Description

Mr. Mime Time! The Clefairy have a flying saucer and they've kidnapped Pikachu to power it! Ash and UFO-expert Prof. Orville team up to investigate! Then, it's a showdown for the eighth and final badge - the Earth Badge! But after this gym leader defeated Gary, how can Ash hope to win? Plus, on the way home to Pallet Town, Ash and his friends visit the Pokemon Circus. But the main attraction, Mr. Mime, is giving the worst show on Earth! Contains TV episodes: Clefairy Tales, Earth Badge Battle, It's Mr. Mime Time. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

GIOVANNI REVEALED!!!
After months and months of waiting, we finally get to see the face of Giovanni, the mysterious evil leader of Team Rocket! Up until the episode of the Viridian Gym, he had always hid his face in the shadows and used one of those voice-changers to disguise himself. This is the first time we ever see his whole face and hear his real voice. Even though he has a pretty small role overall in the anime, he is one of the coolest characters of all just because he is so mysterious. And then of course there's the appearance of Mewtwo, but come on: you just have to admire that Giovanni for being the only human who was ever able to control Mewtwo.

Final Badge+Mewtwo Kicking Gary's Butt=Awsome Episode
I had to get this movie! It's so cool! In the first episode of this video, Clafairys have built a space ship and they plan to take Pikachu with them! The part I like the most is when Jigglypuff and the Clafairy have a slapping contest because the Clafairy took Jigglypuff's marker/microphone. In Battle of the Final Badge, we get to see Mewtwo kick Gary's butt with no effort! Of course, Mewtwo is in its armor and looks so cool! Giovanni leaves Jessie and James in charge because he has to go to an emergency accident. When Ash battles them he soon finds out that the platforms are rigged and when his Pokemon get hurt, he feel their pain too! The next episode shows a lazy Mr. Mime that will not obey the trainer. Can Ash and Co. get the Mr. Mime to perform again? These are my favorite episodes in the entire seires! The Clafairy one is so funny!

"No one will ever defeat the Pokémon that I saw." -Gary Oak
Unlike my other reviews, this one will be relatively short. This video contains my favourite episode of the series. Not only does it have the real first appearence of Mewtwo, but... GARY GETS WHUPPED!!! Mind you, I happen to like Gary. He is one of my favourite Human characters aside from Brock and Team Rocket. But the look on his face when he gets his pride handed to him in "Battle of the Badge" is PRICELESS! Aside from the enjoyment of seeing Gary lose and thrusting him into reality, showing him that he cannot win EVERYTHING, I still wonder about Giovanni's "special assignment". Was his car impounded? Alas, viewer... we shall never know... Not even the movie will answer that question. We will have to resort to thinking up that assignment.

In short, this video is great. Now, after Mewtwo came and went in the first series, we will all just have to sit back, relax, and await his return in Johto.

"But still..." Gary's voice dropped to almost a whisper, a slight tremble in his countenance. "No one will ever defeat the Pokémon that I saw..."

pokemon the final badge
Ash and his frinds go for an ice cream break and Team Rocket cames as people from outer space and takes pikachu and then a pokemon comes and takes Pikachu Ash goes for his earth badge but Gary goes in first and lost to the leader by a pokemon who noone but the leader knows and Ash faces Team Rocket and they were both in a tarap for the badge by shocking them when there pokemon get hit. The last one is when Ash, Misty, and Brock go back to Pallet Town and Ash and Pikachu Ran into a wall that they can't go though and they go see a Pokemon Show and Ash's mom has a Mr.Mime.

The Final Favorite Of His Badge Journey
In the final badge where Ash gets the last Pokemon Leuge Badge, Not Orange League, Team Rocket is in charge of the gym back in Viridian City. WHat they don't know is that team rocket has buby trapped it so ash will be electricuted when his pokemon get hurt. Can aSH sURVIVE tHE tHE fINAL bADGE. ... Read more

Amazon.com

"Riddle Me This" finds Ash on his way to the island of Cinnabar towin his volcano badge, but when he, Misty, and Brock arrive, they discoverthat tourism has taken over the island, leaving only a dilapidated, deserted gym.When Togepi chances upon a secret entrance to the island's volcano,the group finds a secret Pokémon gym headed by the riddle-lovingPokémonmaster Blaine. Do Squirtle, Charizard, and Pikachu stand a chance againstBlaine's arsenal of fire Pokémon?"Volcanic Panic" begins with Ash'sadmission of defeat--he just can't sacrifice Pikachu in the hopes ofwinning his seventh badge.The evil Team Rocket has followed Ash's group tothe volcano and is plotting to freeze and capture Blaine's fire PokémonMagmar.You'll never guess which of Ash's Pokémon helps thwart TeamRocket's attempt, saves the island from a deadly volcanic eruption, andeventually defeats Magmar in a badge-winning battle.Ash's plans to return to the Viridian City for his eighth badge are interrupted in "Beach Blank-OutBlastoise," when the group encounters a frantic Wartortle that leads them to the Island of Turtle Pokémon.Upon their arrival, the group encounters ahost of sleeping turtles and a snoozing Blastoise.It seems thatJigglypuff has become wedged in the Blastoise's water cannon and is putting everyone to sleep.Can Squirtle and Pikachu wake up the island and savethe Blastoise from Team Rocket?Parents concerned about violence should,of course, be vigilant. (Ages 5-10) --Tami Horiuchi ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Okay to great
Just by seing theese episodes... I went from a half-fan to good fan! pokemon are CUTE! FUZZY! Just plain crazy humoristic! I like the squirtle!

charizard vs magmar
riddle me this- magmar is so cool our heros head to cinabar (GET IT) to win a volcano badge. blane the gym master also owns a hotel. volcanic panic makes magmar and charizard battle by olny being impresed by each other blanes jokes are realy funny . but blastoise is boring and so are worturtle . team rocket plans to steal blastoise and does but ecapes saved by squrtle and worturtle even jiggley puff is involved in this and jiggley puff is a real piccaso. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Three of the four episodes that make up this 80-minute tape featureSnap, the Pokémon Photomaster, which gives this collection its name. In"The Case of the K-9 Caper!" the gang runs into a band ofpolice-trained Pokémon, inspiring Ash to try to train Pikachu. Snap makes hisappearance in "Pokémon Paparazzi" when he bribes Ash, Misty, and Brockwithpancakes in attempt to earn a photo session with Pikachu. Why is he soobsessed with photographing Ash's Pokémon? The fact that Team Rocket, indisguise as a sobbing elderly couple, has hired him could have something todo with it. Ash signs up for the Pokémon League Admissions Exams (a kindofSAT for Pokémon trainers) in "The Ultimate Test," but must conduct hisbattles without his own pocket monsters. Finally, in "The Breeding CenterSecret," Misty turns in her Psyduck to a new breeding center for fixing up,only to discover it's a theft operation conducted by a Team Rocket clone.Snap is on hand to take investigative photos and the others join in aidingOfficer Jenny to right this Pokémon wrong. These four episodes are thelast from the initial season.Followed by Water Blast. (Ages 3 and older) --Kimberly Heinrichs ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Can't we all just get along? PKMN Snap preview included.
Well, the video/DVD seems to focus on new character Snap/Todd. Snap/Todd also appears in the game Pokemon Snap, so consider these episodes a preview.

What I didn't like was that J+J can't get along with B+C. Luckily, my fanfics fixed that.

Has one of the best episodes of all time!
I bought this tape solely because it contains one of my favorite episodes, "The Breeding Center Secret." I'm a Team Rocket fanatic and the new members Cassidy and Butch in this are sooo cool! The other episodes aren't bad either.

Me gusto!
El video este, era bein entretenido. A mi me encanta el Team Rocket! Este video es absolutamente maravilloso!

smile and cheese
smile and cheese becuse snap is the number 1 pokemon masker (master) on film hes a nice kid. who got a shot of aerodactail on film and the shot had ash on its hands . and meet new team rocket members.on our way to cinabar island. ... Read more

Reviews (17)

Like a Greek tragedy
The title character, a peasant sold as a concubine to a cruel old man, is played by the beautiful Gong Li, one of the great actresses of our time who followed this brilliant work with spectacular performances in The Story of Qiu Ju (1991), Raise the Red Lantern (1992), and Farewell, My Concubine (1993). Li Wei plays her master, Yang Jin-shan, the childless owner of a dye mill in the agrarian China of the 1920s. Li Wei's fine performance combines craftiness with iniquity reminding me a little of the late great John Huston with scruffy beard. The third character in the tragic triangle is Jin-shan's nephew, Yang Tianqing, a modest man who does most of the work in the dye mill. The pent-up intensity of Li Baotian, who plays Tianqing, recalled to me at times the work of Ben Kingsley. Ju Dou falls in love with Tianqing almost by default, and it is their ill-fated love that leads to tragedy.

In some ways this visually stunning, psychologically brutal film about paternity and the old social order of China was Director Zhang Yimou's "practice" for the making two years later of his masterpiece, the afore mentioned, Raise the Red Lantern, one the greatest films ever made. The theme of patriarchal privilege is similar, and in both films Gong Li portrays a young concubine required to bear a son and heir to a cruel and ageing man of means. Even though the setting in both films is China in the twenties before the rise of Communism, both films very much annoyed the ageing leadership of Communist China and were censured (Ju Dou was actually banned), ostensibly for moral reasons, but more obviously because of the way they depicted elderly men in positions of power.

Ju Dou is the lesser film only in the sense that Sirius might outshine the sun were the two stars placed side by side. Both films are masterpieces, but for me Ju Dou was difficult to watch because of the overt cruelty of the master, whereas in Raise the Red Lantern, Yimou chose to keep the more brutal aspects of the story off camera. In a sense, then, Raise the Red Lantern is the more subtle film. It is also a film of greater scope involving more characters, infused with an underlining sense of something close to black humor. (The very lighting of the lanterns was slyly amusing as it ironically pointed to the subjugation.)

In Ju Dou there is virtually no humor and the emphasis is on the physical brutality of life under the patriarchal social order. Ju Dou is beaten and tortured while we learn that Jin-shan tortured his previous wives to death because of their failure to bear him an heir. The terrible irony is that it is Jin-shan who is sterile. He feels shamed in the eyes of his ancestors because the Wang line will die out with him. But a child is finally born through Ju Dou's illicit affair with Tianqing. (Note that this conjoining in effect saves Ju Dou's life.) Jin-shan thinks the infant is his son and briefly all is serenity. However, while two may live happily ever after, three will not. Notice too that now that Jin-shan has an heir, nephew Tianqing will inherit nothing.

Will they kill Jin-shan? Will fortuitous events put him out of the picture? Will they find happiness? Will the boy learn the truth about his paternity? Yimou's artistry does not allow superficial resolution, you can be sure.

Note the two significant turns the film takes early on. One comes after Ju Dou discovers that Tianqing has been spying on her through a peep hole as she goes about her bath. At first she is mortified, and then sees this as a chance to show him the scars from the torture she endures daily, and then she shows him her body to allure him. The other turn comes as the child pronounces his first words by calling the old man "Daddy." Instantly Jin-shan, now confined to a wooden bucket that serves as a wheelchair, divines a deep psychological plan to realize his revenge. He embraces the child as his own, hoping to turn the boy against the illicit couple.

The strength of the film is in the fine acting, the beautiful sets, the gorgeous camera work, and in the unsentimental story that does not compromise or cater to saccharin or simplistic expectations. Yimou is a visual master who turns the wood gear- and donkey-driven dye mill of the 1920s into a tapestry of brilliant color and texture. Notable is the fine work that he does with the two boys who play the son at different ages. He has them remain virtually mute throughout and almost autistically cold. Indeed part of the power of this film comes from the depiction of the character of the son who grows up to hate who he is and acts out his hatred in murderous violence toward those around him.

Zhang Yimou is one of the few directors who can bring simultaneously to the silver screen the power of an epic and the subtlety of a character study. His films are more beautiful than the most lavish Hollywood productions and as artistically satisfying as the best in world cinema. The only weakness in the film is perhaps the ending which is played like a Greek tragedy for cathartic effect. One senses that Yimou and co-director Yang Fengliang in choosing the terminus were not entirely sure how this tale should end and took what might be seen as an easy way out.

A tragic Chinese love story starring Gong Li
I would hesitate to qualify "Ju Dou" as erotic in the traditional Western sense of the word, but that may just be because the tragedy of this tale overwhelms the sensuality. The title character, played by Gong Li, is married off to the brutal owner of a dye mill in rural China in the 1920's who treats his wife as badly as he treats his nephew. In their misery the pair turn to each other and when Ju Dou is pregnant and bears a son, they have to pretend the boy is her husband's. However, their hidden love is just a tragedy waiting to happen and even the death of the old man does not provide any real happiness. "Ju Dou" is essentially a horror film, whose middle act happens to be a romance. But the way the uncle treats his nephew and how the nephew and Ju Dou pay for their love, will stand out in your memory more than the supposedly erotic middle section.

I am not sure I am willing to call "Ju Dou" director Yimou Zhang's best film (co-directed by Yang Fengliang), but like all of his films it is fascinating to watch. It does make the best use of the Technicolor equipment China bought from the U.S., especially as they work on dying all that fabric. The bright colors are truly spectacular. Although "Ju Dou" was the first Chinese film to be nominated for the Best Foreign Film Oscar, it was banned in China by the government. The assumption is because since the film is about an impotent old man ruining the lives of those under him the people would see it as a metaphor for a nation ruled by a bunch of old men. This is one of those take it or leave it levels of symbolism since the film is obviously not didactic.

WHAT IS THIS ,
WHAT IS THAT,THE MOVIE IS VERY GOOD ,THE BEST OF THE YEARS.

JU DO ,MY FAVORITE
JU DO ,MY LOVE ,I HAVE SEEN THE MOVIE 5 TIMES ,I NEVER SEE MOVIE LIKE THAT.THIS IS VERY GOOD,GREAT WORK.IT IS GOOD TO HAVE.

Spectacular Chinese cinematic experience
Ju Dou showcases the talents of both Zhang Yimou, its director, and Gong Li, its female protagonist. This was the first Zhang Yimou movie that I saw and it created a taste in me for more of such films. Zhang Yimou deals with complex human issues that has no easy resolution. Your patience with reading the subtitles will be rewarded. ... Read more

Reviews (22)

Ash tries to get another badge but his opponent is a FRIEND!
I really liked this movie because it was full of pokemon battles. Water pokemon took the Cerulean City Gym by storm. Ash also finally loses a match!!! My favorite part was when Ash fights Shazel at Pokemon Tech. Misty also loses a match. Shazel is better than a person with 3 badges. But Picachu makes an attack without electricity and wins. I give this videp two thombs up.

9000,000,000,000,000,000 stars (or more)
GO PIKACHU,GO PIKACHU this movie is much better than i chose you pikachu its even a little better than squrtle squad! ash meets A.j and team rocket captchures A.j's sanshrew if you don't watch this on T.V you should its so so so so so so so ect.cool way to go pikachu! most people turn pok'emon down because of how pok'emon look but if you try it you'll like it trust me ask your mom and dad for it (or save up your money) even try to get 5 dollars a weak! this movie is not only a DVD so don't worry if you don't have DVD go to toys R' us or any toy/video store maby they have it if you can't find it don't give up! did i say this movie is a lot of laughs? we'll it is p.s can you say pika pika chu?

A cool game series spawns a disappointing anime...
In the early-mid nineties in Japan, the Pokemon video game series was created. This series became an instant success overnight, and it's no surprise that Nintendo wanted to try their luck with the series in America. In late 1998, Nintendo ported the video games to America, as well as the animated series based on it (in America, the animated series actually arrived BEFORE the games, believe it or not!) Read on for my review of this, a DVD containing the first three episodes of the Pokemon series.

BASIC PLOT:
The basic plot of the Pokemon animated series is simple. Ash, a new Pokemon trainer, wants to become the best Pokemon collector/battler in the world. The series follows him as he finds new Pokemon, new allies, and enemies alike. On his journey he is joined by Misty, who tags along since Ash destroyed her bike, and Brock, who wants to be a Pokemon breeder. As the three travel, they frequently battle members of Team Rocket - an organization that wants to capture rare and valuable Pokemon. Most episodes of the series follow the same basic plot.

SERIES OPINIONS:
Although an amazing series of Game Boy RPGs inspired this game, the series is subpar. Every episode is pretty much the same. The crew is traveling, Team Rocket appears and says their same lines in every episode, the good guys and bad guys battle, and the good guys always cause an explosion that sends Team Rocket flying away. Also, the characters are paper thin. Most of them appear in one episode and never again. Even the main characters are pretty one-dimensional. Also, the dub gives the series too much of an "Americanized" feel. To make things worse, in America, the TV series featured Pokemon that weren't yet in any American Pokemon game, which led to hundreds of in-game rumors. The TV series also makes up several locations that aren't in the games - another big mistake. Take my advice - steer clear of this series - just play the Game Boy games instead.

DVD:
THE DVD HAS NO JAPANESE LANGUAGE TRACK!? When you do anime DVDs, it is an unwritten rule that you include both a sub and a dub, and this DVD violates that unwritten rule. Likewise, the extras are severely lacking - the Pokerap is just plain stupid. And let's not forget that DVDs cost more than VHS tapes. Take my advice - just tape these episodes off your local channel that shows the series if you want to see them that bad.

OVERALL:
Overall this was a good idea for an animated series, but it just falls flat when compared to all the other animes out there. If you want good animes that have characters that aren't paper thin, check out Dragon Ball Z, Sailor Moon, or Gundam Wing. If you want Pokemon, just stick with the games.

Three great episodes on one disk
From Cerulean City and beyond, Ash and his friends continue on their Pokemon adventure, all the while staying one step ahead of Team Rocket, who is still chasing Pikachu. The DVD had three episodes on it (not many for the price, but if you love the show, it's worth it), as well as the full-length Pokerap:

The Waterfowers of Cerulean City - Ash arrives at the Cerulean City Gym, but when he enters it, there does not seem to be any sign of a Gym Leader. In fact, a water ballet is being preformed! Will Ash find the Gym Leader and earn his next badge?

The Path to the Pokemon League - Heading for Vermilion City, Ash stops by an unauthorized Gym, with a leader who has won 98 matches in a row! Can Ash beat this powerful trainer? Either way, he learns an important lesson about Pokemon.

The School of Hard Knocks - The three friends stop while in a deep forest for a rest, when Ash finds a group of boys bullying another. Ash later learns that these boys go to the Pokemon Seminar School, the most well respected Pokemon School in the region. But can Ash figure out why so many of the students are so unhappy?

The video/audio is no more, no less than you could ask for on a TV show. Overall, a great buy for a fan of the series. Followed by "Poke-Friends".

I don't like Pokemon as much anymore but...
I used to absoulutely love pokemon when I was eight(no not when it was a fad,I actually hated it then). On my ninth birthday,I had a fun sleepover with my friends and we watched this. It was neat,and the episode the vidio got its name from is my second favorite episode. I recomend this one over JigglyPuff Pop,witch is pretty boring. I wish I still liked pokemon that much... ... Read more

Amazon.com

Thanks to a greedy Pokémon collector, Earth's weather patterns are askew and its population doomed unless Pokémon trainer Ash can return three glass balls to their proper place in this second Pokémon feature. Unlike the television show, the movie features little violence and no Pokémon battles in the classic sense. Instead, the focus is an environmental one: what happens when humans interfere with the harmony of Earth's elements--in this case fire, ice, and lightning. Even Team Rocket have a (temporary, to be sure) change of heart, joining Ash and Misty in their effort to free the three imprisoned birdlike Pokémon who regulate those elements. The good intentions of this 76-minute film, however, don't make it any less dull for grownups (even though this feature is better than the first). Even more mind-numbing than the feature is the lead-in short, "Pikachu's Rescue Adventure," in which Pikachu and Pokémon friends follow Team Rocket's feline down a hole into a Munchkinland-type place. Without the humans for dialogue, viewers must endure a full 20 minutes of nothing but the squawks and squeaks of pocket monsters. As the movie's title song says, "We all live in a Pokémon world." (Ages 3 and older.) --Kimberly Heinrichs ... Read more

Reviews (81)

Disappointed with the 1st one? This is a 100% improvement!
Pokemon: the 1st movie didn't go over too well with critics or viewers(I thought it was pretty good, but it was NOTHING compared to the second one.) Firstly, there are no mistakes in this one. Secondly, it makes a lot more sense-meaning adults will like it-and it's more exciting. Even the mini-movie in the beginning is better. (Pikachu and its pals follow Togepi to a magical garden, and many Pokemon, old and new, work togther during a storm there.) Anyway, the plot for this movie is very imaginative: In an attempt to capture all 3 legendary birds for his collection, this crazy collector guy starts a huge weather problem that will soon destroy the world(because the birds control the weather)if Ash doesn't bring together the three treasures from each island-Articuno's, Zapdos's, and Moltres's. Once he does that, Lugia is summoned from the ocean, and he puts an end to the problem. It's all very fast-paced and fun, and I just can't wait to watch it again(and again and again...) Ash, Misty, and Tracy are all in it, and if you look closely at one part you can see Brock running around with kids in the back of a TV screen. But that's it for him, and even though I hate him anyway, sorry to Brock fans! Still, Poke-people will ADORE this movie. Especially if you happen to agree with me that Team Rocket is the best part of everything Pokemon. They are very important to this move, seeing as how Ash NEEDS them to save the world(watch it, you'll find out how!) At one point they actually agree to give their lives to "potect the world from devestation", and I was fretting for the rest of the film until I found out they were OK! But this is a very funny, very, VERY worthwhile movie for Pokemon fans, so don't be turned away from it because the first wasn't as hot. They've done better!

Much better than the First Movie
Many people criticized "Mewtwo Strikes Back" when the first Pokemon movie was released in the US, because in comparison with the excellent Japanese version it was a mess, missing out important things that explained about the characters (such as The Birth Of Mewtwo), and it had sloppy characterization.

However, I'm pleased to say that this film is generally much better than the first Pokemon movie. The plot involves a Pokemon collector called Laurence III who wants to capture the three Legendary birds Articuno. Zapdos and Moltres - or the Gods of Ice, Lightning and Fire as they're called here. Unfortunately, this creates a huge problem with Earth's weather patterns, causing violent storms and snow, and it is left up to Ash to get them back, and return things to normal.

There are some little hints to the possibility of an Ash/Misty romance in this film - when Ash arrives on the island at the beginning of the movie, a girl called Melody kisses Ash on the cheek which makes Misty really jealous, as well as some other cute moments.

Sadly, in spite of an improved plot I believe that, as before, the choice of music stands out as the film`s downfall and the producers haven`t learnt from the mistakes they made in the first film. Apart from a few exceptions ("The Legend Comes To Life" is a wonderful track), this movie replicates the same pop-styled rubbish used in the First Movie. The remix of the TV theme song ("Pokemon World" performed by Youngstown & Nobody's Angel) is absolutely horrible, with a scratchy beat and synthesized vocals. The campaign to ban vocoders starts here...

Next time round, I would like to see a better choice of music which is less pop-orientated, but I`m not holding my breath...

Overall though, in spite of the terrible soundtrack, this is a major improvement on the First Movie which I think any Pokemon fan should add to their collection.

My little sis liked it, but in my opinon ITS STUPID!
Yeah whatever, Ash has to be the stupid main character and acts like a childish kid who never goes to school, who always hangs out with his stupid pokemon and trys to earn badges and stuff like that. People who like pokemon, yeah I dont mind but for the trained eye, HE ALWAYS HAS TO SAVE THE WORLD! Ash has to get three treasures and placing them into a stupid stone and this one girl plays a ocarina.

Pros: NONE

Cons:
POKEMON ALWAYS SAY THEIR NAMES
THEIR VOICE ACTING IS HORRIBLE
BROCK IS SO FRICKEN ANOYING AROUND GIRLS
TEAM ROCKET HELPS ASH AND THEM OUT (STUPID! THEIR THE EVIL PEOPLE, NOT THE NICE ONES)
MUSIC IS DULL
ETC!

Good movie but a bit of an embarrasment
This movie is great and it has my favorite Pokemon: Lugia. But the creators of this movie made Lugia an embarrasment. Anything happens to it and it falls into the sea. And I wish Lugia could actully beat up all three birds at once. But introducing Lugia`s Aeroblast to destroy Lawrance`s ship was hot. This movie also shows another of my favorite Pokemon: Articuno. This was a great movie but the Pokemon were an embarrasment

This Movies Wicked!
I love this Movie!
It wasn't quite as good as the first but I still thought it was wicked. The storyline is great. It says if you try hard and believe in youself there is nothing you can't do. I think pokemon has encouraged people of all ages from around the world that they are special and have the power to make change in the world. Get this movie you won't regret it! ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Frank Sinatra spends most of his time in Come Blow Your Horn looking like he's waiting for director Bud Yorkin to infuse some inspiration into the film. Sinatra doesn't get his wish, but he works like an old pro in this Neil Simon comedy about a playboy getting pressure from his conservative, Jewish father (Lee J. Cobb) while simultaneously feeling threatened by the man-on-the-make moves of his competitive younger brother (Tony Bill). The film is fun and everyone in it is fine, but the production lacks the snap it ought to have. Sinatra seems especially good-natured in scenes where the cocky Bill treats him like yesterday's papers. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (3)

neil simon's 1st is also one of hisfunniest
This movie IS under-rated! Everyone was magnificent.Tony Bill's performance as the"kid brother" could not have been more appropriate.

Hard to buy
Sinatra, who plays the son, is 4 years younger than Cobb who plays the father. Tony Bill, who plays the kid brother is 25 years younger than Sinatra. It was all too hard to buy.

If you haven't seen many Sinatra movies, see this one.
I have recently been getting more into Sinatra movies and I think this is one of my favorites. Here is a sneak at it...Sinatra is a business man which has a little brother he takes in to his home. His brother ends up getting caught up in the "high-life", which Sinatra has to deal with. They also end up having some little fights with their father. This movie makes you laugh, it's great. Sit down one night and have a glass of wine with it. ... Read more

Reviews (17)

I love that film.
Yes, I am aware of it's imperfections, but still I love that film. It's miles above the majority of kiddie productions.

My son has a collection of action figures from movies and video games and the Roos are the best. Their design is so strikingly unexpected!

The action sequences are shot very artfully - all these leaves floating in the streams of Power, the resolved fighting of these who HAVE to fight, the total absence of JackyChanesque "funny" grimaces.

My son and nephew were obsessed by the movie for days, confronting each other with these - You came uninvited! - - Come on and pla-ay!!!- phrases, having their try at the art of flying kicks.

The film is kind, the baddies are redempted at the end but all that with the minimal level of saccharine preaching.

I want to thank the Law brothers and Ronny Yu, stuntmen and designers, who made the miracle happen. I've bought the VHS and later the DVD, recommended the film to all my friends who have sons - I want to let the people behind that film know that their effort is very much appreciated.

excellent movie
I read all the comments about this movie, and I started to watch this movie with low expectations, everyone was saying that this movie sucks. But then at half the movie, I realized that the suckers were the ones writting the reviews. Let me tell you that at the end of the movie I wished that it had not one but several sequels with the same quality in general. The producers really created something imaginative, the director just rocks with this movie, the acting is real good. This movie is way up there, and even better in some aspects, with Matrix and Blade, the story even though it is not truly original in itself, it delivers the goods. The action and martial arts, and the conveyance of the feelings and emotions, is for all ages not just for kids. Do not believe the fools that say this movie is awful. Please watch this movie if you want to see something spectacular and emotive. This movie deserves a double ten out of nine!!.

Anyone seen "Tank Girl" (1995)
They used those EXACT SAME kangaroo-people costumes from that movie, in this movie.

great movie
I first watch in the theater, with my first child(a girl)and husband, in 1997, rented it when it came out, and just recently found it in the library and check it out. It's amazing how after 6 years my husband and I still enjoyed it. And now not only do I and my husband enjoy it, but our four children enjoy it. My son loves it so much, that he wants us to find it and buy it.

Imagination
I have seen this movie several times, and I still rewatch it. After seeing it the first time rented; I immediately went ut and bought it. This movie is not for some because it takes an imagination to truly enjoy. If you truly enjoy fantasy and a movie that makes you think about the message, this may be one for you. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

One of the most suspenseful adventures ever
"The Deep" was made a few years before I was born, but I had always heard it was a good movie. I finally watched it and I liked it....a lot. From what I heard, I was just expecting it to be full of great underwater photography, but it has an amazing plot tagged alongside it. Nick Nolte and Jacqueline Bissett are a couple that are on vacation in Bermuda. They go deep sea diving one day and find a small bottle of morphine from a ship that sank in the 1800's. They go to a man who's a known treasure hunter (Robert Shaw) and he tells them what they found. But they are also pestered by Louis Gossett, who is a serious collector that will do anything to get his hands on one of those tiny bottles of morphine. Robert Shaw teams up with Nolte and Bisset after they decide there might be more bottles of the treasured substance and possibly some treasure deep in the sunken ship. All the while, they must stay away from Gosset and his fearsome gang.

There are also more exciting sequences such as an encounter with a deadly eel and of course, the wet t-shirt swim at the beginning.

"The Deep" is one of the most exciting and suspenseful adventure movies ever made. Yes, it does have great underwater scenery (mostly at the beginning) and the background music goes perfect with the movie. Although the wet t-shirt by Jacqueline Bisset might be what's best known about the movie, this is actually a great movie. It's one of my favorites.

As for the DVD, it's not big at all on extras. You do get to select from subtitles in several different languages, there's a scene selection, and best of all, both the widescreen and full screen versions are included in this DVD's one disc. Unfortunately, the sound quality isn't very good. While your current volume setting might be too loud or just right on one of your DVDs, it will probably be too low for "The Deep". The picture quality is good enough though. If you're a fan of the movie, "The Deep", I do recommend adding the DVD to your growing collection.

Beautiful photography, and that's about it
The Deep grabs your attention in the first ten minutes, which shows Jacqueline Bisset and Nick Nolte scuba diving, and Bisset's wearing a.....well, you probably already know. The underwater photography throughout this movie is gorgeous, but the action that happens on land, I felt, was kind of fake and somewhat improbable. The story is interesting, though, but it could've been told in the film better. The book by Peter Benchley is good, though. The film's worth watching for the underwater photography.....and the first 10 minutes.

Very Good Movie
A pair of young vacationers (Romer Treece as Robert Shaw & Gail Berke As Jacqueline Bisset) are involved in a dangerous conflict with treasure hunters when they discover a way into a deadly Caribbean wreck ...

Very good underwater scenes if you think 70's ...

A must for Horror , Mystery , Adventure , Thriller lovers ...

They don't make 'em this good anymore!
A brilliant and engrossing movie which closely follows Peter Benchley's novel on treasure hunt in the carribean. Spectacular views and under-water footage, all accented by one of John Barry's finest musical scores which lends mystery and expectation to various scenes and sustains an atmosphere of suspense throughout the movie. Top performances by Robert Shaw and Louis Gosset. Even Nick Nolte and Jaqueline Bisset were at their best, the latter sporting a semi-transparent underwater mask so that you're positive no stuntwoman was employed for the under water scenes. Elli Walsh is at his usual sleezy best. Great movie and great music. See it!

The true sequal to JAWS.
Forget Jaws II, III, or IV. This film by Peter Bates was about as close to a good sequal to Jaws as they could get. Also based on a book by Peter Benchley, with Robert Shaw pretty much carrying the whole movie with his performance, great underwater photography, and enough of a story to keep a person watching to the end. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Excellent Script, Acting and Direction
This 1985 made-for-television movie holds up extremely well for today's audiences. It's not your average missing person story. Director Roger Young skillfully crafts a suspensful and heartwrenching story through the use of an excellent script and top-flight performances.

Honest, likeable, and repsonsible 19-year-old Brian Walker (Tate Donavan) just "falls off the map" while driving his van to college in Colorado from his home in Ottawa, Ontario.

Despite valiant efforts by his mother and brother (Ellen Burstyn and Sam Robards), no one in the law enforcement community has the time or inclination to thoroughly investigate one of the thousand missing kid cases. This leads to Burstyn and Robards teaming up with a private investigator (Robert Prosky) to finally find Brian's van, and ultimately Brian.

Burstyn, Prosky, Robards, Patricia Smith (as Prosky's wife), and even Donovan (with limited screen time) are all magnificent. John Dennis Johnston is especially creepy as the man who kidnaps Brian.

Although we all know what the ultimate outcome will be, the suspense and heartbreak are still palpable every step of the way - particularly in the last 15 minutes of the film.

This is a top notch TV movie.

don't go vaning alone in Nebraska
This 1985 TV movie is compelling due more to the path leading to the find of a 19 year old Canadian student who heads off from Ottawa alone in a van to drive to Colorado but goes missing in Nebraska, than the sledgehammer direction of Roger Young. Although this story is said to be true, credit must go to writer George Rubino, particularly in downplaying and omitting most of the cliches of the genre. There is the ubiquitious drama about someone wearing an article of the missing boy's clothes, but thankfully it is skimmed over quickly. As the boy's mother, Ellen Burstyn has 2 good scenes, one where she has an angry outburst at a police station, recalling Shirley MacLaine's hospital scene in Terms of Endearment ("Give her the shot!"), and the second when she emits animal noises on discovery of her son's trashed van. Also good is Sam Robards as her other son, and Robert Prosky as a private investigator Burstyn hires. The treatment comments on the "jurisdictional complexities" which unnecesarily burden missing person investigations, and makes out that the police and FBI were blundering incompetents in this case. There is also a postscript that tells us hundreds of teenagers go missing every year without trace, a bleak and dour note to end on, though perhaps in line with the fate of the boy. ... Read more

Reviews (68)

A Stirring, Emotional Portrayl of Bitter Times in China
"To Live" was the first Asian film I saw and awed me tremendously. The film is truly a piece of cinematic art. Its acting is supurb - of all the Zhang Yimou films I have seen (four or five) this is the best acted. Gong Li and You Ge give fabulous performances, with excellent body language and characterization.

The story, like Chen Kaige's "Farewell My Concubine" (also a portrayl of Chinese history, with more emphasis on the people than the history), follows people through the Communist Revolution, the Great Leap Forward, and the Cultural Revolution, all highly influential events in Modern Chinese history. (If you are unfamiliar with these events, the first is when the Communists took over China; the GLF is when the country tried to increase production through very extreme measures and failed horribly; the Cultural Revolution was an entire social reorganization aimed to stir up the passions of the people and to weed out Capitalists.)

Anyhoo, the people are Jiazhen (Gong Li) and Fugui (You Ge), husband and wife. In the beginning, Fugui bets away his entire family fortune, which eventually saves them from being labelled Capitalists by the Communists. More events transpire - including two tragic deaths that could have destroyed Jiazhen and Fugui's family for good - until finally thirty years of revolution and tragedy bring them to the 1970's.

In addition to the beauty of the film, the soundtrack by Zhao Jiping is incredible, and almost makes me cry from its sheer power.

This film is truly a winner!

An illustration of a will to live/survive
To Live takes place mid century in China just after the second world war. The story line follows the Xu family and the hardships that befalls them.

It illustrates to what lengths people had to adapt and convert to in order to survive under Communist rule (especially during the cultural revolution). Old friends and even family had to form divisive lines between themselves in order to save themselves from possible prosecution.

The acting and the interactions of the three main protagonists Li Gong, You Ge and Deng Fei are masterful and stirring. To Live is as good a film representing that time period as any other. Definitely on the same plateau as Farewell My Concubine

Stunning; poignant
I have shown this film to my English students after having read Dai Sijie's book, BALZAC AND THE LITTLE CHINESE SEAMSTRESS, because of the portrayal of communism and the effects of the Chinese "cultural revolution". While it at first appears to be loaded with communist propoganda, it becomes apparent by the end of the film that it is an outspoken criticism of Mao and this harsh period of recent Chinese history.

Aside from the political overtones, this is also a masterful study of overcoming loss and adversity that transcends cultural or political boundaries. While my students almost invariably complain about the subtitles at the beginning of the showing, by the end, they have been completely drawn in, and are laughing and crying on cue. If this isn't the true test of a great flick, I don't know what is.

A masterpiece, and one that everyone should see.

Disappointment
This film completely butchers, rearranges, and rewerites an incredibly moving novel. I suggest that you read the book first.

6 Stars +
To Live is a masterful project and deserves the best praises for foreign cinema. It touches every emotion possible in its depiction of one family's faults and successes; life as it might have been in the midst of political chaos. To Live maps the losses and gains of Fugui and Jiazhen--an average young couple moving through China. It's difficult to discuss the turns and movement without spoiling the movie. However, I will say the couple we encounter in the 1940s and end with in the 1960s is triumphant and tells a story never to be forgotten. Highly Recommended!!!!!! ... Read more

Reviews (62)

Great and ultra gory sequel
Return of the Living Dead 3 is a large departure from the other two films in the series. Where as those two films combined dark humor and zombie horror, director Brian Yuzna (Bride of Re-Animator) goes all out with some of the goriest zombie action to see release in this country. When a young girl (Melinda Clarke) is killed in a motorcycle accident, her boyfriend uses the experimental facility where his father works which re-animates corpses to bring her back to life. However, when she comes back, she's got a hunger she's never had before, and it's like the old saying goes; a girl's gotta eat. The acting is surprisingly solid, with Clarke being almost perfect as the zombified girl who still loves her boyfriend. The gore is extremely realistic and there is loads of it, so be warned; gorehounds will find plenty to love here. All in all, this is one low budget horror film that is definitely worth checking out.

Great sequel!
This is the second sequel to the 1985 cult horror spoof "Return of the Living Dead", part II was ok but seemed like a rehash of the original but this one is totally original.

It's about a couple of young adults who are lovers, the boy's girlfriend gets hurt in a motorcycle accident and dies, the boy has a father who works in the military with a experimental corporation that brings the dead back to life. The Boy decides to take his girlfriend to a lab using an experimental gas to bring her back to life but it works, unfortunately she is a kinky Zombie that eats brains and turns people into brain-munching ghoul.

Very entertaining and extremely gory sequel with great make-up effects, a very sexy undead girl, and original story that makes this a must see for fans of Zombie flicks. Watch this movie in the unrated uncut version with extra gore, not for the squeamish!

Also recommended: Resident Evil, Ghosts of Mars, Return of the Living Dead, Day of the Dead, Dead Alive, From Dusk Till Dawn, Re-Animator, Aliens, Lucio Fulci's Zombie, Evil Dead, Evil Dead II, Phantasm, Bride of Re-Animator, Scanners, Let Sleeping Corpses Lie, City of the Living Dead, Nightmare City, Hellraiser, Toxic Avenger, Bad Taste, An American Werewolf in London, Idle Hands, Total Recall and The Beyond.

"It's not Romero"
Im almost sad to say I didnt like this one, probably because it wasnt directed by George. Yuzna was great with the Re-Animator and such but this movie was, I think the word is "New." Im a 70's 80's zombie films kinda guy. I think MAJOR Producers should stop after Resident Evil: 2 comes out. Excluding the Independent films. This movie had some pretty good scenes with that dudes head and spine getting ripped out, and the intro was pretty good with the experiments and the zombie revolting and killing the doctors, but it still wasnt Romero.

Really Disappointing!
This film is a complete departure from the 1st two "Return"
movies. Whereas the first two movies in the series are fun
spoofs of the genre, this film attempts to compete with
the Romero films as a legitimate addition to the dead
series. It fails in that respect miserably. Don't waste
your time or money on Return of Dead 3.

Return of the Living Dead 3
The third part of Return of the Living Dead is one of the best to me.
In this movie a teenage couple gets in a motorcycle accident and the boy's girlfriend dies.So he goes to where his father works and uses the 2-4-5 trixon to bring her back but it goes wrong she starts having cravings for things she does not eat and she starts eating people's brains.But the only thing keeping her from eating him is their love. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The premise for Disney's A Knight in Camelot is an intriguing one. What if we could go back in time, with the wisdom and knowledge of our present day, and improve history? In this made-for-television comedy inspired by Mark Twain's fable A Connecticut Yankee at King Arthur's Court Whoopi Goldberg plays Dr. Vivien Morgan, a computer research scientist studying gravitational pull. Through a programming malfunction, she gets zapped into the land of Camelot, 589 A.D., while still toting her laptop and boombox. Unimpressed with the whole sword-in-the-stone gig, she brings her 20th-century impudence into King Arthur's court, where she begins to wreak Whoopi-style havoc. After she feigns magic, King Arthur (Michael York) elevates her to knighthood, where, as "Sir Boss," she uses her influence to make changes in the kingdom, from introducing hygiene and plumbing in the castle to insisting on fair labor practices for the peasants. Entanglements with Sir Lancelot, Queen Guinevere, and Merlin provide moments of high drama and colorful jousts, but the film remains largely uneven as it tries to be believable and find its tone--should it be philosophical ("Can a society live without progress? Without justice?" Goldberg's character asks at one point) or outrageously silly? It accomplishes the latter too well, and, methinks, will tire all but truly committed Whoopi fans. What remains is a cute, predictable, forgettable family film, but not Disney's best, nor Whoopi's. --Lynn Gibson ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Values courage, honor, respect
Captivating and enchanting story for children and families to share. Beautifully produced. It accurately portrays medieval England's culture and social structure. Shows great role models that exhibit courage, honor, equality and respect (with a touch of humor thrown in). Our kid reviewers were riveted. They commented: "I would love to travel back in time." "I noticed that the Nobles were unkind to the Serfs, but that's how it really was." "I want to read the Mark Twain book that the story is based on." "The castle was awesome." We found that 8 to 12-year-olds liked this best.

Whoopi is fantastic!
This movie is mor funny than some comedies that come to theaters! I almost died laughing! Vivian Morgan is a scientist and just as she is about to prove the existance of a graviton particle, she is blasted back in timeto the 6th century! Confused as a troll for her dreadlocks, skin color, and tennis shoes, she is sentinced to be burned at the stake. But when a total eclips happens, she claims to be a wizard more powerful than Merlin. They release her and she is knighted. She does good things such as helping King Arthur see that the slaves should be free, but when she tries to make things like a steam engine far to early, how messed up will the 6th century turn? and how will she ever get back to the 20th century?

Excellent
This film is really good. I think its a great film but rather for childs. Its funny to hear the 'Sir boss' nickname Whoopy asks for. The story is about a scientist (Whoopy) who accidentelly travels through time and lands in the time of king Arthur. After having the kings trust, she will try to civilisaze the region by stopping slavery, inventing steam machines... She will then go for a adventure to see how England is. And will be captured by slavers... She will be delivired and it turns out Merlin is a real magicien and that he has the power to bring her home.

I am sure I saw it on TV and tape recorded it , but is miss
As above it is missing.

If it is the same I saw it on TV back in April or May of 1999. Found it funny and refreshing and seeing Whoopi at her comedy best. I would like to see it again but the price is to high at the moment. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Fast Paced
This movie starts out as one of the best Abbott & Costello feature films...it kind of falls flat at the end though. The first 3/4 of the movie is fast paced with some of their funniest routines. The highlights are when they try to fix a leaky faucet & one of their funniest routines ever...also just by itself worth purchasing this film...the Susquehanna Hat Company...fabulous. Everytime I see that routine it cracks me up...a true classic. Overall this is a very good movie...the last 25 minutes could've been better though.

Abbott & Costello take apart the world of High Society
Abbott and Costello come up with one of their best films with the 1944 comedy "In Society." Bud is Eddie Harrington and Lou is Albert Mansfield, a couple of plumbers called in to repair the leak in the bathroom of the wealthy Mr. Van Cleve (Thurston Hall), whose wife (Nella Walker) is hosting a costume ball (already, you know this is going to be a good one). The boys arrive at the Van Cleve mansion in a taxi driven by Elsie Hammerdingle (Marion Hutton), who is mistaken for a costumed guest by playboy Peter Evans (Kirby Grant). Meanwhile, the boys are destroying the upstairs bathroom and flooding the master bedroom. Mrs. Van Cleve writes an angry letter to the plumbers but ends up mailing the boys an invitation to a society weekend at the estate of Mrs. Winthrop (Margaret Irving). Just to complete the fun, Peter has already invited Elise to the same shindig. The second act of "In Society" reminds you a lot of the Marx Brothers' "Animal Crackers," as Drexel (Thomas Gomez), a loan shark, tries to enlist the boys in a plot to steal the valuable painting, "The Plunger" (LOL). This ends up setting up a frantic chance scene at the end, involving a fire truck.

"In Society" joins that long list of comic films in which the madcaps encounter the world of high society and proceed to destroy it, although this one is not as anarchistic as "Animal Crackers." With Abbott & Costello it is always a series of unintentional accidents. The destruction of the bathroom is the best sequence in the film, which also includes the classic burlesque piece "Fleugel Street," where Lou tries to deliver hats to the Pioneer Hat company and everybody he meets beats him up and breaks a hat. The original story for "In Society" was written by Hugh Wedlock, Jr. and Howard Snyder, who used to write gags for Jack Benny. John Grant, Edmund L. Hartmann and Hal Fimberg got screenplay credit for turning the story into more of a workable Abbott & Costello movie. The female romantic interest Marion Hutton, the sister of actress Betty Hutton, had been a singer with the Glenn Miller orchestra and had introduced "Chattanooga Choo Choo" and "Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree." Oh, final note: Arthur Treacher, the screen's greatest Butler, plays Pipps the Butler in this film.

lots of creative comedy scenes
Abbott and Costello create another winner as two bumbling plumbers trying to work their way into society bathrooms. This movie has a lot of whacky physical humor balanced by a good story.

There is also a special effects error in this film that most people don't notice. Watch the car chase carefully during the part where a car is hanging from the ladder truck. At one point you will see that car defy the law of gravity.

Fun!
This Movie was very fun.You will laugh and laugh. This has parts like the susquehannah hat company, When the float around a bedroom in a tub and fly down a street in a couch.Just too many long lousy songs

ONE OF ABBOTT & COSTELLO' S BEST FEATURES
Bud and Lou are at it again. In this film the "DYNAMIC DUO" of comedy play two bumbling plumbers who are mistaken for members of society.

The BEST highlights in this film are: (1) BAGEL STREET. A hat salesman friend of the boys asks them the favor of returning a box of strawhats,sent to him by mistake by the manufacturer (one wonders WHY ANY0NE would ENTRUST A & C with such a task). On their way to deliever the hats,the pair run into a bunch of ZANIES. When Lou asks them directions to "BAGEL STREET", the lament to him the poor experiences they had their. However, when Costello mentions the name of the hat factory "SUSQUEHANNA HAT COMPANY" these people go BESERK and nearly destroy the box of strawhats as they take their FRUSTRATIONS out on Lou, who can do nothing but stand there and take the abuse. (2) The climatic chase scene. This scene uses chase footage from W.C. Fields' comedy "NEVER GIVE A SUCKER AN EVEN BREAK". The boys commandeer a hook-and-ladder fire truck, complete with aged fireman who has NEVER driven a firetruck before. UNKNOWN to them the ladder half of the truck is UNLOCKED, and as luck would have it, Costello IS RIDING in the cabin. As Lou climbs out onto the ladder, he begins to howl and whine as the truck goes through a series of ZANY curves and manoevers. (Roger Moore does a POOR imitation of this scene in his last 'JAMES BOND' film "A VIEW TO A KILL" ). But NO ONE does it BETTER than Lou Costello. ... Read more

Reviews (153)

James Bond secret agent 007, licenced to kill
Dr. No was the first movie to launch the legacy that would span out into 20 more official movies and 2 unofficial ones. Sean connery brought a suave, witty and violently exciting role to 007.

The movie begins with a British agent in Jamacia called Stranways and his secretary being murdered. Then back in London we are introduced to James Bond. James Bond is called to office, and we are introduced to his boss "M" and the flirting secretary Miss Moneypenny. Bond is told that Cape Canaveral is worried because their rockets are being toppled and they think the destructive energy waves are coming from Jamacia where Strangways was investigating the mysterious Dr. No before he was killed. Bond is sent to Jamacia, where is identity is quickly noticed by a photographer and a phony chauffeur who tries to kill him. Bond then meets up with CIA agent Felix Leiter and a local fisherman called Quarrel who are also investigating Dr. No and his island Crab Key. Bond's life is also on stake when a spider is released into his room. Bond discovers the Professor Dent is behind the spider attack and kills him, since he does not talk. Bond and Quarrel travel to Crab Key to hunt down Dr. No. Bond awakes on the island to find the alluring girl called Honey Ryder, who tells them that she collects shells on the island. Suspecting visitors, Dr. No's men fire on the beach to try to find Bond. Bond, Honey and Quarrel travel deeper into the island where Quarrel is killed and Bond and Honey are taken captive. They are taken to Dr. No's laboratory, where they finally meet him over dinner. Dr. No explains to Bond that he is a member of the greatest criminal organization called SPECTRE. His job has been to jam all radio signals to USA rockets in order to destroy each one. Dr. no leaves Bond in a cell to jam the upcoming rocket. Bond escapes and battles Dr. No in the nuclear laboratory, with Bond drowning Dr. No. The rocket is not harmed, and the entire islands lab explodes while Bond and Honey escape in a nearby boat., where they are picked up by Felix Leiter and the CIA.

Dr. No was the movie that set the standard for all other 007 movies with the exotic locales, beautiful girls, dominating villians and the exciting, adventerous missions of agent James Bond 007!

"My name is Bond. James Bond." -James Bond 007
This is it ladies and gentlemen!! The very first film in 1962 that started the most popular series in the world! It's got villians with globally-fantatsic schemes, sexy girls, gadgets galore and the most famous spy of all- James Bond. Sean connery get this movie off to a great start with a high-stakes card game with the alluring Sylvia Trench. Then we are introduced to M, Miss Moneypenny and Q. The villian is Dr. No, who plans on destroying USA rockets from is base on Crab Key. The girl is Honey Ryder. She has set the standard for all girls to follow with her unforgettable walk in that bikini from the water! The James Bond theme is played by the John Barry Orchestra and the director is Terence Young. A top-notch spy thriller that CAN NOT be missed by anyone!

Two Great Entrances = A Great Start To A Great Series
From the opening strains of The James Bond Theme over the first gunbarrel opening, Dr. No propels the audience into the world of James Bond. The trio of Dr. No, From Russia With Love and Goldfinger got the series started with a bang and created a standard that has never quite been matched, even by great later entries like On Her Majesty's Secret Service, The Spy Who Loved Me and For Your Eyes Only. Director Terence Young's tough, violent tone in Dr. No does Ian Fleming's books proud and it's unfortunate that that tone wasn't maintained throughout the series. The locations, editing and casting are top notch. The only way the film really fails is in the casting of the wooden Jack Lord as Felix Leiter. In the books Leiter was a tall, blone, skinny gregarious Texan. Lord, in contrast, looks like he wandered off the set of Hawaii-Five-0 onto this film. Luckily, Leiter isn't that important to the film, so any negative effect is minimal.

However, Dr. No owes its success chiefly to two moments -- two of the greatest entrances in screen history. One is Honey Ryder's (Ursula Andress) entrance on the beach on Dr. No's Crab Key. Andress immediately became an object of desire for millions of red blooded males with her tanned sensuous body and skimpy bikini (in the book Dr. No, Ryder was naked). After 42 years and god knows how many sexy women, Andress' Ryder is still the standard. And unlike so many of the later Bond heroines, Andress' Ryder is a tough, intelligent woman who can take care of herself. When Bond promises he won't take the shells she sells to support herself, Andress answers, "I promise you you won't, either." Later, when she tells of killing her rapist with a black widow spider, even Bond recoils in mild shock. Andress' entrance opens the concluding act of the film and creates one of the more memorable Bond heroines of all time.

The moment that defines the film and is probably one of the greatest moments in screen history is, of course, Sean Connery's entrance as James Bond. Legend has it that Ian Fleming was horrified when he met Sean Connery, but quickly changed his tune when he saw his entrance as James Bond onscreen. Connery says the famous line "Bond, James Bond" with such confidence and sex appeal, he instantly burns his mark into the series (which turned out to be a double edged sword when he tried to work outside the series). Next to Orson Welles' entrance in The Third Man, Connery's entrance in Dr. No is probably the best. Every time the clip is shown at the Academy Awards or other such award show, it still draws applause from the audience. It isn't a stretch to call it a landmark in film history.

terence young's bond
it is terence young, more than sean connery, more than ian fleming and more than broccoli who created the movie bond.
it is all here.
while this first movie is a little rough and has a somewhat bland villan, we enjoy the roughness of it, which was part of youngs inimitable style.
the first shot of bond smoking at the poker table is a classic and who knew what it was going to unleash.
the second memorable scene involves a long legged girl in a white dress shirt and a golf club. bond's entry into this scene is again, classic and ultra stylish.
too, bond is ruthless here, shooting an unarmed victim. he would not be this cold blooded again until license to kill.
andress looks like a perfectly formed candy bar and any red blooded male would love to unwrap her.
another mention is the sets, which are fantastic and again, very stylish.
one cant help but using that word; style, again and again because thats what sets the young bonds apart from all the rest of them.
young's bound abounds in style!

Underneath The Mango Tree
The start of the epic life that is James Bond. Sean Connery enters as the suave MI6 agent with a licence to kill number 007.
With the traditional enemies of the West and their devious ways set in his sights.

Of course one cannot avoid the fact that James will have a large female fan base and the first and most famous of all "Bond Girls" the bikini clad, knife welding Ursula Andress. Special effects of the times were spectacular but today a little unbelievable.

The DVD is absolutly full of information and worth it's price. A slightly light weight movie that has it's place in history as the first. ... Read more

Amazon.com

An underrated gem of the early 1980s, this film is a solid mystery with a terrific and unlikely romance at its core. Hurt plays a New York janitor whose fantasy life centers on TV reporter Sigourney Weaver. When a murder occurs in the office building where he works, he claims to have seen more than he did just to get her attention. But when the murderers believe him, they both become targets. The plot is workable, but mostly serves as a meet-cute device for throwing together the unassuming janitor and the TV star, and the resulting collision of social strata when he successfully woos her. James Woods nearly steals the film as Hurt's jumpy Vietnam vet friend, a shifty operator of whom cop Morgan Freeman observes, "He was born to be a suspect." --Marshall Fine ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Great Underrated Gem!!
Sigourney Weaver,William Hurt and James Woods rule in this great underrated gem.It's well worth watching!! ... Read more

Reviews (33)

The Spiritual/Religious Side of the Movie
Many of the reviews posted here and elsewhere on the 'net talk about the wonderful cinematography and the open way in which sex and abuse are explored in "Bliss". There are some interesting coincidences that have been completely missed simply because the movie deals so openly with sex - which covers all the religious implications. First, our main characters are Joseph and "Maria" - isn't there another famous couple named Joseph and Mary? Our hero Joseph is a construction manager...a modern day carpenter. Both Joseph and Maria go to see a man named Balthazar...who, together with Melchior and Casper in the bible, make up the three wise men.
It's a fascinating juxtaposition - the wise man, Balthazar, teaches Joseph, presumably christian, tantric sex, which comes from the Hindu/Indian religious traditions.
I suspect that Young intended for his audience to see the sexual healing process that a young married couple has to go through. Indeed, that's what most people *will* see. Fewer people will think about the comments he makes on the relationship between Joseph and Mary/Maria. How would a couple like Joseph and Mary be treated in today's society?
Perhaps another message in this film is that bliss is difficult to achieve within the confines of christianity. Young handles this issue so well that you won't even realize that it's happened until it's all over.

One of the best movies I've seen!
I'm not sure what I expected when I rented this film. I had never heard of it before, and the only reason I had for renting was the praise from Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert on the front of the box. The movie starts off at a chaotic pace, but then begins to develop a rhythm, which I take to be part of its message. It's an amazing movie: One of my all-time favo