Akira (DTS)

Starring:Mitsuo Iwata, Nozomu Sasaki, Mami Koyama, TesshÃ´ Genda, Hiroshi Ã”take, KÃ´ichi Kitamura, Michihiro Ikemizu, Yuriko Fuchizaki, Masaaki Ã”kura, TarÃ´ Arakawa, Takeshi Kusao, Kazumi Tanaka, Masayuki KatÃ´, YÃ´suke Akimoto, Masato Hirano, Yukimasa Kishino, Kazuhiro Kamifuji, Tatsuhiko Nakamura, Fukue ItÃ´, Issei Futamata
Director: Katsuhiro Ã”tomo
Studio: Geneon [Pioneer]
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com essential video
Artist-writer Katsuhiro Ã”tomo began telling the story of Akira as a comic book series in 1982 but took a break from 1986 to 1988 to write, direct, supervise, and design this animated film version. Set in 2019, the film richly imagines the new metropolis of Neo-Tokyo, which is designed from huge buildings down to the smallest details of passing vehicles or police uniforms. Two disaffected orphan teenagers--slight, resentful Tetsuo and confident, breezy Kaneda--run with a biker gang, but trouble grows when Tetsuo start to resent the way Kaneda always has to rescue him. Meanwhile, a group of scientists, military men, and politicians wonder what to do with a collection of withered children who possess enormous psychic powers, especially the mysterious, rarely seen Akira, whose awakening might well have caused the end of the old world. Tetsuo is visited by the children, who trigger the growth of psychic and physical powers that might make him a superman or a supermonster. As befits a distillation of 1,318 pages of the story so far, Akira is overstuffed with character, incident, and detail. However, it piles up astonishing set pieces: the chases and shootouts (amazingly kinetic, amazingly bloody) benefit from minute cartoon detail that extends to the surprised or shocked faces of the tiniest extra; the Tetsuo monster alternately looks like a billion-gallon scrotal sac or a Tex Avery mutation of the monster from The Quatermass Experiment; and the finale--which combines flashbacks to more innocent days with a destruction of Neo City and the creation of a new universe--is one of the most mind-bending in all sci-fi cinema. --Kim Newman
Amazon.com
After Tokyo was destroyed in a mysterious blast in 1988, the elaborate city of Neo-Tokyo was built on its ruins. By 2019, Neo-Tokyo has been divided between a powerful and wealthy upper class and the violent punks and motorcycle gangs who haunt its slums. When the members of one gang attempt to strike back at the arrogant lords of the city, they unleash a wider and more destructive conflict than they anticipated. Neo-Tokyo is destroyed in another conflagration, but a new city will arise on its ruins, like a phoenix from its ashes.

Description

(Sci-Fi) Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster -- A prophetess from Venus foretells cataclysmic disasters! Godzilla, Mothra and Rodan reappear in Japan, wreaking havoc! A giant meteor crashes into the mountains and the three-headed, fire-spitting space dragon King Ghidorah emerges! As the Venusian's prophecies come true, assassins from a tiny Asian kingdom hunt her down, while the Earth monsters must decide whether to settle their petty differences and join forces against the extraterrestrial enemy!

Customer Reviews:

Godzilla meets James Bond.......2007-07-02

Great Godzilla movie and loads fun, and not only because of the monster battles. It starts out (After the credits) on top of a building with a bunch of people looking for flying saucers. (These people NEED to get a life). One of the stars in the movie, a reporter, is blamed for the saucerpeople not coming, and a proffessor says "I can't help but think that terrible things are about to happen." DUH. After that intillectual thought, a woman screams that she saw a UFO, but turns out only to be a meteorite. And then the scene switches to the star of the movie, a policeman talking to a reporter about Enciphilitis breaking out because of the heat wave that that's going on in January. The reporter looks out into the sky and sees the meteorite that will give Earth a few problems. Stay tuned for more details. The reporter leaves and the dude's boss comes in and tells the guy to guard a european princess, Salina Salno, who is being sent to Japan because of an assination plot to kill her. Then the scenes switches to the Princess being hypnotised by an alien in a flying saucer to get off the plane, and the plane blows, up and a proffessor goes to find the meteorite, that fell, and will later find out that it holds Ghidrah. Later, the policeman finds the princess ands she's a martian from Venus. While this is happening, the assasinators are sent to kill the princess, this goes on for a while so I won't go to deep into it, and while THIS is happening, Rodan and Godzilla appear and start wrecking the place. And Ghidrah hatches from the meteorite and starts doing the same as Godzilla. The fairies from Godzilla x Mothra come in and call Mothra, (one of the babies died) and she finds Godzilla and Rodan fighting each other, shoots them with her silk and tries to convince them to fight against Ghidrah. They don't want to, so Mothra goes and fights Ghidrah herself, and Godzilla appears as well as Rodan and the three start attacking Ghidrah together. Meanwhile The princess's memory has restored itself and the assasinators have been killed. Meanwhile, Ghidrah is being wrapped up in silk and Godzilla tosses him of the hill, and Ghidrah flies away, humiliated. It's a great movie and great collection to any monster series.

Classic Media does it again.......2007-06-08

Excellent packaging, well thought out menu, good commentary and extras.The price point is the major selling point for me. Not my favorite Gojira flick, but the fact that its in my collection makes me happy.

Enjoyable DVD of one of the more rare of the Classic Godzilla films. Though it's not without flaws.......2007-06-06

While just having this Godzilla film finally on region 1 DVD, is cause for celebration, there is much more to this release than just the movie itself. With the addition of a great bundle of extra features adding to the fun, and a nicely designed package this becomes a very worthy purchase. But while the film quality is mostly above average or acceptable, it is unfortunately (though not unexpected) a bit below average at times. Just don't expect crystal clarity all the way through the entire film.

Good points:

1) The movie itself is one of the best of the Godzilla films. This is from the originators of the franchise and this being the fifth in the series, Toho studios and this production crew are at the height of their game here. Ghidorah's introduction as mentioned in other reviews, is very memorable. The human characterizations are fully realized and completely believable. Very interesting and compelling interaction between all the main characters. This is actually one of the better plotlines in a Godzilla film and if you subtract the Godzilla part of the movie, it's still a fairly compelling plot. Princess escapes death by unseen alien assistance, she becomes a spokesperson for the aliens and pleads with the earthlings to be forewarned of the emminent disasters that await. Foreign assasins attempt to find her and kill her. Police are involved in her protection as well in finding out why she now has the personality of an alien. The structure of the story is very well formed and does not have the hokey kind of plots that are reminescent of the low budget 1960's era sci-fi genre.

2) The package has a very unique look and design to it. The Obi band is a nice touch. And it appears much like the "Mothra vs Godzilla" package or the "Godzilla Raids Again" package. Very distinct, utilizing poster art from the era in which it was originally released, encapsulated in what appears like a film canister "look" to it, as a fold open style book. The center spine creaks a bit too much when it opens though. But perhaps it's appropriate as it further reflects the age of the original film.

3) The extras are well done. Poster gallery, commentary by godzilla "expert" and trailers and a fine documentary on Eiji Tsuburaya. The poster gallery includes brief explanations regarding each poster, which is a helpful addition.

4) Sound quality is very good. The introductory score grabs your attention and sustains throughout the movie. Dialogue mix has been improved over previous releases and there is a very noticable difference between the 50's era toho pictures and this time period of mid to late sixties. All the groundbreaking sound effects are here in bright and full mono, with both the Japanese and U.S. dialogue tracks fully represented. Some will be disappointed by a lack of sound options, but the sound is as it was originally released in 1964 with a mono soundtrack.

5) The anamorphic widescreen picture and image for the Japanese edited version while not pristine, and considering it's 40+ year old age, is not bad. Spots and scratches appear from time to time, though not glaringly so. It's hard to believe that this movie could look perfect after all these years, and it certainly does not. But here in all it's full color glory is about as good as it can look, which isn't bad at all and actually quite clear for most of the movie. Contrast is sharp, color is balanced well, images are crisp. And while there is some expected minor fading and it is at times too dark or too light, it does not detract from the overall presentation and most viewers will be satisfied with the film quality. Of course it will not compare favorably to a film released recently, but with the age that this film is and the fact it is of the low budget variety, it is comparable to other DVD releases from movies of this time period.

Bad points:

1) The American edit otherwise known as "Ghidrah, the Three Headed Monster" suffers from a worse looking image quality than the Japanese edit version. Right from the opening titles, the picture is blurry, colors are washed out, scratches and spots exist throughout. Contrast is poor and unbalanced, and though the majority of it looks about average or above, at times it looks like a VHS quality image. Most of the other Godzilla releases are superior in image quality compared to this U.S. edited version. The American Ghidrah definitely shows it's age. In addition several edits and changes from the original Japanese edit, detract needlessly. For example, editing out nearly the entire Mothra song that the peanut twins sing in calling for Mothra's assistance. There was no valid reason for cutting the song out. The images remain but different music has been inserted at that point. Sometimes the U.S. edit works better with dramatic music at certain points. In this particular instance it was ill advised.

2) The commentary, while much appreciated for all the vast amounts of information and anecdotal memories, becomes extremely tedious after a while. David Kalat proves from the outset that his knowledge of the subject matter is robust and authoritative as he covers a lot of ground in small bursts. But with one person talking almost non stop, it becomes tiresome to listen to. Perhaps another commentator teamed with him might have broken the monotony a bit, and could have offered another viewpoint to certain details. Also, while Kalat touches upon the differences in the U.S. and Japanese releases in a very detailed manner, it would have helped to have screen shots accompany his descriptions. Sometimes his knowledge goes beyond that of most viewers and he seems to assume everyone is able to follow right along. On the other hand, the personal stories of his own children's interest in Godzilla and it being the main reason he himself has altered his attitude towards dubbing, was a very interesting and illuminating observation. He definitely hit the nail on the head with those comments, which could apply to practically every person watching, be they longtime fans or casual viewers. Also, his information regarding the toho studios production schedules and how they were producing quite a few films in short periods of time, with some productions overlapping others, whilst using the same production teams, was quite interesting. It illustrates for me, the achievements made in special effects, miniatures, and production values that many of these toho movies are unfairly denigrated for.

So all in all a very good release, and while not perfect is still a very fine, complete movie package. Classic Media have proven with previous releases that they are capable of producing great products, and they continue that trend here with this release of one of the older, more rare Godzilla films and one that has not truly had a legitimate U.S. release...until now. I rate it 4 stars and a recommended purchase, with great extra features and a generously informative, though sometimes monotonous commentary track.

Let's try to review the DVD....PLEASE.......2007-05-31

Yes, I agree that is is a title long overdue. I also agree that this is a great Godzilla flick. But, let's review the DVD itself--not just the film. In fact, how can you post an accurate review without the media? You can't! So, when this monster (pun intended) comes out next Tuesday, let's all review the DVD in all of its glory. You know, the transfer, features, sound quality, etc.

Thank You...

The Last of Toho's Golden Age of Godzilla.......2007-05-09

Contrary to popular belief, Godzilla and Rodan are not good in here. The only good they do is drive off King Ghidorah, the space demon who spews gravity beams. The fiery birth of king Ghidorah is one of the best SFX i have ever seen, even surpassing CGI in some regards. The human plot is pretty cool, but berefit of Ishiro Honda's usual social commentary. There is a bit of monster humour, but nowhere nearly as blatant or ridiculous as in the subsequent films(such as that STUPID dance Godzilla does in Invasion of Astro-Monster). A must buy.

Seven Samurai - Criterion Collection - 3-Disc Remastered Edition

Average customer rating:

spectacular and incomparable.....
A must see
The Seven Samurai
Fantastic...
3 and 1/2 hours of pleasure

Seven Samurai - Criterion Collection - 3-Disc Remastered Edition
Starring: Takashi Shimura , Toshirô Mifune , Yoshio Inaba , Seiji Miyaguchi , and Minoru Chiaki
Director: Akira Kurosawa
Manufacturer: Criterion
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000G8NXYG
Release Date: 2006-09-05

Amazon.com essential video

Hailed as the greatest film in the history of Japanese cinema, Seven Samurai is director Akira Kurosawa's undisputed masterpiece. Arguably the greatest of all jidai-gecki (or historical swordplay films), Kurosawa's classic 1954 action drama has never been surpassed in terms of sheer power of emotion, kinetic energy, and dynamic character development. The story is set during the civil unrest of 16th-century Japan, as the cowering residents of a small farming village are seeking protection against seasonal attacks by a band of marauding bandits. Offering mere handfuls of rice as payment, they hire seven unemployed "ronin" (masterless samurai), including a boastful swordsman (Toshiro Mifune) who is actually a peasant farmer's son, desperately seeking glory, acceptance, and revenge against those who destroyed his family. Led by the calmly strategic Kambei (Takashi Shimura, star of Kurosawa's previous classic, Ikiru), the samurai form mutual bonds of honor and respect, but remain distant from the villagers, knowing that their assignment may prove to be fatal.

Kurosawa masterfully composed his shots to emphasize these group dynamics, and Seven Samurai is a textbook study of the director's signature techniques, including extensive use of telephoto lenses to compress action, delineate character relationships, and intensify motion. While the climactic battle against raiding thieves remains one of the most breathtaking sequences ever filmed, Seven Samurai is most triumphant as a peerless example of character development, requiring all of its 2-hour, 37-minute running time to illuminate every essential detail of villagers and samurai alike, including an abundance of humor as Kambei's defense plan unfolds. In terms of its overall impact, Seven Samurai spawned dozens of copycat films (notably the American Western remake The Magnificent Seven) and cannot be adequately summarized by even the most comprehensive synopsis; it must be seen to be fully appreciated, and the Criterion Collection's 2006 DVD reissue is an essential addition to any definitive home-video library. --Jeff Shannon

On the DVDs
According to the accompanying booklet, "the picture has been slightly window-boxed (in correct original 1.33:1 aspect ratio) to ensure that the maximum image is visible on all monitors." The two-disc format was necessary "to maintain optimal image quality throughout the compression process," with dual-layered DVD-9's encoded "at the highest possible bit rate for the quantity of material included." The picture and sound quality are simply amazing compared to Criterion's one-disc release from 1998. The all-new, fully restored high-definition digital transfer takes full advantage of HD's clarity and crispness, resulting in picture detail far surpassing the previous DVD. This also applies to the soundtrack, presented in optional Dolby surround in addition to the remastered original mono track. The new transfer "was mastered in 2k resolution from a duplicate negative created with wetgate processing from the original fine-grain master positive" (the film's original negative is no longer available), and "several different digital hardware and software solutions were utilized for flicker, instability, dirt, scratch, and grain management."

The complete 207-minute film is accompanied by two full-length commentary tracks, including a new track combining the critical insights of film scholars David Desser, Joan Mellen, Stephen Price (author of The Warrior's Camera: The Cinema of Akira Kurosawa), Tony Rayns, and the dean of Japanese film experts, Donald Richie (author of The Films of Akira Kurosawa). Each scholar is given approximately 40 minutes of film-time, and their commentaries represent a unique opportunity to appreciate Seven Samurai from distinct yet complementary critical perspectives. The commentary by Japanese film expert Michael Jeck (from Criterion's original 1988 laserdisc release) remains useful as a thorough analysis of Seven Samurai, primarily in terms of visual composition.

The 50-minute "making of" documentary, from Japan's 2002 Toho Masterworks TV series Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create emphasizes Kurosawa's collaboration with co-screenwriters Shinobu Hashimoto and Hideo Oguni, including production footage, crewmember interviews, and a reverent visit to the rural inn where Seven Samurai was written over a six-week period of intense seclusion. The two-hour "My Life in Cinema" interview with Kurosawa was recorded in 1993, with fellow filmmaker Nagisa Oshima serving as a gentle admirer, colleague, and well-informed historian of Kurosawa's career. "Seven Samurai: Origins and Influences" is a richly informative documentary that places Kurosawa's classic in both historical and cinematic context, examining its place in the jidai-gecki (swordplay) genre, its accurate depiction of samurai codes and traditions, and its stature as the prototype for many films that followed. The lavishly illustrated 58-page booklet includes eight brief essays on various aspects of Seven Samurai, each written by noted film scholars or film directors (including Arthur Penn and Sidney Lumet). Also included is a reminiscence by the great actor Toshiro Mifune, excerpted from a conversation recorded in 1993. Taken as a whole, the remastered three-disc Seven Samurai ranks as one of the finest DVD sets ever released. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

spectacular and incomparable............2007-06-30

I finally did it. I watched SEVEN SAMURAI, directed by Akira Kurosawa. The first thing that came to my mind after viewing the film was, "Why did I wait so long?" For me, I have no argument with any of the past critics (Pauline Kael, Siskel & Ebert, or the slew of consumers on Amazon). There is a reason that this magnificent film, by Kurosawa, has been given such high praise, dating all the way back to its release in 1954, when it rightfully received the Venice Film Festival Silver Lion, and was later voted One of the Top Ten Best Films of All Time in the 1992 Sight and Sound International Film Directors' Poll. Gene Siskel calls it "One of the greatest films ever made. The film that was transformed into the popular western The Magnificent Seven." [That's another film I have waited far too long to watch!]

SEVEN SAMURAI truly has something for everyone, and in its full 208 minutes of glory, the scenes fly by way too quickly. This remarkable story, based on Japanese history, depicts 16th century Japan, in the wake of a very turbulent chapter in the nation's past. Peasants and farmers are starving at the hand of ruthless bandits, who are raping and pillaging their rice fields (as well as their people). Who can save them, but a group of seven bold men [the title's samurai] leading a group of locals into battle, to take on these evil men. There are moments that are laugh out loud hilarious, followed by great dramatic and action-packed scenes (yes, this is a violent film--but, I am sure, judging from the title, that doesn't surprise you), and even some romance. The dazzling cast includes Kurosawa regular Toshiro Mifune (YOJIMBO), as well as Takashi Shimura (IKIRU).

What makes this film stand out so much (aside from the wonderful acting and engaging story) is the innovation in cinematography that was incredibly progressive for the time that it was made (the 1950s). This includes bold use of slow motion, a rapid moving camera and long-lens photography. When my mom was looking over my shoulder, ever so often, she remarked that she could have sworn that this film was shot in color. I can see why she thought that. The beautiful attention to light and shadow make you feel the color that the actors and crew must have seen, when they made this. I saw shades of gold, blue, and red (what with all the bloodshed) as I was watching this. You just have to watch the film to understand what I'm talking about. I really don't want to ruin the experience for you. I hope to see the DVD transfer of this, because I have heard it is far superior to the VHS version. That's hard to even imagine, for me, because this film sparkles on videotape! Please watch this and don't wait as long as I did to enjoy SEVEN SAMURAI for the exceptional film that it is. [As a note to all people weary of subtitles: You won't even notice them! This film will make you feel like you understand Japanese, almost. Visually, this is a film that has the power to transcend all cultural and language boundaries.]

A must see.......2007-06-27

Personally, I'm not a fan of b&w films, but this one is by far one of my favorites. Though it is long, it's well worth the time spent watching it, in my humble opinion.

The Seven Samurai.......2007-06-26

Widely regarded as one of the greatest films ever made, Kurosawa's brutal, invigorating martial classic concerns the all-important code of honor among feudal Japan's warrior caste. Both Shimura and Kurosawa regular Mifune, playing a loudmouth rube posing as a member of the elite military class, give towering performances among a robust cast. As in John Ford's Westerns, Kurosawa carefully delineates each of his characters before unleashing the lurid battle sequences, the likes of which have yet to be equaled on-screen: the town raid, ferocious clashes on horseback, and barbaric hand-to-hand melees. Few films have even a fraction of the fluid visual power and visceral intensity of "Samurai," truly an essential work of cinema history.

Fantastic..........2007-05-29

I'm hooked on this director right now. I watched The Hidden Fortress first and decided to buy Seven Samurai after being blown away by the directing of the movie.

Seven Samurai is all it is blown up to be. The detail of character development was right on. The story was simple and yet it kept you interested and excited for the full 3+hours that it lasted. The fight scenes weren't as violent as i expected it to be, but the skills were all there. fantastic cast. I'm going to get more of this directors movies now. Red Beard has caught my eye...

3 and 1/2 hours of pleasure.......2007-05-13

This film is an acknowledged masterpiece. Kurosawa is a genius of the first magnitude. I can think of no better way to spend an afternoon than by watching it. The characters interact flawlessly and you are transferred to a land of ronin and bandits. The characters are human and their lives are interesting. You wonder what happens to the remaining three characters. You know the farmers will always be farmers.

Invasion of Astro-Monster (aka Monster Zero)

Average customer rating:

ONE MOUTH, TWO VOICES & THREE HEADS
Aliens from planet X, Ghidorah, Godzilla does the jig, what more could anyone need?
By Any Other Name...
About Time
GODZILLA Episode 6: GODZILLA vs. MONSTER ZERO

Invasion of Astro-Monster (aka Monster Zero)
Starring: Nick Adams , Akira Kubo , Kumi Mizuno , Haruo Nakajima , and Takamaru Sasaki
Director: Ishiro Honda
Manufacturer: Classic Media
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000OCY7IK
Release Date: 2007-06-05

Description

(Sci-Fi) Invasion of Astro-Monster/Godzilla vs. Monster Zero -- Aliens from Planet X borrow our monsters for a little extermination project, but they've got something else up their sleeves: world domination! Using mind-control technology, these vinyl-and-sunglasses wearing spacemen turn Godzilla, Rodan and King Ghidorah loose in Japan, demanding Earth's surrender! It's up to American astronaut F. Glenn, his galaxy-trotting buddy Fuji, and nerdy inventor Tetsuo to break the aliens' hold on the monsters and save our planet from certain doom.

Customer Reviews:

ONE MOUTH, TWO VOICES & THREE HEADS.......2007-06-09

Classic Media has to be applauded for the effort not only given to presenting the best versions of INVASION OF ASTRO-MONSTER possible (and they truly are some of best I've seen in a long, long while), but also the work that went into the case design. The box is striking, the artwork clever, clear, nostaligc and retro-future at all the same time. It's an attractive and eye catching design that demands (and gets) a second look. My copy has been picked up, picked over, and pick-pocketed a few times off my shelf already and throughly enjoyed.

But, having said that, I must admit that INVASION OF ASTRO-MONSTER is one of my least favorite GODZILLA films, yet one of my all time favorite TOHO movies. Truth be told, Godzilla here is at best a supporting player in a much larger and more complex story that could have done away with Godzilla and company and still have been just as compelling. Much like THE FIFTH ELEMENT fashion and design triumph over story and plot. This is one good looking movie. From the sets (wide open, with some of the most creative future computer and advanced table top technology), to the costumes (the aliens not only sport the expected antenna atop the head, but tight pants, trim sunglasses, and high useless collars), to the spaceships (which look exactly like spaceships should look), it's all here, and it's all a lot of fun.

It is something of a minor disappointment that Godzilla has been pushed to the margins here and used simply for effect than being the engine that drives the story. Godzilla, Rodan and King Ghidorah do loom large on the stunning minature sets on both PLANET X and Earth, and their battles are worth the long delay between the first and the last, but it does leave you wanting more. But, this does not stop INVASION OF ASTRO-MONSTER being a true gem.

The prints are the best possible and the extras are well done... although the commentary by Stuart Galbraith IV, while informative, fact filled and trivia stuffed is delivered in such a slow and measured way, that it sounds and feels like he's in fear of tripping over his own words if he talks too fast. Be prepared to feel like a five year old at some points when he wants to to Understand. Clearly. What. He. Is. Saying. To. You. So. You. Had. Better. Listen. While strange, it is a trip, and you will learn a thing or two.

Classic Media has done a great service to not only the fans of Godzilla, but to all those fans still to come. These DVD releases, like King Ghidorah, manages to wear three crowns and wear them well... they are entertaining, history and art all rolled into one.

Aliens from planet X, Ghidorah, Godzilla does the jig, what more could anyone need?.......2007-06-07

I am very pleased that Classic Media have released this long desired Godzilla movie on region 1 dvd. Having seen only the Simitar Dvd release, which actually was a fairly clean print, but left a lot to be desired, not the least of which was the original Japanese language track.

Well finally it is now here for all to enjoy.

There is a lot to like here. The packaging, extra features, sound quality and of course the movie itself are all pluses for this release.

Also, the picture quality is outstanding. leaps and bounds above the older Simitar release. A very clean print, with very very few scratches or blurs. Sharp image with an appropriate amount of contrast. Color is excellent.At times it can be a bit too bright or dark, but not so much so that it detracts from the overall presentation. Considering the original elements are nearly 40 years old, it will satisfy and perhaps exceed most viewers of this genre type movie's expectations.

I wholeheartedly recommend this release and am quite sure most fans of cheesy old sci-fi will truly get a kick out of the alien storyline and low budget space effects.

As for the movie itself, Nick Adams is especially good as Glenn, and the story and production while quite "hokey" and "cheesy" is still very enjoyable. The commentary and documentary of Tomoyuki Tanaka are both worthy bonuses. The Tanaka doc is particularly interesting, especially if you are a fairly long time fan of Godzilla films. His journey from ww2 propaganda films until reaching a creative peak with Toho studios is enlightening and quite inspiring.

So, lose yourself in the cold war era threat of the aliens from Planet X, the reapperance of Ghidorah, the hamminess of Nick Adams and company, and of course that unforgettable iconic Godzilla as he dances to his heart's content. The origin of that dance by the way, is mentioned during the on film commentary.

Enjoy "Invasion of Astro Monster", now available in the U.S. for the first time in it's originally intended Japanese language incarnation.

By Any Other Name..........2007-04-08

INVASION OF ASTRO MONSTER, is by any other name MONSTER ZERO, or GODZILLA VS MONSTER ZERO. INVASION OF ASTRO MONSTER is the "International title" that Toho gave to KAIJU DAISENSO, released in 1965. It was then acquired for release via AIP and Henry G. Saperstein(the producer)in 1966, and he parted ways with AIP and set out for his own distribution. That didn't happen until 1970 from Maron Films, a small indie release company and it was re-titled MONSTER ZERO and double-billed in roadshow fashion with WAR OF THE GARGANTUAS and did brisk business from late summer to Fall at drive-ins and theaters at the time. The film stars Nick Adams and was released in the US, two years after his untimely and unfortunate death. Still, MONSTER ZERO/INVASION OF ASTRO MONSTER remains one of the best ever of the Toho Godzilla sequels, the last one where all the major talents at Toho were in play to make a knockout film that flies along at a good clip. It has everything-alien invasion, monsters, and a love story. Interestingly, the monster side of things actually takes a back seat to a fairly engaging human story(there are only really 10 or 12 minutes of new monster footage). The FX work is perhaps Eiji Tsuburaya's best as is the score by Akira Ifukube. This version is exactly the same as MONSTER ZERO-same title sequence, however a new title card for INVASION is seen. All the dubbing was the same, and in fact the film has three minutes of footage not seen in the US version. One is the alien Controller saying something in his native language as the earth ship leaves, another is a pretty nifty FX shot looking up at Godzilla and Rodan being transported through the atmosphere by the Xian saucers, and still another shot has what appears to be an un-processed(sound) shot of Akira Takarada saying something like "I've got a bad feeling about this" in Japanese, to Nick Adams who responds in English "Talk to me about it pal". Terrific film in any language!!

About Time.......2007-04-03

This is great though I am so glad that more of the Godzilla films have been released.

GODZILLA Episode 6: GODZILLA vs. MONSTER ZERO .......2007-03-23

THIS IS ACTUALLY THE GODZILLA MOVIE "MONSTER ZERO". INVASION OF ASTRO MONSTER is its absurd and nonsensical international title. It is a U.S./ Japan co-production. The movie was released in Japan in 1965 as GREAT MONSTER WAR. It was released internationally as INVASION OF ASTRO MONSTER. In 1970 it was released
in America as MONSTER ZERO on a double bill with WAR OF THE GARGANTUAS. It continued to play on television
as MONSTER ZERO until it was replaced on TV and on VHS in the late 1980s by a version titled GODZILLA VS.
MONSTER ZERO.
INVASION OF ASTRO MONSTER is unusual in that , though it is basically a sequel to the previous film GHIDORAH THE THREE HEADED MONSTER it takes place in the 1980s: this puts it after the next eight
movies. Both INVASION OF ASTRO MONSTER & DESTROY ALL MONSTERS (set in 1999) take place
after the rest of the original series. This means that King Ghidorah appears in GODZILLA VS. GIGAN
before his appearance in INVASION OF ASTRO MONSTER and his eventual death in DESTROY ALL MONSTERS.

Here is a list of all the original classic GODZILLA films, it consists of three segments:
Segment 1:
#1 GODZILLA: KING OF THE MONSTERS #2 GODZILLA RAIDS AGAIN
Segment 2:
#3 KING KONG VS. GODZILLA #4 MOTHRA VS. GODZILLA #5 GHIDORAH: THE THREE HEADED MONSTER
#6 INVASION OF ASTRO-MONSTER #7 GODZILLA VS. THE SEA MONSTER #8 SON OF GODZILLA
#9 DESTROY ALL MONSTERS #10 GODZILLA'S REVENGE
Segment 3
#11 GODZILLA VS. HEDORAH #12 GODZILLA VS. GIGAN #13 GODZILLA VS. MEGALON
#14 GODZILLA VS. MECHAGODZILLA #15 TERROR OF MECHAGODZILLA
This is a list of the second series:
#16 GODZILLA 1985 #17 GODZILLA VS. BIOLLANTE #18 GODZILLA VS. KING GHIDORAH
#19 GODZILLA & MOTHRA: THE BATTLE FOR EARTH #20 GODZILLA VS. MECHAGODZILLA II
#21 GODZILLA VS. SPACE GODZILLA #22 GODZILLA VS. DESTOROYAH
This is the third series:
#23 GODZILLA (1998) #24 GODZILLA 2000 # 25 GODZILLA VS. MEGAGUIRAS
#26 GODZILLA, MOTHRA & KING GHIDORAH: GIANT MONSTERS ALL-OUT ATTACK
#27 GODZILLA AGAINST MECHAGODZILLA #28 GODZILLA: TOKYO S.O.S. #29 GODZILLA: FINAL WARS
This is the first GAMERA series:
#1 GAMMERA THE INVINCIBLE #2 WAR OF THE MONSTERS #3 RETURN OF THE GIANT MONSTERS
#4 DESTROY ALL MONSTERS #5 ATTACK OF THE MONSTERS #6 GAMERA VS. MONSTER X
#7 GAMERA VS. ZIGRA #8 GAMERA: SUPER MONSTER
The second GAMERA series:
#9 GAMERA: GUARDIAN OF THE UNIVERSE #10 GAMERA: ATTACK OF LEGION
#11 GAMERA: REVENGE OF IRIS
The third series:
#12 GAMERA: THE BRAVE

Late Ozu - Eclipse Series 3 - Criterion Collection

Average customer rating:

Worth the wait
Philosopher-Artist of Modern Urban Life
Humanist Film-making

Late Ozu - Eclipse Series 3 - Criterion Collection
Starring: Ganjiro Nakamura , Setsuko Hara , Yôko Tsukasa , Michiyo Aratama , and Keiju Kobayashi
Director: Yasujiro Ozu
Manufacturer: Criterion
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Sansho the Bailiff - Criterion Collection
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La Jetee/Sans Soleil (Criterion Collection)
The Documentaries of Louis Malle - Eclipse Series 2 (Vive le tour / Humain, Trop Humain / Place de la République / Phantom India / Calcutta / God's Country ... of Happiness) - Criterion Collection

ASIN: B000OPPAF6
Release Date: 2007-06-12

Amazon.com

This month, we present five wonderful works of art by Japanese master filmmaker Yasujiro Ozu. Made directly after Tokyo Story, widely considered his most perfect film and one of the greatest movies ever made, these titles show Ozu at the top of the game, visually and narratively. Elegant, humorous, rich with joy and sadness, these films further demonstrate why Ozu has become synonymous with the word cinema.

Five-Disc Set Includes:

Early Spring: A married salaryman in postwar Tokyo enters into an affair with an office mate in this moving portrait of a fragile marriage.

Tokyo Twilight: In the dead of winter, past and present traumas afflict two sisters and their aging father in this, one of Ozu's most heartbreaking and powerful works.

Equinox Flower: In Ozu's splendid first color film, a stubborn businessman who disapproves of his daughter's fiance must learn to embrace modern romance.

Late Autumn: Ozu regular Setsuko Hara, once the marrying child in Late Spring, becomes the parent in this poignant tale of the bonds between mother and daughter.

The End of Summer: Ozu's second-to-last film beautifully blends comedy and tragedy to tell the story of three sisters who are stunned to discover that their aging father has taken up with his former mistress.

Customer Reviews:

Worth the wait.......2007-06-30

Now we have 5 more late ozu films to digest - and such a delicious meal it is... Yasijuro ozu's films are noted for their simplicity and their sensitivity to the family dynamic.. As a master of his craft ozu's films are deceptively packed with details and very methodic in their construction.. His pacing combined with character revelations often leave us feeling completely satisfied at the end of the picture as if he has taken us down to a meditative place and let us emerge back into our own worlds at the end of the picture.. But speaking of such things is useless.. you need to watch these family dramas for yourself to understand the kinds of feelings that will emerge inside of you..
Ozu was a technician perhaps more quiet than directors like hitchcock, lang, or even kurosawa and mizoguchi - but his movies speak volumes without the extra action and manipulations.. That is probably why so many people find his work refreshing..

This box set contains 5 movies that are among his most effective.. my particular favorite was 'the end of summer' which featured some of his actors from previous films including Ganjiro nakamura as the very childlike grandfather figure.. This movie for me is one of Ozu's best - also it utilizes color in a very striking way (for another fine example of ozu's color see floating weeds).. The other films are also in the same league.. equinox flower is another favorite of mine..

Criterion collections new eclipse series is truly a most welcome venue to discover older movies that you may not have seen.. There is also an excellent collection of early bergman movies now available - and a samuel fuller box is on the way.. It is well worth the price..

Philosopher-Artist of Modern Urban Life.......2007-06-25

First the "bad" news: you don't get the usual Criterion extras (commentaries/documentaries) for this release. Each movie has only chapter search and subtitle switch.
Now the good news: you do get very good audio/video (supposedly not restored by Criterion, but I couldn't tell the difference); the price per film is low; the contents of the box are unsurpassable: five major mature Ozu films, which means all of a sudden we have no less than ten late-period Ozu movies plus a silent release available from Criterion.
Was there a greater moviemaker than Ozu? Watch all eleven and you may find yourself asking that question.

Humanist Film-making.......2007-06-22

How can movies be this good? Well when you combine the work of a Zen-Humanist who has seen war as well as peace combined with the best restorationist DVD company in the States, well you get these sad, wise, funny films from Ozu in his Late Master phase.

Pour a bottle of Sake for yourself and/or a good friend and watch as the this wise sad genius helps us all to understand that life is, well just that; life.

oh sweet nothing, ain't but nothing at all, as The Velvet Underground says. :)

Gojira / Godzilla Deluxe Collector's Edition (Gojira/Godzilla [1954] / Godzilla, King of the Monsters [1956])

Average customer rating:

GREAT IDEA FOR THE DVD EDITION, BUT SHOULD HAVE BEEN RESTORED!
The real king of the Monsters
Godzilla and Me.
Disappointing
If you love the big gray guy

Gojira / Godzilla Deluxe Collector's Edition (Gojira/Godzilla [1954] / Godzilla, King of the Monsters [1956])
Starring: Akira Takarada , Akihiko Hirata , Takashi Shimura , and Terry Morse
Manufacturer: Classic Media
ProductGroup: DVD
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Godzilla Raids Again
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Ghidorah: The Three-Headed Monster
Mothra vs. Godzilla

ASIN: B000FA4TLQ
Release Date: 2006-09-05

Amazon.com

The first of the Godzilla movies, and the most somber and serious in tone, Gojiro was originally a 98-minute Japanese horror film, until a U.S. company bought the rights and reissued the film at 79 minutes, replacing sequences involving a Japanese reporter with new inserts of a dour, pipe-smoking Raymond Burr. Both versions appear together for the first time in this release from Sony Wonder.

Stills from Gojiro (click for larger image)

Description

This package contains:

* Godzilla (1954 Japanese Edition-english subtitles)
* King of the Monsters (1956 U.S. Release Edtion-english v/o dub)

Featuring:
* Audio commentaries
* Original trailers
*"Making of the Suite" Featurette
*"Godzilla: Story Development" featurette

Customer Reviews:

GREAT IDEA FOR THE DVD EDITION, BUT SHOULD HAVE BEEN RESTORED!.......2007-07-01

This is the kind of thing that drives me insane! They put together a pretty good idea for this release, giving us the version we all grew up with and the original Japanese version to check out. They give us trailers and a couple of short making of features. Great! right?.......WRONG! The one thing they didn't do is remaster the movies! These prints are scratched and battered! They are not horrible,but looking at the fancy packaging you would think they would have restored these prints! I can only hope that the rest of the movies in this series get better treamtments!

The real king of the Monsters.......2007-06-27

Look at this flic and snicker at the claim that the Hollywood version didn't seek to dilute the original anti nuclear message. Gojira's dramatic content and continuity is much better than the Hollywood hack that we are provided in this collector's set for comparison. For Fans of Japanese Cinema, or those interested in the origins of Japanese monster films, this is the indespensible original, the beginning of everything. See the very first Japanese masterpiece, Hollywood's hack take on Japanese film sensibilities; unfortunately the Japanese took this to heart and incorporated cues from "Godzilla" in their cinematic lexicon. Be aware that it is black & white, and subtitled. I'd always wanted to see what the real movie was like, after seeing "Godzilla" when it first came out. This is a treasure.

Godzilla and Me........2007-06-05

I somehow predict that when I lay on the cozy leather couch in the office of an award winning psychiatrist (God willing) that one of the topics that will come up is my fascination with Godzilla or Gojira, as it is correctly to be pronounced. The original Gojira and its American Counterpart (Godzilla: King of the Monsters) is one of the movies that has impacted my life greatly. I'm fully aware that they're shot on shoe-string budgets, using model train sets as cities, and star a man in a lumpy T-Rex suit, but that's what got me fascinated with Godzilla (Gojira) in the first place.

The year was 1994. I was four years old. I was too young for Pulp Fiction or Ed Wood Forest Gump, and born too late for the onslaught of movies from the 1980s. For me, 1994 was the summer of the VCR. My thinking memory capacity just kicked in and I had about twenty years of catch-up movie watching. My family had just gotten a Block Buster's Rental Card and began renting movies like crazy. I gorged myself and began to watch (mostly by accident) some of the greats. Jaws, The Star Wars Trilogy, The Indiana Jones Trilogy, Back to the Future, Batman, The War of the Worlds, E.T., Star Trek II. The geek inside me bloomed.

One Sunday afternoon my brother returned home from Block Buster Video with my dad just before my grandparents arrived for a Sunday Dinner of pasta and salad. My brother grabbed me by the hand and dragged me upstairs. "Where are we going? What's that?" He wouldn't answer. He brought me up to my room, closed the door, and turned on my small TV (which for a matter of fact was the only TV that had a VCR in it on the second floor of my house). He had something tucked under his arm. I couldn't read the box because I couldn't read, I think...

He popped in the cassette and fast-forwarded all the FBI Warning mumbo-jumbo. Then darkness. A black and white text popped up on the screen and a terrible roar followed. Then came the first shot and a voice broke through the eerie silence of a decimated city...

This is Tokyo. Once a city of six million people. What has happened here was caused by a force which up until a few days ago was entirely beyond the scope of Man's imagination. Tokyo, a smoldering memorial to the unknown, an unknown which at this very moment still prevails and could at any time lash out with its terrible destruction anywhere else in the world. There were once many people here who could've told of what they saw... now there are only a few. My name is Steve Martin. I am a foreign correspondent for United World News. I was headed for an assignment in Cairo, when I stopped off in Tokyo for a social; but it turned out to be a visit to the living HELL of another world.

I hung on every word Mr. Martin spoke to my brother and me. Being a reporter, his mission was to tell you what had happened to Tokyo and you would be wise to listen. The movie was dark and foreboding. I had already seen Jaws so I was already fascinated with unknown creatures lurking in the black icy depths of the ocean, biding its time. The monster finally appeared over the hill of the island and there he was, although I didn't know who he was, although after that moment I never forgot him. The monster rampages through Tokyo and reduces it to utter devastation. I'm entranced. Finally and reluctantly, a brilliant scientist with an eye-patch divulges his invention that could possibly destroy the monster. Steve Martin stands by and watches the event occur, surprisingly never writing anything down. They use the invention as a weapon on the monster but the heroic scientist doesn't make it out alive. The weapon begins to takes it's affect on the monster, and the monster rises up to the surface and cries out in pain, and defeat. The monster sinks to the ocean floor. I'm balling. Why? Why did the monster have to die? Many people cry when King Kong falls off the Empire State Building, I cried for the monster that fell to the ocean floor. That summer and that movie changed me forever.

The movie was "Godzilla: King of the Monsters" and the monster was Godzilla. Godzilla was unleashed upon American Shores in 1956; two years after the original Japanese Gojira had made its rampage overseas. The original was directed by Ishiro Honda and the Americanized version was directed by Terry Moore with Ramon Burr stuck in every once and a while.

Upon later viewings of the film, I am sad to say that the film just doesn't hold up. On it's own at least. The film has terrible dubbing which disgusts me for the simple fact that Akira Kurosawa films had been played countless times in the US but never had to succumb to awful dubbing by Hollywood's crop of dub-men. Men and women who were handed terribly translated scripts and spoke the lines in a bored, sterile, and emotionless fashion.

For the longest time I thought that the American Version was nearly identical to the original in length, pacing, and mood. Until my brother came home from work and gave me an issue of G-Fan; an all Godzilla Magazine and something I never in my life time would have ever thought existed. I opened up the magazine and found an article in about the original Gojira and its comparisons to the film "The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms." I was surprised to find that I had never seen any of the images printed from Gojira in the magazine before. Then it hit me: there must be more footage in the Japanese Version! But unfortunately I still had to deal with the fact that original would be forever out of my grasp. But as months rolled by and I kept reading the magazine, I started to get impatient.

For too long was the American version the only available one to see in the US of A. Then, on a Saturday even in 2004, I found a trailer for the re-release of the original Gojira in select theaters nationwide! Uncensored, Uncut, UNDUBBED!!!!!

I skipped school one day and went to see the movie in Manhattan with my brother and my mother. It was playing in a quaint little theater in the Union Square area called Cinema Village. We went and bought our tickets, got some gummy bears, twizzlers, and good `n' plenty and entered the theater. The seats were small and uncomfortable and the screen was just a little bigger than my TV at home, but I didn't care. I was going to see the original Godzilla - Gojira - and nothing was going to ruin it for me. The theater darkened and the projector rattled alive and brought forth its luminous cinematic light. The movie started. The Gojira title came up in Japanese as Akira Ifukube's score piped through. I was born again.

Suffice to say, the original Gojira is a masterpiece in the science fiction genre but also in Japanese Cinema. It tells an allegorical tale of the horror of the atomic bomb through a gigantic monster that destroys everything and everyone in its path. The movie is darker both in pacing and in theme than its American Counterpart. It is an excellent film to be viewed by fans of the giant monster genre and science fiction genre. The film has an amazing monster like "King Kong" and a cautionary lesson like "The Day the Earth Stood Still."

The DVD itself has many interesting special features including commentaries by Steve Ryfle and Ed Godziszewski and videos on the Story Development of Godzilla and the making of the suit. Must see special features for die hard G-Fans or anyone who is just curious to see how the story originated out or how they made the suit.

If you are looking for a movie is provocative but is humble enough to have a man in a suit to portray its villain, I say to you, go out and buy Gojira on DVD. You get both the original and you get the skim plus American version. If you're looking for some good ole cheesy atomic age fun, then pick up Gojira on DVD and you'll get both movies. Two different movies, yet the same movie, and equally important to me. This DVD set is a blessing sent from the gods at Classic Media and Toho. I strongly urge any Godzilla fan that has not seen this version to go out and do so immediately. You are not complete until you have seen it. Then and only then will you not only be a fully rounded Godzilla fan but also a Gojira fan.

Disappointing.......2007-05-24

The idea behind this offering is superb - supply both the familiar, edited and reworked, American version of GOJIRA (called GODZILLA, KING OF THE MONSTERS) together with a subtitled print of the previously hard-to-find Japanese original, on separate discs in one package, so that everyone from the film scholar to the most casually curious fan can compare the two versions for a modest price.

Unfortunately, both resulting DVDs are of inferior quality, amateurishly contrasty, being very dark in the night-for-night exteriors and night-lit special effects material - a goodly part of both versions - and showing little more than a variety of black blobs moving about in all such scenes. Additionally, the narrow and closely-spaced font used for the yellow subtitles, causes many of them to strobe and distort beyond readibility in the lighter shots when passing over detailed backgrounds. Topping that off, the "restoration" of the GODZILLA credits is very badly done and not complete at all: the openings credits (TransWorld logo and star/directors screens) are still missing, and the end credits are clearly spliced in from a different, widescreen, source, then letterboxed (the rest of the film isn't even window-boxed) and placed, incorrectly, after "The End" instead of before it.

Admittedly, it's the only such package in town, and the official one; but it is just not up to the pro and fan publicity it has been getting in either the restoration or the technical department. It is strictly another "caveat emptor" situation and, while I do not know if anyone else will try/be able to get these two titles out in better shape, I cannot in all honesty recommend this product and will be returning mine for a refund, making do with what I have of the two features on videotape.

If you love the big gray guy.......2007-05-17

You have to own this two disc set. Classic Media has done a great job and its great to finally have the original Japanese version with subtitles.

Average customer rating:

batcall
Awful
Gosh I liked Bill Murray so much more when he didnt know he was profound
A beautiful movie.
The best kind of love

Lost in Translation
Starring: Scarlett Johansson , Bill Murray , Akiko Takeshita , Kazuyoshi Minamimagoe , and Kazuko Shibata
Director: Sofia Coppola
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00011RPB0
Release Date: 2004-02-03

Product Description

Bob Harris (Bill Murray) and Charlotte (Scarlett Johansson) are two Americans in Tokyo. Bob is a movie star in town to shoot a whiskey commercial, while Charlotte is a young woman tagging along with her workaholic photographer husband (Giovanni Ribisi). Unable to sleep, Bob and Charlotte cross paths one night in the luxury hotel bar. This chance meeting soon becomes a surprising friendship. Charlotte and Bob venture through Tokyo, having often hilarious encounters with its citizens, and ultimately discover a new belief in life's possibilities. Shot entirely on location in Japan, Sofia Coppola's Lost in Translation is a valentine to the nature of close friendships and to the city of Tokyo. Ms. Coppola's film, for her original screenplay, contemplates the unexpected connections we make that might not last - yet stay with us forever.

System Requirements:

Running Time 102 Min

Format: DVD MOVIE

Amazon.com

Like a good dream, Sofia Coppola's Lost in Translation envelops you with an aura of fantastic light, moody sound, head-turning love, and a feeling of déjà vu, even though you've probably never been to this neon-fused version of Tokyo. Certainly Bob Harris has not. The 50-ish actor has signed on for big money shooting whiskey ads instead of doing something good for his career or his long-distance family. Jetlagged, helplessly lost with his Japanese-speaking director, and out of sync with the metropolis, Harris (Bill Murray, never better) befriends the married but lovelorn 25-year-old Charlotte (played with heaps of poise by 18-year-old Scarlett Johansson). Even before her photographer husband all but abandons her, she is adrift like Harris but in a total entrapment of youth. How Charlotte and Bill discover they are soul mates will be cherished for years to come. Written and directed by Coppola (The Virgin Suicides), the film is far more atmospheric than plot-driven: we whiz through Tokyo parties, karaoke bars, and odd nightlife, always ending up in the impossibly posh hotel where the two are staying. The wisps of bittersweet loneliness of Bill and Charlotte are handled smartly and romantically, but unlike modern studio films, this isn't a May-November fling film. Surely and steadily, the film ends on a much-talked-about grace note, which may burn some, yet awards film lovers who "always had Paris" with another cinematic destination of the heart. --Doug Thomas

Customer Reviews:

batcall.......2007-06-28

I watched because I thought Scarlett was going to be the new Marilyn Monroe. Bill Murray is very funny though.

Awful.......2007-06-17

This is one of the worst movies I've ever seen, and it's disappointing that people made such a big deal over it. Isolation, I get it.
But, seriously...what is the point, and the awkward script leaves so much to be desired. I wonder if Sophia would be allowed to make movies if she had a different last name? Is she just trying to be weird, and find some weird niche? Yes, her dad was ground breaking, so I guess those are big shoes to fill...but, then maybe you just should'nt try.
The movie is boring, with little dialogue, and you don't really care what happens with the character. The setting is boring, and the movie overall is weak.

Gosh I liked Bill Murray so much more when he didnt know he was profound.......2007-06-16

Wes Anderson and Sofia Coppola and Jarmusch all did him no favors. They are three of the most insincere, style over substance filmmakers around. And they all love clothes. And they all took a great baseball fan and turned him into an Oscar baiting self-serious ego wannabe genius walrus.

A beautiful movie........2007-06-11

I hope this is the cinema of the future -- no dogma involved. It puts you right there with the actors. Warning, though: as with the films of the Lars Von Trier, DON'T READ THE REVIEWS -- they give away too much of what takes place, elminating the intended surprises. Just watch and be absorbed by what takes place -- as we do in life.

The best kind of love.......2007-05-01

This is a movie that took time to grow on me. It doesn't move quickly, but it is full of depth and that shines through with every viewing. With vivid often surrealistic imagery and sharp witty dialog the film manages to entertain you while telling the real story.
I find most love stories to be trite, formulaic, and self-indulgent. This is far from that. What kind of love do our protagonists feel? They never sleep together, although they both wanted too. Bob even cheats on his wife with another woman but still doesn't sleep with Charlotte who he has fallen in love with.
That part of the story gives their love purity and validity. They marketed the movie as a story of friendship, but that is a lie. They love each other in a very real way, but they can't express it.
Both are married, the elder in a marriage of 25 years with children, the younger a newlywed trying to maintain a strained marriage. It is that unrequited love that makes it so beautiful. They love each other and are spending time with each other but they don't have each other.
Most of the time unrequited love is one way. A man is obssessed with a woman who doesn't return his feelings or maybe maybe even dislikes the man. This love is a far more tragic love. A love that stays in one place, one moment.
Watching the film you wish they could stay in Japan. We all have moments in our lives like that. A month, week, day, or hour that we wish we could freeze ourselves in. Outside that moment means nothing, no worries of the moments past or future. Just you and that moment trapped in happiness. Maybe thats heaven.

"Let's never come here again because it will never be as much fun"

Average customer rating:

Mothra Vs Godzilla
the terror of the titles
This is how you do it!
Classic Godzilla.
Godzilla's Finest Hour

Mothra vs. Godzilla
Starring: Akira Takarada , Yuriko Hoshi , Hiroshi Koizumi , Yu Fujiki , and Emi Ito
Director: Ishirô Honda
Manufacturer: Sony Wonder (Video)
ProductGroup: DVD
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Godzilla Raids Again
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Gojira / Godzilla Deluxe Collector's Edition (Gojira/Godzilla [1954] / Godzilla, King of the Monsters [1956])
Frankenstein Conquers the World / Frankenstein Vs. Baragon

ASIN: B000MV8AJK
Release Date: 2007-04-03

Description

After a fierce typhoon, a mysterious gigantic egg washes ashore. The twin fairies of Infant Island plea for the egg's return to Mothra, its rightful owner, but it's too late - greedy promoters have turned it into an amusement park attraction. Meanwhile Godzilla reawakens and tramples across Japan, heading straight for the big egg. Can Mothra save her offspring from Godzilla? Will Japan survive this epic monster battle? Directed by Ishiro Honda, MOTHRA VS. GODZILLA (1964) is widely considered the best of all Godzilla sequels, with an all-star Toho cast and exciting special effects. Classic Media presents the original Japanese-language version with English subtitles in glorious Toho Scope, plus the classic English-dubbed version originally released in the U.S. as GODZILLA VS. THE THING. Special Features Includes Japanese and English dubbed versions of the film Audio Commentary Poster Slide Show Akira Ifukube biography featurette Original Japanese trailer

Customer Reviews:

Mothra Vs Godzilla.......2007-06-10

I like the fact that Toho is releasing all there older Monster movies in a new dvd case.I look forward to seeing more of the movies being released so I can add them to my collection. One thing I would have liked to have seen with the movies being redone is to have the audio done in 5.1 dolby sound, than the standard audio format that they were originally done in.

the terror of the titles.......2007-05-28

This fine film is destroyed by the titles. Some are on the film itself and some are on the black band below the image. The former are hard to read. But worst of all, some are split between both of the above and will give you a horrible headache. Why doesn't anyone seem to care about the placement of titles? A fun film that deserves better.

This is how you do it!.......2007-05-23

This is one of the best re-issue DVD series I've seen in a long time. Classic Media knows what we want and gives it to us.

* A great-looking transfer of a classic film.
* Informative commentary
* Not too expensive

The best thing about this series of re-issues, is, of course, the inclusion of the dubbed American versions alongside the original Japanese versions. This allows the hardcore Godzilla fans to see the movies as they were originally made, while giving stoned couch potatoes the campy dubbed verisons they remember from Saturday afternoon Creature Features ("Hey look! His lips are moving but he's not making any sound! Haw haw haw haw!").

A lot of DVD companies would either confuse the consumer with two separate releases, or release "Deluxe 2-DVD" versions of every movie (as with the original Godzilla movie), but Classic Media gets it right by putting both versions on the same disc and releasing it at an affordable price (with great graphics to boot).

It doesn't hurt, either, that this is one of the best of the original Godzilla sequels, presented in all its fabulous widescreen Tohoscope glory. Even if you're just a casual Godzilla fan, this one belongs in your collection. As for me, I can't wait for the release of the Ghidorah movies and War of the Gargantuas later this year! Godzilla-lovers rejoice!

Classic Godzilla........2007-05-20

Classic Godzilla, one of the best Godzilla films ever. Much, much better than the 1998 Tri Star film, by miles...

Godzilla's Finest Hour.......2007-05-18

At long last American fans of Godzilla can affordably enjoy what many rate as their favorite Godzilla feature. This Sony/Toho Master Series release brings us both the classic AIP dubbed American release print titled Godzilla VS The Thing, and the original Japanese version Mosura Tai Gojira with english subtitles, for those who prefer authenticity. There are great extras including interviews and audio commentary by American Godzilla experts. It's priced irresistably at less than $20! I didn't wait on this one, and will always cherish it.

Average customer rating:

beautiful movie in HD
True HD
Great quality, under-rated movie
Amazing picture quailty
Surprise, surprise

The Last Samurai [Blu-ray]
Starring: William Atherton , Sr. Ray Godshall , Tony Goldwyn , Togo Igawa , and Shane Kosugi
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: Blu-ray

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ASIN: B000JUB7LW
Release Date: 2006-11-14

Description

Epic Action Drama. Set in Japan during the 1870s, The Last Samurai tells the story of Capt. Nathan Algren (Tom Cruise), a respected American military officer hired by the Emperor of Japan to train the country's first army in the art of modern warfare. As the Emperor attempts to eradicate the ancient Imperial Samurai warriors in preparation for more Westernized and trade-friendly government policies, Algren finds himself unexpectedly impressed and influenced by his encounters with the Samurai, which places him at the center of a struggle between two eras and two worlds, with only his own sense of honor to guide him.

Customer Reviews:

beautiful movie in HD.......2007-03-25

warner made another beautiful HD transfer. I can't find another wrong, no grain anywhere. Just a perfect crystal clear image from start to finish. The cinematography will blow you away. Would give this 6 stars if i could. So far I find warner is the only studio willing to give HD addicts the best video quality possible. Some studios just throw a title on blu-ray and expect us to say, thank you for releasing it.

True HD.......2007-02-15

Frankly i purchased this item just to know how a BD differ from a DVD on my HDTV using my newly purchased PS3. i chose this product cause it has a lot of natural & colorful scenes. the result was really amazing, visualy, blu-ray movies really surpasses DVD. i couldnt test the audio difference, cuz i only have 5.1 Sony decoder. the movie per say is a must see for all those who like action titles.

Great quality, under-rated movie.......2007-02-02

Although not a box-office hit and factually inaccurate, I love this movie and would definitely put it in my top 10 favorites of all time. My wife just bought me a PS3 and I had to pick up a blu-ray disk to see the difference for myself. With SO MANY terrible, terrible movies available on blu-ray (Flyboys, Stealth, and Reign of Fire - the movie i consider to be one of the worst of all time - just to name a few), I decided to pick this up even though I already owned it on DVD. I had seen the movie in HD on DirecTV before, so there were no surprises regarding quality, but I was still really impressed when switching between this and the 480p picture produced by my DVD player. The colors are much more vibrant, the clarity is remarkable and it serves to submerse you in a movie that was already great as it was. As a huge fan of the movie as well as of HD picture quality, I was happy to pick this up at Best Buy for $25, but I probably wouldn't recommend getting this if you have it on DVD already unless you're a big fan. Now, if they could just get the Lord of the Rings Trilogy on Blu-Ray...

Amazing picture quailty.......2007-02-01

Well we already know about the movie so i am not going to comment on it. The most noticable thing about this Blu Ray release is the picture quality, its sharp, vivid colors, simply amazing. :) If you are looking for something to run as a demo on your new HDTV, this is the one. :)

I played it on my PS3 in 720p, its just great.

Surprise, surprise.......2007-01-24

Whoa! This is a surprisingly good movie! Though based on a mishmash of actual events, the mishmash presented here works well. No, an American soldier was not sent to Japan to train the emperor's soldiers so that they could better fight the remaining samurai loyal to the dying Tokugawa regime. The man that Cruise's character is based on actually went to China, not Japan, or so I'm told (read The Devil Soldier by Caleb Carr). However, when the emperor took over Japan, after 264 years of the Tokugawa, shogunate-controlled Japan, there really were samurai that refused to abandon their way of life and philosophy. The samurai were not only warriors, but owners of a rich and complex philosophy and way of life that has been shunned by many modern Japanese (and picked up by Japanese mafia to some extent!) Many refer to the shogunate control of Japan as short-lived, which is interesting considering that the Tokugawa government lasted longer that America has so far! The Last Samurai is a surprisingly rich film, containing accurate portrayals of sword technique, mixed with hand-to-hand jiu jitsu, which is a martial art that real samurai practiced. The show is almost stolen by Hiroyuki Sanada, a Japanese actor who was one of Sonny Chiba's protégés. He was the star of Twilight Samurai, which is simply one of the greatest samurai films of all time. Sanada and Cruise have a slight rivalry going on, and the scene in which they confront each other with wooden swords (kendo swords) is one of the high points of the entire film. Watch and enjoy this heart-breaking film about a dying way of life. If you like it, then also check out When the Last Sword is Drawn, which is a Japanese film about the same events, made the very same year as The Last Samurai!

Average customer rating:

Cinematic bliss
beautiful epic......
Ran - a masterpiece by the master
Seriously pales in comparison with his earlier work.
A Masterwork By A Master Artist

Ran - Criterion Collection
Starring: Tatsuya Nakadai , Akira Terao , Jinpachi Nezu , Daisuke Ryu , and Mieko Harada
Director: Akira Kurosawa
Manufacturer: Criterion Collection
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000BB14YY
Release Date: 2005-11-22

Amazon.com essential video

As critic Roger Ebert observed in his original review of Ran, this epic tragedy might have been attempted by a younger director, but only the Japanese master Akira Kurosawa, who made the film at age 75, could bring the requisite experience and maturity to this stunning interpretation of Shakespeare's King Lear. It's a film for the ages--one of the few genuine screen masterpieces--and arguably serves as an artistic summation of the great director's career. In this version of the Shakespeare tragedy, the king is a 16th-century warlord (Tatsuya Nakadai as Lord Hidetora) who decides to retire and divide his kingdom evenly among his three sons. When one son defiantly objects out of loyalty to his father and warns of inevitable sibling rivalry, he is banished and the kingdom is awarded to his compliant siblings. The loyal son's fears are valid: a duplicitous power struggle ensues and the aging warlord witnesses a maelstrom of horrifying death and destruction. Although the film is slow to establish its story, it's clear that Kurosawa, who planned and painstakingly designed the production for 10 years before filming began, was charting a meticulous and tightly formalized dramatic strategy. As familial tensions rise and betrayal sends Lord Hidetora into the throes of escalating madness, Ran (the title is the Japanese character for "chaos" or "rebellion") reaches a fever pitch through epic battles and a fortress assault that is simply one of the most amazing sequences on film. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

Cinematic bliss.......2007-07-02

This is the ultimate classic by Akira Kurosawa. Here the brilliant director closes out his illustrious career with the most grandest of achievements. He spent a decade in the production of this beautifully noble piece, and it definitely doesn't disappoint.
Ran (loosely translated as chaos or rebellion) is a harrowing account of the ruination of humanity, in many regards. Kurosawa paints a dazzling portrait of this occurring within a family of warlords. With a dark sort of elegance he quickly builds momentum, as the father tells his three sons he is handing over control of his vast armies to them.
This immediately causes concerns and quarrels amongst the siblings, which eventually erupts into a bloody war. And believe me, this spectacular fight scene has got to be one of the most incredible moments in movie history. I was blown away! I quickly compared it to Speilberg's grand war scene early in Saving Private Ryan. There are so many similarities, with all the bloodshed and chaos. There also is a moment where a warrior was holding his severed arm during battle, exactly like in that WWII film. So I'm pretty sure Mr. Speilberg was heavily influenced by this movie.
Another reason this entire scene sticks out in my mind is the musical score playing during the fighting. There are no other sounds, just the composition and the horrific images. It is so entrancing! Then the music is abruptly consumed by the sound of bullets, one of which connects and kills one of the brothers.
Man, I'm telling you, this is one of the most impressive moments I've ever seen in any movie. The plot then continues with heavy themes of family, loss, betrayal, greed, and compassion.
So, as you can tell, I'm in love with this movie. BIG TIME. I would strongly reccommend you indulge yourself in this masterpiece.

beautiful epic.............2007-07-02

RAN, directed by Akira Kurosawa in 1985 at the age of seventy-five, is truly an amazing and soaring film masterpiece. The gorgeous cinematography looked like it was lifted directly out of 16th century Japanese screens. What's more, the numerous instances of violence, interspersed with fabulously well-acted scenes, are so beautiful, sylistically, they look more like seamlessly choreographed [and very violent] dance interludes. The colors (reds, yellows, blues) all glow as if from another world.

RAN (English translation: WRETCHEDNESS) is a Japanese version of Shakespeare's KING LEAR, and Kurosawa brilliantly interweaves the original plot [of family inheritance and betrayal] with his own examination of family loyalty and deception. The Great Lord Hidetora (Tatsuya Nakadai), ascending into his declining years, decides to divide his kingdom into three parts, between his three sons, Taro (Akira Terao), Jiro (Jinpachi Nezu), and Saburo (Daisuke Ryu). While the two older heirs, Taro and Jiro, proceed to bestow false praise on him, only to deceive him later, his youngest, Saburo, warns him, early in the story, of the grim reality of human deception [particularly the deception that his brothers are luring his father with]. In anger, Hidetora throws Saburo out of the kingdom for being insolent and disrespectful. Unfortunately, the young man's observations ring true when his brothers attempt to completely drive their father out of the kingdom and assert total domination of his estate. This drives their elderly father into complete insanity.

Ultimately, this is a very tragic story, but it is beautifully told in such a way that you are left with a great appreciation of the majesty of the beautiful aesthetics, the great acting, and even moments of great, unbridled humor. Particularly, Hidetora's fool, Kyoami (Shiinnosuke "Peter" Ikehata") breaks the tensions of this tragic tale with little songs and dances [before the real violence erupts, of course, and then he is running for his life along wiht Hidetora and Saburo]. This film has been compared with SEVEN SAMURAI as one of Kurosawa's best works of all time. I would agree that it is one of the best ones. Both films are exemplary for different reasons. While RAN utilized color, light and dramatic intensity in depicting this violent portrait of the downfall of a royal family, SEVEN SAMURAI masterfully showcased cutting edge camera tricks, shadow and light [to give the ILLUSION that it was shot in color], as well as wonderful acting.

As a final note, this wonderful film which was the recipient of many film awards (including an Academy Award for Best Foreign Film) is rated R for a very good reason. As I said before, it is very violent and bloody (this includes a decapitation, scenes of combat with bows and arrows sticking out of people's backs, eyes, legs and other appendages, and gunfire) and there is a scene of suggested sex. Nevertheless, the scenes of numerous fatal battle scenes are filmed so beautifully that they truly are in a class by themselves. A gorgeous soundtrack envelops the sounds of excessive bloodshed, early on, and it is almost hypnotic to watch. Don't miss out on this amazing work of cinematic art.

Ran - a masterpiece by the master.......2007-06-18

The film has been around as an arthouse favourite for years but this new dvd version add so much - full interviews and background makes the film come to life. This legendary director deservedly carries the title as a Master in Japan and should have been declared a Living Treasure in his lifetime.
I am going to order the other movies by the master as well!

Seriously pales in comparison with his earlier work........2007-06-17

Kurosawa used theatricality as a crutch in his late works. Ran is best viewed as an exercise in No drama taken to Hollywood levels. As such, it is tedious but interesting.

A Masterwork By A Master Artist.......2007-06-09

Born in 1910 Japan, Akira Kurosawa first studied painting before moving into film in the late 1930s. A well-known director in Japan throughout the 1940s, his 1950 production of RASHOMON launched him to international acclaim--and throughout the remainder of his long career he was widely acknowledged as among the world's greatest film directors, the creator of such films as THE SEVEN SAMURAI, THRONE OF BLOOD, and YOJIMBO. Released in 1985, RAN would be among his final films and is generally felt to be among his finest.

Kurosawa often borrowed plot lines from Western literature, and with RAN--the Japanese word translates loosely as chaos--he lifted the basic story from William Shakespeare's KING LEAR. In Kurosawa's retelling, the Lord Hidetora Ichimonji (Tatsuya Nakadai) divides his kingdom between three sons: Taro (Akira Terao), Jiro (Jinpachi Nezu) and Saburo (Daisuke Ryu). When youngest son Saburo upbraids his father for foolishness, Hidetora banishes him--only to find Taro and Jiro turning against him just as Saburo predicted. Kurosawa shapes the Shakespearean story to 16th Century Japan, so it would be easy to belabor comparison with the original; at the same time, however, it is worth pointing out that he actually captures the story more effectively than any western filmmaker has to date.

As in many Kurosawa films, RAN alternates moments of great stillness with rapacious action, enclosed spaces with wide vistas. In stillness, the film focuses upon its actors and their intrigues--perhaps most notably the perfidious Lady Kaede, a truly dark character frighteningly realized by actress Mieko Harada. Indeed, all the cast is remarkably fine. But the great centerpiece, and the great performance, of the film is Tatsuya Nakadai's Lord Hidetora, whose mixture of good intention and folly leads first to humiliation and then to madness. Perhaps the single most stunning moment of the film occurs when Hidetora, betrayed by his sons, walks down the tower steps of the third castle following a vicious battle. It is difficult to imagine many actors who could perform such a scene; it is equally difficult to imagine many directors who could stage it.

Few directors are able to convey the sense of chaos, destruction, and fear with which Kurosawa endows battle scenes, and RAN is no exception. There are several, and the battle of the third castle (in which Hidetora is bested by sons Taro and Jiro) is easily among the finest battle sequences of Kurosawa's career. Presented without any sound except a simple, eloquent music score, flash-cutting between different groups in the struggle, the result is a unique mixture of beauty and horror--and in my opinion unequaled by any other film I've seen.

It should be noted that RAN, unlike RASHOMON, THRONE OF BLOOD, YOJIMBO and many other Kurosawa films, is in color. I have long been used to the remarkable shading of Kurosawa's black and white films, and I missed it--but only for a moment. Kurosawa proves no less adept in color than in black and white, and RAN's use of color is remarkable. For this reason I particularly recommend the Criterion Collection edition of the film over any other; it is very fine. But regardless of the particular version, this is a film which must be seen by any one who appreciates Asian or world cinema, truly a masterwork by a great master.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

Average customer rating:

Godzilla-Final Wars...
A modern classic Godzilla film.
Disappointed Godzilla Fan
This movie is the worst!
Godzilla is still the king

Godzilla - Final Wars
Starring: Don Frye , Masakatsu Funaki , Masatô Ibu , Shigeru Izumiya , and Rei Kikukawa
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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