Reviews (17)

Most exiciting charge ever filmed
"The Lighthorsemen" was an exciting action romp when I was a little kid, and owning a rare video copy of it and watching it as an older lad it still excites me. I also get a better appreciation for the humor and war drama this film presents.

The storyline focuses mainly on a small group of soldiers in the Australian mounted infantry of World War I and their commanders. One new lad straight from Melbourne has a problem: he can't find himself able to shoot the enemy. This climaxes in a scene where a wounded Turk nearly kills him with a sword. Eventually his friends encourage him to join the medical detachment of the unit.

Meanwhile, General Allenby is placed in charge of British forces in Palestine after Sir Archibald Murray's latest blundered attempt to take Gaza. Realizing his troops are low on water and the German officers are expecting another attack on Gaza, he chooses instead to strike at the other end of the line to take the wells of Bersheeba. It is here that the Lighthorsemen will make their fated charge against the Turkish trenches.

The film has a strong sense of historical accuracy. An earlier film of the same charge had the Lighthorsemen riding on their horses holding their rifles held up. In actuality, they attacked with bayonets as they had no swords - this was correctly portrayed in this movie. They also show the Turkish infantry forgetting to check their sights - a very important aspect because it caused them to shoot above the Australians' heads and miss them completely! They also give a great depiction of Meinertzhagen's brilliant ploy of placing a fake letter from a soldier's wife in a folder with fake plans to attack Gaza. The Central Powers fell for it and thought the main thrust would come at Gaza again.

The climactic charge is obviously the highlight of the movie. It is furious, with many close-ups of the riders and the horses' galloping legs. I wish this video copy was widescreen, because they really do give some great wide shots of the entire line of charging horsemen. The intercut scenes of Turkish artillery men rapidly lowering their artillery guns give a heightened sense of anxiety. There are also, for what it's worth, some nice point-of-view shots, which include what it's like to fall forward off a horse and what it was like to watch the Lighthorsemen leap right over you.

Oh yes, I almost forgot: the music in this is beautiful. It's a very good theme and I'm surprised it's not more famous. I've heard the theme for "Gallipoli" played more times, but that isn't even an original theme.

This is indeed an underrated war film classic. If you like war films, or you're looking for World War I films, check this out. I'm hoping some day the Australian company will be nice and give us Americans a DVD release in our region. Please? We love you!

Fine Film -- But Let's See All of it When it Comes to DVD
This is a fine film about Australian participation in World War I in the Middle East. I find it preferable to the better-known Aussie military releases "Gallipoli" and "Breaker Morant," and would certainly have given it five stars if the editors hadn't cut so much of it back for the US release on video. Please, Hallmark Home Entertainment, when you make this film available on DVD (which I hope you do soon), use the full-length version -- either the original 144-minute release or at least the 131-minute release available on the Australian DVD (Region 4 encoded, so it won't work on many US or US/UK players). This US-release video is only a skimpy 116 minutes! If you absolutely must cut to a shorter length because you think US attention spans are incredibly short, at least make the excised scenes available elsewhere on the DVD and easy to insert where they belong in sequence. That said, however, this is a fine, spectacular rendition of an exciting episode in the history of WWI that is a joy to watch. Just show us ALL of it next time!

One of the greatest cavalry charges ever
As many other reviewers have pointed out this is a fantastic film and one that should be seen by anyone interested in horses in wartime. The real issue is how to see it at it's best. If you want to see all of it the only choice is the American release on laser disc. This is in the full original widescreen of 2.35:1, but of course has analogue video and on the big screen it is quite grainy. The recent Australian release on DVD is a disgrace. It has good digital video but is cut to 1.78:1 and critical parts of the film are of course cut off. They have minimised this slightly by opening up the top and bottom a little so I suppose the actual cut may be nearer 1.85:1 but the grand vistas REQUIRE the full 2.35:1. The famous charge looks ridiculous at the cut back ratio. One can only hope that whoever has the rights to this film in the US will do the right thing and give us a deluxe full size release as soon as possible. I am sticking to my LD despite it's shortcomings. The Australian DVD will be better than tape but whoever decided to issue it in such a truncated version should be ashamed of himself.

The Lighthorseman
This movie is based on an ealier 1940 made movie by Charles Chauvel called "40000 Horseman". This has THE classic charge on Beerasheeba, the last great cavalary charge in history when the Lighthorse rode over the trenches and moved on to Damascus putting TE Lawrence out of joint. Damn Colonials!! 40 Thousand is probably hard to get now but copies are still around. It was Chips Rafferty's first movie and bits are corny but the B&W scenes of the desert column moving across the sands to the tune of Waltzing Matilda bring tears to your eyes.

More on "The Lighthorsemen"
Some US viewers have wondered exactly what was cut from this epic movie in the truncated US version, minus 15 minutes! Well one immediate clue was the inclusion of the lady's name on the complete film credits found on who played Dave's Mother. After the scene of Dave at the station talking to the sgt on the trainload of horses & then unsaddling, jumping the gate & riding home, we lose the entire scene at the supper table when his mother, mute, worries about his joining up & his father says "If he wants to join, we can't stop him". A photo of his dead brother already kiled in action is in the backgound, but we don't know of this until later when the group are talking after tucker & Taz upsets Dave not knowing the brother is dead. Another important spot is just as the regiment is moving out, prior to the patrol when Frank gets shot, a Bedouin spy watches them ride off! Later still before the big push, Taz is writing a belated letter home to his wife & Chiller comes over to ask what his mate is doing? Taz is short with him & he backs off. This is perhaps our first intimation that Taz is at risk? The scene that follows when the postal orderly refuses to take Taz's letter & Chiller obliges, thus getting back in his good books I think WAS included in the US cut, now not too well understood due to the early part being missing. I need to run both versions side by side & compare them to be sure that the ultimate charge was not emasculated perhaps for US viewers as being too graphic??? There are some great horse falls & stunt riders' "deaths" falling out of the saddle at full gallop! One man has his bandolier of ammunition across his chest explode when hit by a Turkish machine gun bullet. In the fierce hand to hand trench fighting there's a Turk getting his throat cut by bayonet, others on both sides being bayoneted in the belly, the one horse seen being blown up in mid air was a rubber dummy. Suntmen even rode this for some shots I understand. When Simon Wincer reused the climactic charge in the "Young Indiana Jones" tv episode "Daredevils of the Desert", in the end credits poor Jon Blake was given a stunt credit for the fall he seemed to make when the nearby well blew up in Beersheba just before he found the wiring. It wasn't him! It was the lead stunter on the film. Of interest was the late eldest daughter of General Sir Harry Chauvel, who was both a well-known Australian writer of childrens' books & a wonderful rancher up into her eighties, loaned a copy of her fine book on the Light Horse to Wincer when he was preparing the film. The opening sequence of the horse round-up was shot on her family property with its magnificent scenery. In fact Wincer's much earlier film "PHAR LAP" was filmed on a race track adjacent to that property! I'm hoping he may be able to engineer a new DVD release of that classic racing film at least Down Under, as he has recently done with a much improved new DVD version there of "The Man from Snowy River", which he produced. Both his "The Lighthorsemen" & "Quigley Down Under" starring Tom Selleck seem currently to be undergoing a huge renewal of interest on the part of viewers in North America. Nobody can overlook his immense success either with the "Lonesome Dove" Us mini=-series or the two Selleck westerns. sincerely, John. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

A hallmark of the science fiction genre as well as a wry commentary on the political climate of the 1950s, The Day the Earth Stood Still is a sci-fi movie less concerned with special effects than with a social parable. A spacecraft lands in Washington, D.C., carrying a humanoid messenger from another world (Michael Rennie) imparting a warning to the people of Earth to cease their violent behavior. But panic ensues as the messenger lands and is shot by a nervous soldier. His large robot companion destroys the Capitol as the messenger escapes the confines of the hospital. He moves in with a family as a boarder and blends into society to observe the full range of the human experience. Director Robert Wise (West Side Story) not only provides one of the most recognizable icons of the science fiction world in his depiction of the massive robot loyal to his master, but he avoids the obvious camp elements of the story to create a quiet and observant story highlighting both the good and the bad in human nature. --Robert Lane ... Read more

Reviews (228)

"Stood" Still Stands Tall
1951's The Day The Earth Stood Still is a classic in every sense of the word and then some. When a spaceship lands in Washinton D.C. its alien passenger (Michael Rennie) refuses to reveal his purpose for landing on Earth. As the world leaders and their armies debate what to do next, ordinary citizens let fear and paranoia take hold. The key to the alien being's mission to earth rests with a mother Helen (Patrcia Neal) and her son Bobby (Billy Gray). Soon the boy and his mother have the fate of the planet Earth in their hands.

Directed by Robert Wise, the movie, fully restored for the DVD release, has drama, good special effects (for its time) and plenty of social commentary (that's still relevant in today's world). The film is pure magic. Even though, the last time I saw it was some 12 years ago in film school, I think its still one of the best films that I ever "had" to watch.

I have to commend FOX, for the way the film is given the deluxe treatment on DVD. The extras are just superb. The commentary with Wise and (fellow "TREK film") director Nicholas Meyer is a real treat. It's very well done and informative. There's also a "meaty" 70 minute retrospective documentary, archival newsreel footage, a restoration comparison, no less than 5 photo galleries, the shooting script, and the vintage theatrical trailer. To have this many extras on a DVD of an older film is a rare thing. Those fans of the film will be delighted with this disc. And to anyone not familiar with the movie--now's the time. Highly Recommended

20th Century Fox brings this remastered Scifi Classic to DVD
It is 1950 and Hollywood takes an original idea combines it with the genius' of Studio CEO Darryl F. Zanuck, Producer - Julian Blaustein, Director - Robert Wise, ScreenPlay - Edmund H. North, the eerie futuristc Music, a spaceman, a giant robot & the words "KLAATU BARADA NIKTO" and 50+ years later we have the timeless scifi classic, "THE DAY THE WORLD STOOD STILL". Now digitally remastered and on this outstanding DVD.

This outstanding movie is presented with better clarity and sound than the original 1951 film release. This incredible movie now can be enjoyed over & over again without ever losing picture quality.

This 2 sided DVD Full Frame Format (4:3 tv / 1.33:1 aspect ratio - before WideScreen) Black/White as the movie and audio commentary with Robert Wise & Nicolas Meyer on SIDE A and a 70 minute "Making the Earth Stood Still" documentary, Movietone newsreel 1951, Restoration comparison footage, 5 still galleries, shooting script & trailer.

Summary: This movie has an outstanding cast with newcomer Michael Rennie as Klaatu the peaceful (human)alien who visits paranoid earth circa 1951. First stop Washington D.C. Greeted with violence and skepticism, escapes and goes into hiding. He befriends a mother (Patricia Neal) & her son (Billy Gray - also her real son) at a boarding house as he covertly studies the humans behaviors disguised as a businessman. He trys to get the world leaders to reach a world wide peace but they resist his ideas. They are given a sign of his powers by stopping all machinery worldwide, thus "THE DAY THE WORLD STOOD STILL". The ending is perfect and the audiences loved this film.

Even today the special effects stand the test of time and the story is so profound and sheer genius. Hollywood delivered a classic scifi film for all time. "The Day the Earth Stood Still" is a Hallmark film. This is scifi at its best & now this DVD can be added to your home movie library. Enjoy.

a great classic sci-fi film
I remember how intreguied I was the first time I saw, "The Day the Earth Stood Still and still am no matter how many times I see it. It's oneof those few movies you can absolutely never tire of seeing. This is one of my all time favorite sci- fi films and would recommend it to anyone. Michael Rennie and Patricia Neal are great in it really wonderful actors that give excellent perfomrances in this film. The setting in Washinton D.C is perfect for unidentified flying objects like a spaceship to land. The Robert is like a star in the film too. Each moment of the film is suspensful entertaining and keeps you guessing what will happen next. There's not a dull moment in the entire film. It's sci-fi at its best. This DVD adition has great extra footage like a documentary very well done and interesting and a trailer and plenty of other things too. Overall it's an exciting film for all ages.

Still standing still after all these years
Where does one begin with such a classic film. The Day the Earth Stood Still is the definition of classic. Above average for its genre, the movie still hold its own even today.

Robert Wise did a masterful job directing the picture. Given the fact that he was directing a new and somewhat unknown lead actor in Michael Rennie, Wise did a superb job. Could anyone else have played Clatu other than Rennie?

The premise of the story, a visitation from another planetary system to warn us off our reckless advancement into the nuclear age is very timely even in 2004. Clatu, the alien traveler, needs to discuss the ramifications of our behavior with every nation on Earth but learns that such a meeting is impossible given the petty international squabbling and mistrust of the day. Clatu escapes his captivity in the hospital and moves around disguised as a Maj. Carpenter. He meets Helen Benson (Patricia Neal) and her son Bobby (Bill Gray) and learns about many of our human foibles. Also involved is Hugh Marlow's character, Helen Bensons male companion. Sam Jaffe is wonderful as Prof. Barnhardt.

Eventually, Clatu is shot (a second time) and killed. Gort, the robot, with the intervention of Helen revives Clatu and in a final climatic scene Clatu delivers his message. This is a marvelous film even after 53 years.

The DVD is also well worth the small investment. I purchased my copy at a discount store for $5.50....I should be arrested. I agree with an earlier reviewer that the number of extras devoted to this old film is remarkable.

If you get the chance grab this DVD. Even after all these years the movie is fresh and certainly timely. Also, a final observation. Given the paranoia in most modern movies dealing with aliens, The Day the Earth Stood Still is another perspective on the topic of alien visitations. Its amazing how perverted the whole genre has become. This is certainly a reflection of society as a whole.

"Klaatu barada nikto"
There are a handful of 1950's sci-fi movies that have a big reputation - "When Worlds Collide", "The Thing From Another World", "Forbidden Planet", and "The Day the Earth Stood Still". Unfortunately, the first two are really lame in today's world, and only "The Day The Earth Stood Still" really stands up (except for the robot).

Although it has a little of the hokiness inherent to all movies of the 1950's, "The Day The Earth Stood Still" actually has a good meaningful story. The typically-round flying saucer lands in a baseball field in Washington DC. A normal-looking man (Michael Rennie) emerges, offering a small gift. As usual, the military shoots first and asks questions later. A large robot (to be known as "Gort") emerges and stands guard near the ship. In the hospital, the man requests a meeting of all the heads of world government to share an important message. He is told that a meeting of all nations is impossible under the current state of international tension. After recovering a day in the hospital (and self-healing) the man, named "Klaatu", escapes and assumes the identity of Mr. Carpenter (another patient whose clothes he takes). After renting a room in a boarding-house (run by 'Aunt Bea' from the "Andy Griffith Show"), he befriends a young boy ('Bud' from "Father Knows Best"), and later his mother (Patricia Neal).

Klaatu explains his mission on Earth - to bring about the end of nuclear-arms proliferation - to an Einstein-like mathematician, who agrees to help. The mathematician suggests convincing industry and world leaders to meet to hear the message by having Klaatu perform a show of strength. This is the event behind the movie title when Klaatu stops everything that relies on electricity to operate (though sparing hospitals, in-flight airplanes, etc.)

Klaatu confides his plan to Patricia Neal, who helps him. Later, when they are being chased, Klaatu gives the robot-command codewords to Patricia Neal as a safeguard in the event of Klaatu's capture. As is somewhat predictable, the army again shoots first and asks questions later, so Patricia Neal does indeed need to issue commands to the robot, who might otherwise destroy the world.

The robot recovers the dead body of Klaatu from a jail cell and returns him to the spaceship where he undergoes a sort of resurrection. Klaatu is able to give his anti-aggression message to mankind.

The movie was directed by Robert Wise, who went on to "Run Silent, Run Deep", "West Side Story", "The Sound of Music" and "The Andromeda Strain". Score by Bernard Hermann, famous from a long list of Alfred Hitchcock movies, but also for "Citizen Kane" and "The Magnificent Ambersons" prior to "The Day The Earth Stood Still".

The reasonably-priced DVD has the restored black-and-white full-screen movie; a good "making of" documentary; a commentary with director Robert wise and Nicholas Meyer; some "Movie-Tone News" clips from 1951 having to do with a peace treaty, the Korean war, a beauty contest, and an honorary promotional award given to Klaatu (but a different actor in the suit); a restoration comparison; still gallery including the script; and some other goodies.

Highly recommended. Klaatu's message is still valid. ... Read more

Amazom.com

SpaceCamp shares a striking similarity to Ron Howard's Apollo 13--it's about NASA trying to bring some people down fromouter space, except in this case 13 represents the median age of those in danger. Kate Capshaw plays Andie, who throws off the curve by being on the high end of that age scale. She's always a bridesmaid, but never a bride in the shuttle program, an astronaut doomed to play wet nurse to a gaggle of kids enrolled in NASA's summer program. Of course, out of all these teeming hordes of children (there don't appear to be any particular qualifying standards to attend the camp), the film focuses on five. Kathryn (Lea Thompson) is a hopeful pilot who wants to be at the controls of the shuttle one day. Tate Donovan plays Kevin, a daft young carouser who is supposedto be so incorrigible he's winning (he's not). Kelly Preston is Tish, a valley girl with a photographic memory, and Larry B. Scott is Rudy. Rudy's thereto meet the Hollywood quota for capsule diversification, but neither he nor Trish does much. Most oddly, Joaquin Phoenix is Max, the young Star Wars nut whose brain and fast friendship with a NASA robot get them all sent into orbit. It's unfortunate that a lot of topical swear words are peppered throughout SpaceCamp, as it could operate as a diverting night's watchfor the young astro-nut in your house. Director Harry Winer, who rose from television and sank back to television after this film stiffed over the summer of 1986, directs in 20-minute blocks like he's pacing himself for a commercial break. Once the embarrassing, extremely '80s, opening40 minutes are dispensed with, however, and the crew accidentally getsblasted into space, the effort to return home is involving, even if it is pretty silly. SpaceCamp won't win any merit badges for script writing, acting, or direction but it's got the right li'l Camp NASA spirit.--Keith Simanton ... Read more

Reviews (38)

A cute robot sends a bunch of kids into space on the shuttle
An entertaining fantasy about a bunch of bright but eccentric kids who attend NASA's Space Camp and end up being sent into space on an emergency launch of the space shuttle Atlantis, all because a cute little robot named JINX wants to make a friend happy. The young cast is certainly talented, with Lea Thompson (Kathryn) before "Carolyn in the City," Kelly Preston (Tish) before "The Love of the Game," and Joaquin Phoneix (Max) light years before "Gladiator." Kate Capshaw (Andie) and Tom Skerrit (Zack) give the film appropriate weight as the married astronauts who serve as the father figures. The backstory is that Andie has never made it into space and sees Kathryn as a younger model of herself, giving her an excuse to really push the girl. Tate Donovan (Kevin) is the rebellious stud who wants to know Kathryn better and does not take Space Camp all that seriously. Of course there is a lesson to be learned here about teamwork, especially once the kids are up in space with their lives at risk, but the fun for kids is imagining they too could accidentally be sent into space. "Space Camp" takes itself much more seriously than most fantasies, especially in terms of the details regarding a shuttle that is not really ready for launch, which makes it easier to just sit back and go along for the ride. Of course NASA would not allow kids to sit on the shuttle for a live engine test and certainly they would not have picked this group of misfits to receive the honor. But if that is what you what to focus on when watching this movie then you just do not understand thermal curtain failure or remember what it was like to be a kid and do what grown ups do. The movie also features an excellent musical score by John Williams.

A cute robot sends a bunch of kids up in the Space Shuttle
"Spacecamp" is a fairly entertaining fantasy about a bunch of bright but eccentric kids who attend NASA's Space Camp and end up being sent into space on an emergency launch of the space shuttle Atlantis, all because a cute little robot named JINX wants to make a friend happy. The young cast is certainly talented, with Lea Thompson (Kathryn) before "Carolyn in the City," Kelly Preston (Tish) before "The Love of the Game," and Joaquin Phoneix (Max) light years before "Gladiator." Kate Capshaw (Andie) and Tom Skerrit (Zack) give the film appropriate weight as the married astronauts who serve as the parental figures for the kiddies. The backstory is that Andie has never made it into space and sees Kathryn as a younger model of herself, giving her an excuse to really push the girl. Tate Donovan (Kevin) is the rebellious stud who wants to know Kathryn better and does not take Space Camp all that seriously. Of course there is a lesson to be learned here about teamwork, especially once the kids are up in space with their lives at risk, but the fun for kids is imagining they too could accidentally be sent into space.

"Spacecamp" takes itself much more seriously than most fantasies, especially in terms of the details regarding a shuttle that is not really ready for launch, which makes it easier to just sit back and go along for the ride. Of course NASA would not allow kids to sit on the shuttle for a live engine test and certainly they would not have picked this group of misfits to receive the honor. But if that is what you what to focus on when watching this movie then you just do not understand thermal curtain failure or remember what it was like to be a kid and do what grown ups do. The movie also features an excellent musical score by John Williams

A True Classic for Astronaut Wannabe's
And this one time...at Space Camp...I kissed a girl under the SRBs (Solid Rocket Boosters)...and I got to go around and re-live different scenes from the movie, especially repeating all of Leaf Phoenix's star wars references during mission simulations..it was too much fun...LOL...but still true... Certainly, there are tons of things wrong about the movie that would never happen at Space Camp or in real life, but that's hollywood and that's what makes it fun. And when this was made, Space Camp itself was a pipe dream for many kids and the lucky few who got to attend as youngsters were treated like Gods, and are still revered today, so this movie was a way for us poor folks to go to camp without forking out the bucks. Therefore to those of us who actually grew up in the 80's and remember seeing this move in the theater and the excitement of a space shuttle launch and still have dreams of being an astronaut, and for those of us who have worked at Space Camp its' definately a priceless jewel in the DVD treasure chest.

Good Kids Movie
The thing that always trikes me the most about this movie is the number of relatively big movie stars they managed to get into this film.
I mean it's a silly little adventure with a ridiculous plot. Send a bunch of teenagers into space and watch what happens. Well I mean sure, I guess it entertains kids. But it's not anything amazing, really.

Wonderful
When i was about 5 years old i descovered this wonderful movie. It was a copy that my parents had recorded years ago off of HBO. I remmeber sitting ther in awe for the hole 90minutes. Still to this day, every time its on a cable station, i watch it just because, it remind me of when i was 5 years old. This is a great movie for kids and parents alike, and should be awesome in widescreen on dvd. ... Read more

Reviews (75)

DESERVES A TEN!!!
My appreciation for this movie has sky-rocketed this last week. I recently watched the new Sabrina with Harrison Ford... it didn't even compare! This version is much much better! I've read the review for this movie... some think Bogart was too old for this movie or that the interplay between Hepburn and Bogart wasn't good. I definitely disagree! The chemistry between Audrey and Bogart is fantastic... the screen just sparks with it! I'm not sure of the behind the screens of this movie... some say that Bogart and Hepburn didn't work well together... all I know is that is produces something between them that is incomparable! Only couples like Cary Grant & Katharine Hepburn, Lauren Bacall & Bogart can produce this much chemistry on the screen!

I love the story of Sabrina...
Sabrina (Audrey Hepburn) is the plain looking daughter of a chauffer. She falls in love with the playboy son, David (William Holden), of the wealthy people her father serves. David doesn't notice her... Her father sends her off to a cooking school in Paris and there she becomes transformed into a dazzlingly gorgeous young lady. She comes home stunningly beautiful and catches the eye of the playboy son, David. Linus (Bogart) has worked out a merger with this company and rich family who owns sugarcane plantations. Part of the deal is that David is marrying their daughter. So Linus has to draw Sabrina away from David, because he's already engaged... and Sabrina falls in love with Linus... I won't give the end away... I'll just say it's worth the watch... It leaves you satisfied. Sometimes you watch a movie and at the end you are like... "So?" ... It didn't end well... Well this is not one of those movies! I love this movie to death! The best Actors, music, and chemistry! A definite watch!

Isn't It Romantic?
Audrey Hepburn simply sparkles as Sabrina Fairchild, the chauffeur's daughter in this enchanting romance classic. Bogart plays the eldest of two brothers (the other played by William Holden), a bookish industrialist who starts off competing for Sabrina's affections but winds up falling in love with her instead. Hepburn is magical as the lead, glittering like an angel atop a Christmas tree. Holden cuts a romantic, charismatic swath and figure as the devil-may-care playboy working himself up to marriage number three. Based on the play, Sabrina Fair, Billy Wilder directs with sardonic wit, charm and the ease of a true master of the cinema. This is a love story that remains timeless. Paramount hasn't restored the film, though there is nothing terribly wrong with the transfer as is. Fine details occasionally shimmer and once in a long while a scratch or chip in the camera negative can be detected by the naked eye. Over all though, this is a great looking DVD. Also included, a featurette that glosses over the making of the movie. Bottom line: Hepburn, Holden and Bogart prove themselves as not only stars, but American pop icons. Isn't it romantic? - Definitely!

Audrey's second film is my favourite
It almost begins like a fairy tale, how once upon a time, on the north shore of Long Island, some 30 miles from New York, there lived a small girl on a large estate. So goes the opening narration by Audrey Hepburn, which sets the story in motion and introduces the Larrabee estate and family, also goes on to describe an English chauffeur named Fairchild and his daughter, Sabrina, played of course by Hepburn, in this romantic comedy based on Samuel Taylor's play Sabrina Fair.

Sabrina's sent to a cooking school in Paris, which not only prepares her for a vocation, but to help her get over her crush over David Larrabee (William Holden), the dashing playboy who spent short periods at many colleges and even shorter periods with his three wives (consecutive, of course). Ironic, considering that Holden had a crush on Hepburn, which led to a brief affair, and for him, a torch he carried through the rest of his life. The advice she gets is "don't reach for the moon." The thing is, she's the last of the romantics, "l'amour toujours" as described by Linus Larrabee, the business brains behind the multimillion Larrabee holdings, which include land and water, copper, construction, and now, a new kind of plastic that's resilient and tastes sweet(!!)

After two years in Paris, she is a vision of beauty, chic, with a new haircut, and transformed, yet still the romantic, as she vows to be in the world and of the world, and "never ever run away from life, or from love either."

Linus plans to marry David off to Elizabeth Tyson, whose father owns the second largest sugar cane in Puerto Rico, the ceremonial part of a $20 million merger with Tyson. This is put in jeopardy with Sabrina's return, and David, who previously ignored her, is bedazzled. Yet Sabrina, who's reluctantly wooed by Linus to salvage the deal, finds out there's more to him than just the "cold businessman...with ice in his veins, ticker tape coming from his heart." She finds out he's nice and quite human.

"Remember, it's the 20th century" is a reminder that the Victorian days of knowing one's place is gone. Fairchild sees life as a limousine: "there's a front seat, there's a back seat, and a window inbetween." He later says "Nobody poor was called democratic for marrying someone rich." Mother and Father Larrabee believe that, as they are scandalized at David's affections towards Sabrina, and see her in terms of class status.

Other great scenes include the cooking school, but the party scene when Sabrina appears in her bare-shouldered white dress and becomes the belle of the ball dancing with David, shows her at her most radiant and resplendent.

Humphrey Bogart is great as Linus, scheduled, sensible, loyal, observant, honest, and yet with a softer side. John Williams is perfect as Tom Fairchild. And Jenny the maid is played by Nancy Kulp, best known as Ms. Hathaway in the Beverly Hillbillies TV series. But Francis X. Bushman as old Mr. Larrabee has some funny moments with a penchant for martinis and cigars (whenever his wife's not around). Hepburn would be reunited with director Billy Wilder in Love In The Afternoon.

However, Sabrina also sees birth of a long-time association between Audrey and a certain Hubert de Givenchy, who did her costumes for many of her films. No Oscar for Hepburn, though she was nominated, but this film got me on my Hepburn kick back in the 90's, and is especially wonderful for those living "la vie en rose" as Sabrina does. To conclude, forget the 1995 remake--watch the original instead.

Sabrina
Personally, I found this movie to be very boring and trite. In fact, I fell asleep through it twice. I am a big Audrey Hepburn fan, so I was very disapointed when I watched this and found it so incredibly dull. I did though very much enjoy the remake and have seen that several times.

A Wonderful Movie but I also like The Remake!
I saw Sabrina on TCM and I liked it and I think it's a wonderful movie and I think Audrey Hepburn, Humphrey Bogart and William Holden were terrific and I recommend this movie and I'm planning on buying the DVD! I will probably get slammed for saying this but I also liked the remake that starred Julia Ormond, Harrison Ford and Greg Kinnear and I plan on buying that movie on DVD too! They are both charming, delightful movies that can be enjoyed on their ownrights and though I have seen remakes that were horrible the remake of this movie was fine but I suspose that since I saw the remake first that I was able to enjoy it because I wasn't comparing it to the original! ... Read more

Description

Times change, Monte Walsh doesn't. For him, being a cowboy isn't a job, it's a life. And that's something the fenced-in, corporate-bean-counting ways of the onrushing 20th century must never alter. Tom Selleck plays Monte, struggling to continue the life he knows while seeing the new era nudge the cowboy way toward history's dustbin. Lonesome Dove Emmy winner Simon Wincer directs this Western featuring a superb supporting cast and based on a novel by the author of Shane. ... Read more

Reviews (21)

Remake is good but fell short of original, especially music
This remake of the all time great "future shock" western is very good but the original with Lee Marvin and Jack Palance was better. The original movie had Momma Cass Eliot on the soundtrack with the haunting melody "The good times are coming" which played well in the story line. Why doesn't someone put the original out on DVD remastered for quality? Still, especially if you haven't seen the original, Selleck plays the lead role well albeit the ending, which deviates radically from the original, is a bit corny.

Monte faces a new world.
Monte Walsh is a dramatic western released in 2003 starring Tom Selleck. Along with Selleck is a star cast, with Isabella Rossellini, James Gammon, Marshall Teague, William Devane, and Keith Carradine giving fine performances. The director, Simon Wincer, is also known for making westerns such as Shane and Lonesome Dove. Monte Walsh features a recurrent theme of man vs. technology, but it can be very forceful in presentation.

Monte Walsh is introduced in Antelope Junction, Wyoming territory in 1892. It is a comfortable, familiar surrounding, which suits Monte well, with no hint of modernization. Monte is leaving to winter on the range and while he is gone, an eastern corporation, Consolidated Cattle, is changing the cowboy lifestyle in the Wyoming territory. Consolidated has been buying all the land surrounding Antelope Junction, and fencing it in. This is unknown in the territory, putting a stop to free-ranging cattle. Consolidated has also allowed a railroad to build on the land with a railhead to help load horses, which the cowboys are not happy with. It is a new replacement that stops the cowboys from doing the job they love, moving stock from one place to another. Monte and his best friend Chet get a job with Consolidated, who now is the only employer of cowboys in the area.

The theme continues as Monte and his fellow cowboys battle a train, the dreaded new development in their environment, whose engineers have done them wrong. The cowboys win the battle, but everyone fears they have lost the war against impending technology. Meanwhile Monte has fallen in love with Martine, the whore with a heart of gold, but cannot force himself to leave his life as a cowboy to enter a world that he does not know as a family man. Chet decides to do just that and marries a widow who owns a hardware store. He begins to run the store and becomes involved with town life, leaving his old ways behind.

After having the theme of the movie forced upon the viewer, the style changes and symbolism is used to represent the battle against the new way of life. Consolidated is used as a symbol of impending technology, as they lay off cowboys to help increase the corporation's return on their investment. One cowboy turns to crime since he did not know how else to make a living in the new world. The rogue cowboy kills Chet in a holdup and Monte hunts him down to avenge Chet's death, symbolizing how the past must take care of what technology has caused. Monte is wounded by the outlaw, but continues on to kill the cowboy gone wrong. The wounding symbolizes what has been done to Monte and the other cowboys by the changing times, but the cowboy way continues on to fix what has gone wrong.

Monte does not return to Antelope Junction for seven years. He has decided to ride to Canada, down to Texas and back, living the cowboy life as the world leaves him behind. He arrives to find a horseless carriage driven by the former accountant and new ranch manager of Consolidated. The old meets the new as they both meet in the road and neither refuse to yield their ground. Finally Monte moves aside for the new invention to go through. After discovering that while he was gone, things have changed in Antelope Junction, he decides to leave again. It is not shown what he plans to do, or where he plans to go, but it is hopeful he finds a new place where the old cowboy lifestyle has not diminished, but appreciated.

I would give this movie three stars out of five. The theme can sometimes be overbearing, sometimes with the subtleties of a sledgehammer. However, the viewer can feel sympathy for Monte and make parallels into modern times. It serves as a documentary about those who embrace new technology and those who choose to stay behind.

George Eads is a hottie
This was worth watching for George Eads alone!!! I'm not usually into westerns, but he is so yum, I was actually glad in the end I saw it. Not too bad. Probably very underated.

The story of a great generation, when men were men

Director: Simon Wincer
Format: Color
Studio: Warner Home Video
Video Release Date: February 3, 2004

Cast:

Tom Selleck .... Monte Walsh
Isabella Rossellini .... Martine
Keith Carradine .... Chester 'Chet' Rollins
George Eads .... Frank 'Shorty' Austin
Robert Carradine .... Sunfish Perkins
Barry Corbin .... Storekeeper
James Gammon .... Fighting Joe Hooker/Albert Miller
Rex Linn .... Hat Henderson
John Michael Higgins .... Robert Slocum
William Sanderson .... Skimpy Eagens
Wallace Shawn .... Colonel Wilson
Marshall R. Teague .... Wallace 'Dally' Johnson
Rick Ravanello .... Henry Louis 'Sugar' Wyman
Joanna Miles .... Sairy Brennan
Lori Hallier .... Mrs. Mary Wilder
Matt Cooke .... Rufus Brady
Ken Pogue .... Old Doctor
Zack Ward .... Powder Kent
William Devane .... Cal Brennan
Shane Pollitt .... Jumpin' Joe Joslin (as Shane Pollit)
Tom Edwards .... Plump Lawyer
Tom Glass .... Marshal
Tim Koetting .... Henry, Stocky Barman
Bruce McFee .... Burly Man
Marty Antonini .... Farmer
Eric Keenleyside .... Engineer
Terry King .... Trainman
Peter Skagen .... Fireman
Michael Tod .... Boy
Gillian Carfra .... Young Woman

This is the story of Monte Walsh, last of the cowboys. "If I was starvin' I wouldn't rustle," says Monte. But, "This is the twentieth century" it was explained to him, and cowboyin' for a livin' is on its way out. Monte is in love with a little French girl, a "Lady of the Evening" who has tuberculosis, often fatal in those days. Offered a job in a Wild West Show, under a pseudonym, he refuses. "I ain't spittin' on my whole life," says Monte.

This is a wonderful movie, with a deep sense of realism. It's about the age-old story of men outliving their vocation, which happens just about every generation to some group.

One of the best films I've ever seen.

Joseph (Joe) Pierre

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

1970 VERSUS 2003 (YOU NEVER FORGET YOUR FIRST LOVE)
Three of my five favorite Westerns concern the extinction of Western Ideals and self-reliant principles in the face of "progress." I commend TOM SELLECK for his desire to explore this theme, unfortunately, however, this story had already been committed to film and more successfully. True, this version illustrates a larger slice of the book upon which it was based, but that does not necessarily translate to better cinema, and it may be responsible for the slightly forced pacing of this newer rendition. -------- MONTE WALSH (2003) does contain inspired photography and an adequately bracing (although derivative) Western score, and Fightin' Joe Hooker's demise is much better handled this time around. Otherwise, 2003 is clearly overmatched by its 1970 predecessor. -------- A major drawback lies in the fact that SELLECK and KEITH CARRADINE lack the likeability that LEE MARVIN and JACK PALANCE brought to the principal roles. The sense of camaraderie between these two old saddle pals just does not come across. The dialogue misses the nuance and leisurely pace of the original. Where have all the "pregnant pauses" gone? Placed beside the earlier version, this one seems almost like a high school production where inexperienced actors rush through their lines, failing to experience the moment. Even all of the minor players of the 1970 MONTE bested the 2003 actors when it came to endowing their characterizations with distinct personality and unique qualities. Only the little dog here managed to go toe to toe to toe to toe with his 1970 counterpart. -------- But the biggest problem of all can be found in the love story subtext. ISABELLA ROSSELLINI who played Monte's "Countess" this time around is no JEANNE MOREAU in the acting department. She was fine, but the 1970 MONTE WALSH gave us one of the silver screen's most beautifully rendered, understated, and underrated movie romances ever! It was filled with subtle grace and magic. The easy-going rapport and playful attraction expressed in the original, by comparison, nearly reduces to an almost cold sniping the scenes between SELLECK and ROSSELLINI. It came as no surprise when JEANNE MOREAU revealed in an interview many years after the fact that she felt LEE MARVIN was "the most masculine" actor she had ever worked with. Her scenes with him in which they showed us a tender, wistful, and doomed love affair made for absolutely dynamite viewing. Trust me, BOGART and BERGMAN had nothing on MARVIN and MOREAU! -------- My lesser complaints have to do with being bludgeoned by the Cowboy Code. Don't tell it; show it! The Code came across loud and clear in 1970 without words. Less was indeed more. The bronc-busting scene was a mere child's ride on King Arthur's Carrousel compared with the 1970 wild "E Ticket" equine roller-coaster! And finally, although it's such a minor issue: I just couldn't accept Shorty Austin as a Hollywood Hunk with a Colgate Smile. Cowboys spent time in saloons; not salons. Cowboys spent time at the faro table; not the dentist's office. -------- Yes, the 1970 MONTE WALSH remains a relatively unknown Western masterpiece. But, don't get me wrong - I'm not saying that the 2003 MONTE WALSH was bad; just perfectly superfluous. And not necessary either. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Goldie Hawn, Bette Midler, and Diane Keaton prove that revenge is a dish best served cold. Former college buddies, they reunite at the funeral of a dear friend who took a swan dive onto Fifth Avenue. All three discover they share the same unhappy history of husbands who dove into middle-age by dumping them for trophy wives. Forming a warring triumvirate, they decide to get even, and along the way remind themselves of long-forgotten capabilities. The action gets a little too "wacky" at times, but the gals are great. Portraying an aging actress, Hawn is sometimes a little too flamboyant, but there is much fun to be had in her flashiness, especially when she pokes fun at Tinseltown and her persona. Instead of her usual brashness, Midler stretches herself and shows us a woman who is not just unhappy, but also deeply sorrowful. Not that she isn't quick with a wisecrack, but her expressive face alone tells the story of her marriage. As the repressed and guilt-ridden spouse of a self- involved ad executive, Keaton finds her anger, and her voice, when her psychiatrist (Marcia Gay Harden) oversteps ethical boundaries. Watching Keaton grow from an ineffectual homemaker into a powerful businessperson reminds us that it has been far too long since she has done a comedy. Director Hugh Wilson smartly chose supporting players who each brought something unique to the film. However, he does not maintain the first hour's effervescent humor throughout the film, as the ending is weakened by a softening of the wives' resolve. --Rochelle O'Gorman ... Read more

Reviews (64)

Wives get their revenge and earn strength
Director: Hugh Wilson

Stars: Goldie Hawn, Bette Midler, Diane Keaton, Stockard Channing, Maggie Smith, Dan Hedaya, Sarah Jessica Parker, Victor Garber, Stephen Collins, Elizabeth Berkley

Released in 2001

College friends lose track of each other after graduation until one of them, Cynthia Swann Griffin, played by Stockard Channing, commits suicide after her husband leaves her for a younger woman. Elise, Brenda, and Annie, played by Goldie Hawn, Bette Midler, and Diane Keaton respectively, reunite at the funeral and find that their lives are not as great as they may seem on the surface. The three have a fun filled lunch and discover their middle-aged husbands have dumped them all for younger women. They decide that it is time to quite being mad and unhappy and start getting even. They support each other in this endeavor and find they have strengths they have forgotten about. Elsie, an actress with financial means to back this endeavor is fun and paired with Brenda and Annie make their ex-husband's and soon to be ex-husband's lives miserable. Elsie who is having to split her assets with her soon to be ex-husband as well as pay alimony decides to sell all of their assets to Annie for a dollar. Annie then auctions it off to build enough reserves to buy her soon to be ex-husband's partners out of their share of an advertising firm. The three women find the self-confidence they lost over the years and decide to help other women in similar situations find their strengths and lost self-confidence. Watching these three great actresses get their revenge is entertaining and added bonus is the witty, bitter character Gunilla Garson Goldberg played by Maggie Smith, who has been made wealthy by her several ex-husbands. First Wives Club is a movie that is fun to watch again and again.

Hilarious and Entertaining
Goldie Hawn, Bette Midler and Diane Keaton star in FIRST WIVES CLUB, a movie about three women who's men have traded them in for younger models, and they set out to get revenge. The movie starts when Brenda (Bette Midler), Elise (Goldie Hawn) and Annie (Diane Keaton), all find out their friend Cynthia has commited suicide. At the funeral they meet up again, as they were college friends, and they start hanging out with each other more often. Annie's marriage is in the dumps, she's seeing a therapist, and later finds out the therapist is seeing her husband! Brenda is separated from her husband Morty but is still raising her son, and Elise is divorcing her husband Bill who in turn wants alimony. These women, furious, decide to take a stand and fight back, and they sure do! There are some really memorable moments like when the ladies go to a lesbian bar, when they break into Morty's condo and escape on the window washer stand, and more. Other stars in the movie include Sarah Jessica Parker, Eileen Heckart, Stephen Collins and more. And yes the book is much different, but this movie is still very entertaining. Overall a great movie, one of my favorites.

Funny but over-acted
For a movie with a pretty big idea--that women whose husbands leave them for younger women can regain their dignity, control, and even, in some cases, their husbands--this is a pretty trifling affair. It's embarrassing to listen to Diane Keaton reduce all her acting talent to a 90-minute stream of shrill screams and whines and whimpers. Goldie Hawn's character undergoes plastic surgery, but that's not enough to explain the way she contorts her face throughout the film. And when Bette Midler and the other two get together to burst into song, watch out. You'll probably wince.

Still, this is a funny movie, with a decent heart, a pat but semi-satisfying ending, and a really great cast: Stockard Channing, Sarah Jessica Parker, Elizabeth Berkeley, Dan Hedaya, Balki from Perfect Strangers, the dad from Seventh Heaven, and Maggie Smith all make appearances. You probably shouldn't buy it, but you could do a lot worse than this flipping through channels on cable.

entertaining, but some propaganda
I found the movie entertaining. However, a central plot is that
four women friends from the same college are dumped in their
middle age by their husbands for younger women. In reality, women
initiate most divorces. They get preferential treatment with
ownership of the house, custody of the kids, and alimony.
So, I think this movie is disguising the fact that, statistically,
it's more like a First Husbands Club out there.

Great, Great, Great, movie
I love this movie. Me and my mom saw this in the theater and it was so funny. Me and my mom are huge chick flicks fans. But this is our favorite. We watch this whenever were sad or when we just want to laugh. Goldie Hawn is one of my favorite actresses if not my favorite. So really with the cast that they got, how could this movie go wrong. I didn't give it 5 stars is because it is a chick flick and guys wouldn't like it. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Indy finally gets it, but forgets it.
I thought, from reading the description, that this would be boring. But it wasn't, not by a long shot. It's probably the best "Young Indy".

The action is limited to the first five or so minutes, where Lieutenant De Fonz (aka Indy) disobeys his superior and tells the troops to advance instead of retreat. This results in victory, and a promotion to Captain, but also the Major holding a grudge. Naturally, Indy and the Major are then teamed up on a mission to retrieve some weapons.

The opening battle sequence was even more graphic then "Trenches of Hell", and when Indy grabs the machine gun and mows done countless men, we see just how far he's come (or fallen) in less than a year. I love this one for all the character developement Indy undergoes, especially in relation to the previous videos. It's good to keep in mind that it's now December of 1916, and just last February all Indy cared about was the prom, and driving a cool car to said event. More has happened to Indy in ten months than happens in real peoples' entire lives.

That's where he is at the start of "Oganga". By the end he's changed even more, due to all the slow death he's had to witness. "Onganga" is great just for the fact that Indy is more human in this than he's ever been. He gets feverish, delusionary, and downright depressed. He seems like a real 17-year-old who's in way over his head. This isn't your typical Indy.

While it's good to see Indy's interaction with Schweitzer, and how it changes his outlook on life, I can't help but note that Harrison Ford's Indy seems to have forgotten the whole thing. He's back to killing with nonchalance, and even glee. Perhaps the Young Indy writers should have tried to be more consistent with the already established future. But at least they are consistent within the series, because in the next video ("Hawkmen") Indy changes his approach to the war by joining the secret service.

Kudos to Sean Patrick Flanery, he's a great Indy, especially in this one.

A Gem
I bought Oganga, The Giver and Taker of Life for my younger son, who is enthralled with anything having to do with Indiana Jones, but I frequently find myself watching this and the other Young Indiana Jones videos with him. The series is simply superb.

George Lucas used some of the best writers, directors and acting talent available to him and filmed the series on location around the world. As a result, despite being made for television, they are gems. Ordinarily, I hate it when movies are used to send a message, but the messages in the series generally flow naturally from the plots without being overly heavy-handed.

In this installment, Indy is an officer serving in the Belgian army in Africa during the Great War who is sent on an important and dangerous mission. In the process, he learns much about leadership, European colonialism, death, and ultimately what is important in life. The series skillfully interweaves real-life people into the plot, and in this installment Indy meets Albert Schweitzer.

Parents should be advised that, while uplifting, this is a war movie and that death, from both battle and disease, is integral to the plot.

Pretty good
I have a friend who describes this one as boring. Not True! It's in the same line as Phantom Train and Daredevils. It's one of those episodes that teaches Young Indy about respecting life and people, but they're still great episodes, even if they are less exciting.

Action, but above all, Indy learns to care about life!
In the other movies, Indy never seemed to care about human life. In this he learns lots about life, feelings and points of view. This movie should be seen by everyone who can see it! It teaches valuable lessons and is still a classic Indiana Jones film.

I have always wanted to be a director and these movies have already taught me alot about the types of movies people like. I have used these and other George Lucas and Steven Spielberg films to use as exaples. Right now my friends and I are working on a film. We hope to have it completed by Jr. High.

Open minded people buy this!
This film lacks the cheesy comedy of the traditional indy videos. It explores philosophy and human nature. Indy has doubts about his involvment in the Belgian armys imperialist war in Africa. After speaking to an African native soldier about the war Indy learns that the Belgians will not leave Africa for the Africans but merely take it over from the Germans they are liberating it from. While it is action packed it also shows the political science of WWI. Get this! ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Billy Wilder cowrote and directed this brilliant 1957 mystery based on Agatha Christie's celebrated play about an aging London barrister (Charles Laughton) who's preparing to retire when he takes the defense in the most vexing murder case of his distinguished career. In his final completed film (he died of a heart attack less than a year later), Tyrone Power plays the prime suspect in the murder of a wealthy widow, and Marlene Dietrich plays the wife of the accused, whose testimony--and true identity--holds the key to solving the case. A classic of courtroom suspense, Witness for the Prosecution is one of those movies with enough double-crossing twists to keep the viewer guessing right up to the very end, when yet another surprise is deftly revealed. This being a Billy Wilder film, the dialogue is first-rate and the acting superb, with both Laughton and his offscreen wife Elsa Lanchester (playing the barrister's pesty nurse) winning Academy Awards for their performances. Although later films would concoct even more complicated courtroom scenarios, this remains one of the best films of its kind and a model for all those films that followed its lead. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (46)

The perfect courtroom drama...
Quite simply, this film is brilliant. In addition to being one of Billy Wilder's best films, this is one of the best courtroom dramas ever made! It is cleverly directed, has a compelling plot, features great performances (especially by Marlene Dietrich), and is all in all very exciting and entertaining. This is a film you won't forget.

This plot of this film, which was based on a play by Agatha Christie, is your basic courtroom drama: a series of witnesses testify about the murder of a wealthy widow. Tyrone Power plays the young man accused of the murder, Marlene Dietrich gives an amazing performance as the key witness in the case, and Charles Laughton plays the lawyer determined to unravel the mystery. This film has some terrific, very surprising, twists and turns, so to say any more about the plot would give too much away!

Anyhow, this film is really suspenseful, captivating, and memorable. It's a true classic by the brilliant director Billy Wilder, and has been imitated countless times since its release. But no imitation has come close to the original, which is why this film is a must-see. Highly recommended!

Billy Wilder's ultimate best!!!!!
Director Billy Wilder has crafted the most energetic adaptation of an Agatha Christie novel entitled "Witness for the Prosecution" An aging bannister named Wilfrid Robards (played brilliantly by Charles Laughton) can't resist taking an intriguing murder case involving Leonard Vole (played by Tyrone Power in his final film). A seemingly open and shut case becomes more and complicated as the case gains momentum. Splendid acting by all including Marlene Dietrich as Leonard's wife Christine and Elsa Lanchester as Miss Plimsoll (Robard's pesky nurse) Full of surprises from beginning to end. A classic for all time!!

Witness for the Prosecution
I first saw this movie as I was walking out the door, and continued to stand mezmirized by the twists and turns. To see these two great actors, not playing their normal roles but so opposite of what I normally see them as.
I was 2 hours late for an appointment, because I was literally glued to the TV

"It's not the jury's judgment that worries me. It's mine."
"No more murder cases," is the doctor's strict prohibition upon reluctantly releasing renowned barrister and recent heart attack survivor Sir Wilfrid Robarts (Charles Laughton) from hospital. (Although even the word "release" seems to be a matter of some dispute here, because according to Sir Wilfrid's nurse Miss Plimsoll [Elsa Lanchester], he was "expelled for conduct unbecoming a cardiac patient." But let's leave that aside for now.) And following the doctor's orders, Sir Wilfrid's staff have lined up an array of civil cases: a divorce, a tax appeal, and a marine insurance claim - surely those will satisfy their hard-to-please employer's demands?

Err ... not likely.

So, try as he might to be a good patient, Sir Wilfrid needs only little encouragement to accept the case of handsome drifter and small-time inventor Leonard Vole (Tyrone Power), accused of murdering his rich benefactress Emily French (Norma Varden). Of course, the very circumstances that most disturb the famous barrister's colleagues Mayhew and Brogan-Moore (Henry Daniell and John Williams) - Mrs. French's infatuation with Vole, his visit to her on the night of the murder, the lack of an alternative suspect and his inheritance under her new will - just make the matter more interesting in Sir Wilfrid's eyes. Most problematic, however, is Vole's alibi, which depends entirely on the testimony of his German wife Christine (Marlene Dietrich), an actress he had met when stationed with the RAF in WWII-ravaged Hamburg. Troubling, insofar, isn't only that Christine is her husband's sole alibi witness and that - Sir Wilfrid explains - a devoted wife's testimony doesn't carry much weight anyway. The real problem is that Christine isn't the loving, desperate wife one might expect: far from that, she is cool, calculating and surprisingly self-controlled; so much so that, worried because he cannot figure out her game, Sir Wilfrid decides not let her testify at all, rather than risk damaging his case. That, however, seems to have been one of his illustrious career's few major miscalculations - because now he and his client suddenly have to face Christine as a witness for the prosecution. And her testimony on the stand is only one of several surprises she has in store.

"Witness for the Prosecution" is based on a concept Agatha Christie first realized as a four-person short story (published in the 1933 collection "The Hound of Death") and subsequently adapted into what she herself would later call her best play, which opened in London in 1953 and in 1954 on Broadway, where it won the N.Y. Drama Critics' Circle citation as Best Foreign Play. Throughout the adaptations the storyline was fleshed out more and more, the focus shifted from the work of solicitor Mayherne (whose name changed to Mayhew) to that of QC Sir Wilfrid Robarts, and the screenplay ingeniously added Miss Plimsoll's character, utilizing the proven on-screen chemistry of real-life spouses Laughton and Lanchester, for whom this was an astonishing eleventh collaboration, and whose banter bristles with director/co-screenwriter Billy Wilder's dry wit and the fireworks of the couple's pricelessly deadpan delivery, timing and genuine joy in performing together.

Perhaps most importantly, the story's ending changed: not entirely, but enough to give it a different and, albeit very dramatic, less cynical slant than the short story's original conclusion. - To those of us who have grown up with Christie's works, those of her idol Conan Doyle and on a steady diet of Perry Mason, Rumpole of the Bailey and the many subsequent other fictional attorneys, the plot twists of "Witness for the Prosecution" (including its ending) may not come as a major surprise. At the moment of the movie's release, however, the ending was a much-guarded secret; viewers were encouraged not to reveal it both in the movie's trailer and at the beginning of the film itself; and even the Royal Family was sworn to silence before a private showing. Similarly, features such as the skillful, methodical unveiling of a seemingly upstanding, disinterested witness's hidden bias in cross-examination have long become standard fare in both real and fictional courtrooms, and any mystery fan worth their salt has heard more than one celluloid attorney yell at a cornered witness: "Were you lying then or are you lying now?" (Not recommended in real-life trial practice, incidentally.) Yet, in these and other respects it was "Witness for the Prosecution" which laid the groundwork for many a courtroom drama to come; and herein lies much of its ongoing importance.

Moreover, this is simply an outstandingly-acted film; not only by Laughton, Lanchester and a perfectly-cast Marlene Dietrich but by every single actor, also including Torin Thatcher (prosecutor Mr. Myers), Francis Compton (the presiding Judge) and, most noteably, Una O'Connor (Mrs. French's disgruntled housekeeper). This is true even if Tyrone Power's emotional outbursts in court may be bewildering to today's viewers - and even if one wonders why an American-born star was acceptable for an Englishman's role without even having to bother trying to put on an English accent in the first place, whereas Dietrich and other non-native English speakers of the period, like Greta Garbo and Ingrid Bergman, were routinely cast as foreigners. (Yes, yes, I know. Redford and "Out of Africa" come to mind more recently, too, but that's a can of worms I won't open here.)

"Witness for the Prosecution" won a Golden Globe for Elsa Lanchester, but unfortunately none of its six Oscar nominations (which undeservedly didn't even include Marlene Dietrich), taking second seat to the year's big winner "Bridge on the River Kwai" in the Best Picture, Best Director (David Lean), Best Actor (Alec Guinness) and Best Editing categories, and to "Sayonara" for Best Supporting Acress (Miyoshi Umeki) and Best Sound. No matter: with the noirish note resulting from its use of multiple levels of ambiguity - in noticeable contrast to Christie's Poirot and Miss Marple mysteries - it fits seamlessly next to such Billy Wilder masterpieces as "Sunset Boulevard" and "Double Indemnity;" and it has long since become a true courtroom classic.

The first time I saw this...
...six unblinking, spellbound eyes took every moment in--that is to say, my parents and I (eye!) were thoroughly riveted. The plot was deliciously unpredictable, and Marlene was so unflinching in her role. Perhaps it's not the most feel-good movie in the world, but it's well worth watching anyhow. You're a witness... ... Read more

Description

Carly Beth and her friends find themselves in double trouble this Halloween!After last year's spook, Carly Beth buried her old haunted mask forever...or did she?This year Steve is determined to get himself a horrifying mask just like it so he can scare the neighborhood kids. At the last minute he encounters a stranger wearing Carly Beth's old mask who leads him to a deserted shop, where he steals one of the creepy masks in the basement.What he doesn't realize is that Carly Beth's old mask is alive and using both Steve and the shopkeeper to get her back.On Halloween night, evil brings both masks to life, bringing twice as much terror to their festivities.

... Read more

Reviews (6)

SEQUAL TO HAUNTED MASK
I LIKED #1 BETTER THAN THIS ONE.I THINK THE KID THAT PLAYED STEVE IN THE FIRST ONE WAS BETTER TOO.BUT IT`S A PRETTY GOOD EPISODE!

Actually 3 1/2 stars
A good movie, but the acting is c-o-r-n-y, as is the plotline. Please, would a guy be *THAT* desperate to scare everyone? Also who's scared of some croaking old man...unrealisitc in realism, but a good flick, low on scares. Quality seems to lack.

Pretty Good Movie
This is a very good movie, and it's about twice as scary as the first. There are some scary parts so I wouldn't recommend
it to kids younger than eight. But it's good, you can believe that.

A scary Halloween night
It was very scary! My favourite character was the girl who put the mask on. I was really excited to watch it. I would recommend this movie to kids ten and up! My favourite part was when she got the mask-it was really creepy,but cool!

New mask. Old nightmare.
After last years' terrifying Halloween, Carly Beth (Kathryn Long) buried her evil haunted mask in the graveyard. Now this year her friend Steve (John White) wants to find a mask just as scary, but Carly Beth refuses to tell him where she bought hers.

At the last minute though, Steve encounters a stranger wearing Carly Beth's old mask, a mysterious man who leads him to a boarded up novelty shop. Steve slips in through the back door and steals a creepy mask he finds in the basement. What he doesn't realise is that the mask he stole is just as evil as Carly Beth's old mask. The worst of it though, is that Carly Beth's old mask is alive - and it's using both Steve and the shopkeeper (Colin Fox) to get her back.

"The Haunted Mask II" is even better than the original! Like most episodes of the childrens TV-series "Goosebumps," the acting and the script is a little cheesy. You just have to understand it's a show for children. I remeber when "The Haunted Mask II" came out on video on September 5, 1997 - it was a big hit. The whole town was excited about it. Okay, overall, "The Haunted Mask II" is great video. It's worth every penny spent if you enjoyed the first in the series, "The Haunted Mask." BUY IT OR RENT IT TODAY! ... Read more

Reviews (14)

one of the greatest films ever made
I used to love this movie, and still do -- and I'm 22! :) With a combination of action and heart, this movie is surprisingly moving.

I still have nightmares about that evil Terak though! :)

I can't wait 'til this comes out on DVD!

Go buy it if you want your children to see nice, family safe movies. Heck, buy it for yourself -- this movie is a real treat, with really cute characters, like Teek (one of my favorite film creatures of all time) and Wicket, the lovable furry little Ewok. I've never understood why my fellow Star Wars fans hate the Ewoks...maybe I just haven't outgrown them quite yet.

Anyways, get this movie, or rent it, if you can find it; it will provide plenty of thrills, chills, and tears -- not to mention loads of laughs. "Ewoks: The Battle for Endor" delivers enough of everything to satisfy all kinds of movie buffs.

(And for an extra bonus, what better film to hear Wilford Brimley use a *questionable* four-letter word!)

Whatever happened to Love for "Little People" in Cotume?
As I have frantically searched the net for a copy of this brilliant film I have noticed something that is just horrible. An aparent fan hatred for the fuzziest inhabitants of a small moon, in this or any other galaxy far far away. What's wrong with the Ewoks? When I saw Jedi all those many years ago, it made me laugh when Wickett apeared and toyed with Princess Leia's helmet. And I, as any honest lover of the series, have to admit that when they fell in battle, I shed a few tears of grief. Granted, The Ewok Adventure was a monstosity of epic proportions (remember that horrible giant spider?), but the Battle for Endor is an endearing piece of child film. To say that you didn't love this movie is to say you found all the Star Wars movies rediculous, heck, you had to hate Willow, too. This is a film in the Great Lucas tradition that I think more people should see. I say we all start writing to Mr. Lucas and the folks at MGM (who own the rights) and ask for a special edition DVD. I'm sure none of them would mind cashing in on the recent success of the frandchise and we could all have our very own copy of a piece of our childhood. A great piece.

Come On Mr. Lucas! Give Us Some Ewok DVD's!
I've been a fan of Star Wars since before I was born(No, really. My mother took my brother and sister to see it in the theater in summer of '77 when she was pregnant with me, and I swear it was subliminally driven into my psyche as a fetus!), and I loved the ewok movies. I have both VHS releases and am anxiously waiting for Mr. George "Emperor Of All Things Star Wars" Lucas to get off his @$$ and release these under-rated and underappreciated film gems on the ultimate home entertainment format, DVD!

Things to do rather than watch this video
I recommend eating your own excrement than watching this film

A pathetic genre film
If you are a non Star Wars fan, don't see this movie. Bottom line. This movie does not stand up to objective adversarial viewing. It is a weak-plotted and shodily made film. My girlfriend a huge Star Wars freak, with a capital "F", made me sit through this boring, loosely premised dung-fest and I wanted to stick a chopstick in my eyes, like some kind of asian oedipus. Be smart, stick to the triliogy. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Atmospheric and Touching Sequel to the Classic Horror Film
'Cat People' is a horror film. 'The Curse of the Cat People' is a fantasy, an exploration of a child's imagination. The first film focused on Oliver Reed (Kent Smith), who marries a woman named Irena. Irena is cursed with the supernatural ability to turn into a cat when angered. This deadly ability causes the detoriation of her happy marriage, the death of a man, as well as hers. This movie begins years after the first, Oliver is now married and has a six-year old daughter named Amy. Her imagination and belief in the fantastic triggers her fathers memories of Irena and her "mental delusion," as it is addressed in this film. We are left to ponder whether Irena really was cursed, or whether it was just a mental delusion of hers. Oliver does everything to suppress his daughter's fertile imagination, but this only causes the alienation of Oliver from his daughter. This is when Amy calls for a friend, and she gets one in the form of Irena (Simone Simon).

Is it Divine intervention? Or is it all in Amy's imagination?

'The Curse of the Cat People' is a touching and ethereal film. Great directing, well-built suspense, chilling atmosphere, wonderful script, great acting (especially from the young girl), and unforgettable and haunting visuals (Irena caroling in the distance, Amy at Sleepy Hollow, etc.) This film has nothing to do with cats, or cat people. It never specifies the "mental delusion" Irena Reed had in the first film. The title is very misleading. Great movie.

Forget the Title and Enjoy the Movie
As others here have noted, and as anyone who has seen this wonderful film is aware, the title (meant by the studio to cash in on producer Val Lewton's and writer Dewitt Bodeen's earlier success, "Cat People") is misleading, exploitive and wildly inappropriate.

While this is a tenuous sequel to "Cat People", the 1942 tale of sexual awakening/fear, the only real connection it has to that movie is the lurid title and a few characters. Occuring some years after the events of the first film, "Curse of the Cat People" finds introverted young Amy (played with wide eyed perfection by Ann Carter) discovering that the fantasy world she inhabits does not meet the approval of her parents (Kent Smith and Jane Randolph from the first movie) because she spends too much time alone and, in fact, that it sometimes clashes with the real world - as when she attempts to deliver birthday party invitations via a magic tree rather than a post box.

Relations with her concerned (and, I think, narrow minded) father do not improve when Amy makes a new "imaginary" friend of his dead first wife (the otherworldly Simone Simon, killed in the first movie). She also befriends an aged former actress (Julia Dean) while simultaneously gaining the resentment of the old lady's smoldering, alienated daughter (Elizabeth Russell).

This is not a horror film in any sense (except for the horrible title, of course), but more a magical realist coming of age story. A sense of suspense and wonder permeates the film, thanks to producer Val Lewton's celebrated use of light and shadow and the brisk direction of Robert Wise (his directorial debut if I'm not mistaken) and Gunther von Fritsch.

Not a horror movie, I repeat, but without doubt one of the best films about the wonders and terrors of childhood ever produced.

beautiful 'horror' with the one of a kind simone simon.
possibly one of the greatest films bar none. an unbelievably beautiful fantasy. It is a haunting, sensual, innocent and unforgettable film.
lewtons ' up yours' answer to rko for demanding a sequal. so typical that the studio didnt have a clue as to what to do with it.
simone simon ranks up there with catherine deneuve, louise brooks, and barbara steele as being one of the most beautiful, haunting and underrated actresses in screen history.
THIS AND THE OTHER LEWTONS DESPERATELY NEED DVD RELEASES!!!!!!!!

Interesting, offbeat psychological thriller
The sequel to the original Val Lewton horror film, "Cat People" is disappointing in that it doesn't follow up on the growl-slash-bite were-cat premise at all (opting, instead, to stick to the "it was all in her head" version of the story). Otherwise, though, this one's a winner. Kent Smith reprises his role as the all-too-rational modern man, Mr. Reed, who is now a husband and father, having married the "other woman" from the previous film, Jane Randolph. Things are just peachy, except that their daughter has somehow picked up on the weird vibe that plagues their family, and becomes pyschically linked to what appears to be the ghost of the dead cat lady from the first film (played again by Simone Simon.) The drearily sensible, scientific-psychological perspective dukes it out with the fantastical-supernatural viewpoint: we the audience are encouraged to root for the ghost story explanation, as the filmmakers provide some brilliant, spooky visual cues to accompany the little girl's altered state of mind. Young Ann Carter is quite good as the daughter. Not your standard-issue horror movie, yet very definitely recommended!

Mellowish
Nothing to do with any Cat people of any sort. It is a nicely made film about the love of a father for his previous wife and for his daughter. This girl is more or less mesmerized by the ghost of the previous wife, who will protect her against some real danger. It is a moral lesson about loving children and accepting their ranting and raving as some kind of message about their lack of love or their desire for love. But be careful with kids. Curiosity kills the cat, or at least may kill the cat, even if here the cat, or the kitten, is nicely saved from its unavoidable end of freezing to death or choking in the hands of some bitter woman.

Dr Jacques COULARDEAU, University of Perpignan ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Secret Service Adventure
Being a big History buff. and loving Indiana Jones. i loved this movie. others of the series i have found fairly pleasing...but could do better. i am big on spying and espionage, and am glad to see a movie that portays spying accurately(compared to 007)...and of couse its INDY! BRAVO Lucas

Confusing plot, but on the whole a good movie
This movie is good on the whole, although it does have a few flaws.

The movie starts out with Indy helping 2 Austrian brothers get to Austria through the German barricades. This first half of the movie is good and has a lot of suspense. But once they get to Austria and Indy is re-assigned to Russia, the plot falls apart. It gets very confusing, and character development is underdone. There is some guy that is chasing Indy throughout the first half of the movie, and we never know who he really is. And then suddenly Indy is friends with some people in Russia, and we don't know how they came to be friends. It sort of clears up at the end when the Bolsheviks march through the streets of St. Petersburg, but even then, it is still confusing.

Other than that, it is a good movie, and the portrayal of spying here is magnificently accurate. If you're a fan of Indiana Jones, this is worth seeing, but if you're not, you should probably think before seeing this movie.

Stop being so picky
I'm disliking all the bad press that the second half of this tape is getting. Personally, it's one of my favorites along with two others which have not been released on tape.

I've seen pretty much most of the Young Indiana Jones series and have quiet a few recorded off TV from it's TV run (it's amazing that my tapes still work after 11 years) and personally, I like the Russian one. Oh yeah, I remember seeing in one comment that said that all of Indy's Russian friends were Bolsheviks. In fact only two of them are. If one would read the novelization of this episode, it would explain it more clearly (and it explains why Indy is friends with them). But even in the episode, it shows their differences. The two that are Bolsheviks are Sergei and Irina, the couple that loves each other. The girl that falls for Indy is Rosa and her political philosophy goes toward a democratic socialist government, simular to what many countries in Europe have today (and yes, socialists and communists are different), the man studying to be a priest is Dmitri and would support a Czarist goverment since the clergy was important back in that former government and would not support the Bolsheviks since they support atheism. And the last friend, Boris, is an Anarchist (who doesn't support government at all).

The reason I like this episode is because it shows me that Bolsheviks aren't evil creatures of doom. That they are in fact human with hopes and dreams. Yes, we tend to demonize communists, but that's because the idea was corrupted by human failings and became a dicatorship.

And the first episode on this tape. Eh. It's not my favorite, but it's interesting though.

Great first half, strange second half
The first half of this video is great, it starts out with an amusing instance of mistaken identity, as two Austrian princes, who are also French lieutenants, mistake Indy for a delivery boy because he's riding a bike and his uniform is covered up by his coat. They run him off the road with their car, and are later shocked to learn that he's not only not a delivery boy, but that he's a captain, outranking them. Indy, still insulted, isn't impressed to then learn that they are royalty. This doesn't get the relationship off to a very good start, and so of course Indy is assigned to escort them across the border to Austria.

There are more great moments of humor in the first half, along with lots of running around, and it's all very entertaining. Indy is somewhat grumpy the whole time, which, come to think of it, made him more similar to the older Indy played by Ford.

The second half finds him reassigned to Russia, which is weird in itself, but the bizzare thing was that Indy moves in with a bunch of Bosheviks, and becomes very good friends with them. How he managed this, and why, isn't addressed, since we're just plopped into the middle of his stint in Petrograd. The fact that the Bolsheviks, knowing full well that Indy is a capitalist American working for the French secret service (some secret), allow him to join their midsts is hard to believe. One girl even falls in love with him.

Indy dislikes desk work, and so did I. It was rather boring, watching him mull around the stacks of paper looking like they meant something to him, but we never understand what. He never really did anything in this half, except fail at just about everything he was supposed to be doing. The ending was the worst ending yet, and left me wondering just what we were supposed to make of Indy's politics.

The second half is good for two things, 1: showing that Indy still has a whole lot of growing up to do, and 2: that his birthday is in July (some trivia if you ever need it). But the first half was great, so the video is worth it.

good spy movie for indy.
this movie has a pretty decent first part where indy delivers two austria-hungarian princes to the emperor and empress. but the second part is real weird. indy meets friends in russia and then does some spy work. you never really find out what he's supposed to be spying on, and the russia part really has no plot. like all the young indy movies, the ending leaves you hanging, but this ending is where one of indy's friends die in a political demonstration, so it's extra weird. but the movie is good on the whole. ... Read more

Description

Confronted with life-changing news, a middle-aged architect seizes the opportunity to begin living life on his own terms as he builds the house of his dreams, and winds up rebuilding the world around him in the process ... Read more

Reviews (182)

certainly memorable
Life as a house is a brilliant movie. There is never a dull moment. Although it does not have war planes crashing at every second, it still keeps your attention. The story is about a divorced man (Kevin Kline)who has drifted from his family and from his son espcially. His son visits him on certain weekends and doesn't like it too much. Then the dad finds out he is going too die soon so he wants to do the things in his life that he has put off for so long, like rebuilding his beach shack and reconnecting with his lost son, Sam (Hayden Christensen). Hayden Christensen turned in a beautiful performance and he really makes you feel what the character was feeling. Sam is somewhat of a case. Certainly not the kind of kid your parents wanted you hanging around. It will surely be a long time before I forget this film, not only because of the wonderful story line and intense drama, but for the wonderful Oscar deserving performances also. Espcially by newcomer Hayden Christensen(Anakin Skywalker in upcoming Episode 2). He really portrayed his character, Sam, perfectly. He is an outstanding actor; not just for a newcomer. He really gets your attention.
Life As A House is one of the best films I have ever seen. It was certainly a memorable film.

A good movie that might have been great
Have you ever watched a movie, totally engrossed, walked out of the theater satisfied that your hard-earned money was well spent, went to sleep, and then woke up the next morning with the sneaking suspicion that someone had pulled a fast one on you? This was my reaction to Life as a House.

Wonderful, engaging performances by Kevin Kline, Kirsten Scott-Thomas and Hayden Christensen make it an enjoyable experience despite the overcrowded, mediocre screenplay, which often resorts to cheap and unnecessary tricks and clichés to tug on our emotions. An early scene involving George (Kline's character) and a compassionate nurse is one example. Another involves an awkward subplot with an angry neighbor and a building inspector. Like many things that happen in Life as a House, it adds nothing to the story, and detracts from the characterizations and struggles of the main players. And the final scene! Well, please. Don't get me started.

Still, despite the flaws, the movie is sweet and enjoyable. After all is said and done, a good movie that might have been great with a better screenplay.

Wonderful
A person walks away from this movie thinking how lucky he or she is to just be alive! Bravo! Kevin Kline's best performance except for "Sophie's Choice."

Life is a house, not American Beauty
First of all, Life As A House is pretty much like American Beauty, only better. Hayden, from Star Wars 2, portrays the teenager in a very dysfunctional family, while Kevin Kline plays his father. Like American Beauty, it seems like the whole block is dysfunctional, and they pretty much are. Yet, when Kevin Kline is diagnosed with cancer he decides to build the house he has always dreamed of, and in doing so try to reconnect with his son. I personally feel that although this is a very typical picture of teen angst and family dysfunction it is shown in a fresh new way, and one that actually connects with the audience.

good movie
this overall was a very good movie. hayden christensen was excellent in it, as was kevin kline. i would have given it the full 5 stars, but some parts were a bit melodramatic. besides that, this movie was both funny and sad, put together with a great cast to produce a very good movie. i would probably give it 4 1/2 stars but thats not really an option. ... Read more

Reviews (16)

nice action movie
this is my second young indy-movie(my first was treasure of the peacock's eye),and i have all the 3 Harrison ford Indiana movies,and i must say that this movie is a well acting adventure,with nice action,and a exciting fight between Indy and Schiller,the German's officer at the end. Indy must save the live's of a troop of Australian's Horseman,by keep the drink-places saved,in the WW1. Indy meets a dancer(C.Zeta Jones)who is a German's spy,but he don't no this. here in holland are not all Young Indy movies for sale,but the 2 i have are so exciting,that you will never forget this history adventure!

If adventure has a name, it's Young Indiana Jones...
This is an amazing Young Indy episode not previously aired on television. Like the whole series, this episode balances history with adventure in a way that is entrancing and exciting. It co-stars Catherine Zeta-Jones. You'd be surprised to see the list of once little-known actors who appeared in The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles who later became big-time stars.

Aussies show the way with a little help from Indy
A great yarn with a little bit of poetic licence. Although based on a true theatre of operation in the Middle East, Indy gets involved with the Aussie "Diggers" of the Australian Light Horse. He befriends them and become great mates. A ripping yarn with great excitement and well put together. The action could have been a little more intense as it was in the Australian Movie "The Lighthorsemen". Albeit, I enjoyed it and found it pretty accurate for its historical content. The only thing thing it doesn't show is how the British stuffed up, like they did everywhere else during WW1.

Warning: NOT for children
Although this movie has no rating, (and why is that?) I would say it is the equivalent of a PG-13. The film contains quite a bit of violence and violent themes. War scenes. Guns firing. Man falling off cliff including hitting the ground. And the scene that made me turn it off showed a close up of Young Indiana stabbing a man including close-up of knife going in and out of his stomach. Parents beware. "Not rated" does NOT mean it didn't deserve one!

bad
they are insulting other nations in this film. As a turkish youth I felt myself very bad. This is a political film it only aims to insult other nations.. Americans and British people are hero in this film of course.. According to them other nations are natural disasters.. Too bad for human beings.. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

"I'm not a drinker--I'm a drunk." These words, and the serious message behind them, were still potent enough in 1945 to shock audiences flocking to The Lost Weekend. The speaker is Don Birnam (Ray Milland), a handsome, talented, articulate alcoholic. The writing team of producer Charles Brackett and director Billy Wilder pull no punches in their depiction of Birnam's massive weekend bender, a tailspin that finds him reeling from his favorite watering hole to Bellevue Hospital. Location shooting in New York helps the street-level atmosphere, especially a sequence in which Birnam, a budding writer, tries to hock his typewriter for booze money. He desperately staggers past shuttered storefronts--it's Yom Kippur, and the pawnshops are closed. Milland, previously known as a lightweight leading man (he'd starred in Wilder's hilarious The Major and the Minor three years earlier), burrows convincingly under the skin of the character, whether waxing poetic about the escape of drinking or screaming his lungs out in the D.T.'s sequence. Wilder, having just made the ultra-noir Double Indemnity, brought a new kind of frankness and darkness to Hollywood's treatment of a social problem. At first the film may have seemed too bold; Paramount Pictures nearly killed the release of the picture after it tested poorly with preview audiences. But once in release, The Lost Weekend became a substantial hit, and won four Oscars: for picture, director, screenplay, and actor. --Robert Horton ... Read more

Reviews (28)

A powerful movie about alcoholism
Don Birnam, an want-to-be writer with writer's block, is ecstatic when his brother Wick finally leaves their apartment for a long weekend in the country. Free of the constant watching, he is incredibly happy and feels even better after the second drink. Throughout the five days, Don drinks, makes and forgets promises, discovers a brilliant idea for writing and forgets it just as quickly, loses track of time. His mind takes him on a guilt-ridden trip through past experiences and hallucinations. He even awakens after a spill down the stairs to find himself in the alcoholic wing of a sanitarium.

Billy Wilder's film adaptation of the novel by Charles Jackson does a fine job of detailing what happens to someone in the grips of alcoholism: the desparate need, the hallucinations, the blackouts, etc. Ray Milland delivers one of the finest screen performances as Don, giving the impression that you are living every moment with Don, suffering his hallucinations and withdrawal, and thirsting for alcohol. This performance also earned him the Best Actor Academy Award. Jane Wyman is wonderful as Don's girlfriend Helen, who wants to see him through this terrible ordeal. Phillip Terry also gives a strong performance as Don's brother Wick, who wants to help Don by being the strong one, but always caves in, feeding Don's dependency.

For anyone who has read the book, certain aspects from the story have been removed and altered, but this in no way detracts from this portrait of a man in the throes of alcoholism. It's still a very potent and powerful film dealing with an almost taboo subject at the time. Highly recommended.

Compelling vintage classic
"The lost weekend" was a great adaption of Charles Jackson same name novel.Billy Wilder's terrific directing always a bonus. It's about a struggling writer's weekend. Everything happened over a weekend.

The film began with Don pretend to pack his luggage with a bottle tied to a string hanging outside his window.Don's life and fate changed. Don Birnam has writer's block, he is also a alcoholic. He is aware but unable to kick it.He even trade his typewriter for drinks. He been through a lot in a few days and forced to face up to his problem. Luckily he has love and support from his brother and girlfriend.

Ray Milland gave a splendid performance which totally deserved his oscar.He showed Don's fear, depression and all his emotions so vividly. His role is pathetic and psychologically realistic.

This film has a superb script with detailed description of nightmares images and visions. Breakthrough during that era. One of the memorable scene is when Don went to a musical play with actors drinking and he see 'Bottles dancing' instead.

Although this film is black and white I find it amazingly well made and many contemporary movies couldn't hold a candle.

I'm always fascinated by old classic film from 1940 to 1970. Although I belong to new generation I love the feeling and sincerity of old movies.

I find this film psychoanalytic,truthful,compelling and a vintage classic! One of the best film ever made.

Still effective after all these years.
Superb mellow drama about a drunk, Don Birman, played by Ray Milland, & his battle with the bottle over one week-end in New York City. Nobody is a drunk anymore. They are said to have a "substance abuse " problem.
There is little stigma attached to the problem today as compared to the self-loathing Milland felt & the repugnance the neighborhood & even his favorite bartender felt towards him. In fact, the long, fairly one-sided conversations with Nat the bartender, played by Howard de Silva, are some of the best scenes in the movie.
Brakett & Wilder took some chances in this ground-breaking movie. They fought the Hollywood studios who probably wanted it watered down & rendered more palatable. They didn't give in &, as a result, this was the best movie of the the year 1945. It was well deserved. Ray Milland also got an Oscar & he was never better. Jane Wyman does a fine job as his long suffering girl friend, Helen.
It is unbelievable that that kind of woman, a real lady, would put up with a loser like that for so long. But after all, this is a movie. A pat ending that doesn't matter at all. The combination of gritty, street level scenes of New York City, the noir atmosphere & black & white filming all combine to make this one of the best aging movies, still relavent, I've seen in a long time.

Demon Alchohol
This movie which won 4 academy awards including best picture stars Ray Milland as a debonair drunk who hides alcohol in his apartment and cares more about booze than girls. Playin an aspiring writer, he meets the Jane Wyman character when his ticket stub gets inadvertently switched at the coat rack of a theater: he is perturbed because there is a bottle in its pocket. Even though it's Hollywood, and its dated, it's not easy to watch the Milland character miss his dates, go through delerium tremens, and sink socially because of his obsession with this sometimes-very-addictive legal drug. (The coat caper is rectified by the film's end.)

Compelling Film About Alcoholism
I rarely watch older films. By "older" films, I mean movies made before 1960. It's not due to some prejudice on my part about black and white cinematography: my inability to view many early films arises from the fact that far too many of these movies are so melodramatic. You know what I mean: lots of swooning, hands swept across foreheads, and exaggerated body movements all set to crashing waves of syrupy orchestral music. Those swelling violins alone are enough to set my teeth on edge anytime I watch an old film, but occasionally a picture overcomes all of these pet peeves of mine and truly delivers on multiple levels. "The Lost Weekend" is one of those films. Sure, the emoting is there, as is the music and the swooning, but this compelling story about an alcoholic at the end of his rope always pulls at my heartstrings. I am going to start seeking out some classic older films that will tickle my fancy, but I don't expect to find too many of them with the power of "The Lost Weekend."

Ray Milland (an actor who starred in several schlockfests at the end of his career, such as "Frogs") plays Don Birnam, a painfully insecure writer who just can't make his life work. Birnam quickly learned that the soothing balm of alcohol took the edge off his various phobias, but he just as quickly learned that drinking took the edge off his talent, too. For years, Birnam never wandered far from the neighborhood bar or the liquor store, secure in the knowledge that a bottle of rye was always within reach. His brother Wick not only financially supports his boozy sibling; he also covers for him when the drinking causes problems. Of course, Don doesn't care much about his brother one way or the other as long as he gets his shot of whisky when he needs it. Another problem for Don appears in the form of Helen St. James (played by an enormously cute Jane Wyman), a successful writer at Time magazine who accidentally met Don at the opera one night and has since latched on to him despite his chronic alcoholism. When Birnam isn't trying to outwit Wick or Helen, he's down at the local bar spouting alcoholic witticisms to Nat the bartender (played wonderfully by Howard Da Silva) and flirting with a beautiful barfly named Gloria. We learn most of the story through a flashback sequence told by Birnam as he ties on yet another massive drunk.

The film starts with a nervous Don packing for a weekend trip with brother Wick, where the two siblings hope to get out of New York City for a nice change of pace. Of course, Don doesn't want to go because he's not sure he can survive without ready access to booze. In fact, during this opening sequence we see Don hiding a bottle of whisky from his brother by hanging it from a piece of string outside his window. In order to start drinking, Birnam convinces Wick and Helen to go to a concert, a little piece of trickery that is only the beginning of the devious schemes hatched by Don throughout the film. Thus begins a downward spiral over the course of a four-day weekend, as Don resorts to outright theft, robbery, and beggary in order to secure just one more drink. This bender comes with a high price, though: Don suffers excruciating blackouts, nearly gets himself arrested, and ends up in the alky ward at the city asylum. The capper is Birnam's bout with the DTs in his apartment, an incident that reduces him to a shattered, screaming wreck. "The Lost Weekend" is a memorable experience.

Only a person who has never had a problem with alcohol would criticize some of Birnam's philosophical musings about drinking. There is a great bit of dialogue where Birnam tells Nat why he drinks, about how alcohol makes a person feel as though he or she is a great artist on top of the world. Believe me, this is how an alcoholic feels when they tie one on, at least in the early euphoric stages of the addiction. Birnam's enthrallment for rituals of drinking is also dead on; such as his fascination about the rings the shot glass leaves on the bar and the propensity to "see" liquor in the most mundane circumstances (look for the dancing raincoats with the rye bottle in the pocket). An alcoholic does not merely work at his trade part-time; the process of drinking is a full-time job built on a series of elaborate rituals that reinforce this nefarious addiction. "The Lost Weekend" captures the intricacies of alcoholism in a way few films ever have. Unfortunately, the movie lost some of its power due to some hokey effects and a conclusion that had me throwing my hands up in disbelief.

The DVD release is quite good for a film nearly sixty years old. There is a trailer and cast biographies included here, as well as a short bio for director Billy Wilder. The transfer looks pretty good, although I thought I saw a few scenes where certain parts of the picture looked a tad blurry. "The Lost Weekend" won four Oscars: Best Actor for Ray Milland, Best Picture, Best Screenplay, and Best Director for Billy Wilder. As far as I can see, this movie deserves its accolades. If you haven't seen "The Lost Weekend," you are definitely missing out on a great film loaded with grim atmosphere, great dialogue, eerie background music, and excellent performances. ... Read more

Reviews (67)

Spectacular account of the event that deffined the era
No words can describe how wonderfully this film has captured the moment in the event which defined the Hippie Movement, which amazed the world by truley and fully living up to its catch phrase: "Three days of peace, love, and music", and which made those who did not attend wonder what they were thinking.
The music, first and foremost, is truley wonderful. Spectacular performances by CSN, Joe Cocker, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Ten Years After, Richie Havens and so many more. I most especially enjoy watching Joe Cocker's rendition of "With A Little Help From My Friends". His voice and the energy which radiates from him as he performs is truley mesmerizing. And of course who could forget Jimi Hendrix famous performance where he tore up his guitar with his captivating version of the National Anthem. I also love Country Joe's performance of "I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-To-Die-Rag". A wonderful performance, it truley captivates the peace and love of the event as, toward the end of the song he encourages the audience to stand and sing to end the war...and the majority of the 500,000 or so audience members stand and sing along.
But it's not just the music that make's this film wonderful. The film show's the organization of the event, the building of the stage etc... We meet the people who made the event possible. And when the people begin to enter the site without paying for tickets....and the producers realize how much money they've lost...they shrug it off and say that they don't mind because the event and the people loving eachother and sharing everything is such a beautiful thing...and that the money doesn't matter. Do producers of rock concerts (or producers of anything for that matter) ever say that money doesn't matter these days? It truley shows what a wonderful generation it was. The audience is beautiful as well, everyone being themselves, everyone having a good time and sharing the experience that was the last bang (and what a bang it was) for the Hippie Movement.

3 Days at Yasgur's Farm
The Woodstock Festival was a defining for the counterculture movement. The young hippies showed a nation that they could exist together in a peaceful, communal state. The Woodstock documentary captures the essence of those three days on a farm in upstate New York. We see hippies skinny-dipping, the locals looking around in amazement on the deluge of people who descending on their quiet, little town, kids, cops and others are interviewed and of course we see the music. From Richie Havens' opening things up with "Freedom" to Jimi Hendrix's defining "Star Spangled Banner", we are treated to a 60's rock who's who. Joe Cocker, Santana, CSN&Y, John Sebastian and Sly & The Family Stone particularly standout and we get bonus material not in the original release from The Jefferson Airplane, Janis Joplin and others. Director Michael Wadleigh's film won a deserving Best Documentary Oscar and a young Martin Scorcese was an editor on the film. Some of the acts are woefully dated and long forgotten, but Woodstock is an impressive snapshot of a memorable moment in our history.

A Document of a Feeling
It's inevitable that arguments will take place, as they do in these reviews, about what the meaning of Woodstock really is -- many have evoked peace and anti-vietnam sentiments and a great social movement, while others take a more mocking tone and dismiss it as a kind of upper middle class fantasy camp, a sewing of the oats before beginning corporate life.

Not having been alive in the 60s, I only know what I've read and been told by those older than myself, but I'd guess that the first assessment is a bit idealistic, while the second is unfair, and that the truth is "somewhere in between," to fall back on the cliche.

What the film does successfully document, I gather, is what it felt like to be young and hippie and excited about music and social protest and all the things Woodstock at least appeared, at the time, to represent. The feeling is what's embodied in the filmic techniques, the scenes chosen, and the performances themselves, and this makes Woodstock a successful documentary.

The 60s were many things, and no film could capture all of them. Actually, in spite of the fact that it allows itself to get very much caught up in the excitement, I think the film has its moments of ironic distance and sobering reality, such as the port-a-san scene (particularly the extended shot of the average joe cleaning the things).

For a good counterpoint, I recommend the Isle of Wight festival film, which captures the darker, more selfish side of the hippie generation.

Beautiful and dirty
Although I was a teenager soon after this concert, I somehow never got around to seeing the moving until this year. (I guess concert films don't get screened frequently on terrestrial TV.) So over the years I've become more familiar with the triple LP of the movie and, of course, the many posters the rock stars in heroic poses that dominated the early 1970s -- i.e. the Who's Roger Daltrey, Jimi Hendrix and Ten Years After's Alvin Lee.

Despite the mud and the squalor, this is an extraordinarily beautiful film, with the screen often breaking up into two or three segments. (Note on the closing credits the name of Martin Scorsese on the production team.)

It's well worth contrasting this movie with the DVD of the 1970 Isle of Wight festival. Only a year separates the two concerts, but the late 1960s idealism of Woodstock gets replaced by prototype British vandalism. The Who perform at both concerts, and make an equally good account of themselves. Daltrey's emotional delivery of 'See Me, Feel Me' helps to explain why 'Tommy' became such a phenomenon in America. Hendrix also performed at both, but his meandering solo at Woodstock was not of the highest standard.

The other highlight of the show was Santana, a Latino band only just beginning to establish themselves in California at the time. As others have noted, the drum solo by Mike Shrieve is impressive for one so young. As with the Who, Santana's album sales will have multiplied as a result of their Woodstock performance.

It's interesting how many great acts weren't at Woodstock -- e.g. Joni Mitchell (despite her song about the concert!), the Doors, Bob Dylan or the Stones. The first two clearly realised how important these festivals were in the breaking of artists into markets, and so they appear on the Isle of Wight DVD.

For most of my life, Woodstock has been a set of static images, largely taken from the cover of the album. But as this film reveals, there is so much more imagery than pictures of beautiful women bathing in the lake. Quite apart from all the idealism of passing whisky bottles and reefers around, of sliding in the mud, the film shows the flip side: of people queuing in the mud to phone home, of helicopters rescuing the sick, of helpers cleaning toilets, and of barefoot stragglers looking for a pair of shoes amid a post-concert site that looks more of a wasteland than the trenches of the First World War.

Enjoy it in all its glory and all its grime.

Woodstock
Woodstock was a great documentary. It had everything from split screen to wonderful music. The sound was great. So many bands in only 3days. It was a time where skinny diping and doing Pot and acid was ok and understandable. Police were not filling the jails with people who did drugs and broke laws. They were letting them be free and discover peace. Woodstock is something that will go down in history as a time of love and peace and understanding. In the end it was more then just the music it was the love and the way freedom brought it. ... Read more

Reviews (33)

FOUR-STAR-MUSICAL HIT
Because of the broken legs of Cyd Charisse and Gene Kelly, Ann Miller and Fred Astaire(out of a two-year retirement)starred with the great JUDY GARLAND in this musical. It`s a great show and it is on a standard formula. Many of the ingredients were used in similar films; "Singin`in the Rain" were they d o include a fashion show, only one composer(Ok 2 - Nacio Herb Brown/Arthur Freed), singing in the rain, a bitchy lead replaced by a plain-Jane ingenue... The most funny thing however is that when I watched DIRTY DANCING in 1987, the female character was called "Baby Frances" by her family(as was Judy was by her own family) and the plot was stolen from Easter Parade. But this is EASTER PARADE. The only team-work of Garland-Astaire - great Irving Berlin songs(indeed he only agreed 2 let the picture be shot if Judy was involved). Vincente Minnelli was first choice as director until Judy`s psychiatrist insisted the studio replace him, fearful she might see husband-director Minnelli as a shadow respresenting her problems with the studio MGM. The song Mr Monotoni was cut from the film(Garland wearing the Get Happy costume later in the 1950 SUMMER STOCK)but is seen in THAT`S ENTERTAINMENT III 1994. EASTER PARADE is a joyful package of entertainment, forever cherished... What is most a revelation is that JUDY GARLAND delivers a Hanna Brown of flesh and blood - not a musical-comedy-cartoon. But that`s the great Judy for u... See my MORE ABOUT ME page about my thoughts of JUDY GARLAND

I love this movie!
I am a Judy Garland and Fred Astaire fan. The first time I saw this film was on Easter sunday on TCM. I only saw the last half I was not too impressed. I have to admit I bought the movie only for Garland. When I got home my whole family gathered round the TV to watch it. I was amazed. The musical numbers are all superb, Irving Berlin's score is perfect, Ann Miller and Peter Lawford are equally super, Garland (like usual) is vocally and comically outstanding, and Astaire's dancing is as good as ever! I think Astaire is a better mach for Garland than Mickey Rooney (sorry Mickey) and Garland is even more suitable for Astaire than Ginger Rogers! Even my dad who claims to hate musicals fell in love with this charmer. I've seen it at least 5 times and it has never bored me. I was lucky enough to buy the MGM version; not the one patterned with Warner Bros. I mean MGM made the movie give them alittle credit! Any way this movie will entertain everyone I highly recomend it!

Garland! Astaire! MIller! Lawford! Berlin! -- and more!
It goes without saying that Easter Parade is one of the greatest MGM musicals ever made. Fred Astaire and Judy Garland make a wonderful dancing, singing and acting team! As you may know from all the reviewers before me, Astaire plays the part of Don Hewes, a very famous dancer, who is very upset after his love interest and dance partner Nadine (played by Ann Miller) leaves him to pursue an even more lucrative career on the stage. In anger and disgust he impulsively vows that he could turn any woman into a better dancer than his partner had been-and he makes a great pick! Hannah Brown, played by Judy Garland, is (of course) not too good at dancing at first, but with much coaching and hard work Hewes (Astaire) builds her into a dancing star as his new partner! (As the Amazon review points out, while watching this film I was reminded more than once of the musical My Fair Lady. There is that theme of the older, more experienced and educated man coaching, teaching and molding a younger woman.)

This film offers a love triangle with Peter Lawford also being attracted to Garland but he doesn't get far as she is very much in love with Hewes (Astaire). The musical numbers are outstanding thanks to the incomparable Irving Berlin, Garland, and Astaire. Ann Miller (playing Nadine, Astaire's former partner) also does a fantastic job with her dance number while singing "Shakin' The Blues Away." Indeed, it's hard to decide which numbers are the best; they're all so well done and beautifully filmed! "Steppin' Out With My Baby" and the title song are particularly strong numbers; so is "We're A Couple Of Swells," a vaudeville-type number that Garland liked very much.

The choreography is excellent. The dancing is superlative and they must have really put a lot of effort into a dance routine with Garland and Astaire early on in the film where she dances almost every step wrong!

I recommend this movie for lovers of classic musicals, Garland fans, Astaire fans, Miller fans as well as aficionados of great quality films. Get this movie for your collection today and you'll never regret it! A BUY! GRIN

Avoid this picture.
This has to be the worst musical I have ever seen. I like them generally and I love Judy Garland, but this is just atrocious. It has a stupid paper thin plot without a single twist, boring characters who would never do anything you wouldn't expect, and songs which have absolutely nothing to do with the action of the scene into which they've been crammed. If you want a good Garland musical see A Star is Born or Meet me in St. Louis (I'm sure if you're here you've already viewed Oz), but stay far away from this.

Musical
A fantastic musical. A sure-fine collectable that they couldn't ever make a remake of. This has many classic songs I once sung in choir; unforgettables such as "Stepping Out with My Baby" and more. The plot is one about a dancer who just lost his partner to another. He decides to show her how he really did turn her into a star by taking any girl--and doing just that. He picks Judy Garland, a nightclub singer, and turns her into a dancer, sure enough. She falls in love with him, but he still wants to get his old partner back. In the end, though, he realizes how in love he is with her and takes her out for the "Easter parade," singing the title song. You should see it if you love Judy's singing and Fred Astair's wonderful 5 star tap dancing! Enjoy! ... Read more

Amazon.com

The Children of Tama are a mysterious, rarely encountered race whose language is indecipherable even by the Universal Translator. This is because Tamarians speak in metaphor, which is strange and poetic, but, without a frame of reference, also gibberish. After yet another failed attempt at communication, the Tamarians take drastic measures: they kidnap Picard and beam him to the surface of a hostile planet along with their own captain. What follows is an interesting, well-acted story of the struggle to understand.

Don't be put off by the premise. "Darmok" is one of the best episodes of TNG. It's action-packed and holds its own next to "The Best of Both Worlds, Part I," "Time's Arrow," and "Descent." Thanks to Joe Menosky's brilliant teleplay and Paul Winfield's solid acting, this uphill battle in futility shows what probably would happen when two truly alien races attempt to communicate. There is genuine desperation in Dathon's (Winfield) eyes when he attempts to explain "Darmok and Jalad at Tenagra" for what seems like the millionth time. Watching Picard struggle to understand is downright painful, as is the inevitable confrontation that follows. The viewer comes to care what happens to the Tamarians. We want to know this alien race; but at the same time, we also know we'll probably never comprehend them.

In series television, it's almost unheard of for a show to depart from canon. TNG takes a huge chance with "Darmok" and the end result is worth watching again and again. --Kayla Riggney ... Read more

Reviews (15)

One of the best TNG episodes
Next to "Best of Both Worlds" or "Yesterday's Enterprise," "Darmok" is one of the most intelligent and vibrant episodes of the entire Next Generation catalog. Picard's attempts, and eventual success, to communicate with the Tamarian captain, wonderfully portrayed by Paul Winfield, is splendid. Obviously, most Star Trek stories, whether they be the original series or TNG, offer socio-political commentary on our own society, this episode is no different. It basically teaches that communication with peoples or entities that are different than us can be accomplished if one is willing to try. "Darmok" is Patrick Stewart's finest hour in TNG.

In order to read, you must have read.
Have you ever read The Canterbury Tales? Allusions to classical literature abound. These references were a sort of shorthand or jargon of the time, a way of saying much by saying little. To refer to Zephirus, for instance, is to mention the warm, sweet breezes of Spring and to conjure up that time of year, with all of its freshness and new life.

Episode 102 presents a culture in which this sort of idiom is carried to the extreme. The words are getting through, but the meaning is not. The struggle of the two captains, the alien and Picard, to bridge the gap is brilliant and fascinating.

This is my favorite Star Trek episode of all time, of all generations.

Magnificent.

The best episode from the 7 years of ST:TNG
"Darmok" remains the best of the best of the seven years ST:TNG was on the air. In a short 55 minutes, one has learned a new language. Think of it: at the time Picard speaks with the Tamarian First Officer, the language exchange (if you paid attention to the whole episode) is completely understandable. There is no need for a translation scroll at the bottom of the screen...and was wisely done that way.

Highly recommended.

A testament to the excellence of season 5...
"Darmok" captures what is the heart and soul of Star Trek: discovering new races and learning to coexist with them. In this episode, that is no easy feat for Picard, who is trapped on a planet with an alien captain who talks different from everyone else. The two cannot understand each other, but as a monster hunts them down, it becomes apparent that the two must learn how to communicate. This is a phenominal episode, downplaying the action and instead building on the characters of the alien captain and Picard. It's not just good Star Trek, it's great science-fiction. While the monster effects are very subpar (they always are for Star Trek), the being itself is of little importance to the story. What is important is how Picard and the other captain learn how to communicate. Truly a wonderful episode.

An example of how Star Trek can be a good base for new ideas
One of the things I like about Star Trek was the ability for it to be a platform of new ideas. This episode certainly shows that strength- it's not loaded with special effects and technobabble but it shows good acting and an outstanding idea in having a race which talks solely by example. Though I've not watched much TREK recently this is one of the episodes I remember. ... Read more

Description

For Josh and Amanda, having to move to the remote, desolate town of Dark Falls was bad enough.But as soon as they moved into Dead House, things began to happen, things their parents couldn't see -- a ghostly shape at the window, a shadow on the wall, the way their dog kept growling at strangers, the quiet, death-pale neighbor kids.Was it the chemical spill that made the people of Dark Falls so strange, or something far more sinister?

... Read more

Reviews (8)

Not that good...
Okay the story itself *RULES* and has INCREDIBLE potential. But the actors and actresses ruin it fully. The father's acting is especially horrible. The story is a little slow in execution - it takes the girl about five minutes to walk up the stairs and into the room! In fact, the whole first twenty-five minutes of the film are uneventful slum.

Goosebumps: Welcome to Dead House
Comparable to the episode of THE HAUNTED MASK, WELCOME TO DEAD HOUSE is a very well done and masterful Goosebumps episode. When two kids and their parents move to Dark Falls, they didn't expect to find that their town was a ghost town, and that their house is not just any old haunted house - it's almost like a theme park for the haunting ghosts of the town. Much darker than most of the Goosebumps episodes and similar to George Romero's NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD (though of course, much more toned down), this zombie episode is surprisingly very scary and riveting the entire way through. Well scripted and eerily atmospheric.

Very Well Done
I was actually surprised how good this was. The absence of bloody effects and profanity allows the author to simply concentrate on making us nervous. The start is so well done. The story STARTS normal, but we are given some irony and subtle hints of what is to come. The town Dark Falls is portrayed quite well. The images are not miles beyond plausibility, and we can see that something is not right. The gentle but creepy piano music in this video adds to the spooky atmosphere. The writer continues to gradually make us nervous, and then he hits us with more scary news (or to be more accurate scary history). (Very good!) One aspect of good horror is that the hints start small, but then they start getting bigger and more obvious. (Good horror can be like putting a puzzle together. We might find ourselves playing with a few small pieces. They may not mean much to us at first; but then we may find ourselves getting bigger pieces that make the outcome easier to see.) Another thing the writer did VERY WELL here is that he created a wonderfully drawn family. On one hand, they are NOT a sugary blameless family; nor are they a repulsive and vulgar family like Rosanne and The Simpsons. The writer showed that they can bicker amongst themselves, without getting dirty or insulting, but that they also know when to function as a family. WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THE ABILITY TO DRAW FAMILIES THIS WAY??? I do not want to spoil the ending for those of you who have not seen it. For you parents reading this, it may be a good idea to watch this with your children. It is not exactly a harmless video. I will conclude by saying that this was so well done, it actually got me to buy the series of videos. Once you get into this series, you may find out just how easy it is to get hooked.

Welcome to Dark Falls - USA
This has quickly become a family classic in our house,Particularly around Halloween. My 4 1/2, 8 1/2 and 10 years old girlslove this one!

The story stems around a shady real estatesalesman... whom offers a can't refuse deal to a unsuspecting familyfrom 'out of town'. Unknown to the family, Dark Falls was the victimof some type of hazardous chemical spill a while back, causing theexisting residents to become 'living dead'. Unfortunately for these'living dead' corpses, they are dependent on 'the living' fornourishment.

Thus, they use this one piece of real estate property -AKA Dead House - as 'bait' to unsuspecting family's in order tofeed. Without disclosing the whole storyline, I must say the thingwith the dog at the end adds a nice touch...

It will make you jump
I watched this movie at a good friend's home with her two children - both mother and daughter shrieked and hid under the blanket at a few 'Gotcha!' scenes - I died laughing at both of them! (You scardy-cats may have to clean up puddles on the sofa) The film is well acted and well photographed - don't adjust your TV, it's not broken! It's a good choice for any Saturday night at home with the kids. ... Read more