The Hurricane

Starring:Dorothy Lamour, Jon Hall, Mary Astor, C. Aubrey Smith, Thomas Mitchell, Raymond Massey, John Carradine, Jerome Cowan, Al Kikume, Kuulei De Clercq, Layne Tom Jr., Mamo Clark, Movita, Francis Kaai, Roger Drake, Spencer Charters, Flora Hayes, Pauline Steele, Inez Courtney, William B. Davidson
Director: Stuart Heisler, John Ford
Studio: Hbo Home Video
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com

Director Spike Lee's When the Levees Broke is the definitive document of he unmitigated disaster that was, and is, Hurricane Katrina. It's also a contemporary manifestation of an ancient tradition: an oral history, told by the people who lived it, with no narration and only the occasional use of archival cable and broadcast news footage in addition to Lee's own film. And a grim tale it is, an "American tragedy" subtitled "a Requiem in Four Acts," each of them about an hour long ("Act V," appearing on the third of the set's three discs, is a lengthy epilogue with new material not included in the original HBO broadcast) and focusing almost exclusively on New Orleans, as opposed to the Gulf Coast region in general.

Act I sets the scene; as the hurricane nears the Crescent City, some residents leave town, while others stay behind, figuring they'll just ride the storm out (Mayor Ray Nagin's "mandatory evacuation" order rings fairly hollow, as there's no public transportation provided for the many who don't own vehicles and thus couldn't get out even if they wanted to). The real problems begin after Katrina makes landfall on August 29, 2005. Displaced New Orleaneans crowd into the Superdome, soon to become a living hell for those stuck there; the incredibly poorly engineered levees break, flooding some 80 percent of the city; and people start dying by the hundreds, victims of drowning, lack of food, water, and medicine, and other causes. And so it goes. Act II finds the survivors struggling to keep it together while the federal, state, and local assistance they've been promised fails to show up; Act III traces the dispersal of these so-called "refugees" (as one man puts it, "Refugees? You mean they took away our citizenship, too?") all over the country, not knowing where their families, friends, and neighbors are, or even if they're still alive; and Act IV deals with the slow rebuilding of the city while insurance companies refuse to pay claims and money keeps going toward the Iraq war effort instead.

Several themes predominate here. One, of course, is the appalling performance of authorities on nearly every level, who ignored specific warnings about the levees and then professed ignorance after the fact; Lee doesn't have to go out of his way to make George W. Bush, FEMA chief Michael Brown, and other members of the Bush administration (not to mention his own mother) look bad, as they do an excellent job of that themselves. Another is the shameful ineptitude of the response; it's hard not to be disgusted when it's pointed out more than once that while we were able to provide supplies and assistance to Indonesians within two days of the 2004 tsunami, American citizens were virtually ignored for five days or more. Most of all, When the Levees Broke (which includes optional commentary by Lee for all four acts) leaves us feeling the sheer rage of the poor and dispossessed of New Orleans, where the population is 70 percent African-American. Confronted with the ignorance, arrogance, and callousness of the people whose job it was to protect them, they can point to just one cause: racism. --Sam Graham

Description

One year after Hurricane Katrina decimated New Orleans, director Spike Lee presents a four-hour, four-part chronicle recounting, through words and images, one of our country?s most profound natural disasters. In addition to revisiting the hours leading up to the arrival of Katrina, a Category 5 hurricane before it hit the coast of Louisiana, When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts tells the personal stories of those who lived to tell about it, at the same time exploring the underbelly of a nation where the divide along race and class lines has never been more pronounced.

Customer Reviews:

A legacy for my children..........2007-06-28

I am from New Orleans and I am a victim of Hurricane Katrina. I lost my home as well as 98% of all of my possesions. Luckily, I was able to evacuate to a relative's house in Baton Rouge (about 75 miles west of N.O.), so my family and I were spared the immediate aftermath and the horrific conditions experienced by those who were unable to get out of the city.

Through this film, however, I was able to feel the pain and loss of my neighbors and friends. It was very difficult for me to watch and I broke down and cried several times. New Orleans is my home and will ALWAYS be my home. No matter where I go or end up living (I have relocated and now live about 30 west of N.O.), New Orleans will forever be a part of my soul. If you are not from there, you probably wouldn't understand. It was so damn difficult to see familiar places and people undergoing such a tragedy.

A piece of my heart died on August 29th, 2005 and another piece died when I watched this film, but I HAD to see it. It is important for eveyone to see this film because it raises many questions that have yet to be answered. How can such brutal and barbaric conditions be allowed to continue for so long in one of the richest countries in the world? Why did it take so long to get help? Why was the city so unprepared for such a catastrophe? Why have the problems NOT been solved 2 years after the event?

I still don't know any of the answers.

All I know is that I must own this film. I must have it to show my children one day (my daughter was 2 at the time the storm hit and my 2nd child is on the way) so that they never forget where we came from and the many mistakes our generation made when trying to deal with this crisis. Hopefully, others will show this to their children as well so that they can learn from these mistakes and make sure that something like this never happens again.

The ONLY pet peeve I have with the film (it's a small one) is that it seems to take the point of view of the black, underprivileged portion of the city's population. Yes, these were the majority of those that suffered in the aftermath, but Katrina affected EVERYONE in this region. I felt that the objectivity of the film should have been a bit more balanced.

As for the reviewer who thought this film was funny, I wish you peace and hope that one day your heart will be softened and you will learn to have compassion for your fellow man. Yes, New Orleanians suffered, but we are ALL citizens of the planet Earth. When a man dies, we are all diminished because we are all a part of mankind.

History in video.......2007-06-26

...such a sad account but an accurate representation of recent acts of racism, "white privilege", and the powerlessness of African Americans in the U.S.

Funny and Entertaining Documentary.......2007-06-26

I really enjoyed this documentary, from a sociological point of view. This documentary showed the brute savageness of anarchy. These residents of New orleans are pure animalistic savages 10,000 years behind the rest of civilization. To watch their lives unfold in this tragedy is an experiment I found fascinating.
I laughed and was entertained for hours. Recommended!!!!

"Keep hope alive...".......2007-06-17

As did many, with baited breath, I anticipated the release of Spike Lee's, When the Levees Broke. Unfortunately, this piece focused more on racial injustice than the failed emergency response of the aftermath. As are most issues related to the treatment of African Americans in this country; especially when it involves the south, this piece was heavily immersed in racial finger pointing. While I can give Lee a thumbs up for much of the footage, I'm disheartened that he failed to properly address the economic attitude of the out of step and disenfranchised African American community of New Orleans. Moreover, that no one has grasped the notion that experience rules all is remarkable. For instance, the Israelis' remarkably rapid responses to major castrophies is in direct correlation to the frequency with which they happen. While it's true that the gross lack of coordination on several levels; state, local and federal to name a few, added to the tradegy of Katrina, to place the blame solely at the doorstep of the federal government was grossly unfair. Last time I checked, this country embraced capitalism and democracy, not communism. FEMA is not a rescue organization: "FEMA works in partnership with other organizations that are part of the nation's emergency management system. These partners include state and local emergency management agencies, 27 federal agencies and the American Red Cross." (This quote was found at FEMA's website on the about us page.) And that list includes the local Police department, the local Fire Department, the city planners, the emergency medical professionals and so on. At the end of one of the tapes Mayor Nagen points out the differences between himself and Mayor Rudy Guiliani & Katrina and 9/11. He points out that 9/11 was essentially a contained event; in effect, quarantining the emergency site. And that's true! But what he failed to mention was how quickly New York City's first responders COORDINATED AND EFFECTIVELY IMPLEMENTED their efforts, completely overlooking the comical and inept nonexistent local cohesion of New Orleans first responders. It doesn't matter whether you like Mayor Guiliani or not; the fact is, he was downtown with his first responders. They all converged on ground zero like hungry locusts and started responding. (To be fair: An in-depth analysis of Mayor Guiliani's contributions reveal several shortcomings; in fact, many people believe he was more of a hindrance than help). In any event, the response seemed measured and methodical, coordinated and rehearsed and above all, professional. Something else that's rarely mentioned is the level of assistance the victims provided one another. It's now evident that in New Orleans that was not the case. BLACK ON BLACK crime soared during the Katrina aftermath. Looters, to include the police department, were caught on film; no less, stealing and looting. Isn't their motto to protect and serve? People were stealing TV's and DVD's, clothes and everything else and to what end? Electricity wasn't restored for months. If not anything else, it was a poor showing of character for some of the city's first responders. I think you would've been hard pressed to find the cops stealing during the 9/11 crisis. Keep in mind this is not condemnation of those who stepped up with intregrity. Nonetheless, this behavior has been famously celebrated by the residents of New Orleans for years. The Superdome population seemed completely paralyzed. Instead of quarantining victims' into categories, ie the sick, the weak, the young, the old, the hurt, etc; which is to be expected during major castrophies in a modern society, the citizens organized a prayer march. Talk about bringing a knife to a gunfight? These are the situations that bore leaders. If the entire population could be convinced that a prayer march was an effective means of addressing the catastrophic situation at hand, then poverty should be listed as the least of New Orleans disenfranchised populations' problems'. Most people set back as if they could do absolutely nothing except wait. Another critical question that needs to be answered is why African Americans seem so reticent about tackling or addressing the development of BLACK ON BLACK crime? And why didn't Spike Lee take the opportunity to address this phenomenon in his piece. I suspect our nation would've witnessed the exact same scenario in any and/or all of the nations major cities. It's well known that most of America's major metropolitian area's are African American strongholds, Detroit, D.C., Baltimore, Atlanta, Miami and several other cities have similiar demographics. What received no coverage was the plight of all the so-called "white-trash" in the country-side who were also seperated from their lives and loved ones. They also received little, if any, timely assistance from the government. On steel horseback and keeping hope alive, Jesse Jackson and the Rev. Al Sharpton made their requisite appearances and speeches. While Jackson didn't make an appearance in the piece, he's recorded as referring to the situation at the Superdome as a "Slavery" type situation. What's most sinister about these two phonies and their ilk is their impeccable sense of timing. These two never pass on an opportunity to address the camera's and effectively innoculate and brainwash a gullable African American audience. Another glaring misappropiation was the constant inference to slavery. OH MY GOD! First a paralyzed population questions the response of the government, but to complain about the lack of sympathy exercised on behalf of the help was infuriating. Soldiers have families too! But to compare the military staging effort to the slave trade took the cake. All military efforts in that situation involve a certain measure of disassociation to accomplish the mission. Soldiers cannot empathize or sympathize with rescuee's and properly accomplish the mission.
For the record, every ethnic group on the planet has suffered atrocities on behalf of another group. China, by way of Japan, The Irish; by way of the British, the Tutsis, by way of the Hutu's. And haven't the Jews been punished by everyone at one point or another? And who was it that coined the phrase, "Hymietown?" In any event, both men have lined their silk pockets by eloquently misleading the poor, disenfranchised masses; mostly African Americans, about the shortcomings of a nation, by focusing on the misgivings of our past with misleading; yet, sympathetic prose. For example, Jackson's famous rallying cry is "Keep hope alive," but the quote in it's entirety reads, "Keep hope alive, but never satisfied." And Lord knows he's been true to form. The inference is satisfaction once delivered, renders the deliverer useless. Translation, no more fancy speaking engagements, civic invitations or special inside the loop priviledges. Jackson has had several opportunities to put his money where his mouth is. To be honest the behind the scenes powerfully elite in D.C. have for years all but begged him to run for Mayor of that city, and he has on every occasion refused! Because, he said, "Being an elected official doesn't give me the room to manuever effectively." Translation, he does not want to be held responsible or accountable for public failures. Which puts into question the legitmacy of his Presidential bids. Not to be outdone, the Rev. Al Sharpton is a master at spinning what others say. Granted; given their tremendous political success, to be so well connected and having had for a long time, access to the world's finest educational institutions, the first family, immediate an otherwise, seem surprisingly aloof in public. It's quite evident that the Bush family has lived among the socially elite for so long, that they are completely disconnected from common class America. Although the first First Lady's comment about the new plight of some of the victims was a bit abrupt. It was delivered without malice and with good intentions. It was poor form of Sharpton to capitalize on the manipulation of that comment in the heat of battle. For the record, I know that our country garners a checkered racial past; especially down south. Hell everyone knows our past, but the fact is, sooner or later you have to learn to do for yourself. Sooner or later you have to implement a personal life strategy to find success. Parties and prayer (the well advertise means of expression in New Orleans) have never and will never suffice as an effective or efficient means of addressing poverty. I'm not a religious scholar but doesn't the inscription read, "God helps those whom help themselves?" And if that's the case, doesn't the translation mean you CANNOT depend on the government or God or anyone else for the matter, in times of need? Case in point Katrina.

Here are some points I think Lee failed to properly address:

1. Why didn't the Mayor set up shop at ground zero and use the media's cameras to communicate directly with FEMA and the White House? Provocative maybe, but given the circumstances, effective!

2. What happen to the city's first responders?

3. How come this piece didn't address the extremely high level of BLACK ON BLACK crime committed during the aftermath?

4. How could they respond without military assistance?

5. How come we didn't hear more about the intense animosity between the Mayor and the Governor?

6. How come the piece didn't delve deeper into the why's and why nots of modern building strategies of civic protection not investigated like that of other nations, ie the Netherlands, Japan and China?

7. How come the decision making City Council members weren't identified, questioned and held to task on camera?

8. Why didn't we see or hear about the shortcomings of the insurance agencies? They completely abandoned the entire Gulf coast. Some of these people paid on there policy for more than 50 years.

9. Why didn't the Coast Guard and other successful agencies receive more attention?

10. What are the ensuing plans for keeping this from ever happening again? Who's involved? How much does it cost? And are other cities following suit?

In the end, New Orleans has become famous for what some have said is their unique way of life (corruption tolerance). From the very beginning politicians have been famously corrupt in that city. And from the beginning the citizens have celebrated and supported renogade behavior. Case in point; Congressman William Jefferson, indicted on federal bribery charges, after the FBI found $90,000 in his freezer. The Speaker, understandably so, wants him out, but the National Black Caucas is protecting him. I submit to you the audience, that if, as an elected congressional representative, you cannot find a better place to hide ill-gotten gain than a freezer, that you may be too stupid to run for office, let alone re-election. And it's episodes like this that are the real drag on African American progress. If the citizens of New Orleans continue to fail to see how these and a history of other highly publicized, yet locally acceptable representative shortcomings affect their tenuous existence, then broken levees are the least of their concerns.

a great contemporary documentary.......2007-06-13

Not a Spike Lee fan I was enthraled at this films scope and insight. It not only changed my view of our government's role in disaster relief it also showed its callus disregard for the poor caught in this kind of situation. A new approach is needed in dealing with disaster relief and "heads should roll" in dealing with the last people in charge!

Average customer rating:

perfect
Great movie...dissapointing dvd
A Total Waste Of Money
Lenticular Rip off Do not get OUT FOXED
One of my Top 10 Films, but I admit it's not for everyone

The Abyss (Special Edition)
Starring: Ed Harris , Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio , Michael Biehn , Leo Burmester , and Todd Graff
Director: James Cameron
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
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Independence Day (Limited Edition)
Close Encounters of the Third Kind (Two-Disc Collector's Edition)
Aliens (Special Edition)
Terminator 2 - Judgment Day (Extreme DVD)

ASIN: B00005V9IL
Release Date: 2003-02-11

Product Description

In this thrilling, underwater action adventure from writer-director James Cameron (Titanic, Terminator 2: Judgement Day, Aliens), a civilian oil rig crew is recruited to conduct a search-and-rescue effort when a nuclear submarine mysteriously sinks. One diver (Ed Harris) soon finds himself on a spectacular odyssey 25,000 feet below the ocean's surface where he confronts a mysterious force that has the power to change the world or destroy it.

System Requirements:
Starring: Ed Harris, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, and Michael Biehn.
Directed By: James Cameron.
Running Time: 171 Min., Color.
This film is presented in "Widescreen" format.
Copyright 2002 Twentieth Century Fox.

Format: DVD MOVIE

Amazon.com essential video

Meticulously crafted but also ponderous and predictable, James Cameron's 1989 deep-sea close-encounter epic reaffirms one of the oldest first principles of cinema: everything moves a lot more slowly underwater. Ed Harris and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, as formerly married petroleum engineers who still have some "issues" to work out, are drafted to assist a gung-ho Navy SEAL (Michael Biehn) with a top-secret recovery operation: a nuclear sub has been ambushed and sunk, under mysterious circumstances, in some of the deepest waters on earth, and the petro-techies have the only submersible craft capable of diving down that far. Every image and every performance is painstakingly sharp and detailed (and the computerized water creatures are lovely) but the movie's lumbering pace is ultimately lethal. It's the audience that ends up feeling waterlogged. For a guy who likes guns as much as Cameron (his next film after all, was the body-count masterpiece Terminator 2: Judgment Day), it's interesting that the moral balance here is weighted heavily in favor of the can-do engineers; the military types are end-justifies-the-means amoralists, just like the weasely government bureaucrats in Aliens. --David Chute

Customer Reviews:

perfect.......2007-07-05

I was very please with the dvd and all the others that I got ,I'll be back to do more shoppin with you fine folks,it will be the only place I will get my dvd's from now on.Thanks again.Gina Hillard

Great movie...dissapointing dvd.......2007-06-22

I can't tell you how excited i was to find this for 8.99 new at the mall. i also can't tell you how awesome movies look on my 42" lcd hdtv (thats a 16x9 ratio for the uninitiated) and upscaled on my xbox 360. what i can tell you is how dissapointed i am at the treatment this dvd got.

first of all, there is no 5.1 (or dts for that matter)mix, even though it says there is on the back of the box. its only dolby surround. "okay well thats not too big of a deal i said", and i hit play. then came the 2nd and worst thing that could possibly happen...the fox logo came up as the movie started, but at about a 6th the size of my tv. it lasted too long to be anything asthetic and then the movie started.

here's where i get mad. the movie is filmed in a 2:35:1 aspect ratio. (which for the layman, means it appears wider in scope, but at the expense of actual viewing space (ie bigger black bars on a standard tv). now on an hdtv this isnt too big of a deal (especially if the dvd is mastered anamorphically) because its already widescreen, so your black bars at a 2:35 ratio arent so bad (and are smaller). however it appears that the movie was mastered on the dvd in a 4:3 (standard tv size) box, with the bars as "part" of the actual movie.

basically its like someone took a widescreen VHS tape and dubbed it on a dvd. meaning:

(1) the movie looks about 6 times too small on my widescreen tv (its like this little rectangle surrounded by black bars)

(2)this is not actually widescreen and gives it a really bad bootleg look

(3) the resolution and detail of the dvd is absolutely terrible (ie vhs quality)AND i have to zoom the video TWICE to get it to fit on the tv, making the flaws of the already terrible transfer even more apparent.

this upsets me greatly because it is the "Special Edition". whats so special about it? but apparently all of the versions of this movie share the same flaws. the special dvd edition of "Aliens" (also by cameron) its fantastic and has none of these issues i describe to you now. i saw the movie awhile ago and i havent finished the "special" edition yet, but from what im reading from users on amazon, some "special" editions dont even have the extra 28 mins of footage even though they claim to on the dvd.

forgive the pun, but this and all dvd versions of the abyss are simply...abysmal

A Total Waste Of Money.......2007-06-20

Before I even begin, I'd like to say that my one star rating is directed solely at the DVD itself-ANY VERSION, I've bought them all - NOT THE MOVIE! None of them!!!NOT ONE! is in anamophic (Enhanced) widescreen!!!! This movie is probably - who am I kidding? - is most defintely - THE BEST sci-fi movie ever made! It deserves a hell of a lot more than 5 measily stars! I give it 10, personally. All DVD incarnations of it, however, get absolutely NO stars from me. I can't, without being absolutely vulgar, express how unhappy I am with 20th Century Fox. They've sucked over $150.00 out of me - just trying to find a decent copy of this movie. I really wouldn't mind - $150.00 ain't much money - but I'm disabled and am trying to survive on about $700.00 a month! Get with the program fellas! Let me see it in true widescreen at least once before I die!

Lenticular Rip off Do not get OUT FOXED.......2007-06-06

This is a disgrace Lenticular means a different box cover Abyss is the first version of the movie. Get the special 2 disc dvd.The same this for all the 6-5-07 fox releases.

One of my Top 10 Films, but I admit it's not for everyone.......2007-06-05

I'm a fan of James Cameron. Although he has a big ego, he is a big talent unlike others in this business. This film is an odd mixture of several genres including science-fiction, action, disaster and romance. Somehow Cameron makes it all work and this edition includes almost 30 minutes of relevant footage that help explain the gaps in the theatrical release as Cameron was forced to edit his completed film from nearly 3 hours to 2:20 minutes by the producers who wanted more showtimes.

The story opens with a military sub that is mysteriously hit by something in the deep and falls into a great abyss (a sort of bottomless drench in the ocean floor). There is no crew to rescue at that depth and as a result of the "collusion", but the military wants to secure the nukes on that submarine and before the Russians in the area get to the wreckage first. An experimental deep drilling underwater rig capable of moving across the ocean floor at great depths is asked to assist the military, but as soon as military show up on the rig a hurricane arrives and cuts everyone off from the surface. This is where the tension builds and the story really develops in this character and special effects driven film.

The acting by all is first-rate with Ed Harris of Apollo 13 and A History of Violence as the head of the experimental undersea drilling rig, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio of The Color of Money and The Perfect Storm as his soon-to-be ex-wife that he still holds a torch for but hates to admit it designed the rig, and Micheal Biehn of The Terminator as the head of the elite military team that clashes with Harris' men on the rig. It's amazing how much action can take place in such claustrophic quarters, but it does and does so in a believable manner.

The Cameron's script is uneven as it ranges from very believable dialogue between co-workers, military personnel with myopic points of view, and husband and wife at war to over-the-top preachy stuff about the environment, violence, hate and love. He does offer a lot here in that the story has something for everyone. Cameron's direction is also uneven as he doesn't seem sure which direction to take his film at times, but still delivers a very satisfying experience. The special effects are brilliant and helped to really launch the digital effects we have come to know and take for granted today. In addition, the score by James Horner (Titanic) is haunting, uplifting, and very memorable.

Although admittedly uneven at times, this movie is awesome and is a terrific experience. My whole family loves this film and we've seen it numerous times even at the nearly 3 hour length of this "Special Edition" which is better than the original theatrical version wherein Cameron was forced to cut the film down. The full 3 hours better tells the story and is as Cameron originally wanted the film to be seen. You can see that the additional scenes fit into the film seamlessly and not choppy like other "Director Cuts" can look like.

This film is, in my view, a masterpiece in its own way and although it's not for everyone, I think most will enjoy this Cameron classic.

Average customer rating:

Amazing documentary and music
about this film Hurricane on the Bayou...................
bayou
Great Movie!!

Hurricane on the Bayou
Starring: Tab Benoit , Amanda Shaw , and Amanda Shaw (III)
Director: Greg MacGillivray
Manufacturer: Image Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Power of the Pontchartrain
Best of the Bayou Blues
Ghosts of Abu Ghraib
When the Levees Broke
Free Zone

ASIN: B000O78632
Release Date: 2007-06-05

Description

A powerfully moving large format film unlike any other, Hurricane on the Bayou carries audiences behind today's news headlines on a journey deep into the soul-stirring heart of Louisiana - before, during and after the unprecedented devastation of Hurricane Katrina. Narrated by Academy Award winning actress Meryl Streep and driven by a rousing jazz, blues and gospel-fueled soundtrack, Hurricane on the Bayou is both a haunting document of a storm's human effects and a compelling call to restore Louisiana's wetlands, rebuild New Orleans, and honor the place where America's most vibrant home-grown culture was born. Unfolding against the poignant backdrop of the most costly natural disaster in America's history, MacGillivray Freeman's IMAX cameras follow a group of four musicians, both legendary and rising, as they explore the electrifying culture of New Orleans: speed through the beautiful, alligator-filled bayous on airboats; recount their heart-wrenching, personal stories of Katrina; and most of all, bring the focus to the rapidly disappearing wetlands that are New Orleans' first line of defense against deadly storms. The wealth, cultural vitality and very future of New Orleans depend on the preservation of these wetlands. The soundtrack features music legends Fats Domino, Aaron Neville, and Dr. John as well as many more!

Customer Reviews:

Amazing documentary and music .......2007-05-20

Having spent most of my life in Louisiana, I can vouch for the wonderful images and authentic bayou sounds of Tab Benoit, Amanda Shaw (what an amazing young talent!), Chubby Carrier, and the other artists featured in this movie. My heart aches for the devastion and suffering that remains in New Orleans, from Hurricane Katrina. How compassionately and respectfully this movie shows it! The erosion of the Louisiana coast and wetlands is a serious issue that will impact humans and wildlife far beyond the borders of the state. Thank goodness for passionate advocates such as Tab Benoit, and others, who are trying to make a difference. I cried, laughed, felt full of pride, felt full of despair, as I watched this movie at the OmniMax, and can't wait to own a copy when it is available. Definitely see it at an OmniMax if you can. Like me, you will probably want to own your own copy. I bought the sound track at the theater, after the show. I keep it in my car, and listen to it nearly every day.

about this film Hurricane on the Bayou..........................2007-05-07

This DVD film is basically how Hurricane affects the life of people and this film is recommended to those whom are interedted in this Genre of documentary film. The indication on the front box of this DVD is 'like this' which is me Ang Poon Kah whom is also known by the pen name Greg MacGillivray. This film is original and can just have it. Have a pleasant viewing...

Hurricane on the Bayou

Review by:

Dr, Prof (PhD) Ang Poon Kah
TC submission for 'this'/money government.
TC submission for modern world, our society.
Dir Richard Eyre (indication - 'like this') for film notes on the scandal
Dir Ron Howard (indication - 'like this') for film Da Vinci Code.
Storm Productions
Zakkers film director.

bayou.......2007-04-14

Hurricane on the Bayou
I recently viewed this film at an IMAX theatre and strongly recommend this film. The scenery and music are spectacular! Well worth going to see at an IMAX theatre, but I will also purchase it for home viewing. It is just that good!

Great Movie!!.......2007-03-23

If you are a fan of the really hot blues singer, Tab Benoit, you will really enjoy this movie. Wonderfully done and really moving! It's filmed around the home of Tab in Louisiana. If you get a chance to see it in an Imax Theatre, it will be well worth the price of a ticket. The fabulous sound and scenery is great to watch on the BIG screen. I can't wait to see it again in my own home. The wetlands and destruction of Hurricane Katrina will really move you.

Average customer rating:

All Hands Lost
What a country!
AT HOME, The Perfect place to be..
Just what I ordered and very quick delivery
not that perfect at all

The Perfect Storm
Starring: Karen Allen , George Clooney , William Fichtner , John Hawkes , and Michael Ironside
Director: Wolfgang Petersen
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
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ASIN: B00003CXJD
Release Date: 2004-06-01

Amazon.com

Setting out for the one last catch that will make up for a lackluster fishing season, Captain Billy Tyne (George Clooney) pushes his boat the Andrea Gail out to the waters of the Flemish Cap off Nova Scotia for what will be a huge swordfish haul. While his crew is gathering fish, three storm fronts (including a hurricane) collide to create a "perfect storm" of colossal force, and Billy's path back to Gloucester, Massachusetts, takes them right smack into the middle of it. Wolfgang Petersen's adaptation of Sebastian Junger's seafaring bestseller is a faithful if by-the-numbers true-story account of a monster storm that rocked New England in 1991, specifically Tyne's commercial fishing boat and its crew. Junger's tale fashioned a compelling if staid narrative out of seemingly disparate events, but this film adaptation tends to flatten out the story into a conventional if absorbing story of man vs. nature, as the crew fights for survival against the awesome waves the storm kicks up. The central part of the film, which cuts between the Andrea Gail's fight to stay afloat and the attempts of the Coast Guard to rescue a yacht in peril, is suspenseful action of the first degree, aided by some awesome computer-generated waves.

Still, it's a long way to that action, with an extended first act that consists mainly of stoic men, crying women, and a fair amount of "don't go out into the sea" dialogue--in other words, a compelling story has been shoehorned into standard summer movie fare. It's too bad, as Peterson assembled an excellent cast--including Mark Wahlberg, Diane Lane, John C. Reilly, and William Fichtner among them--but seems to opt for only a surface exploration of these characters, though Clooney seems to have a touch of Captain Ahab in him. You may still be won over by the movie, but for a more in-depth portrait, go to Junger's book for the missing details. --Mark Englehart

Description

It's Halloween, 1991. Near Gloucester, Massachusetts, the six members of the Andrea Gail, a swordfishing boat, head out to sea for their last trip of the season. Unbeknownst to them, a shockingly brutal storm is slowly gaining steam. Before the National Weather Bureau has a chance to inform the crew of the impending danger, it's too late. The resulting battle with three merging weather fronts--an unheralded natural disaster--is grueling and tragic. Based on the true-life best selling novel by Sebastian Junger, The Perfect Storm stars George Clooney, Mark Wahlberg, Diane Lane and is directed by Wolfgang Petersen.

DVD Features:
Audio Commentary:Commentary with Wolfgang Peterson Commentary with S. Fangmeier and H. Elswit Commentary with Sebastian Junger
Documentary
Featurette:James Horner Featurette
Filmographies:HBO First Look Special (29:30)
Gag Reel
Other:"Whitness to the Storm" (4:30)
Photo gallery:"Yours Forever" Photo Montage
Production Sketches:Storyboard Art with W. Peterson Commentary
Storyboards
TV Special
Theatrical Trailer

Customer Reviews:

All Hands Lost.......2007-06-15

Even though this movie is fictional, taken from a book, no one seems to mention the fact that the Andrea Gail was an actual ship that was lost at sea and never found. A real world story intertwined with the fictional characters of those who were claimed by the sea.

What a country!.......2007-04-18

Some amazing special effects, tense action sequences. Good acting marred by occasional screenplay hokeyness, and some bummers at the end. George should've known better when even the gal from the Abyss was telling him to scrap the mission. Mark Wahlburg is a hunk. I'm not sure why Karen Allen took such a small role.

AT HOME, The Perfect place to be.........2007-03-03

Very good effects ... but there is a hidden happy ending for those that want to miss the tragic part of this movie... when the guys finally turn the boat around from the Monster wave and make it... and they are all laughing and screaming they made it out ... TURN THE MOVIE OFF !!!!

Just what I ordered and very quick delivery.......2007-02-08

Very fast shipping great product thank you

not that perfect at all.......2007-01-28

A yawningly protracted prelude which fails to elicit much liking or sympathy for the crew followed by a disappointingly unrealistic storm at sea. Nearly 50 years after "The Cruel Sea" which so vividly portrayed the might and fury of the sea in storm this was comic book stuff.

Men frolicking in the rigging with blowtorches in a force 10 gale are just not convincing! Two good points, one was left feeling of the Coast Guard - why should good men risk their lives for fools like these and the ending at least was not corny. All in all, a good opportunity missed.

So, in two words, 2 hours of fighting and at end everybody dies. Not very funny film for our reality.

Average customer rating:

Portrait of Jennie
One of the Best
One of the best movies ever written and filmed
Portrait of Jennie
A Haunting, Timeless Romance.

Portrait of Jennie
Starring: Jennifer Jones , Joseph Cotten , Ethel Barrymore , Lillian Gish , and Cecil Kellaway
Director: William Dieterle
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Since You Went Away
Laura (Fox Film Noir)
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The Ghost and Mrs. Muir
A Letter to Three Wives

ASIN: B0002KPHYC
Release Date: 2004-10-19

Description

One of the most unusual romances ever filmed, Portrait of Jennie is the picture of sumptuousperfection. Starring Joseph Cotten (Citizen Kane) and OscarÂ(r) winner* Jennifer Jones (A Farewell to Arms) in a 'sensitive, appealing performance (The Hollywood Reporter), this 'tender [and] poetic (Variety) tale is enthralling from its touching beginning to its haunting conclusion. When struggling artist Eben Adams (Cotten) meets the beautiful and mysterious Jennie (Jones), he is instantly captivated. Before long, Jennie has become his great muse and he is enjoying success and bliss beyond his dreams. But there is a price to pay for such elation, and soon Eben must face the truth about who Jennie really is. *1943: Actress, The Song of Bernadette

Customer Reviews:

Portrait of Jennie.......2007-06-25

Produced by the fabled David O. Selznick, "Jennie" remains one of the screen's few romantic ghost stories, "The Ghost and Mrs. Muir" being another worthy entry. Still while "Ghost" is a purely witty concoction, "Jennie" is decidedly darker and more mysterious. Director Dieterle creates a smoky, other-worldly atmosphere in this utterly unique entry that keeps the viewer slightly on-edge. There is indeed something very sad about Jennie-and Eben too: they seem like two lost lovers who, by the arbitrary whims of time and fate, just miss connecting. Don't let "Jennie" pass you by.

One of the Best.......2007-05-15

This is one of the all time classics, a great movie!

One of the best movies ever written and filmed.......2007-05-14

As I stated, this is one of the best movies ever written and filmed. Once you have seen this movie, you will never forget it-it will haunt your dreams. Excellent film!

Portrait of Jennie.......2007-02-13

Very fine and moving film. Good actors, story line excellent, and filming very nice. Movie still entertaining after all these years.

A Haunting, Timeless Romance........2006-10-24

This film is a magical gem. Despite the heavy-handed opening titles which were in vogue in the 40s, this story is one of a timeless love, and artistic inspiration. Set in New York in the 1940s, Joseph Cotton is a struggling painter who finds artistic inspiration in a chance encounter with an engaging little girl. But the girl becomes a mystery, as everything she talks about is from a past generation, and she asks him to wait for her to grow up.
Their chance meetings increase, and the threads of the mystery start piecing together, as each time they meet, she is significantly older. She in this world, but not of this world, and the entire film is as enchanting to the viewer as Jennie (Jennifer Jones) is to Eben (Cotton). Ethyl Barrimore, another actress who always had an "other world" quality becomes Eben's mentor in the art world, and his mother-figure confidant. Through her caring eyes we see both how his friends love him and fear for how the world would think he is insane.
Beautifully shot in ways that are still astounding, to make the film look like a painter's canvas, and also to make Jennie look somehow far away, even when she is in Eben's arms, the film is mainly in black and white, but as we reach the stormy climax, color comes into the frame, until the final shot in full color is the full realization of the promise of the film. Rarely has any film so successfully had the filming itself be as magical as the story. This is the ultimate romantic fantasy, a story and film that love can not only transcend time, it is beyond time. Beautiful in every respect.

Average customer rating:

Shackled by the chains of hate
Fantastic and Inspiring!!!
The Hurricane
Moving and inspiring, not matter what the final verdict was...
That justice that should be for all !

The Hurricane
Starring: Denzel Washington , Vicellous Reon Shannon , Deborah Kara Unger , Liev Schreiber , and John Hannah
Director: Norman Jewison
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

( H ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

John Q. (Infinifilm Edition)
Ali
Out of Time
Antwone Fisher (Widescreen Edition)
Fallen

ASIN: 078324228X
Release Date: 2000-07-11

Product Description

Academy Award winner Denzel Washington plays Rubin "Hurricane" Carter, a man who, in the prime of his boxing career finds himself wrongfully convicted of murder. Sentenced to life in prison, Carter s published memoir, The Sixteenth Round, inspired a teenager (Vicellous Reon Shannon) from Brooklyn and three Canadian activists (Deborah Kara Unger, John Hannah, Liev Schreiber) who believed in the truth, to join forces with Carter to prove his innocence. Their extraordinary efforts ultimately secure his release, leaving "Hurricane" to sum up his 20 years in prison for a crime he didn t commit by simply stating, "Hate got me into this place, love got me out." Don t miss the movie Rolling Stone called, "A stirring fight for freedom! Denzel Washington at his powerful, poignant best!"

System Requirements:
Starring: Denzel Washington, Rod Steiger, Dan Hedaya, John Hannah, Harris Yulin, David Paymer, Deborah Kara Unger, Live Schreiber, and Vicellous Reon Shannon. Directed By: Norman Jerrison. Running Time: 146 Min., Color. This film is presented in "Widescreen" format. Copyright 2000 Universal Distribution Corp.

Format: DVD MOVIE

Amazon.com essential video

In his direction of The Hurricane, veteran filmmaker Norman Jewison understands that slavish loyalty to factual detail is no guarantee of compelling screen biography. In telling the story of boxer Rubin "Hurricane" Carter--who was wrongly convicted of murder in 1967 and spent nearly two decades in jail--Jewison and his screenwriters compress time, combine characters, and rearrange events with a nonchalance that would be galling if they didn't remain honest to the core truth of Carter's ordeal. Because of that emotional integrity--and because Denzel Washington brings total conviction to his title role--The Hurricane rises above the confines of biographical fidelity to embrace higher values of courage, compassion, and ultimate justice.

Jewison is woefully heavy-handed in his treatment of the fictionalized, absurdly villainous detective (Dan Hedaya) who zealously plots to keep Carter in jail, and anyone familiar with Carter's story may object to the film's simplified account. But what matters here is the shining star of hope that is Lesra (Vicellous Reon Shannon), the Brooklyn teenager who rejuvenates Carter's legal battle in the early 1980s. This surrogate father-son relationship is what revives Carter's hope for family and future, and makes The Hurricane so engrossing and emotionally effective. Lesra's real-life Canadian mentors are compressed from nine characters to three, but their efforts are superbly dramatized, and Jewison hits the small but important grace notes that make a good film even better. By its final scenes, The Hurricane conveys the rich, rewarding satisfaction of surviving a difficult but valuable journey of mind, body, and soul. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

Shackled by the chains of hate.......2007-05-13

Blood drawn by the blades of injustice
leaves the wounds that are the toughest to heal.

Rubin "Hurricane" Carter knows this better than anyone. He was wrongfully accused of murder and spent twenty years of his life in prison. Let me say that again because it's almost impossible to believe.

20 YEARS.

This is the amazing true story of an absolutely resilient human being. Denzel Washington turns in his best acting performance ever in my opinion. He won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor, but was snubbed by the Academy.
Normally I wouldn't give a "feel good" movie a 5 star rating. I usually find them too predictable and somewhat corny. But I was completely enthralled by this profound story. The power of the human spirit is uplifting.
Love really can set you free.

Fantastic and Inspiring!!!.......2007-01-28

There is no denying that this is a great movie. From the acting, to the way the plot plays out, and of course the ending, which does a great job of describing the aftermath of the film's characters. Denzel Washington gets a ten out of ten for his performance. I find it interesting that many people question the validity of this film, but in my opinion why would a successful prize-fighter want to murder anyone, let alone commit a crime when he clearly had something to lose (not to mention he had already been in jail so why would he do ANYTHING to risk going back). It makes sense that the prosecution was corrupt, and that many people became successful from putting Mr. Carter in jail. Overall, the film gave me hope that with all the horrible things going on in the world, there still can be justice. Thanks to "the Hurricane" I am planning to read his book. This film is a must see!!!!

The Hurricane.......2007-01-27

Moves kind of slow, but well acted. Supporting characters make this movie good.

Moving and inspiring, not matter what the final verdict was..........2006-10-18

I've heard a lot good and a lot bad about this film. I don't think anyone can deny the power in Denzel's brilliant performance, but as far as the accuracy of the film is concerned, it's been judged harshly for it. I personally don't know the truth behind this mans conviction, his innocence and his quilt, only he knows, but the portrait painted by this film portrays Rubin `The Hurricane' Carter as a victim of a corrupt system. To me it's a very moving film, regardless if it's true or not, and in the eyes of the actors involved it truly grips and draws you into this mans fight for freedom. Denzel delivers his finest performance here; a well deserved Oscar nomination, and proves that he is a very talented actor. I am a fan of Denzel, although I've made my concern very clear (the fact that Denzel at times seems to only excel when playing these types of characters), and I feel he shines here. Despite the constant criticism, I feel this is a must-see film, if not for the emotional, albeit somewhat fictionalized (or assumed is a better word since no one really knows), story then for the brilliant acting on the part of everyone involved. Dan Hedeya does a great job as the crooked (fictional) detective who makes it his life goal to punish Rubin for a crime he committed as a child (a crime that should never have been considered a crime) and Vicellous Reon Shannon does wonderfully as Lesra, the young man who not only fights for Rubin's freedom but helps Rubin to regain the hope and life he once had. Like I said, very heartwarming and touching, and regardless of whether or not Rubin was guilty or innocent, the basic story of his fight for survival and the love and support he received from Lesra and his companions is true and that act of human love and spirit is a joy to see.

That justice that should be for all !.......2006-08-09

This film is a true story. It is important for you to know that because some of the facts and reactions seem excessive, and yet... It all starts with a bunch of rowdy black kids who run across an older white man, a local personality who starts playing with these boys of ten or eleven and these boys decide to fight against it, probably without knowing what they were fighting against, except that it was not correct to let an older white man touch you if you were a little black boy. Local police and justice officials will go along a road that leads the same boy who is arrested for « molesting » the older man to a triple death sentence for a triple murder that he never committed and that will never be investigated properly. The film is absolutely outstanding because it sets the emphasis on this black man, an ex-world champion in boxing, transcending this fate and getting so high in his meditation that he is truly free in prison and truly divine in his mind. This Hurricane thus set as an example and model to anyone whose freedom is endangered, we can move to the 15 year old black boy from Brooklyn who buys and reads Rubin Carter's book in a booksale for 25 cents. His own life is a series of accidental cicumstances that lead him from deprevation among alcoholics to some achievement in a « host family » in Canada. This black boy, Lesra, identifies with Rubin and gets involved in his case. His Canadian guardians get along with this involvement and they will eventually bring the truth out and convince a federal court that the man is innocent and has to be released from prison immediately. What is important here is how these people react and organize their search and how it succeeds thanks to some nearly immaterial circumstances that go their way and not the simple automatic and habitual way. It is such cases that justify people in thinking there is hope in our societies where the poor cannot have any justice at all because they cannot afford good lawyers from the very start, and later on it is too late : the initial damage can rarely be redeemed, and yet some cases are there to prove it could, even if it does not most of the time. This is one of the films that should be studied in details in all high schools all over the world.

Dr Jacques COULARDEAU, University of Paris Dauphine & University of Paris I Pantheon-Sorbonne

Average customer rating:

Hilarious!
Gone Fishin is simply Hilarious
Laugh every second
Nonstop Laughter! One Amusing Disaster after Another!
Hillariously funny

Gone Fishin'
Starring: Joe Pesci , Danny Glover , Rosanna Arquette , Lynn Whitfield , and Willie Nelson
Director: Christopher Cain
Manufacturer: Walt Disney Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Rocketman
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Folks!

ASIN: B00008977G
Release Date: 2003-03-04

Amazon.com

Gone Fishin' has been called "the Ishtar of the '90s," but that's giving it too much credit. Danny Glover and Joe Pesci (who could have used their Lethal Weapon series buddy Mel Gibson in here) star as slow-witted friends who take their dream fishing vacation in the Florida Everglades and end up having a series of disasters. Trouble is, director Christopher Cain can't get a handle on any of the comedy essentials for a project such as this. The result is a badly timed, badly toned, unfunny movie wasting a lot of great talent across the board. --Tom Keogh

Description

This hilarious hit stars Danny Glover (LETHAL WEAPON series) and Joe Pesci (MY COUSIN VINNY, LETHAL WEAPON II & III) as the funniest fishermen ever to throw out a line! Best buddies Gus (Glover) and Joe (Pesci) eagerly anticipate another quiet, relaxing fishing trip. Only things don't go quite as they planned! Instead, they innocently create an unstoppable series of outrageous mishaps, destroying everything in their wake! Catch all the crowd-pleasing fun and nonstop laughs as these pals land in one comic disaster after another and deliver one of the wildest comedy adventures in years!

Customer Reviews:

Hilarious!.......2007-02-27

This is hands down the funniest movie I've ever seen. Good clean, wholesome fun for everyone. Anyone that doesn't think this movie is hilarious must not have a sense of humor at all!

Gone Fishin is simply Hilarious.......2006-06-26

I recently bought this ol' fav from back in the day on DVD. I actually remember my brother and I were the only ones in the theatre when I first saw it. I hadn't seen this in years and meh it was great. Though some parts are a tad bit over done or one might say corny, overall, this is a very funny movie. Danny Glover and Joe Pechshi do a great job. I love buddy movies. Their on-camera chemistry is awesome as my friend and I found out watching it and laughing uncontrollably almost. The scene where he is about to whack the guy who stole his car in the bathroom stall with a crow bar (which we played over and over again :-P) was hilarious. You just really have to watch this movie and give it a chance and I'm sure you'll love it. Nice movie for everyone which is the way movies should be but lets not get into that...

Anyway, great buy and you won't be dissapointed.

Laugh every second.......2006-03-14

Good for all ages 8 to 80. Everyone will laugh throughout entire movie.

Nonstop Laughter! One Amusing Disaster after Another!.......2005-10-18

The film starts out in New Jersey when Joe and Gus are around ages 10 - 12 years fishing on the shore. They are talking about life, their plans for the future. Joe is smoking a cigar. Gus warns him it is not healthy. Joe flicks the cigar back, it lands in a long pipe, which starts a fire that leads to some factory. In the background, the lights of a nearby city go out one after the other. In the next scene, Joe's photo makes front page news, he is credited with having caused a "blackout" in at least 1/3 of the city.

Next scene, Joe and Gus are adults, still best friends ... they live next door to each other, in almost identical houses. They have a family and are planning a "fishing trip of a lifetime" in the Florida Everglades. They drive down to Florida with their fishing boat behind them. They make a stop at a Florida cracker style restaurant and discuss their plans. A sophisticated British man, who it turns out is a con artist, overhears them. He plays them for suckers, while asking questions about fishing lures and flatters them for their knowledge and skills. After saying good-bye, he lifts the keys to their car and drives off. Joe and Gus look out the window and comment ... about someone having the same kind of car and fishing boat ... when it dawns on them what happened.

The hilarity continues ... somehow they manage to save their fishing boat and rationalize they are lucky, things could always be worse, at least they have their boat. The guys meet a wealthy fisherman who mentions a yacht club in Florida where he plans to go fishing, he invites them to visit. They are picked up by two young women, whom they believe are impressed with their looks and male attributes ... but who quiz them about the con artist. The conman had duped the mother of one young lady, married her and took off with her savings - they are out for revenge. Joe and Gus manage to make it to a run-down fishing camp, which had been damaged by one of the hurricanes. They show the manager a "discount" coupon, which entitles them to live in a trailer. While watching "America's Most Wanted" they discover that the con artist, is notoriously famous, and there is a huge reward out for his capture ... their goal is to catch him. The guys manage to lose their boat ... they meet up with a yacht and boating salesman who talks them into a trial run on a sophisticated yacht - for easy monthly payments that will last ... nearly a lifetime. The guys go out in the water and ruin a yacht race and run the yacht literally into the ground. They drop off the keys to the salesman declining to buy it.

Everywhere they go - whatever they touch - ends up literally smoking and burning. Things get very testy after they discover a map of where the con man left his stash. He knows they have the map and is hunting them. They do not realize the booty is guarded by Mad Maggie. This film is a hoot and worth watching if you love crazy antics. It is the unpredicatability of the twists in the plot which captivate the viewer. There is a song about fishing in the Everglades by Willie Nelson played as background music which adds extra spice to the wild and funny episodes. The ending is surprisingly good when Willie Nelson rescues the guys. In the final scene after catching the con artist, Joe and Gus are inteviewed on TV. They are heros and collect the reward money. Initially, the film seems absurd but once the viewer gets into the spirit of it, it is quite funny and truly worth viewing.
Erika Borsos (erikab93)

Hillariously funny.......2005-10-12

Gone fishing is a delightful movie that the whole family can enjoy.Joe Pescie and Danny Glover are deliver a good clean [no foul language] film that reminds me of the fun times when I went fishing...

Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah / Godzilla & Mothra: The Battle for Earth

Average customer rating:

Dissapointed
One of the best Godzilla movies
Return of various old monsters
doublezilla
Godzilla's Best

Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah / Godzilla & Mothra: The Battle for Earth
Starring: Megumi Odaka , Akira Takarada , Takehiro Murata , Saburo Shinoda , and Akiji Kobayashi
Director: Kazuki Omori , and Takao Okawara
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla / Godzilla vs. Destoroyah
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Godzilla vs. Megaguirus

ASIN: 0767825489
Release Date: 1998-11-10

Amazon.com

That's right, they didn't stop making Gozilla films in the mid-'70s like you thought, but resurrected the rubberized reptile in the mid-'80s and have continued making crazy, clear-your-Saturday-afternoon-schedule offerings to this very day. And here in this double-feature disc are two of the craziest from the early '90s.

Godzilla vs. King Ghidora involves some western folks in a flying saucer from the future who come back to warn Japan of its imminent demise by Godzilla. But their real aim is to aid in that destruction, thus keeping Japan from becoming an economic powerhouse. Along the way, some cute little creatures they've brought with them are transformed into King Ghidora, the not-so-cute nemesis of Godzilla, and the two inevitably battle it out as unwitting champions of their times. The special effects are tops, the action is silly and pulpish, and the plot is lifted partially from Godzilla vs. Monster Zero (1968). If you don't watch this film with a silly grin on your face, you just aren't a Godzilla fan.

Godzilla and Mothra: The Battle for Earth is a variation on one of the best of the old Godzilla films, Godzilla vs. The Thing (1964). When a meteorite hits the Earth, Godzilla is awakened, along with Mothra and his evil twin Battra, the Black Mothra! Mothra must save the Earth from these scourges, with the help of its minions, the Cosmos, those twin miniature girls who sing the eerily beautiful Mothra theme from the earlier film. And the special effects are even more impressive and hallucinatory than before, if that's possible.

The pleasure of seeing these rarities on DVD is only slightly hampered by their truncated aspect ratios; yes, Mothra's widescreen wings have been clipped down to paltry pan and scan, and thus denuded of its native Tohoscope. --Jim Gay

Customer Reviews:

Dissapointed.......2007-04-02

When I first got this movie, I was hoping there would be more action in it. I was wrong.
Godzilla v.s. King Ghidorah is good, but only when Godzilla shows up and kills King Ghidorah. There's too much talk about how to deal with the lizard, which is totally pointless. Just kill the lizard!

Godzilla v.s. Mothra is better, but it's slow to get to the action, and when you see this movie you think that Battra is the bad guy not Godzilla.
And there's propiganda in this movie about the environment. The idea about a meteor coming to destroy earth is just plain dumb.

All in all this is a decent DVD.

One of the best Godzilla movies.......2006-11-06

Godzilla vs King Ghidorah:

While best appreciated by true Godzilla fans, this movie is actually a pretty good science fiction story in its own right. A tricked out space craft with time travel ability presents some intriguing plot possibility that keeps the audience wondering. One interesting insights is how the story portrays what Japan will become in the future. Add to that a back story that presents the origins of both Godzilla and Ghidorah and you end up with one of the best Godzilla movies ever made.

Godzilla and Mothra:

This is basically an updated movie of the early flicks involving Mothra. Worth watching if you're a big Godzilla or Mothra fan.

Return of various old monsters.......2006-09-27

I really can't decide whether to give this four or five stars. But since I gave G vs. Gigan 4 stars, I guess this should be given five, just barely.

vs. King Ghidorah Could be dissappointing to some King Ghidorah fans. The verion of King Ghidorah seen here is really weak compared to the Showa series.

The second movie was the first time I've seen one that had a focus on Mothra. It's interesting considering its partly based around a prop, but I guess its better than the movies centered around Mothra, where the movie is centered around a prop.

But since I haven't seen any Mothra movies or other movies where Mothra plays a large part I can't really compare it to anything.

doublezilla.......2006-04-14

I liked Godzilla for a few years, and these are two my favorite Godzilla movies.P.S. I seen all of the Godzilla movies.

Godzilla's Best.......2006-02-25

These two remakes of the earlier 60's and 70's movies are excellent. Besides the fact that they use better effects, the two moves begin a series of movies which actually have a contiguous story line... Once again they return to the original Godzilla movie from the 1950's and point to the Second World War in the Pacific. Godzilla here is not just a representation of the "A" Bomb reaking havoc, but also the conscience of the Japanese people. Very good...

Average customer rating:

Good movie, sub-par release
Great Godzilla movie
The Mother of Godzilla Adventures!!!!!
Boring and Cheesy
Could be better, could be worse.

Godzilla Vs Mechagodzilla II
Starring: Masahiro Takashima , Ryoko Sano , Megumi Odaka , Yusuke Kawazu , and Kenji Sahara
Director: Takao Okawara
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Godzilla - Final Wars
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Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla
Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla / Godzilla vs. Destoroyah
Godzilla vs. Megaguirus

ASIN: B0006SGYLK
Release Date: 2005-02-08

Description

In response to Japan's request for a countermeasure against Godzilla, UN engineers construct Mechagodzilla, a giant robotic version of Godzilla. Nonetheless, Godzilla proves himself a force to be reckoned with against this monstrosity and battle ensues.

Customer Reviews:

Good movie, sub-par release.......2007-03-20

GvsMG2 is one of my favorite Heisei Godzilla films. I used to watch it vigorously as a kid when it was released on VHS in '99.

When Tristar announced they had acquired the rights to several G-films and were releasing them to DVD, I was a little disappointed that this was not on the list. When they finally did release this particular movie, I couldn't wait to get it. Unfortunately, when compared to the Tristar DVDs of Godzilla vs. the Smog Monster or the original Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla, this one falls short of my expectations.

First of all, the fact that both Japanese and English audio is available is a plus. However, they're NOT in 5.1 surround but 2.0 stereo and handled pretty poorly with lots of unequalized sound and echos. I won't talk about the English dub except say that it's god-awful. Even worse, the subtitles are taken from the English dub and NOT translated from the Japanese version, which means that what you're reading in English isn't what they're saying in Japanese. Alot of things are mistranslated or overly simplified and sound just plain stupid.

Second, the anamorphic widescreen is again a plus, but the quality of the print is not pristine, surprising for a film that's only a little older than 10 years. The print itself is the same video print Tristar released on VHS, with bland fonted credits at the beginning and worst of all the removal of the closing credits, replaced by a quick copyright statement. For a movie like this where the credits are rolling over an actual scene from the film, this is unforgivable. It was terrible on VHS, and why they did the same for the DVD is inexplicable. As a side note, all the other Tristar DVDs (excluding the 2 double-sided discs for GvsKG/GvsMothra and GvsSG/GvsDestroyah) come with the complete credits, especially the newer films.

Special features, like all the Tristar releases, are non-existent, which is a real shame. I don't understand why Tristar doesn't include making of features on ALL their discs because the Toho R2 releases have a wealth of making of featurettes and trailers, so they do exist and are available.

In conclusion, while better than the first crop of DVDs released by Tristar in the late '90s/early '00s, this one falls well below their better quality releases of some of the older films as well as the newer ones. If you could care less about print and audio quality, special features, and correct subtitles go ahead and buy this DVD. If you want the definitive version, get a region-free player and buy the R2 DVD.

Great Godzilla movie.......2007-03-11

Better than the first Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla.My son really like Rodan and Fire Rodan.

The Mother of Godzilla Adventures!!!!!.......2006-08-21

This is a really good movie. Cool MechaGodzilla and great special effects. This is the only Godzilla 90's movie where you don't see wires every time you see a flying monster But the only reason that I give this movie four stars is the look of Rodan (Scratch that. Radon) He looks really weird in this movie. But a big leap on Baby Godzilla. He doesn't look like Cookie Monster anymore. Awesome Finale!!

Boring and Cheesy.......2006-06-21

I don't know what has happened. When this first came out on video in the late 90's I loved it. It was my all time favorite Godzilla movie. But now, several years later, it makes me cringe.

The movie starts out great, with the Mechagodzilla score blaring as we see the new-and-improved Hesei Mechagodzilla. In fact, my favorite aspect of the movie. After that point, we are introduced to dull characters speaking cheesy dialogue. I am fine with the dubbed track, as I expect the sub-par dubbing that Tri-Star made for these films. But the original Japanese track with subtitles is just as bad, which was suprising. As far as the characters go in the movie, most have gone through little development before the movie ends. At least the human characters do. Godzilla, Baby Godzilla and Rodan show a lot of emotion in this film, and the Godzilla suit was tweaked to give it a more feral look. The suits all look great, and they are handled well, though Rodan looks very fake while flying, since his wings barely flap at all, a frequent problem I've noticed in movies with flying kaiju. The updated Mchagodzilla looks feirce and powerful, but he does not instill the same amount of awe as the original.
But who cares about all that. Some people buy this movie just for the monster fights. Sadly, they aren't very notworty. The firt fight, between Godzilla and Rodan, is the only one worth pointing out, as it is fast paced and brutal, but the fights between Godzilla and MEchagodzilla are simply lame. They consist of the two monsters firing their energy beams at each other until one is incapacitated. The whole final battle is just spent firing beams, and is very unoriginal and unexciting.
So, in conclusion, both the human plots and monster fights are fairly boring, and the only upside is the one intense battle in the beggining of the film and the great score.

Could be better, could be worse. .......2006-05-24

A middle of the road Godzilla flick, this film sees one of Godzilla's classic foes return, marking the third time Godzilla has clashed with his mechanical counterpart. This second incarnation of Mechagodzilla is a construction of the humans as opposed to aliens, and is designed to put an end to Godzilla's reign of destruction, as opposed to conquering the planet.

Based upon the technology left behind by Mecha-King Ghidora in 1991's Godzilla vs. King Ghidora, this version of Mechagodzilla is impervious to Godzilla's atomic breath weapon and is loaded with missiles, laser cannons, and a weapon called the plasma grenade that can absorb Godzilla's breath and then use it against him. It also has electrical cables called shock anchors that can pierce Godzilla's skin and hit him with a powerful electrical charge, and an ultimate weapon known as the G-Crusher that can paralyze Godzilla. Why have I gone to all this trouble to tell you about Mechagodzilla's weapons? I did that because in the end, they don't matter, and Godzilla trashes Mechagodzilla badly. There, I've spoiled the ending; I'm a bad man. I guess you probably guessed that, though, because it always seems that Godzilla finds a way to win, no matter how badly the deck is stacked against him. I know Godzilla is supposed to be the villain and all, but be honest, how many of us are really rooting for the humans to destroy him? I always cheer for Godzilla to teach those puny humans a lesson they should have learned a long time ago: You cannot kill Godzilla; you can only piss him off. Let him stomp Tokyo flat and find a nice place to live where he won't come and crush you. Problem solved.

A large chunk of the film's plot centers on a baby Godzilla found on a distant island, and the return of Rodan. Rodan and Godzilla have a violent custody battle over the baby, but by the time they're finished, those dastardly humans have stolen the kid (who has yet to hatch at that point). Godzilla and Rodan are both telepathically drawn to the baby, and the humans decide to use this to smash the nuclear leviathan once and for all. What's interesting is that the baby Godzilla actually seems afraid of Godzilla - maybe he thinks he'll be an abusive dad - and calls out to Rodan when he needs help. Rodan spoils the human's plans by snatching the baby, but Mechagodzilla proves to be far too much for the pterodactyl to handle - Rodan's "death" at Mechagodzilla's hands is pretty gruesome. In the end, Godzilla prevails with Rodan's help. The baby Godzilla seems apprehensive at following his adoptive father - it seems like he would much rather stay behind with the humans, but the scientist who's been working with him knows he must leave. The fear you can see in the baby's eyes as it approaches the shore to follow Godzilla out to sea is pretty touching.

I found this film to be entertaining enough, and the return of Rodan was cool. Mechagodzilla seemed a bit overpowered, and doesn't look nearly as slick as his third incarnation in the Millennium Series. As usual, I could have done with a bit less human drama and a bit more giant-monster action, but you can't have everything, right? Still, as far as Godzilla adventures go, this one is well-done and fairly satisfying, it just lacks that "little extra something" to catapult it to the level of such masterworks as "Godzilla vs. Destoroyah" and "Godzilla, Mothra, and King Ghidora: Giant Monsters all-out Attack".

Average customer rating:

All Hands Lost
What a country!
AT HOME, The Perfect place to be..
Just what I ordered and very quick delivery
not that perfect at all

The Perfect Storm [HD DVD]
Starring: Karen Allen ,