Son House & Bukka White - Masters of the Country Blues

Starring:Son House & Bukka White
Studio: YAZOO
Product Type: DVD

The Others (Two-Disc Collector's Edition)

Average customer rating:

wonderful film of the best and most real life of grounded spirits
A Brilliant Haunted House Film...but the Dialogue is Extremely Soft
Will Give You the Willies
Terrifying
the twist makes the movie

The Others (Two-Disc Collector's Edition)
Starring: Keith Allen , Renée Ashershon , Christopher Eccleston , Michelle Fairley , and Nicole Kidman
Director: Alejandro Amenábar
Manufacturer: Dimension
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Similar Items:

The Sixth Sense (Collector's Edition Series)
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Unbreakable (Two-Disc Vista Series)

ASIN: B00003CYLJ
Release Date: 2002-05-14

Amazon.com essential video

A welcome throwback to the spooky traditions of Jack Clayton's The Innocents and Robert Wise's The Haunting, Alejandro Amenábar's The Others favors atmosphere, sound, and suggestion over flashy special effects. Set in 1945 on a fog-enshrouded island off the British coast, the film begins with a scream as Grace (Nicole Kidman) awakens from some unspoken horror, perhaps arising from her religiously overprotective concern for her young children, Anne (Alakina Mann) and Nicholas (James Bentley). The children are hypersensitive to light and have lived in a musty manor with curtains and shutters perpetually drawn. With Grace's husband presumably lost at war, this ominous setting perfectly accommodates a sense of dreaded expectation, escalating when three strangers arrive in response to Grace's yet-unposted request for domestic help. Led by housekeeper Mrs. Mills (Fionnula Flanagan), this mysterious trio is as closely tied to the house's history as Grace's family is--as are the past occupants seen posthumously posed in a long-forgotten photo album.

With her justly acclaimed performance, Kidman maintains an emotional intensity that fuels the film's supernatural underpinnings. And while Amenábar's pacing is deliberately slow, it befits the tone of penetrating anxiety, leading to a twist that extends the story's reach from beyond the grave. Amenábar unveiled a similarly effective twist in his Spanish thriller Open Your Eyes (remade by Cameron Crowe as Vanilla Sky), but where that film drew debate, The Others is finely crafted to provoke well-earned goose bumps and chills down the spine. --Jeff Shannon

Description

Screen sensation Nicole Kidman (MOULIN ROUGE, EYES WIDE SHUT) delivers an utterly unforgettable performance in this scary and stylish suspense thriller. While awaiting her husband's return from war, Grace (Kidman) and her two young children live an unusually isolated existence behind the locked doors and drawn curtains of a secluded island mansion. Then, after three mysterious servants arrive and it becomes chillingly clear that there is far more to his house than can be seen, Grace finds herself in a harrying fight to save her children and keep her sanity. Acclaimed by critics everywhere, the unpredictable twists and turns of this compelling hit will keep you guessing as it keeps you riveted to the edge of your seat!

Customer Reviews:

wonderful film of the best and most real life of grounded spirits.......2007-07-06

Fionnula Flanagan is brilliant, but Nicole Kidman makes the film the thriller it is, but all the cast are wonderful, particularly the children. It does take a while to get to the best bit, but the message is so good and much more truthful, the research was good.

Certainly worth rewatching, and the first viewing is the best, the most powerful.It is one of the best illustrations of how spirits get grounded and why. I love the Eric Sykes and Fionnula Flanagan parts together. oh it would be good to have more of this film, more like this.

A Brilliant Haunted House Film...but the Dialogue is Extremely Soft.......2007-07-05

Luckily I saved my VHS tape which has normal, evenly recorded dialogue and music and effects. I can't watch the dvd any longer because of the awful audio. The character's lines are incredibly faint and soft.
I wonder if they do it on purpose with some dvd's, making the dialogue so quiet that you need to crank your tv volume up a great deal. Then comes a deafening sound effect (or part of the film score, or a scream, etc) and it shakes the house.

That one negative being said, this is one of my favorite old fashioned, haunted house films. It is genuinely frightening. And the scares aren't cheap tricks or gimmicks that we've become used to from Hollywood. This film is a refeshing change from the usual junk that calls itself a horror movie but never really gets under your skin or genuinely creeps you out.

The atmosphere, acting, script, cinematography, score, and direction are wonderful. If you like brilliant, creepy ghost movies like The Innocents, The Changeling, and The Haunting (1963), then this is for you. Watch it at night in total darkness. I dare you.

Will Give You the Willies.......2007-05-28

This is a welcome throwback to honest-to-goodness thrillers - no gore, just psychological spookieness. No senseless nudity, foul language or gouged eyeballs here - but fear reminiscent of the George C. Scott thriller, "The Changeling" or more recently, "The Sixth Sense."

Nicole Kidman's acting is so impressive, as is the acting of the entire cast, you will find yourself on the edge of your seat. Set in post World War II England, Kidman's character, Grace, lives in a large mansion on a posh estate. Her two children, Anne and Nicholas, suffer from a rare genetic anomoly that makes them sensitive to light beyond that of a strong lamp. Pure sunlight - even ambient light can raise blisters on their skin and ala Dracula, will kill them.

Grace pines over her missing husband who never returned from battling the Germans, yet is not a confirmed MIA or KIA casualty. She finds herself housebound, unable to mingle with anyone in polite society or travel anywhere out of fear for her children's safety.

Acustomed to being without electricity during the German bombardments throughout the war, Grace has decided to leave the luxury turned off, depending on heavy curtains to block out the light during the day and using oil lamps at night.

Grace tells her 3 house servants that her daughter, Anne, has a vivid imagination who tells of ghastly eyeless women and an invisible boy named Victor. Grace repeatedly punishes Anne for lying... but soon she realizes there really might be 'others' living in the house with them.

Whispering voices, creaky floors and other things that go bump in the night have you on your mental toes to figure out who might be dead, who might be alive and if one or more of the characters is just plain nuts and imagining the whole thing.

I must admit, this is not my favorite genre. I do not belive there are earth-bound spirits of the previously living people walking around in people's homes - so it's not like at the end when all the loose ends got tied up that I had chills going up my spine - but if you had an experience like that with "The Sixth Sense" or "The Changeling," this movie will not disappoint.

Having an intelligent storyline, superb acting and all devoid of rampant sex and toilet humor is a welcome relief compared to most movie fare coming out of today's Hollywood. While there are many scene changes in the large manor, the closed rooms and constant darkness and chiaroscuro lighting give the viewer a very claustrophobic feeling to the point you feel Grace's almost psychotic desperation and feeling of being trapped. Even the few moments when you see her outside the manor, the dense, eerie fog furthers the trapped sensation of the viewer and the characters.

The acting of Alakina Mann (Anne) and James Bentley (Nicholas) cannot be understated in making this more of an experience than a film. Much of Kidman's acting shines through in the scenes in which she is by herself, panicking in fear and desperation. This is one of those films that truly highlights the depth of her acting acumen.

Terrifying.......2007-05-26

This is a clever, terrifying movie. I hate scary movies but this one is smart. Nicole Kidman and the children (Alakina Mann and James Bentley) are wonderful.

the twist makes the movie.......2007-05-17

Fortunately, I lost interest in this movie after the first 20 minutes, so I wasnt paying attention and was able to appreciate the twist without forethought.

The movie seemed like a boring stage play. None of the characters were that fascinating. The atmospheric horror and dread never built. If I compared this film to 6th sense I'd give it 1 star.

Frankenstein - The Legacy Collection (Frankenstein / Bride of / Son of / Ghost of / House of)

Average customer rating:

Frankenstein - The Legacy Collection

Frankenstein - The Legacy Collection (Frankenstein / Bride of / Son of / Ghost of / House of)
Starring: Pauline Moore , and Edward Van Sloan
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Similar Items:

Dracula - The Legacy Collection (Dracula / Dracula (1931 Spanish Version) / Dracula's Daughter / Son of Dracula / House of Dracula)
The Wolf Man - The Legacy Collection (The Wolf Man / Werewolf of London / Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man / She-Wolf of London)
The Mummy - The Legacy Collection (The Mummy/Mummy's Hand/Mummy's Tomb/Mummy's Ghost/Mummy's Curse)
Invisible Man - The Legacy Collection (The Invisible Man/Invisible Man Returns/Invisible Agent/Invisible Woman/Invisible Man's Revenge)
Creature from the Black Lagoon - The Legacy Collection (Creature from the Black Lagoon / Revenge of the Creature / The Creature Walks Among Us)

ASIN: B0001CNRLQ
Release Date: 2004-04-27

Description

Feature titles include: The Bride of Frankenstein, Frankenstein, The Ghost of Frankenstein, House of Frankenstein, Son of Frankenstein

Customer Reviews:

Frankenstein - The Legacy Collection.......2007-07-07

Very good value. I bought this collection to be playing throughout my house for my annual Hallowe'en party. It definitely sets the right kind of mood and creates an appropriate atmosphere plus these are some of the films I saw as a child. Brings back lots of warm family memories.

Dracula - The Legacy Collection (Dracula / Dracula (1931 Spanish Version) / Dracula's Daughter / Son of Dracula / House of Dracula)

Average customer rating:

GREAT
Great Horror Classic
The blood is the life
LEGACY COLLECTION IS THE BEST BET FOR NOW
A Most Have Collection

Dracula - The Legacy Collection (Dracula / Dracula (1931 Spanish Version) / Dracula's Daughter / Son of Dracula / House of Dracula)
Starring: Bela Lugosi , and Sheila Manners
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Horror | Genres | DVD | Video

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

Sci-Fi & Fantasy | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

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

Frankenstein - The Legacy Collection (Frankenstein / Bride of / Son of / Ghost of / House of)
The Wolf Man - The Legacy Collection (The Wolf Man / Werewolf of London / Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man / She-Wolf of London)
The Mummy - The Legacy Collection (The Mummy/Mummy's Hand/Mummy's Tomb/Mummy's Ghost/Mummy's Curse)
Invisible Man - The Legacy Collection (The Invisible Man/Invisible Man Returns/Invisible Agent/Invisible Woman/Invisible Man's Revenge)
Creature from the Black Lagoon - The Legacy Collection (Creature from the Black Lagoon / Revenge of the Creature / The Creature Walks Among Us)

ASIN: B0001CNRLG
Release Date: 2004-04-27

Description

Feature titles include: Dracula (1931), Dracula (1931) - Spanish Version, Dracula's Daughter, House of Dracula, Son of Dracula

Customer Reviews:

GREAT.......2007-03-25

GREAT MOVIES
IT SEEMS THE HORROR ACTORS BACK THEN PUT THEIR ALL INTO THEIR CHARACTERS

Great Horror Classic.......2007-03-15

This Legacy collection of "Dracula" isn't really as bad as most folks would think. Even though, the restored version of "Dracula" is better (cause all they did was "brighten" it up thats it), and they won the Rondo Award for it, and it is better than this version of the movie.However, dont over look it because of that alone. Its a wonderful set with other movies that make up for it, try finding the movies on your own and be successful!..trust me!, it would be very hard to do so today on DVD..so, buy the set on that alone..highly recommended!!

The blood is the life.......2007-02-28

Bram Stoker's vampire novel has been remade dozens of times, but perhaps the best adaptation is the classic Bela Lugosi version. And "Dracula - The Legacy Collection" collects not only Lugosi's movie and the Spanish version, but three inferior sequels that are still moderately entertaining -- basically a vampire-lover's delight.

A solicitor, Renfield (Dwight Frye), is travelling to Count Dracula's castle for a real estate deal, despite the locals freaking out and crossing themselves whenever Dracula's mentioned. He soon finds out why -- the Count (Lugosi) is a vampire, who enslaves a mad Renfield to his will. Soon after, a ship with a dead crew (and Renfield and Dracula in the hold) arrives in England.

Soon Dracula has moved into his new home, Carfax Abbey, and is insinuating himself with the Seward family -- and especially with pretty Lucy Westenra, who dies of blood loss and is reborn as a vampire. Only the intervention of the mysterious Dr. Van Helsing (Edward Van Sloan) can stop Dracula's attacks in London.

Then there's the Spanish-language one, which is virtually identical and was filmed on the exact same sets, during the hours when the English-language one was not being shot. It's incredibly good, and although it lacks that iconic intensity that Lugosi brought the English-language film, it's full of atmosphere and amazing acting.

And there's an immediate sequel, "Daughter of Dracula," about a beautiful Transylvanian vampire -- created by Dracula -- who comes to England seeking a way out of her eternal torment, now that her "father" has been permanently killed. But her sinister servant wants to keep her enslaved to her bloodlust.

Then there are two inferior sequels: "Son of Dracula," which is basically a whittled-down plot set in the early twentieth century, with an exceptionally wooden "Count Alucard" played by Lon Chaney Jr. He moves in next to an heiress's house, kills her father, and marries her, so it's up to her ex-boyfriend to save the day.

And finally there's "House of Dracula," in which the very popular Dr. Edelmen (Onslow Stevens) gets two requests for supernatural cures from some kind of miraculous mold: Count Dracula (John Carradine), and the wolfman Lawrence Talbot (Lon Cheney Jr). Talbot is suicidal over his transformations, and Dracula is secretly pursuing Edelman's vacuous nurse and driving the good doc insane. And they stumble across Frankenstein's monster too.

It's a mixed bag, vampirewise. The first two are among the best classic horror ever made, but the sequels deteriorate as they proceed -- "Daughter" is a very solid movie on its own, and "Son" is cliche and wooden. By "House," they've decided to just be silly and campy, and throw in as many fictional monsters as they can fit in.

The direction in the first three movies is quite solid, eerie and gothic, with plenty of memorably haunting moments ("I never drink... wine," Dracula says smilingly). Lots of cobwebbed castles, foggy London streets, bats and women drifting around in white dresses. The last two are strictly B-movie fare in terms of directorial skill, and some moments like the flaming mine are simply awful.

Lugosi is simply brilliant as Dracula. While not the stately, imposing figure that Stoker described, he has a blazing intensity that works just as well, as well as great charm. Carlos Villarías is not quite as good, but does an excellent and faithful job in the Spanish version. Carradine doesn't seem to be trying too hard, and Cheney just doesn't work as a vampire (though he's glorious as Talbot).

These actors are backed by casts that range from the sublime (creepy, bug-eating, cackling Frye) to the ridiculous (the dreamy-eyed, hammy nurses in "House"). Gloria Holden deserves special kudos for her tormented, bisexual vampiress torn between good and evil, and Edward Van Sloan as Dracula's nemesis, Van Helsing.

"Dracula - The Legacy Collection" has a dud and a campy monsterfest, but the first three movies are divinely dark horror/suspense movies. Definitely worth getting and enjoying.

LEGACY COLLECTION IS THE BEST BET FOR NOW.......2007-02-22

I bid you Velcome. I have both the Legacy collection and the 75th ann. Buy the Legacy set and wait for HD DVD. The biggest reason is you get more for your money. If you are not familar with this film, your too young to understand just how great it is!
Bela is Dracula!....nuff said!

A Most Have Collection.......2007-02-07

This is a true gem. Of course all the Universal Horror Legacy Collections are but Dracula and the Creature from the Black Lagoon are by far my favorite. They come in cool and spooky looking cases that have a view window to see the spooky picture on the DVD case. The only real complaint I have is that the DVD menu that usually appears on the inside covers of DVD cases, that lists what each DVD has on it, is just laying loose inside the case and there's no real place to put it. I tried putting it in the actual case but then the case won't close right and then won't fit back in the box right. But the selections found on this DVD collection are hard to find movies unless you tape them off TCM during October-LOL ;) So I have no qualms about saying that this collection is worth the price you pay for it and I've watched all the movies over and over again. If you are a Horror, vampire, or Universal movie fan then this collection is a must have for you.

Average customer rating:

Don't waste your money
Colours
A Beautiful, Bucolic Tragedy.
Ju Dou: Razor D. E. lo-fi remix
Amazon should not sell these titles

Ju Dou
Starring: Wu Fa , Zhang Yi , Zhijun Cong , Wei Li , and Li Gong
Director: Fengliang Yang , and Yimou Zhang
Manufacturer: Razor
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B000BBOU54
Release Date: 2006-02-14

Customer Reviews:

Don't waste your money.......2007-07-09

I have over 300 dvds and this is by far the worst transfer to a disc I have ever seen. The colors are horrible as it bleeds all over the place. At times the film actually bounces and stutters like an old, crusty, 16mm tape that's coming apart. You know the kind, those old home movies from the 1950s. It's impossible to enjoy this fine movie (or any movie for that matter)when your senses are assaulted with this disaster of a transfer. Avoid it like the proverbial plague!!

Colours.......2007-04-18

The best type of Chinese film. Sumptuous colours,Gong Li, and a love triangle. I cannot recommend this film more highly. Buy it, and enjoy the experience. There is not a bad thing to say about it!

A Beautiful, Bucolic Tragedy........2007-04-10

Director -and ex-cinematographer- Zhang Yimou infuses a simple tale of lust with beautiful visuals and a strong sense of foreboding. Hazy yellows, midnight blues and strong reds alternate to create an overwhelming sense of melancholy and desire in this tale of a servant (Li Baotian) who falls for his sadistic master's slave wife Ju Dou (Gong Li).
The film recalls silent cinema's use of tints while at the same time creating a languid editing cadence totally at odds with Hollywood technique, and succeeds in creating a bucolic tragedy which boils over with desire and death.
Ju Dou was banned in China on release, because it was seen as focusing on the persistence of feudalism in modern (post-1948) China. Although this issue is not immediately apparent to Western viewers, the film is seen as a key work of the Chinese Fifth Generation directors, and is a great example of an aesthetic in Chinese cinema which blends the personal with the political comment in a distinctively rural environment. Yimou's subsequent work has not really lived up to this and the other films he made in the 1980s, as he has veered onto big-budget works such as "House Of Flying Daggers", which unapologetically aim for international audiences.

Ju Dou: Razor D. E. lo-fi remix.......2006-09-16

Ju Dou is a great movie, I'd only previously seen it on VHS borrowed from the public library and was so looking forward to this release, but sadly I concure, this DVD is as bad as the other reviewers have previously stated. Worse than the old VHS recording I saw 7 years ago. So bad, that it's gotten someone like me, one who never writes reviews, to comment on it. This DVD should not be sold in the United States, or anywhere. Unfortunately, I picked this DVD up on a whim before reading any reviews.

I'd suggest you just cherish your memories of this wonderful film until a better transfer is made available. It was good to be reminded of the story, but very sad to see how carelessly Razor Digital Entertainment handled this transfer.

It really baffles me how terrible this transfer is. A few moments here and there the picture actually looks acceptable, but then the rest of the time it's blurry, washed out, monochromatic yellows and browns, lines and dust marks everywhere, and occasional digital glitches. This dvd has probably any bad transfer cliche you can imagine; more than I've seen anyway.

Yimou Zhang is a great director, Li Gong a wonderful actress, and it was from two beautiful films(seen only on VHS :( ) that I discovered this, Red Sorgum and Ju Dou. But heed the reviews, this DVD lo-fi remix of Ju Dou by Razor Digital Entertainment is a nightmare.

Amazon should not sell these titles.......2006-09-04

I believe the quality of this transfer (along with the one for Raise The Red Lantern) is so horrific that it completely ruines the beautiful experience of watching these Gong Li/ Zhang Yimou movies and should not even be offered for sale. Truly Bad

Average customer rating:

Very good value don't expect complete songs though
This is not a concert video
Memory Lane
A nice look back
Did anyone finish a complete song

Festival! - The Newport Folk Festival
Starring: Mike Bloomfield , Buffy Sainte-Marie , Brownie McGhee , Chester Burnett , and N. Paul Stookey
Director: Murray Lerner
Manufacturer: Eagle Vision USA
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Folk | Styles | Music

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

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ASIN: B000BC8SVA
Release Date: 2005-10-18

Amazon.com

It's the big names--like Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Pete Seeger, Johnny Cash, and Peter, Paul & Mary--who command most of the attention, but they aren't what director-producer Murray Lerner's Festival!, a 97-minute, black & white chronicle of the Newport (Rhode Island) Folk Festival in 1963, '64, and '65, is really all about. In fact, while those artists were the face of that era's folk boom, their music hasn't aged especially well; with the exception of Dylan (who appears both solo and with the Paul Butterfield Blues Band, who helped him break the sound barrier in '65) and Cash, their songs were so earnest, their delivery so pristine and humorless, that these days they evoke squirm-inducing parallels to Christopher Guest's folk satire A Mighty Wind. It's the clips of, say, the Blue Ridge Mountain Dancers, with their virtuoso square dance moves; the high, lonesome bluegrass of the Osborne Brothers; the deep gospel of the Georgia Sea Island Singers and the Staple Singers; the down home Delta blues (or, as he spells it, "b-l-u-s-e") of Son House, or even the astonishing Cousin Emmy, who plays "Turkey in the Straw" on her cheeks, that remind us that "folk" encompasses a great deal more than protest singers strumming acoustic guitars. As for Lerner's stated intention to "make a film about something bigger than music… a film that was an expression of this new culture," sure, whatever; there are plenty of interviews with artists and concert-goers alike to back that up. But Festival! revolves around the music, and therein lies its major flaw: namely, the lack of complete performances of any songs, which reduces the film's status from essential to merely interesting. --Sam Graham

Description

Murray Lerner's film "Festival" is a cinematic synthesis of four Newport Folk Festivals in which the art of folk music is pictured in transition during its most crucial years. The range is from Bob Dylan performing "Tambourine Man" and Joan Baez doing "Farewell Angelina," to country artists like Johnny Cash playing "I Walk the Line" to the Georgia Sea Island Singers. The range is also from the high-priced professionals like Peter, Paul, and Mary to the authentic folk dignity of living legends such as Son House and Mississippi John Hurt. Joan Baez, Donovan and Judy Collins are all on view, as are Pete Seeger, the Ed Young Fife and Drum Corps and numerous others that give a feeling of community with the whole American present, and continuity with the American past. Indeed, the long-haired Newport audiences pictured sleeping on beaches and on the grounds, in sports cars and battered station wagons, plunking banjoes and guitars, swapping tunes between formal concerts, and talking about folk music, seem not a rupture with the American past, but an expression of carrying forward an American idealism and social concern.

Customer Reviews:

Very good value don't expect complete songs though.......2007-05-31

I am one who loves his concert Dvd's and usually I wouldn't buy a music Dvd which didn't include full length songs, however this is a documentary which runs for a very reasonable time at over one and a half hours, and it includes so much rare fottage of great old artists whom it is very hard to get live footage of. It does actually include quite a few full length songs from Peter, Paul and Mary, as well as Joan Baez and Bob Dylan.

The SOUND in this Dvd is fantastic considering how and when it was recorded, I was really happy with how clear and strong the audio was. Anyone who expects perect surround sound from a 60's festival is unrealistic. The sound has been done superbly.

The VIDEO is again above par considering the date of the event, there are multiple cameras which give some fantastic close ups of all the artists, black and white.

THe are really no EXTRAS which was a dissapointment.

To CONCLUDE for the price I would not hesitate in buying this dvd if you are a fan of the music and scene in question and want some great clips of dozens and dozens of great artists as well as full length from a few, notibly Peter, Paul and MAry and Bob Dylan. If the released a multi DVD set including every piece of video footage they had for 50 dollars I would buy it but that was not the purpose of this DVD. It is a great documentary showcasing all the talent really well in a limited time.

This is not a concert video.......2007-03-30

This is not a concert video. It is a documentary film that combines concert and audience footage and interviews, and attempts to convey the atmosphere and meaning of the Newport Folk Festival in the first half of the 1960's. As such, it succeeds admirably. Lerner and crew are extremely creative in their camera work and judicious in their editing. They have a wonderful knack for capturing the excitement and diversity of the Festival as well as the hopes, fears, and "humanness" of its attendees. The juxtaposed interviews about the meaning of the Blues with a young Paul Bloomfied and an ancient Sun House alone are worth the rather paltry price of this DVD. It makes for an entertaining and interesting double-feature when combined with A Mighty Wind too.

Memory Lane.......2007-01-24

How low key the festivals of this past era now seem. Audiences actually shut up and listened to the music and lyrics. The music makers cared about the world and influenced a generation, and changed history. A feast of talent presented in an honest and un flashy reality.

A nice look back.......2007-01-10

My dad went to these folk festivals in the 60s, so he loved it.

Did anyone finish a complete song.......2006-08-25

For the most part it's just a bunch of clips

Average customer rating:

Strayed
strayed is an awesome movie
Lost, strayed, stolen . . .
Les Egarés
It was okay.......... but I wasn't quite pleased........

Strayed
Starring: Emmanuelle Béart , Gaspard Ulliel , Grégoire Leprince-Ringuet , Clémence Meyer , and Samuel Labarthe
Director: André Téchiné
Manufacturer: Fox Lorber
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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The Last Day
Secret Things
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Rendez-Vous

ASIN: B0002ZMJD4
Release Date: 2004-11-23

Amazon.com

Emmanuelle Béart gives another beautiful performance in this fable-like story of World War II. She plays a widow with two children in tow; escaping from Paris, their car is bombed in the countryside and they stagger into the woods along with a rough, savvy teenage boy (the feral Gaspard Ulliel). Their idyll in an abandoned chateau takes up the remainder of the film, as various tensions simmer within this ad hoc family unit. Director Andre Techine (Wild Reeds, Scene of the Crime) is a master of the small, telling moment and the frailty of people in a natural landscape. He also proves, in the riveting sequence of Germans attacking the line of refugees, that he could probably make a great action film if he cared to. Along with Béart's sensuality, his treatment of hushed interiors and sympathy for the imagination of children creates an intimate arena for these lost souls. --Robert Horton

Description

DVD extras include: 16x9 anamorphic, 5.1 sound, interviews with Andre Techine, Gaspard Ulliel & Gilles Perrault, subtitle control, storyboards, photo gallery. Set in 1940 at the beginning of France's occupation by the Germans, Strayed stars French film icon Emmanuelle Béart (Nathalie, 8 Women) as Odile, a young and beautiful widow fleeing Paris with her two children. When German planes bomb the road filled with refugees, Odile's car is destroyed and the three must escape into the woods. There they encounter Yvan (sexy newcomer Gaspard Ulliel - Brotherhood of the Wolf), a 17 year-old illiterate delinquent whose survival skills and charm soon prove indispensable. They soon take shelter in an abandoned house and become a makeshift family. Odile, at once suspicious of and attracted to the mysterious stranger, soon finds herself at the center of a fascinating set of personal and sexual dynamics. One of the most respected filmmakers in France, André Téchiné (Wild Reeds, Rendez-Vous) once again, builds on his reputation as one of the most sensitive and intelligent filmmakers working today.

Customer Reviews:

Strayed.......2007-03-15

I don't really know what to say other than that this is one of the best movies I have seen in a long time. Gaspard Ulliel (Hannibal Rising) was excellent as Yvan. Emmanuelle Beart was also wonderful.

strayed is an awesome movie.......2007-01-09

I don't like the name because it is 'un-memorable' but this little film is a great watch and you just keep thinking about it afterwards. Nice bite of history that has been glossed over. Beautiful feeling and just can't say enough good about it.
Glad I watched!
barb

Lost, strayed, stolen . . ........2006-12-02

This film by French director André Téchiné is set in the summer of the civilian exodus from Paris during the invasion of the German armies at the start of WWII. Viewers expecting to be informed by a recreation of historical events will be disappointed, as this film has other things on its mind. Instead, it becomes a psychological study of a war widow with two children who falls under the influence of a mysterious teenage boy as they take refuge from aerial strafing in an isolated, empty house deep in the wooded countryside. In many ways, the time and place are unimportant; it could be just about anytime, anywhere.

The young man keeps food on the table by snaring rabbits in the woods and tries to gain possession of a confiscated gun, the mother's young son tries unsuccessfully to win his friendship, and two French soldiers spend an overnight at the house. Meanwhile, erotic tension slowly builds, though there are at least fifteen years between the widow and her young protector, and the film takes a long time deciding whether to consummate it. Eventually, the reality of the outside world intervenes and the story resolves itself as the mystery of the young man is at least partly solved. Slow, but with a few unexpected revelations. The DVD includes interviews with Téchiné and the author of the novel on which the film was based.

Les Egarés.......2006-07-04

Despite its WWII setting and frightening opening sequence, STRAYED ("Les Egarés") is a quiet and pastoral film. The movie concerns itself with a small family holed up in a chateau with an oddly self-reliant teenager named Yvan. It's a blessedly small story, and frankly, not much happens. (I repeat: Not much happens.)

This is not a criticism; intimate mood pieces are fine by me, leaving the viewer at leisure to evaluate the acting performances. Though at first she seems a cipher, I was impressed by Emmanuelle Béart's acting. Only having seen her in "glamorous" roles before, I was impressed by her ability to look pensive and melancholy in a role where she is uncertain of her place in the scheme of things. The lion's share of dialogue belongs to her son and Yvan, with a daughter thrown into the mix seemingly as an afterthought.

Anyway, at one point a visiting French soldier tells Béart that she needs to snap out of her dreamland. That's how I felt watching this movie; it was a very pleasant dream, but its plot had no momentum and could be interrupted at any point without ill effects... and then returned to again.

SIDELIGHT: The DVD's cover is strictly for marketing; this is by no means a torrid love story.

It was okay.......... but I wasn't quite pleased...............2005-12-25

I have picked this movie up at the library the other day because it looked pretty good. When I was done watching the movie I realized that it wasn't what I really expected.
First I like to say that I like the fact that the main characters are cut off from the rest of the world which makes the movie more present, like something that could be happen here and now. Most of the time you don't get the usual distraction of local color - costumes, old cars, etc- to show that this really is the past. Personally it does get quite annoying at times when movies use a lot of sepia coloring or historical allusions like famous news radio broadcasts so that you can't forget for a moment the distance between then and now.
Moreover I think this movie fits into a trend of recent studies of history. A lot of books or documentaries on historical events stress the importance of understanding individual experiences to get a glimpse of the big picture. This is the first time ever seeing these actors and actress of this film. The children performance I thought was phenomenal. The plot and the direction of the film was great but I felt that it could have been more, I'm not too sure if the director's films are mostly made that way or that his preference.

One of the main reasons I was disappointed on this film is that I thought it would have lots of passion in it, but it wasn't release until the end of the movie. I don't know maybe I set myself up on this one. The cover made it seems as though the movie was filled with passion from beginning to end.......boy was I wrong. "Strayed" just left me hanging. Secondly the movie was way too short and incomplete. I didn't like the fact it ended abruptly like that............what's the rush man? I needed more.

Other than that, it's a well French cinema, which is the kind most film critics leniently praise precisely for wandering. You've got a storyline leading nowhere at times, characters discovering nothing so that nothing important happens. The pictures are usually nice and.....uh.... there's a little sex to thank you for waiting. Then it's over and you wonder why you wandered into this film.

"Strayed" is a well made movie that gives an authentic feeling and creates an intimate arena for these lost souls but unfortunately the film didn't quite reach my needs.

Average customer rating:

UNLOCKING DOORS
POWERFUL!!!
So beautiful it hurts
A must movie all the human kind need to watch
A Film That Is Both Moving And Challenging

The Keys to the House
Starring: Kim Rossi Stuart , Charlotte Rampling , Andrea Rossi , Alla Faerovich , and Pierfrancesco Favino
Director: Gianni Amelio
Manufacturer: Lions Gate
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ASIN: B0009A404I
Release Date: 2005-06-28

Description

Gianni is reunited with Paolo, the 15-year-old son he has never seen; a son he abandoned at birth. The reunion is not Gianni's idea - it is that of Paolo's doctor who hopes the connection will benefit the troubled boy. Gianni experiences a Pandora's box in Paolo, full of shocks and wonders, but the keys to one's house are often the keys to one's heart.

Customer Reviews:

UNLOCKING DOORS.......2007-04-25

THE KEYS TO THE HOUSE was written and directed by Gianni Amelio in 2004. The film is based on a novel written by Giuseppe Pontiggia. Let's observe that another novel of this writer Born Twice is read and brought to life by Charlotte Rampling in a few scenes of the film.

The Amazon reviewers have eloquently praised the tactful way Gianni Amelio handles a so delicate topic as handicapped children. As I totally agree with them, I would rather like to point out here a few elements subtly suggested by the director in the movie. First of all, it's not happening by chance if the action of THE KEYS TO THE HOUSE takes place in Berlin, Germany. For an European viewer, the city of Berlin implies all kinds of connotations that come immediately to mind when this city is mentioned. So, Berlin can be considered as the center of Europe, a fact very important here since the characters of the film will have to go first to Norway in the extreme northern part of Europe before taking the decision to come back to Gianni's homeland, Italy, a country symbolizing, in our collective unconscious, the South. I believe that it could be interesting to decode THE KEYS OF THE HOUSE with this geographical metaphor in mind.

Another way to appreciate the film is to observe how Gianni Amelio confines the characters in hotel rooms, stuffy corridors with locked windows, trains, subways and at last Gianni's car in Norway in a very claustrophobic manner. We are literally conditioned to feel, like the little Paolo, an intense sense of relief and liberty when he finally runs away from his father or during the crossing of the North Sea.

When I watch a film like THE KEYS TO THE HOUSE, I suddenly remember why I like so much movies.

A DVD for your library.

POWERFUL!!!.......2006-11-07

If we are supposed to be reviewing the DVD itself, I give it 4 stars because the subtitles were hard to read. The movie itself is deserving of FIVE stars. This was an astoundingly beautiful story. So sad, yet so beautiful. Its beauty lies in the development of a father's love for a son he abandoned at birth. Kim Rossi Stuart pours his heart into this role. Young Andrea Rossi is wonderful as Paolo, the teenager who meets his father for the first time.

So beautiful it hurts.......2006-02-19

I did not know what to expect from this movie. Although the plot was outlined on the box, no words could describe what a profound experience this film holds for those open to its message. The beauty of this story is such that as the last scene unfolds your heart aches from what you have experienced.

The execution from all parties creating this work of art is flawless. The young man who plays Paolo gives one of the bravest performances I've ever seen. Kim Rossi Stuart's physical approach to getting to know his son is incredibly beautiful and compassionate. The honesty of his performance is astounding.

I feel a deeper since of compassion for others as a result of seeing this movie. It touched me as no other film ever has. I cannot express strongly enough how moving The Keys to the House is. It makes me so happy to see there are people left in this world that have the capacity of compassion for others to make a film that can forever change the heart of those who see it.

A must movie all the human kind need to watch.......2006-02-02

I was utterly astonished and enlightened to know the fact someone actually produced such a difficult movie in every sense.
It is very important for most of us ,who have been contaminated by typical Hollywood money and fame crazed film making scheme,to watch this film.
This movie is so sincerely and realistically produced that I could not even tell during the first 15 minutes that if one particular young actor was actually acting and when I realized that he was acting,that was another refreshing surprise.
I thought Sean Penn did a wonderful job in "I am Sam ",but this movie is 100 times better.It deals with rather a tragic theme in an extremely quiet and non-dramatic way ,yet the movie does not make us cry. Instead it makes us strong and aware of the necessity of world compassion.
I am very appreciative for all the people who were involved in making this movie.

A Film That Is Both Moving And Challenging.......2005-07-04

The story of a father being reunited with a long lost son can do one of two things: bring us to familiar territory that is often hackneyed, or teach us new lessons about humanity. THE KEYS OF THE HOUSE does the latter.

The film tells the story of Gianni, a thirty something man who fathered a child as a teenager. The young woman died giving birth and Gianni decides never to see the child. Fifteen years later, he is married with a newborn son and learns that his son Paolo, who is severely disabled, would benefit from contact with his father and it is at this point the film begins. Gianni is surprised at how quickly he feels love for the child, due largely to the genuineness of Paolo, but in his first few days of meeting his son, he also begins to discover the complexities that will inevitably be a part of this relationship. At the end of the film we are left wondering what will happen to the pair, which could be a "happily ever after" scenario or abandonment.

One of the reasons the film works so well is due to the character Nicole played masterfully by Charlotte Rampling. Nicole is the mother of a child more profoundly disabled that Paolo. She supports Gianni but also is honest enough to share her conflicting feelings. She does a wonderful job at presenting a mother that both loves and resents her child and admires Gianni while at the same time being repulsed by him.

I cannot help but see how viewers will be moved by this film. Though the film is generally upbeat, there are no "feel good" moments in it, but the film doesn't need it. The character of Paolo whose goodness and heart are so evident throughout the film does what so many other films cannot do. Its honesty will challenge anyone, speaking not as a viewer unaware of the realities of people with disabilities, but as a brother of a person with Cerebral Palsy who has had to wrestle with some of the issues found in this film. It is a film I am glad to have in my collection and one I know I will see differently each time I view it.

Average customer rating:

A Very Good Human Drama: Excellent Acting!
Worth Seeing
A Very Different and Poignant Love Story...
An introspective view of the physically and mentally disabled
Powerful Human Story, Surprising Romance

Oasis
Starring: Kyung-gu Sol , So-ri Moon , Nae-sang Ahn , Seung-wan Ryoo , and Kwi-Jung Chu
Director: Chang-dong Lee
Manufacturer: Lifesize Home Entert
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ASIN: B0002V7TVK
Release Date: 2004-11-23

Description

Hailed as the seminal film of the Korean New Wave, acclaimed director Lee Chang-dong's Oasistells the story of two societal misfits (the award winning Moon So-ri and Sol Kyung-gu) and their struggle to find love and acceptance. Fate helped bring them together; family fought to keep them apart. The film truly is "a triumph...that gives humanism back it's good name (LA Weekly)."

Customer Reviews:

A Very Good Human Drama: Excellent Acting!.......2007-01-17

"Oasis," is a very poignant film from director Lee Chang-dong. The film gives powerful acting performances by the female lead Gong-ju (Moon So-ri) and her counterpart, the male Jong-du (Sol Kyung-gu) which are both masterful. As the films narrative begins, Jong-du (Sol Kyung-gu) has been released from prison. Jong-du is a sociopath who is unable to hold a job and has been in prison three times: for attempted rape, drunkeness which caused an accident, and armed robbery. He decides to visit the family of the man who was killed by his brother. He took the rap for his brother in the accident which sent him to jail. However, the family is moving out when he arrives, leaving a seriously disabled woman [the husbands disabled sister] behind.

The woman is named Gong-ju (Moon So-ri). Moreover, Jong-du finds himself attracted to this woman, who can barely control her body: She has cerebral palsy. When he returns at a later date, however, a very disturbing event occurs [No spoilers: I will leave this for you to view]. However, even though this event by Jong-du is disturbing, Gong-du invites him back again. It is here that these two outcasts of society begin to develop a friendship. Yet, this relationship causes a problem with both of the families, as they do not want any scandal. The families and society have come to see their relationship as twisted and abnormal.

The film shows the happiness of these two unwanted members of society, yet it also shows [not tells] the unease of the two families who are now caught up in the lives of these two individuals. On one side is a man who is emotionally unstable, and the other, a woman who must deal with the harsh realities of cerebral palsy: where her life is one of isolation. Director Lee Chang-dong gives a very insightful film about two people who are socially shunned by the society they live in. And yet, the director allows the viewer to see that they are both content to be with each other, and to hell with society and its mores. These two people both appreciate being alive, and have found each other. This is a drama, and as such, may not appeal to those who are into action films. However, I liked it. [Stars: 4.5]

Worth Seeing.......2005-09-18

This film poses the question of whether it is possible to experience love when you can barely express yourself verbally or physically. How many of us have ever really considered that question? Definitely orth seeing for the acting performances. Moon Sori was amazing, especially in the scenes where she momentarily lost her disability. A warning though - this film is painful and frustrating to watch, and the ending is lousy.

A Very Different and Poignant Love Story... .......2005-07-10

Even in Romeo and Juliet love is being brought to the audience through an agonizing tragedy where the two families disagree with their love. Director Chang-Dong Lee utilizes a similar tragedy in his Oasis where he enlightens the viewers of a much more contemporary issue where the two protagonists find themselves rejected by their own families. However, it is within the tragedy that humanity is given an opportunity to grow and show that love does reach beyond vanity and self-importance.

The opening shot displays an embroidered depiction of something resembling an oasis emerging from underneath the shadows of the night, as a tree outside throws its nightmarish shadow over the the embroidery. The camera finally reveals a small oasis in the middle of a desert with a Indian woman, a boy, and an elephant. This initial sequence continues for almost two minutes. A time that might seem like an eternity for introducing the title of the film. However, these two minutes will also bring to mind a different notion, which will disclose itself at a later point in the film. In addition, the film will return to this embroidery, as it represents the main motif of the film both literally and symbolically.

The film begins with Hong Jong-Du (Kyung-gu Sol) returning home on a bus with summer clothing in the middle of a freezing winter. Initially, Jong-Du's light clothing might imply that there is something wrong with him, and yes, there is something wrong with him. However, it is not his summer wear, but his social interaction with people that seems strange on a communicational level. He wanders home to find out that his family have moved without informing him about their whereabouts. Alone, Jong-Du drifts until hunger sets in and he gets in trouble with the law, which obviously is not the first time when it is revealed that he has just been released from prison. Fortunately, one of Jong-Du's brothers bails him out and brings him home, but it is not a dear homecoming for Jong-Du.

Every second of the film displays additional problems that Jong-Du has, and it is evident that Jong-Du suffers from some cognitive disorder. In an awkward and unwelcome visit of Jong-Du with the family whose father he accidentally killed in a car accident he meets Han Gong-Ju (Moon So-ri), the daughter of the deceased father. Gong-Ju suffers from cerebral palsy and is more or less stranded in her fathers old apartment, as her brother has found it convenient to leave her in the hands of her neighbor.

During the second visit to Gong-Ju, Jong-du breaks into her apartment out of curiosity. He talks with her and expresses his affection for her while leaving her his brother's business card with a phone number where she can reach him. Consequently, Jong-Du begins to express his desires for her by sexually assaulting her. It is with much difficulty one has to watch this dreadful scene, but it also further displays Jong-Du's inability to function on a normal level. She passes out while Jong-Du panics and runs away after having gotten her back to consciousness. From out of the blue Jong-Du receives a phone call. It is Gong-Ju who calls him and she wants to meet. This brings them through an unusual, yet tender love affair with respect, care, and affection where the embroidery on the wall comes into play.

The performances by Kyung-gu Sol and Moon So-ri are astounding, as they help elevate the film to the heartrending experience that it provides. This is the second time these two actors have worked together, as they both were in the terrific Peppermint Candy (2000). Here in Oasis they seem very comfortable with one another and this is essential for them to be able to pull off such terrific performances. Both give very different visualizations of their characters and they do so convincingly well.

Chang-Dong Lee depicts a loving tale through some amazing scenes where he breaks the boundaries between what is real and fantasy. It is in these fantasy scenes where the audience will find themselves bewildered to what is truly happening, but it must be magical happiness that is being expressed. The camera also reveals some stunning realism where the interaction between Gong-Ju and Jong-Du displays both their difficulties and how they cope with their difficulties in society. Through the combination of fantasy and realism Chang-Dong Lee expresses a genuine concern about the issue at hand, which suggests that all people have the right to love and feel loved.

An introspective view of the physically and mentally disabled.......2005-07-08

The night air was crisp. A seemingly slightly retarded Korean man (well, mentally slow at least) offered to do a magic trick for his female companion who suffered from a lifetime affliction of cerebral palsy. Instead, she stuttered with her arms arhythmically jerking out of sequence to her words and her lazy eye wandering to the window, "Don't.... go.. I want.... you..... to sleep with me. Don't you know..... what it means..... when a woman..... asks a man..... to sleep...... with her?"

Then after removing clothes the two began to make love.

"Is this.. where you..? No, that's not it.."

She made random noises as her eyes again turned different directions, her arms were flailing.

"If anyone needs to use the bathroom after the sex scene it's upstairs, first door to the right." Jill announced.

I looked away from the projection and laughed.

The most interesting aspect of the movie was that the disabled female character suddenly normalized at points and in fantasy sequences the inner happiness of the two lovers was made apparent by removing the superficialities of their disabilities. It was excellent acting on her part and a brilliant way to project what the writer must have intended.

An inherent flaw of oriental (and perhaps most) societies in which strict societal conformity is demanded is also made very apparent.

The sad ending was perhaps unnecessary but was probably placed there to stress the overall sadness of their lives.

I enjoyed the movie, it inspired a lot of thought within me and I believe it to be a paramount film.

Powerful Human Story, Surprising Romance.......2005-05-09

The acting especially by the leads (Moon So-ri and Sol Kyung-gu) was fantastic; Moon's performance convinced me she was truly disabled. Also, the pace felt faster than it actually was. Beautiful cinematography, like so many Korean films.

I saw this in Seoul when it opened, with two native Korean friends who also loved it.

While I remain a little ambivalent about how so many acclaimed Korean dramas portray rape, this film was able to make the protagonists' disabilities secondary to the plot and not the focus. Sometimes difficult to watch, this movie wouldn't have been made in Hollywood, and it's definitely worth watching.

Average customer rating:

Finding a face for the unidentified dead
great j-horror
OLD CARCASS, NEW FLESH
Face it Gang, it's Good
Good, but not great

Face
Starring: Yun-ah Song , Hyeon-jun Shin , Seung-wook Kim , Seok-Hwan An , and Won-hui Jo
Director: Sang-Gon Yoo
Manufacturer: Tartan Video
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Koma
Spider Forest
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A Tale of Two Sisters (Deluxe Edition)
Whispering Corridors

ASIN: B000AAF25S
Release Date: 2005-09-27

Description

Hot on the trail of a serial killer who uses acid on his victims leaving behind only the bones, the police turn to Hyun-min, a former forensic sculptor adept in reconstructing faces by examining and interpreting skulls. With the victims' bones in his house, Hyun-min's daughter experiences disturbing visions of a long-haired woman in a white robe, a woman whom she may know. As he races against time to find the answers before the visions overtake his daughter, the deadly truth behind these victims reveals a sinister conspiracy that threatens everyone involved.

Customer Reviews:

Finding a face for the unidentified dead.......2007-06-20

Someone is murdering young women and dumping their skulls. Not only that but the murderer is melting the bodies. If it were merely a matter of removing fingers or pulling out teeth to prevent identification, sure, but the whole body? A very grisly opening scene involving the removal of the heart sets opens Face, so titled because of the rights of the unidentified dead, to get their faces and hence their identities back, setting the theme of the movie.

The person placing names to skulls is National Institute of Scientific Investigation facial reconstruction artist Lee Hyun-min, a widower whose young daughter Jin recently had a heart transplant, but because she is beta-allergic, she is having reactions following surgery. He demands to know whether the donor had heart issues, but the doctor evasively brushes him off by saying that the donor's family wanted confidentiality, plus that he personally checked the heart himself. Lee wants to resign to look after Jin, but the police need him to ID faces ASAP. The director compromises by allowing him to work at home. Lee also sends his daughter to his mother's place in the country away from the hustle and bustle of Seoul.

In comes Jung Sun-Young, his new assistant as appointed by his boss. She's pretty but a bit cheeky, as she leaves behind a skull assigned to him that he refuses to ID. She tells him, "That victim had a face. Whoever it was deserves one, and you can get it back." However, his refusal results in weird happenings, such as weird high-pitched sounds, sand in the sink, and yes, before you can see Ju'on, the presence of a crawling woman in a white dress. The materialization of that presence provides one of the creepier moments of the film. He agrees and lets Sun-Young help him, but on a limited basis. In flashbacks, the viewer sees Jung as a member of a scuba diving club. She also seems to have a philosophical but positive outlook on life. When commented on how she entered facial reconstruction in college, by changing boats, she tells her classmates, "That's what life's all about. Your fate changes before you ever know it. That's the fun part of life."

In the meantime, Detective Suh is investigating the murders, and discovers a connection when he finds out that they had their hearts scanned prior to their deaths. That leads him to finding out about beta-allergy and Dr. Yoon, a renowned heart-transplant specialist at Daeyoung Hospital who also happens to be Jin's doctor. He's the typical intelligent cop with a correct hunch, and with a boss who dismisses his theories. His meeting with Lee leads the latter to wonder if the skull he's working on belonged to the victim whose heart is now in Jin.

Lee's talent as an artist can be seen, his work on the skull, from the extending pegs set on the skull, and the gray-green clay he uses to duplicate muscles and skin. He expertly explains to his assistant how the masseter and zygomatic muscles vary distinctively from person to person and that is why people have different faces. The wrong amount of clay applied to the skull, and one might get a whole different face. He does gradually warm up to Sun-Young, even giving her a hairclip to keep her hair in place after she puts a pair of bulldog clips in her hair. But even after he IDs the skull, the weird noises continue, as well as a dream leading him to yet another skull.

Ostensibly told linearly, a sudden clever twist towards the end makes the viewer realize that such is not the case. And after watching the film, the viewer realizes some innocuous words that in hindsight were clues to the mystery.

Part horror, part suspense, part detective-thriller, the well-directed Face is one of the better Korean films distributed in the U.S. by Tartan Asia Extreme, with its two winning leads, Shin Hyun-Jun as the low-key but gentle Lee, and Song Yoon-Ah as Jung Sun-Young. Face is also about regaining one's soul and happiness. Lee is tired and worried throughout the film because of his daughter and work. And by finding victims their faces, he does them a service and thus gets his grace, or soul back. So if you watch this, you won't lose face--sorry I just couldn't resist.

great j-horror.......2006-11-11

this was an excellent j-horror movie, the subtitles were kinda annoying but when the creeps went down there was no talking, the first time I watched it it freaked me out. a watch and watch again

OLD CARCASS, NEW FLESH .......2006-08-23

"Face" is a typical example of a nice Korean thriller that contains all the necessary for a genre details. It has elements of a horror movie, of cops-vs-maniac films, of a criminal thriller. Director Sang-Gon Yoo keeps the action tense and fast-going so you won't get bored. The story involves a lot of things: gruesome murders after which the murderer dissolves bodies in acid, face-reconstruction, illegal organ transplantation and ghostly apparitions. I know told this way it all may seem a one big mess but finally all the segments of this intricate film perfectly fit like parts of a puzzle.

You'll definately get a twist in the end like you've probably expected. Yes, the scheme this movie is based on is quite recognizable but you can never know all the details... And details make this picture memorable. I must note a perfect acting from all the main performers - I was pleasantly surprised. The cunning story-line, plus great acting and superior directing make "Face" a remarkable film among all other Korean and Asian in general thrillers.

Partly I have to agree with the reviewer 'Ace-of-Stars' who says all those Sadacoesque appearances were absolutely unnecessary. I think they were a bit worn-out but they seemed to fit the story well and this girl with long black hair was actually needed for the script. So... It already became a trademark of Asian horror cinema like a blind (crippled, unpretty, timid - pick any) girl who stays alive in the end of American slashers.

"Face" is definately worth watching, it's not a minute boring, it's well crafted and intense although at the same time pensive like many Korean films.

Face it Gang, it's Good.......2006-07-18

What is not to like ? Great story and top notch acting. Yun-ah Song and Hyeon-jun Shin are outstanding in there roles, I will be keeping my eye on these two.
As you have read this is kind of a haunted C.S.I. sort of story with our main man Hyeon-jun being a forensic artist that can sculpt a face out of clay on a skull like I have seen on Court T.V. and A.M.W.
The ghost are creepy as hell and the story is nice and tight.
You should hunt this film down like John Walsh would track down a "Narco Terrorist".

Good, but not great.......2006-04-05

This film, like most Asian horror, can be confusing, and it is often necessary to watch a movie like this over and over again. Of course, if you enjoy thinking, this might be a good thing, if not, then seek your entertainment elsewhere.

"Face" is one of those films. While it isn't a great film like "The Sisters" or "Wishing Stairs," it's still got great style and atmosphere. Yes, the long-haired ghost is in this of course, but that's what we all love about Asian horror, that long-haired ghost is the apex of something mysterious and unknown that seems to be so appealing and charismatic.

Son House & Bukka White - Masters of the Country Blues

Average customer rating:

Got to give me a chance to get my tools out...
This is The Blues
old blues at it's best
Nothing like seeing real, old time bluesmen in action...
a blues must have!

Son House & Bukka White - Masters of the Country Blues
Starring: Son House & Bukka White
Manufacturer: YAZOO
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Delta Blues | Blues | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B00004TJF1
Release Date: 2000-06-13

Customer Reviews:

Got to give me a chance to get my tools out..........2006-05-27

This is the first footage I ever saw of either Son House or Bukka White, and it nearly knocked me over! Being familiar with many of the songs these monolithic figures of Delta blues typically perform, it was a near religious experience to see them performing favourites like Death Letter Blues, John the Revelator, Preachin' the Blues, Aberdeen Mississippi Blues, and Poor boy. While I wasn't quite as familiar with some of the other material, it proved equally stunning; from Son House sermonizing between songs, to Bukka White playing the piano for one track. Moreover, as characters both people are highly fascinating to watch, particularly in response to being filmed and placed in front of a television audience. Son House seems simultaneously bemused and bewildered, while White uses the opportunity to really strut his stuff. After having seen numerous other films of these artists, this one holds up as one of the best: They are not yet so aged that their skills have depleted, and Bukka's playing in particular is fiercer and less resigned than any other performance I've seen of his. So the verdict; if you have any interest in these artist, and like me were not yet alive to see them perform, this is your best chance. Also, if you enjoy this and are looking for other great Delta/country blues videos, "Devil Got My Woman" is a superb document of these artists plus Skip James, Howlin' Wolf and Rev. Pearly Brown playing in a juke joint setting. Also, the series "Masters of Country Blues" has proven rewarding time and time again. This is your chance to see some legendary bluesmen in live performance, so go for it already!

This is The Blues.......2005-12-15

When Jack of the White Stripes appeared on Charlie Rose Show he talked about Son House and the primitive beauty of a just a toe tapping against the floor. If you have interest in what he meant, get this DVD. It shows you that big expression needs only a few well chosen elements.

old blues at it's best.......2005-09-16

This is old blues, as close to first generation as you can get on film. Two different styles both very emotional. Son House gives an emotional performance but his performance is too short. I would have loved to seen more by him but there is only so much film of these old players. His conversation about his life during his performance (though limited) gives good insight to his personality and his perspective of life. That alone is worth watching the video.

Bukka White's performance is also excellent. No one quite plays and sings like Bukka. He has a driving style of playing and a voice like none other. One song is done on a piano, which shows a different aspect of Bukka, which I was not aware of before. I've seen two films of Bukka and this one is the best. The funny thing is that Bukka White looks quite serious in the filming but actually has quite a sense of humor and is a funny storyteller. You get more of an idea of his personality through his recorded conversations about reflections of Charley Patton and his telling the funny story of Mixed Water, both which can be found on his recordings.

If you love blues then this film gets you as close to what you would have seen in their time. If you are a blues player, then there are good close up shots of both players and how they are playing.

Nothing like seeing real, old time bluesmen in action..........2005-04-27

Blues does not get any more genuine than this! These are black-and-white performances, filmed in Seattle in 1965, showing both Son House and Booker White(by all accounts he hated being referred to as "Bukka") at the height of their powers.
Son plays his two best songs, "Death Letter Blues" and "Preachin' the Blues", as well as two a capella gospel numbers. It's incredible to watch his transformation from a frail, shy older man(during his introductions to the songs) to a raging, masterful performer, pounding his National guitar and singing like you've never heard anyone sing before.
Booker's set is a bit longer, opening with his anthem "Aberdeen, Mississippi". Younger than Son, he tears through the performance at full throttle, singing in a gravelly voice and strumming propulsively(the train-like momentum is THE hallmark of Booker's music). The highlights for me are "Mama Don't Allow" and "Poor Boy"...I'm in heaven when I hear songs like this.
Interestingly, the small audience(you don't see them, but it's evident that only a handful of people are present) applauds Son, but not Booker. I've always wondered why this was. At any rate, get this DVD! If you're a country blues fan and you haven't seen it, you're really missing out.

a blues must have!.......2003-11-13

this is a very special veiwing!honest,raw,moving! Son house was the man!

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