Girl

Starring:David Auker, Jill Baker, Charlotte Barrymore, Mark Benton, Jonathan Cake, Jon Croft, Denny Ferguson, Siobhan Flynn, Scott Frazer, Daphne Goddard, Emily Hamilton, Laura Harling, Steven Hawksley, Susan Jameson, Cheryl Moody, Stuart Piper, Lesley Saint-John, Stephen Thirkeld, Ian Thompson
Studio: Bfs Entertainment
Product Type: DVD

Average customer rating:

Stone Cold
Stone Cold w/ Tom Selleck
Great little made for TV thriller starring Tom Selleck and Mimi Rogers!!!
Very Pleased, Except
TOM SELLECK - EXCELLENT FILM

Stone Cold
Starring: Tom Selleck , Mimi Rogers , Jane Adams (II) , Reg Rogers , and Viola Davis
Director: Robert Harmon
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B0009FU0ZQ
Release Date: 2005-06-28

Description

Tom Selleck is Jesse Stone, a former L.A. homicide detective who left behind the big city and an ex-wife to become the police chief of the quiet New England fishing town of Paradise, Massachusetts. Stone's old habits die hard as he continues to indulge in his two favorite things - scotch and women. When a series of murders take place, and a high school girl is raped, he's forced to face his own demons in order to solve the crimes.

Customer Reviews:

Stone Cold.......2007-06-27

My wife really loves Tom Selleck, so we really liked the movie. We ordered the other two in the series and are waiting for the forth one to come out on DVD. When it does, you can be sure that we will order it.

Stone Cold w/ Tom Selleck.......2007-06-27

This movie is well done and has a good story. IF you like the Spenser series and others by this author, you will enjoy the mystery plot. Tom Selleck has enhanced a good story, and plays the part of Sheriff Stone as one would imagine in reading the story.

Great little made for TV thriller starring Tom Selleck and Mimi Rogers!!!.......2007-05-24

This is a great little made for TV thriller starring Tom Selleck(Magnum P.I.)and Mimi Rogers(Austin Powers)!!! A modern day film noir thriller!!! Even though this is a made for TV movie,it has solid production values!!! A great little gem from beginning to end!!! Recommended for fans of thriilers and Tom Selleck!!! Five stars!!! A+

Very Pleased, Except.......2007-05-17

This is avery good and typical job of all Tom Selick's movies. He is one of the best. Could have done without the sex scenes. Would have made it an even better movie.

TOM SELLECK - EXCELLENT FILM.......2007-02-09

I agree whole heartedly with all the favourable comments. I really do hope they make more of these books and from viewing the special features on this dvd Mr. Selleck says that they have the go ahead to do more. Very good story - excellent acting throughout so please don't make us wait too long before film 2.

Average customer rating:

Apocalypse...Valley Girl Style
Fun, Funny, Cult-Classic
Hollywood, Please Remake This One! Thanks.
Good 80s campy fun
Movie I've waited for and finally found.

Night of the Comet
Starring: Robert Beltran , Catherine Mary Stewart , Kelli Maroney , Sharon Farrell , and Mary Woronov
Director: Thom Eberhardt
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000MDFTHE
Release Date: 2007-03-06

Amazon.com

A sleeper at the time of its release in 1984, Thom Eberhardt's Night of the Comet has built a small cadre of fans thanks to its breezy performances and blend of comedy and tongue-in-cheek science fiction. Catherine Mary Stewart and Kelli Maroney are thoroughly likable as a pair of San Fernando Valley sisters who find themselves completely alone after the arrival of Halley's Comet reduces their affluent community--and most of Los Angeles--to dust. Their subsequent nonstop shopping spree is soon interrupted by predatory zombies, as well as a sinister scientific cabal (led by cult favorites Mary Woronov and Geoffrey Lewis) with designs on the girls. Stewart and Maroney are terrifically game as the heroines (especially Maroney, whose flair for bubbly comedy was never given another chance on screen), and Robert (Star Trek: Voyager) Beltran is also on hand as a fellow survivor and romantic lead. Fun for '80s enthusiasts and sci-fi fiends who don't mind a little fizz in their end-of-the-world scenarios. -- Paul Gaita

Customer Reviews:

Apocalypse...Valley Girl Style.......2007-07-04

A signifcant cult hit when released in late 1984, NIGHT OF THE COMET is an admittedly cheesy film even by the standards of low-bduget offerings, and dated as well; given the time in which it was made, it screams "Eighties!" But it still somehow comes off as a completely fascinating oddity, combining tongue-in-cheek 80s comedy with science fiction and horror.

The premise is a fairly simple one: A large comet (contrary to what some reviews have said, this comet does not have a name attached to it) makes an uncomfortably close encounter with our planet while millions have come out this night to watch its arrival. But the following morning, two Valley Girls (Catherine Mary Stewart; Kelli Maroney) come out, and realize, albeit slowly, that everyone and everything around them has literally turned to dust; and if they haven't turned to dust, they've either gone psychotic or turned into zombies. The City of Angels is now a veritable ghost town. And along with an Hispanic trucker (Robert Beltran), they soon find themselves at the mercy of mad scientists searching for a vaccine from the comet dust that killed or zombified everyone else.

Provocative title aside, nobody is going to mistake NIGHT OF THE COMET for such similar films as DEEP IMPACT, METEOR, or the hyped-up ARMAGEDDON by any means; the dialogue has so much in the way of Valley Girl lingo that there's no mistaking its era. These flaws aside, however, writer/director Thom Eberhardt manages to make the most of a parlous budget. Apart from the slightly lame dialogue and comedy, NIGHT OF THE COMET has a lot in common with the 1971 sci-fi thriller THE OMEGA MAN (scenes of a deserted Los Angeles), and its source material, Richard Matheson's classic 1954 book "I Am Legend"; and Eberhardt's decision to use orange filters to create an L.A. skyline shrouded by comet dust has echoes of an early Steven Spielberg TV project, 1971's L.A. 2017.

Quite campy by today's standards and a product of its time, NIGHT OF THE COMET nevertheless remains very watchable in ways that many other films like it with budgets one hundred times bigger aren't. It is a midnight cult item that should be seen to be believed.

Fun, Funny, Cult-Classic.......2007-06-28

Make some popcorn and settle into your favorite chair for this one. As the opening narative states, the world has not seen a comet like this since the dinosaurs disappeared. A good foreshadow as one comet-watcher assures everyone that nothing happened when people were so worried about Halley's Comet coming around so there's no need to worry now. Well they should've worried, as we soon find out in this OmegaMan-knockoff. Yes this is a B-movie and yes there are some inconsistancies, but for the most part the plot has good execution and follow-thru. If you're a scifi fan who enjoys recognizing stolen moments from other movies, or you like a movie that can poke fun at its own genre, or you just want some good clean fun to make you laugh, this movie is for you.

Hollywood, Please Remake This One! Thanks........2007-06-18

This is a "nice" little C-grade movie. This movie is NOT 4.5 stars in the 21st century. "Night of the Living Dead" (1968)-now that's 4.5-5 stars still in today's age. I believe the people that rated this movie past 2 stars are promotional stand-ins for Hollywood. Either that or they've been watching some pretty whacked out flicks. Speaking of Hollywood-Hollywood this would be a lovely little movie to re-make. I would hope that you don't do much worse than the original like the Hollywood remake for "Black Christmas"-an atrocity. But to prevent another remake catastrophe, Hollywood, please grab either Sam Raimi, Quentin Tarantino, John Carpenter or even Steven Spielberg before attempting a remake of this film. This why I am so NOT liking this film: I asked myself: why the "Star Wars" intro? Boring. Why the banter between snobby mom and snobby child? Boring. Why the movie theater and radio station scene? Nothing really happens. Boring. Then it hit me these scenes are just space fillers. The only thing worth watching is the 3 or 4 zombies that debut in the film and the no-nonsense, woman scientist, Audrey. She's lethal like her shot. This movie is absolutely afraid to be horror. Horror to the point where Ms. Cheerhead gets "done-in" for real by Audrey. Horror like poppin' the zombie kid in the noggin-just for kicks. Or horror, like the zombie kid eats Mr. Knight in Shinning Armor. Horror like RUN Ms. Cheerhead over at the end-I mean get real she asked for it by running out in the streets challenging Fate at its best! These are just some improvement horror suggestions. I mean come on in a real-life event one of them would die if not all, in their case, but no everyone stays alive. And with no surprise, the ending is too "happily ever after." Horror should never be happily ever after unless there is a grotesquely sarcastic twist i.e, the ending of John Carpenter's "Village of the Damned" and "The Thing." Or the ending of Robert Rodriguez's "Death Proof" (Note: SHAME on you movie watchers who did not understand "Grindhouse"). Now those are some endings that leave you thinking. This movie is probably best served to newly found horror fans or some Halloweeners on October 31st. Sorry folks, I have to be honest. This movie really ain't worth a nickel, until the remake. That is if there is one and if Hollywood doesn't F&$K that up. I'm selling my copy of "Night of the Comet." Anyone want to buy? Sorry no "nickel discounts".

Good 80s campy fun.......2007-06-16

Do you like zombie movies but feel that Romero is too preachy? Well this may be the movie for you. It has the scared female protaganist of Night of the Living Dead, the blantant capitalistic joys of malls like Dawn of the Dead, and the confined underground scientists of Day of the Dead. It has zombies at different levels of intelligence in it like Land of the Dead which came two decades later, making it ahead of its time when it comes to the zombie genre.
Now in all seriousness Night of the Comet is cheesy as it gets and if you are one that enjoys movies so bad that they are good than give this movie a shot. It doesn't offer any special features and although I wish it did provide a commentary of sorts, the cheapness of the product lets this omission slide. So get a few friends, a few drinks, pop in this DVD, and let the campy fun begin.

Movie I've waited for and finally found........2007-06-11

This movie is so great to watch many times over because I never get tired of it. It arrived here so quickly which made me very pleased.

Average customer rating:

Unconventional Road to Self Discovery
Excellent light entertainment
Fun--but not strictly a no brainer
Memorable chick flick
Great Movie for Teenage Girls

Legally Blonde (Special Edition)
Starring: Reese Witherspoon , Luke Wilson , Selma Blair , Matthew Davis , and Victor Garber
Director: Robert Luketic
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
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ASIN: B00005O5CM
Release Date: 2001-11-06

Amazon.com

If you've ever doubted how much a star can carry a movie, look no further than Legally Blonde, Robert Luketic's pop fluff about a sorority girl who becomes the reigning brain at Harvard Law School. The film tries way too hard to be pop fluff, but thankfully it also understands the comic glories of Reese Witherspoon. As Elle Woods, the supposedly dimwitted heroine, Witherspoon gives a high-wattage performance that somehow comes across as both lusciously cartoonish and warmly human. It's a radiant comic turn worthy of Marilyn Monroe, and Luketic throws the whole movie at her, even though its intentional kitsch and sledgehammer contrivances don't trust you enough to figure out on your own what might be guilty fun about it. It's a lame movie, essentially, that redeems itself by knowing just enough to keep things sunny and moving right along. The film is content to follow several steps behind the regal Witherspoon, carrying her train. You probably will be, too. --Steve Wiecking

Description

She's a California sorority girl who'll do anything to keep her man. Even if it means going all theway'to law school! Reese Witherspoon (Election) stars with Luke Wilson (Charlie's Angels), Selma Blair (Cruel Intentions), Matthew Davis (Pearl Harbor) and Victor Garber (Titanic) in a knock-out comedy with a heart of goldand hair to match! Elle Woods (Witherspoon) is a California blonde with couture clothes, fabulous friends and the hottest boyfriend on campus. So when Warner Huntington III (Davis) suddenly dumps her and heads for Harvard Law School, Elletakes matters into her own perfectly manicured hands. She enrolls too! Now getting Warner back should be a snap, right? Wrong! Elle's about to begin the toughest fight of her lifefor love, honor, justice and respect for blondes everywhere!

Customer Reviews:

Unconventional Road to Self Discovery.......2007-07-02

Based on the novel of the same name by Amanda Brown, this 2001 comedy is about the losses and gains experienced by a priviledged young woman from California, and her ultimate self-empowerment.
Elle Woods(as played by a multi-dimensional Reese Witherspoon) is the President of her Sorority, Delta Nu. A neighbor of TV producer Aaron Spelling during her formative years, her world revolves around fashion and frivolity, although we see signs of underlying intelligence when a sales clerk who views her as "a dumb blonde with Daddy's plastic" is taught a lesson.
We meet the beloved Sorority Queen on the day she expects a proposal from her long-time boy friend, Warner Huntington III (Matthew Davis). Instead of a marriage proposal, Warner breaks up with Elle during their evening out, explaining that his family back East expect a lot from him, and that marrying a "Jackie" instead of a "Marilyn" will be more conducive to his family's desires, if he wants to be a Senator.
The spurned young woman spends the next few days behind the closed doors of her dorm room, with only her chiahuahua/favorite accessory Bruiser (Moonie) for companionship. Her stereotypically ditzy sorority sisters, Margot and Serena (Jessica Caufiell, Alanna Ubach) finally draw her out of her pink cocoon, and take her for a manicure. There is a comical moment where Serena converses in Chinese with a manicurist, which gives her a little more depth. While reading a "Fox and Hound" magazine in the waiting room, Elle sees a photo of Warner's brother with his fiancee, breifly discusses the fiancee's credentials with the customer sitting next to her(Natalie Barish), and decides to attend Harvard Law School to win Warner back.
Elle's parents (James Read, and Tane McClure) are not very encouraging in this endeavor, nor is her advisor (Allyce Beasley) as Elle does not have the academic background for it. Still, she passes her LSAT test, and sends and admissions video, for which it requires some suspension of disbelief to think that the pop-eyed, bow-tied Admissions Committee would deem acceptable.
Elle creates quite a stir upon her arrival at Harvard, but remains fairly oblivious to comments and stares about her eccentricities in manner and dress.
She finally locates Warner, who is stunned that she got into Harvard, and during a class for which she is ill-prepared, is shown up by a small, pallid, mahogony-tressed Vivian Kensington(Selma Blair), whom, to her great distress, she learns is Warner's fiancee.
Along the way, she receives help and advice from Emmett Richmond (a well-cast, kind, and encouraging Luke Wilson, whose performance hits all the right notes), and a cathartic chat with manicurist Paulette Bonafonte (Jennifer Coolidge), which will be bright spots along her journey.
Gradually, she overcomes rejection and humiliation by her classmates through perseverance, and attention to details others neglect, winning friends and influencing people.
She helps Paulette with a legal matter, and in getting a date with a handsome UPS guy (Bruce Thomas), and the mutual friendship between the law student and manicurist is a delightful cornerstone of this film.
Gradually, Vivian warms to her, and the two share a laugh about Warner's idiosyncracies.
One of Elle's more intriguing classmates--the character as well as the actor himself-- is the sweet, awkward David Kidney, portrayed by Oz Perkins, with the eyes of his father, Anthony, who does great justice to his acting pedigree. Sadly, he would only have a little more than a month to enjoy the success of this film before enduring the shattering loss of his mother, Beri Berenson, in the 9-11 Disaster.
Elle's opinionatedness in Professor Callahan's(Victor Garber's)class appears to earn her an internship with Callahan's law firm, and she, Warner, Vivian, David, and Enid Wexler(Meredith Scott Lynn) work on a murder case under Callahan's supervison. The task also reunites Elle with Emmett.
The case is a high profile one involving the slaying of a wealthy 60-year-old man, allegedly by his young second wife, Brooke Taylor Windham (Ali Larter), a member of Elle's sorority, and a wealthy fitness instructor of whom Elle was once a student.
Raquel Welch appears as the ex-wife of the murdered man, with a perfect upper-crust accent, Linda Cardellini is her daughter, Chutney, and Greg Serano is the pool boy, Enrique Salvatore.
There are comical moments when Elle tries to coax an alibi from Brooke, bringing her a basket of beauty aids and " the Bible" (a copy of "Cosmopolitan" magazine), and later discovers evidence to discredit a witness in a way that only a Cosmo Girl can, with Emmett sneaking up on his blind side in the process.
Elle suffers a major setback when she discovers the real reason Callahan wanted her as an intern, but Professor Stromwell(Holland Taylor) goads Elle into having a bit more backbone and stick-to-itiveness.
Brooke fires Callahan, and hires Elle, who under Emmett's supervision, solves the case, much to her own amazement and everyone else's.
Warner, whose true character has been revealed throughout the film in subtle and not-so-subtle ways, finally views Elle as a worthy marriage partner, but Elle has her own ideas about their future relationship.
A glittering musical score accompanies our heroine as she walks out of the courtroom and into a very bright future, with a meaningful career and a wonderful life partner just on the horizon.

Excellent light entertainment.......2007-06-22

So much is great about this film. Ok, it's not flawless - there are a couple of really silly bits - like the courtroom scene with the pool cleaner's guilty admission and his boyfriend's response. But it's great, feel-good fun. Very well directed, tight script for the most-part and the performances are all great.

Fun--but not strictly a no brainer.......2007-05-30

Cases can hinge on haircare--and not everyone is as they seem. The film was mindless fun on one level, but teaches you really do need to look a little bit deeper sometimes.

Clearly it's fantasy, but a lot of fun.

Memorable chick flick.......2007-05-19

Elle Woods (Reese Witherspoon) is a ditzy, yet intelligent sorority president and fashion major with the perfect, handsome, and smart boyfriend, Warner. When Warner dumps her because she isn't "the serious girlfriend he needs" to advance his career, her whole world comes crashing down around her. After weeks of friend's concern, manicures, and moping Elle realizes that the only way to get Warner back is to become a serious girlfriend, meaning starting a career in law at Harvard. Elle actually manages to get into Harvard, her specialty being the history of polka dots, with a high score on her LSATs, and with an original admissions video in which she showcases her talent for using legal jargon in everyday life and her ability to recall facts quickly, such as the previous day's soap operas. So Elle gathers her possesions, most of which are pink, prepares Bruiser, her miniture short haired chihuahua, and sets off for Harvard.

This movie was not what I expected, but I loved it! It's a great chick flick to watch with a group of friends and has memorable characters. Elle teaches us that all we need is determination (and good fashion sense!) to achieve our dreams.

Great Movie for Teenage Girls.......2007-05-10

This movie is not only funny but gives a moral to the story. Women can succeed at anything they put there minds to.

Average customer rating:

Great Movie
Beautiful story
A good movie...but a bit disappointing
Fabulous entertainment!
Believe the hype

Spirited Away
Starring: Hayao Miyazaki
Manufacturer: Walt Disney Video
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00005JLEU
Release Date: 2003-04-15

Amazon.com

The highest grossing film in Japanese box-office history (more than $234 million), Hayao Miyazaki's Spirited Away (Sen To Chihiro Kamikakushi) is a dazzling film that reasserts the power of drawn animation to create fantasy worlds. Like Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz and Lewis Carroll's Alice, Chihiro (voice by Daveigh Chase--Lilo in Disney's Lilo & Stitch) plunges into an alternate reality. On the way to their new home, the petulant adolescent and her parents find what they think is a deserted amusement park. Her parents stuff themselves until they turn into pigs, and Chihiro discovers they're trapped in a resort for traditional Japanese gods and spirits. An oddly familiar boy named Haku (Jason Marsden) instructs Chihiro to request a job from Yubaba (Suzanne Pleshette), the greedy witch who rules the spa. As she works, Chihiro's untapped qualities keep her from being corrupted by the greed that pervades Yubaba's mini-empire. In a series of fantastic adventures, she purges a river god suffering from human pollution, rescues the mysterious No-Face, and befriends Yubaba's kindly twin, Zeniba (Pleshette again). The resolve, bravery, and love Chihiro discovers within herself enable her to aid Haku and save her parents. The result is a moving and magical journey, told with consummate skill by one of the masters of contemporary animation. MPAA Rated: PG ("Some scary moments") --Charles Solomon

Description

From one of the most celebrated filmmakers in the history of animated cinema comes the most acclaimed film of 2002. Hayao Miyazaki's latest triumph, filled with astonishing animation and epic adventure, is a dazzling masterpiece for the ages. It's a "wonderfully welcoming work of art that's as funny and entertaining as it is brilliant, beautiful, and deep" (Joe Morgenstern, Wall Street Journal). SPIRITED AWAY is a wondrous fantasy about a young girl, Chihiro, trapped in a strange new world of spirits. When her parents undergo a mysterious transformation, she must call upon the courage she never knew she had to free herself and return her family to the outside world. An unforgettable story brimming with creativity, SPIRITED AWAY will take you on a journey beyond your imagination. "To enter the world of Hayao Miyazaki is to experience a kind of lighthearted enchantment that is unique to the world of animation" (Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times). It's a fantastic tale the whole family will want to experience over and over again.

Customer Reviews:

Great Movie.......2007-06-27

This has got to be one of my favorite movies of all time. Highly creative story line sweeps you up and carries you in like you can't imagine. It is hard to imagine such a thing for a world that is so bizarre from ours, yet it is masterfully done. The movie does not feel "rushed" like a lot of movies these days, but at the same time never drags. Attention to detail is very evident throughout the whole movie.

I would simply caution that for young kids there are some disturbing scenes. When they are a little older, however, they will thank you for owning it.

Beautiful story.......2007-06-03

We have watched this cartoon maybe a thousand times. What an amazing tale. Just like all Miyazaki's works, it is smart, mysterious and kind. We are pulled into strange world of spirits, where the main heroine fogoes transformation, and grows spiritually. Prepare yourself for dragons, heights, monsters, and witches galore. Imagination goes wild in this classic, highly recommended.

A good movie...but a bit disappointing.......2007-05-29

Sprited Away is an impressive movie. It has a coherent plot, a well-developed main character, and supurb animation.

It definitely succeeds as a story about a modern girl who winds up as a bathhouse attendant for kami, and has to grow up fast in order to deal with the bizarre situations you'd expect in such a place.

However, I think I liked the concept better than the execution. The idea of an abandoned theme park taken over by kami is really inspired, as is the kami commuter train, where the tracks and stations are all partly covered by water.

For me, the eerie situation and atmosphere kept getting buried by the action and dialogue, which often seemed random and pointless. Slimy blubbery things with tentacles show up, puke lots of slime, eat other slimy creatures, puke them up, and everyone screams a lot.

For some reason (too much H.P. Lovecraft?) nearly all kami in Miyazaki movies are kind of shapeless and blubbery, and spew slime and tentacles everywhere at the slightest provocation.

More importantly, none of the kami are developed enough as characters for the viewer to get much insight into their motivations. Yubaba/Zenziba can switch from being manipulative or murderous soul-stealers to kindly grandmothers in the blink of an eye, and like the rest of the cast, always seem to push Chihiro in the direction she needs to go to finish the story. I had the frustrating impression that the whole story simply existed for the sake of Chihiro's psychological growth. That may well be the director's intention, but certainly makes for a less interesting movie.

Fabulous entertainment!.......2007-05-25

I love this film. It's so emotionally resonant and yet so fun. My husband and I really enjoyed watching it with our little boy. It's a little scary in parts, so don't let the little ones watch it by themselves, but it's really very good.

Believe the hype.......2007-05-24

One of the very few animes that can be watched by children. It has a great story, interesting characters, and good animation. If you liked Porco Russo, Nausicaa, or Return of the Cat, then this is highly recommended. This is also a good change of pace from those who love the action and gore genres. I love to watch the type of animes that consist of ultra violence with characters being beat to death. However Spirited Away doesn't contain any of that stuff and it will always have a home in my collection.

Average customer rating:

Why mess with perfection?
Sub-par Plot and Production Reduce a Great Story Into So-so Movie
Esther
A better attempt than most...
FLOWERS, STARS AND ROMANCE - BUT VERY LITTLE TRUTH

One Night With the King
Starring: Tiffany Dupont , Luke Goss , John Noble , Omar Sharif , and John Rhys-Davies
Director: Michael O. Sajbel
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000JJSJO6
Release Date: 2007-01-30

Amazon.com

The moving biblical tale of Esther--a humble Jewish girl who saved her people from annihilation and won the heart of the handsome Persian king Xerxes--is the subject of One Night with the King, a lush ode to one of the Old Testament's most inspiring women. Esther, played with spark and confidence by Tiffany Dupont, could perhaps be said to be the first career woman to "have it all"--while also serving her people, and God. The film, shot on location in India, has the feel of the great epics of the '60s--a sensation underscored by the appearance, in small but pivotal roles, of both Omar Sharif and Peter O'Toole. (Even Raiders of the Lost Ark's John Rhys-Davies--"Bad dates!"--echoes earlier desert adventures.) But the film belongs to the willful Esther, who navigates among war, bloodlust, persecution, and terror with the strength of knowing she's serving the Lord, and her people. If the film has a few anachronisms--including the young Esther's suitor, who has blonde streaks and a surfer-dude delivery ("The market was rilly busy today")--its heart and its focus never waver. Fans of biblical tales and well-made drama for the entire family shouldn't miss it. --A.T. Hurley

Description

One Night with the King is a sweeping epic about Hadassah, the young Jewish girl who becomes the Biblical Esther, Queen of Persia.

Despite her position, Hadassah's life is in danger, as the state has decreed that all Jews will be put to death. Defying warnings to remain silent, however, Hadassah struggles to save her people, evens as she seeks to win the heart of the king, in this exciting and inspiring story about destiny.

Customer Reviews:

Why mess with perfection?.......2007-06-27

I more or less enjoyed the film, previewing it once myself and then presenting it as part of a Movie Night at my church. Tiffany Dupont was charming.

But why were there changes made to the story to make it more Hollywoodized? If there was ever a perfect story to present just as it was in the original, this would have to have been one of them!

I found the political intrigue of the movie to be confusing, and frankly, part of the reason for that is that you can't always understand what the actors are saying. The reason they contrived for the queen to dishonor the king's command to appear seemed artificial and unbelievable, at least to me--a 21st-century antiwar message stuffed uncomfortably into a warrior society. And the final confrontation between the king and the queen and the antagonist was nothing like the scripture text.

But altogether I recommend it. It was wholesome family entertainment that harkened back to the Scriptures; what's not to recommend? Even more, though--read the original. A better story than the screenplay, with the added benefit of being true!

Sub-par Plot and Production Reduce a Great Story Into So-so Movie.......2007-06-25

"One Night With the King" is a movie that looks like it wanted to be more than it turned out to be. Based on the story of a woman obeying God for the benefit of her people, the Jews, despite the promise of great peril, "One Night With the King" misses the mark.

Her story is well-known to any student of ancient literature, CCD or Sunday school. It is up there with Jonah, Noah, Adam and Eve, and the death and resurrection of Jesus. Even agnostics and atheists who are versed in the classics can provide the plot. With this, there are expectations: bring a major story to film and treat it properly.

With lines that come across stiff and stuffy, characters become cartoons, and do not live as real people. How can we believe actors speaking in a mock Shakespearean dialect? I couldn't.

Esther was flirtatious, flighty and yet bold from the first moment. Her character reminded me of Princess Jasmine in Disney's "Aladdin." This is not the unassuming future leader we read about, but a different Esther. When the grand decision must be made, she does not struggle in mortal angst as did the biblical version.

The plot itself didn't merit a long movie. A shorter piece, maybe 90 minutes, would have sufficed.

I felt like I was watching "The Robe," in all its effort to send a message, gets lost in a mediocre script.

Esther is a great story in its original form that has incredible big screen potential. Too many liberties were taken, and the production quality was sub-par. It was not a horrible movie, but I won't give it a pass just because I'm a Christian wanting to see biblical stories in film.

Anthony Trendl
editor, HungarianBookstore.com

Esther.......2007-06-22

I don't feel like the changes they made in the story are a personal attack on Christianity, Judaism, or God. Hollywood always changes stories. The Hollywood versions of any of the Mark Twain books remove all humor before they pass it on to us. If it is a personal attack on God then it is a personal attack on Mark Twain too. It is up to us to read the book for the things they couldn't fit in the movie.

Someone suggested that it plays too romantic trying to reach girls for its audience. Hello! I've never known a man to say that Esther is his favorite book in the Bible. Every woman I know who reads the Bible claims it as one of, if not, their favorite book.

I enjoyed the movie even if it didn't follow the Bible exactly. It was infinitely better than what is passing for romantic movies these days. They didn't have to have some sleazy side-kick doing and saying gross things to try to make the main character look good. I for one appreciated having a movie that I could trust not to be smarmy before I ever entered the theater. I intend to buy it.

If any Christian movie makers are reading this, by all means tackle Ruth. I would definitely go see it and buy it.
If you decide to tackle David, please I beg of you find a way to capture his relationship with God pre-Bathsheba.
The story of David and Abigail could be really romantic I Samuel 25 then in I Samuel 30 when the Amalekites had stolen Abigail and the other wives and possessions of him and all his men and how he handled it because of his extraordinary relationship with God. There is a lot of potential there.

A better attempt than most..........2007-06-03

Overall, I enjoyed this movie, it was a better attempt than most to stay close to the Biblical account of Esther. I think it's understandable that some dialogue & even characters would be added to flesh out the story to make a movie, but I only gave it 4 stars because the film makers did make at least one major mistake in this area. The special pendant which she treasures (not a part of the Bible account) was received as a birthday present from her parents. If they had done their research, they would have found that the Jews did not celebrate birthdays at this time in history; they considered it to be a custom practiced by the pagan nations surrounding them. That was the most glaring mistake I noticed. The movie had some interesting explanations for how Esther caught the king's eye in the first place, & later, for why she hadn't been called to him in a while, why she would be so hesitant to approach him, details that aren't given in the Bible account. Overall, I enjoyed the movie & would recommend it.

FLOWERS, STARS AND ROMANCE - BUT VERY LITTLE TRUTH.......2007-06-02

One Night With The King is a pretty film, and a romantic film, but it is not a Christian film. The production design team has gone overboard trying to make the film appeal to girls. I can't remember the last time I saw so many flowers on screen, unless it was Doctor Zhivago. And the writer, basing his script on the novel by Mark Andrew Olsen, has gone overboard to make the story as romantic as possible, also appealing to girls. It is a romantic extravaganza.

But the story of Esther, as it comes from the Bible, is not a romance. It is a political thriller, if anything. On the one hand, we have Xerxes, the young king of Persia, who needs a new wife because the previous one was disrespectful and disobedient. On the other, we have Haman, an ambitious man who, because Mordecai won't give him the respect he thinks he deserves, is driven by jealousy to destroy Mordecai and his people. And then there is Esther, the young woman caught in the middle, who comes into the king's court, "for such a time as this." As circumstances turn out, only she can save Mordecai and her people from Haman, and she does so by using her position as the king's new bride.

While there is opportunity to glamorize court life and make marriage to the king something to daydream about, the main plot is one of genocide, equal to the Holocaust. To play that down in order to give the girls a little romance betrays the heart of the story. I don't believe Esther was the silly teenager portrayed by Tiffany Dupont. Nor do I think Xerxes was the star-struck romantic portrayed by Luke Goss. And Tommy 'Tiny' Lister, who plays Hegai, the Royal Eunuch, is just plain terrible. Why in the world would they have cast someone with a speech impediment in such an important role? Most of what he says is totally garbled.

The simple, straightforward story as it comes to us from the Bible has been so altered and convoluted that it is almost unrecognizable as the story of Esther. Characters' motivations have been changed, there are key characters, like Prince Admantha, that don't even exist in the original, and the plot has been changed to a different story entirely. Most of the characters end up in the same place as the Bible story, but how they get there is totally different.

What is really unforgivable is the fact that, rather than letting God be the hero of the story, the filmmakers introduce a magical pendant that produces stars of David on the wall. According to the new plot, the magic pendant is actually responsible for changing Xerxes mind, not God, because when he gives the reason to Esther, he says, "I saw the stars." God is not even involved in delivering His people. Even though God's name is not mentioned in the book of Esther, we all know who delivers the Jews in the end. It's not a magic pendant. That's a different religion.

Why would Fox Faith change a story that has become one of the most beloved in both Jewish and Christian tradition? Why would they base it on a novel instead of the Bible account, which is so clear? Why would they spend so much money on sets and costumes, and then ignore script, directing and acting. And why would they introduce a magic pendant into the story? This film is a real mystery.

Conclusion? Fox Faith has laid a big, expensive egg, and one on which they probably won't get their money back. To date, it's made less than $14 M domestically. Any more like this, and they can close down their new "Christian" division. Maybe they should get some real Christian filmmakers in there to show them what a Christian film is, plus some decent directors, writers and actors. Anything but what they're using now.

Waitsel Smith

The Mario Bava Collection, Volume 1 (Black Sunday / Black Sabbath / The Girl Who Knew Too Much / Kill Baby Kill / Knives of the Avenger)

Average customer rating:

Finally...
great collection
Bittersweet Box Set
Bate and Swich
Very Pleased Overall

The Mario Bava Collection, Volume 1 (Black Sunday / Black Sabbath / The Girl Who Knew Too Much / Kill Baby Kill / Knives of the Avenger)
Starring: Cameron Mitchell , Fausto Tozzi , Giacomo Rossi-Stuart , Luciano Pollentin , and Amedeo Trilli
Director: Mario Bava , and Salvatore Billitteri
Manufacturer: Starz / Anchor Bay
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B000MV8ABI
Release Date: 2007-04-03

Amazon.com

Five of Mario Bava's best films are included in this box set, minus his forays into eroticism, like Blood and Black Lace. Still, the lines between sexual pathos and violence blur in these selections that influenced not only other famed directors of Giallo, such as Dario Argento and Lucio Fulci, but also spawned the American golden age in horror, led by directors such as John Carpenter. Three black and white films here exemplify Bava's trademark use of chiaroscuro mixed with suspense-building cinematography first developed in early horror classics like Nosferatu and The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. In the Hitchcock-inspired Evil Eye (1963), tourist Nora Davis (Leticia Roman) witnesses a murder but can't convince police of the crime. Kill Baby Kill! (1966) is the prototype for all little girl-ghost films. Dr. Paul Eswai (Giacomo Rossi-Stuart) is recruited to solve the mystery of Villa Graps, where Baroness Graps (Giana Vivaldi) reanimates her dead daughter, Melissa, by killing innocent villagers. In Black Sunday (1960), the witch Princess Asa Vajda comes back from the dead to inhabit her look-alike, Katia, both played by Barbara Steele, the original femme fatale to which all brunette vamps, like Soledad Miranda (Vampyros Lesbos) and Elvira, are indebted.

In Technicolor, Bava's fantastically rainbow-lit films underpin the director's fascination with connections between our world and those imagined. Black Sabbath (1963) is a trilogy hosted by Boris Karloff, who also stars as a Russian vampire in its segment, "The Wurdalak." "The Telephone," and "The Drop of Water," in which a nurse, Helen Correy (Jacqueline Pierreux), steals a ring then fears that her dead medium patient seeks revenge, are acute studies of guilt and paranoia. The Viking saga, Knives of the Avenger (1966), like Bava's Hercules in the Haunted World, spawned several sword and sorcery films, while protagonist Rurik's (Cameron Mitchell's) knife-throwing is indeed entertaining. Screened back to back, these films provide evidence of Bava's influence in the horror genre. Moreover, they reveal Bava's deep understanding of horror's many facets, whether sexually, psychologically, or physically based. —Trinie Dalton

Description

More than a quarter of a century after his death, director Mario Bava remains one of international cinema's most controversial icons. Today his influence — marked by stunning visuals, daring sexuality and shocking violence — can still be seen in the works of Martin Scorsese, David Lynch, Tim Burton, Dario Argento and countless others in a legacy that extends far beyond the horror genre. This collection brings together 5 landmark movies from the first half of Bava's career — encompassing the original giallo, a bold Viking epic, and his three gothic horror masterpieces — featuring new transfers, original European versions, and exclusive featurettes to create the definitive celebration of one of the most important filmmakers of all time.

Customer Reviews:

Finally..........2007-06-23

Kill Baby Kill is a flic choc full of foreboding atmosphere that can only be appreciated in the original wide-screen aspect. Contrary to Amazon's misleading information, this version IS widescreen with the option to view in Italian w/subtitles. The dubbed version is there for those who dislike subtitles. I paid 19.99 for an earlier crappy edition so needless to say I find this collection offered at 19.99 to be a gift from Amazon. Clear colors and sound make this DVD a joy to watch; great nostalgic fun. I can't wait to view the other titles, also in original theatric aspect, a bonus for me. Am I in Horror Heaven? (I bought an extra set as a present for a relative; no borrowing, please.)

great collection.......2007-04-10

Sorry, but giving this set a bad rating just because the AIP-versions aren't included is stupid in my opinion.
This box includes 5 fantastic movies by Bava (yes, even "Knives Of The Avenger" is a great one) in overall amazing quality with very good bonus features. I believe there is a good reason that AB didn't include the different cuts of "The Girl Who Knew Too Much" and "3 Faces Of Fear": legal issues. If these are solved, hopefully we see these versions someday on DVD (though the only one that really interests me is "The Evil Eye". "Black Sabbath" would just be nice because of Karloff's own dubbing,
but everything else is clearly inferior to the italian version.)
Until then - enjoy what's IN this box, it is an amazing value for the cheap price. Of course many people who want to buy this, already may have different DVDs of some of the movies in there - so everyone must decide for themselves if it is worth getting.

Bittersweet Box Set.......2007-04-09

It's great to have all of these Mario Bava titles in one set. The transfers are really beautiful, and a revelation to those of us with memories of grainy 16mm TV prints. "Black Sunday's" monochrome atmosphere looks particularly lush in this set. "Kill Baby Kill" is a major upgrade to the crummy, desaturated DVD I have from Image.
But they really SHOULD have included BOTH US and Italian versions of the star attraction, "Black Sabbbath". Or at least cut in Karloff's actual voice to the Italian version! Why not re-edit the way it should be? I still rushed out to buy this set, but cannot give it five stars due to the pre-release publicity which stated BOTH Black Sabbath versions would be in the box set. Anchor Bay owes all of us an apology or a free DVD of the English version.

Bate and Swich.......2007-04-06

(NO STARS)
This is not what I was promised in the add.
I will never buy anything "Anchor Bay" again!!!

Very Pleased Overall.......2007-04-06

I'll echo what a previous reviewer wrote concerning the absence of the American International versions of "Mask of Satan" ("Black Sunday"), and "Three Faces of Fear" ("Black Sabbath"). I had fully anticipated their inclusion in this set. After watching the trailer, I know I'm going to need the AIP release "Black Sunday." What really sold me on this set was the opportunity to finally see and own the international edit of "Black Sabbath," and I was frankly unprepared for the vivid clarity of this transfer, and that of "Kill, Baby...Kill." It's great to finally have these films the way they were meant to be seen (however I'm not a fan of English or any other subtitles; English dubs would have been nice).

I haven't gotten around to watching "Knives of the Avenger" or "The Evil Eye," so I can't really weigh in on them. I've been generally pleased with the extras on these discs, the one caveat being the inclusion of the same trailers on each disc. Couldn't they have expanded this selection? As with so many other movie box sets in my collection, the package art's bizarre! Additionally, a decipherable illustration or two of Mario Bava would have been a fitting homage.

On VHS I have the AIP version of "Black Sabbath," and really enjoy it, but seeing this uncut Italian dub I can understand now why this was Bava's favorite film. It's very evident that AIP really went wild in the editing room--it's much more interesting in its original form. Having an educational commentary was also a selling point in my decision to shell out for this; honestly, I don't regret buying this set and I haven't even seen the whole thing yet. If you've been curious about the works of Mario Bava, and you don't mind the subtitles, you won't see finer transfers for his three best films (BLACK SABBATH, BLACK SUNDAY, AND KILL BABY KILL) included here.

However, having said all that, I have to put in a plug for the production of an edition of "Kill Baby Kill" with its killer new WS transfer, but in English and with Tim Lucas' commentary accompanying it. Another highly worthy title of Bava's deserving a more respectable issue is "Planet of the Vampires." When these two finally get the treatment they deserve, a large void will have been filled.

Hasta, and May the Force be With you!

Average customer rating:

WOW
So funny!
Always a great movie!
Good, could have been great
An underrated Disney film

Mulan (Special Edition)
Starring: Miguel Ferrer , Harvey Fierstein , Freda Foh Shen , June Foray , and James Hong
Director: Barry Cook , and Tony Bancroft
Manufacturer: Walt Disney Home Entertainment
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Mulan II

ASIN: B00024I2Z4
Release Date: 2004-10-26

Amazon.com

Solid entertainment from a new group of Disney animators. The story source is a Chinese fable about a young girl who disguises herself as a man to help her family and her country. When the Huns attack China, a call to arms goes out to every village, and Mulan's father, being the only man in the family, accepts the call. Mulan (voiced by Ming-Na Wen, sung by Lea Salonga) has just made a disastrous appearance at the Matchmaker and decides to challenge society's expectations (being a bride). She steals her father's conscription notice, cuts her hair, and impersonates a man to join the army. She goes to boot camp, learning to fit in with the other soldiers with some help from her sidekick, Mushu, a wise-cracking dragon (voiced by Eddie Murphy). She trains, and soon faces the Huns eye-to-eye to protect her Emperor.

The film is gorgeous to look at, with a superior blend of classic and computer-generated animation. Directors Tony Bancroft and Barry Cook make the best of it: a battle in the snowy mountains is as thrilling as the best Hollywood action films. The menacing Huns are not cute but simple and bad. The wickedness is subtle, not disturbing. The film is not a full-fledged musical, as it has only five songs (the best, "Be a Man," is sung during boot camp). Eddie Murphy is an inspired choice for the comic-relief dragon, but his lines are not as clever as Robin Williams's in Aladdin. These are minor quibbles, though. The story is strong, and Mulan goes right to the top of Disney animated heroines; she has the right stuff. --Doug Thomas

Description

1. "An impressive achievement ranking with BEAUTY AND THE BEAST and THE LION KING!" -- Roger Ebert 2. Deleted Scenes -- Never-Before-Heard Song; Alternate Openings 3. Songs of MULAN 4. Music Videos Featuring Jackie Chan, Raven, And Christina Aguilera 5. "Discovering MULAN" -- Embark On A Behind-The-Scenes Adventure With The Filmmakers 6. Early Presentation Reels 7. Progression Reels 8. DisneyPedia: "Mulan's World" -- Explore The Fascinating World Of Ancient China With Your Host, Mushu 9. MULAN Fun Facts 10. Audio Commentary 11. Storyboard-To-Film Comparisons

Customer Reviews:

WOW.......2007-06-27

This is probabily the second best film in the world-next to Pocahontas that is. The songs are all really catchy and the animation is spectacular.

So funny! .......2007-05-23

This is probably one of my favorite Disney movies. (This and Emperor's New Groove). I love when Disney has a sense of humor and you can clearly see it in this one.

Always a great movie!.......2007-05-13

I loved this movie when I was a kid. Even now, when I watch it again, it still is just as great. Perfect for the entire family!

Good, could have been great.......2007-03-19

Being Chinese, I really wanted to love this movie, but it lacks a few key story elements that set "Masterpiece" animated features such as 'Beauty and the Beast' and 'Aladdin' apart from the rest. The animation and sound are fine as they should be and the mountain pass scenes are really cool, especially the part where the huge Mongol hoard comes charging down towards the protagonists in an endless wave of cavalry. The main musical theme "Reflections" is also well written and expresses Mulan's feelings and desires with emotion.

My issues with the movie:

1) The bad guy is certainly bad. He looks bad and he acts bad. However, there isn't really any clear logic or motivation to why he is doing what he's doing. In Beauty and the Beast, Gaston is driven by his egomaniacal desire to have Belle, the one woman in the village who shows no interest in him at all. In Mulan, the bad guy rapes and pillages China because... well... just because. There doesn't appear to be any goal or motivation for him. He destroys simply because he can, which is certainly possible, but makes for a rather flat character. Gaston, Jafar, and Ursula are much more interesting villains.

2) Mulan's romantic partner is kind of a "himbo". He's a pretty boy who doesn't really do much and isn't all that bright. It's not clear to me why Mulan would really want to get together with him other than the fact that he's a good looking dude. Besides that, he doesn't add much to the story. Which leads to my next issue:

3) In the other great Disney features, the lead and their romantic interest share in the resolution of their conflicts and defeat the villian as part of the resolution of the conflict in their romance. In Aladdin, Jasmine and Aladdin battle Jafar together as part of the resolution of the problem where Aladdin lied about being a poor street kid because Jasmine is the Sultan's daughter. Ariel and Eric battle Ursula as part of the romantic conflict brought on by the fact that he is human and she is a mermaid. Eric sees that Ariel is a mermaid in the end and doesn't care. He still risks his life fighting Ursula together with Ariel. In Mulan, it's pretty much just her and the romantic part of the story is an afterthought and they never really get into the issue of resolving that she is "doing a man's job" and shouldn't be in the Chinese army as part of their romantic conflict. It just gets OK'd in the end because she saves the emperor. They don't resolve it between themselves as individuals. Actually, up until the end he still does not accept her until the emperor accepts her. Not very romantic.

4) Finally, the supporting characters don't add much to the story either. The dragon and cricket add a little comedy here and there, but not much else. Some of the soldiers in Mulan's unit had potential, but don't really fully get there.

So, overall I liked the movie, but I didn't love it. This could have been one of their classics if they spent a bit more time developing the story and characters. It looks great, but needed some more under the hood of the story.

An underrated Disney film.......2007-02-21

Released after Pocahontas, when the Disney animated renaissance was coming to a close, this movie did not get much attention; this is unfortunate. While some of the comic relief is pained, Mulan herself is so lovingly rendered that she compensates for the groans.

Mulan, the character, is animated by Mark Henn, one of the main animators behind the beautiful and timeless Disney heroines of the 90s. Like Jasmine, Mulan's movements are feminine, lively, and nuanced, and show how much love he put into his work. Her facial expressions are subtle but clear, showing both her intelligence and her girlish immaturity. It is obvious why he was assigned to the animation of women over and over again; he is a master and considering how popular his Princesses are, I don't understand why he gets less love than Glen Keane.

Equal to Henn's animation is Ming-Na's voice acting. Her voice acting in Final Fantasy is too good; it only shows off the mediocrity of that animation. Here, though, she brings sympathy and depth to the character. Mulan to me is the perfect heroine. Her goal was not true love, she would take it, yes, but her heart seeks respect and honor first.

The plot is almost cloying but stops short at tender. Songs like A Girl Worth Fighting For are forgettable at best, but both Reflection and I'll Make a Man Out of You, the song where Mulan climbs the pole and proves herself, are classics. While sometimes irritating, Eddie Murphy's Mushu gets a few belly laughs. Still, it is the character of Mulan that makes this movie a favorite.

Lucille Ball Film Collection (Dance Girl Dance / The Big Street / Du Barry Was a Lady / Critic's Choice / Mame)

Average customer rating:

Great movie salute to Lucille Ball
Famous Lucy Films Finally on DVD
Four Great Films & One Misfire
Pre-Order for 6-19-2007 // GREAT new film collection!!!

Lucille Ball Film Collection (Dance Girl Dance / The Big Street / Du Barry Was a Lady / Critic's Choice / Mame)
Starring: Lucille Ball , Red Skelton , Gene Kelly , Henry Fonda , and Bob Hope
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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On the Riviera

ASIN: B000OCY7V2
Release Date: 2007-06-19

Amazon.com

Offering an abundance of vintage Hollywood entertainment, the five films included in The Lucille Ball Film Collection cover a broad spectrum of Lucy's movie career, from one of her most prominent early roles to her final big-screen appearance. Long before she became an icon of TV sitcoms, Lucy had moved from New York to Hollywood in 1933, appearing in a variety of mostly uncredited showgirl roles in over 40 films before getting her first big break in the 1937 classic Stage Door (not included in this set). Lucy's star quickly began to rise, and by the time she played sassy nightclub singer "Tiger Lily White" in 1940's Dance, Girl, Dance, she was holding her own with such famous costars as Maureen O'Hara and Ralph Bellamy. Noteworthy as an early feminist comedy directed by Dorothy Arzner (one of the only women to break into the male-dominated profession of Hollywood directors), it's a fun and fascinating film that helped to establish Lucy's persona as a fiery, independent entertainer. That image was pushed to extremes in The Big Street (1942), an oddly enjoyable comedy/melodrama in which Lucy and Henry Fonda are cast against type--she as a selfish, unlikable nightclub diva, and he as the doting busboy who devotes himself to her when she's badly injured by her villainous boss. A year later, Lucy starred with Red Skelton and Gene Kelly in Du Barry Was a Lady, a lavish and still-delightful MGM musical comedy that was Lucy's first film in color--and the first to feature the blazing red hair (recommended by legendary Hollywood stylist Sydney Guilaroff) that became one of Lucy's most beloved and readily identifiable features.

By the time Lucy played a middle-aged playwright in Critic's Choice (1963), she'd become one of TV's most beloved and successful comediennes, and her film career was clearly winding down. Critic's Choice was a fitting follow-up to 1960's The Facts of Life, reuniting Lucy with four-time costar Bob Hope in an upscale comedy/drama that was noteworthy for its progressive depiction of divorced and remarried sophisticates in New York City. A decade later, Lucy chose the ill-fated Mame (1974) for what would prove to be her final big-screen appearance. Despite brutal reviews that focused on Lucy being too old for the title role (originated on Broadway by Angela Lansbury), Mame has survived its bad reputation to become one of Hollywood's most popular high-camp misfires, with Lucy's eccentric and lavishly costumed character gaining a loyal following (especially in the gay community) as a colorful inspiration for female impersonators. In some ways it's a fitting end to Lucy's big-screen career; she always gave maximum effort against considerable odds, and The Lucille Ball Film Collection is a testament to Lucy's show-biz tenacity. --Jeff Shannon

On the DVDs
Each of the DVDs in The Lucille Ball Film Collection is accompanied by bonus features culled from the extensive Warner Bros. archives. As with many of WB's DVD boxed sets, these bonus features consist of featurettes and cartoons that are chronologically matched (in most cases) to the feature presentations, offering a home-video approximation of what it was like to attend these films in their original theatrical context. (See reviews of each individual title for specific bonus-feature details.) For the long-awaited DVD release of Mame, Warner Bros. technicians attempted to create a new stereo soundtrack mix, but this ultimately proved technically impossible due to the variable quality of the original recording elements, so the film is presented with the mono soundtrack of its original theatrical release. As always with WB releases, picture and sound quality is uniformly superb, especially in preserving the brilliant Technicolor of Du Barry Was a Lady. Of particular value among the bonus features, the DVD of Critic's Choice breaks from strict chronology with "Calling All Tars," a 1936 Vitaphone short featuring one of Bob Hope's earliest screen appearances, and the Oscar-nominated cartoon "Now Hear This" (1962), directed in abstract-art style by legendary Warner Bros. animator Chuck Jones. --Jeff Shannon

Description

Big Street: Haughty nightclub singer Gloria Lyons (Lucille Ball) doesn't have time for the little people, including Little Pinks (Henry Fonda), the busboy who adores her. Then Gloria is paralyzed when a mobster knocks her down the stairs, and those little people are the only ones who help her. Critic's Choice: Tossing inspired throwaway lines right and left, Hope is a New York critic who loves writing pointed reviews that close insufferably lousy plays. But there's a new play in town â€" by his redheaded wife (Ball). Dance Girl Dance: Bubbles (Lucille Ball) loves to dance. But she also likes to eat. Her friend Judy (Maureen O'Hara) may choose to suffer for her art, but not Bubbles. She swap hers ballet shoes for a G-string...and turns patrons' fantasies into dollars as burlesque sensation Tiger Lily White. Dubarry Was a Lady: Hapless nightclub hat check boy Red Skelton loves glamorous chanteuse Lucille Ball. Handsome hoofer Gene Kelly loves her too. But Lucy only loves money. Then Red mistakenly gulps down a Mickey Finn, dreams he's in 18th-century France and before you can powder your wig, a throng of suitors fall in love with Lucy! Mame: Lucille Ball brings star sparkle to the title role, a high-living grande dame who's outlandishly eccentric and, when suddenly faced with raising an orphaned nephew, fiercely loving. Veterans of the New York stage original join her: Beatrice Arthur as best friend Vera, Jane Connell as prim governess Agnes, choreographer Onna White and director Gene Saks.

Customer Reviews:

Great movie salute to Lucille Ball.......2007-06-29

This is a pretty good collection honoring Lucille Ball's motion picture work in various decades of her long career. She looks beautiful in "Dubarry...". The movie is dated but, she looks so glam. The film was made mostly just to promote MGM's Technicolor process of color filming. By the time "Critic's Choice" was made, Miss Ball was just past 50 years old. Heavy makeup and careful camera lensing makes her look about 15 years younger than she actually was. Ironically, the woman playing her mother in the film was about the same age as Lucy. "Mame" should have starred Angela Lansbury. But, Ball wanted to follow up her 1968 hit, "Yours, Mine and Ours" with a major film project. So, she secured rights to "Mame". Aside from her singing, the film is OK. She looks great thanks to her makeup team and Vaseline closeups. Nice campy moments. Glam clothes! "Big Street" is her best film of all that starred her.

Famous Lucy Films Finally on DVD.......2007-06-28

This is the best of the best films they can release in one set for Lucille Ball. I just got the set yesterday, (June 27) and stayed up all night to watch all of the films.

The Big Street - This stars - Henry Fonda, Lucille Ball, Barton MacLane, Eugene Pallette, Agnes Moorehead, Sam Levine, Ray Collins, and Ozzie Nelson.

Critic's Choice - This stars - Bob Hope, Lucille Ball, Marilyn Maxwell, Rip Torn, Jessie Royce Landis, John Dehner, and Jim Backus.

Dance, Girl, Dance - This stars - Maureen O'Hara, Louis Hayward, Lucille Ball, Virginia Field, Ralph Bellamy, Mary Carlisle, Katherine Alexander, Edward Brophy, Walter Abel, Harold Huber, Maria Ouspenska, and Harry E. Edington.

DuBarry Was a Lady - This stars - Red Skelton, Lucille Ball, Gene Kelly, Virginia O'Brien, Zero Mostel, and Tommy Dorsey

Mame - This stars - Lucille Ball, Beatrice Arthur, Bruce Davison, Joyce Van Patten, Kirby Furlong, Robert Preston.

This is all of the stars of the 5 films. I was going to tell about the movies, but if you are purchasing this item, or are looking to see how the movies are according to other people on this site, I am not going to ruin your suprise. I will let you watch the films yourself, and all you are getting from me is - I LOVE THESE MOVIES.

Four Great Films & One Misfire.......2007-06-20

This set is worth owning just for Mame, in which Lucille Ball BECOMES Auntie Mame. DuBarry Was A Lady, Dance Girl Dance (with a young Maureen O'Hara) and The Big Street are all fan favorites. While Lucy looks stunning in Critic's Choice, it is the least enjoyable film in the set (and the only "stinker" out of four films she made with her preferred screen-partner, Bob Hope).

Pre-Order for 6-19-2007 // GREAT new film collection!!!.......2007-05-14

This is a GREAT collection to own and a must have for any Lucy fan! With this collection you will receive 5 movies starring Lucille Ball's most popular film adaption. You will be amazed to see the true acting ability of Lucy here.

Some of the films here are somewhat of a opposite to Lucille Ball's role on "I Love Lucy" but some are very similar to "I Love Lucy" in my opinion. Take "The Big Street" for instance, High class Gloria (Lucille Ball) was a bit cruel and mean to a poor man named pinks who falls head over heels in love with her and will do anything to please her at the end she begins to fall for him too. A must see dramatic film!!

You will see Lucille Ball like you have never seen her before and these movies are not boring at all but they are really good interesting movies that you will not lose interest in. I am somewhat shy of old films and find them boring but I can watch anything with Lucille Ball and you will love these films!

"Lucille Ball Film Collection" includes:

"The Big Street" - Ex-chanteuse Gloria is vain, cruel, crippled - and busboy Pinks can't help but love her. Ball and Henry Fonda power Damon Runyon's tale of Broadway denizens living on life's margins.

"Critic's Choice" - That's no playwright, that's my wife. Poison-penned Broadway critic Bob Hope loves wife Lucille Ball...but hates the play she writes. Based on the play by "Deathtrap's" Ira Levin.

Dance, Girl, Dance" - Art doesn't pay the bills. So aspiring ballerina Ball makes her way as a burlesque star in this powerful study of being a woman in a man's world. With Maureen O'Hara.

"Dubarry Was A Lady" - Their friendship is a perfect musical-comedy blendship! Ball goes from NYC torch singer to the dream girl of Red Skelton's wacky, 18th-century-France reverie. Gene Kelly joins the fun!

"Mame" - She'll coax the blues right out of your heart. Madcap Auntie Mame (Ball) is suddenly her nephew's guardian. Robert Preston and Beatrice Arthur co-star in a sparkling adaptation of the Broadway hit.

Highly recommended!!!

Average customer rating:

I have not read the book....AND I AM GLAD!!!
If You Don't Mind a little Affection between Cousins
Most enjoyable
Great for romantic movie lovers, not so good for Austen purists
It is difficult to put Austen's work to film...

Mansfield Park (1999)
Starring: Hannah Taylor-Gordon , Talya Gordon , Lindsay Duncan , Bruce Byron , and James Purefoy
Director: Patricia Rozema
Manufacturer: Miramax
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 6305907145
Release Date: 2000-07-11

Description

This fun and sexy comedy tells a timelessly entertaining story where wealth, secret passions, and mischievous women put love to the test ... with delightfully surprising results! When a spirited young woman, Fanny Price, is sent away to live on the great country estate of her rich cousins, she's meant to learn the ways of proper society. But while Fanny learns "their" ways, she also enlightens them with a wit and sparkle all her own! Featuring an exciting ensemble cast of young stars -- you'll join critics everywhere in their overwhelming praise of this smart, playful, and funny hit!

Customer Reviews:

I have not read the book....AND I AM GLAD!!!.......2007-06-18

Excellent..superb..well acted..well scripted..dark and brooding......I could go on and on! We review FILMS here at Amazon...not the book from which the film came! As a film, Patricia Rozema's adaptation of Jane Austen's MANSFIELD PARK stands on it's own as a stinging, satirical view of the life and times of one Fanny Price in 1806 England. All that is Austen,the "advantageous alliances" that are made through marriage, scandals that could kill a family's reputation, the pecking order of sons for inheritance, and the heart as the moral compass and guide are all here, and brought to the screen with great effect infused with a little bit of naughtiness and innuendo. This retelling of MANSFIELD PARK is so interesting and wonderfully reconceived that it far outweighs the BBC version for it's fresh and new characterizations of Fanny and the Bertrams and the Crawfords.

What I really like about this MANSFIELD PARK is Rozema's clever weaving of the English Slave Trade into the fiber of the film. No doubt this WAS THE hot topic of the time as in 1807 the trade of the Middle Passage WAS abolished in England.(See the current film AMAZING GRACE)Yes,people who sought their fortunes in it DID turn "to tobacco",which was the trade simply continued in America!!!

As far as performances...they are OUTSTANDING. Harold Pinter as Sir Thomas was played with great complexity and the late Sheila Gish as Fanny's Aunt is one of the best comedic turns yet for an Austen adaptation!

Lesley Barber's soundtrack is lush, romantic and also full of witty motifs to propel the action.

This MANSFIELD PARK is full of fine direction, sets, costumes and modern sensibility that makes the timeless Austen all the more compelling.The film never lags and is quite clever. 5******'s for Rozema's Austen!

If You Don't Mind a little Affection between Cousins.......2007-05-24

I am always challenged in finding any kind of romance in the characters of Mansfield Park. They are cousins. Back in Ms. Austen's day, this was cool. To me, it is SO not.

This telling of the story, however, is really fun. I love the dramatic pauses at the end. I love the nasty Mrs. Norris. I love the artful Crawfords and the artless Edmund. Most of all, I LOVE Fanny, the smart creative Fanny that is presented in this movie. She totally makes the movie.

(*)>

Most enjoyable.......2007-05-15

Most Janeites will disregard this film as not being true to the novel and claim the actors are too "pretty." I however, think this film is strong enough to stand on it's own without having to be completely true to the original. The characters are strong, the acting honest and raw, and Fanny is very funny, in a very Jane Austenesque subtle, ironic way. I am glad to own it.

Great for romantic movie lovers, not so good for Austen purists.......2007-05-12

I wouldn't call myself an Austen purist, but I definitely compare the books with the movies I watch. For purists of Jane Austen's novel, this movie really tears the book apart substituting characters and cutting some out completely. But as a movie, Mansfield Park is one of my favorites. Most of the more recent Jane Austen adaptations really stole my heart in the movie category and this one was no exception. The heart of Jane Austen's story is still there and, as we all know, no one can write about love and romance quite like Jane Austen.

So purists: Beware! Dramatic and Romantic movie lovers: Check this one out!

It is difficult to put Austen's work to film... .......2007-05-11

I always anticipate the difficulty of a relatively short film (2 hours or under) being able to fully bring to life the characters of ANY complex and beloved novel. Aside from maybe the BBC version of Pride and Prejudice, very few movies who aspire to bring Jane Austen's novels to life ever do. That being said. This movie is a piece of art in its own right, and also should be seen as such. I enjoyed this film. And while it did take many liberties, I still feel it was a genuinely well done movie. I LOVE Jane Austen's novels, for she was a woman entrenched in her time but also ahead of her time. I don't think she would take her stories to be sacrosanct, as many of her admirers and critics do. I enjoyed this cast and what the director did with the story. I was endeared to this Mansfield Park and the world that was created in it.

Average customer rating:

La la la loved this movie
Gothic Romance at It's Best
Now that's a lady!
Romance for the Soul
Best Jane Eyre film version

Jane Eyre
Starring: Orson Welles , and Joan Fontaine
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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