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Richard Gere is pretty convincing as a severe manic-depressive whose episodes of euphoria sometimes find him dancing on a two-by-four far above the street or climbing onstage during a symphony performance to "conduct" the orchestra. When the pendulum swings the other way, he is practically catatonic. As a character study, this film by Mike Figgis (Leaving Las Vegas) has its truly compelling moments, but Mr. Jones isn't just a character study. Inexplicably, Figgis ushers in a preposterous romance between this poor fellow and his psychiatrist (Lena Olin), a relationship that is supposed to raise interesting ethical and dramatic issues. All it does is make one wonder what the devil the doctor is thinking of, and why Figgis felt it necessary to go down this lose-lose path. With Delroy Lindo in a nice part as a sympathetic construction worker who tries to help Gere's character. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (16)

Funny, Charming and Romantic
This is a pretty good movie I thought. Richard Gere plays Mr.Jones a man who suffers from manic depression who has suicidal tendencies. When I saw it I thought this is one of Richard Gere's best performances in a long time. He really did a great job and it is probably the best acting that I've seen him do in quite awhile. Lena Olin is also very good as the psychiatrist who takes an interest in him both as a patient and in the personal sense. I really liked this movie and have added to my movie collection. It is one of those rare movies that you can see just about anytime. Overall is a good movie but if you need more convincing than that then see it beause of Richard Gere he is excellent in this film and that should be reason enough I think.

Wonderful movie about a fascinating mental disorder
I am a fan of Richard Gere, and I came across this gem a few years ago by word of mouth. This is a wonderful movie that tackles a thorny mental disorder that is receiving much attention today -- bi-polar, manic depressive disorder. It seems that bi-polar sufferers, despite their having a classified "mental disorder", are often exceptionaly creative, brilliant individuals. Many of our great artists, writers, painters, and musicians were (are) manic.

Mr. Gere does a fantastic job of portraying such a brilliant/unstable manic sufferer, and really brings the disorder, with all of its twists and turns, to life. The story is true to the struggles and realities of manic sufferers, and uses wonderful images of planes crashing overhead, tightrope walks, and grandiose symphonies that metaphorize what it must be link to be manic. The story veers only in its hollywood insistence on the highly unlikely patient-therapist romance.

Five stars for a compelling and original performance by Richard Gere, and a movie that brings to light the fascinating and devestating consequences of manic depression.

MUST get past that she's his psychiatrist to enjoy the movie
Gere does an amazing job as Mr. Jones, a man suffering from Manic-Depression. The big flaw in the movie is having he and his psychiatrist involved in a sexual relationship. Why they couldn't have made her just a woman he meets, I don't know. Gere's performance is madly wonderful and his relationship--just pretend she ISN'T his doctor, and it will be o.k.--is full of heat and chemistry. There are some worthy moments between Gere and Olin. This is a nice film

Excellent with many funny, touching moments
I'm M-D so take that into consideration. Gere doesn't get enough credit for his acting because he has his own persona like John Wayne and critics can't get over this. His is an outstanding performance, trust me. Lena is my favorite actress to watch and listen to so factor that in also. There are just so many funny scenes in this movie! (And a few oddities; Gere is no carpenter--you hammer nails with your wrist, not your arm.) Fun moments: Gere quoting from Alice In Wonderland while playfully teasing Olin's stock psychologist demeanor, the dialogue in and around the car ride, the table tennis sequence is priceless, in fact all of the dialogue between these two excellent actors is worth watching. Two outstanding dramatic moments are 1)the point of Gere's discovery of Olin's prying into his past(and catching him in a chilling lie)and 2)the subsequent confrontation in the rain; this is Olin at her--or anyone's--best...economical and searing. The only major misfire in this movie is the sexual involvement...should have been platonic but this is easily one of Hollywood's best efforts from the 1990s. I bought it. Aaaahhh, Leeena!! Yum

Surprise :)
This movie looks as though it will be another one of those trite, over-simplified stories of a mentally ill man. Surprise! Barring the Hollywood idea that all therapists sleep with their patients, this is a great movie that accurately depicts a serious and complex mental illness. I will say that were a therapist to become romantically involved it would probably be with a bipolar patient because their manic cycle is so exciting and exhilirating after endless lifeless burdened people. Gere is astoundingly accurate in his portrayal of both the manic and depressive cycle of bipolar - impressive. A great movie!!! ... Read more

Reviews (4)

A lovely little movie
This movie isn't hilarious, but it is enjoyable and still relevant. Ultimately, the movie strikes a terrific balance--confirming the importance of maintaining a family through tolerant love, while dealing with what could have been a cheaply-treated scandalous secret. Gina Lollobrigida is a woman who has a nearly-adult daughter, but she doesn't know which of 3 WWII American servicemen is the father. She encounters a very "baby-boom"-ish concern--how to encourage upright behavior in her child despite her own suspect past--which is resolved in a satisfying but not simplistic manner. Strong but fallible men, strong but fallible women, and an uplifting ending. Good stuff, well done.

One of the Funniest Ensemble Casts
I discovered this film in the 80's, but remember when it was in the theatres in 1968. The material wasn't suitable for a 10 year old at the time. Still, I watched this film from a poor video taped from TV, and just howled. Phil Silvers plays the perfect schnook being married to Shelley Winters in the film, and being one of the three former "comforting" soldiers who was with lovely Gina Lolabrigida during the war. I don't know if they were nominated, but with their performances, both Lee Grant and Shelley Winters should have had Supporting Actress Oscars. Telly Savalas can get a little obnoxious, but still right for his role. Try this one for some great fun.

Very good
I like all the characters, all the places and Italy. this movie is really must see. And the plot is quite contemporaray after all those years.

Back to the Future
Had not seen this movie since I was 5 in 1971, loved every minute of it. All of the actors are 'playing themselves' great performances by Shelley Winters, Phil Silvers and Telly Savalas.A great classic that does not get much paly on tv or cable, so you have not seen it 20 times. Great look at American perspective on Europe, and how it has not changed much in the 30-odd years since the film was made. ... Read more

Album Description

1995 reissue of the soundtrack to director Bob Fosse's acclaimed 1979 musical co-starring Roy Scheider and Jessica Lange. Ralph Burns arranged & conducted all 14 tracks, whichinclude performances by George Benson, Sandahl Bergman and Ben Vereen with Scheider. A Spectrum/ Karussell release. ... Read more

Reviews (87)

FOSSE ON FOSSE
With a typically sardonic and vicious glare, Bob Fosse examines his own obsessive life as a creator/director/choreographer -- and womanizer, drinker, druggie. While this movie has its shamelessly over-the-top qualities (Jessica Lange as Death, for one), the musical sequences are so dazzling that they instantly make this move a must-see, if not must-have, for any Fosse fan. The opening, a wow-you-in-the-gut audition sequence set to On Broadway (Benson's stunning version), does more in four minutes than the film of Chorus Line does in its entire running time to convey the show biz world of Broadway. And the then-gamine Ann Reinking is on hand to literally play herself, as well as dance in that feline way. The musical number Take Off With Us is at once amusing, sparkling, sensual and spectacular, featuring an explosive ensemble of dancers. Fosse's bitter take on his own mortality may slow things down (the Lenny-inspired sequences bore into your brain) a bit, when the music is playing you are in for a revved-up treat.

FLAWED, WEAK TRANSFER of a THOROUGHLY ENGROSSING FILM
"All That Jazz" is a semi-autobiographical recounting of Bob Fosse's life. Directed by the master himself, the film follows Broadway producer, Joe Gideon (Roy Scheider)as he spirals into an oblivion of drug addiction, alcoholism and womanizing while preparing to launch his greatest show yet. Joe is ably pushed to the edge of the great beyond by the lovely Angel of Death (Jessica Lange)who eventually gets her wish. This is perhaps the only time in my viewing experience that a musical film has given me chills. The entire plot functions on the mental anguish of its protagonist and his inevitable demise and the final few moments are truly unsettling.
So is FOX's DVD transfer quality; the image suffers from dated - often muddy - colors, washed out and pasty flesh tones, weak blacks, an excessive amount of film grain and various age related artifacts that generally detract from the visual experience. Edge enhancement and pixelization are big problems in certain scenes but others appear to be free of their frustrating inclusion. The soundtrack is Stereo Surround, well balanced though, on occasion, strident.
EXTRAS: An interview with Scheider while he was making the film that is needlessly divided into chapter stops that don't matter. Ditto for several snippets of Fosse at work on the set. The theatrical trailer is also included.
BOTTOM LINE: If you simply can't live without this film - as I could not (for its brilliant story telling vision and disconcerted charm)then I recommend it highly. The transfer, however, will disappoint - especially for a film of seventies vintage!

A visual feast even for an only lukewarm fan of Broadway
Soon after its 1979 release, curiosity impelled me to see ALL THAT JAZZ. I say curiosity because anything smacking of a film musical didn't then attract my attention much. Not yet an old dog, and apparently still capable of learning a new trick, I remember being impressed. Recently, I saw it presented on the Big Screen once again as part of a classic film revival. I'm reminded what a truly superb production this is.

Roy Scheider, in arguably his greatest role ever, portrays Joe Gideon, a work-obsessed Broadway choreographer and director existing on cancer sticks, booze, sex and uppers. Directed by the preeminent choreographer Bob Fosse, ALL THAT JAZZ was purportedly semi-autobiographical.

Joe is struggling to put together a new dance production and, simultaneously, edit a behind-schedule film, all the while juggling the three principal women in his life: ex-wife, current significant other, and teenage daughter. Talk about stress! In periodic visual sidebars, we watch as Joe rationalizes his self-destructive behavior to a glamorous Angel of Death, coquettishly played by Jessica Lange.

The film's dance sequences, products of Bob Fosse's brilliance, and sets by Phillip Rosenberg and Tony Walton, are visual extravaganzas not to be missed. (Oscars were awarded for Art Direction and Set Decoration.) Perhaps the cleverest is the solo routine performed by the ex-wife character as she rehearses a number to be performed in Gideon's latest production, all the while debating with him the course of their failed relationship. Positively engaging is the "impromptu" number performed for Joe at his apartment by his current mistress (played by the strikingly long-legged Ann Reinking), along with his daughter. Then there's the sexually suggestive "Air Otica/Come Fly With Us" ballet sequence, Gideon's attempt to energize an otherwise stodgy airline commercial. (As one of the airline execs resignedly puts it, "Well, we've lost the family audience.")

Another nice touch for the uninitiated is the revelation that performer selection and training for a polished dance routine is a hard, sweaty, merciless process. The faint-hearted best not show up for the audition.

Perhaps the film's only flaw is its length as it unwinds to its foregone conclusion. Although ALL THAT JAZZ won an Oscar for Film Editing, the Ben Vereen-assisted toe-tapper should have been considerably shortened. However, that said, it must be emphasized that the movie is richly entertaining throughout. Perchance you ever have the opportunity to see it on the Big Screen, don't pass it by. As Gideon so expressively states in front of the mirror each morning after he girds himself (with Dexedrine and Visine) for another grueling day , "It's show time!"

THE JAZZY, SNAZZY, MORBID UNDERBELLY OF SHOWBIZ
What a dazzlingly engaging experimentation with the medium of film as we take an evocative peep into the life of a showbiz-obsessed director Fosse -- the hedonistic man behind the actual stage version of "Chicago."

Apart from being a truly sexy turn-on of a musical, it hits one out of the park as an exploration of an artist at war with himself. Somewhat indulgent, yes, but it is the brutally honest potrayal of the many imperfections (girls, gin, glitz) of a perfectionist, in all his triumphs and trials, that makes this film a very, very endearing experience.

The bleak undertones may scare the faint-hearted but for them there's all the riveting stage action. A wholesome film that belongs in your own collections, not just in your Blockbuster records.

Narcissism On Center Stage
The whole point of the movie is Fosse is a narcissistic (...)and freely admits it. He revels in it. His attitude is not "do or don't do what I do" but, rather, I don't care what you or anyone else does because I'm special and you aren't. Sort of a Barry Bonds of the dance world. Fosse sees the Broadway dance musicals business as fake and silly. Actually, he is the one who is fake and silly and, like all narcissists, in his heart of hearts, he knows it. A rollercoaster ride of drug and alcohol binges and loud garish dance nuumbers. Brilliantly conceived and excellently acted by scheider. ... Read more

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If Bugs Bunny were to direct his signature inquiry--"What's up, doc?"--toward the modern-day Warner Bros. creative team, he wouldn't be far off. For 1001 Rabbit Tales, they've doctored up a batch of classic cartoons featuring the carrot muncher and his bumbling comrades and bundled them, near seamlessly, into a feature-length film. Here's the premise: Bugs and Daffy, both book salesmen, are competing to sell the most copies of a kids' book. Instead of burrowing a beeline to his sales territory (he should have made a left at Albuquerque), Bugs ends up in the castle of Yosemite Sam, here a harem-leading honcho. Sam's pain-in-the-spurs son, Prince Abalaba, needs somebody to read him stories; Bugs, who'd sooner take the job than suffer the alternative, that involving being boiled in oil, signs on. Each rabbit-read narrative replaces a sedate story with a Loony Tunes favorite: In "Jack and the Beanstalk," a canary-keeping giant bellows "Fee, fi, fo, fat, I tawt I taw a puddy tat"; the witch in "Hansel and Gretel" develops a hankering for rabbit stew; "Goldilocks" goes feline as Sylvester swaps his porridge for suffering succotash on behalf of his bratty son. In the end, the varmint finds a way to vamoose, but, being a generous sort of bunny, he doesn't keep the address from his commission-hungry coworker. From there, the feathers fly, as does the rest of this feature, which is undiluted fun for fans of these cartoons from way back as well as those just getting to know the loopy Looney Tunes gang. --Tammy La Gorce ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Judge it by the period in which it was made
The thing that reviewers here seem to be forgetting is when this film was made: the 1980's. "Compilation" cartoons like this were the standard output for Warner Bros. throughout the 80's until they finally started producing original animated material again around 1990. They would produce various half-hour holiday specials each containing three or four cartoons linked by a loose frame story, and later they began doing movie-length ones (such as "Daffy Duck's Fantastic Island" and "Quackbusters") which would get aired on cable. Even as a kid, I knew these spliced-together productions were kind of lame, but even so, I enjoyed seeing my favorite characters in something sort-of-almost new. Mel Blanc did the voices for the linking animation.

As a nostalgia buff, I am pleased to see that these old shows still exist, despite the much better material Warner Bros. has produced since then; but they should certainly not be judged by the standards of either the classic original shorts or new animation that WB has produced since the 1990's.

Of the 80's "compilation" films, The Bugs Bunny Road Runner Movie is the first and definitely the best, because there is no attempt at a framing narrative. The linking animation simply has Bugs at his most charming (Chuck Jones directed these interstitial sequences) introducing each short.

Looney Looney Looney Bugs Bunny Movie is broken into three segments, and it works reasonably well, too.

Of the other three, which do use a framing narrative, Quackbusters is the best, because it actually contains two brand new shorts in their entirety (QB was produced around the time that Warner Animation was finally waking up again from its twenty-odd year slumber), and also because they used splices of the original cartoons' music soundtracks instead of new background music, which makes the transitions from old to new material feel less jarring. Still, Quackbusters, 1001 Rabbit Tales, and Fantastic Island are weak films.

For NEW original cartoons starring the Looney Tunes characters, you should certainly check out "Carrotblanca" (oh man... casting Tweety as Peter Lorre is one of the funniest things I've ever seen...) and "Looney Tunes: Back in Action" (I gather that it's not selling many tickets, which is a pity. I saw it with my brother and his family, and we all laughed our heads off.). I'd skip "Space Jam"--it was amusing for the novelty of seeing the toons interact with real live actors, but that's about all there was to it; "Back In Action" captures their personalities much better, and Joe Alaskey does an admirable job voicing the characters.

Oh---and since it was made by Warner Animation, I'll put in a plug for "The Iron Giant," the most wonderful, underappreciated animated film of the last decade.

A little disapointment
I was a little disapointed when i got this video because on the back cover it showed a clip from duck dodgers in the 24th and a half century it didnt however show that cartoon

Useless chopping of perfect cartoons
If you've read any other reviews, you probably know this, but I'll say it again here: this is not new Looney Toons material, nor is it really a collection of any of the great cartoons. It is merely a lame new piece of animation, as akin to classic LT shorts as "Phantom Menace" or "Attack of the Clones" are to Star Wars, which is used to string together truncated -- *truncated*, for god's sake -- versions of great Jones/Blanc cartoons (and Freleng, too, who in spite of this fiasco directed some wonderful work at other times).

True, the shorts that were spliced together represent some of the funniest moments ever put on celluloid, but if you know any of the original works, that makes things even worse, since you know what's been cut out. The inter-cartoon material used to splice things together is anything but seamless and the lack of skill represented in these parts in comparison to the real cartoons used to propel the new story is painfully awkward.

At some point, WB management will get over their collective brain hemorrhage, admit that they will never replace Mel Blanc or Chuck Jones, kill off the Tiny Toons fiasco, and release DVDs consisting only of the Chuck Jones/Mel Blanc work in its uncut glory.

Until then, try to track down used copies of the Golden Jubliee releases, and don't waste your money or time on this garbage.

Not the best
While you can never really go wrong with a Bug's Bunny movie, I wouldn't actively recommend this one. While there are several classic cartoon shorts here (Sylvester as "Jack" in Jack and The Beanstalk, The selectively singing Michigan J. Frog, and Bugs as a "baby monkey", to name a few), most of them are severely cut. They are woven together, (though not smoothly), through a subplot which has Bugs and Daffy on a bookselling expedition. This in itself isn't terribly funny, and doesn't really go anywhere. "The Bugs Bunny-Road Runner Movie" and "The Looney Looney Looney Bugs Bunny Movie" are much better investments.

If there's Bugs, there's laughs!
This movie is great, it's a bunch of episodes interwined by one story that was created after the episodes were made to make them look as if they were one big episode. Daffy will make you laugh always trying to be the smartest and always the greediest duck you'll ever know. "It's my treasure! It's my treasure!" ... Read more

Reviews (162)

Gordon Gekko gets his comeuppance--big time!!!
Less than a full year before A PERFECT MURDER (1998) was released, Michael Douglas starred in THE GAME (1997), which is not simply a Michael Douglas movie, it's a David Fincher film-and you know what that means! From a screenplay by John D. Brancato & Michael Ferris, THE GAME is classic Fincher: dark, mysterious and with a constant sense of brooding danger in which lets you know that somehow, somewhere, something is not quite kosher.

In THE GAME, Douglas is Nicholas Van Orton; a man of great wealth and power and totally devoid of any human compassion (as evidenced by the cold and callous way in which he fires a longtime employee). If this sounds like Gordon Gekko to you, it's because Michael Douglas, at this stage in his career, plays cold callousness like no one else. Call it typecasting; I call it brilliant acting ability and being smart enough to stick with what works. However, Gordon Gekko in the legendary Oliver Stone-directed WALL STREET (1987) didn't have a younger brother; Nicholas Van Orton does. On Nick's 48th birthday (the same age at which his father died, hint hint), his black-sheep-of-the-family brother Conrad, as brilliantly played by Sean Penn, visits him in his sprawling, cherry-wood office and hands his older sibling his birthday present: a business card with the name Consumer Recreation Services (CRS) on it. "What is this," Nicholas cynically asks. The sly answer given by Penn is one of my favorite lines in the film, and one that tells us that his elder bro's life will never be the same, once he begins to play THE GAME.

Along the way, Nicholas Van Orton encounters CRS and its primary spokesman (or so he thinks) Jim Feingold (played with disarming confidence by character actor James Rebhorn), a mouthy cocktail waitress (Deborah Kara Unger) who seems to hold the secret to THE GAME, and a spooky-looking full-size inanimate clown who appears to watch everything he does. Also along the way are near-brushes with death that culminate with Conrad Van Orton's tearful admission that he "didn't know what the $#@! he had gotten them into" when he had signed his brother up for THE GAME. But that's still just the beginning...

Everyone is superbly cast in this film, including BABY DOLL (1956) herself, Carroll Baker, and the always-watchable Armin Mueller-Stahl. But the real star here is David Fincher; he is so adept at guiding us down a labyrinthic path of which only he knows the end, that all we can do is hang on and enjoy the rollercoaster ride on which he breathlessly takes us. He primarily relies on small, subtle signs of foreboding to generate suspense, as opposed to full-blown violence and gore. Although this is one of those films that relies on first-time viewers' lack of knowledge of what to expect, and thusly loses something on repeated viewings, it is still a very good film to re-visit on occasion, if only to experience Fincher's unique style (this film and A PERFECT MURDER are miles apart in this respect, believe me), Douglas and Penn's acting and the production values, which are first-rate.

See and experience THE GAME for yourself.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

CULT MOVIES 57
57. THE GAME (thriller, 1997) On the day of his birthday millionaire businessman Nicholas (Michael Douglas) is visited by his brother Conrad (Sean Penn) with a gift. The gift involves Nicholas signing up for a mysterious company which offers a 'game', which in turn offers the participants a series of surprises that "provides whatever is lacking" in their lives. Though a rather pessimistic and somber individual Nicholas accepts in the hopes of escaping the memory of a solitary childhood and witnessing his father's suicide. When the surprises the 'game' issues become seriously deadly Nicholas wants out. But this particular game offers no escape.

Critique: Nerve-wracking, high wire act of a movie directed with guile precision by David Fincher ('Seven', 'Alien 3'). So far all of David Fincher's films have been good which is rare for someone who has been dubbed as a purely commercial director. The sort of tagline that is a deathnail for anyone seeking true legitimacy in Hollywood. Michael Douglas is good in the role of another heartless tycoon type character in the mold of Gordon Gekko from 'Wall Street'. Douglas gives the character just a slight insidious turn and taking him into Twilight Zone territory. It's also good seeing Sean Penn in a first rate mainstream movie for a change. Film is made in such a way that every detail has to be dissected in order to make a logical progression of events. Which otherwise would seem chaotic and purely coincidental. Towards the climax it all makes perfect sense and provides a most welcome escape ending. When the credits roll and you know it is truly over it is strangely satisfying and disappointing.

QUOTES: Conrad: "What do you get for the man who has everything?"

The initiation of a millionaire
Nicholas Van Orton (Douglas) thinks that he has everything - this is true only is we consider material possessions (a vast house, millions of dollars, an enviable reputation, etc.). What he is lacking is the access to the sacred and to his true Self. CRS is there to help, courtesy of his brother Conrad (Penn). But Van Orton will have to get rid of all that he previously stood for and accept to lose himself in the unknown. While some viewers have objected to the film's outrageous events and progression, this is precisely what draws me to it: its willingness to dispense with 'believable' developments makes Van Orton's quest all the more powerful. The movie could have been subtitled 'The initiation of a millionaire', because Van Orton undergoes numerous archetypal trials: he is stuck in a car underwater (in the belly of the monster); he is buried alive; his descensus ad infernos is such that he (literally) has to make a death-defying jump in a garbage dump; he has to find his way through mazes and use secret keys; most scenes take place in darkness. By the time he becomes a new man late in the movie, he has already died three or four times! Perceptive viewers will discover far more than a strandard thriller here, if they allow themselves to dig under the surface... a remarkable film.

Birthday that you'll never forget
Can you imagen a movie with no victims and yet it's one of the best thrillers ever made?! When I heard that director is David Fincher who is responsible for hits such as Seven or Fight Club and that Michael Douglas has leading role, that was more than enough for me to buy it. And I didn't regret it: This film is one wild ride through every aspect of your mind. Just in the moment you think - It's all clear now, next one will leave you with your mouths open. Every scene is one big surprice for you and for main character Nicholas, who is cold rich businessman, who cutted all bonds between him and his family and friends just for power and more money. But his brother's present for his birthday will change everything. One moment, he's on the top of the world, next one he is down in rags, fearing for his life; confused and with no confidence in anyone. That is the price when you are in The Game. Michael prooved that he worths dozen Oscars and Sean Penn is also very good. If you like fast, confusing and surpricing thrillers, this is a movie for you. Note: Ending is unforgetable!!!

Where's The Director's Cut????
This was a great movie with an excellent story to go with it. It's too bad the dvd shares the same fate of others with weak features and no behind the scenes or commentary. This is one dvd that deserves an overhaul like the one that panic room received. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Four years before he revived and elevated the Western in Stagecoach, director John Ford guided this atmospheric melodrama to multiple Academy Awards, proving that his underlying skills as a storyteller, visual designer, and dramatic guide didn't need epic scale, sweeping action, or favorite star John Wayne to achieve dramatic impact. Based on Liam O'Flaherty's novel set during the Sinn Fein rebellion in 1922, Dudley Nichols's script offers an intimate portrait of Gypo Nolan, a violent, alcoholic Dubliner who betrays a friend (Wallace Ford) for £20, setting in motion a downward spiral of fear, anger, and drunken oblivion.

The Imposter captures Ford and filmmaking at an evolutionary balance point between the purer visual storytelling of silent film and the emerging literary possibilities of sound: on the one hand, Ford paints a nocturnal Dublin of deep shadows and billowing fog in which his characters are placed in pointed tableaux, and project their actions and attitudes with stylized, theatrical gestures that seem naive alongside later, more naturalistic films; on the other, the director pushes his star, Victor McLaglen, past traditional stagecraft toward a truly harrowing, authentic performance. Pauline Kael has noted the Hollywood legend that Ford induced McLaglen's Oscar-winning turn by keeping him too drunk to embellish his work. Whatever the cause, the actor achieves a lumbering, out-of-control power that traces the rage, confusion, and ultimate despair that Nolan's descent describes. That gripping performance is the film's most modern aspect and riveting dramatic hook and more than justifies watching. --Sam Sutherland ... Read more

Reviews (8)

"Confused!"
Editorial reviewer Sam Sutherland has titled this film The Imposter? Whats up with that? Anyway one of the greatest films of all time, also Director John Ford's masterpiece!

Dire Poverty leads to Betrayal during Irish Rebellion
A brilliant portrait of a traitor (Victor McLaglen in Oscar winning performance) who is hounded by his own conscience. McLaglen plays an IRA rouge who betrays his leader to collect a reward during Ireland's Sinn Fein rebellion.

Director John Ford superbly creates an eeirie and tense atmosphere, enhanced by the foggy and grimy depiction of the Irish landscape. Max Steiner's dramatic music score adds to the cinematic delight. Oscar Winner also for Best Screenplay, nominated for Best Picture. A five star classic!*****

BETRAYAL IN IRELAND
Liam O'Flaherty's 1925 novel is a masterful psychological study of Gypo Nolan, a dull-witted, impovershed Dubliner who, in the middle of the 1922 Sinn Fein Rebellion, turns stool pigeon during one event-filled night, revealing to police the whereabouts of Frankie McPhillip, a trusting friend and revolutionary who's wanted for murder. Gypo receives a reward of twenty pounds, while Franke is is tracked down by the authorities...........THE INFORMER had already been filmed by the British in 1929 and RKO reluctantly agreed to let Ford remake it with his assurance that it would be a low-budget movie. It was made for slightly over $200,000. This is impassioned Irish melodrama, performed with all the stops out. Beautifully photographed in the mists and dark streets of the studio-built Dublin sets, Joseph H. August's photography coats the film with a striking overlay of distorted realism. The most celebrated image of the film is that of its hulking, blustering central figure, as broadly played by oafish Victor McLaglen in his Oscar winning role of Gypo Nolan. McLaglen's Nolan emerges as a cowardly, despicable brute and boozing liar, capable of any deceit to satisfy a whim or save his neck. McLaglen's interpretation of Gypo is astounding; he seemingly sunk in the sodden body and mind and soul of Gypo Nolan, a creature of the slums pushed on his fumbling way by only the most primitive instincts. Yet, without ever noticeably playing for sympathy, he manages to present a figure that is somehow pitiable. J.M. Kerrigan is terrific, not only because he has the only richly authentic brogue in the whole picture, but because of his portrait of a grasping Irish toady that, for sheer brilliance, surpasses even McLaglen's performance. Ford won his first of four AA for his expert direction. As a footnote, both Ford and McLaglen were said to drink before some of the more emotional scenes. Ford spent some 5 years trying to get this film made (studio heads found the subject matter too dark). The screenplay was written in six days. It wasn't a successful film until the end of the year, when critics named it one of 1935's ten best films; thereafter, audiences flocked to see it, making it a box-office smash.

Judas Goat
"The Informer" is about how hard times will make a man turn in another to certain death, if there's enough money involved. Victor McLaglen turns in Wallace Ford to the Black and Tans, and spends the rest of the movie trying to come to terms with his actions. The movie was a bit too antique for my tastes, and seemed overly long as well. But it does show the occupation of Ireland by the British and the terrible effects it had on the native population.

Murky, brooding, and dark.
It is hard to reconcile that the same director who created this dark image of Ireland, also created that famed green-tinted valentine to the same country in "The Quiet Man." There is no winsome sentimentality here; just the hopelessness of poverty and alcoholism in a Dublin ghetto. A story of betrayal, a haunted conscious, and the search for redemption against the backdrop of the Irish War for Independence. Victor McLaglen demonstrates why he won the Best Actor Oscar with his fantastic performance as the "The Informer." ... Read more

Reviews (97)

3 1/2 stars for sharply written and directed sf classic
THe 70's were a strange time for science fiction films. There were a number of minor classics (Westworld, the absurd and pretentious Zardoz, Logan's Run) and major space operas (Star Wars)that dominated the scene. While none of these films were perfect, Soylent Green was one of the outstanding efforts from the era. Although it's a flawed minor masterpiece, the strong performances from Heston, Robinson, Leigh Taylor-Young and Chuck Conners help the film continue to shine. All the actors benefit from the assured direction of veteran Richard Fleischer. The film was produced during one of MGM's bleakest periods and, in turn, has a rather bleak out look about the future.

Set nearly twenty years from now, humanity has used up most of our resources and spoiled the planet. There isn't enough to eat and there's even less space to live in; the cities are crowded with street people everywhere. The middle class is virtually extinct and only the wealthy have lives approaching the comfort to which we've become accustomed.

A executive with a major food corporation is murdered. The company produces a variety of pre-processed foods that are popular among the general population. Fresh fruit and foods are almost as extinct as many of the species that have disappeared from our overburdened, overdeveloped planet. Charleton Heston plays Detective Thorn who is investigating the murder. In the process, his life is threatened and he comes into major conflict with the police force about his methods. What Heston's character discovers about the food maker could unravel the fabric of the comfortable society that runs the world.

Soylent Green is based on Harry Harrison's fine novel Make Room, Make Room!. The adaption incorporates a lot of common themes from films during the 70's particularly the issue of the ecology. That isn't to say this film is obsessed with issues. While there are a number of importance observations, all of them are well integrated into this sharply written science fiction murder mystery. The direction by Richard Fleischer (Fantastic Voyage, 20,000 Leages Under the Sea, Treasure Island)isn't as stylized as one would expect but he does manage to get the most out of the material. The director's commentary is often wry and observant--a rarity now on most DVDs.

This was Edward G. Robinson's last film and his 101st. A talented, popular actor often misused by Hollywood, Robinson gives a startling fresh and powerful performance as Heston's roommate and assistant Sol. His final scene in the film is both powerful and gives Heston's character the faith to carry on his investigation. The dinner scene between Heston and Robinson (which was ad libbed) is terrific and much of the dialog and banter between the two actors is both funny and touching.

The DVD looks terrific particularly after all the poor prints that have circulated on television. Yes, there's analog artifacts but this is probably about as pristine a print as were likely to see. The transfer is vivid and well balanced. The sound is fairly strong given the fact that this was pre-THX and stereo. The DVD includes a couple of short featurettes about Heston and the making of the film. Robinson also gets due notice. A vintage theatrical trailer is also included.

Soylent Green's importance in science fiction cannot be underestimated. There were a number of bad films produced after 2001 and Planet of the Apes (including many of the sequels to the original Apes film)that had cheapened the luster these two fine films had temporarily given to science fiction. Soylent Green is a somber, powerful film. It's also an entertaining mystery. After this the genre would fall back into decline (although there were a few highlights) until the success of Star Wars in 1977. Thoughtful, impactful science fiction films were rare during the 70's. Although Soylent Green hasn't aged as well as one would expect, it's intent and the power of the performances, script and direction still make it a potent look into the future.

'Soylent Green' still nourishing after all this time!
If there was ever such a thing as 'sci-fi-noir', this is it. This wonderful, pessimistic, science fiction flick works as a cautionary tale, an action-mystery and a love story to boot. Charlton Heston fans will love it! It's 'Taylor-made' for the big guy (pardon the 'apes' pun). Heston excells at playing the cynical, tough yet decent sort; here a cop who's trying to unearth a cover-up reaching into the very top of government and industry. The movie is paced well and allows us to experience the gritty, sooty, reality of an exhausted, failing industrial society in the all too near future. The story line is supported by wonderful supporting performances by notable actors like Leigh Taylor-Young, Brock Peters, Chuck Connors, Joseph Cotten, and the great Edward G. Robinson, in what I believe is his last move. Unlike some 70's science fiction movies, the premise of 'Soylent Green' has not proved dated. It's as frightening and riviting today as it was when it was filmed nearly three decades ago. It's also poignant. The scene where Sol Roth (Edward G. Robinson) weeps out of sadness as the delighted Thorn (Heston) tasts the first real food he's ever eaten, is pristine, pure, gut-level story telling. Thorn's ultimate abandonment of his love interest, (Leigh-Taylor Young) to her unhappy fate is in keeping with the film's hard edge. Ultimately Thorn and Roth uncover a secret best left hidden. This movie never flinches. It's not as well known as Heston's other science fiction classic, 'Planet of the Apes' but 'Soylent Green' is great entertainment and perhaps the most underrated science fiction movie of the 1970's!

"Sorry We Went" Green
My wife and I saw this film in his initial theater release, expecting a good couple of hours entertainment, because of our faith in Charlton Heston. Bad move! Though it did depict rather well a bleak Malthusian future, its focus was entirely on efforts to obtain the wondrous Soylent Green as food, since it was so much superior to the other 2 colors. Alas, as soon as we had guessed the "shocking" source of the Green, there was nothing more to this one-trick-pony of a movie.

A nightmare every time closer
In 2022 the population's growth may reach eight billions people So the awful warning call given by Aldous Huxley ( A new visit for a brave new world) , George Orwell (Animal's farm or 1984) will suppose several restrictions about the free circulation vehicles and also an estimated amount of liters of water by each one of us.
This film is a very clever scifi story about a overcrowded world, where the reduced free spaces of the world we know actually , may be more narrow.
The story holds a deep reflection about the effects of a claustrophobic world, the lack of certain benefits you assumed almost naturally till now.
This movie shows us about a reality not so far. This work was the last appearance of Edward G. Robinson; thanks to Heston efforts for including him in that role. The last sequence in which you watch the ancient world like it was; it depicts a bucolic landscape; and the Pastoral Symphony works out perfectly with this goal. You may feel it something tearful, but the remarkable point is the hidden message. Still we are on time to avoid it. But who'll take this dangerous flag?
This film was released just one year after since Roma's club establihment, in 1972. In that age I had the opportunity of reading that fundamental work of Barry Commoner titled The circle that it closes.Watch for this one. Because with these raising reflections about the enviroment concern around the world made it possible, by instance, avoid to throw several hazardous weapons over Vietnam, whose direct and collateral effects had not studied enough. Chernobyl was just only fourteen years before and Long island twelve years.
Only with this long introduction you'll be capable of understand why this film,together with Farenheit 451, Capricorn one, The Omega man, Zardoz, The planet of the apes , 2001 and Solaris were made between 1967 and 1972. We are taking about movies of film makers so distant in style and view directorial as Kubrick , Tarkovski, Truffaut, Schafner ,Hyams and Boorman, but surrounded by that cloudy atmosphere who involved the world in those days.
A must for you to watch. It will let you thinking for a long, long time.

An Underrated SF Thriller
I just rediscovered this classic movie on DVD recently. It is an extraordinary and haunting film with a powerful message. The performance by Edward G. Robinson is moving, and it's almost obligatory to say that Charles Heston chews up the scenery (as usual).

Some of the reviewers here have bemoaned the fact that there are so many 70s-type vehicles in the world of Soylent Green, which detracts from its setting in the year 2022. Nothing could be further from the truth. I remember watching this film in 1973 and was very conscious of that fact that it was projecting what NYC might look like 49 years from then. Why so? Read on.

Not to state the obvious, but this is a film about a dystopian future. The planet is overpopulated and running out of resources. All of the major oil fields on earth have passed peak production (our experts tell us that the last major fields in Saudi Arabia and Iraq will reach peak production in just a few years from now). Most of the automobiles are old and broken down. Infrastructure is decaying. Even in 2004, here and now, you can see this process beginning. In many parts of the city where I live, people are driving vehicles manufactured from the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. Things are run down. People are working harder and making less money. Richard Fleischer's vision of the future is brilliant and spot on.

So what about the cheesy 70s background music, you say? All I can say is that by 2022 there might very well be a 70s renaissance, because by then people will have realized how good things were in the 1970s. Look at us in 2004, we're still playing Beatles music, and it is quite likely that the music industry will dramatically change or won't even exist by 2022.

And finally, to underscore the scope and brilliance of this film, just do some investigative research into today's Monsanto Corporation and see if you can't find an overwhelming parallel with the Soylent Corporation depicted in the film, whose aim was to control the world's food supply.

And who knows, by the year 2022, food processing and Chicken McNuggets will be so pervasive that NOBODY will know where their food really comes from. What a chilling thought.

I wish that every person on this planet owned this DVD. It's not just a great Heston film, or a brilliant science fiction thriller, it's an important film for all of mankind...because it's still not too late.

p.s. the amazing quality and sharpness of the images in this film are astounding. This is the film that I saw in 1973. All other versions have been muddy and dark. Another outstanding transfer!! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

GOOD!!!
I LIKE ANY SET OF THE PINK PANTHER CARTOONS THANKS FOR RELEASING THEM. I REALLY ENJOY WATCHING THE PINK PANTHER I USED TO WATCH THE PINK PANTHER AFTER SCHOOL I REALLY DID ENJOY THE PINK PANTHER IT WAS SO HILARIOUS!!!! I STILL ENJOY WATCHING THEM TODAY I WOULD RECOMMEND ANYONE WHO LIKES CLASSIC CARTOONS AND WHOMEVER ENJOYS WATCHING THE PINK PANTHER CARTOONS TO BUY THIS VIDEO YOU WOULD DEFINITELY ENJOY IT.

Pink Panther never dies!
This Pink Panther movie is just like any other Pink Panther movie. Its full of laughs, surprises and non stop comedy. It been around for ages and everyone I know who saw it loved it. My mom my dad and all my friends, just can't stop watching it. It is comedy at its best. Its for all ages it doesn't matter if your 80 or 2 months old you'll still have fun. The pink Panther is the coolest hippist character you'll ever see. He's cute, he's funny and most importantly he's Pink. I never can get enough of it and if you buy it I guarantee you won't ether. As its says in its title, there is an episode called "Pink elephant" in it along with many many more. So buy it now, and sit back realax and Think Pink. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Should Be on DVD (Widescreen)
I remember my Mom taking me to see this movie, I was about 11 year old and I thought this was such a cute, funny movie and there were several scenes that had everyone in the theater lauging out loud. I know the professional critics gave this movie awful reviews when it was released but there sure seemed to be a lot of people in the theater who were really enjoying watching The Duchess and the Dirtwater Fox and I think George Segal was great and so was Goldie Hawn as the ditzy heroine. This is one of the best westerns/comedies I have ever seen and I wish they would put this movie out on DVD (widescreen)

a classic goldie moment
I first saw this film when i was around 7 back in the 80s and i fell in love with it then, nearly 15 years later it is still amazing. Funny, fanastic, one of goldie's best! Shame its not on dvd!!!!
This is a must see for any goldie fan or any comedy fan, easy to get humour, both dirty and clever.
A MUST!!!!!

UNFORGETTABLE
Another of Goldie Hawn's classics! It's the story of a conman and a prostitute thrown together by the hand of fate, and their hilarious partnership. The best scene is where Goldie auditions for the job of governess to a religious family, and she must give a demonstration of her musical skills. The only song that is suitable for the circumstances, is a number she used to perform in the brothel: "Please don't touch my plums" and she does a magnificent job of impressing the pater familias and tickling the viewer's funnybone. The Duchess is a pearl in Goldie's crown.

An Awsome Classic !!!!
This movie is so funny!!! Any one who likes, or loves Goldie will simply LOVE this movie!!! I collect vhs (soon to be dvd) classic movies and this one has been a real bear to get ahold of. Anyway, I love it and I hope someone will read this and get the movie too. I promis they won't be dissapointed. Also, if anyone has ever seen The First Wives Club, they show a "tiny" pic of Goldie in her saloon outfit, next to her phone, and answering machine as "Brenda" is leaving her a message. That was only for the GREAT Goldie fans to notice.

One of best all time comedys
One of the funniest movies I've ever seen. It gets funnier every time that I see it. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

John Ford's 1948 classic stars John Wayne as a Cavalry officer used to doing things a certain way out West at Fort Apache. Along comes a rigid, new commanding officer (Henry Fonda) who insists that everything on his watch be done by the book, including dealings with local Indians. The results are mixed: greater discipline at the fort, but increased hostilities with the natives. Ford deliberately leaves judgments about the wisdom of these changes ambiguous, but he also allows plenty of room in this wonderful film for the fullness of life among the soldiers and their families--community rituals, new romances--to blossom. Fonda, in an unusual role for him, is stern and formal as the new man in charge; Wayne is heroic as the rebellious second; Victor McLaglen provides comic relief; and Ward Bond is a paragon of sturdy and sentimental masculinity. All of this is set against the magnificent, poetic topography of Monument Valley. This is easily one of the greatest of American films. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (17)

"IF YOU SAW THEM, THEY WEREN'T APACHE,"
is arguably one of The Duke's best lines (Michael Herr referenced it in his Vietnam War best seller DISPATCHES, making it a prophecy). John Ford's cavalry trilogy is a great body of American film, all three works have their individual moments that distingush their own lasting perfection. FORT APACHE has the classic Ford/Wayne elements: action, dialogue, a great supporting cast both Ford and Wayne knew how to play (Ward Bond, Victor McLaglen). Henry Fonda is brilliant as the pompous, ego maniacal Colonel Thursday and Victor McLaglen's drunken buffonery is classic. FORT APACHE is a ride into film greatness.

A great American film
Director John Ford's first entry in his "cavalry trilogy" is this excellent film about life on a military outpost far from the glamorous theaters of the Indian Wars in the American west. The film is about character development of the officers and enlisted men on the post, family relationships and the class distinctions among the military social order. Henry Fonda dominates this film with a wonderful interpretation of a bitter, unhappy colonel who feels he has been shunted aside by an ungrateful military hierarchy to an isolated desert outpost to fight Apaches, an assignment he considers beneath him. John Wayne's Capt. Kirby York gives the film just the right balance between the two men who have very different viewpoints about fighting Apaches and respect for their fierce adversaries. The concerns of the wives of officers and enlisted men are also explored in the daily routine at Fort Apache and their fears are touchingly portrayed as their men march at dawn one morning to do battle with Cochise's warriors in an attempt to force the venerable chief to return to a reservation that is run by a corrupt, morally bankrupt Indian agent. The original black and white print is superb and is much better than the colorized version available on video. Richard Hageman's music is reflective and melancholy.

This Ford still works.
I'm out of my element with this film. I normally don't review black-and-white classics, because I'm too cynical to view the big studio releases of yesteryear with an open mind. All of them are contrived and somewhat sappy; I watch them and envision a cherubic Mickey Rooney looking on while eating chocolate chip cookies and drinking milk. "That's a swell show, Dad!"

But I like John Ford films. And I really like FORT APACHE, despite the movie being a stereotypical product of its time. Why, you ask (or mutter indifferently)? Because this film actually depicts some range for Henry Fonda and the Duke himself. Fonda plays a very unsympathetic role, while John Wayne steps out of character (for him) to play a compassionate second fiddle. And Ford's experiment works: the two actors pull off exceptional performances; their on-screen chemistry is riveting.

Tension--that's the motor that drives FORT APACHE. A new disciplined, disgruntled, by-the-book colonel (Fonda) arrives at a remote Arizona outpost; immediately, he is at odds with the fort's seasoned and weathered captain (Wayne). The captain, who possesses a deep respect for a band of Apache that has left the reservation, has the loyalty and affection of his men; the colonel is looked upon as an unwelcome intruder and resented as a martinet. The two officers wage a battle of wills that ultimately has Fonda using an unsuspecting Wayne as a ploy to draw the Apache back for a surprise attack--a strategy that produces deadly consequences.

This is good stuff, further enhanced by some outstanding supporting roles, including Ward Bond, Pedro Armendariz, and Victor McLaglen. We're even treated to a grown-up--yet still annoying--Shirley Temple. Kudos to John Ford for creating a good-looking film that successfully had Fonda and Wayne step outside their respective boxes. FORT APACHE, despite its "Aw, shucks" big studio smarm, is solid entertainment.
--D. Mikels

Four and a half stars, actually...
A truly excellent western, one of the all-time greats; the only reason it's not a full 5 stars is there are a few which are marginally better, such as "She Wore a Yellow Ribbon" and "Shane".
Both Henry Fonda and John Wayne are cast against type here, and both prove what great actors they are. Fonda plays a stubborn, excessively proud army commander (loosely based on General George Armstrong Custer) furious at being sent to an outpost in Arizona to fight the Apache, complaining they're not even the "tough" Indians. Wayne is a looser, kinder man more adjusted to living in the middle of nowhere, beloved by his men, and holding much more respect for the Apache since he's dealt with them many times. Fonda insists on using the Apache's trust of Wayne against them, luring them into a trap to force them back onto the reservation. Wayne does his best to stop it, but the forces are already at work and there's little he can do. The ensuing massacre (remember, this tale is based on the exploits of Custer) leaves Wayne with the dilemma: tell the truth about Fonda, or go along with the typical "national-hero" myth that has developed around his death?
This is not your typical western. The cavalry aren't the bad guys (as they would be portrayed 40 years later in "Dances With Wolves"), but the Indians aren't exactly the bad guys, either. Their treatment on the reservation at the hands of a corrupt American government, providing them with scant food to survive but plenty of rotgut whiskey to demoralize and destroy them, is clearly presented. The Indians (portrayed here mostly by Mexican actors) are justifiably angry as their trust in "the great white father" is betrayed over and over. They are presented as intelligent strategists; they offer Fonda a legitimate chance to sit down and talk, but when they're betrayed yet again they go on the offense and, incredibly, they don't lose the fight. This was a western far ahead of its time, and since it was directed by the great John Ford it isn't just a moral tract: it's a beautifully-photographed and expertly-acted drama that pulls you in and teaches you something at the same time. Great stuff.

A wonderful movie
This was the greatest movie! Anyone would like it~! I would tell anyone/everyone to see it! You should add this great one to your westerns! ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Power Rangers is starting to peak again!
Power Rangers Time Force is more than the newest version of this nearly ten year standard. Once again, the show is trying to make its storyline more mature. This time, the main characters are four young adults, young police officers from 1000 years in the future, to be precise. These four, driven by a pact of honor and a need for justice, follow the 31st century's most vile criminal, a mutant named Ransck, back to the year 2001. It is Ransk's belief that if he cannot rule the future, why not the past?

The story's premise seems simple, but it does have one hell of a twist. To those who haven't seen the original broadcasts, I'll keep quiet about it. But, this little shocker can't help but make future episodes a little more intresting.

Visually the show is stunning. Its littered with special effects and the action during the battle scenes is nearly non-stop. A little addition of human drama, with a touch of moral undertone, make this current version of Power Rangers one of the best to date.

Time for Time Force!
This Power Rangers movie was one of the best movies that I have seen so far. It is an excellent with all the action and it's probably one of the best series I have seen since the Original series. It all begins in the year 3000. A mutant criminal named Ransik, escapes through a time warp to the year 2001. And so it is up to the Time Force police to catch them but they can't activate the morphers without a red ranger to lead them. The original red ranger died because Ransik struck him down without mercy. So now it is up to get a person who's D.N.A matches the original red ranger so they can activate the morphers and recapture Ransik and his group of mutant criminal and take them back to where they came from. But can they stop him when he's got some monsters and Cyclobots lurking around the corner? And how are they going to get back when the time ship's been destroyed? The answer's not revealed by you should brace yourself for an adventure that will blow you away!

Power Rangers Time Force
Hi my name is Akshay i am so crazy about a certien power rangers wich is time force.It all starts in year 3000 cool huh? when a villan named Ranisk injurs the red ranger Alex, and Jen(the pink ranger) Alex's girl friend gets mad and searchs for Ransik. But Ransik slips through the time warp. Jen steals the morphers and time ship with her team mates Lucas(blue ranger) Trip (green ranger) and Kaite(yellow ranger) and begin their power ranger journey!

Force From the Future
This tape will have 3 episodes:

1)Force From the Future PT. 1&2
In the year 3000, a fugitive named Ransik evades capture from the Time Force. He injures Red Ranger Alex and travels back in time to conquer the past. Time Force operative Jen, Alex's fiancee, steals five morphers and a time ship, and along with teammates Katie, Trip, and Lucas, travels to the past in search of Ransik. In the year 2001, they recruit a new Red Ranger named Wes, an ancestor of Alex, and they all become Power Rangers for the first time to defend the city of Silver Hills against Ransik.

3) SOMETHING TO FIGHT FOR

Ransik unleashes his first reanimated mutant onto the city. Jen allows Wes to join the team, and the Rangers receive Time Jets from the future to defeat the overgrown mutant.

Great, but then gets increasingly worse...and then better!
I was at Big W when I saw this: Power Rangers TimeForce, and I'm like "OH COOOOOLLLLL!", so I buy it. I watch it with my Ranger-mad bro, who could'nt sit down. It starts out with us meeting the Rangers, Ranzik, etc, with all these wierd action scenes, etc, and I mean 'the special FX maybe something, but we've seen so much of this kind of kiddies action before (in six seasons on PR)!'. But then Alex kicks the bucket. Now, THAT'S something we've never seen before!! The episodes continue as a rollercoaster, it's dumb, then good. It's somehow the best series yet. And the rangers themselves are rollercoasters aswell, example: Trip is the nicest & coolest Ranger ever, Jen's a cow, Wes is really sincere, Lucas is stuck up, and Katie's, well, in between. So, all in all, buy it, Ranger-fans, but just hire it the people not to sure on rollercoaster TV. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Wonderful!
This is a great tape and has the first epiode the pilot Once Upon A Time In The City Of New York and is wonderful it is about how Catherine Chandler is attacked and Vincent finds her and brings her to his underground home to recover and soon a bond develops, a soul mate kind of love! I think this particular tape may only have the pilot but the tape we have also has an episode called A Happy Life and is about Catherine dealing with the anniversary of her mother's death. Both are great episodes but my favorite is the pilot episode! Linda Hamilton from the Terminator movies plays Catherine and Vincent is played by Ron Perlman. I highly recommend this video to fans of Beauty and the Beast.

Beauty and the Beast - the dream lives on.
This first part to the series is the one so many people fell in love with and it is a must if you have never seen Beauty and the Beast before. For from that first episode so starts the relationship between the man beast Vincent Wells and the beautiful district attorney Catherine Chandler. From the very first this couple captured our hearts, especially Vincent, who soon had his own following - as everyone that watched the series wanted to take him home. Soon he became every woman's dream as to the perfect man, and it became apparent that outward appearances are not important, it is the beauty of the inner self that shines through any differences. That and the fact that Vincent has the most gorgeous blue eyes, gravelly sexy voice, a marvelous physique and a love of the finer things in life such as good music and literature. And Vincent made us review our own life and made us better people. Vincent was played to perfection by the man behind the makeup - Ron Perlman. And there is a marvelous chemistry that exists between Mr Perlman and Linda Hamilton the actress that plays Catherine Chandler, that made their roles oh so believeable. Buy it, watch it and you will be forever pleased that you did. There is a huge fan following for this show who are campaigning to have more episodes made and hopefully a movie too.

PLEASE release this on DVD
I grew up watching this show and loved every episode. I've been trying to find them for years. Ron Perlman is amazing as Vincent and the actor who played Father was everything a kid could want. You really rooted for Perlman and Hamilton. PLEASE release this series on DVD.

Dvd
This was one of the best shows out there... I highly recommend it being put on dvd

This Show Should Have Complete Season DVD Boxsets!
Beauty and the Beast is a great show and Linda Hamilton and Ron Perlman gave amazing performances as Catherine and Vincent. I used to watch Beauty and the Beast when it was on CBS and I also used to have this tape. There used to be reruns of this show on cable but it never seems to be shown anymore and I would like to see Beauty and the Beast put out on DVD in complete season DVD boxsets. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

I'm Ennoyed By Publicity
This is ridiculis(don't know if I spelt that right). This is(knowing the facts) a publicity stunt. This has the same plot as Spy Kids. I still can't believe in the new year we can't think up a new idea. People use your brain! Not all ideas are taken! Use your imagination and more people will buy tickets! So basicly it's Spy Kids with not all kids being related an there are three of them. Not a big difference.

THIS IS THE BEST!!!
This was the best movie that i have seen in a long time!!! I LOVED IT!!! if you havent seen it you need to go see it because it is really the best movie EVER and when it first started i thought it was way stupid but i ended up getting way into it!!!!

One of the BEST!!!!!
This was an excellent movie. It rises your suspense level! It is definatly a movie to see!

Max is Hot!!!
I love this movie!!! Max Thieriot (Gus) is SOOOO cute and hot!!!I saw it at least 5 times!!!

AVENGERS, move over!
This was a modern story, mom is a career woman pulled in many directions and not enough time for her two diverse kids, dad is a has-been mountain climber who lives in his past glory but supplements the family income by running a go-cart race track. In California, where else!

Maddy wants to win her father's favor by climbing dangerous places. Her stunts demanded a good deal of gymnastics skill. As she practices, she tells her mom on the cell phone that she is doing homework (during Spring Break). She is given a personal tour of the nine story bank and sensitive information by the manager where her career mom has been installing a complicated security system.

Her pal, Gus, charms the bank receptionist into giving him a model of the building in place of a floor pan -- for a project at school, he says. Austin, their school friend who is a computer nerd ,pretends to be a director as he films whatever. He comes up with a digital blueprint of the nine floors which comprise this fancy bank.

I liked the white haired bank president, Brisbane, and his artifices as he runs a tight ship and makes demands on his employees for the upcoming reception. Maddy's red dress for this social affair must have come out of her absent mother's wardrobe; it looked like something you'd see at the Grammy Awards show. After all, she and her co-conspirators were only eighth graders.

Their youthful, modern slang such as 'cool,' 'awesome,' 'that's fresh,' and 'Bro' made them modern kids with absent parents. Maddy used her womanly wiles and deceit on both boys to get them to help her pull off this necessary heist. Her dad needs an operation so that he can walk again, at the cost of $250,000; his "insurance" won't pay for this crucial surgery. So, what else is new in today's health care mess?

The inept security men at the bank provided the comedy lacking elsewhere. The hodgepodge scenes were so inconsistent as to need labels to keep the viewers straight as to what is happening on the screen. Music was selected by George Clinton; the rap was totally unnecessary and the rest 'much to be preferred.' The waterbed scene could have been left out.

The bank heist took place during the reception on the first floor with notables in their best finery. They looked like the crowd of locals who appeared in David Keith's hometown masterpiece to be released later this year.

Maddy conquered the intricacies of getting into the vault and taking only the amount needed for hier beloved dad's survival. They were cornered by vicious dogs (pit bulls) who aim for the throat, as I learned from a conversation on the bus recently,.

The police chase throughout the night streets of L.A. after a pair of go-carts included a couple of SWAT helicopters on the same bridge used in the movie S.W.A.T. Gus used his "operation jacks" to throw a kink in the proceedings and had the police vehicles scurrying in all directions.

The media were told this had been only a test to check out the new security system. The coverage about the threesome and the reason the money was needed made the go-cart races the 'thing to do' and 'place to be.' Sometimes drastic action is required to make a situation known. The family were given a 'consultant's fee' of $50,000 and a promise of loans for the rest.

It wasn't half bad. Baby Max was a cutie. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Best Volume of All
I believe this is the best volume of this series out of them all. It includes my favorite episode of all time, "Trouble With Mary Jane." In which a yound girl becomes possessed by a demon and her grandmother hires a pair of occultists to perform an exorcism on the little girl. Although they do succeed in the exorcism, the result is something very unexpected. Other episodes on this volume include, "The Devil's Advocate", "Ring Around the Redhead", "The Satanic Piano" (another one of my favorites), and "A Choice of Dreams". If you like twisted, strange, and unusual stories, I highly recommend this product to you.

Join the Darkside!
In the second volume, I lovingly discovered that my second all-time favorite episode was included: The Devil's Advocate. My all-time favorite episode, Seasons of Belief, is on the first volume. Anyway, The Devil's Advocate stars Jerry Stiller as a smart-alec radio talk show host who neglects to see how his life is worse than those he constantly puts down over the airways. He realizes it eventually, but not before it's too late. The remaining four episodes are good, but don't exactly compare to The Devil's Advocate. These episodes include Ring Around The Redhead (starring Home Alone's John Heard), The Trouble with Mary Jane (starring Phyllis Diller), The Satanic Piano (starring Michael Warren from Hill Street Blues), and A Choice of Dreams (starring The Godfather's Abe Vigoda). Buy it for Stiller if nothing else! ... Read more

Reviews (5)

One Of The Best Power Ranger Videos Of All Time!!!
I love the Power Rangers and collect all of their videos!!! Anyway, about the video, it is great. I especially like the part where Billy, Zack, Bulk, and Skull are in detention and Bulk and Skull put on the shades making them think that Billy and Zack are Putties and they run around screaming and the principal yells for them to sit down. I also like the part where Bulk and Skull pour iquana food all over the tank...and the iquana!!! Other than the Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers Movie this is the best Power Rangers video of all!!!