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Three days in the summer of 1863, at a place called Gettysburg. Although it received a theatrical release, this four-hour depiction of the bloody Civil War battle was shot as a made-for-television film. But no taint of cheapness or shortcuts should stick to this magnificent picture (well, except maybe for those phony-looking mustaches). Based on Michael Shaara's book The Killer Angels, this film takes a refreshingly slow, thorough approach to the intricacies of battle. In ordinary circumstances, those intricacies might seem of importance only to fans of military strategy or Civil War enthusiasts, yet in Gettysburg they come across as the very stuff of life, death, and unexpected heroism. If the film has a problem, it's that it climaxes too early: the first long segment, detailing the struggle of a "civilian soldier," Union Colonel Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain (Jeff Daniels), to hold his ground against long odds, is an enthralling piece of moviemaking. Daniels, in a heartbreaking performance, does his best film work. Other cast members include Tom Berenger, Sam Elliott, and Martin Sheen as Robert E. Lee. Richard Jordan, in his final role, gives a powerhouse performance as Confederate general Lewis A. Armistead. Oh, and you can also try to spot Ted Turner, whose company produced the film, as a Confederate soldier. Writer-director Ronald F. Maxwell seems inspired by the gravity of the battle; long as it is, every moment of Gettysburg is informed by a nobility of purpose. --Robert Horton ... Read more

Reviews (347)

Good History, Good Film
Movies based on history fall into one of two categories. They're either wonderful stories that are flawed on facts (Braveheart, JFK, for example), or they're faithful to the facts but lack drama (The Battle of Britain, produced by Harry Saltzman in the late '60s). This film, written and directed by Ronald F. Maxwell, manages to be fairly accurate storytelling and compelling drama at the same time. That Maxwell's movie embodies these two qualities in an almost four-hour picture is no small feat either.

The movie recreates the pivotal battle of the Civil War, when General Robert E. Lee and the Army of Northern Virginia sought to destroy the Union forces under General George Meade at Gettysburg, a small town in Pennsylvania. Maxwell's towering achievement in this movie, besides the many well-staged battle scenes, is to highlight the personal, emotional anguish of the soldiers on both sides, some of whom had been quite close before the war began. Witness the scene in the tent of General James Longstreet (Tom Berenger) as General Lewis Armistead (Richard Jordan, in one of his last screen roles) speaks emotionally about his friend, General Hancock, who he knows is just over the ridge where they will attack the next day. Tears well up in Jordan's eyes as he recalls the deep affection that he developed for Hancock and his wife many years before.

Gettysburg is not a great movie, but it is a very good one, and well worth viewing for any American who is interested in the war that tore this nation asunder and, in some ways, made it more unified afterwards.

Absolutely excellent film making from a historical novel.
I am writing this review after my review of "Gods and General." I realized the measure of any subsequent movie would be "Gettysburg," and the problem is going to be that it is a hard act to follow. Gettysburg is everything a historical novel to movie should be. Start with a Pulitzer prize winning book, "Killer Angels." This is impeccable story telling. On the confederate side, Martin Sheen as Robert E. Lee and Tom Berenger contributed career best performances and compelling chemistry. On the Union side, Jeff Daniels as Colonel Chamberlain, C. Thomas Howell as his brother and Lieutenant, and Kevin Conroy as the tough old Mick Sargeant /veteran, provide the compelling chemistry. Sam Elliot fits the part of a veteran cavalry General perfectly. In fact, I can't think of anyone that fits the part of acting from the saddle better.

If Stonewall Jackson had lived and had surrounded the federal troops at Chancellorsville, the war might have ended. If Lee had listened to Longstreet and withdrew from Gettysburg to high ground of his own choice, he might have won the battle and ended the war. This defensive style of fighting is why Lee earned the nickname "Gray Fox." Lee made the same mistake as Union General Burnside at Fredericksburg in advancing troops uphill against an entrenched enemy while taking canon fire on three sides. If General Meade had pursued Lee out of Gettysburg to where he was backed up against a storm swollen and impassable Potomac River, the war might have ended. Instead, war went on for more than two more years, and the death toll rose to over 615,000 Americans. This section of American history is critically important and what will be a set of three movies will serve a very commendable purpose.

Gettysburg-an exciting and dramatic review of the final days
I absolutely LOVE this movie. Based on the bestselling novel 'The Killer Angels' by Michael Shaara, Gettysburg is an engaging and [MOSTLY accurate] retelling of the events surrounding what was probably the most major battle of the War of Northern Agression (no offense to anyone, I AM a southerner, but I harbor no serious prejudices toward anyone). Some minor details, such as Chamberlain's position during the battle are slightly off, but most of the historical action is dead on. Martin Sheen delivers an excellent performance as Gen. Robert E. Lee. Although this movie was released earlier, 'Gods and Generals' by Jeff Shaara (same name as the book, and Michael Shaara's son) precedes Gettysburg in historical order. Recommended to anyone interested in the American Civil War and history buffs alike.

Greatest Civil War Movie
Gettysburg is by far the best movie on the ACW ever made. I saw it in the theater as a kid and I am still impressed with it. It is much better than Gods and Generals and I think its better than Glory for the simple fact that it shows BOTH sides displaying their own feelings, emotions, and desires. I dont think Sheen was bad as Lee but at the same time I dont think Duvall had enough on screen time to properly compare him to Sheen's performance. Richard Jordan was superb in his performance as Armistead and it is a lasting tribute that his last movie before his death to a brain tumor was so powerful and emotional; sometimes I wonder if Jordan was thinking on his own death while filming those magnificent scenes for the movie.

And a little FYI to settle the harsh criticism of Maxwell picking Sheen as Lee: ROBERT DUVALL WAS MAXWELL'S FIRST CHOICE TO DO LEE IN GETTYSBURG BUT DUVALL WAS UNAVAILABLE AT THE TIME B/C HE WAS FILMING SOME OTHER MOVIE; SO MAXWELL WENT WITH A BACKUP CHOICE OF MARTIN SHEEN FOR LEE!!!

Gettysburg
I liked this movie very much, but yet I do believe that if it were made at the same time Gods and Generals was, it would have been a much better film. I thought that Sheen did a fair job at playing the great General Robert E. Lee, but he is no match for the outstanding performance of Robert Duvall. I like Tom Berenger as General Longstreet, who was also from my native state, South Carolina. Jeff Danials did a spectacular job in this film as Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain in Gettysburg as well in Gods and Generals. The effort these actors put in to this movie are so dramatic, it takes your breath away to see these men, in fact, you don't see Martin Sheen, Tom Berenger, or Jeff Danials, you see Robert E. Lee, Jamse Longstreet, and Joshua Chamberlain. But I must say, if you are going to watch Gettysburg, you mite want to watch Gods and Generals first. ... Read more

Reviews (69)

Best mini-series I have ever seen!
I recently watched North and South, and I was swept away into a time period that is such an important part of our American history. I feel that we often forget about the way our country was once torn apart. This depiction of what the North and South were like in the mid 1800's was excellent. I enjoyed it immensely and enjoyed Book II as well.

Great Mini-Series but C'mon Bring it on DVD
This is one of those events which mixes great drama, sex appeal and down right fun on the small screen. After 17 years and 3 mini series with top calibre actors including James Read, Patrick Swayze, Wendy Kilbourne, Jonathan Frakes, Jimmy Stewart, Johnny Cash and Hal Holbrook, this mini-series helped bring back an interest in the Civil War. Shot on location throughout the real South, the story involves the relationship of two friends, one a Northern factory owner and the other, a Southern Plantation owner. The story has everything you want to keep you intrigued, greed, sex, action, comedy, history, friendship, deceit. Book 1 takes you through the friendship build up of Read and Swayze and the lead up to the Civil War. Book 2 takes us through the Civil War as Read and Swayze take sides against each other as opposing generals. The third book and the least entertaining was shot nearly 10 years after the second book and offers the reconstruction of the country and the expansion to the West. Most of the original cast is back minus Swayze who opted to stay away after he had a semi-successful big screen career going. Like I said, it is a great mini series and I hope that the powers that be will bring it out in a 3 volume set on DVD, it certainly deserves it.

Simply EXCELLENT
North and South by far has to be the best TV miniseries of all time. The saga of the Hazard and Main families is set against a back drop of a fairly young country about to be divided by civil war.

The series begins with Orry Main (Patrick Swayze) of Mount Royal, South Carolina setting off to go to the Military Academy at West Point. On his way he rescues the very beautiful Madeline Fabray(Leslie-Anne Down) from a buggy accident and a snake. After taking Ms. Fabray to her destination, he is back on his journey to West Point. Another character that Orry meets on his trip is George Hazard(James Read) and they soon become life long friends. North and South follows both Orry and George during their time at the Point, the Mexican War and after. There is an all-star cast too many to mention.

This first installment of the North and South Trilogy follows the lives of both Orry and George and their respective families through the period leading up to the Civil War. North and South written by John Jakes is the best historical fiction book I have read and this Miniseries has stayed true to form. Because of the historical correctness I would say that this movie has enough appeal for those men that can't get enough of Civil War history or even general war history. The main characters in this are fictional, however there are references to historical figures like Lincoln, Grant and Lee to name a few. However there is certainly plenty of appeal to women, namely Swayze and there is an excellent love story as well. That being said I definitely recommend seeing this miniseries as well as North and South Book Two: Love and War.

simply the best mini series I've seen
I found it outstanding because it had an all star cast.It help me get a better outlook in the history of the south and the north.I always look forward to seeing it on the television.

It's Key-det Bent, an' He's from Joe-Jah, SUH!
Don't forget the villans, the men and women you just love to hate
(or is it hate to love?). Ashton must've been JR Ewing's grand ma. Kirstie Alley as Virgilia...I must say, did she take her acting lessons from someone's ex-wife for that role or what? ... Read more

Description

Available previously as a 5-part VHS set, New York now boasts two all-new episodes.The series offers fourteen spectacular hours of programming that chronicle the history of New York - from its beginning in 1609 as a Dutch trading post, through the turbulent years of change in the decades following World War II, to its present day status as one of the most important and influential cities in the world.

SYNOPSES
Episode 1: The Country and the City(1609 - 1825) chronicles the arrival of the Dutch, the impact of the English, the horrors of colonial slavery and New York's critical role in the American Revolution.
Episode 2: Order and Disorder(1825 - 1865) looks at New York's rise as a burgeoning cultural center and multi-ethnic port, concluding with the Civil War Riots - America's bloodiest civil disturbance. Episode 3: Sunshine and Shadow(1865 - 1898) turns the spotlight on a period of greed and wealth that fueled the expanding metropolis - even as politics and poverty defined it.
Episode 4: The Power and the People(1898 - 1918) follows New York into a new century, examining the interplay of capitalism, democracy and transformation in the wake of an extraordinary wave of immigration and the birth of the skyscraper.
Episode 5: Cosmopolis(1919 - 1931) details the African-American experience, the birth of new media industries and the incredible array of human and cultural energies that converged, ending with the construction of the world's tallest building.
Episode 6: City of Tomorrow(1929 - 1941) traces the spectacular but often troubling changes that overtook New York due to the crash of 1929 and the beginning of World War II.
Episode 7: The City and the World(1945 - Present) chronicles the history of New York from the end of World War II through today, exploring the complexities of the post-modern city and the turbulent years of physical, social and cultural change in the decades following the war. ... Read more

Reviews (42)

Extraordinary and compelling documentary!
I have just finished viewing the 6th Disc of the incredible journey of the greatest city in the world, and just had to share my excitement and disbelief at what I have been watching. Ric Burns does an extraordinary job of showing the history of New York from it's discovery by Henry Hudson to modern times. Each episode is addictive and compelling. Once the use of film and motion picture is employed in this collection at the turn of the 20th Century, each episode becomes even more amazing. I was amazed at the footage of the Empire State Building and the Chrylser Building as they were being built. The pictures of the Brooklyn Bridge being built were astounding. The time of La Guardia and seeing him in action, while Robert Moses built bridges and highways all around the city and beyond to Long Island was stunning. The history of Central Park, the Erie Canal, the plan for the streets of the city, the building of the subways and tunnels, the railroads, the coming of the immigrants, and many more were incredible to see. Being a native New Yorker born in the early 70's, I was exhilarated, but saddened at the same time while watching this, that I was not around to experience the great growth of the city. This film does justice though, as it brought me deep inside the history, and allowed me to see so vividly how New York came to be what it is today. I highly recommend all to view this, for not only is it a history of New York, but a history of why American is what it is today. It all started in New York City.

More justice. Better as the DVD version
The Burns family has come up with some fine work, from Baseball, to the Civil War; and now the latest, New York. A fine successor.
Ric Burns explores the early history of New York, starting with the God-created attributes of the region and one of the world's finest natural seaports. But the treasure is found in what man has added to the Apple, starting with the Erie Canal, Central Park, the Brooklyn Bridge and the Subway system. The Bridge's history has itself been the subject of much scholarship, and Burns does it well also. The creation of the skyline, including the Chrysler Building and the Empire State Building are some of the series best moments, filled with some of the fascinating type of information that fans of Burns' documentaries have come to expect and enjoy.

The history of New York is the history of immigrants, and the interaction of Irish, Italians, Africans and other groups is splendidly examined. The politics of the City, such as the rise and demise of Al Smith and Jimmy Walker are well explored also.

My few complaints are minor, and don't detract from the work. F. Scott Fitzgerald seems to have become a demi-god to Burns, and after awhile, I found the continued references to him and his
work tiring. More than a few minutes on the early history of Harlem would have been a welcome replacement.

I purchased the DVD version, although I had the videocassettes. Am I glad I did! It has two additional discs, which try to bring the series up to date. Fiorello LaGuardia and Robert Moses, the two most pivotal figures in the history of the City, are splendidly explored. More examination of the development and contribution of Harlem (which I lamented in the review of the VHS version) is also welcomed. New York's post W.W. II predominance as the true center of the Earth is made plain. As the series progresses, we see the value of the City (any city), the destruction of the great and old in the name of urban renewal, and the slow cancer of suburban sprawl.

Even those not from New York will find it to be a rich, interesting history, worth of the length of time one must devote to its viewing. The rest of the world will understand some of why New Yorkers love their home as they do. Those expatriate New Yorkers will be tugged to head back home. All in all, brilliant, brilliant work.

AMAZING!
If you are from New York this DVD set is a must have. Absolutley riviting and informative.The old film footage and other epherma that was collected for this compilation is remarkable. I literally sat through all 7 DVDs in one sitting without a moment of boredom. If you love history this will be a valued addition to any collection, even if you are not from NY.

Learn history painlessly
I have told several friends that they need to watch this wonderful series. Almost everyone seems to think that history is boring. It isn't - you just had boring history teachers in high school, that taught history in a boring manner. If history was taught as the clash of great personalities and the range of choices they had, and it was explained why the person choose the path they did based on the limited resources they had to divide between all their goals and aspirations - people would recognize that alot of history is facinating. As you learn the history of the city of New York you will also learn a great deal about American history - because they are so intertwined.

A Great Series for a Great City
Though there are many older cities than New York, in the (relatively) short time of its existence, no city has captured the imagination, desire, love, and even hatred, that New York City has. Ric Burns has captured all of these emotions and more in this, one of the finest documentaries ever put on film.

The series traces the history of NYC from its earliest days as a Dutch trading post through 2000 (an additional volume was produced after the September 11th terrorist attack). Using interviews, stories, & archival material (prints, paintings, photographs, and old silent films), Burns pulls the viewer in to the life of all types of New Yorkers through the last 300+ years. ... Read more

Reviews (30)

Even Doris Complained About It
Yes, in her autobiography, Doris Day complained that co-star Cary Grant just wasn't into his role here. I call this incarnation "Wink Cary" because towards the end of his movie career, Cary always seemed to be screwing up his eyes as though staring into the sun; I interpret this as his growing dissatisfaction with the movie roles offered him. "Wink Cary" never has proper interaction with his co-stars and is apparently waiting to be told to go home, as if he were on jury duty. In "That Touch of Mink", Cary plays a wealthy man whose limo splashes the dress of Doris Day. One thing leads to another, and he tries to launch an affair with her, only to be foiled repeatedly by various things, including her breaking out into a rash at the thought of fornication, even with Cary. Adequate supporting work by indignant Audrey Meadows and misidentified Gig Young, who keeps getting slapped by Meadows who thinks he's the guy trying to breach Doris' honor. There's better Doris and better Cary movies out there; see them first.

A delightful and witty sex comedy
"That Touch of Mink," directed by Delbert Mann, is a delicious 60's sex comedy about the romantic duel between Cathy Timberlake (played by Doris Day), an unemployed working girl with small-town roots, and Philip Shane (Cary Grant), a rich businessman. Along for the ride are Audrey Meadows as Cathy's fiercely protective roommate Connie and Gig Young as Philip's wisecracking employee Roger.

"That Touch" is absolutely hilarious and delightful from start to finish. Day is irresistible--wholesome and innocent, yet feisty. Grant is charming and funny. Meadows and Young get lots of comic mileage out of their marvelous supporting roles.

The film is also a joy to look out. The sets and costumes are marvelous (there's even a fashion show); the screen bursts with color. The script combines witty dialogue, zesty social satire and goofy physical comedy with a cleverly structured plot. There are also some fun cameos by recognizable faces--I won't spoil the fun by revealing them. And it's all nicely complemented by a playful musical score. "That Touch" is one comic battle of the sexes that really holds up after all these years.

Not bad, but not as good as the Hudson/Day/Randall comedies
Watching _That Touch of Mink_ is like watching something from an alternate universe where instead of the formulaic early '60s romantic comedy where you had Rock Hudson as the desirable yet unavaliable bachelor, Doris Day as the perpetual virgin and Tony Randall as the neurotic and closeted best friend you had Cary Grant as the desirable yet unavailable bachelor, Doris Day as the perpetual virgin (apparently no other actress approached Doris Day's iconic status as a virgin) and Gig Young as the neurotic and closeted best friend. Talk about "through a glass darkly"!.
All of this is very cute but the problem with Grant and Young is that they can't pull off the Rock Hudson/Tony Randall dynamic. Hudson had a boyish charm that Grant, a more substantial actor, didn't, and the dynamic between Hudson and Randall is a lot more playful than the one between Grant and Young, and of course when it came to playing neurotic closetcases no one can even hold a candle to Tony Randall. I mean really, if they had ever had an Academy Award for "Best Portrayal of a Neurotic Closetcase" they would have awarded it once, in 1961 for _Lover Come Back_ and then retired it forever.
Doris Day is of course virginal, amazing that someone with so little talent was able to make such a career out of the supposed possession of a hymen. You might dispute as to whether or not virginity is a good thing but regardless of your opinion you have to admire Day for making so much out of hers.

Sweet romantic comedy
Doris Day plays Cathy Timberlake, an unemployed girl next door from outta town. Cary Grant plays the suave and sophisticated Phillip Shane Managing Director of a successful company. On a rainy day in Manhattan Phillip Shane's car accidentally splashes Cathy Timberlake who is standing on the edge of a kerb. Later from his office he spots Cathy on the street and he sends his assitant Gig Young to apologise and to give her money to compensate for her ruined dress. Cathy is not impressed and says to Gig Young that she wants to throw the money back in Philipp's face so she goes up to his office but instead of telling him off she falls for his good looks and charm. She is then whisked off to a meeting of board directors, flies on his private jet, attends a UN speech and ends the day attending a baseball match. Cathy is thoroughly smitten by Phillip and he is really impressed by her so much that he asks her to go away with him for the weekend to Bahamas.

Being Doris Day, Cathy is of course all virtuous and is in a dilemma as to whether she should go away on her dirty weekend with Phillip. She decides no but is finally persuaded to do so because Phillip goads her into do so. She has a wonderful time until the night arrives and is faced by being seduced by Phillip at which point she is so stressed that she develops a rash all over. So poor Phillip is left playing cards on the terrace with another man who's wife "is not well". So Cathy returns to New York with her virtue in tact. She tries to lure Phillip away again and the second time is so drunk that she falls off her balcony. Phillip decides to not woo her any longer and finds her a job in a credit card company only for her to mess up the company's entire filing system. In the end, to win back Phillip, Cathy and her roommate, Audrey Meadows think up of a plan for her to go away with the sleazeball who works at the local benefits office and for Phillip to chase after them which inevitably he does.

This film is a bit dated ie Cathy being virtuous and shy but it's a great comedy. If you love vintage clothing from the sixties there's even a catwalk run thrown in. The colours are wonderful and the lines delivered by the actors are sharp. Doris Day is her usual bubbly self and you couldn't get smoother guy than Cary Grant. Fun film to watch on a rainy day in.

Lealing

That Touch Of Mink
This is a marvelous comedy classic Starring Doris Day and Cary Grant in this marvelous Universal Comedy Classic ! But released onto Video by Republican PIctures! Cathy Timberlake (Doris Day) is a poor out of work New Yorker that gets run into herself with mud by a limousine owned by Philip Shayne (Cary Grant) well they end up falling in love and go to Brazil together and have all and a lot of fun! Great classic family movie! They get married at the end and have a happy life together! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Watching the Spanish film Lovers of the Arctic Circle is like slowly falling into a yearning and melancholy dream. Two children--Ana and Otto--meet and instantly know that they're soul mates. Their parents--one of whom is divorced, the other a widow--also meet and fall in love. Now that they share the same house, Ana and Otto (by now teenagers) become secret lovers. But troubles intervene: Otto's mother dies, for which Otto blames himself and his father, and he leaves Ana and becomes a airplane pilot. Though their paths cross again and again throughout their lives, they keep missing each other until the power of their love finally draws them together. But the hypnotic power of Lovers of the Arctic Circle lies in how the movie unfolds, deftly shifting back and forth between the different perspectives of Ana and Otto. The gradual interweaving of their lives accumulates into a metaphysical swoon; rarely is the notion of romantic destiny made so heartfelt and so mysterious at the same time. --Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Reviews (19)

i love this movie!
This is a great movie. It reminds me a little bit of Abre Los Ojos, another of Fele Martinez's films, in its darkness and the melancholy feeling that both movies share of unpredictability. I had no idea what was going to happen in this movie until the very end. I really liked it and I want to see Nimri and Martinez in more films.

A M A Z I N G
Am I glad I decided to rent this movie! Like the theme of this movie, it was a good twist of fate that I got it.

I don't know how to put the brilliance of this movie into words. In the vein of "Pulp Fiction", "Run Lola Run", and "Before the Rain", "Lovers of the Arctic Circle" is a complex movie that dares to defy conventions of storytelling--using multi-perspectives, circular storylines, coincidences. This is not for everyone, since some people just like their stories to be flung onto their plates, challenges aside.

The story penetrates into the psyche by not telling it through one person's eyes--but both--the two lovers, Ana and Otto. This method of storytelling heightens our perspectives and increases the depth of emotion and thought. The story tells how Ana and Otto fall in love as children, and how their love only grows stronger throughout the years, despite trials and tribulations. Both perspectives weave in and out, combine once--and split at the very end. One ending is happy, the other is tragic--one is Ana's, the other is Otto's.

This movie will haunt you for days afterward. It will force you to think about love, life, coincidences, fate, destiny, the unique twists and turns that life gives us, and the beauty of it all . . .

Of all the movies I've seen in a lifetime, and that's a lot for the average human being, this is one of the most profoundly unique I've ever seen.

It is an unexpectated stroke of brilliance.

Something gorgeous...
"Lovers of the Arctic Circle" is the romantic equvalent to the action of "Run Lola Run". I had the fortune of catching this amazing film on tv and fell in love from the start. An amzing story that keeps you wondering and rooting for the two main characters. If you enjoy film that makes you think, then rent "Lovers of the Arctic Circle" and then decide...i guarantee you, this movie will keep you trippin for days!

Somebody PLEASE release this on DVD in America!!!!

Might as well be the best film ever made...
...and as for you, 1goodgame from North Bend, OR, you hit the nail on the head. How did everyone else seem to miss this???!!!

Somebody PLEASE release this on DVD in America!

very strange, but worthwhile
Creepy, beautiful, and, as someone else has already said, haunting. I don't desire to own my own copy of this movie, or really even watch it again for a few more years... but I was certainly glad I saw it. ...I'm not sure I would advise watching it alone, tho... it's just a little too "wait... what's going on?" for that. *shrug* Certainly, the disjointed style helps add to the ending, but it also started to feel kinda... unsettling after a while. (Then again, I'm easily confused... *grin*)

Alert: Prudish types should watch out for the erotic scene between the children (tho I thought it was very cool, myself...) ... Read more

Reviews (41)

The history of professional wrestling for this generation.
The WWF has created a box set which not only depicts their history, but also many wrestlers and the sport itself. It is a walk down memory lane for most and a chance for new fans to see how some wrestlers got their start. It would have been nice if the WWF had packaged some type of written manual with the videotape. In it, they could have listed Wrestlemania facts, wrestler biographies, etc. Viewing all of the tapes will take some time due to the 3 hours per tape. It is great to see the classic matches like Steamboat vs. Savage, Hogan vs. Warrior, Micheals vs. Diesel, Austin vs. Hart. It is also nice to see Ric Flair, Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard, etc. in Wrestlemania matches. It seems anyone in this business has been at least one Wrestlemania. One question for the WWF, was it really necessary to preview those four other tapes and the super bowl commercial in every tape? Nonetheless, the WWF is, was, and shall be sports entertainment at it's finest. While expensive, this collection is recommended.

WWF Wrestlemania: The Best Event Of The Year 15 Times Over
When you have a chance to own all 14 Wrestlemanias' for less than $10 a tape, you must certainly go for it. I have everyone on tape since it's inception and I can tell you it is well worth every penny. Everyone will enjoy these tapes. I mean if you are a Hulkamaniac, you've got Wrestlemania I - IX containing the Hulkster...If you like HBK, you've got him in his early days with the Rockers and then as he matures into a WWF Champion...If Bret Hart is more to your liking, you have got him as a Tag Team Champ, Intercontinental Champ, and a World Champ all in the set...And for the man who is just like that 'ol Texas Rattlesnake "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, you watch him in his unforgettable feud with Bret Hart and you get to see him achieve the ultimate goal -- the WWF Championship. Pick up these tapes, you're never gonna get a better deal, if you smell what I'm cookin brother.

WrestleMania: The Review
While not a big fan of the "WWF Attitude" box set, the bottom line is that A) It's cheaper than the original retail price of the original new releases (check out the original pre-views, hit a rental store, or look at old wrestling magazines for more info if you don't believe, but these tapes cost as much as one PPV TODAY ($39.95 for WM IV alone!). Yes, it's over $100, and almost $200, but divide that cost by 14-15 tapes, and the resulting figure is quite nice. Now, consider buying each tape individually at $10 a tape, or even $8 a tape an compare the difference. I promise it is significant. ESCPECIALLY if you are looking for the Coliseum video version, which can run anywhere from $20-80 each, depending on the seller. There are slight differences and edits in the footage on each different version of WM, but it's always nice to be able to get a collection of items all at one time, and at a discounted price. Recommended.

The Story of a generation
It doesn't get much better than this! My only complaint is it's not on dvd. But what a great way to recapure all the glory of the Top Wrestling Paperview each year. I grew up on wrestlemania, so for me it's a walk down memeory lane. From the Hulkster to Stone cold, it's all here.

The best damn box set ever!!!
I have received my Box Set today. I had all the Wrestlemanias but sold them when i knew i was getting this. This Boxset Has Everything from people like Big John Studd to Andre to Hogan to Macho Man, Undertaker, Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels, Austin, the lot!!
The only bad thing is that on My Wrestlemania 5 the pipers Pit segment isnt on and the Wrestlemania 11 countdown isnt shown, but above that it is worth every penny, Go and Buy it now!!! ... Read more

Reviews (95)

4.5 stars -- more enjoyable than "Titanic."
"The Poseidon Adventure" is the quintessential disaster movie -- the very best of the disaster film genre that reigned through the 70's and early 80's.

This particular disaster flick involves a ocean liner capsized by a tidal wave (on New Year's Eve of all times!)and the ten survivors who struggle to make it up to the hull (which is actually the bottom of the ship) to possibly find a way out through the stern. Being that everything is upside down presents major obstacles to the cast.

The pic features a stellar cast, including a young Gene Hackman and a fit Ernest Borgnine, who are constantly at each others throats because, as the Hackman character points out, they're two of a kind and Borgnine simply doesn't like what he sees in the mirror. The female cast includes Pamela Sue Martin (Nancy Drew), Carol Lynley and Stella Stevens, all well-cast as scantily-clad babes in distress. Also, Shelley Winters does a nice job as an overweight heroine. Red Buttons, Roddy McDowall and Leslie Nielson (in a serious role as The Captain) are also on hand.

The sets of the sinking, upside down ship are absolutely outstanding. The scene wherein the ship tips over showing the party-goers fall/slide to the ceiling is superb.

The characters are great and you really start to care for them. Okay, there is admittedly some silly dialogue, but I KNOW people who talk like this in real life, so it's not as campy and unrealistic as some criticize.

Hackman as the fiery-passionate rebel preacher is excellent. His real struggle is ultimately with his Creator, who he "has it out" with at the end. Unspiritual people will no doubt tend to laugh at this scene, but it powerfully portrays humanity's grappling with the universal question "Why does a righteous God allow evil and hardship to exist?"

The "Preacher" is nicely balanced out by the Pamela Sue Martin character who loves him and the Borgnine character who despises him; but observe Borgnine's nice change-of-heart at the very end.

It's interesting to note that, even though some say this flick has campy aspects, everyone highly rates it. "The Poseidon Adventure" is just a very entertaining and moving motion picture. It's got "cult movie" written all over it.

I find it of interest that many reviewers state how they like "The Poseidon Adventure" better than "Titanic." "Titanic" is hailed as one of the greatest, most popular pics of all time, yet all these folks say they prefer to see the former. I'd have to agree. "Titanic" is a good flick, there's no doubt; but given the choice I'd much rather see "The Poseidon Adventure."

the mother of all disaster movies
Irwin Allen's THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE is regarded as being the forerunner of the myriad of disaster movies that reigned supreme at the box-office through the 70's and into the 80's.

In this enjoyable and quite campy film, we see the "stock characters" that would become a fixture in the disaster movie genre; the Jewish couple (Jack Albertson and Shelley Winters), the swashbuckling ah...priest? (Gene Hackman), the rowdy policeman and his ex-hooker wife (Ernest Borgnine and Stella Stevens), the nervous little singer (Carol Lynley), the bachelor (Red Buttons), the leggy teen (Pamela Sue Martin) and the know-it-all little brat (Eric Shea).

Mind you, the ship was bound to sink with Leslie Nielsen (AKA Frank Drebin) at the helm...

When the SS Poseidon capsizes in a tidal wave on New Year's Eve, this motley bunch of survivors try to climb to the thinnest part of the hull to escape. Climbing up a huge Christmas tree to begin the adventure, the Priest first makes some convienient "alterations" to the women's outfits. First he orders Stella Stevens to take off her evening gown and put on a short pink shirt; then he orders Pamela Sue Martin to take off her red mini-skirt, which she does, only to reveal a matching pair of red hotpants beneath!!

Then sit back and watch as our vaccuous and totally unbelievable band of dim-wits try to thwart the crumbling wreckage that is continually exploding around them. I mean really, what is Stella Stevens thinking that she can climb through vents and up ladders in silver stilettos?!!

Featuring the theme song "The Morning After" (mimed convincingly by Carol Lynley) and some marvellous miniature effects techniques.

My Favorite Disaster Movie!
I have written a review of The Poseidon Adventure before but that was before I got the DVD and in that review I basically was reviewing the movie so I thought I would write a new review. I received the DVD for Christmas and just watched it a little while ago and though I do think that they should release a new special Edition DVD with anamorphic widescreen and more extra features I'm pleased with this letterbox widescreen for now but will definitely think of getting a special Edition DVD if one is ever released. I enjoyed watching this movie and I think this is the best disaster movie I have ever seen and the whole cast is great. Gene Hackman (The French Connection), Ernest Borgnine (The Dirty Dozen), Shelley Winters (Night of the Hunter), Stella Stevens (Where Angels Go, Trouble Follows), Jack Albertson (Chico and the Man), Pamela Sue Martin (Dynasty), etc. If you are looking for great extra features on this DVD you will find that this is a bare bones DVD and the features are rather sparse and are only the trailer and a couple of short biographies and filmographies of only a couple of the actors from the cast and I hope that if a new DVD is released that it will have more special features that will include a biography and filmography of the whole cast and also cast interviews, deleted scenes and all of the usual extras. Well anyway until a better DVD comes along I'm actually content with this one.

SPECIAL EDITION!
Come on, everybody, just keep chanting it 'til we get it:
SPECIAL EDITION!
SPECIAL EDITION!
SPECIAL EDITION!
SPECIAL EDITION!
SPECIAL EDITION!
SPECIAL EDITION!
SPECIAL EDITION!
SPECIAL EDITION!

ALL STAR DISASTER CLASSIC!
As far as disaster flicks go, it's hard to find one as effective and engrossing as THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE. Director Ronald Neame, and the astute guidance of Irwin Allen, forged this riveting tale of a world turned upside down. Remember, they didn't have CGI back then, but the set builders and other technical crews gave us a ship turned topsy turvy by a monstrous tidal wave. While all the performers did very well, my favorites were Stella Stevens as the foul-mouthed ex-hooker starting a new life with her cop husband; Ernest Borgnine as Rogo, the aforementioned cop who brought all his trademark bluster, and innocence, to the role; Roddy McDowall, the oh-so-polite steward who always called everybody sir or ma'am; and Jack Albertson, the devoted husband of the doomed Shelley Winters.
THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE will always be one of (if not the) best disaster films----it has all the necessary ingredients and yes, it even had THE MORNING AFTER.
A good film!!!! ... Read more

Amazon.com

This boxed set contains four 30-minute exercise videos from professional belly dancers Veena and Neena Bidasha:

Bellydance Fitness for Beginners: Hips, Buns, and Thighs: Most of this is a buttock and thigh workout starting with traditional leg lifts and lunges and leading to belly-dance-inspired moves like squeezing one buttock at a time or circling the hips. The fun begins later with "hip drops" and "hip lifts" with added leg and arm positions.

Bellydance Fitness for Beginners: Arms & Abs: This video helps you tone arms and abs with isolations that use smooth, flowing movements. Special motions of the wrists and fingers make the moves look dramatic and fluid, sometimes snakelike. Meanwhile, you're working your abdominals by lifting, shifting, and circling your ribcage. The workout includes some difficult abdominal moves done on the floor.

Bellydance Fitness for Beginners: Fat Burning: This is a belly-dance-inspired cardio workout done barefoot. The routine builds from simple foot movements that establish rhythm to more intense moves with hops and jumps. Don't expect your belly to do the dancing in this video--the legs and feet do all the work here, except for some hip moves during the cool down.

Bellydance Fitness for Beginners: Basic Moves teaches body isolations--head, arms, shoulders, ribcage, and hips--that are incorporated into dance movements later. It's not really an exercise routine as much as a class of basic belly-dancing moves, though your abs and hips will certainly get a workout from all that rib-pushing and hip-rolling action. --Joan Price ... Read more

Reviews (69)

Bellydancing and Fitness with Neena and Veena
I decided to buy the boxed sets of bellydance fitness and dance because I was looking for a way to exercise without being tortured. I was interested in finding a life activity, not just a fitness routine, and found bellydance very alluring. I wanted something which felt good to my body and left me energized, not drained. I read through the reviews about these videos, and based on the overhwhelmingly positive feedback, decided to purchase them.

I have never submitted a review, but I am compelled to do so, in order to offer thanks to those who helped convince me to buy these sets. I wholeheartedly agree with the accolades dedicated to Neena and Veena's work.

First off, I had not been exercising for some time. I do not have previous dance training (of any kind), and hate complicated aerobic videos. I have tried many types of aerobic videos, and perhaps it's my own failing, but I have not stuck with any of them. This changed when I found Neena and Veena.

Their instruction is gentle and fun. Each of the 4 workout videos uses different moves, so each has something new to offer and suits various moods. The fat burning workout was a challenge for me, it was difficult since I had not been working out for a long time. Eventually I built up to it and it is an excellent workout.

These videos make me feel feminine and beautiful, not to mention graceful. They offer the opportunity to try something sensual and daring in the privacy and convenience of your personal space.

I strongly recommend that women considering these videos give them a try; I suggest that you buy the boxed set and take advantage of the great price. You can't do with just one video; best of all--you will want all of them! I have never said that about any other type of fitness activity or fitness personalities. These videos are exciting yet low-key, and are a welcome escape from the usual perky and irritating cheerleader-type fitness divas who in the past made me feel frumpy and guilty about my moves!

Great Tapes!
Good instruction, beautiful settings, well-done camera work. In each of the moves the instructions are clear and easy to follow. The twins are beautiful and fun to watch. I bought both sets - the workout set and the dance set. The first time I did the fat burning tape my calves hurt for 3 days, and I do strength training/weight lifting. Completely different type of workout, completely different type of pain,so watch out for that one. I highly recommend a class along with any of the bellydance video's. It's nice to have someone validate what your doing right and correct what your doing wrong.

Great Package for all around Workouts and Belly Dance Fun
The twins know how to give you a good workout while having fun, and the belly dance moves are explained and practiced well. They give you the best and safest workout and some good basics for belly dance. I'm actually losing weight using the Arms & Abs tape using the Slim Down tape at the end. Great way to spend an one and half hours.

The instruction leaves a little to be desired
I purchased this set because I was interested in varying my fitness routine and was always interested in bellydancing-I figured this would be a great way to combine the two. I do enjoy watching the dancing at the beginning and end of each video and the music is really great. I found the incomplete instruction and lack of transition make the videos hard to follow.

Neena & Veena are performing the exercises but there is another woman narrating and there is no verbal transition from one exercise to the next which makes it hard to follow at first. There is also no real instruction to explain what it is you are supposed to be doing, you just have to figure it out by watching what is going on on your screen. This makes it even harder to follow because you are focusing on what they are doing and not really doing anything yourself. When you are just starting out you may not see any benefit until you really learn the moves.

Love it!
Great if you don't like the regular exercise stuff. Will work those hips and thighs. Be great if you just had a baby. Get those places back. Most women have trouble with their hips and thighs.

Music is great. I'm a beginner dancer myself. Only do it for home and pleasure.

Their dance at the end of the videos are wonderful. I could watch them all day. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Excellent Historical Document on the Papacy
This video is an informative, interesting, well-balanced presentation on the papacy and the events which have surrounded it in the last 2,000 years. The documentary brings the papacy to life and is a wonderful historical document.

A Documentary on the History of the Catholic Church
Originally aired on the History Channel, this documentary takes you through the History of the Catholic Church through the lives of her popes. The decision-makers through the years leave their mark; both good and bad on history. A well balanced presentation with excellent cinematography for a documentary.

Accurate depiction/history of the Popes of the Church
This video starts at the beginning of the Catholic Church and depicts the hard times and periods of martyrdom. Continues to follow the lines of the major Popes through Pope John Paul II. It does talk to the controversies of Vatican II, birth control and other areas of contention with many of the lay members of the Catholic Church. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This Spanish fluff from 1992 won an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, but its significance goes about as far as you can throw a flower petal. The story finds an elderly artist (Fernando Fernán Gómez) giving shelter to a deserter (Jorge Sanz) from the royalist army in provincial Spain, 1931. While on the premises, the young man naturally notes the beauty of all four of his host's daughters. Each takes her turn at seducing him, but this isn't late-night cable TV so much as it is a series of brief character sketches filled out by the way each woman takes charge. It's a clever idea made more clever by the fact that these sundry beauties are acting on the libertine impulses to which their free-thinking father subscribes in principle but has sheepishly abandoned for love. But the film, directed by Fernando Trueba, is rendered so lightly it could almost be mistaken for calendar art. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (25)

I love this movie!
Rarely will I view a movie more than once. I've seen this one twice now. Anyone who has been to Spain will see the character and spirit of the Spanish represented by the personalities of the four beautiful sisters, their father, mother, and of course the deserter from the army. The opening scene with the two Civil Guardia definitely makes a statement about the mind-set in Spain of 1931. Trueba brings it all together to give us this wonderfully humorous, sexy, interesting, and altogether pleasing film. Muchas gracias Fernando! Bravo, cinco estrellas!

Lusty & Innocent Fun
This movie is unequivocably recommended. The themes are mature and the subtitles use the most common of language. Fortunately the subtitles don't translate the most common of those words as often as they're said in this delightful Spanish farce. The movie is meaningless, but very funny and very entertaining with lots to recommend it.

The movie has excellent character development, charming and humorous dialogues, lovely cinematography and an overall attractiveness.

The male lead has led an innocent existence in which he spent some time in a seminary, and then has deserted from the army. Now when he meets the four daughters of a libertine aging artist who has befriended him, he wants to make up for lost time. The older three daughters use him for their forbidden pleasures, and don't take the encounters seriously. Being unsophisticated, he falls in love with each until the next one seduces him. He doesn't realize until almost too late, that the youngest actually loves him, although I can't see what qualities he has except for his looks. Oh, that's right, he cooks better than anyone in the family.

The costume celebration and its aftermath is one of the most hilarious I've seen in a movie regardless of language.

I'm sure there were social messages that without knowledge of Spanish customs and history, were not apparent. There seemed to be a strong association with death. The side story of the young man who is infatuated with the second daughter but can't break away from his mother or tradition, until his frustration causes him to falsely renounce everything his mother stands for, probably symbolizes certain hypocrises in Spain at that point in history as it tried to break away from a moonarchy but couldn't make up its mind.

Enjoy!

Little Conan grows up! And gets laid a lot, I see....
OK, I've actually never seen this movie, but I give it 5 stars anyway just for its great reputation and the presence of its star actor, Jorge Sanz.

You see, I'm actually a huge fan of the movie "Conan the Barbarian", which was filmed in Spain, and so had several Spanish and European actors/actresses.

I got to wondering one day about what happened to the cute little boy who played Conan as a small child in that movie. In the fabulous Opening Sequence of "Conan the Barbarian", little Conan gets to see his village wiped out by Thulsa Doom's thugs, and then watches as his mother is beheaded by Thulsa Doom as she holds on tightly to his little hand. Then little Conan is marched off to slavery....

The Commentaries from John Milius and Arnold Schwarzeneggar sparked my interest:

Arnold: Does the kid wear lipstick, or what is that? (commenting on little Conan's red lips)

Milius: Naw! that's just a kid!

Arnold: That's funny

Milius: ....that was a tough kid, I remember that....

Thanks to Amazon.com's thorough website linkages, it took just a couple of mouse clicks to find out what happened to little Conan....

...and so here he is, living it up with four beautiful young women in pre-civil War Spain!!!

S. Maes
This is a wonderfully fun, well-directed and acted film about the antics of a handsome young man and 4 tantalizing seductresses. Although the setting takes place in the 1930's, it is an ageless tale of youth and romance.

Belle Epoque, Beau Film
Belle Epoque is a beautifully rendered film with a good sense of humor and a well-paced plot. Unlike what a previous reviewer wrote, it is actually set in the years PRECEDING the Spanish Civil War, that is, when a republic was established after the abdication of Alfonso XIII in 1931. The debate between Monarchism and Carlism versus Republicanism and Anarchism -a split in Spanish society that would culminate in the outbreak of the Civil War in 1936- is made accessible as expressed by the colorful characters in this movie: the pampered mollycoddle Juanito, the irreverent priest, the artist-patriarch (who nevertheless lives like a "scared old bourgeois"). The Civil War of the 1936-39 was only the last of the many civil wars that erupted in Spain during the modern era (e.g. the Carlist Wars of the Nineteenth Century). The movie will throw light on this turbulent time as it affected ordinary people, and for those of you not squeamish about the idea of a man sleeping with four beautiful women in the course of a few days, I recommend this movie highly. "Belle Epoque" is NOT fluff or late-night soft porn; it is only disguising its gravity behind a façade of lightheartedness. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

I was so surprised how my baby loves this video:
When I saw the video for the first time, I thought "This is so boring" My son is very alert & into details so I thought he will not like it, but he stares at it without paying attention to anything else.
It is my baby's favorite since he is 5 months old & he is 11 months now & I still have to put it on every day. I guess is the music together with the drawings, colors & spanish language etc...

LOVE IT!
My Daughter absolutely loves this video. I bought it for her when she was 8 months and she was just captivated by the catchy and fun songs and simple colorful animation. She gets so excited whenever it comes on that she will actually sit and watch it for the full 1/2 hour. She just loves to bounce and dance to all the songs.

For entertainment more than education
The sound quality of the video is not good enough to understand all the words, (a big drawback for a foreign language video), and ours also came with no book to help with this problem. The images are 2 dimensional graphics, but are bright and fun. The music is actually quite catchy, light and rhythmic. Most importantly though, my 2 year old triplets love it!!! They dance to it and enjoy the cute images.

It's terrible - BUT my child LOVES it!!!
The worst sound quality you've ever heard - the most primitive animations ever created... BUT my one year old stares at the screen and smiles and laughs and points and WILL NOT MOVE FROM HIS SEAT until it is over. We bought this as a set with two cassette tapes, a songbook and a video when he was 4 months old and he has been captivated ever since. He will not watch anything else on TV but when this comes on he will stop whatever he is doing and watch for the full half-hour. I'm not sure if he is learning anything, but the video has been a lifesaver if he is crying (it stops immediately) or if we have to put him down for a minute (he won't budge.) There must be subliminal messages in it! I highly recommend it for YOUR sanity, if nothing else! I'll keep you posted to see if he actually has learned any Spanish!

Nice try
There are some good things here, and it's definitly better than nothing at all, but really - aeroplano? Try avion. Please watch the aglicisms. The goal is spanish, not spanglish. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Beloved by audiences in more than 70 countries, this seminal British television series is just as enjoyable now as when it first aired in the mid-1970s. Richard, his new wife Virginia, and recently widowed son James comprise the aristocratic Bellamy family who resides upstairs while their loyal servants maintain the London household from downstairs. These final 16 episodes cover the swinging '20s to the stock market crash (1919-30). Theepisodes of the fifth season are more self-contained than other seasons' and every bit as entertaining.

The household mood reflects the events of the day--jubilation at the armistice,a fancy-dress party amidst the gaiety of the early '20s, divided allegiancesduring the general strike of 1926, the fever of stock market wealth, andovernight ruin in October 1929. James, with too much time and money on hishands, is single again and up to his usual antics. Nor is life dull for theother members of the household--Hudson almost resigns his position after he's caught holding hands with Lily, the housemaid, and Georgina winds up in court after she hits and kills a man while taking a group of irresponsible socialites to Sussex in the Bellamys' Rolls. While James and Richard focus their political activities outside the home, Edward and Frederick vie to see who will fill in for Hudson while he recuperates from his heart attack. Finally, after the market crash and James's subsequent death, the family is forced to sell 165 Eaton Place to pay off his creditors. The series ends with Rose locking up the empty house, closing the door on one of TV's most popular and acclaimed shows. Whether you first met the Bellamys and their delightfully enjoyable downstairs entourage in the 1970s or are just getting to know them now, the superb acting and compelling character development will always be the real reason to watch Upstairs Downstairs. --Tara Chace ... Read more

Reviews (8)

165 Eaton Place in the "Roaring Twenties"...
The fifth and final season of UPSTAIRS DOWNSTAIRS picks up just after the First World War. It's the dawn of a new age, the Roaring Twenties. However, despite all the trevails, life continues at good old 165 Eaton Place.

"On with the Dance" - Richard (David Langton) and his new wife Virginia (Hannah Gordon) start thinking about buying a house in London, when lonely James (Simon Williams) suggests that they move back into Eaton Place.

"A Place in the World" - Bored and dissatisfied with his life, James decides to enter politics...with disastrous results. Edward (Christopher Beeny) and Daisy (Jacqueline Tong) reluctantly return to Eaton Place after finding little employment in the 'outside world'...

"Laugh a Little Louder, Please" - Georgina (Lesley-Anne Down) and James decide to throw a lavish fancy dress party for their society friends. Meanwhile, the new governess Miss Treadwell (Shirley Cain) is due to arrive.

"The Joy Ride" - James buys an aeroplane, and Virginia defies her husband in order to join James for a joy-ride across Southwold. But when they are reported missing, Richard and Lady Prudence (Joan Benham) fear the worst...

"Wanted- A Good Home" - William (Jonathan Seely) is packed off to boarding school, and Alice (Anne Yarker) gets a puppy, which soon upsets Miss Treadwell and puts the servants in an awkward position.

"An Old Flame" - James finds himself back in the arms of Lady Diana Newbury (Celia Bannerman) and they decide to spend the weekend at a golfing cottage. Edward fends off the advances of Diana's flirty maid Violet (Georgina Hale).

"Disillusion" - Hudson (Gordon Jackson) has been seen publicly in the company of maid Lily (Karen Dotrice), which threatens his future in the household.

"Such a Lovely Man" - Virginia is enjoying the attentions of the well-known 'safe man' Sir Guy Paynter (Robert Hardy) while Ruby (Jenny Tomasin) decides to get a pen-pal.

"The Nine Days Wonder" - The chaos of the 1926 General Strike severely divides the Bellamy household. James and footman Frederick (Gareth Hunt) decide to take action...

"The Understudy" - The household is expecting several important guests for a dinner party and Hudson suffers a mild heart attack. Tensions soon run riot downstairs when Edward and Frederick fight over who should take the butler position.

"Alberto" - Georgina gets star struck and decides to become a movie actress. However, when James discovers the skimpy costume she's wearing and that her co-star is none other than Frederick, he decides to cut short her ambition. Frederick leaves Eaton Place to become a gigolo for society women.

"Will Ye No Come Back Again" - Richard, James, Georgina and the servants set out for a holiday in the Scottish Highlands, which takes a bit of getting used to...

"Joke Over" - Following a madcap 'scavenger party', Georgina and her mindless society friends decide to take the Bellamy car on a drive in the country, with deadly results...

"Noblesse Oblige" - Georgina falls madly in love with kindly Robert, the Marquis of Stockbridge (Anthony Andrews); whilst Mrs Bridges (Angela Baddeley) brings in a new kitchen-maid, the rude and lazy Mabel (Elaine Donnelly). Ruby goes to work for the social-climbing matron Mrs Waddilove (Joan Sanderson).

"All the King's Horses" - James returns from visting Elizabeth and her husband in America, full of big ideas and big dreams, mostly concerning the Stock Exchange. James recklessly invests all of Rose's (Jean Marsh) money in bad shares, when the crash of the Stock Exchange heralds the beginning of the Depression...

"Whither Shall I Wander?" - Following James's suicide, all of his property is confiscated, and Eaton Place is to be sold off to pay creditors. What will become of Richard, his family and the servants?... Meanwhile, Georgina marries Robert in a lavish ceremony.

Fans of UPSTAIRS DOWNSTAIRS are bound to shed a tear or two when the series reaches its emotional conclusion. Again, fabulous direction and scripts, as well as top-drawer performances from Angela Baddeley, Gordon Jackson, Jean Marsh and Simon Williams.

Also featuring Michael Logan, Ann Mitchell, Jay Neill, Jack LeWhite, Derek Martin, Una Brandon-Jones, Brian Nolan, Osmund Bullock, Trevor Ray, Ursula Howells, John Quayle, Madeleine Cannon, Raymond Huntley, Marsha Fitzalan, Julia Schofield, Victor Langley, Nicholas Hunter, Peter Forest, Tracey Childs, Tom Chatto, Mike McKenzie, John Caesar, Polly Adams, John Normington, Leonard Kavanagh, Stephen Ismay, Martin Wimbush, Tommy Wright, John Breslin, Roy Pattison, Anthony Woodruff, Andre Charisse, Barbara Bolton, Natalie Caron, Philip Webb, Lorna Kilner, Roy Knight, David Nicoll, Seymour Green, Rowland Davies, Jack Watson, Georgine Anderson, Kenneth Ward, Nigel Havers, Patsy Blower, Terence Bayler, Barry Stanton, Bernard Barnsley, Robert Hartley, Daphne Lawson, Kenneth Thornett, Sue Crossland, Deddie Davies, Frank Duncan, Pippa Page and Lindsay Campbell.

4 single-sided, dual-layer discs.

Not as good as the previous four seasons....
I enjoyed the Final season, but I didn't care for it as much as the previous four seasons. Season Five, felt almost as though the writers knew the series was ending and they didn't need to 'try' so hard to pull it off. Several characters change radically: Daisy becomes a nagging shrew, and kitchenmaid Ruby shows a 'spark' of the original character design in that she is a bit 'larcenous,' (claiming in the end, that she planned to outlive Mr. Hudson and Mrs. Bridges and inherit the business).

Favorite episode was: "Will they no come back again?" where the staff and master James and the rest go to Scotland for vacation. Hudson manages to handle things with his usual aplomb and dignity, and the staff are forced to confront a mysterious 'ghost.'

The ending, I felt was sad and almost 'tacked on.' I would've liked a more 'happier ending' than the one which was given. Overall, while I enjoyed season five, it lacked the vitality and hopefullness of season four.... And, at least for me, has far less 'rewatch-ability.'

Sags a Bit, But Still Great
The fifth season of Upstairs Downstairs runs from 1919 to 1930. It is my least favorite series, because 165 Eaton Place just doesn't seem to belong in the Roaring Twenties. Even so, there are some fine moments, but there is a pathos over the whole series. Its like everyone in the cast and crew knew this was going to be the last series and everyone was a bit depressed. Georgina is not very convincing as a flapper, especially when you realize that she'd be in her mid thirties by the time she finally gets married and settles down. The best caste members are Virginia, Lady Bellamy and incorrigible old James, who is as irresponsible as ever. The series ends with the onset of the Great Depression, and the final scenes, as Rose walks through the empty rooms, are unbearably sad.

A Work Of Art
5 Seasons 68 Episodes In All/One Of The Best Acted And Best Written of All Time//When You Think About This Starting In 1972//It's Better All These Years Later,When You See What's Put Out Nowadays//Again Young People Who Want To Be Actors/Well They Don't Have To Go To Teachers//If They Have Any Talent, Then All They Have To Do Is Watch All These Episodes//It Gets Better And Better/Just A Few More Words All The Great Artist In This Series are So Real//You Feel That Your Part Of The Story///Well I Guess You Gathered That I Loved This Upstairs Downstairs//So Will You//One More Note//I Hope That They Put The House Of Elliot And The Duchess Of Duke Street Out On DVD//I'll Be The First To Buy It

The agony is over
Season five is thankfully here on DVD. The story is one of PBS' BEST EVER, but A&E had to struggle with the DVD transfer. The only reason I gave it four stars was that it was marginally better than seasons 1 through 4. I'm glad I have it. I wish it was a better transfer. I would (throw it out) if a restored, and improved version came out. USDS fans will have to have it. Buy it for the marvelous story. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

"The Western Epic " Most Honest Portrail Ever!
Larry McMurtry, being a native Texan, wrote from the heart when he fashioned the characters of Lonesome Dove. In Lonesome Dove, you see true men and women of the West with the mannerisms and habits of genuine Texans. I was constantly reminded of men long gone that I had had the honor of knowing back in Texas. Men who were the real article as a cowman, rancher, or peace officer. They were men of my grandfather's and his father's time. Men who held their honor and courage in the most sacred place. Lonesome Dove illuminates brilliantly these character traits and the script certainly follows McMurtry's vision. It is Tommy Lee Jones and Robert Duvall though that help us see these authentic characters function in the real, basic, and heart-stopping beauty of the West. Whatever you do, do not deprive yourself of this experience. Tighten your cinch and come with grit teeth! It is a once in a lifetime event!

One of the Greatest Westerns Ever Made
I have never known anyone to have a dry-eye after watching this moving film. The characters are truly believable thanks to the stunning acting jobs done by Tommy Lee Jones, Robert Urich, and ESPECIALLY Robert Duvall. His characterization of Gus is, in my mind the role of a life time for any actor. Mr. Duvall rose to the occasion. The pain and heartache that these characters suffer is enough to bring anyone to tears. The movie is also beautifully filmed, with realistic sets and gorgeous landscapes. A must see for anyone who enjoys westerns. Get it! You won't be disappointed. Keep a box of kleenex close at hand when you watch it, though!! END

We Don't Rent Pigs
How many works of cinema are worth sitting through for 6 hours? Not many at all, but here you can't put it down. An unvarnished portrayal of the best and worst of humanity under harsh conditions. It makes you wonder where you would fit in, in this cinematic worldly epic. Most movie Westerns pale in comparison, especially the pop pseudo western bravado ones. Lonesome Dove finds the strength in humanity despite man's frail existence in nature. You don't have to like Westerns to love Lonesome Dove.

Lonesome Dove
Received tape in a very timely manner. Seller emailed to be sure I received item.(Very impressive.) Tape in excellent shape.
Lynne

A Magnificent American Epic
I certainly agree with the other glowing reviews of this movie but I would like to say that it is not simply the best western ever produced, it is, in my opinion, the best movie ever produced. I have seen it approximately 10 times and it is just as good each time as it was the first time. Rober Duval's acting is as good as it gets. Tommy Lee Jones is at his finest. The music is superb. The cimematography is excellent. The story is masterfully crafted and is based largely on real life characters. Charles Goodnight was the real life model for Woodrow Call and Oliver Loving, Goodnight's partner, was the model for Augustus McCrae. Duval, in playing McCrae, brings to life the character of the gallant old ranger and lover of all women with a degree of perfection of art that is unsurpassed in the history of movie making. ... Read more

Reviews (74)

A subtle movie! A Dynamite Cast! A Gorgeous Score!
This is a subtle and rewarding film. The cast is magnificent--the performances great! One of my favorite film scores too!

A hint for watching the movie. With each viewing, I find I have been concentrating on a different actor. Kim Novak is definitely at her peak; William Holden is remarkable; Rosalind Russell is at her very best, with a fantastically varied and difficult part; Susan Strasberg is wonderful indeed. All of the supporting actors are super too! And this IS primarily a story of individuals' lives, and how they are changed.

The film gives a remarkably accurate picture of life in 1950's rural Kansas. But onto this background is thrust a love story of great interest and appeal. The film has super color and fine sound (for its era anyway).

The film is, quite simply, astounding. Don't rent it....buy it, bucause it just gets better and better with repeated watchings!

Dripping with lust!
Picnic is one of those films that just transports the viewer into another time and era and that's the sign of a truly great film. Holden has the daunting task of playing a loveable hustler with big dreams that he just can't make happen. So he decides to go back to familiar grounds and falls for kim Novak. Novak is a treasure in this movie her exotic beauty and shaky voice highlights her characters uneveness to conform into the town's perfect beautiful young woman. This film at it's time was billed as too sexy due to the dance that Novak and Holden share at the picnic and till this day the scene holds up great. The lust in both their eyes and Novaks raw sex appeal against Holden's rugged good looks is a sight to be hold. But the back story which I won't give a hint of is the true tale of this flick and shows how human nature is always determined by the role society wants you to play based on your looks! This film still holds up today as a work of pure sexual energy and raw human emotions.

William Holden & Kim Novak are OUTSTANDING in Picnic
I saw PICNIC during its release in 1956 in India when I was in
school. I was crazy about English films and never missed a good
film.one of my class mates saw the film before me and remarked
about the energetic dancing of Holden as spellbinding.I was not
that keen in the beginning to see the film due to its title which meant lightweight and fun. But when I saw the film the experience was tremendous, I had just seen a masterpiece. William Holden and Kim Novak were just outstanding. Holden

brought a breath of fresh air as soon as he appeared, and Kim
Novak was not just a small town beauty queen, she oozed raw sex
and hidden desires exposed to the full by carefree but passionate William Holden. Although, without doubt the highlight of the film was the picnic and the dancing where all the principal players of the film are envolved emotionally and the finale to the story builds up, there other memorable scenes notably the swing scene where Holden gets hold of the swing where Novak is sitting, he begins playing with it unintentionally and realises for the first time that he has fallen for the fiancee of his best friend. Then there is that passionate scene beside the waterfall where both Holden and Novak admit their love for each other and kiss intensly, Holden with torn shirt. After this Holden runs and catches the running train and finally Novak follows him, her true love in the Greyhound. The execution of all these scenes and the whole story is nothing less than perfect. James Wong Hoe's technicolor photography is outstanding. Needless to say I have seen this film many times since and found it always charming.

Holden Sparks, Novak Smolders, Kansas Burns
In a decade of conformity and great prosperity William Inge and Tennessee Williams tackled subjects ahead of their time. Of course they in some cases had to veil the subject matter but that lead to some wonderful revelations in writing and reading between the lines. In this DVD from Colombia of Inge's Pulitzer Prize winning 'Picnic' we have one of the best films of this genre of sexual repression, animal heat, and desperation in small town America.
Most reviewers of this film might begin with the leads but I must start of with the wonderful Verna Felton as Helen Potts the sweet old lady who is caretaker of her aged mother and lives next door to the Owens family. This gifted and now forgotten character actress sets the tone of the picture as she welcomes drifter Hal Carter (William Holden) into her house. At the end of the film she glows in tender counterpoint to the dramatic ending. She is the only person who understands Hal, even more than Madge (Kim Novak). Her speech about having a man in the house is pure joy to watch. It is a small but important performance that frames the entire story with warmth and understanding.
Betty Field turns in a sterling performance as Flo Owens, Mother of Madge and Millie. She is disapproving of Millie's rebellious teen and smothering of her Kansas hothouse rose Madge. A single Mom trying in desperation to keep Madge from making the same mistakes she did. She becomes so wrapped up in Madge's potential for marriage to the richest boy in town she completely ignores the budding greatness that is bursting to get out in her real treasure. Millie.
Susan Strasberg creates in her Millie a sweet comic oddball. She is the youngest daughter who awkwardly moves through the landscape nearly un-noticed, reading the scandalous "Ballad of the Sad Café" being the only one who is different and can't hide it. Her yearning to get out of the smallness of small town life is colored with the skill of a young actress with greatness her.
Rosalind Russell nearly steals the show as the fourth woman in the Owens household boarder, Rosemary, a frantic, hopeless and clutching spinster. In the capable hands of Miss Russell we have a real powerhouse of a performance. She imbues Rosemary with all the uptight disapproval of a woman who knows that her time has past and there are very few options left. She is electric in her need for love. Every nuance of her emotions is sublime in her presentation. Just watch her hands alone.
Floating above all of this is Madge Owens, the kind of girl who is too pretty to be real. The kind of girl who in a small town like this is not understood to have any real feelings or thoughts other than those that revolve around being beautiful and empty. Enter Kim Novak, who is just such a girl. Who could ever expect such a beauty to be anything more than just pretty? But Miss Novak, a vastly underrated actress in her day paints a knowing and glowing portrait of Madge. Her explosion of sexual heat upon meeting Hal for the first time is internal and barely perceptible until she looks at him from behind the safety of the screen door the end of their first scene. That screen door is a firewall protecting her from the flames. She fights in the early part of the film to keep her sexual desire for Hal in check. That night she loses her fight at the picnic and we watch as she opens to reveal a woman of feelings and dreams so much deeper than the prettiness of her eyes or the luminosity of her skin. This is one of Kim Novak's early great roles and one she fills out with lush and deep emotion.
The lives of all of these women of Nickerson Kansas are changed one Labor Day when Hal comes steaming into town. William Holden gives a raw and wounded portrayal to Hal, a man at the edge of his youth and on the verge of becoming a lost man. He lives as he always has, on the fading glow of his golden boy charm and his muscular magnetism. Holden was 35 when he made Picnic, a real golden boy at the edge of his youth. He was perfect for the part. Some reviewers say he was too old to play Hal, but I disagree. Without being thirty-five in real life as well as in the story Rosemary's "Crummy Apollo" speech would not be so effective or devastating. Hal is a man who never bothered to grow up, a man who never let anyone get too close for fear they might see through is bravado and discover his fears of feeling something, anything before it's too late.
Holden also brings a sexual heat to the film that is eons beyond the time it was filmed. He is presented almost like a slab of meat. He struts around in a pre-Stonewall dream of sexy hotness. Not only the girls in town notice him but a few boys too. (There are several layers to Nick Adams paperboy if one bothers to look.) When finally Holden sparks with Novak they blow the lid off of the uptight code bound studio-strangled world of Hollywood in the Fifties.
The film is photographed magnificently in lush color and cinemascope by famed cinematographer James Wong Howe. The famous score by George Durning is classic not only for the famous reworking of the old standard "Moonglow" but for his virtuosity in dramatic power. This is a giant of a score from the silver age of film music. The direction by Josh Logan is perfect in every way and stands among the best of his work.

Moonglow moments
You know it's good:

1. It's the look on William Holden's face when he first catches a glimpse of Kim Novak coming down the stairs in that pink dress. ("Madge is the pretty one"--she sure is)
2. It's the way she shimmies up to him. Revealing her intentions, she never loses eye contact or says a word.
3. It's the moment he takes her into his arms to dance close--he gives a little sigh of pleasure.
4. It's the look on his face when he's dancing--that criptic smile of pleasure and sensuality--all the while knowing that she's totally off limits.

and of course the song itself. This scene in itself makes the movie and with DVD you can play it over and over and over... Not many dance scenes have stood the test of time. I loved it. What can I say--I'm a chick. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

A SWEEPING, DYNASTIC SAGA SET IN EIGHTEENTH CENTURY CORNWALL
My sister has always raved about the Poldark series that was shown on Masterpiece Theatre in the mid nineteen seventies. When it first became available on video, though it was expensive, she promptly bought the first set of six tapes and has yet to tire of watching them. Knowing how much I love period pieces, she urged me to watch it, telling me that she was sure that I, too, would love it. Well, she was right.

This is a first rate period piece, set in late eighteenth century Cornwall. It focuses on Ross Poldark, scion of a well known Cornish family. He is a member of the established gentry and a gentleman. Having been gone from Cornwall for a time to fight against the colonists, he returns battle scarred only to find that his father has died and left the family estate in ruins and in debt. He also finds that the love of his life, Elizabeth, believing that Ross had been killed in battle, has become engaged to his first cousin, Francis Poldark. He also discovers to his dismay that the upstart but wealthy Warleggan family, for whom Poldark has no love, is trying to buy the Poldark family mine. This mightily upsets Ross, as the Poldarks represent old money and the established gentry, while the Warleggans represent new money and are social upstarts.

As Ross Poldark tries to rebuild his estate and family fortune, he takes in a red headed, feisty, young street urchin who turns out to be a hoyden with the unlikely name of Demelza. Firmly ensconcing herself on the Poldark estate, she helps Poldark rebuild his estate, scrubbing. cleaning, all while falling in love with the brooding Ross, as he moons for Elizabeth and fends off the Warleggans who appear to conspire to ruin Poldark at every turn. A night of passion, however, finally finds Poldark looking at Demelza with new eyes, and his sense of honor compels him to marry her, little knowing that he would be getting the bargain of his life in doing so.

This is the story of Ross Poldark and Demelza, their families and friends, their loves and enemies. It is a story of sweeping proportions and a fine dynastic saga. It is also a story of the intense rivalry between the Poldarks and the Warleggans, a rivalry that would pit the scions of each of these families, Ross Poldark and George Warleggan, in a life long personal battle that nearly destroys them both. Based upon a series of books by Winston Graham, the Poldark series does honor to the author's work.

Robin Ellis is outstanding as the honorable, though brooding, Ross Poldark. When the viewer first sees him, the viewer wonders what on earth all the fuss is about. Within minutes, however, the viewer finds oneself half falling in love with his character. Angharad Rees is delightful as the feisty, impish little red head and is guaranteed to win the heart of every viewer. Robert Bates gives an affecting performance as Poldark's enemy, George Warleggan, a despicable yet, at the same time, curiously touching, individual. Jill Townsend is appropriately cool and aloof as the ever unattainable Elizabeth of Ross' dreams. Richard Morant gives a stellar performance as the kind and compassionate Dr. Enys, a close friend of Ross Poldark. The rest of the supporting cast is also quite strong and contributes to the success of this tale of romance and adventure in the Cornish countryside.

This is a video set well worth having in one's personal collection. Bravo!

An Astonishing, Largely Unknown Series
This excellent series was first broadcast on Masterpiece Theater back in 1975 and is based on the novels by Winston Graham. It plays out much like an 18th Century soap opera. Ross Poldark (Robin Ellis) is the story's central character; after being injured during the Revolutionary War, he returns to his home in England (Cornwall). What he discovers ignites a chain of events that is brilliantly designed to grab and hold the viewer's attention until the very end. You do not need an elaborate understanding of England's history during this time-period to follow or enjoy the Poldark series...it is no more than an countless string of captivating subplots complete with daring rescues and dangerous liaisons, each carefully woven to support but never overshadow the story's crux: a complex, intricate love triangle that would stupefy Pythagoras himself.

Overall, I found the series to be more entertaining than Graham's books, which at times were slow and uninvolving. However, the story does not end with Poldark 2: Graham continues the saga with several more books (including "The Loving Cup," which is currently out of print), but alas, except for "Stranger from the Sea," these were never adapted to the small screen. If nothing else, I suggest you watch the series to get to know Demelza (Angharad Rees), one of the most stunningly beautiful women I have ever seen.

Need a DVD version!
I LOVED this story when I first watched it on PBS in the late 70's. I bought the VHS--but was somewhat disappointed with
editing. A DVD of the original series (no editing) is absolutely necessary! Please!

Where's the DVD?
The story may take place in the 18th centrury, but this is 2004 -- where's the DVD? If it were available on DVD, I'd be buying it right now, instead of writing this reveiw!

I did see the series on television a couple times, and it is great fun! Great character development, and, like the soaps, there are those you love to hate and even some you hate to love.

Poldark
This is a wonderful series. I own both Poldark I and Poldark II in VHS. One reviewer from Australia indicates that it is now available on DVD down under. PLEASE release this on DVD in the US -- and hopefully not edited as the VHS edition was. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Anglophiles rejoice: the Bellamys are back in their upscale London home, and the servants are again ensconced below stairs. The characters are endearing and the writing bittersweet as the story follows the lives of this aristocratic family and its helpers from 1904 into the 1930s. Nine new-to-video episodes of this seminal British series have been included in a seven-video boxed set. (It aired in the States under the auspices of Masterpiece Theatre.) Of the 13 episodes, 5 are rare black-and-white shows never broadcast in the U.S. All are clean and clear and as enjoyable as when they first aired in the early 1970s. --Rochelle O'Gorman ... Read more

Reviews (30)

The beginning of a great series
I watched this set over the Christmas holiday in a 3 day mini-marathon (having just watched the 5th and final series in a 4 day marathon a few days before). I was surprised to learn how few of the first season episodes I'd actually seen and how long it took for the children, James and Elizabeth, to be introduced and developed as characters. And if you 've always wondered why James ended up getting parlor maid Sarah pregnant, the beginning of their relationship is here. If you're an Upstairs Downstairs fan, this shouldn't be missed. If you've never seen the series, but enjoy British drama and/or Masterpiece Theatre on PBS, this set (and the entire series) is an absolute must. And you simply have to buy it to see the episodes that were never shown in the U.S. (a couple of these were absolutely brilliant!)

Even though these will soon be 30 years old (the series debuted in 1971), they're still better than most things on television today. A true classic -- highly recommended.

Master Piece Theather in true form indeed....
I was just a toddler when the series first aired in the 70's, but from earing about the masterpiece theather references on PBS always wandered what all the fuzz was about.

This is a definite work of art, it should be considered a gem of the british television history. The acting is superb and the dialogues between the characters are fascinating in the emotional highs and lows that are transmitted in each episode.

My advise for the potential viewer is to view the series from episode 1 in order to fully appreciate how the characters develop and mature. There are some that grow and others that decay over time, but very interesting to see the dynamics of it.

Hudson, the buttler, for me is the best, with it's total devotion to the old order and his place in the social structure prevalent at the time, he seems to signify the DOWNSTAIRS. I imagine that is how the real buttlers acted at the beginning of the past century.

Finally, Lady Marjorie's character is exquisite in her representantion of the quintesential high class lady (UPSTAIRS) she is serene, classy and totally controlled in her behavior and emotions (altought sometimes she lets go letting us know that she is human after all).

Definite classic....

Still holding up well
This series holds up well after all these years. Sure, there are some minor problems with creaky dollys, hearing the camera tape rolling--hey, this was 1971 and it was a low budget make! But even with that it's a wonderful look at Edwardian England. Some of the best writing on either side of the "Big Pond." By far, this is one of the best series out there.

rose.christie@latis.net.au
I now own the entire series - absolutely fabulous portrayal of an intriguing era of history. The snobbishness of the 'lower'classes is brilliantly portrayed by the servants of Eaton Place. Even better, the 'real' events of the period and the effects are excellently covered.

High Class - Low Tech
Through the years I have watched PBS Masterpiece Theatre for its remakes of Classic Novels, but British TV didn't interest me because I normally don't watch "Typical TV" until I got married & started watching romantic movie comedies with my wife. Some of our favorites: "You-re Got Mail" & "Sleepless in Seattle" always had references to older Romantic classic movies or novels. Therefore we found ourselves watching & loving many Jean Austin remakes including several A&E DVD's. This lead to a British invasion within our house starting with "Darling Buds of May" & "All Creatures Great & Small". "Darling Buds of May" was a little racy for our taste & "All Creatures Great & Small" started out rather slow, but in the end we have been watching these 2 British TV Classics over & over. I then told my wife about "Upstairs Downstairs" & we decided not to buy the whole series, but to test out the first season. The series is rather racy for our tastes (as was "Darling Buds of May"), normally at a PG level, but at times travels up to a R rating & just when you think it will go too far, it jumps back to PG just in time. We were both surprise to see Pauline Collins of "No, Honesty" as a maid named Sarah in the first Black & White series. For my review, I will not write about the plots & characters because other people before me have done a great job & we need not repeat them here. As a professional photographer (wedding photographer for 15 years) & owner of a better than avg 5.1 audio video system (NHT 5.1) the Black & White series has better photography & sound: all very clean & clear. The color series on the other hand, is a wreak both sight & sound. There are at times late 1960ish TV lines that invaded the screen that throw off the timing of the sound. This must be a straight no edited copy that has no value as a piece of photography art, but a run through just to get the product out. In fact, there is a VHS hum throughout, something I never experienced with a DVD. As a British TV series with the actors & plot, I would rate this as a 4, but as a DVD a 2, therefore the avg out is 3. Both me & my wife will not continue with the series because there were no moral outcomes within the first season. Maybe this is not the place to start the series, but then again, where does one start if not the beginning? ... Read more

Reviews (21)

Great lineup, sterile handling
Carlos Saura has cornered the market for flamenco movies today, from his 'Carmen' and 'Bodas de Sangre'. The long career has given him access to Spain's top artists working today. Unfortunately he has not seen fit to change his doggedly austere style, throwing artists into a stark empty room hoping to induce a more somber, and presumably purer, more dignified and more respectable Art.

This may be good politics, but makes for bad art. Like it or not, the soul of flamenco cannot be torn from the Andalucian sun and earth and still live. Like Argentine tango and jazz, it is at its most vibrant and purposeful when it's at home among its people.

A much better intro to flamenco, which showcases this living link, would be "Duende y Misterio del Flamenco", "Los Tarantos" by legend Carmen Amaya, or the many Spanish TV documentaries like "Caminos Flamencos" or "Años de Flamenco" (with many of the same artists), available from Catalina's (catalinas@aol.com)

All the power, passion and artistry of contemporary flamenco
This is THE flamenco film. Carlos Saura, famous for his work with the great Antonio Gades ("Blood Wedding," "Carmen" and "El Amor Brujo") and for his portrait of Andalusian folklore in "Sevillanas," creates one of the best flamenco films ever made.

The focus in this work is on the performers and their performances. Sets are minimal and there is no "story" except that generated by the lyrics of the flamenco songs themselves. The director is careful to capture not only the larger aspects of the performances but also to zero in on the emotional engagement of the performers with their art . Flamenco is as much about the performer's struggles with the art and the emotions that underpin it as it is about a stage presentation. This is an intimate film despite the fact that it was shot in a train station. The sets, lighting and camera work continually direct your focus to that intimate space created by the performers.

The conceit of the film is a journey not only through flamenco's different styles as embodied by some of the art's greatest contemporary performers, but also a journey into the night. Not only is the night evoked through lighting effects, but the deep inner recesses of the soul are suggested as well, that inner wellspring from which flamenco itself arises.

This is the most profound exploration of flamenco ever captured on film. To understand flamenco, there is no better place to start than with Carlos Saura's masterpiece, "Flamenco."

Not what I thought...
I have listened to flamenco music all my life..I was born in Spain, and I'm telling you that this tape is not the true flamenco you would find on the streets of sevilla, or anywhere else in the south. ALso did not have enough dancing, which is the main atraction of the flamenco music.

Duende on film
Those not in the know tend to think of Flamenco in terms of women with fans and flying skirts and men in boots and macho attitudes. Well, yeah, but there's more, much more. This movie, filmed in a converted Spanish railway station, presents the full range of the Gitano's art, from traditional to modern, individual to group, expressing all the pain and joy of a true, very serious artform. A delight.

not enough dance
I am relatively new to flamenco and do not understand spanish. I like flamenco for the passion in the dance. I do not understand the music though, so my review might be that of a novice. I cannot even recognize the artists. I expected more dance in the video, though there are some very good pieces. I wanted to see more of the performers dancing like the world did not matter to them and the sound of the shoes was all the sound in the world, and the expressions in their faces. I am disappointed considering the price i paid for this. I wish I knew where to look for heart stopping flamenco dance. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

A rich character study, with planes too
I saw this series once, when it ran on Masterpiece Theatre in the late 1980s. I've never forgotten it. That's how good it is.

The PBS station in the Washington, D.C. area is, happily, re-running the series right now (WETA, Sunday evenings at 8). Watch it if you can. If not, you know where you can buy it.

This is a study of a group of young men -- well, okay, most of the actors aren't as young as they should be for historical accuracy -- and how they respond to risk, and loss, and each others' personalities. The pace is stately. Though the aerial combat scenes are genuinely thrilling, there are long, long stretches with no action at all. The series is all about dialogue and expressions.

Two performances stand out for me. Boyd Gaines is sensational as the American pilot in this very British squadron. He comes across as both dashing and touching, a man carrying on despite terrible stress. Neil Dudgeon also excels at the tougher assignment of playing "Moggy" Cattermole, the squadron jerk...mostly. (That's one of the pleasures of this series. No one is entirely sympathetic or entirely unsympathetic.)

Great dramatization of "Their Finest Hour"
This Masterpiece Theater series chronicles the misadventures of an RAF fighter pilot squadron from the outset of WWII into the hairiest days of the Battle of Britain. Both the series and the book it's based on imply a revisionist history - pilots not often as valiant or even as smart as one would have expected, not quite marksmen in the air and just as liable to shoot up one of their wingmen than the enemy - but the book was a novel and the series remains a fictitious work using composite characters whose authenticity will probably never be satisfactorily confirmed. The story starts off when WWII was still a gentleman's war - i.e. nobody has begun fighting. A Spitfire is lost in a ludicrous landing accident; the squadron CO is then killed when he falls into the hole plowed by the Spit. Later, the squadron mistakes another RAF squadron for a flight of Messerschmits, and trades fire. Moving to France and an elaborate chateau, the squadron treats the war as some extended vacation with little hint of the ferocity and longetivity of the impending Axis assault - giving them plenty of time to say and do the things that allow those in the future to realize what utter idiots they were for the most part. To cement their stupidity for future consumption, one of the volunteers is an American - CHIII - a playboy whose wealth allows him to fly for noble causes, and has already seen action in Spain. CHIII's job is to convince the rest of our heroes that the war will be nasty, that the Germans won't fight like gentlemen, and that they should replace the wood propellers on their planes with metal ones. Pilots prove their worth flying under a nearby bridge (and we're not talking about the Verrazano), though the smartest pilots forego the dare completely. Chased back to England after the Fall of France, their ranks swollen by more foreign volunteers, the desperation of England's situation and the cruelties of war slowly dawn on the nation (fighter pilots can't shoot; it takes too long to organize defense fighters in the air for interception to matter; airfields and radar stations fall to the mercy of the Luftwaffe; if you're killed in the air, their won't be enough of you left to bury).

"Piece of Cake" is meant to be ironic and revisionist - the heroes of the "Battle of Britain" being more human and imperfect than propaganda would have had us believe, though I doubt anybody really bought into the myth to that extent by the time the book came out. (Historians have long heaped much of the blame for the Luftwaffe's failure on Germany's ill-considered strategic shift in targeting London instead of the RAF's airfields and radar stations). Unlike the pilots of the book who flew Hawker Hurricanes and pined for the sexier Spitfire, the aviators here actually fly Spitfires. (Hurricane fighters probably had more to do with winning the battle than the Spit since their superior weaponry was better suited to shooting down German bombers on which the German air offensive relied; The myth of Spitfires having "won" the Battle of Britain" is probably a myth itself - as long as I've been reading about the subject, the Spit is normally described as the plane that didn't win the Battle). The book went further in pulling apart the myths of German superiority than the series (The Stuka dive bomber, renowned for its accuracy, was a Luftwaffe propaganda weapon by the fall of France, yet RAF pilots learnt to exploit its weaknesses and soon realized that its accuracy as a dive-bomber didn't compensate for its sheer defenselessness after attack; the Me-110, a twin-engine monster favored by Goering , bristling with guns and as fast as a lighter fighter, is also less maneuverable, easier to spot than smaller fighters; masses of German bombers fill the skies but are virtually defenseless, escorted as they are by Me-109's flying at the ends of their range). The series is best when focusing on the intel officer. In the strongest scene, he plays gun camera footage for the pilots, mathematically dissecting what appears to be proof of scores of enemy planes being downed, but what is revealed to be proof of incompetence (an Me-109 whose wings look suspiciously Spitfire-shaped; comparing the known wingspan of an He-111 to the gun-reticle, it's obvious that another depicted kill was much to far off to have been downed by its claimant). The intel guy is great because he reveals the failings of our heroes as they would have known them in 1940, and not from the comfort of 1990. The story is conversely weakest when parading British snobbery, hypocrisy and short-sightedness - the Germans are derided for their oppression of the Jews while that of England's allies is ignored; the pilots early are so confident that they'll be home in time for Christmas, or that they'll settle things with the Germans peacefully and then take on the Russians in Finland that you keep waiting for one of them to fall into a ditch. The biggest disappointment is that the series is so eager to reveal the myths that it gives short shrift to England's desperation and the reasons that these myths were first born.

Finding the complete series has not been a "Piece of Cake"!
In 1990, I had the experience of being able to watch the entire series on Masterpiece Theatre. Much like my recent addiction to the Kiefer Sutherland series "24", I was completley consumed with "Piece of Cake" and was truly sad when it was over.

Over the past several years I have searched for the complete set, only to find one, or some of the total series. It was not until I came to Amazon.com that I found the complete series which I am anxiously awaiting at this time to be delivered. I have even got my wife excited about this, which is no easy feat being that it is a series based on wartime, which is not her favorite topic. Often I have had to switch from the History Channel to Lifetime to accomodate her viewing desires. But I think we have a winner with this one! Thanks Amazon.

A Piece Of Cake
I saw the original on Master Piece Theater and really liked the presentation as a whole. Interesting story line, beauitful phototgraphy and flying. As for accuracy and chacters it left a little to be desired. I think that in checking that one will find that the English wouldn't allow their precious "Spits" to go to France although they did send some Hurrcanes. "Spitfire envy?" Churchill wisely not flushing good material down the toilet when they knew what was going to happen in a few months. Most of the chacters were off a bit I felt too. After reading "A Fighter Pilots Anthology" and other works which told of the premier of this film shown to the actual surviving pilots of the Battle that many of them left the theater early because of this aspect. Remember, in 1939 the RAF was more or less a Gentleman Warrior's Club to be supplemented by a volunteer force as the "Gentlemen" were killed off. This was a brand new type of combat to the military so all were learning as they went. They were after all just plain people who were doing the very best with what they had. Which of course makes them all Heros. So in essence knowing this, I didn't buy the set for the historical content. I bought it because I love seeing a beautiful airplane flying in beautiful settings. And I do highly recommend it.

The best length of VHS tape i've seen
Piece of cake, or A Piece of Cake as it was known at the time (in british circles) was a great success. A compelling story, fine photography, and more importantly (for aviation enthusiasts like myself) excellent flying shots of those well preserved aircraft we have over here. (incidentally, for you aviation boffins, the aircraft flying were, MH434, NH238, PL983, and G-BOML and others for the Gerries, with several fibreglass mock-ups for effect). No, truly, without going into ridiculous detail this was a great contribution to the list of those great air-war movies that are our heritage. Truly a piece of cake, and a great commemoration to "the few".

Incidentally, if any of these words are spelt strangely, it's because we write things properly over here!

(also, that's another great drama you will not have seen)

Sorry Yankee chaps!

Buy it! ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

If anything defined the 20th century as the age of anxiety, it's the cold war with its ultimate no-win nuclear endgame. While conflicts in Korea and Vietnam dragged on, providing the traditional images of modern warfare, some of the conflict's most dangerous battles were invisible--tactical, intellectual, and fought primarily in the minds and war rooms of U.S. and Soviet leaders: Kennedy, Krushchev, Castro, Kissinger, Gorbachev, and Reagan. This 8-volume, 24-episode series, narrated by Kenneth Branagh, is a comprehensive history that examines the key events of the arc of the Soviet Union, from its birth to its fall, and provides a thorough analysis of what was going on behind closed doors. Informed by the stories of 500 eyewitnesses--from citizens and soldiers to historians and statesmen--and strengthened by painstaking reconstruction of archival historical film footage, CNN's Cold War is a heroic undertaking and a sweeping chronicle of the world's most fragile decades. --Susan Benson ... Read more

Reviews (10)

CNN's The Cold War is simply brilliant
Never before have I seen such a comprehensive, absorbing and fascinating look into this era of history. From the early days after World War II, to the final collapse of the Soviet Union, The Cold War details not just the political aspects of the "communist threat", but the social and economic aspects, too. Whether you are a history buff looking for new sources, or just some one who wants to learn about this exciting time, you will completely enjoy The Cold War.

It Is More Than a History of the Cold War.
It is a history of an important period of human experience. The series is well made. Many important events are shown from different view points. If we can all learn from this important period of time, we may be able to minimize loss of lives due to military conflicts and political confrontations.

It is absolutely riveting, reassuring and terrifying.
Although I saw it happen on television and observed many of the changes while in the Soviet Union, the fall of the communist block still astonishes me. Without question, it is the greatest single change in human history that occurred without vast bloodshed. As late as the mid 1980's no one could have conceived of a scenario where the iron curtain would be penetrated with almost no loss of life.
That amazement was revisited as I watched this series of tapes and relived events such as the Hungarian uprising in 1956, the Cuban missile crisis of 1962, the Warsaw pact invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968, the crushing of the Polish Solidarity movement in the early 1980's and the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1980. The constant tension and mutual fear of annihilation just seemed to be a permanent fact of existence. That is all gone and although it is of necessity rather brief, these tapes tell the essence of how it happened.
Simply put, you cannot begin to argue that you understand the twentieth century without knowing the details of the cold war between the two giant ideological rivals. No one in the United States or Russia should be allowed to graduate from high school without first watching this tape. It is absolutely riveting, reassuring and terrifying at the same time.

Enriching and updating!
I did not hesitate when purchasing this title and everyone around me did enjoy watching all the 8 tapes continuously. I really would recommend to get this title while it is still available! The recent history of the world has been decided by the two super powers and the decisive role was played by the USA and if anyone still doubts it, he/she should watch this fabulously made movie. ....

Best of Cold War description I ever saw so far
I have experienced 15 years of life in east side of the Iron Curtain. Just want to say I really love this picture as I have found it objective enough, disclosing many interesting and important points in West-East diplomacy which were really hard to understand for me so far. Wish all the people watch it as we all could learn more of many mistakes have been done. None is holly - the comunists are unhuman by principal but the americans did many stupid thinks also. This movie shows you a lot of hidden, shadow politics of the era of Cold War. Enjoy it. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Advanced Tae-Bo enthusiasts will enjoy this set of two 60-minute workouts, both nonstop and intense. There are drills of one move at a fast pace over and over, with up to 40 repetitions. Occasionally, you slow down for half a minute to learn a combination, but then it's back to the fast repetitions. The combinations are never complex, but they're always intense, and Blanks gives technique tips so you can focus on doing the moves for maximum effectiveness and safety. Both workouts are tough and relentless, working the whole body, burning calories, building muscle endurance, and conditioning your heart and lungs. If you do advanced Tae-Bo regularly, this set will give you two new workouts at the high intensity you prefer. --Joan Price ... Read more

Reviews (49)

The Best of Tae Bo
These have to be the best Tae Bo videos yet. I am an aerobics instructor who teaches Kickboxing and I find these tapes to be quite challenging. They have also held my attention longer than some of the other Tae Bo tapes--I tend to get bored very quickly with exercise videos. I have been doing them faithfully for about a week now (I have cut back my teaching schedule because of conflicts with home schedule) and I will tell you--I see a difference in my abs and hips already. Especially the abs!! The Advanced tapes are definitely too much for a beginner--so if you are new to Tae Bo--do the Basic Tae Bo II tapes first. I have been combining this with the focus Abs & Glutes (which is very challenging also but VERY fast paced) and really like the results that I have gotten in such a short time. I highly recommend these tapes to Tae Bo lovers and advanced exercisers.

Tremendous workout
The Tae Bo II Get Ripped tapes are not for beginners. These are far and away the two hardest, most varied workouts I have ever done in my life. The first one in particular is almost unbelievable the first few times you do it, but the feeling of accomplishment once you master these puppies is well worth the pain. An hour of Tae Bo is SO much more effective than an hour of running, spinning or cycling. Your abs and glutes will get worked in ways you never realized were possible.

Two things to remember, though:

1. Tae Bo will not make you look "ripped" unless you are combining the program with weight training, which will give you muscles to ripple. Nothing is a complete exercise program without upper-body resistance work.

2. Don't do these things more than three times a week, and take a couple of days off to rest! Billy advises people about this in his book, and it's really worth repeating. This is too intense a workout to do on a daily basis. You'll end up hurting yourself by not giving your legs, abs and rear enough time to rest and regenerate. Just like with working your arms with weights, you CAN'T work your abs every single day. And believe me: Tae Bo II is the most intense ab work you're likely to find. I put it on par with the best Pilates instruction, as long as you do it correctly.

No Pain, No Gain
I was appalled at some of the "reviews" I saw, like the one saying this workout is horrible and "leaves you tired." NO KIDDING! That's what exercise is supposed to do! And someone else wrote something like "no one really gets ripped with these tapes, and it's all a marketing ploy." What this person doesn't realize is that NO amount of exercise will do you good if you're not following a balanced diet and if you're not putting your all into what you're doing. The reason there's a 95% diet failure rate in America is precisely because of attitudes like this; you have to work hard if you want to be rewarded, and you've got to make the OVERALL effort, and that means doing both aerobic and anaerobic exercise on a consistent basis and combining it with smart eating.

With that being said, Tae-Bo II: Get Ripped! is a very rewarding experience if you do the moves correctly. Billy is always an inspiration and keeps you on your feet the whole time. Trust me, during vigorous workouts like this, it's easy to give up long before the tape is over, but you owe it to yourself to do as much as you can without hurting yourself. I've been doing various Tae-Bo workouts for several months now and I haven't gotten bored with the routine because it WORKS, and I'd rather get bored with something that works for me then get excited with something that really doesn't give me the results I want. I found Tape 1 to have more strength training (particularly a lot of kicks to strengthen thighs), while Tape 2 had more cardio with great routines geared toward abs and glutes.

Have fun!

Excellent workout
I started doing Tae-Bo when the tapes first came out and I've been doing kickboxing for years-- this is definately the most intense workout I've done so far. I've ordered so many other tapes only to find that they moved way too slow and were completely useless. You do have to know your own limits with these tapes though because the tempo can be very fast at times. The music isn't the best, but this is an excellent workout and the time goes by so fast. Larry Lam's XKO is also an excellent workout, but not quite as challenging as this one.

Tae Bo with ADD
I do not like these workouts. I have the original Tae bo workouts, and find them much easier to follow along to. In Tae Bo II Blanks moves so quickly and doesn't spend enough time on each move. It is like watching a person with ADD do a workout. There are also so many people as back up people that it's hard to follow. Too many faces cause much more confusion. If you're new to Tae Bo I highly recommend the originals. ... Read more