Haggard (Rated Version)

Starring:Dave Battaro, David Decurtis, Brandon Dicamillo, Ryan Dunn (II), Jason Ellis (III), Ann Marie Esposito, Ryan Gee, Mark Hanna (IV), Tony Hawk, Derrek Krasauscus, Bucky Lasek, Mike Maldonado, Jess Margera, Phil Margera, Vincent Margera, Brandon Novak, Chris Raab, Rakeyohn, Jennifer Rivell
Studio: Slam Films
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com

The feverish spectacle of a summer camp for evangelical Christian kids is the focus of Jesus Camp, a fascinating if sometimes alarming documentary. (Shortly after its release, the movie gained a new notoriety when Ted Haggard, president of the National Association of Evangelicals, who appears near the end of the film, resigned his post amid a male prostitute's allegations of drug use and sexual misconduct.) For most of the film, we follow a charismatic teacher, Becky Fischer, as she trains young soldiers in "God's Army" at a camp in North Dakota. Some of the kids emerge as likable and bright, and eager to continue their work as pint-sized preachers; elsewhere, the visions of children speaking in tongues and falling to the floor in ecstasy are more troubling. Even more arresting is the vision of a generation of children home-schooled to believe that the Bible is science, or Fischer's certainty that America's flawed system of democracy will someday be replaced by a theocracy. (In one scene, a cardboard cut-out of George W. Bush is presented to the children, who react by laying their hands on the figure as though in a religious procession.) Filmmakers Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady maintain neutrality about all this, maybe too much so (they throw in some interviews with radio host Mike Papantonio to provide a liberal-Christian viewpoint) and one would like to know more about the grown-ups presented here. Power broker Haggard is the creepiest person in the film, an insincere smooth talker whose advice to one of the young would-be campgoers comes across as entirely cynical. Time will tell whether the film's Christian soldiers will be marching onward. --Robert Horton

Customer Reviews:

Mind control.......2007-07-02

This movie is a must-see for every American.
I believe also that we who are not involved in "church" are going to be crushed between the millstones of the Holy Warriors that the Jesus Camp is producing and the Holy Warriors that the Taliban are producing.
Sadly,on opposite sides of the world,hate-filled adults are getting away with abusive brainwashing of pre-pre and pre-pubescent children who have no way to judge for themselves whether or not they accept what is being dictated to them."ABUSE" is the only way to describe what goes on in this camp. Not only is Haggerdy a creep,but there is some pervert-biker type with a voice that has filtered out lots of whiskey,meth, tobacco and pot,no doubt, who looks and scares these kids like The Devil himself who is leading the moppets on a pro-life demo on the steps of the US capitol.This film alternatively scary and funny.
The cut-out image of the dummy George Bush that was brought on stage for the children to fawn over produced alternative feelings of revulsion and hilarity in me. I almost saw this in a theater in Portland,OR and I wish I had,because that scene most assuredly would've brought down the house.
What is really bad,though,is the fact that these manaics have a good chance of by stealth,taking over even more than they have already.
God protect us from your followers!!!
I thank Jesus I don't live in Missouri.

Pity the children.......2007-06-25

Jesus Camp is a riveting but bleak film.

Most eight year olds are not aware of, nor concerned with, government, politics, ideology or theology. That's not to say they're incapable of giving such issues their interest, nor that their development is likely to be impaired by encountering and thinking about them. As this film so clearly demonstrates, it's how you teach that makes the difference.

Jesus Camp has an obvious point of view that isn't sympathetic to the Evangelicals it portrays. Perhaps when the filmmakers began this project they didn't have any particular bias towards apocalyptic Biblical literalists. I don't really know, but I can image how neutrality could be easily subverted after meeting some of the people in this film and observing their lives and their "teaching" methods. It's difficult to feel any sympathy for people of any faith who as a result of ideological motivation see people as things, pawns in a supernatural game, rather than as individuals to be cared for and loved. It's even more difficult to deal with the enmity that arises on seeing parents and "teachers" using intense emotional appeals and peer pressure as methods of ideological indoctrination, creating in the minds of a children a world of "us" and "them," the kind of world that doesn't normally exist for children until after puberty.

Watch this film and despair the generation of lost children produced by this 21st century generation of know-nothing parents. I hope the filmmakers do a follow up in 10 or 20 years so that we can all see what becomes of these experiments in Evangelical indoctrination.

Religious child abuse to the extreme.......2007-06-24

It was traumatic watching this documentary. I wished it wasn't fact, but sadly it is. There's no doubt that it's interesting and well made. But despite how sick the "camp counslers" are shown to be, there won't even be a ripple, because they emotionally abuse these poor children in the name of religion. And mark my word. This is sick extreme child abuse. I kept waiting for child protective services to pull up and rescue the kids from the control freak Christian adults, who can't stand it that 100 percent of the rest of the world doesn't think like them, so they prey on children, poisoning their unformed minds. If I believed in an abusive egomaniacal God, who expects complete submission or else, I would want millions and millions of other people to believe in the same God so I could justify my dsyfunctional relationship with him. I think the words of the great author Christopher Hitchens says it all: "Those who lie to the young in this way are wicked to the extreme". These selfish Christian liars take the cake.

Teaching Compassion.......2007-06-17

Sitting through this movie is appropriately uncomfortable and hard to watch. While it has been criticized as a highly prejudicial view of evangelical children's programs, it has actually created sympathy and empathy in our family.

Before this movie, my children had difficulty having anything but contempt for the christo-bullies in their school. (When Evangelicals decided to reincorporate their faith into public schools they forgot to instruct their children to be kind, gentle or even mannerly. Consequently, the biggest snobbiest, nastiest bullies in my children's schools are the "good" Christians who use their faith to belittle their fellow students.)

This movie helped my children to see those bullies as victims of emotional blackmail. My kids are far more understanding now that they have witnessed the highly emotional services in which children are manipulated into making commitments far beyond their emotional maturity and their intellectual reasoning skills.

My kids came away from the movie less angry and more compassionate.

"A" for Entertainment Value, "F" for Objectivity.......2007-06-16

As an evangelical Christian whose own church and camp experiences couldn't be farther removed from those portrayed in this film, I would caution anyone who might be inclined to consider it an accurate snapshot of evangelical culture. It is absolutely not. The families and ministries featured are of a decidedly peculiar kind, prone to an almost primitive emotional frenzy and superstition, and their tactics with children and even their beliefs would come under heavy criticism from most of the mainstream evangelical community.

I was dismayed that the filmmakers purposely allowed the possibility to linger that the most colorful and warlike figurative language used by camp leaders in the film ("lay down your life for Jesus", etc.) had potentially violent or dangerous connotations. No effort was made to give the proper context of what was said, yet included in the bonus material was a scene in which Becky Fischer (a central subject in the film) says plainly that as Christians they categorically denounce violence as a tactic, and that their "weapons" are prayer and votes. I can only conclude that this balancing and sane bit of information didn't make the final cut because it diffused the anticipated sense of apprehension on the part of uninitiated viewers.

Add to that the cheap contrivance of having a radio talk show host provide inline running commentary, just in case the audience hasn't independently managed to arrive at the conclusion that a wave of right-wing religious crazies are on the verge of imposing a theocracy on unsuspecting secularists everywhere.

While I was disturbed by some of what I saw, the bottom line is this: we live in a free country. Churches are allowed to be big and influential. Just because you disagree with someone doesn't mean that they are "up to no good" when they practice their beliefs as they see fit and vote as they please. Nor do they have to answer to anyone for passing those beliefs on to their kids. Anyone who doesn't know an irreligious family who demands compliance from their children to their own naturalistically apocalyptic, left-wing doctrines doesn't get out much.

Average customer rating:

Test Your Might Mortal Kmobat.
unusual film for all the times
heinous
Still love it
Great. A little better than annihilation

Mortal Kombat
Starring: Christopher Lambert , Robin Shou , Linden Ashby , Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa , and Bridgette Wilson
Director: Paul W.S. Anderson
Manufacturer: New Line Home Video
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Mortal Kombat: Annihilation
Street Fighter -- Collector's Edition
Spawn - The Director's Cut (New Line Platinum Series)
Super Mario Bros.
Masters of the Universe

ASIN: 0790729997
Release Date: 1997-03-26

Description

based on the best-selling home video game, this action adventuretells of a group of expert fighters who compete in a dangerous tournament for the fate of mankind on a mysterious island.

Customer Reviews:

Test Your Might Mortal Kmobat........2007-04-24

Now of all the great action movies that was created in the 90's this one was the best action movie ever in the 90's or probaltly the best of all. because everytime you here the song mortal kombat man you be wanting to in there and fight. Im sorry but no fighting song beats that song. My favorite fight scene was when Johnny Cage fought Scorpion Get over here. Sonja Blade well she was alright but she kicked some but a liked kitana more. Or lets not forget about lord rayden the part were he electocuted Scorpian and Sub-Zero. And last but not least Liu Kang I also liked the liked the fight scene between him and Reptile and when he finaly beat the mesh out of Shang Tsung. And don't get me wrong but I also liked Street Fighters as well but I like Mortal Kombat much more. My only wish is that they didnt kill off Johnny Cage in part 2 that was what sunk the Franchise down and Jax was Corny please why did they have to have him in this movies?

unusual film for all the times.......2007-01-28

The movie become popular from the first moment and for fans, i think, it still stays the same.

This has to be one of the best martial arts films I've seen. It has amazing special effects and outstanding fight scenes, with a balance in between so you're not going straight from one fight to another.

The storyline works well and the soundtrack is great. There is a little bit of comedy one-liners, mostly courtesy of Liu Kang (Robin Shou) but for the most part, this is a serious film. The other thing that makes it good is that you don't need to have played the game to enjoy or understand the movie. My only criticism would be the lack of reality-at the end, Liu Kang has been beaten up, in two fights, received some hard blows and isn't even bruised.

heinous.......2006-11-07

This is the most terrible, emotionally offensive film ever created. After watching this movie, my eyes began to bulge from my head and limbs began to fall off. Watch this movie if you like the feeling of having your organs ruptured.

Still love it.......2006-08-31

When this movie came out, I was twelve years old and horribly afraid of being caught out as not old enough to see a PG-13 movie without an adult. In spite of that fear however, I saw this movie no less than seven times in the theatre alone. Now at almost 23 years old, I can say that this movie still makes me giddy with enjoyment. I love Liu Kang, Raiden and especially Reptile. Annihilation didn't come close to matching this movie. They couldn't keep the actors from the first film, Johnny Cage died in the first five seconds and the actor who had replaced Christopher Lambert as Raiden was terrible. But this movie, this movie captured my imagination over and over again and will likely continue to do so.

Great. A little better than annihilation.......2006-08-23

This movie is great, but I have to say that christopher lambert and the person that dubbed him sucked. I am going to put a list of characters from both movies, and next to the name, I'm going to put which movie had the best character, the 1st movie, or the 2nd movie(annihilation).

Liu Kang - same guy, but he is great in his part.

Kitana - same girl, shes pretty good

Sonya - tie, brigette wilson(first movie) was better at martial arts, and sandra hess(annihilation) is better at acting.

Jax - first movie, even though he's only at the beginning. Believe it or not, I'm pretty sure that he's on screen for less than 60 seconds.

Johnny Cage - he's pretty much the only choice because in annihilation johnny gets his neck twisted at the very beginning. He does'nt even say anything. But Sonya said,Johnny!! And she menchins Johnny throughout the movie because they were a couple.

Raiden - annihilation, because he sounds like raiden and he does'nt look like a freak.

If you don't have annihilation yet, than get the mortal kombat 2 pack of this movie and annhilation for only $26.99.

Average customer rating:

A LET DOWN...
If you are a follower of Christ, this is a good reminder.
the second chance
Two thumbs down...
Real to life

The Second Chance
Starring: Michael W. Smith , Jeff Obafemi Carr , J. Don Ferguson , Lisa Arrindell Anderson , and David Alford
Director: Steve Taylor (VII)
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
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End of the Spear
Facing the Giants (Widescreen)
Flywheel
One Night With the King
The Perfect Stranger

ASIN: B000FIHNA2
Release Date: 2006-07-18

Amazon.com

Faith can move mountains--and change men's lives. The inspirational tale in The Second Chance weaves the foundation of faith subtly but deeply through the lives of its characters, the Rev. Ethan Jenkins and the Rev. Jake Sanders. Though the two have known each other since they were kids, but their worlds are, well, worlds apart. Ethan (gospel-singing phenom Michael W. Smith) is on staff at the Rock, a wealthy suburban mega-church, and sees a bright future for himself as the head pastor there someday. But his real journey of faith begins when he starts working alongside Jake (an incredibly charismatic Jeff Obafemi Carr) at the Rock's sister church in the poor part of town. The stellar, grounded performances of both Smith and Carr, as well as the brisk direction and soul-stirring music, keep The Second Chance from being too predictable--even though when Ethan first appears in the 'hood, he makes a few rich-guy gaffes, like accidentally ordering a barbecue platter (at the God Almighty chicken restaurant!) that's way too spicy for his white-bread palate. But the film's full-on embrace of faith as a normal part of life makes it bracingly refreshing, and if you can see the characters' redemption coming, it doesn't make it any less uplifting. The DVD is absolutely packed with extras, including interviews with director Steve Taylor as well as stars Smith and Carr; a music video, All in the Serve, by Smith; director's commentary; deleted scenes; and more. --A.T. Hurley

Description

Ethan Jenkins (Michael W. Smith) and Jake Sanders (introducing Jeff Obafemi Carr) are both passionate pastors who worship the same God from the same book--but that's where the similarity ends. White and well-to-do Ethan is comfortable in his music ministry at the media-savvy suburban mega-church, The Rock; Jake is a street smart African-American who ministers to the gang members, teen mothers, and drug addicts of the urban Second Chance. When they are suddenly thrown together in a tough neighborhood and forced to work side by side, Ethan discovers there is no boundary between the streets and the sanctuary. But can the faith these two men share overcome the prejudices that divide them to give themselves and a struggling urban church a second chance?

Customer Reviews:

A LET DOWN..........2007-06-28

If you want to watch a movie that leaves you hanging at the end and comes to no real resolution--watch this movie! If not, pick another movie.
Unlike most Christian films, this film appeared to have a decent budget, but decent budgets don't mean super movies. Some of the singing in the movie was nice, but besides that it was a giant disappointment.
If you want to see a nice Christian film that doesn't leave you hanging, I suggest either "Facing the Giants" or "Flywheel."

If you are a follower of Christ, this is a good reminder........2007-06-08

This movie is a modern version of a number of parables shown in today's setting. It is bold and speaks directly to Christians who are that in name only. I'm not sure how non-Christians will respond to this movie, but if you are, you should watch it.

the second chance.......2007-06-02

I only gave it a four instead of a five because thae cusing that did not fit this type of movie.

Two thumbs down..........2007-05-08

I didn't find anything in this movie uplifting. What is so uplifting about one man constantly judging another and letting all his anger out the whole time?

A story of one man's trial to keep his church going in a bad neighborhood. Another man's test at learning what the other guy is living through.

Real to life.......2007-04-14

At first I was concerned about the PG-13 rating. As a christian I usually stay away from this rating, but I took a chance and saw that the true to life situations shown in this film are PG-13. This movie was honest and the message can be life changing, not only for the characters, but for viewers if the message is taken to heart. I recommend this movie for the challenge it brings to put faith in action.

Average customer rating:

Love it
So BAD
Hilarium Ensued
Best. Movie. Ever.
HAGGARD RULES!

Haggard (Unrated Version)
Starring: Dave Battaro , David Decurtis , Brandon Dicamillo , Ryan Dunn (II) , and Jason Ellis (III)
Manufacturer: Slam Films
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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CKY4: The Latest & Greatest
CKY Trilogy
MTV - Viva La Bam - The Complete First Season
Viva la Bam: Complete Seasons 4 & 5
MTV - Viva La Bam - The Complete 2nd and 3rd Seasons

ASIN: B00009YXKE
Release Date: 2003-09-09

Description

Ryan Dunn (played by himself) is one sorry SOB; he's completely hung up on Glauren (Jenn Rivell), his ex-girlfriend, even though she's out playing the field. Rumor spreads that she's hooked up with heavy metal's poster child, aptly named Hellboy (Rake Yohn). Ryan can't stand the thought of the two of them together, so he recruits his friends Valo (Bam Margera) and Falcone (Brandon DiCamillo) to find out the truth. The pair do whatever it takes to get their evidence, even break into her house. In the meantime Ryan flirts with insanity, has run-ins with the law and even gets stabbed in the eye with a fork as his friends try relentlessly to help him forget the girl. Haggard also features special appearances by professional skateboarders Tony Hawk, Jason Ellis and Bucky Lasek.

Customer Reviews:

Love it .......2007-05-16

If you like the craziness of Jackass and Viva la bam! Then you will like this. Its very similar only theres no stunts, its a storyline with a plot! Which makes its a great comedy and a little strange but none the less its extremely funny. Just remember who's acting in it Bam Margera, Dico, Dunn, And Raab and Of course Mr. Don Vito!! as well as many more , you defiantly know with people like that you are going to have a seriously funny zany movie

So BAD.......2007-05-14

I bought this DVD, being a big Bam/Jackass fan...and boy, was I disappointed. There are times when the writers of this film take it too seriously, and times when they don't take it seriously enough. It was kind of all over the place for me. I think the guys should just stick with what they do best and not try to seem so "deep".

Hilarium Ensued.......2007-04-13

This movie was so freakin hilarious I watched twice the day I got it and I have watched it like 3 times afterwards. Excellent movie can't wait for another from Bam and the crew.

Best. Movie. Ever........2007-03-20

If you like the CKY guys -- this is a must own. If like me -- you like Ryan Dunn -- it's a chance to see him on screen almost the whole time looking totally foxy. Excellent performances from Bam, Raab and Dico. We hate Glauren.

HAGGARD RULES!.......2007-03-14

i think everyone can relate to this movie. its great! a little annoying with the dragged out skate parts and stuff that dont have crap to do with the movie, but still ROCKS!!!

Average customer rating:

Great concert, missed a few songs
Merle Haggard - Live from Austin, TX
Merle Haggard - An American Treasure

Merle Haggard - Live from Austin, TX
Starring: Merle Haggard
Manufacturer: New West Records
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Waylon Jennings - Live from Austin, TX
Johnny Cash - Live From Austin TX
Live From Austin Texas
Live From Austin Texas
Dwight Yoakam - Live From Austin Tx

ASIN: B000E1XOJY
Release Date: 2006-02-21

Description

The Live From Austin, Texas series takes the classic performances from the award winning Austin City Limits TV show and makes them available to consumers with improved audio quality and bonus songs that were cut from the original broadcast. This latest set includes performances from some of country music's Outlaws including Merle Haggard, trailblazers who didn't follow the trends and refused to play by the rules set by Music Row. Merle is in fine form here in his October 1985 performance from Austin City Limits studios. Also available on CD

Track Listing
1 - Okie From Muskogee's Comin' Home
2 - There's A Pair Of Blue Eyes Down In Texas
3 - Thank You For Keeping My House
4 - What Am I Gonna Do (With The Rest Of My Life)
5 - Mama Tried
6 - Misery
7 - Take Me Back To Tulsa
8 - I Knew The Moment I Lost You
9 - Silver Wings
10 - Misery And Gin
11 - Ida Red
12 - Place To Fall Apart
13 - I Wish Things Were Simple Again
14 - Amber Waves Of Grain
15 - I Think I'll Just Stay Here and Drink

Customer Reviews:

Great concert, missed a few songs.......2007-01-10

He had a great band back then, with horns added for his typical "country jazz" sound. Hag is in great shape vocally, too. The musicians all excel with great solos. So why only four stars. Just personal taste, I guess. I would have liked to hear songs like "Today I started lovin' you again", "swinging doors" plus other old, bluesy tunes. But, by all means, this is a disc well worth owning. Both picture and sound are top notch.

Merle Haggard - Live from Austin, TX.......2006-08-29

Merle Haggard is a great preformer and as usual Austin TX is the best. I rely on Amazon for all my music and DVD needs. Thanks!

Merle Haggard - An American Treasure.......2006-04-27

This is Merle as he should always be remembered.
A hundred years from now when someone asks "What was Merle Haggard like?". This is the document that should be produced to prove what so many in this lifetime know. Merle is an American Treasure.
Wonderfully recorded here in Austin TX in 1985. This DVD drips with sentimentality and still delivers a punch.
If you only own a single Merle DVD make it this one.
The band is spectacular and Merle hits on all cylinders.

The Life and Hard Times of Guy Terrifico

Average customer rating:

The Life and Hard Times of Guy Terrifico
Starring: Levon Helm , Natalie Radford , Rob Bowman , Merle Haggard , and Kris Kristofferson
Director: Michael Mabbott
Manufacturer: Velocity / Thinkfilm
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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The Messengers
The Good German

ASIN: B000NHG7DO
Release Date: 2007-06-19

Pennies from Heaven (1978 British Miniseries)

Average customer rating:

Pennies from Heaven worth the wait
Probably the best mini-series in the history of media
A marvel
The Rarest of TV Fare: Intelligence and Originality
Pure Heaven

Pennies from Heaven (1978 British Miniseries)
Starring: Bob Hoskins , Cheryl Campbell , Gemma Craven , Kenneth Colley , and Freddie Jones
Director: Piers Haggard
Manufacturer: BBC Warner
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Similar Items:

The Singing Detective
Pennies From Heaven
The Long Good Friday
Pennies from Heaven
Music from the Singing Detective and More

ASIN: B0001Z4P6O
Release Date: 2004-07-27

Amazon.com

Dennis Potter's astonishing six-part miniseries remains one of the edgiest, most audacious things ever conceived for television. The story tells of one Arthur Parker (Bob Hoskins), a sheet-music salesman in 1930s England. Beaten down by economic hard times and the sexual indifference of his proper wife (Gemma Craven), Arthur cannot understand why his life can't be like the beautiful songs he loves. On a sales trip through the Forest of Dean, he meets a virginal rural woman (Cheryl Campbell) he suspects may be his ideal. Ruination follows. Punctuating virtually every scene is a vintage pop song--lip-synched and sometimes danced out by the characters. This startling innovation makes the contrast between Arthur's brutish life and his bourgeois dreams even more dramatic.

Potter's dark vision digs into British stoicism, sexual repression, the class system, and even the coming of fascism in Europe. But it is especially poignant on the subject of the divide between art and reality. Piers Haggard directs the long piece with deft transitions between songs and story. (It was shot partly on multi-camera video, partly on film.) The cast is fine, especially the extraordinary Cheryl Campbell, who imbues her character with keen intelligence and no small measure of perversity. Bob Hoskins triumphs in his star-making part, bringing a demonic energy to his small-time Cockney, nearly bursting his button-down vests with frustration and appetite. Pennies from Heaven was remade in 1981 for the big screen (with Steve Martin), an interesting, Potter-scripted adaptation; it's one of the reasons the original has been unavailable on home video for so long. --Robert Horton

Description

Dennis Potter's masterpiece mini-series follows the adventures, mishaps, and yearnings of a traveling song sheet peddler on a tight commission as he tries to make dreams fit the promises of the lyrics he carries.

Customer Reviews:

Pennies from Heaven worth the wait.......2007-05-17

I've been looking for this series on DVD for YEARS! It's finally available, and it was definitely worth the wait. Dark, poignant, and funny all at the same time, this series uses poopular music from the 20s and 30s -- often inappropriately -- to express the inner heart of the characters. A young Bob Hoskins plays the lead: a sleezy traveling salesman who is hard to love, except that he does such a wonderful job of playing this character. Writer Dennis Potter is at the top of his form.

Probably the best mini-series in the history of media.......2007-02-19

Great acting, great soundtrack, great reissue. God, if only there were another mini-series in the world like this. It's better than you can imagine.

A marvel.......2007-02-03

This decidedly different 'musical' ain't gonna be to all tastes--but if you appreciate a genuinely offbeat concept superbly realised by a first-rate cast, this is for you.

The principals, Bob Hoskins (as the loutish, megalomaniac Arthur Parker), Cheryl Crawford (as the at first winsome, then increasingly hard-boiled Eileen) and Gemma Craven (the hapless and resentful Joan) couldn't be better cast. The bizaare stylisations of the lip-synched musical numbers look positively effortless as handled by them. One can hardly imagine American actors being able to handle this kind of material with their level of ease and versatility.

For me, the real test of this type of production isn't simply how well the leads carry it off--the secondary actors have to be equally good, or the whole thing comes apart. In this respect, especially, "Pennies" excels. Among the most notable of the supporting cast are two British character actors whose work I've admired for years, and who are sadly largely unknown to most audiences in this country. Hywel Bennett as Tom, a sleazy, yet oddly attractive pimp, brings the perfect aura of guttersnipe sexiness and low-bred self assurance to the part. He also, without ever once doing or saying anything overt, convinces the viewer that his character is a menacingly nasty bit of work--it's not at all hard to believe that Eileen would take it on the lam with Arthur rather than risk facing Tom once she's reneged on her deal with him. But for me, the most touching performance comes from the marvelous Freddie Jones, as the headmaster of the school where Eileen teaches. Initially introduced in a manner that suggests a typically English comic Dickensian villain, he transcends the viewer's expectations by being revealed as one of the few--possibly the only--decent characters in this story. Forced to dismiss Eileen over a compromising circumstance that has become known to the school's directors, he shows the sadness of his own disillusionment that has pushed him to treat his young charges with a certain brutality; and in a moment of beautifully underplayed pathos, almost inadvertently reveals his love for Eileen--a love he is well aware she could never(for any number of reasons) reciprocate. All he can do is offer her enough money to help her leave and re-establish herself elsewhere, and wish her good luck. As with Bennett, it's what's left unsaid and underplayed that makes his Headmaster Warner so painfully convincing.

And there are any number of other small gems of performance; Ronald Fraser as a Blimpish member of Parliament who proves himself to be a lot cannier at the blackmail game than the hapless Eileen and Arthur is among the most notable. I can't think of a single poor performance by anyone in the cast--and in a cast of this size, that's no small feat.

If you can get past the initial oddity of the concept, and if you're a fan of truly top-notch, fully realised acting --as opposed to the average histrionics that pass for acting in most American television performances--this strange (and strangely compelling) series is one you will not want to miss.

The Rarest of TV Fare: Intelligence and Originality.......2007-01-09

The late Dennis Potter's writing (as it was in The Singing Detective) is both intelligent and searing. The characters are heartbreakers and the acting, especially by Bob Hoskins and Kenneth Colley is peerless. This is what television could and should be, but almost never is. Compare this to the abominable remake with Steve Martin. Hail Britannia!

Pure Heaven.......2006-07-23

In 1979 Margaret Thatcher was elected prime minister of the British parliament, she had in her sights reform of many institutions, the coal miners were one and the British Broadcasting Corporation was another, throughout the 1980's various Director-Generals came and went and so did a lot of creative programming staff, deals that were once concluded on a handshake would eventually need a committee to close. I only mention this because some might argue that the heydays of British television resided in the 1970's, if one needed any proof of this you could do no better as an example than the BBC's production of Dennis Potter's drama "Pennies From Heaven" a six part serial or what would now be termed a mini series, it contained many innovating set pieces whereby the cast would mime to records of the 1930's period that had been especially chosen to be cued into the soundtrack to enhance the plot, I think it would be fair to say that nothing quite like it had been seen before (or since for that matter,) Starring Bob Hoskins working as a sheet music salesman between the first and second world wars who fantasizes about the songs that he sells and through his infidelity gets caught up in events that eventually overtake him. If "Pennies" were being made today no doubt it would be "cut" a little tighter but the production values and originality still hold up well. Bob Hoskins shot to fame after this and indeed he was quite brilliant as the main protagonist winning a BAFTA nomination for his role as Arthur Parker, In its year of broadcast, "Pennies" won the British Academy of Film and Television Arts Award for Most Original Programme, leading lady Cheryl Campbell who was also BAFTA nominated for her roll as Eileen Everson and Gemma Craven playing Hoskins wife were both superb as was the direction of Piers Haggard a BAFTA winner, however one of the main ingredients and stars of this serial was the choreographer Tudor Davies, who created wonders in one confined space after another.

I sold sheet music myself during the period "Pennies" was made but one can only imagine the business before television when most people had a piano in their front room and writing songs was still an art.

In it's usual brutish way Hollywood having made a flop movie of "Pennies" in 1981 supressed this BBC version for ten years, this reminded me of similar antics in the 1940's when a studio in tinsel town having remade the film Gaslight in 1944 attempted to have all prints of the previous British version of Gaslight (1940) destroyed. These efforts were eventually unsuccessful, though the film was rarely seen for several decades, don't you just admire their business ethics?

But I digress; "Pennies From Heaven" at almost eight hours long means you are going to need more than a few buckets of popcorn plus a case or two of beer, a personal unexpected bonus for me was how I grew to admire the early recordings used in "Pennies" in fact I bought the double soundtrack album on CD it's a real treat. The BBC have recorded a commentary with the director Piers Haggard and producer Kenith Trodd on episodes one and six which I found to be very interesting, from a technical point of view regarding resolution, I do wish the BBC would have used 35 millimeter film instead of their usual choice 16 mill for their external shots, also from time to time the sound levels appeared to be somewhat uneven on my DVD, having said that this should not spoil your enjoyment of what I consider to be a real gem and probably the most original programme ever to come out of British television.

Merle Haggard - Live at Billy Bob's Texas

Average customer rating:

no closed captions
Thanks!........ It just can't get better than this.
Merle Haggard...One of Country Music's Greatest
I wish they had a DVD of the CD show.
Great DVD

Merle Haggard - Live at Billy Bob's Texas
Starring: Merle Haggard
Manufacturer: Smith Music Group
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Country | Styles | Music

Honky-Tonk | Country | Styles | Music

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

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

George Jones - Live in Tennessee
Merle Haggard - Live from Austin, TX
David Allan Coe - Live at Billy Bob's Texas
Waylon Jennings - Live from Austin, TX
Live at Billy Bob's Texas

ASIN: B0002IQM3O
Release Date: 2004-08-17

Customer Reviews:

no closed captions.......2006-10-22

Amazon product description clearly states "closed captions" My disc, as r'cvd, had no CC or subtitles. It's a great disc visually but for someone with a partial hearing loss it's like buying a car and then discovering that the transmission is missing. I have given it a way. Apparently, the producers of this disc are arrogant cretins who are totally un-aware that about half the population of the world has some degree of hearing loss. I certaninly won't be buying anything produced by Rick Smith & Associates.

Thanks!........ It just can't get better than this........2006-08-05

Finally! A great production of the Hag in Concert. The sound quality is riveting as this tight band backs the Hag with the perfection of a NY symphony. I notice a few new faces in this group of Strangers. The new drummer is incredible, I would have liked to see a stronger lead guitar but hey, long time band leader Norm Hamlet has put another great bunch together here. The entrance of the beautiful and talented Janie Fricke singing back-up on a couple numbers was pure bonus. I watch this and all my concerts on a 65" HDTV and this example has risen to the top of my pile. Better lighting would have produced better skin tones, but hey.....we must remnember we are at Live at Billy Bobs, not in a TV studio. The Hag will always be immortal especially with productions like this. Buy this one! You will truly enjoy.

Merle Haggard...One of Country Music's Greatest.......2005-08-31

This is a great DVD..If you love Merle, you will enjoy this one..He performs 21 songs..I enjoyed them all.

I wish they had a DVD of the CD show........2005-07-02

When I bought this ,I assumed it was the video of the Billy Bob's live CD.While this is a good show,the other was one of my favorites of Merle's .He had a great guitar player on the CD,on this video Merle plays guitar.Hag can really sing and write,but as a guitar player he should hire that out.But, back to the subject,this video is great quality,sound and visualy.There are two familiar faces ,Norm on steel and old what's his name on horns.The last time is saw a Hag concert,he had a pickup band,which was great,Merle played guitar quite a bit,but a better picker was playing second guitar.I doubt we will see the great bands he carried back in the eighties.Merle Haggard doesn't have to prove anything to anyone ,he sings as well now as ever ,and still writes goods songs.Buy it,you'll like it.

Great DVD.......2005-03-08

Most folks agree that George Jones is the GREATEST LIVING COUNTRY SINGER, but on his "Live at Billy Bob's Texas" DVD Merle Haggard proves he's a close second. (And he can really play that guitar too.) What a great show!

Average customer rating:

poor quality piece, but...
Too much talk, not enough music
Mon père a adoré
Excellent
Thank the Lord for the Man In Black

Johnny Cash - The Anthology
Starring: Johnny Cash , Glen Campbell , Merle Kilgore , Waylon Jennings , and Marty Stuart
Director: Al Greenfield (II)
Manufacturer: Image Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Country | Styles | Music

Rockabilly | Oldies & Retro | Rock | Styles | Music

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

DVDs Under $9.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

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

Johnny Cash - A Concert Behind Prison Walls
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Hurt
Johnny Cash At Town Hall Party 1958-1959

ASIN: B00005UQ8A
Release Date: 2002-02-26

Product Description

Johnny Cash is one of the most imposing and influential figures in the history of music. Emotional and real, his deep baritone voice and percussive guitar style created a bridge among various genres of music and earned him induction into the Country Hall of Fame, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame. This special collection includes two programs which detail the incredible six-decade career or this 10-time GRAMMY-winning artist through performances, rare archival footage and photos. Scoring over 100 hit singles during his career, The Johnny Cash Anthology takes viewers on a journey which begins with the 1950s hit "Cry, Cry, Cry" and continues through the 1990s classic "Bird on a Wire." Half Mile A Day is a revealing documentary about "The Man In Black" as told by special friends, including Waylong Jennings, Jerry Lee Lewis, Kris Kristofferson, Billy Bob Thornton, Marty Stuart and Rodney Crowell.

Songs:
Folsom Prison Blues
Big River
Five Feet High and Risin'
Cry, Cry, Cry
I Walk the Line
Orange Blossom Special
Ring Of Fire
Jackson
The Man In Black
A Boy Named Sue
Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down
If I Were A Carpenter
Daddy Sang Bass
Bird On A Wire

System Requirements:
Running Time: 143 Min., Color.
This film is presented in "Standard" format.
Copyright 2002 Image Entertainment.

Format: DVD VIDEO

Amazon.com

Sure, Johnny Cash is a country superstar and a founding father of rock & roll--but why, exactly? Johnny Cash: The Anthology is an efficient and highly enjoyable effort to answer that question through a rare historical perspective. Comprised of a 54-minute documentary and a supplementary film entitled Half Mile a Day, The Anthology places Cash dead center at the junction of gospel and blues traditions: between the isolation of hard living in America, delusional guilt from too much sin, and the fragile redemption of love. Drawing upon archival footage of Cash performing his earliest crossover hits ("Five Feet High and Risin'," "I Walk the Line") and including comments by admiring peers (Rodney Crowell, Porter Wagoner), The Anthology makes a compelling case for Cash as a master of knife-edged economy and a populist oracle from a younger, perhaps scarier, America. If it has become too easy over the decades to take Cash for granted, The Anthology sets things straight. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

poor quality piece, but..........2006-03-02

i was extremely disappointed with this dvd, in both content and quality.

i expected a wider range of archival video footage from his preformances and some selections are in fact taken from same performances. fourteen live performace songs is an extreme understatement of his ability to capture his audiences, be it for a television broadcast or live concert. the anthology is padded with distracting talking head video footage taken from the documentary and the fades between frames were less then desired.

but...
the "bonus" documentary was redeeming. "half mile a day" is definitely the stronger half of this dvd; perhaps the documentary should in fact be the primary material with the anthology being the "bonus" selection.

i ranked this dvd at two stars because i purchased it for the performance footage and not the documentary.

Too much talk, not enough music.......2005-11-19

Five stars if this is a referendum on Johnny Cash, three stars for this premium-priced dvd.

The songs are good - Cash was a great entertainer, and the chance to see him through almost fifty years of performances is welcome. The `Half Mile a Day' documentary is informative and somewhat adoring, with a number of performers and record-industry folk attesting to Cash's greatness. It gives you a sense of the man behind the music. A peek rather than a critical examination, but satisfying enough.

Still, `The Anthology' pretty much repeats everything in `Half Mile a Day.' The songs are presented complete in Anthology, chopped up in Half Mile. Some of the talking head comments appear in both programs, as well.

Half Mile includes a bit of Cash singing `Turn! Turn! Turn!' with Judy Collins, which kind of indicates the dvd producers had access and rights to Cash's old television program. As a fan with extended demands for premium priced dvds, I'd have appreciated maybe another dozen songs - from the television show, or somewhere - and that much less talking heads.

Mon père a adoré.......2005-07-19

C'est un cadeau qui a bien plu à mon père pour la fête des pères.

Excellent.......2004-12-15

I can't get enough of Johnny Cash, I'm glad I purchased this DVD.
Lots of Johnny in his younger days. A lot of his hits uninterrupted
This is a must for any Johnny Cash fan.

Thank the Lord for the Man In Black.......2004-01-17

Didn't think I'd ever hook up the DVD player I got for Christmas, until I just got this and David Allan Coe's DVD for my Birhtday and that meant I had to hook it up and fast! I've watched them over and over. This is wonderful.

Average customer rating:

COUNTRY LEGENDS IN VINTAGE TELEVISION SPECIAL
A Useful Teaching Tool

50 Years of Country Gold
Starring: Loretta Lynn , June Carter Cash , Waylon Jennings , Merle Haggard , and Mel Tillis
Manufacturer: Image Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Country | Styles | Music

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

DVDs Under $9.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

Best of Country Live!
The Nashville Sound
Grand Ole Opry at Carnegie Hall
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ASIN: B000H7J9T4
Release Date: 2006-10-03

Customer Reviews:

COUNTRY LEGENDS IN VINTAGE TELEVISION SPECIAL .......2007-06-17

This was a 1980 television special hosted by Dennis Weaver filmed at three locations, Las Vegas, Dallas, and the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville.

PERFORMANCES:
Waylon Jennings: Clyde
Loretta Lynn: Coal Miner's Daughter, She's Got You
Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers Band: All The Gold In California
Mel Tillis: Heart Over Mind
Lynn Anderson: Rose Garden
Merle Haggard: Miss The Mississippi
Waylon Jennings: Nashville Women
Barbara Mandrell: Sleeping Single In A Double Bed
Roy Clark: Yesterday When I Was Young
Don Williams: Good Ole Boys Like Me
June Carter & The Carter Sisters: Worried Man's Blues
Ernest Tubb: Waltz Across Texas
Merle Haggard & Ernest Tubb: I'm Walkin' The Floor Over You

A Useful Teaching Tool.......2007-05-30

I have used this item with success in my Music Appreciation Class at Butte College.

DVD:

DVD

DVD

DVD

The House of Mirth

Laurel & Hardy Volume 18 - Married Life/Anita Garvin :

Baby Mozart - Music Festival

DVD: In Smog and Thunder

Various Artists - Movie Night of Extreme Sports 2003