Chang

Starring:Kru, Chantui, Nah, Ladah, Bimbo the Monkey
Director: Ernest B. Schoedsack, Merian C. Cooper
Studio: Image Entertainment
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com
Before creating their grand fantasy King Kong, Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack took their cameras to Siam to put genuine wild jungle creatures on the screen in their part-adventure, part-documentary spectacle Chang. It was a smash hit upon its 1927 release and is still considered a classic of the genre, filled with sights that retain their power 70 years later. A loose story is constructed around the lives of a family living at the edge of the jungle in a hut raised high up on stilts. The father tracks the leopards killing his livestock while the children play with a veritable petting zoo of furry little pups and cubs. The filmmakers are at times condescending toward their tribal heroes ("We be mighty hunters, Kru," comments one warrior in an intertitle, as if their own language is but some pidgin dialect) and fill the film with goofy comic relief. Just forget the story and enjoy the sights: hunters building deadfalls and spring traps, a leopard charging through the woods, and the climactic elephant stampede. The images of the awesome beasts fording a river like a rampaging army while the villagers struggle to split the herd and save their village is astounding. The silent film is set to an original score by Bangkok composer Bruce Gaston and performed by the traditional Thailand orchestra Fong Naam.

Amazon.com

The Complete Campaigns is a four-disc compilation of the Roughnecks: The Starship Troopers Chronicles series that was originally released on eight DVDs: The Pluto Campaign, The Hydora Campaign, The Tophet Campaign, The Tesca Campaign, The Zephyr Campaign, The Klendathu Campaign, Trackers (including the four bonus episodes), and The Homefront Campaign. While Paul Verhoeven's dark, satirical adaptation of Robert Heinlein's Starship Troopers seriously strayed from the novel, this Verhoeven-produced TV series--part sequel, part remake, all CGI animated--hews closer to the spirit of the novel, a space-age twist on a World War II battle adventure. Roughnecks: The Starship Troopers Chronicles is a series of military skirmishes and assignments on a variety of fronts, such as Bug City, water-dominated Hydora, the desert planet Tophet, the jungle planet Tesca, fiery Klendathu, and good old Earth.

The episodic nature works perfectly within this framework, and the mix of Marine grit ("No retreat, no surrender!"), military jargon, and understated melodrama give a feel somewhere between the steely seriousness of an old-fashioned war comic book and the spectacle and romance of a Japanese anime space opera. The CGI animation is less ambitious than in such feature films as Toy Story, but it's one of the most impressive examples of the animation made for TV. The detailed designs, rich textures, 3-D modeling, and awesome sense of scale (not to mention the pumped-up action and whiplash speed of the bug army) give it the look of an impossibly sophisticated video game, with the rat-a-tat editing and soaring camerawork of a Hollywood movie. The budgetary shortcuts are evident in moments of blurring and jerking, but overall it's startlingly effective. The PG-level violence may not be appropriate for younger viewers, but it's aimed at an older crowd and has won a loyal adult following.

The packaging is very convenient (a shelf-space-friendly four discs in Thinpaks), but unfortunately, serious Roughnecks fans will want to hold onto their old discs. Cramming the eight discs of content plus bonus episodes (granted, Trackers was a short disc) onto four single-sided discs apparently left no room for the producer/technical commentary tracks that accompanied most of the previous discs. The only bonus features are photo galleries and a fold-out illustration. --Sean Axmaker, David Horiuchi

Beyond Roughnecks at Amazon.com

Listmania: The Military in Space
More Films from Paul Verhoeven
The Book

Stills from Roughnecks: The Starship Troopers Chronicles (click for larger image)

Customer Reviews:

Only lost one star since the series NEVER ENDED - they stopped 2 episodes short and quit making them.......2007-07-04

I own this and frankly it is pretty good if you liked the starship troopers movie (first one primarily since it follows that line, not the second and pretty cool one in the fortress).

This is very well animated, and the HUGE and ONLY problem is that the series never finished - the plug was pulled TWO EPISODES SHORT OF THE END. The bugs get to earth and start attacking, then we find out that they are taking over people, and we just found a way to strike back and BAM job's done series over.

I would recommend renting - this is not the kind of series you will watch over and over, or buy and resell, but it is worth the watch and is very good overall.

Awful animation, poor physics shouldnt be allowed!.......2007-07-04

Like my title says, even when the technology was new, this looked god-awful. I'm a hardcore fan of the books as well as the movies, but this is just garbage. No extras, nothing. Plus you have to watch these guys and other objects bounce around, defying all physics. It looks worse than Captain Planet (the late animated crap)

Great.......2007-06-27

This is a great DVD box set. It has the whole season including some of the extra shows that were created when the series was taken off the air. If you liked the show you will love this collectible box set. Just be aware that if you buy the box set you will not get the extra behind the scenes footage found in the individual campings found on DVD. If you like me and just enjoy the show, this box set is one easy payment and is one nice box set!

quickfas's review.......2007-05-15

These are great animation movies I really enjoy them. The content about bugs this could be ture. what if the bugs was organied we would be out number.

Roughnecks Rocks.......2007-05-13

I really enjoyed this series. I like the humor and action. I couldn't stop watching it. I also like the stuff that you find out about the bugs and why Rico was assigned to instuctor Zim. I just really enjoyed this series, is one of the better animations shows i've seen.

Average customer rating:

Propaganda done nicely
Hero with Jet Li
An incredible film
Liked But Didn't Love...
'Rashomon' + 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon' = 'Hero'

Hero
Starring: Jet Li , Tony Leung Chiu Wai , Maggie Cheung , Ziyi Zhang , and Daoming Chen
Director: Yimou Zhang
Manufacturer: Miramax
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

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

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

House of Flying Daggers
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Jet Li's Fearless (Unrated Widescreen Edition)
Kung Fu Hustle (Widescreen Edition)
Memoirs of a Geisha (Widescreen Two-Disc Special Edition)

ASIN: B00030590I
Release Date: 2004-11-30

Description

Master filmmaker Quentin Tarantino presents HERO -- starring martial arts legend Jet Li in a visually stunning martial arts epic where a fearless warrior rises up to defy an empire and unite a nation! With supernatural skill ... and no fear ... a nameless soldier (Jet Li) embarks on a mission of revenge against the fearsome army that massacred his people. Now, to achieve the justice he seeks, he must take on the empire's most ruthless assassins and reach the enemy he has sworn to defeat! Acclaimed by critics and honored with numerous awards, HERO was nominated for both an Oscar® (2002 Best Foreign Language Film)and Golden Globe!

Customer Reviews:

Propaganda done nicely.......2007-06-22

When ordering House of Flying Daggers/Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon I got a recommendation for this film and as the majority of the comments I read were quite favourable, I decided to give it a try. I'm not absolutely dissatisfied with the film as I did like the dresses, colour design, and the visual harmony, however the message of the film, and the whole plot is subordinate to it, is completely unacceptable to me.

The film puts the empire ideal on pedestal, which I know is fashionable nowadays even in wealthy democracies, but we have to see that this film is a clear answer to criticisms about the Tianmen square massacre and the cruel oppression of Tibet. The choice of warring kingdoms versus one big peaceful empire is itself a misrepresentation as it neglected the third most obvious possibility: making peace, which I must agree might not have been an option 2000 years ago at the birth of the Chinese Empire but should be now.

All in all, the film is watchable, not because of its intellectual level, which could hardly be lower, but because it is just beautiful, the actors and actresses look marvellous in their garbs the colours and styles of which always perfectly match (or harmonise with) the set and the background.

Hero with Jet Li.......2007-06-08

Great movie, a classic for all times, done with exceptional grace and style. The story, direction, talent, and cinematography are top notch; a must for any Jet Li fan or fan or martial arts films.

An incredible film.......2007-06-04

The first time I saw this movie I wasn't sure whether or not I thought it was as good as "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon", or "House of Flying Daggers". I liked it but it took time to sink in.

By the second time I watched this I loved it. The cinematography is outstanding. The use of special effects are very good, they don't get in the way, but simply add to each scene. The music is good. And the story itself is told in an interesting way.

There is much more, there is a metaphoric use of colors in each scene. And there are plenty of impressive things from warriors so powerful they do battle within their minds, to a wise character named Broken Sword, who fights with just that. All of them have names except the main character, Nameless. And when watching the movie you will understand why.

If the movie has any weakness in my opinion it's that the ending with a couple of the characters is just a bit drawn out and could have been shortened and still retained the same effect.

There is a lot more, but really everyone who likes movies should watch this and see for themself.

Liked But Didn't Love..........2007-05-28

Although I enjoyed this film way better than "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," I didn't enjoy it as much as "House of the Flying Daggers." I'm not a big fan of the far-fetched fighting sequences. I can go along with them to a point, but I can't not question how someone can fight off thousands of arrows with just the long sleeves of their outfit and not only survive, but without a scratch basically too. All that aside, I enjoyed the multiple versions told of one story. And the imagery was really beautiful at times.

'Rashomon' + 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon' = 'Hero'.......2007-05-22

The film takes place 2,000 years ago when China was split into seven feudal kingdoms. The tyrannical but shrewd and insightful King of Qin (Chen Dao Ming) who wants to unite seven kingdoms in one powerful country, is the target of three legendary assassins: Sky (Donnie Yen), Flying Snow (Maggie Cheung) and Broken Sword (Tony Leung), accompanied by Moon (Zhang Ziyi), his devoted servant. The titular Hero, the man without the name (Jet Li), who defeated the assassins, receives as an award a unique private audience with the King of Qin in his Royal Palace...

I believe that this is an amazing film which has everything working perfectly: great story which is told in the manner of Kurosawa's Rashômon, romance, action (and what the action it is...), political intrigue, suspense, fantasy - and if this is not enough, 'Hero' is one of the most visually stunning films I've ever seen - Christopher Doyle's cinematography, jaw - dropping use of colors, costume design, Tan Dun's musical score, and artfully choreographed fighting sequences leave you breathless.

Average customer rating:

Absolutely Awesome!!!
First rate movie
Priceless
special for me
A Great look at Movie History

The Time Machine
Starring: Rod Taylor , Alan Young , Yvette Mimieux , Sebastian Cabot , and Tom Helmore
Director: George Pal
Manufacturer: Turner Home Ent
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Classics | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

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

Classic Sci-Fi | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Genres | DVD | Video

Monsters & Mutants | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Genres | DVD | Video

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

Adventure | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

Science Fiction | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

Drama | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

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

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

Journey to Center of the Earth
The War of the Worlds (Special Collector's Edition)
Forbidden Planet (Ultimate Collector's Edition)
The Day the Earth Stood Still
When Worlds Collide

ASIN: 0790747324
Release Date: 2000-10-03

Amazon.com essential video

After scoring popular hits with When Worlds Collide and The War of the Worlds, special-effects pioneer George Pal returned to the visionary fiction of H.G. Wells to produce and direct this science-fiction classic from 1960. Wells's imaginative tale of time travel was published in 1895 and the movie is set in approximately the same period with Rod Taylor as a scientist whose magnificent time machine allows him to leap backward and forward in the annals of history. His adventures take him far into the future, where a meek and ineffectual race known as the Eloi have been forced to hide from the brutally monstrous Morlocks. As Taylor tests his daring invention, Oscar-winning special effects show us what the scientist sees: a cavalcade of sights and sounds as he races through time at varying speeds, from lava flows of ancient earth to the rise and fall of a towering future metropolis.

The movie's charm lies in its Victorian setting and the awe and wonder that carries over from Wells's classic story. The pioneering spirit of the movie is still enthralling, but it gets a bit silly when Taylor turns into a stock hero, rescuing a beautiful blonde Eloi (Yvette Mimieux) and battling with the chubby green Morlocks whose light-bulb eyes blink out when they die. Although it's quaint when compared to the special-effects marvels of the digital age, the movie's still highly entertaining and filled with a timeless sense of wonder. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

Absolutely Awesome!!!.......2007-04-08

George Pal's The Time Machine is one of THE great sci fi films. Forget the dumb remake, which totally botches the story. This is about as good as it gets fellow sci fi fans. In this film, a Victorian gentleman visits a hippy commune in the distant future and teaches them how to be men. (Of course that's not the real synopsis, but it fits!)I will not here start expounding on all that's great about this film. There's too much and the review would be too long. I will however say that this is one of my favorite films, has one of my favorite soundtracks, and has one of my all-time favorite main characters/protagonists. Too many sci fi films focus on a future that is better than the present, assuming a priori that things will only get better. I therefore greatly enjoy the novelty of this film's premise: the main character, who does not entirely like the Victorian era he lives in, launches himself on a trek into the future, only to learn that the Victorian era was about as good as it gets. The further he goes into the future, the worse things are, until about 800,000th year or so when he finds that those who are left who still resemble humans have been reduced to passive, unintelligent cattle. Note that the remake entirely botches this point. The Eloi ARE supposed to be human cattle. The remake took too many liberties with the story and unsurprisingly dropped the ball.

First rate movie.......2007-03-29

Very interesting and well done. Really enjoyed the story, acting and cinematography.

Priceless.......2007-03-29

This time travelling tale is getting quite old, but is still fine
entertainment that will stir the imagination. Saw this movie around 40
years ago and even if some stuff is outdated, it still holds my attention.

special for me.......2007-03-09

Just I consider: in this movie happen like that today, at any society.

A Great look at Movie History.......2007-03-08

It was a great book and although this movie is a bit different from the original book, the movie gives us a great look at the view of the future in the 1960's. Obviously H. G. Well could not imagine a nuclear holocaust to destroy what we know of civilization, but it is a better explanation then what the book gives us and is easier to relate to. H. G. Wells was trying to show us the downfall of civilization through industrialization, and the movie shows us the modern problem of the 1960's.

Average customer rating:

Make a Place for "Saving Face"
Worth owning
Saving Face Is Fantastic!
Excellent movie
SAVING FACE

Saving Face
Starring: Michelle Krusiec , Joan Chen , Lynn Chen , Jin Wang (II) , and Guang Lan Koh
Director: Alice Wu
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Gay & Lesbian | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

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

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

Imagine Me & You
Fingersmith
Loving Annabelle
Girl Play
My Summer of Love

ASIN: B000AQOHN0
Release Date: 2005-10-18

Amazon.com

Saving Face starts like you might expect a Chinese-American lesbian romantic comedy to start: Young surgeon Wilhelmina (Michelle Krusiec, in her first starring role) has kept her sexual orientation secret from the conservative Chinese community of Flushing, NY--but when her mother (Joan Chen, The Last Emperor) becomes pregnant and is kicked out by her own parents, Wil suddenly has to juggle her mother's secrets with her own...which include her sparky new romance with Vivian (Lynn Chen), a ballet dancer and the daughter of Wil's boss. This bundle of intrigue and lust could motivate a wacky farce, but writer/director Alice Wu takes things a step further, delving into the characters' psyches and the complex social rules of their world while still crafting a strong plot and plenty of sly humor. Wu captures excellent performances from her entire cast, particularly Joan Chen, who gives perhaps her most multifaceted performance. A rich, rewarding, and delightful movie. --Bret Fetzer

Description

When 48-year-old widow Hwei-Lan Gao (Joan Chen) informs her less-than understanding father she's pregnant, he banishes her from Flushing until she remarries or proves Immaculate Conception. With nowhere else to go, Hwei-Lan moves in with her grown daughter, Wil (Michelle Krusiec), a Manhattan doctor who doesn't want a roommate, especially since she's met Viv (Lynn Chen), her sexy young lover. So Wil does what any dutiful child with an expectant, unmarried mother on her hands would do: she proceeds to set Hwei-Lan up with every eligible bachelor in town.

Customer Reviews:

Make a Place for "Saving Face" .......2007-05-15

You know, there are so many bad and/or mediocre lesbian-based movies out there, it's hard not to love movie--because it goes way beyond all those other sad excuses for movies. Maybe that's why I liked this movie so much--it was well-written, it features great actresses, it has a realistic plot, it's got a great cultural component to the story and it's an actual movie, not just an excuse to make a lesbian movie. In fact, I wouldn't mind recommending "Saving Face" to my mother (well, she is open-minded but she's still my mother!). I've watched this movie over and over and have loved it every time. This one gets five eggrolls!

Worth owning.......2007-05-15

Very good comedy-drama with very attractive actresses. Great ending as no one has to die at the end.

Saving Face Is Fantastic!.......2007-03-21

This movie was great! Alice Wu does a great job combining humor with awkward moments. It's not only a learning experience into another culture, it's a great love story. Michelle Kruisec and Lynn Chen are beautiful and funny! Joan Chen is also very endearing in this movie. It's definately worth the purchase! :D

Excellent movie.......2007-02-15

This is a great movie, with amazing acting and wide appeal. You don't have to be gay to love this movie, nor do you have to be Chinese/Chinese-American to enjoy this movie. It's just a great movie with a wonderful story to it. It doesn't resort to cliches or formulaic plot lines. Everyone I've shown this movie to loves it. Sometimes I have a hard time getting it back when I let people borrow it!

SAVING FACE.......2007-01-16

THIS IS A GREAT MOVIE THAT IS NOT ONLY COMICAL, BUT HAS MANY DIFFERENT SITUATIONS THAT MAKES YOU SEE OTHER SIDES OF PEOPLE. I REALLY ENJOYED IT, AND FOUND MORE THAN I EXPECTED FROM THE MOVIE. I LOVED THE ACTRESSES, AND THEY REALLY DID A GREAT JOB DOING THEIR CHARACTERS.

Average customer rating:

Best Martial Arts Film Ever
Disappointed...
Not The Best Martial Arts Movie
East meets West, and West comes off best.
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Starring: Chang Chen , Chow Yun-Fat , Chang Cheng , Cheng Pei-Pei , and Sihung Lung
Director: Ang Lee
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

Romantic Adventure | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Art House & International | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Foreign & International | Stores | DVD | Video

General | Indie & Art House | Stores | DVD | Video

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

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

Hero
House of Flying Daggers
Iron Monkey
Memoirs of a Geisha (Widescreen Two-Disc Special Edition)
The Last Samurai (Two-Disc Special Edition)

ASIN: B00003CXR4
Release Date: 2001-06-05

Amazon.com essential video

Hong Kong wuxia films, or martial arts fantasies, traditionally squeeze poor acting, slapstick humor, and silly story lines between elaborate fight scenes in which characters can literally fly. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon has no shortage of breathtaking battles, but it also has the dramatic soul of a Greek tragedy and the sweep of an epic romance. This is the work of director Ang Lee, who fell in love with movies while watching wuxia films as a youngster and made Crouching Tiger as a tribute to the form. To elevate the genre above its B-movie roots and broaden its appeal, Lee did two important things. First, he assembled an all-star lineup of talent, joining the famous Asian actors Chow Yun-fat and Michelle Yeoh with the striking, charismatic newcomer Zhang Ziyi. Behind the scenes, Lee called upon cinematographer Peter Pau (The Killer, The Bride with White Hair) and legendary fight choreographer Yuen Wo-ping, best known outside Asia for his work on The Matrix. Second, in adapting the story from a Chinese pulp-fiction novel written by Wang Du Lu, Lee focused not on the pursuit of a legendary sword known as "The Green Destiny," but instead on the struggles of his female leads against social obligation. In his hands, the requisite fight scenes become another means of expressing the individual spirits of his characters and their conflicts with society and each other.

The filming required an immense effort from all involved. Chow and Yeoh had to learn to speak Mandarin, which Lee insisted on using instead of Cantonese to achieve a more classic, lyrical feel. The astonishing battles between Jen (Zhang) and Yu Shu Lien (Yeoh) on the rooftops and Jen and Li Mu Bai (Chow) atop the branches of bamboo trees required weeks of excruciating wire and harness work (which in turn required meticulous "digital wire removal"). But the result is a seamless blend of action, romance, and social commentary in a populist film that, like its young star Zhang, soars with balletic grace and dignity. --Eugene Wei

Description

An epic set against the breathtaking landscapes of ancient China, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, combines the exhilarating martial arts choreography by Yuen Wo-Pind (The Matrix) with the sensitivity and classical storytelling of an Ang Lee film. The result is something truly unexpected: romantic, emotionally powerful entertainment.

Customer Reviews:

Best Martial Arts Film Ever.......2007-06-22

Everything has already been said about this film, so I'll put only a short review here.

Why did I use the superlative in the title? Because it seems to be true for me. (The second place belongs to House of Flying Daggers [Region 99].) The story line is not very strong, but much better than you may see in this genre. The romantic threads do not make it too schmaltzy, and the visual design is simply excellent.

Disappointed..........2007-05-28

Although I enjoyed Michelle Yeoh and Zhang Ziyi (as always), I didn't enjoy this movie hardly at all. I couldn't believe this was the movie that got such rave reviews and was Oscar nominated etc. I don't say that foolishly, stating that I dislike the movie when really I dislike the genre. That's not it. I just much prefer films like "House of the Flying Daggers" and "Hero" to this one.

Not The Best Martial Arts Movie.......2007-04-05

the cinemotography is pretty good i this movie, but the plot was raw. This movie was okay.

East meets West, and West comes off best. .......2007-02-16

The martial arts film traditionally has attained its own unique niche in the domain of film. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is a Chinese-language film that works within the parameters of the old cliches of this niche, but changes just enough to make it stand out and create an appeal that reaches far beyond the limited circle of the average martial art film enthusiast. It doesn't lack the action that one might expect from the typical film in this genre, but it adds something new: the soul of tragedy and romance.

An adaption of a Chinese pulp-fiction novel, the story concerns two secret lovers (the male Li Mu Bai and female Yu Shu Lien) who are warriors on a quest to recapture a legendary sword, the Green Destiny, which has been stolen by a masked bandit. The thief turns out to be the beautiful princess Jen Yu, who is in the middle of trying to avoid an arranged marriage, because she is secretly in love with the desert bandit Lo, whom she grew to love after being abducted in the wilderness. Behind the intrigue and romance of these two forbidden loves, lies the dark cloud of mastermind Jade Fox, the evil woman responsible for the deaths of Mu Bai's former master and of Shu Lien's fiance. This sets the stage for a poignant drama, warm romance, and breath-taking action.

Despite being a martial arts film, the movie breaks the traditional Eastern mould by incorporating romantic elements one would expect from Hollywood. It has well been said that stylistically, it is "a blend of Eastern action and Western psychological drama." I think this assessment is correct, that while on the one hand the film is clearly inspired by martial-arts mysticism and action of the East, underneath the window dressing of the foreign aspects of the film lies the romanticism and drama that one is accustomed to from the West. By catering to what appeals to the modern Western mindset and incorporating subtle criticisms of traditional Chinese culture, it's not surprising that the film was somewhat of a flop in Asia, and that its concessions to contemporary themes of love and feelings made it a breakthrough success in the West. Stephen Greydanus puts it well by remarking: "Ang Lee has here crafted a masterful synthesis of various forms of Chinese mythology and Taoist philosophy that brings a broader perspective to its subject matter than many Asian films including some aspects of more typically Western sensibilities and ideals and, in the end, embraces a gently romantic humanism that is more life-affirming than the esoteric way of detachment and denial characteristic of Eastern thought." Certainly there are allusions to Taoistic mysticism, but the Taoism is in the end rejected in favor of realism and romanticism - which perhaps explains why the movie worked for Western viewers and not for Eastern ones.

The movie has also been the subject of scathing criticism for other reasons, not least from conservative Christian quarters, where offense was taken primarily to the implicit endorsement of extra-marital sexual relations, and the rebellious attitude of Jen toward her parents and her arranged marriage. For the most part, I share this concern, and it's good to be reminded of it. Watching too many movies which advocate the moral laxity of modern culture can dull sensitivity on this point, and unfortunately there aren't enough films on the other extreme to act as correctives.

But perhaps most discussion has been about the ambiguous conclusion (*spoiler warning*), where Jen leaps into the unknown. Lo has just expressed the wish is "to be in the desert, together [with you] again" and then Jen jumps off the cliff into the mist of uncertainty. If it's not suicide, what is it? And what happens next? We don't know. Some have optimistically seen this as a Christological leap of faith and sacrifice with the hope of resurrection, but it seems to me that interpreting this as a message of atonement and resurrection is being too generous and overly charitable. Perhaps the point is that we don't know the ending, and that the movie can only leave it up to us to decide for ourselves. And isn't this typical for a Western culture without absolutes? Maybe this is a reflection of our post-modern culture more than anything. Not only does contemporary culture delight in being morally ambiguous, but as a result it also has an ambiguous eschatology. The best that modern Western film can offer is a nebulous promise of a hope for the future. In other words, our world today doesn't really know much about the afterlife, so it can't really tell us much about it, except offer paradoxes and try to make us come up with our own happy endings. The best promise it can give is a blend of hopeless romanticism and eastern mysticism, where suicide is romanticized as an genuine escape and a leap into another world where perhaps dreams might just come true.

Despite being critical of some of these underlying themes and moral ambiguity, I have to admit that Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon is stimulating in raising these questions, in a way that few popular films today do. It remains a fascinating film in what it says about a clash of cultures, and in what it says about our time. The discerning viewer is sure to find some measure of profit and entertainment from this highly regarded and award-winning film. - GODLY GADFLY

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.......2007-02-12

I watched the TV programs first. I understand it must have been difficult to make the long story to short. But the movie didn't reflect the original plot. Since I like Michelle Yoe and Zhan Ziyi, I bought the movie. But I didn't really enjoy it. I couldn't understand the ending, either. I wonder why it got the awrad. Anyway, I recommend "Hero" if you like to enjoy fantazy kun fu movies.

Gwendoline - Unrated Director's Cut (aka - The Perils of Gwendoline in the Land of the Yik Yak)

Average customer rating:

"don't put it away... throw it with great force!"
A Faulty Memory
Funny, sexy, but weird
Gwendoline - Unrated Director's Cut
If you like a full sweater and an empty head, this one's for you.

Gwendoline - Unrated Director's Cut (aka - The Perils of Gwendoline in the Land of the Yik Yak)
Starring: Tawny Kitaen , Brent Huff , Zabou , Bernadette Lafont , and Jean Rougerie
Director: Just Jaeckin
Manufacturer: Severin
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

Comic Action | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Horror | Genres | DVD | Video

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

Cheeky! (Unrated)
Felicity
Frivolous Lola
The Notorious Bettie Page
Private School

ASIN: B000FILVFA
Release Date: 2006-06-27

Description

BASED ON THE KINKY COMICS THAT SHOCKED THE WORLD - UNCUT, UNCENSORED & UNRATED FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER IN AMERICA!

Video vixen Tawny Kitaen made her movie debut as the virgin adventuress on a provocative odyssey to find her lost father. But even if she can endure the scorching torment of the desert and steamy hungers of the jungle, will she survive her final ordeal at the hands - and more - of the warrior women of Yik Yak?

Brent Huff and French sex kitten Zabou co-star in this erotic cult classic directed by Just Jaeckin (EMMANUELLE, THE STORY OF O), now fully restored from French vault materials and featuring scenes never-before-seen in America!

Amazon.com

So bad it's good, the notorious Gwendoline is one of those outrageously entertaining camp classics that will be enjoyed long after thousands of "better" movies have faded into obscurity. Loosely adapted from John Willie's pioneering 1940s comic strip "The Adventures of Sweet Gwendoline," and directed with good-natured humor by French softcore specialist Just Jaekin (Emmanuelle, The Story of O), this delirious dose of mainstream erotica plays like a sexy parody of Raiders of the Lost Ark and Romancing the Stone. In his own audacious fashion, Jaekin was attempting an ambitious, good-looking adventure with above-average production values, but Gwendoline owes its "bad movie" cult status to its cheesy combination of globe-hopping scenery, tacky sets, hopelessly wretched dialogue, laughably awful acting, and a constant parade of beautiful women, either half-naked or scantily clad in outrageous S&M costumes. The film is also notorious for being the screen debut of Tawny Kitaen (shortly before she appeared with Tom Hanks Bachelor Party), who brings a breathtaking lack of talent (and a very hot body) to her title role as Gwendoline, a scrappy stowaway who arrives in China on a quest to find her missing father, who'd ventured into remote jungles in search of a rare and beautiful butterfly.

Joined by hunky mercenary Willard (Brent Huff) and her loopy friend Beth (played by French model/actress Zabou), Gwendoline survives a variety of absurdly amusing obstacles (including one very phony-looking alligator) until they eventually reach the land of the Yik Yak, an Amazonian slave-culture consisting entirely of slim, sexy women! Through it all, Jaekin's image of women is a source of constant fascination: When they're not kicking ass or running around topless, Kitaen and Zabou act like helpless, virginal airheads who need a man to survive, and Gwendoline plays out like an adolescent wet dream. With a climactic chariot chase that must be seen to be believed, it's all so ridiculous that you can't help but be entertained, and Jaekin's 106-minute, French-language director's cut contains several action scenes that were cut for the film's English-dubbed 88-minute American version, released (and available separately) as The Perils of Gwendoline in the Land of the Yik Yak. --Jeff Shannon

On the DVD
Jaekin's original cut has been spectacularly restored for this Severin Films DVD release, with both French and English audio tracks and a delightful commentary by Jaekin with journalist/author Tony Crawley and Frederick Levier, former contributor to Starfix, a French magazine devoted to fantastic films; their unabashed enthusiasm for the film makes this commentary an unexpected treat. Also included: a 24-minute video interview with Jaekin, in which he discusses the production history of Gwendoline; a 10-photo gallery of Tawny Kitaen from the French softcore magazine Lui; and a fascinating vintage audio interview with Sweet Gwendoline creator John Willie, from the archives of sex-research pioneer Dr. Alfred Kinsey. Kudos to Severin Films for including these high-quality bonus features with a film that many consider one of the "worst" of the 1980s! One caveat, however: Why not include the American cut Perils of Gwendoline on a second disc, instead of as a separate DVD release? --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

"don't put it away... throw it with great force!".......2007-07-04

Gosh, this is -without any trace of a doubt - THE silliest and stupidest movie I have even seen.

In the Soviet Russia in the 80s, when I was in the university, the only source of information about Western (made in West, not just the cowboy stuff) movies - besides the officially approved and thus empty editions - was a couple of obscure and very cheezy Polish magazines, printed on bad paper with smudged photos and unreadable texts. "Gwendoline" was a sensation with them and they dedicated article after article to the movie (they did the same with Emmanuelle and other softcore masterpieces).
So I finally decided to find out what was all the frenzy about.

Well , the 70s and 80s are over (thanks for small mercies) and the movie proved to be so bad, that it is not even good. You know, how we often say - oh, it is so bad it is delicious. This is not the case. This one clearly transcends the stage "so bad, it is actully good" and goes into "oh boy, bad is not the word".

Even softcore adventures should have at least one good idea, one good laugh and one good line per movie. This one does not. Girls look good (nobody argues) , the boy looks great (very neat six-pack) , costumes (if you can call them that) are rather abbreviated.

Usually when I do not like a movie and do not intend to keep it, I give it away. In this case I dropped it into trash as I would have been too ashamed to give it to anybody - not because of the naked bodies, but due to sheer stupidy of the film.

A Faulty Memory.......2007-06-12

I remembered this movie from high school as a mildly amusing adventure story with some pretty girls showing some of their charms. I had a faulty memory.

The pretty girls are there. Tawny Kitaen and Zabou and definitely easy on the eyes and they show themselves off quite a bit. So do a lot of other girls but those are nothing to stick in the memory. The problem though is with the story.

It is a silly adventure story but it is much worse than I remembered. A girl devotes herself to finding the butterfly her scientist father died trying to find. She is aided by her girl sidekick and by a mercenary guide. They find the butterfly and a lost civilization of Amazons with nefarious plans. Silly but the background is worse.

What I did not remember or realize from all those years ago is that this is some sort of fetish film intended to excite those who like seeing women wear leather and be led around on leashes. Blah!

It was watchable but not very good.

Funny, sexy, but weird.......2007-05-30

This movie is a typical sexy B-movie, but it has enough scenery to keep your attention while trying to find the plot. We watched this twice through, and each time was about the same. Funny, sexy, but kinda cheap and amateurish, like most B-movies can tend to be. Knowing that you are not getting this movie for the plot or action scenes, but for the scenery and Tawny, you can settle in and enjoy this movie. There are a couple of scenes that are a bit gross, but overall it isn't as bad of a movie as I had expected. And yes, Tawny does look good in it. :)

Gwendoline - Unrated Director's Cut .......2007-05-08

Great female adventure film where the female gets to have just as much fun as her male counter-part.

If you like a full sweater and an empty head, this one's for you........2007-05-07

It is what it is, a skin-flick with Tawny Kitaen.

King Boxer (aka 'Five Fingers Of Death')

Average customer rating:

MASTER OF THE IRON FIST !!
A classic finally gets its due

King Boxer (aka 'Five Fingers Of Death')
Starring: Lo Lieh , and Tien Feng
Director: Cheng Chang Ho
Manufacturer: Weinstein Company
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Art House & International | Genres | DVD | Video

Adventure | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

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

( K ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

General | Foreign & International | Stores | DVD | Video

The 36th Chamber of Shaolin
The One-Armed Swordsman
My Young Auntie
Above the Law
Shanghai Express

ASIN: B000MM0LE6
Release Date: 2007-06-19

Customer Reviews:

MASTER OF THE IRON FIST !!.......2007-07-03

Kudo's to the Weinstein Company for releasing this Kung Fu classic on DVD.The audio and video restoration that went into this DVD release is absolutely incredible and Martial Arts fans won't be disappointed."King Boxer" is presented in it's Widescreen format and enhanced for 16x9 television's.The films colors are incredibly sharp and vibrant and the mono sound is clear and crisp.The video transfer of "King Boxer" is the absolute best version I have ever seen and fans of the Kung Fu genre will be amazed by the quality of this release.Sound options include original Mandarin and English dubbed version and choice of subtitles.The special features are an added bonus,specially the Trailer Gallery.This movie has it all,non-stop action,fierce fighting and plenty of blood.Watch the magnificent Lo Lieh as he masters the Iron Fist technique and exacts his revenge."King Boxer" is five star entertainment at it's very best!!

A classic finally gets its due.......2007-06-19

King Boxer (aka Five Fingers of Death) came out in 1973 and is a classic example of a Shaw Brothers kung fu film - a genre they helped pioneer and perfect with this movie being one of the finest efforts from this time period. It also has the distinction of being the first kung fu film to be released in the United States, just ahead of Bruce Lee's equally influential Enter the Dragon. In the 1980s, it inspired filmmaker John Carpenter to make Big Trouble in Little China and more recently was a huge influence on Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill movies.

The filmmakers maintain just the right level of pacing with very short lulls between action sequences. Let's face it - we're not watching King Boxer for its thoughtful characterization. That is not to say that this film is not well made or doesn't take itself seriously because it does, but it is hardly Shakespeare either. Director Cheng Chang Ho employs sudden zoom in and outs and even the occasional freeze frame during many of the film's dynamic fight scenes. This is a beautifully shot movie with expert use of the 2.35:1 widescreen aspect ratio with superb compositions of every frame. The use of shadows for dramatic effect in one scene, and a brief fight that takes place at sunset that looks like something right out of 1950s Technicolor era, is part of the reason why this film is so revered among kung fu film fans.

King Boxer features betrayal, torture, revenge and even some heroic style redemption thrown in for good measure - all heightened to melodramatic levels making for a very entertaining ride. Our hero has to deal with a devastating injury and his own self-doubts before he can face the bad guys and use the Iron Palm technique to save the day. You soon find yourself rooting for Chi-Hao to win the competition and the cute woman he loves as well. Even though our hero triumphs at the end, it is a terrible cost with friends, family and his mentor dead or horribly maimed all because of a petty rivalry between two martial arts schools.

There is an audio commentary by filmmaker Quentin Tarantino and film critics Elvis Mitchell and David Chute. Love or hate Tarantino, the guy knows his film history, displaying an impressive encyclopedic knowledge of kung fu cinema. For example, he not only talks about how it was the first kung fu film released in America but then rattles off 5-6 other films that came after. This is a very entertaining, information-packed track by three guys who are fans of the film and display a genuine love for the genre. Highly recommended.

"Interview with Chang-Hwa Jeong." He talks about how he got involved with the film. Initially, he found the script to be "common" and studied Chinese history and literature in order to make improvements. He talks about some of the techniques he used to make the action sequences so exciting and visceral.

"Interview with action director Lau Kar Wing." Kar Wing was the kung fu director on the movie and speaks about how he approached the many fight scenes, including the challenge of matching the actor with their stunt double seamlessly.

"Interview with film critic/scholars David Chute and Andy Klein." Chute gives the film a historical context in terms of American cinema including its shocking level of violence at the time. They point out that the soundtrack was a pastiche of music ripped off of other film and that this would often hamper its distribution because of rights issues.

Also included are two trailers and alternate opening sequence that features very crude opening credits.

Finally, there is a "Stills Gallery" with poster and promotional photographs.

Average customer rating:

Beautiful, ultra-hip, dull, sluggish, near pointless.
Lush. Gorgeous. Interminable.
beautiful
Reminds me about the first time
You have GOT to be kidding ...

2046
Starring: Chen Chang , Maggie Cheung , Jie Dong , Li Gong , and Takuya Kimura
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Art House & International | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Foreign & International | Stores | DVD | Video

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

In the Mood for Love - Criterion Collection
Chungking Express
Broken Flowers
Oldboy
The Constant Gardener (Widescreen Edition)

Accessories:

Sony PSP PlayGear Amp
Sony PSP Comfort Grips Black
Sony PSP Psyclone Nodus Sound System
Sony PSP Travel Case

ASIN: B000BRBA8S
Release Date: 2005-12-26

Amazon.com

In Wong Kar Wai's quasi-sequel to In the Mood for Love, 2046 is a hotel room, a futuristic story, and a state of mind. Tony Leung returns as Chow, but perhaps not the same Chow who appeared in the first film. Starting three years later in 1966, we see Chow on various Christmases as he lives, loves, and writes in a hotel and nearby restaurants. Although he is less sensitive and more of a ladies man now, Chow's love life always seems to exceed his grasp. Whether the character is the same (the director calls this an "echo" of the first movie) might be trivial. Hong Kong filmmaker Wai is such a visualist (Time magazine tabbed him as the "world's most romantic filmmaker"), the images wash over with swirling smoke, neon lights, and the faces of his outstanding cast, all lovingly photographed and smoothly scored. There's a lot more going on than the visuals, and Wai's fans will certainly find more and more details on repeated viewings. We travel into Chow's futuristic story, where the acquaintances become fictional characters traveling to a place where "everyone goes" to recapture lost memories. Often Chow talks about never seeing a lover ever again, but eventually bumps into her. The final result is a film some will cherish; others will long for the more traditional storyline of the first film. Wai certainly finds a new direction for actress Ziyi Zhang (House of Flying Daggers) as a prostitute who becomes one of Chow's many lovers. And Leung continues to be one of the world's great film actors, with a face and acting style the camera just loves. --Doug Thomas

Customer Reviews:

Beautiful, ultra-hip, dull, sluggish, near pointless........2007-07-03

I don't know if this guy is interested in making what you and I consider to be movies. There is almost no story -- nothing to keep the action moving...yet we are supposed to be captivated by these predominantly lifeless characters. Try to remember one line of dialogue from this film other than something cliched.

Wong Kar Wai is in love with fancy cinematography, wristwatches, vintage electronics, dolled-up women and swooning music. Like so many other heralded filmakers nowadays he is all style with very little meat. I do think there was an interesting subplot contrasting Japanese and Chinese melancholic love but I think that was me more reading into it than anything much said in the film. For the man who sits behind a Final Cut Pro studio all day this must seem like an absolute masterpiece though.

Lush. Gorgeous. Interminable........2007-06-24

The idea that another viewer might spend more than two non-returnable hours watching this well-acted, beautiful and pretentious film was enough for me to overcome my reluctance to comment on it.

Two brief points:

1.) This film was shot without a script. This will not come as a surprise to anyone who has seen it.

2.) In the DVD extras, actress Ziyi Zhang (who plays Bai Ling) confesses with a nervous laugh, "None of us knew what the film was about."

beautiful.......2007-06-09

a smoothly sultry film. mildly sexy, but i don't think eroticly so. simply a pleasure to watch.

Reminds me about the first time.......2007-06-07

Beautiful movie to look at. I remember a scene where a girl asks the main character why things can't go back the way they were. And he walks away smiling....not laughing at her or anything, but a smile born from pain and understanding how fleeting love can be.

You have GOT to be kidding ..........2007-05-17

Why is it the greatest part of many films are the previews. If this director and screenwriter woiuld have spent as much time on the move as they did on the preview this may have been an interesting film.

Unless I guess you keep a bong very nearby while watching this film I will guarantee that the viewer will have absolutely NO idea as to what is going on at any one point in time. The film most certainly is very Oriental with the dark and brooding images, the compulsory 'player type' bad boy and of course we need the chain smoking super sexy bright lipstick female lead.

To say that I was disappointed with the lack of substance would be an understatement!

Average customer rating:

Eat Drink Man Woman
Of food, family, & love
Great but subtle.
If you are a foodie, you will love this movie.
A Great Representation of Modern Chinese Family Culture

Eat Drink Man Woman
Starring: Sylvia Chang , Ah-Leh Gua , Winston Chao , Lester Chen , and Wu Chien-lien
Director: Ang Lee
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Art House & International | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Foreign & International | Stores | DVD | Video

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

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

Babette's Feast
The Wedding Banquet
Like Water for Chocolate
Big Night
Farewell My Concubine

ASIN: B00005JKG1
Release Date: 2002-03-05

Amazon.com essential video

This is not a movie to see on an empty stomach. Writer-director Ang Lee's 1994 Oscar nominee tells a family story about a chef and his three daughters through the meals the chef prepares and serves his family. This touching, dryly funny story of a family coping with personal lives and the way those lives intersect with the family relationships captures a shift in generations in Taipei. The father, a famous chef who has lost his taste buds, still cooks, though he draws no pleasure from eating. His daughters, meanwhile, deal with both the disappointments and surprises of daily living and the way their adult lives compare to the expectations the widowed father had for them. A subtle, amusing--and mouth-watering--comedy of impeccable manners. --Marshall Fine

Description

From celebrated director Ang Lee (The Ice Storm, Sense and Sensibility) comes a movieso visually stunning that it spans the "beautiful balance of elementsmellow, harmonious and poignantly funny" (The Washington Post). This "charming study of love, family and tradition" (Leonard Maltin) "tickles both mind and body" (Movie Reviews UK). Trouble is cooking forwidower and master chef Chu (Sihung Lung) who's about to discover that no matter how dazzling and delicious his culinary creations might be, they're no match for the libidinous whims of his three beautiful but rebellious daughters. A master in the kitchen, Chu is at a loss when it comes to the ingredients of being a father. Every Sunday, he whips up a delicacy of dishes for his ungrateful daughters, who are so self-consumed that they don't see his attempt at showing them lovegastronomically.So, as relationships sour and communications break down, Chu concocts a sure-fire recipe that will bring his family back together: He creates his own love affair to rival his daughters' affections!

Customer Reviews:

Eat Drink Man Woman.......2007-05-29

One of my favorite movies and filmed on location in Tiawan. If you love cooking and find the oriental mind fascinating, you'll love this movie. This is the story of three daughter's relationships with their father and their relationship with food and tradition. Wonderful soundtrack also.

Of food, family, & love.......2007-04-07

The opening scene of this movie is one of my favorites: it begins with the elaborate preparation for a traditional Chinese dinner that can consist of several courses...the accompanying music goes along really well with the flow of food preparation and cooking! That being said, the movie itself has food at its heart, it tells the story of a family of four. The father, Senior Master Chef Chu lives in a fairly large house with his three unmarried daughters [wife is deceased]:the eldest is a repressed Christian convert, Jia Jen who is resentful of her more liberal middle sibling, the middle daughter, Jia Chien, is a rebellious and strong-willed airline executive that is having problems with her love life, & the youngest Jia Ning is a student. All three see their father for their weekly Sunday lunch, more out of obligation than anything else, and the rest of the story deals with how the three daughters find a measure of independence away from the father, and how Master Chef Chu himself finds a measure of happiness in his own life.
In a sense, although the film has a modern context, the values are quite traditional, such as the weekly family dinner which many Chinese families still observe, the notion of filial piety, the practice of unmarried daughters living with their parent/s [still observed in many Asian countries]...and of course, the notion of food bringing families together.
I love the presentation of food in this movie...the dishes are lovingly prepared with consummate skill, and are mouthwatering delicacies worthy of drooling over! It is a movie to watch not just for the great cooking scenes, but also for the deeper themes of family dynamics, and of honoring your elders, whilst still maintaining your own identity.

Great but subtle........2007-01-16

A beautiful movie, with fantastic food scenes. Will make you want to buy a wok. Loses some of the nuances in Eastern family communication. A little hard to understand the cut and dry behavior. But well worth watching, especially if you like "Tortilla Soup" the remake with a Hispanic flavor.

If you are a foodie, you will love this movie........2006-10-19

The food scenes in this movie are eye candy for us foodies. I love cooking and I have never seen food displayed or prepared in a movie as it is in this one.
The story line is charming in its concept of how food relates to our lives and our relationships. The fact that this is a subtitled movie did not bother me at all, because the scenes with the food were so tremendous that I couldn't stop staring.
If you love food you will thoroughly enjoy this movie.

A Great Representation of Modern Chinese Family Culture.......2006-09-05

If you're willing to read subtitles this is an excellent foreign film, set in Taiwan, about the importance of and tight connection between a person's individual identity and his family life in Chinese society and culture. The work, interpersonal, and spiritual lives of four main characters are explored and interwoven with the Sunday dinner table being the terminus at which they all meet and from which we switch characters and depart on the continuing exploration of that person's life. Each of the character's lives would be interesting enough for its own full-length movie; so together they keep you thinking and interested from opening to closing credits. In this masterful cultural portrait of the balanced interplay between life and death, work and love, family and self, food and deprivation, Ang Lee allows us to see and experience the intimate details of a major world culture, which is vastly different from our own in the western world. The popular theme of traditional Chinese culture being impacted by modern life is addressed in a more realistic, not overdone, manner than in many movies, and the multi-generational presentation of interwoven lives makes it more easily understandable and complete. This is a movie that will leave you with a warm smile of satisfaction and deeper understanding of what it is to be a person on this planet.

Average customer rating:

INCREDIBLE SWORD FIGHTING FILM !!
5 stars for movie, 3 stars for release

The One-Armed Swordsman
Starring: Jimmy Wang Yu , Huang Chung Shun , and Pin Yin Tze
Director: Chang Cheh
Manufacturer: Weinstein Company
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Art House & International | Genres | DVD | Video

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

( O ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

General | Foreign & International | Stores | DVD | Video

King Boxer (aka 'Five Fingers Of Death')
The 36th Chamber of Shaolin
My Young Auntie
Above the Law
Shanghai Express

ASIN: B000MM0LF0
Release Date: 2007-06-19

Customer Reviews:

INCREDIBLE SWORD FIGHTING FILM !!.......2007-07-03

The Weinstein Company has to be commended for releasing "The One-Armed Swordsman" on DVD.The video and audio restoration that went into this release is truly amazing.The film is presented in it's 2.35:1 Widescreen format and enhanced for 16x9 televisions.This is without a doubt the best version of "The One-Armed Swordsman" I've ever seen.The video transfer is just spectacular and the colors are sharp and vibrant.The sound is clean and crisp albeit in mono.The sound options include original Mandarin or English dubbed version and choice of Subtitles.The special features I found most interesting were the Interview with Jimmy Wang Yu and the Stills Gallery and Trailer Gallery.Sadly the commentary of Quentin Tarantino listed on the rear cover under the special features section of the DVD is missing.Martial Arts fans will be amazed by the incredible quality of this release and the non-stop blood filled action.

5 stars for movie, 3 stars for release.......2007-06-22

OK if you have never seen this movie and are interested in classic kung-fu movies, by all means get this release, the quality is great. My complaint is that the Weinstein company lied about the special features. I already owned a great region 3 copy of this film, and was surprised to see that the new American release had commentary by Quentin Tarantino, which is stated on the package. I know that he is a big Shaw bros fan and was interested in hearing his insight on the film. I could care less about the film scholars opinions as they don't really state anything a fan wouldn't already know. Well the DVD does NOT have commentary by him, and my purchase was completely pointless. This review is to mainly to warn others out-there like myself who are huge fans that might also be considering purchasing this version for that reason.

DVD:

DVD

DVD

DVD

Fat Albert's Easter Special

Harder They Come

Masters of Martial Arts: Street Fighter's Revenge/Blood of t

DVD: The Ultimate Filmmaking Bundle

Cyrano De Bergerac