The Abbott & Costello Show, Vol. 1 (1952-53)

Director: Jean Yarbrough
Studio: SHANACHIE
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com
Bud Abbott and Lou Costello are one of the funniest comedy teams of all time. And this disc, featuring four episodes of The Abbot and Costello Show from the 1952-53 season is certainly proof of that. Most of the episodes begin with Bud and Lou onstage in front of an audience, providing an introduction to each story. The episodes themselves are stand-alone classics, but the plot lines frame famous Abbot and Costello sketches. The disc is formatted with menus so that you can play each episode or skip to the routines.

The four episodes featured in this volume, "Duck Dinner," "Hillary's Birthday," "Million Dollar Refund," and "Actor's Home," are heavy on physical comedy and rely on familiar supporting characters such as Mike the Cop, Bacciagalupe, and Mr. Fields to propel the stories. In the final episode, "Actor's Home," we are treated with a cameo appearance from comedian Joe Besser (previous to his joining the Three Stooges) as well as a brilliant performance of "Who's on First."

Amazon.com essential video

When this popular prison drama was released in 1994, some critics complained that the movie was too long (142 minutes) to sustain its story. Those complaints miss the point, because the passage of time is crucial to this story about patience, the squeaky wheels of justice, and the growth of a life-long friendship. Only when the film reaches its final, emotionally satisfying scene do you fully understand why writer-director Frank Darabont (adapting a novella by Stephen King) allows the story to unfold at its necessary pace, and the effect is dramatically rewarding. Tim Robbins plays a banker named Andy who's sent to Shawshank Prison on a murder charge, but as he gets to know a life-term prisoner named Red (Morgan Freeman), we realize there's reason to believe the banker's crime was justifiable. We also realize that Andy's calm, quiet exterior hides a great reserve of patience and fortitude, and Red comes to admire this mild-mannered man who first struck him as weak and unfit for prison life. So it is that The Shawshank Redemption builds considerable impact as a prison drama that defies the conventions of the genre (violence, brutality, riots) to illustrate its theme of faith, friendship, and survival. Nominated for seven Academy Awards including Best Picture, Actor, and Screenplay, it's a remarkable film that signaled the arrival of a promising new filmmaker--a film that many movie lovers count among their all-time favorites. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

Shawshank brilliance.......2007-07-04

If you've not seen this movie, you're long overdue. It's a wonderful movie with moving performances by terrific actors. There are lots of good extras on this Special Edition.

The Shawshank Redemption.......2007-06-08

Order was received sooner than expected ... in excellent condition. Was very pleased.

Great Movie.......2007-05-28

I bought this movie because I read the book Differnt Seasons (by Stephen King) that has this story in it. The book was great and so was the movie. The plot is the same but the story is a little differnt in the movie. This is one of the few movies as good as the book. My only complaint is that the movie would mot play on Windows Media Player on my computer, instead I had to install InterActual Player. I personaly did not see the point of that.

Hope.......2007-05-23

As Tim Robbins' character writes in this movie "Hope is a good thing...", and this movie gives us hope that intelligent movies might still be made in Hollywood.

Great move.......2007-05-16

Hd to get it in DVD I had vcr put there out dated. This is one move we can watch over and over thank you

The Jungle Book (Two-Disc 40th Anniversary Platinum Edition)

Average customer rating:

A Gem Repolished!!!!

The Jungle Book (Two-Disc 40th Anniversary Platinum Edition)
Starring: Phil Harris , Sebastian Cabot , Louis Prima , George Sanders , and Sterling Holloway
Director: Wolfgang Reitherman
Manufacturer: Walt Disney Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Animation | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

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Peter Pan (2-Disc Platinum Edition)
The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (The Friendship Edition)
Robin Hood (Most Wanted Edition)
The Little Mermaid (2-Disc Platinum Edition)
The Muppet Show - Season Two

ASIN: B000OLGCI4
Release Date: 2007-10-02

Description

One of the most popular Disney films ever, THE JUNGLE BOOK is a song-filled celebration of friendship, fun, and adventure set in a lush and colorful world. Inspired by Rudyard Kipling's "Mowgli" stories, Disney's 19th animated masterpiece was the last animated feature that had Walt Disney's personal touch. The jubilant adventure begins when Mowgli, a little boy raised by wolves, is urged by his friend Bagheera, a wise old panther, to seek safety in the man village. Feeling very much at home in the jungle, Mowgli resists and runs off. Much to Bagheera's dismay, Mowgli meets a new friend with a happy-go-lucky philosophy of life -- Baloo the Bear, a lovable "jungle bum." Together, the three buddies find the journey back to civilization anything but civilized! They encounter a crazy orangutan, the hypnotic and sly snake Kaa, and the menacing Shere Khan! Fully restored for this 30th anniversary edition, this enduring classic swings with jazzy toe-tapping music, including the Academy Award(R)-nominated "The Bare Necessities," and the freewheeling "I Wan'na Be Like You"! A thrilling story for all ages, THE JUNGLE BOOK is an absolute necessity for your video collection.

Customer Reviews:

A Gem Repolished!!!!.......2007-03-27

It cant get any better than this. Disney beloved animated classic "The Jungle Book" finally gets the long overdue Platinum treatment. This new 40th Anniversary release will include an all-new digital restoration of the film and for the very first time ever, this release will feature the movie in 1.75:1 widescreen aspect ratio (Please be aware that "Jungle Book" was filmed in 1.37:1 aspect ratio and was cropped for its theatrical screenings. The movie loses a little from top and bottom here in this restored version so think twice before selling off your old copies which featured the movie in its original fullscreen ratio). Along with a 5.1 Disney Enhanced Home Theater Mix soundtrack, this edition includes a restored original theatrical soundtrack too. French and Spanish language tracks will also appear on the disc. According to dvdtimes, extras on this platinum edition will include:

Audio Commentary - Combines comments from current animators with audio from the original creative team who made the film

The Lost Character: Rocky The Rhino - For the first time ever, the near-sighted, short-tempered rhinoceros named Rocky is brought to the screen using original storyboards and original voice recordings by Frank Fontaine.

The Bare Necessities: The Making of The Jungle Book - A comprehensive look at the last animated film that Walt Disney produced using existing archival footage in addition to new interviews with Richard Sherman, Brad Bird, Glen Keane, Eric Goldberg, James Baxter, Will Fi'nn, Andreas Deja, Burny Mattinson Ted Thomas, Bruce Reitherman, John Culhane, John Canemaker and Neal Gabler--plus a never-before-seen collection of artwork and treatments from the film

Disney's Kipling: Walt's Magic Touch on A Literary Classic - A discarded film treatment from 1963 includes scenes from Kipling's "Mowgli Stories" and more are used to illustrate Walt's interpretation of the literary masterpiece

The Lure of The Jungle Book - Many of today's biggest names in animation were inspired to pursue their careers after seeing The Jungle Book; this feature examines this phenomenon and features new interviews with Brad Bird, Andreas Deja, Sergio Pablo, Will Finn and Eric Goldberg.

Mowgli's Return to the Jungle - Learn about nature filmmaking and the experience of making The Jungle Book firsthand from Bruce Reitherman, the voice of Mowgli.

Baloo's Virtual Swingin' Jungle Cruise - Join everyone's favourite bear in this set-top and DVD-ROM game on an adventure through the jungle: enjoy fun activities and musical challenges, but keep an eye out because there's no telling what's on the other side of the river bend!

English Learning Feature
Still Frame Art Gallery

Like all other Platinum editions, even this one will be available for a limited time only. So bring home Mowgli, Baghira, Baloo and Shere khan and all the lovable characters we've all grown up with, before they go back to Disney vault again!

Average customer rating:

A Great Experience
A Po-Mo Classic
Bravo!
A rretro 2001 victorian modern morality tale
Extraordinary!

Flatland the Film
Starring: Simon G. Hammond , Greg Trent , Chris Carter , Linda Meigs , and Ashley Blackwell
Director: Ladd Ehlinger Jr
Manufacturer: Flatland Productions, Inc.
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Collectibles | Categories |
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Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions (Dover Thrift Editions)
Flatterland: Like Flatland, Only More So
The Annotated Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions
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Spaceland: A Novel of the Fourth Dimension

Product Features:

Signed by filmmaker Ladd Ehlinger Jr
5 out of 5 stars from Phil Hall, Film Threat: http://www.filmthreat.com/index.php?section=reviews&Id=9709
An A from SciFi Weekly review at http://www.scifi.com/sfw/screen/sfw15198.html
"Smart without being cheeky" Ozus World at http://www.sover.net/~ozus/flatland.htm
"Wholly original and clever, Flatland is what independent film-making is all about" - The Sci-Fi Movie Page at http://www.scifimoviepage.com/

ASIN: B000NJ60FM

Product Description

Ladd Ehlinger Jr.s feature length animated adaptation of Edwin Abbott's 1884 "Flatland." Screenwriter: Tom Whalen. Composer: Mark Slater. With penetrating satire, Flatland the Film takes us on a mind-expanding dimensional journey through an animated adaptation of Abbot's 19th century novel. A Square, Attorney-at-Law, inhabits a world that is flat and two-dimensional. Together with his wife Frau A Square, he tries to raise his children -5 pentagons and A Hexagon- as best he can in a rigid society governed by tyrannical triangles and pompous priest circles. It is three days until the much anticipated year 3000 in the Southern Republic of Flatland and A Square has a job to do. He must meet with his latest client, A Line, the first female Flatlander to be arrested for the taboo practice of Chromatism - the act of coloring ones sides in order to resemble a higher class of geometrical figure. During this meeting an entire rebellion of Chromatists is launched, and A Square must shield his family from the horrors of urban Flatlander war. Within this turmoil, a mysterious visitor from the third dimension arrives: A Sphere, CEO of Messiah, Inc. Flatlanders, according to A Sphere, must learn that there is another dimension called height. A Square must spread the word as his Apostle of the Three Dimensions. But having been flat his entire life, A Square is unable to comprehend these three dimensions. Out of desperation, A Sphere pulls A Square out of Flatland altogether to show him the true nature of Spaceland, and the universe. And in so doing, he risks the very fabric of space-time itself, potentially destroying all of creation. Will A Square make it home to Flatland? Will he be able to understand the Third Dimension? Will he be able to spread the gospel of the Third Dimension to his fellow Flatlanders - or will he be executed for blasphemy? The answers to these questions and more are to be found in Flatland the Film!

Customer Reviews:

A Great Experience.......2007-06-30

The first surprise from this movie was receiving it in the mail less than three days after I ordered it. The packaging was quite familiar, because it looked very much like what I had done when I sold software I created on CDs. Unless you (the guy selling the CDs/DVDs) do a run of several thousand disks and cases, you'll never get the look of a shrinkwrapped DVD like you buy at WalMart. But, if you pay close attention to all the pieces and assembling them just right, and as Ladd Ehlinger Jr, sign the disk and include a nice signed note, you can make it into something of a keepsake. The Miami Vice DVD will get handed off to the first person who asks for it and quickly forgotten. Flatland the Film isn't walking out of my house without help from a 4D sphere.

The next surprise... I've only watched it once, and expect to watch it many times and catch more of the nuances and details... At the start it seems to flip between animation and full screen text almost epileptically (for lack of a better word), like an old style silent film, except without the silence. If you go in expecting a faithful film portrayal of Abbott's book, the printed narrative looks like it might be the device to provide that, until it hilariously breaks into modern colloquialisms. Those sucked me into this film.

My Dad gave me Abbott's book to read when I was in 4th or 5th grade. I remember reading it with a very literal mathematical focus, which was probably to have lost everything intended by the book! It's kind of like how in high school, I "read" To Kill a Mockingbird (actually the first and last 3 pages), then BS'd my way to an A on a "book report". 15 years later, a friend from the UK sent me a copy of the book for my birthday, which I actually read, absorbed, and loved. Walking in others' shoes (to use the Mockingbird parlance) is the common thread. I reconnected with Flatland one afternoon when I was in grad school, and appreciated that there was so much more to the book than I'd seen as a 10 or 11 year old.

I can sort of see the same dynamic working with this film and kids. If you turn the sound down, there are lots of interesting things to watch, like the way the Flatlanders face each other to talk, their innards, how death works. I could see a bunch of 6 year olds cutting out little shapes and playing Flatland on a kitchen table, mimicking things they see in this movie. Maybe even picking up A Square and letting him look down on Flatland, with the Flatlanders oblivious to his presence. And yet, the movie is chock full of little nuggets for more sophisticated viewers to discover. I will probably have to watch it 10 times to catch all the funny signs in Spaceland. Some of the quips are very quick, like the explanation that "circles" in Flatland are not true circles, but polygons with so many sides they approximate them. Basically, King Circle and his ilk were posers.

Most definitely an enjoyable film, a fun experience, something I will share with friends and family in the future.

A Po-Mo Classic.......2007-06-22

This is a not-to-be-missed. Aside from the McLuhanesque implications of this independent REALLY film/animation, it is simply too fine! TWeaks your brain while being F-U-N. Beautifully rendered. Gulliver's travels meets Alice meets 2001 (whether you saw it as 2001 Stoned, 2001 Tripping or, GULP, a walk down Mem lane.

This film is to animation-imagination what MYST was/is to "computer games."

Bravo!.......2007-06-06

Mr. Abbott's book has fascinated me ever since my 7th Grade math teacher handed it to me in 1958. I've even used its concept in a couple of sermon illustrations (I'm a Lutheran pastor). In making this film, I think Mr. Ehlinger has done a marvelous job in not only preserving the concept, but also teaching it well and using it as an integral part of his plot. Absolutely fantastic.

A rretro 2001 victorian modern morality tale.......2007-06-05

1. I don't do reviews.
But having seen (and own 2 copies of) FLATLAND, and having interviewed the director for my cable access show: "Anatomically Correct Shorts" and viewed it at the "New Haven Underground Film Festival" (with a live audience) I felt obligated to make some sort of positive comment.
As ground breaking as 2001 this animated oddity is the WIZARDS of this new millenium. A cutting edge, wild trip in a sort of eastern european animation tradition this film is not what most American audiences are used to, in the age of super slick contentless Disni-mation. Clicker generation/shallow/ short attention span damaged slo mo's aint gonna get this film. REal film lovers/ afficionato's/ cult filmers/ and true indies will find this film something very new but oddly retro (and I mean that in the best way) amazingly complex and simple at the same time. I say check it out. Buy a copy. Support independent film.

Extraordinary!.......2007-06-04

This brings the Abbot's _Flatland_ to life. While not in 1:1 correspondence with the book, it does a reasonably good job of driving home the tendency to seek certainty in dogma and to exclude evidence to the contrary. It's interesting to note that Abbot imagined this intolerance as the root of war. Recent years have demonstrated a similar connection in the United States.

Some of the movie seems a little forced, a tad awkward. But it's well worth owning, well worth watching, and definitely worth learning from.

Average customer rating:

all time classic
Jungle Book
Cute Characters, Great Songs and Sweet Story Make this a Disney Classic
Still love this movie...
DVD Review

The Jungle Book (Limited Issue)
Starring: Phil Harris , Sebastian Cabot , Louis Prima , George Sanders , and Sterling Holloway
Director: Wolfgang Reitherman
Manufacturer: Walt Disney Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Animation | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

Adventure | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

3-6 Years | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

7-9 Years | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

10-12 Years | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

Adapted from Books | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

Family Films | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

Fantasy | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

Jungle Action | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

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Accessories:

Disney's Jungle Boogie: 14 Favorite Songs From Jungle Book, The Lion King, Jungle Cubs, Timon & Pumbaa (Soundtrack Anthology)

ASIN: B00001QEE8
Release Date: 1999-12-07

Amazon.com essential video

Disney's 1967 animated feature seems even more entertaining now than it did upon first release, with a hall-of-fame vocal performance by Phil Harris as Baloo, the genial bear friend of feral child Mowgli. Based on fiction by Rudyard Kipling, the film goes its own way as Disney animation will, but the strong characters and smart casting (George Sanders as the villainous tiger, Shere Khan) make it one of the studio's stronger feature-length cartoons. Songs include "The Bare Necessities" and "Trust in Me." --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

all time classic.......2007-05-13

The shipping was great and what can you say about the movie other than perfect thank you

Jungle Book.......2007-05-09

A Disney classic on DVD, what more could you want. Beautiful colors, wonderful music and an enchanting tale of boy cub raised in the jungle.

Cute Characters, Great Songs and Sweet Story Make this a Disney Classic .......2007-02-04

Though it diverges wildly from the the original story by Rudyard Kipling Disney's THE JUNGLE BOOK is one of the mouse's best classic animated musical movies. The voice actors are excellent and the songs are clever, memorable and move the story forward. There is enough action and humor for adults to enjoy the movie and though there are villains they are not too scary for the little ones. All ends happily though bittersweetly.

Still love this movie..........2007-01-12

My Daddy took me to see this movie when I was a small child. This movie has been a lasting and happy memory of my childhood, so I was thrilled when my grandson fell in love with it also. I had a VHS version of the movie and when it was destroyed I panicked because Disney had already stopped production of it. After checking EVERYWHERE I finally located the movie with Amazon.com as my middleman. I ordered the CD version, which was not cheap, but I got it at the best price through Amazon.
My grandson is singing with the movie again and happy. This movie is timeless and well worth the price paid.

DVD Review.......2007-01-10

I am very satisfied with this product. The delivery was prompt and the quality of the product is excellent. Thank you.

The Best of Abbott & Costello, Vol. 3 (Abbott & Costello Go to Mars / Abbott & Costello in the Foreign Legion / Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein / Abbott & Costello Meet the Invisible Man / Abbott & Costello Meet the Killer / Comin' Round the Mountain / Lost in Alaska / Mexican Hayride)

Average customer rating:

Great classic comedy!
FUNNY MOVIES
A. & C.::::Vol. 1,2,3
More turkeys than gems
Abbott and Costello on Parade

The Best of Abbott & Costello, Vol. 3 (Abbott & Costello Go to Mars / Abbott & Costello in the Foreign Legion / Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein / Abbott & Costello Meet the Invisible Man / Abbott & Costello Meet the Killer / Comin' Round the Mountain / Lost in Alaska / Mexican Hayride)
Starring: Bud Abbott , Lou Costello , Mari Blanchard , Robert Paige (IV) , and Horace McMahon
Director: Charles Lamont , and Charles Barton
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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DVDs Under $14.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

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The Best of Abbott & Costello, Vol. 1 (Buck Privates / Hold That Ghost / In the Navy / Keep 'Em Flying / One Night in the Tropics / Pardon My Sarong / Ride 'Em Cowboy / Who Done It?)
The Best of Abbott & Costello, Vol. 2 (Hit the Ice / In Society / Here Come the Co-Eds / The Naughty Nineties / Little Giant / The Time of Their Lives / Buck Privates Come Home / The Wistful Widow of Wagon Gap)
The Best of Abbott & Costello, Vol. 4 (Abbott & Costello Meet Dr. Jekyl & Mr. Hyde / Abbott & Costello Meet the Keystone Cops / Abbott & Costello Meet the Mummy / Abbott & Costello Meet Jerry Seinfeld / Abbott & Costello Meet the Monsters / The World of Abbott & Costello)
The Adventures of Ma & Pa Kettle - Volume 1
The Abbott & Costello Show: 100th Anniversary Collection Season 1

ASIN: B00023P4O2
Release Date: 2004-08-03

Description

Includes the following movies,
Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein
Mexican Hayride
Abbott and Costello Meet the Killer, Boris Karloff
Abbott and Costello in the Foreign Legion
Abbott and Costello Meet the Invisible Man
Comin' Round the Mountain
Lost in Alaska
Abbott and Costello Go to Mars

Customer Reviews:

Great classic comedy!.......2007-06-27

I used to watch these guys every Sunday morning when I was a kid. When I seen they finally came onto DVD and especially 8 episodes per volume, you just can't go wrong for the price. In my opinion, they were the best comedy duo there ever was. Some of their best movies exist within this volume including my favorite, Abbott & Costello meet Frankenstein. I ordered via standard shipping and received them within a weeks time, packaged nicely, and in great condition. If you love classic, clean comedy, then this is for you.

FUNNY MOVIES .......2007-06-06

WORTH THE MONEY
I LOVE THIS DVD, BRINGS BACK LAUGHTER AND MEMORYS AND YOU NEVER GET BORED WITH IT,

A. & C.::::Vol. 1,2,3.......2007-05-22

All the movies were 'clean', no fuzz, no lines, clear sharp pictures. Unlike some other reviews, these DVD's played perfectly with no problems! Definitely worth the money if you're a true Abbott and Costello fan...well worth it even if it's just old comedy you enjoy!!

More turkeys than gems.......2007-05-22

While there are a couple of really good films on this set, the majority of them are sub-par vehicles. These aren't exactly films that would make a big fan out of someone just getting into A&C. At least this set has been updated to have the eight films on four single-sided discs as opposed to the problem-plagued earlier version which had eight films on two flipper-discs, although the main menus, oddly, haven't been updated as well. They're still designed in a way that gives the impression that two other films are on the flip side.

'A&C Meet Frankenstein' (1948) is widely held as a classic, though I personally find it rather overrated. I liked it more the second time I saw it, but I still honestly don't get why so many people feel it's their best and funniest movie. Who knows, perhaps I'd find it a lot funnier if I'd seen it in the original theatrical run or on television as a child. Although I do think that the plot is pretty strong, and of the three monsters, Bela Lugosi's reprisal of Dracula had the most depth.

'Mexican Hayride' (1948) has some fun scenes, such as when Joe (Lou) is getting his entire wardrobe torn off of his body in an attempt to get rid of everything with his real initials and the later scene in the bullring, but overall it's a pretty mediocre vehicle. Its biggest fault is probably that it was originally a book and Broadway show, not a movie script originally written for them, and so didn't really fit even after being reworked to make it an A&C vehicle.

'A&C Meet the Killer, Boris Karloff' (1949) was one of my favorites on here. It's a great murder mystery, complete with some touches of film noir, and leaves the viewer guessing till the very end. Although in spite of the title, there aren't really any elements of horror in here, and Boris Karloff's character is relegated to a secondary character too quickly. There might not be a lot of funny scenes in it, but the great plot makes up for it.

'A&C in the Foreign Legion' (1950) isn't their most memorable, nor is the premise that novel (just how many comedies have had a similar setting?), though there are a lot of good scenes, such as the opening scene in the boxing ring, the auction for the harem girls, and when Bud and Lou are wandering through the desert and having mirages. It might not be as sophisticated as some of their other films, but I enjoyed it quite a bit.

'A&C Meet the Invisible Man' (1951), one of their better entries in the 'Meet' series, is possibly my favorite film on this set. There's a great plot, and the special effects are rather impressive for the era before computer-generated special effects. Though a lot of the gags center around the fact that Tommy (the boxer who is trying to clear his name of a false murder charge) is invisible, I didn't feel that these jokes got predictable or formulaic, since there were so many different jokes to be mined from this premise instead of the same ones over and over again. And how could any movie not be funny when there's an invisible character?

'Comin' 'Round the Mountain' (1951) is pretty weak, not least because, like many of their earliest films, it's cluttered up by superfluous musical numbers (which seem to drag on forever). The movie even starts with one of them, which isn't a good sign. Among the few genuine highlights are Lou's scene with the witch and the effects her love potion has on everyone who drinks it. The spoof of the Hatfield and McCoy feud could have been funnier, but the hillbilly characters just weren't utilised well enough, particularly the pistol-wielding granny, who should have been given more to do. Bud's character also doesn't get a whole lot to do. It's enjoyable enough, just nothing really memorable.

'Lost in Alaska' (1952) is near the bottom of the barrel. I was massively unimpressed by it. What few humorous moments it contains are all in the first half, and even then they're not that hysterically funny. They were really wasted in this one, and it's not even redeemed by a good ending scene. Bud's character also seems like more of a jerk than usual here.

'A&C Go to Mars' (1953) is generally regarded as one of their worst also, but I found it a bit better than its reputation. The Mardi Gras scenes are pretty funny, as are the two guys playing the escaped convicts who end up joining them on the rocket, and the opening scene of Lou with the children at the orphanage is really heartwarming, particularly knowing how much he cared for disadvantaged children in real life. Most of the rest, however, falls pretty flat. The sci-fi bits are badly dated and such obvious products of the Fifties, the scenes on Venus are pretty ridiculous (although the Queen's truth-detectors are kind of funny), and the last third or so of the movie seems really rushed. Those Venusian women must have been really desperate for men if they were attracted to these four guys! (Even Bud, whom I think looked rather handsome in their earliest films, was looking pretty old and tired by this point.) Overall, it's the type of thing that only a young child or someone who first saw this as a child decades ago is apt to find that funny.

All in all, while there are some genuinely good movies on here, and while the other ones all have their moments, this is something likely to be enjoyed more by completists and hardcore fans than new or casual fans. It's a shame A&C weren't given high-quality scripts worthy of their talents more often and had to go through the motions in turkeys like 'Lost in Alaska' and 'Comin' 'Round the Mountain' so often in the later part of their career.

Abbott and Costello on Parade.......2007-05-07

I remember the great antics of Abbott and Costello from the earliest days of my childhood. That's why I purchased the DVDs covering their film career.
I was not at all disappointed with the quality of the transfer from film to DVD; watching the DVDs was very much like watching the films in a theatre. And of course, Abbott and Costello are as entertaining for me now as much as they were back "in the good ol' days."
I would not, however, recommend these great DVDs for young people; this duo was at its best back in the forties and fifties, but they would be considered corny in this day and age. So, if your fifty--or more--by all means, shell out the cash and enjoy the laughable, crazy, and slapstick antics of one of the most famous comic pairs ever in the business. If you happen to be young, unless you have an unusual interest in the the film industry, skip these DVDs for something a little more modern and sophisticated.

The Best of Abbott & Costello, Vol. 1 (Buck Privates / Hold That Ghost / In the Navy / Keep 'Em Flying / One Night in the Tropics / Pardon My Sarong / Ride 'Em Cowboy / Who Done It?)

Average customer rating:

Laughing all the way....
Classic comedies
Great collection
Enjoyable films, great price, questionable disc quality
The Best of Abbott and Costello, Vol. 2

The Best of Abbott & Costello, Vol. 1 (Buck Privates / Hold That Ghost / In the Navy / Keep 'Em Flying / One Night in the Tropics / Pardon My Sarong / Ride 'Em Cowboy / Who Done It?)
Starring: Bud Abbott , Lou Costello , Dick Powell , Claire Dodd , and Patty Andrews
Director: Arthur Lubin , A. Edward Sutherland , and Erle C. Kenton
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Television | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $14.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( B ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
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The Best of Abbott & Costello, Vol. 2 (Hit the Ice / In Society / Here Come the Co-Eds / The Naughty Nineties / Little Giant / The Time of Their Lives / Buck Privates Come Home / The Wistful Widow of Wagon Gap)
The Best of Abbott & Costello, Vol. 3 (Abbott & Costello Go to Mars / Abbott & Costello in the Foreign Legion / Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein / Abbott & Costello Meet the Invisible Man / Abbott & Costello Meet the Killer / Comin' Round the Mountain / Lost in Alaska / Mexican Hayride)
The Best of Abbott & Costello, Vol. 4 (Abbott & Costello Meet Dr. Jekyl & Mr. Hyde / Abbott & Costello Meet the Keystone Cops / Abbott & Costello Meet the Mummy / Abbott & Costello Meet Jerry Seinfeld / Abbott & Costello Meet the Monsters / The World of Abbott & Costello)
The Adventures of Ma & Pa Kettle - Volume 1
The Marx Brothers Collection (A Night at The Opera/A Day at The Races/A Night in Casablanca/Room Service/At the Circus/Go West/The Big Store)

ASIN: B0000WN0PA
Release Date: 2004-02-10

Description

Get ready for big laughs with Abbott and Costello, undeniably the most popular comedy team of all time! Now, the classic films of Bud Abbott and Lou Costello are available on DVD in this hilarious collection.

The wildly popular comic duo has entertained audiences since 1931, conquering vaudeville, radio and the silver screen in nearly 40 films. Enjoy these side-splitting hits like Buck Privates and Hold That Ghost in this collection of eight full-length features. The Best of Bud Abbott and Lou Costello: Volume 1 will have you laughing out loud again and again!

One Night in the Tropics (1940)
Bud and Lou get mixed up in a "Love Insurance" scheme.

Buck Privates (1941)
The duo accidentally enlists in the U.S. Army to avoid getting arrested!

In the Navy (1941)
Bud and Lou are sailors bound for duty on the high seas in this musical comedy.

Hold that Ghost (1941)
The boys inherit a haunted house formerly owned by a mobster.

Keep `Em Flying (1941)
Bud and Lou enlist in the Army Air Corps and get caught up in a love triangle.

Ride `Em Cowboy (1942)
The duo head to the Lazy S ranch to hide after Lou accidentally proposes to an Indian girl.

Pardon My Sarong (1942)
Bud and Lou travel to the South Seas where Lou is mistaken for a legendary god!

Who Done It? (1942)
The boys are suspected of murder while being targeted by the actual killer.

Customer Reviews:

Laughing all the way...........2007-06-30

I remember some of these movies from when I was a kid (okay, I'm dating myself but I don't care). "Hold That Ghost", which is the reason I bought this collection, has some of the funniest bits EVER captured on film. No "off color" language or jokes -- just lots of laughs. The exchange after Joan Davis runs into Lou Costello and knocks him down STILL makes me laugh out loud. If you like "funny" -- this is your ticket.

Classic comedies.......2007-06-24

It may be hard to believe nowadays, but Abbott and Costello were once one of the biggest box office draws at the movies. In the early 1940s, their movies were among the tops in terms of tickets. Nowadays, they seem to be mostly forgotten except by fans of old movies, which is too bad. Their movies may not be the best comedy ever written, but they are all pretty fun. Volume 1 of The Best of Bud Abbott and Lou Costello features their first eight films.

One Night in the Tropics is their screen debut. They are actually just secondary characters who contribute little to the plot (involving some romantic mix-ups) but are brought in to lighten things up, with among other things, their "Who's on First" routine. Next up is their first starring feature and the first of their three military comedies, Buck Privates. In this one, they accidentally enlist in the army while trying to avoid a cop who later turns out to be their drill sergeant.

The next of their "service comedies" was In The Navy, in which they assist a famous singer who is trying to become a regular Joe by becoming a sailor. The final service comedy is Keep `Em Flying, which puts them in the early Air Force.

The pair inherit a supposed haunted house on Hold That Ghost. It actually used to belong to a mobster, and some of his loot is still in the place, attracting other hoodlums. In Ride `Em Cowboy, they wind up on a dude ranch. Pardon My Sarong is something of a takeoff on the Hope/Crosby Road pictures, with the two winding up on a tropical island. Finally, in Who Done It?, they are entangled in a murder mystery at a radio station.

There is a very structured approach to these movies: Universal Pictures obviously wanted these churned out quickly (some were out within a couple months of the start of shooting!) and they used plenty of contract players: for example, three movies have Shemp Howard in small parts and Dick Foran in bigger parts. All the movies are pretty short (they range from 78 to 87 minutes). They all have a romantic subplot involving other characters and (with the exception of Who Done It?), they all have several musical numbers, some featuring big names like the Andrews Sisters and Ella Fitzgerald.

At the core, however, are Abbott and Costello, more particularly Lou Costello who forms the comic heart of these stories. They are the same characters in every story: Bud is the fast-talking con man and Lou is the not-so-bright coward with an almost child-like approach to the world. There is plenty of physical comedy, but they are at their best when the two are just talking.

It'd be a bit much to call these films classics, but they are entertaining and they would probably amuse kids as well as adults. I suppose it's also technically inappropriate to call this The Best of Abbott and Costello when it actually is just their first eight movies, but at the same time it is true: this collection does show them in top form.

Great collection.......2007-06-15

Except for "One Night in the Tropics", these are some of Abbott and Costello's most entertaining films. One of my very favorite A@C films, "Ride 'em Cowboy" is marred by the dreadful dream sequence. What makes it more frustrating is to read from sources that other comedy scenes (which sound funnier) were filmed but rejected including extended bits of business with the poker sequence. The rest of "Ride 'em Cowboy" however more than makes up for the dream skit. This dvd set is a great buy for the cost.

Enjoyable films, great price, questionable disc quality.......2007-05-04

While I don't think I'll ever grow to be a *huge* A&C fan, as I've been seeing more and more of their films, I've grown to genuinely like them and to really enjoy watching them, even if I personally don't find them as consistently hilarious and personally endearing as some of the other great comedians of the era. But for this price, and for this many films in one collection, how could anyone go wrong?

'One Night in the Tropics' (1940) is actually a star vehicle for Allan Jones (best-known for his roles in the Marx Brothers' first two MGM films), Nancy Kelly, Robert Cummings, Peggy Moran, and a few other secondary characters. It's an enjoyable movie, but nothing really classic or memorable. A&C are actually the most interesting characters and steal the show, even though their comedy routines are detached from the plot and they're just trotted out as periodic comic relief. They're also not really playing very sympathetic characters in this one. It seems like one of those films that's watched more for the historical interest than for genuine entertainment value.

'Buck Privates' (1941), their first starring vehicle, is considered a classic, though here too they often seem to be relegated to supporting comedians and pushed to the back burner in favor of the romantic subplot. The same holds true in their other two service comedies, 'In the Navy' and 'Keep 'Em Flying' (also from 1941). While all three of their service comedies are genuinely enjoyable and funny, they would have been even stronger and funnier if all of the superfluous musical numbers and the romantic subplots with boring characters we don't really care about had been cut out. They were funny and talented enough to carry a film on their own without being forced to play second-fiddle to secondary characters! The weakest of these three is 'Keep 'Em Flying'; overall it just seems disjointed and inconsistent, and like they'd run out of top-notch material to mine after already doing their first two service comedies. (These service comedies also feel, in hindsight, like subtle propaganda just in case the U.S. really did enter WWII, what with the "Isn't the Army/Navy/Air Force great and fun?" theme.)

'Hold That Ghost' (1941) is also somewhat bogged down by musical numbers and a romantic subplot, but at least here those elements don't take up as much time as in a lot of their other early films. The plotline about spending a night in a haunted house and all of the hair-raising things that happen seems a bit cliché today, and the script seems a little weak, but overall there are enough funny moments and interesting twists and turns in the plot to make it worthwhile.

'Who Done It?" (1942), which mixes comedy and a murder mystery, has a very strong script and a supporting cast. What makes this film so funny and tight is that it focuses almost entirely on A&C instead of being cluttered up by some boring romantic subplot and superfluous song and dance numbers. 'Pardon My Sarong' (1942), made in imitation of the popular Hope and Crosby 'Road' pictures of the time, finds them on a tropical island. Although it does feature musical numbers and a romantic subplot, at least the comedy routines are seamlessly worked into the picture instead of seeming more detached from the plotline, and the subplot seems more interesting than usual. 'Ride 'Em Cowboy' (1942) is enjoyable entertainment and has a good script, though unfortunately has the same formulaic feel that a lot of these other films do--musical numbers and a dull romantic subplot that really slow down the story and relegate A&C to supporting characters. Normally I find Westerns boring and dated at best and offensive at worst, but since this is a comedy Western, I liked it. Even the stereotypical depictions of the Native Americans weren't as bad and offensive as they often are in these kinds of films.

Overall, while A&C aren't my top favorite comedians, I do enjoy watching them, and these early films are no exception. And while the songs and romantic subplots slow the pictures down, the boys are great when they're front and center instead of being relegated to supporting players. However, while this may seem like a great price for 8 films, it's not entirely a great deal. Since these are double-sided discs, they're more prone to scratching and malfunctioning. While the first disc played fine for me, I had to go through a number of different copies before finally getting a second disc that didn't freeze up or skip at any point. Would it have taken that much effort for Universal to ensure more quality control on this classic catalogue? And while the extras (trailers and production notes) are much appreciated, these films and this comedy team are famous and respected enough to have merited something more, like audio commentaries or photo galleries. Still, at least they're represented on DVD now, inferior technical quality or not.

The Best of Abbott and Costello, Vol. 2.......2007-04-02

Abbott and Costello's humor is outstanding and timeless. This collection of some of their movies will have you laughing uproariously, and you will watch these movies over and over again, and keep on laughing even after you've watched them so many times that you know what is going to happen next.

Average customer rating:

First, best of "McHale's" four seasons
Really Funny
good ol TV show
The gang's all here!
Anchor's Way Aweigh!!!!

McHale's Navy - Season One
Starring: Ernest Borgnine , Joe Flynn , Tim Conway , Carl Ballantine , and Gary Vinson
Director: Earl Bellamy , Frank McDonald , Charles Barton , Norman Abbott (II) , and Oscar Rudolph
Manufacturer: Shout Factory Theatr
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000M8N412
Release Date: 2007-03-20

Amazon.com

Something of a cross between M*A*S*H* (it's set in wartime) and Sgt. Bilko (the emphasis in on ensemble acting, with a ringleader and his band of merry pranksters), McHale's Navy isn't on a level with those two immortal sit-coms. But this amiable show, debuting on DVD with all 36 black & white episodes from its first season (1962-63) on five discs, stands the test of time surprisingly well. Not that there's any important new comedic ground broken here. These half-hour episodes are pretty much all about the same thing: Lt. Cmdr. Quinton McHale (the always reliable Ernest Borgnine), skipper of Navy PT boat #73, and his crew are stationed "somewhere in the South Pacific, 1943." They're capable sailors, engaging the Japanese enemy when duty occasionally calls, but most of the time they hang out on their own private island and have a good time--much to the chagrin of their blustery commander, Capt. Wallace Binghamton (Joe Flynn), who's constantly trying to rid himself of the regulation-defying McHale and his fun-loving band of miscreants. In that respect, McHale's Navy is much like Bilko. But unlike the latter show's brilliant Phil Silvers, Borgnine isn't really a comedian; with his unmistakable cackle, the actor's McHale, while not above taking part in a good-natured prank, is a less a Bilko-esque con artist than a regular guy, a kind of cheer- and ringleader intent on looking after his boys. The real laughmeisters on this show are Tim Conway, who brings his whole bag of shticks to the role of the bumbling Ensign Charles Parker, and Flynn, who's consistently hilarious. Among the crew, Carl Ballantine stands out as fast-talking Brooklyn native Lester Gruber; TV lovers will also recognize Gavin MacLeod in his first extended TV role before moving on to The Mary Tyler Moore Show and The Love Boat.

It's always a bit strange to see war scenes played for laughs--the Pacific Theater in World War II was hardly comedy central, after all. But they are pretty funny. And while the Japanese characters are treated fairly stereotypically, it could have been a lot worse, considering the show's pre-political correctness provenance; hell, many of the roles are actually played by Japanese actors, which was not a given (then or now), and in one episode ("Movies Are Your Best Diversion"), they speak un-subtitled Japanese. Fact is, McHale's Navy is just too mild and good-natured to offend anyone. The sole bonus feature is a dull reunion interview with Borgnine, Parker, and some other cast members.--Sam Graham

Description

THE ORIGINAL 36-EPISODE FIRST SEASON STARRING ERNEST BORGNINE, TIM CONWAY AND JOE FLYNN

From 1962 to 1966, McHale's Navy was ABC's must-see comedy series. With an amazing cast, including Academy Award winner Ernest Borgnine ("Lt. Commander McHale"), comic genius Tim Conway ("Ensign Parker"), the one-of-a-kind comic talent of Joe Flynn ("Captain Binghamton") this series remains second only to M*A*S*H as a truly funny military sitcom.

Veteran seaman Quinton McHale is commissioned into the Navy Reserve at the start of WWII. He becomes Skipper of the Torpedo Patrol (PT) Boat #73 stationed on the island of Taratupa in the Pacific. Assigned to his command are six free-spirited, good-hearted swabbies who love to have fun. McHale and his men are constant irritants to their base commander, Captain Wallace B. Binghamton. Binghamton is forever trying to find a way to get rid of McHale and his rule-bending crew, while McHale & Co. are forever scheming to keep him from succeeding. Despite their hilarious party-boy shenanigans and utter disregard for Navy regulations, when duty calls, the crew of PT 73 does its job and does it well.

With its talented stars, great writing and solid supporting cast, including Gavin McLeod (Mary Tyler Moore Show, The Love Boat), McHale's Navy is classic television at its finest and funniest.

Special Feature:
THE CREW REUNION - Ernest Borgnine, Tim Conway, Carl Ballantine, Bob Hastings and Edson Stroll reunite and share their memories of the show.

Customer Reviews:

First, best of "McHale's" four seasons.......2007-06-30

The early episodes of Season 1 of "McHale's Navy" are more low-keyed than the remaining three years would be, showing some traces of the show's origin as a 1961 Alcoa Theater drama "Seven Against the Sea" that featured Ernest Borgnine as McHale, but none of the other cast members (though some of the same character names). Watching Season 1 in order you can see the show focusing more on the strengths of the slapstick comedic relationship between Tim Conway and Joe Flynn as the year goes on, but the opening season's shows overall are really no more silly/serious than the plots for the first two seasons of M*A*S*H (and in fact, M*A*S*H's Season 2 opener, "Five O'Clock Charlie" was liberally taken from a Season 1 "McHale" episode "Five O'Clock Charlie" and coincidentally features Mike Farrell in a brief role). Season 1 also features stories from some fairly prominent writers for TV and elsewhere, including the pilot episode by Gene L. Coon ("Star Trek") and others by Danny Arnold ("Bewitched", "Barney Miller"), and Joseph Heller ("Catch 22").

Picture quality is decent on most of the episodes, though there are a few scratches here and there that show the 45-year-old age of the source material. Sound quality is also good, except for the muffled opening scene and titles from "Movies are Your Best Diversion" (the original episode had a slightly jazzier version of the opening theme on the main titles, and someone apparently decided to dub the more familiar version back on and did so -- badly). Definitely worth getting, though if you're looking for the Conway-Flynn slapstick antics "McHale's Navy" is most remembered for, you might want to start with Disc 3 in the set, or pick up the Season 2 DVD of the show first.

Really Funny.......2007-06-22

This is one of the all time greats. You can't stop laughing. McHale, Parker and Binghamptn are great! When is the second season coming out ????

good ol TV show.......2007-06-09

I remember when tv was fun to watch, well here it is. These shows are fun to watch. Good clean silly fun. I always lasugh when I watch these episodes. I can't wait for the next season to come out.

The gang's all here!.......2007-06-01

What a pleasure to relive the zany exploits of McHale and crew! Great clarity and focus on the black and white pictures. I wish that all DVD's were created with the quality of effort and end result that is evident in this first season of McHale's Navy. Outsanding value!

Anchor's Way Aweigh!!!!.......2007-05-25

This series was so inspiring, I had to join the Navy to find out if it was anything like the series...and much to my chagrin, for the most part. IT WAS.....Clean humor, political incorrectness, Very well cast, great acting. It was believable. They just do not make them like this any more. Buy it or I'll put you on report and you will have to stand at Captain's Mast in front of Captain "Leadbottom"...."Waaaahat...Waaahat...Waaaht...I could just scream"

Average customer rating:

West Side Story
West Side Story (Full Screen Edition
West Side Not Snorie
Gonna Rock It Tonight!
The Movie's OK...

West Side Story (Full Screen Edition)
Starring: Natalie Wood , Richard Beymer , Russ Tamblyn , Rita Moreno , and George Chakiris
Director: Jerome Robbins , and Robert Wise
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B0000AM6IY
Release Date: 2003-10-07

Amazon.com essential video

The winner of 10 Academy Awards, this 1961 musical by choreographer Jerome Robbins and director Robert Wise (The Sound of Music) remains irresistible. Based on a smash Broadway play updating Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet to the 1950s era of juvenile delinquency, the film stars Natalie Wood and Richard Beymer as the star-crossed lovers from different neighborhoods--and ethnicities. The film's real selling points, however, are the highly charged and inventive song-and-dance numbers, the passionate ballads, the moody sets, colorful support from Rita Moreno, and the sheer accomplishment of Hollywood talent and technology producing a film so stirring. Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim wrote the score. --Tom Keogh

Description

This brilliant (The New Republic) film sets the ageless story of Romeo and Juliet against a backdrop of gang warfare in 1950s New York. Directed by Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins and scripted by Ernest Lehman, the film combines Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim's unforgettable score ( Maria, America, 'somewhere, 'tonight ) with Robbins own exuberant choreography to achieve an exhilarating work of art (Saturday Review). A love affair is fated for tragedy amidst the vicious rivalry of two street gangsthe Jets and the Sharks. When Jets member Tony (RichardBeymer) falls for Maria (Natalie Wood), the sister of the Sharks leader, it's more than these two warring gangs can handle. And as mounting tensions rise, a battle to the death ensues, and innocent blood is shed in a heartbreaking finale.

Customer Reviews:

West Side Story.......2007-07-02

Adapted by Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins from the long-running Broadway play, this triumphant production combines a brilliant score and jaw-dropping choreography with a heart-rending tale of doomed love. The leads work well together, with Wood particularly effective, but supporting players Russ Tamblyn (as Jet leader Riff), Chakiris and Rita Moreno (as Bernardo's sassy girlfriend Anita) virtually eclipse the stars with their intense moves and portrayals. This vibrant film is also elevated by an unsurpassed, evergreen Bernstein/Sondheim score. Winner of a staggering ten Oscars, including Best Picture.

West Side Story (Full Screen Edition.......2007-06-27

I don't have much to say about this DVD as I only purchsed it for my husband, he is very pleased with the order, he only bought this DVD as he likes Westside story and has seen it numerous times and loves it, he thinks it is the best musical that ever was made

West Side Not Snorie.......2007-06-27

West Side Story is a clasic. The theam is almost timeless, and the songs are first rate. Anyone who enjoys good music, and/or acting should make an effort to view this film.

Gonna Rock It Tonight!.......2007-05-30

My goodness, after wearing out my old VHS copy, it was amazing to see this in such clarity. The one-hour documentary and production home movies and stills were fascinating!!!

The Movie's OK..........2007-05-11

"West Side Story" is an interesting film to analyze. It won Best Picture in 1961; it's #41 on The American Film Institute's Top 100; But look at the top 250 films according to the Internet Movie Database. It's nowhere to be found..."West Side Story" is not, in my opinion, a masterpiece. It's a good film, but it's overly long and none of the singers are particularly good (except Marni Nixon, who dubbed Natalie Wood's vocals), and it's also very cheesy. A modern update of Romeo & Juliet, a movie about rival gangs that sing and dance. It's almost campy.

The movie takes place in New York, where the rival gangs The Jets (whites) and The Sharks (Puerto Ricans) frequently fight for the right to certain turf. After a school dance, a Jet named Tony (Richard Beymer) falls for Maria (Wood), the Puerto Rican sister of Bernardo (George Chakiris) the leader of The Sharks. The film features such memorable tunes as "I Feel Pretty" and "Gee, Officer Krupke."

It's definitely well made, as the acting is fine, and the choreography is superb...But at 2 hours and 30 minutes, I was thinking (once it hit the 90-minute mark) "END ALREADY!" I guess I should clarify however that I'm not a very big fan of musicals and I guess if you are, you'll probably like "West Side Story" a lot more than I did. But I think this is one of the 10 or so films that appear on the A.F.I. list that I can honestly say don't deserve to be there.
GRADE: B-

Average customer rating:

Abysmal production of a great musical
Best King Arthur story going
The Arthur Legend
Great gift
Character building!!!!

Camelot (Special Edition)
Starring: Richard Harris , Vanessa Redgrave , Franco Nero , David Hemmings , and Lionel Jeffries
Director: Joshua Logan
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 6304712944
Release Date: 1998-07-29

Amazon.com

Joshua Logan's 1967 film of the hit Broadway musical about the love triangle between King Arthur (Richard Harris), Guenevere (Vanessa Redgrave), and Sir Lancelot (Franco Nero) is strong on star emphasis and weak on such fundamentals as story and sets. Except for a handful of solidly dramatic scenes--such as Guenevere grieving, late in the film, for the ruination she and Lancelot have caused--there's not a lot to get excited about. (The story's theme of a lost, great society, however, certainly struck a chord in the 1960s.) The Lerner-Loewe songs ("If Ever I Would Leave You," "Camelot") pretty much sell themselves, even if they are, at best, only proficiently performed in this movie. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

Abysmal production of a great musical.......2007-05-25

Vanessa Redgrave can't sing - perhaps the song should be "The Simple Joys of Silence" instead of "The Simple Joys of Maidenhood".
Franco Nero leaves you cold.
Richard Harris, however, is the one, bright, shining moment in this Camelot. The Broadway Version which he did in '82 is head and shoulders above this.

Best King Arthur story going.......2007-03-12

Great acting, wonderful vocals, outstanding cinematography for its time. I loved it as a kid and I love it now too. It seems a bit long by today's standards, but mainly because people are now used to bam-bam-bam action. This is a classy classic with eternal themes.

The Arthur Legend.......2007-01-19

'Camelot' provides a romaticized version of the Arthurian Legend, with the emphasis on the relation between Arthur and Guinevere, while the controversy between Celt and Saxon is not mentioned.
Fantastic performances of both Richard Harris and Vanessa Redgrave, with excellent 'lasting' music like 'How to handle a woman'. For the 'afficionado' of the Arthurian legend a 'must-have'.

Great gift.......2007-01-19

My parents asked for this DVD for Christmas and I gave it to them. They love this movie and have enjoyed it for years now. They were very happy to have received it and have watched it several times. My sister borrowed it from them and is now watching too!

Character building!!!!.......2007-01-15

A movie that entertains and has a moral lesson to it,... unlike most of the junk we see today!
On parr with Goodbye Mr. Chips (Peter O`Toole) and My Fair Lady.

The Best of Abbott & Costello, Vol. 2 (Hit the Ice / In Society / Here Come the Co-Eds / The Naughty Nineties / Little Giant / The Time of Their Lives / Buck Privates Come Home / The Wistful Widow of Wagon Gap)

Average customer rating:

The Naughty Nineties
FUNNEY SHOWS
abbott and costello
The Best of Abbott and Costello, Vol. 2
Nostalgic Fun

The Best of Abbott & Costello, Vol. 2 (Hit the Ice / In Society / Here Come the Co-Eds / The Naughty Nineties / Little Giant / The Time of Their Lives / Buck Privates Come Home / The Wistful Widow of Wagon Gap)
Starring: Bud Abbott , Lou Costello , Marjorie Main , Audrey Young , and George Cleveland
Director: Charles Barton , Daniel Helfgott , and Erle C. Kenton
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Main, Marjor