Floating

Starring:Norman Reedus, Chad Lowe, Will Lyman, Sybil Temtchine, Jonathan Quint, Josh Marchette, Rachel Reposa, Bruce Kenny, Adrienne Starrs, Robert Harriell, Casey Affleck, Jolyon Reese, Eddie Rutkowski, Ali Raizin, Angelica Nebbia, Sandra Iodice, Tracy Tobin, Linda Roth, Arnold Roth, Elsie Cotter
Director: William Roth
Studio: Fox Lorber
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com

Providing a unique opportunity for the appreciation of Yasujiro Ozu's signature style, Criterion's definitive double-feature of A Story of Floating Weeds (1934) and Floating Weeds (1959) demonstrates the evolution of a master. Drawing inspiration from the now-obscure 1928 American carnival-troupe drama The Barker, Ozu first made A Story of Floating Weeds as a silent film (despite the advent of sound by that time), and Criterion's DVD features a sublime, newly recorded original score that sounds and feels like it's been part of the film all along. The film itself concerns a traveling Kabuki troupe faced with dramatic revelations as they perform in a rural village: Their master has had a son from a former lover whom he is visiting for the first time in a dozen years. Unaware of his parentage, the now-grown son thinks the visitor is his rarely seen uncle, and the master's mistress, upon discovering her lover's secret family, plots to undermine their relationship by urging a young actress to seduce the son, knowing that this would enrage the master's discreet familial pride. By story's end, all of these central relationships will undergo deep and resonant change.

Ozu was justifiably proud of this meticulous character study, in which his celebrated low-angle style began to assert itself. A quarter-century later, he remade the film as Floating Weeds, retaining the same story and characters, switching the setting to a seaside town, and demonstrating a more casual acceptance of human foibles that makes the 1959 version (Ozu's first film in color) relatively calm and compassionate when contrasted with the more turbulent tone of the '34 silent. Having grown as an artist, Ozu was at his stylistic peak here, having refined his style to the point where all camera movement had given way to flawless refinement of static compositions. These and other comparisons abound in the study of original and remake; to that end, commentaries by preeminent Japanese film expert and dialogue translator Donald Richie (on the '34 film) and film critic Roger Ebert (on Floating Weeds) provide astutely thorough appreciations of the parallel structures, stylistic evolution, and cultural specifics of films that, until the early 1970's, were considered "too Japanese" for an international audience. Never dry or pretentious, their scholarly analyses lend solid, sensitive context to the enjoyment of two of Ozu's most critically and commercially successful films. --Jeff Shannon

Description

In 1959, Yasujiro Ozu remade his 1934 silent classic A Story of Floating Weeds in color with the celebrated cinematographer Kazuo Miyagawa (Rashomon, Ugetsu). Setting his later version in a seaside location, Ozu otherwise preserves the details of his elegantly simple plot wherein an aging actor returns to a small town with his troupe and reunites with his former lover and illegitimate son, a scenario that enrages his current mistress and results in heartbreak for all. Together, the films offer a unique glimpse into the evolution of one of cinema's greatest directors. A Story of Floating Weeds reveals Ozu in the midst of developing his mode of expression; Floating Weeds reveals his distinct style at its pinnacle. In each, the director captures the joy and sadness in everyday life.

Customer Reviews:

On Roger Ebert's top ten films of all time list!.......2007-05-03

The Criterion dvd does a great job and the transfer looks amazing. The movie is about a traveling group of actors who arrive in a small seaport town in south of Japan. The leader of the group Komajuro Arashi goes to visit his ex girlfriend and their son Kiyoshi, however kiyoshi believes Komajuro is his uncle. The lead actress Sumiko finds out he is visiting his ex and becomes jealous, in order to humiliate him she persuades a young actress in the group Kayo to seduce his son.
This movie plays like music, the actors are real with real emotions and even though it is in another country at another time anyone could identify with these characters.
The director Yasujiro Ozu has his own unique style unlike that of any movie i've seen. His camera does not follow the characters, each shot is like a painting that moves and breathes. Ozu also directed Tokyo story another in Roger Eberts great movie books and also on Time magazine's top 100 of all time, i haven't seen it but i will now and alot more of Ozu's work i'm sure.
A movie like this i really cant even explain why i love it, i just do, it's the type of movie that sticks with you and seeps into your subconcious. It's like you were there and actively experienced the movie, as if it became one of your own memories.
I'd recommend this movie to anyone that really loves film, not to someone that just watches to pass time or be temporarily entertained with special effects,(which i also enjoy at times) i'm glad i saw and continue to see movies like this in my late twenties if i saw this 10 years ago i wouldn't have got it or appreciated it.

One half of perfection.......2007-04-27

This two-disc set from Criterion is another marvel - it presents one of Yasujiro Ozu's most beautifully composed color films along with a rarely-seen black & white silent Ozu film on which it was based. The pictures are amazingly sharp and Kazuo Miyagawa's cinematography, though carefully restricted by Ozu, is at last restored to its original greatness. Japanese directors used Agfacolor for their first color efforts, and the effects of age have caused them to fade into some surprising shades.

Despite this, one can be confident that one is looking at the very best possible transfer from the very finest print available. What one cannot, however, be confident of is the commentaries on both discs. I am thankful that Criterion is bringing out a new line of no-frills DVDs, including a volume of late Ozu masterpieces. For "Floating Weeds", however, Criterion made the unfortunate choice of Roger Ebert to provide a commentary. Since I have no stomach at all for Ebert, I had to pass on the commentary. Disc 2, however, features a quite welcome commentary by the foremost critic of Japanese film, Donald Richie.

I sincerely hope that Criterion uses better judgement in assigning commentaries in future.

Elegant Simplicity and Perfect Balance of Comedy and Moving Drama.......2007-04-19

"A Story of Floating Weeds" (1934) was the second Yasujiro Ozu's film I've seen. Like with "Tokyo Story", I kept asking myself, why the film that was made so many years ago about the people who lived so far away in the world I don't know much about is so wonderfully engaging? Why was I so drawn to the characters of this human drama? The story is simple: an aging, traveling actor who is the manager of a kabuki troupe returns to a remote village where he secretly meets his former lover and her 19 year old illegitimate son, to whom he is known as "uncle." The older man finds happiness in communicating with his son who turned to be a fine young man. His current mistress, filled with jealousy because of his attachment to his secret family, hires a young beautiful girl, the member of a troupe to seduce a boy.

Directed by the great director and humanist with elegant simplicity, genuine interest to his characters and restraint, this moving film is never melodramatic or manipulative.

I liked the music score written specially for the film in 2004. I tried to watch it silent but it would take me more than one viewing to get used to no music score at all.

Seems that Ozu valued the film and thought about it a lot - he himself made a remake in color and sound 25 years later.

"Floating Weeds" (1959)

I wrote this after I saw my first Ozu's film, "Tokyo Story" about a year ago: "As with every great work, the film has its own unique perfection in style, rhythm, details, and artist's vision - but Tokyo Story is very universal in its appeal, simply put, it is for every parent, every son or daughter - for everyone. It was made 50 years ago in Japan, about people who lived far away, but it is also about all of us, our families, our problems, our guilt and our search for love and meaning. Ozu's film does not require one to be a movie buff or to try to solve complex symbolism to appreciate and love it. It brings smiles because it is a comedy (for at least the first 2/3) and sadness with a high drama of the last 1/3 of the film."

I feel absolutely the same about "Floating Weeds". The film is quiet and deceptively simple but its simplicity reminded me the words of Michelangelo Buanorotti. When asked how he created the perfect statues from the shapeless marble lumps, he answered, "It is very simple, you just cut off all unnecessary pieces".

Ozu's films are perfect - they touch us with rare warmth, soft enveloping tenderness and power of human emotions not necessarily with striking visual or sound effects. "Floating Weeds" is a beautiful color film and it is the first color Ozu's film for me. The colors are bright and fresh, tender and kind - they match the director's style perfectly. The delightful music by Kojun Saito reminds me of Nina Rota music in Fellini's films - nostalgic, innocent and rhythmic.

To adapt or not to adapt.......2007-03-25

The 1934 version is about 90 minutes, and the 1959, in color, about 2 hours.

A traveling troupe comes to town to show their old-fashioned plays. Times have changed and the scarce audience prooves their tastes have too. However, it's hard for long settled habits to adapt. The company will have to break up eventually. In this scenario hangs another story: the manager of the company takes the opportunity to visit his old mistress, with whom he had a son. But the son, now about to go to college, still thinks the old actor is his uncle on another of his visits. This secret, kept for so long by his parents, is going to be revealed by a trick of fate.

I like the color version better. The cinematography is beautiful, the composition and style is typical of Ozu's films. I think this was his first color film. But, in my opinion, it's too long and too slow. In the b&w version it takes the first 10 minutes just to get a hint at what it is all about. The color version is even slower. It goes increscendo in intensity, but too slow. If it hadn't been such a beautiful film (an Ozu film) I would have given up after half an hour. But it finally pays off to be a little patient.

I find the other 3 great Ozu films (Late Spring, Early Summer & Tokyo Story) much more interesting and better overall, though it may be a minority opinion.

Wonderful........2006-12-14

Ugikusa (Yasujiro Ozu, 1951)

Ozu remade his own 1934 masterpiece, Ugikusa Monogatari, in 1959 as Ugikusa, and it's just as good the second time around. An acting troupe who are quickly fading into obscurity come back to the hometown of their leader, Kimajuro Arashi (Kwaidan's Ganjiro Nakamura). The troupe, already on the verge of breaking up, are plunged into drama as Arashi's present mistress, troupe member Sumiko (Thousand Cranes' Machiko Kyo), finds out about Arashi's previous mistress, townsperson Oyoshi (Hiruko Sugimura, who also worked on Kwaidan). Sumiko's jealousy is inflamed, and the plot moves forward.

Ozu and cinematographer Kazuo Miyagawa created a visual feast with Ugikusa. Miyagawa was a more than capable replacement for the late Hideo Shigeharas, who'd done the cinematography for the original, and Miyagawa and Ozu use their story-- which is admittedly stock stuff, albeit interesting-- as a frame from which to hang wonderfully arresting scenery. This is an all-out gorgeous film, and whether you end up enjoying the story or not, images from it will stay with you for a long, long time after you've seen it. I found it quite worthwhile, with a stable of interesting characters populating a somewhat predictable story, with the characters ending up being the more important part of the equation. Well worth your time. *** ½

Average customer rating:

Ols "skool" Kung Fu
average at best
Monkey Kung Fu
VHS over DVD here
i'm caught in the middle with this one...

Monkey Fist Floating Snake
Starring: Siu-Tung Ching , Wai Wo To , Chiu-sing Hau , To-hoi Kong , and Fai Wong Lam
Director: Mar Lo
Manufacturer: Brentwood Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Shaolin Invincible Sticks
The Buddhist Fist
7 Grand Masters
Shaolin Wu Tang
Lightning Kung Fu

ASIN: B000067IWM
Release Date: 2002-05-28

Customer Reviews:

Ols "skool" Kung Fu.......2006-05-05

Despite the poor reviews, I purchased this movie with an opened mind. This movie had the foot prints of a very promising old school "kickers"!! I was especially impressed by the kung fu moves, which gave me a renewed respect for the monkey style. Despite the impressive training, especially the drunken monkey, I thought the final fight scene fell really short. It almost seemed like the director cut out a hugh chunk of the fight scene, and the movie ended! The expectation was set,,and I fell for it. I'm happy it only cost me $3.98 for this "BUMBO-CLOTH" flick!!

average at best.......2006-05-01

this movie deserves it's 2 stars, but doesn't come close to getting a 3. The main acrtor in this one is an unknown and get this, he finally learns monkey style with 12 minutes left in the film.

Now without any spectacular kung fu and absolutely nothing new, there are only 2 reasons why I can tell to get this, and they are reallly not good reasons.

1.)-- Yun Sang Baan- huge muscles, this might be the crazy monk from shaolin vs. lama, but I am not 100% sure. But the muscles are the thing that made me think of that guy. But I think his name is william yen, but hey, it could still be the same guy. But yun sang baan can fight really well, he is probably better than chang yi overall in this movie at least.

2.)--Chang Yi, he could have looked A LOT better in here. They cut up his scenes so much and the reversals are some of the worst ever. But this movie is actually kind of unique because chang yi is the guy who is the best fighter, so he wants collection money because he can beat everyone up. So old Mr. muscualr white har doesn't like this and takes on chang yi. THE VILLIAN IS DEFEATED AND GOES TO TRAIN SO HE CAN COME BACK FOR THE FINAL FIGHT. I have truly never seen anything like this. He has to train really hard to get back at the old man who beat him. Even though he initiated the fight, he still wants revenge. He does a lot of training and decides to stay with the snake style, he is just going to do it better this time I guess. There is a very funny moment when he is reminiscing of how he got beat, and it shows this reversal that was sped up about 20 times the speed and had the guy doing the most unnatural rolling motion you have ever seen. I don't doubt the filmmakers know at least in part what they are doing, but they could have at least viewed it once before releasing this to the movie theatres.

So overall a movie that you have seen a hundred thousand times, has a small and shortly enjoyable twist, but the fighting sucks too much for thenm to rehash the most common storyline in kung fu history.

Monkey Kung Fu.......2006-03-19

If you love good Kung Fu movies then this is the one. It is about the Monkey Style Kung Fu. Just no nonsense and any martial arts fan should own this movie.

VHS over DVD here.......2005-08-25

I first saw this movie years ago. I recently got the DVD of it off of here and their are parts missing from the dvd, little skips. I then got another DVD of it assuming that i got a bad copy, both where the same. So first get the VHS for the whole movie, I rencently got a new VHS of this and it has the entire movie.
Now this movie is a really good classic kung fu flick. The training of the young fighter in monkey kung fu and the training of the master of snake style kung fu are very intresting to watch. This film dosent have a deep story but enough to make this movie a great buy for anyone who likes classic kung fu.

i'm caught in the middle with this one..........2004-11-22

it's easily a one-star movie, by most accounts. but unless you're a big-time afficianado of older kung fu films, you shouldn't be watching this to begin with. i'm a fanatic for chop-socky and the kung fu lover in me wants to give this thing five stars. simply because it does all the things i like to see in those movies from back in the day. the ridiculous dubbing and translations. the impossible wind whipping behind every attacking arm or leg. the lousy camera work. the simplest storylines possible. true fans watch stuff like this because it's campy. all you really want is a story about a loser who learns kung fu from an old master so he can get revenge on the bad guy that took over his town or killed his brother. it's that easy. mix up that silliness with some amazing, stylized fighting techniques and you have the perfect candidate for success. perfect for quentin tarrantino to steal and make millions off it.

it's lousy and it's excellent all at the same time.

Average customer rating:

A review from Southern Europe
pointless
fulgar language at the utmost
Fun, Spunky, & Cool..
someone in MA

Floating
Starring: Norman Reedus , Chad Lowe , Will Lyman , Sybil Temtchine , and Jonathan Quint
Director: William Roth
Manufacturer: Fox Lorber
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Similar Items:

Six Ways to Sunday
Dark Harbor
Tough Luck
Gossip
Until the Night

ASIN: B0000507QG
Release Date: 2000-12-19

Description

A young man's struggle to come of age during a violent period of emotional and financial backruptcy.

Customer Reviews:

A review from Southern Europe.......2005-08-15

I saw this excellent drama in TV3, here in Barcelona, where we have the option of watching movies in its original language or dubbed to our language, Catalan. I chose to watch it in English. I found this drama very well directed, with a perfect tempo in all scenes, a set of outstanding actors and a director and scriptwriter full of imagination. William Roth portrays very well Van and Redus as a couple of troubled young men trying to make sense of their lives. It deals with many issues in a fine, sensible way. Homosexuality in particular is well presented. All patriarchs not accepting the homosexuality of their sons, should see this movie. Maybe it'll open their scandalized minds. Second, it proves that to make a good movie all you need is a good director, a camera, a team of good actors and an excellent script. Refreshing. I gives me hope that Hollywood productions are not going to destroy the excellent tradition of film making in the US.

pointless.......2003-09-26

I think my title says it all. It was directionless and pointless. The only character that elicited any sympathy at all was Doug, and even he seemed to be drifting without any purpose. Even the gay issue failed to elicit any tension between the characters. I kept wondering when the plot would start, but it didn't

fulgar language at the utmost.......2003-05-28

I bought this video based on the reviews and was so disappointed that I never got past the first 20 minutes. I am not a prude, but to use the f word in every sentene as an adjective, verb and however else it may be used was a complete turnoff. I put the video in my recycle box. Maybe it had some substance, but I could not get past the first 20 minutes

Fun, Spunky, & Cool.........2002-09-08

Norman Reedus just might be the new River Phoenix in this sweet & heartfelt film. I personally liked the way the Writer didn't base this movie with a strong "Gay Issue", he kept Doug (Chad Lowe) in the closet to his pals & I love the way Van (Norman Reedus) finds out his new friend is homosexual. I sympathized with Doug in many ways, as from being out & seeing how a father can live in denial for so long. I felt the script as well as the characters themselves did a great job! My hats off to you, the makers & actors/actresses of "Floating". A must buy/rent!

someone in MA.......2002-01-05

This is one of my favorite movies of all times... i hope to see more from William Roth in the near future!

Average customer rating:

Chinese chick movie
Touching & Compelling

The Floating Landscape
Starring: Ekin Cheng , and Karena Lam
Director: Carol Lai
Manufacturer: Tai Seng
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Description

Acclaimed actress Karena Lam (Inner Senses, Truth Or Dare) gives another heartfelt performance in this touching romance which also co-stars Ekin Cheng (Storm Riders, The Duel). Haunted by the death of his lover, Maan (Lam) struggles to live her life anew. She travels to Qingdao, her lover's hometown, to search for the "floating landscape" he mentioned in his final days. There, Maan meets Lit (newcomer Liu Ye), a local postman who agrees to help her find the place. When Maan realizes that Lit has fallen in love with her, she must choose whether to accept his affection or to remain enclosed in the life of her late lover.

Customer Reviews:

Chinese chick movie.......2006-02-03

A love story featuring a young woman, Maan, whose artist boyfriend has died a slow death from a genetic disease. Six months later she finds a landscape drawing that he completed before dying, and she travels to his childhood home to look for the place that inspired it. A young postal worker, Lit, who is also an artist, offers to escort her on her travels and she accepts. They slowly grow fond of each other, however, Maan is still clinging to her memories of her dead boyfriend. She is afraid that when she actually finds the site of the drawing, the enchantment of the love she felt for her dead boyfriend will be broken. She doesn't want to let go of the love she still feels for him. She finally makes up her mind to leave and is startled to find out that Lit is also leaving - some publishers in Beijing are interested in his artwork and want to meet him! What will happen!? Will Lit and Maan be separated forever, or will they somehow, against all odds, find each other and experience happily-ever-after!? I won't spoil the ending for you.
The landscape is sort of a Mediterranean Scrub, or chaparral during Winter and Spring - an interesting view of China that will be new to most Westerners.

Touching & Compelling.......2005-06-05

Deshen (Ekin Cheng) was an artist and was the boyfriend of Man-er (Karena Lam). Deshen has been telling Man-er about this one landscape that has been showing in his dream in which he felt so familiar but has no idea where it is. Both of them agreed to find the place in his hometown, Qingdao. Unfortunately, Deshen passed away before the search happened. Man-er felt she must find the place to replace Deshen. She went to Qingdao to find the landscape her boyfriend drew but months after that she found nothing.

In Qingdao she met with Xiaolie (Liu Ye), a postman who's very kind-hearted and tried his best to help her finding the floating landscape and soon he found no landscape but his deep feeling towards the always-sad girl, Man-er. Man-er could not deny that somehow she felt so at ease with Xiaolie, but her 'debt' to find the landscape kept her a distance from Xiaolie. But not long after that, Man-er felt afraid of finding the Floating Landscape because...she knew if she finds it, she must leave the region, and somehow she felt that actually she doesn't want that to happen...

A very touching story talking about simple and ordinary life of people living in suburb China: how they deal with their surrounding, how they face challenges in life (a sub-plot was talking about how an old lady faced the death of her beloved husband), how people are so attached to their past that they cannot move on, and so forth. You'll find an ordinary life in this extraordinary story plot, guaranteed!

Average customer rating:

HEAVY METAL: THE AIRCRAFT CARRIER

Manufacturer: A&E Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

( H ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Description

Pearl Harbor marked a turning point for the US Navy. Before December 7, 1941, the battleship was the premier vessel; afterwards, its place was taken by the aircraft carrier.The pride of the Pacific fleet during World War II were the Essex class aircraft carriers. At over 800 feet long and with a displacement of 27,000 tons, these massive ships were able to launch hundreds of aircraft against the enemy, and they did so time and again, with devastating results. But they were vulnerable despite their size, and the Japanese launched repeated kamikaze attacks aimed at detonating the tens of thousands of gallons of highly-volatile aircraft fuel they carried. Despite several direct hits, not one Essex carrier was lost to these suicide attacks. Using a wealth of archival footage, much of it in color, THE AIRCRAFT CARRIER goes into battle and below decks with the Essex carriers, showing what it was like to serve aboard these floating cities during the greatest conflict in mankind's history.

Alaska Fishing: Floating & Fishing Alaska's Aniak River

Average customer rating:

Alaska Fishing: Floating & Fishing Alaska's Aniak River

Manufacturer: DUKE OUTDOORS
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Alaska Fishing: Floating & Fishing Alaska's Holitna River

Product Features:

Experience an Alaska wilderness adventure from the comfort of home.
One of the best fishing videos ever produced!
FREE Aniak River Ultimate Guide with DVD purchase.

ASIN: B000N4E6NK

Product Description

The Aniak River is one of the best southwest Alaska float trip options if you desire a wilderness experience surrounded by rugged peaks with opportunities to catch all five species of Pacific salmon, grayling, char, rainbow and even sheefish in its lower stretches. Beginning on a small gravel bar seven air miles from the outlet of Aniak Lake, join us for an 11 day, 100 river mile float down the Aniak River. In spite of its widely published reputation as challenging and even dangerous, you will see the Aniak first hand on our unguided float trip and learn for yourself what the river really has to offer. We wish you all the best life has to offer - and may it include at least one trip to Alaska!

Monkey Kung Fu: Monkey Fist, Floating Snake

Average customer rating:

Ols "skool" Kung Fu
average at best
Monkey Kung Fu
VHS over DVD here
i'm caught in the middle with this one...

Monkey Kung Fu: Monkey Fist, Floating Snake
Starring: Siu-Tung Ching , Wai Wo To , Chiu-sing Hau , To-hoi Kong , and Fai Wong Lam
Director: Mar Lo
Manufacturer: ENTERTAINMENT PROGRAMS INC.
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

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

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

( M ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

General | Foreign & International | Stores | DVD | Video

Shaolin Invincible Sticks
The Buddhist Fist
7 Grand Masters
Shaolin Wu Tang
Lightning Kung Fu

ASIN: B00005UQ6P
Release Date: 2001-11-01

Customer Reviews:

Ols "skool" Kung Fu.......2006-05-05

average at best.......2006-05-01

Monkey Kung Fu.......2006-03-19

If you love good Kung Fu movies then this is the one. It is about the Monkey Style Kung Fu. Just no nonsense and any martial arts fan should own this movie.

VHS over DVD here.......2005-08-25

i'm caught in the middle with this one..........2004-11-22

Average customer rating:

Absolutely outstanding work
Total waste of a lot of money!
Decide Who's Right
Awful
What more could one ask for?

UNIVERSE-The Cosmology Quest
Starring: Dr. Halton Arp , Dr. Margaret Burbidge , Jean-Claude Pecker , Dr. Anthony Peratt , and Eric Lerner
Director: Randall Meyers
Manufacturer: Floating World Films
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Documentary | Sports | Genres | DVD | Video

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Sports | Independently Distributed | Stores | DVD | Video

Independently Distributed | Indie & Art House | Stores | DVD | Video

( U ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
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A Science Odyssey - Mysteries of the Universe
NOVA - Origins
World Almanac Video - The Expanding Universe
Hubble: 15 Years of Discovery
NOVA - The Elegant Universe

ASIN: B0006HU2VY
Release Date: 2004-06-01

Description

This feature length presentation is a unique mixture of human interest and science documentary film. As the first comphrehensive documentary to deal with major new approaches in non-bing bang cosmologies, it reveals several deep-rooted theoretical and observational controversies.

This is a fact, well hidden from university students and the general public, which is told with clarity and conviction: and potentially leading to the down-fall of the presiding Big Bang theory.

The story is told by 16 world renown astronomers and cosmologist such as the legendary Sir Fred Hoyle, controversial cosmologists Geoffrey Burbidge and Halton Arp, philosopher and telescope designer John Dobson, astronomers Jack Sulentic, Jean-Claude Pecker, and Margaret Burbidge.

Illustrated with 3D animations and a lush symphonic soundtrack -this film is a scientific and historical "must" for anyone interested in astronomy and cosmology today.

DVD set includes bonus materials! Almost one hour of extra interviews and a short tribute film to Sir Fred Hoyle that is only available here.

Customer Reviews:

Absolutely outstanding work.......2006-07-26

I bought this film some time ago and have seen it many times. From the point of view of content it is an absolutely outstanding work. The visuals and artistic structuring also deserve merit, but most of all it is the sociological and scientific messages that are most arresting. I have also permitted myself to read the other articles about this film on Amazon. Of course everyone is entitled to his or her opinion and criticism, but when two different people complain about the lack of English subtitles on "some Norwegian scientists" then I have to laugh. Hey guys maybe you are not acquainted with DVD technology and therefore are not aware that there are different versions of the film on your disks. If you had taken the time and used a little smarts, you would certainly have noticed the "International version", clicked on it and gotten those Scandinavians you so disliked with English (embedded) subtitles - no problem. For me this little slip on your side totally undermines the rest of what you said you saw.

Total waste of a lot of money!.......2006-06-23

I am very interested in the latest breakthroughs and theories of Cosmology, Astrophysics & Astronomy. Most of the DVDs I've bought, as long as they're relatively recent, have been very good. This DVD is one of the biggest let-downs I've purchased, especially when I looked back in my records to see how much I paid for it. Therefore the need to write a review to warn potential buyers. The program was poorly done; disc 1 gave a much repeated, whiny argument by several scientists that all red shift measurements cannot be correlated to distance. No science or alternate theories were offered, just complaining that the prevailing theorists dismiss the discovery that several bodies (galaxies & quasars) in the same proximities in space have drastically different red shifts. The disc 2 gave a very boring, and only half in English, discussion about plasma and its importance in the universe. After some muttering to myself, I nearly fell asleep, so I turned it off. NOT EVEN IN ENGLISH! Some Scandinavian scientist went on and on about the aurora with no translation or sub-captioning. I really couldn't believe I was duped so by purchasing this DVD. BUYER BEWARE.

Alternate DVDs to consider instead of this one:

PHYSICS - The Elegant Universe and Beyond including Einstein's Big Idea and Einstein Revealed.

Mysteries of the Universe - A Science Odyssey

Stephen Hawking's Universe

Decide Who's Right.......2006-06-08

This two disc program makes you wonder who's right, the big-bangers or the steady-staters. I didn't know that there are a number of scientists "today" who question the big bang theory, but there are. This program shows you that some observations actually contradict the big bang theory, like for instance the difference in red shift in quasars, which questions the whole concept of expansion. However, there is no real satisfying explanation for the discrepancy.

Also, the huge adjustment required to make in the temperature of the cosmic background radiation, according to the big bang theory, to match the actual value, is another plus in favor of the non-expanding universe. Another thing that interested me was the argument of dark matter, where scientists are struggling to make sense of it. I personally believe that dark matter is nothing but interstellar light emitted by stars. Light can be seen only if it's coming straight at us, otherwise it's invisible. And since light is a form of energy then it has mass, according to E=mc2. Our own sun emits around 4 million tons of mass every second in the form of light. Combining all this unseen light within our galaxy should account for the extra mass known as dark matter.

I give this program 4 stars not 5 because of the unsatisfactory explanation of quasar redshift mentioned earlier. But the program makes you realize that the big bang is not a scientific fact, but a scientific deduction. It is nice to propose new theories, but it is another thing to stick to these theories even when there are discrepancies.

Awful.......2005-07-08

There are two discs in this series. The first decries the red shift and the persons interviewed are arguably believable. It's ok to question the validity of the red shift but the basis for questioning the theory as presented in this movie is quite weak. The second disc deals with plasma and unfortunately one of the narrators, Hansen, narrates either in Danish or Norweign and cannot be understood.

What more could one ask for?.......2005-03-16

This film is an eye opener! I have always suspected that something was wrong in the logic of the Big-Bangers, but this beautifully executed DVD puts the last nail in the theory's coffin. A scientific revolution is in fact underway, and all the signs point to the fact that the age of dark matter, dark energy, or should we say the "dark age" is about to be illuminated and a new vision of our universe ushered in. I have seen a lot of documentaries about space and cosmology, but I promise - never one like this one, and very few as good. I highly recommend it to everyone interested in the subject.

Average customer rating:

as good as a bag of honey mustard pretzel pieces
A Gem
The Quiet, Usual Ozu Masterpiece
One of Ozu's best
Quietly Powerful, Beautiful Filmmaking!!!

Floating Weeds [Region 2]
Starring: Ganjiro Nakamura , Machiko Kyô , Ayako Wakao , Hiroshi Kawaguchi , and Haruko Sugimura
Director: Yasujiro Ozu
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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

Late Spring - Criterion Collection
Ikiru - Criterion Collection
Early Summer - Criterion Collection
Sansho the Bailiff
The Rules of the Game - Criterion Collection

ASIN: B0001984JO

Customer Reviews:

as good as a bag of honey mustard pretzel pieces.......2006-12-17

I love the visual of this movie. It's perfect. Everybody see it. I would give this movie as a gift for people who like colors.

A Gem.......2003-12-07

A true family movie about a bad father coming back to save his son from the temptations of this world. It has beautiful photography and the story is very realistic and touching.

The Quiet, Usual Ozu Masterpiece.......2003-07-18

I have only really discovered Ozu in the last year or so and in my mid-- life it is like entering a bright new world. I have recently watched Floating Weeds for the second time (having ordered it on video). The first time I thought it an unusual film- though not one of his best. I have now completely revised this opinion and consider it a supreme masterpiece. Ozu astonishes with a quiet directness I find moving , completely absorbing and exhilarating to watch. I realize the theatre troup which comes into the town, contstructs its little Kabuki world and then fades into nothing is a perfect vehicle and symbol for what Ozu is consistently portraying in all his little plays: the transient , troubling beauty of the world . The transient troubling little dramas af human relationships.The imagery in all Ozu's films(but somehow epsecially this one) make me see images as I did in childhood : a turned corner on a side street, a scene of a harbor at dusk, a slightly surprised look on the face of middle-aged woman. Many of these movies were filmed when I was a child but I believe there is more than a kind odd 1950's familiarity. There is a kind of direct , unfettered appeal to sensations it is almost difficult to name. Something immediately
innocent and guileless in ourselves. Something always,already seeing and awake. The more I watch Ozu the more I see this and nowhere more than in this film. I kept chuckling at little, scene after little scene. Tiny little nuanced moments I kept rewinding to see if I'd really seen . Anyone who hasn't seen this film: Don't just watch it once.

One of Ozu's best.......2002-06-23

This movie is actually a re-make of a silent film (Story of Floating Weeds) Ozu directed in the 1930's. The 1959 version has both sound and color. It was a collaboration between two studios, Shochiku (Ozu's film company) and Daiei. This was a rare chance for Ozu to work with Daiei's great cinematographer Kazuo Miyagawa, the man who filmed such classics as Ugetsu and Rashomon. The Daiei studio also provided some of the leading ladies of their time, Machiko Kyo and Ayako Wakao.

The acting in this movie is first-rate and the cinematography is lyrical and beautiful. Pay attention to the rich colors in this film, especially the reds. The movie tells the story of a failing troupe of Kabuki players who drift (like floating weeds) into a fishing village for their next (and ultimately last) set of performances. As the movie progresses, we learn more about the characters and their many personality flaws. But these flaws only serve to make the characters more endearing, perhaps because we can see a little of ourselves and the people we know.

Many Westerners will prefer other Ozu films like Tokyo Story or Late Spring. But make no mistake; Floating Weeds is one of Ozu's best. The acting, story-telling and cinematography in this movie all combine to create a movie classic.

Quietly Powerful, Beautiful Filmmaking!!!.......2000-07-05

The films of Yasujiro Ozu always has a silent poignancy that has been unmatched in cinema. He is the creator of his own cinematic 'style'. It consists of low camera angles, no close-ups, no camera movement, the camera stays still. Probably the most quietly precise director of foreign cinema, he is know as the most 'Japanese' director of Japan's filmmakers. In this film he tells the story of an acting troupe who come to a small fishing town. To reveal more of the plot would be to deny you the dramatic impact of the film. While certainly not a technical marvel, it's raw power to move us remains untouched, and even more because of Ozu's direction. As we see the film evolve we feel him slowly coming toward us, but he doesn't creep at us, he puts his friendly hand on our shoulder and makes us feel comfortable. This film is a perfect introduction into Ozu's work, but also stands well by itself. From a scale of 1-10 I give this film a 9!

Average customer rating:

Andes - Floating on Titicaca
Starring: null
Manufacturer: CustomFlix
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

amazon.com

Andes: Floating on Titicaca brings the viewer on the blue waters of Lake Titicaca, the highest elevated navigable lake in the world. After a short stop in Puno, the major city on the lake?s shore we visit Uros Islands, home of the oldest civilization of the region. These islands, made out of totora, a combination of reed and mud, float on the lake. We continue to Taquile Island that preserves remarkable customs in dress and traditions. From there we go to visit the pre-Inca ruins of Silustani, the old necropolis of Tiahuanaco that has unique cylindrical funerary tombs.

DVD:

DVD

DVD

DVD

Transporter & Kiss of Dragon (Widescreen Edition)

Diner

Lost Son [1999] (REGION 1) (NTSC)

DVD: Leaves From Satan's Book

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