Frank Sinatra

Product Type: DVD

Average customer rating:

One of the greatest musicals
This is the film that Khruschchev considered "decadent"!
A long awaited delight
Out On DVD At Last!
Finally on DVD, looking darn fine, if not perfect!

Can-Can
Starring: Frank Sinatra , Shirley MacLaine , Maurice Chevalier , Louis Jourdan , and Juliet Prowse
Director: Walter Lang
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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

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

( C ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
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ASIN: B000ND91YU
Release Date: 2007-05-22

Description

A 1890's Montmartre Dance Hall Owner Constantly Raided For Performing The Illegal Can-Can Has To Use Her Own Resources When An Elderly Judge Is Replaced By A Younger More Serious One. Based On Abe Burrow'S Play. Music By Cole Porter.

Customer Reviews:

One of the greatest musicals.......2007-07-05

Can-Can is a "must" within the list of Fox Musicals. Unfortunately, the Spanish version is terrible, as neutral Spanish is used rather than proper an correct Spanish.

This is the film that Khruschchev considered "decadent"!.......2007-06-15

When then-Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev visited the U.S. in 1959, he made a storied visit to Hollywood where he almost started a minor international incident when he wanted to visit Disneyland but was waved off for security reasons. He was also invited to visit the set of "Can-Can", then in filming, and he and his delegation were seated to view one of the movie's big set pieces with the can-can dancers. He reacted _exactly_ like the bluenoses in the movie. :) According to him, Shirley MacLaine and her can-can girls were a perfect example of Western decadence. One only wonders what he would have made of "Girls Gone Wild".

Be that as it may, this is a movie I've been waiting a very long time to see - I've never been able to find it on VHS. I'm not an especial fan of Shirley MacLaine, to be candid (which is why I give this movie "only" 4 stars), but that wariness really applies more to her New Age kookiness in the 1980's and later; in the 1950's, she was a young, sprightly, cute, sexy redhead with great legs. She's not half bad in the role of the cabaret owner who fights two comic battles; to save the can-can and to get the skittish Frank Sinatra to put a ring on her finger. Sinatra, Louis Jourdan and Maurice Chevalier, the movie's three male leads, are also very good, and the film is full of gorgeous set-pieces, including (of course!) several can-can sequences full of whirling petticoats and royal flashes.

Not quite as good as Jean Renoir's immortal "French Can-Can", but great fare for a weekend evening!

A long awaited delight.......2007-06-09

Having had to buy the VHS version of this film some years ago because no DVD was avilable I was delighted when this product appeared, to see if the modern technology could improve on the VHS format. It certainly does improve the picture and sound which coupled with the great performances of the stars and Cole Porters songs make it a pleasure to see.

Out On DVD At Last!.......2007-06-08

What can one say about Can Can. I saw this motion Picture three times in Todd AO when it came out. It is a rollicking good story with great music. Good performances by all of the cast. The Restoration for the DVD seems to have been done very well with only a very little evidence of the sort of colour shift that can occur with old negative or positive films. The pictures on the DVD are nice and crisp and a pleasure to watch. It is nice to See that the DVD is in the original Todd AO format of 2.2:1 as seen in the Cinema. A good addition to the DVD library of any collector of Musicals. For me it was a must buy.

John D

Finally on DVD, looking darn fine, if not perfect!.......2007-05-15

It took ten long years, but the wait is over!
"Can-Can" is certainly not very high on the list among the best film adaptations of Broadway musicals, but it contains lots of character charm and professional know-how, boasts a lushly orchestrated score, and is gorgeously designed in often daring color combinations. (For the stylish looking palette and fine-tuned overall detail of this film, I suspect we must thank not only the famous production designers and Ms. Sharaff's oddly chic costumes, but also very much styling consultant Tony Duquette and color consultant Leonard Doss.)
The first thing you see on your screen is a "warning" from Fox that they have used the best materials available for their transfer to DVD. This had me greatly worried for a couple of seconds, but when the credits came up on my screen I was both relieved and stunned. It looked super! Never had I seen "Can-Can" with colors as clean, bright and beautiful as on this disc! But some three minutes into the film I suddenly understood what Fox meant with their note: In many shots throughout the complete running-time, I could notice a certain discreet light-flickering that affected the colors somewhat, especially easy to spot in the darker areas of the image. This is, of course, distracting (at least for a while untill you get used to it), but I should think that Fox had found this problem impossible to correct completely. To my great relief and joy, it is quite obvious that the materials used for this DVD transfer originates from a 70mm negative in Technicolor. All previous transfers to VHS and LaserDisc must surely have used 35mm film in DeLuxe color. The difference is amazing, as the DVD has superb contrast, splendid color and a razor-sharp image all the way, which only 70mm film stock can produce. I suspect that when Fox had to decide between issuing a decent but dull 35mm (CinemaScope) transfer or a dazzling (but very lightly damaged) transfer from Todd-AO elements, they went for the later option. A good choice! Actually, the problematic shots are often very brief, and are mostly followed by longer shots or whole scenes that look picture-perfect. Even well kept negatives can unfortunately detoriate a little with age, and some of the problems that occur can apparently not be 100 percent erased even in our age of digital high tech.
Disc 2 has some well made, newly produced featurettes and lots of other goodies, but even though many highly well researched people are talking "Can-Can" history and memories, none are able to solve a mystery that has often kept me wide awake at nights for 47 years: Why was the most applauded and beloved song from the stage show not included in the finished film version; only heard during the credits and in the Entr'acte? I'm thinking of "I Love Paris"! Film historian Scott McIsaac incorrectly tells us that it is sung in the film by Sinatra and Chevalier. Not so! It is sung by these two gentlemen ONLY on the soundtrack album issued at the time of the film's release - and available on CD for a short time many years ago. But was it actually FILMED, and if so, was it cut out early or after maybe some not entirely happy preview? Can anyone out there explain this weird omission, or better, once and for all present all the facts concerning the rejection of this lovely Cole Porter evergreen?

Average customer rating:

Guys and Dolls
THIS DOLL LOVES THIS MUSICAL!!!
Fantastic movie and fantastic service
Fabulous despite the flaws
Guys and Dolls

Guys and Dolls
Starring: Marlon Brando , Jean Simmons , Frank Sinatra , Vivian Blaine , and Robert Keith
Director: Joseph L. Mankiewicz
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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

Musicals & Performing Arts | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( G ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
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ASIN: 0792844823
Release Date: 2000-04-18

Amazon.com

Joseph Mankiewicz's brightly stylized film of Frank Loesser's classic musical (based on the stories of Damon Runyon) casts the criminal underworld as a harmless fantasy in this whimsical vision of the Big Apple. Nonsingers Marlon Brando and Jean Simmons acquit themselves fine in the lead roles as high-rolling gambler Sky Masterson and Salvation Army missionary Sarah Brown. It's odd casting, to say the least. Frank Sinatra, who plays the good old reliable Nathan Detroit (who runs "the oldest established permanent floating crap game in New York") is left with novelty tunes while husky Brando delivers the love songs and hits, including "Luck Be a Lady." But in the context of the colorful dialogue and comically affected speech patterns (a giddy gangster-speak straight out of Runyon's breezy stories) the song performances aren't the least out of place. Stubby Kaye, reprising his role as Nicely Nicely from the Broadway run, practically steals the show in his few scenes and his show-stopping solo "Sit Down, You're Rocking the Boat." The film is overlong at two and a half hours and somewhat stagily confined in the stylized, studio-bound sets--perhaps the mark of a director who had never helmed a musical before--but a terrific cast of eccentrics and Michael Kidd's high-energy choreography gives the film a memorable and enchanting character. --Sean Axmaker

Description

Hollywood legends Marlon Brando, Frank Sinatra, Jean Simmons and Vivian Blain (from the original Broadway cast) are dazzling in this Frank Loesser (How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying) masterpiece, unleashing a "spectacular, song-and-dance show that's loaded with entertainment" (New York Journal-American). Featuring hits like "Luck Be a Lady" and "A Woman in Love," this smash film version of one of Broadway's most popular musicals is guaranteed, rip-roaring "four-starentertainment" (New York Daily News). The slickest big-time New York City gamblers,Sky Masterson (Brando) and Nathan Detroit (Sinatra), can't resist making or taking a bet on anything. So when a pretty missionary (Simmons) sets up shop in the neighborhood, Nathan stakes a grand that Sky can't seduce her. But all bets are off when Sky falls madly in love in this romantic musical spectacular that sets the Big Apple afire with excitement!

Customer Reviews:

Guys and Dolls.......2007-06-26

n Joseph L. Mankiewicz's buoyant adaptation of Frank Loesser's immortal "Guys and Dolls," Frank Sinatra shines as Nathan Detroit, purveyor of the "oldest established permanent floating crap game in New York." Marlon Brando (in his prime) is better than you'd expect as Sky Masterson, even with some reedy vocals, but you keep waiting for Nathan to show up again. His dealings with fiancée Adelaide (Vivian Blaine) are a particular highlight, while the portly Stubby Kaye steals every scene he's in playing Nicely Nicely Johnson. Vibrant, rousing entertainment.

THIS DOLL LOVES THIS MUSICAL!!!.......2007-06-10

I love this movie musical! Sure...Brando & Simmons aren't known for their musical abilities, but they are fantastic in these roles. Many say that Sinatra should be Sky & that Blaine should be Sarah (since Sky & Sarah have to sing a majority of the songs in this musical). I totally disagree! I can't imagine Sinatra & Blaine switching roles with Brando & Simmons! All 4 of them are PERFECT in their roles!
When casting individuals in roles, one has to consider MORE than his/her musical abilities - his/her appearance/build, speaking voice, personality, ability to communicate certain emotions to the viewers, a couple's CHEMISTRY - YEAH CHEMISTRY, etc.

Fantastic movie and fantastic service.......2007-05-14

the movie was delivered on time and in mint condition. I love it!!

Fabulous despite the flaws.......2007-04-10

I. Love. This. Movie. My sister introduced me to it and I've loved it ever since. Marlon Brando - though struggling as a singer - did an EXCELLENT job as Sky Masterson. The only other person worthy of this role is Ewan McGregor (who incidentally played the part in London but sadly not on film so I didn't get to see it). The love story that developes between the bad boy with a heart of gold - Sky Masterson - and the good girl who could use a tidge of irreverance in her life while turning a bad boy good - Sarah - is simply wonderful. If you love romance and you love music, you'll love this movie.

Guys and Dolls.......2007-01-30

The DVD was good the material content was definitely a 60's musical.

Average customer rating:

Von Ryan's Express
Robson's film gives us the necessary thrills to be pleased...
One of Sinatra's best kept secrets
Not memorable, but worth watching
Exciting World War II Adventure Story With Frank Sinatra And Trevor Howard In Fine Form

Von Ryan's Express (Special Edition)
Starring: Frank Sinatra , Trevor Howard , Raffaella Carrà , Brad Dexter , and Sergio Fantoni
Director: Mark Robson
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Classics | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Adventure | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

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

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ASIN: B000O78L1E
Release Date: 2007-06-05

Amazon.com

Forget Indiana Jones. This 1965 high adventure stars Frank Sinatra as the leader of a mass escape from a World War II POW camp in Italy. That mission accomplished, Old Blue Eyes has sundry adventures camouflaging the freed men as German soldiers, trying to fool the Gestapo, and finally doing battle with enemy planes and ground troops while trying to get a hijacked train through a blocked tunnel. Sinatra is in great form and director Mark Robson handles the endless chain of action set-pieces with panache. A great pulse-quickener. --Tom Keogh

Description

When U.S. combat pilot Col. Joseph Ryan (Frank Sinatra) is captured by Nazis, he does what it takes to survive prison camp, including, by all appearances, befriend the enemy. Hence, his prison mates give Ryan the insulting nickname "Von Ryan." But in time, Ryan takes over from the commanding British officer (Trevor Howard) and masterminds commandeering a train to Switzerland ? with the Nazis in hot pursuit. It's all blazing action, hair-raising chases and spectacular Italian scenery in this Oscar(r) nominated* adventure that will blast you full speed ahead until its nail-biting finale!

Customer Reviews:

Von Ryan's Express.......2007-07-02

Gorgeously shot on location in Italy, Mark Robson's underrated 1965 war drama is clever, credible, and exceedingly suspenseful. The ensemble cast, including Sinatra as rugged Colonel Ryan and Trevor Howard as a rigid British officer, really clicks. Director Robson keeps the action brisk on this "Express," resulting in a breathless ride with a stunner of an ending.

Robson's film gives us the necessary thrills to be pleased..........2007-01-17

Sinatra is a cool American, whose P-38 is shot down over Italy in August 1943... The Allies were landing in Southern Italy, when Ryan is brought to an Italian prisoner of war camp...

Sensing that the end is underway, the Italians were trying to get out of the war, and the Nazis were trying to keep the Allies out and the Italians in...

A Fascist bully (Adolfo Celi) has ruled the POW camp, but with the collapse of Italian rule, he is thrown out...

The British prisoners - professional soldiers of the 9th Fusiliers, whose constant attempts to escape have led to half rations and the withholding of medicine - headed by a heated Major (Trevor Howard), are not in agreement with the unpopular pilot, Colonel Joseph Ryan... They think him insufficiently hostile to the Italians and have given an insulting 'von" to his name, insisting that he is in the wrong army...

The British get along with Ryan, however, when the escape is engineered... They seize a German train, and, impersonating German troops even as they evade German pursuers, try to make a run for it to the Swiss border... The viewers can forget about realism from that moment on... 'Von Ryan's Express' is pure adventure and courts no moral dilemmas in its story...

Director Mark Robson tries to combine the suspense of 'The Great Escape' with the exciting action of 'The Guns of Navarone,' and he's successful enough... The pace is quick... The Italian locations are attractive... The confrontations with German troops are well handled...

Ryan is a pragmatic character not unlike the far more tragic Col. Nicholson in 'The Bridge on the River Kwai.' As a colonel master-minding commando raids, he brings the film to a great climax on an Alpine viaduct...

With the exception of a strange and shocking scene where a sexy escapee is gunned down in the back, ' Von Ryan's Express' gives us the necessary thrills to be pleased...

One of Sinatra's best kept secrets.......2006-11-06

Von Ryan's Express is a fictitious gripping tale of brave men in a P.O.W. camp at the end of the war. It takes place in Italy, and with Trevour Howard (the epitomy of the upper class English soldier)as co star, this one is a winner. The twists and somewhat impossible actions that take place in this movie, love him or hate him, I believe this movie one of Sinatra's best, up there with "From Here to Eternity". Whilst the plot is to get all the P.O.W's out of Italy by taking over a train and getting it through the centre of Rome, some of the stunts used even this long ago, are spectacular. If you like this type of underdog movie, where the good guys have to overcome all the obsticles to beat the bad guys then this is the movie for you. Even though it all happened over 60 years ago I believe we can still gain great enjoyment out of a tale like this. It keeps you on the edge of your seat waiting to see what happens next. Does it have a happy ending, mmm the twist is there right to the end so you will have to watch it to find out.

Not memorable, but worth watching.......2006-11-05

This movie always makes me think that Sinatra was better suited to acting than singing. Though even as an actor, I'd consider him more a good craftsman than an artist of rare gift. He delivers a sound, competant performance in a movie that, while not immortal by any means, keeps you interested and engaged throughout. His poignant death at the end brings this competant movie to a worthy end. It all adds up to a movie worth watching, but not necessarily worth owning.

Exciting World War II Adventure Story With Frank Sinatra And Trevor Howard In Fine Form.......2006-03-17

The classic 1965 war story "Von Ryan's Express", based on the successful novel by David Westheimer would have to be one of my favourite World War II movies combining as it does all the necessary elements essential in such a story compelling viewing. We are treated throughout the films running time to plenty of well staged action sequences, exciting "close calls", for the lead actors, excellent photography and special effects along with enough character development to make you care about the characters involved. Frank Sinatra once again proves that he was that rare creation; a singer who was also a most capable actor and in "Von Ryan's Express", he has one of his best roles as the American POW who orchestrates a daring escape plan from German occupied Italy by highjacking a train transporting prisoners to Germany. Teamed here with veteran British actor Trevor Howard the pair work superbly together creating alot of the inner conflict in the story as the pair, although on the same side, repeatedly lock horns over the best approach to take in their escape plan while developing a deep respect for each other in the process. War movies don't come much more exciting than this one and combined with some of the most breathtaking photography shot on location in Italy, you have the perfect combination for a thrilling edge of the seat viewing experience.

Average customer rating:

High Society
High Society DVD - Great Video
musicals
fun and classy
High Society

High Society
Starring: Bing Crosby , Grace Kelly , Frank Sinatra , Celeste Holm , and John Lund
Director: Charles Walters , and Tex Avery
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

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

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( H ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
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ASIN: B00008AOWO
Release Date: 2003-04-22

Description

This witty, musical version of The Philadelphia Story stars Bing Crosby, Grace Kelly, Frank Sinatra, and the jazz master himself, Louis Armstrong, playing the hottest trumpet in the land. Year: 1956 Director: Charles Waters Starring: Bing Crosby, Grace Kelly, Frank Sinatra, Louis Armstrong

Customer Reviews:

High Society.......2007-04-03

I loved this film. The acting was better than many of the musicals I have, and it has some of the greatest singers of all time. The weakest acting was by Grace Kelly. I have several of her films and felt she was utilized for her extreme beauty and grace more than her acting ability. I think she made a better princess. However, musically you don't get better than Bing Crosby or Frank Sinatra, and the great Satchmo, Louis Armstrong...Wow! The story was based on a previous 1930's movie, "The Philadelphia Story" only it was moved geographically to Newport, RI. I feel this was a good choice, but then I lived in the Newport area for 20 years and there was a little nostalgia in it for me. I have seen this movie many times over, and I will see it over again. It's one you won't tire of. If they could have worked in some Gene Kelly or Fred Astaire dances, it could have been even better.

High Society DVD - Great Video .......2007-03-17

This is one of my wife's favorite movies and our VHS tape had faded. This DVD replaced it with clearer video, excellent sound, non-fade media and many extras. A very good value.

musicals.......2007-01-10

recently saw a play based on this movie and wanted to see how it compared with the movie. They were both good and remined us of the earlier days of movie making ,esp musicals.

fun and classy.......2006-11-10

This movie has class and is true entertainment. A romantic story which has one of hollywoods most beautiful legends, Grace Kelly. Grace and Bing remind of the days I miss.

High Society.......2006-11-10

Grace Kelly, Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, Louis Armstrong- the Philadelphia Story done one better with a jazz beat, "True Love" is the song of the movie, and describes it perfectly.

Average customer rating:

Amazing
Ocean's 11 dvd
Magnificent
Great to have for your collection
Ocean's 11

Ocean's 11
Starring: Frank Sinatra , Dean Martin , Sammy Davis Jr. , Peter Lawford , and Angie Dickinson
Director: Lewis Milestone
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Crime | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

Classics | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

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Adventure | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

Drama | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

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The Rat Pack's Las Vegas

ASIN: B00005NTNR
Release Date: 2002-01-08

Amazon.com

Leave it to the Chairman of the Board to rope in a great director for the first Rat Pack movie. Lewis Milestone (All Quiet on the Western Front) indeed directed this 1960 caper movie starring Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Peter Lawford, and Joey Bishop; but the results now seem like more of a historical artifact than a good time. The tone of the film is curiously serious--one somehow expected that the Rat Pack would have made a more buoyant first picture. But it is something to see these guys together, if largely for nostalgia reasons. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

Amazing.......2007-03-25

I enjoyed this movie tremendously. I like the ocean 11 with george clooney, brad pitt and matt damon. but the orignial is...well...just the original. you can't compare the new one to this. I love it when dean martin is playing a kick in the head and all the girl swoon him. also the clever plot of putting the money into the trash can, and i never would have guessed the ending. it came as a huge surprise!

Ocean's 11 dvd.......2007-02-07

I recieved the used dvd in perfect condition, and shipping was very promp. I would buy from this merchant again

Magnificent.......2007-01-20

This movie is tons of fun, a glimpse into the good-old-days of Vegas. I like the ending better than the remake!

Great to have for your collection.......2007-01-15

Great movie with the Rat Pack. Now have all of the Oceans.

Ocean's 11.......2006-07-25

I haven't seen this movie in years, and still haven't taken the time.
I DO remember it being VERY GOOD, the only reason I purchase the "oldies."
All and All, this movie is much better than any of the new versions!

Mystery Classics 50 Movie Pack Collection

Average customer rating:

Best of the box sets
too old
Whoa! Back to Saturday AM (40s) or Thursday nights 2AM (60s)
On a 1 to 10 scale, this collection is rated: 6.3
Mystery Classics 50 Movie Pack

Mystery Classics 50 Movie Pack Collection
Starring: Frank Sinatra , Arthur Wontner , and Basil Rathbone
Manufacturer: Mill Creek Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Thrillers | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

Mystery | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

Mystery & Suspense | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

Deals Over $10 | DVD Blowouts | Stores | DVD | Video

All Blowouts | DVD Blowouts | Stores | DVD | Video

Movie Packs Under $20 | DVD Blowouts | Stores | DVD | Video

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

( M ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
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ASIN: B0001HAGTW
Release Date: 2004-01-20

Product Description

Get an instant library of some of the greatest mystery classics ever to come out of Hollywood on twelve double-sided DVDs. Never has such a comprehensive collection of great classic mystery features been assembled in one exciting package - all for an amazingly low price!

System Requirements:

Mystery Classics 50 Movie MegaPack - Bulldog Drummond's Revenge
B. Drummond Escapes
B. Drummond in Africa
B. Drummond's Secret Police
B. Drummond Comes Back
B. Drummond's Peril
Dick Tracy Detective
D.Tracy Meets Gruesome
D. Tracy vs. Cueball
Shadow Strikes
Shadow: International Crime
Mr. Moto's Last Warning
Mysterious Mr. Wong
Mr. Wong Detective
S. Holmes: Sign of Four
Triump of S. Holmes
S.Holmes: Murder at Baskervilles
S. Holmes: Woman in Green
S. Holmes: Study in Scarlet
S. Holmes and the Secret Weapon
S. Holmes: Terror By Night
S. Holmes: Dressed to Kill
Nancy Drew Reporter
Kennel Murder Case
Death Kiss
Suddenly
Impact
He Walked By Night
Quicksnd
Eyes in the NIght
Man on the Eiffel Tower
Topper Returns
Green Glove
Second Woman
Fog Island
They Made Me a Criminal
Jigsaw
Algiers
Murder with Pictures
Stranger
Murder at Midnight
Kansas City Confidential
Detour
Too Late for Tears
Mystery Liner
Scarlet Street
Midnight Manhunt
Murder By Television
Moonstone
Great Guy

Running Time 3728 Min

Format: DVD MOVIE

Customer Reviews:

Best of the box sets.......2007-06-19

This is actually the best of the Treeline/ Creek Mill box sets as it really contains some classics which are hard to find. The quality is amazing given the price. The quality of the picture varies but I usually find the sound most difficult with old movies and that is surprisingly good. So if you're a film buff: this is one collection worth buying.

too old.......2007-05-14

these are really old movies -- 30s and 40s, so the image quality is very poor. I'd say go for other options unless you're into those old movies.

Whoa! Back to Saturday AM (40s) or Thursday nights 2AM (60s).......2007-05-03

I haven't seen all 50 films yet, but this is a collection you've been looking for to bring back those nostalgic moments of sleeplessness, turning on the TV and seeing Boris Karloff as a Charlie Chan knock-off: British accent, that delightful, endearing lisp of his, ham-fisted private detectives sleuthing for ham-fisted clues(all wearing fedoras). Oh, the memories!! These are the movies that cling like dreams.

This collection is GREAT! The quality of the copy is good, too: they've minimized the scratchiness of the old film, sound is good overall, some other quirks ... but hey! these films are older than grandpa!

Wonderful value!

On a 1 to 10 scale, this collection is rated: 6.3.......2007-03-30

Based on current polling numbers at a film resource website, the 50 titles in MYSTERY CLASSICS received an average rating (on a 1 to 10 scale) of 6.3.

Not factored in are such considerations as audio/video transfer quality and condition of original footage. An outstanding mix of actors and titles make this collection very attractive for all fans of early cinema. Recommended.

Below is program list, including individual movie ratings, years of release and main actors--

(5.9) Bulldog Drummond's Revenge (1937) - John Barrymore/John Howard
(5.7) Bulldog Drummond Escapes (1937) - Ray Milland/Guy Standing
(5.9) Bulldog Drummond In Africa (1938) - John Howard/Anthony Quinn (in a minor role)
(6.4) Bulldog Drummond's Secret Police (1939) - John Howard/Heather Angel
(5.6) Bulldog Drummond Comes Back (1937) - John Barrymore/John Howard
(6.0) Bulldog Drummond's Peril (1938) - John Barrymore/John Howard
(5.5) Dick Tracy(, Detective) - Morgan Conway/Anne Jeffreys
(6.1) Dick Tracy Meets Gruesome (1947) - Boris Karloff/Ralph Byrd
(6.0) Dick Tracy vs. Cueball (1946) - Morgan Conway/Anne Jeffreys
(5.3) The Shadow Strikes (1937) - Rod La Roque/Agnes Anderson
(6.1) International Crime ("The Shadow") (1938) - Rod La Roque/Astrid Allwyn
(6.4) Mr. Moto's Last Warning (1939) - Peter Lorre/John Carradine
(4.6) The Mysterious Mr. Wong (1934) - Bela Lugosi/Wallace Ford
(5.9) Mr. Wong, Detective (1938) - Boris Karloff/Grant Withers
(6.0) The Sign Of Four ("Sherlock Holmes") (1932) - Arthur Wontner/Ian Hunter
(6.1) The Triumph Of Sherlock Holmes (1935) - Arthur Wontner/Ian Fleming (as Dr. Watson)
(5.9) Silver Blaze ("Murder At the Baskervilles") ("Sherlock Holmes") (1937) - Arthur Wontner/Ian Fleming
(6.9) The Woman In Green ("Sherlock Holmes") (1945) - Basil Rathbone/Nigel Bruce/Hillary Brooke
(6.4) A Study In Scarlet ("Sherlock Holmes") (1933) - Reginald Owen/Warburton Gamble
(6.8) Sherlock Holmes And The Secret Weapon (1943) - Basil Rathbone/Nigel Bruce/Lionel Atwill
(7.0) Terror By Night ("Sherlock Holmes") (1946) - Basil Rathbone/Nigel Bruce/Alan Mowbray
(7.0) Dressed To Kill ("Sherlock Holmes") (1946) - Basil Rathbone/Nigel Bruce
(6.3) Nancy Drew, Reporter (1939) - Bonita Granville/John Litel
(6.9) The Kennel Murder Case (1933) - William Powell/Mary Astor/Eugene Pallette
(6.3) The Death Kiss (1932) - David Manners/Bela Lugosi
(7.0) Suddenly (1954) - Frank Sinatra/Sterling Hayden
(7.0) Impact (1949) - Brian Donlevy/Charles Coburn
(7.4) He Walked By Night (1948) - Richard Basehart/Jack Webb
(6.4) Quicksand (1950) - Mickey Rooney/Peter Lorre
(6.8) Eyes In The Night (1942) - Edward Arnold/Ann Harding/Donna Reed
(6.0) The Man On The Eiffel Tower (1950) - Charles Laughton/Franchot Tone/Burgess Meredith
(6.9) Topper Returns (1941) - Joan Blondell/Roland Young/Billie Burke
(6.7) The Green Glove (1952) - Glenn Ford/Cedric Hardwicke
(6.0) The Second Woman (1951) - Robert Young/Betsy Drake
(5.2) Fog Island (1945) - George Zucco/Lionel Atwill
(5.2) They Made Me A Criminal - John Garfield
(6.3) Jigsaw (1949) - Franchot Tone/Jean Wallace
(7.1) Algiers (1938) - Charles Boyer/Hedy Lamarr/Alan Hale
(6.0) Murder With Pictures (1936) - Lew Ayres/Gail Patrick
(7.5) The Stranger (1946) - Edward G. Robinson/Loretta Young/Orson Welles
(5.5) Murder at Midnight (1931) - Aileen Pringle/Alice White
(7.5) Kansas City Confidential (1952) - John Payne/Neville Brand/Lee Van Cleef
(7.3) Detour (1945) - Tom Neal/Ann Savage
(7.2) Too Late for Tears (1949) - Lizabeth Scott/Don DeFore/Dan Duryea
(5.0) Mystery Liner (1934) - Noah Beery/George "Gabby" Hayes (in a minor role)
(7.8) Scarlet Street (1945) - Edward G. Robinson/Joan Bennett/Dan Duryea
(6.0) Midnight Manhunt (1945) - William Gargan/Leo Gorcey
(4.4) Murder By Television (1935) - Bela Lugosi/June Collyer/Hattie McDaniel
(6.2) The Moonstone (1934) - David Manners/Phyllis Barry
(6.0) Great Guy (1936) - James Cagney/Mae Clarke

Mystery Classics 50 Movie Pack.......2007-03-25

After reading the reviews I was somewhat skeptical about purchasing this
set but decided to try it. While there are a few serial types CD's I
found this set contained a number of really good movies I had never seen
before. Impact, Eyes in the Night, Kennel Club and others I found to be
excellent movies. I guess a lot depends on what you are looking for.
I was somewhat concerned from the reviews as to their being rather dark,
but having played a great many of them on my computer monitor, found only
a few I could consider dark.

Average customer rating:

Advise and Consent
Don't miss this one.
Advise and Consent
Advise and Consent
"How interesting can a Senate hearing be, anyway?"

Advise and Consent
Starring: Henry Fonda , Charles Laughton , Don Murray , Walter Pidgeon , and Peter Lawford
Director: Otto Preminger
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

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Similar Items:

Seven Days in May
The Candidate
A Face in the Crowd
The Last Hurrah
Bad Day at Black Rock

ASIN: B0007TKNGK
Release Date: 2005-05-10

Amazon.com

Otto Preminger expanded his vision in the 1960s with a whole series of ambitious, expansive dramas with huge casts and big themes. Advise and Consent, an examination of deal making, party politics, and congressional diplomacy in Washington's legislative halls (based on the novel by Allen Drury), is one of his best. Preminger broke the blacklist with his previous film, Exodus, and it rings through in this drama about a controversial nominee for secretary of state (a confident, stately Henry Fonda) accused of being a Communist. The nomination process becomes the center ring of the political circus, with fidgety accuser Burgess Meredith in the spotlight; devious, silver-tongued Charles Laughton cracking the whip as a southern senator with a grudge against Fonda; and party whip Walter Pidgeon lining up votes behind the scenes. Arm twisting and diplomatic hardball turns to perjury and blackmail, and a melodramatic twist gives this lesson in party politics a salacious soap opera dimension. Preminger's style has been hailed as "objective," but it's really a matter of attentiveness: he gives all the character their due and their say, eschewing heroes and villains for an exploration of people clashing over opposing goals. In fact, the weakest elements of the film are the unscrupulous populist senator played by George Grizzard and the badly dated caricatures that populate a notorious underground club. The video preserves the handsome widescreen black-and-white photography, keeping Preminger's careful and measured editing intact. --Sean Axmaker

Customer Reviews:

Advise and Consent.......2007-06-27

An engrossing adaptation of Allen Drury's best-selling novel, and loosely based on real-life lawmakers, Preminger's incisive study of Congressional wheeling and dealing boasts a dazzling ensemble cast, including Pidgeon, Murray, Peter Lawford, Gene Tierney, Franchot Tone, and Burgess Meredith. In addition to a strong performance from Fonda, the film is especially memorable thanks to Laughton's grinning, snake-slick performance--sadly, his last. Smear campaigns, public-image management, and behind-the-scenes machinations are all part of the senatorial rat race in "Advise and Consent," an ultra-realistic drama that seems timelier than ever.

Don't miss this one........2007-05-31

This was the first movie that I am aware of which took political drama seriously. Very good plot line and excellent dialogue with a large cast of very talented actors. It's hard to ask for more. They surely make very few like it today. Perhaps there is no need because this one still stands as a landmark of the genre. I had not seen it for quite a few years and recently bought a DVD of it only to rediscover just how great it was. It even approaches the subject of homosexuality which was a very brave and difficult thing to do back then. If you haven't seen it yet then there is a great time ahead waiting for you.

Advise and Consent.......2007-05-07

A classic film which seems to me to be as current today as it was when released.

Advise and Consent.......2007-01-10

Probably the best political movie ever made. It shows clearly what happens in our Congress and the things that happen when the Senate is asked to Advise and Consent. I don't miss flick.

"How interesting can a Senate hearing be, anyway?".......2006-10-17

Advise and Consent (Otto Preminger, 1962)

During my college days, I had a friend who would go on for long periods about how great a film Advise and Consent is. At the time, young, impetuous, and somewhat skeptical of her taste in film (I mean, Broadcast News was her favorite movie of all time), my stock response was "it's a movie about a Senate hearing, and it's got Betty White. How good can it really be?"

Well, it's fifteen years and change later, and I have now seen Advise and Consent, and I have my answer: a movie about a Senate hearing can be as good as Advise and Consent, and I can't imagine one being any better than this.

Robert A. Leffingwell (Henry Fonda) is the President (Dark Waters' Franchot Tone)'s nominee for Secretary of State. He is violently opposed by Seab Cooley (Charles Laughton in his final film role), the senior senator from South Carolina, who implies Leffingwell's a communist. Cooley produces a witness who will testify to this, one Herbert Gelman (Burgess Meredith). Leffingwell destroys Gelman on cross-examination, but later confides to the president that Leffingwell and Gelman were, in fact, both members of the same communist cell in Chicago. And that's only the tip of the iceberg.

One of the reasons, I think, why this movie is so fantastic is in the number of ways it could have gone so very, very wrong. This is melodrama at its lowest, Peyton Place combined with Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, and yet it never feels like melodrama. It's always controlled, even in those scenes where the script is enticing characters to overact with every syllable. A number of casting decisions were questionable, though in hindsight they seem adventurous (Betty White as a senator?), but all of them turned out just fine. The movie runs over two hours at one of those times in history when shorter films were more popular. It's in black and white. To put it bluntly, it's a throwback to a pre-Peyton Place era, the same way Psycho was two years previous. And, just like Psycho, it's a gamble that paid off handsomely; Advise and Consent has garnered a deserved reputation over the years as the finest political thriller of its time, if not the finest ever made. **** ½

The Manchurian Candidate (Special Edition)

Average customer rating:

Commies in Congress
Chilling !!!
A Classic Cold war Thriller
Great suspense thriller
The Red Queen said, "Off with her head!"

The Manchurian Candidate (Special Edition)
Starring: Frank Sinatra , Laurence Harvey , Janet Leigh , Angela Lansbury , and Henry Silva
Director: John Frankenheimer
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
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Similar Items:

Dr. Strangelove or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (Special Edition)
Seven Days in May
The Manchurian Candidate (Widescreen Edition)
From Here to Eternity
On the Waterfront (Special Edition)

ASIN: B00020X88Y
Release Date: 2004-07-13

Amazon.com essential video

You will never find a more chillingly suspenseful, perversely funny, or viciously satirical political thriller than The Manchurian Candidate, based on the novel by Richard Condon (author of Winter Kills). The film, withheld from distribution by star Frank Sinatra for almost a quarter century after President Kennedy's assassination, has lost none of its potency over time. Former infantryman Bennet Marco (Sinatra) is haunted by nightmares about his platoon having been captured and brainwashed in Korea. The indecipherable dreams seem to center on Sergeant Raymond Shaw (Laurence Harvey), a decorated war hero but a cold fish of a man whose own mother (Angela Lansbury, in one of the all-time great dragon-lady roles) describes him as looking like his head is "always about to come to a point." Mrs. Bates has nothing on Lansbury's character, the manipulative queen behind her second husband, Senator John Iselin (James Gregory), a notoriously McCarthyesque demagogue. --Jim Emerson

Description

Eerie, shocking, daring, thrilling and mesmerizing, The Manchurian Candidate will leave youbreathless (People)! Featuring an all-star cast, including Angela Lansbury in an OscarÂ(r)-nominated performance, this chilling and controversial (Leonard Maltin) film may be the most sophisticated political satire ever made (Pauline Kael). When a platoon of Korean War G.I.s iscaptured, they somehow end up at a ladies garden club party. Or do they? Major Bennett Marco (Frank Sinatra) can't remember. As he searches for the answer, he discovers threads of a diabolical plot orchestrated by the utterly ruthless Mrs. Iselin (Lansbury) and involving her war hero son (LaurenceHarvey), her senator husband (James Gregory) and a secret cabal of enemy leaders.

Customer Reviews:

Commies in Congress.......2007-05-23

THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE (1962) still has the power to stun us, to fascinate us, and to raise our ire when we recall the 50's as the pervue of Senator Joseph McCarthy. John Frankenheimer was one of the first directors to take on McCarthy. James Gregory as Sen. John Iselin was a standout both as a dupe and a would-be demagogue. Gregory, a good luck charm for Frankenheimer, who used him often, was able to adlib more than half his lines giving a bravura performance.

The director and his friend George Axelrod bought the rights to the Richard Condon novel, but were having difficulty finding backing for the film. Enter Frank Sinatra who was very interested in playing Capt. Marko, and the project immediately found funding. Sinatra wanted Lucille Ball to play Mrs. Iselin, but Frankenheimer had just worked with Angela Lansbury in ALL FALL DOWN, and he had great faith in her. She certainly did an excellent portrayal, one of the very best in her career. Even Meryl Streep playing the part in the recent remake paled in Lansbury's shadow. As the mole, the real Communist operative, she was part black widow, part seductress, and part assassin -giving us a glimpse of what a real zealot is capable of; something we are immersed in today in the Middle East. Frankenheimer said that in that last scene where the mother is giving Raymond Shaw (Laurence Harvey) his final assignment, and she begins kissing him passionately, he could only take the scene part ways; because in the novel the mother slept with her son to seal the bargain.

Sinatra seemed to do best on the first take, a situation Frankenheimer was very aware of. His acting in this film was excellent, finding just the right notes for the frustration of reacting to his "brainwashing", and finding the courage to confront Raymond Shaw, the bogus Medal of Honor winner. Janet Leigh was effective in her underwritten part -a part expanded to be an FBI agent in the interesting remake. Laurence Harvey was picked specifically for Shaw precisely because he could project being "unlikable". I did not like his attempt at an American accent, but then I have never been much of a Harvey fan. His transitions after his hasty marriage seemed forced and inept for me. John McGiver in a rare dramatic role was very good, leaving us with a strong impression of a principled, brave, and steadfast senator. Leslie Parrish as his daughter, Jocelyn, look great in her black strapless bra, but brought very little else to the part. Khigh Dheigh found in his character, Dr. Yen Lo, a signature part for his career. He is not actually oriental, and he found himself playing them for the remainder of his career. Henry Silva, a penetrating and intense actor (who can forget him in the last scene of VIVA ZAPATA (1952)?), also created a character in his Chunjin that we will not soon forget. His karate fight with Marko was one of the first of that type on film, and he and Sinatra rehearsed it for weeks before they shot it.

Frankenheimer shot the film in 41 days, with the minimum of location shooting. Some of the backdrop and stock footage looks a bit pedestrian today, but it worked well in 1962. He used his stable of actor friends to good use, folks like James Gregory, John McGiver, Albert Paulson, Whit Bissell, Douglas Henderson, Barry Kelley, and Lloyd Corrigan. It is a film that runnith over with excellent performances, and taunt and sparse and delivered like punches to the gut.

Chilling !!!.......2007-04-05

By far one of the best Cold War psychological dramas ever made. The fact that this was made before the era of CG graphics,shaky cam effects and ear-splitting soundtracks for effect only show how unnecessary they are when you have an excellent script,backed by an outstanding cast and great director who lets the story tell itself. The choice for Black & White enhances the suspense. Frank Sinatra gives a moving and powerful performance as he frantically tries to beat the clock in what is to be,unknown until the very end,the assassination of the presidential candidate, and the insertion of a puppet senator controlled(unknowingly) by Communists in his place.The idea of McCarthy era Communist hunts and brainwashing tactics,common to the era,gets the viewer involved right up to its conclusion. This is but a few of my favorite movies which I can enjoy time & time again as freshly as the first time. See it once and I think you'll agree!

A Classic Cold war Thriller.......2007-04-03

This is the original "The Manchurian Candidate", released in 1962 and very much derivative of the tensions of the Cold War. The Cold War context provides its suspenseful and haunting story with a logic denied the recent and convoluted remake starring Denzel Washington and Liev Schieber.

Frank Sinatra leads an outstanding cast as Major Marco Bennett, an Army officer recently returned from combat in Korea, who is troubled by strange dreams associated with a patrol for which Sergeant Raymond Shaw (played by Laurence Harvey) was awarded the Medal of Honor. Bennett, in search of his own peace of mind, makes contact with other survivors of the patrol and ultimately with Raymond Shaw himself. An encounter with Shaw's Korean houseboy triggers a memory of the patrol different from the account parroted by all the survivors. Bennett's relentless investigation of this anomaly slowly unravels a murderous plot involving Raymond's manipulative mother (played in an Oscar-nominated turn by Angela Lansbury), and insipid politician stepfather (played by veteran character actor James Gregory), and a group of shadowy Chinese military officers. Bennett will end up racing against time to defeat the plot, which has as its goal nothing less than a monstrous crime against the American Government.

Frank Sinatra has lots of help in this film. Janet Leigh plays a very understanding love interest. Laurence Harvey is superb as the lonely and tortured Raymond, manipulated by his enemies in ways he cannot fight and forced into horrific acts. Angela Lansbury gives a compelling performance completely at varience with her "Murder, She Wrote" personna. A kiss between Raymond and his mother may be one of the most chilling moments ever captured in an American movie.

The DVD provides a crisp black and white rendition of the movie, along with several interesting special features on the making of the movie.

This movie is highly recommended to those seeking a superb Cold War thriller featuring a collection of first-rate actors in an excellent story.

Great suspense thriller.......2007-03-30

If you like thrillers this movie is great. It seems a little dated now but the acting and characters are rich and the plot is interesting.

The Red Queen said, "Off with her head!".......2006-10-29

Widely considered one of the best and most influential films ever made, THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE is a Cold War thriller released in 1962 (near the time of the Cuban Missile Crisis) that concerns a brainwashed assassin tasked to kill the President (shades of John F. Kennedy). The intense reality of this film led star Frank Sinatra (who plays Maj. Bennett Markoe) to pull the film from distribution for decades after Kennedy's shooting death in Dallas, 1963.

THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE concerns Korean War Medal of Honor winner Raymond Shaw (Laurence Harvey), the son of powerful politicians, whose bravery under fire saved most of his platoon. However, Markoe and several other men have been having odd dreams in which a ladies' garden club transmutes into a meeting of high-level Communists during which Captain Shaw kills two men upon their command. Markoe quickly becomes convinced that these dreams may be more real than anyone wants to admit.

Shaw, described as the "kindest, gentlest man" anybody ever met is in reality a one-dimensional stick of a man whose head "always seems about to come to a point" according to his own dragon lady mother (Angela Lansbury).

Lansbury is busy shoving her stupid red-baiting husband (James Gregory) toward the White House. Satirically, the McCarthyesque candidate has made his career denouncing Communists in the government---how many? Well, the ketchup bottle says "57", so that's an easy number to remember.

In the meantime, there are enemies to be neutralized, including Raymond's beloved employer who is a left-wing newspaper owner, his Senatorial liberal father-in-law (John McGiver), and his cute but overly influential wife Jocelyn (Leslie Parrish), all of whom end up dead.

After Jocelyn's death, the distraught Shaw seeks out Markoe, who discovers that Shaw himself is the killer, programmed to follow orders when shown a Queen of Diamonds (a little Alice in Wonderland, anyone?) from any card deck.

Finally becoming aware of his own brainwashing at the hands of the Red Chinese, Shaw takes revenge on the agents assigned to be his American Control Officers---who are none other than his staunch anti-Communist parents, the would-be President and First Lady.

A film truly frightening in its implications, THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE is a film that should be required viewing for any American voter.

Average customer rating:

A slanted, one-dimensional view on a complex subject
Long and often interesting but finally a disappointment
There is more to Jazz than just on Bourbon Street
Shockingly Revisionist and Doctrinaire View of Jazz History
Great Study on Black History

Jazz - A Film By Ken Burns
Starring: Wynton Marsalis , Duke Ellington , Keith David , Branford Marsalis , and Gary Giddins
Director: Ken Burns
Manufacturer: Pbs Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Similar Items:

Ken Burns's Jazz: The Story of American Music
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Jazz: A History of America's Music
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ASIN: B000BITUEI
Release Date: 2004-09-28

Amazon.com essential video

Accompanied by a menagerie of products, Ken Burns's expansive 10-episode paean, Jazz, completes his trilogy on American culture, following The Civil War and Baseball. Spanning more than 19 hours, Jazz is, of course, about a lot more than what many have called America's classical music--especially in episodes 1 through 7. It's here that Burns unearths precious visual images of jazz musicians and hangs historical narratives around the music with convincing authority. Time can stand still as images float past to the sound of grainy vintage jazz, and the drama of a phonograph needle being placed on Louis Armstrong's celestial "West End Blues" is nearly sublime.

The film is also potent in arguing that the history of race in the 20th-century U.S. is at jazz's heart. But a few problems arise. First is Burns's reliance on Wynton Marsalis as his chief musical commentator. Marsalis might be charming and musically expert, but he's no historian. For the film to devote three of its episodes to the 1930s, one expects a bit more historical substance. Also, Jazz condenses the period of 1961 to the present into one episode, glossing over some of the music's giant steps. Burns has said repeatedly that he didn't know much about jazz when he began this project. So perhaps Jazz, for all its glory, would better be called Jazz: What I've Learned Since I Started Listening (And I Haven't Gotten Much Past 1961). For those who are already passionate about jazz, the film will stoke debate (and some derision, together with some reluctant praise). But for everyone else, it will amaze and entertain and kindle a flame for some of the greatest music ever dreamed. --Andrew Bartlett

Customer Reviews:

A slanted, one-dimensional view on a complex subject.......2007-05-31

The Ken Burns Jazz series attempts to compile the entire history of jazz and the world surrounding it into ten two-hour films. You have to give them credit for trying, but the series has some serious flaws and presents a view on jazz history that many, including myself, would consider inadequate or just plain wrong. Biased views are presented as fact (such as the comment that Miles Davis' electric period was not innovative and that he was "playing tennis without a net"). Also, much time is wasted on commentators who seem to have nothing interesting to say, and who present their opinions on the music and their musings on the musicians, most of which are entirely speculative and out of place. PLUS they try to cram everything after '61 into one film, while any jazz fan knows that a whole lot was happening to the music during and after that time. They spent three films on swing; couldn't they have given some of that time to the 60's and 70's?
All that being said, these films are informative in some parts and contain some AMAZING footage. Worth seeing, but be wary: this is just one way to look at jazz, and not a great one in my opinion.

Long and often interesting but finally a disappointment.......2007-05-03

Jazz is music. This documentary only occasionally notices the music. It focuses on people who were important to it, on racism, on the hardships of being a musician, on the historical progression of jazz musicians, but it seems like the music gets lost. It is as if one were to write a biography of Lincoln by studying the clothes he wore or the food he ate. The substance is just not there. There is also a sense that Burns is using the musicians to tell the story he wants to tell so that someone watching this will know that Stan Getz used drugs and little else about him, that Bill Evans was booed for being a white man in Miles Davis' group but not anything about his piano style or how it connects with other styles or how these styles evolve or vanished or blossomed into something entirely new. That is frankly because this is not a documentary about jazz. I am not sure really what it is about. Even as a history of the musicians, I doubt few could say that anyone watching this film in its entirety would be conversant on the subject. It is a really sad misfire. There is plenty of good stuff buried in here but I think it would take someone less focused on having social consequence and more focused on the enigma of music to make a film like this work. If jazz is the question, this film has not found the answer.

There is more to Jazz than just on Bourbon Street.......2007-02-25

After 7 years of stalling, with the help of a coupon, I finally completed the Burns' boys cycle by buying this set for myself for my birthday. I had only watched it in spurts previously, but after watching 1/2 of Episode 1 uninterrupted last night, I had to ask myself, "Pregosin, What the hell took you so long?" In that half hour alone I learned more about the New Orleans atmosphere of the late 19th early 20th century that I never knew before. And now with Louisiana still in recovery from the scars of hurricanes in 2005, it's important to know about that city's history as well as the music that was born there. This epic of our man Ken tells both stories at once and well worth the view for anyone (but especially those who like his work in general). Gerald Early was right back in Episode 1 of Baseball when he said that in 2000 years when the American civilization is studied in detail 3 things will standout; The Constitution, Baseball and Jazz. Although I think Kenny might have grinned if instead of the Constitution, Jerry would have said The Civil War. I'm glad I finally bought it, and am looking forward to buying his new work coming this fall on World War II (even if it hits the shelves before the telecast).:-)

Shockingly Revisionist and Doctrinaire View of Jazz History.......2006-11-20

Throughly dismisses all Jazz after 1960, including Fusion, Free Jazz, and everything thereafter. Marsalis actually calls Cecil Taylor's music "self-indulgent bullsh**" Apparently Taylor was not allowed to rebut this during the film. How was that allowed to air on the supposedly intellectual (but more likely agenda-driven) on PBS, I will never understand. If you think Swing is the only valid form of Jazz, you will love this series. If you think Coltrane is a God, you get five minutes' summary. So lets see here: 15 hours on Louis Armstrong and Duke, 5 minutes on Coletrane, and a total didmissal of everything after Duke's death. Reminds me of the Republisuck's "Fair and Balanced" nonsense. PBS, this is your wake-up call. Stop trying to rewrite history - Jazz ain't in a museum. Just ask the artists (most of whom are alive) whom Burns left out. Metheny, you out there?

Great Study on Black History.......2006-09-27

The best thing I like about this documentary is that it is a great study on black History. But it needed to deliver more on what it was supposed to be Jazz Music. I can't believe he left out the great jazz guitarist Wes Montgomery. Left out Roland Kirk and Keith Jarrett. very little on dave Brubeck. Should have talked about classic Jazz Albums like Kind of blue, Time out (with the song Take Five) A Love Supreme, My favourite things, bitches Brew etc. Also nothing on Milt Jackson and the great Modern Jazz Quartet. Ken burns must realize there's is more to jazz than just the big band swing era. But still a great study on black history which makes it worthwhile just for that alone. and nothing on jazz hip hop. songs like doo bop song(miles Davis) and Jazz thing (gang Starr)

The Rat Pack Collection (Ocean's 11 / Robin and the 7 Hoods / 4 for Texas)

Average customer rating:

Rat Pack Collection Box

The Rat Pack Collection (Ocean's 11 / Robin and the 7 Hoods / 4 for Texas)
Starring: Frank Sinatra , Dean Martin , Sammy Davis Jr. , Peter Lawford , and Angie Dickinson
Director: Lewis Milestone , Gordon Douglas , and Robert Aldrich
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

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Similar Items:

Sinatra & the Rat Pack: The Story Behind the Original Movie Ocean's 11
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Matt Helm Lounge (The Silencers/ Murderers Row/The Ambushers/The Wrecking Crew)
The Rat Pack Live at the Sands
The Rat Pack's Las Vegas

ASIN: B000EOTUS0
Release Date: 2006-06-13

Description

4 FOR TEXAS -- Gamblers Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin are Wild West wild cards. With Anita Ekberg, Ursula Andress, the Three Stooges and Charles Bronson. OCEAN'S 11 -- The kicky original! Sinatra and pals have a sure way to beat Vegas: Rob 5 casinos at once! With Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Peter Lawford, Joey Bishop and more. ROBIN AND THE 7 HOODS -- His kind of town, Chicago is. Sinatra, Dean Martin, Peter Falk, Bing Crosby and more in a breezy gangster spoof.

Customer Reviews:

Rat Pack Collection Box.......2006-08-10

It's exactly what I wanted. Reasonably priced and delivery was very fast.
Good quality DVD's! I'm a fan of Dean Martin and I liked the movies very much. It was back to my youth by viewing them.
And now for Sergeants 3!
What a pity that movie is for the moment not available.
Anyone got a copy?
Thanks a lot and see you,
Reitze van Giffen, Holland

DVD:

DVD

Elizabeth Taylor [3 Discs]

DVD: Blood and Black Lace

Voodoo Dawn