A Single Girl

Starring:Virginie Ledoyen, BenoÃ®t Magimel, Dominique ValadiÃ©, VÃ©ra Briole, Virginie Emane, Michel Bompoil, Aladin Reibel, Jean-ChrÃ©tien Sibertin-Blanc, Guillemette Grobon, Toni Cecchinato, Giulia Urso, MatÃ©o Blanc, Jean-Claude Frissung, HervÃ© Gamelin, Catherine Guittoneau, Thang-Long
Director: BenoÃ®t Jacquot
Studio: Fox Lorber
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com
Next to the blandly flawless feminist heroines played by Demi Moore and Meg Ryan in American movies, Valerie (Virginie Ledoyen), the protagonist in BenoÃ®t Jacquot's excellent French film A Single Girl, boasts a whole catalog of shortcomings. Yes, she is young and beautiful (movies are movies, even in the French realist tradition), but she is also selfish, uncertain, irresponsible, and occasionally cruel. Moore's example to the contrary, it's hard to be a saint when you're about to become a single mom, when your boyfriend has been languishing on unemployment, when your own mother behaves more like a dependent child, and when the first job you've been able to find in a year is as a room-service waiter in a luxury hotel.

Amazon.com

The Goodbye Girl is a bittersweet comedy about relationships and taking chances. Though it deals with the human condition, what most quickly comes to mind are those wickedly comedic scenes featuring Richard Dreyfuss in an Oscar-winning role. He plays a struggling actor with a sharp tongue who has sublet an apartment from single mom Marcia Mason, a divorcée with horrific taste in men, who are always running out on her. She is left high and dry once more, stuck sharing her apartment with Dreyfuss when he hasn't the heart to enforce his lease and toss out mother and daughter.

Neil Simon's play shines under the direction of Herbert Ross as these two mismatched people find their contempt changing into mutual admiration. Quinn Cummings is more interesting than most precocious child stars; she seems brighter and her manner is prickly instead of cloying. Watch this film just for the scene in which Dreyfuss plays Richard III in an off-off-Broadway play. He lisps, he limps, he screams. It is the worst theater you will ever see--and thoroughly hilarious. --Rochelle O'Gorman

Customer Reviews:

My Wife's Favorite Movie.......2007-06-28

Richard Dreyfuss, Marsha Mason, great story, romantic, funny and extremely well written. Why they even thought to remake this 1977 classic for television is beyond me. You just don't find chemistry on film like this very often. Richard Dreyfuss won a much deserved Academy Award for his outstanding performance, and Marsha Mason was perfect as these two performers jelled into one of the best and funniest love relationships ever.

I had to buy this DVD for my wife, who could watch this movie morning, noon and night. A real Hollywood romantic comedy that set the tone for all that followed. Quinn Cummings will win your heart over as the young daughter of Marsha Mason. An extremely entertaining experience for adult couples, yet gentle enough for younger teens as well.

Golden Oldie!!!.......2007-05-18

This movie is one of Neil Simon's best, especially with the addition of Marsha Mason(his real-life wife!!) It is a fun, real life story and I loved it!!
Richard Dreyfuss is so young in this and I'm sure starting his brillant career
If you want a "feel-good" somewhat chick flick, then this is a sure bet, and I feel it is timeless!!!

The Goodbye Girl.......2007-05-13

Super movie. Funny, yet sophisticated! Both Richard Dreyfuss and Marsha Mason are terrific! And so is "the kid"! Too bad they don't make 'em like this anymore!

Goodbye Girl.......2007-03-26

First saw this years ago, but never forgot it. A very funny, intelligent, typical Neil Simon film. Simply heartwarming.

a great Neil Simon story adapted for the screen.............2007-03-14

THE GOODBYE GIRL is a wonderful Neil Simon romantic comedy (with emphasis on screwball). The film takes the formula of THE ODD COUPLE (another wonderful film that examines the relationship between a pair of opposites trying to compromise in a living situation) with a twist. Paula McFadden (Marsha Mason) is an out-of-work dancer and single mother whose boyfriend has abandoned her and her young daughter, Lucy (Quinn Cummings)--not a surprise. However, he also subletted the apartment to his out-of-work actor friend, Elliot Garfield (Richard Dreyfuss). This wasn't what Paula had in mind. This wasn't what Elliot had in mind. Nevertheless, the eccentric Elliot--who chants and eats odd, diet specific food-- and the embittered Paula, who has vowed to stay away from actors--must agree to tolerate each other (to put it nicely). This doesn't come easily.

This film has so many wonderful and funny scenes, and Marsha Mason and Richard Dreyfuss have wonderful screen chemistry even when they are at each other's throats. Wonderfully entertaining......Dreyfuss basically steals the movie. You'll love it.

Average customer rating:

GOTTA LOVE LINDSAY LOHAN =)
Lindsay and Tyra
I Loved It
Life-Size
Horrid, Horrid, Horrid!

Life-Size
Starring: Lindsay Lohan , Jere Burns , Anne Marie Loder , Garwin Sanford , and Tom Butler
Director: Mark Rosman
Manufacturer: Walt Disney Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 6305870179
Release Date: 2000-05-30

Amazon.com

Unhappy and lonely after her mother's death, Casey (Lindsay Lohan) attempts to resurrect her mother, but a minor mishap changes the results of her spell and brings an unwanted doll named Eve (Tyra Banks) to life instead. Eve is elated when she first encounters the smells and flavors of real life, but is shocked to realize that she's not the perfect role model she's always considered herself to be. Casey initially despises Eve--she never wanted this doll in the first place and now she's ruined her chances of bringing her mother back to life. But as Eve grows, she brings out the best in Casey, encouraging her to renew old friendships and spurring personal growth and healing. Even Casey's father (Jere Burns) rises above his grief and builds a better relationship with his daughter as a result of his interaction with Eve. This is an entertaining, 89-minute video that juxtaposes the stresses and disappointments of the real world, with their accompanying potential for personal growth, against what initially appears to be a stereotypically idyllic world. What makes the movie powerful is its suggestion that that ideal world is inherently flawed. Performances by Lindsay Lohan (The Parent Trap), supermodel Tyra Banks (Higher Learning), and Jere Burns (television's Something So Right) are very good. The story, while based on a fairly unreal premise, successfully explores some very real issues facing kids today. --Tami Horiuchi

Description

This dazzling comic fantasy stars popular Lindsay Lohan (THE PARENT TRAP) and top fashion model Tyra Banks (HIGHER LEARNING) in a delightfully entertaining tale of a young girl's toy that turns out to be a truly living doll! Sad and lonely after the death of her mother, Casey (Lohan) would do anything to see her again. But when a series of mystic mishaps mistakenly bring her fasion doll "Eve" (Banks) to life instead, it changes Casey's world forever! Heartwarming and lots of fun, the magical story of this happy accident captures a spirit your family will want to relive again and again!

Customer Reviews:

GOTTA LOVE LINDSAY LOHAN =).......2007-04-11

This movie is so cute and funny. I was suprised Tyra Banks acted so well. No suprise Lindsay did. Highly reccommend this movie. Your kids will love it. Also reccommend Lindsay's other movies...The Parent Trap, Get A Clue, Freaky Friday, Confessions Of A Teenage Drama Queen, Mean Girls, Herbie Fully Loaded, Just My Luck, A Prairie Home Companion and Bobby

Lindsay and Tyra.......2007-03-28

We really enjoyed the movie. Tyra Banks surprised with her singing. We kept singing Eve's theme for days after we saw the movie. Cool! Cute. Fresh. And filled with moral lessons to parents!!! Worth buying it.

I Loved It.......2007-01-16

i am 17 now but i first watched the the film when i was 10. i absolutely loved it and went on amazon recently to try and find it again. it was so cheap so i bought it and although i thought that maybe as im older now i wouldnt enjoy i absolutely did STILL! me my momma and dad and sister watched it and we really liked it. buy it,it's worth it however im not too sure if my dad loved it

Life-Size.......2007-01-10

Brought this tape for my daughter and it was misplaced. I looked in stores for weeks and could not find it. Went on line to Amazon and found it at the right price. Ordered the tape and it came immediately. She loves the movie and I loved the price.

Horrid, Horrid, Horrid!.......2006-12-03

I will never ever touch this horrid movie again.In this movie under all the goody goody, they have witchcraft.I am 14 but this movie is not near worth giving my email address for. My name is Caroline and I hate this movie

Average customer rating:

STRANGE YET HAUNTINGLY BEAUTIFUL
A creepy and tragic story
Hideo Nakata is amazing!!!
Curse of the Backpack
Dark Water (Japanese Version)

Dark Water
Starring: Hitomi Kuroki , Rio Kanno , Mirei Oguchi , Asami Mizukawa , and Fumiyo Kohinata
Director: Hideo Nakata
Manufacturer: Adv Films
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0009KA2UO
Release Date: 2005-06-21

Amazon.com

Dark Water is Japanese horror auteur Hideo Nakata's return to the genre after his Ring cycle made you too scared to watch television ever again. Where Ringu dealt with a supernatural force wreaking revenge via technology, this film is a much more traditional ghost story. After winning a custody battle for her daughter, single mother Yoshimi moves into what she thinks is the perfect apartment with her daughter Hitomi. No sooner have they unpacked than strange things begin to disturb their new life. A water leak from the supposedly abandoned apartment above gets bigger and bigger, a child's satchel reappears even though Yoshimi throws it away several times, and she is haunted by the image of a child wearing a yellow mackintosh who bears a striking resemblance to a young girl who disappeared several years before. The conventional narrative follows Yoshimi's increasingly desperate attempts to discover who or what force is haunting her daughter, but the story's execution is far from predictable. Nakata is the master of understated suspense: there's always a feeling of motiveless malignancy that runs like an undercurrent through his films--far more frightening than out and out shocks--and here he also practically drowns his audience in water imagery. The film is saturated; the relentless dripping in the apartment, the constant rain outside and the deliberately washed-out photography make any color, such as the yellow coat, seem incongruous and unsettling. Nakata also clears the film of unnecessary characters--this is an almost deserted Tokyo--preferring to concentrate the action on Yoshimi's rising hysteria as she struggles to understand what is happening and how to save her daughter. Granted, the special effects are somewhat unconvincing and the ending confused, but even so the result is a stylish and disquieting chiller that will do for bathtubs what his Ring films did for video recorders. --Kristen Bowditch

Description

No one loses their mind instantly - Sanity seeps away one drop at a time. Yoshimi simply wanted a better life - for both herself and her daughter Ikuko. Unfortunately, such wishes may sometimes be hard to come by. The custody battle has grown embittered and hurtful, her new job is less than desirable, and Ikuko's schoolwork has taken a turn for the worse. But, Yoshimi has something bigger to worry about. Something upstairs. Something cold and dank. Something that should have never been.

Customer Reviews:

STRANGE YET HAUNTINGLY BEAUTIFUL.......2007-06-26

I loved this movie. The mother's devotion toward her child was so strong and intense that I found myself crying at the end. The plot is really simple. Ghost wants Yoshimi (mother) to be her mother and is jealous of Ikuko (the daughter). Yoshimi is paranoid about what ghost is going to do to Ikuko.

Yoshimi is over-stressed. She is recently divorced, going through an ugly custody battle, she has to find a job and a new place to live. And then there's the ghost to deal with.

The ghost to me was more of a sad little creature than a menacing threat. But Yoshimi does not see things that way and ultimately sacrifices herself to save her daughter.

I owned this DVD long before the American version came out and I am happy that was the case. As usual, American film-makers bastardize incredible Asian movies, simplifying them to the point they are not even interesting. Such is the case with America's Dark Water.

If you want to truly enjoy this movie, buy the Asian version and watch it in the original language with English subtitles.

A creepy and tragic story.......2007-06-04

Having watched both the Japanese and Hollywood remake of Dark Water, I prefer the Japanese version [though the remake is watchable]. The Japanese version just seemed more creepy, and the acting was a whole lot better. The story centers around Yoshimi [Hitomo Kuroki], who is in the midst of an acrimonious divorce and heated custody battle with her soon-to-be ex-husband over their 5 yr old daughter, Ikuko [Rio Kanno]. Having no stable income of her own, Yoshimi is forced to lease an apartment in a run-down apartment complex. Almost immediately, they experience strange things like a dark, wet stain on the bedroom's ceiling that never seems to dry up. Complaints to the management elicits no follow-up action and so Yoshimi tries to solve the mystery on her own. By this time, she has also found a job in a publishing firm and is trying to get her life on track, but the sinister goings-on at her apartment cause Yoshimi to question her sanity. Her daughter Ikuko keeps finding a red backpack that Yoshimi comes to fear for she instinctively realises its menace. At heart, this is not so much just a horror story but that of a mother-child relationship, played out both in the real world inhabited by Yoshimi and Ikuko, and also the world of the ghostly entity that has focussed its attention on Yoshimi. The struggles of a single parent are very well-explored here, and both the actresses who portray Yoshimi and Ikuko do a great job of portraying the mother-daughter dynamics. Yoshimi feels she is not a good mom for not being able to better provide for her daughter and another instance when she is late picking her daughter up from school. This is resolved in an ironic manner at the end...how far would a mother go to show her love for her child and protect her? A beautifully made movie, with an element of horror that not so much as startles you, but slowly and insidiously creeps up on you. A great addition to the J-horror genre.

Hideo Nakata is amazing!!!.......2007-05-17

He did it again! Hideo Nakata makes some of the best movies. No other director can set the mood like he can. He makes you feel so cut off from the rest of the world and that loneliness mkaes the movie that much more intense. The story is about a single mother going through an ugly divorce. To keep her daughter she must get a job and find a place to live. She settles for a somewhat run down apartment and from their strange things start to happen to the point where she questions her own sanity.

Great movie, great ending, just great you will not be let down

Curse of the Backpack.......2007-05-16

If Japan has their own version of Lifetime: Television for Women, this movie would run on there. The story was so dragged out, predictable and tired. I knew she fell into the water tank. I just knew it. Not scary. Red backpacks with bunnies are not frightening.

There is nothing unnerving about a puddle unless you have a sick dog in the house. Ok, you are a single mom who loves your kid so much you'll do anything for her-- including taking the place of a drowned girl's mother and care for her ghost forever to spare your child! Bravo! Mom of the year. I am not that in tune with Japanese ghost lore but I imagine little drowned girls with stringy hair play a big part of it because so many movies center around that theme.

I don't believe all horror needs gore to be scary, mind you but it would have helped this turkey fly. I really appreciate a good ghost story like the original version of The Haunting but haven't seen a Japanese film of that ilk to compare it to. If you want to see a cool Japanese horror movie try Ichi the Killer or Infection. Ichi for the gore if you like that sort of thing and Infection for a truly spooky mindbending experience.

I gave it two stars for being Asian horror because lord only knows how terrible the American version could possibly be. (I shudder to think)

Dark Water (Japanese Version).......2007-04-12

I had seen the film a couple of times before but never got the chance to see it beginning to end. I did very much enjoy this version. It tends to have a more dark and gloomy feeling to it. You're able to watch the movie in Japanese language with english subtitles, or if you prefer you may select to watch it in english dubbed. Either way, you'll enjoy the flick. I recommend this if you're into any of the Japanese horror, suspense, and mystery films.Ringu Anthology of Terror (Rasen/Ringu/Ringu 2/Ringu 0)

Average customer rating:

Great Movie!
a TV movie that you just might really enjoy
BETER THAN OTHER REVIEWS HAD POSTED!
Some Like It Others Don't!
Everyone Else Is Crazy!

The Goodbye Girl (2004 TV Movie)
Starring: Lynda Boyd , Dominic Colon , Alan Cumming , Joe D'Onofrio , and Jeff Daniels
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
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ASIN: B000228EYK
Release Date: 2004-07-20

Amazon.com

More than a quarter-century after Herbert Ross directed Richard Dreyfuss to an Oscar and made an indelible cinematic impression out of Neil Simon's The Goodbye Girl, a 2004 television remake starring Jeff Daniels and Patricia Heaton proved winning and funny in its own way. Daniels plays Elliot, an actor who subleases a New York City apartment already occupied by a dancer and single mom, Paula (Heaton), and her daughter (Hallie Kate Eisenberg). Focused on his stagecraft, Elliot is irked about sharing housing with strangers, and while Paula feels the same (to great comic effect), both come to lean on and finally love one another over time. The underrated Daniels is very good here, nuanced and thoughtful, and his work performing (as Elliot) in a stage production of Richard III is quite entertaining. Heaton is equally strong and frequently stirring; anyone with doubts about this film's casting will quickly forget them. --Tom Keogh

Description

The Goodbye Girl is a contemporary turn on Academy? Award-nominated Neil Simon's classic film about a dumped-on divorcee and an aspiring actor who become unwilling roommates in a New York City apartment.

Customer Reviews:

Great Movie!.......2006-07-23

Tis movie is so much better than the 1970's version with Dreyfuss and Mason. Heaton and Daniels are a much better matching couple. These people are so fitting and right for these roles of a struggling and a struggling house wife/ dancer! Thank you Richard Benjamin for a great movie and great entertaiment.

a TV movie that you just might really enjoy.......2006-04-03

This made-for-TV film is one that I felt instantly inclined to pick up on DVD when I came across it on Amazon, due mostly in part to the recognizable and talented cast. Patricia Heaton appeared in a couple movies and landed some guest spots on television series before her breakthrough on "Everybody Loves Raymond," but this is one of the few films in which she stars. Many sitcom actors experience some difficulty transitioning to film, but Heaton has an apparent ease on camera and performs this role quite well, despite the fact that it is so different from her gig as Debra on "Raymond." In fact, any fan of that show who is familiar with Heaton's tough-as-nails, take-no-crap-from-anybody role may be a bit humored to see her in this movie as a character who is bawling over a guy within the first five minutes, but for her it works just fine. Heaton has a definite knack for humor and sarcasm in her acting, which gives her a nice distinction and gives her onscreen success.

"The Goodbye Girl" is a simple, sweet story of a single mother with a wise-beyond-her-years daughter and a reputation for falling for and being dumped by several actor types. As the sweet but undeniably cliched plot continues, another actor enters her life and shows a definite potential to establish a family with Heaton and her child.

There is not a whole lot to the storyline and therefore not much to really comment on in that aspect, but the cast was well chosen and gives the movie a nice touch. Jeff Daniels is a genuinely funny actor with many humorous scenes here, and young child starlet Hallie Kate Eisenberg (remember those infamous Pepsi commercials?) maintains those classic out-of-control curls and river-deep dimples to give a believable portrayal as Patricia Heaton's 10-year-old daughter. Eisenberg has grown quite a bit since doing all those movies as a tiny little girl, but she works very well alongside Heaton and seems to be doing just fine as a preteen star. It is also nice to see Heaton playing such a large part with a child actress. Of course, she played a devoted and loving mother on "Raymond," but in that show we actually don't see her interacting that much with her kids--it is mostly suggestive that she is with them a lot of the time. This movie has her and Eisenberg interacting all the way through, and the fact that they are more like friends than mother and daughter gives them both some good improvisational material to work with.

In short, "The Goodbye Girl" is a movie worth renting or buying if you like the cast and would enjoy seeing a lighthearted and entertaining family story.

BETER THAN OTHER REVIEWS HAD POSTED!.......2006-01-08

I really enjoyed the show. It was a very funny and romanitic movie. The acting was very good and thescript was fine for television. I like Daniel over Dryfuss anyday. It is definetly worth a watch.

Some Like It Others Don't!.......2005-12-11

Okay I like this movie and found it almost as good as the original movie but I want to say that I thought it was mean and bratty for the previous reviewer to say that all of the other reviewers were crazy! I like this movie but I can understand and accept that not everyone liked it as much as I did and after all as they say everyone's entitled to their own opinions so just accept that and get over it! By the way I also disagree with the guy who said Hallie Kate Eisenberg was ugly. I personally think she is one of the most adorable child actresses ever!

Everyone Else Is Crazy!.......2005-10-11

I owned the soundtrack to the musical version of this on CD and liked it! So when I heard of a tv version I had to watch it! And I fell in love with it! I didn't know if this was going to go on dvd or not, so when I saw this at walmart I had to get it! I love it! All the other people who watched this movie and didn't like it were out of their mind! I like it much better than the 70's version!

Average customer rating:

A compelling story
If You Don't Like This You Don't Like Pickford
Beautiful
Marvelous Mary Pickford, A MUST
A film for Pickford fans

Tess of the Storm Country
Starring: Mary Pickford , Lloyd Hughes , Gloria Hope , David Torrence , and Forrest Robinson
Director: John S. Robertson
Manufacturer: Image Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 6305669236
Release Date: 1999-12-14

Amazon.com

Tess of the Storm Country might be seen as the archetypal Mary Pickford film. Pickford plays Tessibel Skinner, a dirt-poor fisherman's daughter living with a community of squatters in ramshackle huts by the water's edge. Tess was reportedly one of Pickford's favorite roles (both in this 1922 version and in an earlier one, shot in 1914), and it shows. She brings a sparkling energy to her performance. Dressed in rags, her hair a frazzled mop, she creates an indelible character. ("The more ragged and dirty I look, the better I can play," declared Pickford in a 1914 Photoplay Magazine interview.)

Every man in squatter town has eyes for the beautiful, fearless Tess, from brutish Ben Letts (Jean Hersholt) to pathetic Ezra Longman (Danny Hoy). But Tess's heart belongs to her sweet daddy (Forrest Robinson). High on a hill above these indigent folk dwells the wealthy Graves family. Father Elias (David Torrence) considers the squatters a stench in his nostrils and tries to evict them; son Frederick (Lloyd Hughes) sympathizes with them and falls in love with Tess; daughter Teola (Gloria Hope) finds her life becoming inextricably bound with Tess's, in ways neither girl could have imagined.

Like so many films in which Mary Pickford appears, Tess of the Storm Country pits rich against poor. In the microcosm of this movie, the rich are steeped in moral turpitude; it takes poor, pure-hearted Tess to, in the words of a chastened Elias Graves, teach them the true "meaning of Christianity." This densely plotted picture also takes on such weighty themes as murder, perjury, out-of-wedlock pregnancy, suicide, and attempted rape. A rousing melodrama, the film draws the viewer right in and doesn't let go until its riveting climax. --Laura Mirsky

Description

America's sweetheart, Mary Pickford, in a powerful story of survival. In this all-fired melodrama, wealthy Elias Graves builds a house on a hill and tries unsuccessfully to evict the squatters who live in the valley below. Tess (Pickford) leads the squatters' struggle for survival and wins the sympathy and love of Graves's son, Frederick. This 1922 remake of Pickford's 1914 version of the same story demonstrates the remarkable growth of Pickford as an actress, producer and filmmaker--and of cinema itself.

Customer Reviews:

A compelling story.......2006-02-02

This is a really compelling drama, and a film that easily would have been in the running for at least one Academy had the awards existed in 1922. The basic outline of the story is that Elias Graves, an unfeeling capitalist, is trying to drive away the poor squatters living at the bottom of his hill. He lives in a lovely mansion with his two children (his wife is deceased) while they live in poverty and in shacks. This part of the plot is a compelling portrayal of the eternal class struggle and the exploitation of the poor and working-classes by the rich. Mary Pickford's character, Tess, has caught the eye of a number of the young men living in her neighborhood at the bottom of the hill, although she doesn't care for any of them. By far the most aggressive suitor is Ben Letts, who isn't a very nice guy, to say the very least. Ben eventually frames Tess's father for the murder of Teola Graves's fiancé Daniel. This not only devastates Tess, who maintains her father's innocence all during his incarceration and trial, but also Teola. Not only has Teola lost the man she loves, but she had also recently told Daniel that he had gotten her into trouble and they would have to be married sooner than planned. (Many modern audiences today, particularly the younger generation, wouldn't realise that that meant Teola was pregnant.) Mr. Graves himself has been out of town while these things have been going on, so this buys Teola some time. Meanwhile Tess and Frederick, Teola's brother, have developed feelings for one another, but a romance seems out of the question since they come from different classes. Trouble develops when Fred comes home from college and sees his sister and Tess together, with the baby who has since been born. He believes it is Tess's illegitimate child, and feels lied to and betrayed. He now believes she is an immoral woman. Things get even more complicated when Mr. Graves comes back to town. All in all, this is the stuff of compelling drama. (It would have been a nice treat if the original 1914 version of this story Mary did had been included as an extra, particularly since her leading man in that version was Harold Lockwood, and that is one of the few surviving films of this extremely popular but today all but forgotten actor.)

To many people in the modern audience, however, pivotal parts of the story may now seem dated. People today are so used to people having children without being married that it seems like a completely different world where it was actually a disgrace and a scandal to get caught in the family way, and then worse yet to have the child's father die before a wedding could occur. This movie never even uses the word "pregnant," and it does sort of suspend the modern person's sense of disbelief that Teola is never shown to actually be pregnant. She looks exactly the same at the beginning of the story as she does when Tess finds her about to about to take her own life and saves her, taking her back to her house so she can give birth. It's hard to believe that people once thought it was disgusting and improper to show a pregnant woman on the screen. I also found the story to be a little preachy in spots, with some rather heavy-handed Christocentric messages.

There's also the issue of the quality of the print. Obviously some of the frames are not in a very good state, but it seems clear that that is the result of disintegration of the film stock, not a blurry print that wasn't given a better digital remastering. People who complain too much about the quality of the print often miss the bigger picture, and it's not as though we should expect every single silent film to be as crystal-clear and beautifully preserved as 'Cobra' or 'The Garden of Eden.' Isn't it better this film still exists and is in pretty good overall condition than to have it lost or so far along in its disintegration that nothing can be done to save it?

If You Don't Like This You Don't Like Pickford.......2005-09-16

This movie might subtly endorse bad hygiene, but I have to get over that. This is a must if you have seen other Pickford movies and liked them. If you haven't, it is still recommended as a beginning point.

Tess is the quintessential Pickford spitfire - a beautiful but dirty, intelligent but uneducated hellion. None of her emotions seem genuine; even in the serious parts of the movie she is emotionally detached from the story. That isn't a bad thing; how can one take such an implausible story seriously? Mary Pickford wasted her talent and most of her career on dated melodramas that are barely watchable today, but movies like these are gems.

Just consider one scene where she is seen peering through the bars of the rich antagonist's front gate, making monkey faces at him. And when she is asked how she got a hold of the bible that she moralizes from, she replies "I cribbed it from the church." [SPOILER] There is a fight scene where she is the damsel, but not a distressed one - she eggs the fight on, and when the hero begins to lose to the villain she gets impatient and smashes a chair over the villain's head. End of that.

The movie is far from perfect -- the characters are archetypal and the plot is too dramatic to happen in real life -- but the real reason to watch this is to see Pickford herself. Her personality, energetic disposition, and remarkably photogenic face carry this and nearly every other movie she's in. The plot and other characters are just a means to provide her with a showcase. If you don't like this movie -- and it's fair if you don't -- you won't like any Mary Pickford movies and I can't recommend them to you, either.

Beautiful.......2003-07-07

I was apprehensive when I first started watching this movie. I am usually not a big fan of 'heartwarming stories' with poor girls who prove their worth, but I wanted to see the movie Mary thought important enough to re-make.

This is an amazing film!

Although some of it has been damaged over time, like a blurry scene in the beginning that seems clouded over with water damage where Tess dances around, it is easy to understand and engaging. Mary Pickford handles the inspirational cliché plot with seriousness that allows many audiences to relate.

I definitely recommend this movie. Even if you aren't a fan of silent movies, Mary will grab your attention and you'll find it hard to look away.

Marvelous Mary Pickford, A MUST.......2001-10-16

There is little doubt as to Mary Pickford's brilliance. As a silent screen star she was not the most beautiful nor the MOST dramatic, but she was by far one of the most marvelous stars on the silent screen. With expressions and mannerisms so refined and masterful and ability that far exceeded many of those around her she made any role a GREAT one.

"Tess of the Storm Country" is a masterful film. It really does show Mary Pickford at "top form" her acting is superb and her performance clearly does her justice. The film quality is not as good as some of her other roles that have been transposed to DVD but if you love Mary you MUST watch this movie.

Mary Pickford plays "Tess" a fisherman's daughter who lives in a shanty town just below the "hill toppers" a rich family whose patriarch despises his low brow "neighbors". With manipulation and cruelty he will do anything, even use his daughters would be fiancee to get rid of the shanty people to give him an "unrestricted" view of the water. Mary Pickford plays Tess with vitality, warmpth, and a certain rough neck edge that will have you laughing and crying at the same time. Tess eventually catches the eye and the heart of a rich young man, who... oh no happens to be the "hill toppers" college bound son. With classic twists and many developments "Tess of the Storm Country" will captivate you. Be aware that this movie has a heavy Christian theme and is quite "heavy handed" when doling out its doses of morality. There is little doubt as to the good vs. evil in this film and the ideal of sinners and repenters. However, "Tess of the Storm Country" is a certain MUST for all Pickford fans.

A film for Pickford fans.......2001-01-09

Tess of the Storm Country is one of Mary Pickford's best films. This was the first of her films which I saw and rather got me hooked, for I have gone on to buy four other Pickford DVDs. It may be that her style is somewhat out of favour now, but she is often funny and in this film shows great personality. It is true that the print quality of this edition is not always perfect. There are signs of decay of the film stock, but one has to accept this when one watches silent films. I would rather watch a slightly damaged 'complete' print than one that has been edited. The DVD box is not misleading if the print it describes is the best available, the best available undoubtedly is this print. Anyway why not focuss on what we have, which is a highly enjoyable film with a delightful story and star performance? There is no point grieving over what we have lost forever, i.e. a perfect print. Perfect prints of silent movies will rarely be available to us now, but that is no reason to ignore a style of filmaking which at its best is unforgettable.

Windstruck (ALL Region - Single Disc Edition) DVD

Average customer rating:

Windstruck (ALL Region - Single Disc Edition) DVD

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Product Features:

Company's logo seal (front & back)
All Region NTSC disc

ASIN: B000H9A2XO

Product Description

pink cover with company's logo seal (front & back).

Average customer rating:

Not bad at all
I want to knock up Virginie Ledoyen
Young and proud and fearless.
Excellent commentary on relationships
An outstanding film, but probably not for all tastes.

A Single Girl
Starring: Virginie Ledoyen , Benoît Magimel , Dominique Valadié , Véra Briole , and Virginie Emane
Director: Benoît Jacquot
Manufacturer: Fox Lorber
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Lie With Me
Humanité
Kissing on the Mouth
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Dog Days (aka Hundstage)

ASIN: B00004TBFS
Release Date: 2000-07-05

Amazon.com

Next to the blandly flawless feminist heroines played by Demi Moore and Meg Ryan in American movies, Valerie (Virginie Ledoyen), the protagonist in Benoît Jacquot's excellent French film A Single Girl, boasts a whole catalog of shortcomings. Yes, she is young and beautiful (movies are movies, even in the French realist tradition), but she is also selfish, uncertain, irresponsible, and occasionally cruel. Moore's example to the contrary, it's hard to be a saint when you're about to become a single mom, when your boyfriend has been languishing on unemployment, when your own mother behaves more like a dependent child, and when the first job you've been able to find in a year is as a room-service waiter in a luxury hotel.

Description

A day in the life of a young Parisian woman, Valerie, shot in real time. Follow Valerie around as she meditates on the paths of human nature she crosses, sometimes comic, sometimes hostile, which lead her to make important decisions about her future.

Customer Reviews:

Not bad at all .......2007-05-06

A pleasant surprise and not without some thought provoking action. Many scenes are very easy on the eyes too .

I want to knock up Virginie Ledoyen.......2006-10-14

What a fine-lookin' baby this hot white white-hot French gal would give me! Dayum! That's some kinda booty!

Young and proud and fearless........2005-07-02

The heroine, Valerie, played by Virginie Ledoyen, is young, proud, and fearless. In a culture, where individualism and rationalism have reached their logical extreme, the only force that is left to work free is the physical beauty that has not been tamed or tainted by the insatiable desires of the old and aged ones. Valerie is too young to know that her beauty will fade one day, and her power will be gone. She enjoys others attentions, and she disdains their lack of spirit.
If you find the above introduction confusing, you should watch the film. The film portrays a young woman, who courageously makes tough choices, despite all the external forces that attempt to pull her life apart into pieces. Many forces are at work here, but Valerie decides not to succomb to "others", but to make her life beautiful. It's a story of triumph.

Excellent commentary on relationships.......2002-12-06

Although this movie seems to center on the scintillatingly beautiful Virginie Ledoyen, it actually provides an in-depth portrait of the nature of relationships. While trying to make a decision about her life, Ledoyen encounters a number of characters, each engaged in a negative relationship. She witnesses the joys and pitfalls of the people she meets, and the sight of each hurtful relationship seems to make her withdraw. The triumph of the movie is watching Ledoyen grow more remote and distant with each encounter, leading to her own seemingly baffling decision at the end of the movie.

I would encourage anyone to watch this movie and understand that it is more than a story about Ledoyen's character-it is a commentary piece, with Ledoyen representing the audience. Five stars.

An outstanding film, but probably not for all tastes........2002-01-08

Like Godard's VIVRE SA VIE, A SINGLE GIRL is ultimately an affectionate character study of its leading lady, Virginie Ledoyen. Thus, how you respond to this film will depend on how captivated you are by Ledoyen's performance. Prior to viewing A SINGLE GIRL, I was somewhat baffled by her rise to something of cult status in French cinema. Yes, as one reviewer mentioned, she has a cute face, but there is no shortage of cute faces in cinema these days. What is most striking about Ledoyen's performance in A SINGLE GIRL, and what really convinced me of her talent, is the depth and range of feeling she is able to convey just by her movements and expressions. Although she is on screen for the whole picture, she has relatively few lines, and what her character does say, is usually evasive. And yet in order to sell her character, Ledoyen must make her viewer feel the anxiety of a young woman confronting an uncertain situation. One of the more remarkable passages of this film is when Ledoyen calls her mother, and in that phone conversation attempts to tell her mother everything without saying much of anything. It is a riveting scene which has her character searching for maternal affection, while trying to mask her vulnerability.

Description

Early in the 1900s, a rural Indiana girl seeks to get an education and follow her dreams in spite of the obstacles that surround her. Elnora Comstock's fascination with nature feeds her desire to get an education, but her widowed mother calls her goal of attending high school a foolish dream. Elnora finds comfort in the intricate world of the Limberlost and her friendship with wealthy naturalist, Mrs. Porter. When unexpected taxes come due on the farm, Elnora's mother needs help bringing in the harvest. Elnora must give up school to save their home. As Elnora fights to rescue her dreams, she discovers a world of opportunity and learns truth behind her mother's anger and her own mysterious past.

Customer Reviews:

Love the movie, the DVD is a mess.......2006-08-29

How is it possible that a DVD gets released with no audio track? I love this movie and was thrilled to see it released. Imagine my surprise when I went to watch it and there is no audio. I thought something must be wrong with my DVD player. Why has this happened, and has it been corrected?

Amazon's DVD has no sound track........2005-03-25

None of Amazon's DVDs of this movie have a sound track.
It is cruel to offer it to unsuspecting customers with no sound track.

DRIFTS AWAY FROM THE ORIGINAL AT CRUCIAL POINTS........2005-02-13

The fourth essay at converting Geneva (Gene) Stratton-Porter's most popular novel for the screen, this version conflicts markedly with the original story while yet managing to make a faithful adaptation of the book's pre-Great War era in a visually appealing film, with beautiful southern Oregon locations standing in for the author's eastern Indiana setting. Stratton-Porter is inserted into the scenario as the "Bird-Woman" of the Limberlost Swamp region, here played sensitively by Joanna Cassidy, and the naturalist writer's endeavours with camera, notebooks, and glass photographic plates is accurately rendered, even to a mention of her watercolour tinting for illustrations in a published volume of nature studies, but there are significant alterations in the characters of Elnora Comstock (Heather Fairchild) and her embittered widowed mother Kate (Annette O'Toole) that result in flaws of logic surrounding their actions. Since this product comes from Feature Films For Families, it was possibly deemed discreet to eliminate the important reference to Elnora's father's marital infidelity, but nothing is provided here to replace it in context, while the omission of the neighbouring childless couple, the Sintons, with their supportive counsel of Elnora; and of Phillip, beau of the young farm girl, are unfilled voids. The dramatic act of Kate that results in a climactic clash between mother and daughter is weakly altered and Fairchild's sporadic Valley Girl diction and mannerisms are not harmonious with O'Toole's more accurate dialect, especially since the two have lived only with each other since the girl's birth 16 years prior, but Fairchild nicely interprets Elnora's struggle to balance her desire for self-improvement with her loyalty to her mother and to their tax-endangered farm. Direction is pedestrian, and a minimalist score is nonspecific, but the sets and costumes are splendidly crafted.

This was GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!.......2003-11-24

We read this book years back,and was excited to see that it was made into a movie. As with most of the books made into movies-this was not exactlly as the book.But,we all cried throughout the movie.The valuable lessons portrayed and the beauty of music were excellent.Our daughter fell in love with the violin and music from that film.She is still music hungry and is learning to play an instrument.
If you have a child that desires to learn to play any instrument-or you want to teach some valuable life lessons here-buy this movie.It is a MUST have.Believe me,it will be replayed over and over again!
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA++++++++++++++++++++++
From VA.

Horrible!.......2003-01-20

"A Girl of the Limberlost" is one of my favorite books. I was so happy when I discovered it had been made into a movie. How disappointed I was that the movie was just terrible! The movie ended in the middle of the book leaving me to say, "huh?" when the credits started to role. The movie illiminated three major characters crucial to the plot and the charm of the book and altered one character so badly that the essence of his personality was completed misinterpreted. The pacing of this movie was slow, slow, slow. I suffered through it. Save your money! It's not even worth renting. What a shame that a beautifully written book did not translate to video. A great opportunity was missed! Save your time and money!

Average customer rating:

Pretty good

The Young Girl and the Monsoon
Starring: Mili Avital , Daniela Bar-Illan , Brian Flaherty , Tina Flaherty , and Patricia Francy
Manufacturer: Vanguard Cinema
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B000095J4Z
Release Date: 2003-07-29

Description

Raising a teenage daughter in Manhattan can be a scary proposition. For a single father in a mid-life crisis things are outright dicey. Hank (Kinney) has kept his private life mostly away from his teenage daughter Constance (Muth), who most of the time lives with her mother. When Constance's mother leaves the country for awhile, she moves in with her father and the two are in for a surprise. Constance is a beautiful mass of crazy contradictions, with eating habits careening between starvation and gorging. With her long, thin legs twisting like straws she tells dirty jokes and develops boy crushes almost daily. Hank, a successful war news photographer has hidden his work out of sight to protect his daughter just as he has kept his occasional girlfriends (Avital) stored in the closet as well. As their worlds collide amidst cosmic mood swings, the two rediscover their father-daughter relationship to realize that they like each other as much as they are alike.

Customer Reviews:

Pretty good.......2002-12-27

I watched this movie like last night on HBO, and I thought it was good. Unfortunately, I can't remember enough to give what would be a good review.
It's about a divorced father whose daughter lives with him, and stuff happens. He's a photojournalist that goes to war stricken areas, which seems to upset his daughter. She is thirteen years old, very emotional, somewhat weird (hmm...I think that's why I liked the movie, being 14 yrs old and all). He had been in a relationship for about a year, but had kept it a secret from his daughter.

Description

Nam-woo lives in a seaside village with his widowed mother, his grandmother and his cat, Yo. Unfortunately, his grandmother is ailing, his cat constantly runs away, his mother spends most of her time with her new boyfriend, and, to top it all off, his best friend is moving to Seoul! Overwhelmed by feelings of abandonment, Nam-woo escapes into a fantastic dream world where he meets the mysterious Mari. As two young boys discover the true meaning of friendship, they must also learn the difference between fantasy and reality. With stunning visuals and a haunting score, My Beautiful Girl, Mari, will enchant and mesmerize you.

Customer Reviews:

i agree with p.a. clark.......2005-09-21

the story was lacking. its ok to be imaginative and show what its like to be a kid, but if that exceeds, then it gets vague. and thats what i felt. also, it didnt seem like there was any difference from the main characters younger age and his older self, it left me viewing him as a mental patient. the graphics are pretty, the music was beautiful, and that last song reminded me of "neverending story".

Nice look, story is wanting though!.......2005-09-06

I have to say I was taken in by the packaging of this film while browsing the anime section in a DVD store. I was originally out to find some good anime for my daughter that wasn't to violent or nasty. This film did satisfy those criteria but never brings a suitable plot to light.

In the film Nam-woo is coming of age and about to make changes in his life. He is about to start a new school, and his mom is begining to date a new guy since his father died. Then he stumbles into a fantasy world where everything is like a fairytale. He meets Mari there and she talks to him in his head. While there he sees a calm relaxing world that he enjoys escaping too, but never really interacts with. By the end of the film he looses touch with his fantasy world, and moves on with his life.

Well the film really did have potential, but the way it was executed made it seem like it was dragging the viewer along to a climax that never comes. For one, Nam-woo keeps going back and forth to the fantasy world, but dosn't do anything there. No adventure, no conflict, hardly any interaction with Mari. In his real world he always withdraws from people, so we never get to see any real human interaction either. I think the main problem I was having with the film was the lack of a clear direction. It should have focused on the fantasy world and put Nam-woo there for most of the film, or at least zeroed in on his friends at school and the conflicts and situations they were having. There was one female character who could have provided a decent plot for Nam-woo and his friend, but the director never shows us that path. It wasn't just me having a hard time getting into the film. My daughter lost intrest in it too, which makes it a poor choice for a child's film also.

As far as the tech aspects go, ADV is the release company. The disc has the origianl Korean along with an English dubbed language soundtrack. It is also in widescreen.

I could only give the film 2 stars for the animation style which was good(discounting the characters who wern't animated very intrestingly) and the fantasy world for the ideas and creativity there.

Overall I'd say this a rental film only. It dosn't have much replay value to it, and in my book good animation is only half the battle in making an animated classic. Story is the other half, and when you have animated classics out there like Spirited Away, Grave of the Fire Flies, and Castle in the Sky, you can't skimp on the story. There are just to many better choices for viewing out there. This is a good prototype film for animation style, now we need the story to get up to par. Definately try to rent before buying. And if a parent buying, try to look for something with a quicker pace that will intrest your son or daughter.

A Lovely Masterpiece from South Korea.......2005-09-04

South Korea has long been utilized by animation studios in both North America and Japan as a source for cheap animated gruntwork. It is a country with a massive animation industry, but very few notable feature films, and practically none seen outside of Korea.

My Beautiful Girl Mari, is a groundbreaking animated film. While it is clearly influenced by Studio Ghibli films, it also unique. This film is like a beautiful summer day dream. While there is underlying issues with the characters in the film, emotional challenges they face, they are resolved in a very human fashion, with no violence. The visuals and narritive play out like some wonderful dream, where you find yourself falling in love with every frame.

The animation in the film is also unique, the look of it falls inbetween traditional anime, and the rotoscoping found in waking life. This animation style reinforces the dream like feel of the film.

This is probably the first South Korean film that can be considered in the same class as the best films in by Studio Ghibli and other top class Japanese and American animation studios. This film may be the begining of Korea's golden age of animation. A period where they will define and distinguish themselves throughout the world. The South Korean animation industry has made a gigantic first step with this film, and may be well on thier way to producing future masterpieces.

Just to note, this film is very family friendly. There is no violence, sex or drugs in the film. This is a coming of age story with fantasy elements that can be enjoyed by anyone who enjoys quality animation.

Take off in this dreamy escape.......2005-08-28

It's a real treat whenever you come across a movie like it. As a love fantasy from South Korea, My Beautiful Girl Mari takes a simple story and combines it with unique animation. And the results are amazing. In a small town that resides by the sea, two friends learn the meaning of friendship as they grow up while occasionally whisking away into a dream-like world inhabited by a mysterious girl. At the same time, the notion of fantasy and reality becomes all the less clearer.

This is a movie that knows how to take its time. Unlike a lot of fast-oriented and action-filled animated movies out there, this one is very calm and smooth throughout, which is quite fitting for a story of its type. The animation itself is charming on its own that you might find yourself admiring the sceneries or how the characters move most of the time. Everything from the sharp yet faded colors to the abstract detail of the town is impressive. The soundtrack itself also lends a welcome hand to the overall experience.

My Beautiful Girl Mari is a winner in just about every field. In a world where animation is often becoming more and more reserved for the squeamishly childish or in some cases the violent-minded, this is a nice change of pace to see an animated film that shows no tensions and just allows the viewer to relax while watching it. A surreal though substantial work, there's really nothing else like it.

DVD:

DVD

DVD: Spirit of the Sword

Magnificent Bodyguards