The Killing Fields

Starring:Sam Waterston, Haing S. Ngor, John Malkovich, Julian Sands, Craig T. Nelson, Spalding Gray, Bill Paterson, Athol Fugard, Graham Kennedy, Katherine Krapum Chey, Oliver Pierpaoli, Edward Entero Chey, Tom Bird (II), Monirak Sisowath, Lambool Dtangpaibool, Ira Wheeler, David Henry, Patrick Malahide, Nell Campbell, Joan Harris
Director: Roland Joffé
Studio: Warner Home Video
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com

This harrowing but rewarding 1984 drama concerns the real-life relationship between New York Times reporter Sidney Schanberg and his Cambodian assistant Dith Pran (Haing S. Ngor), the latter left at the mercy of the Khmer Rouge after Schanberg--who chose to stay after American evacuation but was booted out--failed to get him safe passage. Filmmaker Roland Joffé, previously a documentarist, made his feature debut with this account of Dith's rocky survival in the ensuing madness of the Khmer Rouge's genocidal campaign. The script spends some time with Schanberg's feelings of guilt after the fact, but most of the movie is a shattering re-creation of hell on Earth. The late Haing S. Ngor--a real-life doctor who had never acted before and who lived through the events depicted by Joffé--is outstanding, and he won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar. Oscars also went to cinematographer Chris Menges and editor Jim Clark. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

Powerful but ultimately a little too tasteful.......2007-06-08

In the wake of a string of turkeys like Vatel, Fat Man and Little Boy, Super Mario Brothers and the infamous Demi Moore version of The Scarlet Letter, these days The Killing Fields increasingly looks like proof of the theory that anybody can make at least one good movie. Certainly Roland Joffe never made an entirely successful film afterwards, no matter how much money and talent were at his disposal. It's from that curious period when British cinema was taking on large-scale serious 'American foreign policy' stories that American cinema wouldn't touch (like The Deer Hunter, this was co-funded by EMI), in this case the Khmer Rouge atrocities in the wake of America's disastrous involvement in creating a 'sideshow war' in Cambodia. Unlike other white liberal angst fests like Cry Freedom it doesn't choose to concentrate on the white man's story at the expense of the pitiful foreign types - despite the oft-levelled criticism, it spends surprisingly little screen time with Sam Waterston's increasingly ineffectual journalist Sidney Schanberg after his return to New York, and even when it does, he doesn't get a free ride for putting his own ambitions ahead of his Cambodian translator's safety.

It's at its best depicting a country on the verge of collapse, and that curious stillness when life pretends to go on as normal in denial of the inevitable. Little in the film catches the atmosphere and still confusion, as well as the curious moral malaise of the war journalists, as the opening sequences, with sleepily disinterested inertia suddenly giving way to an energetic feeding frenzy to photograph the aftermath of a bombing attack. Curiously, once things start to get really bad it avoids the obvious and chooses not to demonise all the Khmer Rouge, emphasising their own divisions and confusions as one generation of freedom fighters find themselves victims for a more fanatical younger generation. Where it does fall down is in its good taste - at times the film just seems too squeamish, as if desperate to avoid alienating a mainstream audience by showing too much of the horror.

killing fields.......2007-04-11

movies was good however the quality of the film was not very good. screen was very cloudy at times and it was hard to see some things and the sound was not very good. the story it self was moving.---thks

Outrageously powerful in truth and suffering.......2007-04-10

This is a cult film in many ways even if time is making it a lot less poignant than it used to be. It is definitely a denunciation of the Cambodian caper of President Nixon. The bombing and then the invading of Cambodia were neither justified nor in any way effective. The Vietnam war was lost when Nixon decided to invade Cambodia and this invasion spread American troops and military means over two wide a territory to even pretend the war was not lost. The invasion of Cambodia was the last straw that broke the camel's back. We could wonder today whether Kissinger let Nixon do this mistake to bury him in this war and thus enable himself to negotiate some kind of a peace agreement. An American journalist lost in this chaos and overwhelmed by the arrival of the Khmer Rouge in Phnom Penh was a witness to this senseless and absurd caper or continuation of a ridiculous war. But he had to use the services of a local journalist to be the interface between him and the locals. Unluckily this Cambodian journalist stayed too long and he could not escape from the claws of the Khmer Rouge. Then it is a story of resistance and resilience to survive the most horrendous conditions. He will manage to escape absolutely alone though he had started in a group of six or seven. Even the child he had been entrusted with will die along the way blown up by a mine. This is a true story, a testimony about one of the most astounding catastrophe and tragedy of our modern world, a war unjustified and lost even before being started waged by the USA in a country that they did not even know leading to one of the worst ever genocide in modern history performed by the Cambodians themselves onto the Cambodian people they made regress to some medieval state in just a few months and for a few years that lasted centuries. We westerners love exporting our worst nightmares to foreign countries and some of us never learn a lesson and are always ready to do better than some others before us. If the French lost the Indo-chinese war in 1954 there was absolutely no reason why the Americans could win it. If the French lost the Algerian war in 1962 and the British lost the Middle East and Egypt quite some time before there is absolutely no reason why the Americans could do better. This film is a testimony to the suffering the vanity of some of our inspired western leaders imposes onto millions of people around the world. For one case that ends with a little bit of joy, millions of cases end in plain death.

Dr Jacques COULARDEAU, University Paris Dauphine & University Paris 1 Pantheon Sorbonne

Genocide While The World Watches...Again.......2007-03-23

A powerful, touching account of one man's stuggle to survive the horrors of the Khmer Rouge. Some reviewers dislike Sidney Shanberg's suggestion that the U.S. was responsible for the Khmer Rouge attrocities. His point, I believe, was that the U.S. did nothing to STOP it. Nobody did. I DO think the U.S. made two fatal errors to help the Khmer Rouge gain in numbers and popularity. First, bombing the cambodian countryside to weed out north Vietnamese and viet cong troops led to many innocent cambodian deaths. Secondly, the U.S. support of a military leader Lon Nol, at the expense of Sihanouk, the legitimate ruler of Cambodia, led to immense corruption of the government. The Khmer Rouge was able to come into the vilages with food and medicine and "educate" the peasants on the ways of the "evil" americans and their puppets, the Lon Nol regime. Once they had the support of the people and control over the country, they were able to begin their reign of terror. The deranged beliefs and genocidal tendencies of Pol Pot were appalling, but so was the ability of the world to sit back and watch as it happened.

personalizing war.......2007-01-25

Sydney Schanberg received the Pulitzer Prize in 1976 for his reporting as the NY Times correspondent in Cambodia (1972-1975). This story dramatizes his relationship with his Cambodian guide and interpreter Dith Pran. Schanberg left Pran when journalists fled the country during that genocide that killed about 1.7 million people when the Communist Khmer Rouge overtook the country after American forces left neighboring Vietnam.

Average customer rating:

Sleepaway Camp
I'll Never Forget The Ending
She is a real carpenter's dream
Underrated slasher from the 80's
wow

Sleepaway Camp
Starring: Felissa Rose , Jonathan Tiersten , Karen Fields (II) , Christopher Collet , and Mike Kellin
Director: Robert Hiltzik
Manufacturer: Starz / Anchor Bay
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Sleepaway Camp II - Unhappy Campers
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Prom Night
April Fool's Day (Ws Sub)
My Bloody Valentine (Ws Sub)

ASIN: 6305841985
Release Date: 2000-08-08

Customer Reviews:

Sleepaway Camp.......2007-05-14

Plot - "After a horrible boating accident kills her family, Angela, a shy and sullen young girl, moves in with her eccentric aunt Martha, alongside her protective cousin Ricky. One summer, Martha sends the kids to Camp Arawak. Soon after their arrival, a series of bizarre and increasingly violent accidents begins to claim the lives of various campers. Who is the twisted individual behind these murders? The disclosure of the murderer's identity is the most shocking climax in the history of American cinema." - [...]

My thoughts - The film was enjoyable in that the build up to the climax was affective. The acting is bad, but in a cheesy horror movie way. I've always viewed horror films with the idea that the acting is going to be decent at best, so no problems there. The murder scenes are set up to let you in on the fact that the person doing the killing is a familiar face. This move is affective in that you immediately dismiss the notion that it might be some brutal looking madman and quickly realize that it's one of the teen campers. Your mind begins to lock into the traditional who-done-it mode of thinking, which makes the end even more surprising. The Director (Robert Hiltzik)set's up the murders and the scene's directly follwing the murder's in a way that eliminates certain characters as the possible killer. What's left are two (at most) possible killers, and judging by the plot line ONE option seems to be the obvious choice, again aiding the shock that ensues at the end. The shock lies in the climax of the film. The final 2 minutes (approx.) of this movie are crazy, it's like two different films as far as the approach and creepy aspect. The mood is eerie, film stock looks different and the end result is downright spooky and shocking.

I'll Never Forget The Ending.......2007-02-15

It's been many, many years since I last saw this movie, but I remember it very well. I was real young when I first watched it, but I have seen it several times since but it has been several years since I last saw it.

It is one of those movies that shocks you so badly that you never forget its ending. NEVER!!!

She is a real carpenter's dream.......2007-01-19

This one is from the days when guys had feathered hair and wore short shorts, cut-off shirts and knee-high socks. Style aside, this film really is different from your average, cookie cutter slasher flick. It attempts character development, isn't exploitive when it easily could be, and tries to build suspense as a mystery. The kids at Camp Arawak have personalities and are (sometimes) driven by more than merely their libidos. In addition, rather than simply presenting a series of murders whereby the filmmakers try to see how creative they can be, this movie shows life at a summer camp by including activities such as softball games and socials. Unfortunately, this does not always make for an exciting film. The movie begins when a man and his two children are run over by a boat, though we aren't given much information about them. Fast-forward eight years to when young teens Ricky and his cousin, Angela, bid their truly peculiar Aunt Martha adieu and head to Camp Arawak for the summer. Many of the kids, including the counselors, pick on the catatonic Angela because she doesn't communicate with them. Then, people begin suffering horrible fates, including death. You'll pretty much be able to guess the film's "surprise," though it isn't confirmed until the final scene. The movie's real shock is the highly improbable pairing of two of the characters: not only does the pretty teenage counselor, Meg, make a date with the sixty-ish Mel (played by Mike Kellin, who died the year of this film's release), she seems genuinely excited about it! Weird! The movie itself garners a solid 2.5 stars, though the DVD gets an extra ½ star. Anchor Bay (the Criterion of B movies) once again deserves credit for resurrecting a semi-interesting B film and presenting it with a clean transfer in widescreen format. As always, an insert with original artwork from the film's advertisement is included.

Underrated slasher from the 80's.......2006-12-15

In the early 80's, with the runaway success of slasher movie series' like Halloween and Friday the 13th, there were a host of cheaply made films released over the years. One of these was the original Sleepaway Camp, which didn't offer a whole lot in terms of blood or gore, but offered a nice sense of suspense, dread, and a twist ending that is still memorable to this day. Young Angela (Felissa Rose) just experienced a family tragedy, and soon finds herself sent to a summer camp loaded with some unsavory individuals. Soon enough, someone starts picking them off, and it soon becomes quite apparent that a killer walks among the campers. For those who have never seen Sleepaway Camp but have seen plenty of slasher movies, there isn't really anything here that you haven't seen before. However, what set the film apart from the pack was it's twist ending which is worth the price of admission alone. Forget the ultra lame sequels that came out after this, the original Sleepaway Camp is the best of the series, and pretty much the only one worth seeing.

wow.......2006-12-04

I thought I had seen most horror movies of the 80's but this was a new one for me. The ending was so unpredictable.

Average customer rating:

Brilliant film, excellent disc. Fast delivery.
The Perfect Moment is this entire Film
Fantastic
An all-time favorite--and yes, I have friends, too!

Swimming To Cambodia

ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Monster in a Box: The Movie
Gray's Anatomy
Life Interrupted: The Unfinished Monologue
It's a Slippery Slope
Sex and Death to the Age 14

Product Features:

Swimming To Cambodia
The Killing Fields
Spalding Gray

ASIN: B000260NKO

Product Description

Spalding Gray sits behind a desk throughout the entire film and recounts his exploits and chance encounters while playing a minor role in the film 'The Killing Fields'. At the same time, he gives a background to the events occurring in Cambodia at the time the film was set.

Customer Reviews:

Brilliant film, excellent disc. Fast delivery........2007-02-07

This is one of my favorite films, which is sadly otherwise unavailable on DVD. This vendor provided a pristine copy in rapid time (three days). Excellent quality, just as promised, rapid delivery. Good deal.

The Perfect Moment is this entire Film.......2006-01-04

Even the spit coming out of his mouth at one point in this film makes this all the more engaging.

It's one of my favorite movies- he was a true original- and so is this film.

Fantastic.......2004-12-04

Swimming to Cambodia was my introduction to the late, great Spalding Gray and it was a great one. I had previously had the misguided idea that monolouges were dull and not the proper subject matter for film. Happily, Mr.Gray proved me wrong with this one performance that is both thoughtful and hilarious. His vivid storytelling and animated delivery create lasting images in the mind of the viewer, so don't let the fact that this movie takes place entirely behind a desk hinder your enjoyment of the story. It's a classic.

An all-time favorite--and yes, I have friends, too!.......2004-12-02

Ok, so I couldn't just let this go by without doing something. One opinion does not a ratings system make, so allow a tempered voice of reason to enter the field and bring that "1 star" rating up a notch or two for a very deserving film. Having first seen "The Killing Fields" many times, I was fascinated to come across this little gem. While yes, it is true that Gray sits behind a desk most of the time and talks, that is what makes this film so special. Yes, it's a one-person show, but what's wrong with that if what the person has to say is engaging, stimulating and thought-provoking? I welcome the opportunity to spend time once in awhile listening to someone spin a yarn about their adventures, misadventures and epiphanies. I recommend you first watch "The Killing Fields", an excellent movie based on a true story, and then wait a day or two before sinking into the sofa with a big tub o'microwave popcorn and this dvd.

Average customer rating:

Not as good as I had Hoped
My Thoughts on Killing Fields

Blue Vs. Gray - Killing Fields
Starring: Blue Vs Gray-Killing Fields
Manufacturer: Bfs Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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The Last Days of the Civil War (History Channel)
Wicked Spring
Gettysburg (Widescreen Edition)
Andersonville
Gettysburg: Three Days of Destiny

ASIN: B00006F7VG
Release Date: 2002-10-22

Description

Spring, 1864. The air is filled with exploding gunfire and the awful sounds of men collapsing in agony as they march forward into Hell. Relive the most vicious fighting of the Civil War, in which General Ulysses S. Grant forcibly reversed the tide of the conflict by paying with the blood of thousands. It was a desperate time for the Union. For three bloody years and despite their greater numbers, the troops had frequently been outmatched by the brilliant strategies of the Confederate leader, General Robert E. Lee. As General Ulysses S. Grant took charge of the Army of the Potomac that spring, he was determined to gain the upper hand in the war once and for all - no matter what the cost. Grant's relentless tactics led to furious clashes, including the Battle of the Wilderness, the Battle at Laura Hill and the fighting at the Mule Shoe and Cold Harbor. In a few short weeks, Grant sacrificed 50,000 men, more Americans than were lost during the entire Vietnam War. But his brutal strategies worked. By the time of Lee's surrender a year later, his own army of 60,000 had been decimated, reduced to a mere 7,500. These crucial weeks are authentically dramatized, using over 10,000 Civil War re-enactors, 2,000 horses, 50 cannons and heart-rending text from letters of those who were there. Filmed on hallowed ground and with riveting commentary by author Jeff Shaara (Gods and Generals) and noted Civil War expert, Edwin C. Bearss, it's a chillingly realistic experience of the final, desperate hours between North and South.

Customer Reviews:

Not as good as I had Hoped.......2006-06-15

This was dissapointing for me. The commentary is very good, but the battle scenes were not that great in my opinion. It could be I was spoiled after watching "The American Civil War: A Union Divided" which I thought was FAR better

My Thoughts on Killing Fields.......2005-09-07

This documentary was well organized and properly displayed. The battle summaries were startling. It brought the reality of war into perspective. The Killing Fields is a must for any Civil War enthusiast.

Friday the 13th, Part V - A New Beginning

Average customer rating:

WHO IS IT?
i like it
A Good Movie
"Those c**** aren't going to wait all night"
really not that bad

Friday the 13th, Part V - A New Beginning
Starring: Anthony Barrile , Suzanne Bateman , Dominick Brascia , Todd Bryant , and Curtis Conaway
Director: Danny Steinmann
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00005NG6D
Release Date: 2001-09-25

Description

Jason is back, hockey mask and all. And he's up to his old maniacal tricks in Friday The 13th, Part V: A New Beginning. This time he seems to have set his sights on the young patients at a secluded halfway house. And more than a few of his teen targets end up in half, in quarters...you name it, Jason does it.

Customer Reviews:

WHO IS IT?.......2007-05-11

THIS MOVIE WAS SOMETHING ELSE!TOMMY CAME OUT OF THE MENTAL HOSPITAL-AND WHAT HE WENT THROUGH ON JUST HIS FIRST DAY AT THE CAMP!A WOMAN NAMED ETHEL OWNED A FARM NEXT TO THE CAMP.SHE WAS FIESTY AND NASTY-BUT IN A FUNNY WAY.THIS MOVIE IS DIFFERENT-BUT STILL GREAT!ALL JASONS MOVIES ARE GREAT!JASON'S GREAT!

i like it.......2007-05-08

this is 1 of tha better friday the 13ths, i find it entertaining

A Good Movie.......2007-01-24

Like Halloween 3, people were disappointed that the famed killer doesn't make an appearance in the film, but people also forget that the original movie didn't have Jason in it either. Overall, I really do enjoy this movie and I found it really well reason. At the end of the film, they actually give a reason as to why all of the killing in the movie happened, and it is very similar to the reasons Mrs. Voorhees had in the original film. No, Jason is not in this movie, but it is still very interesting and good. However, if you are looking for Jason, you won't find it here.

"Those c**** aren't going to wait all night".......2007-01-10

Look people, the bottom line is- if you didn't know that it was the paramedic who was the killer then you better get a life right now. Let's look back at a few monumental murder scenes. Pete or Vinny, I'm not sure which one, died via a road flare shoved in his mouth because he wouldn't shut-up. Then, we see that kid who looks like Tom Cruise get his head fastened and squeezed to a tree with a leather strap, that was refreshing to watch because I always pretend it was the real Tom Cruise. And let's not forget that screeching hag and her retarded son who lived next to the funny farm who were the proud recipients of a meat clever to their heads. Phenominal movie.

really not that bad.......2006-11-19

if you dont know how this movie ends up don't read this review and just buy the movie its a surprise and its good. Tommy jarvis returns as an insane teenager going to a special asylum which of course is a camp. As it turns out the killer is an odd paramedic and for a jason imposter does a pretty good job but seems to ejoy killing people by blood loss trough the eyes. and has some hot chicks and a nice punky/goth chick but i go 4 those kinds so thts an opinion any way this one has THE best end of all the fridays

Average customer rating:

Great movie, High quality, and Uncut
poor quality, great film
Really really odd, really really good!
No art in this movie
Full version of the film!

Sleepaway Camp
Starring: Christopher Collet , Robert Earl Jones , Mike Kellin , Felissa Rose , and Jonathan Tiersten
Director: Robert Hiltzik
Manufacturer: Legacy Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00077BOO2
Release Date: 2005-03-01

Customer Reviews:

Great movie, High quality, and Uncut.......2007-04-06

The dvd is the full uncut version from Legacy,It's a great 80's camp/slasher movie with a shocking ending,and the dvd that i got has a high dvd-quality picture and sound.I can't believe that i got it for only five dollars.I going to buy part 2 and 3.

poor quality, great film.......2006-10-02

ok, first off a response to the guy who gave this movie one start because it was absent of art. I agree, but thats what makes this movie interesting, the poor acting and badly assembled scenes (in my opinion) make this movie just that much more interesting. I'm a fan of cheesy films, and this one takes the cake. The acting is bad, the dialog isn't much better, and the special effects are awful, but that makes this movie rule.The ending, as the previous guy called silly and stupid, would have been original and shocking had i not seen the sequel first where the ending of the first is blurted out in the first scene. Even with the ending spoiled for me, i was still pleasantly surprized with how they pull it off( I just dont understand the odd grunting noises). The transfer had to be straight from VHS becaue it is just completely awful which adds to the appeal somewhat but is mostly just a bother. in summation, buy this movie, rent it, whatever, JUST SEE IT!!!!

Really really odd, really really good!.......2006-03-06

Back of the DVD: After a horrible boating accident killed her family, survivor Angela Baker has been living with her eccentric aunt Martha for the past eight years, alongside her protective cousin Ricky. This summer, Martha has decided to send them both to Camp Arawak, a place where teenagers have the opportunity to interact with each other while experiencing the joys of nature. However, soon after their arrival, a series of bizarre and increasingly violent accidents begin claming the lives of various campers. Who is the twisted individual behind these murders? All will be revealed in the most shocking climax in cinematic history, in the cult classic "Sleepaway Camp".

Hmmmm. What can I say about this weird, 88 minute early 80's slasher flick? Well, it's weird, and it's a slasher from the 80's. (Yeah, I'm a smartass, I know.) Meaning that it is either going to be so incredibly cheesey that you can't watch ten minutes of it without laughing, or one of the best horror films you've ever seen. This would be the latter, in my opinion. As I have said, this is a really odd little picture, and a lot of the kids in this film are only around 14 or 15 years old, so a few of the killings are even more disgusting than they were originally intended to be.

Yes, the killings are quite gruesome, even though they really aren't that gorey. Brutal, unnerving, and kind of original. Now, the murders do not begin until a half an hour into the film, and then they don't start up again until the final half hour, which is one of the awesomest 30 minutes you'll ever watch. Oh, and the ending. Oh my god. The ending is soooo incredibly out there, that your jaw will drop almost immediately. I actually exclaimed "Holy sh*t!" loud enough for the entire neighborhood to hear when the climax came upon the screen.

The acting in this is sub-par, but then again, it is a slasher movie. The woman who plays Aunt Martha is so bad, that it makes her character disturbing, like it's supposed to be. So, no complaints here!

I've pretty much explained how the script is, so all I'll say is that writing wise, it's a pretty solid story. Overall, this is a pretty obscure but fun little 80's slasher film, and it's reccomended to all slasher fans.

No art in this movie.......2005-07-28

There are few other movies out of my 200 reviews that I rated at one-star, which include "Black and White", "Armageddon" and "Lost and Delirious". However, even though they were bad in their own way, at least some art could be found in them. By this I mean a spurt of acting, or some nice photography or perhaps a clever line or two of dialog.

"Sleepaway Camp" has none of that. To say that the people in front of the camera "act", or even "can't act" is to give these (mostly) never-heard-from-again people more credit than they are worth. Most of one main character's signature specialty is to a) Stare back at someone who is yelling at them without any trace of emotion (repeatedly), b) Open her mouth as big as you can and repeat "a)".

Another pivotal character seemed over medicated, and repeatedly put her fingers on her chin while pondering some "deep" thought she expounded in a sing-song voice.

The other people mostly had a) New York accents (I'm so sorry), b) incredibly high-waisted short pants and/or very high black socks and/or white shoes. Oh, and an obviously fake moustache (was realistic in the first scene, though.)

Without overtly giving away some of the methods of death, one victim could have easily slid out under the stall door in the restroom. Another is motionless during a rather painful ordeal.

In two other cases (one near-death, one death) both victims emote great pain by holding their arms up - but not moving them, or struggling or anything - just holding their arms up.

Finally - the big surprise ending. Many reviewers have claimed this is the scariest/best/unforgetable ending in the history of movies. I think if you substitute "silliest/stupidest" you'd be nearer the truth. Just bad in every sense.

While the movie has nothing of value between the credits, I must say the song over the closing credits was OK. The first three minutes of slow pans across forests and buildings while listening to off-screen talking and chattering was not bad, but it all went downhill as soon as the first character was seen. Bad clothes, bad dialog, bad acting, bad stunts.

Oh, I almost forgot the stereotypical pedofile character who talks dreamily of "baldies", causing his friends to giggle, and who later attempts to whip it out on a girl in the meat locker (pun intended).

This is the type of movie that could be rated 1-star or 5-stars. Ultimately I have to give it 1 star because it had no art. It probably should be seen once, just to know where the lower limit of film-making really is.

Full version of the film!.......2005-07-11

This is the fully uncut version of the film! The Anchor Bay dvd has a few slight cuts to some of the death scenes. The picture and sound on this version are that of an old vhs but still watchable. If you have the box set get this one too just so you can see what has been cut from the Anchor Bay version. You cant beat a dvd for $5!

Average customer rating:

Behind-the-scenes info for Cass buffs
Falk and Arkin Can't Miss. Be Prepared to Laugh
Cassavetes fans, don't bother.
hilarious...on the order of "The In-Laws". Falk/Arkin great!

Big Trouble
Starring: Peter Falk , Alan Arkin , Beverly D'Angelo , Charles Durning , and Robert Stack
Director: John Cassavetes
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00009OOFJ
Release Date: 2003-07-22

Amazon.com

The last film directed by John Cassavetes, Big Trouble reteamed some of the creators of the much funnier The In-Laws. But despite another script by Andrew Bergman, and a cast that reunited Alan Arkin and Peter Falk, this comedy doesn't live up to its predecessor. A spoof of Double Indemnity, the film casts Arkin as a nervous insurance agent faced with huge college tuition bills for a trio of sons headed for Yale. To make extra money, he gets involved in a scheme with a woman (Beverly D'Angelo) trying to kill her husband (Falk). That the whole thing turns out to be an adventure in insurance fraud shouldn't come as a surprise. Despite an inconsistent script, the chemistry between Arkin and Falk can still produce the occasional laugh. --Marshall Fine

Description

Alan Arkin and Peter Falk star in John Cassavetes' comedic homage to Double Indemnity. When lovely Beverly D'Angelo convinces insurance man Arkin (who is desperate to send his triplet sons to Yale) to kill off her husband, things get progressively stranger ... and funnier.

Customer Reviews:

Behind-the-scenes info for Cass buffs.......2005-01-26

For a fascinating behind-the-scenes info about Big Trouble and a list of books about Cassavetes' work, go to Ray Carney's website dedicated to John Cassavetes (found through any search engine).

Falk and Arkin Can't Miss. Be Prepared to Laugh.......2003-03-29

The In-Laws is the standard, but there are scenes in this one that I still can't get through without choking laughter 15 years later. This movie goes beyond off the wall in some spots, and the cast gets it done. It's all about Arkin, Falk, and of course, Richard Libertini in an "In-Laws" like wacky role. No cerebral stuff going on here, but you'll laugh throughout. Find this movie somehow. You won't be sorry

Cassavetes fans, don't bother........2000-11-02

This film, as far as I know, is the "real" last film Cassavetes directed -- not LOVE STREAMS, alas, though that makes a much more fitting final movie. Cassavetes was probably trying to generate funding for a film biography of Django Rheinhardt he was preparing to make (which, of course, he never did get to); either that or he was doing a favor for his friend Peter Falk. In any case, the film has NO bearing on Cassavetes other work. You'll see no sign of his touch at any point, and little sign that he particularly cared about the project. It plays through as a mediocre commercial comedy, poorly written and not very funny. It's professionally done -- but that's about it. Don't even be curious.

hilarious...on the order of "The In-Laws". Falk/Arkin great!.......1998-11-27

A follow up (but not a sequel) to the comedy "The In-Laws", Peter Falk and Alan Arkin pick up where they left off. A lighthearted comedy about an insurance salesman (Arkin) who unwittingly gets caught up in a scheme by Falk and his wife, played by Beverly D'Angelo. Many twists and turns in this classic! You will long remember the highway scene, the nose reconstruction, the drink, the kidnapping, the drugstore, the train, the homeless man, the adjuster. 4.9 stars

Average customer rating:

Not too bad
Entertaining sequel to one of the greatest slasher movies of all time!
Sleepaway Camp 2: Unhappy Campers
bad bad bad
Classic cheesy horror with Mullets

Sleepaway Camp 2: Unhappy Campers
Starring: Carol Chambers , Brian Patrick Clarke , Ramon Estevez , Renée Estevez , and Walter Gotell
Director: Michael A. Simpson
Manufacturer: Legacy Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00077BOOC
Release Date: 2005-03-01

Customer Reviews:

Not too bad.......2006-10-03

The Mullet factor in this movie propells it from 2 to 3 stars. This movie is your typical 80's slasher flick that adds some well placed humor to some very bloddy scenes. Pam Springsteen is good in the movie and actually makes this movie work.

As one would expect most people die but it is definitely worth watching how creative Pam S. is in killing them. All in all this movie is worth watching but beware that this is part 2 in a 3 part series so you should watch 1 and 3 to fully appreciate the entire story.

Entertaining sequel to one of the greatest slasher movies of all time!.......2006-03-05

When I put this DVD in, I wasn't really expect much. All I expected was a crappy sequel to a really great film, since alot of slasher sequels aren't that good. Well, I was pleasantly suprised because what I got was a highly enjoyable late 80's horror cheesefest that all fans of corny slasher flicks can appreciate.

Basically, the plot revolves around a group of kids at a camp called Rolling Hills, which is apparently 60 miles from Arawak. Well, it turnes out that Angela did her time at the mental hospital and has had a sex change operation (She used to be a boy) and is apparently "cured". Haha. Boy, were the counselors that hired her wrong. Pretty soon, kids begin to start missing. Angela claims that she's sent them home for behaving badly, when really, she's been brutally murdering them in painful, gruesome ways. No one knows this, and of course, they believe her when she tells them she sent 'em home. Well, when more and more kids keep getting "sent home", the camp counselors get suspicious and fire Angela. Of course, Angela runs off into the forest and to the abandoned cabin where she likes to hang out. One of the remaining teenagers decides that she wants to try and cheer her up, and grabs her boyfriend and has him help her. Well, when they reach Angela's hangout spot, they soon find out her disgustingly horrible secret and now both of their lives are in danger. Will they make it out alive? Watch the movie and find out, damn it!

Well, there's a run-down of the main premise of this short, but incredibly entertaining bloodfest. Now, the story is really quite absurd. Wouldn't they check Angela's records or something before hiring her as a staff member? In real life, yes, they would have and they would have NEVER have hired her...unless they were total and complete idiots, of course. But, luckily, these counselors are idiots and we get to have a fun time watching Angela "weed out the bad kids"! The gore scenes in here weren't very graphic, but then again, the gore scenes weren't too graphic in the first one, either. You see, they didn't NEED to be gorey! And neither do the deaths in here!

Oh, and if you're looking for some T&A, there's plenty of it in here. Right after the beginning credits, we see one of the young teenage girls topless because she says she likes to sleep in the nude. And there's one that just likes to act like a complete [hooker]to impress her friends and the guys, and one of the best sex scenes ever filmed happens to be in here. Yes, the sexual stuff is pretty pointless, but this is a SLASHER FILM. Most slasher films have a little bit of nudity or sex in them, to attract their younger male target audience. And of course, the girls are treated to a couple of muscular guys without any shirts on a couple of times.

The acting is pretty average in here, but it's better than the performances in the first film. Pam Springstein is amazing as Angela, and I personally think she's much much better than Felissa Rose. I love the way she portrays our favorite transvestite serial killer. When she murders, she doesn't think twice about it. She just acts like it's some every day thing, and just...does it. There's no other way to explain it, she just kills 'em. Only a couple of the murders have build up to them, and yeah, I do wish there had been more build-up in this one like in the first, but oh well. I still had a great time watching this, so that doesn't matter.

Overall, this isn't as good as the first one, but for some reason, it's far more entertaining.

Reccomended for a Saturday night rental. Or you can just buy it if it's really really cheap, like I did. Don't forget to pop a ton of popcorn to go with it!

Sleepaway Camp 2: Unhappy Campers.......2005-09-08

Sequel to the 1983 cult classic "Sleepaway Camp". If you are not familar with the first movie it is a must see! (See my review.)

This installment takes place five years after the grisly murders at Camp Arawak. We are now at Camp Rolling Hills and Angela is BACK! She has escaped from an asylum and has shown up as a camp counselor. Everything has to be "perfect" for her, and you will find out if you break the rules you will get punished!

Lots of gore to delight the horror fan. If you liked the first movie I would highly suggest seeing this one.

bad bad bad.......2005-08-10

this movie is such a waste of time you definately will want to see it!!bruce springsteen must be so embarrassed!

Classic cheesy horror with Mullets.......2005-08-09

The chick on the cover isnt in the movie at all lets just get that out of the way.This movie is just plain fun, lots of boobs, counselors and campers with serious mullets and really bad effects makeup. the continuity is lacking and so is the writing for that matter BUT I LOVE THIS MOVIE> because I love the "campy" aspect no pun intended. Angela is back on this movie but this time she isnt the wallflower quiet camper that secretly kills her fellow campers and the staff, no this time around she is UBER-COUNSELOR!!! She sings Kum-bay-yah and tries to keep her cabin full of girls(who are to freaking old to be campers) from losing thier shirts, literally, at all moments of the day. She clashes with other staff members because she sticks to the rules, and she Kills when she sees them being broke, She is the "angel of death" only slaughtering those who deserve to be killed. Angela practically skips through each murder with a giant grin and a biting humorous line or two. You want these brats to get offed, especially Allie the wet t-shirt, nappy-headed slut. This film outdoes the first one by a mile, so go rent a cabin, eat s'mores, grab your deep woods off and have a good time with this one!

People's Century: Killing Fields 1914-1919

Average customer rating:

World War One from Multiple Perspectives

People's Century: Killing Fields 1914-1919
Starring: Alfre Woodard , Sean Barrett , and John Forsythe
Director: Angus MacQueen
Manufacturer: Wgbh Boston
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000HEWGXS
Release Date: 2006-09-19

Customer Reviews:

World War One from Multiple Perspectives.......2007-03-19

"Killing Fields" provides a good overview of the First World War and its effects on all sides. As the first industrial war, it had a new impact, and this is explained very well.

Average customer rating:

Ninja in the Killing Fields

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Helicopters, cars and explosions help turn this martial arts masterpiece into a fantastic drama. Nonstop action and amazing fight scenes will have your pulse rising and knuckles whitening. A first class film from the kings of action in Hong Kong. Prepare to be stunned.

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