The Convent

Starring:Catherine Deneuve, John Malkovich, LuÃs Miguel Cintra, Leonor Silveira, Duarte de Almeida, HeloÃsa Miranda, Gilberto GonÃ§alves
Director: Manoel de Oliveira
Studio: Fox Lorber
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com essential video

Actress-writer-director Ida Lupino got one of her unfortunately rare opportunities behind a camera making this 1966 family comedy about two mischievous students (Hayley Mills, June Harding) making life difficult for the nuns at a girls' convent school. Rosalind Russell has a fine part as a mother superior vexed by their pranks and outwardly chilly until the girls catch her in a more private moment of emotional release. The script has an anecdotal structure--it's sort of one thing after another with Mills's and Harding's troublemakers--but there is a rising sense that these two kids gradually develop some awareness of the pain and sacrifices of others. A fun and touching movie all around, with a nice twist at the end. --Tom Keogh

Description

Hayley Mills and June Harding act up in this affectionate comedy as two juvenile pranksters at the St. Francis Academy for Girls. It is up to Rosalind Russell, starring as the patient and understanding Mother Superior, to show them the right path. Starring Rosalind Russell and Hayley Mills.

Customer Reviews:

Haley Mills very funny movie.......2007-05-13

Cute funny movie, about girls, but my boys think it is funny. A nice wholesome movie for anyone.

Trouble with Angels.......2007-05-12

This movie is a classic of all ages. A fond memory from my childhood.

The Trouble With Angels.......2007-05-12

This is a funny, heart-warming movie of life in a Catholic boarding school. It is based on Jane Trahey's experiences as related in her book, LIFE WITH MOTHER SUPERIOR. The sisters in the book are portrayed as positive role models - wise, capable and loving. The students themselves come to appreciate the sisters' dedication and sacrifice as the story progresses. Wonderful family movie!

HAVE TO SEE.......2007-01-12

This movie is so much fun. It is filled with so much action & stunts by these 2 girls but also the nuns. They are a riot also. The twist in the end is a real tear jerker & also it makes you laugh at the same time. You have to see this movie!

My Review.......2007-01-10

Excellent family movie! This is a great comedy that my family and I grew up watching. I was unable to locate this film in local video stores and was glad when I found it on Amazon.com. Its a great movie for the entire family to watch.

Average customer rating:

A fun, family-friendly movie!
Pure Fun!
Good Movie
NUN TOO GOOD
excellent

Sister Act
Starring: Whoopi Goldberg , Maggie Smith , Kathy Najimy , Wendy Makkena , and Mary Wickes
Director: Emile Ardolino
Manufacturer: Touchstone / Disney
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00005KAQP
Release Date: 2001-11-06

Amazon.com

Whoopi Goldberg plays a Reno lounge singer who hides out as a nun when her villainous boyfriend (Harvey Keitel) goes gunning for her. Maggie Smith is the mother superior who has to cope with Whoopi's unorthodox behavior, but the cute script turns the tables and shows how the latter energizes the stodgy convent with song and attitude. A real crowd-pleaser and a perfect vehicle for Goldberg, this is a happy experience all around. --Tom Keogh

Description

Relive all the fun, laughter, and irresistible music of SISTER ACT -- the inspired comedy hit that packed pews everywhere! Whoopi Goldberg stars as a sassy, low-rent lounge singer forced to hide out from the mob in the last place on earth anyone would look for her -- a convent. While she's there, her irreverent behavior attracts a flock of faithful followers and turns the nuns' tone-deaf choir into a soulful chorus of swingin', singin' sisters. But when the group earns rave reviews, her sudden celebrity jeopardizes her hidden identity. Harvey Keitel and Kathy Najimy join a heavenly cast in this habit-forming comedy bursting with '60s Motown hits.

Customer Reviews:

A fun, family-friendly movie!.......2007-06-17

If you're looking for a fun, family-friendly movie to watch on a lazy Sunday, this is it. Whoopi Goldberg was made for this movie with her great acting and quirky lines.

So what's this movie about? A lounge singer named Delores has to go into hiding when her (ex)boyfriend comes after her after shooting someone in front of her eyes. Delores must become the complete opposite of what she is. She must disguise herself as a nun. While dealing with the extremely early wakeup times, the crazy nuns, and not being able to do things she's used to doing, she finds herself as the leader of the church's choir. She ends up turning the once awful choir into a spectacle (even the pope has to see it for himself!). This movie shows Ms. Goldberg having to cope with her life as a nun while staying away from the man who is trying to kill her.

So what's to like about this movie? It's just a fun, little movie to watch that'll pass a couple of hours leaving you entertained. I wasn't expecting much going into it because it's not meant to be an Oscar-worthy film but you'll be really surprised that the storyline is actually decent and original. The nuns are funny and kids will get a kick out of them.

What's not to like? Not much. As I said above, it's not supposed to be a ground-breaking movie so don't expect much out of it.

Be sure to watch this movie (along with the sequel) and add it to your movie collection!

Pure Fun!.......2007-02-09

This movie is Fun, Fun, FUN! The music is irresistible and it delivers laughs every minute. The story follows a low-rent casino singer, Deloris Van Cartier (Whoopi), who witnesses her mobster boyfriend, Vince LaRocca (Harvey Keitel) muder an employee. She goes straight to the police, who hide her from Vince in a convent while preparing for his trial. The Mother Superior (Maggie Smith), puts up with Deloris's unorthodox behavior long enough for her to turn the convent's chior into a swinging, soulfull hit. But when the group gets rave reviews, Vince and his goons go hunting for Deloris. Will they find her?
This movie is purely halarious! Whoopi and Maggie Smith are brilliant, and all of the acting is awesome! The music is toe-tapping (you must buy the soundtrack), and the story is fun! You must watch this movie!

Good Movie.......2007-01-18

I love to see Whoopi in some good movies. This is a clean and funny movie and it is a movie that families can watch and not have to worry about it being bad. I like this movie very much. Thanks

NUN TOO GOOD.......2006-12-17

This past November, I was in Reno, Nevada. Mrs. Van Owen, the shuttle driver who picked me up at the airport (women are always picking me up) pointed out the Saint Thomas Aquinas Cathedral as she was pulling into my hotel's parking lot, and she said, "That's the church they used in the movie SISTER ACT." Had it been ANY other church, I would have thought, Great, now how much do the video poker machines pay out on four deuces here? But it just so happens that when I was in Reno on August 12, 2001, Jesus sent me to the Saint Thomas Aquinas Cathedral (although I'm not Catholic) where I was the only White person to be found in the pews, and where I observed a Catholic mass delivered entirely in Spanish. (The only Spanish I know is "Si", "No", and some words that Ricky Garcia called me in junior high school.) I kept thinking, Nice music, Lord, but why did You send me here? It wasn't until the mass ended and I exited the church, that He revealed His purpose: On the steps of that very cathedral, Jesus, with a "miraclette", answered an important and troubling question that I'd been praying about for an entire month. (That's a story for another review.) So when my shuttle driver mentioned that particular church being used in the movie SISTER ACT, I determined to rent the 1992, WHOOPI GOLDBERG vehicle upon my return to Airheadzona. I'm back and I did.

Now, I grew tired of Goldberg's sassy, mononote thing a long time ago ("You want me to do WHAT?! Uh-uh. You got the WRONG woman, fool!"), so I wasn't expecting much, and my expectations were met but not exceeded. I knew this thing was going to be nun too good when I saw Harvey Keitel mentioned in the opening credits. (I have a rule of thumb: "Avoid EVERYTHING with Harvey Keitel in it." But since there's an exception to almost every rule, I'll add, "except maybe TAXI DRIVER.")

SISTER ACT's bad habits started immediately: It opens with a scene at "Saint Anne's Academy in 1968" (with the Saint Thomas Aquinas Cathedral playing the part of Saint Anne's Academy in one brief shot. Boo! I rented THIS movie for THAT?) Here we find Deloris Van Cartier (later played by Goldberg) as a youngster being asked by a nun to name the apostles. She gives a "Fabulous" (but incorrect) answer. Cut to Van Cartier many years later performing as the leader in a girl group retro act at a Reno lounge, and showing great unhappiness at being ignored by the nearby boozers and gamblers. Is it really unusual for free entertainment on a casino floor to go scarcely noticed? Would this REALLY upset a longtime lounge singer? Wouldn't she be used to the lack of attention while on stage by now? It would be the norm; just another day, just another paycheck. We've got nonsense right out of the chute, I thought.

The two-bit Reno nightclub singer, Van Cartier, accidentally witnesses her boyfriend, Vince LaRocca, orchestrate a young man's murder. (HARVEY KEITEL plays the evidently sight-challenged mobster. He couldn't find a more attractive two-bit nightclub singer in all of Reno? Please!) Now Van Cartier is (a soon-to-be nun) on the run.

Until LaRocca's murder charge comes up for trial, Lieutenant Eddie Souther (BILL NUNN, who must have gotten the part based only on his last name) places Van Cartier in a convent under the Witness Protection Program. The hulking Nunn is horribly miscast and gives a downright embarrassing performance as a lawman. Trying to pass this guy off as a street-hardened, high-ranking law enforcement officer is like trying to pass off Garfield the cat as a police dog! Nunn plays most scenes with this goofy "oh-you-kid" grin. (Sit down Lieutentant before you hurt yourself!)

Meanwhile, gangster LaRocca - awaiting his murder trial, yet incredibly free to roam the city (What? Did he have a "Get Out Of Jail" card tucked into his "violin case"?) - and his two unintimidating, geriatric hitmen, are trying to locate Van Cartier to enunciate with gunfire their displeasure at her willingness to testify.

In the convent, Van Cartier's life is adhering to the typical Hollywood formula - "the outcast finds her niche and makes good" paint-by-numbers kit. You know the gig! And we're treated to all the usual: Tough and/or cool street people in ridiculously exaggerated "tough and/or cool street people" costumes (how about just T-shirts and jeans, folks? You know, like REAL people on the street wear?); the gag where three guys simultaneously rush through a small opening and momentarily get stuck a la The Three Stooges (Har!-Har!-Har!); and of course, the obligatory and ubiquitous bit where the guys take it in the "family jewels" while the heroine makes good her escape. (The nutcracker shtick ceased to be fresh and funny about 1976, but they're still feeding it to us regularly because, you know, there's little genuine writing talent in Tinsel Town. Or haven't you noticed?) There are about 101 additional problems with this act, Sisters and Brothers, but there's no point in listing them all; it's not like you're going to pay attention to anything I say anyway. (The nuns fly to Reno to rescue Van Cartier because... uhm... there was no way to telephone Reno Law Enforcement? That's just a guess on my part. "Ain't nun of ya in the habit of keeping any spare change around, pray tell?")

I did enjoy the clever musical arrangements, and Goldberg's prayer before supper at the convent was appropriately inappropriate. But I loved Mary Wickes in the minor role of Sister Mary Lazarus, the ancient but tough-as-General MacArthur nun. I thought she had the best lines in the movie. ("I liked my convent in Vancouver, out in the woods. It wasn't all modern like some of these newfangled convents. We didn't have electricity - cold water, bare feet - THOSE were nuns!...it was hell on earth; I loved it! This place is a Hilton.") You go, Sister! Discipline those Pillsbury Dough Boy-soft troops!

Still, I can think of better uses for my time than watching SISTER ACT. (Sleeping, eating, reading, and writing a negative review of SISTER ACT all come immediately to mind.) Hey, I love a fun, stupid comedy (e.g., The Pink Panther Strikes Again or Monty Python And The Holy Grail), but because it actually asks us to accept as plausible its preposterous scenario, SISTER ACT is dumber than a lobotomized moron with paralyzed vocal cords. Making it, of course, the ideal movie for postliterate America. Whoopi!

(I hear what you're thinking: Why is he always knocking America? But I'm not! I'm always criticizing America, and there's a difference: 2 more syllables and 3 more letters!)

excellent.......2006-11-06

I enjoyed the action and the music. I enjoyed watching this movie. and it is wonderful to watch over and over again.

Gwendoline - Unrated Director's Cut (aka - The Perils of Gwendoline in the Land of the Yik Yak)

Average customer rating:

"don't put it away... throw it with great force!"
A Faulty Memory
Funny, sexy, but weird
Gwendoline - Unrated Director's Cut
If you like a full sweater and an empty head, this one's for you.

Gwendoline - Unrated Director's Cut (aka - The Perils of Gwendoline in the Land of the Yik Yak)
Starring: Tawny Kitaen , Brent Huff , Zabou , Bernadette Lafont , and Jean Rougerie
Director: Just Jaeckin
Manufacturer: Severin
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000FILVFA
Release Date: 2006-06-27

Amazon.com

So bad it's good, the notorious Gwendoline is one of those outrageously entertaining camp classics that will be enjoyed long after thousands of "better" movies have faded into obscurity. Loosely adapted from John Willie's pioneering 1940s comic strip "The Adventures of Sweet Gwendoline," and directed with good-natured humor by French softcore specialist Just Jaekin (Emmanuelle, The Story of O), this delirious dose of mainstream erotica plays like a sexy parody of Raiders of the Lost Ark and Romancing the Stone. In his own audacious fashion, Jaekin was attempting an ambitious, good-looking adventure with above-average production values, but Gwendoline owes its "bad movie" cult status to its cheesy combination of globe-hopping scenery, tacky sets, hopelessly wretched dialogue, laughably awful acting, and a constant parade of beautiful women, either half-naked or scantily clad in outrageous S&M costumes. The film is also notorious for being the screen debut of Tawny Kitaen (shortly before she appeared with Tom Hanks Bachelor Party), who brings a breathtaking lack of talent (and a very hot body) to her title role as Gwendoline, a scrappy stowaway who arrives in China on a quest to find her missing father, who'd ventured into remote jungles in search of a rare and beautiful butterfly.

Joined by hunky mercenary Willard (Brent Huff) and her loopy friend Beth (played by French model/actress Zabou), Gwendoline survives a variety of absurdly amusing obstacles (including one very phony-looking alligator) until they eventually reach the land of the Yik Yak, an Amazonian slave-culture consisting entirely of slim, sexy women! Through it all, Jaekin's image of women is a source of constant fascination: When they're not kicking ass or running around topless, Kitaen and Zabou act like helpless, virginal airheads who need a man to survive, and Gwendoline plays out like an adolescent wet dream. With a climactic chariot chase that must be seen to be believed, it's all so ridiculous that you can't help but be entertained, and Jaekin's 106-minute, French-language director's cut contains several action scenes that were cut for the film's English-dubbed 88-minute American version, released (and available separately) as The Perils of Gwendoline in the Land of the Yik Yak. --Jeff Shannon

On the DVD
Jaekin's original cut has been spectacularly restored for this Severin Films DVD release, with both French and English audio tracks and a delightful commentary by Jaekin with journalist/author Tony Crawley and Frederick Levier, former contributor to Starfix, a French magazine devoted to fantastic films; their unabashed enthusiasm for the film makes this commentary an unexpected treat. Also included: a 24-minute video interview with Jaekin, in which he discusses the production history of Gwendoline; a 10-photo gallery of Tawny Kitaen from the French softcore magazine Lui; and a fascinating vintage audio interview with Sweet Gwendoline creator John Willie, from the archives of sex-research pioneer Dr. Alfred Kinsey. Kudos to Severin Films for including these high-quality bonus features with a film that many consider one of the "worst" of the 1980s! One caveat, however: Why not include the American cut Perils of Gwendoline on a second disc, instead of as a separate DVD release? --Jeff Shannon

Description

BASED ON THE KINKY COMICS THAT SHOCKED THE WORLD - UNCUT, UNCENSORED & UNRATED FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER IN AMERICA!

Video vixen Tawny Kitaen made her movie debut as the virgin adventuress on a provocative odyssey to find her lost father. But even if she can endure the scorching torment of the desert and steamy hungers of the jungle, will she survive her final ordeal at the hands - and more - of the warrior women of Yik Yak?

Brent Huff and French sex kitten Zabou co-star in this erotic cult classic directed by Just Jaeckin (EMMANUELLE, THE STORY OF O), now fully restored from French vault materials and featuring scenes never-before-seen in America!

Customer Reviews:

"don't put it away... throw it with great force!".......2007-07-04

Gosh, this is -without any trace of a doubt - THE silliest and stupidest movie I have even seen.

In the Soviet Russia in the 80s, when I was in the university, the only source of information about Western (made in West, not just the cowboy stuff) movies - besides the officially approved and thus empty editions - was a couple of obscure and very cheezy Polish magazines, printed on bad paper with smudged photos and unreadable texts. "Gwendoline" was a sensation with them and they dedicated article after article to the movie (they did the same with Emmanuelle and other softcore masterpieces).
So I finally decided to find out what was all the frenzy about.

Well , the 70s and 80s are over (thanks for small mercies) and the movie proved to be so bad, that it is not even good. You know, how we often say - oh, it is so bad it is delicious. This is not the case. This one clearly transcends the stage "so bad, it is actully good" and goes into "oh boy, bad is not the word".

Even softcore adventures should have at least one good idea, one good laugh and one good line per movie. This one does not. Girls look good (nobody argues) , the boy looks great (very neat six-pack) , costumes (if you can call them that) are rather abbreviated.

Usually when I do not like a movie and do not intend to keep it, I give it away. In this case I dropped it into trash as I would have been too ashamed to give it to anybody - not because of the naked bodies, but due to sheer stupidy of the film.

A Faulty Memory.......2007-06-12

I remembered this movie from high school as a mildly amusing adventure story with some pretty girls showing some of their charms. I had a faulty memory.

The pretty girls are there. Tawny Kitaen and Zabou and definitely easy on the eyes and they show themselves off quite a bit. So do a lot of other girls but those are nothing to stick in the memory. The problem though is with the story.

It is a silly adventure story but it is much worse than I remembered. A girl devotes herself to finding the butterfly her scientist father died trying to find. She is aided by her girl sidekick and by a mercenary guide. They find the butterfly and a lost civilization of Amazons with nefarious plans. Silly but the background is worse.

What I did not remember or realize from all those years ago is that this is some sort of fetish film intended to excite those who like seeing women wear leather and be led around on leashes. Blah!

It was watchable but not very good.

Funny, sexy, but weird.......2007-05-30

This movie is a typical sexy B-movie, but it has enough scenery to keep your attention while trying to find the plot. We watched this twice through, and each time was about the same. Funny, sexy, but kinda cheap and amateurish, like most B-movies can tend to be. Knowing that you are not getting this movie for the plot or action scenes, but for the scenery and Tawny, you can settle in and enjoy this movie. There are a couple of scenes that are a bit gross, but overall it isn't as bad of a movie as I had expected. And yes, Tawny does look good in it. :)

Gwendoline - Unrated Director's Cut .......2007-05-08

Great female adventure film where the female gets to have just as much fun as her male counter-part.

If you like a full sweater and an empty head, this one's for you........2007-05-07

It is what it is, a skin-flick with Tawny Kitaen.

Average customer rating:

Actually ........
Tipical Itilan movie
For Rental Only
Pretty edgy.
Fast forward review

Images in a Convent
Starring: Paola Senatore , Marina Hedman , Paola Maiolini , Marina Ambrosini , and Angelo Arquilla
Director: Joe D'Amato
Manufacturer: Exploitation Digital
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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9 songs - Unrated Full Uncut Version
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ASIN: B0007UVXCW
Release Date: 2005-06-14

Description

As nuns get possessed by the devil, the situation only worsens when well-meaning priests try to intervene.

Customer Reviews:

Actually ...............2007-03-11

if you take out the scenes of the nuns running up and down the dark halls of the convent then this movie is probably only 25 minutes long ... In the short I guess 84 minutes of this film I saw more doors opening and closing that can probably last me a lifetime, but then, of course, its a movie in a convent ......SSSHHHHHHH

All the girls in this movie except for the token fat and ugly nun ... there were no old ones here thats for sure .... are HOT HOT HOT .... The men are all pretty well continental dork material except for the bishop that had screen time at the beginning for about 4 minutes ....

The camera work on the sex scenes is absolutely stupendous and if you can overcome the 'nun' thing its probably one of the best erotica films around ......

Tipical Itilan movie.......2007-03-11

I found it better to watch if you turn the sound off.

For Rental Only.......2007-01-06

Yes, this is typical Joe D'Amato. It is explicit, but the the scenes are relatively short. If your curious and can rent it then do so. I wish that I had now that I'm stuck with a movie I don't particularly like. I've seen quite a few of his films, and I have "99 Women"( the explicit euro vers.), "Emmanuel in America" uncut just to name two. This movie is so bad that I've only seen a portion of it, and I have no intention of seeing the rest of it. I wish they would release "Top Model" as that was a good one.

Pretty edgy........2006-10-04

This one does have some hardcore scenes in here, especially toward the end. recommend the double disk set, has some other interesting sex scene clips.

Fast forward review.......2006-02-22

When you're talking convent movies, you're looking for a lot of lezzing out followed by remorse and self-flagellation or they get caught by mother superior, and get flagellated that way. This chestnut from way back totally delivers on the nun to nun action, kind of a soft "x" treatment, munch out city. Of course, it's 1979, so there's not a lot of hardwood, we're taking serious carpet. Even the obligatory dude who's wounded/sick and brought into the convent to recover is a pretty furry sort.

Hirsute issues aside, we got multiple extended scenes; nun munching, a whipped back lick, a forest rape with hot dogs, a hide the icon scene, lots of carpet rubbing and nudity up the ying yang, which counted for a lot more in the 70's than now of course. There's some plot, but it's not in English and the subtitles dissapear when you fast forward, so that's not a problem. Something missing? You bet, especially from a sex sleaze standpoint - where's the flagellating?? No bathing scenes either, but we'll let that slide.

So, 3 stars for all the sex, 1 star for the NTRL factor (nudity to total running length, although it's short), with a one star demotion for zero nun whipping. Worth a look.

Average customer rating:

Wish there were more
Fun, nostalgic film
Where Angels Go Trouble Follows
Where Angels Go... Trouble Follows
Not a Pan-and-Scan

Where Angels Go... Trouble Follows
Starring: Rosalind Russell , Stella Stevens , Binnie Barnes , Mary Wickes , and Dolores Sutton
Director: James Neilson
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0000CDRW3
Release Date: 2003-11-11

Description

High-spirited sequel to The Trouble with Angels, starring Rosalind Russell reprising her role. Stella Stevens stars as a modern nun who convinces the Reverend Mother to take the girls on an unforgettable bus trip to a California peace rally. All-star cast: Rosalind Russell, Stella Stevens, Susan St. James, Van Johnson and Milton Berle.

Customer Reviews:

Wish there were more.......2007-06-27

I have always loved these movies and I would love to see more like them.

Fun, nostalgic film.......2007-06-24

A great sequel to "The Trouble With Angels" that reflects the Catholic church at a time when it was actively trying to look forward, rather than regress.

A strait-laced but good-hearted older Mother Superior is convinced by a younger, progressive nun to take a load of high school girls to a peace rally (yes, a peace rally! Try that with a Catholic school these days) in California. They have various mis-adventures, and everyone learns a thing or two: Including both the older and younger nun.

Even if you're not a Catholic, you're sure to find some fun and nostalgia in this film.

Where Angels Go Trouble Follows.......2006-12-29

Yuck! I agree with the reviewers who say this shouldn't be called a sequel. This movie shows what must have gone wrong in the Church to have had such an exodus from the convents during the 70's. Thankfully, the trend is reversing. The first movie was cute. I wanted to share it (The Trouble With Angels), with my daughter and got this one by mistake. I had seen it (Where Angels Go, Trouble Follows), when I was growing up and remember being disappointed that is wasn't more like the first movie. I had to shut this "sequal" off after about 20 mins. We're going to double ck. our titles next time!

Where Angels Go... Trouble Follows.......2006-11-10

This movie is meant as a sequal to "The Trouble with Angels" which starred Hayley Mills and Rosalind Russell. Hayley Mills does not appear in this sequal and her absence was a definite detraction. Although many of the other cast members are common to both movies, this sequal is definitely not as well done as its predecessor and comes across as quite "slap stick" in its humor.

Not a Pan-and-Scan.......2006-05-28

Previous reviewers are incorrect in their assertions that this DVD is a "pan and scan" version. "Where Angels Go..." was shot in the 1.85:1 format popular then and now, in which the entire 1.33:1 aspect ratio 35mm film frame was exposed during production. During theatrical exhibition, the top and bottom of the frame are "matted" in the projector to create the 1.85:1 screen aspect ratio. So, on this DVD, you are seeing MORE of the frame than was shown in theaters (the entire 1.33:1 frame). There was no panning and scanning involved in this transfer. TCM has shown the picture "matted" to re-create the aspect ratio as seen in theaters. It is simply incorrect to assume that a "full frame" version of any film on DVD has been "panned and scanned" without knowing the original production format or the theatrical exhibition format.

Average customer rating:

AGE WITH DIGNITY.
Robin and Sean
love that is ment for all time
Audrey Hepburn's masterful performance is beyond amazing!
One of the latest classics in film history

Robin and Marian
Starring: Victoria Abril , Ron Barker , Peter Butterworth , Sean Connery , and Kenneth Cranham
Director: Richard Lester
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00005JL6M
Release Date: 2002-07-16

Amazon.com essential video

This underrated Richard Lester film is really a classic--and one of the most romantic movies ever made. Working from James Goldman's script, Lester casts Sean Connery as an aged Robin Hood, returned after years away at the Crusades with an increasingly mad King Richard (Richard Harris). Robin and Little John (a very funny Nicol Williamson) return to find that the sheriff of Nottingham (Robert Shaw) is up to his old nasty tricks--and that Maid Marian (Audrey Hepburn) is now a nun. Lester brings the same touch to this period film that he did to The Three Musketeers and The Four Musketeers, blending authenticity with a knowing wink at the conventions of period films. But the heart of this film is the very palpable emotion between Hepburn and Connery (and between Connery and Williamson). The ending is guaranteed three hankies, minimum. --Marshall Fine

Customer Reviews:

AGE WITH DIGNITY........2007-03-15

this is good but "older" and may be hard at first to "get." a good entry point for this movie would be THE AMERICANIZATION OF EMILY (james garner, julie andrews, paddy chayefsky).

same screenwriter as THE LION IN WINTER (itself outstanding).

Robin and Sean.......2007-01-11

Robin and Sean are an unbeatable combination. At last a down-to-earth view of the mature Robin Hood, devoid of Hollywood's frilles and glitz.
Audrey Hepburn and Robert Shaw's excellent characters add further to a movie and a tale very well told.
Most recommentable.

A Norwegian film buff.

love that is ment for all time.......2006-10-29

This film is in the great style of a classic old movie, with much dialog and emotional thought provoking scenes of two seemingly star crossed lovers who reconnect after many years only to be threatened again by the unyielding wonderlust ego of Robin. Marian put and end to his wondering in a most surprizing way so the two of them can be together for all time. it made my husband cry, a beautiful story of unending, enduring love that follows them into eturnity...

Audrey Hepburn's masterful performance is beyond amazing!.......2006-10-15

I watched this movie a long, long time ago. I recall the the movie being slow and somewhat tormented. What made this movie so memorable even after all these years is Audrey Hepburn's extraordinary performance at the end of the movie. Not only, IMHO, was this Audrey Hepburn's very best performance of her long and distinguished career, but perhaps the best performance by an actress ever! Even after all these years (decades) I still remember how she expresses her love to Robin "... I love you ... more than the morning prayers .....". Simply brilliant!

One of the latest classics in film history.......2006-09-11

Tremendous cast, work perfectly, the three of them. This may be a rare case where a mediocre director produces one great work of art out of the blue, way above his talents.

The story no need re-telling. Bottom-line, it is a love story, emphasized by the beauty of the (Spanish landscape, curiously enough) that pushes this movie beyond the ordinary Hollywood detritus.

There are probably more subjects entangled into the plot, say religion, social struggles, and what have you, but there's no need to even get into that (so secondary to the main story are they).

I say it's a modern classic because it's so hard to make a film so deep nowadays, about LOVE, without falling into ridicule and hyperbole, the kind of 'Romeo and Juliet' story on film, that being this a rare case, it deserves the honor full-heartedly. There are a couple of moments though that the scriptwriter is on the brink of becoming 'melodramatic/soap-operish', but (in my opinion) it saves itself from this ignominy.

There's an impromptu statement made by Marian, at the end of the film, where she declares to love Robin so much, and then she adds... 'more than God.' Which sentence, I believe, may have been introduced by the scriptwriter in order to summarize the anti-religious viewpoint of the film (and Marian being an ex-nun, more so). But I'd like to rescue this film from an apparently blasphemous impulse by way of quoting I John 4:7-8:

"and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love."

but also John 3:12 "If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things (Marian)?"

So, even though this film may have been intended to sow incredulity and narcisism among the viewers (surreptitiously), it can still be redeemed through God's grace, because in matters of love, no one knows better than God Himself.

It's a beautiful film, and it will make you cry more than think, which is fair enough for me.

Average customer rating:

you call this going straight???
Good fun!
Finally, a great film comes to DVD
FUNNY, UGLY NUNS
Wonderful light hearted romp

Nuns on the Run
Starring: Eric Idle , Robbie Coltrane , Camille Coduri , Janet Suzman , and Doris Hare
Director: Jonathan Lynn
Manufacturer: Starz / Anchor Bay
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B0007LPSFY
Release Date: 2005-04-05

Amazon.com

You'll finding yourself rooting for this movie to take off in a sustained flight of comic inspiration, but it seldom does. It's too bad that it doesn't, given the casting, because both leads (Eric Idle and Robbie Coltrane) are capable of extreme funniness. Idle and Coltrane play a couple of low-level crooks who decide to get a piece of the action for themselves and abscond with the loot from a big score. But they're discovered before they can get away and their only avenue of egress is into a convent. So they don habits and hide out by pretending to be nuns, teaching parochial school to budding young girls. Now think about the possibilities in that premise, and anything you can think of is in the film (though Coltrane remains one of the funniest men alive). --Marshall Fine

Description

Brian and Charlie work for a gangster. When the boss learns they want to "leave" he sets them up to be killed, after they help rob the local Triads of their drug dealing profits. B&C decide to steal the money for themselves, but when their escape doesn't go to plan, they have to seek refuge in a Nuns' teacher training school. Disguised as nuns, B & C have to avoid their boss, Triads, police and Brians's girlfriend. There's also the problem of them being men disguised as nuns in an all women institution.

Customer Reviews:

you call this going straight???.......2006-08-17

eric idle and robbie coltrane make a hilarious pair, in habit and out. their misguided adventures in the dangerous world of crime are inspired. throw in a gambling nun,the triads,two greasy henchmen- not to mention a legally blind girlfriend- and you have quite a busy time. by the time sister liz sorts it all out, it really is "every nun for himself"! enjoy!!

Good fun!.......2006-03-06

Really a lot more entertaining than it should be, this is to all intents and purposes a one-gag film. Petty crooks Brian (Eric Idle of Monty Python fame) and Charlie (Robbie Coltrane) are on the run from the police after they have a plan to steal a suitcase full of money from the Triads and then run off to Brazil with it. So in an attempt to "go straight" they hide out in a convent dressed as nuns, attempting to pass themselves off as the genuine article.
With its' mix of slapstick and some crude gags (Nun to Robbie Coltrane who wants him to teach a class: Do you have experience with 18 year old girls? Robbie: Yes, plenty) , the film cant hide its British origins and has a very 80's feel. The film provides some good laughs though as Brian and Charlie get into comic scrapes trying to avoid the Triads, the Police, and also Brian's girlfriend Faith, he can't let her guess he is hiding out in the convent.

Finally, a great film comes to DVD.......2005-09-04

An early film of Robbie Coltrane (Hagrid of Harry Potter fame) is a fantastically humorous film, especially if you are or know something about Catholicism. Robbie's explanation of the Holy Trinity will have you in stitches. And the method he uses to remember the proper way of making the sign of the cross is still the way I remember it. Buy this film!!!

FUNNY, UGLY NUNS.......2005-04-23

If the last Pope was John Paul. Why isn't the new one George Ringo?

Irreverent Catholic humour abounds in NUNS ON THE RUN (Anchor Bay), a low brow romp that follows Eric Idle and Robbie Coltrane -- two crooks with loot taken from bigger crooks -- into a convent where they don habits and pretend to be nuns assigned to teaching young girls.

I laughed out loud at these desperate, inept, ugly nuns and their silly complications.

Wonderful light hearted romp.......2005-04-03

A very enjoyable movie - not exactly high brow humor, or not typical off beat Pythonesque humor (Eric Idle of Monty Python fame is Brian, and Robbie Coltrane of the Cracker series is Charlie). Brian and Charlie are gangsters who after stealing some drug money from the London triad, and avoiding a double cross from their boss, take 'sanctuary' in a convent. They do this by hiding as drag-Nuns; Sister Euphemia and Sister Inviolata (to see Robbie Coltrane in a nun's habit is a howl).
Brian and Charlie manage to have a positive effect on the nunnery, and they even repent (of a sorts) - but without returning the money of course (The good guys win - according to Brian's logic - when drug money is used for good works!).
There is some light hearted making fun of Catholicism here, but it is not mean spirited, so it shouldn't offend anyone. Charlie - who grew up Catholic - defends the church a few times while discussing religion with Brian.
Break out the popcorn, and fire up the movie and enjoy!

Average customer rating:

"What's nice about hemorrhoids is, you forget the rheumatism."
A Blade With No Edge
D'Artagnan's Daughter In A Wonderful Swashbuckler
Lots of Silly Fun!
Marceau Carries The Day

Revenge of the Musketeers
Starring: Sophie Marceau , Philippe Noiret , Claude Rich , Sami Frey , and Jean-Luc Bideau
Director: Bertrand Tavernier , and Riccardo Freda
Manufacturer: Miramax
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ASIN: B0000DZ3C0
Release Date: 2004-01-13

Description

Back and better than ever, the heroic Three Musketeers deliver rollicking good movie fun in the action-adventure tradition of THE MAN IN THE IRON MASK! Sexy international star Sophie Marceau (FIRELIGHT, BRAVEHEART) plays Eloise, the beautiful daughter of renowned Musketeer D'Artagnan (Philippe Noiret -- CINEMA PARADISO). When she discovers a murderous conspiracy to overthrow the King of France, the feisty Eloise calls upon her father and his famous ... though now retired ... brothers-in-arms to reunite in the name of justice! A wildly entertaining story of courage, love, and betrayal -- you're sure to enjoy all the excitement as the classic trio takes comic adventure to epic proportions!

Customer Reviews:

"What's nice about hemorrhoids is, you forget the rheumatism.".......2006-10-10

I've only ever seen Sophie Marceau in English-speaking roles before, and, while I thought she was a fine actress, it wasn't until I saw her in her native French milieu that I duly became impressed. REVENGE OF THE MUSKETEERS is a Sophie Marceau vehicle all the way; the scenes are never more delightful than when she graces the screen. I enjoyed her infectious enthusiasm as she threw herself fully into the role of the headstrong, adventurous Eloise D'Artagnan. Philippe Noiret was also noteworthy as the grizzled D'Artagnan, father of Eloise, now retired in disgrace from the ranks of the Musketeers. The rest of the cast was excellent, as well, with special mention going out to Sami Frey (Aramis), Gigi Proietti (Cardinal Mazarin), and Claude Rich (Duke of Crassac).

The convent in which the young Eloise D'Artagnan is being fostered is assaulted by swordsmen led by a woman in red. The Mother Superior is murdered and, in the aftermath of the attack, Eloise finds a blooded document, which she believes is the key to uncovering a deadly plot. She goes to Paris in search of her famous father, D'Artagnan, whom she hadn't seen in years, and finds him happy to see her but disinclined to believe her tale. However, certain events occur which alter D'Artagnan's thinking, who then decides to involve his old comrades. When you add to that mix a lovestruck but combat-ignorant poet, a one-eyed spy, a duplicitous femme fatale, an ambitious duke, a conniving cardinal, a slave ring, and coffee, well, somewhere in there, there just HAS to be a conspiracy in the offing, right? Right. There is a conspiracy and it's that same old conspiracy again, namely, to assassinate the monarch of France. But, thanks to the not-quite-decrepit ex-Musketeers and the resolute Eloise - who is powered by a sense of honor and justice, even if she's a bit lacking in the finer points of fencing - the King of France is in good hands.

A bit reminiscent of Richard Lester's THE THREE MUSKETEERS (1973), the lighthearted storyline proficiently toes the line between swashbuckling and comedy. The sword fights aren't that exemplary, but the film does have an out in that the main protagonists consist of a girl raw with the sword and four curmudgeonly, even arthritic, blades. But, what they lack in speed and dexterity, they make up for in enthusiasm and elderly flair. The comedy is superb and is nicely meshed within the story. I got a kick out of the fact that each of the opposing parties come upon innocuous messages (one a laundry list, the other a poem) that they think are in secret code and end up wasting much of the movie attempting to decode them. One of the verbal high points is when Aramis is apprised of yet another plot to kill the king; he remarks with an offended "But that's so dated!" Another is when, after Sophie has the frustrated villain, Crassac, at an impasse in their deadly swordfight, he asks her if her blade was longer than his. And then, of course, there's all those elderly jokes, as offered by the aged D'Artagnan and his cohorts.

So, here's what we got: misunderstandings, behind-the-throne machinations, high adventure and swordplays, low and high-brow comedy, a father-daughter relationship, the return of classic Dumas characters, and the introduction of a lovely and fiery heroine - Eloise D'Artagnan. Which brings us full circle to Sophie Marceau. As I've said, this is her vehicle. She displays full commitment and brings beauty, unaffected charm, and unfettered zest to the table. Her Eloise doesn't mind getting muddy or physically exerting herself; she athletically jumps on and rides horses, leaps on tables, violently slings furniture, and recklessly brandishes a sword. The only thing she doesn't do is swing on chandeliers, though I have no doubt she would've done that with gusto, as well.

A Blade With No Edge.......2005-05-19

Note: French with English subtitles.

There's a conspiracy afoot in France that has inadvertantly spread from the Royal Court of the King into the surrounding countryside, bringing death and destruction to a distant convent. One of the residence of this religious community happens to be Eloise (Sophie Marceau), the daughter of the famous musketeer D'Artagan.

After the murder of the Reverend Mother, Eloise leaves the convent, returning to Paris to find her Father (Philippe Noiret) in the hope of convincing him to use his fighting skills to bring the culprits to justice. As you might have guessed, this turns out to be a job that will require more than one musketeer. Soon D'Artagan and Eloise are joined by Porthos (Raoul Billerey), Aramis (Sami Frey) and Athos (Jean-Luc Bideau) and the battle is on.

This was a boring movie. Instead of making an action / adventure film directors Travernier and Blossier opted for a comedy. What's worse, it wasn't funny. Watching four old men who could barely walk pretend to fight off large numbers of younger and faster foes was a real stretch of the imagination. It just didn't work at all. Too bad, because the production values were first rate.

The only real energy in this production was generated by the charming Sophie Marceau. If not for her presence this film would have been impossible for me to finish. Thanks for being there Sophie.

D'Artagnan's Daughter In A Wonderful Swashbuckler.......2005-04-18

La Fille de D'Artagnan was a success in Europe but never got much of a release in the U.S. When the American DVD came out it had a new name, Revenge of the Musketeers. Too bad more people didn't see it. It's a great swashbuckling movie with lots of sword play, shrewd comedy, a clever story and fine acting.

It's the mid-Seventeenth Century in France. Eloise D'Artagnan (Sophie Marceau) is a young woman being educated in a convent when it is attacked and the mother superior killed. She learns there is a plot afoot, vows revenge and sets off to Paris to find her father (Philippe Noiret) and to reunite him with Athos, Aramis and Porthos. The plot thickens as they find not only evil noblemen and a cruel lady in red but that the 16-year-old king himself is in danger.

The humor and good nature of the film has a lot to do with the aging three musketeers and D'Artagnan. They've become middle aged, some a bit portly. They've all retired or resigned from the musketeers years ago. They find endless horseback riding and climbing walls no longer the easy action of their youth. Yet although they might get a bit tired sword fighting, they still are the best around...which they prove on ship decks, in castle hallways, and on Paris roofs.

Sophie Marceau does a wonderful job as the passionate and funny Eloise. She has no desire to simply wear skirts and get married as her father wishes. She's devoted to the idea of justice and righting the wrongs that have been committed. She loves her father and is proud of his comrades. She also finds she often has to protect the poet who loves her. He may write wonderful verse, but he can't use a sword and can barely ride a horse. Marceau throws herself into the role. Eloise may not be the best sword fighter around (she has plans for lessons from her father), but she energetically skewers those who try to confront her. Marceau leaps onto tables and horses, and also manages to land on her bottom in the mud and the dirt. She's an actress who is not afraid to get dirty or look disheveled.

This is an amusing movie with a lot of sword play. Marceau and Noiret are great. I liked it a lot. The DVD picture and audio are fine and the yellow subtitles are easy to read.

Lots of Silly Fun!.......2003-12-05

The whole premise behind the 570 musketeer films that have been released thus far (Dec. 2003) is pretty flimsy, and the premise behind this one is among the flimsiest. BUT--for people who like to watch adventure-comedies in which beautiful women kick butt, this belongs on your shelf beside the CHARLIE'S ANGELS films. The chief advantage this film has over other members of this genre is that it stars the ever-adorable Sophie Marceau. We get to see her fence with evil-doers and have a tender moment or two with her aging father, the famous D'Artagnan. The script is better than average, and the film contains many other scenes that are enjoyable in various ways. Finally, if you happen to like "musketeer films," this one is far better than the half dozen big-budget productions that have come out of Hollywood in the past few years. (Sorry, Leonardo. Yours stank, despite its high-powered cast.)

Marceau Carries The Day.......2001-04-27

The spirit of Dumas is alive and well as D'Artagnan and his three legendary companions regroup and once again go forth in defense of the Crown in "Revenge of the Musketeers," directed by Bertrand Tavernier. This time around, however, it's D'Artagnan's daughter, Eloise (Sophie Marceau), who sounds the alarm after witnessing a cold-blooded murder at the convent she has called home these many years, having been raised there while her father was off on one adventure after another in service to the King. And it's the King for whom Eloise is concerned; in the wake of the murder, she has uncovered a conspiracy to assassinate the about-to-be-crowned Louis XIV during his coronation. Her evidence is a cryptic message discovered among the personal effects of the recently deceased resident of the convent. So throwing caution to the wind, Eloise takes to horseback, alone, to seek out her father and inform him of this threat to France and the King. What she doesn't know is that D'Artagnan (Philippe Noiret) has recently withdrawn from the service of the King, and not by his own choosing. It seems that the King-to-be is something of an upstart, the fact of which D'Artagnan conveyed to him personally-- in no uncertain terms-- after which the now former Musketeer retired to private life to give lessons in the art of swordsmanship. All of which is about to change with the arrival of the daughter he hasn't seen for many years, and who to his knowledge is still safely ensconced in the convent.

To successfully present yet another episode of "The Three Musketeers," it must have that certain sense of bold carelessness born of confidence and larger-than-life adventure, and Tavernier's film has it. Though it takes a couple of scenes to find it's legs after an intense opening that makes you sit up and take notice, when it finally kicks in (which it does fairly quickly) it becomes a rousing adventure steeped in the tradition of it's predecessors. And, as in the best of the "Musketeer" movies, it's laced with subtle humor and intrigue. Tavernier sets a pace that is at times inconsistent, but he provides enough action and fun that it can be easily overlooked; it may threaten to stall occasionally, but never actually does.

Philippe Noiret cuts a striking figure as the aging D'Artagnan, who though slowed somewhat by the years, is still one of the best swords around. He successfully embodies that spirit and sense of "legend" that makes his D'Artagnan believable, and delivers it all with the confidence befitting his character.

The highlight of the film, however, is the lovely Marceau, who as Eloise proves that she can cross swords with the best of them. Her technique with a blade may be a bit awkward at times, but it gives credibility to the character; a young woman raised in a convent-- even the daughter of a famed Musketeer-- wouldn't necessarily be a master swordsman. And Marceau gives a lively performance as Eloise, diving into the action with a reckless abandon that makes her endearing, as well as fun to watch. She has a radiant screen presence that draws the eye to her, even in a crowded scene. But what really puts this character across-- and again, the entire film, for that matter-- is that unabashed spirit of adventure, which Marceau manifests in Eloise.

Amazon.com

Puccini's trio of one-act operas is carefully balanced to contrast three moods: dark, violent jealousy in Il Tabarro, tearful sentimentality in Suor Angelica, and satirical wit in Gianni Schicchi. All three flavors are precisely conveyed by La Scala's carefully chosen cast, with finely nuanced conducting by Gianandrea Gavazzeni.

This production is particularly treasurable because most companies today avoid presenting all three pieces together, and the interaction of contrasting motifs is part of what Puccini had in mind. Gianni Schicchi is deservedly the most popular, and La Scala fills the stage with vivid character performers to convey its full flavor. Juan Pons sings the title role with fine comic flair and rich, flexibly used tone. Sylvia Sass heads a small, expert cast in Il Tabarro, which could, however, have been more convincing in the murder scene. Suor Angelica is sweetly distraught, as it should be. --Joe McLellan

Description

Three one-act operas by Giacomo Puccini: Il Tabarro, Suor Angelica, Gianni Schicchi. Recorded at the legendary Teatro alla Scala and starring Piero Cappuccilli, Rosalind Plowright, and Juan Pons.

Customer Reviews:

Academic at best.......2007-04-29

These performances were way below what one would expect from La Scala. Though my least favorite of the Trittico was always 'Tabarro', it's the best one here as far as set, performances and direction. The three leads were all good, but the direction was adequate at best and besides, it's still the weakest of the trio and least performed for that reason.
Suor Angelica had a good orchestral performance, but that was it. I'd never seen Plowright live and based on this would avoid any performance she was in. The few high notes she did get (and they were few) were short and harsh as if she were a mezzo asked to hit a high C. The staging was grand but in an inappropriate way. It looked more like a stark palace than a cloistered convent. The ending was such a disappointment to me since I'd seen Scotto do this at the Met. Though I never liked the idea that the miracle is only seen by Angelica and not the audience, it requires an astounding performance to pull that off. Lastly the Gianni Schicci production gave me the sense that I was watching a production as staged by a 2nd rate Music College. Adequate, predictable, and limited. As if there were a bunch of musicians and theater people who got together to do something that they had never done before and, though talented, had no inspiration to do something special with it. It's as if they new it was a comedy, but had never seen one before.
There are a number of recordings out there and all are better than this.
If the current new production (2007) at the Met ever goes to DVD, I'd pay $100 for it without blinking an eye. There, a standard has been set.

Some of the best Trittico.......2006-01-03

I wish ALL acts of Il Trittico were more popular and more availible, but I am glad that these productions exist in order to provide more accessibility to such a wonderful set of operas. This production has its flaws, but then again what production doesn't? Tabarro is my favorite opera; and althought Sylvia Sass is a rather poor actress and her diction is less than articulate, her voice is quite nice as Giorgetta. Martinucci as Luigi does an admirable job with an extremely difficult role, but the real gem of the production is Piero Cappuccilli. Throughout the production Cappuccilli not only delivers the appropriate emotions, but he also delivers some of the most beautiful and menacing singing. His ending plea to Giorgetta is amazing, and "Nulla, silenzio" is perhaps at the finest I have heard it. This is a wonderful production with Cappuccilli; and even though the acting is not the best at times and even though it COULD be better, this production is more than satisfactory...it is GREAT

Suor Angelica is wonderful, but Plowright was not meant for that role. Angelica needs to be light, agile, and able to sing the C's and D's which are MEANT to be sung. All in all this is a good production, but I would have liked to see a better Angelica.

Gianni Schicchi is, as others have said, good but not great. It is loud for most of the production, but the wonderful Juan Pons delivers a superb performance as Gianni. The other roles are satisfactory and the story gets across to the audience. Once again this could have been better, but I enjoyed what was performed.

All in all this really is a set of good performances which are highlighted by Cappuccilli and Pons. I would suggest this DVD to anyone interested in developing a love for Tabarro and for anyone wishing to see three good performance of Puccini's Il Trittico.

YES and NO.......2004-08-20

I have always loved this threesome, though I also consider Schicchi the weakest of all Puccini works. It is great to have it available to see as well as to listen to. After many years of singing opera for a living, I know that I may tend to be a little "jaded". So, as brief as possible: the singing in these performances is really quite good and I will not try to compare with so many better on audio only! That said: The real drawback of this is the staging and acting - did I say act and opera in the same sentence? Tabarro goes along fine until the "murder and revelation". It makes "opera" look as stilted as we know it can be. I know only too well how difficult it is to sing high C and attempt to act, but this was filmed. Sour Angelica - beautifully sung, even if Plowright has a "different" voice for this role and lacks the top notes requied. I simply do not know what that visual ending was suppose to be. I watched this DVD, for the first time, with a novice who had gotten the full build-up from me: only to be befuddled at the end. Sometimes I think that the old fashioned ,statue turns revealing "live" Madonna and a child, is better, not high tech, but effective. This DVD is worth buying because it is the only way to hear and see these works that no longer seem to be in favor and to show others that there is more to the Trittico than just "O mia Babino caro"!

Only Suor Angelica.......2004-08-19

I've had recordings of these operas (first on LP, now on CD, never mind the singers) for many years. I loved Tabarro (on CD), kind of liked Angelica and always hated the music but loved the story of Schicchi. Seeing them performed, I could tell I was in the hands of a master (Puccini), but I didn't like them anyway. The one I preferred and with reservations was Angelica, I thought everyone did an excellent job (note: the princess looked as grim during her curtain calls as she did during her performance!), but I greatly disliked the special effects ending and if I hadn't already known the story, I doubt I would have understood it, did the audience at La Scala see what I did? Tabarro was terrible, the beautiful music didn't start until the lovers got together, the first half hour or so was extraneous filler and not much fun to listen to (however I was tired and kept dozing off, so maybe I should give it a second chance). Schicchi, which has both the best (yup, that famous tune, which is the best tune in the entire three hours) and the worst music of the three, was played nonsensically, like the horseplay of the three non-dancing step-sisters in Prokofiev's Cinderella. It was comical and the dialogue was absurd, but the whole thing was done as a total farce and I think the story is more sophisticated than all that. Although I didn't think much of the whole thing, I did enjoy Angelica very much (I'm an Atheist and thought the rules and beliefs of these people were silly and (consider the plot) crippling), I thought the music this time through was more beautiful than I've ever heard it. Of course I loved the river theme in Tabarro, and like I said, once the story started, Puccini came into his own. Finally (since I seem to be trashing the whole thing anyway, and I do wish I could get my money back on this DVD), I thought the acting in all three operas was very mediocre and watery. By the way, Puccini is quoted as saying sometime around the opening of this show, "I was bored, and I'm the author." I watched one opera a day and did not get bored.

sour angelica.......2004-06-09

I actually bought this dvd for Sour Angelica, especially for Plowright. I only knew famous excerpts of other two operas. I don't agree with the view that Plowright was miscasted. I'm her admirer since her La Forza recording and now have seen her stage performance. As for Gianni Schichi and Il Tabarro, Juan Pons and Cappucilli were on their peak.

Average customer rating:

Nuns From Outer Space...

End of the World
Starring: Lew Ayres , MacDonald Carey , Dean Jagger , Christopher Lee , and Sue Lyon
Director: John Hayes
Manufacturer: FULL MOON
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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