On the Beach

Starring:Gregory Peck, Ava Gardner, Fred Astaire, Anthony Perkins, Donna Anderson, John Tate, Harp McGuire, Lola Brooks, Ken Wayne, Guy Doleman, Richard Meikle, John Meillon, Joe McCormick, Lou Vernon, Kevin Brennan, Basil Buller-Murphy, John L. Cason, Paddy Moran, Grant Taylor, Elwyn Peers
Director: Stanley Kramer
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com essential video

Stanley Kramer's 1959 antiwar movie looks like everything Kramer did: subtle as a car wreck but undeniably affecting. Gregory Peck plays a submarine commander looking for survivors in Australia after a nuclear holocaust. Ava Gardner is among them and, somewhat improbably under the circumstances, becomes his love interest. Fred Astaire and Anthony Perkins are among the characters awaiting death from the gradual spread of radiation from the north. One might scoff at Kramer's implicit finger-wagging about nuclear politics in this mad, mad, mad, mad world, but it is hard to stop watching this compelling drama all the same. --Tom Keogh

Description

The war is over. Nobody won. Only the inhabitants of Australia and the men of the US submarine Sawfish have escaped the nuclear destruction and radiation. Captain Dwight Towers (Gregory Peck) takes the Sawfish on a mission to see if an approaching radiation cloud has weakened, but returns with grim news: the cloud is lethal. With the days and hours dwindling, each person confronts the grim situation in his or her own way. One (Fred Astaire) realizes a lifetime Grand Prix ambition,another (Ava Gardner) reaches out for a chance at love. The final chapter of human history is coming to a close... From acclaimed director Stanley Kramer (The Defiant Ones, Inheritthe Wind) and screenwriter John Paxton comes this spectacular movie landmarka film masterpiece with a message that will resonate as long as the world has the power to self-destruct at its own fingertips.

Customer Reviews:

A Cold War Classic.......2007-05-20

On the Beach is truly an excellent Cold War Classic - I think this is
a movie everyone should see at least once. Fine acting by the best of
actors for its time. Get a copy for yourself and get a viewing audience
to watch it too.

On the Beach, the original........2007-05-12

This is one of the best cold war, end of the world, somebody dropped the bomb movies ever. Very thought provoking, especially if you live thru that era.

Still Relevant.......2007-04-16

This movie was science fiction. Absolutely.

But, seeing this movie again reminded me that the ideas in this movie are something we should still be thinking about.

A great premise that drowns in monotonous levels of mediocrity.......2007-02-15

When I read the synopsis of this 1959 film starring Gregory Peck, I had to get it. I had never heard of the film before, or the book that it is based on. The whole premise of a film coming up with an "alternative" history in a post apocalyptic setting back then intrigued me. Considering the scare of nuclear war and the consequences of radioactive fallout, I can see how this film at the time of its release, was perhaps more fearfully felt than enjoyed as a fictional tale. Considering it had one of my favorite actors from that era cast as the main star, I figured I couldn't go wrong. I was almost expecting a sort of Twilight Zone kind of setting, with the producers able to take this "what if" scenario and have a full reign on endless theories and imaginative portrayals.

The premise of the film is centered on an earth in which the typical "nuke shootout" has occurred in the year 1964. Gregory Peck stars as Dwight Towers, commander of a U.S. Submarine that has escaped the nuclear holocaust and eventually finds its way to what seems like a safe and inhabited area in Australia. Towers and his crew work with the people there in trying to establish communication with the outside world, although at this point it seems futile; The fallout will soon be upon this last resort on Earth. Towers sets out again to search for other areas and particularly has his eyes set on heading to San Francisco, where there are some strange transmissions being relayed that may be signs of life after all.

The plot and premise of this film are great, but I felt that overall it dragged on way too much. The first forty-five minutes seemed to take forever, and it wasn't until they were on the mission in the San Francisco bay that I really felt any "peril" for anyone in the movie. Much of this comes from the fact that none of the characters in the first hour seem to act like anything is wrong. They talk about the bombs and the outcome, and the possibility of death knocking at their door like they are visiting about some football game from a day before. The sailors portrayed, with the exception of a few, mostly just sit around looking like slackers. The "setup" of the film just never was strong enough for me to feel that it was an "End of World" type scenario.

A shining light in this film is Fred Astaire. Fred plays Julian Osbourne, a nuclear scientist who despite feeling the guilt of having a hand in one of mankind's deadliest inventions, gets to live out a dream of racing in a grand event. His speech on the sub about the irony of war, peace, and how the most noble of thoughts can lead to the deadliest of actions was spot on. It was a rather timeless and truthful look at things that doesn't sound dated at all. Ava Gardner plays Moira, a possible love interest for Towers, but even her and Anthony Perkins roles in this film seemed to slow, and by the time any emotion or feelings are shown, it just doesn't come across as realistic.

Not terrible, and some hail it a great classic. As I said, the plot and its outlying ideas are there, and some of the scenes of a dead San Francisco add to the charm of this film's portrayal of mankind's "final days", but with so much of the dialogue void of strength and emotion and a finality that takes what seems like an eternity to reach, it just isn't as good as it could have been. Overall it is not the story, but the disjointed way it is told that is an issue. I've seen Gregory Peck in a multitude of films and I must say that his character in this one didn't do HIM justice.

On the Rocks .......2007-02-02

Nothing is worse than Hollywood when it preaches. You half expect Al Gore to make a cameo appearance, wailing hysterically about "climate change". But I guess in 1959, he was sitting on his mom's lap, singing "Look for the Union Label." It's a shame to see so much talent go up in politically correct smoke.

Average customer rating:

AN END TIMES CLASSIC
An intriguing remake of the 1959 film .....
Buy the original 1959 film instead...
On the Beach, new version remake
The book was better

On the Beach
Starring: Armand Assante , Rachel Ward , Bryan Brown , and Mark Pennell
Director: Russell Mulcahy
Manufacturer: Platinum Disc
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0007N1JNM
Release Date: 2005-03-01

Customer Reviews:

AN END TIMES CLASSIC.......2007-06-21

This movie is an amazing piece of end times magic. Most other nuclear war movies allow room for hope and survival among small segments of the human population, but this movie somehow maintains an emotional high while removing hope. It is a strange experience to watch the distribution of the little blue pill rather than food supplies, but it is a perspective of the danger that needs to be expressed. A wonderful must see-movie. And if you enjoy fascinating end times works, I also highly recommend the controversial and shocking Mysteries of the Universe book. Here is the amazon page link: Mysteries of the Universe: A Revolutionary Commentary on UFOs, Aliens, Angels, Pyramids, Bible Codes, Reincarnation, the Antichrist...

An intriguing remake of the 1959 film ............2007-06-19

I'll have to admit upfront that I've never read the novel this movie is based upon, so can't determine how much the plot may veer from the written page. I *have,* however, seen the 1959 version of On the Beach at *least* a dozen times, and this remake does veer from *that* path. ;-P

This movie definitely held my attention ... and my fascination over how the characters (from the 1959 film) have been cast and updated for modern times. The plot variations almost have me curious enough about the written page to buy and read the novel. *Almost!*

This remake is undoubtedly more realistic in its portrayal of what might really happen when people realise that the end is inevitable. Where the 1959 film portrayed a more accepting and sedate mood throughout, this remake pulled no punches about probable violence and blame-laying. Hey, that's the difference forty years can make, huh?!

Overall quite interesting and engrossing with its variations from the original film. I was impressed enough to go ahead and recommend it. :-)

Buy the original 1959 film instead..........2007-05-17

Yes, buy the original 1959 film instead. The cast (Gregory Peck, Fred Astaire, Ava Gardner, and Anthony Perkins) is FAR better than the retreads in the new version. Direction by Stanley Kramer and the beautiful score by Herman Gold also make the original film by far the best choice. For those reviewers upset that the film does not have a happy ending, please consider renting Cinderella from Disney Studios. The original 1959 film was also a masterpiece in that it was a film with an anti-war theme from the 1950's. Quick, how many other anti-war films from the 1950's can you name?

On the Beach, new version remake.......2007-05-12

This is a great movie, and a really good remake. I actually like this ending better than the original!

The book was better.......2007-03-09

"On the Beach" by Nevil Shute is one of my all-time favorite books. I hate when they remake books into an entirely different story. I've seen the movie with Ava Gardner, snore. This one was a little better, but those who haven't read the book, I promise you are in for a great read.

Blue Crush (Widescreen Collector's Edition)

Average customer rating:

Blue Crush
Worth rebuying
Not enough surfing, but I enjoyed the scenery.
Refreshing
Kate Bosworth has a hot body for a white chick

Blue Crush (Widescreen Collector's Edition)
Starring: Kate Bosworth , Matthew Davis , Michelle Rodriguez , Sanoe Lake , and Mika Boorem
Director: John Stockwell
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Step into Liquid
Blue Crush (Surfing Documentary)
Blue Crush
North Shore
Win A Date With Tad Hamilton! (Widescreen Edition)

ASIN: B00005JLH0
Release Date: 2003-06-01

Amazon.com

With refreshing energy, Blue Crush is the kind of movie that girls and young women deserve to see more of. It's mostly for them (although nice tans and bikinis will attract the guys), and it rejuvenates the surf-movie tradition by showing real girls with real friendships, coping with absent parents, borderline poverty, rocky romance, and the challenge of raising a kid sister. For young Hawaiian Anne Marie (Kate Bosworth), those responsibilities are motivations to excel as a champion-class surfer... if she can overcome the fear of drowning, which she nearly did in a previous wipeout. Supportive friends (Girlfight's Michelle Rodriguez, and Sanoe Lake) help her reach the climactic competition on Oahu's infamous Bonzai Pipeline, and like Saturday Night Fever, this engaging film uplifts the working class without condescension, riding high toward the joy of achievement. Himself an amateur surfer, director John Stockwell (Crazy/Beautiful) captures the extreme thrill of the sport while respecting the forces of nature and human behavior. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

Blue Crush.......2007-06-13

Blue Crush 1hr 45min. $9.99
Brian Grazer, Karen Kehela PG-13

Annemarie Chadwick (Kate Bosworth) and her two best friends, Eden (Michelle Rodriguez), Lena (Sanoe Lake), and Annemarie's little sister Penny (Mika Boorem) are extremely good at, and love to surf!! Actually Annemarie is so good at surfing that she gets invited to go and surf at the annual Pipe Masters Contest! But when it comes down to actually go and surf in the morning, everyone tends to have a tight schedule, because everyone wakes up at 6:30 just to go and surf! After surfing however, Annemarie rushes to get Penny to school, although she has to make sure Penny won't ditch. On top of all that, Annemarie, Eden and Lena all have to rush to their job, which are being hotel maids. However Annemarie gets fired from her job for publicly embarrassing a V.I.P guest, who happens to be a professional football player! Soon after being fired, Matt (Matthew Davis) the quarter back of the football team, comes to find Annemarie for surfing lessons. This starts a new romance between Annemarie and Matt. So now Annemarie struggles between a new romance, taking care of Penny (so hopefully Penny would stop smoking) and training for pipe masters. Annemarie struggles with training because she's too afraid that she will have another near drowning incident that happened three years before.

I thought that this movie was A-MAZING!! I loved the drama and the competition! If you ever watch this movie, I think that you might feel the same way! I think the director's use of music is really cool and good and has good taste, because some of the music is tropical, and some is sport-like. In my opinion, I think the movie setting was at one of the amazing places ever, HAWAII!!!!
So if you like the ocean, surfing and watching competitions, I think that you might want to watch this movie!!!

Worth rebuying.......2007-04-11

I bought this movie about 4 years ago. I loved it so much. But with most movies they get damaged sooner or later. This is a movie worth rebuying over and over again, because you'll watch it over and over agian. It teaches you to never give up and hold close to your loved ones, no matter what.

Not enough surfing, but I enjoyed the scenery........2006-11-10

Overall the movie was cool for me. The storyline was so-so and there wasn't enough surfing. I did enjoy the bit of good surfing they had though. The main reason I bought the movie was because it was filmed on Oahu (although there were parts that I think may have been filmed in Maui but passed off as Oahu). The special features had some good footage.

Refreshing.......2006-11-03

Now in a multi-year drought dominated by cheap horror flix, I recalled having seen Kate Bosworth and Michelle Rodriguez in a surfing movie. I went digging into the Amazon stacks and found it here. What I hadn't recalled was that this is a film centered around telling a more serious story about women in surfing and some of the more intricate aspects of beach culture in Hawaii. So, you are drawn inside the competitive mind where the challenge is to meet every expectation from making the rent, to having a life, to fighting the fears that would take away the chance to ride the next wave. It's fun and serious all at the same time. The film also contains some early work in face replacement and employs new approaches to filming the sport; so, it also makes an interesting study in visual effects and cinematography.

Kate Bosworth has a hot body for a white chick.......2006-09-29

Too bad she got all creepy-skinny later on. This movie is totally uninspired but Kate Bosworth and Michelle Rodriguez are hot and nearly nekkid throughout, so it's worth watching just for that. The plot is garbage.

Average customer rating:

Ahead of Its Class
Lean all the way toward seeing this movie!!!
An Inspirational Story for Educators
A Powerful Film!
An excellent movie demonstrating the triumph of tough love and discipline over societal obstacles.

Lean on Me
Starring: Morgan Freeman , Beverly Todd , Robert Guillaume , Alan North , and Lynne Thigpen
Director: John G. Avildsen
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: 6305133514
Release Date: 1998-10-20

Amazon.com essential video

Rocky director John Avildsen championed the briefly famous New Jersey high school principal Joe Clark in this upbeat 1989 drama. Morgan Freeman plays the tough-love educator who wields a baseball bat and bullhorn to keep discipline in his hallways and to motivate underachieving students to keep their acts together. After establishing Clark's controversial methods and showing him giving some punks the boot, Avildsen relies on the usual school-drama clichés to fill out the rest of the movie, including a challenge to Clark's philosophy from timid authorities. Freeman makes a strong impact as Clark, his dignity and integrity a sometimes awesome thing. Avildsen, however, is going for a Rocky-esque emotional crescendo. --Tom Keogh

Description

Based on the true story of new jersey high school principal Joe Clark,who wins the support and respect of his students for his controversial methods in ridding the school of violent students and drug dealers.

Customer Reviews:

Ahead of Its Class.......2007-05-03

'Lean on Me' takes another educational figure and puts him at the head of the class. Hot-tempered, but motivational, Joe Clark (Morgan Freeman) takes the helm of New Jersey's East Side High School once the seat of academic excellence. Facing undaunting turmoil, the school he has but one year to shape up is full of drug dealers, fights, and general mayhem. Knowing that to get anyone to obey the rules, you have to enforce all, Clark "takes no prisoners" and armed with a megaphone and locks to keep criminals out, he gives his student body a whole new outlook on life. But between his scornful nemesis, Leona Barrett (Lynne Thigpen) and a desperate and unpopular mayor (Alan North), he has more than his martinet sensibilities to keep in check.

Seeing Morgan Freeman not play someone sage and mellow is a real treat. Sometimes his character makes us laugh and smile, especially when we see his soft heart behind the tough talk. With a convincing set of actors and situations, the story doesn't try to whitewash the problems or the hero's idiosyncracies. Unsurprisingly done by 'Rocky' director John Avildsen, 'Lean on Me' does inspiration with class.

Lean all the way toward seeing this movie!!!.......2007-04-21

With so many true story movies out there, I'm glad to say this is a good one. Now, saying that Mr. Clark aka Morgan Freeman did a great job. Sometimes he seems heartless but in the interior of his heart, he does care! I thought there was some funny parts, some great uplifting parts, and parts that made you feel sorry for "real schools" that goes through "real life drama" of education. I love when they sang in the bathroom the school song, well, the new remix of it. It's a great movie. I like it and recommend it to everyone.

An Inspirational Story for Educators.......2007-04-15

This is a story about Eastside High School in Paterson, NJ which was once considered one of the best high schools in the country. Over the years, the high school deteriorated to a school full of violence and drugs. Their test scores and graduation rates were so deplorable, the state was considering taking over the school.

A new principal, Joe Clark (Morgan Freeman's character), was hired in an effort to save the school. Even though he had a military-style of leadership, he really cared about the kids and instilled in them the value of education. He told them that if they failed, they shouldn't blame their parents or blame the white man. Since the majority of the school was poor African-Americans and Hispanics, he told them that if they didn't get an education, they would be locked out of the "American Dream" that they so heavily viewed on television. He let them know that the one and only reason they would fail would because of themselves. They were responsible for succeeding. His message was that students should not lean on excuses.

Joe Clark turned the school around, and even though he could have been more supportive of his faculty, the school was so far gone that it need his disciplinary leadership. Most of all, he instilled in the students responsibility and pride, and that is quite an accomplishment.

A Powerful Film!.......2007-01-20

Morgan Freeman's role in "Lean on Me" is typical of the kind of roles he's particularly good at: "My way or the highway." He nearly sinks his own efforts to turn around a failing school by acting as if he ALONE is the only one that can get the job done. This is a lesson for every administrator out there: "Lean on" Your Staff/Faculty. Give your staff and faculty the respect they are entitled to and they will work for you and the students much better than if you brow beat them and circumvent their authority as professional educators. It is only when Freeman's character learns this that things begin to go his well-intentioned way.

NOTE: This outstanding film is now packaged with another outstanding film on education, Stand and Deliver/Lean on Me. These films are worthy of a place in your DVD collection.

An excellent movie demonstrating the triumph of tough love and discipline over societal obstacles........2007-01-13

LEAN ON ME is an astoundingly inspirational film based on the life and accomplishments of Principal Joe Clark, an unyielding and determined educator who refused to accept the state's conclusion that his high school students were academic failures and decided to change the perception using unorthodox methods of teaching and stern discipline. His work gained national recognition in the 1980's and even received public mention by then President Ronald Reagan. "Crazy Joe" became a household name and set a valuable example to numerous inner city school systems.

This movie has a profoundly realistic and an unforgettable performance by one of the great actors of our time, Morgan Freeman, playing the role of Joe Clark. The film has numerous memorable quotes and keeps the audience thoroughly entertained. It is a remarkable movie worth seeing by both adults and children.

Blue Crush (Full Screen Collector's Edition)

Average customer rating:

Blue Crush
Worth rebuying
Not enough surfing, but I enjoyed the scenery.
Refreshing
Kate Bosworth has a hot body for a white chick

Blue Crush (Full Screen Collector's Edition)
Starring: Kate Bosworth , Matthew Davis , Michelle Rodriguez , Sanoe Lake , and Mika Boorem
Director: John Stockwell
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Customer Reviews:

Blue Crush.......2007-06-13

Worth rebuying.......2007-04-11

Not enough surfing, but I enjoyed the scenery........2006-11-10

Refreshing.......2006-11-03

Kate Bosworth has a hot body for a white chick.......2006-09-29

Average customer rating:

Would've given it nil stars if I could've...
Indie gem...Paxton can act...
Mediocre is good?
Fantastic Service!!
A thriller with character and originality

One False Move
Starring: Bill Paxton , Cynda Williams , Billy Bob Thornton , Michael Beach , and Jim Metzler
Director: Carl Franklin
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
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ASIN: 0767818083
Release Date: 1999-03-09

Amazon.com essential video

A dark and spare thriller about irresistible forces headed for a collision with an immovable object. The latter is the local sheriff in a small Arkansas town (Bill Paxton); the former are a trio of L.A. drug dealers (Billy Bob Thornton, Michael Beach, Cynda Williams), who, having committed a multiple murder, head for that tiny town on the lam to hide out with Williams's family. Directed by Carl Franklin from a script cowritten by Thornton, the film contrasts the converging parties: Paxton as the eager small-timer who resents getting the high hat from the FBI and aches to prove himself; Thornton as the explosive bad guy who looks like a pussycat next to the sadistic Beach. In the middle is the subtle, low-key performance by Williams, who has secrets neither side is aware of. Compelling and energy-charged, without taking a single obvious step. --Marshall Fine

Customer Reviews:

Would've given it nil stars if I could've..........2006-06-25

Dated, derivative, self-indulgent & unintelligent. This is truly bottom of the range stuff. The acting, directing, soundtrack and script are all dire. None of the characters are even remotely sympathetic, in fact I was hoping they'd die slowly and painfully. I note that Billy Bob Thornton was both star and a scriptwriter - methinks his true nature is revealed in the script and the part he chose - an arrogant, amoral, misogynistic, self-important coward (with zero sense of humour). Don't waste your time watching this drivel, it will leave you with a bad taste in your mouth that no amount of tequila can erase.

Indie gem...Paxton can act..........2006-04-09

Like most people, I saw this first on cable. About the same time, I saw Sean Penn's directorial debut, "The Indian Runner". I had a great respect for Independent films, like, forever, and "One False Move" is among the best. Carl Franklin is to be commended for putting the script (Billy Bob & Tom Epperson) to film in a concise fashion. I don't agree with previous reviewers who thought it needed more ground. This is indeed an original. Bill Paxton, in his first lead role, is excellent, and hasn't been as good since (though I liked his smarmy performance in "True Lies") and the wonderful Cynda Williams won awards for her performance as Fantasia/Lila. The film score is legendary...indeed, Peter Haycock & Derek Holt wrote a score that has been used in a whole bunch of cheesy films of the 90's; I don't really know if it was original for this one, but the use of the music by Terry Plumeri was effective and haunting. Billy Bob was a fine psychotic, and the most frightening performance of all came from Michael Beach as Pluto, never breaking a sweat as he slit a throat. Paxton really carries the film, along with Ms. Williams; you really want these people to survive. Life might be like that; a great exposition of good and evil, and delivered in fine fashion by the wonderful Carl Franklin.

Mediocre is good?.......2006-03-26

I was very disappointed after reading all the glowing reviews for this movie and then watching your average "bad guys on the run" movie. Gee, Billy Bob Thornton plays a crazy bad guy who shoots people and he doesn't like cops at all; he even uses bad language! A friend was watching it with me and he thought I was watching the Lifetime channel. This movie just plodded along down cliche boulevard.

Fantastic Service!!.......2006-03-14

I caught a glimpse of this movie years ago and I could not remember the name but I did know who stared in it...so when i went online to get the name of this I was pleased to see that the sender had it at a very good price...Thanks so much for having the movie and second getting it to me so quickly!!! Thanks again!!!

A thriller with character and originality.......2005-05-31

Billy Bob co-wrote and stars in this tightly woven, deeply textured, well-written off-beat thriller about a couple of drug dealers heading from CA to AK; combines the personal, the interpersonal, the deviant, with an unusual love story embedded craftily in the middle. This was on Roger Ebert's top ten list the year it came out. Although there are a couple of plot flaws, it works well enough to keep you anticipating the "showdown," because these seem to be authentic people trapped in a tragic destiny. This is a rare type of film nowadays: the kind that comes from the heart, not from the sterile factories of M.F.A. programs and lunkhead studios.

Average customer rating:

Great Film Adaptation Of A Great Novel
THE BEST "Novel adaption" film I have ever seen!
STEINBECK+MILESTONE+COPLAND+GREAT CAST=OUTSTANDING MOTION PICTURE
Near Perfection
A Classic

Of Mice and Men
Starring: Burgess Meredith , Betty Field , Lon Chaney Jr. , Charles Bickford , and Roman Bohnen
Director: Lewis Milestone
Manufacturer: Image Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 6305081832
Release Date: 1998-08-26

Amazon.com essential video

Truly one of the unsung triumphs of 1939, this heartfelt adaptation of John Steinbeck's morality tale of two itinerant migrant workers seems just as fresh and powerful decades after its release. Lon Chaney Jr. gives the performance of a lifetime as the sweet yet feeble-minded Lennie, who is befriended by the weary Burgess Meredith. They both would be lost without each other in a rather mixed-up world. Sensitively directed by Lewis Milestone (All Quiet on the Western Front), the film features the first pre-credit sequence in American film history. There's also a nice score by Aaron Copland. --Bill Desowitz

Customer Reviews:

Great Film Adaptation Of A Great Novel.......2007-06-14

Of all the television and theatrical releases that have followed, none have reached the perfect cast of this 1939 classic. Burgess Meredith and Lon Chaney Jr. in their finest roles. Where were the Academy Award nominations for these two outstanding performances? Lon Chaney Jr's final scene was worth more than what's his name's entire bore in "Goodbye Mr. Chips". ZZZZZZZZZ! Portrayals just as imagined from Steinbeck's novel.

THE BEST "Novel adaption" film I have ever seen!.......2006-06-28

I have watched over 600 classic films in my study and enjoyment of classic film. I have watched many films made from a novel--Anna Karenina, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, A Farewell to Arms, etc. It seems there is always something missing in movies adapted from a novel...a film cannot always grasp the depth and "mind thoughts" of a book, for a book is more for the mind and the reader's own inner vision and imagination, and a film must deal with the outwardly visual, and so being, much can be lost in the film story. However, was I surprised when I found this DVD at the library and brought it home to watch. It was amazing! I read "Of Mice and Men" as a required novel in high school back in the late 70's. I remember liking the story, and I bought my own copy of the book (just as I did with A Tree Grows in Brooklyn) and I read it over and over as the years went by. I haven't read it in several years, but when watching this film, I remembered everything that happened. I wasn't sure I was going to like Burgess Meredith as George, but he was very good. And the same with Lon Chaney Jr. as Lennie, and Betty Field as Curley's wife. Once the movie began, I felt these actors did a very good job portraying the characters as Steinbeck had them in his book. I was surprised with the realism of the film...quite gritty for 1939. Usually films really watered down issues and emotions back then, but this one was surprisingly quite open about them. I rarely cry watching a film, and this film had me crying...you felt so sorry for Lennie, for Candy losing his dog, for the 3 of them losing their "dream", and the ending...that was just an incredible ending for a 30's film. At our house we do not have TV and we carefully screen movies the children watch, and we stick to the classic years (1950's and prior) 98% of the time. I know some precodes, etc. are not for children, but I didn't think this film would be too strong for a child. Yes, because of the code, nothing was shown outright, but my 8 yr. old son really cried and was very sad when the gunshot sounded and Candy rolls over in his bunk. My son knew his dog was shot, and it was a strongly emotional scene without seeing anything! And my son cried when Lennie was in the barn with his little puppy who was dead from him being a bit too rough with him. Again, we don't see the dead puppy, but the implied idea is so strong, again my son burst into tears. I felt really bad for not being more careful for my son and his feelings; had I known this film was going to be so strongly emotional, I would have watched it when my son was in bed. I then knew I could not let him see the end; I figured if these 2 scenes of the dogs dying were so hard for him because of the implied realism and strong emotions, then the ending was going to be too. I was right, it was. And the final scene with George and Lennie is so well done, you felt what they were feeling. I was really crying...like I said, not many movies do this to me! I think the direction and filming was well done; some interesting camera work caught my eye. I can't believe this movie is so "forgotten"; it is just as great or even better than some of the other 1939 films- Gone With the Wind, Goodbye Mr. Chips, and MUCH better than The Wizard of Oz! I found I understand the story much better as an adult than I did in my youth. It is funny that schools make teens read these novels; because teens have not experienced life fully enough, they cannot fully grasp the truths of life such novels are presenting. Maybe some can, but I never did! Always, it was when I was older, got married, had children, experienced the routine and sorrows of life, that I could relate to such books; for I now have "been there" too. As an adult I could see the parallel of Candy's dog and Lennie. I never understood that when I was a teen in school. Anyway, this is an excellent film that no person who appreciates classic film should miss. I am glad I discovered it, and will definitely watch it again. I hear there are "film as literature" classes in schools now, and I would highly recommend this 1939 version of "Of Mice and Men" for such a class. Do please heed my warning though: if you watch this at home and have young children do not let them watch it with you; children are not ready to handle the strong emotions presented in this film. I would say wait until your child is at least 12 yrs. old.

STEINBECK+MILESTONE+COPLAND+GREAT CAST=OUTSTANDING MOTION PICTURE.......2006-06-04

John Steinbeck's "Of Mice and Men" was brought to the motion picture screen in 1939 by director Lewis Milestone(All Quiet on the Western Front)and in doing so director Milestone produced one of the GREATEST American films of all time.It is certainly Milestone's GREATEST achievment.Aided by a great cast,Burgess Meredith,Lon Chaney,jr.(his greatest and the films best role)Charles Bickford,Roman Bohnen(outstanding as "Candy"),and Leigh Whipper(here outstanding as "Crooks",also great as "Sparks" in "The Ox-Bow Incident"),and a GREAT Aaron Copland score, this is a film that should be seen by All Americans,and be seen AGAIN and AGAIN.I've seen it at least 50 times over the 38(or so) years,and it has NEVER failed to bring tears to my eyes during certain scences,especially the ending sequence.
I won't go much into the plot,of this little morality play,but it deals with the friendship of George(Meridith),and Lennie(Chaney) who are wondering field hands and their desire to "have their own little place".Depite their desire to own their own home and farm land(private property) this film was labeled "LEFTIST",and "COMMUNIST"!Oh well!
Cowboy actor Bob Steele(as "Curly"),Noah Berry,Jr.,and Betty Field(as Steele's lonely wife) also contribute to the film's success.Betty Field, I did think she could have been better,but overall ,I guess she was OK.
In 1949 Steinbeck,Milestone,and Copland picturized Steinbeck's "The Red Pony",it was NOT a success and I didn't care for it,the Copland score for Pony was outstanding.
I have a question for film buffs out there.Did Roman Bohnen,uder the name of "Rudy Bowman",appear(as trooper Smith) in John Ford's "She Wore A Yellow Ribbon"?It sure sounds and looks like him.Bohnen died in 1949 while on stage,for a production prouduced by the controversial Actors Lab(ultra-left politically) after having been grilled by the House Committee on Un-American Activities.MANY contributors to this excellent production had problems with the U.S. Congress and the Hollywood Studios arising from their political outlook and associations
My only complaint concerning the DVD-no commetary-BAD-BAD-BAD.

Near Perfection.......2006-04-05

John Steinbeck's classic novella OF MICE AND MEN has also been a 1939 movie, a stage play, and an opera; it was remade as a movie in 1992, with Gary Sinise and John Malkovich. I haven't seen the remake, but I can say that the 1939 version, under review here, is a near-perfect movie. Burgess Meredith and Lon Chaney, Jr. are George and Lennie, the eternal, wandering pair whose only sense of home, of security, is found in each other. The tiny Meredith (later of TWILIGHT ZONE and ROCKY fame) is perfect as quick-witted George. I might add that while the novella's dialogue contains much swearing, this movie has none - yet one still gets a sense of George's acerbity from Meredith's exceptional performance. The hulking Chaney is also ideal as slow-witted Lennie; as much as I admire Malkovich, I find it hard to imagine the role of Lennie played with more conviction, wonder, and unaffected pathos than it is here. The film, with its Depression-era California setting, is beautifully photographed. Like the novella, it is brief; no scene is longer than it needs to be, yet each scene makes an impact. The musical score by Aaron Copland is not mentioned enough: the composer's jagged, western-inspired style could not be more apt for Steinbeck; like Steinbeck's writing, its true genius is in its brevity. The one and only "wrong note" in the movie is Betty Field as "Curly's wife," Mae, who brings about her own and Lennie and George's destruction. Lennie is supposed to be fascinated by Mae's soft hair, but there is nothing soft about Field's performance, and this lonely, victimized woman comes across as a none-too-bright tramp. I can't help thinking that the role must certainly be played with more sympathy in the remake, but I still give five stars to the original OF MICE AND MEN.

A Classic.......2006-03-19

This is the best performance by Lon Chaney Jr. as a dramatic actor. Much more than anything else he has stared in. In fact it is one of the only times he rivaled his father (may be with the exception of his supporting role in High Noon). Burgess Meredith is exceptional. This movie is very close to the original story. While redone with later versions (on TV and in movies), this one should have a place in the film buff's library.

Average customer rating:

DVD problems
A WILD, FASCINATING, QUIRKY RIDE INTO "THE BIG EMPTY"
Misterious!
Coen Brothers Meet David Lynch
What do people see in this film?

The Big Empty
Starring: Jon Favreau , Joey Lauren Adams , Bud Cort , Jon Gries , and Daryl Hannah
Director: Steve Anderson (IX)
Manufacturer: Lions Gate
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

Black Comedy | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

Comedy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Genres | DVD | Video

4-for-3 Comedy | 4-for-3 DVD | Stores | DVD | Video

4-for-3 Science Fiction & Fantasy | 4-for-3 DVD | Stores | DVD | Video

( B ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
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ASIN: B0001FGBSE
Release Date: 2004-04-20

Customer Reviews:

DVD problems.......2007-04-07

I have bought 5 different copies of this film, and none will play without pixelating/sound problems. I have a near-new major-name-brand player.

Buyer beware.

A WILD, FASCINATING, QUIRKY RIDE INTO "THE BIG EMPTY".......2006-03-21

Five Spooky Stars! Where has this one been hiding? Mystery is the key here in this independent film and there's plenty of it right up to the very wild end. This film is somewhat in the area code of NIck Cage's "Red Rock West" at the beginning, but it goes in another direction after it gets going. Then what started out as a quirky film kicks it up a notch and becomes a really weird, enjoyable, and special DVD.

Premise: an out of work actor has huge bills, needs a job, and gets way more than he bargains for when he's offered work by a neighbor: because it leads him out into "the big empty". Can't give any more clues without the possibility of ruining it for you. My advice is to see it twice because you'll never see all of the clues the first time through. The second time through, the clues are like glowing neon lights.

The cast list may be misleading: you may not recognize some of the names, but you'll instantly know the faces of this wild ensemble. Jon Favreau is great as the lead. Sean Bean is wonderfully creepy, and Jon Gries, Adam Beach, Melora Walters, Gary Farmer and the rest of the crew are excellent. Kelsey Grammer is a surprise who adds alot of big name credibility to the movie. And, trust me, Rachael Leigh Cook gets my vote as flat out one of the most beautiful women in Hollywood. And there is one surprise actor that you won't recognize until the credits are rolling, which may prompt you to hit the reverse button fast. Incidentially, the first scene between Jon and Rachael is a real "hoot" that may slip past on the first viewing. Pay attention!

This movie, which went direct to DVD, is a wild ride and it's a keeper. It is exactly the type of discovery that many of us movie viewers look forward to, and when we find it, it's really a magical couple of hours that stick in the mind for years. Buckle up, this'll spin your head around. Check your Blue Bowling Balls at the door, please !! Five Mysterious Stars!!

(Note: "The Big Empty" (I love that title) is a great example of what independent film-making is all about. And this is why well-known actors give their time and talent for 'scale' wages: the results can be spectacularly satisfying for everyone involved on a level the public will never truly understand.)

Misterious!.......2006-02-14

Comedy at first, x-files after and twilight zone in the end. Overall: VERY GOOD!

Coen Brothers Meet David Lynch.......2005-10-19

Ever wonder what you would have if the Coen brothers collaborated with David Lynch on a small independent film? Destined for cult classic status, "The Big Empty" is a strange blend of "Mulholland Drive" and "The Big Lebowski". So if you liked either or both of these classics you should track down the DVD, it has important special features that shed a little light on just what writer/director Steve Anderson was trying to communicate with this interesting film.

I have beefed up this comment a little since my original viewing because I have found "The Big Empty" gets even better with repeated viewings. The wry humor can best be enjoyed when you are not wrestling with the progress of the story itself.

I have heard that there are deleted scenes that show him taking this thing in the direction of the old "Twilight Zone" episode where the aliens entice humans to a planetary paradise with a book titled "Serving Humans", which actually turns out to be a cook book. There are also elements reminiscent of that suicide cult in San Diego in the mid-1990's.

"The Big Empty" has some relatively big names in its cast including Kelsey Grammar (a FBI agent), Joe Gries (from "The Pretender"), Rachel Leigh Cook (the town Lolita), and Darryl Hannah (Lolita's Mother). For the first time a Cook character is very sexy, it must be the hair style. The performances and deadpan humor save the day as the story itself is a little too expressionistic and open-ended for most viewers.

Although the film gets off to a quick start and is never boring, Anderson (in the Lynch tradition) has to cheat and leave some things resolved at the end, because it is simply impossible to tie all the disparate elements together conventionally. But this makes for interesting discussion with other members of "The Big Empty" cult.

Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.

What do people see in this film?.......2005-03-20

This wasnt a bad film but it wasnt a brilliant film ether. I had read a lot of great reveiws on this movie before buying a copy and I have to say that I am very disapointed in this film. I would suggest that you first rent this movie as it is quite a bizare film.

Live on Brighton Beach: Big Beach Boutique 2

Average customer rating:

250,000 people can't be wrong!
The Best DJ movie ever made!
Yes...One Plane Ticket To The U.K. Please.....
wish i was there...!
Kick Ass!

Live on Brighton Beach: Big Beach Boutique 2
Starring: Fatboy Slim
Manufacturer: Eagle Vision USA
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

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

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

( L ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Moby - Play the DVD
Paul Van Dyk - Global (DVD-CD Combo)
Live on Brighton Beach
Singles 93-03
The Greatest Hits: Why Make Videos

ASIN: B00006RCL6
Release Date: 2002-11-05

Description

Track List: 1) It Just Won't Do 2) 77 Strings 3) Lazy 4) Sexiest Man in Jamaica 5) At Night 6) Delicious 7) Get Me Off 8) Love Story 9) Hi Jackers 10) Long Time 11) Born Slippy 12) Rigt Here, Right Now 13) Lord of the Land 14) Let Me Show You 15) Farfisa 16) Star 69 17) I Would Die For You 18) It Just Won't Do 19) Pure Shores

Customer Reviews:

250,000 people can't be wrong!.......2007-01-19

OK, maybe they can! Although, I have to say, I loved this one, and still stick it in the video player, crank up the music and enjoy it immensely. There are 250,000+ plus people on that beach... amazing!, and awesome to watch. The crowd is going off to his music and the party vibe and the camera work that captures it is excellent... even though I think some of the camera men have dedicated themselves to picking out the hotties!

Personally, I wouldn't want to watch 2 hours of Fatboy mixing because it's not all that interesting. And yes, some of the criticisms are deserved, if you look at it from the angle of pure DJ mixing skills it ain't that great and ego... we'll, yes, there's bucket loads of it, the old Fatboy might just be his own biggest fan... but what a show though! Everyone's enjoying themselves and the music (even though it's probably not a typical fatboy mix) and what more can you ask for from a good night out than that and in the end, it is all about the music.

The disc also has some great bonus features worth checking out including a production interview, commentary by the man himself, audio track selection and a few games and a documentary (code = 303). Slip this one on, crank up the music and enjoy.

Highly recommended.

The Best DJ movie ever made!.......2007-01-01

Why is this the best DJ movie ever made? Because, it captures exactly what its like to be a part of the Dance Music scene. No, not everyone will like it. Either you "get" dance music or you don't. Electronic music is not slow, static or stationary, its created to get people moving, energized... dancing! So, if you plan on sitting on the couch eating twinkies and cereal you may find yourself slightly annoyed. "Why is everyone ejoying themselves and I'm not?", you may ask. Well, turn the volume up, have a red bull and enjoy the music. Fatboy Slim begs for you to be a part of the party. No other movie in this genre has yet to achieve what Live on Brighton Beach accomplishes.

Yes...One Plane Ticket To The U.K. Please............2006-01-12

well....i just recieved this disk and i had very high hopes...let me say, most were met....but there are a couple things i got tired of real fast...first of all, if i wanted to see that many crowd shots, i would have bought "Dancing Party People: The Movie"....i would have loved to see a disk that was mostly the man himself with the giant screen in the background...that would have been cool...show me what it was like being in the crowd, not the crowd itself.....there is a couple quick shots on Chapter 14, about a min into the chapter that show perfectly what i mean....my other complaint is with the man himself.....he really comes across as having a butt-load full of ego....many, many, MANY instances of him striking the "jesus christ pose"...in all of my years of going to parties, i have yet to see a dj do this as much as he does during this set....other than those complaints, i have nothing but praise for it.....i have not checked out the special features yet, just the movie itself and i truly do dig it...the music is top notch, the quality of the picture and the sound is supurb....although this may not mean much, seeing as how this is my first review, i fully recommend this disk to fans of electronica everywhere.....

wish i was there...!.......2005-02-02

excellent music. awesome dancing. so many cool people. i just wish i could have been there. put this DVD on & DANCE!

Kick Ass!.......2003-12-07

I think that this DVD was pretty sweet. When I saw it for the first time I thought yea this is pretty goo, but the more I watched it the more I enjoyed it. I definately do not agree with the skeptics that reviewed this DVD before me. I liked it I would check it out.

Average customer rating:

The Letter vs. the Spirit of the Law
Decent Noo Yawk Corruption Melodrama, But....
Awesome legal battle with one's conscionce
Justice does not always follow the strict letter of the law.
Implausible Plot + Distracting Casting

Night Falls on Manhattan
Starring: Andy Garcia , Ian Holm , James Gandolfini , Lena Olin , and Shiek Mahmud-Bey
Director: Sidney Lumet
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Murder & Mayhem | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

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

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ASIN: 6305181969
Release Date: 1998-11-17

Amazon.com

The dominant themes of director Sidney Lumet's distinguished career are in full force in this moral melodrama involving a young district attorney (Andy Garcia) who takes on a career-making case only to uncover his father's possible involvement in pervasive police corruption. Balancing personal ethics and political compromise in a high-wire act of power and its abuse, Lumet relies on dialogue and superb performances (including those by Ron Leibman, Richard Dreyfuss, and Lena Olin) to achieve a devastating impact. The script (based on the novel Tainted Evidence by Robert Daley) is too smart and Lumet's direction too sure-footed to fall back on the black-and-white exploits of conventional criminals and their crimes. The movie's moral framework (like that of Lumet's earlier film Q&A) is more realistic, dealing in the gray areas between right and wrong where misdeeds can arise from the best intentions. At the center of Garcia's dilemma is his father, a seasoned New York cop played so convincingly by Ian Holm that you'd never guess the actor was British. Although it received mixed reviews when released in 1997, Night Falls on Manhattan ranks among Lumet's finest films. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

The Letter vs. the Spirit of the Law.......2007-01-08

This is an overall enjoyable film worthy of 4 1/4 stars, but not 5. Never for a moment do I believe that an inexperienced prosecutor (Andy Garcia) can be elected to become the District Attorney of the entire New York City area! I might have a better chance of humiliating Shaq O'Neal on the basketball court. Nonetheless, this story more than adequately confronts the age old questions: where is the line to be drawn between adherence to the letter vs. the spirit of the law? How much slack can officials representing the state cut those who do not perfectly obey the law? Should we allow a relatively minor infraction to destroy a long and honorable career? Should someone be handed the responsibility to prosecute a suspect accused of shooting their own father? How much justice does an obviously guilty individual deserve? Utopia is admittedly not possible on this side of the vale of tears. What is the minimum, however, that is nonnegotiable? This film has some weaknesses. And yet, it will make you think.

David Thomson
Flares into Darkness

Decent Noo Yawk Corruption Melodrama, But...........2005-02-23

.....is Ron Lieberman the prototypical overacting DA in all of these crime and punishment dramas and who told Dreyfuss that he could channel Allan Dershowitz?

The Story: Two cops are staking out the most wanted drug dealer in Harlem--one ready for retirement, the other street wise and youthful. They are itching to get this scum off the streets and into the pen, so when their snitch tells them that the dealer is in the house they decide to make their move, search warrant in hand, guns raised. The younger cop radios in for back-up before the duo goes up. The dope dealer is however ready for them. He blasts through the door with a semi-automatic which riddles the old cop with bullets and finds an escape by killing two policemen with a silencer and stealing an unattended police cruiser...by the time the dealer escapes 3 districts of cops are on the scene.

The district attorney assigns neophyte assistant under-District attorney Andy Garcia the case to get this guy, because the DA figures it's nothing but good publicity if the son of the cop who got riddled with bullets try the case to get the dealer off the streets...good publicity could mean re-election (even campaigning for the mayor's seat) to the DA. The under DA does a great job of prosecuting the drug dealing and bests the Defense's Dershowitzian attorney, which makes him the 'it Boy' in the city. Because the DA gets sick, Garcia runs for the DA's position and he wins....that's when the stuff starts hitting the fan.

I know this is a story whose plot has often been trod, but it makes for an entertaining view time anyway; you DO get the feel that the makers really didn't know what to do with some of the co-stars. Lena Olin, who seems too mature to play the smitten lover role here, (but is still babelicious, dig?) initially comes off as someone who is gonna turn in the Garcia's dad because of that forged Search warrant, but she melts: Gandolfini seems like he's about to rat on his partner for taking some kick backs, but he ends up shooting himself in the head instead....their facial expressions didn't match what they were gonna do. They must've been writing script and dialog along the way...anyway you can get a load of Junior Soprano Chianese playing a judge (of all things) and a youngish Gandolfini playing street cop.

Awesome legal battle with one's conscionce.......2004-06-27

I just watched this movie on TV, and I would definitely wanna see it again one day. Garcia is brilliant and shows strong character facettes in acting. The movie is about more than the legal ins and outs of corruption and partnership. It's about the fact that one has to stay a human being in life.

Justice does not always follow the strict letter of the law........2003-08-16

This 1997 film is based on a novel by James Daley and directed by Sidney Lumet, who also wrote the screenplay. It's a fast-moving police procedural with constantly shifting questions about the law, political favors and what is really right and wrong. There are quite a few obstacles in the path of righteousness, but in the end I was satisfied with the conclusion, which shows that justice does not always follow the strict letter of the law.

Andy Garcia stars as a young assistant district attorney whose father, Ian Holm, is a cop who's been injured in a shootout with a drug dealer, played by Shiek Mamud-Bey. Ron Liebman, the District Attorney, lets Garcia prosecute the case, which seems to be simple. But the defense lawyer, played by Richard Dreyfus, introduces the concept of police corruption. And so, even though the outcome of the case is clear, other issues come into play, especially since the young prosecutor's own father might be involved.

The film moved fast, the plot deepening as the story moved along. And it was nice to recognize two actors who later went on to fame in The Sopranos: James Gandolfini is cast a cop and Dominic Chianese, who plays Uncle Junior, is cast as the judge.

The story held my interest, the acting good and the ending was satisfactory and believable. You'll enjoy it if you like cop dramas. Recommended.

Implausible Plot + Distracting Casting.......2003-01-02

Watching this movie in late 2002 makes it difficult to avoid indulging in typecasting. Wow - there's Bilbo Baggins and Tony Soprano, sitting in a car together!! Hey, isn't that Uncle Junior Soprano playing the Judge? Well, it's obviously not Sidney Lumet's fault - he had no idea when he made this movie that those actors would end up in such hugely popular roles.

As for the movie itself, other reviewers here have remarked about the implausible plot, which is mainly silly due to the unlikelihood of a lowly assistant DA suddenly having a career zoom up to the highest office of DA solely on one case. As for the case itself, for the cop-killing drug dealer, I found the whole thing laughable, and the part of the drug dealer was written and played as a horribly one-dimensional stereotypical character.

The whole "morally-conflicted prosecutor" concept wouldn't seem so boring now if we hadn't already been pounded over the head with it on TV in the last 5 years or so - "Law and Order", etc have managed to make the legal process interminably boring for me, and I am going to avoid any such movies or shows like the plague for the time being.

DVD:

DVD

DVD

DVD

Primo - Primo Levi, Antony Sher

Daimajin

Mad Dog And Glory [1993]

DVD: 21 Grams/Traffic Value Pack

Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi - Vol. 3