River's Edge

Starring:Crispin Glover, Keanu Reeves, Ione Skye, Daniel Roebuck, Dennis Hopper, Joshua John Miller, Roxana Zal, Josh Richman, Phil Brock, Tom Bower, Constance Forslund, Leo Rossi (II), Jim Metzler, Tammy Smith, Danyi Deats, Yuzo Nishihara, Taylor Negron, Richard Richcreek, Maeve Odum, Francis De L'Etanche du Bois
Director: Tim Hunter
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com

This disturbing little film is even more unsettling when you think about the fact that it's based on an actual case. Troubled teen Samson murders his girlfriend Jamie for no particular reason, leaves her nude body by the river's edge, then brings his friends to see the corpse to prove he did it. They look at her, prod her, and talk about her, but no one seems to manage to feel anything. River's Edge is ultimately a study of kids who are so numbed by drugs, casual parenting, and the ever present threat of nuclear war that not even death can get a rise out of them. A young Keanu Reeves is surprisingly poised as Matt, the one character with a few shreds of empathy left. His quiet performance is powerful enough to hold the audience's interest even with Crispin Glover and Dennis Hopper both being as crazy as they can be. Glover steals much of the movie with his whacked-out performance as Layne, the group's leader. He undercuts his teen alpha-male power with a nervous giggle, and the spin he puts on much of his dialogue manages to be scary and funny at the same time--after hiding Jamie's body for Samson, he complains: "You'd think I'd at least rate a Michelob!" River's Edge is not necessarily a pleasant movie, but it is certainly a compelling one. --Ali Davis

Description

Based on the horrifying real-life murder of a young California girl, this "powerful portrait" (Newsweek) of deadly, disaffected teens stars Keanu Reeves (The Matrix), Crispin Glover (Charlie's Angels), Ione Skye Leitch (One Night Stand), Daniel Roebuck (Final Destination) and Dennis Hopper (Ed TV) in a tale that is "chilling to witness" (The New York Times). On the bank of a river lies the naked body of a brutally murdered young girl. Atthe nearby high school, Samson (Roebuck) brags to Matt (Reeves) and his friends about how he killedher. Drunk and stoned, the doubting teens trudge to the river and discover that he isn't lying. Andoddly, they decide to protect Samson behind a loyal wall of secrecy. Tormented with guilt, Matt questions their silence and suddenly finds himself in a troubling position: should he do what he thinksis right, or should he keep quiet and live with this demon for the rest of his life?

Customer Reviews:

A Negative Image of the Good.......2007-04-04

A quarter of the way through watching River's Edge, I was having trouble putting my finger on the right adjective for the film or the way it was making me feel. "Discomforting/uncomfortable", "appalling/appalled", "disturbing/disturbed" all floated around in my head but were insufficient to describe the sense I had of a horrific...absence of something. I mentioned this to the friend who had been responsible for our movie choice of the evening, and he summed it up: "it's a negative image of the good". That was it. Or to put it in the words that came to mind shortly thereafter, as two degenerate 12-year-olds shoot crabs in a bucket for mild entertainment, "All wrong." Everything--everything--was just all wrong.

At first, this might seem appropriate, even inevitable, given the film's subject matter. River's Edge begins with a dead body; Samson, a high school Neanderthal pothead played convincingly by Daniel Roebuck, has killed a female classmate of his--for essentially no reason--and then tells his friends about the crime. The rest of the film follows the aftermath as hyperbolic Layne (Crispin Glover) makes it his (and their) mission to protect Samson, while Matt (Keanu Reves) and Clarissa (Ione Skye Leitch) act indecisively on a vague discomfort with this course of action.

But few films dealing with murder intentionally omit any internal viewpoint of morality or justice in the way that River's Edge does, and this is what makes it compelling and thought-provoking as well as deeply unsettling. On the back of the box, Matt is described as "struggling with guilt" over the decision not to turn Samson in, and indeed he does go to the police fairly early in the plot. Ah-ha, you might say, here is our standard of judgment. But numerous clues throughout undermine Matt's claim to moral objectivity, any strong sense of rightness that could shed light on the other characters' nihilistic apathy and dissoluteness.

Indeed the lack of deep feeling is a running theme throughout the film. Several of the adults accuse the kids of the crime of apathy--and yet we and they are presented with no appropriate example of feeling, no appropriate object for it. Clarissa's high school teacher idealizes the accomplishments of his generation ("We stopped a war, man"), Feck--the kids' drug dealer--accuses Samson of not loving the girl he murdered...like Feck had loved the woman he had killed many years ago. Every passion in the film, it seems, is misdirected, whether toward the trivial (more than once is rage expressed over beer) or the perverse. Samson's explanation of his crime--that he did it to "show everyone who's boss", that it made him feel "alive"--is chilling enough to shake the beliefs of the most devout Nietzschean. All in all, an exceptional film and well worth watching.

a great.......2007-04-03

i have searched for this movie for years. all of a sudden it hit me that amazon might have it and they did! although it is not a big production it has a great cast. keaneu reeves, dennis hopper and crispin glover all deliver in this. very disturbing flick but it is one of my alltime favorite movies. i will enjoy being able to watch this classic millons of times over.

Ione: I Love You.......2006-10-13

Any movie with Ione Skye is obviously a masterpiece. Two years before John Cusack warned her not step on glass, Keanu Reeves does him one better: he offers to walk her home AND offers her his jacket. Let's see....stay in the car with a bugged out Crispin Glover or go to the park for some lovin' with Ione.... Keanu isn't as dumb as he looks.

This is one great movie. I just wish Keanu Reeves had stopped making movies after 1987. Can I get a witness?

Also, one hilarious moment. (I'm not sure if it's intentional or not). When Keanu's 12 year old brother points a loaded gun at him, we notice that he's wearing a Def Leppard Pyromania T-shirt. An assassin with a Def Leppard shirt? I think not. Son, get a Motorhead T-shirt and you'll be a little more gangsta.

Great Performances. "Hey, Feck!".......2006-09-09

"River's Edge" is an early Keanu Reeve's movie that I've never heard an unkind word about. Critics love(d) it, audiences like it; Apparently, it's based on a true story and I hear a lot of people talk about how creepy and disturbing it is. One critic I recall called it "Deeply disturbing." Having just watched it for the first time, it's definitely disturbing that something like that would happen. But this movie doesn't really set itself up to be deeply disturbing; The music, the performances, nor the script really give off that emotion. Anyway, Samson (Daniel Roebuck) accidentally kills a girl named Jamie. He leaves her body right near the river's edge and tells all his friends about it. His friends, of course, are skeptical...But Samson is happy to prove it to anybody who's interested and pretty soon, almost all of his friends have seen it. All the kids are in a marijuana/alcohol induced haze, so it doesn't really click with any of them what's happened except for Matt (Reeves) who eventually reports Samson. Meanwhile, Layne (Crispin Glover) is trying to get rid of the body from the river's edge in an effort to help Samson. There's also a sub-plot involving Matt's brother Tim (Joshua Miller) looking for a gun with which to exact revenge on Matt for beating him up. The movie also co-stars a beautiful girl named Ione Skye Leitch, the love interest of Matt and Dennis Hopper playing the psychotic Feck. Hopper is perfectly cast, he plays the quirky villains better than a lot of people and as the deranged Feck (who sells all the neighborhood kids weed and has himself killed a girl in the past). The movie is a fantastic movie, both as entertainment and as a character(s) study; The film definitely has it's flaws though, like bad dialogue and some overacting (most notably by Glover and Reeves, who hadn't hit it big and were trying to hard to make their mark). One big thing that makes this film good is that Samson isn't some sinister high school murder. Merely, a normal kid with a slightly drug-induced psychotic streak. That adds to the realism a bit.

GRADE: A-

Worthless dreck.......2006-03-24

One of the worst films I have ever seen. First off, Crispin Glover has to be the most annoying actor ever to walk the face of the earth. (Is it me or is his voice like nails on a chalkboard?) Then you throw the second worst in there--Keanu Reeves. There are better films about Gen X'ers than this worthless dreck.

Mirage of Blaze: Rebels of the River Edge

Average customer rating:

Mirage of Blaze
Even more powerful and emotional than the first one!!!
Great OVA want more!
OAV goodness
Even More Than I Had Hoped For...

Mirage of Blaze: Rebels of the River Edge
Starring: Mirage of Blaze
Manufacturer: Anime Works
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Anime & Manga | Genres | DVD | Video

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( M ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Mirage of Blaze: The Complete Collection, Vol. 1-4
Mirage of Blaze Box
Gravitation: Lyrics of Love OVA
Brother
Kyo Kara Maoh!, Vol. 3: God (?) Save Our King!

ASIN: B0009S2KLK
Release Date: 2005-08-30

Description

Takaya, a young man who is possessed by the spirit of an ancient warlord named Kagetora, now fights evil spirits in modern day Japan. Separated from his vassal Naoe because of their feelings for each other, he goes to high school like any other boy his age. Then, he hears of an assassination attempt carried out by a mysterious new Possessor with the power of fire. All paths lead to his friend Ayako, a male Possessor in a female body. But she had her own forbidden romance that was keeping her from revealing the secrets of the past.

Customer Reviews:

Mirage of Blaze.......2006-08-14

I LOVED it! Not only was the animation good but the story was great. Naoe is my favorite character. I'm a sucker for a torchered soul and he has a sexy voice. I love his relationship with Takaya. I wasn't into Yaoi until I saw this. They have a beautiful and complex love story. Almost like a parent/child relationship but they have a tendency to switch roles, sometimes Takaya is dominant and sometimes Naoe is. I love that no matter what their issues are the story shows they are stronger together then apart. The intense almost sex scene explains a lot about why Naoe feels torchered and Takaya's reluctance.

I'm hoping for another installment the ending left a lot of opportunities. A definite must see.

Even more powerful and emotional than the first one!!!.......2006-07-21

To begin with, if you are looking for Mechas, CB or stuff like that etc. than you you should avoid this anime.

Also, if someone of you does not like a series that includes, in the broader sense of meaning, man to man `attractions' than you better should skip this one as well.

Moreover, this is the continuation of the first Mirage of Blaze.

Quick story overview of what is going on in general (mostly in the first volumes of Mirage of Blaze):

The two main characters (protagonists) are Kagetora and Naoe. In order to understand the story, you should keep in mind that although the main story resolves in our times you will get information and `flashbacks' of earlier times as well. The reason is that:
a) Re-incarnation of souls
b) The two main protagonists used to live in feudal time-periods when war was going on and they are re-incarnated today with `new' names: Takkaya is Kagetora and Yuzuru is Naoe.
c) The war that used to be at earlier times continues still today (by psychic powers etc.).
d) War occurs in both our world and the spiritual world.
e) Power games between Clans etc.

The problem: The warriors do remember their past lives etc. but Kagetora does not (in order to fully awaken his powers he needs to remember). This will lead to an explosive mixture of `switching' emotions; for instance, you will see that Naoe loves and hates Kagetora as well (may sound confusing but when watching it you will understand.

As for the story of the current OVA:

It starts where the first one left off. The two main protagonists' relation and emotions have reached, at least in my humble opinion, the sphere of being called mind-blowing and `madness'. Who will dominate over the other one and under what conditions?

Additionally, the introduction of new characters continues such as Araki etc. In general, without giving too much away, in these OVAs we see why some clans try to catch Araki (and sacrifice him), continues battles between Naoe and Takaya and last but not least, it also centres on Ayako and her story.
For the ones who are not familiar with this show, at first the story may sound boring but it is completely the opposite. Thing is that I would like to avoid in getting too much into the story because if a reviewer decides to watch the anime than most probably I would ruin the suspense of it (sorry guys).

Furthermore, in these OVAs you will see part of the reason of why the two main protagonists fight constantly and why they feel for each other this way (here I am referring to rape scenes etc.). Believe me; it is very powerful and emotional done! Therefore, if you are not the type who can watch something like this than skip it...
Additionally, the anime keeps a serious and sad tone through out the story and the way it ends it leaves the impression that there will be a continuation (hopefully more will come out soon of Mirage of Blaze). Personally, I dare to say that the series are focusing more to a more mature audience. For instance, you will not see any funny tones, jokes etc. in these series; series that are very serious.

As for the animation: The animation is very good and even better done than the first series; in one word, one of the best I have seen and only a few animes can compare with it.

The dub is very good as is the music that accompanies the series as well (starts, like the first series, with a rock/pop song and finishes with a melodic sad song).

The genre of this anime would be: fantasy/action/romance/ and love drama.

It has a solid storyline, twists, is powerful (and emotional) and very character driven.

Extras: Well, here they also included more extras - than the first show - such as, textless opening/ending, interviews with the actors of the main characters, and an anime catalogue.

Finally, the way the show ends leaves the impression that more is to come and creates a good fan service basis.

Additional:

The story is based on supernatural facts, believes etc. Meaning that the explanations they provide belong to the category of supernatural (something like Anthroposophy or Theosophy 'teachings' and in addition with implication of Christianity, Buddhism, exorcism and all of it combined with magic). Furthermore, the fights that take place belong to the supernatural plane as well but affect tremendously our material world. For instance, if someone sends out to kill an opponent with a psychic fireball (I apologise for the `weird' terminology that I just used) than it will hit our world like an explosion etc.

As to the potential question of buying it or not, my humble opinion would be yes.

To begin with, the price is the (almost) standard one that is used for DVDs of this genre. If you have bought the first one, than you will definitely buy this one as well. If you haven't than buy the first one first and then buy this one. Last but not least, if you are the type that does not like this kind of anime (meaning, man to man `attractions', whereas the term `attraction' is used in the broader sense of meaning) than you should skip this one.
In addition, I believe that the viewer of the show should be at least 15 years and over for the previous mentioned reasons. Apart from it, if you have not yet included a different show in your anime collection than this superb show is worth owning.

At any rate, I hope I could help you ^_^

Great OVA want more!.......2006-04-02

Your already know what the story is about and from the other reviews. So I'm just going to tell what a thought of the OVA.

I was excited that the story center around another character from the Shigens, Ayako. She tells about her past and how she loved someone who died, but then the man Takaya and Ayako are trying to capture looks like the one she loved from long ago.

Also what excite me was how Naoe was different from the series and so was Takaya. Naoe left Takaya in the end of the series telling him how he feels about him and leaves. He still apart from the Shigen's in the OVA doing his own being a body gard, but then bumps into Takaya during an infestigation. When Naoe meets up with Takaya he goes back as being the same in the series but 10 times worse. He tells Takaya how feels about him again but it leads to rage, witch leads to a rape scene making Takaya flash back about his past life (giving us a clue why he sealed his memories).

I was glad they made an OVA to tell more of the show, but what I didn't like was how Yuzuru and Chiaka only had a small part. I would like to know more of Yuzuru and whats the conection with him and Takaya, and why he has powers which scares the fudal under-world.

I still rate it a five for giving me a little more of the story.

OAV goodness.......2005-10-14

In this OAV, Tagetora/Takaya is not the same slacker from volumes 1-4. He has finally come to terms with who he and what he is. Naoe returns and we see a jealous and manipulative Tagetora and finally start to understand what Naoe means when he claims (in the volumes 1-4) that Tagetora is the reason why he acts the way he does. Be warned, though. There is a rape scene between the two where Tagetora/Takaya has another flashback to something disturbing that happened to him.

There is a lot about "sis's" past in this one that ties in with the present. A present-day pocessor looks very like her lover from two hundred years ago, but this new pocessor has a secret.

Even More Than I Had Hoped For..........2005-09-24

Firstly, I'd like to point out that I have been waiting for this DVD ever since I found out that it was in production. I have been a long time fanatic of the Mirage of Blaze (Honoo no Mirage), and I was rather disappointed with the abrupt ending of the first series, Mirage of Blaze TV.

Thankfully, this new OVA picks up right where the last episode left off.

I was immediately struck by how different the characters seemed. This series digs a lot deeper into the real reasons behind everyone's involvement in the Feudal Underworld, especially that of Haruie.

But to be perfectly honest, the real driving point of the story, at least for myself, is the constant battling and overall angst of Takaya and Naoe. Naoe, in particular, seems much different than he was in the TV series. He begins to fight back, in his own way, against Takaya's consistent inability to make a decision regarding his feelings towards Naoe.

This is the part where I tell you that if you're into this series for the yaoi, this is where the getting gets good. The insinuating overtones are a thing of the past, and as soon as you watch the second episode on the DVD, Tiger's Eye, you'll see exactly what I mean. This DVD, by the way, is rated 13+. I am almost certain that it is a mistake. Yes, it is that good. It's no Boku no Sexual Harrassment, but it certainly brightened up my day, week...year, rather.

I've only just received the DVD today, and I'm already in feverish anticipation for the next offering, here's hoping that it won't be another two years. Even so, I'll still be waiting.

Katsuya Kaiba

Average customer rating:

Western + noir = River's edge
First-Rate Western Thriller

The River's Edge
Starring: Ray Milland , Anthony Quinn , Debra Paget , Harry Carey Jr. , and Chubby Johnson
Director: Allan Dwan
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Crime | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B000FFJ83U
Release Date: 2006-07-11

Description

Anthony Quinn and Debra Paget are stunning - and Ray Milland is at his most dastardly - in this fiery love triangle that boasts intense action and rugged adventure in the Southwest.

Deep in the lonely New Mexico desert, Ben Cameron (Anthony Quinn) and his wife Meg (Debra Paget) struggle to build their small ranch. But the arrival of the charming but deadly trickster Nardo Denning (Ray Milland) could tear apart more than their homkestead. With a gun in his hand and a secret about Meg's past in his heart, Denning forces Ben to guide him safely to Mexico with his stolen fortune. As they navigate the dangerous terrain, each man struggles to gain the upper hand for survival - and for Meg - in this tense and gripping Western.

Customer Reviews:

Western + noir = River's edge.......2006-11-04

This wonderful and underrated film is one of Dwan's finest. Allan Dwan's career, which started in the silent era, is amongst the most exciting and prolific of Hollywood's classic era. The River's edge starts like a melodrama: ex crook Ray Milland looks for his former girlfriend (Debra Paget) and eventually finds her, remarried to a simple and honest man (Anthony Quinn at his very best). But the plot then shifts into a manhunt across the mountains, with murder and betrayal. Dwan has a unique sense of time and space, not unlike Anthony Mann's, and his style combines the flamboyence of Sirk with the self contained assurance of John Ford. As a mixture of 50's noir and contemporary western, River's edge, beautifully photographed in technicolor and cinemascope is one of the great "lost films". It's ruthless but filled with extraordinary humanity. The film builds up to a surprising finale with a startling shot alongside "the river's edge". Its a film about greed, lust and love, wonderfully written and acted. A must see.

First-Rate Western Thriller.......2006-07-22

The best way to decribe "The River's Edge" is that it is a hybrid of noir and pulp fiction reminiscent of the work of Jim Thompson. It also works as a smashing adventure story. The two leads here are superb. Ray Milland is menacing as the heavy but does so with great subtlety. Anthony Quinn is intriguing as the rancher and there are many shades to his character. His Ben Cameron is a good man but he is no wilting flower in the face of evil as represented by Milland's Nardo Denning. The confrontations between these two are tense and keep you on the edge of your seat throughout. Though not fatal to the film, Debra Paget as Quinn's wife and Milland's former squeeze is the weak link in the triangle. You don't believe for one minute that Paget was ever a gangster's moll who served time in the pen. I recommend this film ultimately as an opportunity to see two top actors at the top of their game.

Average customer rating:

The River Runner's Edge
Starring: Kent Ford; Mary DeRiemer;Wayner Diskert;Phil DeRiemer
Director: Kent Ford; Mary DeRiemer;Wayner Diskert;Phil DeRiemer , and Kent Ford
Manufacturer: Performance Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Special Interests | Genres | DVD | Video

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The Kayak Roll
Kayak: The Animated Manual of Intermediate and Advanced Whitewater Technique
The Bombproof Roll and Beyond

ASIN: B0007ZAECC
Release Date: 2005-03-01

Description

This energizing instructional unlocks the secrets of competent river runners: Water reading, strategies, strokes, maneuvers, and basic playboating. All are presented in a manner that demystifies and enlightens. Learn from an elite team of instructors who have crystallized the nuances that will put you in control. Novice and experienced kayakers alike will profit from this upbeat production designed to set your foundation right!
This DVD is conveniently indexed for your entertainment and instructional benefit. Extra Bonus chapters introduce the kayak roll and whitewater safety.
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River's Edge [ NON-USA FORMAT, PAL, Reg.2.4 Import - Australia ]

Average customer rating:

River's Edge [ NON-USA FORMAT, PAL, Reg.2.4 Import - Australia ]
Director: Tim Hunter
Manufacturer: MGM
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Product Description

Australia released, PAL/Region 2.4 DVD: it WILL NOT play on standard US DVD player. You need multi-region PAL/NTSC DVD player to view it in USA/Canada. LANGUAGES: English (Dolby Digital 2.0), French (Dolby Digital 2.0), German (Dolby Digital 2.0), Italian (Dolby Digital 2.0), Spanish (Dolby Digital 2.0), Dutch (Subtitles), English (Subtitles), French (Subtitles), Italian (Subtitles), Spanish (Subtitles), Swedish (Subtitles), WIDESCREEN, SYNOPSIS: The nude, strangled body of a teenaged girl lies on the edge of the river. Her murderer is her boyfriend, Daniel Roebuck. All the kids in Roebuck's dismal, dead-end town know who committed the murder. Trouble is, no one bothers to turn Roebuck in; some of the teens don't know how to react to the crime, while others, strung out on drugs and booze, just don't give a damn. A study of contemporary alienation, River's Edge was based on a real-life incident that occurred in Milpitas, California, in 1981. That same year, Neal Jimenez wrote his screenplay for River's Edge, but was not able to finance the project until 1987. Except for Dennis Hopper, cast as a holdover from the sixties who hobbles about on one leg and makes love to a blow-up doll, the cast was largely comprised of unknowns, many of whom (Crispin Glover, Keanu Reeves, Ione Skye) would definitely be heard from in the future.
SPECIAL FEATURES: Scene Access,

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