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Very few films achieve a kind of subliminal greatness with cross-cultural impact, but Walkabout is one of those films--a visual tone poem that functions more as an allegory than a conventionally plotted adventure. Considered a cult favorite for years, Nicolas Roeg's 1971 film--about two British children who are rescued in the Australian outback by a young aborigine--was originally released in the U.S. with an R rating, edited from its European length of 100 minutes. In 1997, the film was fully restored to its director's cut, and in its remastered video and DVD release, it's now wisely unrated (as Roeg had always intended) but still suitable for viewers of all ages. For parents this is a rare opportunity to treat well-supervised children (ages 5 and over) to an adventure that won't insult their intelligence, presenting scenes of frontal nudity and the hunting of animals in a context that invites valuable discussion and introspection. Through exquisite cinematography and a story of subtle human complexity, the film continues to resonate on many thematic and artistic levels. Roeg had always intended it to be a cautionary morality tale, in which the limitations and restrictions of civilization become painfully clear when the two children (played by Jenny Agutter and Roeg's young son, Lucien John) cannot survive without the aborigine's assistance. They become primitives themselves, if only temporarily, while the young aborigine proves ultimately and tragically unable to join the "family" of civilization. With its story of two worlds colliding, Walkabout now seems like a film for the ages, hypnotic and open to several compelling levels of interpretation. In addition to presenting the film in its original 1.77:1 aspect ratio, the Criterion Collection DVD of Walkabout includes a variety of bonus features, including a full-length commentary by Nicolas Roeg and Jenny Agutter, original theatrical trailers, and an essay by critic Roger Ebert. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (59)

Intricate Beauty
For some reasons I had reservations about seeing this film when I first heard about it; maybe because what I heard and the advertising I saw didn't begin to hint at its depth. Ostensibly its the story of two WASPs who get stranded in the Australian outback and meet an aborigine boy who helps them to surive their journey back to civilization. Most noticeably, for me, the movie criticizes the spiritual emptiness of civilized society and lets the viewer glimpse at some of uncharted territory's secret beauty. The movie works fine on this level. But its brilliance lies in how many different levels it does work, and its subtlety.

It is a tragic story of two people who fail to communicate. The blindess of the girl (presented in quite a harsh light, and a symbolic big slap in the face to whitey now that I rethink it) despite huge language and cultural differences is inept or unwilling to understand the aborigine boy's perspective. Indeed she is deeply rooted in Anglo-Saxon values -- only the young boy, her companion, is able to break down the barrier and communicate simple ideas.

There are points in the film that expose sexual tension as brilliantly and as subtley as I have ever seen. It is vastly important that the boy is not dramatized or stylized in any way, he seems really to have been picked out of the outback and cast directly in the movie. His behavior should seem at least somewhat bewildering to the audience, it was to me, particularly in the haunting mating dance scene. The girl rejects him out of a lack of understanding and fear, and he sheds tears of failure. Was sexual consumation a part of his walkabout or did he fall deeply for this girl. What are the cues to suggest the latter? I'd have to watch the movie again.

Walkabout is delicate and complex but doesn't spoil itself by becoming overambitious. There are many, many internal psychological and emotional aspects of the two children that remain rightfully unexplored. Suffice to say being shot at by your dad and stranded in the wilderness might create some wrenching immediate -- nevermind longterm -- consequences. The film could easily have veered off into myriad branches and lost track of itself. Roeg decides to focus on particular elements and does so meticulously and with grace.

And for the film's obvious disdain for civilized society, it doesn't necessarily suggest that the boy has an easier or more satisfying life. It merely presents a different angle -- though that angle is shot in breathtaking, but unsentimental, beauty. There is no sap in this film; the score is moving but does not grab forcefully at one's heartstrings. The shots of the outback are gorgeous, but they do not imply any false notions of peace in nature. And for these very reasons, the film, I would imagine, would be great at exposing both beauty and the harsh face of reality to kids despite all the complexity that wouldn't be understood.

ANOTHER LITTLE GEM FROM CRITERION
Second movie of director Nicolas Roeg, WALKABOUT is a rather pessimistic description of the cultural gaps created by our civilization. In order to illustrate his ideas, Roeg and writer Edward Bond imagine the encounter between two young australians lost in the outback and an aborigenes who will help them to come back to a more civilized world.

This encounter which could have produced a lifelong friendship will end in a dramatic manner. Because cultural differences are far more powerful than love or the desire to understand each other. Simple story, simple theme but universal.

Breath-taking cinematography, admirable young actors and a light poetic touch are sufficient reasons to see at least once WALKABOUT. It is also really amazing to observe how Nicolas Roeg has been able to convert this trip in the wilderness in a symbolic sexual initiation in the heart of a Nature that can only show the way to these young adults.

Terrific video transfer and above-average extra-features.

A DVD for the child in you.

walkabout
DONT LET THE OTHER REVIEWS THROW YOU> I honestly thought that the end credits were the best part of this movie. I thought that the acting was bad, the sound was horrible,there was no plot and there were quite a few tasteless scenes.I felt ripped off as the Criterion Collection usually has GOOD movies. Im sorry to say but someone goofed in picking this movie for the collection.

One of the Great Films
Walkabout is simply one of the best films ever made. The photography and editing are exceptional. The sound editing is better than in any other film I have seen.
However I disagree with SOME of the reviews which seem to indicate that the film is some kind of hymn of praise direted towards the primitive aboriginals and a condemnation of modern society. Roeg seems to be saying there are problems in both. After all, both the girl's father and the aborigine kill themselves, though more criticism is naturally reserved for civilization. There is plenty of animal killing here, but except for the white hunters, it is done for food so I don't see what the problem is. People who buy food from supermarkets really just want to mentaly distance themseselves from the foodchain process.
Still, the story, the scenery, the acting, and the direction make this a movie not to miss. The failed courtship scenes before the second suicide are some of the best sequences on film.

Coming of age in the outback of Australia
A very unusual film for its time, Walkabout combines many themes in what is ostensibly a tale of survival in the Australian outback. I suppose it was a bit too racy for American audiences as Roeg focuses lovingly on a young nubile Jenny Augutter but that would be missing the point of this movie which contrasts the sterile life of a young British girl and boy with an Aborigine man-child.

The film depicts the initial bleakness of the Australian desert which the two children find themselves thrust into after the father mysteriously chooses to commit suicide, but eventually shows the immense diversity of the outback as the young Aborigine leads the lost children back to civilization. Roeg uses a variety of cinematic techniques to paste together his poetic vision, ultimately developing the sexual tension between Agutter and the Aborigine, culminating in a fateful courting ritual which Agutter appears oblivious too. However, the star of the movie is the little boy, Luc Roeg, who forms a very special bond with the Aborigine.

The film may be too much to handle for small children, but it is ideal for teenagers, as it will give them a very different experience from the run-of-the-mill teen movies that proliferate in the video stores. Don't fret over the R rating, as the nudity is fleeting and treated in a very respectful way. In Britain, the rating is 12 for young teenagers. ... Read more

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Lamberto Bava, son of the Italian horror legend and giallo godfather Mario Bava, teamed up with modern master Dario Argento (cowriter and producer) for this slick gorefest, a triumph of style and special effects over movie logic. Set in a refurbished German movie palace, our hapless soon-to-be victims arrive for a sneak preview of a horror movie only to see the gore unfold in the audience, as well as onscreen.While the exposition remains murky, one patron finds that an infected cut leads to a gooey transformation, and every one of her victims follows suit until the snaggle-toothed monsters outnumber the humans. The survivors, trapped in the tomb of a theater, must fend off attacks à la George Romero's Night of the Living Dead. Borrowing liberally from films such as Dawn of the Dead and The Tingler, Demons also anticipates Scream in its cinema-savvy references, not to mention its undeniably Neve Campbell-ish heroine. The blaring heavy-metal-hard-rock soundtrack and the carnival horror-house atmosphere helps remind us that this is all just stupid fun.Despite the overwhelming body count, excessive gore, and rivers of green demon pus, the cartoonishly grotesque killings avoid the sadistic edge of many Italian horror films. By the climax of the film the premise is long forgotten in a ghoul apocalypse, but who's watching this for the story anyway? --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (50)

One Of The Best Horror Films To Come Out Of Italy!
Dario Argento and Lamberto Bava co-wrote this horror film, a huge European hit upon release. The film centers on two young girls who go to a brutal demon movie and begin to notice happenings in theater mirroring the action on screen. Soon, half of the audience have been turned into blood thirsty demons, forcing the remaining patrons to defend themselves from the unholy beasts. Stylish, gory, bleakly funny and reminiscent of George A. Romero's films, DEMONS is a hugely entertaining horror movie. Argento also produced and Bava, son of the legendary Mario Bava (BLACK SUNDAY), directed.

I seen the original release of DEMONS about a year ago and liked it. Then I bought the new widescreen edition. It's still good, but some of the translater's voices are different and/or the same as the other characters. Still this is a great film, because it included some scenes that were cut out of the original release

This has to be Italy's best horror film, because I've seen some of their other films and they had bad quality. DEMONS on the other hand was excellent. This is even considered a classic in Italy. The best scene in the film is the mutation of the character from human to demon. The special-effects are nasty and awesome.

All I can say is DEMONS is a great Italian horror film ... The last twenty minutes of the film are unforgettable and unexpecting. So I suggest you rent this if you like horror a lot.

I hope my review was helpful to you!

surprisngly good
turned out better than expected.. well filmed not like some of the early cheesy italian movies.. storyline not bad. good makeup on zombies...kind of reminds me of The Evil Dead

Dario Argento at his best.
I do not understand some of the reviews dario argento's movies receive. First of all you do not get horror movies with creativity as you do with the Maestro movies.This movie has beautiful color the whole theater thing was just amazing. The guy with the silver mask just was awesome and it clearly shows the artistic ways of dario argento.Anyhow I really love this movie. Also check out Stagefright by Michele Soavi.

Outstanding Horror Film
Demons centers around a woman given a ticket to an unnamed film by a mysterious stranger. After arriving at the theater with many other patrons, a film with no title begins to play that shows a pair of couples finding a demon mask in a crypt that supposedly belongs to Nostradamus. (It is learned that the seer predicted the rise of the demons.) One person puts on the mask and turns into a demonic creature who, in turn, infects others. In the movie theater, a prostitute who scratched her face with an identical mask in the lobby turns into a creature depicted on the film. Horror and mayhem insue as panicked patrons try to leave the building only to find out that the doors have vanished. With enough over-the-top special effects to please any gore fan and horror for fear film buffs, Demons is one of the best horror films to come out of the 1980's.

Demons
I think this is a great premise for a horror movie. It consists of a great story, great gore effects, inventive camera work, and a soundtrack full of 80s rock and metal... what more could you ask for? The plot is straight-forward.(unlike many Italian horror films) and I feel that this is one of Bava's best. If you're a fan of Italian horror or just want to try something different, go pick up a copy of Demons. The sequel is quite good as well. ... Read more

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Lina Wertmüller's harrowing 1976 film stars Giancarlo Giannini as a petty crook with seven unattractive sisters to support, and it features a picaresque, World War II-era journey through a prison asylum, army service, and a Nazi concentration camp. Wertmüller is more indulgent in highbrow sadomasochism than she is real profundity, but there's no denying that the film is powerful in its story of subjugation and survival. A climactic scene in which Giannini saves his skin at the camp by seducing its disgusting female commandant is unnervingly honest. Giannini became a '70s international icon partially on the basis of this work. The DVD release has optional English and Italian soundtracks, production notes, and filmographies of the talent. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (19)

One of the best Italian films
I've decided to watch this one to form an objective opininon on the director, Lina Wertmuller. This movie is in such a sharp contrast with her other movie, Swept Away, which I found a failure. However, I wouln't hesitate to call this one a masterpiece, for me it is a multi-dimentional film, impossible to say that it's all about survival. I think it's about a one's loss of his soul; the final scene when his mother is saying that he is alive, he doesn't seem to fully agree, althought physically he is indeed alive. A very powerful film, much more complex that Life Is Beautiful. One has to wonder if Lina Wertmuller had the same quality swings as Ken Russell, for example, where Lisztomania cannot even come close to Mahler.

My favorite movie
I have been searching everywhere for this movie since I saw it in my Italian class in college. I think it's the best movie ever made. At times it's touching, sad, and funny. It's a wonderful tale about survival and how each person has one special quality that can save them. For Pasqualino, it is his ability to woo women. For him to muster up his libido while so very close to death in order to save his life is a very heroic deed. Giancarlo Giannini and Shirley Stoler are great in this movie. It's very similar to "Life Is Beautiful", but that movie is much more of a fable than this one. Not to detract anything from "Life Is Beautiful" (which I think is a very good movie) but I think "Seven Beauties" is a superior film. Thank you Amazon for making this fantastic film available to me!

Swept Away
This is not the original R rated version I saw in New York City in 1977. It is edited into mediocrity! Sincerely, Wm Greenwood

Worst Movie I've ever seen- bar none
"Highlight" of movie: Concentration camp prisoner committs suicde by dving into a cesspool. Need I say more?

Hideous!
I knew that this film was a turkey from the get-go: Archival footage of war catastrophe accompanies an obnoxious voiceover of some guy repeating ad nauseam, "oh yeah! oh yeah!" Fighter pilots crash and burn, and we have this annoying, idiotic, "oh yeah, oh yeah."

There's a beautifully photographed scene shortly after this, set in a lush German forest. The camera should have stayed in that shot. Watching the green leaves sway outpaces everything to come. I thought the mass grave shooting was handled with taste. In fact, it's less shockingly portrayed than the gross Italian dance hall bit that follows, a sequence that runs on entirely too long, close-ups of an unattractive, untalented woman who is later thrashed around by her brother, the Giancarlo Giannini character -- a man who's impossible either to care about or laugh at. Awful, sick, repellent, and worst of all, empty and uninsightful.

People, just because a movie is unpleasant does not make it a masterpiece. I like difficult, challenging films; Seven Beauties, however, is squalid junk posing as art. ... Read more

Reviews (130)

Takes classic film noir detective story to new heights
This 1974 film takes the classic film noir detective movie to new heights. Yes, there is murder, scandal and lots of lies. But yet Jack Nicholson, cast as a private eye, is a sympathetic character. There's one scene in which the director, Roman Polanski, playing a bit part as a thug, rips open Nicholson's nose with a knife. This is the kind of wound that makes the audience grimace every time someone refers to it in the film. Faye Dunaway is cast as the femme fatale. She's beautiful, of course, and it's hard to take our eyes off of her. She's a woman of mystery, but little by little we glimpse her humanity. And by the time her secret is revealed, she's won everyone's heart.

Based on a real life scandal in Los Angeles in 1908, another underlying theme is about water and power in this desert city. The action takes place in the 1930s, and the details of that period of time are well portrayed, right down to Faye Dunaway's shaved and penciled eyebrows. The screenplay won an Academy Award and I can understand why. It was tightly written and revealed details that moved the plot forward at just the right pace. I sat there fascinated, not wanting to take my eyes off the screen, trying to figure out what would happen next and constantly surprised by the next twist and turn. John Huston is cast in the role of a wealthy landowner with a huge secret of his own. He's a fine actor and his presence on the screen added depth to the whole production.

The DVD has a special interview with the writer, Robert Towne, as well as Roman Polanski. This added to my enjoyment of the film and provided further insight about its production. Definitely recommended.

Transcendent Film Noir
I've seen very few "greatest film" lists that don't have Chinatown among the top 10, or even top 5. It's deserving. It's done in the style of a '50's film noir, but transcends the genre.

There are great performances here by Jack Nicholson and John Huston. Nicholson plays a jaded but heroically decent private investigator in the mold of Humphrey Bogart. He's much less the tough guy than Bogart, though, and you get the impression that he'd rather being doing something less seedy for a living. It's a very subtle portrayal. Huston, on the other hand, plays a tycoon whose mere presence on the screen can make your skin crawl.

The film stands out in just about every respect. The sets are wonderful and the cinematography beautiful to look at. Even the score is exceptional.

The DVD is a little short of extras, but they really aren't missed. The transfer is very high quality in all respects.

To the brainiac above who doesn't understand why the water is being dumped in the ocean: they're trying to create a drought to drive the farmers out of business. That's pretty much the key point of the plot. And, yes, a .38 snubnose is perfectly capable of hitting someone at 50 yards. Guns & Ammo tests them to that distance all the time. Get a clue!

A Master Screenplay, A Perfect Film
Many writers consider Robert Towne's screenplay for 'Chinatown' as the perfect screenplay. It is, and is also in fact the example of how important good writing is in the art of cinema. It is perfection and in the hands of Roman Polanski it became a film masterpiece. But it all goes back to the writing. Robert Towne has taken the true story of how Los Angeles stole water to grow and wound around it the fictional story of Jake Gittes, Evelyn Mulwray, and Noah Cross and made them major participants in an ugly little tale of lust and greed. Towne's screenplay is layered like a decaying Dahlia with twisting mysteries and taught suspense. There is not a loose end in sight and a few well placed red herrings are added to the mix to delight any fan of this type of story.
The attention to detail from vintage cars, sets, real L.A. streets and alleys to the excellent score by Jerry Goldsmith and the golden cinematography of John A. Alonzo contribute to all the aspects of this classic of the post 60's film noir.
Faye Dunaway as Evelyn Mulwray is at the top of her game creating a neurotic exotic hothouse flower that carries death within the heart of her dark and dirty secret. Lacquered and veiled in the most perfect black widow getup of the genre she is superbly brittle and vulnerable at the same time. She is fascinating to watch as she slowly unravels along with the mystery until she is naked in the horror of what her past and present prison is. This is a great performance by a great artist.
As Evelyn's father Noah Cross, John Huston is the debauched cancerous center of evil and greed captured within the crumbling casing of a seemingly charming old man. He too gives the performance of a lifetime and his soliloquy on what a man is capable of is chilling.
The center of this masterwork is Jack Nicholson who became a star with this, the best of his early work. His J. J. Gittes is hardboiled and ruthless in getting to the bottom of why he is being used to take the fall for a murder. He embodies the soul of Bogart and the heart of a romantic fighting to stay tuff in a rotten world. He is drawn with such skill that he seems not to be acting but simply existing the real world of L.A. in the late 1930's.
"Chinatown" is seminal in its place in film history. It bridged and old and forgotten genre with a new Hollywood in its post studio infancy and laid the groundwork for later films of equal ambition such as "Mullholland Falls" and "L.A. Confidential".
This is one of the best film ever made and a must have for any serious film collector.

I cut my nose shaving
Not since Otto Preminger's LAURA had filmgoers the pleasure of watching a classic film noir, until Polanski's CHINATOWN. The plot and characters are complex but chillingly believeable. I can't find anything wrong with this film. It is well-paced for a fairly long movie. The lighting, cinematography, setting, costumes... everything is as should be. The performances by John Huston and Faye Dunaway are eerie and tragic, respectively. Then of course there's Nicholson. Mad Jack was already firmly established on the Hollywood map having already won acclaim for EASY RIDER, THE LAST DETAIL, and FIVE EASY PIECES. This film however fixed him permanently in the constellation of Hollywood stars. ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST would soon follow. In any event, his portrayal of an aloof, world-weary gumshoe who stumbles in over his head into an intrigue involving crooked politicians and the money-slobbering wealthy still holds up 30 years later. This is an incredible film.

THIS IS WHAT FILM IS SUPPOSED TO BE
The mid-1970s saw a spate of "government conspiracy" films, all with liberal themes that emanated from Watergate. None of them were about Kennedy stealing the 1960 election. Hmm.
"Chinatown" (1974) may be the best screenplay ever written. A historical look at 1930s Los Angeles, it actually condensed events from the 1900s with events that, uh, never happened but made for good drama. Written by L.A. native Robert Towne, directed by Roman Polanski, produced by Evans and starring Jack Nicholson, Faye Dunnaway and famed director John Huston, it told the story of how Los Angeles became a metropolis. In Towne's version, Huston "owns" the L.A. Department of Water & Power with a character based on actual L.A. City engineer William Mulholland. Mulholland had orchestrated the political deal which built the aqueduct that brought water from the Owens Valley into the L.A. Basin, allowing millions of Southern Californians to keep their lawns green to this day.
The Mulholland character is "sacrificed" at the altar of greed, embodied by Huston, who secretly buys the San Fernando Valley, knowing that once the water deal is set, it will be incorporated into the city, making him a gazillionaire. It is rather cynical, although nobody suggests the L.A. "city fathers" were boy scouts. The same old theme is that capitalism and American political power are corrupt. To make sure the audience is convinced the corruption is beyond redemption, Huston is in the end found out be an insatiable, incestual monster. He plays the role so well it brings up minds-eye imagery of his real daughter, Angelica. The film is utterly beyond any criticism, regardless of political colorization. For decades, film students and screenwriters have studied it. It spawned an artistic quest to lace the screen with symbols, metaphors, backstory, and twists.
"Chinatown" seems to be the apex of the American film period, the mid-1970s. The period from 1960 to 1979 is unparalleled, but the backstory of the people who created these classics is a telling tale of why the genre leans to the Left. In the 1960s, film schools became popular. Four schools emerged, and have held their place as the place to learn the craft. In Los Angeles there was the USC School of Cinema-Television. Their first big alumnus was "Star Wars" director George Lucas. UCLA combined their film school with their drama program, so as to bring actors, writers, directors and producers together. Coppola went to UCLA along with a future rock star named Jim Morrison, who would form The Doors with another UCLA film alumnus, keyboardist Ray Manzarek.

STEVEN TRAVERS
AUTHOR OF "BARRY BONDS: BASEBALL'S SUPERMAN"
STWRITES@AOL.COM ... Read more

Description

A century ago in a remote mountain village, it was the custom that when people reached 70 years of age, they were taken to Mount Narayama to die.The Ballad of Narayama is the story of one elderly woman's preparation for her final journey.From the powerful use of imagery to the final thrilling climax, Shohei Imamura (Black Rain) delivers a triumphant and beautiful film as universal as the seasonal changes which bookend the story itself. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

An eternal winner
This film is powerful and stunning.It deals with the question about how to deal with the human being when he is arrived to the golden age.
The movie shows no mercy about that. The rules are very clear.when you are seventy ,you must go to Narayama.
We live in a world that avoids talking about this point.
James Hillman in an interview talks about the fact that in our process of growing up we do not want understand that to get it,we must lose things to reach it, and this is unboreable for many of us because we are accostumed to win always.
Watch a film called the sudden loneliness of Konrad Steiner from the swiss filmmaker Kurt Gloor, 1976 and then return to Narayama. Two different gazes, but basically facing the same question.
Since I was seventeen I read a thought from an italian writer-Giovanni Papini- who said:
Will I have to remember that the time is like an army of no shoes army who spies behind the door of every day of our life ,making us less strongs and much weaker?
Imamura is among that selected elite integrated by Mizoguchi, Kusorawa, Kinugasa, Ichikawa,Ozu.
He is the most prolific,original and best gifted director of the Japanese cinema.We expect much more about him,Watch also the eel, Black rain and Eijanaika and you will understand why he is so beloved in Cannes, Berlin and another important festivals all around the world.

The Ballad of Narayama is now one of my favorite films.
The Ballad of Narayama is about the harsh realities of life in an impoverished Japanese village in the late eighteen hundreds. Sound boring? It's anything but. Sound depressing? Much of it is, but the overwhelming power of the film left my heart full rather than heavy. If you're looking for an incredibly well made film - brilliantly written, acted, filmed and directed - start here. You'll be glad you did.

Interesting character study of a poor community
The story of a small mountain village whose inhabitants must struggle to eke out their meager living. Theft is not tolerated, and the old are left on a mountaintop to die from exposure. This is a fascinating portrayal of how people are sometimes forced by their circumstances to be as merciless as nature itself. It is easy to condemn many of the practices seen in this film, but we are forced to wonder how we might behave if we were similarly deprived. To what extent is our ethics a product of our relatively luxurious lifestyle? It is also interesting to see how various characters face their conditions--some retain their dignity and humanity, while others display what is most ugly and base in human nature.

Imamura's Humanism
Shohei Imamura did something astonishing with his film 'The Ballad of Narayama.' Not only did he attempt to update a popular Japanese legend, he was creating an alternate version of the established classic, made by Keisuke Kinoshita [see Twenty Four Eyes] at the height of his powers. Reverence for the aged is a hallmark of Japanese society, so the ancient tradition of mountain people of exposing their no-longer productive relations on a mountaintop to die is very shocking to the Japanese. Kinoshita addressed the legend in a very stylized way, distancing the viewer from the action and thereby making the actions of these poor people somehow less terrible. Imamura, in stark contrast, emphasized the savagery of the traditional mountain society by parallelling it with the savagery of the natural world in which it, too, must survive. Imamura thereby makes the tradition seem somewhat inevitable and all the more moving because of its inexorability. These people aren't inhuman savages. They are survivors in a harsh environment. Imamura examines character so honestly that the people he depicts are revealed in their true humanity, and their actions are shown to be all the more tragic. A triumph for Imamura.

a graphic portrayal of death and life
Being an American I am not used to seeing stinky young men having sex with dogs/old women on the movie screen and never before have I seen an elderly woman knock her teeth out voluntarily. One could say that this movie is serious in light of the fact that it's focus is on how people deal with death, but beyond that I found this film absolutely hilarious, I highly recommend it. Once you've seen it and if you can't say you laughed at it, you're not understanding it. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Like seeds of a dandelion blowing in the wind, the plot of Tampopo wanders in several directions, following the lives of a quirky collection of characters. At the heart of this film is a young widow named Tampopo (Nobuko Miyamoto), who is struggling to make ends meet by running a noodle restaurant. Goro (Tsutomu Yamazaki), a truck driver, saves Tampopo's young son from being beaten by a group of school girls and is rewarded with a bowl of very bad ramen (noodles). Goro tells Tampopo the awful truth about her cooking and she asks for his help. Together they search for the perfect ramen recipe.

Intersecting this part of the plot are several smaller and less well-realized stories. Koji Yakusho, who stars in Shall We Dance, appears as a sensuous gangster who would rather play with his food than eat it. Then there's the mysterious Noodle Master who lives with a group of street vagabonds and a young executive who knows how to order food from a French menu, but not how to preserve the dignity of his superiors.

While the film as a whole feels somewhat disjointed, writer-director Juzo Itami manages to infuse Tampopo (which means "dandelion") with a sense of Japanese joie de vivre that is worth experiencing. Take notes during the "soup scenes" and see what you can cook up for yourself.--Luanne Brown ... Read more

Reviews (54)

A nearly flawless experience
This is a masterful movie by director Juzo Itami. It is a story of the truck-drivin' cowboy Goro who strolls into town, sets things right and rides off into the sunset. Rather than kill the bad guys however, he helps a widow become sucessful running her late husbands ramen shop. Itami lends a mosiaic quality to the movie with many character sketches about food's pervasive influence on human behaviour. Tsutomu Yamazaki who plays Goro, and Nobuko Miyamoto who plays Tampopo, both from Itami's "A Taxing Woman", give wonderful performaces. The DVD contains a complete filmography that is a great window into Itami's other works. The DVD is letterbox and looks good. The sound is 3-channel, Japanese only with English subtitles selectable. The timing on the subtitles is at times sloppy, which is too bad since it is a subtitle-only release. I would have liked very much to see directors commentary but language may have restricted this. The DVD gets 4 stars for minor subtitle issues, and lack of more deluxe treatment, but I give the story, and my review, 5 stars. This is really a must have, in a decent package for a foreign film.

Dandelions, Cowboys and the perfect Ramen
"Tampopo" is one of those rare films that just...works. Every piece of it is perfect, combining to form a more flavorful whole, like a well-made dish of ramen noodles. Itami was inspired for this film, and it is easily one of the best Japanese films ever made.

Japanese culture is filled with a love of food. Japanese travel brochures are filled, not with pretty sights and adventures, but with photos of local delicacies and dishes. Food questing is a popular hobby, with each person knowing a local favorite shop, or a master chef. Restaurants also tend to specialize, often serving only one dish such as ramen or udon noodles. "Tampopo" perfectly captured this national obsession, creating a story that is undeniable Japanese. Goro and Tampopo's search for the perfect broth, the most delicious way to cut meat and such is an honest and charming portrayal.

There is plenty going on in this film, with the sexual subplot of the gangster and his lover exchanging food and sex, or the young executive fluent in French cuisine. Each vignette forwards the tone. Along with this is the marriage of the samurai and the cowboy in the character of Goro, and the delicate strength of Tampopo herself.

You really can't go wrong with this film.

You will be hungry for real ramen!
It can be very difficult to describe this movie and what the premise or plot is. Oh, there is the central plot, make no mistake, but the entirity of the film is a flurry of sub-stories and vignettes that act like ingredients to the ever-present ramen (Japanese noodle soup) otherwise known as this brilliant gem out of Japan. The bottom line, the final product is a fancifal tale based around food and how our lives are encompassed by it, how we struggle with it, and most importantly how integral it is to human beings on the whole.

Tampopo also is an homage film to a few genres depending on the scene. For example, Goro (an obvious samurai reference) drives into town on a truck... with cow horns on the top! He wears the cowboy hat constantly and those themes are as thick as the noodles he's seeking out. There is also a tribute to Chaplin/Keaton and the silent comedies with one of the vagabonds in his efforts to make a rice omelette. There are a few mob movie shots as well, including the semi-narrator or guide of the man in the white suit. Beyond celebrating these genres, though, as well as film itself, this really is a story about food.

Tampopo is a widowed soup cook who can't really make soup. Ramen, one of the staple Japanese foods, is as varied and unique in stores throughout the town as there are chicken soup recipes in the US. She can't seem to make a good bowl, though, and Goro feeling bad for her, decides to stay on and help her out with the help of his sidekick Gun. Along the way, they pick up a colorful band of characters each with his own addition to the recipe and technique that helps Tampopo understand the importance of finding that perfect bowl of Ramen.

Light-hearted, more than a bit hilarious, and full of twists and turns, Tampopo is definitely one of the best movies to come out of Japan. Aside from comedy or possibly drama, one would be hard-pressed to try to define this movie as the movie more defines itself and others like it. A life story for sure, definitely a good laugh, and a little eye-opening at times, too. Not for children, though, as there is some nudity and minor violence. Film buffs should already own this movie and anyone else who has a love of film or a desire for one of the most fun movies ever made, pick this one up. You will not be disappointed. Enjoy!

Warning
This DVD is in my garbage. I bought it for a young person who is learning Japanese. There is some good stuff, humor, cooking, but the cruelty is such that I could not give it to her. The worst is the live, struggling small turtle being sliced straight down, all along the body, just behind the head in front of the shell. There are also some unpleasant sex scenes, including a man stimulating a young woman by placing a container of live fish to wiggle against her bare abdomen. What a disappointment!

Still Tastes Great
I watched this one with a group of friends last night... it's been about 15 years since my first viewing and 8 since the last one. It's still brilliant, quirky and as enjoyable as ever.

A very John Wayne like truck driver plays noodle guru to a single mom struggling to be a master noodle chef. A whole host of characters are brought in to assist and some very unlikely types prove to have esoteric food knowledge. This is a quest for enlightenment in guise of perfect ramen.

The main story is broken by 2 and 3 minute glimpses into amusing (and at times bizarre) but totally unrelated stories revolving around food (with the food-sex connection illustrated vividly).

One of my favourite films. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Werner Herzog's remake of F.W. Murnau's original vampire classic is at once a generous tribute to the great German director and a distinctly unique vision by one of cinema's most idiosyncratic filmmakers. Though Murnau's Nosferatu was actually an unauthorized adaptation of BramStoker's Dracula, Herzog based his film largely on Murnau's conceptions--at times directly quoting Murnau's images--but manages to slip in a few references to Tod Browning's famous version (at one point the vampire comments on the howling wolves: "Listen, the children of the night make their music."). Longtime Herzog star Klaus Kinski is both hideous and melancholy as Nosferatu (renamed Count Dracula in the English language version). As in Murnau's film, he's a veritable gargoyle with his bald pate and sunken eyes, and his talon-like fingernails and two snaggly fangs give him a distinctly feral quality. But Kinski's haunting eyes also communicate a gloomy loneliness--the curse of his undead immortality--and his yearning for Lucy (Isabelle Adjani) becomes a melancholy desire for love. Bruno Ganz's sincere but foolish Jonathan is doomed to the vampire's will and his wife, Lucy, a holy innocent whose deathly pallor and nocturnal visions link her with the ghoulish Nosferatu, becomes the only hope against the monster's plague-like curse. Herzog's dreamy, delicate images and languid pacing create a stunningly beautiful film of otherworldly mood, a faithful reinterpretation that by the conclusion has been shaped into a quintessentially Herzog vision. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (82)

Werner Herzog creates the ultimate vampire.
Nosferatu was originally a German expressionist film, much in the style of "The Cabinet of Dr. Calgari. Moody, extremley gothic, and very scary, shot in Germany in 1922. Max Schreck played the part of Nosferatu, aka Count Orlok, the ugliest, scariest Dracula in cinematic history. Orlak is tall and skinny, shriveled, actually, with elongated limbs, and long, sharp claws for hands. He is ancient as well. We have no leading man type here, a la Christopher Lee, who was actually a sex symbol back in the late sixties, or handsome Bela, Frank Langella, or more recently, Gary Oldman. Orlak is the combination of an evil old man, mixed with a rodent. His ears are batlike, his eyes, wide and scary, a beak nose, and his full lips hide long, ratlike fangs. He is bald as well. Klaus Kinski captured Nosferatu to a tee, although Klaus is well, flat out not as ugly as Schrek. the story is virtually Dracula retold, including Harker's trip to Transylvania, the Count buying Real Estate, the Count lusting after Lucy, and Lucy's sacrifice. There is a hidden eroticism in the final scene with Lucy that must be seen to be believed. Lucy, by the way, is portrayed by the ever sexy Isabelle Adjani, and she portays a perfect damsel in distress, who knows what she must do. The contrast in Lucy's beauty, compared to Orlak's hideous repulsiveness, only adds to the erotic chemistry that is on the screen during their scenes together, especially when Lucy is first confronted by the lustful old vampire, and he demands her love. During the famous, final scene, we see Orlak consumate his vampiric love, in full detail. Lucy almost seems to be enjoying it. Orlak must have Lucy, even if it means that his very existance is the price to be paid, so he enjoys his night of bloodlust, and lovemaking to the fullest. The movie is atmospheric, and well acted throughout, although the Van Helsing character seems a bit powerless. Then again, aside from Lucy's sacrificial beauty, what can stop the evil Count Orlak.....Highly recommended.

Cerebral, dream-like horror
Nosferatu unfolds like a languorous, disturbing dream. The images have an hallucinogenic, archetypal quality: mummified human remains in an ancient tomb; the figure of a woman sitting on a beach studded with tombstones; a dead sea-captain lashed to the wheel of a deserted sailing ship.

Like Kubrick's The Shining, Nosferatu is less a standard genre film than a singular expression of a filmmaker's vision. Writer-director Werner Herzog began with F.W. Murnau's expressionist classic, mixed in elements from Bram Stoker's novel Dracula, then set about creating a meditation on the vampire myth. What would it really mean to live forever, and be compelled to feed on the blood of others? What of the unspeakable boredom? The longing for companionship? For normalcy? For death? As played by Klaus Kinski, Herzog's Dracula has spent hundreds, if not thousands of years alone with these thoughts. He is the ultimate poster boy for German angst. If not for the skill of his performance and Herzog's direction, he might have lapsed into self-parody.

There are shots that all but reproduce moments from the silent classic - right down to the overwrought body language. But Herzog, Kinski, and the rest of the cast (including Bruno Ganz as Jonathon Harker and Isabelle Adjani as his wife Lucy) keep it in check and keep it beautifully stylized, so it all works.

Probably due to the involvement of American studio 20th-Century Fox, Nosferatu was shot in both English and German versions. Both are on this double-sided DVD; comparing them is instructive, since there are non-trivial differences in the visual construction of both films. Most critics agree (and I concur) that the German one is superior.

Finally, to get an idea of whether you will like this - or any - Werner Herzog film, take the Armageddon-Matrix test: if you hated Armageddon because it was empty and overblown, but kind of liked The Matrix because of its ideas, then you may like Nosferatu. If, on the other hand, you thought Armageddon rocked, but only kind of liked The Matrix because it was slow in places, then don't even think about it.

Good remake!
Remakes don't get much better that this, lets give a round of applause to the drictor, it's hard to make a remake of a classic film. So the film follows the story of the orignal, some guy goes to see Dracula, who he later bits( the guy goes crazy). Dracula later takes a ship to England and starts a rampage of death. This film does not have as much action as the first but it's still fun to wach. Make-up for Dracula rocked. Worth every penny.

The Classic Art-House Version of Dracula
For our second outing between Kinski and Herzog we find that the director has chosen to remake, or rather retell, his favorite film of all time - 'Nosferatu, eine Symphonie des Grauens' by F.W. Murnau (1922), while at the same time adapting more of the original Stoker novel into the remake, using the original name of Count Dracula (Kinski) instead of Orlok and injecting his own take on the story of Dracula (in German), which for all intensive purposes is a story about 'tragedy' and Herzog has correctly identified this main theme that would help levitate this entry to one of the all time great art-house horror films with images of Kinski's vampire often filling many film magazine pages and posters. In fact, it is Herzog's most commercial and accessible film to date. It was this telling of the Dracula story that influenced Coppola to remake the Stoker novel entirely into a film. It was not the first time Coppola had been influenced by Herzog. Coppola learned from Kinski and Herzog in "Aguirre: Wraith of God" that guerilla film making while going up a jungle river would be just what he needed for his version of Conrad's "Hearts of Darkness" (Apocalypse Now).

The usual Kinski/Herzog display of frustration is more subtle in this film than all the others probably because the beautiful Isabelle Adjani keeps Kinski distracted long enough for him not get angry with Herzog's cruel daily shoots to 'get it right' and deliberately making the actors and actresses angry for their performances. Here everyone just looks deathly sick and move extremely slowly. Even Adjani looks paler than Kinski at times. For some reason this has given Herzog a more controlled approach to this film with certainly less improvisation and 'on the spot' acting than any of his other collaborations with Kinski. Here we see a mix of Herzog's favorite - Tarkovsky's slow shooting style while cutting in shots of water (Herzog uses a bat in slow motion) and some sort of strange cinematic art house presence that we would see in many of Andy Warhol's productions. Herzog also gets the lighting just right and the cinematography is sublime - watching Kinski materialize from the darkness is again some of the most memorable images in art house cinema ever. Herzog also brings coffins en masse for display. Black coffins play a major role in the design throughout the film. Later on during a plague thousands of rats covering a city become central to Herzog's eye for capturing horror (a formal dinner takes place among hundreds of rats because the diners have the plague and wish to make the best of it before they die) - again extremely visionary and talented. Adjani puts on an amazing performance while remaining stunning under all the white. In one classic scene where she is confronted by Kinski she looks and acts more scary than Kinski almost performing him off the screen. The ending is an erotic take on the original film with Kinski touching Adjani all over, but the acting is excellent. The final twist comes as a shocker and is a bit funny. The end scene is like something out of a great Western and looks spectacular. Also the strange atmosphere of holiness is found throughout this film more than in any other Herzog/Kinski collaboration. The use of Orchestral sounds makes it all the more eerie while at the same time retaining that spirited electric connection to the presentation of madness that Herzog and Kinski are so well noted for.

'Nosferatu the Vampyre' is probably one of the most original art house horror films ever made even though the subject matter has been beaten to death, however it still ranks up there as one of the best versions of Dracula you can see. The DVD transfer is good and crisp. The aspect ratio is 1.85:1 and there are a lot of extras including director's commentary. By the way you can get the Kinski/Herzog box set of 6 films for a few quid extra than this stand alone DVD. Go look for it.

Belief and Science Clash
Nosferatu: Phantom der Nacht (1979)

Nosferatu: Phantom der Nacht directed by Werner Herzog, is really a color remake of the 1922 film Nosferatu, eine Symphonie des Grauens directed by F.W. Murnau. There are a couple of name changes: Count Orlok became Count Dracula; Jonathan's fiancée Nina became Jonathan's wife Lucy. The original film was silent and in black and white, where the 1979 version is in color and is in German with English subtitles.

However the plot is close to Bram Stoker's book on Count Dracula which has a very similar plot line and story. F.W. Murnau bought the movie rights to the film; however these rights were owned by Bram's widow Florence and she refused to allow the use of the name and storyline. Even though Murnau had changed the major names of the main characters (Count Dracula, Thomas and his wife Ellen) and location enough similarity remained that Florence took the case to court and in July of 1925 the German court ordered all the copies of the movie destroyed. However a few copies did manage to survive.

While the film starts off slow it shows spectacular scenes of an ocean voyage, and waterfalls experienced during Jonathan (Bruno Ganz) Harker's journey to Count (Klaus Kinski) Dracula's castle. The contrast with his return trip is startling, since he was healthy when he started, but on the return is very sickly and barely alive. The Count's journey is very stark, his companions' death and rats board another ship, which glides into port with no one left alive on board except the rats. As the rats depart the ship one reminded of the story of Ben, where the rats were everywhere and out of control.
An interesting dilemma in this film is the direct confrontation of belief in the existence of the supernatural and sacramental with belief in the rationale of science. Science was believed to able to explain away rationally anything that happened out of the ordinary. Yet here it could not produce an answer for Lucy (Isabelle Adjani) Harker. The way that this was shown was that after consulting with the town physician, Lucy broke and crumbed the Eucharist around Jonathan to keep him locked into a chair in a corner all night, while she became the sacrificed lamb to save him from the Count and death. While she did this out of her love for Jonathan, her sacrifice resulted in the final demise of Count Dracula and her own death. Yet Jonathan in essence lives on to carry the legacy of the living dead, alive yet not fully. The last that is seen of Jonathan is when he is released from his imposed prison, by the removal of the broken host around him, he declares that he has much work to accomplish he mounts a horse and rides off. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Love at the bottom end."
Ariane Ascaride, the star of this film, is a little whippet of a woman and no beauty, but she carries the film triumphantly. and she does it by sheer force of personality, her lovely smile. and delightful facial expressions. Her husband, Robert Guediguian, the director and writer of this film, has again made a warm, inspiring romantic comedy about people at the lower end of the social scale. This is something Hollywood seems rarely able to do; all the people in their romantic comedies must usually be rich, frequent expensive restaurants, have large cars and live in expensively furnished spacious apartments. But who wants money when, as this film demonstrates, you can be so happy without it?

Three ordinary women, none of them glamourous, all of them attractive, live cheek by jowl in a sort of tenement courtyard with two male friends. It's nice to see them all sitting around together in the warm evenings, surrounded by flowers and pot-plants, chatting, confiding in each other as friends do, and sharing a joke.

Jeanette lives with her young son and teenage daughter from two husbands - one left her and the other was killed - and she has not had sex or a man in her life for eight long years. Marius is a security guard on a demolition site and finds Jeanette about to steal two large cans of paint with which to decorate her house. He gives her a hard time; but she gives as good as she gets, calls him a fascist and they part as enemies. Later that day, however, a knock comes at her door and she finds him standing their with her two cans of paint. This friendly gesture is enough to stimulate in her romantic fantasies and as she watches him limp away down the alley we are shown her vision of herself running towards him on the beach to be lovingly clasped in his arms. Her face in close-up as leaning against the door post she has this vision is beatific. How could you not love such as woman?

He meets her next standing on the edge of a high building, but she quickly explains that this is the spot she used to stand in when at the age of nine she came to visit her father who was crushed to death at the age of 37. He then challenges her to a race with the proviso that if he wins she must allow him to decorate her house. His limp suddenly disappears and he wins easily.

The ending too is excellent, though it is sad to be told by the voice over that they all end up in the local cemetery. That was not something I wanted to be reminded of even if it does give a certain poignancy to the film's ending

FABULOUS
A truly mature romantic comedy with none of the contrived Hollywood style sentimentality or phoney gravitas of working class life. The small suburb of Marseilles community are erudite and optimistic in a down to earth way. Though they are not wealthy their environment is somewhat picturesque and the close knit commarderie is totally enviable in our age of alienated modernity. Both Marius and Jeannette are "cautious returners" to the path of romantic involment. They have both known tragedy but in quite different ways. From the moment they appear on the screen you are willing the pair to succeed. Will it happen? You just have to buy the film to find out !

Family Entertainment from France
This is a funny, heartwarming, quirky and sometimes hilarious film about two French blue collar and communist workers falling in love in a lower middle class section of Marseilles. The movie is a character study of some truly eccentric characters. There isn't much action, but there is constant humor and marvelling at such a fine script. You might say that it is Barry Levinson directing a film in France instead of Baltimore. ... Read more

Reviews (53)

a classic and a must for race fans
John Frankenheimer broke new ground when he filmed "Grand Prix", putting cameras on single-seater cars and thus creating some of the most amazing footage ever shot of cars from that era. The movie is on the light side as far as the story development goes, and while James Garner is very convincing as an American grand prix ace, one has a harder time buying this sort of act from Yves Montand who plays the aging Ferrari driver. Eva Marie Saint is cast as a magazine journalist following the grand prix circus around Europe, trying to get a story - a storyline that was recently successfully resurrected in "Driven". Her lovestory with Montand is not exactly hot, but the highly dramatic race action in Monte Carlo, Spa, and Monza (they still used the famous banking of the autodromo in those days!)more than makes up for that. The film features cameo appearances of some of the era's greatest drivers like Graham Hill. Letter-boxed on a larger screen is the only decent way to completely enjoy the breath-taking cinematography of this classic.

Grand Prix starring James Garner
Grand Prix, the film, is an amazing documentary portraying grand prix racing in the late 1960's. James Garner plays an outstanding role as American driver Pete Aaron. With little dialogue and plenty of authentic race footage, Grand Prix can eaisly be quoted to be the best racing movie ever produced. John Frankenheimer took the racing fans image of early grand prix racing to it's greatest extreme and and made it into one of the first auto racing films ever to be produced. A production of this quality will never be recreated because of the manner in which it was made. The footage is real racing, not acting. Helicopters were flown down the straightways 15-20 feet above the cars during races. The FIA these days wouldn't let an aircraft within miles of the circuit, making a film with the action of Grand Prix impossible to duplicate.

Grand Prix
Having recently rediscovered Formula 1 racing on the Speed Channel, I went looking for the finest movie ever made concerning the Grand Prix, the movie of the same name. I was fortunate to have seen it in Cinemascope in a theater especially designed for just such movies - humongous curved screen, as fine a sound system as then available. I've watched the movie several times on the little box but it's never duplicated the original experience. I CANNOT BELIVE it is not yet available on DVD. If ever a movie deserved the DVD treatment this is it. The very finest movie of its kind - it accurately captures the essence of Formula 1 racing and is every bit as timely and viable a viewing experience as it was 38 years ago. If we pull together it will soon be available - I have no doubt.

Grand Prix, Grand indeed!
It has been said that this is the best racing movie ever made. It is.

No movie before or since has been able to capture the feeling and essence of racing in the 60's or any other era.

What director Frankenheimer does in this movie is still exciting even by today's standards.

Even though I am a huge Steve McQueen fan, Le Mans definitely takes second place to Grand Prix.

I was really excited to see the movie Driven with Stallone, until I saw it. All I kept saying to myself was "This is not even close to Grand Prix". Grand Prix has not only raised the bar, but has set it as well.

Do yourself a favor, don't rent, but rather buy this film and get ready for an education on how great movies were made and should be made.

Beware: Pan and Scan
Be aware that this is a Pan and Scan version of the film, a fact that is omitted in the product description. As a result, many scenes that were thrilling in Cinemascope and awkward here. Nonetheless, I fully concur with other reviewers - this is a must have film for car buffs and racing fans. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Star Wars
Again? Yes. Even though no other movie has been released as many times onvideo as Star Wars (except for its sequels, The Empire StrikesBack and Return of the Jedi), George Lucas and the folks at 20thCentury Fox have actually released a slightly different film this time. Thisvideo followed the mega-successful 20th-anniversary theatrical rerelease, inwhich Lucas personally remastered the image and sound quality of his baby.Other revisions are more obvious, if hardly radical. Lucas enhanced severalspecial effects with updated computer technology--most noticeable are theexplosions and removal of matte lines during the Death Star battle finale.And the creatures that populate Mos Eisley's spaceport--thoughmeticulous--are aesthetically superior improvements. The inclusion of extra scenes(originally outtakes), however, is not an improvement. Both the meetingbetween Jabba the Hutt and Han Solo, and Luke talking with his childhood palBiggs, do nothing to enhance character development or theme, and serve onlyas distractions that preoccupy the waiting viewer. And, really couldn't Lucasfind something better to do with his time than mess around with a nationaltreasure? As for the video, this boasts both visual and sound enhancements.But since Star Wars has been available with these tweaks numeroustimes before, the decision whether to purchase this latest new versiondepends on how badly you want to see Lucas's cosmetic surgery. --DaveMcCoy

The Empire Strikes Back
The middle film in George Lucas's enormously popular Star Wars sciencefiction trilogy is a darker, more somber entry, considered by many fans asthe best in the series. Gone is the jaunty swashbuckling of the first film;the rebellion led by Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) suffers before thesuperior forces of the Empire, young hero Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) faceshis first defeats as he attempts to harness the Force under the tutelage ofJedi master Yoda (voiced by Frank Oz), and cocky Han Solo (Harrison Ford) isbetrayed by former ally Lando Calrissian (Billy Dee Williams). In thetradition of the great serials, this film is left with a hefty cliffhanger.The leap in special effects technology in the three years since StarWars results in an amazing array of effects, including a breathtakingchase through an asteroid field and a dazzling, utopian Cloud City, whereLuke faces the black-clad villain Darth Vader (David Prowse, voice of JamesEarl Jones) in a futuristic sword fight and learns the secret of his Jedifather. Veteran director Irvin Kershner (The Eyes of Laura Mars,Never Say Never Again) took the directorial reins from creator andproducer Lucas and invested the light-speed adventure with deeper charactersand a more emphatic sense of danger. The special edition expands Luke'sencounter with the Abominable Snowman-esque wampa and establishes thecreature as a tangibly more terrifying beast, in addition to refining many ofthe existing effects. The trilogy is concluded in Return of the Jedi.--Sean Axmaker

Return of the Jedi
The high-energy, special-effects-laden conclusion to George Lucas's ambitiousStar Wars trilogy delivers the final confrontation between LukeSkywalker (a more confident and mature Mark Hamill) and his nemesis-father,Darth Vader (David Prowse, voice of James Earl Jones), as the rebel alliancemakes its last stand against the evil Empire. The film opens with animpressive set piece in the cave of the monstrous Jabba the Hut, who holdsboth Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) for hisdecadent pleasure until Skywalker comes to the rescue. The final battle pitsan enormous armada of rebel ships against the rebuilt Death Star, theplanet-killing weapon of the first film, while guerrilla forces battle Empiresoldiers on the planet below with the help of a cuddly army of pint-sized,teddy-bear-like creatures known as Ewoks (Lucas's one concession tomerchandising) and Skywalker confronts Vader and the emperor on theDeathstar. Director Richard Marquand invests the tale with plenty of humorand a vigorous sense of adventure without losing the seriousness ofSkywalker's mission. The special edition adds, among other effects, morecreatures and a bouncy song-and-dance number to the Jabba the Hut scenes, andan extended celebration that literally encompasses the galaxy at the film'sjubilant conclusion. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (777)

I love the Star Wars Trilogy S.E., warts and all...
I'm somewhat ambivalent about the Special Edition versions of the Star Wars trilogy. On one hand, I rather like the idea that Lucas decided to re-tool the legendary saga more towards his original vision of how he wanted them to look, using modern movie magic technology that had just been a far-off dream when he originally produced these films . On the other hand, I also feel that one should just accept a movie's shortcomings, despite the stature of legend they have attained, and just get on with life. But, I must admit that a lot of the enhancements and expansions worked fairly well, and looked convincing in most cases. Unfortunately, not ALL of the new moments passed muster in my eyes...

I was finally glad that some of the Biggs Darklighter footage was restored to Star Wars (aka prior to the Death Star run). For many years I've heard about these cut scenes- Biggs and Luke talking about the future on Uncle Owen's moisture farm, and the hangar reunion- and had high hopes of finally seeing them. Unfortunately, only the hangar reunion was put back in. The moisture farm intro may well be forever lost...

Another weird addition was Greedo firing first before Han plugged him from under the table in the Cantina. Talk about revisionist history! And the new Jabba scene didn't look that great to me. The CGI Jabba looks a bit too smooth. He was a good sight more wrinkled and warty in both Episode I (Before Star Wars) and Return of the Jedi. Also, you do NOT step on the tail of the most influential crime lord on the planet! I mean, I know they had to tweak the scene to make it work, but still! That should've called for Han's execution right there! Hey, is that Boba Fett hangin' out in the hangar with Jabba? Cool, now he's in all three films!

Then there's that concentric ring of energy that flies outward after the explosions of both Alderaan and the Death Star. Aside from being an unnecessary embellishment, I found this little addition to lack originality as well. This same effect was used in the opening of 'Star Trek VI'. Whoops... I just mentioned 'Star Trek' in a 'Star Wars' review... so much for renewing my fan club membership! Heh...

'Empire' has the fewest changes of the three. The only part I have a problem with are the scenes of Vader boarding his shuttle on Cloud City following his battle with Luke, then exiting his shuttle onto his flagship. Like the explosion rings, I found this to be an unnecessary embellishment; I already got the drift about how he got to his ship from Cloud City, all right? There's also a slight change of dialogue in one scene, following R2D2 getting spat out by the swamp monster in Dagobah. See if you can tell the difference!

I don't have too many complaints about the "improvements" done to Return Of The Jedi, aside from yet another energy ring expanding from the explosion of the second Death Star. The new Jabba's Palace band was pretty neat, but I still prefer the original three-piece band from the original version. I guess I'm just a sentimental kinda guy. There were a few scenes cut from the original release I was hoping to see (Vader force-strangling an Imperial Guard who blocks his attempts to speak with the Emperor, and an Imperial officer being punished by another Imperial guard for insubordination)... no such luck. The expanded Ewok celebration at the end was pretty neat to watch, and included an all-new John Williams composition that has become my second-favorite 'Star Wars' tune (right behind 'The Imperial March- Darth Vader's Theme', from The Empire Strikes Back of course).

I'm not an absolutist about the widescreen format, but in the case of the Star Wars trilogy, it's an absolute necessity. There's just too much happening on both sides of the screen, and you're likely to miss something important. In this case wider IS better.

I just wish they'd finally release these movies on DVD. Like many of the other Amazon reviewers, I too am getting a bit fed up of the constant VHS re-releases. Let's get with the times here!

'Late!

Best DVD's Ever
When the Star Wars trilogy arrives on DVD on September 21, the digitally remastered and restored films will be accompanied by over 10 hours of bonus material that goes inside the making of these classic movies.

Each film resides on its own disc, with sharp, pristene imagery restored and remastered by Lowry Digital Images, and the rich sound experience of the saga presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround EX. The films also include new commentary tracks, featuring insights from George Lucas, director Irvin Kershner, actress Carrie Fisher, sound designer Ben Burtt, and Industrial Light & Magic's Dennis Muren.

The fourth disc is packed with bonus material, the most notable being Empire of Dreams: The Story of the Star Wars Trilogy. This two-and-a-half hour documentary traces the evolution of the saga, from a low-budget labor-of-love space saga to the movie phenomenon that defied the odds and reinvented the rules.

This comprehensive documentary features all new interviews with George Lucas and more than 40 members of the cast and crew from the original trilogy, as well as a host of filmmakers and media personalities. Empire of Dreams includes some never-before-seen behind-the-scenes footage from the making of the three films.

Other material on the fourth disc includes:

Episode III Behind the Scenes Preview: The Return of Darth Vader: Finally, Star Wars: Episode III will reveal just how Anakin Skywalker became Darth Vader, the most iconic villain in film history. In this exclusive preview, George Lucas discusses Anakin's descent, with a first look at the new Vader costume forged for Episode III. Also, experience how Hayden Christensen and Ewan McGregor have prepared for the epic lightsaber battle that has been anticipated for more than two decades: the climactic showdown between Anakin and Obi-Wan Kenobi.

The Birth of the Lightsaber: Its unforgettable hum and scintillating glow are instantly recognizable around the world. Now, viewers will discover the origins of this elegant weapon from a more civilized age in this documentary devoted to the lightsaber.

The Characters of Star Wars: An in-depth look at how favorite characters came to be, featuring rare concept art, behind-the-scenes footage and interviews with George Lucas and the cast and crew who shaped the screen's favorite heroes.

The Force Is With Them: The Legacy of Star Wars: Star Wars opened up a galaxy of possibilities to a generation of filmmakers and creative talents. Hear from some of the most notable filmmakers of our time about how influential the Star Wars movies have been to their lives.

Star Wars Battlefront Trailer and Playable Demo: The fourth disc will offer a trailer featuring an exciting look at the upcoming Star Wars Battlefront video game from LucasArts, along with a special demo for Xbox users that lets players fight the Battle of Endor as a Rebel or Imperial soldier and drive AT-STs, ride speeder bikes and use different weapons to lead their side to victory. The full version of Star Wars Battlefront will also be released Sept. 21 for the PlayStation 2, Xbox, and PC.

Star Wars: Episode III Making the Game Preview: Video-game players will be able to experience the stunning Jedi action of Episode III themselves in the new Star Wars: Episode III game, due out in Spring 2005 for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox. This special feature shows how game developers at LucasArts worked behind-the-scenes and on the set to create the most authentic Jedi experience ever.

Original Trailers and TV Spots: The original theatrical teaser, launch and re-release trailers for each film, plus TV spots, are featured on the DVD.

Never-Before-Seen Production Gallery: Delve into an unseen corners of the Lucasfilm Archives with exclusive photos from the making of the trilogy, with hundreds of rare behind-the-scene images.

Posters and Print Campaigns: The original releases of the Star Wars films came at a time when international campaigns produced a wealth of intriguing, alternative poster art. Explore a collection of theatrical posters from around the world.

Exclusive DVD-ROM Content: The Star Wars Trilogy DVDs are keys that unlock exclusive content available only through a special DVD-ROM website.

M-I-G-H-T-Y F-I-N-E
the star wars trilogy was byfar the best trilogy I have ever seen!!!!!!!!!!!!!! all of the star wars movies were MIGH-TY FINE, and to the guy that said star wars was a LOTR rippoff, I can't see where you are going with your story, its nothing like LOTR, and I for one are one of those people you were talking about and as long as the star wars movies come out i'll help make Lucas richer!!

A Classic!
I just recently purchased a DVD player and knew that the Star Wars Trilogy would have to be in my collection ASAP. Of course I've these three movies many, many times, but for some reason I never tire of seeing them again. The first one brings back many childhood memories (my brother had a Star Wars themed bedroom!) and it's comforting to put it on just to have as background noise when my apartment gets too quiet. I guess that is the true meaning of a classic movie - you love it so much that it becomes a part of yourself.

The added interviews and such on this DVD were pretty insightful to me and the bonus disc of "never before seen" footage from making the three movies had me giddy with delight!

I can't imagine anyone not wanting to have this set in their collection!

Lord of The RIngs Ripoff!!!
The Star Wars legacy was directly stolen from The Lord of The Rings novels, which were publised in the 1950s. It's shameless, I tell you, shameless!

First there's Luke Skywalker, who has to leave behind his friends to face the evil all alone. But he gets to take along a little droid named R2-D2. This is obviously based on Frodo Baggins and Samwise Gamgee in Lord of the Rings. Then there are the wise Jedi Masters, Yoda and Obi Wan Kanobe. These two characters were obviously based on Tolkien's Gandalf.

Han Solo is a carbon copy of Aragorn. Princess Liea, the warrior hottie, is a ripoff of Eowyn in the Lord of the Rings. Chewbacca is just a ripoff of Gimli. And what about Boba Fett, the mysterious loner who is loyal to no one, who is only out for himself? This is just a ripoff of Gollum. The Death Star is really Mount Doom. Darth Vader is Saruman, and The Empoeror is Saruman.

And then there's Lando Calrisian, who is stolen from J.R.R. Tolkein's character King Theoden. You know, the cowardly ruler who bow's down to the bad guy, then finds his courage to fight! The storm toopers are just Orcs. And the most shameless ripoff of all is the Imperial Walkers in Empire Strikes Back! They are just like the Mumakil monsters in Lord of the Rings.

I can't believe how George Lucas become so filthy rich through thievery!! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A barrel of monkeys
If Sergio Leonne did the Great Train Robbery in Cantonese and casted the Three Stooges to star in it, Millionaires Express would be the result. There are about a half dozen sub-plots going on, but it all centers around a derailed train (courtesy of Sammo)and the attempt of several groups to profit, legally and illegally, from it's rich passengers. Funny in a goofy way (check your high brow at the door), it's a western with kung fu supplementing the gun play and a constellation of some of the best in martial arts films, including (my favorite) Sammo Hung, Yuen Biao, Cynthia Rothrock, the adorable and lethal Yukari Oshima, Ken Norton, as well as the always sumptious Rosamund Qwan in a minor role. The fight scenes are fantastic (or in the case of Yukari Oshima's circumsision of Ken Norton with a katana , traumatic)to watch and the characters are entertaining. The only bad thing I can really say about the film is that I had the subtitled edition inflicted on me, and subtitled voices are like someone dragging their nails over a chalkboard. Other than that, it's good, silly fun.

Silly Fun
This is a well done very silly farce. Put your brain in neutral and just enjoy it. It has several groups of people all focusing on one train, most want to rob it and one wants to stop it so the passengers will spend money in a one horse town. There are plenty of little sub plots going at the same time. I don't want to spoil the story for someone who hasn't seen it, be assured it is very funny and well worth the price of the video. I bought the subtitled version as the dubbing for most movies is pretty awful. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Agent Banks brings action & laughs to the UK
When I saw this movie I wasn't expecting it to be as entertaining as the original. However, this movie has a solid plot for a youth spy caper and is a bit funnier than the original. Frankie Muniz is likable as the serendipitous child CIA agent, who begins the film at CIA summer camp. After the camp director turns out to be a rogue agent who has stolen mind control technology Cody is sent to London to help catch the rogue agent and stop the devious plans that have been made to use the mind control technology to gain control of world leaders. Seeing dignitaries (including the Queen of England character) dancing to the tune of "War...what is it Good For?" at a "G7" event is amusing, and Cody's CIA "handler" posing as a bumbling chef specializing in Southern cuisine is also suited to this type of movie. I'm still trying to figure out when Cody's parents will discover he is really a spy - I guess that humorous plot device can be recycled in Cody Banks 3. Well, anyway, this is a fun, fast-paced movie that can entertain children and adults.

As Good as the First
Excellent! I enjoyed this movie just as much as the first one. Frankie Muniz does another great performance playing the 16 year old CIA Agent. There are also some new faces in this film. In this film Cody has to go to London to stop a mind control system from taking over the world. So he goes undercover as a new student going to a school for music in London. There is a lot of action and suspense. It actually is more funny then the first movie. Anthony Anderson plays Cody's handler in this film and he is hilarious. Also S Club 7 star Hannah Sperritt plays a student at the school who is actually undercover herself. I recommend that all kids go see this movie with their parents because their parents will enjoy this film also. The action in this movie is awesome. Some effects are pretty cool. I hope they make more Agent Cody Banks movies because I think they are great family movies!!!! This movie is a movie everyone should definitely own so they can watch it over and over again for ye