The Fisher King

Starring:Jeff Bridges, Robin Williams, Mercedes Ruehl, Amanda Plummer, David Hyde Pierce, Adam Bryant, Paul J. Lombardi, Ted Ross, Lara Harris, Warren Olney, Frazer Smith, Kathy Najimy, Harry Shearer, Melinda Culea, James Remini, Mark Bowden, John Ottavino, Brian Michaels, Jayce Bartok, Dan Futterman
Director: Terry Gilliam
Studio: Sony Pictures
Product Type: DVD

Description

From Jerry Bruckheimer, producer of PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN, and Jon Turteltaub, director of PHENOMENON, comes NATIONAL TREASURE. It's the thrilling, edge-of-your-seat adventure starring Academy Award® winner Nicolas Cage (1995 Best Actor, LEAVING LAS VEGAS) as Benjamin Franklin Gates. Ever since he was a boy, Gates has been obsessed with finding the legendary Knights Templar Treasure, the greatest fortune known to man. As Gates tries to find and decipher ancient riddles that will lead him to it, he's dogged by a ruthless enemy (Sean Bean, THE LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy) who wants the riches for himself. Now in a race against time, Gates must steal one of America's most sacred and guarded documents -- the Declaration of Independence -- or let it, and a key clue to the mystery, fall into dangerous hands. Heart-pounding chases, close calls, and the FBI turn Gates's quest into a high-stakes crime caper and the most exciting treasure hunt you've ever experienced.

Amazon.com

Like a Hardy Boys mystery on steroids, National Treasure offers popcorn thrills and enough boyish charm to overcome its rampant silliness. Although it was roundly criticized as a poor man's rip-off of Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Da Vinci Code, it's entertaining on its own ludicrous terms, and Nicolas Cage proves once again that one actor's infectious enthusiasm can compensate for a multitude of movie sins. The contrived plot involves Cage's present-day quest for the ancient treasure of the Knights Templar, kept secret through the ages by Freemasons past and present. Finding the treasure requires the theft of the Declaration of Independence (there are crucial treasure clues on the back, of course!), so you can add "caper comedy" to this Jerry Bruckheimer production's multi-genre appeal. Nobody will ever accuse director Jon Turtletaub of artistic ambition, but you've got to admit he serves up an enjoyable dose of PG-rated entertainment, full of musty clues, skeletons, deep tunnels, and harmless adventure in the old-school tradition. It's a load of hokum, but it's fun hokum, and that makes all the difference. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

A horribly boring movie.......2007-06-30

"National Treasure" is a horrible movie. I knew within the first 60 seconds of watching that it was hokey and cliche, but I was willing to sit through it if it was at least entertaining. It wasn't. The one redeeming quality the movie could have had was the clues to the treasure. Give the audience something to guess at. But the clues turned out to be so obscure and hidden in meaning that they might as well been written in a foreign language.

There are alot of good reviews for this movie for some reason. But when you watch "National Treasure", as I know you will, remember my words. You will at first feel disgusted by the awful acting, then betrayed by the cliche action scenes that you have seen a hundred times before. A strange sensation will creep through your body, like you are slowly dying. But don't worry, this is only extreme boredom. You'll hope that the movie will redeem itself and begin to be entertaining, but it won't. After what seems like an enternity, 2 hours and 11 minutes will roll by, and then you can think "Boy, that one reviewer sure was right. This move was awful!".

Don't say you weren't warned.

Is it a history lesson? Perhaps not. An enjoyable film...definitely!.......2007-06-17

I just wrote a review for the horrendous "Ghost Rider," in which I mentioned "National Treasure" as an example of a recent Cage film that didn't deserve the negative criticism it received (in contrast to the deservedly-dogged "Ghost Rider"), and was thus inspired to write a review in defense of "National Treasure." As I have read from other reviews here, most people agree that while the film isn't a history lesson, it's a darn good time at the movies, and it should have been rated by critics by such. It's a popcorn flick, pure and simple, and in that context, it works flawlessly. It's tremendously entertaining, and it accomplishes that goal while being family-friendly (PG). The thing that always makes me laugh regarding most "critics" of film is that their reviews are essentially little more than a paragraph attempting to display the wit, knowledge, and general intelligence they believe they possess; they're in such constant defense of these self-inflated traits that they destroy any picture with a smidgeon of disregard for historical accuracy, while forgetting that movies are created, above all else, to entertain (unless they're labeled "documentaries"). Do we care whether or not the founding fathers and the freemasons could have feasibly put an invisible map on the back of the Declaration of Independence? Should we be more concerned with whether or not the idea is even logistically fathomable or if the picture is entertaining? For my money, I want to see the entertaining picture (and so does 99% of the population)...and this is what the majority of critics fail to admit, in my opinion, in vigorously defending their "intelligence" in their "reviews." If I wanted to get out of work on a Friday to go and watch a depressing, miserable film with zero entertainment value simply because it happens to be historically accurate (hence, lacking sex appeal), I'd be on the watch for the sequel to "The Fog of War." However, I pay to see movies to be taken out of reality, and to have fun...just like everybody else, ultimately. I'm not ashamed to admit that I love this film, nor should the critics that publicly slandered it while probably watching it on a weekly basis in the privacy of their homes. Thus, I highly recommend it to any fan of, well, enjoying themselves via the watching of film, and I'd state that proof of the points I've made in this review will be made evident via the box office receipts of the upcoming sequel. I'll be first in line, and so will the critics!

An Action Packed Adventure.......2007-05-21

National Treasure is one of the premier movies ever. Beautifully produced by Walt Disney Pictures, Jerry Bruckheimer Films, Junction Entertainment, and Saturn Films this movie, which was released on November 19, 2004, brought in 338 million dollars in the worldwide box office. The movie was rated PG because of action violence and some scary images. Filming for the movie was spectacularly completed on location at many of the historical sites where the story took place, the acting was superb, and the running time of 131 minutes provides plenty of entertainment. Why not watch it today?

When Benjamin Franklin Gates was young his grandfather told him a story that would change his life. Intently Ben listened as his Grandfather told him of a massive, ancient mysterious treasure, which had been fought over for centuries. The treasure had vanished. Feeling that because the treasure was too valuable, it was too great for one man to have, a group called the Freemasons hid the treasure leaving behind a series of clues to its location. In 1832 the last remaining signer of the Declaration of Independence was about to die, and with him the last clue would die, but just before he died he told the clue to his stable boy Tom Gates. The clue that said, "The secret lies with Charlotte," was passed down from generation to generation in the Gates family and each had spent years of their lives searching for the treasure without success until, finally Ben began searching. The treasure was like a needle in a haystack but Ben devoted his life to finding it.

Quickly Ben found a ship, which was named Charlotte, trapped north of the Arctic Circle. Although the treasure was not aboard the ship Ben easily discovered the next clue. After he understood the clue Ben realized that his treasure hunting was over because the map he would need was hidden on the back of the Declaration of Independence in invisible ink. Knowing that it was not possible to get his hands on the Declaration, Ben was ready to give up. His colleague did not agree. Ian Howe who had come along to help Ben decided that he would steal the Declaration, but when Ben would not go through with it he trapped Ben and his friend Riley Poole in the ship which was full of burning gunpowder. After Ben and Riley survived the exploding ship they went to the government to warn them that the Declaration was going to be stolen, but they were assured that the priceless document was safe.

When Ben was unable to convince the government that the Declaration was in danger he realized that the only way to keep the document safe was to steal it himself. He knew it was wrong. He knew it was impossible. He knew it was insane. Stealing the Declaration was not going to be easy so Ben and Riley carefully planned out each step as they prepared for their impossible mission. Unlike Ben, who was planning a stealth mission to steal the document, Ian and his disreputable friends were planning to use force to reach the Declaration. Quickly Ben made his way to the Declaration of Independence but because of Ian's seemingly endless resources he was right behind him. Who would claim the treasure and who would be left behind? One thing is sure, reaching the Declaration was only the beginning of Ben's dangerous journey to the treasure.

Acting in National Treasure is brilliantly done by many great actors including Nicholas Cage who played the part of Ben. The director of the extraordinary film was Jon Turtletaub. National Treasure is a must see movie that will be enjoyed again and again.

National Treasure.......2007-05-07

National Treasure (Full Screen Edition)An Awesome movie for those who enjoy treasure hunting movies as well action/ suspense movies. Nicolas Cage does an excellent job as Benjamin Franklin Gates, a descendant of a family obssessed with finding a lost treasure connected with history. Sean Bean does an excellent job of playing the man obssessed with finding and keeping the treasure, while Nicolas Cage , predictably, plays the one who lives up to the mandate and turns the treasure over the entire world.

Well worth watching with all of the twists and suspense involved in the plot.

An Amusement Park Ride.......2007-05-07

"National Treasure" isn't a bad movie. It's just one of those productions calculated to hit every predictable result in its target audience, as polished and hermetically sealed as the fabled treasure its characters seek. Nicholas Cage, who long ago entertained me somehow in "Valley Girl" and "Raising Arizona," turns in his requisite blank performance as Benjamin Franklin Gates, the last, we're told, of a family of well-to-do, toupeed kooks obsessed with finding the treasure of colonial Free Masons. Perhaps disturbingly, the women of the family are long gone, leaving first Christopher Plummer and then Jon Voight to impart wisdom in their off-kilter ways, though the love interest played by the Keira Knightly-ish (herself rather Winona Ryder-ish) Diana Kruger does her chilly best to keep the boys honest. When Gates is double-crossed by Bond wannabe Sean Bean, things get tense, first as the ex-partners each devise a robbery of the Declaration of Independence and later, when the film gets inspiration from the Indiana Jones series in what looks like the next attraction at Disney World. Director Jon Turteltaub keeps things moving at a brisk pace, helped by a percussive, familiar electronic score, which is good considering the story mostly consists of standard chases and a rundown of clues that seems right out of "Scooby Doo." The mystery itself is as convoluted as they come - you'll give up trying to keep track of things -- though the location shooting, especially in Philadelphia, manages to capture the majesty of America's wonderful historical locations. Supporting efforts from Harvey Keitel, as a tired FBI agent, are largely wasted, though a lot less of Justin Bartha, as the annoying computer nerd, would have been welcome. It really deserves three and a half stars, but four just wouldn't be accurate.

Average customer rating:

A horribly boring movie
Is it a history lesson? Perhaps not. An enjoyable film...definitely!
An Action Packed Adventure
National Treasure
An Amusement Park Ride

National Treasure (Full Screen Edition)
Starring: Nicolas Cage , Diane Kruger , Justin Bartha , Sean Bean , and Jon Voight
Director: Jon Turteltaub
Manufacturer: Buena Vista Home Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0007L43D2
Release Date: 2005-05-03

Amazon.com

Description

Customer Reviews:

A horribly boring movie.......2007-06-30

Is it a history lesson? Perhaps not. An enjoyable film...definitely!.......2007-06-17

An Action Packed Adventure.......2007-05-21

National Treasure.......2007-05-07

An Amusement Park Ride.......2007-05-07

Midsomer Murders - Set Seven (The Green Man / Bad Tidings / The Fisher King / Sins Of Commision)

Average customer rating:

A great, compelling series
Delightful series
Releived
British mysteries are my favorites.
Gotta' Love Midsomer!

Midsomer Murders - Set Seven (The Green Man / Bad Tidings / The Fisher King / Sins Of Commision)
Starring: Midsomer Murders
Manufacturer: Acorn Media
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000GYI3CW
Release Date: 2006-10-03

Amazon.com

Midsomer Murders: Set Seven includes four intriguing episodes from season seven of the long-running, British mystery series, based on a series of books by Caroline Graham. Fans of Midsomer Murders will certainly take note of a big change in the crime drama, as Chief Inspector Tom Barnaby (John Nettles) of the Causton C.I.D. loses his longtime junior partner, Detective Sergeant Gavin Troy (Daniel Casey) to the latter's promotion and relocation. Still, Troy is around for "The Green Man," Barnaby's attempt to crack a case of multiple murders in quaint Midsomer, a supposedly quiet English village in which passions flair and blood flows with astonishing regularity.

"The Green Man" concerns a pair of overlapping investigations with an environmental theme. When an effort to restore a stream uncovers the remains of several people who died in a long-ago, tunnel cave-in, Barnaby discovers that one of the apparent victims was actually placed on the site much later. Meanwhile, adolescent hoodlums harassing an indigent woodsman are turning up dead. "Bad Tidings" introduces Barnaby's new partner, Detective Sergeant Dan Scott (John Hopkins), unhappy about his transfer from London and reluctant to settle in. But he pulls his weight assisting Barnaby on a strange case that begins with the murder of a woman walking home from a flamenco-themed party at the Midsomer Mallow village hall. (A recurring theme in Midsomer Murders of hatred and deception running rampant among trustees of Midsomer's social and cultural life plays a big part here.) "The Fisher King" resurrects an old, unsolved mystery concerning the death of a man who excavated ancient artifacts, while Barnaby and Scott also try to find out who killed an arrogant millionaire with a wound similar to the one suffered by the titular, Arthurian figure. Finally, "Sins of Commission" is a wild episode peeling back secrecy surrounding sexual and fiduciary scandals surrounding a literary festival. Adding both to the drama and fun is the way Barnaby's wife (Jane Wymark) and daughter (Laura Howard) have a way of getting involved with every investigation. With a likable, low-key hero and creative new forms of Midsomer malice, Set Seven is a winner. --Tom Keogh

Description

The cozy villages of Midsomer County reveal their most sinister secrets in these contemporary British television mysteries. Inspired by the novels of Caroline Graham, modern master of the English village mystery, the series stars John Nettles (Bergerac) as the unflappable Detective Chief Inspector Barnaby. Daniel Casey (The Wingless Bird)) costars as Barnaby's earnest young assistant, Sergeant Troy. When Troy wins a promotion and transfer, Barnaby gets a partner of a different stripe. Sergeant Dan Scott (John Hopkins, Love in a Cold Climate)) is a streetwise Londoner who mistakenly expects an easy, dull life on the rural beat. Guest stars include Cherie Lunghi, John Standing, Michael Simkins, Henry Ian Cusick, Diana Kent, and Stella Gonet.

The Mysteries
The Green Man -- Troy passes his inspector's exam and is moving on, but not before one more challenging case with Barnaby in Midsomer Worthy
Bad Tidings -- Dan Scott, Barnaby's new partner, gets a baptism by fire with a case in Midsomer Mallow that implicates Cullly and her old schoolmates.
The Fisher King -- Barnaby and Scott follow a maze of Celtic rites, ancient artifacts, and twisted relationships to find the murderer of a Midsomer Barrow landowner.
Sins of Commission -- Murder attends the annual literary festival in Midsomer St. Michael, leading Barnaby and Scott to discover a hotbed of corruption within the highbrow crowd.

Customer Reviews:

A great, compelling series.......2007-04-15

but I would love to know why the cast has been relegated to merely "Midsomer Murders" and not anybody's actual name. The people in this series have done other work, ya know, and it would be nice to, say, find a DVD of John Nettles' work w/ the Royal Shakespeare Academy productions on Amazon, or maybe some of the films John Hopkins has been in recently...

Delightful series.......2007-03-30

I purchased this collection in its entirety after realizing how wonderful it was. Now I wait impatiently for new seasons to appear in DVD format! The characters are wonderful and original: for one thing they aren't as dysfunctional as those of other murder mysteries seem to be. (The authors penning this type of fiction seem stuck on "brilliant detective with no life" mode. I got tired of the Inspector Morse Mysteries Inspector Morse - Complete Collection for this reason, and the newer Lewis mysteries Mystery!: Inspector Lewis is worse. At least the Frost series A Touch of Frost - Seasons 11 & 12 has started to add a little levity and a new life for the lead character.) Furthermore the cases are often delightful and ingenious.

Inspector Barnaby (John Nettles) and his wife and daughter are delightful individuals. I enjoy spending time with them and catching up with what they're doing. The characters are well balanced people with personal issues, but they deal with the ups and downs of their lives rationally and cooperatively.

When I saw the first film, I was afraid that Joyce would be a forgotten wife. Barnaby was called away in the middle of a lunch date with her, and I thought, "oh good grief; now we'll have marriage issues!" Not so; she was upset but philosophical about his departure, in short obviously used to it as part of being married to a policeman who is as devoted to his work as Barnaby is. Later in the series she tells another character that at their wedding instead of saying "I do," the inspector said "I've got it" and dashed out of the church to solve a case. Here too she repeats the tale wistfully, not angrily.

The young Collie, their daughter, has evolved from an attractive add-on character whose main purpose seemed to be to give this couple a "history," into a wonderful personality of her own; she compliments her parents and has a life that is wonderfully integrated into the story and sometimes into the mystery. She is a nice blend of the characteristics of her parents and looks so like Joyce that they could easily be mother and daughter. In short, she fits perfectly, and the three characters make a believable family.

I enjoyed the young inspector (Daniel Casey) Gavin Troy very much, especially at first, but by set 6 it seemed as though he was less respectful of his mentor and a bit irritable. I suspect this was intended to reflect his growing self confidence and need to progress "up the ladder,"--as well as the need for the actor himself to work out of the series and into one of his own so I was informed--but he was less fun as an "up-and-coming" rather than as a naive newbie.

I feel that the actor portraying the new inspector, introduced in this collection, is still not quite comfortable with his role yet, probably because the writers haven't decided just what they expect to accomplish with his character other provide a foil for Barnaby. The character seems both brash and indifferent, especially at first, but seems to fill out a little with each film in this series as the writers feed information about him to the viewers by exposure. He definitely has possibilities.

The mysteries themselves are terrific. I don't know much about the writers doing the work except that they have some of the most inventive minds doing TV stuff I've seen in ages. While not all the plots are entirely believable--at least once you've given it some thought--they are entirely wonderful. For one thing, the victims and suspects are frequently very eccentric. Certainly their propensity and motives for murder are impressive. One imagines a Merrie Olde England and villages filled with truly crazy people; and not icky crazy either, fun crazy. By the time one of the stories is completed, the body count is amazing, and the viewer is left to wonder if there is anyone left alive in Midsommer! What makes the thing especially wonderful is that the inspector notices this fact himself--both the eccentricities and the murders--and occasionally remarks upon it. I suspect he wonders what his living and working in the area says about him. (I remember thinking that some of the individuals I worked with in Saudi Arabia were pretty "peculiar;" then I realized since I was there too, the fact might say something about me also!)

All of these delightful personalities are portrayed by many of the same actors. One might see the Midsommer series as actually more of a repertoire company performing at a theater like the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis. These actors are some of the most skilled I've seen in ages. They manage to create a separate, unique and believable personality for each of their characters. While familiar faces are easily spotted in the series, one is never mistaken over the individuality of the character that the actor is portraying; he or she IS that person, no matter who they were in earlier episodes. Truly impressive and very professional. I've actually become a fan of some of them and enjoy watching the styles they cultivate in different episodes.

This particular collection is delightful because it introduces the new inspector and bids goodbye to Troy. Although I enjoyed all of the episodes, my favorite was the last one, The Sins of Commission. The murderer is a delight, and the ways and means, let alone the whys, of the various murders is wonderful once explained. See if you don't agree.

A very enjoyable series.

Releived.......2007-03-28

I was skeptical of the new partner for Inspector Barnaby. I don't always like change. However, change must happen. Scott is different enough from Troy that his character will work. I'm looking forward to his development. As for the series in general, I love it and hope to see more. There's not a lot of good TV out there. I invest in the shows I like and watch them many times. I've got my husband hooked on the Midsomer Series as well.

British mysteries are my favorites........2007-02-17

Starting with Inspector Morse, I have become addicted to the British mysteries, and continue to enjoy them. It is interesting to find a new sergeant with Inspector Barnaby, and they make an intriguing pair, even though I enjoyed Troy.

Gotta' Love Midsomer!.......2007-02-11

Some of the best murder mysteries to be had, come from Midsomer! The Midsomer series never focus on the act of murder itself, but the intrigue of solving the case! Rarely is there a gory scene and most of the murders are done in good taste, and the rest of the story revolves around the detective work. Great British class, if you ask me. The only reason I give this Volume Seven collection only 3 stars instead of 5, is because I think they left out a couple of movies in this set. All the previous volumes have more in the collection than this one, yet they charged the same prices. I hope they remedy that next time. Also, the change of the "sidekick" in this set throws an avid watcher for a loop, but the new detective sidekick does grow on you. Overall, no matter which Volume Set you purchase, "Midsomer Murders" is always a good choice!

Average customer rating:

Why Robin Williams didn't get the Oscar, I'll never understand..
Great Movie
The mind is an amazing thing!
Brilliant but erratic
Williams showcase

The Fisher King
Starring: Jeff Bridges , Robin Williams , Mercedes Ruehl , Amanda Plummer , and David Hyde Pierce
Director: Terry Gilliam
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 0767811089
Release Date: 1999-02-16

Amazon.com essential video

Arthurian mythology and modern day decay seem perfect complements to each other in this Terry Gilliam drama/comedy/fantasy. Shock jock Jack Lucas (Jeff Bridges) makes an off-handed radio remark that causes a man to go on a killing spree, leaving Lucas unhinged with guilt. Lucas's later, chance meeting with Parry (Robin Williams), a homeless man suffering from dementia, gets him involved in the unlikely quest for the Holy Grail. The rickety, and patently unrealistic stand that insanity is just a wonderful place to be, and that the homeless are all errant knights, wears awfully thin, but there are numerous moments of sad grace and violent beauty in this film. The screenplay by Richard LaGravenese launched his successful career and his smart wordplay helped garner Mercedes Ruehl an Oscar as Lucas's girlfriend. --Keith Simanton

Customer Reviews:

Why Robin Williams didn't get the Oscar, I'll never understand.........2007-05-14

Phenomenal movie. Why Terry Gilliam is one of the finest filmmakers ever. If you haven't seen it, do yourself a favor. Micheal Jeter also deserves complete respect for his performance as well. Did you see Tom Waits? BOOP! Go No Further!

Great Movie.......2007-05-13

THe movie is wonderfully Acted and very meaningful. It Shows the ups and downs of everyday life.I would highly Recommand buying this movie

The mind is an amazing thing!.......2007-03-28

After losing his beloved wife in a horrible shooting, a former college professor played by Robin Williams, reinvents himself. After coming out of a catatonic state, he becomes Parry, living in the basement of the apartment building where he and his wife had resided. He is a friend to the homeless and saves the life of Jack Lucas a disc jockey whose vitriolic diatribe sent one of his listeners over the edge. The listener is the guy who shoots up the bar where Parry and his wife were. After this happens Lucas becomes an alcoholic being supported by his long suffering girlfriend played by Mercedes Ruehl (in an Oscar winning role). His connection with Parry saves them both. The human mind is an incredible thing. Every time Parry thinks about his wife or happiness with a woman he has fallen in love with, he hallucinates a "red knight" who chases him on a horse. He becomes hysterical with fear. He can't "be" anyone but Parry, his mind won't allow it. Its self-preservation. Robin Williams is one of those rare actors who can make you laugh and cry at the same time. I wish I could give this film more than five stars.

Brilliant but erratic.......2007-03-26

First, it's worth viewing to see the acting skills of Williams and Bridges, both of whom could steal a scene (or movie) from any lesser actor. Bridges's slide into utter social ruin is poignant in light of Williams's similar emotional and mental meltdown, directly influenced by Bridges's comments (in his role as a radio show host). The paranoia and borderline personality of Williams is carefully weighed against his environment, his love for a clumsy, uncoordinated wallflower (Lydia), and the wretchedness of being homeless; yet this is almost poetically justified by his spouting words of romance and Shakespeare.

In contrast, Bridges totally loses himself and all respectability (if he had any as a ranting, raving DJ named Jack Lucas) by his collapse into alcoholism and neglect after being fired as a result of a tragic response to an on-air retort. Cheers also to Mercedes Ruehl in her Oscar-winning role as a heart-on-her-sleeve video store owner who completely captures the potential and soul of a woman waiting for the man in her life (Bridges) to come to his senses, values, and scruples and marry her before she gets yet another broken heart.

But it's not a love story; this is more of a "man's search for meaning" mission, and the visual glimpses into the shattered mind of Williams's character as he mourns the death of his wife and his sense of purpose (to find the Holy Grail) are not for the insensitive and insecure. This movie really does give a biting, satirical look at those who flaunt their sense of power in the radio industry and the real tragedy that the homeless and mentally ill face on an everyday basis. Worth also seeing to note the differences between Ken Kesey's "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" mentally ill and the patients in the hospital here. A stunning round of applause also for Michael Jeter as an over-the-top flaming transvestite who delivers the singing telegram-of-a-lifetime in an accounting firm.

Williams showcase.......2007-02-08

Jeff Bridges is a self-centered, big-shot talk radio host, full of venom for the world at large; Robin Williams is a street person who's lost his girl to a gun-wielding nutjob spurred on by Bridges and something he says on his radio show. By accident they meet and become friends. There is something about the Holy Grail, about making commitments, about being accepted, but it's all pretty superficial. The movie floats over a lot of ground and is overly long, but it's a showcase for Williams's looniness. The "messages" are very shallow and hard to take seriously, and worst of all is the sappy ending which is infantile and unbelievable. The high point for me: Williams singing "Lydia the Tattooed Lady," which is a riot - though he changes the lyrics at one point from Stonewall Jackson to Michael Jackson, probably assuming this audience never would have heard of Stonewall Jackson. It's that kind of movie.

Average customer rating:

Variety TV Show Gold
Not what I expected
The Ultimate Variety Show
"Set is Fabulous with the Exception of Final Season!"
Please Make a Season By Season DVD

Sonny & Cher - The Ultimate Collection
Starring: Sonny Bono , Cher , Ted Zeigler , Chastity Bono , and Tom Solari
Director: Art Fisher
Manufacturer: R2 Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0000DA23M
Release Date: 2003-10-01

Amazon.com

It's not what you'd call high art, but there are some highly enjoyable moments in this nicely packaged box set, featuring nine complete shows (plus ample bonus material) spread out over three discs.

Beginning as a summer replacement in 1971, The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour earned its own regular time slot that same year, running for three straight seasons and then returning in 1976 (as The Sonny & Cher Show), after the couple's divorce. The show's formula, which had already been established both onstage and on the small screen (their '69 pilot episode is among the extra features), includes plenty of music (duets, Cher's solo performances in typically outlandish Bob Mackie gowns, various guest shots); lots of shtick (consisting mostly of Cher's put-downs of the minimally talented but good-natured Sonny); and sketches and skits (ranging from lame to inspired, including a mock-opera based on All in the Family and starring Metropolitan Opera tenor Robert Merrill as a warbling Archie Bunker). Guests range from the obvious (TV stalwarts like Harvey Korman, Ruth Buzzi, and Don Knotts) to the downright weird (then-California governor Ronald Reagan). It's all fairly middlebrow, but Sonny & Cher's unpretentious, unself-conscious charm carries it; and once in a while everything congeals into one surreally entertaining package, like the '72 show featuring the Jackson 5 (led, of course, by Michael, who was then 14 and still apparently normal), who are followed to the stage by Reagan (telling jokes, sort of) and singer-actor Howard Keel, veteran of numerous movie musicals.

Bonus features include 2003 audio commentary by a nostalgic Cher, interviews with the producers, the '69 pilot, bios, discographies, and a show history. The DVD set also comes with a music-only CD, featuring live performances of "The Beat Goes On" and "I Got You Babe." --Sam Graham

Customer Reviews:

Variety TV Show Gold.......2007-01-04

If you haven't seen a TV variety show, this is the one to see. Music, comedy and technical effects of the day made this show a "must see."

Not what I expected.......2006-12-11

Sonny and Cher were one of the best variety show duos ever to inhabit TV land, so I was saddened that this DVD collections is not really the "best" that they've done.

Don't get me wrong, there are many great clips in here... but... the producers of this DVD package have decided to include full shows (with lots of boring stuff I didn't really care about) instead of concentrating on the star, Cher!

What I would like to see is a 'best of' compilation with all the best guest-stars, musical numbers, outfits, etc...

The Ultimate Variety Show.......2006-11-30

As far as I'm concerned, these two set the bar for the slew of variety shows that followed in the 70's (though I'm well aware there were predecessors). Their opening song and banter were always entertaining. The skits were actually funny (most of the time) and who didn't love the medley portion of the show (complete with matching outfits and Sonny busting out some lame dance moves). They had really good writers, regulars (including Steve Martin and Teri Garr), great guest stars, and groovy clothes that put the Brady Bunch to shame. Little Chastity closed out the show with them, and it was just a nice little, sweet family (little did we know).
However, as an elementary aged child at the time, I had an odd crush on Sonny Bono (which to this day I will never live down with the family). I get a big kick out of watching this 70's time capsule (and call me crazy, but I still thik Sonny was a cute little guy). My only complaint is that they didn't put the show out in individual seasons. I realize it's hard to get the rights to the music, but I'd love to at least see the 1st three seasons in their entirety....I can do without the post divorce show (though the skits were funny--it didn't gel). Shame it didn't work out between these two--they worked really well together during their relationship.

"Set is Fabulous with the Exception of Final Season!".......2006-05-14

I have been wanting to buy this set for a long, long time since I grew up anxiously awaiting each and every episode of The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour AND the Cher Show. Since I hadn't seen any of the episodes (like commentator Cher) since their original run in the early seventies,I noticed some good (and bad) stuff about the show.

The first season was a dress rehearsal in many ways; the editing was sloppy and continual "laughing" breakups from the lead couple during most of the skits got to be annoying after awhile. The best season seemed to be in 1973 with the episodes where Chastity comes out at the start of each show and newsworthy skits are performed on a cartoon train. You don't see the "cue cards" in the audience as much during the opening singing and monologues and Cher's vocals and delivery are more polished than in the first season especially. Sonny still stinks however (LOL) ... can't seem to act without looking off to the side to read his lines off the cue cards which director Art Fisher should have done something about but obviously didn't for one reason or another.

My favorite segements of the show are the "Vamp number," Lady Luck (another type of "Vamp sequence" in Season 3 ), Laverne at the Laundromat. (Cher was SO FUNNY along with Terri Garr and this showed her natural inclination towards comedy and acting) I really enjoyed watching a manic Sonny share the spotlight with "the hippest woman on earth" during the musical performances with their band backing them(which the final reunion season lacked incidentally)-their medley of "Brother Loves Traveling Salvation Show" and "Tamborine Man"-SO COOL!!!! On the sour side the "Opera" skits with Morgan Freeman annoyed the heck out of me as well as Sonny's Pizza. Cher's solos were very good-faves include "Half Breed," "Way of Love," and "Am I Blue?"
The first two discs were good to great especially disc 2!!

My only complaint is the chemistry and work on Disc 3 and the show they did after both their solo shows went off the air. They lacked the chemistry of the earlier shows playing it safe (of course they were divorced but they could have worked a little harder for an audience and ratings) the opening songs were only fair, the "Cutesie News" was totally stupid, liked the "War of the Sexes" with Sonny acting the sissy man he was (LOL) and Cher being very K.D. Lang....haha!! This season did not have them singing together which I really missed and Cher's solo's had her dressed to the nine's in typical Bob Mackie extravagant outfits but song selections for her were mediocre at best.

I loved Sonny and Cher-wish the CHER SHOW would come out in it's entirety as I thought she did a GREAT JOB on her own and that it was better than Sonny and Cher actually and more relaxed in many ways. She underestimated herself I think-however I would love to see all the original Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour episodes-Seasons 1 to 3 on disc-I will pass on the last show they did together. It just showed indifference and the writing and rapport was just not the same.

No offense to this great site but I would never pay almost 50 bucks for this-got it for half that somewhere else-maybe I'd pay it for for all the shows but not for nine episodes.

Please Make a Season By Season DVD.......2006-04-30

I would give anything to have every season of each show from The First Season to the last season when they came back after their divorce. I would also love to have The Cher SHow on a season by season (What was it 2 seasons?) Anyway, I was so impressed by her when I was a child. I would entertain my family doing impressions of her singing (and yes, I can still sound like her LOL) from Dark Lady to Gypsies, Tramps, ad Theives and the opening monologue. The gowns and make up and jewelry are my favorite and why I love Bob Mackie and Carol Burnette Shows as well!!!!My daughter is 3 and she loves to watch these DVD's. I have both the Ultimate and the Christmas Collection. So please, whoever has the rights, put them out there in their entirety. The Sonny and Cher Show, the Sonny and Cher Comedy Revue, and The Cher Show.

Average customer rating:

Great story line with good action!
I used this for my English 9 class
Not Great, But Not Bad Either: Worth A Watch!
Hunting Humans!
BEST MOVIE EVER

Surviving the Game
Starring: Ice-T , Rutger Hauer , Charles S. Dutton , Gary Busey , and F. Murray Abraham
Director: Ernest R. Dickerson
Manufacturer: New Line Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Judgment Night
No Escape
Trespass
The Island of Dr. Moreau (Unrated Director's Cut)
Dead Calm

ASIN: B000031EG1
Release Date: 1999-12-21

Amazon.com

One more time around for the storyline of The Most Dangerous Game, except this one's refitted with explosions, big guns, and a flood of testosterone. Ice-T plays Mason, a homeless man shanghaied from the streets of Los Angeles to work as a guide and all-around man Friday for a hunting party. What the down-on-his-luck fellow soon finds out is that he is the quarry, and has to rely on his own resourcefulness to stay one step ahead of his tormentors. Laden with atrocious dialogue and narrative implausibilities, this is still a fun action movie if seen only for its own merits and nothing more. The fine cast (Gary Busey, Charles Dutton, F. Murray Abraham, John C. McGinley) chews the script until practically frothing at the mouth while trying to out-maniac each other. Busey is the head macho lunatic, but the twitchy McGinley nearly steals the show as he turns the knob on the weirdo meter up to eleven, then breaks it off and throws it away. Ice-T, on the other hand, puts his coping skills to the test as the hapless human prey. Most of director Ernest R. Dickerson's resumé has consisted of cinematography work (for Spike Lee, among others), and it shows with the film's competent, almost glossy look. Don't watch Surviving the Game expecting any great statements or overarching agendas, and you'll be surprised by an untentionally goofy action picture with preposterous situations and wide-open-throttle performances. Plus, chances are you've never seen a foot-wide pine tree chopped down with a shotgun (we kid you not). --Jerry Renshaw

Description

A homeless man, recruited as a guide by a band of wealthy hunters, winds up the hunted instead. Starring Ice-T, Rutger Hauer and Gary Busey.

Customer Reviews:

Great story line with good action!.......2007-02-12

If you like action/adventure you will find this movie entertaining and catching your interest and attention. Has an original story line with creative sub-plots. Ice-T at his best! Movie has great cast of actors. I enjoyed this movie and happy to add it to my collection.

I used this for my English 9 class.......2007-01-15

I'm a teacher in a urban school district and at times it's hard to get young people's attention. This movie goes great as a supplement to the Short Story "The Most Dangerous Game"..same premise..great attention getter!!!

Not Great, But Not Bad Either: Worth A Watch!.......2006-10-18

This is not a great film, however, it does have its moments. And of course, it does entertain. If you view the film with the idea that this is a great film, you will be disappointed. However, it is an entertaining film worth the watch. The narrative of the film follows the life of a homeless man (Ice-T) who is hired by (Charles S. Dutton) with offers of a lucrative job and a new start in life. Moreover, (Ice-T) is led to believe that this new job requires his skills as a guide; and through time he is promised that if he does a good job he will be hired permanently and will make even more money. The man in charge of hiring is (Rutger Hauer). Ice-T will eventually regret taking the job, or ever seeing these men.

Flying out to his new job in the private plane owned by (Rutger Hauer). The newly hired (Ice-T) is shown what his new job will entail. Unknown to him, however, is that he will not be guiding the arriving guests on their animal hunt: He himself will be the hunted. The men who arrive pay large sums of money to hunt humans. The entire place is owned by (Rutger Hauer). Both he and (Charles S. Dutton) are former members of the CIA, and their former CIA psychiatrist (Gary Busey) feels this is the best release from their daily stresses in life. [Some shrink!] Busey is a nut-case himself. Therefore, Ice-T finds himself in a race for survival. Will he live? Can he survive in this wilderness? And will he be able to take down these men before they kill him? I'll leave this for the viewer to discover. The film is recommended with caution. Rent it first. It may not be your taste of action or suspense. [Stars: 3.5]

Hunting Humans!.......2006-10-10

It's hard to put this film into any catogory, its got action, drama, comedy and, even a hint of horror. Ice-T is lured to a remote cabin by several wack jobs that have a sick hobby.. hunting humans! Ice-T is mislead by Charles S. Dutton into believing that a job awaits him.. soon after arriving to the cabin in which they had to be flown by privite planes to, he finds that they arent interested in hunting animals. He is in fact the intended prey of these mad men! Good performances (except by William McNamara, the son) by an all star male cast "Surviving the Game" is better that I expected. A real twisted and some what disturbing film. This is one to watch with your buddies instead of your girlfriend/wife. Also starring: Rutger Hauer, Gary Busey and, F. Murray Abraham as some of the hunters. 3 1/2 stars!!

BEST MOVIE EVER.......2005-06-10

I used to watch this movie on TNT as a kid growing up. Ive probably seen it over 5 times but none of my friends remember it. Ive been searching for a long time trying to find the title and i finally found it!!!!

This is one of the best movies ive ever seen. Definitly one of my top 5. What could be better than ICE-T being hunted in the forest. Everything about the movie rocked, except the cheasy basement scene, with the jars... yeah... I guess thats pretty good quality for 1994 though.

WATCH THIS MOVIE

Average customer rating:

Omry Reznik is so Hot.
One of the most Beautiful Red Shoe Diaries you will find!

Red Shoe Diaries - Swimming Naked
Starring: David Duchovny , Henric Nieminen , Kenneth David Ebling , Omry Reznik , and Robin Sagstetter
Director: Zalman King , and Rafael Eisenman
Manufacturer: Showtime Ent.
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Red Shoe Diaries - The Game
Red Shoe Diaries - Girl on a Bike
Red Shoe Diaries - Strip Poker
Red Shoe Diaries: Some Things Never Change
Red Shoe Diaries - Forbidden Zone

ASIN: B00005AB7M
Release Date: 2001-04-24

Customer Reviews:

Omry Reznik is so Hot........2006-11-29

Omry Reznik is so hot in the episode "Swimming Naked." It is worth the whole DVD just to watch it. And the acting makes it hotter. The underwater photogrpahy is a delight to watch him swim. It makes me want to swim with my husband everyday.

One of the most Beautiful Red Shoe Diaries you will find!.......2001-08-22

The first story is an Olympic Swimmer and a lifeguard, beautiful underwater photography and a lot of it. Most of the half hour was underwater, total body nudity. The second story involved a lot of skydiving. I hadn't seen the man with the large tatoo in the first story but he is in the second. I imagine making love on parachute silks would be fairly erotic. The last story is called "Tears". Russian ballet dancers and some beautiful music. ...

Average customer rating:

Horrific
Trite and cliché-ridden
True Crime
No racisim in the Turth
Ture Crime

True Crime
Starring: Graham Beckel , Penny Bae Bridges , John Finn , Frances Fisher , and Francesca Fisher-Eastwood
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Crime | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

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Blood Work
Absolute Power
In the Line of Fire (Special Edition)
The Rookie
Tightrope

ASIN: B00000JGOG
Release Date: 1999-08-10

Amazon.com

Not enough people went to see True Crime in theaters. Wasn't Clint Eastwood too old to be playing a guy whom a variety of glorious women, from the middle-aged Diane Venora and Laila Robins to the young Mary McCormack and Lucy Liu, find attractive? Could the onetime Man with No Name credibly play a brilliant crime reporter, Steve Everett, with an ironic turn of phrase and an incurable habit of screwing up both his personal and professional lives? The respective answers to those questions are: hell no and hell yes. True Crime features one of Eastwood's best and most entertaining performances--and his work as director is utterly assured.

The story (from Andrew Klavan's bestselling novel) gives Everett the last-minute assignment of interviewing a condemned man (Isaiah Washington) on the eve of his execution. The prisoner, a born-again Christian and exemplary family man, has everything the reporter lacks except a shot at seeing the next sunrise. Everett sets out to get him that, yet far from making a beeline to the exculpatory evidence that will save the life of his "client," this very tarnished hero has to spend a lot of the next 24 hours contending with the baggage he's accumulated through drinking, wenching, and familial neglect. (A Pirandellian note: Everett's daughter is played by Eastwood's own daughter, Francesca Fisher-Eastwood, and her mother, Frances Fisher, returns for a feisty cameo as a prosecutor.)

This is a good one that got away. Don't let it happen again. -- Richard T. Jameson

Customer Reviews:

Horrific.......2007-05-14

Ahhh.... just what the world needs: another mindless, pointlessly violent movie filled with gushing blood and bloodthirsty gangsters that do all sorts of things that are against the law, such as stealing and killing to name a couple. To top off it all off, you get to watch Clint Eastwood as his character tries to rescue an innocent man from the death penalty via electrocution. If you like Clint Eastwood, then might I suggest "Million Dollar Baby"? It's no masterpiece, but it's far more interesting and entertaining than this junk.

Trite and cliché-ridden.......2007-02-07

After watching 36 minutes of this trite and cliché-ridden waste, I am bailing out on it. It has totally failed to engage me or create the least expectation that there might be something interesting to come. A total cardboard cutout production and a major disappointment from Clint.

True Crime.......2006-12-27

This movie has its good and bad points and in the end they balance each other out to make this a reasonably decent movie to watch once. Personally, I'm not an especially big fan of these race-against-time kind of movies--especially when they are based upon true events. There's an important message in this movie, and it could have been handled in a more original manner. Not one of Clint's best movies, but certainly not one of his worst, either.

No racisim in the Turth.......2006-11-10

Man...so close, yet so far from being dead...

Clint is remarkable. I miss his Western films, but I'm also glad that he's showing us a different side of him.

A cop trying to save a family man from dying. Throughout the entire film, Clint has his audience wrapped around his finger. Trying to piece together what really happened. It goes to show you that the truth has no boundaries, and desperate times require quick thinking. Clint wanted us to think that the inevitable will happen. But he portrayed his role as a caring citizen willing to risk his job and life in believing something that everyone ruled out...the "real" truth.

Small details do make a difference and boy in today's age...people rarely care. Clint couldn't sleep at night knowing what had to be done or at least knowing he "really" tried doing the right thing.

If we as people in a civilized society can't get passed what their next door neighbor's skin is, how are we going to survive as morally descent human beings? This film portrayed the true nature of the true crime that almost sent Clint and Isaiah to death...

Ture Crime.......2006-11-10

We are real fans of Clint Eastwood and have all of his Dirty Harry movies, plus some of his newer films. This is a great movie and we have watched it several times and will continue to do so.

Average customer rating:

If the Devil will reign...
Olivier's Richard
One dimensional Richard
A beautifully restored film about the hideous human nature
Shakespeare 101

Richard III - Criterion Collection
Starring: Stewart Allen , Wally Bascoe , Claire Bloom , Pamela Brown , and Alec Clunes
Manufacturer: Criterion
ProductGroup: DVD
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Henry V - Criterion Collection
Hamlet - Criterion Collection
Richard III
King Lear
Macbeth / McKellen, Dench (Thames Shakespeare Collection)

ASIN: B00014K5ZA
Release Date: 2004-02-24

Amazon.com

The third and final entry in Laurence Olivier's Shakespeare triptych, Richard III (1954) is an audacious portrait of a man determined to prove himself a villain. As the personification of evil impudence, Olivier portrays the Duke of Gloucester with such aplomb that he brings the audience onto his side. This is true even as Richard engineers plots to murder his brother Clarence (John Gielgud), betray his cousin Buckingham (Ralph Richardson), and seduce his niece Lady Anne (Claire Bloom). From the play's famous opening lines ("Now is the winter of our discontent"), Olivier delivers every speech with truly Machiavellian splendor, and his superb staging of the climactic battle rivals his work on Henry V. Regrettably, this would be Olivier's last Shakespeare film, as a planned adaptation of Macbeth was abandoned for financial reasons. Olivier justly received an Oscar® nomination for his performance; and believe it or not, this film was the inspiration for the original Blackadder! --Kevin Mulhall

Description

In the majestic and sweeping 1955 version of Richard III, Laurence Olivier transfigures Shakespeare's great historical drama into a mesmerizing vision of Machiavellian villainy. Olivier's performance, considered by many the greatest of his career, charges Richard with magnetic malevolence as he steals his brother Edward's crown through a murderous set of machinations. His inspired direction brings to the screen superlative performances by actors Ralph Richardson and John Gielgud, and the young Claire Bloom. The Criterion Collection is proud to present the restored full-length version in a special double-disc edition featuring audio commentary by Russell Lees and John Wilders, a 1966 BBC interview with Olivier hosted by theater critic Kenneth Tynan, a gallery of on-set and production stills and posters, a 12-minute television preview for the film and the original theatrical trailer.

Customer Reviews:

If the Devil will reign..........2007-04-23

Every time I see this movie have the same feeling: if the Devil will reign, it will be this way!
Opera lovers knows that one of the worst things ever is the fact that Maria Callas never recorded a full version of Verdi's Macbeth; luckyly, the olympic talent of Laurence Olivier created this jewel.
For me, it goes ahead even before Olivier's Hamlet: this very personal approach of the Duke of Gloucester goes surrealistic enough to be modern. I saw it first when I was a child and I will never forget the impression that Olivier's eyes caused.
Cast, with Gielgud, Richardson, Bloom and Hardwicke among others, supports Olivier's experiment transforming the text of Shakespeare almost in a modern thriller about the corruption of a soul obsessed with power beyond all limits.
It was necessary the maturity of another great stage and cinema actor (Al Pacino) to almost reach Olivier, but this one is still a landmark.

Olivier's Richard.......2007-02-21

I have noticed that it is fashionable in some circles (particularly in the 'acting community') to be highly critical of Laurence Olivier and his interpretation of Shakespeare... While I have no credentials to speak of myself, I find these sorts of criticisms to be misplaced and they tend to unfairly take on Olivier without considering his times - Olivier was something of an outsider in his approach to Shakespeare - and the task of transfering his ideas of shakespeare into a rigid studio film (which nevertheless Olivier brilliantly succeeded in doing) would put Olivier right into a very vulerable place for an actor/director to be in.. Olivier was a believer in the human aspects of Shakespeare - he radically saw the possibility of a modern shakespeare - a shakespeare one could consider alongside the advent of modern psycohology and literature.. a sort of Freudian Shakespeare.. Now that Freud is also out of fashion it is easy to judge.. But the most important thing Olivier did had nothing to do with theories - he brought shakespeare to a larger audience - he made shakespeare more accessible.. He also did something only the best actors can do - he put his own personal stamp on the character of Richard III..His Richard is a serpentine feminine richard.. You clearly see a man who suffers within his body and mirrors this malace on to the world he confronts.. Olivier's Direction is also something remarkable - he combines the stage with celluloid in a way few have been able to manage... Criterion's transfer of this classic film is brilliantly crisp -you can't help but think of walt disney when you see this (or maybe powell and pressburger) - this is a perfectly legitimate portrayal of richard III and one that people will watch for years to come - what more could an actor achieve?

One dimensional Richard.......2007-01-19

I know I'm going to come off as a bit of a heretic here. I already know that people generally LOVE Larry's,well, anything Shakespeare,BUT, as a Shakespearean actor myself,(and one whose favorite role is the Hunchback King),I must say that Richard's character has much more potential than Olivier's rendition reveals. Also,the play is abridged by about 30 min. of cut material,(in order to cement Richard's one-dimensional cast). I didn't particularly like Olivier's Shylock either. To be fair,his Hamlet is brilliant,but unfortunately,it too is abridged,like, where are Rosencrantz and Guildenstern anyway? Apparently this is done for the shorter attention span of the American audience?

A beautifully restored film about the hideous human nature.......2006-08-17

No one could rival Laurence Olivier (Hamlet, Henry V, Richard III) as the scheming, ruthless youngest son of the 3rd Duke of York, who stopped at nothing to be King Richard III. His first appearance was deceptive. I noticed only a big nose and recognized him only after he spoke. Burdened with a crooked back, limp and shrunk hand, his ambition for kingship only burnt more feverishly. With disguised humbleness, he made peace with other royalties. His words were sugar-coated and gay. He killed Warwick, the 'KingMaker' who helped enthrone his elder brother as King Edward IV, and wooed Warwick's daughter Anne(the beautiful Claire Bloom) to marry him shortly after killing her husband. His planned murders of his elder brother Duke of Clarence, Lord Hastings, his young nephews (heirs-to-be), his wife Anne made even today's politics pale and unexciting.

Yet the movie about such a dark character was beautiful in VistaColour, set and costumes, cinematography. Scenes of executions, naïve Lord Hastings (Alec Clunes) walking into his death trap, innocent heirs-to-be greeting uncle Richard and Richard's final battle are memorable. All the other characters exuded integraity, royality and humanity. They were handsome in appearance and noble in heart, so different from Richard III. Even the once accomplice Duke of Buckingham (Ralph Richardson), without whose help there would be no Richard III, showed a moment of caution in doing any more evil. Perhaps it's this great contrast between Richard and everyone else that made the movie luring and tragic. In his last battle of Bosworth Field, Laurence Olivier showed a more reflective and human side of Richard III. When nearly everything on his side was lost, he marched, with a handful of supporters including his royal page (Stewart Allen), and fought valiantly.

The movie also succeeded in its clarity and fluidity. The powerplay of an excellent cast of experienced actors with great screen presence made 155 minutes fly without notice. With no prior knowledge of the Wars of Roses (House of York vs House of Lancaster), I am not at all lost in the many characters and relationship. And the crowning of Henry Tudor, 2nd Earl of Richmond, as Henry VII marked the beginning of the most filmed Tudor dynasty - a perfect prologue of films about the lives of Henry VIII and Queen Elizabeth.

Shakespeare 101.......2006-03-03

Here is Olivier at his rollicking best. This movie must be seen to be believed, and once seen will likely be regularly revisited throughout your life. It is beyond superlatives.

The reviews on this site amply speak of this great film's riches. While not one of the so-called "major tragedies" of Shakespeare, Olivier uses the play to to hammer home the most essential 101 level lessons about Shakespearean drama and performance -- its broad and physical appeal, its bald directness and outrageous humor, plain human pathos. If your kids need to start somewhere with the Stratford Bard, this is the place. It is highly likely that this single film will make a lifetime believer out of them -- and you too.

Olivier uses the adaptation of the play by the great British actor David Garrick from a couple centuries back, using the last part of Shakespeare's Henry VI, part 3, for necessary background, and then going off full-tilt into the best melodrama in the English speaking world. There is no reason to set forth the plot -- Richard himself delivers it to you inch by inch as he schemes his awful trail to power. Yet too, you laugh with him -- evil is not a black and white, Sunday school, cardboard cut-out proposition. The drama faces you with its terrifying seductiveness. This is a lesson once thought vital for developing adults in the English-speaking world, before the current monkey see/monkey do miasma of political correctness -- saying "good things" just to get ahead. Indeed, Richard is nothing if not the epitome of political correctness.

Of course, the story of Richard's character, as Shakespeare presented it, is Tudor era propaganda writ large -- still subject to reasoned debate. The drama, however, rightly retains its place as absolutely central to the ethos of the English speaking world, and its cultural claims. And Olivier nails it at all corners. Simply, this movie is as essential as a good dictionary, a properly translated bible, and a fundamental background in literature and the language.

Average customer rating:

NO STARS
Lame!
Ridiculous
A Laugh A Minute...Priceless!!!
THE WORST MOVIE EVER MADE ! ! ! !

National Lampoon's Holiday Reunion
Starring: Bryan Cranston , Judge Reinhold , Penelope Ann Miller , Hallie Todd , and Meghan Ory
Director: Neal Israel
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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