Peril

Starring:Michael ParÃ©, Morgan Fairchild, Jayson Argento, L.R. Davidson, Steve Eastin, Bruce Perkins, Joshua J. Masters, George Woodard, John James (II), Sharon Mayberry, Adair Jameson, Thom Christopher, Tim McKay, Maureen Kiley, John Carl Pepe
Director: David Giancola
Studio: Mti Home Video
Product Type: DVD

Average customer rating:

Crawford, Turner & Parker light up the screen in B-movie marathon
CAGED is a powerful drama with remarkable performances
Crawford fans rejoice; it's finally coming!

Cult Camp Classics 2 - Women in Peril (The Big Cube / Caged / Trog)
Starring: Joan Crawford , and Agnes Moorehead
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

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Cult Camp Classics 3 - Terrorized Travelers (Hot Rods to Hell / Skyjacked / Zero Hour!)
Cult Camp Classics 1 - Sci-Fi Thrillers (Attack of the 50 Ft. Woman 1958 / Giant Behemoth / Queen of Outer Space)
Cult Camp Classics 4 - Historical Epics (The Colossus of Rhodes / Land of the Pharaohs / The Prodigal)
Film Noir Classic Collection, Vol. 4 (Act of Violence / Mystery Street / Crime Wave / Decoy / Illegal / The Big Steal / They Live By Night / Side Street / Where Danger Lives / Tension)
Lucille Ball Film Collection (Dance Girl Dance / The Big Street / Du Barry Was a Lady / Critic's Choice / Mame)

ASIN: B000OHZJGY
Release Date: 2007-06-26

Amazon.com

Second in a series of four box sets, Cult Camp Classics 2: Women In Peril includes three films in which victimized female protagonists provide the viewer hours of entertainment. Watching Caged, Trog, and The Big Cube consecutively provides lots of laughs, but also makes one wonder what exactly satisfies about this archetype while ladies struggle through run-ins with drug dealers, hardened prison matrons, and a hairy cave-dwelling monster, in these cases. Each indicative of the decades in which they were made, these films reiterate how cinematic narratives have long capitalized on the viewer's hope that woman will either escape or get revenge. Caged, considered the first women's prison film, follows Marie Allen (Eleanor Parker), who is imprisoned for acquiescing to her husband's desire to rob a store. Prison cell bar shadows cast across the screen, and repeated close-ups of Allen's horrified face, make Caged a fine example of film noir. With little to laugh at, viewer sympathy mounts as Allen acclimatizes to the rough prison life, and conversely, disappointment sets in when one sees her innocence slipping away. One comes to hate the evil prison matron, Evelyn Harper (Hope Emerson), who believes in iron-thumb treatment. Caged is a rare example in its genre in which sexual exploitation is not at the core of the film. Trog and The Big Cube are less tragic, more schlocky, and fascinating as a pair due their gorgeous stars, Lana Turner and Joan Crawford, cast late in their careers. Trog is a hairy, pre-human cave dweller á la Planet of the Apes, wreaking havoc once unleashed by an anthropologist played by the ravishing Crawford. The Big Cube's greatest assets are the scenes depicting acid trips induced by Johnny (George Chakiris), a medical student who cooks LSD to dose sexy girls and enemies. Psychedelic lighting freak-outs overpower the drama regarding young hipster Lisa's (Karin Mossberg) step-mom, Adriana, (Lana Turner) who is driven mad by Johnny so he can marry Lisa for her hefty inheritance. Although none of these films will scare a female viewer, they offer three wonderful renditions of fear-based roles mastered by some of the sexiest women in Hollywood. --Trinie Dalton

Customer Reviews:

Crawford, Turner & Parker light up the screen in B-movie marathon.......2007-06-20

Warners has dug into the archives to produce this fabulous box-set containing three B-movie treasures. Starring three of the most talented women to ever grace the screen, fans of classic movies are bound to get a kick out of this.

TROG (released in 1970) has gained quite the cult following over the years, mainly because it features Joan Crawford--mommie dearest herself--in what turned out to be her final movie role. Crawford plays anthropologist Dr. Brockton, who stumbles across the missing link, a hulking ape-man creature, who goes on a killing spree. Crawford's deadly serious performance as the overwhelmed Brockton is the icing on the cake for this journey into Schlock City. There's also some fine work from serial upstager Michael Gough.

THE BIG CUBE (released in 1969) is similarly-notable for featuring Lana Turner, former M-G-M "Sweater Girl". Turner must have needed the money badly, because this strange journey into psychedelia is a heaping pile of doggy-do. She plays Adriana Roman, a retiring actress (go figure), whose conniving stepdaughter tries to have committed after drugging her with LSD. George Chakiris ("West Side Story"), Dan O'Herlihy (Turner's love interest in "Imitation of Life") and Karin Mossberg co-star, all happy to slum it in Z-grade territory.

CAGED (released in 1950) was actually a prestige production from Warner Brothers. Along the same themes as "I Want to Live!", the story concerns a young woman, Marie Allen (Eleanor Parker) who is thrown into the big dollhouse and straight into the sadistic claws of Matron Harper (Hope Emerson). Eleanor Parker (in her greatest role aside from "Detective Story") delivers an Oscar-nominated performance. Agnes Moorehead and Betty Garde are memorable here too.

With this box-set, THE BIG CUBE and CAGED are receiving their home video debuts. While I completely understand the reasons why Warners was reluctant to unleash BIG CUBE onto an unsuspecting world; CAGED deserves to be rediscovered. As for TROG, well...any film with Crawford can't be all bad.

These DVDs are also available individually, but the box-set will ultimately be the cheaper option to grab all three movies in one hit.

CAGED is a powerful drama with remarkable performances.......2007-03-27

TROG with Joan Crawford and THE BIG CUBE with Lana Tuner are truly camp classics, but CAGED is a serious and absorbing drama starring Oscar-nominated Eleanor Parker in the lead role. She delivers a complex and memorable performance as a young, pregnant prison inmate. Her Oscar competition in 1950 was staggering: Gloria Swanson for Sunset Boulevard, Bette Davis and Anne Baxter for All About Eve and the winner, Judy Holliday for Born Yesterday. Agnes Moorehead does an excellent job as a sympathetic but ineffectual prison warden, but the performance you will never forget goes to Oscar-nominated Hope Emerson, who dominates every one of her scenes as the cruel and sadistic prison matron. Lee Patrick appears as the a wealthy and influential prison inmate lusting for the Eleanor Parker character. Betty Garde, Jan Sterling, Gertrude Michael, Ellen Corby, Olive Deering and Jane Darwell are excellent in supporting roles. This is a memorable film which was shocking in it's time and still delivers a strong punch for today's audiences. I am not sure CAGED belongs in the camp category, but I am happy to have it on DVD anyway I can get it. I give CAGED 5 stars on it's own, but the other two films in this collection bring my rating down to four stars, although they rate higher with fans of cult camp flicks.

Crawford fans rejoice; it's finally coming!.......2007-03-21

Have been waiting about fifteen years now to see Joan Crawford's final film, 'Trog' and the wait is over at last. A description of the plot along with the other two included:

The Big Cube (1969):
Adriana Roman (Lana Turner), is a former actress who marries a wealthy tycoon Charles Winthrop, who dies in a boat accident off the Mexican coast. Winthrop's daughter, Lisa, whom despises Adriana, plot to drive her insane with drugs so she and her drug-addict boyfriend, Johnny, can marry and inherit all the money for themselves. When a Broadway playwright, named Frederick Lansdale, and a close friend of Adriana suspects something, he tries to rescue Adriana from the mental hospital where she gets committed and redeem Lisa before Johnny can double cross her.

Caged (1950):
Frightened 19-year-old Marie Allen (Eleanor Parker) gets sent to an Illinois penitentiary for being an accomplice in an armed robbery. A sympathetic prison head (Agnes Moorehead) tries to help, but her efforts are subverted by cruel matron Evelyn Harper (Hope Emerson). Marie's harsh experiences turn her from doe-eyed innocent to hard-nosed con.

Trog (1970):
In England, some students are mysteriously murdered. A search team is sent out to kill the creature suspected of killing the students. The creature is captured and brought to anthropologist, Br. Brockton (Miss Joan Crawford). Dr. Brockton realizes the creature is the "TROG" the missing link between man and ape. She decides to study it and educate it. Just as she was making progress, "TROG" escapes and abducts a little girl. Brockton and colleagues franticly search for Trog hoping to find it before the police do...

What a bonus that these titles will be released on the superior WHV label and at a bargain price.

Average customer rating:

Sex and Violence
Ninja Scroll
Intense, non-stop action at its best!
A Classic?
classic anime

Ninja Scroll
Starring: Richard Cansino , Dean Elliott (III) , Edward Mannix , Toshihiko Seki , and Wendee Lee
Director: Kevin Seymour , and Yoshiaki Kawajiri
Manufacturer: Manga Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Ninja Scroll: The Series - Ultimate Collection

ASIN: 6305014140
Release Date: 1998-05-20

Amazon.com

A peak achievement of Japanese anime, Ninja Scroll is a propulsive mix of samurai action adventure and supernatural fantasy from writer-director Yoshiaki Kawajiri (Supernatural Best City). This is defiantly animation for grown-ups, complete with fountains of blood, plenty of naked flesh, and (in both the subtitled and dubbed versions) some decidedly strong language. (Students of Japanese language could pick up some useful expressions.) The plot sounds like a 16th century variation on the X-Files: An entire village has been wiped out by a mysterious plague and an anti-government conspiracy of invulnerable demons seems to be responsible. A wandering ninja, Jubei, and his female counterpart, Kagero, team up to defeat the plotters. Jubei is a classic reluctant hero, agreeing to participate in the mission only after being fed a slow-acting poison; the antidote will be supplied after he cooperates. And Kagero, a looker whose embrace is lethal, is a femme fatale with a difference that seems distinctively Japanese: sexual contact itself is poisonous, especially for a warrior with a pure soul. --David Chute

Customer Reviews:

Sex and Violence.......2007-05-20

And lots of it. I was kind of turned off. I'm new to anime films, and going off of Amazon listmania's I found this film as a top favorite of many. I don't really see why, there are far better one's out there. It seems there are many of these films that go out of their way to go "over the top" with graphic sex and extreme gore and violence. The rape scene of the main female character was particularly disturbing. In my opinion, the story really doesn't make up for it. By the time I figured out what this movie was even about I grew so disgusted with all of the character's I didn't really care who won.

Wonderful artwork is this film's only redeeming quality. Not worth the experience, though.

Ninja Scroll.......2007-03-21

One of the best Jap Anime of all times, a true classic. Has the perfect plot and enough action to keep you on the edge of your seat. Can't help but to get lost in it all, very hypnotic. All the characters have true personality, the snake woman is my fave by far!

Intense, non-stop action at its best!.......2007-02-10

I can still remember the first time I saw this - I was on the endge of my seat from beginning til the end. From great fight scenes to excellent animation quality, this movie's got it all. There isn't much that hasn't been said about this one, but I would highly recommend it to anyone not apposed to bloody violent animation.

A Classic? .......2007-01-20

The best part of the DVD was in the interview, where the director was asked what he had been trying to say about the role of women in Japan during that era. He replied, very sensibly, that the characters were ninja's and demons belonging to secret organizations, and therefore did not and could not say much about society at that time. Elsewhere in the interview he made it very clear as to why he DID make the movie - as a rape and violence fantasy to separate lowest-common-denominator teenaged boys from their parents' money.

All this had been obvious just from watching the movie. My co-watcher and I made cruel fun of the interviewer for asking such a dumb question. Imagine my surprise when I came here. For some reason, some who have actually seen the film are going to try to convince you that it is trying to say something about the oppression of women. Other than "It is fun to watch!" -- not really. Far from critiquing the treatment of women at the time, the heroine is portrayed as desiring the normal woman's role, but tragically denied it. The gratuitous rapes and other unpleasant sexual content are there to be enjoyed by creepy adolescent boys with anger issues - a lucrative demographic, to be sure, but not one renowned for its feminist sensibilities. While we are at it, the gory violence is not here to make a statement about the horror of war or the Plight of the Common Ninja. It's there because watching blood gush like a fountain all over the place is really reeaally kewl. If you want a film that says something, or even that you just want to pretend says something, rent RASHOMON or SEVEN SAMURAI or IRON frigging MONKEY fer crissake. If you want something pretty, violent, and stupid, but that will kindly refrain from scarring you for life, rent VAN HELSING!!! If you want to see buckets of blood and some horrid sexual content - but combined with actual characters, human emotions, and a plot even -- try QUEEN MARGOT.

NINJA SCROLL opens well, with a lone ninja hero (lacking in charisma a bit, but fairly solid hero material) on the one hand, and a band of demonic black clad horsemen riding through a lightning storm on the other. There are some lovely images; a heron by a river, the play of shadows under a bridge, a swordfight in a bamboo forest. But the demons are simply grotesque bad guys, with dull and earthly motives involving politics and power. Their "demonic" nature is expressed through their ugliness, foul language, and fondness for ripping arms off of unfortunate ninjas. They are not genuinely supernatural or otherworldly, just stupid, cruel and a bit disgusting. There are none of the eerie shivers one gets from Japanese folklore or (good) horror based on it.

The plot is your generic "Search for the MacGuffin" which you might find in filler episodes of KUNG FU or in a B Western. And what a mortal, money-grubbing MacGuffin it is. It is a disappointment to find out that those demonic Night Riders from the beginning were up to something so dull. The heroes fight a series of villains to move the action along, and the villains back-stab each other whenever an "unexpected" twist is needed.

The hero and heroine are pretty grumpy, which is totally understandable seeing as her friends all died and she was raped by demons, and he, you know, lost a tooth. They give the increasingly grumpy viewer somebody to relate to. Their relationship is not normally what I would consider good characterization, but without it there would be zero characterization at all, and so one clings to it as to a life raft. It also provides a few good laughs - such as when our hero demonstrates how NOT to administer first aid to a lady ninja. Alas, for the ending to have played as "moving" (as intended) rather than silly (as is) would have required a far more lyrical and less crass approach to the film as a whole. Not to mention that if my beloved and all my friends went splat, and I got raped by two different demons within a twenty-four hour period, I'd have something else on my mind than pining after the Grumpy Ninja Hero I'd known all of a DAY. Or moping about how I'm not a normal woman, when I should be worrying about all those demons after my posterior and thankful that my arms are still firmly attached. But I didn't write this thing.

My anime experience up till now has been mostly Miyazaki films and Adult Swim cartoons. The quality was consistently impressive enough that I presumed a "classic" of the art form would be . . . good. Instead, NINJA SCROLL is an uninspired potboiler, which would make a barely passable time killer were it not rendered unwatchable via the sadistic, pointless, and juvenile nature of its "adult" content. That I have seen worse is the best I can say for it. True, it has one seriously pretty heron, and I learned the phrase "Tokugawa Shogunate", which makes me feel slightly smarter. Considering what else I have stuck in my head now, it wasn't worth it.

classic anime.......2007-01-13

a beautiful crafted work of art, almost Sumi-e in appearance. this movie is not for kids nor the faint of heart as some of its graphic scenes leave NOTHING to the imagination.

still one of the best anime movies of all-time, a must-have for anime lovers.

Agatha Christie's Poirot - The Movie Collection

Average customer rating:

Suchet is the penultimate Poirot
Best Poirot Box Set
A truly priceless piece of mystery and television!
Television at Its Very Best
Poirot in Bulk

Agatha Christie's Poirot - The Movie Collection
Starring: David Suchet , Philip Jackson (II) , Bruce Alexander , Ben Bazell , and Nigel Bellairs
Director: Ross Devenish , and Renny Rye
Manufacturer: Acorn Media
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Poirot - The Complete Collection

ASIN: B00005BGSB
Release Date: 2001-06-12

Amazon.com

Deadlier than a nest of vipers and twistier than a mountain road--it's Poirot: The Movie Collection. Agatha Christie's supersleuth (played by David Suchet) is a proper, precise little man who cannot bring himself to eat hard-boiled eggs of different sizes, but it is exactly this obsession with detail that leads him to solve the five baffling cases presented in this boxed set. A lady's shoe buckle, a broken coffee cup, a poison dart pipe: these are the ingredients with which Christie brewed her classic mysteries, and the producers of these video adaptations pay an equal attention to detail in re-creating the stories on the small screen. Stunning aerial shots of England's coast and countryside are matched by elegant and elaborate costumes, particularly when it comes to ladies' headgear. Of course, nothing can outshine the fine performances of Suchet (who makes Poirot's fussy habits endearing and delivers wisecracks with unparalleled subtlety) and his supporting cast; Captain Hastings (Hugh Fraser), Miss Lemon (Pauline Moran), and Chief Inspector Japp (Philip Jackson) add comic relief and camaraderie to the proceedings.

The DVD transfers are generally crisp in both picture and sound quality. Special features include biographies of Suchet and Christie, Poirot trivia questions, and a filmography of all the Agatha Christie's Poirot episodes. --Larisa Lomacky Moore

Description

This is a collection of 5 feature-length episodes of the Poirot mysteries: The ABC Murders; Death in the Clouds; The Mysterious Affair at Styles; One, Two, Buckle My Shoe, and Peril at End House. "The ABC Murders" - This is the episode that star David Suchet calls his favorite. Belgian sleuth Hercule Poirot is challenged by an alphabet-obsessed murderer who announces his next victims through a series of letters addressed to Poirot himself. "Death in the Clouds" - A ruthless blackmailer is killed on board an airborne plane filled with likely suspects. "Mysterious Affair at Styles" - The Cavendish household is wrought with tension due to the marriage of John Cavendish's widowed mother to a suspicious younger man. When the tension turns deadly, Poirot and Hasting unite to solve the case. "One, Two, Buckle My Shoe" - Further adventures of Agatha Christie's brilliant Belgian sleuth. "Peril at End House" - A flying ace plays a pivotal role in a case in which Poirot and Hastings swim through a sea of red herrings to arrive at the truth.

Customer Reviews:

Suchet is the penultimate Poirot.......2006-11-12

Makes you hope no one else takes on the role since now it has been done to perfection. Love the music and the style. The fashions and the cars are great. The English atmosphere is adorable.

Best Poirot Box Set.......2005-01-12

I just love it. Agatha Christie was purely a genius. You can never guess who the murdurer is. It seems impossible at first, but all the clues just make sense after Poirot leads us through the whole thing.

A truly priceless piece of mystery and television!.......2004-03-16

First of all, an explanation on the lack of a full 5-star rating. Despite the content, this was not Acorn Media's finest product, picture-wise. Oh, the content is outstanding, but the picture throughout most of the episodes was a bit grainy and sometimes you could easily see lines on the screen. Again, not the best effor I've ever seen, but don't let that detract from your enjoyment of the content itself.

Simply the finest piece of work to come out of television in the history of the medium. Agatha Christie's work comes to life with the brilliant acting of David Suchet as the brilliant Belgian detective Hercule Poirot. Equally superb acting from supporting cast members Philip Jackson as Chief Inspector Japp, and from Hugh Fraser as Captain Hastings. Also, look for Pauline Moran and a wonderfully charming Miss Lemmon. The episodes are well-translated from the original books, the parts acted out with humor, wit, charm, and historical integrity.

The DVDs themselves are also full of some great extra features, like biographies of the cast, lore from the world of Poirot (including quizzes), and a nice section on Agatha Christie herself. It is truly amazing to find something as totally wonderful and completely re-watchable as the Poirot series. The movies will have you begging for more. And don't worry, mystery fans, Acorn Media vastly cleaned up the quality of the picture i the second set. Still, a must-have for mystery lovers, for British television and movie lovers, and those that enjoy quality viewing on their own screens. Intrigue, puzzles, humor, and charm... it doesn't get much better than this!

Television at Its Very Best.......2004-02-29

"Agatha Christie's Poirot," based on the English author's popular detective stories, is a superbly made series. The subtle plots, the direction, the acting, the settings and costumes, even the music that so perfectly evokes the atmosphere and mood of each story, are all of the finest quality. English character actor David Suchet is simply perfect as the slightly eccentric Belgian police inspector-turned-private detective Hercule Poirot, and each actor - from Hugh Fraser and Philip Jackson as Captain Hastings (Poirot's "Watson") and the likeably gruff Chief Inspector Japp, to the most minor players in the various episodes - gives a detailed, multi-dimensional portrayal.
The box set includes five full-length (103 minute) episodes. I must state right away that my two favorites are THE ABC MURDERS and THE MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR AT STYLES, but that the other three are every bit as fine. DEATH IN THE CLOUDS, set in France and England, concerns the murder of Madame Giselle, a ruthless moneylender and blackmailer, during an airplane flight from Paris to London. Japp concludes that the woman was killed by a poison dart found on the floor near her seat, but Poirot has other ideas - particularly when he finds himself suspected! The episode features an interesting relationship between Poirot and a young air stewardess who assists him in his investigation. There are also atmospheric shots of Monmartre and stylish art deco interior settings, plus a hilarious scene in which Poirot conducts an "experiment" aboard the plane, which shows Suchet's flair for comedy.
Suchet himself has called THE ABC MURDERS his personal favorite of the "Poirot" episodes, and I can understand why. It is a wonderful human drama about a lonely epileptic who is suspected of being a serial murderer. Is it possible for a person to commit a crime without being aware of it? This is the question the story asks. However, the denouement may surprise you. I must add that the scene in which Poirot visits the suspect in prison is a highlight, with riveting acting from Suchet and Donald Sumpter as the poor, accused man. ONE, TWO BUCKLE MY SHOE, which begins with the murder of Mr. Morley, a dentist, comments on the British class system. The opening sequence foreshadowing the shooting death of Morley is extremely eerie. At the end of the episode, having successfully found the common link between three murders, Poirot and Japp realize that it is "the little chaps" who are really important to the welfare of society. ("But," Poirot adds, "there are no little chaps, Chief Inspector...particularly not Poirot.")
In PERIL AT END HOUSE, a young heiress' life has been threatened by a series of strange accidents. Poirot takes the case in order to protect her...but is it really she who needs protecting? The English seaside setting of this episode is beautiful, as is the score, composed by Richard Hewson. THE MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR AT STYLES was the first of the Hercule Poirot stories and also the first "Poirot" episode. It is 1917, and Lieutenant Hastings has been discharged from the Army because of an injury. To recuperate he goes to the country estate of a friend, John Cavendish. John's mother has married a much younger man whom everyone else in the household dislikes. When she is murdered, Hastings joins forces with Hercule Poirot, a Belgian refugee living nearby, to uncover the truth. It is interesting to see the characters in an Edwardian (rather than a 1920's or 1930's) setting, and also to see how the masterly characterizations of Hugh Fraser, Philip Jackson, and (especially) David Suchet were perfectly in place even at this early stage in the series. As in the other episodes, all of the different elements in this one - direction, acting, sets, costumes, lighting, music, camera angles - come together to create an absorbing drama. There are several particularly memorable moments. One is the scene in which Poirot and Hastings are looking for clues in the deceased woman's room; though there is not much action here, the music and the camera shots make the scene riveting. In a later and most touching scene, Hastings proposes marriage to a young woman living in the house and is gently rejected. Soon after, Poirot, impatient to find the "last link in this most mysterious case," is building card houses to steady his mind, so that he might think clearly and logically. Then Hastings makes a remark that suggests the "last link" to Poirot, who suddenly jumps up and goes racing excitedly from the house. One knows here that he is about to "crack the case." And finally, there is the big "explanation scene," in which Poirot explains the surprising truth to all assembled. When STYLES ended, I found myself exclaiming, "Superb!" The same word could be used to describe the entire series. "Agatha Christie's Poirot" is television at its very best.

Poirot in Bulk.......2003-03-06

Both my sister and my mother have read almost every mystery that Agatha Christie ever wrote, but I never thought to start. Then I sat down one evening to watch television with them, and I was at once enchanted. It was an episode of Agatha Christie's Poirot on A&E. The David Suchet Poirot films (both full length movies and short films) come from this series. I enjoyed that first show so much that I watched the series religiously until it went off the air.

I started reading some of Agatha Christie's mysteries this year, and I firmly believe that David Suchet is the best portrayal of Hercule Poirot that ever was. I have seen other notorious actors, such as Peter Ustinov and Tony Randall, play the part, but they do not achieve the full embodiment of the persona (both physical and psychological) that David Suchet does.

The five movies that come is this set - THE ABC MURDERS; DEATH IN THE CLOUDS; THE MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR AT STYLES; ONE, TWO, BUCKLE MY SHOE, and PERIL AT END HOUSE - are all excellent films. They exhibit Agatha Christie's wide range of talent with their variety in plot. In THE ABC MURDERS, someone is killing off seemingly random people and leaving railroad guides behind. In DEATH IN THE CLOUDS, the murder is committed in an airplane with Poirot on it. The list goes on, and I don't want to spoil anything for those interested in this set.

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

Sex and Violence.......2007-05-20

Ninja Scroll.......2007-03-21

Intense, non-stop action at its best!.......2007-02-10

A Classic? .......2007-01-20

classic anime.......2007-01-13

Average customer rating:

The Fourth Installment Of Lone Wolf And Cub!
"This kid has the eyes of one who has killed thousands".
Terrific
This is the review you been looking for!! READ IT!!!!!!!!!!!
Entertaining, still has its style

Lone Wolf and Cub - Baby Cart in Peril
Starring: Tomisaburo Wakayama , Yoichi Hayashi , Michie Azuma , Akihiro Tomikawa , and Asao Koike
Director: Buichi Saito
Manufacturer: ANIMEIGO
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0001FR3JU
Release Date: 2004-06-08

Customer Reviews:

The Fourth Installment Of Lone Wolf And Cub!.......2007-01-03

You have to hand it to the late Tomisaburo Wakayama, he was definitely different than many of the characters to come out of 1970s. I first saw this film years ago, and always thought this particular episode was one of the better ones of the series. For those who are not used to this type of action type of ninja-samurai style of film, keep an open mind. These are not Kurosawa, or Kobayashi type of films, however, that does not mean they are not entertaining. First of all though, be prepared for plenty of violence and mayhem. As the character Ogami (Tomisaburo Wakayama), [brother of the late Shintaro Katsu of Zatoichi fame] was larger in life than many characters who came out of the 1970s.

This is fun, exciting, and don't take it too serious enjoyment. What I always liked about the Lone Wolf and Cub series was that it was hilariously different than many of the films that were available in the USA: if you were lucky enough to catch them at the theatres. Since I spent a lot of time at theatres with my best friend in downtown Los Angeles, I was exposed to these types of films. I have come to understand that these films have been released as a package, and that the films are very well restored. I have not seen these new DVD releases, however, I would recommend that you purchase the set as a whole, if all six episodes are packaged together, and the price is reasonable. Since I already have these in the format as they are, I am content with these for now. Give these films a chance, they are interesting, and truly enjoying films. [Stars: 4.5]

"This kid has the eyes of one who has killed thousands". .......2006-08-08

Ogammi has to track down and kill a nude female assassin for our viewing pleasure in the 4th installment of the LW and C series. Once again, Tomisaburo Wakayama puts on one of the greatest acting performances I have ever seen. In this one we find out the reason that Ogami's house was always meant to be destroyed from the day he was appointed as the Shogun's second. Of course the Yagyu are involved and of course you are guaranteed to see some of the greatest action ever when Ogami slices up everybody in the super long final fight. One thing that you find out in this movie is that Ogami Itto is not invincible. That certainly makes things more interesting.

I have the Red Sun distributed version of this. The DVD is anamorphically widescreeded with flaws that can only be seen with a magnifying glass. The trailers have 2 Zatoichi ones and 2 LW and C ones including Baby Cart in Peril. The real special feature is the liner notes. They continue to bring important information up like the Shadow Sword technique among a few other things.

Terrific.......2006-07-25

Here's a lesson in the value of reading on-disk liner notes. There are four short pages of notes on Animeigo's version of LONE WOLF AND CUB: BABY CART IN PERIL.

Page one tells about the Mountain Witch and Kintaro. Both legendary figures in Japan. The mountain witch, or yamauba, is the `fairy of the mountains,' old and haggard in appearance with a thin face and wild white hair. The mountain witch cares for the mountains; kintaro is a child of super-human strength and skills, something like our Paul Bunyan, I guess. Important stuff to know because the character Ogami Itto (Tomisaburo Wakayama,) the ronin Lone Wolf, has contracted to kill (for the usual 500 pieces of gold) is the beautiful young Oyuki, who has been slaughtering the Yagyu clansmen sent out to assassinate her. Oyuki has a tattoo of the Mountain Witch on her back and one of a nipple-seeking Kintaro covering her chest. Besides being a superbly skilled warrior, the lovely Oyuki will distract her opponents by removing her blouse while in battle. Whatever it takes to awe and shock.

Page two describes the `Yagyu New Shadow Style' of swordscraft. Lone Wolf and Cub is set in 17th century Japan, and every episode I've seen so far - this is my third - concentrates on sword fighting styles and techniques. The New Shadow Style is the type favored by Yagyu Gunbei, Ogami's bitter rival. Ogami, as we're reminded in every film, was the Shogun's Official Executioner until betrayed by the pernicious Retsudo. Gunbei was a disciple of Retsudo's, and he fought Ogami for the Executioner position and, save for what may have been a technicality (watch the film and decide for yourself,) defeated Ogami. Although each film in the series tells a particular story - in this case that of Oyuki and Ogami's contract to kill her - they all also flesh out the big story. I really should have started these in sequence, but I've been picking them up haphazardly. In any event, the Gunbei-Ogami rivalry is fleshed out in this one, even though it hasn't a whole lot to do with the main story.

Page three tells us about the goumune, or `street beggars,' of feudal Japan. Lone Wolf and Cub spend a lot of time traveling through the poorer communities of Japan and observing the outcasts and the looked down upon. As the goumune clan leader observes to a rude Yagyu thug sent by the Shogun to bring Ogami back, in a speech that distantly echoes words Shakespeare wrote for Shylock, the goumune may be reviled and looked down upon, but they eat, drink, and expel waste like any other human. And, like any other human, they value courtesy and a show of respect. Translated into terms I can understand - roughly and imperfectly translated, I realize - the goumune are something like the dirt farmers in westerns. Like I said, it's a rough translation - goumune are valued less than `human beings,' according to the notes, at a ratio of about 7 to 1. Still, in terms of firepower a group like the Yagyu clan - Ogami's chief enemies since the betrayal that forced his with-cub exile in a land between heaven and hell, between life and death - a group like the Yagyu clan have it all over the goumune. Not unlike the big bad ranchers pushing around the frightened and huddled sod busters in a lot of westerns.

We learn the Owari fief was a major commercial crossroads during the time the events in this movie took place on page four.

Lone Wolf's willingness to mingle with and befriend, and at times defend, the despised, sets him apart as a true samurai. Or a classic cowboy hero, come to think of it. He's imperturbable to the point of being a sphinx and proficient as heck with the sword. There's a lot of blood in these movies - when a bad guy gets his legs cut off at the knees the prop department empties a couple of quarts of krylon red #5 all over everything. In this movie alone I'd guess they were buying the stuff in 50-gallon drums. It may have played brutal in 1972, but it just seems a little cartoonish today. Not in a bad way, mind you. Lone Wolf and Cub was born of a Japanese comic book series and these movies are vividly visual. If the strange names and customs make watching this movie sound like work, it's not. They're a lot of fun, very well produced, visually pleasing, and containing a hero-and-a-half you can root for.

This is the review you been looking for!! READ IT!!!!!!!!!!!.......2004-10-04

This movie is maybe the best of the Lone Wolf and Cub series and I tell you why:

- I saw four movies of Lone Wolf and Cub:
* WHITE HEAVEN IN HELL is good because Ogami Itto (main character) use everithing he got to kill the bad guys but that battle is more like a Ski battle in a snow mountain.
* LAND OF DEMONS is also good because Ogami battle many enemies in a big dojo with one sword like Uma Thurman did in Kill Bill and he use the lance only a few times.
* SWORD OF VENGANCE is the original and he only use the sword and the lance like in LAND OF DEMONS.
* This one (Baby Car in Peril) is the best because he use the sword, the lance, the machine gun, the two swords, small shurikens and blades like in WHITE HEAVEN IN HELL but this time the settings are in a war camp.

THAT'S ALL FOLKS Thank you for lisen!!!!

Entertaining, still has its style.......2004-08-23

In this 4th installment of the series, Director Misumi Kenji was replaced by Saito Buichi -- although I feared the series' quality would deteriorate, I was pleasantly surprised at the nuances Saito lent in his own adaptation.

Still only a third of the way through the manga series myself, "Baby Cart in Peril" adopts episodes from early volumes and introduces a later (for me: unknown) episode that involves (finally!) a showdown between Ogami and Retsudo!

As usual, the film does a good job giving screen time to other characters allowing them to develop. O-Yuki, the assassin willing to bare her vengeance, is a powerful and interesting character. Daigoro gets more and more screen time as in this movie for the first time, he wanders off alone. The little boy is so charming in this film (like the third installment) -- I love his scowls: talk about inhabiting a character. Combined with the nearly concrete stare of Ogami (actor Wakayama Tomisaburo), this movie confirms it still has the magic. Somehow these nearly opaque actors convey incredible emotion. I just wish I knew what Wakayama was looking at -- he never eyes the action or the camera directly.

Wrath of God: Halsey's Typhoons: Peril On The Sea

Average customer rating:

Wrath of God: Halsey's Typhoons: Peril On The Sea

Manufacturer: A&E Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

( W ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Halsey's Typhoon: The True Story of a Fighting Admiral, an Epic Storm, and an Untold Rescue

ASIN: B000E371L4
Release Date: 2000-09-13

Description

In December 1944, the U.S. Navy was engaged in a ferocious battle in the South Pacific when a new foe arrived, one that proved more deadly than the Japanese. With virtually no warning, the fleet, which was commanded by the legendary Admiral "Bull" Halsey, found itself tossed across the seas by a powerful typhoon. The 100 mile-an-hour winds created sixty foot swells, and despite the best efforts of the sailors, three destroyers capsized and sank. The USS Hull was among the ships lost in the storm, and in HALSEY'S TYPHOONS, three crewmembers recall their ordeal in gripping detail. That they were rescued is a testament to the dedication of Captain Henry Plage of the USS Tabberer. But they were the lucky ones--790 sailors lost their lives to the storm. Just six months later, Halsey's fleet was caught unprepared by yet another typhoon. Mercifully, this one was less damaging, but the admiral's mismanagement of the fleet in the face of these meteorological threats led a Court of Inquiries to recommend he be relieved of his duties. HALSEY'S TYPHOONS serve as a powerful reminder of man's limitations when faced with the intrepid forces of nature.

Average customer rating:

G.O.A.T.
awsome for psp!
Great anime - bad presentation

Ninja Scroll (UMD Mini For PSP)
Starring: Ninja Scroll
Manufacturer: Manga Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: UMD for PSP

General | Universal Media Discs | Stores | DVD | Video

Action & Adventure | Universal Media Discs | Stores | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

Ghost in the Shell (UMD Mini For PSP)
Blood - The Last Vampire (UMD Mini For PSP)
Akira UMD (PSP)
Appleseed (UMD Mini For PSP)
Samurai Champloo - Episodes 1 & 2 (UMD Mini For PSP)

Accessories:

Sony PSP PlayGear Amp
Sony PSP Comfort Grips Black
Sony PSP Psyclone Nodus Sound System
Sony PSP Travel Case

ASIN: B000A158TM
Release Date: 2005-08-23

Customer Reviews:

G.O.A.T........2007-03-09

CLASSIC.
If you didn't know about it you are probably dissapointed with all of the anime you've seen,with the exception of the Basilisk series.

From a teen to an older person and everyone in between won't be able to deny the genius of this movie.

A must have for any type of DVD collection. College students, or anyone with roommates... lock this one away.

awsome for psp!.......2006-10-07

i have no clue what the above writer is talking about. The umd is near perfect picture quality but yes there is no trailers for anything else and its only in english but umd capasity is not as big as dvd so that is to be expected. No that dosent make up for subtitles or the japanese laguge as i have 2 with both of them so i do agree that this umd is low quality as far as extras go but hey, its for psp.

Great anime - bad presentation.......2005-10-17

Manga has spent very little effort to bring this classic anime to your PSP. The only audio track is the English dub, so therefore there are no subtitles. Worse yet, the movie is presented in a widescreen format -- the original movie was not widescreen, so presentation in this format just cuts off the top and bottom of the scene.

Image quality is soft, and looks to be a straight conversion from the poorly done DVD Manga brought out a few years ago.

Average customer rating:

Italians In Space
ALPHA DVD VERSION
Alpha Two does not answer
Interesting film, horrible transfer
For a first try, color me impressed

Assignment: Outer Space
Starring: Rik Van Nutter , Gabriella Farinon , David Montresor , Archie Savage , and Alain Dijon
Director: Antonio Margheriti
Manufacturer: Alpha Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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

Classic Sci-Fi | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Genres | DVD | Video

Space Adventure | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Genres | DVD | Video

( A ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

All Deals | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

4-for-3 Art House & International | 4-for-3 DVD | Stores | DVD | Video

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4-for-3 All DVDs | 4-for-3 DVD | Stores | DVD | Video

Spaceways
Project Moonbase
Flight to Mars
Unknown World (B&W)
Target Earth

ASIN: B00008AOV2
Release Date: 2003-02-18

Customer Reviews:

Italians In Space.......2007-04-16

Now and then you encounter a film so tiresome that the thought reviewing it is every bit as tiresome as the film itself. Such is the case with ASSIGNMENT: OUTER SPACE, also known as SPACE MEN, a 1960 Italian flick.

The story is unimpressive. A reporter (Rik Van Nutter) is assigned to cover the goings-on aboard a space station--and happens to arrive just in time for a nuclear space ship to go out of control and threaten the earth and everyone on it. So they all blast off for Mars, and then they blast off for Venus, and then they blast off for the runaway space ship. There is a romantic subplot and more uninspired cliffhangers than a Pearl White serial.

The special effects aren't, the actors are stiff, and there are numerous insults to audience intelligence along the way. The absolute best thing I can say for this movie is that I've seen worse dubbing jobs--and now and then it does have an idea that seems interesting, although in truth nothing much comes of it. Unless you are a die-hard fan of lousy 1960s sci-fi, give this one a miss.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

ALPHA DVD VERSION.......2006-11-27

NOT BAD 1960 ITALIAN SPACE OPUS ABOUT ANNOYING REPORTER WHO SAVES THE EARTH. GOOD SPECIAL EFFECTS (FOR THE TIME) & AN INTERESTING CAST, ESPECIALLY ARCHIE SAVAGE AS AL WHO SACRIFICES HIS LIFE SO STAR RIK VON NUTTER (THE FIRST ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER) CAN BECOME THE HERO AND GET THE GIRL!!! THIS IS THE SPACE FILM WHERE EVERYONE WEARS THE STEVE CANYON FLIGHT HELMETS!!!
THE ALPHA DVD IS CLEAR & WATCHABLE, NOT HAMPERED WITH ANNOYING CUTS/SPLICES/JUMPS...HOWEVER, THE COLOR IS SO FADED THE FILM APPEARS TO BE SHOT IN SEPIA-TONE. THIS IS ONE FILM A COMPANY LIKE IMAGE NEEDS TO RELEASE IN WIDESCREEN...PLEASE!!!

Alpha Two does not answer.......2006-10-10

A reporter on a routine mission in the 21st century. Finds he is wrapped up in a mystery that will take him from nervous intruder to a heroic mission. On the way reporter Ray Peterson (IZ41) and botanist, co-pilot and all around cutie Lucy (Y13) find time to fall in love.

In the process George the Commander (David Montresor) learns to be human and give a few rousing speeches about how man carries his nature to space with himself. Al (X15) (Archie Savage) find an opportunity to sacrifice for man kind and be remembered "Alas poor Al"

Turns out that humanity itself is being threatened. Will this crew be able to get along and deter the threat or is destiny too strong?

The mechanics to tell the story are the use of models, old pilot helpmates and Italian 1961 concept of space fatuous. The analog interments add that space feel.

Interesting film, horrible transfer.......2006-05-18

I'm always amused by a friend who claims to have found great deals on old movies on DVD, only to be repeatedly burned by another cheap hack job by companies like Goodtimes or (in this case) Alpha Video. So it was with some trepidation I approached this one...

I was already familiar with the film, having long ago purchased a VHS copy from a slightly-more reputable company than those mentioned above. But after seeing this washed-out mess, with its numerous missing frames and audio dropouts, I might as well have used my DVD recorder to copy my VHS. The ONLY thing to recommend this disc over my tape is the inclusion of a trailer, which is in itself an oddity for Alpha. It's nice to have, but it's actually, unbelievably, in worse condition than the film.

ASSIGNMENT: OUTER SPACE itself is a pretty good little Italian space opera. As a kid watching these kinds of films on late-nite television, I always thrilled at seeing outer space scenes, spaceships, astronauts floating around, etc. And the film certainly delivers on those. And there is a real plot in there, too. Much has been said about how irritating Rik Von Nutter's reporter character is. But truthfully, these sorts of films are rarely a showcase for great acting. I found most of the characters acceptable, if unremarkable. And the reporter in space idea was probably pretty fresh in 1961.

Until a better transfer pops up, I'd recommend this disc only for sci-fi completists.

For a first try, color me impressed.......2006-05-10

This puppy before you is the very first Italian sci-fi flick, from way back in 1960. As my regular readers are aware...big shout out to both of 'em har-d-har-harr...Tom Danger has found his purpose in life. Yes, God Himself has set me about watching every oddball film made in the two decades prior to my arrival on this whirling orb of insanity. Well, maybe it was George Burns. I was pretty drunk. But He let Lenny Bruce pass the pearly gates, according to Larry Flynt, so who am I to argue? Besides, I'm not Vince McMahon. He might in fact smite me.

Anyhow, AOS concerns a reporter assigned to bring back a story from the cosmos. He disembarks into a hostile space station only to find the grandaddy of all journalistic scoops...the impending destruction of the Earth. The cosmonauts remind me of the Michelin Man in their suits. One explosion was filmed on a backlot with a car in the frame. Careless, Paisan. A few love slaps across your cheek. Otherwise, the effects are quite good for the era, and the acting surprisingly superb. The underlying message about space and technology sapping the humanity from men, turning them to machines, is needed today in our internet-based society more than ever. The cosmonauts have no names, just numbers. They don't even know what Christmas is. The print is so faded that the picture could be mistaken for black and white, but that's okay. The Tree Line 50 Sci-Fi Classics contains AOS, Mesa of Lost Women, Santa Claus Conquers the Martians, Teeangers from Outer Space and many more. Like the Queen of Hearts, always your best bet.

Average customer rating:

The House of Peril

Manufacturer: Harmony Concepts
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

( H ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Andrea Neal's Insidious Plot
The Sweep and other Unbelievable Occurrences
Hidden Treasures
Confessions of a Bondage Lover
Buxom Bondage Club

ASIN: B000I2J7I6
Release Date: 2006-09-05

Average customer rating:

NON PERIL

Peril
Starring: Michael Paré , Morgan Fairchild , Jayson Argento , Bruce Perkins , and Joshua J. Masters
Director: David Giancola
Manufacturer: Mti Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

Suspense | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

Mystery | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

4-for-3 Action & Adventure | 4-for-3 DVD | Stores | DVD | Video

4-for-3 All DVDs | 4-for-3 DVD | Stores | DVD | Video

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

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

Fate
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ASIN: B00005AB8I
Release Date: 2001-05-22

Customer Reviews:

NON PERIL.......2005-05-10

PERIL is one of those movies you kick yourself for watching. A derivative plot, poor acting, with characters that do really stupid things, especially the cops. Michael Pare (one of B movie's worst actors) plays Vincent Scarpetti, a psychopathic mental patient, who escapes from his asylum in a murderous spree. Morgan Fairchild and John James play a middle-aged couple down on their luck. He's an electrician who due to a genetic bone disorder is unable to work so spends his time whining and drinking. She's his long-suffering wife, who comes up with a plan to get the money necessary to save their house and get him the operation he needs: seems like his brother, a cop, stole some money and then killed himself, leaving behind a map where the money was hidden. The couple in desperatin decide to retrieve the money, despite their daughter's reservations. Of course, they do so on the day a new dam is being opened, so they only have a few hours to do their deed. He gets trapped in the sewage drain and Fairchild has to find somebody to help her. Who shows up but Pare, who kidnaps Fairchild, and thus begins a silly chase movie, with Fairchild overemoting and Pare trying to make us feel sorry for him.
While you find yourself mildly absorbed in what will happen, the movie crescendos into a series of unbelievable circumstances with a rather ridiculous ending.

DVD:

DVD

Bourne Identity [WS Explosive Edition] [2002] (REGION 1) (NT

DVD: Creature Features (Octopus/Spiders/King Cobra/Crocodile

Das Mittelalter - eine geheimnisvolle Welt, Teil 2 : Die Rei