Dog Days (aka Hundstage)

Starring:Maria HofstÃ¤tter, Alfred Mrva, Erich Finsches, Gerti Lehner, Franziska Weiss, Rene Wanko, Claudia Martini, Victor Rathbone, Christian Bakonyi, Christine Jirku, Viktor Hennemann, Georg Friedrich, Ingeborg Wehofer, Leopold Schlol, Silvia Piglmann, Karl Christoph, Henriette Maslo, Christina Horvath, Norbert Raftl, Edith Helm
Director: Ulrich Seidl
Studio: Kino Video
Product Type: DVD

Average customer rating:

Blah...
"Down with the lackeys of the bourgeoisie."
Classic Propoganda Film
Russian Revolution
This Is What Inspired Modern Day Cinema

October (Ten Days That Shook the World)
Starring: Vladimir Popov (II) , Vasili Nikandrov , Layaschenko , Mikholyev , and N. Podvoisky
Director: Grigori Aleksandrov , and Sergei M. Eisenstein
Manufacturer: Image Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 6305186774
Release Date: 1998-12-29

Amazon.com essential video

Officially produced to commemorate the 10-year anniversary of the Russian Revolution, October quickly became another of Sergei Eisenstein's experiments in film form. As in his masterpiece, Battleship Potemkin, Eisenstein uses explosive montage to create the spirit of revolution--in this case, the events in St. Petersburg during the months leading up to the Bolshevik revolt. Eisenstein's insistence on speaking the language of pure film (deploying space, shadow, movement, and rhythm to create his meaning) shoves his mad rush of images straight into the viewer's eye. A worker's rebellion in the streets, followed by the raising of bridges to isolate their neighborhood, becomes a visual symphony of panic. The film has also been known as Ten Days That Shook the World, its release title in the U.S. (borrowed from the book by John Reed). Its value as propaganda can be debated, but October is incredibly dynamic as film art. --Robert Horton

Description

Russian director Sergei Eisenstein's powerful retelling of the 1917 Russian Revolution, "October" is an acknowledged masterpiece in the use of editing, lighting, camera placement and mise-en-scene. An absolute must for any film connoisseurs collection.

Customer Reviews:

Blah..........2006-12-26

I liked the other Eisenstein movies that I've watched. Alexander Nevsky is a classic and would probably be more of a classic if it were American. Battleship Potemkin is pretty good and has some stuff that gets ripped off by Hollywood. So I thought I would give this one a try.

I really wanted to like this movie. It's about the Russian Revolution but for me it lays things on a little too thick. I could only get to about half way through the movie (as the horse is hanging off the bridge is where I stop). Excellent cinematography and music but I couldn't watch more of it. Way too thick for me.

"Down with the lackeys of the bourgeoisie.".......2006-10-22

"October" ("10 Days That Shook the World") written and directed by Sergei Eisenstein and Grigori Aleksandrov was commissioned by the Soviet Central Committee to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Bolshevik revolution in Russia. As such, the film is a landmark slice of propaganda depicting the events of 1917, a relic not just for film lovers, and it's a remarkable piece of revisionist history too.

The black and white silent film is told in documentary style and focuses on the efforts of the provisional government to maintain the country after deposing the Tsar in February 1917. The film was made in 1927, and by that time, Lenin was dead, and Trotsky--one of the main figures behind the Bolshevik revolution was already in the hot seat with Stalin and was effectively being cut out of the Soviet political system.

The film shows scenes with Trotsky, and doesn't identify him at first, but then when it does it's in a negative light. Some of the best unsubtle scenes involve the bourgeoisie women who beat up the Bolshies and tear up their flag. General Kerensky is also depicted negatively--he throws himself on the bed, covers his head with pillows and has a temper tantrum--and the tantrum continues while scene after scene depicts growing unrest in the country. The large-scale mob-scenes of the revolution remain fairly bloodless, and the emphasis is on events in Petrograd and the ineptness of the provisional government. There are some great scenes of the Mensheviks, the Savage Division and the Women's Death Battalion. The scenes involving Lenin show the people going wild with adulation at their hero. No doubt Stalin realized that it was better (and safer) to immortalize a dead politician (Lenin), and wiser to marginalize a live one (Trotsky). As Winston Churchill said, "History is written by the victors"--displacedhuman

Classic Propoganda Film.......2006-10-05

October is a re-telling of the events of the Russian revolution. However, it was commissioned as a propoganda piece so that the only "character" that stands out is Lenin, who, of course is idolized. There are the populace and soldiers who are on the side of the Bolsheviks but they are basically nameless and faceless as is the other side (mensheviks). However, its not the plot that makes the movie fascinating but the use of montage and imagery, sometimes dizzying. Not quite as good as Battleship Potemkin but still fascinating. Certainly, not as morally disturbing as Triumph of the Will (which it influenced) but still, a film made to support a government sanctioned point of view. However, the crowd shots and the quick cuts from one scene to the next in a rapid but still coherent fashion, resonates through current film and even music videos.

Russian Revolution.......2006-06-29

As a girl from Russia i want to tell - this is a very good movie about turning point of my Fatherland's history

This Is What Inspired Modern Day Cinema.......2005-12-13

The film is a documentary about the The October Revolution, also known as the Bolshevik Revolution. This film may be very very hard to follow. But it is probably one of the most important films in history. Many people don't realize how this film was revolutionary.

Sergei Eisenstein revolutionized a new style of cinema known as the Soviet Montage that defied many of the rules established by classical Hollywood cinema. For Eisenstein the important aspect of film was not to deliver a narrative that was already pre-constructed but rather to stimulate the viewer's senses, emotions and thinking as the film was being projected.

For example, Eisenstein's montage style is best displayed in the sequence where there are abrupt jump cuts from one distinct image to the next. The intent was to stimulate the spectator by creating conflict and collision between shots. For Eisenstein, he created a montage style that juxtaposed two shots that had no causal relationship with one another, which liberated the spectator from any conventional meaning and allowed them to actively take part in the intention of the film. Basically, the storytelling takes place in how the audience decides to make meaning from the fast changing images.

The progression of the film is to portray a causal change by the public where they go from being chaotic to organized. For Eisenstein, he historicizes the event of the October Revolution for the public audience who have experience the Russian revolution. This further enhances the montage technique he uses because the Russian audience can make a local meaning of the images displayed to create a continuous storyline. This is why the film is so hard to follow without a great understanding of Russian history.

Interestingly enough, the reason why this montage styles was created was merely financial. It was cheaper to use stock footage already processed and splice them together than to take footage with a camera. Despite this, what he created was a revolution to the art of filmmaking. So if you are interested in filmmaking, this film is a must see!

Average customer rating:

Hot stuff
Nice Film
Strange Feeling left

Dog Days (aka Hundstage)
Starring: Maria Hofstätter , Alfred Mrva , Erich Finsches , Gerti Lehner , and Franziska Weiss
Director: Ulrich Seidl
Manufacturer: Kino Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Lie With Me
Antares
Kissing on the Mouth
Battle In Heaven
Devil in the Flesh

ASIN: B0001KL59E
Release Date: 2004-04-13

Customer Reviews:

Hot stuff.......2006-06-21

Dog Days is an incredible film, though what it has to offer will certainly not be appreciated by every viewer. This is not to be meant as condescending - I simply mean not everyone will enjoy Ulrich Seidl's aesthetics which have more than a little in common with Von Trier's Domga 95 movement. Though Seidl doesn't explicitly articulate his aesthetics the way Von Trier does, it features the same sense of realism. The characters are mostly non-actors wearing their own clothes and without makeup (except where diegetically necessary). The acting is very raw with many scenes calling for displays of intense emotional pain. There is no non-diegetic music. The film is shot entirely with hand-held DV. The film is, however, very aesthetically appealing. There are many beautiful, sun-drenched compositions, even if all the characters are sweating!

Contrary to a previous reviewer, I believe Seidl means for the title "Dog Days" to denote intense, unbearable heat of summer. He shot only on days where the weather exceeded 98 degrees. This alone required a number of years to complete the film. Seidl has said that he believes, under the pressure of intense heat, people's emotional and mental states change. However, the heat isn't central to any of the stories. It just serves to heighten what are already miserable tales of suburban life. Where a situation might be tough for a character, the extreme heat pushes it over the edge.

The stories are fascinating and frequently depressing. Many can be generalized as unhappy people making other unhappy people (and themselves) unhappy. This is the kind of story Dogma 95 directors love because it provides so many opportunities to show raw emotion. If that doesn't sound pleasant, this is probably not going to be an enjoyable film for you. Others may find it deeply engrossing. If you're a fan of Von Trier or other such directors, you'll love Dog Days. Zavattini and Rossellini would be proud.

Nice Film.......2005-10-09

As a San Francisco Bay Area resident, I sincerely apologize for the odd review posted by Mr. Brewster of Orinda. This gentleman obviously has a number of unresolved psychological issues that need to be addressed with medication. By the way Herr Brewster, there is no language of "Austrian." The people there do in fact speak German. Now on to the film... It is refreshing to see a screenplay that dosn't adhere to the standard formulas of Hollywood, and I highly recommend it.

Strange Feeling left.......2004-05-23

There was a strange feeling left when I left the cinema. Is it true that some people live in such a world? Somehow depressing, in a very strange way funny, too. "Dogdays" in Austrian language means something special: named after the star Sirius wich is the Dog-Star and wich appears in the beginning of August the "Dog`s Days" means a period of very good and hot wheater with no clouds - almost too hot. You feel like everybody else but the characters are on holidays. "Dog" is somehow the Mind-Level of all of those characters playing in the film. You can say what you want: this is a film you`ve never seen any alike before. And that's reason enough to watch it. To me at least. The film is somehow very slow and you have a distance to it by seeing those many difference characters as from inside themselves.
Somehow very special cinema and somehow very funny in strange depressing way. (...)A weekend, a heat-period: six stories, woven together, telling fragments of ordinary everydaylife. Evenings of songplay, sex and violence, days of lust and love, longing for love and not reaching it. A weekend full of the most normal catastrophees. Suburbian surroundings."

Average customer rating:

Hot stuff
Nice Film
Strange Feeling left

Dog Days
Starring: Maria Hofstätter , Alfred Mrva , Erich Finsches , Gerti Lehner , and Franziska Weiss
Director: Ulrich Seidl
Manufacturer: Kino Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Lie With Me
Antares
Kissing on the Mouth
Battle In Heaven
Devil in the Flesh

ASIN: B0001KL58U
Release Date: 2004-04-13

Customer Reviews:

Hot stuff.......2006-06-21

Nice Film.......2005-10-09

Strange Feeling left.......2004-05-23

Kui's Sunny Days... a Five-Part Read- Along with Me DVD! (Kids' Reading Time Video Collection) ~ Trachele Hartmann M.Ed.

Average customer rating:

Amazing Educational Video!
Baby and two toddlers!

Kui's Sunny Days... a Five-Part Read- Along with Me DVD! (Kids' Reading Time Video Collection) ~ Trachele Hartmann M.Ed.
Starring: Kui LaCross , Kermit Rodriguez , Jeanna LaCross , and Justin LaCross
Director: Trachele Hartmann M.Ed.
Manufacturer: Academic Adventures, Inc.
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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"Kui's Sunny Days" was created by Mrs. Hartmann, M.Ed. an educator and strong advocate for reading. Kui's Sunny Days, a Read-Along with Me DVD, is an innovative multi-sensory reading tool that encourages the love of reading.
Memorable educational and entertaining dog stories teach valuable life lessons and motivate children to read.
As the characters and narrator share each story, the letters of the words are written on the screen to enhance reading skills and comprehension.
Colorful illustrations and real-life photographs bring the unforgettable characters and beautiful scenery to life.
The melodious soundtrack and hilarious character voices entertain and captivate the entire family for wholesome fun.

ASIN: B000KDTZNA

Product Description

Share the joy of reading with your child with "Kui's Sunny Days," a Read-Along with Me DVD! Learn and laugh along with the playful and curious canine, Kui, as he learns and shares three valuable life lessons during his adventures. In "Big Pools of Trouble," children will witness the consequences of Kui and his friend Terry the Turtle sneaking out to the Big Pool. In "I Dare You," families will delight in seeing Kui teach his friend Otis learn how to swim, as they learn that dares aren't worth taking. And in "Vanilla Surprise," moms and their children will share the joys of baking a surprise birthday cake for Kui's dad, while learning the importance of patience. "Kui's Sunny Days" will help engage and motivate children to learn to read and comprehend. The three stories, featuring real-life photographs and a lively sound track, provide dog lovers and families wholesome fun to enjoy and cherish.

Customer Reviews:

Amazing Educational Video!.......2006-12-12

If you're looking for an educational, fun, and informative DVD, here it is! Kui's Sunny Days is the perfect DVD for emergent readers who can follow along to the text while listening to the matching words being read aloud. Being a teacher myself, I know how hard it can be to find educationally appropriate media that addresses reading and can maintain student interest. There is no doubt that this DVD would work wonders in my classroom, where I have readers who are struggling to sound out words while also trying to stay interested!

This DVD follows Kui the dog and his friends (who are all adorable) through their daily lives and the issues they encounter. These stories are sure to capture anyone's attention and are easy to relate to. The safety lessons touched upon in this DVD are valuable for children and can be used to teach character education. The most amazing thing is that this DVD would work as well in a home as it would in a school setting!

Not only did this DVD come within 1 week, I recieved a confirmation email immediately upon ordering from the creator herself! I couldn't be happier with this purchase and plan to use it in my classroom with all of my emergent readers!

Thank you!
Jamie N.

Baby and two toddlers!.......2006-12-07

Hi everybody! Um so it can be a lifesaver to pop in a video for the kids, but sometimes as I watch my pumpkins vegging out in front of the popular commercial videos, I feel a little bit guilty.

Most other commercial videos for kids, like Dora or baby Einstein, seem like sweet sugar candy. They're too stimulating, with little nutrition value, and kind of addictive. They overexcite my kids, but at the same time don't teach any real skills or make them think.

I don't know if anyone else here has had this experience, but my kids look so passive watching commercial shows and videos, it's like they're little drugged robots! It's a little bit scary. Afterwards, seems like it's harder for them to concetrate and pay attention to me! Like they're addicted to all the flashing lights and over the top animated special effects. I worry those shows are bad for the brain. I certainly don't think they're doing anything too good.

Kui's Sunny Days is completely different. It's a sunny, fun, active, happy educational experience. It's like having a sweet, child-friendly girlfriend over to lead my kids through an educational storybook. Feels so much better and more nutritious than just another another addictive commercial video. Plus, my kids love it.

So I can still take a break while the kids are watching, without having to worry that their little minds and crucial brain development are taking a break too! Can't recommend Kui's Sunny Days highly enough, there's nothing else really like it out there.

Just seems more caring to me.
Go Kui!

-- Jenny

Dog Days (Original German with English Subtitles)

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Dog Days (Original German with English Subtitles)

ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Enlightenment Guaranteed (Original German language with English or French Subtitles)

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DVD Special Features:

-16/9 Presentation
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