Curse

Curse


Studio: Arrow Entertainment
Product Type: DVD
Pirates of the Caribbean - The Curse of the Black Pearl (Two-Disc Collector's Edition)
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • An action movie to top the rest
  • Captain Jack Sparrow The Flamboyant Pirate.
  • Pirates of the Caribbean - The Curse of the Black Pearl (Two-Disc Collector's Edition)
  • Aar ye mattes
  • Ahoy Mates
Pirates of the Caribbean - The Curse of the Black Pearl (Two-Disc Collector's Edition)
Starring: Johnny Depp , Geoffrey Rush , Orlando Bloom , Keira Knightley , and Jack Davenport
Director: Gore Verbinski , and Hamilton Luske
Manufacturer: Walt Disney Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Similar Items:
  1. Pirates of the Caribbean - Dead Man's Chest (Two-Disc Collector's Edition)
  2. X-Men - The Last Stand (Widescreen Edition)
  3. Ice Age - The Meltdown (Widescreen Edition)
  4. Over the Hedge (Widescreen Edition)
  5. The Chronicles of Narnia - The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (Widescreen Edition)

ASIN: B00005JM5E
Release Date: 2003-12-02

Amazon.com

You won't need a bottle of rum to enjoy Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, especially if you've experienced the Disneyland theme-park ride that inspired it. There's a galleon's worth of fun in watching Johnny Depp's androgynous performance as Captain Jack Sparrow, a roguish pirate who could pass for the illegitimate spawn of rockers Keith Richards and Chrissie Hynde. Depp gets all the good lines and steals the show, recruiting Orlando Bloom (a blacksmith and expert swordsman) and Keira Knightley (a lovely governor's daughter) on an adventurous quest to recapture the notorious Black Pearl, a ghost ship commandeered by Jack's nemesis Capt. Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush), a mutineer desperate to reverse the curse that left him and his (literally) skeleton crew in a state of eternal, undead damnation. Director Gore Verbinski (The Ring) repeats the redundant mayhem that marred his debut film Mouse Hunt, but with the writers of Shrek he's made Pirates into a special-effects thrill-ride that plays like a Halloween party on the open seas. Aye, matey, we've come a long way since Jason and the Argonauts! --Jeff Shannon

Product Description

From producer Jerry Bruckheimer (PEARL HARBOR) comes PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: THE CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL, the thrilling high-seas adventure with a mysterious twist. The roguish yet charming Captain Jack Sparrow's (Academy Award(R) Nominee Johnny Depp) idyllic pirate life capsizes after his nemesis, the wily Captain Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush), steals his ship, the Black Pearl, and later attacks the town of Port Royal, kidnapping the governor's beautiful daughter Elizabeth (Keira Knightley). In a gallant attempt to rescue her and recapture the Black Pearl, Elizabeth's childhood friend Will Turner (Orlando Bloom) joins forces with Jack. What Will doesn't know is that a cursed treasure has doomed Barbossa and his crew to live forever as the undead. Rich in suspense-filled adventure, sword-clashing action, mystery, humor, unforgettable characters, and never-before-seen special effects, PIRATES is a must-have epic on the grandest scale ever.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars An action movie to top the rest.......2007-06-27

The first time I watched this I fell asleep...so I didnt watch it for about 2 years then my fiance made me again and I loved it. I guess I aquired a love for pirates in the two years :). This movie takes you on a wild ride on various ships until leading up the black pearl. There were twists and turns the whole way with alot of subtle details thrown in there. All three of the main actors acted beautifully. Johnny Deep played a good role as aiding in much comedic relief. All in All a great buy.

5 out of 5 stars Captain Jack Sparrow The Flamboyant Pirate........2007-06-25

I am one of those rare folks who didnt get around to seeing this movie until years after it came out. Being as the name of the movie is Pirates of the Caribbean I was expecting tough guy pirates stealing and plundering and having sword fights. I did not at all expect Captain Jack Sparrow to be a flamboyant and quite amusing pirate. Johnny Depp completely made this movie for me. His acting is fantastic and so weird you just can't look away. The story line was well thought out and the special effects are fabulous. I highly recommend you check this movie out even if you think you might not like it.

5 out of 5 stars Pirates of the Caribbean - The Curse of the Black Pearl (Two-Disc Collector's Edition).......2007-06-09

Pirates of the Caribbean - The Curse of the Black Pearl (Two-Disc Collector's Edition)~ Johnny Depp is a truly grand adventure/fantasy/pirate movie. Johnny Depp is amazing in the part of Jack Sparrow and he is the best and wackiest charachter in the entire movie. The special effects are right on the money and the action scenes are filled with loads of fun. The script is well-written and the movie never drags and one is not left with meaningless scenes that could have been removed. I love this movie and I can not wait to see the sequell.

5 out of 5 stars Aar ye mattes.......2007-06-08

Once started out as a ride at disney world now became a hit movie. Which in my oppinion is an awesome movie. This is a movie the whole family will enjoy.

5 out of 5 stars Ahoy Mates.......2007-06-02

Love Johnny Depp in this movie, what a hottie. Great special effects. LOVE IT. Funny, Entertaining, Great for the family.
Pirates of the Caribbean - The Curse of the Black Pearl [Blu-ray]
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 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

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Similar Items:
  1. Pirates of the Caribbean - Dead Man's Chest [Blu-ray]
  2. Casino Royale [Blu-ray]
  3. Mel Gibson's Apocalypto [Blu-ray]
  4. Planet Earth - The Complete BBC Series [Blu-ray]
  5. 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:

5 out of 5 stars 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!

4 out of 5 stars 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.

5 out of 5 stars 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.

5 out of 5 stars 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.

5 out of 5 stars 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!
Sleeping Beauty (Special Edition)
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • WONDERFUL MOVIE FOR CHILDREN TO WATCH + 10
  • Once upon a DREAM . . . Good & Dark Fairies, Kings & Princes, Fire Breathing Dragon & a Golden Beauty
  • One of the best
  • Sleeping Beauty
  • GREAT
Sleeping Beauty (Special Edition)
Starring: Eleanor Audley , Candy Candido , Pinto Colvig , Verna Felton , and Taylor Holmes
Director: Les Clark , Eric Larson , Clyde Geronimi , and Wolfgang Reitherman
Manufacturer: Walt Disney Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Similar Items:
  1. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (Disney Special Platinum Edition)
  2. Beauty and the Beast (Disney Special Platinum Edition)
  3. Pinocchio (Disney Gold Classic Collection)
  4. Cinderella (Two-Disc Special Edition) (Platinum Edition)
  5. Peter Pan (2-Disc Platinum Edition)

ASIN: B00005JKHN
Release Date: 2003-09-09

Amazon.com

Disney's 1959 animated effort was the studio's most ambitious to date, a widescreen spectacle boasting a gorgeous waltz-filled score adapting Tchaikovsky. In the 14th century, the malevolent Maleficent (not dissimilar to the wicked Queen in Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs) taunts a king that his infant Aurora will fatally prick her finger on a spinning wheel before sundown on her 16th birthday. This, of course, would deny her a happily-ever-after with her true love. Things almost but not quite turn out that way, thanks to the assistance of some bubbly, bumbling fairies named Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather. It's not really all that much about the title character--how interesting can someone in the middle of a long nap be, anyway? Instead, those fairies carry the day, as well as, of course, good Prince Phillip, whose battle with the malevolent Maleficent in the guise of a dragon has been co-opted by any number of animated films since. See it in its original glory here. And Malificent's castle, filled with warthogs and demonic imps in a macabre dance celebrating their evil ways, manages a certain creepy grandeur. --David Kronke

Description

Heralded by audiences and critics alike, SLEEPING BEAUTY was the final fairy tale to be produced by Walt Disney himself. Now fully restored with revolutionary digital technology, its dazzling colors, rich backgrounds, and Academy Award(R)-nominated orchestrations shine brighter than ever. When an enchanted kingdom and the most fair princess in the land fall prey to the ultimate mistress of evil, the fate of the empire rests in the hands of three small fairies and a courageous prince's magic kiss. Their quest is fraught with peril as the fellowship must battle the evil witch and a fire-breathing dragon if they are to set the Beauty free. From spectacular action to the breathtaking pageantry of the princess and her kingdom, SLEEPING BEAUTY has something to charm every member of your family.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars WONDERFUL MOVIE FOR CHILDREN TO WATCH + 10.......2007-07-01

SLEEPING BEAUTY IS A WONDERFUL MOVIE FOR CHILDREN.THERE IS NO VIOLENCE FOR CHILDREN TO SEE IN THIS MOVIE.LIKE OTHER DISNEY MOVIES THAT ARE COMING OUT NOW.I HAVE THIS MOVIE BOUGHT 2 OF THEM ONE FOR MY DAUGHTER ONE FOR HER GIRLFRIENDS BIRTHDAY.I AM SO PICKY AND MAD OVER SOME OF DISNEY'S REMAKES THAT HAS SO MUCH VIOLENCE IN THEM.NOT GOOD FOR ANY CHILD TO WATCH.I HAVE NOT BOUGHT MANY OF DISNEYS NEW MOVIES DUE TO THIS REASON.THERE IS ENOUGH VIOLENCE IN THIS WORLD" OUR CHILDREN DO NOT HAVE TO SEE IT IN DISNEY MOVIES"WHAT IS DISNEY THINKING MAKING THESE VIOLENT MOVIES FOR KIDS. CHARACTERS HITTING EACH OTHER CALLING NAMES IS IT FOR THE MONEY? THE WAY OF THE WORLD NOW? ALSO TEACHING CHILDREN ITS OK TO HIT EACH OTHER AND CALL NAMES YELLING AT EACH OTHER" BEST MOVIES FOR CHILDREN TO SEE ARE, JUNGLE BOOK LIMITED ISSUE,PETER PAN LIMITED ISSUE,PINOCCHIO LIMITED ISSUE, 101 DALMATIANS LIMITED ISSUE, SLEEPING BEAUTY, SNOW WHITE, I GIVE ALL THESE MOVIES 10 STARS.************************** I DO NOT EVEN RECOMMEND CINDERELLA THE NEW RELEASE ANYMORE" ALSO MANY MORE NEW RERELEASES, DISNEY RUINED THE OLD TARZAN DVD WITH A NEW REMAKE" TARZAN IS SUCH A WONDERFUL MOVIE FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS I HAVE THE LIMITED ISSUE MY FAMILY LOVES THIS MOVIE SO HEARTWARMING TO WATCH" ALL THE DISNEY LIMITED ISSUE DVDS ARE THE BEST FOR ALL CHILDREN AND ADULTS TO WATCH''FORGET THE 2 DVDS NEW EDITIONS" JUST CHEAP REMAKES"
ALL OF DISNEY'S
LIMITED ISSUES FIRST RELEASED ARE THE BEST ONES TO BUY" BEFORE THEY ARE ALL GONE FOR GOOD''''

5 out of 5 stars Once upon a DREAM . . . Good & Dark Fairies, Kings & Princes, Fire Breathing Dragon & a Golden Beauty.......2007-06-16

Once upon a Dream, many moons ago, when I was a child; I viewed this Dark Disney Fairy Tale and became instantly mesmirized by all fairy folk and tales to be told. Dear Walt gave us little gals the imagined lore of pretty Princess's or Princess's to be. As well as the Tom boy in me, the warrior Princes with sword and shield fighting for the greatest cause . . . defending ones kingdom from evil overbearing forces.

My undying luv for the winged serpents of old - Dragons, is all given credit due to my favorite Walt Disney villian . . .
Malevolent Maleficent, considered a Dark Fairy (more suitable in Disney standards of the time than a witch) who transformed her being into the statuesque purple fire breathing dragon in the ending battle together with Prince Phillip and the delightful fairies; Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather to save the realm from darkness.

MALEVOLENT MALEFICENT, THE DARKEST FAIRY - notable quotes:
"The Forest of Thorns shall be his tomb!
Move through the skies on a fog of doom!
Now go with the curse, and serve me well!
Round Stefan's Castle, CAST MY SPELL!"

"She is indeed, most wondrous fair.
Gold of sunshine in her hair,
lips that shame the red red rose.
In ageless sleep, she finds repose.
The years roll by, but a a hundred years to a steadfast heart, are but a day.
And now, the gates of a dungeon part, and our prince is free to go his way.
Off he rides, on his noble steed, a valiant figure, straight and tall!
To wake his love with "loves' first kiss"! And prove that "true love" conquers all! AHAHAHAHAHA!"

SLEEPYING BEAUTY is most intoxicating, hilariously funny, beautiful artistry, classical music and captivating characters immortalized. Both an enchantment and fulfilling destiny, from a prickling finger to a long awaited magical kiss.

Other Disney's to see in the realm of Princess Fairy tales:
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (Disney Special Platinum Edition)
Cinderella (Two-Disc Special Edition) (Platinum Edition)

Walt Disney has been adored and admired by many generations since his beginning in the movie animation industry. Sir Walt has become a part of movie making history and his Disney kingdom will continue to grow, and for future generations, his legend will live on evermore.

LadyGray quote:
"The last in Sir Walts time, a Fairy Tale to be told;
The setting of the stage is a unique Dark Disney mold.
This adventurous stunning musical for all to see and believe;
A long quest to save a kingdom and release Sleeping Beauty free."

LadyGray
Author of the Yuletide Tale - White Holly


5 out of 5 stars One of the best.......2007-05-31

I purchased this DVD at a used bookstore for $14.95 and I was expecting it to be damaged in some way, but it wasn't!

Anyway, this is the classic Disney movie about a jealous witch, a beautiful princess, three bumbling fairies, a handsome prince, and the spell.

I highly recommend that everyone watch this movie with their children.

A+++

4 out of 5 stars Sleeping Beauty.......2007-05-08

It took really long for delivery, however, it's a great classic and worth it! I'm glad that even though it was sent back into the Disney Vault, I was still able to get it on Amazon!

5 out of 5 stars GREAT.......2007-04-13

GREAT FLICK FOR THE LITTLE PRINCESS IN YOUR LIFE, A CLASSIC, IT WILL NEVER LOSE IT'S VALUE OR POPULARITY
Shrek (Full Screen Single Disc Edition)
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Entertaining
  • What is the big deal about Shrek?
  • DEVERITAS, DEVERITAS!!!!
  • "Monsters, Inc." is much better than this by 20 miles!!!!!!!!!!
  • shrek
Shrek (Full Screen Single Disc Edition)
Starring: Mike Myers , Eddie Murphy , Cameron Diaz , and John Lithgow
Director: Andrew Adamson , and Vicky Jenson
Manufacturer: Dreamworks Animated
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Similar Items:
  1. Shrek 2 (Widescreen Edition)
  2. Finding Nemo (Two-Disc Collector's Edition)
  3. Monsters, Inc. (Two-Disc Collector's Edition)
  4. Shark Tale (Widescreen Edition)
  5. Toy Story 2 (Two-Disc Special Edition)

ASIN: B00009ZYC1
Release Date: 2003-08-19

Amazon.com

William Steig's delightfully fractured fairy tale is the right stuff for this computer-animated adaptation full of verve and wit. Our title character (voiced by Mike Myers) is an agreeable enough ogre who wants to live his days in peace. When the diminutive Lord Farquaad (John Lithgow) evicts local fairy-tale creatures (including the now-famous Seven Dwarfs, Pinocchio, and the Gingerbread Man), they settle in the ogre's swamp and Shrek wants answers from Farquaad. A quest of sorts starts for Shrek and his new pal, a talking donkey (Eddie Murphy), where battles have to be won and a princess (Cameron Diaz) must be rescued from a dragon lair in a thrilling action sequence. The story is stronger than most animated fare, but it's the humor that makes Shrek a winner. The PG rating is stretched when Murphy and Myers hit their strides. The mild potty humor is fun enough for 10-year-olds but will never embarrass their parents. Shrek is never as warm and inspired as the Toy Story films, but the realistic computer animation and a rollicking soundtrack keep the entertainment in fine form. Produced by DreamWorks, the film also takes several delicious stabs at its crosstown rival, Disney. --Doug Thomas

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Entertaining.......2007-07-05

I don't watch many animated features but I did watch Shrek and I thought it was an excellent movie. The actors brought the characters to life and I really liked the movie. In fact we bought the other two Shreks.

1 out of 5 stars What is the big deal about Shrek?.......2007-07-05

Well, I think that I've pinpointed the reason I hate this movie: I hate the main character. He's boisterous, rude, mean, disgusting, and that "soft side" of his that's displayed later doesn't even come close to redeeming him. In fact, if anything, it's awkward to watch because no one likes a whiney lovesick person, and they're even worse when you already hate them... that and Mike Meyers is a bad actor when it comes to displaying angst. I'm not saying that it's because Shrek's ugly. In Shrek 2, when he's handsome, I still found him annoying and repulsive. I have no idea why Fiona fell in love with him. Not that I was that big a fan of Fiona either, mind you.

Oh, and I agree with the people who said that the film contradicts its message by making Fiona an ogre at the end. If they really wanted to be subversive to the fairy tale movie genre, they should have had her stay pretty and marry the ogre anyway. Shrek's message is the same as Beauty and the Beast's, only it's two ugly people (or ogres) instead or two beautiful ones. Way to stick it to Disney... not.

5 out of 5 stars DEVERITAS, DEVERITAS!!!!.......2007-06-30

Una de las peliculas mas graciosas de todos los tiempos es esta increible historia del "Ogro que se enamoro de una princesa"; una historia maravillosa de un mostruo verde y solitario, odiado y perseguido, que prefiere vivir su vida vacia y monotona en su pantano; una vida que cambia cuando conoce (y se enamora) de Fiona, una princesa cautiva en un castillo esperando ser rescatada, la cual que hace al Ogro verde cambiar su forma de pensar y ver nuevos horizontes en su vida; INIGUALABLE es el papelazo que hace un chaparro y charlatan burrito (donkey, cuya voz en español la hace el chistosisimo Eugenio derbez), que se hace amigo de Shrek y sencillamente ¡se roba la pelicula!!; todo el filme en general lleno de simpaticos personajes de cuentos de hadas y un enano malvado y fanfarron (Lord Facquad) contra el cual nuestros amigos tienen que librar una tremenda pero comica batalla; ¿vale la pena comprarla?¡¡HE VISTO SHREK MAS DE 14 VECES Y NUNCA ME ABURRO DE VERLA!!! ¡¡¡SI; VALE MAS QUE LA PENA!!! ¡¡COMPRENLA!!!

1 out of 5 stars "Monsters, Inc." is much better than this by 20 miles!!!!!!!!!!.......2007-06-22

This movie isn't all that great. It is only funny in the beginning. Princess Fiona kind of gives me on my nerves and what is all this talking about LOVE in the end????????? Please, this movie isn't really that good!! Monsters, Inc was much better, more funnier, more enjoyable, much better. Get Monsters, Inc insted. That is the movie of the feature and will always be. You'll be happier.

4 out of 5 stars shrek.......2007-06-12

Shrek PG

Doesn't everybody like movies? Sorry I'm getting off track! Their different categories in movies, my favorite is comedy movies. I'm going to talk about a popular movie that has two sequels, and no , I'm not talking about Shrek 2 or 3.I'm talking about shrek the
Original. In the movie it starts off with the two main characters, Shrek and Donkey, going off on a dangerous adventure to save Princess Fiona, so Shrek can get his home
Back. Throughout the movie there is a lot of comedy. You also meet a lot of characters,
That come and go during the movie such as Gingy, the gingerbread man.
My opinion is that this movie is very funny. If I was on a deserted island and could only bring four things, I would bring this movie, a TV, a generator, and DVD player. When I saw this movie I could not stop talking about it. If I could rate this movie from one to ten I think it would be a ten.
I recommend this movie to everybody! This is an outstanding movie. If you didn't see this movie, you should go and rent it now.
Practical Magic
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Shows the Positive Aspects of The Craft
  • My favorite witchey movie
  • my family' s weider than your's
  • Practical Magic Review
  • Magical!
Practical Magic
Starring: Sandra Bullock , Nicole Kidman , Stockard Channing , Dianne Wiest , and Goran Visnjic
Director: Griffin Dunne
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 0790740060
Release Date: 1999-02-16

Amazon.com

Actor Griffin Dunne improves a bit on his first film as a director, Addicted to Love, with this drama-comedy about a family of witches. Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock play spell-casting sisters of different temperaments: the former is a high-living, free-spirited sort, while Bullock's character is a homebody who can't get around a family curse that kills the men in their lives. A widowed single mom, Bullock gets into a jam with an abusive Bulgarian (Goran Visnjic) and is helped out by her sibling, but the result brings a good-looking, warm, inquisitive cop (Aidan Quinn) into their lives. The film has a variety of tonal changes--cute, scary, glum--that Dunne can't always effectively juggle. But the female-centric, celebratory nature of the film (the fantasies, the sharing, the witchy bonds) is infectious, and supporting roles by Dianne Wiest and Stockard Channing as Kidman and Bullock's magical aunts are a lot of fun. --Tom Keogh

Product Description

Actor Griffin Dunne improves a bit on his first film as a director, Addicted to Love, with this drama-comedy about a family of witches. Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock play spell-casting sisters of different temperaments: the former is a high-living, free-spirited sort, while Bullocks character is a homebody who can not get around a family curse that kills the men in their lives. A widowed single mom, Bullock gets into a jam with an abusive Bulgarian (Goran Visnjic) and is helped out by her sibling, but the result brings a good-looking, warm, inquisitive cop (Aidan Quinn) into their lives. The film has a variety of tonal changes--cute, scary, glum--that Dunne can not always effectively juggle. But the female-centric, celebratory nature of the film (the fantasies, the sharing, the witchy bonds) is infectious, and supporting roles by Dianne Wiest and Stockard Channing as Kidman and Bullocks magical aunts are a lot of fun.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Shows the Positive Aspects of The Craft.......2007-07-03

Practical Magic is an underrated neo-classic, and should be in every witch's movie collection. With strong female characters like Sally (Sandra Bullock) and Aunt Frances (Stockard Channing), to name a few, it shows positive aspects of The Craft, especially when Sally tells Gary Hallet (Aidan Quinn) that "there is no devil in the craft." Although the magic in the movie is pure Hollywood (except for the herb gardens and celebrations, of course), it is definitely the best portrayal of witches out there in Tinseltown. It is one of my favorite movies ever, and I'm sure it'll become a classic for you, too.

5 out of 5 stars My favorite witchey movie.......2007-06-21

This is my very favorite classic movie on witchcraft. I feel that it puts a positive spin on wicca (although it has been glamorized and fictional). I love that the romantic aspect is not overly done and mushy, and that the spiritual side is not over done to the point of scaring the children.

4 out of 5 stars my family' s weider than your's.......2007-05-17

An old favorite, with Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman as members of a witchy family cursed in affairs of the heart. Bullock, as a non-willing practioner of the arts, gets pulled into a dark act striving to save her sister (Kidman) from her evil boyfriend (ER"s Gorin Vasnjic). Throw in some comic relief from their 2 aunts (Stockard Channing and Diane Wiest)and you have an irresistable chick flick. Something good for a girl's night in. Put the lime in the coconut for a midnight margherita.

5 out of 5 stars Practical Magic Review.......2007-05-14

The ultimate feel-good-about-being-a-woman chick-flick about three generations of women with magical powers. Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman are two beautiful sisters with flowing hair who are bound by a dark secret. Consumed by the intoxicating power of love, they call upon the power of womanhood to set them free.

5 out of 5 stars Magical!.......2007-05-10

Practical Magic is all about two witches with a curse put on them :whenever they love a man that man will die.

I found it a bit scary at some places but the idea is so clever.the two girls are best friends (or sisters,i cant remember) one of them is very serious and the other isnt,she finds herself a boyfriend that keeps hitting her and so they accidently "kill him" or so they think.i wont ruin the story but it is absoloutly excellent,a genius thought of thr story.
Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock have never been better.
Curse of the Golden Flower
Average customer rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
  • Probably the best foreign film I've ever seen!!!
  • Can You Say Chinese Historical Soap Opera?
  • Huge, complex, and contradictory
  • not essential, but fine viewing all the same
  • Wow! Huh?
Curse of the Golden Flower
Starring: Yun-Fat Chow , Li Gong , Jay Chou , Ye Liu , and Dahong Ni
Director: Yimou Zhang
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000MRA592
Release Date: 2007-03-27

Amazon.com

Curse of the Golden Flower, a fictionalized historical glimpse into the brutally complicated politics of Emperor Ping's (Chow Yun Fat) reign during the Tang Dynasty, shows the viewer just how far a megalomaniac must go to gain and retain power in medieval China. Lavish sets, massive ceremonial displays, and perversely fascinating battle scenes impress similarly to the special effects Americans have come to love and expect from Chinese action films like Zhang Yimou's previous House of Flying Daggers and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. An intricate plot involving the Emperor's wife, Empress Phoenix (Gong Li) and their three sons, Crown Prince Xiang, Prince Jie, and Prince Cheng, most closely follows the Empress's secret plan to force abdication upon her corrupt husband as revenge for his slowly poisoning her with Black Fungus tea. Opening on the eve of the Chysanthemum Festival, 928 A.D., the Empress obsessively embroiders gold chysanthemums to adorn her army's uniforms while hatching plans with Jai to overthrow the Crown Prince for control of the throne. Meanwhile, a side plot develops as the Emperor's ex-wife and mother to Crown Prince Yu reemerges as Yu's lover. By the time the Festival occurs, family members are pitted against each other in a King Lear-ian web of lies that can only result in demise. The most sophisticated narrative aspect of Curse of the Golden Flower is that as the royal family crumbles, the Emperor's death grip on China remains unwavering. Gorgeous scenes set in the palace and costume design displaying China's upper class decadence cannot fail to entertain. The paradox between good and evil, here, is highlighted by how the Emperor successfully rules despite, and because of, his utter cruelty. --Trinie Dalton

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Probably the best foreign film I've ever seen!!!.......2007-06-27

"Curse of The Golden Flower" is an brilliantly done movie and instantly one of my favorites! If I had to choose between 3 great movies where they don't speak English such as Pan's Labyrinth, Passion of the Christ and this, I pick this. This movie could not have been done better in terms of acting, casting, action, gore, and especially visuals. Lots and lots of gold in the palace. Gong Li and Chow-Yun Fat are perfect as the Emperor and Empress. It never bores, and it's even like something Shakespeare would write set in 928 A.D. in China in the Tang Dynasty. You can optionally watch it in English dubs, but I much rather prefer it in Chinese with English subtitles: The way it's supposed to be heard. When I listened to it in English, it was good, but didn't seem quite suitable to the mouthing of the words, like you'd see in Godzilla. {Which is Japan}. It may seem a bit slow in the middle of the story, but quickly goes on, as the story does not feel rushed at all with an awesome moral at the end. It's never confusing and comes together when it's almost over. The result is absolutely amazing...

Here's an interesting fact: Jay Chou who plays Prince Jai also has a singing career and sings the end credits song. This is only his second movie, and an astounding career turn at that to be starring in such an excellent movie. 10/10 by a long shot.

4 out of 5 stars Can You Say Chinese Historical Soap Opera?.......2007-06-24

I've never expected so many twists and turns in this movie's plot, let alone all the backstabbing each character performs upon each other!! No one can trust each other-- it is truly amazing!

The acting is fantastic in this movie. BUT even more amazing is the elaborate set design, phenomenal costuming, make-up, and spectacular cinematography throughout this movie. The only thing that wasn't great about this movie was the plot, which could have been a bit more improved and less soap opera-esque!

4 out of 5 stars Huge, complex, and contradictory.......2007-06-22

It's a stunning visual achievement. Robes, architecture, landscape - it's all vibrant and dramatic. Everything indoors is gold or brilliant color. Ritual, costume, jewelry, even golden makeup all contribute to color that almost screams off the screen. Then, towards the end, the sheer mass of humanity involved (even if CGI) made the "cast of thousands" cliche seem paltry. China has had many things in its history, but first has always been the overwhelming numbers of its populace. For all that, this isn't a movie about its appearance.

It's about revenge, intrigue, honor, and the appearance of honor - sometimes the opposite of honor itself. Year after year, layer after layer of subterfuge accretes, until every loyalty and most disloyaties are torn in multiple directions. It's not just Macchiavellian - old Niccolo wouldn't have lasted until lunch.

The fights, and there are many, mostly lack the setpiece choreography that could have made them memorable. The physical combat is the least of it. Hatred to hatred, face to face, this describes a fight between the characters' inner filth, served up in a golden dish.

-- wiredweird

3 out of 5 stars not essential, but fine viewing all the same.......2007-06-21

'curse of the golden flower' is a movie i anxiously waited to see. after the great 'hero,' and excellent 'house of flying daggers,' i was very excited to at the prospect of a new zhang yimou film.

a lot of the criticism aimed of 'curse' isn't unfounded. the plot is barely there, but 'curse' is more a study of family dynamics, loyalty, betrayal, dishonesty, hidden secrets, quasi-incestuous relationships, maternal love and paternal hatred than a grand and epic film. most of the scenes are confined to the empress' quarters and surrounding palace. only one sequence that i can remember takes place outside the palace--and it's a great sequence (and the only one which really showcases the trademark wuxia acrobatics).

chow yun-fat and gong li are both excellent in their roles of emperor and empress. chow yun-fat is almost frigtening in his cruelty (and i have to say that his salt-n-pepper goatee really works for him. he's an incredibly handsome man--which makes the emperor's cruelty all the more effective) and the ever-lovely gong li is terrific as the slowly-going-mad empress. since it is more a character study, the burden of making the film watchable falls squarely on the the leads and they rise to the occassion, particularly gong li. she does a nice job of evoking the viewer's empathy.

zhang yimou is peerless when it comes to visual artisty. i suspect he blows 1/2 his budget on scenery. he crams so much into each you practically need to hit pause every 10 seconds just to take a look at the feasts that are his backgrounds. as the title suggests, yellow is the color of choice in this film, and he always uses it effectively, even though it sometimes comes close to overwhelming the film.

if there's a problem with 'curse,' it's that does drift a bit into the melodramatic, particularly as all the secrets are 'revealed' and each character's motivations become clear. since it is a tragedy, few people make it to the film's ending, and those deaths are bloody and, for the most part, graphic--particularly the emperor's flogging of his own son. which leads me to believe that the moral of 'curse of the golden flower' is this: don't, under any circumstance, mess with chow yun-fat. he'll knock you into the next decade and not lose a blink of sleep over it. i also found the ending a bit problematic and too vague. it's not that i need all the answers or a tidy bow around it, but the denoument is perplexing at best; and not to mention the score, which at a moment of supreme tragedy, sounds like the ending to an animated disney film. the music is fine on its own, but seems very inappropriate and distracts from the emotional bloodletting you've just experienced.

in short, i enjoyed 'the curse of the golden flower,' but if you're not already a fan of zhang yimou and/or chinese cinema, you could probably just skip this one and go back to 'hero' or 'house of flying daggers.'

(about the R rating -- it seems a bit on the severe side. sure, it's bloody and violent during the last 40 minutes, but no more so than the average episode of '24,' so if you can handle that, you can handle this).

3 out of 5 stars Wow! Huh?.......2007-06-21

Like most reviewers, I agree that this is a visually stunning movie. The plot is heavy on the Shakespeare and as such it leaves much up to the viewer to seek answers to the questions that arise. The acting is well done throughout, especially Gong Li and Jay Chou who portrays the natural son of Gong Li's Phoenix character. According to the special features he is a newcomer to the screen, having made his mark as a pop star. I'm impressed, especially given the high rate of failure in such a career move. Chow Yun-Fat is good but was a bit over-the-top to me, flaring his nostrils and popping his eyes to convey emotion. Still, there is a scene late in the movie that was as hard to watch as I'm sure it was hard to act. You'll know it when you see it and it shows much more accurately why he (along with Gong Li) are such widely acclaimed cinematic actors.
The movie packs a lot in, from the excessively opulent sets and eye candy to the Greek tragedy levels of bloodshed that come at the climax of the film. When it's all said and done, however, I felt a bit letdown at the lack of substance that I took away from the film. The action sequences leaned heavily on huge battles scenes rife with CGI trickery instead of one-on-one duals. Yes, both are jaw-dropping, but I simply prefer the latter. This movie might be your cup of tea and there is much to enjoy from a purely sensory level, but it wasn't as emotionally gratifying as I'd hoped.
Curse of the Golden Flower [Blu-ray]
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • An epic movie that a must see
Curse of the Golden Flower [Blu-ray]
Starring: Chow Yun-Fat , Gong Li , Ni Dahong , Liu Ye , and Jay Chou
Director: Zhang Yimou
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: Blu-ray

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ASIN: B000MRA59C
Release Date: 2007-05-29

Amazon.com

Curse of the Golden Flower, a fictionalized historical glimpse into the brutally complicated politics of Emperor Ping's (Chow Yun Fat) reign during the Tang Dynasty, shows the viewer just how far a megalomaniac must go to gain and retain power in medieval China. Lavish sets, massive ceremonial displays, and perversely fascinating battle scenes impress similarly to the special effects Americans have come to love and expect from Chinese action films like Zhang Yimou's previous House of Flying Daggers and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. An intricate plot involving the Emperor's wife, Empress Phoenix (Gong Li) and their three sons, Crown Prince Xiang, Prince Jie, and Prince Cheng, most closely follows the Empress's secret plan to force abdication upon her corrupt husband as revenge for his slowly poisoning her with Black Fungus tea. Opening on the eve of the Chysanthemum Festival, 928 A.D., the Empress obsessively embroiders gold chysanthemums to adorn her army's uniforms while hatching plans with Jai to overthrow the Crown Prince for control of the throne. Meanwhile, a side plot develops as the Emperor's ex-wife and mother to Crown Prince Yu reemerges as Yu's lover. By the time the Festival occurs, family members are pitted against each other in a King Lear-ian web of lies that can only result in demise. The most sophisticated narrative aspect of Curse of the Golden Flower is that as the royal family crumbles, the Emperor's death grip on China remains unwavering. Gorgeous scenes set in the palace and costume design displaying China's upper class decadence cannot fail to entertain. The paradox between good and evil, here, is highlighted by how the Emperor successfully rules despite, and because of, his utter cruelty. --Trinie Dalton

Product Description

From the director of Hero and House of Flying Daggers comes the martial arts epic masterpiece whose savage beauty and exquisite elegance has mesmerized and captivated audiences around the world. Set in the lavish and breathtakingly colorful world hidden from the eyes of mere mortals behind the walls of the Forbidden City, a tale of a royal family divided against itself builds to a mythic climax as lines are crossed, trust is betrayed, and family blood is spilled in the quest for redemption and revenge. Starring Chow Yun Fat of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon as the embattled Emperor and Gong Li of Memoirs of a Geisha as his poisoned Empress, Curse of the Golden Flower grants you entry into a dazzling and spectacular world of betrayal, vengeance and passion that will change the way you think of martial arts forever.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars An epic movie that a must see.......2007-06-11

This is a great movie. Normally, I am not into these types of film but I am glad I watched it. The film is breathtakingly beautiful, in terms of colors and camera works (same director that made "Hero". This is much better than Hero by far). It is so good that after I watched it on regular DVD, loaned from a friend, I went on Amazon and ordered the blu-ray version.

Gong Li and CYF are the pros at story telling. The movie is very grand and MUST be seen in Chinese audio and English subtitle to get the true feelings from the real actors voices. Although if you opt for English dub, it is very good too.

I am sure this blu-ray version will be fantastic. Will write up how it looks once I get a chance to view it.

Shrek (Two-Disc Special Edition)
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Entertaining
  • What is the big deal about Shrek?
  • DEVERITAS, DEVERITAS!!!!
  • "Monsters, Inc." is much better than this by 20 miles!!!!!!!!!!
  • shrek
Shrek (Two-Disc Special Edition)
Starring: Mike Myers , Eddie Murphy , Cameron Diaz , and John Lithgow
Director: Andrew Adamson , and Vicky Jenson
Manufacturer: Dreamworks Animated
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ASIN: B00003CXXJ
Release Date: 2001-11-02

Amazon.com

William Steig's delightfully fractured fairy tale is the right stuff for this computer-animated adaptation full of verve and wit. Our title character (voiced by Mike Myers) is an agreeable enough ogre who wants to live his days in peace. When the diminutive Lord Farquaad (John Lithgow) evicts local fairy-tale creatures (including the now-famous Seven Dwarfs, Pinocchio, and the Gingerbread Man), they settle in the ogre's swamp and Shrek wants answers from Farquaad. A quest of sorts starts for Shrek and his new pal, a talking donkey (Eddie Murphy), where battles have to be won and a princess (Cameron Diaz) must be rescued from a dragon lair in a thrilling action sequence. The story is stronger than most animated fare, but it's the humor that makes Shrek a winner. The PG rating is stretched when Murphy and Myers hit their strides. The mild potty humor is fun enough for 10-year-olds but will never embarrass their parents. Shrek is never as warm and inspired as the Toy Story films, but the realistic computer animation and a rollicking soundtrack keep the entertainment in fine form. Produced by DreamWorks, the film also takes several delicious stabs at its crosstown rival, Disney. --Doug Thomas

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Entertaining.......2007-07-05

I don't watch many animated features but I did watch Shrek and I thought it was an excellent movie. The actors brought the characters to life and I really liked the movie. In fact we bought the other two Shreks.

1 out of 5 stars What is the big deal about Shrek?.......2007-07-05

Well, I think that I've pinpointed the reason I hate this movie: I hate the main character. He's boisterous, rude, mean, disgusting, and that "soft side" of his that's displayed later doesn't even come close to redeeming him. In fact, if anything, it's awkward to watch because no one likes a whiney lovesick person, and they're even worse when you already hate them... that and Mike Meyers is a bad actor when it comes to displaying angst. I'm not saying that it's because Shrek's ugly. In Shrek 2, when he's handsome, I still found him annoying and repulsive. I have no idea why Fiona fell in love with him. Not that I was that big a fan of Fiona either, mind you.

Oh, and I agree with the people who said that the film contradicts its message by making Fiona an ogre at the end. If they really wanted to be subversive to the fairy tale movie genre, they should have had her stay pretty and marry the ogre anyway. Shrek's message is the same as Beauty and the Beast's, only it's two ugly people (or ogres) instead or two beautiful ones. Way to stick it to Disney... not.

5 out of 5 stars DEVERITAS, DEVERITAS!!!!.......2007-06-30

Una de las peliculas mas graciosas de todos los tiempos es esta increible historia del "Ogro que se enamoro de una princesa"; una historia maravillosa de un mostruo verde y solitario, odiado y perseguido, que prefiere vivir su vida vacia y monotona en su pantano; una vida que cambia cuando conoce (y se enamora) de Fiona, una princesa cautiva en un castillo esperando ser rescatada, la cual que hace al Ogro verde cambiar su forma de pensar y ver nuevos horizontes en su vida; INIGUALABLE es el papelazo que hace un chaparro y charlatan burrito (donkey, cuya voz en español la hace el chistosisimo Eugenio derbez), que se hace amigo de Shrek y sencillamente ¡se roba la pelicula!!; todo el filme en general lleno de simpaticos personajes de cuentos de hadas y un enano malvado y fanfarron (Lord Facquad) contra el cual nuestros amigos tienen que librar una tremenda pero comica batalla; ¿vale la pena comprarla?¡¡HE VISTO SHREK MAS DE 14 VECES Y NUNCA ME ABURRO DE VERLA!!! ¡¡¡SI; VALE MAS QUE LA PENA!!! ¡¡COMPRENLA!!!

1 out of 5 stars "Monsters, Inc." is much better than this by 20 miles!!!!!!!!!!.......2007-06-22

This movie isn't all that great. It is only funny in the beginning. Princess Fiona kind of gives me on my nerves and what is all this talking about LOVE in the end????????? Please, this movie isn't really that good!! Monsters, Inc was much better, more funnier, more enjoyable, much better. Get Monsters, Inc insted. That is the movie of the feature and will always be. You'll be happier.

4 out of 5 stars shrek.......2007-06-12

Shrek PG

Doesn't everybody like movies? Sorry I'm getting off track! Their different categories in movies, my favorite is comedy movies. I'm going to talk about a popular movie that has two sequels, and no , I'm not talking about Shrek 2 or 3.I'm talking about shrek the
Original. In the movie it starts off with the two main characters, Shrek and Donkey, going off on a dangerous adventure to save Princess Fiona, so Shrek can get his home
Back. Throughout the movie there is a lot of comedy. You also meet a lot of characters,
That come and go during the movie such as Gingy, the gingerbread man.
My opinion is that this movie is very funny. If I was on a deserted island and could only bring four things, I would bring this movie, a TV, a generator, and DVD player. When I saw this movie I could not stop talking about it. If I could rate this movie from one to ten I think it would be a ten.
I recommend this movie to everybody! This is an outstanding movie. If you didn't see this movie, you should go and rent it now.
Ladyhawke
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Great Movie
  • a must have for family video library
  • wonderful
  • A timeless Hit!
  • Great movie
Ladyhawke
Starring: Matthew Broderick , Rutger Hauer , Michelle Pfeiffer , Leo McKern , and John Wood
Director: Richard Donner
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 630469654X
Release Date: 1997-10-29

Amazon.com

This lushly produced fantasy has gained a loyal following since its release in 1985, and it gave a welcomed boost to the careers of Matthew Broderick, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Rutger Hauer. You have to ignore the overly aggressive music score (critic Pauline Kael aptly dubbed it "disco-medieval") and director Richard Donner's reckless allowance of anachronistic dialogue and uninspired storytelling, but there's a certain charm to the movie's combination of romance and heroism. Broderick plays a young thief who comes to the aid of tragic lovers Isabeau (Pfeiffer), who is cursed to become a hawk every day at sunrise and Navarre (Hauer) who turns into a wolf at sunset. The curse was cast by an evil sorcerer-bishop (John Wood), and as Broderick eludes the bishop's henchmen, Navarre struggles to conquer the villain, lift the curse, and be reunited with his love in human form. The tragedy of this lovers' dilemma keeps the movie going, and Broderick is well cast as a young, medieval variation of Woody Allen. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Great Movie.......2007-05-21

This was a great movie, it has romance, action/adventure, betrayal and love, and of course, Matthew Broderick's smart mouth. The scenes with Rutger and Michelle were tear jerkers. I think they did a great job with the casting.

5 out of 5 stars a must have for family video library.......2007-05-15

Humor, romance, drama, fantasy...this movie has it all. A family ready story of love denied. Matthew Brodrick at his best, using sly wit to counter the seriousness with which the others actors played their roles.

5 out of 5 stars wonderful.......2007-05-07

What a great romance. I watched it when I was younger and I think I enjoy it even more now. It was such a moving story that your heart just goes out to the characters.

5 out of 5 stars A timeless Hit!.......2007-03-26

Our family never gets tired of watching this classic love story, it's got it all. We love this movie!

5 out of 5 stars Great movie.......2007-03-10

I stumbled across this movie a while back on VHS, and have been trying to find it on DVD as my other copy was fried from overuse. Yes, it's an older film, but in the way of a medieval romance film, it's very good. Lots of twists and turns, the actors are very good, and the work with the animals is great as well. I knew Matthey Broderick from Ferris Beuler's Day Off, and this younger actor is great to see! If you're up for a good 80's action romance set with knights and a romantic curse, this would be the movie!
Bram Stoker's Dracula
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Lush and decadent!
  • 95% Excellence; 5% Missed Opportunities
  • extremely good movie with a few minor flaws
  • Fact, Fiction and My Inspiration!
  • Come on you bunch of Siskels!
Bram Stoker's Dracula
Starring: Gary Oldman , Winona Ryder , Anthony Hopkins , Keanu Reeves , and Richard E. Grant
Director: Francis Ford Coppola
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 0800177177
Release Date: 1997-10-07

Amazon.com

With dizzying cinematic tricks and astonishing performances, Francis Coppola's 1992 version of the oft-filmed Dracula story is one of the most exuberant, extravagant films of the 1990s. Gary Oldman and Winona Ryder, as the Count and Mina Murray, are quite a pair of star-crossed lovers. She's betrothed to another man; he can't kick the habit of feeding off the living. Anthony Hopkins plays Van Helsing, the vampire slayer, with tongue firmly in cheek. Tom Waits is great fun as Renfield, the hapless slave of Dracula who craves the blood of insects and cats. Sadie Frost is a sexy Lucy Westenra. And poor Keanu Reeves, as Jonathan Harker, has the misfortune to be seduced by Dracula's three half-naked wives. There's a little bit of everything in this version of Dracula: gore, high-speed horseback chases, passion, and longing.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Lush and decadent!.......2007-06-02

Purists might hate this version of Dracula for the liberties it takes but I loved it. Gary Oldman's performance as Dracula was simply amazing...he brings romance to the role, a dark knight who is depicted more as a victim of fate than a true evil creature, and his love for Mina [whom he feels is the reincarnation of his long-dead wife] is altogether real and credible. Anthony Hopkins brings a certain level of zealousness to the role of Van Helsing, but I can't say Iwas very impressed by Keanu Reeves and Winona Ryder's performances. Firstly there was no chemistry between them though they were supposed to be engaged, and similarly Winona's Mina seemed like a cold fish to me, especially in her love scenes with the Count [the actress who played Lucy on the other hand was pretty scintillating].But despite some of the flawed performances, the movie on the whole was beautifully filmed. The cinematography was lush and evoked decadent images, especially the seduction scenes, in particular Keanu's seduction by the three wives of Dracula, and also Lucy's seduction and attack by Dracula. The costumes are sumptuous to look at. The use of the color red throughout the movie [Lucy's dress, the scene where Dracula stalks Mina] is vivid and reminds us of the lust for blood. The score is haunting and serves to keep viewers' at the edge of their seats as the story unfolds. Overall, this is one of the best contemporary adaptations of Dracula, and a classic.

4 out of 5 stars 95% Excellence; 5% Missed Opportunities.......2007-05-15

The most grandiose retelling of the legendary story, and one that casts one of the world's most famous tales of horror as a love story (although certainly a very dark love story), this 1992 version of Dracula features Gary Oldman turning in probably the greatest portrayal of the Count ever.

Everything in this huge, haunting tale centers around the love story between Dracula (tied in much closer here than in most depictions to his supposed real-life counterpart, Vlad The Impaler) and Mina, the reincarnation of his centuries-ago love, Elisabeta. Beginning with the origin of Dracula's vampirism following Elisabeta's death, the story then flashes forward to late-1800s Transylvania and Johnathan Harker's famous trip to the Count's ancient castle. Having dwelled in and terrorized Transylvania for centuries now, the Prince Of Darkness comes by chance upon Harker's locket, in which is a small picture of Mina, the exact image of Dracula's deceased wife. The passion reawakened in the lord of the vampires, he journeys to London and confirms that Mina and Elisabeta are one and the same. From there the vampire Dracula preys on inhabitants of the city even as the mortal and emotional side of the beast is reawakened by re-discovery of his true love.

On a technical scale, "Bram Stoker's Dracula" is brilliant, with masterful cinematography, an outstanding dark score by Wojciech Kilar, chilling shadow imagery and extraordinary special effects. The romantic angle is also a total success. Where the movie does run into some trouble is here: despite the intensified focus on Dracula and Mina, the Dracula tale is still very much an ensemble piece, and some of the other characters just aren't captured as well as I wished they had been in a movie that was otherwise so great. It's not the performances per se, it's just that things didn't come together for some of the other characters. Dr. Van Helsing (although very well played by the always impressive Anthony Hopkins) comes off cold, arrogant, and curiously unconcerned for the people he's supposedly trying to protect - a far cry from the compassionate, courageous and emminently likable versions of the doctor seen in movies like "Horror Of Dracula" (with Peter Cushing as Van Helsing). I think that they may have been thinking that in presenting some sympathetic aspects to the otherwise evil Dracula, they had to counterbalance it by 'darkening' Van Helsing a bit. I don't think it really worked. Add to this a somewhat wishy-washy Harker and a Mina who wasn't nearly as developed as her pivotal role would have seemed to dictate, and it detracts a bit from the whole. The 'lesser' players - Lucy, her three suitors, and the insane Renfield, were all better done in my opinion. Dracula himself is done to perfection. In spite of the occasional problems with some of the characters, "Bram Stoker's Dracula" keeps coming on strong all the way through - until, tragically, the last five minutes or so. With a kind of anti-climatic (though far from terrible) ending to what was a vibrant and dramatic movie, plus the difficulties with some of the characters, we're left with a great show but one that fell a bit short of the mark it could have hit.

Still highly recommended; the weaker parts wouldn't have been so noticeable if 95% of the movie wasn't so awesome. A very, very good version of the Dracula tale despite a few chinks in the armor.

5 out of 5 stars extremely good movie with a few minor flaws.......2007-05-15

A good film that for me sums up alot of what was good about early 1990s cinema. Oldman as dracula, Hopkins as van hellsing, Richard E Grant as Dr Seward, Carey Elwes as Arthur Holmwood and country legend Tom Waits as renfield make this film an extremely well acted peice. It is an alternative take on the book, much like the last temptation of christ was a different take on the life of christ. The bones of the story are there but some characters are more realistic and different. Van helsing is a pompus , lecherous alchoholic with a good heart, Seward is addicted to morphine and dracula was actually a victim of life but nevertheless a creature of darkness.
This movies best feature was that it showed vampires in an extremely unique and interesting way, they are not just normal guys with fangs and charisma like in the christopher lee draculas, but are powerfull creatures of the night, capable of flight, shape changing, mind manipulation and telekinesis. all together a fantastic romp.

5 out of 5 stars Fact, Fiction and My Inspiration!.......2007-05-11

1462, Transylvania, Vlad the Impaler leaves his wife to fight the Turks. Out of malice, The Turks send her a letter telling her that her husband is dead. She is so distraught over his death and terrified at being captured that she throws herself from the castle turrets. When Vlad returns, he is told that his wife may not enter the Kingdom of Heaven as she has killed herself, which is a mortal sin. Vlad immediately renounces God and then he himself is condemned.

400 years later, Jonathon Harker leaves London and his fiancée Mina to travel to Transylvania. He has been assigned to help Count Dracula acquire property in England. Jonathon may never return...

This film, despite its flaws, will always hold a place in my heart as it inspired me to write my novel, Vrolok. I have always loved horror movies so when I heard that Francis Ford Coppola was making a new Dracula film, I could not wait to see it. I remember eagerly anticipating the announcement of who was to play Dracula, and when I found out that it was Gary Oldman, I was not happy! The only thing I had seen him in was JFK, and I was not very impressed (I was too young to have appreciated Sid and Nancy). However, I still decided it was worth going to the cinema to see the movie as Keanu Reeves, Cary Elwes and Bill Campbell were also in it. From the moment Gary Oldman appears on screen, he captivates his audience. His performance is camp, overdone, and at times preposterous, yet it is still somehow seductive, mesmerizing, and sublime. (Bram Stoker would have been proud!). He even utters the line "The children of the night. What sweet music they make" with a thick Romanian accent and gets away with it. I saw this film when I was fifteen and was immediately converted into a life long Gary Oldman fan.

As previously stated, and despite Oldman's performance, the film does have its flaws. Keanu Reeves is about as wooden as a stake and the rest of the cast seem to, just like Gary Oldman, overdo the accents and this is a strategy that doesn't quite work for the rest of the cast. In addition, Sadie Frost and Wynona Ryder running around in the rain in see-through outfits is clichéd and slightly annoying (I am sure most boys who see this film love that bit). Apart from Oldman's performance, there is one other thing that has to be commended - the soundtrack - both Wojciech Kilar's score and Annie Lennox's theme are dark, chilling, and poignant.

All in all a great movie - it inspired me to write a book that may or may not make me a million but will always be something that I am proud to have completed.

5 out of 5 stars Come on you bunch of Siskels!.......2007-04-11

Ok you bunch of no taste bums! lol! First, the only word I could have ever associated with Dracula before I watched this movie was TACKY. The big capes, the really bad accents and the bats on a string, were all so overtly horrid, I could never bear to watch those movies. This movie was a dark love story with superb special effects and a truly superior performance by Gary Oldman as Dracula. I swear, I think that man can be anyone! I grant you, Keanu did have a poor grasp of the Brittish accent and Winona struggled a bit in the passion area, but their performances were above adequate and Winona was a perfect straight man to Oldman's lavish Dracula performance. Anyone who could insinuate that Anthony hopkins was even capable of a bad performance, should be strung up in the town square and tickled mercilessly until unconscious! lol!!

All the world is a critic and for my money, as long as I enjoyed a movie, the whys and wherefores aren't really that important. Maybe this kind of movie is not your cup of tea. If not, don't ruin it for the rest of us by your crude and mellow dramatic reviews. Take my advice, buy this movie! If you want to see the real love story behind the Dracula myth, without all the "bluck bluck, I come to bite your neck" stuff, then this movie is for you. If you want "Blade" in the 1800's, this is probably not for you.

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