Lady & the Highwayman

Starring:Emma Samms, Oliver Reed, Claire Bloom, Christopher Cazenove, Lysette Anthony, Hugh Grant, Michael York, John Mills, Ian Bannen, Robert Morley, Bernard Miles, Gordon Jackson, Gareth Hunt, Steffanie Pitt, Floyd Bevan, Wayne Michaels, Lamya Derval, Forbes Collins, Liz Fraser, James Booth
Director: John Hough
Studio: Unicorn Video
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com
The Lady and the Highwayman, produced by Lew Grade as part of a series of Barbara Cartland dramatizations in 1987, contains all the ingredients that made her unique style of romantic fiction so successful. The highwayman in question, known as Silver Blade, is actually an aristocratic outlaw played by a youthful Hugh Grant in a bouffant mullet wig. The lady is Panthea (Lysette Anthony), delicate but firm of purpose, who knows her man when she sees him. It's Restoration England, so the frocks are fabulous. But Cartland's pretensions to historical accuracy evaporate when she makes Charles II's mistress, Barbara Castlemaine (Dynasty's Emma Samms), the villainess of the piece.

Amazon.com

It's still one of the sweetest kisses onscreen, up there with Bergman and Grant, Bogey and Bacall: the moment when pampered purebred Lady and streetwise mongrel Tramp, sharing a moonlit plate of spaghetti in an alley behind an Italian café, unknowingly slurp the same strand, and suddenly find their mouths meeting in surprise and tenderness. Ah, puppy love. Lady and the Tramp is a delight of animation and surprisingly deep character development, given that the stars are all dogs. Lady, an adorable Cocker Spaniel, feels neglected when her owners become distracted by the pending birth of a baby. But the last straw is clueless Aunt Sarah's appearance with her conniving Siamese cats (among Disney's most creatively evil villains), who wreak havoc on Lady's blissful home life. Soon Lady is off on an adventure in the streets, where the savvy Tramp takes her under his paw. The lessons of friendship and loyalty, of integrity--not to mention trusting in the kindness of strangers--ring true to delighted children and adults alike. And unlike many Disney films, there's no real violence, only challenges that smart dogs (including a tough-talking vamp named Peg, voiced sublimely by Peggy Lee, who also wrote the songs), banding together, can tackle. The animation is terrific; the scene where we first meet Tramp shows him rinsing off under a pipe, and his subsequent shaking-off of the water follows the detailed rippling up and down his back that any dog lover will recognize. And is there any song more romantic than "Bella Notte"? Bellissima! --A.T. Hurley

Description

Walt Disney's LADY AND THE TRAMP, filled with memorable music and purebred fun, now shines like never before with an all-new digital restoration! Embark on a thrilling adventure with the most unforgettable characters: Lady, a lovingly pampered cocker spaniel; Tramp, a mutt from across the tracks with a heart of gold; Jock and Trusty, Lady's best friends; and Si and Am, two of the most devious cats to prowl across the screen. The happiest of endings takes place on a lovely bella notte as Lady learns what it means to be footloose and leash-free. Unleash all the fun and excitement in this 2-Disc Special Edition, including never-before-seen deleted scenes, 5.1 Disney Enhanced Home Theater Mix, all-new games, making-of secrets, and much more!

Customer Reviews:

Lady and the Tramp.......2007-06-26

One of Disney's most endearing family classics, "Tramp" is a marvel of lively animation, bright voice acting, and sensational songwriting, courtesy of the inimitable Peggy Lee (who also voices the sinister twin kitties, Si and Am.) Watching a pampered female pooch fall for a declassé but charismatic male doggie is not only fun but enlightening about the magic of mutual attraction. And the famous spaghetti-slurping scene leading to a surprise first kiss is charming no matter how many times you view it. Highlights include the vamp-y "He's a Tramp" and "Siamese Cat Song."

It's Lady And The Tramp And We Love It!.......2007-06-25

LADY AND THE TRAMP is my favorite of all the Disney animated films. It has great memorable characters from the down on her luck show dog Peg (voiced by the fabulous Peggy Lee who also voices a couple of other characters) to Aunt Sarah's sly pair of Siamese cats. The music is also among the best from Disney with "Bella Noche", Quiet As a Snowflake" and especially "He's A Tramp" with the wonderful dog pound chorus as well as a couple of other memorable songs. The film touts the virtures of both pure bred dogs like the beautiful sweet Cocker Spaniel Lady and also the advantages of mixed breeds like her clever Heinz 57 mate Tramp. This movie is a must for dog lovers and can be enjoyed by all ages.

Memories.......2007-06-09

Just as I remembered it with my son (now 42)and enjoyed equally with my grandkids (3 & 5)

Lady and the Tramp.......2007-05-18

Lady and the Tramp was one of my favorite movies in childhood. Watching it again only supports my endeared feelings I have had for so many years. I am glad I was able to watch, go back and experience like I did when I was a child. This movie, I will always hold dear. The talent has transcended into this decade and has kept the meaning of romance and true love alive with the music and animation.

Sweet Disney classic.......2007-05-15

Gorgeous Disney classic film. An original, beautiful story in a new format that can't be missed. The extras make this a very special edition.

Average customer rating:

Way Over-Rated, and Often VERY Unpleasant!
Is the Creator Responsible for His Creation?
My Fair Lady
Does not work!
Rating of My Fair Lady

My Fair Lady
Starring: Audrey Hepburn , Rex Harrison , Stanley Holloway , Wilfrid Hyde-White , and Gladys Cooper
Director: George Cukor
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 630522577X
Release Date: 1998-12-08

Amazon.com essential video

Hollywood's legendary "woman's director," George Cukor (The Women, The Philadelphia Story), transformed Audrey Hepburn into street-urchin-turned-proper-lady Eliza Doolittle in this film version of the Lerner and Loewe musical. Based on George Bernard Shaw's play Pygmalion, My Fair Lady stars Rex Harrison as linguist Henry Higgins (Harrison also played the role, opposite Julie Andrews, on stage), who draws Eliza into a social experiment that works almost too well. The letterbox edition of this film on video certainly pays tribute to the pageantry of Cukor's set, but it also underscores a certain visual stiffness that can slow viewer enthusiasm just a tad. But it's really star wattage that keeps this film exciting, that and such great songs as "On the Street Where You Live" and "I Could Have Danced All Night." Actor Jeremy Brett, who gained a huge following later in life portraying Sherlock Holmes, is quite electric as Eliza's determined suitor. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

Way Over-Rated, and Often VERY Unpleasant!.......2007-06-29

Yes, it is a nice Cinderella story, and Audrey plays a fine role.There is an excellent message about the ingrained Brit Class System circa 1910..And there are some nice costumes, mainly women's hats, at the Horse race..Add to this a few memorable songs..So what is the problem with this ? Mainly, the near- nauseating character of Higgins, an old fashioned snob and misogynist of the ugliest type, who we have to watch sneer and scold for the better part of two hours! Not pretty! True, Pickering is a nice counterpoint, and really a decent old chap, but Higgins is the main character, and to watch and listen to this old goat goes well beyond a pleasant way to spend time! The song and dance numbers are hardly even third rate. Any comparison with a 1940's-50's MGM musical puts this one to shame! No dancing to speak of, and very low production quality..Then again, this was Warner, not known for musicals!..And there is a claustrophic sense here that says , "How can I get away from this miserable phonetics teacher?" It's near impossible..I can think of at least 30 musicals far and away above this, not just MGM, but Fred and Ginger, and so forth..In fact, 3-stars may be too kind for this one, since it is way below the hype!..Also, check out the 1930's PYGMALION with Wendy Hiller and Leslie Howard, and you can easily see how almost the entire movie (MY FAIR LADY) was completely taken from PYGMALION, including the sets and dialogue..About the only thing new is the songs, which are fun and amusing, but not really in the top tier of great musical tunes.

Is the Creator Responsible for His Creation?.......2007-06-12

I had not watched this marvelous movie for many years when I took the opportunity to watch it again. The movie is a little stiff in places, but that stiffness seemed, to me, to enhance the formality of English high society. Audrey Hepburn belies that stiffness with her free-spirited characterization of Eliza Doolittle. Eliza contrasts nicely with Henry Higgin's mother, played by veteran actor Gladys Cooper ("The Happiest Millionaire," "The Song of Bernadette," and "The List of Adrian Messenger"). Mrs. Higgins is quite proper and perfect in every situation. Henry, played by the incomparable Sir Rex Harrison, is disdainful and aloof. Henry believes he is the remote scientific observer who can categorize and stereotype everyone, and is not affected by his surroundings.

A problem arises when Henry Higgins bets Colonel Pickering (Wilfrid Hyde-White, "Ten Little Indians" (1965) and "In Search of the Castaways") that he could take anyone, such as Eliza Doolittle, and turn them into something like a lady's maid or a shop girl. Colonel Pickering takes Henry up on his bet, volunteering to finance the experiment.

Looking at the next part of this movie with five decades of life, I quickly saw the problem that Henry was getting into. Henry was taking a human life adjusted to a certain set of surroundings, modifying that life so that it no longer fit in, and was then prepared to cast that life adrift once he proved his point. Henry failed to see that he did anything wrong, and therein lies the irony and pathos of this movie. The question a first-time watcher asks is whether Henry will be able to grow up at last and realize that people require compassion and empathy and are more than science experiments.

In addition to a marvelous story, this movie boasts wonderful music and excellent sets. Though some of Audrey Hepburn's singing survived, Marni Nixon sang most of the music attributed to Hepburn. Nixon's singing was phenomenal and her singing voice is close enough to Hepburn's that it sounds as though Hepburn could be singing.

Other singing numbers contained extensive choreography on expansive sets. Two complexly choreographed songs that come to mind are "Get Me to the Church on Time" and the "Ascot Gavotte."

This movie featured an array of sets depicting street scenes and interior scenes. Though the street scenes were excellent, my favorite set in the movie has always been Henry Higgin's incredible library. I would love to have his library in my house, though duplicating that library would be incredibly expensive.

This movie won 20 awards, which includes eight Oscars. Rex Harrison won the Best Actor Oscar and the movie won the Best Picture Oscar, both highly coveted awards. Harrison won many other awards for this film, and "My Fair Lady" became the most awarded movie of 1965.

Of course, awards do not necessarily mean a film is either good or great. However, Rex Harrison, Audrey Hepburn and Wilfrid Hyde-White have such incredible acting skills and such screen presence that they make this film a joy to watch. I was spell-bound as I watched Audrey Hepburn become Eliza Doolittle and capture the hearts of everyone in the movie. Rex Harrison was incredible as Henry Higgins. This movie was either Harrison's best, or one of his best.

The story is also captivating. Henry Higgins experiments with the life of a human being. What Henry Higgins failed to realize is that once he became involved with his subject, he lost his objectivity and learned compassion. Love can come from compassion. The only thing that surprised me in this viewing of the movie is that I previously had not realized how early in the movie that Eliza Doolittle had come to love Henry Higgins.

"My Fair Lady" is one of the best musicals of all time. The combination of story, acting, singing and sets is amazing. Fans of musicals and love stories will enjoy this movie, even on multiple viewings.

Enjoy!

My Fair Lady.......2007-05-12

I personally like classic movies compared to some of the movies out there now.

Does not work!.......2007-04-11

The DVD does not work in Ireland so it is absolutely useless!! I should have been made aware of this when I was purchasing the product. I would like to be refunded in full for the three DVDs I have purchased: My Fair Lady, Paris when it Sizzles and Breakfast at Tiffanys (purchased at the same time)
Also the packaging costs were not displayed until i had entered my credit card number and were much too expensive.
Overall i am extremely disappointed with my experience and I expect to be compensated for this.

Rating of My Fair Lady.......2007-04-10

This is one of the best musicals ever done. The DVD was excellent quality.

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

Average customer rating:

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

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

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Can-Can
On the Riviera

ASIN: B000OCY7V2
Release Date: 2007-06-19

Amazon.com

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

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

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

Description

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

Customer Reviews:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Lucille Ball Film Collection" includes:

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

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

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

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

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

Highly recommended!!!

Average customer rating:

Savannah
one of the best movies of all time
southern hospitality
Very good product
Lady Chablis Steals the Show

Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil
Starring: John Cusack , Kevin Spacey , Jack Thompson , Irma P. Hall , and Jude Law
Director: Clint Eastwood
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
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Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil
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L.A. Confidential
The Big Easy
The Talented Mr. Ripley

ASIN: 0790734702
Release Date: 1998-07-01

Amazon.com

Readers of John Berendt's bestselling novel were bound to be at least somewhat disappointed by this big-screen adaptation, but despite mixed reaction from critics and audiences, there's still plenty to admire about director Clint Eastwood's take on the material. Readers will surely miss the rich atmosphere and societal detail that Berendt brought to his "Savannah story," and the movie can only scratch the surface of Georgian history, tradition, and wealthy decadence underlying Berendt's fact-based murder mystery. Still, Eastwood maintains an assured focus on the wonderful eccentrics of Savannah, most notably a gay Savannah antiques dealer (superbly played by Kevin Spacey), who may or may not have killed his friend and alleged lover (Jude Law). John Cusack plays the Town & Country journalist who arrives in Savannah to find much more than he bargained for--including the city's legendary drag queen Lady Chablis (playing "herself")--and John Lee Hancock's smoothly adapted screenplay succeeds in bringing Berendt's characters vividly to life with plenty of flavorful dialogue. In similar fashion to Warner's acclaimed DVD of L.A. Confidential, this classy DVD includes a behind-the-scenes documentary titled The Real People in the Garden and an interactive map tour of Savannah and its most celebrated (or notorious) citizens. The original theatrical trailer is also included. --Jeff Shannon

Description

Academy award-winning director clint eastwood helms this story based on john berendt's best-selling book examining contemporary events and unique characters in picturesque savannah, georgia, following a shocking murder. alternately suspenseful, satirical

Customer Reviews:

Savannah.......2007-06-27

Love this movie, slow but deep. Love visiting Savannah right after watching! Purchased, shipped, received fast!

one of the best movies of all time.......2007-05-13

The book is just as quirky as Savannah or is the Savannah as quirky as the book...an all time favorite that should be on every one's shelf...you never know when you might new it !!

southern hospitality.......2007-03-09

The star of this movie is: John Cusack. Kevin Spacey. The Lady Chablis. Minerva, the juju woman. Savannah. Uga.

Okay, Uga can only be a supporting star; #1.,his part is small - important, but limited, and #2., he's a dog.

But everybody in this quirky, involving, dramatized true story is a star without a doubt, including a few folks you will recognize from other movie roles but not be able to put a name to. This is the sort of movie that attaches itself to followers of "Northern Exposure" and other vehicles for personal expression and individuality. The setting itself is spectacular; Savannah, Georgia, a town I could place on a map but until this didn't know much about, is suddenly at the top of my list of places to see before the end. There is undeniable Southern charm, the cliqueishness of a community dedicated to keeping outsiders in the dark, an indefinable spookiness aided by Spanish moss hanging from the trees and lush green gardens and dark corners everywhere; mystery permeates every frame of this film, augmented by a waggish I'm-Southern-and-you're-not attitude presented by almost everybody without rancor or arrogance. These are people comfortable in their own skins and they don't care if the visitor is particularly at ease or not.

John Kelso (John Cusack), a writer for Town & Country Magazine, gleans the peach assignment of covering the annual and much-desired Christmas party hosted by Savannahian Jim Williams, an entrepreneur restorer of old mansions and art works who resides in the gorgeous former home of songwriter Johnny Mercer. The house itself is a character in the movie; classy, elegant, well-appointed, it is the architectural equivalent of its human conservator, Jim Williams, who oversees every aspect of his place in Savannah society with panache. Genteel is a word that applies to all but one of the principals here, and that principal makes his raucous and vulgar debut fairly early in the Christmas party. During John Kelso's tour of this beautiful home, as he is being shown around by Jim Williams, a loud, ill-dressed young man strides threateningly into the room yelling at Jim, and we are introduced to Billy Hanson (Jude Law), who is miffed that he wasn't included in the party. It's obvious from the start that there is more to this meeting than is immediately apparent, and you can watch the wheels turning in John Kelso's mind as he attempts to work it out. After the vulgar young man stomps out, an unruffled Jim Williams explains with perfect Southern charm, "Uh, that was Billy Hanson, works part time in the shop - and can, at times, be a very colourful character."

Later on, John Kelso is awakened in his carriage-house quarters by a deal of noise and confusion, and wanders out into a surreal scandal which becomes his full induction into Savannah and all its many colours: wall-to-wall police at the Mercer home, all of Savannah milling about outside in the dark, and a dead Billy Hanson in the front room, an obviously traumatised Jim Williams giving an emotional account of Billy's demise in another room to the police detective. John Kelso is allowed to wander through the crime scene unchallenged for a few minutes until he himself realizes what he is doing and vacates.

The movie swings into overdrive now in its parade of colourful characters. John Kelso, abandoning his Christmas party coverage in favour of instead writing a book about what he sees to be a sensational story, embarks upon an examination of everyone involved. The movie is clearly stolen by the Lady Chablis, a local showgirl and friend of many of the principals, who knows a little too much about everybody and who is, moreover, played to perfection by the actual Lady Chablis (I can't imagine anyone else in this role). Others in this group of individuals includes the actual defense attorney in the subsequent trial (in the movie he plays the judge); an old juju woman who communes with the dead; a juror in the trial who wanders through Savannah with a flock of horseflies attached to his person via threads superglued to the flies; an entertaining duo who run a club (the woman singer is played extremely well by Clint Eastwood's daughter Alison); and various other small parts that make up a cohesive whole of a truly unique and charming community.

The fact that this true story was portrayed by many of the people who were actually involved is a great stroke of luck; they bring a light to the story that would fall a little flat otherwise. (The Lady Chablis is her own story, and it is impossible to look away when she is onscreen.) Kevin Spacey is unsurpassed in his portrayal (he even bears a remarkable resemblance to the real Jim Williams) and his wonderful Southern diction is worth listening to no matter what he is saying. John Cusack's wide-eyed-New-York-writer is well-played also. The only role i thought a bit stilted was Jude Law's Billy Hanson, which was jarring (perhaps on purpose) and seemed strained.

The extras section, which includes a tour of the noted locations in Savannah, is as interesting as the movie itself, and as said previously, makes me eager to visit this beautiful city.

Very good product.......2007-02-14

The DVD is of very good quality. The jacket is in very good shape, also.

There were no scratches on the DVD and no smeared scenes, either.

I am pleased with the product.

Lady Chablis Steals the Show.......2007-01-23

John Kelso, a New York writer (John Cusack) is commissioned by Town & Country magazine to write a 500 word article about Jim Williams, a Savannah, GA socialite antique dealer (Kevin Spacey).

A few days and a few parties later, the talented writer begins to think there is more than a short article in this little southern town. Perhaps a successful book. After Billy Hanson, the local hustler, played by a very young looking Jude Law, is murdered Kelso knows there is. As he begins to research his main character, Jim Williams, he learns the true character of his subject and the people he has called his friends. It's amazing what happens to southern hospitality when someone's sexuality is brought to the forefront of a murder trial.

This was such a great movie. Filled with colourful southern characters, lead by the fantastic Spacey. Not surprisingly Cusack's character moves the story along but my absolute favourite was the sweet Lady Chablis (Chablis Deveau) a.k.a. Frank, a lounge singer with attitude, a hidden package and a keen sense of wit. She really steals the show.

Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil is loosely based on the successful novel of the same name by John Berendt and is directed by Clint Eastwood. It has the feel of the Usual Suspects, probably because of Spacey. Definitely worth watching. Reviewed by M. E. Wood

Average customer rating:

For any John Wayne Fan out there
GREAT !!!!!
Rooster Cogburn
Rooster Cogburn
Rooster cogburn movie-john wayne..

Rooster Cogburn (...and the Lady)
Starring: John Wayne , Katharine Hepburn , Anthony Zerbe , Richard Jordan , and John McIntire
Director: Stuart Millar
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 078322592X
Release Date: 1998-03-31

Customer Reviews:

For any John Wayne Fan out there.......2007-05-06

I have been a Duke fan for a long time and Rooster Cogburn (... and the lady) is one of my favorites. This amazing DVD gives vivid beautiful color and enhanced sound that makes you feel like your there hunting "Hawk" with the one eyed brute himself "Rooster J. Cogburn, U.S. Marshal" I recommend this movie for any John Wayne fan or any western fan cause they just don't make movies like this anymore.

GREAT !!!!!.......2007-01-03

GREAT! JOHN WAYNE AND KATHERINE HEPBURN HAVE GREAT CHEMISTRY. VERY ENJOYABLE SHOW !!

Rooster Cogburn.......2006-11-12

wonderful partnership of talent in this updated version of African Queen.
love the verbal jabs and duels. They do it so well!
definitely a keeper!

Rooster Cogburn.......2006-11-09

This is a funny and touching movie with spectacular scenery. Katherine Hepburn is at her best as an independent single woman living in the old west who encounters John Wayne's character, Rooster. Together they make their way with a dangerous cargo through many obstacles. John Wayne is even better in this movie than he was in his academy award winning roll in True Grit. Sit back and enjoy this movie because it's well worth 2 hours of your time.

Rooster cogburn movie-john wayne.........2006-08-23

I didn't like this movie so much,I felt I lost interest in it.somewhere in the story line.Katherine Hepburns acting was good.I felt I got bored as they were tracking the bad guys.It dragged out to long.No excitement.

Average customer rating:

Movie showcased Diana Ross's talents
Oscar deserved
Lady Sings the Blues
top notch
Diana Ross in Academy Award-nominated performance.

Lady Sings the Blues
Starring: Diana Ross , Billy Dee Williams , Richard Pryor , James T. Callahan , and Paul Hampton
Director: Sidney J. Furie
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B000B5XOT8
Release Date: 2005-11-08

Amazon.com

Diana Ross stars as legendary blues singer Billie Holiday in this biopic that chronicles her rise and fall. It begins with her late childhood, a stint as a prostitute, those early days as a blues singer, her marriages, and her drug addiction. Overly glossy and lacking depth, this is worth seeing only for the performances. Diana Ross was nominated for an Oscar for her acting debut. A dynamo with sparkling screen presence, she realistically conveys the confusion and unhappiness that caused Holiday so much grief. Her performance is almost matched by romantic interest Billy Dee Williams. Watch for Richard Pryor, who is most powerful in a dramatic supporting role as the piano player in a brothel. --Rochelle O'Gorman

Description

The essence of Billie Holiday, one of America's most loved and memorable blues singers, is captured brilliantly in a tour-de-force debut performance by singer Diana Ross. Filled with the greatest songs of the incomparable "Lady Day," this stunning film biography received five Academy Award. nominations, including Diana Ross for "Best Actress." Costarring Billy Dee Williams and Richard Pryor.

Customer Reviews:

Movie showcased Diana Ross's talents.......2007-07-03

Lady Sings the Blues showcased Diana Ross's talents as an actress, and also her range of singing abilities. I'm glad that it is now out on DVD. Miss Ross along with Billy Dee Williams, and Richard Pryor did a superb job in this movie.
This movie also garned more interest in learning about the life of the late Miss Billie Holiday.

Oscar deserved.......2007-05-13

I saw Cabaret, which won the Oscar for the same year of Lady Sings The Blues and of course, lots of people would argue the issue, but Liza's performance as good as it was, could not compare to Diana Ross in this film, a portrait of the wonderful Billie Holiday. For her first screen acting job, this could not have been any stronger, and I think that the academy made a mistake. As fans this is a must for your collection, great performance as mentioned, great music. Very well produced and directed.

Lady Sings the Blues.......2007-04-11

This is a fantastic movie, Diana Ross shines, as does Billie Dee Williams.

Love the music, a tribute to "Lady Day"

top notch.......2007-04-06

This is one of my favorite movies. I just hate the fact that she couldn't shake the addiction. The music is excellent. I have the soundtrack also.

Diana Ross in Academy Award-nominated performance........2007-04-04

Awesome Oscar-nominated performance by Diana Ross, who clearly deserved to win. She didn't.
DVD extras include deleted scenes and the featurette "Behind The Blues" about the making of the movie, with its uplifting, recent interview with Ross, who looks remarkably stunning. Suzanne dePasse also offers her memories of the making of the movie. The commentary track on the dvd by director Sidney J. Furie and Berry Gordy is informative and entertaining.
This DVD is extremely reasonably priced, so I won't complain too much about there being no booklet or insert when you open the DVD, it's just a blank space. But at the absolute bargain price, with the bonus footage of deleted scenes, making-of featurette, and commentary, this DVD is a must-have.
While the movie belongs to Diana Ross as Billie Holiday; Richard Pryor is very good, and Billy Dee Williams and Diana Ross have real chemistry in their scenes together.
A comment by Williams in the featurette in which he remarks that when he saw himself on screen in 'Lady Sings The Blues' that HE himself fell in love, is amusing, not to mention revealing. It's probably the first time an actor has ever 'outed' himself by jokingly confessing a gay crush- on himself!
The movie runs 143 minutes and is a stunning reminder of the great talent within Diana Ross- you can't, and won't want to, take your eyes off of her in this movie.

Average customer rating:

I Liked It....
Why... you're not a wizard at all !!
Depends On How Far You Let Your Imagination Go
The sound was horrible......
i wish i could

Lady in the Water (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Sarita Choudhury , Tovah Feldshuh , Paul Giamatti , Jared Harris , and Mary Beth Hurt
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000JLTR8Q
Release Date: 2006-12-19

Amazon.com

Or, if you prefer, I See Wet People. M. Night Shyamalan's attempt at a newfangled mythology--about a depressed apartment superintendent (Paul Giamatti) who discovers a sea-nymph (Bryce Dallas Howard) who may hold the key to humanity's hopeful future--is intriguing enough to capture the imaginations of children and adults who haven't lost sight of their innocent sense of wonder. Cynics, on the other hand, will likely scoff at Shyamalan's awkward fantasy, which includes one victim--a film critic--widely interpreted as Shyamalan's revenge against reviewers who panned The Village. Shyamalan originally improvised this melancholy fantasy as a bedtime story for his children; unfortunately, it still feels mostly half-baked and ultimately ineffective due to a number of plot holes and inconsistencies that a writer as talented as Shyamalan should've been able to avoid. For those wishing to learn more about the film's troubled history, and Shyamalan's petulant split from Disney studios, The Man Who Heard Voices: Or, How M. Night Shyamalan Risked His Career on a Fairy Tale is an interesting read. --Jeff Shannon

Description

Apartment building superintendent Cleveland Heep (Giamatti) rescues what he thinks is a young woman from the pool he maintains. When he discovers that she is actually a character from a bedtime story who is trying to make the journey back to her home, he works with his tenants to protect his new friend from the creatures that are determined to keep her in our world.

Customer Reviews:

I Liked It...........2007-07-06

It's not fair to compare every new M. Night Shyamalan movie to his magnum opus The Sixth Sense. I kept that in mind, sat back and gave this one a chance, and I thought it had charm. I liked the feel to it, the colorful cast, and the way it leaped right into its tale without wasting time in explaining how this reality-shattering event came to be: in Shyamalan's hands it simply WAS. I don't regret buying this DVD and think if it's taken for its own merits, Lady in the Water is enjoyable.

Why... you're not a wizard at all !!.......2007-06-28

This is the second clunker in a row from this formerly great director who seems to be drowning under the weight of his reputation.

Everyone loved "The Sixth Sense." I also loved "Signs" and even the slow paced "Unbreakable." But "The Village" however, left me cold.

This movie was an attempt at a modern fairy tale but it fails miserably. There is no sense of wonder and you get that feeling from the major characters themselves. It is dry, flat and, at times, derivative. The title of my review is an example of that and it will be familiar to those who have actually watched the film and recognize the scene which borrows from many fantasies at once. Perhaps this was his intention. If so, he did not pull it off in a way which makes us smile. Just groan.

The ending, which I suppose was meant to be inspirational, was just plain silly. Too convoluted. Fairy tales are not supposed to be like that.

Depends On How Far You Let Your Imagination Go.......2007-06-27

I have seen every M. Night Shyamalan movie and like most people I have also had my share of problems with them as well. No matter what you think of him or his films he will no doubt always give an interesting story and he does so with Lady in the Water. Like one of the characters say in this film "the world no longer has any originality" I definitely agree. With Lady in the Water you get complete originality with a weird array of characters. Paul Giamatti (Cleveland Heep) plays a building manager of an apartment complex that unexpectedly becomes part of a living fairytale.

Only thing is you truly don't know if there will be a happy ending or not. While patrolling the swimming pool on a late night Cleveland slips on the wet cement and falls into the pool. He wakes up on his couch to a pale woman with red hair (Bryce Dallas Howard) sitting across from him. She tells him her name is story and that she is scared so he lets her stay for a while. After a bit he carries the sleeping story outside so she can return home but Cleveland is chased back into his home by a wolf like creature. Story won't tell Cleveland too much as she doesn't truly know everything herself. Cleveland finds out from one of the tenants a story that sounds similar to what's been happening around him. He realizes that Story is just trying to go home and that the creature does not want her to go and will kill her before she can get the chance.

Unlike the trailer for "The Village" what you see in the trailer for "Lady in the Water" is what you get in the film. No real big plot twist, Shyamalan left the movie the way it was without the crazy twist. He even has a bigger role in this film and it was a lot better than his past appearances that he's known for. The story itself is what you'll truly appreciate this movie for. Shyamalan put everything together so well that you start to forget that it's totally unreal for these events to happen. It's a type of story that has been done plenty of times in films like "Kate and Leopold" or even for kids something like "A Kid in King Arthur's Court". "Lady in the Water" is done in such a serious manner that you can't really compare it to those other films. The film gets more exciting and interesting as it goes on and more characters start to participate.

The apartment complex gave Shyamalan a plethora of characters to work with and he added them very well. Somehow he gave each of them a purpose in the movie and it didn't feel overcrowded in any way. This movie was done with great style that makes it very entertaining. The score and pacing were done in a way that made it feel serene but still got you into the film enough to keep watching. The cinematography is very well done, perfect colors to make the feeling of it complete. This is a movie I would definitely recommend to some but not all as not everyone will be able to let their imaginations go to truly enjoy it.

The sound was horrible.............2007-06-27

I guess this one was for theater viewing only. I had to blast the sound because the character Story always has to whisper. Other background sounds and music were blasting because the volume was so high. I have no idea why this was done. M. Night Shyamalan was good in the movie. I was surprised by him but Noah Gray-Cabey was the best actor by far. June Kyoto Lu is pretty good too.

i wish i could .......2007-06-25

get my money and my time back---

all was wasted on this horrible movie!!!

i think he needs to go back to having only CAMEO'S of himself in the movies he makes -- can you imagine, he would have destroyed the village, and the sixth sence if he decided to take on a major role!!

Average customer rating:

Way Over-Rated, and Often VERY Unpleasant!
Is the Creator Responsible for His Creation?
My Fair Lady
Does not work!
Rating of My Fair Lady

My Fair Lady (Two-Disc Special Edition)
Starring: Audrey Hepburn , Rex Harrison , Stanley Holloway , Wilfrid Hyde-White , and Gladys Cooper
Director: George Cukor , and Suzie Galler
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00011D1OA
Release Date: 2004-02-03

Amazon.com essential video

Customer Reviews:

Way Over-Rated, and Often VERY Unpleasant!.......2007-06-29

Is the Creator Responsible for His Creation?.......2007-06-12

My Fair Lady.......2007-05-12

I personally like classic movies compared to some of the movies out there now.

Does not work!.......2007-04-11

Rating of My Fair Lady.......2007-04-10

This is one of the best musicals ever done. The DVD was excellent quality.

Average customer rating:

a great team
Tess has the power!
Guarding Tess is a joy!
SHIRLEY & NICHOLAS
Unexpectedly satisfying

Guarding Tess
Starring: Edward Albert , Susan Blommaert , Nicolas Cage , Stephen S. Chen , and Mark Conway
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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The American President

ASIN: 076780676X
Release Date: 1998-04-15

Amazon.com

Nicolas Cage stars in this drama-comedy about a Secret Service agent unable to get out of his assignment watching over an exasperating former first lady (Shirley MacLaine). The two get along like oil and water, but when MacLaine's bored widow ends up kidnapped, Cage's agent becomes a determined avenger. While the pairing of these two actors in a movie isn't something most audiences would ever have considered, that's what makes it so much fun. Cage and MacLaine are brilliantly focused in their respective parts, and filmmaker Hugh Wilson brings an unusually solid and urgent feeling to a story that might have become a dismissible light comedy in another director's hands. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

a great team.......2007-06-28

I became a Nicholas Cage fan after "City of Angels" In this movie ,he shows he can be sensitive as well as funny.The pairing of Nicholas Cage and Shirley MacLaine is brilliant.The chemistry between these two actors is wonderful and belivable as the relationship between them goes from tolerance to friendship and love

Tess has the power!.......2007-06-28

I hadn't heard of Guarding Tess until i found it in my parents movie collection. I was maybe eleven at the time and only picked it out because it had my nickname, Tess, in the title. Since then i have become a N. Cage lover. So i brought the movie because i forgot what it was about.(i just remember i liked it). The only reason why i say this is because by reading the other reviews, it hasnt been teens buying this movie which is a shame. You could really feel Cages emotions through the screen and Cages and Maclaine has a relationship that was pleasant to watch since you don't really see that kind of loyality anymore. And how couldn't you love the ridiculously bossy widow who everyone is afraid to say no too. Which is always a great element of a good comedy.

Guarding Tess is a joy!.......2007-01-03

Never got tired watching it over and over and over again, same as Dave of similar genre!!!

SHIRLEY & NICHOLAS.......2007-01-03

TWO OF OUR FAVORITE ACTORS ARE SHIRLEY MACLAINE AND NICHOLAS CAGE. THIS TWOSOME HAS PAIRED IN A FUNNY AND HEART TOUCHING MOVIE CALLED GUARDING TESS. WHAT A GREAT MOVIE. OUR WISH IS THAT THESE TWO GREAT ACTORS WILL PAIR IN MORE MOVIES THAT WILL KEEP US ENTERTAINED AS ONLY THEY CAN.

Unexpectedly satisfying.......2006-12-16

Doug Chesnick, played by Nicolas Cage, is the secret service agent assigned to protect President Carlisle's widow Tess, played by Shirley MacLaine. He chafes at the unimportance of his assignment but he especially would like to get away from her! She's difficult, rude, arbitrary, and won't let them do their jobs effectively. But when his current assignment is over and he gladly returns to Washington, he is told he has to go back. Tess called the president and wants him to stay. It is an almost constant battle of wills between them, with Tess usually winning.

A key scene is of her wheeler-dealer businessman son (Edward Albert)coming to ask her to endorse a high-end golf club/housing development. He simply came there to use her. It is there in her face that she knows this, as she turns him down. Later, she is viewing video of television coverage of her husband's funeral, during which her son appears to be feeling nothing, while Doug's composure breaks. Brief, and covered quickly, but there's no doubt how he felt. Nicolas Cage is certainly a very good actor. We understand that Tess wants Doug close to her because he loved her husband and is the son she wished she had. Also, no one knows that she has an inoperable brain tumor and does not have long to live.

Suffice it to say that her affection for him is justified when she is kidnapped. To Doug's great professional humiliation, top agents descend from Washington and take control; but Doug, unlike anyone else in the agency, realizes almost at once who is responsible and stops at nothing to extract the information he needs to save Tess's life.

In the hands of two less-edgy actors it would probably be completely forgettable; but it works. Highly recommended.

Essential Classics - Musicals (My Fair Lady / Singin' in the Rain / Gigi)

Average customer rating:

Essential Classics - Musicals (My Fair Lady / Singin' in the Rain / Gigi)
Starring: Essential Classic Musicals
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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