Alexander Calder (American Masters)

Director: Roger M. Sherman
Studio: Winstar
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com essential video

Winner of five Academy Awards including Best Picture, Actor, and Screenplay, Kramer vs. Kramer remains as powerfully moving today as it was when released in 1979, simply because its drama will remain relevant for couples of any generation. Adapted by director Robert Benton from the novel by Avery Corman, this is perhaps the finest, most evenly balanced film ever made about the failure of marriage and the tumultuous shift of parental roles. It begins when Joanna Kramer (Meryl Streep) bluntly informs her husband Ted (Dustin Hoffman) that she's leaving him, just as his advertising career is advancing and demanding most of his waking hours. Self-involvement is just one of the film's underlying themes, along with the search for identity that prompts Joanna to leave Ted with their first-grade son (Justin Henry), who now finds himself living with a workaholic parent he barely knows. Juggling his domestic challenge with professional deadlines, Ted is further pressured when his wife files for custody of their son. This legal battle forms the dramatic spine of the film, but its power is derived from Benton's flawlessly observant script and the superlative performances of his entire cast. Because Benton refuses to assign blame and deals fairly with both sides of a devastating dilemma, the film arrives at equal levels of pain, growth, and integrity under emotionally stressful circumstances. That gives virtually every scene the unmistakable ring of truth--a quality of dramatic honestly that makes Kramer vs. Kramer not merely a classic tearjerker, but one of the finest American dramas of its decade. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

Kramer vs. Kramer.......2007-07-04

In 1979, Hoffman hit a career high-point with director Benton's near-flawless marital drama, depicting the dissolution of a marriage with unerring sensitivity. Touching performances from all three leads help bring an insightful script to heart-wrenching life. At Oscar time, "Kramer" won Best Picture, Benton took the honors for both direction and screenplay, and Hoffman got the nod for Best Actor- deservedly.

The trauma of divorce..........2007-04-22

A powerful statement about the trauma of divorce is offered by this winner of five Academy Awards. Dustin Hoffman plays Ted Kramer, a husband and father who, in order to "bring home the bacon" is totally dedicated to his career.

His wife feels neglected, ignored, alone, and forgotten. Meryl Streep plays the wife, Joanna, and delivers an outstanding performance about the young mother, overwhelmed with what she considers a dead end. She decides to leave her husband, son and apartment in search for self-development and growth.

Ted Kramer arrives home, bringing what he thinks will be the best news ever. He has just received a promotion, landing a major advertising account. As he enters, Joanna delivers the news that she is leaving.

As it happens in many situations, we find Ted going from the sublime to the ridicule, from what he thought was the best of news, to hearing his world, as he knows it, is about to end. Ted tries hard to keep some sense of composure for tomorrow he has a major presentation to deliver at work. But... the drastic change in his personal life starts to take its toll.

Dustin Hoffman is superb. The next day scenes during his first attempt at breakfast with his son, Billy, played by Justin Henry, are some of the best movie clips in this movie, for you sense his anger, his pain, his frustration. He wants to be positive to prevent his son from having to live through the trauma of abandonment, but soon finds himself making breakfast, not knowing how, with his son trying to help, only to realize that "Daddy" has no clue as to how to make his favorite, French toast.

Father and son soon begin to adjust to this new life, the father taking on all the responsibilities of his ex-wife, and the child adjusting to a world without Mom, where he actually has to guide his father to the right products to purchase as they grocery shop.

Finally, when these two have regained some sense of composure, and life is beginning to smoothly run for father and son, Joanna returns and now she wants Billy back. Ted refuses to give him up and they go to court to battle... Kramer vs. Kramer... Husband vs. Wife...

While this movie was released in 1979, it is as good a topic today as it was then, and highly recommended for any family confronted with the issues of divorce, irreparable differences, separation, resulting anger, frustration, and pain.

Dustin Hoffman's performance as the father who attempts to do what is right for his son is brilliantly delivered. In all fairness, the movie delivers a powerful message, and that is that in cases of divorce, of a family breaking up, every individual has a certain share of responsibility. We can not blame one person entirely, and in Kramer vs. Kramer we find all parties facing the dilemma of how to proceed with life when the family unit ceases to exist. Without a doubt... this is the trauma of divorce performed to perfection!

Divorce American Style........2006-12-31

Many people fall in love and get married and by instinct the children come.Many planned over what shall come after and are prepared.Many married for love,some for conveniance,but when things go wrong,children are always the victims.They never have faults over what their parents like or dislike.
In this movie we learned that if you wanna change another person,you have to change yourself,because we can never change a person.Some people need to be alone sometimes and it has to be tollerated because the person doesn't belong to us,neither our childrens are ours.They don't come from us,but through us.Somewhere it has to be a compromise,respecting the individual's need because every person is an individual.
Giving a space to another person is also giving a space to ourselves.
This movie was a 'boom' in Europe,one reason is for the stars and characters,another one is because the men lost their homes...!!

This Movie Should Be Called "Therapy Vs Medication".......2006-09-23

In this movie we see Meryl Streep walking out on her 7 year old son and her husband. She does this because she feels "trapped" and "needs to find herself" or any other cliche you can think of. If you got the impression that the 1970's was a time for self absorbtion and introspection you are quite right.So then she wants the kid and after getting him she decides to let the father have him. This is one flakey chick who kind of reminds me of my ex wife who I divorced but I did have enougth sense to retain the Marital Home.I think Kramer's wife is in real need of Therapy and Medication because she can't seem to make up who she is, where she is at ,what she wants or who she loves. I give this movie 5 stars because thankfully Ms. Streep has disappeared from our screens in recent years after we all overdosed on her in the 1980's.

a timeless classic, the stereotyped failed marriage never turned old.......2006-09-21

after watched this movie, you'd know how and why these two actors who played the husband and the wife are such talented performers. one more thing, the kid who played their son was just amazingly wonderful, he should have got an oscar.

Average customer rating:

Never Give a Sucker an Even Break
Great Shorts, Unbelievably Bad DVD
Subtract one star. Appalling DVD ruins some classic comedy
A General Rule of Thumb
Pure Exploitation

W.C. Fields, Vol. 1 & 2
Starring: W.C. Fields , Elise Cavanna , Harry Watson (II) , Dagmar Oakland , and Julia Griffith
Director: Arthur Ripley , and Leslie Pearce
Manufacturer: Madacy Records
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

Classic Comedies | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

Comedy | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

Classics | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

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

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

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

W.C. Fields Comedy Collection (The Bank Dick / My Little Chickadee / You Can't Cheat an Honest Man / It's a Gift / International House)
The Great Man: W.C. Fields
Wc Fields Collected Shorts (B&W)
W.C. Fields: Extravaganza
W.C. Fields Comedy Collection, Vol. 2 (The Man on the Flying Trapeze / Never Give A Sucker An Even Break / You're Telling Me! / The Old Fashioned Way / Poppy)

ASIN: B00000IC8L
Release Date: 2000-02-01

Customer Reviews:

Never Give a Sucker an Even Break.......2006-11-17

I chose this Fields title for this review because Amazon seems to be employing it as a business practice. I dearly love the movie of that title and would like to add it to my DVD library. So I entered it into the "search" field and clicked on "go." I was delighted...at first...to see this collection pop up and I 1-click ordered it immediately. Then I discovered the movie is not included; the set is merely the same old collection of shorts that have been issued and reissued over and over by other companies. I tried to cancel the order but was informed that it was already being processed and could not be cancelled or changed. It arrived and I returned it immediately.

Maybe some day NEVER GIVE A SUCKER AN EVEN BREAK will become available (hopefully issued in the quality restoration it well deserves). But don't let Amazon sucker you into buying this set if it's the movie you're after. We deserve an even break!

Great Shorts, Unbelievably Bad DVD.......2004-11-25

I have an old 80s VHS of this from a budget label that cost me $4 back in the day. And it still looks better. Heads get cut off, scratches galore. And it sounded better--Madacy should've added subtitles to "The Pharmacist." Many of the shorts can't even track the audio; people talk a beat before their mouths move.
I didn't get my money's worth, and I paid $6!

Subtract one star. Appalling DVD ruins some classic comedy.......2004-02-28

W. C. Fields's short comedies of 1932-33, produced by Mack Sennett, offer some of this great comedian's best work. However, this particular DVD edition treats Mr. Fields (and the purchaser) quite shabbily. The sound is not always synchronized with the picture, the image is often gray, and in at least one instance the film seems to be copied from a VHS tape recorded at the slowest speed. Just plain bad; don't throw your money away (we did, and we also threw the discs away).

A General Rule of Thumb.......2004-02-15

Hmmmm....
If it's from Madacy, you will be MAD when you SEE what you paid for.

Before transferring a movie to video, these people would put a pristine print through a blender just to make sure their standards don't deviate.

Madacy=Garbage
This is one of those DVD's that doesn't deserve one star but it's as low as I could go.

Pure Exploitation.......2003-03-08

I have to make this very clear: I can think of very few DVDs Madacy has produced that were good (or even mediocre). This, however, is probably the worst I've seen. The company has spat upon the great comedian's grave. Several public domain shorts have been slapped on this DVD with terrible picture and sound that is downright disgraceful. In fact, this is the worst sound I've even heard on a DVD. There are also the traditionally stinky Madacy extras (Biography, Trivia, Quotes, Filmography).

Customer Reviews:

DETAILS.......2004-02-26

This program collects AMERICAN MASTERS, the biographical series originally aired on PBS. Programs include:

RICHARD AVEDON: Darkness & Light
ALEXANDER CALDER
ROBERT RAUSCHENBERG: Inventive Genius
MAN RAY: Prophet of the Avant-garde
NORMAN ROCKWELL: Painting America
ALFRED STIEGLITZ: The Eloquent Eye

Average customer rating:

A Movie for the Dreamer
And the review raves on!!!
"Seamless" is Senseless
Don't Even Rent!!!
ambers?

Seamless
Starring: Kentaro Seagal , Shannon Elizabeth , Peter Alexander (III) , Melinda Scherwinski , and Broc Benedict
Director: Debrah LeMattre
Manufacturer: Live / Artisan
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

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

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

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

Dish Dogs
Tomcats
Havoc (Unrated Version)
Intimacy (Unrated, Widescreen Edition)
Confessions of an American Bride

ASIN: B000055YVU
Release Date: 2001-02-20

Customer Reviews:

A Movie for the Dreamer.......2005-07-02

Contrary to what everyone else thinks about "Seamless", I thought it was an artistically brilliant movie about the true meaning of family. Sure, the acting was bad and the effects weren't great, but the movie reaches a philosophy that any true raver would understand: raves aren't about the drugs, they're about peace, love, unity and respect. This movie demonstrates all of these ideals. The description is misleading though. Very little of "Seamless" actually takes place at raves. Overall, it has an undertone of ecclesiastic beauty. If you're looking for hardcore drug scenes and rolling ravers, rent "Party Monster" or "Groove". "Seamless" is meant for the open-minded dreamer who wishes all the world could be full of unconditional love.

And the review raves on!!!.......2003-10-30

I was hoping the rating scale was in dog poops instead of stars so I could give this one 5 poops. I told my girlfriend I would cancel Netflix if she ever got anything like this again. Nothing made sense. Whatever this was about, it sure wasn't about raves, LA, or drug use at all. It was about a guy in a trailer saying random stuff. And sucking on tree sap in his trendy store (with no customers). The DJ's were never on the turntables, no character development, pointless changes in plot, no facts. The only thing good, is now I'm not afraid. Because I know I will never see anything worse.

"Seamless" is Senseless.......2003-06-01

The best thing about the movie is the cover of the box. "Seamless" is absolutely one of the worst films ever created. I watched about three minutes of it and turned it off immediately. Kentaro Seagal (YES, Steven Seagod's son) is in the movie and he doesn't make any sense. The rave started early for him. Shannon Elizabeth looked good as usual but in her first scene, a silly man was dancing to atrocious music. The opening credits showed a guy getting beat up outside of a club, then it cut to a boy stealing a woman's purse and then it cut to Shannon Elizabeth getting frustrated with the silly man. Incredibly bad.

Don't Even Rent!!!.......2002-06-11

Chances are you probably rented this movie or are thinking about renting this movie for the same reason I did. Shannon Elizabeth is HOT! But in the end that really doesn't matter because this movie sucks. It has nothing to do with raves and doesn't make any sense at all. Its about people that get high. Whoo hoo.If you want a movie with Shannon in it get American Pie. Its halarious and has the best scene with Shannon. Wink-Wink.

ambers?.......2001-12-02

This has to be one of THE worst movies ever. It has absolutely no quality acting in it. My friend and I rented it because the cover said it was about raves, well, the closest thing to a rave seen in the movie is them going off into the woods and eating the amber off of the trees and getting all tripped out. It was horrible, this movie has made me despise Shannon Elizabeth, yet has allow some pretty good inside jokes with my friend.

W.C. Fields, Vol. 2 - Pharmacist/The Barbershop/Pool Shark

Average customer rating:

Never Give a Sucker an Even Break
Great Shorts, Unbelievably Bad DVD
Subtract one star. Appalling DVD ruins some classic comedy
A General Rule of Thumb
Pure Exploitation

W.C. Fields, Vol. 2 - Pharmacist/The Barbershop/Pool Shark
Starring: W.C. Fields , Elise Cavanna , Harry Watson (II) , Dagmar Oakland , and Julia Griffith
Director: Arthur Ripley , and Edwin Middleton
Manufacturer: Madacy Records
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

Classic Comedies | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

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

DVDs Under $9.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

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

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

W.C. Fields Comedy Collection (The Bank Dick / My Little Chickadee / You Can't Cheat an Honest Man / It's a Gift / International House)
The Great Man: W.C. Fields
Wc Fields Collected Shorts (B&W)
W.C. Fields: Extravaganza
W.C. Fields Comedy Collection, Vol. 2 (The Man on the Flying Trapeze / Never Give A Sucker An Even Break / You're Telling Me! / The Old Fashioned Way / Poppy)

ASIN: 6305417504
Release Date: 2000-02-01

Customer Reviews:

Never Give a Sucker an Even Break.......2006-11-17

Great Shorts, Unbelievably Bad DVD.......2004-11-25

Subtract one star. Appalling DVD ruins some classic comedy.......2004-02-28

A General Rule of Thumb.......2004-02-15

Hmmmm....
If it's from Madacy, you will be MAD when you SEE what you paid for.

Before transferring a movie to video, these people would put a pristine print through a blender just to make sure their standards don't deviate.

Madacy=Garbage
This is one of those DVD's that doesn't deserve one star but it's as low as I could go.

Pure Exploitation.......2003-03-08

Amazon.com essential video

Customer Reviews:

Kramer vs. Kramer.......2007-07-04

The trauma of divorce..........2007-04-22

Divorce American Style........2006-12-31

This Movie Should Be Called "Therapy Vs Medication".......2006-09-23

a timeless classic, the stereotyped failed marriage never turned old.......2006-09-21

Average customer rating:

Kramer vs. Kramer
The trauma of divorce...
Divorce American Style.
This Movie Should Be Called "Therapy Vs Medication"
a timeless classic, the stereotyped failed marriage never turned old

Kramer vs. Kramer [Region 2]
Starring: Dustin Hoffman , Meryl Streep , Jane Alexander , Justin Henry , and Howard Duff
Director: Robert Benton
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

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

Tootsie
Driving Miss Daisy (Special Edition)
Out of Africa
Annie Hall
Gandhi (Widescreen Two-Disc Special Edition)

ASIN: B0001XLXTS

Amazon.com essential video

Customer Reviews:

Kramer vs. Kramer.......2007-07-04

The trauma of divorce..........2007-04-22

Divorce American Style........2006-12-31

This Movie Should Be Called "Therapy Vs Medication".......2006-09-23

a timeless classic, the stereotyped failed marriage never turned old.......2006-09-21

Charlie Rose with Alexander Rower, Marla Prather & Roger Sherman; Calvin Trillin (June 10, 1998)

Average customer rating:

Charlie Rose with Alexander Rower, Marla Prather & Roger Sherman; Calvin Trillin (June 10, 1998)

Manufacturer: Charlie Rose
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

( C ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Description

First, Alexander Rower, Calder's grandson, Marla Prather, curator, and Roger Sherman, director of the American Masters special on the artist, use the new National Gallery of Art Calder exhibit to take the opportunity to discuss the live of the famous American sculptor. Also, Calvin Trillin, prolific contributor to Time Magazine, The New Yorker, and The Nation, discusses his 1996 novel, Messages From My Father, and talks about his new book, Father Man, which describes his two daughters and discusses parenting in general.

Average customer rating:

Kramer vs. Kramer
The trauma of divorce...
Divorce American Style.
This Movie Should Be Called "Therapy Vs Medication"
a timeless classic, the stereotyped failed marriage never turned old

Kramer vs. Kramer [Region 2]
Starring: Dustin Hoffman , Meryl Streep , Jane Alexander , Justin Henry , and Howard Duff
Director: Robert Benton
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

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

Tootsie
Driving Miss Daisy (Special Edition)
Out of Africa
Annie Hall
Gandhi (Widescreen Two-Disc Special Edition)

ASIN: B00005AVUL

Amazon.com essential video

Customer Reviews:

Kramer vs. Kramer.......2007-07-04

The trauma of divorce..........2007-04-22

Divorce American Style........2006-12-31

This Movie Should Be Called "Therapy Vs Medication".......2006-09-23

a timeless classic, the stereotyped failed marriage never turned old.......2006-09-21

Average customer rating:

CALDER
Calder review from artist, teacher
Teacher review
terrific video
Alexander Calder (American Master Series)

Alexander Calder (American Masters)
Director: Roger M. Sherman
Manufacturer: Winstar
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Biography | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

Art & Artists | Special Interests | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Television | Genres | DVD | Video

( A ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

The Essential Alexander Calder
Andy Goldsworthy's Rivers & Tides
Alexander Calder and His Magical Mobiles
Joan Miro - Constellations: Color of Poetry
Alberto Giacometti

ASIN: B0001DCR02
Release Date: 2004-04-20

Amazon.com

He foreshadowed his career by making his own toys growing up, took artistic inspiration from the solar system, drove a convertible in winter wearing a sheepskin for a coat, and was responsible for the biggest controversy to hit Grand Rapids, Michigan. Such was the long and colorful career of Alexander "Sandy" Calder, inventor of the mobile as an art form and creator of the ubiquitous giant abstract sculptures that grace many of the world's cities, including the aforementioned one in Michigan. This 55-minute video biography takes the viewer from his 1898 birth through his death in 1976, using his prolific art--more than 16,000 pieces--to help tell his story. In between shots of the lyrical moving mobiles and the majestic multistory animal-like sculptures there is footage of a playful Calder performing with his pieces and talking about work, as well as interviews with art experts and friends such as playwright Arthur Miller. --Kimberly Heinrichs

Customer Reviews:

CALDER.......2007-01-05

Well-done overview of Calder, one of the world's most creative artists. Lots of little-known facts.

Calder review from artist, teacher.......2005-08-22

I'm having a hard time returning this gem to Netflix. I'm thinking I'll have to buy my own copy. His "Aha!" moments, his associations with Mondrian and Miro, his childhood of 78 years, clips of the artist in motion, dancing, creating wire portraits, performing his circus - all this and more.
Calder's friends and neighbors, daughter, grandson, biographer all have something to add to this portrait.
Did I mention great shots of his work?
Five stars

Teacher review.......2004-12-16

I have been using this video to introduce Calder to students for several years. Unlike the other Calder titles available; "mobile" and "circus" it is much newer, with better music, narration, and more comprehensive information on his life and work. There are many personal anecdotes about him that can get even the most negative student to smile. You can show this to model mobiles, stabiles, wire sculpture or the idea of professional collaboration. The only drawback is the artistic nudity (including several whimsical penises).

terrific video.......2001-10-18

I'm a lifelong resident of the Washington, DC area, and through the years I've been to all of the museums in downtown DC from the always exciting Air and Space Museum to the Museum of Natural History to the National Gallery of Art.

One of my favorite, and certainly one of the most recognizable museum pieces anywhere is the gigantic mobile hanging in the East Wing of the National Gallery of Art. As a kid, I learned it was designed by a man named Alexander Calder, who died before he had a chance to name it. Many years later in 1998 (what would've been his 100th birthday) I would learn more about Mr. Calder when PBS first aired this American Masters episode, as well as viewing the full exhibit of his work at the National Gallery of Art.

This informative program is a wonderful look at the man who created wonderful pieces of art, and the joy they brought to many art fans around the world. From the early toys he created as a kid, to his wire scuptures, followed by the mobiles and stabiles he designed in his later years, it is a fascinating biography which includes interviews with his grandson, playwright Arthur Miller, and the Curator of the National Gallery of Art.

If anyone wants an introduction into the life of this amazing man, this is a worthy program to watch.

Alexander Calder (American Master Series).......2000-03-02

Frequently Calder's work is belittled by condescending critics who consider his work childish and naive. This look at Calder and his work does justice to this innovative master. Calder's greatness is often beyond words in the sublime grace of his mobiles and stabiles, making it difficult to articulate just what it is that is so awe inspiring to many of us. The producers of this video, however, by having several people speak of Calder's work, notably Brendan Gill, and using the camera well (afterall, the mobiles need to be seen in motion!) offer a full and marvelous glimpse at his greatness. If you've ever puzzled at why people like Calder, or if, like me, you love his work but had trouble expressing exactly what is so great, this video is for you.

DVD:

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