Pom Pom & Hot Hot

Starring:Guy Lai, Kwok Leung Cheung, Wei Tung, Loletta Lee, Jacky Cheung, Bonnie Fu, Austin Wai, John Ching, Alfred Cheung, Ching-Ying Lam
Director: Tung Cho 'Joe' Cheung
Studio: Tai Seng
Product Type: DVD

Average customer rating:

Blends Animated Cuteness, Magic, And Harsh Realism In Another Studio Ghibli Masterpiece
Put this DVD in your pouch!
Full of Japanese Folk Tales Involved
Yeah, But Did I Mention the Raccoon Scrota?
Imaginative fantasy tale from Ghibli.

Pom Poko
Starring: Kokondei Shinchou , Makoto Nonomura , Yuriko Ishida , Norihei Miki , and Nijiko Kiyokawa
Director: Isao Takahata
Manufacturer: Walt Disney Home Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Similar Items:

My Neighbors the Yamadas
Whisper of the Heart
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Howl's Moving Castle

ASIN: B0009MAO3W
Release Date: 2005-08-16

Amazon.com

Isao Takahata's outré ecological fable Pom Poko was the no. 1 domestic film in Japan in 1994, and the first animated feature to be submitted for the Oscar for Foreign Language Film. In 1967, the raccoons in the Tama Hills find their homes are threatened with destruction when developers turn the rural area into suburbs. Under the leadership of their tribal elders the animals fight back with every resource at their disposal. Raccoons are shape-shifters in Japanese folk tales, and the members of this tribe can transform into objects, other creatures and even humans.

Unlike Takahata's deeply moving The Grave of the Fireflies, Pom Poko (the sound made by thumping the tummy of a comfortably full raccoon) is a broad comedy. The raccoons' efforts to understand humans, their evocations of traditional ghost stories to frighten construction crews, and their internecine quarrels offers plenty of laughs. But the story rambles, and the characters lack the depth needed to sustain the audience's interest until the film's belated, downbeat conclusion. The extras include Takahata's storyboards, which are interesting, but lack the magic of Hayao Miyazaki's drawings on other Studio Ghibli discs. Note: male raccoons have prominent testicles, which are shown in Japanese art, including the designs for Pom Poko. When the characters grow desperate, they swell their scrotums to enormous size and use them as weapons. (Rated PG, Parental Guidance Suggested: violence, scary images and thematic elements) --Charles Solomon

Description

Walt Disney Home Entertainment Presents A Studio Ghibli Film. POM POKO is a tale of the clash between modern civilization and the natural world. The Raccoons of the Tama Hills are being forced from their homes by the rapid development of houses and shopping malls. As it becomes harder to find food and shelter, they decide to band together and fight back. The Raccoons practice and perfect the ancient art of transformation until they are even able to appear as humans. In often hilarious ways, the Raccoons use their powers to try to scare off the advancement of civilization. But will it be enough? Or will the Raccoons learn how to live in balance with the modern world? Celebrate the magic of the forest and the beauty of the creatures who live among us in POM POKO — on DVD for the first time ever.~(c)1994 Hatake Jimusho · GNH (c)Buena Vista Home Entertainment, Inc.~~

Customer Reviews:

Blends Animated Cuteness, Magic, And Harsh Realism In Another Studio Ghibli Masterpiece.......2007-03-28

"Pom Poko", aka "The Raccoon War", is the story of various clans of raccoons in a region of Japan who, pressed for space and food as their world continues to disappear under the wheels of human 'progress', take to fighting each other for survival and later teaming up to resist the human encroachment. These raccoons morph back and forth from realistic-looking quadrupeds to stubby, Ewok-like bipeds with clothes and primitive weapons as the story demands, and it never seems the least contrived. More advanced shapeshifting is a more difficult skill to acquire, one known to foxes and a select few raccoons.

The raccoons are often cute and playful, their efforts to disrupt human demolition and construction often falls into what can best be descibed as 'hi-jinks'. And though the movie is, thus, tender and funny a lot of the times, most of the time that's a veneer masking a much grimmer story, one that sometimes takes center stage. "Pom Poko" is anime, and one of the things that means is that no amount of lovability or animated cuteness on the part of the film's protagonists guarantees a happy ending. The raccoons aren't just 'miffed' in a cartoonish way - they, and the other woodland creatures are starving and in danger of dying out. There are both whimsical and darker fantastic elements in their campaign of resistance against the humans: their 'poltergeist' hauntings on the construction sites, the 'parade of phantasms' in a major Japanese city, etc. But the story of envirornmental devastation being told is very real, and there are real consequences in the movie: both raccoons and humans sometimes meet with unfortunate fates. Eventually a breed of foxes who have given up their 'fox status' and shapeshifted to survive by permanently living as humans enters the fray, along with some very old, very powerful, magical raccoons. The array of choices available to the protagonist 'main' racoons increases, but each one has its drawbacks. The animation is, as usual for Studio Ghibli, a triumph of imagination.

In an interesting twist, at one point one of the main raccoons actually addresses the viewers of "Pom Poko" directly, apparantly seeking in particular to grab the attention of young tots. It may be a wise move on the raccoon's part to seek the attention of the generations that will one day have power; the generations that have power now and have had for the last decades have, despite some encouraging signs of late, not really amassed the best track records.

"Pom Poko" is many things - hilarious, lovable, fierce, globally relevant, tragic, triumphant and more. Parts may be too intense for very young viewers (the also-excellent "Once Upon A Forest" raises some of the same issues but does it in a way less likely to really frighten, say, a three year-old. And like "Pom Poko", "Once Upon A Forest" is great for older ages too) who will likely be attracted by the comedic charm of the box art - you should watch it with your young children when they see it the first time. Other than that - which really isn't a minus; it can't make its point if there's always a safety net - this is an outstanding movie for everybody. A Studio Ghibli marker might just be the greatest assurance of excellence you can look for on a movie.

Put this DVD in your pouch!.......2007-03-13

Pom Poko, the ninth feature-length animated movie produced by Japan's Studio Ghibli, is a brilliantly-made film with a powerful message of how man's progress can sometimes impact nature in harmful ways.

The raccoons ("tanuki" in Japanese) of the Tama Hills are suffering from the encroachment of human civilization (in the form of new suburbs of Tokyo) into their habitats, so they decide to fight back. Fortunately, the tanuki are one of the animal species in Japanese legend with the power to change shape. They can replicate inanimate objects, other animals and even people. The raccoons must learn to effectively use their abilities to dissuade the humans from destroying their homes.

Isao Takahata - a colleague and mentor of the masterful Hayao Miyazaki - created a moving film that runs the full gamut of emotions; there are a lot of funny moments, but other scenes will definitely tug hard at your heartstrings. Though the tanuki have these fantastic powers, their plight and anguish feel quite real... and the ending of the movie certainly reflects reality as well. By the way, Tama New Town is a real place - built in the hills southwest of central Tokyo in the 1960's.

The English dub is quite close to the original Japanese script (with a few cultural allowances), and the English voice actors did an excellent job.

I would probably not recommend this film for really young children as there is quite a bit of death and violence associated with the raccoon struggle, and a tiny bit of implied birds-and-bees stuff. The English dub creatively skirts around a sensitive issue related to the raccoons' reproductive organs. If your children are old enough to understand the larger environmental message, however, I would have no reservations showing them this magical film.

Full of Japanese Folk Tales Involved.......2007-01-16

In Japanese folk tales Tanuki or racoon dogs are believed to trick people in a mischivous manner. Takahata-san with the support of Miyazaki(Konchou Daimyoujin a tanuki god from Awa, Shikoku borrows the self-image of him I guess) puts out ecology-motivated film somewhat parodical of Naussica and Castle In The Sky with similar poignant message. Since MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO Takahata/Miyazaki team tries to bring back Japanese nomadic landscape seriously in danger of destruction by current development. Unlike Naussica and Castle In The Sky this work gets more to the point. Racoon dogs are now being deprived of the home by housing development and they work together to revenge human and try to stop the development. Takahata gives the poor racoons the every idea and folk legends to fight against humans. Japanese scenary was vividly recreated by the hands of kazuo Oga known by the brilliant works in Totoro and Mononoke. The story reminds me a bit of The Planet of Apes series and lost effort by radical activists trying to stop Narita Airport back in 70s and 80s. Overall it is well-crafted ecology-motivated movie and very fun as well. Tama hills area used for this film is used again as the location of Whisper Of The Heart. I just hope Shizuku can find the remaining tanukis.

Verdict: Fun movie yet with clear message
Rating: 87 out of 100
Recommended for: Essential for Kazuo Oga scenary work fans who love Mononoke and Totoro. And wide range of movie fans.

Yeah, But Did I Mention the Raccoon Scrota?.......2006-08-12

Pom Poko is the story of a group of tanuki ("raccoon-dogs" that feature in Japanese culture, and have a mythic ability to shapeshift) who fight back against the encroachments of developing Tokyo. The moral of the story is: work with nature, not against it. You know. Like every other movie out of this studio.

If this were a western cartoon, most of the reviews of this movie would tell you the following:

That this movie is cute, but very slowly paced.
That it is repetitive. (The tanuki rebel. Celebrate. Learn that the humans haven't given up yet. Mourn. Decide to rebel again. Repeat ad nauseum.)
That many of the characters kind of blend together.
That the movie is too preachy; not subtle enough.
That using a gigantic scrotum as a bludgeon is just plain weird.

However, people don't say these things because this isn't a western cartoon. It is anime, and anime gets a special pass. When there's something that is confusing in anime, we assume that it accounts to translation issues, or cultural backgrounds, and can't possibly be the fault of the writers. I will grant that tanukis are known for their large genitalia in Japanese culture; however, using one's scrotal sack as a parachute is odd no matter where you're born.

I don't mean to say that this is an awful film. It's cute (great animation), if too slow. But don't be fooled by those who insist that everything that comes out of Japan is genius (let alone Studio Ghibli, which is sacrosanct). Some anime is good, some is bad, some is in-between. This movie falls to the latter category.

Imaginative fantasy tale from Ghibli........2006-05-17

Magical badger-Raccoon creatures who can change into anything or anyone begin to feel that their forest is being damaged by humans whom are doing land development, the creatures begin to take drastic measure even other forms including on human form to stop the developers.

Fascinating and intriguing animated fantasy-comedy-drama from Studio Ghibli that is produced and story by the legendary Hayao Miyazaki and from the director of "Grave of the Fireflies" Isao Takahta. This movie has spectacular animation with some original interesting ideas based on a Japanese myth of magic raccoons blended with a Eco-protection message in the film to make it a one of a kind animated feature like you'd expect from Studio Ghibli, although the dubbed version with the voices of Jonathan Taylor Thomas, Maurice LaMarche and Clancy Brown ("Spongebob Squarepants" and " Shawshank Redemption") is good but the Japanese dub's better with the subs.

This 2-Disc DVD special edition has good picture and quality sound with both the English and Japanese language tracks with subtitles and the only extras are Trailers, TV spots and full length storyboards, it's still a must have if your into animation.

Miyazaki 13 Pack (Castle in the Sky/Kiki's Delivery Service/Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind/Porco Rosso/Princess Mononoke/Spirited Away/Grave of the Fireflies/The Cat Returns/Howl's Moving Castle/My Neighbor Totoro/My Neighbors the Yamadas/Pom Poko/Whisper of the Heart) (1999)

Average customer rating:

Pricey, but worthwhile collection of Ghibli's works.

Miyazaki 13 Pack (Castle in the Sky/Kiki's Delivery Service/Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind/Porco Rosso/Princess Mononoke/Spirited Away/Grave of the Fireflies/The Cat Returns/Howl's Moving Castle/My Neighbor Totoro/My Neighbors the Yamadas/Pom Poko/Whisper of the Heart) (1999)
Director: Hayao Miyazaki , and Kirk Wise
Manufacturer: Walt Disney Home Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000OYT9N6

Product Description

An instant library of 13 Hayao MIYAZAKI classics assembled on 24 DVDs. Studio Ghibli is a Japanese animation studio, led by one of animation's greatest creators, Hayao MIYAZAKI. The studio creates very high quality animated movies, which is rather unique, since most Japanese animation studios depend on TV series or OVAs. They consistently beat Disney movies in box office revenues in Japan and have received numerous awards. Miyazaki and Ghibli movies are well respected and loved by all Japanese people, children and adults alike. Now own the ultimate Studio Ghibli DVD collection in this hefty collector's pack.

Customer Reviews:

Pricey, but worthwhile collection of Ghibli's works........2007-05-28

The genius of Hayao Miyazaki and his works from Studio Ghibli have slowly been growing in popularity, due in no small part to a campaign courtesy of Disney, headed by Pixar guru John Lasseter. Starting with SPIRITED AWAY, the Mouse House has released most of Ghibli's masterpieces on DVD here in the United States.

Many other websites have gone into detail about Studio Ghibli and their works in general, so I won't recap them here. However, it should be mentioned that all these movies contain high-quality visual transfers (KIKI'S DELIVERY SERVICE and LAPUTA: CASTLE IN THE SKY show their age in places, but both still look pretty good overall), as well as the original Japanese soundtracks.

While purists insist that the native language track is the only way to see these movies, Disney has nonethless gone out of their way to commission absolutely stupendous dubs featuring actors such as Mark Hamill, Cloris Leachman, Phil Hartman, Minnie Driver, Patrick Stewart, Harold Gould, Uma Thurman, Suzanne Pleshette, Pat Carroll, and Billy Crystal. All give excellent performances; some of the choices are a little odd (James Van Der Beek, Michael Keaton, and probably, to a lesser extent, Billy Bob Thornton), but they're hardly blasphemous and don't detract from the overall experience.

While the adaptation scripts sometimes throw in more extra lines than necessary (KIKI and LAPUTA are most notable for this, although to be fair, they're not too much out of context with the original), for the most part they remain faithful in spirit (if not letter) to the screenplays of Miyazaki, Takahata, and company. And best of all, not even one second is omitted from these movies. Four things should be noted, though.

1. KIKI and CASTLE have extra pieces of music on the dubs--the former is mostly soft piano music courtesy of Paul Chihara, while the latter has a spectacular and arguably superior reorchestration of the full score (previously performed on synthesizers). The man responsible for the new music, interestingly, is the original composer Joe Hisaishi, under the approval of Miyazaki himself! There have been many debates over which interpretation of the soundtrack is superior, but personally I think both versions of the score for LAPUTA are beautiful and can be enjoyed independently.

2. GRAVE OF THE FIREFLIES is the only movie in this package not to be dubbed by Disney; produced by New York based Central Park Media, it's not on the same level as the other titles, but it's mostly well done.

3. The DVD of MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO, a much loved movie, is the newly repackaged Disney release with a high-quality widescreen transfer as well as a new dub featuring real-life sisters Dakota and Elle Fanning as Satsuki and Mei. There was a previous, well-liked dub of TOTORO produced by Streamline Pictures and released by FOX in 1993, but the DVD it is on is pan & scan. There has been a lot of pointless debating over which dub is superior; most of these criticims tend to stem from nostalgia rather than reason. I'd suggest ignoring the controversy and listen to both dubs for two different but no less enjoyable interpretations of a great story.

4. PRINCESS MONONOKE (distributed by Miramax) and MY NEIGHBORS THE YAMADAS are both one-disc sets. And, since MONONOKE was the first Ghibli DVD release, there are only two skimpy extras (although the transfer of the movie itself is impeccable).

There are a group of naysayers who have been overly critical of Disney's treatment of these films, claiming that the Mouse House is somehow sabotaging Ghibli's work. These accusations are senseless and untrue. While Disney has admittingly delayed these movies for way too long (they acquired the rights for them in 1996), the numerous criticisms over the DVDs and dubbing are often overdone and unnecessary. While the DVDs are sometimes simply designed, the films themselves are presented well. Likewise, there is little point in comparing the dubs to the original Japanese versions. While there might be some argument about getting a more authentic experience through the native language track on most of these movies (although films like KIKI, LAPUTA, and HOWL are actually easier to watch in English since they all set in European-based environments), when the dubs are as well done as this, it is arguably better to just watch both. Either one provides an enjoyable experience, although getting the most out of the dubs may depend on what you bring with you to them.

For Anime fans, the works of Ghibli are an essential addition, but fans of animation in general owe it to themselves to give them a spin. A word of caution, though: not all of these movies are for children--PRINCESS MONONOKE has some graphic images of violence; it's the sort of movie that grown-ups will enjoy, and that's not a bad thing in the least.

Average customer rating:

a great intro for a future cheerleader
My daughter loves it - Great DVD
BEST CHEER DVD EVER!!!!

Cheeracise: Cheer Like a Pro!
Starring: Cheer Like a Pro-Dance & Fitness for Cheerleaders
Manufacturer: Bayview Films
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Cheer!
Cheerleading: Cheerdance workout
Paula Abdul Cardio Cheer
Beginning Cheerleading
Urban Cheer & Dance DVD

Product Features:

IMMEDIATE SHIPPING FOR THE HOLIDAYS!
Fun Timeout & Halftime Dance Routines for Your Cheer or Pom Squad, Choreographed by Pro Cheerleaders
Strengthen and tone your legs with the Cheeracise Plyometric Workout
Makeup Tips - Nutrition Tips - Dance Moves Video Glossary - Jam Packed - Way Over 2 Hours!
Special Bonus - A 'Take to Your Game' CD with the songs from the DVD for you to dance to at your games

ASIN: B000JLZJ0G
Release Date: 2007-02-27

Product Description

"For Athletes Who Make Timeouts Worth Watching(tm)" Teach your school cheerleading squad timeout dance routines choreographed by pro cheerleaders and dancers. REVIEW FROM CHEERLEADING.ABOUT.COM 'I've watched a lot of cheer videos and I have to say that the Cheeracise Cheer Like a Pro DVD is one of the best. The pace is not too slow or too fast. Everything is explained fully and if that's not enough there's a dance moves video glossary included. From workouts to routines, Cheeracise Cheer Like a Pro will help you improve your cheerleading, strength, flexibility, cardio, dancing and more.'

Customer Reviews:

a great intro for a future cheerleader.......2007-04-20

my niece expressed a desire to be a cheerleader. i came across this dvd and i gotta say, for the money, it's right on. i'm not a cheerleader, but i know my niece loves it and has organized some good routines with her friends.

My daughter loves it - Great DVD.......2007-03-31

My daughter is on a youth cheer squad. This DVD is perfect. She loves the routines. She does them alone and with her friends. They're fun and the instruction is fabulous with the Cheeracise instructional flip. I've never seen that before and makes learning the dances easier. The plyometrics is great for her legs. Helps her stretch and strengthen. To tell you the truth, I've joined her a couple of times. My legs feel pretty good after that workout. I recommend this to any girl who cheers or wants to cheer and for any mom who needs to give a good gift too.

BEST CHEER DVD EVER!!!!.......2006-10-31

This is simply the best cheer DVD ever!!!!! Perfect for all ages and ability levels. It's fun, upbeat and informative. Professional cheerleaders show you several routines, then break them down so you can learn at your own pace. Not only will your cheerleading skills improve, but you'll build strength and flexibility too. The best part is that they include a bonus music cd that you can take to the game or practice. Cheerleading is highly competitive, and this product will definitely give you an edge!

Average customer rating:

"That's one hell of a van you got there."
Harmless cheese, not enough sleaze.

The Pom Pom Girls/The Van
Starring: Starlite Drive-in Theater
Manufacturer: Bci / Eclipse
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B000H5U6CK
Release Date: 2006-09-26

Customer Reviews:

"That's one hell of a van you got there.".......2007-01-02

From BCI's Starlite Drive-In Theater series comes The Pom Pom Girls (1976) and The Van (1977), both indicative of the types of the slightly sleazy drive-in fare released by Crown International Pictures throughout the 1970s.

The Pom Pom Girls (1976)

Co-written and directed by Joseph Ruben (Dreamscape, The Stepfather, Money Train), The Pom Pom Girls (1976) features Robert Carradine (Revenge of the Nerds), Jennifer Ashley (Inseminoid), and Michael Mullins, whose career consists mostly of episodic television work. Also appearing is Lisa Reeves (You Light Up My Life), Bill Adler (Switchblade Sisters), James Gammon (Major League), and Susan Player (Malibu Beach). The late Cheryl Smith (Revenge of the Cheerleaders) is listed in the credits (as Rainbeaux Smith), but her part is a relatively minor one.

As the film begins we switching back and forth between some cheerleaders practicing on the beach (in their swimsuits) and a high school football team practicing some drills. Neither group seems particularly proficient at what they're doing, but at least the girls are nice to look at, especially since the cinematographer has a tendency to focus on certain `stimulating' areas of the female anatomy. Anyway, soon after this we meet Johnnie (Carradine) and his friend Jesse (Mullins), a pair of football players who accost a couple of the cheerleaders after practice for the purpose of getting it on...does anyone else think Robert Carradine is perhaps the homeliest of the Carradine Brothers? Anyway, from here there's really not much of a story as what follows is a bunch of semi-related sequences involving returning to school after the summer, malicious pranks performed on (and by) a rival school, getting soused, some pointless montage sequences as Johnnie and Jesse schmooze various girlies, Jesse having a falling out with the gruff, hardnosed football coach (played by James Gammon), and so on...there's also some interpersonal conflicts as Jesse, who's something of a player, tries to get with the `nice' girl of the cheerleader squad, a brunette named Laurie (Ashley), and Johnnie hooks up with a girl named Sally (Reeves), which angers Sally's previous boyfriend Duane, who's apparently something of a possessive psychotic, so much so Duane eventually challenges Johnnie to a contest call `suicide chicken', which involves two guys driving each other's car towards a cliff, the first one who brakes being the loser.

The title `The Pom Pom Girls' is somewhat a misnomer here as the film tends to focus more on the male characters of Johnnie and Jesse, but then would those who originally went to see this film would have gone if it was titled `The Football Players'? Probably not...there is a few scene with a small amount of skin (all natural, no enhancements), but not as much as I would have expected. As I said earlier there's not much of a story here, just a bunch of sequences strung together, most of which involve Johnnie and/or Jesse trying to score, getting into fights, driving around, and so on...I really didn't find either too likeable as Johnnie seemed like an impetuous idiot more concerned with boozing it up, driving fast, and getting into fights more than anything else while Jesse seemed more or less a pretty boy whose main interest was in snogging as many girlies as possible (both were about the most self serving, self absorbed pair you'd ever meet). I will admit at one point Jesse did appear to be more than he seemed once he started getting serious about Laurie, but this notion didn't last too long as in one scene we see him shacking up in his boogie van in the school parking lot with a blonde right outside the window of the classroom Laurie was currently in...that's lovely...perhaps one of the funnier parts of the film comes when Jesse sneaks into Laurie's room, spends the night, sneaks back out the window in the morning, and gets spotted at the front gate by Laurie's father, who assumes he's just arriving (instead of leaving), and invites Jesse in for breakfast. One element I thought very strong here was the 1970s southern California vibe given the hairstyles and clothes, but also through the cars, the locations, and the scenery in general so that's worth something.

The Van (1976)

The Van (1976) aka Chevy Van was directed by Sam Grossman and stars Stuart Goetz (Record City) and Deborah White (Fast-Walking, Alligator II: The Mutation). Also appearing is Harry Moses (Sweater Girls), Marcie Barkin (Chesty Anderson, USN), Stephen Oliver (Werewolves on Wheels), and Danny DeVito (One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest).

As the movie begins we meet Bobby (Goetz) and his friends as they've just graduated from high school (participating in the 8 year program I suspect, as they all appear to be in their mid 20s), and, as it turns out, Bobby's got big, post graduate plans...he's going to take all the money he's been saving up these last few years working part time at the carwash and buy himself his very own van...but it's not just any van, no, but a deluxe palace on wheels. It's real a sweet ride, complete with Mag wheels, diamond tuck pleather (synthetic leather) upholstery, custom paint job, racing stripes, wall to wall shag carpeting, air-conditioning, captain's chairs, cup holder, overhead lighting, a refrigerator and pop up toaster, CB radio, side bubble window, television, 8-Track tape player, quadraphonic speakers, fog lights, mirrors on the ceiling, and a waterbed in back (What? No disco ball?)...yes sir, it's a real shaggin' wagon, and Bobby's going to put it to good use in scoring with the femininas...seriously, what woman, plied with liberal doses of weed and booze, wouldn't want to be seduced in the back of a funky van by a 98 lb, red-headed nerd with horse teeth and wearing bell bottom jeans? Tina (White), for one, who Bobby's got a little thing for, but won't give him the time of day (uptight attitude is nothing that can't be fixed by a surgical procedure removing the three foot rod from her behind). All sorts of hi-jinks ensue as Bobby cruises about town in his new boss wheels (including attending a `van-in', or a gathering of van aficionados), and the movie eventually leads up to a big race showdown between Bobby and the local psycho Dugan (Oliver), who drives a black monster Chevy van complete with flame motif...

This is your basic, dumb teenage comedy, set against the subculture of custom vans. The story is pretty lame, basically involving Bobby buying a tricked out boogie van specifically to score with chicks, but ultimately learning that, while impressive, his shaggin' wagon is only a material possession, and true happiness comes from within...or something like that...the character of Bobby, who was supposed to be the hero of sorts, was actually a pretty sleazy one with a tendency for erotic fantasizing (these fantasies would have been much more erotic had Bobby not been in them) and date raping. His modus operandi includes luring woman into his van, doping them up with weed and booze, and then trying to forcefully jump their bones. Since he was a pretty small guy, the women were able to fend him off easy enough, but still, it was kinda creepy, and borderline criminal. Here's another great demonstration of Bobby's fine character...one scene in a local hangout has the muscle-laden bully Dugan threatening Bobby with physical violence, and one of Bobby's friend Jack (Moses) comes to the rescue. Bobby ends up taking off after a girl, leaving Jack behind to fend for himself against the much larger Dugan. The next scene we see Jack with a good-sized bandage on his face, indicating Jack took a real beating. In yet another scene we see Bobby taking revenge on some co-workers by poisoning some beers with bowel stimulating drug, to which the co-workers ingest, and subsequently spend the rest of the film chasing him around for retribution. Danny DeVito is in the film, playing Bobby's boss at the carwash and also a bookie, featured in a subplot involving Bobby loaning his van payment money to his desperate boss to pay off some losses. This sets up Bobby's need to race near the end, otherwise his ride would get repossessed. All of the main female characters get nekkid in this film, although Ms. White shows the least (there's always one in the bunch). There's plenty of driving montages, accompanied by the soft rock croonings of Sammy Johns, whose biggest hit, being "Chevy Van", is featured here, which was odd considering the main vehicle portrayed in the movie was a Dodge. Since the makers of this film paid for the rights to use Mr. John's music, use it they do, over, and over, and over again...if I ever hear `Chevy Van" or "Early Morning Love" again I'm likely to jam two cocktail shrimp forks in my ears in search of blissful release. All in all the movie is a mindless, silly affair, with some crude humor, and exactly what I expected. Is it worth seeing? Perhaps, if you, like myself, enjoy forgettable 70s films, or have an interest in fun truckin' vanners (I got the impression Bobby was no true `vanner', but only a party vanner, one who's only predisposed in using his vehicle to score). If I learned anything from this film it's that if you have a boogie van with a waterbed in back, it'd probably be wise not to engage in intimacies with Rubenesque women due to the distinct possibility of springing a leak, and the time you'll have to spend removing the moisture from the shag carpeting with a hair dryer...

The picture quality on this DVD, which is dual sided (one film on each side), looks decent enough for both features, and is presented in fullscreen format on both films. The audio on both films comes through well enough. Along with the films the disc includes something called the `drive-in experience', which is essentially opening and intermission clips one would have normally seen at the drive-in back in the day, along with a cartoon (Mighty Mouse), and some previews of other Crown International Pictures releases. The quality of the video is somewhat sketchy, but it's a nice addition and is sure to bring back some fond memories for those who had the chance to go to the drive-ins when they were still around. Of the two films I enjoyed The Van more, mainly because it seemed to have more of an actual story and the characters seemed slightly more interesting.

Cookieman108

Harmless cheese, not enough sleaze........2006-12-27

"The Pom-Pom Girls" can be summed up simply: Plenty of cute girls, not enough 'pom-poms', if you get my drift.

I could identify with 'The Van' a little better, since, growing up in the 70's, I clearly remember the van craze. It never caught on here on the east coast as much as it did in California, but I still recall lots of guys going full tilt into "van-o-mania".

If you're looking for 70's vintage T&A, you've got the wrong films with this 2-pack. There are only 3 scenes of nudity in "The Pom-Pom Girls" and they're very tame. The story line, although lame, gets us from begining to end, and that's about the best that can be said for it. It was quite interesting to see Robert Carradine, who later came into his own in "Revenge of the Nerds", in what had to be one of his very first roles.

"The Van" is a little better. At least the story is somewhat more believable, and the film's featured hottie, Connie Lisa Marie as 'Sally', gets a couple of nice extended scenes to show off her charms. First, while washing her car in a soaking wet tank top, then later when she hooks up with the movie's hero, a hapless red-headed dork named Bobby. That was one of the problems with "The Van"....the lead character Bobby, played by Stan Getz (aka Stuart Goetz), is a bit of a goofball and just not someone you could sympathize with or root for.

Average customer rating:

Very bad. Very bad.
Woo Clone

Pom Pom & Hot Hot
Starring: John Ching , Guy Lai , Loletta Lee , Austin Wai , and Alfred Cheung
Director: Tung Cho 'Joe' Cheung
Manufacturer: Tai Seng
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

Comic Action | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Art House & International | Genres | DVD | Video

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

General | Foreign & International | Stores | DVD | Video

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

( P ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
ASIN: B000034DDP
Release Date: 1999-12-07

Customer Reviews:

Very bad. Very bad........2005-12-09

Everything and Everything in this movie happens twice, happens twice. I felt like I was in watching somebody with a bad speech impediment, speech impediment. Even the names, the names. Pom Pom and Hot Hot. I thought it would at least have cheerleaders, have cheerleaders, but no such luck. If you found this review somewhat tiresome, somewhat tiresome, you'll find the movie, find the movie, and absolute nightmare, absolute nightmare to sort through. Avoid, avoid.

Woo Clone.......1999-12-25

The first hour of this film is a pretty laboured comedy. The last 20 minutes is a low-budget gunbattle of the first order. It's a primer on quick cutting and camera placement and worth seeing just to cop the editor's chops. (VHS copy reviewed.)

Average customer rating:

Only one side of the DVD is needed
Great '70s Fun!
Takes you back to a simpler time.......
The pom pom girls vs. the beach girls.
It's got Debra Blee---and that's reason enough!!!

The Pom Pom Girls
Starring: Robert Carradine , Jennifer Ashley , Michael Mullins , Lisa Reeves , and Bill Adler
Director: Joseph Ruben
Manufacturer: Rhino Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

School Days | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

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

H.O.T.S.
Malibu Beach
The Cheerleaders Collection (The Cheerleaders/Revenge of the Cheerleaders/The Swinging Cheerleaders)
Bikini Summer
Private School

ASIN: B00001YXAY

Amazon.com

Pretty but straitlaced Sarah goes to her uncle's swank house on the beach hoping to relax for a few weeks. Sarah's plans go askew, however, when her hellraising friends Ginger and Ducky (!) show up and invite everyone they can find for an extended party. The uncle (Adam Roarke) shows up, however, and the rowdy girls have to resort to any measures necessary to get on his good side. Add in a subplot of marijuana smuggling and a miserably unfunny Captain Queeg wannabe on a Coast Guard cutter, and you have The Beach Girls. The Pom Pom Girlsis marginally more entertaining, following the escapades of high school cheerleaders and their friends as they go after one last fling before graduation. Robert Carradine adds his talents to The Pom Pom Girls, along with a number of other more obscure actors who all look a bit long in the tooth to be high school seniors. Rhino Video put out this double feature, but the big question is…why? This DVD seems like an utter waste of digital information. For those old enough to remember the heyday of the drive-in, this is a reminder that for every trash classic from Herschell Gordon Lewis or Roger Corman, there were 10 examples of brain-rotting junk like The Beach Girlsand The Pom Pom Girls. Those hard up for a little camp value or a glimpse of nudity might enjoy these, but all in all this double feature is guaranteed to take your IQ and grind it into the dirt. --Jerry Renshaw

Customer Reviews:

Only one side of the DVD is needed.......2007-02-12

Before buying this video combo package I tried in vain just to get the Beach Girls by it'self but could not. As always, I read reviews of products when possible and found after buying this product that it is indeed true what many other reviewers have said. Pom Pom Girls is a total waste of a movie.
I personally sat down to give it a chance just in case bias was involved but was quickly bored by the SLOW moving story, plot and everything else.
Beach Girls on the other hand was and is still the '80 fun filled teenage romp movie that it was intended to be. Sure there's alot of stuff that would never happen in real life but who cares. It's a fun movie with a quick up beat to it.
If you get this DVD, be sure to watch the Beach Girls and if you run out of coasters at a party be sure to put Pom Pom Girls side up to compensate.

Great '70s Fun!.......2007-01-24

This disc would have been a lot better if it just contained "The Pom Pom Girls". The "Beach Girls" is a bit of a rip-off of "Malibu Beach" The bikini-top stealing dog scenes were pulled directly from that movie. "The Pom Pom Girls" has a fun plot and is totally '70s. The hair, fashions, and don't forget making out in a van! Robert Carradine did a great job in this movie. The plot consists of him and his buddy having fun for the summer, and meeting up with 2 foxy women along the way. "The Beach Girls" is awful by comparison. The storyline is boring, and the movie plods along. It was trying to be a '70s movie, but things had changed by the '80s. For the DVD, I am not a big fan of double-sided discs. They tend to experience DVD rot over time. This happens because the glue bonding the 2 sides breaks down. It would have been better to just offer 2 single discs. "The Beach Girls" disc could be used as a coaster then!

Takes you back to a simpler time..............2005-10-14

I love the "Beach Girls"! This movie kicks some serious butt!! This movie is a great example of 80's fun; back when people, life, and movies were much more carefree. There was no "Just Say NO" campaigns and no AIDS - just a lot of people who wanted to have the most fun they could possibly have!!

Uptight Sarah (a beautiful Debra Blee) is staying at her rich Uncle Carl's luxurious beach pad on Paradise Beach for the summer. Lucky for her, she's invited her two wild, hot, out of control partying girlfriends Ginger (Val Kline) and Ducky (Jeana Tomasina) to join her. While Ginger and Ducky are making the drive out to Uncle Carls place, they pick up hitchhiker Scott (James Daughton) and bring him along for the ride.

As soon as the girls arrive they waste no time in getting the party started. First item of business: BOYS! So they pick up the phone book, order them selves a pizza boy, a repairman, and anyone else they can get to show up.

Its not long before the party is raging- the clothes start coming off right away and everyone is drinkin, dancing, and getting high. This is all very exciting for the local gardner (a fantastically funny Bert Rosario), who watches in awe and excitement at the going on's around him.

Its not long before Uncle Carl gets word of the party, so he hightails it down to put a stop to it. Not wanting to be a jerk, he tells Sarah that her friends can continue with their party through the evening, but they all have to leave in the morning...including Ginger and Ducky. Of course, the two bombshells overhear this, and set out to seduce Uncle Carl with sex, drugs, and booze in an effort to win him over.

Theres also a small subplot with the Coast Guard trying to infiltrate to some weed smugglers by boat- who end up dumping several trashbags full of pot overboard- where they eventually are discovered by none other than Ginger and Ducky the next day.

So whats to do??

Throw the wildest party ever! And they sure do!

During party night #2, Sarah (whos been falling for Scott) decides she is tired of everyone telling her to "lighten up" and decides she is gonna follow in the footsteps of her two girlfriends.

This movie is filled with plenty of T&A, clichés, and drug references. Its pure mindless fun, but fun nonetheless!!

A very enjoyable, simple and silly movie!!

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

As for the "Pom Pom Girls"....never seen it but the DVD is worth it for the "Beach Girls" alone!!

The pom pom girls vs. the beach girls........2005-09-03

It is a good thing that the pom pom girls comes on the same disk. Otherwise it would barely sell at all. I got this selection for the beach girls. I remember watching it on cable in the 80's. It was a good 80's movie. Silly, funny and yes a good amount of T&A. The pom pom girls, I didn't see the last half. It was boring.

It's got Debra Blee---and that's reason enough!!!.......2005-08-14

I'm the first to agree The Beach Girls is far from hilarious,but considering the rotten state of the teen-sex genre ever since Hollywood stole it away from the little guys {like the whole !!#%!@#!&!! American Pie series!},this 1982 film,hearkening back to the '70's drive-in,is like a breath of fresh air!AND---it's got Debra Blee,whose topless scene is far more than she did in the few other low-budget films she did!{Including her ridiculously miscast as an "rich b*tch" in Malibu Bikini Shop}

Average customer rating:

Only one side of the DVD is needed
Great '70s Fun!
Takes you back to a simpler time.......
The pom pom girls vs. the beach girls.
It's got Debra Blee---and that's reason enough!!!

The Beach Girls / The Pom Pom Girls
Starring: Robert Carradine , Jennifer Ashley , Michael Mullins , Lisa Reeves , and Bill Adler
Director: Joseph Ruben , and Bud Townsend
Manufacturer: Rhino 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

All Deals | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

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

H.O.T.S.
Malibu Beach
The Cheerleaders Collection (The Cheerleaders/Revenge of the Cheerleaders/The Swinging Cheerleaders)
Bikini Summer
Private School

ASIN: 6305538425
Release Date: 2000-06-12

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

Only one side of the DVD is needed.......2007-02-12

Great '70s Fun!.......2007-01-24

Takes you back to a simpler time..............2005-10-14

The pom pom girls vs. the beach girls........2005-09-03

It's got Debra Blee---and that's reason enough!!!.......2005-08-14

The Ultimate Cheerleading Dance DVD - Cheer Like A Pro by Cheeracise - 'For Athletes who Make Timeouts Worth Watching!" Dance Camp at Home Summer Sale! Only $24.99!

Average customer rating:

My daughter loves it - Great DVD
Cheeracise

The Ultimate Cheerleading Dance DVD - Cheer Like A Pro by Cheeracise - 'For Athletes who Make Timeouts Worth Watching!" Dance Camp at Home Summer Sale! Only $24.99!

Manufacturer: Great Performances & Dance Fitness for Schools Dance & Cheer Teams, Cheer Gyms & Dance Classes
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Aerobics | Fitness & Yoga | Genres | DVD | Video

Cheer!
Urban Cheer & Dance DVD
Cheerleading: Cheerdance workout
NFL Cheerleaders Making the Squad - San Diego Chargers
Beginning Cheerleading

Product Features:

Sharpen Your Cheerdance Skills or Just to Dance!
Fun Dance Routines for Dance & Cheer Squads Choreographed by Pro Cheerleaders
Strengthen and tone your legs with the Cheeracise Plyometric Workout
Makeup Tips - Nutrition Tips - Dance Moves Video Glossary - Jam Packed - Way Over 2 Hours!
Special Bonus - A 'Take to Your Game' CD with the songs from the DVD for you to dance to at your games

ASIN: B000KK9LTQ

Product Description

FOR THOSE WHO LOVE TO DANCE! Get with the girls who dance on the court. Enjoy dance routines choreographed by pro cheerleaders instructed using the Cheeracise flip mirror technique. Also plyometrics by a former L.A. Clippers cheerleader to strengthen and tone your legs and improve flexibility. Don't just watch timeouts. Join in! Even if you're not a cheerleader, join in. You'll love the dances. Sharpen dance skills, Increase jumping ability and flexibility! Enjoy by yourself or with your school CHEERleading or POM squad or Dance team. Cardio dance fitness routines to increase stamina, game day makeup & nutrition tips & more! Great for all cheerleaders and dancers. REVIEW FROM CHEERLEADING COM 'I've watched a lot of cheer videos and I have to say that the Cheeracise Cheer Like a Pro DVD is one of the best. The pace is not too slow or too fast. Everything is explained fully and if that's not enough there's a dance moves video glossary included. From workouts to routines, Cheeracise Cheer Like a Pro will help you improve your cheerleading, strength, flexibility, cardio, dancing and more.'

Customer Reviews:

My daughter loves it - Great DVD.......2007-04-01

Cheeracise.......2007-01-30

This is great! I love that it teaches fast but it uses current music and that you can catch on pretty quickly. It offers great hints on how to stay in shape and look your best. I use this for my squad and for myself. My shoulders already feel this as an asset to my workout.

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