Madhouse

Starring:Lance Henriksen, Jordan Ladd
Studio: Lions Gate
Product Type: DVD

Average customer rating:

Price Double
Vincent Price's magnum opus plus one
Excelent Dvd with two movies!
Review of Theatre of Blood - Price's personal favourite...
Grossly under rated Price vehicle!

Theater Of Blood/MadHouse (Midnite Movies Double Feature)
Starring: Vincent Price , Diana Rigg , Ian Hendry , Harry Andrews , and Coral Browne
Director: Douglas Hickox , and Jim Clark
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Similar Items:

The Abominable Dr. Phibes/Dr. Phibes Rises Again!
Tales of Terror/Twice Told Tales (Midnite Movies Double Feature)
The Fall of the House of Usher /The Pit and the Pendulum
The Masque of the Red Death / The Premature Burial
The Haunted Palace / The Tower of London

ASIN: B0007R4T2Q
Release Date: 2005-02-15

Description

Theater of BloodVincent Price delivers a thrilling "tour-de-force" (Variety) performance as a small-time actor plotting big-time revenge in inventively Shakespearean ways! Boasting a topnotch supporting cast, this dramatically "delicious concoction" (New York) delivers an "equal mixture of horror, comedy and Shakepeare [that'll] please just about everyone ? critics included" (Boxoffice) and proves that all the world really is a stage for MURDER!MadhouseMasters of macabre Vincent Price, Peter Cushing and Robert Quarry give performances to die for in this "diverting little chiller" (Boxoffice)! When horror star Paul Toombes' fiancée is brutally killed, he loses more than this job he loses his mind. But twelve years later, when he returns to TV ? only to discover a fresh batch of corpses ? Paul finally begins to understand that melodrama can be murder on your career!

Customer Reviews:

Price Double.......2007-06-27

Two cool Price movies. Price fans will not be disapointed. I love these cheap double bills.

Vincent Price's magnum opus plus one.......2006-12-31

If "Theatre of Blood" were the only film on this DVD it would still be worth the price. Make that the Price. Made more than a decade before the legendary actor's graceful last act, which began with "The Whales of August" and culminated in "Edward Scissorhands," this was by far Vincent Price's best film. Playing the demented (and supposedly dead) dreadful classical actor Edward Lionheart, Price gets a chance to strut his stuff like never before in a host of Shakespearean snippets (and his Shylock and Richard III are gems). In addition, he gets to gruesomely murder the critics who have assailed him over the years -- dead critics...what's not to love? Even more fun is the fact that the smarmy critics are played by a host of some of the best supporting actors Britain then had to offer.

"Madhouse," made only a year later, doesn't exactly try to copy the format of "Theatre of Blood," but it has certain elements of it in its story of horror film actor Paul Toombes (Price) who may or may not delve too deeply into his signature character "Dr. Death" and kill young women. "Madhouse" is basically a murder mystery disguised as a horror film, and not a bad one, but it suffers from a few too many ingredients. The character of Dr. Death (Price in rather simple, but very effective skull-face makeup) is clearly patterned after "Dr. Phibes," the two-film series that had been hugely successful a few years earlier, while Paul Toombes (who is nothing like the character from the source novel, "Devilday," by Angus Hall) is slightly reminiscent of the character Jon Pertwee played in "The House That Dripped Blood" -- a role for which Price had been sought. In structure, the film is also a bit reminiscent of the 1969 oddball film "Scream and Scream Again," which involed a serial killer stalking young girls in London, and there is a very peculiar subplot with Adrienne Corri as a burn-scarred and crazy former actress hiding in Peter Cushing's cellar, which seems like something out of a mid-1960s Italian horror film. It's quite a stew. Where the picture really drops the ball, though, is as a conscious effort to do for Price what Peter Bogdanovich's "Targets" did for Boris Karloff: present him with a canny career summation role in which he more or less plays himself. Price does more or less play himself -- an affable, good natured man who has managed to retain his professional integrity even after years of questionable films, which he gamely continues to make even as he believes himself to be unfairly exploited -- but the use of old film clips from past AIP epics (including "House of Usher," "Pit and the Pendulum" and "The Raven") does not have the resonance that "Targets"' employment of old clips from "The Terror" did. A prolonged sequence of Toombes appearing on Michael Parkinson's chat show is more dull than illuminating. "Madhouse" does at least offer Peter Cushing a decent role, after years of wasteful cameos in AIP's British productions, and a good one for Robert Quarry, who AIP was then grooming as a horror man for the 70s, as a shady producer. Director Jim Clark stages some very effective, atmospheric scenes of Dr. Death stalking the countryside, but it must be said that the identity of the killer is not a big shock to anyone paying attention. "Madhouse" was not widely released in the US and for years was something of an "unknown" Price movie, which makes its availability doubly attractive. It's no "Theatre of Blood," but it's fun.

Excelent Dvd with two movies!.......2006-01-27

I haven't seen them, but they are pretty good. "Theatre Of Blood" is the movie to watch with those who have had bad reviews levied against them by snobby critics who are so foolish that they can't see beyond their own noses. By the way, I'd love it when I would reenact death scenes from Shakespearean tragedies to lure Simon Cowell and his gunes in, so that I can destroy them.
Julius Caesar: Simon Cowell stabbed to death on the Ides Of March.
Romeo And Juliet: Paula Abdul drowned in a vat of wine
Cymbeline: Fantasia Barino electricuted.
Revenge is so sweet. If you're looking for the movies to satisfy your lust for blood against the critics that scorned you, then this double feature Dvd is the one for you. Highly recommended.

Review of Theatre of Blood - Price's personal favourite..........2005-08-07

I have not seen Madhouse, so this review is a reprint of one I wrote on the previously available single film DVD version.

In an interview with NPR's Terry Gross, the daughter of the late great Vincent Price was asked which of her father's films was his favourite. She said he loved Theatre of Blood because he got to do Shakespeare (albeit with a bit of poetic license).

1973's Theatre Of Blood followed the two Dr. Phibes films which were marvelously devilish black comedies. In Theatre Of Blood, Price tops his Phibes performances. Price plays Edward Lionheart, a Shakespearan actor loved by his fans but mercilessly reviled by a group of snobby theatre critics who berate his performances in print and later humiliate him at an awards ceremony. Lionheart sets out to get revenge on the nine critics by use of murder plots in Shakespeare's plays. The makeup and costumes are superb as well as the supporting cast -- particularly the lovely Diana Rigg, Milo O'Shea, and Robert Morley. Price dons dozens of disguises as he methodically carrys out his mission. He's hysterically funny as "Butch", a hairdresser for one of the female critics. This film should be considered among his essential works.

Grossly under rated Price vehicle!.......2005-04-10

Ahh, Vincent Price the world would have been boring without his droll delivery. Without wearing any make up, Price became a horror icon in the 60's and 70's while appearing in "The Tingler", "The Last Man on Earth", "The Mask of the Red Death" and the "Dr Phibes" films. "Theater of Blood" the first film in this twofer from MGM is one of Price's finest 70's horror films. Price plays Lionheart a Shakespearean actor denied a major critics award out of spite who commits suicide. Or did he? Two years later on the anniversary of Lionheart's death the critics that snubbed him begin to die like the characters from the plays that Lionheart was performing prior to his death. Featuring British vets Jack Hawkins, Arthur Lowe and the lovely Diana Rigg as Lionheart's daughter, "Theater of Blood" ranks up there with the witty "Dr. Phibes" films one of Price's later films.

One of the finest moments is a fencing scene where the two opponents face off on the floor, on a trampoline and various gym equipment. It's quite well staged and entertaining.

"Madhouse" the flipside of this twofer is a lesser film but features a stellar cast. The predictable plot focuses on an actor Paul Toombes (Price again naturally) who returns to acting after suffering a nervous breakdown as a result of his the murder of his fiance. Twelve years have passed and now Toombes returns to acting only to find that those around him are now being murdered! Toombes wonders if he is the cause of it all or if someone is out to incriminate him. The marvelous cast of Price, Peter Cushing ("Horror of Dracula", "Curse of Frankenstein", "Star Wars", "She") Robert Quarry ("Count Yorga Vampire", "Dr. Phibes Rises Again")makes the film memorable. Director James Clark (editor of "Vera Drake", "Copycat", "The World is Not Enough")does a stylish job with the predictable screenplay by Ken Levison and Greg Morrison. It's a blast to see Cushing, Price and Quarry together (along with archieval footage of Boris Karloff). A pity there was no way to fit Christopher Lee into the mix (he was busy shooting "The Man with the Golden Gun" and "The Wicker Man").

As usual the transfer look pretty good given the age of the negatives although "Theater of Blood" looks a bit washed out. Then again, it's always looked like that as long as I can remember. A pity that Clark wasn't asked to do a commentary track. It's one of only three or four movies he directed. The late Hickox who directed "Theater of Blood" primarily directed mini-series for TV after the film. The first film deserves a strong four stars while "Madhouse" deserves 2 1/2 for effort and performances. Theatrical trailers for both films are included.

Average customer rating:

The forgotten in the basement
what happens when Identity and Silence of the Lambs meets...
Never trust a schizophrenic....ever........
Not Bad.......
William Butler-- one of the best up-and-coming directors.

Madhouse
Starring: Lance Henriksen , Natasha Lyonne , Jordan Ladd , and Joshua Leonard
Director: William Butler
Manufacturer: Lions Gate
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Dead Birds
Toolbox Murders
Boo
House of 9
Malevolence

ASIN: B0006ZXJ2U
Release Date: 2005-02-22

Customer Reviews:

The forgotten in the basement.......2006-09-15

And this movie slipped under the wires. It is a good movie...and proving to me that anything Joshua Leonard is in will be worth a look. It has creepy moments...and twists along the way...but it is all easy to follow. I would have enjoyed seeing more of the head nurse act...she was off the wall! Smiling a Joshua one moment...glaring and moving her eyes to your eye level the next in a stern stare down like a snake.

Red herring driven, the plot will keep you entertained. And guessing as to who or what is killing the staff......

what happens when Identity and Silence of the Lambs meets..........2006-08-13

This movie was on my list of possible psychological thrillers for me to buy for quite a while now. I'm not sure what made me pause. Maybe it was the perfectly fantastic Session 9 that kept me from it. I figured that no other movie of it's type could possibly chill me quite as much. With the release of House of Voices recently as well as Boo, I figured hey, why not, I'll try madhouse. This movie is clever, scary and intensely riveting. You never truly know whether there really is a malevolent force at work possibly possessing a resident of the facility or if it's just some nut in general. There are plenty of suspects and lots of gruesome imagery both imagined and real. The boy "ghost" who continues to pop up is sure to raise the hairs on your arm as will the scene at the end when we learn the truth of the patient in that room in the basement. Like The Sixth Sense, clues abound everywhere and you don't really understand that they were clues until the end. Why this movie wasn't released in theaters is beyond me. Madhouse is a truly worthy addition to any genre fan's collection of twisted, psychopathic movies.And the door to a sequel is wide open at the end. More PLEASE!

Never trust a schizophrenic....ever...............2006-06-06

I believe horror fans will love this one. It centers around a student who is interning at a mental hospital, with a jaded past.
From the first second, this movie pulls you in with a violent collage of brutal images. It follows our main character, as he tries to unlock the mysteries of this asylum.
Once he meets the strange prisioner in the basement, things go from normal to crazy real quickly.The casting in this movie wasn't the best, but the characters WERE well written. Overall, I had fun watching it, and the violence is top-notch.
Great movie for horror fans.

Not Bad..............2006-04-01

I can surely say that I've seen alot of horror movies that were alot worse than this one. This one wasn't bad. I liked the creepy mental institution, the creepy mental patients and the cool gory scenes! The acting wasn't bad either. At least I didn't want to shut the movie off halfway through like I have with other horror movies. With a surprise twist ending, this is a good movie to watch for horror fans. It will keep you interested throughout the movie. Worth seeing and at least renting.

William Butler-- one of the best up-and-coming directors........2006-01-03

[brief plot synopsis]
Clark (Joshua Leonard) is a young and idealistic new intern at a run-down and out-dated mental health facility. His aspirations for cleaning the place hit a snag when he butts heads with Dr. Franks (Lance Henrikson) who seems to not mind that the patients never seem to get any better. Shortly Clark begins seeing things and death and mayhem invade the reality of the "Madhouse". Together Clark and Sara must uncover who or what it is that stalks the asylum and survive the massacre.

[good things]
Nicely directed, some pretty good kills, and a good story. The directing was superb, and it gave us some nice visual experiences, great cinematography, and all around tight scenery. There weren't many kills in this, but the ones it showed were pretty brutal and bloody. I also liked the cast, alot of good actors, and alot of very seasoned veterans (Lance Henrickson and Leslie Jordan).

[the bad]
It was hard for me to believe that an asylum like this existed. I don't see alot of this happening in real life, and I guess it is a horror film and they don't really have to mirror reality. I would have also liked more kills. While the script wasn't at all unique, but nicely done and directed, it was almost obvious who the killer was.

[final thoughts]
I may be playing favorites with this because William Butler is a friend, but it is a damn good movie. The all around feel to this movie is pretty cold and eerie. Joshua Leonard (from Blair Witch Project) delivers a great performance that almost makes me forget about his role (as himself) in The Blair Witch Project. Each character was nicely done and scripted. Even though the script could have taken a few different turns and made the story a bit harder to figure out, I still feel this is one of the better movies to be released in 2004.

Average customer rating:

Paranoia Agent (EPISODES 1 ~ 13)
Director: SATOSHI KON
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Product Description

"When the darkness overcomes the heart, Little Slugger appears..." After the first victim's story, the police felt the overly stressed woman was having a breakdown and lied to cover-up for some crime. However, after the third and fourth attacks upon unrelated victims led to the same description of a young attacker with a golden baseball bat and in-line skates, the police had to wonder- is the "Lil' Slugger" real or a sinister phantom?

Carried by the Wind - Tsukikage Ran - Way of the Samurai (Vol. 4)

Average customer rating:

She's Good -- For a Parody

Carried by the Wind - Tsukikage Ran - Way of the Samurai (Vol. 4)
Starring: Madhouse
Manufacturer: Bandai
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Carried by the Wind - Tsukikage Ran - Shocking Secrets (Vol. 2)

ASIN: B000087F34
Release Date: 2003-03-04

Description

During their outrageous adventures, Ran and Meow, of the Iron Cat fist have had some rather unqiue experiences: they've fought off clans of evil bandits, stopped a crooked sake producer, and have been chased across Japan by a giant foreign blonde woman! Now, their adventures are about to come to an end, but there are still some surprises left. What's this? Ran had a boyfriend?! But this guy looks like some washed-up loser. There's no way Ran would fall for a guy like that!

KEY SALES POINTS:
* Genre: Martial Arts/Comedy
* Animation by MADHOUSE (Jubei-Chan the Ninja Girl, Ninja Scroll)

DVD FEATURES:
Reversible DVD Foil Cover
Dolby Digital Surround Sound
Liner Notes
Production Art Gallery
Bandai Previews

Customer Reviews:

She's Good -- For a Parody.......2003-03-31

This DVD series seems to be a sleeper but I really enjoy it. On the surface the stories of Tsukikage Ran are definitely parodies of the Samurai Epic Films like Ran, Kagemusha, Seven Samurai, and other long-running series like Lone Wolf and Cub.

Deeper, beneath the amusing facade of obviously recognizable storylines, there is a much more engaging message. Because both the main characters are female, seemingly predictable stories often come to surprising conclusions.

On more than one occasion this series has been deeply moving. Volumes 3 and 4 begin the slow exploration of Ran and her companion Meow. Like anything hinting at Zen, there is much beneath the surface here. Expect laughs but also expect to realize that 'nothing is permanent' and those laughs will fade to some surprising emotions every now and then as you watch this series.

One technical note: I enjoy the fact that you don't see blatant re-used footage (in the way of flashbacks or such tricks) in any of the eps of this series. And the fight scenes are fantastic. Ran is a powerful samurai and excellent with a sword. She's fun to watch and after your first few eps you won't take her lightly! Meow, too, but of course, she's the exuberant side-kick, so expect and enjoy comic fight scenes with her -- but not always.

Amazon.com

This cable series by director Akitaro Daichi lacks the charm of his previous effort, Jubei-chan the Ninja Girl. Ran is a woman ronin, or masterless samurai, wandering through Tokugawa Japan and getting into scrapes with martial artist Lady Meow of the Iron Fist. They're not an especially prepossessing pair. There's nothing feminine in Ran's design or in the animation of the character; the audience accepts her as a woman only because they're told she is. Although she lacks cat's ears, Meow recalls Merle in Escaflowne, Azuma in Pilot Candidate, and other childish, feline girls. Ran and Meow live to drink sake and are perennially broke, so they're often in trouble with innkeepers. Ran wields her sword with deadly accuracy in battles with crudely drawn thugs, crooked village bosses, and other standard-issue foes, but Daichi never shows any blood. Rated 13 Up: Violence, profanity, brief nudity, alcohol and tobacco use. --Charles Solomon

Description

From acclaimed director Akitaroh Daichi (Jubei-Chan the Ninja Girl, Now Here and Again) and MADHOUSE Studios (Ninja Scroll, Alexander) - Carried by the Wind is a story of Ran, a young ronin samurai on a journey across Japan. She's a master swordsman with a strong sense of honor combined with the courage to fight injustices. Along with Neko martial artist, Myao - the two will seek good food, good drink, and great comedy revealing a funnier side to Japan's feudal history. Carried by the Wind: Tsukikage Ran is released exclusively on DVD home video with original Japanese/English language and English subtitles optional. DVD features include textless opening, textless endings, and Bandai Previews.

Customer Reviews:

WANDERING DO-GOODERS.......2005-06-01

Carried by the Wind contains no ground-breaking concepts. The idea of a wandering samurai on a road trip to no place in particular who reluctantly becomes involved in the plight of the common people she runs into has been done before. If you like that kind of episodic storyline and have a fondness for Kurosawa or Leone, then forget all your troubles and watch volume 1.

The one twist here is that the main samurai Ran is a female who seems to be a sakeaholic, whose gender leads to all kinds of underestimations by her enemies. It's a sexist view still prevalent in lots of societies the world over. I would even venture to say most of them. Joining her on her journies is Lady Meow of the Iron Fist, a slightly off-kilter ragamuffin of a poor girl martial artist who nevertheless is a vicious fighter. They will be stuck between rival gangs, search for buried treasure, adopt an orphaned baby, and visit Ran's most terrible nightmare--a village that has outlawed sake!

Tsukikage Ran is a charming series full of great action sequences that do not cut animation corners, and also chockful of humor, with Lady Meow's emotional outbursts playing against Ran's stoic straight woman. To me, this series is way better than Samurai Champloo.

Wonderful, and we need more of this!!!.......2004-11-05

I'm a lot more of a chambara (samurai film) buff than I am of anime. This one is anime but thankfully (for me) doesn't contain the SF/horror/fantasy elements, but sticks to basic chambara conventions.

What a marvelous anti-dote for the overdose of wafting, servile females we see too often, not only in samurai films but in too many American and European films as well (though it's gotten better recently). This series pokes gentle fun at so many of the cliches that show up in chambara films -- the lone, mysterious (usually broke) ronin who wanders into a local bru-ha-ha in some town, and with a few flicks of the sword...?? Only this one is female, and obviously so. What she is NOT is the typical helpless and frail sort of female. Her sense of honor rules as always in these types of films -- and she does love that sake!

And then there is Lady Meow. Another woman with a code of honor, who drives our mysterious hero up a wall, but comes to the aid of her travelling friend.

This stuff is Wonderful and Marvelous! I'm addicted to this. MORE, MORE, MORE....!!!!! I wonder if and when some producer will eventually do a "live" version of this series.

A Samurai drama or a Samurai joke?.......2004-06-16

The story is a simple one. A sake-drinking Samurai and a dimwitted matial artist who talks WAY too much end up joining forces to defend the weak and fight evil. No, not really. First, both are female, both love their sake, but only the Samuari can hold it, and both are ALWAYS getting into trouble.
Ran, the sword carrying Samurai, is a loner and REALLY hates company. She hates it when people wake her up or get in the way of her meal. And she won't run from trouble.
Meow of the Iron Cat Fist, can't hold her drink and loves to lecture people, mostly about on how powerful she is and how evil they are. And she always seems to fall into trouble.
The four episodes are good, but not great. The titles pretty much give away the plots - the first episode allows us to meet the characters, the second has to deal with sake, the third with a baby and the last with...well, that one is harder to explain. I won't give anything else away.
The extras are more interesting - detailed liner notes, art gallery, commercial collection, a cool fold-out and previews.
I take one point away because the ideas behind the series and the plots, so far, it isn't anything a Hollywood hack couldn't think of. The fighting scenes ARE realistic looking and remind one of a real, old fashion, Samurai epic.
So if you like Japanese Samurai movies, Japanese history or fighting females, this is for you.

Very funny!.......2004-03-25

This is great! I found it to be very silly and yet somewhat dramatic at the same time. The idea of a sake-loving female samurai and an idealistic, cat-based martial arts fighter teaming up is fantastic! The animation is very smooth, and the fight scenes rival anything you might find in Rurouni Kenshin. In fact, when fighting, Ran puts me in mind of Kenshin himself, being extremely fast, adept at her art, and able to take out ten or more guys in a matter of seconds. And her sake-swilling ways make me think of Kenshin's kick-ass, sake-loving mentor Hiko Seijuro.

(In case you can't tell, I am a big Rurouni Kenshin fan.)

Lady Meow is a martial artist in the style of the Iron Cat Fist, and is very effective, taking out a whole group of men just as fast as her partner Ran. She is idealistic to an extreme, and gets into sticky situations rather easily. Her movements are somewhat feline, probably due to her karate style.

The voice actors in both versions are great, from the minor characters in each episode all the way to Ran and Lady Meow. Ran's voice is appropriate for her age, although her English voice actor still puts that feminine touch to it. In that Japanese version she sounds much more masculine, which makes it easier for the other characters to think of her as a man. Lady Meow's voice actor in both versions is well aware of how excitable the character is (I cannot recall the last time I saw someone make that many faces), and it shows in the incredible voice-acting.

This is a fun, light-hearted series that even in the harshest fights never fully takes itself seriously. And that is just what it is supposed to do!

Tale of a Wandering Samurai...Woman?.......2003-11-27

Akitaro Daichi is said to be the genius behind this series, and if so then I owe him big time. I remember once I saw an episode or two of Jubei Chan:Ninja Girl, and while I didn't care for the humor much, one thing stood out in my mind. That show had the most amazing action sequences I had ever seen in my life. Samurai cartwheeling and summersaulting through the air while the swords clashed...BEAUTIFUL. So naturally I was very interested when I heard the same guy was responsible for this series. But then, I read reveiws on the Internet, and they all said that this show was lackluster, boring, no good. These reviewers need to be shot.

First thing's first. Do you like Samurai flicks? Black and white Kurosawa? The whole Ronin Samurai thing? And above all, Samurai sword fights? Then this show will blow your mind. For starters it has two EXTREMELY likable main characters, wonderful animation, and a great opening and ending (the intro in particular REALLY harkens back to the old Samurai movies of yester-year). The plot of every episode will remind you of every Samurai film plotline in the book. But this show is not TRING to be original. It is trying to pay a light-hearted tribute to Samurai Sagas with awesome fight scenes. And that it does well.

While the show is mostly comic, it still mangages to pack quite a wallop when it comes to drama. Every episode has some, and the show just seems to get better and better (with more depth) as it goes along. But the REAL reason to watch this one is the fight sequences. Truly, they must be seen to be believed. Lightning fast and done in the perfect martial-arts Samurai style (jump, duck, weave, and smack five or six opponents at once, one flick of the sword and you're either knocked out or dead).

And let's not forget the OUTSTANDING dub on this one either. I've seen a lot of truly terrible ones lately, but the English voice cast on this show is about as perfect as they come. The tone of the show (and the real meat of the characters) is captured perfectly, allowing you to laugh one minute and (particularly in one or two parts) feel misty-eyed or cut-at-heart the next. And interestingly, although there are a lot of fights and a fair amount of killing, I cannot recall seeing any blood in any of the episodes (personally I believe in Jackie Chan's philosophy of give me action, but spare me the blood and gore).

Amazon.com

The second volume of this picaresque transvestite series veers between Slayers-like silliness and a succession of sword fights that suggest a watered-down Rurouni Kenshin. Lady Meow of the Iron Fist, the childish half of the roving duo, is flattered when an artist wants to paint her portrait in episode 5, and she falls for a handsome scientist in episode 7. Ran remains aloof and uninvolved; even when she's drunk on sake, her deadly accuracy with her sword never falters. Director Akitaro Daichi somehow misses when he attempts to recapture the appeal of his previous Jubei-chan the Ninja Girl. The silliness isn't quite silly enough and the feats of derring-do lack panache. Also, there's no sense of affection or respect between the recurring characters, and the viewer is left wondering why they continue to put up with each other. (Rated 13 and older: violence, profanity, alcohol and tobacco use) --Charles Solomon

Description

Famed director, Akitaroh Daichi (Jubei-Chan the Ninja Girl) reveals a different side of life in feudal Japan! From MADHOUSE studios (Ninja Scroll) comes a martial arts comedy like none you've ever seen! Carried by the Wind is a story of Ran, a young ronin samurai on a journey across Japan. She's a master swordsman with a strong sense of honor combined with the courage to fight injustices. Along with Neko martial artist, Meow - the two will seek good food and good drink! Our heroine Ran is still saddled with her erstwhile sidekick, Meow. Together, they continue traveling the countryside looking for wrongs to right, and of course, a good drink! When Meow is scouted by a "modeling" agent, things don't seem quite right and its up to Ran to figure out what it is. When a string of robberies are committed, all fingers point towards our heroic heroines! Can the two clear their names and help a poor inventor on the verge of discovering electricity?! Carried by the Wind - Shocking Secrets features Interactive animated menus, the original Japanese and English language tracks, along with English subtitles option, liner notes, production art gallery, and Bandai Previews.

Customer Reviews:

Ignore what Charles Solomon has to say..........2002-12-22

Tsukikage Ran is classic. However, Ran is not a transvestite. The clothing she wears is unisex, for an example see any of the "shrine maidens" in Sailor Moon, Haunted Junction and many others. Yes, there were very few, if any, female samurai, yet this does not make her a transvestite. Also, Jubei-chan was a comedy, Tsukikage Ran is more of a parody/satire/tribute to samurai films. Ran and Meow never show feelings towards each other, true, but do they need to spout platitudes to be companions? This show is quickly becoming a must see throughout my circle of friends and is one of my choices for "Best of" 2002.

Carried by the Wind - Tsukikage Ran - Big Trouble in Little Nippon (Vol. 3)

Average customer rating:

She's Good - For a Parody!

Carried by the Wind - Tsukikage Ran - Big Trouble in Little Nippon (Vol. 3)
Starring: Madhouse
Manufacturer: Bandai
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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General | Animation | Genres | DVD | Video

( C ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Carried by the Wind - Tsukikage Ran - A Tale of Two Travelers (Vol. 1)

ASIN: B00007G1U4
Release Date: 2003-01-07

Amazon.com

Director Akitaro Daichi belatedly develops some chemistry between the sake-swilling female samurai Tsukikage Ran and her chattering sidekick, Lady Meow. In "There Was No God in This World," Meow is initially taken in by the cult leader Rokkan but helps to defeat him once his corrupt practices have been exposed. Tsukikage attracts a would-be student: Stephanie, a Caucasian giantess who nurtures weird illusions about Japanese society, in "That European Girl Was Huge." She's strong as an ox, clingy as a tick--and difficult to get rid of. The story takes an oddly serious turn in "I Counted On an Enemy." Meow revisits a childhood friend, only to discover she's now a wealthy dealer in "dream incense," obviously a euphemism for opium. Tsukikage Ran aired on the Japanese satellite channel Wowow in 2000. (Rated 13 and older: violence, profanity, alcohol use, implied drug use) --Charles Solomon

Description

The sake-swilling swordswoman continues to cut a path through Edo, Japan with her hilarious adventures. And the ever-present Meow of the Iron Cat Fist remains stalwartly at her side. When a mysterious cult catches Meow's fancy, it's up to Ran to discover the group's secret. Old friends, new friends - the group just got a lot bigger when a foreigner from across the seas decides to follow Ran around Japan!

Customer Reviews:

She's Good - For a Parody!.......2003-03-31

Deeper, beneath the amusing facade of obviously recognizable storylines, there is a much more engaging message. Because both the main characters are female in a primarily male dominated genre, seemingly predictable stories often come to surprising conclusions.

On more than one occasion this series has been deeply moving. Volume 3 begins the slow exploration of Ran and her companion Meow, starting with Meow's past in one of these episodes. Like anything hinting at Zen, there is much beneath the surface here. Expect laughs but also expect to realize that 'nothing is permanent' and those laughs will fade to some surprising emotions every now and then as you watch this series.

Description

Set inside the crumbling walls of a dilapidated Victorian sanatorium, eight mysterious characters reveal their secret stories to the visiting camera. The eight are linked by one unifying and crucial event in their lives: each of them has had an encounter with Jesus of Nazareth in some way — an experience that has left an indelible mark.

Each character brushed with Jesus but most missed the moment. They touched the light then lingered in the shadows. They were offered freedom but made friends with their chains. Now they are haunted by the memory of what was and what might have been. Here is an acclaimed series that opens up the Scriptures, the story of Jesus, and Easter week in a fascinating way.

Includes Pilate's Wife starring Clair Bloom, The Rich Man starring Peter France, The Best Friend starring Tony Robinson, The Mourner starring Eileen Atkins, The Servant Girl starring Helen Baxendale, Barabbas starring Joss Ackland, The Centurion starring James Cosmo, and The Thief starring Jonathan Pryce.

Eight 14-minute episodes/color

Customer Reviews:

A Worthy Diversion From The Norm! .......2005-04-14

I recommend this collection to any sunday school class that has fallen into a funk. Produced and broadcasted on the BBC, each episode is both masterfully directed and acted by veterans from the British stage and film industry.

As the title would suggest, these stories fall into the creepy, if not macabe, worlds each of the charactors have created for themselves. These are not tales of inspiration, but lessons of tragic failure and missed opportunities for salvation. Pain, loneliness, shame, despair, bitterness, selfishness - all of the dark corners of the human experience are revealed in the rooms of the madhouse......rooms for which Christ is only a memory and no longer welcome.

The purpose of this collection is not to raise the fear of damnation. Instead, it is a contempative exercise most suited for those who have already chosen the faith, yet humbly acknowledge their own shortcomings. There is insight to be gained from every hell presented here. Believe me. A single viewing of each episode will not be enough. Repeated viewing will inspire new discoveries each time.

Highly entertaining and provocative!

Average customer rating:

Madhouse
Director: Ovidio G. Assonitis
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Violence, Adult Situations
Uncut Version
All Region Disc

ASIN: B000GC4PJO

Product Description

A strange bond exists between Julia and her identical twin sister Mary whom she has not seen for seven years. Their Uncle, Father James persuades Julia that she must visit Mary in hospital. But he warns her that she may not recognize her sister who has become horribly deformed. At the hospital Julia is startled by Mary's hideous appearance as the deformed sister suddenly grabs her wrists from the shadows and pulls her close, threatening to terrorize her again... This former video nasty is directed Ovidio G. Assonitis (THE DEVIL WITHIN HER / FOREVER EMANUELLE / TENTACLES).

Average customer rating:

Madhouse
Starring: Anthrax
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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