Basil

Starring:Christian Slater, Jared Leto, Rachel Pickup, Christopher Owen, Ann Louise Grimshaw, Georgiana Johnson, Jackson Leach, Jenny Downham, Claire Forlani, Hannah Morris, Matthew Steer, Glenn Marks, David Ross, Stephanie Bagshaw, Crispin Bonham-Carter, Guy Witcher, Jack Wild, Derek Jacobi, Sarah Hadland, Maisie Tomlinson
Director: Radha Bharadwaj
Studio: Walt Disney Video
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com

Leonardo DiCaprio puts a handsome face on an ugly industry: In parts of Africa, diamond mining fuels civil warfare, killing thousands of innocents and drafting preteen children as vicious soldiers. DiCaprio (The Departed) plays Danny Archer, a white African soldier-turned-diamond-smuggler who gets wind of a large raw jewel found by Solomon Vandy, a native fisherman (Djimon Hounsou, In America) recently escaped from enslavement by a brutal rebel leader. Archer offers a deal: He'll help Vandy find his war-scattered family if Vandy will share the diamond with him. Drawn into this web of exploitation is journalist Maddy Bowen (Jennifer Connelly, Little Children), who agrees to help if Archer will tell her the details of how conflict diamonds make their way into the hands of the corporations who sell them to the Western world. DiCaprio is compelling because he never flinches from Archer's utter ruthlessness; Archer ends up doing the morally justifiable thing, but only because his desperate greed has led him to it. Hounsou and Connelly, though saddled with all the moral and political speeches, rise above the cant and keep the movie's treacherously formulaic plot rooted in human characters. But in the end, the story won't stick with you as much as the dead stillness in the child soldiers' eyes; the horror of African civil strife refuses to be contained by Blood Diamond's uplifting message--and the movie is all the more potent as a result. --Bret Fetzer

Description

An ex-mercenary turned smuggler (Leonard DiCaprio). A Mende fisherman (Djimon Hounsou). Amid the explosive civil war overtaking 1999 Sierra Leone, these men join for two desperate missions: recovering a rare pink diamond of immense value and rescuing the fisherman's son, conscripted as a child soldier into the brutal rebel forces ripping a swath of torture and bloodshed across the alternately beautiful and ravaged countryside. Directed by Edward Zwick (Glory, The Last Samurai), this urgent, intensely moving adventure shapes gripping human stories and heart-pounding action into a modern epic of profound impact.

DVD Features:
Audio Commentary:Commentary with Director, Edward Zwick (A revealing look at a filmmaker?s personal journey.)
Documentary:Blood on the Stone (RT: 50:00) Follow the path of a diamond from the ground to the store.
Featurette:1) Becoming Archer (RT: 8:29) - A profile of Leonardo DiCaprio and how he trained for the war; 2) Journalism on the Front Line (RT: approx 6:07) - Jennifer Connelly on Women Journalists at war; 3) Inside the Siege of Freetown (RT: 10:28) - See how Ed Zwick tackled the pivotal scene.
Music Video:"Shine On Em" by rap artist Nas

Customer Reviews:

Got Boringly Familiar.......2007-07-05

Yes, there is action. Yes, there is decent acting. But ultimately, it becomes another preachy, and bogged down film.

eye opening movie.......2007-06-27

This movie truly is an eye opener. Even though it is very hard to watch because of all of the killing, it is still a must see movie. Well written and well acted. I'm not a huge fan of Leonardo DiCaprio, but this movie made me think twice. Djimon Hansu is phenomenal. This movie shows the brutality of greed and power. Highly recommended.

Human life is the currency of those powerful enough to control the blood diamond trade.......2007-06-23

Greed is the dark heart of "Blood Diamond," director Edward Zwick's ("Traffic," "The Last Samurai") uncompromising look into the underground trafficking of illegally-traded gems in sub-Saharan Africa. Greed of corrupt men for power, greed of an amoral mercenary willing to sacrifice anything for a chance to escape Africa, greed of Western businessmen who seek to artificially control the diamond market, and the greed of a simple man for his family's return. This movie powerfully demonstrates the valuelessness of a human life to those persons obsessed with blood diamond collection in war-ravaged Sierra Leone.

Djimon Hounsou plays Solomon Vandy, a simple fisherman and father of two who witnesses his idyllic existence crumble before his eyes. Rebels seeking new recruits, slaves, and random carnage swarm into his village. They select his adolescent son and other young men as future cadets in their guerilla army--following suitable brainwashing and manipulation techniques--before then getting down to the real business of slave collection. Seemingly devoid of any mental workings besides casual sadism, these bandits top-off their kidnapping and slave-taking exercise with the mutilation and execution of men deemed too troublesome for them to bother with. Vandy is rescued from dismemberment at the last minute when the rebels recognize his strength, seeing it as an asset they can utilize in their constant search for capital: the blood diamond pits. Condemned to toiling underneath the blazing sun with nary a chance of reaping any benefit (besides possible continued survival) for his efforts, Vandy happens to discover an egg-sized blood diamond hidden in the streambed. Hiding it underneath his foot, he buries it when the rebel encampment is attacked by government troops. The only witness to his "theft" is the wounded slave captain--now captured, along with Vandy, by government forces--who swears that the former fisherman will soon be begging to reveal the diamond's whereabouts.

Parallel to Djimon's character's storyline is the tale of Danny Archer (Leonardo DiCaprio), an opportunistic solider of fortune caught within a dichotomy of conflicting motivation. He desires escape from Africa at any cost, yet secretly knows that his blood will someday mix with the earth of his homeland. Perhaps it is this realization that he is doomed which propels Archer forward: in every action and every word, he seems to be daring destiny to obliterate him. Taken in and trained from a young age by Colonel Coetzee (Arnold Vosloo), Archer is easily the most dangerous entity alive on the continent: ruthless, misanthropic, callous, manipulative, and incredibly lethal with bullet and blade. After a close-call haggling with rebel leaders over fair prices for blood diamonds, Archer is arrested for smuggling while crossing the Sierra Leone border. It is here that he intercepts the distraught Vandy and begins weaving a plan to save himself from the war-torn country: by dangling the freedom of the fisherman's family as bait to cajole Vandy into revealing the gigantic diamond's location. Solomon, though a simple man, is not so easily fooled. He eventually agrees to help Archer--but only if the mercenary agrees to help locate his family and also permit Solomon to be his travel companion.

There is barely time for indrawn breath during the watching of this movie. Action sequences are furious, brutal, and frequent. The pace of the movie is frenetic. The score is perfect throughout. The "education" of Vandy's son by the rebels is heart-wrenching. Solomon's overarching belief that fatherhood trumps all initially feels naïve, but is eventually revealed to be the singularly most powerful force in the entire movie. Danny's character--the realist mercenary who seems most capable of surviving, when compared to Vandy--shows the most evolution, shedding layers of the personality onion until an actual human appears. He is moved to reveal an element of his past to the beautiful American reporter (Jennifer Connelly), whose persistence and mutual survivorship cements a bond they both were too proud to admit from their first meeting. Archer and Vandy relationship morphs into something beautiful when a sacrifice is needed, prompting Solomon to reverse that remarkably chauvinistic statement made by Rudyard Kipling over one hundred years ago: the "white man's burden."

This is hands-down Djimon's most impressive performance: I have never seen him better represent a character. In fact, he blurs the line between character and actor, totally suspending my disbelief to the point where I "knew" him only as Vandy. I have been told by an acquaintance--currently living in Zimbabwe (formerly Rhodesia)--that DiCaprio's accent is spot-on. In addition, he was utterly believable as heartless mercenary, and his later transformation was also quite convincing. The action sequences were, as mentioned, jaw-dropping in their intensity, but never felt gratuitous or over-the-top.

Easily one of my five favorite movies of 2006--miss it, and you risk missing some of the finest cinematographic wizardry and directorial finesse of cinema from the last year, period.

Excellent action sequences and an all around magnificent movie.......2007-06-22

The Blood Diamond has double meaning. An extremely bloody war is being funded by diamonds, and the stars of the movie are after a huge stone that has a red tint to it. Leonardo Dicaprio is after the diamond and Djimon Hounsou (named Solomon in the movie) agrees to show him where it is, but only goes along with Dicaprio so that he can find his son. Solomon's son has been been taken and made into a 10 year old rebel soldier. Jennifer Connelly plays a journalist and does a great job of using her charm to help forget about the war that is going on, even if it is just for a moment. The best parts are the action scenes. Solomon will do whatever he has to to get his son back, and likewise for Dicaprio with the diamond. It all leads to a very exciting ending.

There is great drama, a great story, and marvelous acting from everybody, but the action sequences stood out the most to me. The rebels seem to enjoy killing everyone and anyone. When they show up, expect to see some intense shoutouts. The 2 fight scenes are also good, mainly because Djimon Hounsou is such a superb actor. I wouldn't have minded seeing more of his rage. Dicaprio also gives an extraordinary performance. He may be better in this than he was in 'The Aviator'.

This is the best movie I have seen in at least a couple months, and I am a hardcore movie junkie. I don't like giving away too much in my reviews, in fact I always try to give away as little as possible. My rating sums up how I feel the best. This movie gets a perfect 5/5 from me. It is relentless, and I couldn't look away for a second. I can't believe I waited so long to finally watch this.

HAHAHA!!! THIS MOVIE IS SOO FUNNY!!!!!.......2007-06-19

Im not saying that this movie is comedy, but Djimon Hounsou's acting JUST MADE ME LAUGHT UNTIL MY STOMACH HURTS. I mean... I know that his character is suffering because of his family but there are like three scenes that he COMPLETELY OVER-ACTED the whole situation about his family!(specially in the final fight scene). AAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!AAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!

Another funny stuffs are the gore that is kind of fake, DiCaprios's dialoge sometime is cheesy, Connelly wasn't acting! she was modeling and the captions that even describes the music that will play on the movie!!

The movie has a lot of action scenes but this is more like drama, and the action is choreographied as war! so don't think that the action is this movie is the same as Last Samurai by the same director.
I gave it 3 stars because all of that, but the movie is still entertaining and easy to understand.

adios and have fun with this movie.

Average customer rating:

Got Boringly Familiar
eye opening movie
Human life is the currency of those powerful enough to control the blood diamond trade
Excellent action sequences and an all around magnificent movie
HAHAHA!!! THIS MOVIE IS SOO FUNNY!!!!!

Blood Diamond (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio , Djimon Hounsou , Jennifer Connelly , Kagiso Kuypers , and Arnold Vosloo
Director: Edward Zwick
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

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

( B ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
ASIN: B000MZHW40
Release Date: 2007-03-20

Amazon.com

Description

An ex-mercenary turned smuggler (Leonardo DiCaprio). A Mende fisherman (Djimon Hounsou). Amid the explosive civil war overtaking 1999 Sierra Leone, these men join for two desperate missions: recovering a rare pink diamond of immense value and rescuing the fisherman's son, conscripted as a child soldier into the brutal rebel forces ripping a swath of torture and bloodshed across the alternately beautiful and ravaged countryside. Directed by Edward Zwick (Glory, The Last Samurai), this urgent, intensely moving adventure shapes gripping human stories and heart-pounding action into a modern epic of profound impact.

Customer Reviews:

Got Boringly Familiar.......2007-07-05

Yes, there is action. Yes, there is decent acting. But ultimately, it becomes another preachy, and bogged down film.

eye opening movie.......2007-06-27

Human life is the currency of those powerful enough to control the blood diamond trade.......2007-06-23

Excellent action sequences and an all around magnificent movie.......2007-06-22

HAHAHA!!! THIS MOVIE IS SOO FUNNY!!!!!.......2007-06-19

Average customer rating:

Side Splitter
Court Jester
Prep for Engineering Final Exam
Danny Kaye is the best!
The Court Jester

The Court Jester
Starring: Danny Kaye , Glynis Johns , Basil Rathbone , Angela Lansbury , and Cecil Parker
Director: Melvin Frank , and Norman Panama
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

Satire | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

Slapstick | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

Classic Comedies | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

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

4-for-3 All DVDs | 4-for-3 DVD | Stores | DVD | Video

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

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

Hans Christian Andersen
The Inspector General
The Inspector General
The Five Pennies
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty [Danny Kaye and Virginia Mayo]

ASIN: 079215519X
Release Date: 1999-03-30

Amazon.com

Danny Kaye spoofs Robin Hood and Scaramouche in this inventive slapstick swashbuckler. Portraying the clownish but good-hearted entertainer Hawkins, he infiltrates the court of the corrupt Basil Rathbone (up to his usual brand of cruel villainy) disguised as the legendary king of jesters, Giacomo. After a court sorceress hypnotizes Hawkins into believing he is also a legendary assassin, Hawkins has more identities than he can keep straight, and Kaye zips back and forth between them at, literally, a snap of the fingers. Comic highlights include a wonderful sword fight with Rathbone in which he constantly switches identities, and the classic "chalice from the palace/vessel with pestle" wordplay as Hawkins plays "hide the poison" and forgets where it is. With comely Glynis Johns as his spy-in-arms love interest, Angela Lansbury as the scheming princess, and Mildred Natwick as the dotty spellcaster, this is Danny Kaye at his comic best. --Sean Axmaker

Customer Reviews:

Side Splitter.......2007-06-27

Absolutely one of Danny Kaye's best. I laughed so hard that there were tears. Truly an enjoyable movie. I just don't think they make them like this anymore.

Court Jester.......2007-06-11

Danny Kaye's ultimate best film. It is funny, romantic and empathic. He wants to be a hero type, but ends up hiding the baby King from the bad guy. He is enchanted by a court witch who convinces him he is a true hero with the snap of anyone's fingers. The most memorable line is "Get it? Got it? Good" -- Danny did his own sword fight, but the villian was in reality a great sword fighter and would not fight Danny when he was goofing off. --- A MUST SEE MOVIE

Prep for Engineering Final Exam.......2007-04-29

In 1958 I had to take an exam in Engineering Drawing from 2-5pm on a friday. I wanted to take my mind off of the exam in the morning so I went to the theatre to catch a matinee. It was the "Court Jester". It was the funniest movie I ever saw, and while taking the exam, the proctor was forced to move me into an adjacent room as I couldn't stop chuckling during the exam. I "aced" the test and was forever grateful to Danny Kay, Glynnis Johns (who was beautiful), Basil Rathbone ( the great) and Angela Lansbury who I forever after had a difficulty in seeing her in later films as a sweet lovable old lady.

Danny Kaye is the best!.......2007-04-10

This movie is just as great as I remember it from when I was a little kid!
My mom and I, every Saturday would watch old movies on tv, and my favorites were always Danny Kaye movies, this one is by far my favorite!
Danny plays the best part as the jester, his style is like no other!

I recommend this movie to anyone who wants a lighthearted laugh!

The Court Jester.......2007-03-28

Danny Kaye is brilliant in this movie. His "Vessel with the Pessle" routine is one of the best. Danny Kaye is at his best. The midgets in the
movie offset his humor.

The Adventures of Robin Hood (Two-Disc Special Edition)

Average customer rating:

Most Loved Movie
review of robin hood
Missing Features?
Perfect film, outstanding extras
Greater than ever on Two-Disc Special Edition...

The Adventures of Robin Hood (Two-Disc Special Edition)
Starring: Melville Cooper , Errol Flynn , Alan Hale , Ian Hunter , and Kenneth Hunter
Director: Curtiz, Michael
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

Classics | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

Swashbucklers | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

Romantic Adventure | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

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

( A ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Special Editions | Fully Loaded DVDs | Features | DVD | Video

Two-Disc Special Editions | Fully Loaded DVDs | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

Captain Blood
The Errol Flynn Signature Collection, Vol. 1 (Captain Blood / The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex / The Sea Hawk / They Died with Their Boots On / Dodge City / The Adventures of Errol Flynn)
The Sea Hawk
Ivanhoe
The Mark of Zorro (Special Edition) (Colorized / Black and White)

ASIN: B00005JKEZ
Release Date: 2003-09-30

Amazon.com essential video

Dashing Errol Flynn is the definitive Robin Hood in the most gloriously swashbuckling version of the legendary story. Warner Brothers reunited Michael Curtiz, their top-action director, with the winning team of Flynn and Olivia de Havilland (Maid Marian) and perennial villain Basil Rathbone as the aristocratic Sir Guy of Gisbourne, and pulled out all stops for the production. It became their costliest film to date, a grandly handsome, glowing Technicolor adventure set to a stirring, Oscar-winning score by Erich Wolfgang Korngold. The decadent Prince John (a smoothly conniving Claude Rains) takes advantage of King Richard's absence to tax the country into poverty but meets his match in the medieval guerrilla rebel Robin Hood and his Merry Men of Sherwood Forest, who rise up and, to quote a cliché coined by the film, "steal from the rich and give to the poor." Stocky Alan Hale Sr. plays Robin's loyal friend Little John (a part he played in Douglas Fairbanks's silent version), Eugene Palette the portly Friar Tuck, and Melville Cooper the bumbling Sheriff of Nottingham. Flynn's confidence and cocky charm makes for a perfect Robin Hood, and his easygoing manner is a marvelous counterpoint to Rathbone's regal bearing and courtly diction. The film climaxes in their rousing battle-to-the-finish sword fight, a magnificently choreographed scene highlighted by Curtiz's inventive use of shadows cast upon the castle walls. --Sean Axmaker

Description

Errol Flynn is eternally charming as Robin, defender of the poor, in this rousing family adventure that co-stars Olivia de Havilland and Claude Rains. Year: 1938 Director: Michael Curtiz, William Keighley Starring: Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, Basil Rathbone, Claude Rains, Alan Hale

Customer Reviews:

Most Loved Movie.......2007-06-15

"The Adventures of Robin Hood" still comes across as fresh and entertaining almost 70 years after its release. It was nominated for Best Picture in 1938. Carl Jules Weyl won the Oscar for the film for Best Art Direction. The delightful look of the Nottingham Palace with the high stone walls creates the perfect period atmosphere. Ralph Dawson won the Oscar for Best Editing for the film. Some of the film sequences are astonishing. The scene where the whole hall breaks into sword fight has a continual clink of crashing swords as the camera shifts from duel to duel. Erich Wolfgang's score won the other Oscar for which the picture was nominated.

Errol Flynn's career is legendary as an action hero. He was never nominated for an Oscar. His personal life, particularly the statutory charges from 1942 that earned him the phrase "in like Flynn" could have wrecked a smaller star's career, but Flynn kept going. He's probably in his quintessential moment as Robin Hood, flashing smiles, romantic sparks flying with Maid Marian and his constant good humor. It's hard not to root for a hero like Robin.

I particularly like Patric Knowles as his sidekick Will Scarlet. From the costuming that places him in brilliant red to match his character name, Knowles flashes the smile, never stealing the spotlight, but always ready to fly to Robin's defense. Knowles had a long film career that included some gems like "Expensive Husbands" & "A Bill of Divorcement," but he shined brightly in this action adventure.

Olivia deHaviland plays Marian Fitzwalter, better known as Maid Marian. The costumer highlights her face in blues & lavenders. She radiates incredible charm & grace. The scene where she stands before Prince John and declares her disgust with his actions shows steel in her her feminine character. Olivia won two Oscars for "To Each His Own" in 1946 & "The Heiress" in 1949. Her role as Marian was believable. Her loving looks let you know that Robin was one lucky man.

Eugene Pallette plays Friar Tuck. This actor had an amazing career, acting in over 180 films! His resume lists some true classics like 1916's "Intolerance," the ghostly "Topper" from 1937, "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" in 1939 & "Heaven Can Wait" in 1943. As the portly Friar Tuck, his swordfight scene with Robin is both entertaining and hilarious. He had a voice that sounded like a gravel road, but he was one of the actors that flourished in both the silent and sound eras.

Alan Hale Sr. who played Little John also had an amazing film career spanning from 1912 to 1950. His films include silent era "The Prisoner of Zenda" from 1913 to "The Inspector General" in 1949. As Little John, his burly build and contagious good humor makes him an ideal fit for Robin's band of Merry Men.

Our two main villains are both played by notable actors. As Prince John, Claude Rains is an underhanded two-faced back-stabber. He was nominated four times as Best Supporting Actor including for "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" in 1939 & "Casablanca" in 1943.

Basil Rathbone who many associate as Sherlock Holmes plays Sir Guy of Gisbourne and vows to apprehend Robin Hood. The scene where Robin captures his entourage, takes his money & sends him back in rags is (for the audience) a joyful humiliation. Rathbone was nominated for Best Supporting actor in If I Were King, a film based on the stage play by Justin Huntly McCarthy. He had also been nominated for a similar award in 1936 for "Romeo & Juliet." Neither Raines nor Rathbone ever won an Oscar, as good as they both were.

Two other actors deserve special mention. Ian Hunter played Richard the Lionheart who returns home in the nick of time to reclaim his throne. Hunter won an Oscar in 1953 for Best Original Screenplay for "Roman Holiday." Una O'Connor plays Lady Marian's attending maid Bess. Her clever comic barbs made her screen time sparkle. O'Connor was in many other films including "The Bells of St. Mary's" from 1945 & "Random Harvest" in 1942. Some may also be interested to note that the palomino horse Olivia deHaviland rides in Sherwood Forest later would be seen as Roy Rogers' Trigger.

The theme of Saxons and Normans getting along despite differences, the treatment of women, fairness in taxation and care for the poor give the film a thematic backbone. As we near the 70th anniversary of this film, it deserves its place as one of the most watched & loved of the era's movies. Enjoy!

review of robin hood.......2007-06-12

This is the best family oriented swashbuckling adventure movie ever made! And this remastered two disc version with its superb picture and many extras is well worth the purchase price!

Missing Features?.......2007-06-10

I have this exact DVD set, but some features advertised on the packaging don't appear in the DVD menus...? Specifically, on disc 2, I don't see "A Journey to Sherwood Forest", "From the Cutting Room" (including the blooper reels), "Splitting the Arrow", and "Audio-Only Delights". Misleading packaging? Defective production? Clueless viewer?

Perfect film, outstanding extras.......2007-06-09

Warners have celebrated Errol Flynn's greatest film and one of the studio's greatest achievements with this spectacular 2 disc special edition. The merits of the film are well documented - perfect casting, perfect score, a timeless adventure, spectacular colour - but the extras on this DVD are overwhelming. Try this for starters:

- a beautifully paced and delivered commentary by Rudy Behlmer, filled with interesting information from the Warner's archives and production notes
- an hilarious Daffy Duck cartoon with Porky Pig as Friar Tuck.
- recently discovered outakes from the vaults with Rudy Behlmer explaining where they fit in
- home movies during taken production.
- a complete soundtrack of Eric Wolfgang Korngold's score
- a documentary on the history of the legend of Robin Hood including scenes from Douglas Fairbank's silent version

The is just a sample of material on this DVD. It is outstanding value and a wonderful legacy of this timeless classic.

Greater than ever on Two-Disc Special Edition..........2007-06-09

If there is any film that Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland will be remembered for (as screen partners) it's 'The Adventures of Robin Hood'. It has become one of the most beloved storybook films of all time--action, romance, majestic sets and music, a sparkling script with many juicy lines and all of the swashbuckling swordplay done with great flourish and style. The highlight of the many action scenes is the duel between Flynn and Rathbone as they overturn heavy tables and candelabra, all the while exchanging some blustery dialogue.

As for Flynn and de Havilland, their screen chemistry was never more obvious. Claude Rains and Basil Rathbone make a memorable pair of villains and the remarkable cast includes sterling performances from Melville Cooper, Ian Hunter, Una O'Connor, Alan Hale, Eugene Palette, Montagu Love and Patric Knowles.

It's a fairytale version all done up in gleaming technicolor, the action and romance made even more impressive by Korngold's exquisite Oscar-winning score. The romantic highlight is the scene in Marian's bedchamber, a Romeo-and-Juliet-like moment with Flynn climbing a vine to her balcony to woo his damsel in distress. The archery tournament sequence is a joy to behold--and de Havilland was never more beautifully photographed than in her reaction close-ups as she realizes the tournament is a trap.

Una O'Connor is a joy as her loyal servant and Alan Hale makes a wonderful Little John. In fact, all of the supporting roles are perfectly cast.

Rousing entertainment that has charmed the socks off everyone since its release in 1938 and outclasses the Kevin Costner version in every way possible. Long live the bandit of Sherwood Forest!!

And last but not least, Erich Wolfgang Korngold's classic score remains one of the finest film scores ever, sweeping, majestic and always complimenting the on-screen action and romance.

Fortunately, it all looks and sounds better than ever before in the restored Ultra-Resolution process Warners used on their 2 Disc DVD. It probably looks even more gorgeous than it did on its original release in 1938 when it opened at Radio City Music Hall to rave reviews.

Average customer rating:

The One and Only Broken Arrow
Broken Arrow
Broken Arrow - James Stewart
Realistic Western from the 50's!
One of the Absolute Best

Broken Arrow
Starring: James Stewart , Jeff Chandler , Debra Paget , Basil Ruysdael , and Will Geer
Director: Delmer Daves
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Westerns | Genres | DVD | Video

Classics | Westerns | Genres | DVD | Video

Drama | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

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

White Feather
Unconquered (Universal Cinema Classics)
Tyrone Power: The Swashbuckler Box Set (Blood and Sand / Son of Fury / The Black Rose / Prince of Foxes / The Captain from Castile)
Classic Western Round-Up, Vol. 1 (The Texas Rangers / Canyon Passage / Kansas Raiders / The Lawless Breed)
Hell and High Water

ASIN: B000OT6V0U
Release Date: 2007-05-22

Description

In 1870, when white men and Indians are fighting bitterly, Tom Jeffords (Stewart) strongly believes the Apaches are treated unfairly. After befriending their leader Cochise (Jeff Chandler) and arranging a truce, he is called upon by a U.S. Army general to negotiate a government peace treaty. Though he fulfills his mission, Jeffords soon experiences great tragedy when he, his Indian wife (Debra Paget) and good friend Cochise become targets of a renegade ambush.

Customer Reviews:

The One and Only Broken Arrow.......2007-07-04

A rare movie for the 1950's where the Indians are protrayed as real people.
Excellent casting and acting. Though Jeff Chandler and Debra Paget are not Native Americans.

Broken Arrow.......2007-06-27

Jimmy Stewart is always great. In this film Debra Paget is super great. While she usually plays a lady of fashion or a college student but as the American Indian girl she has hit her "ZENITH"!!!

Broken Arrow - James Stewart.......2007-06-17

James Stewart and Jeff Chandler have fine performances in thie 1958 Western. Good portrayal of the American Indians. This production was nominated for three Academy Awards, "damn good western" with plenty of action. Good performance by Debra Paget who plays the part of an American Indian woman. This is a Ten (10) excellent.

Realistic Western from the 50's!.......2007-06-08

This really is a terrific Western! The story you probably know by now, what you may not know is the great DVD tranfer, great color, and great Sedona Ariz. filming locations!
Jimmy Stewart starting doing westerns in 1950 with Winchester 73', a black and white film and a classic. Broken Arrow was his second entry and 5 more followed in the 1950's. But none were to top Broken Arrow. Or Winchester 73'!

Not only is the story very solid, fiction based on real events and people, but all the actors casting is flawless! Will Geer, an emotionally hurt settler, Debra Paget at 17 looking like a Indian instead of a young startlet, and Jeff Chandler as Cochise in a very believable good performance. Mabye his best!

And make sure to check out Jay Silverheels in the role of Geronimo, a top notch performance and I think biggest speaking part of anything he'd ever been in, including the Lone Ranger series. When he defies Cochise to follow the peace trail, his emotion is so powerful that it jumps off the screen. A truly great moment in the film. I had to replay that scene many times because I liked it so much!

I'm proud to place this among my Western Collection of DVDs!

One of the Absolute Best.......2007-06-07

From time to time on the net I come across these ever-present lists where someone is sounding off about what they say are the "best" of such and so . Frequently I see "best westerns" or "best war movie" lists and find myself laughing out loud when one of these things omits something universally acknowledged to be a Classic. When that happens you know you're dealing with a relative "newbie" in the world whose exposure to genre cinema isn't nearly as expansive as they think it is. War Movie lists that leave off "Sergeant York" (out of sight for along time) come to mind. So do "Best Westerns" lists that ignore "Broken Arrow" (another hard to find one for quite a while). This film is a treasure.

To all who think "Broken Arrow" is a John Travolta/Christian Slater military action thriller, I've got news for you: Travolta/Slater is just an "ehhh" popcorn programmer that happens to LIFT the title of one of the
most admired, acclaimed, respected, and loved westerns of all time; one that belongs up there with "The Searchers" , "Fort Apache", and others in the category of "the greatest".

Released in 1950, this Delmer Daves film tells the true (with very little ...and, even then, only minor...fictionalization) story of ex-Army officer Tom Jeffords and his early-1870s interactions with the great Apache warrior Cochise; a relationship that led to a major degree of peace in Arizona in the long run. It is a tale well written, well told, and beautifully photographed. Nominated for several Oscars and Golden Globe Awards, it won the Golden Globe for best screenplay.

Shot in magnificent locations in Sedona and Flagstaff, Arizona, and Lone Pine, California, the scenics are just gorgeous and the color cinematography absolutely superb.

The cast is fabulous as well. Jimmy Stewart turns in a great performance as Jeffords (gee, what a surprise! Stewart ALWAYS delivers!) but the performance to watch is Jeff Chandler as Cochise. It is awesome and well worthy of the Oscar nomination he received for it. To those unfamiliar with Jeff Chandler , he was a VERY popular he-man (like Duke Wayne or Robert Mitchum) actor of the fifties who possessed a facial bone structure like carved granite and a head of thick, prematurely grey hair. This was a guy born to play in westerns and private detective thrillers.
Chandler was on his way towards icon status when he died unexpectedly much before his time. He lives on here as Cochise, though, and this is not a bad legacy to leave behind.

Also here is one of the greatest acting beauties of the 50s, the breathtakingly beautiful Debra Paget. Paget could hold a male audience spellbound and get them all agitated when directors would kill her off ,as in "Broken Arrow", and, when they had her jump into a volcano as a self-sacrifice in the 2nd version of "Bird of Paradise" ( I remember yelling "Noooooooooo!" when I first saw that on tv years ago).

Many familiar character actors turn up here, among them Iron Eyes Cody and Arthur Hunnicutt. Hunnicutt, bearded and carrying a bugle, would, some eighteen years later, appear as "Bull" with Duke Wayne and Bob Mitchum in Howard Hawks' "El Dorado". Here he is "Milt Duffield" a friend of Tom Jeffords.

Also making a splash in "Broken Arrow" is Mohawk character actor Harold J. Smith, playing Cochise's nemesis, Geronimo. Don't know him? SURE you do. You just know him as Jay Silverheels, and, at the same time he was playing hard-edged bad boy Geronimo for 20th Century Fox, he was off
also playing good guy Tonto with Clayton Moore's Lone Ranger for George Trendle.

All these elements combine here to make for a wonderful movie, western or otherwise.

It would also be interesting to note that this film has an affiliation with John Ford's "Fort Apache" in that, in "FA", Henry Fonda's unscrupulous "Col.Thursday" uses John Wayne's "Capt. York" character to deceive Cochise into a parley where he insults him (to Wayne's horror and disgust) and tries to capture his band. Fonda "gets his" because of this, deservedly so. One could almost watch "Fort Apache" and then "Broken Arrow" one right after the other and get a sense of this chief and his people...and understand that, in order to have any common ground with him, you did not try to trick him, con him, or lie to him. You did so at your peril.

One might also note that the popularity of this film carried over into a t.v. show in the fifties. The t.v. "Broken Arrow" starred John Lupton as Jeffords and Michael Ansara as Cochise. It featured mainly "keeping the peace" and "countering Geronimo" type stories.

Again, this one is real keeper. Rent it, buy it, watch it. You won't be sorry in the least. I am very glad its available again.

Average customer rating:

Treasure Island
Classic
Disney Classic Inspired by Stevenson's Great Novel
Great one
The best adventure film for a kid ever! And us kids at heart.

Treasure Island
Starring: Bobby Driscoll , Robert Newton , Basil Sydney , Walter Fitzgerald , and Denis O'Dea
Director: Byron Haskin
Manufacturer: Walt Disney Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

Classics | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

Sea Adventure | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

Adventure | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

All Disney Titles | Disney Home Entertainment | Stores | DVD | Video

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

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

Swiss Family Robinson (Vault Disney Collection)
Long John Silver: Return to Treasure Island
20,000 Leagues Under The Sea (Special Edition)
Davy Crockett -Two Movie Set
Journey to Center of the Earth

ASIN: B000089G5L
Release Date: 2003-04-29

Amazon.com

Strap on your pantaloons and prepare to travel with Jim Hawkins and Blind Pew to one of the most famous fictional islands in history. Walt Disney's 1950 adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson's swashbuckling masterpiece has held up extremely well, with action and characterizations that feel freshly minted (although it's unlikely that the Mouse of today would sanction the high level of booze flowing throughout the picture). Great fun, with nary a wasted frame and, in the character of Robert Newton's much-imitated Long John, one of cinema's most boisterously crowd-pleasing villains ever. (Proving that you can't keep a good--er, bad man down, Newton would return with director Byron Haskins for the enjoyable sequel, Long John Silver.) Watching this classic is like having a flashback to some perfect Technicolor childhood. --Andrew Wright

Description

Ahoy, mateys! Come aboard the good ship Hispaniola and set sail in search of buried treasure in one of Disney's most critically acclaimed adventure classics -- presented in its original, uncut theatrical version! In his first all-live-action feature, Walt Disney has vividly brought to life Robert Louis Stevenson's timeless tale of buccaneers and buried gold. Authentic locales, rich color photography, and musket-roaring action set the stage for the stouthearted heroics of young Jim Hawkins (Bobby Driscoll) -- and the skullduggery of that wily, one-legged pirate of all pirates, Long John Silver. Aye, for the kind of excitement that only treasure and treachery can bring, there's no better destination than TREASURE ISLAND!

Customer Reviews:

Treasure Island.......2007-06-27

Byron Haskin's definitive film version of Stevenson's salty tale stands out for Newton's glorious, scenery chewing performance as Long John, the most charming and devious cut-throat sailing the seven seas, and Driscoll also holds his own as Jim. The Disney studio spared no expense in bringing "Treasure" to the screen again (it was previously filmed in 1934), as both production design and color photography are first-rate. To would-be pirates of all ages, all aboard for this flavorful, exciting adventure.

Classic.......2007-06-27

Classic Disney import from England with excellent actors. A Treasure for everyone of every age.

Disney Classic Inspired by Stevenson's Great Novel.......2007-05-27

Disney has always called on classic stories for inspiration. Robert Louis Stevenson's great classic "Treasure Island" provided the inspiration for this Disney adaptation. The adaptation deviates from Stevenson's and becomes a classic separate from Stevenson's.

Young Jim Hawkins (the late Bobby Driscoll, who appeared in "The Fighting Sullivans," "Song of the South," "So Dear to My Heart," and was the voice of Peter Pan in the Disney classic) encounters pirate Captain Billy Bones. Bones is an imposing figure, and yet he is kind to Jim Hawkins. Soon, other, more vicious and threatening, characters appear on the scene, all looking for Billy Bones' treasure map, which is now in the possession of Jim Hawkins. One of those of these characters is Long John Silver (the late Robert Newton, who also played Mr. Fix in the epic 1950's classic "Around the World in 80 Days").

Jim Hawkins is now caught up in a series of events over which he initially has little control. A group of men decide to pursue the treasure shown on the map, and they decide to take Jim Hawkins aboard as a cabin boy. Jim is our observer throughout this tale, and we see many of the events that transpire through his eyes. Thus, we gain knowledge of an impending mutiny and come to realize how vicious the pirates masquerading as crewmembers are.

The excitement and action increase when the pirates mutiny and everyone searches for the treasure. Jim comes into his own as he realizes that he is the one person in a position to make thing happen, if he only dares. Though Disney modified many things from Stevenson's story in this adaptation, Jim Hawkins' coming of age story remains relatively intact. We also learn why Long John Silver is beloved by all who have seen this classic as we see his vicious side and the care and concern he has for Jim Hawkins.

I remember seeing this story decades ago as a young child. The violence in the movie (though there is minimal blood) seemed normal for a pirate movie. I also thought little of the drinking and smoking that occurred throughout the movie. Watching the movie as a parent, I was a little surprised at the violence, drinking and smoking that occur in this movie, but I also realize that I survived seeing all those things and, more importantly, I remember my enjoyment of the movie as a child; i.e., for those of you who think children should be protected from these images, get a life. Pirates drank, were violent and smoked. Disney managed to keep the rough stuff to a level that achieves a PG rating. If you object to drinking, smoking and violence in real life, then use this story to help explain why we do not do those things.

I do consider this movie a family movie, in spite of my comments above. You may wish to wait until the youngest in the family is 7 or 8 years old, just so that you can explain the effects of alcohol and smoking and that life in that era was very different from our life today.

Disney's version of "Treasure Island" is a grand classic. The movie does mute some of Stevenson's morality tale and does remove much of Stevenson's characterizations. These changes were necessary to adapt Stevenson's classic to a 96 minute film. In spite of those changes, "Treasure Island" survives as a marvelous coming-of-age story that is both entertaining and inspirational. My children loved this movie when they were in elementary school and I suspect yours will too.

Enjoy!

Great one.......2007-04-03

I bought this for my son because I wanted him to see the old classics instead of all that Nickeloden crap. It was a good one. We both enjoyed it very much.

The best adventure film for a kid ever! And us kids at heart. .......2007-01-19

Treasure Island has that magical touch to it Walt Disney was famous for. Treasure Island teachers one at a young age not everone is who they seem. Lots of good guys and bad guys and Pirate Treasure leads to a wild ride! This film should be required for all youngsters! There is a special place in my heart for this film. This was Robert Newton's finest hour playing Long John Silver!

Average customer rating:

A Cold War Classic
On the Beach, the original.
Still Relevant
A great premise that drowns in monotonous levels of mediocrity
On the Rocks

On the Beach
Starring: Gregory Peck , Ava Gardner , Fred Astaire , Anthony Perkins , and Donna Anderson
Director: Stanley Kramer
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Classics | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Genres | DVD | Video

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

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

Fail-safe (Special Edition)
On the Beach
Seven Days in May
Testament
The Day After

ASIN: B00004SGB5
Release Date: 2000-02-29

Amazon.com essential video

Stanley Kramer's 1959 antiwar movie looks like everything Kramer did: subtle as a car wreck but undeniably affecting. Gregory Peck plays a submarine commander looking for survivors in Australia after a nuclear holocaust. Ava Gardner is among them and, somewhat improbably under the circumstances, becomes his love interest. Fred Astaire and Anthony Perkins are among the characters awaiting death from the gradual spread of radiation from the north. One might scoff at Kramer's implicit finger-wagging about nuclear politics in this mad, mad, mad, mad world, but it is hard to stop watching this compelling drama all the same. --Tom Keogh

Description

The war is over. Nobody won. Only the inhabitants of Australia and the men of the US submarine Sawfish have escaped the nuclear destruction and radiation. Captain Dwight Towers (Gregory Peck) takes the Sawfish on a mission to see if an approaching radiation cloud has weakened, but returns with grim news: the cloud is lethal. With the days and hours dwindling, each person confronts the grim situation in his or her own way. One (Fred Astaire) realizes a lifetime Grand Prix ambition,another (Ava Gardner) reaches out for a chance at love. The final chapter of human history is coming to a close... From acclaimed director Stanley Kramer (The Defiant Ones, Inheritthe Wind) and screenwriter John Paxton comes this spectacular movie landmarka film masterpiece with a message that will resonate as long as the world has the power to self-destruct at its own fingertips.

Customer Reviews:

A Cold War Classic.......2007-05-20

On the Beach is truly an excellent Cold War Classic - I think this is
a movie everyone should see at least once. Fine acting by the best of
actors for its time. Get a copy for yourself and get a viewing audience
to watch it too.

On the Beach, the original........2007-05-12

This is one of the best cold war, end of the world, somebody dropped the bomb movies ever. Very thought provoking, especially if you live thru that era.

Still Relevant.......2007-04-16

This movie was science fiction. Absolutely.

But, seeing this movie again reminded me that the ideas in this movie are something we should still be thinking about.

A great premise that drowns in monotonous levels of mediocrity.......2007-02-15

When I read the synopsis of this 1959 film starring Gregory Peck, I had to get it. I had never heard of the film before, or the book that it is based on. The whole premise of a film coming up with an "alternative" history in a post apocalyptic setting back then intrigued me. Considering the scare of nuclear war and the consequences of radioactive fallout, I can see how this film at the time of its release, was perhaps more fearfully felt than enjoyed as a fictional tale. Considering it had one of my favorite actors from that era cast as the main star, I figured I couldn't go wrong. I was almost expecting a sort of Twilight Zone kind of setting, with the producers able to take this "what if" scenario and have a full reign on endless theories and imaginative portrayals.

The premise of the film is centered on an earth in which the typical "nuke shootout" has occurred in the year 1964. Gregory Peck stars as Dwight Towers, commander of a U.S. Submarine that has escaped the nuclear holocaust and eventually finds its way to what seems like a safe and inhabited area in Australia. Towers and his crew work with the people there in trying to establish communication with the outside world, although at this point it seems futile; The fallout will soon be upon this last resort on Earth. Towers sets out again to search for other areas and particularly has his eyes set on heading to San Francisco, where there are some strange transmissions being relayed that may be signs of life after all.

The plot and premise of this film are great, but I felt that overall it dragged on way too much. The first forty-five minutes seemed to take forever, and it wasn't until they were on the mission in the San Francisco bay that I really felt any "peril" for anyone in the movie. Much of this comes from the fact that none of the characters in the first hour seem to act like anything is wrong. They talk about the bombs and the outcome, and the possibility of death knocking at their door like they are visiting about some football game from a day before. The sailors portrayed, with the exception of a few, mostly just sit around looking like slackers. The "setup" of the film just never was strong enough for me to feel that it was an "End of World" type scenario.

A shining light in this film is Fred Astaire. Fred plays Julian Osbourne, a nuclear scientist who despite feeling the guilt of having a hand in one of mankind's deadliest inventions, gets to live out a dream of racing in a grand event. His speech on the sub about the irony of war, peace, and how the most noble of thoughts can lead to the deadliest of actions was spot on. It was a rather timeless and truthful look at things that doesn't sound dated at all. Ava Gardner plays Moira, a possible love interest for Towers, but even her and Anthony Perkins roles in this film seemed to slow, and by the time any emotion or feelings are shown, it just doesn't come across as realistic.

Not terrible, and some hail it a great classic. As I said, the plot and its outlying ideas are there, and some of the scenes of a dead San Francisco add to the charm of this film's portrayal of mankind's "final days", but with so much of the dialogue void of strength and emotion and a finality that takes what seems like an eternity to reach, it just isn't as good as it could have been. Overall it is not the story, but the disjointed way it is told that is an issue. I've seen Gregory Peck in a multitude of films and I must say that his character in this one didn't do HIM justice.

On the Rocks .......2007-02-02

Nothing is worse than Hollywood when it preaches. You half expect Al Gore to make a cameo appearance, wailing hysterically about "climate change". But I guess in 1959, he was sitting on his mom's lap, singing "Look for the Union Label." It's a shame to see so much talent go up in politically correct smoke.

Average customer rating:

Got Boringly Familiar
eye opening movie
Human life is the currency of those powerful enough to control the blood diamond trade
Excellent action sequences and an all around magnificent movie
HAHAHA!!! THIS MOVIE IS SOO FUNNY!!!!!

Blood Diamond (Full Screen Edition)
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio , Djimon Hounsou , Jennifer Connelly , Kagiso Kuypers , and Arnold Vosloo
Director: Edward Zwick
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

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

( B ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
ASIN: B000MZHW4A
Release Date: 2007-03-20

Amazon.com

Description

Customer Reviews:

Got Boringly Familiar.......2007-07-05

Yes, there is action. Yes, there is decent acting. But ultimately, it becomes another preachy, and bogged down film.

eye opening movie.......2007-06-27

Human life is the currency of those powerful enough to control the blood diamond trade.......2007-06-23

Excellent action sequences and an all around magnificent movie.......2007-06-22

HAHAHA!!! THIS MOVIE IS SOO FUNNY!!!!!.......2007-06-19

Average customer rating:

Perfect.
Thief & pirate, but a hero all the same
Swashbuckling entertainment at its finest!
A Wonderful Nostalgic Afternoon at the Movies!
Flynn's first and best remembered swashbuckler

Captain Blood
Starring: Errol Flynn , Olivia de Havilland , Lionel Atwill , Basil Rathbone , and Ross Alexander
Director: Michael Curtiz , Joseph Henabery , and Lloyd French
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

Classics | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

Swashbucklers | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

Adventure | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video