Amazon.com

Cromwell, Oklahoma, 1924: an oil boomtown full of saloons, cathouses, mud-and-crude-oil streets, bootleg whisky, and gun-toting roughnecks. Technology had overpassed the Old West, in the form of Model T's and oil rigs, but the mentality had stayed much the same. Add to that a population that's a bit tweaky from a combination of cocaine and morphine that had been going around, and you have a recipe for trouble. Enter Marshall Bill Tilghman, a contemporary of Wyatt Earp. Tilghman had made a silent film, The Passing of the Oklahoma Outlaws, and on the strength of his reputation had been called into service as chief of police in the hopes of restoring order to a lawless community. In this fact-based story, Sam Elliott plays Tilghman, a larger-than-life character who was one of the last of a dying era. Many Prohibition agents became renegades in the '20s; Tilghman's nemesis was Wiley (Arliss Howard), a rogue agent strung out on drugs and dealing in bootleg liquor himself. Howard's performance is as overwrought as Elliott's is restrained; together the two offset each other well. The flinty Elliott brings a measure of warmth to his role, especially in his relationship to his wife and kids; he's perfectly cast as the man on the cusp of a new age. As a modern-era Western, You Know My Name rises well above its made-for-cable roots to stand as a good character study and action picture. --Jerry Renshaw ... Read more

Reviews (6)

The Greatest of Us All
This movie depicts the final days of my distant relative, Bill Tilghman. Tilghman enforced the law from the 1880's, as Marshal of Dodge City through the Indian Territory days in Oklahoma to statehood and Roaring '20s gangsters.
At 70, he was about the only man left alive who had tamed a wild cowtown. The Governor called on him to bring law and order to Cromwell, the oiltown known as "the meanest town in Oklahoma." He did it, though did not live to see his work totally completed.
Sam Elliott does a wonderful job of portraying this lawman who was better known in his day than the Wyatt Earps and such we are familiar with today. While a few cinematic prerogatives were taken, William Kent Harrison stayed pretty close to history and clearly did a lot of research. He beautifully depicts the wonderment of an old West lawman coping with gangsters in T-model Fords and ignoring the ethics that characterized even such desperadoes as Bill Doolin in the 1890's.
Particularly interesting were the vignettes of Tilghman's 1915 movie, "The Passing of the Oklahoma Outlaws," which he and many of the people who were really there starred in.
In the early 1900's, famed lawman Bat Masterson was asked about the old lawmen of the West. Without hesitation, he said "Tilghman was the greatest of us all."

Very Inspirational
I loved the portrayal of a tough honest lawman who also showed a deep understanding of human nature. He was also a very warm family man. The way he handled the young man who wanted to become his assistant and how he became a role model for him while he was alive is interesting. I like certain westerns and this was a good one. I think Sam Elliott should have been aged a little more...it was too obvious that a young man was wearing props to make him look much older. I recommend this feel-good movie for a general audience.

One of the Great Modern Westerns
Sam Elliot is without a doubt the best modern western actor today. As with all his movies, he gives a stunning performance. While filled with a few historical flaws, it shows the general theme of Bill Tilghmans life. I admit that it would have been more interesting if they showed his earlier life and involvment with the likes of the Doolin gang. Some may say that is lacks a good plot, but the movie is a true story.

you know my name
Most of the reviews of this movie say it has a lousy plot, what few critics probably realize,however, is that it is a true story (some liberties were taken of course.). I am Bill Tilghman's great-great granddaughter, and I had some problems with the story, too, mostly in what they chose to portray. I think that the early days of Bill Tilghman's life were much more interesting than the last few months. It's too bad they didn't focus more on the material in the "Passing of the Oklahoma Outlaws" movie that Bill made with his partner, Benny Kent. Unless the audience knows a lot about Bill Tilghman, they wouldn't understand the "flashback" sequences. I also think Sam Elliott was mis-cast ! I have spoken to many living old-timers that knew Bill - they say he was a very unassuming and quiet man. He wasn't a tough guy at all. Still, I was glad the movie was made - many people never read history unless they've seen the movie first !

Good cast, lousy script
Sam Elliott's portrait of Marshal Tilghman is splendid as ever his performances as a westerner are. But the script is really lousy. After a thrilling start sequence and a surprising film-in-film-montage the film is lacking the necessary straightforwardness that, e.g., "Last Stand at Saber River" makes a 5-star-western. There's lot of talking and too little action. Best example: the scene when riding Tilghman is chased by a car with gangsters. The car simply crashes downward a hill. There's no thrilling tension in that sequence. The authors and director John Kent Harrison were not able to turn the conflict between old-fashioned lawman Tilghman and the modern, organised and law-protected crime into a entertaining duel. It's a pity: A lot of good ideas and a stunning Elliott performance wasted by uninspired filmmakers. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The Salem witch hunts are given a new and nasty perspective when a vengeful teenage girl uses superstition and repression to her advantage, creating a killing machine that becomes a force unto itself. Pulsating with seductive energy, this provocative drama is as visually arresting as it is intellectually engrossing. Arthur Miller based his classic 1953 play on the actual Salem witch trials of 1692, creating what has since become a durable fixture of school drama courses. It may look like a historical drama, but Miller also meant the work as a parable for the misery created by the McCarthy anti-Communist hearings of the 1950s. This searing version of his drama delves into matters of conscience with concise accuracy and emotional honesty. Three passionate cheers for Miller, director Nicholas Hytner, and costars Daniel Day-Lewis and Winona Ryder. --Rochelle O'Gorman ... Read more

Reviews (77)

It's About Time
You'd be hard pressed to find a story more compelling than the one that inspired Arthur Miller's 1953 drama The Crucible. Except the one about how it became a movie. It's taken all these years to bring a full version to the screen, and the only thing that explains it is Hollywood's perpetual cluelessness. The Salem witch trials of 1692 destroyed nineteen lives and countless reputations. Hoodwinked by a bunch of flighty teenage girls who wished to escape a whipping for their frolics in the woods, the town brought in the colony magistrates to sort out the devils from the angels.

Miller, who also wrote the screenplay, expresses his blatant contempt for hypocrisy in all forms through the character of John Proctor (Daniel Day-Lewis), a humble but once-adulterous farmer. Proctor's sexual escapades with the town's main accuser Abigail Williams (Winona Ryder) could, through the girl's treachery, end in his wife's hanging. He can either save himself with a lie or free Elizabeth (Joan Allen) with the truth about himself and Abigail.

It's potent stuff any way you slice it, and the actors here aren't afraid to take big bites of their meaty roles. The film's pacing is fast and furious, hysterical like the history of the event it interprets. If it lacks the McCarthyist subtext it once had, so what. This here's a tragedy--a good old American one.

The movie's inevitable ending won't satisfy those who want only fluff and feathers at the cinema, but the hard lesson won by those who refuse to compromise their principles can't be denied. The Crucible is a faithful testament to their sacrifice.

Great Adaptation of an American Masterpiece
Since Miller helped write the screenplay and one of his sons produced or coproduced the movie, it shouldn't be a shock that the movie is so faithful to the original text where it needs to be and broadens the story where it needs to, as well. Miller knows how to write for the stage, and he apparently knows how to write for the screen, also. After seeing so many "classic" books and/or plays butchered by Hollywood, this movie is a real delight, despite its morbid and all-too-realistic story. This movie has become an essential to my Grade 11 American Literature classes, spectacularly complementing their reading of Miller's play and several pieces from the Salem Witch Trial era.

Ignoring the play's historic flaws and inaccuracies (that's another debate for another time), Miller brilliantly captured the essence of the Salem Witch Trials in his play and has conveyed them to the screen. Hatred, fear, jealousy, hypocrisy, religious mania, attention-seeking, conviction, strength, determination, repentance, and a host of other emotions and character traits are vividly brought to life by a superb cast: Daniel Day-Lewis is a great John Proctor (nobody else could have done better), Winona Ryder is very good as the conniving and bitter Abigail Williams, Joan Allen was nominated for an Oscar for her portrayal of Elizabeth Proctor, and Paul Scofield should have won an Oscar for his cold-hearted portrayal of Justice Danforth. The conflict between Proctor and Danforth is what sustains the play's momentum for the second and third acts (about the last hour and fifteen minutes of the movie), and Lewis and Scofield bring that epic conflict to life: the classic good v. evil, with the sides getting somewhat mixed up as to who is who. . . . Lewis plays the flawed hero to Scofield's self-righteous and vindictive villain with palpable energy. How Scofield's performance was overlooked by the Academy is just another example of their oblivion. He gives me the willies with his methodical, calculating delivery of Miller's chilling dialogue: "Who weeps for these weeps for corruption" (among a bunch of great lines from the play/movie).

This isn't simply a play enacted in front of movie cameras (like Death of a Salesman). The director uses his camera very effectively, capturing some great close-up moments, unique perspectives and camera angles, and bringing a sense of "bigness" to the whole story. The play can seem very isolated, with its sparse sets and black-and-white costumes. Miller also expands the movie to begin well before the play does (giving the movie-goer information that he must have assumed the play-reader would already have) and extending it beyond the conviction of Proctor to include his execution, along with that of Rebecca Nurse and Martha Corey. Just as a side note, each of those three was hanged in a separate group in the original trials--great symbolism from Miller, including each larger original group of victims in the final trio. Also great symbolism in Proctor's Christ-like physical placement in the middle of the two "sinners," as he takes their sins upon him--the crucifixion is represented very effectively.

Bottom line: You won't see a better adaptation of a play to movie anytime soon. Nothing essential is left out, and some nice details are brought in to give the movie a distinction from its original source, the play. If you can make it through this play and not be outraged by the injustice and hypocrisy, then you have a heart as cold as Danforth's. What Miller would likely want you to do is apply that outrage to similar situations that go on every day, just as he intended with his original play (the McCarthy hearings, the "Red" Scare). At least watch the movie, though.

"Your justice would freeze beer."
Although the playwright Arthur Miller was also the screenwriter for this production starring Winona Ryder and Daniel Day-Lewis, the film bears little resemblance to the play in tone and impact. Director Nicholas Hytner has abandoned the intimate, almost claustrophobic atmosphere of the dark, interior scenes in the play, in favor of an expansive setting, with many scenes set outside, including panoramic shots of Salem in 1692, full of costumed "citizens." The expanded setting makes the psychology and motivation of the witchcraft hysteria more difficult to determine, since the intensity of the settlers' repressed, interior lives is not obvious. The explanatory notes which Miller incorporates into the play about land disputes, religious controversies, and personal animosities, which led to specific individuals being accused and arrested for witchcraft, are seen only peripherally.

As a result, we see Winona Ryder, as Abigail Williams, and her coterie of bewitched girls, screaming hysterically and accusing innocent women of witchcraft without the background which would make these accusations plausible. Her previous relationship with John Proctor (Daniel Day-Lewis), in the absence of other motivations, seems to be the primary reason for her behavior, but this thwarted love does not explain the extent of her rage and, especially, the involvement of the other girls. Day-Lewis is reduced to the role of victim, and one of the hallmarks of his acting, his subtlety, is absent here, except in a wonderful final scene with his wife, played by Joan Allen. Details of the scenery also ring false--houses in this period were very small because of the difficulty of heating, one third the size they are here, and the church/meeting houses were modest in accordance with religious restrictions against unnecessary display.

This is a Hollywood version of the witchcraft trials, capitalizing on the sensational at the expense of the complex and subtle forces behind the accusations of witchcraft--the Indian wars which were just ending, the growing independence of individuals, the increasing resentment of hard-line theocratic rule, the abolition of traditional property laws, and most importantly, the lack of any societal role whatsoever for young women, who were not old enough to assume a woman's role and who, bored and left out of decision-making, were on their own in dealing with their adult feelings. The film is beautiful, and the acting, though one-dimensional, is as effective as it can be in the absence of fully-developed motivation for the girls' hysteria. The "witches" are reduced to cartoons here, and Miller's parallels between these trials and the McCarthy hearings of the 1950s, which give the play a modern context, are missing. Mary Whipple

A Superbly Directed and Acted Film
It is rare nowadays that I come out of a movie feeling moved and enlightened. Suffice it to say that when I first saw The Crucible in the theatre several years ago, I left the movie understanding a bit more about human nature and a greater appreciation for the power of group hysteria. This film draws on the fine acting talents of Daniel Day-Lewis, Winona Ryder (in her best role ever), and Joan Allen. Not only is the dialogue brilliant, but the emotional content is incredibly affecting. I am so glad to see it finally on DVD. In this day and age of disposable art, it is heartening to see that movies of this caliber are still being made (even if it is with less frequency).

A great film
I have seen this movie perhaps a dozen times, and never tire of it. It is one of the most compelling, well-written movies I can think of, and the acting is superb throughout, particularly from Day-Lewis, who gives a heart-stopping performance. Because of its theme about witches, the movie gets played a lot around Halloween, but it is by no means a horror movie. It's not even a thriller, really, yet it does manage to thrill and keep the viewer totally involved. I love this movie and can't wait for the DVD. ... Read more

Reviews (70)

Well animated but not true to the strip
Garfield: The Movie is a fairly straightforward story with no secondary tales or other touches that could take this film out of kidvid. The interaction between the animated Garfield and the real actors and sets is subtle, rather than the eye-popping wow! of Who Framed Roger Rabbit. Unlike better family films such as Shrek or Finding Nemo, this one is strictly for kids as there is little to keep an adult's interest.

The movie starts out with a few scene-setting vignettes, brief unconnected tales much like the Jim Davis comic strip the movie was lifted from. But right away something is amiss. Jon, Garfield's human, isn't presented as a complete loser. He lives in a very nice house in an unspecified part of the midwest that looks suspiciously like Oak Park or a similar John Hughes location. The furnishings are tasteful and reasonable quality. And Jon isn't completly incompetent in his day to day actions.

And what's worse, Jon's unrequited feelings for Garfield's veterinarian, Liz, are not thrown in his face (as per the strip) but returned within the first 20 minutes. The vet character is just as wrong as Jon; both are cute, thin, and dress well. Jon should be a zhlub, Liz should be strictly business. Here, Jon's a heartthrob and Liz dresses like she's on her way to a disco. Wrong, wrong, wrong!

The major plot point is okay (evil cable-TV animal show host kidnaps Odie after dog wins a blue ribbon, Garfield rescues him), the animated Garfield is done well, and the status quo is preserved. My kid liked it okay. But I would not advise anyone over 12 to watch this unless accompanied by an interested elementary schooler. 14 June 2004 by mad-haus

Garfield the movie.
I saw this movie. I like it. It's funny, cute. Good movie.

Why listen to the critics? This movie's great!
Entertainment Weekly said Garfield was a cloddish, unfunny dud.

For all I care, they can wear dunce caps on their heads (ha ha.)
I personally like Garfield, especially the part I like to call, "cat meets gravity, cat hits truck window." Garfield has tyke-friendly jokes, but, WHO CARES? Garfield is a fun movie that I would recommend to all fans. So, Garfield fans should just push the critics aside, and enjoy Garfield.

Bill Murray+Garfield=THE BIGGEST LAUGH YOU'LL EVER HAVE!!
When I heard about the Garfield movie, I thought, (Hey, I love the Garfield comic, and I LOVE Bill Murray, I'd love to see it!) So I went to see it with my parents and my friends, Laura and Andrew. I laughed my head off! Bill was AWSOME and Garfield looked like a real cat! The funniest part was when Garfield accidently destroyed the owner's living room!! (I forgot the owner's name.) The people that didn't care for it were; my Mom and Andrew. Tho everyone thought Garfield looked like a real cat! I wanna see it again, tho my Mom said no. I'm buying the DVD when it comes out. I recommend this movie to anyone who likes, Bill Murray, Garfield the comic, and/or silly humor. Fortunely, I like all three! ME-ow 4 now!

Out of character from start to finish
So, I just saw this recently ("That's your own darn fault", I can almost hear you say) and it is indeed everything the more reputable reviewers have called it, plus a side of fries. From the very first scene on, this Garfield is the polar opposite of his comic book equivalent, talking incessantly, recklessly jumping around, waking Jon so he can make it to work in time (and though he is never seen working, Jon must indubitably have a very cushy job, judging from his at least one million dollar home). Hmmm, I always thought Garfield conserved energy as much as possible.

If this film resembles anything, it's one of those bad Disney talking animal movies from the '60s. Plot modus operandi: Animal with extraordinary abilities is abducted and exploited by evil, greedy big city person, other animals and/or animal owners must come to the rescue. Yawn. I wouldn't even mind the uber-generic plot contrivances if they were spruced up with some decent gags, but you could count this film's laughs on one finger. What Garfield really needed was a punch-up by a bunch of Simpsons writers.

I wouldn't mind buying Chris Beck's (Buffy) fun but rather standard score if I came across it in a bargain bin somewhere, but barring that unlikely scenario I'm likely not going to go out of my way to track down a promo. Even his work here remains more of a "Meh" than a "Hmmm... neat." ... Read more

Reviews (10)

The Persistence of Melancholy
This is a beautiful film that I would recommend to those who have read Joyce's short story and those who have not. This is one of the few instances where the visual medium enhances and even improves appreciation of the original written work. Set in 1904 in an elegant Dublin home on Christmas Day, it is an extremely moving character study of a portion of middle class Dublin society. The characters are shown with their charms as well as flaws intact, as the plot wends its way to the epiphany of Gabriel, the main character, who comes to realize the many things he has never known about his wife to whom he has been married many years. Even the final overwhelming soliloquy of melancholy of Gabriel's character is enveloped in a deep and haunting Irish charm, and the result is magnificent. A powerful film that is a literate must see.

Haunting film version of the James Joyce story.
This is a hushed and moody film version of the famous Joyce story. Those looking for action and non-stop plot will be disappointed. For intelligent viewers, the acting and directing are first rate. The ending is very sad and unforgettable.

Wonderful adaption!
Why is it such a gem of a movie is so difficult to obtain?

I saw the scene of Anjelica Huston on the stairs when I was in college (the professor showed it to us when teaching "Dubliners"). I later decided to rent it and was happy with it.

This year, before my first day of work (I work in a school district), I treated myself to an Irish coffee and read "The Dead" before bed. Forgetting how much I truly enjoyed this story, I decided that I must own the movie.

I searched unsuccessfully throughout the area although did manage to secure a copy through Amazon. What a treat to watch this visual masterpiece. Although we do not have the benefit of Gabriel's musings until the end, we can see the pretentiousness and elitism, where his own image superscedes what is importance. The dancing, music, conversation, and dinner are so mirthful, yet so very artificial. Yet, it isin the hotel room after the party that reality thrust upon us. The illusion of immortality is crushed as Gretta (Angelica Huston) shares the tragedy of a lost love. One does not feel protected in the hotel room, one feels cold, much as it is outside in the snow. The contrast, the emotions stirred, are so very tremendous that few movies are able to match. Unfortunately, many will find the movie to be a sharp yawn and a prelude to falling asleep. The thoughtful viewer (and pronounced James Joyce admirer) will see this as a treat to behold. I am so very lucky to have this for my bookshelf and believe I shall treat myself to it quite regularly!

The Dead Are All Among Us
I am reminded somehow of "An Irish Airman Meets His Death" when I see this wonderful movie-tale. There is an inherent hesitation in its flow -- until the very ending, when Joyce reveals his simple thrust: there are more things in heaven and earth....
The acting is superb. A period-piece, each member of the cast fits into his/her place with perfection. The themes before the End commemorate Humanity. The End commemorates all of them together: lost (or unrequited) love.
I love Irish music and its often heart-rending simplicity (some I know call it 'boozy sentimentality; I disagree). This film has much music, sentimental, subjective and, yes, very, very subtle. The admixture moves one's heart -- and, maybe, one's soul.
This one should be in a thoughtful person's video archive. On wintry nights, when the hearth has lessened to embers awaiting their deaths -- we ought to think of what this film has to say: to all of us.

HUSTON'S FINAL TRIUMPH
Do not buy this video if you do not enjoy movies made with delicacy and wistful melancholy -- it is short, has no real plot and features no special effects. Yet this movie stands as one of the best ever -- it weaves a spell over you, and captivates your every sense. We are treated to the visual trimmings of a holiday feast, along with the Irish folk music that will, just when you least expect it, turn your expectations upside down. The lively characterizations of every player in this movie bring it to vivid life; it's as if you have entered a Christmas card, and can taste, smell and feel everything around you. That James Joyce's story revolves essentially around a simple, but devastating revelation, is what makes it brilliant. So many times in this movie the obvious gives way to more specific visions: as one of the many, many colorful ladies speaks at her party, we are brought inside a bedroom, where we linger with the camera on objects -- picture frames, combs, etc., that spark the imagination and underscore the proceedings with a singluar clarity. Angelica Huston is magically compelling, and the final monologue, delivered with subtle power, will haunt your memory. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

The come-from-behind winner of the 1981 Oscar for best picture, Chariots of Fire either strikes you as either a cold exercise in mechanical manipulation or as a tale of true determination and inspiration. The heroes are an unlikely pair of young athletes who ran for Great Britain in the 1924 Paris Olympics: devout Protestant Eric Liddell (Ian Charleson), a divinity student whose running makes him feel closer to God, and Jewish Harold Abrahams (Ben Cross), a highly competitive Cambridge student who has to surmount the institutional hurdles of class prejudice and anti-Semitism. There's delicious support from Ian Holm (as Abrahams's coach) and John Gielgud and Lindsay Anderson as a couple of Cambridge fogies. Vangelis's soaring synthesized score, which seemed to be everywhere in the early 1980s, also won an Oscar. Chariots of Fire was the debut film of British television commercial director Hugh Hudson (Greystoke) and was produced by David Puttnam. --Jim Emerson ... Read more

Reviews (126)

Uplifting and Inspiring
"Chariots of Fire" makes the list of my ten favorite movies of all-time. The film depicts the true life journey of two sprint champions from the 1924 Paris Olympics. This isn't your average sports movie as the character development is more significant than the competition on the track. The "Flying Scotsman" Eric Liddell is man of deep moral conviction and joyful heartfelt devotion to God. As he runs he senses God's pleasure. Harold Abrams is an intense Jewish student at Cambridge who is driven to win in defiance of the obstacles of prejudice and institutionalism. He runs to prove his worth.

The film is slow moving and filled with numerous flashbacks. Knowing the history of the characters would enable you to better follow the story and appreciate the men portrayed. The acting is excellent with terrific performances by supporting actors such as Ian Holm as track coach Sam Mussabini; John Gielgud and Lindsay Anderson as the stuffy masters of the university; and Nigel Havers as the likeable Lord Lindsay. The electronic sounding musical score is the most recognizable part of the movie and the costuming is exceptional. I was deeply moved and inspired by "Chariots of Fire."

The Brilliant Resurgence Of The British Movie Industry
The time is 1924. The finest athletes of England have begun their quest for glory in the Olympic Games. Their success will win honor for their nation - but for two champion runners, the honor at stake is a personal one...and their challenge one from within.

Chariots Of fire tells the exciting, inspiring true story of Harold Abrahams, Eric Liddell, and the dedicated team of competitors who brought Great Britain one of her most legendary victories in international sports. It is also the film that marked the brilliant resurgence of the British movie industry - and won four 1981 Academy Awards - including Best Picture.

Virtually a succession of smashing debuts, which it proved to be for Ben Cross, Ian Charleson, Nigel Havers, Nicholas Farrell, Alice Krige, Jeremy Sinden, and Daniel Gerroll in their first major film roles, and Hugh Hudson (a veteran of British Television)directing his first theatrical feature. With such other wonderful talents by veteran actors Sir Ian Holm, Sir John Gielgud, Lindsay Anderson, and Nigel Davenport, the collective people together shaped a film whose impact is still lasting and unique. From its bracing footage of competition and pagentry, to the haunting image of the English runners on the beach, to the extraordinary music score by Vangelis, Chariots Of Fire has left its mark on film fans everywhere. It also has proven that British filmmakers and film crews are the best, and only the best, in the world.

If you are looking for the finest in entertainment, art films, or otherwise, you need not look any furthur than Chariots Of Fire. The finest of the United Kingdom of Great Britain.

Competition and Character
Chariots of Fire is an outstanding epic based on the lives of two men (among others), Eric Liddel and Harold Abrahams. Eric Liddel, a Scotsman and a missionary believes he can succeed as a testament to his undying faith. Harold Abrahams, a Jew wishes to succeed to prove that Jews are no inferior to others in post WWI England. This movie is one of refinement, ambition, commitment and integrity. In that era, there are tempers when the Masters of Cambridge do not take lightly to Harold being trained by a professional as they pride in the amateur aspect of the sport and the esprit de corps. His interaction with his girl friend when he loses a race is a special point. She says, "He won fair and square. There is nothing you can do about it." Then he retorts, "I do not run to compete, I run to win, if I cannot win, I should not run." She replies, "If you do not run, you cannot win." It ends with her frustration and saying, "Grow up". As compelling as the racing scenes are, it's really the depth of the two main characters that touches the viewer, as they forcefully drive home the theme that victory attained through devotion and sacrifice is the most admirable feat that one can achieve.

I am glad that I have a wide screen edition of this DVD, however this is a region 3 and cannot play in a regular DVD player, as they play only the region 1 version. It is similar to the version released in UK. Even this version does not have a good audio and video transfer. There are dots in the video and the audio should be better considering the outstanding score by Vangelis. The widescreen edition is farbetter than the one released in US though. I am sad that they are not releasing this one here. I got this one in US through another website, thanks to my enhanced DVD player. So, I would give 5 stars for the movie and 4 stars for the transfer (I am being very generous here).

With hope in our hearts and wings in our heels!
The athletes of the British running team who went with hope in their hearts and wings in their heels in the VIII Olympiad in Paris in 1924 is the focus of this movie, but there's also the dynamics of what it means to be English, and the reconciliation of one's soul and religious convictions in the Modern Age. Three of them are students from Cambridge. There is the quiet and soft-spoken Aubrey Montague, Lord Andrew Lindsey, and Harold Abrahams. As the head of Caius (pronounced Keys) College tells them when they first attend in 1919, they are the first post-war generation who have inherited the dreams of a generation that perished on the fields of France, a generation embodying "goodness, zeal,...and intellectual promise."

The two main athletes here are a contrast from one another. One is Harold Abrahams, a Jew who wants to be seen as English as the fellow next to him. Hence his enrolling in all these clubs and fraternities in Caius College, from track, tennis, and even the Gilbert and Sullivan glee club-he wants to enter the Christian, Anglo-Saxon corridors of power, i.e. the old school tie. He succeeds in getting to an English girl in the form of Sybil Gordon, who doesn't mind he's Jewish. He can run like the wind, and nothing would fulfill his dream of being English more than winning so he'll be accepted, but he's so driven, hinging so much of his success on his winning, that he acts like its his own funeral when he loses in a race. He engages Sam Mussabini, a private and professional coach, which is contrary to the implied rules of Cambridge. When the heads of Trinity House and Caius House, (Sir John Gielgud and Lindsay Anderson) use their prep-school mentality to chastise him, saying Cambridge prided itself on the amateur attitude as opposed to the professional, and an esprit de Corps as opposed to individual glory, Abrahams tells them off.

Scottish Eric Liddle, on the other hand, is a missionary born in China, who plans to return there to continue God's work, but the "muscular Christian" runs like a wild animal. With religion as a metaphor, he compares faith to running a race, describing the energy of the soul, the elation of breaking that tape, but he says that the power comes from within. "If you commit yourself to the love of Jesus Christ-that is how you win a straight race." To win is to honour God, and the gift he was given. His faith is tested twice, between the missionary work and running, and his respect for God and running on the Sabbath. He's clearly more Victorian, but also a Scot, choosing God over country instead of the more secular British. But will his faith help him triumph over favoured Americans Jackson Scholz and Charles Paddock?

The slow-mo shots of the running athletes, the looks of elation, the disappointment of those who didn't qualify shows the various reactions of the soul. And New Age composer Vangelis Pathaniossou made his mark with his score, during the races and the scenes of Americans training, but especially the moving main theme that opens and closes the movie as the athletes are running along the ocean shore. This sequence itself is repeated twice, once where we know nothing about these athletes on who the cameras pan in on, but by the end, when the camera does its work, we know these people better, and they have names, as the credits identify actor and role. This was an early role for Nicholas Farrell (Montague), who was Horatio in Branagh's Hamlet. But Ben Cross as the driven Abrahams, Ian Charleson as the debonair blond Christian Liddell, Nigel Havers as Lindsay, Ian Holm (Mussabini), and Alice Krige (Sybil) do well. And yes, the Head Porter at Caius College is Richard Griffiths, best known as Harry Potter's Uncle Vernon, and quite thinner too.

As the winner of four Oscars including Best Picture, Chariots Of Fire remains an unpretentious film where the finish line is a moral, spiritual, and of course a physical goal, and how one must be true to oneself to reach that goal.

Refined, inspiring, intelligent
Even though this has an air of Merchant-Ivory crossed with Masterpiece Theater, and no genuine movie stars (at least at the time, except Sir John Gielgud), the movie shines from beginning to end.

I saw this in the theater when it first came out and was very pleasantly surprised. It's a true story with a great message that still plays like Rocky with a brain -- exciting, funny, dramatic, well-acted, beautifully photographed. Unfortunately, not everyone will like it, though, because it brings back the days when drama meant dialogue, subtlety and intelligence, not explosions, predictable plots and computer-generated imagery. You have to watch and listen and have an appreciation of history. You can't watch this one and be distracted. Best to watch when you have time and can savor the moments, not when you have a room full of children, for instance. ... Read more

Reviews (101)

THRILLING! BREATHTAKING! HEART-WRENCHING!
This is the greatest SPACE movie of all time, without any reasonable doubt. Tom Hanks, Kevin Bacon, Bill Paxton, Gary Sinise, Ed Harris, and Kathleen Quinlan ALL give superb performances. I really like the way they were able to make an old story exciting without taking much dramatic license. This movie actually makes you FEEL as if you're with Jim Lovell, Fred Haise, and Jack Swigert in their desperate battle to stay alive in their crippled space craft 200,000 miles from safety, or with Lovell's wife and family as they sit by and hope for the best, or with Gene Kranz and other mission control ground crew members struggle to bring them home. This is still Ron Howard's best film as a director. Anyone who wishes to see an historical adventure movie should look no further than APOLLO 13. It'll make you feel great, trust me! Grade: A+

Our Finest Hour!
Since the U.S. had landed on the moon in 1969, most of the world was not that excited about the Apollo 13 mission. But in 1970 when three astronauts going to the moon suddenly experience a malfunction in the equipment. They are in the race of there lives. The race is them against time. Tom Hanks (Lovell), Bill Paxton (Haise), and Kevin Bacon (Swiegert) use only what they have to survive. Hope, each other and there ability to work through a problem. Gary Sinese plays Ken Mattingly who was suppost to go but didn't because he was to get the measles. It is Ken who helps find the way to get the men home. Ed Harris is head of the groud crew. Who gives his best performance here. The supporting actors help round out this movie into a great story. A true one by that. One of the best films of 1995. Great acting, directing, editing, special-effects, script and a great score by James Horner. Oh by the way, Mattingly never got the measles. Grade:A

Correction to previous post. regarding cropping the DVD...
Hey Zahnduhl,

You're right to point out that we want to see movies in their true "theatrical aspect ratio" so I commend you for that. Film is an artform - would you crop a Picasso to fit your TV screen?

However, I felt it necessary to note that what you have noticed here in this case is most likely an instance of Universal Pictures releasing the un-masked (or Full-Ap) version of the movie as a 1.33:1 release instead of the typically butchered Pan&Scan version that we all so detest. I can't say for 100% sure on this DVD, but I will say that this was fairly common in the past to help the VHS sales. I commend them for at least doing this as opposed to cropping, but I can see how it could leave you (and others) thinking that your precious movie was cropped for the WS transfer.

Rest assured, however, that most likely you are just getting "more" in this VHS version than was ever released theatrically. This is possible when the studio decides to release original Full Aperture footage for the VHS release. Although, you will likely find that Visual Effects shots will still typically be cropped b/c most of the time VFX houses will only work in the final theatrical aspect ratio.

Anyway, I hope this clears up any confusion for you, now go buy the DVD. ;)

-anonymous

Murphy's Law in Outer Space
Talk about rolling snake eyes. To begin with, your mission is numbered "thirteen." Then the pilot you've trained with is grounded prior to lift-off because he's allegedly been exposed to the measles; he's replaced by a young buck still wet behind the ears. Once you're within spitting distance of the surface of the Moon an oxygen tank explodes. Obviously, it takes oxygen to breathe, so now what? Shut down everything in the command module, of course, shiver in the lunar module, and hope the gravitational tug from the Moon will slingshot you back home.

And I thought I had my bad days.

Yet the problems mentioned above merely scratch the surface of the true trials and tribulations of APOLLO 13. Director Ron Howard recreates this gripping, compelling story, right down to beehive hairdo's and computers the size of Mt. Rushmore. The drama, the sense of urgency--on the part of the astronauts, and the NASA staff in Houston frantically trying to save them--is so powerful and vivid I felt I was watching the actual event itself. To magically weave the viewer into the story is a crowning achievement for any filmmaker, and here, Howard succeeds like a wizard waving a wand.

Tom Hanks, Bill Paxton, Ed Harris, Kevin Bacon, and Gary Sinise headline a stellar cast in a grim race-against-time that had the entire world transfixed in April of 1970. I remember being glued to the TV watching Walter Cronkite broadcast around the clock to give us the latest developments of the Apollo 13 story; I remember the relief and joy I felt when that banged-up capsule was retrieved from the ocean. To relive the triumph--and near-tragedy--of this event is an awesome experience, and APOLLO 13 is awesome, indeed.
--D. Mikels

One of My Absolute Favorites
Apollo 13, the story of NASA's near-loss of one of its manned spacecraft in 1970, is on my top-five list of all-time favorite movies. This, for me, is one of those movies that I've see a million times, know all the words to and get everyone whose watching it with me annoyed because I HAVE TO say the lines along with the actors. The acting in the movie is fantastic...everyone from Tom Hanks to Ed Harris on down the list superbly act this true event from our nation's history. Even the background music is great...seamlessly fitting into the mood of the movie. Annie Lennox does the vocalizations, and her voice is, as always, immensely powerful.

As someone who craves the day when this nation returns to the resolve it had in the 1960's and early 70's when we were shooting for the moon, the story of Apollo 13 should inspire those who yearn for humanity's renewed interest in exploring the immensity of what lays beyond our small planet, not just with robotic devices, but with people as well. Apollo 13's failure to land on the moon, and near-loss, should prove to humanity that from failure, we can still triumph. That is something that I think we have forgotten today...especially after the loss of the Shuttle Columbia, we have nearly forgotten the incredible risk of exploring space is more than worth the benefits we will reap with our explorations...even when some do not return home. ... Read more

Description

A vehicle floats in midair ... a coat rack comes to life and attacks a sheriff ... and wild animals are putty in the hands of Tony and Tia Malone in Disney's thrilling fantasy adventure about the psychic powers of two young orphans. Their clairvoyance prompts evil millionaire Aristotle Bolt (Ray Milland) to lure them to his mansion to exploit their powers. While escaping, they meet a friendly camper (Eddie Albert) and begin to unravel the mystery of their origin. Soon, all three are fleeing townspeople who have branded the children witches. But then IT happens! Someone with even greater powers takes over and leads the children -- and the audience -- into a dazzling and unexpected experience ... one that is truly out of this world! ... Read more

Reviews (20)

One Of Disney's best non-animated movies!
The original Escape To Witch Mountain (1975) is one of my favorite non-animated Disney movies and also one of my favorite movies about children with magical powers, the other one being Matilda but I think I like this a little bit more. It is about a brother and sister named Tony and Tia played by Ike Eisenmann and Kim Richards who go to live in an orphanage after their adoptive parents die. Tony and Tia have special powers and after a creepy guy discovers their secret he pretends to be their uncle and takes them to live with his boss who is an even bigger creep who wants to use them for his evil plans but they escape with their adorable cat Winky and befriend a grouchy but lonely man named Jason O'Day who helps them get away from the creeps but a big chase ensues and Jason helps them learn the truth about who they are and why they have special powers. Kim Richards, Ike Eisenmann and Eddie Albert are all wonderful and I highly recommend this movie to anyone who likes Disney movies and movies about kids with special powers. Kim Richard's sister Kyle Richards (Alicia Edwards on Little House on The Prairie) has a small don't blink or you will miss me roll as a 3 year old Tia when she and Tony were rescued from the water after the accident at sea. This movie is a gem and I wish that Disney would put it out On DVD!!

Fun movie
I have seen this movie a lot ever since about 1985 on the Disney Channel and I have caught a recent airing of Escape to Witch Mountain and still not got tired of it. I just love this movie, about two psychic alien kids, Tony and Tia, brother and sister who need to find a way to get back home. They were held prisoner by a creep, they escape and then tagged along by a cranky old guy who reluctantly helped them get back home. At the time I first saw it, I just loved the idea of psychic kids who are able to move things by blowing on a harmonica or Tia's ability to predict the future. I am particularly fond of the scene where the RV floated so they could escape being chased by bad guys, and eventually they trick another bad guy in the helicopter to fly upside down, so in the end, he had to land the chopper on top of its rotors (which is physically impossible to do in real life). When I found out this movie was being remade in the 1990s, I had my biggest fears that they would embarass themselves big time with that remake (after all, with too many remakes, they have to make it "hip" for the 1990s by adding rap or alternative rock music to the score and have kids wear baggy pants, but not with this film). Surprisingly that version was well done too and didn't fall in to that trap that I criticize many '90s remakes of 20+ year old films, it was not a copycat of the original with new actors, and a more modern twist, but actually with a different concept (where many different people of different ages were actually aliens). I think what I really like of the 1975 original is the innocence found in the kids that I feel is so sorely missing these days. And that 1978 sequel Return to Witch Mountain was also quite a worthy sequel. If you were a kid who grew up in the 1970s, or you fancy the idea of a movie with psychic kids meant for the whole family, try this, it's one of those few family films that I actually find very watchable and fun.

Classic imaginative Disney
My first exposure to the siblings from Witch Mountain was years ago, in watching the sequel Return from Witch Mountain. I loved the film, and was thrilled to discover an earlier film shortly after, Escape to Witch Mountain, which introduces us to Tony and Tia as young children.
I haven't read the book on which this film is based, nor am I likely to, so my review is completely unbiased.
Tony and Tia are two young children whose foster parents have just died. The film begins with their arrival at an orphanage, and it isn't long before we're shown just how different these two children are.
A run-in with the district bully quickly earns them a reputation for 'being a couple of weirdos', but it is in saving the life of a man who would otherwise have been possibly killed in a car accident that their adventures really start.
Claimed as niece and nephew by the very man they saved, they are taken to live in the fortress home of mega-rich Aristotle Bolt, who has been told of the children's gifts and typically wants to exploit them for his own gain.
It doesn't take Tony and Tia long to figure out Bolt's agenda and, after hearing plans to have them locked away in an island tower, they run away with the help of a rogue stallion that no one else was able to tame.
From there, the children soon come across grumpy nomad Jason O'Day, who reluctantly takes them in after they beg him for help.
The rest of the film is probably fairly predictable, given your average Disney plots, but still enjoyable nonetheless. Of course there's going to be a 'happily ever after' (at least until the next movie) but the fun is in seeing how they get there. There are still a few surprises in store before the finish, including an escapee bear, a sheriff who learns the tango the hard way, and a chopper pilot who gets a flying lesson like never before.
Escape to Witch Mountain is thoroughly enjoyable, as is its sequel, and are even better for having Ike Eisemann and Kim Richards play the main characters of Tony and Tia in both films.
On another, distantly related note, Disney did produce another Witch Mountain vignette style show some time later, called Beyond Witch Mountain. The story involved Tony and Tia leaving the Witch Mountain community to find their Uncle Bene's long lost grandson. Bolt and O'Day were both along for the ride, but this was not a patch on the two proper movies, and really shouldn't have been made. Especially since it was meant to be just recently after Tony and Tia found their way to Witch Mountain in the first place, and it portrayed Uncle Bene as dying. (Anyone who has seen Return from Witch Mountain knows full well that Uncle Bene was alive and well in that film, and Tony and Tia were bordering on teenhood, by then)
At the end of this particular episode, Tony and Tia also decide to stay away from Witch Mountain, and go with O'Day to continue searching for survivors. As anyone who has watched the two movies would know, their 'holiday' in the second film was supposed to be their first trip away from the mountain community since their original rescue from the clutches of Aristotle Bolt.
I'm aware that some people have been searching for this particular installment. My advice is, don't bother. It does not fit in with the sequence of films, and does not even have the benefit of the original child actors.
Stick with the excellent and unsurpassed Escape to Witch Mountain, and Return from Witch Mountain. These are fantastic films, and worth every cent.

A movie for everyone, lot's of fun to watch!
This is a great little story about...well I'm not going to tell you, I much rather see you buy it and watch it for yourself. It is a great film, and old disney classic, this is what movie's are all about, it has special effects that were considered impossible back them, but they pulled them off, no fancy computers of CGI and all that stuff, just good ol' fashion moviemaking at it's finest. I treasure this film and it is one of my favorite Disney movies. I miss films like this! Great great family film and very entertaining to watch, kids adore it!

This Movie Rocks! Please Put it On DVD! (Widescreen)
Escape to Witch Mountain rocks, Kim Richards and Ike Eisenmann are so good in this movie and so is Eddie Albert! Please put this awesome movie on a widescreen DVD! ... Read more

Reviews (9)

SONJA`S BEST
This is remembered primarely because of the excellent music of Glenn Miller. He was to do only another film, Orchestra Wife, before being killed in a planecrash.
However; by the early 40s, Sonja Henie had developed into a good comedienne and this is her best - as a dumb, simpleminded blonde. Her timing is impeccable as is her delivery of dialogue... As if that isn`t enough; the supporting cast includes great efforts by The Nicholas Brothers, Dorothy Dandrige(then married to 1 of the N. Brothers and with whom she gave birth 2 a multihandicapped daughter), Milton Berle, Lynn Bari(singing voice dubbed) and John Payne as Sonja`s loveinterest.

It`s 1 of the best musicals ever made, though Sonja`s skating in this 1 is not her best.

Want to see the mechanics of the Miller Band?
This review applies EQUALLY to Orchestra Wives and Sun Valley Serenade.

Remember the Elvis movies that were basically a thin plot excuse to have the "star" sing? Well these movies are the 1940's equivalent featuring the pre-war (and so definitive) Glenn Miller Band.

Forget about the plots which are almost identical and don't even stand up today. Boy meets Girl, Falls in love, Another girl is jilted or gets in the way, disharmony in the band, all is sorted out. Big set piece number to finish. (Both movies - honest!). In fact unless you are interested in period movie making and Hollywood fashions you can safely fast forward between the tunes. You can figure the plot as it whizzes by - though how Milton Berle (playing the band's "publicity agent" in Sun Valley Serenade) got his wise crack about the size of a girl's chest past the production code is beyond me! Must have been the war.

BUT - the real reason to own these tapes (when are we going to get the DVD versions?) is watching the mechanics of how the Miller Band produced the sound. Sure - it was shot to be showy - and it is - but it is WELL shot and you can see how the components of the sound were built - even if the "recording studios" are the size of movie studios...... Couple this with the restored soundtrack (some tracks are in early stereo!) and you have a reason to own these movies. If you can only afford one - Orchestra Wives - there are more hits on it!

A fine slice of wartime Americana
This light romantic comedy is one of only two feature films to include Glenn Miller and his big band (the other being the superior "Orchestra Wives")... Miller himself is stiff as a board onscreen, and his acting parts are entirely unmemorable, although the musical performances are stellar. The orchestra's highly choreographed stage routines translate well onto film, and the visual razzle-dazzle of Miller's well-honed showmanship gives this film its real sizzle. Tex Beneke shines on a hep vocal update of "Chattanooga Choo-Choo," a number which closes with some singing and hoofing by the ever-acrobatic Nicholas Brothers, as well as actress Dorothy Dandridge, who sort of appears out of nowhere, just to take a brief solo. The plot is simple enough: actor John Payne stars as Ted Scott, a featured performer in Miller's (supposedly) struggling band, gets caught between two gals, Lynn Bari's tempremental big band diva, and Sonja Henie, as a perky war refugee from Norway. (War refugee? Norway?? Oh, never mind...) As ever, Henie's appeal may be lost on some; personally, I find her incredibly vapid, and her giant, phony smile is somewhat disturbing. That being said, this is actually one of her better performances, and Payne is a very likable leading man. The film is padded out with extensive skiing sequences and plenty of Henie-delic skating scenes, so the fast-forward button may come in handy. Milton Berle also has a big role as the band's fast-talking, nebbishy business manager -- a surprisingly nonabrasive early performance in the late, great comedian's decades-long career. All in all, a nice bit of pre-war American fluff. A must-see for Glenn Miller fans.

Watch the most sensational musical number in movies!
I can't believe this movie isn't on DVD. Shame! I'm glad I bought this years ago on Laserdisk (a double with Orchestra Wives, another winner). I've watched it a dozen times at least.

True, the plot is pretty clichéd & old. The most recent time I saw that snowed-in-together-in-a-ski-cabin scene was on the Simpsons. But the MUSIC - WOW!! Glenn Miller & his orchestra at their most brilliant (thankfully, since it was to be their last appearance).

The Chattanooga Choo-Choo number is unbelievable. It's breathtaking. I'm paralyzed every time I see it. You watch each section of the band play & bounce off each other with fanastic joy & precision & verve & the number just goes on & on. Tex Beneke puts his sax aside & strolls over to join the Modernaires in their perfect 4-part harmony (which set the bar for vocal groups for decades) & their part is filmed like a Busby Berkeley musical. Then when you think it just can't go on being this good, it gets even better with Bayard & Harold Nicholas, the most exciting dancers who ever lived, leaping into the frame with the incredibly scrumptious & gorgeous & talented teen-aged Dorothy Dandridge in what has to be one of the screen's greatest show-stoppers - & it's still The Chattanooga Choo-Choo!

That number by itself makes the movie worth having (& with the laserdisk, I've watched it many times in a row) but there are other fine numbers as well, & it is a funny movie thanks in great part to a young Milton Berle.

So how about a DVD?

Glenn Miller and His Orchestra Revisited
If you want to see Glen Miller leading his orchestra and hear the original music plus see the orchestra perform...this is it.
It brought tears to my eyes to see the orchestra that I had been
reading about.I feel the loss and tragedy of Glenn's death at such an early age and at the height of his career. The men and women that performed are on their way to their own deaths or have
already died due to the 1941 time frame of this movie. This is a valuable video because it's an important piece of history. I believe Glenn wanted us to see the orchestra in an accurate way. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

The Best!
For those that need a pick-me-up that are past "the age" when Muppets are supposed to be entertaining, or for your young ones that have missed out on the hey-day of Sesame Street when it was even greater than it is now, this is one of the best movies to watch! With a passion for Egyptology and history in general, this was one of my favorite PBS specials growing up--even more so than 'Follow that Bird!'. It's truly educational and heart-warming. Can not go wrong with this movie.

You'll laugh, you'll cry---it's better than "Cats"!!
Sesame Street specials are always wonderful, but this hour long movie, filmed when Sesame Street was in its prime, is just spectacular. It remains one of my favorite ways to cheer myself up (I'm 27). When Big Bird wanders off near closing time to meet Snuffleupagus, and the rest of the Sesame Street monsters and humans try frantically to find him, they all get locked overnight in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The rest of the video, which amounts to the bulk of the story, revolves around three main storylines: 1.) everyone trying to find Big Bird while avoiding the suspicious but clueless mustachio-ed museum security guard, 2.) everyone discovering and enjoying the museum in the process, and 3.) Big Bird and Snuffleupagus helping a little Egyptian boy named Sahu prove his inner worth in a yearly "test", so that the god Osiris will let him join his parents as stars in the sky. There is enough of a storyline to ensnare even those with the shortest of attention spans, children and adults alike, and quite a bit of comic relief to lighten the way. Watching straight-arrow Bob as he runs around trying to keep Cookie Monster from scarfing down the Still Lives, while a group of dancing Monster-ettes sings the doo-wop title tune: "Don't eat the pictures, no, no, no!", is particularly amusing; as are the scenes where Sahu's invisible cat, who still meows audibly, befuddles that poor hapless security guard. The many many shots of the Museum interior are gorgeous, and a magical exposure/introduction to art and museums, in particular the paintings, sculpture, and medieval artifacts of the Met. The video of course has a happy ending, but one that will bring tears to your eyes. I watched this tape for the first time when I was 7 years old, and I must say that when as an adult I had my first opportunity to go to the Met in person, it was a truly awesome visit. Another friend who had watched the movie as a child led me on what we called the Don't Eat the Pictures Tour, and she showed me every piece of art showcased in the movie. Her tour ended at the Temple of Dendur itself, and as it was near closing time, it was dark outside with stars in the sky--just like the penultimate scene of DETP. A memorable day, and a memorable movie. It's a true gift from the Sesame Street gang to us, the viewing public. You and your kids will love it.

Don't Eat The Pictures (1987)
Parents,
In this rare Sesame Street video they go to the Metropolitan Museum Of Art. My 8 year old boy loves Coookie Monster so I tried to find a tape that included him. Big Bird goes gets Suffy to leave the museum but when he comes back to all his friend they were stuck in the museum. Cookie Monster sees a picture but Cookie Monster sings a song to don't eat the pictures.

This is Great
I first saw this when I was in the second grade and my parents taped it on BETA for me. The story line is great for this age group. Since I like Egyptian history, Prince Sahu and his story is really sweet. Just like the other Special features that Sesame Street has done, this is golden. Just like all the other ones. Christmas on Sesame Street (with Mr. Hooper) Big Bird in China and Big Bird in Japan.

I should be able to give it a higher number
Because it certainly desrves it. Unlike today's emphasis on dumbing down programing ala Barney, this video tape was made in a time when children were actually respected and given enormous respect.

Granted some of the acting seems weird because of the programing shift, but I seriously doubt that it would scare today's little kids. I watched it as a little girl, and keep hoping that it will be released.

One of the unexpected side effects of this non-condescending treatment is that young adults such as myself still fondly remember this movie and are not at all bored by the pace. Whatever your chronological age, you will find this program timeless in it's appeal and beloved by all.

That is what indicates real staying power, not how many toys one can invent, market and make profit from. ... Read more

Reviews (55)

Brilliant, And Bittersweet
Sergeant York is one of the great films of all time. Justly heralded for the performances -- especially the superb Gary Cooper -- and writing, direction, Max Steiner's score, etc. What isn't often mentioned is how bittersweet is the ending. Prior to going to war, Alvin York had been too poor to purchase a piece of bottom land for farming. Called to war, he resisted. He was a pacifist, against killing. However, in a stunning scene on a mountain ledge, York finally agrees to fight the German enemy. He single-handedly captures 132 prisoners, and kills dozens of others. For this, he is hailed a hero and becomes America's most-decoarated WW I soldier. And finally gets his bottom land. However, he has only earned this bottom land because he went against his pacifist beliefs -- "thou shall not kill". The land is given to him for the very act of killing. How ironic and bittersweet. How apt is Cooper's closing line: "The Lord sure does move in mysterious ways." Don't miss this film.

A great classic movie!!
This movie is based on a real life story about a man who is saved by Jesus Christ and then goes off to war. Unlike the war movies made today, the plot revolves around the man's faith in God, (which might be why they never show this movie on the networks, although its a classic).

Sergeant York gets saved in a church after being struck by lightening, and after he is saved he is drafted, and spends time reconciling doing what Christ commands with killing people during time of war. (This isn't an easy thing to reconcile, and perhaps especially for a newly saved person, even if most movies act like its nothing.)

After reading the bible however, York finds the answer, and goes to war, becoming one of America's great heroes, and in the end, he and his future wife are greatly blessed by God.

If all this sounds too heavy, it isn't. Sergeant York is from Tennessee and the movie is actually quite light hearted. I also enjoyed hearing the hymn 'Give me that Old Time Religion'.

One of my favorite movies, and worth getting if you are tired of the trash they put on tv, and want some films with Christians in them.

As Good As It Gets
Next to "Red River" this is Howard Hawks' greatest achievement, which is to say one of the greatest American films ever made. A relatively true-to-life depiction of the Tennessee hill farmer who found himself caught up in the nightmare of WWI, it would be memorable enough just for its wonderful re-creation of the the back-country life and dialect. Gary Cooper and Walter Brennan never surpassed the performances they gave here as Alvin York and his neighbor and pastor Rosier Pile, and the rest of the cast shines just as brightly, particularly Margaret Wycherly as York's mother, and George Tobias as his comrade in arms. York won international fame when he accepted the surrender of more than 100 German soldiers about a month before the end of the war. Although York showed amazing heroism and marksmanship in the encounter, both he and Hawks knew full well that the German army was played out by that point and in many areas was surrendering en masse. Some sense of that is built into the project, to everyone's credit, and the picture's finest moment comes when Cooper says firmly "I'm not proud of what when on over there." Both Howard Koch of "Casablanca" fame and John Huston worked on the script.

Mom and Apple pie
Don't judge this movie by millennium standards; this was a simple movie from a simpler time. Sgt York was a hero. The film is missing some spots. I remember a particular scene during training when York's backpack was filled with bricks, while the other men had loaded theirs up with straw (don't laugh I've known Marines who actually load their rucks up with heavy gear). But overall, it's a good representation of early genre. Please note that a War Movie used to also include the home coming, the fiancée or wife or mom back home pining away with worry and doubt. It's all here, too. Great entertainment? Not really, it's more in line with a historical review of early cinema.

I'm not an American and still think this Movie is the best.
I think this is the best Movie I have ever seen! I watch it all the time when I'm bored and it never fails to lift me. I shed tears of joy at the morals of the man. I think Gary Cooper was one of the best actors from the black & white period and own this and other movies made by him. I cry, I laugh, I think, what more can a movie do for you?
Absolutely Brilliant.
PS I live up in the outback on mountains too!!!! ... Read more

Reviews (14)

Powerful!
I like this movie because of it's powerful, dramatic story. As George Lucas says in the beginning It's designed to show the horrors of war, so don't expect comic relief, because there is none to be found. The reason why is this film appears to be very grim. It's also very serious. I highly recommend this film to future Indiana Jones fans, and for future High School history classes. Part one of this movie is horrific. It's just a warning of what you shouldn't expect. That's all. I also recommend that future High School teachers, and students watch this video as part of their history classes.

Indiana Jones Lost in the Trenches
"Trenches of Hell" is one of the few modern examinations of World War I, and for that alone it's worth the purchase price. It has a fine "slice of life" feel about it, meandering from the horror of gas warfare to camraderie stolen amongst the hodgepodge of allies that made up the allied side in this "war to end all wars."

What it doesn't have is Indiana Jones--or very much of an ending. There is, after all, no reason for Indy to be present in the telling of the tale--we learn nothing about him nor are we even treated to any of his trademarked mannerisms. Yes, we get lost in this world, and the storytelling--until the surprisingly weak ending--is intriguing enough to demand our attention. But the protagonist could've been Anyman for as much as the spirit of Indiana Jones appears here. Flanery is a fine actor, and his performance is clearly one of the hooks that keeps us interested, but he needed a few scenes of genuine character development to tie his Indy in with Ford's. Instead, this is another Young Indy epsiode in which the name "Indiana Jones" has been stolen for the noble purpose of introducing a wider audience to history.

Thus, like some other entrants in this series, "Trenches of Hell" leaves Indy fans disappointed, but better off for the experience.

Please sir, I want some more
If you watch these videos in chronological order (which you should) this provides a fascinating follow up to the cute and funny Spring Break Adventure (even the more serious Mexico half featured jokes like the letter Indy wrote to his dad). The only problem is, that it shouldn't follow directly after like it does. There were two episodes, "Ireland, April 1916" and "London, May 1916" that were not put on video. Instead, we jump from what must be March (in Mexico) to "Somme, Early August 1916" and "Germany, Mid August 1916". One might ask why this was done.

Once you stop wondering how Indy got to be a Corporal and all that, this video is very good. It really is too bad that there are so few WWI movies out there, compared to all the WWII ones to pick from. I've read some reviewers complain about the fact that the series would be better if it took place in WWII, but it wouldn't exactly be YOUNG Indy, then, would it?

Personnaly, I enjoyed the second half more, as it was less grim and more adventurous. Charles de Gaulle is the only one who seems to recognize Indy's American accent for what it is. It's too bad the ending is so abrupt. Indy doesn't even get out of German territory, which leads to yet another big gap between this video and the next one, where Indy is magically in Africa with Remy, whom I swear died in "Trenches of Hell." Yes, indeed, there are two more episodes, "Verdun, September 1916" and "Paris, October 1916" which are not included.

So, the video itself is great, but for a person who likes to know what's going on all the time, this video series leaves me feeling gypped way too often.

Outstanding - Best of the series
These are arguably the greatest episodes in the series. They are emotional, moving, action packed, and realistic. If there's a knock on the series it's that it's often hokey, and Indy runs into too many famous people. But this episode pulled no punches and delivered on all cylinders. It is so excellent, I rate it better than the last two Indiana Jones movies.

I should also point out I agree with reviewer James Irwin in his comparisons. I found SPR a nice story, and I love Tom Hanks, but if you want a much less Hollywood drama, and something to both thrill you, and move you, check this out. I also agree on BWP being the most overhyped film ever....but that's another thread.

If you're at all curious about the series, buy this, you won't be disappointed.

A harrowing tale of the horrors of war
The 8th chapter in the Young Indiana Jones series, this is a dark and harrowing look at the horrors of war. The movie is divided into three parts:

It starts out in France where Indy, Remy, and a whole army of French and Belgian soldiers are all assigned to take a chateau at the top of a hill. German soldiers have the place surrounded, and the soldiers must fight their way through trenches, past Germans, grenades, and gas. The whole gas sequence is flat out scary and harrowing. The mortars firing gas bombs and the sight of German soldiers in gas masks turning the knobs on tanks filled with poion gas is scary, and gets even worse when out of the clouds of gas come Germans wielding flamethrowers. It is an awesome sight, and quite graphic for a made-for-television movie.

Then we move on to a German P.O.W. camp where Indy and a group of French soldiers dig their way out of the camp, in a scene reminiscent of THE GREAT ESCAPE, right down to the partial collapsing of the tunnel. Although I have always questioned the scene where the German Officer comes into the room to inspect everything but does not notice the giant piles of dirt hidden in the showers that are extremely evident to the viewer.

The third and final part is a second P.O.W. camp (which is actually a castle) where Indy is thrown after being caught trying to escape from the first camp. The castle is for all the "bad apples", and he is put there after being mistaken for a French Officer who has made many escape attempts. Here he meets Charles De Gaulle who together plot their escape from the camp. In a very tense scene, they escape the camp and death of incineration in a giant furnace.

Overall it is a great movie, and truly shows the horrors of war associated with "no man's land" and trench warfare. Definitely an episode to see, and one to consider buying. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Cy Endfield co-wrote the epic prequel Zulu Dawn 15 years after his enormously popular Zulu. Set in 1879, this film depicts the catastrophic Battle of Isandhlwana, which remains the worst defeat of the British army by natives, with the British contingent outnumbered 16-to-1 by the Zulu tribesmen. The film's opinion of events is made immediately clear in its title sequence: ebullient African village life presided over by King Cetshwayo is contrasted with aristocratic artifice under the arrogant eye of General Lord Chelmsford (Peter O'Toole). Chelmsford is at the heart of all that goes wrong, initiating the catastrophic battle with an ultimatum made seemingly for the sake of giving his troops something to do. His detached manner leads to one mistake after another, and this is wryly illustrated in a moment when neither he nor his officers can be bothered to pronounce the name of the land they're in. That it's a beautiful land nonetheless is made clear by the superb cinematography, which drinks in the massive open spaces that shrink the British army to a line of red ants. Splendidly stiff-upper-lipped support comes from a heroic Burt Lancaster and a fluffy, yet gruff, Bob Hoskins. Although the story is less focused and inevitably more diffuse than the concentrated events of Rorke's Drift which followed soon after, Zulu Dawn is an unflinchingly honest depiction of British Imperial diplomacy. --Paul Tonks ... Read more

Reviews (16)

I Love this Movie!
I highly recommend this movie to all war or history buffs.This movie is based on the true story of the Battle of Isandlwana in south Africa .The battle was fought on Jan. 22nd 1879 between the 24th regiment under the command of Lt.Gen. Lord Chelmsford and the Zulu nation under King Cetshwayo. To make a long story short, The Zulus crushed and wiped out the entire British regiment largely in part because they outnumbered the British 24,000 to about 1,500, but also due to British arrogance(Which is pointed out time and time again in this movie)and the lack of respect and where abouts of the enemy.An allstar cast including Peter O'toole and Burt Lancaster Star in this Classic. The only Bad thing about this movie is that it is no longer in print, which to me is a real travesty, considering all the garbage that was made that still is in print. In fact i had to buy this movie off an online auction. I hope that the Movie Company that made this Great film comes to it's senses and Redistributes this movie so that it can be enjoyed on DVD as well.

Disaster at Isandhlwana
ZULU DAWN is a superb companion film to the classic ZULU, particularly since both films were written by the same man, Cy Enfield. ZULU DAWN climaxes with the Battle of Isandhlwana, which immediately preceded the Battle of Rorke's Drift, accurately portrayed in ZULU. While the Battle of Isandhlana is important, the real significance of ZULU DAWN lies in its revelation of how the British governor of South Africa orchestrated the war against the Zulu. Moreover, the British governor, Sir Henry Bartle-Frere, acted against the wishes of Queen Victoria and Parliament, resulting in the bloody defeat and near annihilation of the British 24th Regiment of Foot at Isandhlwana. The arrogance and carelessness of the British is shocking and the humiliating defeat of the British army in South Africa strikes the viewer as completely justified. The fact that good copies of ZULU are hard to find is pitiful enough, but the unavailability of ZULU DAWN is a real tragedy. It's extremely difficult to rent; it's been out of print so long that most recent video rental establishments have never been able to acquire it. I myself have only encountered two copies for sale ever, and I bought both of them (one went to my uncle, who turned me on to ZULU DAWN in the first place). Keep an eye out for ZULU DAWN in used video stores and exchange shops.

Less Heroics, More History
I really wish this would come out on DVD, it is an excellent movie. This is the 'prequel' to the Stanley Baker. . .and introducing Michael Caine. . .epic, 'Zulu.' While made almost 15 years later, it completes the story. This movie has a much more interesting cast and more accurately shows the fact that the British were the aggressors in this war. The Battle of Isandhlwana was, and is, the single most disastrous defeat of the British Army, and one brought on by the hubris of the commanding officers and the politcal operatives of the British Government. I really like this movie and have it on VHS, but it is getting worn out.

zulu's a kinkin royal butt
very well made movie
large supporting cast and known actors's
those carbines that the infantry used were
the only flaw i seen, after the ammo ran out this'
became a bayonet vs spear.

Great Historical recreation of a British Military defeat.
Very well done. Must watch this movie first and then the 1960 movie "Zulu". Also read about these events. Some shocking facts will surprise you. Excellent movies! ...