Martin

Starring:John Amplas, Pasquale Buba, Tony Buba, Roger Caine, J. Clifford Forrest Jr., Christine Forrest, Lincoln Maazel, Frances Mazzoni, Francine Middleton, Elyane Nadeau, Robert Ogden (II), James Roy, Tom Savini, Albert J. Schmaus, Lilian Schmaus, Donna Siegel, Donaldo Soviero, Vincent D. Survinski, Sara Venable
Studio: Anchor Bay
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com
Martin (John Amplas) is a modern sort of vampire--he gains his victims' cooperation with the use of a hypodermic needle instead of hypnotism, and uses razors in the place of fangs. "There's no real magic," he says. "There's no real magic, ever." He says this to his elderly Romanian cousin, Tati Cuda (Lincoln Maazel), a true believer in the old religion, and self-appointed keeper of Martin, who threatens to do away with the boy if the vampirism doesn't stop. According to Cuda, the boy is actually 85 years old--young for a vampire. Truly, the supernatural element of the film is always at odds with psychological explanations that make Martin out to be a sexually disturbed teen, not an ancient bloodsucker. Martin's vampiric episodes are intercut with sepia footage of similar exploits from some gothic era, which may either be Martin's memories or his imagination; take your pick. Garlic, sunlight, mirrors--these are devices of Hollywood, and have no effect on a hypo-toting vampire like Martin, as he explains the rules in his role of frequent call-in guest on a radio talk show where he's known as "The Count." These ambiguities are left teasingly unresolved by the film, which is more interested in establishing the relationship between the traditional vampire and the modern-day psycho. Along with the film's narrative economy, these ambiguities make Martin Romero's midnight-movie masterpiece.

Amazon.com

The most successful invigoration of a cinematic franchise since Batman Begins, Casino Royale offers a new Bond identity. Based on the Ian Fleming novel that introduced Agent 007 into a Cold War world, Casino Royale is the most brutal and viscerally exciting James Bond film since Sean Connery left Her Majesty's Secret Service. Meet the new Bond; not the same as the old Bond. Daniel Craig gives a galvanizing performance as the freshly minted double-0 agent. Suave, yes, but also a "blunt instrument," reckless, and possessed with an ego that compromises his judgment during his first mission to root out the mastermind behind an operation that funds international terrorists. In classic Bond film tradition, his global itinerary takes him to far-flung locales, including Uganda, Madagascar, the Bahamas (that's more like it), and Montenegro, where he is pitted against his nemesis in a poker game, with hundreds of millions in the pot. The stakes get even higher when Bond lets down his "armor" and falls in love with Vesper (Eva Green), the ravishing banker's representative fronting him the money.

For longtime fans of the franchise, Casino Royale offers some retro kicks. Bond wins his iconic Astin-Martin at the gaming table, and when a bartender asks if he wants his martini "shaken or stirred," he disdainfully replies, "Do I look like I give a damn?" There's no Moneypenny or "Q," but Dame Judi Dench is back as the exasperated M, who one senses, admires Bond's "bloody cheek." A Bond film is only as good as its villain, and Mads Mikkelsen as Le Chiffre, who weeps blood, is a sinister dandy. From its punishing violence and virtuoso action sequences to its romance, Casino Royale is a Bond film that, in the words of one character, makes you feel it, particularly during an excruciating torture sequence. Double-0s, Bond observes early on, "have a short life expectancy." But with Craig, there is new life in the old franchise yet, as well as genuine anticipation for the next one when, at last, the signature James Bond theme kicks in following the best last line ever in any Bond film. To quote Goldie Hawn in Private Benjamin, now I know what I've been faking all these years. --Donald Liebenson

Stills from Casino Royale (click for larger image)

Beyond Casino Royale on Amazon.com

On Blu-ray
CD Soundtrack
Why We Love Daniel Craig

The Amazon.com James Bond Store
Where Have I Seen Daniel Craig?
Bond on Set: Filming Casino Royale Book

Product Description

Casino Royale introduces James Bond before he holds his license to kill. But Bond is no less dangerous, and with two professional assassinations in quick succession, he is elevated to "00" status. "M" (Judi Dench), head of the British Secret Service, sends the newly-promoted 007 on his first mission that takes him to Madagascar, the Bahamas and eventually leads him to Montenegro to face Le Chiffre, a ruthless financier under threat from his terrorist clientele, who is attempting to restore his funds in a high-stakes poker game at the Casino Royale. "M" places Bond under the watchful eye of the Treasury official Vesper Lynd. At first skeptical of what value Vesper can provide, Bond's interest in her deepens as they brave danger together. Le Chiffre's cunning and cruelty come to bear on them both in a way Bond could never imagine, and he learns his most important lesson: Trust no one.

Customer Reviews:

James Bond Has Lost His Sparkle.......2007-07-05

Its a shame that relentless violence takes the place of a good story and character acting. There are parts that are not suitable for human consumption. I'm sure Daniel Craig is a good actor its such a shame.

AMAZING.......2007-07-05

I own all the James Bond movies, and this one is my favorite. Hands down.

best ever?.......2007-07-05

The latest Bond incarnation may be the best. Daniel Craig brings a whole new energy to the character. This Bond is serious, dangerous, and sexy.

Sooooo disappointed...so NOT James Bond!.......2007-07-04

No longer suave, no longer sophisticated.

Would have been a good movie if it hadn't been labelled as Bond

An Edgier Bond Than We've Never Seen.......2007-07-04

It took me a while to actually sit down and watch CASINO ROYALE, but I finally got the chance to see it. Now, I wish I would have saw it in the movie theater and I would have gotten a better effect. This one, I would have to say ranks up there as one of the best BOND films. Just love OCTOPUSSY and THE SPY WHO LOVED ME.

Daniel Craig shines as the new 007. He's edgier and charasmatic. This Bond is pretty good. After hearing that he will be in the upcoming new BOND film (that will be directed by Marc Forster), I think it's safe to say that people are going to slowly embrace Daniel as the new Bond and CASINO was a great jumping off point. He carries this film with ease and it's fun everytime that he is on the screen.

My only trouble with this film was the female lead, Vesper Lynd (played by Eva Green). She's beautiful and all, but I felt that she wasn't a strong choice as a Bond heroine and not to mention there's another female character that looks just like her in this film and there was no uniqueness about each woman. The acting was one dimensional for me. But, then again, this is mostly an action film and he delivered on the action. It is definitely an edge of your seat type thriller.

Overall, this film is great - there are some parts of it storyline wise that I wish were stronger, but it still delivers on all levels.

Average customer rating:

the reason
A great cast makes this a great movie
Funny - Good for men & women
Great Movie!
Great Movie

Wild Hogs (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Tim Allen , John Travolta , Martin Lawrence , William H. Macy , and Ray Liotta
Director: Walt Becker
Manufacturer: Buena Vista Home Entertainment / Touchstone
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

Comic Action | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

Ghost Rider (Two-Disc Extended Cut)
Shooter (Widescreen Edition)
Zodiac (Widescreen Edition)
Night at the Museum (Widescreen Edition)
Premonition (Widescreen Edition)

ASIN: B000QFCD7W
Release Date: 2007-08-14

Description

Tim Allen, John Travolta, Martin Lawrence and William H. Macy star in Wild Hogs, the hysterically funny comedy about four weekend-warrior friends who decide to rev up their ho-hum suburban lives with a cross-country motorcycle adventure. They don their leathers, fire up their hogs and throw caution and their cell phones to the wind as they hit the open highway. A lot can happen on the road to nowhere, including a run-in with the bad-to-the-bone Del Fuegos, a real biker gang who don't take kindly to the wannabes. Filled with hilarious misadventures, screwball situations and madcap mayhem, this laugh-out-loud comedy is a movie your whole family will go hog wild over.

Customer Reviews:

the reason.......2007-07-05

every 15 seconds, there is a brain injury in the united states. by the time someone finishes this movie, they will have suffered 400 brain injuries. seriously.

A great cast makes this a great movie.......2007-06-28

Wild Hogs is a typical midlife crisis movie. Four men, who have been friends for years and who suit up in leather and ride to the local bar and grill regularly to hang out, suddenly wonder what happened to their lives. They all realize, one by one, that they've hit middle age and fallen into a rut, and they decide to take a cross country trip on their bikes to get out of it.

This is one of the more entertaining movies I've seen in a while. What made it for me, however, was not the plot or even the comedic moments but rather the excellent performances by a great cast. John Travolta plays the cool-guy-in-a-midlife-crisis role perfectly, and Tim Allen pulls off his when-did-my-life-get-so-bland part flawlessly as well. Throw in great performances by Martin Lawrence, a man desperate to get out from under his overbearing wife's thumb, and William H. Macy, a geek who hopes he can FINALLY do something that will make him cool, and you've got a great group of main characters.

Macy's performance is probably the most surprisingly good of the bunch. He's downright hilarious in this movie as the 'rebel nerd.' And Ray Liotta is excellent as the villain, the antagonist who tries to refuse this group of "Wild Hogs" their right to ride on the grounds that they're not real bikers.

This is a very funny movie and is sure to keep you entertained. With a relatively unoriginal plot this may not have been a great film if not for the excellent cast, but these guys will have you cheering for the middle-aged suburbanite and longing for the open road yourself.

Funny - Good for men & women.......2007-06-26

My husband and I don't often agree on movies - he tends to like horrors (too gory for me) and war movies (same problem) while I like comedy and sci-fi (okay, he likes SOME sci-fis, too) but I never would've thought I'd like a biker movie! This one I did. It's funny and it's manly but not so much that a woman can't appreciate it, as well. My favorite part is when some average (overweight) middle-aged man starts singing "Don't you wish your girlfriend was HOT like ME?!" Histerical!

Actors include: Tim Allen, John Travolta, William H. Mac, Ray Liotta, Martin Lawrence, and others.

Great Movie!.......2007-06-22

I loved this movie. I saw it twice; the first time with my friend who is a Harley man and the second time with my daughter, Both laughed all the way through. I can't wait to buy the movie. My Harley friend is also waiting to buy it to watch with his fellow biker friends.

Great Movie.......2007-06-19

I Loved this movie. this movie is about four friends (Tim Allan,John Trovlta, Martin Lawerence and William H. Macy) who love riding their Motorcycles. Now all four of them are stressed out and are having personal problems and they are being told that they are not real bikers and they are old. so they deside to take a road trip on their bikes and that is where the adventur starts. you will have to get the movie to find out what happens....

Average customer rating:

Looking Forward to Seasons Two, Three, and Four
Ground Breaking Show (really)
Almost as I remembered it...
Rome and Boston - World's Apart
Picket Fences Season 1 DVD

Picket Fences - Season 1
Starring: Zelda Rubinstein , Don Cheadle , Denis Arndt , Roy Dotrice , and Leigh Taylor-Young
Director: Michael Pressman , Dennie Gordon , Martin Davidson , Jeremy Kagan , and Arvin Brown
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Television | Genres | DVD | Video

Drama | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

Television | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

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

The Practice - Volume One
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ASIN: B000K7VHJ6
Release Date: 2007-06-19

Amazon.com

While Ally McBeal garnered more attention, Picket Fences garnered more acclaim. It was justified. Set in Wisconsin, the Emmy-winning drama plays like The Andy Griffith Show by way of The Commish. The focus is on small-town life from a law and order perspective. The action revolves around Sheriff Jimmy Brock (Tom Skerritt), his physician wife Jill (Kathy Baker), and their children, Kimberly (Holly Marie Combs), Matthew (Justin Shenkarow), and Zack (Adam Wylie). Storylines alternate between personal issues, like puberty and pre-marital sex, and criminal cases. As Matthew quips, "Things happen around here." At city hall, Jimmy works with officers Kenny (Costas Mandylor) and Max (Lauren Holly), dispatcher Ginny (Zelda Rubinstein), and coroner Carter Pike (Kelly Connell), who likes to exclaim, "Let me exhume the body!" Judge Henry Bone (Ray Walston) and attorney Douglas Wambaugh (Fyvush Finkel) dominate the courthouse. Cases include such tragi-comic crimes as a serial bather ("Frank, the Potato Man") and a cupid killer ("Be My Valentine"), but serious issues also come into play, such as assisted suicide ("Sacred Hearts") and incest ("Nuclear Meltdowns"). Unlike Twin Peaks, to which it was sometimes compared, Picket Fences could be heavy-handed, but piety never trumped entertainment, and Baker, Skerritt, Walston, and Finkel all won Emmys for their work.

Notable guests are a hallmark of every David E. Kelley production, from Chicago Hope to Boston Legal (and beyond). The first season attracted Carnivále's Michael J. Anderson ("Mr. Dreeb Comes to Town"), Evening Shade's Michael Jeter ("Frog Man"), and Man of La Mancha's Richard Kiley ("Thanksgiving"). The series also features one of the last of the old-fashioned orchestral scores, Stewart Levin's distinctive piano theme. Picket Fences ran for four seasons on CBS (when Kelley left between seasons three and four, ratings took a nosedive). Afterwards, Combs joined Charmed, Baker joined Kelley's Boston Public, and Holly joined NCIS. --Kathleen C. Fennessy

Description

PICKET FENCES Season 1 is the first season of the critically acclaimed series from creator David E. Kelly ("Ally McBeal", "Boston Legal") starring Tom Skerrit and Kathy Baker, in the story of a sherriff and his family in Rome, Wisconsin, a town where things never seem to be business as usual. This long-awaited fan favorite is available on 6 discs.

Customer Reviews:

Looking Forward to Seasons Two, Three, and Four .......2007-07-04

Whew - I'd forgotten how good this show could be sometimes! A quirky show for its time, tackling alot of issues and willing to take a stand on the said issues, more or less allowing viewers to form their own ideas. I watched a good part of the first season but then started to lose track with the following seasons so I'm definitely looking forward to coming DVD releases - this DVD set does feature a short featurette, featured on the last DVD disc - interesting to see everyone at the present.

Ground Breaking Show (really).......2007-07-01

Many other reviewers have covered the various aspects of the main players. So I won't rehash them in my review.

I missed the majority of the first season, picking it up when whatever it was that ran against it went to reruns. I entered Rome WI without any idea of the towns history or the background of the characters.

Without this history, the story lines and characters seemed very odd, but also very entertaining. I stayed with Picket Fences when the other show returned and picked up the earlier shows over the summer.

What first fascinated me was the complexity of the characters and bold daringness of the topics the show addressed. Later, in his other shows, David Kelly's penchant for interesting quirks and humor have become standard fare. But 15 years ago, there were so few quality shows tackling sensitive issues without resorting to such black and white positions. David's risks were indeed groundbreaking.

I must state that I am a life long liberal, and like most people who accept a "label" my positions on a number of issues are black and white to me and I can't understand those whose views are counter to mine. However, David's writings and the actors hired to flesh out the characters did give me a greater understanding on such issues as anti-abortionists, proponents of hand guns, and other social issues. While they didn't change my view, they did take the vitriol out of my arguments and allow me to "hear" what the other side was saying. All the while providing an entertaining median.

If you're a recent David Kelley fan, or one who picked him up with Allie McBeal, Boston Public, The Practice, or Boston Legal, you should take a trip to Rome WI where you will see the seeds sown for his later shows. While I enjoyed all of the shows referenced in this paragraph, (and being a Bostonian, it kills me to say this) I'd prefer to be back in Rome, with Judge Bone, and the edgy fresh writing I discovered there.

One final thought. If you've not seen Picket Fences before, give it a chance into Season Two before you write the show off.

Almost as I remembered it..........2007-06-27

I was so pleased to see the release of "Picket Fences" on DVD. I have been waiting years for this release. I have tried to watch Kelly's "Boston Legal" and I see so many of the themes (and, sometimes, story lines) from "Picket Fences" being recycled. Yes, "Picket Fences" does play as an overdramatized version of 'The Andy Griffith Show' at times. The stories are strong. The acting, almost always, spot on. I've watched a few episodes I haven't seen since the show first aired... I'm happy to be returning to Rome, WI.

Rome and Boston - World's Apart.......2007-06-25

Being such a huge David E. Kelley/Boston Legal fan and seeing the extraordinarily high ranking Picket Fence held on the Amazon pre-order list, I thought that I was in for a huge treat.

Needless to say, although Mr. Kelley plays a predominant role in both shows, Picket Fences is definitely not his best work. Boston Legal is both hilarious and brilliant. He deftly weaves in an out of current issues while consistently making you laugh and, occasionally even shed a tear. Picket Fences, on the other hand, is rarely funny, is especially heavy handed with issues/preachy, and, although it may not have played this way at the time, compared to the hard hitting/off the wall shows of today, it comes off as incredibly quaint. Matlock quaint. Senior citizen quaint.

15 years is an epoch in TV land. There's not a lot of 15 year old TV that I'm running out to watch/buy. I may have loved/waited with baited breath to see certain shows then, but now, I'm off to bigger and better things.

Historically, Picket Fences is well situated. Picket Fences fits in very comfortably with the shows of it's age. A little too comfortably, I think. In some ways it feels like an amalgamation of other shows from that period. Here's my best guess at how it breaks down.

10% Family Ties
50% Northern Exposure
30% Degrassi
10% Matlock

If you're yearning to wax nostalgic, give this set a shot. If, on the other hand, you're looking for entertainment that can stand up to the scrutiny of the present day, you might want to look elsewhere.

Picket Fences Season 1 DVD .......2007-06-25

Thank you David E Kelley for finally getting Picket Fences on DVD. If your a fan - this is a definite GOOD BUY.

Waiting for 2nd and future seasons to be released.

Average customer rating:

Great series
Sopranos Season 6
Fun to watch!
sopranos
Part One Review

The Sopranos - Season 6, Part 1
Starring: James Gandolfini
Director: Daniel Attias , Jack Bender , Peter Bogdanovich , Henry Bronchtein , and Martin Bruestle
Manufacturer: HBO Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Television | Genres | DVD | Video

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

The Sopranos - The Complete Fifth Season
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The Sopranos: The Complete Second Season
The Sopranos: The Complete First Season

ASIN: B000BO7DWI
Release Date: 2006-11-07

Amazon.com

The Sopranos, Season 6, Part 1 is the most contentious release yet in the acclaimed series' history. While many fans think it jumped the shark at the exact moment Vito said "I love you, Johnny Cakes" , this season also contains some of the series finest moments and plumbs new depths of character, while continuing to add to the body count. Things get started with a bang, literally, that unexpectedly sends Tony (James Gandolfini) to the hospital and into a coma where he experiences an alternate reality while in limbo. At one point he awakes and asks "Who am I? Where am I going?" encapsulating this season's central theme in a moment of desperation wrapped in a fever dream. But it's not all existentialism. With Tony and Uncle Junior both of the picture, the capos in the Soprano crew try to take advantage of the situation and begin jockeying for position while a reluctant Silvio (Steve Van Zandt), acting in Tony's place, struggles to keep everyone in check. Things aren't going much better for Tony's family, as A.J. (Robert Iler) confesses to Carmela (Edie Falco) that he flunked out of school, and while at Tony's bedside, swears revenge for his injury. The stress of the situation finally gets to Carmela, who takes up Dr. Melfi's (Lorraine Bracco) offer to help and finds herself in the strange position of confiding in her husband's therapist, revealing for once that she feels some guilt over making the kids complicit in how Tony makes his living—plus there's the issue of whether she really loves him. Christopher (Michael Imperioli) continues to provide much of the comic relief for the series, culminating in one of this season's best episodes when he flies out to L.A. in a bumbling attempt to get Ben Kingsley to sign on for his fledgling movie (Saw meets The Godfather), and ends up mugging Lauren Bacall for her goodie basket at an awards ceremony. Sowing further discord in the ranks, Vito (Joseph Gannoscoli) finally gets outed as homosexual, and is forced to flee for his life up to New Hampshire where he meets "Johnny Cakes." Finally, even with New York boss Johnny "Sack" Sacramoni (Vince Curatola) in prison, Phil Leotardo (Frank Vincent) makes plays against Tony and eventually sets in motion a hit against someone on Tony's crew, and now a larger war with Johnny Sack's crew seems to be looming.

Series creator David Chase seems to be saying with this season that character is destiny. If so, then Season Six, Part 1 is taking the necessary time to flesh out who these people really are, and is leaving the destiny part up for Part 2. The fact that the series' writers have been able to maintain such a strong show with so many interweaving storylines for so long is a feat not to be taken lightly. That said, this season of The Sopranos does deserve some of the criticism it's received: the Vito storyline would have been better served by resolving it in fewer episodes, and the season ending is the most unsatisfying one yet, leaving many fans wanting more. But the bottom line is that this season deserves more praise than criticism, proving that even at its weakest, The Sopranos is still the strongest show on TV.--Daniel Vancini

Description

Several crises threaten Tony and his crew; for starters, rival boss Johnny Sack (Vince Curatola) is in prison, and the always-tense relations between the New Jersey and New York families are strained through the unpredictable behavior of Sack?s surrogates. Then there are the inevitable power struggles that ensue when certain family members are eliminated, by natural and other causes.

DVD Features:
3D Animated Menus
Audio Commentary
Episodic Previews
Episodic Recaps
Featurette

Customer Reviews:

Great series.......2007-06-18

Too pricey. Half the season should be half the price of the other seasons. Capiche?

Sopranos Season 6.......2007-06-14

The DVDs were sent promptly and arrived in excellent condition.

Fun to watch!.......2007-06-12

My husband and I just finished watching this first part of the final Sopranos season. It was fun! Can't wait until the second part comes out on DVD!

sopranos.......2007-06-11

i payed for the season 6 but thay never sent it to me it has been 3 months

Part One Review.......2007-05-30

If you are a fan of the Sopranos, how could you not love the first part of Season Six. Once again an action packed thriller. Couldn't believe that Jr. shot Tony. But then again, there are a lot of characters that would love to see the Mob Boss dead. Can't wait for Part 2 to come out.

Pirates of the Caribbean - The Curse of the Black Pearl [Blu-ray]

Average customer rating:

Awesome!
Good Blu-ray
Must Have on Blu-ray!
Amazing picture and sound quality
Disney Obviously Loves Blu-ray and So do I

Pirates of the Caribbean - The Curse of the Black Pearl [Blu-ray]
Starring: Lee Arenberg , Johnny Depp , Trevor Goddard , Kevin McNally , and Jonathan Pryce
Director: Gore Verbinski
Manufacturer: Buena Vista Home Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: Blu-ray

Action & Adventure | Blu-ray | Formats | DVD | Video

General | Blu-ray | Formats | DVD | Video

Comedy | Blu-ray | Formats | DVD | Video

Kids & Family | Blu-ray | Formats | DVD | Video

Science Fiction & Fantasy | Blu-ray | Formats | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

Pirates of the Caribbean - Dead Man's Chest [Blu-ray]
Casino Royale [Blu-ray]
Mel Gibson's Apocalypto [Blu-ray]
Planet Earth - The Complete BBC Series [Blu-ray]
The Departed [Blu-ray]

ASIN: B000N6UERA
Release Date: 2007-05-22

Product description

Set sail for adventure with Disney's Pirates Of The Caribbean: The Curse Of The Black Pearl on Blu-ray's high definition disc. This revolutionary new format brings the thrilling tale of the high seas to life like never before! Legendary pirate Captain Jack Sparrow and young sword-maker Will Turner join forces to rescue a governor's daughter from a band of bloodthirsty fellow pirates. Only Jack knows the dark secret the crew of the Black Pearl harbors. See the glint of each sword in eye-popping 1080p, and experience every cannon blast with spectacular 5.1 48kHz, uncompressed audio. It's entertainment quality so intense, you'll almost feel the sea mist in the air with the magic of Blu-ray high definition.

Customer Reviews:

Awesome!.......2007-07-02

The last time I saw this was when it first came out on DVD. Bought the Blu-Ray and all I can say is Wow!
The clarity of the picture along with the Uncompressed Audio track, I now use this Movie to show off my Home Theatre!

Good Blu-ray.......2007-07-01

This is a pretty good movie to start the Pirates series. I did notice that this movie was a little grainier than the second part since I own both movies. So as far as the graphics go, it's not too bad, but still a bit grainy. The uncompressed sound is always amazing, and will really rock if you have a surround sound system. By far, it's a collectible movie...so it's in my books.

Must Have on Blu-ray!.......2007-06-27

I scooped up this and PoC:Dead Man's Chest right before PoC:At World's End was released in theaters and WOW! The movies look fantastic Johnny Depp is great as Capt. Jack with all the oddities. Geoffrey Rush is brilliant as Capt. Barbosa. Keira Knightley is just stunningly gorgeous 1080p.
As stated before this blows the dvd away.

Ignore the low rating given by the other reviewer and his "hectic weekend" get a firmware upgrade if you need it and buy the movie.

Amazing picture and sound quality.......2007-06-26

Even if you own this movie on DVD, sell it and get this blu-ray disc! If you need a firmware upgrade on you BD player, it's easy and free to download and install.

This is by far one of the finest HD transfers to date. Thank you Disney, and I can't wait untill the Pixar movies start to show up.

I don't understand the person that gave it a low star rating, your rating the MOVIE not your player.

Disney Obviously Loves Blu-ray and So do I.......2007-06-11

Holy cow! What a release! Even for those like me who have seen this movie a dozen times, Disney found all kinds of new ways to make the movie fresh again.

First off:

Awesome Picture - one of the best I've seen on Blu-ray and I have at least 20 in my collection.

Awesome Sound - The foundation of my house was shaking!

Really cool special features! My favorite was the choice to have pirate facts pop up as you watched the film, and some of the facts could be banked so that at the end of the film, a documentary (that you have created by banking the facts you are interested in) plays. I mean, getting to custon make your own documentary? Only on Blu-ray my friends.

My family and I had a great time watching this film and I highly recomend it!

Hannibal Rising (Unrated Widescreen Edition)

Average customer rating:

Hannibal Rising
It Started With Revenge and Ends With Disappointment...
Sympathy for the Devil
Out For Revenge Or Made A Monster?
The Best Hannibal Ever

Hannibal Rising (Unrated Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Helena Lia Tachovska , Richard Leaf , Michele Wade , Martin Hub , and Ingeborga Dapkunaite
Director: Peter Webber
Manufacturer: Weinstein Company
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Horror | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $9.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video
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ASIN: B000NVT0SO
Release Date: 2007-05-29

Amazon.com

Though Hannibal Rising's Lecter (Gaspard Ulliel) is a pussycat compared to Anthony Hopkins in Silence of the Lambs, this sequel's story of revenge is grizzly enough to satisfy lovers of Thomas Harris's epic tale. After young Hannibal (Aaron Thomas) is forced to watch his little sister, Mischa (Helena Lia Tachovska), devoured by starving soldiers in his homeland Lithuania, Hannibal vows to avenge his sister's death by slaying those who committed not only war crimes against the Lecters, but also against other families during WW II. In detailing Hannibal's revenge plan, the film investigates the psychological implications of witnessing cannibalism to justify Hannibal's insatiable appetite for human flesh. The most interesting aspect of Hannibal Rising—its analytical connections drawn between Hannibal's childhood traumas and his murderous adult obsessions—is also the film's weak point. The links oversimplify Lecter's complex character. For example, though titillating to see flashbacks of Lecter's sister hacked up and boiled while Lecter visits a Parisian meat market, the reference is too obvious. One learns why he excels in his medical school classes dissecting cadavers, and we're given explicit explanation for why he slices off and eats his victims' cheeks. The story only complicates when Hannibal interacts with his sexy Aunt, Lady Murasaki (Gong Li). When Murasaki educates him in the art of beheading, the viewer sees Hannibal's sword fetish as a manifestation of physical lust. --Trinie Dalton

Description

(Horror/Suspense) The terrifying Silence of the Lambs prequel that reveals the history of the infamous Hannibal and how he came to be a cannibalistic murderer.

Customer Reviews:

Hannibal Rising.......2007-07-03

This film is excellent, the actors are great and the film is very welldone,the only thing which is missing is the CD of the music of the film. Katixa from PARIS France

It Started With Revenge and Ends With Disappointment..........2007-06-30

In the history of cinema there are many great cinematic villains that have terrified movie audiences over the years. Often times they are frightening in appearance or deeds, sometimes they are misunderstood or victims of circumstance, and they can even be so captivating that you can't help but pay attention to their many evil acts. These great villains range from the dreaded Darth Vader, to the slashers known as Freddy, Jason, and Leatherface, or the brilliant evil genius' of the James Bond films, to the most feared psychological villain of all time, Hannibal 'the cannibal' Lecter. Moviemakers lately have felt the need to explain the origins to some of cinema's classic villains from George Lucas' prequel trilogy of 'Star Wars' films, to Leatherface's lackluster origin story in "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning", the most recent addition to the list of villains getting the origin treatment would be Hannibal Lecter in the Weinstein Company's adaptation of Thomas Harris' novel, "Hannibal Rising".

"Hannibal Rising" is the origin story of Hannibal Lecter, showing how he went from being an innocent young boy in Lithuania to society's most deadly, cannibalistic serial killer. As a young boy in Lithuania, Hannibal witnessed the deaths of his parents in World War 2, leaving he and his sister Mischa to fend for themselves. Just when Hannibal thought things couldn't get worse, a group of militia men invade their home, taking Hannibal and Mischa hostage. Soon, food begins to become sparse, and the militia gets desperate and chooses to survive by taking Mischa's life for food. Some time after that, grown up and in college, Hannibal (Gaspard Ulliel), is mastering every course he takes, and well on his way to earning his doctorate. Little does his professors know that Hannibal hides a dark, deadly secret. In his own time he is obsessively pursuing the men that formed the militia that took his sister's life, and if there's one thing Hannibal intends to do when he finds them, it's take his pound of flesh for their crime.

The decision to make a prequel to the popular Hannibal Lecter trilogy of films seemed like a waste of time and space, simply a way for the studio to just cash in on the character's well-known name. Which left me feeling like this would be a pathetic movie, because more than likely not a single person associated with the previous films would be involved, and for the most part I was right on that count, but there was a glimmer of a chance that this movie would be more than expected. Shortly after the film was greenlit, it was announced that the movie was being written by none other than Thomas Harris, the creator of Hannibal Lecter, based on his novel of the same name that he was in the process of finishing up. With that prospect, I thought that "Hannibal Rising" (at the time the movie was being called "Young Hannibal") just may stand a chance of equaling its predecessors in terms of quality storytelling and acting that is among the best Hollywood has to offer.

Well, as good of a writer Thomas Harris is, or I should say was (his other three books in the Lecter series are great works of fiction), this novel and the screenplay that was based on it are far inferior to anything offered in the other installments. I was disappointed by the movie for several reasons; first I felt the actor chosen to portray young Hannibal was only okay. I understand he was trying to only give hints as to what this character will become later on, and I'll give it to the actor, there were a couple of times that I saw a glimpse of Anthony Hopkins' creepy portrayal seep in, but these were few and far between. For the most part the actor was just flat in his performance and apparently the only expression he really knew how to make was a snarl, he didn't really have any of the nuances that Anthony perfected in this character. Second, it seemed like Hannibal took to cannibalism a little too easily. I understand that he saw his sister suffer at the hands of evil militia men, and seeing that would definitely scar a young child, but when he kills the first soldier and commits his first act of cannibalism, there is no uncertainty or disdain for what he's doing. He simply does the deed, doesn't appear to be bothered by it, in fact he may even have enjoyed it (the movie really doesn't explain this), and moves on in search of the next victim on his list. Which brings me to my third problem with this movie; aside from revenge being his motive for killing the killers of his sister, he doesn't show any further conviction to commit murder. Leaving one to wonder why he continued after achieving his vengeance, did committing all those acts of murder and cannibalism become such an obsession for him outside of revenge that he just felt compelled to do more or what? This was an aspect that wasn't explained, and I felt should have been, especially since this was to be the origin of his evil life and a deep psychological profile into the why of his life of crime. Instead, Thomas Harris' screenplay and novel barely scratched the surface, no doubt because the Weinstein's are hoping to cash in on further installments of prequels, since Hopkins is probably through portraying the character. And my final complaint would have to be that there was no cameo by Anthony Hopkins, the least they could have done was bring him in during the final moments of the film to link it in to the other three. Instead, he gets his revenge, the story ends, and the credits roll. Nothing linking it in to the other films, aside from the name of the lead character.

"Hannibal Rising" is not the worst film ever made, it's actually an average movie, and if it was the first in the series to be made, it may have seemed better, but when comparing it to the other three already in the franchise, it pales in comparison. The other movies contained many psychological aspects to them, especially "The Silence of the Lambs", "Red Dragon" and "Hannibal" did to an extent just not as much, but this film didn't contain any. There was potential, especially given that Hannibal endured a horrific childhood which is the root of his evil, but aside from a few dream sequences we don't get much insight into his character, and the dreams only serve to show us exactly what the militia did to him and his sister. Which is probably where the biggest problem of this film lies, is that in trying to explain why Hannibal is who he is, the makers of the film try to make the audience feel sympathy for him. This is one of modern cinema's greatest movie villains, I don't want to feel sorry for him, I want to see what made him who he is. The filmmakers tried to accomplish the why of the character, but went about it wrong, all they explained was why he was killing the militia, it never explained why he felt the need to continue killing other people that weren't involved in his sister's death. So, because of that the audience feels that his killing is justified, at least in this movie (it's just a really sick brand of justice), and in doing so you sympathize with him. What this all boils down to is that the filmmakers, especially Thomas Harris, really dropped the ball on explaining the origin of Hannibal Lecter, opting simply to give audiences an average revenge tale, just a little gorier than most.

"Hannibal Rising" is unrated containing violence, gore, and language.

Sympathy for the Devil.......2007-06-28

Hannibal Rising suffered severely at the box office because it was implied in the trailers that we'd mainly see a young Hannibal Lecter slashing up the countryside. That kind of marketing certainly didn't lure me into theaters to see it, and--based on its less than $30 million box office gross--much of the public had the same sentiment.

At the end of May, Hannibal Rising gets released on DVD and the memory of the slash-'em-up trailer is still in my head, so I'm not compelled to see it, but 4 weeks later I finally do. And it turns out to be one of the better movies that I've seen this year.

Funny though...I'm not sure that I'd have appreciated Hannibal Rising as much without first seeing 1991's Silence of the Lambs The Silence of the Lambs (Two-Disc Collector's Edition) . Oh, it certainly isn't necessary to see Silence of the Lambs prior to seeing Hannibal Rising. Ironically, seeing Lambs before seeing this prequel just puts a better perspective on the things to come as you watch Lecter in his early years. It did for me anyway.

In Silence of the Lambs you fear Lecter and what he'll do next. In Hannibal Rising you actually find yourself rooting for him with a kind of sympathy. Hannibal Rising is more a story of revenge than it is a story about a serial killer...kind of like a Rambo First Blood (Special Edition) with class.

In Hannibal Rising, you get a great directorial from little known Peter Webber and a terrific performance out of mostly French film actor Gaspard Ulliel. In the beginning sequence Webber went a little overboard with getting us to believe that those who committed the atrocities that ultimately turned Lecter into what he bacame would all be so unified in the decision to commit the atrocities. But the movie really is done well overall and Ulliel played a masterfully diabolical young Hannibal Lecter.

So forget that the movie poster and DVD cover have a picture of Lecter in what looks like that this'll-prevent-you-from-bitng-me mask (turns out that's not what it is at all). And forget that the trailers showed mainly a young, sinister looking Hannibal Lecter as if about to cut someone open. Hannibal Rising ultimately is less gory than you probably think it will be, and less gory than 2001's Hannibal Hannibal . It's not a Horror movie. It's just a very good movie like 1986's Manhunter Manhunter (Restored Director's Cut Divimax Edition) and/or its 2002 remake Red Dragon Red Dragon - Collector's Edition (Widescreen) .

I wouldn't go so far as to say that Hannibal Rising is a classic, as Silence of the Lambs was, but it's very good. Fans of Lambs should take a chance with Hannibal Rising.

The missing story in the Lecter chronicles is his doings in the US leading up to his capture by FBI Agent Will Graham (between Hannibal Rising and Red Dragon). Can't wait.

Out For Revenge Or Made A Monster?.......2007-06-27

I just got done watching "Hannibal Rising" this evening. Hmmmm, not sure what to make of it! I've read and seen "Red Dragon" (which I loved by the way), "Silence of the Lambs", & "Hannibal"....

After reading many negative reviews for both the book and movie versions of "Hannibal Rising", I wasn't sure if I wanted anything to do with the book or the movie.... However, decided to watch the movie for myself and form my own opinion.

Honestly, I don't think "Hannibal Rising" is as bad as everyone has made it out to be. It is suppose to be a prequel, giving us the idea of why Hannibal is the way he is as an adult. I thought "Hannibal Rising" was suspenseful and well acted by the cast members. We see Hannibal as a monster out for revenge for those who killed his younger sister. This is where Hannibal begins to learn and refine his murderous appetite that we later refined when he becomes an adult..... What starts out as revenge turns into gruesome psychopathic behavior.

The Best Hannibal Ever.......2007-06-23

Love this movie, amazing acting with hannibal and lady murasaki... I don't know why people bashes this movie, in every serial killer their is always a beggining. Oh well this is just the bomb... very recommendable...

The West Wing - The Complete Seventh Season

Average customer rating:

A fitting finale to a brilliant series!
a wounderfull ending to a great series
Not Since CBS' "Playhouse 90". . . .
Wonderful Finale, With Even More Challenging Political Scenarios
The Way to End It

The West Wing - The Complete Seventh Season
Starring: Martin Sheen , and Bradley Whitford
Director: Tommy Schlamme , and Chris Misiano
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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The West Wing - The Complete Sixth Season
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The West Wing - The Complete Third Season
24 - Season Five

ASIN: B000HC2LHQ
Release Date: 2006-11-07

Amazon.com

Get out your hankies for the moving final season of The West Wing. It's not just because it's the last season, and the last time we know we'll hear that thrilling theme music. It's not just because it's the end of the line for the administration of President Josiah "Jed" Bartlet (Martin Sheen), an inspiring, beloved fictional leader of the free world in a time of great cynicism about real-life politicians. It's also because of the sudden, untimely death of costar John Spencer, who played chief of staff Leo McGarry, who, like his character, was a recovering alcoholic and died of a heart attack in December 2005. Spencer's death was worked into the season's story line, and it's both exhilarating to see some of Spencer's finest work in the early episodes here, and heartbreaking to see the impact of his death on the cast. At one point, Martin Sheen delivers a moving on-air tribute: "Johnny, it seems we hardly knew you." Other highlights of the season include the fleshing out of presidential candidates Alan Alda and Jimmy Smits, both respectable, admirable and worthy opponents. And in abundance are the things viewers had come to love about the show: the witty dialogue and spot-on delivery, especially by actors Bradley Whitford, Richard Schiff, and the crack Allison Janney and the long tracking and circular shots of characters in their element (subsequently found on creator Aaron Sorkin's follow-up series, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip). If the story lines aren't as topnotch as some in earlier years, it hardly matters, as this is the season that wraps up the entire story arc. The gimmicks, like the live debate between Smits and Alda's characters, don't hold a candle to the true soul-searching and idealism found in every single episode. The set includes all 22 episodes, a glossy guide to each episode, and "Live from the Director's Chair," a mini-doc about filming the live debate episode. Hail to the chief! --A.T. Hurley

Description

The seventh season of the West Wing chronicles the transition between the administration of President Josiah 'Jed' Bartlet and the race for the new presidency between Congressman Mathew Vincente Santos of Houston, Texas and Senator Arnold Vinick of California. The season includes the live episode of "The Debate" and ends with a new administration in the West Wing.

Customer Reviews:

A fitting finale to a brilliant series!.......2007-07-05

As the title says - this season nicely rounds out such a brilliant series.
With local (Australian) TV treating this series with disdain for many years - production of this series on DVD kept the hardcore fans going.
(A great little doco on the production of the live-to-air debate episode!)

a wounderfull ending to a great series.......2007-07-03

the last season of West Wing (season 7) is a wounderfull journey through the lives of the charictors we have grown to love. the producers knew this season was the end of the show and did a superb job of closing all the story lines. some shows just have a final episode but the writers were able to close all the storys over the last few episodes. this gave me a real feeling for the charictors and wanting them to goto great jobs after 8+ years in the white house. after i saw the 7 season i watched season one and WOW the charictors realy evolved and grew through out the run of the show. one of the things i relised is the charictors realy aged in 7 years it was neat to see the beginning after the end of the show.
thank you for reading this i think you will enjoy season 7 of the West Wing.

Not Since CBS' "Playhouse 90". . . ........2007-06-10

. . . .has there been such excellence in writing, acting and directing. Perhaps the best remembered of the "Playhouse 90" series was "Twelve Angry Men" starring Henry Fonda.
In the case of "The West Wing - The Complete Seventh Season," we are treated to some of the best writing, acting and story lines in the entire series. Don't short change yourself. Buy the "TWW Seventh Season" and recall some of the best episodic writing to ever be seen in this series.

Wonderful Finale, With Even More Challenging Political Scenarios.......2007-05-25

I've gotta say that Season 2 is still my favorite, and O'Donnell is still building up to Sorkin's level and consistency, but Season 7 fits beautifully into the total West Wing set of the best television ever, alongside masterpiece BBC. Production, above par; story lines, more challenging; dialogue, how we all miss Sorkin's wit and style and grace, and the Sam character. Regarding the episode involving the Alda-Smits presidiential debate, O'Donnell's script is outstanding in all respects and simply can't be forgotten.

The Way to End It.......2007-05-14

I have seen many season finales for shows that I loved. Without a doubt the last season of West Wing ranks on the top of that list. The show ends with class and style and leaves you hoping for a spin off from the next term. If you enjoyed the first three seasons of West Wing you will enjoy the last. Of course they still have that one pesky habit of dropping major story lines without addressing them but if you are a fan you are used to this.

Pirates of the Caribbean - Dead Man's Chest (Widescreen Edition)

Average customer rating:

awesome movie
Another great movie to add to your collection
Stands alone!
With a yo-ho-ho and a bottle of rum - this show's a lotta fun!
Not As Good As The First But Still Fun To Watch.

Pirates of the Caribbean - Dead Man's Chest (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Johnny Depp , Orlando Bloom , Keira Knightley , Jack Davenport , and Bill Nighy
Director: Gore Verbinski
Manufacturer: Walt Disney Video
ProductGroup: DVD
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Cars (Widescreen Edition)
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Ice Age - The Meltdown (Widescreen Edition)

ASIN: B000I0RQVI
Release Date: 2006-12-05

Product Description

Take the first Pirates of the Caribbean film, add a dash of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and a lot more rum. Shake well and you'll have something resembling Dead Man's Chest, a bombastic sequel that's enjoyable as long as you don't think too hard about it. The film opens with the interrupted wedding of Will Turner (Orlando Bloom) and Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley), both of whom are arrested for aiding in the escape of Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) in the first film. Their freedom can only be obtained by getting Captain Jack's compass, which is linked to a key that's linked to a chest belonging to Davy Jones, an undead pirate with a tentacle face and in possession of a lot of people's souls. If you're already confused, don't worry--plot is definitely not the strong suit of the franchise, as the film excels during its stunt pieces, which are impressively extravagant (in particular a three-way swordfight atop a mill wheel). It may help to know that Dead Man's Chest was filmed simultaneously with some of Pirates 3, so don't expect a complete resolution (think more The Empire Strikes Back) or the movie will feel a lot longer than it really is.

Amazon.com

Bloom shows a tad bit more brawn this time around, but he's still every bit as pretty as the tomboyish Knightley. (Seriously, sometimes you think they could swap roles.) Bill Nighy (Love, Actually) weighs in as Davy Jones and Stellan Skarsgård appears as Will's undead father. But the film still belongs wholly to Depp, who in a reprise of his Oscar-nominated role gets all the belly laughs with a single widened eyeliner-ed gaze. He still runs like a cartoon hen and slurs like Keith Richards--and he's still one of the most fascinating movie characters in recent history. --Ellen A. Kim

More Pirates at Amazon.com

Johnny Depp DVDs
Buy Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl
Buy the Soundtrack

Customer Reviews:

awesome movie.......2007-07-02

awesome sequel to the first one! i love the special effects in this one with Davy Jones and the Kraken! also, jack sparrow was hilarious as always! :D

Another great movie to add to your collection.......2007-06-27

This movie had me sitting on the edge of my chair throughout it. Once again, all of the cast plays an outstanding role. The whole object of this movie is to get the keys from Davy Jones to get to Dead Mans Chest. Its an awesome movie. I recomend it to everyone.

Stands alone!.......2007-06-27

FUN! I always look at sequels from at least two angles: as a sequel and as a movie without a predesessor. This movie can easily stand alone.

With a yo-ho-ho and a bottle of rum - this show's a lotta fun!.......2007-06-26

I finally sat down and watched this DVD - I have no idea why I waited so long, I'm a Johnny Depp fan and love the way he lives and breaths his characters. He is especially believable as Jack Sparrow - lovable despite his tendency to think predominantly of his own well-being or how to line his pockets.

A good bit of time has passed since the previous movie and the East India Trade company has moved into the area; bringing with it the detestable Lord Beckett, who has Will arrested on his wedding day and drags him to the site - where Elizabeth forlornly sits in the rain, in her wedding dress - in chains. And proceeds to arrest Elizabeth as well. What does he want? He wants Jack Sparrow's compass and he's willing to make a deal to get it - he will send Will out to find Sparrow and get the compass in exchange for a pardon for Sparrow and leniency for Will and Elizabeth.

The movie has amazing special effects - like the first movie, the crew of the antagonistic ship is completely crewed by "monsters," requiring extensive special effects. Personally, I liked the special effects in this movie better - I was fascinated by the constant movement on many of the characters. The kraken was also pretty cool, especially toward the end where you get to see the main body and mouth of the "beastie," as Jack puts it.

This movie does end on a bit of a cliff-hanger, with a bit of a surprise thrown at us right at the end that I certainly didn't see coming. I will definitely be looking forward to watching "At World's End" once it is released to DVD. A recommend from me for anyone who enjoys a good adventure flick, some fun sword fights (love the water-mill scene - shades of a hamster wheel, anyone??) and terrific special effects. Not for the people who prefer to be intellectually challenged or go to "theatres" to see "films" - this is definitely a movie ;-) Get it, watch it, enjoy it!

Not As Good As The First But Still Fun To Watch........2007-06-25

Pirates of the Caribbean - Dead Man's Chest is not as good as the first but still worth watching. The story is full of holes and slightly hard to follow at times but the acting is still great. I just cannot get enough of Johnny Depp's portrayal of Captain Jack Sparrow as a flamboyant pirate. If you saw the first movie you need to see this one. If you havent seen the first yet, go back and view that one before this movie.

Average customer rating:

Stinging rebuke combined with beautiful optimism
Very interesting, but also very one sided.
interesting flick
everybody should watch this
Just what I always suspected.

Who Killed the Electric Car?
Starring: Martin Sheen
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000I5Y8FU
Release Date: 2006-11-14

Amazon.com

It begins with a solemn funeral…for a car. By the end of Chris Paine's lively and informative documentary, the idea doesn't seem quite so strange. As narrator Martin Sheen notes, "They were quiet and fast, produced no exhaust and ran without gasoline." Paine proceeds to show how this unique vehicle came into being and why General Motors ended up reclaiming its once-prized creation less than a decade later. He begins 100 years ago with the original electric car. By the 1920s, the internal-combustion engine had rendered it obsolete. By the 1980s, however, car companies started exploring alternative energy sources, like solar power. This, in turn, led to the late, great battery-powered EV1. Throughout, Paine deftly translates hard science and complex politics, such as California's Zero-Emission Vehicle Mandate, into lay person's terms (director Alex Gibney, Oscar-nominated for Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room, served as consulting producer). And everyone gets the chance to have their say: engineers, politicians, protesters, and petroleum spokespeople--even celebrity drivers, like Peter Horton, Alexandra Paul, and a wild man beard-sporting Mel Gibson. But the most persuasive participant is former Saturn employee Chelsea Sexton. Promoting the benefits of the EV1 was more than a job to her, and she continues to lobby for more environmentally friendly options. Sexton provides the small ray of hope Paine's film so desperately needs. Who Killed the Electric Car? is, otherwise, a tremendously sobering experience. --Kathleen C. Fennessy

Stills from Who Killed the Electric Car? (click for larger image)

Product Description

In 1996, electric cars began to appear on roads all over California. They were quiet and fast, produced no exhaust and ran without gasoline. Ten years later, these futuristic cars were almost entirely gone. What happened? Why should we be haunted by the ghost of the electric car?

Customer Reviews:

Stinging rebuke combined with beautiful optimism.......2007-07-06

I'll say this right up front. Yes, this is a "liberal" documentary. And I'll admit, even as a liberal, most liberal documentaries have the sole aim of getting people to say, "I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore," mainly because most of them focus on problems made or exacerbated by a conservative, corporate controlled government(Fahrenheit 9/11, Orwell Rolls in His Grave, etc.) And as factual and effective as they are, they tend to make people uncomfortable, so many shy away from them even if they agree.

This documentary doesn't do that. Yes, it rebukes GM, the oil industry, and the Bush administration for their policies that removed a perfectly workable practical car from the road. But it still acknowledges that the technology exists, and that there is hope. I am confident that this is what led to a company like Tesla Motors being founded to make and sell electric cars(which get almost twice range of the EV1), and it is leading to the advancements of plug-in hybrid technology which could be practically electric as well. Unlike the bad guys presented in other documentaries, the bad guys here are easily beatable.

Any American who drives(and even if you don't) should watch this movie. And then go out and support electric vehicle technology.

Very interesting, but also very one sided........2007-07-06

Just finished watching this film. I believe (even before watching this film) that GM made a huge mistake by canceling the electric car, taking them away from the leasees, and destroying them. They took a huge advantage in an alternative fueled vehicle and put it in the car crusher.

Maybe the cars weren't perfect, and maybe they needed a lot of development to be suitable for the mass market. Nevertheless, they had people wanting them. Let the greenies and the rich be the early adopters and continue manufacturing and improving them.

This film is definitely worth seeing, but it's pretty obvious they gave short shrift to the other side of the arguement. I can't believe they couldn't find more articulate people to argue why the electric cars weren't practical and failed.

interesting flick.......2007-07-03

wow- cool film. showed me a world I have never seen. Its amazing how far ahead of the times these cars were and now....gone.

everybody should watch this.......2007-07-03

shocking documentary, shows to what extent lobbies and politicians wield their power in order to protect their interest against ours

every school around the world should show this to their pupils

Just what I always suspected........2007-06-30

I am a mechanical engineer. I have always suspected that the car companies and oil companies are keeping the electric car down. The technology is available right now to produce a viable electric car. Instead they are deceiving us with the promise of a hydrogen car - 20 to 30 years in the future! Give me a break.

What puzzles me is why an electric car hasn't been produced and marketed by any other company.

Slap Shot (25th Anniversary Special Edition)

Average customer rating:

Slap Shot
Hockey Hilarity
Classic...
Slap Shot DVD Movie 1977
A true classic

Slap Shot (25th Anniversary Special Edition)
Starring: Paul Newman , Strother Martin , Michael Ontkean , Jennifer Warren , and Lindsay Crouse
Director: George Roy Hill
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00005V0XF
Release Date: 2002-03-26

Amazon.com essential video

Paul Newman and his Butch Cassidy director, George Roy Hill, made a very original comedy in this 1977 story of an over-the-hill player/coach (Newman) for a lousy hockey team who gets results when he teaches his players to get dirty. One of the most hilariously profane movies ever to come out of Hollywood, this is the kind of film that makes its own rules as it goes along. Newman is very good, and while Hill goes for the gusto in terms of capturing the violence of this world, his instinct for comedy has never been sharper. Great support from Strother Martin, Paul Dooley, and the rest. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

Slap Shot.......2007-07-04

This wildly profane film is consistently funny, and often side-splitting. And Newman's Reggie adds an element of poignancy; he's a perennial rogue with plenty of charm, but hardly a responsible adult, evidenced by his failed marriage to Francine (Jennifer Warren), for whom he still carries a torch. Veteran character actor Strother Martin makes the perfect weasel as smarmy team manager Joe McGrath, and Andrew Duncan is memorable as a radio announcer with the worst toupee on the planet.

Hockey Hilarity.......2007-05-07

Crude in parts, but hilarious bush league hockey! Many "laugh out loud" sceens sure to amuse fans of "ole time hockey." The Hanson brothers add great Canadian humor.

Classic..........2007-04-06

I don't even like hockey, and I love this movie. It's the perfect sports movie - vulgar, funny, with great, quotable dialogue.

Slap Shot DVD Movie 1977.......2007-01-22

Awesome movie. Best hockey movie of all time. Paul Newman is awesome. Classic characters in the movie. A must see.

A true classic.......2007-01-20

Has to be one of the top 5 sports movies of all times!

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