Sodom and Gomorrah ( Sodoma e Gomorra ) ( The Last Days of Sodom and Gomorrah ) Review

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(More customer reviews)Amazon's listings, normally accurate to a fault, erroneously tag this item as "full screen." In fact it's widescreen, 1.85 or 1.78, it's hard to tell, and the jewel case itself only states (in English) "Letterbox." So it's the original theatrical release aspect ratio. Don't worry about its being a Brazilian pressing: the language is English, the opening titles are English, everything English. Only the jewel case text is in Portuguese.
Quality wise? A-okay, certainly better than Fox's own VHS version which is full of streaks, scratches, and quivers. But it needs to be digitally remastered and released in DVD by Fox itself, Dolby 5.0 all that stuff. Meanwhile, this version is the best thing going, and it's damn good.
As for the movie. Well . . . de gustibus and all that. For me, the most fascinating persona is not Lot (Stewart Granger) but the "Queen of Sodom," a lady of tastes sapphic and sadistic ("Next only to the pleasure of giving death is the excitement of watching it" she burbles to a horrified Lot), played to a perfect lip-snarl by the French actress Anouk Aimée.
Most of all though is the MUSIC SCORE, which outclasses every other element of the movie and is a bit incongruous to find accompanying this biblical pabulum, amusing and visually stunning as much of it is. To me the score is simply one of Miklos Rozsa's absolute finest, his third best after Ben-Hur and Quo Vadis, utterly LUCID and free of the mushy dissonances that occasionally, just occasionally muck up the Rozsa repertoire. Take just one example: a pastorale Rozsa called "By the River," which plays when Lot is courting his wife-to-be (Pier Angeli), a little gem-of-a-gem that stands with ANY pastorale in any of his films.
So we need to have this DVD remastered in state-of-the-art by Fox itself in Dolby 5.0, the whole works. But meanwhile, kudos to the Brazilians for doing Fox's work for it, a very very credible job. Buy with confidence.

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True Story of the Nativity Review

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(More customer reviews)Wonderful movie which should be played by everyone believing in Christ Jesus and his Miracle birth.

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Acts of the Apostles: Stories from the Early Church (1957) Review

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(More customer reviews)As a student of the Word, this is an excellent teaching tool. The apostle Paul did a lot of traveling and had many interesting encounters. The complete book of Acts is brought to life in this film and remaining biblically integral. It really helps with understanding the events of the early church. I am also a hugh fan of black and white films.

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The Bible - Esther (2000) Review

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(More customer reviews)Of all the Bible sories, I find the The Book of Esther does not flow as easily as others, but nevertheless, this film based on the story is interesting; it is faithful to scripture, with a few additions to fill out the plot.
Queen Esther is beautifully cast with English actress Louise Lombard (seen in 2004's "Hidalgo"), and Oscar-winner F. Murray Abraham excellent as her cousin and guardian Mordecai.
King Ahasuerus (historically known as Xerxes) is a character I find hard to like; he appears to be an indecisive and capricious man, who puts all his trust in the evil Haman (well played by German actor Jurgen Prochnow). It is Esther who courageously stands up to Haman when he tries to annihilate all the Jews of the land.
The main addition to the story is the inclusion of Ezra as a friend of Mordechai. Ezra was the scribe and priest who led a remnant of the Jewish captives back to Jerusalem, but this would come twenty years later, under the reign of King Artaxerxes, in 457 B.C. Having Ezra in the story also emphasizes the importance of God, whereas in the Book of Esther, no mention of God is made.
Directed by Raffaele Mertes (who was the cinematographer for most of the other films in this television series), it has a good score by Carlo Siliotto, lovely cinematography by Giovanni Galasso in the exotic area of Quarzazate, Morocco, with the use of a wonderful color palette in the costumes, using rich earth tones and shades of teal and olive greens.
The story of Esther is the basis for the Jewish Festival of Purim, which is a grand time for children; it's a time to dress up in costumes and masks, eat sweets, and best of all, twirl one's gragger (noisemaker) whenever Haman's name is mentioned in the reading of the story.

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Following the conquest of Babylon the King of Persia gives a banquet for his people at which he requests the presence of his wife Vashti. As she refuses the King's demand Ahasuerus disowns Vashti and goes in search of her replacement. In his harem he meets the young girl Esther who immediately captivates him with her charm and beauty. Unaware of her Jewish heritage King Ahasuerus falls in love with Esther. Esther then reveals to Ahasuerus that she is Jewish and asks him to show her people mercy because of a planned genocide of the Jews by the King's right-hand man Haman. In doing so she saves the lives of many innocent people and paves the way for their return to Jerusalem.System Requirements: Running Time 91 MinFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre:DRAMA Rating:NR UPC:031398745525 Manufacturer No:VM7455D

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The Living Bible Collection - The Greatest Stories Ever Told (1958) Review

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(More customer reviews)This series, while possibly seeming a little dated as far as films go, is simply fantastic!
This is a 5 DVD set with hours and hours of 15 minute(+/-) Biblically accurate segments following the course of the Bible. I would suggest this set to anyone wishing to learn more about the Bible, and the King and creator of the Universe Jesus Christ.
All praise be to Him!!!

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A Holiday to Remember (2002) Review

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(More customer reviews)I love Christmas Movies and I also love to read romance books and this movie is based on a Christmas themed romance book called A Christmas Love by Kathleen Creighton though the title of the movie was changed to A Holiday to Remember. I have the book this movie was based on but haven't read it yet but I did peek at a couple of pages in the book and it looks like Carolyn and Clay didn't know each other in the book until they were adults but they changed it in this movie that they had known each other in their past and were getting married after they had finished high school but she jilted him and left him standing at the alter. Though I didn't read the book except to peek at a couple of pages and I can't really compare them I can say that the movie was good and the acting was very good especially from Connie Sellecca, Randy Travis and Rue McClannahan. The movie is about a recently divorced woman named Carolyn played by Connie Sellecca who takes her teenage daughter and moves from California back to the small Southern town she grew up in, the town she hasn't been back to since she jilted her fiance Clay at the alter and when she gets there she runs into Clay played by Randy Travis and his aunt Leona played by Rue McClannahan, a character unlike the character Blanche she played on The Golden Girls but more like a combination of Rose, Sophia and Dorothy, a down homey type like Rose but feisty like Sophia and wise like Dorothy but the only resemblance between Leona and Blanche is the southern accents. This is good movie!

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Moses (The Bible Collection) (1996) Review

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(More customer reviews)Though this television production doesn't have the epic grandeur of "The Ten Commandments", it is a marvelous telling of the story of Moses, with some superb acting; there are a few liberties taken to flesh out the script, but the heart of the Biblical account is intact, with a memorable portrayal by Ben Kingsley as the prophet who was "clumsy with words" but led his people to freedom.
Other terrific performances come from David Suchet as Aaron, Sonia Braga as Zipporah, and Philip Stone as Jethro, and as the "bad guys", Frank Langella, who with his sonorous voice makes an effective Pharaoh, and Maurice Roeves as Zerack, the man who is a continual kvetch.
Filmed in sub-saharan Quarzazate and Agadir, Morocco, it is visually beautiful, with the excellent cinematography by Raffaele Mertes; I like the neutral palette, and the artifacts and costuming that give it an authentic look of ancient times. Added to the atmosphere is the wonderful score by Marco Frisina.
The effects are good, from the parting of the sea to the tablets of the law, and other than a short sequence of violence (which includes a swift depiction of sacrificing an animal) after the golden calf incident, it is family friendly. Total running time is 184 minutes.
This is a film that stands up to a lot of repeated viewing; it is so full of eternal truths, and content that is applicable to our lives today.

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The Bible Collection (1996) Review

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(More customer reviews)I bought all of these 6 DVDs separately because I did not know that they came as a set, at a better price! I paid about $15 each, about $90 total, and I do not regret owning them all, but I would have jumped on this set if I had known about it!
Most of these DVDs are very interesting and faithful to Scripture. SAMSON & DELILAH is the weakest of these 6 DVDs, as it spends too much time on non-scriptural characters. ABRAHAM covers many scenes of the 40 year wandering rarely seen on DVD. JACOB is pretty close to Scripture. JOSEPH is great, but it spends a bit too much time rewriting the narration to allow for Ben Kingsley's Potiphar role to expand. I have not yet watched DAVID, but I look forward to Leonard Nimoy's appearance in the film.
Most of these films are 3 hours long, presumably they were mostly all short mini-series when they originally ran on TV. I think only JACOB is about 90 minutes, of the 6 DVDs in this set. You can read about each DVD as they are all sold separately on amazon.com.
All of these 6 DVDs have major TV network, made-for-TV quality, and I am quite surprised and pleased that these movies are so good. I do not know of any better series of Bible stories on DVD.
There is another Box Set available, THE BIBLE SERIES BOX SET, which has 3 other DVDs of this series of movies. JEREMIAH is my favorite of all 9 movies. ESTHER is great, and perhaps the most faithful to Scriptural accuracy and chronology of all 9 movies. SOLOMON is the only 3 hour DVD in this smaller Box Set. There is a GENESIS in this Box Set, but it is not a dramatized movie, just a narration of the book of Genesis, while modern day nomads are shown going about their daily routine. GENESIS is a disappointment and very UNLIKE the other 9 movies, so much so that it doesn't even seem to be part of the same production series.
Bottom Line: I highly recommend that anybody buy both of these box sets, and they will save about 50% over buying each DVD separately! Praise the LORD!

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VeggieTales - Heroes of the Bible - Lions, Shepherds and Queens (Oh My) Review

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(More customer reviews)A couple of months ago I checked out the first volume of Veggietales from the local library. I found the first story to be pleasant, but when the scallions in "Daniel and the Lion's Den" started dancing and singing "Oh No!", I knew we had found a winner. My four-year-old son, my teenage daughter, and I have become big Veggietales fans, and this DVD was one of several I purchased when I decided that we had to stop borrowing the videos from the library because we just wanted to keep them for ourselves!
My son's favorite Veggietales story is still "Daniel and the Lion's Den" (it's one of my favorites, too, along with "Josh and the Big Wall"). I like the other two tales, too, but also have one question: What kind of vegetable is Esther exactly? She's the same veggie as the thankful family in the Madame Blueberry story, but I have no idea what she is (she looks like a green spoon to me, but I may be just unaware of all existing vegetables).
yes, it is a good DVD for anyone to watch.

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What do you get when you cross vegetables with classic Bible stories? You get courageous cucumbers, ambitious asparagus and heroes of epic proportions! VeggieTales Bible Heroes: Stand Up! Stand Tall! Stand Strong! is a 75-minute compilation featuring the following stories: - Dave and the Giant Pickle - Esther: The Girl Who Became Queen - Daniel and the Lions? Den

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Abraham (The Bible Collection) (1994) Review

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(More customer reviews)As previously mentioned in reviews of other films of this genre, I teach ancient civilizations to middle schoolers. For this reason, I am always looking for good films of the Biblical era, and this is certainly one of the best!
Richard Harris portrays old Abraham as the fallible human being that he surely was. Barbara Hershey (Sarah) is equal to the challenge of becoming a woman who, even in her advanced years, maintains a beauty which can entice a Pharaoh of Egypt.
The research production crew of Abraham certainly did their homework. As an ancient Sumerian, Abraham was part of a thriving and wealthy culture, which invented everything from schools, to surgery, to a codified law system. They were even the formulators of astrology, which the film skillfully sites as Abraham draws the signs of the zodiac in the sand for Isaac to learn. Probably an offensive moment to Biblical purists, but nevertheless--realistic and accurate.
The Mesopotamian custom of producing a son through the wife's handmaid is handled with accuracy and tact. Relevant in light of today's Arab/Israeli conflict is the fact that this custom produced the Arab race extant today, while the children of Sarah's son Isaac became the Hebrews.
Another piece of excellent background the film delivers, is the covenant-making ceremony in the presence of the king's 'Divine Right' to rule. The scene in Haran is exceptionally well done--right down to the Sumerian's penchant for bargaining.
The animal sacrifice is handled with welcome reserve. So too, is the custom of midwifery, and how grief-stricken Sarah must've felt if she-childless, indeed did deliver so many children.
If there is any complaint with the film, one might be the portrayal of Isaac as a young teen when he was being prepared as a sacrifice by his father. Isaac was no doubt somewhat older than this according to Biblical chronology.
I shall long remember the reaction of my students to this impending sacrifice--especially from those who did not know how the story would end!
Another complaint might be the Pharaoh showing Sarah a pyramid, as if this was a new thing in Egypt. In reality, by Abraham's time, the main pyramids were several hundred years old.
In summary, this version of the Abraham is right up there with the best of the films in this genre (see my other reviews). I feel only the Joseph story is better.

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Item Name: Abraham (The Bible Collection); Studio:Turner Home Ent

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St. Peter (2008) Review

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(More customer reviews)Excellent Movie, this movie taught me so much about the Apostles Peter, Paul and how they came to KNOW that Jesus Christ was son of God and the relationship Christ had with them. I cried, Omar Sharif was a perfect Peter, as his eyes express so much of the feelings that were experienced when he denied Christ (3) times and also told him he loved him (3) times. The pace of the movie is excellent, the acting superb, and most of all the historical representation (especially the Romans and the Christians),in this cinematic film captures the essence of Christ, and how those closest to him came to KNOW he was son of God and how the Holy Spirit touched those Christians after his resurecction. I would highly recommend this film!

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Joseph (The Bible Collection) (1995) Review

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(More customer reviews)This account of the Joseph story is as good as it gets! I teach ancient history and civilizations, and have an earned doctorate in theology. I say this only to lend perspective to this review.
This film is Biblically accurate, well-acted, and the producer and director are to be praised for the sound Biblical reasearch!
Although some of the sexually explicit (though historically accurate) scenes should be screened from the very young, this film is an ideal platform from which teens can search out characteristics of moral uprightness in a character of whom the Bible has not one negative thing to say!
Kingsley (as he did in 'Moses') steals the show, and Mercurio does an admirable job as Joseph. Only Leslie Ann Warren (Potipher's wife) seems to strain as an actor, nevertheless, her performance detracts little from the drama. Especially capable are the actors portraying Joseph's wicked brothers, with Vincenzo Nicoli sterling is his performance as the wicked Simeon.
Having watched the film dozens of times with adults--as well as with my middle-schoolers in the classroom, I can say that the greatest of Bible stories is captured in all its power, pathos, and glory. Although creating a few anachronistic vignettes (such as Joseph's 'foreshadowing' Christ's "My God, my God..." speech from the Egyptian prison), the film also captures all of the great ironies of the Joseph story.
When Mercurio tenderly reveals himself as the second most powerful man in the ancient world--to the brothers who hated him as a youth, the words 'I am Joseph' will not fail to bring even the most calloused heart to tears.
As my students synthesized the thirty or so characteristics of moral goodness extant in Joseph into an essay, one asked why no such heroes existed today. The question revealed both the effectiveness of this presentation, and the dearth of role models in our society.
'Joseph' is both gripping in narration, and brilliant its direction. It is faithful to Scripture and well-acted. It is THE finest of the TNT productions to date, of which only one ('Jacob') was a failure.
Everyone will appreciate this wonderful story of forgiveness, but those those who are looking for the 'hidden things of Christ' cannot miss the poignant messianic threads which are so skillfully woven through the life of Joseph. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

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