacturer: Eagle Vision USA
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: Blu-ray

General | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

General | Blu-ray | Formats | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B000I5XDTW
Release Date: 2006-11-21

Description

Shot live at the famous Fillmore in San Francisco in August 2005, this is The Black Crowes caught at their very best. After taking a break to pursue solo ventures in 2002, their 2005 tour became one of the hottest tickets of the US summer. With a set featuring all their greatest hits, and some stunning acoustic versions, in the middle of a two and a half hour show performed by one of the greatest live bands of all time, this is a concert simply not to be missed.

Tracklisting: 1. (Only) Halfway to Everywhere 2. Sting Me 3. No Speak No Slave 4. Soul Singing 5. Welcome to the Goodtimes 6. Jealous Again 7. Space Captain 8. My Morning Song 9. Sunday Night Buttermilk Waltz 10. Cursed Diamond 11. She Talks to Angels 12. Wiser Time 13. Non Fiction 14. Seeing Things 15. Hard to Handle 16. Let Me Share the Ride 17. Mellow Down Easy 18. Remedy 19. The Night They Drove OlÂ' Dixie Down

Bonus Features: Behind-the-scenes film.

Customer Reviews:

Wow Black Crows still knock me out!.......2007-06-06

This is a great Disc, incredible sound, crisp clean rocking! Great clearity of visuals, nice camera work. I am very happy with this disc on a technical level. Also it's a damn fine show. First real Blu Ray disc, I have Ricky Bobby which I got with my PS3 it basically sucked in all aspects so I was a bit soured on Blu Ray Especially after such a great experience wit HD DVDs. This Blu Ray really chages my whole outlook on the the format! I can't wait to get more Blu Rays after the latest PS3 firmware update because now I can view my discs in 720p as opposed to 480p downgraded. that was a big problem for me with the PS3 solved and now very happy. Bring on the Blu Ray! What can I say about the Black Crows performance? Absolutely incredible! the finest line of the band I have seen, the set list was great. Just an A+ concert! If you have Blu Ray and you love rock and blues you must own this disc. GO GET IT !

Amazing show by an Awesome band!!.......2007-03-18

This is the best Black Crowes line-up ever and they are totally on fire. Stopping reading my bs and buy this gem now! Oh yeah, and Marc Ford needs to get back with the Crowes!!

Average customer rating:

Story is a bit Choppy
Getting Married in Buffalo Jump
Definite Girl Flick
A Wonderful Surprise
A Wonderful Surprise

Getting Married in Buffalo Jump
Starring: Wendy Crewson , Paul Gross , Marion Gilsenan , Victoria Snow , and Murray Cruchley
Director: Eric Till
Manufacturer: Henstooth Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B00020X8YI
Release Date: 2004-06-22

Customer Reviews:

Story is a bit Choppy.......2006-11-15

the cast is good the movie is ok....and Ya I'm a Paul Gross Fan.
BUT
The story just seems to have a lot of jumps in it, not running real smoothly one sceen to the next. At times that's fine you know stuff like that is done, but for this movie I think its done a bit to much.

The movie isn't bad but it could be a bit better done.
The actors did a good job, won't say anything there.
The Alberta background is like WOW, reminding me of Yellowstone. will agree with the one realestate friend, Eleanor, in the movie....ain't much for shopping though.

Getting Married in Buffalo Jump.......2006-07-26

If you are a Wendy Crewson (Air Force One, Unexpected love, Perfect Pie "24" Season 3, you will love this movie. She is abt 30 in it. If your not a Crewson fan but love Hallmark type movies you will love this. A warm modern western.

Definite Girl Flick.......2006-04-18

Ok...not much I can add to the previous reviews. It IS a keeper to watch over and over again. The first thing that impressed me was the gorgeous scenery. The mountains in the background were breathtaking. It's not a guy kind of movie, but for the true romantic it's a must have for your video library. Parts were played well and the characters believable.
There were a couple of real hard to believe scenes. It's hard to believe that the nude romps in the creek never amounted to more than a brief kiss and the continuation of a "business" arrangement. The male star hunk chomped on his toothpick 24/7 except for that occasional kiss. It was a sexy touch once, but it could have been dropped from the rest of the movie AND as any well bred cowgirl (or cowboy) knows it isn't a very bright cowboy who breaks from a chute to bulldog a steer with that toothpick in his mouth!! Loved the movie, but the toothpick thing I found very distracting.

A Wonderful Surprise.......2005-06-06

This movie was a wonderful surprise. I bought it because it stars Paul Gross, whose work I've appreciated in the Due South television series. I expected to see an ordinary boy-meets-girl romance, something cute, fluffy, and forgettable with some nice eye candy.

Instead, I found a well-written, appealingly filmed, and very well-acted story that works on a number of levels. Yes, there's a love story at its heart, though hardly of the traditional sort. More than that, it's an exploration of the realities and economic necessities of life in a small, remote agricultural community - it takes place in the foothills of Alberta, Canada, but could just as well have taken place in any small farm town in North America - and of the intersection of cultures: Ukrainian and Scottish immigrants, Natives ("Indians"), and city folks learning to make a go of small-town farming life. Most of all, it's about the interconnected lives of a handful of people and how they and their relationships grow and change as a result of the unorthodox romance between the two central characters.

The cast is uniformly excellent; there are no weak performances. The beautiful, spare Alberta landscape is an important character in its own right. The score could perhaps be a bit better, but is at least unobtrusive and is enhanced by three k.d. lang songs. The only slight fault I found was with the ending, which I felt was perhaps just a bit more abrupt than it might have been, but that's a very small criticism within the greater scope of a movie that I loved and will doubtless watch again and again.

Very much recommended.

A Wonderful Surprise.......2005-06-06

Amazon.com

Nathanael West's The Day of the Locust is by consensus the great Hollywood novel, a poison-pen letter aimed squarely at the tinsel heart of the movie biz. Only in the 1970s could Hollywood actually hazard a film of this story, and the result is suitably corrosive. William Atherton is the observer Tod, Karen Black the blond starlet Faye, and Donald Sutherland the hulking Homer--but they are easily out-acted by the colorful supporting cast. In particular, Burgess Meredith's exhausted showbizzy salesman and Billy Barty's strutting dwarf are superbly crafted gargoyles in this Hollywood wax museum. Director John Schlesinger piles on the rancid atmosphere and rampant hypocrisy until the movie fairly drowns in its own grotesque vision. Long before the climactic apocalyptic riot, the film has torn itself up. There's no substitute for West's wicked prose, so the adaptation comes across as a literal-minded screech rather than a true bonfire of the vanities. --Robert Horton

Customer Reviews:

hollywood babylon redux redux redux ..........2007-06-11

it takes longer to watch this movie based on nathaneal wests short story than it takes to read the source material. this tale has been told too many times, yet filmmakers continue to think that the seedy side of hollywood is as fascinating to us as it is to them. well, its not. that said, there ARE terrific performances to be found here: donald sutherland, burgess meredith, and others, tho william atherton is his usually vapid self in the central role. im glad i saw it, but if i ever want to pay a return trip, i will visit the library and mr wests tome.

Take Another Look.......2006-09-20

THE DAY OF THE LOCUST was slammed critically in its initial release, and many reviewers here seem irritated by both the film and the current DVD transfer. But the soft focus and grainy look here are true to Conrad Hall's brilliant, Oscar-nominated cinematography -- this picture was hazy in theatres in its first run, and certainly this transfer's a vast improvement over the VHS and laser versions, which were virtually unwatchable. As for the film itself, perhaps it's best regarded as a fantasia on West's classic novel, rather than a literal adaptation. If the viewer doesn't expect a slavish version of the book, LOCUST holds many pleasures. The acting's marvellous (has a performer ever been more bravely and cruelly exposed than Karen Black as Faye?), and Schlesinger found a style unlike his other films, a sort of acrid romanticism that isn't West's surrealism, but packs a punch nonetheless. I've seen this film several times over the years, always finding things in it with which to disagree, but images here have stuck more completely in my mind than those from many more perfect works. Ripe for reevaluation.

Truly memorable, bleak, surreal, disturbing...........2006-08-22

I just saw this film for the first time in nearly 15 years. It had always stayed with me (especially the climax, one of the greatest in cinema history), and upon seeing it again, it is even sadder, more depressing, and nihilistic than before. The names change in Hollywood, but never the substance, because there was never any substance to begin with. Many people go there with dreams of fame and fortune, but end up miserable, even the "successful" ones. Even those who "make" it still are so uneasy and unsure of everything that they're just as vulnerable as those left on the outside. L.A. has never looked so horrid. While the lead performers are adequate (William Atherton and Karen Black), the performances by Sutherland and Meredith (why Meredith didn't get a supporting actor nod is beyond me) are amazing. The supporting roles are extremely well done as well (with special kudos going to Billy Barty as a sarcastic [...]). There is a surreal tinge to this film that explodes at the climax, one of the most amazing in cinematic history. A film like this could never be made today, because Hollywood has become so terrified of doing anything different, which is a damn shame. This is very much a 1970's film, where Hollywood took chances and let chips fall over the place. They could do it again if they wanted to, you know. A must see...

Adore!!!!!.......2006-06-10

I had forgotten that I had bought the DVD version back in 2004 and I'd have to say I wasn't struck by the feeling that it was a bad transfer. I will say there was much purposeful graininess and soft focusing to the photography that could be interpreted as a bad transfer. Although, I'll have to compare my VHS copy to be positive. I won't comment on the adaptation of the West novel that I haven't read.

Yes, Karen Black may be a bit too old for the role but she is the perfect in type with the look and the style of the period. Atherton is also perfect as is everyone else in this movie. Sorry to see Atherton receiving crappier and crappier roles after doing such a solid job here so early in his career. I would have liked to see him find the kind of niche that Jonathan Pryce or Richard E. Grant have found. However, Barty, Meredith and Sutherland steal the show in supporting parts. They're work here is brilliant.

This is a morally sick film. It's sexually frustration can only be matched by That Obscure Object of Desire but not really. This is an even deeper abyss. Making this story something that can be watched is an achievement in its self but to be able to make it totally fascinating is something only Schlesinger, one of the greatest directors(Midnight Cowboy, Cold Comfort Farm, Darling), could pull off.

The story of Todd (Atherton) coming to 1930's Hollywood as an art designer, sharing the collective, tainted dreams of all of Tinsel Town's inhabitants is one of utter disillusionment. That may sound simple but this is no simple disillusionment. It's in every corner, every nook and cranny. Even for those who have cashed in on the dream there is no salvation, only more assuredness of a soulless end.

Now that the picture is sufficiently blackened let me say this is great filmmaking. There are innumerable, unforgettable scenes. Almost every the scene involving Sutherland or Meredith are burned into the psyche. Being a story about an art designer, the art design is appropriately elaborate. It appears to be the same artist who provided the artwork for the Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas book.

At 140 minutes, this is a substantial meal and one not easily digested but you will be satiated for a long, long time.

One of the worst adaptations ever made........2006-05-16

Sure there are other movies that have butchered their source material beyond recognition, but it's not even the butchering that's the problem. The problem comes when the director hits all the marks and completely misses the point of the book. Jan de Bont decided to take the atmospheric Haunting of Hill House and turn it into a carnival ride and give an easy explanation to the haunting. DePalma went and decided to tone down the racism in Bonfire of the Vanities. But those weird decisions to miss the point pale in comparison to Shlessinger's choice of turning a vicious novel into sentimental slop.

From the opening sequence with the tinkling piano music to the ending with Faye sighing at Tod's stupid rose, this movie sets out to jerk tears and make the viewer feel bad. Even if there wasn't a great book to be killing, this would be a terrible movie. But with Day of the Locust as a source material, the awfulness of this movie borders on the criminal. One imagines the book done right by a Quentin Tarantino or a Todd Solondz.

Where the book is fast, the movie is slow. Tod Hackett is supposed to be a fat cynical observer but Shlessinger decided to cast an anonymous pretty boy in his role. The casting choice is decidedly better with Donald Sutherland as Homer Simpson, but Sutherland is emoting way too much pain for the humor to come through. Every time you see him you want to kill yourself and his abuse at the hands of Faye goes on forever.

The riot scene that ends the movie becomes a Night of the Living Dead ripoff and the whole thing just drags on. Furthermore, the key sequence of the book (Tod imitating the police sirens) gets lost and Tod just cries and gnashes his teeth or something.

This is a terrible movie. The original book deserves much better.

DVD:

DVD List

DVD

DVD

G.I. Joe - Real American Hero/Revenge of the Cobra

Last Days of Frank and Jesse James

Flying Deuces

DVD: Puss in Boots

Ben Hur