Description

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

Reviews (6)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Reviews (10)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Reviews (3)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Description

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

Reviews (85)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Reviews (436)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Amazon.com essential video

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

Reviews (144)

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

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

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

Fine Film
There's no denying that Ken Burns' sweeping documentary of the American Civil War is a success. Through photographs, modern footage of the places in question, period music, and voices reading primary source documents of the time, Burns conjures up the conflict in all its thrilling drama, bloody tragedy, dark humor, and stirring nobility. Personal and engaging, this film brought a new awareness of American history to millions of viewers. It should be noted that a huge topic such as the Civil War cannot be entirely crammed into one film, however long; this is necessarily an overview, though an excellent and detailed one. (At least the Civil War had a compact number of years to it; Burns subsequently took on huger topics still such as Baseball and Jazz, with less success. His finite films like this one and "Lewis and Clark" are easier to see as a whole.) I have one quibble with this show - I think it oversimplifies the causes of the war. To be specific, it sees only one cause - slavery - and pays no attention to states' rights or economic issues. This is no surprise; his other films have shown us that Burns sees race as the defining issue of our country. Whether you entirely agree with this idea or not, you are sure to enjoy and learn from this epic documentary.

The Civil War - A Film by Ken Burns
This one is superb........well worth the money..it can be purchased for much less at eBay though. Shelby Foote's comments thoughout the film are outstanding. He is truly a southerner and you will enjoy his thoughts relative to the film. I highly recommend the film and will be glad to answer any questions anyone might have regarding the film. You can email me at jimsuz@swbell.net with your questions!

Get the best version
It should be recognised that there are three versions of the series in circulation. The original series itself was released in 3 versions: complete (with varying episode lengths), slighly shortened (to provide similar length shows) and short version (about 1 hour per episode. The slightly shortened version was the one initially distributed on Video and DVD. This is the one that has the wobbly transfer. The new DVD version (2003) is a digitally enhanced full release. Ken Burns returned to the original film to achieve a new hi-resolution transfer and then proceded to digitally clean it up. This is demonstrated in a mini-doco on the DVD. No one questions the quality of the series and with this release the reproduction quality matches it. Ken Burns turned me into a Civil War buff and collector. I still found the series highly moving even after several viewings.

Be Forewarned About This Shamefully Cheaply Packaged DVD
Let me start off by saying the documentary itself is wonderful. Certainly, it may be slightly biased, and woefully short on info about the western campaign, but it is well intentioned and researched, as well as being both thought provoking and entertaining. The presence of Foote helps correct the obvious Northern bias, and I think the film was fairly clear about Lincoln starting out as a moderate on the slavery issue. And let us be fair; no project this ambitious is ever going to be perfect nor satisfy everyone, and this one is far better than most.

But, the DVD packaging is just horrible. The literally paper thin disk container fell apart on the second day that I had it. I have a fairly large DVD collection with many, many box set collections and this is by far the cheapest presentation I have ever encountered. Now, had this been a budget box set designed to be low cost so as to make itself available to the greatest number of people possible, I would accept this. But as you must know, this set is actually quite expensive compared to most box sets. Therefore, the ridiculously flimsy packaging is inexcusable. This series deserves better. I STRONGLY urge you to wait until a higher quality presentation is put on offer. ... Read more

Reviews (14)

The best television to come along in years
I remember when I first read about this new show called My So-Called Life. I thought to myself, great another show that thinks it knows what it's like to be a teenager. So I tuned in that first night just to prove myself right. Instead of a sugar coated rendition of growing up, aka The Wonder Years, I was drawn in almost immediately by this story that could have so easily been my own life and I tuned in faithfully every single week after. I was almost brought to tears when the show was cancelled so intense was my devotion. In hindsight though, the few episodes that do exist will stand the test of time, while the hundreds of other teen drama will all be a distant memory after the last credits role. Long live My So-Called Life!

Wishing It Was My So-Called Life
I have never felt so hurt and let down as on that ill-fated Thursday evening at eight o'clock, when I saw a rerun of Matlock,instead of my favorite t.v. drama, MSCL. I thought maybe it would be back the next week, but it wasnt. What kind of world do we live in, when 90210 is worshipped and a real original teen drama like MSCL is cancelled? I don't know about anyone else, but, I could relate much more to Angela Chase's life than any of those spoiled rich kids in Beverly Hills, I think everyone could. Am I wrong? I love every episode of this drama. The cast was extraordinary, especially Claire Danes as Angela. I am so glad that they were made into videos because now I can watch the best teen drama ever, over and over again.

Very Well Could Be The Best Show Ever Cancelled!
.. This amazingly crafted show was brillant. I don't know asingle person who wasn't completely in love with it. (makes you wonderwhy they cancelled it) We all could see ourlselves as Angela, Brian,Rayann, Ricky, or Jordan. It covered every emotion and problem that a teenager could face. And, the beautiful thing about this show was that it wasn't limited to "teeny-boppers"....20's and 30 somethings loved it too... Now, I don't have to keep watching my dubbed copies from MTV re-runs,... and can have them all, to keep forever. This is a fabulous collection for anyone.

buy this for the "real" show
When I found out Fox Family channel was showing My So Called Life again I was thrilled, until I saw their HIGHLY edited episodes. Fox cut the heart out of the show by "censoring" important dialouge. Buy it on tape and skip Fox's reruns.

Not Just for Teens At All
There's a reason every review on this site (thus far) has given the show 5 stars. There's a reason MTV picked up the re-runs and kept showing them over and over. There's a reason the Fox Family Channel has just started showing them - 5 years after this short-lived series was canceled! There's a reason E!Online just named it the #1 best show canceled before it's time. There's a reason multiple episodes of the same show competed for prestigious Awards. There's a reason Claire Danes (then unknown) won the Golden Globe.

The reason is... This is one of the best shows network television has ever seen. It is well written, directed, and acted. It is so moving - you'll laugh, you'll cry (especially when you find out there are only about 18 episodes).

I think many of the posts talking about how "real" the show is are not quite accurate. It is much like real life but seen in a more perceptive and poetic fashion than we see our own lives. The teens are are all very real - nary a 90210 personality among them. The adults are equally well-painted. The relationship between the lead character's parents is realistic and complicated and messy, but not in a contrived way. It shows their close moments, but also the times when mis-communication or temptation threatens them. You really feel for all the characters and become invested in the choices they make in life. When you don't agree, you understand.

The show is just brilliant. Buy it now! ... Read more

Reviews (313)

Joyride through Time
The time-traveling misadventures of Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd has finally made its way to DVD with "Back to the Future" 4-Disc Box Set. "Back to the Future" was one of the most popular films of the 1980s and a surprising box-office hit in 1985. Director Robert Zemeckis (Forrest Gump & Cast Away) and co-writer Bob Gale successfully combine elements of humor and science fiction into an inventive and entertaining movie experience. The cast also includes Lea Thompson, Crispin Glover and Thomas F. Wilson. Its two sequels lack some of the energy and spirit of the original but are certainly quite enjoyable. Each film of the series is presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen format. The DVD contains a good video transfer with bright colors and some minor bits of grain. The 5.1 Dolby Digital sound is surprisingly clear but a DTS audio track should have been included. The 4-Disc Box Set features over 10 hours of supplemental extras. It features audio commentaries with director Robert Zemeckis and crew, deleted scenes, outtakes, music videos and a in-depth "Making the Trilogy" featurette. With its many fine supplements, the "Back to the Future" Trilogy earns a satisfying "B+".

Enough with the framing issue!
The "Back to the Future" Trilogy is one of the greatest DVD sets out there right now. Yes, we are all aware of the framing issues in the widescreen versions of BTTF 2 & 3. Universal may have flubbed and you may have a right to complain about it, but in contrast, the quality of this set overall is excellent. They included "hoverboard" tests, director commentaries, pop up trivia, outtakes and deleted scenes, music videos, behind the scenes features, special effects segments, and more. As a complete boxed set, I couldn't have asked for more. It's a great bargain considering all that's included. The 5 total minutes of "bad framing" is disappointing, but in no way does it take away from the whole of the story. You are still aware of what's going on whether you're seeing it for the first time, or if you've seen it a hundred times.

Christopher Lloyd and Michael J. Fox have chemistry. You actually believe that these guys could be friends in real life. Crispin Glover also plays a classic nerd. Even when he's "hip" in the future, you still know that he's a madeover nerd. It just works for him. Thomas F. Wilson plays a good bully. He looks the part, and he plays the part. Great casting by all. I rank these movies in order of release. 1 is best, 2 is great, and 3 is good. If you don't already own this, I suggest you add it to your DVD collection. Others have said it, and I will too...you won't be disappointed!

Best birthday present!
This trilogy has been on my must-have list since part III came out. Call me a dork but I can't get enough of this movie. I really love it, and now am so happy to own the trilogy! It was well worth the wait.

A fantastic trilogy!!!!
Anyone who's not a fan of the 'Back to the Future' trilogy should be locked up for some sort of treason to the world of entertainment. Though the first movie is the only one which can be said to stand alone as a whole story, it's when the three of them are put together as one complete adventure that things really get good. In fact, everyone should make a point of watching all three 'Back to the Future' movies in a back-to-back marathon at least once in their lives. Allow the occasional toilet break, of course, but no more than that.

Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd stars as the troublesome teen and madcap scientist who do their time-travelling in style, courtesy of a revamped DeLorean. Their adventures over the course of the three incredible movies take them from 1985, to 1955, back to 1985, on to 2015, 1985 again(!), 1955 again(!!) and the wild wild west of 1885 (!!!) before returning home to 1985 in time for tea and a couple of Huey Lewis tracks. It features quite possibly the only sequel ever in which a large chunk takes place within its own predecessor, and definitely the only trilogy to feature Christopher Lloyd leaping around the outside of a moving train rescuing a damsel in distress. Lea Thompson, the brilliant character actor Crispin Glover, Elisabeth Shue, Billy Zane and the marvelous Thomas F. Wilson are among the other members of a fine supporting cast. And is that really Flea from the Red Hot Chilli Peppers popping up as squeaking bad boy Douglas J. Needles? Yup, that's right , something for everyone!

Go out, buy this collection, watch it repeatedly and, when you're not watching, keep the three discs in a glass display case which only very special friends are invited round to see. At this price, there are NO excuses. Do it now. Right now. Go. You'll thank me later, why are you still here?

More info on widescreen format errors on II and III discs
I read somebody else's review from December 2002 about how there were errors on discs 2 and 3, that they weren't really widescreen. I did a little more research and found this information on dvdtown's site:

The most controversial part of the video concerns the framing of the image for widescreen viewing. When Universal went back to the full-frame, open-matte negatives to do the DVDs, they made some changes, intentional or not, from the laser disc framing. Then they issued an official press release as follows: "Universal Studios Home Video is aware of a minor technical framing issue on the 'Back to the Future Trilogy' widescreen DVDs. The framing appears differently from the laserdisc releases for approximately two minutes during 'Back to the Future II' and four minutes during 'Back to the Future III.' The framing difference is unnoticeable to widescreen DVD viewers and does not detract from or interrupt the viewing experience. Consumers with further questions can call (888) 703-0010."

The studio is probably right in saying that the differences are unnoticeable (whether they meant "widescreen" or "full screen" or whatever), because unless a viewer has a photographic memory of the theatrical versions or has the laser discs on hand for direct comparison, there is little to notice. It's doubtful that anyone but the most meticulous "Back to the Future" partisan need worry about any possible framing problems. ... Read more

Reviews (28)

An excellent piece of history.
A magnificent piece of work that truly reveals an intriguing piece of this country's history. A true must-see for novices and expert historians. Wonderfully written and excellently directed; while John Jakes has superceded himself in writing this trilogy, the producers have done equally as well in the development of this mini-series.

North and South Book 2
An excellent historical portrayal of life during the War Between the States. The scenes of the Battles are acurately portrayed in this movie. If you ever get a chance to visit some of our Civil War Battlefields, you will get the same idea of how the battles were faught. Friendships and families torn apart by politics of the time.

My next question is When are they going to make a movie from the 3rd book. Heaven and Hell?

North and South Parts 1, 2, and 3
North and South is probably my all time favorite movie. It is an excellent blend of actual historical events and fascinating fictional characters. For those of you who were wondering when they were going to come out with Part 3 (Heaven and Hell), the movie was aired on television in early spring of 1995. It has three parts to it and stars Leslie Ann Down, James Read, and Teri Garbor.

When Will It Be On DVD?
This is one of my favorite CW stories. I loved the books & thought, for once, they were well translted to film (as a TV mini-series)! What I want to know now is WHEN WILL "NORTH & SOUTH" & "NORTH & SOUTH, Book 2" be out on DVD, with some great extras from the stars; Swayze, Reed, Down, et al? I'd LOVE to hear Carridine's take on his evil character!!! C'mon Warner Bros, I WANT MY DVD!

North and South Book 1 and 2
I have to say I loved the whole story, I saw Book 1 and Book 2 again recently. The story between the Hazards and the Mains was wonderful. From the friendship of George Hazard and Orrey Main to the oddness and excentricities of Virgilia Hazard as well and the scheming and lack of scruples of Ashton Main)Hontoon.

I think it is a wonderful story to be enjoyed by all, keep in mind there are some passionate scenes, of course by today's standards that may be a stretch. ... Read more

Reviews (232)

How the Sopranos saved Christmas.
On December 22, 2000, I recived the Sopranos First Season on DVD. It was a Birthday/Holiday gift form my girlfriend of 5 years. Over the course of the next week and a half, if there was any doubt of my whereabouts, it was a safe bet I was watching the next episonde. I am a 23 year old actor. My VHS collection numbers 350. My DVD collection a mere 20, however the Sopranos box set delivered more hours of riveting enjoyment than anything has in a long time. The show is, in my opinion a perfect blend of satire, drama, social comentary and fantastic story telling. Every person I introduce to the Sopranos is throughly impressed with all aspects of the series. On a personal note, I think James Gandolfini has finally given us something that Robert DeNiro and Al Pacino have long strived to achive. Gandolfini brings a familiarity to this roll that is one of the key elements to the show's success. He has created a character that is not out of reach for the veiwing audience. Edie Falco and Nancie Marchand are also invaluable components to the creation of the overall feeling of accesability. While we may not all know what it is to have an AK-47 within arms reach, we do know what it is to have a nagging mother and a confused and judgmental spouse. The icing on the cake of this series is its supporting cast, the boys at the club and kids at home create an atmosphere that is simply tantilizing to the veiwing audience. I recomend this set to mafia fans and house wives alike. Get it for the gangster in you, after all...a hit is a hit.

Woke up this morning and got myself the Sopranos...
Anyone who knows me could tell you I'm a huge fan of mob/crime films, so it's rather weird that I never had a huge interest in this show until now. I don't have HBO in my house and simply never cared enough to go out and rent/buy all four seasons. Then my parents watched it and were suddenly in love with it. Knowing that my mother wouldn't go within ten yards of a film like "Goodfellas," I figured this had to be an excellent show.

And I was right.

I still don't get HBO, but when I think of the past five years where I could have been watching this show on DVD instead of "Paradise Hotel" on FOX, I kick myself. I've only watched the first season and am looking forward to what comes next. "The Sopranos" is a meticulously crafted drama that's unlike anything else I've ever seen on television. Frankly, I was always just into comedy sitcoms because I didn't have the interest or patience for this type of TV. But, in "the Sopranos'" case, I'll make an exception. I'd only be cheating myself if I didn't.

I might be five years late, but at least now I understand what the hype is all about. Highly recommended for other late bloomers.

HBO's way of telling us to thank God our dad isn't a mobster
"The Sopranos" has done more than just revolutionize television...being one of the best shows on TV with compelling story lines, quarky characters, and snappy mafia lingo...the show has redefinied the definition of family. But while we've grown up with our family, we've grown up with Tony's family and it's HBO's way of telling us to thank God our father isn't a mobster. The first season is great when we see Tony desperately trying hard to hide the salomi with his psychiatrist, Dr. Melfi. There's his dutiful wife that suspects that he's been cheating. TRUST ME THE LAST THING THAT I NEED TO SEE AT NINE O'CLOCK AT NIGHT ON HBO IS JAMES GANDOLFINI'S SLUGGISH, BEARISH BODY ON TOP OF A HOT CHICK. But it only fuels to the show. The violence. The sex. The language. It all accomplishes the real grit of being a mobster. I've heard fans say that they think Tony is the tragic hero-type, but HE'S A COLD-BLOODED KILLER! There's nothing heroic about that. Then there's the fact that a few years ago, somebody made a real adult film based on "The Sopranos". That's when you know you've become part of pop culture. Five stars all the way, for the cinematic effect that the collage of episodes brings to the small screen. Now you've got the skinny on "The Sopranos"...kapish?!

HBO's way of telling us to thank God our dad isn't a mobster
With compelling story arcs, quarky characters, and catchy mafia lingo, "The Sopranos" has taken the definition of family and redefined it. But ever since the beginning, "The Sopranos" has sparked a sensation with American pop culture and has revolutionized television with the use of sex, drugs, violence, and profanity to fuel complex story lines. For example, "The Sopranos" has had so much of an impact that there's an adult film called "The Sopornos" based on it. That's when you know you've got a hit. NOW THE CRITICISM: As always I've got to slam every movie/show I see, so first of all, what is the deal with Tony Soprano (Gandolfini) trying HIDE THE SALOMI with Dr. Melfi. And why doesn't his wife Carmella (Falco) give a s*#%. Second, Dr. Melfi (Bracco) doesn't have a right to complain since all she has to do is transfer her mob boss patient out of there, but SHE DOESN'T. I THINK SHE NEEDS A PSYCHOLOGICAL EVALUATION OF HER OWN. There's Uncle Junior (Chianese) with his grandpa nit-picking. I liked the start of the show when Tony and Uncle Junior were warring over turf. Why can't Sirico win the Emmy for Paulie Walnuts. (...) Another thing, I bet if I had a ring stuck on my finger, I'd just run it through Silvio's greasy hair and it'd fall off, shelled in hardened vasoline. Finally, what is with the audience, thinking Tony is a tragic hero. He really isn't, HE'S A COLD-BLOODED criminal. Just because he provides for his family doesn't justify his actions. While Chase (writer/producer) humanizes him, he's still a vicious guy that treats women like garbage. Note: The last thing I need to see at 9:00 on HBO is Gandolfini's sluggish, bearish body on an intensely hot chick. BUT this is certainly one of the best shows on TV, if not THE BEST! "The Sopranos" is great in its writing, directing, and acting. I JUST WISH THOSE PROTESTORS WOULD SHUT UP , STOP RANTING, AND STOP RUINING IT FOR THE REST OF US. I IMPLORE YOU TO WATCH THE FIRST SEASON AND I GUARANTEE YOU'LL GET HOOKED, at least for the first three seasons. NOW I'VE TOLD YOU THE SKINNY, SO CHECK IT OUT...KAPISH?!

It's a hit!
EXCELLENT DIRECTING/PRODUCING/WRITING/ACTING. Great performances and the originality is unbelievable. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

"FRENCH FLORAL FOLLIES"
Sounds like a musical? Nope, Pagnol ["Fanny" trilogy, and those wonderful perspectives about his father and mother] had a way of looking deeply into your soul, finding the longing, showing you what could be, and taking it away .......

It's the harmonica music [TOOTS THIELEMAN] that always stays with you, brings back the memories of standing on one of the dry hills, smelling the hot pine needles on the night air - all of that sensory [stuff]! For the romantic? Daniel Auteuil's face, THAT face of utter despair. The population? There's Yves Montand as the stoic, dessicated old uncle/landowner, a bitter, vitriolic, poisoned person. An underrated artist. Auteuil, as the nephew, returns from WWI with those perfect carnations, and the cycle begins ..... Gerard Depardieu,now the unassuming giant of French Cinema, a worthy successor to Jean Gabin, moves in next door as the hunchback farmer-neighbor. [His then real wife, Elizabeth plays the spouse, even son Guillaume is present in a minor role].

An epic of greed and frustration - it deserves to be held high for the absolute reflection of consequences it presents. Like a delicate souffle, slightly burnt, almost bland, with an odd bitter aftertaste it surprises you with a deep heartburn of the soul. A work about loneliness, and loss giving a fragment of hope and satisfaction at the end.

Beautifully photographed on location, Claude Berri's work well deserves to be seen over and over again. It's for those moments when you feel bad about life - and need a little cheer!

Companions: The original "Fanny" Trilogy [different, but soulmates].

A surprising story with a powerful twist of fate ending.
These two movies are a masterpiece of storytelling. I am not a big fan of subtitled foreign films but the story here is way above in quality usually seen in foreign films and in my opinion better than most U.S. made films. In the first movie, Jean de Florette the story begins with a father and son in a small french village. They have this greed for a piece of adjoining land and scheme to add it to their property. This scheme and its implementation wends through both movies. At first glance the first movie can be a bit drawn out but if you stay with it and see the second movie, Manon of the Spring therein will lie the rewards. I do not wish to give too much away of the plot but by the end of the second part of the story you are guaranteed the impact of a crushing steamroller twist of fate rarely seen. However you can find them, see both movies sequentially..if not don't bother as you need both to fully appreciate the storyline. Don't miss it. Brilliant plot. ... Read more

Description

On September 16, 1972, TV audiences had their first session with impassive shrink Dr. Bob Hartley.Like most of his patients, they kept coming back, and for 6 years The Bob Newhart Show entertained millions of devoted fans with its hilarious and brillian ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Where are the DVDs?
The Bob Newhart Show remains my favorite show of all time. It is witty, funny, and timeless. This is a wonderful ensemble show, with great comedic acting from the stars down to the walk-on characters. I have waited for years to see this show come out on DVD. I can't understand why it still has not been released in that format.

Hoping to See this Gem on DVD (Complete Seasons!)
Yes Please bring on the DVDs! This is a classic witty sitcom and it should be on DVD in complete seasons! I was seven years old when The Bob Newhart Show premiered and I grew up watching it and when Nick At Nite added it to their lineup of classic Television shows I watched it as much as I could. Not only are Bob Newhart and Suzanne Pleshette wonderful as Bob and Emily Hartley but so are actors who play Carol, Jerry, Howard, Mr. Carlin, etc! The video has some good episodes but I think it's time for this gem to be put on DVD!

Bring on the DVD's
Yes, it's great to have this much, but this show absolutely deserves a complete DVD release. Surely with shows like the Jeffersons and Good times showing up on DVD, the time has come to get Bob, Emily et. al. on DVD.

Bob has more laughs than this
I've been a big Bob Newhart Show fan, and was left a bit disappointed at this box set. For me, the best of the six tapes was the last (season 6): "Ex Con Job" and "Happy Trails" (last episode). Many of the show's classic laughs are missing -- to start with, no Dr. Padvillion, no group cabin retreats and no Mr. Hurd!! Not a bad starter kit, but i'd guess the real enthusiasts would require more than this box set provides.

Great quality, but¿
The Bob Newhart Show was one of the 10 best TV shows ever, and the picture quality in this 6-tape collection is very good. It's nice to see all the episodes in their uncut form, as opposed to the reprehensible syndication practice of cutting scenes to sell more commercial time. My only qualm with this collection is that there are only 2 episodes per tape. Hopefully there will be a DVD collection of this excellent series and the follow-up series, Newhart (1982-1990). ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Sir Jeremy Isaacs highly deserves the numerous awards for documentaries he has earned: the Royal Television Society's Desmond Davis Award, l'Ordre National du Mérit, an Emmy, and a knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II. His epic The World at War remains unsurpassed as the definitive visual history of World War II.

The Second World War was different from other wars in thousands of ways, one of which was the unparalleled scope of visual documents kept by the Axis and Allies of all their activities. As a result, this war is understood as much through written histories as it is through its powerful images. The Nazis were particularly thorough in documenting even the most abhorrent of the atrocities they were committing--in a surprising amount of color footage. The World at War was one of the first television documentaries that exploited these resources so completely, giving viewers an unbelievable visual guide to the greatest event in the 20th century. This is to say nothing of the excellent, comprehensible narrative. Some highlights:

• A New Germany 1933-39: early German and Nazi documentation of Hitler's rise to power through the impending attack on Poland
• Whirlwind: the early British losses in the blitz in the skies over Britain and in North Africa
• Stalingrad: the turning point of the war and Germany's first defeat
• Inside the Reich--Germany 1940-44: one of the most fascinating documentaries that exists on life inside Nazi Germany, from Lebensborn to the Hitler Youth
• Morning: prior to Saving Private Ryan, one of the only unromanticized views of the Normandy invasion
• Genocide: this film is one of the most widely shown introductions to the Holocaust
• Japan 1941-45: although The World at War is decidedly focused more on the European theater, this is an important look into wartime Japan and its expansion--early 20th-century history that lead to Japan's role in World War II is superficial
• The bomb: another widely shown documentary of the Manhattan Project, the Enola Gay, Hiroshima, and Nagasaki

The World at War will remain the definitive visual history of World War II, analogous to Gibbon's Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. No serious historian should be missing The World at War in a collection, and no student should leave school without having seen at least some of its salient episodes. Rarely is film so essential. --Erik J. Macki ... Read more

Reviews (75)

Excellent Series
When investing in any DVD, especially a boxed set, you might ponder the question, "How often will I watch this?" Let me say that your purchase of The World at War will offer you endless viewing opportunities! Besides the 26 original episodes, all of the extra features that were produced afterwards are included in the set. There is so much information generated in over 30 hours of material that you will discover something new with each repeated viewing. Each episode will hold your attention from first to last, and they are efficiently indexed so you can easily review a map or replay a speech. Along side the emotional impact of the pictorial images, you have Carl Davis' moving score, a judicious use of period music, personal accounts from all the major powers, and Sir Laurance's strong narration, making this the most comprehensive documentary on the subject. Now if we can only have World War I, narrated by Robert Ryan, available, we would have the documentary bookends to the two most devastating wars in the 20th century.

The Finest WWII Documentary Ever Produced
For History buffs and those who have a keen, deeply felt interest in World War II beyond just the military events, the World at War, produced by Thames Television (1981) and released earlier on VHS by Thorn/EMI, is a 26 episode documentary set apart from all other documentaries about WWII. No other, with the exception of Walter Cronkite's CBS series, comes close to an unbiased, analytical perspective of a War that cost perhaps 50 million lives and took an emotional and philosophical toll we are still trying to comprehend today.

Narrated by Sir Laurence Olivier and covering all aspects of the war, this definitive series is used by many colleges and universities as a source for History and Documentary Film courses. There is an incredible depth of archive footage used; skilfully woven with interviews of major figures in the War from Britain, US, Canada, Europe and Japan. Many major eye-witness leaders and ordinary people who were still alive in 1981 contributed sometimes surprising, sometimes incredible, and sometimes haunting interviews. Yet, for all its skilful editing and historical sophistication, it is clearly presented and emotionally compelling. In my opinion, it is, along with Kenneth Clark's "Civilisation", the best ever produced British documentary.

What makes this a stellar and overpowering account of the War is Olivier's narration. Never blustery, patriotic, or theatrical, Sir Laurence delivers pointed, thoughtful analysis with his incredible command of English and oration. Music for the series was composed by Carl Davis and even the opening credits set an unforgettable tone in a haunting image of a child in a photograph, dissolving in flames. This series is for those trying to make sense of a 6 year period when the world went mad. Five Stars PLUS.

Very good. Probably THE documentary set to own
This kept me going for months (in one hour segments at a time). There is so much material presented here and I learned a lot.

I wanted to give 4.5 stars and only knock a half off for the sometimes annoying menu (it could have been presented in a more orgnaized fashion, I thought), or other small problems, but half points aren't allowed on the system. Very close to perfect!

Buyer Beware
This was a wonderful documentary as originally broadcast, but I'd avoid this product if I had it to do over again: the maker's quality control is awful. Disk 1 skipped badly. And I the same problem others have reported: two copies of one of the five disks (with me, disk 5), and one disk (disk 4) entirely missing.

"Remember"
This is an excellent, extensive, British-made documentary about events leading up to, and including, World War II. With 26 episodes, there is quite a bit of material covered. Excellent narration by Laurence Olivier, and a memorable score.

If you are a war buff, particularly WW2, this is the set to have. Can't say enough good things about it. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Devotees of Diana Rigg's Mrs. Emma Peel will be especially thrilled by this three-volume collection of seven black-and-white episodes that closed out the fourth season of The Avengers in high and often provocative style. One Avengers Web site ranks "A Touch of Brimstone" among the 10 best episodes of the Mrs. Peel era; "What the Butler Saw" and "Honey for the Prince" rank among the top 20.

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