Neighbors (Broadway Theatre Archive)

Starring:Cicely Tyson, Raymond St. Jacques, Jane Wyatt, Andrew Duggan
Director: Fielder Cook
Studio: Kultur Video
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com

Originally telecast in the 1970s, Good Neighbors is the wonderful 1970s Britcom about an upper-middle-class couple who relinquish consumerism and turn their cozy suburban London home into a self-sufficient farm. Tom (Richard Briers) and Barbara (Felicity Kendal) Good trade in one version of the good life for an impoverished other--an old tractor instead of a car, a goat instead of a purebred pup--to the continuing consternation of their best friends and executive-salaried neighbors, Jerry (Paul Eddington) and Margot (Penelope Keith) Ledbetter. Among the episodes contained in the first three series are "Pig's Lib," in which Margot covertly seeks help from the local residents' association to stop Tom's plans for keeping pigs; "Just My Bill," in which Tom and Barbara face the rare problem of a harvest surplus that has to go somewhere; "Mutiny," in which poor Jerry is caught in a crossfire of obligations to both his boss and bossy Margot; "Going to Pot," in which the Goods come close to abandoning their self-sufficiency ethic when Tom proves a profitable craftsman at the potter's wheel; "The Happy Event," in which the birth of new livestock is wonderful news for the Goods but a sore point with the Ledbetters; and "The Last Posh Frock," featuring Barbara at the end of her rope when her last nice dress gets torn. As always, the series' concept ultimately takes a back seat to the lovely chemistry among four outstanding actors, and story lines that wisely emphasize relationships. Fans of British television would do well to look into Good Neighbors. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

Great Show.......2007-06-22

This BBC series took awhile to grow on me and it was only out of a peculiar infatuation that I even made it to the second episode. The series is based on a middle class, suburban couple who decide to leave the "rat race" and become self-sufficient by starting their own mini-farm and using barter to survive. This quirky eccentricity is juxtaposed with the conservative neighbors. Seldom is the show a "laugh out loud" experience but it's quite addictive, deals with current events of the time in interesting ways, and is generally good fun. I've also seemed to develop small crushes on both Felicity Kendall and Penelope Keith.

funny.......2007-04-28

I watched this on PBS years ago and loved it. I still love it.

Not the Good Neighbours.......2007-02-10

The Good Neighbours is not the original title for this excellent comedy series, it is called in england the Good Life, and I remember watching this when I was younger, still makes me laugh today, if anyone wants a good brit comedy collection definitely get this one, it outshines anything in america.

And no I am not biased because I am english, I do like some american comedy shows, but they are far and few between.

Good Neighbors - The Complete Series 1 - 3.......2007-01-10

This is a funny comedy. Shows how a couple can make it on their own without all the extras in life and how the neighbors respond to their way of life.

Great family fun!.......2007-01-09

My wife and I loved this British comedy years ago when it originally aired on American TV, and now that we have been able to see it again on DVD we have enjoyed it all over again. The chemistry between the couples, particularly Tom and Barbara, makes their trials and triumphs so relatable and endearing. Barbara (Felicity Kendal) is my favorite character, sort of like the ideal companion. Her temperament, judgement, wit, and love for her enterprising husband is a joy to watch. A program made in good taste and quite a bit funny.

Average customer rating:

Naughty Neighbors
Starring: Monica Mayhem , Akira Lane , and Austin O'Riley
Manufacturer: Trinity Home Ent
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000E3LGEM
Release Date: 2006-04-18

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The Last Hurrah of Steven Seagal
Entertaining Seagal flick
One Of The Best
Seagal is simply an authority figure with a heart of purest gold...
Bravo!

Fire Down Below
Starring: Steven Seagal , Marg Helgenberger , Stephen Lang , Brad Hunt , and Kris Kristofferson
Director: Félix Enríquez Alcalá
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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On Deadly Ground
The Glimmer Man
Out for Justice
Marked for Death
Above the Law

ASIN: 6304707622
Release Date: 1998-01-07

Amazon.com

Here's a movie that only a Steven Seagal fan could love. It's not nearly as good as Under Siege (the movie destined to remain Seagal's high-water mark), but not any worse than Above the Law. This time ol' Steve is an agent of the Environmental Protection Agency who's busting heads in Kentucky. He's on good terms with the local yokels (including Marg Helgenberger and Harry Dean Stanton), but locks horns with a slimy mogul (Kris Kristofferson) who's using abandoned mines to dump toxic waste. Along with an ecological message, Seagal serves up several broken limbs, cracked skulls, and bloody noses, and he even finds time to do some guitar picking with country boys such as Travis Tritt and Randy Travis. Once you've heard Seagal crooning a country tune, you'll be eager to see him go back to whuppin' the bad guys. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

The Last Hurrah of Steven Seagal.......2007-03-25

This movie was Steven's last really good flick. It really isn't his best , but after "On Deadly Ground" it sure is better , and much better than his later movies. How many EPA workers carry guns , break bones , know kung-fu , and play guitar, I don't know but in this movie a least one does. It's the same thing as in all his other movies but at least he is still fit here.

Entertaining Seagal flick.......2007-02-25

Seagal plays EPA agent Jack Taggert, who heads to a quiet Kentucky mining town to investigate the death of his friend and the possible dumping of toxic waste by a corrupt corporation. (yes, like "On Deadly Ground" it raises environmental issues, but it's thankfully not as self-serving) Posing as a carpenter for the local priest, he quickly finds much of the town under the influence of the evil corporate head. (played by Kris Kristofferson) Soon he's busting heads to get a few answers.

"Fire Down Below" has everything you'd want in a Seagal film. There are fight scenes involving crowds of people, you've got the car chase, and you've got Seagal giving half-hearted retorts to the villains. The film does, unfortunately have its faults. It gets very repititive by the hour mark - pretty much most of it is the villain sending thugs after Seagal, Seagal beating them up...rinse and repeat. Granted there are cool fight scenes, like the one at the grocery store or the car chase with the 18-wheeler, but they would be even better with a more engaging story. And yes, I know, it's a Steven Seagal film, but I was looking for a story that at least offered some different plot points from time to time. I might also add that Seagal's character seems rather incompetant when it comes to keeping friends - any time someone says, "I'll tell you what you need to know" they get beat up or killed without Seagal seeming to care or even try to protect them beforehand. It's only when the love interest is threatened that he actually steps in and stops the bad guys.

Still, it's not nearly as bad as his later films (when he became a kung-fu version of Meatloaf) and Seagal still seems to be in his prime. When the fight scenes happen they are entertaining, and you do get a sense of who the good guys and bad guys are. (even if the bad guys are stereotypically shallow)

"Fire Down Below" is not Seagal's best, and it won't be featured in any historical film archives, but if you're looking for classic Seagal then it will still amuse you.

One Of The Best.......2007-01-10

If you like Steven Segal, you will love this movie. He is fabulous in it, and slams the really evil bad guys in their faces, the way they deserve to be slammed. He is dashing, handsome, and very sensitive to the nice people in the town he is visiting. He is caring and tries to help them. He also is a gentleman, besides meting out his special type of punishment, the way we all just LOVE to see. I love this movie.

Seagal is simply an authority figure with a heart of purest gold..........2006-12-31

Steven Seagal is one of those actors with a totally winning personality... He is simply an authority figure, a killing machine with a heart of purest gold... I can't help it; I like the guy.

In 'Fire Down Below,' he is an outsider posing as a church sponsored carpenter while he works for the Environmental Protection Agency to stop a greedy coal baron from dumping extremely large quantities of toxic wastes in abandoned coal mines... Those dangerous chemicals could destroy the drinking water for thousands of miles and kill a bunch of people around the hills... Seagal gallantly promised not to leave the small town until the poison from the air, the streams and the earth is taken out...

Many thugs (with snakes, sticks, guns, and big trucks) are hired by the uncaring mining magnate to get rid of our action hero but Seagal remains virtually untouched...

'Fire Down Below' highlights new environmental message but fails to come up with the expectations... First, Seagal's amorous interest with the sad country woman seems artificial, used in the film to grant the 'new visitor' easy access to statements he might need... Second, the motion picture lacks the best villain whose prowess could equals Seagal's... Steven's character never really faces much of a challenge... In fact, the fight scenes are too short and extremely fast and easy...

If you are a fan of country music and you want to see Seagal playing guitar and singing, and you like to explore sweeping vistas with glorious sunsets, don't miss this movie!

Bravo!.......2006-11-15

This was as with all Steven Seagal movies top notch! So what if it didn't have as much "action-paction" as with other movies he's done. That is why I rate this so well. If all actors stayed with the same genre where would the comparison be? Many Actors such as Seagal choose movies that they can relate to on some level, to me, being a "tree hugger" myself, that makes this movie seem all the better!

Average customer rating:

Good Neighbors Lives Up to Its Name
Best of the Britcoms
Good Neighbors - great Britcom
Great British Humor
What a great sitcom..

Good Neighbors - The Complete Series 4
Starring: Good Neighbors
Manufacturer: BBC Warner
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Good Neighbors - The Complete Series 1-3
To the Manor Born - The Complete Series
Waiting for God - Season 1
Mulberry - The Complete Series
'Allo 'Allo! - The Complete Series Five, Parts 1 and 2

ASIN: B000ERVK6W
Release Date: 2006-06-13

Amazon.com

Better known as The Good Life in its native England, the much-beloved 1970s Britcom Good Neighbors wrapped up its delightful run during a fourth season, which was capped by a visit from Queen Elizabeth herself. Led by the incomparable Richard Briers (Monarch of the Glen), the perfect cast of Good Neighbors continues the story of Tom (Briers) and Barbara (Felicity Kendal) Good, a middle-class, suburban couple who gave up their jobs, possessions, and creature comforts (such as electricity) to promote "self-sufficiency." Turning their gardens into farmland, the pair raise pigs, goats, and chickens, grow their own produce, and even take a whack at making their own clothes. Their neighbors and best friends, Jerry (Paul Eddington) and Margo (Penelope Keith) Leadbetter, remain mystified at the Goods' embrace of hard living and are themselves fully committed to luxury and (especially in Margo's case) rubbing elbows with aristocracy.

Good Neighbors: The Complete Series 4 includes eight choice episodes, including "Away from It All," in which Tom and Barbara take a small vacation from their threadbare life, nervously leaving their agrarian routines in Jerry and Margo's inexperienced hands. "Our Speaker Today" concerns a distraction for Barbara when she becomes a popular guest lecturer to different groups, speaking on the subject of self-sufficiency. Neither she nor Tom is particularly enthusiastic about the endeavor, especially when Barbara is invited to speak to a crowd of libidinous, misfit teen boys. "Anniversary" is the memorable show that more or less ended the series with a crisis faced by Barbara and Tom, but "When I'm 65" is the official closer here. For good reason: the episode celebrates the enormous popularity of the series in Britain with a visit to the show's set by the queen. It's a little startling but unique to see. --Tom Keogh

Description

On Tom Good's fortieth birthday, he decides to escape the rat race for a life of self-sufficiency with his wife, Barbara. Soon they're plowing a field in their suburban yard and tending to a goat and pigs, much to the dismay of their upwardly mobile neighbors and friends the Leadbetters. In this final season, the hilarity continues, especially when the Goods take a holiday, leaving the Leadbetters in charge! This series, known as The Good Life in the UK, was so popular the queen requested a viewing, and the Royal Command Performance is featured here, including footage of Her Royal Highness meeting the cast.

Customer Reviews:

Good Neighbors Lives Up to Its Name.......2007-05-26

This BBC TV series from the 70's was a favorite back then and I'm thrilled it's available on DVD now. It's the type of show that's fun to watch over and over again because of the humorous writing and the wonderful acting by the four principle actors. Where can you find a sit-com these days that is funny without relying on vulgarity, violence, anti-marriage themes, etc? Good Neighbors explores the human condition, relationships, and life all in a good clean humorous package.

Best of the Britcoms.......2007-02-23

It is a delight to include these Series 4 shows in my DVD collection. The 45-minute Command Performance episode is presented just as it was on the BBC, documenting the Queen's arrival and a reception line with the cast members after the taping. Recommended for anyone who, like me, cannot watch enough of Penelope Keith's "Margo" or Felicity Kendal's knickers.

Good Neighbors - great Britcom.......2007-01-11

For people sick of the Hollywood bilge, these shows were ground-breaking in the '70's and still worth every minute of viewing today. We adore it! We watch them regularly - wishing they had never stopped production. These are nothing like some of the more "racey" British comedies such as Benny Hill or as "madcap" as Mr. Bean. They have made Anglophiles of us. Series 1 thru 3 are equally top-rate!

Great British Humor.......2007-01-10

Good Neighbors is a wonderful British comedy. If you enjoy "Are You Being Served", and "Keeping Up Appearances", you will find this series an excellent one for your collection.

What a great sitcom.........2006-12-21

Love all the characters in this series.. not a bad episode in the lot.

So glad to now have them on DVD, my VHS tapes are about to expire.

Only wish they had made a longer run with the series.

Average customer rating:

Good film, In Need of Enhancement
So funny
NOT YOUR COMMON GHIBLI MOVIE- 5 OUT OF 5
One of my favorites, give it a try!
This movie is spectacular

My Neighbors the Yamadas
Starring: Yukiji Asaoka , Toru Masuoka , Masako Araki , Naomi Uno , and Akiko Yano
Director: Isao Takahata
Manufacturer: Walt Disney Home Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B0009MAO3M
Release Date: 2005-08-16

Amazon.com

Although it's technically a feature film, Isao Takahata's My Neighbors the Yamadas (1999) plays like a series of comedy sketches or sitcom episodes. The Tokyo household of Takashi and Matsuko Yamada includes their son and daughter, Noboru and Nonoko, Matsuko's cranky mother Shige, and their lumpish dog. Stolidly middle-income and middle-class, the Yamadas have a family life that falls somewhere between Married... with Children and The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet. Affectionate but undemonstrative, they rarely face crises more challenging than a lost umbrella or what to have for dinner. But they manage to find (or create) drama within their humdrum existence: the struggle for the TV remote becomes a stylized battle that spoofs karate matches; when a girl calls Noboru, his mother and grandmother cling to him like remoras. Many of the Yamadas' adventures end with an elegant haiku. Does Basho's "How cruel, a grasshopper trapped under a warrior's helmet" really apply to Takashi Yamada? He thinks it does. Much of the film's charm comes from the loose, cartoony style that suggests pencil lines and watercolor washes. (Rated PG, Parental Guidance Suggested: Mild thematic elements) --Charles Solomon

Description

Walt Disney Home Entertainment Presents A Studio Ghibli Film. Join in the adventures of the quirky Yamada family -- from the hilarious to the touching -- brilliantly presented in a unique, visually striking comic strip style. Takashi Yamada and his wacky wife Matsuko, who has no talent for housework, navigate their way through the ups and downs of work, marriage, and family life with a sharp-tongued grandmother who lives with them, a teenage son who wishes he had cooler parents, and a pesty daughter whose loud voice is unusual for someone so small. Even the family dog has issues! Experience the little victories in life with MY NEIGHBORS THE YAMADAS -- featuring the voice talents of comedic stars Jim Belushi and Molly Shannon.~(c)1999 Hisaichi Ishii · Hatake Jimusho · GNHB (C)Buena Vista Home Entertainment, Inc.

Customer Reviews:

Good film, In Need of Enhancement.......2007-06-27

This is a sweet film made up of several vignettes that reflect on average family life. Though it takes place in Japan, it is relevant everywhere. You could picture your own family in their shoes performing the same daily tasks and expressing the same emotions. My Neighbors the Yamadas is a nice family-oriented film.

The visuals support the vignettes' dialogue. I enjoyed watching the wedding morph into the bobsled race and the ship in the first vignette. However, these visuals need stronger color-the picture tends to be very pale and a little difficult watch for a long period of time with out a dark room.

So funny.......2007-06-02

The voice acting in this english dub is so good!! That lady off "just shoot me" seems to do the voice of the mother, and she brings a very cute comical feel to the character. Especially when she's screaming (it's a funny soft scream)

Anyway the entire show itself is really good. It's so cute, and you laugh your head off because you can relate to it, the way family members typically interact. I think most everybody will enjoy this cartoon, it's got a very general appeal.

NOT YOUR COMMON GHIBLI MOVIE- 5 OUT OF 5.......2007-05-23

Studio Ghibli Movie Collection This film from Studio Ghibli ( Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away, Porco Rosso, Nausica, etc...) is directed by Isao Takahata who also directed Grave Of The Fireflies and others. In contrast to Grave Of The Fireflies Takahata offers us an often funny look into family life and does it fantastically. WARNING: the art is comic strip style and may not interest you. If you give this film a chance you will soon realize that the story and characters are so compelling that you forget that you are watching a cartoon altogether. Great animation, very funny and fun for the whole family. Another classic by Studio Ghibli.

One of my favorites, give it a try!.......2007-04-26

I love this movie! It's sweet and whimsical without being saccharine or cheesy. The episodic style and comic-book animations are different - in fact, this whole movie is different. Don't expect a Pom Poko or even a Spirited Away. This is much more casual, lighthearted and fun fare. It's easy to start at any point of the movie, and to stop and pick up later, but it's funny enough to remain entertained the whole way through. Though it may not be for some more traditional tastes, it's definitely worth a look, and for people who enjoy a taste of something different, it is a great reward.

This movie is spectacular.......2007-04-21

There are so many wonderful things about this movie...

First, the animation is beautiful. The animation varies from simple and watercolory (with little or no background), to detailed and complex (particularly in one scene were the family confronts a group of trouble making bikers). The opening sequence of the film is probably the most beautiful animated sequence I've ever seen. I don't want to give too much away, but this "ocean of life" sequence blows me away every time I watch the film.

The film doesn't have one story, really. It made up of little short scenes. While one long story never emerges, you do get glimpses into this family's life. After the film, you have a feeling that you know this family, largely because their experiences/personalities are so similar to your own. I think it's odd that some reviews say you have to understand Japanese culture to get this movie... Maybe everyone I know is weird, but this family seemed very close to most American families I know.

The short scenes range from more mundane stuff (kids complaining about dinner, mom and dad fighting over what channel to watch) to more serious (in one very cool scene, the father, plagued with feelings of inadequacy, fantasizes about being a super hero and saving his family). One scene that really touched/intrigued me is called "Regret." In this scene the mother is shown sitting in the kitchen, resting her head on the table, listening to Mahler. A neighbor, over hearing, comments that she didn't know the mom was into classical music. While the meaning of this scene is largely left to the viewer, to me in represents the things that a woman often gives up to become a wife and mother. Watching it, I can't help but wonder how many wives/mothers have given up something they love for their families. The seen is so simple and not remotely preachy. The old saying that a picture is worth a thousand words definitely applies to this movie. I could write 100s of pages about family life and experiences and probably not say anymore that what is contained in this 105 minute film.

I really just love this movie. It honestly depicts family life and doesn't shy away from the struggles, but the tone always remains hopeful.

Average customer rating:

With the friends like Mary, Barry, Terri, Cheri, Cary and Jerry
Quirky and weird, yet I can't stop watching
The Cast is simply great but it really doesnt have a point
Say what?
Dark, comical, and disturbing

Your Friends & Neighbors
Starring: Amy Brenneman , Aaron Eckhart , Catherine Keener , Nastassja Kinski , and Jason Patric
Director: Neil LaBute
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B0000AMU7A
Release Date: 2003-09-23

Amazon.com

In the age of ever-increasing crassness on screen (see the Farrelly brothers' comedies), there are some filmmakers who can make serious commentary instead of just throwaway gags. Neil LaBute's second feature is a corkscrew comedy of savage, bitter people who can't find happiness in many a thing, let alone sex. The film is not as tight or commanding as his first feature, the black-hearted In the Company of Men, but he gives six nameless characters six juicy parts with plenty to talk about. The emotional punch is devastating for those trying to find love and happiness on celluloid. One wife and husband (Amy Brenneman, Men's Aaron Eckhart) are nice people, living in a dream home, who can't connect sexually. Drama teacher Ben Stiller and live-in girlfriend Catherine Keener may just work out if, well, he didn't talk all the time. Stiller confesses his love for best friend Eckhart's wife; Keener starts an affair with artist assistant Nastassja Kinski. Then there's Jason Patric (who also produced) as a calculating, misogynistic doctor who has not had a peer on film or theater since David Mamet's Sexual Perversity in Chicago (which took a different film form as About Last Night...). Manipulative and forward, he's the white-hot core to LaBute's fire and has the monologue of the year to boot. LaBute's callous films aren't for everybody, but there is an art and clear-headedness to his work that most American independent filmmakers can't create on screen. Note: the six characters speak the only lines in the film, although through careful editing it never seems this way. --Doug Thomas

Customer Reviews:

With the friends like Mary, Barry, Terri, Cheri, Cary and Jerry.......2007-01-31

"Your Friends and Neighbors" (1998) is the second film by director/writer Neil LaBute and it tells the story of three couples and their complicated friendships and relationships. I've seen it more than once during the last couple of days - and I found it incredibly clever written, well acted (especially by Jason Patric and Catherine Keener - their only scene together was the second best in the movie - so dynamic and tight) and skillfully directed. LaBute certainly has a very unique sense of humor and he knows well the history of cinema. To give all characters the names that rhyme - Mary, Barry, Terri, Cheri, Cary and Jerry - was a clever idea - the characters are interchangeable in their relationships and it does not matter really, who is with whom - Mary with Barry or with Cary or Jerry or Barry with Barry, and Cheri with Terri or Jerry? The important thing is that they are selfish and often unpleasant and despicable people who are not happy with themselves and can't make happy their spouses or partners. Another interesting trick - the repeating scene in the Art gallery that starts with exactly the same words for each character but leads to different developments. I mentioned that LaBute knows his movies. Have you noticed the poster from Goddard's Le Mépris, (1963) aka "Contempt" with Brigitte Bardot? "Contempt" features one of the most fascinating and longest scenes of a breakup ever filmed. The breakup scene between Terri (Catherine Keener) and Jerry (Ben Stiller) started like in "Contempt" but it only lasted a few minutes and it was a good scene. Actually, I loved all scenes with Catherine Keener and if I have to choose one character that I liked, it would be Terry. Seems that Charlie Kaufman might have seen LaBute's movie because Terry and Maxine from "Being John Malkovich" have a lot in common. I was actually waiting for Terry to say to Jerry, "The thing is if you ever get me, you would not know what to do with me".

Jason Patric was a revelation - I don't know him very well but I remember that he gave a very good performance in "Narc". As for the scene in a steam room, it is not just the best of the film; it is one of the best scenes - monologues ever. I know not many would agree with me but the scene is as powerful, unforgettable and strangely erotic as the monologue in Bergman's "Persona". LaBute's writing, his camera, and mesmerizing performance by Patric made this scene an instant classic.

The film is not perfect and sometimes it drags but overall I found it interesting and enjoyable. You don't have to like the characters in order to like and appreciate the film. Sadly, the beautiful, sensual and talented Nastassja Kinski (Cherri) does not have much to play while Ben Stiller does and I am not his fan - even in this film.

LaBute's usage of "Metallica"s "Enter Sandman" (performed by Apocalyptica) during the opening and the closing credits instantly pulled me in and Bryony Atkinson's song "My Hollow" is terrific.

3.5/5 or 7/10

Quirky and weird, yet I can't stop watching.......2007-01-04

Yeah, what to really say about "Your Friends And Neighbors", kind of an all star cast, and definately not what to expect in a movie. I think it really portrays the weaknesses that all of us go through in day to day life. It's really just a matter of whether or not you give into these weaknesses. Throughly enjoyed it, and bought it so I could lend it to other people and show them that you don't have to blow up things on the big screen in order to be riveted!!!

The Cast is simply great but it really doesnt have a point.......2005-11-14

Your Friends & Neighbors stars Jason Patric (NARC, The Alamo), Nastassja Kinski (One Night Stand, Little Boy Blue), Ben Stiller (Envy, Duplex), Catherine Keener (The 40 Year Old Virgin, The Interpreter), Aaron Eckhart (Suspect Zero, In The Company of Men) and Amy Brenneman (Heat, Tv's Judging Amy) about two couples, one obssesed stud and a art gallery assistant. Stiller and Keener arent having the greatest marriage. During Sex, Keener doesnt like Stiller to yell things and say things. Eckhart and Brenneman are also having trouble and when they have sex, when Eckhart wants to talk to her, she cant say anything. So, Stiller then has an affair with Brenneman and Eckhart doesnt know about it until Stiller tells him. On the other line, Stiller's wife Keener is having a lesbian affair with Kinski, the art gallery assistant because she knows that Stiller is having his own affair. Last but not least, there's Patric, who is so obsessed with himself he even records himself saying sexual things in a voice recorder, he listens to it while he does crunches...hmm, ok. This is anchored by the cast, they do a damn good job but this has no point and being that the cast is good, it doesnt matter. The women look sexy and gorgeous and Patric is dead on target with his role. "Is this part of the gallery or another collection?"

Say what?.......2005-08-03

Im confused. Are we supposed to like anyone in this movie? Are we supposed to believe that these people hung together long enough to fall apart in the time frame of this movie? The only character I even remotley liked was Cary (Jason Patrick) because he was such a complete vilain. Never once did he deviate from exactly the person he portrays. He is utterly dispicable, and in the scene where he reveals his best sexual experience to his friends Berry and Jerry, any posibility of liking or relating to the character is hopefully destroyed. All that aside, Cary accomplishes one task in this movie, other than atracting our enmity. He confronts Jerry's girlfriend (Terry?), and completely destroys her in the span of a single nasty sentence. You see, from the beginning, we understand that's she's completely self absorbed, and doesn't care about anybody. Cary is excessive, but that's also in keeping with his character, so somehow he's absolved, right?

So this movie is supposed to be dark is it? Well, okay fine, but here's the problem with that approach. When you isolate the characters from the audience to such a degree, anything dark they do loses its impact because we can no longer relate to them anymore. All I wanted to see was bad things happen to everyone in this movie, without acception. That may sound dark on my part, but they started it.

This movie is basically about 2 a--holes, and 3 cowards. 2+3= why am I watching this? Is this really a slice of the American social experience? Because I don't know anybody like this. Maybe the people I can't stand being around live like this, but that doesn't mean I want to watch a movie about them either. Two stars are given because at least this movie engaged me on an emotional level, but if I want to watch a bunch of people I can't stand, I'll watch the news. Read that how you like. Sure this movie is dark, but there's nothing organic about it, so it ends up feeling contrived, and ultimately pointless.

Dark, comical, and disturbing.......2004-08-30

I liked this movie because it is original, and you get very absorbed in the characters. The acting is very good, the story ties together, and it holds your attention. Best of all, at least for those who appreciate dark humor, this is very comical. It is, in my personal opinion, a brilliant, well directed film.

Miyazaki 13 Pack (Castle in the Sky/Kiki's Delivery Service/Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind/Porco Rosso/Princess Mononoke/Spirited Away/Grave of the Fireflies/The Cat Returns/Howl's Moving Castle/My Neighbor Totoro/My Neighbors the Yamadas/Pom Poko/Whisper of the Heart) (1999)

Average customer rating:

Pricey, but worthwhile collection of Ghibli's works.

Miyazaki 13 Pack (Castle in the Sky/Kiki's Delivery Service/Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind/Porco Rosso/Princess Mononoke/Spirited Away/Grave of the Fireflies/The Cat Returns/Howl's Moving Castle/My Neighbor Totoro/My Neighbors the Yamadas/Pom Poko/Whisper of the Heart) (1999)
Director: Hayao Miyazaki , and Kirk Wise
Manufacturer: Walt Disney Home Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Anime & Manga | Genres | DVD | Video

Product Description

An instant library of 13 Hayao MIYAZAKI classics assembled on 24 DVDs. Studio Ghibli is a Japanese animation studio, led by one of animation's greatest creators, Hayao MIYAZAKI. The studio creates very high quality animated movies, which is rather unique, since most Japanese animation studios depend on TV series or OVAs. They consistently beat Disney movies in box office revenues in Japan and have received numerous awards. Miyazaki and Ghibli movies are well respected and loved by all Japanese people, children and adults alike. Now own the ultimate Studio Ghibli DVD collection in this hefty collector's pack.

Customer Reviews:

Pricey, but worthwhile collection of Ghibli's works........2007-05-28

The genius of Hayao Miyazaki and his works from Studio Ghibli have slowly been growing in popularity, due in no small part to a campaign courtesy of Disney, headed by Pixar guru John Lasseter. Starting with SPIRITED AWAY, the Mouse House has released most of Ghibli's masterpieces on DVD here in the United States.

Many other websites have gone into detail about Studio Ghibli and their works in general, so I won't recap them here. However, it should be mentioned that all these movies contain high-quality visual transfers (KIKI'S DELIVERY SERVICE and LAPUTA: CASTLE IN THE SKY show their age in places, but both still look pretty good overall), as well as the original Japanese soundtracks.

While purists insist that the native language track is the only way to see these movies, Disney has nonethless gone out of their way to commission absolutely stupendous dubs featuring actors such as Mark Hamill, Cloris Leachman, Phil Hartman, Minnie Driver, Patrick Stewart, Harold Gould, Uma Thurman, Suzanne Pleshette, Pat Carroll, and Billy Crystal. All give excellent performances; some of the choices are a little odd (James Van Der Beek, Michael Keaton, and probably, to a lesser extent, Billy Bob Thornton), but they're hardly blasphemous and don't detract from the overall experience.

While the adaptation scripts sometimes throw in more extra lines than necessary (KIKI and LAPUTA are most notable for this, although to be fair, they're not too much out of context with the original), for the most part they remain faithful in spirit (if not letter) to the screenplays of Miyazaki, Takahata, and company. And best of all, not even one second is omitted from these movies. Four things should be noted, though.

1. KIKI and CASTLE have extra pieces of music on the dubs--the former is mostly soft piano music courtesy of Paul Chihara, while the latter has a spectacular and arguably superior reorchestration of the full score (previously performed on synthesizers). The man responsible for the new music, interestingly, is the original composer Joe Hisaishi, under the approval of Miyazaki himself! There have been many debates over which interpretation of the soundtrack is superior, but personally I think both versions of the score for LAPUTA are beautiful and can be enjoyed independently.

2. GRAVE OF THE FIREFLIES is the only movie in this package not to be dubbed by Disney; produced by New York based Central Park Media, it's not on the same level as the other titles, but it's mostly well done.

3. The DVD of MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO, a much loved movie, is the newly repackaged Disney release with a high-quality widescreen transfer as well as a new dub featuring real-life sisters Dakota and Elle Fanning as Satsuki and Mei. There was a previous, well-liked dub of TOTORO produced by Streamline Pictures and released by FOX in 1993, but the DVD it is on is pan & scan. There has been a lot of pointless debating over which dub is superior; most of these criticims tend to stem from nostalgia rather than reason. I'd suggest ignoring the controversy and listen to both dubs for two different but no less enjoyable interpretations of a great story.

4. PRINCESS MONONOKE (distributed by Miramax) and MY NEIGHBORS THE YAMADAS are both one-disc sets. And, since MONONOKE was the first Ghibli DVD release, there are only two skimpy extras (although the transfer of the movie itself is impeccable).

There are a group of naysayers who have been overly critical of Disney's treatment of these films, claiming that the Mouse House is somehow sabotaging Ghibli's work. These accusations are senseless and untrue. While Disney has admittingly delayed these movies for way too long (they acquired the rights for them in 1996), the numerous criticisms over the DVDs and dubbing are often overdone and unnecessary. While the DVDs are sometimes simply designed, the films themselves are presented well. Likewise, there is little point in comparing the dubs to the original Japanese versions. While there might be some argument about getting a more authentic experience through the native language track on most of these movies (although films like KIKI, LAPUTA, and HOWL are actually easier to watch in English since they all set in European-based environments), when the dubs are as well done as this, it is arguably better to just watch both. Either one provides an enjoyable experience, although getting the most out of the dubs may depend on what you bring with you to them.

For Anime fans, the works of Ghibli are an essential addition, but fans of animation in general owe it to themselves to give them a spin. A word of caution, though: not all of these movies are for children--PRINCESS MONONOKE has some graphic images of violence; it's the sort of movie that grown-ups will enjoy, and that's not a bad thing in the least.

Good Neighbors - The Complete Final Season / Royal Command Performance

Average customer rating:

Quality Show but Film quality isn't the best
Great comedy from an impractical lifestyle
The Best!
Good Neighbors....good fun!
A poor transcription of an excellent comedy

Good Neighbors - The Complete Final Season / Royal Command Performance
Starring: Penelope Keith , and Paul Eddington
Manufacturer: Acorn Media
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Television | Genres | DVD | Video

Comedy | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

Television | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

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

Good Neighbors - The Complete Series 1-3
Good Neighbors - The Complete Series 4
Good Neighbors Vol. 2
Good Neigbors, Vol. 1
Good Neighbors 3

ASIN: B0000648WI
Release Date: 2002-05-07

Amazon.com

Here are the final seven episodes of the 1970s British comedy series, Good Neighbors (entitled The Good Life in England), a show that brilliantly captures the Zeitgeist of the '70s. The Goods, who quit the rat race for a life of subsistence farming, are next-door neighbors to the Ledbetters, some of the fastest rat-race runners around. At first, Margot and Jerry Ledbetter are horrified to see Tom and Barbara Good turn their tiny yard into a series of animal pens and vegetable gardens. But by the final episodes, the two couples have learned how to tolerate their differences and are the best of friends. There's an endless source of humor in this classic dichotomy of rich versus poor, snooty versus earthy. "Troglodytes!" the Ledbetters slam the Goods. "Gracious livers!" the Goods retaliate. There is also an abundant supply of silly scenes involving the Goods' suburban menagerie. The episode in which their chicken boards a passing bus goes delightfully over the edge. The British have always had a wonderful knack for poking fun at themselves, and this knack reaches a pinnacle in statuesque comedienne Penelope Keith's indelible creation of the character Margot Ledbetter. She's the quintessential status-obsessed snob, so preposterously genteel that she can wring three syllables out of the word "no." Keith's performance, especially, keeps Good Neighbors as fresh and funny as the day it was made. --Laura Mirsky

Customer Reviews:

Quality Show but Film quality isn't the best.......2006-06-24

I grew up watching these on PBS. This show was one of the first things my parents recorded on their VCR twenty-five years ago. Our family loves the comedy. Many lines, eg "Dear sir, thank you for your splendid empty box . . . ", have become part of our dialogue. I would recommend this series to anyone--just not this particular release. The film quality is not up to par with what you would see on TV. There has been a never release by the BBC which has much better quality. If you are looking to add this show to your collection, try the newer release.

Great comedy from an impractical lifestyle.......2005-10-07

I first saw "Good Neighbors" (1975-77) in the late 1970s on PBS, shortly after the show was completed. I was impressed with the wit and comic timing of the actors, and the subtle comedy which didn't hit you over the head to make a point. When they came on the market in VHS format, I decided to buy them in installments, and am very happy I did.

You likely know the story: Richard Briers plays Tom Good, a frustrated 40 year old draftsman who works for a plastics company. Good and his wife Barabara (Felicity Kendall) decide to "get back to basics" and thereby Tom quits his job, turns the yard into a huge garden, buys chickens and pigs for livestock and decides to become self sufficient, bartering for only what they need, etc. Not a practical life style for 1970s suburban London. Contrasting are their neighbors: Jerry and Margo Ledbetter, played by Paul Eddington and Penelope Keith. Mr. Ledbetter is an executive in the plastics company Tom Good used to work for; he crawls and grovels to the boss to keep his high paying job, which supports his expensive and well furnished home. Ledbetter is a slave to his work despite finanicial prosperity; Good doesn't answer to a boss or schedule, but faces obstacle after obstacle with his crops or livestock.

The chemistry and comic timing between all 4 principal actors is very fine, and the laughs are many and frequent. Despite the impractical plot - no one would get away with having livestock in a subdivision anywhere in the civilized world for long - this makes for wholesome entertainment. I haven't seen the DVD version for comparison, but the VHS tapes are very good quality: clear picture, great camera work.

The Best!.......2005-04-26

Whoops! I ment to enter this review on the full set "Good Neighbors - The Complete Series 1-3" which (hopefully) contains all episodes, not just the final year. Please read the following in that context...
This was a great and funny show! Other reviewers have already pointed out the things that made it so. I just want to add that I hope that the DVD includes all the episodes IN ORDER! The VHS tapes just threw various episodes together for no apparent reason. The episodes must be watched in order as the story and characters evolve as the show goes on. It even has a final episode of sorts (I don't want to give anything away). The only shows I found a little disappointing were the two 'extra episodes'. I believe one was a Christmas special and the other was a command performance of some sort. I felt that both were a little forced and not up to the quality of the regular season shows. The first time I saw Good Neighbors was when PBS aired it in the 1970s. At the time they were showing Good Neighbors and Faulty Towers back to back. A few years ago my (now adult) kids bought me the tapes of both because they still remembered how hard I laughed at those shows. Buy this DVD (and the Faulty Towers set) and you'll laugh too!

Good Neighbors....good fun!.......2004-02-06

Highly enjoyable British comedy made in the late 70's. The humor is engaging, and if you are a fan of such shows as "Are You Being Served?" no doubt you will enjoy this set. My main gripe is that why in the world did the BBC start DVD distribution with the final installments of the series? Paul Eddington is superb as is the rest of the cast. Enjoy!

A poor transcription of an excellent comedy.......2003-05-05

Acorn Media has done the fans of Good Neighbors (known in the UK as The Good Life) a disservice with their transcription of the final series onto two DVDs. Please bear in mind when reading this review that this is my favorite British comedy, ahead even of Monty Python's Flying Circus.

The quality of the pictures is no better than fair. I could tolerate that, because my set of off-the-air VHS tapes has been played so much that the images are almost Impressionist pastels. I was irritated that the bonus material is of such paucity as to be not worth your time; you can find out more about the show and its players from the Internet Moive Database than you can from the DVD. But even this is bearable.

What roused my anger was the fact that these brand new disks arrived in their original shrinkwrap but will not play properly. Of the eight episodes provided, only three would play without trouble. Of the remaining five, none would play normally; you get a portion of an episode, and then for unknown reasons the disk starts skipping as if you were fast-forwarding at 16 time normal speed. One episode would not play at all. And in the case of the bonus material, one part plays only in skip mode while the other won't play at all.

Description

A provocative, emotion-packed drama about race relations in an all-white suburban community, this play depicts the confrontaion between an upper-class white couple and a black couple from Harlem who plan to buy their expensive suburban home. In negotiating the sale, all four parties learn a little more about each other...and a lot about their own latent prejudices. A stellar cast - including Oscar-nominee and 2-time Emmy-winner Cicely Tyson (Sounder), 3-time Emmy-winner Jane Wyatt (Father Knows Best), Andrew Duggan (Rich Man, Poor Man), and Raymond St. Jacques (Roots) - delivers outstanding performances. By Arkady Leokum.

Customer Reviews:

Wild and crazy night!.......2006-05-11

Many may know the author, Arkady Leokum, as one who writes "Tel Me Why" childrens' books. As a playwright, Leukom has written the humorous short play "Enemies".

"Neighbors" is mostly one-on-one dialogue which doesn't entail any grand or lengthy monologues. The 70s performance is a television cast with veteran actor Andrew Duggan, Jane Wyatt (Father Knows Best), actress Cicely Tyson and Raymond St. Jacques (Roots). The scene takes place in the living room of a nice suburban New York home.

A well-to-do elderly white couple, Chuck and Mary, prepare for a visit to their home from prospective buyers, a young, also well-to-do, black couple, Bill and Vicky, from Harlem. Bill and Vicky's reason for buying into a "lily-white" neighborhood is for the schools, to buy their children an education. That's it!

Owners Chuck and Mary Robinson are stay-at-homes who thrive on community social involvement and indirectly, they lead the black couple to believe that involvement and responsibility to the community is the "thing" to do.

On the other hand, perspective buyer, Bill, a salesman, is a world traveler, and not home much, and he is confident with himself. Vicky is a Soul Sister who does for herself, has a maid, gets her nails and hair done, shops, and is strictly into being a w-o-m-a-n for her man. Bill and Vicky have absolutely no interest in community involvement.

The action begins after looking around the home and chatting about themselves. The sale is made and things get crazy when the black couple assumes that the white couple suggests "they behave like whites and get involved in the community"!

More hell breaks loose when the white couple tells them that they are simply moving down the block and will be neighbors! This short play is great! ....MzRizz

Neighbors [ NON-USA FORMAT, PAL, Reg.2 Import - Netherlands ]

Average customer rating:

DVD release please..with Bonus Features
Howdy!
Lesser films already released on DVD!
A dark, funny and wonderful film--put it on DVD now!
This should be on dvd already

Neighbors [ NON-USA FORMAT, PAL, Reg.2 Import - Netherlands ]
Director: John G. Avildsen
Manufacturer: H.O.M. Vision
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Continental Divide
Slap Shot (25th Anniversary Special Edition)
Pan's Labyrinth (New Line Two-Disc Platinum Series)
Ghost Rider (Two-Disc Extended Cut)
Mel Gibson's Apocalypto (Widescreen Edition)

ASIN: B000BRBW54

Product Description

Netherlands released, PAL/Region 2 DVD: it WILL NOT play on standard US DVD player. You need multi-region PAL/NTSC DVD player to view it in USA/Canada. Languages: o Arabic (subtitles) o Czech (subtitles) o Danish (subtitles) o Dutch (subtitles) o English (subtitles) o Finnish (subtitles) o Hindi (subtitles) o Hungarian (subtitles) o Italian (subtitles) o Norwegian (subtitles) o Polish (subtitles) o Portugese (subtitles) o Spanish (subtitles) o Swedish (subtitles) o Dutch (Mono) o English (Mono) o Italian (Mono) o Spanish (Mono) Synopsis: No one knows what evil lurks with the folks next door in this black comedy. Earl Keese (John Belushi) is a middle-aged suburbanite whose life is dull and uneventful, and that's just the way he likes it, though his wife Enid (Kathryn Walker) isn't quite so happy. Earl soon learns that a new couple has just moved into the house next door, loudly leisure-suited Vic (Dan Aykroyd) and sexy Ramona (Cathy Moriarty). Earl is at once thrilled and terrified when Ramona unexpectedly attempts to seduce him, and he is quite puzzled when Vic and Ramona stop by for dinner the following evening and Ramona angrily accuses Earl of trying to take advantage of her. After an argument, Vic offers to make peace by buying dinner from a take-out restaurant. When Earl spies Vic cooking the meal in his kitchen a few minutes later, he realizes that his new neighbors are playing some sort of game with him, though he's not sure what or why. Neighbors marked the third and final screen pairing of Saturday Night Live stars John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd; Belushi died of a drug overdose three months after the film's release. Special Features: o Interactive Menu o Scene Access o Trailer(s)

Customer Reviews:

DVD release please..with Bonus Features.......2007-03-20

I echo the others here who think this should have already been released on DVD. It is a masterpiece of black comedy.
The soundtrack is awesome, too (great trombone)
I own a degrading VHS copy that I found in a thrift store! Wish I could get a nice, restored DVD version with trailers, and whatever extras can be found(widescreen, interviews, behind-the-scenes,etc.)
Belushi and Akroyd flip-flopped their traditional comedic roles, with Belushi playing the straight man as Earl, to Akroyd's offbeat Vic character.
Very funny film, I highly recommend to fans of black comedy, and of course Belushi/Akroyd fans
This is surreal-suburbia at its finest!

Howdy!.......2006-08-21

Neighbors. When is this going to come out on DVD? With special features? It's the last of my favorite movies or CD's that hasn't been released. It's so odd since it's John Belushi's last movie.

Lesser films already released on DVD!.......2006-06-29

This movie should be released on a U.S. compatible DVD. Lesser, more obscure movies have already been released. There are plenty of Belushi/Acroyd, SNL and fans of good comedy films out there to make it worthwhile to release it. Not just for the movie itself, but I would love to see the trailer again. We went to see Heavy Metal two nights in a row to see the very funny trailer for Neighbors that played with it. Dan Ackroyd did his Rod Serling voice to clips from the movie. How about it?

A dark, funny and wonderful film--put it on DVD now!.......2006-06-04

I agree with the other reviews, this is a fantastic movie and should be on DVD. Weirdly enough you can buy in on Amazon UK in a non U.S. format. It's this movie more than any of his other films that makes me miss John Belushi so much. It's a work of pure genius. By the way, it's based on a novel by Thomas Berger which is still in print. Also, a good companion film to this is Tom Hanks' "The Burbs."

This should be on dvd already.......2006-05-18

I don't understand why this title is not out on dvd.
It is one of my favorite comedies.

DVD: