American Movie

Starring:Mark Borchardt, Tom Schimmels, Monica Borchardt, Alex Borchardt, Chris Borchardt, Ken Keen (II), Mike Schank, Matt Weisman, Bill Borchardt, Cliff Borchardt, Tom Beach (II), Joan Petrie, Robert Richard Jorge, Dean Allen, Tom Dallace, Billy Crystal
Director: Chris Smith (II)
Studio: Sony Pictures
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com essential video
Struggling filmmaker Mark Borchardt is the subject of American Movie, and he may also be the most determined man you'll ever meet. The straggly haired, fast-talking, Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, native lists his greatest influences as Dawn of the Dead, Night of the Living Dead, and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. He began making horror movies as a gangly adolescent, and is now set on finishing Coven (which he pronounces like "woven"), the "35-minute direct market thriller" he has worked on for two years. In the process, he steadfastly battles immense debt, the threat of losing his kids, and birds chirping gleefully through scenes set in the dead of winter. His mother would rather do her shopping than be an extra, his brother contends he's best suited for factory work, and his father just wants him to "watch the language."

Standing by him through it all is Mark's childhood buddy, Mike Schank, who is the strongest weapon against drug use a task force could ever hope for, and Uncle Bill, begrudging financier of Coven, who appears to be wasting away before our very eyes. In less perceptive hands these two could easily become caricatures--the burnt-out stoner and the crotchety old coot--but through director Chris Smith's lens we see why Mark loves them, why they love Mark, and why each of these stories is uniquely compelling.

Amazon.com essential video

Robert Duvall and Tommy Lee Jones star as Gus McCrae and Woodrow Call, aging cowboys and former Texas rangers and who organize a 2,500 mile cattle drive for one last great adventure in this excellent 1989 miniseries adaptation of Larry McMurtry's novel. The best friends, who steal the herd from a gang of Mexican cattle rustlers, drive their herd from Texas to Montana, battling horse thieves, angry Indian tribes, and a renegade half-breed killer named Blue Duck (Frederic Forrest) on a mission of revenge. The excellent cast also includes Robert Urich as cardsharp and former Ranger Jake Spoon, Anjelica Huston as McCrae's old flame Clara Allen, Danny Glover, Ricky Schroder, Diane Lane, Chris Cooper, D.B. Sweeney, Steve Buscemi, and even a small role for author Larry McMurtry. Australian director Simon Wincer shows a tremendous capacity for balancing sweeping drama and intimacy against the gorgeous landscape of the American Southwest, giving a grandly epic feel to the film despite its small-screen target and limited budget, and for forging memorable characters of even the smallest supporting parts. The heart of the drama belongs to McCrae and Call, memorably etched by Duvall and Jones as the last of the range romantics. In the age of revisionist Westerns, this excellent cattle-drive drama nicely maintains an old-fashioned feeling while still showing the dark side of the American West. Winner of seven Emmy Awards and responsible for two miniseries sequels (Return to Lonesome Dove and Dead Man's Walk) and a TV series. --Sean Axmaker

Customer Reviews:

Lonesome Dove.......2007-06-08

This dvd starts off slow, but you get so attached to the characters. It is very authentic historically. You will laugh, cry, and think about the characters and story for a long time after viewing!!

The real deal........2007-05-15

This is the second time I had purchased this Title. The first one had anything but the original actors. This one is the real deal and the movie is excellent.

Great Drama & Storytelling leaves you begging for more.......2007-04-29

this is without a doubt the best Western ever, and for Western Lovers, there's more, the whole Lonesome Dove series is worth owning. I recommend reading the books also,.... more than once

Duval is an American treasure!.......2007-04-19

If I could have given this film 10 stars, I would have. This is an important film. Important in that every American should see it. The chemistry between Duval and Jones is superb. I watch the DVD about every six months or so. What can one say about Duval? His performance is the best he's ever done and puts him on my list of top five actors of all time. He's even said that this role was his finest. My only regret was that this was a TV mini series and not eligible for Oscar consideration. If it had been Duval would have walked off the stage with his second Best Actor statue. Please do not miss this.

one of the greatest westerns adapted from a great novel.......2007-04-10

luckily this screenplay was not scripted by the author himself like 'dead man's walk', so all the unnecessary non-stop yammering of gus from page one until he died was so smartly omitted that making this 'lonesome dove' movie one of the greatest westerns ever made into movie. wonderful cast, terrific performance by all the actors in it. great screenplay, wonderful and appropriate sound track lingering behind, floating up in time to deepen the feeling of every specific moment. duvall did a better-than-oscar-nomination performance, amazingly made that unforgettable character alive and became a larger-than-life image. tommy lee jones was also the best choice playing call's role. wonderful cinematography footage and settings, not one inch wasted or misplaced.

Blazing Saddles (30th Anniversary Special Edition)

Average customer rating:

Blazing Saddles
Funny, Funnier, Funniest
Classic scenes are cut out
Enjoyable once in awhile
A Mel Must-Own

Blazing Saddles (30th Anniversary Special Edition)
Starring: Richard Collier , Carol DeLuise , Dom DeLuise , Liam Dunn , and George Furth
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0001Z4OXS
Release Date: 2004-06-29

Amazon.com essential video

Mel Brooks scored his first commercial hit with this raucous Western spoof starring the late Cleavon Little as the newly hired (and conspicuously black) sheriff of Rock Ridge. Sheriff Bart teams up with deputy Jim (Gene Wilder) to foil the railroad-building scheme of the nefarious Hedley Lamarr (Harvey Korman). The simple plot is just an excuse for a steady stream of gags, many of them unabashedly tasteless, that Brooks and his wacky cast pull off with side-splitting success. The humor is so juvenile and crude that you just have to surrender to it; highlights abound, from the lunkheaded Alex Karras as the ox-riding Mongo to Madeline Kahn's uproarious send-up of Marlene Dietrich as saloon songstress Lili Von Shtupp. Adding to the comedic excess is the infamous campfire scene involving a bunch of hungry cowboys, heaping servings of baked beans and, well, you get the idea. --Jeff Shannon

Description

The railroad's got to run through the town of Rock Ridge. How do you drive out the townfolk in order to steal their land? Send in the toughest gang you've got...and name a new sheriff who'll last about 24 hours. But that's not really the plot of Blazing Saddles, just the pretext. Once Mel Brooks' lunatic film many call his best gets started, logic is lost in a blizzard of gags, jokes, quips, puns, howlers, growlers and outrageous assaults upon good taste or any taste at all. Cleavon Little as the new lawman, Gene Wilder as the wacko Waco Kid, Brooks himself as a dim-witted politico and Madeline Kahn in her Marlene Dietrich send-up that earned an Academy Award nomination all give this sagebrush saga their lunatic best. And when Blazing Saddles can't contain itself at the finale, it just proves the Old West will never be the same!

Customer Reviews:

Blazing Saddles.......2007-07-03

Tastelessly ribald spoof of Hollywood Westerns packs a lot of silly madcap comedy into its 90-minute running time. Just about everyone imaginable becomes the target of Mel Brooks's shamelessly funny lampooning, and Harvey Korman, Slim Pickens, and the great Gene Wilder turn in some of the loopiest performances of their careers. Madeline Kahn is especially memorable as Lilli Von Shtupp, a Marlene Dietrich-like chanteuse. If you're in the mood for humor that's lewd, crude and unabashedly infantile, hitch your wagon to "Blazing Saddles".

Funny, Funnier, Funniest.......2007-06-18

The first movie that my wife watched in one sitting and wanted to see again the next evening. Side splitting and healthy slapstick as only Mel could make.

Classic scenes are cut out.......2007-06-10

If you like this movie, DO NOT buy this edition, as some classic scenes have been cut out of this early-DVD era release. Buy the 30th anniversary edition instead.

Enjoyable once in awhile.......2007-06-01

Frankly, I don't find Blazing Saddles to be THAT funny. It's a movie that you can enjoy watching about once every ten years or so, but not any more often. Mongo is funny, and Gene Wilder gives a fantastic dramatic performance as always. Otherwise, there's not much about Blazing Saddles that's really that amazing. It's amusing, but not once did I laugh out loud. And even though it is obviously used to make a political statement, the repeated use of the "N" word still turned me off. I know it was being used tongue-in-cheek, but like most of the bits in this movie, I just didn't find it funny. Another mark against this movie is that due to its age, many of the cameos and cultural references go over the head of people today, not even realizing who they are seeing or that certain things are being parodied. Overall, more boring than funny, even when you know what the references are.

A Mel Must-Own.......2007-05-31

Probably the best, if not, the most influential of all of Brooks' films. Probably couldn't be released today with all the PC watchdogs howling, but that's another matter all together! Madeline Kahn at her finest with her tongue-in-cheek Dietrich send-up! No comedy collection should be without this masterpiece!

Average customer rating:

One damn awful film!
Love and Sex
Huh?
so-so
could a movie be any duller?

9 songs - Unrated Full Uncut Version
Starring: Kieran O'Brien , Margo Stilley , Huw Bunford , Cian Ciaran , and The Dandy Warhols
Director: Michael Winterbottom
Manufacturer: Tartan Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Lie With Me
Intimacy (Unrated, Widescreen Edition)
The Dreamers (Original Uncut NC-17 Version)
Romance
Devil in the Flesh

ASIN: B000BGH29K
Release Date: 2005-11-22

Amazon.com

Maverick director Michael Winterbottom wondered about the double standard of why novels can have explicit sex scenes and be legit and films could not. So his short film of a relationship based solely on sex and a love for music is the result of that thought. If the definition of a porn film is to shoot actors performing graphic sex scenes for real, then 9 Songs qualifies. It certainly doesn't feel or look like your standard whoopdee-do XXX feature. It's as glossy and low-budget arty as Winterbottom's 24 Hour Party People or I Want You. But yeah, Matt and Lisa do everything to each other, and the actors are not "just acting" in some of the sex scenes. No matter how landmark the movie might be, there is not much story here (at least a book with hot sex often has a good story to it). Lisa is an American drifter in London who hooks up with Matt, a scientist who studies glaciers in Antarctica. They have sex and visit nine rock concerts including Franz Ferdinand and The Dandy Warhols. As advertised, you can't find these musical performances anywhere else, but we just see them from way back in the crowd. The film has an essence of how someone can find bliss in another person's body, and the emotional, magical weight that can hold over you. But that spell doesn't last. Since the sex is real, Winterbottom had to cast unknown actors, and they really don't make an impression, especially with the lack of story. --Doug Thomas

Description

Matt, a young glaciologist, soars across the vast, silent, icebound immensities of the South Pole as he recalls his love affair with Lisa. They meet at a mobbed rock concert in a vast music hall - London's Brixton Academy. They are in bed at night's end. Together, over a period of several months, they pursue a mutual sexual passion whose stages unfold in counterpoint to nine live-concert songs. Featuring nine live concert performances not available anywhere else by Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, The Von Bondies, Elbow, Primal Scream, The Dandy Warhols, Super Furry Animals, Franz Ferdinand and Michael Nyman. Special features include a Concert Performance-only option.

Customer Reviews:

One damn awful film!.......2007-07-03

Please, dont anyone tell me this is some erotic Romeo and Juliet, dont anyone complain about this film being 'too explicit' this film is bad because.....well it is just plain awful.

Two ugly students, one an American with an accent so anoying that it makes you want to punch her the second an Englishman so boring you wish he would fall down one of those glaciers he is exploring meet up, go to so called 'indie' shows down the Brixton academy, have sex a few times, make a pathetic attempt to take drugs, argue a bit, then brake up. Just about sums up the film.

If this is what anyone realy considers a good plot consider putting a gun to your head and putting yourself out of your misery. So what there are '9 songs' in the film and that is some kind of clever link to the title, so what? If anyone thinks two half starved students engaging in sex is erotic well.....er each to their own I guess.

In this world the director used amature actors, I hear in Road to Guantanimo he did the same. I can only asume that in 9 songs he used the same format because these two planks cant possibly be professional actors. I even watched the extra footage which included an interview with the main actress who is even more anoying in real life than she is when she is making her poor attempt at acting.

Awful film, avoid at all costs. I shudder at the thought of this film as I write this review.

Love and Sex.......2007-06-05

I thought that this film did a great job in depicting modern life, especially that of a young urbanite.

Much has been said in the reviews about the reliance on sex to underline the story and to be honest doesn't sex underpin much of our lives?

I like the fact that the sex is less overt at the start of the film; though it is happening we get only glimpses and teasing rather than a full on show (a likeness to those first exploratory forays with a new lover?), however as the couple relax further into their relationship the sex becomes more selfish and frank. By the final act of the film, as the relationship begins to fail, the sex is at it's most explicit (shown in sun drenched hues, lazy and slow - often the indicator of romance in films), but in this case the realty of boredom and routine.

I enjoyed the film though, like most, I found some of the sex shocking. But it made me think and, it certainly felt like a real place and not some cinematic creation.

Huh?.......2007-05-14

This movie was very hard to follow. The only thing I got was the fact that
she left him at the end. I didn't care for it too much.

so-so.......2007-05-12

Film started off ok but after a bit it wasb very repetative and boring.

could a movie be any duller?.......2007-04-16

A not too good looking guy meets a really skinny girl at a rock concert. He takes her home and they do it. They see another band, and they do it some more. And so it goes on. And then the girl leaves and the guy resumes his job studying antarctic ice. End of story.
What we see: Medium-core porn that never becomes interesting, let alone exciting. A couple of rock bands that sound pretty much the same and look pretty much the same. Oh, and Michael Nyman playing the piano for an enjoyable minute or three.
What we learn: Rock may not be dead, but it's seriously ill. Porn may not be an artform, but it IS a craft and it DOES require skill and the power to convince - and boy, are these 'actors' and director powerless.

Star Wars Episode IV - A New Hope (1977 & 2004 Versions, 2-Disc Widescreen Edition)

Average customer rating:

george come on!
Original version is important.
Thanks for nothing, George.
A Long, Long time ago . . . The World was soon to be completely amazed and I just turned 13 in May 1977
George, if it ain't broke, don't fix it! Rated: *(****)

Star Wars Episode IV - A New Hope (1977 & 2004 Versions, 2-Disc Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Mark Hamill , Harrison Ford , Carrie Fisher , Peter Cushing , and Alec Guinness
Director: George Lucas
Manufacturer: Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000FQJAIW
Release Date: 2006-09-12

Amazon.com

The 2006 limited-edition two-disc release of George Lucas's epic space fantasy Star Wars is not only the first time the movie has been officially available by itself on DVD. It marks the first-ever DVD release of Star Wars as it originally played in theaters in 1977. What does that mean exactly? Well, for starters, the initial title crawl proclaims that this is just Star Wars, not Episode IV, A New Hope. Second, the film is without the various "improvements" and enhancements Lucas added for the theatrical rerelease in 1997 as well as the DVD premiere in 2004. So no more critters and droids scurrying around the port of Mos Eisley when Luke and Obi-Wan Kenobi first arrive, no meetings between Han Solo and Jabba the Hut and between Luke and Biggs (extraneous scenes that were cut in 1977), no enhanced explosions during the final reel, and--most importantly to some fans--no more of Greedo shooting first in the bar. Instead Han is free to be the scoundrel and not even let Greedo squeeze off a shot.

What do you lose by watching the 1977 version? Dolby Digital 5.1 EX sound, for one thing (only 2.0 Surround here). Digital cleanup for another--Tatooine looks like it's been coated with an additional layer of sand cloud. But for home-theater owners, the biggest frustration will be from the non-anamorphic picture. On a widescreen TV, an anamorphically enhanced (16x9) picture at a 2.35:1 aspect ratio will fill the screen with the exception of small black bars on the top and bottom. The original edition of Star Wars, however, is not anamorphically enhanced (sometimes referred to as "4:3 letterbox"), so on a widescreen TV it will have large black bars on the top, the bottom, and the sides unless you stretch the picture (and distort it in the process, especially considering the substandard picture quality). If you're watching on a standard square-shaped (4:3) TV, though, you won't notice a difference.

Yes, it's true that serious home-theater lovers who want spectacular sound and anamorphically enhanced picture can always watch the 2004 version of the movie also included in this set. But chances are good that they already picked up the trilogy edition of all three films, so their decision to buy the 2006 two-disc edition depends on how much they want the original film. The official LucasFilm stance is that this is an individual release of the 2004 version of Star Wars: Episode IV, A New Hope, and the 1977 version of the film is merely a "bonus feature." Common speculation is that the only reason the original versions are seeing the official light of day at all is to undercut the booming black market for the laserdisc version. Star Wars fans will have to decide for themselves if that's worth the purchase. --David Horiuchi

Description

For the first time ever and for a limited time only, the enhanced versions of the Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope, Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back and Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi will be available individually on DVD. Plus, these 2-Disc DVD's will feature a bonus disc that includes, for the first time ever on DVD, the original films as seen in theaters in 1977, 1980 and 1983.

Customer Reviews:

george come on!.......2007-06-25

com on George why don't you stop giving everybody this cheesy stuff? If you are going to remaster them, make everything better! picture sound, lightsaber and blast improvmets. and if u r going to sell the unre,astered then sell it Untouched! the only button u should press is the ''copy button''

Original version is important........2007-06-19

Personaly, I just wish to have both versions in good remastering in Anamorphic and DTS sound. Special verion is important but the Original is more important beause it has all the footages from 1977 release.

Special edition is important because it has Mr. Lucas real vision, which is being unabled to creat at that time. It is understandable but i was hoping to see the original in good picture and sound because i do agree with all reviewers that it was good enough and no needing for improvment. Changing the original for better might fix some part while destort another. The 1977 opening title was very simple and wonderul which was truly unforgttable watching it at theater as it apeared very new look, by adding new titles like IV New hope it felt destort that simplicity and add complexity, sometimes it felt like watching a TV series rather than a motion picture.

About new added footages of Jabba, the more i realized that im watching an animated picture the more i loose apatites to watch it more. Same thing to spaceships in last battle scene, i dont know if they are worthy and not staying with old ones. The more reshaping picture for better the more it become unrealistic and loose its powerfull effect.

But perhapse adding new footages without deleting old ones in order to expand the scene in general, it would be a good idea and interesting, especially in the last battle scene in my opinion.

Finaly, about the information displayed in beginning when louding DVD discs. Please can anyone inform the manufactures to disable these and just let the movie begain like old VHS and Laser Discs? Theses menues add more headache and complexity. A desire to watch one small part in the movie and leave, will require long time just pressing bottums and skipping.

Thanks for nothing, George........2007-06-14

I am just guessing here, but I think I know what's going to happen. In about 12-24 months we're going to get word that the Star Wars movies are scheduled to be released in High Definition. But they will only be available in a gorgeously-designed glossy 9-DVD Box Set, with all of the films (special editions), extras. Maybe it will have the original Star Wars illustration of Darth Vader across the box -- and it will be something around $200 list, $140 on Amazon.

Then once again people will voice their fury at Lucasfilm's arrogance. We will be stuck with Hayden Christansen digitally inserted into the finale of Return of the Jedi, a ridiculous CGI Jabba, the slobbering Max Reebo band, and everything else we detest.

Then in about 2010 an ageing Lucas will relent, say he has listened to all the hearfelt pleas, and to much ballyhoo announce that yes he will indeed be releasing the original versions, and yes, because he cares so much, he will even clean them up and release them properly. He will be a compassionate hero while at the same time make umpteen millions more.

Don't give this guy any more money. What he has done here is shameless and rude to the original fanbase. Non-anamorphic tranfers in this day and age is ridiculous.

A Long, Long time ago . . . The World was soon to be completely amazed and I just turned 13 in May 1977.......2007-06-11

The magical accending words that opened this phenomenon back on May 25th, 1977 @ SpringField Mall (VA) theatres; sent this 13 yr old 70's child into an endless STAR WARS fandom. I became instantly obsessed with bubble gum trading cards, comic books, action firgures, Jedi Knights and Light Sabers.

Originally, my family and I viewed our 1st screening of STAR WARS IV @ the 1 & 2 cinemas that use to reside in Bailey's Crossroads - Falls Church, VA (sad to say the theatre is no longer there). Massive long, long lines as all can remember, but much fun and laughter . . . all worth the wait. Not long after the 1st viewing, my mum would drop me off @ Springfield Mall w/my pals and we would make a day of seeing STAR WARS a few times; and then off to the arcade playing STAR WARS pinball, space invaders and air hockey. As the saying goes . . . those were the days.

Here we are at the 30th Anniversary of EPISODE IV and my where the time has gone. Sometimes it seems just yesterday, when I was basking in the bright sun standing within a long line at the neigborhood ice cream truck, looking at what STAR WARS trading cards I had in my hand and what I was going to soon own. And the glorious feeling I had once I purchased a few pacs of those magical fantastic cards. Thou sometimes it seems (as the opening words go) - A long time ago in a galaxy far far away . . .

After I received a stero system from my dad on that B-Day, I purchased an 8 track tape of IV and would listen to it every night faithfully. As I would drift off to sleep, the STAR WARS world came alive in my mind and a smile always laid upon my face. The tape was a condensed version of the movie and it too was extraordinary.
I can remember fading to black with the sounds of RD-D2, C-3PO, Chewie, Han, Luke, Ben, Leia, Tie-Fighters & X-Wings, the infamous M-Falcon, Sand People, Gran Moff Tarkin, the Death Star and the wonderful music. The best for last was the sounds of Vader's breathing and James Earl Jone's voice commanding the Dark Sith Lord.

The daily hustle & bustle of the modern world as a child seems incoherent. For a childs mind is always filled with play and or mischief and adventure. As an adult I am reminded of those times and long hours of role playing games. So, when I put EPISODE IV in the vcr, instantly I venture back to those days and of my wonderful memories that Mr. Lucas so kindly injested immortal memroies into my creative vortex.

Still after all these years and with the enhancement of special effects, I have and will evermore enjoy STAR WARS- A NEW HOPE. Always will I remember the monumental movie making experience it gave leading us into the 21st century.

Some of my favorite quotes:
"Help me Obi-Wan Kenobi, you're my only hope" - Princess Leia
"Into the garbage chute, flyboy." - Leia

"Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side, kid" - Han Solo
"Let him have it. It's not wise to upset a Wookiee.' - Han Solo

"This is the weapon of a Jedi Knight. Not as clumsy or as random as a blaster, but an elegant weapon for a more civilized age. For over a thousand generations, the Jedi Knights were the guardians of peace and justice in the Old Republic. Before the dark times, before the Empire." - Obi-Wan
"A young Jedi named Darth Vader, who was a pupil of mine until he turned to evil, helped the Empire hunt down and destroy the Jedi knights. He betrayed and murdered your father." - Obi-Wan
"You can't win, Darth. If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you could possibly imagine." - Obi-wan
"I felt a great disturbance in the Force, as if millions of voices suddenly cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced. I fear something terrible has happened." - Obi-Wan

"Don't call me a mindless philosopher, you overweight glob of grease." - C-3PO

"The Force is strong with this one" - Darth Vader
"Don't be too proud of this technological terror you've constructed; the ability to destroy a planet is insignificant next to the power of the Force." - Vader

"I used to bullseye womp rats in my T-16 back home. They're not much bigger than two meters." - Luke
"I'm Luke Skywalker, I'm here to rescue you!" - Luke

"Not after we demonstrate the power of this station. In a way, you have determined the choice of the planet that is to be destroyed first. Since you are reluctant to provide us with the location of the Rebel base, I have chosen to test this station's destructive power on your home planet of Alderaan." - Moff Tarkin

I still posses a few original trading cards from IV, mostly thou from V & VI. I have the original wrappers the cards came in. My SW collection consists of: Action figures, VHS, DVD, CD, old fan club newsletters, stickers, light sabers and books.

Hats off and an endearing bow to you Mr. Lucas! How could you have ever known that you had created a phenomenon. The writing deserved the Pulitzer in my opinion. And as a writer, I know it can be most difficult to lay the whole story out on parchment when it roams in your mind for what seems an eternity. . . but when it is finally adapted to parchment, a masterpiece is thus born. The added element of glory, as I can only imagine, is to finally see the tale adapted to film and to live thru it's grand success.

STAR WARS - A NEW HOPE . . . escape to another time & place, explore worlds both small & grand, experience FORCES of good & evil, ancient religions, sci-fi & fantasy, jedi, farmboys, wookies & wizards, droids, saber duals, blasters, tie fighters & the Falcon, A Dark Lord who made the top of villian lists everywhere and so much more you simply must see.

The power of the FORCE will lure you in, enticing you to follow the chapters here after (and the prequels) in to this extrordinary Lucas realm.
Star Wars Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980 & 2004 Versions, 2-Disc Widescreen Edition)
Star Wars Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983 & 2004 Versions, 2-Disc Widescreen Edition)

May The FORCE be with you . . . as it has been with me for 30 years.

LadyGray
Author of the Yuletide Tale - White Holly

George, if it ain't broke, don't fix it! Rated: *(****).......2007-06-07

I agree with any of a number of previous reviewers: Would somebody PLEASE take STAR WARS away from George Lucas before he ruins it completely?

Like Francis Ford Coppola, who messed with THE GODFATHER trilogy over and over again trying to "perfect" it, Lucas keeps coming back to the original STAR WARS trilogy and adding enhanced effects and formerly deleted scenes.

In what is now known as STAR WARS EPISODE IV: A NEW HOPE, (let me catch my breath a minute, please), Lucas decided to add creatures to the Mos Eiseley spaceport scene, alter the classic cantina scene, throw in a scene between Jabba the Hutt and Han Solo in the hangar of the "Millennium Falcon," add a sappy reunion scene between Biggs and Luke just before the Battle of Yavin, make the battle scene explosions more "dramatic," do a score of other little tweaks, and clean up the print.

Lucas has done this so many times over the past three decades that it's now impossible to figure out which film is the "real" STAR WARS. Of all the questionable "improvements" he's made, cleaning up the print is the only worthwhile effort. Most of the added scenes add nothing to the film, the "extra" creatures are interesting but unnecessary, and some of the changes actually degrade the movie, because the dialogue is repetitious. For example:

IN THE CANTINA:

Greedo---Jabba has no use for smugglers who dump their cargoes at the first sign of an Imperial ship.

Han---Even I get boarded sometimes. Do you think I had a choice?

and

IN THE HANGAR:

Jabba--- I have no use for smugglers who dump their cargoes at the first sign of an Imperial ship.

Han---Even I get boarded sometimes. Do you think I had a choice?

Not only was it repetitious, but the hangar scene immediately followed the cantina scene, making the repetition even more obvious. DEAR LORD, WHAT WERE YOU THINKING, MR. LUCAS??????

Fortunately, this two-disc set contains the original theatrical release with all the nicks and imperfections it was born with. The print's a bit dim, and the special effects are showing their limitations after thirty years, but this is the STAR WARS that will remain STAR WARS. It is what it is, and it never needed changes. Given the immense amount of material that has grown up around STAR WARS since it was first released, Lucas would have been smarter to release one or the other or both versions as he did, but added an Extras disc with all kinds of "The Making Of.." and "The Legacy Of..." goodies. I was disappointed that this isn't that set.

I was one of the first people to see STAR WARS when it debuted in the summer of 1977. At age 17, this now-classic movie became and remains a benchmark of an era in my life. While I never became a "Jedihead" (the original tag for the STAR WARS version of a Trekkie), I liked the film a great deal.

STAR WARS is not CITIZEN KANE IN OUTER SPACE. It's not a "great" film, but it is a true "classic." At the end of the first film you might even wonder what all the hype was about. Yet the movie has a engaging and endearing quality that makes you want to keep coming back for more, the true basis of success and the core of meaningfulness for any story. STAR WARS is clearly derivative. THE LORD OF THE RINGS has a "Dark Lord." STAR WARS has a "Dark Lord of the Sith." Lightsabers are yet another nod to the film's Sword & Sorcery roots, as is the Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi (a little Gandalf, anyone?). STAR WARS' "Corellians" appear in Isaac Asimov's FOUNDATION as "Korellians", and "Han Solo" is also there as "Hari Seldon." The space war elements are a mishmash of STAR TREK, FORBIDDEN PLANET, AMAZING STORIES, pulp fiction, and a hundred other sources. George Lucas was able to take these well-used pieces and combine them into something that is both very original and yet archetypal.

STAR WARS is a sci-fi retelling of the Mythos of the young Hero. Aided by a mentor (Obi-Wan), an older, more seasoned companion (Han), and his own court jesters (See Threepio and Artoo Detoo), the young Hero (Luke) is introduced to his special (Jedi) birthright, saves the beautiful Princess (Leia) from the clutches of Evil (Darth Vader), and then must confront that Evil himself (the Battle of Yavin).

Since STAR WARS is so mythic and archetypal, it survives some really bad acting by the background characters, a few missed beats here and there, and even Lucas's post-theatrical obsessive-compulsive changes to remain a modern classic.

FIVE STARS FOR "STAR WARS", ONE STAR FOR LUCAS' DECISION (OBSESSION?) TO "IMPROVE" IT.

Average customer rating:

Painfully searing and thought provoking
Wow... Just Wow
Makes you think!
garbage
XXXX...

American History X
Starring: Edward Norton , Edward Furlong , Beverly D'Angelo , Avery Brooks , and Jennifer Lien
Director: Tony Kaye
Manufacturer: New Line Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

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ASIN: 6305313687
Release Date: 1999-04-06

Product Description

Edward Norton's Academy Award nominated role as a White Supremist who sees the error of his ways while jailed for murder. Unfortunately, he leaves prison to find his brother (Edward Furlong) heading down the same path.

Amazon.com

Perhaps the highest compliment you can pay to Edward Norton is that his Oscar-nominated performance in American History X nearly convinces you that there is a shred of logic in the tenets of white supremacy. If that statement doesn't horrify you, it should; Norton is so fully immersed in his role as a neo-Nazi skinhead that his character's eloquent defense of racism is disturbingly persuasive--at least on the surface. Looking lean and mean with a swastika tattoo and a mind full of hate, Derek Vinyard (Norton) has inherited racism from his father, and that learning has been intensified through his service to Cameron (Stacy Keach), a grown-up thug playing tyrant and teacher to a growing band of disenfranchised teens from Venice Beach, California, all hungry for an ideology that fuels their brooding alienation.

The film's basic message--that hate is learned and can be unlearned--is expressed through Derek's kid brother, Danny (Edward Furlong), whose sibling hero-worship increases after Derek is imprisoned (or, in Danny's mind, martyred) for the killing of two black men. Lacking Derek's gift of rebel rhetoric, Danny is easily swayed into the violent, hateful lifestyle that Derek disowns during his thoughtful time in prison. Once released, Derek struggles to save his brother from a violent fate, and American History X partially suffers from a mix of intense emotions, awkward sentiment, and predictably inevitable plotting. And yet British director Tony Kaye (who would later protest against Norton's creative intervention during post-production) manages to juggle these qualities--and a compelling clash of visual styles--to considerable effect. No matter how strained their collaboration may have been, both Kaye and Norton can be proud to have created a film that addresses the issue of racism with dramatically forceful impact. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

Painfully searing and thought provoking.......2007-06-27

I really can't remember a more emotionally charged movie. American X will make you feel angry, frightened, uncomfortable, shocked, sad, and hopefully introspective. It plunges deep into the heart of racism and ultimately exposes the ignorance that fuels it.

Edward Norton is scary. He received an oscar nomination as he became fully immersed in this role as Derek, an angry white supremist.

One of the scenes I found most profound was a glimpse of his upbringing. He is having a conversation with his father, explaining his admiration and respect for his school teacher, who happens to be a black man with two Phds. His dad drops subtle little hints and discriminatory remarks to discredit the man, and his son takes it to heart.

That's really the point of this whole movie, that nobody is born with hatred. Sadly, sometimes it is learned.

This movie is filled with intense moments where the rage and racism are much more blatant. Derek's hatred for all minorities keeps growing, even though he doesn't bother to get to know any of them. Until he goes to prison, and his work partner shows him the error of his ways.

Although this plot development is predictable and Derek's complete change of heart unfortunately seemed a little forced, this still is an exceptional movie. There are so many human frailties exposed and subjective topics examined. It is an obvious message film with high aspirations.

What king of response it triggers depends on you.

Wow... Just Wow.......2007-06-22

A good friend of mine suggested this film, and I really didnt know what to expect going in, but after this film was over, I sat in stunned silence. I knew that racism was horrible, but I found through this film that it does not come without a terrible price..the loss of love, friends, family...and the realization that everything that you believed to be true isnt always the way things are. Edward Norton's performance takes the viewer through this journey, and its not a pretty one. He goes from an bright young man, to a vengeful bigot, to a remorseful excon with a brothers life in jeopardy, and you feel as though you are looking in on someones life in the course of 2 hrs. All of the acting in this film is first rate, and the ending wasnt quite as predictable as others might have you believe...it is quite shocking, as is much of the film. It causes quite a debate on the way people view others whos skin color is not the same. As Dr. King said, judge me not on the color of my skin, but on the content of my character. I live with racism, because I am a black man living in America...it exists, but if we educate ourselves like the main character in AHX, it wont stay around for much longer.

Makes you think!.......2007-06-10

I was skeptical when I first heard about this movie, as I was originally mis-informed as to what it was really about! I am definetly glad I finally sat down and watched this film.

After seeing this film, it has quickly become one of my favorite films that I have ever seen. As others have said, Edward Norton plays his role so well, you may actually find yourself partly agreeing with what he says. The message of the film is very well done, and the ending is one of the most shocking I have seen.

Excellent acting, directing, and story-telling. This is a film to own, and a film that has become a classic within the world of movie-making!

garbage.......2007-05-23

A waste of a fine performance by Norton. The film is an idealistic mess. Trite and melodramatic. I like the ending, because it completely skewers audience expectations, but beyond that, the film feels as if it has been patched together at the last minute. Segments don't entirely match, and most of the acting is uneven. The story is straight out of a tv movie.
If you are one of those typical film students who wears a trenchcoat, has a goatee and won't shut up about Clerks and Fight Club, this will probably be your favorite movie.

XXXX..........2007-04-03

The fear of foreign races or people, and it evolving into an actual phobia, an intense and irrational dread, in other terms, racism, has been around since primitive man began forming tribes, millions of years ago. American History X examines racism in the context of present day neo-Nazism, and similar to the German Nazis of the 30's and 40's all foreigners are blamed for everything wrong with the State. The solution to unemployment, a high cost of living, rocketing welfare and rising crime is to jettison all immigrants, foreigners, from the country so that the original people, the white's in America or the Aryan race in 30's Germany can flourish as they are truly destined to do. This notion is one of the foundational tenets of fascism, and added to this, violence and war is the only method to achieve a `pure' flourishing State.

American History X is a strong film presenting the arguments for the Right and the Left where, for the most part, the propositions on both sides have valid points, however, it is impossible to argue a subject as complex as immigration, rising crime and the cost of living by blaming these situations on a particular race of people. In fact, the argument is absurd because there are always exceptions, and as this important film points out with force and powerful emotion, racism is about hate, fear and personal anger, projected on a generality because it is convenient, a scapegoat for a lack of control and responsibility.

Derek Vinyard (Edward Norton) is an intelligent young man but somewhere along the line began to hate Black American's, Asian American's et al, and under the tutelage of an older and influential White Supremist, (Stacy Keach), becomes the leader of a `skinhead' gang in Venice Beach, trashing foreign owned grocery stores to finally be jailed for the brutal murder of two teenaged Black Americans because they attempted to steal his car. Derek is strong, passionate, and terribly angry and now, a cold blooded killer and his younger brother, Danny, (Edward Furlong) idolises him.

Edward Furlong as Danny was perfect casting as he has a sensitive and forlorn, lost gaze, almost innocent because he loves his brother so much, and when his brother is released from prison with a different point of view, at first goes a little crazy, but will go along because he worships and loves him. Of course this makes the ending that much more forbidding and terribly moving. Furlong is a talented actor and is restrained in this picture, resulting in his performance being totally believable.

A film about such a controversial subject matter cannot avoid presenting a message for the viewer. In the case of American History X, racism is not an innate condition but a learned one, passed on from generation to generation.

American History X is not a good film but a truly great one and should be viewed by all concerned about our society and the hate and fear it contains...

Average customer rating:

Great dvd
Pochahontas
Pocahontas purchased from Amazon
Pass On the "Gold Collection" and get the "10th Anniversary"
Special Edition Nothing

Pocahontas (10th Anniversary Edition)
Starring: Irene Bedard , Judy Kuhn , Mel Gibson , David Ogden Stiers , and John Kassir
Director: Mike Gabriel , and Eric Goldberg
Manufacturer: Walt Disney Home Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0007KTBIU
Release Date: 2005-05-03

Amazon.com

Disney's take on this historical confrontation between European settlers and Native Americans follows the paths of two future lovers. One is British adventurer John Smith, who travels the Atlantic with the Virginia Company to establish Jamestown. On the shore is Pocahontas, a typical Disney heroine: bright, beautiful, mischievous, and motherless. The two meet in the untamed wilds of America (the first meeting is quite divine), fall in love, and try to ward off the warring factions. It's Disney's version of a Native American West Side Story. Two Disney trademarks do not quite muster up: the villain isn't hissable and the score's only high point is the Oscar-winning "Colors of the Wind." Calling it "historical" is a stretch, but Disney created a very natural look at the two cultures. The Native American characters are handled especially well, and kids should be intrigued by their world; the movie is a far different lesson from the one their parents and grandparents learned. Disney has discovered a few things, though: you don't have to kill to solve your problems, and you can end the film without a happily-ever-after, illustrated by a touching final visual. (Ages 5 and older) --Doug Thomas

Description

All the music, adventure, and colorful fun of Disney's POCAHONTAS come to life like never before in the 10th Anniversary Edition 2-Disc Set. Bursting with all the "Colors Of The Wind," POCAHONTAS tells the story of a free-spirited girl who wonders what adventures await "Just Around The Riverbend." Pocahontas -- along with her playful pals Meeko and Flit -- relies on the guidance of her loving and wise Grandmother Willow when English settlers arrive on the shores of their village. Her chance meeting with the courageous Captain John Smith leads to a beautiful friendship that bridges the gap between two cultures, and changes history. Now fully restored, POCAHONTAS includes the song "If I Never Knew You," and never-before-seen animation seamlessly integrated into the original film. This 2-Disc 10th Anniversary Edition is loaded with spectacular bonus features, all-new games, and soaring Academy Award(R)-winning music (1995 Best Original Musical Score, Best Original Song, "Colors Of The Wind"). Disney's POCAHONTAS is a fun-filled adventure your whole family will enjoy.

Customer Reviews:

Great dvd.......2007-03-11

My favorite Disney movie of ALL time and this is a wonderful DVD! It has extras on a second dvd and the scene of Pocahontas and John Smtih singing together was added back in! GREAT DVD!!

Pochahontas.......2007-03-07

great storyline - a bit of history in animation . teach the children while watching a great film. The music is very well done and a great film to watch.

Pocahontas purchased from Amazon.......2007-02-26

I was under the impression that the dvd would be enclosed in a cardboard cover like it was picture, because there was no indication that it wouldn't be. I was disappointed at this, but other than that I have no complaints, it was a rather speedy delivery and the product worked wonderfully.

Pass On the "Gold Collection" and get the "10th Anniversary".......2007-01-27

The Gold Collection disc is too flawed to seriously consider at this point with the "10th Anniversary{ two-disc set now out.

Gold Collection:
1. Worst DVD tranfer of a Disney film in recent memory
2. No "If I Never Knew You". Not even the rough cut.
3. Extras: a Trailer and some music videos. Not much going on here.
4. Not anamorphic

10th Anniversary:
1. Anamorphic 16:9
2. Great new transfer
3. "If I Never Knew You" in the movie and completely animated. Major addition to the last half of the movie.
4. Both versions of the film, the 1995 cut and the 2003 "Director's Cut".
5. Loads of extras including a documentary, updated audio commentary track, sections for each major character with art, concept drawings, deleted scenes, scenes that never made it past the concept stage......you get the idea.

Special Edition Nothing.......2007-01-08

Of course, Pocahontas is a beautiful film. It's a great story, pretty good animation, and some of the best Alan Menken songs. But the special Extras DVD is a joke. This DVD set is worth it just because of the added If I Never Knew You sequences, but was passed over for the special treatment other classic films got.

Average customer rating:

Gary Cooper in a Three-cornered Hat!
classic Cooper , classic Demille...stunning transfer!!
They Don't Make Movies Like this Anymore
Outstanding
Very Enjoyable

Unconquered (Universal Cinema Classics)
Starring: Gary Cooper , and Paulette Goddard
Director: Cecil B. De Mille
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Broken Arrow
Ball of Fire

ASIN: B000N3T0GY
Release Date: 2007-05-22

Customer Reviews:

Gary Cooper in a Three-cornered Hat!.......2007-07-03

I love this film. This one had an impact on me when I was just a boy and saw it in B&W on TV. I used recreate the after-math of the masacre at the fort with my toy soldiers. Sure the story line stretches plausibility a bit (Catching the limb while going over the falls with Paulette Goddard hanging on your neck is a bit much even for Coop!) but not nearly so much as the things I am asked to accept as reality in modern CGI movies (as in any sequence in the latest remake of King Kong.)

I have to love Boris Karloff as an Indian chief and Miss Goddard as the indentured slave as well as Gary Cooper as an early American freedom fighter. The DeMille touches in the battle scenes and the "almost historical" feel of the film are pleasures as well.

Put this one on the shelf with "Last of the Mohicans," (when will we get the version from the 30's?)"Drums Along the Mohawk" and "Allegheny Uprising" for entertaining films of pre-revolutionary American "almost history" and enjoy.

classic Cooper , classic Demille...stunning transfer!!.......2007-06-20

Unlike the other terrific reviews that discuss the story and movie...i want to weigh in on the DVD...its terrific! Glorious color and sharp as a tack! I've been disappointed lately with several older FOX films on DVD but this is nothing short of glorious! If you are a fan of Cooper...don't hesitate! Paulette Goddard is delicious.

They Don't Make Movies Like this Anymore .......2007-06-17

"Unconquered" is a great historical epic set in pre-Revolutionary America with a "fight the enemy and never surrender" message. Gary Cooper owns the film. When he is on the screen, as is usually the case with his flicks, all the other characters revolve around him.

Cooper plays Captain Holden who is sent on a doomed mission to make peace with Indian tribes that have already decided on war. Holden's main nemesis is a traitor named "Garth" (played by Howard DaSilva) who has not only provided arms to the natives, but who is also secretly in league with them.

The romantic sub-plot involves an indentured servant, Abby Hale (played by Paulette Goddard), who is bought and freed by Holden only to be illegally re-enslaved by Garth. Both Holden and Garth are enamoured of Miss Hale, but you can easily guess which one of the two she loves back.

"Unconquered" exudes good old fashioned conservative American values and, partly for that reason, they don't make movies like this today.

Another reason you won't see a film like this today is because of it's politically incorrect portrayal of Native Americans. American Indians did torture, murder and sometimes even cannibalize settlers, including women, children and infants, but, today, Hollywood is unwilling to portray them as having been anything other than noble, peace-loving ecologists.

This DVD even has an "Introduction" warning the viewer that the White people are all portrayed as "good" and the Indians as "bloodthirsty." This is a pretty stupid thing to say given that the main villain in the film, Garth, is White. Why isn't there an introduction to the "Dancing with Wolves" DVD warning us about how, in that film, Indians are all portrayed as "good" and Whites are portrayed as "bloodthirsty"?

Outstanding.......2007-05-21

UNCONQUERED remains one of my favorite films of colonial America. The ever stoic Gary Cooper represents the backbone of the spirit of America. This film tells a great adventure tale with a lot of atmosphere of perhaps what those time my actually have been like. A visual treat in that respect.

Very Enjoyable.......2007-05-13

This film is one of Gary Coopers best. It is so good I have it in dvd and vhs. He is the greatest. They just don't have stars now like they did then and they don't make movies like they did back then. I feel sorry for the young adults now who really don't know what a good movie really is. I would recommend this movie to everyone.

Average customer rating:

Excellent movie!
The Birth of Open Heart Surgery
A story about a miraculous surgery that saves lives.
Something the Lord made right!!!
Something HBO Made

Something the Lord Made
Starring: Alan Rickman , Mos Def , Kyra Sedgwick , Gabrielle Union , and Merritt Wever
Director: Joseph Sargent
Manufacturer: Hbo Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00067BCBI
Release Date: 2005-01-25

Amazon.com

Something the Lord Made recounts the relationship between Dr. Alfred Blalock (Alan Rickman) and Vivian Thomas (Mos Def). It begins in 1930s Nashville when imperious cardiac surgeon Blalock hires Thomas, an African American carpenter, as his janitor. When the latter reveals a passion for medicine and facility with surgical instruments, Blalock promotes him to lab tech. Thomas isn't given a raise, works side jobs to make ends meet, and is expected to be grateful. Along the way, he follows Blalock from Vanderbilt to Johns Hopkins, where they save thousands of lives through their pioneering work, but will Thomas ever get any credit? The film provides a satisfying answer to that question. Joseph Sargent (A Lesson Before Dying) directs with subtlety and intelligence, while Rickman and Mos Def are in top form, often underplaying where most actors would do otherwise. Something the Lord Made won the 2004 Emmy for outstanding made-for-TV movie. --Kathleen C. Fennessy

Description

(Drama) Something the Lord Made tells the emotional true story of two men who defied the rules of their time to launch a medical revolution, set against the backdrop of the Jim Crow south. Working in 1940s Baltimore on an unprecedented technique for performing heart surgery on "blue babies," Dr. Alfred Blalock (Alan Rickman) and lab technician Vivien Thomas (Mos Def) form an impressive team. As Blalock and Thomas invent a new field of medicine, saving thousands of lives in the process, social pressures threaten to undermine their collaboration and tear their friendship apart.

DVD Features:
Audio Commentary:Audio commentary with director Joseph Sargent, writer Peter Silverman, executive directors Eric Hetzel and Joseph W. Cort Featurette Making History Slide Show
Featurette
Other:Making History Slide Show

Customer Reviews:

Excellent movie!.......2007-07-03

This movie is a must see. It will keep your interest throughout. There are no dull moments. I didn't realize that Mos Def is such a wonderful actor.

The Birth of Open Heart Surgery.......2007-06-27

Before (or after) you see this incredible video, you might want to read the book, "Partners Of The Heart" written by Dr. Vivian Thomas,an account of his role in pioneering open heart surgery. It's funny to see a young Dr. Denton Cooley as a resident observing and learning. This is a heart wrenching story of a man with talent beyond comprehension who never had a chance to actually attend medical school - simply because of his race. Even if you are not entrenched in the medical field you will appreciate this movie. The acting is superb, and it is said Mos Def does an outstanding job of portraying Dr. Thomas.

A story about a miraculous surgery that saves lives........2007-06-26

Born in 1987, I never knew the story about the surgery that saved my life. I was born a "blue baby", yet today I am still alive. Two amazing figures in the history of medicine made this all possible.
"Something the Lord Made" is a powerful story about two colleagues of different backgrounds who strive to save babies with a congential deformity. The movie shows great social inequality as a genius African American assistant helps solve the mystory of the heart. Without this groundbreaking research, many people today would not be alive.

Something the Lord made right!!!.......2007-06-12

Absolutly superb.
Heart warming and sincere.
Four of the most influential people in heart surgury in the world.

Something HBO Made.......2007-05-17

When I read the description of Something The Lord Made, I thought to myself - there is just no conceivable way that this is going to be interesting. However, it did have a lot going for it. It was directed by Joseph Sargent, who also directed the brilliant, A Lesson Before Dying. It starred Alan Rickman who is so good he could make an IKEA commercial look like it was directed by Ingmar Bergman. It paired Rickman with Mos Def, who has remarkable screen presence. (I first noticed Mos Def in another exceptional film, The Woodsman, which, coincidentally or not, also featured Kyra Sedgwick.) So, despite the promise of (in)action confined exclusively to a medical lab, I forged ahead.

I'm so glad I did. This is one of those minor gems you might easily miss. Make sure to pay attention to the score, which is outstanding. It's way too easy to sketch this movie out as an anti-racism diatribe, that's way too facile. As with A Lesson Before Dying, racism is simply a fact, not a larger-than-life villain. This, of course, makes the depiction that much more powerful. We don't see the pain of racism courtesy of gassy soliloquies; we feel the pain of it as we read Mos Def's face watching Dr. Blalock receive his award at Baltimore's Biltmore Hotel.

Why beat a dead parrot? We know the Biltmore is segregated. Vivien - Def - can only gain admittance by posing as a bellhop. We know that Blalock is a vain and arrogant surgeon (quelle surprise!) only too willing to bask in glory that would never have been his without Vivien's remarkable contributions. And yes, we know that the racist culture surrounding these men makes it easy for Blalock to distance himself from Vivien when it suits him.

This context of racism is woven right into our flag; it's part of the culture, hardly newsworthy enough to merit a film. The engine that's really driving Something The Lord Made is not racism at all; it's the subtle, complex relationship joining these very different men who share a passion for medicine. The interplay between Vivien's self-effacing, quiet dignity and Blalock's braggadocio is pure gold, these two are so right for each other; they balance one another in a way that is touching at the very least.

Certainly there were moments when I wanted to explain to the supercilious twits at Hopkins that Vivien was the genius behind the wheel and they should be lavishing praise on him. At times it was sad, and Vivien's stoicism makes it sadder. But the movie never takes cheap shots; Def and Rickman offer marvelously reserved performances, thereby increasing the impact. Ultimately I was left with an overwhelmingly positive sense of how people can, and often do, achieve miraculous things despite the mountains of debris and bizarre baggage they've been saddled with. A wonderful film.

Average customer rating:

Very Good Movie
realism with mythology
Mountain Man
One of the great classic westerns
Jeremiah Johnson

Jeremiah Johnson
Starring: Robert Redford , Will Geer , Delle Bolton , Josh Albee , and Joaquín Martínez
Director: Sydney Pollack
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: 6304696531
Release Date: 1997-10-29

Amazon.com

After they first worked together on the 1966 film This Property Is Condemned, director Sydney Pollack and Robert Redford continued their long-lasting collaboration with this 1972 drama set during the mid-1800s, about one man's rugged effort to shed the burden of civilization and learn to survive in the wilderness of the Rocky Mountains. Will Geer is perfectly cast as the seasoned trapper who teaches Jeremiah Johnson (Redford) how to survive against harsh winters, close encounters with grizzly bears, and hostile Crow Indians. In the course of his adventure, Johnson marries the daughter of a Flathead Indian chief, forms a makeshift family, and ultimately assumes a mythic place in Rocky Mountain folklore. Shot entirely on location in Utah, the film boasts an abundance of breathtaking widescreen scenery, and the story (despite a PG rating) doesn't flinch from the brutality of the wilderness. In addition to the original theatrical trailer, remastered Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack, and informative production notes, the DVD also includes The Saga of Jeremiah Johnson, a promotional documentary on the making of the film. --Jeff Shannon

Description

Robert Redford has one of his best-ever roles as a 19th century mountain man in a wilderness of harsh elements and hostile Indians. Directed by The Firm's Sydney Pollack. Year: 1972 Director: Sydney Pollack Starring: Robert Redford, Will Geer, Stefan Gierasch

DVD Features:
Featurette
Production Notes

Customer Reviews:

Very Good Movie.......2007-06-17

A man had a family, Swan,Calab. He crosses a bural gound, His family is gone.
Will Geer, Robert Redford

realism with mythology.......2007-05-20

Great realism about life in the mountains of the west in the middle 1800s ( a time of the brutal transformation of the west from the Indian territory to that of white civilization.)

Mountain Man.......2007-05-13

One of the all time favorite movies. Plenty of action and outdoor adventure. Great scenery. A good picture of a dying breed of men and a time in history.

One of the great classic westerns.......2007-05-12

Forget all the cowboys and indians stuff, redskins biting the dust etc. This tells a story the way it really was. The hardship, the struggle, the beauty and the ugliness of the old, pre-civil-war west. Here is an honest, beautifully photographed reconstruction of a true - if exaggerated - story of a real-life mountain man, John Johnston, who became a legend in his own lifetime. So, for that matter, did old-timers like 'Bear Claw' Chris Lapp, Del Gue, Swan and others. They all lived. They're all here and they're all honestly portrayed.

Jeremiah Johnson.......2007-05-09

I used to have this Video for many years. But someone stole it from me. I decided to get it again to my collection and here it is,Thank God.
I had missed it,but now I can look at it whenever I want to.
Best regards
GSH

Laurel & Hardy (Sons of the Desert/The Music Box/Another Fine Mess/Busy Bodies/County Hospital)

Average customer rating:

Great Movie
Laurel & Hardy
the best of laurel and hardy
Laurel & Hardy DVD
Funny, Funny Stuff!

Laurel & Hardy (Sons of the Desert/The Music Box/Another Fine Mess/Busy Bodies/County Hospital)
Starring: Stan Laurel , Oliver Hardy , Charley Chase , Mae Busch , and Dorothy Christy
Director: William A. Seiter , and James Parrott
Manufacturer: Lions Gate
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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