Description

Hailed by critics as one of the most masterfully directed and beautifully photographed films of all time, Kenji Mizoguchi's stunning classic is an eerie tale of misguided ambition and forbidden passion.Two 16th-century peasants abandon their families to seek fame and fortune, but in attaining their desires, both men destroy their lives and bring tragedy to their families.A powerful testament to the illusory nature of happiness, Ugetsu firmly established Mizoguchi's reputation in the West, and helped earn him recognition as one of the world's greatest directors of women. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

What are the Important Things in Life?
Despite some disturbing scenes and issues, this is a beautiful movie. It tells the story of how the search for money and glory can destroy true happiness. What makes the story work is a lot of different things. First of all, the acting is very good. Watching in in subtitles (there wasn't any other option) helped with appreciating this facet of the movie. The scenery and costumes were pretty good as well. The directing was what was the most outstanding. I confess that I have a problem with most modern movies in that they show a heavy dependance on modern technology and declining moral standards. This enables modern films to utilize two avenues of showing more and more which leaves less and less to the imagination. The talent on display in "Ugetsu" shows how directing at its' best was a true art form; greater, often, than the acting itself. There are several scenes that come to mind. As soldiers rape and pillage, there comes a scene of a gang rape of a woman. Everything we see on film makes it clear in our minds as to what has taken place. Yet the only clothing we see removed is a pair of sandals. Another scene involves an erotic encounter in which, again we understand clearly yet are not invited to watch. There are other scenes worthy of mention but I don't want to give anything away. The way this movie moves along is another testament to its' director; Kenji Mizoguchi.

On the negative side, this movie is currently only available on VHS. I confess to being frustrated with all of my Beta movies and now all of my VHS movies seeming to head towards obsolescence. However, I have come to appreciate the quality as well as the other features of DVD's. Thus I found myself immediately focussing on the occassional snap, crackle, and pop of the VHS quality. Still, once I was engrossed in the story (and that didn't take long to happen), it either ceased to bother me or the quality improved and the movie progressed.

There is a timeless message in this movie that will reach out to just about all viewers. It has to do with identifying our values and appreciating what we have rather than what we desire. Sounds like a message we've heard before but I'm not sure it's been presented quite so well before or since.

Remarkable Piece Of Work
Genjuro (Masayuki Mori) makes pottery and dreams of the day he and his family will be rich. Tobei (Eitaro Ozawa) wants to become a samurai. At its core "Ugetsu" is a story about greed, betrayal, & loyalty. But, what makes this movie so good is how subtle its approach is. Director Kenji Mizoquchi doesn't shove these themes down our throats. The movie is not motivated by plot formulas but rather by its characters. It's our understanding and the fact that we begin to feel a connection between them and ourselves that leads us to watch the movie. The biggest praise I can give the film is by saying it's one of those movies you don't want to end. We are too involved and feel we need to know more.

Mizoquchi after this film earned the reputation of becoming a great "women's director", and the performances by Kinuyo Tanaka (who plays Genjuro's wife) and Ikio Sawamura (Tobei's wife) are standouts. And at times do steal the scenes, as does a wonderful performance from Machiko Kyo (Lady Wakasa).

"Ugetsu" is considered by some critics and filmgoers as one of the most beautiful films ever made. It was even once listed in "sight & sound"s poll as one of the ten greatest films ever. And such acclaim is rightfully deserved. It is a masterful piece of work. People should make an efort to see it. It has a lasting effect.

Bottom-line: The kind of movie you wish wouldn't end. Contains standout acting from the entire cast and memorable cinematography. One of the all-time best.

Can life be like that?
This is a very beautiful movie. My favorite scene is where the potter and Lady Mikasa are having what looks like a picnic by the sea. I think it is the most beautiful composition I've ever seen in a movie. And he says "I didn't know life could be like this." Well I guess it can't, but its comforting to see beautiful things.

Truly a fabulous film
Set in the 16th century, Ugetsu is the story of two impoverished families from a small village and the tragedy that befalls both as the male heads of the household seek selfish, illusory goals. It is simply an excellent film; well acted, superbly directed, and a story that is timeless and profound.

Great Ghost Story
This is a beautifully shot movie. Mizoguchi is a great director of the plight of women in old Japan. His sister was sold into the life of a geisha, so alot of his movies speak for his sister. Some of his other notable films are; Sisters of the Gion, and Geisha. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Fantastic Movie - - Terrible Print
This is a terrific movie. To see it is to love it and want to see it again. But if you've never seen it, this video is not going to make you a fan. The subtitles are unreadable whenever they appear against a light background - - there are entire scenes were the subtitles are lost over things like a white tablecloth. Still, the acting will certainly allow you to follow the story - - you won't be lost or confused. In fact, the whole movie is blurry. I had to watch this video in parts because it gave me a headache trying to look at it. But, all that said, if you've seen it and must, must, must see it again, this print is better than nothing. Am I glad I spent the money? Yes, I had to own this movie. I'd just rather have it in a more watchable edition.

five star film one star video print
I purchased this video--the VHS version currently offered by Amazon.com--and was disgusted by the quality of the print. The print is very worn, the subtitles sometimes faded, quite often in the last third of the film. This film is beautifully photographed, the elegance of its backgrounds an essential part of the world in which it is set, and its meaning. These backgrounds are a worn blur much of the time in this print. I cant believe the other reviewers watched this print, for they surely would have complained too.

Age Cannot Wither, Nor Custom Stale...
...this little jewel's infinite variety (with apologies to Shakespeare for the paraphrase).
I have seen this film at least nine times, and each viewing brings new things to discover and love. The direction, set decoration, music, cast and photography always delight, but this time around I must also pay tribute to the screenplay. Knowing it so well I spent time last night really listening to the nuances of the script, in particular that of Charles Boyer's general. Unlike the showier cleverness of my previous favorite moments ("I don't love you, I don't love you, I don't love you" must be the most passionate non-declaration of all cinematic history), I admired as if for the first time the restrained, dignified, tragic journey the general takes from amused tolerance to suppressed love to frustration and, finally, a soldier's resort to arms. I cannot give adequate expression to my love for this film.

OPHULS 's greatest film !
This is one of the greatest European classics ever made. I felt Max OPHULS was very influencied by masters like Ernst LUBITSCH or Joseph MANCKIEWICZ (and French autors like STENDHAL). The script is marvellous and the actors superb (Danielle DARRIEUX found her greatest role, and Charles BOYER and Vittorio DE SICA support her admirably). It is a dreamed feminine role for any actress, and I don't find feminine characters like Danielle DARRIEUX's one in the current movies. If you liked this movie, then try LOLA MONTES and LA RONDE (also by OPHULS).

A Masterpiece among Masterpieces
A masterpiece beyond question. "Madame de" is undeniably Ophuls greatest achievement and one of the ten best films of all time. No written review can accurately describe the profoundly sublime after-effect of "Madame de" - a delicate and sumptuous screen tragedy, typified by a Ophuls exhilaratingly swirling camera and extravagantly decorative period sets and costumes. Danielle Darrieux, Charles Boyer, and a suave Vittorio De Sica all turn in an all-time best performances. A Perfect Film! ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Blessed with timeless humanity, grace, and heartbreaking compassion, Ikiru is one of the most moving dramas in the history of film. Legendary director Akira Kurosawa is best remembered for his samurai epics, but this contemporary masterpiece ranks among his greatest achievements, matched in every respect by the finest performance of Takashi Shimura's celebrated career. Shimura, who nobly led the Seven Samurai two years later, is sublimely perfect as a melancholy civil servant who, upon learning that he has terminal cancer, realizes he has nothing to show for his dreary, unsatisfying life. He seeks solace in nightlife and family, to no avail, until a simple inspiration leads him to a final, enduring act of public generosity. Expressing his own thoughts about death and the universal desire for a meaningful existence, Kurosawa infuses this drama with social conscience and deep, personal conviction, arriving at a conclusion that is emotionally overwhelming and simply unforgettable. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (63)

A powerful meditation on the fragility of human life.
As a big fan of Kurosawa and the Criterion Collection, I couldn't wait to recieve this DVD in the mail.

Human life can be lost before a person dies, Kurosawa's film shows, and it is difficult for anyone to remain truly alive with all of life's challenges and setbacks. Like a thin thread, life's inspiration is easy to lose. But what happens when a man loses that thread for decades and discovers it again only months before dying?

The answer to this question is both heart-warming and heart-breaking. But ultimately this film will burn brightly in the viewer's mind.

Two years after becoming world famous for Rashomon, Kurosawa released this thematic sequal - a meditation on truth and meaning in the modern world. While Rashomon became a cinematic landmark, I think this film blows rashomon away. It, along with Ozu's Tokyo Story, are the most moving films I've ever seen.

What makes Kurosawa so great here? It is the centrality of the movie's meaning. We all die and we all struggle to find truth. Watanabe, a placid and unquestioning bureaucrat, glimpses the truth about his life when he finds that he has only months to live. He immediately sets out to live his life to the fullest - eventually granting the dearest wish of the citizens that the other bureaucrats would just rather ignore.

But like the man who emerges into the sunlight from the cave in Plato's allegory - none of the other cave dwellers understand his actions.In fact, it's worse, the grandstanding officials claim credit Watanabe's inspired actions, despite having stood in his way.

But ultimately the truth saves Watanabe before he dies. This is masterful filmaking - more on par with Kurosawa's heroes Dostoyevsky and Shakespeare than his cinematic peers. It is a must purchase for his fans and, I think, a story that will move the viewer towards greater compassion and consciousness of life passing by.

Perhaps it's no wonder Criterion chose this fim to include two feature documentaries on Kurosawa on a second disc. And the commentary track is done by the always entertaining Stephen Prince. You can't go wrong here.

Excellent movie, but terrible transfer
I should start by saying that I think Ikiru is the best movie I've ever seen, but I'll try to address some of the negatives.

The story of Ikiru is that of a bureaucrat who upon learning he has stomach cancer begins a desperate search for meaning in his life. He tries family, liquor, and women, but eventually finds purpose in a cesspool that troubles a local community, and their attempts to have a playground built on the site.

The story is absolutely compelling, and the intricate subtleties of Kurosawa's direction make this film very powerful, especially in the second half of the film, where Watanabe's (the protagonist) coworkers discuss his final few months at his wake. The acting is superb. Takashi Shimura gives a performance that is stand out.

Ikiru is not a universally liked movie, for several reasons. The movie is black and white and has subtitles. The cuts and scene changes have a very old-fashioned feel to them (quite rightly... it's old. But this gives a lot of people trouble). The pacing of this movie is deliberate, and by that I mean slow. It is not quick or action-packed. It moves subtlely.

While most all the reviews rave about it, I'd caution that this movie will not beat you over the head with its brilliance. It is a gentle story with subtle nuances, and often, the meaning is conveyed more in facial expressions and quiet moments than in anything said or done.

That being said, I thought the transfer of this movie to DVD was terrible. It is my understanding that this was the best that could be done, which is a shame. Many feel this to be Kurosawa's best work, and to know that this terrible transfer is the best it can ever get, that's sad. Specifically, the vertical lines noted in previous reviews are definitely there, and definitely problematic. There is poor contrast, and it is often difficult to see the actors defined well at all.

The bonus material on this DVD is so so. The commentary is certainly interesting, but the documentaries didn't thrill me too much. The main sell of this DVD is the movie itself.

If this movie sounds like something you can sit through, you should watch it. It's a great movie. I really do think it's the best movie I've ever seen. But it's not for everyone. If you've already seen it and want to own it, this DVD set is fine, but it comes with the caveat that the quality of the transfer is not impressive.

Occasionally quite moving but a bit too sentimental
I don't profess to be an expert on the films of acclaimed Japanese director Akira Kurosawa, but I will say that, though I haven't seen a great many of his films, I've definitely admired the ones I have seen. Films like RASHOMON, THE SEVEN SAMURAI, and THRONE OF BLOOD show a director that not only has an acute visual sense---I have never seen equalled the unforgettable images of the moving trees and then Toshiro Mifune with all the arrows launched at him at the end of THRONE OF BLOOD---but also a human sensitivity that may be more flamboyant and theatrical in style than his Japanese counterpart Yasujiro Ozu, but is no less impressive. He is a true film artist, to be sure...but, though IKIRU is often called one of Kurosawa's most human film achievements, I personally would not quite put it in the same level as those aforementioned three.

Not that it's not moving. The first half of the film actually made me shed quite a few tears, watching poor Kanji Watanabe first find out he has stomach cancer, and then try to actually have some fun with his life. His attempts to do so are quite touching, even though it does not always work out---esp. with the girl that eventually gets annoyed with him b/c he insists on hanging out with her so much. Finally, he decides to do something noble for the people he works for, and thus we get to the second half of the film: Mr. Watanabe's wake, in which colleagues reminisce about the noble act he accomplished for a town before he died. His act---he steps over bureaucratic lines and gets built a children's park in an area where there was only a dirty pool of water previously---slowly inspires the others to perhaps break out of their bureaucratic mold...and perhaps will inspire you too, in a different way.

I dunno, though...I was inspired but only sometimes moved by this film. For me, I think Kurosawa's penchant for lack of subtlety and heavy-handed sentimentality sometimes mutes its power. Kurosawa, for example, is not content to simply allow us to visually observe how lifeless our hero truly is at the beginning: no, he must give us a voiceover that drums it into our head that "this man has not truly lived." And then there is the scene in the bar in the middle of the film, in which Watanabe sings, with tears coming out of his eyes, a mushy song that expresses his feelings of hopelessness and despair. If nothing else, though, the second half of the film seems to expose this unfortunate tendency---a very long scene, intercut with flashbacks, set in Watanabe's wake in which his fellow workers first try to deny Watanabe's deep heroism, but then eventually resolve to be as noble as he was in his last months of life. It is certainly intriguing structurally, as we see the effects of his death on fellow workers and the townspeople Watanabe helped so greatly. And yet I think, could this scene not have been just as effective as simply an epilogue rather than the focus of the entire second part of the film? I'm sure Kurosawa could have made his point---he is showing how one man's heroism can deeply affect other people---without becoming as repetitious and even preachy as this portion of the film sometimes seemed.

And yet, if IKIRU is a flawed film, at least its flaws always spring from an honest desire to lift up his audience in a way that SEVEN SAMURAI and THRONE OF BLOOD do not even try to do. It may be sentimental, but it is always honestly felt, and perhaps you might be much less resistant to Kurosawa's sentimental excesses than I occasionally was. As Watanabe, Takashi Shimura gives an unforgettable performance (esp. with that hauntingly raspy voice of his); and Kurosawa does create a final moving image of Watanabe swinging on the swing in the new park, singing that same song he sang at the bar, but in a different, perhaps more joyful manner.

That image just goes to show you that Kurosawa was, above all else, a masterly visual artist in his films. If he had relied more on his sense of powerful imagery to make his point, IKIRU might have been a truly great film, instead of one that perhaps tries too hard to be deeply moving. And yet I would be lying if I said that I wasn't affected by the film. Perhaps some of you might not mind the occasional preachiness in this film and will find this a truly transcendant film experience. For me, it almost got there, but not quite. Still, IKIRU is a good film that deserves to be seen for its powerful message, if nothing else. Maybe it will really change your life. Recommended (with some reservations).

5 stars not enough...
... for rating this one. I can't but than agree it might well be the most compelling film by Kurosawa. As well Criterion have to be hailed for bundling the most interesting 'Extras' I've ever seen on DVDs. But afterwards I couldn't help thinking why, after half a century since it was released, nobody realized that giving stomach cancer to civil servants and politicians might get them doing their work: and if even for a short while, at least tax-payers won't regret the money they're usually conned of. Since the bulk of most civil servants' work is waiting retirement, and almost all politicians think (???) they've been elected so they can be paid while preparing their next campaign, it would be worth giving it a try.

Masterpiece
I'm only 19 so perhaps some may say I can't really comment or fully understand all about living life to the full, because I have barely lived. But one thing this film makes you realise is that a job, is just a job! This film was so heartful and beautiful,it can make any age group realise that life is for living and how correct it was to say that 'only when you know you are going to die do you begin to live'..we should learn to live before that moment comes! I recommend this film for everyone, I love Japanese films and this was by far one of the best films.
It's an eye-opening film and one that should not be disregarded! ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Expect to be very hungry (and perhaps amorous) after watching this contemporary classic in the small genre of food movies that includes Babette's Feast and Big Night. Director Alfonso Arau (A Walk in the Clouds), adapting a novel by his former wife, Laura Esquivel, tells the story of a young woman (Lumi Cavazos) who learns to suppress her passions under the eye of a stern mother, but channels them into her cooking. The result is a steady stream of cuisine so delicious as to be an almost erotic experience for those lucky enough to have a bite. The film's quotient of magic realism feels a little stock, but the story line is good and Arau's affinity for the sensuality of food (and of nature) is sublime. You might want to rush off to a good Mexican restaurant afterward, but that's a good thing. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (98)

Superb - One of the Great Foreign Language Films of Our Time
A thrilling, intoxicating masterpiece, "Like Water for Chocolate" will leave you hungry, happy and hung over with its surreal vision and unforgettable performances. Some of the film's charm lies in its uncompromising vision of what it must be like to be a poor, Mexican woman, surrounded by angry sisters and petty jealousies. The food is a miracle of texture and authenticity that makes the book a recipe lover's dream. But the spiritual aspects of the movie take it someplacve else altogether....by tying food and unseen forces together, the author and director have fashioned love as a cycle of human emotion coupled with betrayal and passion. Believers and non-believers alike are asked to suspend judgement and just BE with this movie, for it raises issues and themes rarely imagined or acheived on film. A few sequences are startling - such as a wedding party where every guest is gastronimically infected by a soup that is stewed with the tears of our protagonist, and they all end up regurgitating the mixture, and in the end, understanding that true love should not be gambled away for money or superiority. Another sequence, where the middle daughter Gertudis, is literally kidnapped by a horse riding gunslinger while she sits alone in an outhouse doing her business, is hysterical, yet also painful to watch, because it symbolizes the woman's need for free choice in a world where men have so much of the power. Besides, any couple who has eloped or married without their parent's blessings will quickly make the connection to their own experience. If you can keep up with the subtitles, I'd advise against a dubbed version, for in its Spanish - eloquent, funny and dramatic - the film c aptures its truest form of communication. And food as metaphor - used in other terrific fims like "Babette's Feast" - has never been presented in such an awe inspiring manner. This is a feast to be savored every step of its delectible way.

A passion for cooking and romance!!!
This has to be one of my all time favorite foreign films. I loved the book and I think the movie is equally good. The story is set around a young woman named Tita, who according to an unfair family tradition, must care for her overbearing, demanding mother. Because of this, she is unable to marry the young man she has fallen in love with and transfers her passion into the meals she prepares(with very interesting results!). Based on the book by Laura Esquivel and directed by her husband at the time (Alfonso Arau, who also directed the Keanu Reeves movie, "A Walk in the Cloud") this film is a captivating fairy tale that is sure to entertain.

a feast of the 5 senses, come to life
after you watch this movie, you will either want to eat, cook (preferably one of the mentioned recipes), make love or all three! i saw the version dubbed in spanish, and also read 3 selected chapters from the book, for spanish class. it's a work of art and genius, and it must be watched all the way through without stopping. the characters are excellently portrayed, and it combines love, feminism, drama, sensuality, lust, hope, passion, and humour, topped with cultural tradition and folklore. i don't know which one is better, the book or the movie. all of the 5 senses are provoked on a deep and perhaps even primal level, especially taste and smell, feverishly yearning for a sum greater than their overall parts (gestalt) - which brings up the sixth sense, intuition.

Like Water For Chocolate
In the novel, "Like Water for Chocolate," I found it very interesting that two young people, Tita and Pedro fell deeply in love and they could never marry each other. The best part about the book was that they had to hide their feelings from everyone but they knew they loved each other deep inside their hearts. I liked the fact that they loved each other until the day they died and they died making love to each other. I strongly recommend this book to other people.

Like water for chocolate!
This is a very sensual movie about two lovers who could not be together. I loved it and would watch it again and again. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Marcel Camus's 1959 update of the Greek myth features an all-black cast and a story set in the frenetic energy of Carnival in Rio de Janeiro. Orpheus, a trolley car conductor and superb samba dancer, is engaged to Mira but in love with Eurydice. For his change of heart, Orpheus and his new doomed lover are pursued by a vengeful Mira and a determined Death through the feverish Carnival night. Camus at once demystifies and remystifies the old story, shifting not only its location but its tone and context, forcing a reevaluation of the legend as a more passionate, pulsing, sensual experience. The film is really one-of-a-kind, an absolute whirl that barely needs words. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (34)

A classic of world cinema
The classic film that brought Brazil's bossa nova music to the world outside, this was a wry modernist update of the classical Greek myth of Orpheus and Euridyce, the starcrossed lovers whose passion could not be denied, even by all the powers of Hell. The film is adapted from a bold stage play written by Brazilian poet Vinicius De Moraes, who enlisted a then-unknown Antonio Carlos Jobim to compose the classic bossa tunes that stud the films soundtrack. In this version, Hell is a blend of the futurist modernism that created Brasilia, the sterile and unappealing new capital of Brazil, and the heedless bacchanalia of Carnaval; Vinicius's vision of the lower rings of Hades as a bureaucrat's office is a stroke of pure genius. I first saw this film when I was in high school; viewing it again as an adult steeped in Brazilian popular culture, I certainly got a lot more out of it. Although some Brazilians (prominently, Caetano Veloso) chafe at the fact that this version was directed by a European, director Marcel Camus, I think it's still safe to say that it is a brilliantly made film. Heavy on the textual symbolism and, yes, a bit voyeuristic in its depictation of the happy natives dancing to their catchy samba rhythms, but brilliant nonetheless. It also captures a moment in time -- Brazil's transition into a modern nation, and the heady days before the 1964 coup -- in a way that is precious and ineffable.

poetry in color
tragic love triangle story of simple,passionate people in modern day Rio De Janeiro. You will be deeply affected by the plot,unfolding during carnival time,filmed on location.Artfully blending romance and reality,while allowing the viewer to set aside the appalling poverty of Rio's favellas. The musical score is classic in its genre,the scenic ,practically birds eye,views of Rio are breathtaking,and will linger with you long after you watched the final scene. Standig out,among many memorable scenes,is the religious-spiritual ceremony,in which orpheus seeks contact with his loved one,through a clever spiritual medium. Lovers of Brazilian music are sure to enjoy a musical pearl at the beginning,played by a marching band. The movie,to me,is as powerful today,as when I first saw it,a masterful blend of passion and stark reality,based on Greek mythology.

a good film with famous music
This review is for the Criterion Collection DVD edition of the film.

This movie is credited with brining Bossa nova music into the spotlight. It is well deserving of this credit as the music is groundbreaking for an internatinal release.

The movie itself is based loosely on the classic Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice. Only this time it takes place during Brazil's famous Carnival. (similar to our Mardi Gras) The film itself is well written and has good acting. The DVD has an optional English language dubbed soundtrack, but I would suggest watching it in Portuguese as dubbing is often done by bad actors. The DVD also has a theatcical trailer that was used in France.

Spicy
This 1959 adaptation of the Greek myth thrilled me.It is quite rare that I am entertained by books turned into movies. Even though the setting (in Rio de Janeiro,Brazil at Carnival)undeniably differs from the original, I truly admire this film.

A Sad Story
This was a great film but it was sad. Eurydice is being chased by death (a dude in a death mask but the actual grim reaper) and we never know why. Perhaps Eurydice was supposed to have died and she somehow cheated death but she finds Orpheus while visting her cousin only Orpheus is engaged to Mira, a crazy but beautiful woman who immediately becomes suspicious of Eurydice. This film was made in Rio and the cinematography was wonderful considering how dated this film actually is. Be warned that it's subtitled and that it's a pretty depressing ending. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This is definitely not the Disney version. While it remains faithful to the plot of the classic fairy tale by Leprince de Beaumont, Jean Cocteau's 1946 French romantic fantasy is the product of a sophisticated, mature sensibility in its tones and textures and, above all, in its surprising emotional power. With sparkling black-and-white imagery that, for once, is actually dreamlike rather than cute or kitschy, and with a Beast (Jean Marais) who is almost as glamorous with his silky blonde facial hair as he is clean shaven, the movie casts a seductive spell. It might actually be a little too rich and unsettling for kids. Even the costumes and the draperies are entrancingly ornate. Viewers intoxicated by this enveloping vision should consider moving on to Cocteau's even more aggressively other-worldly 1949 masterpiece Orpheus, in which Marais plays the doomed poet of ancient Greek legend, updated to a Parisian "punk" milieu of motorcycles and black leather. --David Chute ... Read more

Reviews (54)

Thrilling.....
At the beginning of "La Belle et la Bete" the wonderful film based on Marie Leprince de Beaumont's book of the same title, the director, Jean Cocteau asks the viewer to become as little children and engage in the willing suspension of disbelief. Fortunately, I believe in mystical and magical things, so I found Cocteau's instruction easy to follow and was rewarded with thrills of excitement.

Criterion has performed it's usaual great service, restoring a masterpiece. The technical aspects--remastering of the 1946 black and white film appears to me to be very nearly perfect. But more importantly, "La Belle et la Bete" is truly a work of art. A documentary included with the DVD explains how Cocteau, in spite of wartime shortages, was able to create his fantasy using the paintings of Vermeer and the etchings of Gustave Dore as a point of inspiration. Many of the most spectacular scenes are animated Gothic wood block prints! In an age of dazzling special effects, it is wonderful to know that creative geniuses have existed and once upon a time movie-making was based on artistic genius, not just technological wizardry.

Beauty and the Beast is my favorite fairy tale. In this version, Beauty is a convincingly good daughter and the beast is a convincingly bloody beast. Mornings after his nighly prowls little dead animals can be found in the courtyard. (He is unlike the cowardly lion in The Wizard of Oz). However, by the time the Beast is dying and Beauty rushes to his side, I am have come to care for him--if not love him. Jean Marais and Josette Day are very convincing.

Cocteau's "La Belle et la Bete" is closer to the original European tale than many other dramatizations. The purpose of these "fairy" tales was to impart a distilled bit of wisdom from one generation to another. "La Belle et la Bete" teaches an eternal truth--one does not love someone because of their appearance. True love is unconditional. If it is not unconditional, it is not love. As my mother used to say, "You should not judge a book by it's cover" -- although many of us do.

Cocteau's sensual version of the timeless fairy tale
Jean Cocteau's elegant vision in "La Belle et la Bete" is an absolute treat. Marie Leprince de Beaumont's dark fairy tale is turned into a film of erotic obsession. With its inventive and stylized images, this sensual film is not really for the kids. But some day they will come to appreciate Cocteau's film as much as they love the Disney version. Josette Day is Beauty, while Jean Marais plays not only the Beast, but Avenant and the Prince as well. However, the costumes, make-up and sets are what you will remember long after you have seen this 1946 film for the first time. One of the most beautiful black and white films ever made, with lush cimenatography by Henri Alekan. Do not wait until your kids are old enough to watch this one before you see it for yourself.

GREAT STUFF
THIS IS A GREAT DVD AND YOU CAN GET IT BRAND NEW CRITERION ON OTHER WEBSITES FOR LIKE $30.00, SHOP AROUND!!!!
I LOVE MY COPY.

Magical
It's amazing how Cocteau manages to make so much magic better than any computer generated effects. Simple things like glitter in horses tail, a platform on wheels for Beauty's glide down hall, reverse film(he also used in Orpheus)
It reminds me of the magic of Japanese Kabuki theater, where spotlights are candles on long wooden sticks and the oceon is scarves waving about, so much more magical than modern
technology.
I also find Ray Harryhaussen special effects magical.(Jason and the Argonauts, the Seventh voyage of Sinbad)
I also recommend The blood of a poet.
I don't think Cocteau deserved the put down by the surrealists as just a rich boy. I think he was a true artist.( Radiguet thought so.)

RAVISHING
Visually stunning, baroque, surrealistic fantasy/fairy tale, directed by masterful french artist, poet, Jean Cocteau, starring his longtime lover and protegé, legendary film actor Jean Marais, and Josette Day as "Belle", both perfect in their roles.

This is a sumptuous and very lyric film, a real one-of-a-kind experience, a masterpiece, and for sure, the very best version of the story. The Art Direction, the sets, the costumes, are all p-e-r-f-e-c-t....and the beast's make-up (mask) is great!!

This is one of the top examples of classic french film. Not to be missed. ... Read more

Description

Set in the 11th century, this critically acclaimed film tells a compelling story of injustice and suffering.When a kindly governor is exiled, his wife is forced into prostitution, and his son and daughter are sold into slavery to the tyrannical bailiff Sansho.With authentic sets and rich imagery, Mizoguchi chillingly re-creates the barbaric feudal society. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

A man without mercy is no man
There is much praise heaped upon Mizoguchi Kenji's "Sansho the Bailiff," including the box cover calling it "one of the finest films ever made." I probably wouldn't go that far, but it is an excellent movie ranking amongst the best of the genre, standing tall with Kurosawa Akira films such as "Red Beard." It is very heavy, with a strong message.

Like Kurosawa, social responsibility is a strong theme in Mizoguchi's works. In "Sansho the Bailiff," we see a blending of the social classes, as an honest aristocrat is exiled, his wife sold to a brothel and his children made slaves, all because the aristocrat believed peasants deserved happiness as well, and that the aristocratic class had responsibilities to the peasants. Mixed together, you see cruelty and mercy amongst both classes, from the tyrannical Sansho and his friendly son Taro, or the martyred slave Namiji and the cruel Zushio willing to brand another slave on the head with a hot iron.

To this there is the message of mercy. "Be hard on yourself, but merciful to others" is the mantra passed from parent to child. A sacred image of Kannon, the Goddess of Mercy, is a family heirloom, passed down from generations as a reminder.

As in all Mizoguchi's films, it is ultimately the women who suffer, bearing the sins of men on their capable shoulders. Mizoguchi is considered a feminist in Japan, although the standards are different and most Americans would probably not consider "Sansho the Bailiff" a feminist film.

ONE THE BEST TEN MOVIES EVER MADE
Kenji Mizoguchi, unlike his country fellow Akira Kurosawa, did not make movies about Bushi (Warriors). His world is the world of the poor peasants, fallen women and so on. Sansho is unquestionably his greatest masterpiece and one of the best motion pictures ever made. The story is as follows: Father, a good hearted noble, is exiled. Mother is sold as geisha and sent to Sado Island. Children (Boy and a girl) are also sold as slaves to Bailiff Sansho and separated from their parents. A touching and astonishing movie. Beautiful black and white cinematography. A must see for all cinema lovers. Sansho is a wonder, and those who do not like Sansho do not like cinema. This is a must see for all cinema lovers. If you are not overwhelmed by this marvelous movie, NO other movie will!! BUY IT NOW!! You will not regret it. I assure you!

Please release in DVD
I concur with other reviewers. This is one of the finest, most heartbreaking films ever made (the final scene of the mother and son on the beach, with the camera then pulling away to show their utter isolation and insignificance, is unforgettable in its intensity).
Why is there no option to ask for a DVD release? Why are none of Mizoguchi's films available on DVD (other than his 47 Ronin)?

Mizoguchi's masterpiece
This is certainly one of the greatest works in cinema history - an overwhelmingly moving story, exquisitely filmed. I hereby enter my plea for its release on DVD as soon as possible.

A extraordinary masterpiece film
I saw this movie without any prior information about it and I became very impressed about all the camera work. It is really magnificent. I can close my eyes and see some of the images clearlly. I still remember some scenes with my heart full of emotion. ... Read more

Reviews (109)

Death and a masterpiece
After ten years in the crusades, Antonius Block (Max von Sydow) returns to his homeland with his squire (Gunner Bjornstrand) to find it is blackened with plague. Upon his return he is faced with a meeting with Death and the realization of his ultimate fate. The clever knight prolonges his destiny by challenging Death to a game of chess. Through the film Antonius strives to find the meaning of life and the existence of God. The story is joined by several other intriguing characters played by many of the familier Bergman Actors and Actresses.
Truely a masterpiece by Swedish director Ingmar Bergman. This film displays the true soul of man and his ignorance and acceptance of his existance. I was particularly marveled by the contrast between the beliefs of the knight and the squire. Whenever Antonius' search for faith became too ambitous, his squire always levels him with reality. Through the charcters of the film, Bergman shows us the living fabric of man's contradicting natures and ambiguous answers to life. As an avid film viewer I strongly recommend this film to serious movie spectators. This DVD is truely a treat as all the films in the Criterion Collection. The transfers are considerably noteworthy. If you have already seen this film and found that it was enjoyable, check out other Bergman films or look into some of the other Criterion titles.

A Compelling, if Somewhat Dated, Classic of Existentialism
I recently watched the Criterion edition release of this film, The Seventh Seal, with some friends. Although the film's techniques -- innovative and startling in 1957 -- are somewhat cliche today, the film still packs a powerful message, which is that although we cannot know if God exists, it is still possible for us to perform meaningful acts in the time allotted to us.

The story focuses on the story of a Swedish knight, Antonius Block, returning to Sweden from the Crusades -- played by the ageless Max von Sydow. The knight and his squire, Jons, are on the way home through a land ravaged by the Black Plague. On a lonely beach, the knight encounters Death, played with admirable restraint, and a good dose of dry humor, by Bengt Ekerot. Before Death claims Block's life, the knight challenges him to a game of chess -- if Block wins, he goes free; otherwise, when the game is over, Death will come for him. In that Death is busy, the game is renewed throughout the movie.

The movie also focuses on a troupe of actors who are traveling along the same road as the knight. Block knows that Death plans to come for the young actor and his family, and by prolonging his game with Death and thereby distracting him, he enables the young family to escape.

The movie, although obviously shot with a very small production budget and featuring a very minimalist approach (it could well be a stage play), is haunting -- one thinks about the movie's simple lessons for days afterward.

The film has often been parodied -- by Woody Allen in Love and Death, or in the recent "Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey" where Death is forced to play games such as Twister and Battleship with the film's heroes -- but it is still well worth watching.

The Criterion edition features both a Swedish and English-dubbed soundtrack, as well as a commentary track from a noted film critic.

An amazing and thought provoking movie.
This film is absolutely amazing. It is one of the few movies I watch more than once or twice.
It is an achievment in style. The film manages to look amazing by virtue of Bergman's skill with lighting and cinematography alone. Especially compared to the big budget, color Hollywood titles of the time (such as The Ten Commandments) which look plastic despite their "special effects" and use of color (this film is black & white).
The subject of the movie is man's search for the meaning of life and the question of whether or not God exists. The film is both thought-provoking and blunt in its presentation of this subject and the answers which Bergman provides are suprisingly blunt.
The DVD quality is great, as it always is with Criterion Collection DVDs, and Peter Cowie's commentary is particularly good.

However, I will admit that this film is not for everyone. It also seems to require (for me anyway) one to be in a certain "mood" to view it. If you want to simply be entertained then this is not a film for you, but if you want to view a skillfully directed and wonderfully thought-provoking (if a bit dated) film then go for it.

The silence of God!
Ingmar Berman(1918) established a challenging premise a chess mate between a knight from the Crusaders and the Death (Bengt Ekrot). If he wins, he'll live ; otherwise the Death will claim him . And this original duel happens after Sydow has left behind the misery, the plague and an unending war. He's deeply dissapointed with God and certainly he concludes that it doesn't exist.
This game will let exchange , scrutinize several ideas concerned with the faith , the silence of God and its own existence. God is a comfortable idea for the mankind ; it keeps them warmth , besides the man can dream with the hope of a celestial Paradise after this journey through this awful and miserable world. The ending sequence with the Dance of the Death is one of the most captivating and fascinating images in all the cinema story.
Many people state this is the Masterpiece : and obviously to me it's one of the three major achievements ; Persona and Cries and Whispers would be the rest .
But I've watched almost forty films of this brilliant swedish film maker and in his particular case ; a minor film from Bergman is above the average . So my advise is try to find out and watch all you can from this outstanding director.
This film won the Special Jury Prize 1957.
A timeless cult movie.

Absolutely Brilliant
A profound, affecting movie. Excellent dialogue and performances. Stark black and white cinematography. One of Bergman's greatest films. In fact, one of the greatest films of all time. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This film was a touchstone of the late 1960s, when it was seen as an antiwar allegory for a world in which madness seemed to reign. Of course, that would probably be true whenever this movie was shown, wouldn't it? Directed by Philippe de Broca and set during World War I, King of Hearts stars Alan Bates as a Scottish soldier separated from his unit in France. He wanders into a small French village that has been abandoned by its residents in the face of oncoming combat. Instead, the town is populated by the residents of a nearby insane asylum, whose keepers have fled--a fact that escapes the innocent soldier, who assumes these are the regular folks. A film that celebrates the innocence and wisdom of the insane, even as it questions who the real madmen are. --Marshall Fine ... Read more

Reviews (30)

wonderful.
This is a movie everyone should see. I know that everyone always writes that, but I really mean it. I've never seen another movie like it in my whole life. there's something hauntingly, charmingly true about it. The story is set in 1918, in a small french town that has been evacuated because there's a bomb hidden. A scottish soldier is sent in to disable it, but he doesn't know where it's hidden or when it's going to go off. Accidentally freeing all the inmates of the insane asylum who've been left (by the fleeing townspeople) in the town, the soldier finds himself stuck among them, trying to convince them to leave, but having no luck. the inmates are irresistibly lovable, carefree, full of wisdom and completely free of all societal restraints. it's impossible not to fall in love with the world they create in the evacuated town. I think the movie is only made better by being in another language: reading the subtitles, you can imagine the characters saying the lines in any way that you want. French is such a beautiful language: that, combined with the unobtrusive music, makes for a film strangely silent and beautiful. It makes me cry. Please go watch it. It's definitely one of my favorites.

Enchanting fantasy; topical allegory; classic movie
A fairy tale set in a French town caught between the opposing armies of the First World War, "King of Hearts" has lost none of its beguiling charm in the 35 years since its original release, nor has its message grown stale. Alan Bates shines as Charles Plumpick, a simple private in a Scottish regiment and perhaps the only sane man in the abandoned town. But is his world of war and brutality really any saner than the make-believe world conjured up by the escaped inmates of the town lunatic asylum, the only residents Private Plumpick encounters during his reconaissance? It is a point of view that depends entirely on one's perspective. This whimsical, gentle tale challenges the watcher to reexamine what constitutes true madness, just as the asylum characters force Pvt. Plumpick, having been to his initial discomfort acclaimed as the King of Hearts, to choose which role he prefers: king of the fools or fool for King George V? Broca directs his own screenplay with a deft touch and using a stellar cast of mostly French actors. A very young Genevieve Bujold makes one of her earliest appearances in a major picture. The English subtitles aren't the best I've seen (and unlike the VHS version, are distractingly present even during English dialogue), but far better than the awful English-dubbed version of "King of Hearts" that is sometimes broadcast or sold. (The best subtitles I have ever seen were on a print that circulated around theatres during the 1970s and 1980s, but I've never seen this version used for home video.) The score by Georges Delerue is one of his best.

Quelle Surprise! This DVD version has, without fanfare, at least two entirely new scenes in the film that I have never seen before (and I first saw this in 1977). The first is a lengthier "homily" by Monseigneur Marguerite (aka Bishop Daisy) in the church before Charles' coronation. But the real grabber is an added scene at the very end of the movie that offers a parting glance at the primary players and a final bittersweet twist. Where on earth did this footage come from, and why has it been missing from this film for so long? Does this DVD version offer a "better" ending than the familiar one? It's debateable. But it's certainly intriguing.

Best Ending Ever!
This movie has the very best ending ever. I'd like to see someone try and find a more surprising, happier, funnier ending than this one. The loonies are in town and they've found their king and my heart. This movie takes the bag. It's my father's very favorite movie and one of mine. I definitely recommend this movie.

A buck-naked skip with birdcage!
This gem should hit many different emotions for the avid viewer. A true parade of carnival characters set in an antiwar theme -- this bit of royalty of the heart brings up aTHE enigma: Is the difference between psychosis and psychic just a paper-thin line of cultural subjectivism? Is the lunacy of blowing up yet another vacant city on the path to glory any different that skipping naked down a path with a birdcage in one's hand?

This film started the boomers reading subtitles and (hopefully) brought them out of their fears of foreign film. (Don't get the dubbed version, it lacks so much charm.) Its popularity had a great deal to do with the country's mass-consciousness about the Viet Nam war; but I hope it would have found the same audience without such a catalyst.

One feels like dancing in a fountain and blowing bubbles on the back of a bus after seeing this great flick. Keep a kazoo handy; you'll want to have something to toot after the film is over and you are left to your organized sanity!

Better yet, follow it up with the 1972 release of "The Ruling Class" and have yourself a truly insane evening of jocularity.

Is there something extra on this DVD?
King of Hearts was, in my younger and more vulnerable years, one of my favorite movies, but I had not seen it in many years. In fact, I'd rather forgotten about it. Then I came across the DVD and bought it and watched it again. Still a great movie, but I was puzzled. My recollection was the final scene of the movie is Plumpick (Alan Bates) appearing at the gate of the asylum naked. Then the credits began (rather abruptly as I recollect). In the DVD, however, there is a short scene after this where Bates has joined the inmates and there is a brief exchange of dialog. I don't recall ever seeing this before, but maybe my memory is foggy. No one else seems to have mentioned this either in ... of IMDB, nor does the DVD tout a restored scene. Can anyone tell me if they recall this scene? ... Read more

Description

In one of the most colorful, sensuous, and unorthodox films ever made in the Soviet Union, the tragic tale of two lovers separated by a family feud is stunningly re-created.Superb color photography, daring direction, and a spectacular musical score made Parajanov's impressionistic treatment of a Carpathian legend a sensation all over the world. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Shadows of Forgotten Cinema
One of the few films that I've seen that has a firm grasp for purist cinematic symbolism. The imagery is advanced for its time, influentially important, and yet remains stunning in comparison with films of today; its simply amazing. It's no doubt that this filmmaker was one of the few that Tarkovsky would acknowledge as a competent contemporary. I recommend this film to anyone who wishes to be challenged by a pure cinematic dialog.

Outstanding Ukrainian Film
Film about the Ukrainians living in the Carpathian Mountains, known as Hutsuls. In Ukrainian. Beautiful imagery. The ancient Hutsul customs are still practiced today. Should be seen by anyone interested in Ukrainian people, or those planning a visit to Halychyna.

a magical moment
This is perhaps the greatest movie I have ever seen. It is sheer artistry, a release from occidental occlusion. See it!

My Favorite Movie of All Time (so far)
The first time I watched this movie, I had no idea what was going on. But the imagery was so interesting, I immediately rewound the tape and watched it again. The story began to take shape during the second viewing. Since then, I have watched this movie countless times, and I am still figuring out pieces of the story. This is not an "easy" movie. It does not provide a lot of information through dialogue. Most of the information is provided through imagery which is rich and thoroughly fine. If you are looking to extend your visual vocabulary, you will learn a lot from this film. Also check out any Tarchovsky film or "I Am Cuba" for similar visual masterpieces.

Beautiful Film
Such a wonderful film about the Ukrainian Hutsul culture. Beautiful use of imagery and symbolism. It's easy to see why this is such a popular cult film. It is also refreshing to see a film about Ukrainians done in their own language. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This 1931 film puts one of the musical theatre masterpieces of the 20th century--a slashing attack on greed, violence, and social pretension--in the visual and musical context of its origins. Musically, it omits some of Kurt Weill and Bertolt Brecht's numbers and gives to others a softer edge than the hard-hitting music took on in the last half of the century. The 1931 singers, including Weill's wife and definitive interpreter Lotte Lenya, tend to croon numbers that are snarled or barked in the definitive audio recording Lenya made and supervised in the 1950s. A comparison of the 1931 "Pirate Jenny" song, for example, with the recording a quarter-century later shows how performing styles toughened after World War II.

For those interested in performance history, this is a priceless document. For those looking for a dramatic experience, it has less impact than it would have if it were made today, but it still has plenty. This print is considerably sharper than some copies that were available before digital remastering was perfected. --Joe McLellan ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Die 3groschenoper
Everyone else has told you the entire negative about this film. However there was nothing that is not said about most films tat are adaptations of plays or books. Remember folks, this is a different media and should be judged with that criterion in mind. Now you can pick on sound and picture quality. Yet again you need to keep the time of production and copy quality in mind.

I also think that this makes a better stage play and the variations in performances intriguing. However as with listening to the radio in the car, it is the best we can do to keep the memory of the actual orchestra. So when we have to listen to Wayne Newton, we can still imagine "Mack die Messer" No time in 113 minutes for all the songs.

This play was not anti Nazi it is the other way around. The Nazi regime did not like this play because it showed how illegitimacy could rise to respectability. And as they say in "Harry Potter" books, "you know who," thought that this was too close to the truth. If you are into movies that irk Nazi's try "Westfront 1918 (1930)" Directed by Georg Wilhelm Pabst. You may have to search but it is out there.

Anyway, this is a good movie and worth watching. And watching again.

Disturbing story, silent protest of emerging Nazi regime
Kurt Weil and Bertold Brecht were known opposers of the emerging Nazi regime. "The Three Penny Opera" made it official: The artists were no longer welcome in their native Germany. -- The macabre story of Mecky Messer and his bride Polly is best known to us through the immortal song "Mack The Knife", but there is much more to this than the glorification of a serial killer. --This film appears worn; The scenes are stagy and the sound is aweful (the music played live in the background as the action was filmed!), but the message passed the test of time. I recommend this film especially to Theatre and History Majors.

Certainly not Brecht
I've seen the movie version of this, one of the best scores and scripts created in the "musical theatre genre." While Lotte Lenya and the supporting cast are very good, this version is hardly true to Brecht or his style. Apparently Brecht did not understand that by selling the screen rights to the script, he was also giving the producers liscence to do whatever the wanted with it - and he had no power over it. The endind is notably changed from any translation you are likely to find in print, and few of the best songs remain - as a matter of fact, i recall only about four or five songs in the film verison. Mr. And Mrs. Peachum, while wonderfully portrayed, are far from the middle-class underlords we love them to be - they were a mismatched pair, Mrs. Peachum in a fabulous dress, and drop earings, and Peachum looking like one of his beggars. A interesting note, though: MacHeath's gang are adorable, fun and very will played!

Not what the title promises
This is a far cry from the stage version with not only several songs missing but what seems to be a rewrite of the script and book. The acting is pre-1931--as one history of cinema puts its, a style we will never see again--and the film techniques are from the silent days. But it has some powerful moments, mostly when the Streetsinger is on screen. Among the visual highlights are the confrontation of the Army of Poor with the Queen (who looks too old to be Victoria), the marriage of Polly and Mack among the purloined furniture and trappings, and the marvelous resolution of the ex-police chief Brown, Mack, and Peachem becoming "respectable" bankers (i.e., thieves). So this is worth a good deal as a social document is but is not worth much as a musical event. (Question: if all the signs of the shops are in English, why do the Poor carry signs in German?)

awkward but historically interesting
Considering Brecht was very displeased with this film its no wonder it bears little resemblance to the stage version,flat performances ( including Lenya who must have been amazing on stage), the omission of half the score ,including solomon song, tango duet,and the lucy role altogether, the ending being changed,omitting the hanging and reprival, and poor subtitles make this a curious but ininspired production. even the time period is wrong,victoria became queen in 1832 not the 1890s! still as a film that set all of nazi germany into a flutter it has moments of great social commentary. no as many as the masterpiece stage production however. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

G.W. Pabst's 1928 silent masterpiece Pandora's Box stars the luminous and highly photogenic Louise Brooks. She plays the irresistible Lulu, a cabaret star who entices, captures, and eventually destroys all men who cross her path. Her beauty and her fetching charm draw an assortment of repressed and lonely people; Schigolch, a boozy old man who pretends he's her father, Geschwitz, a countess who has also fallen for Lulu, and Schoen, a rich tycoon who carries on an affair with Lulu even though he's to be married. His short solution is to put Lulu in his son Alwa's vaudeville show. As Alwa, too, becomes trapped in Lulu's charms, Schoen's fiancée catches Lulu and Schoen in a backstage embrace. Lulu quickly takes her place as Schoen's bride, only to drive Schoen to suicide during their wedding party. Put on trial for murder, Lulu almost gets out of it by simply batting her eyes at the prosecutor. Still, she is found guilty, and Alwa, who has grown increasingly obsessed, causes a distraction to allow Lulu's escape from the courthouse. Alwa, Lulu, and Schoen become desperate fugitives, eventually ending up in London where Lulu finally meets her match: Jack the Ripper. Pandora's Box offers pure cinematic delights--Pabst's luscious photography, the tense drama of its story line, and most impressively and importantly, Louise Brooks, who gives a performance that is certainly one of the best in the history of cinema. --Shannon Gee ... Read more

Reviews (26)

A Masterpiece
G. W. Pabst was one of the greatest directors of silent films. He had a way of working with his actors, one on one, that brought out a superior performance. Had it not been for Pabst, Louise Brooks would have been just another "flapper" actress who never made it in talkies. Pandora's Box was based on the play by Frank Wedekind that had made quite an impact, and brought the character of Lulu national attention. Finding the perfect Lulu for the film version was about as complicated as locating Scarlet O'Hare. In Louise Brooks, Pabst found the innocence and beauty that the part of Lulu demands. Pandora's Box reflects the reality that was Berlin between the world wars; sex was openly for sale. Lulu is at the same time innocent and a monster. She is disconnected from her actions, as when she kills Schoen, her reaction is detached as if she was unaware a gun could kill. The men who seek her lust after Lulu but also want to destroy her.

It is interesting that all the actors involved in making Pandora's Box hated each other, and Louise Brooks, the American who was playing "our Lulu" caught the brunt of the hatred. The tension between them contributed to the feel of the movie. Certainly, this is not a movie for everyone but it is a fascinating look at a decadent time that finds a parallel in Pabst's Diary of a Lost Girl and The Joyless Street.

There seems to be an opinion that silent films are boring. Alrfred Hitchcock thought of silent films as the only example of pure cinema. Many silent movies (the movies were never silent, there always was music) have been remake as talkies but have never been able to capture the special magic that the older version. This is true of this film. Were Pandora's Box remade today we would have the violence but none of the insight.

The silent film that aged the best
Of all the silent dramas of the '20s, perhaps none is as compelling and inherently watchable as "Pandora's Box" of 1928. Amazingly, despite its age and completely different cinematic conventions, this G.W. Pabst picture continues to influence filmmakers worldwide. Made in Weimar Germany, it stars Louise Brooks, an American actress now considered the quintessential symbol of the flapper era. If not for her presence, the film would probably never have its incredible durability and cult status. She is the inspiration for Quentin Tarantino's Mia Wallace in both personality and sheer appearance. For the source of that chic haircut, look no further than Lulu, the proto-"femme fatale" played by Brooks. In a plot that could have come right out of a modern daytime talk show, she manages to destroy the lives of virtually everyone who loves her. Lulu (an aspiring actress), is simultaneously involved with Dr. Schoen (a prominent, high-society man) and his son, while being pursued by a lesbian admirer. To make matters worse, she is "supervised" by a rather disgusting, shady, pimp-like creature impersonating her father. And that's only the beginning. The girl's circumstances become even more bizarre as the action progresses. Obviously, given such a juicy storyline, the audience could well have been treated with a dose of laughable high camp. But Pabst, through brilliant cinematography (and, incidentally, silence), manages to retain dignity and generate powerful emotions as opposed to sarcasm and mild amusement. Precisely because the characters do not speak, we have an opportunity to witness their expressions and gestures. The camera spends much time on Brooks' face, showing the wide range of her emotions: from playfulness to rebellion to despair and back again. That face is one of the most versatile (not to mention the most beautiful) in the history of cinema. At the conclusion of the film's best scene-- as Dr. Schoen's fiancee catches him red handed in Lulu's dressing room-- her competitor slowly dismounts him with a momentary smirk full of hurt and disdain, yet somehow ballsy and triumphant. Such precious and sophisticated details make "Pandora's Box" a masterpiece. The title itself is mentioned in an inevitable courtroom scene midway through the story, by a prosecutor who crudely accuses the girl of being the root of all evil. This is where the film's sociological implications make it stand out from many of its contempories. Louise does not portray a conniving temptress. On the contrary, the people around her fall prey to their inhibitions, delusions and obsessions. Essentially, she is only an indirect cause of their demise and never fully responsible. Lulu's representation as a victim of nothing but her own zest for love and life in a stagnant, repressive society, is an example of humanist cinema at its finest. Brooks' personal life was no less turbulent than her character's: after a potentially prosperous career and scores of lovers (from Chaplin to Bogart to Pabst himself), she quit the business, refusing to cooperate with its humiliating limitations and rigid standards. Fortunately for us, her name has been immortalized in an impeccable movie.

"He's the only one who wants nothing from me."
I haven't watched a silent film in years, but I've been curious about many of the great titles I'd heard about. A friend recommended trying "Pandora's Box", so I decided to give it a go. I must admit to a certain (tiny) reluctance on my part. I wondered if I'd be bored--after all, cinema has made some amazing changes, and during the Silent Era, films were at their crude beginnings.

"Pandora's Box"--in glorious black and white--was filmed in 1928 and is set in Berlin. As the title suggests, the film explores the excesses of the human vices. It's the story of a vaudeville performer, Lulu. She is in the middle of a passionate affair with newspaper tycoon, Schoen. He wants to terminate the relationship due to the small matter of his engagement to someone else. Unfortunately, he doesn't seem to know that once Lulu has her charming talons in a man, he's not going anywhere. Schoen often looks narcotized when he gazes at Lulu--he just can't help himself. He is just one in a series of men that Lulu ruins--one way or another. Lulu is surrounded by men (and one woman) who are obsessed with her. In one scene, men literally pass each other on the stairs.

Louise Brooks stars as Lulu. This was the first time I've actually seen her in a film, and she was simply amazing to watch. This actress doesn't need words--she uses her face instead. She conveys every thought running through Lulu's mind with just a slight change of mood in her eyes, a self-satisfied little smile, or a miniscule shift in body language.

Several of the scenes involved large numbers of people (I call them mob scenes)--and the best of these scenes is one that takes place behind the set of a Revue. Everything was so well choreographed. The set is at once so busy--complete madness and mayhem--yet at the same time, the scene is very tightly controlled with expert precision. It's just an amazing sequence.

The music accompanying the action is appropriate and timely. Many characters have their own signature tune--Lulu's theme, for example, conveys a certain languid, seductive, discordant eroticism. This film was a complete change of pace for me, and I enjoyed it immensely. In spite of the film's age, the quality of the film was good, and the story seems surprisingly fresh--displacedhuman

Way overdue for DVD treatment!
I watched "Diary of a Lost Girl" a while back, and absolutely cannot get Louise Brooks' face out of my mind. I'd buy "Pandora's Box" on DVD in a heartbeat! Kino and Image, are you listening?

Silent Masterpiece.
Growing up in Rochester, New York, I was lucky enough to spend many occasions at The Dryden Theater, of The George Eastman House, which has one of the largest film libraries and preservations in the world. It was there that I became acquainted with this film. It was not, however, my first introduction to Louise Brooks, though I had no idea at the time that the little old lady I used to deliver prescriptions to was an icon of the dawn of an art form. She lived a modest life in her tiny apartment on the second floor of an old Victorian house (which, at that time, was just an old house), in a run-down, dangerous, city neighborhood. And, when I was told that she had once been a famous actress, I, being the dreamer that I was, found that very glamorous and romantic. Though I would have loved to talk to her about her part in the movie world, a world I readily escaped to in order to avoid the bleakness around me, my then extreme shyness, youth, and the intimidation I now felt in her mere presence prevented me from doing so. She worked a counter at our Sibleys Department store downtown, until age and illness overcame her, and lived in almost total anonymity, forgotten. When I finally saw "Pandoras Box", in the dark on that big screen, it was with an overwhelming feeling of respect and awe at the luminous magic of this actress. Director Pabst was a mentor to Brooks as Von Stroheim was to Dietrich, and in this film he creates Brooks most famous role. Enough has been said about the plot, and the daring for that time characters. So I will only say I recommend viewing this beautiful film not only to enjoy it, but out of respect to something that deserves to be preserved. It is pleasing to see that there are apparently many who still appreciate these early works, when the art form was new, exciting, and creative, three qualities which the current movie industry is almost entirely devoid of. If you want to learn more about the legendary screen presence that was Louise Brooks, read her auto-biography "Lulu In Hollywood", or Kenneth Tynans essay on her, which was what regenerated an interest in this shamelessly forgotten star. Or, best yet, watch her films, of which "Pandoras Box" is the most classic and timeless. ... Read more

Description

High-Definition transfer, with new electronic subtitles. A pre-cursor to Francois Truffaut's 400 Blows and a major influence on the French New Wave. From one of the most intriguing personas in film history.

Much more than simply a classic of world cinema, Zero de Conduite's blend of pure joy and anarchist satire will burn itself into your memory forever. Set in a boarding school outside Paris, four young boys secretly plot to subvert the grotesque and oppressive administration led by an overly dignified midget in full formal wear, and a headmaster and dormitory monitor appropriately named Fishface and the Creep. Such an anarchistic vision so upset French authorities that the film was banned for over ten years, and only reappeared after Jean Vigo's untimely death at the age of 29. This tender and ferocious elegy to youthfulness has been previously available in unwatchable bootleg versions. We are proud to be offering this masterpiece in a new transfer, which illuminates the wonderful absurdities of Vigo's world. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Beautiful, surreal view of the life of young children
Jean Vigo excels in presenting life as a sort of surreal dream, with bits of humanity scattered throughout. In 'Zero In Conduct', it seems he finally gets to live out a fantasy of childhood rebellion, probably one in which many have shared. There are many beautiful and innovative shots, including the gorgeous slow-motion march through the falling feathers. It occurred to me that Francois Truffaut may have seen this film before he made 'The 400 Blows'. Highly recommended for fans of 'L'Atalante', however the 'International Film Series' version sold here at Amazon is a very low-quality print, so be careful.

Strange and wonderful
Imagine a film directed by a small child who was also a cinematic genius, or by a Martian who had never seen a movie except "L'Age D'Or" and the complete works of Charlie Chaplin ...

"Zero de Conduite" is the most authentic picture of the world of childhood ever committed to celluloid: luminous, surreal, shocking, lyrical, sensual, rebellious, innocent, cruel, and very funny. It's really impossible to describe - but see it, and you'll dream it for the rest of your life.

If you love it, rush out in search of "L'Atalante", the only other feature Vigo made before his early death.

Vigo = Genius
This is the best film about the beauty of revolt. The pillow fight scene is the best, and I might add that this film made my school years .... much more understandable, as well as bareable. I presume viewers will feel the same. ... Read more