Reviews (3)

--An experience never to forget--
Seeing this film for the first time was not exactly an easy thing to get through. Watching the torcher at first hand is alot easier to understand then a teacher trying to explain it (not saying they do a bad job). This film gives you an upclose + personal look at life as a prisoner in one of the death camps. It also gives you a tour of some of them, and you'll be surprised how many there were, not only the famous ones like Auswitz. I can't express enough the fact that its not an easy film to get through, but its one that everyone in this world should see, everyone should know what they went through, and everyone should know and be sure to see that something like this will never happen again.
--My Prayers to all those who not only died, but who survived to tell the tale of the Holocaust--

**And i really recomend this film**

History-Social Studies Educator's Perspective
Every history-social studies teacher is given the almost impossible task of describing to students things which we have not personally seen. The challenge of teaching the Holocaust becomes even greater, because most people cannot begin to imagine the horrors let alone the mind that could conceive them. Our challenge as educators is not to just to communicate the concept, it is to provide understanding. Once the process of understanding has begun, our task is then to help students deal with it.

To do this in any real manner is next to impossible. Hollywood has tried to depict the events but falls far short. This is not Hollywood's fault. The Holocaust is too vast, far beyond description, and just how far is in some small way shown in this film.

The footage comes from the official film record taken by Allied Forces in Europe. Labelled "The Death Camps," the film documents not only some of the smaller camps, but some of the other institutions of mass murder. Living survivors, like walking skeletons with terror in their eyes along with the callousness of the Germans is all there. Bergen-Belsen is beyond description.

Auschwitz is not included because it was captured by the Russians. The film record of Auschwitz is, retrettably, scant. The film is in black and white and has precious little narration. Only one clip with a voice recording. The images are as dispassionately shown as possible.

Clearly, this video is shocking and graphic. It is not for the faint at heart, but it is mandatory viewing for any history-social studies educator. Since 1945, there have been more than a dozen attempted genocides. This is a lesson that must be learned if we are going to survive as a species.

This is not just a video. It is a historical archive of one of the greatest horrors the world has ever seen.

You don't know what it was like until you've seen this......
I'm a fifteen year old student in high school and our teacher let us watch a portion of this video after reading Elie Wiesel's "Night". It definately helped me get a better understanding of the death camps. As a student it is hard to understand and believe that this type of inhumane activity happened, but after getting a visual of the mass graves and the diseased, hungry, mistreated people it gave us the right impression. ... Read more

Description

With ANNE BAXTER, THOMAS MITCHELL, SELENA ROYLE, WARD BOND, BOBBY DRISCOLL. Directed by LLOYD BACON. This heart-wrenching drama was made at the height of World War II, when American mothers and fathers were sending their sons off to battle. In too many cases, these young men never were to return. It opens with a simple declaration: "This is a true story." What follows is the account of five young men named Sullivan. They enjoy a typical all-American small town childhood as they share youthful adventures and mischief. The Sullivans go fishing and boating. They worship in church. They boyishly slide down the banister of their house and squabble among themselves and with others. Their hardworking father tries to set for them a good example. Their mother cooks their meals, cleans their clothes and mediates their differences. The years pass too quickly and the Sullivans become young men. They date and go to dances. One of them falls in love and marries. Then terrible!news comes, on December 7, 1941. The Japanese have launched a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. America is at war. "Its always been the five of us," one of the Sullivans proclaims. So they join the navy to do their patriotic duty. This is a tremendously moving account of boys grown into men and of honor and obligation, courage and sacrifice. The film is extremely well-acted, especially by Thomas Mitchell as the Sullivans father and Anne Baxter as the bride of the youngest Sullivan. Highly recommended. 113 minutes. ... Read more

Reviews (42)

An American family sends its five boys off to World War II
"The Fighting Sullivans" is the true story of five brothers who died together when their Navy ship, the Juneau, was sunk in the South Pacific during World War II. But only the last act of this 1944 film, directed by Lloyd Bacon, shows the Sullivans at war. Most of this film is pure Americana, following the lives of the boys from their childhood in Waterloo, Iowa. Thomas Mitchell and the marvelous Selena Royle are the loving parents, while the five boys are played by unknown actors: Edward Ryan (Al), John Campbell (Frank), James Cardwell (George), John Alvin (Matt), and George Offerman (Joe). Trudy Marshall plays their only sister, Genevieve. Top billing actually goes to Anne Baxter as the young girl who marries into the family and will be left a widow with a baby in arms. Ward Bond plays the Navy lieutenant who befriends the family when the Sullivans insist that they will only join up if they can serve together. Eventually the Navy relents and the boys get their wish.

Audiences knew the tragic fate of the Sullivans, although the film was originally released as "The Sullivans" and pretty much bombed at the box office. Retitled "The Fighting Sullivans" and re-released, it became a smash hit. The use of unknown actors made the film all the more effective, especially since it refrained from the sort of cliches you would expect. If the scene where the parents learn all five boys have died does not get you, the next scene will: Mr. Sullivan goes off to his job on the railroad and as the train passes the water tower where his boys waved to him as kids, he salutes them. Actually, this film works so well that the final shot, of the Sullivans in uniform striding across the clouds of the afterlife does not seem one whit hokey. There is a documentary available on the Sullivans, which tells how one of the boys survived the sinking before dying in the waters off of Guadacanal. I would not have thought anything could have made this story more tragic, but that bit of information certainly made it worse for me.

True story of 5 brothers who fought & died together in WWII
"The Fighting Sullivans" is a moving tribute and true story of five brothers who served together on the same ship in WWII. The story begins with the birth of each child (including one daughter) and then continues on showing the close and loving relationships in the family through the years. There's one great scene where the father (Thomas Mitchell, who was Scarlet's father in "Gone With the Wind) teaches some of the sons a lesson about smoking -- very funny! One of the sons marries prior to the war and the movie shows some good old-fashioned "courting" (kids today should see what courting is all about!). This is a great movie for the whole family to see (as most movies were back then) with great examples of family togetherness, wholesome values, and the willingness of honorable men to do what is right even if this means that they must "pay the price" as well. Even my daughters, when they were young girls, loved this movie and still quote the line of the brother who tells his family of the girl he wants them to meet and adds, "She's swell!" This would be a great movie to see any time, but especially on Memorial Day or Veterans Day when we remember those who served and gave their all to protect and defend the United States of America.

First step in an interesting American story
The movie makes up for what it lacks in historic facts with it's ability to show the family as they truly were- a close-knit, hard-working Irish American family. The movie is an excellent example of 1940's American war-time propaganda, but is an excellent starting off point for learning more about the Sullivan's story, about their lives,their deaths, and their family, which continues to this day to carry on the legacy of the Sullivan brothers.

Today, the USS The Sullivans (DDG-68) is commissioned United States destroyer working hard to protect the country. The crew is well aware of the brother's story and the ship's motto is taken directly from one of the brother's upon joining the navy as a group- "We Stick Together". Watch the movie, and keep in mind the sailors who are out there today risking their lives in much the same way the Sullivan Brothers did 60 years ago.

Always been a favorite
I saw this movie years ago with my grandmother, and I hadn't seen it in years. Naturally, I wanted to see it again. It begins as the story of a close-knit family growing up. It follows them right into WWII into their untimely demise. A true tear-jerker...and a classic that ranks up there with "It's a Wonderful Life."

Excellent
This movie is great. I first saw it as a kid about 15 years ago, & fell in love with it immeadiately. Even then it made me cry. Everyone should see this movie about 5 brothers who make the ultimate sacrifice. They are mentioned in Saving Private Ryan, but its' a shame that more people don't know about the Sullivan Brothers. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

SIBERIAN BOY WRESTLERS SHOW THEIR STUFF
LITTLE WARRIORS 2

They're back! Yes, Baikal Films' young superstars of wrestling,
Little Warriors, are back again and ready to rumble. After a
terrific trip to summer camp for some much deserved fun, our boys
are in the gym and training hard. Super slammin' moves are
practiced to perfection and young muscles are strained to the
max, all in anticipation of the season's first big match. This
competition is an impressive one, opening with a handsome parade
of young boy athletes circling the hall and carrying their team
banners proudly. But don't let these smiling, doe-eyed,
rosey-cheeked boys fool you, they're some of Siberia's fiercest
young grapplers. Each one is pumped and ready to deliver a
power-packed performance of flips, slams, and smack-downs we call
LITTLE WARRIORS 2! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Little-known Welles
This is probably Orson Welles' least-remembered film, though paradoxically it was the only one that achieved any real box office success when it was first released. In backing a Welles project most studios had to wait a decade a two for the cult fans to pick it up and turn a profit. Here Edward G. Robinson is a mysterious investigator on the trail of a Nazi fugitive happily ensconced in a small American town. The interplay between these two wonderful actors drives the whole show, although Robinson reportedly disliked Welles' directorial methods. It's a good effort, without the wild cutting and uninterpretable plots that eventually forced Welles out of commercial moviemaking. ... Read more

Description

Krav Maga is the official self defense system of the Israeli Army and U.S. law enforcement.

Chokes, headlocks, bearhugs - violent attacks such as these can occur without warning. Krav Maga teaches you to respond to such assaults quickly and effectively, addressing the danger and counterattacking immediately to prevent further struggle. These techniques assume that you are at a disadvantage, and show you how to remove yourself from a dangerous situation in the shortest possible time.

The video shows you the techniques in dramatized true-to-life situations. To easily master the exercises you are then taken into the training studio to examine the techniques as they are explained and analyzed by Krav Maga's highest level instructors: U.S. Chief Instructor Darren Levine and International Krav Maga Federation Head Instructor Eyal Yanilov.

Krav Maga's battle-tested techniques emphasize simple, practical movements, based on the body's natural instincts that can be performed by people of all levels of ability. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

good video
This video delivers exactly what it promises. These are defenses against a variety of grabs, chokes, etc. I have 13 years experience with different martial arts and I wanted something that would be a collection of techniques I have seen throughout the years and these are all excellent. The only reason that I did not give it 5 stars is that for me Paul Vunak's "Street Safe" video is the best thing out there for overall defense, including grabs. However, I would recommend this one for anyone wanting a great collection of self defense techniques.

Good video
This is a great video using a different technique than karate. As they say in the video they take people's natural instincts and turn them into self defense techniques. I found myself saying, "gee, that's so simple and logical -- why didn't that ever occur to me?" This is top rated by everyone for a good reason -- it deals well with the subject. I thought a lot of time was spent on choke holds but I suppose that this is a favorite techique of bad guys so there must be a reason for all the time spent on it.

A Must have for all interested in self-defense!
I've seen numerous videos on self-defense and read countless books on the subject. Some teaches you complexe techniques that require years of training, others teach you moves that are simply unrealistic and ineffective in real life. This Krav Maga video, as opposed to many others, "actually" presents easy-to-learn techniques that can "really" be used in confrontations. There's no mumbo-jumbo, no fancy martial arts moves. The tape shows you simply what needs to be done in order to save yourself from some unpleasant medical treatment. A must have for all those who are looking for real-life self-defense and not some fancy Hollywood tricks that serve no other purpose that look good on the big screen. ... Read more

Description

Who was the first actor to play James Bond? If you answered Sean Connery, you would be wrong. In 1954, Barry Nelson played Bond in 007's screen debut: a 1954 live t.v version of the first James Bond novel "Casino Royale". Spy Guise Video now makes this amazing and historic program available - complete with the restored ending missing from previous video versions. This deluxe collector's edition also features many extras: an exclusive overview of the life of Ian Fleming and the "Casino Royale" legacy hosted by Lee Pfeiffer, co-author of the best-selling book "The Essential Bond: An Authorized Celebration of 007". Additionally, this version contains rare promotional advertisements, photographs, and information about James Bond clubs, magazines and officially licensed collectibles. No James Bond fan will want to be without this definitive collector's edition of 007's screen debut. Recorded in the SP mode for superior quality. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Call me "Jimmy"
So whaddya know? Dr. No wasn't the first James Bond after all. Almost ten years prior to Sean Connery's landmark debut, Casino Royale comes to us as part of a live mystery television program called Climax! (what a name, eh?) Apparently, different writers were acted out on a weekly basis, and October 21, 1954 happened to be the week Ian Fleming's legendary character made his first screen entrance, and it wasn't even the big screen!

So what do we have here, James Bond fans? Ironically, the opening credits that pan through a series of camera lenses look remarkably similar to the gun barrel opening sequences of the later Bond flicks. Aside from that, that's about it. Yep, this is a whole different Bond. He's shifty-eyed, condescending, he has a receding hairline, I even think he's a Blond Bond (albeit in black and white it's hard to tell.) Is it true he's an American in this? Says a lot about the liberties we were taking with an author's works. A British lead? The horror!

In any case, it's worth watching if you're an Ian Fleming fan as it does stay relatively true to his book. In it, Bond is given the laughable assignment of beating a "dastardly" villain named Le Chiffre out of the Soviet money he's been embezzling to support his gambling weakness. We're never really given a reason why he's so dastardly other than he looks funny (hey, it's Peter Loore!) But no matter, Bond is a man of duty, "For Queen and Country" and all that... (darn it, wrong country again.) Linda Christian stars as Valerie Mathis, a former flame of Mr. Bond and the obvious femme fatale. But is she on Le Chiffre's side or Bond's? Well, you'll just have to see now, won't you (or just read another review, I'm sure someone has spoiled the entire plot.)

I doubt anyone except die-hard James Bond fans will want this, and even then only to complete their collection. It is interesting to watch, however, just to see a time when baccarat was beatable, people could act, leading ladies weighed more than 105 pounds, and there was more than an eight minute period between commercials. Hmmm... now that I think about it, I would pick this over "Never Say Never Again."

Rare, restored footage featured in this collector's edition
This 1954 live CBS t.v. broadcast introduced James Bond in his screen debut. Amazingly, he is played by American Barry Nelson, which makes this a fascinating addition to the Bond legacy. The show has been released on video previously. However, this is the only one in the SP mode and it is also the only one which has the long missing climax restored. There are a wealth of enjoyable bonuses, including rare t.v. ads for the 1967 big screen version of "Casino", an informative introduction about the history of Bond and Ian Fleming, hundreds of rare photos, and information about 007 fan clubs and merchandise. A "must" for 007 collectors.

Genesis of Bond
Barry Nelson was the first Bond on Screen!
Today we have two versions of Casino Royale. The 1954 version and the spoof 1967 version.
The 1954 Climax version has been published in two video versions- US and Europe, and on DVD as an extra on the 1967 casino Royale DVD relaese in the US.
Peter Lorre, Linda Christian and Barry nelson completes the set adapted from Flemings 1952 novel Casino Royale.
Collectors and fans know that the last minute part of the 1954 casino Royale has been missed...when Bond kills Le Chiffree we don't get to see that because of the missing part of the original film.
Barry Nelson left the filmbusiness in 1980 with the film Island of Claws. his most rememable performnace s are in Airport and the Shining. He was born in 1920 and is of Scandinavian origin.
Casino Roayle 1954 is much better than the 1967 spoof, no doubt.
But still it would be fantastic if the Bond producers would make an updated adaptaion of this first Bond novel.

MD
Michael H. Damsgaard
Denmark

The first James Bond movie ever!
Dr. No is actually not the first 007 movie, 8 years before that Climax Theatre for CBS Television produced a TV movie called Casino Royale. 007 was known as "Card Sense Jimmy Bond" and the entire movie was based in a hotel casino. The movie was rereleased in the early 90's, but did not contain the ending in which Bond battles Le Chiffre. This tape is the only one that does contain the entire movie from beginning to end.
The movie begins with an introduction by Lee Pfeiffer who tells about this movie and the 1967 spoof version.

The movie begins with Bond being shot at while entering the casino, but the culprit escapes. Bond meets up with Clarence Leiter, in which they discuss Baccarat and the evil Le Chiffre. Bond is told that Le Chiffre has gambled and lost 80 million francs of Soviet money and is planning to win it back to try to clean the mess with his employers. Bond's job is to make sure that he loses. bond also meets Valerie Mathis who appears to be working for Le Chiffre. As the movie continues, Bond and Le Chiffre play Baccarat with Le Chiffre cleaning out Bond. Bond then mysteriously recieves 35 million francs and wins 87 million francs all from Le Chiffre. Valerie is kidnaped, but she returns to Bond in his hotel room where they are trapped by Le Chiffre and his thugs. bond is tortured to tell where he has hidden the check for the money. Bond escapes and shoots Le Chiffre, who still survives. Bond, Valerie and Le Chiffre all meet in the sitting room of Bond's room where Valerie confess that she is a French agent, who still loved Bond and gave him the 35 million francs. (At this point the tape gets fuzzy and harder to see, as obviously this is the part that has finally been restored.) Le Chiffre holds Valerie with a knife at her chest when Bond shoots and kills him.

After the movie there are several pictures and advertisements for the 1967 version, and addresses to 007 fan clubs. Casino Royale is an exciting James Bond movie that has to be in the collection of anyone that would call themselves a Bond fan!

BOND, JIMMY BOND. STIRED NOT SHAKEN
I very much enjoy the Bond movies. they are the best action movies ever. I like all the offical movies! I also like the unofical movies. NEVER SAY NEVER AGAIN is good espesily with connery back in the helm.

this is intresting to watch. its in black and white so it has a sort of film noir look. its live telivision so its not perfect. fleming sold the rights on this one and it was made in an attempt to capture amareican audiances. basicly fleming needed the mony and wanted to launch bond into fame. any way the charture is amaricinised for the sake of the audiance.

neslon is good hes not connery but good. once u get past the crew cut and acent that is. the name is still JAMES BOND but usely the nick name "jimmy" is used. this is atipical of 50s heros. hes working for a usa agency a CIA not assoiated with the real CIA. (bye the way there are at least two times bond is called 'james' the rest of the time hes refered to as jimmy.) 'clarance' liter is the british spy here. (no felix here).

this is a short film thankfuly the ending is restored. it is not like the book (which was VERY gritty not at all like the bond of the movies.) in a way though it has the feel of the book. it is also a serious presntation rather then the comedy movie.

peter lore is good as the villain. very dispicabel. i have to say it is nice to see bond portayed as a human being rather then a super human. here bond can be hurt. he is beaten and abused. (the only other time we see this is in DR NO. rarely is the bond of the later movies even scrached.) that is one good thing about the bond of this movie.

this version is the ONLY complete version of this film. the dvd of the comedy version casino royal does have the tv version in its extras, but that version is NOT complete. so if u want to see the whole show u have to get this tape.

how does one reconcil this with the other movies? well just pretend that this is a bond befor he gets his 007 liscence to kill. who is "posing" as an american agent, or somthing.

at any rate it would not be till DR NO that bond became the action hero that he is now. with each movie he is reborn. yet we must reamber it is here and the books that he first was born. ... Read more

Book Description

60 minute video complements the new book Eight Simple Qigong Exercises for Health. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Best simple exercises for health
By practicing along with Dr. Yang on this video for one year, both sitting down (in bed before I get up in the morning)and standing, I have completely reversed a lifetime of back and neck problems. I am also much more aware of my posture and body alignment, and am able to avoid causing myself further problems.

These breathing and stretching exercises are incredibly gentle and relaxing, but also surprisingly effective. Ive learned that the more you relax and slowly stretch out your muscles and increase your lung capacity, the more your body's cells can naturally repair themselves. Sometimes the circulation in my body after these exercises is amazing, as though I had gone for a walk in the woods!

I've lost a great deal of weight, my flexibilty is vastly improved and most importantly I wake up with energy, and without pain. Also, these exercises are like a sort of meditation and I find myself feeling much more aware in general.

I would very much like to meet Dr. Yang and thank him for this wonderful video! ... Read more

Description

"EVEREST NORTH WALL" Join the American China-Everest 1982 Expedition as 16 men and one woman attemp an unclimbed north face route. Members include Marty Hoey, Dave Mahre, Jim Wickwire, and leader Lou Whittaker. Hoey, who had hoped to become the first American woman to stand on top of Mt. Everest, falls to her death in a freak accident, just 1500 feet from the summit.

With original music composed by Alan Hovhaness, the film captures the exhilaration and dangers of living life on the edge. EVEREST NORTH WALL is an engrossing story that embraces the human spirit.

EMMY AWARD WINNING DOCUMENTARY ... Read more

Reviews (4)

The Dream of Everest
I own this movie and I watch it at least once a week. It merely hints at the hard labor of planning an expedition and getting a team in-country to begin the climb, The amount of work is only hinted at but easily seen by one who has participated. To me the film was incredibly revealing. When Marty was participating in a small group photograph, I got the sense that she had been distracted while dressing and had failed to loop over the tail of her belt. That becomes obvious as she is posing for the photograph and her belt buckle, with both sides fully exposed are there to see and the free-tail is lifting in the breeze. As Marty proceeded uphill as she started to climb; she met the camera in a full frontal shot just before the incident, her buckle is again exposed with the full two-sided buckle clearly visible and no reverse loop with the tail of the belt and it is completely clear that it was not looped back and therefore not ready to be fully weighted. I mentioned to friends that would have to be corrected or she could be hurt. The tragedy struck and she was killed. I felt for every team member who had lost not only a friend but am actual extension of the team itself. Without faulting anyone, I think we all need to consider priorities first and getting fully and properly dressed is essential. I think we all need to check each other because a second set of eyes are invaluable in identifying something that has been overlooked. This film teaches a lot in a very short time and it reveals a fraction of the planning and execution that goes into making an expedition work. I plan to use this film as a teaching resource in the future. I love the film and it will always be treasured by me. Gene

Very good
I purchased a few Everest videos all togther. The recommendations led me to try this one. And I wasn't misled, but... I was a little dismayed when the video was half over and they were just getting to Everest. The video is about who and why people climb Everest, and what it takes to prepare (ie equipment and strategy) and how hard and dangerous it is even for experienced climbers. It is worth watching but its not a whole hour of trying to get up the mountain.

She was my cousin and an awsome woman!
With regards to Marty: I saw this video just after it was released. It was difficult to watch, but gave me an insight to my second cousin's death and helped me deal with it. I spent time with her as a child and she was more than loving and giving. I have since then shown it to my friends and my children. All who have seen it, thought it was well done and informative.

Excellent!
In 1982 Lou Whittaker led a team of Americans as one of the first teams to attempt Mt. Everest from the North after China started to open up Tibet to Westerners. The team composed of a who's who of American climbing at the time: Jim Wickwire, Phil Ershler, Eric Simonson, Larry Neilson, Geo Dunn, and Marty Hoey, who was attempting to become the first American woman to summit. But there was a secondary goal to their attempt: In 1991 teammate Chris Kerrebrock died in a training climb on Denali, and while dying asked Jim Wickwire that he, or one of the team members take his trumpet mouthpiece to the summit of Everest. This film is the story of that team.

There is so much drama presented here. In the team's attempt on the peak with no Sherpa support. On the hostile weather and unexplored terrain. On the attempt to get Kerrebrock's mouthpiece to the summit. And on the ardous, and tragic events of the climb itself. Plus biographical vignettes of team members Wickwire, Frank Wells, Dave Maher, and including a nice section on the beautiful Hoey.

Perfectly shot by Steve Marts (Fairweather, Winds of Everest) and scored by Alan Hovannes, with narration by Robert Redford. In the day of fast paced MTV style television, and commercialized guided trips up Everest, this film, Everest: North Wall, may seem a bit dated, but it is of historical importance, and plays like a beautiful tribute to climbing from a day gone by as well. Perfectly made, with a dramatic, compelling narrative.

A sequel of sorts can be seen in Winds of Everest. Available on Amazon.com as well. ... Read more

Book Description

In only 20 minutes a day, gain the health benefits of Taijiquan-- increased strength and energy, better balance, and improved bodily awareness.Excellent for beginners. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Great video to see the Traditional Simplified short forms.
I learned a great deal from the companion book for this video, but it is necessary to see the video to truly capture the forms. Included are both the Simplified 24 postures form and the 48 postures form. Although these are shorter and easier to learn than traditional 'real' long form Taijiquan, they are derived from Yang style Taiji and have intact fighting applications. The applications for the 24 postures form are included in this video. Its much better to learn this form than some more modern 'Tai Chi for Health' form which has lost the essence of the postures.

Master Liang and his students are very smooth and repeat the sequences from several angles, so that it is simple to learn the form. The health benefits are profound, and I usually do this form for about 10 minutes a day.

From this video, an interested tai chi player can move on to a more traditional long form with a very solid foundation. Thanks to Dr. Yang for producing this video! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Fighting Lady
Fighting Lady is one of the best WWII documentaries of carrier aviation. It is about the aircraft carrier Yorktown(CV-10)and the fighting it was envolved in.It is in WW II color. I would highly recomend this movie to anyone interested in WW II or carrier aviation. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

More proof that circuses are evil and circus films are bad
I went into this film hoping for a touch of horror; after all, Barn of the Naked Dead would seem to imply that there are going to be dead people (apparently naked) involved. Well, a handful of people do die, but we don't get to see any kind of gory details of the kills, and, strangely enough, there is no nudity whatsoever to be found here. Normally, that would not be a problem, but the film title promises us naked dead people and fails to deliver any skin whatsoever - that's just not right. There is a barn in the movie, though - I have to give them credit for coming through with that promise. The movie itself is pretty hard to watch. Almost against my better judgment, I'm rounding up and giving the movie two stars just because they did establish a plot and actually followed through on it. A bit of unnecessary silliness at the end did nothing to raise my opinion of the film, though.

What we have here are three young ladies traveling to Las Vegas in order to perform in a show. One of them knows a great shortcut through the desert - you know nothing good is going to come of that. Well, they end up stranded in the middle of the desert overnight; the next morning, though, help arrives in the form of a nice young man who offers to drive them to a phone, etc. But wouldn't you know it? The nice young man is actually a psycho who thinks himself the ring leader of a very special circus - a circus made up of female human "animals." He has quite a menagerie already, although he doesn't seem to be training them for much of anything. When they get out of line, he takes the whip to them, and when any one of them proves herself unwilling to be trained, he takes it upon himself to discipline her severely.

I have certainly seen worse exploitation films than this one, but that doesn't make Barn of the Naked Dead a good movie. While the acting of Andrew Prine as the insane ring master is actually quite good, a significant number of roles went to actors and actresses of less impressive quality. The print of this film is also very bad. The colors are the polar opposite of vibrant; this film could deteriorate horrendously in the coming years without anyone even being able to notice. I didn't care for the ending, as it introduced an element that robbed the film of the bit of effectiveness it had managed to generate, yet there is a story here that holds together and makes sense - and that keeps it from being a truly bad movie.

Barn of terror
Barn of the naked dead was interesting, its one of those moivies thats great to watch late at night.I can tell you though that its a moivie that needs to be put on dvd totally remasterd. this vhs edition looks like they found the reels of this moivie in some abandoned drive in theater.It would make a great double feature disc. Another thing I would like to see the trailer for this film.THe poster art is amazing 5 stars. Andrew prine is the best in this film, I love the tower scene where you first see him in this great outfit.His mutant father was like the poster art shows him. No nudity though ,this film got a R rating yet today i see PG movies way worse for children to be watching.So if you cant stand moivies not remasted good wait for the DVD.In the mean time Ill have to live with the vhs version. So i gave this film 4 stars for the bad film quality. ... Read more

Description

The folks at Start Smarter continue to win awards for their Firefighter George series: Dr. Toy and the Institute for Childhood Resources recently named "Today’s Mighty Trains" one of the 10 Best Children’s Products of the Year. That’s an understatement. Firefighter George is joined by Firefighter Christy as they introduce a group of junior engineers to modern railroading. The kids learn about diesel-electric locomotives and the different types of freight cars, and watch the engineer at work. Then they observe the operator in an electric transit vehicle — and learn to watch out for the third rail. The firefighters also take the kids for a visit to the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus Train, and on an Amtrak train — including inside the kitchen. More than anything, the video teaches kids to expect the unexpected and stay a safe distance away. This is easily the most intelligent approach to introducing kids to trains that I’ve seen. — Kathi Kube

ALSO, DON'T MISS HERE AT AMAZON.COM "FIREFIGHTER GEORGE AND STEAM TRAINS", "FIREFIGHTER GEORGE AND FIRE ENGINES-VOLUME 1", "FIREFIGHTER GEORGE AND FIRE ENGINES-VOLUME 2", AND TO BE RELEASED 12/1/04, "FIREFIGHTER GEORGE AND AMAZING AIRPLANES!" ... Read more

Reviews (19)

One of the few good movie versions of a Shakespeare play.
Much better than the earlier Julius Caesar, which starred Marlon Brando as Mark Antony and James Mason as Brutus. In this version, Jason Robards as Brutus is admittedly an embarrassment, but the rest of the cast is quite strong. The delivery of Antony's funeral oration by Charlton Heston is brilliant, powerful, well-paced, the dramatic high point of the movie. Richard Johnson as Cassius, John Gielgud as Caesar, Robert Vaughn as Casca and Diana Rigg as Portia are fine actors, with full dramatic presence, at home in Shakespeare's language. Brief parts, like the soothsayer's and the cobbler's, are memorably played. The screenplay omits two short passages that are important to the plot: (1) Cassius' avowal in the first act, after his attempt to persuade Brutus to oppose Caesar, that if their positions were reversed and he, Cassius, stood as well with Caesar as Brutus does and Brutus made a comparable appeal to him, he would certainly not listen. (2) Immediately after the assassination, a promise by Brutus to Antony's servant of safe conduct for Antony, who thus knows when he comes to the Capitol and weeps over Caesar's body, challenging the conspirators to kill him also, that he is in no danger of their doing so.

Successful Version of Shakespeare's Caesar
Not a bad version at all of Shakespeare's play. Most of the attention for Julius Caesar is clearly with the 1950s version, but this one holds up as well. In this version, Charlton Heston plays Antony. Others include Jason Richards (Brutus), John Gielgud (Caesar), Richard Johnson (Cassius), Robert Vaughn (Casca), Richard Chamberlain (Octavius), and Diana Riggs (Portia).

In this story, Brutus comes forth as the tragic hero who joins the conspiracy to kill the ambitious Roman, Julius Caesar. Shakespeare's story delves much into the realm of politics within the Roman society. Brutus' tragic flaw is perhaps that he sees too much of the benevolent side of people and society; he gives in to help Rome only after pondering deeply the plan of Cassius, and "trusts" Antony to not give a stirring speech (big mistake there). He still considers Caesar a "good" man, but justifies his role in the conspiracy as for the common good of Rome. A tale that definitely concerns itself with justification, or lack thereof, of removing leaders from political positions, and the consequences those actions bring unto an entire nation and their citizens.

The set design, background and acting are true to the play. One of the differences between this and the Brando version is the scene in which Caesar is assassinated. It is far more bloody and gruesome (yet the movie is rated G, go figure). Heston, as Antony, does a decent job with the "Countrymen, lend me your ears" speech, making an emotional appeal to the crowd as a friend of Caesar. He stirs up the rage among the Romans in this emotional appeal on Caesar's behalf. Eventually, he will go to war against two of the leaders of the conspiracy, Cassius and Brutus.

This is definitely worth a view, especially if you are a Shakespeare fan. This also is an excellent resource for the study of Julius Caesar.

Also Recommended: Julius Caesar (Marlon Brando version)

If you're a huge fan of Heston's or of this superb play
If you're a huge fan of Heston's or of this superb play, you might want to suffer through this terrible print.

It's blurry, the colors blur and flash like a bad animation, and it sounds like it was recorded underwater with a megaphone. It's really a piece of crap.

The performances are good, and because it's the only other film version of the play, (that I can find) they warrant comparison with the 1958 Brando version. Heston's needlessly pompous and swaggering Antony is occasionally amusing and occasionally pretty good, but ultimately the performance lacks the authenticity and verve of Brando's, and one can't help but compare. Robards's Brutus is stoic and tortured and it is something like torture to watch him act, at least for the first half of the film. By the time Brutus is heading up the wrong end of the civil war, Robards aptly transforms Brutus into a man whose passions have fermented to the surface. It's by turns a flat, interesting, and jarring performance accented by an occasional flash of brilliance, such as the scene in which Brutus and Cassius argue about funds and bribes. Much of the supporting cast: Diana Rigg, Gielgud, and Robert Vaughn, in particular are excellent.
It's a shame really that this is such a horrifying print (the worst in fact that I've ever seen), because this was a good movie once. Somewhere through the blur you can make out decent production values: large crowd and battle scenes, attractive costumes, and what looks like the hilly Italian countryside. Who knows maybe even the "seven hills," though I doubt even a Roman native would be able to tell for sure.

Little more than terrible
I ordered this DVD for use in teaching the play. I had anticipated it for months and waited with impatience for its release; I now find I was impatient for mediocrity. The performances are disappointing, with only Richard Chamberlain as Octavious showing any passion in performance. Indeed, Jason Robards as Brutus is the poorest Shakespearean acting I've yet seen, and it's an embarassment for anyone attempting to light a fire for Shakespeare in teenagers. Robards speaks his lines as if he is reading them for the first time on his couch at home.

Until Hollywood gives this another try, I recommend the BBC version of the play available with English subtitles from Ambrose Video. Of course, there is always the Brando version of the play with James Mason doing a much more credible job than Robards as Brutus.

Quality Terrible
I ordered this tape to show to my Sophomore English classes as we read the play. The quality of the video was so poor that my colleagues and I judged the tape unwatchable. I do not recommend this tape. Instead, order the Marlon Brando edition. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Where is Bardot?
Bardot barely appears in this movie and when she does it isn't for long and looks more like a child than a young woman. Bardot fans should skip this one. Others may find this swashbuckling tale interesting but I didn't. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

WOWWWWW!
ALL I CAN SAY IS WOWWWW! WHAT AN AWESOME VIDEO! I AM SO GLAD TO SEE SUCH A MASTERPIECE WORK DONE ON SUCH AN IMPORTANT SUBJECT. YOU GOTTA HAVE THIS. IT IS INTERESTING, WELL DONE, INFORMATIVE - VERY UNIQUE! I WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED IF THIS VIDEO HAS WON SOME MAJOR AWARDS...I AM SO GLAD I OWN IT NOW! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Highlander hit full stride here.
The TV series Highlander hit full stride here.

When Highlander arrived on TV, it started out with a good concept (taken from the first film, primarily), a real hero (Duncan - played with great self-assurance by Adrian Paul), but some bumps in the road that gave it a TV feel. This is evident in the first season, as the episodes are hit and miss, and the show wasn't operating on all cylinders until near the end of the season.

In the 2nd year, Highlander hit full stride, and with each successive episode, the series became more compelling. Many episodes from that year are excellent. The full Highlander team had to have known they had a winner, and the creative energy is high. These were the shows that solidified the fan base the show would ultimately have.

The 3rd season picked up right where the second took off, and by now Highlander was thriving, if in relative obscurity. The show had a level of synchronicity and often intensity, that made the very most of the concept. The actors (again, espeically Paul) the writers, and entire crew were obviously very inspired, as they turned out one excellent episode after another. Many of them masterfully interweaved.

The 4th season kept the pattern going. Adrien Paul, by now, WAS Duncan MacLeod - The Highlander. And the Highlander team continued with exploring characters, and changes. While the concept was limited (who will Duncan meet from his past this week?) because of what the cast and crew had working together - the show continued on putting out either excellent, or good shows, with the only flaw being the previously mentioned predictability.

The 5th season found the writers trying to vary the previous season's problems. With many espisodes Duncan more reserved, and sometimes mystical elements involved (which turned some fans off). But the professionalism continued.

By the 6th season, the show was hit and miss, and it seemed at times like it was soon to reach the end (which it did). The final episide was somewhat sentimental, but at the same time, fittingly obscure.

Highlander - Raven continued with the charming character of Amanda. But without Paul, the series didn't have the same backbone, and ultimately waned.

Adrian Paul would later reprise the Duncan MacLeod role in the film Highlander: Endgame, which is the best sequel as the films go (and on par with many TV episodes), but alas, the film did not fair well at the box office, as the previous sequels (2, and 3) were so bad, the mainstream stayed away. ... Read more

Reviews (89)

Finnaly a Good Action Serie
This cool action mythologie girl serie comes in DVD on april 29. sister show of HERCULES: THE LEGENDARY JOURNEYS who also will be on DVD on JUNE 3. Lucy Lawless is wonderful ,she has a real sword style and circle that no one else does. The First season includes :

1-Sins of the Past
2-Chariots of War
3-Dreamworker
4-Cradle of Hope
5-The Path Not Taken
6-The Reckoning
7-The Titans
8-Prometheus
9-Death in Chains
10-Hooves & Harlots
11-The Black Wolf
12-Beware Greeks Bearing Gifts
13-Athens City Academy of the Performing Bards
14-A Fistful of Dinars
15-Warrior...Princess
16-Mortal Beloved
17-The Royal Couple of Thieves
18-The Prodigal
19-Altared States
20-Ties That Bind
21-The Greater Good
22-Callisto
23-Death Mask
24-Is There a Doctor in the House?

I can wait too have this one. CAN YOU ???...

FINALLY XENA! But...
I agree with the other reviewers. It is great to be able to enjoy Xena's First Season and Lucy Lawless in all her glory! The first season finds the series still looking for an overall look and a direction, and you will have to wait for Season Three and Further Seasons for truly mythological storytelling and pathos.

My only complaint is ,of course, the total lack of special features of this Anchor Bay DVD edition. IT lacks alternate comment sound tracks, or documentaries, etc. One MAJOR miss is that NONE of the episodes are close-captioned (this is strange because when they were originally broadcast, they were...!). Maybe Anchor Bay will correct this in future Xena seasons'DVD releases. The lack of extras and the lack of close-captioning is the only two reasons why I adjudicated 3 out of 5 stars to this DVD.

I did not experience any noticeable graininess or blurring when playing my DVD's on my Sony DVD player and viewing it on my Sony 32" TV (not a new one, I might add). I have not tried watching the DVD's on my computer, but it has been my experience that DVDs do not play back with the same quality on DVD-enabled computers.

I still recommend XENA SEASON ONE DVD to all Xena enthusiasts.

Xena Rocks
Xena season one is amazing. It is here that we see how the Warrior Princess begins her adventures with her sexy little sidekick Gabrielle. This is classic Xena all the way, plus we are introduced to our favorites: Ephiny and the Amazons, Salmoneous, Lila, Cyrene, Draco, Autolycus (Bruce 'Evil Dead' Campbell), Ares, Hades, Princess Diana, Joxer and every Xenafan's favorite CALLISTO? There is also a cameo by Hercules and Iolaus for Hercfans.

Previously this season of Xena could only be ordered from a webpage as seen on tv. To my understanding this collection is not remastered, and does not include DVD extras such as deleted scenes or commentaries. The good new, for those that can wait a couple more months, another mastered version with DVD extras is soon to be released.

For those fans that must have this season now, order it here, it is about 30 dollars less than what it is offered in the commercials, but if you could relax for a month or two I suggest you get the vamped version.

Greatest Series of all time comes to dvd
Enjoyed every minute of watching my two favorite actress show after show in dvd quality. The only down side is not enough extra's.

A 5-star show; too bad the DVD collection's overpriced
"In a time of ancient gods, warlords, and kings, a land in turmoil cried out for a hero. She was Xena, a mighty princess forged in the heat of battle. The power. The passion. The danger. Her courage will change the world."

If you don't recognize the above, you've been in a distant land since at least 1995, and this review isn't really for you. But you should buy this collection immediately, because you're in for an entirely novel treat.

Xena: Warrior Princess is a spin-off series from "Hercules: The Legendary Journeys", which followed 5 "Action Pack" (don't ask) Hercules movies. The Hercules and Xena stories are revisionist tales of antiquity. Most of the names are right ("Hercules" instead of "Herakles", and the Roman "Cupid" instead of Greek "Eros" are notable exceptions), but anachronisms abound. We first see Xena sitting on her horse, complete with stirrups (1000 years before their invention) and saddle horn (2000 years early). Xena's sword is bronze, but steel implements abound in an era when Indian Wootz steel was a commodity valued above gold. The wet countryside of New Zealand doubles for the dry Mediterranean clime of Greece. And barbarian warriors look suspiciously like Maori. Obviously the emphasis is on entertainment rather than historical accuracy. It's a good thing, too, because the entertainment value is outstanding.

The premise of the series is that Xena was a teenager living in the Greek village of Amphipolis when it was attacked. She rallied her neighbors to mount a successful defense. Then she took the surrounding towns to have a defensive perimeter. One thing led to another, and Xena was a warlord terrorizing the countryside. But, true to her original intent, she spared defenseless women and children. When her underlings thought that made her soft she broke from them, and began an epic quest for redemption. Soon after this she met Gabrielle, a young villager whose community is raided. With ambitions exceeding her small town's reach Gabrielle decides to follow Xena on her travels.

Xena is a mythic hero. Lacking the godly strength of Hercules, she nevertheless matches him in battle by virtue of superhuman agility. Plus, as she says, "I have many skills" -- including tactics, strategy, eastern martial arts, horsemanship, medicine, and singing. Xena is at the top of her form when we first see her. In sharp contrast to this we watch Gabrielle as she transforms from quick-witted but unsophisticated villager to wannabe bard to reluctant warrior.

Lucy Lawless got an early entry into the Hercules/Xena universe; she played Lysia in "Hercules and the Amazon Women", the very first of the movies that preceded the "Hercules" series. In fact this earlier role was a strike against her when trying out for the part of Xena in the "Hercules" series. But hair dye, boots with lifts, and skin bronzer transformed Lucy Lawless (5' 10 1/2", light brown hair, pale skin) to Xena (6' tall, brown-black hair, olive complexion). Add in a passable American accent, and this native New Zealander carried off the role of an Americanized Greek mythic hero with aplomb. When you see Xena riding at the gallop or trading blows with a foe that's really Lucy Lawless; when Xena is tumbling through the air it's a stunt performer.

Renee O'Connor also got an early start; she played an earlier version of Deianeira, Hercules' wife, in "Hercules and the Lost Kingdom", the second Hercules movie, before landing the role of Gabrielle. In the first season of X:WP O'Connor is listed as "also starring", after the title; only Lawless gets "starring" billing.

Various continuing characters from "Hercules" appear in Season One of X:WP:
- Kevin Smith as Ares, God of War
- Kevin Sorbo as Hercules
- Michael Hurst as Iolaus (Hercules' sidekick); also as Charon
- Robert Trebor as Salmoneus, mercurial merchant
- Bruce Campbell as Autolycus, King of Thieves
- Erik Thomson as Hades, God of the Underworld

Season One of Xena introduced a number of new faces that would become familiar:
- Danielle Cormack as Ephiny, Amazon warrior
- Paul Norell as Falafel, food stand vendor
- Karl Urban, who would appear again in seasons 2+ as Julius Caesar
- Hudson Leick as Callisto, nemesis extraordinaire
- Ted Raimi as Joxer, bumbling would-be warrior

More notable one-shot guest stars from Season One included:
- Kate Hodge as Celesta, Goddess of Death
- Galyn G"rg as Helen of Troy
- Tim Thomerson as Meleager the Mighty
- Peter McCauley as Talmodeus

Season One of X:WP was shot on 16mm film to keep production costs down, so the DVD video transfer is no better than you'd expect. The audio is quite a bit better, including outstanding music by Joseph LoDuca. The Xena theme, in particular, is a wonderful mix of bouzouki, french horns, and strings to mix traditional Greek sounds with the stirring European classical melodies we've come to associate with inspirational themes.

The 7-disc Season One collection is remarkable mostly for what it DOESN'T have. There are NO extras in the Season One DVDs AT ALL. Each of the 24 episodes is 44 minutes 15 seconds or less. There are no DVD or CC captions. There are no extra chapter stops; each episode has 5 or 6 chapters. The 7th disc is a CD-ROM, with rather unremarkable content. There are no printed guides in the set.

6 DVDs, with 4 episodes each; 24 total episodes
1 CD-ROM:
- Screensaver
- Cast & Director bios
- "Scrolls" - episode cast lists, guest stars ("mortals" and "gods"), search through the scrolls text
- Season One trivia game

Xena: Warrior Princess is a fun, butt-kicking action series. It's a shame that the DVD collection of Season One is both low on extra content and high on price. ... Read more