Reviews (14)

This is where it all began
D.W. Griffith's "Intolerance" has been praised more, and seen less, than almost any other movie in English. Yes, it is a silent film. Yes, it is in black and white. But this is where it all began - the business of telling a story beyond the story, with quick cuts and hammering action. "Intolerance" was crafted during World War I - a war whose bravery and insanity has been equaled, but never topped. "Intolerance", nominally about ancient Babylon and medieval France and modern America, is really about this cataclysm. By juxtaposing characters and camera angles, Griffith comes close to showing war at its heart - its beauty and its horror.

Intolerant of anyone's views but his own
Intolerance is DW Griffith's follow-up to his landmark, but horribly racist and inaccurate "Birth of a Nation." Many protests followed that film and some see Intolerance as Griffith's protest that he is not racist. That's a curious interpretation after watching the film.

"Birth" was considered racist for its outlandish characterization of blacks and mulattos as evil, slaves as happy, and the KKK as noble attempts to fight carpetbaggers and free blacks from establishing a black kingdom in the south. None of these themes are dealt with in Intolerance. In fact, there is not a single black character here.

Instead, the film engages in other steroetypes. For instance, it is stated the Reformers are simply jealous women unable to land a man, and therefore want to stop others from enjoying themselves, the only good women are those that are loyal and subservent to their men, etc.

There are four story lines, described in other reviews. They are sluggish and boring to watch, until the end (after 3 hours) where there is constant cutting back and forth to juxtapose a chariot outracing an army that will destroy the innocent to get a message to its leader, and a race car trying to outrun a train to get a message to the governor to pardon an innocent man about to be hung.

All of Griffith's themes are oversimplified. Everything is black and white in terms of right and wrong. In his view, capital punishment is "murder for murder", and war is never justified. These themes follow from Birth of a nation, where the north is blamed for war, not southern secession or slavery.

It seems that the Intolerance Griffith describes are anyone whose ideas dare differ from his own.

The History of the World recreated by a Genius!! Brilliance!
This is indeed the most powerful film I have ever seen. No other film since has matched this one in its power and accuracy. Though some parts are indeed imaginery, the whole thing is accurate to the last detail. D.W Griffith was a master of recreating history and he shows the powerful portrayals of Babylon (the largest set in history and the most impressive indeed), the Cruxification of Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Massacres, the Revolutions... and all tied together with the simple and divine image of the Virgin Mary (played beautifully by Lillian Gish) rocking the cradle of Our Lord. I swear, if anyone found fault with this movie, I'd be highly offended and shocked. This movie is just brilliant and has very few faults in it. Imagine a director in 1915 creating a film of such scope and power and moral, it is truly a feat! No film director ever has portrayed the same power and moral and beauty as D.W. Griffith. I just sat through the whole film (4 hours of it) and I didn't even eat or sleep or drink, it was totally mind consuming and I enjoyed it totally!! :-D If D.W. Griffith were alive today, sure he would be rioted against for his views on race, but I think he would be regarded as the one who recreated God's beautiful Earthly history. It is truly a powerful film with a wonderful message, that out of all times of horror and strife, there is but one person to turn to for divine intervention, Our God himself. Bravo D.W. Griffith! I know God is proud of the work you did!

Intolerance explained...
Many of the reviewers here rightly praise Griffith's well-deserved credit for his technical achievements. Others criticize him for a poorly constructed film. The fact of the matter is that, for 1916, this film is an incredible feat. The first American big-budget extravaganza, it followed closely in the steps of other big multi-reel films in vogue at the time(Griffith's own Birth of a Nation, and others coming out of Italy). The spectacle alone makes this film worth a look, but viewers should try to contextualize it. There was a great expectation across the nation to what would come from Griffith after the amazing--and incendiary racist-film, Birth of a Nation.

What is Intolerance really a metaphor for anyway? Griffith was fighting off attempts by legislators to regulate or censor the motion picture industry. An anti-censorship booklet released by Griffith in 1916 suggests he continued to respond to "moral reformers" even as he assembled Intolerance. In fact, his film is an attempt to address these reformers while simultaneously opining on nothing less than the historic importance of the film media itself.

Intolerance is really about a nation's cultural memory and Griffith's attempt to offer a totalizing, yet entertaining version of it. His belief that if we were educated on the subject of past "sins of hate, hypocrisy and intolerance" through the magic of film that we could inoculate ourselves against war, capital punishment and other evils. He argued that film was a better education than traditional education. To quote the master: "Six moving pictures would give students more knowledge of the world than they have obtained from their entire study." Such an understanding is, of course, naïve and dangerous.

Griffith was caught in a double-bind. In order to fight the censors he needed to simultaneously argue that his epics (like Birth and Intolerance) were a kind of filmed truth, yet the construction of this "truth" should only be the purview of the director. Griffith's logic is dangerously flawed. Birth of a Nation is hardly true history. In fact its racist vision of blacks fanned the flames of racial hatred in whites and surely accounted for many more lynchings than if the film had not been made. What's missing from his vision is how truth is arrived at: certainly not from a lone man's dictates. We have another word for that...

Intolerance is worth viewing because it is a wonderful illustration of the limitations of film. It's a simple morality tale blown up to epic-and phantasmagoric-proportions. It's greatest weakness is the cross-cutting between the four time-periods, and the attempt to narrate all history, yet this is precisely what makes the film interesting. The failure to arrive at an overarching metaphor that somehow spans history and unites us with our past points to Griffith's own flawed vision. It reminds us-contrary to Griffith's own advice-that understanding history in all its irresolvable complexity is absolutely essential.

"RECOGNITION!"
HOW long did it take Hollywood? Almost a century - give or take a decade and some, but there it is - next to and part of Oscar's new home - homage to D.W. GRIFFITHS - a section of the Babylonian set - complete with elephants - out-towering everything!

NOW to this unsurpassed work - and quite necessary during times of 'Intolerence'. It' IS simply - one of the most spectacular examples of early movie making! A sweeping saga teaching that love [tolerance] does overcome all - even when there does not seem to be any hope. D.W. was well aware of the psyche back then - and 'words' were unnecessary! Imagine what that mind would bring us today in this techno-jumbled jungle of 'all-knowing' suits!

A [somewhat] pristine print on this DVD with the extra missing bits and pieces - restored, including the excellent score by Gaylord Carter.

Most successful? the flamboyant period sections - expecially the awesome Babylonian sequence! NOW, that's the way it was done by a pioneering master!

MUST HAVE! ... Read more

Reviews (17)

Well, quite honestly...
Although this original 1939 version of the thrice-told story is usually hailed as the best of the lot, today it seems slow and more melodramatic than romantic. In the first hashing of this story, Irene Dunne and Charles Boyer play the star-crossed pair on a transatlantic cruiser and fall in love. They plan to meet at the Empire State Building in several months, but an accident prevents Dunne from showing up. The end is perhaps the best scene, in which Boyer discovers what happened to Dunne- it's one of the few believable scenes in the picture.

Unfortunately, casting is not as believable. Irene Dunne chirps and quips her way through the picture, and does not seem to be acting up to her caliber until the last emotional scene (Why was this, of all of Dunne's finest performances, nominated for an Oscar?). Charles Boyer fares somewhat better, when that heavy French accent doesn't get in the way. Marie Ouspenskaya is indeed very good as Boyer's wise grandmother.

The cinematography is very good, and costumes are very good. Unfortunately, both fail completely saving the picture. For a better version, see "An Affair to Remember" the REAL best of the lot: Chemistry between Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr is much deeper and more enchanting, and glowing Technicolor adds a real nice touch to the story. Even in the role of the grandmother, Cathleen Nesbitt fares better than Marie Ouspenskaya. Although "Affair" is pretty much a shot-for-shot remake of this film, it's worth it to see Cary and Deborah look into each other's eyes.

Love Affair: Love Overcomes Adversity
LOVE AFFAIR is one of many films whose theme is that love does not adhere to imposed schedule. What distinguishes this movie from other and similar ones is what the actors do and say after they realize this. Terry McKay (Irene Dunne) and Michel Marnet (Charles Boyer) are each romantically involved with other people when they meet and fall in love on a sea voyage to New York. This sort of thing happens often enough in real life but their reaction to their new emotions reveals their basic decency and depth of feeling. They agree to meet months later on the top floor of the Empire State Building to cement their relation. Thus far, the tone is one of light, romantic comedy. However, LOVE AFFAIR takes an unexpected tragic detour as Terry is crippled in a car accident. Other movies have often dealt with issues in which one lover grows ill or crippled, but in this film, one of the lovers (Terry) makes things worse by hiding her condition by running away from Michel. For most of the second half, Terry and Michel are apart physically but connected emotionally. Each copes with the separation as best as they can. Michel's grief is probably the easier to cope with since he feels that he was unjustly jilted so what can he do about that except heal. Terry's grief is more multi-faceted since she has to live with a series of complicating factors, only one of which (her being confined to a wheelchair) is beyond her control. She must reconcile her present unhappiness with the unpleasant realization that she could have tossed away a life of bliss with a man who might not have been scared off by the prospect of a wheelchair bound wife. Miss Dunne was a deserved nominee for Best Actress as she manages to hide her misgivings about her decision to break off the relation beneath smile and song. Charles Boyer is convincing as a man who loses his love, does not know why, and then must face the consequences of factors totally beyond his control. LOVE AFFAIR is not your three hanky sobber. Rather it is an intelligent exploration of love gone astray, a condition exacerbated when one of them discovers that this love sometimes needs a healthy dose of honesty and confidence to keep it on track.

A classic golden age romance
Charles Boyer and Irene Dunne star in this delightful romance movie, which opens with some brilliant dialogue, then devolves into a convoluted melodrama, as the screenwriters struggle to come up with *some* silly reason these two star-crossed lovers shouldn't get together. Both actors are splendid in their roles.

Buy It Anyway on DVD
The quality of the DVD is good enough to be able to enjoy the movie. No white outs, black outs or pixalation. On the other hand it is not what you can call great. I noticed a sound problem for a few minutes but I could tolerate it. This DVD is adequate until someone puts out a restored version. I prefer movies on DVD even if the VHS version is better. The story and actors are just great. In short don't pay too much and don't expect too much and you can enjoy a great old movie. That said let's hope someone restores it.

Simply The Best!
Irene Dunne glows in this movie. She delivers the jokes and poignant lines in an effortless, natural way way Kerr never could. Dunne is just funnier and Charles Boyer is much more expressive than Grant.

Normally I'm a die hard Cary Grant fan but "Love Affair" is the best version of this wonderful story. It inspires both laughs and tears. Five stars isn't enough. I keep a copy of this close at hand for those rainy days... ... Read more

Reviews (8)

1940's Red Ryder and Little Beaver Volume 1, come to DVD!
Many now only relate to "Red Ryder's Genuine Carbine Action Two-Hundred Shot Lightning Loader Range Model Air Rifle" made famous in the 1983 Christmas movie, "A Christmas Story". This story was about a 10 year old boys obsession with getting Red Ryder's air rifle for Christmas.

Well now, we can all see this famous no-nonsense cowboy and his little sidekick Indian boy, Little Beaver in action. This was a perfect pair & their complete honorable taming of the west.

Red Ryder & Little Beaver adventures dominated the comic strips in the 1930's - 1950's. Late in the 30's REd Ryder came to the screen in a 12 action packed episode serial. Pretty good stuff and a sample coming attraction of this early Red Ryder serial is included on this double feature DVD.

The 1940's Red Ryder introduced the most popular Red Ryder with Wild Bill Elliot and Robert Blake an Little Beaver. This duo went on to make over a dozen Red Ryder movies in the 40's.
This Double Feature remastered DVD Full Screen Black/White includes 2 of thier movies.

An Antonio Kid (1944 / 52 minutes) - greedy outlaws pursuit of the coveted "Black Gold" by terrorizing ranchers.

Cheyenne Wildcat (1947 / 50 minutes) - Red becomes the object of desire of 2 ladies while he & Lil' Beaver pursue outlaws.

This is wholesome fun family entertainment. Red & Lil' Beaver compliment each other and there is genuine onscreen friendship chemistry between them. This is fun stuff. Nice addition to the old western DVD library. Also included is a movie billboard & comic strip montage extra.

Also, now we see why Ralphie Parker from "A Christmas Story" obsessed over Red Ryder!!! Enjoy.

Red Ryder-Memories
These two western "B" movies from the 40's are typical of the westerns of the war years. The second movie, "Cheyene Wildcat" is the best of the Elliott "Ryder" movies. A big plus is Robert Blake (Baretta) playing Little Beaver! Another big plus, is Roy Barcroft as the mean villian. As with all the old movies coming out in DVD, the quality is very good.
If you are over 60 you'll enjoy the memory-if you are under 60 you get to see a time when good triumphed over evil!

ADVENTURES OF RED RYDER
I don`t believe this one ever got to the U.K. when i was riding the range at Saturday cinema. One word. Wonderful. My memories of serials in the early 50`s here in U.K. were Blackhawk. Possibly the best ever. Jungle Girl, Captain Video,SirLancelot,Superman,and White Eagle. Now at almost 60 years old to be able to relive those happy years once again with a serial like Red Ryder plus a TV episode with one of my favorite cowboys Rocky Lane is beyond words.The D V D transfer is very good its a treat to be able to see a good quality picture at last. I`ve had enough of poor quality slow speed video copy`s and as for some of the material some people get away with on the net. I urge you forget the rubbish and go for D V D and make Red Ryder your first choice. Come on company`s lets have some more...

THE ADVENTURES OF RED RYDER!
DON BARRY is the cowboy hero RED RYDER in this 12-PART SERIAL from Republic Pictures, circa 1940. It seems there is a CROOKED BANKER who is trying to steal land from good, honest, hard-working LANDOWNERS! So it is up to RED RYDER to save the day! NOAH BEERY plays Ace Hanlon while TOMMY COOK plays Little Beaver! You will THRILL to the CLIFFHANGERS in this serial, which is definitely an above-average example of the long forgotten art form! The EXTRAS are pretty sweet this time around too, partner! There is the PILOT for the RED RYDER TELEVISION SERIES, an interview with Don Barry himself and reproductions of LOBBY CARDS and POSTERS! If you were not a fan way back when, you sure shooting can become one now!

Sets a standard
If you love this stuff -- as I do -- you'll love this DVD. The transfer is excellent for a 60-year-old serial, and the extras are special: an interview with the late star, Don Barry, and even the full-length pilot of a Red Ryder TV show starring Rocky Lane (the latter isn't even mentioned on the package). And the full chapter endings are here, not clipped off as on some misguided serial transfers.

"Adventures of Red Ryder" isn't the best serial ever made ("Blackhawk" is my pick for that honor). But this release sets a standard for how other serials should be spiffed up and made available on DVD. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A Very Spirited Movie!!
Tom Keene and Karen Morley star as a down and out couple during the Great Depression who inherit a farm without any knowledge of running it so they start a commune with other victims of that era as they all struggle to overcome the obstacles to succeed.It's a very interesting,spirited movie.Check it out!! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A sub-par B Western from John Wayne's Lone Star period
"Rainbow Valley" was the 13th of the B Westerns that young John Wayne did for Lone Star, which was part of the poverty row Monogram studio. This 1935 film was directed by Robert N. Bradbury, who did most of Wayne's Lone Star efforts and has a rather interesting premise for a western. Rainbow Valley needs a new railroad built through the gold country and Wayne plays undercover agent John Martin, who shows up to protect the workers. Meanwhile, local big shot Mr. Rogers (LeRoy Mason) brings in a hired gun, Butch Galt (Jay Wilsey, aka Buffalo Bill, Jr.), who has crossed paths with Martin before. It turns out they shared a prison cell together, so Galt thinks he can get Martin to help destroy the railroad with dynamite.

George Hayes, who did not quite have his "Gabby" persona developed at this point, gets second billing playing one of the locals while Lucile Browne is Eleanor, the minor love interest for Martin in this oater. Who is missing from this Lone Star film is the legendary stuntman Yakima Canutt, which would explain why the stunt work is not as exciting as it usually is in these films. Canutt is usually the attraction here and not Wayne, who is obviously the selling point for putting out these video copies of less than stellar prints. By now in the series the idea that Wayne is working undercover and that the bad guys think he is an outlaw too is getting really old. Only a true fan of the Duke is going to watch all of these, but most movie fans can stand to check out a couple to see what Wayne was like when he was learning his craft.

Another sub-par Lone Star Western with young John Wayne
"Rainbow Valley" was the 13th of the B Westerns that young John Wayne did for Lone Star, which was part of the poverty row Monogram studio. This 1935 film was directed by Robert N. Bradbury, who did most of Wayne's Lone Star efforts and has a rather interesting premise for a western. Rainbow Valley needs a new railroad built through the gold country and Wayne plays undercover agent John Martin, who shows up to protect the workers. Meanwhile, local big shot Mr. Rogers (LeRoy Mason) brings in a hired gun, Butch Galt (Jay Wilsey, aka Buffalo Bill, Jr.), who has crossed paths with Martin before. It turns out they shared a prison cell together, so Galt thinks he can get Martin to help destroy the railroad with dynamite.

George Hayes, who did not quite have his "Gabby" persona developed at this point, gets second billing playing one of the locals while Lucile Browne is Eleanor, the minor love interest for Martin in this oater. Who is missing from this Lone Star film is the legendary stuntman Yakima Canutt, which would explain why the stunt work is not as exciting as it usually is in these films. Canutt is usually the attraction here and not Wayne, who is obviously the selling point for putting out these video copies of less than stellar prints. By now in the series the idea that Wayne is working undercover and that the bad guys think he is an outlaw too is getting really old. Only a true fan of the Duke is going to watch all of these, but most movie fans can stand to check out a couple to see what Wayne was like when he was learning his craft. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Great Gene Autry Western!!
Gene Autry tries to stop a land dealing swindler selling worthless land until gold is discovered.It's a great western!! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

The Vigilantesd are comming
Esta película se conoce en el Uruguay con el título "Los vigilantes de la ley". Debo decir que esta pelicula recuerda al personaje de "El Zorro", ya que la acción se desarrolla en California y el personaje también se cubre con una máscara aunque aquí se llame "El águila".Esta película que respeta los códigos muy particulares del serial, tiene momentos muy interesantes. Se destacan los momentos de acción y lo inverosimil que un representante del Zar de Rusia quisiera transformar a California en una colonia rusa. Creo que está bastante bien filamda para tratarse de una película del año 1936 y de escaso presupuesto. En definitiva:un serial digno como todos los del sello Republic. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

After Birth of a Nation, what do you do for an encore, especially after said film has branded you a racist? D.W. Griffith, the silent era's "king of the world," mounted this melodramatic spectacle of "Love's Struggle Throughout the Ages," four stories that illustrate "how hatred and intolerance have battled against love and charity." Critic Heywood Broun, upon the film's release, probably said it best: "Quite the most marvelous thing which has been put on the screen, but as a theory of life it is trite." But what's on the screen is dazzling!

Griffith interweaves the four parallel stories set, respectively, in the modern era (fuddy-duddy reformers and a workers' strike), Jerusalem (Christ's crucifixion), 1572 Paris (a "hotbed" of persecution against the Huguenots), and ancient Babylon. No collection of silent films is complete without this landmark, awe-inspiring epic, which really does boast a cast of thousands (the most memorable of which is Constance Talmadge as the spunky Mountain Girl). The fall of Babylon ranks with one of the great action set pieces, complete with racing chariots, a nifty decapitation (at the hands of Elmo Lincoln, the man who would be Tarzan), and falls from what appear to be incredible heights. The edge-of-your-seat climax to the modern story, a race against time to save an innocent young man from the electric chair, is another bravura sequence. --Donald Liebenson ... Read more

Reviews (14)

This is where it all began
D.W. Griffith's "Intolerance" has been praised more, and seen less, than almost any other movie in English. Yes, it is a silent film. Yes, it is in black and white. But this is where it all began - the business of telling a story beyond the story, with quick cuts and hammering action. "Intolerance" was crafted during World War I - a war whose bravery and insanity has been equaled, but never topped. "Intolerance", nominally about ancient Babylon and medieval France and modern America, is really about this cataclysm. By juxtaposing characters and camera angles, Griffith comes close to showing war at its heart - its beauty and its horror.

Intolerant of anyone's views but his own
Intolerance is DW Griffith's follow-up to his landmark, but horribly racist and inaccurate "Birth of a Nation." Many protests followed that film and some see Intolerance as Griffith's protest that he is not racist. That's a curious interpretation after watching the film.

"Birth" was considered racist for its outlandish characterization of blacks and mulattos as evil, slaves as happy, and the KKK as noble attempts to fight carpetbaggers and free blacks from establishing a black kingdom in the south. None of these themes are dealt with in Intolerance. In fact, there is not a single black character here.

Instead, the film engages in other steroetypes. For instance, it is stated the Reformers are simply jealous women unable to land a man, and therefore want to stop others from enjoying themselves, the only good women are those that are loyal and subservent to their men, etc.

There are four story lines, described in other reviews. They are sluggish and boring to watch, until the end (after 3 hours) where there is constant cutting back and forth to juxtapose a chariot outracing an army that will destroy the innocent to get a message to its leader, and a race car trying to outrun a train to get a message to the governor to pardon an innocent man about to be hung.

All of Griffith's themes are oversimplified. Everything is black and white in terms of right and wrong. In his view, capital punishment is "murder for murder", and war is never justified. These themes follow from Birth of a nation, where the north is blamed for war, not southern secession or slavery.

It seems that the Intolerance Griffith describes are anyone whose ideas dare differ from his own.

The History of the World recreated by a Genius!! Brilliance!
This is indeed the most powerful film I have ever seen. No other film since has matched this one in its power and accuracy. Though some parts are indeed imaginery, the whole thing is accurate to the last detail. D.W Griffith was a master of recreating history and he shows the powerful portrayals of Babylon (the largest set in history and the most impressive indeed), the Cruxification of Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Massacres, the Revolutions... and all tied together with the simple and divine image of the Virgin Mary (played beautifully by Lillian Gish) rocking the cradle of Our Lord. I swear, if anyone found fault with this movie, I'd be highly offended and shocked. This movie is just brilliant and has very few faults in it. Imagine a director in 1915 creating a film of such scope and power and moral, it is truly a feat! No film director ever has portrayed the same power and moral and beauty as D.W. Griffith. I just sat through the whole film (4 hours of it) and I didn't even eat or sleep or drink, it was totally mind consuming and I enjoyed it totally!! :-D If D.W. Griffith were alive today, sure he would be rioted against for his views on race, but I think he would be regarded as the one who recreated God's beautiful Earthly history. It is truly a powerful film with a wonderful message, that out of all times of horror and strife, there is but one person to turn to for divine intervention, Our God himself. Bravo D.W. Griffith! I know God is proud of the work you did!

Intolerance explained...
Many of the reviewers here rightly praise Griffith's well-deserved credit for his technical achievements. Others criticize him for a poorly constructed film. The fact of the matter is that, for 1916, this film is an incredible feat. The first American big-budget extravaganza, it followed closely in the steps of other big multi-reel films in vogue at the time(Griffith's own Birth of a Nation, and others coming out of Italy). The spectacle alone makes this film worth a look, but viewers should try to contextualize it. There was a great expectation across the nation to what would come from Griffith after the amazing--and incendiary racist-film, Birth of a Nation.

What is Intolerance really a metaphor for anyway? Griffith was fighting off attempts by legislators to regulate or censor the motion picture industry. An anti-censorship booklet released by Griffith in 1916 suggests he continued to respond to "moral reformers" even as he assembled Intolerance. In fact, his film is an attempt to address these reformers while simultaneously opining on nothing less than the historic importance of the film media itself.

Intolerance is really about a nation's cultural memory and Griffith's attempt to offer a totalizing, yet entertaining version of it. His belief that if we were educated on the subject of past "sins of hate, hypocrisy and intolerance" through the magic of film that we could inoculate ourselves against war, capital punishment and other evils. He argued that film was a better education than traditional education. To quote the master: "Six moving pictures would give students more knowledge of the world than they have obtained from their entire study." Such an understanding is, of course, naïve and dangerous.

Griffith was caught in a double-bind. In order to fight the censors he needed to simultaneously argue that his epics (like Birth and Intolerance) were a kind of filmed truth, yet the construction of this "truth" should only be the purview of the director. Griffith's logic is dangerously flawed. Birth of a Nation is hardly true history. In fact its racist vision of blacks fanned the flames of racial hatred in whites and surely accounted for many more lynchings than if the film had not been made. What's missing from his vision is how truth is arrived at: certainly not from a lone man's dictates. We have another word for that...

Intolerance is worth viewing because it is a wonderful illustration of the limitations of film. It's a simple morality tale blown up to epic-and phantasmagoric-proportions. It's greatest weakness is the cross-cutting between the four time-periods, and the attempt to narrate all history, yet this is precisely what makes the film interesting. The failure to arrive at an overarching metaphor that somehow spans history and unites us with our past points to Griffith's own flawed vision. It reminds us-contrary to Griffith's own advice-that understanding history in all its irresolvable complexity is absolutely essential.

"RECOGNITION!"
HOW long did it take Hollywood? Almost a century - give or take a decade and some, but there it is - next to and part of Oscar's new home - homage to D.W. GRIFFITHS - a section of the Babylonian set - complete with elephants - out-towering everything!

NOW to this unsurpassed work - and quite necessary during times of 'Intolerence'. It' IS simply - one of the most spectacular examples of early movie making! A sweeping saga teaching that love [tolerance] does overcome all - even when there does not seem to be any hope. D.W. was well aware of the psyche back then - and 'words' were unnecessary! Imagine what that mind would bring us today in this techno-jumbled jungle of 'all-knowing' suits!

A [somewhat] pristine print on this DVD with the extra missing bits and pieces - restored, including the excellent score by Gaylord Carter.

Most successful? the flamboyant period sections - expecially the awesome Babylonian sequence! NOW, that's the way it was done by a pioneering master!

MUST HAVE! ... Read more

Reviews (4)

A Weak Entry In The Series
Pride Of The Bowery finds the Eastside Kids at a CCC camp with a bunch of other "kids".
Muggs (Leo Gorcey) can't seem to keep out of trouble in this film.
The plot is thin, the acting atrocious, the production values almost non-existant.
Best for fans of the Eastside Kids.

Too Bad!
I completely agree with the other reviewer's opinion this edition stinks! It's ashame the East Side Kids series doesn't get better treatment. I understand these films are pretty much considered bottom of the barrel poverty row entertainment whose appeal to modern day audiences is extremely limited at best, but c'mon if your gonna take the time to release the stuff at all at least make sure it's watchable. The antics of Leo Gorcey, Huntz Hall and the boys have a certain charm that deserves to be remembered in a better form than this! If you've never checked out or even heard of the East Side Kids before do yourself a favor and look them up, trashy teen exploitation from a time long ago, corny yet hip (I guess for it's day?!), the 30's and 40's equivalent of today's Road trip and American Pie type teen flix (minus the sex of course!). Let's hope these pics get released in better form some day!

BEWARE of this Alpha Video DVD, it is BAD!
I can not tell you much about the movie, the Gotham Distributors/ Alpha Video DVD is so bad that I had to stop it 10 minutes in and force the store to accept the return of an open DVD.
The AUDIO is DISTORDED, making it very hard to understand Leo Gorcey's humorous banter.
The VIDEO is WASHED OUT so that you can not see their faces.
The film print they used was also splicy, but that would have been tolerable if you could see & hear the movie. Wait until someone like Platinum, Front Row, Brentwood, or Goodtimes releases this public domain title.

A joyless B movie
This undistinguished effort (which seems like a promotion for Franklin Roosevelt's CCC camps of that time) is very disliked by most of today's film historians and critics. Though not a total turkey, it's still very slow-paced and, like the majority of the Bowery Boys/East Side Kids films, is badly dated. If there is a message in this movie, it gets lost in uninspired, forced humor, uneven scripting, and generally unappealling performances. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Great Gene Autry Western!!
Gene Autry tries to stop a land dealing swindler selling worthless land until gold is discovered.It's a great western!! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A sub-par B Western from John Wayne's Lone Star period
"Rainbow Valley" was the 13th of the B Westerns that young John Wayne did for Lone Star, which was part of the poverty row Monogram studio. This 1935 film was directed by Robert N. Bradbury, who did most of Wayne's Lone Star efforts and has a rather interesting premise for a western. Rainbow Valley needs a new railroad built through the gold country and Wayne plays undercover agent John Martin, who shows up to protect the workers. Meanwhile, local big shot Mr. Rogers (LeRoy Mason) brings in a hired gun, Butch Galt (Jay Wilsey, aka Buffalo Bill, Jr.), who has crossed paths with Martin before. It turns out they shared a prison cell together, so Galt thinks he can get Martin to help destroy the railroad with dynamite.

George Hayes, who did not quite have his "Gabby" persona developed at this point, gets second billing playing one of the locals while Lucile Browne is Eleanor, the minor love interest for Martin in this oater. Who is missing from this Lone Star film is the legendary stuntman Yakima Canutt, which would explain why the stunt work is not as exciting as it usually is in these films. Canutt is usually the attraction here and not Wayne, who is obviously the selling point for putting out these video copies of less than stellar prints. By now in the series the idea that Wayne is working undercover and that the bad guys think he is an outlaw too is getting really old. Only a true fan of the Duke is going to watch all of these, but most movie fans can stand to check out a couple to see what Wayne was like when he was learning his craft.

Another sub-par Lone Star Western with young John Wayne
"Rainbow Valley" was the 13th of the B Westerns that young John Wayne did for Lone Star, which was part of the poverty row Monogram studio. This 1935 film was directed by Robert N. Bradbury, who did most of Wayne's Lone Star efforts and has a rather interesting premise for a western. Rainbow Valley needs a new railroad built through the gold country and Wayne plays undercover agent John Martin, who shows up to protect the workers. Meanwhile, local big shot Mr. Rogers (LeRoy Mason) brings in a hired gun, Butch Galt (Jay Wilsey, aka Buffalo Bill, Jr.), who has crossed paths with Martin before. It turns out they shared a prison cell together, so Galt thinks he can get Martin to help destroy the railroad with dynamite.

George Hayes, who did not quite have his "Gabby" persona developed at this point, gets second billing playing one of the locals while Lucile Browne is Eleanor, the minor love interest for Martin in this oater. Who is missing from this Lone Star film is the legendary stuntman Yakima Canutt, which would explain why the stunt work is not as exciting as it usually is in these films. Canutt is usually the attraction here and not Wayne, who is obviously the selling point for putting out these video copies of less than stellar prints. By now in the series the idea that Wayne is working undercover and that the bad guys think he is an outlaw too is getting really old. Only a true fan of the Duke is going to watch all of these, but most movie fans can stand to check out a couple to see what Wayne was like when he was learning his craft. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

A Weak Entry In The Series
Pride Of The Bowery finds the Eastside Kids at a CCC camp with a bunch of other "kids".
Muggs (Leo Gorcey) can't seem to keep out of trouble in this film.
The plot is thin, the acting atrocious, the production values almost non-existant.
Best for fans of the Eastside Kids.

Too Bad!
I completely agree with the other reviewer's opinion this edition stinks! It's ashame the East Side Kids series doesn't get better treatment. I understand these films are pretty much considered bottom of the barrel poverty row entertainment whose appeal to modern day audiences is extremely limited at best, but c'mon if your gonna take the time to release the stuff at all at least make sure it's watchable. The antics of Leo Gorcey, Huntz Hall and the boys have a certain charm that deserves to be remembered in a better form than this! If you've never checked out or even heard of the East Side Kids before do yourself a favor and look them up, trashy teen exploitation from a time long ago, corny yet hip (I guess for it's day?!), the 30's and 40's equivalent of today's Road trip and American Pie type teen flix (minus the sex of course!). Let's hope these pics get released in better form some day!

BEWARE of this Alpha Video DVD, it is BAD!
I can not tell you much about the movie, the Gotham Distributors/ Alpha Video DVD is so bad that I had to stop it 10 minutes in and force the store to accept the return of an open DVD.
The AUDIO is DISTORDED, making it very hard to understand Leo Gorcey's humorous banter.
The VIDEO is WASHED OUT so that you can not see their faces.
The film print they used was also splicy, but that would have been tolerable if you could see & hear the movie. Wait until someone like Platinum, Front Row, Brentwood, or Goodtimes releases this public domain title.

A joyless B movie
This undistinguished effort (which seems like a promotion for Franklin Roosevelt's CCC camps of that time) is very disliked by most of today's film historians and critics. Though not a total turkey, it's still very slow-paced and, like the majority of the Bowery Boys/East Side Kids films, is badly dated. If there is a message in this movie, it gets lost in uninspired, forced humor, uneven scripting, and generally unappealling performances. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

The best of Bela Lugoi's Poverty Row films for Monogram
Actually "The Invisible Ghost" does refer to a character in this 1941 film, but then the only thing that matters is Bela Lugosi's name on the title card. Lugosi plays Charles Kessler, who we meet having dinner with his wife on their wedding anniversary; the only problem is that according to daughter Virginia (Polly Ann Young), her mother was killed in a car accident several years earlier as she was about to run off with her husband's best friend. But Kessler still worships his wife and on their anniversary he convinces himself he is having dinner with his beloved. Sounds plausible enough, but the truth is that Mrs. Kessler (Betty Compson) survived the auto accident and is being kept in the gardener's shed by the caretaker, Jules (Ernie Adams), who keeps assuring the poor woman that she will be taken to her husband and daughter "soon." Meanwhile, there have been a series of strange murders in the neighborhood and when the maid is struck down the suspicion falls on Virginia's beau (John McGuire). But, of course, that is not close enough to home to really ruin the rest of Virginia's life and sooner or later the local cops will figure out the truth of what is going on here.

"The Invisible Ghost" is the best of the nine Poverty Row productions Lugosi made for Monogram after his fall from grace at Universal Studios. The problems in the script (you can usually find the body in a car crash for starters) are compensated for by the work of director Joe Lewis, who shows a lot of cinematic flair for a B-film director making a quickie (e.g., filming the fireplace during the exposition). This film is rather face paced and gets a lot in for only 64-minutes. The other advantage it has is that Lugosi's performance is better than the plot; I mean, come on, you know who the murderer is before the movie begins, and it is just a question of waiting for all the pieces to be forced into place by the time the film ends. This is not a suspense film, but more one about atmosphere and mood. The insane wife, befuddled daughter and falsely accused beau are all above average performances as well; if you were just listening to them you would not know this was a low-budget horror film. There are times when I think this is Lugosi's best performance, but I am probably more comfortable claiming it is one in which he plays his most sympathetic character. But if you do not have a strong stomach for stupid plots, then you would want to pass this one bye.

Bela Lugosi's best poverty row film for Monogram
Actually "The Invisible Ghost" does refer to a character in this 1941 film, but then the only thing that matters is Bela Lugosi's name on the title card. Lugosi plays Charles Kessler, who we meet having dinner with his wife on their wedding anniversary; the only problem is that according to daughter Virginia (Polly Ann Young), her mother was killed in a car accident several years earlier as she was about to run off with her husband's best friend. But Kessler still worships his wife and on their anniversary he convinces himself he is having dinner with his beloved. Sounds plausible enough, but the truth is that Mrs. Kessler (Betty Compson) survived the auto accident and is being kept in the gardener's shed by the caretaker, Jules (Ernie Adams), who keeps assuring the poor woman that she will be taken to her husband and daughter "soon." Meanwhile, there have been a series of strange murders in the neighborhood and when the maid is struck down the suspicion falls on Virginia's beau (John McGuire). But, of course, that is not close enough to home to really ruin the rest of Virginia's life and sooner or later the local cops will figure out the truth of what is going on here.

"The Invisible Ghost" is the best of the nine Poverty Row productions Lugosi made for Monogram after his fall from grace at Universal Studios. The problems in the script (you can usually find the body in a car crash for starters) are compensated for by the work of director Joe Lewis, who shows a lot of cinematic flair for a B-film director making a quickie (e.g., filming the fireplace during the exposition). This film is rather face paced and gets a lot in for only 64-minutes. The other advantage it has is that Lugosi's performance is better than the plot; I mean, come on, you know who the murderer is before the movie begins, and it is just a question of waiting for all the pieces to be forced into place by the time the film ends. This is not a suspense film, but more one about atmosphere and mood. The insane wife, befuddled daughter and falsely accused beau are all above average performances as well; if you were just listening to them you would not know this was a low-budget horror film. There are times when I think this is Lugosi's best performance, but I am probably more comfortable claiming it is one in which he plays his most sympathetic character. But if you do not have a strong stomach for stupid plots, then you would want to pass this one bye.

INVISIBLE GHOST
Although not technically or artistically superior, Invisible Ghost is a winner for Lugosi fans. He plays Charles Kessler, who employs a butler, a maid, a cook and a gardener. There is a series of murders which cannot be solved. Controlled by his estranged wife, who is in a lost world herself (hidden below a storage room by the gardener), Kessler commits the murders in a trance with no memory of them in his normal state. Lugosi is very pleasant and unknowing of what is happening to him/others. This film is very satisfying to Lugosi fans but may be boring to general classic horror fans. [Favorite scene: Lugosi's talk with his new cook]

A peculiarity from Poverty Row.
The oddities of this Monogram semi-horror film begin with the title! The "ghost" in question is NOT invisible, and is not really a ghost. Also, the shadow of an ape appears on the main title card. (Don't ask me, I'm only the reviewer.) The various plot twists contain no supernatural or science fiction elements, and yet are even less plausible than those of other Monogram horrors. The director, Joseph Lewis, displays almost none of the talent he showed in his later films. Only the presence of Bela Lugosi makes this one worthwhile. The role of "Dr. Kessler" is a Jekyll/Hyde character, so Lugosi is playing a normal, likeable guy during most of his screen time, which makes this one of his more unusual roles. Also, Clarence Muse is good as the butler.

Surreal, bizarre Monogram masterpiece...
The title almost gives it away. "The Invisible Ghost." What other kind of ghost IS there? While there are some genuinely creepy moments in this black and white thriller, the plot is so hare-brained you'll need multiple viewings just to absorb the details. Let's see; Bela Lugosi believes his wife died in a car accident, but his gardener (!) actually has her stowed in the back barn. When wifey staggers out in the rain and "haunts" Lugosi, he falls into a trance and murders whoever's handy, then "wakes up" remembering nothing. Throw in a cigar chomping (and utterly ineffectual) police detective, the poor fellow who's unjustly convicted of the murders and sent to the electric chair (!), the casual way Lugosi and friends react to multiple homicides, and a psycho-therapist who suggests Lugosi's murderous trance is, in fact, a fairly common psychiatric disorder, and you've got one of the more whacked movies in cinema history. I loved it! ... Read more