Wolfgang Petersen Gift Set

Starring:Clint Eastwood, John Malkovich, Rene Russo, Dylan McDermott, Gary Cole, Fred Dalton Thompson, John Mahoney, Gregory Alan Williams, Jim Curley, Sally Hughes, Clyde Kusatsu, Steve Hytner, Tobin Bell, Bob Schott, Juan A. Riojas, Elsa Raven, Arthur Senzy, Patrika Darbo, Mary Van Arsdel, Ryan Cutrona
Director: Wolfgang Petersen
Studio: Sony Pictures
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com

Alien Nation: They get drunk on sour milk. They have two hearts and bald, spotted heads. They're highly intelligent, but if you drop them in seawater they'll melt into a puddle of goop. They're "Newcomers," and they arrived as refugees in a massive alien slave-ship, quarantined for three years and then reluctantly accepted as citizens of Earth. To some humans--including seasoned Los Angeles cop Matt Sykes (James Caan)--the Newcomers are unwelcome "slags." Sykes's own virulent "speciesism" intensifies when Newcomer thugs kill his partner, but he sees logic in teaming up with Sam Francisco (Mandy Patinkin), the first Newcomer detective in the LAPD. Francisco's Newcomer knowledge is vital to their investigation of an alien drug ring, and a friendship grows from life-or-death circumstances.

A routine cop thriller with a comedic sci-fi twist, Alien Nation has two things working in its favor: Caan and Patinkin form a memorable duo, and the basic premise--as conceived by Rockne S. O'Bannon (who later developed the film as a TV series)--intelligently accounts for the sociological impact of an alien population. The subtle point is made that humans are extraordinary beings who squander their potential, and the evil of drugs--as dealt by a social-climbing Newcomer played by Terence Stamp--leads to a crisis that threatens to generate global intolerance. These points are well presented in a context of overly familiar plotting and standard-issue sarcasm. It's entertaining for a brisk 90 minutes, but in its attempt to be widely appealing, Alien Nation glosses over issues that might have made it more uniquely provocative. --Jeff Shannon

Enemy Mine: Lizard-like Draconian Louis Gossett Jr. and his mortal enemy, earthling Dennis Quaid, crash-land on a hostile planet during a brutal space battle. Forced to rely on one another for survival, they overcome their differences and become fast friends. You can almost hear them break into an off-key version of "It's a Small World." German director Wolfgang Petersen, so brutally honest with his film Das Boot, turns warm and cuddly on us with this intergalactic buddy movie. Much of the problem, though, is that the script sets us up for an intriguing encounter, then settles for a simple and sentimental resolution. Noteworthy set design and strong performances, especially by Gossett, push this beyond mere mediocrity. His performance is fascinating, as he must speak in an alien tongue, which he maintains with artistry and consistency. --Rochelle O'Gorman

Customer Reviews:

Alien Nation/Enemy Mine.......2007-05-25

Alien Nation is actually a good movie... I really enjoyed it... It was a bit like the days of the "X" files movies... It was good to watch. Enemy Mine is a fantastic Movie... I can watch this one over and over again.. Its really well made and Dennis Quaid is a little Hottie in it, I think its prob his best movie.. Its a movie you can watch anytime.

They have landed........2007-04-10

This is a good combo if you are into aliens and space movies. Although my children were not born when they made these they still enjoyed the movies. It is fun watching the reaction on the faces who are seeing the movie for the first time. I recommend this for family night.

2 Flics on 2 discs............2007-02-07

Hey, these are both classic SciFi movies! I really like that they are on seperate discs, in a slim-pack, AND the price would be nice for each, BUT NO!, you get 2 for the price of 1!!

a classic.......2007-01-10

Loved it, and so did my boyfriend. They're better as they get older.

WW II 60th Anniversary Collection (Das Boot/Anzio/Caine Mutiny/Dead Men's Secrets) (Includes Collectible Scrapbook)

Average customer rating:

Another Collectable

WW II 60th Anniversary Collection (Das Boot/Anzio/Caine Mutiny/Dead Men's Secrets) (Includes Collectible Scrapbook)
Starring: Jürgen Prochnow , Herbert Grönemeyer , Klaus Wennemann , Hubertus Bengsch , and Martin Semmelrogge
Director: Wolfgang Petersen , Edward Dmytryk , and Duilio Coletti
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Drama | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

Military & War | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

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

WWII 60th Anniversary Collection (The Guns of Navarone/From Here to Eternity/The Bridge on the River Kwai) (Includes Collectible Scrapbook)
World War II Collection - Battlefront Europe (The Big Red One Two-Disc Special Edition / The Dirty Dozen / Battle of the Bulge / Battleground / Where Eagles Dare)
World War II Collection (The Thin Red Line/Patton/Tora! Tora! Tora!/The Longest Day)
Battle of Britain (Collector's Edition)
Twelve O'Clock High (Special Edition)

ASIN: B000ASDFH2
Release Date: 2005-10-25

Description

DAS BOOT: This gripping tale from Academy Award® nominated director Wolfgang Peterson follows the daring patrol of U96, one of the famed German U boats known as the "gray wolves." The crew aboard the U96 is graphically portrayed in a desperate life and death struggle, coping with endless hours of claustrophobic boredom at sea, which quickly gives way to terror when confronting the enemy. DAS BOOT delivers an amazingly accurate account of Germany's elite U boat crewmen, as it deliberately hammers away at the tragic waste of war. ANZIO: Screen greats Robert Mitchum, Peter Falk, and Arthur Kennedy star in the riveting war drama ANZIO, a vivid portrait of one of the bloodiest WWII battles ever fought. After landing with allied troops at Anzio, Italy in 1944, war correspondent Dick Ennis (Mitchum) and buddy Corporal Rabinoff (Falk) tell Anzio commander General Lesley (Kennedy) that the road to Rome is wide open. But instead of heading to Rome, Lesley attempts to build a coastal stronghold, only to discover that the Germans have outflanked them by enclosing the Anzio beachhead. Four months and over 30,000 casualities later, the Allied forces smash through the German lines and victoriously march to Rome. Directed by highly-acclaimed action director Edward Dmytrk (The Caine Mutiny, Back to Bataan), ANZIO is a powerful film and a symbol of heroic tenacity. THE CAINE MUTINY: This is a classic film of modern day mutiny aboard a Naval vessel based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Herman Wouk. The nervous and inept behavior of Captain Queeg (Humphrey Bogart) during maneuvers aboard the U.S.S. Caine a destroyer/mine sweeper attracts the attention of the ship's crew members and it's executive officer, Maryk (Van Johnson). When Queeg's neurotic behavior reaches a breaking point during a fierce typhoon, Maryk takes command of the ship. Queeg then retaliates by having Maryk court-martialed. In a tense courtroom sequence, Lt. Greenwald (Jose Ferrer), assigned to Maryk's defense, systematically breaks Queeg down on the stand. Maryk wins the case but the victory is short-lived as Lt. Greenwald reveals that the men have all been the unwitting victims of a deceptive shipmate named Lt. Keefer (Fred MacMurray), who actually instigated the mutiny for his own purposes. An all-star cast makes this film one to remember. SECRETS OF THE SEA WOLVES: Learn what life was like aboard a Nazi sub in the North Atlantic during World War II. WWII's longest, most crucial battle was waged at sea where German U-boat packs roamed the Atlantic hunting their prey. In a campaign to cut off vital supplies from the U.S. to Great Britain, they came close to starving England into surrender. If they succeeded, the Allies would almost certainly lose the war. Using archival footage of U-boats at work, we see that the Germans were at the forefront of technology, and how the Allies fought back to force the U-boat menace into submission.

Customer Reviews:

Another Collectable.......2007-01-09

I have every DVD version of Das Boot. I have even watched it with the Audio in German and English subtitles, it never fails to shock me. Together with Anzio & the Caine Mutiny, these movies really start to bring home what our Fathers and Grandfathers went through during WWII, lest we forget!
When you can buy great, multiple movies together like this, it's a no-brainer.

Radley Meztger Collection Volume 2 (Little Mother / The Dirty Girls / Score)

Average customer rating:

Classic Films, Mediocre Transfers

Radley Meztger Collection Volume 2 (Little Mother / The Dirty Girls / Score)
Starring: Claire Wilbur , Calvin Culver , Lynn Lowry , Gerald Grant , and Carl Parker
Director: Radley Metzger
Manufacturer: First Run Features
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

Documentary | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

General | Indie & Art House | Stores | DVD | Video

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

The Radley Metzger Collection, Vol. 3
The Radley Metzger Collection, Vol. 1 (Therese and Isabelle / The Alley Cats / Camille 2000)
The Image
Joe Sarno: Girl Meets Girl Trilogy
Images in a Convent

ASIN: B0006U5VA8
Release Date: 2005-02-22

Description

Radley Meztger Collection Volume 2
Include the Films:
Little Mother • The Dirty Girls • Score
Credits:Films by Radley Metzger

Customer Reviews:

Classic Films, Mediocre Transfers.......2005-05-04

Own these films individually on DVD from Image Entertainment. Nice to have them in boxed sets like this though I must let Metzger fans know that the transfers from First Run are not as good as the Image versions. Where the Image versions are color saturated and sharp, the First Run transfers have murky, faded out color and soft pictures.

Still, for the price, these boxed sets aren't a bad buy.

The Perfect Storm (Deluxe Collector Set)

Average customer rating:

All Hands Lost
What a country!
AT HOME, The Perfect place to be..
Just what I ordered and very quick delivery
not that perfect at all

The Perfect Storm (Deluxe Collector Set)
Starring: George Clooney , Mark Wahlberg , John C. Reilly , Diane Lane , and William Fichtner
Director: Wolfgang Petersen
Manufacturer: Creative Design Art
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

Sea Adventure | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Action & Adventure | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

Drama | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

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

U-571 (Collector's Edition)
Apollo 13 [HD DVD]
Twister
Training Day
Swordfish

ASIN: B00004Z4UA
Release Date: 2000-11-14

Amazon.com

Setting out for the one last catch that will make up for a lackluster fishing season, Captain Billy Tyne (George Clooney) pushes his boat the Andrea Gail out to the waters of the Flemish Cap off Nova Scotia for what will be a huge swordfish haul. While his crew is gathering fish, three storm fronts (including a hurricane) collide to create a "perfect storm" of colossal force, and Billy's path back to Gloucester, Massachusetts, takes them right smack into the middle of it. Wolfgang Petersen's adaptation of Sebastian Junger's seafaring bestseller is a faithful if by-the-numbers true-story account of a monster storm that rocked New England in 1991, specifically Tyne's commercial fishing boat and its crew. Junger's tale fashioned a compelling if staid narrative out of seemingly disparate events, but this film adaptation tends to flatten out the story into a conventional if absorbing story of man vs. nature, as the crew fights for survival against the awesome waves the storm kicks up. The central part of the film, which cuts between the Andrea Gail's fight to stay afloat and the attempts of the Coast Guard to rescue a yacht in peril, is suspenseful action of the first degree, aided by some awesome computer-generated waves.

Still, it's a long way to that action, with an extended first act that consists mainly of stoic men, crying women, and a fair amount of "don't go out into the sea" dialogue--in other words, a compelling story has been shoehorned into standard summer movie fare. It's too bad, as Peterson assembled an excellent cast--including Mark Wahlberg, Diane Lane, John C. Reilly, and William Fichtner among them--but seems to opt for only a surface exploration of these characters, though Clooney seems to have a touch of Captain Ahab in him. You may still be won over by the movie, but for a more in-depth portrait, go to Junger's book for the missing details. --Mark Englehart

Customer Reviews:

All Hands Lost.......2007-06-15

Even though this movie is fictional, taken from a book, no one seems to mention the fact that the Andrea Gail was an actual ship that was lost at sea and never found. A real world story intertwined with the fictional characters of those who were claimed by the sea.

What a country!.......2007-04-18

Some amazing special effects, tense action sequences. Good acting marred by occasional screenplay hokeyness, and some bummers at the end. George should've known better when even the gal from the Abyss was telling him to scrap the mission. Mark Wahlburg is a hunk. I'm not sure why Karen Allen took such a small role.

AT HOME, The Perfect place to be.........2007-03-03

Very good effects ... but there is a hidden happy ending for those that want to miss the tragic part of this movie... when the guys finally turn the boat around from the Monster wave and make it... and they are all laughing and screaming they made it out ... TURN THE MOVIE OFF !!!!

Just what I ordered and very quick delivery.......2007-02-08

Very fast shipping great product thank you

not that perfect at all.......2007-01-28

A yawningly protracted prelude which fails to elicit much liking or sympathy for the crew followed by a disappointingly unrealistic storm at sea. Nearly 50 years after "The Cruel Sea" which so vividly portrayed the might and fury of the sea in storm this was comic book stuff.

Men frolicking in the rigging with blowtorches in a force 10 gale are just not convincing! Two good points, one was left feeling of the Coast Guard - why should good men risk their lives for fools like these and the ending at least was not corny. All in all, a good opportunity missed.

So, in two words, 2 hours of fighting and at end everybody dies. Not very funny film for our reality.

Average customer rating:

"Last" trip to "Troy"

Troy / The Last Samurai
Starring: Julian Glover , Brian Cox , Nathan Jones , Adoni Maropis , and Jacob Smith
Director: Wolfgang Petersen , and Edward Zwick
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $14.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( T ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
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Braveheart
Kingdom of Heaven - The Director's Cut (Four-Disc Special Edition)
Gladiator - Extended Cut (Three-Disc Special Edition)
We Were Soldiers (Widescreen Edition)
Batman Begins [HD DVD]

ASIN: B0007VY4EK
Release Date: 2005-04-05

Amazon.com

There are many reasons to recommend Troy as a good ol' fashioned Hollywood epic, especially if you've never read Homer's The Iliad. Dispensing with Greek gods altogether, this earnestly massive production (budgeted at upwards of $200 million) will surely offend historians and devoted students of the classics (for them, there's the History Channel's Troy). But there's politics aplenty in the grand-scale war that erupts when Trojan prince Paris (Orlando Bloom) makes off with Helen (blandly beautiful German model Diane Kruger), wife of Spartan ruler Menelaus (Brendan Gleeson), whose brother, the Greek king Agamemnon (Brian Cox) prods him into enraged retaliation. Greek warrior Achilles (Brad Pitt) brings lethal force to his battles (and there are many of them, mostly impressive), and his Trojan counterpart, Paris's brother Hector (Eric Bana), adds even more buffed-up beefcake to a film so chock-full o' hunks that there's barely room for Peter O'Toole (doing fine work as Trojan king Priam) and even less for Julie Christie, appearing ever-so-briefly as Achilles's melancholy mother. The drama is nearly as arid as the sun-baked locations (Mexico and Malta) that stand in for the Aegean coast, and many critics suggested that Pitt (who valiantly tries to give Achilles some tormented dimension) was simply miscast. But when you consider that Wolfgang Petersen also made The Perfect Storm, there's nothing wrong with enjoying Troy as a semi-guilty pleasure with a touch of ancient class. --Jeff Shannon

While Japan undergoes tumultuous transition to a more Westernized society in 1876-77, The Last Samurai gives epic sweep to an intimate story of cultures at a crossroads. In America, tormented Civil War veteran Capt. Nathan Algren (Tom Cruise) is coerced by a mercenary officer (Tony Goldwyn) to train the Japanese Emperor's troops in the use of modern weaponry. Opposing this "progress" is a rebellion of samurai warriors, holding fast to their traditions of honor despite strategic disadvantage. As a captive of the samurai leader (Ken Watanabe), Algren learns, appreciates, and adopts the samurai code, switching sides for a climactic battle that will put everyone's honor to the ultimate test. All of which makes director Edward Zwick's noble epic eminently worthwhile, even if its Hollywood trappings (including an all-too-conventional ending) prevent it from being the masterpiece that Zwick and screenwriter John Logan clearly wanted it to be. Instead, The Last Samurai is an elegant mainstream adventure, impressive in all aspects of its production. It may not engage the emotions as effectively as Logan's script for Gladiator, but like Cruise's character, it finds its own quality of honor. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

"Last" trip to "Troy".......2005-06-01

Epic adventure flicks come in two varieties -- there's the "Ben-Hur"/"Lord of the Rings" type, and then there's the "Alexander" type. Sadly, two of the much-hyped adventures of 2003 and 2004 were monumental duds, both artistically and critically.

"The Last Samurai" tells the tale of a alcoholic officer-turned-mercenary (Tom Cruise), who is dragged to Japan to train the emperor's troops in Western warfare. But when he is captured by a samurai rebellion force, he begins to respect them and their way of life -- even to the point of fighting alongside them.

"Troy" goes further back in time, to ancient Greece and Troy. The beautiful, married queen Helen (pretty but wooden Diane Kruger) has run off with Trojan prince Paris (Orlando Bloom), prompting all the Greek kings to lay siege to Troy in an effort to bring her back, with doomed hero Achilles (Brad Pitt) at the front lines.

Oddly enough, these two films suffer from opposite problems -- "Samurai" romanticizes history to the point of disbelief, while "Troy" strips away all mythological trappings. And it doesn't help either movie: the former is turned into a dewy-eyed star vehicle, while the latter loses many of its layers, and feels thin and undernourished. Achilles isn't much fun without his goddess mom and flawed invulnerability, is he?

Admittedly, the costumes and scenery for each are spectacular. "Troy" is set in an arid Mid-Eastern setting, and has some truly spectacular battle scenes between the Greeks and Trojans. And "Last Samurai" was filmed in New Zealand, which gave it plenty of green, dewy expanses and forests. Too bad each film is burdened with very clunky dialogue.

Tom Cruise plays a P.C., rather annoying version of a soldier, while Orlando Bloom and Brad Pitt do seem to be giving it their all, but are hampered by their thin characters. The supporting actors are given better roles and do a better job, most notably Eric Bana ("Troy") and Ken Watanabe ("Last Samurai"), both of whom shine beside the A-listers.

"Troy" and "The Last Samurai" were attempts at modern Hollywood epics, but with difficult storylines and thin characters, neither one works. They're nowhere near as bad as "Alexander," but nowhere near good either.

Average customer rating:

The director's cut of Alexander is not a normal director's cut
Alexander The Great-A Great Movie

Alexander / Troy
Starring: Anthony Hopkins , David Bedella , Jessie Kamm , Angelina Jolie , and Val Kilmer
Director: Oliver Stone , and Wolfgang Petersen
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

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

War of the Worlds (Widescreen Edition)

ASIN: B0009PLLNG
Release Date: 2005-08-02

Description

Academy award winning director Oliver Stone presents a breathtaking new cut of his sweeping epic film, ALEXANDER, the true story of the world's greatest warrior. Using new footage and dramatically reshaping dozens of scenes, he brings to life the overpowering forces and fierce personalities that forever changed history. Torn by the war between his parents (Angelina Jolie and Val Kilmer), Alexander (Colin Farrell) left Greece to face massive armies in Persia, Afghanistan and India -- and was never defeated. "Fortune favors the bold" Stone powerfully demonstrates in this bold new film, ALEXANDER DIRECTOR'S CUT.

Customer Reviews:

The director's cut of Alexander is not a normal director's cut.......2006-07-18

Normal directors' cuts have extra scenes, scenes that were cut from the cinematic release. This one has fewer than the cinematic release! What was deleted?

"Made as a reaction to film's poor box office showings in America and, specifically, the "Alexander the Gay" jibes it attracted, this new version excises approximately eight minutes of footage and tones down the bisexuality."

As for the film, it's marred, not by the fact that the main character is bisexual, but by just about everything, including the less-than-believable relationship between Alexander and his male lover. Alexander is a failure as a film, not because of bisexuality, but because the film really has very little that's done right. And, unlike what many have said, the film is not supportive of Alexander's interest in men. Rather, the film presents homosexuality as being taboo and negative, with the suggested rape of a teen by a horribly ugly king, the complaint of Alexander's compatriot of the army being "too pretty", Alexander's silly appearance and behavior, the negative reaction of the eastern tribe to Alexander's interest in a male dancer, etc. The film doesn't present Alexander as a strong figure who is secure in his love for Haephestion. It presents him as a lost, fit-prone, shrill character who is out of touch with just about everything except the "exotic animal magnetism" of the woman he marries.

Alexander The Great-A Great Movie.......2005-07-12

I saw the picture three times and can't wait until I get the DVD. I think the picture was one of the best I ever saw and Oliver Stone did a magnificant job in trying to portray Alexander correctly. Alexander was bisexual and Stone did great justice to him. Achilles was also bisexual and it was a mistake to say his lover was his "cousin" which does history an injustice. Colin Farrell to me should have gotten the Oscar for Best Actor, and he did a magnificant job. Before you see the picture read a book about Alexander and you will enjoy the movie better. Hat's off to Oliver Stone for a GREAT job!

The Perfect Storm (Deluxe Collector Set Signature Series)

Average customer rating:

All Hands Lost
What a country!
AT HOME, The Perfect place to be..
Just what I ordered and very quick delivery
not that perfect at all

The Perfect Storm (Deluxe Collector Set Signature Series)
Starring: George Clooney , Mark Wahlberg , John C. Reilly , Diane Lane , and William Fichtner
Director: Wolfgang Petersen
Manufacturer: Creative Design Art
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

Sea Adventure | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

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

U-571 (Collector's Edition)
Apollo 13 [HD DVD]
Twister
Training Day
Swordfish

ASIN: B00004ZAT5
Release Date: 2000-11-14

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

All Hands Lost.......2007-06-15

What a country!.......2007-04-18

AT HOME, The Perfect place to be.........2007-03-03

Just what I ordered and very quick delivery.......2007-02-08

Very fast shipping great product thank you

not that perfect at all.......2007-01-28

Average customer rating:

Great Films, Excellent Price

Wolfgang Petersen Collection
Starring: Clint Eastwood , John Malkovich , Rene Russo , Dylan McDermott , and Gary Cole
Director: Wolfgang Petersen
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

Action & Adventure | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $14.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( W ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
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ASIN: B00004Y7TI
Release Date: 2000-11-14

Amazon.com

Air Force One
You know that old dramatic principle of suspension of disbelief? You'll have to rely on it for this box-office smash, but you won't be disappointed. Harrison Ford plays a U.S. president who single-handedly employs his rigid antiterrorism policy when a band of Russian thugs hatch a mid-flight takeover of Air Force One. Gary Oldman, who chews the scenery as the lead terrorist, will shoot a hostage at the slightest provocation. Glenn Close plays the sternly pragmatic vice president who negotiates with Oldman from her Washington seat of power. If you can believe that the aircraft's pressurized cabin can sustain hundreds of rounds of machine-gun fire, you'll buy anything in this entertaining potboiler, especially thanks to Ford's stalwart heroics and some nifty special effects. Director Wolfgang Petersen (Das Boot) keeps the action moving so fast you won't be sweating the details. Don't forget your parachute! --Jeff Shannon

Das Boot
This is the restored, 209-minute director's cut of Wolfgang Petersen's harrowing and claustrophobic U-boat thriller, which was theatrically rereleased in 1997. Originally made as a six-hour miniseries, this version devotes more time to getting to know the crew before they and their stoic captain (Jürgen Prochnow) get aboard their U-boat and find themselves stranded at the bottom of the sea. Das Boot puts you inside that submerged vessel and explores the physical and emotional tensions of the situation with a vivid, terrifying realism that few movies can match. As Petersen tightens the screws and the submerged ship blows bolts, the pressure builds to such unbearable levels that you may be tempted to escape for a nice walk on solid land in the great outdoors--only you wouldn't dream of looking away from the screen. --Jim Emerson

In the Line of Fire
Between his directorial duties on A Perfect World and The Bridges of Madison County, Clint Eastwood starred in this pulse-racing 1993 thriller. In the Line of Fire was directed by Wolfgang Petersen, the brilliant director of the World War II U-boat masterpiece Das Boot. Eastwood gives one of his best performances as Secret Service agent Frank Horrigan, who still feels responsible for the death of JFK 30 years earlier. Horrigan gets a shot at redemption when challenged by a psychotic but highly intelligent assassin (John Malkovich) who intends to kill the current U.S. president. Tension builds as this intellectual cat-and-mouse game reaches its climactic confrontation, but not before we've seen the killer at work, covering his trail with ruthless precision. Tightly scripted by Jeff Maguire, the film cuts Malkovich loose as one of the most memorable screen villains of the 1990s, and costars Rene Russo as Eastwood's sharp Secret Service colleague and romantic partner. --Jeff Shannon

The Perfect Storm
Setting out for the one last catch that will make up for a lackluster fishing season, Captain Billy Tyne (George Clooney) pushes his boat the Andrea Gail out to the waters of the Flemish Cap off Nova Scotia for what will be a huge swordfish haul. While his crew is gathering fish, three storm fronts (including a hurricane) collide to create a "perfect storm" of colossal force, and Billy's path back to Gloucester, Massachusetts, takes them right smack into the middle of it. Wolfgang Petersen's adaptation of Sebastian Junger's seafaring bestseller is a faithful if by-the-numbers true-story account of a monster storm that rocked New England in 1991, specifically Tyne's commercial fishing boat and its crew. Junger's tale fashioned a compelling if staid narrative out of seemingly disparate events, but this film adaptation tends to flatten out the story into a conventional if absorbing story of man vs. nature, as the crew fights for survival against the awesome waves the storm kicks up. The central part of the film, which cuts between the Andrea Gail's fight to stay afloat and the attempts of the Coast Guard to rescue a yacht in peril, is suspenseful action of the first degree, aided by some awesome computer-generated waves. Still, it's a long way to that action, with an extended first act that consists mainly of stoic men, crying women, and a fair amount of "don't go out into the sea" dialogue--in other words, a compelling story has been shoehorned into standard summer movie fare. It's too bad, as Peterson assembled an excellent cast--including Mark Wahlberg, Diane Lane, John C. Reilly, and William Fichtner among them--but seems to opt for only a surface exploration of these characters, though Clooney seems to have a touch of Captain Ahab in him. You may still be won over by the movie, but for a more in-depth portrait, go to Junger's book for the missing details. --Mark Englehart

Customer Reviews:

Great Films, Excellent Price.......2001-08-15

I would recommend this if you are a fan of Petersen's work, because this is the best collection of it. Four of Petersen's best works are here: Das Boot, In the Line of Fire, Air Force One, and The Perfect Storm, all in special edition DVDs. A great collection from a great director. First, you get Das Boot, Petersen's harrowing and suspenseful film on a German U-boat during WWII. This movie started his career. (Jurgen Prochnow, the captain, also has a small role in Air Force One). From the naval combat sequences to the character development scenes, Petersen shows his directorial brilliance, makes the film memorable, and carries home an Oscar for his trouble. A very well-made film, I would recommend reading the subtitles, the dubbing is not so good. Next you get In The Line Of Fire, Petersen's magnum opus. Everything is right here. Eastwood steps away from the tough guy role here and plays a very vulnerable, hurting Secret Service agent named Frank Horrigan. The acting is great all-around, with Malkovich playing an ex-CIA man with a mean streak a mile wide who wants to kill the current president. He brings a lot of energy to the table. Rene Russo is Horrigan's fellow agent. Unlike most movies these days, this film has only one love scene, and it doesn't even progress into intercourse. This is good, because whenever a movie has a sex scene, it loses focus. This movie is perfect, an excellent cat-and-mouse film with lots of wit. Love it or leave it, Air Force One is great entertainment. Harrison Ford takes up the old action hero role and, once again, plays it to perfection. The story is about terrorists who take over the Presidential Aircraft, and Ford, as the President, must stop them. A fast-paced, adrenaline filled movie, and very entertaining, Petersen's work should show Hollywood that a movie can be exciting and full of action and smart at the same time. As soon as this movie came out, the Secret Service rushed to say that the situation in the movie is implausible, but how implausible can it be? And finally, The Perfect Storm. I had mixed feelings over this one. Sure, the production values were high, and the camerawork was amazing, even to the point of nausea. The acting was fine. I am not a big fan of Clooney or Wahlberg, but both turned in fine performances, and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio was great here too. The movie took a bit long to set up, and the character development was forgettable. It cannot stand up to Petersen's earlier work. People say you need to suspend your disbelief for Air Force One, but you need it more for this film. How do you keep a blow torch lit in Gale-strength winds? You cannot find someone who falls overboard at night. There's more, but if you don't think too hard, you can have a good time. Conclusion: Four good DVDs at a great price. If you like action or Petersen, this is a must. Action films with a brain, a real rarity these days. If you liked these movies, try Outbreak as well. Another of Petersen's excellent films.

Average customer rating:

The Perfect Storm (With Golf Book)
Starring: Karen Allen , George Clooney , William Fichtner , John Hawkes , and Michael Ironside
Director: Wolfgang Petersen
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

Sea Adventure | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

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

( P ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
ASIN: B000EWBKV2
Release Date: 2006-05-23

Description

It's Halloween, 1991. Near Gloucester, Massachusetts, the six members of the Andrea Gail, a swordfishing boat, head out to sea for their last trip of the season. Unbeknownst to them, a shockingly brutal storm is slowly gaining steam. Before the National Weather Bureau has a chance to inform the crew of the impending danger, it's too late. The resulting battle with three merging weather fronts--an unheralded natural disaster--is grueling and tragic. Based on the true-life best selling novel by Sebastian Junger, The Perfect Storm stars George Clooney, Mark Wahlberg, Diane Lane and is directed by Wolfgang Petersen.

Average customer rating:

The Perfect Storm (With BBQ Book)
Starring: Karen Allen , George Clooney , William Fichtner , John Hawkes , and Michael Ironside
Director: Wolfgang Petersen
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

Sea Adventure | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $14.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( P ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
ASIN: B000EWBKUI
Release Date: 2006-05-23

Description

DVD:

DVD List

DVD

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Freeway Speedway 6: Megalopolis Express Way Trial

FA Cup Final 1964 - West Ham vs Preston North End

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Die drei Gesichter der Furcht