Courtship

Starring:Jacqueline Lucid, Tonea Stewart, Hallie Foote, Rochelle Oliver, Michael Higgins, Jane Welch, Daisy Foote, Horton Foote Jr., Marietta Marich, Richard Jenkins, William Converse-Roberts, Steven Hill, Amanda Plummer
Director: Howard Cummings
Studio: Image Entertainment
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com essential video

By now, Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan have amassed such a fund of goodwill with moviegoers that any new onscreen pairing brings nearly reflexive smiles. In You've Got Mail, the quintessential boy and girl next door repeat the tentative romantic crescendo that made Sleepless in Seattle, writer-director Nora Ephron's previous excursion with the duo, a massive hit. The prospective couple do actually meet face to face early on, but Mail otherwise repeats the earlier feature's gentle, extended tease of saving its romantic resolution until the final, gauzy shot.

The underlying narrative is an even more old-fashioned romantic pas de deux that is casually hooked to a newfangled device. The script, cowritten by the director and her sister, Delia Ephron, updates and relocates the Ernst Lubitsch classic, The Shop Around the Corner, to contemporary Manhattan, where Joe Fox (Hanks) is a cheerfully rapacious merchant whose chain of book superstores is gobbling up smaller, more specialized shops such as the children's bookstore owned by Kathleen Kelly (Ryan). Their lives run in close parallel in the same idealized neighborhood, yet they first meet anonymously, online, where they gradually nurture a warm, even intimate correspondence. As they begin to wonder whether this e-mail flirtation might lead them to be soul mates, however, they meet and clash over their colliding business fortunes.

It's no small testament to the two stars that we wind up liking and caring about them despite the inevitable (and highly manipulative) arc of the plot. Although their chemistry transcended the consciously improbable romantic premise of Sleepless, enabling director Ephron to attain a kind of amorous soufflé, this time around there's a slow leak that considerably deflates the affair. Less credulous viewers will challenge Joe's logic in prolonging the concealment of his online identity from Kathleen, and may shake their heads at Ephron's reinvention of Manhattan as a spotless, sun-dappled wonderland where everybody lives in million-dollar apartments and color coordinates their wardrobes for cocktail parties. --Sam Sutherland

Description

Neigborhood bookstore rivals unwittingly become e-mail pen pals in this charming remake of The Shop Around the Corner

DVD Features:
Audio Commentary:Commentary with N. Ephron & L. Shuler-Donner
DVD ROM Features:N. Ephron Audio Bytes "Sounds of NY" (10:07) Interview Gallery - Individual Clips (12:00) Comparison Scenes (38:00)
Featurette:HBO First Look Special: "A Conversation with Nora Ephron" (14:39)
Other:DIscover NY's Upper West Side" - 11 Selectable Clips (15:00)

Customer Reviews:

You've got OSCARS!!!.......2007-07-03

I absolutely know why the academy went nuts over this one. It definitely graduated magnum cum laude in my opinion!!!

The chemistry between Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan is out of this world! Sleepless in Seattle was good, Running in Circles was great, and You've Got Mail was phenomenal!!!

I loved that one part when Tom Hanks sells the dictionary to that one guy!!! It was so funny. I heard that most of this movie was unscripted... just a testament to these actors' abilities to light up the Silver Screen.

Before I write more about this movie, I think it would be a good idea JUST TO THANK these wonderful actors for their contribution. I heard that AOL didn't even exist until after this movie was made!! Talk about defining popular culture, huh?

So back to the movie. Greg Kinnear is in it.

RENT IT.

Very Good Date Movie.......2007-07-03

Very Good movie based on the start of the cyberdating era. Good storyline, very believable. It is cute, it is entertaining, it's a little funny! You root for the success of the romance!

Again and Again!!!.......2007-06-27

I LOVE IT! It could be called a chick flick but even a guy would be able to find something to love. It leaves Shop Around the Corner (the orginal You Got Mail) in its dust. I orginally had you got mail on VHS but I watched it so much the picture was starting to look pretty bad. But I didn't mind having to buy it again. Hanks and Ryan work perfectly together! And the music isn't that bad either. It's most definitely one of the best romantic comedies EVER! And anyone that says differently should feel shame.

Tom and Meg..........2007-06-16

...is there a better pairing? Lovely film! Be sure to watch it again with Nora's commentary.

You've Got Mail.......2007-06-08

This is a classic and I never get tired of watching it. Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan are a very good match for this romantic comedy. This type of movie is something a entire family can set down and watch together.

Average customer rating:

"Life Is Great, Let's Celebrate!" ~ Bollywood Without Subtitles
Loved it
Bollywood at its best---a fun adaptation
terrible!!
Great girls night movie!

Bride and Prejudice
Starring: Naveen Andrews , Ashanti (II) , Nadira Babbar , Alexis Bledel , and Georgina Chapman
Manufacturer: Miramax Home Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Monsoon Wedding
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Bride & Prejudice
Bend It Like Beckham (Widescreen Edition)
Straight From the Heart

ASIN: B00094AS9U
Release Date: 2005-07-05

Amazon.com

The exotic sounds, vibrant colors, and ecstatic dancing of Bollywood collide with the cunning storytelling of Jane Austen in Bride & Prejudice (from the writer/director of previous East/West hybrid Bend It Like Beckham). When smart, outspoken Lalita Bakshi (Indian beauty Aishwarya Rai) meets Will Darcy (Martin Henderson, The Ring), she finds this American businessman arrogant and conceited--but because his best friend is falling in love with her sister, Lalita agrees to travel around India with Darcy. On the trip, a childhood friend of Darcy's named Johnny (Daniel Gillies, Spider-Man 2) both tickles Lalita's fancy and confirms her worst suspicions about Darcy. But as events unfold, Lalita wonders if she hasn't misjudged Darcy--and Johnny. Austen fans will be find much to criticize; Bride & Prejudice transplants the basic plot of Pride & Prejudice to modern India, but not much of Austen's sly wit or her insights about character and society have survived the translation. Henderson, though handsome, lacks the intimidating charisma of previous Mr. Darcys (including Laurence Olivier and Colin Firth). Thank goodness for the delightful Rai, here making her first all-English-language movie. She commands the screen like a true star (unsurprisingly, she's hugely popular in India, and previously starred in a more homegrown Austen adaptation: I Have Found It, based on Sense & Sensibility). For Western audiences unfamiliar with the freewheeling exuberance of Indian movies--wild musical numbers can break out at almost any moment--Bride & Prejudice offers an engaging taste of this fantastic cinematic style. --Bret Fetzer

Description

A clash of cultures in the spirit of MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING, this modern musical retelling of Jane Austen's classic PRIDE AND PREJUDICE is a hilariously entertaining tale of one girl's unlikely search for love! Sparks immediately fly as a love/hate relationship ignites between a small-town beauty (international star Aishwarya Rai) and a wealthy American (Martin Henderson -- THE RING, TORQUE) who's visiting her modest Indian village. In a swirl of music, dance, and comic misunderstandings, these opposites continue to attract and repel each other in a riotous romance that spans three continents! Featuring Naveen Andrews (TV's LOST, THE ENGLISH PATIENT) and a memorable performance from top recording artist Ashanti -- love will eventually conquer all in this acclaimed treat from the director of BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM!

Customer Reviews:

"Life Is Great, Let's Celebrate!" ~ Bollywood Without Subtitles.......2007-06-30

If you've ever been tempted to rent or purchase an Indian film but declined because of your iniate fear of reading subtitles fear no more. Released in '05 'Bride and Prejudice' is a wonderful revisioning of the classic English love story 'Pride and Prejudice' done in English but in indelliable Bollywood style. Aishwarya Rai is perfect as the intelligent and irrepressiable Lalita and Martin Henderson is likeable and amiable as her rich American suitor who must overcome his American prejudices and the influence of his rich Mother in order to give into his growing feelings of love for the Indian beauty.

Give it a try, it's harmless enough and when you find yourself swept up in the colorful, flowing costumes, the heart pounding music and exotic ambience of the Indian culture you'll know you are ready for the real thing, subtitles and all!

Loved it.......2007-06-23

This was my first introduction to Aishwarya Rai and Indian films. I know it's not pure Bollywood, but I enjoyed this so much that I had to start watching "the real deal".
The story was engaging, clever, and humorous, and the singing & dancing were a joy to watch. I *love* the dancing especially.
Even my husband is hooked now. I don't know how we missed this when it first came out, but I'm glad that I finally got the chance to see it for myself.

Bollywood at its best---a fun adaptation.......2007-06-21

I love Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice and the recent movie adaptations of it (Colin Firth '96 and Keira Knightley '06). This movie cleverly weds the wit of Austen with the song and dance of Bollywood. In Bride's family, we get counterparts for elder sister Jane, Mary with her dubiously entertaining "snake dance," and Lydia and her doomed attraction for Wickham; there is no parallel for Elizabeth's sister Kitty. The storyline is pretty comparable and the deleted scenes complete the Lady Catherine/Elizabeth confrontation and Darcy's apology to Bingley.

While the young man who played Darcy was very handsome and came off as quite the gentleman, I thought the actor who played Wickham (Daniel Gillies) took the cake in the hottness factor (at almost 5'10", I tend to be attracted to tall men with nice builds). Normally, I'm not competitive with other women in the looks department, but I admit to having been jealous of Aishwarya Rai's intense, angelic beauty. She has naturally blue-green eyes and auburn-streaked hair, rare coloring for an Indian woman. I always thought that Brooke Shields was arguably the most beautiful woman on the planet (Brooke Shields is still very beautiful, but she looked like an angel when she was in her twenties and thirties), but perhaps Aishwarya is a close second. Of course, I'm violating the Dalai Lama's admonition to be happy for other people's good fortune with this jealousy of Aishwarya's beauty :-)

I loved the singing and dancing scenes; the director said that she tapered Bollywood Eastern music to Western taste. Ashanti makes an appearance, fusing many different musical styles with her performance.

The guy who plays Mr. Kholi (Mr. Collins) was hilarious in his self-indulgent portrayal of a nerdy man who was trying too hard. The mother wasn't quite as obnoxious as Alison Steadman's rendition, but you get the point of a pushy woman with questionable social graces.

One of my favorite things about this movie was the bright colors that pervade every scene. From the clothing, the interiors, to the backdrop of an Indian village, everything is kodachrome.

terrible!!.......2007-06-14

I really love everything about BOLLYWOOD films and adore the BBC version of Pride and Prejudice, so I was really looking forward to watching this film. Unfortunately, it turned out to be a huge disappointment. It has a lot of music and color, but the acting is so bad, and the abrupt interruptions of song and music so annoying, that they produce an unwelcome mess of a movie. I realize some serious messages were to be transmitted, but it perhaps tried to do too much, and failed at everything miserably. If you want an entertaining movie with a good message, try Lagaan directed by Ashutosh Gowariker or Water and Earth by Deepa Mehta. Don't waste your time with Bride and Prejudice.

Great girls night movie!.......2007-06-08

This would be great for a girls movie night,it's funny,and romantic. I watched it with my friends and we couldn't stop laughing.

Average customer rating:

What is Truth?
Fact is fiction, and fiction is fact; but how the story is told is what's important
One of the most Creative Films in Years...
Wonderful Message, a "definite recommend"
Sometimes Fiction is Better than the Truth

Big Fish
Starring: Ewan McGregor , Albert Finney , Billy Crudup , Jessica Lange , and Helena Bonham Carter
Director: Tim Burton
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
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Edward Scissorhands (Widescreen Anniversary Edition)
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ASIN: B0001GOH6Q
Release Date: 2004-04-27

Amazon.com

After a string of mediocre movies, director Tim Burton regains his footing as he shifts from macabre fairy tales to Southern tall tales. Big Fish twines in and out of the oversized stories of Edward Bloom, played as a young man by Ewan McGregor (Moulin Rouge, Down with Love) and as a dying father by Albert Finney (Tom Jones). Edward's son Will (Billy Crudup, Almost Famous) sits by his father's bedside but has little patience with the old man's fables, because he feels these stories have kept him from knowing who his father really is. Burton dives into Bloom's imagination with zest, sending the determined young man into haunted woods, an idealized Southern town, a traveling circus, and much more. The result is sweet but--thanks to the director's dark and clever sensibility--never saccharine. Also featuring Jessica Lange, Alison Lohman, Helena Bonham Carter, Danny DeVito, and Steve Buscemi. --Bret Fetzer

Customer Reviews:

What is Truth?.......2007-07-03

I liked this movie a lot. True to the book, but smartly changed when it served the visual medium of film. One bit in the book I was hoping Tim Burton would discuss why he didn't take was the thing that really kept people in Spector, the imaginary town. In the book, there's a fierce dog that bites people's fingers off if they try to leave. Very Burton-esque. Couldn't figure out why in the film it was about the shoes.

However, I loved the relationship between Edward and Sandra Bloom - both as young people and as older folks. The simplicity of their love and complete acceptance of the other was touching. I thought William struck exactly the right tone, trying to come to terms with his father before the latter's death. All in all, the movie was an interesting juxtaposition of 'real life' and fantasy.

Fact is fiction, and fiction is fact; but how the story is told is what's important.......2007-06-30

I did enjoy this movie quite a bit, and the tall tale sequences made me chuckle more than I normally would while watching a movie. However, when I read the reviews which absolutely slaughter this film, I am inclined to agree with the criticisms. As it approaches its climax, it too often slides into maudlin sentimentality. It also leaves much to be desired when exploring the relationships of sons & fathers. It is probably best not to try and seek deeper truths from this movie.

Nonetheless, it is quite entertaining, by and large. As Edward Bloom understood, the deeper truths of a story really pale in comparison with how good of a story it is in the first place. For this reviewer at least, a really good story about a bunch of really good stories is justification for liking it. My four-star rating comes with the qualification that at times, it promises to deliver more than it really can, and tries to be more than it really is, and stumbles as a result. When it did become a bad thing to be a really good yarn? Sometimes that really is enough.

One of the most Creative Films in Years..........2007-05-21

If you see this film for no other reason, watch it for the dazzling cinematography. You can't help but be swept up into this magical world and wondering how such a fantasy could possibly be real. If you enjoyed The Princess Bride, Secondhand Lions, The Wizard of Oz, and Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory you are sure to enjoy Big Fish.

Wonderful Message, a "definite recommend".......2007-05-12

Great movie. Great message. This is one of those movies that I enjoy watching again and again.

Sometimes Fiction is Better than the Truth.......2007-05-09

Tim Burton's return to genuine film making is a welcome endeavor indeed. Here he creates a film that reminds me of what great film making is all about: fantasy, love and reflecting on the human spirit. I scoffed at a review that compared Big Fish to The Wizard of Oz when Big Fish first came out, but upon viewing it the comparison is really not hyperbolic at all and is actually quite justified. There is a unique carelessness and an innocence that resides perfectly and constantly in both films. To me, both films are truly a breath of fresh air and hope.

Big Fish is a book written by Daniel Wallace and is the delightful story of Edward Bloom, who has reached the twilight of his life and surrounds himself with his son, daughter-in-law and his wonderful wife Sandra. Eddie has seemingly lived a fantastic life of lies and exaggerations and his son has grown to call his bluff on more than one occasion. In fact, his son returns not just to possibly say good-bye to his father, but to attempt to get him to spill the beans on the truth of who his old man really is. Eddie of course, stands by his stories and brushes off his son's accusations nonchalantly. Most of the film we see Eddie revisit his life as a whole, seen through only his own stories. How he once befriended a 12 foot man; how he arrived in a town that was paradise, once to early and once too late when he turned it back into paradise again; how he joined the circus for three years so he could find out pieces information once a month from Amos the ringmaster about the girl Eddie was sure would be his wife and how Sandra would believe Eddie to be dead in war but he would return. The stories are full of details that would clearly indicate they are false but sometimes they are just better that way. Eddie is a mythological figure and that is just fine with him and as a viewer it's fine with me as well.

Eddie is played by Albert Finney who is in turn mirrored by Eddie's youthful version, the outstanding Ewen MacGregor who once again proves his versatility. Jessica Lange plays the older Sandra and she is played as a youngster by the talented Alison Lohman who carries as much energy and beauty as you could expect for a role with so little dialogue and so much importance. She is a real find and makes you fall in love with her right along with Eddie. Helena Bonham Carter brings her talents to the roles of The Witch and Jenny (or all of the other important women in Eddie's life). Steve Buscemi shows up, which is always a pleasant surprise and of course Amos is played by Danny DeVito who is as enjoyable as ever. The flat Keanu Reeves clone Billy Crudup is perhaps the only drawback, but he is a safe casting call as Eddie's son and does what he can in discovering that his father is exactly what he says he is and more.

Let me just add that I believe Big Fish is a family film. I don't see why it shouldn't be rated PG rather than PG-13. The language rises above the prime time television level once, there is blood only in a comedic and romantic fight sequence that has a truly admirable message and there is a women's nude rear displayed briefly and non-sexually. This is not grounds for a PG-13 movie. I would bring a seven year old to see this. In fact, my guess is that the movie was directed at this demographic. When content is not exploitative, it is not really inappropriate. I can't see why Rock Diesel films get PG-13ed when the message is nothing short of "Kill the bad guys, make a lame joke, drive and crash really cool vehicles and get the dirty chick". Anyway, Big Fish may be about a guy who is stretching the truth but the characters' hearts couldn't be more firmly in the right place. The scene when Eddie fills an entire field with Sandra's favorite flower and stands in the middle of the field, outside of her window and calls out to her comes to mind. It brings joy to my heart in a way that only a film like The Wizard of Oz can, and a small child should never ever miss that kind of message. Big Fish is a smart film that really generates a ton of emotion and convincing special effects. I don't doubt for a moment that more work went into the effects than money. This film carried a sense of hope, pride, real love, respect, fantasy and the crucial element that films of these tainted times often forget: natural and unforced optimism.

Then there is Tim Burton. He is the filmmaker that can put all of these elements together and for the first time tug at your emotions as well. Two things make this film better than Burton's other work. Firstly, it is real and doesn't dwell on being over-stylized and under-dramatized. Secondly, it is pure, clean and full of moments we can all relate too. Tim Burton has made a film that will alienate his older fans who haven't matured like he has, without "selling out" (he's done that before) and he has made a film that the whole world can watch, enjoy and discover this unique filmmaker. I'm glad that he saved some of his real film making inspiration for this wonderful little story.

Average customer rating:

Oklahoma!
One of the all time great musicals
Purchase for use in Europe
An American original
Great music. lyrics

Oklahoma! (50th Anniversary Edition)
Starring: Gordon MacRae , Gloria Grahame , Gene Nelson , Charlotte Greenwood , and Shirley Jones
Director: Fred Zinnemann
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B000AP04NI
Release Date: 2005-11-15

Amazon.com

The hit Broadway musical from the 1940s gets a lavish if not always exciting workout in this 1955 film version directed by old lion Fred Zinnemann (High Noon). Gordon MacRae brings his sterling voice to the role of cowboy Curly, and Shirley Jones plays Laurie, the object of his affection. The Rodgers and Hammerstein score includes "The Surrey with the Fringe on Top," "Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'," and "People Will Say We're in Love," and Agnes DeMille provides the buoyant choreography. Among the supporting cast, Gloria Grahame is memorable as Ado Annie, the "girl who cain't say no," and Rod Steiger overdoes it as the villainous Jud. --Tom Keogh

Description

Set in the Oklahoma Territory in the early 1900's, this joyous celebration of frontier life is a story of tender romance and dangerous passion. Gordon MacRae is Curly, a sunny, good-natured ranch hand, and Shirley Jones is Laurey Williams, the farmer's daughter he loves. Rod Steiger is he menacing Jud, who tries to comes between them. The first Rodgers and Hammerstein collaboration, this Academy Award winner for Best Score features the classic songs "Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'," "The Surrey With The Fringe On Top" and "People Will Say We're In Love."

Customer Reviews:

Oklahoma!.......2007-06-26

Though the film is long and contains a fairly high corn factor, it's also visually stunning, and truly soars whenever the music and dancing starts, with peerless renditions of "People Will Say We're In Love," "The Surrey With The Fringe On The Top," and the immortal title tune. The dance numbers, choreographed by Agnes de Mille, are original and exuberant, while Steiger and Gloria Grahame turn in fine performances, respectively playing the dastardly Jud and the naively amorous Ado Annie, "the girl who can't say no."

One of the all time great musicals.......2007-05-13

The music is great as well as the singing and acting. This movie is a visual treat for the eyes and it has great dancing as well. If you love musicals (particularly those made in the 40's 50's and 60's) than you will love this movie. While this movie has a dark side for the most part it reflects the optimism that seems to be so much a part of the American character. Watch it you will enjoy it.

Purchase for use in Europe.......2007-04-23

I was so disappointed on receipt of the Oklahoma DVD that it would not work outside of the USA. I am sure it is well the cost.

An American original.......2007-04-05

This version of "Oklahoma" will always remain my favorite. Gordon McRae and Shirley Jones are sheer perfection. Every single Rodgers and Hammerstein song including "Oh What a Beautiful Morning,""People Will Say We're in Love," "The Surrey With the Fringe on Top," "I'm Just a Girl Who Can't Say No," and the title song are romantic, humorous, original and beautifully sung and directed. This show is considered the quintessential American musical and after experiencing the amazing on-location sets, costumes, choreography by Martha Graham, dream sequence, and charming and delightful overall mood of this movie, you'll be humming these tunes for days!

Great music. lyrics.......2007-03-17

One of Rodgers and Hammerstein's best. I think 4.5 would be more accurate. But not quite up to "The Sound of Music", or "The King and I"

Average customer rating:

great movie
Pride and Prejudice
Computer Problems
A treasure
Wonderfully surprised

Pride and Prejudice
Starring: Greer Garson , Laurence Olivier , Mary Boland , Edna May Oliver , and Maureen O'Sullivan
Director: Robert Z. Leonard , and Rudolf Ising
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
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Pride and Prejudice (BBC, 1980)
Random Harvest
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ASIN: B000GRUQKQ
Release Date: 2006-10-10

Amazon.com

Jane Austen's wonderful novel has been adapted to the screen many times, with this 1940 version representing the golden age of the Hollywood studio era. Greer Garson, then just on the cusp of her stardom, plays the headstrong Elizabeth Bennet, smartest of five daughters who must be married off. Laurence Olivier is that difficult fellow Mr. Darcy, whose mulishness about the Bennet girls begins to thaw when he gets a dose of Elizabeth's sense and sensibility. The film is done up in the glamorous MGM house style, which means we're stuck with the less-than-inspired direction of Robert Z. Leonard (The Great Ziegfeld), redeemed somewhat by a collection of handsome sets (Cedric Gibbons and Paul Groesse won the Oscar for Interior Decoration) and the dandy photography by Karl Freund, one of the greats. Anyone accustomed to the 1995 miniseries version of Pride and Prejudice will need to adjust to the swifter demands of a two-hour movie, and to be sure this version, like the 2005 Keira Knightley remake, simplifies some of Austen's scenes. It's one of the few films, by the way, with Aldous Huxley as a credited screenwriter. Edmund Gwenn is lovely as Mr. Bennet, and Mary Boland brash as Mrs. Bennet; Garson, although MGM liked to corset her in fine-lady roles, manages to let Elizabeth's sauciness come through. Actually, the movie's weak spot is Laurence Olivier's elaborate performance as Darcy, which feels too theatrical. Not that it matters; Austen's story is so good, the film sails through to its delicious finish with all flags flying. --Robert Horton

Description

Like the arrows she launches at an archery target during an elegant lawn party, Elizabeth Bennet's wit is pointed and unerring. "If you want to be really refined, you have to be dead," she says, skewering the imperious airs of her hosts. Jane Austen's timeless 1813 novel of unlikely romance is richly adapted in this lavish Academy Award? winner.* Greer Garson portrays spirited Elizabeth, one of five Bennet sisters hoping for matrimony. Laurence Olivier plays Darcy, whose arrival at a nearby estate sets maiden hearts aflutter. But first impressions can mean so very much. Elizabeth and Darcy find reasons to view each other with disdain, setting in motion a velvet struggle of Pride and Prejudice, perception and reality, forgiveness and love. You'll be irresistibly caught up in it.

DVD Features:
Other
Theatrical Trailer:Oscar?-Nominated** Crime Doesn?t Pay Short Eyes of the Navy Classic Cartoon The Fishing Bear

Customer Reviews:

great movie.......2007-06-27

this movie has to be my favorite version of pride and prejudice and greer garson was wonderful. the movie arrived quickly and without any problems

Pride and Prejudice.......2007-06-25

Penned by Aldous Huxley, this splendid adaptation of Jane Austen's satirical novel seamlessly translates her barbed criticisms of upper-class mores to the big screen. Under MGM journeyman Leonard's guiding hand, Olivier and Garson are a joy to watch as romantic interests whose strained rapport matures from mutual disdain to honest affection. Karl Freund's magnificent cinematography captures all the period details--like a lawn-party archery lesson--beautifully, while Aldous Huxley's witty dialogue preserves the spirited flavor of Austen's text. And I do mean to "Prejudice" you: Avoid the botched 2005 version!

Computer Problems.......2007-06-14

I returned the DVD to Amazon, because it wouldn't play on my iMac, Operating system X. I am extremely annoyed with Amazon for supplying an unworkable product. And Amazon didn't even respond to my complaint on the return form, just credited the account.

A treasure.......2007-06-11

I thoroughly enjoyed this version and I'm so glad I finally saw it. Though the Colin Firth 5-hour version will always be my favorite, this rendition is witty and entertaining. I didn't mind the diversions from the book, as they were fun and didn't change the meaning of the story. This is one older movie that holds up well, and Laurence Olivier was a very handsome man. It was an adjustment to picture Greer Garson in the role but as the movie progressed she grew on me. I'm going to buy this for my mother, who's in her 70s. She loves the A&E version and I think she'll like this too.

Wonderfully surprised.......2007-05-29

I was quite surprised with this version; I was prepared not to like it, because I heard it deviated from the novel. I don't have a problem with movies which don't follow the books which inspire them...so long as they *don't* use the same title. Even "Bride and Prejudice" is closer to the storyline than this 1940 attempt. But this was surprisingly good.

This 1940 Hollywood version succeeds where its 2005 counterpart (a.k.a. the Brontes' "Pride and Prejudice") does not: it has humor/satirical wit, particularly with Elizabeth and Mr. Bennet. As I missed it so much in the 2005 movie, this was a welcome relief. Mr. Bennet has dry humor, and Mrs. Bennet is at her nervous, flighty usual behavior. The look at the end Mr. Bennet gives his wife when she calls Darcy a charming person is hilarious.

As for the leads: Greer Garson is distracting *only* in that it's disconcerting to see Elizabeth look so much older than Jane, and treating Jane as if Jane were the younger sister, rather than as an equal and a confidante. Garson makes a wonderfully pert Elizabeth. Laurence Olivier is only okay...with what he has. His facial expression when he watches Lizzy dance with Wickham is a nice insight into Darcy. Bingley and Jane (Maureen O'Sullivan) are great. They're well-matched.

What I didn't like: when the movie deviates too far from Austen, it suffers, and unfortunately there's a lot of deviation.

First, and one of the more obvious...will the real Lady Catherine please stand up?

The non-Austen lines drag down even the likes of Garson and Olivier.

Darcy is not really Darcy; Austen was clear that a major cause of his stand-offish behavior is that he finds it very difficult to converse easily with strangers. Darcy here, though, is a huge social snob, but *not* awkward in society. There is then the oddity of seeing Darcy clearly flirting with Elizabeth from the start. Olivier's Darcy is
particularly pleasant and rather chatty. This Darcy would be tolerable enough to tempt me if there was some degree of consistency, but there isn't. Not long after he said he wouldn't dance with Elizabeth, he asks for an introduction. Bad character development? Poor script?

Costuming. If they decided to use these costumes because they were already made and it saved money to use them again, I'll concede that, but these were definitely *not* more glamorous. The costumes are *extremely*
distracting, especially the bonnets in the opening scene (with the huge brims that go up vertically) and the mutton chop sleeves. I'm not sure *any* era had bonnets with brims *that* tall. 2005 was tolerable (though one has to wonder at the propriety of walking around in the morning in pj's...it wasn't like they were out to grab a newspaper), but this was not good.

(On a lesser note: 1995's costume designer had mentioned wanting to make sure not to make Firth look like a sissy with some of the clothes. Unfortunately, Olivier didn't have the same costume designer.)

I did have a chuckle when they put Col. Fitzwilliam in a kilt. I didn't think Austen had made the Fitzwilliams Scottish or Irish (despite the penchant for Fitz so-and-so as a patronymic in Ireland), but okay.

If they could take the 2005 and the 1940 and combine their strong points, the version would give the Firth/Ehle miniseries a good run for its money. As it is, I have to give the 1940 a leg up on its 2005 successor for the simple reason that it manages the wit, which seems to be rather difficult.

Average customer rating:

Generally Speaking, the "Experiment" Still Holds Up
Fictional reality
It's just plain fun!
Very Good for 80's
The Experiment works!

The Philadelphia Experiment
Starring: Michael Paré , Nancy Allen , Eric Christmas , Bobby Di Cicco , and Louise Latham
Director: Stewart Raffill
Manufacturer: Starz / Anchor Bay
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 6305971935
Release Date: 2000-09-19

Amazon.com

The Philadelphia Experiment takes as its jumping-off point an incident that is now paranormal legend, the U.S. Navy's supposed 1943 induction of an extremely powerful electromagnetic field around a destroyer in Philadelphia, causing its crew to become transparent, go insane, burst into flames, and so forth. The movie takes the tack that this was to render the ship invisible to radar, because of the war that was on. The test goes awry, however, and two of the crew leap forward in time to the filmmakers' present tense, 1984, where a similar experiment has caused a vortex that has trapped the 1943 ship and its crew along with a small Nevada town. The key to unbollixing this sad time-fracture lies in our heroes, the two time-travelling crew members, David Herdeg (Michael Paré) and Jim Parker (Bobby Di Cicco), whose electromagnetic instability keeps drawing them painfully back to the vortex to set things straight. This is silly stuff, but it's very fun silly stuff. One might cavil at gaps in plot logic, such as when Michael Paré seeks out the '80s version of his partner and finds more or less a trauma patient, while subsequent action contradicts this characterization. Still, there are plenty of still-worthy special effects, creating the requisite sense of awe and wonder. And for romantic interest, there's Nancy Allen's '80s girl paired with Michael Paré, affording plenty of amusing occasions for culture comparisons, most notably when Paré sees Ronald Reagan on TV, says, "Hey, I know that guy!" and refuses to believe he's president. --Jim Gay

Description

The experiment that should never have happened 41 years ago...is still going on.

Philadelphia, 1943: A top-secret experiment is underway to make U.S. Navy ships invisible to enemy radar, but something goes horribly wrong, and the Battleship Eldridge disappears. Two sailors jump overboard...and are mysteriously transported 41 years into the future. On the run and trapped by the past, can they stop the experiment that has torn a hole in time?

Michael Pare (Eddie and the Cruisers) and Nancy Allen (Carrie, Dressed to Kill) star in this provocative sci-fi action hit, executive produced by Halloween creator John Carpenter!

Customer Reviews:

Generally Speaking, the "Experiment" Still Holds Up.......2007-05-14

I've always liked the two lead actors in this film, Michael Pare of "Eddie and the Cruisers" and "Streets of Fire", and Nancy Allen (wife of Brian DePalma) of DePalma films "Carrie", "Blow out", and "Dressed to Kill." Neither actor ever made it really big and were more flashes in the pan than anything else, but they both should have more success as they are decent actors. Allen had played rather slutty characters with conviction for much of her career, but here she is disarmingly sweet and innocent in spite of her 80's hairdo. Pare built a short-lived career playing James Dean-like roles. He's mostly tough, but can be sensitive too. The scenes where he learns of his father's passing and when he must say good-bye to both his best friend and Allen are quite touching. He's a tough guy who isn't afraid to cry on-screen. He was refreshing as an actor and his full range of talents were not nearly tapped enough.

The story has been explained to death already here in other reviews and Amazon's synopsis, so I'll suffice to say that the script is faulty at times, but the story is satisfying enough and based upon an ill-conceived military experiment to cloak our ships that supposedly was really done and had back-fired. The special effects are very dated in this film, but they are watchable nevertheless. In fact, the entire film is rather dated, but still enjoyable.

Weaknesses: The film is rather dated and the effects clearly demonstrate that. The time-travel storyline has some flaws in it. Things don't always add up right. It's annoying at times when people who knew Pare's character in 1943 don't recognize him in 1984 although he hasn't changed in 40 years. I might be shocked that he hadn't aged, but I would certainly recognize him nevertheless. How come Pare's and his friend, who are naval men, do not have miliatry haircuts. Pare looks the same as he did in "Eddie and the Cruisers." One final flaw worth mentioning is how Pare's character, a civilian in 1984, can take two hostages at gunpoint into a highly restricted secret naval base with little to no opposition. It's just too implausible. Why not just have him be caught instead of the elaborate and silly break-in to a place the government wanted him at in the first place?

Strengths: Overall, the film still holds up and is fun entertainment as long as you don't question things too much. The actors are very engaging to watch and the plot, in spite of its flaws, is clever at times. There are a few needed and carefully written sensitive scenes that assist us in really feeling for these characters. It's fun watching Pare's character adjust to "future" things we take for granted like automatic transmissions in cars, flip-top soda cans, talking digital alarm clocks, color TV, and Ronald Reagan being president.

Fictional reality.......2007-02-14

This is a type of Film/Fiction which I personally like very mucht. The Possibility of Time Travel which is very real in this movie. Plus the option of evtl. Dimensional contact between tow Time Continuem which is a possible danger in such a sitation. All Fictional but>>>>>.
Very realistic and with the nessecary proof that one cannot change the future by going back in time. Even though we would very much like to change it in some sitations as in the Movie.

It's just plain fun!.......2006-11-10

Okay, by today's standards, the special effects are a little on the hokey side, but, considering its age, the movie does just fine. If you want to just sit back, relax, and escape for awhile, this movie fills the bill.

Very Good for 80's.......2006-11-02

Michael Paré("Into the Sun""Space Fury"), Nancy Allen("Limit up" "Robocop"),two famous star in 80's, made this a five-star Sci-Fi movie. But no subtitle or Closed Captioned , so I will give it 4.5 star.

The Experiment works!.......2006-10-09

Michael Pare never really made it to the big time, which is too bad, because I always thought he had what it took to be in the Hollywood big leagues. He was good looking, had that tough guy way of delivering his lines, and this no-nonsense demeanor. Yet, in his scenes, he unveiled a certain sensitivity and accesibility. He proved to me, with his movies, that he could emote well enough. In the 1980s, he starred in several movies which I really enjoyed: STREETS OF FIRE, EDDIE & THE CRUISERS 1 & 2, and THE PHILADELPHIA EXPERIMENT.

I love time travel stories and I had tremendous fun watching THE PHILADELPHIA EXPERIMENT. Supposedly drawn somewhat from true events in World War 2, this sci-fi film tells the tale of a WW2 naval experiment (an attempt to make our ships invisible) gone awry. The USS Eldridge, instead, vanishes, not only optically but physically. At the same time, Navy sailor David Herdeg (Michael Pare), along with his squid buddy Jim, are transported 41 years into the future, to the year 1984. They reappear in Nevada and are immediately attacked. I'll try to curb the spoilers, but I will mention that the experiment which began in 1943 is apparently still ongoing in 1984, and that this begins to influence the meteorological fields, in effect, giving rise to massive, progressively worsening electromagnetic storms, which could threaten the whole planet if left unchecked. David and Jim, with the help of a girl they shanghai, Allison (Nancy Allen), attempt to make sense of things as they continue to evade their pursuers. In the end, it all falls on David Herdeg to make things right. How will it end, and which world will he choose to be in?

So, watching this movie from a contemporary 2006 perspective, I couldn't help but notice a certain 1980s cheesiness inherent to this film, as well as the gap in special effects technology from then to now. Yet, there's something still fresh and charming about THE PHILADELPHIA EXPERIMENT. Part of it, admittedly, is nostalgia. I remember really liking this movie back then, and I undoubtedly re-screened it thru rose-colored eyeballs. But you can't deny the earnest acting efforts of the cast, especially of Pare and Allen. Pare plays David Herdeg as angry, hard-headed, and understandibly confused, yet his vulnerability is shown in several quiet scenes, as when he discovers the fate of his father and when he was saying farewell to Allison. Nancy Allen is sweetness personified as the trusting, kind-hearted Allison Hayes.

Part of the allure of a time travel story is the displaced traveler's reactions to the new realities of the temporal setting in which he finds himself. It was fun watching David and Jim try to fathom the workings of a modern vehicle, a color television, a Coke can, an alarm clock, etc . Not to mention, it must be weird watching a 1940s B actor suddenly as the current president (Reagan). The issue of time paradoxes isn't delved into, as much as barely skimmed. Oh, there are people from the past who encounter David in the future, but it was mostly ado about nothing much. The requisite chase scenes and gun plays are all here, of course. This isn't really a thinking man's movie, as much as an action film where you sit back, have fun, and try to suspend all analytical thinking. There are some holes here, but I choose to overlook them. It's entertaining, sci-fi, popcorn fare.

There's a sequel, PHILADELPHIA EXPERIMENT 2, which again showcases David Herdeg, but 10 years later after the events in this film, and with Brad Johnson, not Michael Pare, playing the Herdeg character. It's also worth checking out.

Average customer rating:

A good movie message but a litlle bouring.
Oversized Outstanding Tall Story of a Life
Embellished Dreams and Aspirations and Truth
THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY...

Big Fish [Blu-ray]
Starring: Helena Bonham Carter , Steve Buscemi , Brandon Carroll , Danny DeVito , and Albert Finney
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: Blu-ray

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Identity [Blu-ray]

ASIN: B000M9BPEY
Release Date: 2007-03-20

Product Description

Throughout his life Edward Bloom (Ewan McGregor) has always been a man of big appetites, enormous passions and tall tales. In his later years, portrayed by five-time Best Actor Oscar nominee AlbertFinney (Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Erin Brockovich, 2000), he remains a huge mystery to his son, William (Billy Crudup). Now, to get to know the real man, Will begins piecing together a true picture of his father from flashbacks of his amazing adventures in this marvel of a movie.

Customer Reviews:

A good movie message but a litlle bouring........2007-05-07

A good movie with a message for everyone but don't really interestin.

Oversized Outstanding Tall Story of a Life.......2007-02-05

Albert Finney and Ewan McGregor as the older and younger Edward Bloom are outstanding. This is a wonderful and hauntingly beautiful movie on the meaning of truth as we sum up our lives and try to put meaning to it all. This is an important work from director Tim Burton.

Embellished Dreams and Aspirations and Truth.......2007-02-01

At the time of its release BIG FISH seemed like a big departure from the type of films that Tim Burton was directing. BIG FISH is still refreshing if not just a little strange. Nonetheless, it does not fail to entertain and it does keep you mildly captivated.

There are depictions of outrageous to intimate slices of one man's life. Credibility and embellishment is an ethereal thing.

Depending on how much truth and perhaps the importance of truth itself is found in these events, there eventually there comes the pay-off. What is really true in life anyway?

THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY..........2007-01-21

This is, indeed, a magical, mystical movie about fathers and sons, which is based upon the book "Big Fish: A Novel of Mythic Proportions" by Daniel Wallace. The book is a perfect vehicle for Director Tim Burton's signature melange of reality and fantasy. The story is that of a father and his son, their estrangement, and their eventual reconciliation. It is a beautifully realized film that will bring tears to one's eyes.

The father in question is Ed Bloom (Albert Finney) who loves to tell, at least it seems so to his son, Will (Billy Crudup), tall tales about his past. The son becomes estranged from his father on his wedding day, when his father tells one tall tale too many for Will's tastes. For the next several years, Will communicates only with his mother, Sandra (Jessica Lange).

When his father becomes seriously ill, however, Will and his wife rush to his side. Father and son take final stock of each other, and the seemingly tall tales continue. As his father gets progressively worse, Will, feeling that he really does not know his father, embarks on a journey to discover for himself, once and for all, the man his father really is. What he discovers is that his father was not so off the mark with his stories, and he finally begins to appreciate who his father really is and the impact that he has had on others. It allows Will to be able to say goodbye to his father in a way that his father understands and to be at peace with the man whom he discovered his father to be.

The film takes the viewer on a ride through some of Ed Bloom's tall tales, in a series of vignettes, where the viewer sees a young Ed Bloom (Ewan McGregor) living an almost fantastical life. We see him meet the love of his life, Sandra, as a young girl (Alison Lohman). We see him as a circus worker, a soldier, a traveling salesman, and even a bank robber. We see some of the people that cross section his life: a giant, a diminutive ringmaster, a witch, and singing Siamese twins. Ed even comes across a perfectly heavenly town full of wonderful, happy people.

This is simply a marvelous film with fantastical elements reminiscent of "Forrest Gump" and "The Princess Bride". Wonderful performances are given by veteran actors Albert Finney and Jessica Lange. Look for the very touching bath tub scene, where, fully clothed, the love between Ed and Sandra is palpable. Albert Finney, in the role of the senior Ed Bloom, is exceptional as a raconteur of the first order. Ewan McGregor is remarkable as the charismatic, younger Ed Bloom, infusing the role with a joie de vivre that is as infectious as it is engaging.

Jessica Lange is terrific as the senior Sandra Bloom, grounding her relationship with her husband with a steadfastedness born of years of mutual love and respect. Alison Lohman is simply lovely as the younger Sandra, imbuing her character with a beautiful sense of innocence and longing. It is interesting that both Alison Lohman and Ewan McGregor strongly resemble their more senior co-stars.

Billy Crudup is excellent as the angry Will Bloom, the son who needs to reconcile his image of his father with the man his father actually is. Robert Guillaume is masterful in the small role of the senior Dr. Bennett. The rest of the stellar cast is superlative, though Danny DeVito's southern accent needed a bit more work. The direction, however, is deft, and the cinematography is brilliant. This is an absolutely exceptional film. I really enjoyed it immensely, even though I initially viewed this film most reluctantly, and only after much persuasion by my son. I am certainly glad that I did. This film has made me a fan of Tim Burton. It is filmmaking at its best. Bravo!

Average customer rating:

Romantic Comedies Don't Come Much Better
Steve Martin was robbed!
Roxanne
One of the best Steve Martin films
Best bunch a guys at a firehouse comedy

Roxanne
Starring: Steve Martin , Daryl Hannah , Rick Rossovich , Shelley Duvall , and John Kapelos
Director: Fred Schepisi
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 0767818105
Release Date: 2002-06-04

Amazon.com essential video

In 1987, almost a hundred years after its first production, the romantic story of Cyrano de Bergerac found new life in a winsome film written by Steve Martin. Roxanne updates the tale with a smart '80s spin, yet writer-star Martin stays close to the old-fashioned heart of the matter. He plays a small-town firefighter named C.D. Bales, whose otherwise unremarkable existence is crowned by an amazingly long nose. He falls for the world's most beautiful astronomer (Daryl Hannah), but he is embarrassed by the size of his proboscis and prefers to stay on the sidelines. Like Cyrano, the shy C.D. instead helps a handsome friend (Rick Rossovich) woo the fair lady by providing flowery sentiments and soulful poetry. Not only does the story still work, but Australian director Fred Schepisi captures a dreamy grace in his visual design for the film (some of which will be lost without the widescreen format). Set in Washington State, but filmed in the hilly ski resort of Nelson, British Columbia, the location seems like a fairy-tale town, nearly as unreal as Steve Martin's nose. --Robert Horton

Customer Reviews:

Romantic Comedies Don't Come Much Better .......2007-06-07

"Roxanne," a 1987 film written by, and starring, the comic genius Steve Martin is yet another film from the fertile 1980's that more people should be happy to know. It's based on the 100-year old French play "Cyrano de Bergerac," by Edmond Rostand. And it costars the long-legged blonde Daryl Hannah, makes good use of Shelley Duvall, Fred Willard, and Michael J. Pollard in supporting roles, was directed by the talented Australian Fred Schepisi. It's set, supposedly, in a pretty Oregon skiing town; actually filmed in a pretty Canadian town; the cinematography presents us with many green and charming vistas.

Its plot follows the original. C.D.(Charlie) Bales (Martin), (note he's got the same initials as the original), is the intelligent, engaging fire chief of the small town; he's got quite a lot going for him, but also, unfortunately, an extremely prominent nose. But he's getting alone fine until astronomy student Roxanne (Hannah) comes to town on a cheap summer sublet. She falls for one of Bales's employees, dumb but handsome Chris (Rick Rossovich) in a big way; but, fortunately, she doesn't really go for dumb. Her friend Dixie (Duvall), tells her she wants Chris's looks with Charlie's brains. And, for a while, that's what she gets, as Charlie writes Chris's love letters and dictates his dialogue.

Many critics have lauded Martin's extraordinary gift for physical comedy, but you've got to see it to believe it. He opens the movie with an energetic strut across town, then has a wonderfully choreographed fight with two rude young male tourists: his tennis racket against their ski poles. He also spends a lot of time climbing up and around houses and trees; and falls down from a tree, claiming he was abducted by aliens, as per a puzzling scene in the original play. The movie also gets a gratifying amount of mileage out of Charlie's fire department: there aren't too many movies that give the viewer any feel for what a character supposedly does to make a living. One criticism: Dixie is not as young or beautiful as Roxanne, but does that mean she had to be turned into an asexual auntie type? Oh well. Romantic comedies don't come much better than this.

Steve Martin was robbed!.......2007-05-31

Steve Martin deserved an Academy Award for "Roxanne", but Hollywood doesn't give Oscar to Comedians. At least he got nominated for a Glob(e). One of the great things about this movie is that there is no "bad guy" - you don't have to root for someone to go down in order for the hero to prevail.

Roxanne.......2007-05-09

Funny, Funny!! This movie has so many one liners you will find yourself quoting them for days!

One of the best Steve Martin films.......2007-04-02

Steve Martin's LA Story and the remarkable Roxanne have to be the two best films from his huge body of work.

Having penned the screenplay, Martin cleverly adapts the Cyrano De Bergerac tale to a modern setting, however, manages to maintain the original story line and large personality of Cyrano in the character of C.D. Bales, a fire chief of a beautiful small town in the mountains of British Colombia.

C.D. Bales is an educated, romantic and modern swashbuckling man who can street fight and win with style, possess a sharp wit, can swing and climb rooftops with the agility of a cat and write poetry and love letters that will make any woman swoon with delight. Unfortunately, Bales like De Bergerac, has a nose the size of a small tree, resulting in his shyness in the matters of love.

C.D. falls head over heels for Roxanne, a visiting astronomer with alluring beauty and a keen mind but feels his appearance, a nose the size of Kansas, will prevent any relationship.

A handsome man, Chris, (Rick Rossovich) joins the fire station to help train the volunteer crew of town misfits but cannot talk to women. Bales' woos Roxanne through Chris with love letters and poetry, thus Chris wins her heart. This unusual situation turns complicated, (similar to De Bergerac) when the masquerade starts to come undone to hilarious results.

Australian director, Fred Schepisi, brings Martin's adaptation of De Bergerac together in an entertaining modern romantic comedy that even today, despite the dated soundtrack, continues to be funny.

Some movies deserve only to be seen once though Roxanne can be pulled from the cabinet and viewed time and again as it remains a classic tale of the 80's & the 18th century.

Best bunch a guys at a firehouse comedy.......2007-02-18

A man can sniff out fires, with his very long nose! Steve Martin in this.

Average customer rating:

The story telling may be a little off center, but Spacey is in true form and more than makes up for it...
A Vanity Project? Or Labor of Love?
Darin Deserves Better
"An outstanding biopic"
Great Movie and Spacey is outstanding

Beyond the Sea
Starring: Caroline Aaron , Tayfun Bademsoy , Brenda Blethyn , Kate Bosworth , and Marcus Brigstocke
Manufacturer: Lions Gate
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00094ARN2
Release Date: 2005-06-07

Amazon.com

The chameleon-like actor Kevin Spacey is best known for playing pyschopaths (in Seven and The Usual Suspects) and capturing a creepy mid-life crisis in American Beauty--but surprisingly, playing crooner Bobby Darin, Spacey does some snappy dancing and top-notch singing. Beyond the Sea puts Darin's life through a bit of a kaleidoscope: While singing Darin's most memorable hit, "Mack the Knife," Darin suddenly stops the show, revealing that he's not at a nightclub, but in the middle of a shooting a scene about his life as a nightclub performer. Why has he stopped? Because he's just seen himself as a young boy, peering from behind a curtain. Such self-conscious narrative twists recur throughout the movie, turning Darin's fight for fame and respect into a love story between his adult and childhood selves. Sandra Dee (Kate Bosworth, Win a Date with Tad Hamilton!), a hugely popular movie star in her own right, was supposedly the love of Darin's life, but she never holds his attention as does his childhood self (played by newcomer William Ullrich). It's a striking metaphor for the narcissism that drives such success-hungry entertainers. But despite (or perhaps because of) the complexity of the telling, the events never grip your emotions; though Darin's life featured hits galore and a few soap opera twists, his story lacks the seductive charm of his nighclub show. Also featuring Bob Hoskins, John Goodman, Brenda Blethyn, and Greta Scacchi. --Bret Fetzer

Product Description

One of America s greatest performers, Bobby Darin lived a rags-to-riches life. He worked his way from shady nightclubs to his dream destination, the Copacabana, where he wowed crowds with Splash, Mack the knife and other hits. He was a marvel at singing, songwriting and perfuming stealing the hearts of fans everywhere despite the suffering in his own heart.

Bonus Features
Director Commentary
Making of Featured, interviews with Cast and Crew
Exclusive Bonus Musical Performances by Kevin Spacey
16:9 Widescreen Version
5.1 Dolby Digital
2.0 Dolby Stereo

System Requirements:

Running Time 118 Min

Format: DVD MOVIE

Customer Reviews:

The story telling may be a little off center, but Spacey is in true form and more than makes up for it..........2007-06-21

Kevin Spacey definitely carries this entire film on his very supportive back. The film falls short in brilliance where a biopic is concerned but it excels in brilliance when entertaining the idea of a musical, a genre that is very hot or miss. Spacey is infectious as he plays his real life idol Bobby Darin. His moves are crisp and his voice is effortlessly beautiful to listen to. The script though fails to truly uncover the man that was Bobby Darin. We see his relationship with screen legend Sandra Dee, played by the beautiful Kate Bosworth, but we never really understand it. The film seems to be more focused on telling the relationship between Darin's adult self and his child self, played by newcomer William Ullrich.

Bosworth is notably fantastic as Sandra Dee though, her emotion fully invested in a character that is sadly left a little two-dimensional. Bob Hoskins also shines; an actor who just continues to amaze me with every performance, each more poised and promising than the last, and here as Darin's brother-in-law he does a beautiful job juggling protective, compassionate and judgmental. Caroline Aaron and the splendid Brenda Blethyn also illuminate their scenes, but no one is able to stop the tidal wave that is Kevin Spacey in full on shiny luminescent glory.

The film, a dream project of Spacey's, follows Darin as he devotes himself to making a motion picture musical chronicling his life. This I feel was done so that Spacey, an actor quite a bit older than Darin was in his prime, could justify starring in the film. Darin in his older years is now starring as himself in his younger years in a film telling his life story. I may have made it sound too complicated but it's not. The set pieces are spectacular, the musical numbers are extraordinary and the acting as a whole is fulfilling and right on point. The story telling itself though is a bit off.

I recommend this biopic for the music itself, a true testament not only to the brilliance in the acting but also to the legend that is Bobby Darin, and Spacey here has created a wonderful example of how to reintroduce music of old to a new generation. Spacey's determination and dedication to his performance makes every word jump out at you, makes every line swim in your ears for hours on end. Even scenes as corny as his `Rub-a-Dub-Dub' music video are done with enough humor and sass that the audience is forced to appreciate it for what it is.

`Beyond the Sea' may not be the most effective of the biopic's, and coming out in a year that sported some wildly successful and critically appraised films such as `The Aviator' and `Ray' may not have helped it none, but here is a classic example of an actor taking his passion for a performer, a legend and an inspiration and creating a whole knew feel from it. To me Spacey one up's Foxx's Oscar winning performance by investing his very soul into Bobby. Spacey didn't merely impersonate the man but he recreated him within himself and gave us Spacey the performer, the actor and the legend. As a musical showcase `Beyond the Sea' sizzles and shines and is worth every fun filled minute.

A Vanity Project? Or Labor of Love?.......2007-05-23

I reacted to the announcement that Kevin Spacey was to play Bobby Darin with approval. Although he was about a decade older than the 60s crooner ever lived to be, and his age showed a bit, Spacey (who successfully won an Oscar whereas Darin was only nominated for one) quite deftly engaged in the art of personification. He looks enough like Darin, although Darin's chin was narrower.
Spacey helms an occassionally surreal account of Darin's life, beginning with a backstage view of his venue in Las Vegas, during which the singer takes a detour, and presides over a telling of his own remarkable life story.
Newcomer William Ullrich portrays the young Walden Robert Cassotto (a.k.a Darin's not-so-inner child throughout the course of the film), a child of the Bronx who lives with Nina and Charlie Maffia (Bob Hoskins and Caroline Aaron) and the doting Polly Cassotto (Brenda Blethyn), from whom he inherits his love of music. It would be years later that the singer would be devastated by the revelation of a family secret.
In the meantime, he builds his reputation as a performer, taking those closest to him along for the ride. He acquires a manger named Steve Blauner(John Goodman), and works his way from seedy nightclubs to more upscale venues. Spacey's recreation of Darin's signature performances is admirable. One really has to listen hard to be able to differentiate between the original recordings and the reproductions made for this film.
Tragedy strikes as Darin's recordings climb the charts. Still, the singer perseveres, making appearances on national televison, winning a Grammy, and beginning a film career, during which he meets America's Golden Girl, Sandra Dee (Kate Bosworth), with whom he feels he can make even more beautiful music if he can lure her away from her controlling mother, Mary Duvan (Greta Scacchi). Spacey shows impressive dancing skills in the process of getting the girl.
Before long, Darin has won his prize, but in an emotional scene that relies on a viewer's awareness of Dee's survival of incest, the bride has an anxious moment, which her groom nobly redeems.
The Darins have a son named Dodd, and the honeymoon ends soon enough during an Oscar Night brawl in which the couple become violent over incredibly petty issues. One feels dismayed that people who appear to have been given everything in life can't at least behave themselves!
Still, as Darin strives towards his goal to play at the Copacabana, one may come to empathize with him since a childhood bout with rheumatic fever weakened his heart, and he knew his time was limted.
As the 60s wear on, and social changes ensue, Darin, a politically conscious entertainer who, earlier helped desegregate a nightclub, struggles to stay relevant. Amid Sandra's increasing problems with the bottle, and his being a hands-on Dad to his son, Darin refurbishes his act with songs that are more topical, and makes plans to join Senator Robert Kennedy in his bid for the Presidency. Nina drops a bombshell on Bobby, regarding his family history (in order to beat the media to the punch), sending him into a tailspin, and he spirals even harder and deeper when RFK is assassinated.
In real life, Darin could be be found lying at Kennedy's grave, but the film ignores this. It focuses on his desertion of his family, his soul-searching, his reconciliation with his family(although it neglects to mention a short-lived second marriage), and the triumphant revival of his career at the Flamingo in Las Vegas before the curtain prematurely falls...
This film may be viewed some as a vanity project, as it was something Kevin Spacey had wanted to do since he and his late mother (to whom the film is lovingly dedicated) were fans of Darin's. He definitely dominates the project, but omits the presence of Darin's half-sister, Vee, who was with him at the end. But it is an apparent labor of love in which Darin's ex-wife (who happily lived long enough to see the film's release) and son had some input.
It does capture the salient points of Darin's life, and it's more than obvious that Spacey had fun playing off of the sassily precocious Ullrich, especally in the final dance number. I feel glad that Spacey's dream came true! He was born to play the part!
The child from the Bronx may have died; the legend lives, and through the eyes of a devoted fan, Bobby Darin is forever swinging at the Flamingo!

Darin Deserves Better.......2007-04-13

I grew up with Darin watching him on Bandstand in the fifties and as he developed into quite a wonderful "crooner," an adult singer. I have loved his "That's All" album through the years, through thick and thin.

I'm glad Spacey brought this man more recognition. But Spacey was way too old for the film; Darin died at 37. Kate Bosworth as Sandra Dee is not in Spacey's league as an actor and it was painful to watch her on the screen. It brushed off his early rock and roll years which had great stuff like Artificial Flowers and Clementine (already showing Darin's turning to jazz and more "pop" tunes, like Sinatra).

The story was scattered all over the place. But Spacey's singing was terrific, if not exactly like Darin's. (Sissy Spacek really nailed Loretta Lynn in Coal Miner's Daughter.)

This picture was a "what might have been" rather than a good biopic.

Yes, Bobby deserved much better than this. But I give Spacey an e for effort.

"An outstanding biopic".......2007-04-01

"Beyond The Sea" is a treat for both the eyes & ears-Kevin Spacey did an excellent portrayal of the late great Bobby Darin-Darin did not limit himself to a single musical genre-He could sing rock and roll,standards,country,& folk-As a matter of fact,one of his last releases in that vein was "Sing A Simple Song Of Freedom"-"Beyond The Sea" chronicles the volatile relationship between Darin & actress Sandra Dee,played to perfection by Kate Bosworth-Although Darin only lived to be 37,he certainly left behind an outstanding body of work-If you're a die hard Bobby Darin fan,you owe it to yourself to purchase this DVD.