The Star Chamber

Starring:Michael Douglas, Hal Holbrook, Yaphet Kotto, Sharon Gless, James Sikking, Joe Regalbuto, Don Calfa, John DiSanti, DeWayne Jessie, Jack Kehoe, Larry Hankin, Dick Anthony Williams, Margie Impert, Dana Gladstone, David Proval, Robin Gammell, Matthew Faison, Fred McCarren, Michael Ensign, Jason Bernard
Director: Peter Hyams
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Product Type: DVD

Description

When crime on the street gets out of hand, a group of socially prominent men form a vigilante squad. Michael Douglas is chilling.

Customer Reviews:

A personal favorite.......2007-05-25

"The Star Chamber" is one of my personal favorites. I don't know why. The movie stars Michael Douglas, an actor I don't really care for most of the time. Nonetheless, I have always enjoyed watching this film. I'll actually stop whatever I am doing and sit down to watch the picture if I notice it's on television. Why? Maybe the reason has something to do with director Peter Hyams. He has lensed a bunch of films that I end up watching despite their inherent flaws. This guy is responsible for such films as "2010," "Outland," and "The Presidio". I like all three of these pictures. I also enjoyed "A Sound of Thunder," "Capricorn One," and "Timecop". As for "End of Days," well, not so much. Lest you think Hyams sticks solely to thrillers and actioners, he also directed the John Ritter comedy "Stay Tuned" back in the early 1990s as well as a coming of age flick called "Our Time" back in 1974. He's versatile, I'll give him that. Anyway, "The Star Chamber" obviously received a studio green light in an effort to cash in on the public's concerns over a spiraling crime rate back in the early 1980s.

Douglas plays Superior Court Judge Steven Hardin, a good guy that takes his job very seriously. He wants to do the right thing and put the bad guys away for a long time, but the legal system hinders his efforts at every turn. It seems that every lawyer coming into his courtroom figures out some technicality--some niggling point hidden in the law books--that forces Hardin to release the obviously guilty criminal in question. For example, Hardin has to dismiss a case against a thug when the police improperly removed evidence dumped into a garbage truck. It had something to do with the refuse in the trashcan not being mixed with the other garbage. Whatever the case, the technicality is such a fine point that Hardin really starts to question what he's doing on the bench. His wife Emily (Sharon Gless) tries to make him feel better about his job, but her tender mercies increasingly fall on deeply troubled ears. Even Hardin's fellow judge and best friend, Benjamin Caulfield (Hal Holbrook), can't offer much assistance. He's in the same boat as his young friend, although he does make a few cryptic comments that hint at a possible solution. Hardin's not ready to make the leap, according to Caulfield, but the time comes soon enough.

The straw that breaks the camel's back arrives in the form of Arthur Cooms (Joe Regalbuto) and Lawrence Monk (Don Calfa). Two sleazebags wrapped up in the narcotics industry, Cooms and Monk find their way into Hardin's courtroom after the cops pulled the two over and found evidence eventually linked to a string of grisly child murders currently plaguing the city. Sadly, the police officers in question conducted an improper search. Once again, Hardin must release the criminals. A dramatic incident in the courtroom immediately after the dismissal shakes our man to the core of his being. At this point, Caulfield swoops in and tells his friend about a group of judges who meet regularly to discuss the worst of the worst cases, the cases involving hardcore criminals freed on legal technicalities. They review the cases, they make judgments, and they pass sentences. And they have a vacancy. He asks Steven Hardin to sit on this Star Chamber. But will Hardin oblige? And what happens if one of the cases presented to this jury of judges should happen to involve an innocent person? Will this court still insist on carrying out the sentence? If so, how can one man stop an even greater miscarriage of justice?

"The Star Chamber" works so well because the actors involved give great performances and deliver solid dialogue. I also enjoyed the conclusion even though it rates quite high on the unbelievability chart. Hal Holbrook's Mark Twain haircut and how they filmed the explosion at the end are unintentionally hilarious. Numerous viewings of this film have, however, revealed several huge plot holes that I ought to mention. I'm not a lawyer, and I don't play one on television, but I'm fairly certain one judge wouldn't face this many cases involving legal technicalities. I once read that they're pretty rare, so that's a problem to work through right there. I also can't believe that a Star Chamber consisting of so many highly educated judges wouldn't have some mechanism in place to monitor new members. It's obvious to anyone with half a brain that Hardin harbors serious reservations about his work on this underground court. Don't you think the judges would have someone watching his house just in case, you know, he decided to go to the police and tell them everything that's going on? And what's up with the cover art on the DVD case? Douglas toting a gun gives the viewer the impression that he's a cop.

Despite the flaws I pointed out, and several that I didn't, I like "The Star Chamber". What I didn't care for as much is the DVD. Sure, we get a widescreen version of the film on one side of the disc and the fullscreen cut on the other, but that's about all we see. The picture quality isn't that good--colors are muted and the movie has a soft look that's slightly annoying. The audio isn't much better. When the explosion takes place, I thought I heard distant thunder outside. It was the movie! Ouch. As for extras, forget about it. We get nothing. I'm not always a fan of commentary tracks (not all commentary tracks are created equal), but I wanted one for this movie since I've seen it dozens of times over the years. I definitely wanted to hear what Hyams had to say about that explosion and the cheesy way they filmed it. Darn! Oh well. I'm giving it four stars. Enjoy.

What is justice?.......2006-08-28

I have long awaited this movie to be released on DVD. A great suspense story that taps into that internal desire to have justice metted out. Would you get it right?

sorry I got it.......2006-08-07

could have been a truly interesting film, just plain simpleminded and annoying.

Beware the chamber.......2006-05-21

As anyone who has ever read Plato's REPUBLIC will tell you, the concept of justice is not nearly so straightforward as we would like to believe. In a perfect world, all the bad guys would go straight to the slammer and all the good guys would be set free and exonerated. We live, of course, in what is far from a perfect world.

There are two extremes to the equation. On the one hand, a police state where you're guilty until proven innocent and deprived of rights that could prove that you are, in fact, guiltless.

On the other hand is a legal system that is so complex that there are thousands of loopholes every step of the way by which clever lawyers may get their client(s) off on a technicality - regardless of how absurd the technicality is.

The present movie asks an intersting question: what if a group of judges got together to do something about the latter situation and correct in-justice? What if, being the incarnation of the "law," they dispensed justice in a manner that was more beneficial to society (or so they hoped)?

This premise leads them into the Star Chamber where they review cases at their leisure. Of course, the obvious question arises: what if they mis-fire? To complicate matters, what if the people they want to whack are guilty of other egregious crimes, but innocent of the crime they've been accused?

Herein lies the premise of THE STAR CHAMBER. It's too bad I waited until just recently to see this movie as I'm a fan of Michael Douglas and Hal Holbrook. But, it was certainly worth the wait. I'll see YOU in court!

great film, great plot, great acting, needs better ending!.......2005-11-22

This is one of my favorite Michael Douglas films of all
time! Douglas gives a superb performance as a young,
ambitious, and intense judge who strongly desires to do
right for his fellow man. However a series of loopholes
manifested by witty attorneys force him to let savage
criminals go free without punishment. Enter fellow judge
and mentor Hal Holbrook who senses Douglas's frustration
and reveals to him a shattering secret. Holbrook's
"father figure" performance is very enjoyable and
probably makes him the most likeable character in the
movie.

The other actors are just as convincing. Yaphett Kotto,
who never disappoints gives an excellent performance as a
cop trying hard to solve a series of child murders. James
B. Sikking gives a extremely dramatic performance as the
distraught father of a murder victim. However, the ending
could have used some improvement. Never the less, this film
delivers an entertaining display of flaws in the judicial
system.

Red Star: Red Army Chorus and Dance Ensemble

Average customer rating:

Red Army Chorus and Dance Ensemble
Excellent presentation
Just what I wanted!!!

Red Star: Red Army Chorus and Dance Ensemble
Starring: Glinka , Red Star Army Chorus , and Rimsky-Korsakov
Manufacturer: Kultur Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Ballet & Dance | Musicals & Performing Arts | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Musicals & Performing Arts | Genres | DVD | Video

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

( R ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

MOISEYEV DANCE COMPANY: A Gala Evening
The Alexandrov Red Army Choir Orchestra - Live in Paris
Pique Dame
Kalinka
Dancing for Dollars: Bolshoi in Vegas & Kirov in St. Petersburg

ASIN: B000ETRA2S
Release Date: 2006-04-25

Description

This concert, given by the magnificent Russian troupe, the Red Star Red Army Chorus and Dance Ensemble, was recorded at the Tchaikovsky Hall in Moscow prior to a nationwide tour of the United States in the autumn of 1992. The 100-strong Ensemble was first formed within the USSR armed forces in 1977, performing concerts primarily for the army. Their repertoire ranges from popular folk tunes and songs of battle from all corners of the former Soviet Union to spectacular Cossack dancing and includes Glinka's Patriotic Song and Kamarinskaya, Rimsky-Korsakov's Flight of the Bumblebee, and folk songs Kalinka, Dark Eyes, A Birch Tree Stood in the Meadow, Happy Girl and Seven Sons-in-Law. All are performed with energy, enthusiasm and patriotic fervor. Patriotic Song • Meadowland • Regimental Polka • Cossacks' Dance • Paganini Variations • The Swallow • Dark Eyes • Russian Dance • Volga Boat Song • Kamarinskaya • A Birch Tree Stood in the Meadow • The Sun Set Behind a Mountain Sailors' Dance • The Flight of the Bumblebee • Song of a Flea • Happy Girl • Seven Sons-in-Law • Hopak Dance • Moscow Nights • Kalinka • On the March. Artistic Director: Colonel Anatoly Bazhalkin.

Customer Reviews:

Red Army Chorus and Dance Ensemble.......2007-05-12

Absolutely amazing performance. If you have never had the chance to see the Red Army Chorus and Dance Ensemble in person this DVD is the next best thing to being there.

Excellent presentation.......2007-01-22

I was very pleased to see, yes, see, for the first time in my life, this magnificent chorus and dance ensemble. It is very well made and reflects the strengh of the records, for those of us who only have heard them through records. The dance sequences are beautifully choreographed, the best one is the sailors dance, superbly excecuted by the dancers. There are several solo balalaika songs and of course, there is the beautifull chorus, with their deep, strong, forcefull and vibrant voices, that make this chorus unique in the world. The selection of songs pertains mostly to russian and other ethnic group traditional songs as well as military songs all accompanied by a well trained young orchestra.
For those that are used to hearing the old records and the few cd's that have come out in the last 15 years, which are only a selection of the best of the emsemble throughout the years, you will notice that the chorus has thined out and a row of women singers has been added. It does not harm the integrity of the overall presentation, but what makes this chorus completely different is the powerfull male chorus, where bass and bariton singers are the stars. Most of the chorus singers are very young as well as two of the four male soloist. One of the old soloists you might recognize from the old ensemble, directed by Boris Alexandrov, Yevgeny Belyayev, sings several of his trade mark songs beautifully.
I wish and hope to see more of this ensemble in the future, as well as some day see the old chorus and band reproduced in a cd. You will not be disappointed with this production, considering the circumstances the country has had to overcome.

Just what I wanted!!!.......2007-01-20

When this performance aired on PBS in 1993, my dad taped it on VHS. His favorite song was "On the March" and mine was "Kalinka." We watched it over and over again until the tape quality was so compromised, we could barely even see the performers' faces. Eventually, we had to throw the tape away, as the sound quality was also starting to fade.

Last month, when I was shopping for Christmas presents for my folks, I stumbled across this DVD and bought it immediately, hoping that it would be at least somewhat similar to the concert we had seen a thousand times and loved so much. He was so excited to see what it was when he tore open the wrapping paper. We put it in the DVD player and, much to our surprise, it was the SAME SHOW we had enjoyed so immensely over a decade ago. It brought back the greatest memories. The show was just as impressive as we remembered it! It made a terriffic gift!

Average customer rating:

A rare glimpse into silent Chinese cinema
A Genuine Film Classic
Not a good version !

Romance of the Western Chamber
Starring: Cho-cho Lam , Chichang Hu , Yaoting Zhu , Dandan Li , and Cijiang Ge
Director: Minwei Li , and Hou Yao
Manufacturer: Cinema Epoch
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Classics | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

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

( R ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Street Angel/Twin Sister
Crossroads/Daybreak
The Big Road/Queen of Sports
Song at Midnight
Spring in a Small Town

ASIN: B000LW7KZK
Release Date: 2007-03-13

Description

A filmed version of one of the great Chinese folklore tales - on par with "Gone with the Wind" - this rare silent film is presented for the first time ever on any home video format and restored from the only known existing 35mm print.

Customer Reviews:

A rare glimpse into silent Chinese cinema.......2007-06-15

Not only is this DVD one of the few Chinese silent films available to us today, but this film also sheds light onto China's rich cultural past because it is based on a famous play from the Yaun Dynasty, which is the 13th to 14th century of our calendar. Perhaps something like Shakespeare's plays are to us, so this story is an important part of the Chinese heritage, but even without any knowledge of China's history "Romance of the Western Chamber" can still be enjoyed for its various good aspects. No doubt considerable effort was put into re-creating costumes of the Yuan Dynasty, as well as the martial arts and battle scenes featured in the story. But overall this is a nice, old-fashioned love story of a young scholar preparing for an exam at a temple complex where he meets the pretty daughter of the Prime Minister. As a poor student it seems he hardly has a chance, but when the temple is under siege by bandits and the reward for saving the inhabitants is the daughter's hand in marriage, he comes up with a plan to save the day. Being only 45 minutes in length, the story moves along quite briskly, although somewhat disconnected at times, perhaps due to missing scenes or rough editing. In fact, the overall quality of this film is not like most western films made in the same year, 1927, which featured more sophistication and smoother editing, and is more like films made some ten years earlier in the US and Europe. Nevertheless, this film still has a certain style and charm, and the leading actors give quite good and charismatic performances. The picture quality is often a bit too light and not as clear as it could be, but is still reasonably good, while the accompanying music is also reasonably suitable. The electronic music is soft and easy on the ear, and probably more acceptable to western ears than a more authentic Chinese score would be. This rare print must have been found in French archives as it has both original Chinese and then French intertitles, with small yellow English subtitles underneath which are just a little difficult to read at times. Unfortunately, there are no bonus features or notes to provide further information on the film or its cast and crew, but for anyone curious about, or interested Chinese culture and its early film industry, the film alone already says plenty.

A Genuine Film Classic.......2007-04-15

I remember "Romance of the Western Chamber" when I studied Beijing Opera at the University. I recalled that a silent film adaptation existed but never got a chance to see it. Finally picked up a copy in Chinatown, and the subtitles were horrible. Mostly a bad translation.

This version has a much better text, and the picture quality is all right, considering the age of the film. I doubt there's a better print out there, but if there is, I'd sure like to see it.

As a film, it is definitely a classic. Though the subplot involving the maid was never filmed, the basic love story is well told, complete with an ambitious villain comparable to the silent film serial villains of the era. The French subtitle describes him as "le terreur de la region."

The picture quality gets a little pixelated during the few mob scenes, but the one on one fight scenes are terrific, a true representation of martial arts choreography influenced by Beijing Opera. Look for a surrealistic dream sequence toward the end, a fine example of a Chinese filmmaker making use of the medium, rather than simply filming a Beijing Opera performance, as was the tradition of the time.

This is a film worth watching.

Not a good version !.......2007-04-03

A DVD version of this film is first Published of the china "qiaojiaoren" DVD company in 2006.They are two versions of the same poor .Let me disappointed .

Courtroom Pack (Class Action / Runaway Jury / The Boston Strangler / Star Chamber)

Average customer rating:

Courtroom Pack (Class Action / Runaway Jury / The Boston Strangler / Star Chamber)
Starring: Michael Douglas , Hal Holbrook , Yaphet Kotto , Sharon Gless , and James Sikking
Director: Peter Hyams , Richard Fleischer , and Michael Apted
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Drama | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

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

The Rainmaker
The Firm
Inherit the Wind
12 Angry Men
The Chamber

ASIN: B000AQ69CC
Release Date: 2005-11-01

Description

Disc 1: "Runaway Jury" Disc 2: "Class Action" Disc 3: "Star Chamber" Disc 4: "Boston Strangler, The"

DVD:

DVD