Amazon.com

A thousand years in 10 hours is an ambitious project, to say the least. But the team at CNN succeeds with its now-typical aplomb, as the team that brought us Cold War shares with us Millennium."We know the history of our own country," narrator Ben Kingsley intones. But this series purports to give us "history from a global perspective, not through the eyes of the West." Using reenactments and impressive computer graphics--used with inspiration for everything from rebuilding the 11th-century Pueblo Bonito to representing Freud's idea of the subconscious--the history of the world for the past 1,000 years is re-created. Each episode covers 100 years, from the 11th century's "Century of the Sword" to the 16th century's "Century of the Compass" to the final 100 years of the millennium in "Century of the Globe."Segmented by time and place, Millennium focuses on five topics in five separate locations in each episode.The wealth of topics is mind-boggling: the spread of Islam,Mongol conquests, the rise of Gothic spires across Europe, Australian Aborigines,the trail of Marco Polo, Black Death, Chinese naval power, the Ottoman Empire, the religious conversion of the Mayans, the Mogul Dynasty, science, slave trade, the Industrial Revolution, to name just a fraction of the stories told. Granted, given the constraints of covering 1,000 years in a mere 10 hours, the video may leave you longing for more, but what a way to whet your appetite for history. --Jenny Brown ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Best series yet, I hope another 1,000 years is made soon.
I am a football coach and not some profeesor, but a video series like this has never been made. Just turn on the VCR and learn why we live the way we do. This video set is by far the best and most enjoyable out there. The facts enlighten even the most naive viewer to the history of the world as it will be seen hundreds of years from now. People only understand the view of religion, culture, and history as that of there own country. This amazing set opens your eyes to facts your history teachers never understood, and does so with the use of great computer graphics to take you back to the age talked about. One can only wait for the wonders of knowledge CNN/TIME will offer in the future. I am waiting for the previous 40,000 years to be made. ... Read more

Description

Encompassing history, geography, sociology, drama, language, arts, and more, The Story of English takes viewers on an unforgettable journey through the history of the English language.Host Robert MacNeil travels the world to illustrate the language's global influence.Part travelogue, part linguistics, part history, and all fascinating, the series is a unique blend of solid scholarship and engrossing entertainment. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

GREAT
This series treats English seriously and intelligently. It regards English (in all of its forms) as flowers. All different but beautiful. Wonderful historical and cultural info too. I have used this with 6th graders and high school students(grades 9 to 12). Regardless of level there is something for everyone.
The Irish and Scottish sections are first rate.( Did you know that Jimi Hendrix was Irish? Cool. ) I learned more about British English than I thought possible. Shakespeare and Joyce and Mark Twain are treated royally. The section that presents info on the powerful contributions of African-Americans throughout history is superb. Nothing is left out. Etymologies abound!
Run...don't walk to snare this series. I have watched this perhaps 50 times (with and w/o students) since its debut on PBS and know how valuable this tool is for a teacher of English.

ps A very unique feature is that they go to the workplace to hear each variety of English speaker. The common man tells his story and you learn "how" he tells the story. The sub-titles are used to help us make sense of the dialect and "slanguage" as it exists. It is a living oral-biography of the language and the people. This is a loving tribute from start to finish.

pps Don't listen to that mook from the not-so great white north.
He knows not of what he speaks.

Educational, but racist
We watched "Black and White", the tape on Old English to modern English and "Muvver Tongue" in an upper level English linguistics class. I noticed that when persons of color spoke, subtitles were used. When whites spoke, we had to figure out what was being said. Most of us did not understand the Cockney too well. Also, African women were shown bare-breasted and the Australian aborigines were naked. They did not speak. These tapes were done in 1986, not 1886. The implication is that people of color speak English so poorly that it must be subtitled and that showing black women's breasts is necessary for the linguistic cause.

A bit dated, but good educational material.
We have watched most of this series in my History of the English Language class, a master's level class. While it is a bit dated, it is still good material. It deals with the evolution of English from the earlier Germanic languages, offshoots of English (American, Australian, Scots, etc.), English as an international language, and modern (as of early 80's) development in English.

If only it were not a continuing story.
I find that 4-5 of the 9 programs still play well with students. But remember that this series was done before AIDS, computer mice, the laptop explosion, Ebonics and Spanglish, e-mail and the Internet augmented and modified the lexicon. Students consequently quickly spot what's out of date (the style of "rap music," for example) and what's "old-fashioned." The series needs to be revised and updated--or distilled to the essential, "timeless" programs about its changing subject.

Vestatile and Intelligent
The McNeil tapes are an invaluable tool in the teaching of high school English. I have used the tapes in several segments of my American Literature class to introduce topics which are difficult to otherwise grasp. For a unit on etymology, the series forms an excellent discussion of the roots of English and how language changes over time and through political, social and cultural influences. The "Black on White" segment provides a scholarly discussion of black English and allows the speakers of Gullah and Plantation Creole to demonstrate the roots of vernacular black English. That discussion of dialect is a wonderful introduction to Zora Neale Hurston's, Their Eyes Were Watching God, much of which is written in turn of the century Floridian dialect. These films are an investment well worth making. ... Read more

Reviews (34)

All around perfect film-making
This is such a complete movie...The soundtrack is great with some hip hop raggae french mix and the three kids act so natural that it seems like a documentary...I've seen the movie numerous times and pick up more each time...This film is so great that it really bothers me that I don't know french so I can pick up on the real cliches and phrases that they use even though the subtitles are done very well...I highly recomend this film to anyone, both teens and adults...Very enjoyable and dramatic and thought provoking...Just an all-around perfect film...

Strikes the audience in the forehead like a nail-pegged bat
Hate is a strong film about lost youth where the apparent message strikes the audience in the forehead like a nail-pegged baseball bat. The story is set the day after nightly riots in a Parisian ghetto after the young Arabian man, Abdel, was brutally assaulted by the police. Vinz, Said, and Hubert are three friends of Abdel that are set adrift in anger toward the police as they try to find reason and justice within their social environment. The impulsive Vinz, performed by Vincent Cassel, acts tough as he knows that he has a gun that he found after a police officer had accidentally lost it in the riots. Said is the follower who glorifies the violence and strives to be respected as he has a twisted view of what respect is. Hubert dreams of getting out of the ghetto as he does not glorify the violence within the ghetto while his two friends do. The audience follows these three characters throughout a full day as they are sitting around, getting into trouble, and learning through their errors. Kassovitz creates an authentic and explosive atmosphere which becomes the grounds for an exhaustive examination of the socioeconomic milieu of young adults in a poor Parisian ghetto. In the end, Kassovitz succeeds in developing an excellent persuasive and disturbing cinematic experience.

Meaningful
Three friends (Vinz, Hubert and Sayid) are from the ghettos of France, living in the projects and there is seemingly no way out of that life for them as the society and especially the police discriminate against blacks, arabs from the projects... At least that is the message the movie seems to project to me. I had a really hard time following the things the actors say because the movie is in black and white and the subtitles are in black and white AND they overlap the movie picture... needless to say, many words are unreadable most of the time and taking the time to guess what they said is perhaps most exasperating when in this sort of low budget movie, the conversation between the characters matters A LOT! However, the movie's plot was easy enough to follow... police beat up their friend Abdel during a riot, who dies in hospital, and Vinz who is not too intelligent or able to control his temper gets ahold of a police pistol during the riot. He vows to shoot a police if they piss him off (actually he will shoot anyone who dares piss him off). These 3 boys take the train to Paris where they look for a friend who owes Sayid a bit of money. I will not go into details here but basically their voyage into Paris was a disaster as these boys from the 'hood cannot resist doing something "naughty" every hour. They miss the last train and spend the entire night finding things to amuse themselves, including breaking into people's cars and starting a fight in a classy art exhibition and also later a scuffle with skinheads in the streets. It all end in tears eventually, with at least one of them dead and maybe one police officer dead too, I shan't say who. The movie was, on the whole, thought-provoking for someone like me who grew up in an urban environment but never lived in a ghetto and can only empathise with what the central characters (or anyone else living in that situation) feels. If that's what the director set out to do, he certainly succeeded, so I am giving the movie 3 stars for making some impact. It could have been a better viewing experience however, if only something was done to make the subtitles more readable. The movie is shot in semi-documentary style so it might not appeal to those who prefer something more like your usual run-of-the-mill drama movies.

Simply a masterpiece!
If 6 stars could be given for this film, then I would not hesitate to offer it just that. La Haine (aka HATE) is a superb film about 3 urban Parisian youths who have one common link : an unrelenting displeasure for the police and what they symbolise. This film is full of exciting scenes and explosive performances from all the 3 main actors (Vinz, Said and Hubert). It focuses on the gritty and harsh other side to the Paris that most people are not accustomed to. At first sight, it might seem hard to get into but after a few moments, you become so absorbed in the film, you forget that you are watching a film and feel part of what Said, Hubert and Vinz are experiencing.

In my view, this is ground-breaking cinema that should not be ignored by anyone.

So Far, So Good.... Is That A Cow?
La Haine is basically a day in the lives of three guys from ghettos on the outskirts of Paris. After an apparently race-motivated police beating/murder, the ghettos are rife with looters, rioters, and many bigoted and intrusive police(or pigs, as the characters fondly refer to them), suspicious of anyone not caucasian or under 30. In its most reductive form, it's about a flawed society whose seams are bursting under the pressures of ignorance, intolerance, and various -isms. In the movie itself, this tends to remain below the surface of the characters' existences, but for in a few moments (namely encounters with police and skinheads) and brought to the forefront with a bathroom scat anecdote and repeated reference to a (very bitter) joke involving society, man, and rabbit jumping off a building (the movie is frequently funny). Although it takes place in France, where these issues are perhaps less closeted (what with Le Pen getting 15 percent of the vote...), any close examination of pretty much every "modern, 1st world" nation will reveal just how ingrained these problems are in the present state of the world. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

One of the best British series ever
This series, which premiered on the (old, good) Masterpiece Theatre program in the '70's, covers over 20 years in the life of Louisa Trotter, a thinly-disguised take off on a real-life cockney scullery maid named Rosa Lewis who worked herself up into the "best cook in England," opened a "private hotel for gentlemen" in London, and knew just about everyone worth knowing in her time.

Gemma Jones, as Louisa, is simply stunning in the role, ably supported by a raft of those fine English character actors whose faces you will recognize with delight, if their names escape you.

Like "Upstairs, Downstairs," this series is the REAL DEAL; historically accurate, poignant, hilariously funny, sometimes tear-jerking, as we watch the ups and downs of Louisa's fortunes (and England's) from 1900 to the mid-'20's. The current five tapes cover the period roughly 1900-1910, from the beginning to the end of the Edwardian Age. Further episodes of the series, which went through the First World War and into the Jazz Age, will hopefully be released in due course.

This is a definitely not-to-be-missed and you'll-see-it-over-and-over series for those who love the best in British history on video!

A delicious series
If you loved the BBC mini-series "Upstairs, Downstairs", you will adore "The Dutchess Of Duke Street". Produced by some of the same
people, with many of the same actors popping up in character roles, it almost feels like a re-visiting of the Bellamy household to some extent.
It's the same Victorian-Edwardian time period, similar examinations of the class differences between servants and masters, same colorful,
plucky people going through life discussing politics, war, scandals, etc. Gemma Jones as Louisa Trotter is utterly fantastic in her role, showing
multi-layers of this Cockney girl's character that are absolutely fascinating to watch. Gemma had the role of a lifetime in Louisa, and she is
simply unforgettable. Christopher Cazenove is so handsome as Charlie Hazelmere he just about takes your breath away. He brightens up
every scene he is in with his presence, adorable smile and flashing eyes. Joanna David is touching as the tragic and anorexic Margaret. All the
secondary characters will touch your heart and leave a lasting impression: Mary, Starr, The Major, and the hysterically funny Mr. Merriman
(same actor who played Soames' father in the original "The Forsyte Saga"). This series is definitely worth the money to obtain all 31 episodes
in the currently offered two VHS boxed sets. Just wish it were on DVD. After I purchased mine I watched the entire series straight through
on one weekend; it was completely addictive. The video prints for Dutchess are of much better quality than the ones for Upstairs, Downstairs,
which were grainy and off-colored for the most part. Plus another positive: each tape has three episodes blended into one, without being
interrupted by end titles and music. This allows for smooth transitions and a more enjoyable viewing experience, almost like watching a movie.
Dutchess Of Duke Street is a must-have series for all people who love quality British television.

Wonderful Period Drama/Comedy of 1900-1910's London
After I spied this series on my local library's shelves & saw that it was about a female aspiring chef set in 1900-1910 London, I scooped up all the volumes.
This series really surprised me: It has strong writing and attention to setting. Louisa Trotter is a outspoken, cockney chef who works her way up in her profession and British society with lots of elbow grease, an understanding of human nature, and some luck. Gemma Jones is great as Louisa Trotter and the supporting cast is very solid as well.
I wasn't sure at first if this series was a miniseries or a TV series (It's TV), but it is rather Dickensian in that each episode builds on the previous. And I can pay a series no higher complement than to say that the conflict resolutions are neither trite nor perfunctory. Many allusions to historically accurate events, politicians, and contemporary culture are weaved into the storylines. I feel that I learned more about English classism and social mores from the "Duchess" & the Bentinck Hotel than from my semester abroad in London.
If you like period drama (and comedy) & strong, nuanced heroines with many battles to fight, then you will like "The Duchess of Duke Street." This series stands the test of time. My only complaint is that I did not learn much about the culinary arts, but the writing is so above standard that my complaint is rendered inconsequential.
Although this series began filming in 1976 the production values make it difficult to place. The Duchess of Duke Street is comparable in quality to BBC's 1979 Pride and Prejudice.

An Outstanding British Period Drama!
Produced and co-written by John Hawkesworth (best known for his role as producer and co-writer of Upstairs Downstairs), The Duchess of Duke Street tells the story of Louisa Leyton Trotter, a young Cockney woman from a working-class background with aspirations of becoming the finest cook in London. The series open in 1900, with Louisa landing a job as a cooking assistant to one of London's finest chefs. It's the chance of a lifetime for her, but her outspokenness threatens to be her downfall.

Nevertheless, she indeed rises to become a first-rate and much-sought-after cook and the proprietor of London's exclusive and very expensive Bentinck Hotel on Duke Street. Louisa owes much to Bertie, the Prince of Wales, with whom she has a brief affair. But she owes the bulk of her success to her own hard work and determination. The series spans some 30 years, throughout which we are privy to everything the hotel has to offer--from encounters involving aristocrats to the personal problems of the servants. Of course, it is Louisa's life that is at the forefront, and she must make some tough choices as she deals with crises of her own at both a professional and a personal level.

A feisty and independent young woman, Louisa is more than capable of taking care of herself, and she's played to absolute perfection by Gemma Jones. So convincing is she as Louisa Trotter that it's impossible to imagine anyone else in the role. As a point of interest, the character was based on a real-life individual named Rosa Lewis, a mistress of the Prince of Wales who set up a London hotel called the Cavendish. She died in 1952 and was personally known to John Hawkesworth.

Louisa is joined by a motley group at the hotel. The oldest servant, a butler named Mr. Merriman, came with the hotel when she bought it. He's a perennially wingeing old codger who one expects will keel over at any given moment. Then there's the new doorman, the mysterious Mr. Starr, with his trademark squeaky shoes and fox terrier Fred (upon whose supposedly unerring judgement Starr bases his opinion of potential guests!). Another fixture on the show is the Major (Richard Vernon of Sandbaggers), a decent and well-connected but destitute old war horse for whom the Bentinck has become home. Of course, one mustn't forget Louisa's right hand, the devoted Welsh servant, Mary; or Charlie Tyrrell, Lord Haslemere, a man with a permanent residence at the Bentinck and to whom Louisa owes much. In addition to the regulars, fans of British television will enjoy guest appearances by Robert Hardy (All Creatures), Anthony Andrews (Brideshead Revisited), and Joanna David, amongst others.

The series was produced between 1978 and 1980, and the entire series is presented in two video boxed sets. The series was originally televised in episodes of roughly 50 minutes each. For some reason, when releasing the series on video the BBC decided to run three episodes together on each tape, thus creating one long episode of approximately 150 minutes per tape. The editing, however, is beautifully done--apart from a gentle shift in the storyline (ie. old characters gone and new ones arriving), it is impossible to tell where one episode ends and another begins. Overall, the quality of the videos is excellent.

In conclusion, this is one of the best period dramas ever produced. Fans of British period dramas in general--of shows like Upstairs Downstairs, for example--are sure to enjoy it. But I'd go so far as to recommend it to anyone looking for a captivating, well-written, and consummately-acted series. This truly is quality entertainment at its very best!

From the Golden Age of Masterpiece Theater
This series is from the golden age of masterpiece theater. The characters are multidimentional and played by extremely talented actors and actresses. It was television worth watching which exists today, but oh so hard to find. If you liked series like Poldark and Upstairs Downstairs, you'll treasure this as well. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

In 1996, composer, producer, and guitar legend Ry Cooder entered Egrem Studios in Havana with the forgotten greats of Cuban music, many of them in their 60s and 70s, some of them long since retired. The resulting album, Buena Vista Social Club, became a Grammy-winning international bestseller. When Cooder returned to Havana in 1998 to record a solo album by 72-year-old vocalist Ibrahim Ferrer, filmmaker Wim Wenders was on hand to document the occasion. Wenders splits the film between portraits of the performers, who tell their stories directly to the camera as they wander the streets and neighborhoods of Havana, and a celebration of the music heard in performance scenes in the studio, in their first concert in Amsterdam, and in their second and final concert at Carnegie Hall. The songs are too often cut short in this fashion, but Buena Vista Social Club is not a concert film. Wenders weaves the artist biographies with a glimpse of modern Cuba remembering its past, capturing a lost culture in music that is suddenly, unexpectedly revived for audiences in Havana and around the world. Wenders makes his presence practically invisible, as if his directorial flourishes or off-screen narration might deflect attention from the artists, who do a fine job of telling their own stories through interviews and music. It's a loving portrait of a master class in Cuban music, with a vital cast of aging performers whose energy and passion belie their years.--Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (113)

So much talent. The spirit of music in the raw!
After all that's been said about the Grammy award winner album by Ry Cooder, I had to watch this superb documentary. They were right, this film deserves, also an award. Reknown musician and singer Ry Cooder sits back as Dream Team coach and lets this long forgotten talents of cuban music tell him naturally their stories, like Ibrahim Ferrer's recording debut at age 72 or Compay Segundo's 90 year old romance intentions. The heartwarming side of this film probably is the chance that this very talented singers and musicians have to fulfill every musician's dream concert: full house attendance at the legendary Carnegie Hall and Amsterdam. They also get to know the Big Apple and display child-like innocence and awe. One of the mayor acheivements of the film is how Wim Wenders blends the cuban studio and city shots with the actual concerts in N.Y. and Amsterdam. This is Not a concert though. All the songs are blended with interviews or Havanna scenaries.The video quality is very good, but don't expect IMAX or so. The sound quality is impecable and there are some extras (a couple of full songs). If you want an experience beyond ethnic music (which is great) but into ethnic discovery (which is grater) buy this gem.

LIVING LEGENDS
Directed by the german director Wim Wenders, THE BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB has received the 1999 best european documentary award. And please, take my word for granted, this movie deserves it. And more. Forget Martin Scorsese's THE LAST WALTZ and visit THE BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB !

In 1998, the well-known american guitarist Ry Cooder decides to go to Cuba and to record his new CD with cuban musicians. After a few days in the island, he discovers that a certain number of the musicians who made the Cuban sound of the 1930's and the 1940's are still alive. Hypnotized by these legends like Ibrahim Ferrer and Compay Segundo, he produces the record THE BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB with these old guys and organizes two concerts with them, one in Amsterdam and the other at the Carnegie Hall, in New-York.

These concerts, along with the studio sessions in La Havana, are the spine of the movie. Interviews with the members of this one-and-only record group in their homes, visits of the heart of La Havana are also going to capture your heart. I'm not a specialist of central america music but I was profoundly moved by these old timers who are certainly the fathers of a great part of what we are listening today.

One can also feel the respect of Wim Wenders before these men and women who have preferred to stay, poor and forgotten, in their beloved island, rather than to seek fortune in the U.S.A.

Oh yes ! I forgot. The music and the songs are wonderful. Extras are great, so is the quality of the images and the sound. Attention DVD Empire : it's a widescreen format (1:66). Overall, the DVD deserves the perfect 5.

A DVD for your library.

Quit grousing, it's fun and great music!! Share discographys
I was "introduced" to the Latin music by my Brazilian neighbor, but give Ry Cooder his due folks. Most of these marvelous Cuban musicians would still be only memories of your Grandparents had Cooder and Wender (sp)? not put the recordings and DVD together. Documentary or concert tape? who cares? I loved the music and since I've never been to Havana or Cuba, the video section of Ry and his son putting along on their motorcycle thru the city's streets to the recording studio were wonderful background for me.
Am I going to quit searching for Cuban / Latin music because I "found" Buena Vista Social Club? Hell no... I'm looking for more!! Does Ry Cooder's steel guitar work blend in with the Cuban sounds? Ahhh... Who cares? How much Gerry Garcia / Jimi Hendrix crap did we have to listen to... to get to the meat of their talent?
Give it a rest folks.. Or better yet- share some of the discographys of your favorite Latin players, young and old!!
THAT would be really fun!
But quit whining

The tapestry of life through their music
A previous writer's comment, "The movie needs a story, a thread going all the way through," illustrates a major difference between North American and Hispanic thinking. While those of northern European descent tend to think and talk in a more or less linear fashion, as if following just one thread, Hispanics tend to think and talk as if weaving a tapestry of many threads. This film captures perfectly the tapestry effect in that you are not aware that a story is being told until the final scene at Carnegie Hall, when the impact, and the import, of the entire picture becomes crystal clear. You have to be comfortable with not knowing exactly where you are to handle this kind of exposition. If this is not a story of excellence forgotten and rediscovered, I don't know what it is. These people give me hope; their lives tell so many important stories! If I can create half the beauty in my old age as they do and have done with their music, I'll consider myself successful and fulfilled, indeed.

Musically Solid
The film captures the live peformance of the wonderful musicians that were featured on the CD. From this perspective it is well worth owning. The ability to see Compay Segundo and Eliades ochoa perform Chan Chan live ,for example, is incredible.

The documentary style and the scenes of streetlife in Havana are also very colorful and entertaining,

However I must agree with some of the other reviewers that there is something off about Ry Cooder. I respect him for bringing this wonderful music and these artists the recognition they deserve but his attititude on film does seem strange and his guitar playing does not fit with some of the tunes. At one point he is performing with Rueben Gonzalez , the great Cuban pianist, and he sounds so out of place. In fact Gonzalez looks up from the keyboard with a look on his face that seemed to me to be saying."what are you doing?"

I guess Cooder might have made the choice to let the music of Cuba speak for itself and just be content to film it but he chose instead to feature himself too frequently for my taste.
That aside , this is still a fine documentary and a must for anyone who enjoys latin music. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Worth every cent!
Having watched a substantial number of documentaries on nature and the development and diversity of life on earh, amongst them some excellent titles from IMAX, I have to say that is probably THE BEST I have seen.

This title covers just about every life form known to man, from the highest peaks of the Himalayas to the deepest troughs in the Atlantic ocean. The magnitude of what is presented is astounding, but still not overwhelming. Combined with the lively and interesting commentary by renowned ecologist Sir David Attenborough, this is one of those videos that will keep you spellbound for its entire length, after which you will be sorry that is has ended. Then al the more reason to watch it again . . .

The video starts with the beginning of life on earth, and how the continents were formed. Then it shows how previously barren, lifeless areas on earth (like Mount St Helens and Krakatau) are slowly being re-colonised by plant and animal life, just like it was done millions of years ago.

The video then proceeds to explore the different kinds of life forms on earth, and their relevance to their world.

This title is certainly not the cheapest around, but it certainly is worth every cent that you spend on it. What's more, is that it manages to be interesting to both young (pre-school) viewers, as well as those a little older in life.

Buy this video and enjoy it - you won't regret it!

Living Planet Ideal for teachers
The video covers virtually every representative of life on earth and all the Kingdoms of living organisms. I used the series when teaching in South Africa to cover the Invertebrate and Vertebrate sections of Biology as that can get to be pretty dry just talking about the subject. I highly recomend it as a teaching tool and for general enjoyment. The highlight is David Atenborough's engaging style of commentary.

Life-altering
Seemingly ignored and unshown in the US, 'The Living Planet' was the second of the BBC's massive David Attenborough natural history series, after 'Life on Earth'. It's essentially a 12X50m long, gorgeously-photographed and intelligently-narrated documentary on all life on the planet Earth, with some fabulous New Age music, but done well. At this price it's obviously not an impulse purchase, so unless it has been shown on PBS or something you probably won't buy it, which is a shame. Hopefully the BBC will release it on DVD at some point. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

This is the restored, 209-minute director's cut of Wolfgang Petersen's harrowing and claustrophobic U-boat thriller, which was theatrically rereleased in 1997. Originally made as a five-hour miniseries, this version devotes more time to getting to know the crew before they and their stoic captain (Jürgen Prochnow) get aboard their U-boat and find themselves stranded at the bottom of the sea. Das Boot puts you inside that submerged vessel and explores the physical and emotional tensions of the situation with a vivid, terrifying realism that few movies can match. As Petersen tightens the screws and the submerged ship blows bolts, the pressure builds to such unbearable levels that you may be tempted to escape for a nice walk on solid land in the great outdoors--only you wouldn't dream of looking away from the screen. --Jim Emerson ... Read more

Reviews (239)

Subperb Movie
I consider Wolfgang Petersen as one of the most talented visionary directors in the history of the cinema. 'Das Boot' is an instant classic and one of the greatest movies I have ever had the honor of viewing. The atmosphere, characters, situations, and attention to detail make this movie a must watch...especially since the DVD has English dubbing for you non German speakers. The story is simple...but OH So powerfull. A submarine sets off from port on its dangerous voyage of seek-and-destroy. At first, the mariners are eager and youthful...but as time passes and they sink their first ship, they become aware of the horrors of war and age into old men from within. Soon after, they receive a special order to penetrate the narrow Gibraltar Strait and thus set off for what has become one of the most memorable collection of events in movie history.

'Das Boot' captures the dissilusionment that grows like the mold within the submarine, the horror of the submarine moniker 'floating coffins', and the human spirit that prevails.

If this movie does not touch you, if this movie does not move you, if this movie does not inspire you, then you must be cold- dead.

REAL, POWERFUL DESPITE CRAMPED FEEL & CHEESY DUBBING
Be warned, regardless of the paeans you've heard sung to the movie, it is very 80s. It will begin VERY slowly, and won't let up until the end. A quasi-documentary format doesn't really do much to assuage the expectations you may have from a real Movie either.

We watch like bystanders as a German crew steers a U-Boat into the war. The movie is almost entirely indoors (inside a U-Boat, i.e.) which lends it an extremely cramped feel. Filmed in steadycam, the picture moves straight across the claustrophobic hall of the submarine. There is barely enough place for one man to stand and this feeling is expertly conveyed to film thanks to Jost Vacano's excellent cinematography.

As you may imagine with any movie of this general cadre, the theme actually couches a strong anti-war message. Our protagonist Capitain may have been under the reign of Hitler, but he didn't really look up to him. Barbs at almost everything related to the Fuerer abound. The strongest message is delivered in the film's denouement when the crew of our U-Boat faces the biggest dilemma: to save the drowning enemy men because they are human beings, or to let them shrivel and die because they are enemies. Poignant!

Caveats:

(1) A lot of the miniseries look blatantly filmed in a studio, nearly like like the opening sequence of Gilligan's Island. As much as I admire the realism, these cheesy effects do bring down the movie.

(2) If you don't mind subtitles, then watch the movie in its original Deutsche with English subtitles. The English dubbing is horrendous.

(3) Like all documentaries, there isn't much place for character development. Most of the characters are basically one-note and have little to no personality.

None of this undermines the sheer power of the movie's message, and the claustrophobia conveyed on film. I wonder if the flick is as legendary as it is toted to be, but it's a must-have gem in any true war-movies collection.

Best War Movie Ever!!!
This is most definetly the best war movie I have ever seen. I have never seen anyone that has not taken interest in war after watching this movie. I have seen this movie many times and each time I learn something new. It is interesting to see how the other side was during WWII. I recommend this movie for anyone that has time to watch it.

The ultimate submarine movie
Ok. Step one, turn out all lights and isolate any external sound. Step two, crank the subwoofer UP. Step three, set the language to "german." Step four, get a couple of buckets of seawater to pour over one's head at the proper scene (this is optional).

No other submarine movie comes remotely close to depicting the claustrophobia and violence of undersea warfare as Das Boot. Before the movie, I had little sense of the suicidal missions that thousands of German seaman were subjected to even in the early years of WW2 - and for that matter, the equally ruthless way that speeding Allied convoys left the crews of sinking ships behind to freeze and drown in the North Atlantic. It was a particular act of courage and skill for the director to confine most of the action into a literal steel tube barely tall enough to stand in.

Das Boot MUST be watched in the original German, much like Pat Buchannan's "Kulturkampf" speech as the 1996 Republican Convention. For weeks after the seeing the movie the first time, I kept hearing "Alla-a-a-r-m!" and the ka-BWANG of exploding depth charges. Jurgen Prochmow has been wasted in a number of movies (e.g. "Dune"), but he beats out Connery, Gable and the rest as the best Captain around, alternatively ruthless and caring for his men.

This movie is so head and shoulders above subseqeunt films like U-571, any comparison would diminish the accolades this movie deserves.

The best epic german film ever made
Wolfang Petersen may be proud for all the eternity by this achievement. This film (just ten millions dollars in 1981)is a superb film.
You know so well when you're in front a masterpiece. That sensation which remains in your mind and your soul , a must reference and above all, it becomes an unforgettable memory in your brain.
The film is full of tension; claustrophobic, dramatic and powerfully haunting. The sequences of action are very well made; the script is very related to the book.The cast is outstanding. The handle of camera is BREATHTAKING, the camera is a sliding eye, nervous, it retains the anguish, the hopeless and that deathly taste you feel when you share the destiny of these man under that huge water pressure.
That film broke the walls of the standard market and soon became from 1982 in a classic film.
The question about if this film is anti war film is out of discussion. I don't think even if this issue is important. You must feel the evil experience of these men sent to a almost safe death in a sea surrounded by enemies forces.
Watch this movie.
And you'll understand why U-571 even his special effects is just a worthy tribute to Das Boot, the masterpiece of Wolfang Petersen. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This film was a touchstone of the late 1960s, when it was seen as an antiwar allegory for a world in which madness seemed to reign. Of course, that would probably be true whenever this movie was shown, wouldn't it? Directed by Philippe de Broca and set during World War I, King of Hearts stars Alan Bates as a Scottish soldier separated from his unit in France. He wanders into a small French village that has been abandoned by its residents in the face of oncoming combat. Instead, the town is populated by the residents of a nearby insane asylum, whose keepers have fled--a fact that escapes the innocent soldier, who assumes these are the regular folks. A film that celebrates the innocence and wisdom of the insane, even as it questions who the real madmen are. --Marshall Fine ... Read more

Reviews (30)

wonderful.
This is a movie everyone should see. I know that everyone always writes that, but I really mean it. I've never seen another movie like it in my whole life. there's something hauntingly, charmingly true about it. The story is set in 1918, in a small french town that has been evacuated because there's a bomb hidden. A scottish soldier is sent in to disable it, but he doesn't know where it's hidden or when it's going to go off. Accidentally freeing all the inmates of the insane asylum who've been left (by the fleeing townspeople) in the town, the soldier finds himself stuck among them, trying to convince them to leave, but having no luck. the inmates are irresistibly lovable, carefree, full of wisdom and completely free of all societal restraints. it's impossible not to fall in love with the world they create in the evacuated town. I think the movie is only made better by being in another language: reading the subtitles, you can imagine the characters saying the lines in any way that you want. French is such a beautiful language: that, combined with the unobtrusive music, makes for a film strangely silent and beautiful. It makes me cry. Please go watch it. It's definitely one of my favorites.

Enchanting fantasy; topical allegory; classic movie
A fairy tale set in a French town caught between the opposing armies of the First World War, "King of Hearts" has lost none of its beguiling charm in the 35 years since its original release, nor has its message grown stale. Alan Bates shines as Charles Plumpick, a simple private in a Scottish regiment and perhaps the only sane man in the abandoned town. But is his world of war and brutality really any saner than the make-believe world conjured up by the escaped inmates of the town lunatic asylum, the only residents Private Plumpick encounters during his reconaissance? It is a point of view that depends entirely on one's perspective. This whimsical, gentle tale challenges the watcher to reexamine what constitutes true madness, just as the asylum characters force Pvt. Plumpick, having been to his initial discomfort acclaimed as the King of Hearts, to choose which role he prefers: king of the fools or fool for King George V? Broca directs his own screenplay with a deft touch and using a stellar cast of mostly French actors. A very young Genevieve Bujold makes one of her earliest appearances in a major picture. The English subtitles aren't the best I've seen (and unlike the VHS version, are distractingly present even during English dialogue), but far better than the awful English-dubbed version of "King of Hearts" that is sometimes broadcast or sold. (The best subtitles I have ever seen were on a print that circulated around theatres during the 1970s and 1980s, but I've never seen this version used for home video.) The score by Georges Delerue is one of his best.

Quelle Surprise! This DVD version has, without fanfare, at least two entirely new scenes in the film that I have never seen before (and I first saw this in 1977). The first is a lengthier "homily" by Monseigneur Marguerite (aka Bishop Daisy) in the church before Charles' coronation. But the real grabber is an added scene at the very end of the movie that offers a parting glance at the primary players and a final bittersweet twist. Where on earth did this footage come from, and why has it been missing from this film for so long? Does this DVD version offer a "better" ending than the familiar one? It's debateable. But it's certainly intriguing.

Best Ending Ever!
This movie has the very best ending ever. I'd like to see someone try and find a more surprising, happier, funnier ending than this one. The loonies are in town and they've found their king and my heart. This movie takes the bag. It's my father's very favorite movie and one of mine. I definitely recommend this movie.

A buck-naked skip with birdcage!
This gem should hit many different emotions for the avid viewer. A true parade of carnival characters set in an antiwar theme -- this bit of royalty of the heart brings up aTHE enigma: Is the difference between psychosis and psychic just a paper-thin line of cultural subjectivism? Is the lunacy of blowing up yet another vacant city on the path to glory any different that skipping naked down a path with a birdcage in one's hand?

This film started the boomers reading subtitles and (hopefully) brought them out of their fears of foreign film. (Don't get the dubbed version, it lacks so much charm.) Its popularity had a great deal to do with the country's mass-consciousness about the Viet Nam war; but I hope it would have found the same audience without such a catalyst.

One feels like dancing in a fountain and blowing bubbles on the back of a bus after seeing this great flick. Keep a kazoo handy; you'll want to have something to toot after the film is over and you are left to your organized sanity!

Better yet, follow it up with the 1972 release of "The Ruling Class" and have yourself a truly insane evening of jocularity.

Is there something extra on this DVD?
King of Hearts was, in my younger and more vulnerable years, one of my favorite movies, but I had not seen it in many years. In fact, I'd rather forgotten about it. Then I came across the DVD and bought it and watched it again. Still a great movie, but I was puzzled. My recollection was the final scene of the movie is Plumpick (Alan Bates) appearing at the gate of the asylum naked. Then the credits began (rather abruptly as I recollect). In the DVD, however, there is a short scene after this where Bates has joined the inmates and there is a brief exchange of dialog. I don't recall ever seeing this before, but maybe my memory is foggy. No one else seems to have mentioned this either in ... of IMDB, nor does the DVD tout a restored scene. Can anyone tell me if they recall this scene? ... Read more

Amazon.com

The extended edition of The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers adds 43 minutes to the theatrical version's 179-minute running time, and there are significant, valuable additions to the film.Two new scenes might appease those who feel that the characterization of Faramir was the film's most egregious departure from the book, and fans will appreciate an appearance of the Huorns at Helm's Deep plus a nod to the absence of Tom Bombadil.Seeing a little more interplay between the gorgeous Eowyn and Aragorn is welcome, as is a grim introduction to Eomer and Theoden's son.And among the many other additions, there's an extended epilogue that might not have worked in the theater, but is more effective here in setting up The Return of the King.While the 30 minutes added to The Fellowship of the Ring felt just right in enriching the film, the extra footage in The Two Towers at times seems a bit extraneous--we see moments that in the theatrical version we had been told about, and some fleshed-out conversations and incidents are rather minor.But director Peter Jackson's vision of J.R.R. Tolkien's world is so marvelous that it's hard to complain about any extra time we can spend there. The first two installments of Peter Jackson's trilogy have established themselves as the best fantasy films of all time, and among the best film trilogies of all time, and their extended editions have set a new standard for expanding on the already-epic films.--David Horiuchi ... Read more

Reviews (1869)

Stupendous!
"They don't make movies like that any more." This is reference to Cecil B. DeMille's spectacular remake of THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. I mention one of the few universally acclaimed film epics of all time because with THE LORD of THE RINGS-THE TWO TOWERS,
Director Peter Jackson has staked unchallengable claim to motion picture immortality. Visually the movie is staggering in technological excellence. It seamlessly combinines sweeping photographic grandeur with superlative integration of CGI and modelwork(Claymation & Superdynamation)that humbles even the work
of IL&M, and would have made Ray HarryHausen proud.

Thematically, the story is truly grand and has raised film making--again--to the level of Mythological. Those familiar with Tolkien's literary epic--with rare exception--have been astounded by this director's monumental artistry in cinematically incarnating one of the greatest "stories" ever written.The cast(humans;creatures; monsters;)is brilliantly essayed.(Sean Astin deserves particular recognition as Frodo's "guardian" friend, SAMWISE). The complex plotting is clearly delineated;and ACTION(quest development;battles; epic romance interludes)ranges from apocalyptic to majestic. THE LORD of THE RINGS-THE TWO TOWERS magnificently continues what was begun in THE FELLOWSHIP of THE RING. Peter Jackson has created a unique work of film making that is both artistically wonderous and breath taking entertainment.It is a stupendous achievement.(10 Stars)

Incredibly, once again, Peter Jackson does the impossible
From gliding through the Misty Mountains and reliving Gandalf's battle with the Balrog to the Battle of Helm's Deep, the climactic scene of The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, I think that, even though Frodo Baggin's (Elijah Wood) quest is still unfulfilled, a group of hard-working New Zealanders have once again created an epic adventure confection of a movie, full of fantasy, courage, imagination and flair. J.R.R. Tolkien would not have been disappointed.

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, since is a continuing of a story, doesn't stop to introduce us to the quest or the characters from the first part, The Fellowship of the Ring. Beginning right where the first left off, Frodo (Elijah Wood) and Sam (Sean Astin) must continue their quest to Mount Doom and destroy the evil One Ring. Hunting them done is the rascal Gollum (Andy Serkis) but promises to lead them in to Mordor secretely. In Fangorn Forest, captured hobbits Merry (Dominic Monaghan) and Pippin (Billy Boyd) escape from the Orcs and are rescued by Treebeard (voiced by John Rhys-Davies), an ancient ent.

Meanwhile, Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen), Legolas (Orlando Bloom) and Gimli (John Rhys-Davies) enter the country of Rohan. After the miraculous return of Gandalf (Ian McKellan), the four see King Theoden (Bernard Hill). But the king isn't doing too well. He's doing practically everything his servant Grima Wormtongue (Brad Dourif) is telling him. Wormtongue is in league with Saruman (Christopher Lee) and therefore is kicked out of Rohan. Aragorn, Gandalf and Theoden must discuss Rohan's plans to counter Saruman and Sauron.

Saruman is preparing for war, as we've also seen in The Fellowship of the Ring. He has been crossing orcs with goblins, breeding the dreadful Uruk-Hai to launch against Men of Gondor and Rohan. Gondor has it's own problems holding off Sauron's evil army. It all comes down to Saruman against the country of Rohan: A war of 10,000 Uruk-Hai against hundreds of Rohan people. Can Men claim a victory against Barad-dur and Orthanc, the union of the Two Towers?

The Two Towers, for me at least, had a quicker pace and sharper sense of movement than the more-episodic Fellowship of the Ring. Peter Jackson easily presents a film that will keep your attention for the full three hours. In many ways, The Two Towers is a much livlier film than it's predecessor. It takes a deeper look into it's character's own problems, dreams and future, covering many subjects: The war for Rohan, the war for Gondor, the war for the ents, and possibly the most important, the fate of the One Ring.

If The Fellowship of the Ring was a beautiful-looking movie, The Two Towers easily surpasses it visually. With the use of a program called MASSIVE, Peter Jackson and company takes flawless computer animation and simplistically adds it to real-life to create a stunning world. The Battle of Helm's Deep is one of the most memorable scenes of all time, while it uses a fantastic blend of live-action and computer animation. I say it's already got the Best Visual Effects Oscar in the bag. Not just because of the CGI, but with the camera trickery to make the hobbits small and the great backdrops.

I am appalled by the number of reviewers saying that this isn't faithful to Tolkien's book. Everyone should know that books and film are two different media, and should be treated as such. Many things in Tolkien's story would've gone horribly wrong on screen. As Peter Jackson said, if you were to film LOTR page by page, faithful to everything, what you would get is a mess. Many don't realize that what works in a book will NOT work on film. Be happy that you actually have a LOTR movie. Many filmmakers would not have been up to transferring Tolkien's story to the big screen. Jackson did make a few unnessesary changes, but he's a brave filmmaker to actually take on LOTR and still make something this good. Quit whining.

It might need a bit more humanity, but I'd say the chemistry between characters is much more alive and vivid in The Two Towers than with The Fellowship of the Ring. The relationship shared by Gollum and Frodo, or more importantly, Gollum and Sam, works wonderfully. Aragorn trying to convince King Theoden to go to war and the characterization involving Gimli was exceptionally. The Return of the King will see a lot more of this.

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers continues Tolkien's trilogy with very few missteps. It is on every count as good as the first, and in many ways, even better. It could possibly be the most sinister film ever, a banquet of monsters and beasts. It's doing so much better at the box-office than the first, and it easily surpasses it in spectacle. It's still unclear how it will do at the Oscars. Being a sequel, it might not get nominated for Best Picture. However, I'd say it has already sweeped the technical awards. It certainly deserves it.

This is the best of the three!!
Usually, the second movie in a trilogy is the weakest. It doesn't have the freshness of the first movie or the finality of the final movie. The Two Towers, however, is the exception to the rule. For lack of a better phrase, it rocks!!! The extra material included in this extended version DVD really fleshes out the movie. After you watch it you'll wonder why Peter Jackson left it out; it makes the movie complete. The fight scenes at Helm's Deep are great, and you forget that a lot of what you're seeing is computer generated. Several new characters are introduced, but you feel like you've known them all along. The best part of the movie is the addition of a Boromir/Faramir scene. Of course, I could be biased. I love Boromir (Sean Bean). This movie is a cinematic masterpiece. It's great!!!

Excellent
Not just pasting in deleted scenes, this version was assenmbled from scratch with additional material that add to the depth of this movie. THIS is the version to buy for watching at home.

You haven't seen LOTR until you've seen this!
OMG! I love this movie so much, I never put it back in the case...it's always in the dvd player. If you at all liked the original theatrical version, you HAVE to get the extended version. The addded footage completes the story and fills in character developement. And you HAVE to listen to the cast commentary. Dom and Billy are hilarious. And the bonus disks are well worth the money. Forget that...added Viggo footage makes it WELL worth it. Plus, the box is beautiful. ... Read more

Description

Some suburban households have two cars. Some have two houses. But Tony Soprano has two families. This could be why the FBI is going to such lengths to wiretap his home. Why the son of his dear late friend Jackie Aprile is causing him such agita. Why a Russian housekeeper is searching for her missing leg. Why his son is vandalizing school property and his daughter is getting her heart broken. Why his wife Carmela is both consulting a psychiatrist and confessing to a priest. And it's also why Tony Soprano is still seeing Dr. Melfi for his anxiety attacks. It isn't easy heading-up the mob in New Jersey. But that's what puts dinner on the table for the two families of Tony Soprano. ... Read more

Reviews (85)

A series that just gets better and better.
The third series of 'The Sopranos' consolidates the brilliance of the first two, rather than taking it in any radically new directions. The characters, their relationships and their environment are so strong; the dramatic irony between our sympathy with and enjoyment of these people, and our knowledge of their brutal and unhypocritically presented crimes, is so complex, that any blatant originality merely for the sake of it would be a betrayal.

But, because the central components are so strong, there is plenty of room for play - in the way narratives are set up to encourage then defy expectations; in the interplay with canonical gangster texts, especially 'The Godfather'; in the consistently creative use of music - for mood and to emphasise character, yes, but also to create ironic distance, to add montages of 'commentary' over the stories, to connect apparently disparate scenes, to add a depth of texture. Because it is in texture that 'The Sopranos' has really developed - the recklessly confident film-making; the layered scripts; the rich dialogue; and the knowing acting combine to create programmes of truly, yes, operatic density.

There are a number of new plot developments in this series - Meadow goes to Columbia University; the FBI (in a supremely funny handful of episodes) attempt to bug the Sopranos; the Russian mafia grow in menacing importance; Janice takes up with a Christian musician; Anthony Jr. becomes increasingly unmanagable at school and at play, but proves an unexpectedly skilful footballer; Ralph (Joe Pantoliano) replaces Richie Aprile as the major made-guy thorn in Tony's side; Carmela feels increasingly guilty about her mob-financed luxury; Tony begins an affair with a beautiful, smart, successful car saleswoman (Anabella Sciorra) who has even more mental problems than he. Most crucial for the series is the role of Jackie Aprile Jr., college-mitching son of Tony's former mob boss and best friend, who wants to see some of the criminal action, and starts dating Meadow as a spectacularly misjudged entree. The major weakness of the second series - the tokenistic continuation of the Dr. Melfi framing scenes long after they've outrun their dramtic usefulness - is corrected by both bringing the psychotherapist (dangerously) closer to Tony's life, and by having Carmela join in the sessions, to comic effect.

There is a brooding, elegiac feel to the series, with Tony thinking not just about his mother, but his dead friends, Pussy's actions in the last series, and the future possibilities open to the younger generation. If nothing else, Series 3 boasts the best-ever episode of 'The Sopranos', directed by one Steve Buscemi, which begins farcically, with Paulie and Christopher accidentally killing an irate Russian, and bungling the disposal of his body in a snow-wasted forest; before turning into a nightmare, as they lose their bearings after the corpse runs off, and they are stranded in the middle of nowhere. Loosened from the secure ties and identity-affirmation of family and Family, the episode brilliantly encapsulates what's at stake in the series, as unforgettably as the immortal 'Seinfeld' episode when the quartet can't find their car in the shopping mall car park.

Oddly compelling despite subject matter
The third season of HBO's acclaimed Sopranos continues the established tradition of this film-quality television series. The Sopranos are a fairly normal suburban New Jersey family except that the father, Tony, is the head of an organized crime organization. In the third season, Tony's mother Livia dies (as did the actress that portrayed her, Nancy Marchand), daughter Meadow goes off to Columbia University, son Anthony, Jr. struggles to stay in high school, and Tony's mobster friends continue with their regular business ventures. James Gandolfini's portrayal of Tony is always at the heart of the series' success. He is able to pull off the difficult task of being likeable as a suburban father while simultaneously cheating on his wife and killing people. People I know who don't usually care for onscreen sex, violence, and foul language are irrestibly drawn to this series because of its compelling performances, professional direction and screenwriting, and long-spanning story arcs. There is a large cast of supporting characters whose stories progress as the audience becomes more familiar with them, as in a daytime soap opera. Of course, some of them get whacked. Actually, the third season has considerably less killing and nudity than the first two. But the profanity continues in full force. This is not material suitable for the kiddies. To me the best aspect of the content of this series is the way it examines the themes of integrity, responsibility, and especially loyalty. There is a perverse sense of justice when a disloyal mobster is "disappeared" by the collective efforts of his mob family. The DVD extras are very slight. The featurette is very short but does offer a chance to hear the actor who portrays Furio speak without his Italian accent. The audio commentaries by actor/screenwriter Michael Imperioli, director (better known as an actor, though not of Sopranos) Steve Buscemi, and creator David Chase are among the least informative I have ever heard. Buscemi, one of my favorite actors, is entirely too humble and deferential to the set-in-place Sopranos powers-that-be to deliver any sort of authority on his commentary. But despite the lack of substantive DVD extras, this package is well worth watching to those who like competently delivered episodic television. But do definitely start with the first season!

My Favorite Season of the Sopranos
I'm a great fan of the series and have all four seasons on DVD and just finishing watching 5 on HBO. The third season is my favorite by far. Some reasons why:

The introduction of Ralphie Cifaretto to the show (played outstandingly by Joe Pantoliano), the hilarious and well acted Pine Barrens episode, the great chemistry and high drama between Tony Soprano & Gloria Trullo (Anabella Sciorra), and Jason Cerbone as Jackie Aprile (nice plot line involving him and besides he's great eye candy), the return of Janice, Carmella's scene in the male psychiatrist's office when she briefly confronts the reality of her life.

It's just fantastic and like the entire show so far, it's a must see. Although some were disappointed with Season 5 and truthfully it could have been better, the Sopranos continues to be complex and quality TV. It's more than just a mob show, for sure.

BADA BING...BADA BOOM...
If you are looking at this review, you probably already have the first and second season. All I can tell you is that the third season is as good, if not better, than the first and second. This is truly one of the best series ever to have graced the television screen. Leave it to HBO to have come up with such an engaging, well-written, well-acted, and totally addictive series.

There are some major plot developments this season. Starting off slowly, the first episode chronicles the synchronized, often comical efforts of the FBI, which is trying to get an electronic surveillance bug in place in the Soprano's household. The season then heats up considerably from thereon.

Livia Soprano, Tony's wicked mother and a canker in her children's lives, dies, bringing daughter Janice back from where she had fled, after she had bumped off her manic boyfriend, Richie Aprile, last season. Janice returns with a narcoleptic, musician boyfriend who is the antithesis of Richie. As always, Janice likes to stir up trouble, and her mother Livia's wake and funeral services are fertile country for her new machinations and self-importance. When she tries to stir up trouble with Livia's one legged, Russian caregiver, which leaves the caregiver searching for her missing prosthetic leg, however, Janice soon discovers that she has gone too far, and her chickens come home to roost with a vengeance.

Meadow, the Soprano's daughter and eldest child, a college student at Ivy League Columbia University, gets a new boyfriend, Noah Tannenbaum. He is handsome, intelligent, and articulate, and Tony hates him on the spot for reasons the viewer will quickly discern, as Tony pulls no punches with Noah. This will create a certain amount of tension between father and daughter, and an estrangement ensues. When Noah breaks her heart, Jackie Aprile, Jr. is waiting in the wings with her parent's blessing, and Meadow goes from the frying pan into the fire.

Anthony Soprano, Jr., the Sopranos' other angst ridden teenager and youngest child, who has turned out to be an unexpected gridiron wonder, is also sowing his wild oats, getting himself in deep trouble at school, much to his parents' anger and dismay. When Anthony, Jr. continues in this vein, there is a big surprise in store for him, causing him to undergo a major life change. He is not, however, the only Soprano family member to do so.

Tony finds himself head over heels with Gloria, another of Dr. Melfi's patients. A Mercedes car salesperson, Gloria, the new light of Tony's life, is gorgeous, passionate, and a totally loose cannon. She will cause quite a bit of conflict for Tony as their affair heats up, as Gloria likes to fight fire with fire. Gloria has to watch out that she, herself, does not get burned.

Carmela, Tony's long suffering and patient wife, being only human, finds her thoughts increasingly absorbed by Tony's henchman, Furio, the sexy, pony tailed Italian. The problem is that Furio, too, is experiencing deep feelings for Tony's wife, a situation that can only become increasingly dangerous for all concerned. How Furio and Carmela handle their feelings and resolve this potentially dangerous development is of great interest.

Dr. Melfi herself undergoes great personal angst this season, following her violent rape at the hands of a stranger. A very conflicted Dr. Melfi finds herself on the edge of taking a path from which there can be no return. This season also finds Dr. Melfi doing husband/wife tag team counseling with both Tony and Carmela, a venture that provides some comic relief and gives rise to potential conflict of interest.

Meanwhile, Jackie Aprile, Jr., Tony's godson and Meadow's new main squeeze, the deceptively soft spoken and good looking son of the late mob boss, Jackie Aprile, Tony's best friend, is up to no good. Lying through his teeth about everything to everyone, he is misguided by his seriously unstable step-father, mob made man Ralph Cifaretto, who is busy plying both sides of the coin. It seems that Ralph, dissatisfied with the role to which he has been relegated within the family, is doing Tony dirty, going against his wishes at every turn, and the situation with Jackie, Jr. is no exception, a situation that will culminate in heartbreak for all concerned.

Back at the ranch, Tony's other henchmen seem to have their own troubles. Corrado "Uncle Junior" Soprano, the nominal boss of the family, who is kept in check by his nephew Tony, is busy battling cancer and a federal prosecution. Young Christopher Moltisanti, Tony's nephew, gets his long desired promotion, and is told to report to Paulie "Walnuts" Gaultieri. Christopher soon finds out that with Paulie "Walnuts" business is business. Meanwhile, Christopher gets involved in a sideline that bodes ill for him and his fiancee.

When Tony sends a resentful Paulie "Walnuts", accompanied by Christopher, on a mission that should have been that of another, Christopher sees an unexpected side of Paulie. When the mission, involving a member of the Russian mob, goes bad at the hands of an angry Paulie, Christopher discovers that Paulie may not be as stand up a guy as Christopher thought. While this is a terrific episode, very funny in a macabre sort of way, it also cleverly sets up Paulie in a new light for future developments. This particular episode, one of my favorites, is a feather in the cap of actor Stephen Buscemi, who directed it.

These are just some of the highlights of the third season. There is so much more! The writing continues to be intelligent, and the story lines are as well thought out and engrossing as ever. The performances are uniformly stellar. The late, great actress, Nancy Marchand, whose portrayal of the venomous Livia Soprano was a feather in her cap, left a legacy of memories, having died after creating such a memorable character. She will sorely be missed. This third season's attempt to bridge her death and use existing footage and computer effects to create a dialogue between Livia and Tony, however, was misguided, as its effect is a tad ghoulish, as well as disturbing. Nonetheless, I absolutely love this series!

Tony is harder, more killings and rape.
If the last episode of Season Two got you hooked, you're going to be on the edge of your seat for Season Three. The DVD screensaver intro is different than past collections. Special features are also on Disc 1 which leads to cast and filmmakers,series index and DVD-ROM/Weblink. If it has been awile since you've seen Sopranos, it also offers you a Season One and Season Two recap. Actress Nancy Marchand who played "Livia Soprano" died so they used prior footage and also a body double with CGI computerized image of her face to complete the scenes in the second episode (#28) of the Third Season. Tony's psychotherapist is attacked and raped by an Italian (played by Mario Polit) who she thought was Puerto Rican. She tells her husband, but tells everyone else she was in an accident. If you are in the mood for a hilarious episode. Episode #37 (11) is the one. Tony's numbskulls shoot a Commie in the snow-ladden woods. They follow the trail of blood, but no body. They must find the Commie's body. Tony is having a fit. Joe Pantoliano joins the series. Burt Young is in episode #31. The Fourth season of "The Sopranos" is now available on VHS and DVD. ... Read more

Reviews (436)

I love my kitty Cats!
I first saw Cats at my friends house, and I fell in love with it. I still do love it-- I watch it every single day, at least five times! It is the best musical in the entire world. The cast is absolutely SPECTACULAR!!!! Some of my favorites are Aeva May as Demeter, Rosemarie Ford as Bombalurina, Jo Gibb as Rumpleteazer, Leah Sue Morland as Electra, Jo Bingham as Etcetera, Veerle Castelyn as Jemima, Phyllida Crowley Smith as Victoria, Michael Gruber as Munkustrap, Jason Gardiner as Alonzo, Karl Morgan as Pouncival, Drew Varley as Mungojerrie, and, of course, John Partridge as Rum Tum Tugger!!! The twins rule too-- go Tommi and Kaye!!! Anyway....if anybody nice out there has any information about my beloved Cats, whether I listed them above or not, I would REALLY appreciate it if you sent it to me. By the way, did you guys notice that Elaine Paige wrote a little note on this review board?! That is so awesome! If any of you other cast members are out there reading this, I LOVE YOU!!! I would recommend this video to EVERYONE, but young children may require a little parental discretion, since there are a few, um, PG-13 moments. But otherwise, everything about this video is terrific. Gillian Lynne, Andrew Lloyd Webber, and T. S. Eliot are all geniuses beyond their time. This video is well worth the price, and it is a timeless treasure to be enjoyed over and over!!! I'm a jellicle cat--are you?

Excellent
"Mungojerrie and Rumpletezzer have a very strange way of working together and some of time you would say it was luck! and some of the time you would say it was weather"

"Macavity , Macavity theres not one like Macavity there never was a cat of such deceitfullness and suavity he always has an alabi or one or two to spare at what ever time the dead took place Macavity wasnt there"

These are only two of the great songs in the show! it is really really good; great songs, funny, good acting, good dancin!
all around excellent!

Perfect! Excellent! What else can I say...
I love ALW musicals of that includes JCS and many more. My favortie action/fantasy film is Lord Of The Rings, my favortie comedy would go to 13 Going On 30, my favortie romance is Alex & Emma, and my favortie horror-musical is Little Shop Of Horrors. But, my favortie musical would have to be "CATS." Here is the story of how I came to love it: We got this tape in '98 and for 4 yrs. I let it pass me by. It was sometime after my 13th birthday (oh...I'm 14 now!) and I found this sudden urge to watch it. I was a little scared of Macavity, I mean who isn't? But after watching it a few times, I became use to him and fell in love with the musical. Now today, me and my twin watch it all the time. My favortie characters are listed below and the reasons why.
FAVORTIE CHARACTERS
TOMS
_____
1. Rum Tum Tugger- Uh, hello? He's H-O-T, and I love his H-I-P_'-S.!
2. Mungojerrie- Hard to tell why I love this character, is it the way he jolts his tongue out? Or the way he smiles? Or maybe it's the fact that he is brave? Wait, it's all of that! I think it's sweet when he looks at Munkustrap after getting knocked down and then he turns to Macavity and hisses! Awww...He loves Munku. Speaking of which...
3. Munkustrap- He is another hot tom! I think him, Mungo & RTT are the hottest. Not to mention, I love the way he sings!
4. Pouncival- He is so cute! Adorable! And so precious!
5. Alonzo- He is Munkustrap's best friend, I think they might be brothers...Anyhoo, he probably has broken the flirting record, but who cares? I love this tom!
QUEENS
______
1. Demeter- She is everyone's favortie! Of that includes mine, she is so sexy!
2. Jemima- The prettiest kitten out of the tribe, and by- God the sweetest!
3. Rumpleteazer- Brother of Mungo, and so pretty. She has this cute little giggle..which is fun to hear in the video!
4. Electra- THE CUTEST KITTEN IN THE WHOLE TRIBE!!!!!
5. Victoria- She's the lucky one...Did you see who her mate was during TJB?
Well, this sums up my review! I love this musical! I LOVE the characters! And I ADORE the music in it! See this movie, you won't be sorry.
P.S I hate Cassandra!!!

Kids will love it!
I bought this DVD for my 7 year olds birthday, guessing that both she and her 8 year old sister would love it. I can tell you that I wasn't wrong. One week later they are still loving it, in fact they seem to get more out of it each time they watch it. The songs and dance routines are suberb, it's a lot better than I think I imagined it would be.

I'm no great Andrew Lloyd Webber fan, but that's not really the point. I don't think that you need to be to recognise when something is well done. And whilst it may help? to have seen the stage show before, it's clearly not essential to enjoy the DVD. Sometimes it can be the opposite, as people may feel a film version does not live up to their expectations/memories of the live show.

If you are considering buying this then please do, and for goodness sake, do not worry AT ALL about this being unsuitable for children. Some previous reviews commenting on it's unsuitablity for children are way off the mark. I can only imagine they live in households where table cloths are required to reach to the floor, lest young ladies in the house are offended by the sight of the table legs! Unreal...

Lovin the music!
hey musical-lovers,
Im actually yet to see the musical in all its wonders but am currently using one of the songs for a school project and am loving the music! Not to sure how I'd like the real thing but if the mystical tunes are anything to go by, you've got yourself a good source of entertainment. An amateur production of it was put on at my dance school a while ago and it was very impressive without the expenses so if you consider this a reliable source, I'd recommend you and even myself to get out there and see what 'Cats' is all about. Just venting my views. . . but feel free to protest! ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

The most successful public-television miniseries in American history, the 11-hour Civil War didn't just captivate a nation, reteaching to us our history in narrative terms; it actually also invented a new film language taken from its creator. When people describe documentaries using the "Ken Burns approach," its style is understood: voice-over narrators reading letters and documents dramatically and stating the writer's name at their conclusion, fresh live footage of places juxtaposed with still images (photographs, paintings, maps, prints), anecdotal interviews, and romantic musical scores taken from the era he depicts. The Civil War uses all of these devices to evoke atmosphere and resurrect an event that many knew only from stale history books. While Burns is a historian, a researcher, and a documentarian, he's above all a gifted storyteller, and it's his narrative powers that give this chronicle its beauty, overwhelming emotion, and devastating horror. Using the words of old letters, eloquently read by a variety of celebrities, the stories of historians like Shelby Foote and rare, stained photos, Burns allows us not only to relearn and finally understand our history, but also to feel and experience it. --Dave McCoy ... Read more

Reviews (144)

Excellent Introduction
Ken Burns' Civil War is an excellent introduction to the period, told well with style. It's a documentary, not a history book. It is, however, far more accurate and balanced than other Civil War documentaries (such as the History Channel's Civil War Journal).

To hit on a couple of criticisms in other reviews, slavery as a cause of the Civil War is an argument bordering on the level of a holy war, itself. Recent magazine articles and essays have done a good job of discussing it. The result is that both Burns' view and the "Burns' is wrong, it was all about states rights" views are both simplistic. Burns' documentary does a good job of capturing the Southern view of slavery and abolition but he does over state the view of the north as abolitionist. While there were Southern abolitionists and Southern soldiers who didn't care one way or another, Burns shows quite well that without slavery there would have been no war. (The statement that the South only fought for "states rights" was actually championed in the 1880s. If states rights were the only reason for fighting the war, why did the Confederate Constitution prevent any Confederate state from passing a law against slavery, even if that state wanted to abolish it?)

To the point of Grant being the first Lt. General since Washington, Burns is both right and wrong. Winfield Scott was made Lt. General, but it was a brevet (something a little more than honorary) rank. It was a brevet specifically so that Washington would be the only man to have officially held that rank. This changed when Grant was given the rank.

Fine Film
There's no denying that Ken Burns' sweeping documentary of the American Civil War is a success. Through photographs, modern footage of