Description

All Creatures Great and Small Series Three brings a rich new trove of James Herriot tales to the screen. Set in the windswept dales of Yorkshire, England, the series perfectly captures the warm drawing room fires and freezing wintry barns of the English countryside of the thirties. While this remote area cannot remain untouched by the threat of impending war, there are still plenty of battles to be fought on the home front: on the farms, in the fields and hand-to-hand in the surgery.

INCLUDES 14 EPISODES: Plenty to Grouse About, Charity Begins at Home, Every Dog His Day, Hair of the Dog, If Wishes Were Horses, Pig in the Middle, Be Prepared, A Dying Breed, Brink of Disaster, Home and Away, Alarms and Excursions, Matters of Life and Death, Will to Live, Big Steps and Little 'Uns ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Real Life Comedy Part 3
The Production: The TV series "All Creatures Great & Small" started in Great Britain on January 1978 with no nonsense photography with the typical grain of that time period. This DVD box set is from the third season, which played in January through June 1979. Some photography scenes were taken direct off Yorkshire farms. There are very little special effects, the only ones I can think of is either drugged or fake animals to act out certain quick scenes. Were some of the animals trained to act like they were sick or dying? Sometimes certain operations were preformed with a human hand, checking the rear of certain animals for pregnancies or intestinal problems. At times when the actors themselves are seen performing inspections on the animals, their hands were either hidden behind the animals or the actors makes facial expressions with the lower parts of their bodies off the screen. In this series, in one scene the main Veterinarian uses his free hand to cover the area where the needle is "Supposedly" going into the neck of the animal. Very down to Earth & as real as possible with great effect.

The Actors: Christopher Timothy plays James Herriot, a Scottish newly qualified Veterinarian as co-owner with Veterinarian Surgeon Siegfried Farnon, played by Robert Hardy, in the Yorkshire farming community of Darrowby during the late 1930's right before World War Two. Veterinary student & Siegfried's younger brother Tristan, played by Peter Davison continues to miss things up, but this time with the ladies & cooking. The housekeeper is Mrs. Hall, played by Mary Hignett, who leaves in a few episodes to care for relatives. James wife & part time secretary for the entire business is Helen played by Carol Drinkwater, who takes a second job to cover the bills.

Commentary: The third season continues where the second season left off where several of the characters "Know" what the other characters will do or say, & sometimes repeat per word at the same time. This correctly & naturally reveals the growing bond between everyone in the household. Most episodes deal with the upcoming war & how it affects their relationships & the farming community at large. This ends the 1st section of the series with Siegfried & James going off to war leaving Tristan to hold the business, & Helen returns to her father's house. As with the first & second seasons, this box set comes with 4 DVD's: at three to four 50 to 55 minute programs per DVD with an added bonus of a few commentaries by the main actors & a 5 minute short review on the James Herriot museum.

There are now two other DVD box sets, the first & second seasons, & a single DVD of 2 specials short in the mid 1980's. "All Creatures Great & Small" did return to British TV in the late 1980's with 4 seasons, but these are only on VHS at this time. A good buy if you're into real life comedy.

All Creatures Series 3 perhaps the most relaxed of all
This series "All Creatures Great and Small" is special beyond a doubt. The Third season of episodes finds our friends concerned about the coming war and is contemplative about life changing soon among the dales. It is the most delightful of the 3 with wonderful flute music and genuinely funny plots that have Tristan taking over kitchen duties with his usual haplessness and we are also given another "dose" of Dr. Granville Bennett,a repeating character who constantly gets our heroes drunk. Another features a dog that is subject to "gas" straying into an afternoon tea party and stinks the place up while a stock character colonel is explaining the benefits of "curry powder" in the diet. Siegfried is distant at times and eventually reveals his feelings about the coming war to James. In the end, the obligations of duty summon them both while Tristan holds up the home vet practice (Finally passing his tests.)Things were never the same again after this season and for that and the reasons stated above I believe this to be the best. Well worth your time and investment. A sure tranquilizer for our hurried times.

Season 3 is here, when will season 4 and 5 come?
This is the best series for family and entertainment. We watch at least one a night. It is a comforting step back into a more simple time. A delight for all! Can't wait for season 4 and 5!

All And Any Creatures on DVD is Great
Finally volume III. I have not viewed yet, but this collection has audio commentary by Hardy, Drinkwater, Davison and a few select directors on episodes 6, 7 and 13. Plus, a 5 minute feature on the James Herriot museum in Thirsk, and the Who's Who in the cast. 722 minutes on four discs. I hope volume IV is on the way on DVD. .................................................

Five stars minimum
I've never quite been able to pick a single best episode of "All Creatures," my favorite TV series. However, there are certainly several contenders for that honor in Series Three, the final series before James Herriot (Christopher Timothy) goes off to war. The omnipresence of his impending departure makes this series kind of bittersweet, but fortunately the series came back in 1988 and ran through 1990 (with two Christmas specials and one full-length movie bridging the gap between the end of Series 3 and the beginning of series 4).

I hesitate to give away too much information about any of these episodes - they have to be seen! - but my personal favorites are "Charity Begins At Home," "If Wishes Were Horses," "Be Prepared," "A Dying Breed," "Plenty To Grouse About," and "Home and Away". As usual, the actors play their characters so convincingly that when reading Herriot's books it's impossible to imagine James, Siegfried, Tristan, etc. as anyone other than Christopher Timothy, Robert Hardy, and Peter Davison.

(One final note: after watching any given ACG&S episode with Mr. Davison in it - I admit I don't enjoy the ones without him quite as much - I can never help but consider the possibility that he may suffer from a hyperactive charm/appeal gland.) ... Read more

Description

Writer/director Federico Fellini tells the tale of a woman (Giulietta Masina) dealing with her husband's possible infidelity. The result is a surreal and wild investigation into the psychology of a modern woman. Powered by Nino Rota's haunting score, "Juliet of the Spirits" was the winner of five Best Foreign Film of the Year awards and received Academy Award nominations for Best Art Direction and Costume Design in 1966. ... Read more

Reviews (31)

"C'mon Guilietta! We're all waiting!" (for you to come out)
This is a film about a woman in her 30s--a well-to-do Italian housewife--and the inner changes she experiences through several events in her life including, most prominently, the infidelity of the husband she loves. But it's much more too.

Fellini's stunning visuals--the colors and settings, the outrageous dress, and the fantastic score of Nino Rota, makes it seem as if Italy is the most exotic place on earth.

The first time I watched this film I was a bit put off by some of the events that didn't always make sense, as well as the annoying white subtitles that are difficult to read. But there was something about it that compelled me to watch again. I'm still not sure I understand the ending, or the role of the tall Spaniard, but there are many subtle and wonderful things happening.

The music of Rota is simply captivating. Most of it is carried by a lilting, swinging clarinet and a quirky organ in an unlikely but very rich marriage. I'm disappointed to find there is apparently no film score available on CD.

The viewer is treated to the whole litany and range of emotions of a woman suspecting her husband of cheating--and Guilietta Masina, in a great performance, tells it all in her face.

Guilietta also has visions. Her penchant for the spirts, along with the urging of her kooky friends, ("S/he only comes every seven years!") leads her to visit a spiritual charlatan, a phony guru, in a memorable and hilarious scene. "
"Isn't it an apple?"
"No dear, you must see beyond material form."

Guilietta's friends also try to persuade her to experience love beyond her marriage. I shan't tell the result but, again, Fellini treats the viewer to many, many exotic and unexpected scenes.

Finally, this film also explores the relationships of Guilietta to her husband, her mother and sisters, her friends, her husband's friends and her maids. In a sense, this is very much a woman's film. But it's more; it's surreal; it's certainly one for those tired of boring, contemporary films.

FELLINI'S BEST FILM?
Federico Fellini's films often reflected an enticing and disturbing dreamworld. "JULIET OF THE SPIRITS" is his first color film and it is a delight to see the bright, vivid colors again. All previous existing prints on tape were deplorable transfers.

Simply put, the story focuses on a wealthy Italian housewife in her 30s and the interior metamorphosis she undergoes as she experiences the passages, events and changes in her life, most notably her husband's unfaithfulness. A husband she loves. No words can do justice to the stunning visuals -- cinematography, costumes and production design.

Many film buffs consider this Fellini's best film -- even better than his autobiographical "81/2" -- a film that is in many ways the psychological flip side of "Juliet."

Fellini was one of only a handful of world class filmmakers that was fully actualized as an artist. He could not only break the rules, but make new ones. And no one excelled better than he in visualizing an elliptical, ephemeral dreamstate that still speaks to our deepest feelings in a unique and fresh style.

Nina Rota's fantastical score raises the intensity of the images and nuances the fleeting emotions. See this great movie for the first time and discover a genius and humanist who painted with light.

Thanks to Criterion for continuing the tradition of gathering the greatest films from the finest filmmakers around the world and publishing them in editions that offer the highest technical quality and award-winning, original supplements.

Who Doesn't Daydream...?
....It's a Fellini Cine, babes!

I was--like I have been while watching other foriegn films--put off initially by the seemingly incongruous little snippets of music and visuals. I mean, couldn't those Europeans make a movie that flowed better? Jeez! I open my mind, watched it a few times and came to these conclusions. First, Giulietta, the actress, must have been a bit off to have done this apparently semi-real story abouat a middle aged woman married to a famous director who she suspects is having an affair. I mean, she was married to Fellini when this was produced. Second, albeit the digital reprocessing has made the cinema more vivid and the costuming more striking, the women more sexier, it showed it's date. When Juliet goes to confront the lady about l'affair, she should have kick the B*'s tail. That probably would have been the response for a character in a current day movie. Third, in an odd sort of way, it all but helps a more modern Eyes Wide Open to make some kind of sense. I mean, who can say how we will respond when a whiff of infidelity comes into our relationships, our lives? Juliet's response were these visions. Some of these were from her far away youth. Some just were pure Fellini bacchanalia. Tom Cruise in Eyes was thinking well, if my wife can *think* it, well, I can just *do* it and be one up on her. It starts for Tom as 'getting even', but it corrodes into something else that he had no control over. (I always say we are forever one step from a huge disaster and we don't know it....) We see Juliet almost giving into her urges with the pretty Latin kid who she meets at her neighbor's...but something just doesn't feel right.

And so, that's what this film is about. What we go thru when we suspect something or hear some painful news. We have the brilliant Guilietta Masina and the surreal Fellini to thank for giving these emotions some sort of form..

One of Fellini's best films
I started watching Fellini films as a young teen, seeing the older ones in the revival theatres, and eagerly anticipating his newest films. Juliet of the Spirits is truly my favorite Fellini film. The camera visuals and color are stunning. The wide screen format is imperative. I only wish that Criterion had also added the (bad) English language soundtrack. It's better for first time viewers. Some of Fellini's imagery is easily missed by reading too many subtitles.

Beautifully Filmed Nonsense
While I admire the cinematic beauty of "Nights of Cabiria" and even its plot (as threadbare as it is, it's still good fun), by the time Fellini got to Juliet of the Spirits, he had really run out of things to say. Early on in the movie, there are harbingers of a plot, some suspense and even something verging on high drama, but none of these pan out, and instead we are left with.......a mess.

Giulietta Masina is a very great actress, it is just that there wasn't much material for her to work with. It is too bad she hitched her wagon to husband Fellini's star her entire career, because if she were just in a few movies with plots, character development and finely crafted dialogue, we could have discovered the full range of her talent.

In 1965, when this movie came out, there weren't so many movies about a woman's "midlife crisis" and her quest for "fulfillment"; By now this plot has become a cliche. As far as the story line goes, "Juliet of the Spirits" has got to rank among the worst, even losing out to the B-movies and straight-to-video films that are grist for the mill on Lifetime and The Oprah Channel.

And that is really a shame, because this is one of the most gorgeously filmed movies I've ever seen. Director of Photography Gianni di Venanzo's use of Technicolor is breathtakingly fascinating for its sumptuous use of warmth and its balance of colors and use of shocking hues. It rivals movies such as "Fantasia" and "Vertigo" for its artistic *visual* excellence.

Yet, this movie taken as a whole is rambling, unfocused and pretentious in a genre that is not too difficult to master. Some call Fellini's movies "surrealistic," and I have no argument with that. Perhaps my bourgeoise temperament lacks the patience to put up with it in two-hour-long doses. I prefer my surrealism in visual stills from Dali, Man Ray, Magritte.

The irony of it is that the best movie of the "woman finding herself" genre -- "Shirley Valentine", directed by Lewis Gilbert -- is filmed so dryly that it borders on incompetence. Imagine what a movie that would have made were the script put into the hands of di Venanzo and Fellini with a soundtrack by the great Nino Rota.

Altogether, viewing "Juliet of the Spirits" can be a pleasant experience, so long as one is concerned with camera work, editing, color timing and music. ... Read more

Reviews (24)

A Most Accurate Depiction of the Civil War and the Old West
Hollywood couldn't make a movie like Josey Wales today. In an age of political correctness, sappy westerns, and revisionist history, I find this movie a refreshing break from modern "reality." It is a classic, and one of the few movies that I own and watch more than once.

The realistic representation, references to actual historical figures, interwoven irony, and tightly knit dialogue make this movie a pleasure even for those prone to analyzing small details.

I grew up in the South and still remember my grandparents describing life during the Civil War in much the same terms that Josey Wales experiences it. The vast majority of Southerners were dirt-poor farmers who had never even seen a plantation, much less owned slaves, and I can't help but regard The Outlaw Josey Wales as a cinematic vindication of the wrongs they suffered at the hands of looting and pillaging murderers like W.T. Sherman.

A couple of interesting side notes that will enrich your viewing of Josey Wales: Clint Eastwood's son in the movie is his son in real life; Lone Watie was a chief in real life; Sondra Lock went on to become Clint Eastwood's wife in real life.

Classic Eastwood, Classic Western, Classic Movie
In recent years, Clint Eastwood's "The Outlaw Josey Wales" has been elevated to a higher plain than it occupied when released in summer 1976. Praised by a handful of critics, the film did well at the box-office but really acquired a following through no less than six highly rated airings on NBC, ABC, and CBS. Now it's often considered Eastwood's finest hour as director and star, even surpassing his Oscar winning "Unforgiven" in some eyes. Among its fans was the late Orson Welles who praised it as one of the finest Westerns ever made, and praised Eastwood as a director worthy of notice long before it was fashionable to do so. In 1996, Eastwood's fifth film as a director was even recognized by the Library of Congress when it was added to the National Film Registry, that collection of films deemed historically, artistically, and/or sociologically important and deserving of protection from tampering by anyone but the original director.

At first glance, I found it overlong and meandering, enlivened only occasionally by some trademark Eastwood gunplay. But if it's a little short on the action for which Eastwood made his name, repeated viewings make it clear that there is much more happening beneath the surface. The Outlaw Josey Wales is very much a film about community and trying to find a place in one. Josey Wales is an outlaw only because he avenged the death of his family at the hands of murderous Union soldiers. Now a hunted man, this peaceful farmer is an Angel of Death wandering the west in search of vengeance but also a place to call home. Its scope is much bigger than the revenge tale at its center, and the film represents an important step in Eastwood's maturation as a director.

Beautifully photographed, splendidly acted (especially by John Vernon), and capably directed, "The Outlaw Josey Wales" is one of Eastwood's finest hours (although "Unforgiven" is superior in my book), and one of the finest hours for the western, as well.

"I RECKON SO."
LEAVE THE WINING 'UNFORGIVEN' ON THE SHELF AND BUY THIS ONE.
EASTWOOD HAS NEVER BEEN BETTER IN FRONT OF OR BEHIND THE CAMERA.
WALES (EASTWOOD) IS A MISSOURI DIRT FARMER RAIDED BY RED LEGS UNION TROOPS AT THE END OF THE CIVIL WAR. AS A RESULT HE BURIES HIS WIFE AND CHILD AND SETS OUT WITH CONFEDERATE IRREGULARS TO "SET THINGS ARIGHT."
AND THAT HE DOES EARNING A REPUTATION AS A FEARED PISTOLERO IN THE PROCESS. ALONG THE WAY HE IS FORCED TO ACCEPT A RAG TAG FAMILY OF LONERS AND LOOSERS.
HE IS FREQUENTLY CHALLENGED AND SYSTEMATICLY BLASTS THE BAD GUYS
PUNCTUATING HIS KILLS WITH TOBACCO SPITTLE ON THE CORPSES FOREHEADS. WHEN A PARTNER REGRETS NOT BEING ABLE TO BURY THE BAD GUYS, JOSEY QUIPS IN TRUE LACONIC FASHION "BUZZARDS GOTTA EAT, SAME AS WORMS.'
THE DIALOGUE SELLS THIS SHOW. THE CHIEF VILLIAN YANKEE WHO IS CHARGED WITH TRAKING THE OUTLAW REMARKS TO HIS MEN (REFERRING TO WALES) "NOT A HARD MAN TO TRACK, LEAVES DEAD MEN WHERE EVER HE GOES." WALES CONCLUDES HIS EPIC MISSION BY FINALLY KILLING HIS ARCH RIVAL 'RED LEGS TERRELL' THEREBY AVENGING HIS LONG DEAD FAMILY.
THE FILM IS NOT WITHOUT HUMOR THANKS TO 'LONE WATIE' AN OUTCAST ELDERLY INDIAN WHO LIGHTENS THE DRAMATIC LOAD WITH TIDBITS OF WIT AND WISDOM. WHEN WALES ASKS WATIE IF HE HAS ANY THING TO EAT.
THE OLD WARRIOR REPLIES AS HE HOLDS UP A COLORFUL STONE "JUST THIS PIECE OF ROCK CANDY, BUT ITS NOT FOR EATIN....JUST FOR LOOKIN THROUGH."
WATIE ENCOURAGES WALES BY INSISTING THAT HE "ENDEAVOR TO PERSEVEARE."

WALES DOES SO AND SLOWLY REDISCOVERS HIS LOST EMOTIONS AND IN THE END WE ARE LED TO BELIEVE ALL WILL BE WELL.

GOOD WESTERN ENTERTAINMENT?

AS JOSEY WOULD SAY "I RECKON SO."

Simply the Best
This is the best Western of all time, bar none.

GREAT!
i love this movie i have seen lots of of clints movies (yes and some R ones but just 2) this is the best! ... Read more

Description

This exciting and entertaining eight-part series, based on Daniel Yergin's Pulitzer Prize-winning book, captures the panoramic history of the biggest industry in the world.Shot on location in Azerbaijan, Egypt, England, Indonesia, Japan, Kuwait, Mexico, Russia, Scotland, Turkey, and the United States, the series features fascinating characters, archival footage, and interviews with the people who shaped the oil industry.Yergin appears on camera throughout the series to discuss oil's impact on politics, economics, and the environment. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

An extremely gripping video
Once you start viewing this title, you will not stop till you have finished all the volumes. An excellent depiction of the politics and economics involved with the evolution and growth of the oil industry.

A lesson for any industry!
My banker insisted that I watch this and since, I have bought four copies to give as gifts. The video is a first class exploration for the meaning of the oil industry's ups and downs.

Excellent - should be a requirement for every American
It is a shame there aren't more reviews for this series. Hopefully it will be transferred to DVD with a lower price for more people to watch. I was fortunate to check them out at my local library.

I was motivated to watch this after watching the more recent Commanding Heights series on DVD also by Daniel Yergin.

The scope of this series is very impressive. Recent and archival footage weave a very powerful narrative on nearly the entire history, worldwide scope, and impact of the massive oil industry. Positive and negative points are noted. The interviews with so many influential industry veterans is astouding - both corporate and government. The current Iraq occupation only emphasizes why more people should watch this for a better understanding that we can't get something for nothing.

I have visited myself the natural gas reserves of Qatar, the oil fields and refineries of East Texas - including Spindletop where oil was first discovered in Texas, and the strip coal mines of Gilette, Wyoming among other places. Living in Southern California for 6 years too, I am fully aware of the intoxication and fallacies/price of the car-intensive lifestyle. Which was excellently summed up in the very last line when the driver of a Porsche expresses concern for the air quality, etc...but then notes how it goes away once he steps on the pedal. ALso, when the former geologist, now with Greenpeace, talks about the mental "rush/high" from searching out oil but noting that it is a fallacy too once the true cost is realized. The Petersen auto museum in Los Angeles is also a very good place to see how the auto-lifestyle rose up.

This series brings incredible depth to my existing knowledge base for a small investment in time.

Improvements to this series could have been more exploration of the price of the car-intensive lifestyle as it has not only to do with the environment (Which it covers well, but only touching the surface), but also personal health - such as obesity / weight control, and diminished social interaction - with all of it's attendant consequences. There is a good reason why Americans are the fattest people in the world - the car-intensive lifestyle is a big part of this.

Also better completing the series would have been a better discussion on how to move away from the oil-intensive economy. The main argument seems to be on tougher environment and auto emission regulations and improved technology (The electric car never has done much - as hinted at in the final episode as a possible "cure." Even fuel cells aren't the panacea).

Actually, the answer is a bit more straightforward - price oil at it's true price - add in the military cost of securing it among others and the price of freeways - indirect subsidies, (Let truer market forces play out - hmmm...Commanding Heights?), redesigning our cities, and incorporating mass transit - such as in Europe and Asia - Japan and Singapore would be shining examples. Also by reintroducing simple technology like the bicycle - as used in Netherlands and Denmark. If we did this, maybe we wouldn't need to waste our time going to Bally's or 24 Hour Fitness.

Perhaps these aspects are better discussed in another documentary. But the door for this was opened once the author decided to discuss it in the last 2 chapters.

Cars are great - but like many things in life - it is over-reliance on one way of thinking that has gotten us in trouble. Which is the DANGER of a series like this, it looks at everything through the single lens of oil demand and procurement as an explanation for the modern world.

In summary, like the Commanding Heights series, I feel Daniel Yergin has done an excellent job on a very expansive subject, he has carried the story a VERY long distance - but some more insight would complete the series and bring it closer to "connecting the last mile." Hopefully another author can connect this last mile. 5 stars nevertheless.

very excellent series
This is a good overview and introduction about the oil industy. Much of which I did not know, especially in light of our recent invasion of Iraq. Should be required viewing by all americans. I also recommend the companion book by Daniel Yergin as well, which is more detailed and exhaustive than the video. The video series, while excellent, are more like a cliff notes version of the book.

Worth it's weight in oil
This is an absolutely wonderful series from PBS. I was amazed at how much I learned about the industry. Or maybe I should be more amazed at how much I was never taught nor tried to learn on my own. It covers how oil started as just an illumination industry and was transformed by chance into the all encompassing giant that now moves nations. Really interesting shows are the ones about WWII and the rise and fall of OPEC. However the final show about the future and the environment is weak. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Ira Levin's scary novel about forced conformity in a small Connecticut town made for this compelling 1975 thriller. Katharine Ross stars as a city woman who moves with her husband to Stepford and is startled by how perpetually happy many of the local women seem to be. Her search for an answer reveals a plot to replace troublesome real wives with more accommodating fake ones (not unlike the alien takeover in Invasion of the Body Snatchers). The closer she gets to the truth, the more danger she faces--not to mention the likelihood that the men in town intend to replace her as well. Screenwriter William Goldman (Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid) and director Bryan Forbes (King Rat) made this a taut, tense semiclassic with a healthy dose of satiric wit. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (73)

You'll Just Die If You Don't See This Movie
Whether or not you've actually seen it, you'll probably have heard of "The Stepford Wives". Based on Ira Levin's novel, it was produced in the 1970s and has endured in the public consciousness ever since. Indeed the terms "Stepford" and "Stepford Wife" are now part of our vernacular. If you're in any doubt what these expressions mean, just imagine a woman who is the perfect male fantasy...a wife who cooks, cleans and keeps her husband's home to perfection whilst remaining an object of beauty, with well-preserved looks, sexy outfits and just the right-sized cleavage. A female who is there to service her man's every need - domestic, emotional, sexual - whilst never questioning her role as devoted housewife.The film tells the tale of New York housewife and photographer Joanna Eberhart, who moves with her lawyer husband Walter (sexy name - not!) and their two kids to the seemingly idyllic rural town of Stepford. Very soon Joanna becomes disenchanted with her surroundings, missing the liveliness of New York. Her feelings of isolation are compounded by the fact that the other women in the town appear content to stay at home for their husbands as loyal house fraus, with no outside interests whatsoever. Also, all new male arrivals in Stepford are invited to join "The Men's Association", an organisation from which the town's women are strictly excluded. Whatever goes on there remains a mystery; the women aren't told.

Fortunately Joanna meets the effervescent and rebellious Bobby Marco, another recent arrival in Stepford who shares her concerns about the strange behaviour of the women in the community. Together they decide to set up a consciousness-raising group and rally to get the local women involved...almost to no avail! At the first meeting of the wives, the other women prefer to agonise over the cleanliness of their kitchens and talk about the wonders of "Easy-On" starch spray and baking. One other recruit is found though; a feisty redhead called Charmaine who feels restricted by her husband Ed's demands. However after a weekend away with him, Charmaine returns strangely altered, allowing her hubby to bulldoze her much-loved tennis court and confessing that she all she wanted to do was "please Ed...and boy am I gonna please him". Weird.

Mystified, Joanna and Bobby seek an answer to the zombie-like behaviour of the local women, wondering if "something in the water" might be responsible. They enlist one of Joanna's ex boyfriends, who is a scientist, to help, but this fails to pay dividends. Joanna soon comes to the frightening realisation that the town's wives undergo a change in personality after they have been resident in Stepford for roughly three months... and her time is almost up...

I won't give any more away but this is a thought-provoking and intriguing movie!! Although low on action, the film builds its sense of momentum through a growing feeling of paranoia: are the women in the town somehow being "substituted" for drone-like replacements? Or are all of Joanna's anxieties inside her own head? If you're looking for a fast-moving film you might be disappointed, but the cleverness of the movie lies in its subtlety and the way in which the events take place in a seemingly normal domestic setting.

Another reason for this movie's success lies in the acting. Katherine Ross (also of "The Graduate") puts in an intelligent, sympathetic performance as a woman who feels increasingly hemmed in by the claustrophobia of Stepford, and you really root for her as she feels she might be next on the list for "conversion". Paula Prentiss is great as Bobby, a funny, bubbly and tomboyish character determined not to become "one of those pan-scrubbers" and the rapport between her and Joanna is believable and touching. Given her determination to escape Stepford, Bobby's last few scenes are all the more poignant; I won't say any more but they make for some of the film's best moments! The supporting cast do a good job: amongst these are Peter Masterson as Walter, becoming gradually less supportive of his wife's feelings and fears and more and more influenced by the demands of the "Men's Association"; and Nanette Newman as Carol Van Sant, one of the wives who starts behaving very oddly at a barbecue, continually proclaiming "I'll just die if I don't get that recipe" (!!) Newman's role as a wife is all the more ironic considering all those "Fairy Liquid" adverts she once did (remember?!)

The movie has also attained a kitsch/camp quality over time, mostly due to the fact that it was made in the 1970s! This doesn't spoil the subtler elements to the film, rather makes it all the more entertaining! A large part of the camp appeal is down to the wives themselves - their appearance, behaviour and dialogue. According to this movie, men would like nothing better than to see their wives dressed in frilly blouses (still showing off their assets), flowery dresses and big floppy hats - hilarious. The wives all say things like "I really shouldn't say it, but I just love my brownies" (that's cakes in case you were wondering) and constantly praise their husbands' performances in the bedroom department: "You're the King....you're the Master"!! No comment!

To summarise this is a very enjoyable movie, which, as I have already mentioned, shows the dangers of male fantasies coming true and the perils that women must face having to exist in a patriarchal society. Go buy it...but don't get any ideas about changing your girlfriend...okay?!

I'll simply die if I don't get this recipe!
THE STEPFORD WIVES was a unique film. It set out to make a horror film where clean spotless sunlit kitchens were just as scary as rainy spooky old mansions at midnight. Made in the mid 1970s during a wave of feminism and controversy over the ERA Ammendment - it never got the acclaim it deserved for it's building creepiness and Sci Fi twists. The remake is what it is, but here's where most people first glimpsed Stepford - a very real suburb where homemaking is a science.

Katharine Ross(in an EXCELLENT turn)plays Joanna Eberhard who moves from NYC to Stepford with her husband and two daughters. She's a photographer and homemaker who's dabbled in the women's movement but never really taken up the cause. She begins to realize the women of Stepford are all obsessed with housework, and worse ... subservient and servile to their husbands. She joins up with another woman who finds this all strange, Bobbie -- played oustandingly by Paula Prentiss. Together they find out a string of clues that maybe not all is well in Stepford, and the seemingly benign suburban bliss may be MANUFACTURED by the creepy Men's Society that every husband is a part of.

Bryan Forbes took over this project after speculations Brian De Palma should film it. He made a very effective treatment of the novel, but added his own touches. His wife Nannette Newman influenced the costumes by demanding rather than proposed Playboy bunny outfits the wives should look Victorian with hats and gloves and long dresses - creepy and sexy. Tina Louise (Ginger on Gilligan's Island) also makes a great cameo as Charmaine - one of Joanna and Bobbie's radical friends who transforms to a Stepford Wife by startingly ripping up her tennis court for a pool her husband wants.

You get the film in widescreen, and the transfer is passable for a movie of this age. Colors are 1970s soft and there is grain, but it looks fine. You get a 12 minute featurette with all the principle players, and they explain how the movie was made and what it was like. Some people say the pacing was slow, but this was the 1970s! I think its suppposed to develop slowly like the novel, and you get to know the characters. The last ten minutes are completely shocking, and no test audiences made them whimp out (cough cough - the remake's ending was reshot). This was a politically relevant well-crafted film with great acting! Superb in every way! Check out the source novel by Ira Levin as well.

A great, but very slow-moving picture.
After seeing the new version of The Stepford Wives (which, incidentally, I loved) I had to seek out the original, which I haven't seen since I was a kid. I was very impressed by most of the performances, most notably Paula Prentiss, who was absolutely magnetic. Although the story was absorbing, and the direction was good, the movie, not unlike Rosemary's Baby, seemed to go nowhere fast. Foot after foot of tape passed through my VCR, but the story unfolded so slowly, it was hard to remain interested........all in all, a must-see because of it's pop-culture influence.

THE STEPFORD WIVES DVD -KATHARINE ROSS
AN EXCELLENT MOVIE ALL AROUND!!! FROM THE STORYLINE TO THE ACTING. DEFINITELY SCARY AT TIMES AND AT TIMES FUNNY. KATHERINE ROSS IS OUTSTANDING IN HER ROLE AS WELL AS PAULA PRENTISS. YOU CAN ALSO CATCH TINA LOUISE(GINGER FROM GILLIGANS ISLAND)AND HER BIG HAIR. A GREAT MOVIE, A MUST SEE!!!

Terrific adaptation of the book
I watched this movie because of the excellent book by Ira Levin. I haven't seen the remake yet, but it will be hard to top this version. This movie is very faithful to the book. There are some changes made, but they remain true to the book and help make it a better movie.

The acting is pretty good. I really found myself caring about what happens to Joanna and Bobbie, her best friend. Having read the book, it was great to see these characters brought to life in a way that rang true. It was almost worse knowing what happens to these characters before you actually see it because you really do want things to turn out OK for them.

It was also very well-written. It starts out kind of slow, but once it digs its hooks in, it keeps you glued to the TV. I also like the way they dealt with the subject of women's desire to be an individual and not some cookie cutter housewife with no life at all. It was done very creatively and it was clever as well.

I highly recommend this movie. It is very creepy and there are some very intense moments. Just because it's rated PG does not mean it wimps out on the suspense. This is one of the most suspenseful movies I've seen in a whil and it's one of the best book to film adaptations I've ever seen. ... Read more

Description

In a country torn apart by Civil War, two travelling entertainers find themselves trapped on the wrong side of enemy lines. Will a show to end all shows save their lives, or finish them? ' 'Funny, moving and irresistible!' ' (The Village Voice) ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Great film set during the Spanish Civil War
The great director Carlos Saura started with an outstanding cast and authentic detailed war time sets to create this superb film about republican vaudeville entertainers who take a wrong turn during their road show and wind up in the hands of fascist troops. Expecting to be executed, they are given a chance to entertain the fascists and obtain freedom by a stage struck Italian officer. But a chance encounter with Polish international brigade prisoners of war creates an emotional conflict for Carmen Maura. She must go through with an act that she finds distasteful and dreads the possibility that the POWs will be in the audience. The details of wartime Spain are excellent and the supporting cast is outstanding. The title of the film is taken from a charming Civil War song which also happens to be the name of the act, Carmela y Paulino. Saura has created a film that is both light and charming but with an underlying seriousness about this great tragic period of Spanish history.

Novios de la muerte.
The Spanish Civil War seen as a vaudeville show for the brutal Franco troops, where the terrified performers try to save their skins and their conscience, knowing they can't have both. Carmen Maura shines (what else is new?) as the outspoken partner in a sing-and-dance couple, but Pajares clearly steals the show as her chaplinesque, panic-stricken husband.

For SCW buffs, the movie is top notch. Down-to-the-last-detail production truly re-creates wartime Spain in every aspect, from uniforms, vehicles, weapons, posters, fashions, jokes, songs and dances, to even the streets themselves, for it seems the producers had to destroy an entire Spanish village in order to shoot the film. The menacing background radio broadcasts real-life Franco speeches, war news bulletins and fascist hymns, whereas the movie score is powerful and nostalgic. A gripping, yet comic, tale about the unsung heroism of your fellow man, I personally prefer it to Benigni's much vaunted 'La Vita E Bella!'. Don't miss it!

Burguesía y resistencia.
En esta historia, enmarcada en la Guerra Civil Española, donde los Franquistas dominaban las manifestaciones artísticas no del agrado de ellos, encontraron la censura y el rechazo, manifiesto en la osbstrucción y el abuso. La resistencia que apenas se podia sostener, enfrentaba el fusilamiento o la desaparición imprevista. Carmela representa esa resistencia. Es la voz del pueblo que no se resigna a abandonar lo que cree y lo que vive, su arte, como expresión sublime del ser humano. Esta película es una de las mejores muestras de la lucha sostenida entre las clases dominantes de la burgesía y los trabajadores del arte.

Carmen triumphant
This is a beautiful movie exploring the courage of a woman surrounded by confused, helpless, or cowardly men. Carmela during the Spanish Civil War faces down the fascists and turns the tables on them in a play they thought would ridicule their victims, but which Carmela forces to the logical exposition of the basic cowardice of fascists (from Francisco Franco and Benito Mussolini to George W. Bush and Ariel Sharon), whose courage consists in the murder of unarmed opponents, like the heroic actress. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Very good.
If you're a fan of Yves Montand & Michel Piccoli (as I am), you'll be happy you got this movie. A bitter-sweet story of middle-aged pals who all have disappointments/troubles but manage to hang together inspite of the life changes that threaten to pull them apart. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Exhaustive look at MacArthur
Was General MacArthur an "egomaniac," as others reviewers have noted? Of course he was, but few Americans in history had better cause to have such an high opinion of themselves. Not only was MacArthur astonishingly brilliant (he graduated first in his West Point class), he was handsome, erudite, reached the apex of his profession with his fifth star, and he a military genius. It would be difficult to be humble having such an array of stunning attributes. Few have possessed such an astonishingly rich résumé.

This biography was produced 20 years ago and narrated by John Huston, who is craggy, crabby and unintentionally humorous in his comments. We see footage of various places MacArthur knew, from the military forts of his childhood, West Point, Manila, all the way to his last days at his improbable residence, the Waldorf Astoria. There are a multitude of interviews with people in MacArthur's orbit, from his military aide in the Philippines do his aide in Korea. The historians they include are all interesting, and Manchester is especially intriguing.

There is an abundance of material on MacArthur's private life, including his bizarre first marriage to a flapper and his stable second marriage to his devoted Jean. MacArthur's Eurasian mistress is not forgotten either, and the documentary quotes from his sappy, Victorian love letters to her. Very interesting stuff! Finally, they include the fact that his only son, Arthur MacArthur, changed his name and now lives anonymously in NYC as a saxophone player. This is a highly entertaining documentary, though dated. Recommended.

Macarthur: a soldier's soldier........
General Macarthur is an interesting American hero. He fought courageously and commanded with diligence. I applaud this great man for all his battles. He helped the Philippines establish or reestablish freedom, democracy, and sovereignty.
He is owed more credit than was originally given. Some authors disagree and have shown him in a different light. Macarthur was for all practical purposes in understanding what being a soldier was like in WW11, a hero.
He fought and help fight for what in the end made the most sense: freedom and democracy.
I would recommend these tapes to history and non-history buffs alike. More importantly, I would recommend this tape for all Americans interested in understanding why Americans feel so strong about freedom. ... Read more

Reviews (17)

Beautiful timeless classic, yet ...
This movie was hauntingly beautiful, yet so frustrating to watch at times. The scenes were just breathtaking and the narration read like a poetry with excellent English translation. The costumes were wonderful and true to its time (credits to university professors in Korea).

Unlike other reviewers, I found Pansori singing interesting at first. Unfortunately, I felt that it became too frequent and detracted me from enjoying the story. I found myself turning down the volume and reading the subtitle whenever the Pansori singer appeared later. I'm fairly certain the singer was a designated national treasure in Korea. Still his omnipresence all throughout the movie was overdone.

I also found the two main characters lacking in raw emotional drama. In particular, when Myoung confronts the corrupt governor who wanted to execute Chunhyang for not sleeping with him, he had this nonchalant attitude, asking the soon-to-be ex-governor to understand her reasons for not giving in to his wishes. I would've slapped Myoung had I been Chunhyang listening in on the conversation.

Nevertheless, it was an enjoyable movie that I appreciated more afterwards.

Poetry on Film
"Chunhyang" is living art. Narrated in the Korean tradition of Pansori in which a story is told through sung verse, it's the timeless classic tale of two young people who fall in love at first sight, are separated through adversity, and come together again. Chunhyang is the daughter of a courtesan, and in the ancient Korean class system she is therefore considered a courtesan herself, and Mongryong is the son of an upper-class nobleman; they meet, fall in love, and marry secretly. Mongryong's father, however, has plans for his son that don't include marrying a courtesan's daughter, and the couple has to split up while Mongryong prepares for a state examination. Chunhyang spends the three years of their separation fighting off the advances of a venal provincial governor; she's about to die for her resistance when her long-lost husband returns to save her. Virtue has its rewards. The film succeeds on every count. The cinematography is splendid, the two young lead actors, both of them teenagers, are excellent, and the haunting tones of the Pansori singer draw us into the film and make us a part of it. Unlike those reviewers who felt that the singing distracted from the movie, I thought it helped to underscore the ancient tradition of story-telling, a part of so many cultures, in which a tale is narrated through song and verse as well as prose. We not only enjoy "Chunhyang" as a brilliant example of Korean film making, we feel it on a fundamental level as a love story anyone can relate to. It's a great movie that deserves a much wider audience.

Avoid
If you're looking for a good Asian movie, spare yourself of this one. The story isn't bad, and it's beautiful to look at, but the traditional Korean singing throughout will have you PRAYING FOR DEATH.

Confucian fealty never looked so good
I saw this at the Hong Kong film festival in 2001, and the film went over well with the Asians and the Westerners in the large hall where it was shown. Probably the best film I've seen in the last three years...

I tried to describe it for friends as a 13th-Century(?) Korean version of Star Wars with less swordplay. Substitute Confucian fealty (how relationships of elder-younger, husband-wife, mother-daughter, leader-follower should work, perhaps ideally) for the Force and corruption for the Dark Side of the Force and, strangely, it fits.

The cinematography is great, and the story is introduced via the Korean operatic form for the first ten minutes, but then largely fades out to allow the story to unfold.

What the Western is to American culture, this is to Korea's. Better than you'd expect, unless you've seen a lot of Asian cinema. Deserving of a wider audience...

Great Movie!
I didn't buy the dvd..I just happened to switch to the Sundance channel after the movie had just started. I've never seen a movie like this, I think it's great! The storyline is really good, and the images/scenery throughout the movie are really nice. I think the Pansori narrative is really interesting, i've never seen a movie like it. I think it's worth checking out, I would love to see this movie again... it's a great love story. ... Read more

Amazon.com

As with Star Wars, the George Lucas-produced Indiana Jones trilogy was not just a plaything for kids but an act of nostalgic affection toward a lost phenomenon: the cliffhanging movie serials of the past. Episodic in structure and with fate hanging in the balance about every 10 minutes, the Jones features tapped into Lucas's extremely profitable Star Wars formula of modernizing the look and feel of an old, but popular, story model. Steven Spielberg directed all three films, which are set in the late 1930s and early '40s: the comic book-like Raiders of the Lost Ark, the spooky, Gunga Din-inspired Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, and the cautious but entertaining Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Fans and critics disagree over the order of preference, some even finding the middle movie nearly repugnant in its violence. (Pro-Temple of Doom people, on the other hand, believe that film to be the most disarmingly creative and emotionally effective of the trio.) One thing's for sure: Harrison Ford's swaggering, two-fisted, self-effacing performance worked like a charm, and the art of cracking bullwhips was probably never quite the iconic activity it soon became after Raiders. Supporting players and costars were very much a part of the series, too--Karen Allen, Sean Connery (as Indy's dad), Kate Capshaw, Ke Huy Quan, Amrish Puri, Denholm Elliot, River Phoenix, and John Rhys-Davies among them. Years have passed since the last film (another is supposedly in the works), but emerging film buffs can have the same fun their predecessors did picking out numerous references to Hollywood classics and B-movies of the past. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (402)

One of the greatest film trilogies of all time
Steven Spielberg directed all three films in the Indiana Jones trilogy and he had help from George Lucas in making these comic-like fast paced action films primed for mainstream success. Taking place between the 1930's and 40's, all three films feature professor and adventurer Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford in the role he was born to play; hard to believe Tom Selleck was originally considered for the role) on various death defying adventures all over the world. The first film, Raiders of the Lost Ark, features Jones attempting to stop the Nazis from getting the Lost Ark of the Covenent. This film is probably the most exciting of the three, with some cleverly imaginitive special effects and all around spookiness. The second film, Indiana Jones & The Temple of Doom, is a prequel which finds Jones and two comrades (a young Asian boy and Kate Capshaw who is Mrs. Steven Spielberg) fighting against a cult who is enslaving Indian children. This film wasn't too well received because of it's surprising violence, but it is my favorite of the trilogy and is loaded with suspense. The third film, Indiana Jones & The Last Crusade, finds Jones trying to save his father (Sean Connery) from a Nazi regime who are hellbent on finding the Holy Grail. This installment is the most comic like of the three, and Ford and Connery are great together. This much hyped about DVD set is definitely worth owning, but the DVD extras are extremely lacking (then again, this is Paramount after all). A fourth film is rumored to be in the works, but until that ever sees the light of day, you should definitely pick up this set.

classic trilogy finally available on dvd
Finally, Indiana Jones has been released to DVD. I'm sure a lot of movie lovers have been awaiting for this as much as the original Star Wars trilogy. First reviews of the films themselves.

Raiders : (10/10). A true movie classic. Harrison Ford added another iconic role to his pedestal along with Han Solo. Every scene in the film, from the classic opening prologue to the opening of the Ark is thrilling. Jones is sent by the US government to stop the Nazi's from recovering the Ark of the Covenant. Karen Allen, as Marion Ravenwood remains THE Indy heroine and Paul Freeman is great as the slimy Belloq. John Rhys-Davies and Denholm Elliot are great support as Sallah and Marcus Brody. They even return for the third movie. Not much more to say here that hasn't been said before.

Temple of Doom: (8 1/2 /10). Not up to Raiders, but still a great, underrated movie. Come on people, this was a great movie!I've always found the constant bashing and dislike for this film to be ridiculous. Some of Indiana Jones's best moments are in this film, such as the minecar chase, voodoo doll fight, spiked room and the final scene on the bridge. True, Kate Capshaw's character, Willie Scott is irritating but the movie has a lot of strengths to make up for her constant screaming. Short Round is amusing and Molaram is a great villain.

For all you haters of the movie; buy the used dvds of Raiders and Crusade somewhere such as E-Bay or a video store. It's not like Temple was THAT bad. Grow up and get a life people,you sound like a bunch of whiny 5-year old kids.

Last Crusade: (9/10). The opening scene with the late River Phoenix as the young Indy is an exciting opening scene. It's nice to learn about Indy's origins this time around as well. Sean Connery's addition to the series was a great idea. The father-son relationship between Ford and Connery is memorable and adds humor and drama to the movie. In fact, Connery's presence is what keeps Crusade from being a sort of-retread of Raiders. This movie is a little too similar to Raiders such as involving Indy racing the Nazi's to find an artifact,Indy meeting up with somebody he has been estranged with, both take place in deserts, similar ending, etc. Also, the Nazi villains this time, while adequate, aren't memorable. They feel like recycled versions of the Nazi's in Raiders. Still, Crusade was a great third installment to a wonderful trilogy.

Bonus Disc: The interviews and makings of- were fun to watch but there should have been more on this disc. Such as deleted scenes. The Godfather and Back to the Future dvd sets had plethoras of bonus material. The lack of bonus material on the set might leave one unsatisfied.

I hope Lucas will bring out the other great trilogy of his on dvd soon.

Hopefully, Indiana Jones 4 will be awesome.

Great set
Indiana Jones has been one of my fave series of movies since I was little. Raiders of the Lost Ark is so great, it's so exciting and I really liked the female lead. I always had a crush on Indiana, and the movies have a great blend of humor, action and adventure. Last Crusade is also excellent, I love Indy's scenes with his father, they're so funny together. I really love the opening scene too, with the late River Phoenix (who was extremely talented, check him out in Stand By Me as a boy). It shows how Indiana became afraid of snakes and how an old rivalry started. Temple of Doom is my least favorite Indiana movie, Kate Capshaw wasn't my fave of the girls and it was kind of strange but I'd still rewatch it, just not as much as the other two. To tell the truth, even if there were commentaries and stuff, I wouldn't listen to them. Sometimes extras are really cool to me and sometimes they aren't, and for most movies I don't really care why the director lit a scene the way he did, or what an actor thinks of how he said his line. These movies are grea and stand on their own. I have the bonus disc though, not the one in the set but the other one that was taped outside the package. I'm not sure but I heard they aren't being sold that way anymore.

Can we call these "classics" yet?
I'm not much of a fan of "Temple Of Doom", but I think "Raiders Of The Lost Ark" and "Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade" are excellent. The 4th disc contains extras like trailers and documentaries (which are really well done -- check out Alfred Molina, the guy with the spiders in "Raiders": funny guy, and now he's Doc Ock in Spider-Man 2). The films all look very good and the packaging is nice as well. It would be nice to have commentaries for the films, but from what I hear Spielberg doesn't like to do them, and they would've just repeated what was in the documentaries on disc 4. Great set, highly recommended.

Aged like a fine wine - but we wanted more DVD extras!!
Far be it for me to presume to evaluate these films. They are seared into my consciousness, as the first was released in 1982, when I was but a wee lad of 12. Harrison Ford and George Lucas were at the heights of their popularities in the midst of Star Wars, and Spielberg was rapidly closing (soon to top the A-list of Hollywood directors). With such a pedigree, it's surprising that Raiders of the Lost Ark did not disappoint. Instead, it remains the gold standard of action movies - fast paced and fun, with wall-to-wall stunts, all the more impressive pre-CGI.

I will, however, make a comment on my impressions upon watching these films again after having purchased the DVD set. The prints are crisp and clean, the sound is clear, and overall the films look and sound fantastic. As for the content - Raiders and Last Crusade are still highly enjoyable. Compared to more recent action series (e.g. the Batman films, the Terminator films), you'll find the Indy movies are more exciting and more fun. Unfortunately, Temple of Doom, which was not well-received even when it was first released, did not age well. The overall feel is ponderous, Kate Capshaw is given little to do but scream, and the action set-pieces border on the rediculous.

Unfortunately, we've waited years for these films to come out in this format, and we expected loads of extras - if not on the Lord of the Rings level, at least on the Star Wars (Episodes I and II) level. This set does not deliver - there are no cut scenes, no footage of premiers or awards ceremonies, no original promotional materials (other than theatrical trailers), etc. There are a few documentaries, which are mostly "making of" features filmed on and around the sets of the films, with some modern interviews/reflections from Lucas, Ford, Speilberg, Ben Burtt, John Williams, and many more. These docs are fantastic - well-written, interesting, and at several hours, very satisfying. But still, having waited 10 years for DVD versions of these films, I would have been willing to wait a few more years to get more of the extras I want. I hope the Star Wars set due out in the fall is more complete! ... Read more

Reviews (162)

It was 35 Years Ago Today
HBO's "From the Earth to the Moon" (E2M) is everything a good docu-drama mini-series should be. Tom Hanks has brought to life the true story of man's greatest adventure to "land a man on the Moon and return him safely to Earth". For those of us who were alive, E2M allows us to relive those incredible days. And for those who were born afterwards, it gives them a chance to understand exactly what it was they missed. If you have even the slightest interest in the space program, obtaining a copy of this DVD set is a must.

Coincidently, Apollo 11 landed exactly 35 years ago today. I was 13 years old at the time and living in Nova Scotia, Canada. The "Eagle" touched down at 5:17 pm, much to the consternation of my mother who was busy trying to prepare supper. Just like Tom Hanks would later relate, I had my models of the Command Service Module, Lunar Module and Saturn V rocket close at hand while I had claimed the living room armchair for the occasion. My family gathered around our old B&W television which was tuned to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), one of only two stations which were available to us back then. Much of the CBC's coverage consisted of a feed from CBS, so we got to watch Walter Cronkite's famous "Oh Boy!" commentary. My prized 3" reel-to-reel tape recorder (you could get all of 1 hour on a single reel) was busy taping a local radio station carrying NBC's coverage with Jay Barbree.

The entire family congregated again a few hours later for the moonwalk, just before midnight, and watched Neil & Buzz's first steps. I stayed up for the entire 30 hour televised stretch, from lunar landing to liftoff, stealing a moment every now and then to go outside and gaze up in wonder at the moon, filled with awe that two human beings were actually there, living and working on its surface. In this day of CNN and other all-news networks, it should be remembered that the coverage of this event was in itself history in-the-making - TV's longest continuous coverage of a planned event.

My interest in space began with the flight of Apollo 8. When I heard that this was the first manned launch of the world's biggest rocket, the Saturn V, I was sure that one of its million parts would go wrong with disastrous results. Thank God it didn't. I watched and I was forever hooked. A real space junkie, religiously watching each mission after that, coaxing my Mom to let me stay home from school (recurrent cases of "moon sickness", no doubt), clipping out every newspaper, Life, Time or Newsweek article I could find (now faded yellow with age) and trying to tape as much of the audio coverage as I could (few private individuals could afford a video recorder back then). By Apollo 14, I had earned enough money working at a grocery store to buy a 4-track 7" reel-to-reel recorder (which allowed one to put up to 12 hours on a single tape!) and had built a 15" Heathkit color TV. For Apollo 16, I had added a new-generation "cassette" recorder to my arsenal (don't forget that the venerable 8-track was still popular at the time). And, of course, I had acquired a VCR by the time the first Space Shuttle flew in 1981. It has always annoyed me that the more recording resources I could afford, the less TV & radio coverage there was available to tape.

But the effect of the Apollo program on me was profound. Because of it, I entered into a career in radio astronomy, enjoying the technical challenge of building instruments to investigate deep space from the Earth, perhaps recognizing the likelihood that I would never have to opportunity to leave its surface (although I did make the first cut for the Canadian Astronaut Program nearly 20 years ago). In tribute to Project Apollo, we named our son (now 16) after astronaut David Scott who commanded Apollo 15, my favorite of all the lunar flights.

In many ways, I feel sorry for the children of today - they will never experience the monumental awe and global celebration that we were privileged to witness back in 1969. Strange, isn't it, that although Apollo - the pinnacle of mankind's technical achievement - which occurred only 35 years ago is now looked on as though it was something out of our deep past rather than a part of our future. It's almost treated like it was a chapter out of ancient history, similar to other great accomplishments like the building of the Pyramids or the Great Wall. Although it might not seem so today, 500 years from now the moon landings will undoubtedly be remembered as the most significant event to have occurred in the 20th century.

It's hard to choose my favorite E2M episode since they were all so good. As an engineer, "Spider" resonated well with me, portraying the passion and dedication which many of us put into our work, albeit for projects with a much lower profile. "That's All There Is" brought back fond memories of the Apollo 12 mission. I distinctly remember there was talk at the time that astronauts Conrad and Bean may have been on an accidental oxygen high. It's good to know that there effervescent behavior on the surface was just a manifestation of their normal high spirits and comradery. I was delighted at how "Galileo Was Right" was able to present the training of the astronauts to be field-geologists in such an entertaining and informative manner. And finally, the bittersweet "Le Voyage Dans La Lune" brought a tear to my eye, just as happened back in 1972 when I watched Apollo 17 and the last lunar module lift-off from the moon. It's even sadder still, that we have not returned, nor will we for perhaps another 20 years.

Moving Soundtrack frames an engrossing story
If you enjoy the idea of the American entrepreneurial/pioneer spirit, and, though imperfect and at times prone to failure, this spirit is the best thing on earth...or the moon, you will enjoy this DVD set. Similarly, if you are intriqued by engineering and the process of getting technology from research to reality, this DVD will entrance you. And if a romantic, cinderela story, filled with real personalities is your cup of tea, you too will find yourself unable to wait to see the next episode in this series.

HBO did a wonderful job on this endeavor. Seeing Band of Brothers, and Apollo 13, I thought I would enjoy From the Earth to the Moon. I wasn't prepared for the quality and entrancing effect of this series. My wife and I found ourselves watching two episodes a night, instead of the agreed upon single installment!

I indentified with the engineers at Grumann as they worked the problems out of the LEM. I was intrigued by the political and media aspects surrounding the space program which I was too young to have known about. Alan Bean's trip to the moon was presented in a wonderfully hilarious way. And the characters had depth with common-man heroics as well as failings.

Do yourself a favor, and get a copy of this DVD to watch, learn and enjoy.

"The Golden Age Of Space Travel, Revisited"
This HBO production, executive produced by Tom Hanks is not without it's flaws. At times when it seems like the episodes should be searing, and dramatic, they instead wax sentimental. The music is also rather unremarkable, with the exception of Brad Fiedel's fine contribution to the installment "We Interrupt This Program."

For all of that, Hanks, and company manage to pull off the gargantuan feat of illustrating for us, the trials, and the victories that were Project Apollo. Considering the amount of material that had to be covered, they do so with finesse, and unwavering aplomb. No space historian would want to miss having this docudrama in their library.

An entry point to the "romantic era" of NASA
After watching the series, if you want to learn more, NASA has an amazing amount of historical books and stuff online on their website.

Try the following url, and scroll down to the "Project Histories" section. The title of the webpage is "NASA History Series Publications".

http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/series95.html.

Warning: These documents aren't light reading for the TV crowd, but are more for the space nuts who might have a copy of the "Space Shuttle Operator's Manual" in their house.

The main entry point to the NASA history site seems to be:

http://history.nasa.gov/

Very good, although not a typical documentary film
Initially (first 10 minutes of the movie) I did not like it. I expected it to be more of a documentary kind of movie rather that actors and all that. Then I realized it was kind of interesting and more in depth, giving real feelings of the people of that era. Very nice. I managed to get the movie from my local public library. It is kind of expensive.

Now...
I agree with the reviewer bashing the conspiracy clown from Santa Monica. There is some "evidence" that the landing on the Moon has been staged. All that is pseudo science. Real scientific counterarguments EASILY debunk all those insane claims. Anyone who believes in the "conspiracy" is either not so intelligent or did not do enough research.

Do you really think it would be possible to keep all those scientists involved from telling the truth for all those years? I did not hear a SINGLE thing confirming the conspiracy from anyone involved in the apollo project. We hear these things only from so called pseudoscientists.

Why is it so hard to believe we landed? Did Russians fake their flights? Are space stations fake? Are the space shuttles fake? Are the shuttle accidents fake? Is hubble telescope a fake? Is the probe that landed on the Mars fake? Is the British probe that reached Mars but never landed a fake? Global conspiracy? Is there a conspiracy with Brits and Russians? Are satellits fake? Did we fake the Hiroshima and Nagasaki? Are nuclear submarines fake? It the nuclear energy fake? Are airplanes fake? Is quantum theory fake? Are computers fake? Is internet fake?

Is it really so impossible for us, humans, who came up with the above (iether before or after the Moon landing) to land and come back from the Moon? All that during the cold war when these kinds of achievements REALLY did matter?

People who believe that landing on the moon was faked should really do their research properly. If not, maybe they should keep believing in UFOs and area 51 conspiracies. I do not want to call them names. I am also a peaceful guy, but these kinds of arguments make me mad. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

A stunning display of the diversity and beauty of life
I have seen many films on the subject of natural history, but this one is far and away the best series ever produced. The knowledgeable yet unassuming narritive perfectly accompanies the magnificent filming.

This one has it all
This is a great collection. The photography is stunning, Attenborough is an exciting narrator, and the series ties together as a great introduction to biology, natural history, evolution and behavior (to name a few). I am a huge nature video fan with lots of other titles, and this is my favorite.

Simply the best..Beyond the descriptive stories of nature
This is the best shot, pictured, written and narrated documentary on natural life. If you want to have an analytical-critical perspective on the different aspects of 'trials of life' more than a descriptive story-telling, this is simply the best on offer.

The absolute best nature documentary anywhere!
A must see for any nature lover, great for kids to watch... I have watched it several times and the photography amazes me every time! ... Read more

Description

TV Box Set 1 (Vol. 1-8) Goku and his friends fight powerful alien invaders to save the Earth!Eight tapes (25 episodes) of the world famous Dragon Ball Z saga, now available in a convenient, beautifully packaged box set! ... Read more

Reviews (93)

Great Anime
Only one word... GREAT! If you enjoy Japanese cartoons this is a must have, no matter how old you are. If you like adventure, you got it. If you like comedy, you got it. If you like mythology, you got it. If you like sheer non-stopping fun, you definitely got it. This series charm resides best in the fact that the characters' personal lives don't remain stagnated as it happens in most cartoons, and best of all, people grow old. It's not like regular cartoon shows where the characters remain at the same age forever. People are born and grow older just as in real life, which in my opinion is a good thing for children to watch, so they can lean that life is constantly changing. The structure of the action, where a problem appears and they have to strive to fix it is also educational for it teaches children that no matter how wrong things may get, if they work hard enough they can make it right. And since it's an ongoing saga, the Box-set format is ideal for newcomers because you can watch an entire story-line at once. I truly recommend it.

the beginning begins
this was a good box set, exept for a couple of minor "flaws", like having it edited, pioneer should of made at least an uncut version also, even for the namek box set, but i think funimation will make an uncut version when there done with the rest of the sagas. Another flaw is throwing out scenes that shoudn't of been thrown out like the first episode, they removed gohanhe running from a tiger and goku finds him hanging on a tree next to a water fall. Another scene they threw out was when gohan was training under piccolo and gohan falls in a cave and tries to escape. During that time he meets a robot who helps him. they shouldn't of thrown out those scenes, but you cane see them in japenese with english subtititles in the movie dead zone. There is one more deleted scene that can't be viewed in the american version. Launch is in a bar drinking and cries because she saw tien die by nappa and pays the barkeep a bunch of money cause she's too drunk. other than these flaws they have good fights, first apperances of gohan,nappa,vegeta,the sayain race,radditz, gregory,bubbles, and king kai. i reccomened buying this set if your a collecter

A good saga turned bad
The saiyan saga is one of my favirot sagas and for good reason. Unfourtinaly this part of the series was translated before the golden age of uncut dbz. All things that make dbz great have been ethier edited or totaly destroyed for no reason. let me ask you a question . Why do people watch dbz? Some watch it for it's original story , others for it's uniqe characters,but personaly I watch it for it's incredible 100 mile an hour, intence hard hitting, action packed, fights. Yes, that is why we watch dragonball z , but funimation totaly blew it in this case . For exaple , when a person gets punched in the english version they erase the scene where the fist conected and just show two seconds of flashing light. Im sorry but this certanly does not satisfy me . On another note the incredible diologe and music that the japanese version was known for was replaced with some ... noises that sound like they were recorded in sombody's basment. Even if you can look past the rediculice eddits and poor quality you still will not be satisfied with whats left. The only action is in the first tape and in the last three. The other four tapes are just filled with such nonsence as goku chasing bubbles and Gohan saving a pake of orphans in the wilderness. If I were you I would just buy the first and last 3 tapes and save a couple bucks.

YOU'VE GOT TO SEE THIS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I wish that I could rate the box set 900,000,000,000,000,000,000!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Gohan gets saiyan napped by Radits. Goku teams up with Piccolo to save him. They save Gohan but Goku dies. Piccolo takes the young saiyan (Gohan) to a desert wasteland for special training while Krillin, Yamcha, Tien, Chiaotzu, and Yajirobe train for the saiyans stronger than Radits!

Goku travels the long rode of Snake Way in search of the martial arts master King Kai. After one year th saiyans finaly arrive. It seems that the saiyans are unstopable. Tien, Yamcha, and Chiaotzu are gone. Piccolo saves Gohan, but this sends him to another dimention as well. When all seems lost for Gohan and Krillin Goku comes back from King Kai's planet. With the Kao Kin power in store Goku takes out Nappa and hurts Vegeta. Goku body is thrashed as well so it is up to Gohan to fight the saiyan until Krillin can throw the Spirit Bomb (given to him by Goku) at Vegeta. The spirit bomb is thrown at Vegeta... but find out the rest through the movie it self!

Be warned! These are the edited dubbed episodes!
INTRODUCTION:
Dragon Ball Z was the follow-up to Akira Toriyama's surprisingly successful Dragon Ball series. Although his first installment of the classic series was more of an adventure-comedy type series, the Z series pretty much focused entirely on sci-fi martial arts action - which makes the Z series far superior to its superior. The series has become popular all around the world, and it's no surprise that a box set of the first season was relea