Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde Review

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(More customer reviews)Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde was a pleasant surprise. We thought it would be the usual kung foo action film, instead found it to be full of gentle humor, Chinese medicine, and interesting characters. Adam Baldwin(Dr. Jekyll) and Chang Tseng(Dr. Chau) relate extremely well to each other and have a unique student-teacher relationship. Do yourself a favor and watch this movie.

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Shakespeare Collection (Hamlet 1996 / A Midsummer Night's Dream 1935 / Othello 1965 / Romeo & Juliet 1936) (1935) Review

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(More customer reviews)I was very pleased with my "Literary Classics Collection" and "Motion Picture Masterpieces Collection" that I purchased from Warner's, and it looks like the studio originally known for gritty urban dramas continues to go highbrow with this collection of four movies featuring interpretations of works by the Bard. The press release by Warner Home Video has the following extras listed for each movie:
A Midsummer Night's Dream (1935)
Cast includes James Cagney, Olivia de Havilland (in her screen debut), Joe E. Brown, and Mickey Rooney. The film was nominated for four Academy Awards, including Best Picture. It won for Best Cinematography and Best Film Editing.
DVD Special Features:
Commentary by film historian Scott MacQueen
Olivia de Havilland screen test
Vintage featurette "A Dream Comes True" (8 minutes)
Presenting... Gallery of 6 teaser trailers showcasing cast members
Warner Bros. Studio Café teaser trailer
Musical short "Shake Mr. Shakespeare"
Theatrical trailer
Subtitles: English, French and Portuguese (feature film only)
Romeo and Juliet (1936)
This was actually an MGM production. George Cukor directs with Norma Shearer and Leslie Howard in the title roles. Nominated for four Academy Awards including Best Picture.
DVD Special Features:
Vintage short "Master Will Shakespeare"
Classic MGM cartoon "Little Cheeser"
Theatrical trailer
Subtitles: English (feature film only)
Othello (1965)
Lawrence Olivier in the title role, Maggie Smith as Desdemona, Joyce Redman as Emilia, and Frank Finlay as Iago. All four performers were nominated for Academy Awards for their performances.
DVD Special Features:
Vintage featurette "Olivier Talks About Othello"
Theatrical trailer
Subtitles: English (feature film only)
Hamlet 2-Disc Special Edition (1996)
Cast includes actor/director Kenneth Branagh, Kate Winslet, Derek Jacobi, Julie Christie, Robin Williams, Jack Lemmon, Billy Crystal and Charlton Heston. This rendition is set in the 19th century.
DVD Special Features:
Introduction by director/star Kenneth Branagh
Commentary by Kenneth Branagh and Shakespeare scholar Russell Jackson
New digital transfer from original 70mm elements
Soundtrack remastered in Dolby Digital 5.1
Featurette "To Be on Camera: A History with Hamlet"
1996 Cannes Film Festival promo
Shakespeare movies trailer gallery
Subtitles: English, French and Spanish subtitles. (feature film only)

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HAMLET: "Hamlet has the kind of power, energy and excitement that movies can truly exploit," award-winning actor/director Kenneth Branagh says. In this first-ever full-text film of William Shakespeare's greatest work, the power surges through every scene. The timeless tale of murder, corruption and revenge is reset in an opulent 19th-century world, using sprawling Blenheim Palace as Elsinore and staging much of the action in shimmering mirrored and gold-filled interiors. The energy is electrifying, due to a luminous cast. The excitement of the Bard's words and an adventurous filmmaking style lift the story from its often shadowy ambience to fully-lit pageantry and rage. Now presented in an amazing 2-Disc Special Edition. ROMEO & JULIET: Norma Shearer and Leslie Howard in the title roles are "so good that one can forget they are too old for the roles" (Leonard Maltin's Movie Guide). Adding to this allure of this nominee for four Academy Awards?* including Best Picture are lavish sets and costumes (Botticelli paintings inspired Shearer's wardrobe) that fuel the film's then-astonishing $2-million budget. OTHELLO: The original cast and soul-shattering impact of the play's 1964 staging by the National Theatre of Great Britain are captured on film. As the valiant war hero swept into a maelstrom of jealousy and revenge, Olivier won his seventh Academy Award? nomination.* The movie's Desdemona (Maggie Smith), Emilia (Joyce Redman) and "honest Iago" (Frank Finlay) also captured Oscar? nominations.* And the result, Bosley Crowther wrote in The New York Times, is that "this Othello is one of the boldest you'll ever see." A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM: Love is blind, fickle and true. And under the sway of capricious fairies it becomes blinder (a queen romances a donkey), more fickle (best friends swoon over each other's beau) and truest of all (lovers repledge their devotion). "Lord, what fools these mortals be!" in Shakespeare's bewitching comedy. James Cagney, screen-d

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Great Expectations (Masterpiece Theatre, 1999) (1999) Review

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(More customer reviews)This movie is excellent. I stumbled onto it on the Net accidentally because of the leading actor (Ioan Gruffudd) and his earlier portrayal of another classic character--Hornblower. Great Expectations is by far my favorite of Dickens and of all other classic literature, and this movie portrays the book wonderfully! Every scene--nearly every WORD can be found in some form in the book, from the younger Pip's nervous recital of Old Clem, to Orlick's reappearance and attempted revenge. As with all adaptations, there are a few drawbacks (and for this reason I would HIGHLY reccomend reading the book itself!). But I've seen very few movies adapted as accurately as this. Very very fine!

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Ioan Gruffudd, Justine Waddell and Charlotte Rampling star in this adaptation of Charles Dickens' enduring classic Great Expectations, the story of a young orphan named Pip who lives with his sister and her blacksmith husband, Joe.One day Pip is sent to play at the residence of Miss Havisham, a frightening, elderly woman who seems locked in the past. She wears ancient bridal attire and never moves from the dusty upper rooms of her home. Miss Havisham's beautiful but contemptuous ward, Estella, makes Pip feel appallingly inferior, creating in him a desire to better himself-changing his life forever. But despite his efforts to improve himself, the frustrated Pip seems destined to remain Joe's apprentice. Until one day a lawyer calls to inform Pip that he has "great expectations:" Pip is to be released form his apprenticeship and educated in London as a gentleman! The benefactor who has made this life transformation possible, however, wishes to remain anonymous.

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John Wayne-John Ford Film Collection (The Searchers Ultimate Edition / Stagecoach Two-Disc Special Edition / Fort Apache / She Wore a Yellow Ribbon / The Long Voyage Home / They Were Expendable / 3 Godfathers / The Wings of Eagles) (2006) Review

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(More customer reviews)First...the films
Stagecoach and The Searchers...two of the all time greatest movies ever made....Fort Apache and She Wore a Yellow Ribbon...perhaps only a notch below and the other films while not on that level...wonderfully enjoyable. The transfers are typically excellent as WB tends to do...the cover art is the original 1sheet...very fun stuff. The Searchers edition included is the ULTIMATE edition with tons of extra paper goodies!
Second..the extras!
Stagecoach...the American Masters documentary airing this month on the tube on Ford/Wayne is a nice bonus...the NEW 30 minute documentary on the actual making of Stagecoach is REALLY GREAT....and i noticed its done by SPARKHILL , who did Wizard of Oz and some of the other great WB re-issues... THeir bonus featurettes on Fort Apache (Monument Valley) and the Searchers are also wonderful....truly there are hours of extras included in this package that will let the viewer learn much about both John Wayne...who people think they know but perhaps don't and John Ford...who just might be the greatest director of all time.
CHEERS to WB for releasing these films in lovingly done transfers and packing them with new and vintage featurettes to make them truly worth owning instead of waiting to catch on TCM some day.....and the overall package and price...well..terrific!
A collection of movies from arguably the greatest film director and starring arguably the greatest film star in history....stop reading and BUY!

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John Ford was easily one of the greatest, most prolific and versatile directors Hollywood ever produced. Combined with a star of the caliber and magnetism of John Wayne, what emerges is pure cinematic magic. WHV now introduces a ten-disc set featuring eight of the team's finest collaborations: The Searchers: Ultimate Collector's Edition (1956) Stagecoach: Special Edition (1939) Fort Apache (1948) The Long Voyage Home (1940) Wings of Eagles (1957) She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1948) They Were Expendable (1945) 3 Godfathers (1948)

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Oliver Twist (1997) (1997) Review

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(More customer reviews)As others have said, if you want a quality retelling of Dickens' "Oliver Twist," then turn to David Lean or the glorious musical version, and not this bland re-hash with possibly the weakest Oliver (not to mention writing and direction) that I have ever seen for this story. There are only two characters that partially redeem it: an earthy, maternal Nancy and an Artful Dodger that, as portrayed by Elijah Woods, may not be what Dickens had in mind, but certainly becomes someone you care about and want to save - much more so than the annoying Oliver, who has two facial expressions (wide-eyed and not wide-eyed), a shrill voice, and an unhealthy obsession with his mother's locket, which stalls the plot at the most unlikely moments. The double irony is that this rather stupid, greedy child (who discovers a conscience quite late) is rescued from the streets to enjoy a life of ease and comfort, while the infinitely more promising Artful Dodger (whose tender response to Oliver's bout of conscience is the most moving two minutes in the film) is carted off to jail - a quip from him being enough to stop this Oliver making any move to save him! It's enough to make you want the REAL film buried here - the one about Woods' Artful Dodger, caught between confused loyalties, sensitive and intelligent in a world merciless to both, protective of both Nancy and Oliver but powerless to help either, trying desperately to seem more callous than he is and to pretend to himself that he has chosen this life.... It's his tragedy that is almost buried in this dull film, but it's hard not to be grateful it was made, if only for those scenes lit from within by Woods' amazing talent.

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Dr. Bell and Mr. Doyle - The Dark Beginnings of Sherlock Holmes (2000) Review

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(More customer reviews)"Murder Rooms" consists of five episodes, starring Ian Richardson as Dr. Joseph Bell, the historical personage on whom Arthur Conan Doyle allegedly based Sherlock Holmes; with Dr. Watson based on Doyle himself. The 116-minute first episode ("Dr. Bell and Mr. Doyle, The Dark Beginnings of Sherlock Holmes") was a BBC series pilot released in January 2000. In "Dr. Bell and Mr. Doyle...," Robin Laing starred as the young Doyle in medical school. This pilot has been available in NTSC for two years (see Amazon's listing) and IS NOT INCLUDED IN THIS PACKAGE. In the remaining four 90-minute episodes comprising this set (on BBC in September-October 2001), episode chronology begins three years later, Charles Edwards assuming Laing's role as the young, idealistic but adult Doyle with his own medical practice. Information on source books, author David Pirie, screen credits, histories, plot synopses and cast are available at murder-rooms.com
FOR BEST APPRECIATION, ONE MUST TREAT THIS SERIES AS AN INTEGRATED FIVE-PART, EIGHT-HOUR MINISERIES, beginning with the pilot "Dr. Bell and Mr. Doyle..." setting the backdrop against which the other four, described IN ORDER below, play out. Missing "Dr. Bell and Mr. Doyle...," this reviewer STRONGLY RECOMMENDS you purchase this set now and set it aside until that pilot can be seen. In "The Patient's Eyes," a black-shrouded cyclist repeatedly stalks a lady patient cycling to Dr. Doyle eye appointments through eerie wooded terrain, leading to a mysterious abandoned house, love-interest conflicts, betrayal, and murder. (There are striking scene similarities to "The Solitary Cyclist.") In "The Photographer's Chair," a series of murder victim corpses bearing strange marks lead to mesmerism, spiritualism, séances, apparitions, erotic mutilation, daguerreotype photography, and genuinely chilling moments. In "The Kingdom of Bones," the publicized spectacle of unwrapping an apparent Egyptian mummy for scientific study yields highly unexpected results leading to suicide, dinosaur bones, gypsies, kidnapping, attempted murder, multiple murders, and political terrorism. And in "The White Knight Stratagem," Doyle and Bell come to a near falling-out involving a Dickensian business climate leading to suicide and murder; with a curious chess enigma hovering over everything. This last episode concludes the miniseries and should be viewed last.
These adaptations get this reviewer's highest commendation, being at least the equal (or better?) of the David Suchet / Jeremy Brett adaptations in their prime.The general tone is exceedingly dark, uncompromising, and far more menacing than the light-hearted Poirot-Holmes adaptations. (The atmospherics remind this reviewer of that excellent film "From Hell.") Excepting as discussed below, nothing in these episodes is short of first-class: plots, incredible principal and supporting cast, direction, cinematography depicting 1880s Victorian Edinburgh, hauntingly mysterious musical score, period mood, and the appallingly brutal times with modern medicine in infancy. Sound is fine; extraneous background noise is nil; diction is clear with no accent barriers.
So superior is MPI's production that current PAL DVD owners may want to buy the NTSC release anyway! The widescreen 16x9 anamorphic picture is excellent, with night scenes sharp yet still mysterious. This reviewer doesn't know how the original episodes were recorded, but suspects that the widescreen image seen here was likely achieved by slicing off top and/or bottom portions of an original 4x3 TV image: some close-up shots have head-tops suspiciously out of range, a typical symptom. But such trimming is a small price for what one sees on an HDTV system as contrasted to the original PAL release. Unlike that release, MPI also provides both running time display and chapter breaks; and the periodic PAL scene blackout interruptions (presumably omitting advertisements) are gone, greatly enhancing the narrative flow. There are two DVDs contained in one keep-case with an inner leaf. Each DVD has two episodes on the same side with full menu accessibility.

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Item Name: Dr. Bell and Mr. Doyle - The Dark Beginnings of Sherlock Holmes; Studio:Bfs Entertainment

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Oliver Twist (Masterpiece Theatre, 1999) (2000) Review

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(More customer reviews)The poor reviews this movie has received (in both the DVD and VHS formats) I feel are totally unwarranted. This is my favorite put-to-film Dickens novel (except for the various "A Christmas Carol's" out there), and I am ecstatic that this version is finally available on DVD.
Now, in this adaption, I believe the prequel works very well. I think it makes this a much more comprehensive movie and gives the characters involved (especially Monks) much more depth. And, because of the length of this version that I am reviewing, it allows the viewer to get to know each character much deeper than the other filmed versions available. We get to know Oliver's parents and Aunt Rose up close, although it is done through liberties taken by the producer and not necessarily Dickens himself. I do feel, however, the great novelist would not particularly mind in this case.
The acting is as good, if not better, than pretty much most period epics I have seen. The actors play off of each other well - they match their roles perfectly. The costumes and sets are excellent. They have captured the early Victorian period so well - both the good and the bad - it's almost as if the viewer is peering through a looking glass into the past.
As for the story following Dickens' original novel...well, I have yet to see any movie follow a novel to a "T." It just doesn't happen, unfortunately, with virtually any put-to-film novel. But this follows the original, as a whole, much much closer than the other versions I have seen - definitely more than "Oliver," and infinitely more than the Disney version with Richard Dreyfuss, which was made into a totally different story than what Dickens had intended.
Don't let the nearly 6 hour length scare you off - there is no time during this whole version where one is bored (unless they are a child - definitely not a children's movie!). Being a fan of epic period movies, I found this to be as enticing as any other epic novels put to the screen.
Bravo to all involved!

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The Ten Commandments (2006) Review

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(More customer reviews)In terms of adjusted box office, Cecile B. DeMille's 1956 film "The Ten Commandments" is the fifth biggest grossing movie of all time, ahead of "Titanic," but behind "Gone With the Wind," "Star Wars," "The Sound of Music," and "E.T." There was a sense in which that film, with the parting of the Red Sea sequence, was the first big special effects film. Of course, the story of how Moses led the Hebrews out of Egypt had more going for it and that story is certainly worthy of further examination. Yes, "Prince of Egypt" was a musical, but it also focused more on the relationship between Moses and Ramses, who were friends growing up, rather than the rivalry we saw between Charlton Heston and Yul Brynner. Now we have this 2006 mini-series. The good news is that it does try to tell us a different part of the story in its second half, but the bad news is for every step forward there are steps backwards, and on balance this version does not come out ahead.
The mini-series aired in two parts, with the end of Part 1 being the parting of the Red Sea (not a real cliffhanger). The first part moves through the story of Moses from the night he floated down the Nile in basket to that moment in front of the Red Sea at a fast clip. Moses (Dougray Scott) grows up, kills an overseer, goes off into the desert, saves Jethro's sheep and marries his daughter, sees the burning bush and is back in Egypt telling Ramses (Paul Rhys) to let the Hebrews go. The plagues of Egypt come quickly as well, and there is a clear suggestion of how the frogs, locust, etc., were related to the Nile turning to blood. This Moses is not raised alongside Ramses, but Menerith (Naveen Andrews), the natural son of the princess, and they are the brothers who are torn and who face each other at the edge of the Red Sea. Moses has enlisted his brother Aaron (Linus Roache) to speak for him, and this version deals more with the reluctance and doubts of Moses, more so as the leader than as the deliverer of the Hebrews out of bondage.
This is little in the first half of "The Ten Commandments" to justify having made the mini-series. The only things that stood out where the idea that God wants Moses to work out some things in his own mind and the scene where Moses is forced to work as a slave, which this time is after he returns to Egypt. What is important in the first part is the idea that even before their deliverance, the Hebrews challenge the leadership of Moses. However, after the conclusion of the parting of the Red Sea the rest of the second half is devoted to the period in which the Hebrews wandered in the desert before reaching the Promised Land. This is where this version of "The Ten Commandments" starts to tell a different story, for a lot happens in the hour between the Red Sea and the Golden Calf. There is manna in the wilderness and turning the slaves into an army. Above all this there is the need for Moses the Deliver to become Moses the Law Giver. However, the impetus for this transition comes from a melodramatic irony that smacks of soap opera more than scripture.
Time and time again I question what Ron Hutchinson, who won an Emmy in 1989 for writing "Murderers Among Us: The Simon Wiesenthal Story," is doing in this story. At one point Moses is training the army and Joshua (Karim Salah) refuses because he sees being a solider as an admission of not having faith in God. Moses then tells what must be the oldest story of how God helps people; certainly it is an older version of the one Karl Malden tells to Jed Bartlett on "The West Wing." The relevance of the story to the point being made is lost because we cannot believe Moses is telling this story. However, this is a Moses who is not a cool and commanding presence. His doubts and lack of resolve are arguably the biggest reasons why the people doubt God; they have problems believing in his messenger.
I have always been bothered by the Hebrews challenging the idea that their God WAS God during the Exodus. What happened at the Red Sea should prove the point once and for all. The manna in the desert and Moses smiting a rock to bring forth water might be "minor" miracles, but they are nothing to scoff at and reminders of everything God did to get them out of bondage. Being freaked because Moses has gone up on the mountain and you think he is not coming back is one thing, but making the Golden Calf is a really bad idea. Hutchinson sticks to the book of Exodus and covers the slaughter by the sons of Levi that was the bloody aftermath of the great sin the people sinned.
This becomes the final act before the denouement where Moses sees the Promised Land but is not allowed to cross over. Hutchinson does play with Biblical chronology, because the battles they fought are covered in Numbers. However, my final complaint is not about chronology but rather that the story essentially ends with the slaying of the three thousand men, and not as Exodus does with the construction of the tabernacle and the ark, symbolizing the renewal of the covenant, which I find to be the more important part of the story. I would have preferred seeing this version of "The Ten Commandments" be restricted to what happened after they crossed the Red Seas; after all, the Hebrews forget the evidence of the power of God. The other half of the min-series could have covered the history of Numbers and Deuteronomy, the part of the Exodus that remains to be told in such a format.

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The Ten Commandments unfolds with all of the spectacle, violent human drama, and grand inspiration that have earned it its distinction as the greatest story ever told. When an oracle prophesizes that a child will become Prince of Egypt, a time of danger approaches the kingdom. The Egyptian Pharaoh orders the massacre of all newborn males. But one child, Moses--the son of a Hebrew slave--escapes certain death when he is set adrift on the Nile. As years pass, he is raised in a royal Egyptian household and, with no memory of his family, rises to the stature of prince. Upon discovery of his true heritage, and inspired by a fiery message from God, Mosesembarks upon a noble and desperate fight to reclaim his destiny as the leader and liberator of the Hebrew people. With a stellar cast that includes Mia Maestro and Golden Globe winner Omar Sharif, The Ten Commandments is unsurpassed in its vision--both intimate and grand. DVD Features include: The Making of "The Ten Commandments", Closed Captioning.

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Bleak House (1985) Review

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(More customer reviews)Excellent leading portrayals by Elliott Denholm and the great Diana Rigg. The general mood and the dark, misty ambiance of the film reflect the true reality of the Victorian era, its urban plight and pollution. It is truly a cinematic and poignant film about how the different lives were entangled under the whirlpool of the Chancery court. This adaptation has a different ending regarding cousin Richard, which is more dramatic and realistic on the screen. Whether or not you read the book, the ending will be a surprise. By the way, it is a very long book. The performance of Ms. Rigg is a piece of fine art, and it really shows her metier as a graduate of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts. Only she could have portrayed her undeniable love for Sir Leicester with such a delicate nuance and pure sincerity. Coupled with a haunting chamber music, it is the best 6 hs. one can spend, where one can be entertained with a fine piece of art and at the same time reflect about life's vicissitudes and historical periods. The conflicts and human relations depicted in this masterpiece of Charles Dickens are as timeless as the human condition.

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Murder One - The Complete First Season (1995) Review

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(More customer reviews)TV Guide hailed Murder One as 'The Best Show You're Not Watching' mid first-season, and, believe me, they were right.
The premise of Murder One is simple enough; to take you, step by step, through a sensational murder trial. A series of twists and turns within the first four episodes leads to the arrest of drug-addicted movie star Neil Avadon who turns to his former lawyer Ted Hoffman for help.
The show takes you through the entire trial, from jury selection to the verdict and beyond. Each episode reveals more about the case itself, about the young victim Jessica Costello, and the tragic life she led up until her murder. The defendent, Neil, has no memory of the night she died and doesn't even know himself if he's innocent or guilty.
Ted Hoffman and Associates, the law firm at the center of the trial, is staffed with brilliant attorneys who passionately fight for Neil and their other clients with an exuberance and passion seldom seen in present-day law shows. They actually *care*, and through them you will, too. I'd love to tell you more, to detail the fascinating and brilliant plot twists and revelations that you'll journey through watching this show, but to do so would spoil the incredible experience of seeing it yourself, from episode one to the end.
This show first aired when I was eleven years old. Ten years later I still vividly remember it as one of the best, most well-written and riveting dramas I've ever had the pleasure of seeing.


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Sex. Lies. Murder. One day at a time until justice is served. From the creator of NYPD Blue, Hill Street Blues, and LA Law and in the same fashion as 24 - each episode of Murder One represents one day of a single sensational and explosive trial.

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Jekyll & Hyde - The Musical (1974) Review

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(More customer reviews)I'm suspecting that there are two types of people who are approaching this DVD, a filmed version of the stage production of "Jekyll & Hyde". One, someone familiar with the show--perhaps saw it and liked it or has the soundtrack--and wants to check out this variation. Or two, someone discovering it anew. It tempts me to write two reviews because while I love "Jekyll & Hyde", it's slightly unfortunate that this is the production most people will get a chance to judge.
So let me preface this by saying that I really am a fan of this show. Some people consider "Jekyll" sort of a "Phantom-lite". I, myself, have never been the biggest supporter of "Phantom of the Opera". It's fine, full of bombast, but hardly the revolutionary experience that people give it credit for. "Jekyll" does play to similar themes, but has a stronger overall soundtrack. Instead of a couple of showstoppers like "Phantom", "Jekyll" is filled with memorable power ballads. Not the most complicated show musically, it is very accessible. And when you have great singers, these simpler and emotionally charged songs become pop opera and quite moving.
So, without hesitation, I recommend the original Broadway Cast recording!!! Robert Cuccioli, Linda Eder and Christiane Noll are superb. You couldn't hope for better.
But here's the problem with this DVD, it's not this great cast--NO, the star is David Hasselhoff. So you see my problem, don't you? Look, I'm not going to be unkind--it's an easy target. Let's just say this. If you're a fan of the show, he doesn't completely ruin it. And it's not like there are any other versions to add to your collections. If you are new to the show, I'm still recommending it provisionally. I wish there were another option. If you like the show, though--and I think you will--please rush over and buy the 1997 Cast recording. Treat yourself to how "Jekyll & Hyde" should really sound.KGHarris, 10/06.

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The longest-running show in the history of Broadway'sPlymouth Theatre, Jekyll & Hyde: The Musical brings new life to RobertLouis Stevenson's classic story of romance and the epic battle between goodand evil. A whirlwind odyssey pitting man against himself is set in motionwhen the brilliant Dr. Jekyll's medical experiment backfires, giving lifeto his evil alter ego, Edward Hyde. The show won a legion of repeatvisitors (dubbed by the press as

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Myrna Loy and William Powell Collection (Manhattan Melodrama / Evelyn Prentice / Double Wedding / I Love You Again / Love Crazy) (1941) Review

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(More customer reviews)This collection contains five titles currently not on DVD that were made starring the famous duo during the same time frame as their "Thin Man" series. With the exception of 1947's "The Senator was Indiscreet", this puts all of the Loy/Powell films on DVD. The extras described below are from a press release from Warner Home Video. The biggest let-down about this set is the lack of commentary for any of the films, but Warner probably figures with the amount of documentary material they put in the Thin Man Boxed Set, they would just be going over old territory. The films, in chronological order, are as follows:
Manhattan Melodrama (1934)
This is more of a movie with Powell and Loy than one about them as a couple. The focus is more on Clark Gable and William Powell, who play two orphans who grow up together but wind up on opposite sides of the law. Myrna Loy plays the woman that both characters love. Gable plays the gangster in this film, Powell the guy who goes up the political ladder. The melodramatic part is that as D.A. Powell's character wins a conviction against Gable's character, and as a result he is sentenced to death. Later, as governor, Powell must decide whether or not to commute his childhood friend's sentence. Powell is very good here at playing a more serious role.
Special Features:
· Comedy short "Goofy Movies #2"
· Classic cartoon "The Old Pioneer"
· Theatrical trailer
· Subtitles: English & French (feature film only)
Evelyn Prentice (1934)
This one seems to miss a step as far as plot holes go, but it is still above average. Powell plays a defense attorney who is also part detective, and whose heavy-duty work habits cause him to neglect his wife, played by Loy in the title role. As a result of this neglect, Loy commits an indiscretion with a playboy and ultimately figures into her husband's next big murder case.
Special Features:
· Comedy short "Goofy Movies #3"
· Classic cartoon "Discontented Canary"
· Theatrical trailer
· Subtitles: English & French (feature film only)
Double Wedding (1937)
This is a different kind of film for Powell and Loy. Loy plays high-powered businesswoman Margit Agnew who is unhappy to learn that her little sister is planning to marry vagabond Charlie Lodge (William Powell) who, since he lives in a trailer, is hardly in a position to support her. Margit tries to intervene, and in the end winds up with Lodge herself. The plot is thin, but the comedy is very good. This film was shot partly before and after the death of Jean Harlow, who was Powell's lover and Loy's good friend. Filming was suspended for awhile due to the tragedy.
Special Features:
· Musical short "Dancing on the Ceiling"
· Classic cartoon "The Hound and the Rabbit"
· Theatrical trailer
· Subtitles: English & French (feature film only)
I Love You Again (1940)
My favorite non-Thin Man Loy and Powell movie and showcases everything that is great about the chemistry the two had on screen. Powell plays stuffy and rich Larry Wilson, who, after a blow to the head, realizes he is actually confidence man George Carey. Wilson is just some alternate identity he assumed after he first got amnesia nine years before. Realizing he has a sweet deal in his wealthy second identity, Carey decides to clean out Wilson's finances and leave town. However, when Carey meets Wilson's estranged wife, played by Loy, he falls for her and decides to hang around long enough to win her back.
Special Features:
· Crime Doesn't Pay Series short "Jackpot"
· Classic cartoon "Tom Turkey and His Harmonica Humdingers"
· Theatrical trailer
· Subtitles: English & French (feature film only)
Love Crazy (1941)
Another excellent entry in the Loy and Powell series of movies. After four years of marriage, Stephen Ireland (William Powell) runs into an old girlfriend that lives nearby. The two end up just talking, but a series of comic misadventures cause Stephen's wife, Susan (Myrna Loy), to believe Stephen is cheating on her and she decides to divorce Stephen. Desperate to keep Susan, Stephen decides to pretend he is not in his right mind to draw things out. He does such a good job that everyone believes him - except his wife. There is some great physical comedy here by Powell.
Special Features:
· Classic cartoon "The Alley Cat"
· Audio-only bonus: Screen Directors Guild Playhouse Radio Broadcast
· Theatrical trailer
· Subtitles: English & French (feature film only)

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MYRNA LOY AND WILLIAM POWELL COLLECTI - DVD Movie

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Midnight in Garden of Good & Evil (1997) Review

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(More customer reviews)Adapting a book to the screen is always a risk, and adapting a successful book particularly so, especially if it is a nonfiction book and the story has already made news (or been the subject of gossip, which in this instance doesn't seem to make much difference) long before the book was ever written. There will always be those who claim that you didn't do the book justice, or that you didn't do the real events justice, or both. But let's face it, folks, the vast majority of us weren't witnesses to Jim Williams's record four trials, nor did we attend any of his famous Christmas parties, nor did or do we know Mr. Williams or any of the other inhabitants of Savannah featured so prominently here (even if Jerry Spence - not the attorney, the hairdresser appearing as himself in the movie - insists that ever since the publication of John Behrendt's book people have been asking him to sign their copy). All that most of us did was read the book ... yes, so did I, and I enjoyed it immensely. And maybe some have taken a trip to Savannah and gone on one of those "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil" bus tours. (No, haven't done that myself yet. Savannah's on my list, though.)
Granted, condensing four trials into one, adding a fictional reporter (John Kelso alias John Cusack) as a stand-in for Mr. Behrendt whose book is a first-person account, and making Mandy Nichols (director Clint Eastwood's daughter Alison) the reporter's love interest, meant altering the facts as related in the book. But let's not forget that the latter covers a period of eight-plus years and is jam-packed with a shooting, four trials, a host of social events and a cast of more memorable characters than many a novel; all of which is near impossible to transform into a movie if you neither want to skip over half the important details and move the action at breakneck speed, nor turn the project into a ten-part TV series. These changes were probably necessary byproducts of the screenwriting process. But the core elements of the story have been maintained, and apart from the relationship between Mandy and John Kelso/John Behrendt, the cast of main characters strikes me as pretty faithful to the book.
Most importantly, the person at the center of the story: antiques dealer, art lover, restorer of historic mansions and sun of Savannah's genteel society, Jim Williams, is exactly the kind of man you imagine after having read the book - portrayed by Kevin Spacey with all the charm, grace and slightly condescending noblesse you would expect from a textbook Southern gentleman, with that "coastal accent ... soft and slurring, liquid of vowels, kind to consonants" as John Behrendt writes, quoting "Gone With the Wind;" making you forget that neither Mr. Williams actually came from "old money," nor Kevin Spacey grew up south of the Mason-Dixon line. And Savannah, of course, is Savannah ... city of grand old mansions surrounding its 21 squares, cotillon balls (including a black one), a Married Women's (Card) Club, lush vegetation, shady trees, Spanish moss and sultry heat radiating from the pages of John Behrendt's book as much as it does from the movie screen in director Clint Eastwood's interpretation. The movie was shot on location, including and in particular in and around Williams's Mercer House, on Monterey Square and in Bonaventure and Beaufort Cemeteries; giving it that feeling of authenticity which is virtually impossible to replicate in a studio. In addition, almost all of the Savannah residents vital to the story readily participated in screen tests; with the glamorous Lady Chablis (in all her eccentricity more lady than many a born one, Southern or otherwise) emerging in a starring role and Williams's attorney Sonny Seiler portraying the trial judge. Even bulldog Uga, the famed mascot of the University of Georgia's football team, traditionally provided by the Seiler family and as important a member of Savannah society as all its human residents and as Patrick, the long-deceased dog still symbolically being walked by its former caregiver, was not left out ... with the minor imperfection that because Uga IV, the star of the book and the real events it describes had already followed his ancestors Uga I - III to dog heaven when the movie was shot, he had to be portrayed by his son, Uga V. And more authenticity is added by the use of several songs written by Johnny Mercer, Savannah's famous son and great-grandson of the general who built the mansion restored and inhabited by Jim Williams.
Clint Eastwood's direction evokes an only marginally modernized version of the "old South" most of which could have come straight out of a book by Faulkner or Tennessee Williams; with an eye for the atmosphere and intricacies of the place and its people that comes as a surprise only to those who merely know the one-term mayor of Carmel, CA as Dirty Harry or the Man With No Name, not as the director of "The Bridges of Madison County," like this movie a book adaptation (although set in quite a different environment). And in this approach, he proves as faithful to John Behrendt's book as in the movie's depiction of Jim Williams and his fellow Savannahians: What on the surface is the chronicle of the trial of a prominent and rather colorful member of society for the death of a wayward, hot-tempered street hustler who happened to be his sometime lover (and that of most of Savannah's society, both male and female), is truly a complex, beautifully shot portrayal of the city itself and its people; like in the book, the events as such are merely a vehicle to put into pictures what Eastwood was interested in most. Yet, the movie should first and foremost be taken at face value; it is more than just another book adaptation and in its dignified beauty, easily stands on its own two feet.
Also recommended:
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil
Capitol Collectors Series
The Bridges of Madison County (Deluxe Widescreen Edition)

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Academy award-winning director clint eastwood helms this story based on john berendt's best-selling book examining contemporary events and unique characters in picturesque savannah, georgia, following a shocking murder. alternately suspenseful, satirical

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Without a Trace: The Complete First Season (2002) Review

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(More customer reviews)Without a Trace focuses on the Missing Persons Unit of the FBI in New York City. This group of five headed by Jack Malone (Anthony Lapaglia) must find out who the missing person was to find out where they might be. They work backwards in time and forward in a race to find the missing person before 48 hours are up. Because after 48 hours chances of finding them alive are very slim.
This show is without a doubt one of the best on TV. I happened to stumble upon the reruns and was watching because I thought Anthony Lapaglia looked familiar. Of course I was thinking of Simon Moon from Frasier. By the time I could get my husband to confirm my suspicions I was hooked on this show. It is so well written and filmed that you can't watch and not become addicted.
The cast of this show is great. These five actors will make you forget your watching TV and make you believe your part of the team trying to solve the case. The writing is wonderful. In addition the way the show is filmed will leave you wanting more. I just can't say enough about this show. It has been awhile since I've been so excited about a TV show.
This DVD package is so great. The quality is excellent. And the extras are very entertaining. You go behind the scenes to learn how the show was developed and how the cast was picked. Then you can learn how the sets were made and discover that they actually have an ex-FBI man as an advisor to make the show look and feel real. This is just great. This shows the interest and pride the producers take in the show to go to the length of having an advisor help in making it real. I think this has a great deal to do with why the show is such a success and seems real.
This DVD is a must have for any fan of Without a Trace. It will provide some of the most entertaining hours on TV.

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WITHOUT A TRACE is a fast-paced procedural drama about the Missing Persons Squad of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The sole responsibility of the special task force is to find missing persons by applying advanced psychological profiling techniques. The team reconstructs a "Day of Disappearance" timeline that details every minute of the 24 hours prior to the disappearance, following one simple rule: learn who the victim is in order to learn where the victim is. Senior agent Jack Malone (Anthony LaPaglia) heads the dedicated team. His squad includes Samantha Spade (Poppy Montgomery), Vivian Johnson (Marianne Jean-Baptiste), Danny Taylor (Enrique Murciano), and Martin Fitzgerald (Eric Close)DVD Features:Additional Scenes:Director's Cut of the Finale episode - Fallout - includes additional scenes not shown during the broadcast.Audio Commentary:Commentary on the pilot episodeDeleted Scenes:Approximately 26 minutes of deleted scenes shown after each relevant episode.Featurette:The Motive featurette, Jerry Bruckheimer's inspiration for the show; Fingerprints featurette, focuses on the look and feel of the show.

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Gotti: The Rise and Fall of a Real Life Mafia Don (1996) Review

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(More customer reviews)The movie had its moments some of the dialogue was hard to understand but the acting was fine. Assante and Quinn both were very good in their roles. It's worth buying if your into mafia movies.

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GOTTI - DVD Movie

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