The Muse

Starring:Jamie Alexis, Ange Billman, Jeff Bridges, Aude Charles, Gannon Daniels, Bobby Edner, Mark Feuerstein, Lorenzo Lamas, Andie MacDowell, Catherine MacNeal, Monica Mikala, Skip O'Brien, Marnie Shelton, Cybill Shepherd, Sharon Stone, Jennifer Tilly, Jennie Ventriss, Bradley Whitford, Steven Wright
Studio: Polygram USA Video
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com

A wimpy remake of an already anemic movie (the 1947 Rita Hayworth vehicle Down to Earth), this glitzy musical from 1980 improbably stars Olivia Newton-John as a heavenly muse sent here to help open a roller-derby disco. Gene Kelly is mixed up in this well-meaning but goofy effort to fuse nostalgia with late-'70s glitter-ball trendiness, and he looks just plain silly. Directed by Robert Greenwald, the film doesn't even work as decent kitsch. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

Un Clásico de los 80's.......2007-06-11

Olivia Newton-John un ícono de los 8o's interpreta a una musa, ella es una musa, nos transporta a una época de patines, música disco e ilusiones.
Con la genialidad de Jeff Lynn y la Orquesta de la Luz Eléctrica que con sus sonidos le dan vida a las imágenes y resaltan el fondo de la película.
Un mensaje para seguir soñando, algún día se hará realidad.

Excellent Movie.......2007-05-17

I needed this so that I could do a drag song number for a show. The show was cancelled, but I loved the movie.

I'm Alive! (So it gets a 5).......2007-05-16

I have probably seen this movie well over 300 times. It was one of the first video cassettes in my family (back when a VCR was the size of a semi truck) and I have literally watched this movie over and over again.

I still have the sndtrk. on vinyl and I love all of the songs, especially the ones by ELO. I thought Gene Kelly was just magnificent and Olivia has one of the hottest boot collections around as you will see in the end segment. The script is totally cheesy, the effects are laughable and Jeff Beck is awful but this all adds to the charm.

This movie is just mad silly fun and so brilliant in that it captured all that the 80's were about. I love the dance sequences, especially when they are in the new wave clothing store with the lurex spider people. You will see Solid Gold dancers, Olivia in legwarmers, Gene Kelly in a rollerdisco and a glimpse into what record stores were like before they were what the are today.

I really, really love this movie and I am not a male in my 40's with a a lurking crush on Olivia. I'm a female in my 30's who grew up on this film and you need to own this if only to see the 9 muses come alive from the mural in Santa Monica. Or was it Venice Beach?

It isn't as bad as it originally was.......2007-05-11

Upon rewatching the dvd after initially catching this movie on TV many years ago, it's actually not that bad. I do have to say that the male lead is sorta bland (John Travolta he ain't) but Olivia Newton-John was at her best (singing and looks) in this movie.

It's a good movie to watch if you want spend an afternoon on the couch.

Movie from childhood.......2007-05-07

I like this movie for the nostalgia. The music and scenes throughout takes me back to when I first saw it.

Average customer rating:

I Love Horses
MOST BEAUTIFUL OF HORSE MOVIES - PURE, IDYLLIC, INNOCENT
at last! a horse movie thats not about a girl ...
A beautiful film for horse lovers.
Classic!

The Black Stallion
Starring: Kelly Reno , Mickey Rooney , Teri Garr , Clarence Muse , and Hoyt Axton
Director: Carroll Ballard
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
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The Silver Stallion: King of the Wild Brumbies

ASIN: 0792833759
Release Date: 1997-09-10

Amazon.com

Adapted from the beloved novel by Walter Farley, this 1979 family classic was hailed by no less than hard-to-please critic Pauline Kael, who wrote that "it may be the greatest children's movie ever made." A visual feast from start to finish, the timeless tale of The Black Stallion plays out on almost mythic terms. A young boy survives a shipwreck and is stranded on a deserted island with a graceful black stallion, with whom the boy develops an almost empathic friendship. After being rescued and returning home, the two make a winning team as jockey and lightning-fast racehorse under the tutelage of a passionate trainer, played by Mickey Rooney in an Oscar-nominated role. From its serenely hypnotic island sequence to the breathtaking race scenes, this delightful film is guaranteed to enthrall any viewer, regardless of age. The Black Stallion is a genuine masterpiece of family entertainment. --Jeff Shannon

Description

From its turbulent beginning in a storm-swept sea to its unforgettable horse race finale, The Black Stallion is a modern-day movie landmark. One of the most highly praised productions of 1979,it is "a wonderful experience...for adults and for kids" (Roger Ebert). When a shipwreck leaves Alec (Kelly Reno)a courageous young boyand The Blacka wild Arabian stallion 'stranded on a desolate island, the two share a frightening adventure of survival that forges a lasting bond of friendship between them. Upon their rescue, Alec and the magnificent horse continue their adventures when they join forces with ex-jockey and horse trainer Henry Dailey (Mickey Rooney). Recognizing the winning combination of The Black's remarkable spirit and Alec's unwavering devotion tohis friend, Dailey takes both under his wing and prepares them to go head to head with the world's best thoroughbreds in "the race of the century."

Customer Reviews:

I Love Horses.......2007-05-12

I always enjoy watching this movie and the second one of the movie. I can never get enough of watching horses.

MOST BEAUTIFUL OF HORSE MOVIES - PURE, IDYLLIC, INNOCENT.......2007-05-01

There is no film more perfectly innocent or pure than this film. There is nothing offensive or defiling about it. It is almost like visiting Eden, and is, in my opinion, what every film should be.

In spite of these remarkable qualities, there are other things about this film that are equally remarkable. For example, the horse that played the Black Stallion - Cass Ole - wasn't really black, and had to go through makeup each day. Kelly Reno, who plays Alec Ramsey, the boy the Black saves, and who rides him to fame and glory, had never acted before and does his own stunts. Corky Randall, the horse's trainer, was the son of Glenn Randall, Sr., who trained the horses for Ben-Hur. Carroll Ballard, director for the film, had never directed a feature film before, but was a talented cinematographer. His other best known film is Never Cry Wolf (1983).

This is one of Mickey Rooney's best performances as the ex-jockey who trains Alec to race, and he was nominated for an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. Thirty-four years earlier, he trained Elizabeth Taylor's character, Velvet, to ride in National Velvet - also one of his most memorable performances. Teri Garr is good as Mrs. Ramsey, Alec's mother; and Clarence Muse is wonderful as Snoe, an old black man who befriends Alec and advises him to keep the Black wild. Of course, he doesn't, and, because of it, we're treated to one of the best racing scenes in film history.

The wedding of visuals and music make this one of the most beautiful films ever made, with Caleb Deschanel taking credit for the photography, for which he was nominated for various awards and won both the LA Film Critics and National Film Critics Awards. There is just enough dialogue to move the story along; but most of it is told through the gorgeous visuals. A stirring original music score by Carmine Coppola supports the cinematography perfectly, for which she, too, was nominated for various awards, including Golden Globe, and won the LA Film Critics Award. Robert Dalva was nominated for the Oscar for Best Film Editing. Francis Ford Coppola (Godfather) was executive producer.

For story and acting, National Velvet is probably the best horse movie ever made. But this is the most beautiful. It is pure beauty, as idyllic and innocent as the island on which the Black and Alec form their relationship. It is the kind of movie that makes you wish you were Alec, racing along the shore with his arms in the air, as free as a bird, on the back of his best friend, the most beautiful stallion in the world. That is what it's like to be totally alive.

Waitsel Smith

at last! a horse movie thats not about a girl ..........2007-04-07

there are three reasons to watch this loooooong movie about a horse: the photography, kelly reno, and mickey rooney. two of those are gorgeous to look at.

A beautiful film for horse lovers........2007-01-27

This is a beautiful film for horse lovers. It is not in canon with the first book (Alec is coming home by himself, his father is alive, he seems older in the book, etc.) but for the general horse lover, this is a must see. There is no pulse-pounding excitement in this film; even the race scenes are exciting but serene, if that sounds right. It isn't for everyone. It is a well-acted, emotional film, with some of the most beautiful cinematography I've ever seen and wonderful music, too. However, it is very "artsy", the dialogue is very minimal up to the last parts of the film, but that is the beauty of it. The silence expresses more than words could. It isn't in the same league as movies like 'Dreamer' and 'Black Beauty'. It is a slow, subtle film, admittedly dull in spots, but is spectacular for all that. If you like a relaxing, artistic film and will overlook some of the inconsistencies and 'huh?' moments (like when the Black manages to race all over the city and into the shipyards and beyond without stopping), you will love this film. It has flaws like any film, but it is truly the most stirring and genuine equine films I've seen.

As for the DVD transfer being poor, I wouldn't know. If you want to be on the safe side, purchase the excellent VHS.

This is a horse-crazy 17 y\o...

Classic!.......2007-01-04

It's not as exciting as I remember it as a kid but it has great cinematography and is a heart warming story.

Austin Powers - The Spy Who Shagged Me (New Line Platinum Series)

Average customer rating:

A bit too much at times
Hop on the good foot and do the bad thing
Dr. Evil's movie
AUSTIN POWERS IS BADDER THAN EVER AND HE'S BACK
Great Sequel

Austin Powers - The Spy Who Shagged Me (New Line Platinum Series)
Starring: Mike Myers , Heather Graham , Michael York , Robert Wagner , and Rob Lowe
Director: Jay Roach
Manufacturer: New Line Home Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Accessories:

Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me: More Music From The Motion Picture

ASIN: B00001U0BN
Release Date: 2004-06-01

Amazon.com

"I put the grrr in swinger, baby!" a deliciously randy Austin Powers coos near the beginning of The Spy Who Shagged Me, and if the imagination of Austin creator Mike Myers seems to have sagged a bit, his energy surely hasn't. This friendly, go-for-broke sequel to 1997's Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery finds our man Austin heading back to the '60s to keep perennial nemesis Dr. Evil (Myers again) from blowing up the world--and, more importantly, to get back his mojo, that man-juice that turns Austin into irresistible catnip for women, especially American spygirl Felicity Shagwell (a pretty but vacant Heather Graham). The plot may be irreverent and illogical, the jokes may be bad (with characters named Ivana Humpalot and Robin Swallows, née Spitz), and the scenes may run on too long, but it's all delivered sunnily and with tongue firmly in cheek.

Myers's true triumph, though, is his turn as the neurotic Dr. Evil, who tends to spout the right cultural reference at exactly the wrong time (referring to his moon base as a "Death Star" with Moon Units Alpha and Zappa--in 1969). Myers teams Dr. Evil with a diminutive clone, Mini-Me (Verne J. Troyer), who soon replaces slacker son Scott Evil (Seth Green) as the apple of the doctor's eye; Myers and Troyer work magic in what could plausibly be one of the year's most affecting (and hysterically funny) love stories. Despite a stellar supporting cast--including a sly Rob Lowe as Robert Wagner's younger self and Mindy Sterling as the forbidding Frau Farbissina--it's basically Myers's show, and he pulls a hat trick by playing a third character, the obese and disgusting Scottish assassin Fat Bastard. Many viewers will reel in disgust at Mr. Bastard's repulsive antics and the scatological bent Myers indulges in, including one showstopper involving coffee and--shudder--a stool sample. Still, Myers's good humor and dead-on cultural references win the day; Austin is one spy who proves he can still shag like a minx. --Mark Englehart

Description

First he fought for the Crown, now he's fighting for the family jewels! Mike Myers returns as the world's grooviest superspy who must return to the Swingin' Sixties to recover his ''mojo'' and stop Dr. Evil from liquidating the world.

DVD Features:
Audio Commentary
DVD ROM Features
Deleted Scenes
Featurette
Music Video
Theatrical Trailer

Customer Reviews:

A bit too much at times.......2006-07-25

This is what happens when you get a film that does modest business, but becomes a huge cult sensation once it hits the home audience. You make everything bigger and better and hope the audience eats it up without noticing how empty the film feels at times. Ironically this was also one of the principle flaws of the James Bond series, which Austin Powers chiefly parodies.

Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me lacks the heart of the first film. That may seem like an odd comment for a comedy film like this, but it was really the character-driven bits in the first one (and the third) that kept the comedy bits together. Here the plot feels kinda random and disorganized. There are defnitely some new concepts and gags (Mini-Me!), but a lot also feel recycled. The gags are also a little much this time around, even for someone used to this kind of bathroom humour. I found the gags in the first and third much more clever and entertaining.

So we get a 3 star film, which has flaws but is generally a nice reunion of old characters. The dvd however, presents a lot of great extras that boost the final rating to 4. Lots of hilarious deleted scenes, a great commentary track, music videos, and other fun extras. A lot of care was put into this set and it shows.

The weak link of the Austin Powers trilogy, but worth owning for fans, and worth a rental for those who haven't experienced Austin Powers yet.

Hop on the good foot and do the bad thing.......2006-07-09

Austin Powers (AKA "Sir Austin Danger Powers"), Dr Evil and Fat [...] all played by Mike Myers? Fantastic! The costume and make-up team are second to none.

Verne Troyer as Mini me is great. Not that many other actors could have "filled his shoes". Danny Devito doesn't even come close!

Ivana Humpalot (Kristen Johnston) is a Russian woman sent to kill our hero. As a chess fan I was curious about the direction of this particular game.

Overall, this film is a comedy. You can't expect a Les Miserables plot or the depth of Ben Hur. It's a great laugh for a night in and it achieves what I believe it set out to do.

Dr. Evil's movie.......2006-06-21

This sequal to the first austin powers is not quite as good as the first one, but it's not that bad. Austin power's character has pretty much been reduced to nothing in this movie. Heather Graham's character is just in the movie for eye candy. That leaves Dr. Evil, who pretty much has all of the funny scene's in the movie. Although, I thought the whole thing with him trying to be a rapper was stupid. Fat Bastard's character was ok, but it got dull after a while. Overall: I think you should check it out just for dr. evil's scenes in the movie.

AUSTIN POWERS IS BADDER THAN EVER AND HE'S BACK.......2006-05-08

THE RETURN OF AUSTIN POWERS

STILL A FACETIOUS IRREVERENT LIGHT- HEARTED SATIRE & VERY FUNNY TOO!

IN A NUTSHELL: STILL A BIT TOO MUCH - BUT SO WHAT IF IT WORKS!

Still a bit too facetious, a bit too vulgar, a bit too irreverent, and a bit too overdone. Only now, everything, including Austin's new nemesis FB [also played by Mike Meyers] is supersized. Nevertheless, this comedy still does work and it still pays homage to the original James Bond series, as well as the anglo and american cultures of the 1960s. In the end, "Austin Powers - The Spy Who Shagged Me" is still simply quite effective in its role as a satirical comedy.

HOWEVER THERE ARE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE 1st & 2nd FILMS:

The tone of the film is the same, but more. In doing so, the film has had to rely more on comical set-pieces than the natural progression of a silly satirical story line, as it did in the original film. At times this slows things down or seems to detour the film almost to the point of derailing. Almost, however, is the key word and the film keeps on trucking. Some of these comedic set-pieces are self-contained entertainment in their own right, such as Dr. Evil's duet ["Just The Two Of Us"] with Mini Me, and the commotion in the tent where strange things seemed to be happening within Austin's innards, as seen from outside the tent by Dr. Evil's disgusted henchmen. Or that whole story line involving group family therapy which spilled over to the "Jerry Springer Show" - very effectively silly, irreverent stuff.

* THE CAST *

Mike Myers - Austin Powers / Dr. Evil / Fat Bastard
Heather Graham - Felicity Shagwell
Michael York - Basil Exposition
Robert Wagner - Number Two
Rob Lowe - Young Number Two
Seth Green - Scott Evil
Mindy Sterling - Frau Farbissina
Verne Troyer - Mini-Me
Elizabeth Hurley - Vanessa Kensington
Kristen Johnston - Ivana Humpalot
Gia Carides - Robin Swallows
Burt Bacharach - himself
Elvis Costello - himself
Will Ferrell
Woody Harrelson - himself
Charles Napier
Willie Nelson - himself
Tim Robbins - President of the United States
Rebecca Romijn
Jerry Springer - himself
Fred Willard
Muse Watson - The Klansman
Clint Howard - Johnson Ritter

* THE PRINCIPAL PRODUCTION CREW *

Jay Roach - Director
John Lyons - Producer
Eric McLeod - Producer
Demi Moore - Producer
Mike Myers - Producer / Screenwriter
Jennifer Todd - Producer
Suzanne Todd - Producer
Michael McCullers - Screenwriter
Ueli Steiger - Cinematographer
George S. Clinton - Composer (Music Score)

* MAJOR AWARD NOMINATIONS *

Best Makeup (nom) Mike Smithson 1999 Academy
Best Makeup (nom) Michele Burke 1999 Academy
Best Original Song (nom) Madonna 1999 Golden Globe
Best Original Song (nom) William Orbit 1999 Golden Globe

BOTTOM LINE: MIKE MEYERS & FIRST TWO FILMS OF THIS SERIES ARE EXCELLENT

Great Sequel.......2006-01-24

When it appeared in theatres back in summer '99, I thought this is one of the good sequels that was just as good as before. Vanessa Shagme and Fat Bastard were both a plus to this new movie. Doctor Evil and Austin Powers still act the same, and still make me laugh. Michel Meyers didn't loose with this one. The story line made sense (unlike the one after this one)and it was one enjoyable movie. I recommend that you get this one, because it will make you laugh.

Average customer rating:

We love Mini-Me!!
Groovy Movies
Great Gift for the man in your life
Austin Powers is Pure Comedy!
Kinda grows on ya

Austin Powers (3pc) (Ws)
Starring: Mike Myers , Heather Graham , Michael York , Robert Wagner , and Rob Lowe
Director: Jay Roach
Manufacturer: New Line Home Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00006WUWQ
Release Date: 2002-12-03

Amazon.com

If you don't think Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997) is one of the funniest movies of the 1990s, maybe you should be packed into a cryogenic time chamber and sent back to the decade whence you came. Perhaps it was the 1960s--the shagadelic decade when London hipster Austin Powers scored with gorgeous chicks as a fashion photographer by day, crime-fighting international man of mystery by night. Yeah, baby, yeah! But when Powers's arch nemesis, Dr. Evil, puts himself into a deep-freeze and travels via time machine to the late 1990s, Powers must follow him and foil Evil's nefarious scheme of global domination. Mike Myers plays dual roles as Powers and Dr. Evil, with Elizabeth Hurley as his present-day sidekick and karate-kicking paramour. A hilarious spoof of '60s spy movies, this colorful comedy actually gets funnier with successive viewings, making it a perfect home video for gloomy days and randy nights. Oh, behave!

"I put the grrr in swinger, baby!" a deliciously randy Powers coos near the beginning of The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999), and if the imagination of Austin creator Mike Myers seems to have sagged a bit, his energy surely hasn't. This friendly, go-for-broke sequel finds our man Austin heading back to the '60s to keep perennial nemesis Dr. Evil (Myers again) from blowing up the world--and, more importantly, to get back his mojo, that man-juice that turns Austin into irresistible catnip for women, especially American spygirl Felicity Shagwell (a pretty but vacant Heather Graham). The plot may be irreverent and illogical, the jokes may be bad, and the scenes may run on too long, but it's all delivered sunnily and with tongue firmly in cheek. Myers teams Dr. Evil with a diminutive clone, Mini-Me (Verne J. Troyer), then pulls a hat trick by playing a third character, the obese and disgusting Scottish assassin Fat Bastard.

Despite symptoms of sequelitis, Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002) is must-see lunacy for devoted fans of the shagadelic franchise. Unfortunately, the law of diminishing returns is in full effect: for every big-name cameo and raunchy double-entendre, there's an equal share of redundant shtick, juvenile scatology, and pop-cultural spoofery. All is forgiven when the hilarity level is consistently high, and Mike Myers--returning here as randy Brit spy Austin, his nemesis Dr. Evil, the bloated Scottish henchman Fat Bastard, and new Dutch disco-villain Goldmember--thrives by favoring comedic chaos over coherent plotting. Once they've tossed Austin into the disco fever of 1975 (where he's sent to rescue his father, gamely played by Michael Caine), Myers and director Jay Roach seem vaguely adrift with old and new characters, including Verne Troyer's Mini-Me and pop star Beyoncé Knowles as Pam Grier-ish blaxpo-babe Foxxy Cleopatra. A bit tired, perhaps, but Powers hasn't lost his mojo.

Description

The most colorful special agent, Austin Powers, will keep you laughing as he thwarts the efforts of the infamous Dr. Evil in this 3-pack of instant classic comedies. Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery; Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me; Austin Powers in Goldmember

Customer Reviews:

We love Mini-Me!!.......2007-06-27

These movies are great fun to watch with our teenage kids. Even though they are from the 90's they are still hillarious! After watching one of them, our family imitates the characters and we have lots of silly fun .... The world needs more silly fun!!

Groovy Movies.......2007-05-10

I love the austin powers series of movies. Worth the price tag. Buy it.

Great Gift for the man in your life.......2007-05-08

I bought this set for my son , and he has enjoyed the so much . a laugh a minute

Austin Powers is Pure Comedy!.......2007-03-13

I am a fan of all Michael Myers movies. I loved the first two movies of series and am going too buy them soon! Too bad I can't say the same for the third one. The first "Austin Powers" movie is funny and not too crude (4 stars). The second one is funny, but is a little more crude (3 stars) and the third one is nothing but fart jokes (2 stars). If people agree wiht me, don't buy this whole entire series, just buy the first two. If you are a die hard fan, buy the whole pack.
-Ben Russell

Kinda grows on ya.......2007-03-08

Turn down your intelligence and enjoy the slapstick sophmoric humor. Hot babes and suggestive jokes. Mini-me makes it. Great deal.

Average customer rating:

Disturbingly Lesbian Film
Breathtakingly Honest
An All-Time Favorite!
Catch a style of song
Why? What's the point?

Songcatcher
Starring: Janet McTeer , Michael Davis , Michael Goodwin , Greg Russell Cook , and Jane Adams (II)
Director: Maggie Greenwald
Manufacturer: Lions Gate
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Classic Mountain Songs from Smithsonian Folkways

ASIN: B00005O0SO
Release Date: 2001-10-23

Amazon.com

Hauntingly beautiful folk music and stunning Appalachian scenery take center stage in this winner of the 2000 Sundance Film Festival Special Jury Prize for outstanding ensemble performance. Musicologist Dr. Lily Penleric has a deep love of English folk ballads. After a humiliating failure to make full professor, she heads off to visit her sister's tiny school in rural Appalachia and finds herself in folk music central. Lily is entranced, but the locals are suspicious of the outlander's motivations. Issues of tolerance, clashing cultures, and Big Bad Men abound, but Songcatcher wisely focuses on the music. Janet McTeer does fine with the "repressed academic gets in touch with the earth" role, but her truly outstanding work is in revealing scholar Lily's rapture in her discoveries. McTeer leads a truly great cast, including the wonderful Pat Carroll, and a just-for-the-hell-of-it cameo by bluesman Taj Mahal. Songcatcher has a healthy respect for the mountain people it portrays, and an absolute reverence for their music. --Ali Davis

Description

When musicologist Doctor Lily Penleric (Janet McTeer) is passed over for a prominent teaching position, she leaves the city to visit her sister in the beautifully rugged mountains of Appalachia. It is here she discovers a wellspring of emotional tunes passed down from the original Irish and Scottish immigrants who settled in these parts. Determined to document the history of the songs, she immerses herself in mountain life, falls in love with a local musician, Aidan Quinn, and is profoundly changed by the generosity, strength, and freedom of the fiercely proud mountain people.

Customer Reviews:

Disturbingly Lesbian Film.......2007-07-02

Yes, what looks like a great family film is actually a disturbing vehicle to promote lesbian values. I was so disgusted by the lesbianism and partial nudity that I didn't even finish it. YYUUUUCCKKK!!!!

Breathtakingly Honest .......2007-05-13

Here is a look at the North Carolina Mountain Culture at the turn of the 19th century through the eyes of a rennisance woman with a PhD. in music. It is so much more than the story it tells. It reminds us of our roots and shows us the heartache of ignorance. There are several remarkable characters throughout the movie.I would urge all lovers of the land and life to see this piece that slipped through the cracks at oscar time. The performances are excellent, and it is the first time we see and hear the work of Emi Rossum. Get the sound track also. You will love this one. I wore out my first copy. This review is from my second. I'm not sharing more of the story because it is groundbreaking and I want your experience to be organic. That alone will do justice to this labor of concientious love and integrity.

An All-Time Favorite!.......2007-02-25

Just on the basis of the soundtrack and musical performances alone, this is a great movie. Then add in the historical information about early Applachian Mountain culture, an entertaining and absorbing storyline, and excellent acting, and you have magic. Really, really good!

Catch a style of song .......2007-02-23

The story in this movie is a really good one; a female professor in the early 1900's (I believe) who stumbles upon a unique style of music in the backwoods of the Appalachian mountains. She decides study and documentation of this musical genre will warrant her advancement in the university's music department and launches in to her study with great gusto.

The main character transforms in this movie and her transformation is truly believeable. Not everything about this movie is believeable yet the movie is very worthwhile viewing. The storyline is good and the music is fantastic. Not all of the progression of scenes/story makes for a believeable plot but again, the movie is very worthwhile for the music itself.

Why? What's the point?.......2007-02-16

There are enough reviews of the main movie story so I don't need to add anything in that regard. But, what on earth does a lesbian sub-story (in both regards) have to do with the story as a whole? Nothing. So, we have another movie that would be great to introduce the whole family to blue-grass music and the Appalachian way of life that, instead, heads for the trash bin.

Average customer rating:

Something to Talk About
I enjoy observing social mores i.e. deep lying by Southerners
a look at relationships
Good couples movie
good

Something to Talk About
Starring: Julia Roberts , Dennis Quaid , Robert Duvall , Gena Rowlands , and Kyra Sedgwick
Director: Lasse Hallström
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

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

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ASIN: B00002ND7J
Release Date: 1999-12-14

Amazon.com essential video

This well-intentioned but strangely cold tale concerns an emotionally repressed Southern belle (Julia Roberts) who separates from her husband (Dennis Quaid) after discovering he is an unabashed philanderer. Pressed by her dominating father (Robert Duvall) into reconciling with her spouse, Roberts's character chafes against so much male control over her destiny. Defended by a fiercely independent sister (a catchy performance by Kyra Sedgwick), the heroine develops the nerve to plot her own course in life while her mother (Gena Rowlands) finds the gumption to throw her own mate out of the house. The script by Callie Khouri (Thelma & Louise) is intelligent but hardly clear, and direction by Lasse Hallström (Once Around) can't keep Khouri's unfocused scenes and uncertain purpose from dissolving like sand castles in the rain. --Tom Keogh

Product Description

Grace has a picture-perfect life. And it goes dizzyingly out of focus the day she discovers her husband Eddie has been unfaithful. Julia Roberts headlines this acclaimed movie that aims for the heart and funnybone - and scores a bull's eye. In her best screen role yet, Roberts is Grace, whose reaction to the infidelities of Eddie (Dennis Quaid) turns the lives and loves of the people around her into something like falling dominoes.

Robert Duvall, Gena Rowlands, Kyra Sedgwick and others in "the years best ensemble of characters" (Jack Matthews, Newsday) join Roberts for this juicy, truthful story written by Callie Khouri (Thelma and Louise) and directed by Lasse Hallstrom (What's Eating Gilbert Grape?). Folks are talking about Grace. You owe it to yourself to see why.

Format: DVD MOVIE

Customer Reviews:

Something to Talk About.......2007-06-30

This movie is one of the best movies ever made. It covers the dynamics of relationships in a way that allows the viewer to recognize them in thier own lives or of people that they know. Julie Roberts, Dennis Quaid, Kyra Sedgwick, Robert Duvall and Gena Rowlands are all at their best. THis is a movie that I enjoy every time I watch it and that is often.

I enjoy observing social mores i.e. deep lying by Southerners.......2007-06-04

I can't remember the other movie about Southerners I enjoy watching though not for its intended purposes - probably Steel Magnolias. I know everyone enjoys using that accent but I think the South is a treacherous place (excuse me, Delta Burke, Steven Colbert, Amy Sedaris and Florence King.)

I like watching how the South propagandizes itself in everyday life and I can see how it does make life smoother sometimes but that kind of lifestyle doesn't make for a safe place instead it makes me worried more that the gimmicks especially the drawl and the social pressure is so obvious and easily used for manipulating the wrong person into office. I kind of ignored the point of this movie but I like to rewatch it when it is on tv. I'm not susceptible to either Julia Roberts or Dennis Quaid but there's a lot of spendiness in this movie and Kyra Sedgewick may be why Julia Roberts does not do many movies with other women.

My one like without reservation in this movie is Robert Duvall character's advice to the little girl to save your treats for the horse you're going to ride. Too bad he didn't follow his own advice.

a look at relationships.......2007-05-09

I liked this movie alot prehaps because I liked the actors but also because it deals with some real issues in not only marriages but also families. Julia Roberts does a great job as a wife who has been cheated on and as she struggles to deal with the fall-out from this she also has to work on family relationships. The movie does have some colorful language and deals with some serious subject matter so it does deserve the R rating that it has.

Good couples movie.......2007-02-05

This is a very good movie for a couple to watch. Heart touching.

good .......2007-01-26

i love this movie. it is smart & funny. dennis Quaid is hot in this movie.

Average customer rating:

CUTE MOVIE
This is a Great Movie.
Enjoyable movie
the reel stars!
teacher's pet

Teacher's Pet
Starring: Clark Gable , Doris Day , Gig Young , Mamie Van Doren , and Nick Adams
Director: George Seaton
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0007TKGY4
Release Date: 2005-04-19

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Clark Gable's bluff masculinity is a big part of the story and appeal of Teacher's Pet, to such a degree that his age (near 60) doesn't seem like such a problem as he romances perky Doris Day. Gable is an old-school newspaperman who scoffs at the idea of journalism being taught in night school; hard knocks and shoe leather are his preferred textbooks. Naturally, Doris teaches journalism in night school. Gable masquerades as an inexperienced student in order to prove her wrong, which brings forth some fairly labored complications, presented in pedestrian style by director George Seaton. The film is too long for its own good, but as an illustration of movie-star value, it's a convincer--Gable and Day are completely, effortlessly within their established personas. Gig Young adds pep as a brainy psychologist (whose expertise extends to hangover recipes--he and Gable have a good morning-after scene). Doris sings the incorrigibly catchy title song over the opening credits, but stick around for Mamie Van Doren's nightclub rendition of "The Girl Who Invented Rock 'n Roll," a real eye-roller. --Robert Horton

Description

In TEACHER'S PET, film legend Clark Gable stars as Jim Gannon, a school-of-hard-knocks newspaperman who despises journalism schools... until he sees who's doing the teaching. Attracted to lovely professor Erica Stone (Day), he masquerades as a novice in her class. Soon he's her prize pupil, all the while trying to make her his own prize.

Customer Reviews:

CUTE MOVIE.......2007-05-31

DORIS DAY AND GIG YOUNG WERE VERY GOOD IN THIS MOVIE. SO WAS CLARK GABLE BUT I THOUGHT HE WAS A BIT OLD FOR THE PART.

a VERY ENJOYABLE MOVIE.

This is a Great Movie........2007-04-27

Nice actor Clark Gable. And Doris Day is very charming actress. Story is comedy touch and Romantic. Picture is monocromatic ,but I feel flesh now. This DVD is really excellent and I love it.

Enjoyable movie .......2007-04-12

to watch! Doris Day is so funny and good at her job. Too bad there isn't anyone else out there who could keep up with her these days. Typical boy chases girl movie and I love it when he catches her!

the reel stars!.......2007-03-10

wow! day and gable! hello?...these were STARS!....what an enjoyable flick for those who want "quality" in movies!...lafed

teacher's pet.......2007-01-12

an enjoyable,riotous and fun to watch movie.clark gable gives a briliant performance as the over the hill editor with designs on the young and beautiful doris day,half his age.

Average customer rating:

only got to see half
Another film that is usually hard to watch
This Is Education At Its Best
Too much Hollywood added, but understandable
Tragic history, great story.

Rosewood
Starring: Jon Voight , Ving Rhames , Don Cheadle , Bruce McGill , and Loren Dean
Director: John Singleton
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 0790732211
Release Date: 1997-09-10

Amazon.com

A shameful chapter in American history is powerfully dramatized in Rosewood, but moviegoers in 1997 may not have been ready for the African American equivalent of Schindler's List. And while the massacre that occurred in the nearly all-black town of Rosewood, Florida, in 1922 cannot compare in scale to the Nazi holocaust, it potently illustrates the same issues of racism and inherited intolerance that percolate at every level of human existence. An estimated 40 to 150 blacks were killed in Rosewood by an all-white lynch mob from the neighboring town of Sumner, where a white woman falsely claimed she'd been assaulted by a black man. The resulting mayhem ignited a tinderbox of resentment toward the flourishing citizens of Rosewood, and those few who survived were so traumatized that they remained silent until the truth was revealed by an investigative journalist in 1982.

The film is blessed with richly authentic production design, lush cinematography, and a subtly effective John Williams score, and director John Singleton and screenwriter Gregory Poirier embellish the truth of Rosewood with a fictional hero named Mann (Ving Rhames), who arrives to buy a five-acre plot coveted by Rosewood's white grocer (John Voight). The emerging trust between these two characters--and the fate of an extended family led by a defiant father (Don Cheadle)--gives shape to the movie's devastating depiction of racism and the courage of those who opposed the lynch mob's brutality. Singleton and Poirier fall prey to some bad dialogue and a broadly unbalanced depiction of bloodthirsty hayseeds, but the film's passion is maintained by its superb cast and the timeless echoes of history. --Jeff Shannon

Description

In 1982 a reporter visiting Levy County in Florida noticed a lack of black residents. So he asked questions and a long-ago tragedy came to light. John Singleton directs Jon Voight and Ving Rhames in this powerful true drama. It is January 1, 1923 in Rosewood, but in this largely black town built on family, faith and hard work, hopes for the new year abruptly end. In a few harrowing nights, a white mob razes Rosewood into oblivion. As the rampage gains cataclysmic force, a heroic World War I veteran (Rhames) and a shopkeeper (Voight) join forces. Dozens of terrified women and children have fled into nearby swamps. Somehow they must be led to safety.

DVD Features:
Audio Commentary
Production Notes
Theatrical Trailer

Customer Reviews:

only got to see half.......2007-05-07

I purchased this dvd abouth a month ago. I went to finally watch it this weekend. I only got to watch half of it, due to the fact of the movie stops 1hr and 10 minutes into it. I tried 3 different dvd players and the movie stopped 1hr and 10 minutes later. Needless to say i was very disappointed. From what I did see it is a very good movie. I can only give it 3 stars cause i didn't get to see the rest.

Another film that is usually hard to watch.......2007-02-16

Director John Singleton, of "Boyz N the Hood" fame, does a top-notch job throughout this two and a half hour film of conveying the building and inevitable terror of what is to come, and of then sustaining that terror. Visually, he's a master storyteller. The trigger was a white woman, beaten black and blue by her lover. To explain the bruises to her husband, she claims that a black intruder worked her over. Never mind that her housekeepers saw perfectly well who did it. And that he wasn't black. Forget due process. In short order, strange fruit was hanging high and blood lust for more was in the air. When one of the housekeepers finally stepped forward to try to quell the tide of violence by telling what she saw, well, suffice to say that no good deed goes unpunished. Ultimately, Rosewood was reduced to ashes.

I consider this film one of those that you might not necessarily want to see, but you need to. Because it's that necessary harsh kind of art, another example of which that readily leaps to mind is Alice Walker's book, Possessing the Secret of Joy. Based on a true story, this is Singleton's intrepid of the destruction of Rosewood, an all-black town in Florida. The incident occurred in 1923 and the film gets kudos all the way around. First of all, the script by Poirier is dead-on, giving you characters that have significant depth to them. Singleton directs the material well, helping to make you care about these people before the insanity begins. And the good news is that the cast is superb and definitely up to the challenge. Rhames, always an SDI favorite, shows that he can carry a leading role as the enigmatic Mann, a veteran who shows up just in time to try to facilitate some of Rosewood's citizens surviving the onslaught. Voight is in fine form as well as a store owner in Rosewood who is uncertain where his loyalties lie when the bullets start flying. Cheadle gets points as well as the proud Sylvester who knows when it's time to stop talking. The strength of this film is that it's brutally honest about the intrepid that it's providing.

The inhumanity is not glamorized or backed away from, it's put in front of you with the understanding that you're there to witness it and learn. It also provides an important lesson in racism, and how the belief system functions, by being passed down from generation to generation. Excellent filmmaking on the part of Singleton and unfortunately lost once Oscar-time rolled around.

This Is Education At Its Best.......2007-02-15

So much is unknown about the valid attempts African-Americans made to build their own society's, during the 18th century, forward. This story tells of how they were thwarted and destroyed for 'just trying to live in America as free, productive, people.' My classes sat with eyes glued to the screen. It was a horrific awakening for many of my students. They were fed the lies and propaganda throughout their educations and lives, that African-Americans were a useless species. Well, they now know the truth. African-Americans were very diligent in building businesses, places of worship, homes, etc., which frightened the Cacausion people of that era, so they were destroyed - and much hope with them.

Too much Hollywood added, but understandable.......2006-04-25

The event this movie was based on was so despicable that John Singleton (Director) had to add in fictional characters so it wouldn't look as shameful as Rosewood really was.
Some fictitious elements were...

1. Mann's (Ving Rhames) character was 200% fiction. Not even loosely BASED on any historical person. So the ending, when Mann was shooting at the mob from the train...never happened.
2. The emotional distraught of the racist Duke's (Bruce McGill) son, Emmit, was fictional and not based on anything historic. Added for dramatic purposes obviously.
3. Sylvester (Don Cheatle) died in real life during the shootout and did not return heroically on a horse beside the train to pick Mann up.

As far as I know, the rest if pretty accurate..

In reality, during massacres like Rosewood, the heroes like Mann and Sylvester were the first to die. But I knew when I saw him escape the lynching, cutting himself down, and shooting at mob when he was escaping on the train that his character was based on "some" fiction. But then I found out his WHOLE character was fictional. Singleton had to create a hero, or else Black folks would be killing people when the movie was over. I wouldn't blame them. I remember I could hardly sleep the night I saw the movie. And during events like this, not one person faced any charges. Not one!

Jon Voight, as always, gave a hell of a performance. His character, John Wright, is obviously racist, but not a bigot. But when he witnesses the lynching of folks he's known for years in his face, he has a change of heart and arranges his friends who owns the train that passes Rosewood to pick up the Black women and children.

Michael Rooker, as Sheriff Walker, did a great job as the law who could not control his town. He, too, was racist, but still wanted order.

The Black Preacher in the movie was the typical religious Uncle Tom. Proving Karl Marx's theory of religion's role in oppressive societies correct (as being the drug to keep oppressed people satisfied with a belief of an after-life).

Read about Black Wallstreet too. I'd like to see a Director make a movie about that.

Anton Batey

Tragic history, great story........2005-09-17

Based on a true story of a historic outbreak of racist violence, "Rosewood" is a compelling movie even without the social significance. The storyline is basically that a white woman falsely accuses a black man of rape, causing a whole town to go nuts. Certain of the white citizens form a mob to administer "justice" and end up on a rampage, while 2 men try to hide the black citizens of the town and help them escape.

"Rosewood" has many of the same emotional elements (heroism, cowardice, hatred, loss of control vs. disciplined honor, plenty of emotional tension) of "Schindler's List" or the old version of "Titanic," "A Night to Remember." Director John Singleton keeps the action moving, by keeping the more sensitive scenes short, and actually increasing their impact by his brevity.

John Voight is very believable as a reluctant hero, playing a shopkeeper who risks losing everything to help the terrified women and children of the town. Ving Rhames does a good job as a black man returned from war who serve's as Voight's conscience and handles the action scenes.

A surprise stand-out is Bruce McGill (D-Day in Animal House, the sheriff in My Cousin Vinny) as the "leader" of the white mob. McGill is convincing as one of the most disgusting characters I've ever seen on film. He brings out the truly foul nature of hate, but manages to humanize his character by showing the personal costs of his hate as well as the social forces which led him to it. The result is that you think he actually is the character he portrays. The movie is worth it just for McGill's creepy character.

Average customer rating:

Little boys love Rescue Heroes!
Excellence in Cross Selling
Good service
My Son Loves This
Rescue Heros movie is GREAT!

Rescue Heroes - The Movie
Starring: Norm Spencer , Joe Motiki , Lenore Zann , Deborah Odell , and Rod Wilson
Director: Ron Pitts (II)
Manufacturer: Lions Gate
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B0000CABIM
Release Date: 2003-11-18

Product Description

A series of mysterious lighting storms wreak havoc worldwide as they spiral through the atmosphere toward Greenland. Once they collide, they will create one massive storm that will result in cataclysmic destruction. The Rescue Heroes use their new Mission Select equipment to contain the disasters all over the world caused by these strange storms. But Billy Blazes is poisoned on a mission and getting weaker by the moment, and Rocky Canyon is grounded for insubordination. So the team is short-handed! Will their teamwork and strength be enough to solve the mystery of the storms and save the world in time?

Format: DVD MOVIE

Amazon.com

Rescue Heroes: The Movie is easily the brawny team's most exciting and entertaining animated story to date. Talk about a bad day at the office: When a volcano in Ecuador spouts an unknown element into the atmosphere, a series of mysterious lightning storms create worldwide havoc, from avalanches in Switzerland to bursting dams in Thailand to fires in American forests. The Rescue Heroes scamper over the globe saving lives, but nothing, it seems, can avert a planetary cataclysm once these storms merge in the atmosphere. Complicating matters is an unknown illness striking team leader Billy Blazes, and a bad case of arrogance and insubordination that grounds Rocky Canyon at a critical time. Rescue Heroes: The Movie is far and away more visually pleasing and dramatic than episodes from the Heroes' television show. CGI animation allows more creative angles, movement, and changing backgrounds--very handy for a story spread over much of the Earth. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

Little boys love Rescue Heroes!.......2007-07-04

This DVD was purchased as a gift for my little boy. He had seen the Rescue Heroes cartoon on TV and loved it, so I thought he might like this full length movie. He loves it and will watch it time and again if we let him! I would recommend this movie, it can be pretty far fetched, but at least it has positive characters and teamwork themes.

Excellence in Cross Selling.......2007-05-21

I just watched this film for the first time today. Yes, it was made entirely to promote a line of toys. It's an excellent example of Mercatilism at its best. Aesthetically, it would not exist except to sell a line of toys.

However, it was well-written and well executed. I was not at all embarassed to watch this with my primary school age niece and nephew. If I had any complaint, oddly enough, it was not about scripting or dialogue or voicing.

The special effects are not very good.

How odd - this movie is all about catastrophic occurrences and hair-raising disasters. And yet the animation sequences showing these disasters are not what they could or should be, much to my surprise.

If they'd invested more in these, they probably could have sold more toys.

Good service.......2007-05-07

My son loves this movie. Thanks for the quick processing of this, we received it well before the estimated arrival date.

My Son Loves This.......2007-03-09

My 6-year-old son loves this show. He has watched it many times. My 8-year-old son also likes it.

Rescue Heros movie is GREAT!.......2007-01-18

My son loved his movie when he was in the stage for Rescue Heroes. My nephew borrowed the movie and also loved it. I ended up buying my nephew the movie and he was thrilled!

Average customer rating:

Shadow of a Doubt
Norman Rockwell meets Norman Bates
The Truth About Charlie,
Roles of a lifetime!!
Shadow Across an Innocent Age

Shadow of a Doubt
Starring: Irving Bacon , Charley Bates , Virginia Brissac , MacDonald Carey , and Frances Carson
Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000CCW2SY
Release Date: 2006-02-07

Amazon.com essential video

Alfred Hitchcock considered this 1943 thriller to be his personal favorite among his own films, and although it's not as popular as some of Hitchcock's later work, it's certainly worthy of the master's admiration. Scripted by playwright Thornton Wilder and inspired by the actual case of a 1920's serial killer known as "The Merry Widow Murderer," the movie sets a tone of menace and fear by introducing a psychotic killer into the small-town comforts of Santa Rosa, California. That's where young Charlie (Teresa Wright) lives with her parents and two younger siblings, and where murder is little more than a topic of morbid conversation for their mystery-buff neighbor (Hume Cronyn). Charlie was named after her favorite uncle, who has just arrived for an extended visit, and at first Uncle Charlie (Joseph Cotten) gets along famously with his admiring niece. But the film's chilling prologue has already revealed Uncle Charlie's true identity as the notorious Merry Widow Murderer, and the suspense grows almost unbearable when young Charlie's trust gives way to gradual dread and suspicion. Through narrow escapes and a climactic scene aboard a speeding train, this witty thriller strips away the façade of small-town tranquility to reveal evil where it's least expected. And, of course, it's all done in pure Hitchcockian style. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

Shadow of a Doubt.......2007-06-25

Hitchcock shows us how close to home treachery may be found in "Shadow", a subtle yet riveting psychological thriller about a small-town serial killer. The director himself considered this one of his finest achievements. Penned by playwright Thornton Wilder and based on the infamous "Merry Widow Killer" case, "Shadow" maintains a nerve-rattling mood of menace throughout. Highlighted by a chilling performance from Cotten, this film gives diabolical new meaning to the adage, "You can't pick your family."

Norman Rockwell meets Norman Bates.......2007-06-14

In my mind, Alfred Hitchcock was the greatest director in moviedom - bar none - and he considered this to be his favorite film. There are several reasons why this was so. First and foremost is the movie's insidious nature. We are taken to a stereotypical Mid-American town and are presented a scene of idyllic calm - Norman Rockwell brought to the big screen. However, all is not well as the center point of the film, Uncle Charlie, turns out to have a very dark side indeed. His adoring niece comes to slowly realize that things are not what they seem and that her "sainted uncle" is in fact a cold-blooded killer. From there, the suspense builds steadily until the film's climatic end. Norman Rockwell, meet Norman Bates.

The Truth About Charlie,.......2007-04-04

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

"Shadow of a Doubt" (1943), the story of a serial murderer as a loving uncle is the movie which Hitchcock himself had declared as his favorite. This movie is quite a departure from Hitchcock's previous Hollywood productions. For the first half, it is an intimate family dramedy that describes a typical American family in a typical small town, USA which in this film is called Santa Rosa, CA. Hitch said about the movie, "I am extremely anxious to avoid the conventional small-town American scene and the stock figures that have been seen in so many films." Much of the film was shot on location in a real California small town far away from the studio. The director worked closely with the famous writer Thornton Wilder on the screen (Oscar nomination) about a charming attractive young man (Joseph Cotten) who after many years comes to Santa Rosa to visit with the family of his older sister whom he truly loved. He brings into the lives of his relatives, especially his older niece and namesake Charlie (Teresa Wright) excitement and joy. Soon things begin look puzzling and even grim when two undercover detectives from a big city on the East Coast show up in Santa Rosa and reveal to Charlie who by the words of her father, "has brains" and the power of observation that her beloved uncle Charlie may be an infamous "Merry Widows murderer" on the run. The girl does not want to believe the detectives but she can't help noticing her uncle's strange behavior, his sudden and scary mood changes. The inscription on a gorgeous emerald ring he gave her as a gift makes her think of a previous owner of the pricey jewelry. She grows increasingly suspicious of the uncle who loves his niece but he loves his freedom much, much more...Unbearable tension builds up, leading to the series of accidents and to hair-raising climax in the best traditions of Hitchcock's movies.

Roles of a lifetime!!.......2006-12-26

Joseph Cotten and Teresa Wright both play the roles of a lifetime in this Hitchcock classic!!
damn, I'd love to see this on a big screen!!

Shadow Across an Innocent Age.......2006-07-18

A film of subtleties and evil in plain sight, Alfred Hitchcock's Shadow of a Doubt is a slow moving character study of young "Charlie," the namesake niece of elegant but sinister uncle Charles. Formerly of Philadelphia, his visit to a younger sister in California is the kind of long visit by a relative everyone dreads in hindsight. Situated and contrasted by the light and seeming perfect American middle class small town of Petaluma, suave Charles Oakley (Joseph Cotten) is all fine suits and manners of a bachelor gentleman.

Wholesome Theresa Wright is "Young Charlie," an average, and purposeless young woman whose guileless world has bored her by its failure to have meaning, although she is the cause. As a member of a family where everyone talks over one another without heeding, the kids prattle, the wife babbles, and the family's men persist in mindless discussions over how to plot a murder effectively as family dinner conversation. Somehow this oddness is translated as the norm in Hitchcock's translation of small town. A film of many dialogues, only one voice is audible without interruption: Uncle Charles. His dinner table monologue is most menacing as he describes the "useless, fat, women" who he sees as less than human and deserving of death. Until this moment, young Charlie had idolized her uncle until doubt is created by a detective played by MacDonald Cary. One of two detectives on a national hunt for the "Merry Widow" serial murderer, they have tracked the suspicious Uncle Charles across country to his unsuspecting sister's home and family. Once the seeds of doubt are sown, Charlie's dreamlike idealization of her perfect uncle and his world becomes shattered by her suspicion. Charlie no longer can fantasize about her dreamy uncle who she has erotic longings that can never be consummated. Once he realizes his charade is over, Uncle Charles rips away the curtain of sleepwalking in Charlie's perfect world with terrible consequence. The perfect world is not a nice place as Charlie's revelation is made all the more grusome through her uncle's warped eyes. As the evil grows more apparent, Charlie attempts to shield her storybook family by keeping them ignorant of his murderous past, but is it at a cost to her own happiness and life?

Hitchcock acknowledged the film was his personal favorite and it defines the notions of suspense, noir, and thriller without blood or visual carnage. A literate script by Thorton Wilder (Our Town) alludes to violence that is only suggested never seen. Through the physical presence of the brilliant character actor, Joseph Cotton (Citizen Kane, Portrait of Jennie), the menace and diabolic threat to the snow white, virginal Theresa Wright is alluded in eye, body language, and especially his hands. Sophisticated and cerebral, Hitch was playing with audiences creating a masterpiece of normalcy and idealized family values under a looming presence that cast a shadow of a doubt. Classic, for every suspense library.

DVD:

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Night of the Shooting Stars

Meet the Hollowheads

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Legends of Jazz Guitar Vol.1