Jason Robards

Average customer rating:

My all-time favorite western!
The Best Spagetti Western To Date
BEST of the spaghetti Westerns
Formidable, operatic western
Poetic and Truly Original

Once Upon a Time in the West
Starring: Henry Fonda , Claudia Cardinale , Jason Robards , Charles Bronson , and Gabriele Ferzetti
Director: Sergio Leone
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Westerns | Genres | DVD | Video

Action & Adventure | Westerns | Genres | DVD | Video

Drama | Westerns | Genres | DVD | Video

Epic | Westerns | Genres | DVD | Video

Spaghetti Western | Westerns | Genres | DVD | Video

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

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( O ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

The Magnificent Seven (Special Edition)
My Name Is Nobody
High Noon (Collector's Edition)
Shane
The Searchers (Two-Disc Anniversary Edition)

ASIN: B0000AUHPG
Release Date: 2003-11-18

Amazon.com essential video

The so-called spaghetti Western achieved its apotheosis in Sergio Leone's magnificently mythic (and utterly outlandish) Once upon a Time in the West. After a series of international hits starring Clint Eastwood (from A Fistful of Dollars to The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly), Leone outdid himself with this spectacular, larger-than-life, horse-operatic epic about how the West was won. (And make no mistake: this is the wide, wide West, folks--so the widescreen/letterboxed version is strongly recommended.) The unholy trinity of Italian cinema--Leone, Bernardo Bertolucci, and Dario Argento--concocted the story about a woman (Claudia Cardinale) hanging onto her land in hopes that the transcontinental railroad would reach her before a steely-eyed, black-hearted killer (Fonda) does. (The film's advertising slogan was: "There were three men in her life. One to take her ... one to love her ... and one to kill her.") Meanwhile, Leone shoots his stars' faces as if they were expansive Western landscapes, and their towering bodies as if they were looming rock formations in John Ford's Monument Valley. --Jim Emerson

Customer Reviews:

My all-time favorite western!.......2007-06-20

I never really cared for westerns until I saw this movie. I became hooked on spaghetti westerns, and in my opinion, this is the best of them all! The storyline is certainly different, and the ending is somewhat of a surprise. The main characters really stand out: Charles Bronson, Jason Robards, Claudia Cardinale, and Henry Fonda. The music is haunting, and that was what really hooked me.

The Best Spagetti Western To Date.......2007-06-12

Once Upon a Time in the West From start to finish,is by far the best spagetti western ever made to date. It Stars Henry Fonda as a ruthless outlaw. Along with a pose' he murders and destroys his way through every town he and his gang enters.He shows his victims no mercy, not a drop of sympathy is in his bones. He'll make your blood run cold. Henry Fonda is at his acting best! You have never seen him like this! He encounters a mysterious traveler who plays a mysterious melody on a Harmonica. The traveler seems to be looking for him. Why? Here's where the real edge of your seat action really happens. Finally time to reveal what everything means. Right down to the mysterious song played on the harmonica by the traveler througout most of the movie.
Since this film was made other westerns that followed, used Itlalian director Sergi Leone's touch, i.e. The Good, The Bad and The Ugly etc.)

BEST of the spaghetti Westerns.......2007-06-08

Sergio Leone made his indelible mark with the three Clint Eastwood films, but this is his best work, even though Clint is absent. Not to worry. "Once Upon A Time" features a wonderful all-star cast. Avoiding the overdone goodguys vs bad guys cliche, Leone casts perpetual goodguy Henry Fonda as one of the sleaziest amoral villains you'll ever see. And Fonda doesn't disappoint in the role. The so-called goodguys are actually not so good, but they're played brilliantly by Jason Robards and Charles Bronson. Claudia Cardinale is striking as the libertine. Even the opening scene focuses on Jack Elam and Woody Strode - two of the best character actors to appear in any Western.

The plot meanders through a number of twists and subplots, requiring the viewer to follow all of the action between gunfights. Leone challenges the conventional concepts of loyalty, friendship, and alliances. Highly recommended.

Formidable, operatic western.......2007-05-30

"Once Upon a Time in the West" is director Sergio Leone's formidable and unique vision of the old west as grand opera. In Leone's work, as in opera, subtlety is replaced by exaggeration, i.e., the villians in his creation are all over-the-top, almost cartoonishly evil while the ingenue/heroine is both pretty and boring to the extreme. The movie's musical score, as in opera, is as important or even more important than dialogue in conveying the story. In fact, words are rarely uttered in this western tale.

I'm not always comfortable with Leone's antagonists and protagonists because the audience never really gets to know or understand them. They are presented more as abstractions of good and evil than they are as fully developed, three-dimensional human beings.

And Ennio Morricone's idiosyncratic score, while elaborate and memorable, sometimes seemed too languid or pretty to suit the violent action in a western. But perhaps Morricone was aiming for irony.

Overall, "Once Upon a Time in the West" is an unusual and gorgeous- looking western very much worth a glance or two.

Poetic and Truly Original.......2007-03-30

"Once Upon a Time in the West" is one of the best films in the Western genre and also the most fun to watch due to its look and style. The movie is directed by Sergio Leone. I'm familiar with Leone's work, but have never seen any of his films. "Once Upon a Time in the West" bares the unmistakable signature of a genius though and I look forward to watching many more Leone films in the future. The film has one of the greatest opening scenes I've ever seen; lasting 13 minutes, the film opens at a train station where three men anxiously await the arrival of the train. They're waiting for someone. After Leone slowly builds the tension (and I don't know about a director that could do it better), the train arrives and a man (Charles Bronson) gets off of it, playing a harmonica. He's supposed to be meeting with a man named Frank, but we learn that Frank is attending to some other business. Soon, the three men there to meet the man are dead; And because of Frank (Henry Fonda, in one of his strongest performances), a family of 4 is dead. Then the young lady set to marry the father of the family, who is actually already married to him, arrives and is shocked to find everyone dead. The police think they know who did it already and are quick to point the finger at Cheyenne (Jason Robards), after all...He left his "signature" there. I don't want to say much more about the plot (and there is much more; The film is 2 hours and 45 minutes)...When you look at all the westerns in the history of cinema (mind you, I haven't seen another Leone film) and say which one you think is "the most well-made," this film has to pop up.
It's not the most entertaining western film (there are long stretches with no dialogue), but it is certainly one of the most suspenseful, colorful (not just in the literal sense), and most compelling of the genre. The performances, especially those of Fonda, Robards, and Bronson are superb. It's also clear while watching the movie how influential it has been on other filmmakers. You can even see more than echoes of this film in "Kill Bill Vo.2." Explaining just how unique a film like this is in writing is difficult, but I recommend that any true fan of cinema see this movie. Any true fan of western movies has probably already seen this movie, but I mean a true LOVER of cinema needs to see this. It's one of the few western movies I can think of off the top of my head that can deservedly be labeled a masterpiece.

GRADE: B+

All the President's Men (Two-Disc Special Edition)

Average customer rating:

Dogged persistence can move mountains
Classic film from a classic era
Review: All the President's Men
Lots of great DVD Extras!
Thirty years later, it's still great --- and still relevant

All the President's Men (Two-Disc Special Edition)
Starring: Dustin Hoffman , Robert Redford , Jack Warden , Martin Balsam , and Hal Holbrook
Director: Alan J. Pakula
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

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( A ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

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Two-Disc Special Editions | Fully Loaded DVDs | Features | DVD | Video

Good Night, and Good Luck (Widescreen Edition)
The Sting (Universal Legacy Series)
All the President's Men
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (Two-Disc Collector's Edition)
The Candidate

ASIN: B000CEXEWA
Release Date: 2006-02-21

Amazon.com essential video

It helps to have one of history's greatest scoops as your factual inspiration, but journalism thrillers just don't get any better than All the President's Men. Dustin Hoffman and Robert Redford are perfectly matched as (respectively) Washington Post reporters Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward, whose investigation into the Watergate scandal set the stage for President Richard Nixon's eventual resignation. Their bestselling exposé was brilliantly adapted by screenwriter William Goldman, and director Alan Pakula crafted the film into one of the most intelligent and involving of the 1970s paranoid thrillers. Featuring Jason Robards in his Oscar-winning role as Washington Post editor Ben Bradlee, All the President's Men is the film against which all other journalism movies must be measured. --Jeff Shannon

Description

In the Watergate Building, lights go on and four burglars are caught in the act. That night triggered revelations that drive a U.S. President from office. Washington reporters Bob Woodward (Robert Redford) and Carl Bernstein (Dustin Hoffman) grabbed the story and stayed with it through doubts, denials and discouragement. All the President's Men is their story. Directed by Alan J. Pakula and based on the Woodward/Bernstein book, the film won four 1976 Academy Awards (Best Supporting Actor/Jason Robards, Adaptation Screenplay/William Goldman, Art Direction and Sound). It also explores a working newspaper, where the mission is to get the story and get it right. DVD Features:
Audio Commentary:by Robert Redford
Theatrical Trailer
Documentaries:Telling Truth About Lies: The Making of All the Presidents Men Woodward and Bernstein: Lighting the Fire Pressure and the Press: The Making of All the President's Men
Documentary
Featurette:5/27/1976 Dinah! with Jason Robards
Interviews:Out of the Shadows, the Man Who Was Deep Throat

Customer Reviews:

Dogged persistence can move mountains.......2007-06-03

Two junior reporters at the Washington Post are assigned to cover what seems an innocuous story - a break in at the Democratic Party headquarters in Washington. Their credentials are not great: Robert Woodward has only been on the paper nine months, Carl Bernstein is on the verge of being fired for his sloppiness in completing stories in time for deadlines. Woodward (Redford) goes to cover the arraingment of the burglars and becomes suspicious when he discovers they seemed to obtain their own defence counsel without a phone call. And there is something odd about the way the men state their names to the judge. Woodward hunches down, brows knitted, notebook in hand and listens - 'Bernard Barker, anticommunist...' All the men turn out to have CIA ties. The Post's editors, Harry Rosenfeld and Howard Simon assign the dogged Woodward to pursue the story, teaming him up with Bernstein (Hoffman) who is a more intiutive reporter - a left field, lateral thinker with a charming gappy grin.

Together, through dogged persistence, they follow the story in the months up to the re-election of Nixon in a landslide in 1972. At that point their stories have created a big ripple in the political world - the ultimate outcome, of course, would be colossal.

All the Presidents Men is a great (perhaps the greatest) journalism movie. Back in the early 70s, there were no computers, emails, cellphones. Just manual typewriters, finger dial landlines, smoking in offices and checked shirts. Woodward and Bernstein search through reams of library records, check and double check names and sources. Woodward resorts to having his leads confirmed or denied by the mysterious 'deep throat' - a noir type figure, high up in the CIA, who lurkes in deserted garages at night. Eventually, they publish their stories, which are of course vigorously rebutted by White House officials. The stakes are huge - the reputation of the Washington Post, the lives of Woodward and Bernstein, the freedom of the press. Get it wrong, and the results are catastrophic. But get it right - pursue the story doggedly, expose the truth...

The effects are siesmic. The story of Woodward and Bernstein inspired legions of young journalists - watch this movie and find out why.

Classic film from a classic era.......2007-05-27

Suspense filled scenes of drama. Unrelenting acts of confrontational dialogue. Contrasting images of a nation torn apart by scandal. These are all but a few of the elements brought upon an audience with the fortunate ability to witness this well paced political thriller adapted by screenwriter William Goldman from the now infamous expose of Washington Post reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein. `All the Presidents Men', originally released in 1976, seems more like a `call to arms' for Americans disgruntled with the modern day political machine then it does with telling the ordinary story of two newspaper reporters supposedly on the edge of one of the greatest cover-ups our nation has ever seen.

Classic film actor Robert Redford stars as the pensive yet energetic Woodard, a man torn between getting a great story and fulfilling his moral obligation to the greater good of society. Bernstein, played diligently by a young looking Dustin Hoffman, drives the film at a steady pace deserving of an Oscar, only looking back to really contemplate his own indiscretions at the cost of bringing down the U.S. Presidency. As we now know through history's pages, the outcome of such endeavors accomplished by these tenacious Washington Post reporters would have drastic consequences on President Nixon and his untimely address to the American people to present his resignation from public office.

In the end `All the Presidents Men' could easily be one of the most rewarding instances of a mainstream news media outlet holding government officials accountable for the criminal actions of their leader. Regardless of whether or not you agree with the timing of such exposure for a nation ill-ridden with the dilemma of Vietnam and a seemingly problematic Foreign Policy, using our constitutional right of free speech in the press to unravel governmental conspiracies should always remain precedent. Woodward and Bernstein worked hard to find the truth, and I have to say...I agreed with every minute of it.

Review: All the President's Men.......2007-03-09

The movie is a shining example of how "Freedom of the Press" is sometimes our only defense against big government. At the time of the "Watergate Trials", I was in my early twenties but did not truly appreciate the events of this period. The movie will take you through this incredible period and will show how perserverence, hard work and just a bit of luck destroyed a presidency. Congratulations to the Washington Post for its gutsy pursuit of justice! Loved this movie!!!!

Lots of great DVD Extras!.......2007-03-09

The movie is great and there is a really smart commentary option by Robert Redford. There are also many great extras.

Thirty years later, it's still great --- and still relevant.......2007-02-22

Movies that are this topical often lose their impact with time, but "All the President's Men" continues to pack a real punch, even after all of these years. Sadly, part of this due to the fact that the abuses of executive power remain all too relevant in our nation, but it is also due in large part to excellent pacing & editing. Simply put, it is a wonderfully crafted film.

Part of the film's greatness is that it works on multiple levels. It is the story of the arrogance of power, but it is also the tale of how arrogance can make people sloppy. It also demonstrates how a couple of relative unknowns on what was then a relatively regional newspaper can, with perserverence, bring down what appeared to be an unassailable administration. Sometimes the little guy really can make a difference. It also captures effectively what a huge risk the principals at the Washington Post were taking by pursuing this story. Had Woodward & Bernstein been unable to connect the dots, their careers, along with the careers of Ben Bradlee et al, would effectively have been finished then & there. This story serves as a reminder for those who might be tempted to take the easy way out & not ask the hard questions.

For my wife & I --- both of us veteran researchers --- this movie also serves as a glance into the past when the Internet was not the medium by which people gleaned information. For those of you who have never known life before the Internet Age, let me point out that Woodward & Bernstein, without the benefit of computers, cell phones, or any other spiffy gadgets, were able to do the research that exposed one of the major coverups of their time. Ironically, privacy restrictions which we take for granted (getting information from the librarian, for example) also didn't exist as barriers for reporters trying to scrounge up some juicy tidbit.

Even if this were a work of fiction, it would still make for gripping viewing. One cannot underestimate the impact this scandal had on the nation, and it would have been a shame if this movie had been bungled in production. Fortunately, it is a classic in every respect.

Average customer rating:

My favorite movie...
A must watch for all homeowners/contractors!
Mr. Blandings Is a Miss
Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House
Don't miss the paint color choices, and the mud room scene

Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House
Starring: Cary Grant , Myrna Loy , Melvyn Douglas , Reginald Denny , and Sharyn Moffett
Director: H.C. Potter , and Tex Avery
Manufacturer: Turner Home Ent
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

Slapstick | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

Classic Comedies | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

Domestic Comedies | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

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

( M ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation
Bringing Up Baby (Two-Disc Special Edition)
My Favorite Wife
The Bachelor and the Bobby Soxer
Arsenic and Old Lace

ASIN: B0001WTWVU
Release Date: 2004-06-01

Amazon.com essential video

Cary Grant stars as an advertising executive who dreams of getting out of the city and building a perfect home in the country, only to find the transition fraught with problems. (See the 1980s Tom Hanks comedy The Money Pit for an updated version of the same idea.) The big appeal here are the two leads, Grant and Myrna Loy, who were each in their early 40s and at the peak of their careers. Together with solid support from Melvyn Douglas and a screenplay that might have been tailor-made for their polished brand of comedy, the stars dominate this simple project. --Tom Keogh

Description

Cary Grant is hilarious as a successful New York advertising executive who wants to escape the confines of his family's tiny midtown apartment. So he designs his dream home in the suburbs and discovers the project wasn't as easy as it seemed. The house gets larger. The bills get bigger. The problems just won't go away. Eventually, the whole affair becomes a nightmare-a very funny nightmare-that left audiences laughing in 1948 and will have you in stitches, too. This is the comedic masterpiece that inspired the popular 1987 movie "The Money Pit." It's an adventure in homeowning that strikes a familiar chord with everyone who's ever bought a house. Year: 1948 Director: H.C. Potter Starring: Cary Grant, Myrna Loy, Melvyn Douglas

Customer Reviews:

My favorite movie..........2007-05-12

This movie has been my favorite since I was a young girl ~ I am now in my mid-fifties...and I have yet to change my mind.
My favorite actor of all time, Cary Grant, puts in one of the most wonderful performances of his career in this film...as a hapless, exhausted, overburdened middle-class ad exec trying to build a home in the country for his family ~ and set back at every turn through (usually) no fault of his own.
His bank account takes a severe beating by the end of the story, but he indeed gets what he wants...however, not without nearly losing everything of value beforehand!!
This story is one that continues to entertain, enchant and enthrall viewers even today ~ generations after it was first released to the public.
I daresay that the public in those days was thoroughly delighted and if they still made movies like this today, we would be lucky indeed.

A must watch for all homeowners/contractors!.......2007-04-18

My contractor husband has decided this is mandatory viewing for all homeowners even thinking of building or remodeling their home! The film highlights some of the foils of building that perfect dream home, and trust me, not all of them are exaggerated. This is great comedy, even if it does hit a little close to home for those who have 'been there and done that'. I especially love Cary Grant's performance as the flustered husband trying to please everyone while stressed about coming up with a new advertising slogan for 'wham ham'. A slogan that is vital if he wants to keep his job. Wonderful classic!

Chrissy K. McVay - Author

Mr. Blandings Is a Miss.......2007-04-13

I'm an "old movie buff" and I find this to be a pretty awful movie. It's really full of the most simple-minded dialogue. See these great actors in something that's a little less polemical. The writers' social conservatism just jumps off the screen. You could use this for a Media Studies film to contrast with an "old film" from the same time that shows people living with much more self-awareness. Two stars only for the bright young daughters - great actresses!

Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House.......2007-04-10

You have to be an old movie 'Buff' to enjoy this one. It's a feel-good, old-time movie. Entertaining.

Don't miss the paint color choices, and the mud room scene.......2007-03-15

Yes, it's an old-fashioned comedy. But if you like sparkling, intelligent, witty dialogue; the best of performances from the three stars; complete believability even in farcical comedy; and want proof that small New York apartments, interior decorating, and price-gouging contractors, are nothing new, then rent this and enjoy it. The rural Connecticut in this film seems a lot closer to Maine than it does to New York City (which Mr Blandings commutes to every day) and when the town's bridge goes out, everyone is stuck where they are and no one can use a phone--those were the days. Gussie the cook is a bit embarrassing as written, but she turns out to be the smartest one in the bunch--all she gets out of it is a modest raise. Still, keep everything in context, and enjoy it. The film quality is clear (though b & w), the sound good.

Average customer rating:

Widescreen at last!!!
Excellent Movie

Parenthood (Special Edition)
Starring: Steve Martin , Dianne Wiest , Mary Steenburgen , Dennis Dugan , and Paul Linke
Director: Ron Howard
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

( P ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Special Editions | Fully Loaded DVDs | Features | DVD | Video

Big (Extended Edition)
Harry and the Hendersons (Special Edition)
Fletch (The "Jane Doe" Edition)
Little Children
Seinfeld - Season 8 [Region 99]

ASIN: B000MRNWK6
Release Date: 2007-04-24

Description

Relive all the heart-warming moments of the unforgettable film that explores life's most rewarding occupation in Parenthood. Steve Martin stars as Gil Martin, a funny and loving husband who's also trying too hard to be the "perfect" parent to his uniquely different kids. Rick Moranis, Keanu Reeves, Jason Robards, Mary Steenburgen and Dianne Wiest also star in this family affair you'll want to watch again and again!

Customer Reviews:

Widescreen at last!!!.......2007-03-06

I can't even begin to count how many movies I've seen in my life, but if I were forced to write down a "Top 10" list -- the movies that have most moved me, changed me, or simply delighted me no matter how many times I've seen them -- it would include "The Godfather," "Casablanca," "The Graduate," and "Parenthood" (and six others). For some reason everything in this movie seems to work; the alternately funny and heartbreaking -- and always insightful -- screenplay by Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel ("Splash," "City Slickers," "A League of Their Own"), the crisp direction by Ron Howard, and the uniformly sterling performances by Steve Martin, Mary Steenburgen, Dianne Wiest, Jason Robards, Tom Hulce, Martha Plimpton, and others (yes, even Keanu Reeves). Even after repeated viewings, I always laugh, cry, and come to a deeper understanding and appreciation of the never-ending roller-coaster ride of parenthood. (By the way, Steve Martin's reply to Grandma's "roller-coaster" speech has to be one of the all-time funniest movie punchlines.) I enjoyed this movie thoroughly when I was single, and even more with three kids of my own. And now, after many years in which only a lousy pan-and-scan DVD of this great film was available, someone finally had the sense to release it in widescreen! If you've never seen this one, you've got a treat waiting for you.

Excellent Movie.......2007-02-09

This movie is fantastic. Director Ron Howard has assembled an all-star cast in this comedy / drama. Steve Martin turns in a brilliant performance. This movie shold be seen by everyone. Special features on this disc will include:Art Imitating Life /Family Reunion /Words and Music/Theatrical Trailer

Average customer rating:

TORA! TORA! TORA!
This is THE Pearl Harbor movie...
Tora! Tora! Tora! - Gordon Prange & Ladislas Farago at their Best!
Classic Depiction of Attack on Pearl Harbor
Holds Up Fine

Tora! Tora! Tora!
Starring: Martin Balsam , Sô Yamamura , Joseph Cotten , Tatsuya Mihashi , and E.G. Marshall
Director: Kinji Fukasaku , Toshio Masuda , and Richard Fleischer
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Adventure | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

War Epics | Military & War | Genres | DVD | Video

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( T ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Midway (Collector's Edition)
Patton
The Longest Day
A Bridge Too Far
Battle of the Bulge [HD DVD]

ASIN: B000EHSVSC
Release Date: 2006-05-23

Amazon.com

"Sir, there's a large formation of planes coming in from the north, 140 miles, 3 degrees east." "Yeah? Don't worry about it." This is just one of the many mishaps chronicled in Tora! Tora! Tora! The epic film shows the bombing of Pearl Harbor from both sides in the historic first American-Japanese coproduction: American director Richard Fleischer oversaw the complicated production (the Japanese sequences were directed by Toshio Masuda and Kinji Fukasaku, after Akira Kurosawa withdrew from the film), wrestling a sprawling story with dozens of characters into a manageable, fairly easy-to-follow film. The first half maps out the collapse of diplomacy between the nations and the military blunders that left naval and air forces sitting ducks for the impending attack, while the second half is an amazing re-creation of the devastating battle. While Tora! Tora! Tora! lacks the strong central characters that anchor the best war movies, the real star of the film is the climactic 30-minute battle, a massive feat of cinematic engineering that expertly conveys the surprise, the chaos, and the immense destruction of the only attack by a foreign power on American soil since the Revolutionary War. The special effects won a well-deserved Oscar, but the film was shut out of every other category by, ironically, the other epic war picture of the year, Patton. --Sean Axmaker

Description

"Tora! Tora! Tora!" is the Japanese signal to attack - and the movie meticulously recreates the attack on Pearl Harbor and the events leading up to it. Opening scenes contrast the American and Japanese positions. Japanese imperialists decide to stage the attack. Top U.S. brass ignore it's possibility. Intercepted Japanese messages warn of it - but never reach F.D.R.'s desk. Radar warnings are disregarded. Even the entrapment of a Japanese submarine in Pearl Harbor before the attack goes unreported. Ultimately the Day of Infamy arrives - in the most spectacular, gut-wrenching cavalcade of action-packed footage ever. You'll see moments of unsurpassed spectacle and heroism: U.S. fighters trying to take off and being hit as they taxi; men blasted from the decks of torpedoed ships while trying to rescue buddies; savage aerial dogfights pitting lone American fliers against squadrons of Imperial war planes. It's the most dazzling recreation of America's darkest day - and some of her finest hours.

Customer Reviews:

TORA! TORA! TORA!.......2007-06-08

Very good story about what happened to Pearl Harbor. It surprised me about Japan what they did attacked beautiful land of Pearl Harbor during WW11. I like to watch it again more times as I want learned more about WW11.

This is THE Pearl Harbor movie... .......2007-05-29

This is the definitive Pearl Harbor movie. It often is unfairly compared to 2001's "Pearl Harbor," but in truth the two are almost in separate genres. Unlike the latter movie, which was basically "Titanic" with the Japanese attack thrown in the middle, this one was very thoroughly researched and carefully written to be as true to history as possible. It is probably as accurate as a film about the Pearl Harbor attack and the events leading up to it will ever be. However, the people who will truly enjoy this film are not the Sunday matinee crowd, but rather history enthusiasts, war movie buffs, and those who are eager to learn about the attack and don't mind sitting through a rather long movie that's not particularly exciting (unless you're enthralled by diplomats talking and admirals planning) except during its final minutes.

Approaching its 40th anniversary, this movie is from another era; it was made at a time when good performances, historical accuracy, and attention to detail were more important than fast pacing, superstar cast members, and spectacular effects (though the effects in this film were top-notch for the time, and still hold up). There are no big-name actors in it, even at the time it was made. There are no soap-opera love triangles, pointless action sequences, or unnecessary dramatic moments. There's no filler, here, folks. Tora! Tora! Tora! moves along at a deliberate--though not slow--pace, and each aspect of the history leading up to the attack is covered such that a viewer who is paying attention should have no trouble knowing what is going on and who the key players are. The caveat is that, unless you are familiar with the related history, you HAVE to pay attention, or you will miss important plot points.

Those who have an interest in war history, especially WWII history, should thoroughly enjoy it; however, it provides no gimmicks to make it more accessible to those with a merely passing interest in the film's subject matter. This is no summer blockbuster popcorn flick. It's a serious look at the motives behind the attack, and a thoughtful analysis of what allowed the attack to succeed. If you want lots of big explosions and Hollywood drama, you might be better off sticking to the 2001 film. For history buffs, though, this is the only way to go.

Tora! Tora! Tora! - Gordon Prange & Ladislas Farago at their Best!.......2007-03-19

The first time I saw Tora! Tora! Tora! was on the big screen at Naval Hospital, San Diego. I liked it so much I saw it three nights in a row. Some years later, I purchased the VHS video tape the day of its release. I have two DVD versions of Tora! Tora! Tora! as well as two VHS versions of the movie. I've also watched the Japanese version (with English subtitles). Tora! Tora! Tora! is a great film but it should not be taken as the ultimate "truth" about Pearl Harbor and how America got into World War II.

Tora! Tora! Tora! used an American director for the American sequences, and two Japanese directors (the first was fired) for the filming of the Japanese sequences. Much of the original Japanese crew was let go when the first Japanese director was fired (for being way over budget and for producing only 600 feet of film, as I recall).

This is a truly excellent movie that men and women can both watch and enjoy.

Beware, however, the scenes showing the "12 Apositles" who were "allowed access" to `Magic'(decrypted Japanese diplomatic and consular intercepts). The actual number of Americans with access to Magic was well over 100. And the President's name was NEVER taken off what the movie calls "the Ultra List." (FDR didn't actually read all the daily diplomatic intercepts, of which the Army and Navy had just over 8,000 in 1941 alone. Instead, he read daily summaries of the intercepts. The same applies to most of the senior officers in the War and Navy Departments.)

Alwin D. Kramer, Lieutenant Commander, U.S. Navy, and Colonel Rufus Sumnter Bratton, U.S. Army, both worked in different offices rather than in a combined Army-Navy office shown in the movie. Both men were attached to the Far Eastern Sections of their respective intelligence departments (Office of Naval Intelligence with Kramer; Military Intelligence Division (for Bratton).) Bratton was officer in charge of the Far Eastern Section of MID. Kramer was head of OP-20-GZ (translation section in the Office of Naval Communications, OP-20), but he was actually on OP-16's (Office of Naval Intelligence's) payroll. Tora! Tora! Tora! gives Bratton's middle initial as "G", but that is in error. His middle name was Sumnter, as stated above.

"Magic" (again, intercepted foreign diplomatic and consular messages) was critical to what the U.S. (and British) Governments knew of the Japanese Foreign Ministry's diplomatic efforts. Although the National Security Agency still denies this, we also had a product called Ultra as relates to Japan. These were intercepted, decoded and translated Japanese naval and military intercepts. Ultra played a major part in our victory over the Combined Fleet in the Battle of Midway, fought 4 to 6 June 1942.

Tora! Tora! Tora! is, as I said, an excellent movie. It's full of suspense and it is very well acted by both the Americans and the Japanese. It presents a fair few of both the American and Japanese perspectives that helped lead to "Pearl Harbor" and U.S. entry into the Second World War.

First Lieutenant Kermit A. Tyler is claimed in the movie to say, "Well, don't worry about it," when he's told of the large number of planes approaching the Opana Point Radar station from north of Oahu (flying in over Kahuku Point). Tyler himself later testified that this was his reaction to the radar report phoned to him by Privates Lockard and Elliott. Here's the rub: The USS LEXINGTON had a radar and visual sighting of two Japanese carrier aircraft approximately 400 miles north west of Oahu on Saturday afternoon, 6 December 1941. LEXINGTON's radar report was the real first sighting of some of the Japanese aircraft that took part in the raid on Pearl Harbor.

American intelligence didn't "fail" in the lead up to the events of 7 December 1941. Intelligence, however, isn't always used the way the average citizen thinks it should be used. Those in high political and military offices have many strategic and tactical matters they have to factor into the decision making process. Not the least of these was the apathy of the American people in the period leading up to the Japanese raid on our obsolete battleships at Pearl Harbor. (Our three carriers then in the Pacific, LEXINGTON, ENTERPRISE and SARATOGA were not in port on 7 Dec. 1941. "Target ship," USS UTAH, was moored at a carrier berth off Ford Island. Battleship COLORADO, that had completed an overhaul at Bremerton, Washington a month before, was still at Bremerton. WEST VIRGINIA, that was overdue for overhaul, was moored outboard at Ford Island.)

This reviewer spent a little over 13 years researching Pearl Harbor on a full time basis. He has absolutely no animus for the Japanese---nor does he hold any animus for any of the senior Americans involved with Pearl Harbor.

"Pearl Harbor" saved the world (including Japan, in my opinion) from the Nazis. At the cost of a few thousand Americans, millions of lives were spared in Europe and Asia---and, ultimately---in the U.S. as well.

Tora! Tora! Tora! is one of my ten favorite movies. I've probably watched it over 50 times in the past thirty six years or so. And I will probably watch it another fifty times or more between now and the time I storm the great beyond.

E.G. Marshall (R.S. Bratton) and Wesley Addy (A.D. Kramer) in the film both do exceptional jobs with their acting. So does every other member of the U.S. and Japanese cast, in my opinion.

Great movie---and, in my opinion, a "Must have" for every American and Japanese who appreciates the very best in direction, acting, scenery, editing, cinamatography, etc. This is also a good action film---and it is fair to both the Japanese and American perspectives.

A "Well done!" to every member of the cast and crew of Tora! Tora! Tora! and to 20th Century Fox for producing this wonderful movie!

Andrew McKane IV
Missoula, Montana

Classic Depiction of Attack on Pearl Harbor.......2007-02-26

I saw this movie years ago, and recently received it via Netflix. It is still a classic WWII movie that depicts the suprise attack on Pearl Harbor. The movie traces the tale of Dec 7, 1941 from both the American and Japanese perspective, which makes it different than most war movies (except for The Longest Day). This approach adds a lot of detail, and the story becomes the main focus of the film, not the actors.

Although the movie is a little long, the last 30 minutes of battle scenes makes up for the slow build up. Also, the movie does an excellent job showing how this tragedy unfolded, and all the mistakes made along the way.

If you like WWII films, or want to learn about the attack on Pearl Harbor then I recommend this movie. It is much, much better than the more recent version.

Holds Up Fine.......2007-02-07

"Tora! Tora! Tora!" is a really fine flick that still holds up well decades after its release. It tells its story in fine detail and with little or no mythologizing. It also has a much slower build up than most movies today. That suits the subject fine, but war movie-makers today seem to think their audiences need a whiz-bang beginning or they'll lose interest.

"Tora! Tora! Tora!" seems mostly aimed at American audiences, but it was a joint American and Japanese production. One of its strengths is that it goes much further to humanize the Japanese than the more typical US WWII war-film-as-propaganda of its day and earlier, especially in the character of Japanese naval commander in chief, Isoroku Yamamoto. (Clint Eastwood goes further still in "Letters From Iwo Jima.") Still, "Tora! Tora! Tora!" portrays Yamamoto to flatter American audiences, showing him as holding grave doubts about the wisdom of going to war against the US. But other Japanese also are shown as individuals and not caricatures. We understand their motivations and can sympathize with them, even as Americans on the other side of the conflict. It ends with Yamamoto's (presumably fictional) words (here in paraphrase), "We have awakened a sleeping giant and filled him with a terrible resolve."

Average customer rating:

The consummate set of videos about Baseball.
At $161.99, it's worth more than every penny!

Baseball - A Film By Ken Burns
Starring: Gregory Peck , Jason Robards , Derek Jacobi , Joe DiMaggio , and John Cusack
Director: Ken Burns
Manufacturer: Pbs Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

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Ken Burns Presents: The West

ASIN: B000BITUDO
Release Date: 2004-09-28

Description

Ken Burns tops himself with this epic of American history, told in "nine innings," with a skilled narration by John Chancellor and the voices of Paul Newman, Jason Robards, Billy Crystal, and other stars. The series spans 150 years, starting with the myth-debunking tale of baseball's true beginnings -- when it was a game "one degree above mayhem." Then follow the growth of America's National Pastime through the decades of glory and record-setting achievements, as well as the scandals, the bigotry, and the big money. The series portrays the game as a mirror of America itself -- the passions, prejudices, and ambitions that have shape the country.

Customer Reviews:

The consummate set of videos about Baseball........2007-05-17

Contained in these ten DVD are just about every historical moment in baseball.

Inning 1 Baseball from its inception in the 1840's to the 1900's This explores baseballs roots from Abner Doubleday to the beginnings of what we know as modern day baseball.

Inning 2 1900 to 1910. The beginning of the World Series. Great footage and photos of old parks and players.

Inning 3 1910 TO 1920. Covers Babe Ruth, the Black sox, Grover Cleveland Alexander and more. Footage of Fenway being built

Inning 4 1920 to 1930 Really the beginnings of the Yankee dynasty but the Cardinals rule the Natonal league with the famed gass house gang.

Inning 5 1930 to 1940. More footage of all the great stars of the day, Ruth, Di Maggio, Williams and more.

Inning 6 1940 to 1950. The effects of war on the American pastime. The splendid splinter goes to war, he comes back and picks up where he left off.

Inning 7 1950 to 1960. The Yankee dynasty continues. Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, The shot heard around the world, Don Larsons perfect game. The Giants and Dodgers pick and leave.

Inning 8 1960 to 1970. The Los Angeles Angels are born, The Kansas City A's become the Oakland A's, The Royals and Mets are born. The Padres are born and move into a small stadium outside of San Diego. And then there was the Seattle Pilots. Those amazin Mets win the World series. Don Drysdale and Sandy Koufax get agents but are unsuccessful in changing baseballs anti trust act and re sign with the Dodgers. Maris passes the Babe with an asterisk.

Inning 9 1970 to 1994. Curt Flood looses his war against baseball but the players eventually win. The players union gets stronger. The Reds come to power. The A's win a couple world series. Roberto Clemente's life cut short. Washing looses another team called the Senators.

The film also has some great commentary interspersed through out all of the DVD's. At the end of each DVD is a trivia game based on the decade that the DVD covered.

While the movie is based for the most part on New ork teams this is truly a must for all baseball fans. There is no other collection of materials that covers baseball like this one does in terms of breadth and depth.

At $161.99, it's worth more than every penny!.......2007-03-02

I haven't been nuts about the sport of baseball for decades, but I treasure every minute of information on the ten discs included in this offering. With the commencement of a new season only a couple of months away, it remains to be seen whether I'll ever become a real student of the game, but the perception of historic continuity provided by this documentary is more acutely, keenly expressed than anywhere else in my exprience. The intellectual connections made here are poetic, while the emotional bond it re-energizes is spellbinding and ecstatic.
An ideal companion to THE CIVIL WAR and JAZZ, BASEBALL explores the same American mysteries from an entirely different, supremely satisfying direction and no matter how high the price, it feels just like stealing home.

Barbra Streisand - The Television Specials

Average customer rating:

THE BARBRA we fell in love with!!!
I have no idea..........
Comprehensive Babs tv retrospective
My Father is Pleased
Barbra Streisand - The Television Specials

Barbra Streisand - The Television Specials
Starring: Barbra Streisand , Ray Charles , Martin Erlichman , John William Sublett , and Carol Swanberg
Director: Dwight Hemion , Roland Vance , Joe Layton , and Walter C. Miller
Manufacturer: Rhino Records
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Music Video & Concerts | Genres | DVD | Video

( B ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

General | Adult Contemporary | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music

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Guilty Pleasures
Liza with a "Z" - A Concert for Television (Collector's Edition)
Barbra Streisand - The Concert (Live at the MGM Grand)(Keep Case)
Sings the Peggy Lee Songbook
A Star Is Born

ASIN: B000B9PW7G
Release Date: 2005-11-22

Amazon.com

A feast for Barbra Streisand fans, The Television Specials collects five one-hour programs she recorded between 1965 and 1973 when she was known simply as a recording artist and Broadway star rather than a film director, reclusive performer, and political activist. The first is My Name Is Barbra (April 14, 1965), shot shortly after she played in Funny Girl. Shot in black and white, it's a little different from the other variety shows of the day (e.g., The Judy Garland Show) in that there's no parade of guest stars or dancing girls. That's a good thing, as those are the numbers that get dated very quickly . Instead, we have all Barbra, even if she's more comfortable singing than doing comedy monologues. The show winds its way through an Alice in Wonderland sequence which ends in a plain but magnificent rendition of "People," then has Streisand in a store's fur department. Last is a simple concert setting that includes a Funny Girl medley with "Don't Rain on My Parade" and "The Music that Makes Me Dance." The closing concert segment would become a staple, and the peak, of all her shows.

Color Me Barbra followed on March 30, 1966 and is, naturally, filmed in color. The first sequence was shot at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, with Streisand wandering among the masterworks and antiquities, even singing "Where or When" dressed as Nefertiti. Next she's among a circus of animals, singing "Try to remember" to the elephant or poking fun at herself by telling the anteater "We have so much in common." Again, the final act is her just singing at a mike, with "Any Place I Hang My Hat Is Home" and "It Had to Be You." Making its home-video debut, The Belle of 14th Street (October 11, 1967) is something of an oddity. It's styled like a vaudeville show, with period costumes (including the audience) and old-time numbers. Jason Robards (singing and dancing!), John Bubbles, and others guest-star. Streisand plays a modest stripper for "Alice Blue Gown," plays an operatic diva for "Liebestraum," then does double duty as a boy (pre-Yentl) in the audience invited to sing a duet of "Mother Macree" with the on-stage Streisand. The last segment is Streisand singing (accompanied on stage by David Shire before he wrote shows on Broadway with Richard Maltby) such songs as "My Melancholy Baby," "I'm Always Chasing Rainbows," and a medley that includes "My Buddy" and "How About Me?"

The highlight of the collection, A Happening in Central Park (September 15, 1968) is refreshingly free of gimmicks and concepts. It's just Streisand with an orchestra in front of a live New York audience. "The Nearness of You," "Cry Me a River," "I Can See It," "Second Hand Rose" (the audience enjoys singing along)," "People," and "Happy Days Are Here Again." Barbra Streisand... and Other Musical Instruments (November 2, 1973) returns to the concept-show format. Streisand takes her place among the symphony orchestra members sporting her own instrument: her voice. One medley groups a number of favorite songs but in "international" settings, such as "People" accompanied by sitar and "Don't Rain on My Parade" by bagpipe band, and Streisand changes costumes to match. Ray Charles is on hand for four songs in the second set, then Streisand returns to the orchestra to sing such songs as "On a Clear Day" and "The Sweetest Sounds."

Picture quality is good, and sound is presented in original mono, 2.0 stereo, and 5.1 surround. The only bonus features are three introductions Streisand filmed for the 1987 home-video releases, but the set is beautifully packaged with a detailed booklet of liner notes, photos, and song lists. The five 50+-minute programs are ungenerously spread over five discs, however. --David Horiuchi

Description

The five spectacular DVDs contained in this boxed set speak volumes about vision and integrity, fearless instinct, and a passion for discovery. If you think you remember these specials from watching them when they first aired, you'll be astonished how time has only enhanced their vitality. The five DVDs are: My Name is Barbra, Color Me Barbra, and Belle of 14th Street, Barbra Streisand: Happening in Central Park, and Barbra Streisand...And Other Musical Instruments.

Customer Reviews:

THE BARBRA we fell in love with!!!.......2007-05-03

A Must have for all Barbra fans. To hear her singing in those early years just brings me to tears. What a collection - There is no one and never will be anyone like Barbra Streisand - and now I can hear and see her when ever I want. Thanks Amazon.

I have no idea.................2007-04-29

I bought this for my boyfriend for Christmas 2005. By Christmas 2006 he still had not even taken off the plastic from the box. He told me he LOVED Barbara. I'm sure it's wonderful. I'll never know.

Comprehensive Babs tv retrospective.......2007-04-04

All 5 of her CBS television specials spanning from 1965 to 1973 are in this lushly packaged dvd set that includes a very satisfying 58 page booklet with great photographs and interesting text about each one of the 5 shows. Barbra provides commentary on the DVDs, and they look and sound fantastic. I can't imagine this DVD being any better than it is, nothing to find fault with, and plenty to revisit any time you're in the mood. I especially appreciate the book and the art(istic) deco packaging.
Ever open a new DVD you've been looking forward to, and find there's no booklet, or not even an insert? Like a slap in the face. This collection should be used as a blue-print for HOW to release dvds. Props to Rhino Entertainment Co. and to Barbra herself for the attention to detail and loving care put into making this release stand out, no corners were cut, you get full value and then some for the price.
I just wish she'd made tv specials after 1973, as 1974 to 1982 was my favorite 'period' in Babs' musical career.
But for a time capsule back to Barbra in the 1960s (with one special from 1973 added) this collection absolutely cannot be beat! Essential!

My Father is Pleased.......2007-01-20

My father had recently seen Streisand in concert so this was a perfect match for him.

Barbra Streisand - The Television Specials.......2007-01-19

THIS IS THE BARBRA THE WORLD FELL HEAD OVER HEELS FOR!

Average customer rating:

the Karl Marx sci-fi action movie
B-Movie fun
A vision like no others
They Live
Fresh concept (even for today) 5 Star Winner!

They Live
Starring: Roddy Piper , Keith David , Meg Foster , George 'Buck' Flower , and Peter Jason
Director: John Carpenter
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Horror | Genres | DVD | Video

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

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Alien Invasion | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Genres | DVD | Video

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

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

( T ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

The Thing (Collector's Edition)
In the Mouth of Madness
Escape from New York (Special Edition)
Prince Of Darkness
Big Trouble in Little China (Single Disc Edition)

ASIN: B0000AOX0F
Release Date: 2003-09-23

Amazon.com

An economic crisis brings unemployed Nada (Roddy Piper) to L.A. in search of work. What he finds instead is that the ruling elite of the world are aliens in disguise, their aim being to keep humans in a state of mindless consumerism. His discovery comes when he dons a pair of special sunglasses made by a resistance group and sees for the first time reality unadorned. Billboards, store signs, magazine covers--all bear subliminal messages to OBEY, to CONSUME, to have NO INDEPENDENT THOUGHT. Money itself says THIS IS YOUR GOD. But worst of all, with these glasses you see which of us are really hideous, bug-eyed aliens. The conceptual breakthrough is hilarious while keeping its roots in darker matters. Although some fault the film for settling into its action plot, the ending has a great payoff. And the direction by John Carpenter is handled with superb workmanlike aplomb. One unforgettable set piece has Piper in a back-alley fistfight with a friend who won't put on the glasses that goes on and on, and just when you think it's over it goes another round. One of the most subversive films ever made in Hollywood, They Live was released on the eve of the 1988 elections. The first TV ads had two hideous alien politicians debating, then one accusing the other of being "No John Kennedy!" --Jim Gay

Customer Reviews:

the Karl Marx sci-fi action movie.......2007-04-23

Last night I had the pleasure of seeing this wonderful 1980's sci-fi action film starring pro wrestler "Roddy Piper". Piper plays an unemployed drifter, who is looking for work. Unfortunatley there aren't many good paying jobs available, because of corporate outsourcing (a problem which is killing the middle class and increasing poverty). However, nobody seems to notice or care that their fellow Americans are suffering, because they are caught up in materialism.

Piper discovers a pair of glasses that expose the truth. With the help of a few greedy individualistic elites, an evil race of aliens are slowly enslaving the human race.

Pipers acting is great, and there are plenty of memorable one liners.

B-Movie fun.......2007-03-28

I'm a HUGE fan of Carpenter's early work, everything from ASSAULT ON PRECINCT 13, CHRISTINE, THE FOG, and his magnum opus, HALLOWEEN. So when I picked up THEY LIVE and saw that Rowdy Roddy Piper starred, I knew I couldn't call myself a Carpenter fan without popping this in for a viewing. I sat back and looked forward to taking in more Carpenter goodness.

The result? A movie that takes a long time to get going, has only one standout acting performance, and displays some really lame effects.

We watch Piper's character drift into town and apply for work, shelter up in a homeless community, chance upon a construction job, chat with the homeless residents, go back to the job, etc. Some 30-40 minutes later the movie finally kicks into gear. It was hard for me to stay interested for this long without anything really happening, but the promise of aliens and action compelled me to persevere. The highpoint in all of this was Keith David, who plays Piper's fellow homeless/construction worker friend. The man acted circles around everyone else in this movie. The other actors, however, come off as wooden, more like actors TRYING to act. Because they couldn't imbue their characters with much of any real emotion, I didn't sympathize with them nor really care what happened to them. And the effects are pretty low-grade, more of the B-movie variety. There's not a whole lot of difference between the effects in ASSAULT ON PRECINCT 13 (1976) and THEY LIVE (1988). As you could guess, the lack of more sophisticated effects sets this movie back to, well about 1976.

I must say that I loved the ending (which I won't give away), but my investment in the finale was lessened by the slow beginning and poor quality of the movie's middle. If you like cheesy B-movie fun, then rent THEY LIVE. If you want serious action and fear, rent something from the beginning of Carpenter's career, like HALLOWEEN or CHRISTINE.

A vision like no others.......2007-03-09

John Carpenter explicates his theory on where yuppies and corporate culture come from. If you hate this movie you must be a College Republican.

They Live.......2007-02-14

The best of the genre. Cheesy acting but the subject matter is real, "aka David Icke." If you have interest in conspiracy or aliens then you must absolutely watch this movie and of course "read between the lines" for the message that the savvy Carpenter weaves into this somewhat plausable tale. Hey it could happen, especially if you don't like who is president at the time you see the movie. The last scene is unsuitable for children without your input.

Fresh concept (even for today) 5 Star Winner!.......2007-01-26

ok first off let me start by saying piper and keith david are excellent and their little fight scene in the middle is worth every penny! imagine you feel something is wrong with the world (seems..hm nahh) and all of a sudden you come into possesion of glasses that when you put them on you realize the world is so much different then you ever thought with thought provoking signs like "OBEY" and "SLEEP" "EAT" "WATCH TV" etc a superb movie a true gem that should be in every library totally origional story and concept. this movie may seem a little dated but the theme music sets the sinister mood and the feeling of "this isnt good, something bad is going to happen" that creeps down your spine. well this movie is really that good and worth owning without doubt.

Controversial Classics, Vol. 2 - The Power of Media (All the President's Men / Network / Dog Day Afternoon) (Two-Disc Special Edition)

Average customer rating:

The summit for movies for serious adults
YESSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Controversial Classics, Vol. 2 - The Power of Media (All the President's Men / Network / Dog Day Afternoon) (Two-Disc Special Edition)
Starring: Dustin Hoffman , Robert Redford , Jack Warden , Martin Balsam , and Hal Holbrook
Director: Alan J. Pakula , and Sidney Lumet
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Drama | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

( C ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Special Editions | Fully Loaded DVDs | Features | DVD | Video

Two-Disc Special Editions | Fully Loaded DVDs | Features | DVD | Video
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The Towering Inferno (Special Edition)

ASIN: B000CNESUS
Release Date: 2006-02-28

Description

Warner Home Video releases three of the most explosive films from the 1970's - All the President's Men, Network, and Dog Day Afternoon - all in one collection. This three title, six-disc giftset boasts the star power of Al Pacino, Robert Redford, Dustin Hoffman, William Holden, Faye Dunaway, Peter Finch, Robert Duvall, John Cazale and more, and tackling the media mania of American journalism and reality TV, thirty years later these films are just as exciting and relevant as they were when they were made. Bonus features include commentaries by Robert Redford and Sidney Lumet and new making-of documentaries.

Customer Reviews:

The summit for movies for serious adults.......2006-05-14

CONTROVERSIAL CLASSICS VOLUME 2: THE POWER OF MEDIA is one of the crown jewel disk boxed sets in my private DVD library. It includes three incendiary masterpieces from the golden age of the 1970's: DOG DAY AFTERNOON (1975), NETWORK (1976), and ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN (also 1976). All three were Oscar contenders for Best Picture, and all three were winners for Screenplay.

DOG DAY AFTERNOON, directed by Sidney Lumet from a script by Frank Pierson, is so far-fetched that it has to be true. On a hot summer afternoon in 1972 Brooklyn, a nobody named Sonny Wortzik (Oscar nominee Al Pacino) robs a bank to pay for his male lover's (Oscar nominee Chris Sarandon) sex change operation. What should have taken ten minutes ends up becoming an eight hour media event, complete with pizza delivery to the hostages. Lumet took over an entire block in Brooklyn, had the hostages in effect play themselves with improvised dialogue, and worked like an Army commander with a thousand or so extras and stunning second-unit helicopters. The movie has incredible vitality and conviction from Lumet, powerhouse editing by Dede Allen (another Oscar nominee), and another of the great Pacino performances. Bonuses include a vintage featurette on Lumet, brand-new audio commentary by Lumet, and a four-part 30th anniversary featurette. Plus a brand-new remastered print of a great film.

If you thought DOG DAY was looney tunes, get a load at Paddy Chayefsky's audacious Oscar-winning Original Screenplay for another great Sidney Lumet triumph: NETWORK (1976). It is a satire on network television, but so outlandish that virtually everything (except the ending-thank God) has taken place. An unbalanced man (Oscar winner Peter Finch) becomes a media folk hero with super ratings. Oscar winner Faye Dunawaty lives only for ratings-and even discusses them in bed with producer William Holden (at his very best and and an Oscar nominee). Beatrice Straight is electrifying as Holden's wife in one Oscar-winning scene. ("I'm your wife, damn it! And if you can't work up a winter passion for me, the least I ask is respect and allegiance...Are you in love with her? Then say it. SAY IT!") Then the question arises over what to do with Finch's Howard Beale character ("I'm as mad as hell and not going to take it anymore!") when his ratings seriously fail. NETWORK is a brilliant satire that is almost reality thirty years later. And the direction, writing, and performances are all flawless. Bonuses here are huge: PRIVATE SCREENINGS: SIDNEY LUMET (2005) from Turner Classic Movies with Robert Osborne, a vintage Paddy Chayefsky interview from "The Dinah Shore Show", a new 90 minute 30th anniversary filmmaking documentary, and a brand-new Lumet audio commentary. Figure on three nights for this baby.

Best of the lot is producer-director Alan Pakula's ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN (also 1976), with an Oscar-winning screenplay by William Goldman. Both of them together make the saga of Watergate, the fall of President Richard Nixon, both understandable and gripping. Our heroes are WASHINGTON POST reporters Bob Woodward (Robert Redford) and Carl Bernstein (Dustin Hoffman). A huge and wonderful supporting cast includes Oscar-winner Jason Robards as editor Ben Bradlee, Oscar nominee Jane Alexander as The Bookkeeper with some secrets, and Hal Holbrook as the enigmatic Deep Throat who is only glimpsed in shadowy night parking garages. Realism and actual locales help this one a lot. Bonuses on this masterpiece, that should have won Picture and Direction Oscars, include audio commentary by co-producer Robert Redford, a new filmmaking documentary, a documentary on who Deep Throat really was now that we know, a documentary on how Woodward and Bernstein cracked the case, a vintage filmmaking documentary, a vintage chat with Robards on DINAH!, and a gallery of theatrical trailers for other movies in this vein from the late Alan J. Pakula.

CONTROVERSIAL CLASSICS VOLUME 2: THE POWER OF MEDIA will keep you out of trouble for as long as nine nights (!), three per movie if you watch all the bonuses, so only rent it this one boxed set the week you order from Netflicks. It sells on Amazon.com for about $55. It is a sobering lament for an era when movies could be brilliantly written dramas about the media for intellectual adults. DOG DAY AFTERNOON, NETWORK, and ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN are masterpieces in a stupendous boxed set that I cannot recommend highly enough if you have a huge block of time for them. Consider buying them and spending two weeks doing all of the extras and the lenngthy movies leisurely.

YESSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!.......2006-01-30

All three of these movies were among the greatest social commentaries of 1970s. They were quintessential in showing us how America lost its innocence; from the corruption in our government to the bastardization of the media to our adoration of scandal. I suppose Sidney Lumet's "Serpico" should have been included in this set too, as that film was the first to record the depth of corruption in the police force, but I have to admit, "Dog Day Afternoon" is a lot more entertaining! All three of these movies are scintillating entertainment on an intellectual scale that Hollywood rarely measures up to anymore. But these films are also great and important in how they foretold the pathetic state that our media is in now (including the lack of investigative journalism in our current printed press). In fact, "All The President's Men" is as politically relevant as ever - the similarities with this administration are very interesting! And WOW! -- all the extras on these discs look phenomenal!! I'm glad I hadn't bought the earlier 'no extras' releases of these films. If you've already bought them buy this set anyway - you know you're gonna watch them hundreds of times!

Average customer rating:

Great 80s Flick
Dream a Little Dream
My husband loves it , I found it a little confusing
A great show! Blending comedy and serious perfectly.
Classic 80's Movie

Dream a Little Dream
Starring: Corey Feldman , Corey Haim , Jason Robards , Piper Laurie , and Harry Dean Stanton
Director: Marc Rocco
Manufacturer: Lions Gate
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

Teen | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

School Days | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

4-for-3 Comedy | 4-for-3 DVD | Stores | DVD | Video

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

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

( D ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

License to Drive (Special Edition)
Dream A Little Dream: Original Soundtrack From The Vestron Motion Picture
Just One of the Guys [Region 99]
Lucas (1986)
Can't Buy Me Love

ASIN: B0000C3I99
Release Date: 2003-10-21

Product Description

Let Corey Feldman and Corey Haim (License to Drive) take you on a wild romantic comedy adventure with Meredith Salenger (The Kiss), Victoria Jackson (Casual Sex?) and screen veterans Harry Dean Stanton, Piper Laurie, and Jason Robards! Set to a hot, hit-filled soundtrack featuring R.E.M., Van Morrison, Mickey Thomas (of Starship) andithei#1 smash hit Rock On by Michael Damian, Dream a Little Dream is a fun-filled, nonstop adventure for the young at heart!

My best friend Bobby is totally cool. We hang together, go to the same school and think Rock n Roll s rad. Bobby s kind of a dreamer. Now he s stuck on some dreamboat named Lainie. She s Pretty hot, I guess, but doesn t know he exists. Bobby s got just three days to convice Laainie that she loves him, even though she already does but doesn t know it yet this whole thing is just too weird-but I m sticking around to see what happ