For those who enjoy excellent Austen adaptations such as <I>Sense and Sensibility</I> and <I>Persuasion</I>--this miniseries will round out the ultimate Austen library. For those new to these romantic period pieces, this version of <I>Pride and Prejudice</I> will have you hooked and longing for more. One caveat, however: plan to watch it in an entire day, because very few have the self-control to not watch all six hours in a single sitting. <I>--Jenny Brown</I>
The special features also include a walking tour of the shooting locations with Lukis and Briers and an A&E Biography episode on Jane Austen that focuses largely on the onslaught of mid-1990s film adaptations of her novels. If it's your first time purchasing Pride & Prejudice, this collector's edition is a nice one to own. But if you already own the movie, you're not missing out on anything here. --Ellen A. Kim
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Running Time 300 Mins.
Format: DVD MOVIE
Amazon.com essential video
Jane Austen's classic novel of 1813, <I>Pride and Prejudice</I>, still wins the hearts of countless schoolgirls with its romantic story of Elizabeth Bennet and her Mr. Darcy. Now, the 1996 BBC miniseries is winning over adults, with its faithful adaptation, gorgeous scenery, and superb acting. The essence of the story is the antagonism between Mr. Darcy, a wealthy single man who believes Elizabeth to be beneath him, and Elizabeth, who upon being insulted at a dance by the aloof Darcy refuses to associate with him in any manner. Austen evokes incredible tension with the wit and flirtation of the two characters, and director Simon Langton (who also directed <I>Upstairs Downstairs</I>) successfully translates the repartee and conflict in this six-hour miniseries. Dialogue, for the most part, is painstakingly replicated, except when fleshing out and smoothing for modern sensibilities was necessary. Darcy, for instance, is drawn out, giving his personality significantly more depth. The acting sweeps you away to Regency England: Jennifer Ehle (of Wilde) is convincing as the obstinate Elizabeth, who, despite her mother's attempts to marry her off, spurs the attentions of Darcy. And Colin Firth (of <I>The English Patient</I>) will have women everywhere longing for a Mr. Darcy of their own.
For those who enjoy excellent Austen adaptations such as <I>Sense and Sensibility</I> and <I>Persuasion</I>--this miniseries will round out the ultimate Austen library. For those new to these romantic period pieces, this version of <I>Pride and Prejudice</I> will have you hooked and longing for more. One caveat, however: plan to watch it in an entire day, because very few have the self-control to not watch all six hours in a single sitting. <I>--Jenny Brown</I>
<b>On the DVD</b>
There's a lot to love (and a lot lacking) on the 10th anniversary limited edition. It comes in a tall, embossed green case that's out of place on a DVD shelf but blends right into a library of volumes. The three discs fit snugly in a sleeve, accompanied by a 120-page deluxe companion book. The main attraction, a retrospective documentary, features interviews with key cast members with the sad exceptions of Jennifer Ehle (who played Elizabeth) and Colin Firth (Mr. Darcy), which is bound to disappoint fans. Nonetheless, there are some amusing anecdotes from Mr. and Mrs. Bennet (played by Benjamin Withrow and Alison Steadman), Mary Bennet (Lucy Briers), Mr. Collins (David Bamber), Mr. Bingley (Crispin Bonham-Carter) and Mr. Wickham (Adrian Lukis), who all look drastically different--and younger--without their period costumes and hairstyles. One producer recalls that casting Colin Firth in the role with which his name is now synonymous was not an easy feat: he auditioned having gained weight and dyed his hair blond for another role, looking like "an unmade bed." Even Firth's own brother doubted his ability to pull off the dashing Darcy: "Isn't he supposed to be sexy?"
The special features also include a walking tour of the shooting locations with Lukis and Briers and an A&E Biography episode on Jane Austen that focuses largely on the onslaught of mid-1990s film adaptations of her novels. If it's your first time purchasing Pride & Prejudice, this collector's edition is a nice one to own. But if you already own the movie, you're not missing out on anything here. --Ellen A. Kim
<span class="h1"><strong>Beyond Pride and Prejudice</strong></span> <table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="4" cellpadding="4"> <tr align="center" valign="top" class="tiny"> <td width="33%"> <img src="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B000244FFU.01.TZZZZZZZ.jpg" border="0">
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Customer Reviews:
One of my Favorite Movies.......2007-06-21
I love P&P, and this is the best version. Most accurate to the book.
Most Highly Recommend.......2007-06-20
Excellent adaption - superb acting. I keep watching it over & over (and, yes, I need to get a life!). The earlier BBC version is also excellent & exquisitely acted. I have both. Pride & Prejudice has always been one of my favorite books. This series does it justice.
Great series.......2007-06-15
This is by far the best rendition of Pride and Prejudice. It may be long, but it is as true to the book as you can get.
Best P&P.......2007-06-12
If you're a fan of Pride and Prejudice, this is the authoritative version! Everyone's in top form here: the dreamy Mr. Darcy, the odious Mr. Collins, the sparkling Elizabeth Bennett, and the irrepressible Mrs. Bennett. Even though it's five hours long, time will just breeze by when watching this lively and faithful production.
Sometimes it takes 5 hours to do a good job!.......2007-06-12
I cringed as I watched the versions that cut down such a brilliant book in to an hour and a half... so this version remains my favorite, especially with the great acting. After I finished watching the entire 5 hour production, I was dying to watch it again! Definately a classic for my collection!
Average customer rating:
- More Dangers from Being Around Poets
- Toby Stephens Fans - save your money
- Beautiful version of the book
- ...meh.
- A Film For Those Who Believe In "The One True Love"
|
Possession
Starring: Gwyneth Paltrow , Aaron Eckhart , Jeremy Northam , Jennifer Ehle , and Lena Headey
Director: Neil LaBute
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Similar Items:
- Onegin
- Possession: A Romance
- Emma (1996)
- Sliding Doors
- Middlemarch
ASIN: B00005JKKY
Release Date: 2003-02-11 |
Amazon.com
Modern love and classic romantic passion meet in this lush adaptation of A.S. Byatt's brilliant novel. Academics Roland Michell (Aaron Eckhart) and Maud Bailey (Gwyneth Paltrow) are experts on the work of two different Victorian poets. As they pursue a possible connection between their subjects, the two sleuths begin to stumble toward a romance of their own. Though it necessarily loses some of the depth of Byatt's original, <I>Possession</I> is a worthy adaptation, faithful to the book in both story and spirit. Director Neil LaBute uses clever and visually elegant methods of switching back and forth between time periods, subtly contrasting the prickly moderns and the swoony Victorians without making either pair seem unappealing. The movie also does an excellent job of capturing the exhilaration (and the politics) of intellectual discovery, and feels truly romantic without ever getting icky. Though Paltrow and Eckhart both succeed as the modern leads, the real standouts are Jeremy Northam as Randolph Henry Ash and Jennifer Ehle as Christabel LaMotte. Their passion gives the movie its romantic core and makes the whole search worthwhile. <I>--Ali Davis</I>
Customer Reviews:
More Dangers from Being Around Poets.......2007-05-14
This movie is an emotional "roller coaster" ride dealing with what can happen to you from getting into research and especially into poetry.
The final scene in the movie, however, is worth the price by itself.
A warning: poetry is very dangerous stuff; be careful!
Toby Stephens Fans - save your money.......2007-04-19
Toby Stephens barely appears in this film. He's supposed to be a villian but you see so little of him he hardly registers.
The film itself is well-plotted, well-shot, well-acted but very poorly written. It's about poets (a take-off on the Brownings' story), but none of the characters says anything remotely poetical or memorable. You would have to care about the characters to swallow the fantastical story, and unfortunately the characters are such stereotypes that it just doesn't hold together. If you're hungry for romance read the Brownings' letters -- pure sugar cane as opposed to this way over-processed stuff.
Beautiful version of the book.......2007-03-30
Ever read a book and missed something... it happened for me with Possession...
It was one of those books that just leapt out at me... I'm not usually into this type of book but the cover and the write up had me intrigued.
I read the book over the summer and absolutely loved the romance... slightly dark... but very real!
Then we get a wait of about 7 years! And I see the adverts for the film... and it's got Gwyneth in it!!
So first time I see it is on a flight to the US... oh my god I cried... discretely... but god it's a heart wrenching film...
And I picked up the the epilogue bit which I had never read or didn't remember from the book! That one floored me! A very perfect ending to such a beautiful book and film.
Acting is superb and really brings the book to life without losing any of the qualities of the book.
Highly recommended!!! Jeremy Northam and Jennifer Ehle make such a fantastic couple with lots of natural chemistry... and Aaron Eckhart and Gwyneth make a great couple too... both irresistably drawn to one another!
Favourite lines... 'you take my breath away madam' and 'I just had to see your face'... both delivered with perfect timing...
...meh........2007-02-28
Possession (Neil LaBute, 2002)
There are two types of adaptations: the good and the not-so-good. They can be broken down, of course, into subcategories (brilliant novels adapted into brilliant films vs. mediocre novels adapted into brilliant films, etc.), but the basics are the good and the not-so-good. Possession had all the promise of being a good adaptation-- a fine novel, a solid director, a fantastic cast. What we got is, well, not-so-good.
Roland Michell (LaBute regular Aaron Eckhart), an American grad student, is studying the work of Victorian poet Randolph Henry Ash (Jeremy Northam, recently of The Statement). While doing research for his advisor, he stumbles upon something that may change the face of Ash scholarship entirely-- a possible affair with contemporary feminist Christabel LaMotte (Sunshine's Jennifer Ehle). In order to further research the possible link, he contacts Maud Bailey (Gwyneth Paltrow), the foremost scholar on LaMotte, and the two of them start digging deeper into their literary mystery.
It's a very pretty movie, more Merchant-Ivory than Your Friends and Neighbors, but it seemed to be missing something. Unfortunately, I don't know the novel well at all, and so I can't quite put my finger on what, exactly, it is that's missing. One doesn't have to be a Possession scholar, however, to note something of a lack of chemistry between Paltrow and Eckhart, especially when juxtaposed with Northam and Ehle, who sizzle every time they're together on the screen (and often when they're not). It's not a bad movie, mind you, it just seems like it could have been a good deal more than it is. ** ½
A Film For Those Who Believe In "The One True Love".......2006-08-25
To appreciate this story, you have to believe that two people can meet and quickly fall forever into forbidden love. That is what is at the heart of this film. If you can't accept that premise, the movie simply does not work. And what makes it throb with life for me are the excellent performances of Jeremy Northam and Jennifer Ehle whose mutual passion sweeps us along. Paltrow and Eckhart are a secondary love story here, but you never feel that they really care for one another. Worth your time if you are a romantic. OK, I'm a romantic. Sue me!
Average customer rating:
- WILD ABOUT WILDE
- Excellent
- It's a wild Wilde life -- and a fascinating film
- History buff
- Young talents in a small masterpiece
|
Wilde (Special Edition) [Region 99]
Starring: Stephen Fry , Jude Law , Vanessa Redgrave , Jennifer Ehle , and Gemma Jones
Director: Brian Gilbert
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Similar Items:
- The Oscar Wilde Collection (The Importance of Being Earnest / The Picture of Dorian Gray / An Ideal Husband / Lady Windermere's Fan)
- Maurice - The Merchant Ivory Collection
- Biography - Oscar Wilde (A&E DVD Archives)
- Immortality
- Brokeback Mountain (Widescreen Edition)
ASIN: B00005V5NU
Release Date: 2002-03-19 |
Customer Reviews:
WILD ABOUT WILDE.......2006-12-26
"WILDE"
Wild about Wilde
Amos Lassen and Cinema Pride
Richard Ellman wrote an unconventional biography of Oscar Wilde which looks at the brilliant, witty and tragic life of the Irishman who died a shameless death and has only recently been reinstated to the world of literary accomplishment. This book was in turn made into a wonderful movie which gives us Wilde's rise to fame as an in-demand author and public speaker to his downfall and imprisonment because of his homosexuality. Stephen Fry is amazing as Wilde. Portraying the author as he takes a wife, despite his own sexual bent, and producing children, Wilde comes across even more enigmatic than before. It was while he was married that Wilde discovers his true sexual identity and this leads to a very public affair with the vain and rebellious Lord Alfred Douglas (Jude Law and yes he gets naked). Wilde's private life leads him to downfall and puts him in prison on the charge of "gross indecency", a term for homosexuality at the time.
"Wilde" is a solid and stolid drama about Oscar Wilde, after realizing his homosexuality, Wilde goes through a series of lovers until he finally settles on the pouty, spoiled and good-looking Lord Alfred. With this union, all hell broke loose and this intelligent movie shows the trials and tribulations of one of the world's wittiest authors. Brian Gilbert's direction makes Wilde come beautifully alive in a movie not easily forgotten.
So what is different about this movie as compared to others about Wilde? It shows his creativity, his genius, his obsessions, and his downfall in a tragically beautiful way. It is literate and superior to anything that has come before it and will likely remain a milestone for those who want to learn more about the man. The ironic twist showing Lord Douglas convincing his lover to bring a libel suit ageist his father knowing it is doomed to fail seems to show the whole conviction of Wilde in a new light and that it was Wilde's pride which lead him to self-destruction.
Wilde's attraction to Lord Douglas was the catalyst for his doom. It was this relationship that would destroy his career, his family, his health yet even after it was all done, Wilde returned to Douglas. What was the reason for such appeal? The movie shows it to be a combination of masochism and romanticism. Jude Law's portrayal of Douglas is painful--not the acting, the character. He is a rebellious adolescent who is extremely handsome and sometimes charming. His temper tantrums and verbal attacks against Wilde simply made the author love him even more.
Little is held back in this wonderful film. We see Wilde and Douglas in male brothels and we se Wilde engaging in voyeuristic habits. Wilde is shown as a father who was too much into his own work to pay attention to his children and he refused to publicly admit that he was homosexual and because of this he was doomed to disgrace.
As Wilde, Fry is marvelous--vulnerable and scathing. He showed that even though he knew that his relationship with Douglas would come to no good, he was powerless to resist the man. He captures Wilde's poise and sheer imposing physical appearance. Law is hypnotizing as Douglas and as much as you want not to like him, you can see what Wilde loved him so. In depicting the shadow side of yearning, "Wilde" becomes a classic study of a great Irish writer.
Excellent.......2006-11-10
The film was great, the price was great, it arrived unbelievably quickly. Thank you!
It's a wild Wilde life -- and a fascinating film.......2006-10-01
I have somewhat conflicting opinions about this film, just as I have conflicting opinions about Oscar Wilde himself. No one can dispute the fact that Wilde was a literary genius; ample proof of this is found in the successful rehabilitation of his work in reputation long before the aspects of his infamous lifestyle became acceptable to even a minor fraction of society. If, as hardly seems possible, you aren't aware of the scandal associated with Wilde's downfall, this film spares the viewer few of the most intimate of details (in other words, there is male nudity - and plenty of it). It's a brave film, featuring a most accomplished class of actors and actresses turning in terrific performances, but it doesn't feel perfectly complete to me. Rather than delivering a flamboyant Oscar Wilde who truly reveled in his own audacity, this Oscar Wilde seemed subdued and sometimes even haunted by the lifestyle he led. While his wit is demonstrated quite often, this didn't quite seem like the young man who became the toast of London before he met with his first literary success and reveled in the danger inherent in his forays into the London underworld of homosexuality. Maybe it's just impossible to capture the true spirit of this most singular of men, but I just felt as if this film tried to cast Wilde as something of a victim led astray by all these pretty young boys and a man doomed by his own nature, and I don't completely buy into that.
I was also somewhat disappointed by the fact that Wilde's writing played only an incidental role in this story. We don't get a very good sense of the shocking nature of The Picture of Dorian Gray to Victorian society, apart from the comments of young Lord Alfred "Bosie" Douglas (Jude Law) upon his introduction to the author, and Wilde's successful plays provide little more than short moments in the sun for Wilde to receive the cheers of appreciative audiences on opening nights. There's basically no commentary on the relationship between Wilde's writing and his life.
I don't want to sound too negative, however, as I think this is a wonderful film. Stephen Fry makes for a wonderful, albeit subdued, Oscar Wilde, but Jude Law turns in a much more memorable performance as Bosie. With his flamboyant nature, sudden mood swings between devil-may-care flamboyance and taciturn childishness, and natural coquettishness, he dominates one scene after another. Wilde, in fact, becomes something of a pathetic creature at times, a helpless instrument in the hands of a young seducer whom he must suspect will ultimately lead to his downfall and disgrace. Certainly, there was little chance of keeping this extended dalliance a protected secret, but one cannot blame Bosie's father - evil brute that he was - from seeking Wilde's destruction. The irony, of course, is that Wilde engineered his own downfall, as it was his decision to sue the Marquess of Queensberry for libel (and to thereby perjure himself in court) that led to his arrest for gross indecency.
I certainly can't admire anything about Oscar Wilde's personal life beyond his brave determination to be nothing less than who he truly was, even when that meant facing two back-breaking years of manual labor in prison. I do admire his genius, however, and I don't think there's any doubt that his exploits influenced the society of his day and age.
He helped define one era and ushered in the dawn of a new one. Most of all, he was just bloody fascinating. Any movie about his life would be noteworthy, and this one is certainly that.
History buff.......2006-08-11
Great performance and direction. Very fair treatment of Oscar Wilde during a period of social upheavel unrecognizable in informed cultures.
Young talents in a small masterpiece.......2006-06-12
This is the movie where Orlando Bloom got his big break.He has an important,but brief scene,with the brilliant Stephen Fry.It's crucial to the plot,so I won't give it away.Orlando has a bowler hat instead of pointed ears---need I say more?
Ioan Gruffudd,of the Horatio Hornblower series,plays Wilde's first boyfriend.In his first scene,he wears a spectacular fez of questionable taste.Ioan Gruffudd shows his talents.
It's hard to tell who steals the show--the wonderful Stephen Fry,or the handsome Jude Law.This movie should be on any "must see" list.
Average customer rating:
- Great story
- Hungarian-Jewish history that spans three generations of one AMAZING family!
- One Hundred Years of Sunshine
- A Hidden Gem of a Movie
- A Study in Twentieth Century European Anti-Semitism
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Sunshine
Starring: Ralph Fiennes , Rosemary Harris , Rachel Weisz , Jennifer Ehle , and Deborah Kara Unger
Director: István Szabó
Manufacturer: Paramount
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ASIN: B00005ALMM
Release Date: 2001-05-08 |
Amazon.com
Although <I>Sunshine</I> was made by a Hungarian, István Szabó, and deals with the history of Hungary as refracted through three generations of a Jewish-Hungarian family, you might be more inclined to give it three hours of your own life if you approach it as a David Lean movie in spirit. It <I>is</I> an English-language picture, and Maurice Jarre's music recalls his score for <I>Doctor Zhivago</I>. Szabó emulates Lean's intimate-epic style of merging the sweep of history with the crystalline detailing of individual lives, so that the shape of destiny is glimpsed through personal moments that feel at once evanescent and eternal. His lighting cameraman, Lajos Koltai, is one of the handful of cinematographers equal to capturing these moments in lapidary images--cinematic sunshine of the highest order.
"Sunshine" is a literal translation of Sonnenschein, the family name of the central characters. And "destiny" is one meaning of Sors, the name three Sonnenschein offspring choose for themselves to better assimilate as subjects of the Austro-Hungarian empire. Two are brothers, Ignatz (Ralph Fiennes) and Gustave (James Frain); their sister (by adoption) Valerie (Jennifer Ehle) is really their cousin. Both men love her, and Ignatz rocks the ultratraditional family by taking her as his wife. Nevertheless, the Sonnenscheins and the Sors enter upon the 20th century in loving solidarity, grateful to live under a liberal and tolerant regime. That's all swept away by the Great War, the rise of Nazism, and its replacement, the new fascism of Stalinist Communism. Valerie survives them all--though she's played later on by Rosemary Harris, Ehle's own mother. For his part--or parts--Ralph Fiennes goes on to embody two later generations of Sonnenschein/Sors men, the proudly patriotic Adam and his son, the rudderless Ivan, whose guilt over being a compliant prisoner at Auschwitz leads him to buy into the passionate puritanism of the Stalinist purges. Fiennes rises to the awesome challenge of creating three utterly distinct characters who all share the same congenital weaknesses and aching potential for greatness.
This is a film of considerable beauty and sometimes shattering power. Even three hours is not enough to do justice to all the characters, all the wrenching turnarounds of history and political allegiance and rectitude. But the film is never less than gripping, and as an essay on "family values," it's well-nigh definitive. <I>--Richard T. Jameson</I>
Customer Reviews:
Great story.......2007-04-03
Long but good. Shows how lucky Americans are to live in a stable environment.
Hungarian-Jewish history that spans three generations of one AMAZING family!.......2007-01-14
I purchased this film on the strength of so many of the excellent reviews here at Amazon.What a smart move on my part! THIS FILM IS A KEEPER!I will leave the story line to all of the previous reviewers.I will simply add that it is still hard to believe that a film of such length could be so engrossing and simply fly by.The pacing, acting,story,cinematography,character development and soundtrack are all components that make SUNSHINE a truly great film.An excellent companion film that I would suggest would be Barry Levinson's AVALON.Both films capture the importance of family and name, and what that means as each is faced with assimilation into another culture for survival's sake.
One Hundred Years of Sunshine.......2006-11-17
This historical epic/family drama from the master of Hungarian cinema, Istvan Szabo (Mephisto, 1981; Being Julia, 2004) is a wonderful and memorable film that has been overlooked, underrated and sadly under-seen.
This is a moving and always engrossing drama about one Jewish-Hungarian family that rises and falls throughout the 20th century. Ralph Fiennes is outstanding as the grandfather, the father and the grandson. All three - complex and tragic characters, victims of their times, politics and wars. I think it was a brilliant idea to cast one actor as a face of three generations of one family. If ever anyone attempts to adapt Marquez's "One Hundreds Years of Solitude", that's how it should be done, IMO.
"Sunshine" is three hours long but never for a minute had I felt it was too long or it was losing its power. It is a serious, thought-provoking film which is also a superb work of art.
4.5/5
A Hidden Gem of a Movie.......2006-09-17
It seems that many of us who are taking the time to review this very good movie came away with the same feeling of disapointment at the weak title and lack of promotion.
I didn't realize until reading others' reviews that the movie was three hours long because it didn't seem that long to me.
By the end of the journey, you understand that the building of wealth, reputation, and political idealism...things which seem to matter so much in the moment, mean very little.
Possesions mean little.
Who we are, ultimately, means a lot...
What is left after the world takes its toll.
I'm usually very attached to characters, but the perspective of this movie wasn't of the characters. It was through a larger lens and the character's perspetives seemed small in comparison.
A Study in Twentieth Century European Anti-Semitism.......2006-06-12
Sunshine was doomed to be a box office failure. A three hour movie is simply too long to enjoy at a theater. It works much better as a DVD which can be turned on and off as one so desires. Still, I have no hesitation in giving it five stars. This film is worthy of your patience. We follow the trails and tribulations of the Sonnenschein family in Hungary from the very beginnings of the Twentieth Century to the late 1980s. Initially, this is a Jewish family trying to make the best of things as citizens of the now extinct Austro-Hungarian empire. Anti-Semitism is pervasive but a Jew, paying a very high cost, is permitted to assimilate into the larger Christian community. What is the price tag required for acceptance? It is the abandonment of one's Jewish religious and cultural heritage. All three Sonnenschein youths even opt to forsake the family name. Things are obviously not great. Still, the situation is improving. And then World War I breaks out and their world collapses. One of the brothers is foolishly seduced into embracing Communism while the other wisely understands that a viable society must be committed to the rule of law. The present system might not be perfect, but the royal family is benevolent and willing to continue relinquishing its power. Regrettably, the destruction caused by the Great War eventually brings about the collapse of the empire. By the mid 1930s the Nazis are rapidly dominating the political landscape. Adolph Hitler could care less about a Jew's assimilation. Only genetics matter and Jews are deemed biologically evil. Their planned eradication is the logical conclusion of the nonnegotiable ideological premises of Hitler's thugs. Even military heroes, Olympic fencing champions, and practicing Catholics are scheduled to be butchered. The members of the Sonnenschein family realize too late the precariousness of their situation.
Finally, the Communists take over. These totalitarians allege to embrace universal brotherhood, radical egalitarianism, and despise anti-Semitism. This turns out, sadly, not to be entirely accurate. I was amazed how honestly the creators of Sunshine dealt with the Jew hatred during the Stalin era. The only Jews tolerated by the Soviets were those of the self-hating variety. All others were persecuted---often to the point of execution. Sometimes even the self-haters found themselves taking a bullet in the back of the head. Disgustingly, the leftist intellectual establishment prefers to ignore this vile chapter in the history of the Communist movement. Yes, you must see this movie. It should perhaps even be placed on the top of your list.
David Thomson
Flares into Darkness
Average customer rating:
- I was robbed!
- MELODRAMA
- fascinating and excellent
- Reminiscent randy relationships of relatives and friends
- the dehumanization of art
|
The Camomile Lawn
Starring: Felicity Kendal , Paul Eddington , Oliver Cotton , Jennifer Ehle , and Tara Fitzgerald
Director: Peter Hall
Manufacturer: Acorn Media
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ASIN: B000EDWLTQ
Release Date: 2006-04-25 |
Amazon.com
Immensely popular when originally broadcast on Britain's Channel Four in 1992, The Camomile Lawn offers ample proof that British TV drama rises well above American TV in terms of sophistication, maturity, and literary influence. Faithfully adapted by Ken Taylor (The Jewel in the Crown) from the novel by Mary Wesley, this five-part wartime drama bears some thematic and structural resemblance to The Big Chill (in both films, a burial serves as a reunion for long-time friends) and chronicles a variety of secrets, lies, and passions among a close-knit group of relatives in Cornwall, just as World War II begins in 1939. The funeral that frames this fond reminiscence takes place in 1984, and it sparks fond memories of "the Camomile Lawn" at the cliff-side home of Aunt Helena and Uncle Richard (Felicity Kendal and Paul Eddington, reunited from the hit Brit-com Good Neighbors), so named because its fresh scent is a reminder of happier times before the war. Among the five cousins whose lives are deeply affected by the war, the dramatic focus remains on young Sophy (superbly played by Rebecca Hall, and in later scenes by Claire Bloom) and the deliberately mercenary Calypso (Jennifer Ehle), who marries for money and finds love--or at least sex--with whomever she pleases while her husband's away in battle.
For a series that features ample nudity, sexual indiscretions, and surprisingly frank treatments of alcoholism, adultery, and rape, The Camomile Lawn remains entirely respectable in the way it weaves passion and pain into a cohesive, engrossing drama, rich in humor and humanity while discreetly handling less savory aspects of its characters' behavior. Also featuring Claire Bloom and Tara Fitzgerald (Brassed Off) in one of her earliest starring roles, the series develops its characters so effectively that the emotional impact of the war becomes a powerful bond between them, and we experience their joys and sorrows as intensely as they do. Best of all, Taylor's teleplay is blessed by abundant wit and humor--the best defense against the melancholy of war--and director Peter Hall guides his stellar cast with impeccable attention to details of character and context. The result is a very satisfying and richly authentic portrait of privileged England on the brink of war and personal tragedy, imbued with a resilient richness of spirit. A screen-text biography of author Mary Wesley is included (she was already in her seventies when her first novel was published), along with cast and crew filmographies. --Jeff Shannon
Description
It's August 1939 and five cousins gather at their uncle's big house on the Cornish coast. The imminence of war charges the air as they frolic on the fragrant lawn and tempt fate on the terrifying cliffs that one last sultry summer. Returning to the house nearly half a century later for a funeral, they recall how the war rearranged their lives and brought them suffering, sex, and love. <P>This lusty, darkly humorous drama reunites Good Neighbors co-stars Felicity Kendal and Paul Eddington. Also starring Jennifer Ehle (Pride and Prejudice), Tara Fitzgerald (Brassed Off!), Rosemary Harris, Claire Bloom, and Nicholas le Prevost. Faithfully adapted from Mary Wesley's beloved novel by Ken Taylor, who also adapted The Jewel in the Crown for television.
Customer Reviews:
I was robbed!.......2007-04-20
I wanted to see this movie because I like actor Toby Stephens and wanted to see something of his early work. I thought the first three episodes were great in their portrayal of the the lives of young people and their struggles with love and growing up in prewar and wartime England. I felt a real fondness for the characters after all they'd been through together by the end of the first disc (first three episodes). However, the last two episodes (disc two) were a disappointment. After becoming attached to these endearing young people and their characters, we are robbed of them as they age and turn into different people (actors) all together. Why not use the same actors and age them? Surely makeup and clothing can do that! Additionally, the whole ending was too quick and short and very anticlimactic. But perhaps that is what war does to all of us, it changes us into different people and we are all robbed of certain ones we have loved, so maybe it is appropriate that we loose those young people in the end. Still though, I was sorry not to get to see more of Toby Stephens. He has only one scene in the fourth episode and none at all in the fifth (disc two). So I only gave it three stars, one star per episode that I liked.
MELODRAMA.......2007-04-11
I wanted to really enjoy this miniseries because of the good reviews and because of the subject matter--generally favorable reviews from pros and the general public about an extended family reminiscing about their lives before, during and after World War II. However, I just found the whole effort along with its characters rather tedious. I have not read the novel by Mary Wesley that this miniseries is based on. Perhaps that is my problem. Nevertheless, I just found the entire presentation along with its characters and its tremendous amount of sex to be very melodramatic I don't consider myself to be a prude; however, with everyone either "getting it on" or trying desperately to "get it on" I grew a little weary of the story and its subject matter.
This presentation has many good actors that I have admired in other performances but NOT in this one. I adored Jennifer Ehle in "Pride Prejudice" but found her as blond Calypso in this outing to be very shallow and unconvincing as this rather ditzy character. . I also adored Toby Stephens as Philby in `Cambridge Spies" but not as extremely randy Oliver which I just found the character to be annoying, In fact I did not care for Felicity Kendal or her most irritating husband played by Paul Eddington (both of "Good neighbors fame). I did not find them to be interesting at all. I just found it impossible to "connect" with any of the characters or characterizations. (The one thing I can say about the characters in this presentation is they remained dreary from youth to old age and they remained so no matter who portrayed them even if it were the likes of Claire Bloom (Sophie in old age) or Rosemary Harris (Calypso in old age)
fascinating and excellent.......2007-01-07
just finished watching this, and absolutely loved it. the only flaw for me was the quicky ending which seemed a little disjointed, but the rest of the series was just wonderful, filled with complex and real characters.
yes, some puritans may balk at the frank and realistic protrayal of relationships (including sex), but this, finally, is really how people talk, rather than how we THINK folks talked 50 years ago.
great series. highly recommended.
Reminiscent randy relationships of relatives and friends.......2006-12-03
The story starts out with people going to Max's (Oliver Cotton) funeral 40 years after WWII. On the way to the funeral each person, several generations of family and friends reminisce on their earlier war years where five cousins gathered at their uncles' house with a chamomile lawn.
The costumes and sets were impeccable and carried you to a different world and time. You feel that you lived through the war. We see the destruction and disruption caused by the war.
We see the casualties of war and the trials for those left behind. In the midst of this people are growing up and making decisions, strange or unconventional decisions. Some of the film has the feel of the movie "To Kill a Mockingbird".
At first I was distracted because the actors are so well known such as Felicity Kendal (Helena Cuthbertson) and Paul Eddington (Richard Cuthbertson.) Hoverer by the end I came to look on them as the characters that they are playing.
Being a mini-series there is more time to add the finer points of the book. However there are a lot of subjects and actions that are just implied or not complete thoughts. I can only assume that the film relies heavily on one reading the book first. With the exception on one story line being wrapped up in the end many lose ends lead one to realize this is not a story with a beginning middle and end; it is just a snippet of life that is taken at face value as we move on.
the dehumanization of art.......2006-09-01
This movie is composed of quick glimpses, not scenes, and consists mostly of talk. There is virtually no action of any kind in this four-and-a-half hour movie.
The funeral at the end is as perfunctory as everything else. Contrary to the product description, there is no story of a reunion of characters at the funeral. Mostly, they appear driving their various cars to the funeral and, like a chorus, commenting on and explaining the actions that we have just been shown.
The nasty-surprise ending gives a clue as to why the author may have written this book--to gloat over the sexual prowess of one of the characters. Most viewers will find this revelation repulsive. If you make a guess as to why the author wrote such a story and then read the Mary Wesley biographical summary included with this DVD, you'll probably find your guess vindicated. Viewers who do not share her prejudices will not enjoy this movie.
Some of the "characters" like the twins and Walter are merely ciphers, not characters at all, not even caricatures. All the characters with the exception of Sophie are sociopaths. It's true that there are sociopaths in the world, but they are relatively rare (at least they were rare in the past). There is not a shred of humanity in any of these people. Some, I suppose, are intended to be "quirky", but quirky does not have to be infuriating or obnoxious. The entire movie is an exhibition of contempt for human beings or at least contempt for the British upper-middle class. No doubt there are people who will agree with this assessment. They should enjoy this movie.
Unlike other period movies, WWII is merely a device in this movie. It plays almost no role and hardly appears, except as drawn curtains, taped windows and some sound effects. The war seems to mean little to most of the characters. A couple of times, someone mourns for a dead cousin; but since there was no evidence of positive regard between them before, the mourning hardly has any effect on the audience.
Even the sex scenes are too cold-blooded to be erotic scenes, let alone love scenes. People casually hop into bed with no evidence of desire or other positive feelings. Consequently, they are ineffective as cinema.
The music is appropriate: all spikes, quirks, jerks and plucked strings.
I can't believe that the amazon reviewer actually watched this movie. His statements sound more like promotional material for the movie than like a review.
Average customer rating:
- THE BEGINING OF ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFULL CONTEMPORARY STORIES
- Glimpse of the largely unknown proto-Beatles
- Superb
- no title
- John Lennon's guilt
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Backbeat (Collector's Edition)
Starring: Marcelle Duprey , Stephen Dorff , Ian Hart , John White (II) , and Bernard Merrick
Director: Iain Softley
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ASIN: B00028HBJI
Release Date: 2005-01-25 |
Amazon.com
Ian Hart's second performance as John Lennon (the first was the little-seen <I>The Hours and Times</I>) commands attention in this marvelous musical bio of the Beatles in Hamburg directly before their stardom. The focus is on the "5th Beatle," Stuart Sutcliffe (Stephen Dorff), a bluesy bass guitar player who finds Germany has more interesting things (art and a woman) than music. The woman, Astrid (Sheryl Lee), chronicles the early years of the Beatles, and she falls in love with Stuart, a move that would influence many aspects of the Fab Four. Nearly overpowering the film is Hart in a great, energized performance of an artist on fire. The music was adapted for the movie, rediscovering the raw sound and ballistic energy in the back street clubs. These scenes of rock and genius intermixed with a nervy lead singer evoke similarities to Kurt Cobain and Nirvana. Directed by Iain Softley. <I>--Doug Thomas</I>
Customer Reviews:
THE BEGINING OF ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFULL CONTEMPORARY STORIES.......2006-10-31
Before the Beatles, Before Lennon-Mcartney there was Lennon-Stucliffe two working class boys from Liverpool that loved each other like brothers , Lennon wanted to conquer the world with his rock and roll band music and Stu wanted to show the world his art, however Stu accepted Lennons invitation to make a brief gig in Hamburg with the band , Stu purchased a bass with the money he won seling one of his pieces, immediatelly the five guys entered a whole world of hardcore German scene with cavarets , bars, strip shows, gruppies, alcohol and illegal substances but in the middle of all that Klaus Vooorman and his friend Astrid two avant-garde artists introduced themselves to the band one night at the club they were playing , Stu and Astrid were immediatelly hooked up by each other causing the friendship between Lennon and Stucliff were even more fractured due to the discrepances in interests booth friends had, Astrid influenced Stu and intruduced him in to this environment of painting, literature, photography and fashion very different to the rock and roll concept his four friends liked, Astrid were responsible for the historic registers of the Beatles beginings in Hamburg due to her pothograpys and later were the inspiration of the stetic concept the band adopted in hair style and wardrobe , The guys get a record contract and Stu choosed the love of Astrid instead of the band dreams, It was difficult for Lennon who depend emotionaly on Stu, but it was wrotten on Stone the path the band had to follow and the story that we all know, Stu died briefly afterwards by a brain hemorrage and the fab five became four , to be honest we couldnt imagine The Beatles in a different way.
HM
Glimpse of the largely unknown proto-Beatles.......2006-08-04
"Backbeat" provides a fascinating and alternative viewpoint of the pre-stardom Beatles. Ian Hart's jealous, sarcastic, and insecure Lennon is both fresh yet seemingly correct. Liverpool and Hamburg lay at either ends of the bridge between the sappy 50's and avant-garde 60s, and the film moves us across that bridge at the frenetic and raucous pace of the cover tunes of the then-Beatles' playlist. Hart and the actors playing McCartney and Harrison bear a less superficial and more unnerving resemblance to the young Beatles, certainly not in the way of a Vegas revue, and all the better for it. It's probably a good thing though that Stu Sutcliffe quit the band, if quite a sad thing he died so young. His continuance with the Beatles is one counterfactualist scenario I'm glad not to imagine.
Superb.......2006-07-25
"Backbeat" is an excellent portrayal of the Hamburg phase of the early Beatles, and succeeds on every level. Although purportedly intended primarily to tell the story of "fifth Beatle" Stuart Sutcliffe, the focus quickly shifts to John Lennon who (as in real life) dominated the music and lives of the early Beatles. It is as much the story of Stu and John as the story of Stu and Astrid, and explores the dynamics of both complex relationships. Still, it is a fascinating look at the early Beatles, who paid their dues by playing in some of the rough Reeperbahn bars in the pre-fame years. The cast is excellent, and were obviously chosen for their talent rather than their resemblance to the characters they portrayed. The music is also excellent, and complements the story perfectly. In all, "Backbeat" is an entertaining journey through the world of the early Beatles, and is well worth purchasing for repeat viewings.
no title.......2006-04-06
Pretty good movie of the Beatles' early years - particularly of their beginnings in Hamburg, Germany. None of their original music, however; producers probably couldn't pay for that. The story is really about a fifth member, Stuart Sutcliffe, a gifted artist who died at 21 in Hamburg with his wife, a German photographer, who gave the remaining Beatles their mop-top look. Sutcliffe, or the actor who plays him, Stephen Dorff, an American, kind've resembles James Dean, but without his intensity. One reviewer states that he was Britain's most promising young artist before he died of a brain hemorrhage, probably brought on by a fight back in Liverpool because of something John Lennon said. The movie doesn't say whether Lennon knew this or not. It also seems to imply that Lennon was bi-sexual. He certainly felt strongly about Stu; but it also implies that he could have loved Stu's wife. I could never really get into this movie; maybe because I was never that crazy about the Beatles' music. And only the actor who played Paul McCartney in any way resembled the Beatle he was playing. Although supposedly Dorff looks exactly like Sutcliffe.
John Lennon's guilt.......2005-12-23
I am a big fan of Stephen Dorff. He is so beautiful male actor. His eyes are so sensitive and sharp. I saw this movie because he is in.
However I started watching it then my eyes are going to Ian Hart who plays John Lennon. In the end, I almost forgot about Stephen was there.
Ian Hart had done a gread job, I think. He acted very well of young Lennon's potential charisma, confusing, and uncontrolled great passion to music and friends.
Needless to say, This movie is about Stuart Sutcliffe who is a member of Beatles in the begining and short time but influenced very much on their fashon and appearance. He is also a very talented painter. But John Lennon is such a great icon that seemed to make anything go away except him.
When the movie ended what remained in my mind was that Lennon's guilt. How he had been feeling with his best friend and his future. Actually accoring to his biography he had been feeling a guilt to Stuart's death. I realized that how Lennon was a huge human being that may cause his death, even though I don't like very much the Beatles' sound.
Average customer rating:
- Loriann Ringgold
- Please, spare me the reptile.
- Long overdue story that needed to be told
- Music to melt the heart
- how could it happen
|
Paradise Road
Starring: Glenn Close , Frances McDormand , Pauline Collins , Cate Blanchett , and Jennifer Ehle
Director: Bruce Beresford
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- Song of Survival: Women Interned
- Paradise Road
- Charlotte Gray
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- Heaven
ASIN: B000056BSH
Release Date: 2001-03-13 |
Amazon.com
Earnest and well-meaning, this film also accumulates power as it goes along, despite its inability to generate any moral complexity. But then how complex can you get in a story about the Japanese imprisonment and mistreatment of an international group of women (including Glenn Close, Frances McDormand, and Julianna Margulies)? Written and directed by Bruce Beresford, it's based on a true story. Japanese brutality has been well chronicled before; the real story here is the way these women of different social and ethnic backgrounds achieve a sense of solidarity in the face of potentially deadly abuse. Strong performances and many uplifting and moving moments. <I>--Marshall Fine</I>
Description
In a time of war, an extraordinary group of women turned a song of hope into a symphony of triumph. From the director of "Driving Miss Daisy" comes a true story of courage, triumph, friendship and strength starring Glenn Close ("Dangerous Liaisons"), Oscar®-Winner Frances McDormand (1996 Best Actress, "Fargo") and Emmy Award Winner Julianna Margulies (TV's "ER"). This compelling drama reveals the heroic actions of a group of women held prisoner by the Japanese during World War ll. These diverse women from different countries, speaking different languages, unite to form a vocal orchestra-creating a life affirming symphony of human voices.
Customer Reviews:
Loriann Ringgold.......2007-06-14
This is a must see movie about a group of women taken hostage during the Pacific Campaign of World War 2. Their Japanese captors are cruel and less than civil throughout their confinement. This is based on a true story. The performances are stellar. I would recommend this to be seen in a family setting with discussion after the movie.
Please, spare me the reptile. .......2006-02-19
I am disturbed greatly by this film. Glenn Close is entirely unbelievable as a prisoner of war... more, a bourgeois / socialite / horror. The only thing that made me smile throughout the film was the lesbian subtext of Cate Blanchett and Frances (uber-german stoic) McDormand's relationship.
Long overdue story that needed to be told.......2006-01-08
It amazes me that so much has been said about the unjust internment of Japanese people in the U.S. during World War II, but so little has been said about the INFINITELY more brutal internment of innocent civilians in Asia by the Japanese at the same time. This film could not have done a better job dramatizing these events according to mainstream Hollywood standards. There's probably some sugarcoating of events, but not as much as I would have expected.
Music to melt the heart.......2005-10-04
A chance viewing - the DVD is not yet available in Europe - and one of the most heartrending stories to come out of the Far Eastern sector of World War II; there have been many tales of derring-do and bravery among soldiers captured by the Japanese, but nothing to match the indomitable spirit of these innocent American women (and children) imprisoned after the fall of Singapore. Their "vocal orchestra" (NOT a chorus, as their director, played superbly by Glenn Close, insists), achieves the seemingly impossible task of transcribing over 30 works, including Dvorak's New World Symphony (we hear a condensed version of the slow movement with a modern Dutch chorus on the soundtrack) via the prodigious memory of one of the prisoners, a British missionary (Pauline Collins), and through their performances in the camp transform the violent relationship between captor and captive into something approaching a human understanding. Nothing is held back in portraying the initial brutality, which makes the contrast with the quiet and unquenchable optimism of the inmates (in spite of many differences of temperament and background) all the more stark.
A splendid supporting cast (Cate Blanchett, Frances McDormand); 2 hours of compelling viewing.
how could it happen.......2005-09-30
I know a lot about the things that has happened in the former Netherlands-Indië, now Indonesia. Never heard about women and childeren from Singapore in the camps of Sumatera. It's shocking.
I recommend every one who is interested in WW2 in Asia and especially Neth. Indië to buy this DVD. No technical problems.
Average customer rating:
- Wonderful adaptation of a brilliant book
- Pride and Prejudice (1995)(6pc) (Coll Box)
- This movie brings the novel Jane Austen wrote to life brilliantly!
- closest to the book
- Looking for Mr. Darcy
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Pride & Prejudice (1995) (6pc) (Coll Box)
Starring: Saw
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- Emma (A&E, 1997)
- Persuasion (1995)
- Pride and Prejudice - The Special Edition (A&E, 1996)
- The Making of Pride and Prejudice (BBC)
- Sense & Sensibility (Special Edition)
ASIN: 6303921248
Release Date: 1996-12-23 |
Amazon.com essential video
Jane Austen's classic novel of 1813, <I>Pride and Prejudice</I>, still wins the hearts of countless schoolgirls with its romantic story of Elizabeth Bennet and her Mr. Darcy. Now, the 1996 BBC miniseries is winning over adults, with its faithful adaptation, gorgeous scenery, and superb acting.
The essence of the story is the antagonism between Mr. Darcy, a wealthy single man who believes Elizabeth to be beneath him, and Elizabeth, who upon being insulted at a dance by the aloof Darcy refuses to associate with him in any manner. Austen evokes incredible tension with the wit and flirtation of the two characters, and director Simon Langton (who also directed <I>Upstairs Downstairs</I>) successfully translates the repartee and conflict in this six-hour miniseries. Dialogue, for the most part, is painstakingly replicated, except when fleshing out and smoothing for modern sensibilities was necessary. Darcy, for instance, is drawn out, giving his personality significantly more depth. The acting sweeps you away to Regency England: Jennifer Ehle (of <I>Wilde</I>) is convincing as the obstinate Elizabeth, who, despite her mother's attempts to marry her off, spurs the attentions of Darcy. And Colin Firth (of <I>The English Patient</I>) will have women everywhere longing for a Mr. Darcy of their own.
For those who have been on an Austen binge--enjoying such excellent recent adaptations as <I>Sense and Sensibility</I> and <I>Persuasion</I>--this miniseries will round out the ultimate Austen video library. For those new to these romantic period pieces, this version of <I>Pride and Prejudice</I> will have you hooked and longing for more. One caveat, however: plan to watch it in an entire day, because very few have the self-control to not watch all six hours in a single sitting. <I>--Jenny Brown</I>
Description
Hailed as "the best Austen of all" by The New York Times and deemed "one of the best things ever done for television anywhere" by Sneak Previews, this brilliant adaptation of Jane Austen's classic novel is A&E's most popular title ever. Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth (Shakespeare in Love) star in this Emmy-winning production.
Customer Reviews:
Wonderful adaptation of a brilliant book.......2007-02-27
Colin Firth is the quinessential Mr. Darcy! This film captures the depth and essence of Jane Austen's novel in such a beautiful, classic way. It is worlds better than the recent Keira Knightley version, whose weak interpretation of the role of Lizzie made me appreciate Jennifer Ehle even more.
Pride and Prejudice (1995)(6pc) (Coll Box).......2006-11-04
Received in excellent condition, will use again. Not a thing was broken and everything worked perfectly.
This movie brings the novel Jane Austen wrote to life brilliantly!.......2006-10-06
I have read Jane Austen's novel called "Pride and Prejudice" many times, and when I saw that a movie version of it would be on television, I didn't have much hope that it would be a faithful rendering of the book. But when I watched the movie on television, it matched Jane Austen's novel, word for word. It was a masterful production, and the actors chosen to portray the characters were perfect in the roles they played. I knew I had to own a copy of this beautiful movie! (I had seen a shorter movie of "Pride and Prejudice" on television, and it bore very little resemblence to the novel written by Jane Austen.) I would highly recommend this movie to anyone who loves novels writ