The Prisoner

Starring:Alec Guinness, Jack Hawkins, Ronald Lewis, Mark Dignam, Kenneth Griffith, Gerard Heinz, Wilfrid Lawson, Raymond Huntley, Jeanette Sterke, Richard Leech
Director: Peter Glenville
Studio: Sony Pictures
Product Type: DVD

Description

The Harry Potter Years 1-4 includes each of the four 2-disc sets of Harry Potter 1, Harry Potter 2, Harry Potter 3 and Harry Potter 4 (all widescreen versions).

Customer Reviews:

Harry Potter Movies.......2007-07-04

The movies are very entertaining and a must see for all who have read the books. I recieved my movies on time and am so happy with the service.

Good.......2007-07-01

I love the books, so the movies are never as good as the books, but they are good. They are fun and interesting and go quickly but keep true to the story. Good films that are fun. This is the order of the BEST FILMS (1 being best...4 being worst)
1. Prisoner of Azkaban
2. Sorcers Stone
3. Chamber of Secrets
4. Goblet of Fire

Disappointed customer.......2007-06-24

Very disappinted with my first buy from this seller.
Movies arrived on time, but it wasn't what I ordered or expected.
I bought a Box Set of Harry Potter, years 1-4, but 4 separated movies arrived, not a Box Set. Besides, the seller claims that he has the only Full Screen versions available on the market, one of the movies, Goblet of Fire, is NOT a full screen version, the box is a full screen version, but the DVD inside is marked and it is a Wide Screen version.
I would really like my money back !!!!!!!!!!!
Very, very disappointed indeed.

First Four Harry Potter Films on DVD: A Great Gift Idea!.......2007-06-21

In 1997, a children's book written by a then little-known author, J. K. Rowling, began to gain popularity in Britain. Entitled "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone", the book's title was changed when it was released in the U.S. to "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone". A year later, children who had been mesmerized by the first book got to read its sequel, "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets". Though a seemingly darker book than the first, more and more children (as well as adults) began to take interest in the amazing stories a boy name Harry Potter, who is also a wizard. As J. K. Rowling wrote each additional book, interest continued to rise as bookstores began to open at midnight upon each book's release date to the throngs of children and their parents anxious to read the next installment of Harry Potter's adventures at the magical Hogwart's School of Wizardry Witchcraft with his friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger as they battle the evil Lord Voldemort. To date, five books have been written. The third, fourth and fifth books are respectively entitled "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban", "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" and "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix". And, the soon to be released seventh & final book is called "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows".

With so much popularity, it was only natural that film producers would approach J. K. Rowling about transforming her wonderful books into big-screen films. The year (2001) following the release of her fourth book, the first film adaptation of her first book, "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" was released in theaters. This was followed by the subsequent releases of the film versions of "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" (2002), "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" (2004) and "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" (2005).

Starring Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter, Rupert Grint as Ron Weasley and Emma Watson as Hermione Granger, each of these four films is quite good. Also starring in all four films are Tom Felton as Draco Malfoy, Matthew Lewis as Neville Longbottom, Richard Griffiths as Uncle Vernon Dursley, Fiona Shaw as Aunt Petunia Dursley, Harry Melling as cousin Dudley Dursley, Robbie Coltrane as Rubeus Hagrid, legendary actress Maggie Smith as Professor Minerva McGonagall and the wonderful actor Alan Rickman as the shadowy potions professor Severus Snape. Sadly, the brilliant actor Richard Harris (1930-2002), who played Professor Albus Dumbledore, died shortly before the second film opened in theaters. Stepping into the character in the third & fourth films was veteran actor Michael Gambon, whose seamless & identical portrayal of Professor Dumbledore was a true credit to his excellent acting abilities; though some were not as pleased with Gambon's performance as with Richard Harris.

A brief summary of each film follows:

1. "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone"

At 11 years of age, Harry Potter has been taken care of from the time that he was only one year old by his Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia, who have a child of their own named Dudley. They have taken care of Harry because his own parents, James and Lily Potter (Lily was Petunia's sister) were killed by the evil wizard Lord Voldemort. The Dursleys want nothing to do with magic, and since Harry may be a wizard, they have not treated him very well. However, just before Harry's 11th birthday, he received a letter from the Hogwarts School of Wizardry and Witchcraft; but the Dursleys won't let him read the letter. More & more letters from Hogwarts arrive until out of desperation, the Dursleys attempt to run away with Harry; but they are easily found and on Harry's birthday, a huge man by the name of Hagrid arrives to personally deliver Harry's invitation from Hogwarts to study magic. It is only then that Harry finds out that he's a wizard and that the Dursleys had lied to him about how his parents died. Harry leaves with Hagrid and begins his first year at Hogwarts, where he makes his first true friends: Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. It's an exciting story as Harry learns to play quidditch, learns potions with the unpleasant Professor Snape and becomes entangled in some secret affairs at the school. He may even have an encounter with "He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named".

2. "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets"

At age 12, Harry has been treated slightly better by the Dursleys over his summer holiday, but things begin to turn sour when an elf named Dobby suddenly appears in Harry's bedroom to give him a message: that he should not return to Hogwarts this year. Not accepting the warning, Dobby makes mischief while the Dursleys are entertaining. Uncle Vernon puts bars on Harry's bedroom window and refuses to let him return to Hogwarts, but a flying car carrying Ron Weasley and his brothers Fred and George arrive and rescue Harry. Harry's does finally get to Hogwarts, but students begin to be attacked by an unknown force and Harry starts to hear strange voices. That's when they learn about a legendary part of the castle known only as "the chamber of secrets", in which a horrible monster is said to dwell. Will Hogwarts get shut down, or can Harry and his friends figure out where the chamber is? Look out for Professor Gilderoy Lockhart (the brilliant Kenneth Branagh) and Moaning Myrtle (Shirley Henderson).

3. "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban"

At age 13, after Harry accidentally causes one of his other unpleasant muggle aunts, Aunt Marge (Pam Ferris), to inflate like a balloon, he runs away from the Dursleys and encounters a large black dog before a magical bus appears. Harry has a wild bus ride to "The Leaky Cauldron" where he meets the Minister of Magic himself, Cornelius Fudge (Robert Hardy), but he doesn't' get in trouble for inflating his aunt. Instead, there is something far more ominous: Sirius Black (Gary Oldman), a very dangerous prisoner and convicted murderer, has escaped from Azkaban prison. Everyone at Hogwarts must be on guard, especially with the dreaded dementors on the prowl looking for Sirius. While Ron & Harry can't understand how Hermione is getting to all of her classes (some classes at the same time), Sirius Black is looking for Harry. When Harry finds out who Sirius Black is, he goes ballistic; but things may not be as they appear.

4. "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire"

This is an unusual year at Hogwarts: instead of the usual quidditch matches between the four houses, an international Tri-Wizarding Tournament is to be held. Limited to only upper-class students that are at least 17 years old, everyone is shocked when Harry (14 years old) is named to be one of its contestants. The Tri-Wizarding Tournament is somewhat dangerous to its participants, but Hermione finds herself in an affair with a world-renowned quidditch player, Viktor Krum (Stanislav Ianevski), who is representing his school in the Tournament. In the meantime, Harry is attracted to a girl named Cho Chang (Katie Leung), but his life is complicated when he begins to experience strange visions of snakes and "He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named". What is "He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named" doing? Harry will no doubt be caught in the thick of it and it may interfere with the Tournament! Keep a close eye on Mad-Eye Moody (Brendan Gleeson), who is at Hogwarts by invitation of Dumbledore himself!

Overall, I rate all four films together with a resounding 5 out of 5 stars and highly recommend them. In case you have a friend or family member that wants to watch/own all four Harry Potter films, but doesn't yet have any of them, the "Harry Potter - Years 1-4" DVD collection would make an excellent gift.

Harry Potter DVD Boxed Set.......2007-05-31

First four Harry Potter movies special wide screen edition. Each movie comes with a second disc with special features. Movie one and two come with "special edition" case.

If you like the books then you'll enjoy the movies, although they are sometimes very different from the original writings.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Two-Disc Special Edition) (Harry Potter 3)

Average customer rating:

Different Director; Great Adaptation
Good Movie, but not as good as the first two
Disappointment.
Massive Disappointment
I LOVE Harry Potter!

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Two-Disc Special Edition) (Harry Potter 3)
Starring: Daniel Radcliffe , Richard Griffiths , Pam Ferris , Fiona Shaw , and Harry Melling
Director: Alfonso Cuarón
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Similar Items:

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Two-Disc Special Edition) (Harry Potter 2)
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Two-Disc Special Edition) (Harry Potter 1)
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Two-Disc Special Edition) (Harry Potter 4)
Star Wars - Episode III, Revenge of the Sith (Widescreen Edition)
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Book 7)

ASIN: B00005JMAH
Release Date: 2004-11-23

Amazon.com

Some movie-loving wizards must have cast a magic spell on Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, because it's another grand slam for the Harry Potter franchise. Demonstrating remarkable versatility after the arthouse success of Y Tu Mamá También, director Alfonso Cuarón proves a perfect choice to guide Harry, Hermione, and Ron into treacherous puberty as the now 13-year-old students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry face a new and daunting challenge: Sirius Black (Gary Oldman) has escaped from Azkaban prison, and for reasons yet unknown (unless, of course, you've read J.K. Rowling's book, considered by many to be the best in the series), he's after Harry in a bid for revenge. This dark and dangerous mystery drives the action while Harry (the fast-growing Daniel Radcliffe) and his third-year Hogwarts classmates discover the flying hippogriff Buckbeak (a marvelous CGI creature), the benevolent but enigmatic Professor Lupin (David Thewlis), horrifying black-robed Dementors, sneaky Peter Pettigrew (Timothy Spall), and the wonderful advantage of having a Time-Turner just when you need one. The familiar Hogwarts staff returns in fine form (including the delightful Michael Gambon, replacing the late Richard Harris as Dumbledore, and Emma Thompson as the goggle-eyed Sybil Trelawney), and even Julie Christie joins this prestigious production for a brief but welcome cameo. Technically dazzling, fast-paced, and chock-full of Rowling's boundless imagination (loyally adapted by ace screenwriter Steve Kloves), The Prisoner of Azkaban is a Potter-movie classic. --Jeff Shannon

Description

In Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Harry, Ron and Hermione, now teenagers, return for their third year at Hogwarts, where they are forced to face escaped prisoner, Sirius Black, who poses a great threat to Harry. Harry and his friends spend their third year learning how to handle a half-horse half-eagle Hippogriff, repel shape-shifting Boggarts and master the art of Divination. They also visit the wizarding village of Hogsmeade and the Shrieking Shack, which is considered the most haunted building in Britain. In addition to these new experiences, Harry must overcome the threats of the soul-sucking Dementors, outsmart a dangerous werewolf and finally deal with the truth about Sirius Black and his relationship to Harry and his parents. With his best friends, Harry masters advanced magic, crosses the barriers of time and changes the course of more than one life. Directed by Alfonso Cuaron and based on J.K. Rowling 's third book, this wondrous spellbinder soars with laughs, and the kind of breathless surprise only found in a Harry Potter adventure.

DVD Features:
3D Animated Menus
Challenges:Three great interactive challenges! Test your memory with "Magic You May Have Missed", help Crookshanks "Catch Scabbers", and go on an unexpected quest with Sir Cadogan.
DVD ROM Features:Wizard Trading Cards.Hogwarts Timeline.
Deleted Scenes:A selection of mystifying exclusive never-before-seen footage
Featurette:Conjuring a Scene - an in-depth look at the making of key scenes from the filmMeet the animal trainers from the movie in Care of Magical Creatures.
Interviews:Raucous interviews with the cast lead by Johnny Vaughan and the Shrunken HeadCreating the Vision - a revealing interview with J.K. Rowling and the filmmakers.
Other:Self-guided iPIX tours into Honeydukes and Professor Lupin's Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. Choir Practice - sing-along with the Hogwarts choir.Hogwarts Portrait Gallery - get a closer look at the various portraits lining the walls of Hogwarts castle. Electronic Arts game preview.
Theatrical Trailer:Harry Potter 1, Harry Potter 2, Harry Potter 3

Customer Reviews:

Different Director; Great Adaptation.......2007-07-02

The third movie in the Harry Potter franchise brings us a new director in the form of Alfonso Cuaron. While there are some obvious stylistic changes to the movie, it still expertly captures the third book in the series.

This year finds Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) facing a personal threat from day one. Sirius Black (Gary Oldman) has escaped from the wizard prison of Azkaban. His betrayal led to the deaths of Harry's parents years ago. Everyone assumes that Black is heading to Hogwarts to kill Harry and avenge You Know Who's death. Is he out to get Harry? Will he catch up with our young hero?

Naturally, as the books get longer in the series, the films have to cut more out. This one does a decent job by cutting out most of the Quidditch matches and streamlining the plot. The plot loses some of the twists and bumps, but it certainly works. I first saw it without having read the books and really enjoyed it. Only now that I've read the books do I know the details I was missing. While they help, they aren't necessary to enjoy the film.

Having watched the first three films in such close proximity, I really noticed the difference in the films this time. If you are paying attention, it's obvious they've changed the setting for Hogwarts. Even the insides of the castle look different with the Great Hall being less ornate but the halls have many more portraits. These are minor things and didn't hamper my enjoyment of the film at all.

The cast does their normal great job. All three of our leads are growing into fine young actors. Michael Gambon takes over the part of Headmaster Dumbledore, and he does a great job. There is a little difference, but not much. The special effects are once again amazing.

Book purists may be disappointed by the changes made to the story. But I think you'd hard pressed to find a better film version of this book no matter who was involved.

Good Movie, but not as good as the first two.......2007-06-15

This movie was OK. It was good but The Sorcerer's Stone and The Chamber of Secrets were better. Although, something funny was that there was this scary book that went wild! I watched this in class. This was just OK overall.

Note: Rated PG. Parental Guidance Suggested--Some material may not be suitable for children.

Rated PG for scary images, mild violence and brief language. May not be appropriate for children under the age of 8 years.

Disappointment........2007-06-12

After reading the 3rd book, I was highly anticipating the release of the movie. I'm sorry to say that I was extremely disappointed. Alot of people I know loved this movie, but none of them had read the book. The book was AMAZING! It made the movie look dim. There were alot of main points that occured in the story that were not brought out in this movie. The fact that authors have no say in the way the movie of the book they wrote turns out, is ridiculous.

Massive Disappointment.......2007-06-09

I've owned this movie for years, buying it shortly after it appeared on DVD. However, unlike the other Harry Potter movies, after only a few minutes of watching this DVD, I turned it off. Now, it is several years later, and I still have to struggle to get to the end. Basically, it's a bad and boring movie, a tremendous disappointment because this movie should have been wonderful - the story is fabulous.

Many of my complaints have been written before, so I will only echo them here. So much of the wonderful bits of the story are inexplicably missing or botched. Ron should stand up for Hermione when Snape calls her a Know-It-All; both Ron and Hermione should be inside the Three Broomsticks when Harry learns about Sirius Black; Ron and Hermione should be at odds with each other for much of the school year; Hermione's time-turner should be hinted at sooner - she should be tired from all her studying; the Firebolt should arrive at Christmas and not the end of the year; there should be a sense of passage of time. Scabbers and Crookshank should be given more air time. And where is Ron's moment of terror when he says he was attacked by Sirius Black? (Ron's character was particularly short-changed by this movie.) And so on, and so on.

Other items are introduced or dwelled on for no apparent reason. Why does Hogwarts have a choir? Why are we wasting precious movie moments having the Fat Lady sing? I get the joke, but we don't need it here. Why do we spend so much time with the chattering shrunken heads?

Moreover, there are numerous changes from the earlier movies. I, too, don't care for the lack of school uniforms, the dark dinginess of the castle, the inexplicable restructuring of the landscape, especially Hagrid's cabin. This movie lacks the charm of the earlier movies - and the charm of the movie that has since followed, Goblet of Fire. Much of the acting also strikes me as poor - but it may be that the actors had no choice, either because of the screenplay or the direction.

In writing, there is something known as showing versus telling. Writers are probably telling too much when they use too many adverbs, or when they write sentences such as: "Joe felt sad." The same can happen in a movie. Instead of the dialogue in which the characters touch each other emotionally and thus the readers/viewers as well, Cuaron "tells" us how we should feel by using, for example, either scary or haunting music. He would have done better to stick with dialogue. A number of other reviewers have enjoyed the movie version of Prisoner of Azkhaban, saying that Cuaron brings forth the darkness of the story. I don't agree. By making the whole movie dark, Cuaron detracts from dark's contrast with light. Compare this movie, for example, with Goblet of Fire. When Harry returns from the graveyard with Cedric's body, there is a moment where he is in utter despair - he's wailing his heart out - but the circus-like music keeps playing. I have trouble watching this scene of Goblet of Fire, but for a very different reason: it is so good that it hurts. With Prisoner of Azkhaban, the scenes are so boring as to be downright embarrassing.

I'm not quite sure how this travesty happened. I expect it is mostly due to Cuaron, who moved things around the Hogwarts grounds for no reason, and who was, perhaps, trying to give it his own artistic stamp - why, in a series? But there seem to be problems with the screenplay as well, so perhaps Steven Kloves deserves some of the blame. Evidently JK Rowling approved everything, too, which I can't understand, although I guess it would be impolitic of her to come out and say that she hates the movie (and of this I have no idea).

A great disappointment. Unfortunately, we have no time-turners ourselves, so we can't go back in time and do this movie right.

I LOVE Harry Potter!.......2007-04-18

Its my little secret. I dare not tell any of my friends. Shhh!
This movie is my favorite of the Happy potters. Snape seems nicer, and there is a twist! Ron's rat turns out to be something its not. And someone is a warewolf! Guess who!
This movie is the greatest, I'm going to buy all of them!

The Prisoner - Complete Series Megaset (40th Anniversary Edition)

Average customer rating:

EXCELLENT!
No. 6 is No. 1
Even dressing is an act of defiance!
Questions are a burden to others
One of the five best TV shows ever created

The Prisoner - Complete Series Megaset (40th Anniversary Edition)
Starring: Fenella Fielding
Manufacturer: A&E Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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The Avengers - The Complete Emma Peel Megaset (2006 Collector's Edition)
Secret Agent (aka Danger Man) - The Complete Collection Megaset 2007
The Wild Wild West - The Complete Second Season
Mission: Impossible - The Complete First TV Season
Secret Agent AKA Danger Man Megaset

ASIN: B000FOQ03C
Release Date: 2006-07-25

Amazon.com essential video

If a top-level spy decided he didn't want to be a spy anymore, could he just walk into HQ and hand in his resignation? With all that classified knowledge in his head, would he be allowed to become a civilian again, free to go about his life? The answer, according to the stylish, brilliantly conceived 1960s British TV series The Prisoner, is a resounding no. In fact, instead of receiving a gold watch for his years of faithful service, our hero (played by Patrick McGoohan) is followed home to his London flat and knocked unconscious. When he awakens, he finds himself in a picturesque village where everyone is known by a number. Where is it? Why was he brought here? And, most important, how does he leave?

As we learn in Episode 1, Number 6 can't leave. The Village's "citizens" might dress colorfully and stroll around its manicured gardens while a band plays bouncy Strauss marches, but the place is actually a prison. Surveillance is near total, and if all else fails, there's always the large, mysterious white ball that subdues potential escapees by temporarily smothering them. Who runs the Village? An ever-changing Number 2, who wants to know why Number 6 resigned. If he'd only cooperate, he's told, life can be made very pleasant. "I've resigned," he fumes. "I will not be pushed, filed, stamped, indexed, briefed, debriefed, or numbered. My life is my own." So sets the stage for the ultimate battle of wills: Number 6's struggle to retain his privacy, sanity, and individuality against the array of psychological and physical methods the Village uses to break him.

So does he ever escape? And does he ever find out who Number 1 is? "Questions are a burden to others," the Village saying goes. "Answers, a prison for oneself." Within this complete 17-episode set (which contains the entire series), all is revealed. Or is it? --Steve Landau

Description

Patrick McGoohan's classic 17-episode British TV series, THE PRISONER, has been mesmerizing American viewers since its CBS debut in the summer of 1968. Now, just in time for its 40th anniversary A&E presents this definitive collector's edition of the cult classic series. Fully restored and digitally remastered, THE PRISONER is presented in the fan-preferred episode order, offering a chronological interpretation of perhaps the most unusual and challenging television series ever filmed. After resigning from a top-secret position, a man is abducted from his London home and taken to a mysterious place known only as The Village. Residents of The Village, known only by numbers, are held captive on account of their valuable knowledge. The Prisoner--Number Six--must protect his mind in order to preserve his humanity while he struggles to discover the identity of Number One and achieve freedom by escaping from the repressive grasp of his captors. Set includes all 17 complete color episodes: Arrival / Free For All / Dance of the Dead / Checkmate / The Chimes of Big Ben / A, B, and C / The General / The Schizoid Man / Many Happy Returns / It's Your Funeral / A Change of Mind / Hammer Into Anvil / Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling / Living In Harmony / The Girl Who Was Death / Once Upon a Time / Fall Out DVD Features: Ultra-rare original footage of the 1966 location shooting, accompanied by commentary with Bernie Williams; Bonus Program: THE PRISONER VIDEO COMPANION; Rare, Alternate Version of the Episode "The Chimes of Big Ben"; Rarely Seen "Foreign File Cabinet" Footage; Rarely Seen "Textless" Intro & Outro; Original Broadcast Trailers; Original Series Promotional Trailer; Gallery of Original Production and Promotional Materials; Production Stills Galleries; Interactive Map of the Village; Prisoner Trivia; Interactive Menus; Scene Selection NEW LIMITED EDITION COLLECTOR'S BOOKLET: 60 Fully Illustrated Pages; Hidden Mysteries Surrounding THE PRISONER; Complete Series Guide of All 17 Episodes; Detailed Color Fold-out Map of The Village

Customer Reviews:

EXCELLENT!.......2007-06-27

I already had this series on Laser Disc but with all the extras on the DVDs the experience is now complete.

Excellent service.

No. 6 is No. 1.......2007-06-27

Watched this as a teen when it first came out. I finally broke down and bought it.

Even dressing is an act of defiance!.......2007-06-19

So says the new number Two in an early episode of The Prisoner while watching him getting ready for a new day in the Village.
By the way the following review is for the 40th Anniversary Collectors Edition of The Prisoner.
This 10 DVD set contains many extras and they include the following:
-Rare 8mm and 16mm colour footage of The Prisoner on location in 1966
-A 50 minute special "The Prisoner Video Companion"
-the alternate version of "Chimes of Big Ben"
-rare foreign file cabinet and intro and outro footage
-all the production and series trailers
-picture galleries for all eps and for the /67 press conference
-interactive map of The Village
-lots of trivia
-a fold out map of The Village
-a wonderful interview with the production manager for the series
-and a 60 page illustrated booklet containing synopses of all the episodes plus many other bits of Prisoner patter
The only thing missing are interviews with any of the cast including Mr.McGoohan who is conspicuous by his absence but there are many quotes both visually and in print from him.
Each of the ten discs come in a slim slipcase with annotated info on each ep,behind the scene factoids and some info on the "order" debate.
With regards to the latter I would rather have had this series been released in the original order it was back in /67 than in the more fan friendly version it is in in this set(which is by no means perfect).Now,as in /67 when I first saw this series,I just considered it like a giant jigsaw puzzle.All the pieces were scattered on the table but all one had to do was put them all together and in time the picture would reveal itself.I would like to think Mr.McGoohan himself had a reason for releasing them in the manner he did.However at least they are all here for us to enjoy in any way we feel like seeing them!
The picture quality is slightly weaker on the earlier eps than in the later ones with more defects and what I like to call digital shimmering in evidence.In fact the alternate "Chimes" ep is not in good condition at all ....dirty,blemished,colour faded and a terrible sound variance.I suspect little was done to this one but it's at least fortunate that we still have it with us today for comparison purposes,if nothing else.
The show itself,as you all probably know by now,is about an agent(arguably John Drake,aka Danger/Secret Agent man) who is kidnapped and taken to a place called The Village.Here he daily undergoes physical and especially mental travails from his captors in order to extract the reason(s) for his resignation and any other pertinent information thereof.
The show delves into just about every conceivable discipline which concerns human beings in this world and their condition be it past,present or future.It was a series produced and conceived by the fertile and wonderful mind of its' star Patrick McGoohan and astoundingly much of it was filmed on the fly and brilliantly executed with his talented crew and cast members.
It's like a good book which you cannot put down for a second lest you miss some little juicy tidbit of information or special nuance or subtle sub-text.Through it all you come to question your own condition and all one takes for granted in their lives.Freedom...Reality....what are they? Who,if anyone,is working in my best interests? Who is the real enemy ?
All these questions and so many,many more are touched on throughout this rollercoaster ride with the protagonist.His search is our search and as many questions as he raises,they spawn many more.
I could go on and on but if you have not seen this series I will leave its' interpretations to you......because yours is as valid as any others.And this is what Patrick McGoohan had in mind I suspect right from the start.And this is what makes this arguably the best and smartest show ever to grace the TV airwaves.It may have debuted 40 years ago this year but it has lost NONE of its' impact or appeal.In fact I daresay it has MORE to say to us than ever before.

Questions are a burden to others.......2007-05-24

SPOILER ALERT!!! What follows divulges show secrets. If you haven't seen The Prisoner, do NOT read on. (I am assuming that most people at all interested in a show as old as The Prisoner have already seen it.)

Now, with that said, The Prisoner is easily, hands down, without any reservations the single greatest TV show in history. (A close second, in my book, would be the first four Doctors on the ORIGINAL run of Doctor Who.) The Prisoner wasn't only entertaining, it was thought provoking. To call it "Kafkaesque" is now cliché, though its similarities to Kafka's The Trial are many and striking. (By the way, McGoohan, upon first seeing the real location of The Village while filming an episode of Danger Man there, reportedly thought it was the ideal location for something Kafkaesque. Thus, this was purely intentional.) In The Trial a man is told he must defend himself in a bizarre court but cannot learn what the charge is. He never does. In The Prisoner a man learns he is a prisoner in a place called "The Village," a bizarre prison disguised as a luxury resort. The reasoning behind the prison is that prisoners will be so taken with the luxuries at hand that they will find no reason to escape. For No. 6, the sheer fact that he is not free to escape if he wishes is reason enough to do it. He spends the entire series trying to escape.

After discovering that the man in charge of The Village is himself (yes, No. 6 is No. 1), he manages to leave the Village. Or does he? Notice that when he finally gets home his door opens on its own, just like the doors in The Village. For those who didn't catch on, McGoohan later (in an interview) told us what it all means: No. 6 never escaped. He's still in The Village. Society IS The Village. If you live in society, you ARE a prisoner. But you pretty much HAVE to live in a society, which means you pretty much HAVE to be a prisoner. There is no escaping this fact. As McGoohan had achieved fame with Danger Man, he discovered he was prisoner to a contract he deeply regretted signing. He wanted to escape. Ironically, he was playing a spy on Danger Man, and resigned as star of the show. He then made The Prisoner, about a man who quits his job as a government agent. This has created much debate as to whether No. 6 in The Prisoner is in fact meant to be Drake from Danger Man. McGoohan has said no, but The Prisoner's other main writer and script editor has emphatically said yes. You decide. (I'll go with McGoohan, as I think his ultimate point is that everybody is No. 6. He once said that at the end of the show, he wishes the words "The Beginning" had appeared.) We create our own prisons in our minds. Ever notice that the hand gesture that people in The Village make when they say "be seeing you" forms a number six? Also, at the beginning of almost every episode No. 6 asks No. 2, "Who is No. 1?" No. 2 responds, "You are No. 6." Is this a clue? At the beginning of one episode there is even a pause: "Who is No. 1?" "You are, No. 6."

McGoohan is obviously a libertarian. He despises bureaucracy, authority, and big government. He has said he loves the first amendment, adding emphatically that there can be no freedom without privacy. Thus we see why the greeting in The Village, "be seeing you," is so ominous to No. 6. Sure, it sounds like "see you later," but is really a way of reminding everyone in The Village that they are always under surveillance.

The show and No. 6's character traits and struggle has stayed with me, ever since I first saw it as a child. McGoohan is easily my favorite actor, and it is a true shame he did not star in more movies. I've always loved his devotion to his wife and children, how he never lets his work come before them, how he refuses to film any type of love scene because he doesn't want to kiss anyone but his wife, etc. He is truly a remarkable man. It saddens me that he had to turn down the parts of Gandalf and Dumbledor, due to his bad health, as he would have been perfect in both of them. I am very glad for his part in Braveheart, however, especially considering that before this he had spent much of the early 90s in a coma! Mel Gibson wanted McGoohan in the film as he is also a great Prisoner fan, and even (supposedly) toyed with the idea of helping McGoohan make the film version, playing No. 6 himself. Though I simply cannot think of any other actor who could "become" No. 6 (the role being a pure expression of McGoohan's rare personality), Gibson is about as good of a choice as one could make given the current options. In fact, AMC is currently toying with remaking the entire series, and guess what their greatest obstacle reportedly is? Surprise, surprise: they simply can't find anyone who can pull the role off. The actor would almost have to share McGoohan's convictions to be able to do it, becoming almost an embodiment of pure defiance and anger. The Prisoner is, after all, the single greatest showdown of the individual vs. the collective ever put to film, in my book trumping even The Fountainhead, Bullitt, and Enemy of the People (though Ibsen profoundly influenced McGoohan).

Interestingly, McGoohan and fellow Prisoner star Alexis Kanner later made a film together. Like much of McGoohan's film work, it's not available on DVD (which here is an absolute shame given that 1: McGoohan is one of the best actors alive and 2: this film is simply brilliant.) It's called Kings and Desperate Men, and has many of the same elements that The Prisoner contained. I've always been shocked that Prisoner fans haven't rallied for this film to be released on DVD. Perhaps they've never heard of it. In it, McGoohan's character is taken prisoner (literally) by a group of idealistic youthful liberal misfits. He laughs that they think they're in control simply because they have a shotgun, and proceeds to unravel them all with his wits. His libertarian views come out here as much as in The Prisoner, as his character scoffs at the moral crusaders' silly liberal ranting, and exposes the fact that their leader really doesn't know what he's talking about, and that if what he wanted actually occurred, chaos and anarchy would result. (Now that I've brought Prisoner fans' attention to Kanner and McGoohan's followup to The Prisoner, let's see how fast all 8 copies that exist on Amazon are snatched up. If you like it, try to do something to help get this released on DVD. I've written Anchor Bay several times.)

One of the five best TV shows ever created.......2007-05-18

THE PRISONER is so clever it warrants multiple viewings. Everyone else's reviews below will give away the plot, but there is so much to catch you can't see it all in one viewing. Watch "Many Happy Returns" and see if you didn't catch the number 1 on McGoohan's door (suggesting in advance that he was number one). Watch Annette Andre in the episode about the clock maker in which McGoohan ha to decide whether or not he's being tricked into participating in a cruel game, or whether the inhabitants of the village to plan an assassination. (I get to meet Andre in September at the Mid-Atlantic Nostalgia Convention where she is a guest) and anyone who watched RANDALL AND HOPKIRK (DECEASED), will recognize her in a younger role. They plan to do a remake of this TV series with Christopher Eccleson and regardless of the outcome, we will always have the original that inspired us all. By the way, Amazon.com's price is much better than their competition, so I recommend buying your complete series today.

Average customer rating:

Best Film Ever, Test Of Wills & Character.
The bridge on the river kwai
Enduring classic
"A benchmark for war films" ? I hardly think so!
Tour de Force for William Holden

The Bridge on the River Kwai
Starring: William Holden , Jack Hawkins , Alec Guinness , Sessue Hayakawa , and James Donald
Director: David Lean
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
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ASIN: B00004XPPC
Release Date: 2000-11-21

Amazon.com essential video

Director David Lean's masterful 1957 realization of Pierre Boulle's novel remains a benchmark for war films, and a deeply absorbing movie by any standard--like most of Lean's canon, The Bridge on the River Kwai achieves a richness in theme, narrative, and characterization that transcends genre.

The story centers on a Japanese prison camp isolated deep in the jungles of Southeast Asia, where the remorseless Colonel Saito (Sessue Hayakawa) has been charged with building a vitally important railway bridge. His clash of wills with a British prisoner, the charismatic Colonel Nicholson (Alec Guinness), escalates into a duel of honor, Nicholson defying his captor's demands to win concessions for his troops. How the two officers reach a compromise, and Nicholson becomes obsessed with building that bridge, provides the story's thematic spine; the parallel movement of a team of commandos dispatched to stop the project, led by a British major (Jack Hawkins) and guided by an American escapee (William Holden), supplies the story's suspense and forward momentum.

Shot on location in Sri Lanka, Kwai moves with a careful, even deliberate pace that survivors of latter-day, high-concept blockbusters might find lulling--Lean doesn't pander to attention deficit disorders with an explosion every 15 minutes. Instead, he guides us toward the intersection of the two plots, accruing remarkable character details through extraordinary performances. Hayakawa's cruel camp commander is gradually revealed as a victim of his own sense of honor, Holden's callow opportunist proves heroic without softening his nihilistic edge, and Guinness (who won a Best Actor Oscar, one of the production's seven wins) disappears as only he can into Nicholson's brittle, duty-driven, delusional psychosis. His final glimpse of self-knowledge remains an astonishing moment--story, character, and image coalescing with explosive impact.

Like Lean's Lawrence of Arabia, The Bridge on the River Kwai has been beautifully restored and released in a highly recommended widescreen version that preserves its original aspect ratio. --Sam Sutherland

Customer Reviews:

Best Film Ever, Test Of Wills & Character........2007-05-06

This unique film had everything you could want except romance. Action, suspense, special effects, an intruiging story, themes, cinematography, diection, & locales. This is the story of a Japanese POW camp in Burma in World War two. Commanded by Colonel Saito {Sessue Hayakawa}, the mainly British captives are being used as slave labor for the construction of a railroad bridge that will link malaysia to Rangoon over the river Kwai. The Japanese commander's life depends on it's successful completion. Colonel Nicholson the British commander is a stickler for rules & when Saito declares that officers will work as well as enlisted men, he sites the Geneva Convention restrictions on officers doing manual labor. When they refuse to work, Saito has them thrown into ovens, metal containers that bake in the tropical sweltering heat. After much angst Saito relents since the bridge is behind schedule. There's a fine mix of camera shots from all possible angles showing the grinding heat draining the overworked & malnurished men, as well as breathtaking panoramas. Above all positives of this excellent film were the performances by all concerned. Alec Guinness as Col. nicholson was beyond "PERFECTION." He totally absorbs the characters essence & then manifests it. I can't think of any actor who deserved his/her OSCAR more. William Holden is also superlative in his scenes, as were stern Sessue Hayakawa & the enigmatic Jack Hawkins. The destruction of the bridge & train was a one shot chance done very well. I saw this film on TV as a young boy. Now seeing it again on DVD, it was as enthralling as ever. Buy it, you won't be disapointed.

The bridge on the river kwai.......2007-04-02

Classic movie and glad it finally came on DVD

Enduring classic.......2007-03-26

This enduring classic is (loosely, very loosely) the story of the WW2 POWs used to build the Thai/Burma railroad. The larger war becomes a personal battle between 3 forces: The Japanese soldiers looking for labor led by Colonel Saito, the British soldiers looking to serve as prisoners as dictated by the Geneva Convention led by Colonel Nicholsen (Alec Guiness winning an academy award) and the commandos looking to destroy the bridge led by Naval officer Shear.

The morality (or more specifically madness) of war is adressed in the movie. The pointless nature of armed conflict reads true today, as do issues of handling prisoners. The movie's a long one, but one of the few that justifies the added time. Every piece is indeed required in this classic.

"A benchmark for war films" ? I hardly think so!.......2007-03-19

How Amazon could rate this as a benchmark is beyond my understanding. This movie is so far removed from the reality of the episode that it is an insult to the troops who endured the events. Perhaps it would be best if Amazon relied on combat veterans to critique war movies.

Tour de Force for William Holden.......2007-02-27

This is movie is an excellent WWII prisoner of war film. I was enamored immediately and for the entire length of this film. William Holden is perfect as an American POW caught in the middle between a mission dreamed up by his British companions and desire to sit the war out. Director David Lean is the master.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2-Disc Full Screen Edition) (Harry Potter 3)

Average customer rating:

Different Director; Great Adaptation
Good Movie, but not as good as the first two
Disappointment.
Massive Disappointment
I LOVE Harry Potter!

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2-Disc Full Screen Edition) (Harry Potter 3)
Starring: Daniel Radcliffe , Richard Griffiths , Pam Ferris , Fiona Shaw , and Harry Melling
Director: Alfonso Cuarón
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
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Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Book 7)

ASIN: B0002TT0NW
Release Date: 2004-11-23

Product Description

Running Time 142 Min

Format: DVD MOVIE

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

Different Director; Great Adaptation.......2007-07-02

Good Movie, but not as good as the first two.......2007-06-15

Disappointment........2007-06-12

Massive Disappointment.......2007-06-09

I LOVE Harry Potter!.......2007-04-18

Average customer rating:

One of the Best Movies Ever Made
Classic
Heroes abound
A vast, multi-star war epic with great score by Elmer Bernstein...
A decent WWII POW movie

The Great Escape
Starring: Steve McQueen , James Garner , Richard Attenborough , James Donald , and Charles Bronson
Director: John Sturges
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
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ASIN: 0792838408
Release Date: 1998-03-31

Amazon.com

The Great Escape image of Steve McQueen (as "The Cooler King") astride his motorcycle has entered silver-screen iconography, alongside Brando on his bike from The Wild One. Based on a true story about a group of POWs who mount a daring breakout from a supposedly inescapable Nazi prison camp, this rousing and suspenseful WWII epic features an all-star cast, including James Garner, Richard Attenborough, Charles Bronson, Donald Pleasence, James Coburn, and David McCallum. The DVD also includes a 24-minute documentary about the making of the film. --Jim Emerson

Description

In 1943, the Germans opened Stalag Luft North, a maximum-security prisoner-of-war camp, designed tohold even the craftiest escape artists. In doing so, however, the Nazis unwittingly assembled the finest escape team in military historybrilliantly portrayed here by Steve McQueen, James Garner, Charles Bronson and James Coburnwho worked on what became the largest prison breakout ever attempted. One of the most ingenious and suspenseful adventure films of all time, The Great Escape is a masterful collaboration between director John Sturges (The Magnificent Seven), screenwriters James Clavell (Shogun) and W.R. Burnett (Little Caesar), and composer Elmer Bernstein. Based on a true story, The Great Escape is epic entertainment that "entertains,captivates, thrills and stirs" (Variety).

Customer Reviews:

One of the Best Movies Ever Made.......2007-02-24

The Great Escape is my favorite movie of all time. It is an excellant movie and follows the book it is based on very well. This movie shows the courage, strength and fighting spirit of these men. And it is truely dedicated to the fifty who were murdered.

Classic.......2007-02-06

What else can I say about a classic? McQueen's motorcycle jump is the unforgettable part for me.

Heroes abound.......2007-01-14

The Great Escape portrays the heroism of prisoners never giving into their captors and the pompous honor of Nazi Germany. The group becomes a monkey wrench at all turns determined to send their adversary to the Russian front. My only complaint is that it is shown in letterbox format which saps some of the power of the story. Wasn't this picture worth a full screen format? But this is probably par for the epics of that era. The stars had to carry the load and be bigger in life even though you are peeking through a window. Steve McQueen was a man of epic tales and this one does not fail to deliver. Even doomed to failure he never gives up. Resist with every last breath was the motto of the prisoners. Guile and guts served them well and in the end Germany was defeated even if only in small part by the escapades of the escapees. Grit abounds through the fiber of every man sworn to serve the Allied forces. We owe these men a debt we can never repay, but always respect. It takes courage to put your own well being second behind the cause. Unfortunately we have seldom triumphed in glory since that time. This war made sense while successors seemed steeped in politics. Something a normal person has a hard time understanding. Let's just hope that global war was put to rest with this one. We can look back on the Great Escape with admiration and gratitude. But we can never repay what was sacrificed by these men.

A vast, multi-star war epic with great score by Elmer Bernstein..........2007-01-02

'The Great Escape' had the advantage of a fine source, and a fine script... Each actor realizes his potential in a very detailed manner, giving a feeling lost in the actual cinema...

Sturges is careful with the pace in the first half, allowing the escape plans develop slowly... Humor, excitement and human drama are wonderfully blended, and smartly underscored by Elmer Bernstein's memorable background music...

The film opens with several truckloads of Allied officers, mostly pilots, being transferred to a new German maximum-security prison camp at Sagan...

The Camp 'Kommandant', Von Luger (Hannes Messemer), tells Captain Ramsey (James Donald), 'We have, in effect, put all our rotten eggs in one basket, and we intend to watch this basket carefully.'

But since all the British and American officers in his charge are men who have made several attempts to escape from other prison camps, Von Luger knows his words are meaningless...

The master planner is 'Big X,' Roger Bartlett (Richard Attenborough), who has just endured three months of Gestapo/SS torture, and plans to strike back, getting as many men as possible out of the camp, in order to 'harass, confuse and confound the enemy' behind the lines...

He announces a terrific plan for a mass break-out of 250 men and schemes three simultaneous tunnels Tom, Dick, and Harry...

The plan, so precise, proceeds in an orderly fashion, with a great deal of attention placed on caution and ruse to deflect German attentions... The captives involve themselves in much surface activity, which masks the underground work...

Hilts (Steve McQuenn), the 'Cooler King,' leads the Germans on a memorable motorcycle chase through back roads and across the fields right up to the Swiss frontier...

Hendley (James Garner), the 'Scrounger' is a charming thief whose particular gift is the misappropriation of all the required supplies for an escape...

Blythe (Donald Pleasance) has the talents of a 'Forger', and makes visas and passports... He suggests in one scene: ' Tea without milk is so uncivilized.'

Danny Velinski (Charles Bronson) is the experienced Polish-American 'Tunnel-King.'

Louis Sedgwick (James Coburn) is the 'Manufacturer' of bellows-operated ventilation...

Ashley-Pitt (David McCallum) is the 'Dispersal' with his ingenious methods of getting rid of the dirt generated by the tunneling activities...

Andy McDonald (Gordon Jackson ) is 'Intelligence,' the officer who develops a fantastic security system to protect the compounds from the German "Ferrets."

Archibald Ives (Angus Lennie) is the 'Mole,' whose fragile mind has been taxed by several years in the camps, repeated failed escape attempts, and time in the cooler...

Dennis Cavendish (Nigel Stock) is the 'Surveyor' who miscalculates the distance to the trees...

Guard Werner (Robert Graf) is the 'Ferret' who affirms to Hendley: 'I could tell you stories about my teeth that would make your hair stand on end.'

'The Great Escape' is a pretty good motion picture where the toll of freedom is precious, and the movie's ending provokes deep and serious meditation... It graphically shows what enterprising men can accomplish under the most unusual circumstances... It has a great cast, and is beautifully made...

A decent WWII POW movie.......2007-01-01

The Great Escape was a decent movie. However, it did not live upto my expectations.

The storyline was fine, action was decent and suitable and characters played their parts well. The movie also detailed the escape plot well and went into considerable depth.

One part of the movie that reduced it's quality was the unnecessary comic relief throughout the movie. Almost from the start, many POW's act like they are on vacation and not a prison camp. I don't think real-life POWs would have acted like that. In the same vein, the German officers appeared fools and clowns, who not only tolerated much insolence but didn't seem to have a clue at all.

Average customer rating:

Von Ryan's Express
Robson's film gives us the necessary thrills to be pleased...
One of Sinatra's best kept secrets
Not memorable, but worth watching
Exciting World War II Adventure Story With Frank Sinatra And Trevor Howard In Fine Form

Von Ryan's Express (Special Edition)
Starring: Frank Sinatra , Trevor Howard , Raffaella Carrà , Brad Dexter , and Sergio Fantoni
Director: Mark Robson
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B000O78L1E
Release Date: 2007-06-05

Amazon.com

Forget Indiana Jones. This 1965 high adventure stars Frank Sinatra as the leader of a mass escape from a World War II POW camp in Italy. That mission accomplished, Old Blue Eyes has sundry adventures camouflaging the freed men as German soldiers, trying to fool the Gestapo, and finally doing battle with enemy planes and ground troops while trying to get a hijacked train through a blocked tunnel. Sinatra is in great form and director Mark Robson handles the endless chain of action set-pieces with panache. A great pulse-quickener. --Tom Keogh

Description

When U.S. combat pilot Col. Joseph Ryan (Frank Sinatra) is captured by Nazis, he does what it takes to survive prison camp, including, by all appearances, befriend the enemy. Hence, his prison mates give Ryan the insulting nickname "Von Ryan." But in time, Ryan takes over from the commanding British officer (Trevor Howard) and masterminds commandeering a train to Switzerland ? with the Nazis in hot pursuit. It's all blazing action, hair-raising chases and spectacular Italian scenery in this Oscar(r) nominated* adventure that will blast you full speed ahead until its nail-biting finale!

Customer Reviews:

Von Ryan's Express.......2007-07-02

Gorgeously shot on location in Italy, Mark Robson's underrated 1965 war drama is clever, credible, and exceedingly suspenseful. The ensemble cast, including Sinatra as rugged Colonel Ryan and Trevor Howard as a rigid British officer, really clicks. Director Robson keeps the action brisk on this "Express," resulting in a breathless ride with a stunner of an ending.

Robson's film gives us the necessary thrills to be pleased..........2007-01-17

Sinatra is a cool American, whose P-38 is shot down over Italy in August 1943... The Allies were landing in Southern Italy, when Ryan is brought to an Italian prisoner of war camp...

Sensing that the end is underway, the Italians were trying to get out of the war, and the Nazis were trying to keep the Allies out and the Italians in...

A Fascist bully (Adolfo Celi) has ruled the POW camp, but with the collapse of Italian rule, he is thrown out...

The British prisoners - professional soldiers of the 9th Fusiliers, whose constant attempts to escape have led to half rations and the withholding of medicine - headed by a heated Major (Trevor Howard), are not in agreement with the unpopular pilot, Colonel Joseph Ryan... They think him insufficiently hostile to the Italians and have given an insulting 'von" to his name, insisting that he is in the wrong army...

The British get along with Ryan, however, when the escape is engineered... They seize a German train, and, impersonating German troops even as they evade German pursuers, try to make a run for it to the Swiss border... The viewers can forget about realism from that moment on... 'Von Ryan's Express' is pure adventure and courts no moral dilemmas in its story...

Director Mark Robson tries to combine the suspense of 'The Great Escape' with the exciting action of 'The Guns of Navarone,' and he's successful enough... The pace is quick... The Italian locations are attractive... The confrontations with German troops are well handled...

Ryan is a pragmatic character not unlike the far more tragic Col. Nicholson in 'The Bridge on the River Kwai.' As a colonel master-minding commando raids, he brings the film to a great climax on an Alpine viaduct...

With the exception of a strange and shocking scene where a sexy escapee is gunned down in the back, ' Von Ryan's Express' gives us the necessary thrills to be pleased...

One of Sinatra's best kept secrets.......2006-11-06

Von Ryan's Express is a fictitious gripping tale of brave men in a P.O.W. camp at the end of the war. It takes place in Italy, and with Trevour Howard (the epitomy of the upper class English soldier)as co star, this one is a winner. The twists and somewhat impossible actions that take place in this movie, love him or hate him, I believe this movie one of Sinatra's best, up there with "From Here to Eternity". Whilst the plot is to get all the P.O.W's out of Italy by taking over a train and getting it through the centre of Rome, some of the stunts used even this long ago, are spectacular. If you like this type of underdog movie, where the good guys have to overcome all the obsticles to beat the bad guys then this is the movie for you. Even though it all happened over 60 years ago I believe we can still gain great enjoyment out of a tale like this. It keeps you on the edge of your seat waiting to see what happens next. Does it have a happy ending, mmm the twist is there right to the end so you will have to watch it to find out.

Not memorable, but worth watching.......2006-11-05

This movie always makes me think that Sinatra was better suited to acting than singing. Though even as an actor, I'd consider him more a good craftsman than an artist of rare gift. He delivers a sound, competant performance in a movie that, while not immortal by any means, keeps you interested and engaged throughout. His poignant death at the end brings this competant movie to a worthy end. It all adds up to a movie worth watching, but not necessarily worth owning.

Exciting World War II Adventure Story With Frank Sinatra And Trevor Howard In Fine Form.......2006-03-17

The classic 1965 war story "Von Ryan's Express", based on the successful novel by David Westheimer would have to be one of my favourite World War II movies combining as it does all the necessary elements essential in such a story compelling viewing. We are treated throughout the films running time to plenty of well staged action sequences, exciting "close calls", for the lead actors, excellent photography and special effects along with enough character development to make you care about the characters involved. Frank Sinatra once again proves that he was that rare creation; a singer who was also a most capable actor and in "Von Ryan's Express", he has one of his best roles as the American POW who orchestrates a daring escape plan from German occupied Italy by highjacking a train transporting prisoners to Germany. Teamed here with veteran British actor Trevor Howard the pair work superbly together creating alot of the inner conflict in the story as the pair, although on the same side, repeatedly lock horns over the best approach to take in their escape plan while developing a deep respect for each other in the process. War movies don't come much more exciting than this one and combined with some of the most breathtaking photography shot on location in Italy, you have the perfect combination for a thrilling edge of the seat viewing experience.

Average customer rating:

An American masterpiece
The sleaziest exploitation movie ever made!!!!!!
Good, but really needed editing room help
WORTH WAITING FOR
Not to Be Confused with a War Movie

The Deer Hunter
Starring: Robert De Niro , John Cazale , John Savage , Christopher Walken , and Meryl Streep
Director: Michael Cimino
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: 0783225997
Release Date: 1998-03-31

Amazon.com essential video

Winner of five Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director, The Deer Hunter is simultaneously an audacious directorial conceit and one of the greatest films ever made about friendship and the personal impact of war. Like Apocalypse Now, it's hardly a conventional battle film--the soldier's experience was handled with greater authenticity in Platoon--but its depiction of war on an intimate scale packs a devastatingly dramatic punch. Director Michael Cimino may be manipulating our emotions with masterful skill, but he does it in a way that stirs the soul and pinches our collective nerves with graphic, high-intensity scenes of men under life-threatening duress. Although Russian-roulette gambling games were not a common occurrence during the Vietnam war, they're used here as a metaphor for the futility of the war itself. To the viewer, they become unforgettably intense rites of passage for the best friends--Pennsylvania steelworkers played by Robert De Niro, John Savage, and Oscar winner Christopher Walken--who may survive or perish during their tour through a tropical landscape of hell. Back home, their loved ones must cope with the war's domestic impact, and in doing so they allow The Deer Hunter to achieve a rare combination of epic storytelling and intimate, heart-rending drama. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

An American masterpiece.......2007-06-19

I dont think I've ever seen a film that is more tapped into the American spirit of the time than this film. The film spreads out before the viewer, you can almost smell the soot in the industrial town. The world here lives and breathes. Its masterfully crafted and its beautifully subtle. From the innocence and kinship of small town life to the mania and simmering anger being locked into factory work causes. Its all shown masterfully.
Of course the thing the film explains most vividly is the mental and spiritual damage war inflicts on both the individual and the community. Through the main analogy that runs through the film, it shows how people can get trapped in a cycle of anger and hatred. Reliving old situations over and over and over. This film brings this internal struggle that many soldiers go through into stark reality. It helps the casual viewer understand people who have gone through severe trauma, and how they get trapped in their own minds.
The film is just as relevant today as it was in the 70's. This should be required watching for anyone who is pro-war.
One of the great American films, that despite its intense content, never loses its huma