Reviews (20)

The creature exists!
I am a fanatic of Bigfoot lore and have several books on the subject. I jumped at the chance to buy this video, and it was an excellent production. Leonard Nimoy provides an excellent narrative that flows along well with the five parts in the documentary. There have been too many sightings all over the country for this to be a hoax. It is a primitive form of primate that has yet to be documented. New species are being discovered on a daily basis, even as crowded as our planet is becoming with human population. There is a lot of territory in the Pacific Northwest that man has never set foot on, and still plenty of room for a few thousand of these creatures to roam virtually undetected until one or more of them stumbles upon a camper, hiker or a hunter. This is probably the best documentary I have seen on the subject, covering the Indian lore of Bigfoot, looking at it from a scientific approach through Grover Krantz's analysis, seeing the Patterson-Gimlin film, and even the commercial aspects of Bigfoot in Willow Creek, California. A must see for the Bigfoot fan!

Let's Jump the next plane to the Pacific Northwest!
Ok, so not everyone's enthralled with the Bigfoot phenomena, but let's face it, there are many of us who eat this stuff up! This is the first video I've purchased on the subject and enjoyed it thoroughly (that Patterson video footage is creepy...)! The eccentric Peter Byrne (a former big-game hunter who headed up an expedition called "The Bigfoot Research Project" from 1993-97) offers some interesting views on the Sasquatch subject. Narrator Leonard Nimoy also engrosses you into the subject matter. I most enjoyed Dr. Grover Krantz's (a university professor) theories and views on the Patterson film. There was some footage included from a 1992 sighting which I have some reservations about (two yahoos see a pair of Sasquatch eyeballs peering at them through the foliage). But, overall, a VERY enjoyable 50 minutes and it definitely leaves you hungry for more.

Great presentation
This is one of the first Sasquatch videos I had ever seen. It presents the material beautifully if a little dated. I had to get it for the collection. THis had lots of data, and was narrated well by Leonard Nimoy [ another bonus!!]
its one of the cryptozoology videos you simply have to have!

Well done documentary.
A very good documentary for enthusiasts in the field of cryptozoology. The only reason I give it 4 stars and not 5 is the problems I have with all television documentaries on these subjects, and that is, the film makers simply aren't given enough time to put forth all the information and evidence that is needed to fully complete their argument. One hour minus commercial time is simply not long enough. But make no mistake, this documentary has everything needed to start that argument including a detailed discussion of the legendary Patterson film, analysis of distinct and unique footprints with Peter Byrne and the late Dr. Grover Krantz(both integral to the subject of Sasquatch), as well as historical and a few eye witness accounts. Production values are high as usual with A&E but with an extra hour to present more evidence and accounts, the argument for the existence would have been made much more thoroughly to no fault of the film makers or contributers. I'm sure their hands were tied. Anyone interested may want to try and find a copy of Peter Byrne's book, 'Bigfoot: Monster, Man, or Myth'. It is as good and thorough a book as you will ever read on the subject.

I really enjoyed "Ancient Mysteries: Bigfoot"
I'm not sure if Bigfoot exists, and ANCIENT MYSTERIES: BIGFOOT really didn't convince me either way. I am still open to the possibility that Bigfoot does exist, and the possibility that it is the product of a lot of over-imagination. But that is what I found most interesting about ANCIENT MYSTERIES: BIGFOOT, and the Bigfoot phenomenon itself: the way it provides us with something interesting to "imagine" about. The fun of a mystery is that it is not solved and therefore you can make up all kinds of theories. In other words, to me, it is not so much whether Bigfoot exists or not that is interesting. What I find interesting is what people believe about Bigfoot (I'm not concerned with whether the beliefs are true or not), and ANCIENT MYSTERIES: BIGFOOT provided many interviews with people who shared their beliefs. And, much to my surprise, I found that Bigfoot sightings have been made in all 48 mainland states.

Leonard Nimoy is the absolute perfect narrator of this documentary. His voice conveys the sense of "eerie" and "noir" necessary for this subject. And this video contains some beautiful footage of the forests of the Pacific Northwest, which is where most Bigfoot sightings have occured; all of which I find rather exciting because I live in the Pacific Northwest. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

This lush retelling of the legend of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table is a dark and engrossing tale. Director John Boorman (Deliverance) masterfully handles the tale of the mythical sword Excalibur, and its passing from the wizard Merlin to the future king of England. Arthur pulls the famed sword from a stone and is destined to be crowned king. As the king embarks on a passionate love affair with Guenevere, an illegitimate son, and Merlin's designs on power, threaten Arthur's reign. The film is visually stunning and unflinching in its scenes of combat and black magic. Featuring an impressive supporting cast, including early work from the likes of Liam Neeson and Gabriel Byrne, Excalibur is an adaptation of the legend both faithful and bold. --Robert Lane ... Read more

Reviews (242)

An amazing movie
Ok, its not a perfect movie, but for this movie, which covers the mythology of Arthur, Camelot and Excalibur(very very difficult to do) it succeeds remarkably well. There are scenes that are nearly perfect throughout the film. When the Knights of the Round Table first form, when Arthur and Lancelot joust, the sins of adultery scene, the 'unholy child' scene, the search for the Grail, when Perceval strips his armor and is born anew(remarkable), when Arthur and Guenevere meet one last time with some beautifully poetic dialogue, the scene where Arhur sees Merlin in his dreams while at Stonehenge at dusk, and of course the final battle. Wow, there are just so many great scenes. Probably my favorite is when Perceval casts Excalibur back into the lake and the Lady of the Lake reaches out to take it back. Then, we see another amazing scene as Arthur is seen being taken away in a boat to Avalon. I could go on and on about this film. See it in DVD, though, the widescreen vision. A beautiful, remarkable film that few directors would even begin to attempt today. I think a younger Speilberg would be daring enough to attempt it, but I doubt he would succeed nearly as well. Zemeckis gave it a try with Sean Connery and Richard Gere. It was called First Knight. Watch that movie and then watch Excalibur and it is almost laughable how much better the latter one is... Buy this movie now, sit back and enjoy.

Not Perfect, But Darn Close...
It's tough to compress the 900-some-odd pages of text that Thomas Malory used to tell his story of Le Morte d'Arthur into 140 minutes, but director John Boorman and screenwriter Rospo Pallenberg give it a good shot. While it sometimes leaves out important details or compresses events in the interest of time, it can never be accused of playing fast and loose with the legend. However, the film also requires a bit of work on the part of the viewer to fill in some of the details, and it's obvious Boorman expects his viewer to be at least passing familiar with the traditions of the Arthurian legend (anyone unfamiliar with the mythology associated with Avalon, for example, may be baffled by the imagery in the film's closing moments).

With its darkened, cloud-streaked skies, lonely stone castles, eerie green lighting, (all caught in beautiful widescreen glory on the DVD!) and use of the music of Richard Wagner, you won't find a moodier, more beautifully shot film. In fact, there are some downright breathtaking cinematic moments in this film -- from the wedding of Arthur and Guinevere (complete with medieval chants and armor polished to a mirror-like sheen) to the Lady of the Lake's clean catch of Excalibur over the swooshing music of Wagner. Great stuff.

While Nicol Williamson turns in a very game performance as Merlin, it's Nigel Terry who carries the film in an underappreciated but wholly believeable interpretation of King Arthur. Terry leaves the scenery-chewing to Williamson, and anchors the film instead with a steady, understated performance. Look also for stars-in-the-making Liam Neeson as the jealous Gawain, and Patrick Stewart as Guenevere's father, Leodegrance.

EXCALIBUR has all the elements one expects in a fantasy; yet, in a sense, Boorman does for the sword-and-sorcery film what Sergio Leone did for the western: whereas prior horse operas showed cowboys riding across the desert and shuffing down dirt streets without a bit of sweat, and firing pistols that never drew blood, Leone made everyone look hot and sweaty, and showed that a Smith & Wesson could rip a real hole through your gut. Boorman does the same for the knight in this film -- knights clunk around clumsily in heavy armor, get skewered on pikes, get their heads bashed in, and cough their guts out in bloody mud puddles. It all lends an air of veracity to the film that makes it all seem like It Could Really Have Happened This Way.

The widescreen format available on DVD gives this film the weight and heft it has long deserved, and there are some real gems lurking among the additional features -- a surprisingly cheezy, Grade B trailer, and a really great alternate soundtrack in which director John Boorman discusses the action and shares some behind-the-scene goodies (such as the fact that Nicol Williamson and Helen Mirren couldn't stand each other, or that the actor playing the teenaged Mordred was actually a first-rate horseman).

weak but at least it sticks to the legends
Of all the horrid films based on Arthurian legends (it seems there's a curse preventing a good Arthurian film!), this is the "best" there is. The screenplay is weak and the acting bearable at best but at least it sticks (roughly) to the legends (which is more than I can say for every other "Arthurian" film in existence). For that reason, I recommend "Excalibur" over any other Arthurian film.

Classic
The thing to remember about this movie is that it was made in 1981. By that token, do not expect non stop battle sequences, one dimensional acting and obviously fake computer cg graphics. This is a movie in the old tradition, in the vein of something like "The Lion in Winter." It is not a non stop action epic and takes pride in slowly building up the story according the classical tales of King Arthur. I like to think of this as a great adaptation in the grand old style. Bravo.

Only ordinary
The Arthur story has been told and retold in dozens of ways. Some (like Mists of Avalon) give a unique perspective, others emphasize the character drama, yet others apply the newest effects to the story.

This version, though competent enough, never seemed to find itself. It has good action, reasonable interprtations of characters, and a generally high standard of craftsmanship. When the story is as familiar as Arthur et al., it takes something more for a movie to become memorable.

It's exciting and it's watchable. It just has nothing to put it ahead of other versions of the Arthur story. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

This 1969 film has never lost its popularity or its unusual appeal as a star-driven Western that tinkers with the genre's conventions and comes up with something both terrifically entertaining and--typical of its period--a tad paranoid. Paul Newman plays the legendary outlaw Butch Cassidy as an eternal optimist and self-styled visionary, conjuring dreams of banks just ripe for the picking all over the world. Robert Redford is his more levelheaded partner, the sharpshooting Sundance Kid. The film, written by William Goldman (The Princess Bride) and directed by George Roy Hill (The Sting), basically begins as a freewheeling story about robbing trains but soon becomes a chase as a relentless posse--always seen at a great distance like some remote authority--forces Butch and Sundance into the hills and, finally, Bolivia. Weakened a little by feel-good inclinations (a scene involving bicycle tricks and the song "Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head" is sort of Hollywood flower power), the movie maintains an interesting tautness, and the chemistry between Redford and Newman is rare. (A factoid: Newman first offered the Sundance part to Jack Lemmon.) --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (93)

"You Just Keep Thinking, Butch...!"
This film truly deserves the description of being a "Classic." Paul Newman and Robert Redford (in the company of Director George Roy Hill and a particularly appealing Katharine Ross), take the history of the bloodthirsty "Hole-in-the-Wall Gang," and turn it into an affectionate cinematic portrayal of male bonding and cultural change.

Taking place at the end of the 19th century, Butch and Sundance are, as veteran actor Jeff Corey, playing a sympathetic sheriff and accidental existentialist, snarls, "two-bit outlaws on the dodge!" They spend much of the movie dodging a posse hired to hunt them down and kill them in the wake of a series of amusing train robberies. The location shooting of their escape is breathtakingly beautiful.

Ultimately, they have to flee the closing frontier, and end up in Bolivia, which is portrayed as a kind of low-rent version of the Old West. Their trip to South America is an intermezzo, done in sepia tint, focusing on their stay in New York, which, with its (relatively) modern conveniences, underscores how anachronistic their lifestyle has become.

Their inability to rob banks in Bolivia without using Spanish-language crib sheets is both hilarious and touching, a kind of paradigm of cultural and technological dislocation.

In keeping with its 1969 release date, the film has a strong antiestablishment cant to it: Authority is faceless, unyielding, and, mostly, inept. It is telling that Butch and Sundance kill no one until they "go straight" as payroll guards. Their criminal lifestyle is romanticized as a kind of "On The Road" on horseback. That this doesn't offend the audience is a measure of how fine this movie is. The warmth and humor overcome both the moral relativity of the characters and their sad ending.

Newman and Redford are wonderful together as the affable outlaws. Newman's Butch is a charming, flaky visionary who is trying desperately to cling to the past. When confronted with the new alarms and teller's cages at a favorite bank, he dismisses the guard's explanation of, "People kept robbing us" with a wistful, "It's a small price to pay for beauty."

As Butch says: "The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles!" In a sense: the Western Outlaw was succeeded by "Public Enemy Number One" when cars succeeded horses, and train and bank robberies became Federal crimes. "Your times is over!," Jeff Corey insists, and he's right.

Redford plays Sundance as the stylish straight man, never quite falling prey to Butch's dreams, but never able to dismiss them utterly: "You just keep thinking, Butch, that's what you're best at!" The onscreen chemistry between Newman and Redford is so palpable that although they only made two films together ("The Sting" in 1973 is a modernized version of "Butch & Sundance"), they can easily be considered one of the finest comedy duos ever, anywhere. The dialogue between them is banter between two very good, very old, very comfortable, friends. Maybe there was a script involved, too.

"Butch and Sundance" may be short on facts, but it speaks a kind of truth for which facts are not needed.

Newman & Redford's First Film Together
Paul Newman and Robert Redford are two of the biggest movie stars of all time. They are also the best of friends and that friendship shines through on their first film together, Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid. The film is set in the old west, but it has a definite 60's feel to it. Butch and Sundance are anti-heroes who defy the "establishment" by robbing trains. Finally the train company gets fed up and sends an elite team of bounty hunters to track them down. This inspires the film's classic catchphrase, "who are those guys" as Butch & Sundance can't shake their pursuers. The film has a light comical side to it as Mr. Newman is at his charming best as Butch and Mr. Redford elicits laughs as the uptight Sundance. Katherine Ross provides a pretty diversion as Sundance's beautiful schoolteacher girlfriend, Etta Place. Mr. Newman & Mr. Redford are instantly likable in the lead roles and you can feel their real affinity for one another come through in the film. The movie was a major box office hit and won and William Goldman won an Oscar for his crisp and witty script and But Bacarach and Hal David won an Oscar for the film's theme song "Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head" which B.J. Thomas took to number one in late 1969.

Style and Substance
I remember seeing this movie at the cinema as a kid (many years ago)and being knocked out by how COOL Redford and Sundance were. You know the scene in Blues Brothers, the doorway of the transient mens refuge and the rocket launcher, and they just get up, brush themsleves off, music resumes and go on as if nothing happened. That cool. And so when they get to the stage of being concerned "who ARE those guys" we have substance for the actions they take afterwards. Now watching this movie on DVD with my kids, they didn't get enraptured as I did at their age. As you might guess, not enough action for their generation - and yet, when there is action, it plays with as much emotion as the best of hollywood today. A tremendous cast delivering a tremendous performance, this will always be one of my favorite movies.

Sticks pretty well to historical fact
For one when Butch and sundance are being chased up the mountain by the posse Butch mentions Joe LaFors (sp?). I checked a while ago. LaFors really existed as a lawman at the time. But Etta Place (Kathryn Ross)though she really existed was actually not a school teacher. More likely she was a prostitute.

Butch & the Kid
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid is one of the best movies (if not the best!!!) I have ever seen. The action, the interplay and the chemistry between the 2 leading stars (Newman, Redford) is like "poetry in motion". The action is non-stop, as well as the comedy, especially of Newman. Even though there is quite a bit of violence throughout the movie, I would recommend that everyone buy the video!!! ... Read more

Reviews (16)

KARATE KID IMITATION AT ITS UNEXPECTED BEST
A TEENAGER [JONATHAN BRANDIS] WHOSE IDOL IS CHUCK NORRIS, LEARNS MARTIAL ARTS. THIS KARATE KID WANNABE IS NOT BAD AT ALL. HAS AN IMAGINATIVE STORY AND IT HAS GOOD FIGHTS. THIS IS THE BEST MOVIE THAT CHUCK NORRIS HAS EVER APPEARED IN. I ADVISE MARTIAL ARTS FANS TO CHECK OUT THIS VIDEO. ONLY ONE QUESTION; WHY IS THERE NO DVD FOR THIS MOVIE?!!

The true spirit of TaeKwonDo in a fun format
It's great that this movie is back in print. We have taken it out for our children to watch, especially when they were taking martial arts. It's about a boy who's going through tough times with a loving but distracted dad and, of course, lurking in the background is a bully. The boy meets a Master, who helps him refocus on his life and face down the bully. There are some funny scenes. What I love best of all, is that the movie shows the best of the spirit of Martial Arts. It's a great kiddie movie.

DVD?????
Let's just start by saying I love this movie. It's a movie I saw when I was young and I love it. I am just wondering when are they going to release this on DVD. Because it's a definate buy for my assorted dvd collection. !REALEASE ON DVD!

Sidekicks
Here is a film which is truly a classic of it's kind. The fact that it has remained so long underrated among martial arts connoisseurs is not only disquieting but a disaster for modern art house cinema.

The truly groundbreaking element in the script is surely that it functions not only as a martial arts masterpiece but also as a religious allegory with Chuck Norris' Chuck Norris being the Christ-like confidante to little Barry's representation of brow-beaten humanity and the opposition to Joe Piscopo's lauded satanic kung fu teacher with all his inherent riches and temptations. Indeed, one of the film's finest set-pieces is the scene in which Piscopo's character,resplendant in his robes and surrounded by his wealth of trophies attempts to entice Barry to renounce Chuck Norris and to fulfill his desire to become a great fighter, thus losing his soul in the process. Barry refuses and saves himself in an impressive showpiece in which he walks out the door, a scene which resonates with the struggle within us all even to this day. Adding to this already complex substucture are Barry's absentee father and his unconventional martial arts mentor Mr.Ungonjigoi who represent the two perceived sides of God; Ungonjigoi being the omnipresent, all-knowing hard taskmaster while Barry's father is the absentee ineffectual;the inattentive but ultimately well-meaning entity.

The film reaches it's apogee during the climactic battle between good and evil in which Piscopo's devil is reduced to a figure of fun, a bumbling low comedian who deserves our pity, rather than our fear, ultimately revealing him to be the trickster that he truly is. All this is brought about by Barry/Humanity's faith in Chuck Norris that causes him to pass from the spiritual realm and attain flesh and blood existence.

In summary;this film is an undoubted masterpiece which also created it's own sub-genre;the martial arts religious epic. Every scene and camera angle is seemingly perfectly crafted to serve the whole and like a sculpture in granite this film will stand forevermore as one of the archetypal testaments to man's effort to make great art from nothing;this film being the great art and Chuck Norris being the nothing. It is truly serendipitous that the craftsmanlike Aaron Norris and his famous brother Chuck accidentally ended up working on the same film and the bit where Barry's bike is stolen is quite sad too.

Nothing special, but surprisingly enjoyable
First off, let me say that I only bought Sidekicks because Danica McKellar from The Wonder Years appears in it. I'm not a big fan of martial arts with the exception of Bruce Lee movies, I'm lukewarm toward Chuck Norris and Beau Bridges, and I am certainly no fan of Jonathan Brandis and Joe Piscopo. That being said, I have to say that I rather enjoyed this movie, despite the fact that Danica McKellar's role is pretty insubstantial in the balance of things. I can identify in some ways with the main character Barry, a little guy who gets picked on and laughed at by his classmates but who dreams big dreams indeed. Barry's dreams, though, unlike my own, involve feats of strength and endurance. Actually, his daydreams are getting out of hand; far too often he loses himself completely in fantasies wherein his hero Chuck Norris and he take on and vanquish scores of bad guys and, as often as not, rescue little ladies such as Barry's teacher or McKellar's character (who, early on, feels sorry for Barry and wants only to be the poor little guy's friend). Barry begins taking martial arts lessons from a Mr. Lee (Mako) and eventually amazes everyone, including himself, by standing up to the class bully. His true test comes in the state karate championships, however, where he finds himself in need of a partner in order to take on his nemesis from school and the boy's arrogant instructor (Piscopo). Wouldn't it be cool if Chuck Norris showed up and agreed to be Brandon's partner? The one thing I did not like about Sidekicks is the ending, wherein a few questions were raised in an effort to blur the line between fantasy and reality again. Obviously, Sidekicks is very similar to The Karate Kid, except this movie has two things The Karate Kid does not - Chuck Norris playing himself and the wonderful Danica McKellar lending her divine presence to the proceedings. This movie will most likely appeal to young people, but if you enjoy films featuring underdogs achieving success, Sidekicks might just be up your alley. ... Read more

Reviews (45)

Barbra Streisand -- Queen of Tides
Actually, the sentence in the title is not mine; the author of the book Pat Conroy was so grateful for the film that he gave the director such a name...

Conroy must have realised limitations of a film in comparison with the book. "The Prince of Tides" book is rather thick and to make a two-hour movie out of it is difficult. The film "Cider House Rules" was also criticised of being too thin in comparison with the book -- and, in fact, the author John Irving himself wrote the script.

Romantic side is highlighted over a complex, dark family story, with Streisand enjoying the starring female role to the full. She does so alongside the great performance by Nick Nolte, who plays Tom Wingo, a teacher from American South hiding much of his painful past until he gets familiar with New York psychiatrist Susan Lowenstein (Streisand).

The film love story between Wingo and Lowenstein is one of the most memorable of the past decades, yet the picture also encompasses deep social undertones -- suicide, hypocrisy, lack of family understanding. There is a couple of memorable scenes; the most special one comes when Wingo finally lets the demons of the past out -- this is acting at its best on both Nolte's and Streisand's part. Although some other films also attempted something similar (e.g. "Good Will Hunting", with Matt Damon and Robin Williams), it never was so powerful as here. The ending is bittersweet, not typically romantic but ultimately inevitable and logical for the story.

Beautiful cinematography and great musical score to a large extent made this film to achieve five stars in my book. I know I will keep on returning to "The Prince of Tides" video.

GOOD EFFORT
Though Barbra Streisand kind of gets in the way of her own movie, The Prince of Tides does have some expertly compelling sequences, most chillingly the flashbacks that seriously do justice to Pat Conroy's epic novel. Dealing most significantly with the inner child, and the revelations that can free us, the book and the film successfully engage you with a rich sense of time and place. The characters who populate the film sometimes seem from two different worlds, but I think that is part of the point. Kate Nelligan and Jason Gould will surprise you with unusually good performances, and of course, Nick Nolte does some of his best acting ever in this film -- the role suits him; even its grander touches seem so - so - Tom. The score, by James Newton Howard, swirls symphonically around the action of this movie, and is achingly beautiful.

This movie made me want to commit suicide
This was one of the worst films I have ever seen. I watched it because my girlfriend made me. This was depressing and boring. I guess the message of this movie is if your sister tries to commit suicide and you come from a screwed up family, have sex with your sister's unattractive shrink and you will open up and live happily ever after! This is definitely a movie for the Oprah crowd or Doctor Phil fans. If you are a regular red-blodded American heterosexual you will despise this inane nonsense. The acting is terrible. This movie perpetuates the worst stereotypes of southerners as well as New Yorkers. As far as Nick Nolte, all he does is grunt and make bad self-deprecating jokes the whole movie. Why would any woman be attracted to this loser? Avoid this movie!!!!

"You did, Mama. You did."
I would give this film four-and-a-half stars. Streisand's semi-controversial adaptation of THE PRINCE OF TIDES may not have completely satisfied fans of the book, however, the general public fell instantly under the film's hypnotic spell - and turned it into a surprise box office smash! The decision to keep the film's focus in the present rather than the past results in the elimination of most of the novel's lengthy backstory. However, the well-condensed script (written by Conroy himself and Becky Johnson) manages to seamlessly fill in the missing information, and allows all central characters to reach a level of character development that is unusually high for a mainstream Hollywood film. As the film progresses, these characters seem especially real, and they are embodied by an absolutely flawless cast.

As anyone who has read the book can attest, the characters of Tom and Lila Wingo would seem to be extremely challenging (if not almost unplayable) roles, both of which are brimming with contradictions and hidden emotions. However, Nick Nolte and Kate Neligan find the perfect balance in their portrayals, which earned them both well-dissevered Oscar nominations. Blythe Danner, Jason Gould, and Melinda Dillion all also turn in memorable performances, even though Dillion's Savannah (a lead character in the novel) has precious little screentime due to the film's structure. Barbra also gives an affecting portrayal, however, the director's chair is where she really shines this time. With it's moving storyline, compelling characters, and breathtakingly beautiful cinematography, THE PRINCE OF TIDES is film that will continue enchant audiences for years to come.

About the DVD: The picture quality and sound are excellent, although it's disappointing that the many extras (which included a featurette, deleted scenes, a gag reel, and Streisand's full-length commentary track) that were included on Criterion's special edition laserdisc release are not found on this DVD. The film's original trailer and teaser are included, but I hope that all of the extras from the laserdisc will someday make their way to DVD.

Memories not so beautiful -- an awful movie.
Having just a read a book that reminded me of Prince of Tides, I was shocked to see how popular this movie is on Amazon! I saw this movie back in 1991 and it still haunts me.

In 1991, I was appalled by Ms. Streisand's miniskirts and in particular her pink sweater cut SO low in the back. The wardrobe wasn't appropriate for one Dr. Lowenstein. The wardrobe was clearly a vehicle for one reluctantly aging pop star.

Also, the music was so loud, so epic at times that I literally had to cover my ears. In one scene Blythe Danner left the room, but you could still see her reflection in a picture on a wall, waiting for her cue.

I loved the first half of the book, hated the second. The movie was like fingernails scraping down a chalk board from the time I entered the theater. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Widely considered the best movie in the "classic Trek" series of feature films, Star Trek IV returns to one of the favorite themes of the original TV series--time travel--to bring Kirk, Spock, McCoy, Scotty, Sulu, Uhura, and Chekov from the 23rd century to present-day San Francisco. In their own time, the Starfleet heroes encounter an alien probe emitting a mysterious message--a message delivered in the song of the now-extinct Earth species of humpback whales. Failure to respond to the probe will result in Earth's destruction, so Kirk and company time-travel to 20th-century Earth--in their captured Klingon starship--to transport a humpback whale to the future in an effort to peacefully communicate with the alien probe. The plot sounds somewhat absurd in description, but as executed by returning director Leonard Nimoy, this turned out to be a crowd-pleasing adventure, filled with humor and lively interaction among the favorite Star Trek characters. Catherine Hicks (from TV's 7th Heaven) plays the 20th-century whale expert who is finally convinced of Kirk's and Spock's benevolent intentions. With ample comedy taken from the clash of future heroes with 20th-century urban realities, Star Trek IV was a box-office smash, satisfying mainstream audiences and hardcore Trek fans alike. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (168)

A socially conscious Trek movie
On the fourth installment in the Star Trek movie series, Kirk and company are flying their captured Klingon vessel back to Earth to face the punishment for their misdeeds. On the way though, fate intervenes in the form of an alien probe wreaking destruction upon Earth's oceans. With quick thinking, the crew figures out that it is attempting to speak to an extinct species of Whale, so they slingshot their crummy "Klingon fleatrap" around the sun and travel back in time to San Francisco circa 1986 to save the future.

The time travel cliche is done very well by the Star Trek crew, and although the movie is incredibly dated, it's still a very humerous film that takes a pressing social issue (mainly ecological conservation) and wraps it into an enjoyable sci-fi plot. One of the biggest strengths of the Star Trek series has always been its social conscious, and they deliver yet again with "The Voyage Home".

I'd like to stress again that this is a very lighthearted and humerous film that is saved by the fact that it doesn't take itself too seriously. If nothing else, where else do you get to watch Spock develop a penchant for profanity? Add to that the usual interplay between him, Kirk, and McCoy, and you've got a winning movie that hard core Trek fans and casual moviegoers can enjoy.

EXCELLENT!
After the often overshadowed Star Trek III, producer Harve Bennett and returning director Leonard Nimoy wanted to make a light-hearted adventure with no deaths. That was understandable because III had the destruction of the Enterprise, the death of Kirk's son, and an overall serious revival adventure for Mr. Spock. After a script by Steve Meerson and Peter Krikes (with Eddie Murphy originally supposed to have a role because he was a big Trek fan), Harve Bennett needed a rewrite. The man chosen: Nicholas Meyer, writer and director of Star Trek II.

What we have here is one of the magnum efforts in the series. Not only does it deliver solid laughs from start (ok, more so middle) to finish, it is also a grand adventure that Roddenberry probably loved. The relationships between the characters are fully exploited here and Nicholas Meyer even takes advantage of Spock's rebirth as humor. The laughs? Filled with classics like Scotty's "Hello computer" scene or the hospital chase scene, this film perfectly blends urban realities with the world of Star Trek in a similar way to Beverly Hills Cop's blending of action and comedy.

The only thing that flaws this film is Leonard Rosenman's somewhat lackluster score. The film manages to blend (or hide, depending on if you like the score or not) the music enough that you really don't notice it. I still would've preferred James Horner or Jerry Goldsmith, but I'm not complaining.

Hate Star Trek? Watch this film. Even if you hate Star Trek, this will keep you entertained. An excellent film in every sense of the word with great humor abounds. Some people may claim II or VI as the best, but this one's got its share of moments. If you're looking for great humor and a decent story (ok, it's corny... "save the whales", so what?), this one's for you.

classic star trek, with a twist
Another classic trek movie, this one from 1986, is awesome, and the most shocking thing about it is that it doesn't even take place in space, save for about 15 minutes! Instead it takes place in 1986, where the crew members go back in time to capture two whales to stop the destructive calls of an intergalactic whale species trying to contact the long-extinct whales. The whole plot sounds like it would suck beyond belief, but it comes close to being the best trek movie, and is one of my faves ever.

The awesomeness of the movie, unlike the rest of the series, comes not from suspense and action scenes, but the hilarious and often touching culture shock the crew faces in mid-80's San Fransisco. There is so much to laugh at: the crew earnestly walking along the SanFran streets, Sulu in his cape, Kirk in his red StarFleet uniform, and unforgettably, Spock in his monk robe with the belt tied around the tops of his pointy ears, making him look like an angry ninja master with a botched Botox job. Also hilarious is McCoy's disgust at how rudimentary 20th Century medical practices are/were. In a scene inside a hospital, he asks a woman what ails her, she responds she has kidney dialysis, and he's like, "What is this, the dark ages?! Swallow this, and call me if you have any problems." Several scenes later she is wheeled out claiming a miracle.

There is much more in the movie I won't spoil for you (or more like I'm too f*#&ing lazy to write any more), so turn the PC off and rent this great flick, also it's been on AMC recently, so try that too.

I agree with everybody.
I read a lot of these Amazon reviews on Star Trek IV, and oddly enough I can agree with almost all of them -- the 5 star as well as the 1 star.
I agree with the 5 star reviewers that this probably is the best Trek movie, that a lot of the humor is good, that the movie captures much of what was loved about the original series.
But I also agree with some of the 1 star reviews that the humor may be overdone and may wear thin on repeated viewings, that Catherine Hicks' character is overemphasized, that the environmental message is heavy-handed, that the aliens at Kirk's trial look ridiculous, etc.
But ultimately the question is this: If I stumble on this movie while channel-surfing, will I stop and watch it? Will I laugh, or at least smile, at the designated humorous moments? Answer to both questions: Yes. On balance, it remains an entertaining flick.

The Enterprise crew in the 1980's=AWSOME ADVENTURE!
O.K., first my one complaint-The plot where a mysterious, massive, invincible alien force that threatens the Earth was already done before. (Remember the first Star Trek film?) Otherwise, this is a wonderful addition to the Star Trek legacy. Just about everyone already knows the story, where the crew of the now destroyed Enterprise must pilot a captured Klingon Bird Of Prey back in time to the present day (well, 1986 WAS the present day when this came out,) to bring back some humpback whales. It seems to be a toss-up between which is the best Star Trek movie-this one, or part II. The second film, where Kirk and Khan have their last battle, has the most action, but this one has the most comedy, so they both have their strengths. Unless you absolutly hate Star Trek, check this one out. ... Read more

Reviews (28)

A delightful romantic thriller which is sorely missed
After reading Sidney Sheldon's novel which this movie was based upon, I eagerly anticipated watching this mini-series on television. Of course, sometimes after reading the book, the movie doesn't live up to expectations. After watching this mini-series, I wasn't disappointed! The movie was very entertaining, well written and directed. Madolyn Smith did a wonderful job in the lead and Tom Berenger was equally charming. The chemistry between them was wonderful!

This movie is very rarely re-shown on TV and since I haven't seen the full version since the original broadcast aired in 1987, I was very disappointed to see it is no longer being produced.

Hopefully there will be enough fans out there to convince the studio to re-release it. I hope my e-mail to the studio to re-release it will help. Hopefully more reviewers will also request a re-release from the studio and they will re-release it on video and/or DVD! Until then, I will keep searching the auctions and crossing my fingers!

If Tomorrow Comes - my favorite movie
If Tomorrow Comes (directed by Jerry London) is the kind of movie one can watch many times, over and over again. It has all the wonderful ingredients of a great movie: beautiful and charming heroine, great cast, interesting and intriguing plot, international scene and romance.I love to watch Tracy Whitney travel from New Orleans to New York and then to London, Verona, Paris and Amsterdam. The settings are exquisite and her gowns are beautiful too. Great choice of music scores. The dialogue is charming and witty. Great cast includes Madolyn Smith, Tom Berenger and Liam Neeson. It's a great pleasure to watch a woman who is beatiful, intelligent, charming and kind - an amazing heroine.
It's a great movie and I'm surprised that it's not available through video rentals and stores. First time I saw this movie was in the 80s in Europe and when I came to North America, I was trying to find this film andI finally found it in Amazon's zShops. It's was great to know that I can find great films through zShops that are not available through Blockbusters of the world.
This movie is based on Sidney Sheldon's book If Tomorrow Comes and he's my favorite writer. This movie is as good as his books.
I would recommend this movie to everybody to watch and enjoy like I do.

Please!
Please, Please...
I want this movie in dvd !!! and with Spanish Subtitles..
PLEASEEEEEEEEEEEEEE !!!
I LOVE IT ! ! ! !

dariosa36@hotmail.com

Sidney Sheldon does it again!!!!
The only missing part of this highly entertaining miniseries version of Sidney Sheldon's bestselling book is the "Queen of th Miniseries, Jaclyn Smith." Though same last name star,Madolyn Smith is not too bad in the title role. Actually, she's good at it.

Enjoyable all through out. No dull moments and the very young Tom Berenger's never been sexier.

Cant wait to see the dvd version!

Very fun, sweet, glitzy '80s fare!
I found a used copy of this 1986 miniseries, and enjoyed it very much. True, it is dated now (the fashions and the technology) but that doesn't matter. It's great fun. Some of the plot devices rely on a lack of technology -- computers were not at all mainstream, and the Internet was an obscure thing back in the mid-'80s. But the cleverness of some of the antics these characters pull is still entertaining. It's even a little *more* entertaining when you realize that thanks to our current technology, they'd never get away with that today.

It's also amazing to see the star power in this film. True, Madolyn Smith isn't seen too much these days, but she's truly remarkable. Beautiful and yet with a sparkle that transcends beauty. And she does well in different disguises and using accents! Very good.

The same year Tom Berenger did this fun miniseries, he also did his Oscar-nominated performance playing a twisted soldier in "Platoon". The characters in these two films could not be any more different. In this film, Berenger plays a good-natured playboy and con man who is easy-going yet strong and resourceful.

Other stars include David Keith, who's done all sorts of parts through the years (he played Richard Gere's friend in "An Officer and a Gentleman"). In this he plays a tormented and unbalanced investigator who is on the trail of our hero and heroine. Even though he doesn't have a huge part, Liam Neeson is also featured in this miniseries (he plays a police detective). Other strong performances come from Richard Kiley, CCH Pounder and Charles Rocket, and a few more.

The story I won't go into too much; suffice it to say it follows the lives of two people -- Smith, who starts out being framed for a crime she didn't commit, and Berenger, who is a con-man who *tries* to go straight. They meet up with each other at various times through the story, in different exotic locales. Their romance is very sweet, and the exciting adventures they experience make this a fun miniseries to watch. ... Read more

Reviews (40)

ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS LOOKING DVD OF THIS JOHN FORD CLASSIC
"She Wore A Yellow Ribbon" is one of those glorious westerns, luminously photographed by director, John Ford. It stars, John Wayne, as a widower living at a military outpost with the cavalry and features some of the most gorgeously photographed exteriors ever captured on film. Monument Valley becomes a place of quiet, stoic beauty and the duke never gave a more impressive performance than he does here.
My hat off to the good people at Warner Home Video. This is a truly amazing looking DVD and one that should definitely be on every film buffs wish list to own. Colors are fully saturated, well balanced and incredibly life like. Contrast levels are on pitch as are black levels. There is a hint of edge enhancement and pixelization but really - it's just a hint. Chips, scratches and imperfections inherant in the original camera negative are kept to a bare, bare minimum. The audio is mono, as originally presented, but extremely well balanced, with low to non-existant background hiss in most scenes. No extras: a shame! One craves a documentary on either the making-of this movie or John Ford himself. We get neither. Still, it's hard to fault such a near pristine looking transfer.
BOTTOM LINE: Get this one before it goes out of print!

Yellow Ribbon
This is the second and ,as many have said, best in John Ford's famed cavalry trilogy. I go further in claiming for it high status in the genre of western films, it is one of the finest. Wayne wears makeup that ages him 20 years and his acting performance transforms him into that older man Captain Nathan Brittles, soon to be retired from the U. S. Cavalry. Captain Brittles talking to his late wife at her grave ,while he waters the plants he has placed there, with Monument valley in the background is one of the more moving scenes. This and "The Searchers" are Wayne's finest acting performances.
"She Wore a Yellow Ribbon" won an academy award for it's color cinematography and it was well deserved. This is one beautiful film. Ford shot many of his westerns in Monument valley, this is his definitive Monument valley western, you really see alot of the landscape and clouds and it's glorious. The special features on this dvd has a short home movie of Ford and Wayne flying down to Mexico and hanging out back in the forties.
Own this one because it's one of those rare films you can, and will want to, watch over and over.

THE SECOND LEG OF GREATNESS
SHE WORE A YELLOW RIBBON is the second leg of greatness in the John Ford Cavalry Trilogy. Cinematography-wise SWAYR is the jewel in the crown, it's much heralded Oscar winning celluloid images are breathtaking. All three films have their own moments of greatness, here it's John Wayne as Capt. Nathan Brittles, in make-up aging him 20 years no less "making his report" graveside to his wife and daughter; His receiving his silver watch from his troops ("Lest we forget,") and his negotiating Victor McLaglen's retirement ("A man of a thirst like that can't survive on less than a sergeant's pension!"). Of course there is the cavalry's march to their 3 theme songs: "Garry Owen", "She Wore A Yellow Ribbon" and "The Girl I Left Behind Me" (a constant in the trilogy). Sterling performances across the board. SWAYR is an all time classic.

John Wayne in his element
When this film was released I was six years old, living in grey, cold, bankrupt post war Britain, a world of food and clothing rationing. Cinema was pure escapism and I thank my parents for taking me there every week. Westerns were big in those days. They had titles such as "Broken Arrow" or "Winchester 73". As my love of cinema was slowly nurtured "She Wore A Yellow Ribbon" left an indelible impression on my psyche. I loved every bit of it. The odyessic story, with its lack of 'white man good' 'red indian bad' stereotyping. The sophistication of Ford's direction with its cool appreciation of America's big country. The actors - Wayne, of course, towering above all, and decades before he blotted his copybook with his embarrasing gung-ho roles, to Victor McLagen's 'Oirish' knockabout sargeant, via the under-stated work of Joanne Dru and John Agar. "Never apologise, son. It's a sign of weakness." A simply unbeatable movie.

"Lest we forget!"
Capt. Nathan Brittles (John Wayne) is near retirement and looks at it with an unsure and heavy heart. After years in the U.S. Cavalry it is all he knows and is not sure what will become of him when he leaves it. Brittles knows that the Army and life will go on, but what will his role in life be, since he lost his wife years before. This is the second and best film in the John Ford cavalry trilogy. As it Brittles is not very keen on handing over command to younger soldiers who are yet to prove themself in leading other men and in combat. For all it's worth he has little to no say about what will happen to those who take over and what will become of the indian tribe that he has worked with and delt with for so long. Victor McLaglen is a great supporter in the film as he also faces retirement and enjoys his whiskey and fights along with the other men. A story about trust and service along with changing times, it features one of Wayne's best performances. An Oscar winner for best color cinematography (Winton C. Hoch) that features Monument Valley, this is a film to see as it is a western and war film wraped into one. It is simple yet not boring and it get's to the point when needed. Grade: B+ ... Read more

Reviews (166)

Dum dum de dum, dum de dum dum
You're the top wedding planner in the San Francisco area. You got a nice apartment, nice clothes and great friends. What else do you need? Well, Mary Fiore is missing one thing. Her dream guy. In an attempt to save her shoe, she almost gets rammed into by a dumpster, but Dr. Steve saves the day! When Mary's friend Penny gets involved, the nearly fatal collision turns into a romantic date. Matthew McConaughey as Dr. Steve Edison swoops Mary (Jennifer Lopez) off her feet in a dance that almost resulted in a steamy kiss. Mary sure seems to have it made!

In an undesirable twist, Dr. Steve turns out to be the groom of a huge wedding Mary is planning. If the wedding is successful, she will be made a partner at her Wedding Consultant Agency. Msry broke the one supreme rule of being a wedding planner--she fell for the groom.

As Mary is falling for an unavailable man, her father, played by Alex Rocco I, arranges a marriage for her with an Italien childhood friend, Matissimo (Justin Chambers), who used to eat mud and follow Mary around like a puppy dog. Aww, isn't that sweet?

How does it turn out? Who will Mary choose? Well, you'll have to see. I personally loved this movie. I am a sucker for romantic comedies and this one did it for me. I rented it and on the same day I went to buy it! It's a great movie for you girls to make your guys watch! This is a MUST SEE!!!

It was cute
Ok, this is not a five star, poignant, touching, brilliant movie which will change your life -- so with a title like "The Wedding Planner," what did you expect? Imagine: Maria (Jennifer Lopez) is a career-focused woman whose job is planning weddings, but her personal life is nonexistent; she's still not over having been jilted 6 years ago. Finally, she meets a man who can relight her romantic fire, but guess what? He's the fiance' of a very important client. If you've ever seen a Hollywood romantic comedy, you can complete the plot from there, up to and including how it all turns out. Still, if your expectations aren't too high, it will kill a couple of hours and give you an excuse to make popcorn.

You do have to be able to accept Jennifer Lopez as a second generation "Italian" (*cough*), and the chemistry between her and McConaughey could have been stronger. Still, it has its funny moments, and admirably avoids using the cheesy device of making the "other partners" unlikeable (so the main characters have an "excuse" to dump them). It's not art, but it should go down smoothly with a glass of wine.

The Wedding Planner
The Wedding Planner DVD ~ Jennifer Lopez is a great little flick. Lopez is amazing and she holds the movie together. The story line is not great, but who cares when you watch miss Lopez in a movie...

Unbelievably FAR FETCHED formula romantic "comedy"
Another Jennifer Lopez love story. Bitter sweet and more far fetched than a "Will & Grace" episode. This stuff JUST DOESN'T HAPPEN!

Here's a sampling of the "coincidences" adding to a million to one odds: An aspiring wedding planner (with a lousy love life) is saved from a runaway garbage container by a gorgeous young doctor, who turns out to be her current client's fiancee. Mutual sparks fly. All in a city of, oh, 8 million people. Yeah, RIGHT! Mix in a few fairy tale situations (a cinema in the park with opportunities to dance, a ballroom dance class with more opportunities to dance, beautiful wedding songs, and more mush mush mush), and you have another Jennifer Lopez moment.

This is NO "Sleeping in Seattle" or "Groundhog Day", but merely another piece of commercial formula fluff unworthy of the name "romantic comedy". The male lead (what was his name?) has already been labeled a "has been", as this film won't be remembered for anything special, if it will be remembered at all. Save yourself the time and trouble, this one isn't worth either.**

Way better than MIM
well I loved this movie, its funny, its just great! We all know already what is it about. But what I want to say is that is wrong to compare this movie to Maid In Manhattan! Its way better and even a non JLO fan will love it, if he likes comedies, this is the kind of movie that makes you feel 'easy' and enjoy your time! I defenetly recommend it! ;) ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Dino Cheese
You can watch "The Lost World" one of two ways.

1) A maddeningly poor version of the great Arthur Conan Doyle novel, turning memorable characters into crude stereotypes, and adding a half-dozen others so you won't notice there's only one brief sequence featuring "dinosaurs" (magnified lizards with rubber collars, tortured into listlessly attacking each other).

2) As an early '60s camp fest, what with the babealicious cave girl, Fernando "you look mahvelous" Lamas as a vengeful native, and Claude Rains as a peppery pipsqueak Professor Challenger -- not to mention Irwin Allen's trademark colored-lights-on-styrofoam special effects. Best of all, Jill St. John (an Annette Bening without irony) in her pink boots, who announces "I can ride, fly, and shoot better than any man I know" and then spends the balance of the movie shrieking and running for the strong arms of David "Al" Hedison. Or is it Al "David" Hedison?

Anyway, stick with the sweet, rather innocent 1925 silent version... Conan Doyle loved it and it's still miles ahead of every subsequent "Lost World" movie -- including the recent Bob Hoskins "ecologically correct" CGI fiasco.

COULD HAVE BEEN BETTER, BUT STILL WORTH 10 BUCKS!
Irwin Allen's 1960 version of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's classic dinosaur adventure, and the Willis O'Brien 1925 classic of the silent era. A band of explorers travel to an ancient plateu in South America, and encounter gigantic prehistoric beasts. The actors are great (to to Allen form, he made up for the poor special effects with big time actors) including Michael Rennie (THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL), Claude Rains (THE WOLF MAN) Jill St. John (DIOMANDS ARE FOREVER) Fernando Lamas, and many more! Sadly, only lizards with phony make-up aplinces are blown up on film to tremendous size. But using real lizards does have a cetain charm, and the motion is realistic because it is real! So all in all, good production values, good acting, exeptable special effects, a 4 star movie.

Loved Lost World
I loved this movie. I know it's been bashed a lot by today's audiences, but you have to consider that when it was made special effects were not what they are now.
I think it's the story that counts. My two cents anyway.

In addition, what also impresses me, is that several scenes and actors reapeared in "Voyge to the Bottom of the Sea (series)" and other Irwin allen productions. It's great to see earlier performances as well as the inevitable stock footage Irwin and Fox used.

Especially of note are really great performances of David(Al) Hedison (later Capt. Crane in Voyage), and Ms. Marcus (the native girl) who shows up later on Voyage both as the same native girl, and also as a love interest for a ghostly u-boat captain! I think it's rather fun to see the orig. movie while picking out 'hey-that was used over there'scenes)

As I said, the story itself is good. It's entertaining,and doesn't try too hard.

I think it's worth the purchase and I'd like to see it released in widescreen format as it was originally shown. You miss some things in the regular format, but hey, it's not avail.in widescreen, so I'm just glad to have it at all. It hasn't been avai. for awhile at all.

I'd suggest you just settle down in a comfy chair and just enjoy it.

"A land where monsters live"
Poor Willis O'Brien was slated to do stop-motion spx for this film
but due budget oversights future "Towering inferno" director Irwin
Allen handed 20th Century Fox his 1st unintentional "disaster" film

Claude Rains who as the reknowned Professor Challenger leads the
cast including Michael Rennie,Jill St.John,David Hendison,Fernando
Lamas and "frosty the poodle" onto an amazon plateau where time is
frozen and prehistoric animals still exist. Their lives are put in
even more jeopardy when they find themselves stranded.

Dispite it's flaws,I still love this flim for what it tries to be
lavish epic with a supercast of characters, but will always be my
haunt is how at the time of production (released in 1960) could a
special effects crew STILL use the same standards from the early
matinee days of cinema. Right down to the projected green spider
(Bert I.Gordon) when lower case B films such as "lost contintent"
(1951)used stop-motion animation Maybe there was a time factor.

The tape is excellent quality this Fox series also includes the
original trailer which is always a hoot for me but where is Fox's
DVD version in widescreen maybe.....no definitely!

Best Sci-FI Movie for the Time
I remember seeing this movie as an early teenager and found it to be excellent for the time. Compared to movies today it seems very poor but it was a classic "B" movie for the times. I recommend it for anyone's video library ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Devotees of Neil Simon's repartee, such as in his Goodbye Girl and Brighton Beach Memoirs, will enjoy this earlier tale of domestic dispute between newlyweds.Corie (Jane Fonda) is the young housewife trying to keep life exciting while making a home for her and her husband, Paul (Robert Redford), on the fifth floor of a Greenwich Village walkup apartment. He's working hard at starting his career as lawyer; she's eager to be romantic and spontaneous; and the two have plenty to squabble about. The film suffers a bit from Corie's excessive perkiness and the odd lack of chemistry between the two actors. But those who find the dramatic conventions a bit stiff (some of the dialogue and action seems more suited for stage than screen) may still smile at the dated look (circa 1967) at home life. Mildred Natwick is superb as Corie's mother, and Charles Boyer milks his role as the elderly bohemian neighbor upstairs. --Jenny Brown ... Read more

Reviews (25)

"SHAMMA SHAMMA!"
This is a great romantic comedy it has the charm of woody allen and billy crystal's films and it has the humor of its writer Neil Simon. The story takes place in the mid 1960's and involes a young newlywed couple played by Robert Redford and Jane Fonda.
After spending six "wonderful days at the Plaza" as miss Fonda so well put it they go home to start the marrige. They move into a one room apt. on the east side of new york and it's a walk up six flights. in the film we meet some very funny charecters like Victor Volasco and Corrie's mom who happend to still the hole film. This is a great sit at home date movie and im sure you'll love it! "Shamma Shamma"

Just a delight!
An old friend (and fan of goofy romance) recommended this film to me. It took 6 months and I finally got around to seeing the DVD. The DVD has the original trailer and looks great. The sound is solid, but you aren't buying this DVD for the effects. You are buying this for the film.

Pauline Kael called this film, "a trifle and almost amusing in a harmlessly, pleasantly stupid way" (5001 Nights at the Movies). She missed the whole point of the film. You don't take a movie like this seriously. You let the charm of Jane Fonda, Robert Redford, and the bouyant Charles Boyer take you away. You just laugh and enjoy. The story of two young newlyweds is age old. You can see where Dharma and Greg get their inspiration, and the 90 minutes of this film are far better than any episode of that show. I immediately fell in love with Fonda's Corrie.

Charles Boyer steals the movie. At times it is a bit dated (like Corrie's mom's advice about making a happy marriage), but that is no matter. If you want to smile and fall in love, see this film.

It looks great on DVD. Do yourself a favor, ignore the junk playing at a theatre near you and enjoy this one at home as winter comes.

Charming
What a neat little movie. Goes by in a flash. Jane Fonda is fun and has never looked better. Fun. Silly. Predictable. Harmless. A small quiet gem.

I Love This Movie!
Barefoot in the Park is one of my favorite movies, I taped it when it was shown in Letterbox Widescreen on TCM and when I get around to it I'm going to buy it on DVD. This is a very charming movie and has a wonderful cast! Jane Fonda is absolutely charming as spunky, fun-loving newlywed Bride Corrie Bratter and Robert Redford is very good as her uptight husband Paul but also good are Mildred Natwick as Corrie's mother and Charles Boyer as eccentric neighbor Victor Velasco and I highly recommend this charming movie!

Best of Neil Simon Romantic Comedy
My two favorite Jane Fonda movies are "Sunday In New York" and this one. Redford & Fonda are super. Great soundtrack. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

EXCELLENT MOVIE/Guaranteed to shed a tear!!!
Definitely a wonderful movie and one of my personal favorites, Eleni, brings to the screen the true story of a boy whose family suffered terribly during the Greek Civil War 1946-49, but who managed, thanks to his mother's love, to get safely to the USA and raise his own family in peace. It is a movie about war, hunger, suffering, but most importantly courage, honor, sacrifice, and how Love-motherly love, can overcome and prevail even in the most difficult of situations. A great movie indeed which will surely bring tears to one's eyes! Needless to say, both Kate Nelligan and John Malkovich are superb in their roles as mother and son!
The previous "reviewer's" comments are not even worth elaborating on...

So close to the truth-dramatic dynamite
I saw this film while living in Greece and having had visited many such villages in northern Greece, it was completely mesmerizing. The portrayal of the Greek people at that time and the cultural differences were astonishingly true.

At its first showing, it was picketted and closed after one day only to reopen two days later away from the city center, which was when I saw it.

It completely absorbed my interest and I felt a new sympahthy for the people who lived through those times (many of whom I knew).

It;s a great movie and should be more widely shown!

Great Movie "Eleni"
I loved this movie, I have been looking for it for a long time, when will this be coming out on DVD.

absolute garbage
one of the worst movies ever made. it actually glorifies a traitor to the Greek people who supported the fascists in the civil war. unbelievable and shameful.

Powerful. Unforgettable. TRUE story.
It is 2:00 a.m. and I cannot sleep after watching this movie.

Mothers love their children but in our decadent, face paced, greed driven society I so often find myself off course, yelling and snappish at the slightest thing. In other words, God forgive me for not conveying that love and for taking our time together for granted.

This movie takes place during the Greek Civil War in the late 1940's. God help us to cease all wars and fighting. 28,000 children were taken from their homes and sent to work in communist camps.

This story shares the sacrifice and love of a brave woman and truly devoted mother, Eleni. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Strap on your pantaloons and prepare to travel with Jim Hawkins andBlind Pew to one of the most famous fictional islands in history. Walt Disney's 1950 adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson's swashbuckling masterpiece has held up extremely well, with action and characterizations that feel freshly minted (although it's unlikely that the Mouse of today would sanction the high level of booze flowing throughout the picture). Great fun, with nary a wasted frame and, in the character of Robert Newton's much-imitated Long John, one of cinema's most boisterously crowd-pleasing villains ever. (Proving that you can't keep a good--er, bad man down, Newton would return with director Byron Haskins for the enjoyable sequel, Long John Silver.)Watching this classic is like having a flashback to some perfect Technicolor childhood. --Andrew Wright ... Read more

Reviews (23)

Swab the deck, me matey!
The Disney studios first official full length, live-action feature, TREASURE ISLAND is good fun. Although it lacks the slick story-telling flair of recent family films, the story, based on Robert Louis Stevenson's classic novel, is precise and fluid. Robert Newton chews up the scenery as Long John Silver, paving the way for many lovable villains. Bobby Driscoll (Song of the South) plays the brave little Jim Hawkins (or "Jim Harkins" if you speak pirate) who gets involved in a treasure seeking adventure of good vs. evil. In the end, like the viewers of the video, the line between the two is not so well defined. That is a clever twist, especially for a Disney family film. The VHS format already shows some deterioration after a few viewings so I look forward to a DVD release but in the meantime. Yo ho yo ho, A Pirate's Life for Me!

All Aboard With Long John Silver
Jim Hawkins is a tavern owner's son who acquires a map showing the location of buried treasure. He shows it to an adventurous squire who recognizes its value and outfits the good ship Hispaniola to set off in search of the prize. The squire hires Jim as a cabin boy and persuades his own physician to join the crew as ship's doctor. The gullible squire's first big mistake is to sign up a rascal named Long John Silver as ship's cook. His second mistake is to allow Silver a chance to recruit some of his old shipmates from his pirate days as members of the Hispaniola's crew.

TREASURE ISLAND is an excellent movie with plenty of realistic action and convincing settings. Robert Newton is brilliant as Long John Silver and Bobby Driscoll shines as young Jim Hawkins. A strong supporting cast includes Basil Sydney, Denis O'Dea, Ralph Truman, Walter Fitzgerald, Finlay Currie and Geoffrey Wilkinson.

Director Byron Haskins also directed THE WAR OF THE WORLDS.

Old memories
Emotions ran high when I saw this movie again after more than 50 years. It was as exciting now as when I was a young child. Robert Newton's performance is a classic. After half a century, he is still the baddest (best) pirate ever.

"The Disney Version" is better than the novel.
Don't believe it? Read the book. The reviewer who said "...every screen production I have seen comes across as a cartoon or at best, 'an animated feature'," wasn't paying attention.

Robert Louis Stevenson's pirate story _is_ a children's fantasy. (Stevenson - whose grandson would later become one of Disney's "house directors" -- says as much in the book's introduction.) The principal characters are well-drawn and believable, but the story is 98% adventure. There is no _dramatic_ thrust to events. And it's told from the view of a 20-year-older Jim Hawkins, which tips off the reader that Jim is never in any real danger.

The emotional focus of the story is Jim's attraction to / repulsion by Long John Silver. In the novel, the adult Jim briefly acknowledges that he was attracted to Long John Silver as a surrogate for his recently deceased father, but turned away, because Silver is plainly untrustworthy. Stevenson fails to develop the relationship any further.

Not the screenwriters -- they bring it front and center. The story is now properly focused where it should be -- can Jim _really_ trust Long John Silver?

Silver is also worried about Jim, who plainly doesn't need "Piracy for Dummies" to recognize Silver is not altogether on the up-and-up. In a scene not in the book, Long John attempts to sweet-talk Jim -- one might even call it a seduction -- ending with the presentation of his parrot as a gift. The effect is subtly erotic -- especially as the gift comes from someone with such an obviously phallic name. (One is tempted to think Stevenson's name choice was deliberate -- he must have known how cabin boys were "mistreated.") And though Silver is married in the novel (to an unseen wife), the movie leaves his marital status unstated.

Long John Silver is a morally ambiguous character, and the film plays up this ambiguity. Silver alternates between protecting and threatening Jim, and you believe his sincerity in both instances. At the end, Jim is forced into deciding whether he should let Long John escape or be turned over to justice, completing the film with a solid dramatic "bang!" (The novel simply peters out -- Silver is taken captive, later wandering off with some of the loot.)

Robert Newton's interpretation of Long John Silver has always been controversial. There's no question it's totally "over the top." But that's how we expect pirates to behave, and it's how Stevenson wrote the character. I've seen "Treasure Island" several times -- Newton isn't simply chewing the scenery. His is a conscious interpretation, and he's in full control at all times. It's a great performance.

Arr, maties! Climb abord for a rip-roaring adventure!
The first time we watched this movie I watched it for about five minutes before walking away, because it wasn't interesting to me at the time. But when I caught the last twenty minutes of it, I decided that it was interesting after all and watched it from the beginning again.

I loved it! Bobby Driscoll was wonderful as Jim Hawkins, and Robert Newton gave the performance of his life as Long John Silver. The rest of the cast was also tremendous.

I had tried reading the book before, but it hadn't been interesting to me, and I ditched it before I was halfway done. Now, because of this movie, I think I'll dust it off and have a go at it. Who knows, I might even like it enough to review it! :) ... Read more

Reviews (26)

A true Disney classic.
HONEY, I SHRUNK THE KIDS is one of the better Disney, live-action films out there. It's original and unique - followed by two [HONEY, I BLEW UP THE KID and HONEY, WE SHRUNK OURSELVES] just as good sequels. This film is about a wacky scientist named Wayne Szalinski (Rick Moranis) who knows all about science and nothing about family or the "real world". When Wayne creates a shrinking machine, in hopes that it will shrink matter, it actually ends up shrinking his kids, Amy and Nicky (Amy O'Neill and Robert Oliveri), and his next door neighbor's kids, Russell and Ron Thompson (Thomas Wilson Brown and Jared Rushton). They escape from the trash bag and end up entering what appears to be a jungle but is actually the Szalinskis' own backyard! Now, just a few inches tall, the kids must find a way to get to the house and get their parents' attention so they can deshrink them and turn them back to their normal sizes.

This is a very funny comedy, and there are some excellent visual effects, too. Everything from the shrunk kids to riding on a flying bee - there is some truly amazing special effects. The plot is solid and so is the acting. This is one Disney comedy I recommend for every family!

Great, Great, Great!
The story is about an inventor Wayne Szalinski (Rick Moranis) who is trying to perfect his machine which, when working, will shrink matter. The problem is, nothing he does seems to make it work. But somehow, his kids Amy and Nicky (Amy O'Neill and Robert Oliveri), and his next door neighbor's kids, Russell and Ron Thompson (Thomas Wilson Brown and Jared Rushton) are shrunk! Being only a few inches tall, they end up in the garbage bag and are taken