Alexander the Great

Starring:Richard Burton, Fredric March, Claire Bloom, Danielle Darrieux, Barry Jones, Harry Andrews, Stanley Baker, Niall MacGinnis, Peter Cushing, Michael Hordern, Marisa de Leza, Gustavo Rojo, RubÃ©n Rojo, Peter Wyngarde, Helmut Dantine, William Squire, Friedrich von Ledebur, Virgilio Teixeira, Teresa del RÃo, Julio PeÃ±a
Director: Robert Rossen
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com

It's hard to believe Ridley Scott's handsome epic won't become the cinematic touchstone of the Crusades for years to come. Kingdom of Heaven is greater than the sum of its parts, delivering a vital, mostly engrossing tale following Balian (Orlando Bloom), a lonely French blacksmith who discovers he's a noble heir and takes his father's (Liam Neeson) place in the center of the universe circa 1184: Jerusalem. Here, grand battles and backdoor politics are key as Scott and first-time screenwriter William Monahan fashion an excellent storyline to tackle the centuries-long conflict. Two forward-thinking kings, Baldwin (Edward Norton in an uncredited yet substantial role) and Saladin (Ghassan Massoud), hold an uneasy truce between Christians (who hold the city) and Muslims while factions champ at the bit for blood. There are good and evildoers on both sides, with the Knights Templar taking the brunt of the blame; Balian plans to find his soul while protecting Baldwin and the people. The look of the film, as nearly everything is from Scott, is impressive: his CGI-infused battle scenes rival the LOTR series and, with cinematographer John Mathieson, create postcard beauty with snowy French forests and the vast desert (filmed in Morocco and Spain). An excellent supporting cast, including Jeremy Irons, Brendan Gleeson, and David Thewlis, also help make the head and heart of the film work. Many critics pointed out that Bloom doesn't have the gravitas of Russell Crowe in the lead (then again, who does?), but it's the underdeveloped character and not the actor that hurts the film and impacts its power. Balian isn't given much more to do than be sullen and give an occasional big speech, alongside his perplexing abilities for warfare tactics and his wandering moral compass (whose sole purpose seems to be to put a love scene in the movie). Note: all the major characters except Neeson's are based on fact, but many are heavily fictionalized. --Doug Thomas

On the DVD
The Kingdom of Heaven Director's Cut is truly a DVD set of biblical proportions. If you are familiar with Ridley Scott's excellent, albeit massive, extended DVD sets for Gladiator and Black Hawk Down, you have a pretty good idea of what you are in for with this set. The biggest difference--unlike the Gladiator Director's Cut, which had some nice new scenes that really didn't add much to the film--is that this cut of Kingdom of Heaven is a drastic improvement over the theatrical release. This extensive 194-minute version brings the film back to Scott's original vision, maintaining an impressive balance of history, plot, and believable period reenactments and battle scenes. The best way to describe the improvements on the extended version is the film is now able to breathe a bit more, it's less choppy, and it has stronger character development. In addition to the extended scenes (which now span two discs in a clunky Road Show presentation), there is an exhaustive three-hour, six-part documentary detailing every aspect of filmmaking from the development of the "idea" through post-production and release. Also included are three feature-length commentary tracks, the best being the first with Ridley Scott, writer William Monahan, and actor Orlando Bloom. Included on the original release but missing from this set are the A&E/History Channel documentaries, the theatrical cut of the film, and "The Pilgrim's Guide," the fantastic text commentary which pointed out the historical anecdotes as the film played. Fans of the film and completists will probably want to hold onto both versions. However, those picking up Kingdom of Heaven for the first time need only to look to this definitive version. --Rob Bracco

Description

Among the best directors of our time, Ridley Scott (Gladiator), contributes generously to this extraordinary Collector?s Edition of Kingdom of Heaven. Featuring his Director?s Cut of the film and hours of fascinating extras including a six-part tour from conception to completion of filmmaking this definitive set makes what Variety called a "genuinely spectacular" film even more so!

An epic marvel that's as beautifully acted as it is visually awesome, Kingdom of Heaven stars Orlando Bloom as Balian, a Jerusalem blacksmith who has lost his family and his faith. But when his father (Liam Neeson) shows him his destiny, Balian vows to defend his country, and in the process, falls in love, becomes a formidable leader, and steps forever into history

Customer Reviews:

Great way to waste your money !!!.......2007-06-28

This is one of the worst films ever made, maybe even worse than "Waterworld," if that's possible. The scenery is excellent, the costumes are great; but it all goes downhill from there. The story is this convoluted ridiculous farce about a blacksmith who suddenly becomes a knight and then falls in love with the Queen of Jerusalem...um...I think. Actually the story is so poorly told it's not clear who is who...but more importantly, I don't care because the story and the acting is so superficial I ended up hoping everybody would end up dying in a mass apocalyptic attack on the walls of Jerusalem. The script read as if it was written by a 7th grader who read a couple Skakespeare plays, looked at a couple "Medieval History" websites one night, and wrote a script, full of the most predicable trite cliche's ever written. The director has NO understanding of the crusades, and what they were about. He has the main character saying some trendy politcally correct jargon like "Jerusalem does not belong to one religion, but to all." There is not a single crusader who would have said that! And then at the end he vows not to surrender to the invading army, and then goes out and surrenders, and then everyone hails him as a hero because he surrenders. This movie is indicative of the whole mindset of the country where giving up fighting for something noble is better than fighting for what you believe in. Total trendy liberal ideology disguised as a historical epic. Don't waste your time or money on this silly over rated farce.

Kingdom of Deeez.......2007-06-27

The amount of development that went into this movie was amazing. I thought this movie was good in theaters...until I saw the directors cut which should have been in theaters...As a whole the movie made more sense in the directors cut...it made a good movie even better...longer but better... If you are into these types of films this is a must have...
Check it Fooo!

Outstanding!!!.......2007-06-27

Absolutely amazing! The Director's cut is like an entirely new movie!! It doesn't matter what faith you claim, this movie does not choose sides. Truly one for the shelves.

And then some.......2007-06-27

When I saw this movie for the first time un cut it was fantastic. The HD version is far more than I had anticipated. The story is much more complex and makes much more sense. It seems the original release was a dumb-down version of the real story. Picture quality is amazingly clear with lush colors. Even if you have this movie on DVD it is worth getting for Blu ray. You dont know what you are missing

Well worth it........2007-06-27

The addional footage makes this a whole new movie. It explains the ties to Balian and the village better. The queen and her son. Much, much better!

Average customer rating:

Great way to waste your money !!!
Kingdom of Deeez
Outstanding!!!
And then some
Well worth it.

Kingdom of Heaven (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Orlando Bloom , Michael Sheen , Nathalie Cox , Eriq Ebouaney , and Jouko Ahola
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
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ASIN: B000AARKOO
Release Date: 2005-10-11

Amazon.com

Description

From Ridley Scott, the visionary director of Black Hawk Down and Gladiator, comes this spectacular epic of courage, honor and adventure. Orlando Bloom stars as Balian, a young Frenchman in Medieval Jerusalem during the Crusades, who, having lost everything, finds redemption in a heroic fight against overwhelming forces to save his people and fulfill his destiny as a knight.

Customer Reviews:

Great way to waste your money !!!.......2007-06-28

Kingdom of Deeez.......2007-06-27

Outstanding!!!.......2007-06-27

Absolutely amazing! The Director's cut is like an entirely new movie!! It doesn't matter what faith you claim, this movie does not choose sides. Truly one for the shelves.

And then some.......2007-06-27

Well worth it........2007-06-27

The addional footage makes this a whole new movie. It explains the ties to Balian and the village better. The queen and her son. Much, much better!

Average customer rating:

Russia in the cold
A well produced and well acted epic
Stalingrad
Impacting
what a cruel and senseless war......

Stalingrad
Starring: Dominique Horwitz , Thomas Kretschmann , Jochen Nickel , Sebastian Rudolph , and Dana Vávrová
Director: Joseph Vilsmaier
Manufacturer: Fox Lorber
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ASIN: 6305037280
Release Date: 1998-11-03

Amazon.com

It's tempting to call this harrowing picture a World War II version of All Quiet on the Western Front: both films take the perspective of ordinary German soldiers at ground level. Stalingrad surveys the misery of the battle of Stalingrad, the winter siege that cost the lives of almost one and a half million people, Russian defenders and German invaders alike. Not unlike Spielberg's approach to Saving Private Ryan, German director Joseph Vilsmaier rarely steps outside the action to comment on the higher purpose of the war, assuming the audience is aware of the evil of the Nazi regime. Instead, we simply follow a group of soldiers as they endure a series of gut-wrenching episodes, events which have the tang of authenticity and horror. Vilsmaier has a taste for symbolism and surreal touches, which only add to the unsettling sense of insanity this movie conjures up so well. --Robert Horton

Customer Reviews:

Russia in the cold.......2007-05-13

Life and death on the russian front. So few returned on either side.

A well produced and well acted epic.......2007-02-06

It is always a satifying experience to view a film in which none of the actors are familiar and be absolutely floored at their performances. Watching Stalingrad in German with English subtitles provides such an experience.
The battle of Stalingrad was a disaster for the German army and was instrumental in their ultimate defeat. A part of the European war that has not been featured in American films, the Russian front was brutal in terms of both the combat attrocities and the elements. This film captures a group of German soldiers who are thrust into these circumstances and spares the viewer nothing in recording the horrors of war.
It is not sympathetic to the German side and doesn't have any hint of nationalism or patriotism- it just lays out the story as factually as possible.
Indispensible viewing for history and WWII buffs. Right up there with Saving Private Ryan as the most realistic of WWII films.

Stalingrad.......2007-01-14

This was a very poor film of the seige of Stalingrad. The acting, plot, English dubbing and flow of the movie was of poor quality. Although it tried to show the suffering of both the Germans and Russians during seige of Stalingrad, the acting and characters in the movie were not interestng enough to hold your attention. Far below the overall quality of the other DVD I purchased at the same time, "Enemy at the Gates"

Impacting.......2007-01-09

Germany's war films are always very real and factual, they don't doll them up with grandeur and Rambo-type scenarios. They never give a false illusion of what it was like to be a German soldier in World War 2, the hopelessness in the end, the devastation of being in war you didn't want to be in that went on forever and knowing all along your chances of survival were very slim. (I have read a collection of letters of German soldiers from the front and those men were so very tired of war and just wanted to see home again.)

This film impacts all that real desperation felt by those men on the front lines. It's completely unbelievable how their officials in the end treated their own soldiers. How many of them were left to starved or freeze to death in Russia, completely abandoned by their own country on a frozen terrain.

Stats are given in the end of how many German soldiers surrendered in World War 2, to how many were actually taken prisoner (1/3 survived surrendering) to how many returned home after being taken prisoner and put in Prisoner of War Camps (15%) It makes you realize how hopeless their situation was and this film impacts that emotion in every sense.

My only complaint is that the subtitles went by a bit fast at times.

what a cruel and senseless war.............2007-01-05

it's the decisions by the leaders of the nations to declare and start a war. but their decisions are always made in their presidential offices, behind their desks. it's the foot soldiers to carry out their blundering decisions with blood and death. war is always senseless, bad for the soldiers but good for the officers and the generals. war and battle are the two great opportunities for them to get promoted. the foot soldiers would only be awarded with some worthless mass produced metal medals decorated with colored ribbons and paint, glorified with sounds-great big names: purple heart, silver star, iron cross...whatever. they are all the same, a worthless piece of metal.
the battle of stalingrad was one of the most horrible tragedies in our human history. to those soldiers who died in the bitterest russian cold winter, the only blessing is what the two german soldiers said before frozen to death: 'to die in bitter coldness is good, because you don't feel anything...better than dying in the desert, because it's too hot and you can't stop sweating....the only thing good to die in the desert is....those stars look so close....'
what a sad war story....

Average customer rating:

A Long Time Favorite
A classic war movie!
A Thrilling yet Fictional Commando Raid
Excellent Classic Movie
The Legend of Navarone

The Guns of Navarone (Special Edition)
Starring: Gregory Peck , David Niven , Anthony Quinn , Stanley Baker , and Anthony Quayle
Director: J. Lee Thompson , and Alexander Mackendrick
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
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ASIN: 0767821785
Release Date: 2000-05-23

Amazon.com

This rousing, explosive 1961 WWII adventure, based on Alistair MacLean's thrilling novel, turns the war thriller into a deadly caper film. Gregory Peck heads a star-studded cast charged with a near impossible mission: destroy a pair of German guns nestled in a protective cave on the strategic Mediterranean island of Navarone, from where they can control a vital sea passage. As world famous mountain climber turned British army Captain Mallory, Peck leads a guerrilla force composed of the humanistic explosives expert, Miller (David Niven), the ruthless Greek patriot with a grudge, Stavros (Anthony Quinn), veteran special forces soldier Brown (Stanley Baker), and the cool, quiet young marksman Pappadimos (James Darren). This disparate collection of classic types must overcome internal conflicts, enemy attacks, betrayal, and capture to complete their mission. Director J. Lee Thompson sets a driving pace for this exciting (if familiar) military operation, a succession of close calls, pitched battles, and last-minute escapes as our heroes infiltrate the garrisoned town with the help of resistance leader Maria (Irene Papas) and plot their entry into the heavily guarded mountain fort. Carl Foreman's screenplay embraces MacLean's role call of clichés and delivers them with style, creating one of the liveliest mixes of espionage, combat, and good old-fashioned military derring-do put on film. In 1978, the sequel Force 10 from Navarone was released, but MacLean fans will prefer to check out the action-packed thriller Where Eagles Dare. --Sean Axmaker

Customer Reviews:

A Long Time Favorite.......2007-04-02

THE GUNS OF NAVARONE has been a long time favorite around my house. We saw it years ago and have never forgotten it. I think the performances and the strong characterizations are indelible. We watch it whenever it is on TV even though my son has it on tape, laserdisc and DVD. There is just something reassuring about that film, something of value you take away each time you watch it. There are a lot of heroics yet there is dignity and honor demonstrated throughout the tale. I suppose it has now become a legend for all time.

A classic war movie!.......2007-03-08

I first saw this film at a British army outdoor cinema in Cyprus in 1962 when I was 11 years old. I have lost count of how many times I have seen it since. It still rates for me as one of the greatest war films ever. Great performances by all the cast: one of David Niven's best roles but all of them seemed to be at the top of their game. I own an earlier DVD than the Special Edition, so cannot speak to the special features.

A Thrilling yet Fictional Commando Raid.......2007-03-07

Oh, to destroy the heavy ship-killing artillery housed on an enemy-held island! Bombing cannot take out the site, and it would take a suicide plane loaded with explosives to destroy it. How about a commando raid? Intelligence indicates that the island of Navarone has a cliff so tall and steep that the Germans don't bother to guard it.

A group of commandos leaves in a fishing boat, and the miracles begin to happen. The fishing boat is stopped at sea by a German naval vessel, and the commandos manage to shoot and fight off all the Germans. And, to top it all off, the Germans situated at Navarone are not warned of the commandos.

After that, everything goes wrong that possibly can. The wooden fishing boat in which they are traveling gets battered to pieces by the storm against the cliff. During the arduous climb, one of the climbers breaks both legs, thereby becoming a liability to the rest of the commando outfit for the remainder of the mission. The climb is successful, but the commandos discover that they have lost their food. They manage to kill a German guard at the top of the cliff, only to fail to convince a German, calling the field phone used by that guard, that they are Germans. The search is on. The commandos belatedly link up with some Greek partisans, and make is just in time into a cave, from which they hide from German bombing.

Then, suddenly and unexpectedly, they end up in German hands. The German commander reminds them that they, not wearing uniforms, are not entitled to rights as POWs, and will be shot (as spies or saboteurs). He calls in the SS to torture them into divulging the location of the explosives, beginning with the man with broken legs, whose splints are to be rearranged. To make things worse, it turns out that one of the Greek partisans is a German agent, and that she has rendered the explosives useless.

Will the commandos escape death? If so, will the miracles continue and will they destroy the artillery at Navarone? I will not spoil the ending by revealing it.

Navarone does not appear in any atlas, and it takes a while for the viewer to realize that this account is fictional. It would be helpful if there was a disclaimer in the beginning of this flick indicating that it is fiction.

Excellent Classic Movie.......2007-01-11

Great classic WWII flick. Gregory Peck, Anthony Quinn, David Nivven.
Good acting - nominated / won like 8 acadamy awards...

The Legend of Navarone.......2007-01-08

THE GUNS OF NAVARONE have long been silent but the legend of this extraordinary and endearing film lingers on in our memory. They just don't make them like this any more. The script, the score, the cinematography, the actors and the characters they played are indelibly etched into the psyche. I often have fleeting thoughts of this film, happy ones, of the images, the words and the music from this WWII legend. The examination of camaraderie, the morality of killing and not killing, bravery, survival, betrayal, forgiveness and getting the job done are all integrated into a logical and emotional cohesive film that is both entertaining yet important in its representation of the extraordinary human qualities that can only be realized during war.This is one of my favorite films and the less said the better. I just savor my memories of it and get a little warmth in my heart.

Average customer rating:

As good as the book from Wilbur Smith?
Worth Seeing Again!
Khartoum
Excellent story; fine acting
Khartoum in Cinerama

Khartoum
Starring: Charlton Heston , Laurence Olivier , Richard Johnson , Ralph Richardson , and Alexander Knox
Director: Eliot Elisofon , and Basil Dearden
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
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ASIN: B000062XF0
Release Date: 2002-05-07

Amazon.com essential video

Set in the expanse of the Sudan desert in the midst of holy war, Khartoum (1966) plays like an attempt to work the Lawrence of Arabia magic on the (mostly) true story of eccentric British general Charles "Chinese" Gordon in 1884 North Africa. The magnificent opening desert battle suggests David Lean's epic sweep, at least until the film settles into a more modest story of political games, military standoffs, and a battle of wits and wiles between two fierce leaders. Charlton Heston plays the wily Christian soldier as cocky, unconventional maverick, and Laurence Olivier (behind heavy make-up and a thick black beard) is almost as good as his cagey nemesis the Mahdi, the Islamic holy warrior on a mission of annihilation. More talk than spectacle, the film falls short of Lawrence but is nonetheless a compelling story of colonial politics, cynical maneuvering, and the unconventional heroics of another colorful British maverick abroad. --Sean Axmaker

Description

Academy AwardÂ(r) winners* Charlton Heston and Laurence Olivier face off in this epic, stirring drama of two men and two empires. Filmed in glorious CineramaÂ(r), with stunning desertbattles staged by the creator of the Ben-Hur chariot race, Khartoum is a "magnificently staged action spectacle [with] outstanding portrayals" (Boxoffice) and breathtaking cinematography. In 1883, British Prime Minister Gladstone (Ralph Richardson) dispatches General Charles Gordon (Heston) to Khartoum, Sudan, where thousands of civilians are threatened by a Muslim fanatic, the Mahdi (Olivier), and his army of followers. Gordon gains the Mahdi's respect but can't prevent the Mahdi's men from laying siege to the city. Now, as history hangs in the balance, Gordon faces the fight of his life defending the ancient city of Khartoum. *Heston: Actor, Ben-Hur (1959). Olivier: Actor, Hamlet (1948); Lifetime Achievement (1978); Outstanding Achievement as Actor, Producer and Director on Henry V (1946)

Customer Reviews:

As good as the book from Wilbur Smith?.......2007-07-04

Watched this monumental movie after having the read the book from Wilbur Smith, The Triumph of the Sum.
Although the main story remains of course the same the film does not provide the depth and different angles I was hoping for.
Most striking is that I cannot remember one woman playing even a less important role in this film.

Worth Seeing Again!.......2007-06-10

I viewed this movie when it made the theater tour. Since then, I learned more about the history of the British Empire in the period. Khartoum is well written, well acted and has no major technical or historical inaccuracies that I could detect. Khartoum is definitely worth watching more than once.

Khartoum .......2007-05-06

Charlton Heston plays the charmed, charismatic Gen. Charles Gordon and Sir Laurence Olivier is suitably menacing as the Mahdi in this thumping tale of the siege of Khartoum and the death of history's classiest fall guy. Great action sequences throughout: the assault on the city, the relief expedition, the attempt of the river steamers to run the Dervish gauntlet.

Excellent story; fine acting.......2007-04-10

The outstanding cast in this true story of China Gordon's demise in the Sudan at the hands of the presumed "Mahdi" in 1884, is only one of several factors that make this a great film. The story line is excellent, as it not only presents the desert conflict battle scenes extremely well, but it also visually describes the political and social intrigue involved in the British efforts to establish and maintain its colonial empire in that era. In a subtle and obviously unintentional manner, the film also presents some hints of contemporary conflicts and social issues. A truly fine film!

Khartoum in Cinerama.......2007-03-15

1966's Khartoum is an all star Cinerama achievement, based on the true story of the British Sudan set during the early to mid-1880's. Beautifully and epically filmed in three locations in Egypt, plus in London.

See this breathtaking Cinerama motion picture the way it was meant to be watched - in widescreen, coupled with today's crisp stereo surround sound.

The movie is based on a very important historical confrontation between Victorian English General Charles 'Chinese' Gordon, played by Charlton Heston, and a radical Muslim warlord who believed himself to be Islamic 'Mahdi' or 'The Expected One', played by the marvelously well cast English actor, Laurence Olivier. The Mahdi declares a total jihad against all infidels (sounds like today).

Ironically the current Islamic dictatorship of OPEC's Iran have publicly stated they are attempting to provoke the 'return of the Mahdi' so he can 'assist the Muslims in destroying the infidels'. History does indeed repeat itself.

Some of the other exceptional cast members include:
Richard Johnson ... Col. J.D.H. Stewart
Ralph Richardson ... William Gladstone
Alexander Knox ... Sir Evelyn Baring
Johnny Sekka ... Khaleel
Michael Hordern ... Lord Granville
Zia Mohyeddin ... Zobeir Pasha
Marne Maitland ... Sheikh Osman
Nigel Green ... Gen. Wolseley
Peter Arne ... Maj. Kitchener

Oscar nominated English composer Frank Cordell's rousing musical score will pleasingly linger after viewing the this exceptional film.

Khartoum -- where the Nile divides, the great Cinerama adventure begins!

National Geographic - Lewis & Clark - Great Journey West

Average customer rating:

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC'S LEWIS & CLARK
History, but in a fun way.
National Geographic - Lewis and Clark The Journey West
Good classroom lesson
Lewis & Clark - The great Journey West

National Geographic - Lewis & Clark - Great Journey West
Starring: Burgess Meredith
Director: William Kronick , Jack Kaufman , Bert Haanstra , Terry Sanders , and Nicholas Clapp
Manufacturer: National Geographic Video
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00006AUK1
Release Date: 2002-08-27

Description

Relive one of the greatest tales of adventure and exploration in history, as National Geographic brings to life the epic journey of Lewis, Clark, their guide Sacagawea and the brave Corps of Discovery across the land that would become the United States. Now, two hundred years after the launch of this ambitious expedition, experience first-hand the danger and breathtaking beauty of the unknown West as it unfolded before the eyes of Lewis & Clark.

Customer Reviews:

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC'S LEWIS & CLARK.......2007-06-05

I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS DVD -- IT IS EXCEPTIONALLY WELL DONE, ACCURATE, BEAUTIFULLY FILMED AND EXPERTLY NARRATED. WHAT A SUPER WAY FOR ME AND MY SON TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR GREAT (X5) GRANDFATHER CAPT. WILLIAM CLARK. IT ADDS DIMENSION AND CASTS LIGHT ON STORIES I'VE READ AND HEARD FROM MY FAMILY REGARDING THE EXPEDITION -- MAKES IT ALL ALOT MORE 'VIVID' TO SEE WHAT THEY WENT THROUGH AND TRULY HOW REMARKABLE THIS BRAVE GROUP WAS - AWESOME!!!National Geographic - Lewis & Clark - Great Journey West (Special Edition)

History, but in a fun way........2007-05-13

I found this documentary very enjoyable in an informative kind of a way. We saw clips in my History class, then I had a strange urge to add it to my DVD collection. It was very well done, with good naration.

National Geographic - Lewis and Clark The Journey West.......2007-04-07

One of the best historical DVD's ever. The photography was incredible, giving me the sensation of going down the River right along with the explorers. The historical detail and anecdotes were very interesting. This DVD was so incredibly interesting, making me realize how lucky the explorers were to survive. Sagacawea's part in the survival story was given the highest respect. As a teacher, I found this very appropriate for children grades 4 and higher.

Good classroom lesson.......2007-01-10

I felt I was actually on the trip with Lewis and Clark during this presentation. After having read Stephen Ambrose's marvelous book on this duo's adventure, I thought it would be nice to put myself as close to the situation as possible. Loved every minute of it.

Lewis & Clark - The great Journey West.......2006-11-11

Most of my Zone 4 dvd's open here in China without problems hence the many purchases. This DVD product is specifically marked with a Security label warning and would not play either. I just wish that such products specifically labelled are highlighted in the on-line catalogue before one reaches the shopping basket and thus save the hassles of product return. Maybe the delivery destination can also be used as a cross check for labelled security products. A one star rating was assigned to progress along the the review program steps although the product was unopened.
Dennis Hulse

The Guns of Navarone (Collector's Edition)

Average customer rating:

The Guns of Naverone
I have both the special edition and this edition
Columbia outdoes itself with new release of classic
Five Stars For Movie (Hoping SE DVD gives movie it's due)
The Legend of Navarone

The Guns of Navarone (Collector's Edition)
Starring: Gregory Peck , David Niven , Anthony Quinn , Stanley Baker , and Anthony Quayle
Director: J. Lee Thompson , and Alexander Mackendrick
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
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The Third Man - Criterion Collection (2-Disc Edition)

ASIN: B000MGTQ7U
Release Date: 2007-05-08

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Stills from The Guns of Navarone(click for larger image)

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Gregory Peck, Anthony Quinn and David Niven are Allied saboteurs assigned an impossible mission: infiltrate an impregnable Nazi-held island and destroy the two enormous long-range field guns that prevent the rescue of 2,000 trapped British soldiers. Blacklisted screenwriter Carl Foreman (High Noon,The Bridge on the River Kwai) was determined to re-establish both his name and credibility after spending most of the 50's working in anonymity. To accomplish this, he decided to bring Alistair MacLean's best-selling novel, The Guns of Navarone, to the screen. Supported by an all-star cast and produced on a grand scale, the film was an enormous success, receiving seven 1961 Academy AwardÂ® nominations (including Best Picture) and winning for Best Special Effects. Although Foreman achieved his goal, it was MacLean who would wind up the true beneficiary; his novels became the source for many high adventure screen epics, including Ice Station Zebra and Where Eagles Dare. However, it is The Guns of Navarone that remains not only the best of the MacLean adaptations, but one of the greatest action/adventure spectacles ever produced.

Customer Reviews:

The Guns of Naverone.......2007-06-28

Epic-scale adventure based on Alistair MacLean's book. The movie boasts terrific action sequences, but is also an engrossing ensemble drama thanks to a sterling screenplay from producer Carl Foreman and terrific turns from a top international cast, including Niven, Quinn, and Quayle.

I have both the special edition and this edition.......2007-05-13

I bought the 2000 video last year. When I heard about this I decided to get it anyway hoping there was additional information. There is. I could have down without the previews of the three new movies, but I suppose the studio does need to advertise them. In addition to the new information, interviews with Irene Pappas (who wasn't available for the first edition) and James Darren, since he's about the only one of the major male cast members still alive, would have been good.

The movie is very good. It makes me miss movies when the heros for the most part kept their language clean. It does seem strange to see them smoking.

In the complaint department I thought that Stanley Baker's and James Darren's characters should have been more developed. Especially James Darren's (OK, I admit it - James Darren (when he was on Time Tunnel) is the first actor I ever had a crush on.

Columbia outdoes itself with new release of classic.......2007-05-09

The second movie in Columbia's newest wave of World War II movies (along with "The Caine Mutiny") is the 1961 Academy Award-winning film for Best Special Effects, "The Guns of Navarone," which stars Gregory Peck as Keith Mallory, the leader of a group of British commandos tasked with destroying two gigantic German anti-ship guns.
The British are desperate to evacuate 2,000 soldiers from the Aegean island of Kiros, with the only sea route through a stretch of water commanded by the guns that are encased inside a massive cliffside bunker that is immune to air attack.
Based on the best selling novel by Alistair (Where Eagles Dare) MacLean, Mallory has been working on occupied Crete for two years and as an expert mountaineer is the perfect choice to ferry the team to the only part of Navarone not monitored by the Germans - a 400-foot cliff.
Joining Peck is David Niven as explosives expert John Anthony Miller and Anthony Quinn as a Greek resistance fighter.
MacLean is known for being able to weave together a great story and this movie is consistently entertaining. In fact the film was already afforded a respectable special release on DVD in 2000. Columbia though have outdone themselves with this 2-disc set by adding a second audio commentary and four new documentaries.
The original release included a rather dry, faltering, but informative commentary by director J. Lee Thompson, a smattering of archival featurettes of varying quality and an anecdotal documentary on the making of the picture featuring on-camera interviews with Gregory Peck, Anthony Quinn, James Darren and J. Lee Thompson named "Memories of Navarone" and running at 29:34. It's a nice, breezy documentary and entertaining - detailing some of the experiences the cast had working on the picture.
However this new release includes a lively commentary with historian Stephen J. Rubin who mentions that this film started the trend of Hollywood going outdoors. Up until this time most movies were filmed on the studios backlot, whereas this movie was filmed on the island of Rhodes. He also discusses the cast (including a very young Richard Harris). Rubin also discusses some of the differences between the MacLean novel and the movie - which appear to be a number of changes to characterization and details some of the criticisms of the movie when it was released - including the fact that the actors were too old to play commando's, many being as they were in their 40s and 50s. Though Rubin quickly adds that he feels it was cast perfectly.
Also included are two new documentaries, the first of these "Forging the Guns of Navarone" runs at 13:58 and includes on camera interviews with Eve Williams-Jones (the former wife of producer Carl Foreman) and Assistant Director Peter Yates (who himself went on to become a very successful director in his own right). Apparently Thompson was not the original director for the project and Yates credits Thompson for his ability to jump straight into a film that had already shot much of its second unit work as well as his ability to manage so many big name actors. Yates also reveals that despite their on-screen animosity towards each other, both Niven and Peck got along well together determined to have as much fun as possible on the picture. Yates also recounts how the crew would refer to it as "The biggest B-feature ever made."
The second new documentary "The Ironic Epic of Heroism" runs longer at 23:38 and is essentially an on-camera analysis of the movie by noted Film Historian Sir Christopher Frayling (who was mistakenly credited with providing an audio commentary in the press release for this DVD release). Frayling is quite engaging as he recounts such facts as Foreman's initial reluctance to handle the project. Foreman once said that he was incapable of making a movie that did not make statements and he initially saw the MacLean book as a simple action adventure. It was not until he re-read the novel that he realized it could serve to make statements about the futility of war and the ability of war to bring out the best in people.
Frayling also reflects on the fact that the movie was the first global production caper-style World War II movie to be played as an action adventure in a style he describes as "incredibly innovative."
Also included on this new release is the restored intermission with score that was seen in some European cities (it is listed as an extra since it is not part of the official cut of the movie) and featurettes on the Dimitri Tiomkin score which details the subtle differences throughout the movie and a fascinating look at the UCLA restoration.
The restoration featurette details the tortured path towards restoring a film that was in such terrible shape that they needed several sources of original negative, both from Columbia and a private collector. In an example of the work the UCLA team had to do, the print they were provided by Columbia had the plane crash at the beginning of the movie happen in broad daylight. This apparently is how most people have seen the scene in recent years. That was until one of the eagle-eyed team at UCLA noticed that one of the trucks had it's headlights on and wondered why. Sure enough they were able to track down a copy of the print from a private collector that showed that the crash happened at night with the screen various shades of blue - and that is how it was restored.
In another instance the print UCLA had also had the infamous dubbing of Richard Harris where the censor had the word "bloody" replaced with "ruddy" for some of the screenings in the UK (the word "bloody" is considered a swear word in the UK). The UCLA team prevailed again and were able to locate a copy of the correct audio still intact).
On a sidenote the DVD also affords fans of Tiomkin the opportinity to hear the opening sequence sans the narrative as a special feature on the second disc. This apparently is a special feature that had been requested for years.

Five Stars For Movie (Hoping SE DVD gives movie it's due).......2007-03-09

This is a fantastic movie! I've given 5 stars in hopes that this Special Edition will significantly improve upon both the original DVD and the Superbit editions...which quite frankly are disappointing visually. I know this film is old, but this is a cinematic treasure and if possible needs to be given the once over. Many of the more darker settings are really bad and lots of color splotchiness elsewhere. I'm not a DVD technical expert, but I think other non experts could easily sit down with this film and compare to say something like the job Paramount did on Sergio Leone's 'Once Upon a Time in the West'...and you'd obviously see the issues with the earlier editions of 'Guns'. Let's just hope that Special Edition means 'special' and that when we break that seal, pop it in to the player and see those first scenes of the Acropolis and then Gregory Peck arriving to discover he's not going home, but on another seemingly impossible mission, we see a more clean, crisp and brighter representation of 'Guns' as it should be...a piece of movie history! Keep your fingers crossed!

The Legend of Navarone.......2007-02-28

THE GUNS OF NAVARONE have long been silent but the legend of this extraordinary and endearing film lingers on in our memory. They just don't make them like this any more. The script, the score, the cinematography, the actors and the characters they played are indelibly etched into the psyche. I often have fleeting thoughts of this film, happy ones, of the images, the words and the music from this WWII legend. The examination of camaraderie, the morality of killing and not killing, bravery, survival, betrayal, forgiveness and getting the job done are all integrated into a logical and emotional cohesive film that is both entertaining yet important in its representation of the extraordinary human qualities that can only be realized during war. This is one of my favorite films and the less said the better. I just savor my memories of it and get a little warmth in my heart.

Average customer rating:

The "Roaring Twenties" Revisited
Dull
Gatsby: Good not great
Toby Stephens was mis-directed
Remake Falls Very Short

The Great Gatsby (A&E)
Starring: Mira Sorvino , Toby Stephens , Paul Rudd , Martin Donovan (II) , and Francie Swift
Director: Robert Markowitz
Manufacturer: A&E Home Video
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ASIN: B0000524FD
Release Date: 2001-01-30

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Boy loses girl, boy wins her back, boy loses her again and is killed in his pool. F. Scott Fitzgerald's classic Jazz Age tragedy once again makes a somewhat rocky transition from page to screen in this A&E production starring Academy Award winner Mira Sorvino as the feckless Daisy. This version has Paul Rudd (the stepbrother who got the girl in Clueless) doing the honors as narrator Nick, who reintroduces his married cousin to his lavish-party-throwing neighbor Gatsby. Toby Stephens captures the heartbreaking single-mindedness of Gatsby, although not once does the phrase "old sport" seem to fall naturally from his lips. Director Robert Markowitz uses flashbacks of Daisy and Gatsby's prewar courtship in an attempt to explain their reckless relationship, but they do little more than slow the pace of an already leisurely 93 minutes. The costumes and sets are opulent, however, and Montreal substitutes nicely for Long Island. --Kimberly Heinrichs

Customer Reviews:

The "Roaring Twenties" Revisited.......2007-06-30

This movie provides an intriguing insight into the unrequited love of Robert Redford's character (Gatsby) for a married woman (played by Mia Farrow) during the Jazz Age of the 1920s in America. It is well acted and directed and includes some great "Charleston" dancing. The movie also includes actors Bruce Dern and Sam Waterson (now of TV's Law and Order).
The actor who plays the puppy vendor in this movie was Arthur Hughes who was a former Broadway actor in the 1920s and who played "Bill Davidson" in the long-running radio show titled Just Plain Bill. He was a close friend of another Broadway, radio, and movie actor, Edward J. Pawley.
This movie is highly recommended!

Dull.......2007-06-28

Almost none of the glamor of the Jazz Age is captured in this lukewarm adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's masterpiece. Miro Sorvino is a fine actress, but she's terribly miscast as Daisy Fay Buchanan in this mediocre offering from A&E. The Redford/Farrow version is superior by far.

Gatsby: Good not great.......2007-05-14

This film was beautiful to watch but I must say I was not impressed with the story; Toby Stephens and Mira Sorvino are excellent actors but I was not satisfied with how this was pieced together. I would rent this -- not buy it.

Toby Stephens was mis-directed.......2007-04-28

Although this film looks beautiful and has some great moments (and Paul Rudd is very good as Nick Carroway), the Robert Redford/Mia Farrow version, despite a few cringe-worthy moments, is superior to this one and a better choice for students who want an insight into F. Scott Fitzgerald's amazing novel. I don't think the wonderful British actor Toby Stephens was miscast as Gatsby, as many other reviewers here have stated, so much as mis-directed. Stephens' gruff American accent and informal diction (although that's the writer's fault) directly contradicts Fitzgerald's insistence that Gatsby spoke with a "gentlemanly" formality just short of absurd. Given Fitzgerald's instructions, and the fact that the events took place in 1922, Stephens' accent should have been pitched much more mid-Atlantic. He plays Gatsby as a more shallow, thuggish man than Fitzgerald presents him, almost completely without the American-dream romantic longing that makes him fascinating and sympathetic. Stephens is more than capable of acting several contradictory aspects of this character at once, but the director chose to focus on the shallow bootlegger at the expense of the pining lover. Redford's performance gives a more tragic insight into Gatsby's Alger-esque illusions and the pain they cause him -- although he could have used some of Toby Stephens' menace. BTW, Francis Ford Coppola, who wrote the Redford/Farrow version, had good cause to sue the producers of this one, who lifted a great deal of his script and staging almost word-for-word.

Remake Falls Very Short.......2007-03-10

I suppose it isn't fair to compare this version of The Great Gatsby to the 1974 version, which is one of my all-time favorite films, especially since the original soundtrack is once again intact. But this later version, even on it's own merit is absolutely awful and I found it almost painful to watch. It has a low budget look and though I am a fan of both Toby Stephens and Mira Sovino, I feel they are miscast. It has none of the outstanding production values (script, casting, set and costume design, cinemetography and soundtrack to name but a few) of it's predecessor. The entire cast of the '74 version is superb, but I must single out Sam Waterston, who is such a fine actor. After seeing him in the role of Nick Carraway, I can't imagine anyone else playing that role, as is the case with the rest of the cast and their respective roles, even the minor ones.

One scene I did want to specifically mention in the later version, mostly because it really sums up the contrast of the two films, was the scene where Myrtle is hit by Gatsby's car. I found it to be completely tastless and graphic. We then see her laid out in all her misshapen grotesqueness. Whereas the other film was able to recreate the scene perfectly in my mind's eye through hearing witnesses and Gatsby later relating the incident to Nick. We only see her covered with a blanket, as in the book.

I would only recommend watching this if you want to see the difference between great and mediocre film making. Seeing this made me long for the other version, which I promptly ordered. I would have given this new version "no stars" if they had that rating as I didn't find it entertaining, but a dreadful bore. If you're looking to purchase this, I would strongly recommend buying the 1974 version instead. And at $5.97 it is well worth the money.

Average customer rating:

Great way to waste your money !!!
Kingdom of Deeez
Outstanding!!!
And then some
Well worth it.

Kingdom of Heaven (Full Screen Edition)
Starring: Martin Hancock , Michael Sheen , Nathalie Cox , Eriq Ebouaney , and Jouko Ahola
Director: Ridley Scott
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B000AARKO4
Release Date: 2005-10-11

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Description

Customer Reviews:

Great way to waste your money !!!.......2007-06-28

Kingdom of Deeez.......2007-06-27

Outstanding!!!.......2007-06-27

Absolutely amazing! The Director's cut is like an entirely new movie!! It doesn't matter what faith you claim, this movie does not choose sides. Truly one for the shelves.

And then some.......2007-06-27

Well worth it........2007-06-27

The addional footage makes this a whole new movie. It explains the ties to Balian and the village better. The queen and her son. Much, much better!

Sexual Satisfaction - Advanced Techniques to Keeping Sex Great

Average customer rating:

A winner!

Sexual Satisfaction - Advanced Techniques to Keeping Sex Great
Starring: Dr. Patti Britton
Director: Alexander Institute
Manufacturer: Alexander Institute
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ASIN: B0002AHVN2
Release Date: 2004-04-30

Description

ADVANCED TECHNIQUES FOR KEEPING SEX GREAT! From the Alexander Institute's Loving Sex series, ranked "Best" by Men's Health Magazine. Attractive real life couples show how they keep improving their sex lives. Watch practical techniques for creating the right moment. Learn about effective verbal and sexual communication, experimenting with masturbation secrets, and the importance of variety. Explore new sexual positions and locations, the quickie, and why sexual fantasies and role-playing can do wonders for you. Features optional Spanish, French and German audio and menus.
-Communication & mutual masturbation
-Variety - new positions, new locations
-The delight of voyeurism
-The virtues of a quickie
-Sexual fantasies and role-playing

DVD SPECIAL FEATURES:
* Tips from Dr. Patti Britton
* Multilingual: English, Spanish and French dialog
* Subtitles for the hearing impaired
* Extensive sexuality information
* Full length bonus scenes
* Links to important sites

Customer Reviews:

A winner! .......2007-04-14

We enjoyed this DVD because the couples seem genuine and romantic but there's no holding back on the sex. The scenes are very explicit, but it is handled in a loving, affectionate way, not the typical porn approach. It's both instructive and sexy, and the couples are believable and attractive. The host, Dr. Patti Britton, is informative and likeable. Well worth multiple viewings!

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DVD

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Chin Na In Depth - Courses 1 - 4