Blasphemy

Starring:Carlos Leon
Studio: Ground Zero Entertainment
Product Type: DVD

Da Vinci and the Code He Lived By (History Channel)

Average customer rating:

Painfully De-Gayed, but Generally Good

Da Vinci and the Code He Lived By (History Channel)
Starring: Leonardo Da Vinci
Manufacturer: A&E Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Beyond the Da Vinci Code (History Channel)
True Caribbean Pirates (History Channel)
The Execution of Jesus (History Channel)
The Last Days of World War II (History Channel)
National Geographic - Is It Real? Da Vinci's Code

ASIN: B000CCW2V6
Release Date: 2006-01-31

Amazon.com

The "code" referred to in the History Channel's Da Vinci and the Code He Lived By has nothing to do with theories about the High Renaissance master's involvement with secret societies (as explored in Dan Brown's bestselling novel The Da Vinci Code). Instead, it refers to Da Vinci's implacable work ethic, his insatiable curiosity and the talent and discipline required to keep his busy mind satisfied. Da Vinci reminds us that the great engineer, inventor, and painter was born illegitimate and was not entitled to use his father's name, let alone the latter's financial resources or reputation within Florence. A long stint as student in a respected studio earned Da Vinci his first renown during a treacherous time in Florence. He was denounced as a sodomist by an unknown enemy; fortunately, the charges were dropped. Da Vinci went on to find patronage for his art, if not for the engineering marvels and weapons designs that (few know today) so preoccupied him. This History Channel documentary explores every major chapter in Da Vinci's life, including his patronage by the bloodthirsty Cesare Borgia, his passion for studying human anatomy (and the legacy his research left to scientists), and his certainty that one day human beings would fly. As for the Mona Lisa and The Last Supper, sure: Such masterpieces are discussed at length. But they're not dissected for hidden meanings. --Tom Keogh

Description

Renowned as the "Mind of the Renaissance," the genius of Leonardo da Vinci reaches beyond the centuries. Painter, sculptor, engineer, and scientist, in each field Leonardo da Vinci was both master and pioneer. Creator of some of the world's great artistic masterpieces, such as the Last Supper and the Mona Lisa, he was also a visionary whose fantastic inventions would become reality only hundreds of years after his death. Against a backdrop of 15th century Italian opulence, DA VINCI AND THE CODE HE LIVED BY follows the original Renaissance man through glittering palaces of merchant princes, accusations of blasphemy, and whispers of betrayal and romance--all to satisfy a limitless desire for knowledge. From the producers of Islam: Empire of Faith and Barbarians, and available on DVD for the first time ever, DA VINCI AND THE CODE HE LIVED BY tells the remarkable story of one man's boundless talent, his towering legacy, and his courage in the face of powerful adversity. DVD Features: Behind-the-Scenes Featurette "History in the Making: Da Vinci"; 16:9 Widescreen Format; Interactive Menus; Scene Selection

Customer Reviews:

Painfully De-Gayed, but Generally Good.......2006-12-29

The title of this work clearly references Dan Brown's hyper-successful novel. However, the work never mentions Mr. Brown and people need to learn that Da Vinci was an amazing man in his own right. Rotten Library Page starts off saying, "He didn't have a [expletive] code!"

I usually hate, hate, hate cheesy historical reenactments. This work is made entirely of reenactments, but they are not bothersome. There are more actors than usual. They were ornate clothing. When giving their lines, they speak Italian (though a boy Leonardo says "Mother" when I am so sure that's not how "mother" is said in Italian). It was more gory than what is usually portrayed in this cable channel's productions. Truthfully, it would have been boring just to see Renaissance paintings and the narrator mentions that no one knows for sure what Da Vinci looked like.

Too many people assume that artists are separate from the world and don't care about the power struggles taking place outside their windows. I applaud this work for contextualizing the times in which Da Vinci lived. History buffs may appreciate this work just as much as art or invention fans.

This work is de-gayed in a cowardly manner. The narrator says, "Da Vinci was accused of sodomy, but acquitted." Homophobic viewers could misconstrue this to mean that Da Vinci didn't love other males. The work never points out that Da Vinci never had girlfriends, wives, or children. Later, the narrator calls Salai and Melzi "assistants," rather than "lovers" or at least eremenos. Notable Names Database and Wikipedia clearly indicate that these males were Da Vinci's lovers. Perhaps the documentary makers were also squeamish about the cross-generational dynamic of these couplings, given present and necessary concerns about child abuse. It also stands out that one modern interviewee is a man with an earring in his right ear, but he never speaks about himself.

In all fairness, the work covers a lot within a limited time. They mention Da Vinci's anatomical studies, that he might have had ADD, and that he may be the subject of the Mona Lisa painting. In general, I loved learning more about this important genius and gay historical figure.

Average customer rating:

Immorally a waste of $$
Immoral...no. More exploitative than anything else
Big build-ups, but no resolution....
Everyone seems to have missed several points
Interesting! Different!

Immoral Tales
Starring: Lise Danvers , Fabrice Luchini , Charlotte Alexandra , Paloma Picasso , and Pascale Christophe
Director: Walerian Borowczyk
Manufacturer: Anchor Bay
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 6305808104
Release Date: 2000-06-20

Customer Reviews:

Immorally a waste of $$.......2004-02-28

I purchased this not expecting much, which is to be expected if your into these types of films, but i do enjoy eroticy. There was nothing to enjoy about this one. I find it hard to believe that even those who like "artsy erotic" would enjoy this. constant panning of the camera & quick scene changes were very frustrating. Such as the young lovers on the beach, I was shown more of the beach, cliffs & waves than I was shown of the characters, and then it was just quick shots too "up close" or
from too far away. Big disappointment!

Immoral...no. More exploitative than anything else.......2003-07-02

With the reputation Walerian Borowczyk (boroh-chick) had, I eagerly sprang to get this video ages ago. I just saw it again and well,... anyway, this quartet of stories features tales that are more exploitative in showing copious amounts of female genitalia rather than being immoral.

The Tide, based on a story by Andre Preyre de Mandiargues, is set in contemporary France (then 1975) about a twenty-year old man who seduces his sixteen year-old cousin Julie, on the beach, using his age difference to bend her to his will. He is a bit of a bossy sort, and I was surprised to see her obey him meekly. It's mostly talky, with some pompous dialogue of the using the rise of tides as analogous to his desire of her. There's a nice close-up of Julie's lips and she looks nice in the altogether. Even so... (Rating: 3 out of 5)

Therese the Philosopher is about a religiously devout French girl in 1890 who is wrongfully punished and is locked in a room for three days. What happens in that room? To quote words she heard from God while at church: "Reveal yourself by showing your weakness, your sensuality, your pride, your craven, selfish indolence." And also, I'll never think of cucumbers the same way again. As for the story, so what? (Rating: 2.5 out of 5)

The next two stories are significantly better. The third story, Erzebet Bathory, has the notorious Blood Countess going to a village to round up young girls for her dastardly pleasures, under the masquerade of granting eternal bliss and grace for those touching her pearl-encrusted gown. This has about twenty or so girls in the altogether, and they go into a crazed frenzy when they see Bathory in her dress. Does Bathory have a bath? Find out for yourself (Rating: 4 out of 5)

The fourth story, set in 1498 Florence, would probably be considered immoral, as it involves Lucrezia Borgia having a threesome with Pope Alexander VI (her father Rodrigo) and a cardinal (her brother Cesare) while they send her impotent simp of an uptight husband, Giovanni Sforza away. Meanwhile, monk Hieronymous Savonarola rails against the immorality of the church, of priests openly displaying their sons, until he is captured and becomes Dominican barbeque. (Rating: 4 out of 5)

I think this quartet tried to subtly shock given the theme in each one. It doesn't do so effectively. However, for the sake of showing several nubile girls full frontal, I suppose this is more a curio than anything. Slow moving and more sensationalistic and exploitative than shocking. (Overall rating: (3+2.5+4+4)/4=3

Big build-ups, but no resolution...........2003-05-14

I believe it has been mentioned that this film, while an adequate entry in its genre, does not quite deliver the goods. This is profoundly accurate, and describes the film to a T. The director--I'm not even going to bother trying to spell his name from memory--has proven that he CAN deliver the goods (a la "The Beast"), but here his stories fall short of the money shot, as it were. It gives one a case of what I call "mental blue balls": The copious nudity and gynocological close-ups are here, but that is it. Where a full-on sex scene would have brought each story to its logical conclusion, we are left hanging with an "after the fact" sort of setting.
The implied oral in the first vignette is seen fleetingly, and from a distance at times, and ultimately comes off as forgettable; the vegetarian delight in the second act is understandably made low key, so that's forgivable; the third act is loaded with skin, but the Countess and her assistant's seduction scene never even got started, and would have been perfect; and lastly the orgy with the pope and his kids is woefully down-played and short. It's almost as if the director had developed a conscience or something by that time. The girl in that act is outrageously sexy, and is on display quite a lot, but instead of the perfect sex scene--which would have been similar to the finale of "the Beast", but with a pope instead of a wolf or whatever--we get quick shots of basically nothing. All the action there seems to happen off-screen.
This genre demanded better, and the director was capable of it, but for some reason kept pulling back at key moments which really reduced the overall value of the film, I think.
It's interesting to note that "La Bete" was originally part of this series, but was withdrawn instead to have it's own full length feature. So I'm really left wondering "WTF?", since it fulfills its mission so much better than this one.

Everyone seems to have missed several points.......2003-05-01

In the Lucretia Borgia short, I have noticed that several reviewers (here and on other web sites) referred to the orgy as being with a "priest." Make no mistake, Lucretia is getting it on with her DAD (the Pope) and her BROTHER, after daddy has sent her husband off to be murdered! These allegations were never proven in real life, but they make an amusing story. The baby being baptized at the end is her offspring, presumably with her own father (the baby's father AND grandfather rolled into one!)

As far as the four stories tying together, one of the factors that connects them is the underwear. They make a big point of showing historically authentic underwear, which should make this film interesting to costume enthusiasts as well as perverts. Each one depicts (loosely) a real life story or series of events, each farther back in history. As a music history major in college (way back when), I can tell you the music is also authentic -- anyone basically familiar with the pre-baroque repertoire will recognize several well-known performances. The "Hayaducki" by Nikolai von Krakau was a delightful choice, as was the Machaut Mass for the papal orgy scene.

This film is not for the even vaguely prudish or squeamish, but if you can dig a real life lesbian "vampire" in a bathtub of blood, and an incestuous, murderous orgy with the Pope and his two kids, this is the film for you!!

Plus, Paloma Picasso has really beautiful eyes, which are prominently featured in several closeups. Those shots alone, which were truncated in the VHS copy I've enjoyed these last 20 years, were enough to make me want to get the widescreen version in DVD.

Personally this is one of my all time fav's.

Interesting! Different!.......2002-12-11

You need to concentrate on this movie to understand what is going on. There are allusions to historical people. OK, not the greatest movie I have seen.

Average customer rating:

Has the balls to declare atheism, not enough to be great

Blasphemy
Director: John Mendoza
Manufacturer: Ground Zero Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Customer Reviews:

Has the balls to declare atheism, not enough to be great.......2005-06-07

This movie was made by an unknown director called John Mendoza, in the United States, a country in the grips of Christian fundamentalism. You can say what you want about his directing, but this guy has balls the size of South Dakota.

Blasphemy : The Movie is an obvious low-budget movioe from all aspects, the kind of movie that a director that identifies himself with an alienated social movement makes. It's similar to the kind of movies made at the beginning of the gay/lesbian movie wave.

The main problem I have with Blasphemy is that it is woefully underdeveloped. This is the kind of movie where someone should have told Mendoza "Okay, that's great, but you need to take this from the first level to the second and third level. You need to think bigger". The story is rudimentary, the dialogue is pretty much what you'd imagine of a cross between a satire and a discussion between an atheist and a Christian on a moderately intelligent message board, the directing and acting is competent but pretty simplistic.

The story turns around the idea that a deconvert called Martin Garcias decides to come out to his parents and his whole family at Christmas. Right away, there is a major problem with the basic (and only) idea in this movie, and that is : why does Martin come out in the first place ? His only given reason is that "it's his family too", but there seems to be little reason for him to want to keep a close relationship with his family. So this is a problem that should at least have been addressed. Without it, the whole point seems rather silly.

Also, there are clips of "sacrileges" interspersed throughout the movie, showing different gods and goddesses discussing theological issue (such as the gender of the gods). Some of them (like the one involving Abraham getting called to sacrifice his son) are inspired, but most fall flat.

I give the movie three stars for sheer bravery and one and a half stars for the game attempt.

Average customer rating:

Blasphemy/Papi Chulo
Starring: Papi Chulo , and Blasphemy Double Feature
Manufacturer: Ground Zero
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Description

Papi Chulo is the story of a Latino playa, who cant get enough of the beautiful ladies in his life, when they find out whats going on, hes in for the ride of his life. This exciting comedy features great music and gorgeous ladies. Blasphemy tells the comic story of what happens when a young man reveals to his devout parents and family that he does not believe in God, during Christmas. Starring Carlos Leon The Replacement Killers , The Big Lebowski Irene Olga Lopez The Bold and the Beautiful, Designing Women, Frasier And Tony Perez The Net, Alien Nation , Scarface and Deep Cover.

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