Homage

Starring:Blythe Danner, Frank Whaley, Sheryl Lee, Danny Nucci, Bruce Davison, Bob Goen, Raymond Mesa, Arlene Belkin, Harri James, Lynsey Taylor, Leon Cox, Ted Scanlon, Elmo Davis, David Philips (II), Gordon Butler, Wally Gonzales, Mark Medoff, Kagan Ethan, Lora Cunningham
Director: Ross Kagan Marks
Studio: Arrow Entertainment
Product Type: DVD

Average customer rating:

poetry meets documentary
with werner in guyana
more like a poem than a documentary
Of artificial madness and self-aware obsession
Captivating

The White Diamond
Director: Werner Herzog
Manufacturer: Fox Lorber
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Wheel of Time
Grizzly Man
The Wild Blue Yonder
Where the Green Ants Dream
The Great Ecstasy of the Sculptor Steiner/How Much Wood Would a Woodchuck Chuck/La Soufriere)

ASIN: B000AQ68XC
Release Date: 2005-10-25

Amazon.com

It's a good bet there are no directors who float between feature and documentary filmmaking as smoothly as Werner Herzog. The White Diamond (2004) is a companion piece of sorts to his well-received Grizzly Man. Both are about eccentric dreamers who travel to harsh landscapes following their dream with tragic consequences. In other words, perfect "Herzogian" fodder. Two important differences: White Diamond is filmed in the standard way (not piecing together another's videotape) and the tragedy occurred years before cameras rolled. Dr. Graham Dorrington is a man driven to fly. The Cambridge scientist creates new types of airships to explore the canopy of tropical rain forests. Herzog and his crew follow Dorrington to Guyana to see if this new-age dirigible can bring us closer to this fragile and important ecosystem. The film is less about what those discoveries might mean and more a portrait of a man. This is not Dorrington's first attempt to go to the jungle. A haunting accident a decade earlier in the forests of Borneo nags at him and Herzog prods Dorrington's recollections. The 90-minute film has some very rich side trips well worth taking: a legend of the gigantic Kaieteur Falls, the diamond mines of the area, and getting to know one of the hired porters. Herzog injects his own thoughts and gets into the action (he's on the initial flight, much to the chagrin of some of the team members) while delivering a satisfying, gorgeously shot film. --Doug Thomas

Description

Acclaimed filmmaker Werner Herzog (Grizzly Man ,Aguirre: The Wrath of God, Fitzcarraldo) follows enigmatic airship engineer Dr. Graham Dorrington as he embarks on a trip in the heart of Guyana to test his new helium-filled invention above the rainforest. Dubbed the "white diamond" on account of its unique teardrop shape, the expedition begins with some early mishaps but is soon airborne high above the treetops. With every success though, Dorrington is haunted by a similar expedition twelve years ago that killed his friend as they were testing an airship much like the "white diamond." Herzog magnificently captures Dorrington's struggles to atone for what he calls "a stupid, meaningless accident" while at the same time presenting stunning never-before-seen images of the true beauty of nature.

Customer Reviews:

poetry meets documentary.......2007-05-10

Though I've only seen a handful of films by Werner Herzog, I found every one of them adroit and powerfully arresting in unexpected ways.

Exquisite and moving, "The White Diamond" (2004) is no exception, being representative of Herzog's recent approach, at least as a documentarian. What he seems to do is pick a subject, a guy who's either fiercely dedicated to or unusually accomplished at some offbeat occupation, and then take a musing, unhurried look his life and philosophy, taking no particular pains to absent either himself or his interpretations from your consideration.

I especially like the way he allows his films to be finally edited together, frequently allowing dialogue to trail off, scenes to linger, and sequences to end on unexpected notes. His style has a look and feel all its own.

Anyhow. The "White Diamond" in this film is a specialized airship, a one-man dirigible which resembles a diamond on its side. The engineer, Graham Dorrington of London University, has specially designed it to be highly maneuverable and as quiet as possible. Thus it could accomplish its purpose: exploring one of Earth's last unexplored biospheres: the canopies of rain forests (Guyana in most of this movie). Only the most gingerly engineered ship could explore these impossible delicate, life-teeming regions, and most of the film records Dorrington testing his prototype.

But there is a darkness that lurks behind Dorrington's efforts: his close colleague, Dieter Plage, the original mastermind behind the project, died in a similar balloon during a previous expedition to the rain forest of Sumatra. In the shadow of this tragedy, Dorrington is determined to successfully see through the creation and successful usage of the improved balloon.

The film starts with a brief black-and-white history of dirigibles, then takes us into a windtunnel to witness the airship's design. Finally we see the balloon in action.

What I liked about this movie was the slow, poetical approach that Herzog adopted while exploring his subject. It seems to me he's saying something about life.

Say you're walking through Paris. You're going to remember the Seine, Notre Dame, the Eiffel Tower, etc. But often what looms most in the memory of the traveler are minor things that caught the eye: a street vendor, a bird, a sewer grate, the rustle of a dress, a shoot of ivy. Later these memories loom even larger in your mind than the monuments you expressly went to see.

Herzog seems to capture this in his directing style, lingering curiously on extranea that, while at first blush appearing irrelevant to his presumed purpose, soon swell to assume a power over the viewer that is hard to describe.

Thus when this film is over, the things you remember most wondrously and tenderly are not the airship, but the cave of the swifts, the lonely motion of the dancer against the waterfall, and the Rastafarian who has been torn from his family.

Isn't this how we travel through life? People and events we think unimportant at the time later seize our imagination with a force that can scarcely be credited. Herzog is on to this and deliberately, I submit, incorporates this insight into his filmmaking style, thereby suggesting the beauty and importance of small things.

Unfortunately, the same thing that makes the movie so charming and so unusual is the same thing that stops it from being truly great: large chunks of it simply do not cohere. It would appear there is a price to be paid after all for not observing the unities, whatever other insights you may bring to the table. Shame this didn't get a bigger release, though.

By the way, this DVD is fullscreen only; there is no director's commentary track, no extras, and no subtitles in English or any other language.

with werner in guyana.......2007-01-25

A documentary by director Werner Herzog (cf. Grizzly Man) is never as simple as its plot and subject first suggest. In 2004 Herzog joined the quixotic British aeronautical engineer Graham Dorrington who traveled to remote Guyana in South America to fly his two-seater contraption over the rain forests, ostensibly for scientific research. But filming that quest is really a side show to Herzog's broader interests. He pokes and prods at the eccentric Dorrington, especially the guilt he tries to assuage over a fatal accident that killed his friend Dieter Plage in Sumatra in 1993. He trains his camera on the spectacular scenery, especially the thousands of swifts who nest there. In one phenomenal close-up of a single tiny rain drop he captures the reflection of the thundering Kaieteur Falls in the distance. Like an anthropologist he explores the lives of the bare foot Guyanan locals who slop through the mud to help Dorrington, like Mark Anthony who loves his pet rooster and epitomizes Rastafarian harmony. In other scenes we see the appalling environmental degradation of the diamond mines, a teenage boy beside the Falls moon-walking to the reggae from his boom box, and Dorrington's tear-dropped dirigible meandering over the river and forests. Herzog demonstrates how even the simplest plot lends itself to rich explorations.

more like a poem than a documentary.......2006-11-27

***1/2

In "The White Diamond," famed documentary filmmaker Werner Herzog has fashioned a quirky, visually beautiful tribute to all the risk takers and dreamers who make exploration and discovery possible.

Herzog has chosen for his subject Dr. Graham Dorrington, an aeronautics engineer who has invented a small, helium-powered airship that allows him to fly over and into the canopy of the South American rainforest in order to study the richly varied life forms that inhabit that hitherto unexplored area of the planet`s biosphere. Dorrington, who comes across as part humanitarian scientist and part lovable crackpot, is nothing if not eager to share his adventures with Herzog and his crew of brave filmmakers.

Even though there is much of interest in the setting-up stage of the experiment and the short history of aviation Herzog provides at the beginning, the movie itself is almost so lackadaisical in its approach that it often feels unfocused and devoid of passion, but once Dorrington and Herzog himself are airborne, with the camera moving in for unbelievably tight close-ups of the creatures living within the soaring treetops, the movie becomes a treasure trove of rare and wonderful sights that even the least nature-oriented among us will find impossible to forget.

This is one of the least flashy documentary films you will ever see. For despite the very real risks to life and limb involved in the project, this is a work that finds its beauty and drama in the serene majesty of the setting and the elegant simplicity of the airship itself. More mood piece than scientific document, "The White Diamond" should appeal as much to the poet as to the adventurer in all of us.

Of artificial madness and self-aware obsession.......2006-08-09

The plot of "The White Diamond" won't surprise anyone who is familiar with the works of Werner Herzog. The film is about a mad visionary who is driven to extremities by an obsessive quest for perfection. His grand ideas cause him to ignore his own safety, as well as the safety of others around him.

In this particular film, the visionary is a professor of aerodynamics at a British university. His obsessive quest is to build an airship, like the Zeppelins of old, only better. He dreams of flying like a bird, and he is truly happy only when he is soaring above the treetops in his latest airship. He has been working on this for years. At one point, one of his closest friends died in an accident that occurred because of a malfunction in one of the flying machines. Herzog, ever the adventurer, interviews the professor and accompanies him to a jungle in South America, where they test the professor's latest creation.

So far, this is all very similar to any number of Herzog's other films, from "Aguirre, The Wrath Of God" to "Little Dieter Needs To Fly" and "Grizzly Man." Even the setting recalls Herzog's other trips to South America. The jungle seems to attract him like a siren. But it is here where Herzog's grand worldview begins to look a bit laboured.

At one point in the film, there is a conversation between Herzog and the professor. The airship is ready to fly, but the professor wants to perform the first test by himself, flying alone. Herzog categorically disagrees. He says that the first flight should have a camera on board, and that the professor has no right to fly by himself. To do so would not only be unsafe, it would be a "stupidity" that would deprive the world of the images that Herzog can capture with his camera. Herzog wants to accompany the professor and share the risk, all for the sake of the film. Finally, the professor agrees.

The thing is, this scene is totally fabricated. It is obvious from looking at Herzog and the professor that the conversation is scripted. In a later interview with the BBC, the professor (who is, in fact, an active researcher at his university) confirms this. Apparently, Herzog insisted on filming this scene, with dialogue that he wrote, and sticking it into the film.

And now, it is pertinent to ask why he bothered. What was the point of making up this conversation? Is it just to reinforce Herzog's idea of the professor as a mad genius who doesn't care about other people's well-being, and thus allows an amateur to take part in the first flight?

But then, what is the point of Herzog's deliberate replies to the professor? And why is it so important that Herzog himself participate? He doesn't really step in front of the camera much throughout the film. Yet in this scene, the focus is entirely on him.

Could it be that the great cinematic visionary Werner Herzog simply wants to engage in self-aggrandizement?

Maybe. The way the scene is filmed, it serves to underscore Herzog's heroism. The director is so dedicated to his quest of capturing great images that he bravely risks his own life, putting it in the hands of the professor who is so dedicated to his own quest of building airships that he doesn't care about anything or anyone else. Herzog even takes the camera away from the cameraman and does his own filming.

Now, if Herzog made up this scene, why couldn't he have made up everything else? The professor's BBC interview doesn't give a big impression of insanity. On the contrary, the professor seems to be a pretty level-headed fellow. He wonders, in a bemused way, why Herzog made him look like a lunatic. On his website at the university, there's a list of his research interests and publications. The list provides evidence that his work is serious (he has grant money, after all), and based on motivations other than a crazed desire to fly like a bird.

Well, there's nothing wrong with that. Herzog often admits to exaggerating or fabricating certain aspects of his stories. He disdains the "accountant's truth" contained in the facts of life, and searches for the "poetic truth" that is buried far beneath the surface. Here, he just selectively emphasizes those parts of the professor's work that support his own vision of obsessive quests. Big deal.

But what is the poetic truth in this particular film? Could it be that Herzog built up this image of the professor as mad genius, solely in order to place himself alongside the professor and thus reinforce his own image as a great man in search of poetic truth? What about his earlier film "My Best Fiend," where his praise for the talents of Klaus Kinski also seemed like it was designed to direct attention to his own talents? Was Kinski right when he wrote twenty years ago that "nothing interests [Herzog] other than his lousy career as a so-called film-maker"?

Well, I don't know. And maybe it doesn't matter even if it's true. No matter what, Herzog is a powerful speaker and storyteller, and he always finds compelling imagery for his films. In this film, for instance, he shows how a giant waterfall is reflected in a drop of rain, and then how a champagne glass attached to a balloon is sucked into the falls and destroyed.

And after all, this wouldn't even be an issue if Herzog was making a feature film. I can raise these concerns only because this is a documentary. Maybe I'm too much attached to the notion that a documentary should depict factual events. But after seeing that scene, I can't shake the feeling that Herzog's glorious ideas have been a little bit tarnished.

Captivating.......2006-07-24

Although I am not attuned to the background history of the film, the visuals are captivating enough to hold anyone's interest. I have visited the site of the film, and the footage comes as close as possible to capturing the magnificance of the rainforest, the Potaro River and Kaieteur Falls. The scenes with the locals are right on.

Richard Pryor - I Ain't Dead Yet, #*%$#@!! (Uncensored)

Average customer rating:

Pretty good
Wish I'd Never Had Bought This DVD!
Great Comic. Terrible DVD.
The Great One
Not that funny

Richard Pryor - I Ain't Dead Yet, #*%$#@!! (Uncensored)
Starring: Richard Pryor , and Jon Stewart
Manufacturer: Comedy Central
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Richard Pryor - Live & Smokin'
Richard Pryor: Stand-Up Comedy Double Feature
Live on the Sunset Strip
Richard Pryor - Here and Now
Richard Pryor - Live in Concert

ASIN: B0002WZTQG
Release Date: 2004-11-16

Description

Hosted by Pryor, diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in the 80's, the hour-long tribute includes appearances from a few special friends, including Dave Chappelle, Margaret Cho, Jamie Foxx, Whoopi Goldberg, Steve Harvey, Chris Rock, Denis Leary, Robin Williams, and many more popular entertainers. The program also features clips of previous concert appearances, recordings, and unreleased diary excerpts. The entertainer describes the irreverent special himself: "It's not a B.S. didn't-he-USED-to-be-great tribute. It's a funny (expletive) show. I may have MS, but I ain't dead yet, (expletive)."

Customer Reviews:

Pretty good.......2007-05-07

not bad. A great tribute to one of the best comedians of our time.

Wish I'd Never Had Bought This DVD!.......2007-03-03

Waste of money! If this DVD would have cost one dollar it would have been too much money. I wish I would have read the reviews before buying it, I would have saved myself from getting the worst Richard Pryor DVD ever made! I don't care to type anymore about it because once I really get started I won't shut up and this DVD is not worth my time. I didn't want to even give it one star but in order to do this review it showed I had to give at least one star. I think if it doesn't deserve a star it shouldn't get one!

Great Comic. Terrible DVD........2006-06-02

Perhaps the worst tribute DVD I have ever seen. Jump cut editing will give you ADD (we're talking literally two-second sound bytes!), the grabs are pointless with very few comedians talking about Pryor getting more than one sentence in before they jump to the next trendy talking head. None of them say anything funny or enlightening either, which is surprising for something that is supposed to be a comedy/tribute DVD. A handful of Pryor clips from an existing concert (just one) and two short clips from the Richard Pryor show. The sycophantic background laughter at EVERYTHING their interviewees say (and I mean EVERYTHING, it's pathetic) is really grating. And there's too many terrible comics on here - Margaret Cho, Cedric the Entertainer, George Wallace, Jamie Foxx and a bunch of sub-Martin Lawrence jarheads. Spend your money on one of his live concert DVDs. This is rubbish made by people who think they have a sense of humour. It's a beer coaster.

The Great One.......2006-03-17

Very nice tribute. need to do a beeter job of packaging and handling your dvd movies this is the case for all the dvds i've bought from you guys so far.

Not that funny.......2006-03-04

I was expecting a glimpse of some of richard's funniest acts. the DVD does not do that. It merely interviews people who knew him and give you a glimpse about his career with some takes from some of his stand up shows.

I was under the imppression that I am purchasing a DVD that shows some of his funny shows, stand ups and maybe a DVD of something new about richard. (A never before seen show or something like that)

Never the less, He never fails to be the funniest comedian that ever lived.

Average customer rating:

Complex Subject; Complex Life
Very Good Documentary
Jim Brown All American

Jim Brown All American
Starring: Art Modell , Walter Beach , Ed Walsh , Sam Oakley , and Ed Corley
Director: Spike Lee
Manufacturer: Hbo Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

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Similar Items:

4 Little Girls
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Jim Brown: The Fierce Life of an American Hero
Get on the Bus
She Hate Me

ASIN: B0000D9BBJ
Release Date: 2004-08-24

Amazon.com

Spike Lee directs a flawed but fascinating portrait of the sports legend, actor, and activist in Jim Brown: All American. Interviewing former coaches, teammates, and celebrity observers (including Oliver Stone), and with Brown's cooperation, this HBO documentary is best at detailing Brown's early life. Briefly raised by a great-grandmother in Georgia, Brown moved to Long Island, where he found a supportive, predominantly white, community that encouraged his high school victories in basketball, lacrosse, tennis, and, of course, football. He encounters racism at Syracuse University, but Brown's performance and pride overwhelmed all resistance. The Cleveland Browns chapter explains how Brown dominated the game, and then Lee ventures into his subject's experiences in Hollywood and as an African American community leader. The film is engaging and disciplined until controversial issues arise--Brown's alleged abuse toward women, for example--and Lee refuses to press. But in general, this is a good piece about a charismatic, dynamic figure. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

Complex Subject; Complex Life.......2006-12-01

This documentary is probably more balanced thatn ESPN's and FOX's versions combined. Subjects like Jim Brown are difficult to be encapsuled in such a short time, but Spike probably did as good a job as any filmmaker could.

I also agree agout the balance concerning his legal issues. Allowing multiple parties to express their perspectives gives the viewer the responsibility to make up his/her own mind.

The most impressive thing was Jim expressing lament and remorse for not being the father he wanted to be for his children (prior to his present marriage to Monique and their two children). He took responsibility for their development and stated that by dealing with his personal survival and conflict with their respective mothers, the children suffer.

Overall, I highly recommend this documetary to anyone who says that athletes are one-dimensional and superficial.

Very Good Documentary.......2004-08-08

Jim Brown is One of the Greatest athletes ever&a very down to earth&given cat. this special showcases His Career&also His Many Endevours at given back to the Community through the years. he has touched so many lives for so long.He truly reached back&has a made a world of difference.very moving&a History making Brother.

Jim Brown All American.......2004-02-27

I have seen only one Spike Lee movie so what I'm about to say is said (by my own admission) with ignorance, but Jim Brown All American must be his masterpiece... his tour de force. This hour long documentary deeply explores not only the incredible athletic career of this exceptional athlete but also the obstacles-- notably prejudice-- over which Jim Brown had to prevail on his way to greatness. It also reveals what makes Jim Brown an exceptional (and admirable) human being off the playing field as well. His capacity for love and forgiveness, portrayed in the opening scene of the documentary, impressed me at least as much as did his absolutely unbelievable performances on the football AND lacrosse fields.

At the same time, I was very impressed with Mr. Lee's evenhanded and thoughtful treatment of Jim Brown's legal troubles. He didn't whitewash or paper over this turbulent aspect of Jim Brown's life. He also documented the critical intervention of many good people in his formative years without whom Jim Brown's life might have taken a different course.

I know what you're thinking..."This guy's just another rabid Cleveland Browns fan in his 50's who grew up rooting for Jim Brown." Not so. I'm a rabid Chicago Bears fan in his 50's who sees Jim Brown and Gale Sayers starting in the same backfield on God's All-Universe Team.

The documentary was informative, entertaining, and-- above all-- inspiring. I can't wait until it is issued so I can buy it for myself and show it to all the aging Cleveland Browns fans who surround me in my cul-de-sac.

Customer Reviews:

A lost Classic............2007-02-23

I have forgotten about this movie.Saw this back in 1973 on chiller theatre.broadcast on channel 11 out of new york.when i was 10 years old.I was glued to the tv the entire time.When i popped the dvd in recently.i immediatly remembered it.This movie is a tense thriller about two british girls biking across france,Very subtle,dont look for the bloody gore in this one.Not to mention how suspensful a movie can be filmed entirely in broad daylight,With a cast of six people,in the middle of nowhere,Oh and keep an eyeout for the Spooky farmer sowing his fields in the distance,no close ups of him but he seems to know whats going on before you do.Get this one While it is still in print and reasonably priced wort every cent

A HITCHCOCKIAN SUSPENSE-THRILLER!.......2004-10-09

Cathy and Jane (Michele Dotrice and Pamela Franklin) are two pretty British nurses taking a bicycle tour of rural France. The women stop on the side of the road and have an argument; Jane leaves the scene, while Cathy stays behind. Jane returns a few moments later only to discover that her friend has mysteriously vanished. As if that weren't distressing enough, Jane learns that the area Cathy disappeared from is the same site where a lady tourist was found murdered a few years earlier. Engaging suspenser with taut direction by Robert Fuest and good acting from Franklin as the worried heroine. Also, Ian Wilson's striking photography of the French countryside doesn't hurt one bit.

Movie of the Week type Chiller.......2004-10-08

In "And Soon the Darkness," two British nurses (Pamela Franklin and Michelle Dotrice) on a bicycle holiday in the French countryside stumble onto trouble when they have a dispute and one of them disappears. Then the remaining nurse (Franklin) is vulnerably left relying on the non-kindness of strangers and the language barrier in order to find her friend. A swinging dark stranger may be friend or foe, and a couple of innkeepers are positively sinister. Frankly, there's nothing subtle about this. The red herrings are fairly heavy-handed and there's a movie-of-the-week type denouement with heroine making all sorts of foolish moves and going exactly where the filmmakers want her to go in order to put herself in more danger. The fact that she accepts rides with strangers when her girlfriend has disappeared is unnerving enough. But what really disturbs me about this film is the excuse to focus on the anatomy of two young women clad in hot-pants, supposedly through the killer's eyes. It's pretty unappetizing and as a lover of thrillers and mysteries, I was disappointed. Also distracting is the music by Laurie Johnson who scored television's wonderful "The Avengers" series (Brian Clemens wrote the script here, I believe). It seems more suitable for television than a major theatrical release. In fact, sometimes the film reminds me of "The Avengers" as a result without the charm of its two great stars, Patrick Macnee and Diana Rigg, or the wonderfully eccentric plots -- it reminds me of television altogether, in fact.

Pamela Franklin was a superb actress, however, with a doll-like prettiness and although she did do Disney, she always had a more intense element that was utilized in other work. She really could have garnered more recognition, I feel, for her formidable talents if she had done more films like "Prime of Miss Jean Brodie" and less films like this one. She still does a capable job here, as does Michelle Dotrice, but honestly, I feel this film is mediocre at best.

For Uk Thriller Afficianados Only.......2004-05-15

I normally love Robert Fuest's work, and this is a change from his usual - much of it is shot outdoors and there is none of the surrealistic set detail of the kind found in the 'Dr Phibes' movies or 'The Final Programme', which allows the viewer to enjoy another facet of this underrated director. While this is a subtle and original film (which benefits from a great transfer onto DVD) it is a little overlong and the constant too-ing and fro-ing of the characters between a handful of locations (while being a credible and realistic means of telling the story) does get a little dull at times - if the feature had been fifteen minutes shorter, the structure would have been far more taut and exciting, while the lack of any real gore or shockingly violent scenes ultimately mean that the film lacks punch. Therefore, I'd say it's for thriller fanatics only - if you like horror, this may be too subtle for you.

A superb "Film Blanc".......2004-01-31

"And Soon the Darkness" is one of those odd little films that occasionally surfaces in some of the better reference books on horror and suspense, but remains unknown to the casual fan.

This is unfortunate, because "Darkness" is something almost unique in the suspense genre: a film taking place almost completely in daylight, yet conveying a sense of encroaching doom that rivals some of the best films in the field.

The film is almost plotless. Two nurses go on a biking excursion through the French countryside to see "the real France." But they have a falling out, and after their rift one of them (played by Michelle Dotrice) is murdered by an unseen (off-screen) assailant. The other girl, Pamela Franklin, struggles on, but soon a lone detective, claiming to be from the police, joins her, and they "collaborate" in a search for the missing girl.

It isn't long before "Jane" (Pamela) grows suspicious of the detective, and starts to believe he's the killer. Once this suspicion dawns, we witness her sporadic attempts to get to the bottom of things. Her meetings with the local gendarme, a café owner, a schoolteacher, and a blind war veteran, uncover nothing ---- though their collective "testimony" only adds to her unease. Eventually, of course, we discover the real killer, who, though constantly prowling the daylight, almost succeeds in delivering "darkness" to his second victim in a row.

To repeat ---- the remarkable thing about the film is how the constant scanning of open, sun-drenched fields and barren roads evokes an atmosphere of dread. I'm hard-pressed to name another film which accomplishes its aims by similar means ---- almost all the clichés of cobwebs, shadowy stairways, and rain-soaked streets are missing here. Only toward the end, when Franklin tries to hide from the detective in a ramshackle hut, do we get a recourse to the more conventional methods of "noir" ---- yet, precisely because it comes so late in the day (both literally and figuratively), it's that much more unnerving.

Pamela Franklin shows once again that she is one of the most underrated actresses of her day. Completely unglamourized, dressed simply in a white shirt and tan shorts, she shows little of the beautiful gamin she played in "Sinful Davey" (1968) or the lusciously sexy flapper of "Ace Eli and Roger of the Skies" (1973). This allows her more scope for nuances of expression, while simultaneously bringing her more firmly into the "girl next door" camp.

As a side note, it's interesting to compare the music score to that of the much-later "Silence of the Lambs." Though worlds apart in other respects, the leitmotif of descending notes that runs through "Darkness" clearly anticipates passages in "Lambs." Only the tawdry jazz accompanying the opening and closing credits mars what is otherwise an effectively eerie score.

Anchor Bay's DVD edition serves the film equivocally. While nothing spectacular video-wise, it's a vast improvement over VHS versions, and its audio track is better still, conveying nice clarity in both dialogue and music. The full-length commentary, however, is disappointing. Not only do Robert Fuest (director) and Brian Clemens (screenwriter) say almost nothing about Franklin (calling her at one point "unknowable"), they spend as much time discussing their parts in the "Avengers" TV series as they do the film itself. Worse, their comments are rarely screen-specific --- Fuest and Clemens take the roles of "essayists," talking abstractedly about their past careers and some of the more marginal aspects of film production. A scene-by-scene discussion would have been more effective.

Customer Reviews:

good image, not to good sound.......2007-06-27

I expect that the sound was better that the last concert, because was filmed on 2005, but when you heard with a good home theater, the sound is not too good.

Sad sad sad!.......2006-03-14

I loved the tribute on TV it was so cool! I was anxiously awaiting for the school bell to ring so i could rush home and see the specials on it before the concert started! To think that i could've been there but instead decided to stay at home, California, because i would've gone all alone and i'm only 15 so that was a scary thought for me..anyways I had done a lot of previous video casette recordings of the specials they had had for Selena the year of the Tribute Concert and when the night of the concert actually came, I totally forgot how to connect the VCR so i'm like "oh well I'll just buy it when it comes out on DVD." I was furious when I read the information for the DVD at website only 9 songs out of 23 is a total rip off and waste of money! I'm sorry but this was a horrible desicion to have this DVD released i think the companies involved just wanted it out and didn't really fight for having the other artists featured on the DVD! I bought the CD which is alright but it's about the same thing as the DVD tracks..I'm truelly dissapointed but be sure that the day, if and when it comes, the full DVD is released I will be one of the first to buy it.

TRIBUTE TO OUR LATIN ANGEL!!!!!!!!!!!!!.......2005-09-01

This is a great tribute to our beautiful beloved Selena, past and present popular latin artists re-unite together to remember a young talented fellow artist whose life was cut short, paying tribute to her by singing her songs. This DVD shows not only how much Selena's music impacted the lives of fans & fellow artists, but just how loved and talented she was, it reminds each and every one of her followers that Selena forever lives in us, in our hearts, in her music, her videos, and to the real Selena fans - she still remains much alive, still singing and dancing!!!! (...)

Have To Agree With 1 Star Reviews.......2005-08-16

I haven't seen the DVD but if it is ONLY 60 mins, it cannot be anything like the Live Concert. Based on the reviews that have seen the DVD I must agree that it would be a waste and a great disappointment. The Concert on Univision was Excellent and runs over 2 hours without the commercials. For the DVD to only have nine songs is a SIN and not to include the Final song 'Come La Flor' where all the artists sing along with Selena is an Even Greater SIN. The reviews in Spanish focus on the Live Concert on Univision, which deserves the 5 stars. Since they do not comment on the DVD itself, perhaps it should not have been posted as it gives the DVD an erroneous average rating.
Los comentarios por AR y G. Acevedo debiera ser sobre EL DVD, NO sobre El Concierto en Univision. El DVD merece solo una Estrella!
I was so hoping I could have gotten the Entire concert on DVD. The DVD as it is now, I must agree is a WASTE and not cheap either, and would hope that the people responsible would reconsider and do the entire concert. Excellent Concert! BAD DVD!!

Selena Vive.......2005-08-05

I was able to see the beginning of the Selena Vive in Univision and I really loved it but I was not able to see the whole thing. I went online and saw that they were going to have the dvd I was so excited that I pre-ordered the dvd. But when I got the dvd through the mail, I was so disappointed because they only had 9 singers of the original 20 singers that performed that night. What a rip off!!!!! Do not buy this DVD, if I could return the dvd I would.

Average customer rating:

Homage to Chagall
Not a bad film... just a bad print

Homage to Chagall
Starring: James Mason , Jean Gascon , and Joseph Wiseman
Director: Harry Rasky
Manufacturer: Kino Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Musicals & Performing Arts | Genres | DVD | Video

Biography | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

Art & Artists | Special Interests | Genres | DVD | Video

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

Chagall
Artists of the 20th Century - Marc Chagall
Picasso: Magic Sex Death
Dali
My Life

ASIN: B000077VQG
Release Date: 2002-12-03

Customer Reviews:

Homage to Chagall.......2007-07-03

A demanding but richly rewarding study of this magnificent artist, who lived and worked in France. A poet and mystic as well as painter, Chagall was a fascinating personality. Here, haunting shots of his work are juxtaposed with readings of the artist's own words by actors Mason and Wiseman. What emerges from Rasky's tribute is a profound portrait of a bona-fide genius, whose goal was to portray the many shades and facets of love.

Not a bad film... just a bad print.......2007-02-03

The movie was pretty good, with lots of
shots of some of Chagall's most lovely pieces. But the
DVD was very blurry and the colors were VERY faded throughout, making
us feel like we were watching a VHS tape that had been dubbed
from another VHS tape which had been dubbed from another... and another.

One other complaint was the painfully poor dubbing over Chagall's
voice during the Q&A session. It was distracting and amateurish.
The only
thing worse than the dubbing was watching Chagall's wife trying to translate what he was saying into English. She clearly had
no talent for translating, and admitted it. Why didn't the director use subtitles?

Average customer rating:

Rime of the Ancient Mariner
Starring: Michael Redgrave , Miriam Margolis , and Roland Curram
Director: Raul daSilva
Manufacturer: Kultur Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Music Video & Concerts | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

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

The Odyssey
The Queen
Gulliver's Travels
Les Miserables (1935 & 1952 Two-Disc Set)
49th Parallel - Criterion Collection

ASIN: B000NA26TA
Release Date: 2007-04-24

Description

Samuel Taylor Coleridge's epic poem is brought to life with an evocative mix of animated and real images which give this famous poem an exciting new dimension. This visually remarkable cinematic work is narrated by Sir Michael Redgrave, who gives an inspired reading of this literary classic. The program is presented in two parts. Part One is a biography of Samuel Taylor Coleridge from his orphaned childhood, through his vain attempts at being a dashing blade in 18th Century London. Part Two is a unique visualization of Coleridge's poem that takes us on a lonely voyage where time and space are as limitless as the imagination.

A Tribute to Duke Ellington: Barbara Hendericks Monty Alexander Trio

Average customer rating:

A Tribute to Duke Ellington: Barbara Hendericks Monty Alexander Trio
Starring: Barbara Hendricks , and Monty Alexander
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Music Video & Concerts | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $14.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( T ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

General | Classical | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Norman Granz Jazz in Montreux Presents Oscar Peterson Solo '75
Antonio Carlos Jobim - An All-Star Tribute
The Berlin Concert

ASIN: B000A2XCNA
Release Date: 2005-08-02

Description

In this engaging and touching tribute, Barbara Hendricks emphasizes her admiration for Duke Ellington, the man and the artist. In serving this music she is enriching the legacy of the African-American people who have already contributed so much to 20th-century world culture. Ellington has long been fascinated by the great "operatic" voices, as their range and flexibility enabled him to express a universal musical ideal. How pleased he would be today to hear his music sung by one of those "sophisticated ladies" for whom it was primarily written. Barbara Hendricks could not be a better ambassador.

Average customer rating:

A DVD any jazz fan can appreciate
A DVD any jazz fan can appreciate
A Grand Tribute
Great Jazz performed by world-class performers...

Tribute To John Coltrane
Starring: Wayne Shorter , Dave Liebman , Richie Beirach , Eddie Gomez , and Jack DeJohnette
Manufacturer: Image Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | Music Video & Concerts | Genres | DVD | Video

( T ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Carlos Santana & Wayne Shorter - Live at Montreux (1988)

ASIN: B00000JN2A
Release Date: 1999-08-31

Amazon.com

By and large, tribute shows are often a letdown. Bob Dylan's 30th anniversary show, for example, just made you realize how much better the troubadour's material was when he first performed it. When an artist has died, it can be even worse. Their contemporaries often fall all over themselves, gushing embarrassingly hyperbolic praise. Filmed in Japan in 1987, this tribute to the late jazz genius John Coltrane is a definite exception. The musicians, sax players Wayne Shorter and Dave Liebman, pianist Richie Beirach, bassist Eddie Gomez, and drummer Jack DeJohnette--all great in their own right--keep the eulogizing minimal and instead focus on interpreting a small handful of Coltrane's important works. Interpreting is key here, as the band often uses Coltrane's material as a jumping-off point before spiraling into inspired, freeform improvisation. Their best playing is showcased during two tunes of Coltrane's seminal album, Giant Steps: "Mr. PC" is upbeat, dizzying, and comes very close to rockin', while "Naima" (one of Coltrane's most lyrical, gorgeous pieces) is full of atmosphere and somber emotion. The band lets it all hang out (and nearly falls apart) during "Impressions," but somehow manages to stay balanced enough to pull it off. The sound is perfect here, and while the visuals don't offer much to look at, all you really need to do is listen. Coltrane would be pleased. --Dave McCoy

Description

Soprano saxophonists Wayne Shorter and Dave Liebman, pianist Richie Beirach, bassist Eddie Gomez and drummer Jack De Johnette share the stage in the "Select Live Under the Sky '87" tribute to legendary jazz master John Coltrane. Set list: Mr. P.C., After the Rain/Naima, India/Impressions.

Customer Reviews:

A DVD any jazz fan can appreciate.......2001-02-23

This DVD is great. Right from the start there is an interesting spoken intro by Wayne Shorter and then the music explodes in front of a responsive Japanese audience starting with Mr. PC. I was a little skeptical at first at the usage of two soprano saxes by David Liebman and Wayne Shorter but as I listened it proved to create a unique sound. There are many close, mobile camera angles used that make the performance all the more interesting. This DVD features a duo of "Naima" and "After the Rain" by Liebman and Richie Beirach which works very well. I was particularly impressed by Beirach's soloing, whom I had never payed much attention to. Jack Dejohnette and Eddie Gomez have their share of soloing also. The second half of the DVD features multiple long drum breaks that are stunning to watch and awesome to listen to. This DVD costs just a bit more than a CD costs and it is so much more for the money. No jazz fans will be left dissapointed.

A DVD any jazz fan can appreciate.......2001-02-23

A Grand Tribute.......2000-03-27

First off let me say that John Coltrane is not on this DVD. What you will find, however, is a group of wonderful musicians playing well known (and not so well known) works of Mr. Coltrane's to a very appreciative audience in Japan. When you have the caliber of Wayne Shorter and Dave Liebman on saxaphones fronting this group, you know that you are in for something special. Rounding out the group is Richie Beirach on piano, Eddie Gomez on bass, and the man who sounds like he must have four arms, Jack De Johnette on drums. Technically, the recording is excellent. The camera work also bears note here. We are not made to sift thru "special" video effects which seem to be part and parcel of so many live concert recordings these days. Instead we are treated to nice camera work which gives the viewer a good sence of what was happening without distracting anyone from the main emphasis; the music. All in all, this is a wonderful DVD, which holds up under repeated listening AND viewing. A rare find these days.

Great Jazz performed by world-class performers..........1999-12-29

The info on Amazon didn't indicate who was playing on this DVD. First of all, John Coltrane himself is not on this DVD. But five (5) great world-class musicians are: Wayne Shorter (soprano sax), Dave Liebman (soprano sax), Richie Beirach (piano), Eddie Gomez (bass) and Jack DeJohnette (drums). Only soprano sax in heard on the DVD, no tenor sax. But that doesn't matter because Wayne & Dave are some of the best soprano sax players around. Dave of course has his own style, but at times you can definately hear the influence John Coltrane has had on his playing. Lots of good up-close shots of the players hands & faces while they're playing. Dave's playing on Mr. P.C is incredible (IMHO). The show comes from the "Select Live Under The Sky '87 10th Special", recorded in Japan. The audio quality is uncompressed PCM (48khz) and is great. The video quality is also great. If you like these artists but have been unable to see them in person, this is the next best thing to being there.

Voices of our Time - Grace Bumbry / Helmut Deutsch, Chatelet Opera

Average customer rating:

PROVING THEM WRONG
Wonderfully well preserved!

Voices of our Time - Grace Bumbry / Helmut Deutsch, Chatelet Opera
Starring: Hector Berlioz , and Brahms
Director: Schumann
Manufacturer: Tdk DVD Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

( V ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Voices of Our Time - Anne Sofie von Otter / Korngold Recital, Chatelet Opera
Regine Crespin Sings Berlioz, Schumann, Schubert, and Poulenc
Voices of Our Time - Barbara Bonney / Malcolm Martineau, Chatelet Opera
Grace Bumbry In Concert [DVD Video]
Voices of Our Time - Ian Bostridge / Roger Vignoles, Chatelet Opera

ASIN: B0002F6B56
Release Date: 2004-07-20

Customer Reviews:

PROVING THEM WRONG.......2004-08-03

The "Amazing Grace" has certainly proven the critics wrong. In the early 1980's, some critics said that Grace Bumbry's voice would be in tatters in a few years and that she would be voiceless in a very short time. This DVD, made about twenty years later, certainly proves them WRONG!! Grace still has plenty of voice plus the experience and sublime artistry to use it beautifully. The subject DVD is a wonderful testament to a wonderful American singer-one that I've had the immense privilege of hearing and meeting in person. (She is truly exciting in person) It's really sad that we have so few of her opera performances on video, --a Solome or Amneris (where she could literally blow any Aida off the stage, with her voice and artistry making the strongest case for the argument that the opera should really have been named "Amneris") would be most welcome. Anyway, I'm grateful for this DVD.

The program on the DVD is a tribute to Lotte Lehmann (Ms. Bumbry's esteemed teacher) I think Lotte would be proud. Grace Bumbry sings everything, on this DVD, knowingly, beautifully using her vast experience wisely. The years have just sharpened her skills. Believe me, you won't have to say, "how nice she lasted so long." She can be compared to any singer half her age and still come out "on top". No compromises required.

If you want to hear a true vocal legend that knew her own voice better than some critics did, and to experience a wonderful recital of sublime music by a great artist, buy this DVD.

Wonderfully well preserved!.......2004-08-02

Madame Grace Bumbry's 2001 performance at the Theatre Musical de Paris-Chatelet is one of the most phenominal performances I have seen in recent years. Undoubtedly one of the greatest talents of our times, Ms. Bumbry's voice is still in fabulously fine fettle. The DVD release of this recital tribute to her teacher Madame Lotte Lehmann includes Schubert's Die Taubenpost, Brahms' Auf dem Kirchhofe, and Strauss' Standchen, in addition to several interviews with Ms. Bumbry and her very fine accompanist Helmut Deutsch.
A combination of fine singing, physical allure which has only gotten better with time, and old world grace, affirm Opera News' 1981 assessment of Ms. Bumbry as simply "Amazing Grace." The nuanced singing Ms. Bumbry presents here is the sign of a singer who truly understands that which she sings, and whose understanding is translated into interpretations that touch and inspire audiences the world over.
This DVD is sure to please the most die hard Bumbry fans and will certainly impress any persons who are in doubt that this diva still has it!
A MUST HAVE!

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The Dame Edna Experience - The Complete Collection (Series 1/2 & Specials)

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