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Diana Ross stars as legendary blues singer Billie Holiday in this biopic that chronicles her rise and fall. It begins with her late childhood, a stint as a prostitute, those early days as a blues singer, her marriages, and her drug addiction. Overly glossy and lacking depth, this is worth seeing only for the performances. Diana Ross was nominated for an Oscar for her acting debut. A dynamo with sparkling screen presence, she realistically conveys the confusion and unhappiness that caused Holiday so much grief. Her performance is almost matched by romantic interest Billy Dee Williams. Watch for Richard Pryor, who is most powerful in a dramatic supporting role as the piano player in a brothel. --Rochelle O'Gorman ... Read more

Reviews (29)

Awesome story, even better acting and producing!!!
I have always been a huge fan of Diana Ross and Lady Day, but putting that aside this movie is truly worth every penny, every minute you spend watching. The Billie Holiday story stands by itself as an incredible testimony to what it was like to be black in 1930's America, but add to that Diana's vulnerability and beautiful voice and you have one of the best stories ever put on film!!!! I just can't wait until it is put on DVD with 5.0 dolby digital sound..........does anyone out there know when that might happen????? :) Buy the movie, you will not regret it.

Not Billie's real story, but I give Diana props
I'm not a Diana Ross fan, but in this movie, she was excellent and convincing as Lady Day. Dynamic performances by Billy Dee Williams and Richard Pryor as well. My only fault with this movie that it was not Billie Holiday's real story. It was filled with inaccuracies and purely fictional situations. Even Berry Gordy, Ross' one-time lover and mentor, admitted that the script was bogus, but it still was very riveting. This was Ross' first film and even though she never took a drama lesson in her life, she pulled this off with no problem. Definitely worth checking out.

Not only is the film historically inaccurate,
but it's an absolute DISGRACE to the memory and legacy of the real Lady Day. Diana was a decent (solo) to great(Supremes) soul singer, but she's no great actor. She's simply competent ... watching Mahogany proves that beyond a shadow of a doubt. To do the story of Billie Holiday, easily one of the most influential and lasting jazz/torch singers of the 20th century, and not cast a known quantity was a serious mistake on Gordy and Motown's part. Not only didn't Ross look the part, she certainly didn't act it, and her voice is nothing like Billie's;it's far weaker and devoid of the "body" Lady Day had. The only bright spot in this was Rochard Pryor's part, even though, again, it was 99% fiction. Save your time, save your money. Buy a Billie Holiday CD, her autobiography, and enjoy the real thing. Maybe one day someone will make a REAL film bio of the Lady.

Inaccurate, but the performances are powerful
The complex life of jazz singer Billie Holiday cannot be summed up in a two-and-a-half hour film unless it's a documentary. Therefore, LADY SINGS THE BLUES misses the boat in portraying Billie's life, but hits the target in casting Diana Ross, Billy Dee Williams and Richard Pryor. The chemistry between these three thespians are a joy to behold. And Ms. Ross sings Billie's songs very well without resorting to imitating the jazz legend.

MINUS 2 STARS FOR INACCURACY...
But a STRONG 3 stars for Diana's acting and rendering of Billie's tunes (I got chills when she sang "Strange Fruit"). This story doesn't represent the life of Billie Holiday AT ALL, but it was a nice fantasy. I must admit that Billie Dee Williams' over-the-top performance was really annoying, hokey and downright laughable. Richard Pryor added a lovable and humorous spark to the flick that was unforgettable! I'm hoping the reason it's taking so long for this movie to come out on DVD is that they are going to make it fabulous with all sorts of extra features and whatnot. Otherwise:

WHAT'S TAKING SO LONG FOR THIS MOVIE TO COMING OUT ON DVD?!?!?!?! ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

It's hard to know who thought it would be a good idea to make a live-action version of Disney's animated classic. The one bright notion anyone had was casting Glenn Close as Disney über-villainess Cruella de Vil; her flashing eyes and angular features are a perfect match and do credit to what is one of the most indelible animated characters Disney has ever created. The story remains essentially the same, focusing on Cruella's plot to kidnap the puppies of a young married couple (Jeff Daniels and Jolie Richardson) and make them into a coat. But the dreaded John Hughes, who wrote this script, fills it with sadistic slapstick and far too few genuine laughs. The human actors work hard, but to little avail; thankfully, there's a passel of puppies to regularly steal scenes when the going gets dreary--although there are only so many laughs to be had from inappropriate dog puddles. --Marshall Fine ... Read more

Reviews (48)

Delightful story with puppies that will steal your heart
It was a stroke of genius for the legendary Disney Studio to decide to remake their classic 1961 animated feature "101 Dalmatians", as a live action feature. Never a great fan of remakes, I feel this story is a natural for a live action version and on first viewing it totally won me over. It has so much to offer viewers of all ages, whether it be its 99 gorgeous Dalmatian puppies that would melt the heart of any dog lover, a top class production with terrific sets, locations and stunts or a wonderfully wicked villianess in the incomparable Cruella De Vil played to perfection by gifted actress Glenn Close.

The film follows closely the original story and tells the tale of London couple Roger and Anita who meet through a Dalmatian dog mixup in a London Park and fall in love, marry and find themselves the happy "parents" of 15 beautiful Dalmatian puppies when their Dalmatians Pongo and Perdita begin a family of their own. Their happiness is short lived however when Anita's boss the dastardly Cruella De Vil spots the puppies and immediately makes plans to have the puppies kidnapped so that she can turn their pelts into the extravagant spotted fur coat she has always dreamed of having. What ensures is a comical tale full of laughs, great stunts and hilarious situations of the "boo the villian, cheer the dogs" variety. The Dalmatian parents, with the aid of many assorted members of the animal kingdom from woodpeckers, squirrels, and assorted sheep pigs, and dogs not only succeed in tracking down the missing puppies in their hideout but also outwit Cruella and her incompetent accomplices at every turn. The animals revenge on Cruella and her accomplices makes for most of the humour as they find themselves being dumped through falling roofs, landing in tubs of gooey molasses and being smelled out by skunks!

No expense was spared on this production and indeed all the live action characters bare an amazing resemblance to their cartoon counterparts. Gleen Close towers over the whole production in her performance as Disney Studios most famous villianess the totally over the top Cruella De Vil. Her makeup, hair styles and clothing is everything you would imagine Cruella to be. It is to the credit of Glenn Close that she succeeds totally in bringing to life such a well known and "loved" cartoon villianess. A supremely talented actress as seen in such diverse roles as those in "Fatal Attraction", "Dangerous Liaisons", "Meeting Venus", and "Paradise Road" among others, she is a total riot as the bizzare fashion designer with an extreme fur fetish. It is she who makes "101 Dalmatians" such memorable viewing and her encounters with the animals in the second half of the film will have you laughing for ages. The sight of Cruella rising out of the tub of molasses where she has been unceremoniously dumped by the animal brigade will bring fits of laughter to the viewer. The film also boasts the great talents of Jeff Daniels and the lovely Joely Richardson as Roger and Anita the loving couple drawn to each other by their fondness for Dalmatians, and the gifted Joan Plowright as Anita's former Nanny who finds herself performing the role again but this time for the 15 puppies in the house. Much of the comedy stems from the great playing by Hugh Laurie and Mark Williams as the wacky Jasper and Horace employed by Cruella who's job it is to steal the puppies for Cruella. They receive the main brunt of the animals "revenge" to great comic effect as does John Shrapnel in the role of the sinister scarred Skinner who is employed to turn the puppies coats into Cruella's new coat. The animal stunts performed in this film will have you gasping as the animals seem top take on human personalities of their own to brilliant effect. The location photography around London and in the snow scenes at Cruella's hideaway also create a very pleasing look to the film.

I never fail to watch "101 Dalmatians" without finding a smile appearing on my face. It is a totally delightful film that is just as much for adults as it is children which is a real credit to the Disney Studios. Glenn Close really makes the film a viewing experience with her over the top playing here but if you are in anyway a dog lover you can't help but be totally captivated by these delightful 101 spotted creatures charming the audience in "101 Dalmatians". Enjoy!

"101 Dalmatians"
Having watched both the live-action and the animated versions of "101 Dalmatians," I find the live-action version to be vastly superior. This updated classic has a fresh, fun storyline. The actors who play the characters seem perfectly suited for their roles. Glenn Close is particularly good as Cruella De Vil. The movie was filmed in England and each scene is beautifully crafted. The director has done a remarkable job of giving the dogs respected status as emotion-feeling, three dimensional characters without resorting to the silly and mundane method of giving them human voices. Being a dog trainer myself, the thing I most enjoy about the movie is the absolutely phenomenal job done by the dog handlers. Not only are the trained behaviors remarkable, but the handlers have elicited responses from the dogs that readily convey understandable "emotions" to the audience. The ONE glaring fault of this movie is the final scene where all of the dogs have been allowed to breed ad infinitum. I find that totally irresponsible and the reason this movie gets 4 stars instead of 5.

CORNY!
One of the WORST films by Disney is this "101 Dalmations", which is a live-action version of the original cartoon movie & is nowhere near as good. All it was is just a retelling of the story obviously, but very little excitement and fun, bad acting and cheesy, cheesy, cheesy special effects. (not to mention the jokes sucked!) It is also TOO short! They could've added in more and it would've been better but it all ended too soon. Disney is really going downhill with these sequels and remakes and I suggest that they STOP now!! How anybody could like this film is beyond me! This is the stupidest, crappiest movie remake ever! Save your money and buy the original cartoon version instead cause it's 100% better than this smelly pile of dog crap! Your kids will also like it more.

A dog's life
Don't expect this type of overacting Disney movie that can be a sweet movie. It was pretty funny. It will be better than the second movie 102 Dalmatians.

Calling all dogs, we must find the puppies!
We purchased the cartoon version at our first opportunity, and this has been a heavily watched movie by our kids, especially when they were pre-kindergarten. This is still my 6 year old daughters favorite movie and the family voted it #8 of 41. Not quite up to the production standards of other Disney movies, this one was popular with all 5 children and is very watchable with repeat viewings. It narrowly beat out Fox and the hound for the 8th spot.

Cruella De Vil sees the 15 puppies of Pongo and Perdita and decides that she needs to make a polka dot Dalmatian coat with their fur. Her henchmen kidnap 86 puppies from around London and with these 15 she has 101. Pongo and Perdita call upon their doggie friend to search for the lost pups in hopes of engineering a rescue.
We had a lot of fun by gathering the family together to rank the 41 Disney movies we have that include some cartoon work. All the kids, ages 6 to 27, participated along with mother and dad. Peter Pan is no Codfish, we rank it #2. Lion King was selected number 1 of the 41 as the family favorite, but narrowly. Peter Pan was 2. Pete's Dragon 3, Beauty & the beast 4, Sleeping Beauty 5, Snow White 6 and Robin hood 7. These 7 movies all received a 5 star rating from us and complete our magnificent 7. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Louis L'Amour's easy voice with its gentle rhythm sets the tone and pace of the film in a spoken introduction to this loping, rambling three-hour-plus TV-movie adaptation of his novels The Daybreakers and Sackett. Sam Elliot stars as the elder Sackett, a nomad hunting and trapping in the mountains who happens upon an ancient treasure. Tom Selleck and Jeff Osterhage are his younger siblings, forced to leave home to avoid a Hatfield and McCoy situation. As the Sackett brothers wind their way across the Midwest prairies and mountains we join them on cattle drives and gold hunts, in gunfights and fistfights, and in a climactic showdown as they find their place in the world. This 1979 film rambles and meanders like a lazy river winding through a beautiful landscape of peaks and plains and forests, punctuated by the occasional gunfight and enlivened by a story that celebrates both the open range and the taming of the towns. Elliot looks almost young but flashes his savage eyes behind a thick black beard, while Selleck's easygoing manner is backed up with a stony-faced determination. The excellent cast includes a veritable who's who of Western character actors: Glenn Ford, Ben Johnson, Gilbert Roland, Gene Evans, Jack Elam, Slim Pickens, L.Q. Jones, Mercedes McCambridge, and Pat Buttram. Followed in 1982 by The Shadow Riders, which reunited the three stars and even a few members of the supporting cast in a tale of three different brothers. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (8)

The late Louis L'Amour wrote this

This is a three hour, two disk barn burner. The late Louis L'Amour (Lamoore) wrote half a library full of Westerns and a few contemporary novels. He churned them out like there was no tomorrow, but he knew of what he wrote. He had been a cowhand, miner, merchant seaman, circus roustabout and a few other things. I think that he said he'd been a U.S. Marine, too, bless his heart. He did the narration on this film.

L'Amour did a bunch of books on the Sackett family of Tennessee, and this is a sort of compilation of some of them. Tell Sackett is the oldest brother (Sam Elliott), Orrin is the middle one (Tom Selleck), and Tyrell was the youngest (Jeff Osterhage). All played their parts very well. The bad guys included (but were not limited to) Jack Elam, Slim Pickens and L.Q.Jones. Mercedes McCambridge played Ma Sackett. Gilbert Roland played a Spanish (read Mexican) land-owner who the anglos were trying to push off his land in the new territory of New Mexico.

I liked the way everyone played their parts, but particularly Sam Elliot, when he was strolling drunkenly down the main street of Pugatorie, singing quietly to himself in his deep bass, "That's the way she goes, first your money and then your clothes..." just before he caught the guy who was trying to roll him, and shaved him with an Arkansas toothpick with a foot-long blade. Shaved his mustache clean off!

This is a wonderful L'Amour Western. I hope you like it as much as I did.

Joseph (Joe) Pierre

author of Handguns and Freedom...their care and maintenance
and other books

KILLIN DONT MIX WELL WITH A MANS SUPPER BUT THIS MOVIE DOES.
THIS TV MINI SEIRES MAY WELL BE THE LAST GREAT ROUND UP OF WESTERN CHARACTER ACTORS, AND WHAT A LOSS THAT IS.
THE SUPPORTING CAST READS LIKE A WHOS WHO OF COWBOY GREATS; SLIM PICKENS, JACK ELAM, BEN JOHNSON, GLENN FORD, BUCK TAYLOR AND OTHERS, MOST OF WHICH HAVE GONE TO THAT GREAT CORRAL IN THE SKY.
CONTEMPORARY ACTORS SAM ELLIOTT AND TOM SELLECK STAR IN THIS STORY OF BROTHERS DISCOVERING THE AMERICAN WEST AND EACH OTHER IN THE PROCESS.
BASED ON LOUIS LAMOURS NOVEL "THE DAYBREAKERS" 'THE SACKETTS'
IS A CLASSIC SHOOT EM UP WITH ROMANCE AND SUSPENSE THROWN IN FOR GOOD MEASURE.
THE DIALOUGE IS GREAT, ESPECIALLY THE SCENES WITH SAM ELLIOTT.
AS ELLIOTS CHARACTER ENJOYS A STEAK WITH FELLOW PROSPECTOR BEN JOHNSON, A YOUNG UPSTART GUNSLINGER INTERUPPTS CHALLENGING THEM TO A WALK DOWN.
WITHOUT LOOKING UP FROM HIS PLATE ELLIOTT WARNS THE WANNE BE OF THE CONSEQUENCES OF PUSHING HIS LUCK.
BUT THE PUP IS INSISTANT TO WHICH ELLIOTT REPLIES, FINALLY LOOKING AT THE KID."YOURE FIXIN TO MAKE ME TAKE HOLD OF THAT PISTOL (WHICH SITS ON THE TABLE) AND THEN ILL HAVE TO KILL YA.....AND KILLIN DONT MIX WELL WITH A MANS SUPPER."
IT DONT GET ANY BETTER THAN THAT.
GLENN FORD PLAYS CONVINCINGLY AS AN EX LAWMAN GUNFIGHTER WHO BECOMES OBSSESSED WITH HATRED AND DIES BECAUSE OF IT.
THE ONLY DOWNSIDE TO THIS HORSE OPERA IS THE 1979 T.V. CINEMATOGRAPHY WHICH LEAVES A LOT TO BE DESIRED. OTHER THAN THAT IT IS TOP NOTCH WESTERN ENTERTAINMENT.

Response to Disappointed
I am watching a very fuzzy VHS recording from the early 90's and basically all I am getting is the audio, I decided I wanted it all and visited this site to purchase a copy of the video (hoped DVD) and encountered this review which I couldn't resist responding to. The movie follows what I remember of the L'Amour books (about to pull out of storage) which took their own sweet time in describing the characters & scenery. I admit, I didn't watch the whole recording, but from what I heard I thought it followed true to tradition, as well as a movie could.
Tim.

Disappointing.......
I've had this video for several years, and watched it again last night, after a break of about a year. I am a die hard fan of both Louis L'Amour books, and western movies, and thought a Louis written movie with this strong a cast would be totally first class.

Wish I could say it was. It's too long by about a third, which gives it a plodding, almost boring feel in places. It's obvious why this excessive padding had to happen. This was a TV project, not a theatrical movie, and they had to make it long enough to cover two nights viewing. With a few exceptions the actors seem to be pretty much just going thru their paces, waiting for somebody else to seize the moment. The one exception to this was Glenn Ford - he did a superb job. Of the other actors, Sam Elliot was probably the most believable.

The movie is very predictable for the most part. The obligatory love interests for all 3 Sacketts, for example. Then there is the final showdown: 3 good-guy brothers, with best buddy, take on the bad guy brothers, accompanied by numerous backup bad guys. In and around the livery stable, no less. Did the Sacketts change their first names to Wyatt, Morgan, and Virgil, with Doc thrown in for good measure? Then all four good guys stroll triumphantly down the street, side by side. Couldn't see Gary Cooper anywhere, tho.

Also a good part of the script is devoted to building up the racist, rich Anglo as number one bad guy, and the suspense builds as he prepares for war against the Spanish speaking citizens of Santa Fe. Then a couple of his hired guns sing like canaries to Sheriff Sacket and racist rich Anglo bad guy is meekly led off in handcuffs by the Feds, and this entire plot switcheroo happens and is over within about a minute. Soaring plot line ends with a resounding thud. And his more beautiful than life blonde daughter? One of the Sackett love interests? What happens to her? Left standing on the sidewalk as daddy is led away........ Hollywood abandoning a damsel in distress? Heresy.......

Most disappointing, tho, for me, was the lack of attention paid to historical accuracy, especially for a Louis project. Model 1873 and 1892 Winchesters in 1869? Don't think so.....

It IS well filmed, with gorgeous settings. All in all, this is an ok movie, but could and should have been so much more.

The Sacketts
I personally knew Louis L'Mamour and have ever book that he has ever written. The reason I'm trying to order this video now is because I have litteraly worn out the original I got when it first came out. I also have all the other videos that were based on his books but I feel like The Sacketts was on to the best based on his book. From the Four Corners where most of his books were written about an avid fan from Southwest Colorado. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

An entire generation of baby boomers grew up with this stagy but magical production, which originated on Broadway but was broadcast several times on TV. They may not know Mary Martin or Cyril Ritchard--two staples of the commercial theater in their time--for any other reason, but they'll always be able to name them as Peter Pan and Captain Hook. The story of the boy who wouldn't grow up includes a classic score with songs that can bring a tear of nostalgia to the eye of the middle-aged--like "I Won't Grow Up," "I've Gotta Grow," and "Neverland." The flying, the goofy comedy--it's all there in this video version of the classic TV broadcast. It's hard to know what sophisticated modern youngsters would make of it, but their parents will gladly sit and watch with them. --Marshall Fine ... Read more

Reviews (25)

A Cherished Favorite!
Mary Martin, the first of three famous actresses to play Peter in this musical, gives a classic performance in television's first "in color" made-for-TV special. Her rendition of "Neverland" remains unmatched by any of her successors. Cyril Ritchard is wonderful as the mischievous Captain hook. You will sing along, laugh and cry as you watch this 1950's Broadway show reassembled for the 1960 video special. Unfortunately, unlike the pristine video and DVD recorded in early 2000 of Cathy Rigby in the same musical (also available at Amazon.com) the 1960 video quality is poor by comparison. Never the less this is a classic you don't want to miss!

Peter Pan in Living Color .. in Brooklyn!
This DVD is copied from the 1960 NBC-TV version of the Mary Martin Broadway musical. It was done on live TV [videotape was still experimental] each year from 1955 on. There's a black-and-white kinescope version of the 1955 telecast "broadcast in compatible color and black-and-white" in the NBC news archives. The 1955 telecast is considered to be the first adaptation of a Broadway musical to be broadcast live, and in color.

In 1960, the folks at NBC decided to put the classic to videotape, and assembled the cast at NBC's studios in Brooklyn .. the only NBC studio outside of Burbank that had sufficient ceiling height so stagehands could do the intricate wire technique that Martin and her fellow actors used to fly through the sets.

Think about this "Peter Pan" as a period piece; a slice of television's past that is fortunately well-preserved. With its grand, over-saturated RCA color ... the Broadway staging ... with choreography by the famed Jerome Robbins ... and its mono soundtrack. Not to mention the non-politically-correct Indians .. and a superb Cyril Ritchard Captain Hook.

Color TV was only about 7 years old as a mass medium when this production was captured on tape. Color videotape was only 3 years old. The original tape was 2" in width, and the original tape container weighed close to 15 pounds! The cameras weighed upwards of 300 pounds, and were connected by cables as big as a large man's wrist. There were no zoom lenses. You can see some of the camera shakes in many of the dolly and tracking shots.

The tape was shown yearly around Christmas time by NBC throughout the 1960s and '70s. Then some problems ensued between the charity in Britain that holds the rights to the J.M. Barrie original, and NBC. In the late 1980's the late NBC executive Brandon Tartikoff was able to clear up the rights problems, get the tape transferred and restored to modern standards. Could use a further cleaning-up using the newest restoration technology.

Enjoy, have a good, safe laugh ... and just remember you're looking at history!

By FAR the best version!
For baby boomers and their young children, THIS is the version you want. If you loved this, don't waste your money on the latest 2004 dark version which is comprised of non-stop action, violence, and special effects without any qualitative plot (what there is, is a sad perversion of the story) nor enough attention to casting. Of course, most of the X generation seems to love it-what a sad commentary! In comparison, this (Mary Martin) version is wholesome and won't give your kids nightmares!

Pretty Good! :)
I remember first hearing about this classic when I was in Elementary school and wanting to see what all the talk was about. But when I realized that a woman (Mary Martin), was playing the boy, Peter Pan, I thought it was different and weird. But I soon fell in love with the characters and the music in the movie, and soon forgot all about a girl playing a boy character.
Even at my young age, I figured out how the character Peter Pan flew, with cable wires. Though I could see the wires everytime Peter left the ground, the music and the atmosphere of the movie made me smile and wished that I could fly like Peter.

I grew up with classic movies by appreciating the movie each classic gives us. I highly reccomend this movie to children of all ages (even children that refuse to grow up! ;)_) by introducing them to not only a story that has gone through generations of children, but to a 'real' classic movie that today's generation can appreciate. More people need to appreciate older classic movies and the talented actors and actresses worked so hard 50, 60, 70 years ago.

Simply the Best!!!
I was about five years old when I first saw this on television. (Dating myself, of course - circa 1954) It hasn't lost its charm at all, and Mary Martin is the Peter Pan of all time. Not because I am biased, but when you first see her, as I did when I was a child, you forget about gender. She is magical, and musical, and mystical, and she embodies the character of J.M. Barrie's "Pan" to the hilt. Then there are the songs - "I'm Flying," "Never Land," "I Won't Grow Up," and others, and it's incredibly enchanting.

Cyril Ritchard is marvelous as Captain Hook, as well, and he embodies the role as well. You know that he's gone wrong, and the semi-comic, don't take me to seriously mischief he brings to the role is neat. He sings on "Tarantella," and "Captain Hook," and when the Crocodile makes its appearance, you are at first saddened, but glad that he has gone away.

All in all, this is superb family entertainment, and it is highly recommended. 10 stars would be more like it!!! ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

There is greatness in film that can be discussed, dissected, and talked about late into the night. Then there is genius that is right in front of our faces--we smile at the spell it puts us into and are refreshed, and nary a word needs to be spoken. This kind of entertainment is what they used to call "movie magic," and there is loads of it in this irresistible computer animation feature. Just a picture of these bright toys on the cover of Toy Story looks intriguing, reawakening the kid in us. Filmmaker John Lasseter's shorts (namely Knickknack and Tin Toy, which can be found on the Pixar video Tiny Toy Stories) illustrate not only a technical brilliance but also a great sense of humor--one in which the pun is always intended. Lasseter thinks of himself as a storyteller first and an animator second, much like another film innovator, Walt Disney.

Lasseter's story is universal and magical: what do toys do when they're not played with? Cowboy Woody (voiced by Tom Hanks), Andy's favorite bedroom toy, tries to calm the other toys (some original, some classic) during a wrenching time of year--the birthday party, when newer toys may replace them. Sure enough, Space Ranger Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) is the new toy that takes over the throne. Buzz has a crucial flaw, though--he believes he's the real Buzz Lightyear, not a toy. Bright and cheerful, Toy Story is much more than a 90-minute commercial for the inevitable bonanza of Woody and Buzz toys. Lasseter further scores with perfect voice casting, including Don Rickles as Mr. Potato Head and Wallace Shawn as a meek dinosaur. The director-animator won a special Oscar for "the development and inspired application of techniques that have made possible the first feature-length computer-animated film." In other words, the movie is great. --Doug Thomas

... Read more

Reviews (81)

Toy Story
1995's "Toy Story" was the first feature length film generated entirely by computers, and Pixar's first dive into theatrical films. The movie opens as young Andy turns 7. The undisputed leader of Andy's toys, a 50's cowboy doll named Woody (Tom Hanks), finds himself challenged by the new toy on the block, "space ranger" Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen). When Woody's plan to get rid of Buzz backfires, the two find themselves lost in the suburbs. Woody and Buzz relize they have to work together to get back to Andy's, and they eventually become the best of friends. The humor and animation is terrific, and a great start for Pixar. This lead to several other successes, such as A Bug's Life and Finding Nemo.

Now on to "the vaults". Disney is trying to squeeze every last penny out of the cash cow, and have the two Toy Story films under lock and key, no doubt so they can sell millions of "Special Editions" in five years. Once again, Disney appalls me with their unmatched corperate greed. In conclusion, Toy Story is an excellent film and a true must-see.

The Secret Lives of Toys Revealed
"Toy Story" is a modern fairy tale created with appropriately modern computer animation. Its snappy dialougue will appeal to adult viewers, the spectacle of fantastic toys coming to life will appeal to children, and adults may wax nostalgic about the toys they enjoyed as children, several of which are featured in this movie.
The story revolves around a cowboy doll named Woody, and his imminent replacement as the favorite toy of his owner, Andy, by Andy's new Buzz Lightyear doll, a multigadgeted gift that Andy receives for his birthday.
Tom Hanks'personality shines through in the persona of Woody, and Tim Allen's voice lends the right amount of charisma to Buzz.
In the process of forming an eventual friendship, the characters go through a lot of antagonism and a lot of other real human emotions. As they prepare for life in a new home, they are imperiled by the sadistic kid next door named Sid, into whose clutches they fall by accident.
It's entertaining to watch the toys interact with each other.
Buzz gradually learns that he is simply a child's plaything and not the noble space crusader he fancied himself to be in the beginning, and Woody learns to share his special place in Andy's heart. A great supporting cast including Annie Potts as Woody's sweetheart, Bo Peep, Don Rickles as Mr. Potato Head, Jim Varney as Slinky, Wallace Shawn as Rex, John Ratzenburger as Ham, and Laurie Metcalfe as Andy's mother help fuel this tale.
Seeing this innovative film made me want to buy dolls of Woody and Buzz as collector's items. But I am content with just a copy of this movie. The second installment of the "Toy Story" saga is an enhancement of the first one, and just like the first, nothing short of delightful.

Original and fun for the whole family!
This movie took me by storm when I saw it back in the summer of 1995 at the theatres and let me tell you, this movie is still one of the best computer animated movies of all time. In fact this movie shattered new grounds back in 1995 by not using drawing cel animation and instead this movie is the first of an unbroken chain of computer generated animated movies that has continued to date with "Finding Nemo".

The plot is absolutely joyful and stunningly original. The story revolves around the quiet family home of a quiet town where a boy owns numerous toys with his toddler sister. The toys however, are almost like beings of their own and are 'living' as well but stop 'moving' when the boy comes back into his room. However, a cowboy named Tim is the most popular 'toy' in the boys bedroom and is kept by the pillow almost every night until on his birthday, he gets a fancy astronaut toy named Buzz Lightyear who has many 'gizmos' and in time takes over the toy cowboys place as the most popular toy and Tim gets enormously jealous of this. However, after a botched attempt to remove Buzz, the cowboy himself along with Buzz end up in the hands of a punk teenager who takes joy in blowing up toys with firecrackers and or other means like burning, breaking, or smashing them and/or even taking them apart and re-assembling their parts to create 'mutant' toys and now the clock is ticking for Tim and Buzz to escape from the boys house before they end up being blown to molecules.

This movie is absolutely fun and original even by 1995 standards. The computer generated special effects are innovative and unbelievable especially considereing the fact that this movie came out nearly a whole decade ago. The whole tone of the movie is just fun and charming and is for the entire family. Not only that but this was what put the then newcomers Pixas right into the front seat of movie animation and would be the start of an unbroken streak of excellent movies from this dynamite team.

Computer animation wow. 16th april 2004.
The toys are great, the graphics and scenery is too. The collectables are boys mostly but the film is ace for anyone. The 3D toys look real, the colors are excellent[like finding nemo]. The talking toys are all friends, and they live with their owner andy.

Hit Me With Another One!
Give me another Toy Story and while your at it lets go for a 5th. Wow lets see...Tom Hanks and Tim Alan...Pixar and Disney...Go get it or miss out! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Great Movie"
This is a wonderful story full of true values that are so important in today's world. It has a wonderful story line with great actors and most of all a wonderful message of love and hope despite adversities in life. It is worth watching over and over.

About this movie and Michael Landon Sr./Jr.
When i watched Love comes softly.I saw it directed by Michael Landon's son Michael Landon Jr. When i watched this movie... Michael Landon Jr. Was exactly like his father Michael Landon. In my own opinion i think Michael Landon Jr. learned from his father!. Love comes softly is a good movie it's made me cry and it was...... amazing!

Wonderful Touching Story
This is one that I can watch over and over. It leaves you feeling optimistic and hopeful. Tender love story, with the lead man being strong, and with strong spiritual principals. I wish movie makers would wake up, and realize there is a huge population of people that would love more movies like this. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The middle film in George Lucas's enormously popular Star Wars science fiction trilogy is a darker, more somber entry, considered by many fans as the best in the series. Gone is the jaunty swashbuckling of the first film; the rebellion led by Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) suffers before the superior forces of the Empire, young hero Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) faces his first defeats as he attempts to harness the Force under the tutelage of Jedi master Yoda (voiced by Frank Oz), and cocky Han Solo (Harrison Ford) is betrayed by former ally Lando Calrissian (Billy Dee Williams). In the tradition of the great serials, this film is left with a hefty cliffhanger. The leap in special effects technology in the three years since Star Wars results in an amazing array of effects, including a breathtaking chase through an asteroid field and a dazzling, utopian Cloud City, where Luke faces the black-clad villain Darth Vader (David Prowse, voice of James Earl Jones) in a futuristic sword fight and learns the secret of his Jedi father. Veteran director Irvin Kershner (The Eyes of Laura Mars, Never Say Never Again) took the directorial reins from creator and producer Lucas and invested the light-speed adventure with deeper characters and a more emphatic sense of danger. The special edition expands Luke's encounter with the Abominable Snowman-esque wampa and establishes the creature as a tangibly more terrifying beast, in addition to refining many of the existing effects. The trilogy is concluded in The Return of the Jedi. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (191)

Star Wars: Episode V
I've watched all the Star Wars movies scores of times, and they are all spectacular with a great story, great action, and great characters (all with the beautiful music of John Williams).

The Empire Strikes Back, the middle story of the original trilogy, is probably one of my favorites (it's so hard to pick one!). The characters really come out in this episode, and you can't help but enjoy watching this film. Watch the exciting battle on the ice planet Hoth, the budding romance between the Princess Leia and the "scoundrel" Han Solo. See the breathtaking Cloud City, the murky swamps of Dagobah. Listen to the tutelage of wise Yoda, the fantastic musical score. And it all leads up to the critical battle between Luke and Darth, in which Skywalker makes his greatest mistake and Vader's dark secret is revealed.

Definitely the darkest of the trilogy, ESB leaves the viewer wanting more. We want to see the fate of Han Solo, how Luke reacts to startling news, and the further efforts of the Rebel Alliance ~ even if we've already seen the trilogy dozens of times. Watch this movie for a great story in a wonder-filled world.

The Empire returns in the greatest sequel of all time.
The Empire returns with a vengeance in the sequel to legendary film: Star Wars, A New Hope. This is one of the few movies that has lived up to it's predecessor in the history of motion pictures. The Empire Strikes back has proven once again that George Lucas' Star Wars universe is once of the finest conceived tomes in all of film lore. In this installment we find our heroes facing an Empire freshly stung from the defeat of their dreaded Death Star, and determined to annihilate the rebellion once and for all. Darth Vader has become obsessed with finding Luke Skywalker. He has searched the end of the galaxy and finally finds him and the rebellion on the ice planet of Hoth. There are many great scenes in this movie that are downright breathtaking. My favorite scene in this movie happens to be my favorite moment in almost any movie. The Asteroid chase where the Millenium Falcon, captained by Han Solo fly's into an asteroid belt to avoid the pursuing imperial Tie Fighters. I consider this not only to be the best action scenes of film history, it is also perfectly scored by John Williams. The perfect flow of this movie evolves from George Lucas' excellent writing and Lawrence Kasdan's direction. Another pivotal point in the Star Wars saga plays out as Obi Wan Kenobi's spirit directs our hero, Luke Skywalker, to seek out the one remaining Jedi Master on a swamp world called Dagobah. When Luke finally encounters Yoda he begins a journey whose conclusion is uncertain. Luke is pulled away from Dagobah and led to a cloud city where he finally confronts the dreaded Dark Lord of Sith: Darth Vader. I remember the entire theater trembling as Vader attempts to turn Luke to the dark side of the force. This movie is packed with action, adventure, romance and a shocking revelation that left everyone wondering who Luke Skywalker's father really was for the three years between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. If you are looking to purchase a legendary movie, The Empire Strikes back does NOT disappoint.

one of the greatest sequels ever
in this one,the deathstar is being rebuilt and the rebels go nuke it again.after a smorgasboard of malfunctions with the millenium falcon,they are trapped with the empire.also,luke goes into jedi training with yoda.eventualy,he and darth are throwing down at the end.i think the only person with a non-star wars related job after this was harrison ford-han solo.but he never did jack that even came close to the same awesomeness youll see in this set.the kids will love it too.george lucas is the directer.i dont know what hes done besides the star wars set but they are all over the top awesome.all 5 are in the top 20 best selling movies ever.this is a film that most anyone will enjoy.a lot of people say they dont like all that science fiction/star wars/star trek junk.id like to make a definate distinction.star trek is a boring bunch of non sense and star wars rules.there are a couple gross parts but nothing too bad.just ugly monsters like the sluggish jabba the hut and luke and yoda hanging around the swamp a lot.there is really only one chick.this uptight princess named leia.shes pretty in the face when shes not moving it but has a really bad haircut.also,it was during a time before fashion was of the upmost importance,so she runs around in a spacesuit a lot.never accept any review that says this movie is anything less then spectacular.the special effects set the abselute standard at the time.they are still pretty cool now.this is part 2 of the series and after it is the return of the jedi.then 2 prequels[before the first one entitled star wars].i guess theres another one coming out next summer.so,it goes 1-star wars:the new hope,2-empire strikes back,3-return of the jedi then the 3 before those but released later 4-phantom menance,5-attack of the clones,then there is an animated short film that ties up those and sets up the final episode called6-clone wars.the last,yet to be released film is episode 3 leading into star wars.did you get all that?

Best of the Series
Carrie Fisher once stated the SW series is like ice cream (nice simile). All being good, however ESB being the best flavor. I agree with her statement.

My dissertation,lol,on the film is near the final when Vader tells Luke that he is the father. On a Freudian level, this could be called the Oedipus complex theory with Luke deciding to not join his father. I presume Luke was apprehensive to join in because he believed it was a confidence game that would result in his own termination/castration. Just a speculative theory.
No matter what, enjoy this wonderful work.

When ESB was released in 1997 I had a standing date to go see it on the big screen. Way back in 1980, I remember being on summer vacation and going to see it for the first time. When the movie ended, I could not believe that we (the audience) were left hanging on a cliff for the next 3 years. Talk about tease, lol.......:)

the best film of the greatest sci-fi series ever.
the empire stikes back is one of those rare films that are actually better than the first. although some fans of the original may find this flim not as fun as the first and find some of the middle of the film (luke and yoda on degaboh...han,leia,etc. hiding from vader in the asteroid)a sleeper, the total content of the film overcomes this. the story is awsome with plot twists and turns, and the introduction of new characters to the star wars universe as well as the in-depth development and growth of the originals adds to this great story.ivan kershner's ominous dark tone adds a psychological beauty to this film and is probobly the most intelligent of the star wars films. i guarentee this will be one of the best films you'll see so if you haven't i highly recommend picking it up. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

David O. Selznick wanted Gone with the Wind to be somehow more than a movie, a film that would broaden the very idea of what a film could be and do and look like. In many respects he got what he worked so hard to achieve in this 1939 epic (and all-time box-office champ in terms of tickets sold), and in some respects he fell far short of the goal. While the first half of this Civil War drama is taut and suspenseful and nostalgic, the second is ramshackle and arbitrary. But there's no question that the film is an enormous achievement in terms of its every resource--art direction, color, sound, cinematography--being pushed to new limits for the greater glory of telling an American story as fully as possible. Vivien Leigh is still magnificently narcissistic, Olivia de Havilland angelic and lovely, Leslie Howard reckless and aristocratic. As for Clark Gable: we're talking one of the most vital, masculine performances ever committed to film.--Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (481)

One of the Most Overrated Films Ever
Gone With the Wind is remember as a great movie because of it's epic scope and excellent production values. But 60 years later when the big budget no longer thrills us, we are left with a decent film but nothing special.

To begin with the entire film is very campy and melodramatic. The whole film is very heavy-handed and over-done. Scenes like where Scarlet crys "I'll never be hungry again" are just plain ackward. Someone should have tatooed the word "subtlty" on Selznick's head.

The script is fairly weak too. It presents a very narrow, one dimensional view of the Civil War. Worse, the Civil War ends half way through the movie and the rest of the film lacks the first half's energy.

Another major flaw is that the characters lack any real depth. Scarlet is cold and nasty through the whole movie. She never changes untill the last two minutes of the movie. There is simply no development. Ashley is noble and his wife is so nice and sweat that it makes me sick. These characters simply aren't human and don't feal real. Probably the only character in the whole movie who actually developes at all is Ret. Sadly, Clark Gable's strong performance isn't enough to carry the rest of the cast.

It should also be noted that Gone With the Wind is very racist at some points. The scene where all the slaves are going off to fight the "evil yankees" is enough to turns one's stomache. Most of the black characters are portrayed as child-like and stupid. The only exception to this is Mimi who does an excellent job and deserved her Oscar.

Gone With the Wind is still an example of fine production values but when you strip away all the lavish sets and money spent on the film, you're left with a rather hollow experiance. While there is no denying that it is a very pretty movie, even today, and it does have it's moments, Gone With the Wind is simply an over-done and campy movie. This film does not deserve to be ranked up there with the likes of Citizen Kane or the Godfather. It's just not that good.

After more than 400 reviews...
...you can't say much else!! A spectacle to end all spectacles; the epitomy of costume, art direction, and cinemagraphic grandeur (Technicolor film was still rare in the 1930's, and the industry was already engulfed in production of at least one *other* color movie that same year). I wasn't enthralled with this film when I first saw it years ago but I have come to appreciate its epic presentation and gothic, almost soapy, storytelling. And the cast is entirely first-rate, from the leading lady (whose historical casting was a mini-series in itself) to the supporting roles (Hattie McDaniel, Thomas Mitchell, Ona Munson, Laura Crews, Ann Rutherford, Harry Davenport, Oscar Polk, 'Superman's' George Reeves, et al) to the hundreds (thousands?) of extras who populated the pre-and-postwar South (the tracking shot of the Twelve Oaks mansion at the start of the barbecue and the sprawling, widening shot of Scarlett walking amidst all the wounded soldiers come to mind). It is a great script ("Waste always makes me angry;" "Do you ever shy away from marrying men you don't love?") and great direction (Victor Fleming, George Cukor, and Sam Wood- anyone else?). It is a record-holder of sorts among Oscar nominated (or Oscars won) films, but it came out in an extraodrinary year of films. 1939 also saw the releases of, among others, GOODBYE MR. CHIPS, DARK VICTORY, THE OLD MAID, GUNGA DIN, ALEXANDER GRAHAM BELL, JUAREZ, ON BORROWED TIME, THE WOMEN, GULLIVER'S TRAVELS, AT THE CIRCUS, BABES IN ARMS, THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME, LOVE AFFAIR, MADE FOR EACH OTHER, and THE WIZARD OF OZ.

Lesley Howard is brilliant and a strong character
In his role of Scarlett O'Hara's (initially) true secret love. I had been a fan of Mr. Howard's for many years. His performance here is among his finest. Also check him out in The Petrified Forrest. As for the rest of the film. When he's not in it it's a little strong on the romantic side.

Worth Another Look for this Fan of Classic Film
Gone with the Wind creates many strong opinions, but I daresay many of them by people who haven't seen the film, or at least not in many years. It is sort of an amalgamation of both Margaret Mitchell's book and a reworking of DW Griffith's even more controversial silent blockbuster Birth of a Nation.

I had written this off as a silly commercialized Hollywood fairly tale but recently decided to give it another look. Basically, I think the claims of racism are far overblown, especially compared to other films of this era. It seems to me that Selznick and company went to great pains to stamp out the more overtly racist themes of Griffith's famous 1915 film. For instance, Scarlett's attempted rapists were all white; real black actors have menial but still important roles; those black actors are treated with dignity and respect; and finally the "n" word probably more frequent in southern parlance of the day was replaced with the more delicate term of "darky", and never used in a scornful fashion. And while establishment opinion in the North still clings to belief that the Civil War was a most noble and unselfish effort, the truth was something much less certain. Surely slaves in the prewar South were not all treated as gingerly as in this film; but just as certainly they were also brutally repressed in the North as well (just watch Gangs of New York for a history lesson on Northern feelings towards African Americans). All wars have a side people would rather forget, and this one was certainly no different. Also on the positive side, the film does a good job of capturing this broad historic period with smart scenes amidst well designed sets. It's really quite a grand production, in color no less, with a marvelous historical and cinematic scope.

On the less positive side, the heralded performances I think are a bit overrated. Clark Gable's presence helps considerably, but he is certainly not nearly as natural or comfortable as he was in It Happened One Night. And Mitchell's sappy, soap operaesque story frequently slips nearly into the preposterous, especially in latter scenes of the film when the historic takes a back seat to the dramatic. But maybe that's what gave the film its broad appeal, as it has a little of something for everyone. I think another factor may have really launched its success: released during the cold winter of 1939, its four-hour sitting time gave depression-weary Americans a warm night on the town for a cheap price that they could all afford.

Regarding the standard edition DVD, its very serviceable but the extras are appallingly poor for a film of this esteemed history. Also, Spanish subtitles would have been nice (only has English and French).

The Best of the Best
A total classic...everyone should own this film. ... Read more

Amazon.com

You may be surprised to discover that the director of the Lethal Weapon movies and scary horror flick The Omen, Richard Donner, also produced and directed this classic children's adventure (which, by the way, was written by Donner's screen-wizard friend Steven Spielberg). Then again you may not. The Goonies, like Donner's other movies, is the same story of good versus evil. It has its share of bad guys (the Fratelli brothers and their villainous mother), reluctant-hero good guys (the Walsh bothers and their gang of friends), and lots of corny one-liners. Like in an old-fashioned Hardy Boys or Nancy Drew plot, the Goonies need to solve a problem: a corrupt corporate developer has bought out their neighborhood and plans to flatten all their homes. Luckily, the beloved gang stumbles on a treasure map. In the hopes of finding the treasure to buy back their houses, the Goonies embark on their quest through underground passages, aboard pirate ships, and behind waterfalls. This swashbuckling and rollicking ride was also a great breeding ground for a couple of child actors who went on to enjoy numerous successes in adulthood: Sean Astin (Rudy, Encino Man) and Martha Plimpton (Pecker, 200 Cigarettes). --Samantha Allen Storey ... Read more

Reviews (338)

Nothing Will Never Surpass The Goonies!
Like many before me, I grew up with The Goonies. I ran around my house as a young one, trying to act like Mouth, or doing the Truffle Shuffle to entertain friends (I lacked on the truffle, but I could do the shuffle).

The Goonies holds something that every kid should find magical, even though the only magic in the movie is the magic of friendship. Steven Spielberg wrote the story about a group of friends who are about to lose their houses so a country club can be built where they leave. They come upon a treasure map that supposedly has a legend behind it, and leads to a great treasure. Mikey and his colorful bunch of friends set up to go in search of the treasure not knowing the villianist trio, the Fratellis, are also out for the treasure. Along the way, chaos ensues, friendships go stronger, and they meet a creature who has nothing but love to share and Baby Ruths to eat.

The characters are all likable . . . are all lovable, and the actors who portray them made them all that they were. The Fratellis are even, in some ways, likable throughout the movie, but in the end, they get what they were asking for. The directing, of course, is awesome. None like it actually. And the sets are amazing. Especially the pirate ship set. That was too awesome, and enough to satisfy any adventure lover.

The DVD should satisfy any Goonies fan with the word of all the extras to be on it. And I'm ready to see the infamous deleted octopus scene. I hope it's on there. I believe I read somewhere that some of the cast had gotten together to do a commentary. Now there's wishful hoping that that did happen!

"SLOTH LOVE CHUNK!" And Josh loves this movie.

best movie!
When my sister and I were introduced to THE GOONIES about 10 years ago, by our dad, we fell in love with it. My sister and I have watched this movie literally 100 times, and no matter how many times we've seen it, we still continue to get captured into the excitement, adventure and fun the movie holds. For Christimas this year, we got the movie on DVD and its better then ever. Including the original movie, it has a commentary with the cast of the movie, a music video the cast did with Cyndi Lauper, outtakes, the orginial trailer and a look at the making of the goonies. Whenever our friends come over, we ask them, "Have you ever seen 'the goonies'?" And if they hadn't, we introduce them to our favorite movie.
When Mikey (Sean Astin) and his friends, the goonies, encounter a treasure map, they embark on the adventure of a lifetime. With characters like Mouth,(Corey Feldman), Data (Ke Huy Kuan), Chunk (Jeff Cohen) and Mikey's older brother, Brand (Josh Brolin), and the girl goonies, Andy(Kerri Green) and Stef(Martha Plimpton) the jokes are endless. As they out run the bad guys, dodge the booby traps, and find the treasure of One-eyed-Willy, its a thrill a minute adventure that will capture the hearts of young and old for generations to come.

Pinchers of peril!!! The Ultimate Goonie DVD experience!
Growing up in the 80's - The Goonies was one of the most incredible movies for me. It captures all of the childhood joy and want of adventure and excitement that a normal day just doesn't bring. This movie, while it is clearly an "80's" flick, does not appear dated in any way. It still has that spark that gave it life nearly 20 years ago.

That said, here's what you get with this DVD and here's why you should buy it today:

The movie itself is enough however...

The deleted scenes are a lot of fun. We finally get to see the ever-fabled "Octopus" scene. For years, I would scratch my head when Data said "The Octopus was really scary!" Huh? What Octopus? Well, he's in this DVD. You also realize why the scene was cut out. Let's just say the animatronics weren't all that great.

Those old music videos starring Cyndi Lauper and various classic WWF wrestlers are here too. Remember Rock "n" Wrestling? I found myself saying "oh yeah....I remember that!" Watch for a cameo of Susanna Hoffs from the Bangles in the video!

The DVD commentary is a lot of fun! While almost every new DVD has a commentary in place, it almost always bores one to tears with the director or a star just kind of droning their way through the movie. Often, the major stars don't even do the commentary (great example is Rocky - where the commentary features everyone but Stallone himself!) This commentary has all of the original Goonie stars plus Richard Donner. There's a lot of joking around and the stories they tell are funny and don't go off the subject. Note: Sean Astin disappears about halfway through the flick. Also, beware Corey Feldman who talk over everyone to further perpetuate that he is the biggest glory hog in show business.

Enough already. This is such a great movie and the special features are ones that you'll actually watch more than once! Buy the DVD already!

Goonies Never Say Die!
What can I say? This movie has it all! Action, Suspense, Romance, Sean Astin pre Samwise Gamgee. What more could you want?

Steven Spielberg brings a story about a misfit group of kids who set out to save their home. It all hinges on finding the treasure of One-Eyed Willie, a famous pirate who was rumored to have hid his treasure somewhere around where they live.

Throw in a mafia family who has recently broken out of jail, a treasure map, a Baby Ruth, and a wonderful dance called the Truffle Shuffle and you've got an instant classic!!

Also, look for the line about battling the octopus in the end, then think about the octopus battle. Something doesn't add up does it??

I like some types of Korn...............
but this movie was way too corny for my tastes. This movie managed to use every single cliché that ever existed. This ranges from the group of misfits going on an adventure to save their home from evil corporate rich people to mobsters with guns to a pirate treasure cave filled with booby traps to a fat kid who saves the day to a disfigured grotesque monster suddenly gaining human knowledge and capabilities and rebelling against it's owners to love between two 13 year olds. The reason that I gave this movie two stars is because there are worse films than this one and one scene was funny. Other than that, I do not recommend this film to anyone who likes hardy boys and other meaningless kids detective stories. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

This Disney masterpiece from 1940 will hold up forever precisely because it doesn't restrain or temper the most elemental emotions and themes germane to its story. Based on the Collodi tale about a wooden puppet who wants to become a real boy, Pinocchio is among the most magical, mythical, and frightening films to come from the studio in its long history. A number of scenes make permanent impressions on young minds (just ask Steven Spielberg, who quoted the film more than once in Close Encounters of the Third Kind), and the songs ("When You Wish upon a Star") can't be beat. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (107)

A TERRIFIC TREAT FOR THE YOUNG*AT*HEART
Gepetto, a kindly old woodcarver, creates a little puppet boy of pine and names him Pinocchio. Because the old man, who has been generous and good all his life, loves children - but has none of his own - the Blue Fairy brings the marionette to life in order to be a son to him. She tells Pinocchio that in order to be a real boy, he must exhibit the virtues of truth, courage & selflessness...A timeless excursion into the world of classic childhood fantasy, this 194O Disney picture will no doubt be treasured in 2O4O: its theme is too timeless to date badly. The film cost the Disney studio 2.5 million dollars to produce & out of the total 2 million (!) drawings, a mere 3OO,OOO were ultimately used in the finished film. Dickie Jones, who was a child actor who infrequently appeared in OUR GANG comedies, lent his voice for the title character, while Evelyn Venable provided the Blue Fairy with vocal chords. Frankie Darro vocalised Lampwick & Cliff Edwards, as Jiminy Cricket, sang the AA winning song WHEN YOU WISH UPON A STAR. The original story was adapted from the 1882 novel by Carlo Collodi "La Avventure d'Pinocchio".

Magical
The following is an excerpt from an essay I did about Walt Disney. The excerpt is property of Amazon, but the ESSAY is my property. Email me if you want it.

Last night I watched Pinocchio, Disney's second feature-length film and in my opinion one of the studio's best features. Based on the 19th century book by Carlo Collodi, but not half as unpleasant, Pinocchio combines winning animation with great humor and excitement. There are songs, but they're never like the huge production numbers that last four minutes and feature the voice of some up-and-coming princess of pop (who'll be gone in a year) that the studio later adopted with the applicable exception of When you Wish Upon a Star.

The movie takes a sadastic, cruel, heartless little wooden boy (Collodi's character) and turns him into an interesting, 3-dimensional kid with a good heart but who is weak-willed and doesn't always listen to reason. The animation makes brilliant use of the multiplane camera, featuring a sprawling opening sequence in which the viewer practically sees the entire village at night. The characters are colorful and fun (I especially love Honest John Foulfellow and his sidekick Gideon) and the story has never a dull moment. This film is a reminder of the sort of efforts Disney put into their films; the man himself had a great storytelling passion that was lost in later works (Alice in Wonderland, 101 Dalmations). Pinocchio was never as famous as some of the others, and this is unfortunate because it is his masterpiece.

Masterpiece Pinocchio by Luske Hamilton and Ben Sharpsteen
"When you wish upon a star, makes no difference who you

are, anything you heart desires will come to you."

You've heard this song on the Disneyland and Superbowl commercials, but do you remember where it came from?

It came from this cartoon, Pinocchio, Walt Disney's second feature to "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" in 1940.

I repeat 1940!! Wow and to this day ,Pinocchio still stands out as one of the greatest movies of all time.

This opinion is about the 60th anniversay VHS of Pinocchio with THX sound and Remastered visual footage. It even has a bonus at the end about the making of Pinocchio!!! Wow.

This was a Christmas gift for my best friend and she loved it, and I can see why.

Pinocchio is filled with dazzling animation,music and filled with so much fun and happyness that at the end of the movie , you will feel like wishing upon a star youreself.

Pinocchio is about a wooden puppet made by toymaker Geppeto (Christian Rub) who wants his own son.

Geppeto makes one wish, to have his own son. Geppeto gets his wish when the Blue Fairy brings Pinocchio to life!!!

It took nearly 700 animators and technicians to bring Pinocchio to life and the hard work definitely shows!!!

People can say whatever they want about Disney current movies, true they lack a certain magic unlike their cherish cartoon like Pinocchio, but Disney is one of a few companies that has a SOLID record of making Cartoon Classics that are loved by everyone.

The fairy brings Pinocchio to life and promises to Pinoccho (voice of Dickie Jones) that he will remain a real boy if he follows the basic principles that every boy should have.

He has to be loyal, truthful and above fair. She assigns Jiminy Cricket (Cliff Edwards) to be Pinocchio's conscience.

Well it sounds easy at first, but living up to these values is the real challenge here and Pinocchio tries his best to follow them,but since he has just being turned into a boy he doesnt yet know right from wrong.

This is where we meet characters like ,J. Worthington Foulfellow, Stromboli and Barker who take advantage of the young boy.

Jiminy Cricket and the fairy save Pinocchio from his judgement calls ,but yet Pinocchio doesnt learn to tell the truth and when he lies his nose starts to grow like a Christmas tree. :-)

Meanwhile Geppeto is looking for Pinocchio and ends up being captured by a giant whale Monstro!!!

Pinocchio saves Geppeto in a brillian animation sequence and Pinocchio by displaying bravery ends up being a real boy permanently.

It's a classic, I can say more but I dont want to spoil it for anyone

In an age, where moral, brilliant, wholesome cartoons are scarce you look back to the classics and Pinocchio will forever stand out as one of the greatest classics ever made by Walt Disney who has left his print in the world and in children's hearts.

Go out and buy this for youre children

The Truth Will Set You Free
Almost all Disney movies are based on dreams that became a reality in the end. Here in this movie Gepetto (Wood Carver) who wished for Pinocchio to become a real boy.You may say this is just a movie but it discusses one very important aspect of life. Its very important for young kids to say the TRUTH or you may end up like Pinocchio.When He kept telling lies his nose grew longer eventhough he's been warned by Jiminy Cricket (his conscience)to tell the truth.
It also discusses true friendship and trust. Jiminy Cricket was upset when Pinocchio told him that he's with his best friend (other kid)on Treasure Island, Jiminy thought he is the bestfriend of Pinocchio.
Above all,this is one very touching film.

The Puppet Show
This certainly is not one of my favorite Disney movies. I just really didn't get in to the movie I guess but then I never really cared for this Fairy Tale either.
The voice actors are good and the scenery, and colors are great. But for some reason this one really just didn't hit home for me. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Executive producers Dustin Hoffman and Mimi Rogers present the truth of the Holocaust so a new generation can understand why it must never be forgotten. Kirsten Dunst plays Hannah, a modern teen more concerned with trends than history. During the traditional Passover dinner, she zones out as her relatives harp about concentration camps. But then Hannah passes through a portal to the past, where she becomes her own ancestor in Poland during the Nazi persecution of the Jews.

Director Donna Deitch provides an infinite library of Holocaust detail, re-creating the period with minute dedication. Haunting images, every costume, every hair, every light and shadow conspire to maintain a sense of desolate desperation. Suspense pervades as escapes fail and mothers with newborns are taken away. Only the magical context of the story, taken from the original children's novel by Jane Yolen, allows for a life-affirming ending. The performances may not be multifaceted but, considering the single-mindedness of the tale, the deep commitment of the actors makes every moment real and meaningful. Dunst seems able to carry a movie herself, and Brittany Murphy is mesmerizing as Hannah's sweet cousin Rivkah.

The message is powerfully direct, but the film avoids extreme violence in deference to young audiences. The theme is enshrined in the Rivkah's words: "We must stay alive to tell everyone what we've been through." Indeed, when Hannah returns to the present, she is a new woman, with a profound love of her culture and a religious respect for the value of all human life. --Lloyd Chesley ... Read more

Reviews (21)

Horrid story, told incredibly well
The Holocaust has to be one of the worst things to have happened in history. And, as those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it, we continue to retell the story of the Holocaust from every different angle. This is an amazing telling of an incredibly sad tale. Those familiar with the Passover Seder knows that the story is explained to four "sons:" the Wise Son, the Bad Son, the Simple Son, and the Son Who Cannot Ask A Question. Kirsten Dunst plays a modern girl who epitomizes the Bad Som. She's not evil, but doesn't know what the heck it has to do with her. Nor does she care. Due to too much wine, or a miracle, Hannah is transported back in time to the Holocaust, where she spends time with family members before they go into a concentration camp, and is caught and sent to the camp with them. I cried hysterically throughout, and remain haunted by The Devil's Arithmetic. Because I hear that the book is even better, i'll be reading that as well. For a deeply moving story about the Holocaust, I do recommend this video.

"The Horror of the Holocaust ...for teenagers."
I recently showed this film to my 7th graders as a part of our study of the Jewish people. I wasn't sure what to expect. To be certain, Kirsten Dunst (Hannah) is popular with teens today, yet I could not guess how a film dealing with Passover Sedars, Hebrew traditons, and a war so far away from the life of modern teens would go over in my classroom.

To my surprise, the film proved to be the most riveting and attention-holding movie I can ever recall showing. In it are contained superb acting, eerie (and effective) musical interludes, and a suspense of time-travel that will hold teenagers absolutely spellbound!

Dustin Hoffman's poignant introduction reveals his passion that young people today never forget the holocaust. As long as this film is available to be watched, they won't.

At times, the suffering of the Jews (made personal by Dunst's wonderful performance) pushes the emotional limit of what I felt my students could take. Yet, with craft and artistry, we are spared in "The Devils' Arithmetic" the emotional overload of "Schindler's List". This is as it should be. "The Devil's Arithmetic" is geared to teenagers.

If ever a theme of love, sacrifice, and the horror of hatred needed portrayal outside the realm of religion, one could not do much better than to show this film. What Hannah does for her best friend at the movie's conclusion is as gut-wrenching as it is predictable, and Nazi treatment of the Jews is brutally captured with appropriate reserve--no easy task! In the end, a young Jewish girl who began only with an interest in tatoos learns the lessons of history, tradition, and above all--life's priorities. In a nutshell, how lives and a culture can change in an instant is the strength of "The Devil's Arithmetic".

Be very sure--this film will make a powerful impact on young teens! The dropping of the gas pellets at the conclusion of the dream sequence is intense...very intense. Yet how can the holocuast be portrayed without such reality? With younger teenagers, take care that background preparation, as well as a reflective time for discussion is provided. This movie packs an emotional punch, and will leave young minds impressed forever.

GREAT MOVIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I lke this movie.It is about this girl who is from the future and she transports to the past where the nazi's and the concentration camps are.I am only 11 but I really liked this movie.And its a little bit scary.I watched it with my brother.And it showsw you nearly ALL the things the nazi's have done in the past.There is like a wedding and like lots of Jews are there and than the Nazi's come and fire the houses and they take the Jews to the concentration camp.And at the end the girl gets back to the future.You should really see this movie.

Tearjerkingly wonderful
We were studying the Holocaust and WWII in World History, and we had to watch this movie in class. When our teacher said that Kirstin Dunst and Brittany Murphy starred, I immediately thought back to the chick flicks the girls had starred in. I thought the acting on their part would be horrible.
I was so very, very wrong. This movie is amazing, and I was near tears the whole thing. The acting was beautiful, and both Dunst and Murphy were simply wonderful.
I reccomend this to everyone, and you must go rent it or buy it at your local video store NOW. You will NOT be disappointed.

An awe inspiring performance
I absolutely thought this movie got the point across about the Holocaust. It was so terrible watching some of the torture that Jews went through, but the ending was definitely worth the emotional rollercoaster. ... Read more

Amazon.com

A sweet tempered urban love story, Crossing Delancey argues that true love may be in the first place you look. Amy Irving is a single Jewish woman working at an upscale bookstore on the Upper West Side of New York. As much as she longs to be a part of the intellectual literary scene, she is tethered to her roots on the Lower East Side, where her old-fashioned grandmother is forever trying to fix her up. Irving has her eye on a handsome brooding author, but her grandmother enlists the help of a local matchmaker to fix her up with Peter Riegert, a quiet Jewish man who runs a pickle stand in the neighborhood. Soon she must decide what it is she really wants out of life and what love really means to her. Though a very traditional love story, Crossing Delancey has its moments of soul searching drama and an unlikely romance. --Robert Lane ... Read more

Reviews (20)

Literate, Charming Romance!
This is the movie that "Moonstruck" WISHES it could have been! Amy Irving and Peter Reigert star in this literate, well written, wonderfully acted New York story in which Upper West Side sophistication meets Lower East Side tradition. Irving's "Izzy" lives in a world of books, editors, writers, and intellectuals, while Reigert's "Sam" owns a pickle stand in the heart of Lower Manhattans old world Jewish community, the East Side below Delancey Street. Sam and Izzy are brought together when Izzy's old fashioned Grandmother hires a matchmaker to find Izzy a suitable man to finally settle down with. Tradition clashes with modern life in New York when Sam enters Izzy's world and forces her to look at herself and those around her.

"A joke and a pickle...for only a nickle."
I hate to use the word "adorable", but, I must. This film is just adorable. The story of Izzy, the sophisticated, independent, N.Y. City career girl (wonderfully played by Amy Irving), and "Sam , The Pickle Man", (also wonderfully played by Paul Riegert), is a heartwarming, funny, sweet love story. Izzys "Bubby" hires a marriage broker, hysterically played by Sylvia Miles, to "match-up" her granddaughter, "Miss Fancy", who she perceives as living a lonely life.."A dog should live alone !" Izzy is involved in the literary world, and aspires to an intellectual, sophisticated life, only miles away, but a million miles away from the old -world kosher existance of her beloved Bubby. Reizl Bezyk ,who was a popular star in Yiddish theater, plays Bubby, and she is really the outstanding character in this movie. Her practical, no-nonsense approach to life & love, with a kind of "you're born, you eat, you love, you die" mentality, is in direct opposition to granddaughter Isabelles (Izzy). She speaks in "Bubby-isms", and she is hysterical, implying the world in just a look. Izzy immediatley rejects the arranged match-up with Riegerts "Sam", the pickle man, simply because she can't get past the pickles. She sees the pretentious Russian author, to whom she is associated in her job at an old book store, as being more complementary to her. He is a cad who woos her with quotes from Confucious, and he can offer her the prestige and entree into the world of intelligensia that she aspires to be in. The ensuing conflict, between the world she hopes for, and the opportunity that's right in front of her... that she won't see, is very touching and funny. This is just a great little love story about sometimes finding what you're looking for in the most un-likely package, and not letting your pre-conceived expectations get in the way. It is beautifully filmed around wonderful Manhattan locations, and the soundtrack by "The Roches" perfectly complements the story as it happens. A terrific little "feel-good" movie... and you're gonna love that "Bubby."

Searching & Finding Meaning in the Middle of Romance
"Crossing Delancey" is presum