
Editorial Review:
Amazon.com
The legend of Mississippi blues master Robert Johnson has served as a fountainhead for generations of blues and rock musicians, as well as a powerful fable for the dark, often violent mysteries of delta blues. Johnson's mythic deal with the Devil, in exchange for his extraordinary musical gifts, has become a fixture in blues lore and an example of the enduring pull of superstitions that can be traced back to Mother Africa and Yoruba deities. Producer-director Walter Hill (The Long Riders, Streets of Fire) sought to put this uniquely American mystery on film, but when he was unable to secure a script devoted directly to Johnson himself, Hill bravely decided to proceed with a more oblique, allegorical story that retold the Satanic bargain through a fictionalized drama set in the present day. In this 1986 feature, the hero is Eugene, a classically trained guitar virtuoso pulled toward the earthier powers of blues. When he stumbles across a lost blues legend, Willie Brown (a real blues figure and Johnson peer known for his partnerships with Charley Patton and Son House, among others), Eugene begins an odyssey back to the delta country and the crossroads of the title, where both Willie and Johnson had traded their souls for blues power, to help the surviving bluesman renegotiate terms.
An opening sequence, shot in sepia-toned black and white, dramatizes Johnson's own supernatural encounter, as well as one of the bluesman's historic Texas recording sessions, and Hill's visuals combine with frequent collaborator Ry Cooder's reliably authentic slide guitar to offer a promising glimpse of cinematic conjury. Even the satanic villain--a grinning huckster named Scratch--honors the trickster figure familiar to African American superstitions, rather than a generic devil. Willie Brown (Joe Seneca) is likewise a convincing link to the blues past, but Hill's central casting choice--Ralph (The Karate Kid) Macchio--sacrifices all for marquee value, a Hobson's choice that casts a shadow of unintended parody across the film. Macchio's earlier character, not Scratch, haunts this film, and even a nifty duel between Eugene, his slashing fretwork supplied off-camera by Cooder, and Scratch's ax-wielding henchman, heavy metal virtuoso, and one-time Frank Zappa protégé Steve Vai, can't safely rescue the film. --Sam Sutherland
Average customer rating:
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The Celestine Prophecy
Starring: Matthew Settle , Thomas Kretschmann , Sarah Wayne Callies , Annabeth Gish , and Hector Elizondo Director: Armand Mastroianni Manufacturer: Sony Pictures ProductGroup: DVD Binding: DVD Similar Items:
ASIN: B000JBWWQ0 Release Date: 2006-12-19 |
Amazon.com
The Celestine Prophecy is an action-adventure adaptation of the hit novel by James Redfield, a film that moves so swiftly it can be difficult at times to absorb the New Age philosophy tucked into Redfield's multiple, so-called Insights. Matthew Settle plays an American history teacher who travels to Peru to look into the discovery of an ancient manuscript that foretells the arrival of a new spirituality. The Peruvian government and Catholic church, threatened by something that might supplant traditional religion and mainstream values, harass and arrest the scientists and enlightened souls who discovered the manuscript. Our hero becomes involved in a dangerous effort to keep the document from official hands; along the way, he's introduced to the prophecy's major principles, which arouse his dormant spiritual abilities. Annabeth Gish, Hector Elizondo, and Jurgen Prochnow are a welcome presence in this light and sometimes confusing, if casually engaging work that requires repeat viewings to fully hear its interesting message. --Tom KeoghMore Celestine Prophecy on Amazon.com
Philosophy, Hollywood Style: Films for Fans of The Celestine Prophecy |
The Making of The Celestine Prophecy |
The Novels of James Redfield |
Stills from The Celestine Prophecy (click for larger image)
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Product Description
Based on James Redfield's worldwide best-selling novel, The Celestine Prophecy is a spiritual adventure film chronicling the discovery of ancient scrolls in the rainforests of Peru. The prophecy and its nine key insights predict a worldwide awakening, arising within all religious traditions, that moves humanity toward a deeper experience of spirituality.Customer Reviews:
It's No Accident..........2007-06-23
Must see.......2007-06-11
not quite as good as the book.......2007-06-08
As good as the book, uh, not really.......2007-05-28
Short and sweet.......2007-05-28
Average customer rating:
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Crossroads Guitar Festival
Starring: Eric Clapton , J.J. Cale , B.B. King , James Taylor (XVII) , and Rocky Frisco Director: B.B. King , and Ron de Moraes Manufacturer: Warner Strat. Mkt. ProductGroup: DVD Binding: DVD Similar Items:
ASIN: B0002Y4T92 Release Date: 2004-11-09 |
Amazon.com
Although it could have been twice as long, this double-DVD set effectively captures over three hours of highlights from one of the most comprehensive and diverse collection of guitarists ever assembled for a single event. Recorded over three days in June of 2004 to benefit Eric Clapton's Crossroads Center in Antigua (as do the sales of this set), the show is not surprisingly heavy on the rootsy blues and country that comprise Clapton's primary inspirations. But it also includes folk (James Taylor), gospel (Robert Randolph & the Family Band), fret-shredding rockers (Steve Vai who delivers a dazzling performance), jazz (John McLaughlin), and, most interestingly, Indian classical music (a stunning piece from Vishwa Mohan Bhatt).Most compelling are the rare and sometimes unusual collaborations. Joe Walsh and Taylor clown around on "Steamroller Blues," and Booker T. & the M.G.'s back both Joe Walsh on a rollicking "Rocky Mountain Way" and Los Lobos' David Hidalgo tearing into a sizzling "The Neighborhood." Clapton and J.J. Cale share the stage as do Clapton and Carlos Santana, and a show-stopping blues summit with Robert Cray, Jimmie Vaughan, Hubert Sumlin, B.B. King, Buddy Guy, and Clapton is a treat for all involved.
There are some shortcomings. The event isn't presented in chronological order--different stages, days, and backing bands are shuffled with Clapton's own set scattered throughout--ZZ Top's closing is a bit anticlimactic, and there are many omissions due to time constraints. But every act rises to the occasion, and this expertly recorded and shot DVD gives the viewer a front-row seat to a once-in-a-lifetime experience. --Hal Horowitz
Description
In June 2004, some of the greatest living guitar players and their bands gathered at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, Texas, for a three-day festival to benefit the Crossroads Centre in Antigua. It was the ultimate concert for any music lover, featuring one legend after the other: Eric Clapton, BB King, Buddy Guy, Eric Johnson, James Taylor, Jimmie Vaughan, Joe Walsh, John Mayer, Robert Cray, Robert Randolph, Santana, ZZ Top, and many more. This 2-DVD set beautifully documents the event and contains over 4 hours of content. Planned extras include in-depth artist interviews, a mini-documentary, photo gallery, alternate angle, and more. Royalties from the DVD sales will benefit the Crossroads Center.Customer Reviews:
Next Best Thing To Being There.......2007-05-13
Gem of a DVD.......2007-04-20
Great Concert Captured on DVD .......2007-04-11
An Amazing Array of Talent!!.......2007-04-02
Crossroads Guitar Festival DVD.......2007-04-01
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Crossroads
Starring: Ralph Macchio , Joe Seneca , Jami Gertz , Joe Morton , and Robert Judd Director: Walter Hill Manufacturer: Sony Pictures ProductGroup: DVD Binding: DVD Similar Items:
ASIN: B0002A2WDQ Release Date: 2004-08-10 |
Amazon.com
The legend of Mississippi blues master Robert Johnson has served as a fountainhead for generations of blues and rock musicians, as well as a powerful fable for the dark, often violent mysteries of delta blues. Johnson's mythic deal with the Devil, in exchange for his extraordinary musical gifts, has become a fixture in blues lore and an example of the enduring pull of superstitions that can be traced back to Mother Africa and Yoruba deities. Producer-director Walter Hill (The Long Riders, Streets of Fire) sought to put this uniquely American mystery on film, but when he was unable to secure a script devoted directly to Johnson himself, Hill bravely decided to proceed with a more oblique, allegorical story that retold the Satanic bargain through a fictionalized drama set in the present day. In this 1986 feature, the hero is Eugene, a classically trained guitar virtuoso pulled toward the earthier powers of blues. When he stumbles across a lost blues legend, Willie Brown (a real blues figure and Johnson peer known for his partnerships with Charley Patton and Son House, among others), Eugene begins an odyssey back to the delta country and the crossroads of the title, where both Willie and Johnson had traded their souls for blues power, to help the surviving bluesman renegotiate terms.An opening sequence, shot in sepia-toned black and white, dramatizes Johnson's own supernatural encounter, as well as one of the bluesman's historic Texas recording sessions, and Hill's visuals combine with frequent collaborator Ry Cooder's reliably authentic slide guitar to offer a promising glimpse of cinematic conjury. Even the satanic villain--a grinning huckster named Scratch--honors the trickster figure familiar to African American superstitions, rather than a generic devil. Willie Brown (Joe Seneca) is likewise a convincing link to the blues past, but Hill's central casting choice--Ralph (The Karate Kid) Macchio--sacrifices all for marquee value, a Hobson's choice that casts a shadow of unintended parody across the film. Macchio's earlier character, not Scratch, haunts this film, and even a nifty duel between Eugene, his slashing fretwork supplied off-camera by Cooder, and Scratch's ax-wielding henchman, heavy metal virtuoso, and one-time Frank Zappa protégé Steve Vai, can't safely rescue the film. --Sam Sutherland
Customer Reviews:
Harp and Guitar.......2007-06-15
OK Movie.......2007-05-09
for blues lovers.......2007-04-30
A fun little piece.......2007-04-07
This movie has a great story, an incredible soundtrack and great characters.......2007-03-19
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Ghost World
Starring: Thora Birch , Scarlett Johansson , Steve Buscemi , Brad Renfro , and Illeana Douglas Director: Terry Zwigoff Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD) ProductGroup: DVD Binding: DVD Similar Items:
ASIN: B00005T30L Release Date: 2002-02-05 |
Amazon.com
If you've ever felt alienated by the world around you, Ghost World will offer laughter, tears, and reassurance that you are definitely not alone. Adapted by Daniel Clowes and Crumb director Terry Zwigoff from Clowes's acclaimed graphic novel, the movie spends summer vacation with high school graduates Enid (Thora Birch) and Rebecca (Scarlet Johansson). They inflict little tortures on the denizens of urban sprawl, wielding scathing irony as a defense against a "ghost world" full of pop-cultural lemmings and uncertain futures. But when Enid picks a 40-ish vintage-record collector (Steve Buscemi) as the target of her latest cruel prank, she finds herself unexpectedly attracted to him ("he's the opposite of everything I completely hate") and is forced to confront her own crushing loneliness. This combination of deadpan sarcasm and deeply compassionate humanity makes Ghost World a rare and delicate comedy, with an ambiguous ending that suggests tragedy or hope, depending on your own point of view. --Jeff ShannonDescription
Thora Birch (American Beauty) and Scarlett Johansson (Lost in Translation) "sneak into your heart and stay there" (Rolling Stone) in this "eerie, masterful movie" (Movieline) from the acclaimed director of Crumb. Co-starring Brad Renfro (Deuces Wild), Illeana Douglas (Stir of Echos) and Steve Buscemi (Fargo) in "the best role of his career" (Movieline), Ghost World is a "smartly strange comedy [that] stands out like the Taj Mahal" (Time)! While their classmates head for college, Enid (Birch) and Rebecca (Johansson) focus their energies on tormenting those around them - from a goofy convenience store clerk (Renfro) to an eccentric art teacher (Douglas). But when they zero in on an oddball loner (Buscemi) looking for Miss Right, their seemingly innocent meddling threatens to shatter one of their hearts not to mention their lifelong friendship.Customer Reviews:
Good Teen Tale.......2007-06-23
a great touching funny movie.......2007-05-18
No ghosts, but funny in a sweet and melancholy way.......2007-05-11
One of the Best Films of All Time.......2007-05-08
depressing.......2007-04-01
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Loggerheads
Starring: Bonnie Hunt , and Chris Sarandon Director: Tim Kirkman Manufacturer: Strand Home Video ProductGroup: DVD Binding: DVD Similar Items:
ASIN: B000E0WJUK Release Date: 2006-03-21 |
Amazon.com
For such a quiet and understated movie, Loggerheads has a lot of ambition: In addition to being a gay love story, it's also about the push and pull between parents and children, the hairline fractures in a marriage, and the delicate balance of a neighborhood. A troubled woman (Bonnie Hunt, Return to Me) seeks out the child she gave up for adoption; a gay motel owner (Michael Kelly, Dawn of the Dead) takes in a handsome drifter (Kip Pardue, Imaginary Heroes); and the wife (Tess Harper, Tender Mercies) of a preacher (Chris Sarandon, The Princess Bride) frets that a gay couple has moved in across the street. All of their lives will intersect as Loggerheads subtly draws out their secret losses and desires. Maybe too subtly--trying to avoid melodrama, the movie may have avoided some emotionally potent scenes. But the cast is superb throughout, all giving vivid and genuine performances; there's not a false note through the entire film. Also featuring Robin Weigert (Deadwood) and Michael Learned (The Waltons). --Bret FetzerCustomer Reviews:
Thought provoking.......2007-07-04
A favorite!.......2007-05-29
Beautifully filmed, emotionally moving.......2007-04-09
So much truth in less than 2 hours.......2007-03-05
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.......2007-02-02
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Crossroads
Starring: Kim Cattrall , Beverly Johnson , Kool Moe Dee , Dan Aykroyd , and Bahni Turpin Director: Tamra Davis Manufacturer: Paramount ProductGroup: DVD Binding: DVD Similar Items:
ASIN: B00005JKWM Release Date: 2002-07-23 |
Amazon.com
Pop idol Britney Spears stars in this sweet coming-of-age movie about three childhood friends who've grown apart, but find out they may still have a lot in common. After graduating from high school, Lucy (Spears), Kit (Zoe Saldana), and Mimi (Taryn Manning) decide to take a road trip to L.A. to audition for a record label. Along the way, there's a lot of heartbreak and female bonding (not to mention a lot of midriff-baring--in her first scene, Spears jumps on her bed in her underwear, singing along to a Madonna song), as each of the three girls learns more about herself and life. Crossroads could have been trite schmaltz, but the script has some grit and the direction is fresh and relaxed--and, most significantly, Spears is far more sympathetic and engaging than you might expect. Also featuring Dan Aykroyd and Kim Cattrall. --Bret FetzerCustomer Reviews:
Crossroads: Business in the front, Party in the back...........2007-05-10
I must admit it was..........2007-01-07
Don't take it too seriously - it delivers!.......2006-08-12
It's actully good when you get past Britney.......2006-06-25
It's OK. .......2006-05-29
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Los Lonely Boys - Cottonfields and Crossroads
Starring: Los Lonely Boys , and Joseph Thomas Campos Director: Hector Galan Manufacturer: Xenon ProductGroup: DVD Binding: DVD Similar Items:
ASIN: B000KF0DDE Release Date: 2007-02-06 |
Customer Reviews:
Wonderful story about real people.......2007-03-12
Los Lonely Boys - Cottonfields and Crossroads DVD.......2007-03-09
Los Lonely Boys - Cottonfields and Crossroads.......2007-03-09
The rest of the success story of Los Lonely Boys.......2007-02-19
It's not just about the music..........2007-02-19
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Eric Clapton & Friends in Concert: A Benefit for the Crossroads...
Starring: Eric Clapton Manufacturer: Warner Bros / Wea ProductGroup: DVD Binding: DVD Similar Items:
ASIN: 6305610460 Release Date: 1999-10-26 |
Amazon.com
It's been quite a road for Eric Clapton: from blues purist to rock guitar god, from country-pop balladeer to classic rock icon, and on to his current status as all-around legend, playing everything from straight blues to neo-soul. Those different aspects are all on display in this concert, taped at New York's Madison Square Garden to raise funds for the guitarist's drug and alcohol rehab center in the Caribbean. Of course, we get a healthy dose of Clapton the frontman during the nearly two-hour show, from the predictable "Layla" and "Tears in Heaven" to "River of Tears," perhaps the best song from his 1998 Pilgrim album (heard here in a more gospel-tinged arrangement). But it is as a collaborator or accompanist that he really shines, whether he's adding some tasty slide guitar to Sheryl Crow's "Different Kind," generating some real heat with saxophonist David Sanborn during a fiery "Little Wing," or harmonizing and trading guitar licks with Bob Dylan during a good-timey "Crossroads." Sure, Eric Clapton backing up Mary J. Blige may seem a little strange, but by the time he encores with a rousing "Sunshine of Your Love," it's clear that a good time was had by all. --Sam GrahamDescription
On July 30, 1999, Eric Clapton put together a stellar band and invited a few friends--Bob Dylan, Sheryl Crow, Mary J. Blige, and David Sanborn--to perform a one-night-only concert in New York City's Madison Square Garden as a benefit for Clapton's Crossroads Centre at Antigua. 170 minutes.Customer Reviews:
Guitar Lovers Delight.......2007-02-06
The Masterpiece
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<>.......2005-06-16
Uncommon Presentation.......2004-01-03
The guests are somewhat unusual, though mostly pleasing. Sheryl Crow is fine, Bob Dylan is excellent, Dave Sanborn is probably good, (I rarely take note of horns), but the Mary Blige section is, ...well, ...unexpected!.
Clapton's backing band is mostly the same folks that are usually with him; Andy Fairweather-Low, Steve Gadd, and Nathan East with Katie Kissoon & Tessa Niles. They are always enjoyable to hear. (He later dropped the girls from his 2002 tour, and I missed them on "One More Car"/Rider). I have read that he sometimes determines his song selections according to the capabilities of his backing group. If that is so, then I would appreciate a little variety in the players he recruits - time is moving on, and I would love to hear/see him do some of the afformentioned tunes before he hangs up his new, graphic strat forever!
Some Good Performances.......2003-11-11
Will someone please give Mary J. Blige a mirror?.......2002-12-01
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Deep Blues: A Musical Pilgrimage to the Crossroads
Starring: Big Jack Johnson , Jack Owens (II) , Roosevelt Barnes , Junior Kimbrough , and Lonnie Pitchford Director: Robert Mugge Manufacturer: Shout Factory ProductGroup: DVD Binding: DVD Similar Items:
ASIN: B00009VU35 Release Date: 2003-07-22 |
Amazon.com
This superb documentary vividly illustrates the enduring vitality of country blues, an idiom that most mainstream music fans had presumed dead or, at best, preserved through more scholarly tributes when filmmaker Robert Mugge and veteran blues and rock writer Robert Palmer embarked on their 1990 odyssey into Mississippi delta country. What Arkansas native and former Memphis stalwart Palmer knew, and Mugge captured on film, was that the blues was not only alive but still intimately woven into the daily lives of rural blacks.Palmer, a former rock musician and Memphis Blues Festival cofounder best known for his bylines in The New York Times and Rolling Stone, had already chronicled the saga of Southern blues in his seminal book that provides the film's title. He's an astute guide, and Mugge underlines this role by pairing him with British rocker Dave Stewart (Eurythmics), whose avid interest in the music makes him an effective foil.
The film's real triumph, however, rests in the team's success in capturing modern day blues survivors and inheritors playing in the bars, juke joints, and barns of delta country. Palmer, who had returned several years earlier to the delta to capture these artists for his scrappy Fat Possum label, introduces us to the now-amplified but still elemental blues of R.L. Burnside, the late Junior Kimbrough, Jessie Mae Hemphill, Roosevelt "Booba" Barnes, and other keepers of the faith. Mugge, whose profiles of Al Green, Sonny Rollins, and other musicians probed their cultural and artistic contexts with intelligence and sensitivity, captures both the music and the milieu in crisp color footage. Deep Blues thus triumphs as a testament to the blues' deep roots and an unintentional eulogy for Palmer, who would pass away in the mid-'90s just as the gut-bucket music of Burnside and Kimbrough served notice that the blues were alive and kicking. --Sam Sutherland
Customer Reviews:
Bitter Lemon Revival.......2007-03-21
Great blues DVD.......2007-02-21
Historical Value to Blues genre.......2007-01-04
If you love the blues, you'll love this.......2006-11-03
Dull.......2006-10-03
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Don't Tell
Starring: Giovanna Mezzogiorno , Alessio Boni , Stefania Rocca , Angela Finocchiaro , and Giuseppe Battiston Director: Cristina Comencini Manufacturer: Lions Gate ProductGroup: DVD Binding: DVD ![]() |