Intimate Power

Starring:F. Murray Abraham, Maud Adams, Amber O'Shea, James Michael Gregary, Ron Dortch, Laurent Le Doyen, Jonathan Vuille, Francesco Quinn, Glenn Scarpelli, AndrÃ©a Parisy, GÃ©rard Touroul, Tom McGreevey, Celeste Simpson-Boyd, Robere Kazadi, Garth Wilton, Reuven Bar-Yotam, Diana Barrows, Faruk Peker, Wayne Quimby, John Kennedy Hayden
Director: Jack Smight
Studio: Lions Gate
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Product Description
Based on the true story of Aimee De Rivery. Intimate Power tells the story of a young beautiful French school girl who is sold into white slavery and looses her innocence to the most powerful man in the East-the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire. After spending time together the aging Sultan falls hopelessly in love with Aimee, soon after she bears his son. During a revolt within the Empire the Sultan is killed. He stole her innocence. She stole his heart...and empire.

System Requirements:

Starring Amber O'Shea, Andrea Parisy, Celeste Simpson-Boyd, F. Murray Abraham, Francesco Quinn, Garth Wilton, Gerard Touroul, Glenn Scarpelli, James Michael Gregary, Jonathan Vuille, Laurent Le Doyen, Maud Adams, Robere Kazadi, Ron Dortch, Tom McGreevey

Directed by Jack Smight

Running time: 104 minutes

Macbeth / McKellen, Dench (Thames Shakespeare Collection)

Average customer rating:

disappointed
A test for great theatre
Definitive Macbeth
Awesome Judi
A performance of historic importance.

Macbeth / McKellen, Dench (Thames Shakespeare Collection)
Starring: Ian McKellen , Judi Dench , John Bown , Susan Dury , and Judith Harte
Director: Philip Casson
Manufacturer: A&E Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

( M ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

King Lear
Hamlet
William Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice
Twelfth Night
Othello

ASIN: B0002TVWYW
Release Date: 2004-11-16

Product Description

Murder, prophecy, and witches! MACBETH returns, starring Academy Award®-nominee Ian McKellen (The Lord of the Rings trilogy) and Academy Award®-winner Judi Dench (Shakespeare in Love), on DVD for the first time anywhere. First broadcast on Britain's Thames Television in 1978, this stark, compelling performance of Shakespeare's MACBETH retains the entire cast of the original 1976 Royal Shakespeare Company production, directed by three-time Tony Award®-winner Trevor Nunn (The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickelby, Cats, Les Mis rables). When a trio of witches prophesize Macbeth's (Ian McKellen) ascension to the throne, Lady Macbeth (Judi Dench) pushes her husband into a murderous spree. But once crowned king of Scotland, Macbeth sees ghastly visions, fueled by guilt and a new prophecy, that ensure his ultimate downfall. Also starring John Woodvine (Wuthering Heights) as "Banquo," Ian McDiarmid (Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi) as "the porter", and Bob Peck (Jurassic Park) as "Macduff."

System Requirements:

Running Time 1316 Min

Format: DVD MOVIE

Amazon.com

Two of England's greatest actors, Sir Ian McKellen and Dame Judi Dench, electrify in this lean, stripped-down production of Shakespeare's darkest tragedy. In the wake of a battle, the Scottish warrior Macbeth (McKellen, Gods and Monsters, Lord of the Rings) receives a prophecy from a trio of witches: He shall be king. When fate doesn't unfold quickly enough, Macbeth and his even more ambitious wife (Dench, Shakespeare in Love, Iris) decide to give it a push. McKellen sweats anxiously and oozes a creeping lust for power, while Dench is hypnotically vicious from her first moment. For audiences used to their film careers, this grand pair will seem young as pups (this TV movie is from 1979, adapted from an acclaimed Royal Shakespeare Company production)--but that only gives them an added edge of sex and vigor. Extras include the older McKellen thoughtfully commenting on the play and this classic production. --Bret Fetzer

Customer Reviews:

disappointed.......2007-05-09

I was disappointed that the description of this DVD stated that it was closed captioned, but it is not. Since the captioning was the main selling point for me, it was a useless purchase.

A test for great theatre.......2007-03-30

This version of Macbeth probes that for having the greatest theatrical experience all you need is a superb text, real actors and an IDEA. Trevor Nunn produced an unique experience, and the McKellen/Dench duo is simply perfect. Specially her... no one else can stand besides Dame Judi daring to be called "Lady Macbeth".
Yes, the quality is not as we could wish (it is 1978 and for TV!) but nevertheless the whole film blows up any big studio production of Shakespeare`s bloody text.
Again: master text, great actors and someone with an idea. That`s theatre!

Definitive Macbeth.......2007-01-22

I liked this DVD very much. I watched several versions of that play, but this one is my favourite now, I can't imagine a more brilliant and powerful Macbeth & Wife than sir Ian and dame Judi. Unforgettable.

Awesome Judi.......2007-01-16

If you are a Dame Judi Dench fan and you haven't seen Macbeth, you're missing a most ingenious performance. She never fails to entertain and this phenomenal award winning actress will really astound you with this rivetting performance. In the entertainment business there are good actors and great performers...Jude is "entertainment squared" in Macbeth.
In one part she emits the most eeriest primal scream I've ever heard. With Dame Judi she makes you believe she is the character in a way no one else can. Dench fans..this is a must.

A performance of historic importance........2007-01-07

Trevor Nunn's 1979 Thames Television production of "Macbeth," directed by Philip Casson, is a dark, stripped-down, claustrophobic version that emphasizes the furnace-fire terror of Shakespeare's play. As star Ian McKellen tells us in an introduction and reminiscence included in the DVD's special features, the broadcast documents a production of the play that had been running, with the same cast, for the previous three years in Stratford and London. The cast had become a family by then, he tells us, and its members were so in tune with each other that the film took less than a week to shoot, rather than the usual several weeks. The sheer fluidity of the performances attests to the teamwork the cast members had achieved. The camera, shooting mostly in close-up, offers the actors nowhere to hide; they must give us the whole, unvarnished truth of the story with their faces and voices, and that they do. McKellen makes a brilliantly Stalinesque Macbeth, spiraling unforgettably into murder, paranoia, and nihilism. Judi Dench is, if anything, even better than McKellen; the extended, ripped-flesh scream she rips from herself during Lady Macbeth's final soliloquy seems to emanate from the Ninth Circle of Hell. Also notable are Roger Rees as Malcolm, John Woodvine as Banquo, and Ian McDiarmid as Ross. Not all of the performances, alas, are on this level. Although McKellen pays loving tribute to the late Bob Peck in his reminiscence, I found Peck's performance as Macduff inexplicable at times. (When a man hears that his wife and children have been murdered, don't you think his reaction would be a little less, well, CLINICAL?) Nevertheless, this has to be counted as a Shakespearian performance of historic importance, with the two greatest Shakespearian actors of the late 20th century giving us their definitive versions of Lord and Lady Macbeth. This is a must-buy for anyone with even the slightest interest in Shakespeare.

Average customer rating:

General WWII history interest
James Mason in thie Role--Who Could Do Better?
Desert Fox
Small scale, barely adequate biography of the famous General
"In case you didn't hear me, I'm a soldier, not a politician"

The Desert Fox
Starring: James Mason , Cedric Hardwicke , Jessica Tandy , Luther Adler , and Everett Sloane
Director: Henry Hathaway
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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The Desert Rats
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ASIN: B00008AOTO
Release Date: 2003-05-20

Amazon.com

What a difference a few years can make. The Desert Fox, released six years after the end of World War II, is a solemnly respectful tribute to Erwin Rommel, Germany's most celebrated military genius. James Mason's portrayal of this gallant warrior became a highlight of his career iconography. The film itself is oddly disjointed: a precredit commando raid to liquidate Rommel is followed by a flashback to the field-marshal's lightning successes commanding the Afrika Korps—-a compressed account via documentary footage and copious narration (spoken by Michael Rennie, who also dubs Desmond Young, the Rommel biographer and onetime British POW appearing briefly as himself). The dramatic core is Rommel's growing disenchantment with Hitler (Luther Adler), his involvement in the plot to assassinate der Führer, and his subsequent martyrdom. Mason's Rommel returned two years later for a flamboyant, mostly German-speaking cameo in The Desert Rats, a prequel focusing on the battle for Tobruk. --Richard T. Jameson

Description

James Mason delivers a strong performance in this fascinating portrait of Field Marshal Erwin Rommel. In the early 1940's, Rommel's juggernaut Afrika Korps dominated North Africa. But as the tide turned and he came to the painful realization that his Fuhrer, to whom he hd sworn allegiance, was destroying Germany, his ingrained sense of duty pushed him into a conspiracy against Hitler. Co-starring Jessica Tandy as Rommel's wife and Cedric Hardwicke as another anti-Hitler conspirator, The Desert Fox is an intimate look at one of the most respected military tacticians of modern times.

Customer Reviews:

General WWII history interest.......2007-06-11

This is an old black and white movie conceived generally around the person of German Field Marshall Erwin Romell. While it won't get anyone not interested in the particular subject area very excited based on the plot, it does give a rough glimpse of the historical involvement of Romell in WWII.

James Mason in thie Role--Who Could Do Better?.......2007-03-13

Erwin Rommel was a soldier's soldier, despite what one thinks about the ideology of the Third Reich--which he, apparently, did not until much too late in the game (e.g., he remained ignorant of the true purpose of the KZs, Konzentrationslagers or Concentration Camps until very late in the war).

As Field Marshall Rommel, much propaganda value came from his initial African exploits which led to a lavish State funeral long after the top brass considered him a traitor following the July 20, 1944 assassination attempt. And, of course, he missed the prediction of the Normandy Invation, which would have been a lasting legacy and perhaps an outcome-changing realization. However, the Reich's Atlantic Wall was simply spread too thin, and by the time he was assigned to assess its strenghts and weaknesses, it was far too late in the game.

Nonetheless, James Mason was an ideal pick around 1950 to play Rommel, so shortly after the war, and in context, it is eerily documentary-like.

The life of his son Mannfred, who became mayor of a major West German city, would be of equal interest....

Recommended.

Desert Fox.......2007-03-12

Personal life of Rommel rather than war strategy
Interesting but not exciting.

Small scale, barely adequate biography of the famous General.......2007-03-05

The Desert Fox is a piecemeal biography of the famed WWII German General Erwin Rommel.

Understandably, so soon after the end of WWII, it focuses more on the his questioning of the leadership of Hitler than on this battlefield exploits.

Unfortunately the Desert Fox cannot hide its miniscule budget, with lots of stock footage and talk, talk, talk...it provides no sense of grandeur or sweep whatsoever. If you are looking for some big battle scenes you will be sorely disappointed.

The best thing about this film is James Mason but even he struggles to give Rommel three dimensions - hampered by a lightweight script that is barely adequate.

The only interesting aspect of this film is that is provides a very sympathetic portrayal of a "good" German soldier only 6 years after the end of the second world war.

If you want to see a good film about a famous general watch Patton.

"In case you didn't hear me, I'm a soldier, not a politician".......2007-01-11

Fox War Classics presents the great film biographical film of Erwin Rommel, the Desert Fox. This film takes us through the final period of the great German generals life. Rommel was one of the most decorated German solders of WWI and perhaps the most outstanding field marshal of the entire Third Reich during WWII. His intellect in regards to warfare, tactical responses, offensives, and strategic planning made him one of the most memorable Generals the world has ever seen.

The 1951 classic starring James Mason looks superb in film and sound quality. The black and white format doesn't lose any power, as some of the scenes that show the timeline of the war through various battles are actual footage.

THE DESERT FOX: The movie is structured with some narration here and there which in informative to viewers in regards to places, battles, and many happenings surrounding Rommel during his (roughly) last year of life. The film is extremely informative and moving as we learn about one of the most popular figures from WWII whose story never got to be told. It digs into the dark days when his undermanned army was starting to face inevitable losses that ultimately were the beginning of the end for his troops, and his hope to find a reason to keep going despite no further support. You'll learn a lot about what was going on with Hitler as well as get a glimpse of the dangerous arrogance from Hitler that Rommel faced up to more than anyone. Hitler is played by Luther Adler and is done so with great conviction, if anything he seems to bring out how short of a temper Hitler could have, only furthering his often times foolish decisions that defied the logic, patience and realistic viewpoint that Rommel so effectively used.

It also goes behind the stoic, trench coat clad general to give a glimpse of his family life. In the film, Jessica Tandy plays his wife and adds more humanity to the screen.

Rommel ultimately did something that made him more famous than being simply a superb wartime soldier and later general for Germany; He applied logic and realism to a frustrating situation that was running out of good outcomes, and went toe to toe with the most feared leader in the world. If anyone perhaps tried to save Germany from Hitler that had a fighting chance, it was Rommel. The film is vintage of the WWII period as well as a glimpse to what Rommel faced during his final months, and I highly recommend it.

"Don't fight a battle if you don't gain anything by winning."
"Sweat saves blood, blood saves lives, and brains save both."
"This business with the Jews has got to stop."

--Erwin Rommel

Average customer rating:

Love the nightmare
Dense plotline, pretty interesting approach
Interesting
Potent
James Spader Best Actor??

sex, lies, and videotape
Starring: James Spader , Andie MacDowell , Peter Gallagher , Laura San Giacomo , and Ron Vawter
Director: Steven Soderbergh
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 0767812158
Release Date: 1998-10-07

Amazon.com essential video

Winner of the Palm d'Or and Best Actor awards at the 1989 Cannes Film Festival, sex, lies, and videotape transformed the independent film industry and turned writer-director Steven Soderbergh into the envy of aspiring filmmakers everywhere. Sly, seductive, and coolly intelligent, the movie explores the sexual shenanigans and personal preoccupations of its four central characters, revolving around a selfish lawyer (Peter Gallagher) who responds to his wife by having an affair with her free-spirited sister (Laura San Giacomo). But when the lawyer's college roommate (James Spader) arrives for an unexpectedly extended visit, the neglected wife (Andie MacDowell) is surprisingly responsive to his seductive hobby of videotaping women as they describe their sexual fantasies. It's his way of compensating for impotence, but the curious wife considers this a sexual challenge, and Soderbergh turns sex, lies, and videotape into a fascinating chamber piece that puts a decidedly different spin on the consequences of infidelity. Balanced on a risky and finely tuned performance by Spader, the film delivers frisky passion and emotional intrigue, and yet much of its allure is found in the exchange of secrets and the hidden mysteries of sexual desire. --Jeff Shannon

Product Description

Customer Reviews:

Love the nightmare.......2007-06-26

Claustrophobic, dyspeptic and pathological, sex, lies and videotape revisits the insalubrious Freudian vertigo first visited upon the public with Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

Tormented, arrrogant, self-destructive Spader made his case as Gen X's Richard Burton with this, then Crash. Unlike the Great Drunken One, however, it's Spader's feminine facial features (prominently displayed here) that gives the plot thrust it's disarming realism. Of course, Andie MacDowell kicks off proceedings in therapy, where her professional medicine man fails to get her talking about ... sex. Soderbergh is a clever lad - notice MacDowell mimicking Spader's black top and blue jeans near the close. Queasily perfect -

EXCEPT the final scene. What's up with the happy ending? I LIVED this movie and, let me assure you, there is NO happy ending to this stuff.

Dense plotline, pretty interesting approach .......2006-11-11

This movie was very erotic without being truely graphic. It was a new approach for it's time. James Spader was very good (best actor though?), and Andie Mcdowell played the neurotic housewife well. Based in New Orleans, Mcdowell finds herself in therapy and in a loveless marriage, while her husband is confirming her suspiciouns of an affair. Then, a stranger comes to town from her husband's past and turns her life upside down. The pace is slow at times, but it pulls you through just fine. The ending was lackluster, but they had to end it somehow. If you like darker movies, with a little dark humor, then this is worth a watch for you.

Interesting.......2006-06-20

I already knew Steven Soderbergh was a talented director, but I'd never seen a film that he had written. This movie, his first, is written and directed by the Oscar winner (Best Director, 'Traffic') and it's one of my favorite movies by him. I think it's better than both Traffic and Erin Brockovich. The only Soderbergh film I've seen that I like more is Out of Sight. This movie is funny, interesting, intriguing, and very entertaining. I thought there was one downside to the movie...No nudity. The whole time I was watching this movie, everytime Laura San Giacomo was onscreen I was thinking "Take off your shirt." But, I'm getting ahead of myself. The movie stars Peter Gallagher ("American Beauty") and Andie McDowell ("Michael") as a married couple John and Ann. Ann is a stay at home wife, who secretly attends therapy sessions where she confesses her relationship with John isn't much and that they don't have sex. Meanwhile, John (a lawyer) is having sex with Ann's sister Cynthia (Giacomo). At the same time, an old friend of John's named Graham (James Spader in one of his best performances) arrives at their house to stay for a few days until he gets on his feet. Ann is drawn to Graham and finds him interesting, but her opinion is changed when she finds out that Graham interviews woman and asks them personal questions about their sex lives while filming the entire thing. After hearing about this, however, Cynthia takes an interest in Graham. It's basically just one big love triangle. But, this movie is truly a fantastic and extremely interesting film. Soderbergh brings up really interesting points about everything from love to sex to marriage to impotency. The score by Cliff Martinez also helps to move the film along perfectly.

GRADE: A-

Potent.......2006-04-24

It's remarkable that this movie is more than a decade old and yet, its story is still as relevant and potent as nowadays. With a shoestring budget and with a basic premise of analysing the dynamics of a relationship between four persons, this movie captives my imagination from beginning till the end. The title itself can be misleading. Whilst from the outset, it's literally sex, lies and videotapes but without those issues, there wouldn't be the much needed honesty, transparency and communication that facilitate a satisfying resolve for all parties that are concerned. An intelligent movie indeed. Highly recommended. No extras in the DVD other than the set-ups.

James Spader Best Actor??.......2006-03-16

The movie was good but i dont know how james spader got best actor for it..dont get me wrong he was good in it, but i guess the rest of the nomminees really sucked..i like james spader and this was one of the only things ive seen him in, besides boston legal, and the last season of the practice.. worth the money i spent on it..recommended for fans of james spader..

Average customer rating:

Well acted but slow
Interesting and great!
"I want to have the right to choose, as not to have to choose"
Wonderful viewing
The cover is the best thing about it.

Grande Ecole
Starring: Gregori Baquet , Alice Taglioni , Jocelyn Quivrin , Élodie Navarre , and Arthur Jugnot
Director: Robert Salis
Manufacturer: Fox Lorber
ProductGroup: DVD
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Sugar
Just a Question of Love
Latter Days (Unrated Edition)
Gone, But Not Forgotten
Locked Up (Ws Sub)

ASIN: B0002V7OCO
Release Date: 2004-11-09

Amazon.com

Grande Ecole merges the delirious ogling of naked flesh with highfalutin' cultural theory from abstruse thinkers like Michel Foucoult--a whiplash-inducing combination that could only come from the French. Paul (Gergori Baquet), a middle-class student, arrives at a snooty economics school and finds himself lusting after his new roommate, the upper-class Louis-Arnault (Jocelyn Quivrin)--even though Paul already has a hot-and-heavy relationship with his luscious girlfriend Agnes (Alice Taglioni). Paul's sexual confusion leads him into an affair with a handsome Arab groundskeeper named Mecir (Salim Kechiouche), who falls helplessly in love with Paul. Grande Ecole awkwardly combines race and class consciousness, the defense of a death-row inmate in Texas, and an extensive shower scene with the school's water polo team--but what finally gives it heart is Mecir, whose love for Paul seems doomed to tragedy. --Bret Fetzer

Description

At a school that breeds France's cultural elite, a young man experiences heterosexual and homosexual attraction, power games and racial conflict. Directed by Robert Salis. 5.1 surround sound, 16x9 anamorphic 1.85:1 presentation

Customer Reviews:

Well acted but slow.......2007-06-08

The film is very well directed & acted. I gave it 3 stars because the plot moves so slow- it's boring and hard to stay with. Also it would have been more believable if the lead character, whom everyone else is attracted to, were attractive. There are some nice full frontal nude scenes of other actors to compensate.

Interesting and great!.......2007-06-08

Excellent love story... great cast, great acting! You also have to take a look at the DVD extras. Would definitely recommend buying this one for your collection.

"I want to have the right to choose, as not to have to choose".......2007-06-01

It is the opening of the school year at a prominent business college for elite rich kids. "Grande Ecole", based on a play by Jean-Marie Besset, focuses on the lives of six young characters, their dreams, aspirations and desires. Paul (Gregori Baquet), and Agnes (Alice Taglioni), who have dated for some time and have an active sexual relationship, soon discover that desire often takes unexpected turns. Paul, a young man who has lived the straight life expected by society, begins to discover he has hidden desires for other men, namely one of his roommates, "Louis Arnoult" (Jocelyn Quivrin). Louis is strictly a straight man, athlete, and poised toward a life in the corporate world, with no desire to explore his feminine side. Soon after Paul begins realizing his deep attraction to Louis, Agnes also begins to figure it out and confronts Paul, making him a "fair deal". Whichever of the two can successfully seduce Louis first, wins. If she wins, Paul must give up on Louis and his gay desires, to live out his life loving only her. If she wins, she agrees to give up her love for Paul, and set him free. "The rule is to encourage competition" (to coin one of the many great quotes from this film), might be the best way to describe the character of Agnes. She is excited about the whole game she has contrived for the two to play. Paul on the other hand, refuses the bet initially, but wishes to rebel against all the strict norms his parents expect for him, and follow his heart to find the love that has been missing all his life.

In the end, the winner is decided, based on a lie, as neither were successful in their attempt, but what Agnes has somehow missed is that Louis was not the only threat to her relationship with Paul. This is a most powerful film topic, and the film gives an honest and thought provoking look into human complexities and desire. One great quote from this production is: "hetero, homo, that's all over, it's just about you". The quote is spoken by Mecir (Salim Kechiouche), a young Arab man who falls deeply in love with Paul. This is the concept for the whole film, that desire should not be based on gender, but rather on the heart, leaving each of us to explore our desire for love with men, women, or both, as our heart dictates, breaking down the expectations of society, instead of surrendering to the "norm" that has been engrained into each of us. The film also stars Arthur Jugnot as the third roommate, and Elodie Navarre, who plays as "Emmeline", Louis' girlfriend. I would personally have rather seen a more substantial and interesting role for Arthur Jugnot, or at least some steamy nudity with him. He was the only character who seemingly managed not to show any of his "assets" in the film. That being said, there is a LOT of wonderful male full frontal nudity in this film, which adds a great lot of eroticism. The story line is terrific, and powerful. The acting is superb from all six, especially the male roles. The downside without doubt would be the subtitles which make it hard to follow the film as the dialogue moves rather quickly. It would have been better with english dubbed voice-overs as opposed to the english subtitles. I truly loved this movie and all it's daring content. More thought provoking than the actual film, are the extras included on the DVD, such as the "scene deletions" which include a narrative read by Taglioni, that cuts to the bone of what this movie is all about. Unlike any I have seen in other films trying to make the same point, the writers viewpoint is expressed in great depth and feeling, in a manner that would challenge almost anyone's belief on love and gender roles in sexuality. Tastefully done, this is a film that warms the heart, opens the mind to individual desires and breaks away at the inhibitions and stereotypes that society imposes. A very attractive cast, great casting, audio, video, direction and production. If you like movies with a theme of this nature, and a lot of erotic male frontal nudity, I highly recommend "Grande Ecole" for your viewing.

Wonderful viewing.......2007-05-14

This movie makes for wonderful viewing. I found the dialogue over the top at times, even for a French movie,but the story is wonderfully told and acted and has a sad tone to it that moves one right to the last scene. Highly recommended and not only for art film buffs.Has some really beautiful men in it who are not shy about showing off their bodies but this does not distract from the strong story . I found the love scenes between them really believable and well acted. The extras on the dvd are really good.

Richard

The cover is the best thing about it........2007-05-12

Grande Ecole (Robert Salis, 2004)

Salis (Living Naked)'s first non-documentary feature is an adaptation of a Jean-Marie Besset play which, I confess, I have neither read nor seen. So take this review with a grain of salt; most of the aspersions I'm going to cast here may have less to do with Salis than with Besset.

The plot: Paul (Gregori Baquet) and Agnes (Alice Taglioni) are dating. Agnes wants to move in together; Paul would prefer to live on campus with roommates. It quickly becomes obvious that Paul would, specifically, rather live with Louis-Arnault (Jocelyn Quivrin, recently of Syriana). Despite Louis-Arnault having a girlfriend himself, Agnes makes Paul a bet-- whichever of the two seduces Louis-Arnault first can have him. To add onto the complexity, Paul also finds himself drawn to a university worker, Mecir (Selim Kechiouche), who's more open about returning Paul's affections than is Louis-Arnault.

There's a whole lot going on here, and Salis wants to pack it all into this film. That's all well and good; the many subtexts here are well worth exploring. Unfortunately, what suffers is the main story itself; what could well have been a sumptuous erotic buffet ends up neither sumptuous nor erotic. The obvious crux of the whole thing is Paul's confusion, but there's never a point where Paul (or Baquet; hard to tell whether the fault is with character or actor) seems at all confused. Which might be excusable if we had any indication that he was manipulating everyone else-- but, of course, we don't get that, either. We've really no idea what Paul is doing here, other than wandering through the movie, barely reacting to the events around him. The rest of the characters are scarcely better; Agnes manages to work up a head of steam every once in a while, but seems to be suffering from sleeping sickness most of the time. Louis-Arnault's hapless girlfriend Emeline has an excuse, at least, as everyone involved is keeping her in the dark, and Louis-Arnault himself manages to show some emotion now and again. Louis-Arnault, in fact, quickly becomes the movie's most intriguing character; one can never be sure whether he's oblivious or leading Paul on, and unlike the rest of the cast, Quivrin pulls the role off with flair. Unfortunately, the longer the movie goes on, the less important Louis-Arnault is to it.

I wanted to like this movie. I really did. The best of intentions, however, sometimes can't produce results. So it was with both Grande Ecole and my reaction to it. **

Average customer rating:

Irish Blarney at the Point
The Best All Around!!!
Long Gray Line
Dulce et Decorum...?
Super movie no matter who you like

The Long Gray Line
Starring: Tyrone Power , Maureen O'Hara , Robert Francis , Donald Crisp , and Ward Bond
Director: John Ford
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00005RYKW
Release Date: 2002-01-02

Amazon.com

John Ford pours on the sentiment like syrup in The Long Gray Line, a tribute to the traditions of West Point. Tyrone Power ages 50 years to play real-life West Point legend Martin Maher, the scrappy Irish immigrant who rises from "another Mick waiter" to hot-tempered cadet to one of the best-loved instructors of the institution. Power is at his best as the charming rogue with a thick brogue, who ages into a feisty, gray-haired foster father to the cadets he and his fiery Irish wife (Maureen O'Hara) adopt over the years, among them Harry Carey Jr. (as young Dwight D. Eisenhower). Ford claims he didn't care for CinemaScope, but you wouldn't know it from the handsome, lush images that fill the frame. It lolls along at a lazy 140 minutes, balancing the respectful tributes with boisterous humor and boyish pranks but always centered by the generous heart of Maher. --Sean Axmaker

Customer Reviews:

Irish Blarney at the Point.......2007-06-30

This touching film lays it on thick with the Irish brogues! One would almost think West Point was an Irish military academy! Tyrone Power does a great job portraying this stock Irish character at the Point. I assume someone like this was actually there for that amount of time. But one wonders if this was truly so. I doubt the Point would have a swimming instructor who could not swim!

What makes this movie more than anything else are all the nice shots of the grounds at the Point. This is what gives you a feel for the film. The USMA Acadmey Band and Hell Cats put in some nice martial music, again much of it strangely of Irish nature. The famous "Wearing of the Green" is here used as a Point song with special words to honor a popular Tavern that often served the cadets near the gronds. They have changed the words here to honor the character in the film.

Many famous US generals have gone through the Point over the years. One interesting observation once made about the instruction there is that because of the heavy emphsisas on engineering most of the Civil War graduates were often inclined to entrench and this is one reason way the war became so stagnant. West Point often encouraged a conservetive officer class in the 19th century, although there can be little doubt that engineering skills were greatly praised in the growing US. Many civil works projects were over-seen by Point graduates, and the old boy network in private industry endures until this day.

This is a nice a film, with a sense of time and history, but like most John Ford films it lays it on thick with the sentimental stuff and the Blarney! Still, a classic in its own way, and a big push for the traditions and honor of the Point. I would say its almost like the "Quiet Man" but has a bit more body to it.

The Best All Around!!!.......2006-03-23

Very rarely in my life have I come across a movie that makes me cry. All you would have to do is watch the last 10 minutes of this movie to understand what I'm saying. However, you should see the entire movie - what perfection. It has comedy, drama, and great acting on all parts.

Tyrone Power (my favorite actor) gives a grade A performance. Never will you find him as loveable, or as dignified than as Martin Maher, Jr. I find it hard to believe that John Ford (the director) originally wanted John Wayne for this movie. Not to nock Wayne, but Power can convey sensitivity better. As a side note, John Wayne's son Patrick appears in the movie.

Maureen O'Hara, lovely as ever, gets back to her Irish roots in this film, and it makes for a point-perfect characterisation from the Queen of Technicolor. It isn't any wonder John Ford loved her as an actress. She's one of the best.

The movie spans 50 years at West Point Military Academy, and the life of Martin Maher and the people's lives he touched. It is a great American story. Definitely, worth every bit of the two hours and seventeen minute running time. I love this movie, and if you read this you really should be watching the movie.

Seriously, it made me cry!!!

Long Gray Line.......2005-08-03

The movie overall is really a great story; the quality of the DVD is what really is what I find as poor quality. It's almost as though some one copied it using a video camera recorder. I already own a copy of the VHS tape and it is a far better version of the film. The actors are classics. I can only say good things about Maureen O'Hara and Tyrone Powers. Ward Bond also. There were others who were in supporting roles who deserve mention; still the story is one that really what is s classic piece of Americana that deserves remembering.

Dulce et Decorum...?.......2004-06-11

"Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori" -- "Proper and sweet it is to die for the Fatherland." These words from Vergil's "Aeneid" apply in spades to "The Long Grey Line." Beneath the film's overt message of patriotism, honour and glory lies one constant, recurring theme: It's a good, grand and glorious thing for young men to be so filled with dreams of militaristic "glory and honour" that they are ready to die for "The Reich." And it's a good, grand and glorious thing as well for the loved ones they leave behind in mourning.

Am I being a touch judgemental? Darn right. So why did I give it four stars? First, any film with Tyrone Power, Maureen O'Hara, Ward Bond and the score of other fine actors (and an actress or two) is already worth at least three stars in my book. Secondly, the film is so over-the-top in its melodramatic depiction of "fantasy patriotism" that I wonder whether its creators didn't mean to suggest the folly of militaristic utopianism through the expedient use of a near lethal overdose of hyper-pious hands-over-hearts whenever Old Glory passes by, the ultra-dramatic portrayals that "my tragic loss is really my strength and glory," and the continuous flag-waving, death-worshipping and militaristic sentimentalising that saturates this film from start to finish.

On the one hand, the war-sentimentalisers who have always sent and who continue to send young men to early graves for the sake of political and/or corporate interests will undoubtedly see this film in one light. One that appears to validate their own far-from-honourable interests and agendas. On the other, those who despise the fantasy of militaristic glory may well see a brilliant portrayal of the waste of young lives, a waste that brings the hero of the film to sanctimoniously mark the deaths of his former youthful cadets with a black ribbon in the appropriate yearbook. In either case, the message will be in the eye -- and prompted by the true nature of the heart and soul -- of the viewer.

Whatever the case, I recommend that any viewer of this classic film follow up with a sobering shot of "Taps." And that in viewing that rather different presentation of military school cadets special attention be paid to the professional soldier who accuses his own honour-enraptured cadet son of being "in love with death."

Super movie no matter who you like.......2004-05-31

Pay no attention to Pine Hurst reviewer. I like Jane Fonda and I like this movie. Everyone in my family is a Jane Fonda fan (including my father who was 20years in the Marines), and we all like the film. It's story telling at it's best. One of Tyrone Power's best performances and Maureen O'Hara is simply radiant. It made me want to know more about Martin Maher and his Mary. See this, and you won't be disappointed.

Average customer rating:

Interesting almost comical but very interesting
Not much to admire in these sad little lives
Poor Rich Kids
What You Inherit May Not Be As Valuable As What You Earn
Sometimes a lonely life - Born Rich

Born Rich
Starring: Georgina Bloomberg , Stephanie Ercklentz , Christina Floyd , Cody Franchetti , and Austin Fuentes
Director: Jamie Johnson (IV)
Manufacturer: Shout Factory Theatr
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $14.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( B ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Family Wealth--Keeping It in the Family: How Family Members and Their Advisers Preserve Human, Intellectual, and Financial Assets for Generations
Preparing Heirs: Five Steps to a Successful Transition of Family Wealth and Values
Navigating the Dark Side of Wealth: A Life Guide for Inheritors
Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room
Silver Spoon Kids : How Successful Parents Raise Responsible Children

ASIN: B0002MPPVU
Release Date: 2004-10-05

Description

An Inside Look at the Lives of the Heirs to The World's Greatest Family Fortunes

Jamie Johnson, 20-year-old heir to the Johnson & Johnson pharmaceutical empire, turns in a remarkable documentary about the lives of the children of the wealthiest families in the world. This 2003 Sundance Film Festival Selection and Emmy-nominated documentary shows Johnson turning the camera on himself and 10 of his friends. Born Rich candidly reveals the great privileges and the excess baggage that go along with their high net worth. For the first time ever in a feature documentary, hear Trumps, Bloombergs and Vanderbilts discuss the one subject everybody knows is taboo—money, and lots of it.

Includes:
Georgianna Bloomberg, media heiress
Stephanie Ercklentz, finance heiress
Cody Franchetti, textile heir
Christina Floyd, professional sports heiress
Juliet Hartford, A&P Supermarket heiress
Josiah Hornblower, Vanderbilt/Whitney heir
S.I. Newhouse IV, media heir
Ivanka Trump, real estate heiress
Luke Weill, gaming industry heir
Carlo von Zeitschel, European royalty

DVD Extras:
-Commentary by director Jamie Johnson, producer Dirk Wittenborn and textile heir Cody Franchetti
-Deleted scenes

Customer Reviews:

Interesting almost comical but very interesting.......2007-06-27

I really like this. Its always interesting to see how crazy people from other walks of life are. I mean god I thought I had issues with a lack of money, but then I see how many problems arise and how money is almost a torture as much as a blessing. "Money is the root of all evil." That saying isn't very far from the truth. However one thing that I have to admit is that what was done here is a true and unedited look into the life of the wealthy. What was done took great courage to break the taboo that is money to the rich. And I mean the Johnson heir ask questions that really make sense. He said he is about to inheirit more money then most will ever make in their life time and all he did was have a birthday. He ponders on what he should do with it and how to use it effectively. I think if your curious about how others view and live life you will enjoy this greatly.

Not much to admire in these sad little lives.......2007-04-20

I really cannot add much to all the comments above except this: This is exactly the life and upbringing of George W. Bush our president. No wonder he has no clue about the working man and woman, real life (and death), generosity or caring. The only thing he did differently from those portrayed here was to have Carl Rove portray him as a "good-ol-boy" just before election time so all those sad Wal-Mart shoppers would think he was one of them. A pathetic commentary on the weathiest among us- and I am glad the young Mr. Johnson had the courage to make it.

Poor Rich Kids.......2006-11-24

Disobeying his father's orders that he's not to talk about money, Jamie Johnson decided to get his well-to-do friends to reflect on the bizarre experience of being born rich. The documentary starts on Johnson's 21st birthday, the day he gets "more money than most people win or earn in their lifetime."

Despite his rarified upbringing, Johnson seems to have a good head on his shoulders and is aware of the pitfalls and problems encountered by the very wealthy. His own relatives, the heirs of Johnson & Johnson, have had more than their share of scandal, shame and misery, and Jamie seems determined not to go down the same path.

I'm not rich, but I would bet a great deal of money that most of the friends he interviewed for "Born Rich" won't avoid such troubles. There's S.I. Newhouse IV, who can't stand to be around his own family; Cody Franchetti, who seems to devote most of his time at the tailor's, getting the right clothes, and who is so ardently in love with himself I doubt he'll pry himself away from a mirror long enough to actually see a woman; Carlo von Zeitschel, a single pimply guy who hasn't yet gotten the memo that Italy hasn't had royalty in decades and who's already talking about his future divorces; Josiah Hornblower, a Vanderbilt/Whitney heir in his twenties who seems so lost I almost wanted to hug him; and Luke Weill, who sued Johnson to try to get out of the documentary. I don't blame him: stupid and arrogant, Weill is such a despicable moron that if he were my son, I'd disinherit him immediately.

Particularly poignant is a scene in which Jamie Johnson asks his father advice regarding what to do with his life and his dad, who is painting and doesn't even bother to look at his son, suggests collecting. "As a career?" Jamie asks, both disappointed and amused. "Yes," Johnson father says, reaching for the brush. Once senses that this is the most profound interaction father and son have had in a long time.

Other than Johnson, the only two people who come across as normal are Ivanka Trump (who would have thought?) and Georgina Bloomberg, who's found in equestrian competitions what makes her happy in life.

As for the others, they prove true the cliché that money can't buy happiness. Judging from "Born Rich," it obviously can't buy a brain or a heart either.

What You Inherit May Not Be As Valuable As What You Earn.......2006-11-19

In BORN RICH, director Jamie Johnson offers an unprecedented look into the lives, fears and attitudes of ten young privileged New Yorkers. Highly recommended, this is a film that would never have been made a generation ago, before the Oprah-esque confessional came into vogue. And that's why it's worth a look.

What makes it great is that BORN RICH can be appreciated on many different levels. Yes, it offers a gossipy, rubbernecking opportunity to gawk the very rich - which is fun, but the more I watched this film the more I saw how quickly my reactions to the ten characters changed.

Halfway through, I found myself quickly judging the ten privileged participants. Spoiled, obnoxious, overly giggly, some of the characters are initially easy to dismiss. But the more I watched them evaluate their positions in life, the more I felt empathy for them.

Ultimately these people are continuously evaluating their own worth. And they are painfully aware that their privileged lot in life has nothing to do with their own efforts.

Some of the ten participants come off better than others, but I really don't understand why one in particular resorted to suing the filmmaker. BORN RICH is made so honestly and so lovingly that I don't think anyone here has any reason to worry about how they are portrayed. All I saw were scared, thoughtful characters trying to grapple with a very alienating problem: trying to define your own worth, without relying on your family name and inherited privilege.

- Regina McMenamin

Sometimes a lonely life - Born Rich.......2006-11-10

After watching Born Rich on cable, I knew I wanted it on DVD so that my children and grandchildren could watch it. I felt sad for the "kids", sometimes they led a very lonely life, no responsibity and not knowing who their real friends were. We all wish we were rich but now I am thankful that we work for our money, have wonderful friends who like us for who we are and not what we can do for them and enjoy life because we are a part of it. I would reccommend this DVD to everyone who has not seen it.

Average customer rating:

Watch this with your teenagers!
A STORY OF HOPE AND POSSIBILITIES FOR US ALL!
There should be a 6 star rating.
RFK in a nutshell
RFK on DVD

American Experience - RFK
Starring: Blair Brown
Director: David Grubin
Manufacturer: Pbs Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
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RFK
American Experience - The Kennedys (Complete Set)
American Experience: LBJ
American Experience: Truman
Biography - RFK: His Many Sides

ASIN: B000BITUKM
Release Date: 2004-10-05

Customer Reviews:

Watch this with your teenagers!.......2006-03-27

I got this for my kids to see. It is really good! The DVD is very heavily b&w and my 13 y.o was not really looking forward to watching it, but the PBS team does a good job of showing the human side of RFK, even in "old black and white". And of course as he gets older the clips turn to color film. I had forgotten what a rock star Bobby was in those days. He was like the Beatles, filling stadiums with people screaming for him. I guess America really wanted him to fill his brother's shoes. And the narrator is explaining all this and then, boom, you know what happens next. It was just shocking for my kids, who came to understand the 60s so much more after seeing this DVD with me. Get it and sit and watch it with your teens.

A STORY OF HOPE AND POSSIBILITIES FOR US ALL!.......2005-11-30

This was one of the most inspiring documentaries about anyone that I have ever seen!

WHAT IT IS:

Real simple - We see Robert K. Kennedy evolve like we all wish we could. We see the raw materials, the obvious potential in him early on and his high moral standards, and then we watch him go through a very fast course in empirical human experience and wisdom - THE HARD WAY!

But somehow he comes through all the adversity a better human being. WOW! His sincerity is absolutely unmistakable in this compelling story of his life.

WHAT IT MEANS TO US:

You be the judge of what it means to you. To me, it shows what could be done, what should be done and most of all that people that are highly capable and competitive don't have to become ruthless and stay that way. RFK certainly proved that point and I find myself admiring him more now than ever. Seeing his life come full circle and grow to truly care about all people is heartwarming.

Unfortunately, after he won the California Primary and had given a speech about the goodness of us as a people, he was assassinated in front of many of his supporters and the world, via television.

ALL IN ALL:

RFK's life is one which can teach us much by example. Though obviously tragic, it is a story of hope and possibilities for us all.

DVD FEATURES:

2 Bonus featurettes: an interview with the film maker plus "If He Had Lived". These give an added frame of reference to an already clear picture of RFK's life and include interviews.

There should be a 6 star rating........2005-11-08

There is nothing else to be said about this DVD. Get it and watch in awe. Well put together, very nicely done chronilogically, most topics discussed well (you really can't expect to have everything in a documentary like this), cripes man this is a video eulogy. Watch it, enjoy it like a fine wine.

RFK in a nutshell.......2005-09-27

A life packed with details such as Bobby Kennedy's is difficult to squeeze into only 2 hours (for instance, there is no mention of his living in England as a boy when old Joe was ambassador to the Court of St. James or that he had a brief stint in the Navy before going on to Harvard and Law School --serving on the Joseph P Kennedy Jr, the ship named after his fallen older brother). But these events are pale in comparison to the Bobby Kennedy that is presented here. It is honest in that it doesn't try to gloss over the much harder and meaner Bobby who existed prior to November 22, 1963. And post 1963 Bobby is a treat for those of us who love him and realize on a daily basis how unfortunate our country is to have lost him. If you don't know RFK, you will by the time this presentation is over.

RFK on DVD.......2005-08-10

Next to "RFK in His Own Words" (not yet on DVD, sadly), this is the best documentary on RFK that is out there at the present time. Covers most of the major issues (although the Cuban Missle Crisis segment is a tad too short and it doesn't include his classic South African Speech of 1966 which challenged young people around the world). Hopefully in the future, the latter could be included as a special feature.

But what it has is good. Along with the necessary biographical info, we see an all-too-brief segment on his moving speech at the 1964 Democratinc convention where he paid tribute to his brother. There is also an ultra-rare 1967 "Meet the Press" episode (the wear and age is shown on the videotape) where he pointedly asks his hosts (on his waffling on Vietnam and a 1968 run), "What would you rather me do? Get off the earth?" one could only picture say Howard Dean speaking with that kind of unscripted candor today.

We also see amazing footage of RFK calming the Indianapolis ghetto after MLK's murder (this has been seen before, but not in this much detail), and frantic scenes of his connecting with the residents of Chinatown and Watts. The Chinatown segment shows a previously unseen shot of a temporary scare in the RFK motorcade when fireworks are set off-ironically, he was killed that very night!

Overall, a must see. The features have some good commentary from RFK's associates too. D.W. Griffith once said that one day, film might replace history books in classrooms. I would not want to see that happen, but films like this do a mightly good job!

Average customer rating:

A COCKSURE LOOK AT MAN'S PIVATE PARTS

Private Dicks - Men Exposed
Starring: Calvin Lom , Alan Abel , Lexington Steele , and Jonah Falcon
Director: Thom Powers , and Meema Spadola
Manufacturer: First Run Features
ProductGroup: DVD
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Breasts - A Documentary
Exposed: The Making of a Legend
Shortbus (Unrated Edition)
Another Gay Movie
Uncut

ASIN: B000E1NWIW
Release Date: 2006-03-21

Description

Men spend a lot of time thinking about their penises, and even thinking with their penises. But rarely do we hear men talking honestly about their penises - until now. Surveying young and old, gay and straight, large and small, virgin and porn star, PRIVATE DICKS explores the naked truth about how men feel about their penises. The men (many of whom appear nude) offer personal revelations that are honest, humorous and often poignant as they frankly discuss puberty, sexuality, impotence, circumcision, myths and perceptions, growing old, and, of course, size. Interspersed with clips from vintage sex education films and witty cartoons.

Customer Reviews:

A COCKSURE LOOK AT MAN'S PIVATE PARTS.......2006-04-13

I'll show you mine if ... Private Dicks is a collection of interviews, shorts, cartoons and ephemera about weenies, willies, trouser trouts, winkie-wankie-woos and flaming love swords - that fascinating appendage dangling between the legs of men that throughout history has caused much flap. So to speak. This documentary is so into dick overload that before it ends, any hard and fast thoughts of Mr. Happy might make you a wee bit bored. Hopefully, this condition will pass. Men spend a great deal of time thinking about their - and other men's - penises, and the gay, straight and transgendered men interviewed here, singularly and in groups, let it all hang out, discussing life, love, size, puberty, erections, masturbation, ejaculations, procreation, infection, impotence, circumcision and just about every wang-related subject. This isn't porno, but a special made for HBO: Viewers do witness a few awesome tools (think baby's arm holding an apple) as well as a Princess Tiny Meat who refuses to show his shortcomings. There's a cocksure positive cheerfulness about the show that is endearing, and, clocking in at 55 minutes, it's neither too short nor too long, but just the right size.

Average customer rating:

True Propaganda.
Misleading, Inaccurate and Grossly Distorts the Truth
A refreshing look at a figure we hear many lies about
A unique perspective
Social Bully, Lamb Disguise

Fidel: The Untold Story
Starring: Fidel Castro , Alice Walker , Nelson Mandela , Ted Turner , and Elián González (II)
Director: Estela Bravo
Manufacturer: First Run Features
ProductGroup: DVD
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Similar Items:

El Che - Investigating a Legend
American Experience: Fidel Castro
Cuban Story
CHE: Rise and Fall (Che Guevara: The Documentary)
Biography - Fidel Castro: El Comandante (A&E DVD Archives)

ASIN: B00009IAYC
Release Date: 2003-07-22

Customer Reviews:

True Propaganda. .......2007-03-25

This movie was somewhat astounding to me as, from the very beginning, it makes a point of depicting Fidel Castro in the kindest of lights. We see him as a man and a man alone which, frankly, is not an honest way to portray him. Certainly, humanizing him is appropriate as a human being is exactly what this mass murderer is, but to treat him as an underdog is to miss the real point of his reign--regardless of what Harry Belafonte might think. The increased poverty and suffering of the Cuban population that he produced is what should be remembered first and foremost. I refer viewers to Ron Radosh's memoirs if they'd like to know what its like in Cuba in the eyes of a disinterested third party or the other excellent works written about him like Against All Hope or Inside the Pirate's Den. In Cuba today, the arrests continue as does Castro's repulsive totalitarian regime. I do not wish death upon Mr. Castro, but hope Revolucion! ends as soon as possible.

Misleading, Inaccurate and Grossly Distorts the Truth.......2007-02-28

Being an American myself who has actually visited Cuba within the last year, I find the other reviews of this documentary to be completely misguided. Like them, I first saw this documentary and believed that Castro wasn't actually such a bad guy, but that the U.S. and Cuban exiles were biased and portrayed him as a monster. When I met several Cuban exiles who emotionally told me the stories of how they had their houses taken away by Castro and how their parents were tortured and placed in rat-infested prisons for simply expressing their support democracy, I thought these Cuban exiles were exaggerating. However, after I visited Cuba last year, I have to painfully admit that these people were correct in the stories they told me. I went to Cuba expecting to see racial equality, free healthcare and free education, as people like Ted Turner and Steven Spielberg had claimed existed in Cuba. What I learned from actually speaking to people in Cuba during my trip was a competely different picture from that portrayed of Castro in this documentary. Not to mention, I expected to see beautiful, exotic buildings. However, what I actually saw was building after building in Havana crumbling, with no electricity and on average, there were five to six families living in one two-story house. In one house I visited, the roof was partially torn off, one family of three lived under the staircase, two families lived in the kitchen, and three families lived upstairs, which consisted of two bedrooms and one closet. Very, very sad. Each day they had to wait in a line for two hours to just to get one ration of bread and rice. When I asked one of the mothers about the school system she explained that all children who attended were required to denounce any "counterrevolutionary activity" they saw at home to their teachers. As a result, many Cuban parents went to jail because one of their children notified authorities that their parents were "disagreeing" with the government some way. Imagine being placed in jail because U.S. law states your child must tell his third grade teacher he overheard you say "I disagree with the Iraq war and dislike President Bush" at your kitchen table. I also learned that when school children participate in a government march for the communist party they're given a coupon, which must be given to their teachers the following day to prove they participated. If they don't turn in their your coupon, the teacher will make a notation on a report card that each Cuban student carries from kindergarten until he graduates from high school. In addition to information about the student participation in all political activities, the report card also has information about his family including whether his parents belong to the Communist Party, a Committee for the Defense of the Revolution or the CTC or Confederation of Cuban Workers. In pre-Castro Cuba, the CTC used to represent Cuban workers and demand new benefits and better salaries for them. In Castro's Cuba, however, the CTC, exploits the workers, treating them as if they were slaves. The poor Cuban workers have to pay a fee to the CTC from their meager salaries in order to be "represented" by them. I was in such shock to learn these facts that I am now firmly convinced there is no such thing as a "free educational system" in Cuba.

As my conversations with Havana locals turned to the issue of free healthcare, praised by many ignorant Americans (myself having been one of them before this trip), I became even more distraught at the truth about healthcare in Cuba. The truth is that Castro has built excellent health facilities for the use of FOREIGNERS who pay hard currency for medical services. However, Cuban citizens are not even allowed to visit those facilities ! Cubans who require medical attention must go to other hospitals, that lack the most minimum requirements needed to take care of their patients. Most hospitals are filthy and patients have to bring their own towels, bed sheets, pillows, or they have to lay down on dirty bare mattresses stained with blood and other body fluids. Next time you hear someone say that Cubans receive "excellent free healthcare" (as I once used to say) please think again because that is simply not true. I spoke to five people whose family members died while attempting to "float" to Florida on dangerous, man-made rafts because they were so desperate to escape Fidel Castro's regime. Most people I spoke to were afraid to answer my question "Do you like Castro?" But their silence and weary down-turned eyes spoke volumes about the truth. Most people HATE Castro and think he is selfish, oppressive monster who has banked millions of dollars while the Cuban people starve and wait in line for rations of bread. I came back from my trip to Cuba a changed person. I felt so stupid and ignorant for having believed this documentary and other statements made by American actors and directors such as Sydney Pollack, Danny Glover, Steven Spielberg, Jack Nicholson and Kevin Costner, that portrayed Castro as "brilliant" and Cuba as having "excellent healthcare and education." If you watch this documentary you should also watch the movie "The Lost City." This movie is the story of a Cuban family during the Cuban Revolution and ACCURATELY shows you both pre-Castro and post-Castro Cuba. It depicts how Castro's government slowly began eliminating free press any semblance of property rights and freedom. The movie is fair because it portrays both points of view--one brother in the movie supports Castro and the other disagrees with Castro. The cab driver I had while I was in Havana told me that, being 75 years old, he had experienced both pre-Castro and post-Castro Cuba. When Castro took power he was poor and believed in socialism and the revolution. But now, 45 years later, he is no better off than he was before. At least before Castro, he told me, he had better healthcare, a better house and freedom to express his religious beliefs (Castro closed all churches and essentially banned religion) and political beliefs. Perhaps the saddest part of my trip, which still resonates in my head today, was how this old man just kept repeating over and over "I should have left in 1959. I should have known. I should have known. Now I am old and cannot leave. I'll never be free."

A refreshing look at a figure we hear many lies about.......2007-02-21

America never gets the real story- should be required viewing.

A unique perspective.......2006-08-11

What is so rewarding about this traditional-style documentary is the humanization of Castro, a figure made grotesque and often demonized in the United States by a very small minority of persons. Regardless of how you perceive "socialism", this documentary shows Castro from a relatively positive profile and therefore his and Cuba's history from a unique perspective. Americans will be surprised to discover that in many parts of the globe Castro is considered a great hero, whereas here he is portrayed as equal parts monster and tyrant. No mention is made of repressive measures or political prisoners however, an interesting omission, but given the fact that almost all reports and documentaries focus exclusively on his "repression" and the fate of political prisoners, it is somewhat understandable. Even the uneducated would benefit from seeing this documentary, and would probably think of Castro in a different light.

Social Bully, Lamb Disguise.......2006-05-24

If you are interested in the psychology of social bullies, a.k.a. dictators, do not miss this one.
The documentary will add some unseen footage of this minor character in the gallery of Stalin, Hitler, etc. Also you can exercise your brain pondering why people that seem to be normal and even intelligent in some cases, can have such a limited field vision as to laud this, and by extension any, dictator.
The director of the documentary, Estela Bravo, is a non Cuban filmmaker with strong leftist bias, that for many years has been the darling of the only governmental Cuban studios, and has been given access to material totally out of boundaries to the own Cuban filmmakers.
And that is the norm in The Island of Dr. Fidel: foreigners with propaganda potential get the white glove, nationals are sub-citizens in their own country.

Shame on you Fidel Castro. One only hopes that Estela on the side has been hiding some real relevant material to be shown after the dictator's "biological solution".

Average customer rating:

Catherine the Great PBS
Be careful about using this one to write your history paper
WAIT A MOMENT....REVIEW THE RIGHT DVD GUYS!!!
Amazon needs to check it's Inventory!
Sadly, A&E seems to enjoy making history into soap operas

Catherine the Great
Starring: Emily Bruni , Dan Badarau , Paul Burgess , and John-Paul Davidson
Manufacturer: Pbs Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000EHQUGC
Release Date: 2006-05-23

Amazon.com

Russian history occurs on a sweeping scale, but that takes a bigger budget than A&E can muster. So instead the cable network keeps its treatment of Russian empress Catherine II indoors as much as possible. That allows the camera to linger over the impossibly lovely face of Catherine Zeta-Jones, and the plot to focus on the political machinations of 18th-century Russia. Catherine goes from a bookish teen bride (her husband is the crazy and possibly impotent nephew of Russia's Empress Elizabeth) to the legendary empress who successfully concluded the Seven Years' War with Prussia, conquered Turkey, and put down a rebellion led by a Cossack pretending to be her long-dead husband.

The movie stumbles a bit when it ventures outdoors--it's hard to imagine Russia really conquered the Ottoman Turks with a 12-man army--but sizzles inside. Zeta-Jones conveys both passion and hard-edged ambition as her character transforms herself from manipulated to manipulator. Many of those manipulations occur in the bedroom, and the movie takes some liberties in portraying her union with military leader Grigory Potemkin (Paul McGann); here he's practically a saint, although history remembers him a bit less nobly.

The supporting cast includes Jeanne Moreau in a masterful portrayal of Empress Elizabeth, along with Ian Richardson, Mel Ferrer, and Omar Sharif. Although there's plenty of scenery for them to chew, they hold back, allowing Zeta-Jones her 100 minutes of greatness. --Kimberly Heinrichs

Description

Catherine the Great is a colorful, true story about a young girl, who transforms herself from an obscure German Princess into Russia's most powerful regent. As Tsarina, she is influenced by Western Democratic ideas and does much to strengthen Russia's standing in Europe. She has an astute intellect and is able to survive court intrigue to retain her crown.

Customer Reviews:

Catherine the Great PBS.......2006-06-07

I have both versions of Catherine the Great, A&E in their version was lacking in many areas and I was dismayed that they turned one of the great people of the world into something trival. The PBS version which with Bruni is exceptional, though with all documentaries and movies time is trunicated and not all history is told PBS does an admirable job and presenting the basic facts.

The documentary was a joy to watch and the scholars from Europe comparing her to other great people fits.

Be careful about using this one to write your history paper.......2006-06-06

Not the Zeta-Jones version, but not the best documentary either. For example, during the documentary I kept wondering why Tsar Elizabeth imprisoned her "son" Ivan, naming her childish and unfit-to-rule nephew Peter as her heir. Then she was so anxious for Peter to have an heir that when none appeared after several years of marriage, she encouraged Catherine (Peter's wife) to have an affair with a young officer so she would get pregnant somehow. If Elizabeth was so very anxious for an heir to solidify her dynasty, why did she imprison her own son?

Answer (from further research): Ivan was not Elizabeth's son, but the son of a previous empress. Elizabeth had deposed the child Ivan and his regents in a coup d'etat.

If this documentary can make, and repeatedly mention, an error of such magnitude . . .

Also, the "period" dancing scene often shown to set a mood has absolutely nothing to do with period dances of the time. In general the costuming etc. is not very good.

WAIT A MOMENT....REVIEW THE RIGHT DVD GUYS!!!.......2006-05-18

There is OBVIOUSLY some confusion here. Amazon.com has somehow gotten the not-so good Catherine Zeta-Jones series mixed up with the EXCELLENT PBS documentary!!! (This happened once before, see my BURN review for the mix-up in formats on that release.)

If you look at the box, you will see that it is NOT Catherine Zeta-Jones, but EMILY BRUNI (who does a wonderful job as Catherine.) This is the PBS documentary, not the Zeta-Jones series!!! Amazon.com needs to fix the mix-up, or a lot of people will be very confused here. This PBS documentary is EXCELLENT, and Emily Bruni is GREAT. So, if you want to order the PBS documentary, I'd suggest you wait until it's finally released to make sure you get the right one...(I'd be pretty upset if I got Catherine Zeta-Jones instead of Emily Bruni.)

The PBS documentary is wonderful, and Emily Bruni is a seductive, intelligent and fascinating Catherine. As for the Catherine Zeta-Jones version...well...she was good in Chicago...

Once in a while Amazon.com does mix things up, it is rare, but it does happen. So make SURE you are getting the PBS documentary,and not the Catherine-Zeta Jones version.

Amazon needs to check it's Inventory!.......2006-05-15

This is not the same Catherine the Great featuring Catherine Zeta-Jones. The person in the picture does not even resemble Catherine Zeta-Jones. This version features Emily Bruni as Catherine and is more of a documentary much like Russia: Land of the Tzars. Dispite this mistake in listing this version featuring Emily Bruni is a wonderful peace of work that I think any true lover of Russian history will enjoy.

Sadly, A&E seems to enjoy making history into soap operas.......2006-03-26

Don't say I hate history, but many movies turn history into soap opera. The way they had Catherine kissing passionatly and really, history never mentions that. Peter was a jerk, but I never read that he and Catherine kissed passionatly; that was a waste of time. The movies talents were wasted. If they want to make a soap opera, they shouldn't do history but something else. All the actors act like they are from NPR. The only thing I have learned (for I stopped watching it half-way) is that the Ottoman turks attacked Russia. A&E made this movie for the money. If you want to learn the non-romantic story of Catherine, read about her instead of watching this trash.

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