Felix

Director: Otto Messmer
Studio: Lumivision
Product Type: DVD

Average customer rating:

a classic
Superb Film
Becket
Becket
A classic

Becket
Starring: Richard Burton , Peter O'Toole , John Gielgud , Donald Wolfit , and Martita Hunt
Director: Peter Glenville
Manufacturer: MPI Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00007G1WH
Release Date: 2007-05-15

Amazon.com essential video

Made in 1964, but set in 12th-century England, this is the fact-based story of Henry II (Peter O'Toole) and his dear friend, the Archbishop of Canterbury (Richard Burton). When the king appoints his former drinking buddy to the high religious office, he believes he has placed an ally into power. Instead, he learns that Thomas very much takes his job to heart, prompting Henry to ask that fateful question--"Will no one rid me of this meddlesome priest?"

This won an Academy Award for Best Screenplay, and it is a strong example of finely tuned performances--both leading men received Academy Award nominations for their roles. There is much passion and rage on the screen, but the beauty of their performances is that we always know that love is there as well. The film, shot on location in England, is also visually appealing. Trivia buffs may be interested to know that Peter O'Toole played Henry II four years later in The Lion in Winter. --Rochelle O'Gorman

On the DVD

The primary bonus feature is a treat: a feature-length commentary by Peter O'Toole, accompanied by a moderator. With only occasional gaps of silence, the still sharp and well-spoken O'Toole recalls the making of the film, how he didn't research the historical King Henry ("The author has made the character; that's his job. My job is to play it."), and his memories of Richard Burton, both personal ("We found that we both enjoyed rugby, we both enjoyed songs, and we both enjoyed drinking, and got along very well.") and professional ("he had an astonishing presence on the stage"). There are also two archival interviews with Burton from 1967 and 1977 (26 minutes total), in which he doesn't discuss Becket, but he does say a lot about his life on stage, he recites some lines, and speaks candidly about his drinking problem.

Don't skip over the interviews with the film's editor Anne Coates and composer Laurence Rosenthal. Coates (7 minutes) has some good stories, and Rosenthal (12 minutes) discusses the influences on his Oscar-nominated score and how he had to teach Gregorian chant to Burton ("He was one of these people whom you really can't teach anything. He had this characteristic that you can only remind him of something he already knows. But he didn't know how to sing Gregorian chant."). In addition to a photo gallery and the four-and-a-half-minute theatrical trailer, MPI's long-delayed DVD looks better than many major-studio classics. --David Horiuchi

Beyond Becket

Other Peter O'Toole Films
Other Richard Burton Films
More King Henrys on DVD

Stills from Becket (click for larger image)

Customer Reviews:

a classic.......2007-07-05

Burton and O'Toole are wonderful in this historical drama based on the realtionship between Henry II and Thomas Becket. This edition has a commentary by O'Toole which enhances the experience if you watch it first and then watch the film. There are also a couple of interviews with Burton that are very interesting. Great acting by two of our most gifted artists.

Superb Film.......2007-07-03

With all the junk movies in the theaters and out on the store shelves, I am relieved & happy to see such a classic film re-released on DVD. This is a superb film by any standard! Watching Richard Burton and Peter O'Toole perform together -- two of the greatest actors who ever lived -- is a magnificent experience. It reminds you of how numbed out we have become by bad acting and bad writing. Do yourself a tremendous favor and buy it.

Becket .......2007-07-02

I loved this movie. Why we have had to wait so long for the DVD release, is the real question I would like answered. This is one of the great films of all time and perhaps because it came out the same year as My Fair Lady, in which it lost most of the awards it was nominated for, it may have been forgotten. I think MPI deserves a lot of credit for finally putting this out. I only wonder why Paramount didn't do this a long time ago.

Becket.......2007-06-29

Becket is a powerful movie. Great content, educational and with excellent play by two great actors.

A classic.......2007-06-28

I have waited a long time for this movie to come out on DVD. I'm so glad I now have both of Peter O'Toole's portrayals of Henry II. He looks so young here! He and Richard Burton work so well together. It's wonderful sometimes to watch a movie with no special effects that relies on story and acting alone.

Average customer rating:

The Best of The Best
excellent workout
Another A++++
Awesome DVD, great challenges
Intense!

Power Yoga - Total Body Workout
Starring: Rodney Yee
Director: Ted Landon
Manufacturer: Living Arts
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0000A2ZQE
Release Date: 2003-09-02

Amazon.com

Power yoga "demands your attention," says instructor Rodney Yee. He leads a challenging, constantly progressing series of poses, one flowing into the next, integrating breath, movement, tension, and relaxation. The poses include Sun Salutation, standing poses, forward bends, back bends, twists, and arm balances. The first poses are fairly easy, and with each repetition of the series, Yee adds on more difficult movements, extending the series without pausing. You're encouraged to do as much of the series that fits your level, up to the entire 65-minute workout if you're an experienced yoga practitioner. Although you can begin at any level, some familiarity with yoga is recommended. The Hawaiian setting is gorgeous and inspiring. This is an excellent yoga workout that you can grow with, adding on more as you get stronger. --Joan Price

Customer Reviews:

The Best of The Best.......2007-06-20

I purchased this DVD three years ago and, although I own many yoga DVDs, "Power Yoga: Total Body Workout" and "Total Energy Yoga," another Yee DVD, are the ones to which I keep returning. "Power Yoga" is, as advertised, an excellent, total body workout -- albeit not one for beginners -- with just the right amount of instruction and no irritating "pep talks" or celebrity prattling: in other words, real yoga.

Most positions are held for 30 seconds, although a few are held for shorter periods of time and one --upward bow -- is repeated three times in a row. Sufficient time is permitted for transfer from one position to the next, even if, in the beginning, a practitioner cannot maintain the "flow" and needs to walk from one position to another. In my view, Yee is, along with Shiva Rea, the best yoga instructor making DVDs, and "Power Yoga" is his best DVD, overall.

One additional note: Recently, I have been employing this yoga practice and Yee's "Total Energy Yoga" along with physical therapy to treat a "frozen shoulder". My physical therapist is impressed by the progress that I have made using these yoga DVDs. While I would never suggest that anyone -- especially someone with an injury -- try an exercise DVD without first consulting his or her doctor, I have to say that yoga and, specifically, Rodney Yee, has worked for me.

excellent workout.......2007-06-13

This is a great yoga workout. It's quite strenuous, and I'd recommend it for advanced beginners or intermediate yoga practitioners. The set is beautiful and the cues are perfect. If you just started yoga, I wouldn't recommend starting with this dvd, but if you are already fairly fit and familiar with yoga, this is a great choice.

Another A++++.......2007-06-11

Easy to follow, wonderful techniques, and spectular aiding in body tension. I also enjoy the muscle building the video provides. I has been only a few weeks and I already see and feel the differance. Thank You Rodney!! ;)

Awesome DVD, great challenges.......2007-06-07

This DVD is great. It pushes you and yet allows you to make modifications were necessary. It is an hour long and really makes you sweat if you push yourself deep into the poses. Clear visuals and great instruction. I love this DVD and if I end up skipping my gym workout this is the first DVD I grab at home. WONDERFUL!
~andrea

Intense!.......2007-06-05

This is an intense, long workout that is "do-able", but be prepared! I am a beginner but practice everyday with Rodney Yee's AM/PM Yoga for Beginners (love that DVD!) and other DVDs and am working my way up to intermediate level. I try to do the more intense and time consuming Yoga a few times a week, when I can fit it into my schedule. Because this one is the longest of my videos, I don't get to do it too much since there never seems to be enough time in the day. I also like to hold the stretches a little more than is allowed in this video. I affectionately refer to this DVD as the "boot camp/drill sergeant" workout because its a constant stream of instructions and movement. This is a good video for someone who is looking for more of an actual workout and not so much of the relaxation and long hold periods of stretches. Is one of the only workouts that makes me sweat!

Cult Camp Classics 4 - Historical Epics (The Colossus of Rhodes / Land of the Pharaohs / The Prodigal)

Average customer rating:

Some films are less campy than others in this trio of historical epics including one by Hawks and another by Sergio Leone

Cult Camp Classics 4 - Historical Epics (The Colossus of Rhodes / Land of the Pharaohs / The Prodigal)
Starring: Rory Calhoun , Lea Massari , Georges Marchal , Conrado San Martín , and Ángel Aranda
Director: Sergio Leone , Howard Hawks , and Richard Thorpe
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Cult Camp Classics 1 - Sci-Fi Thrillers (Attack of the 50 Ft. Woman 1958 / Giant Behemoth / Queen of Outer Space)
Cult Camp Classics 2 - Women in Peril (The Big Cube / Caged / Trog)
Cult Camp Classics 3 - Terrorized Travelers (Hot Rods to Hell / Skyjacked / Zero Hour!)
Tyrone Power: The Swashbuckler Box Set (Blood and Sand / Son of Fury / The Black Rose / Prince of Foxes / The Captain from Castile)
Pirates of the Golden Age Movie Collection (Against All Flags / Buccaneer's Girl / Yankee Buccaneer / Double Crossbones)

ASIN: B000OHZJI2
Release Date: 2007-06-26

Amazon.com

Who says history has to be boring? Warner Bros.' series of "cult classics" is a cheese-popcorn fiesta just waiting to pop. This set includes three "historical" epics long on action and cleavage and proudly short on those dull pesky facts. The Colossus of Rhodes (1961), a splashy toga party starring Rory Calhoun, marks Sergio Leone's credited directorial debut. As sword-and-sandal films go, it's a rollicking tale with excellent special effects, especially the earthquake and its resulting devastation.

Howard Hawks took time in between Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and Rio Bravo to direct Land of the Pharoahs (1955), with a cast of thousands, led by the heaving bosoms of Joan Collins. No expense was spared, with nearly 10,000 extras "and 1600 camels in the production!" as the marketing materials of the time proclaim. William Faulkner co-wrote the screenplay, which features delicious turns of events like a lying, scheming so-and-so getting comeuppance by, yes, being sealed alive in a pyramid: "A structure to house one man--and the greatest treasure of all time."

And The Prodigal (1955), directed by Richard Thorpe, tells the ancient biblical tale of two toiling brothers, but ups the ante for the wandering son with a decidedly ungodly pagan temptress in the form of Lana Turner (it's a wonder he ever made it back to his father's farm!). Originally an MGM release, The Prodigal hearkens to the mid-'50s era of the great biblical epic (which many fans believe is due for a renaissance), though it takes extreme liberties with Jesus's parable. Then again, if Lana Turner's figure doesn't signify "debauchery" and "riotous living," what does?

The boxed set also includes some very instructional extras, like vintage interviews with Hawks and contemporary interviews with Peter Bogdanovich and film historians. Let the catapulting begin! --A.T. Hurley

Customer Reviews:

Some films are less campy than others in this trio of historical epics including one by Hawks and another by Sergio Leone.......2007-06-30

There was a time where camp classics weren't exactly intentional but were every bit as enjoyable as the camp films we have now. "Historical Epics" is the fourth in Warner Home Video's "Cult Camp Classics" and at least two of these three films are actually quite good outside of the classification.

The first "The Colossus of Rhodes" was the first film that Sergio Leone took credit on as a director. Set during during the Hellenistic era before the rise of Rome, this film features cowboy b-movie star Rory Calhoun as a Greek(!) hero vacationing in Rhodes who gets pulled into an attempt to overthrow the Emperor. The centerpiece of this film a 180 foot high statue that stood astride the waterways of Rhodes and could be used as a weapon to defend the city by dumping hot molten lead on invaders or would be revolutionaries.

Featuring risable dialogue, great action sequences and impressive production design, this international production (featuring actors from Italy, Spain, America and France)features a number of stunning set pieces that hint at Leone's great Italian Westerns such as "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly" and "Once Upon a Time in the West". The film looks quite good with an excellent commentary track by Leone biographer and film historian Christopher Frayling who covers everything from the historical context of the film (the real statue of Rhodes was believed to be about 38 feet high and overlooked the city)and the original theatrical trailer. Frayling points out the good (Leone's stunning use of the camera), the bad (often the dialogue is quite ripe)and the ugly (the overwrought performances of some of the actors)but still finds merit in the film.

Leone does a hommage to Hitchcock's "North by Northwest" and "Sabteour" particularly during the end sequence on top of the Colossus of Rhodes where there is a fight sequence. Fans of cinema will see other references to other films that Leone sneaks in to this historical epic which is still quite enjoyable both as a memorable peek into what would come later from Leone's classic films as well as the silly plot devices and dialogue.

"Land of the Pharaohs" was directed by Howard Hawks and co-written by William Faulkner(!)so how could one go wrong with this historical epic about the building of the pyramids? Joan Collins plays a Nellifer in this epic production while Jack Hawkins is the Pharaoh Cheops putting thousands to work to build is massive tomb. It's interesting because the structure of this film echoes Hawks' great western "Red River". "Pharoahs" is an excellent minor Hawks classic with an epic scale and of the three here is the least camp best film of the bunch. Collins brings the camp element to the forefront with her performance as the scheming Nellifer.

The film features Peter Bogdanovich providing a commentary. Bogdanovich doesn't think much of the film (nor did Hawks as is evident in the interview excerpts included here)but it's a pretty good historical epic with the massive spectacle and production design that one expects from the genre. If it fails to live up to Hawks best films, that could be because he was working in a genre that he wasn't totally comfortable with.

The last film included here "The Prodigal" featuring Lana Turner fits into the camp camp quie well. It apes the Cecil B. DeMille Biblical and historical epics quite well. Basically this tells the story of the prodigal son (Edmund Purdom) who falls for a pagan priestess (Turner).

Dr. Drew Casper gives a frentic and interesting commentary track that makes more of this film than is there. Casper mentions in his commentary that he feels this is a remake of Raoul Walsh's "The Wanderer" from 1926 which I've never seen. He also provides interesting biographical information on many of the actors in the film.

All the films included here look extremely good with some looking much better than others depending on the source print and its condition. Warner does an excellent job of putting this together much as they did with some of the other "Cult Camp Classics" sets in the series (the other two I purchased I haven't watched yet--I wanted to go for the set that had the Hawks and Leone films first). Some of these sets have no or minimal extras (such as a trailer only)but most have commentary tracks and all the ones here even when they aren't perfect provide background on the films. Frayling is always entertaining and does an outstanding job adding humor and has a relaxed conversational style that makes his informative commentary the best of the bunch here.

Three stars for the films with an extra star for the commentary tracks.

Space Above and Beyond - The Complete Series

Average customer rating:

Very good series!!!
Lousy Army Memoirs
Fox ate a star for this one
SPACE ABOVE AND BEYOND
Decent Series

Space Above and Beyond - The Complete Series
Director: Charles Martin Smith , Félix Enríquez Alcalá , Thomas J. Wright , and Winrich Kolbe
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Roughnecks - The Starship Troopers Chronicles - The Complete Campaigns

ASIN: B000BCCAEQ
Release Date: 2005-11-08

Product Description

This 5-disc DVD set includes all 23 episodes including the two-part pilot episode! Its the year 2063. After 150 years of deep space exploration, the people of Earth feel certain they are alone in the universe. Then word comes that two Earth outposts light-years away from home have been brutally attacked by an advanced alien civilization. Now the new young recruits of the United States Marine Corps Space Aviator Calvary are heading for the front lines of space in the toughest battle the world has ever faced. Thrust into an intergalactic war beyond imagination, these untested fighter pilots suddenly find themselves waging a life-and-death struggle to protect Earth and to save mankind from total annihilation.

Amazon.com

The science fiction series Space Above and Beyond, which enjoyed a brief run in the 1995-96 season, was created by X-Files producers Glen Morgan and James Wong as a revision of the classic war series Combat!. Set in the not-too-distant future, Space Above and Beyond follows the adventures of five inexperienced Marines of the 58th Squadron, who are involved in a war against the Chigs, a race of aliens bent on conquering the Earth. Morgan and Wong gave their main characters intriguing personalities--Nathan West (Morgan Weisser) has joined the Marines to save a girlfriend captured by the aliens, while Rodney Rowland's Cooper is an artificially created human whose service is inspired by a desire to escape the violent prejudice he faces on Earth. The action and stories are gritty and dramatic, and put a fresh spin on traditional wartime stories--highlights include "The Enemy," in which the 58th is stranded behind enemy lines; "Toy Soldiers," in which West's younger brother is serving under a dangerously reckless lieutenant; and the two-part "If They Lay Us Down to Rest…" and "Tell Our Moms We Done Our Best," which brought the series to a close with the Earth on the verge of peace talks with the aliens as the military launches a perilous operation. Commentary by Morgan and Wong and the cast would have been welcome, especially if the plans for the unseen second season could've been revealed, but unfortunately, no supplemental features are included in this slickly produced, no-frills set. --Paul Gaita

Customer Reviews:

Very good series!!!.......2007-07-05

I loved this show when it was first on and love stiil now to bad FOX cancelled it. should have lasted longer. but I have my copy to watch again and again.

Lousy Army Memoirs.......2007-07-02

On the surface, this series was very appealing to me--I am a former U. S. Marine and a huge sci-fi fan. Unfortunately, the writers of this show don't know ANYTHING about the Marine Corps; rank structure, training processes, anything. There isn't even a single incident of nautical jargon until halfway through the series--which is especially disappointing, since R. Lee Ermy has a major role in the first episode.
Rather, all military references seem to be taken from the Army, or from a soldier's (poor) understanding of Naval procedure. For example, one of the Marine pilots is promoted to captain, and is elated that she will finally be able to use the "Captains'" restroom aboard the naval space carrier upon which she serves. Unfortuantely, a Naval Captain is three ranks higher than a Marine Corps Captain; the equivalent of a Marine Colonel.
The sci-fi element is equally disappointing; the advanced alien race which we are fighting apparently uses the same tactics as North Korean and Viet Cong troops in 20th century Terrestrial warfare; the only difference being that their weapons have a bigger "boom."
I was very disappointed in this series and don't recommend it at all.

Fox ate a star for this one.......2007-07-01

Once again, Fox has released a bare bones box set. Shame on you!

As for the program itself, I very much enjoyed it when it first aired. It was gritty and thoughtful in ways that I'd never experienced in a science fiction series. It had a great cast and characters that were honest and believable. It's a shame that the network had to pull the plug on such a promising program. That just seems to be par for the course from Fox.

Re-watching this show years after the first time that it ran once again makes me wish there was more to the story.

SPACE ABOVE AND BEYOND.......2007-06-27

THIS IS ONE OF THOSE UNSUNG HEROS,ONLY 22 EPISODES BUT VERY ENGROSSING
.THE YEAR IS 2058THEY THOUGHT THEY WAS ALONE IN THE UNIVERSE,THEY WHERE WRONG.AFTER THE LAST COLONY WAS ATTACTED THE ARMY IS ON RED ALERT.NO IMFO NODATA ABOUT THE ENEMY,THE RAG TAG 58 SQUADRON KOWN AS THE WILD CARDS.THERE PRIMARY MISSION IS PROTECT THE HUMAN RACE FROM EXINCTION,BUT EACH OF THE TEAM AS A PERSONAL REASON. WEST WAS ONE OF THE WOULD BE COLONIST,BUT THE ADMIATRATION STOP HIM FROM GOING AT THE LAST MINUTE.NOW SEPARATED FROM HIS GIRLFRIEND HE HAS TO FIND AWAY SO HE ENLISTED THE ARMY. ICOULD GO ON BUT YOU NEED TO SEE IT.SCIFI EFFECTS ARE NOT GREAT BUT THE GREAT ACTING OF THE CAST OF WITCH YOU WOULD`NT SEE THESE ACTORS AGAIN.

Decent Series.......2007-06-16

I remembered seeing this series when it originally was shown on television and then on cable for a year. It's not as good as I remember but it is decent. Some of the acting is a bit overly dramatic, at least in the pilot, but it's a good series to buy and watch if one likes sci-fi.

Average customer rating:

Glass doesn't have a scent - Of course it does!!!
To preserve the essential scents to immortalize the memories!
A movie worth watching!
Fantastic Movie!
Smells Like Teen Spirit

Perfume - The Story Of A Murderer
Starring: Ben Whishaw , Francesc Albiol , Gonzalo Cunill , Roger Salvany , and Andrés Herrera
Director: Tom Tykwer
Manufacturer: Paramount Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Zodiac (Widescreen Edition)
Mel Gibson's Apocalypto (Widescreen Edition)
The Fountain (Widescreen Edition)
Pan's Labyrinth (New Line Two-Disc Platinum Series)
The Painted Veil

ASIN: B000QUCNOK
Release Date: 2007-07-24

Amazon.com

Based on Patrick Suskind's novel about a serial killer who hunts victims with his superhuman sense of smell, Perfume: Story of a Murderer is a florid, grisly portrayal of this historical drama set in 18th century France. Jean-Baptiste Grunuis (Ben Whishaw) is born under his mother's table at the fish market, onto a pile of muddy fish guts, establishing from the beginning his repulsion for putrid scents. A childhood of neglect and, later, a job at a tannery, encourage Jean-Baptiste to develop his olfactory sense rather than his verbal skills, so that an opportunity to prove his worth to Parisian perfumist, Giuseppe Baldini (Dustin Hoffman), results in his immediate hire into a promising new career. His successes in perfume mixing are negated by a blinding obsession for capturing the sublime beauty of human soul, which in his twisted logic requires the killing of young women to reduce their body fats to essential oils for the ultimate, cannibalized eau de parfum. An omniscient narrator tells the story with much sympathy for Jean-Baptiste's perverted psychology, making it, often, too obvious that his need for love justifies his murderous desire to capture misguided sexual attractions in a vile. Continuous close-ups of Grunius's nose, countered by close-ups of the places and objects he smells, enhance the viewer's understanding of his sensitivity. Repeated comparisons are made between the killer and dogs who aid, then expose his sick experimentation. The settings are fascinating, especially Baldini's perfumery and some later scenes in enflorage factories outside Provence. Whishaw's and Hoffman's performances are both grand. But Perfume unnecessarily spells out Jean-Baptiste's psychosis, squelching any chance for metaphor. This is unfortunate, considering the story's paradoxical nature. As this crude hunter navigates his way through a world of utmost delicacy, one craves ambiguity rather than explanation. --Trinie Dalton

Stills from Perfume: The Story Of A Murderer (click for larger image)

Customer Reviews:

Glass doesn't have a scent - Of course it does!!!.......2007-07-03

Perfume along with City of God and Amores Perros are the three best movies I've seen in the last six years. They are all movies of desperation.

Tom Tykwer has been building up to this masterpiece. Going back to the break-neck pace he abandoned after Run Lola Run, he synthesizes all he learned from making Heaven, The Princess and the Warrior and (the best of the bunch)Winter Sleepers. Perfume is vastly superior to any of his earlier work. The preteniousness that marred the earlier work is absent from Perfume.

A wholly original period piece of a poverty stricken child who shunned by his peers and whose superhuman sense of smell sets him on a course of obsession and murder is beautifully realized. Though this may be the best movie I've seen in six years, it is the best score I've heard in thirty five years. Tykwer is responsible for this, too.

Out of nowhere, Dustin Hoffman and Alan Rickman come in with fine supporting performances. The real star though is Tykwer. Photography, music, pacing, narrative and the various epiphanies on the way are mindblowing.

It is an unpleasant and scrumptiously beautiful tale. Definitely not for all tastes.

To preserve the essential scents to immortalize the memories!.......2007-06-29

This is a very original film, based on the exacerbation of the smell, and impelled o unsuspected heights. Based on the famous best seller of Patrick Susskind, the cinematographic proposal was very satisfactory. This promising director handled with secure hand and firm conviction this weird story about a human being with a visible lack of affection and tender (since the moment he was born) who found his bliss through the pleasure of enjoying and even to recognize the most unexpected scents and, to separate them and back to join them in new and attractive proposals.

The suspenseful frame I which the movie undertakes is filled of daring camera work and so the edition process and the enigmatic presence of this strange collector of scents and something else that you must find out.

A movie worth watching!.......2007-06-23

Perfume-The Story of a Murderer brings to the screen the tale of Jean-Baptiste Grenouille, a young man with an unprecedented sense of smell, which allows him to do extraordinary feats such as break down the contents of a perfume simply by one whiff. Things take a turn to the darker side when he decides to create the perfect perfume made of the scent of young women...
The movie follows a pragmatic and realistic account of conditions in 18th Century pre-revolutionary France. The film brings to the screen two main stories, which are unfolding simultaneously: On the one hand, Jean-Baptiste Grenouille, and his life dream of creating the perfect perfume, and on the other (and to a lesser extent), conditions leading to the French Revolution (1789).
The movie portrays superbly life in France, and provides valuable insight into a very important period of French (European) History.
We get a feel for the power and influence that the Catholic Church exerts during this time.
The film is also excellent in showing the Ancien Regime's methods of execution (Hanging and "The Cross") as opposed to the "revolutionary" guillotine used after 1789.
Ben Whishaw, Dustin Hoffman, Alan Rickman (!), and the rest of the cast, have truly outdone themselves with their performances, which are outstanding to say the least. All the actors, without exceptions, give it their 100% and it really shows.
The setting, the dialogues, the music, and the costumes are all wonderful!
Very well written and very well presented, it allows for a thought-provoking movie that will provide for an evening's entertainment.
Strongly recommended along with Napoleon the TV Miniseries (starring Christian Clavier, Isabella Rossellini, Gerard Depardieu, and John Malkovich), Queen Margot (Isabelle Adjani), Brotherhood of the Wolf (Monica Bellucci and Vincent Cassel), and Vidocq (Gerard Depardieu) for those with a soft spot for France and/or French History.

Fantastic Movie!.......2007-06-15

I make a point of watching all Rickman's movies and this one delivers. Though not for the faint of heart, it's worth seeing.

Smells Like Teen Spirit.......2007-06-13

Scent of a Woman collides with Silence of the Lambs in this bizarre, beautiful and bittersweet story of a compulsive killer.

A savant of smell, Parisian-born orphan Jean-Baptiste Grenouille (Ben Whishaw) grows up in the 18th-century school of hard knocks, yet is determined to become the greatest perfumer the world has ever known. As he stalks the evanescent aroma of a beautiful young redhead (Karoline Herfurth), his obsession turns to tragedy, setting him of a life-path of death and destruction.

Pros:
A visual feast that almost magically conjures the scents onscreen
A serial killer story steeped in a historically-heightened fairytale feel

Cons:
A little too much foreshadowing makes the movie drag here and there

Perfume is brilliantly cast, with great -- and sometimes delightfully over-the-top -- performances from silver screen stars like Dustin Hoffman (master perfumer), John Hurt (narrator), and Alan Rickman (the protective father of a would-be Grenouille victim). Ben Whishaw portrays a truly reprehensible, murderous character with no redeeming qualities, yet he imbues Grenouille with a pitiable, sympathetic air reminiscent of Boris Karloff in Frankenstein.

It's very well-directed (if somewhat a tad too leisurely) by Run Lola Run's Tom Tykwer, and wonderfully wrought by everyone else from the set-designer, to the composer, to the flower-finder.

This is a difficult film to describe without spilling too many surprises, so all I can say is: take the time to stop smell the cinematic rose that is Perfume.

Staci Layne Wilson

Buck Rogers in the 25th Century - The Complete Epic Series

Average customer rating:

poor quality
Buck Rogers rides again!!!!!!
Great value for a great series!!
SURPRISED
Nice DVD Set but no extras

Buck Rogers in the 25th Century - The Complete Epic Series
Starring: Henry Silva , Gil Gerard , Pamela Hensley , Erin Gray , and Tim O'Connor
Director: Leslie H. Martinson , Dick Lowry , and Philip Leacock
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Television | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

General | Television | Genres | DVD | Video

( B ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
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ASIN: B0002MHDW4
Release Date: 2004-11-16

Product Description

Blast off with Buck Rogers In The 25th Century for tomorrow's greatest adventures! This exciting sci-fi series will rocket you into a galaxy of amazing characters, space-age wizardry and unbelievable fantasy.

Format: DVD MOVIE

Amazon.com

With its campy combination of lightweight adventure and Spandex disco chic, Buck Rogers in the 25th Century is a nostalgic throwback to post-Star Wars opportunism. Series co-creator Glen A. Larson was incapable of originality, and former soap star Gil Gerard (in the title role) was a bland incarnation of the comic-strip hero, so the much-anticipated series premiered on September 20, 1979, with serious disadvantages. Although the two-hour pilot "Awakening" had tested successfully as a theatrical release, Gerard and the show's producers could never agree on a stable tone for the series, which presents Capt. William "Buck" Rogers as a jovial space cowboy who is accidentally time-warped from 1987 to 2491. Earth is engaged in interplanetary war following a global holocaust, and Buck's piloting skills make him an ideal starfighter recruit for the Earth Defense Directorate, where his closest colleagues are Dr. Huer (Tim O'Connor), squadron leader Col. Wilma Deering (former model Erin Gray, looking oh-so-foxy), the wisecracking robot Twiki (voiced by cartoon legend Mel Blanc), and a portable computer-brain named Dr. Theopolis, who's carried by Twiki like oversized bling-bling.

The series struggled through an awkward first season, with routine plots elevated by decent special effects and noteworthy guest stars including Jamie Lee Curtis, ill-fated Playboy Playmate Dorothy Stratten (appearing, with her voice dubbed over, less than a year before her tragic murder), Batman alumnus Julie Newmar, Buster Crabbe (veteran of vintage Buck Rogers movie serials), and several others in a show that favored vamps and vixens over credible science fiction. A full-scale overhaul resulted in a disastrous second season, but devoted fans still gravitate to Hawk (Thom Christopher), the charismatic alien "birdman" who was introduced with new characters and a new, space-faring search for lost tribes from Earth (with echoes of Larson's own Battlestar Galactica). Behind-the-scenes squabbles continued, and by mid-season of 1981, NBC pulled the plug on a breezy, still-engaging series that suffered from uneasy chemistry and never realized its full potential. Existing somewhere between Galactica and Lost in Space in the TV sci-fi food chain, this Buck--with a dearth of DVD extras--now functions as a cheesy stroll down memory lane. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

poor quality.......2007-06-28

Great to see this show on dvd. Unfortunately as other reviewers have noted the quality is suspect. I am not able to play the B sides on 3 of the 5 cds.
Hopefully you will get lucky and get one that works!

Buck Rogers rides again!!!!!!.......2007-06-27

Man what fun to watch this series again! Brings back memories of an great earlier time. Ater all these years it still will make you laugh.And the special effects still hold up nicley also. Great simple popcorn style entertainment. The box it comes in is sturdy and designed nicley too. If you have ever watched this way back when you won't be disappointed and if you haven't jump in and see why the older tv shows can still kick some serious butt on the new ones. !!! At least thats what I think anyway.

Great value for a great series!!.......2007-06-17

Buck Rogers in the 25th Century was a great series, since the primary goal of the entertainment industry was/is to ENTERTAIN. Buck Rogers in the 25th Century does this in spades!! I was not a young child when this series aired, I was 23, and yes, I had (and still have) a HUGE crush on Erin Gray. Yes, Pamela Hensley was delicious, too, but Erin Gray was my favorite by far! I would have loved to see the special features others have mentioned, especially the commentary from Erin Gray and Gil Gerard, but at this price point, I can't complain.

By the way - Amazon is incorrect when they say that the show was cancelled in mid-season the second year. The reason the second season has only eleven episodes is that there was an industry-wide actors strike at the beginning of that season, which delayed production and shortened the second season. Buck Rogers was cancelled at the END of that strike-abbreviated second season, despite the fact that the ratings (though lower than the first season) were still strong. NBC cited cost concerns. Wikipedia has a good article on this.

SURPRISED.......2007-06-16

How can they release an entire series onto DVD and not include commentary by Gil Gerard and Erin Gray? When is Universal going to get their heads out of their....well, intergalactic butts and realize this type of pop-culture audience who is going to actually BUY this stuff wants to listen to it? They are insane. MINUS 2 STARS SIMPLY BECAUSE UNIVERSAL IS CLUELESS.

Nice DVD Set but no extras.......2007-05-31

I have always been a fan of this show Buck Rogers in the 21 Centery has always had the tounge and cheek humor and great scifi plots. I remember this series on tv when i was growing up and it is great to finaly own them on dvd i just wish there were more extras but a very nice set to own.

Average customer rating:

Triumph of Effort and Courage
A simple but great autobiography of a hero
Excellent factual account of a true hero!
To Hell and Back
Great movie

To Hell and Back
Starring: Audie Murphy , Marshall Thompson , Charles Drake , Jack Kelly , and Gregg Palmer
Director: Jesse Hibbs
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Adventure | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

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World War II | Military & War | Genres | DVD | Video

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

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

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Sergeant York (Two-Disc Special Edition)
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ASIN: B0001FVDH8
Release Date: 2004-05-25

Amazon.com

Audie Murphy, the most decorated American soldier in World War II, enjoyed a Hollywood acting career after the fight. In this 1955 autobiographical film, however, he plays himself re-creating his own actions and movements in key battles. As strange as this project might have seemed to him at the time, the results are pretty impressive. The film, despite a flat script, is really a pretty good war drama about Murphy and his buddies making their way from North Africa to Berlin. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

Triumph of Effort and Courage.......2007-06-02

Murphy was perhaps the greatest citizen soldier ever. Today, his memory stands as a valuable lesson not only to the American youth, but also for the world as a whole.

Read this book if you wish to have any idea what real men are capable of.

A simple but great autobiography of a hero.......2007-05-12

This is a great account of a WW II hero. Read the actual Congressional Medal Of Honor Award to Audie Murphy on the Internet before you watch the movie. It really puts things in perspective doing it that way. Quality of the movie is not that great by todays standards but the story is worth having in your library. I would have given it 5 stars except for the quality of the production technology.

Excellent factual account of a true hero!.......2007-04-10

While some of the acting in the film was quite ordinary, this fact-based film biography of Audie Murphy, the most highly-decorated soldier in US history, and portrayed by himself, is essential to the serious war film collector. Murphy insisted that the scenarios presented in the film were factual, while some were, of course, dramatically enhanced for Hollywood consumption. It is a fast-moving story and definitely enjoyable.

To Hell and Back.......2007-04-08

I found the book to be a fascinating true account by Audie Murphy. It is a story that gives accurate details of what was happening but goes into indebt thought and feelings about his desire to survive. The closeness he and his buddies form during their time together and the feelings that they go through when one gets injuried or killed is spot on. Always knowing that they were fighting for not just personel survival but survival of the free world.

Great movie.......2007-03-30

I love this movie as I have seen it many times. Audie Murphy did a great job in playing himself, although it must have been really hard to relive.

A movie that I would highly recommend.

Average customer rating:

exodus was a gift purchase
exodus
A decent film.
A 210-Minute Run-Time Does Not Alone A Great Film Make
Birth of Israel

Exodus
Starring: Paul Newman , Eva Marie Saint , Ralph Richardson , Peter Lawford , and Lee J. Cobb
Director: Otto Preminger
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Classics | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

World War II | Military & War | Genres | DVD | Video