5 comments about Haunted (Full Screen).

1. To be brief,HAUNTED is an excellent ghost story,well acted,well-scripted and beautifully filmed.Why 4 stars? Having had the advantage of seeing THE OTHERS,SIXTH SENSE and THE CHANGELING before seeing HAUNTED,I had figured out everything by the first quarter of the film-AND I WAS RIGHT,TOO!That should not stop you though from seeing this movie highlighted by the performances of the deliciously smarmy Anthony Andrews (of BRIDESHEAD REVISITED fame) as the VERY creepy older brother to and equally chilling Kate Beckinsale as his baby sister.WHAT A PAIR THESE TWO ARE! What can one say about Aidan Quinn but that he is always good at what he does.Had I have seen HAUNTED before the above-mentioned films I probably would have given it the extra star.Still,HAUNTED is sufficiently chilling,creepy,ghosty and spooky-all the things that a good tale of horror should have!



2. Let me say this first: I usually do not like films starring Kate Beckinsale. It's not that I don't like her, I don't even know her, but I've never found her convincing as a "dark" type of character; nevertheless, while her acting is good in "Haunted," even here she is a little too peppy for me, although her numerous nude scenes are probably the reason why many men like this film. To sum up things up, I did like this movie, as it played on aspects of reality and unreality quite well, and I really didn't see the ending coming, which is a nice change. Aidan Quinn does a great job acting here, and his character is believable. He is another one of those actors I'm not really fond of, but he's great here.



3. I first saw this in 1999 when it was shown on TV and I taped it, mostly on a whim. At that time I had no idea who Kate Beckinsale was, and I'd never heard of Aidan Quinn. To be honest reading the film description of a guy who investigates a haunted house made me expect some kind of silly Poltergeist/ Nightmare On Elm Street type horror schlock movie.
   
   So it was something of a surprise to see the first moments of the film, with an Edwardian lady seated at a piano playing a melancholy yet moving piano piece. Further in it became apparent that this certainly wasn't a blood and gore shocker. For anyone thinking of renting or buying this I don't want to give the plot away too much, but if you're expecting any blood or gore, move on immediately. This film is made of many parts. It has elements of a period drama (1930s English manor- very Agatha Christie) ghost story, and psychological drama.
   
   David Ash, played by Aidan Quinn, is a paranormal investigator who finally agrees to visit an elderly woman (Nanny Tess , playedby Anna Massey) at a country estate after she has sent him many letters asking him. He meets Christina Marriell (played by Kate Beckinsale, then virtually unknown) and her two brothers, suave but smarmy and artistic Robert (Anthony Andrews) and the irreverant Simon (Alex Lowe). Nanny Tess is obviously in a state of fear, yet Ash is seemingly unbale to find anything to help her. In the end Ash becomes as shaken and disturbed as Nanny Tess by events in the house, and a vision of his long dead sister leads him to discovery that unwravels a surprise ending.
   
   Overall the film manages to sustain our interest throuhgout. The early 1930s ambience is authentically done. The scenery in Sussex, England looks stunning in autumn colours. The acting is uniformly well done. And the soundtrack by Debbie Wiseman is wonderful. ( I even bought it on CD a few days ago!)
   
   On the negative side though, the special effects are rather poor. And although I praised the acting, there is a certain conflict of styles. Aidan Quinn is an excellent actor, but his distinctly American "method" style of acting seems strange when he's having a conversation with the very English "Agatha Christie TV drama" style of the other cast. And although it's billed as "horror" I can't really think of any places where it's actually *scary*. (Although I admit I don't believe in anything supernatural) There's a sense of tension and unease, even creepiness, around, but anyone expecting to hide behind the sofa is going to disappointed.
   The main fault with this film though was the awkward script. Lines like "There was a peculiar scratching at my door last night. When I went to see what it was I was prevented from opening by someone pulling from the other side. Someone as strong as I am" and "So...you're from the colonies" make you wonder who actually gave the go ahead with the script. Did anyone actually realise how bad some of this dialog actually is?
   
   So I can't really say this is a 5 star movie because it certainly has some faults. Although not quite on the same level as Robert Wise's 1963 classic The Haunting, Haunted is an intelligent and well crafted story. The Haunting and Haunted- now there's a good double bill!
   
   
   PS Drooling Kate Beckinsale fans please note- that's a body double in the film. :p



4. Yes, this is definitely one of the under-rated horror gems that is not your typical gorefest that is so characteristic of horror movies these days. A thrilling, subtle adaptation of James Herbert's novel - Aidan Quinn plays David Ash, a debunker of supernatural phenomena. David himself had a tragic incident in his life, losing a beloved twin sister when they were both very young.
   At the behest of an old lady who previously worked as a nanny in an old country manor in the English countryside, Davod goes there to help her resolve the question of whether or not there are spirits haunting the manor.The strange happenings lead him to doubt first his own skepticism, and eventually his sanity. Things get further complicated when David finds himself falling for Christina [an alluring and enigmatic Kate Beckinsale] who is a member of the family that owns the house. Christina's and David's mutual attraction to each other face the disapproval of Christina's brothers, especially the older brother [played by Anthony Andrews].
   David also finds himself being haunted by visions of a young girl who looks very much like his deceased sister. Is he really seeing supernatural entities or is he going mad? This is a first-rate supernatural thriller that has some genuine jump in your seat moments, and a credibly eerie atmosphere. Highly recommended!



5. I guess these movies with the twist on them is becoming old news, because I guessed from only a few minutes into the plot what the outcome was going to be, and I guessed it right. And my suspicions grew stronger as the movie unveiled a few more clues to it's final outcome.
   
   However, even tho I predicated what was going to happen in the end, there was a few twist and turns that I could not work out, and kept watching to find out where it was going, and that was enough to keep me interested from start to end of this story of a writer who is invited to a house to meet an elderly woman who was the nanny of of the house's 3 children. (The people who owned the house, not the house itself)
   
   She claims she has been seeing ghosts and the house is haunted. Yet the 2 brothers and daughter she has helped to raise all there lives think she is just crazy.
   
   So this man who has written many ghost stories based on the facts, who has never really encountered a ghost and claims they are non existent, stays with them in the house for a couple of days, to investigate and discovers there are in fact strange things happening in this house.
   
   He suspects there may be someone behind it at first, but discovers much more then he ever expected to by the end of this film.
   
   ------
   
   As I said, I worked out very early in the film the outcome result of who certain characters and there story really where, but there are a lot of other things I did not predict, and it keeps you guessing to the end if your thoughts are right, or if it's something else.
   
   If you care, I thought it was going to turn out that 2 of the characters where married and lying about there status etc.. but I guessed that one wrong. So if your someone who easily works out outcomes before they happen like I sometimes do, then I'd urge you to check this one out as it can confuse and trick you into one belief throwing you off the track your think it is going to in some aspects of the plot.
   
   On the scare factor, I don't think it's on the creepy or spooky side of film making at all. It's more of a mystery film surrounding the supernatural then anything else really, don't expect blood and gore and terrifying scares from the walking dead, it's a clean mystery that slowly unravels as it proceeds with interesting twists and tales, yet very predicable for some like me, but even with that said, I still think it was a very enjoyable movie.
   
   If you see it for rental, check it out, it won't kill you.

5 comments about Fearless.

1. Weir's sadly overlooked 1993 drama is a probing, beautifully acted psychological character study dressed up in transcendent garb. Max's newfound power--an unnerving "fearlessness" - initially enables him to assist his fellow passengers, and is the basis upon which he counsels Carla, but the sea change in his personality has also alienated him from his wife and family. The Oscar-nominated Perez really delivers here in the demanding role of a distraught, grief-stricken mother, and her scenes with Bridges are especially intense and convincing. Weir handles all the catharsis--and even the plane crash, glimpsed in flashback--with uncommon restraint. Board "Fearless" for a heart-wrenching story about finding grace amid the fear of death.



2. This is Peter Weir's brilliant film about post-traumatic stress syndrome in the survivors of a fatal plane crash. The continually under-rated Jeff Bridges gives a powerful performance as Max, a survivor locked in another dimension, helping others triumph over their PTSS but not acknowledging his own which impacts on his relationship with his wife (Isabella in a powerful performance as devoted but helpless and confused wife), his family, friends, professional life. His devotion to another survivor (a superb performance from Rosie Perez) leads to near disastrous consequences. The climax sees Max going under, reliving the trauma, wheezing, dying, and brought back from the brink by his wife - all to the powerful, haunting strains of Henri Gorecki's Symphony No. 3. This underscores the themes of love, tragedy and trauma, death, loss, the pain of the walking wounded and throughout the score by Maurice Jarre, excerpts from Penderecki's Polymorphia and the Kronos Quartet's Pieces of Africa add to the Gorecki masterwork to give a depth, sensitivity, and power to "Fearless" that raises it above the ordinary. What viewer could not well up with the falling, pathetic Max reaching out desperately to his wife and asking her to save him. Who could not be overwhelmed by the reality of trauma and be uplifted by sheer recognition of the fragility of life. Director Peter Weir takes us to the brink and guides us towards the triumph of the human spirit. A brilliant interweaving of film, soundtrack, powerful performances and illuminating story.



3. Peter Weir has made some great films, as has Jeff Bridges. But I think this is the finest work for both. Weir should've won a Best Director Oscar for the plane crash scene alone. Bridges pulls off a character that you can't help rooting for, no matter how much he wants to push us away. Outstanding acting all-around, even in small parts by Tom Hulce, John Turtorro and Benicio Del Toro, as well as Isabella Rosellini as Bridge's wife who's on the outside looking in. But it's Bridges and Rosie Perez who pull off one of the most complex, fascinating relationships you'll ever see. Anger, jealousy, unconscionable guilt, self-pity and finally an awakening. Not to be missed. As for the DVD, it is begging for an updated version (as someone else wrote on here, Criterion) with commentary and behind-the-scenes footage, especially of the haunting plance crash scene. Brilliant.



4. This is a magnificent movie, and it deserves to be seen exactly as it was shown in theaters. Does this disc fit the bill? Yes and no.
   
   Movies that are shot in anamorphic widescreen, usually with a screen ratio greater than 1.85:1 (or approximately 16:9, like a widesceen television), are cropped at the sides, or "panned and scanned" to fit a conventional 4:3 television screen. Most movies (but not all) shown at 1.85:1, such as "Fearless" was in its initial distribution, are not shot "wide." They are shot at a standard, 4:3 TV ratio and matted (the top and bottom are cropped) for a 1.85:1 wide screen. Now make no mistake--such films are designed for widescreen, and composed and lit for how they will appear in a matted format. However, in a video release like "Fearless," you are actually seeing more of the image than was seen in the theater. If you don't believe me, do a comparison of other titles available both "wide" and panned-and-scanned, and you'll see what I mean. [A good example is "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation," or the recent re-issue of "The Bridges of Madison County."]
   
   I suppose one could simply watch this disc on a widescreen television and zoom in the picture until it fills the frame, which would approximate the theatrical experience, but the picture would lack the high resolution clarity of a widesreen (16:9) release. This is one of the best and most underrated films of the 1990s, and it deserves to be reissued the way it was designed and intended to be seen.



5. As is true for many of the people who wrote here, for me, seeing FEARLESS in its original, very short-term theatrical release was literally a stunning experience. It is one of those films that one finishes watching, and then walks back out into the sunlight (or the night) almost completely unaware of their surroundings, as you carry the world of the film with you for a long time, and then slowly re-enter your own life. For me, it was a life-changing experience, and ever since it was first released, it's been on my top 10 list permanently.
   
   Regarding the DVD, here's the best info I have: I went to a lecture about a year ago (approximately?) by the film's cinematographer Alan Daviau. He showed his own personal print of the film, which SHINED -- and was projected in 1.85. When questioned by me and others about the pathetic dvd available, he told us he was in the next couple of weeks, going to supervise a new transfer, and that a new DVD would be released soon that would do the film justice. Well, we're still waiting -- but for those of you who, like me, are literally offended by the quality (wrong aspect ratio, bad transfer, bad sound) of the existing DVD -- hopefully, there's hope! Keep watching the skies . . .

5 comments about Strangers on a Train (Two-Disc Special Edition).

1. Alfred Hitchcock's Strangers on a Train is a fantastic achievement on so many levels. It's a simple thriller. Two guys unknowingly make a plan to "switch" murders, but that's only the beginning.
   
   The cast plays perfectly well in this well crafted thriller, and Hitchcock shows off his camera finesse once again. Some of the shots are so wonderfullly done, you'll start to wonder if Alfred was from an advanced planet, much like Orson Welles.
   
   The many themees that run through this are equally satisfying. In many of his movies, Hitchock has used the idea behind two sides to a person (Shadow of a Doubt, Vertigo (Collector's Edition)). There's so many other themes in this film. The inner workings of a killer, guilt, sexuality. THis film has it all.
   
   It's one of the greatest films of all time, and one of Hitchcock's most overlooked. This DVD set includes two versions of the film. The final version, at 101 minutes, which includes a commentary track. There's also a preview "International" version that runs 103 minutes, with a few changes from the final version. Also, there are three featurettes, one abut Hitchcock, one from the victim's P.O.V., and M. Night Shyamalan dicussing the movie.
   
   Must Have.



2. A well written,well acted film [Robert Walkers last]
   Film Noir at it's finest. Excellent character build up,mixed with humor and rapid fire dialog. If your looking for an old Hollywood style mystery from a director [Hitchcock]who knew how to direct and actors who knew how to act than I wholeheartedly recommend ''Strangers on a train''



3. This is definetly a classic Alfred Hitchcock thriller. It has more twist and turns than a good roller coaster. If you like Hitchcock and suspense, this is a must have......!!!! Don't forget the popcorn!!!



4. "Strangers on a Train" is a well-appreciated but lesser known film than some of Alfred Hitchcock's later works, but it nonetheless remains a remarkable story with an excellent cast. The tale of two men "exchanging" murders is a brilliant one and it is played out here with full suspense. The real tragedy of the film, however, was the sudden death of one of its two co-stars, Robert Walker, the same year it was released. Walker, who had suffered from personal problems of his own, gives a riveting performance as Bruno Anthony, a psychotic killer who enlists the aid of a naive tennis star, Guy Haines, played by Farley Granger.
   
   Hitchcock's use of light is as wonderful as ever and the climax on an amusement park carousel, is one of his best. Terror is everywhere during the last few minutes of the film. I highly recommend "Strangers on a Train"....it's one of Hitchcock's finest.



5. The dvd is in excellent condition. Fast delivery - it arrived before the due date. Ecstatic about this purchase. Thanks for the great service.

5 comments about Sanford and Son - The Complete Fourth Season.

1. 1. The Surprise Party
   
   2. Matchmaker, Matchmaker
   
   3. Ol' Brown Eyes
   
   4. Grady and his Lady
   
   5. There'll be some charges made
   
   6. Going Out of Business
   
   7. Home Sweet Home
   
   8. My Kingdom for a Horse (a.k.a.) First Night out
   
   9. Sanford and Niece
   
   10. Julio and Sister and Nephew
   
   11. Freds Treasure Garden
   
   12. Tower Power
   
   13. A little Extra Security
   
   14. The Merger
   
   15. Once a thief
   
   16. The Stand-In
   
   17. Strange Bedfellows
   
   18. The Masquerade Party
   
   19. Golden Boy
   
   20. My Brother-In-Law's Keeper
   
   21. The Headache
   
   22. The Stung
   
   23. The Older Woman
   
   24. The Over-the-Hill Gag
   
   25. The Family Man



2. This was the last of the seasons that were at their best. Sanford and Son kept me laughing when I was a teenager. Today my teenage son watches these episodes and laughs with me. This series speaks to all generations. Redd Fox was one of the greatest. The cast of characters kept it fresh.



3. The quotes from this 5-star series are endless. The title of this review is a lonely sample of the hilarious zingers that Fred (Redd Foxx) would make in reference to Aunt ("watch it sucker!") Esther.
   
   Laughs abound in these wonderfully crafted episodes that covered all issues from family values to cultural difference and made great fun of every subject.
   
   Sanford and Son was way ahead of its time for a 1972 debut. Creator Norman Lear (The Jeffersons, Good Times and more) had a great formula with All In The Family, and he applied it perfectly to Sanford and Son.
   
   If you're unfamiliar with this sitcom, bottom line is that Fred runs a junkyard with his son, Lamont, and Fred's wife passed away leaving the two men to also run the household. But who could possibly not have at least seen a rerun of this classic show with its memorable theme tune?
   
   This collection is as ageless as it is priceless. Some of the season 3 and season 4 episodes are without Redd Foxx due to contract issues, and that was a shame and absolutely effected the genius of the show. Thank goodness it was only a total of 8 or 9 episodes.
   
   And, speaking of price, at the time of this writing it seems a bit cheaper if you buy all 6 DVD seasons separately instead of the 6-season box set that Amazon is offering.
   
   Either way, hit the add to cart button. This is the big one! I'm comin', Elizabeth!



4. Sanford and Son: The Fourth Season showed the popular sitcom at both its peak and its inevitable demise. Redd Foxx was still holding out to a contract dispute as the show continued on without him. The writing, at least early on, was still top notch as the remaining cast did a remarkable job creating the laughs for their audience. Nowhere is this more evident than in the opening episode, "Fred's Treasure Garden." Despite Fred Sanford still visiting St. Louis in the storylines, the cast put on what is the best Sanford and Son episode ever. Although the rapport between all the characters here is stellar, Rollo (Nathaniel Taylor) and Officers Hoppy and Smitty (Howard T. Platt and Hal Williams) steal the show. Rollo, in particular, had more funny lines in this episode than he had in all of his previous episodes combined. I could watch this episode 1,000 times and never tire of it. A true classic. Another great episode from Disc 1 is "Matchmaker, Matchmaker" which saw Fred and Grady trying to hook Lamont up through a dating service only to be presented with an attractive albeit inebriated white woman who repeatedly says, "Hi! I'm Nora Simpson!" Other strong episodes from Disc 1 include "Grady and His Lady" and "Going out of Business."
   
   However, it is on Disc 2 where Fred Sanford begins his role as the Ralph Kramden of the `70s, getting involved in one money-making scheme after another. Episodes such as "My Kingdom for a Horse" and "Tower Power", while still funny, show a noticeable drop of quality in the writing. The undeniable classic episode on this disc is "The Merger", which sees Fred and Lamont, along with their neighbor Julio, merging their junk businesses and attempting to create a TV commercial that is absolutely hysterical. Disc 3 continues the sitcom's inevitable decline with "The Masquerade Party", which sees Grady, Bubba, and Fred attempting to win prizes on a game show based on Monty Hall's "Let's Make A Deal", and "The Stand-Ins", the first of many Sanford and Son episodes that show off Fred and Lamont's performing talents. This once again brings up the question when I reviewed Season 5. If these guys are so talented, what are they doing working in a junkyard? There are a few funny episodes on this disc, most notably "Golden Boy" and "The Stung." And speaking of "The Stung", longtime fans of the show will notice a lack of consistency as Fred is said to be a lousy card player even though he was a slick hustler in the Season 2 episode, "The Card Sharps." All told, Sanford and Son: The Fourth Season is an interesting collection with a lot of great episodes as well as some weak episodes that ultimately led to the end of the series.



5. The late nights, waiting up to catch Fred heckling the world were well worth it, but i always wanted to have my own Marathon of the shows I could never get enough of. This set is very nice, from the packaging, which features tidbits of history from the show, to the fold out display and biography book. I also like the show lineup which tells you exactly what disc has what, and what each show is about. I expected less, and got so much more, and would recommend this to those die hard fans of the "real world" antics of a real world figure.

5 comments about The People vs. Larry Flynt (Special Edition).

1. I didn't know too much about the man that was Larry Flynt before the other night. I new he was the man behind 'Hustler' but that was about it. Watching this surprisingly tastfully done biopic on the man opened my eyes to what he stood for. Pulling himself out of nothing, Larry Flynt (Woody Harrelson) stood up for the rights of every American when he fought for the publication of his magazine. Starting out the owner of an exotic dance club but looking for more he started a newsletter advertising his 'girls', but after his little side project took off running it was apparent where his big break was going to fall. The film follows Flynt throughout his life, from his marriage to dancer Althea (Courtney Love) who is just as excited about his magazine as he is, to his arrest's and constant battles with the court over the right to publish 'smut' as they called it.
   
   His legal battles are really where the meat of this film lies for is really shows the hypocrisy of the legal system. They were forcing opinions on citizens instead of inforcing law. There was no law against the publication of porn, but it went against what many people belived to be good morals. As Flynt so noted, he was guilty of nothing but bad taste.
   
   As the film progresses we see the aftermath of a shooting gone wrong, a man obviously upset over the magazine shot Larry outside of the courthouse paralizing him from the waist down. This has to of course be a terrible blow to a man obsessed with sex. Just before the shooting Larry was starting to turn over a new leaf after being converted the Christianity. He was trying to turn his magazine around (even though he ended up making it worse) but after the shooting he swore off god altogether and became athiest. Through the course of the next three years he and his wife became addicted to pain killers and his wife ended up suffering the fatal price when she was diagnosed with AIDS. The film shows beautifully, as well as heartbreakingly, Larry's devotion to his ailing wife and there illicit love affair that was in all sense of the word genuine.
   
   The film helps show the triumph of the everyman as he battles for the freedoms we all enjoy and is relentless in doing so. He's not doing this for the money or the fame but to prove that we all want the same thing. It doesn't matter whether we agree with what this man did or what he promoted, for theres not one of us who doesn't enjoy the freedom we have in this country, and all Larry Flynt wanted was the right to enjoy that freedom as well. What this film proved, and better yet what Larry's life proved, is that once you start taking away the freedoms of one person based on our own viewpoints we start to limit ourselves and everyone around us. If we started punishing those who didn't think like us the world would be a much colder place.
   
   Now what needs to be mentioned, and what makes a film like this so great, is the brilliant acting on the part of the entire cast, from Harrelson's brilliant take on Larry Flynt to Edward Norton's turn as his cautious lawyer. I wholeheartedly agree that Woody should have won the Oscar for this, for there is no one else that could have pulled this off the way he did. Courtney Love is another cast memeber who deserves heeps of praise for her scene stealing performance as Larry's bisexual, drug addict wife. Her performance blew me away with her commiment and dedication to her role. She was the def. of commanding and stole every scene out from under Woody's feet. I believe Courtney to be a huge star, and if she would only harness that drive she showed in this film then she could be much further then she is now. As a whole, in everyway, this is a great film that is about so much more than 'porn' but about growth and the fight for the American dream!



2. nominated for an Academy Award. Courtney was also terrific and also should have been nominated. They both played off each other well and pulled off a piece of history regarding "free" speech. which we know there really isn't any "free" speech in this country. Enjoy!



3. Great movie. I laughed, and cried, and laughed again at this incredibly wild film. Boogie Nights can't hold a candle to this one. Look for a guest appearance by THE Larry Flynt.



4. This is an awesome movie. Funny a lot of the time yet gripping to see all the things Larry Flint went through . I was purley fascinated. I am now reading his autobigography, which is also good.



5. I always liked this movie, but this edition with the new documentary and the commentaries from the director and some of the actors is a nice bonus.
   It was definitely worth paying the extra few dollars in order to hear that, especially Woody and Milos each talking about the making of the movie.

5 comments about Electra.

1. must greatly suffer - something along that line - but that quote belongs to the Sophocles version - this one's a little more method - although slightly too emotional [but then - there goes ther movie and the performances!] Always bearing in mind that these great works were written as rituals - not as .... entertainment. [This version is slightly too close to the kitchen sink - smatters of that great Juliette Greco vehicle "The Crack in the Mirror"].

   BUT for what this version is worth IRENE PAPAS is spectacular as the misbegotten daughter seeking revenge - choreography of the chorus is superb as is the bleak, bleak cinematography.

   Perfect and no doubt authentically researched costume design.




2. Irene Papas as Elektra gives probably her finest perfomance ever. Cacoyanis made an exceptional translating process with this drama from Euripides.
   The fundamental atmosphere of the female chorus and all the haunting drama hidden about the revenge to make justice is told
   brilliantly.
   Cacoyanis shows us why he was blessed by the Gods .
   Acquire this superb masterpiece.



3. I came to view this film the long way around. I have watched the Richard Straus Opera "Elektra" in which there are people of the same name but different spelling than the film. In the play Elektra the eldest daughter is upset because her mother Klytämnestra and her mother's lover Aegisth killed her father the king, Agamemnon. She calls on her father's spirit, and vows vengeance. Her younger sister Chrysothemis tries to talk her out of it. Her mother comes to here drugged and sleepless asking Elektra what can be done to make amends so her nightmares will end. Elektra tells her that the blood of an impure woman must be shed. Later Elektra is told that her brother, Orest is dead so she tells her sister that she must help kill the mother and lover. Orest turns up alive and is coaxed into killing first Klytämnestra and then Aegisth. So much emotional hate and joy is released that Elektra dances until she falls dead.
   
   Then there are several translations of the play by Sophocles 410 BC.
   
   Now we come to the interpretation for this 1962 film play directed by Michael Cacoyannis of "Zorba the Greek" fame. The film takes 113 minutes; Approximately 15 minutes of dialog, 30 minutes of mime to cut out the bulk of the dialog from the play, and the rest filler of people milling around. I do not mean to sound trite but be prepared for long moments where we have to listen to an off key string instrument or a bunch of horns th keep us focused of where the action should be. There is a moving song and a chorus that speaks out now and them. The set is the Greek landscape with a few structures. It is shot in black and white. This is saved by exceptional acting.
   
   There is a touching scene where Agamemmnon retunes to great his wife and children. Then we watch as Clytemnestra and her lover Aegisthus net in Agamemmnon for the kill. Orestes gets led out to a foreign land and Electra is under house arrest until she grows up. She cuts off her hair in protest and is married off to an innocuous peasant. Will she ever get revenge? And is Orestes even alive? What ho, strangers approach.
   
   This is a tale of "...A family so noble and so damned at the same time."
   
   To get a different take on the story you can read "Care of the Soul: A Guide for Cultivating Depth and Sacredness in Everyday Life" by Thomas Moore, where he tells the story a little different in depicting the role of becoming a mother.
   
   The media itself is a DVD with options of Greek: Mono, English: Mono or French: mono. Then the option also of English, French and Spanish Language Subtitles. The singing is done in Greek only but you can use English subtitles to tell what they are singing. There are no pamphlets with this package.
   
   Antigone ~ Irene Papas



4. Bitterness in ancient Greece. If you go for Greek tragedy you'll enjoy this. Agamemnon returns home to Mycenae, is murdered by his wife and her lover, and his daughter Elektra schemes revenge. The real Mycenae stands in for itself and the acting is top-notch. Regarding this DVD: beware of using the dubbed English track - the voices don't always say what they should at certain points. Also, the great Irene Papas' powerful voice is "girlie-fied" by whoever dubbed her. Stick to the original Greek track and access the English subtitles instead. The film is in 16:9 format but is not anamorphic. This is not a problem due to the excellent b & w transfer, and no serious graininess is introduced when it is vertically expanded to fit your widescreen TV screen. Recommended.



5. I show this film to high school students and after they get past the relatively crude production values, English subtitles and strange music, they begin to sense the power of the story. The intensity of the characters becomes almost hypnotic and the fact that this is a really old film becomes unimportant. My only regret is the story is closer to the Sophocles/Aeschylus versions that show the traditional endorsement of revenge killings. The revolutionary antiestablishment undertone of the Euripides text is ignored despite the fact that it raises timeless questions these actors could have explored to great effect.

5 comments about Stealing Home.

1. I was introduced to the music from this movie in college. I loved it so much that I decided to watch the movie. I just love it. Made my husband watch it and he enjoyed it too. It is one of those hidden treasures that always makes me smile.



2. I watched this show for the first time when I was a senior in high school. My friend and I had the soundtrack and loved all the songs. I just happened to be watching TV the other day (something I rarely do) and it was on. I had totally forgot what a great movie it was! I was seriously mesmerized for an hour. The songs just took me back. I didn't see the beginning so I went on a search to find it. I figured Amazon wouldn't have the DVD and soundtrack, but, voila! That's why I love them. Thanks Amazon!



3. I was very moved by this story when I first saw it in the early 1990's. I found myself watching it again just last night at work - here I am 15 years older, at a place in life that I never expected to be, when the losses of my adolescent years seem light years away. But this story doesn't bring it back as much as it solidifies those experiences and the story even has greater resonance now. "Stealing Home" is a story dealing with the fundemental losses we face as people. It is poignant without being cheesy.



4. This is a film produced two decades ago but with an enduring quality that makes you want to go back and see it again, and again, and again. In many ways it has all the characteristics of a classic: simple theme, uncomplicated characters, clear imagery in its presentation, and a soundtrack that supports the imagery and doesn't obscure the message. There is a simple innocence portrayed very effectively in characters played by actors who have since earned justifiably the admiration of peers and audiences alike for their depth of professional capacity,led by Jodie Foster and Mark Harmon. A great movie to just get comfortable with; no twisting plot moves; you can see everything coming - and it's nice when it works out that way.



5. What a great movie and soundtrack. I actually went and bought the soundtrack after I saw this. David Foster did a great job. . 5 STARS

5 comments about Grey Gardens - Criterion Collection.

1. Brilliant character study...a film that I will watch many times....it is a wonderfully done documentary...The Grey Gardens is a must see film!



2. The original filming of the documentary followed the lives of Big & Little Edie Beale in the early-mid 70s, well before reality tv & paparrazi began barraging us with images of celebrities alongside average Americans. Watching the film gives a feeling of watching something you shouldn't be seeing, knowing the Kennedy & Bouvier clans probably shuddered in their shoes when they heard about it being released. (The Beales are close relatives of Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis.) Edie's change of outfits, singing, & endless philosophizing are fascinating to watch, yet at the same time you feel a bit melancholic for her. The new bonus disc is quite a treat with footage never before available from the hours of filming done by the Maysles' brothers. Buy it for your collection & you will always have something interesting to watch & discuss when you have a dinner party. A unique gem!



3. They used to be part of the rich crowd, now they live in a dilapidated mansion that's literally falling apart. I mean racoons are jumping through the open walls, eating off their floors, & chumping on the dry cat food littered there. Cats are everywhere too and they poop and pee anywhere they want, on the mother's bed, behind the paintings, etc.
   
   How did these two people end up with a life like this? This movie tells...



4. You seriously cannot script this stuff.
   
   I like weird s**t! What can I say?! Thanks to parents with a dry sense of humor I grew up loving all things 'odd'.
   
   When my boyfriend brought this home and said: "You need to watch this...it's right up your alley!" I was like: eh! ( I don't like it when people recommend things to me - don't ask me why, it's just a weird thing i have!)
   
   Anyway, I read the back of the cover and was a little intrigued...I'm not going to lie. So we put it on and OMFG! These woman are f#$%ing amazing! They are cookoo and eccentric and all those things I love immensely!
   
   I didn't want it to end. And i couldn't believe I had not come accross it early. I feel like 27 yrs of my life have just passed me by with no real meaning.
   
   I have never said the words: Seriously?! Is she f#$%ing for real...I LOVE HER!
   
   Edie is amazing. I am in awe of these women.
   
   This is now my all-time favourite documentary.
   
   Now i don't say this very often, but : YOU MUST WATCH THIS IF IT IS THE LAST THING YOU DO!
   
   You cannot go through life without having seen these women in action..
   
   Go and buy it right now...RIGHT NOW! I'm watching you



5. Grey Gardens was initialy intended to be a documentary film on the Bouvier family, the ancestors of Jackie Kennedy Onassis and her sister Lee Radziwill. However, after being introduced to Edith Bouvier Beale (Jackie's father "Black Jack's" sister) and her daughter (Jackie's first cousin), the focus changed ... to a story that would have been all-but-impossible for a documentary filmmaker to walk away from, even over the protests of family members.
   
   The Beales, mother and daughter (Edie and "Little" Edie), were at one time beautiful, no doubt fashionable, wealthy, prominent members of high society, with a large mansion, "Grey Gardens," full of appropriate possessions to match. Unfortunately, Mr. Beale's death (I didn't catch when but it had to have been many years earlier) led them into a year-by-year, seemingly never-ending spiral of increasing pathetic physical ruin and personal dispair.
   
   By the time of the documentary, they have long-since lost the ability to care for the mansion, it's possessions, themselves or their health. They have effectively been removed from current reality and exist almost entirely amid memories, many very clear to both, some with recriminations and lots with "if only's." They have seemingly lost all but perfunctory contact with their family (a brother of Edith's is said to pay the taxes) and have no visible source of income. And, seemingly as a result of the situation, have descended into a completely self-absorbed, mutually accusatory / codependent relationship, possibly diagnosable as some form of mental illness for one or both.
   
   A really difficult, truly sad but sometimes very funny situation, made poignant by their memories of what was and by implication what could have been. In some ways they may be seen as heroic, still able to laugh under the appalling circumstances. Undoubtedly many controversial questions could be asked of the Beale's, the family, the filmmakers, the government, and society. Worth watching and thinking about from lots of viewpoints ... well done.

5 comments about Ali.

1. a quarter century before, muhammad ali HIMSELF made a legendarily bad biopic of his life. he was better than will smith.



2. Rather disappointing film about the life and times of the famous boxer. The name Cassius Clay (his real name) is never brought about. Also a downer was that it seemed to center more on Malcom X later in the movie than Clay himself. It was funny seeing a young Don King represented but instead of getting to know the man, the viewer is bandied about with constant themes of racism, the draft and other pieces of the 1960s. I know that is a part of his life but personally I really did not enjoy it, instead of feeling like I was viewing his life, I was viewing the life around him. Will Smith is cast as Ali but honestly, they portray the man as if he could only talk when ranting about how great he was with "float like a butterfly/sting like a bee" and "I am the greatest" being punched at me over and over again. I must say again, this film is more about the life and times that happened around Ali than about his personal life or boxing legacy.



3. While it obviously could be referred to as a boxing picture, this nice Michael Mann biographical effort is more a character study of the one of the most charismatic figures ever to step into the squared circle. Mr. Mann shifts gears appropriately from his heavy action yarns (Thief, Last of the Mohicans, Heat) to provide an insightful look into the life of this legendary boxer as Will Smith pulls off the title role rather well yet regrettably holds back much of the wit, humor and unpredictable antics Ali was known for. As a result, viewer's eyes actually will be more fixated on the dynamite supporting cast including Ron Silver as Ali's longtime trainer Angelo Dundee and Mario Van Peebles playing a formidable Malcolm X. Both of these memorable characters are only to be outdone by an almost unrecognizable Jon Voight as he dons the patented yellow ABC sport jacket and gives an incredible, Oscar nominated performance as the exuberant and controversial Howard Cosell who always seemed to be where Ali roamed the globe. While the film does span 10 years of the famous boxer's life, the major disappointment of the film is the 157 minute which could have been shortened by needles/monotonous training footage sequences.



4. Ali is a good film that could have been great. Will Smith plays Ali with great passiond vigor. Micheal Mann direction and cinematography is some the best work he has ever done, but the film drags in its second half and ends on a dry note. I think the film should ahve covered Ali's whole life not just ten years that were covered in the film. Until The Purusit Of Happyness, this was Will Smith's best performance as he gives the auidence the charmisa and charm that he displayed in Six Degrees Of Seperation. Ali is by no mean's a GREAT film but it is a good one.



5. Ali DVD
   
   Will Smith is eerily like Ali. It's like Cassiuss Clay is playing himself. I remember watching Clay fight in the Olympics and Smith has him down pat. I'd admired Ali for being willing to go to prison for his convictions instead of fleeing to Canada like all the other bed-wetting, Mommas boys who opposed the War in Viet Nam. Jon Voight is good as Howard Cosell, who was a nobody until he weaseled his way into Ali's life. I understand that Smith and Voight both received Academy Award nominations for their roles in this move. I wonder how Smith "bulked up" for this role.
   
   Highly recommended for fans of Will Smith, Jon Voight, boxing the way it use to be, and Cassius Clay, aka Mohammed Ali.
   
   Gunner April, 2008

5 comments about Pilates Conditioning for Weight Loss.

1. I started using this DVD right before I got engaged. I am not an athletic person, nor do I particularly enjoy exercise. I LOVE this workout! I lost between 10 and 15 pounds, and really toned my body. I didn't have a lot of weight to lose, but this certainly firmed up all my jiggly parts! I became a lot more flexible as well. After 5 years or so, the DVD no longer plays. I decided to buy one of the Winsor Pilates DVD, and hate it. I will definitaely re-purchase this one.



2. If you're looking to learn how to perform pilates moves properly this is a great video. It is also very relaxing with beautiful waterfall and ocean scenery in the background.
   I did not, however, find this to be an intense workout (not that Pilates should be intense, but I would like to feel like I'm doing something). She generally only does 6 repetitions of a move, which I don't find to be enough to really work the various muscle groups. She also spends a lot of time going through instructions for the various levels (beginner, intermediate, advanced), unless you choose the workout designed specifically for beginner or intermediate (which means you can't vary between levels on the different moves).
   I don't mind doing this workout to cool off from a long stressful day, but if I'm really looking to tone, or "loose weight" as this video proclaims, I go elsewhere.



3. The workout is OK, but I hate being forced to watch advertizing every time I put the DVD on. It can't be turned off, the player has to play it through till the main manu opens. This seems to be a standard business practice with Gaiam, I also own their Yoga Conditioning DVD, and the ads there are even longer. This is not a free product, I paid money for it, what do I have to be forced to watch what I don't want?



4. This video is great for all levels of pilates practioners- there are good modifications for beginners, great explanation of the poses and the pace is slow enough to really hold the poses properly. The workout is also the only one that is long enough to approximate the workout I would get in my pilates class. I have tred a few other videos, but this one is the best I have found so far.



5. This DVD is WAY to slow paced and will probably be useless to everyone but COMPLETE beginners or people completely out of shape. I am a 25 year old male, so I'm probably not the target demographic of home exercise DVDs, but I bought this DVD as a beginner to pilates (and I wasn't in very good shape at all) and it was even boring then.
   
   There is WAY too much time between each exercise. In the full version of the video, she explains all three modifications which takes forever. The DVD has the option of watching the easiest or second easiest modifications alone (which is slightly faster, although she still takes way too long between each exercise), but you can only view the full, non-modified exercises along with the other two. This seems odd, because the more advanced you are at pilates, the more emphasis you should put on flow between exercises... so why isn't there a third option for viewing the non-modified exercises on their own?
   
   The flow of the exercises is further hindered by the odd order of the exercises... Traditional pilates is done in a specific order (to encourage flow and work muscles groups in the most efficient way).
   
   I recently did this video, because I've been doing pilates for a while now and I thought that I might enjoy the video more. With pilates, you are constantly learning how to better engage your powerhouse and make each exercise more focused and effective, so I assumed that maybe I would enjoy it more now that I could really get the most out of each exercise. Not the case...
   
   Unless you are REALLY out of shape or just really want a workout that goes at a snail's pace, this video will probably bore you to tears. Ana Caban and Jillian Hessel both have beginner's pilate dvds that are much better. I would suggest looking into those instead.