The Children's Hour

Starring:Audrey Hepburn, Shirley MacLaine, James Garner, Miriam Hopkins, Fay Bainter, Karen Balkin, Veronica Cartwright, Mimi Gibson, Debbie Moldow, Diane Mountford, William Mims, Sally Brophy, Hope Summers, Jered Barclay, Harold Miller, Ed Prentiss, Florence MacMichael
Director: William Wyler
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
Product Type: DVD

Customer Reviews:

Would you like fish or meat?.......2007-05-29

Zero Hour! was the basis for the comedy favorite Airplane!, which is the reason why it is considered a cult classic. In fact, many of the lines and scenerios from Airplane! are lifted straight from this movie. Zero Hour! is the story of an ex-fighter pilot Ted Stryker (Dana Andrews) who finds himself chasing his discontented wife (Linda Darnell) and child Joey (Raymond Ferrell) onto a commercial airplane. Once on the plane, he discovers that there are worse problems than just his failing marriage. There is a problem with the fish (thankfully, he chose meat) and the passengers are falling ill rather rapidly. It soon becomes a matter of seriousness when both pilots take ill and Ted is the only one with any flying experience.

The problem with this movie is the fact that it is supposed to be serious. There are so many ludicrous things in it that it is impossible to take seriously, but since it was not supposed to be funny, there are many long stretches where an audience can find itself bored. One of the best examples of this is the long "suspenseful" ending. Still, it is worth watching at least once for fans of Airplane!, just don't expect it to become your favorite.

If you liked "Airplane!" you must own this film!.......2007-05-19

I caught some of this movie on Turner Classic Movies one evening, during a day of tributes to movies and their remakes. This film was the inspiration (and the source for many lines) for the 1980 comedy spoof "Airplane!". Just like "Airplane!" "Zero Hour" is about a former war pilot who is forced to take over an airliner when half the passengers get sick from eating bad fish! (Yes, the choice for dinner was 'chicken or fish' just like "Airplane!"). My wife and I were practically in tears, because so many classic lines from "Airplane!" were lifted directly from this film, only the punchlines never came, which somehow made it funnier.

I'll be pre-ordering this one for purchase when it comes out!

Average customer rating:

Three Great Performances
Fascinating, Flawed
girls just wanna have fun!
FIRST LESBIAN-THEMED MOVIE EVER!
Great!

The Children's Hour
Starring: Audrey Hepburn , Shirley MacLaine , James Garner , Miriam Hopkins , and Fay Bainter
Director: William Wyler
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B00006L92W
Release Date: 2002-12-03

Description

A child's lie has life-shattering consequences in this Oscar®-nominated* daring adaptation of Lillian Hellman's celebrated play from legendary director William Wyler. Starring Academy Award® winners** Audrey Hepburn and Shirley MacLaine and co-starring James Garner, Miriam Hopkins and Fay Bainter, this landmark film is "one of the most finely wrought dramas in the history ofthe screen" (Motion Picture Herald). Karen (Hepburn) and Martha (MacLaine) are theheadmistresses of an exclusive school for girls. When they discipline a malicious little girl, the vindictive child twists an overheard comment into slander and accuses her teachers of questionable behavior. Soon the scandalous gossip engulfs the school's community, with repercussions that are swift, crushing and tragic. *1961: Supporting Actress (Bainter), Art Direction, Cinematography, Costume Design, Sound **Hepburn: Actress, Roman Holiday (1953); Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award (1992); MacLaine: Actress, Terms of Endearment (1983)

Customer Reviews:

Three Great Performances.......2007-06-27

It's not often that a director has an opportunity to remake his own film but with "The Children's Hour" (1962) William Wyler got a second crack at Lillian Hellman play about Martha and Karen, two schoolteachers (Shirley MacLaine and Audrey Hepburn) who are harmed by a resentful student.

His first attempt was "These Three" (1936) and Hellman's lesbian elements were completely ignored. Not that they are dealt with that forthrightly in the remake but at least they get some attention. Interestingly Marian Hopkins, who plays MacLaine's aunt in the 1962 version, had MacLaine's role in the original. That film really belonged to child actors Bonita Granville (the original "Nancy Drew") and Marcia Mae Jones.

There were actually three (not two) exceptional performances in "The Children's Hour". MacLaine and Fay Bainter are always mentioned in discussions about the film, but Veronica Cartwright's performance as the kelpto blackmail victim (Jones' part in the original) tends to get overlooked, simply because it was a smaller part and because she was a child actor. But Wyler really gets a stunning performance out of her; in what was probably the most challenging role in the whole production. Cartwright had considerably more acting for the camera experience (and innate talent) than Karen Balkin (who played Mary) and she is able to really showcase her skills in the scenes they have together.

The film concerns two unmarried teachers who run a select school for wealthy pre-teen girls. Hepburn has been engaged to Joe, a local doctor (James Garner here-Joel McCrea in the original), for two years but has been evasive about setting a date for the marriage ceremony.

When the school's only behavior problem, Mary (Karen Balkin in a somewhat one dimensional performance that will have you wishing for Granville but was probably what Wyler wanted this time around) is punished, she gets even by making scandalous accusations about the two teachers. These are compounded by the ill-advised remarks of Martha's aunt. Led by Mary's grandmother (Bainter) the whole town turns against the pair, Joe being the lone holdout.

As the events play out Martha must eventually confront the fact that she is in love with Karen. Although "These Three" had a somewhat upbeat ending such is not the case with the 1962 version which at first glance seems to be saying that once you come out there is no option but suicide. Yet on closer examination you realize that Wyler has tacked on an almost expressionistic ending to his otherwise realistic film (note the off-kilter shots of Karen running toward the house and the shadow of Martha's body on the wall of her room). This stylistic change is to be read as an allegorical statement; that when a society banishes and ostracizes those who might deviate from normal convention, it denies such individuals a useful and productive place within its structure (metaphorically the right to exist).

Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.

Fascinating, Flawed .......2007-06-26

Note: SPOILER ALERT (if you've never seen the film, skip this because it will spoil the plot/ending)

Those who have seen this film might agree with my assessment, but keep in mind that these are just the musings and opinions of your average film-buff.

Shirley MacLaine is fairly impressive. Many will call the performance "overacting". There are scenes that call for big chops. But there are also subtle shades peppered through the film, like when she is told that God will punish her, and she just mutters "He's doing all right." MacLaine is one of several very powerful actors of that period, including Suzanne Pleshette, who never got the right script that was a showcase for their untapped talent.

I have never hated a child character moreso than nasty little Mary. Horrid Mary with the weird face. I wanted to see her suffer, to see her get a comeuppance. (I can only hope that creepy grandma really slugged her good, or yanked a big chunk of hair from her skull...but we are cheated by a dissolve to the next scene. Nuts.)

I loathed Mary much more than the girl in "The Bad Seed" because that pigtailed psycho wasn't "real" to me; however, there are lots of Marys in this world, walking around right now, lying, bullying, sneaking, scheming, whispering, and screaming.

The film's ending is too melodramatic and unrealistic. What, in that time if you had those feelings you'd have to end it all? This is what Hollywood was telling its audience. Scary. Maybe that's why so many young adults who were coming to terms with their true identities attempted suicide. I don't really get what Hellmann was trying to say. Are we to feel pity or sympathy here? Are gay people abnormal misfits? I don't know if the play was different from the film, having never read it.

I just hate the movie's ending.

And the scene where Hepburn runs back toward the house (the strange cutting with different angles of her running) is extremely distracting. The director reminds you that you are watching a film, and it takes away from your involvement in the drama. And it's the most powerful scene in the movie! There are very few cinematic "tricks" in the film, but this one stands out like a sore thumb.

I found the last shot of Hepburn walking away with a detatched, confident expression to be very odd. I must have missed something.

girls just wanna have fun!.......2007-06-11

yet another instance of how laughable the socially significant story of one generation appears to another. lillian hellmans 1930s play had been filmed a generation earlier with all hints of lesbianism redacted, and tho ive never seen that film, i wouldnt be surprised if IT holds up as more modern than this does. a "bad seed" little girl (alas, shes no patty mccormack!) avenges herself upon her scolding teachers by starting the false (or IIIIIIS it???) rumor that they are involved in an "unnatural" relationship, thus ruining their lives. the resolution is pat and silly, and oh so typical of the tragic fate visited upon "that type" of person in movies for years to come. insufferable politics and sensibilities aside, there are strong performances from audrey hepburn and shirley maclaine as the doomed duo, and the film deserves to be seen today as a film, and as an artifact of a (hopefully) bygone era.

FIRST LESBIAN-THEMED MOVIE EVER!.......2007-04-03

This dvd showed me one of the more fascinating and earlier depictions of the harassment that gays and lesbians get. It was probably highly controversial for its time, and revolutionary for those who realized that they were part of the GLBTQ community at the time. Plus, it includes famous actors and actresses, and so it must have been difficult for them to take on these roles, and I applaud them! It was a cute, but real story and I recommend it to anyone and everyone!

Great!.......2007-03-13

I've been aware of this movie for the past 20 years, but did not see it until recently. I wasn't aware that Shirley MacLaine was one of the lead actors...this is one of her best performances, one she deserved an Oscar for, and might well have if not for the content at the time, 1961. She outshines Hepburn and Garner both.

The Scooby-Doo Dynomutt Hour - The Complete Series

Average customer rating:

The 10,000 Volt Ghost is here, but paying for Dynomutt is my fear...
Excellent Show (Decent Set).
Not the complete series
Scooby Doo Dynomutt Hour
For Scooby collectors and nostalgia buffs only

The Scooby-Doo Dynomutt Hour - The Complete Series
Starring: Henry Corden , Don Messick , Regis Cordic , Heather North , and Daws Butler
Director: Charles A. Nichols
Manufacturer: Turner Home Ent
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000CEXFZQ
Release Date: 2006-03-07

Amazon.com

Scooby-Doo, Where are You! was a pivotal television program created by Hanna-Barbera in 1969 that changed children's programming by juxtaposing a group of everyday kids and their goofy dog with truly frightening monsters and elaborate mysteries. After its initial success on CBS, Scooby-Doo moved to ABC and, in 1976, was paired with the new show Dynomutt--a show that built upon Scooby-Doo's success by extending a similar formula to the world of superheroes. In this complete Scooby-Doo Dynomutt series, 16 pairs of episodes follow the Scooby-Doo gang and Dynomutt and Blue Falcon as they solve crimes that involve everything from modern day burglars and skyscraper construction crews to a cave man seeking a college education and newly awakened Aztec ghosts. In the Scooby-Doo cartoons, a nervous Scooby-Doo and Shaggy inevitably manage to stumble upon crucial clues, the accident-prone Daphne always seems to endanger the entire group with her missteps, and the brainy Velma seems destined to solve every mystery with her infallible intellect. Scooby-Doo's cousin Scooby-Dum is introduced in this series in "The Gruesome Game of the Gator Ghoul" and even Shaggy's uncle, the magician Zarko, makes an appearance in "Scared a Lot in Camelot." Harrowing chases and an overwhelming preoccupation with food and Scooby Snacks are, of course, a given. Dynomutt features the ever-malfunctioning mechanical Dog Wonder Dynomutt--a sidekick who, despite being endowed with an amazing array of technical gadgets, consistently impedes the Batman-like superhero Blue Falcon's efforts to save Big City from a ceaseless progression of criminals. Somehow the odd pair always manages to solve the crime and capture the bad guys, keeping Big City safe until the next villain's crime spree. Bonus features include the "Eerie Mystery of Scooby-Doo and Dynomutt's History" that details the creation of both Scooby-Doo and Dynomutt and features interviews with television executive Fred Silverman, Scooby-Doo creative producer Iwao Takamoto, Dynomutt head writer Joe Ruby, and many others vital to the creation of the two cartoons. "In Their Own Words" features reminiscences by voice talents like Casey Kasem (Shaggy), Don Messick (Scooby-Doo), Gary Owens (Blue Falcon) and Frank Welker (Freddy and Dynomutt); and "The Scooby-Doo Dynomutt Files" offers a collection of original still sketches from the Hanna-Barbera Vault. (Ages 5 and older) --Tami Horiuchi

Description

The Scooby-Doo/Dynomutt Hour chronicles the outlandish animated union of man and beast to solve crimes - and brings comic relief to the kid in everyone! As the catchy theme song celebrates: "...while Scooby is haunted by a spooky ghost, Dynomutt is doin' what he does most!" That means becoming a mechanical menace to the bad guys, faithfully assisting his action-hero comrade The Blue Falcon. Watch Scooby-Doo, Scooby-Dum (a dim-witted cousin first introduced here) & the Mystery Inc. crew and Dynomutt and the Blue Falcon whenever you feel like watching the dogs!

DVD Features:
Featurette:Eerie Mystery of Scooby-Doo and Dynomutt?s History: A look at fascinating history of Scooby Doo as well as Dynomutt, dog wonder.
Interviews:IN THEIR OWN WORDS: The original Scooby Doo and Dynomutt voice actors share memories and voices from their days on these two popular shows.
Photo gallery:The Scooby-Doo/Dynomutt Files: Scooby-Doo/Dynomutt stills gallery with previously unseen treasures from the Hanna Barbera vault including original character sketches and more!

Customer Reviews:

The 10,000 Volt Ghost is here, but paying for Dynomutt is my fear..........2007-05-14

I had been waiting a long time for the 10,000 Volt Ghost ("Watt a Shocking Ghost" on Disc 2), so I was happy that it was finally available. However, I wasn't happy to have to shell out Dynomutt dollars to get it... I also like "The Ghost of the Bad Humor Man" (Disc 4, side 2) with the chocolate, vanilla & strawberry ghosts. Sixteen sets of episodes - I haven't had time to go through them yet, but I wish the menus would let you choose to "Play Scooby Only".

Excellent Show (Decent Set)........2007-04-14

The show is absolutely GREAT! Blue Falcon is another Space Ghost and Dynomut is the futuristic version of Scooby Doo. Dim witted and loveable. Getting the complete show is great and the shows from these HB vaults are all looking pretty good with bright and vivid colors (amid some nasty scratches and dust, but it WAS cheap animation folks). As a Scooby fan this is a MUST own! I quite enjoy the Blue Falcon/Dynomut show also.

5 stars for the show.

The set however nice still drops the ball, you get two single sided dvds and two flippers. The problem with this is that the dvds are all on top of each other with maybe a 1/16th of an inch between them both. I know this was to cut down on costs but it makes the two flipper discs quite hard to get out without scratching them or marking them up with a good fingerprint smear. But then again if it was a perfect world we couldn't complain.

All in all a solid set!

4 1/2 out of 5.

Not the complete series.......2007-04-13

This is not the complete series. If you go to Hanna Barbera's website, there is 24 episodes listed under the Scooby-Doo Dynomutt Hour. This collection only contains 16. What happened to the other 8? If you absolutely can't wait for the full collection, then buy it, but if you're waiting for all 24, then it's better to hold off.

Scooby Doo Dynomutt Hour.......2007-03-22

Great idea to put these out in the original one hour show combining both Scooby & Dynomutt stories, but WHY COULDN'T WARNER HAVE INCLUDED THE ORIGINAL "SCOOBY DOO/DYNOMUTT HOUR" BEGIN THEME?
Is it their hobby to annoy their fans?
Why also, did they only release 15 of the 24 episodes of the previous series "The New Scooby Doo Movies", when they made the set? That's why I didn't buy it.
WARNER TAKE NOTE ONCE AND FOR ALL: We don't want sample "Best of..." episodes. We want full serieses.
How about the original 13 episode "Sealab 2020" being put out on DVD, instead of the modern send-up Sealab 2021?
It can't be that hard, Warner.
Peter

For Scooby collectors and nostalgia buffs only.......2007-03-10

This DVD contains only the 16 episodes from 1976, which some people think of as Season 1 of "The Scooby Doo Show". As a Scooby Doo aficianado I can say that this newest installment from Hanna Barbera is a "good enough" addition to a Scooby collection. I think I must have enjoyed the cartoons more as a child; they don't seem to hold up well to repeat viewing now. Arguably, the Scooby/Dynomutt Show was a weak Saturday morning addition, even in my fond recollections, primarily because Dynomutt and Blue Falcon are so fricking annoying. But it is a nice walk down memory lane, and you can skip over the Dynomutt episodes anyways.

For those who are concerned about the "missing" 24 episodes from 1977 and 1978, sixteen of them (from 1978) will be released on the up-coming "Scooby Doo, Where Are You? Series 3". No word on the 8 episodes from 1977.

I think the confusion is coming in because there were 40 episodes that were generally thought of as falling under the name "The Scooby Doo Show", but in fact they were actually broadcast as:
(1) "Scooby/Dynomutt Hour" (16 episodes- 1976, plus 16 Dynomutt episodes, as originally televised) **available**
(2) "All Star Laff-a-Lympics" (8 episodes - 1977) **not released to DVD**
(3) "Scooby Doo, Where are you?" (16 episodes - 1978) **soon to be released to DVD**

The 1st - 7th Grade Math Tutor - 7 Hour Course! - 2 DVD Set! - Learn By Examples! - Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, Division, Fractions, Decimals, Percents & More!

Average customer rating:

Everything I needed and more
It does not match what the description.
Excellent Math Tutor
The 1st-7th grade math tutor
Great product that builds math skills

The 1st - 7th Grade Math Tutor - 7 Hour Course! - 2 DVD Set! - Learn By Examples! - Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, Division, Fractions, Decimals, Percents & More!
Starring: Jason Gibson
Director: Jason Gibson
Manufacturer: Tapeworm
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B000G8NVPW
Release Date: 2006-06-21

Description

The author has a BS and MS in Electrical Engineering and an MS in Physics.

Other Titles Available By This Author:
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- The Calculus 1 & 2 Tutor - 8 Hour Course!
- The Ultimate Physics Tutor - 11 Hour Course!

Customer Reviews:

Everything I needed and more.......2007-05-11

This DVD set really helped me. I wonder if some of the people really watched the DVD at all. All of the topics are on there and are covered in a way that I could understand. It really helped me practice for my tests, especially the parts on fractions and percents.

It does not match what the description........2007-05-07

It is the first DVD in a set not all in one DVD.
The way teaching is stupid. I am BS in teaching.

Excellent Math Tutor.......2006-11-25

This math tutor DVD offers a "no frills" approach. It focuses on how to work problems which is exactly what most students need to improve in school. It covers strictly the basic mechanics of how to work math problems correctly. It doesn't get into the concepts. I am particularly impressed with how the instruction is paced - not too fast and not too slow. One recommendation: students should work the problems along with the instructor on the DVD and not just sit and watch.

The 1st-7th grade math tutor.......2006-11-10

I bought this CD because my 2nd grader is quite bright and I wanted to teach him properly the concepts from advanced grades. I felt it would be more economical than going to an math enrichment company.The concept of this CD is very good. There is a "teacher" who goes through different math concepts. The only problem is his personal speaking style is quite annoying. First off he ends each sentence with "you know" and in addition the volume is extemely low. He goes through each problem very slowly so for a bright child like my 7 year old he lost his interest quickly. This CD would be great for a slow learner if this could keep his attention I would be surprised.
Quite pricey too!

Great product that builds math skills.......2006-08-13

I don't understand the reviewers comments below as this is a simply wonderful product that has helped my children greatly. The problems are worked out step by step and in the end my children have been able to work problems out faster and wither less chance for errors.

I am puzzled by the comment by the reviewer below says "...we put the 1 above the 2 is because it is equal to one ten and every ten goes in the tens column...". This is true in the problem stated (23+7)...but for 230+70 this is not the reason that you put a '1' above the '2'. Many many times I have seen teachers try to explain the 'reasons' why you carry numbers when adding and borrowing in subtractions and 99% of the time my kids get lost in all of the explanations of what is going on. I much prefer this approach of this DVD which is to stop talking about it and teach the math skills by working problems . I would suggest that any viewer continue to watch this content and not simply turn it off after one lesson as it is like riding a bike - you need practice. I suppose that everyone has a different tase with respect to how to teach your kids math...for me this one is fantastic.

Average customer rating:

Earp after the gunfight
Hour of the Gun
Hour of the gun
When the Legend Becomes Fact
IMHO ....superior to Gunfight at the OK corral ..

Hour of the Gun
Starring: James Garner , Jason Robards , Robert Ryan , Albert Salmi , and Charles Aidman
Director: John Sturges
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0007O393O
Release Date: 2005-05-17

Description

Guns don't stay in their holsters long when vigilantes Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday meet outlaws in the Wild West. James Garner (Maverick) and OscarÂ(r) winner* Jason Robards (All the President's Men) saddle up as the legendary gunslingers in this riveting, fact-based story that is "the closest filmmakers have ever come to the truth of the OK Corral gunfight" (LA Herald-Examiner). With the dust barely settling at the OK Corral, the notorious Clanton brothers unleash their revenge. One by one, they gun down Wyatt Earp's brothersbut they won't have the last shot. Using his US Marshal's badge as his authority, and Doc Holliday (Robards) as his deputizedright-hand man, Earp begins a zealous pursuit of vengeance that the west will never forget.

Customer Reviews:

Earp after the gunfight.......2006-11-27

HOUR OF THE GUN (1967) takes off where director John Sturges' earlier "Gunfight at the O.K. Corral" (1957) left off. The movie opens with Wyatt Earp (James Garner) and Doc Holliday (Jason Robards) trading hot lead with the Ike Clanton (Robert Ryan) gang in the Tombstone corral, follows with an extended courtroom scenes in which Earp has to defend himself against charges of wrongful homicide, and concludes with the meat of the movie - the death and serious wounding of Earp's brothers by members of the Clanton gang, and Earp's extended chase of everyone involved.

Revenge almost always works in westerns, and HOUR OF THE GUN is a revenge western. Garner, whose greatest assets are warm charm and an embracing smile, has to play it frosty and focused. The main pull in this movie is constantly brought up by Earp's unlikely friend, the ever loyal Doc Holliday - is Earp an upholder of the law, or someone who uses the law as a means by which he can cold-bloodedly track down and kill the men who murdered and maimed his brothers? I don't normally judge a movie by its historical accuracy (at least as far as I understand the history,) but HOUR OF THE GUN begs it when it inserts a title card after the opening credits proclaiming `this is how it really happened,' or words to that effect. The movie gets Earp's post-O.K. Corral vendetta right and his complex relationship with Holliday is believable. On the other hand, the movie paints Earp as a do-gooder who's driven to the Dark Side by Clanton and his evil machinations - the corral gunfight, even, seems a set-up job by the crafty `Cowboy' (old slang for livestock rustler.) The biggest historical inaccuracy has to do with Clanton's death - I won't throw a spoiler in here, but the movie's penultimate showdown between its protagonist and antagonist works better as a symbolic, rather than factual, capstone.

All in all this is a pleasant enough depiction of Earp's vendetta ride against the Clanton gang. As far as I'm concerned Garner is one of the great under-rated actors of his time, and if he puts a dimmer on his magnetic smile he's makes a convincing Earp - his scenes with Robards, always good, are worth the rental or purchase price. Robards' Doc Holliday is a plum of a part - dissolute gambler, chronic alcoholic, suffering from late-stage tuberculosis. Ryan may play a Clanton a little more smooth and calculating than his real-life model, but he's so good in these kind of roles it doesn't matter. Strong recommendation.

Hour of the Gun.......2006-11-22

The film did not really take off or grip my attention. However it is interesting history, and ends like a classic western, with good performances- especially Robards, and a great atmospheric score by Jerry Goldsmith.

Hour of the gun.......2006-11-10

Very well acted James Garner movie. Not the side that people are used to seeing of him. Jason Robards is also good as Doc Holiday. Not very historicly correct but good entertainment. Highly recommed for the western enthusist.

When the Legend Becomes Fact.......2006-01-01

There's no Hollywood romanticism in director John Sturges' hard-hitting account of the O.K. Corral aftermath. "Hour of the Gun" (1967) remains among the great unheralded Westerns, with superb performances by James Garner, Jason Robards and Robert Ryan. The role of Wyatt Earp is a perfect fit for Garner -- it's too bad he didn't appear in more Westerns of this caliber. Far superior to Sturges' overrated "Gunfight at the O.K. Corral" (1957).

IMHO ....superior to Gunfight at the OK corral .........2005-11-20

I am happy to add my review to the others here....who , like me, prefer this to what the critics site as the superior "Gunfight at the OK Corral"...
This is a wonderful story...with much better shades of personality in Wyatt Earp by James Garner than the over the top performance by Burt Lancaster....the story is closer to reality and the film itself is shot beautifully by Lucien Ballard ( a truly great cinematographer). At the bargain price its being offered on DVD...if you are a western fan...YOU WILL NOT BE DISSAPOINTED.

The Jimmy/Timmy Power Hour 3 (Jimmy Neutron / Fairly OddParents)

Average customer rating:

Stupidest conclusion in history
ONE OF THE BEST MOVIES IN THE WORLD!

The Jimmy/Timmy Power Hour 3 (Jimmy Neutron / Fairly OddParents)
Starring: Candi Milo , Andrea Martin , and Phil LaMarr
Director: John Fountain (II) , Jamie Diaz , and Keith Alcorn
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron - Attack of the Twonkies
Fairly OddParents - School's Out! The Musical

ASIN: B000F9T6Z6
Release Date: 2006-07-25

Description

The third release of Jimmy Timmy Power Hour consists of 5 episodes; two-part main feature and 4 bonus episodes.

Customer Reviews:

Stupidest conclusion in history.......2007-02-17

Just incredibly stupid there was not one funny joke in the whole crossover. The ending to the trilogy still left things unanswered. I am not going to scare fans of Jimmy Nuetron well I am the show is rumored to have been cancelled after the last power hour. The villian was stupid and was absoultley intended to have been evil. and something about the future and now I am lost DUMB!!!!!!!!!!!

ONE OF THE BEST MOVIES IN THE WORLD!.......2006-07-31

I thought that it was way better than the first one, but the jimmy timmy power hour series is great!

The Jimmy/Timmy Power Hour 2 - When Nerds Collide (Jimmy Neutron / Fairly OddParents)

Average customer rating:

Great love triangle which overshadowed the main point of the movie overall a good but un needed sequel
Great love triangle which overshadowed the main point of the movie overall a good but un needed sequel
JIMMY/TIMMY POWER HOUR 2
Main show - ok. Extra episodes - just repeats
Gas planets! A sequel that does not compute

The Jimmy/Timmy Power Hour 2 - When Nerds Collide (Jimmy Neutron / Fairly OddParents)
Starring: Debi Derryberry , Tara Strong , Rob Paulsen , Jeffrey Garcia , and Carolyn Lawrence
Director: Keith Alcorn , Wincat Alcala , and Butch Hartman
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Animation | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

3-6 Years | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

7-9 Years | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $14.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

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

The Jimmy/Timmy Power Hour 3 (Jimmy Neutron / Fairly OddParents)
Jimmy Timmy Power Hour (The Fairly Odd Parents/The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron)
The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron - Attack of the Twonkies
The Fairly OddParents - Fairy Idol
The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron, Boy Genius - Jet Fusion / The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron, Boy Genius - Confusion Fusion

ASIN: B000CNESL2
Release Date: 2006-03-14

Amazon.com

The worlds of Jimmy Neutron and Timmy Turner (Farily OddParents) collide in a second Jimmy Timmy Power Hour when each boy decides to ask Cindy Vortex to accompany them to their respective Friday the 13th dances in "When Nerds Collide." Jimmy and Timmy challenge each other to a "nerd fight" to win over Cindy and soon Jimmy, Carl, Sheen, and Libby, followed by Professor Calamitous, find themselves headed to Dimmsdale on a quest to prove that Timmy is a fake genius. Timmy's Fairy Godparents Cosmo and Wanda manage to protect Timmy and their own secret existence, but Professor Calamitous accidentally releases a swarm of anti-fairies while in Crocker's lab. The anti-fairies stop the earth's rotation back in Retroville, effectively creating an endlessly unlucky Friday the 13th. Meanwhile, head fairy Jorgan becomes increasingly irate at Sheen and Carl's blatant violation the rules of fairy power and both universes seem destined for large-scale calamity. As in the original Jimmy Timmy Power Hour, the animation styles change from computer-animation to cel-animation and back again as the action jumps from one universe to the other--a source of amusement for viewers and of derision for the continually morphing characters and their counterparts. Also included are three Fairly OddParents episodes, "A Mile in my Shoes," "Most Wanted Wish," and "Miss. Dimmsdale;" two Jimmy Neutron episodes, "I Dream of Jimmy" and "Nightmare in Retroville;" and three five-minute "O Yeah" Fairly OddParents cartoons, "Too Many Timmys," "The Fairy Flu" and "The Temp." (Ages 6 - 10) --Tami Horiuchi

Product Description

When Nerds Collide: Things heat up when both Timmy and Jimmy want to ask Cindy Vortex to a dance on Friday the 13th! Worlds collide, and soon anti-fairies are trying to make every day Friday the 13th, while Professor Calamitous plans to destroy Retroville! Can Jimmy and Timmy put aside their differences and work together to restore order to their respective worlds…and still score a date for their dance?

Customer Reviews:

Great love triangle which overshadowed the main point of the movie overall a good but un needed sequel.......2007-02-17

Two or three years after Timmy and Jimmy get split to each others worlds Timmy and Jimmy Meet again mainly for the success of the shows post crossover. This is a middle chapter of a trilogy which goes really downhill just like the matrix. I think everything with calamutis and Jordan and Anti fairies was just time filler to play support to the love triangle that actually steals the show and turns this middle chapter into something fun and exciting. You do have to look past the extremly dumb celebrity refrences with Sheen and Morgan Freeman I actually changed the channel it was so dumb. Nobody cared about the comic relief becuase the eyes were on a well developed love trinagle I was actually very interested in what Cindy had to say and both had good sides to root foor and bad sides to root against. I would have given it 4 1/2 stars but the ending send it down a 1/2 star.

Great love triangle which overshadowed the main point of the movie overall a good but un needed sequel.......2007-02-17

JIMMY/TIMMY POWER HOUR 2.......2007-01-11

LIKE THE POWER HOUR THIS IS A WONDERFUL MOVIE. THE KIDS HAVE WATCHED IT SO MANY TIMES THEY MAY WEAR IT OUT. SO I AM GOING TO HAVE TO PURCHASE POWER HOUR 3

Main show - ok. Extra episodes - just repeats.......2006-04-01

The Jimmy / Timmy Power Hour 2 was decent. Definitely not as good as the first one, but it is worth watching. The extra episodes of The Fairly OddParents are all pretty much repeats of epidsodes that have already been released on other DVDs. If they are going to release additional episodes, it would be nice if they were episodes that weren't already available.

Not a bad purchase, but I can't help thinking it is a bit of a rip off.

Gas planets! A sequel that does not compute.......2006-03-22

The long anticipated continuation of the Timmy/Jimmy colliding universes series by fans of both worlds has arrived! Sadly, it does not meet expectations, or rather, is a disappointment.

Yes, it's entertaining. It does the job in that. However, you may leave it feeling empty, like something important is missing.

Firstly, the characters (at least on the Jimmy side of things) are kind of off, at least in my opinion. Cindy is in love with Jimmy, yet she willingly tosses him aside for "small headed Jimmy" the first chance she gets? And Jimmy is a lot more open, even desperate, with his feelings towards Cindy at a level we have never seen in the regular show. You can't help but wonder if everyone was replaced with pod people, especially the moment Jimmy does his pelvic thrusting dance. What in the world was up with that?

The plot in itself is rather lacking. So Professor C. is after Jimmy once again to exact revenge. And the Anti-Fairies have been freed and are running amok. And Jimmy and Timmy both need dates for their respective Friday the 13th dances. And Jimmy is trying to prove Timmy a fraud as a genius. Everything meshes together and at times I wasn't sure where anything was going. They could've come up with something so much cooler and creative (not that I don't mind more Anti-Cosmo and Anti-Wanda screentime) with the material they had. It had potential that they just didn't use.

Overall this isn't anything to get too excited about, and I wouldn't go out of my way to watch it. But if you're a Jimmy Neutron and/or Fairly Oddparents fan and have some time to kill, give it a shot.

Average customer rating:

Not All That!!!
Good, Clean Humor for the whole family!
Entertainment for the entire family!

Holla!: The Family Hour
Starring: Lester Barrie , A.J. Jamal , Small Frie , and Vyck Cooley
Director: Steve Harris
Manufacturer: Rising / Visual Ent.
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

Comedy | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Television | Genres | DVD | Video

( H ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

All Deals | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

The Gospel Comedy All-Stars
Armed and Dangerous
Steve Harvey - Don't Trip... He Ain't Through With Me Yet!
The Hiarious Saints Of Comedy Tour
Sister Cantaloupe: Laffin' out Loud With the Lord

ASIN: B0000BWVF0
Release Date: 2005-06-28

Customer Reviews:

Not All That!!!.......2007-02-14

I ordered this because I was looking for comedy I could enjoy with my whole family and based on the reviews already posted I thought this might be a good DVD to try. I have to say, outside of Lester Berry who was somewhat funny the rest was not really funny. I certainly wasn't rolling on the floor and won't rush to watch again and again. If you are looking for clean comedy that will have you laughing out loud and rolling on the floor a much better choice is Steve Harvey's "Don't trip he aint through with me yet". This just wasn't all that!!

Good, Clean Humor for the whole family! .......2006-03-19

I came across this show on the Word Network, and absolutely fell out the bed cracking up. My husband was even cracking up and he's not into clean comedy. My mother, aunt, and uncle were crying they were laughing so hard. This is GOOD, CHRISTIAN, HILARIOUS COMEDY. I think even Jesus was looking down on them and laughing himself! You can watch this without hearing all those annoying beeps. GO OUT AND GET IT.

Entertainment for the entire family!.......2006-02-17

Holla! Kept my entire family laughing. It was clean, humorous, and roll on the floor(ROFL), laugh out loud (LOL), funny. You will watch it again, and again. Then, invite friends over to watch, and still belly laugh every time you see it. Well worth the $. Enjoy!

God bless!

Jimmy Timmy Power Hour (The Fairly Odd Parents/The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron)

Average customer rating:

Children love the show
good crossover but a trilogy was completly un needed
I LOVE IT!
go timmy! go jimmy!
Jimmy Neutron vs. Fairly Oddparents

Jimmy Timmy Power Hour (The Fairly Odd Parents/The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron)
Starring: Candi Milo , Andrea Martin , and Phil LaMarr
Director: Keith Alcorn , John Fountain (II) , and Jamie Diaz
Manufacturer: Nickelodeon
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Animation | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

3-6 Years | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

7-9 Years | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Television | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Animation | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

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

The Jimmy/Timmy Power Hour 2 - When Nerds Collide (Jimmy Neutron / Fairly OddParents)
The Jimmy/Timmy Power Hour 3 (Jimmy Neutron / Fairly OddParents)
Fairly OddParents - School's Out! The Musical
The Fairly Odd Parents - Channel Chasers
The Fairly Odd Parents - Abra-Catastrophe The Movie

ASIN: B0001JXQ3I
Release Date: 2004-05-11

Amazon.com

Humor, mistaken identity, and massive confusion reign when Jimmy Neutron and Timmy Turner (The Fairly Odd Parents) inadvertently wind up in each other's worlds in this double-length episode. Timmy Turner's wish to visit the greatest laboratory in the universe lands him in Jimmy Neutron's backyard lab just as Jimmy is about to give his cyberdog Goddard a tune-up. When Jimmy accidentally teleports himself into Timmy's bedroom with a gizmo created by Timmy's Fairy Godparents, Cosmo and Wanda, Timmy interrupts Goddard's reprogramming by booting up a violent video game that severely changes the dog's disposition. Thanks to some re-stylization, friends, parents, and teachers mistake the new big-headed, bumpy, computer-animated Timmy and small-headed, spindly-armed, cel-animated Jimmy for one another. Crazy predicaments abound, including a budding romance between Cindy Vortex and Timmy and a much-awaited trip to Fairy World for Timmy's teacher, Mr. Crocker. In the end, Fairy World's very existence is threatened and a monster Goddard seems destined to destroy Retroville. Can some heartfelt wishing and a good brain blast get the two parallel dimensions back on course and put Jimmy and Timmy back in their own worlds? (Ages 6 to 10) --Tami Horiuchi

Customer Reviews:

Children love the show.......2007-04-09

I don't get cable tv so I can monitor what my children watch. Dvds are a good way to control the kids' viewing hours. I heard that this was a good show and started with a rental. The kids liked it enough to request it. I then bought the dvd and they watch it several times/week. The animation is appealing and brightly colored. It contrasts greatly with the anime type of art, which is flat and more subtle. I would recommend this for kids and think it has repeat playability.

good crossover but a trilogy was completly un needed.......2007-02-17

I thought this show was good fun. Having two shows characters interact was great it was also funny and the storylines are actually very clever and well put together, and the sub story of Timmy and cindy together was great too very fun.

Why in hell would they make two more so called chapters. Nickelodeon had a special showing and they said complete trilogy. First off this isn't close to a trilogy this is no LOTR or Star Wars just going to say that but that it is obvious. There also is no connections to the first movies which is a rule for a trilogy from the scream trilogy. The only connection is the Jimmy Timmy Cindy love triangle which is interesting but doesn't count as a connection.

I LOVE IT!.......2006-08-09

I live in korea. On skylife my satelite connection was the only way to watch nickelodeon. BUT NOW THEY PAUSED THE CONTRACT! So until they recontract I couldn't see rugrats,jimmy neutron,fairly odd parents,my life as a teenage robot!

go timmy! go jimmy!.......2005-08-10

You tell me (I'm getting these episode descriptions right from the back cover!):

THE FAIRLY ODDPARENTS/THE ADVENTURES OF JIMMY NEUTRON, BOY GENIUS

JIMMY TIMMY POWER HOUR
It's the ultimate switcharoo when Jimmy Neutron and Timmy Turner wind up in each other's worlds!

INCLUDES A DOUBLE-LENGTH EPISODE PLUS 6 BONUS EPISODES

JIMMY TIMMY POWER HOUR
It's confusion to the max when Timmy Turner gets "poofed" into Retroville, the home of Jimmy Neutron, while Jimmy finds himself lost in Dimmsdale with two fairy godparents who have no idea what's going on!

CRIME SHEEN INVESTIGATION
Sheen's most prized Ultra Lord figurine is missing!

SLEEPLESS IN RETROVILLE
It's chaos at Jimmy's sleepover when his new invention goes berserk!

MAXIMUM HUGH
Jimmy's new invention makes his dad a super athlete.

COSMO CON
There's a fairy convention in Timmy's bathroom.

TIM VISIBLE
Timmy wishes to be invisible to avoid the school bully.

THE SWITCH GLITCH
Vicky gets a taste of her own medicine when Timmy becomes HER babysitter!

SPECIAL FEATURES:
-The Fairly OddParents "Breakin' Da Rules" PC Demo game*
-The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron, Boy Genius storyboards
-Dolby Digital
1. English Stereo

*DVD-ROM features require a computer capable of playing DVD movies, running Microsoft Windows 98SE or higher, Microsoft IE 5.5, Macromedia Flash 6, the included InterActual software and an Internet connection. Features are not available on Apple Mac OS.

Great episodes! Reccomended for ages 7-13.

2004/COLOR/120 MIN./NOT RATED/FULL SCREEN

Jimmy Neutron vs. Fairly Oddparents.......2004-12-09

This video is a blast!! I really like the idea of Jimmy Neutron and Timmy Turner switching worlds! Also, I've always noticed that Cindy Vortex smiles a lot throughout this entire movie! It made her more and more likeable!! (And I'll let you in on a little secret: Cindy Vortex is one of my many cartoon crushes! Eventhough she can be crabby and selfish at most times.)

Average customer rating:

"The hour when ghosts and demons are most powerful"
Bergman's only horror film, but a drastic twist on the genre
An Hour of Sanity
We Have Met the Enemy
Bergman at his Second Best

Hour of the Wolf (Vargtimmen)
Starring: Max von Sydow , Liv Ullmann , Gertrud Fridh , Georg Rydeberg , and Erland Josephson
Director: Ingmar Bergman
Manufacturer: MGM
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Horror | Genres | DVD | Video

Drama | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

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

Shame (Special Edition)
Persona
The Passion of Anna
The Seventh Seal - Criterion Collection
The Virgin Spring - Criterion Collection

ASIN: B00020HDI0
Release Date: 2004-04-20

Description

The delicate, dangerous line between genius and insanity is brilliantly plumbed in this haunting film from Ingmar Bergman that's "a dazzling flow of surrealism, expressionism and full-blooded Gothic horror" (The Observer). Haunted by demons past and present, artist Johan Borg (Max von Sydow) fights a losing battle to retain his sanity and maintain his artistic prowess. His wife Alma (Liv Ullmann), desperate to help him, finds herself starting to share his hallucinations. But as Johan's mind continues to unravel, Alma is forced to choose between her love and her life.

Customer Reviews:

"The hour when ghosts and demons are most powerful".......2007-04-27

"Hour of the Wolf" (1968) is one of my favorite Bergman's films. I place it close to "Persona" to which it is a perfect matching piece. This impressive and disturbing movie about the loss of sanity by a tormented artist is another magnificent work of Ingmar Bergman, the closest to the horror genre he ever directed with his regular actors, Max von Sydow who is amazing as Johan and his Muse Liv Ullmann who is equally compelling as Alma, Jonah's wife. The film takes place on an isolated, windy island where Johan and pregnant Alma moved in hope for Johan to work on his paintings and where he is haunted by nightmares from the past that may or may not be just his dreams. They come to torture him during The Hour of the Wolf which Bergman describes as "the hour between night and dawn. It is the hour when most people die, when sleep is deepest, when nightmares are more real. It is the hour when the sleepless are haunted by their deepest fear, when ghosts and demons are most powerful. The Hour of the Wolf is also the hour when most children are born."

Bergman has always been obsessed and fascinated by the inner demons that imagination can create and like no other filmmaker has explored the deepest mysteries of human soul and mind.

Surrealistic, Gothic and dark horror film, with its magnificent black and white cinematography provided by Bergman's long time friend and collaborator, Sven Nykvist, "The Hour of the Wolf" is a frightening view of the mind of a mad person.

It's been mentioned in more than one comment and I agree that David Lynch might have seen "Hour of the Wolf" more than once and was influenced by it when working on his own dark and surrealistic "Erazerhead".

Bergman's only horror film, but a drastic twist on the genre.......2006-12-03

VARGTIMMEN ("Hour of the Wolf") is Ingmar Bergman's only horror film. Staring Max von Sydow as the painter Johann Borg and Liv Ullmann as his lover pregnant with his child, the film adopts a vampire-story trope with this couple invited to a sinister castle on the island they are summering on.

But not only are the aristocratic inhabitants of the island ghoulish figures, they seem to not even exist. The special charm of the film is Bergman's joining simple horror to a psychological journey. The demons that plague Johann Born reflect the tortured psyche of the artist who struggles to produce his work, and their pathetic attempts to get his attention--walking alongside him ceaselessly jabbering, messing with his things while he wants simple solitude--drain him of creative energy. It's no surprise that the title Bergman first used for the film was "The Cannibals".

In the first scene Liv Ullmann speaks to the camera after the action of the film, telling us that Borg has perished. This narration occurs at the end of the film as well. Its a masterful portrayal of a woman uncertain where the border lies between appropriate dedication to a spouse and succumbing to fatal madness with him. Ullmann's acting is superb. And as with most Bergman efforts, the cinematography is quite impressive, especially of a dinner scene where the camera attempts to follow various lines of conversation among the guests seated at the table.

So why only four stars? For one, we are never told why the couple must stay on the island. One can guess that its the only place that Borg can work, in spite of the dangers lurking there, but the film would have been stronger with this explicity treated in the dialogue. Also, MGM's treatment of Bergman's films has never been of the same quality as the Criterion Collection's installments. Bergman novices would do well to start with DET SJUNDE INSEGLET ("The Seventh Seal") or NATTVARDSGAESTERNA ("Winter Light"), but fans of the auteur should see this sometime along the way.

An Hour of Sanity.......2006-05-26

One of Bergman's finest psychological thrillers, "Hour of the Wolf" is a great film for a number of reasons. Whether you're a Bergman fan or just looking for a good thriller for the evening, "Hour of the Wolf" might be just the thing you're looking for.

Like some of Bergman's other classics, this movie stars a young Max von Sydow in a role which will surprise many American viewers, and the lovely Liv Ullmann. While Max von Sydow is certainly Swedish (that isn't the surprising part), many people know of him from his later films in which he's significantly older. If you're remotely interested in seeing him in an earlier picture look no further than "Hour of the Wolf" as his performance is superb!

The film itself is truly a masterpiece. The story is about a painter that goes with his wife to a secluded island near Sweden in hopes of getting away from everyday life (or at least that's what we're told early on). What we see, however, is his delusional mind slowly warping the serenity around him to fit his own fears and desires.

The visuals and black and white shadow-play Bergman uses throughout the film are emotionally packed, highly creative and utterly petrifying. In many cases the images are either extremely abstract or "disjointed" as their meanings remain unknown to the filmgoer throughout the film.

Like some of Bergman's psychological thrillers, those not used to Bergman's artistic style might find "Hour of the Wolf" to be long, drawn out and too convoluted. I'm tempted for that reason to give this film a 4.5 out of 5, but simply because it's an excellent cross over into the "psychological horror" genre I'm inclined to giving it a solid 5 with this warning. Remember that this film is more of an aesthetic experience rather than an enjoyable film (which it still manages to be).

We Have Met the Enemy.......2005-12-26

And he is us, goes the old saying. It certainly applies to Ingmar Bergman's twisted take on the classic vampire tale. The artist Johan Borg (Max Von Sydow) travels with his pregnant wife Alma (the always revelatory Liv Ullmann) to a cottage on a small island. Johan is trying to regain his footing as a painter, and Alma has come along to support him. Very soon some strange people intrude on the couple's isolation and invite them to dinner at "the castle."

So outlandish are these faux aristocrats that we quickly conclude they're phantasms manufactured in Johan's overheated imagination. But then we see Alma responding to them as well. Johan is dragged deeper into the machinations of his group of ghouls until they finally bring him down into the darkest parts of his psyche. Johan's ultimate crisis occurs during the "hour of the wolf" that time in the dead of night when according to legend babies are eager to come in to the world, and the dying are eager to leave it.

Bergman uses Johan's failing battle for sanity to explore one of his most enduring obsessions. By his own admission, Bergman didn't believe in God. He believed in a world that was whole in itself, built up over time by man and nature. Yet this wholeness seems to always be in danger of splintering, disintegrating, or getting sucked out of a person the way the voracious vampires of his dark imaginings draw Johan's life force from him. This fear of a world so shattered that the pieces can't be put back together again becomes the recurring bass line that anchors all of Bergman's major films.

At the movie's end, Alma wonders if she could have helped Johan more if she had loved him less, which would have allowed her to gain some distance from his madness. Or maybe, she muses, the opposite is true. She should have gone deeper into his obsessions with him. Maybe her failure to save him was a failure of empathy and selflessness. Alma is wrestling with one of life's more bedeviling conundrums: how close we can or should get to another person. Emotional connection attenuates at either extreme: too much distance leads to coldness and isolation; too much empathy leads to self-immolation. Here, as he does later in Scenes from a Marriage, Bergman shows how difficult it is to find that space where two people can connect in ways that are life enhancing rather than soul destroying.

Cinematographer Sven Nykvist seems born to make a vampire movie. In a nod to the German Expressionists he creates a world that's all flat white light sliced apart by dark shadows. Ghostly faces emerge out of the black to leer, gape and mock. Bergman both uses and has fun with the conventions of the Nosferatu story. Hour of the Wolf is a deadly serious exploration of the artistic psyche shredded by stress that's leavened with some over the top symbolism (particularly the use of birds) and some vamping ghouls. (Erland Josephson as the macabre Baron Von Merkins and Ingrid Thulin as the voluptuous Veronica Vogler seem to have particular fun with their roles.)

While not at the summit of the master's achievements, Hour of the Wolf is mesmerizing, accessible, and, when it steps outside the self-imposed limits of its genre, psychologically profound.

Bergman at his Second Best.......2005-07-21

At times Ingmar Bergman grows tiresome: the tormented artist cups his head in his hands one time too many, the soulful woman stares past the camera a bit too long . . . Yet no one composes the blacks, whites, and grays of a frame more beautifully. Look at the scene in which Borg and Alma struggle to stay awake in the darkened cottage; see the inrush of light as Alma sets about her morning's chores; and watch how eerie the whiteness becomes when the old woman -- the one from Borg's sketchbook, the one who "always threatens to take off her hat" -- appears, a nightmare walking. Really, Bergman has no peers: he fails only in comparison to himself. However pretentious, HOUR OF THE WOLF remains a formidable work of art, a horror movie or case study transformed by the mastery of its fabricator.

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