Spring & Chaos

Starring:ShirÃ´ Sano, Mariko Kouda, Chikao Ã”tsuka, Heather Smith (VI), Neil Maclean, Karen Vered, Ronald Scovil Jr., Ron Jaxson, Susan Jaget, James Klein (II), Elissa Sarna, Victor Chin, Kirk Durham, Herb Mendelson, Janathan Funk, Jenny Subjack, Susan Isaacs, Wendell Kimsell
Director: Stuart J. Levy, ShÃ´ji Kawamori
Studio: Tokyopop Pictures
Product Type: DVD

Customer Reviews:

It doesn't get any better than this!.......2005-11-12

I would almost say that the music in this picture is superfluous...but, then again, we are talking about Judy Garland. Judy never looked more beautiful than she does in this movie. She plays an aspiring actress and she is bursting with charisma. Her chemistry with Van Heflin, especially in the scene at the party, is nearly overwhelming. For a girl of just 19 (in the picture) she easily manages to wrap Van around her little finger, and any viewer will certainly go right along with him; man or woman. We get to see Lily, and Judy along with her, mature and blossom throughout the picture. I daren't say this is my favorite of Judy's pictures, or even her MGM pictures; how can a girl choose just one? That said, Presenting Lily Mars is in the top five. And her hair! Don't get me started...

Elvis Lives- The 25th Anniversary Concert "Live" From Memphis (DVD Jewel Case)

Average customer rating:

Fabulous concert
First time I saw Elvis perform!
The Legend Carries On
Elvis - 25th Anniversary Concert
Elvis Lives

Elvis Lives- The 25th Anniversary Concert "Live" From Memphis (DVD Jewel Case)
Starring: Elvis Presley
Manufacturer: Spring House / EMI
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Music Video & Concerts | Genres | DVD | Video

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

Elvis Live
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Elvis Lives: The 25th Anniversary Concert "Live" From Memphis (DVD Amaray)

ASIN: B000MX7TVS
Release Date: 2007-03-06

Customer Reviews:

Fabulous concert.......2007-06-27

We were Elvis fans as far back as the 50's and this DVD makes us wish we had gone to one of his concerts. This is a smart, most enjoyable concert. We never thought that watching folks our age performing Elvis numbers could possibly be so much fun; and the finale is off-the-charts great. Having Elvis's voice and huge-screen image at the concert was a magnificent master stroke. Recommend it for everyone with a pulse.

First time I saw Elvis perform!.......2007-06-08

I'm not born in his era, and I bought this DVD for a love one who is agreat fan of his. We watched it together. This was the first time I saw Elvis perform. He is so soulful. He sings with his heart. I love him! They projected him up on a screen above the stage singing (from a previous concert in the 70's) and the actual people who were with him during that partuclar time are all on the stage. So you see band and back up singers when they were younger and on stage current time. They are performing in front of a live audience, so it looks like Elvis is singing with them currntly which makes it look like he's still alive because it looks so current. You will love this DVD! Now I'm anxious to get more Elvis DVDs from amazon!

The Legend Carries On.......2007-05-13

I very much enjoyed this documentary of 'The King'. Knowing the infamous Aloha concert so well, this exciting production made that performance even better. What's different is numerous camera angles during the concert, then & now images of all the previous band and back up singers. Of course there are special features which make it even more interesting. Interviews and discussion on the fine tuning that went into the making of this anniversary concert. Oh yes and there is footage from two other concerts also. It captures the magic and the passion one man had for his love of music.

Elvis - 25th Anniversary Concert.......2007-05-13

Besides the songs being so great to listen to, this DVD was exceptionally wonderful because it showed pictures of Elvis in his younger days with his band and then it would show the band members today with the Elvis impersonator. I think they did a nice job on this DVD.

Elvis Lives.......2007-05-10

The blending of the current TCB band with the footage from over 25 years ago is an awesome effect. Elvis is still Takin' Care of Business!

The Errol Flynn Signature Collection, Vol. 2 (The Charge of the Light Brigade / Gentleman Jim / The Adventures of Don Juan / The Dawn Patrol / Dive Bomber)

Average customer rating:

Errol Flynn the Swashbuckler
Not quite as impressive as Signature Collection, Vol. 1...
Pleasures revisited
A Must for Flynn Fans
Errol Flynn at his best!

The Errol Flynn Signature Collection, Vol. 2 (The Charge of the Light Brigade / Gentleman Jim / The Adventures of Don Juan / The Dawn Patrol / Dive Bomber)
Starring: Errol Flynn , Olivia de Havilland , Patric Knowles , Henry Stephenson , and Nigel Bruce
Director: Michael Curtiz , Raoul Walsh , and Vincent Sherman
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Classics | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Signature Collections | Classics | Genres | DVD | Video

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( E ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
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James Cagney - The Signature Collection (The Bride Came C.O.D. / Captains of the Clouds / The Fighting 69th / Torrid Zone / The West Point Story)
Robert Mitchum - The Signature Collection (Angel Face / Macao / The Sundowners / Home from the Hill / The Good Guys and the Bad Guys / The Yakuza)

ASIN: B000M2E31I
Release Date: 2007-03-27

Amazon.com

The best-known of Errol Flynn's movies are already out there on DVD, so surely there can't be much left over to keep the second volume of the Errol Flynn Signature Collection from being an anticlimax. Except it's not. The new boxed set includes a splendid historical adventure, two aviation movies impressive in different ways, and a late swashbuckler that operates as a droll gloss on the star's persona. Plus (wait for it...) it also contains the best movie Errol Flynn ever made, and very likely his best performance as well.

Let's take that last one first. Raoul Walsh's Gentleman Jim (1942) is a great, boisterous gift box of a movie, a high-spirited biopic of late-19th-century prizefighter James J. Corbett. The setting is San Francisco in the Gay '90s, with Flynn/Corbett starting out as a brash, egotistical bank teller fast with his mouth and light on his feet. Given a chance to crash high society, he becomes a pugilist for the amusement of the nabobs, then sets out on a boxing career that will bring him glove-to-glove with the Great John L. ... Sullivan, that is, and portrayed with Walshian gusto by Ward Bond. Gentleman Jim is fragrant with period atmosphere, exhilarating in its feeling for space and back-slapping human contact, and so big-hearted and exuberant that it finally invites the audience right into the film. Alexis Smith--as a socialite who ribs Corbett mercilessly--and Flynn conduct a strikingly egalitarian mating duel. The supporting cast includes Jack Carson, Alan Hale, and the epically grumpy William Frawley, and the whirlwind montages are by future director Don Siegel. This is great fun--and a masterpiece to boot.

The adventure movie is The Charge of the Light Brigade (1936), Flynn's second star vehicle in Hollywood. A step up in scale and gloss from Captain Blood, this Michael Curtiz picture is historical poppycock but thrilling spectacle, with exotic doings in India and Asia Minor building to the horrendous siege of Chukoti, then a lateral move to the Crimea for the big Tennyson finish every perennial schoolboy in the audience has been waiting for. The Flynn of this swashbuckler-one-step-removed isn't the buoyant and boyish fellow we expect; he even comes in second to fellow Bengal Lancer (and dull brother) Patric Knowles for the heart of Olivia De Havilland. But he wears nobility well, and there's genuine tenderness in his performance. The camerawork and editing of the Charge will lift your heart rate, and the large supporting cast includes Donald Crisp, Nigel Bruce, Spring Byington, C. Henry Gordon, and Flynn pal David Niven.

Niven and Flynn are together again in The Dawn Patrol (1938), a memorable WWI tale of British airmen flying perilous missions in flimsy planes, and the flight commanders who have to send them out to do it. Basil Rathbone (in a rare departure from villainy in a Flynn movie) plays the tortured commandant whom hotshot Flynn will be obliged to succeed. Although this is the Dawn Patrol most people know, it's actually the remake of a 1930 Howard Hawks classic. The original has a starker feel (inseparable from its early-talkie creakiness), as if its airbase were at the edge of the known world. The more up-to-date Flynn version, directed by Edmund Goulding, is smoother entertainment, with a stronger supporting cast--but all the flying footage is from Hawks's movie.

The other aviation drama is Dive Bomber (1941), a big hit just before America's entry into WWII. Flynn plays it more sober than usual (no pun intended) as a Navy flight surgeon helping to lick the challenge of high-altitude sickness. There's no good reason for the movie to last 132 minutes, and both the macho griping of aviator Fred MacMurray and the garish treatment of the peripheral females (including Alexis Smith in her first featured role) get tiresome. But these are worth enduring for the breathtaking flight scenes in vivid Technicolor--which looks every bit as great as it must have in 1941. Director Michael Curtiz, in what would be his last film with Flynn, even sets up the ground scenes to include low-altitude flyovers.

The Adventures of Don Juan (1948), made near the end of Flynn's Warner years, is a footnote to the star's swashbuckling legacy and a not-very-inside joke on his reputation as real-life Don Juan; the picture is at least as interested in eliciting chuckles as serving up thrills. Director Vincent Sherman lacked the brio of Curtiz and the gusto of Walsh, but he ably steers the actor past self-parody to a reasonably graceful performance. Again, the real excitement is the ultra-radiant Technicolor--a perhaps inadvertent result of veteran film noir cameraman Woody Bredell lighting the movie as though he were still working that black-and-white territory. Viveca Lindfors supplies urbane love interest as the Queen of Spain, and Robert Douglas stands in for Basil Rathbone as villain-in-chief.

Consistent with previous Warner practice, all but one of the features in Volume 2 come packaged with a "Warner Night at the Movies" set of shorts: cartoons, comedy shorts, trailers for contemporaneous WB movies, and sometimes newsreels. The disc of Gentleman Jim also includes an audio-only bonus, a radio reenactment featuring Flynn and costars Alexis Smith and Ward Bond. Probably because of its two-hour-plus running time, Dive Bomber is accompanied only by its trailer and a brief documentary, in which historian Rudy Behlmer shares a choice anecdote about Mike Curtiz attempting to direct airplanes. Unfortunately, of Flynn and his various directors, only Vincent Sherman was still available to do a commentary track (on Adventures of Don Juan, which also includes Behlmer commentary); Sherman passed away in 2006 at the age of 99. --Richard T. Jameson

Studio description

Includes The Charge of the Light Brigade (1936), Gentleman Jim (1942), The Adventures of Don Juan (1948), The Dawn Patrol (1938), and Dive Bomber (1941).

Customer Reviews:

Errol Flynn the Swashbuckler.......2007-06-26

Flynn had always been a favorite of mine when I was growing up. He was so great as a pirate, pilot, or whatever he took on as a role. I bought this collection primarily for "Dawn Patrol." As a retired fighter pilot, Vietnam and earlier era, all of us pilots watched Dawn Patrol while on air defense alert. I still feel that this movie catches the dilemma of being a pilot and then being a commander that has to send his pilots up to die. Much the same as in Twelve O'Clock High and Command Decision, the commanders all had the same experiences. The cast in this one is outstanding: Errol Flynn, Basil Rathbone, David Niven (another favorite actor of mine), Barry Sullivan, Donald Crisp, and on.. all wonderful! The experience level of the young pilots when they arrived for combat was horrendously low, accounting for their short-lived careers. If any one of them could survive a few weeks, gained experience, and did not get shot down, they stood a chance of getting a lot of missions. Some didn't make it past the first day! Good aerial combat scenes for the technology at the time. Special effects nowadays produce stunning aerial scenes as in the current movie "Flyboys." I liked Flyboys, but Dawn Patrol is still the best. The devil-may-care attitude of these young fighter pilots was one of the reasons I chose to go into the Air Force when I became of age.

This is a great study of the stresses of command and the responsibilities that come with it. I look forward to watching the rest of the movies in the collection.

Not quite as impressive as Signature Collection, Vol. 1..........2007-06-08

A nice treat for ERROL FLYNN fans, but a bit disappointing when compared to the Signature Collection No. 1 which featured better special features and more intriguing commentaries than are offered here.

The major assets here are three Flynn films that have stood the test of time very well--THE CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE (teaming him with his favorite leading lady Olivia de Havilland and a sterling British cast); THE ADVENTURES OF DON JUAN directed with taste and style with a robust sense of humor by Vincent Sherman who also does some light narration; and GENTLEMAN JIM which features one of Flynn's most satisfying performances in a top-notch production directed by Raoul Walsh and featuring a wonderful supporting role by Ward Bond as John L. Sullivan.

Other than that, THE DAWN PATROL, while interesting as an early Flynn vehicle co-starring him with David Niven, is not quite up to classic status with its stock footage from the earlier version; and DIVE BOMBER, while it looks gorgeous in Technicolor, is way below par as a story of flight surgeons working on methods to control altitude problems for pilots battling black-outs due to cockpit pressures in 1941.

The extra features are just "okay" but nothing to get excited about. Flynn does prove in DAWN PATROL and GENTLEMAN JIM that he was a much better actor than critics ever acknowledged and his fans will certainly enjoy his work here.

ALEXIS SMITH is gorgeous in the Technicolored DIVE BOMBER, although her role is very peripheral, and does extremely well as his sweetheart in GENTLEMAN JIM.

And, of course, it's nice to see such a pristine print of THE CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE which features Flynn and Patric Knowles as brothers in love with the same young lady (Olivia de Havilland) and a cast that includes Donald Crisp, Spring Byington, David Niven and Nigel Bruce.

Sharp-eyed fans will notice that THE ADVENTURES OF DON JUAN includes some footage from both ROBIN HOOD and ELIZABETH AND ESSEX for filler material, but the footage is blended in remarkably well and the DON JUAN film has been given the lavish Technicolor treatment Warner Bros. bestowed on those earlier films.

A nice package, but far from perfect.

Pleasures revisited.......2007-05-18

These handsome DVD transfers confirm opinions held in some cases over 50 years. "Don Juan", while not as brilliant as some Technicolor restorations (Adventures of Robin Hood, Wizard of Oz) looks gorgeous, and the tongue-in-cheek commentary by 90 years plus director Vince Sherman confirms the impression of super teamwork at the always economical Warner studio of those days.

"Gentleman Jim" is one of Raoul Walsh's delightful sentimental comedies, and not surprisingly one of Flynn's own favourites. "Light Brigade" is a brilliant print , and far more spectacular than remembered - and what a cast. Mike Curtiz has his usual fun with battle scenes and spectacle, and the only black mark is for cruel treatment of the horses in the charge scene. "Dawn Patrol" is superbly cast and scripted, and directed with great flair by the often overlooked Edmund Goulding, settled into Warner's after being fired by Louis B Mayer, and doing a wonderful job on uncharacteristic material. Goulding's efforts are only a little spoiled by the poor special effects re-used from The 1930 Howard Hawks version, but the aerial battles stand up well. Flynn shows he really is an actor, magnificently supported by Rathbone, Niven and the ever-reliable Donald Crisp. Those were the days...

"Dive Bomber" is the least of the bunch, but no Curtiz picture is entirely without interest, and early Technicolor continues to be a revelation.

A great set, with the usual nutty extra features, Vitaphone shorts, newsreels, Merrie Melodies and so forth. Great entertainment, with Flynn at his considerable best.

A Must for Flynn Fans.......2007-05-15

This set is worth owning for "The Adventures of Don Juan" alone. Flynn was the best swashbuckler ever. He makes the following believable: "...There is a little Don Juan in every man. Since I am Don Juan, there is a little more in me." Picture and sound across the board are excellent. The set gives you 5 films at approximately a 50% reduction from the individual price. Each film includes extras. An outstanding product at a very good price.

Errol Flynn at his best!.......2007-05-15

This box set is a terrific addition to any film collection. Featuring 5 Flynn films, it picks up where the previous box set leaves off. Unfortunately, it doesn't feature the Warner Night at the Movies segment with Leonard Maltin like the first box set but it does have many extras such as cartoons and short subjects. I believe that all 5 of these films have been released on VHS at some point. I would like to see some of Flynn's lesser known (and previously unreleased on VHS) films be included in a Volume 3 some day. Wishful thinking, perhaps.

Average customer rating:

High Society
High Society DVD - Great Video
musicals
fun and classy
High Society

High Society
Starring: Bing Crosby , Grace Kelly , Frank Sinatra , Celeste Holm , and John Lund
Director: Charles Walters , and Tex Avery
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B00008AOWO
Release Date: 2003-04-22

Description

This witty, musical version of The Philadelphia Story stars Bing Crosby, Grace Kelly, Frank Sinatra, and the jazz master himself, Louis Armstrong, playing the hottest trumpet in the land. Year: 1956 Director: Charles Waters Starring: Bing Crosby, Grace Kelly, Frank Sinatra, Louis Armstrong

Customer Reviews:

High Society.......2007-04-03

I loved this film. The acting was better than many of the musicals I have, and it has some of the greatest singers of all time. The weakest acting was by Grace Kelly. I have several of her films and felt she was utilized for her extreme beauty and grace more than her acting ability. I think she made a better princess. However, musically you don't get better than Bing Crosby or Frank Sinatra, and the great Satchmo, Louis Armstrong...Wow! The story was based on a previous 1930's movie, "The Philadelphia Story" only it was moved geographically to Newport, RI. I feel this was a good choice, but then I lived in the Newport area for 20 years and there was a little nostalgia in it for me. I have seen this movie many times over, and I will see it over again. It's one you won't tire of. If they could have worked in some Gene Kelly or Fred Astaire dances, it could have been even better.

High Society DVD - Great Video .......2007-03-17

This is one of my wife's favorite movies and our VHS tape had faded. This DVD replaced it with clearer video, excellent sound, non-fade media and many extras. A very good value.

musicals.......2007-01-10

recently saw a play based on this movie and wanted to see how it compared with the movie. They were both good and remined us of the earlier days of movie making ,esp musicals.

fun and classy.......2006-11-10

This movie has class and is true entertainment. A romantic story which has one of hollywoods most beautiful legends, Grace Kelly. Grace and Bing remind of the days I miss.

High Society.......2006-11-10

Grace Kelly, Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, Louis Armstrong- the Philadelphia Story done one better with a jazz beat, "True Love" is the song of the movie, and describes it perfectly.

Elvis Lives: The 25th Anniversary Concert "Live" From Memphis (DVD Amaray)

Average customer rating:

Elvis Lives
Great Elvis Show!
Elvis! Should be a 7 star rating.
incredible, simply incredible
The King in concert.

Elvis Lives: The 25th Anniversary Concert "Live" From Memphis (DVD Amaray)
Starring: Elvis Presley
Director: Carey Goin
Manufacturer: Spring House / EMI
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

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

General | Music Video & Concerts | Genres | DVD | Video

( E ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
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Elvis Lives- The 25th Anniversary Concert "Live" From Memphis (DVD Jewel Case)

ASIN: B000IHYXS0
Release Date: 2007-03-06

Customer Reviews:

Elvis Lives.......2007-07-04

Great DVD of a great show! In some ways better than the original concerts on DVD (audio best there is).

Great Elvis Show!.......2007-05-14

I was very surprised to see how this show was produced. You actually had the feeling of being at a real Elvis show! Having live singers and performers was truely unique. For those of us not fortunate enough to have seen Elvis in person, this show gave us a brief glimpse at how the experience must have felt!

Elvis! Should be a 7 star rating........2007-05-12

If you have not bought this and are awaiting a bit of information that "tips the balance" then my recommendation is DO NOT FAIL YOURSELF! BUY THIS SUPERB DVD".
I know this is one of those that will get played and played and played. Some of the tracks were so thrilling it was like discovering Elvis all over again. GO for this one if your a fan of the King. Buy it for a friend or loved one who is a fan. Buy it for yourself to find out why people are fans of Elvis Presley. Rock ON!

incredible, simply incredible.......2007-05-08

I just love how the Elvis' original live performance was fused with the original band members who were live on stage. The sound quality was excellent and Elvis' voice tracks actually sounded as if he were singing along with the live band.

The King in concert........2007-05-07

My wife and I first saw this DVD on PBS and enjoyed how it was put together. Any fan of Elvis will really want to get this DVD.

Average customer rating:

Not nearly as good as the book
Where The Red Fern Grows
It was pretty good.
where the red fern grows!!!!!!
Where the Red Fern Grows was annoying

Where the Red Fern Grows
Starring: Joseph Ashton , Dabney Coleman , Ned Beatty , Dave Matthews , and Renee Faia
Director: Sam Pillsbury , and Lyman Dayton
Manufacturer: Walt Disney Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

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All Disney Titles | Disney Home Entertainment | Stores | DVD | Video

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Where the Red Fern Grows II
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Summer of the Monkeys

ASIN: B0002S64VO
Release Date: 2004-12-21

Amazon.com

Based on Wilson Rawls's 1961 novel of the same name, Where the Red Fern Grows is the touching story of a 12-year-old, Ozark mountain boy (Joseph Ashton) who wants a dog so badly he performs odd jobs for months and saves enough to get two hunting hounds. Just as he hoped, the dogs usher in a period of golden adventure and happiness. Moreover, the pets prove profitable at awards shows and courageous while fending off danger from wild animals. No story about a farm boy and his best four-legged pals is complete, however, without sacrifice and ensuing wisdom; Where the Red Fern Grows has plenty of both. This 2003 feature is co-directed by the original 1974 film's producer and screenwriter, Lyman Dayton, and while it is both efficient and emotionally effective, one might have expected this second go-round to be a bit more deeply felt. Supporting performances by Dabney Coleman and Kris Kristofferson are commendable, while Dave Matthews (yes, that Dave Matthews) has a sweet presence as the hero's kind father. --Tom Keogh

Description

"The Roots of a Classic" - Explore the story's journey from book to film through interviews with the author's wife and filmmakers. "Lights, Camera, Animals" - See how the film's animal stars were "discovered" and trained for their roles.

Customer Reviews:

Not nearly as good as the book.......2007-02-28

This book lacks so much in emotion and drama. Whereas I cried my eyes out in the book (every time I read it), I didn't even come close in the movie. They left out so many important things. I HATE how they changed the hunt. That was one of the best parts of the novel. I got this to show to my fifth grade class. They agree the book was so much better!

Where The Red Fern Grows.......2006-08-26

Billy Coleman's dream is to have 'coon hounds, but his family is too poor to buy them for him, so he works hard to earn the money himself, and in so doing finds out what his Grandpa meant by "meeting God halfway". Old Dan and Little Anne are two Red Bone coonhounds, the incarnation of his childhood dream . . . and, as it turns out, the answere to his mother's prayers that God would take their family to a place where her childred could go to school, and to church, and build themselves a future. Billy is a good kid, and this movie is something the whole family can watch together and enjoy. To families with small children, I would reccomend this new version by Walt Disney over the older version. There is a sad part where a boy named Rubin falls on a hunting axe and dies, and another part where a Puma fights with Old Dan and injures him. In this newer version, these parts are soft-soaped, whereas in the older version, they can really freak you out. To adults and older children, I would reccomend the older version. The story just draws you in in a way this new one doesn't. The charactors have more depth, and the acting is convincing in such a way as to make you forget it IS acting. How interesting that even some of the kids who reviewed this movie seemed to notice the false note, and the dependancy on hill-billy music to achieve a feeling of authenticity . . . This younger generation is nobody's fool.

It was pretty good........2006-08-22

When I watched this movie,I cannot say I was moved.The lines were basically like the older one.But alot of mood and things were diffrent.I did not sense a strong bond between Billy Coleman and his coon dogs as I did in the older one.But in some other ways it was better.It was more family orientated and the acting and lines was performed well.

where the red fern grows!!!!!!.......2006-08-10

Stuart Dickison did such an amazing job as Rubin Pritchard.He was in great shape and he was a very very good actor. And he had tons of expression. I just want to let Stuart Dickison know that im proud of him. In the book they desribed Rubin as "mean,dirty,cruel" but in the movie Rubin was a sweetheart:) He's my favourite character in the movie! It was so sad when he fell on the ax, his funeral music was so sad:( Stuart you did such a great job, im proud of you, to me your the star actor:)

Your number one fan
Laken:)

P.S It's for my pa all right:)

Where the Red Fern Grows was annoying.......2006-02-22

Where the Red Fern Grows Review By Amelia Solano, period 6

Movies that are based on books usually have to leave out or change scenes or characters. For the readers of the book leaving out the smallest character, or changing the way somebody dresses could make them leave the theatre very annoyed. Where the Red fern Grows, being a novel based movie, had many scenes and characters left out. The movie itself was good, but it was not true to the book.

Where the Red Fern Grows did have take out and change many characters for the movie to be a reasonable length. Sammy the cat was not included but that is understandable, for he did not have a very important role in the book. The one thing that annoyed me and many other readers most was the change in the dogs. Old Dan and Little Ann, Billy's dogs, were to have shared a special bond with Billy and have distinctive personalities. Old Dan being aggressive and Little Ann being clever were some traits that I did not see in his movie. The two dogs wouldn't hunt with any other person but Billy, and there was a very strong connection between him and his dogs. I do not feel that the dogs in this movie really cared for Billy and they were just ordinary dogs that knew how to kill raccoons.

In every book there are a few scenes that are added to give a certain effect, or exaggerate a characters feeling. Naturally, directors leave these scenes out to make that movie enjoyable rather that boring. Directors might change scenes too to help with the story line. But the change in his movie did not really help the story line at all. At the end of the big coon-hunting tournament Billy is supposed to win first prize. In this movie somebody else wins, but gives Billy the trophy and the prize money. Billy was supposed to have won but the directors probably left it out because it would be too obvious. To me that is not a strong enough reason.

I know that movies have to change the story a little but this movie changed it a little too much for my liking. If you are considering watching this movie please rent it, for you shouldn't waste your money on a movie you will see once and then forget about.

Average customer rating:

"A Sense Of Our Own" ~ Apartheid And The Rise Of Black Consciousness In South Africa
..."As Men Strive For Right....."
magnificant
Freedomania
Heart rending

Cry Freedom
Starring: Josette Simon , Wabei Siyolwe , John Matshikiza , Juanita Waterman , and Evelyn Sithole
Director: Richard Attenborough
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

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

( C ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
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Amandla!: A Revolution in Four-Part Harmony

ASIN: 0783230532
Release Date: 1999-02-23

Amazon.com essential video

Sir Richard Attenborough (Gandhi) directs this semi-successful drama about the relationship between South African black activist Steven Biko and a sympathetic newspaper editor (Kevin Kline). Attenborough's typical sweep of the life and times of Biko is particularly rewarding in the first half of the film, but once the leader comes to his untimely end at the hands of white police, the story shifts entirely to Kline's character and the latter's efforts to escape the country with his family. That change is a tactical error in the script that robs the film of its initial power and makes the arguably unfortunate choice of emphasizing the destiny of a white character when Biko himself deserved an entire feature for his story and causes. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

"A Sense Of Our Own" ~ Apartheid And The Rise Of Black Consciousness In South Africa.......2007-01-27

Richard Attenborough's '87 release `Cry Freedom' is a classic retelling of the true account of the life and death of civil rights activist Steven Biko (Denziel Washington) and the valiant effort to tell his story to the world by newspaperman Donald Woods (Kevin Kline). The story and portrayals are poignant, riveting and thought provoking. This is a film that definitely belongs next to another Attenborough masterpiece in your DVD collection, `Gandi.'

..."As Men Strive For Right.....".......2006-10-25

Fresh from his 1983 Oscar triumph with the film, "Gandhi", director Richard Attenborough tackles the more timely topic of Apartheid in this stirring 1987 drama.
The always-spectacular Denzel Washington and Kevin Kline have the accents down pat in their lead roles as South African Freedom Fighter, Steven Biko, and journalist Donald Woods.
Washington's interpretation of Biko's dignity in the face of the vicious symbols of White authority is more than highly reminiscent of Ben Kingsley's performance in "Gandhi". It is marvelous to watch Washington and Kline interact with each other.
The story begins as dawn arises over a desperately impoverished township in the 1970s. Despite their marginalized existance in their own land, the Black Africans have a certain dignity about them, which makes them truly noble.
Soon, whatever calm existed amid the squalor is shattered by armoured cars of the White South African police, who maraud the township, and attack the innocent, unarmed occupants in a moment that evokes pure outrage.
We meet the White South African journalist destined to help turn the country around while hearing an inaccurate narrative of the events in the aforementioned township, as printed in the "Daily Dispatch", for which Woods is the editor.
Donald Woods, whose family had lived in South Africa for five generations, considers himself a liberal where the issue of Apartheid is concerned. But his path in life begins to change when one Dr. Ramphele (an exotically beautiful, and beautifully spoken Josette Simon) courageously arrives at Woods' office to personally express displeasure about about the paper's commentary about her friend, Steven Biko, and personally invites Woods to meet him.
Woods is led to a community center for Blacks where Biko's wife, Ntsiki (Juanita Waterman), with her beautiful son, Nkosanthi (George Lovell) in tow, escorts him to a shady area of a yard, where her banned husband can first be viewed in silhouette behind he leaves of a tree.
We see the contrast in Woods' own life --his lovely home in an affluent suburb with his wife, Wendy (Penelope Wilton), five children(Kate Hardie as Jane, Graeme Taylor as Dillon, hamish Stuart Walker as Gavin Adam Stuart Walker as Duncan, and Spring Stuart Walker as Mary), maid Evilina(Sophie Mgcina), and dog, Charlie.
Biko takes Woods on a trip through the Black townships, and introduces him to those helping in the Resistance Movement, most notably, Father Kani(Zakes Mokae). Soon, Woods' photographer, Ken(Kevin McNally, who later appeared with Kline in "De-Lovely") is accompanying Woods and Biko to soccer games that turn into Black political meetings, despite Steve's being a banned person, and both ken and Donald bravely join Biko in his quest to end Apartheid. Soon, Woods is facing he same risks as Biko as he brings Blacks to work in his news room to report the news about the Black community more accurately.
A raid on the Black community center led by one Captain De Wet (Timothy West) prompts Woods to speak with Pretoria's High Commissioner, James Kruger (John Thaw), which does more harm than good, as the police begin to harass Woods' family.
In the meantime, Biko continues to deny White authorities, practicing his belief in his own freedom and his right to travel wherever he wants to in his own land.
Tragically, the law catches up to Biko, and when he is beaten to death by the South African police-- who claim he died during a hunger strike--Woods must expose the truth about what happened---not just locally, but before the whole world.
After attending the beautiful and moving ceremony that is Steven Biko's funeral, Woods learns that he is a banned person, as was Steven; he is sentenced to five years where he cannot write anything publically or privately, nor can he be in the company of more than one person at a time aside from those of his immediate family. He decides that his family must leave South Africa because a publishing company in London wants his story on Steve. His wife objects to this at first. But when the attacks against her family mount, including threatening phone calls, vandalism, and finally, the delivery of chemically contaminated T-shirts to the children, she agrees, and the family find ways around police surveillance to become the 1970s answer to the Von Trapp family, leaving behind a comfortable life under a racist regime from which they might have easily benefitted to convey the story of Biko's struggle to the world.
The scenes of the 1976 massacre of schoolchildren are brutal, but important, as is the lesson provided by this film about how racial injustice does not stay compartmentalized to those for whom it is intended.
Among those helping him reach Lesotho are his friend, Father Kani, at one point, the South African police themselves, as Woods is incognito, and later, there is even assistance from a fellow bearing the rather symbolic name of Moses (Joseph Marcell).
The family's departure from their troubled homeland is almost as triumphant as the onscreen portrayal of the Von Trapp's exodus from Hitler's Austria in "The Sound of Music", but trailed by a very solemn message of a then-still-existing problem in South Africa.
As a coda to this story, the film resulted in a lifelong friendship between the real Donald Woods and his portrayer.
Some may feel that the African actors should have had more screen time. But even so, with Washington's amiably dignified performance counterbalanced by Kline's scholarly and nuanced style, both actors can feel satisfied that the making of this film was among the most important two hours they ever spent onsceen.

magnificant .......2006-09-01

This movie makes you think about life and how black people in this 21st century is still crying for freedom.

Freedomania.......2006-07-22

Let it be admitted, it was the music by Van Gelis which prompted me to buy this DVD. I'm more than merely happy that it did. 'Tis a wonderful movie, but one which drew tears that mankind can be so deceitful and uncaring. A short time ago while doing voluntary work in Lincoln, UK., I found that I was linked with a fellow worker, whose home is in Ghana. She is now - at her request - my adoptive daughter and although home in Ghana, keeps in constant touch with me. We have learned to love each other, and, as I have told her, there is no "black and white" there is merely humanity.

Such an attitude is made clear in "Cry Freedom" as well as the understandable weakness that also exists and is displayed, initially, by the editor's wife, although later she makes a full recovery !

After watching the film, I looked up information concerning Donald Woods on the internet, and was saddened to learn he is no longer with us. The world is a poorer place --- as it is without the likes of Steve Biko, a wonderful man. God willing, this is the sort of film which will, in the future, make such things as vicious oppression and separation of the races an absolute impossibility. My parents were Irish, and I am fully aware of what oppression means. I am more than m,erely glad that I heard the music and felt impelled to see "Cry Freedom" - a wonderful film.

Mickeyfin.

Heart rending.......2006-06-26

Hollywood probably painted a better picture of the actual events, but the movie was an eye opener anyhow. A must see for anyone acutally interested in history of the world.

Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring

Average customer rating:

Crime and Punishment, Korean style
Cycle of Life
IN SEARCH OF ENLIGHTENMENT!
Ponderous
buddhist beauty

Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring
Starring: Min Choi , Yeo-jin Ha , Dae-han Ji , Jong-ho Kim (II) , and Jung-young Kim (II)
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
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ASIN: B0002J4X20
Release Date: 2004-09-07

Amazon.com

Working miracles with only a single set and a handful of characters, Korean director Kim Ki-Duk creates a wise little gem of a movie. As the title suggests, the action takes place in five distinct episodes, but sometimes many years separate the seasons. The setting is a floating monastery in a pristine mountain lake, where an elderly monk teaches a boy the lessons of life--although when the boy grows to manhood, he inevitably must learn a few hard lessons for himself. By the time the story reaches its final sections, you realize you have witnessed the arc of existence--not one person's life, but everyone's. It's as enchanting as a Buddhist fable, but it's not precious; Kim (maker of the notorious The Isle) consistently surprises you with a sex scene or an explosion of black comedy; he also vividly acts in the Winter segment, when the lake around the monastery eerily freezes. --Robert Horton

Customer Reviews:

Crime and Punishment, Korean style.......2007-06-18

The most striking feature of this film, is its great visual beauty. It can be enjoyed simply for that.

However, the story is of utmost importance. Other reviewers here have questioned the authenticity of the Buddhist principles as portrayed here. Not having anything but a superficial knowledge of Buddhism, I can't comment on that. The concept of guilt and punishment here may be different from those of Christians who go more for forgiveness. These are all interesting subjects for discussion. The only thing I had a problem with was the death of the old monk. Mostly I held these philosophical questions in abeyance and simply enjoyed the film. There's plenty to like, even if you don't understand or agree with all of the points.

Cycle of Life.......2007-04-24

Easily one of the best films of that year, or previous year, or any year, "Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter...and Spring" is a tale of "cycle of life." The idea is not original but the result is amazing. It is perfection of simplicity, the story told by images more than by words. There are very few words but how much has been said. There are only two main characters but we are completely drawn to their life-long journey for the meaning and balance. Looking for inner peace, they encounter innocence, lust, passion, guilt, and redemption. It is a simply crafted story yet deep and subtle. It does what all movies try to do but only few have achieved - takes us out of our world, puts in another and keeps us there for days, weeks, and months.

IN SEARCH OF ENLIGHTENMENT!.......2007-04-16

This young Korean filmmaker has the power of genius. This tale represents step by step, the rise and fall of the myth with all its imposing intensity. The seasons establish gradually the growing up process, the inclusion of a childish cruelty with three animals, a fish, a frog and a serpent in tandem, which is far to be a simple coincidence, the sexual initiation, the lack of innocence, the sense of lust, the crime and finally the redemption and enlightenment And the spring will return with other child who will commit an unforgettable cruelty act that conforms us once more the enormous cycle of life.

Extraordinary in all the sense of the word. Every frame is zealous and carefully made, with a glorious depth of field, mesmerizing close up with arresting landscapes. That floating house on the lakes surrounded of sublime mountains and marvelous forests iconform a five star film all the way through.

Don' t miss it.!

Ponderous.......2007-04-02

Highly overrated, tedious, boring, dull. Only thing to recommend it is the setting.

buddhist beauty.......2007-01-25

A tiny Buddhist "monastery," big enough for an elder monk and his ten-year old disciple, floats moored in a remote, isolated lake, surrounded by spectacular forested mountains shrouded in mists and a whole lot of silence. The dialogue in this film is minimalist. We do not even learn the names of the monk and his disciple. But the themes that it engages, such as desire as the cause of suffering, possessiveness, anger, sin, redemption, loss of innocence, wisdom, and the like are universal experiences. The film passes through the four seasons of the year, an obvious metaphor for the developmental stages of the two characters. In each successive season the characters are about a decade older, so that in circular fashion the ten-year old apprentice at the beginning of the film is the new elder at the end, complete with his own young apprentice. In fact, this rather captivating, meditative and philosophic narrative takes several unexpected plot turns. The gorgeous scenery in this film would alone make it worth watching. In Korean with English subtitles.

Average customer rating:

Classic spy games movie, and anthony edward with hair.
Great Fun
A dork gets laid
Excellent movie!
Master OF The Rare LASERDISCS Movies

Gotcha!
Starring: Anthony Edwards , Linda Fiorentino , Jsu Garcia , Alex Rocco , and Marla Adams
Director: Jeff Kanew
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
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ASIN: B00009AOBK
Release Date: 2003-08-12

Product Description

Anthony Edwards (TV s ER) and Linda Fiorentino (Men in Black) star in this comic thriller. Jonathan Moore (Edwards) is a shy UCLA veterinary student and the reigning champion at Gotcha, a campus-wide paintball game. While on vacation in West Germany, he s seduced by an older woman, the sexy and mysterious Sasha (Fiorentino) who turns out to be an international spy. When he returns home to LA, there s a strange canister of film in his backpack and a team of KGB agents on his back. Suddenly he s in the middle of a real life-or-death game of Gotcha, and every turn brings a brand new and often hilarious twist.

System Requirements:

Starring Anthony Edwards, Linda Fiorentino

Directed by Jeff Kanew

RUnning time: 1 Hour 41 Minutes

Amazon.com

Before he started losing his hair (which gave his baby face the maturity it needed for him to be taken seriously as a doctor on E.R.), Anthony Edwards was the quintessential juvenile lead, college division. That is what he plays here: a college kid who is campus champ at an assassination game called Gotcha (that uses fake guns). Then he goes on a summer vacation behind the Iron Curtain (before it came tumbling down) and falls for a female operative (Linda Fiorentino), who not only uses him as an unsuspecting courier for spy stuff but makes him a fall guy, as well. When he finally extricates himself from the trouble, the trouble follows him back to campus. Silly and far-fetched, though Edwards has that wounded-puppy look down perfectly. --Marshall Fine

Customer Reviews:

Classic spy games movie, and anthony edward with hair........2007-03-12

After his sucess with Revenge of the Nerds, Anthony Edwards stepped out of the plad trousers and tapped glasses and into the action world. Out about the time of Revenge of the Nerds II (and the reason Anthony Edwards was not in sequel), Edwards is Johnathan Moore, an 18 y.o. college kid that goes to europe with his buddy on spring break. Of course, they are hoping to scam on some babes. Well, Johnathan being so innocent falls hard for "czechloslovocian born" sasha, who was in paris on business. They hook up, and she invites him along to Berlin to help her on her Courrier run. Somehow innocent John ends up in East berlin with this girl he just met, and eventually ends up running for his life. Again, not the best action movie of all time, and the acting wasn't spectacular, but the storyline was original enough, and funny at times. Enjoyable movie, I recommend it.

Great Fun.......2007-01-05

This movie brings me back to the old days. I remembered it being great fun to watch, and it still is. If ever I feel like watching an intertaining movie, I can never go wrong with this one. People might feel different, but if you liked the 80's and it's humor, you will like this.

A dork gets laid.......2006-07-09

There are a couple of college kids run around campus shooting paint pellets at one another. The game is called, "Gotcha!" It's a clever game; except for the fact that it's highly improbable that a college campus would allow a bunch of students to run around with realistic looking pistols, firing away at one another. Nonetheless, the environment is set up for all sorts of gun play and killing.

Jonathan Moore, hereafter known as "Dork", travels to Europe with his friend, Manolo, after high school graduation. He eventually meets a woman, Linda Fiorentino (who looks incredible in this movie), who is an exotic Eastern European woman named Sasha for which Dork is craving. What follows is the classic tale: Dork has sex for the first time, Dork falls in what he thinks is love, Dork gets used, Dork gets hurt, and Dork eventually learns a harsh lesson in life.

Dork's lesson starts when he follows Sasha into East Berlin. Somehow Dork was able to rent a car even though he's never been to Germany and he doesn't have a license outside of the U.S. Regardless of the obvious loophole, Dork and Sasha go into commie territory for her work; she's a courier and is involved in some shady dealings. She picks up some film that gets her in trouble, and it turns out that some Russians want her. What follows is the chase that leads Dork all over the place avoiding danger, eluding commies, and eventually returning to America.

In America, Dork learns that he was part of a scam, the commies are still after him, and Sasha is really an CIA operative of some sort. She used him, and he has to find out what all the spy games were about. More importantly, he has to solve the mystery of Sasha's identity while utilizing his Gotcha skills to eventually save the day.

Excellent movie!.......2005-10-04

I love this movie since my preteen years. After watching it again and again, it makes me think of Bourne Identity and Mission Impossible, just it has that eighties movies/music cheesiness I love! It has a great plot and the acting is decent. Nice to see the ER doc with hair, too.

Master OF The Rare LASERDISCS Movies.......2005-07-10

heh you wouldn't believe me IF I told you that I've 4 LASERDISC Copies OF GOTCHA!!! Would you? I do yeah,'tis One of My Favorite 80's movies,,I have the DVD too. If you like The Spy Stories,,GET This one,you'll love it :)

Average customer rating:

BEST HISTORICAL CAVALRY CHARGE EVER!
An action movie like no other
Adequate
The charge of the lighter brigade
Entertaining, but Hell on the horses

The Charge of the Light Brigade
Starring: Errol Flynn , Olivia de Havilland , Patric Knowles , Henry Stephenson , and Nigel Bruce
Director: Michael Curtiz , Lloyd French , and B. Reeves Eason
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
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ASIN: B000M2E30E
Release Date: 2007-03-27

Amazon.com essential video

Why is The Charge of the Light Brigade so rarely even mentioned among Errol Flynn's swashbucklers? It's a terrific movie, something like the peak of spectacular Hollywood action filmmaking and the bravura style of Michael Curtiz. The setting--till the Crimean War climax--is the Indian frontier (impersonated, as so often, by rocky Lone Pine, California), where the 27th Bengal Lancers run afoul of an Oxford-educated slime named Surat Khan (C. Henry Gordon). Flynn and Olivia de Havilland bring real tenderness to two-thirds of a romantic triangle (the other corner is the hero's brother, Patric Knowles). There's the fearsome siege of Chukoti, an unspeakable atrocity, and finally the foolhardy, inspired Charge at Balaklava. The camerawork and editing of that grand sequence never cease to astonish. History (and political correctness) is better served by the 1968 Tony Richardson movie, but for unabashed epic sweep and matchless thrills, this is the one you want. --Richard T. Jameson

Customer Reviews:

BEST HISTORICAL CAVALRY CHARGE EVER!.......2007-06-21

I first saw this movie in 1977 when I was 7, and now I am 37, and I still think this is one of the best movies ever!!! This was made over 5 years BEFORE PEARL Harbor. For 1936, and this FAMOUS Charge, with Errol Flynn, and this MUSICAL SCORE is the greatest! This movie is timeless, and should be shown to your children, and then their children!! They DO NOT make movies like this anymore!

An action movie like no other.......2007-06-12

I am an avid Errol Flynn fan where his action movies are concerned.
The Charge of the Light Brigade is timeless and should be seen by the younger generation who were never exposed to this movie. I am from the baby boom days.

Adequate.......2007-06-09

Not one of Flynn's best movies, but has a good score and at times is fairly fast-paced. Historically fuzzy at times, at least some of the major characters from the time period are well represented.

The charge of the lighter brigade.......2007-06-08

Ok, this movie is a little 1930's fluff, but it still beckons me to watch it. I must have seen it at least a dozen times or more and am still stirred by the action and it has an interesting romantic twist.
This is Errol Flynn at his best. He and Olivia make a grand couple and Patrick Knowles is stirling as the brother in love with Olivia.
The stock cast of players does a find job and brings a special touch to the film.

Entertaining, but Hell on the horses.......2007-05-29

Warner Bros. and Michael Curtiz faced a real challenge with their 1936 epic The Charge of the Light Brigade: how to solve the problem of turning the biggest fiasco in British military history into a heroic adventure? Why, ignore history entirely and make it all up instead, of course! Unfortunately, it doesn't quite pull it off, because no matter how entertaining the first hundred minutes are, there's no getting around the stupidity of Donald Crisp's commanding officer or the criminal irresponsibility of Errol Flynn's actions in the last reel, no matter how `noble' his intentions. Nor is it easy to accept the truly vicious horsefalls in the final charge, no matter how spectacular the sequence, although at least the huge number of horses killed in the sequences (along with one stuntman) led to laws being passed to protect animals in films.

Despite the title, the film takes its lead from the previous year's The Lives of a Bengal Lancer and is more interested in revolting natives on the Indian frontier than it is in the Crimean War, with Flynn's dashing cavalry officer surprisingly losing Olivia De Havilland's hand to his brother Patric Knowles while failing to avert a massacre masterminded by C. Henry Gordon's treacherous Surat Khan. The Charge itself is here an act of revenge rather than a ghastly blunder, and is portrayed as the turning point in the war rather than a wasted heroic gesture. But then, when Tony Richardson offered a more historically accurate version in 1968, audiences stayed at home in droves, so the studio clearly knew what they were doing by going for romantic hokum, and darn entertaining hokum at that.

(Incidentally, the theme of animal cruelty is continued in the 1936 Porky Pig cartoon Boom Boom included on the DVD, a bizarre, tasteless - but in an unfunny way - spoof of WW1 that delights in killing animals with high explosives for the first half of its running time!)

The extras are good but a little unsatisfying compared to other Errol Flynn titles: this is one film where a documentary would have been particularly useful, but aside from the Warners Night at the Movies selected shorts and an audio commentary, the only extra relating to the film itself is a reissue trailer - a pity since even the original four-minute theatrical trailer included a lot of behind-the-scenes footage.

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