Strange Love

Starring:Atsuko Kichiya, Ayumi Sakurai, Akira Ishida, Allison Keith, Hideo Seaver, Vinnie Penna, Takehito Koyasu, Sharon Becker, Yoshiko Kimiya
Director: Daiji Suzuki
Studio: Us Manga Corps Video
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com essential video

The flaws are easily forgiven in this beautiful version of Louisa May Alcott's novel. A stirring look at life in New England during the Civil War, Little Women is a triumph for all involved. We follow one family as they split into the world, ending up with the most independent, the outspoken Jo (Winona Ryder). This time around, the dramatics and conclusions fall into place a little too well, instead of finding life's little accidents along the way. Everyone now looks a bit too cute and oh, so nice. As the matron, Marmee, Susan Sarandon kicks the film into a modern tone, creating a movie alive with a great feminine sprit. Kirsten Dunst (Interview with the Vampire) has another showy role. The young ensemble cast cannot be faulted, with Ryder beginning the movie in a role akin to light comedy and crescendoing to a triumphant end worthy of an Oscar. --Doug Thomas

Customer Reviews:

A noble but ultimately flawed effort .......2007-05-22

I was fortunate to recently have seen both the 1949 version and then this modern adaptation a short time apart. The first time I saw this version I liked it well enough; however, after seeing the 1949 version and then watching this one again, I was reminded how superior the former version is in both cast and content.

I didn't find myself identifying nearly as strongly with the characters as I did in the older films. Here we have a waif-like Winona Ryder, who portrays a delicate, frail-looking, and far-too-feminine version of Jo. Counter these distinct contrasts with June Allyson's rough and tumble, tomboyish portrayal of Jo that was much closer to the book for accuracy. (In the novel, Jo is described as 'very tall' with 'big hands and feet' and coltish in appearance). The only thing the fictional Jo has in common with Winona is brown hair.

Susan Sarandon is a great actress in her own right, but for some reason she overwhelms the role of Marmee. All I could see here was "Susan Sarandon". I think a lesser-known actress may have been more effective here. Mary Astor's performance in the older movie seemed more believable. Not that Sarandon doesn't act sincere or warm, but she seems somehow miscast anyhow.

One especially notable difference is that Margaret O'Brien's portrayal of Beth in the 1949 version is much stronger and more heart-rending than Claire Danes' modern interpretation; Danes makes Beth appear whiny or as another reviewer noted, possibly even dim-witted. This Beth wasn't a particularly sympathetic character. I never felt her character was developed enough to be interesting. Another reviewer noted that Danes has that big strapping farm girl look, which doesn't mesh with the book's image of a frail and fragile Beth. I agree. Danes' pinched, flared-nostril expressions are strange and at times downright scary.

There are some other diversions from the original text and older movies that make this version a paler shadow. There are the laughable injections of politically-correct speeches and feminist rants that other reviewers have noted, but the real travesty I thought was in completely omitting the very special relationship between the grandfatherly Mr. Laurence and Beth.

In the book this unfolds as the terribly shy Beth is coaxed over time to go over and practice her music on the grand piano in the elder Mr. Laurence's house. By way of thanks, Beth knits the lonely old gent a pair of house slippers, which he later returns a gift in kind in the form of the beautiful piano. He asks her to play it and keep alive the memory of the little granddaughter he lost. It's a heart-wrenching scene in the book and earlier films.

Yet in his version, the piano simply appears as a surprise joint Christmas gift from the whole family to Beth with no explanation, and that special relationship between Mr. Laurence and Beth is never truly acknowledged or shown. I feel this is an example of one of the sadder oversights of this version of "Little Women".

It's true there is artistry in the scenery and the costumes, but the special magic or chemistry is missing from this film. I suspect the miscasting of major roles has much to do with it, but if you can enjoy the movie without looking for authenticity to the book, it's still a fine way to while away an afternoon.

A timeless classic of growth and transformation........2007-05-21

Little Women is a timeless classic. Written by Louisa May Alcott, this novel was first published in 1868. This novel is about a New England family composed of a mother... "Marme" played by Susan Sarandon, and four daughters growing up during the American Civil War.

The author wrote about her own experiences as a child in Concord, Massachusetts, where she lived with her three sisters, Anna, May, and Elizabeth.

Their father is away fighting. Times are tough, money is scarce, and needs are many. But these women valiantly work hard at continuing their studies while trying to survive.

Louisa May Alcott wrote about young women overcoming character flaws. The March girls are: Meg, who is vain, Jo who is hot tempered and stubborn, Beth who is introverted and shy, and the youngest, Any who is selfish and vindictive.

Jo, played by Winona Ryder, is an outspoken, vivacious, playful dreamer, who wants to become a writer. A very young Kirsten Dunst plays the part of the younger daughter, so selfish and vindictive that because she does not have a ticket to go to the theatre with her sisters, she destroys a story her sister Jo was writing.

The movie is set in Vancouver, British Columbia, and the scenic beauty of this film is magnificent. During the course of the story, these girls become friends with the next door neighbor, who soon joins them in their intricate games and character reproduction of the writings of Jo.

The twists and turns of the lives of these women are simply a rare joy to watch.

Thank God for sick days!.......2007-05-05

I first saw this version of Little Women years and years ago, when I was staying home from school with the flu. My mom had bought it, and she left it out for me to watch. I fell in love with it, and have since learned the entire movie word for word.

I've never read the book, but I know that I would most likely enjoy it.

It's appropriate for absoloutely any age level, and the costumes and sets are extremely accurate to the period. I would highly reccomend this film to anyone and everyone!

So stop reading reviews and buy it! You will not regret it.

Beautiful Movie.......2007-04-21

The lovely sets and costumes make this a joy to watch. And though there are some changes from the book it sticks pretty close to Alcott's story which I admittedly was obsessed with as a child. I took one star off for Winona Ryder's performance since to me she was a bit too pretty and socially polished to be the Jo the book portrays. Still this is a great movie for family viewing or for anyone who likes nostalgic movies set in the 19th century.

THE MOVIE BEHIND THE MOVIE.......2007-04-06

I was a little anxious before the projection of Australian director Gillian Armstrong's LITTLE WOMEN. I vaguely remembered the 1949 version with Elizabeth Taylor as Amy and that was about all I could say about that classic of American literature. Two hours later, everybody was happy, my wife and my daughter had their share of emotions and Kleenex and I had at least understood why such a smart director as Gillian Armstrong who directed MY BRILLIANT CAREER and MRS. SOFFEL, two movies about strong women characters, got interested in directing LITTLE WOMEN.

In my opinion, the director wished, by describing the lives of these four sisters, to portray four historical phases of the status of the women in the western society. Claire Danes as Beth is the model of these women who, for centuries, waited that their family chose a husband for them and, often, didn't marry because they were too poor or because they had to take care of their aging parents. Meg portrays the woman who has the chance to marry the man she's in love with, a man accepted by the family even if he doesn't give to Meg the possibility to rise socially : it's the classic marriage who's gained more and more popularity from the mid XIXth century. The third phase of this allegory is portrayed by Amy, a woman who knows from the start on that she will marry a wealthy man who'll support her and, at least, we have Jo who doesn't care to marry a poor man as long as this man won't stop her doing what she wants during her life. In this perspective, LITTLE WOMEN can provide some pleasure even to those of us who don't specially like this kind of classic family movie.

A DVD zone use your head.

Average customer rating:

The return of the repressed
Under the Radar
KIRK DOUGLAS - OPUS ONE - KIRK DOUGLAS
Kirk Douglas - Best EVER
A childhood' s sin !

The Strange Love of Martha Ivers
Starring: Barbara Stanwyck , Van Heflin , Lizabeth Scott , Kirk Douglas , and Judith Anderson
Director: Lewis Milestone
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
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Where the Sidewalk Ends (Fox Film Noir)
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ASIN: B000ANVPVU
Release Date: 2005-10-25

Amazon.com essential video

Barbara Stanwyck mesmerizes as a woman with a past, bound by a crime to a husband she despises. Kirk Douglas quickens our collective pulses in his film debut as her disappointing, dipsomaniac spouse, while Van Heflin and Lizabeth Scott bring texture to supporting roles. Everything about this 1946 film noir is intriguing, from Lewis Milestone's direction to Edith Head's costumes to the edgy and troubled characters. It takes a long, hard look at guilt and the consequences of poorly planned actions. Well worth checking out, despite a wretched title. --Rochelle O'Gorman

Product Description

Although this was director Lewis Milestone's only venture into the realm of noir, it remains a classic of the genre. The Strange Love of Martha Ivers stars Barbara Stanwyck as the title character, a tough, spoiled, willful heiress married to the local D.A., Walter O'Neil (Kirk Douglas), a weak-willed alcoholic. When old friend Sam Masterson (Van Heflin) suddenly returns to town after many years away, he approaches Walter to ask his help with the case of Toni Marashek (Lisabeth Scott), a friend who has been falsely accused of a crime. Sam is surprised, at first, to learn of Walter's marriage, knowing both of the parties, but quickly begins to put the pieces together. It turns out that Martha's tyrannical aunt (Judith Anderson), met an untimely end on the night that Sam left town, and Martha fears that Sam will reveal what he knows about that night, thereby destroying the lives of both she and her husband. Consequently, she begins to plot against Sam, who she also loves in her own twisted fashion. Every element seems perfectly in place in this typically guilt-saturated noir, with superb direction from Milestone, a memorable score by Miklos Rosza, and an outstanding performance by Kirk Douglas in his film debut.

Customer Reviews:

The return of the repressed.......2007-06-12

The sets and production values of this Paramount story of intrigue from 1946, the annus mirabilis of film noir, are superb, and there's no film starring Barbra Stanwyck that's not worth watching if just for her. Watchable though she inevitably is here, this is one of the few times in her long and magnificent career where she was truly miscast: Stanwyck was equally versatile playing comedy or drama, poverty or wealth, but the one thing she cannot play is neurosis--she was far too confident and driven a performer to be very believable as the highly ambivalent and conflicted Martha O'Neil. None of the three leads in this odd film seems ideally cast: as Martha's weakling alcoholic husband, Kirk Douglas, stunningly handsome in his first film role, is supposed to be wildly jealous of Van Heflin, of all people, who has come back to Iverstown (the Pennsylvania industrial town Stanwyck and Douglas jointly rule) with the memory of a childhood killing. Equally oddly cast is Janis Wilson, the memorably unhappy child Tina from NOW, VOYAGER here playing Martha as a young girl; it is inconceivable this anguished girl could ever grow up to be the tough and omnicompetent Stanwyck. Only Lizbeth Scott, as Heflin's weak new lady love, seems truly comfortable in her part. Even so, this DVD is still very much worth seeing if only for its early variations on common film noir themes.

Under the Radar.......2007-03-29

Excellent cast of Barbara Stanwyck, Kirk Douglas, Van Heflin, and Lizabeth Scott cannot pull this film out of mediocrity. The elements of noir are present: murder, jealousy, innocence, and betrayal but the film lacks the desperation and moral conflict that surrounds the protagonist in so many films of the genre. Van Heflin's performance is flat and Lizabeth Scott's performance is as wooden as a pine plank. Stanwyck's role and performance is more credible, but not as absorbing in later films such as Sorry Wrong Number and Double Indemnity. Kirk Douglas is very good in his first major Hollywood role as an alcoholic district attorney who fears that the appearance of a childhood friend (Heflin) will destroy the upper class lifestyle he enjoys with his wife (Stanwyck). The reunion between the Heflin character and Stanwyck's character is awkardly filmed and dramatized. Meanwhile we are left to believe that the nomadic Lizabeth Scott character still can't find the nerve to leave town. For some reason, for me anyway, the town looked liked it was situated somewhere near Pittsburg, Pa. I thought the ending of the film was a bit histrionic, but still an interesting ending. Why we needed anything after this, I don't know. The film should have concluded with a slow fade to darkness. Instead we see a sugar coded resolve that would have been more suited to a Disney Studio production.

KIRK DOUGLAS - OPUS ONE - KIRK DOUGLAS.......2007-03-20

First and only film noir directed by Lewis Milestone (All Quiet on the Western Front), first movie of Kirk Douglas, a screenplay written by Robert Rossen (The Hustler), THE STRANGE LOVE OF MARTHA IVERS is the kind of film any movie buff should have the desire to see. The Paramount Home Entertainment release I bought here at Amazon presents a near perfect copy of this movie but, beware, no extras at all.

Two scenes of the movie, Judith Anderson's death and the tragic finale deserve to stay in a film noir anthology, as well as the performances of Kirk Douglas and Barbara Stanwyck. Note also than the numerous close-ups of Lizabeth Scott and the silly epilogue of THE STRANGE LOVE OF MARTHA IVERS must not be accredited to Lewis Milestones nor to Robert Rossen. They were shot, after the completion of the film, by Byron Haskin on the producer Hal B. Wallis demand.

A DVD zone your library.

Kirk Douglas - Best EVER.......2007-01-12

The title may steer you in the wrong direction - this is not a romance. This is one of the best early pscho-dramas. Barbara Stanwyck is cold as ice, softening up all girlie when her childhood love returns. Kirk Douglas was magnificent as the whiney, wimpy, drunken husband.

And this movie has the best ending of all movies EVER.

They just don't write them like this anymore.

A childhood' s sin !.......2006-12-26

Lewis Milestone sealed his rubric in this troubled Noir, where the shadows of a somber past lurks the private intimacy of Martha, when a childhood friend rekindles old passions and so er husband the District Attorney O' Neil will ignite the imminent tragedy of a secret strongly kept in silence and hovered by a perverse blackmail.

Once more the Noir genre, mirrors one of its most relevant elements, which is the impossibility to break the bounds with an infamous and lurking past that obligates to turn a whole life in search of a supposed redemption based on a mutual complicity.

A fabulous cast that includes Kirk Douglas in his debut, Barbara Stanwyck, Van Heflin and Lizabeth Scott. The screenplay of Robert Rosen is based on an unpublished story "lovelies bleeding" by Jack Patrick. Released in July, 24 1946 with a running time of 115 minutes.
One of my personal favorite Noir films of the middle forties.

The Secret of NIMH 2 - Timmy to the Rescue

Average customer rating:

What is this?!
Timmy the mouse
Not like the First but good for kids
Oh My Dear God.
Murder

The Secret of NIMH 2 - Timmy to the Rescue
Starring: Phillip Glasser , Jameson Parker , Alex Strange , Doris Roberts , and Andrew Ducote
Director: Dick Sebast
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000056H2C
Release Date: 2001-03-06

Amazon.com

A huge letdown after the grandeur of Don Bluth's 1982 adaptation of Robert C. O'Brien's book (this was the first feature Bluth made after leaving Disney to protest the studio's allegedly lowered animation standards), this straight-to-video sequel offers far poorer art and thinner characterizations. The story finds Timmy (voiced by Ralph Macchio), son of the Jonathan Brisby character from The Secret of NIMH, leaving the family farm and heading to Thorn Valley, where the rats of NIMH live. There, Timmy seeks a path in his father's footprints to become a hero and meets a girl mouse who tells him her parents are among some NIMH mice wrongly presumed dead for years. A rescue ensues, of course, in which Timmy and the refugee rats risk getting caught themselves. The film is about an hour in length, and genuine entertainment is at a premium in this production, making it even harder to ignore point-by-point comparisons between NIMH 2 and its predecessor--especially when those comparisons, time and again, find the sequel wanting. The very best element here is the vocal and singing performance by Eric Idle as the villain, Martin, who resorts to electric shock to "improve" his intelligence and whose song, "Just Say Yes," is a real highlight. --Tom Keogh

Description

Join a mighty little mouse as he discovers he has the strength to face his foesand end up the Big Cheesein this rousing musical adventure your family will treasure. Featuring the voices of Ralph Macchio, Dom De Luise and Harvey Korman, this charming adventure is a wonderfully heroic tale thatwill make your family want to stand up and cheer! Welcome to beautiful Thorn Valley, wherethe mice-folk have everything they could possibly need...except a hero. that's why they call upon Timmy Brisby, the youngest son of Jonathan Brisby who once saved them from an evil place called NIMH.There's only one problemTimmy's a novice, so it's necessary for him to go through hero training 101, but before he even has a chance to graduate, Timmy must put his new skills to the test. Taking on NIMH is a big job for a little guy, but Timmy is up to the challenge and before he's through, he's going to prove that no matter one's size, anyone can be a hero.

Customer Reviews:

What is this?!.......2007-06-24

It's basically expected you'll be given a bad movie when a sequel is made. There haven't been any decent sequels in the animation department save for "Toy Story 2" (my opinion of course), but I never knew that there would be a poster child for bad movies. And we have this rotgut junk, "Timmy to the Rescue." The animation is like a TV series based off of a Disney Movie that has been chopped about to fit your DVD. The mice are huge compared to the mice in the first movie, and there is no real plot to this that I found fun at all. The so-called twist in the end where Martin exposes himself to be the evil creature behind NIHM was poorly done at best, with songs that are so irritating, I immediately scrambled for the mute button.

There was one thing that annoyed me in watching this. Besides stupid characters, sub-par voice acting, and lame dialogue, is that the voices sometimes don't sync well with the lip movements. For instance, when Martin is talking to Timmy, his lips sometimes move after he is finished talking, and sometimes the lips stop before the sentence ends. Was the movie done in a different language first, then dubbed to suit the English-speaking audience, or was that another finger pointed at the producers for bad animation? So and so, I recommend that you don't see this movie. Don't even get it for your kids. This movie pales in comparison to the original in so many ways.

Timmy the mouse.......2007-03-11

An excellent story with many valuable moral lessons. It holds the childrens attention from start to finish. They have watched it over and over. A must see for children from 3 up.

Not like the First but good for kids.......2007-01-05

I agree with most of the people reviewing this movie that is is nothing compared to the original but, being a mother of young ones, I enjoy the fact that my kids can watch it and enjoy the music and entertainment. I rate it with 1 star for an adult film but 5 stars for a young childrens film. I personally enjoy the song sung by Timmy about not being like his father. This video may not be as moving as the first but it does have some lessons to teach.

Oh My Dear God........2006-12-14

Want a good laugh? Scan through these reviews and read all the ones with *five star* ratings. What is WRONG with these people?!? Don Bluth's original NIMH is (deservedly) an animation classic that doesn't underestimate the audience's intelligence and isn't afraid to engage a deeper sense of worldly honesty that most animated features won't touch with a ten foot pole.

The best that can be said for "Timmy To The Rescue" is... well... actually, nothing.

Everything about this shameful excuse of a sequel screams "lowest common denominator" which can be verified by the few positive reviews listed in here. MGM should be slapped (hard) for contributing to the dumbing down of the masses by pereptuating such inane, anemic garbage like this. Sadly, thanks to the WalMart inspired "git'r dun" dummified mentality of the poor souls who flock to and support such substandard drivel, those of us seeking intelligent and thought provoking entertaiment have to dig deeper.

Horrible.

Murder.......2006-08-07

It ruins the wounderful world of the first movie. Generic candy coated charicters who seem to think life is a musical for 6 year olds. A disapointment and a shame.

Average customer rating:

What a waste of film and my time!
Love It!
Rent this, and your friends will probably "cap" you
Horrible
A surprisingly good film!

The Hillz
Starring: Ara Apcar , Shawna Batesole , Rachel Binder , Johnny Clark (II) , and James DeBello
Manufacturer: Image Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

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Nine Lives
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ASIN: B000777HY8
Release Date: 2005-03-08

Description

Beneath the tranquil atmosphere of The Hillz, four affluent suburban teens are caught up in a web of spiraling violence, drug addiction and casual sex. After a year away at college, Steve 5 (Charmed's Jesse Woodrow) returns to find his neighborhood radically changed. His best friend, Duff (Rene Heger, MTV's Undressed), has become the sadistic head of a gang that has turned the beautiful suburban hills into an ultra-violent crime zone where drugs and sex are as plentiful as candy. Duff finally has respect, plenty of cash and cool new friends (including James DeBello, Swimfan). Finding himself lured into Duff's new life, Steve 5 struggles to stay true to his dream of becoming a professional baseball player and also trying to win the love of the sexy but unattainable Heather (Paris Hilton, The Simple Life). Combining the grittiness of Boyz N the Hood and the flavor of TV's The O.C., here's a comedic pulse-pounding adventure on the "hood's" leaf-strewn streets. Cast includes: Paris Hilton (Fox's The Simple Life), Rene Heger (In Enemy Hands, guest appearance in Gilmore Girls, guest appearance in Charmed), Jesse Woodrow (model, guest appearance in Charmed, Chasing the Dragon) and Jason Shaw (model, L.A. Knights, Liar's Club, guest appearance in Charmed). The Hillz also includes Eric Priestly (Port Charles), Vince Rimoldi (Camp), Silas Gaither (Survivor: Africa, Anger Management) and a cameo appearance from Trishelle Cannatella (MTV's The Real World).

Customer Reviews:

What a waste of film and my time!.......2007-06-21

I just wasted almost 2 hours of my life watching this useless drivel. Poor acting, plot, etc. If you like this genre, do yourself a favor and see 'Alpha Dog' instead- it's hot and this is not.

Love It! .......2007-06-07

If you're looking for a moving, deep, serious movie with a thick plot line, this definitley isn't it! But if you're looking for something to keep you interested and laughing, then buy this movie! I'm a fan of Hilton, and bought this just because she appeared in it, and was interested in what it was, but after watching it, I've realized it's actually not starring Hilton at all! The acting is definitley not Oscar worthy, but at by the end of the movie, it leaves you thinking, "wow, that was so bad, it was good." This is definitley a movie i'd recommend for people with open minds, for those who have a "defined" taste in movies, then this isn't for you!

Rent this, and your friends will probably "cap" you.......2007-05-21

*minor spoilers (not that reading them would help you understand this film)*

Narrated from the perspective of pseudo-protagonist Steve 5 (Jesse Woodrow), "The Hillz" is one of the more recent cinematic enterprises attempting to illustrate (invent?) a particularly sad genre of American culture: that of young, bored, and rich white men seeking to acquire "street cred" by adopting a philosophy consisting primarily of women, drugs, death, and money. Steve, his pal Duff (Rene Heger), and some toadies lead a pointless existence as children growing up in Beverly Hills. Driven to hedonistic pursuits, wanting for nothing, and lacking any moral compass, the film follows these friends as their lives deteriorate around them. It seems that pampered affluence is helpless to prevent one's slide towards a violent death in the `hood.

*end minor spoilers*

My obsession with obtaining "maximum value" from my purchases is to blame for my watching of this disaster. I feel compelled to watch as many movies as my cable company (and my personal time) allow, as long as they are selected only from the "free on demand" group of films. Occasionally, this practice unearths a gem I would not have viewed otherwise. More often, I find myself trapped in the midst of a stampede of inappropriate musical timing, terrible acting, nonexistent directing, miscast after miscast, and writing which suggests English was the screenwriter's third language, as in this film. Unfortunately, that is not the limit of my cinematic pathology, for once I begin a movie, I cannot "just turn it off." I have never walked out of a movie. I have never paused a movie to listen to something one of my many now-ex-girlfriends was saying. I even sat through the entire travesty otherwise known as "The Postman" (the Kevin Costner one), at the same time a particularly raucous party was occurring in my own residence!

Compared to this movie, erstwhile horror-schlock tripe like "El Chupacabra" acquires depth. It is an extremely sad thing when the talent of Paris Hilton is the only thing that rises above the putrefied morass making up most of this film's content. Well, perhaps "rise above" is a generous designation for her almost invisible contribution to this film. There is really no conceivable reason for anyone to view this movie. Even if you harbor such unimaginably bad taste in women so as to lust after Paris Hilton, please spare your damaged psyche further pain and "Google-image" her, instead. Halfway through this movie I wondered if I was perhaps the victim of a grand practical joke, and "The Hillz" was really a subtle parody of Hollywood's glorification of rich, impotent fools masquerading as young thugs. Alas, the viewer realizes that this movie indeed attempts serious-storytelling, before time and again reverting back to inanity, random deaths, and ho-hum bursts of pointless violence.

This film makes the similarly-themed and mediocre "Havoc" seem downright monumental. Not even valuable as entertaining B-movie "so-bad-it's-good" fare (a la "Night of the Comet"). Avoid at all costs, if you value your soul.

Horrible.......2007-05-07

This is the worst movie I have ever seen in my life. It is so bad that it was hilarious. I haven't laughed so hard in a movie in a long time. The acting, script and editing are all awful. Every scene in the movie had nothing to do with anything. Anytime anyone said anything, it had nothing to do with anything that was going on in the movie. Horrible.

A surprisingly good film!.......2006-12-31

This movie, The Hillz is surprisingly good. I like the truthfullness that it expresses. It's very realistic in the characters, the dialogue and the filming stlye. The Hillz is about a gang of young white surburban Los Angeles thugs that seek revenge on their drug dealing competitors and any others that try to get in their way. Don't buy it if you just want to see Paris, she's not in it much, but still has a respectable role and does a fair job, the director uses her wisely. In many ways the film is actually sad, but has a very truthful feeling. The violence in this film has a surreal quality like A Clockwork Orange. A very interesting and often amusing late night rental.

Average customer rating:

biased for day
fan
My Favorite Musical!
calamity jane is a great musical
A classic film!

Calamity Jane
Starring: Doris Day , Howard Keel , Allyn Ann McLerie , Philip Carey , and Dick Wesson
Director: David Butler
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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

General | Westerns | Genres | DVD | Video

Classics | Westerns | Genres | DVD | Video

( C ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
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Annie Get Your Gun
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ASIN: B00005Y71I
Release Date: 2002-04-30

Amazon.com essential video

This 1953 musical is very much a vehicle for Doris Day, in the title role, as a wild cowgal who can outshoot and outsing any boy on the range. When an actress arrives in Deadwood and uses her feminine charms on Jane's secret love, Wild Bill Hickock (Howard Keel), Jane tries to mend her tomboy ways. Not exactly up to the feminist code of honor, this is still energetic and Day is very perky. Of course, one could almost detect a homosexual undercurrent with the cross-dressing Jane, but this was Hollywood in the 1950s, so we best not. This won an Oscar for Best Song--"Secret Love," by Sammy Fain and Paul Francis Webster. --Rochelle O'Gorman

Customer Reviews:

biased for day.......2007-06-27

I grew up singing along with this movie, so I'm biased. I loved the romance, the love triangle [or square?], the singing and the sassy woman named Calamity. Humerous and just plain good fun.

fan.......2007-05-07

Calamity JaneI am a fan of the old movies that actually had a story line and intend to purchase more. Acting overdone but at the time it was great. My preference is old movies for that reason.

My Favorite Musical!.......2007-04-25

Always loved this film. I remember when I was a kid and this was my favorite movie. I went to Deadwood and was upset that it didn't look the same as in the movie! Nevertheless, fantastic all around. I do not have the DVD but I sent the VHS jacket to Howard Keel about 6 years ago which he autographed and returned to me! Was a fantastic guy, not to mention my favorite, Ms. Day!

calamity jane is a great musical.......2007-04-13

i dont care very much for musicals but this one is great my seven year old daugher and i watch this dvd over and over agian .the song are just grand compared to the musical to day i wouldn"t pay a dime for .calamity jane is a true musical i highly recommend this movie .thank you amazon

A classic film!.......2007-04-10

Doris Day is so wonderful! So grateful to have this classic on DVD to add to my library!

Average customer rating:

Dated, but Chilling Thriller
Hedy well-showcased in period potboiler
Hedy Lamarr's best performance. Check it out!

The Strange Woman
Starring: Jessie Arnold , Edward Biby , Olive Blakeney , Hillary Brooke , and Louis Hayward
Director: Edgar G. Ulmer
Manufacturer: Alpha Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000286RTS
Release Date: 2004-12-21

Customer Reviews:

Dated, but Chilling Thriller.......2006-03-22

I'm a fan of Hedy Lamarr. The actress and the woman. You would not know from most of her vacuous film roles that this was a woman of enough substance to win a Nobel Prize. She was so often cast in blank roles that just skated on the surface of her beauty. This film gives you an inkling of her depth.
This is Hedy's Scarlett O'Hara, a bit melodramatic, a bit dated, but still a fascinating story, setting, and character study of an ice-blooded, selfish-to-the-bone, smart, manipulative, beautiful woman. Her famous Tondeleo in WHITE CARGO gives an idea of this depth... but that character is an outline compared to this full bodied Jenny. She is, of course, completely miscast as a small town frontier girl, but... the rest is a treat.
Rarely does a movie do justice to manipulative female characters, assuming it all relys on looks. This story shows how Jenny wraps everyone slowly around her fingers, men, women, anyone who can be of use. It also deeply explores the dichotomy of self-interest wrapped up in good deeds.
Her icy detachment is reminds me of Alida Valli as the accused murderess in Hitchcock's Paradine Case, another favorite. Every time I watch this DVD, I see more in it, more in her performance. An expansive story, interesting boom town setting, really solid, memorable performances. Heady stuff! ; )

Hedy well-showcased in period potboiler.......2006-01-02

Following a series of badly-received films, M-G-M allowed Hedy Lamarr to set up her own production unit inside the studio where properties could be developed that suited her style and abilities. THE STRANGE WOMAN was one of the films made during this time. This sudsy period melodrama stars Lamarr as Jenny Hager, a young woman whose wanton lusts and desires end up destroying three men - and eventually herself.

In 1800s Maine, Jenny emerges from her white-trash origins to become the wife of wealthy Isaiah Poster (Gene Lockhart), though the marriage is completely devoid of love and affection from Jenny's corner. She soon turns her attentions to her stepson Ephraim (Louis Hayward) and convinces him to kill his father, so that they may be together. But once the dirty deed has been done, Jenny turns her back on Ephraim and begins to zero-in on John Evered (George Sanders), the handsome new foreman. The fact that he is engaged to her supposed best friend (Hillary Brooke) doesn't faze Jenny in the least. It seems nothing will stop ruthless Jenny in her horrifying quest for love.

Hedy Lamarr is ideally-suited in bringing to life the monstrous yet captivating Jenny Hager. The cast surrounding Lamarr is well-appointed and the production design brings the rowdy 1800-era city of Bangor to thrilling life. The print from Alpha DVD is serviceable, with good contrast and clear sound for the most part.

Hedy Lamarr's best performance. Check it out!.......2005-12-02

Hedy Lamarr is frequently referred to as the most beautiful movie star of her era, and I'll certainly go along with that assessment. Yet she has rarely been given enough credit for her acting ability, and is usually dismissed as a limited actress. True, Hedy can't exactly be ranked alongside Bette Davis or Ida Lupino, but she still had a magnetic screen presence and could turn in a fine performance when given the opportunity. Many claim she gave one of her finest performances in THE STRANGE WOMAN (1946). I'd go so far as to say it's her all-time best.

In this melodrama set in 19th century Maine, Hedy (with an accent that hardly sounds like anyone from Maine) plays Jenny Hager, a self-aborbed young woman whose outward beauty belies a background of poverty and abuse. Jenny uses her alluring charms to attract the attention of Isaiah Poster (Gene Lockhart), an elderly merchant. After marrying Isaiah, Jenny seduces her weak-willed stepson Ephraim (Louis Hayward), which sets the stage for a tragic turn of events between father and son. Jenny later sets her sights on John Evered (George Sanders), who is engaged to one of Jenny's so-called close friends (Hillary Brooke). But even the cunning Jenny can't escape the cumulative effects of her past deeds.

While Hedy was excellent in films like H. M. PULHAM, ESQ. (1941), EXPERIMENT PERILOUS (1944), and SAMSON AND DELILAH (1949), I don't think she ever had a better showcase than THE STRANGE WOMAN. Her portrayal of Jenny Hager is more complex than a simple plot synopsis would indicate. Jenny is heartless in her manipulation of men, and ruthless in her drive to acquire wealth and prestige. And yet she can't shake the memories of her impoverished childhood; once she becomes rich, she uses her influence to help the downtrodden. Hedy often complained that the studios saddled her substandard assignments, but here she was able to exert control: she co-produced THE STRANGE WOMAN (based on a novel by Ben Ames Williams) and was responsible for hiring its director, Edgar G. Ulmer. Hedy's active participation in this production no doubt accounts for her strong, vibrant performance in the film. (Hedy wasn't always able to hide her disgust with other studio assignments; in some films, her boredom is palpable.)

THE STRANGE WOMAN is also one of the best efforts of its aforementioned director, Edgar G. Ulmer, who has attracted a cult following thanks to films like THE BLACK CAT (1934), BLUEBEARD (1944), DETOUR (1945), STRANGE ILLUSION (1945), and THE MAN FROM PLANET X (1951). THE STRANGE WOMAN touches upon several Ulmer themes: lust, greed, deception, ruthless ambition, the emptiness of material gain, and the inescapable hand of fate. THE STRANGE WOMAN would make a great double-bill with RUTHLESS (1948; currently unavailable on DVD), another top-notch Ulmer film dealing with a lead character (Zachary Scott this time) who schemes his way to the top. Ulmer also knew how to squeeze the most production value out of every dollar, and brings a far glossier look to THE STRANGE WOMAN than its moderate budget would normally allow.

THE STRANGE WOMAN features a powerhouse supporting cast that includes the always-reliable George Sanders (ALL ABOUT EVE), Louis Hayward (THE HOUSE BY THE RIVER), Gene Lockhart (who was adept at playing everything from mousy clerks to oily blackmailers), and Hillary Brooke (THE WOMAN IN GREEN, THE ABBOTT AND COSTELLO SHOW). Yet, with no disrespect to these fine players, it's Hedy's show all the way.

The print quality of this Alpha Video release is very good, although there's an abrupt scene change around the 81-minute mark. This is evident in other circulating copies of the film, and I don't know if this is the result of a missing transitional fade or if some footage is missing. (Most sources list the running time as 100 minutes; this print runs 99.) Nevertheless, there's no harm done to the storyline, and it shouldn't deter anyone from purchasing a copy of this disc.

If you've never seen Hedy Lamarr, THE STRANGE WOMAN will be the perfect introduction to this lovely and underrated actress. If you've seen Hedy Lamarr and haven't been terribly impressed, THE STRANGE WOMAN will be a revelation.

Average customer rating:

I love hearing about the music business instead of gossip

Take Note - episode #1: Joe Satriani

Manufacturer: CustomFlix
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

( T ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
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ASIN: B000F3QKPQ
Release Date: 2006-05-31

Product Description

Joe Satriani is a 13 time Grammy Nominee and awarded "Outstanding Guitarist" at the California Music Awards. He had the first instrumental guitar album to crack the Top 40 charts and he's listed as #8 in Guitar Player Magazine's "Top 50 Greatest Guitarist Poll". In episode #1 of Take Note, Joe Satriani discusses record labels, management, publishing rights, "Chrome Boy" and more. Also see a live performance of "Summer Song". There's even a visit from former student, Steve Vai sharing his thoughts on Joe as a teacher. Take Note strives to educate, encourae and entertain.

Customer Reviews:

I love hearing about the music business instead of gossip.......2006-07-09

This is a great interview with Joe. It's not the usual gossip and media hype. It's about music and music business straight from Joe without some annoying host. I particularly liked the performance. You can actually see him play guitar instead of the usual MTV, moving camera and crazy edits. If you're a Joe fan, you'll want to see this.

Average customer rating:

The return of the repressed
Under the Radar
KIRK DOUGLAS - OPUS ONE - KIRK DOUGLAS
Kirk Douglas - Best EVER
A childhood' s sin !

Strange Love of Martha Ivers (B&W)
Starring: Barbara Stanwyck , Van Heflin , Lizabeth Scott , Kirk Douglas , and Judith Anderson
Director: Lewis Milestone
Manufacturer: Alpha Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00007G1TM
Release Date: 2002-11-19

Amazon.com essential video

Customer Reviews:

The return of the repressed.......2007-06-12

Under the Radar.......2007-03-29

KIRK DOUGLAS - OPUS ONE - KIRK DOUGLAS.......2007-03-20

Kirk Douglas - Best EVER.......2007-01-12

A childhood' s sin !.......2006-12-26

Average customer rating:

A Strange Affair
Starring: Judith Light , William Russ , Linda Sorenson , Jay Thomas , and Robin Dunne
Director: Ted Kotcheff
Manufacturer: Tango Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000ERVKJO
Release Date: 2006-05-08

Average customer rating:

Truth in loving
What a Laugh!!
What a Laugh!!
Wonderful "I Can Change" video!

A Strange Affair
Starring: Judith Light , Jay Thomas , Linda Sorenson , Robin Dunne , and Rachel Wilson
Director: Ted Kotcheff
Manufacturer: Live / Artisan
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0000ALPFF
Release Date: 2003-09-23

Customer Reviews:

Truth in loving.......2005-11-20

We watched a really good movie tonight titled A Strange Affair starring
Judith Light and Jay Thomas. It was a very powerful poly film based of
real events. Judith's character is that of a wife who is very unhappy in
her marriage to Jay Thomas's character because his is a gambler and a
philanderer. When he steals the money that she has set aside to start her
own business, that's the end for her and she leaves him. The night she
leaves, he has a stroke, her college-aged children get ahold of her and she
returns. She commits to caring for him. She takes her car in for repairs
and meets Art. A friendship develops between she and Art. The friendship turns to love.
Eventually the three setup housekeepping.

The above description makes it sound easy. It's not. The movie deals with
the conflicts of obligation, social stigma, and loving. It clearly shines
a light on the positive side of loving more than one, but also shows the
work and devotion it takes to enrich such relationships.

I was in tears by the end of the movie. I felt inspired by the characters,
even Jay Thomas's (difficult as he was a real scumbag in the beginning).
Personal growth occurred in them all. I strongly reccommend this made for
TV movie.

What a Laugh!!.......2004-07-16

I can't believe that this sub-par TV movie is available now on DVD!! When it was first aired, it was titled "A Husband, A Wife and a Lover." It is thoroughly outrageous, laughable and a supreme embarrassment to those actors who are in it. It is the story of a man who comes to live in the couple's household. The stranger is attracted to Judith Light's character, but of course she is married and will not lower herself to have an affair. Somewhere along the line she tosses aside any shred of morality she has and succumbs to their unspoken mutual "passion." Later on it is discovered that the husband has become terminally ill (which I suppose makes Light and her lover free to rationalize that their sweaty and lurid encounter was really "o.k."). They all come to terms with the "affair" and the husband unbelievably accepts the fact that his wife is sleeping with another man while they are all living under the same roof! They become a perverted "Three Musketeers" if you will. The whole scenario is extremely absurd. Toward the end of the movie, Judith Light and her lover border on abusive as they cheer on the ailing husband as he struggles to crawl to the mailbox! If it all weren't so outlandish, I would call an agency that defends the terminally ill from such exploitation. This movie gets absolutely no stars for quality, but gets five + stars for moronic dialogue and a ridiculous plot! For those of you who like to kick back and offer your own armchair sarcasm to underscore such made-for-TV schlock---this one is a real winner!

What a Laugh!!.......2004-07-16

I can't believe that this sub-par TV movie is available now on DVD!! When it was first aired, it was titled "A Husband, A Wife and a Lover." It is thoroughly outrageous, laughable and a supreme embarrassment to those actors who are in it. It is the story of a man who comes to live in the couple's household. The stranger is attracted to Judith Light's character, but of course she is married and will not lower herself to have an affair. Somewhere along the line she tosses aside any shred of morality she has and succumbs to their unspoken mutual "passion." Later on it is discovered that the husband has become terminally ill (which I suppose makes Light and her lover free to rationalize that their sweaty and lurid encounter was really "o.k."). They all come to terms with the "affair" and the husband unbelievably accepts the fact that his wife is sleeping with another man while they are all living under the same roof! They become a perverted "Three Musketeers" if you will. The whole scenario is extremely absurd. Toward the end of the movie, Judith Light and her lover border on abusive as they cheer on the ailing husband as he struggles to crawl to the mailbox! If it all weren't so outlandish, I would call an agency that defends the terminally ill from such exploitation. This movie gets absolutely no stars for quality, but gets five + stars for moronic dialogue and plot! For those of you who like to kick back and offer your own armchair sarcasm to underscore such made-for-TV schlock---this one is a real winner!

Wonderful "I Can Change" video!.......2003-11-17

This is the most delightful movie. Truthful, fast-moving, while also taking the time to establish that time is passing. Things are not occuring in the light speed they use for relationships in hollywood.

I highly recommend this, though for families, you need to know that there is some sexual content, and a wee bit of language.

DVD:

DVD

DVD: The Vagina Monologues

Buffy The Vampire Slayer - Xander