The Passion of Anna

Starring:Bibi Andersson, Britta Brunius, Lars-Owe Carlberg, Malin Ek, Sigge FÃ¼rst, Erik Hell, Barbro Hiort af OrnÃ¤s, Svea Holst, Erland Josephson, Marianne Karlbeck, Annika Kronberg, HjÃ¶rdis Petterson, Liv Ullmann, Brian WikstrÃ¶m, Max von Sydow, Brita Ã–berg
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
Product Type: DVD

Average customer rating:

Witty and entertaining
oscar wilde was a genius
If you love good dialogue...
Oscar worthy
Absolutely Brilliant!!

An Ideal Husband
Starring: Cate Blanchett , Nancy Carroll (II) , Minnie Driver , Lindsay Duncan , and Charles Edwards (VI)
Manufacturer: Miramax
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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The Winslow Boy

ASIN: 6305692696
Release Date: 2000-01-18

Amazon.com

For truly clever dialogue and a smartly structured plot, you can't go wrong with Oscar Wilde. Wilde's play An Ideal Husband is not his best known, but this film adaptation has all the wit you could ask for and a cast with the chops to deliver it: Cate Blanchett (Elizabeth, Oscar and Lucinda), Julianne Moore (Short Cuts, Boogie Nights), Minnie Driver (Grosse Pointe Blank, Big Night), Jeremy Northam (The Winslow Boy, Emma), and especially Rupert Everett (My Best Friend's Wedding, A Midsummer Night's Dream), who tosses off perfect epigrams with unflappable aplomb. The plot hinges on Northam, a member of Parliament (the British governing body, not the funk band) with a skeleton in his closet who is blackmailed into a shady business deal by a lady of mystery (Moore), who turns out to be a loathed school chum of the parliamentarian's wife (Blanchett). Everything is resolved happily, but not until after some devious twists of fate, several mistaken identities, lots of comic banter, and much social skewering. Wilde, who came to ruin when his homosexuality was brought to light, has a sharp eye for hypocrisy and the artificial poses demanded by society--but political commentary never gets in the way of a smart laugh. Visually sumptuous and briskly paced, An Ideal Husband will satisfy anyone looking for social satire or romantic comedy. --Bret Fetzer

Description

Sexy leading man Rupert Everett heads an acclaimed all-star cast in this wonderfully witty story of decadence, romance, and scandal! Sir Robert is a highly respected politician whose spotless reputation is the pride of his beautiful wife (Cate Blanchett ) and adoring sister (Minnie Driver). But when an old acquaintance (Julianne Moore) threatens to reveal a dark secret from Robert's past, only his womanizing party-loving best friend Goring (Everett) is scheming and dishonest enough to come to his aid.

Customer Reviews:

Witty and entertaining.......2007-06-11

This film has several real strenghts, including the witty dialogue by Oscar Wilde, the fine job of acting by the cast, and the beauty of the setting and gowns worn by the three primary actresses.

You have to remain alert while watching and listening to a play by Oscar Wilde as it is full of snappy, sharp dialogue and Rupert Everett is perfect playing a Wilde character. Jeremy Northam and Cate Blanchett also do a great job playing the straight characters in a Wilde dramatic comedy. Julianne Moore does an excellent job playing the role of a villaness. Minnie Driver is the only one of the actors who seems to be having a bit of a challenge with her role. Northam and Blanchett are meant to be the straight pair of lovers whereas Driver and Everett are the comedy pair of lovers. Driver and Everett have a bit of trouble pulling this off and their attraction to each other seems labored and unreal.

The settings are beautiful but the period gowns are over the top.

Underneath all the witty snide dialogue, and the twists and turns of a comedy, there is a morality play nestled in this film. The film is primarily about morals and payment for the sin's of one's past. Sir Robert Chiltern, a rising star in parliment, was once an assistant to a cabinet member. In this position he was able to provide an investor inside information about the Suez Canal. This resulted in his making a vast fortune as part of his bribe. Now, years later, Mrs. Cheveley, is attempting to blackmail him into supporting another canal in Argentina so that she can make a killing with her investment in the scheme.

We see all three of the main actors, Northam, Blanchett, and Everett grow and change as they undergo this ordeal. The film is entertaining.

oscar wilde was a genius.......2007-04-22

Ok, so it's a little British and you actually have to get off the phone and listen to get all the jokes. But the comedy is brilliant, the relationships really matter to you and although I hate Cate Blanchett, even in this movie, don't we all wish Rupert Everett swung our way?? I adore this movie and tend to make even people who don't like british movies sit still and watch it.

If you love good dialogue..........2007-04-09

...This is the movie for you!!

When people ask me what movies I love for just witty dialogue alone, this movie is always up there with Pulp Fiction, Out of Sight, and When Harry Met Sally. I love the language, the delivery, the exquisiteness of each word, each line in this movie! Every actor/actress delivers such grand performances and revels in the pure fun of the language!

I made my fiancé sit down and watch it the other day and even though she had dubious concerns about why I was making her watch the movie, she absolutely loved it!

A true screen gem!

Oscar worthy.......2007-03-24

(I have not read the play nor seen it performed on stage so I didn't miss the features that other reviewers have mentioned.) I found this thoroughly enjorable. Rupert Everett perfectly embodies the paradoxical virtues of Oscar Wilde...the self admitted scoundral who only speaks seriously on Tuesdays from 1 to 3. His total opposite is Gertrude (Blanchett), married to her ideal husband, a man she has placed on a formidably high pedestal of virtue. Naturally, that had to fall and the scoundral saves the day. (Knowing what we do of Wilde's life we can appreciate this theme even more.) Underneath his protestations of superficiality he emerges as the real hero.

That's the theme -- that no one is perfect and that it takes more courage to love an imperfect person than a perfect one. But Wilde doesn't bludgeon us over the head with the message---he delights us with the brilliant dialogue and clever plot. If there were no moral at all, it would still be a delight to watch.

The acting is all very good. Rupert Everett, as everyone has mentioned, seems born to play Wilde. I disagree with those who said there was no chemistry between him and the Minnie Driver character. I thought their scenes together were the most entertaining in the film. She is genuinely funny as well as very beautiful. Blanchett is perfect in her role of the pale, virtuous-to-boredom wife. I thought the only weak link was Julianne Moore, who seemed miscast as the villianess. Perhaps I've seen her in too many "realistic" American roles which she does with such depth of humanity and vulnerability that I had a hard time adjusting to this Julianne. I thought her accent was lacking and she just didn't have the arch quality that such a part demanded. However she carried it off well enough not to spoil the enjoyment of the film. It's definitely fun and worth seeing.

Absolutely Brilliant!!.......2007-02-28

This is one of Oscar Wilde's most entertaining works. The cast is outstanding in every way possible! Rupert Everett can deliver an Oscar Wilde line better than anyone in the business. Minnie Driver is just wonderful and Cate Blanchett is one of the best actresses in movies right now. Jeremy Northam is always charming. What is wonderful about this is that the actors really act. The entertainment is in the lines and how they are delivered without an explosion or explicit scenes of any kind. I don't think we, here in America, can produce better acting or scripts right now. Don't miss this - you'll be quoting it for years!

Anna Karenina (1977) - The Complete Miniseries

Average customer rating:

A magnificent rendition!
Two Thumbs Way Up!!
Great Miniseries
Anna Karenina
A "Regular People" Review

Anna Karenina (1977) - The Complete Miniseries
Starring: Nicola Pagett , Victoria Allum , Eric Porter , Neville Barber , and Stuart Wilson (II)
Director: Basil Coleman
Manufacturer: WEA
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Anna Karenina (2000)
Anna Karenina (1948)

ASIN: B0000A5A17
Release Date: 2003-09-30

Description

Discover the epic saga of love, marriage, heartbreak, and tragedy among the 19th-century Russian aristocracy in Anna Karenina. Young, vivacious, and breathtakingly beautiful, Anna (Nicola Pagett) seems resigned to a passionless marriage of convenience to a powerful older man, Karenin (Eric Porter). But when she meets the dashing soldier, Count Vronsky (Stuart Wilson), she risks scandal and ruin to pursue true love. Experience the unbridled passion of Anna's star-crossed affair and its far-reaching effects on her family, friends, and social order in this stirring BBC dramatization of Tolstoy's classic novel.

Customer Reviews:

A magnificent rendition!.......2007-06-08

I could not have been more pleased with the accuracy of this mini-series as it links to the original literary work. The story is fluid, well-told, well-acted and the casting is spot-on. Even though the indoor shots are a bit soap-opera-ie (a new word?), the cinematography of the outdoor scenes really blew me away -- great film production work! If you're too lazy to read Anna Karenina, not to worry! Just watch this mini-series and you can speak on the original book with great authority. Be prepared for the extreme length of the DVDs but, for me, every moment was priceless. If I have a criticism, it is that the supposed Russians of this film all have British accents -- but one can't have everything. A rare insight into human nature and into 19th Century Russian Nobility and Serf culture as well. A wonderful mini-series.

Two Thumbs Way Up!!.......2007-04-23

I read the novel in my teens, and remembered it vaguely. This film was soap opera-ish, but wonderfully acted, had beautifully scenery and was completely faithful to the storyline. 10 hours sounds long, but it was well worth the time spent. You won't even notice the heavily British accents, as you follow the characters around "Russia".

Great film.

Great Miniseries.......2007-04-02

It was very enjoyable and extremely well done. Much better than many other versions of Anna Karenina Hollywood films or some plays I saw on stage. A real classic to have in one's collection.

Anna Karenina.......2007-01-11

Absolutely perfect! I have been looking for this version for some time and it was well worth the wait!

A "Regular People" Review.......2007-01-09

After reading Anna Karenina I wanted to check out some of the film adaptations, so I bought this. I personally liked it, the production does kind of feel like a soap opera in a way. But 10 episodes gives them time to develop the characters nicely. If you like the book, give it a go....and keep me updated!

The Ingmar Bergman Special Edition DVD Collection (Persona / Shame / Hour of the Wolf / The Passion of Anna / The Serpent's Egg)

Average customer rating:

Well done, but the aspect ratios are STILL wrong
MGM gets it right

The Ingmar Bergman Special Edition DVD Collection (Persona / Shame / Hour of the Wolf / The Passion of Anna / The Serpent's Egg)
Starring: Bibi Andersson , Gunnar Björnstrand , Margaretha Krook , Jörgen Lindström , and Liv Ullmann
Director: Ingmar Bergman
Manufacturer: MGM
ProductGroup: DVD
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Cries & Whispers - Criterion Collection

ASIN: B0001MIK6I
Release Date: 2004-04-27

Amazon.com

There is no denying this fact: Ingmar Bergman's films are true commitments. Though averaging only an hour and a half in length, the psychological depth, the magnitude of human exploration, and the emotional rollercoaster you embark on while watching his films can stick with you for a lifetime. According to Bergman, "No form of art goes beyond ordinary consciousness as film does, straight to our feelings, deep down into the dark rooms of our souls." By the mid-sixties, Bergman was about to show the world how far the medium film could go. He began to move away from his Seventh Seal style into the dreamlike, deconstructive, nonlinear realm that would continue throughout his career. This DVD set wonderfully captures all his landmark films of the late 1960s marking this significant transition. Each film stars Liv Ullmann, Bergman's beautiful muse, and involves another longtime collaborator, cinematographer Sven Nykvist. Each film has been remastered, and is presented in its unedited theatrical version loaded with pertinent extras, including a featurette on each film, interviews with cast members (every disc has an on-camera interview with Liv Ullmann), a feature-length commentary by Bergman biographer Marc Gervais on four of the films, and a wonderfully surprising commentary by David Carradine on The Serpent's Egg. Couple these films with an extra disc of supplemental material and you have yourself an incredible Ingmar Bergman film festival. --Rob Bracco

The Films:
In Persona (1966), Elisabeth Vogler (Live Ullmann) has stopped speaking and withdrawn from the world. At her doctor's orders, she moves to a remote cottage to be watched over by Nurse Alma (Bibi Andersson). To fill the silence, Nurse Alma talks aloud to her silent listener and slowly lays out her soul and identity to her patient. In essence, the nurse becomes the patient herself. If the extent of your Bergman exposure is The Seventh Seal, be prepared to get blown away by this film's hallucinatory, multilayered exploration in identity and personality. The hallucinatory analysis of personal identify continues with the haunting The Hour of the Wolf (Vargtimmen) (1968). Artist Johan Berg (Max von Sydow) is desperately trying hold on to his sanity, while being haunted by his demons. His wife (Ullmann) is trying to help, but also begins to share Johan's hallucinations. As they both begin a downward spiral Ullmann has to make a painful decision between the love of her husband or her own sanity. Shame (Skammen) (1968) stars von Sydow and Ullmann as a couple in the midst of a civil war. They escape to their farm for safety only to be haunted by the soldiers that invade their home. The Passion of Anna (En Passion) (1969) again stars von Sydow and Ullmann. Andreas and Anna live on a remote island with a neighboring couple. While trying to escape the skeletons of their pasts, they each seek solace in one another, even as their lives are torn apart by deception, isolation and psychological turmoil. The last film in the set is a leap forward to 1977. The Serpent's Egg (Das Schlangenei) may be the weakest of the set, but by no means is it a lesser film. It tells the tale of two Jewish trapeze artists trapped in Berlin during the Nazis regime. Bergman would only turn out three more feature films before disappearing into retirement. --Rob Bracco

Description

Disc 1: HOUR OF THE WOLF SE Disc 2: PASSION OF ANNA SE Disc 3: PERSONA SE Disc 4: THE SERPENT'S EGG SE Disc 5: SHAME SE Disc 6: BONUS DISC

Customer Reviews:

Well done, but the aspect ratios are STILL wrong.......2005-09-29

I had originally given this collection 5 stars, but then did some investigating. It turns out that although they've fixed the aspect ratios on a couple of the films, they are still wrong on Shame, Persona, and Hour of the Wolf. This effectively chops out about 12% of the films, destroying Bergman's original compositions. I didn't believe it at first until I went through scene-by-scene and realized the horrible truth.
[...]

MGM gets it right.......2004-04-24

After much confusion, the long-awaited Bergman set has finally come out. You can disregard all the negative comments you may have read about faked aspect ratios, etc. Yes, MGM tried to pull a fast one on a couple of the titles in this box, but after being caught out, they did the right thing by pulling the box and waiting to issue an excellent set with transfers that easily match those of Criterion, Kino, etc. (Let's hear it for consumer power!) All the titles are now in their proper aspect ratio. The black and white transfers (Persona, Hour of the Wolf and Shame) are truly beautiful. These films have probably not looked this good since they first came out. The digital transfers for the two colour titles offer equally fine video and clear original audio. The disc of bonus materials is fascinating, with rare interviews with Bergman himself from 1970 and 2002. The bonus disc and the five individual titles also offer interviews with key Bergman players, including Erland Josephson, Bibi Anderson and the ever-insightful Liv Ullmann.
As for the films, they speak for themselves. If you still haven't seen the four sixties films in this box (the summit of Bergman's art in the opinion of many critics), here's a chance to get acquainted with some truly great late-20th century art. Forget about the bad press. MGM got it right this time.

Average customer rating:

French Erotica

Total Romance: Ultimate Games
Starring: Alexander Lindqvist , Philippe Visconti , Nathalie Raynal , Mac Rucidle , and Vera Morin
Director: Nicolas Weber
Manufacturer: Pathfinder Home Ent.
ProductGroup: DVD
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Total Romance: Initiation
Tropics of Love: Naomi's Secrets
Tropics of Love: Intimate Sins
Lie With Me
Private (FALLO, Italian Version)

ASIN: B000BLBZGG
Release Date: 2005-11-29

Customer Reviews:

French Erotica.......2007-03-10

If you are looking for something different then this video might suit you. It is a little slow at first the but the sex and its intensity pick up at the end. The women are not top shelf but attractive. I would imagine there is better French soft core out there.

Average customer rating:

I HAVE A GUN... SO DO I... ME TOO...
GREAT Performances by all the cast & director but NO Message
Scattershot
...brilliant!!!
Godawful morality tale missing the point

It's the Rage
Starring: Joan Allen , Jeff Daniels , Robert Forster , Andre Braugher , and Bokeem Woodbine
Director: James D. Stern
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
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Shot in the Heart
Some Girl
The Mod Squad
Albino Alligator
The Big White

ASIN: B00013RC52
Release Date: 2004-02-03

Amazon.com

No, it's the cast. A homeowner (Jeff Daniels) shoots an intruder, who turns out to be his business partner. A police officer (Robert Forster) suspects a setup. His wife (Joan Allen), who didn't know they even had a gun in the house, she gets a job with a reclusive computer billionaire (Gary Sinise). The billionaire's former assistant (Josh Brolin) has left the company to work in the movies, and he falls for a street waif (Anna Paquin). Daniels's lawyer (André Braugher), who is gay, also falls for the waif, much to the chagrin of his unstable partner (David Schwimmer) as well as the waif's unstable brother (Giovanni Ribisi). Based on a play by Chicago playwright Keith Reddin (who also wrote the screenplay) and directed by theater director turned first-time movie director James D. Stern, It's the Rage never transcends its theatrical roots. Instead of a character type, each person in the story represents a different (but equally shallow) facet of rage. It's all just an elaborate setup to preach about gun control and how our society is increasingly a society of rage. What the world needs, the movie is saying, is a little more self- control and understanding. Obviously, what it also needs is a better use of such a talented cast. --Andy Spletzer

Customer Reviews:

I HAVE A GUN... SO DO I... ME TOO... .......2006-01-09

I think the film got a little problem - it has hard time establishing itself in a genre. On one hand it's satirical and funny story but seems that it has too much morality about it. On the other hand, if it's a morality tale, it's not as serious as a morality tale should be.
Here we have a bunch of characters whose paths intersect chaotically: Warren - an extremely jealous husband, Annabel - a girl mad about money, Sidney - her junkie brother, Chris - an inhibited and sedated homosexual, Morgan - eccentric computer genius. All they have in common - are handguns, these people can't imagine themselves without weapons. Well, and the fact that they all are a bit crazy. And I guess that was one of the messages of the movie - all people are weirdos of their own kind, and it's irresponsible to let them have guns, because a situation may occur when they won't be able to restrain their emotions. And such situations eventually happen in this picture as you can guess. Its moral - guns are evil - is shown to us in every possible way although rather light-hearted and humoristic. Therefore not very convincing.
But if to take "It's the Rage" as a comedy, it works just fine. There's a lot of hilarious moments, and the episode with Giovanni Ribisi's character in a shooting range ("Are you talking to me? Are you talking to me?! Well, there's nobody else here, so you must be talking to me!") is one of the funniest I've seen lately. Besides brilliant Ribisi there are many excellent actors here: Joan Allen, Jeff Daniels, Robert Forster, Anna Paquin, David Schwimmer, Josh Brolin and Gary Sinise. They all are a solid reason to watch the movie.

GREAT Performances by all the cast & director but NO Message.......2003-07-29

This movie ain't that bad as portrayed by the amazon reviwers on this site. I thought all the actors were superb. The shoplifter from X Men showed another dimension I never knew she had. All in all every actor was solid here and I adored them all. The film, what with being coined as an anti-gun (ala Bowling For Columbine) satire or commentary didn't really hit a chord with this viewer in that sense. But never the less it did have a strong plot. I patcularly liked Gary Sinies's character complaining about a common problem in todays society - too much information. Also the special effects in his billionaires house's many TV Screens were great and hi-tech. There was a couple of times I laughed out loud during this movie btw. So it's dark comedy with a twist indeed.

Scattershot.......2003-02-01

Based on a play (which I've never seen), "It's the Rage" follows an ensemble of coincidentally linked characters either perpetrating or victimized by gun violence of all kinds. The ultimate message-a gun is the only thing separating an ordinary but otherwise stressed out person from becoming a murderer-seems reasonable. But the film's flashy and shallow textures undercut its own serious agenda. Or maybe it's the other way around. In either case, "It's the Rage" may be intriguing on its Tarantino-esque surface and commendable for its anti-gun social message, but the film can't help but fail as these two impulses fight it out. Ultimately, "It's the Rage is bloodless in every sense of the word.

...brilliant!!!.......2002-09-24

a lot of people miss the point labeling this as anti-gun propaganda. its not saying "guns are bad, dont use guns", its making fun of the cheesy crime movies meant to portray human nature and street life and all that mess. there's all these movies beating the same cliche characters into the ground... this movie takes EVERY cliche crime movie character you have EVER seen and puts them all in a big gun totin wad

if you dont instantly label it as one of those "guns kill people" movies, you should have a great time watching it, its just a beautiful movie man, absolutely beautiful

Godawful morality tale missing the point.......2002-04-22

For a while, I thought this movie was some sort of scathing satire. Of what, I wasn't sure, but there are some absolutely hysterical and stupid things that go on in this movie. Apparently, the intention of this farce is to be some sort of moral commentary on guns in our society. Unfortunately for IT'S THE RAGE, in order for a morality tale to be at all successful, it has to be watchable AND believable. This movie, supposedly anti-firearm, is at its most hilarious when the firearms are being waved about.

The "ensemble" cast has many fine, fine actors, all of whom probably thought that by making this movie, the world would be a better place and they could pick up a paycheck at the same time. Oh well.

Ribisi is hilarious as the meth-junkie with paranoid schizophrenia. His scene in the shooting range is one of the most amusing things I've ever seen. His little kleptomaniac whore of a sister was also really funny, but I recommend seeing Reese Witherspoon in FREEWAY. Also, the scene in the bar where everyone goes for their gun at once was absolutely hilarious! If only they all shot each other, the credits would have rolled, we would have satisfylingly hit rewind. Alas.

Jeff Daniels is funny as the psychopathic white-bred suburban slimeball. Many of his lines were really sharp, and since we didn't care about his dead business partner, why should we? Gary Sinise is a great actor who is once again unfortunately cast, this time as the mentally imbalanced and paranoid recluse billionaire. Gary Schwimmer, ala FRIENDS, plays a gay guy with all the brilliance that cliche can deliver. THIS character suffers from manic depression. There is also a former assistant of the paranoid billionaire who works in a video store and suffers from romantic delusions. We just KNOW he's not fit for survival in THIS ugly, ugly world.

To all of these loopy, unintentionally comic parts we have Joan Allen as the "straightman." She goes through the film having bad day after bad day. As if people weren't awful BEFORE they invented guns. One of the prerequisites of inventing guns in the first place is awfulness, thus the supposed MORAL of this tale is missing the point.

This movie has many problems: superficial characters, goofy script, "missed points", blathering pretentiousness, inane coincidences, unintentional self-parody, etcetera.

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

I HAVE A GUN... SO DO I... ME TOO... .......2006-01-09

GREAT Performances by all the cast & director but NO Message.......2003-07-29

Scattershot.......2003-02-01

...brilliant!!!.......2002-09-24

if you dont instantly label it as one of those "guns kill people" movies, you should have a great time watching it, its just a beautiful movie man, absolutely beautiful

Godawful morality tale missing the point.......2002-04-22

The "ensemble" cast has many fine, fine actors, all of whom probably thought that by making this movie, the world would be a better place and they could pick up a paycheck at the same time. Oh well.

This movie has many problems: superficial characters, goofy script, "missed points", blathering pretentiousness, inane coincidences, unintentional self-parody, etcetera.

Description

'the art of Ingmar Bergman reaches its pinnacle (Life) in this penetrating portrait of fourlost souls seeking solace in one another, even as their lives are torn apart by deception, isolation and psychological turmoil. On a windswept, barren island, Andreas (Max von Sydow) lives simply and quietly until he becomes entangled with Anna (Liv Ullmann), a beautiful, mysterious widow, and a neighboring couple (Bibi Andersson, Erland Josephson) harboring their own sorrows and illusions. But soon, secrets from Andreas and Anna's pasts threaten to shatter not only their desperate attempt at love but their tenuous hold on reality as well.

Customer Reviews:

The Passion of Anna.......2007-07-02

In "Passion", Bergman addresses the recurring theme of human isolation. Eva is a vulnerable woman in search of identity, Elis a successful architect whose cynical, assured veneer is a barrier to intimacy. Anna deals with her own plight by righteously proclaiming the value of "honesty" in relationships, yet deceives herself about her own unsuccessful marriage. Soon, Andreas remembers why he'd craved solitude in the first place. In this multi-layered character study, Bergman includes sequences where the actors comment on the roles they're playing--a fascinating touch. Beautifully photographed by the immortal Sven Nykvist, "Anna" is a stunning accomplishment.

A strong effort of the late 1960s.......2007-02-12

The protagonist of Ingmar Bergman's 1969 drama EN PASION (The Passion of Anna) is Andreas Winkelman (Max von Sydow), a fortyish year-old man who has isolated himself on an island after some rough years. There he meets Anna (Liv Ullman), who herself has a mysterious past in which her husband and son perished in an automobile accident. The troubled relationship that builds between the two, and the interference of slightly threatening neighbours Elis (Erland Josephson) and Eva (Bibi Andersson), form the bulk of the plot. There's also an enigmatic subplot in which the islands livestock are killed by some deranged figure.

The film contains some innovations of Bergman, beyond the fact that it was his first colour film. The first evident is the presence of a narrator, whose contributions are few but which remind us that we are watching a document of some earlier event, not spying in on scenes as they happen. Also, pauses in the film's action come four times in the film, as we see the actors being interviewed about the characters they play, reminding us that this is very much a fictional account to which the actors must apply their skills. Finally, the film shows the start of Bergman's interest in improvised dialogue, as a dinner party scene allowed the actors to say whatever came to mind.

I liked the film quite a bit. Especially positive aspects include Erland Josephson again playing a creepy role (like the Baron in VARGTIMMEN), the rapport between Sydow and Ullman (more convincing than in VARGTIMMEN), and the strong cinematography. At one point in the film, Anna relates a dream, the flashback of which is a scene taken from Bergman's earlier film SKAMEN, a fascinating establishment of thematic continuity. And the closing shot, which I won't mention here to avoid spoiling the ending, is extremely clever and thought-provoking.

However, a couple of things stopped me from liking this as much as some other Bergman films. Andreas' scolding of Anna at one point in the film seems too much like a repeat of Tomas' diatribe against Marta in NATTVARDSGAESTERNA. Also, the dropping of Eva's role, as well as the failure to provide sufficient closure on the killing of livestock, make this film end too abruptly. It's a strong effort, but not Bergman's best.

If you don't know the work of Ingmar Bergman, I'd suggest working through his films chronologically starting from DET SJUNDE INSEGLET (The Seventh Seal). EN PASION will be one memorable installment along the way.

The Passions of Ingmar.......2005-12-29

There's a lot going on in this movie, maybe too much. Andreas (Max Von Sydow), running away from some obscure disgrace, has come to live in a mildly dilapidated farmhouse on a small island. Bergman is working in color in this movie, and cinematographer Sven Nykvist is up to the challenge. He paints with an end of winter palette, the browns of wet, muddy ground, the gray of soupy overcast, the weak blue of late winter skies, the grey/white of dirty snow. Andreas moves through this bleak landscape with a look of stolid suffering on his face.

His solitude is broken by a woman who comes to his door and asks to use the phone. This woman, Anna, (Liv Ullman) makes her call and leaves, but forgets her purse. Curious, Andreas peeks into the purse and reads a letter from a man, obviously a lover, saying that he can't continue their relationship. Andreas returns the purse to the house where Anna is staying and gets invited in to dinner with Anna and the couple who live there, Eva and Elis (Bergman regulars Bibi Andersson and Erland Josephson). We learn that Anna's been in a bad car accident, one in which her husband and son were killed.

In an unusual move for him, Bergman films the dinner scene as pure improvisation, allowing each of the actors a few glasses of wine and a few minutes of dinner table philosophizing. He also pulls us out of the film on four separate occasions to have each of the four main actors analyze the characters they're playing. Since he typically kept tight control of the lines his actors spoke, this openness suggests that Bergman is asking the cast to help him find the heart of this movie.

Andreas has a brief affair with Eva, but both of them seem to realize there's no center to it. Then, abruptly, we learn that Andreas and Anna have moved in together. Anna's passion is for honesty. She doesn't want anything to do with evasion or deception. But in Andreas she's tied in to a man with a hazy past and no real desire to lay his emotional cards on the table. After they've lived together relatively peaceably, Anna reveals that it was she who was driving the day her husband and son were killed. A little while later, Andreas tells her his soul is dead and he can't find the will or the reason to go on with her.

There's a subplot about an unknown psychopath loose on the island who murders and mutilates animals. We're never quite sure what this senseless slaughter means, other than to highlight the many ways in which those who are living wage war on life. In his soul-baring speech, Andreas compares humans to animals, sentient but silent about the suffering they endure.

By the movie's end, Andreas discovers that Anna's passion for honesty is a way of masking her madness, and that he is potentially her victim as well as her lover. The final shot is unforgettable. Anna has driven off, and Andreas, alone, paces back and forth on the road like a caged animal. His cage isn't physical; it's the consciousness of his condition that he can't escape. As he sinks to the muddy ground, the camera slowly zooms in, losing focus as it does so, until the image dissolves into grainy incoherence. Another of Bergman's existential antiheroes bites the dust, disintegrating before our eyes.

Many of Bergman's major preoccupations are on display in this film: the splintering of personality under stress; the emptiness of a world from which God has withdrawn; the inability of men and women to rescue one another from their self-created prisons; the porous boundaries between art and life. But the tight dramatic structure of his other major films from this period is missing here. The story has a resolution of sorts, but the bigger questions about the characters - how Anna got trapped in her peculiar mania, how Andreas got lost in a fog of emotional emptiness - stay unanswered. Eva and Elis have major roles in the first part of the film, and then disappear halfway through the story. And who killed all those sheep, cows and horses anyway, and why?

You're carried along moment to moment by the fine acting and often startling imagery. It's only when the film stops rolling and the lights come up that you wake and wonder whether Bergman himself understood what story he wants to tell. When held to the highest standard of world cinema - his own work - The Passion of Anna ranks as good but not transcendent Bergman.

Another fine Bergman film of the 60's.......2005-12-24

I would have to agree with Marc Gervais when he says on the documentary to this movie that it is perhaps one of Bergman's most successful efforts of the period. Persona opened the door, but 'the passion of anna' completely explodes with innovation. This is one of Bergman's first color movies - and Sven Nykvist proves that he is also a master in this medium.

One of the twelve pearls films of Bergman!.......2005-10-03

This is a fascinating psychological exploration, and unflinching statement into man 's hidden dragons of the human being and the always unstoppable tendency toward the self destruction. Four people, a desert island, will interact showing their fears,insecurities, frustrations, emotive status and personal bunkers.

In a very similar way employed by Bergman in Persona, he maintains an increasing physical tension with his accustomed and inimitable style.

Personally, I recommend to watch the following tetralogy in this order: The hour of the wolf, Persona, The passion of Anna and finally Shame, because as you know Strindberg 's influence is more than obvious.

An unforgettable film!

Average customer rating:

The Passion of Joshua the Jew
Starring: Anna Bonaiuto , Franco Scaldati , Toni Bertorelli , Marcello Mazzarella , and Leonardo Cesare Abude
Director: Pasquale Scimeca
Manufacturer: Xenon
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000M7XR6K
Release Date: 2007-03-20

Description

The Passion Of Joshua The Jew traces the journey of a young scholar, believed by an influential rabbi to be the new Messiah, across land and sea, encountering believers of the Qur'an, the Gospels and the Torah, to his tragic destiny, paralleling the fate of Jesus of Nazareth, another Jewish scholar who fell victim to prejudice masquerading as authority.

Average customer rating:

Not Good Transfer
Lee Van Cleef always good, particularly in Westerns, but this spaghetti W. DVD is flawed by bad reproduction!
The Grand Duel (VHS) distributed by TIMELESS VIDEO INC.
False Info in previous review
Energetic Western, Good Music, 1 of Van Cleef's Best

The Storm Rider
Starring: Lee Van Cleef , Horst Frank , Alberto Dentice , Marc Mazza , and Jess Hahn
Director: Giancarlo Santi
Manufacturer: Passion Productions
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00023BLZI
Release Date: 2004-06-29

Customer Reviews:

Not Good Transfer.......2006-11-14

Most of the transfers of this film to DVD are of poor quality reproduction. The Actual title of this film is, "The Grand Duel." It is possible to get a a good copy on double disc set with another Van Cleef western, "Beyond The Law", produced on DVD by Wild East in their 2:35:1 ratio, check them out.
As for this DVD version, buy only if your a Van Cleef aficionado

Lee Van Cleef always good, particularly in Westerns, but this spaghetti W. DVD is flawed by bad reproduction!.......2006-07-05

Beware the 'Passion Productions' copies
of this original 1971 Italian/German
production! Fine film overall, but no-
where near as good as w/ Eastwood in
For a Few Dollars More. Might be worth
getting for Lee Van Cleef fans. Also,
check out Armed Response, one of his
last, The Octogon, w/ Chuck Norris
and Escape From New York, w/ Kurt
Russell!

The Grand Duel (VHS) distributed by TIMELESS VIDEO INC........2003-08-10

The movie itself (plot, acting, etc.) is good - Lee van Cleef at his usual excellence. But the "quality" of the VHS cassette is below any acceptable standard. On the video side, there are scratches and other blemishes throughout the length of the movie. On the audio side, the sound track is so bad that over half of the dialogue is unintelligble - just a lot of cackle, crackle, and noise. The poor quality of the VHS destroys any enjoyment one would otherwise get from a good western.

False Info in previous review.......2003-06-02

This movie, "The Grand Duel," is not a new title on the original, "The Big Gundown." I watched "The Big Gundown," during the western channels Lee Van Clef month a few weeks ago, and although they are both spaghetti westerns they are not the same movie. "The Big Gundown" is MUCH MUCH better but doesn't appear to be on video yet.

Energetic Western, Good Music, 1 of Van Cleef's Best.......2003-05-01

One of the better movies that starred Lee Van Cleef in the late 60s/early 70s. This movie was originally released as "The Big Gundown." Good musical score, good plot twist that is very similar to that of a very good 1958 western Van Cleef had a small role in ("The Bravados" starring Gregory Peck). "Barquero" another similarly obscure Van Cleef western from late 60s/early 70s well worth watching but very hard to find.

Average customer rating:

Back Woods
Starring: David Hayes; Jim Edberg; Patrick Hazen; Anna Shmiekka; David Lawrence; Maria Goldman
Director: Grant Woodhill
Manufacturer: Passion Productions
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Horror | Genres | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B000636W2G
Release Date: 2001-06-14

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