Product Description

The Walk Away the Pounds Boxed Set from Video Action Sports contains 3 great In-Home Walking workouts that you can squeeze into your busy schedule to help you walk your way to a healthy body. The video includes Get Up and Get Started (1 mile), High Calorie Burn (2 miles) and Super Fat Burning (3 miles). You can trust Leslie Sansone for safe, easy and fun walking programs. ... Read more

Reviews (106)

It works!
I have Leslie's Walk Away The Pounds deluxe set, which comes with the 1 mile walk tape, the 2 mile, the 3 mile, and the weighted balls. I started only 3 weeks ago, and I have been doing the 2 mile video every day, and the 3 mile when I feel more energetic.

This really works! I have lost weight and inches already! These workouts are easy, but they WORK! I have cut back on junk food, so I am not doing a major life changing diet, yet its still working. I am a clutz and get very tired easy, I have no coordination, but I can do these! :)

There is no jumping around and you need very little room, which is a plus. I find Leslie very easy to follow and I don't feel lost with whats going on like with Richard Simmons tapes.

Easy and Effective Workout
I bought the 3 mile walk about 4 months ago. For the first 2 months I used it 5-6 days a week. Since I've started doing this workout (currently mix it in with several other DVD/ VHS workouts), I've lost 15 lbs! That's pretty significant considering that I'm only 5'4"!

I really love this workout. It's not hard on my legs/ knees, it makes me sweat, and it's so easy to follow that I can put my TV on split-screen and watch a TV show on half the screen with sound and still follow along with the muted workout.

There only bad thing I have to say is that the repetitive music and hearing the same old jokes again and again; it's hard to take. That's another reason I'm so glad I can do the split screen workout with the VHS muted!

Another thing: I've managed to hook 4 people that I work with, and several of their friends/ families on the same 3 mile walk! These people all asked how I was losing so much weight and then borrowed the tape for a trial before going and buying it themselves. One person has lost 20lbs in 2 months from doing the workout 3 times a week!

In short, I would say that this program definitely delivers!

Easy to follow, low stress workouts
I started working out with these videos when I was 4-5 months pregnant. I am currently in my 7th month, and still enjoy them immensely. The workouts are easy, and present no jerky or bouncy movements that could cause problems with my already out-of-balance and awkward shape.

I had enjoyed walking regularly before buying these videos, but I was looking for an alternative to my somewhat boring treadmill routine. The miles go very quickly in these videos, and Leslie and her crew are very likeable. I feel as though I'm exercising with friends.

I use the 2-mile tape the most, and the 1-mile tape (approx. 17 minutes) is wonderful for squeezing in an early-morning or while-dinner-is-cooking workout. As my pregnancy progresses, I find the pace of the 3-mile tape somewhat difficult to keep up with. But it's a pace I know I can manage once the baby is born.

I got my doctor's OK before getting into these workouts, and I'm finding that these videos are not only easy, but fun. I believe I will continue to enjoy them throughout the rest of my pregnancy. I look forward to using them to work back into my pre-pregnancy shape.

No-excuses, a no-brainer
If you can walk you can do this workout -- and it works!!! It's especially great on those days when you don't feel like doing a "jump/dance" workout. You'll sweat, burn and tone just the same. Should be included everyones fitness video library.

Great and Easy to do.
My mom and I love these videos. We haven't exercise in years and are out of shape. These videos are easier than others out there and when we are done we feel full of energy and good for doing something for our health. Leslie makes us feel like we are right there exercising with them. I don't mind the music at all. HighLy recommended for those of you that out of shape. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Light on story, this 1966 spectacle directed by John Frankenheimer was shot in 70 millimeter, with a cinematically enthralling emphasis on unique, visceral new ways of capturing the sensations of a car race. James Garner, Eva Marie Saint, Yves Montand, and Toshiro Mifune are part of the stellar, international cast whose characters plod through assorted relationship and business conflicts. But the film's real hook is the thrilling and inventive means by which Frankenheimer (The Manchurian Candidate) brings an urgency to the drama happening on the racetrack. A true master of the plastic techniques of obtaining and cutting kinetic footage, Frankenheimer offers more than a joyride to viewers: he makes action part of the compelling language of stories. Cameras are strapped to vehicles as they round the track, shots are taken from a helicopter, the screen is split between angles for maximum impact--even if Grand Prix doesn't rank among the director's best character-driven stories, it is certainly driven on its own terms. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (53)

a classic and a must for race fans
John Frankenheimer broke new ground when he filmed "Grand Prix", putting cameras on single-seater cars and thus creating some of the most amazing footage ever shot of cars from that era. The movie is on the light side as far as the story development goes, and while James Garner is very convincing as an American grand prix ace, one has a harder time buying this sort of act from Yves Montand who plays the aging Ferrari driver. Eva Marie Saint is cast as a magazine journalist following the grand prix circus around Europe, trying to get a story - a storyline that was recently successfully resurrected in "Driven". Her lovestory with Montand is not exactly hot, but the highly dramatic race action in Monte Carlo, Spa, and Monza (they still used the famous banking of the autodromo in those days!)more than makes up for that. The film features cameo appearances of some of the era's greatest drivers like Graham Hill. Letter-boxed on a larger screen is the only decent way to completely enjoy the breath-taking cinematography of this classic.

Grand Prix starring James Garner
Grand Prix, the film, is an amazing documentary portraying grand prix racing in the late 1960's. James Garner plays an outstanding role as American driver Pete Aaron. With little dialogue and plenty of authentic race footage, Grand Prix can eaisly be quoted to be the best racing movie ever produced. John Frankenheimer took the racing fans image of early grand prix racing to it's greatest extreme and and made it into one of the first auto racing films ever to be produced. A production of this quality will never be recreated because of the manner in which it was made. The footage is real racing, not acting. Helicopters were flown down the straightways 15-20 feet above the cars during races. The FIA these days wouldn't let an aircraft within miles of the circuit, making a film with the action of Grand Prix impossible to duplicate.

Grand Prix
Having recently rediscovered Formula 1 racing on the Speed Channel, I went looking for the finest movie ever made concerning the Grand Prix, the movie of the same name. I was fortunate to have seen it in Cinemascope in a theater especially designed for just such movies - humongous curved screen, as fine a sound system as then available. I've watched the movie several times on the little box but it's never duplicated the original experience. I CANNOT BELIVE it is not yet available on DVD. If ever a movie deserved the DVD treatment this is it. The very finest movie of its kind - it accurately captures the essence of Formula 1 racing and is every bit as timely and viable a viewing experience as it was 38 years ago. If we pull together it will soon be available - I have no doubt.

Grand Prix, Grand indeed!
It has been said that this is the best racing movie ever made. It is.

No movie before or since has been able to capture the feeling and essence of racing in the 60's or any other era.

What director Frankenheimer does in this movie is still exciting even by today's standards.

Even though I am a huge Steve McQueen fan, Le Mans definitely takes second place to Grand Prix.

I was really excited to see the movie Driven with Stallone, until I saw it. All I kept saying to myself was "This is not even close to Grand Prix". Grand Prix has not only raised the bar, but has set it as well.

Do yourself a favor, don't rent, but rather buy this film and get ready for an education on how great movies were made and should be made.

Beware: Pan and Scan
Be aware that this is a Pan and Scan version of the film, a fact that is omitted in the product description. As a result, many scenes that were thrilling in Cinemascope and awkward here. Nonetheless, I fully concur with other reviewers - this is a must have film for car buffs and racing fans. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Admit it: if it weren't for Schoolhouse Rock, you probably couldn't recite the preamble to the Constitution, and you might be fuzzy on the function of conjunctions, too. All the more reason to cue up the 30th-anniversary video, which culls 25 fan-selected favorites ("I'm Just a Bill," "My Hero Zero") plus a new, informative and wacky Electoral College number. The countdown, kind of like Casey Kasem's of the same era, reaches out to old-school Schoolhouse Rockers with instant recognizability (number 25 is the frontier-busting "Elbow Room"), but better yet, the science, math, grammar, and history bits burst through the decades dust bunny-free--verbs are still happening, and Interplanet Janet's intergalactic gusto still seems groovy. Turn it off halfway though and a flurry of interjections from a new flock of 4- to 10-year-olds may fly. --Tammy La Gorce ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Schoolhouse Rock Rocks my house!
This Video has most of my favorites - Conjunction Junction, I'm just a bill, you know them. It's amazing that in 25 years no one's been able to top them.
I wonder how many high school seniors know as much as a kid who watches these videos about history, science, grammar, and math. I prefer DVD, but whatever.
My kids watch it all the time. I like it too. The songs are as fun. These clever rhymes are unforgettable, but unlike some annoying kid's songs, you don't really want to forget these.
I really feel like my kids need to be informed about the Bible too, (whatever they choose to believe later), so I have also been thrilled that they made a CD and DVD called
Scripture Rock.

School House Rock!
I like the songs. I saw these when I was in my 10 or 13yrs old. I like to see these cartoon on DVD.

I love when my kids love Schoolhouse Rock and Scripture Rock
My kids love this tape. I'm amazed at how these songs hold up year after year. - Conjunction Junction, I'm Just A Bill- those are the best but the others are good too.
I got this for them and noticed that the made a Schoolhouse Rock for Bible called Scripture Rock and my kids love both Schoolhouse Rock and Scripture Rock.

List of Songs
This is a list of all the songs in the video. This list is arranged by subject. In the video, the songs are arranged by popularity.

America Rock:
Elbow Room
Mother Necessity
Great American Melting-pot
No More Kings
The Shot Heard 'Round the World
The Preamble to the Constitution
I'm just a Bill (my personal favorite)
special bonus: Electoral College

Grammar Rock:
Verb
Rufus Xavier Sasparilla (pronouns)
Unpack your Adjectives
A Noun is a Person, Place or Thing
Interjections! (my other favorite)
Lolly Lolly Lolly (adverbs)
Conjunction Junction

Science Rock:
Them not-so-dry bones
Telegraph line
Interplanet Janet

Math Rock and Money Rock:
Naughty Number 9
Dollars and Sense
Elementary, my dear
Here I come (counting by 5s)
Figure 8
My Hero Zero
Three is a magic number

I'm Disappointed.
I was soooo excited to get this home and play it because I grew up listening to these cartoon segments every Saturday morning! But it bored me. They just weren't as good as I remembered them, I guess. I ended up fast forwarding through most of it. I paused for the classics "I'm only a Bill" etc, but I didn't seem to recognize most of them anymore.
If you're looking to relive a little childhood, rent it first- then if you think you can live with it, buy it. Perhaps you need to check to be sure you recognize more than 1/2 of the titles too. (I 'thought' I did!) -I personally wish I had my money back. (My kids even begged me to shut it off!) Just my opinion...hope it helps those of you looking to purchase it. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

This film actually began with the idea of remaking A Star Is Born with the then-hot couple James Taylor and Carly Simon. Eventually, it evolved into this vanity production for Barbra Streisand, with Kris Kristofferson as the designated stud muffin. The story remains the same: A superstar on the decline meets a young singer on the way up. They marry as their career trajectories intersect, and his eventual demise is meant as a sacrifice to further boost her career by ridding her of the burden of him. Kristofferson's rock & roll numbers are decidedly lousy--Hollywood's idea of rock music--and Streisand looks good and always sounds fine (she won an Oscar for cowriting the song "Evergreen"). But you can feel her heavy hand guiding every shot; she seems to serve as puppet master for director Frank Pierson, framing every image of herself for maximum glow. The ultimate date flick (if the guy can sit still through it). --Marshall Fine ... Read more

Reviews (30)

A remake of a remake
This film makes me recall a rather infamous episode of my life. I wanted to take a date to see "Rocky" in the theater, but she insisted on seeing this movie instead. Just like my date, this picture turned out to be a dud. Because it's loosely based on two previous releases of the same title (one starring Frederic March and Janet Gaynor; the other featuring Judy Garland and James Mason), the plot is uninspired and predictable. As for acting, both Streisand and Kristofferson should stay in the recording studio. The only redeeming feature of this film is Streisand's performance of her hit song "Evergreen".

A STAR IS BORN BARBARA STRIESAND
THE MOVIE WAS AN EXCELLENT MOVIE AND RECIEVED ALL KIND OF AWARDS.IT IS A CLASSIC AND SHOULD BE AVAIABLE ON DVD.BARBARA STRIESAND AND KRIS KRISTOFFERSON ARE LEGENDS OF THEIR DAY AND I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO OWN THE MOVIE FOR MY BARBARA COLLECTION.I CAN'T BELIEVE IT'S NOT AVAIABLE.IF IT COMES OUT PLEASE EMAIL ME.

"I want everything..."
A blockbuster at the time of it's original release (it was the second-highest grossing film of 1976), the third screen version of A STAR IS BORN has not aged well in the opinion of many. It's not without some irony that Streisand's most commercially successful film would also remain her most controversial. For every ten fans who state that STAR is Streisand's best film, there are always ten more who claim it is the weakest film in her filmography. Actually, though both sides have plenty merit to support their claims, it should still be noted that A STAR IS BORN remains a entertaining - if imperfect - showbiz drama.

The film is solidly enjoyable, even absorbing at times, but there are several obstacles that prevent it from really hitting it's intended bull's-eye. Changing the setting from the old Hollywood studio system to the competitive world of the music industry was actually a great idea, although I wished the screenplay would have forged a more realistic contrast between the characters' romance and their careers. For example, the film is very successful at this in the first hour and last half-hour (i.e., clashing personal and professional difficulties during recording sessions, never-ending phone calls interrupting Kristofferson's songwriting attempts), however, the midsection of film seems to completely forget about their careers while they're out building their ranch house. This is particularly odd considering that Streisand's "star-making" concert appearance immediately proceeds this, and seems to go completely forgotten about throughout this section of the film.

The performances are mostly on target, even though the supporting characters aren't fleshed out enough. If you're looking for an actress/singer who can walk the fine line between tough and vulnerable without making herself seem like a script contrivance, Streisand is definitely the girl you want. She's one of the few film stars who can make even the most banal dialogue seem fresh and natural, and, as usual, she manages to make a strong emotional connection with the viewer - even though she's actually playing somewhat of an unlikable, ungrateful character. Kris Kristofferson may not get much respect now for his laid-back characterization, however, he's always interesting watch, and actually received rave reviews at the time from "Newsweek," "Time," and even the "NY Times'" usually vicious Pauline Kael. Gary Busey and Oliver Clark also give believable performances, but both have a fairly minimal amount of screentime.

Which that brings me to the film's biggest problem: For a film that is nearly two-and-a-half hours long, it really doesn't feel like much happens. Frank Pierson's acceptable, but rather flat direction may be mostly responsible for this, but perhaps some tighter editing would have also improved things. As is, the film has a good amount of memorably effective scenes, but never really gels into a consistent whole. The same goes for the film's slate of original songs, there're all over the map. The Streisand-composed "Evergreen" (with lyrics from Paul Williams) is unarguably one of the most gorgeous songs in contemporary pop, brought to even-further life by an absolutely incomparable vocal performance from Streisand. The rest of the songs (mostly composed by Williams and Rupert Holmes) are much more hit-or-miss. Streisand's vibrant performances bring "Woman In The Moon" and "With One More Look At You" to life, but not much can help Kristofferson's tuneless solos.

With all of that said, however, the film is still a lot of fun, especially as a timecapsle. All the fashions, decor, and hair styles are more "seventies" then the seventies ever were - if that makes sense. On a less frivolous note, the chemistry between the leads always feels genuine, and Streisand has two emotional scenes near the finale that are both surprisingly affective. Also, the film is slickly and professionally produced and mounted, which means that, if nothing else, it's always good eye-candy while it's playing. In conclusion, A STAR IS BORN is one of those films that really isn't as bad nor as good as most people claim it is.

Sweet Childhood Memories
I remember my mom watching this movie when I was a child. She would watch it every chance that she got to. She was a big Barbra Striesand fan anyway & has made me one too. I love this movie still to this day & it will always continue to be an all-time favorite. Every time that I see it - it always bring back such nice memories from being a child. I can't wait for it come out on DVD!!!!

It's Ok!
Barbra Streisand's and Kris Krisofferson's remake of A Star is Born was in the theaters when I was eleven years old and I remember my mother who is a big Kris Kristofferson fan going to see it. I didn't get to go see it in the movie theater but I remember watching this movie when it first premeired on HBO and though it's not either Barbra's or Kris' best movies I don't think it was the worst movie ever made and had it's moments. Not a movie I would want to buy on video or DVD but it would be fun to watch again at least one time. ... 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

Reviews (27)

A Real Christian Movie For Once
Quo Vadis is a movie Ive seen many times and never tire watching. It has beautiful and panoramic scenes making it worthy of an epic. I loved Ustinov playing the evil demonic Nero and Laffan playing Nero's Empress wife. Truely I rarely see such great acting in our films of today.
The greatest attributes of the film are the colliseum scenes in which the Christians are slaughtered for falsley being blamed for the burning of Rome. Nero was fully responsible for this horrid act. The scenes of Nero's court are entertaining and funny to see. Watching all of Nero's men cowtowing to their emperor and at the same time showing contempt for Nero's actions.
The sets are great for 1951 standards and even by todays standards. The Roman Legion formations and custumes were excellent. Taylor's acting is medicore but sufficient and Debra Kerr is a beautiful woman who portrays the poor Christian slave convincingly. It is so so convincing, you would think she was a devout Christian in her private life to her credit as an actress. Also the costumes deserve a five star rating!
The only negative thoughts to the film are the historial accuracies which reveal how short of time the Christian persecution lasted. It didn't end with the end of Nero. Don't let this keep you from buying a great film which does show some Roman and early Christian history and how Roman society existed during Nero's rule. I can't wait for the DVD production of this film. I only wish Hollywood would show films of this quality.

The biggest of the spectacle movies!
Quo Vadis is a shining example of Hollywood at it's best, for a change! Big cast, big budget and a big plot set in Nero's Rome. Robert Taylor turns in one of his finest performances as Marcus Vinicus, an arrogant Roman commander who slowly finds his way of life and love being changed by a shy Christian girl, Deborah Kerr. Kerr is bewitching as the innocent in a debauched Rome and Peter Ustinov is chilling as the nutty but deadly Nero. All I can say is, if you buy this movie, you'll never regret it.

A musical review.......
Miklos Rozsa did a terrific job in composing the music for this movie. The great passion and emotion he can communicate is unsurpassed. In my opinion as a freelance composer it was very difficult to write the music for this tremendous film. It requiered a kind of kaleidoscopic character, each scene needed its own aura, its own color and unlike most filmscores it does not and it can not consist of short flimflams, each scene needed its own musical movement.

The most I like the `Christ is King` theme for choir wich is also sung by the matyrs in the arena. A song wich is unstoppable and will not die or fade away, it is the centerstone of the Quo Vadis' musical climax.

VERY ENTERTAINING EPIC!!!
I love this movie but I will not buy this on VHS. Why isn't it available on DVD? This movie deserves to be released on DVD - there is no excuse. What's the problem? PLEASE RELEASE THIS MOVIE ON DVD!!!

Christianity Versus The Decadence of Nero's Rome
"Quo Vadis", based on the novel by Henryk Sienkiewicz would have to be near the top of my list of favourite 1950's religious epic productions. Indeed "Epic" is the word to fittingly describe this mammoth MGM production that cost an amazing 7 million dollars to make in 1950 and was the studio's biggest money maker since "Gone With The Wind". It has everything an epic movie lover could desire, the already stated fine literary source, breathtaking sets (no computer generated effects here!), meticulously researched historical costumes, enormous crowds scenes and a stunning recreation of Pagan Rome at it's height. The film boasts an extraordinary cast but towering over all of them is the late Peter Ustinov in his unforgettable performance as the deranged Nero. His interpretation of this infamous Emperor who began the first concentrated persecution of the early Christians is still the visual image for a lot of people, myself included,that first comes to mind when Nero's name is mentioned. Already having been filmed a number of times in the silent era and once again since this 1951 film, this is still the definitive version of the story of the early Christian Church struggling to survive in Nero's Rome after the great fire.

With the advent of television in the early 1950's Hollywood fought back with splashy, lavish productions that could not be matched by the flickering black and white image of television in it's infancy. "Quo Vadis", lent itself perfectly for this purpose and an already shaky MGM put all of it's resources into the filming of this elaborate production. The story centres around cocky Roman soldier Marcus Vinicius (Robert Taylor) who after three years of successful campaigning returns to savour the delights of Nero's Rome. Detained at the villa of a retired Roman general Marcus falls for the simple charms of the general's adapted daughter Lygia (Deborah Kerr) who unbeknown to Marcus is secretly a Christian. Seeing her love for him but not understanding the families belief in the love of a single god and in loving your fellow man despite their background or race Marcus has Lygia taken to Rome and placed in Nero's "House of Women" and seeks to make her is own. Lygia escapes and is taken in by other believers but in the meanwhile Marcus finds himself the focus of the unwelcome and quite dangerous affections of the Empress Poppaea (Patricia Laffan). Meanwhile Nero's meglomania continues to grow and he develops a wild scheme to rebuild Rome to his own glory and secretly sets the city on fire. The backlash from this act however sets Nero to find a scapegoat and thus begins the persecution of the Christian sect that are, to the amazement of the Romans, the disciples of a simple young carpenter from Galilee who was executed for his beliefs. Marcus finds Lygia however both are imprisoned together as Christian believers to become the sport of Nero's festivities in the arena. The appearance of the Apostle Peter who has been called to Rome by Christ's message gives the Christians the strength to endure their ordeals and Marcus and Lygia are married by him just prior to his own matrydom on Vatican Hill. Nero however goes too far in his persecution and the mob turns on him resulting in his fall from power and suicide and the reins of power being taken over by the more level headed General Galba.

While "Quo Vadis", in some areas is not always accurate historically the faults are not glaring ones and it does give a vivid picture of the growth of the early Christian movement and the persecution it endured which of course went on long after Nero's death. First and foremost it is inspiring and dramatic viewing and is the classic example of old style movie making at its most lavish. The film is filled with unforgettable images, for example the huge crowd scenes during Marcus' triumpiant entry into Rome, and the burning of the city by Nero which incredibly was done on both full sized and miniature sets. The cold blooded destruction of the Christians in Nero's Circus of course is probably the most vivid image in the film and is riverting in it's horror and accurate depiction of people being eaten by lions or being used as human torches. These scenes in "Quo Vadis", have I believe never been bettered in depicting the insanity and brutality of Nero and his regime. Performances are uniformily fine here. As the two lovers Robert Taylor and Deborah Kerr are just perfect as the two illmatched lovers from different worlds. Finlay Currie does a most inspirational piece of work as Peter and special mention must go to Patricia Laffan who is perfect in a chilling performance as the evil Empress Poppaea. Directed by MGM veteran Mervyn LeRoy, who was responsible for such diverse MGM productions as "Waterloo Bridge", and "Blossoms in the Dust", here he is still just as at home with this super scale type of film and his directoral integrity is evident in every frame of this film. "Quo Vadis", ended up being nominated for 8 Oscars including Best Picture and Best Supporting Actor for Peter Ustinov.

I always find "Quo Vadis", a moving viewing experience generally around Easter time when my thoughts often go back to the earliest years of my religion. Liking the older style of movie making I can also appreciate the film on its superb technical achievements and massive historical recreation. This however never submerges my appreciation of its very simple message that all people need to love each other despite their differences for the world to be a happier place. Take time soon to view this epic production of "Quo Vadis", you wont regret it. ... Read more

Amazon.com

On his evening commute, bored accountant Sugiyama (Koji Yakusho) always looks for the beautiful woman who gazes wistfully out the window of the Kishikawa School of Dancing. One night he gets off the train, walks into the studio, and signs up for a class. Soon Sugiyama is so engrossed in his dancing he practices his steps on the train platform and under his desk, and becomes good enough for competition, compelling his wife to hire a private investigator to find out why he stays out late and returns home smelling of perfume. Among the colorful characters Sugiyama meets is his coworker Aoki (Naoto Takenaka), who transforms himself from geeky systems analyst to hilariously flamboyant (and bad-wigged) lounge lizard. Aoki explains to Sugiyama, "When I finish work, put on the clothes, the wig and become Donny Burns, Latin world champion, and I start to move to the rhythm, I'm so happy, so completely free." Here lies the chief charm of Shall We Dance, the contrast between the ultracompetitive women of the studio--including the one who caught Sugiyama's eye, Mai (Tamiyo Kusakari)--and the men who dance simply because they enjoy it. This 1996 film is somewhat comparable to the flamboyant Aussie favorite Strictly Ballroom, but Shall We Dance is especially noteworthy for contrasting the boldness of social dance with the buttoned-up societal mores of Japan, where people avoid public displays of emotion. Even in Japan, the joy of dance is irresistible. --David Horiuchi ... Read more

Reviews (105)

Save the Last Dance For Me
A clever late 90's Japanese film with English subtitles about ballroom dance lessons. No, this isn't your Arthur Murray dance studio. The cast is a memorable diverse, intriguing, group of characters taking dance lessons. Since the Japanese are reserved about public intimacy, dance lessons should be of a clandestine nature. The consensus in the movie is that men are considered losers if they take dance lessons or is it "just a reason to hold a woman in your arms."

The story focuses on Mr. Shugyima, a workacholic who spots an attractive woman through a window. Burdened with a mortgage and life's pressures, he seeks dance lessons to get closer.

Another character, a balding, quirky, looney Japanese/Latino, Mr. Aoki, has been dancing for five years, he wears a long frizzy wig piled loosely on his head because he believes the wig gives him inspiration to be like his idol, Donny Burns, a Latin dance king. The funny contortionist facial movements work equally with his suave, cool, bawdy dance numbers. He comes across like a combination Don Juan and Madonna striking a pose! A dance partner offends him when she refuses to dance with him as he dances "creepy."

An unusual treat is the Drifter's song "Save the Last Dance For Me." It is the only English lyrical song, quite fitting for the occasion. This movie is a gem, full of humor and silliness. See it!......MzRizz.

"Shall We Dansu?"-great story and cast!
This has to be the best Japanese movie I've ever seen and my all time favorite! It's the story of a 40 something year-old salaryman who, after seemingly attaining all his goals in life, a wife and child, a company position with a bright future and a new house, begins to ponder if there's more to life than just the "9 to 5" grind and mortgage payments. During his train rides home from work, he notices a beautiful young woman standing in front of the window of a dance school. What happens after that might seem obvious, but me believe it's not...Even if you don't understand one word of Japanese, the subtitled version, like the touching story are so well written, that you'll want to watch it over and over again. I hope the rumors of this movie coming out in U.S. theatres are true because it's sure to be a hit, until then i'll be waiting for this one on DVD! Aoki-san Gambatte!

to dance is to be free!!!!
This is the tale of Sugiyama, a Japanese "salaryman" who, in the tradition of modern-day Japan, essentially lives to work depsite the boredom and neglect of his family. On his morning commute aboard the train, he sees a beautiful dance instructor in he classroom. He decides to sign up and finds a life outside the office and his family via dancing. His wife hires a detective to find out what he is doing and why he smells like perfume when he gets back.

The great thing about this movie, and what I believe is true for everyone in every nation, is that everyone needs a passion that has absolutely nothing to do with their job or any of the skills required for it. Something to do just for the sake of enjoying yourself. As his coworker and fellow dance fanatic Aoki says, it makes him feel free.

The fact that they have to hide their hobby at work is hilarious. Aoki says their improved posture is a dead giveaway. They are caught ballroom dancing in the men's room so Sugiyama pretends he has just fainted and Aoki happened to catch him.

Humorous with a message, this is a great flick.

Gai-jin rates Shall We Dance as Ichi-ban (number one) Movie
I first saw Shall We Dance? on the big screen and was captivated by its storyline and cast of characters. I felt then, as I do now, that this was a film out of the ordinary. Viewers can relate to the various personalities and their dreams or desires. Because I am an expatriate living in Japan, I enjoyed the glimpse into the daily lives of my neighbors. Ichi-ban movie...a heart-warming story that you won't get tired watching over and over again. It needs to come on DVD a.s.a.p.

Save the Last Dance for me!!
This is a clever late 90's Japanese film with English subtitles about ballroom dance lessons. No, this isn't your Arthur Murray dance studio. The subtitles are very easy to read and clearly defined. The cast is a memorable diverse, intriguing, group of characters taking dance lessons.

Since the Japanese are reserved about public intimacy, dance lessons are of a clandestine nature. The consensus here is that men are considered losers if they take dance lessons or lessons are just a reason to hold a woman in your arms.

The story focus is on Mr. Shugiyama, an overworked middle-aged man with a wife, daughter at home. From his commute, he spots a beautiful woman in a window as she teaches her students dance steps.

His intention is to meet the girl, but she blatantly tells him that she takes this serious and if he is there just to meet her, then he should not take lessons. She adamantly informs him that this is a classroom, not a disco. To "save face", he hangs in there and learns to dance rather than become a failure.

The array of characters:
A balding, quirky, Mr. Aoki, has been dancing for five years, he wears a long frizzy wig piled loosely on his head because he believes the wig gives him inspiration to be like his idol, Donny Burns, a Latin dance king. While he dances, he gives these funny facial movements that equate with his suave, cool, bawdy dance numbers. He comes across like a combination Don Juan and Madonna striking a pose! He is known to dance "creepy."

An extremely shy and reserved heavy-set man with thick glasses gets his fulfillment learning to dance. He becomes alive once he learns the steps.

Also, an abrasive dance instructor who isn't afraid to spew her insults when needed and she trades verbal jabs with the male customers.

As the movie reaches the climax, a number of dance halls and amateur dance contests are held.

An unusual treat is the Drifter's song "Save the Last Dance For Me." It is the only English lyrical song, quite fitting for the occasion. This movie is a gem, full of humor and silliness. See it!......MzRizz. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Solid entertainment from a new group of Disney animators. The storysource is a Chinese fable about a young girl who disguises herself as a man to help her family and her country. When the Huns attack China, a call to arms goes out to every village, and Mulan's father, being the only man in the family, accepts the call. Mulan (voiced by Ming-Na Wen, sung by Lea Salonga) has just made a disastrous appearance at the Matchmaker and decides to challenge society's expectations (being a bride). She steals her father's conscription notice, cuts her hair, and impersonates a man to join the army. She goes to boot camp, learning to fit in with the other soldiers with some help from her sidekick, Mushu, a wise-cracking dragon (voiced by Eddie Murphy). She trains, and soon faces the Huns eye-to-eye to protect her Emperor.

The film is gorgeous to look at, with a superior blend of classic and computer-generated animation. Directors Tony Bancroft and Barry Cook make the best of it: a battle in the snowy mountains is as thrilling as the best Hollywood action films. The menacing Huns are not cute but simple and bad. The wickedness is subtle, not disturbing. The film is not a full-fledged musical, as it has only five songs (the best, "Be a Man," is sung during boot camp). Eddie Murphy is an inspired choice for the comic-relief dragon, but his lines are not as clever as Robin Williams's in Aladdin. These are minor quibbles, though. The story is strong, and Mulan goes right to the top of Disney animated heroines; she has the right stuff. --Doug Thomas ... Read more

Reviews (374)

A Legend to Remember
Mulan is a character unlike any other Disney heroine. She lives for a purpose of bringing herself and her family, honor. She fights, not only the Huns, but also Chinese tradition. All that she does and says is powerful. Other characters present humor and irony, making the film cute and sending a strong inspiration to be yourself and strive for the best. The music, including "Reflection", is well performed and composed (voices of Lea Salonga, Donny Osmond, Ming-Na Wen, Eddie Murphy, etc.). Orchestrations from this movie were nominated for the Oscars. The animation combines typical Disney styles with touches of Chinese art. This is truly a moving story with some breathtaking animation thanks to computer technology.

Fantabulous!!!!!!!!
WHAT ARE YOU PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!!? Sorry but I read some discouraging reviews and I just wanted to ki-... Ok Mulan is a GREAT movie!!! Funny, Cool... All that. I think it was made very well. Now I don't know the original story or whatever but this was great! It could be for girls or boys. It doesn't have all that lovey dovey stuff. If your like... I don't know how old, but this is a very good movie! It's about a girl who was told by the matchmaker that she would never bring her family honor. So she dresses up as a boy to fight in the army in her father's place. Her father uses a cane so he wouldn't do so good in the army. You know fighting... Anyway there's Mushu(Voice of Eddie Murphy), Cri-kee,(her lucky cricket), her horse Kahn, Li Shang(Her captain), the bad guy Shan-Yu and her friends Chien-Po, Ling and this short guy but I forgot his name... Something with a 'Y'... But anyway Disney did good with this. Good for the whole family. You may want to hear stuff people say these days and stuff. Or stuff Eddie Murphy would say normally or whatever but I think you don't need that because It's still a cool show! So go out and BUY IT because it's cool, fun and just FANTABULOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
P.S(It WAS made in 1998 after all, then was... kind of different from now, right?) :-) >^,,^< (Trust me. All of this is the honest truth!!! I mean why would I lie?) ;-]

One of My Favorite Disney's
I love most of the Disney movies whether they are animated or acted. What impressed me most about this movie was not just the animation, voice acting, and music great, but the moral was super. Most good movies have a lesson to be learned. This one was incredibly simple and to the point. Value all people and learn what they have to offer no matter what their sex, believes, et cetera. I highly recommend this movie for the whole family. It is ashame Disney hasn't learned it shouldn't limit the sales of their movies yet. I think they are going to learn the hard way when someone buys them out and stops the stupid moratorium policy. I know if I could buy Disney the first thing I would do is fire the person or persons responsible for the moratorium and second I would immediately make all Disney movies available all the time. If you see negative votes here there is a good possibility they come from scalpers. They want to sell you used Disney movies for three or four times what they are worth. They don't want them to be available all the time. They want them to be unavailable for at least eight years.

Lessons for our Children....
I do not believe that I have EVER watched an animated film that taught more of the values that I would want our future generations to learn than MULAN.

The movie opens with Mulan getting ready to go to the "Matchmaker." Although, she is a beautiful girl, she lacks the grace to make a good impression. Devistated, she returns home. Her father tells her that "like the cherry blossoms, her season has not come."

When China is invaded by the Huns, there is one line in the movie that is uttered by the emperor and it is SO profound. The general in charge of the armies confidently announces that his men can handle this invasion. However, the emperor issues a proclamation calling all available men because, "sometimes a single grain of rice may be the deciding balance in tipping the scales." Or - "one man may make a difference between conquest and defeat."

In this case, it turns out to be a woman! I LOVE how Mulan interacts horribly with the men at first and how she is told to leave. Mulan has to prove herself and she doesn't give up.

Even after she is a hero, Mulan is disgraced when it is discovered that she is a woman. She is shunned and yet when she must come to the rescue of China again, her comrades are loyal to her and listen to her ideas.

Throughout the movie there are the different interactions of those who accept women for who they are and those who are stuck within stereotypes.

Mulan is a cute and VERY funny movie with adorable songs. What makes it a GREAT movie however, is the very powerful message that we should judge one another on our merits and character - whether we be men or women.

A fun movie, never boring to watch!
I first remember when this movie came out, and I wanted to see it SO bad! I loved it, and would continue to rent it over and over again, until I finally got it as a Christmas present. But, as time went on, you get kinda tired watching it over and over again, as with all movies.
The plot is exciting and adventurous, with a little bit of humor, from, of course, Eddie Murphy, who plays Mushu, her comical 'guardian' dragon. Fa Mulan is a girl trying to at least get a decent match and bring honor to her family, when she hears about the Hun Army's invasion on China, lead by their ruthless leader, Shan Yu. Her father is too weak to fight the whole Mongol army, so she puts matchmaking matters aside, and joins the army, pretending to be a boy. Action-packed and cute, this is a fun movie, and will keep your kids watching in eager anticipation. ... Read more

Reviews (32)

A Masterpiece.........
This movie is without a shadow of a doubt the single greatest piece of cinematography that I have ever seen. My friend bought this for £6.99 about 3 years ago, and at a conservative estimate I would say we have watched it 50 times.

This film works on so many levels I can't list them all. NRNS tackles issues such as father-son conflicts, long distance relationships, the effects of moving on a teenagers life, the role of martial arts in society. Every time you watch this movie I guarentee that you will find a comedy editing error, a hilarious facial expression, a continuity mistake...the possibilities are endless. So lets examine the movie...where to start?? Possibly with Van Damme who dispays some of the finest acting of his illustrious career in this film. Jean Claude is so fast in the last fight scene he actually appears to teleport. Or possibly with the real star Kurt McKinney who has the greatest array of sleeveless tops in the business. Then there's a host of others RJ the comedy black side kick, who can transform into a white guy whenever he has to do a break dancing routine, or Kim Tai Chong who puts in a brave performance as Bruce Lee, overcoming the handicap that he looks nothing like Bruce.

In short this is a work of genius that we will likely never see again in our generation, although my friends and I are looking.

FIGHT ONLY IF YOU HAVE TO, AVOID IT AT ALL COST
This has to be one of the best martial arts movies that I have scene in my entire life. This is a movie about a guy who wants to improve his skills after him and his family moves to a new town. All he wants to do is better himself after the cofrontations that he has at his father's karate school with Van Damme (thats right) in the beginning. What I really like about this movie is that all the moves done in this movie are for real they are real martial arts moves their is nothing made up no special effects for the moves, don't get me wrong I did like the Matrix but it's nice to see a movie with realistic moves from time to time. Oh! Did I mention that he gets trained by the ghost of Bruce Lee and at the end he encounters Van Damme for one last battle.

I agree, its the best of the bad, but good!!!!
I have this on a no regoin 4 DVD from forcevideo.com.au for those of you who are wanting it on DVD?

It hasnt been restored or digitly remastered to well :( but I found it in the cheapie bin for $8 Australian, and seeing as how I remembered seeing it years ago, and also recalling it was Vanne Dammes first movie... I had to get it!

The quality is not great. The sound is 1.0 and terrible. and there is no bonus features...well, except trailers to NRNS 2 + 3 plus King of the kick boxers... but I dont consider trailers any kind of bonus.

After seeing the movie again, and refreshing my memory.. I gotta say... the acting is not great, the movie is pretty well dated, and the plot goes from one thing to the other with no preperation ... but theres just somthign about the movie thats terrific!

Jason is a kid from L.A who's father is a Karate intstructor. His father is asked by a group who are trying to take over all martial arts training dojo's to front for orginized crime.... that bit is kind of corney to me... then Vanne Dammes charactor prooves that Jasons father is no match for him. and the buisness is closed down , and they move to Seattle. Jason is a Bruce Lee fanatic, and learns that Bruce Lee is buried in the Seattle area.... and after a confrentation, he asks for Bruce Lee's help! And wullah, Bruce Lee's ghost comes to train Jason! And Jasons martial arts skills improve from beeing taught by the best!

A great thing about this movie that I have to mention is the way the plot goes from one thing to the other without previous information, but yet, either accidently, or ingeniously able to let you know straight away what has happend! like for exsample, Jason has a girl freind, and he speaks about what they did and how they met previously, without you witnessing any of it... but yet, you understand what had happend before hand very easily! I dont know if there was a great number of deleted scenes? or unshot scenes? But it works out very intresting, and easy to follow and figure out what has been happning! Which like i said, the creators where either geniouses, or accidently did that without knowing?!

The movie is good IMO. And its also the first movie Jean Cluade Vanne Damme appeared in I belive? I dont know why its not available on DVD yet for regoin 1, but its on region 4!

I honestly beleive this is a movie that should be remade! I think with todays advancments, this movie beeing made again would really be worth it, not to say theres anything wrong with this version, but I reckon it would be a movie that should be seen again, and the things that could be done for it would make it incredible! I think so anyway!

Where the hell is the DVD???
I like this movie even though it is cheezy, but back then I only watched martial arts movies to see the fighting. Part 2 had even better fighting. It deserves a DVD remasterd original format release at least.

The absolute best of the "So Bad, It's Good" Movies
Where do I begin? This movie is one of those memorable martial arts sagas that only comes across once in a great while. Where else would I have learned that "karate is not to be used aggressively"?

This movie deals with the serious conflict in the late 80's when Russian crime syndicates attempted to take over several karate schools in the Western United States.

Anyways, this film is so full of classic material, I don't know where to start.

*The unbelievable sidekick, R.J. Madison who steals the show and breaks a few shelves with a freestyle combined with some break-dancing moves.

*A father's tough decision to leave his karate school to start a new life in Seattle as a bartender at a bar that does not allow dogs or "customers under the age of 2".

*R.J. & Jason declaring "No Retreat, No Surrender", only to be sent running away, seconds later by a 40-year-old Burger King employee.

*The controversial second coming of Bruce Lee (whose figure and bad dubbing seem to have changed since we last saw him).

Such great one-liners as

"Alright, who pee'd in the pool?"

"Jason, what are you doing?"

"I'm gonna be back and I'll get you".

"Check me out, dudes".

"CHI POWER!"

Many more memorable lines and moments in this comin-of-age tale of karate, jheri-curls, and palm streets in Seattle. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

What a Way for Sammy To Wind Down and Hines To Heat Up..
This has to be one of the first movies I ever watched on Cable TV. It was in the early 90s' when I saw this premier on a local TV channel and its' been a definate hit with me through all these years. Along side still powerhouse actor Gregory Hines (Who most recently has been a regular character on Nickelodeon's animated children's series 'Little Bill'), acting/performing greats like Savion Glover and the late Sammy Davis Jr. make this a movie to watch once just for the incredible cast. Hines is Max Washington, the son of a legendary NY tap dancer who, in the movie's storyline, redefined and revolutionized the art. Max foiled his own chance at being a famous dancer when he becomes entangled in crime and retail-burglary. The movie begins with his release from prison. He rejoins old friends (Well, not OLD..just smarter) Sammy Davis others in his NY city neighborhood as they await his return. The story centers around Max's obvious and unmatched talent for tap dancing, and the hard-to-resist need he feels to conform to his old illegal ways over doing something good with his gift. Im an 80s' freak in all ways so I could'nt be objective about the movie, but on top of the great soundtrack and uplifting feel of the story I think this movie would be enjoyable for a lot more people than most would give it credit for. Gregory Hines has a true and untarnished talent that he lends perfectly to the film and Suzanne Douglas as Max's former (and soon to be again) love interest, gives a fantastic performance as Uncle Moe's (Davis Jr.) daughter. I wish they sold this on DVD but I guess it does'nt make all that much of a difference...its' a very wonderfully done Musical/Drama that stands alone for it's originality and all-star cast.

Forget the plot.... See if for the dancing!
See this movie for the dancing only! The dancing. It's difficult to imagine Gregory Hines as a criminal, ex-prisoner, so that portrayal doesn't come off well. He's not that, he's Gregory Hines the tap dancer. The plot sandwiches typical scenes perfunctorily - the release of the prisoner into society, looking for a job, love interest, crime, etc. There really isn't a storyline, just a remanufacture of stale overused scenes. The cohesive element that makes a story work is missing, characters don't build, and it's predictable.

But what works is the dancing. See it for that. The film was shot with a smoky sepia-tone image, that impression of both black and white and color. Watch youthful Savion Glover shine! The older hoofers, Jimmy Slide, Arthur Duncan (from the Lawrence Welk Show), Sammy Davis, etc. This dancing ensemble might just be the "best" part of the film. ....MzRizz

An Amazing Family Movie!
This movie was great.... I ordered it just so I co