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Gussying up the characters in leather jackets and denims and replacing broadswords with automatic rifles, this British television version of Shakespeare's play is fitfully inventive, but more often merely thrashes about, enamored of its own sound and fury. The best guess for when director Michael Bogdanov intends the play to be set is some Mad Max-ish future, based on the abandoned industrial building he uses for the castle at Dunsinane; the seemingly iconoclastic choice actually reveals how confused and incoherent this production is. The dingy brick exterior is neither a believable seat of power nor a visual manifestation of precivilized barbarity (as were the papier-mâché caves in Orson Welles's unfairly maligned film version). In the end it's just a warehouse, so why are its inhabitants walking about in tuxedoes and seating themselves at elegantly laid-out banquet tables?Only because, it seems, the imagery looks cool; and that should not be reason enough. Hand in hand with the confused visuals comes an indifferent grasp on character: Sean Pertwee and Greta Scacchi both do fine work as the Scottish usurper and his lady, but they don't bring anything fresh or original to the roles (both of which have admittedly been pretty well explored by now). Some vaguely annoying visuals aside, this Macbeth offers nothing new. --Bruce Reid ... Read more

Reviews (7)

"To Ireland, I"-Donalbain, Act II, Sc. III
I'm no movie critic, much less any expert at Shakespearian reviews. My worst grades in school were in English; I dreaded spring semester when we would have to study these plays. I remember not liking Macbeth because it seemed too bloody, too much killing, but that, to me, seems typical of Scottish history. Perhaps if English class were renamed Scottish or Irish, I would have been more enthused about the subject!

For some strange reason these days, Shakespeare's plays are beginning to make sense to me, and the Elizabethan English is less unintelligible. If I had watched Shakespeare, maybe I would have made better grades!

I love this version. It's a British film, and the acting was good enough for me. I absolutely loved the witches, dressed as modern day, homeless hags who camp out at dumpsters, and divine the future from discarded tv's! I loved the ending too when the chariot's of fire theme is quietly played after Macbeth's death and his body is brought to the very same village trash heap! That may sound silly, but the acting is quite serious, and the modern setting makes the story timeless, in a way, suited for any age, not just 1040-1057 A.D., (time of Macbeth's reign). Shakespeare wrote Macbeth in 1606 or 1607.

In Act II, Scene III, when Duncan's murder is discovered by MacDuff, Duncan's youngest sons discuss privately fleeing Scotland. For some reason, I remembered a similar story involving the Earl of Arran's sons, John and Claud Hamilton who fled to England and Flanders following the murders of Murray and Lennox. It seems they might have actually been involved in the murders, but a lot was at stake, and English nobility, mostly the Tudors, were vying for more control of Scotland. Those events surrounded the death of Mary Queen of Scots in 1542. I'm trying to figure out who's who etc. at that time, but it gets confusing. And for Scottish history, it seems to me, one's understanding of history depends on WHO tells the story!

Interestingly, upon surfing the web, I discovered a site containing Holinshed's Chronicles at UPenn, where it's mentioned that Banquo was an ancestor to the Stuart line of kings; therefore, the witches' prophecies about Banquo are actually true today. Since King James (Stuart, Mary Queen of Scots' son), James I of England, James VI of Scotland, the Stuart's have ruled Britain. Princess Diana and Prince Charles are descendants of King James.

Minimal production value added, but fantastic acting.
This Shakesperean adaptation is not like the big budget "Romeo + Juliet" staring pretty-boy Leo DiCaprio. Though it is similar in the sense that it's set in a modern (or post-modern) environment, "Macbeth" was obviously filmed on a much smaller budget by BBC television. It looks as if they wished to mimic other adaptations of the bard's work in order to make it more "relevent". Though I personally prefer Shakespeare in it's historical context and setting, a "modern" version helps me as a teacher to make the play more understandable to high school students with minimal attention spans.

"Macbeth" takes place in a post-modern industrial setting; Macbeth's castle looks like an old abandoned factory or warehouse. The costumes are a militaristic hodgepodge and one gets the sense that this story is taking place in the ruins of an older, recently extinct, society (e.g. our own). One of my students compared the movie to "Mad Max." The background music is repetative and distracting, almost like bad techno, and it took a while to get used to it.

Where this movie is superior to the DiCaprio "R+J" is in the acting. While my students initially ridiculed the movie because of the landscape and the music, these distractions were forgotten midway through the film. I was very impressed by Sean Pertwee. His portrayal shows how unchecked ambition leads to Macbeth's eventual fall from grace. Greta Satchi is more than convincing as the duplicitous Lady Macbeth who, consumed by guilt, is driven first mad, then to suicide.

When I first reviewed this film, I was concerned the production value would cause my students to ridicule it, comparing it to what Hollywood has churned out. Turns out I shouldn't have been worried at all.

forget literary snobbery and enjoy this
I saw this version of Macbeth a couple of years ago on PBS and have been seeking it since. My favourite of all Shakespeare's works, I have delighted in reading Macbeth throughout my life both in mandatory education and for sheer pleasure so I tend to be rather critical of "Macbeth for the movies". I don't believe I have seen a performance, on stage or film, that caught my imagination like this production. Perhaps I have unusual taste but my advice is buy it and enjoy the difference.

Signifying Nothing?
Well, given that the Goddess, Greta Scacchi, was in it my hopes were high indeed. And, she is remarkably good as Lady Macbeth though clothed for once in a blue moon. She shows a real intensity with the the part. Pertwee is fine in the lead though Tim Roth or Gabriel Byrne would have preferable. The transposition to a "Mad Max" future is a rather heavy handed attempt to make the play's timeless themes appeal narrowly/dogmatically to modern day cynics of the post-Industrial Revolution. At times, the set design has a vaguely "Dr. Who" look to it that is distracting. One can only wonder what a film could have been made with the great Greta and somebody like Kenneth Brannagh directing. AS for my high school students, I think they'd prefer the gritty realism of Polanski's take much more.....Maybe I'll just show clips of Scacchi's monlogues?

IT'S JUST WHAT WE NEEDED!
My colleagues and I have searched high and low for a version of Macbeth that was true to Shakespeare's language and characterization and, at the same time, entertaining to high school juniors. I have finally found it. This film combines excellent acting with a post-modern setting, too surreal for students to recognize yet not specific enough to find unbelievable. I was impressed mostly with Greta Scacchi's and Sean Pertwee's depictions of the lead characters; they deliver Shakespeare's lines with the correct intonation and expression helping students understand meaning. Also, the director chose appropriate special effects, such as the "witches" disappearing upon Macbeth's interrogation, and avoided ones the kids tend to find ludicrous, like floating daggers. My only critique is the director's decision to have over half of Macbeth's monologues delivered as voice-overs rather than Pertwee talking to himself. The actors are mostly unknown, but highly talented; the cinematograpy is low-budget, but decent and daring; and the film is edited down to 87 minutes, but true to original content. My final thought: think Baz Luhrmann's Romeo and Juliet with a smaller budget and unknown, but MUCH BETTER, actors-- if you enjoyed it, you'll love this. ... Read more

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During an unusual chapter in the career of director Akira Kurosawa (Rashomon), the filmmaker went to Russia because he found working in his native Japan to be too difficult. The result was this striking 1975 near-epic based on the turn-of-the-century autobiographical novels of a military explorer (Yuri Solomin) who met and befriended a Goldi man in Russia's unmapped forests. Kurosawa traces the evolution of a deep and abiding bond between the two men, one civilized in the usual sense, the other at home in the sub-zero Siberian woods. There's no question that Dersu Uzala (the film is named for the Goldi character, played by Maxim Munzuk) has the muscular, imaginative look of a large-canvas Soviet Mosfilm from the 1970s. But in its energy and insight it is absolutely Kurosawa, from its implicit fascination with the meeting of opposite worlds to certain moments of tranquility and visual splendor. But nothing looks like Kurosawa more than a magnificent action sequence in which the co-heroes fight against time and exhaustion to stay alive in a wicked snowstorm. For fans of the late legend, this is a Kurosawa not to be missed. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (39)

Wonderful movie and profound art.
I don't agree with the complaints about picture quality. Our copy had excellent picture and sound except for the first 30 seconds or so. The cogent subtitles were highly visible yellow below the wide screen picture. We have the "Delux Letterbox Edition". Maybe the bad picture quality was in earlier Kino releases.

The story is intriguing. I was moved to laughter, joy, and almost to tears throughout this wonderful film. The themes of aging, friendship across cultures, loyalty, and individual and societal transformation are handled with typical Kurosawa profundity, insight, and pathos. Perhaps more than any other director, Kurosawa gets the little details right, especially regarding relationships and the way a person's motivation and behavior are determined to a large degree on their history and their quest for wholeness. Dersu Uzala often reminded me of Kurosawa's early films in this regard.

The cinematography was wonderful. The Siberian wilderness was shown as a beautiful and compelling Garden of Eden, soon to be destroyed by the evils of civilization. Ironically, one of the protagonists was a surveyor, a decent and caring man whose survey was to be used to destroy the wild paradise he and Dersu traveled through.

Rent it, and then buy it. If you love Kurosawa's work, just buy it.

Dersou Ouzala: Pure Poetry!
Dersu Uzala is probably one of the most beautiful and touching movies ever made. A 1971 production directed by the genius Akira Kurosawa, based on Vladimir Arsenyev's novel, this movie received the Academy Award for Best Foreign-Language Film. A true visual experience -- like every Kurosawa picture --, this movie portraits the breath-taking paradisiacal wilderness of Siberia. The story focus on the relationship between a russian captain (played by Yuri Solomin) and a Goldi hunter (Maxim Munzuk), and its development, nature, and consequences. It is a very moving picture, about true feelings, emotions, and above all friendship. As far as the DVD is concerned, the quality is disappointing, especially when one takes in consideration the price. However, I believe this is still a worthy acquisition for any serious movie collector. Akira Kurosawa is definitely one of the best movie directors ever, and Dersu Uzala is a movie to be not only watched, but experienced.

The old man and the Taiga
1902: Arseniev (Yuri Solomin), a czarist officer and his men exploit and map the Usuri-region. The gigantic pine-forests of the Taiga evoke visions of the Walpurgis-night. Dersu Uzala (Maxim Munzuk) sits down at their camp-fire and smokes his pipe. The old man who lost his wife and children during a smallpox-epidemic lives in the mountains without permanent refuge and hunts for the stag, the wild boar, the sable. He benefits from the nature, but does not exhaust it. As a matter of course he takes the lead of the expedition and shows them how to cover a roof with bark and instructs them to leave stock- rice, salt, matches - to other travelers. They learn not to squander cartridges and that an empty bottle can be valuable in the wilderness. They wade through the morass and suddenly the winter sets in. Arseniev and Dersu lose their way on the ice-covered lake Hanka and a snow-drift covers their footprints. Their race against time is perhaps the most breathtaking scene in the film: The two men cut as many blades of grass as possible in order to survive the cold night. Arseniev realizes how small man is in from of the big nature. He invites Dersu to join him ("It' comfortable in the city") but Dersu prefers his free life. He sees the men off to the train station and they agree that "He is such a good man!".

1907, spring, snow-break: Arseniev explores the Usuri-region again. Three months later a vast territory has been mapped, but the task would be carried through quicker with Dersu's help. Arseniev looks out for his old friend. Dersu made much money with furs, but a trader disappeared with his savings...

The Taiga in summer is a jungle. "Amdar" (the tiger) follows them. They discover pitfalls with carrion. Dersu is shocked over those needless killings. He is at war with the Chunchuse who abduct women. Arseniev helps him save three of their victims who were nearly drowning, but Dersu fall in a torrential river and the rescue-operation is another absorbing (and ingenious) moment.

The turning-point in Dersu's life comes when he inadvertently kills the tiger. He becomes nervous and irritable and believes the the spirit "Kangar" will punish him. His vision becomes defective; He misses his game. "How can I live in the Taiga?". Arseniev invites him to Chaberowsk: "My house is your house". His wife welcomes Dersu and his little son worhips him, but Dersu cannot manage life in the city where water and wood cost money. He is arrested when he tries to fell a tree. He feels redundant and decides to return to the mountains. Arseniev understands his request and gives him a brand-new gun as farewell-present. A few days later he is forced to identify the body of his old friend: somebody killed Dersu - for his gun.

DERSU UZALA needs no recommendation: it won an oscar as best foreign film in 1975 and every fan of Akira Kurosawa will see it sooner or later. Centra Asia, this gigantic territory, looks awe-inspiring in itself (and bear in mind that there is no wilderness in Japan where nearly every tree has been cultivated for aesthetic reasons) and the cinematography is overwhelming - I wish I could have seen it on the big screen. What impressed me most was the high-mindedness of the performances. There is not one patronizing undertone. Deep respect for those people who live in, of, and most importantly with the nature pervades this film.

Dersu Uzala
It is a beautiful movie to watch, and the friendship that develops between the captain and Dersu is touching. I hadn't seen it in many years but found it interesting that Dersu's speech patterns and lessons reminded me of Yoda. I realize that that sounds pedestrian, but I am wondering if Lucas had the same thought in mind. While the letterbox viewed on a TV is not nearly as impressive as the full screen movie experience, having the subtitles not intrude on such a beautiful film is a plus.

Touching!
Just showed the film to my girlfriend. This is my fourth time watching it. I just got this movie on dvd a few months ago. Decent transfer. I'm glad they did the transfer though. Not many people know of this movie. They rather do a transfer of "American Pie" than this movie! Overall, this is a great movie. One of Kurosawa's best! I rank this movie up there with "The Seven Samurai". It's a beautiful story with great characters, beautiful sceneries, and a touching ending. It's basically in my top ten movies of all time! If you haven't seen it, check it out, be patient and the reward will come. I think that's the key. With any good foreign movie, you have to give it "patience". Let the images go through you, transform you to another time and place. That's what you get when you watch poetry at work. It's a painting; all the colors and movements form to give you the whole picture. And this movie is like that. It moves you. I promise--you'll remember it for the rest of your life! ... Read more

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Next to the blandly flawless feminist heroines played by Demi Moore and Meg Ryan in American movies, Valerie (Virginie Ledoyen), the protagonist in Benoît Jacquot's excellent French film A Single Girl, boasts a whole catalog of shortcomings. Yes, she is young and beautiful (movies are movies, even in the French realist tradition), but she is also selfish, uncertain, irresponsible, and occasionally cruel. Moore's example to the contrary, it's hard to be a saint when you're about to become a single mom, when your boyfriend has been languishing on unemployment, when your own mother behaves more like a dependent child, and when the first job you've been able to find in a year is as a room-service waiter in a luxury hotel.

Valerie's indoctrination at the hotel is her indoctrination into a new system of power and intimidation, some of it economic (the female boss who takes the opportunity to humiliate her), some of it sexual (an abusive coworker who tries to blackmail her), and some of it unpredictably, messily human (the unwanted intimacies she is forced to share with the strangers whose bedrooms and lives she briefly enters). As Valerie, Virginie Ledoyen is a revelation, an intense and serious young performer with the kind of open face that the camera loves. Onscreen every instant, she carries the film with ease and assurance. --Dave Kehr ... Read more

Reviews (13)

An outstanding film, but probably not for all tastes.
Like Godard's VIVRE SA VIE, A SINGLE GIRL is ultimately an affectionate character study of its leading lady, Virginie Ledoyen. Thus, how you respond to this film will depend on how captivated you are by Ledoyen's performance. Prior to viewing A SINGLE GIRL, I was somewhat baffled by her rise to something of cult status in French cinema. Yes, as one reviewer mentioned, she has a cute face, but there is no shortage of cute faces in cinema these days. What is most striking about Ledoyen's performance in A SINGLE GIRL, and what really convinced me of her talent, is the depth and range of feeling she is able to convey just by her movements and expressions. Although she is on screen for the whole picture, she has relatively few lines, and what her character does say, is usually evasive. And yet in order to sell her character, Ledoyen must make her viewer feel the anxiety of a young woman confronting an uncertain situation. One of the more remarkable passages of this film is when Ledoyen calls her mother, and in that phone conversation attempts to tell her mother everything without saying much of anything. It is a riveting scene which has her character searching for maternal affection, while trying to mask her vulnerability.

If you are not similarly enchanted by Ledoyen's performance, it goes without saying that you will not appreciate this film. As the screenplay is lackluster in points and the ending is dissapointing, A SINGLE GIRL succeeds mainly because of Ledoyen's performance (though the supprorting cast is also excellent). If you do not find her peformance absorbing, the real time narration will lose all of its force. As a result, I would recommend that you rent this DVD first. I highly recommend that you give this film an honest viewing (I think it is among the most significant works of the nineties), but it is not for all taste. The Winstar DVD is subpar, as usual. Fortunately the film is presented in widescreen format; however, the transfer is very dark and muddled. Nonetheless, if you were as captivated by this film as I was, you no doubt will be able to tolerate the mediocre presentation.

A pleasant change of pace from Hollywood.
Watched it. Liked it lots. One or two things about it that I didn't like, so I'll start with them. I'm knocking a point off the 5-star reviews everybody else has been giving it because...it didn't really go anywhere. Don't get me wrong, it's fun viewing throughout. But when the end credits came up I was shouting "Don't end there! I need more information!" Well, maybe not actually shouting. Maybe it's just me, but I thought the ending just fizzled a little. Like it just stopped at an arbitrary moment.

But aside from that, this is a great film. Everything in the other reviews (see above) I just read is true. Virginie Ledoyen is unbearably yummy throughout, and if I was rating purely on her performance I'd give several billion stars out of five. How can I put this...I rarely fear for the well-being of a character, and in this film I did. I believed her. Becoming a big fan...where was I? Oh right, review. Umm...Just get over the fact it's in French and watch the damn thing.

Excellent commentary on relationships
Although this movie seems to center on the scintillatingly beautiful Virginie Ledoyen, it actually provides an in-depth portrait of the nature of relationships. While trying to make a decision about her life, Ledoyen encounters a number of characters, each engaged in a negative relationship. She witnesses the joys and pitfalls of the people she meets, and the sight of each hurtful relationship seems to make her withdraw. The triumph of the movie is watching Ledoyen grow more remote and distant with each encounter, leading to her own seemingly baffling decision at the end of the movie.

I would encourage anyone to watch this movie and understand that it is more than a story about Ledoyen's character-it is a commentary piece, with Ledoyen representing the audience. Five stars.

Real life, real-time, real boring
Although the lead actress is very adept at displaying nuances and emotion, and is quite lovely to boot, you'll have to excuse me for watching this movie with my finger resting on the fast forward button. I mean, if you want to have the viewer reach out emotionally, watching her every move works to establish certain aspects of her personality. But by the fifth uncut, step by step shot down the hotel corridor the movie goes beyond establishing emotions to outright fixation. In the end, it becomes simply too frustrating to watch.
Plus the ending was lame.

little ado about not much
I got sucked in to buying this movie by the raving idiots that review these things (as I often do)... It could have been a lot worse (which is what rates it 3 stars), but it certainly isn't worth wasting time, money, or shelf space on. A couple of days in the life of a somewhat hyper, fairly good looking French girl trying to adjust to her on-the-way-in lower class job, talking with and reacting to her on-the-way-out no class boy friend. Nothing to be learned from this, no great sights to see, no great cinematography, no interesting dialog. It's foolish I guess, to list all the things is doesn't have. On the other side, to list what it does have.... ... Read more

Reviews (158)

At last Meir Zarchi explains himself
Well, now all the folks who wish writer/director Meir Zarchi would explain his controversial, infamous, and disturbing rape and revenge film can get their wish for the price of this Millennium edition DVD, which includes a feature-length commentary by Zarchi. In this commentary, Zarchi confirms what this film's defenders (including me) have been claiming all along -- that his intention was definitely not to promote rape to his male viewers, but rather to expose the true ugliness of the crime. He talks at length about the real-life encounter with a rape victim that inspired the film, and about the people he worked with in making it. He also discusses the technical aspects in enough detail to prove this is not the shoddy, haphazard production some folks want to claim it is. I also learned a few interesting facts about the film business in general. For example, when you submit a movie to the MPAA, they'll tell you it has to be cut to get an R rating, but they won't tell you WHAT to cut.

Besides answering your questions about the film, Zarchi's commentary also provides a clue as to what sort of person he is. Overall, he comes across as intelligent, articulate, and even compassionate.

However, he also comes across as a bit egotistical, which is why the second feature-length commentary by Joe Bob Briggs is useful for its more balanced perspective. Although Briggs defends the movie, pointing out specific scenes that exemplify its anti-rape viewpoint, he's objective enough to point out flaws where he sees them. For example, why on earth did Johnny send the mentally-challenged Matthew back to the house to kill Jennifer, when Matthew was almost certain to bungle the job? Briggs also addresses two ethical questions that have always bothered me. The first is whether Matthew deserves to die, and the second is whether Johnny's wife and children deserve to have their husband/father respectively taken away from them.

This DVD also includes various trailers, TV spots, and posters, including some promoting the movie under its original title, DAY OF THE WOMAN. There are also posted from a wide assortment of countries, in a wide assortment of languages. I wish the extras had also included the original version of the opening, with the title DAY OF THE WOMAN in the credits, but maybe there are no prints in existence.

So, if you want to own this movie on DVD, this is the edition to buy. If you own an earlier edition, you might consider selling it to raise part of the price of this one.

Wow..........oh yeah did i mention Wow
Let me first start off by saying that i am horror fan thru and thru but this was somthin i wasn't really expecting in a movie.
I heard about this movie from people, about how shocking it was and how just plain raw it was. Now i have seen all The Faces of Death and alot of gore in my day, but this was different.This movie made my stomach turn with its vivid depiction of rape.I mean the rape sequences in this movie are unparallel to anything i have ever seen or want to see for that matter. I gave it four stars just because of how powerful of a movie it really is.
The revenge plot to the movie is sweet the kills kinda like friday the 13th... the film it self is low budget but i think thats why its good, gives it a sense of realism. Let me warn you if you think this is another Halloween or Texas Chainsaw Massacre your dead wrong.

Nice and simple
I dig this movie. I remember seeing it for the first time back around 1979. It is perhaps the oldest movie I ever vividly remember seeing. Watching it nowadays is not as shocking as the movie was when I was pre-teen, wathing it on HBO after hours. The story is pretty simple. A girl gets abused by 3 dudes and she goes back and kills them all. Just the way it should be in real life. Even to this day, some of the scenes would be considered graphic so don't let the kids watch it....the way I did I guess. Definately worth the time to watch it. Even to this day I found myself pinned to the screen watching it.

There should be more to it....
I was intrigued by the synopsis of "I Spit on Your Grave", because I love movies about women getting revenge, like "Kill Bill", and "Sleepaway Camp 2". I had been contemplating on weather renting this or not, beucase it's soppousedly soppoused to be so shocking and graphic, that you can't bare to watch it. Well, I was able to watch the whole thing with my eyes open. And it's only sort of shocking. The death scenes are no gorier or violent than those in the "Friday the 13th" movies. Now, even tho I love films with women getting revenge, I did not love this. I only sort of liked it. The problem is is that it just didn't have enough to it. It felt like there was something missing. And it's shown in such a monotonous slide-show way. Like, okay, lets see her get raped. Now she cleans herself. Now she kills this guy. Now this guy. Now this guy. Now this guy. It makes the film feel so much shorter, and uncomplete. Now, Camille Keaton; I real liked her acting in this movie. She says everything in a really cool way, but at the same time somehow makes everything she says funny, mostly when she's talking to the guys before she kills them. Overall, I don't reccomend this unless you have to see every horror film on the shelves.

Woman's Day
A pretty young novelist rents a secluded cabin in the woods in order to have a nice, quiet place in which to hunker down and start writing the great American novel. But instead of peace and serenity, she ends up as the victim of brutal rape and torture at the hands of a band of semi-literate rednecks. She somehow survives the ordeal, though, and after regaining her physical and emotional bearing, she finds the inner strength to return to the scene of the crime and confront her attackers.... Thusly winds the plot of 1978's infamous and controversial revenge flick I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE (originally titled DAY OF THE WOMAN).

In the uncut version of this soupçon-budget flick--which is the version offered on the DVD from Elite--the gang-rape and torture sequence consumes an inordinate amount of screen time. Though this sequence has sometimes been compared to the sodomy scene in Boorman's DELIVERANCE (1972), it is more often criticized as being merely gratuitous and subliminally misogynistic. Unlike Boorman, who only slyly and skillfully SUGGESTS the sodomy and torture in his famous film, the director of I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE, Meir Zarchi, is unflinchingly graphic in his depiction of rape. He doesn't want to do anything that might candy-coat this bitter pill, because he wants the audience to see just how abhorring such personal violation actually is.

Lauded by loyal fans as a simple film that makes an important and abstruse point, I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE is admittedly neither complex nor deep. Yes, the plotting is rudimentary and subtext is virtually nonexistent. Yes, the film lacks a musical score. And, yeah, a few of the characters are trite, shallow, and one-dimensional, and some of the dialogue is hokey. To certain aesthete filmgoers, this raw simplicity may come across as banal, sophomoric cinema. But aesthetics is only a secondary concern with this film. The primary purpose is to declare a particular message or two and to declare them as in-your-face as possible. The film DOES indeed have a couple of staunch points to make regarding the repugnance of rape and misogyny, an individual's rights regarding their body, and the justification for exacting eye-for-an-eye revenge. And it proclaims these points in a graphically straightforward manner that, if nothing else, certainly grabs the audience's attention.

The Elite DVD version of I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE offers a surprisingly clear, clean anamorphic transfer of the film in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1. The sound, while not as impressive as the digital video, is available in Dolby Digital 5.1, DTS Surround Sound 5.1, or the original mono. The disc's extras include a feature commentary by the director, as well as a hilarious commentary track by cult-film aficionado and critic Joe Bob Briggs, the stage persona of actor/writer John Bloom. (Joe Bob's articulate, knowledgeable, and extremely humorous commentary is itself worth the disc's purchase price.) Also included are the theatrical trailers--some of which promote the film under its original title--various interviews, and press-coverage items that include the merciless repudiation of the film by some famous critics. For a film that has generated such negative publicity over the years, this is quite meritorious bonus material.

True, I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE is an exploitative splatter film with a plot that is often dismissed by critics as a tale of one city girl and handful of sadistic hayseeds traipsing through a series of grisly scenes. It's definitely not for the squeamish, but anybody who views the film is certain to walk away with a firm pathos for rape victims and a strong disdain for rapists. And since that is what the filmmakers were aiming for, I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE must be regarded as a highly successful film. ... Read more

Reviews (88)

One of the Most Energetic Musicals of all Time
1954's "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" is rough around the edges and that's just what the doctor ordered. Stanley Donen directed this rough and tumble highly acclaimed musical, set in Oregon in 1850. It was adapted from Stephen Vincent Benét's story "The Sobbin' Women" (based on Plutarch's The Rape of the Sabine Women) and perfectly integrates song, dance, and storytelling. Russ Tamblyn as one of Howard Keel's brothers and Julie Newmar as one of the potential brides are very memorable. Besides Michael Kidd's brilliant choreography (which almost goes without saying) is Cinematographer George Folsey's CinemaScope photography that captured both the grandeur of the land (shot on MGM's back lot!) and the brilliant and bawdy dance numbers. Unfortunately it was shot in Ansco Color and not Technicolor which makes the images less vivid. Yet it does not hinder the film. I saw a recent interview with Jane Powell and she believed that MGM thought they had a real dud on their hands. Boy, were they wrong. Of the DVD versions I prefer the original MGM issue which had a 2.55 to 1 aspect ratio. The Warner Studios version is 2.35 to 1. Both DVD versions remastered the original 4-track magnetic soundtrack to 5.1 Dolby Digital discrete channels. I find this sound remastering very annoying especially to stereophonic films made in the 50s and 60s. The sound on the hi-fi VHS tape is actually truer to the original film.

Singin' & dancin' & sobbin'
A "sleeper" when it was released in 1954, "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" is still one of the freshest musicals ever made. With a pretty, spirited score by Gene de Paul and Johnny Mercer and rambunctious but carefully-controlled choreography by Michael Kidd, this modestly-budgeted movie surprised everyone by becoming an enormous hit, even being nominated for Best Picture. Based on a short story by Stephen Vncent Benet called "Sobbin' Women" (which was the film's working title), it tells the story of a frontier woman Millie (Jane Powell) courted by a backwoodsman Adam (Howard Keel). He takes her off to his rustic home, neglecting to tell her he has six untamed brothers to care for. Undaunted, Millie sets about domesticating the household, complete with readings from classical history, including the story of the Sabine women, which the boys take to heart. The musical was filmed in AnscoColor and CinemaScope, and the wide screen is utilized to great effect, especially in the barn-raising sequence. Letter-box is mandatory. DePaul and Mercer wrote some effective songs ("Wonderful Day", "When You're in Love", "Sobbin' Women") and the numbers blend into the story perfectly under Stanley Donen's smooth direction. Dresden-doll coloratura Powell and strapping baritone Keel make such an attractive couple it's odd M~G~M never co-starred them again. (Evidently a musical version of "Robin Hood" never got past the drawing board.) The brothers include New York City Ballet star Jacques d'Amboise and a non-dancer, the mysterious Jeff Richards, who may have been the handsomest man ever to appear on the screen, Rock Hudson notwithstanding. Among the brides is Julie Newmar, who a couple of seasons later would stupefy Broadway in "Li'l Abner".Bright and pleasantly aggressive, "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" is right up there with Metro's best musicals.

Fun movie!
The movie Seven Brides for Seven Brothers is an excellent, fun, family movie with singing, dancing, romance, and even some action. It tells the story of seven brothers who all live together way out in the country. When the eldest brother, Adam, comes home from town one day with a wife, the other six brothers decide they want brides too. They have to battle the townsmen, however, who have already "spoken for the girls." This movie is full of fun and laughs, and I would highly recommend it.

Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
This is a great film, two wonderful singers. Good story line as well. My kids, my husband and myself all like this one! It is a good family film everyone will enjoy.

I LOVE THIS FILM SO MUCH
I mean who wouldnt love, not like, but love this incredible film. This was the first film that I watched when I was growing up. It is similar to pretty woman but reverse because here are 7 rough western thugs that in need of brides to tame them, after their oldest brother got married. Not only did the film have good actors and actresses that were too funny to ignore, but the music and dancing were just as good. I love it and can you believe all but one brother are still alive today? Wow!!!! ... Read more

Reviews (31)

If a butterfly beats its wings in Europe ....
.... there will be a hurricane in the Pacific. This wonderful movie illustrates all that in a charming and captivating manner.

Audrey Tatou shines as Irene, one of myriad characters in this subtitled flick about what would happen if you took this road instead of that??

Irene is a salesgirl in a household appliances store, who gets her horoscope read to her on the train to work. It turns out that the guy next to her has the same birthdate -- and both are supposed to find "love around the corner" that day. But it will take the whole day and several others whose lives meet theirs in the most casual way (the EMT whose ex-girlfriend recognizes him in a photo at the film-developing place where she works, the man cheating on his wife who decides to lie to his mistress, and so on.)

The storylines are full-fleshed and it is amazing the way all the characters affect each others' lives without really knowing what they do.

This is a simply great movie, very French, very fun and guaranteed to make you read your horoscopes again!

Karma and a butterfly's wings
You know the old saying about the "butterfly effect," that the beating of a butterfly's wings can set off a storm over the Amazon jungle. That idea is half the basis of "Happenstance" (original title: "Le Battement d'ailes du papillon" -- more on butterflies), a sweet little French bit of froth that will leave you warm and fuzzy.

Irène (Audrey Tautou) is on the subway to her job when a woman doing surveys tell her the horoscope: She will meet her true love that day. The handsome young man, Younès (Faudel) who sees her, has the same birthday and same horoscope. Coincidence? There is no such thing in this film. Elsewhere, an indecisive man promises his mistress Elsa that he will tell his wife that he wants a divorce.

Fallen leaves, tossed stones, discarded sneakers, a mugger's yellow jacket, heads of lettuce, Algerian sand, uneaten chocolates and nose injuries all affect Irène and the people who brush by her in everyday life. After the end of that fateful day, nobody's life will be quite the same. Some people will come home, some will make break up, some will miss dates, and some will live happily ever after.

"Sliding Doors" was a shaky but interesting romantic comedy, and "Run Lola Run" was frenetic and full of visual gimmicks. But the slower-paced, more forthright "Happenstance" may be the most interesting look at how little things can change our lives -- it's not just one person's life, with a few people affected around him or her. Instead, it's a dozen or so, whose lives change for better or worse because of little things.

What little things? A head of lettuce falls off a truck and causes a bike crash. A pebble fails to get through a modern sculpture, causing a man to lie to his mistress. A thousand little innocent events cause major changes in people's lives. But above the idea of chaos theory is the concept of fate and karma: You know that forces are slowly driving Irène and her soulmate together. A few bad things may happen to the two future lovers along the way, but they are just stepping stones.

Cinematography is nothing special, but nice and somehow makes Paris look like more than a postcard, with the subways, grubby side streets and sparkling night skies. The intricate script is bound to trip itself up a few times. A couple of storylines are left mildly unresolved. And perhaps the most intriguing character -- the enigmatic "Destiny Man", who seems to be all-knowing -- appears once and then never again. How does he know other people's plans and secrets? We're never told. (Maybe the guy is supposed to be God)

Tautou displays a different kind of acting from the charming "Amelie." Here, she's more downbeat and outspoken, but gradually softens as she comes to realize that things don't happen purely by accident. Faudel is a good counterpart to Tautou, quiet and unassuming, but quite sweet. The dozens of supporting actors are given less to do, but are charming too.

Do you believe in fate and true love, that somehow you'll be drawn together with your soulmate, the one meant specially for you? If you do (even a little bit), then "Happenstance" will charm you.

Deep Movie
More of Audrey Tautou, however you won't see her much in this weird film. However this film's look at the theory of chaos is done in such a simple, beautiful way that it's amazing.

a not very memorable ensemble film
A film by Laurent Firode

There is an idea that life is made up of a serious of coincidences and that any small action can have a wide ranging effect and connection to the lives of various people in ways that we cannot even imagine. Little events can affect big events even though the two are not truly related, at least not in any way that we can directly see. It is like the butterfly in Egypt flapping its wings and causing a hurricane over the Pacific Ocean. This is the overriding idea of "Happenstance".

The movie opens with Irene (Audrey Tautou) on the subway. A lady sitting across from her is reading Irene's horoscope and tells Irene that soon she will meet her soul mate. Irene gets off the train and the scene changes. From here we are brought into the lives of multiple people (men and women) living in Paris. We see their actions and how their actions affect each other. Even though Irene opens and closes this film, it is not truly about her and she is a more minor character than I had expected (or hoped).

It is interesting to see how all these lives intersect and affect each other, but even with the ending wrapping things up, "Happenstance" did not feel like it truly amounted to much, or did a good enough job making me care about any of the characters (except Irene, but that may be because of Tautou). It was difficult for me to engage with any of the characters, or find any of them memorable (though some of the intersecting events I can remember, but not the characters themselves).

The best I can say is that "Happenstance" was just okay. Despite Tautou being all over the cover/poster for this film, she is not the star, this is a true ensemble piece. The ensemble just didn't add up to a strong whole.

-Joe Sherry

One small, solitary event...
The film _Happenstance_ investigates how one small, seemingly meaningless event, can change the lives of many others. The script weaves a large web, with few degrees of seperation between the characters. There are no "main" characters in the film, because each story is so interlocked with the others. The French title of the film translates to "The Beating of the Butterfly's Wings", and it is unclear why they changed the title for the American release. The word "Happenstance" does not come up in any conversation in the movie, however a major scene in the movie discusses the butterfly's wings.

Audrey Tautou's face is on the DVD cover, (not even a picture from this movie, I might add) and it is clear that the American marketing firms wanted to show off Tautou and use her recent fame to attract attention. While I think it is misleading to plaster her picture on the front when there are many other deserving actors in this movie, the marketing did work for me: I would not have found this movie had I not seen Audrey's face advertising it.

A fun and rewarding film that is sure to leave a smile on your face. ... Read more

Reviews (14)

Do you like Dundee cake, Mr Delacro?
I don't even know what Dundee cake is, but I like this movie. Cary Grant as the befuddled, cool, supercilious, angry, calm, loving, clever, wronged, vengeful, forgiving Lord Rile does indeed excel. Deborah Kerr as the lady of the house who falls for Robert Mitchum, quite good. Mitchum's not bad at playing the cad. Jean Simmons as the bibulous, gossipy friend Hattie -- priceless.

But the dialogue, the verbal joustings, the rapid-fire wit: a marvel. As it turns out, there's jousting of a non-verbal variety, too. There's a weekend spent fishing. There are mysteries solved. There are lies covered and uncovered. There are knowing glances. There are panicky schemes and "friendly" phone calls. And most of the time, for the happy viewer, there is laughter. And admiration of this very elegant, very witty, funny and serious film.

Light Movie Made Captivating by Actors
This is a light implausible movie, not chock-full of deep laughter. However, the actors are very well chosen and convey an infectious sense that they are thoroughly enjoying themselves (particularly the delightful Jean Simmons). If you like drawing-room comedies (e.g., Noel Coward's lighter plays like "Hay Fever"), you'll enjoy this. It's a fun American/British clash of cultures (and who were more different than Robert Mitchum and Cary Grant?) with slight romance and hokum and humor. If you like this one, you'll like the British/American variety in "The Reluctant Debutante" (but without the annoying and dated Sandra Dee/John Saxon angle) and the British/American comedy/romance among the upper class of much of "The Last of Mrs. Cheney".

not worth it!
I bought this film, because
1. I like Stanley Donen (Singin' in the rain etc.)
2. I especially love Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr
3. I think Jean Simmons is a pretty fine actress
BUT
I must say that this film wasn't worth seeing it. The story was about nothing, there wasn't any interesting plot.
I admit there was one or two funny scene (for example when the two couple telephoned to each other or the pistol duel) but the rest there were long and boring without any humour.

If you like interesting films: buy All about Eve, or if you like Cary Grant or Deborah Kerr as I do: buy anything else...

Unforgettable (Unfortunately)
This movie survives in my memory for over 40 years as one of the most boring stupid excuses for a comedy ever made. I use it as a benchmark to compare all other really bad comedies. They are either worse than this one (rare) or better than this one. As an example: Buffalo '66 is worse. If you watch both in the same day, you will surely die.

Sticky Bits of Paper
What a wonderful movie. Who could ask for more, with a cast including Cary Grant and Robert Mitchum? Not to mention a duel, a missing mink coat, mushrooms, British manors and fishing?

A wonderful romance, that shows how fate and middle age can come together and create havoc on the seemingly happy, if not a bit dull, life of a settled English couple, whose large country estate doubles as a tourist atrraction to support itself. (with lots of American tourists who leave apple cores and sticky bits of paper all over the grounds!)
To make ends meet, the wife also happens to run a thriving mushroom growing business in the cellar! (phew that was a long sentence!)
Robert Mitchum is one of these camera toting tourist who "mistakenly" wanders into the private portion of the house, finding Lady Rile and the sparks fly!
It's a charming old-fashioned adult romantic farce, that's not too far fetched. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This mega-budget action epic flopped at the box office with a resounding thud, and it probably deserved that fate for not living up to its lavish potential. But Cutthroat Island has had a healthy shelf life on video, and digital video disc can only improve the film's potential as a spectacular guilty pleasure. Geena Davis plays Morgan, the swashbuckling daughter of an aging buccaneer who inherits one-third of a map to a secret pirate treasure. But the map is in Latin, and she needs a lowdown thief and scoundrel (and presumably a Latin scholar), played by Matthew Modine, to translate the map when they obtain the other two pieces. That's when the mayhem begins and the dashing duo race for the treasure against Morgan's scheming uncle (Frank Langella) and a hoard of greedy pirates. With wall-to-wall action ably handled by Davis's then-husband Renny Harlin, Cutthroat Island is more fun than its box-office performance would indicate. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (71)

Great swashbuckling fun!
This film features everything a good pirate flick should: stormy seas, a spectacular naval battle, a sexy pirate captain (Geena Davis) and buried treasure complete with a treasure map written in latin (the preferred language of pirates).

This is one of the few times I've seen Davis in a leading role; normally, she is a supporting actress. She pulls it off quite well, although in a couple of scenes her acting is a bit wooden. Frank Langella stands out as an old-salt, ruthless pirate while Matthew Modine is great as the movie's comic relief.

What really makes this movie worth buying, tho, is just how well done it is. The 17th century sets are lavish - you feel as tho you are back in the period in which the movie takes place. The soundtrack is riveting, and I found the sound of the DVD quite excellent. Not sure if they did anything different than they do with other DVDs, but it sure seemed like the audio was a notch above most DVDs - esp in the storm sequence.

This is the kind of movie that critics make a living off of by slamming. What does this mean for the rest of us? Why, it means that it's a fun time to be had by all! And may the movie critics goto Davy Jones locker...

A swashbuckling pirates tale!
When the piratess Morgan Adams (Geena Davis) loses her father, she becomes captain of his ship and crew. As her first act as captain, she decides to search for the treasure on Cutthroat Island. But the actual map for Cutthroat Island is in three pieces, one of which she got from her father. The other two are with her uncles, the cowardly Mordachai (George Murcell) and the evil Dawg Brown (Frank Langella). So Morgan, with the help of her crew and the somewhat untrustworthy thief, William Shaw (Matthew Modine), she sets off to take all the maps and find the treasure of Cutthroat Island.

A very entertaining movie filled with action, adventure, and piracy on the high seas, "Cutthroat Island" is a pure adventure movie. The plot is pretty mediocre, allowing as much action and suspense to be put in the story. It's your typical pirate story though, pirates must find, understand, and figure out the map leading to a mysterious island with hidden treasure of unthinkable riches. But throwing in a tough, hard-bitten, and beautiful piratess was a pretty nice touch, including a thief to provide some comic relief.

Geena Davis surprises me again with her talent in being able to play many different roles from a ghost in "Beetlejuice", a baseball player in "A League of Their Own", a mother full of heart in the Stuart Little movies, and now a piratess in "Cutthroat Island". She gets to give plenty of punches plus handle the cutlass with ease as she fights pirates, the military, and her uncle. She's definitely very cool! As for Matthew Modine, I had never seen him in any movies before but I found him astoundingly funny though he gets plenty of action. He in a way reminds me of Cary Elwes as Wesley in "The Princess Bride" with his sarcastic humor and boundless enthusiasm. Oh, it was also a special treat to see the young and sweet Christopher Masterson as Bowen. Though his role was small, he was excellent as a cabin boy with his obvious admiration and loyalty to his captain. He's probably more known as Chris Masterson, starring in "Dragonheart: A New Beginning" and also starring in the series, "Malcom in the Middle".

So if you're in the mood for a movie with giving off lots of action, energy, suspense, and swashbuckling, make time to watch "Cutthroat Island". Rated PG-13 for the action and fighting and also for some innuendo.

Excellent Story; DVD Just Doesn't Make the Cut
I caught this movie in the theater. I loved it. As soon as the DVD was released I purchased it with great enthusiasm. When I got home and played the DVD I discovered, to my great disappointment, that it is in the wrong format and displays with very poor quality. The video looks horrible. I returned the DVD for a refund.

Technical Details for the curious:
While this DVD offers both full-screen and wide-screen versions of the movie, the wide-screen version is not anamorphic. That means when you play it on your new TV it just looks bad. If you have an older TV and don't care about video quality you probably won't notice or care about this.

I just don't understand. If you're going to stick with VCR-quality transfers, why bother making a DVD. Oh, I forgot. A DVD disc costs pennies so it's cheaper than ever to dump trash on consumers. I'm so glad we have these forums to share this information.

Stop the trash talk!
4 and 1/4 Stars
I recommended this movie instead of Pirates of the Caribbean .... Given that, I have to defend it against the bitter nay-sayers. Don't get me wrong, Pirates had many positive aspects - Depp's performance chief among them; and yet, it was just too kid friendly (well duh, that's Disney). I whole heatedly believe that Cutthroat was as good, if not far better than Pirates. I would yield to the arguments that the acting here is a bit cheeky, and the editors could have been a touch more through. Beyond that, I don't know what the fuss is about. Maybe the other reviewers just couldn't stomach a (historically improbable) female pirate. Well, I think this movie was a lot of fun, but apparently there are some who didn't care for it. The best advice I can offer here is for all of you out there to watch it, and make up your own minds.

CutRate Bargain
Think of it: You can own $92,000,000 worth of movie making for one ten-millionth of the production price: that's like a nickel per explosion. Can you walk up to anyone on the street, hand them a quarter and say, "Please blow five things up for me"? Of course you can; sometimes someone might even blow something up. But with this movie, it's a sure thing.

This movie has its flaws. For the money spent to make it, you'd think someone would have thrown in some free looping so misinflected dialogue could be corrected. The chase and action scenes are rarely plausible (surely not every cannonball would have hit a powder keg). Whatever happened to the third ship that was at CutThroat Island? Wait, who cares? ... Geena Davis wears a corset.

The DVD menu system on this disc is very strange. When you choose "Coming Attractions" from the "Theatrical Trailers" menu, you're presented with a list of eleven movies; no trailers, just the names of eleven movies and tiny pictures of their movie posters. When you choose "Jump to a Scene" from the main menu, you're given a choice of only nine scenes (there are thirty in the movie, which you *can* manually advance to). Fortunately, the movie itself looks and sounds great. Frank Langella and Maury Chaykin turn in characteristically good performances, Matthew Modine and Geena Davis acquit themselves well if not perfectly, and Christopher Masterson (Francis on "Malcolm in the Middle") does pretty well for a 15-year-old.

While there are better pirate films out there, CutThroat Island isn't all that bad of a film. Granted, once in a while something will jar you out of your suspension of disbelief, but then Geena will walk by in her corset, buckling (or unbuckling!) her swash, and all will be forgiven. Don't expect too much and you won't be disappointed. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Art-movie goddess Delphine Seyrig (Last Year at Marienbad) slinks through the plush Eurotrash settings as the deathless Elizabeth Bathory, Vampire Countess, in Harry Kümel's minor Dutch classic of lesbian erotic-gothic. Blood mingles with water during the languorous shower scenes. Set at an upper-crust seaside resort, the 1971 film recounts Bathory's plot to replace her current consort (Andrea Rau) with a fresher specimen, an abused newlywed whose brutal young husband is an inconvenience waiting to be eliminated. Although both the bi-sex and the neck-biting violence are tame by today's standards, the film has a graceful, gliding sense of pace that gets under your skin; something unspeakably kinky always seems to be just about to happen. It never quite does, but the mood lingers. See it with someone you love--or would like to. --David Chute ... Read more

Reviews (24)

A mesmerizing and atypical vampire film
"Daughters of Darkness" (originally titled "La rouge aux lèvres") is a 1971 Belgian-French-West German production directed by Harry Kümel that stars Delphine Seyrig as the Countess Elizabeth (Erzsebet) Bathory (a real historical figure who murdered hundreds of young women in her quest for immortality). In the film, Bathory and her young female companion (Andrea Rau) cross pathes with a young couple, Valerie and Stefan (played by Danielle Ouimet and John Karlen - Willie Loomis from TV's "Dark Shadows") who are honeymooning during the off-season in Europe. At first the couple seem fairly normal, but things quickly sour, as the woman is shown to be emotionally unstable and the man is very violent and turned on by death. Their relationship is also undermined by homosexuality on both sides. There are intimations that Stefan is in thrall to an older man back in England, and Valerie - of course - soon falls under the spell of the ageless and beautiful Countess Bathory. This mesmerizing and hypnotic film makes brilliant use of sound, mood, and color to paint an understatedly savage tableau, and it has a well-deserved cult following. It's probably too slow-moving for the average horror movie fan, however. "Daughters of Darkness" is very self-consciously an "art" film. The carefully constructed images, the nonsensical dialogue, the use of vivid reds and blues, and the extremely deliberate pacing all serve to create a film that - despite a few shockingly strange death scenes - is much closer in spirit to "Last Year at Marienbad" than it is to "The Lost Boys."

Classic
I'm delighted this will be available on DVD. I watched it on VHS a long, long time ago. I'd heard about it in various books on vampire films and haunted every video store I could find to locate a viewing copy. When I finally found it, I watched it with the enthrallment of the very young with the object of an obsession. Based loosely on the story of Elisabet Bathory, this "contempory" tale is of a young newly wed couple who are seduced by a mysterious woman whose interest in them is predatory.

Compared to current movie fare, this is extremely tame with it's allusions to S&M and chic debauchery, but the european elegance of the film will satisfy the die hard vampire film fan who enjoys the older movies that defined the genre in the late 60s and into the 70s. Not as openly sexual as the lush offerings of a Hammer film, it has it's own more subtle erotic charm.

A Bewitching Vampire Tale...
Stefan, a British aristocrat with sadistic tendencies, and the beautiful Valerie, a simple girl, have eloped and are on their way home to break the news to Stefan's mother. However, Stefan is hesitant to bring his wife to see his mother as he delays the trip back to England on purpose by making up stories. The newlyweds decide to stay in an extravagant hotel on the seaside while Stefan attempts to buy some time. Stefan and Valerie are the only guests at the hotel besides the flamboyant Countess Bathory and her seductive secretary since it is off-season. During the stay the Countess Bathory has taken a liking to the couple and begins to seduce them both as she begins setting her wicked plan into action.

Daughters of Darkness is a vampire tale with a malevolently chilly and sexually tense atmosphere that haunts the mind with its subtle approach as Kümel avoids the popular approach of vampires. The vampires do not sleep in coffins nor attack the necks of their victims with sharpened elongated teeth. Instead Kümel disguises the threat of evil behind courteous behavior, alluring charm, and vivid gesticulations that become passionately seductive for the characters in the film. In addition, the mise-en-scene is strongly suggestive and vibrant colors are used in order to enhance the bewitching atmosphere that is viewed by the audience. This leaves the viewer with an uneasy, but artistic cinematic experience that selective audiences will appreciate.

The Pinnacle of Lesbian Vampire Movies
There must be some subliminal message in this movie that I respond to. I have watched it over and over. The Countess is so beautifully evil; she made me fall under her spell. I have heard her described as a "Satanic Auntie Mame". She makes evil so seductive and fun. Even though I have a dark obessesion fop this movie, freinds I have shown it to describe it as boring and slow. (Hang on, talking about it made me get up and put it in the DVD player again). It's not for everyone, at least give it a try.

Ehh, it's okay... 2.5 actually
This film is about a newlywed couple who "honeymoon?" at a fancy palace like hotel in Europe somewhere, alone, and are seduced by a Countess and her sidekick who show up not too long after the married couple arrive. I normally adore art house flicks, but this one has the pacing of a snail. There are only a few "shocking" scenes, and it came long after this viewer had any interest left. I will say this though, over the last 25 minutes of the film the pace quickens and may be considered a "payoff", but like I said, I basically lost interest. Don't believe the hype. If you want an interesting "exploitation" vampire film from the 70's, check out Warhol's Blood For Dracula. Nuff said. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Cheese city here, folks
I had to chuckle to myself when I noticed I am following up a review for a movie called "Killer Condom" with one for a film called "Inseminoid." It is completely unintentional, I assure you. Still, it is funny in a dark, demented sort of way. As for these two films, the styles are quite different. "Killer Condom" is a warped spoof of American detective films while "Inseminoid" falls into the category of straightforward science fiction. Also known as "Horror Planet," "Inseminoid" is one of those hypercheesy rip-offs of "Alien," except on this outing it is Brits instead of Americans working on both ends of the cameras. The movie is a very low budget effort, hardly worth mentioning let alone watching unless you always enjoy viewing low budget British "Alien" rip-offs. Once again, I found myself wondering how a movie like this could get a DVD release while worthier projects fester on the back shelves of video stores in VHS formats. I am not saying "Inseminoid" is bad; it is actually a quite enjoyable romp through the world of schlock cinema, but even I must admit this movie should stand at the back of the line when it comes to receiving a DVD treatment.

On some distant planet in the distant future, an archeological expedition made up of males and females digs up a world of hurt in a series of tunnels near their recently inhabited base. One of the guys nosing around in a tunnel unearths some weird looking crystals, and goes completely bonkers after touching them. The other members of the expedition express the requisite amount of concern for their mentally damaged and recently deceased co-worker, but that doesn't stop them from continuing to muck around in a situation of increasing danger. Instead of hiding away in the research facility to await the arrival of a rescue ship, the crew decides to find out exactly what is going on. Too bad for them. It turns out that some mushroom shaped alien life form (see the cover of the DVD) has decided to emerge from its hibernation, hiding place, or wherever it has been in order to wreak havoc on the gullible humans. The hideous being hurts a few people before casting its lascivious eye on Sandy (Judy Geeson), deciding to "inseminate" her (chuckle) so he can have a few children. Before you groan with derision, and you will groan often while watching the film, it is after this incident that "Inseminoid" gears up to a snail's pace.

Sandy flips her lid after her experience with the creature. "Hey, so would I if I just had a sexual experience with an alien" you might say, and you would be right in part until you discover what Sandy gets up to. She starts roaming around the byzantine tunnels of the research facility in search of her fellow crewmembers because the growing embryos inside clamor for the nurturing taste of human blood. Bodies fall spouting blood and guts as Sandy insidiously tracks down her prey. The lady uses explosives to blast through metal doors, lays in ambush, acts as though she is in peril in order to lure unknowing humans to her, and generally makes a huge nuisance of herself. A diminishing group of survivors frantically monitors the deteriorating conditions in the corridors of the base from a sealed off control chamber while desperately hoping help arrives in time. Predictably, Sandy gives birth to her alien offspring--twins, by the way--before finally succumbing to one of her comrades. The "twist" ending not only fails to surprise, it fails in an excruciatingly banal way. Anyone who claims "Inseminoid" doesn't rip-off "Alien" should have their head examined.

"Inseminoid" boasts several memorable elements worth noting here. One concerns the presence of actress Victoria Tennant among the cast. She only shows up briefly--just long enough to pick up her paycheck, one supposes--so you have to keep your eyes open. The idea that this actress could go from a cheesefest like "Inseminoid" to movies like "All of Me" in the space of three years simply boggles the mind. Only Kim Cattrall could boast of a similar seismic shift in cinematic priorities with her trek from "Porky's" to "Sex in the City," and that took nearly twenty years. If you tire of looking for Tennant, tide yourself over with the hysterical overacting from Judy Geeson's character. Bette Davis near the end of her career couldn't beat this energetic actress's hammy performance as the doomed Sandy. She shrieks, she cries, she bellows, she cackles, she plots--what a thespian! I alternated from saying things like "Oh, knock it off!" to general laughter as I watched Geeson emote herself into a tizzy. Yep, these two elements, combined with set pieces that looked like they were taken from a roller rink circa 1975 and the cheesy special effects make "Inseminoid" a worthwhile project for the dedicated film fan.

The DVD edition doesn't offer much in the way of extras. There's a grainy, unrestored trailer and that's about it. At least they offered us a widescreen picture transfer (why, I have no idea), which does look very nice. The audio sounds better than it should. "Inseminoid" is rumored to cause watering eyes, chronic fatigue syndrome, shingles, projectile nasal congestion, headaches, and a host of other annoying ailments to those who watch it more than once. So take my advice: rent the film, watch it once very quickly, and return it with all due haste to the video store. There's no sense causing yourself lingering harm by repeating the experience.

The Alien Who Loved Me
In 1979, director Ridley Scott unleashed the film Alien on an unsuspecting viewing public, pretty much making his career as a director. Of all the great things to come from that frightening, entertaining and highly successful movie, sequels, comic books, novels, toys, etc., the one thing he probably didn't foresee was the slew of really poor imitations that were to follow, including, but certainly not limited to, Inseminoid, AKA Horror Planet (1981).

Written by Nick and Gloria Maley, Nick being most notable for make up and special effects on such movies as Star Wars and Empire Strikes Back, and Gloria's claim to fame being a nominal actress in movies like And Now the Screaming Starts! (1973) and Satan's Slave (1976), Inseminoid doesn't look promising. And it isn't. Okay, so who's directing? Norman J. Warren? The same Norman J. Warren who directed Satan's Slave, Alien Prey (1978) and Spaced Out (1979)? Oh man, we're in trouble...

This English production starts out with a view of some planet and voice over talking about various failed expeditions to said planet. There is currently a third one in progress, and we soon get to seen some people in space suits walking around caves. One of the explorers finds a strange looking pod, and it starts to glow, and then explodes. Whoops...some other stuff happens, and the gist of the thing is one of the female crew members gets impregnated (ick) by an alien who we see for like two minutes and then never see again. I know what you're thinking, "Did the alien copulate with the woman?" From the trailer you'd think so, but that wasn't the case. The alien actually sedated the woman and inserted a long, clear, plastic tube between her legs and some gooey, green, lumpy fluid flowed through (double ick).

So anyway, the woman is now knocked up, and it turns out the fetus starts messing with her mind. Oh yeah, I almost forgot. The actress, Judy Geeson, playing the character that gets the space bun in the oven seemed so familiar to me, but I could not place her. Turns out she was in the much better film To Sir, With Love (1967). Poor Judy...oh well...as I was saying, the woman laden with alien spore starts tearing up the rest of the crew, and her gestation period develops rather quickly as in subsequent scenes, her belly gets bigger and bigger. There was a rather revolting scene where two crewmembers get into a fight with the pregnant woman, where the male crewmember basically stomps on the engorged belly of the expectant mother to be while she was laying on the ground. I know she has an evil space baby inside her, but still, the visual was disturbing and, in my opinion, unnecessary.

Things I liked about the movie...the production values where surprisingly decent, especially for a movie like this. The sets were fairly expansive and almost realistic. I guess when you have really low expectations, it's easy to please. Also, Judy Geeson does appear nekkid, during the insemination scene, and a couple of other female cast members are see in skimpy outfits that clearly mimic Ripley's outfit near the end of Alien. Both of the actresses who appear this way may be easily recognized as one was Stephanie Beacham, who was on TV's Dallas, and the other being Victoria Tennant, from the Steve Martin movies All of Me (1984) and L.A. Story (1991).

Things I didn't like about the movie...well, the actors kept stepping on each other's lines. I understand film is expensive and shooting schedules are tight, more so in these types of movies, so there may not have been an opportunity to correct these things. It happens pretty often in this movie, and it's quite funny. Also, the music...arrrgh...couldn't they afford someone whose main instrument wasn't a Casio keyboard? Another thing, there were too many characters, and it soon became apparent the only reason for this was fodder for various kill scenes. One last main point was of a tactical nature. These noodle heads had absolutely no concept of even the most basic, common sense tactical abilities when dealing with the murderous mother. They outnumbered her and had various weapons available at their disposal, but their course of action always involved running away, even when they have the advantage. Really, the characters that met with grisly ends deserved to die, as they were so utterly incompetent and stupid.

I give credit to Elite Entertainment for an exceptional print of the film. It was clear and without visual flaws. Same thing couldn't be said of the script. The audio was also excellent, providing crispness that allowed us to hear every bit of inane dialog, cheesy electronic musical note, and odd, sometimes-inappropriate sound effect. My overall view of the film? Good for a few cheap thrills and unintentional laughs, but not much else.

Cookieman108

Aliens with a big sharp toothed ...
Pretty bad, but it moves along well enough that it works for a Bad Movie Night. If you like to sit around with friends and laugh at how bad a movie can be then this is a good contender. My favorite part is that the captain is a perfectly ineffectual middle manager. He sits in his "office" and sends one person after another to go investigate and then broadcasts [weak] suggestions to them as they walk to their deaths.

toldja we shouldn't a landed on this planet !
This movie tries hard to deliver but fails. I expected alot more suspense, chills, SFX. What we get is a pregnant crazy woman offing all her crewmates? why? she's pregnant by a praying mantis looking
alien which you only see twice thru the whole flick.
Judy Geeson does give an interstellar performance. She sure as hell won't be getting any oscars down here on earth.
Like i said the film tries but fails, the acting is so-so.The sets are kinda legoland build-it-yerself type.
There is a beacon of light though, the film does leave itself wide open for a sequel. I hope whomever takes *that* task does a whole helluva lot better than the director of this clunker
PU!

Gore galore in low budget space shocker
Whilst exploring a series of caves beneath the surface of the Jupiter moon Xeno, a small team of archeologists accidentally unleash a long-buried alien creature which promptly impregnates one of the female memebers of the crew (Judy Geeson). With the subsequent pregnancy developing at an alarming rate, Geeson is compelled to protect her unborn 'children' from scientific scrutiny and begins to massacre her colleagues, one by one...

Responding to the worldwide appetite for overblown space operas established by "Star Wars" in 1977, yet remaining true to his roots as a purveyor of exploitation-horror movies ("Satan's Slave", "Prey", etc.), British director Norman J. Warren developed the script for "Inseminoid" (1980) with writers Nick and Gloria Maley, a team of special effects technicians who were looking for a vehicle in which to showcase their talents. With funding from British and Hong Kong sources, the film went into production at Chislehurst caves (a grim but picturesque location just outside London) shortly after Ridley Scott's "Alien" (1979) wrapped principal photography, though "Inseminoid" was completed and released after Scott's film had already debuted, and almost inevitably suffered from less-than-flattering comparisons.

The main problem with "Inseminoid" is that the modest £1 million budget undermines its lofty ambitions from the outset, yielding a range of sets, costumes and visual effects which are more reminiscent of 'Blake's 7' and 'Doctor Who' than "Star Wars", and the cheapskate production values sometimes provoke unintentional laughter. Faced with some fairly amateurish dialogue, most of the cast can't help but sink to the occasion, though Geeason is remarkably good in the leading role, transforming herself from terrified victim to monstrous avenger with scene-stealing glee (unfortunately, she later bad-mouthed the film, saying it was the worst thing she had ever done). Elsewhere, Stephanie Beacham ("The Nightcomers", TV's 'The Colby's') plays the material with earnest conviction, while Victoria Tennant ("The Winds of War") makes no impression at all as one of the early victims of Geeson's rampage.

For all its drawbacks, however, the film is fast-moving and well-constructed, and benefits enormously from expansive J-D-C Scope photography by John Metcalfe ("Xtro", "Rawhead Rex"). A longtime fan of the scope format, Warren uses the wide frame to evoke a sense of scale which belies the movie's financial limitations, and to maintain a strong visual dynamic, even during quiet scenes, through careful lighting and composition. There's plenty of gory violence on offer, too, though Warren was forced to make a few cosmetic trims to some of the more explicit sequences, courtesy of the British censor, and it's that version which is reproduced here. Sadly, theough the film was modestly successful all over the world (including America, where a slightly truncated print originally played under the title "Horror Planet"), the director was unable to finance another venture for several years afterward, and his final film to date, "Bloody New Year" (1987) went straight to video. His long-cherished ambition to remake "Fiend Without a Face" (1957) in glorious color has yet to happen, which is particularly regrettable - the genre has always needed talented mavericks like Warren, now more than ever.

Elite's region-free DVD reproduces the film at 2.35:1, and while the non-anamorphic image is a little soft in places, quality is acceptable throughout. Sound format is two-channel mono. Captions are not included, but there's a trailer which manages to be even less tasteful than the film itself! An anamorphic update would be more than welcome, not least because this version is reportedly missing just over 30 seconds of non-essential material from the beginning of chapter 5, the result of an oversight during the mastering process. As such, the print should have ran 92m 20s, but actually runs 91m 47s. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

The 1,000 Eyes of Dr. Mabuse - DVD MAJOR GLITCHES
There are two major glitches in this DVD. At the end of chapter 8 and again in chapter 25 at the 2:30 mark, two different video sequences cut in: One is a color soccer instructional, and the other a Japanese (I think) dubbed B&W film. How could such a thing get past the mastering phase??

Otherwise, this is a great film, wonderfully presented with all the extras listed in these other reviews. But these glitches make it unacceptable. I hope the same problems don't pop up in Vol. 2 of the series!

Last Fritz Lang "Mabuse" film is a Treasure!
This disk is one of my favorites. Although not quite up to the standards of it's two predecessors, the Third Dr. Mabuse film (and the last directed by Lang himself) is wonderful and more than worth the purchase price.

David Kalat's extraordinary commentary is easily THE BEST I have ever heard (and I've heard quite a few.) He strikes the perfect balance between knowledge and wit - the narration is informative without being dry or condescending and, indeed, is quite lively at times. His delivery style is remarkably excellent throughout and is a major reason I consider the disk to be one of my most valued.

Two tiny quibbles, stuff so small as to bother only me: The English Language captioning, written for the German audio track, is a little disorienting when viewed in connection with the English language track. Most of this has to do with the demands of lip-synchronization between two languages. Still, and despite the additional cost it might have created, two independent sets of captions would have been appreciated - one for each of the different languages. This would be a welcome addition for a hearing impared viewer.

The other minor quibble is that the documentary really needed captioning, much more so than the feature owing to the heavy accented speech.

All told, though, this is absolutely a remarkable film and a remarkable, and very treasured disk. AllDay Entertainment is releasing some extraordinary stuff, and deserve kudos and, above all, purchases!

One of a kind movie
A truly unique movie that was way ahead of its time in exploring the theme of the loss of privacy in the modern world. The kind