The Stoker (1932) DVD [Remastered Edition]

Starring:Monte Blue
Studio: Tapeworm
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com

With dizzying cinematic tricks and astonishing performances, Francis Coppola's 1992 version of the oft-filmed Dracula story is one of the most exuberant, extravagant films of the 1990s. Gary Oldman and Winona Ryder, as the Count and Mina Murray, are quite a pair of star-crossed lovers. She's betrothed to another man; he can't kick the habit of feeding off the living. Anthony Hopkins plays Van Helsing, the vampire slayer, with tongue firmly in cheek. Tom Waits is great fun as Renfield, the hapless slave of Dracula who craves the blood of insects and cats. Sadie Frost is a sexy Lucy Westenra. And poor Keanu Reeves, as Jonathan Harker, has the misfortune to be seduced by Dracula's three half-naked wives. There's a little bit of everything in this version of Dracula: gore, high-speed horseback chases, passion, and longing.

Customer Reviews:

Lush and decadent!.......2007-06-02

Purists might hate this version of Dracula for the liberties it takes but I loved it. Gary Oldman's performance as Dracula was simply amazing...he brings romance to the role, a dark knight who is depicted more as a victim of fate than a true evil creature, and his love for Mina [whom he feels is the reincarnation of his long-dead wife] is altogether real and credible. Anthony Hopkins brings a certain level of zealousness to the role of Van Helsing, but I can't say Iwas very impressed by Keanu Reeves and Winona Ryder's performances. Firstly there was no chemistry between them though they were supposed to be engaged, and similarly Winona's Mina seemed like a cold fish to me, especially in her love scenes with the Count [the actress who played Lucy on the other hand was pretty scintillating].But despite some of the flawed performances, the movie on the whole was beautifully filmed. The cinematography was lush and evoked decadent images, especially the seduction scenes, in particular Keanu's seduction by the three wives of Dracula, and also Lucy's seduction and attack by Dracula. The costumes are sumptuous to look at. The use of the color red throughout the movie [Lucy's dress, the scene where Dracula stalks Mina] is vivid and reminds us of the lust for blood. The score is haunting and serves to keep viewers' at the edge of their seats as the story unfolds. Overall, this is one of the best contemporary adaptations of Dracula, and a classic.

95% Excellence; 5% Missed Opportunities.......2007-05-15

The most grandiose retelling of the legendary story, and one that casts one of the world's most famous tales of horror as a love story (although certainly a very dark love story), this 1992 version of Dracula features Gary Oldman turning in probably the greatest portrayal of the Count ever.

Everything in this huge, haunting tale centers around the love story between Dracula (tied in much closer here than in most depictions to his supposed real-life counterpart, Vlad The Impaler) and Mina, the reincarnation of his centuries-ago love, Elisabeta. Beginning with the origin of Dracula's vampirism following Elisabeta's death, the story then flashes forward to late-1800s Transylvania and Johnathan Harker's famous trip to the Count's ancient castle. Having dwelled in and terrorized Transylvania for centuries now, the Prince Of Darkness comes by chance upon Harker's locket, in which is a small picture of Mina, the exact image of Dracula's deceased wife. The passion reawakened in the lord of the vampires, he journeys to London and confirms that Mina and Elisabeta are one and the same. From there the vampire Dracula preys on inhabitants of the city even as the mortal and emotional side of the beast is reawakened by re-discovery of his true love.

On a technical scale, "Bram Stoker's Dracula" is brilliant, with masterful cinematography, an outstanding dark score by Wojciech Kilar, chilling shadow imagery and extraordinary special effects. The romantic angle is also a total success. Where the movie does run into some trouble is here: despite the intensified focus on Dracula and Mina, the Dracula tale is still very much an ensemble piece, and some of the other characters just aren't captured as well as I wished they had been in a movie that was otherwise so great. It's not the performances per se, it's just that things didn't come together for some of the other characters. Dr. Van Helsing (although very well played by the always impressive Anthony Hopkins) comes off cold, arrogant, and curiously unconcerned for the people he's supposedly trying to protect - a far cry from the compassionate, courageous and emminently likable versions of the doctor seen in movies like "Horror Of Dracula" (with Peter Cushing as Van Helsing). I think that they may have been thinking that in presenting some sympathetic aspects to the otherwise evil Dracula, they had to counterbalance it by 'darkening' Van Helsing a bit. I don't think it really worked. Add to this a somewhat wishy-washy Harker and a Mina who wasn't nearly as developed as her pivotal role would have seemed to dictate, and it detracts a bit from the whole. The 'lesser' players - Lucy, her three suitors, and the insane Renfield, were all better done in my opinion. Dracula himself is done to perfection. In spite of the occasional problems with some of the characters, "Bram Stoker's Dracula" keeps coming on strong all the way through - until, tragically, the last five minutes or so. With a kind of anti-climatic (though far from terrible) ending to what was a vibrant and dramatic movie, plus the difficulties with some of the characters, we're left with a great show but one that fell a bit short of the mark it could have hit.

Still highly recommended; the weaker parts wouldn't have been so noticeable if 95% of the movie wasn't so awesome. A very, very good version of the Dracula tale despite a few chinks in the armor.

extremely good movie with a few minor flaws.......2007-05-15

A good film that for me sums up alot of what was good about early 1990s cinema. Oldman as dracula, Hopkins as van hellsing, Richard E Grant as Dr Seward, Carey Elwes as Arthur Holmwood and country legend Tom Waits as renfield make this film an extremely well acted peice. It is an alternative take on the book, much like the last temptation of christ was a different take on the life of christ. The bones of the story are there but some characters are more realistic and different. Van helsing is a pompus , lecherous alchoholic with a good heart, Seward is addicted to morphine and dracula was actually a victim of life but nevertheless a creature of darkness.
This movies best feature was that it showed vampires in an extremely unique and interesting way, they are not just normal guys with fangs and charisma like in the christopher lee draculas, but are powerfull creatures of the night, capable of flight, shape changing, mind manipulation and telekinesis. all together a fantastic romp.

Fact, Fiction and My Inspiration!.......2007-05-11

1462, Transylvania, Vlad the Impaler leaves his wife to fight the Turks. Out of malice, The Turks send her a letter telling her that her husband is dead. She is so distraught over his death and terrified at being captured that she throws herself from the castle turrets. When Vlad returns, he is told that his wife may not enter the Kingdom of Heaven as she has killed herself, which is a mortal sin. Vlad immediately renounces God and then he himself is condemned.

400 years later, Jonathon Harker leaves London and his fiancée Mina to travel to Transylvania. He has been assigned to help Count Dracula acquire property in England. Jonathon may never return...

This film, despite its flaws, will always hold a place in my heart as it inspired me to write my novel, Vrolok. I have always loved horror movies so when I heard that Francis Ford Coppola was making a new Dracula film, I could not wait to see it. I remember eagerly anticipating the announcement of who was to play Dracula, and when I found out that it was Gary Oldman, I was not happy! The only thing I had seen him in was JFK, and I was not very impressed (I was too young to have appreciated Sid and Nancy). However, I still decided it was worth going to the cinema to see the movie as Keanu Reeves, Cary Elwes and Bill Campbell were also in it. From the moment Gary Oldman appears on screen, he captivates his audience. His performance is camp, overdone, and at times preposterous, yet it is still somehow seductive, mesmerizing, and sublime. (Bram Stoker would have been proud!). He even utters the line "The children of the night. What sweet music they make" with a thick Romanian accent and gets away with it. I saw this film when I was fifteen and was immediately converted into a life long Gary Oldman fan.

As previously stated, and despite Oldman's performance, the film does have its flaws. Keanu Reeves is about as wooden as a stake and the rest of the cast seem to, just like Gary Oldman, overdo the accents and this is a strategy that doesn't quite work for the rest of the cast. In addition, Sadie Frost and Wynona Ryder running around in the rain in see-through outfits is clichéd and slightly annoying (I am sure most boys who see this film love that bit). Apart from Oldman's performance, there is one other thing that has to be commended - the soundtrack - both Wojciech Kilar's score and Annie Lennox's theme are dark, chilling, and poignant.

All in all a great movie - it inspired me to write a book that may or may not make me a million but will always be something that I am proud to have completed.

Come on you bunch of Siskels!.......2007-04-11

Ok you bunch of no taste bums! lol! First, the only word I could have ever associated with Dracula before I watched this movie was TACKY. The big capes, the really bad accents and the bats on a string, were all so overtly horrid, I could never bear to watch those movies. This movie was a dark love story with superb special effects and a truly superior performance by Gary Oldman as Dracula. I swear, I think that man can be anyone! I grant you, Keanu did have a poor grasp of the Brittish accent and Winona struggled a bit in the passion area, but their performances were above adequate and Winona was a perfect straight man to Oldman's lavish Dracula performance. Anyone who could insinuate that Anthony hopkins was even capable of a bad performance, should be strung up in the town square and tickled mercilessly until unconscious! lol!!

All the world is a critic and for my money, as long as I enjoyed a movie, the whys and wherefores aren't really that important. Maybe this kind of movie is not your cup of tea. If not, don't ruin it for the rest of us by your crude and mellow dramatic reviews. Take my advice, buy this movie! If you want to see the real love story behind the Dracula myth, without all the "bluck bluck, I come to bite your neck" stuff, then this movie is for you. If you want "Blade" in the 1800's, this is probably not for you.

Average customer rating:

good but...
Apocalypse Apes Redux
Finally, the Uncut Version of Battle is on DVD!

Battle for the Planet of the Apes
Starring: Roddy McDowall , Claude Akins , Natalie Trundy , Severn Darden , and Lew Ayres
Director: J. Lee Thompson
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Conquest of the Planet of the Apes
Escape from the Planet of the Apes
Beneath the Planet of the Apes
Planet of the Apes
Return to the Planet of the Apes

ASIN: B000E6ESDA
Release Date: 2006-03-28

Description

Roddy McDowall and Claude Akins star in the fifth and last chapter of the legendary Apes saga. Set in 2670 A.D., an idyllic society of man and ape is threatened by both a militant gorilla (Akins) and a tribe of still-intelligent mutant humans. Finally, simmering tensions dividing the primates erupt in an apocalyptic climax. When the smoke clears, the carnage is everywhere, but there is hope for a new beginning for man and ape. Co-starring John Huston, Paul Williams, and Lew Ayres.

Customer Reviews:

good but..........2006-09-27

okay just one problem (i know it's a movie) how did the apes all learn to talk from the 4th movie too this one???? anyone???

Apocalypse Apes Redux.......2006-05-24

Rarely does the restoration of deleted scenes added back into a film work to its benefit. The Extended Edition of Battle for the Planet of the Apes (available previously only as a Japanese laserdisc) is one of those rare exceptions. The fifth and final chapter in the Apes theatrical series is generally regarded as its weakest link. It had the lowest budget of all of the films in the series and it painfully shows and looks more like it's a made-for-TV movie. In fact, it feels almost like a pilot for the Planet of the Apes Television Series.

The film begins in the year 2670 and is bookended with John Houston as the revered ape Lawgiver reading from the sacred scrolls like a bedtime storyteller, "In the beginning, God created beast and man so that they could live in harmony and share dominion over this world..." From here the story is told in flashback and the viewer is left scratching their heads by the befuddling logic. Events not clearly explained are left to the viewer to make assumptions or draw conclusions about the contradictory order of events. It must be assumed that a nuclear war had devasted the Earth immediately after the ape uprising in Conquest and somehow only a decade afterward the ape society had unbelievably evolved their verbal powers of speech and intelligence. These facts are inconsistent with Cornelius' explanation of the apes' evolution in Escape in which he explains that the plague that destroyed all cats and dogs occurred some 200 years later than it did in Conquest and that Aldo was the first ape to utter human speech when he said the word "No" which was spoken by Lisa in Conquest, and that Aldo led the revolt against the humans which was led by Caesar. We can only conclude that the incongruent events in Conquest and Battle are the events of an alternate timeline forged by the creation of the temporal paradox from Cornelius and Zira's arrival in Escape. The apes also adorn costumes similar to the fashions of the ape society from the first film which had evolved over several thousand years but again this is only a decade after their revolt against the humans (one explanation could be that since this story is told as a flashback to ape and human children we are seeing it as depicted by their imaginations as a point of reference). Caesar has a son named Cornelius which might initially confuse the uninitiated viewer into mistaking this to be the young Cornelius from the first film which lived several thousand years into the future until it is made obviously clear late in the film that it is not the same Cornelius (I actually spent a better part of the film pondering how Caesar could paradoxically be both the son and the father of Cornelius). Also, MacDonald in this film is not the same MacDonald who was the Governor's Adjutant in Conquest but rather his brother which is confusing since Caesar appeared to have found a human sympathizer and ally in the MacDonald from Conquest and the only reasonable explanation for the deliberate change of character is that MacDonald is played by a different actor this time, but if you aren't paying close attention, you are likely to miss that inference. Ape City is located in a very lush and hospitable forest area within miles of the inhospitable desert wasteland of the annihilated Forbidden City. Automobiles such as jeeps and school buses still work somehow and were not rendered inopperable by the EMP of the atomic detonation. Radioactive half-life apparently only affects the surviving humans living within the irradiated remains of the Forbidden City (again, this takes place a mere decade after the war) and the apes can somehow sustain bombardments of high levels of radioactive fallout for a few hours while they search its archives for a videotape of Cornelius and Zira which also amazingly happened to not be vaporized or magnetically degaussed by the atomic blast. The mutated humans all wear skull caps for the purpose of (take your pick): A.) protecting their craniums from high radiation levels B.) to hide the fact that their hair has completely fallen out due to radioactive fallout C.) to enhance telepathic reception of their now-suddenly mutated telekinetic minds or D.) All of the above.

The newly restored scenes with the human mutants and the Alpha-Omega bomb at least help to make some sense of the rather weak narrative and gaps of logic and provide some continuity to the rest of the series. In the first scene, Governor Kolp unveils the Alpha-Omega bomb and instructs his assistant Alma to use it to annihilate Ape City should he not return from battle which is exactly what happens in the final scene where we see Mendez and Alma playing a game of checkers when Sargeant York returns and declares the defeat of their army and waves his arms in the air signalling an explosion just before he collapses. Alma says "Then I know what I must do." Mendez says "But wait for Kolp's signal," Alma's response is "I have just received it." Mendez, implores her not to carry out Kolp's original instructions making the arguement that its destructive power should be protected and even venerated and that they should become its guardians because it was one of their ancestors that made them what they are. This scene is significant because it shows the mutants beginning to hone their developing telepathic powers and it establishes the fundamental doctrine of their quasi-religious sect that will worship the Alpha-Omega bomb in future generations. It almost feels more like a direct prequel to Beneath now. Why this subplot was excised is almost as baffling as the film's logic but one reason perhaps is the fact that the film ended with a more optimistic outlook suggesting that the timeline of events were changed when Caesar united the apes and the humans and that the crisis of Beneath may have been averted but it is left open for the audience to decide from the ambiguous tear of the weeping statue of Caesar suggesting that perhaps the fateful events of the future cannot be avoided after all.

Battle is definitely the worst of the five apes films but compared to most low-budget sci-fi shlock I've seen, it's really not as bad as it's made out to be, but judged against the superior standard set precedent by the first film it is a quite a disappointment. In addition to the restored scenes, there are few highlights that make the film worth at least a viewing if you have enjoyed watching the other films in this series at all. Of particular interest are the sets of the melted down post-apocalyptic Forbidden City that are just visually interesting to look at, even if the obvious matte paintings were composited into the background. It gives the film a future-coda feel in a way that evokes images of James Cameron's The Terminator but pre-dates it over a decade. If nothing else, Battle (and the rest of the Apes saga) was at least influential in inspiring other science fiction films in the genre and was the template for subsequent franchises and was more than influential to George Lucas and his Star Wars mega-merchandising empire that would follow only a few years later and the Planet of the Apes series would forever be buried under its apocalypse and reside in the realm of Saturday afternoon and late-night television broadcasts.

Finally, the Uncut Version of Battle is on DVD!.......2006-04-05

This version of Battle for the Planet of the Apes is the uncut version that contains the scenes of the Alpha Omega bomb. These scenes make a clear connection between the mutants in Beneath and the ones in this film. Of course, Mendez is still there in the chopped version, but many might not connect him with the Mendez dynasty alluded to in the second film. These scenes make a huge difference in this film. I'd say they elevate the film from 3 to 4 stars.

The most obvious way to differentiate the two versions is the cover. The cut version has Virgil, an orangutan on it. This version has a picture of a very angry chimp or gorilla. In the cut version, you see Virgil from the chest up, the latter only has a face above the logo and a few film clips below it. While I'd really only recommend this to apes fans, I'd say anyone who's truly devoted to this series must own it.

Assault on Precinct 13 (Special Edition)

Average customer rating:

Carpenter Turns The Corner
Masterpiece!
Cool movie
disturbingly super!
Awesome

Assault on Precinct 13 (Special Edition)
Starring: Henry Brandon , Peter Bruni , Tony Burton , Charles Cyphers , and Gilbert De la Pena
Manufacturer: Image Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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In the Mouth of Madness

ASIN: B00008974J
Release Date: 2003-03-11

Amazon.com

Before making the original Halloween into one of the most profitable independent films of all time, John Carpenter directed this riveting low-budget thriller from 1976, in which a nearly abandoned police station is held under siege by a heavily armed gang called Street Thunder. Inside the station, cut off from contact and isolated, cops and convicts who were headed for death row must now join forces or die. That's the basic plot, but it's what Carpenter does with it that's remarkable. Drawing specific inspiration from the classic Howard Hawks Western Rio Bravo (which included a similar siege on disadvantaged heroes), Carpenter used his simple setting for a tense, tightly constructed series of action sequences, emphasizing low-key character development and escalating tension. Few who've seen the film can forget the "ice cream cone" scene in which a young girl is caught up in the action by patronizing a seemingly harmless ice cream truck. It's here, and in other equally memorable scenes, that Carpenter demonstrates his singular knack for injecting terror into the mundane details of daily life, propelling this potent thriller to cult favorite status and long-standing critical acclaim. --Jeff Shannon

Description

In this unrelenting action masterpiece from director John Carpenter (Halloween, Escape from New York), a police station under siege from a vicious street gang becomes a cataclysmic battleground where only the strongest survive! Inspired by Howard Hawks' immortal western, Rio Bravo, this explosive gem from one of cinema's great frightmasters has been newly remastered with a host of high-powered extras!

Customer Reviews:

Carpenter Turns The Corner.......2007-06-18

How many movies do you remember seeing back in a different lifetime that you thought were really cool only to check 'em out in the current day and find that they really were average at best? Don't worry...Assault on Precinct 13 is not one of those movies.

There's just something about movies made before the early 80s that just scream, "this-movie-was-made-a-long-time-ago." And Assault on Precinct 13 does too. 31 years is a long time, but after watching Assault on Precinct 13 again this past weekend for the first time since 1976, I was surprised to see how affective the movie still is.

This is one of the first R-rated movies that my dad took me to. So I chalked up the memorable impression that Assault on Precinct 13 made on me to...well...being an impressionable 15 year old kid that was just excited to being going to an R-rated film. Who knew that the reason was really that back in 1976 I was watching the movie that turned the corner for Director John Carpenter from B-movie director to one of the best Horror/Action/Sci-fi storytellers of all time?

The story is simple and the acting is pretty good. Some guy and his daughter have the unfortunate experience of crossing paths at the wrong time in the wrong place with a violent street gang. After a brutal exchange between family and gang, the guy retreats to Precinct 13 with the gang close behind, and the Assault ensues. (I'm not much into spoilers, so my vagueness is deliberate. I will say that the intense ice cream truck scene stayed in my mind for 31 years as if I'd seen it a day ago.)

The movie is presented in a nice widescreen aspect, but the audio is only stereo (which you won't even notice unless you have a Surround system). The tinny stereo sound was a constant reminder throughout that I was watching an "old" movie.

Overall, though, this classic cult film is worth a look...especially since Jean-François Richet's 2005 remake Assault on Precinct 13 (Widescreen Edition) was only fair at best.

Masterpiece!.......2007-03-24

A lot of social and political commentary relevant to todays culture. A lot of gray area amongst the characters. The 2 inmates were "heroes" when they had to be. Also, the element of police "overreaction" to gang members at the beginning which led to an assault on a police precinct. It's surprising you don't hear about precinct assaults in the news. You get enough disenchanted people together, much damage can be done. Their mentality is a lot like terrorists today with the "martyr" attitude towards their cause. This flick and Stallone's "Nighthawks" unfortunately depicted what the world has become today with enough disenchanted people in this world to make each and everyone of us vulnerable whether we are in a department store or on a lonely nature trail. I refuse to see the remake that was released. This movie is classic and everyone should see once with an open mind. The "Ice Cream" scene is also reality and was considered too graphic 30 years ago. Hear about needless shootings everyday here in Buffalo, can't imagine what major cities encounter.

Cool movie.......2006-09-19

This is one of my personal favorites. And after seeing the new version I wont say one is really better than the other. This one is much darker than its successor. The darker setting will actually send chills down your spine. The shoot outs are very graphic and intense. However this movie does send a frightening thought. What could happen really, if a motivated street gang as shown in this movie today, were able to get their hands on heavy armaments such as this. I seriously doubt it would be something pretty. Anyway, this is one of the best cop movies I ever seen and I recommend seeing this at least once. The newer version is worth a watch also.

disturbingly super!.......2006-08-25

this movie far exceeds its later edition. this edition is disturbing, but excellent. the violence, the gore, everything is heart-pounding.

Awesome.......2006-07-04

if you consider when it was done this movie has not aged that badly. It is a fantastic movie even if you did not take into account the shoestring budget it was made on. The tension is unbelievable as the police station is being attacked by the faceless gang. As many have written the motives are not entirely clear besides revenge against the police for executing gang members at the beginning, following which the remaining gang members go on a killing spree. The remake was unfortubnately a catastrophe but this remains to this day a classic. Also the comments by John Carpenter are great to listen to in retrospect.

Average customer rating:

The animation is the pits, but most of the stories hold up well and this is a real blast from the past
Return to the Planet of the Apes
The final chapter
Return to the Planet of the Apes
back in time...

Return to the Planet of the Apes
Starring: Edwin Mills , Austin Stoker , Richard Blackburn , Tom Williams , and Philippa Harris
Director: Doug Wildey
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Planet of the Apes - The Legacy Collection (Planet of the Apes [1968] / Beneath the / Escape from the / Conquest of the / Battle for the)

ASIN: B000E991A2

Description

From the Oscar(r)-winning* creators of "The Pink Panther" comes this high-concept 70s cartoon that returns you to the heart of mankind's greatest adventure! Populated by familiar characters from the Planet of the Apes films and TV series - including Cornelius, Zira and General Urko - this classic animated series pits humans against a world of apes who are more advanced than ever!

Customer Reviews:

The animation is the pits, but most of the stories hold up well and this is a real blast from the past.......2007-03-09

As a child i was into all things Ape, watched the movies every Friday night when aired on c.b.s., bought all the toys (oh what they would be worth now!!!!!), the comics, and even the horrible t.v. series, so when n.b.c. ran this on Saturday mornings i was thrilled. Now i show this to my boys and even with the bad animation they love it. Some stories are pure 70's kids hokem, but some are quite good and the fun and magic of this long lost show is still there.

Return to the Planet of the Apes.......2007-03-09

JUST ABOUT AS HOKKIE AS THEY COME- ANIMATION? IS VERY POOR - I KNOW ITS OLD BUT ???

The final chapter.......2007-02-21

DePatie-Freleng, the people behind the Pink Panther toons, take us on a final journey to the Planet of the Apes. This obscure 1975 animated series was the last gasp of 'Apemania', that uniquely 70s phenomena spawned by the runaway success of the Planet Of The Apes franchise. Following the failure of the underrated 1974 live action series, Return To The Planet Of The Apes wisely chooses not to repeat what has gone before, and breaks new ground. Pierre Boulle's original novel "The Monkey Planet" is the basis for this series, in which the Apes employ modern technology to make the lives of our three heroes difficult. Let's not avoid the big issues here, folks - the animation is utterly terrible, the plots lack any kind of logic, Ron Brent refuses to put on clothes, and the human characters are as wooden as Noah's Ark - but there's a strange sort of 'Ed Wood' magic to this very crudely-realised series that makes you stick with it for the entire 13 episodes. Kudos to Fox for the excellent remaster job (avoid the edition in the Legacy megaset...the quality is dross), and thanks also for the ultra-rare Next Episode trailers - pity there's no Making Of documentary. As a specimen of 70s Saturday morning television, and for the Apes fanatic, this is a 100% must see - the final iteration of a series that changed Hollywood. It's just a pity that the animation makes Star Trek: TAS look like James Cameron's Avatar, that's all. Ten bonus points to the guy who voiced Jeff. Perhaps the most wooden vocal performance in TV history!

Return to the Planet of the Apes.......2007-01-11

The animated Saturday Morning Show still is worth watching. The 13 episodes of stories are gear for both kids and adults a like. It has the
same basic story line as the movies, but starts at the begining with three new astronauts. The color is excellent.

back in time..........2006-10-13

I was a kid when this was on t.v and I was really into the ape movies and toys ect. but I remember this being a generic cartoon.
Now getting this dvd (at Wal-Mart) I know why.This cartoon is in no way for kids,especially from the 70's cartoon era.Its 100% drama with no comedy at all.
The dvd quality is great as is the sound,its worth buying.
The budget was low so theirs a lot of scenes looping over and over but the still scene shots are awesome and ahead of their time.
Buy it and go back in time.

Average customer rating:

Sheba, Baby
I wasn't feeling this one baby.
Pam Grier, Forever!
Worth it just to see Pam in a wetsuit
Also Bad TandA

Sheba, Baby
Starring: Pam Grier , Austin Stoker , D'Urville Martin , Rudy Challenger , and Dick Merrifield
Director: William Girdler
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Five On The Black Hand Side

ASIN: B000053VBD
Release Date: 2001-01-09

Amazon.com

Pam Grier combines big guns and fantastic '70s outfits in Sheba, Baby. After roughly 4,000 establishing shots of Chicago in the opening credits, private eye Sheba Shayne (Grier) immediately heads to Louisville, where thugs are leaning on her father's business, trying to get him to sell out. The police, alas, are no help, but never fear--Sheba is the kind of private dick who doesn't shy away from dunking a man's face in toxic chemicals to get the information she needs. She soon finds herself going head-to-head with a crime lord named Pilot, and the butt kicking begins. Sheba, Baby offers giant ties, big guns, and a firefight on speedboats, and yes, of course there's a catfight. Mandatory viewing. --Ali Davis

Description

Super sexy soul sister Pam Grier (Jackie Brown) is hotter than dynamite in a role she fills with fiery determination. Proving she's cool, tough and glamorousa female fantasy Wonder Woman (Los Angeles Times), Grier delivers a riveting, gutsy performance in this hard-hitting thriller that leaps from one death-defying scene to the next. Sheba Shayne is a private eye summoned to her hometown to help her father stop the mob from moving in on his loan business. But she gets too close to the fire, narrowly escaping the blast of a car bomb. Gunning for justice, Sheba vows to take revenge. Packing a .44 Magnum, a machine gun and a couple of surprises that will blow the bad guys away, she leaves a blazing trail of blood in her wake and puts the mob on the defensive until she's duped into an ingenious plot that could flatten her curves forever.

Customer Reviews:

Sheba, Baby.......2007-01-04

Let me start by saying I'm a big Pam Grier fan but this movie was one of her worse efforts. I don't know if it was just the particular disc I have but the sound was awful. I had to turn up the sound to a rediculous volume level just to barely hear it. Typical of "Blaxplotation" films the plot was weak, the violence gratuitous and the villians one dimentional. Our heroine looked good as usual but if you're looking for skin this isn't your film.

I wasn't feeling this one baby........2006-10-18

If I had to describe `Sheba Baby,' the best I can come up with is Pam Grier Light with some really bad mellow drama. I really tried, but this movie just didn't work for me. The action scenes were dull, the acting was surprisingly poor, and some of these characters were TOO stereotypical to even be funny.

This Pam Grier film is incredibly tame. It's nowhere near as violent as some of her earlier films. Gone are the over-the-top images of Pam placing a small revolver or razor blades in her afro. Pilot (D'Urville Martin) and his crew can't hold a candle to some of the real villains Pam faced in her previous movies. It's strictly by-the-numbers and almost has a made-for-TV feel. As for the bad acting, the baddies that Pam faces off with are as unnatural sounding in their delivery as I've seen. As a result, characters like Pilot don't come across as threatening as they should or need to for the movie to work.

That's not to say there aren't moments or elements in `Sheba Baby' that I didn't enjoy it's just that when compared with Pam's other films like `Coffy,' `Foxy Brown,' and even `Friday Foster' that the movie fails. It is not one of her best performances, though. Her "avenging angel" persona has been soften quite a bit, so she is forced to rely mostly on her natural charm. Still, I had fun with this film. A bit of a letdown, but definitively worth watching for the sake of curiosity.

Pam Grier, Forever!.......2005-12-11

This is the first of Pam Grier's efforts that I would not lump wholly in the exploitation category. Sure, there's lots of gunplay and a redundant catfight. That said, the dialogue here avoids the tongue-and-cheek quality that was evident in "Coffy" and "Foxy Brown" and the villains here are more realistic and not as cartoonish. The underlying theme here are the underworld elements that threaten legitimate black entrepreneurs. Because the film deals with the threat more seriously the message becomes more potent. Even in this low-budget effort Grier just commands the screen like any of her contemporaries and would give a run for the money for today's top actresses. She was definitely ahead of her time. I can't recall if Halle Berry thanked her in her Oscar speech. She does not appear nude here but she looks so fabulous clothed that your imagination will do somersaults. Timeless entertainment.

Worth it just to see Pam in a wetsuit.......2005-04-28

This may not be Pam Grier's best film, but I give it high marks, because there's a long stretch towards the end of the film where we see her in a sexy blue beavertail wetsuit. She keeps the jacket unzipped about half way through most of it, so you can get a good, alluring view of her chest. Sure, she has a swimsuit on under the wetsuit, but I find that more interesting anyway. Lets one use one's imagination, I say. You can't ask for more than a beautiful woman in a beavertail wetsuit (and if you ARE asking for things like character development, fine acting, etc you're really looking in the wrong place).

Also Bad TandA.......2002-08-31

If you're looking for sexy scenes, and why else would you watch these movies, don't waste your time.

Bram Stoker's Dracula (Superbit Collection)

Average customer rating:

Lush and decadent!
95% Excellence; 5% Missed Opportunities
extremely good movie with a few minor flaws
Fact, Fiction and My Inspiration!
Come on you bunch of Siskels!

Bram Stoker's Dracula (Superbit Collection)
Starring: Gary Oldman , Winona Ryder , Anthony Hopkins , Keanu Reeves , and Richard E. Grant
Director: Francis Ford Coppola
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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( B ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Interview with the Vampire
Queen of the Damned (Widescreen Edition)
Devil's Advocate
Mary Shelley's Frankenstein
The Lost Boys

ASIN: B00005R23X
Release Date: 2001-12-11

Amazon.com essential video

Description

The Superbit titles utilize a special high bit rate digital encoding process which optimizes video quality while offering a choice of both DTS and Dolby Digital 5.1 audio. These titles have been produced by a team of Sony Pictures Digital Studios video, sound and mastering engineers and comes housed in a special package complete with a 4 page booklet that contains technical information on the Superbit process. By reallocating space on the disc normally used for value-added content, Superbit DVDs can be encoded at double their normal bit rate while maintaining full compatibility with the DVD video format.

Customer Reviews:

Lush and decadent!.......2007-06-02

95% Excellence; 5% Missed Opportunities.......2007-05-15

extremely good movie with a few minor flaws.......2007-05-15

Fact, Fiction and My Inspiration!.......2007-05-11

Come on you bunch of Siskels!.......2007-04-11

Average customer rating:

Abby (The Black Exorcist Edition)
Starring: Carol Speed , William Marshall , Austin Stoker , and Juanita Moore
Director: William Girdler
Manufacturer: CF Releasing
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Horror | Genres | DVD | Video

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Independently Distributed | Indie & Art House | Stores | DVD | Video

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Similar Items:

Cult Camp Classics 2 - Women in Peril (The Big Cube / Caged / Trog)
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If... (Criterion Collection)

ASIN: B000RACXFI
Release Date: 2007-06-01

Product Description

Abby Doesn t Need a Man...The Devil Is Her Lover Now!William Girdler s blaxploitation answer to The Exorcist (1973) is a down and dirty, dollar store knock-off of the Hollywood blockbuster that has since gained a loyal cult following of it s own. Pulled from theaters only weeks after it s premiere, sued into obscurity and essentially a lost movie for three decades, Abby is finally ready to repossess the souls of fans everywhere! SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES: trailer, radio spot, poster images, lobby card repros, production stills.

Fox in a Box - Featuring Pam Grier (Sheba, Baby / Foxy Brown / Coffy)

Average customer rating:

fox in a Box-bring back good time
Boppin'n BuSStin' Fox
clumsy filmmaking, but not without their prurient charms
at least the price is right
A trio of fun exploitation flicks from the Queen of the genre

Fox in a Box - Featuring Pam Grier (Sheba, Baby / Foxy Brown / Coffy)
Starring: Pam Grier , Austin Stoker , D'Urville Martin , Rudy Challenger , and Dick Merrifield
Director: William Girdler , and Jack Hill
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Cleopatra Jones
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Dolemite Collection: Bigger & Badder (7pc) (Ws)

ASIN: B000B5XOTI
Release Date: 2005-12-06

Description

"From Blaxploitation to Hip-Hop" Featurette "Pam Grier: Super Foxy" Featurette

Customer Reviews:

fox in a Box-bring back good time.......2007-03-14

yes! just watching this box set bring back the good old day

Boppin'n BuSStin' Fox.......2007-02-16

Man, this is just alotta fun - got this a coupla wks ago and seen "Coffy" and "Foxy Brown" thus far. Obviously, the production team got a good deal more cay'sh fer doin' "Foxy Brown" (made a yr after "Coffy"). I actually preferred the earlier film - seemed like the actors were more focused, less sure of their success. Make no mistake, this is not top-of-the-line film, but it's premium B-Movie stuff, and a real treat (in my opinion) jus' takin' a step back into 1973, '74. Not to mention the Rubenesque charms of Ms Grier (tho' I must admit I think she looks much more attractive some 24 yrs. later in Mr Tarantino's film "Jackie Brown" - like some wines, she improved with age).

I also enjoyed the director's commentary on "Coffy" - interesting to hear Jack Hill describing his trials/tribulations with the studio - they wanted more sex'n violence, he wanted some more character development, more laid back scenes, eg, drivin' through Los Angeles - those are some sweet takes - like drivin' thru my childhood, hulkin' 'Merikin automobiles cruisin' along.

So if yer up for some majorly jigglin' action, clad in some stylin' 1973 attire... get this Fox in your Box...

clumsy filmmaking, but not without their prurient charms.......2007-01-18

Blaxploitation generally makes me uncomfortable, probably because I'm a white guy - blaxploitation is not really made for me. The granddaddy of them all, Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song (a film I can't help believing is awful even as my white guilt demands I think otherwise), begins with a rather unsubtle pronouncement of purpose: "Dedicated to all the Brothers and Sisters who had enough of the Man." But what if you are the Man?

The genre is also so difficult to critique is because it walks a very precarious tight rope; how much of blaxploitation is exploitation for blacks and how much of it is exploitation of blacks? Sweetback is important, historically-speaking, for having been written, directed, and produced by a black man, making money, and bringing black issues further into the national debate. It's also shoddily-constructed, trades on racial stereotypes (principally those that involve black sexual potency), and opened the door for cynical, money-grabbing garbage even worse than it was, pictures that glorified pimps, drug dealers, beating women, and killing people.

Coffy and Foxy Brown only glorify killing people (as long as you do it in an interesting way, like with the prop of a single-engine airplane or driving your car into their living room), so they're considerably more innocuous than their blaxploitation contemporaries. Between the two, there are some superficial differences in plot (Foxy Brown was actually developed as a sequel to the earlier film), with Coffy being the more subversive (and better) picture, but they are essentially the same movie.

In each, Pam Grier stars as a woman wronged, seeking vengeance on a criminal syndicate she deems responsible for the death/hospitalization of a loved one. Using her wits and shapely form, Grier goes undercover as a prostitute to gain access to the bad guys, ultimately delivering Biblical justice and leaving a trail of bloody bodies behind her.

Once you get past the graphic violence and bare bosoms, they are also peculiarly conservative (not that there is anything intrinsically anti-conservative about violence or bosoms). In marked contrast to films like Super Fly and Dolemite, the pushers and pimps are the villains of the piece, jackals who prey on the black neighborhoods, undermining them from within. There is a strong distrust of government and traditional authority figures, like police officers, politicians, and even civil rights leaders (in Coffy, a black politician uses racial issues to cynically advance his career and line his own pockets); Coffy/Foxy Brown instead advocates personal responsibility, even vigilantism for the betterment of one's life and community. Sexual predators suffer cruel death and literal/figurative castration at Grier's hands - no fancy trial by jury required here.

Coffy/Foxy Brown are not without their prurient charms. Grier's voluptuous assets are on frequent, extrinsic display (more so in Coffy if that's what you're interested in); one doesn't so much leer as marvel at her unique proportions. Action set-pieces are generally entertaining with the villains (such as the hillbillies of Foxy Brown's "ranch") carrying a genuine sense of violent menace.

But let's not get carried away. Quentin Tarantino once called Jack Hill "the greatest living American director," which is a fairly silly thing to say as nothing truly complex is attempted, much less conveyed in any of his pictures. Others have labeled Coffy/Foxy Brown as some form of revolutionary piece of feminism; that kind of praise is likewise misplaced. Lesbians are treated with a dated, reactionary gusto - they are coercive (even rapists) with large thighs and should be avoided (Hill and Grier treated the subject of sapphic love with equal sensitivity in The Big Doll House, The Big Bird Cage, and Black Mama, White Mama). Even if Pam Grier is capable with a gun, she is still a sex object along with every other woman in both films. Like Russ Meyer, Hill doesn't empower women so much as act out his fantasies about large-chested women who can beat him up. Pam Grier in the cathouse, wrestling with the other whores and tearing off their clothes is hard to call erotic; rather, it possesses the absurd existential dilemma of your grandfather's porn. People masturbated to this?

Interesting footnote: Jack Hill was a USC classmate of Francis Ford Coppola - the two worked together as apprentices under Roger Corman on 1963's The Terror. Shot in only four days, the picture also marked an early screen appearance by Jack Nicholson. Hill admits he thought Jack was a terrible actor at the time.

at least the price is right.......2005-12-01

Well the best part about this set is that you can get Coffy and Foxy Brown cheaper than buying the single DVDs. Sheba Baby isn't that great of a film. It's a shame they didn't include Bucktown which while Pam is a supporting actor (as The Hammer's love interest), it's a great film. Or even complete the Pam on MGM DVDs with Friday Foster. What's wrong with giving the complete Fox in the box?

The bonus DVD is pretty forgettable. It doesn't include Pam talking about her early days. Just modern rappers doing a VH1 bit of jabbering.

But if you're curious about Pam and you want a deal, this box is for you.

A trio of fun exploitation flicks from the Queen of the genre.......2005-11-28

This could be subtitled "Pam in a Jam". These three black exploitation films from the 70's feature Pam Grier in top form and probably provided erotic dreams and inspiration for Quentin Tarrantino. The first of the set "Coffy" features Grier as kind of a superhero without the costume. She's an a nurse during the day time but at night turns puts people into the hospital. When Coffy discovers that her sister has been fed drugs by a local drug pusher, Coffy goes in for revenge only starting with the pusher. Ultimately she plans on going to the top and taking out the guy that heads the drug syndicate himself! Coffy quickly discovers that enemies are interchangeable with friends in this fun and often funny action adventure flick.

"Foxy Brown" was originally conceived as a sequel to "Coffy" but when the director/writer Jack Hill realized he couldn't get the funds for a sequel he rewrote the film changing minor elements of the plot and characters names. Once again Grier stars (she could be playing Coffy instead of Foxy in this film and it wouldn't matter). Foxy (Grier) thinks she's found the man of her dreams when she falls in love with an undercover narcotics cop. When he's murdered she goes out for justice and swears she'll take down the crime syndicate that assassinated him. Foxy goes undercover playing the role of a high priced call girl to find out who was behind the murder of her boyfriend and exact revenge!

"Sheba Baby" features Grier as the title character Sheba Shayne a private eye who runs to aid her father. It seems he's being muscled by the mob and they are trying to take over his loan business. When the mob try and take her out with a car bomb, Sheba is out for mob blood. Packing a colorful array of guns, she takes them out one by one. The mob though has plans of their own for Sheba and she may go down before she finishes exacting her revenge! It doesn't quite hold up as well as "Coffy" or even "Foxy Brown" but it's an enjoyable guilty pleasure.

These three Pam Grier classics have been available from MGM before. These editions appear to be gussied up editions for this boxed set. The print used is extremely clean and while there is grain during some of the dark sequences, it's probably due to the film source itself and not due to the digital transfer. The mono sound track comes across with nice clarity and the music although occasionally a bit compressed sounding has nice presence. Overall, the sound track for all three films sound quite good.

"Coffy" and "Foxy Brown" feature a extremely good informative commentary from director Jack Hill. In "Foxy Brown" Hill discusses how he originally had intended that movie to be sequel to "Coffy" but couldn't get the financing. Hill also discusses his involvement in writing and directing a number of blaxploitation films and some of the issues they ran into in making these action/adventure flicks. There's a bonus disc featuring interviews with rappers, etc. that is tied into VIBE Magazine. It's not bad just not essential. Why additional extras for these fine exploitation flicks was not included is beyond me.

A nice collection which features enough action and Pam Grier to entice fans to buy it, "Fox in a Box" is an inexpensive way to pick up three classic B movies in one package. The commentary tracks are quite a bit of fun providing quite a bit of background on the production of each film. So if you're a fan cozy up with Pam in front of a fire and let her do her thing!

Alfred Hitchcock Thrillers - The Man Who Knew Too Much/Secret Agent/The Lady Vanishes

Average customer rating:

Definitive Hitch...Three From The 30's
I didn't like them
Budget Release Meets/Exceeds Expectations

Alfred Hitchcock Thrillers - The Man Who Knew Too Much/Secret Agent/The Lady Vanishes
Starring: Frank Atkinson , Leslie Banks , Edna Best , D.A. Clarke-Smith , and George Curzon
Manufacturer: Vintage Home Ent.
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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The 39 Steps - Criterion Collection

ASIN: B0000A02V1
Release Date: 2004-01-06

Customer Reviews:

Definitive Hitch...Three From The 30's.......2007-02-10

Three from Hitch's early British works that are filled with great actors and all those special touches that just say Hitch.

From 1936..."The Secret Agent". You'll find Hitch's unique sense of humor well integrated with the suspense and his definitive style, in this terrific film about espionage at the onset of WWI. A reluctant spy is recruited to kill an enemy spy. He is given a false name and a fake wife to keep up appearances. He goes after the target, but does he have the right man? Could there be another who is the real culprit? And what a cast.. John Gielgud stars with Madeline Carroll,Robert Young and Peter Lorre(fabulous as always) as his very strange accomplice.Other notables to look for include Lilli Palmer and Michael Redgrave.

Where's Hitch.....alas, there seems to be no appearance by Sir Alfred here...4 stars

From 1934.."The Man Who Knew Too Much"(He remade this one in 1956). A great thriller about a carefree family on a winter holiday, who unwittingly become involved in an assassination plot. The Lawrences are having a wonderful time, but when their dear friend is shot, he reveals to them a plot to assassinate an important statesman before he dies. The would be killers kidnap the young daughter of the family in order to ensure their silence.Working with the police is out of the question and the Lawrences must take matters into their own hands as they try to rescue their daughter and stop the murder, which is to take place at the glorious Albert Hall.

Hitch keeps the suspense going through out with an edge of your seat climatic scene. Watch for one of his famous trademark staircase scenes in this early film.The film stars Leslie Banks and Edna Best as the Lawrences, and Peter Lorre at his most menacing!

Where's Hitch: Sorry Hitch watchers, again there doesn't seem to be any appearance by the master...5 stars

"The Lady Vanishes"(1938)
Of all Hitch's early British made films(mostly made during the late 1920's and 1930's), "The Lady Vanishes" is by far the most captivating one for me. A train trip is the setting for this mystery. A woman's traveling companion has disappeared. Where could she be? The train is only so big. She tries desperately to find her friend, but is alone in her quest. No one seems to believe that she even had a companion to start with.All seem to have their own mysterious reasons for denying her any help.Finally one man is convinced to help, and together they try to solve this possible crime.

There are lots of tense sequences to keep you in suspense, and your heart pounding. Hitch mixes up the thrills with his marvelous sense of humor and his wonderful trademark style. Wonderful performances by the likes of Dame Mae Whitty, Margaret Lockwood and Michael Redgrave add to the enjoyment of this one.

Looking for Hitch:....You must be patient. Check Victoria Station almost at the end of the film...5 stars

Enjoy.....Laurie

I didn't like them .......2005-05-02

I love Alfred Hitchcock movies but I didn't like these three. But that's just me. Other people might really like them. They are very old & slow.

Budget Release Meets/Exceeds Expectations.......2004-05-05

First the usual warnings: caveat emptor, you get what you pay for, etc. etc. etc., yadda yadda yadda, blah blah blah. With that out of the way, let me say that getting these three early Hitchcock films at such a low price is an extremely good deal. Sure they're blurry in parts and there are occasional picture/sound glitches, but nothing really interferes with either the storytelling or the suspense, which is really why you're watching them in the first place.

Let me add that the four-star rating is for the DVD as a whole. None of the films are presented at four-star quality (The Lady Vanishes is maybe three-and-a-half), but the fact that you get three movies instead of one or two bumps the score from average to slightly-above.

The Man Who Knew Too Much is the oldest of the three movies and its print and sound quality are the most deteriorated. Nevertheless, the symphony scene and the final gunfight retain their suspensefulness. The movie holds its own against the 1956 remake; Leslie Banks is no Jimmy Stewart, but at least Edna Best doesn't sing.

Secret Agent features a young John Gielgud, only a year or two out of short pants, I'm sure. Peter Lorre steals the show here, however, as an assassin or curious nationality. Of the three, I felt this was the least Hitchcockian in comparison with his later - and greater - work. It works on a psychological level, like his very-early Blackmail, rather than building the suspense of the other two films on this DVD or terror of Psycho or The Birds. The "self-translating" cypher notes are a nice effect; the spinning bowls and train crash are nice attempts at special effects that fall a little short of the mark.

The Lady Vanishes is the most recent of these films, and sports the best sound and picture. It also has some of the most recognizable Hitchcockian touches. The poisoned brandies framed in the extreme foreground, the hero(ine) whose sanity is in doubt, etc. It's also the most comedic throughout (although Lorre and Robert Young play their roles for laughs in Secret Agent, too).

If you want pristine remastered prints of these films, look elsewhere and expect to pay significantly more than a few dollars per movie. If you can "make do" with versions that look 65-70 years old, and want to experience Hitchcock early in his career, give this DVD a spin. If it turns out not to be to your liking, at least you haven't paid a lot to find that out. Odds are you'll find you get a lot for the price (a brief biography of Hitchcock appears on the disc, trivia factoids appear on the packaging), and won't experience buyer's remorse or feel ripped off by your purchase.

Bram Stoker's Dracula/Mary Shelley's Frankenstein - (Collector's Box Set)

Average customer rating:

Two of the best monster movies ever made
I Agree
Great movies but the DVDs
waaait for the Special EDITIONS!
Two Great Films-One Hell Of A Deal. "Love Never Dies." "Be Warned. It's Alive." FFC And KB SUCCEED TREMENDOUSLY.

Bram Stoker's Dracula/Mary Shelley's Frankenstein - (Collector's Box Set)
Starring: Dracula , and Frankenstein
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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( B ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
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Interview with the Vampire
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Sleepy Hollow

ASIN: B000BRBA9C
Release Date: 2005-12-26

Description

BRAM STOKER'S DRACULA
Gary Oldman, Winona Ryder and Anthony Hopkins star in director Francis Ford Coppola's visually stunning, passionately seductive version of the classic Dracula legend. In BRAM STOKER'S DRACULA, Coppola returns to the original source of the Dracula myth, and from that gothic romance, he creates a modern masterpiece. Gary Oldman's metamorphosis as Dracula who grows from old to young, from man to beast is nothing short of amazing. Winona Ryder brings equal intensity to the role of a young beauty who becomes the object of Dracula's devastating desire. Anthony Hopkins co-stars as the famed doctor who dares to believe in Dracula, and then dares to confront him. Opulent, dazzling and utterly irresistible, this is Dracula as you've never seen him. And once you've seen BRAM STOKER'S DRACULA, you'll never forget it.

MARY SHELLEY'S FRANKENSTEIN
Robert De Niro, Kenneth Branagh, Tom Hulce, Helena Bonham Carter, Aidan Quinn, Ian Holm and John Cleese star in Branagh's acclaimed adaptation of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. True to the original, here is the story of a young doctor whose obsession with death leads him to create a life. But his "creature" crafted from the bodies of convicts and the brain of a brilliant scientist, is a hideous mockery of humanity. And when the creature realizes he will never be accepted by men, he seeks revenge on Dr. Frankenstein and his family. An inspired adaptation that's emotionally complex and truly terrifying.

Customer Reviews:

Two of the best monster movies ever made.......2006-11-04

Bram Stoker's Dracula and Mary Shelley's Frankenstein are two classic monster stories that are brought to life brilliantly in these movies. How can you beat Gary Oldman's performance as Dracula and Robert DeNiro's portrayal of Frankenstein's monster. They are both well made and are in no way cheesy (like most monster movies). For those of you who might be concerned about content I will warn you that there is nudity and sexuality in the Dracula movie but Frankenstein is very clean and would only be inappropriate for little children due to its scary nature. But overall I think these movies are great for mature teens and adults. If you like monster movies or would just like to see a good...no, the BEST...on-screen interpretation of these two classic characters, then this is the set you need to buy.

I Agree.......2006-03-28

I agree with the kid who wrote the last review. These are exceptionally well done films and are very faithful to the novels. The performances are all exceptional (save for some of Winona Ryder's British accent in Dracula)with perfect casting. I also have the same complaints : 'Where are the special features?' and 'Why is Frankenstein in FULLSCREEN only? Why must studios screw good movies over in just Fullscreen (Moonstruck)? Couldn't it just as easily been widescreen or both(also Moonstruck)?' And yes, Dracula does need a new menu doesn't it?
P.S.- I highly reccomend the film WOLF, just as the kid who wrote the last review did. It is sleek and intelligent (just like the box says!) and is also filled with exceptional performances.

Great movies but the DVDs.......2006-02-20

I just got this today these are the two most faithful versions to their novels out there Dracula is very elaborate and powereful Frankenstein is also great go for this set
But the DVDs the only Thing wrong with Frankenstein is that it is in fullscreen,Dracula However Needs Special Features and a better Menu Look but i can live with it
also check out "Wolf"

waaait for the Special EDITIONS!.......2005-12-28

Both are great movies and i'm hoping this year both get a nice treatment, they should be Special Editions!

Two Great Films-One Hell Of A Deal. "Love Never Dies." "Be Warned. It's Alive." FFC And KB SUCCEED TREMENDOUSLY........2005-11-24

Francis Ford Coppola's 1992 version of "Bram Stoker's Dracula" and Kenneth Branagh's 1994 "Mary Shelley's Frankenstein" are classics in their own right. Now, for the first time, these two faithful adaptations of the classic Gothic horror novels are available together for your ultimate viewing pleasure. Though this set hasn't been released yet, I have both of these great films (one on DVD-damn shame that it is only available in full screen and with no special features apart from the trailers [one for the feature film itself, the other two for "Much Ado About Nothing" and "Awakenings"] and the other on VHS). See my reviews on both films and the novels on which they are based. "Mary Shelley's Frankenstein" is rated PG for some violence. "Bram Stoker's Dracula" is rated PG-13 for some violence and brief sensuality/nudity.

DVD:

DVD

DVD

DVD

Elf Princess Rane

The Making Of Westworld

Donovan's Reef [1963] (REGION 1) (NTSC)

DVD: Jingle All the Way

Gun Smith Cats Chapter 1Making of - Anime