Boxcar Bertha)

Starring:Martin Scorsese Film Collection
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com
Two major collections of Martin Scorsese DVDs were released within a year. While the Warner set contains more popular films, this MGM set digs deeper. It combines a new, knockout two-disc edition of Raging Bull, the concert film The Last Waltz, and two Scorsese curios--Boxcar Bertha and, making its DVD debut, New York, New York. Bertha (1972) is Scorsese's first Hollywood film, a low-budget Roger Corman film adding sex to a Bonnie and Clyde formula of train-robbing outlaws starring Barbara Hershey and David Carradine. After seeing the film, John Cassavetes told Scorsese what he already knew--"make a movie about something you really care about"--thus providing the spark for Scorsese to make Mean Streets and turn his career around.

After Taxi Driver, Scorsese went musical. The Last Waltz (1978), a record of the Band's 1976 farewell performance is a solid candidate for the best-ever concert film. Using the lessons learned as assistant director/editor on Woodstock, Scorsese storyboarded as much of the live concert as he could and relied on expert cinematographers to handle the tough shoot (big cameras needing constant attention for the live event). Scorsese's earthy interview segments were parodied in This Is Spinal Tap a few years later. New York, New York (1977) was Scorsese's attempt to recreate the musicals of his youth. He added the realistic flair of a modern film, but re-created the vintage look and style, with mixed results. The design and music are lavishly produced, but the story involving Liza Minnelli and Robert De Niro doesn't click. This "director's cut" has been around for years on home video. The new commentary by Scorsese is interesting, but there's too much dry by-the-facts talk from film critic Carrie Rickey. The DVD extras are plentiful and far more engaging with the new edition of Raging Bull (1979), a Scorsese masterpiece of design and effect following the tumultuous times of prizefighter Jake La Motta (Robert De Niro in an Oscar-winning performance). --Doug Thomas
Description
Widely considered the greatest living American filmmaker, Martin Scorsese has created "a thrilling body of work that has consistently dazzled fellow filmmakers and audiences alike" (The New York Times). His films are powerful, devastating, illuminating, unfailingly honest and infinitely fascinating. Each work bears the unique stamp of its passionate, inventive and brilliant director. Experience Scorsese's acclaimed films in this 4-DVD giftset.

The Martin Scorsese Film Collection (New York, New York / Raging Bull Special Edition / The Last Waltz / Boxcar Bertha)
Average customer rating:

A classic and a few gems

Very good film collection.

Worth it, but be careful where your tastes lie.

Fantastic Box Set!

A must for Scorsese fans

The Martin Scorsese Film Collection (New York, New York / Raging Bull Special Edition / The Last Waltz / Boxcar Bertha)
Starring: Martin Scorsese Film Collection
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00062IVL2
Release Date: 2005-02-08

Amazon.com

Two major collections of Martin Scorsese DVDs were released within a year. While the Warner set contains more popular films, this MGM set digs deeper. It combines a new, knockout two-disc edition of Raging Bull, the concert film The Last Waltz, and two Scorsese curios--Boxcar Bertha and, making its DVD debut, New York, New York. Bertha (1972) is Scorsese's first Hollywood film, a low-budget Roger Corman film adding sex to a Bonnie and Clyde formula of train-robbing outlaws starring Barbara Hershey and David Carradine. After seeing the film, John Cassavetes told Scorsese what he already knew--"make a movie about something you really care about"--thus providing the spark for Scorsese to make Mean Streets and turn his career around.

After Taxi Driver, Scorsese went musical. The Last Waltz (1978), a record of the Band's 1976 farewell performance is a solid candidate for the best-ever concert film. Using the lessons learned as assistant director/editor on Woodstock, Scorsese storyboarded as much of the live concert as he could and relied on expert cinematographers to handle the tough shoot (big cameras needing constant attention for the live event). Scorsese's earthy interview segments were parodied in This Is Spinal Tap a few years later. New York, New York (1977) was Scorsese's attempt to recreate the musicals of his youth. He added the realistic flair of a modern film, but re-created the vintage look and style, with mixed results. The design and music are lavishly produced, but the story involving Liza Minnelli and Robert De Niro doesn't click. This "director's cut" has been around for years on home video. The new commentary by Scorsese is interesting, but there's too much dry by-the-facts talk from film critic Carrie Rickey. The DVD extras are plentiful and far more engaging with the new edition of Raging Bull (1979), a Scorsese masterpiece of design and effect following the tumultuous times of prizefighter Jake La Motta (Robert De Niro in an Oscar-winning performance). --Doug Thomas

Description

Disc 1: NEW YORK, NEW YORK Disc 2: BOXCAR BERTHA Disc 3: THE LAST WALTZ Disc 4: RAGING BULL SPECIAL EDITION

Customer Reviews:

A classic and a few gems.......2007-03-23

For a Scorsese fan, this is an excellent box set. The two-disk special edition of Raging Bull is fantastic and it has a beautiful transfer as well. New York,New York is one of Scorsese's most underrated films, Scorsese speaks about the film on the special features and it is very insightful and informative. The Last Waltz is a very nice dvd, not as strong of a documentary as I would like but the Joni Mitchell performance alone makes it a worthwhile dvd plus it has some excellent special features as well. Boxcar Bertha is a great dvd to have for any film enthusiast, in Boxcar Bertha you can see the makings of a great director and how Scorsese took a rather generic script and breathed a bit of life into it.

Overall this is a very nice box set for a Scorsese fan or Film Enthusiast

Very good film collection........2006-05-17

Being a huge Scorsese fan I was excited when I ordered this boxset from Amazon and I definetely thought that it was worth it cause I haven't seen his first rare film Boxcar Bertha and New York, New York. I didn't care if any of the films had a ton of special features just as long as I got the films themselves and this collection boxset was a great deal. Boxcar Bertha was definetely the weakest film in the collection but this being Martin's debut film it didn't matter cause he is one of the greatest and highly respected directors of all time.

Boxcar Bertha is the story of a life of crime of a young girl (Barbara Hershey) who after watching her father die in an horrific crash gains revenge on his boss. On the run she joins up with gangsters and train robbers in a remoreseless campaign of crime 2/5 stars.

New York, New York is known to be one of Scorsese lost films and the reason was because it was a failure. The film is a musical taking place after WWII where Robert Deniro plays a lounge performer saxiphonist named Jimmy Doyle who's sucesful career is fustrating his relationship with a talented singer played by Liza Minnelli and yet they seem to try and make things better, the film was average if you can handle a 3 hour musical then you might like it more 3/5 stars.

The last waltz is a very good concert documentary that was filmed during the farewell concert of 'The band' on Thanksgiving day in 1976 and also features performaces from some of the most influential bands of that time like Muddy Waters, Neil Young, Joni Mitchel etc. a phenomenal concert film that unless you like the music then your going to love it but if not then forget it 5/5 stars.

Raging Bull is one of Scorsese's masterpiece, shot beautifuly in black and white the story is based on the true life of heavyweight boxer Jake La Motta and how he rised to fame but then quickly fell and became an almost unrecognisable person and his failing marriage which failed because of his constant paranoia and jealosy for his wife. This film is excellent and comes with a ton of extras on the 20th anniversary eddition 2 disc set, Deniro won his second oscar in this film which was well deserved I highly recomend this great drama/sports film 5/5 stars.

Worth it, but be careful where your tastes lie........2005-09-07

This collection might as well be called "Scorsese's Collection of Twos." It has two PG movies, two R movies. It has two music-based movies, two non-music based movies. It has two good movies, two not-so-good movies. It has two special editions and a two-disc collector's edition. Two movies are biopics.

Despite the seemingly arbitrariness of the details above, they're actually very important when it comes to defining and refining your tastes. If you're not much of a musical fan, why buy something that's fifty-percent what you don't like? If you're wanting some extreme Scorsese-dom, why get fifty percent PG movies? All told it's a matter of what you want to get out of this set.

When it comes to price, it's largely worth it merely for the edition of Raging Bull it includes and The Last Waltz, which I found to be a largely underappreciated movie. Boxcar Bertha is actually quite terrible and should only be viewed by people who are looking for Bonnie and Clyde-like stories. New York, New York is really good but very difficult to watch.

Considering price-versus-outcome analysis, it'd probably be better to get the Raging Bull collector's edition by itself and maybe one of the other films if you're interested. The cost would roughly come out the same and it wouldn't take as much space. However, if you have the space, why not get two other films basically as a bonus and have a rather nice case to hold them all in?

What I'm saying is that if you're a Raging Bull fan, get that. If you're a Scorsese fan, get this. Whatever the case, it's definitely important to know quite what you're getting, so if any of the films in this collection are something of a blind-buy to you, read separate reviews for them specifically to figure out how much you're really paying for what you want.

--PolarisDiB

Fantastic Box Set!.......2005-02-14

If you bought this Martin Scorsese Film Collection & The Martin Scorsese Collection (released last year), you would have a definitive overview of the greatest American film director ever. This box set contains three of Scorsese's more underappreciated films and quite possibly the best film ever made, Raging Bull. The 2 disc edition of Raging Bull is a monumental release. The original DVD had been out of print for years, and it contained no special features, bu this release is packed with great features. There are 4! documentaries on the making of the film, which have new interviews with everyone involved, even the elusive Robert Deniro. The picture & sound are both improvements over the original DVD as well as he packaging. In fact the packaging for the entire box set is probably the most sturdy and easy to handle packaging of any box set that I own (and that is quite a few), especially when comparing it to the flimsy packaging of the other Scorsese box set. So, if your consider yourself a film buff of any kind, this set is essential. Buy this box set & the other Scorsese box set, then pick up Last Temptation of Christ, Casino, King of Comedy, & Gangs of New York and then you can bask in the glory of one of the true geniuses of modern cinema.

A must for Scorsese fans.......2005-02-11

Martin Scorsese is one of the world's greatest filmmakers living today. At first, this may seem like so much over-inflated hype, and to be sure, he would be the first to avoid this title, but think, for a moment, about a handful of the films this man has done: Mean Streets, Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, The Last Temptation of Christ, and GoodFellas. All of these films have received numerous awards, they are studied extensively in film classes all over the world, and have been well-received critically, while also gradually developing a loyal following of admirers consisting of not only of discerning cineastes but other filmmakers who are inspired by both the content of his films and the style in which they are presented. Scorsese has made several films that are generally regarded as landmark works that continue to entertain and inspire future generations.

Included with each DVD is a theatrical trailer for its corresponding movie.

New York, New York features a fine collection of extras, including an audio commentary by Scorsese and film critic Carrie Rickey, who proceeds to put the movie into context and gives a brief run-down of the down-beat musical sub-genre. Scorsese is a great talker with an encyclopedic knowledge of film, making this a must-listen for fans.

Scorsese introduces the movie and describes it as a love affair between two creative people. He wanted to recreate the artifice of old Hollywood movies but with realistically behaving characters a la the films of John Cassavetes.

Also included are 15 alternate takes/deleted scenes totaling 19 minutes that involved a lot of improvising between the actors.

There is a "Photo Gallery" that contains a decent collection on the set pictures, French lobby cards, posters, storyboards and stills of the cast and crew.

There are two audio commentaries for The Last Waltz. The first one features Scorsese and Robbie Robertson. The veteran musician's comments are screen-specific as he offers fantastic observations about the music and the musicians in a conversational tone that is very engaging as if you are sitting in his living room watching it with him over drinks. The second track features a number of participants: journalist/screenwriter Jay Cocks, music critic Greil Marcus, the film's executive producer Jonathan Taplin and others. Taplin talks about how he got Scorsese and Robertson together while the former was making New York, New York, while Marcus examines the songs and their significance on this informative track.

"Archival Outtakes: Jam 2" is 12 minute informal jam session that occurred towards the end of the concert with members of The Band, Eric Clapton, Dr. John, Neil Young and others. It's great to see these legends rockin' out together.

"Revisiting The Last Waltz" is an excellent 22 minute retrospective featurette that includes new interviews with Scorsese and Robertson. It shows how meticulously Scorsese storyboarded and planned out the entire concert. One really gets an appreciation of how much work went into this film.

There is also a photo gallery with concert, studio and New York City premiere pictures as well as posters.

Raging Bull has the most impressive selection of extras. First up are three audio commentaries. The first one is with Scorsese and his long-time editor Thelma Schoonmaker (taken from the Criterion laser disc). Their comments are often screen-specific as they talk about how certain scenes were put together in this engaging, informative track. The second commentary features cast and crew, including producer Irwin Winkler, cinematographer Michael Chapman and others. Chapman dominates the track, talking about the effects of lighting and camera movements in given scenes. Finally, the last track features screenwriters Mardik Martin and Paul Schrader and the Raging Bull himself, Jake La Motta. The aging boxer recounts childhood memories and how he learned to fight, providing fascinating insight into the mentality of a boxer.

There are four featurettes, made specifically for this DVD, that cover various aspects of the movie and include new interviews with all the major cast and crew members, including Scorsese, Robert De Niro, Cathy Moriarity, Joe Pesci, Paul Schrader and Frank Vincent. They vary in length but are all quite substantial and provide incredible insight into how this important film was made.

"The Bronx Bull" features various contemporary British film critics who talk about why Raging Bull is such a great movie and how it was savaged by reviewers in its day.

"De Niro vs. La Motta" is a shot for shot comparison of Scorsese's film with actual pictures and footage of La Motta. It's amazing to see how well De Niro resembled the real person and how closely Scorsese recreated some of his fights.

"La Motta Defends Title" is vintage newsreel footage of one of La Motta's actual fights.

Martin Scorsese Collection (After Hours/Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore/Goodfellas/Mean Streets/Who's That Knocking At My Door?)

Average customer rating:

A representative set from the master
A collection that will show you how Scorsese started and how he became a legend
The BEST Scorsese box set on DVD!
The Best
Marty is God, no, not good, God !!

Martin Scorsese Collection (After Hours/Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore/Goodfellas/Mean Streets/Who's That Knocking At My Door?)
Starring: Martin Scorsese , and Robert De Niro
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

( M ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Comedy | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

Drama | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

The Martin Scorsese Film Collection (New York, New York / Raging Bull Special Edition / The Last Waltz / Boxcar Bertha)
A Personal Journey With Martin Scorsese Through American Movies
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ASIN: B000286RR0
Release Date: 2004-08-17

Amazon.com

Almost by accident, these five Warner Brothers films represent key moments in Martin Scorsese's career. Three of the films debut on DVD; all have excellent presentations plus new commentaries from Scorsese. The black-and-white Who's That Knocking at My Door? (1968) was Scorsese's first film, an episodic tale of growing up in Little Italy. Mean Streets (1973) put him on the map. After taking a bit of Hollywood bait (Boxcar Bertha), mentor John Cassavetes put Scorsese straight to find his true vision, and this nervy look at New York friends who border the gangster life is the result. This new special edition has the commentary track and a big improvement in its home video presentation.

Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore (1974) put Scorsese in the mainstream. This tale of a single mom (Ellen Burstyn in an Oscar-winning performance) finding second chances in the arid Southwest proved the New York City kid could tell other types of stories. After Hours (1985) saved Scorsese. The drain of big movies and his unsuccessful first attempt to make The Last Temptation of Christ left the auteur doubting his talent. The nightmarish comedy starting Griffin Dunne is a love-it-or-leave-it for many Scorsese fans, but the fast shoot schedule and claustrophobic story rejuvenated Scorsese and won him Best Director kudos at Cannes. The highlight of the collection is a two-disc edition of his masterpiece, GoodFellas (1990), complete with a remastered print and a dynamite commentary by several key talents (recorded separately) including Ray Liotta, author Nicholas Pileggi, and even Robert De Niro. Even with an extra disc of three featurettes, it's the film on which we hear the least from the man himself, but perhaps all we need to know is on the screen. --Doug Thomas

Customer Reviews:

A representative set from the master.......2007-03-17

This set only contains one of Scorcese's great films - Goodfellas, more of that later. I haven't seen Alice doesn't live here anymore, but it is supposed to be very good.
After Hours is an entertaining black comedy with Griffin Dunne trapped in a yuppies nightmare worthy of 4 stars.

Whos that knockin' is effectively a dry run for Mean Streets. However, Scorcese was still learning his craft in the 60's and whilst there are cinematic references to many classic films you do feel that Scorcese hadn't quite found his own voice at this stage of his career.

Goodfellas is a magnificent film. Only the first two Godfather films are on the same level in modern gangster films. This film has pace. It moves from one classic scene to the next. I remember Scorcese in an interview saying "you want it fast let's make it really fast" - this was his reaction to the 80's trend in fast cutting etc, but he does it with class.
The three lead roles are all marvellously played, and for me if I had to pick one, Joe Pesci would just steal the acting honours. This is a 5 star film.

The box is just cardboard with four DVD's in it. Goodfellas is the special edition which is much superior to the early double sided edition.

A collection that will show you how Scorsese started and how he became a legend.......2005-12-08

An excellent collection, starting at Scorsese's debut feature taking you all the way to his masterpiece goodfellas.

Who's that knocking at my door - Scorsese's film debut out of NYU funded by NYU and Scorsese's agreement to use the doors song the end over a sexy fantasy scene. The film is about falling in love, how the little moments in the beginning of a relationship are so wonderful. The fantasy scene is still groundbreaking today, great on showing how men desire sexual women but fear whores. A must see for any fan of scorsese or anyone who enjoys realistic filmmaking.

Mean Streets - Today, it remains of Scorsese's best and one of the best of the 70s. Mean streets is about a small time hood named Charlie who constantly has sinning on his conscience while attempting to help his crazy friend Johnny boy played by De Niro which led to the role of Don Corleone and an oscar! Wonderful film, beautiful cinematography, and beautiful, personal filmmaking! One of the best I've seen.

Alice doesn't live here anymore - You might think Scorsese sold out working with a major studio and a star but all the elements from his previous films are there. Ellen Burnst won an Oscar for her amazing portrayal of Alice, a widow trying to raise her snotty son while also trying to find a decent man a long the way. This is an excellent movie, one of the most important films of the 70s finally showing the women as the hero.

After Hours - After failing to get his Jesus picture funded and the failure of his dark gem The King of comedy Scorsese resorted to a college kids script called After hours. This is pure 80s filmmaking and pure Kafka esque. Showing a man in a nightmare he had no idea he was getting into with no idea how to get out. Definitely a must see. One of the best dark comedies ever made!

Last but not least GOODFELLAS - Not much to say here. Just the greatest mob film ever made. Goodfellas shows the rise and fall of a group of gangsters from the 60s on. Scorsese directs the film with insight and he puts his electric trademark in every scene. One of the best of all time, this puts the icing on the cake of an excellent collection. It's a Great DVD and an amazing movie that you will appreciate more and more each time.

There you have it, my long review on a great collection. 5 essential films in Scorsese's career. A must own. 5 OUT OF 5!!!

The BEST Scorsese box set on DVD!.......2005-07-22

This is a brilliant collection of Scorsese's films, an even better collection than MGM's Scorsese Box Set! It gives us a Special Edition of "Goodfellas", Scorsese's first film (finally on DVD) "Who's That Knocking At My Door?", "Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore", a Special Edition of "Mean Streets" and (another finally on DVD) "After Hours".

The gems of this collection are Mean Streets, After Hours, and Goodfellas. These three films are considered to be among Scrosese's best! Pick this up today if you're a Scorsese fan, or a film buff, or if you're trying to get into Scorsese's work. Recommended.

The Best.......2005-03-20

Think of a world with out Martin Scorsese....... I don't want to, he's the best, and the only!

Marty is God, no, not good, God !!.......2004-12-03

This collection is the must have of any Marty fan and for that matter of any proper cinephile. Through 5 movies it traces the greatest part of Scorsese's stellar (until gangs of NY) carreer. It is extremely precious since it brings us "Who's that knocking at my door?", his first film shot when he was still studying in NYU, for the first time (to my poor French knowledge at least). The box really gives a wonderful overview of the themes that obsessed him in his young years (sex and religion, duty and punition) pictured in WTKAMD and Mean Streets, the film that made him big enough to introduce him to Hollywood, first in B-Movies ("Boxcar Bertha"), then to Oscar winning projects: "Alice doesn't live here anymore". This movie is extremely odd since it could seem to be a "feminist" film, and Scorsese as anyone will tell you is a guys' director (except for last temptation of Christ, the age of Innocence, Kundun... have I said enough to kill the cliché?). This woman "road movie" is nothing like "Thelma and Louise" but is still a very poignant portrait of a woman trying to put her life back together, but carefull, it's not a women's weepie, it's a strong, nuanced work. Which brings us to "After Hours" (one of the projects that ended MS's walk through the desert, along with Raging Bull), this Cannes festival prized movie reconciled MS with the critics and is one of the strangest movies in his carreer, you'll be surprised. And then, possibly his masterpiece, "Goodfellas", I don't think I need to say anything, the movie speaks for itself: WONDERFUL WONDERFUL and, oh, I forgot, WONDERFUL!!!
The DVD's all have commentaries and all of them have other featurettes on the making of the films, or trailers, and Goodfellas is actually the 2 DVD edition. In a word, u NEED to own this !

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