Stand and Deliver

Starring:Edward James Olmos, Estelle Harris, Mark Phelan, Virginia Paris, Mark Eliot, Adelaida Ãlvarez, Will Gotay, Patrick Baca, Ingrid Oliu, Carmen Argenziano, Richard Martinez (IV), Mark Everett, Tyde Kierney, Rosanna DeSoto, Bodie Olmos, Karla Montana, Vanessa Marquez, Daniel Villarreal, Lou Diamond Phillips, Michael Goldfinger
Director: RamÃ³n MenÃ©ndez
Studio: Warner Home Video
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com

Based on a true story, this inspiring American Playhouse production stars Edward James Olmos as a high school teacher who motivated a class full of East L.A. barrio kids to care enough about mathematics to pass an Advanced Placement Calculus Test. Not exactly a variation of To Sir, With Love, the film concerns itself with assumptions and biases held by mainstream authorities about disadvantaged kids, and Olmos's efforts to keep his students coolheaded enough to prove them wrong. Olmos, virtually unrecognizable as the pudgy, balding instructor, gives a career performance in this fine piece directed by Ramón Menéndez, and written by the director and Tom Musca. --Tom Keogh

Description

Edward James Olmos's Oscar-nominated performance energizes this true-life story of a Los Angeles high school teacher who drives his students on to excellence at calculus.

Customer Reviews:

To understand people who are different, you have to be one.......2007-06-08

Along with Music of the Mind, Dangerous Minds and Radio and others, this is the message. Real people are making real differences and it is on DVD. Play this at home, often. It has enough threat of violence to meet the average American mind, then slips the fact that an effort invested pays great social dividends;

Increasing Probability.......2007-04-17

'Stand and Deliver' is a ground-breaking true-life tale of determination and innovation. The film is based on Jaime Escalante (James Edward Olmos), a financially successful man who trades his profession to teach school in L.A. Not accepting failure, he earns the trust of his students whose cynicism is unmatched by everyone except the teachers. Using colorful tactics, toughness, and humor, he wins his mostly hispanic classes by bridging the gap between what they can learn and what they've despaired of ever learning. Using his own dedication to build confidence, he catalyzes his students to use the educational ticket out of despair and poverty.

Comparing Olmos performance to real videos of Escalante, the actor hit the nail on the head. All the young performers bring such likable and identifiable students that they make us forget the groundbreaking nature of "The Sweat Hogs" (from TV's 'Welcome Back Kotter'). Endearing from start to finish, the story and characters are especially lovable. Even the hard-boiled shell of students like Angel are particularly charismatic. (Lou Diamond Phillips became an overnight sensation for his performance here.) Similar movies like 'Freedom Writers' today wouldn't have been conceivable without it.

Stand and Deliver "stands and delivers".......2007-04-10

I like this movie because it reminds me of AP Calculus and how hard that test was. I got a 5, but only because I took Algebra II, Geometry, Precalculus in the years previous to that. I can't imagine having to basically learn all the way from remedial algebra to Calculus in a 2 year span.

I was in a pretty low-income area too, but luckily the school wasn't so bad, and just as the movie suggests, Calculus is the key to move on to bigger and better things, and more interesing schoolwork, like University Physics, Engineering, Computer Science, etc.

It also gives you ability to improve your SAT Math score because you reinforce all the algebra trickery you may have missed in the previous years, because they are used in calculus too.

Even if you don't get credit for it at your college, having gone through the class helps to breeze through it in college. Even if you are not going to major in math and science, at least this will take care of any math requirements for your major, and you'll have the satisfaction of knowing you know way more (in terms of analytical skill and thought process) than the college remedial algebra they would otherwise place you in.

I highly recommend this to anyone in high school or eigth grade. When in doubt as to whether to take the AP class versus the Honors level class, I ALWAYS recommend to choose the AP level course; but take that with a grain of salt, that's just my humble opinion, and your situation may be different.

However, I think if the school's paying for the test, you may as well save the time and money in college it would require to take the course, and if it's too hard you can always not take the AP Test until next year.

Stand and Deliver.......2007-01-25

I remember reading several years ago of a schoolteacher, new to a school, who was given a list of all her pupils' names. Next to each name was a number. These numbers were high ones, and assuming that they were a list of her new pupils IQ's, the teacher realised that she was to be teaching exceptionally bright young minds.

She upped her teaching accordingly. The students all responded and received exceptionally high marks at the high level set for them. It was later revealed that they were only average students, and what the teacher had taken to be IQ's were their locker numbers.

Stand and Deliver reminded me of this story. I think it is a fine film, the `true' story being beautifully acted by a talented cast. They are all good but Edward James Olmos deserves special praise as the teacher. If there were more teachers like him we should all rejoice.

If you sometimes think that the human condition is beyond saving see this uplifting account of triumph over adversity.

A wonderful affirmation of both individual human worth and the value of knowledge.......2007-01-22

Although there are many movies and television series set in high schools, lamentably few celebrate the joy of learning and the sense of empowerment and achievement that it can generate. As much as any film ever made, STAND AND DELIVER does precisely that. Based on the true story of Jaime A. Escalante, the film toys, as most biopics do, with many of the details of Escalante's actual story, but it definitely gets at the heart of his story. The film implies that Escalante instantly began teaching college AP Calculus to his students, whereas in fact he had been teaching at Garfield High School for almost a decade. But timing aside, he is justly celebrated as one of America's best known educators, helping the students of largely Hispanic Garfield enjoy exceptional success in its math program.

Despite the liberties the film takes in the story of Escalante's story, this is easily one of the great films about education ever made in the United States. It is also a deeply subversive film, because it essentially argues that race and class is not a genuine impediment to academic success. It demonstrates that kids from remarkably poor households can excel in school if given both the opportunity and a teacher who cares. The overall story in the film is simple: Jaime A. Escalante arrives at Garfield High School and begins to teach math. Against all odds, he finds students who turn out to be high achievers despite the obstacles placed against them. Most of the narrative focuses on his 1982 class, in which 18 students passed the AP Calculus exam, but 14 were asked to retake the exam following accusations of cheating. 12 of the 14 did and passed a second time.

What makes this such a wonderfully rich film are the strong performances by the central characters. Edward James Olmos, who I have long considered one of the finest actors in America, won a well-deserved Oscar nomination for Best Actor for his performance as Escalante (he lost to Dustin Hoffman in RAIN MAN). The rest of the cast centers on the young actors who portray his 1982 class, the best-known being Lou Diamond Phillips. Most of the kids were and are unknowns (with a couple of exceptions), but all do a great job. But Olmos dominates the film, just as his Escalante dominates his class.

By the way, fans of the Sci Fi Channel should notice not one but three familiar faces from staple shows from that network. Edward James Olmos has, of course, for the past three years starred in the critically acclaimed BATTLESTAR GALACTICA as Admiral Bill Adama. Fans of that show might, however, have missed in STAND AND DELIVER Olmos's real life son Bodie, here playing Escalante's young son. On BATTLESTAR he appears as the Viper pilot Hot Dog. The school principal is played by Carmen Argenziano, who is familiar to fans of STARGATE SG-1 as Samantha Carter's father, Jacob Carter.

Average customer rating:

Great combo
2 Winners, 1 Package

Stand and Deliver/Lean on Me
Starring: Edward James Olmos , Estelle Harris , Mark Phelan , Virginia Paris , and Mark Eliot
Director: Ramón Menéndez , and John G. Avildsen
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

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

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

The Ron Clark Story
Dead Poets Society (Special Edition)
Freedom Writers (Widescreen Edition)
Mr. Holland's Opus
To Sir, With Love

ASIN: B000K2UGZM
Release Date: 2007-01-02

Description

Look at the too-cool-to-cope kids in Jaime Escalante's class at East L.A.'s tough Garfield High, and many will say they see a bunch of losers. Escalante sees scholars. How he cajoles, instructs, challenges and inspires his no-expectations barrio kids to pass the daunting Calculus Advanced Placement Test forms the amazing heart of Stand and Deliver [Side A], starring Edward James Olmos and Lou Diamond Phillips. Paterson, New Jersey's Eastside High is the setting for Lean on Me [Side B], starring Morgan Freeman as bat-and-bullhorn-toting principal Joe Clark, whose controversial methods turned the failing school around and made Clark a national symbol of tough-love education. His message: Don't lean on excuses, drugs or anger. Lean on yourself and me...and learn. School's now in session with these two true-life tales!

Customer Reviews:

Great combo.......2007-02-07

Great combo of two movies in one. no special features though, but the movies are both great and the quality is good too. If your looking for a no frills look at the movies, this is it.

2 Winners, 1 Package.......2007-01-18

You simply can't go wrong with this DVD containing two outstanding films on educators who inspire their students in two utterly different ways.

In "Stand and Deliver" Edward James Olmos, almost unrecognizable, rightly earned an Oscar Nomination for his portrayal of an idealistic teacher in a run-down school. He makes extraordinary efforts to connect and motivate his students. He is a shining example of that cliche term "No one cares how much you know until the know how much you care." Olmos's character cares more than any teacher I have ever met myself. Awesomely inspiring!

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

As a 16 year veteran teacher I love nothing more than inspirational stories about education. Both of these films are now available in one package and definitely worth the purchase! If you are moved by other stories in the same vein, then check out "Mr. Holland's Opus", "To Sir with Love", "The Blackboard Jungle", "Dead Poet's Society", "Take the Lead", and "Akeelah and the Bee."

Average customer rating:

Stand And Deliver
Starring: Edward James Olmos
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

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

4-for-3 All DVDs | 4-for-3 DVD | Stores | DVD | Video

( S ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
ASIN: B000GAKBSA
Release Date: 2005-11-29

Stand and Deliver: The Very Best of Adam & the Ants

Average customer rating:

Adam Delivers on 2-Disc Set!
Adam & The Cants.
Stand and Delivered
the best nostalgic collecion of the best performer of the 80'
Fantastic Span

Stand and Deliver: The Very Best of Adam & the Ants
Starring: Adam & the Ants
Manufacturer: Sony / Bmg Import
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Post-Punk | New Wave & Post-Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

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

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

Stand & Deliver: The Autobiography
Antbox
Dirk Wears White Sox
Strip
Kings of the Wild Frontier

ASIN: B000KGGHII
Release Date: 2007-01-02

Customer Reviews:

Adam Delivers on 2-Disc Set!.......2007-06-02

First of all, let me say that these discs played fine in my all-region DVD player. I know some people are complaining that they can only view it in ther computers but I think maybe they don't have all-region players. They are very cheap now; I think mine cost $39.

Anyway, on to Adam! It's great to have all the videos together. ."Xerox" is a nice bonus. I know there are a few early vids I've seen on youtube that aren't here ("Plastic Surgery" for example), but who's complaining? The picture quality is mostly good. A few of the videos, like "Stand & Deliver" don't seem to be top-notch image quality for some reason. They don't look like they are direct transfers from the original master, but rather from a copy. I have a VHS copy of "Antics in the Forbidden Zone" and "Stand & Deliver" looks more high quality on that. Or maybe my eyes are playing tricks on me. But anyway, it's not very noticeable.

It's interesintg to wach Adam's progress from the early vids to the latest ones. He is definitely punkier than people generally remember him in some of the early ones like the live "Your'e So Physical". There is a great TV lip-synch performance of "Dog Eat Dog"--It's very good! (Although "Antics" had an equally killer live video for this song). This one is kind of interesting since in the documentary they say the video is from the band's first UK television appearance. Adam belies his seemingly calm exterior when he experiences two minor (but funny) prop/costume malfunctions; first he draws out his pointing stick like a sword and it gets stuck in the mic stand, then seconds later one of the scarves pinned to his jacket flaps across his face, obscuring it for a moment. Adam looks like he is either pissed or about to laugh, and you can see him break character for just a second. I love moments like this!

"Xerox" is probably the least-seen of the videos on this collection--it features a younger, femmier Adam from the "Dirk Wears White Socks" era, in makeup dancing and bouncing in front of some neon lights.This is a no-budget video most likely produced and made by Adam himself with a pal. There's no editing at all--just one long shot wherein the camera tries to create movement by constnatly zooming in and out. Talk about DIY--but you've got to start somewhere, right? It's a nice bonus even though it's cheap and unimaginative compared to the clips that follow.

"Antmusic", in my opinion, is the one clip that manages to best balance image & content, with Adam the Glam Jim-Morrison converting the skeptics on the dancefloor and cockily telling everyone to "unplug the jukebox and do us all a favor! THAT music's lost it's taste so do us all a favor....Antumusic!"

Kings of the Wild Frontier has a very home-made look to it but it goes perfectly with the rawness of the recording. Stand & Deliver is probably the one people remember the best, with Adam the dandy highwayman in his pirate garb jumping out of trees, robbing people, transfixed by his reflection in mirrors, crashing through plate glass windows and nearly being hung at the end--it's great fun, although it almost has the feel of Saturday morning TV.

Even more so is "Prince Charming" (which has another hilarious wardrobe malfunction--watch for the pink drag queen losing her headdress in the final wide shot of everyone at the ball dancing the "Prince Charming" with Adam in center),. Still, it's cute and fun--with Adam as Cinderella (Cinderfella?) and Diana Dors as the fairy godmother that turns his stuffed cat into a live leapord, puts him in his fancy duds with a wave of her magic wand, and then makes a convertible materialize so Adam can take himself to the ball and dance the Prince Charming! (Adam's reactions to the clothes & the car are priceless!) This video would be considered hopelessly goofy if it were made today--but that's partly what gives it it's charm. Videos were new then and artists were playing with the medium, playing at being television and film stars.

Adam's music has always focused on storytelling and comic strip-sensibilities. I don't hold it against him as an artist that these videos seem like they were made with kids in mind. Why not? After all, the main consumers of pop music are people ranging from little children to adolescents. What's wrong with aiming a product at them? Adam never pretended to be the Bob Dylan. In his own words, he's a "song and dance man", an entertainer. I actually pefer his music & videos to many "greater" musicians who are consumed with their own importance.

Anyway, in a world that's noticibly grimmer than when these videos were conceived and made, it's comforting and nostalgic to go back to the innocence of them now. Desperate But Not Serious, Goody Two Shoes, Apollo 9, Vive Le Rock, and Wonderful all entertain these many years later, the latter being a surprisingly direct & emotional song for Adam, who usually is separated from the passion of his own protagonists by many degrees of irony. This one is movingly raw and simple. I would almost say it's the first song that he seems to have written for adult listeners.

The second disc is a documentary on Adam along the lines of A&E Biography or Behind the Music. Adam is interviewed and appears somewhat catatonic with a bandana covering his head (did he lose his hair?) It's fascinating and sad to see him tour his old home "Luxe", which he had custom built for himself from an old country home in 1985. He shows the viewers his old costumes from the Ant days and seems wistful & slightly sad doing it. He comes off as very fragile, very intelligent. Multi-talented too-- his storyboards for his videos are quite good,; their whimsicality tells more about Adam's sense of humor & imagination than anything he says in his otherwise rather stilted interview. If you liked his music the first time around, or if you like the early eighties in general, you will most likely be entertained by this well-made set. Adam was one of the best pop-rockers of the early eighties and inspite of his gimmickry I find his music & videos still captivating today. Let's hope Antproduct keeps coming!

Adam & The Cants........2007-05-18

I've loved A&A videos since (t)he(y) first appeared on MTV back in the early 1980's. With their rock-a-billy / punkish sound and Adam's charisma, they were perfect for the video format. I would have gave this DVD package a resounding 5 Stars!!! (USA BUYER BEWARE WARNING!!) Unfortunately, I had the same problem as one of the earlier reviewers had: IT WON'T PLAY ON MY DVD PLAYER! How lame is that!? It's 2007, I own a $1000 Surround Sound Theater System and it is NOT compatible to play / view? This sucks BIG TIME! So, off it goes...back to Amazon for a refund until A&A can STAND AND DELIVER a U.S. region DVD set that I can play on my system. What a shame and waste of my time. But I still love the music!

Stand and Delivered.......2007-05-18

It is absolutely brilliant. It brought back many memories from those days in the eighties. The Clubs, dancing, dress, his concerts. A truly great performer, who made you feel like you were the only person there in the building, and he was just singing to you. The documentary was a little sad, to see this creative person look so frail, but also inspiring that there may be another shot of Ant Music to come. Totally worth it

Katherine (Aust)

the best nostalgic collecion of the best performer of the 80'.......2007-05-13

he is probably the most fabulous artist that now how to create many great songs, and in the same time take care on his unique performing.
this dvd is an ant-hill for adam's admirer.
dont miss it !

Fantastic Span.......2007-05-07

I loved the DVD set. The only thing wrong with the set is, it will not play in a regular DVD player. You have to use a computer to view both disc. Other than that, it's a fantastic timeline through videos and documentry. I can't wait to receive my copy of his book.

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