On Golden Pond/Sophie's Choice

Starring:Meryl Streep, Kevin Kline, Peter MacNicol, Rita Karin, Stephen D. Newman, Greta Turken, Josh Mostel, Marcell Rosenblatt, Moishe Rosenfeld, Robin Bartlett, Eugene Lipinski, John Rothman, Joseph Leon, David Wohl, Nina Polan, Alexander Sirotin, Armand Dahan, Joseph Tobin, Cortez Nance, GÃ¼nther Maria Halmer
Director: Alan J. Pakula, Mark Rydell
Studio: Live / Artisan
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com
On Golden Pond
Writer Ernest Thompson, who came up with the original stage play of On Golden Pond and adapted it for film, is lucky to have two giants of the screen give dignity and breadth to his sometimes trite dialogue. Henry Fonda, in his last role, plays a prickly English professor at the disagreeable age of 80. Visiting his summer house by a Maine lake with his wife (Katharine Hepburn), the old man forges an unlikely bond with a lonely boy, comes to terms with his daughter (Jane Fonda), and suffers disorienting effects of mild dementia. Even playing a tired old man, Fonda is an absolute lion of a movie star, and Hepburn brings her special spirit to the part of his worried bride. The onscreen relationship between Henry and Jane Fonda naturally makes one think about their much-discussed difficulties offscreen, but that's a side benefit in a movie that is really just a celebration of simple human decency. --Tom Keogh

Amazon.com

On Golden Pond
Writer Ernest Thompson, who came up with the original stage play of On Golden Pond and adapted it for film, is lucky to have two giants of the screen give dignity and breadth to his sometimes trite dialogue. Henry Fonda, in his last role, plays a prickly English professor at the disagreeable age of 80. Visiting his summer house by a Maine lake with his wife (Katharine Hepburn), the old man forges an unlikely bond with a lonely boy, comes to terms with his daughter (Jane Fonda), and suffers disorienting effects of mild dementia. Even playing a tired old man, Fonda is an absolute lion of a movie star, and Hepburn brings her special spirit to the part of his worried bride. The onscreen relationship between Henry and Jane Fonda naturally makes one think about their much-discussed difficulties offscreen, but that's a side benefit in a movie that is really just a celebration of simple human decency. --Tom Keogh

Sophie's Choice
The sunny streets of Brooklyn, just after World War II. A young would-be writer named Stingo (Peter MacNicol) shares a boarding house with beautiful Polish immigrant Sophie (Meryl Streep) and her tempestuous lover, Nathan (Kevin Kline); their friendship changes his life. This adaptation of the bestselling novel by William Styron is faithful to the point of being reverential, which is not always the right way to make a film come to life. But director Alan J. Pakula (All the President's Men) provides a steady, intelligent path into the harrowing story of Sophie, whose flashback memories of the horrors of a Nazi concentration camp form the backbone of the movie. Streep's exceptional performance--flawless Polish accent and all--won her an Oscar, and effectively raised the standard for American actresses of her generation. No less impressive is Kevin Kline, in his movie debut, capturing the mercurial moods of the dangerously attractive Nathan. The two worlds of Sophie's Choice, nostalgic Brooklyn and monstrous Europe, are beautifully captured by the gifted cinematographer Néstor Almendros, whose work was Oscar-nominated but didn't win. It should have. --Robert Horton

Description

ON GOLDED POND: For Norman and Ethel Thayer, this summer ON GOLDEN POND is filled with conflict and resolution. When their daughter Chelsea (JANE FONDA) arrives, the family is forced to renew the bonds of love and overcome the generational friction that has existed for years. Norman (HENRY FONDA) must find his way through his anger and fear of growing old, while Chelsea struggles to rebuild their relationship. Ethel's (KATHERINE HEPBURN) consistent support of her "knight in shining armor" is inspirational in its simplicity. This is a movie to ponder and always keep in your heart. SOPHIE'S CHOICE: Screen-favorite Meryl Streep received an Academy Award ® for her portrayal of Sophie Zawistowska in this penetrating drama set in 1947 post-World War II Brooklyn. Kevin Kline plays her all-consuming lover, Nathan. The story revolves around Sophie's struggle as a Polish-Catholic immigrant in the United States who had survived a Nazi concentration camp. The lovers' drama unfolds through the observations of a friend and would-be writer, Stingo (Peter MacNicol). As the trio grows closer, Stingo discovers the hidden truths that they each harbor, resulting in a narrative that is both captivating and moving.

Customer Reviews:

A Package of Perfection!...........2003-07-07

"On Golen Pond" and Sophie's Choice" are timeless films with enchanting actors, that once seen, will stay with you always.
Bravo to Artisan for putting together this package of perfection on these Special Edition DVDs at a reasonable price, for us to enjoy for years to come. I'll be focusing this review mainly on the DVDs because there is not much info here on the technical aspects of them, and I wanted to share with you what a good buy this is.. For those that have by some chance not seen these wonderful films, there is some great storyline info in the editor's reviews section.

The DVDs (Both in their own Keep case packaging), are beautifully
transfered. They are presented in widescreen on "reverse Spiral Dual Layer Discs",have an excellent picture with beautifully vivid colors, and the sound is fantastick in Dolby 2.0 surround.Special features include Director's commentary, a documentary, Production Notes, Cast and Crew info and have Spanish subtitles as well.
If you find these films as endearing as I do, you should be thrilled with the treament they recieved on these DVDs.

I should also mention that Henry Fonda, Kathryn Hepburn and Meryl Streep were all honored by Oscar for their outstanding work in these films.

The films, the stars, the DVDs equal a Package of Perfection. Don't pass this up...Enjoy...Laurie

DVD:

DVD

3 Tough Guys Of The Silver Screen - Vol. 1 - Call It Murder

DVD: I'm Not Scared

Face