Amazon.com

The first gymnast to ever score a perfect 10 at the Olympics was Nadia Comaneci. From a small town in Romania, Nadia (Leslie Weiner, in her only feature film role) rose to international stardom. Under the coaching guidance of Bela Karoli, she pushed herself with the will of a champion. This movie does a wonderful job of showing how hard gymnasts must work as well as showing how much they must give up in their personal lives in order to achieve success. After winning three gold medals at the 1976 Olympics, her life spins out of control when Bela is removed as her coach. For the first time in her life she is on her own, she is the object of jealousy from her teammates, and her weight is out of control. She seeks out her former coach and asks for his help. Together they put Nadia back on the winning track. A family film with a lot to offer, Nadia shows in a credible way the highs and lows of celebrity. The gymnastics portions are terrific. A must if there's a budding gymnast or gymnastic enthusiast in your home. Made in 1984 for television. (Ages 5 to adult) --Peggy Maltby-Etra ... Read more

Reviews (43)

Where's the rest of the movie?
I bought this VHS for my daughter, who is starting gymnastics lessons on the fall. While it was a good introduction to gymnastics for her, I can't help but feel really cheated. There is a LOT missing from this VHS version! There are scenes that abruptly cut off without explanation. There is a nice scene in the beginning where Nadia meets another little gymnast, they do an impromptu gymnastics routine together and lie on the mat and talk. That entire scene was cut out, so you're left not even knowing that they are friends. The was a lot more missing - more towards the end, that I realized after the film was over. I'm not sure why they didn't just release the film in its entirety, but it left the viewer with a feeling that character development was rather shallow, and it was more like a quick after-school special than a "bio", which is what the original version was. I would suggest waiting for this to eventually reappear on cable, rather than buying this version if you want something complete.

From what I've seen, it's pretty good
I saw a small part of this movie on the Internet, and from what I saw, it was pretty good. I just wish I could see the whole movie!

The gymnastic sequences were very well done, although some of the editing was pretty bad.

If you can get your hands on this movie, than I think you should see it, because it deserves to be seen.

Good!
I remember watching this movie about Romanian Gymnast Nadia Comaneci when it first aired on TV and for a made for TV movie it was pretty good though some scenes were a bit rushed but I'm disappointed to hear that that when they put the movie on video they edited it and cut things out but maybe someday a restored version will be released on DVD. I see that there is some complaints that this movie didn't cover her comeback and her move to America but that is because this movie was made before her comeback and her move to America so that is why it's not mentioned in this but maybe someday an updated movie will be made about her.

Good Film
I saw this movie when it was on TV and loved it! My sister and I taped it and must have watched it over 100 times! We knew every routine, every line, etc. Then I went to College with tape in hand and taped over it on accident. I was absolutely devastated until I found it on-line! I am so excited to get this movie back in my hands again. I read that this is an edited version, but I think that'll be ok.

Decent portrayal
I felt the movie could've used a little more gymnastics action, and a little more of Nadia's come back from adversity. Also, little Teodora reminds me of another past Romanian star, Alexandra Marinescu. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Light on story, this 1966 spectacle directed by John Frankenheimer was shot in 70 millimeter, with a cinematically enthralling emphasis on unique, visceral new ways of capturing the sensations of a car race. James Garner, Eva Marie Saint, Yves Montand, and Toshiro Mifune are part of the stellar, international cast whose characters plod through assorted relationship and business conflicts. But the film's real hook is the thrilling and inventive means by which Frankenheimer (The Manchurian Candidate) brings an urgency to the drama happening on the racetrack. A true master of the plastic techniques of obtaining and cutting kinetic footage, Frankenheimer offers more than a joyride to viewers: he makes action part of the compelling language of stories. Cameras are strapped to vehicles as they round the track, shots are taken from a helicopter, the screen is split between angles for maximum impact--even if Grand Prix doesn't rank among the director's best character-driven stories, it is certainly driven on its own terms. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (53)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Description

Academy Award(R)-winner Denzel Washington (Best Actor, TRAINING DAY, 2001) gives a victorious performance in this stirring and uplifting film. REMEMBER THE TITANS is a rousing celebration of how a town torn apart by resentment, friction, and mistrust comes together in triumphant harmony. The year is 1971. After leading his team to 15 winning seasons, football coach Bill Yoast (Will Patton) is demoted and replaced by Herman Boone (Washington), tough, opinionated, and as different from the beloved Yoast as he could be. How these two men overcome their differences and turn a group of hostile young men into champions, plays out in a remarkable and triumphant story full of soul and spirit. You and your family will never forget the Titans. ... Read more

Reviews (209)

You will remember the titans...
No matter whether you're a fan of sports or not, Remember the Titans is an incredibly inspiring film.
Based on a true story, it is set in 1971 at TC Williams High School, a school that is about to intergrate white and balck students for the first time.
The school's football team meet pre-season, and the separate white and balck groups must learn to get along under the guidance of Coach Herman Boon (Denzel Washington).
What follows is a remarkably touching and powerful story, that mixes tragedy and success.
Great acting by all involved, especially the black members of the cast, who are funny and add something else to an already 5-star film.
For movie fans of all genres, Remember the Titans is a great movie that will inspire you and having you watch it again and again. This is the greatest sports film ever made, and it is sure to have watching intently from beginning to end.

A MOVING STORY OF HEROIC DETERMINATION
Denzel Washington is Coach Boone, a black football coach who finds himself in unfamiliar territory when he is appointed head coach of a high school team in its first year of intergration. When the fomer coach Yoast agrees to be his assistant it seems that turmoil and not determination will rule the squad.

Boone's determination to win is only outmatched by his drive for racial harmony within the team and coaching staff. By forcing his players to interact he creates bonds and friendships. Throughout all of this he knows he must win or his tenure as head coach will be short lived. He must not only battle the racial tension in the team, but in the town as well. Only his sheer will can guide his team to the promised land.

The movie is an outstanding piece of cinema. It adresses a social issue with raw emotional power. It teaches a lesson without screaming it in your face. The acting is without a doubt full of some of the best performances of the year to not have been recognized by Oscar and the likes. While Denzel Washington and Will Patton are phenomenal the show is stolen by the members of the team. Watch this film and you will get the point. An emotional five star film worth watching again and again.

Hands down, one of the greatest movies I ever watched.
Believe it or not, I never even heard of this movie until recently. I'm not a big sports fan, or a sport movie fan so when my boyfriend brough this over to watch, I was less than thrilled.

However, once it started, I was captivated by it.

The movie is made even better based on the fact it is based on a true story. The jist of it is this... Herman Boone, played by Denzel Wahsinton perfectly, takes over as new head coach at a high school that has been desegregated. Naturally, the town has mixed reactions.

We watch as Boone, uses tactics that neither the players, the parents, the townsfolk or even his assistant coaches like to force the players to not only become a team but also respect each other as people. We watch as friendships form, and as a team forms.

Eventually we watch as the winning football team, and essentially Boone brings the town together.

This movie brings something to the table for everyone. I laughed, I cried, I even cheered during the games. A must see!

A CLASSIC FOOTBALL MOVIE
this movie is not only very compelling but also has good morals involving racism ,alcohol, and it rele shows how people of different backgrounds can come together when circumstances get rough. this movie is probally for ages 10 -and up because its a lil slow if you are too young to understand the concept of racism and football if you like good drama movies or football movies watch this movie its a legend itself as the titans were in the movie. a small town highschool breaks the color barrior having both whites and blacks on one team some players accept it and others dont and there black coach (denzel washington who plays an excellant part ) gets threats but still coaches his team to victory REMEMBER TO WATCH THIS MOVIE

We need more family movies.
I thought this was a great movie. It was a movie that my kids could watch with me. However, the one thing racism)they are trying to conquer in the movie, still lives on today. I would recommend this movie to anyone. It was a great movie. ... Read more

Reviews (290)

For those fans who love old-fashioned MOVIE-movies!
What a marvelous film. An absolutely picture-perfect recreation of a era not recently seen in modern film...the Depression.
I had no idea that in the year 1938, this horse occupied more column inches in the newspapers than Roosevelt (#2) or Hitler (#3). One out of three Americans heard the climactic match race on the radio. 40 million people.
Nowadays, it seems we can't even get one out of three Americans to vote.
The story is well summarized in other reviews.
I'd like to point out an amazing effort by the writer/director Gary Ross. There are so many delightful moments...thoughtful touches that "tell the story" in most powerful ways. And this is a great story told VERY well.
The inter-jockey interplay during actual races is terrific. A decision to NOT show a tragic event on-screen, followed by agonizingly silent segments, are far more effective than a traditional special-effect-and-sweeping-orchestral-flourish moment. Horse races are always cleanly conveyed...you know who's where, and what our jockey is thinking.
"Our jockey" being Red Pollard, sharply portrayed by Tobey Maguire. Even better is Chris Cooper. Although he finally has received recognition from the industry, I don't think the public knows how truly gifted he is. He's a joy to watch.
Jeff Bridges, as usual, is solid. He normally elevates his material above it's source, but here he doesn't have to. Ross' screenplay is witty, poetic...it has depth and detail.
As the director, Ross does the same from behind the camera. Just as poetic, with lovely images, thrilling racing sequences, some drop-dead gorgeous vistas...well done Mr. Ross!
Everything from the production design, to the cinematography, to the music (can Randy Newman EVER do wrong?) is so "right" for this movie, that you won't notice it until after the credits roll.
You're WAY too busy being caught up in the tale of this amazing horse, his owner, his trainer and his jockey.
There are very few guarantees in the movie biz. If you have a fondness for the type of movies "they don't make anymore", you will enjoy this film. Guaranteed.

A Triple Crown Winner
Writer/director Gary Ross has made a triumphant film out of Laura Hillenbrand's beloved bestseller. Like the original author, Ross gathers the strands of his story slowly, showing how the lives of three initially unrelated people - an owner, a trainer and a jockey - converge at a single point, the racehorse phenomenon known as Seabiscuit.

Both Hillenbrand and Ross have conceived of Seabiscuit as a metaphor for his time, a beacon of hope and inspiration for a despairing, Depression-ravaged nation. He is certainly that and more for the three troubled men whose lives he touches, providing each with the opportunity to overcome immense odds, achieve some form of redemption, and put some meaning back into his life.

Given its "inspirational" subject matter, "Seabiscuit" could easily have dissolved into little more than a sappy "feel-good" movie. Luckily for us, the low-keyed approach Ross has taken towards the material purges it of sentimentality. The movie is upbeat and heartwarming, yet we rarely feel as if the film is pushing our buttons in any obviously manipulative way. Much of the credit goes to Jeff Bridges, Chris Cooper and Tobey Maguire, three superb actors who know how to underplay their parts to achieve maximum effect. William H. Macy provides a wonderful comic turn as the hilariously overwrought and corny racetrack announcer who reflects the gee-whiz tone of a nation captivated by this amazing animal.

Visually, the film is superb, thanks to John Schwarztman's lovely cinematography, which imbues the bucolic 1930's setting with a kind of nostalgic glow, as well as to the handsome art direction and costume design that perfectly capture the look of the era. The horserace sequences have been masterfully staged and edited and rank with the best ever put on film.

"Seabiscuit," clearly one of the best mainstream movies of 2003, is a true first place finisher.

Seabiscuit's a loser
This movie is stunningly awful. Hollywood took an exciting and terse book and poured five cans of sugar over it. Each component of the film, barring the acting, is terrible. Randy Newman cartoonishly narrates the movie with a ridiculous "period" score and yet, out of nowhere, a track from Moby's over-sampled PLAY appears. The completely misguided voice-over narrative attempts to give the film some historical legitimacy and extra weight. All it does is add gravity to and repeatedly stall the momentum of what should have been a balls out movie. This movie lacks every quality that the horse, as described in the book, had. Its cinematography is grossly opulent, the screenplay is stuffed with self-importance, and the film moves at a snail's pace. One hour into the film and NOTHING HAS HAPPENED. Gary Ross, creator of the equally maudlin and hit-you-in-the-face-with-a-message Pleasantville, keeps the unnecessary history of the three principle characters at the expense of, incredibly, some of the horse races. Worst of all are the horse-racing segments themselves. The races are strangely uninvolving, and knowing that in most shots Tobey Maguire isn't actually on the horse detaches the viewer from the experience. By the end, I started skipping chapters of the DVD and found that doing so made ZERO DIFFERENCE except for the pleasure of knowing I'd kept twenty minutes of my life from being trapped on the back of this lame Seabiscuit. Someone should bar Tobey Maguire and Gary Ross from coming within one hundred feet of each other, because the results of their meetings are excruciating for American movie goers.

GREAT MOVIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
BEST MOVIE EVER!!! EVERYONE HAS TO SEE IT!!!

A Conversation With Señor Droll, God of Saltines.
Señor Droll, may I ask you if it was the begining and the end of imagination, at the same time? Exactly how many declarative sentences are required to effectively preface a movie? Do you make exceptions for movies about Seabiscuit? Ah.... I didn't think so... so what would you rate this movie? What? only... two and a half stars? What about the John Cleese cameo, doesn't that count for something? Why not? I've heard he's very tall... OH, aren't YOU Señor grumpypants...we'll see if I ever listen to you again... ah, and toby mcguire ruins jeff bridges too? jesus! will it never end?!?!?!!?!? More Tacky Sentimental Crup? Try Try Try Harder, Again, Again? AGAIN?!?! well gosh, does nothing fail to bore you? I suppose so. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

A phenomenal hit when it was released in 1989, Field of Dreams has become a modern classic and a uniquely American slice of cinema. It functions effectively as a moving drama about the power of dreams, a fantasy ode to our national pastime, and a brilliant adaptation of W.P.Kinsella's exquisite baseball novel Shoeless Joe. Kinsella himself found the film a delightful surprise, differing greatly from his novel but benefiting from its own creative variations. It is the film that cemented Kevin Costner's status as an all-American screen star, but the story resonates far beyond Costner's handsome appeal. As just about everyone knows by now, Costner stars as Iowa farmer Ray Kinsella, who hears the mysterious words "If you build it, he will come," and is compelled to build a baseball diamond in the middle of his cornfield. His wife (Amy Madigan) supports the wild idea, but a reclusive novelist (modeled after J.D. Salinger and played by James Earl Jones) is not so easily persuaded. The idealistic farmer is either a visionary or a deluded fool, but his persistence is rewarded when spirits from baseball's past begin appearing on the ball field. Past and present intermingle in the person of "Moonlight Graham" (superbly played by Burt Lancaster), an unknown player who sacrificed his dreams of baseball glory for a dignified life as a small-town physician ... but what all of this means is unclear until the film's memorably heartfelt conclusion. A meditation on family, memory, and faith, the film balances humor and magic to strike just the right chord of thoughtful emotion, affecting audiences so deeply that the baseball field created for the production has now become a mecca of sorts for dreamers around the world. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (149)

One of Costner's Best Movies
This ranks as one of my favorite movies of all time. You don't have to be a baseball fan to appreciate the nostalgia and warm heartedness this movie brings to the big screen - well little screen in the case of the DVD. It's part ghost story, part fantasy, part nostalgia. It's also about redemption and the fulfillment of dreams.

The story begins when Ray Kinsella, a reluctant Iowa farmer, although he won't admit he's reluctant, starts hearing a voice telling him "build it and he will come." Ray dreams, ponders and finally plows under many acres of his crop to build a baseball field on his farm, against all rational logic. And the magic begins. This magic takes Ray on a strange quest in search of a '60s radical holed up in a New York City apartment writing children's books played by James Earl Jones - to tell why would spoil the movie. But suffice it to say Jones ends up with one of the most memorable "speeches" in the movie about the nostalgia of baseball.

It's hard to really do justice to the plot without spoiling the movie but it will at times give you chills and in the end is very uplifting.

Grand Slam
On the surface, Field Of Dreams, seems like it belongs as an epidsode of The Twilight Zone. The cynic in me takes it one step further, and says, "there's no way I can buy into this sentimental hockum". As I watched the film for the first time, all of those concerns melted away, leaving me with a sense of wonder...normally reserved for children

Iowa farmer Ray Kinsella (Kevin Costner) is inspired by a voice he can't ignore that will take him on a journey that will change his life forever. Supported by his wife Annie (Amy Madigan), Ray begins his special quest by turning a portion of his cornfields into a baseball diamond. Along the way he meets reclusive activist Terence Mann (James Earl Jones), the mysterious 'Doc' Graham (Burt Lancaster) and even the legendary 'Shoeless Joe' Jackson (Ray Liotta).

Adapted from W.P. Kinsella's novel "Shoeless Joe", director Phil Alden Robinson, has created a fine tribute to the sport of Baseball, the fans who love the game, and more importantly, it's a metaphor about father's and sons everywhere. Aside from a handfull of films, I don't really think of Kevin Costner, as a good actor. As Ray though, he gives one of the best perfomances of his career, ideally capturing the sense of wonder I talked about earlier. Of course it doesn't hurt that James Earl Jones and Burt Lancaster are there to back you up. Both men add so much to the film, giving a sense of realism and warmth, that may have seemed artificial had lesser actors been cast. As Joe Jackson, Liotta is very effective and I had forgotten just how good he can be in a non gangster/bad guy role. For more on the life of Joe Jackson and the World Series scandal that rocked the sport, be sure to watch Eight Men Out, another winner. Field Of Dreams also boasts one of composer James Hornor's best scores.

I don't really know why I never picked up the Collector's Edition of the DVD. But after watching the Anniversary Edition 2 disc set, all I can say is, I'm glad I waited. The remastered picture and 5.1 sound very clean transfers and work well on either my TV, or, my speaker enhanced PC. The audio commentary with Robinson and the film's director of photography John Lindley is very good. Both men are well spoken, never dull, and clearly respected the source material In keeping with the father/son themes I spoke of, I especially enjoyed "...Passing Along the Pastime" - memories of father and son baseball as recounted by the director, star, and major league baseball players. The newly discovered deleted scenes are mostly throwaway stuff that was wisely cut. I was surprised to learn while watching "The Diamond in the Husks", that the baseball set made for the film still exists, and attracts tourists every year. We also get to visit the Minnesota home town of Moonlight Doc Graham. "A Look Inside Field of Dreams is a new 90-minute documentary on the film and its lasting appeal. Also included is a 48 minute segment of the Bravo channel series "From Page to Screen" on the movie. The "Field of Dreams Roundtable", with Costner and former baseball players, including Bret Saberhagen talk about the state of the game and the film. Trivia buffs will really like the topper to the set, fun facts about America's stadiums.

Field Of Dreams is not your typical "sports" movie. Indeed, it's much more than that...Even though, I never had the chance as kid to pitch baseballs with my dad, the movie allows me to dream that I can...

Sentimental nonsense
Sports fans tend to be both nostalgiac and sentimental and sports movies tend to fall into the same trap. This movie is a perfect example of why sports, and especially baseball, rarely makes for great cinematic subject matter. Corny, predictable and manipulative- perhaps baseball fans might enjoy it, but I can't imagine anyone else sitting through it.

It was you. -- No, it was YOU.
When I attended the Writers' Workshop at the University of Iowa, we were given one rule: "Never write about Christmas, the circus or baseball." The reasoning was that these three topics were just too ingrained in the American psyche, they were too iconic, and that they had been used too often. Well, I'm glad that Ray Kinsella (author of the book "Field of Dreams") and screenwriter Phil Alden Robinson didn't attend the Iowa Writers' Workshop.

FIELD OF DREAMS is a marvelous examination of America's infatuation with baseball and a moving exploration of family loyalties. Ray (as sensitively played by Kevin Costner) has a loving wife (Amy Madigan, making it look so easy) and a doting daughter, but something is missing. A voice tells him that he must build a baseball field in his corn crop (in Iowa!). When he does, the apparition of Shoeless Joe Jackson (Ray Liotta) shows up to play. What follows is a series of baseball adventures on and off Ray's baseball diamond, as well as in and out of the present day. Eventually, it becomes apparent that what was missing in Ray's life can only be addressed through baseball, and through a cultural icon from his past, played by the ubiquitous James Earl Jones.

When everything is resolved, there's a bit of throwaway dialogue that, in reality, is very moving. "It was you," Ray tells Shoeless Joe Jackson in reference to the voice he'd heard early in the film. "No, it was YOU," Jackson replies, indicating that
Ray's conscience prompted the entire adventure. Don't let anyone tell you that FIELD OF DREAMS is just a baseball movie. That would be like someone telling you that baseball is just a game.

1989 Classic And Kevin Costner's Best Film
On DVD, the movie is loaded with extra features including commentary, interviews, trailer, etc. This was on Channel 7 last week. Kevin Costner stars as a suburban family man who is hearing voices. "If you built it they will come". The voices keep changing their messages and lead him in pursuit of the gathering of baseball legends who have passed away. The goal is to establish a "field of dreams" a baseball park with old pros playing and a magic working on its audience. And it did for many people when this movie was released in 1989. Too many, it was a movie about hope, following your dreams and persistence. Kevin Costner is doing a terrific performance and is perhaps doing his greatest role. He was merely a romantic lead in the early 90's "The Bodyguard" with Whitney Houston and he was not as committed in "Dances With Wolves" which though the right kind of movie for him was not as interesting enough a character as he is in this movie. Other than this movie, his only fine role was in J.F.K. In this film, he plays a dedicated and persistent dreamer who discovers that indeed dreams come true if you hold fast. A great job by all the actors, including James Earl Jones (the voice of Darth Vader in Star Wars) as the hermit and elusive author Terrence Mann, who wrote books in the 60's advocating love and peace. He is supposedly modeled after J.D. Salinger. The chemistry between James Earl Jones and Kevin Costner, especially in the scene in which Costner attempts to pursuade him to join him to a baseball game is exceptional. Magical and unexpected things start to happen as the voices carry him onward through his mission, including a trip back in time to 1972. Bring the magic home in this remarkable DVD. It's as much an adult's movie as it is for the whole family. It's almost a Disney film. Five stars. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

an unfairly treated ELVIS " movie.
from the very first time i saw this film, i've been convinced that Elvis can act as well as sing. Unfortunately, he was not given too many chances to do so. His performance is credible, noteworthy, and unforgettable. The up-state NEW YORK scenery is beautiful,the veteran actors also in the movie- GIG YOUNG, CHARLES BRONSON, ED ASNER, all give outstanding performances.
The songs may have been few, KING OF THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD, I GOT LUCKY, etc, but still Elvis at his best.This movie is my favorite Elvis flick hands down. PLEASE MGM produce this movie on DVD FULLSCREEN AND WIDESCREEN 5:1 DOLBY DIGITAL . DO IT SOON, FOR I WANT TO ADD IT TO MY COLLECTION. THANKS,oldugly1911

Not enough meat on the bones
This was Elvis' first "bad" movie, in my opinion. The reasons for this lie in the awkward, and unnecessary, interpolation of musical numbers which bear little relevance to the on-screen action. While the film has a nice look, the locale is especially pleasant, and the supporting cast is good (particularly Gig Young) "Kid Galahad" strays from its original dramatic source to focus more on current youth fads such as tight sweaters and the Twist.
The film is burdened with lightweight, disposable songs (with the exception of "King of the Whole Wide World"), and concentrates more on standard boy-girl frolics than on the central dramatic story of a seriously gifted prize-fighter. Even with Charles Bronson and an uncredited Ed Asner in the supporting cast (indicating that the original intention was to make a solid action-drama film)"Kid Galahad" is the first serious mis-step in Elvis's film catalogue. With few exceptions, his subsequent films virtually jettisoned drama in favour of pop-gloss.

Elvis' best from United Artists.
"Kid Galahad" stars Elvis as an ex-G.I. who comes back to his hometown in upper state New York. Beautiful scenery, I might add. He wants to be an auto mechanic after returning from the Army, but instead he's reluctantly roped into being trained to be a boxer. Elvis has an anvil-fist and an iron jaw. Soon, he becomes boxing champ nicknamed "Kid Galahad". Joan Blackman returns and plays Elvis' love interest and the sister of the boxing camp owner Gig Young. Great picture formula, great songs and beautiful and breathtaking mountain scenery. Recommend this must-see to everyone.

Excellent Boxing Movie
KID GALAHAD (1962) is an excellent boxing movie. If you liked the ROCKY series, you will enjoy this movie of an ex-GI who has a winning knock-out punch. Elvis is credible as a boxer. The rags to riches story also rings true.

The opening scene is unforgettable with Elvis riding on the back of a Mayflower truck singing KING OF THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD. There are six songs including I GOT LUCKY.

This is a remake of a 1937 movie that starred Humphrey Bogart and Edward G. Robinson. The 1937 version was directed by Michael Cutiz who directed Casablanca and the Elvis movie King Creole. The movie examines the corruption of boxing and the gambling and crime associated with it.

Oscar-winner Gig Young is excellent as the promoter and DEATH WISH's Charles Bronson gives a spectacular performance as the trainer.

Elvis' acting is very good here. The song sequences are excellent especially one where Elvis and Young and Bronson are riding in a jalopy that Elvis restored and then painted red.

A man who can sing when he ain't got a thing, he's the king of the whole wide world. Indeed. Nobody proved it better than Elvis, the King of Rock and Roll and the Artist of the Century.

Kid Galahad- A Pleasant Surprise
I have not seen the original "Kid Galahad", but this one was very good, compared to anything, not just Elvis' other movies. I wouldn't agree with the "Oh well, at least it's not as bad as his others" angle that many seem to take. I think anyone would enjoy it. It has a good cast surrounding Elvis, most notably Gig Young and Charles Bronson. This movie also further proves that Elvis was a good actor, given the chance. The whole movie just seems to click, somehow. And about the songs, give them a break! It's an Elvis movie. The man can sing! Let him! Be thankful it wasn't a musical. It had a few songs, yes, but that fact is not nearly as annoying as others try to paint it. It had a great depiction of the corruption of the boxing industry, and some good fighting scenes. Elvis looked like he enjoyed his part and was interested, contrary to many other opinions, and by no means was he "chubby". He was very well-built, and worked with a real-life boxing trainer, who said that Elvis could've been a professional fighter. So anyone who says he wasn't convincing as a boxer should take a second look. Watch this movie, not compared to anything, but just as the movie itself, and there's a big chance you'll enjoy it. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

One Of The Few Movies About Golf
This is a good biopic about golf immortal Ben Hogan, master of the repetitive swing and accurate beyond belief. It reflects the dramatic standards of 1951, however, and you just have to know that Ben and wife Valerie CRINGED when they saw some of the onscreen exchanges between Glen Ford and Anne Baxter.

Hogan himself hit the golf shots for this film, and you can easily see how masterful he was. The Beatles later wrote a theme song for "Follow the Sun," but there was never enough demand to substantiate a re-release of the movie updated with that musical addition.

Classic B&W Hogan
Hogan is such a mysterious man. Ford tells an adequate job of portraying him, aloof and intense, always polite and maticulously dressed.

The coverage of the accident and rehab is great. Thought maybe the opening of the caddie segment of his life could have been done with little more "up close and personal touch," since this seemed to affect Ben so much.

Sampson's book "Hogan" provides a worthy reference to read along with this video. Heard that there was to be a new attempt at Hogan's story with Kevin Kostner playing Ben.

Neat to have one narrated by Crenshaw or Kris Tschetter and those who actually knew the guy (for sure, Venturi!) Done right, could be great!

Follow the Sun
It has been many years since watching Follow the Sun. This is a motivational movie for any young golfer to watch. It is about faith and persistance.

As a young man this picture had a major influence on my life. When it is available for sale again, I will be the first to buy a copy. ... Read more

Amazon.com

A bleak, but powerful 1960 British film that ranks as one of the most important United Kingdom imports of the decade. Director Tony Richardson (Tom Jones) tells the story of a rebellious social misfit and petty thief played by Tom Courtenay (The Dresser) who is picked to run on the track team at a reform school for boys. He finds he must balance his spirit and desire to win with his anger and frustration at the life he has led. At times a wrenching character study with no easy answers, Courtenay's performance is a touching portrait of a young man and the journey he takes as he tries to run not only for an unclear future, but from a past he cannot forget. A film indicative of the working class expressionism that came out of England in the early 1960s, Richardson's films stands alone as a downbeat, but insightful story of one man's struggle to determine who he is. --Robert Lane ... Read more

Reviews (7)

The British version of The Longest Yard
This was the story later used in the American film with Burt Reynolds, The Longest Yard. British actor, Tom Courtenay, in his first major film role plays the downcast, but likeable youth from the seedy side of town.

Courtenay's character is saturated with events in his life for which he has no control. He lives in poverty, his father dies, his mother's waiting in the wings-boyfriend is a jerk, and he has no job skills or future. He is ultimately placed in a youth detention facility where he finds, to his warden's joy, that he has athletic ability. He is ambivalent about this skill, but he can obtain privileges and possible early freedom if only he wins the running trophy for the warden.

The Burt Reynolds film, centered on his character developing an interest in his fellow prisoners to decide on how to respond to the warden's promised rewards and punishments. The British version focuses almost completely on the character's internal conflict. Ultimately, his decision is based on how he could best gain an aspect of control in his life. His decision is based not for his peers, and not for the authorities, but for his own sense of self. Aspects of the youth prison may seem funny by today's standard, but the story remains fresh and interesting. I highly recommend it.

I cant believe its still not on DVD!
This is one of the great classics that I watch every couple of years. It has no Hollywood cosmetics. The people look and feel very real and there is truth to their emotions. It's such a great movie I can't believe its not on DVD yet!
You certainly get the feeling you've ran a mile in his shoes and that it was worth the ride.

"Rebel with a Pause"
This British film is a stark masterful portrayal of a young working class man, and the urban world he is trapped inside. The black and white photography lends a honest depiction of his tough bare existence. Colin watches his foolish widowed mother fritter away her meagre inheritance, and he seems to be as incarcerated in this world, as in the reform school he ends up in, after a bungled robbery. His stolen cash, stashed away in a drain pipe at the front door, floats out during a rainy day at the very feet of a detective making inquiries at his house. So it goes for Colin, a man trapped at every turn. His life gets a lift when he joins the cross country team at the reform school. The scenes of him running freely through the woods during meets are poetry on film. Colin lashes out against his fate and lot with one bold pause at the end. His expression as he stands there is priceless. This film's images will last with the viewer for a life time. This is great art.

The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner
Tony Richardon's grim evocation of the experience of one bottom feeder at the low base of Britain's crumbling class pyramid features editing as harsh - and cinematically effective, especially in the film's well-placed flahsbacks - as this story of hard-bitten young Colin Smith (grittily portrayed by Tom Courtenay). For a petty theft Smith is sentenced to borstal (reform school) where his speed in the long distance run elevates him, in the eyes of his inmate brethren, to become the "guvnor's blue-eyed boy", because the warden's goal is to win the special long distance running cup in the borstal's trial athletic competition against an upper-class public school. Smith finds himself trapped between the guvnor's self-serving, manipulative solicitude and the class-based peer pressure of his borstal mates. Courtenay plays out Smith's repsonse to his dilemma with breathless, bristling, teeth-clenched defiance that the film, grippingly, doesn't reveal until its withering dénouement.

Avis Bunnage lends a biting performance as Smith's mother: a woman hardened by her straitened life circumstance as the working class widow of a resentful factory worker, struggling on welfare to raise her children in a grimy, shabbily built, claustrophobic low-income dwelling. Alec McCowen, as the borstal's pyschologist, deftly adds depth to the story as a well-meaning advocate of fresh approaches to rehabilitating inmates, whose efforts are trumped by the warden's timeworn methods. As the warden Michael Redgrave communicates all that's right - and wrong - about the upper reaches of the class pyramid.

Developed from a short story by Alan Sillitoe (author of Saturday Night and Sunday Morning, and screenwriter of that eponymous 1961 film), rooted in industrial Nottigham, filmed in sooty, bleak black & white, 1962's The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner may, in 2002, feel a bit dated, yet its theme of the bottom-of-the-food-chain working class individual clamped in the maws of animals and powers beyond his influence remains trenchant, timeless and thought-provoking.

There is more than one way to win the race
I saw this British film when it first came out in 1962 and never forgot it. I even remember an argument I had with my aunt about its controversial theme - that of an alienated angry young man who defiantly refuses to conform to the system. Shot in black and white, the video stars Tom Courtenay as a working class Nottingham youth who is sent to a reformatory because of a robbery. Michael Redgrave is cast as the warden, referred to as the "governor" as this is a British film. It is a modern reformatory, and plans are being made to for it to compete in sports with a private school. The long distance run is considered the biggest prize and Courtenay is granted special privileges as he stands out as someone who could actually win. He's allowed to take long runs outside of the reformatory gates each day, and the cinematography here is outstanding. During these runs, Courtenay experiences flashbacks of his life and we see a picture of its grimness. We see his anger at the system and admire him for belief in his ideals. And yet we also want him to win the race and move into a more privileged life. Finally the day of the run arrives. And young Courtenay makes his decision. It is startling and yet something we can understand. No wonder it's haunted me all these years.

Now, watching the video all these years later, I found it a little slow for my taste, especially since I already knew the ending. And, also, as with many British films on video, I sometimes wish there were subtitles. But this is a film that makes me think. I think about choices I've made in my own life. I think about how they turned out. And I think about the message of the film - still fresh after all this time. Recommended. ... Read more

Reviews (42)

PHAR LAP
I have seen this movie both on tape and at the theatre. It is the type to watch over and over again. A true story and a very good one if you love horses the way my entire family does. I can't wait for it to be released on DVD since I have already worn out one VHS copy. The way this horse takes so much abuse and still keeps going is utterly amazing and the end is still a tearful one for me.

Phar Lap
This movie predates the film "Seabiscuit" by ten years, and it is the "character" of Phar Lap who is the true star. Phar Lap is still the most famous Australian racehorse in history. Once his strapper (played by Tom Burlinson) discovered the secret to Phar Lap's speed, no other horse could beat him until they weighed him down mercilessly, as they almost did to Seabiscuit. The bookies hated him, but the crowds adored him. And the American horse racing industry was deathly afraid of him. Warning: this is a true story, honestly portrayed. There are parts that are intensely difficult to watch--especially for horse lovers. However, I cherish my copy of the film and will not lend it out to anyone. Along with F.F. Coppola's "The Black Stallion", it is my favorite horse movie. It is as exciting as it is heart-wrenching. If you enjoyed "Seabiscuit," you'd love "Phar Lap". But be prepared for the anquishing ending to this true and amazing part of horse racing history.

Australia's lightning 'Big Red' - and some big US hearts
This great 1983 Australian movie was made 20 years before Sea Biscuit and commemorates the legendary galloper Phar Lap, foaled in NZ in 1926 but raced in Australia and Mexico (last start) until his death in the US in April 1932.

In a sensational career that produced 37 wins from 51 starts, including the 1930 Melbourne Cup, 'Big Red' ( a nickname also applied to the 1973 Kentucky Derby winner Secretariat)gave Aussies something to cheer about in the Great Depression years.

The film gives some idea of how this horse, captured the nation's imagination with Tom Burlinson playing the role of a young stapper called Tommy Woodcock, who was devoted to Phar Lap, and who later as a trainer in his declining years almost won the Melbourne Cup with Reckless (runner up in 1977).

Phar Lap's heart was discovered to be 50% larger than a normal equine heart and judging by the Americans who have reviewed this movie I would also like to say that they have shown 'big hearts' with many praising the horse and film as better than Seabiscuit (another film I hugely enjoyed)-a great American galloper who appeared on the scene shortly after Phar Lap's demise.

As for my fellow Australian reviewer who makes the accusation that Americans killed Phar Lap let me say that old furphy has been effectively demolished by Geoff Armstrong and Peter Thompson in their book 'Phar Lap.' They came to the conclusion that the great Antipodean galloper died of Duodenitis -Proximal jejunitis (also known as Anterior enteritis), a bacterial disease unknown in 1932 and which even today claims the lives of 70% of horses that are treated for it. Stress makes a horse susceptible to the disease and Phar Lap had travelled a huge distance by sea, experienced a change of seasons, raced on dirt in Mexico for the first time, got a heel injury during that sensational win and eventually died in agony in the US before racing again -but not due to anything the Americans had done.

In fact the people who did try to kill Phar Lap were Australian gangsters just before the Melbourne Cup of 1930, something the film illustrates, (although the two authors mentioned above suggest the attempted shooting may have been a set-up by a local newspaper).

Americans may recognise actor Burlinson as 'The Man from Snowy River'- another horsey flick -and he is an adaptable cabaret artist too ( capable of doing a mean impression of Frank Sinatra).

As for the chestnut horse 'Towering Inferno,' Phar Lap in the film, he went on to live until April 1999 before dying at the age of 26 after being struck by lightning -and the word Phar Lap is a Thai expression meaning lightning!

Better than Seabiscuit
You will not find a better horse movie! If you have not seen this movie, you should.

New format, same review...
I'm resurrecting my original VHS format review for this DVD spot...Please vote for this film's release to DVD! Thank you!

I've had a copy of this video since it came out years and years ago. I have watched it over and over again without ever being tired of it. I recommend it to everyone, especially horse lovers! Truly a captivating and fascinating story. I'm hoping for it to be released on DVD, now that it's been re-released on VHS (after the prompting of all the fans of this movie). Unlike a lot of other "horsey" movies/stories, it's not focused around a child and a horse or other kid tales. That's what makes it so appealing to ANYBODY who has a heart for animals. Other similarly good movies in this fashion are "The Man From Snowy River" and it's sequel "Return to Snowy River". I urge you to at least rent all three of these! ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Ironic Movie
I liked the movie when I saw it in the early 80s because of the break through "love" scenes and the sports theme. Right now I'm listening to a late night talk show interview with Mariel Hemmingway! I was drawn to this site because I was looking for some info on Jodi Anderson who acts in the movie. I knew her because she worked out in my gym in the 1980s and also worked there. In reality the sports part could have been based on her. In 1980 when she was 22 she won both the pentathlon and the long jump in the Olympic trials for the boycotted Moscow games. She also represented the USA in the pentathlon in the 1984 LA Olympics but was injured and withdrew. Considering the fame (and money) that USA female track athletes achieved in 1984 and later, the boycott was a tragedy for her and the other athletes most of whom are relatively unknown.

Dated babes work up a sweat
I'm sorry I cannot agree with the majority about this movie. Maybe it's one of those 'you gotta be there to get it' things (it might have been breathtaking in the 80's) but I found this film dated and sexist. The relationship between the two girl is unconvincing and titilating. The coach/athlete thing undevelopped, inexplicable. The only good thing going for it is that it is an ok sports movie, with some nice scenes depicting training. These however were inevitable intersperced with slow motion takes of the female athletes' crotches taken from various angles, fitting for a movie heavy on the sexploitation angle. I realise that this may have been a 'breakthrough' movie, maybe depicting for the first time a pretty actress taking a leak while babbling some juvenile dribble, or helping her boyfriend hold his d...... while he takes a leak as a sign of their intimacy, but frankly, that I can do without. Perhaps the movie could have been cut down and saved but I think even then all you would be left with is a cool 'eighties' soundtrack and two girls running around a track. All I can say is at least 'Charlies Angels' wasn't pretentious!

Perfect Chemistry To Produce A Superlative Guy Movie
This film has EXACTLY the right ingredients for being one of the best Guy Flicks of all time. First, the behind-the-scenes look at athletic training techniques is incomparable. The preparation methods are highly educational, the stretching, the warm-ups, the cool-downs -- actually seeing these activities demonstrated is invaluable for aspiring athletes. Also, the details about various events were intriguing -- setting the blocks for sprinting, determining one's "pace" for high-jumping, the muscular ballet employed for the shot put. Watching Coach Scott Glenn (Urban Cowboy's "Wes Hightower") was inspirational, he obviously knew how to get the most from a team member. And the work-outs themselves were marvelous, the long runs, the hill-climbs, the post-workout massages and other physical therapy, with particular attention to specific body areas -- all of this information is extremely important for any male athlete, and should probably be viewed several times, numerous times, again and again, in order to ensure full comprehension and complete appreciation.

I Love it!
I can see why this movie is on the list of favorites. It was very moving and showed the extreme emotions that love causes. I would highly recommend it.

Personal Best?
Let's see: early on in the movie Mariel Hemmingway does a nude scene as a shy 15-year-old being seduced by the 35-year-old lesbian who got her stoned. It's not child pornography only because Ms. Hemmingway wasn't a teenager anymore; but she does look the part in part because she didn't get her implants yet.
Aren't Catholic dioceses being sued because they didn't do enough to prevent the seduction of teenagers by homosexuals? And is AOL/Time-Warner ever going to be sued by someone whose seducer used this movie as a recruiting film? ... Read more

Reviews (89)

Less is More
RADIO joins the ranks of memorable films that help us all appreciate the mentally challenged citizens of our world, much the way I AM SAM, THE OTHER SISTER etc have done. RADIO is based on a real person - James Robert Kennedy - and Cuba Gooding, Jr lifts this character to tender heights. Set in a small town (Hanna) in South Carolina, "Radio" is a loner who is tolerated and taunted by the townspeople until the football coach (Ed Harris) turns himself and Radio around, allowing the town (and team) to mature into caring folk who make this tender man a part of the lown's heart. Not a huge story here, but the actors include such committed stars as Ed Harris, Debra Winger (in a welcome return to the screen), Alfre Woodward, S. Epatha Merkerson, and of course, Cuba Gooding, Jr. and make it memorable. For some reason this film has been overlooked, perhaps because it is a rather quiet and small scale treatment of the story. I recommend you try it: it is worth more - as an investment of your time and feelings.

A PASSABLE FEEL-GOOD FILM
When you see the real "Radio" during the closing credits, you see that Cuba Gooding does a passable job of capturing his nuances. The expressions are good, but not amazing.

The moving story is based on an actual ongoing friendship in South Carolina between a white football coach and a mentally disabled black man. While the theme itself is very touching, has great lessons for us all, and all that, it really should have remained as the 4-page article in Sports Illustrated. It's too drawn out and simplistic to make into a movie. Little surprise then that the film is sappy, overtly "look I am so moving", and overwrought. Plus, it is paced very very slowly.

It is good to see Debra Winger again, but not in the role of the coach's homey wife. She gets about 10 minutes of screen time in all. Cuba Gooding is better in this than in "Fighting Temptations" or "Boat Trip", but that is faint praise. Ed Harris does well in these quiet, patient roles ("Monster's Ball," for e.g.) so he is adequate.

A passable feel-good flick, good to watch with kids perhaps. Hard to give it more brownie points than that.

Excellent Film!
As father of a severely autistic boy, I enjoyed very much Cuba Gooding Junior's portrail of a developmentally disabled man who just wanted to be part of a community. Gooding's character becomes mascot of the town high school football team, as he gains acceptance from the team, he still has to battle with the stereotypes of the conservative towns folk who think this "freak" has no place in our town.

Good study of human nature the best and the worst too!!

Jeffrey McAndrew
author of "Our Brown-Eyed Boy"

A little slow, but a real winner
I consider myself very diverse when it comes to movies. I like slashers and I like musicals, all the same, as long as they are entertaining. I have got to say I was very entertained by Radio. It has great storytelling and wonderful acting. It was slow at parts, but I think that actually helped it feel more "real" since it is based on a true story. This movie can have you crying from grief, then crying from laughter withing 5 minutes of each other. Most impressively, it's a film you can watch with the whole family, and that's a rarity today. If you need to just get away for a couple hours and feel better about the world, I would recommend this movie.

I'm Speachless...
Words can't possibly describe the heartwarming value of this movie. Cuba Gooding Jr. plays an African-American teenage boy with Down Syndrome, under the alias "Radio" on account of his large radio collection. He is tormented by some highschool football players who tied his hands, and locked him in a shed for taking their ball (without knowing it was theirs). The coach sees Radio around that area often, and gives him a job helping him with his duties. The coach even convinces the Principal of the Highschool to let Radio attend school. But once the team was going on a trip to play somewhere, but the principal wouldn't let Radio go with them. Heartbroken; Radio practices kicking a football in the rain. He finally makes a decent kick, and it regains his confidence. A while later, Radio's mother dies of a heart attack. The coach let's Radio stay with him. The football team, and the entire school finally opens up to Radio. Radio kept playing with the football team even after fifty years.

In Conclusion: This is definatly a film for the entire family; even if your kids are too young to understand everything, they will learn the values of accepting other people who are different. ... Read more

Reviews (113)

A Hallmark card of a movie....
This is a visually pretty movie, written to be poignant. People seem to forget this when they write reviews of it....

"The Legend of Bagger Vance" is a worthwhile view provided the viewer satisfies a number of conditions first. First, viewers who are looking for an artistic masterpiece will find is a sickeningly sweet picture without angst or pretense aside from that which Will Smith delivers his lines; these seem to come straight out of the self-help books written by people like Deepak Chopra. Matt Damon plays a World War I veteran smitten with enough angst to drink himself into a stupor yet not quite enough to seek the greater redemption through literary or means enough to help anyone other than himself. There is no angst or mental torpor; this isn't that kind of movie.

So what is it? This is a feel-good movie-- not quite a golfer's 'Field of Dreams' but darned close. She builds a golf course, the all-time greats come, and in the end, the world is saved and we reach the truly great end-of-history (not Hegel's or Fukyama's)-- life happily ever after.

The music, clothes, and actors in this movie are what one would expect out of a work without hint of depravity or true tragedy. When the protagonist's father is out of work, it is not because he suffered but instead because he was good; even the 'bad' guys really come off good. It's as heartwarming as anything outside of Disney, and all over the world, golfers shall be drooling over the shots of the course....

I liked the way we danced!
Robert Redford's latest film is an inspiring story of life and god and man's quest to deal with the demons of war. This fertile soil is handled perfectly Redford, a director with a soft touch. The story is similar to that of A River Runs Through It, another Redford film.

The movie is set in the Savannah Georgia of the Great Depression. Rannulph Junuh, played by Matt Damon, is a war veteran and former champion golfer who has lost his authentic swing. However, he has been asked to play in an exhibition match against the two greatest golfers of his day: Bobby Jones and Walter Hagen. His Caddy is Bagger Vance, played by Will Smith. Bagger is an angel, but is a character in the mold of the Raven or Coyote trickster of Indian Legends. He is the guide who shows Junuh the way to slay his inner demons.

This movie is wonderful film and will be a delightful addition to any collection. Rating 4 1/2 Stars.

An excellent movie!
"The Lengend of Bagger Vance" is one of those movies that has a sense of beauty and magic to it. Will Smith does a tremendous job as Bagger. There are a number of one liners he delivers with a smile on his face. Yet, he conveys a deep sense of being more than he appears.

What adds to the movie is a tremendous soundtrack. The music has a way of touching the soul and leaving a mark.

It is difficult to put into words what draws me to this movie. The acting, scenery, music all combine to give the viewer a wonderful feast not soon forgotten!

What's the big deal
A golf movie, a philosophical tale, but I wasn't enthralled by it. It did recieve a lot of press and since it was a Redford movie, became the darling movie to see. Was I impressed? Not really. Will Smith seemed out of character. Morgan Freeman may have been an older, better choice. The wisdom of the youthful Smith seemed out of context. This one even smells like Hollywood. A golf version of Titanic or Pearl Harbor... a believable fake.

The hasbeen that never really was.
I was touched By this film. The meaning of this movie to me
was . God gives all of us a mullagan every day we live.
To keep trying ,not giving up and that anything is
possable. Maybe if i keep trying i can find My swing. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

The come-from-behind winner of the 1981 Oscar for best picture, Chariots of Fire either strikes you as either a cold exercise in mechanical manipulation or as a tale of true determination and inspiration. The heroes are an unlikely pair of young athletes who ran for Great Britain in the 1924 Paris Olympics: devout Protestant Eric Liddell (Ian Charleson), a divinity student whose running makes him feel closer to God, and Jewish Harold Abrahams (Ben Cross), a highly competitive Cambridge student who has to surmount the institutional hurdles of class prejudice and anti-Semitism. There's delicious support from Ian Holm (as Abrahams's coach) and John Gielgud and Lindsay Anderson as a couple of Cambridge fogies. Vangelis's soaring synthesized score, which seemed to be everywhere in the early 1980s, also won an Oscar. Chariots of Fire was the debut film of British television commercial director Hugh Hudson (Greystoke) and was produced by David Puttnam. --Jim Emerson ... Read more

Reviews (126)

Uplifting and Inspiring
"Chariots of Fire" makes the list of my ten favorite movies of all-time. The film depicts the true life journey of two sprint champions from the 1924 Paris Olympics. This isn't your average sports movie as the character development is more significant than the competition on the track. The "Flying Scotsman" Eric Liddell is man of deep moral conviction and joyful heartfelt devotion to God. As he runs he senses God's pleasure. Harold Abrams is an intense Jewish student at Cambridge who is driven to win in defiance of the obstacles of prejudice and institutionalism. He runs to prove his worth.

The film is slow moving and filled with numerous flashbacks. Knowing the history of the characters would enable you to better follow the story and appreciate the men portrayed. The acting is excellent with terrific performances by supporting actors such as Ian Holm as track coach Sam Mussabini; John Gielgud and Lindsay Anderson as the stuffy masters of the university; and Nigel Havers as the likeable Lord Lindsay. The electronic sounding musical score is the most recognizable part of the movie and the costuming is exceptional. I was deeply moved and inspired by "Chariots of Fire."

The Brilliant Resurgence Of The British Movie Industry
The time is 1924. The finest athletes of England have begun their quest for glory in the Olympic Games. Their success will win honor for their nation - but for two champion runners, the honor at stake is a personal one...and their challenge one from within.

Chariots Of fire tells the exciting, inspiring true story of Harold Abrahams, Eric Liddell, and the dedicated team of competitors who brought Great Britain one of her most legendary victories in international sports. It is also the film that marked the brilliant resurgence of the British movie industry - and won four 1981 Academy Awards - including Best Picture.

Virtually a succession of smashing debuts, which it proved to be for Ben Cross, Ian Charleson, Nigel Havers, Nicholas Farrell, Alice Krige, Jeremy Sinden, and Daniel Gerroll in their first major film roles, and Hugh Hudson (a veteran of British Television)directing his first theatrical feature. With such other wonderful talents by veteran actors Sir Ian Holm, Sir John Gielgud, Lindsay Anderson, and Nigel Davenport, the collective people together shaped a film whose impact is still lasting and unique. From its bracing footage of competition and pagentry, to the haunting image of the English runners on the beach, to the extraordinary music score by Vangelis, Chariots Of Fire has left its mark on film fans everywhere. It also has proven that British filmmakers and film crews are the best, and only the best, in the world.

If you are looking for the finest in entertainment, art films, or otherwise, you need not look any furthur than Chariots Of Fire. The finest of the United Kingdom of Great Britain.

Competition and Character
Chariots of Fire is an outstanding epic based on the lives of two men (among others), Eric Liddel and Harold Abrahams. Eric Liddel, a Scotsman and a missionary believes he can succeed as a testament to his undying faith. Harold Abrahams, a Jew wishes to succeed to prove that Jews are no inferior to others in post WWI England. This movie is one of refinement, ambition, commitment and integrity. In that era, there are tempers when the Masters of Cambridge do not take lightly to Harold being trained by a professional as they pride in the amateur aspect of the sport and the esprit de corps. His interaction with his girl friend when he loses a race is a special point. She says, "He won fair and square. There is nothing you can do about it." Then he retorts, "I do not run to compete, I run to win, if I cannot win, I should not run." She replies, "If you do not run, you cannot win." It ends with her frustration and saying, "Grow up". As compelling as the racing scenes are, it's really the depth of the two main characters that touches the viewer, as they forcefully drive home the theme that victory attained through devotion and sacrifice is the most admirable feat that one can achieve.

I am glad that I have a wide screen edition of this DVD, however this is a region 3 and cannot play in a regular DVD player, as they play only the region 1 version. It is similar to the version released in UK. Even this version does not have a good audio and video transfer. There are dots in the video and the audio should be better considering the outstanding score by Vangelis. The widescreen edition is farbetter than the one released in US though. I am sad that they are not releasing this one here. I got this one in US through another website, thanks to my enhanced DVD player. So, I would give 5 stars for the movie and 4 stars for the transfer (I am being very generous here).

With hope in our hearts and wings in our heels!
The athletes of the British running team who went with hope in their hearts and wings in their heels in the VIII Olympiad in Paris in 1924 is the focus of this movie, but there's also the dynamics of what it means to be English, and the reconciliation of one's soul and religious convictions in the Modern Age. Three of them are students from Cambridge. There is the quiet and soft-spoken Aubrey Montague, Lord Andrew Lindsey, and Harold Abrahams. As the head of Caius (pronounced Keys) College tells them when they first attend in 1919, they are the first post-war generation who have inherited the dreams of a generation that perished on the fields of France, a generation embodying "goodness, zeal,...and intellectual promise."

The two main athletes here are a contrast from one another. One is Harold Abrahams, a Jew who wants to be seen as English as the fellow next to him. Hence his enrolling in all these clubs and fraternities in Caius College, from track, tennis, and even the Gilbert and Sullivan glee club-he wants to enter the Christian, Anglo-Saxon corridors of power, i.e. the old school tie. He succeeds in getting to an English girl in the form of Sybil Gordon, who doesn't mind he's Jewish. He can run like the wind, and nothing would fulfill his dream of being English more than winning so he'll be accepted, but he's so driven, hinging so much of his success on his winning, that he acts like its his own funeral when he loses in a race. He engages Sam Mussabini, a private and professional coach, which is contrary to the implied rules of Cambridge. When the heads of Trinity House and Caius House, (Sir John Gielgud and Lindsay Anderson) use their prep-school mentality to chastise him, saying Cambridge prided itself on the amateur attitude as opposed to the professional, and an esprit de Corps as opposed to individual glory, Abrahams tells them off.

Scottish Eric Liddle, on the other hand, is a missionary born in China, who plans to return there to continue God's work, but the "muscular Christian" runs like a wild animal. With religion as a metaphor, he compares faith to running a race, describing the energy of the soul, the elation of breaking that tape, but he says that the power comes from within. "If you commit yourself to the love of Jesus Christ-that is how you win a straight race." To win is to honour God, and the gift he was given. His faith is tested twice, between the missionary work and running, and his respect for God and running on the Sabbath. He's clearly more Victorian, but also a Scot, choosing God over country instead of the more secular British. But will his faith help him triumph over favoured Americans Jackson Scholz and Charles Paddock?

The slow-mo shots of the running athletes, the looks of elation, the disappointment of those who didn't qualify shows the various reactions of the soul. And New Age composer Vangelis Pathaniossou made his mark with his score, during the races and the scenes of Americans training, but especially the moving main theme that opens and closes the movie as the athletes are running along the ocean shore. This sequence itself is repeated twice, once where we know nothing about these athletes on who the cameras pan in on, but by the end, when the camera does its work, we know these people better, and they have names, as the credits identify actor and role. This was an early role for Nicholas Farrell (Montague), who was Horatio in Branagh's Hamlet. But Ben Cross as the driven Abrahams, Ian Charleson as the debonair blond Christian Liddell, Nigel Havers as Lindsay, Ian Holm (Mussabini), and Alice Krige (Sybil) do well. And yes, the Head Porter at Caius College is Richard Griffiths, best known as Harry Potter's Uncle Vernon, and quite thinner too.

As the winner of four Oscars including Best Picture, Chariots Of Fire remains an unpretentious film where the finish line is a moral, spiritual, and of course a physical goal, and how one must be true to oneself to reach that goal.

Refined, inspiring, intelligent
Even though this has an air of Merchant-Ivory crossed with Masterpiece Theater, and no genuine movie stars (at least at the time, except Sir John Gielgud), the movie shines from beginning to end.

I saw this in the theater when it first came out and was very pleasantly surprised. It's a true story with a great message that still plays like Rocky with a brain -- exciting, funny, dramatic, well-acted, beautifully photographed. Unfortunately, not everyone will like it, though, because it brings back the days when drama meant dialogue, subtlety and intelligence, not explosions, predictable plots and computer-generated imagery. You have to watch and listen and have an appreciation of history. You can't watch this one and be distracted. Best to watch when you have time and can savor the moments, not when you have a room full of children, for instance. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This reverential, well-crafted 1951 biopic starring the hulky Burt Lancaster as Native American Olympian Thorpe is hardly the definitive word on one of our greatest track stars, but it does remind us how unfair and demeaning it once was for athletes of color. Concentrating on Thorpe's track and football victories (he also excelled at boxing, swimming, and golf), director Michael Curtiz and screenwriters Douglas Morrow and Everett Freeman (working