American Dream

Starring:Jesse Jackson, Ray Rogers
Director: Barbara Kopple, Cathy Caplan, Thomas Haneke, Lawrence Silk
Studio: Miramax Home Entertainment
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com essential video

Like Easy Rider, Bonnie and Clyde, The Wild Bunch, and The Graduate, The Last Picture Show is one of the signature films of the "New Hollywood" that emerged in the late 1960s and early '70s. Based on the novel by Larry McMurtry and lovingly directed by Peter Bogdanovich (who cowrote the script with McMurtry), this 1971 drama has been interpreted as an affectionate tribute to classic Hollywood filmmaking and the great directors (such as John Ford) that Bogdanovich so deeply admired. It's also a eulogy for lost innocence and small-town life, so accurately rendered that critic Roger Ebert called it "the best film of 1951," referring to the movie's one-year time frame, its black-and-white cinematography (by Robert Surtees), and its sparse but evocative visual style. The story is set in the tiny, dying town of Anarene, Texas, where the main-street movie house is about to close for good, and where a pair of high-school football players are coming of age and struggling to define their uncertain futures. There's little to do in Anarene, and while Sonny (Timothy Bottoms) engages in a passionless fling with his football coach's wife (Cloris Leachman), his best friend Duane (Jeff Bridges) enlists for service in the Korean War. Both boys fall for a manipulative high-school beauty (Cybill Shepherd) who's well aware of her sexual allure. But it's not so much what happens in The Last Picture show as how it happens--and how Bogdanovich and his excellent cast so effectively capture the melancholy mood of a ghost town in the making. As Hank Williams sings on the film's evocative soundtrack, The Last Picture Show looks, feels, and sounds like a sad but unforgettably precious moment out of time. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

It has aged well.......2007-06-30

Nobody needs more superlatives about this movie. All I can add is it remains one of the definitive movies about the teenage experience, even after almost 40 years, and does not appear the least bit dated. Just as important, it isn't easy to categorize simply as a "Coming of Age movie" since it deals just as relevantly with the issues of having one's best years behind oneself (Sam the Lion, and by extension, the town itself) not to mention the struggles of being trapped in a loveless marriage (Ruth Popper & Lois Farrow being two strikingly different sides of the same coin). It continues to strike a chord on multiple levels.

A true classic, made all the more remarkable by the fact that Bogdanovich made perhaps two more movies after this which were remotely worth a damn. But I guess having one classic to one's credit should be enough.

The death of innocence in 1950's Texas.......2007-05-21

The Last Picture Show is a film adaptation by Peter Bogdanovich of Larry McMurtry's novel of the same name. The two-hour film follows Texas high school seniors as they graduate and move on to military service, college, or get stuck in the soon-to-be ghost town of Anarene. Anarene is an actual ghost town in Texas, but the movie was filmed 8 miles to the north, in McMurtry's hometown of Archer City, which was fictionalized as Thalia in his 1966 novel. The setting is evocative of many American small towns in the dust bowl during the Korean War. In fact, Bogdanovich chose the name Anarene for his film version to pay homage to Howard Hawks' 1948 Red River, set in Abilene, Kansas.

You can taste the dust and desolation as you view The Last Picture Show. Two high school seniors (Jeff Bridges and Timothy Bottoms) lust after the teenage temptress (Cybill Shepherd) and get advice from the old-time owner of the town's movie theater. The young generation of Anarene residents is confused about their future and jockeying for position in the social strata, while the older generation feels the desperation of life in a dying one-horse town. Reportedly, Orson Wells recommended that the movie be shot in black & white, and I can't imagine it any other way. As a younger viewer, I was surprised by the amount of full-frontal nudity and sexual scenarios in a film nominated for eight Academy Awards. It gives me hope to know that American cinema wasn't always as prudish as it has been in the recent past.

Well made film but................ .......2007-05-20

Although this film is top notch in most respects it left me too sad and depressed to want to give it the full five star rating. The filmmakers certainly do an excellent job of portraying small town North Texas ( the Wichita Falls area is just below Oklahoma) life from the adults who obsess about the teenagers' football playing abilities to the petty cruelties and intrigues spawned by wind swept boredom. The actors are all well cast and bring their characters to life though I'll admit I was a little confused at first as to the family connections or lack there of for Duane, Billy, Sonny and Sam the Lion. It amazes me that when the film was released in 1971 it was portraying events that had happened only nineteen years previously (in 1952) since it seemed at the time it debuted it was all ready considered a movie about long gone days. One note it definitely does deserve the R rating.

Do your self a favour - Check this out.......2007-05-08

Having just seen this film for the first time what can I say, I'm totally
totally blown away. I won't bother going into any details as the reviews below heap more than enough superlatives on this little beauty. The pity is that in Australia this film is unknown, certainly no one I know has heard of it, and I only became curious when I saw it featured on a Doco of 70's movies. One of those rare movies where all the elements of the film making craft stand out brilliantly. Sure don't make 'em like they used to.

One of the Best Movies of All Time.......2007-03-11

When "The Last Picture Show" was first released, it was hailed as one of the best debut films by an American director since "Citizen Kane." Odd, since "Citizen Kane" is #1 on The American Film Institute's Top 100 list and "The Last Picture Show" is nowhere to be found. Since it is in the 400 nominees for the 10th anniversary edition of that list, maybe it will make it this time. It certainly deserves to. The film is based on a novel by Oscar winner Larry McMurtry (Best Adapted Screenplay, 'Brokeback Mountain') and is written by McMurtry and director Peter Bogdanovich. The movie takes place in a small, desolate Texas town where the only thing to do is go to school, play sports, and see a movie. No one knows this better than Sonny (Timothy Bottoms) and his friends. Sonny is a typical high school senior. He hangs out with his friends, usually Duane (Jeff Bridges), chills with his girlfriend, and worries about his future. Especially since almost no one in the town has much of a future. Bogdanovich hammers this message down, mostly with the black & white cinematography. Despite having a crush on Duane's slutty girlfriend Jacy (Cybill Shepherd), Sonny begins having an affair with his football coach's wife Ruth (Cloris Leachman, who deservedly won an Oscar her role). Probably the most memorable character in the film is Sam the Lion (Ben Johnson, who also won an Oscar for his role) the man who owns the movie theatre, the diner, and pool hall frequented by almost everyone in the town. Sam also, for the most part, acts as the moral conscience of the town. The character is given some of the best dialogue. The performances in this film are all so good. You can not imagine one other person playing the roles in the film. One thing I kept noticing while watching the film is how hot Cybill Shepherd was back in the day. "The Last Picture Show" is a masterpiece of cinema that deserves a lot more props for how good it is. It's regarded as a classic, but isn't a solidified one. The movie does everything so well to illustrate its story and the desperation of all the characters to get away. From the black & white atmosphere to the dull-ness of everything. Not a single scene in the film seems forced or un-needed (although it could be argued the film has gratuitous nudity, but who cares?). If you haven't seen "The Last Picture Show" you should, because it's a great film and it's very memorable, you won't regret watching it.

GRADE: A

Average customer rating:

Ayer film hits hard but misses necessary emphasis
Harsh Times
sucks
Harsh times was too harsh too watch!!!
Surprisingly Bad

Harsh Times
Starring: Christian Bale , Freddy Rodríguez , Armando Cantina , Eva Longoria , and Kenneth Choi
Director: David Ayer
Manufacturer: Weinstein Company
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000KX0IM2
Release Date: 2007-03-13

Amazon.com

Bleak as its South Central Los Angeles setting, Harsh Times is like a suicidal vortex swallowing men who ought to know better but can't stop their self-destruction. Christian Bale stars as Jim Davis, a stressed-out, former Army Ranger who becomes a very bad influence on his weak-willed buddy, Mike Alvarez (Freddy Rodriguez of Six Feet Under). Together the two meander through streets at night, getting drunk and stoned, finding trouble for its own sake and inviting danger as a ritual of machismo bonding. Mike's wife, Sylvia (Eva Longoria), a lawyer whom Mike, working as a telemarketer, put through school, is repelled by Jim and watches in pain as her spouse chooses a downward spiral over renewal and redemption with her. When Jim's application to join the L.A. police is turned down, he leads Mike into pure anarchy. An impractical change of fortune doesn't help any, and first-time director David Ayer, who wrote the screenplay for Harsh Times years before his script for Training Day, goes to some lengths, dramatically and visually, to convey Jim's unhinged condition. The dreariness of it all, and a sense that Bale has constructed--but not exactly lived in--another in his gallery of lost, misfit souls, makes it hard to connect with this film. Still, it is hard to turn away from these desperate and dangerous characters. --Tom Keogh

Description

(Action) Bale stars as an ex-Army Ranger who finds himself slipping back into his old life of petty crime and booze after a job offer from the LAPD evaporates. Honorable discharged, Homeland Security wants to recruit him for some special ops in Central America, but first he has to pass a urine test...which proves difficult. Film directorial debut for Ayer who has written such box office hits as TRAINING DAY, U-571 and THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS

Customer Reviews:

Ayer film hits hard but misses necessary emphasis.......2007-06-25

Following Christian Bales acting career is like watching an Olympic swimmer, pushing the boundaries, pushing the improbable to finally win the gold medal to then come back after fours years and do it all again, breaking world records performing like a new star. There seems there's nothing this actor will not attempt to do to push his talent and skill in terms of submerging himself into a character. Whether his performance as the yuppie killer in American Psycho or the emaciated empty headed somnambulist in The Machinist or even the serious caped crusader in the excellent Batman Begins all characters hit the mark, all believable, all extremely well done.

In this realistic drama, he portrays a post traumatic psychotic returned from a tour of duty from somewhere in the Middle East. Bale as Jim Davis does a believable performance, however, does not gain the sympathy (so required in a role like this) from the audience. Something is missing but what exactly is missing?

Freddy Rodriguez, Six Feet Under as Mike Alonzo does a fair job as the irresponsible old buddy badly influenced by Jim Davis's pleas to party and make trouble when Freddy should be looking for a job. Their repartee in Davis's car is realistic and sadly true of two old friends holding on to their respective past, and refusing to grow up. Despite the fact that the two characters are in their late twenties, the dialogue is distinctly adolescent as their drunken and pot fuelled antics while driving the streets of South Central L.A. all too often reveal.

The beautiful Eva Longeria Desperate Housewives plays Alonzo's lawyer wife, gently pushing the boy like a concerned and nagging mother to get a job. Similar to a confused teenager, to cover the fact that he's drinking with Davis, has his friends telephone his home and leave messages as potential employers. He gets caught to then act like a guilty fourteen year old as his beautiful wife kicks him out of the house - loser realism at its most pathetic.

The film begins to change as the two boy's finally land jobs. Although for the psychotic recent war Vet, Jim Davis, his behaviour turns bad, his psychotic breaks more out of control, and the entire fate of these characters and the film now heads on a downward rollercoaster to hell.

Apart from the fact that these druggy antics and violent behaviours from Jim Davis went on far too long throughout the film, Bale never shows us something in the character we can sympathize with...the character is insane to begin with and he just goes more insane as the film progresses. Because the boy is a Vet and most likely a war hero in the traditional sense, like Vietnam, society will not let him back into `normality' because trained killers, soldiers who return from action, are more often damaged goods.

This is the message of the film: Western governments send our boys to war and expect them to do their duty and kill the enemy. But the support they so direly need when returning from the hell of war, attempting to fit back in to society is forgotten. That is why some soldiers continue going back for extra tours, because that's all they know and can do.

Harsh Times is a realistic film, well acted but missed one aspect so necessary in a story of this kind, creating sympathy for the main character. We get the point but as the character is too far gone, we'd rather not look at it or... care.

Harsh Times.......2007-06-19

My Oppinion: Harsh Times is a very good drama, but has a lousy story and is kinda boring. Christian Bale does an outstanding performance and so does Freddy Rodriguze.

About The Film: Harsh Tims is about Jim an ex-army ranger who comes back home reunits with his bst friend Mike and applies for the LAPD. When The LAPD rejects him he goes into a vilont act and petty crimeand he drags his weak-milled friend mike with him. Mikes wife sees what jim is doing to her husband and pushes mike to get a job and all Jim wants to do is go out drinking and sale drugs. When Jim and mike end up with 20 kg of marjuwana jim gets a tragic end.

If You Liked this movie then check out Harsh Times the original motion picture soundtrack.

sucks.......2007-06-18

harsh times is the experience of watching this movie. go back to batman bale.

Harsh times was too harsh too watch!!!.......2007-06-05

First off, I am only giving this movie two stars for the way Christian Bale looked in his "wife-beater"/undershirt. Other than that, the rest of this movie was abysmal. Bale was terribly miscast in this role. The thug routine does not fit him. His talents were wasted. Freddy Rodriguez' performance was forgettable and the dialog between the two was horribly written and executed. We will not even get on the horrible accent since other reviewers already mentioned that. Eva Longoria had minimal screen time and I was wondering what the purpose of her character was. In addition, I looked at the end credits and I noticed that Bale was one of the executive producers for this. He should have rethought about putting his name on this mess. Overall, this movie was a hot"100 degree" mess. Please avoid this like a beat down.

Surprisingly Bad.......2007-06-02

Oddly enough, considering the cast and the high quality of acting I was very disappointed in this movie. The story is both boring and exceedingly predicable. Could any two human beings be so monumentally screwed up and succeed in life at any level? The lead character is not only a lowly mess but a complete looser. Not only did I find it hard to relate to the character, it got to the point I didn't even care. I turned the movie off within just minutes from the end not being able to stomach it anymore.
Its just a study in the worst of humanity slithering around in alcohol abuse, drug abuse and misery. This movie proves if you give good actors a poor story a shallow script and pathetic dialog you can't expect them to pull off a decent movie.

Average customer rating:

Ignore the Critics
Good movie.
A big surprise!
The First Time
the postman

The Postman
Starring: Todd Allen , Scott Bairstow , Annie Costner , Charles Esten , and Shawn Hatosy
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
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ASIN: 0790736500
Release Date: 1998-06-09

Amazon.com

Falling from the Oscar-winning glory of Dances with Wolves to the opposite end of the critical and box-office scale, Kevin Costner must have been deeply humbled when this three-hour postapocalyptic tale--his sophomore effort as a director--was greeted with a critical thrashing and tepid audience response. One of the most conspicuous flops of its decade, the 1997 release must have seemed like a sure thing on paper: a kind of futurist Western starring Costner as a charismatic drifter-turned-hero who leads the resistance against a military tyrant (Will Patton) by reviving the long-dormant postal system to reunite isolated communities in their fight for freedom. The movie bombed, but, like many audacious failures, it's got qualities that make it at least partially endearing, and its earnestness (although bordering on corny) keeps it from being entirely silly. Faint praise, perhaps, but Costner's ode to patriotism is occasionally stirring and visually impressive. The dual-layered, widescreen DVD includes a documentary segment about the creation of the film's special effects sequences, featuring a running commentary by the special effects creators. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

Ignore the Critics.......2007-07-04

I've enjoyed this movie so much over the years that I found myself adding it to my personal DVD collection - and I am very selective in what I add. Yes it's long, but it's also exciting, moving, and inspiring in turns. This is a movie that features adventure and explores themes of courage, commitment and patriotism. It's also the best movie Costner's ever done.

Good movie........2007-06-27

The movie starts out slow but is worth being patient. Really good, moving, thought provoking movie.

A big surprise!.......2007-05-26

I have never been a fan of Kevin Costner's films with the exception of The Untouchables, and even then I enjoyed Sean Connery's performance much more than Kevin's.

One night, I was sick with the flu and the medicine I was taking at the time kept me wide awake. My wife had already gone off to bed so I wrapped myself in a blanket, settled on to the couch and began channel surfing.

I came across The Postman on HBO and figured; "Why not?". Late night TV always left something to be desired in my opinion, so I gave The Postman a look see.

I was hooked.

The story was epic in scope and VERY original. All of the actors give incredible performances (especially Wil Patton). The film does have moments where things seem to drag on, but overall, your interest doesn't wane. I sat motionless for this 3-hour film. Very rarely am I able to do that.

As soon as the movie was over, I wanted to see it again. Unlike most films, this one becomes something more with each viewing.

Give this movie a try. You will not be diappointed.

The First Time .......2007-05-16

The first time I saw this and "Waterworld" I thought Costner had no business doing SciFi movies. I'm sure some thought that way about "Robin Hood" and "Field of Dreams". In each of his movies he doesn't quite seem on his game, but then there is something about each of them that draws you back. Perhaps it is because he isn't quite on his game, slightly vulnerable and human. Perhaps it is due to the fact there is so much trash out there, these are far better than them when compared. All I can say is I at first didn't own these movies and I wasn't particular impressed with them and now I do own them. I actually sit down and watch them and find them reasonably entertaining. They will grow on you if you give them a chance.

the postman.......2007-03-17

this was a very good movie. it had alot of action, a love story content and it had a bit of humor to it! i enjoyed it very much.

The Premiere Frank Capra Collection (Mr. Smith Goes to Washington / It Happened One Night / You Can't Take It with You / Mr. Deeds Goes to Town / American Madness / Frank Capra's American Dream)

Average customer rating:

All I can say is "WOW!
Outstanding value DVD set
Capra is quietly cool.
Great films, great quality
Historic Films

The Premiere Frank Capra Collection (Mr. Smith Goes to Washington / It Happened One Night / You Can't Take It with You / Mr. Deeds Goes to Town / American Madness / Frank Capra's American Dream)
Starring: Jean Arthur , James Stewart , Claude Rains , Edward Arnold , and Guy Kibbee
Director: Frank Capra
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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The Errol Flynn Signature Collection, Vol. 2 (The Charge of the Light Brigade / Gentleman Jim / The Adventures of Don Juan / The Dawn Patrol / Dive Bomber)
Gary Cooper - The Signature Collection (Sergeant York / The Fountainhead / Dallas / Springfield Rifle / The Wreck of the Mary Deare)
TCM Archives - Forbidden Hollywood Collection, Vol. 1 (Waterloo Bridge 1931 / Baby Face / Red-Headed Woman)

ASIN: B000ION7A8
Release Date: 2006-12-05

Amazon.com

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington Political heavyweights decide that Jefferson Smith (James Stewart), an obscure scoutmaster in a small town, would be the perfect dupe to fill a vacant U.S. Senate chair. Surely this naive bumpkin can be easily controlled by the senior senator (Claude Rains) from his state, a respectable and corrupted career politician. Director Frank Capra fills the movie with Smith's wide-eyed wonder at the glories of Washington, all of which ring false for his cynical secretary (Jean Arthur), who doesn't believe for a minute this rube could be for real. But he is. Capra was repeating the formula of a previous film, Mr. Deeds Goes to Town, but this one is even sharper; Stewart and Arthur are brilliant, and the former cowboy star Harry Carey lends a warm presence to the role of the vice president. Bright, funny, and beautifully paced, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington is Capra's ode to the power of innocence--an idea so potent that present-day audiences may find themselves wishing for a new Mr. Smith in Congress. The 1939 Congress was none too thrilled about the film's depiction of their august body, denouncing it as a caricature; but even today, Capra's jibes about vested interests and political machines look as accurate as ever. --Robert Horton

It Happened One Night Director Frank Capra (Mr. Smith Goes to Washington) took home every Oscar in the book (well, okay, all the major ones) for this seminal 1934 comedy starring Clark Gable as a hard-bitten reporter who stays close to a runaway heiress (Claudette Colbert) rather than lose a good story. Funny and sexy, the film is full of memorable scenes often referred to in other films, such as the "walls of Jericho" (a mere bedcover hung on a line down the middle of a room so opposite-sex roommates can get undressed), and Colbert's famous flash of thigh to stop a speeding car in its tracks. Capra's brisk, urbane brand of wit was a perfect complement to his populist faith in the common man (in this case, Gable's character), and that inspired combination makes this film both a spirited entertainment and an uplifting experience. --Tom Keogh

You Can't Take It With You
Frank Capra's 1938 populist spin on the George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart play about a family of happy eccentrics is a great deal of fun, though it significantly rewrites the original work and doesn't represent Capra (Mr. Deeds Goes to Town, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington) at his best. Jean Arthur plays a member of the blissful Vanderhof household who falls in love with a rich man's son (James Stewart) and brings him into her nutty home. Lionel Barrymore, who played such a bad guy eight years later in Capra's It's a Wonderful Life, is the wonderful Grandpa Vanderhof, who addresses God during the dinner prayer as "sir" and speaks plainly and beautifully of why it's good to be alive. Capra took this opportunity to rail against big business and champion the common man, but the overall tone of the film--typical for the director's comedies--is buoyant and snappy. --Tom Keogh

Mr. Deeds Goes to Town
Mr. Deeds Goes to Town is Frank Capra's classic screwball comedy about a village innocent who inherits $20 million, only to discover it's more trouble than it's worth. The screwball in question is Longfellow Deeds (Gary Cooper), a small-town greeting-card poet and tuba player transplanted to the big city to administer his newly inherited wealth, where fast-pattering, wised-up cynics, sneering society denizens, and corrupt lawyers lord it over the ingenuous and straightforward. Deeds's idiosyncrasies are amply magnified in the tabloids by journalist "Babe" Bennett (Jean Arthur), dating Deeds as a cover, only to discover she's the sap when she falls irresistibly for him. But the damage has been done, when Babe's column is used by a pack of corrupt lawyers, Cedar, Cedar, Cedar & Budington, to prove Deeds mentally unfit. The miracle of this unforgettable comedy is how it embraces dark material, calling into question some common assumptions about capitalism while maintaining an approachable atmosphere of light comedy, and deceptively so. You'll be so pixilated by its charm, you won't rest until you've doodled your way to a rhyme for "Budington." --Jim Gay

More Stills from The Premiere Frank Capra Collection (click for larger image)

Product Description

Designated the "Number One Director in Hollywood" by Time Magazine in 1938 and voted by Entertainment Weekly (April 19th issue, 1996) as one of the greatest directors of all time, Capra has received numerous industry awards and accolades over the course of his successful career including three Best Director Oscars®.

The Premiere Frank Capra Collection is a 6-disc collectible box set featuring five of Frank Capra's best films. The digitally re-mastered set includes Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, You Can't Take it With You, Mr. Deeds Goes to Town, It Happened One Night and American Madness. The DVD box set includes a bonus disc packed with all-new interviews, archival footage, plus Frank Capra's American Dream documentary hosted by Ron Howard and produced by Capra's eldest son, Frank Capra, Jr. (An Eye for an Eye, Marooned). This Premiere Collection also features commentaries for each film, along with a 96- page collectible Movie Scrapbook.

Customer Reviews:

All I can say is "WOW!.......2007-06-01

It was a happy day for me when I learned that this collection was being isssued and when it arrived from Amazon my first act was to cancel all my appointments, take the phone off the hook and settle down with a bowl and popcorn and discover just what made Frank Capra one of the leading directors of his day and indeed for all time. I was not disappointed. Along with favorites like "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" and "You Can't Take it with You" were "It Happened One Night" (which I had not seen in years and did not recall how good it was) and "Mr. Deeds Goes to Town." Also included in this set is a fabulous collection of films documenting just how Frank Capra was able to produce his fabulous collection of films. It is rare that great classics of American cinema get the attention and treatment that they deserve, but this is one of those rare instances of the material being treated in the appropriate manner.

It really would be silly for me to try to capture the magic and craftsmanship that went into making these fabulous films. Capra had a particular talent for being to tap into the fundamental aspects of what it meant to be an American in the 1930s and 1940s and this talent is on full display in this collection. They contain some marvelous performances, particularly by Jimmy Stewart, Clark Gable, Gary Cooper, Claudette Caulbert and in particular Jean Arthur. While Capra's autobiography does contain it share of myths, the chapters that detail the efforts it took to get these performances down on film is probably worth consulting for the insights it provides.

If I were to fault it for one or two things it would be the omission of two classics in the Capra canon. These are "Meet John Doe" which really is crying out for a restoration and a proper release on DVD and "It's a Wonderful Life." These movies are probably excellent examples of Capra's creativity, but as this fine collection proves, they are by no means the only ones.

I hope that other directors are in line for similar treatments in the future. However it is doubtful if future efforts will surpass this one for its overall excellence.

Outstanding value DVD set.......2007-05-30

This DVD collection is obviously going to be popular with sure fire entertainments such as "You Can't take it with You" and "Mr Smith goes to Washington" but the package goes much further by providing lengthy interviews with Capra's son about each of the films, a detailed documentary about Capra himself, expert commentaries with each film and a detailed booklet. This is outstanding value.

All of the films are excellent and Amazon themselves provide worthwhile summaries. Here are a few observations:

- "Mr Deeds goes to Town" is my least favourite and probably most guilty of what is called "Capra corn". Gary Cooper was often a mannered actor and for me he overdoes his "Aw shucks" country bumpkin. Jean Arthur compensates enormously, making believable that this worldly "babe" could fall for Mr Deeds. She helps Cooper enormously to pull off his performance.
- "American Madness", made in 1932 before Capra really hit the bigtime, benefits from a shorter running time with a fast pace created by the editing. At the height of the Depression, a story about a run on a bank was timely and the note of optimism sounded by the resolution was refreshing. Walter Huston is outstanding as the head of the bank and the serene Kay Johnson, a poised and beautiful presence in any film, plays his wife. The film has one great set and Capra moves his camera around it, including some powerful overhead shots. His crowd scenes are outstanding as always.
- Jean Arthur was a wonderful actress and if her parts in each film are quite similar, it doesn't matter. With her husky inimitable voice and warm smile, she is memorable.
- Clark Gable is very funny in "It happened One Night", a very underrated comedian.
- "Mr Smith goes to Washington" has similarities to "Mr Deeds" but is superior in every way. The documentaries tell that in fact, it was originally conceived as a sequel. James Stewart is much more convincing than Gary Cooper and the yarn has far more tension then the earlier film. It is much less dated. The film was very popular on its release except in Washington where the depiction of political corruption was considered "un-American".

All of the prints are good, although "It happened One Night" suffers from grainy scenes. The films benefit from Capra's attention to detail, particularly the character actors which populated his films. The documentaries tell us that actors lived to appear in a Capra film because they knew that even the smallest part would be treated with loving attention. The most amusing story about this is the casting of Harry Cary in "Mr Smith" as the Speaker in the Senate. On paper, the part was minor but there are numerous telling close ups as he reflects the audience reaction to what is happening. It is a very important role.

The documentary about Capra himself tells of his beginnings as an Italian immigrant. Undoubtedly, his own rise from humble beginnings influenced his view of America as the land of opportunity and his depiction of the power of the people. He lived the "American Dream". Even if you are uncomfortable with the idealism expounded in most of the films (Capra corn), each film tells a good story and provides great entertainment.

Capra is quietly cool........2007-04-06

Mr. Capra is an excellent, pro-American director. He believes in the USA.....his movies prove it. In today's world it is nice to watch movies that have strong Christian, moral pro-USA values. I have liked every Capra movie I have ever seen. He was cutting edge as a movie director.

Great films, great quality.......2007-02-03

I bought the Premiere Frank Capra Collection for my brother's birthday. He's a big Capra fan, but he was concerned that the film quality would not be good, given the low price. He was quite pleased to discover the quality was excellent.

Historic Films.......2007-01-19

Great review of film history in this amazing collection of Capra films. Surprisingly, many have a message that remains relevant to today's problems.

Average customer rating:

Ayer film hits hard but misses necessary emphasis
Harsh Times
sucks
Harsh times was too harsh too watch!!!
Surprisingly Bad

Harsh Times [HD DVD]
Starring: Christian Bale , Cesar Garcia , Michael Monks , Danny Mora , and Freddy Rodriguez
Director: David Ayer
Manufacturer: Weinstein Company
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: HD DVD

Crime | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

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Similar Items:

Blood Diamond [HD DVD]
Children of Men (Widescreen Edition)
Smokin' Aces (Widescreen Edition)
The Departed (Two-Disc Special Edition)
The Good Shepherd (Widescreen Edition)

ASIN: B000N3AXP6
Release Date: 2007-06-12

Amazon.com

Description

Customer Reviews:

Ayer film hits hard but misses necessary emphasis.......2007-06-25

Harsh Times.......2007-06-19

sucks.......2007-06-18

harsh times is the experience of watching this movie. go back to batman bale.

Harsh times was too harsh too watch!!!.......2007-06-05

Surprisingly Bad.......2007-06-02

Average customer rating:

Ben Kingsley is awesome, the movie is not
Ben Kingsley's acting is wonderful but the rest of the movie is a real downer............
Mostly Good for It's Performances
A House Divided Will Fall, But This Film Soars!!! On my 10 best list!!!
Affecting performances and an intriguing storyline

House of Sand and Fog
Starring: Jennifer Connelly , Ben Kingsley , Ron Eldard , Frances Fisher , and Kim Dickens
Director: Vadim Perelman
Manufacturer: Dreamworks Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

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

( H ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
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ASIN: B0001DMVBC
Release Date: 2004-03-30

Amazon.com

Jennifer Connelly followed up her Academy Award for A Beautiful Mind with this dark but moving story of small mistakes that escalate, with tragic necessity, to disaster. In House of Sand and Fog, Kathy (Connelly) gets evicted from her house for failing to pay a tax she never should have been charged in the first place. The house is swiftly put up for auction and bought by a former military officer from Iran named Behrani (Ben Kingsley, Sexy Beast). When legal efforts fail her, Kathy turns to a sympathetic cop (Ron Eldard, Bastard Out of Carolina), who wants out of a loveless marriage and who's willing to step over legal boundaries if it might give him a fresh start. Topnotch performances by the entire cast make House of Sand and Fog a compelling psychological drama; your sympathies will be pulled in all directions. --Bret Fetzer

Description

Academy Award winners Ben Kingsley (Gandhi) and Jennifer Connelly (A Beautiful Mind) deliver stunning performances as two strangers whose conflicting pursuits of the American Dream lead to a fight for their hopes at any cost. What begins as a struggle over a rundown bungalow spirals into a clash that propels everyone involved toward a shocking resolution. "The surprise ending will leave you breathless!" (Clay Smith, Access Hollywood)

Customer Reviews:

Ben Kingsley is awesome, the movie is not.......2007-06-13

What could have been a great movie turned out to be a nothing movie. Ben Kingsley is excellent and gives 110% in everything he does. Jennifer Connelly was fine too and the other actors did well.

The story itself is the problem. A boring story of a girl that is angry over losing her house. You wait and wait and wait for something exciting to happen if not at least something interesting.

It doesn't. Not until the end when Ben Kingsley and his wife commit suicide.
There, I just saved you some valuable cash. Now you owe me!

Ben Kingsley's acting is wonderful but the rest of the movie is a real downer...................2007-05-26

Ben Kingsley's acting is remarkable in the film as he convincingly plays a former high ranking Iranian colonel dealing with a much lower style of living in the U.S. Jennifer Connelly is able to evoke the audience's sympathy despite her character being remarkably dumb and inept. The movie is compelling at first with an interesting and unique plot but the nightmarish ending made it difficult for me to find real enjoyment in the film. And the real estate legal situations as well as the colonel and his wife's sudden decision to take in and help the "angel bird" did not see realistic. I suppose there is a message to be learned from the movie in regards to what is really important in life but the main impression I took away from the film was the very tragic and rather graphic ending.

Mostly Good for It's Performances.......2007-05-11

House of Sand and Fog is a hopeless but convincing tragedy about contested houses and broken pasts. It is morbid and profound enough to keep the riff raff away while also being flat enough to stray from any mainstream. I enjoyed the film for the same reasons critics probably enjoyed it. The film is carried by it's performances first and foremost and almost entirely. One of the more educated knocks on House of Sand and Fog is that the book is simply not really that transferrable toward the movie medium. I never read the book but the film and story stand enough to fuel three of the better performances of that year and also the greatest ensemble considering it's cost.

First is Ben Kingsley who plays Colonel Berani, a man who was forced to flee Iran during it's revolution. He sees a similar home in San Franscisco with regards to it's view (in Iran his home oversaw the Caspian Sea beautifully). This new home was recently repossessed from Kathy, played by the beautiful and talented Jennifer Connelly. I genuinely want Connelley to show her range in the future but House of Sand and Fog is not such an environment. Here, Jennifer plays a women ruined by Alcoholism and being ditched by her husband. She then sparks up an affair with a married police officer named Lester, played by Ron Eldred, and the undermining to throw Berani out of the house begins.

First time Director Vadim Perleman takes a subtle approach in the differences and similarities between the film's main characters. It was enough to make me walk away from the film wanting more but as if by osmosis the film won me over in perspective only days later. Watching the three main characters tangled in their flaws is enough to keep the film compelling. Berani is too proud and deaf to women, Kathy is too eager and manipulative and Lester is too idealistic and blinded by love. They are all ignorant to one another and completely void of empathy. Nadi is Berani's wife and she is played by the outstanding Shohreh Aghdashloo. Nadi is one of the only really likeable characters, because she is also the only one who sees the other's sides, but she is restrained by her submissiveness and her lack of English. Though heavy handed enough to obtain a brooding feeling that tragedy is inevitable, watching these characters fall is worth the wait if you appreciate this sort of film.

Kingsly proves his versatility once again and upstages Connelly in that regard by a long shot. Connelly really just invokes the roles she's been celebrated for before this movie, although she is still quite effective and it revisits her type-casts a bit deeper. It is Aghdashloo that truely stands out and I viewed this film and her performance after the hype with some degree of suspicion. She is excellent.

Overall, House of Sand and Fog is a downer. It wasn't as good as I hoped, given both the indie hype prior to it's release and the mainstream hype during and after it's release, but it was still pretty good. The cast alone makes the film worth watching but I would still imagine we will see more from Perleman in the future as well.

A House Divided Will Fall, But This Film Soars!!! On my 10 best list!!!.......2007-04-28

This is one of those small arthouse-type films that few have heard about, but should certainly see. All too many reviewers on here have given away the entire plot of the film and that's unfortunate as this story is also something of a mystery. I will just tell why and how much I loved this film.

The acting is so powerful and believable that your heart will be tugged in every direction and you will find yourself so moved by the difficulties each character faces and how each can be both right and wrong at the same time. This story is about the gray areas in life as we rarely walk in absolute black and white. I have never witnessed such moving characters who, like in real-life, make mistakes, compound errors, attempt to improve their lives even when they don't know how, and lose what they most want to keep or regain.

The script has such believable dialogue that you will feel that you really know these characters. The direction is very unobtrusive. This film would have been disasterous in the hands of someone like Oliver Stone. The music is compelling and the photography captures the mood swings of the story and characters beautifully.

This is an awesome character-driven film that will haunt you long after it is over. Both my wife and I wept while watching it. It is an extremely emotional film and I couldn't more highly recommend it than I have.

Affecting performances and an intriguing storyline.......2007-03-28

Amir Behrani (Ben Kingsley in an Oscar-nominated performance) is working two jobs, one as a road construction worker and the other as a clerk/manager in a convenience store. He is a meticulous man, a man of dignity and pride. He has a wife Nadi (Shohreh Aghdashloo) and a teenaged son. They immigrated to the US from Iran where he was a colonel in the air force. They had a house in the days of the Shan on the Caspian Sea that they have no longer.

One day Behrani sees an ad for a repossessed house up for auction. This is the house of the title. It is owned by Kathy Nicolo (Jennifer Connelly) and her brother. We see her asleep in the house, which has gone to some disrepair, dirty dishes in the sink, unopened mail on the living room floor. She is awakened by a phone call from her mother on the east coast. It's 6 a.m. Kathy seems hung over. Her mother is coming to visit in a couple of weeks. Kathy says her husband will be out of down. She says he is lying next to her now, asleep. However he isn't.

Kathy is in a bad way. She is a recovering alcoholic. We can imagine her husband left her because of her drinking. She is trying to quit smoking. And worse yet, there comes a banging on the door and she learns that the house is being taken from her for back taxes. Signs are plastered on the doors. A county sheriff Lester (Ron Eldard) is there to make her exit the premises.

We can see the clash of cultures coming: the proud, hard-working immigrant who is going to buy the house dirt cheap and then sell it for a profit, the careless and self-indulgent American who is going to go live in her car.

Sheriff Lester is the joker in the deck. He is bored with his wife, whom he married young after growing up with her. He immediately takes a fancy to Kathy, and we can see that he will be instrumental in trying to get the house back.

So this is the premise of the movie. There are some problems with this premise, but they are minor. Behrani buys the house for forty-some thousand dollars and puts it up for sale for an hundred and seventy-some thousand. These numbers are pathetically low for the time, the 1990s, and the location, the San Francisco Bay area. Kathy is left with nothing. However after the taxes are paid she should be getting what's left of the forty-thousand. The direction by Vidim Perelman in his debut glosses over this. Furthermore, Kathy should be suing the county since they are the ones who wrongfully assessed her for a business tax.

What makes this movie work is the fine storyline, adapted by Perelman from the novel by Andre Dubus III, and superior performances by Ben Kingsley, Shohreh Aghdashloo, and Jennifer Connelly. Kingsley becomes the Iranian colonel in the most convincing manner. His motivations are clear and believable. His character is rounded and at once sympathetic and a bit off-putting. He is sexist and macho but at the same time civilized, compassionate and even admirable. Connelly, in her stringy hair and cheap cut offs becomes an injured and lost bird that has flown into this house that is no longer hers, this house that symbolizes both the American dream and the dream of the immigrant. I have seen her in a couple of other movies, most notably in A Beautiful Mind (2001). She is striking to look at, and here she proves she is a very talented actress. Her ability to turn her character from one that we are disposed to dislike to one for whom we feel great sympathy is part of what make this a superior film.

Aghdashloo, whose work got her a nomination for a Best Supporting Actress Oscar in 2004, also gives a fine performance in a delicate role requiring understanding and compassion. It is perhaps fitting that she was born in Tehran and speaks Farsi. (Excellent casting overall, by the way.)

Also notable is the original score by James Horner, which also received an Oscar nomination.

This movie is not only a work of art, but is intriguingly plotted so that what develops and how it ends are not easily predicted. The ending for some may seem a bit stagy, but I believe that Kingsley sold it well, and considering his character, it is quite plausible.

Average customer rating:

A CLASSIC! CAGNEY & BOGART?...........AND THERE'S MORE?
Another great James Cagney movie
Great Nostalgia!
A very New York movie
"Whaddaya Hear, Whaddaya Say?"

Angels With Dirty Faces
Starring: James Cagney , Pat O'Brien , Humphrey Bogart , Ann Sheridan , and George Bancroft
Director: Michael Curtiz , Bobby Connolly , and Robert Clampett
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

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The Public Enemy
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Dead End
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ASIN: B0006HBV28
Release Date: 2005-01-25

Customer Reviews:

A CLASSIC! CAGNEY & BOGART?...........AND THERE'S MORE?.......2007-07-07

This is a favorite of mine for many years. I wish they would released "Crime School"! What is the problem?? They whole cast is great in this tale of two childhood friends who take two very different paths as the result of a dumb idea and one of the boys getting caught by the police. The DVD boost a nice transfer and some cool extras. This is also available in a Gansters bos set(well worht it!)If you haven't seen this film,your missing the best of the best! Bring "Crime School" to DVD please!

Another great James Cagney movie.......2007-05-29

This is a superb movie. James Cagney was awesome. Dead end kids are all dead now, I think. Very good old time movie. It actually had a moral to it's story. Today's filmakers and actors should take note.

Great Nostalgia!.......2007-04-16

I purchased this movie for my husband, who collects antique radios. We merely wanted to see the bar-radio. We enjoy all things Art Deco and vintage, particularly 20-40's. We realized that we were really enjoying the movie! It's a bit sappy, but weren't all movies from the era?

A very New York movie .......2007-04-08

(To Kristopher Haines) you asked "What did audiences see in these kids?" Many kids in the northern cities saw themselves, or knew of wise guy tough kids just like the Dead End Kids. They also knew or knew of a 'Father Connelly' who would try and set neighbourhood tough kids on the right path in life.

If you were a New Yorker you might have been similar to one of the kids depicted in this film yourself. In 1938 many actors & actresses in motion pictures were from New York, thus Hollywood made movies with the New York viewing audiences in mind. That's why the movie going public liked their antics.

After the war when the East End Kids evolved into the The Bowery Boys their fan base grew even larger. Today they have a substantial following amongst old movie fans, and yes many of these fans are from the Tri-State area (NY/CONN/NJ), Philly, Boston, Providence, Chicago etc, since those fans related to the Boys growing up, or watching their re-runs on TV.

[[ASIN:630695001X Key Largo/Angels With Dirty Faces]]
The Warner Gangsters Collection (The Public Enemy / White Heat / Angels with Dirty Faces / Little Caesar / The Petrified Forest / The Roaring Twenties)

"Whaddaya Hear, Whaddaya Say?".......2007-03-14

Rocky Sullivan (James Cagney) was always a troublesome kid, but what do you expect from a guy who grew up in the slums? The only difference between him and the man who became the preacher (Pat O'Brien) is that Rocky got caught stealing and the preacher didn't. So Rocky went to juvenile detention and graduated to the slammer thanks to his ties to bigshot gangsters. He agreed to take the fall for them at the advice of his lawyer (Humphrey Bogart) at the promise that he'd jump right back in with them when he got out. What a sucker he was.

When Rocky gets out, he finds that his old friends have turned on him and used up his money. He doesn't take lightly to that and uses his intelligence to outsmart them time after time. In the meantime, upon returning home, Rocky meets up with some childhood friends including the preacher and a girl he used to pick on (Ann Sheridan). He also meets the new town hoodlums (The Dead End Kids) and becomes their idol. However, Rocky's life was never destined for a happy ending.

This film is incredibly powerful because it comments on so many modern issues. Is the criminal a victim of his own free-will or of his environment? And in being a criminal, does that make him all bad? Also, the relationships between the characters are great because they're so well established. Cagney is perfect in the role, a street-wise, easy-going guy you can't help but love despite his imperfections. Also notable are the Dead End Kids, especially Leo Gorcey whose strong personality and looks are very similar to Cagney's.

This is an excellent film that transcends the gangster genre.

The End of Suburbia: Oil Depletion and the Collapse of the American Dream

Average customer rating:

Amazingly believable and informative -- a must see ...
Valuable but flawed
Important topic presented well, but a couple of massive flaws
left wing porn
I'm buying an electric car.

The End of Suburbia: Oil Depletion and the Collapse of the American Dream

Manufacturer: The Electirc Wallpaper
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

The Long Emergency: Surviving the End of Oil, Climate Change, and Other Converging Catastrophes of the Twenty-First Century
An Inconvenient Truth
The Future of Food
PowerDown: Options And Actions For A Post-Carbon World
The Party's Over: Oil, War And The Fate Of Industrial Societies

ASIN: B0009231TG

Product Description

Since World War II North Americans have invested much of their newfound wealth in suburbia. It has promised a sense of space, affordability, family life and upward mobility. As the population of suburban sprawl has exploded in the past 50 years, so too has the suburban way of life become embedded in the American consciousness. Suburbia, and all it promises, has become the American Dream. But as we enter the 21st century, serious questions are beginning to emerge about the sustainability of this way of life. With brutal honesty and a touch of irony, The End of Suburbia explores the American Way of Life and its prospects as the planet approaches a critical era, as global demand for fossil fuels begins to outstrip supply. World Oil Peak and the inevitable decline of fossil fuels are upon us now, some scientists and policy makers argue in this documentary. The consequences of inaction in the face of this global crisis are enormous. What does Oil Peak mean for North America? As energy prices skyrocket in the coming years, how will the populations of suburbia react to the collapse of their dream? Are today's suburbs destined to become the slums of tomorrow? And what can be done NOW, individually and collectively, to avoid The End of Suburbia ?

Customer Reviews:

Amazingly believable and informative -- a must see ..........2007-06-09

This film is a must see! As the other reviewers note, this film's basic premise is that we have about hit the "peak oil" point (see "Crude Awakening" for more depth on this point) at which worldwide oil "reserves" are so diminished that they are increasingly expensive to extract (and of lower quality -- we hit this point nationally twenty-five years ago). We have not come up with safe and viable energy alternatives and therefore energy is going to get progressively much, much more expensive. (My father grew up in a house, sixty years ago, that had solar water heating -- we just do not seem to be making or be interested in making much progress in sustainable energy production).

Since our way of life is based on cheap energy, the logical conclusion is that our way of life is going to have to change -- radically -- within the next twenty years or so. Suburbia and long commutes are going to be a inevitable casualty (i.e. sell now if you live there), along with inexpensive food from far away. The process of outer suburbia's becoming a slum has already begun here in South Florida. The end of cheap energy would also seem to signal the impending natural death of "globalization."

I think that somewhere in the back of our minds we all know that gas is not going to last forever, though we hope that the end will not be soon, and that we need to faster develop alternative sustainable energy. This film posits that the end is quite near and that we are entirely unprepared for it; then it brings the logical ramifications into jarring focus -- we are and have been enormously and foolishly improvident. I hope that we act on what seems to be indisputable information ...

Valuable but flawed.......2007-05-27

American suburbia is unsustainable for much longer in its current form and this documentary makes that abundantly clear. However, it is counter-productive to portray suburbanites as silly, ignorant, wrong, as this DVD constantly does. The fact is that American suburban life is generally pleasant, and far more desirable than the alternatives of inner-city or rural life. That is why it has persisted and expanded for generations and will continue to do so for as long as possible. One can hardly blame us all for hanging on to the comforts of suburbia for as long as we possibly can.

Another criticism is that there is almost no mention of fossil fuel in the form of coal of which we have huge domestic reserves and from which we can make any product that currently comes from oil or natural gas - only at a much greater cost. Nuclear-powered electricity is also ignored. It seems the authors believe that the current popular environmental opposition to coal and nukes will persist when oil and gas run out or becomes prohibitely expensive - which is clearly ridiculous.

Nevertheless, the DVD is interesting, thought-provoking and educational. Unfortunately it seems unlikely to be seen by those that are not already interested or familiar with the subject.

Important topic presented well, but a couple of massive flaws.......2007-04-22

The American way of life will disappear within the next lifetime as the era of cheap oil comes to an end. That is the message of the film The End of Suburbia, an award-winning 2004 documentary produced by Barry Silverthorn and written/directed by Toronto-based filmmaker Gregory Greene. The End of Suburbia features a cast of noted scientists and authors, whose commentaries are intercut with multimedia comprising 50 years of American history.

The film claims that Suburbia (a common term for America's suburban family housing) is "the greatest misallocation of resources in the history of the world," and declares that as the era of cheap fossil fuels comes to an end, Suburbia will likely disappear or degenerate into modern 21st Century slums.

The End of Suburbia is highly critical of post-WWII "prosperity" thinking, condemning the selling of an unsustainable American dream which has now laid the groundwork for a potential economic and social disaster. Americans today view homes and cars almost as entitlements, the film claims. Further, not only would people be reluctant to admit that such a way of life for every American is unsustainable and indulgent, but may react suspiciously, even violently, if forced to change. Other less cynical voices in the film, however, see the current predicament as another opportunity for humanity to develop new technologies and ways of living that meet the challenges of the time.

These contrasting opinions represent a major strength of the film. Though grim predictions are made about the end of America's modern, energy-guzzling lifestyle, cynical expert opinions are balanced, at least partially, by hopeful statements about human potential in the face of an enormous problem.

However, the cast and crew of The End of Suburbia deserve criticism in at least two areas. First, the film fails to address some vital information on the topic of fossil fuels. While focusing on oil and natural gas, the film says nothing about the state of coal development in the United States. When broad generalizations are made about the state of energy supply in an oil shortage, to avoid coal, which is responsible for much of the nation's electricity, seems too gross of an omission to let slide. Proper attention should have been given to how coal supplies may dwindle along with oil production, if such is the case, or mitigate certain effects of oil shortages from an everyday person's perspective, regardless of whether such honesty diminishes the film's shock value.

Secondly, the film makes a sloppy, weak and irresponsible attempt to tie fossil fuels to foreign policy, neo-conservatism and the war in Iraq. The End of Suburbia lays down serious accusations regarding the "neo-cons'" desire to dominate the world by controlling Middle Eastern oil, and this is the real reason why the US went to war in Iraq. The only support for such claims is that they are popular with the film's likely audience; no real evidence is given. These are serious accusations, yet they are treated like salt and pepper at a kitchen table: "Just throw them in; they'll spice up any meal." Accusations such as these, true or not, are no more useful than propaganda when thrown about carelessly and without support. From the standpoint of intellectual honesty, their use in this instance injures the film's credibility.

Nevertheless, The End of Suburbia raises an issue, however slanted, that is important for every American to give ear to. If the film is even partially correct about the impact a loss of cheap energy will have on America, those who have seen it coming will be better prepared to weather the economic and social storms that may follow. Finally, it may be that a return to smaller communities and simpler lives has advantages for societies, families and individuals that outweigh what might be lost.

left wing porn.......2007-03-20

This Canadian movie has a hard time being taken seriously, since so many of the people interviewed move away from the subject of oil and work through their personal issues with the aesthetics and lifestyle of suburban living, SUV, wal-mart, k-mart, etc - quite a lot of screen time is spent on this issue rather than the supposed core subject of "peak oil."

This film, much like "An Inconvenient Truth" would have us all living in soviet style apartment blocs. That's a hard sale. Good luck with it.

I'm buying an electric car........2007-03-14

I will never, ever support big oil and us auto manufacturers. It would be like cutting our own throats.

Average customer rating:

The "Roaring Twenties" Revisited
Dull
Gatsby: Good not great
Toby Stephens was mis-directed
Remake Falls Very Short

The Great Gatsby (A&E)
Starring: Mira Sorvino , Toby Stephens , Paul Rudd , Martin Donovan (II) , and Francie Swift
Director: Robert Markowitz
Manufacturer: A&E Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Period Piece | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

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

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

The Great Gatsby
The Crucible
Almost Strangers
Cambridge Spies
The Queen's Sister

ASIN: B0000524FD
Release Date: 2001-01-30

Amazon.com

Boy loses girl, boy wins her back, boy loses her again and is killed in his pool. F. Scott Fitzgerald's classic Jazz Age tragedy once again makes a somewhat rocky transition from page to screen in this A&E production starring Academy Award winner Mira Sorvino as the feckless Daisy. This version has Paul Rudd (the stepbrother who got the girl in Clueless) doing the honors as narrator Nick, who reintroduces his married cousin to his lavish-party-throwing neighbor Gatsby. Toby Stephens captures the heartbreaking single-mindedness of Gatsby, although not once does the phrase "old sport" seem to fall naturally from his lips. Director Robert Markowitz uses flashbacks of Daisy and Gatsby's prewar courtship in an attempt to explain their reckless relationship, but they do little more than slow the pace of an already leisurely 93 minutes. The costumes and sets are opulent, however, and Montreal substitutes nicely for Long Island. --Kimberly Heinrichs

Customer Reviews:

The "Roaring Twenties" Revisited.......2007-06-30

This movie provides an intriguing insight into the unrequited love of Robert Redford's character (Gatsby) for a married woman (played by Mia Farrow) during the Jazz Age of the 1920s in America. It is well acted and directed and includes some great "Charleston" dancing. The movie also includes actors Bruce Dern and Sam Waterson (now of TV's Law and Order).
The actor who plays the puppy vendor in this movie was Arthur Hughes who was a former Broadway actor in the 1920s and who played "Bill Davidson" in the long-running radio show titled Just Plain Bill. He was a close friend of another Broadway, radio, and movie actor, Edward J. Pawley.
This movie is highly recommended!

Dull.......2007-06-28

Almost none of the glamor of the Jazz Age is captured in this lukewarm adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's masterpiece. Miro Sorvino is a fine actress, but she's terribly miscast as Daisy Fay Buchanan in this mediocre offering from A&E. The Redford/Farrow version is superior by far.

Gatsby: Good not great.......2007-05-14

This film was beautiful to watch but I must say I was not impressed with the story; Toby Stephens and Mira Sorvino are excellent actors but I was not satisfied with how this was pieced together. I would rent this -- not buy it.

Toby Stephens was mis-directed.......2007-04-28

Although this film looks beautiful and has some great moments (and Paul Rudd is very good as Nick Carroway), the Robert Redford/Mia Farrow version, despite a few cringe-worthy moments, is superior to this one and a better choice for students who want an insight into F. Scott Fitzgerald's amazing novel. I don't think the wonderful British actor Toby Stephens was miscast as Gatsby, as many other reviewers here have stated, so much as mis-directed. Stephens' gruff American accent and informal diction (although that's the writer's fault) directly contradicts Fitzgerald's insistence that Gatsby spoke with a "gentlemanly" formality just short of absurd. Given Fitzgerald's