Pan's Labyrinth (New Line Two-Disc Platinum Series)

Amazon.com

Inspired by the Brothers Grimm, Jorge Luis Borges, and Guillermo del Toro's own unlimited imagination, Pan's Labyrinth is a fairytale for adults. Ofelia (Ivana Baquero) may only be 12, but the worlds she inhabits, both above and below ground, are dark as anything del Toro has conjured. Set in rural Spain, circa 1944, Ofelia and her widowed mother, Carmen (Ariadna Gil, Belle Epoque), have just moved into an abandoned mill with Carmen's new husband, Captain Vidal (Sergi López, With a Friend like Harry). Carmen is pregnant with his son. Other than her sickly mother and kindly housekeeper Mercedes (Maribel Verdú, Y Tu Mamá También), the dreamy Ofelia is on her own. Vidal, an exceedingly cruel man, couldn't be bothered. He has informers to torture. Ofelia soon finds that an entire universe exists below the mill. Her guide is the persuasive Faun (Doug Jones, Mimic). As her mother grows weaker, Ofelia spends more and more time in the satyr's labyrinth. He offers to help her out of her predicament if she'll complete three treacherous tasks. Ofelia is willing to try, but does this alternate reality really exist or is it all in her head? Del Toro leaves that up to the viewer to decide in a beautiful, yet brutal twin to The Devil's Backbone, which was also haunted by the ghost of Franco. Though it lacks the humor of Hellboy, Pan's Labyrinth represents Guillermo Del Toro at the top of his considerable game. --Kathleen C. Fennessy

Description

Following a bloody civil war, young Ofelia enters a world of unimaginable cruelty when she moves in with her new stepfather, a tyrannical military officer. Armed with only her imagination, Ofelia discovers a mysterious labyrinth and meets a faun who sets her on a path to saving herself and her ailing mother. But soon, the lines between fantasy and reality begin to blur, and before Ofelia can turn back, she finds herself at the center of a ferocious battle between good and evil.

DVD Features:
Audio Commentary:Video Prologue by Guillermo Del Toro Audio Commentary by Director Guillermo Del Toro
Featurette:The Power of Myth Featurette The Faun and the Fairies Featurette The Color and The Shape Featurette The Charlie Rose Show featuring Director Guillermo Del Toro The Director's Notebook
Production Sketches
Storyboards:Storyboard Video Prologue by Guillermo del Toro. Storyboard/Thumbnail compares
Theatrical Trailer:Theatrical teaser, Theatrical trailer, TV spots

Customer Reviews:

Fiction at its finest!!.......2007-09-14

This movie is the perfect combination of fantasy and reality!! I just finished watching it on HBO and now I want to see it again.

A Spanish-Language Film Suited For Any Audience.......2007-09-14

Firstly, and most importantly, everyone must know that this film is Spanish language with English subtitles. Quick, before you go and vote this review unhelpful for stating the obvious, let me tell you this; most people don't READ Amazon's product info. They skip right to the reviews. The thing I first came here to look for is if the fact that it's in a different language take away from the film.

After seeing the entirety of "Pan's Labyrinth", the answer is quite simply 'no.'

What we've got here is a visual and graphic masterpiece of a story. The fantasy elements mingle seamlessly with the real-life portions, bringing up questions that will leave you thinking about the movie for hours. Is the fantasy aspect of the story really happening, or is it all in Ofelia's mind? What does it mean when the fantasy monsters (which are quite horrifying) not even a fraction as frightening as the evil of the human characters? This isn't just one of those films you can watch. It's bloody violent, while also managing to be visually astounding. The deepness and the heart of the story leaves such an emotional impact, which is only expanded by the simple yet effective use of music.

This is a movie one can truly get involved in; you root for the characters, you relate to and cry with them, and--from the way the film is shot--you go on the fantastic journey with them. There is nothing negative to say about this film at all, except for the fact that even the least squeamish of viewers may wince at some of the most violent scenes. This is no child's fairy tale.

10/10 Classic.

Pan's Labyrinth Review.......2007-09-13

Although this is a subtitled film, it is a wonderful movie. Time well spent.

A Master Class in Cinematic Myth Weaving .......2007-09-12

Take note, Spielberg and Lucus! Del Toro's Pan's Labyrinth is a master class on how to go about capturing real magic on film. In order to have true resonance, cinematic myth weaving requires soul, and this film bleeds it with each ensorcelled frame.

Extraordinary Fairy Tale Fantasy!!.......2007-09-10

"Pan's Labyrinth" is amazing to look at on the screen! Being a Spanish film, I used the English subtitles to read the character's dialogue, and didn't find this inconvenient at all. I'm a huge fan of foreign films and am used to using "subtitles" from time to time. The movie's plot is well constructed and the actors all give fine performances. I really enjoyed young actress Ivana Baquero in the lead as Ofelia, who has many challenges set before her by the Pan creature, who promises her an escape from the human's world of war and violence to a Kingdom of riches and beauty. Ofelia finds an ally in Mercedes, a servant of Ofelia's cruel stepfather, which is played by Maribel Verdu, (who gives a heartfelt performance) and the two share a battle in the "real" world, as the cruelty's of the Spanish military, especially from Ofelia's Military Commanding stepfather, cumulates into an ending of both triumph and despair.

I was expecting more of a child friendly film in "Pan's Labyrinth," but I also went into it knowing that there would be some imagery that would be somewhat frightening to a child. I did not expect there would be so much foul language in the film and the brutality of torture, up close pistol shots to the head, and the crashing of a man's nose into his face with the butt of a gun, wasn't only completely out of character for a "fairy tale" type movie, but was also very shocking, to say the least. I feared the military's soldiers more than I did the creepy troll with the eyeballs in its hands!

The 2 disc Special Edition is an enjoyable DVD experience and is loaded with interesting and fun extras. Foreign film fans will treasure this clever and creative Spanish offering, and Fantasy movie buffs will delight in the wonderful adventures of "the tree toad," "the potato root-like creature that longs to be human," the Pan creature and scenes where Ofelia can draw an imaginary door on a surface with a piece of chalk and create a door into "the other world." Each of these scenes is expertly done using CGI effects and is totally amazing to behold. I enjoyed the fantasy scenes (as I knew I probably would) of "Pan's Labyrinth," however, I felt the violence was too extreme and the evil of the cruel stepfather, the military, and the human world in general, could have been emphasized without resembling something from Steven Spielberg's "Schindler's List."

Average customer rating:

Terrific Adventure
Kids love this...
A Timeless Classic!
Wonderful
Movie to watch over and over again!

Labyrinth
Starring: David Bowie , Jennifer Connelly , Toby Froud , Shelley Thompson , and Christopher Malcolm
Director: Jim Henson
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00000K3D4
Release Date: 1999-10-12

Amazon.com essential video

Sarah (a teenage Jennifer Connelly) rehearses the role of a fairy-tale queen, performing for her stuffed animals. She is about to discover that the time has come to leave her childhood behind. In real life she has to baby-sit her brother and contend with parents who don't understand her at all. Her petulance leads her to call the goblins to take the baby away, but when they actually do, she realizes her responsibility to rescue him. Sarah negotiates the Labyrinth to reach the City of the Goblins and the castle of their king. The king is the only other human in the film and is played by a glam-rocking David Bowie, who performs five of his songs. The rest of the cast are puppets, a wonderful array of Jim Henson's imaginative masterpieces. Henson gives credit to children's author and illustrator Maurice Sendak, and the creatures in the movie will remind Sendak fans of his drawings. The castle of the king is a living M.C. Escher set that adults will enjoy. The film combines the highest standards of art, costume, and set decoration. Like executive producer George Lucas's other fantasies, Labyrinth mixes adventure with lessons about growing up. --Lloyd Chesley

Customer Reviews:

Terrific Adventure.......2007-08-24

This flick has little bits for all ages. I've been sharing some different fantasy movies with some young family members, and they've enjoyed this one multiple times.

Kids love this..........2007-08-23

If you are one that likes classic rock and David Bowie but don't much like musicals....you still will like this. I have 4 boys ages from 15 to 3 and they all love to watch this movie.

A Timeless Classic!.......2007-08-18

A guilty pleasure for me, Labyrinth is a made-for-kids movie with just enough weird stuff in it to appeal to teens (like a peeing goblin, a worm with a Cockney accent and an Escher-like chase scene). Not to mention that it was one of beautiful Jennifer Connelly's first starring roles. George Lucas produced and Muppet creator Jim Henson directed this adventure of a teenage girl who must venture into an enchanted labyrinth and castle to tangle with an evil sorcerer (David Bowie) and rescue her baby brother. Monty Python's Terry Jones co-wrote the script, and the great Elaine May reportedly took a pass at it as well. Bowie performs several songs. Columbia has released the film in a sparkling, very impressive new Superbit edition, which forgoes the extras to make more room for higher quality picture and sound.

DVD Details: After its 2007 theatrical re-release, Sony has re-released the DVD in an anniversary edition with lots of new extras.

Starring: David Bowie, Jennifer Connelly, Toby Froud, Shelley Thompson, Shari Weiser, Dave Goelz, Frank Oz
Written by: Terry Jones, from a story by Jim Henson, Dennis Lee
Directed by: Jim Henson
MPAA Rating: PG
Running Time: 101 minutes
Date: May 22, 2003
a great family film with enough fun for kids and adults alike.
5 stars all the way.

Wonderful.......2007-08-11

This is a very under-rated fantasy movie and this is a tragedy because of how truly wonderful it is.

It's beautifully done and quite surreal. It's a terrific film for children and adults. David Bowie stole the show as the charismatic and musically incline goblin king. If you enjoy fantasy or just want something a little different or if you just like Glam Rock this is for you. With six songs by Rock legend David Bowie Labyrinth is one of the most wonderful fantasy films of it's or any time.

The film should appeal to the child inside. It's ideal if you're a David Bowie, Jim Henson, George Lucas or Brian Froud fan. Froud's artist hand in the movie has it's effect through the whole production. The movie has charm and meaning. The journey through the Labyrinth is a journey through one's own spirit, a journey into maturity and self-discovery and learning what is truly important.

Movie to watch over and over again!.......2007-07-31

David Bowie is great. This has been a favorite movie of mine for 16 years.

Average customer rating:

Fiction at its finest!!
A Spanish-Language Film Suited For Any Audience
Pan's Labyrinth Review
A Master Class in Cinematic Myth Weaving
Extraordinary Fairy Tale Fantasy!!

Pan's Labyrinth
Starring: Ariadna Gil , Ivana Baquero , Sergi López , Maribel Verdú , and Doug Jones
Director: Guillermo del Toro
Manufacturer: New Line Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000O76ZQC
Release Date: 2007-05-15

Amazon.com

Description

DVD Features:
Audio Commentary:Feature Audio Commentary by Director Guillermo del Toro
Theatrical Trailer:Theatrical teaser, Theatrical trailer

Customer Reviews:

Fiction at its finest!!.......2007-09-14

This movie is the perfect combination of fantasy and reality!! I just finished watching it on HBO and now I want to see it again.

A Spanish-Language Film Suited For Any Audience.......2007-09-14

Pan's Labyrinth Review.......2007-09-13

Although this is a subtitled film, it is a wonderful movie. Time well spent.

A Master Class in Cinematic Myth Weaving .......2007-09-12

Extraordinary Fairy Tale Fantasy!!.......2007-09-10

Average customer rating:

Labyrinth Rules The Universe
Almost as good as I thought it would be
A beautiful, enchanting movie
Beautiful
Fairy tale fun at its finest

Labyrinth (Anniversary Edition)
Starring: David Bowie , Jennifer Connelly , Toby Froud , Shelley Thompson , and Christopher Malcolm
Director: Jim Henson
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000R8YC1S
Release Date: 2007-08-14

Product Description

Relive the magic! This newly restored, 2-disc anniversary edition of Jim Henson's Labyrinth contains an all-new commentary and bonus features that are guaranteed to captivate as never before. David Bowie and Jennifer Connelly invite you into a magical universe where nothing is what it seems! Babysitting infant stepbrother Toby on a weekend night isn't young Sarah's (Connelly) idea of fun. Frustrated by his crying, she secretly imagines the Goblins from her favorite book, Labyrinth, carrying Toby away. When her fantasy comes true, a distraught Sarah must enter a maze of illusion to bring Toby back from a kingdom inhabited by mystical creatures and governed by the wicked Goblin King (Bowie).

Customer Reviews:

Labyrinth Rules The Universe.......2007-08-29

What to say about one of the most enchanting movies from my childhood? This all-time classic always suspends my disbelief to the point where even now when I settle in to enjoy my DVD of this personal favorite, some little corner of my mind accepts that I truly am watching events as they unfold within a massive labyrinth controlled by none other than the coolest of the cool, the sinister and charming Goblin King himself, David Bowie. Had Labyrinth been done a few years later than it was, it would have been computer-generated, and that would have diminished the impact of the Jim Henson characters who as puppets added just the right touch to this story of a quest by a young girl to save her baby brother, Toby, abducted from his crib at her accidental behest, ere he is transformed forever into a goblin. As teenaged Sarah, played by a strikingly beautiful Jennifer Connelly, undertakes her brave trek into the heart of the Goblin King's elaborate magical maze (the sets for Labyrinth are awe-inspiring creations) she encounters its denizens, some helpful, others mischievous, a few malign. The music of Labyrinth is also good enough in its own right to warrant mention and makes for a soundtrack that's also worth owning. (A mini review for you...) Although I own Labyrinth on VHS and purchased it on another DVD a few years ago, this anniversary release is the best of the lot, not only for its "time capsule" extra features, but also because for the first time since seeing it in theaters as a kid, Labyrinth is finally featured in a widescreen format which does it justice. A great movie, and a DVD worth owning.

Almost as good as I thought it would be.......2007-08-15

Labyrinth is somthing that was my life blood for many years. I have the original release of the DVD and didn't bother getting any of the more recent collector edition or fancy dvds that came out recently so I can't compare to those.

The movie is the same, but much higher qualitiy, you can really see all of the glitter that sparkles all over the labyrinth, its wide screened so you can see that much more of the world (and the elusive treasures in Sarah's room, aka the Goblin King doll).

The DVD is in a slip case, which has a holographic type cover (oh yes, its that cool). The first DVD has the movie along with a track of commentary by Brian Froud. Having listened to it I found it pretty interesting, since he was involved in the entire creative process he had a lot of background information on how certain things came about, though sadly no on set anicdotes (except for a few which are related to Toby) since he didn't witness alot of the filming. It would have been nice to have another track with some of the muppeteers, Brian Henson, Kevin Clash, Karen Prell etc.

The second disc has the old documentary on the making of the movie, which was on the previous DVDs. It also has 2 new documentaries. Both have interviews (new) with Froud (Brian and Toby) Gates McFadden, Brian Henson (very insightful), Karen Prell, Dave Goelz, George Lucas (very interesting, I was surprised he did this actually) and several others that were involved in the making of the movie. With in these new features there are some new behind the scenes footage, screen tests, but what I was really dissapointed in...In the MirrorMask coffee table book it was mentioned how Neil Gaimen and Dave McKean mentioned how when staying in Jim Henson's home in England they found a nearly six hour version of the Labyrinth and used it as a sort of spring board for their own creative process. I wanted to see some of that six hours, to see some cut scenes, extended scenes, outtakes. It sounded when the press release for this first came out that it would have some of that in it...sadly no.

But it is still enjoyable enough to get. Besides every home should have a copy of this movie (or three like mine does)

A beautiful, enchanting movie.......2007-08-15

This movie came out when I was two and it's been my favorite for 20 years.
It is most definitely a MUST see for anyone who enjoys fantasy and fun, as well as anyone who enjoys a glammed-out Bowie in tight pants.

Beautiful.......2007-08-11

Fairy tale fun at its finest.......2007-07-30

In the early 80's Jim Henson created one of the most ambitious fantasy films ever: The Dark Crystal. It was a movie that had a completely realized world with its own creatures and flora... and it was performed entirely by puppets. Not the Muppet kind that Henson is famous for, mind you. These were serious creations that involved serious innovations in animatronics. While many loved the movie and it was critically acclaimed many others didn't "get it". There was no human interaction in the movie whatsoever and that put off people. Also the movie was serious with none of that Muppet mayhem Henson fans are so used to. That put off a few more people.

The next evolutionary step in Jim's grand scheme of fantasy puppetry was Labyrinth, and they filled in the gaps that The Dark Crystal left for those who couldn't (or wouldn't) "get" the concept of a fully realized fantasy setting that is outside of our own. How does he do it? Let me tell you...

Step One - Human actors. Labyrinth included the young, yet already talented Jennifer Connelly as their heroin and well-established musician and actor David Bowie as her nemesis. Now you get the fun of a complete puppet world while at the same time you have human characters that interact in that same environment. Thus giving the viewer a better connection to the puppet characters.

Step Two - Better puppets. The Dark Crystal is a masterpiece in of itself, however the technology used to animate the puppets was in its infancy and if you had to be picky about it you can pick away at the limitations of the puppets in that movie. With Labyrinth you get updated technology, which gives you puppets who can show emotions better. Case in point is the goblin Hoggle, who is the starring puppet. So much attention to detail went into his facial expressions that you can actually see the fear, disgust, anger, and joy in his eyes. Add to that other puppetry innovations and you have a world of cool puppets.

Step Three - Keep it fun. The Dark Crystal was a grandiose and serious film that included some funny moments now and then. Labyrinth is the opposite. Is a fun film where the characters meet up with unexpected and often times crazy situations. Makes this fantasy adventure feel more comical in the same way it would reading a fun bedtime story.

Step Four - Keep the original concept. Jim Henson did The Dark Crystal with the thought that he wanted to create a whole different world inhabited by beings and creatures portrayed entirely by puppets. Labyrinth is essentially the same thing, but done in a different way. Walking through the movie's namesake (the maze that leads to the goblin city) is definitely like being in another world that's both fascinating and fun. Much of what you see is visually impressive and essentially relish in the fact your eyes can play tricks on you. Brian Froud is again signed on as the conceptual designer and his work shines just as well in this iteration as it did with Dark Crystal.

Labyrinth also has the destinction of having songs specially written for the movie by David Bowie. Keep in mind this movie was in the 80's so what you get is 80's Bowie, and there are a couple scenes that flow more like music videos (or musical numbers) than standard scenes.

You might get the impression I am dogging on Dark Crystal in order to lift up Labyrinth. Can't be farther from the truth. However I do know the differences between the two films and how the other was made in response to the first. Labyrinth is the folk tale while Dark Crystal is the fantasy book. I believe both are fantastic movies.

The original DVD for Labyrinth was a good compilation right from the start, and is superceded only now with the Anniversary Edition. Here's what you get:

Documentary Making of the Labyrinth - Has interviews with the actors and puppet performers including Brian Henson, David Bowie (who gives us some insight on his character) and Jennifer Connelly. This documentary was in the original DVD and is included on the Anniversary edition.

Journey Through the Labyrinth: Kingdom of Characters and The Quest for Golden City - These two all new featurettes include updated interviews with the cast and crew and never before seen footage from the Jim Henson archives.

Commentary by Brian Froud

You also get DDS 5.1 Surround in English and Japanese along with a Portugese stereo track (how many movies have a Japanese and Portugese dub?), Subtitles (in English, Japanese, Portugese and French), remastered visuals from high definition masters, and it's presented in anomorphic 2.35.1 widescreen.

Although no announcements have been made to made a truly high definition copy (HD-DVD or Blu-Ray) with all the wonderful extras included I'm sure it will eventually happen. However until that happens this is what you would call the definitive edition to date. Labyrinth is a wonderful movie for all ages. The visuals will impress and the hijinks will entertain. If you are a Muppet fan this movie will be much more accessable than the Dark Crystal, and if you like The Storyteller then you have abolustely no choice but to get this (it's like a full length Storyteller movie sans John Hurt).

Jim Henson's Fantasy Film Collection - (Labyrinth / MirrorMask / The Dark Crystal)

Average customer rating:

Two Good, One Not
Jim Henson's Film Collection Family Hit
Jim Henson's Magic.
Wonderful Fantasy Films
A Masterpiece Collection

Jim Henson's Fantasy Film Collection - (Labyrinth / MirrorMask / The Dark Crystal)
Starring: Jim Henson's Fantasy Film Collection
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000GFRI5E
Release Date: 2006-09-05

Customer Reviews:

Two Good, One Not.......2007-07-07

A nice boxed set including The Dark Crystal, Labyrinth, and Mirrormask. These are simply the original releases in a slip case as opposed to being repackaged in a slimmer collection case.

The Dark Crystal takes us to a fabulous world where good and evil will make their final stand when a shard from the Dark Crystal is returned and the Crystal is healed. A wonderful film but underappreciated.

Labyrinth shows us another fascinating world ruled by the Goblin King (David Bowie). A girl wishers her baby brother to be taken by the Goblin King. When it really happens she must travel to his world and rescue her brother. With its ties to our world, this musical is probably Jim Henson's best.

Mirrormask has another girl trapped in a strange world that is being destroyed by her twin. The weakest of the three films and really not worth watching. Really lacks the richness of story found in the other two films.

A nice way to get two wonderful films by Jim Henson. But is you watch them together you will see how Mirrormask really misses the mark as far as story goes. Still, it is a good deal for the other two films so check it out.

Jim Henson's Film Collection Family Hit.......2007-05-14

If this sounds childish or reads juvenile please forgive the wounded one hand typist. LOL!!!

This film collection is wonderful!! My grown children adore it because it brings back happy memories of their childhood and my only grandchild is mesmerized by "The Dark Crystal", as are all of my neices and nephews. The Labyrinth is my grown girls choice and I love them all.They actually get up to sing and dance with the music and songs that to this day they know every word to.
Thank you for bringing joyous memories and delightful entertainment to my family,Through the eyes of the master puppeteer.

Mrs. Cheryl D. Fowler

Jim Henson's Magic........2007-05-12

To gather a large proportion of Jim Henson's work together is really wonderful. Somehow he and his team managed to provide a depth to all he did which makes his work long lasting. This is very apparent in the mysterious "MirrorMask" which is extremely challenging."Labyrinth" has always been a family favourite with us and it too has a depth of concept which is very powerful.Images such as the Junk Woman and the Man with the bird growing on his head are creative and strange."The Dark Crystal" is an early work and has certain crudities which are not apparent in the later films. However the inventive images of Brian Froud are wonderful and add much to the film.

Wonderful Fantasy Films.......2007-01-18

Great films that do justice to the legacy of the Jim Henson Company.

A Masterpiece Collection.......2006-09-17

Everyone of us has a favorite muppet, that is how well Jim Henson stood out as one of the most creative minds for family programing and now his legacy is remembered in a box set of the three non muppet films. These movies are nothing but pure grandure of fantasy used to stimulate the mind and senses. The stories are origional family friendly and a pleasure to watch over and over again. Jim Henson worked with other creative minds of the time such as Rick Callum, Frank Oz and of course one of Jim Hensons' equils George Lucas. No wonder these movies are so good.

The Dark Crystal, the first of these films is Lord Of The Rings with muppets. Its the story of a dying world and two races of creatures created by the breaking of the keeper of the world, the Dark Crystal. Now it is up to Jen, the last of his race to unite the crystal before the three suns of the planet align. Dark Crystal is an eye popping marvel. It doesn't move too quickly but that is how Jim Hensons' work is most of the time. But just watching the fact that there is not a single human in this movie and that its all done through the magic of puppetry and voice acting keeps you in your seat itching to see what happens next.

Labyrinth, probably the fan favorite of the three is the most entertaining in my eyes. Picture a twisted Wizard of Oz, with goblins. It's the story of a young, but still hot Jennifer Connely as she wishes her baby brother is taken away by the infamous Gobin King (That is David Bowie and yes he is singing!)Now she muse get to the caslte through a puzzeling maze filled with creatures you have never seen anywhere else before her brother becomes a goblin. This movie is great its a must see.

The last one was made long after Jim Henson left us, but the story of Mirrormask stays true to the legacy of Jim Henson storytelling. Filled with stimulating images, crazy creatures and a important moral to lesson to learn.

This collection goes right up there with the great movie trilogies of the past 35 years. It is worth every penny and there is no doubt in my mind you will want to watch them as much as you can.

Average customer rating:

Excellent Eastern European Stop-Motion Animation!!!
INFORMATION NOW! (Review to follow)

Jiri Barta: Labyrinth of Darkness
Starring: Zdenek Martínek , Frantisek Husák , and Ivan Vojtek
Director: Jirí Barta
Manufacturer: Kino Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000GTJS9E
Release Date: 2006-09-12

Customer Reviews:

Excellent Eastern European Stop-Motion Animation!!!.......2007-03-11

I purchased this specifically for the Pied Piper and was amazed that every film was solid.

INFORMATION NOW! (Review to follow).......2006-08-31

Since Amazon doesn't seem to know what it's got this is straight from the horses mouth... Review after release

Includes the legendary animated film The Pied Piper of Hamelin

Revered as one of the world's most significant figures in animation, Czech filmmaker Jiri Barta has made a career fashioning stunningly gothic worlds of horror and fantasy that are infused with sublime humor and intense moral examinations. Mixing the aesthetic traditions of such artists as Gaudi, Kafka, Poe, Fritz Lang, The Brothers Quay and Jan Svankmajer, Barta's films are wondrous creations that go far beyond mere children's tales.

His early paper cut-out extravaganzas-Disc Jockey (1980) and The Design (1981)-give way to the object ballet of A Ballad about Green Wood (1983), in which logs celebrate the eternal renaissance of spring. Old mannequins spend their cracked and broken lives In the Club of the Laid Off (1989), and myriad styles of handwear spring to life as a brief history of international cinema in the award-winning The Vanished World of Gloves (1982). Barta's international reputation was cemented with The Pied Piper of Hamelin (1985), a very un-Disney adaptation of the classic German fairytale in which carved wooden puppets in a gothic cubist town are plagued by live rats. Considered one of the greatest works of puppet animation, it recalls the dark medieval epics of Ingmar Bergman. His only live action film, The Last Theft (1987), is a jewel thief/vampire flick shot in the style of 1970s European exploitation cinema.

Working mostly from the prestigious animation studio founded by the legendary Jiri Trnka, Barta's works have been criminally overlooked in the U.S. Kimstim is proud to present all eight of Jiri Barta's films, available for the first time together on one DVD.

* A Ballad About Green Wood
11 minutes, color, 1983
* The Club of the Laid Off
25 minutes, color, 1989
* The Design
6 minutes, color, , 1981
* Disc Jockey
10 minutes, color, 1980
* The Last Theft
* 21 minutes, color, 1987
* The Pied Piper of Hamelin
55 minutes, color, 1985
* Riddles For a Candy
8 minutes, color, 1978
* The Vanished World of Gloves
16 minutes, color, 1982

Critical Acclaim

"Extraordinary... Barta creates a gothic never-was world caught somewhere between Gaudí and Kafka, Caligari and Svankmajer."- TIME OUT

Average customer rating:

Puppets kick (explitive deleted)!!
The Labyrinth rocks
ROCKED!

Labyrinth (UMD Mini For PSP)
Starring: Kenny Baker , David Barclay , Sean Barrett , Timothy Bateson , and Robert Beatty
Director: Jim Henson
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: UMD for PSP

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ASIN: B0009P42V4
Release Date: 2005-07-26

Product Description

Labyrinth PSP UMD Movie

Customer Reviews:

Puppets kick (explitive deleted)!!.......2007-04-26

This movie blows away all its contenders! There are so many twists and turns and so many side adventures that I hardly see how anyone wouldn't love this movie! I usually do not like Muppet movies, but this particular movie makes you forget that you are watching puppets and it takes you away. David Bowie is good in this movie, but maybe they could have shaved a few of his songs off of the script, as well as a few of the other songs, but even with the slight overreliance on music, it was an awesome flick. Jennifer Conelly is a total honey too! lol

The Labyrinth rocks.......2007-02-07

The Labyrinth rocks in any form or size it is in. Yay for David Bowie!!

ROCKED!.......2006-01-02

This movie ROCKS!!! I loved every second of it. If you don't like fantasy this movie is not for you!!

Labyrinth (Collector's Edition Boxed Set)

Average customer rating:

Terrific Adventure
Kids love this...
A Timeless Classic!
Wonderful
Movie to watch over and over again!

Labyrinth (Collector's Edition Boxed Set)
Starring: David Bowie , Jennifer Connelly , Toby Froud , Shelley Thompson , and Christopher Malcolm
Director: Jim Henson
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0000X2EOW
Release Date: 2004-02-03

Amazon.com essential video

Description

Journey into the fantastical world of LABYRINTH, starring David Bowie, and Jennifer Connelly in one of her first lead roles, and a cast of incredible creatures created by Jim Henson and produced by the Master of Myth, George Lucas! The classic fantasy adventure film available in an all-new Collector's Edition. DVD will be re-mastered to add new bonus materials.

Customer Reviews:

Terrific Adventure.......2007-08-24

This flick has little bits for all ages. I've been sharing some different fantasy movies with some young family members, and they've enjoyed this one multiple times.

Kids love this..........2007-08-23

If you are one that likes classic rock and David Bowie but don't much like musicals....you still will like this. I have 4 boys ages from 15 to 3 and they all love to watch this movie.

A Timeless Classic!.......2007-08-18

Wonderful.......2007-08-11

Movie to watch over and over again!.......2007-07-31

David Bowie is great. This has been a favorite movie of mine for 16 years.

Average customer rating:

First year film student
Lame
DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME OR MONEY!!!
Far better than I expected given the reviews.
Not really that bad, give it a chance. Creepy atmosphere, and well done gore effects!

The Cavern
Starring: Sybil Temtchine , Mustafa Shakir , Ogy Durham , Andrew Caple-Shaw , and Danny A. Jacobs
Director: Olatunde Osunsanmi
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000FIHN9S
Release Date: 2006-07-18

Description

8 explorers trapped in a Russian cave system are hunted by an unknown presence.

Customer Reviews:

First year film student.......2007-06-03

Words cannot even describe how bad the film was. 1 star sums it up...

Lame.......2007-04-10

Stupid characters, terrible camera angles and multiple angle switches per second. The supposed terrible rape at the end is hardly visible due to darkness and then add on the the insane angle switch speed it's not even litely upsetting. The actors/directors were obviously part of the conservative trend in movies nowadays. Fully clothed sex scene and after the monster grabs the women, knocks them out and strips them(all off screen) the women both remained completely covered during the rest of the movie, included during the rape scene.

DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME OR MONEY!!!.......2007-02-17

They call this a horror film. the only thing horrific is that i actually paid money for this. i bought this ACCIDENTLY. I had intended to buy a movie called 'The Cave', but was in a rush and somehow managed to grab this instead. I had it in my dvd player before i realised my mistake, so i could not return it. Well i wish i could because this is terrible! Its one of those films shot mostly in the dark, where you never actually get a good look at the monster thats killing everyone. I usually can tolerate any movie, regardless of how bad it is or how pathetic the storyline is as long as it's horror, but trust me- if you want a corny, cheesy, gorey horror flick, this is not the way to go. it's just bad

Far better than I expected given the reviews........2007-01-26

The Cavern (Olatunde Osunsami, 2006)

Olatunde Osunsami's low-budget thriller The Cavern could have been-- well, not a great movie, really, but at least a very good one. It starts out well enough. Like The Descent, the British trapped-in-a-cave-with-something-nasty film released around the same time, The Cavern is about a bunch of cavers who are, well, trapped in a cave with something nasty. Unlike The Descent, which for all that it was one of the best movies I saw last year was gimmicky and full of shortcuts, The Cavern actually tries to go the distance. It's a first film, and has some of the hallmarks of a first film, but at least Osunsami makes the effort, and he comes pretty close to pulling it off.

The cavers in The Cavern are a coed bunch, unlike the all-female caving troupe of The Descent, but sex isn't really as much of an issue as one might think; we spend the opening scenes of the movie setting up the various alliances and tensions between the group. Five of them-- Bailey (The Passion of Ayn Rand beauty Sybil Temchen), Gannon (Mustafa Shakir, recently of Marci X), Domingo (TV character actor Andres Saenz-Hudson), Miranda (Urban Playground's Ogy Durham), and Ori (American Gun's Andrew Caple-Shaw)-- are part of a team who have caved together for a number of years, making their living from exploring and photographing new caves and reporting back to the world on what they find there. Also involved in this trip are two Kazakh natives, Vlad (Kamen Gabirel in his big-screen debut) and Slava (Neno Pervan, briefly seen in The Hunted), who they band have hired as guides, and Ambrose (Danny Jacobs, recently of Miriam), who's writing a book on caving and is with them for research. It can also be said that there's a ghost with the group-- that of Rachel (Cassandra Duarden, in her big-screen debut), a member of the team who died on an expedition in Peru two years previous, and whose story is told in flashback as the movie goes on. The setting up of the characters is accomplished with the same sort of lunkheaded deftness that we get in The Descent, though again, Osunsami's characters don't have the sort of slick two-dimensionality that some of those in The Descent did. He doesn't always succeed, but he's trying to create rich, detailed characters with depth and complexity. The film is shot in the foot here mostly by its abbreviated running time of eighty-one minutes; there was a lot more that could have been dome with some of these characters, especially Domingo and the author, but it's enough to know, at least, they're not stereotypes.

Then we actually get into the cave, and here I have to give The Descent the props. Osunsami takes few chances with his footage here, and when he does, it has more to do with Blair-Witch-Project-esque first-person-cam fiddling than it does with trying to make the viewer claustrophobic (something the first half of The Descent does with chilling effectiveness). Part of the problem is the constant thought in the back of the viewer's head that if anyone's carrying a video camera, they wouldn't be in the places from which we're seeing camera shots, but that's less minor than Osunsami not taking full advantage of the fact that he and his actors are sitting in a cave. There's one tight-shot scene, but there's never much of a feeling that anyone's in any danger from the environment itself.

The something-nasty angle, though, heaps points on The Cavern like nobody's business-- for the first hour of the movie. If it had ended at sixty-one minutes, I'd be hailing it as one of the best monster movies we've seen in at least the past two decades. Osunsami handles this perfectly. We never see the monster. The cavers see the monster every now and then, but only see enough to get a grip on what it is once-- and the camera work here is deft enough so that you an get the cavers' reaction to the beast while only seeing the barest hint of it. I'm probably overreaching and/or forgetting a few movies here, but I was thinking while I was watching it that I hadn't seen the monster in a monster movie handled that well since Cat People (Tourneur's, not Schrader's).

Ah, but this is the age of Trading Spaces and Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. How can you possibly make a movie that doesn't have a big reveal? Sixty-one minutes in, after the climactic scene, the screen goes black, you're ready to rejoice... and there's another scene, and you just know that Osunsami's about to blow it. We're going to see the
monster, which has zero chance of living up to the build-up, and it'll end up being 2006's great cinematic disappointment. (Well, unless you actually expected a good Adam Sandler movie.) But here is the biggest surprise The Cavern has waiting for you-- while the expected disappointment does, of course, surface, if you look at all the variables here, all the many, many ways this could have gone even more horribly wrong than it does, it will eventually occur to you that if Osunsami had to give us the last twenty minutes of this movie, he did it in, roughly, the best way he could have. Obviously, it's impossible to discuss this in detail without major spoilers, so I'll just have to say that while it doesn't work as well as simply not including the final scene would have, it works as well as possible given the existence of the final scene.

A very pleasant surprise, albeit one that should have been twenty minutes shorter. *** ½

Not really that bad, give it a chance. Creepy atmosphere, and well done gore effects!.......2007-01-24

I saw this film before reading any reviews on it. I really enjoyed it and couldn't believe the bad reviews I read afterwards. This is a low-budget picture, so some of the acting is not the best, but I loved the atmosphere and the way the filmmakers concentrated on SUSPENSE! There were some really well done kills in this flick and lots of creepiness. I was scared and tensed up through most of it. I can understand why some viewers might feel a bit ripped off by the ending, but I actually appreciated how well it was done so as to stay away from getting too cheesy. A great cave picture, and better than a couple other cave films I've seen lately; The Cave, Hillside Cannibals. I think this film was just as good as The Descent.

The Wild, Wild World of Jayne Mansfield / The Labyrinth of Sex (Something Weird)

Average customer rating:

Absolutely Fabulous DVD ! A must-have of any Mansfield Fan
Did these people have no shame? At all?
Be Aware that Marilyn Monroe Does Not Appear In This Film
A Strange Mix
A very interesting movie!

The Wild, Wild World of Jayne Mansfield / The Labyrinth of Sex (Something Weird)
Starring: Jayne Mansfield , Robert Jason (II) , Mickey Hargitay , Fernand Aubrey , and Carolyn De Fonseca
Director: Arthur Knight , Joel Holt , and Charles W. Broun Jr.
Manufacturer: Image Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0000A0DX8
Release Date: 2003-08-12

Customer Reviews:

Absolutely Fabulous DVD ! A must-have of any Mansfield Fan.......2006-06-03

I owned the VHS version of ''The Wild,Wild World'' but decided to get the DVD this winter.
WELL..That was a great purchase !
I understand people that could see the documentary of Jayne in Europe,as pretty cheaply made,BUT it is still Jayne,and if you love her (as I do),any film she was in (except The Girl can't help it,and Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter) was done on the cheap,with ridiculously small budgets.
'The Wild,Wild World' gives you the chance to see a candid Jayne in all kinds of very campy situations,and the best scenes are when Jayne pretends to be offended by the goings-on...
It shows a Jayne Mansfield who was indeed a true-original,rather eccentric person in the anal-retentive American Fifties.I can't help comparing her to what Anna Nicole Smith has done with her 'career' as a media sensation,BUT Jayne was doing basically the same FIFTY years ago,which was understandbly much more shocking for the common-folks.
When Jayne talks about her film roles,you wonder if she is laughing with you or at herself.
I don't understand how she can be compared to Marilyn Monroe.MM was looking for privacy,more serious roles,spoke to journalists only if she absolutely had to,when Jayne was waking up her daughter in the middle of the night to prepare drinks for journalists who needed something to write about.Jayne was not too picky about her roles,and the kind of attention she was getting,and it was her undoing.Sad,but she needed the money to keep up that image,all those children,dogs,and...husbands.
NOW ,about ''The Labyrinth of Sex'': It is HYSTERICAL !! and a great choice to make the DVD a double-feature,just like the good-old days of the Drive-ins !
When you get over the awful dubbing,the documentary is rather well made,naive to today's standards of course,but well-intentionned.Some viewers will just see crass-exploitation,but if you are into Campy,Kitsch movies,and you see Ed Wood Jr. as a genius...well you will love IT !.The movie trailers are very funny as well,and make you wish you could find them.
So my conclusion is that DVD is an EXCELLENT purchase,a must-have for any serious Jayne Mansfield Fan !!!

Did these people have no shame? At all?.......2005-07-24

Damn. There's nothing remarkable about the second item on this DVD; it's your standard European-made sexploitation film. "The Wild, Wild World of Jayne Mansfield," on the other hand, is reprehensible. It's a hodge-podge of vacation footage of Mansfield, clips from her movie project, and material entirely unrelated to Mansfield, linked only by the voiceover... and then, after an hour or so of light-hearted softcore buffoonery, the movie cuts to her death, spending the last twenty minutes obsessing on her husband and children and the large, mostly empty mansion she has left behind.

This movie has the feel of something slapped together for the sole purpose of trading off a famous name after Mansfield's death. This is exploitation in its worst form. I found the sudden change in tone, the large volume of non-Mansfield material, and the sheer obsessiveness of the last twenty minutes disgusting in the extreme. Those looking for cheesy bad movies to enjoy, or softcore porn to tittilate, go elsewhere; this one is not merely bad, but evil.

Be Aware that Marilyn Monroe Does Not Appear In This Film.......2004-02-14

I have not seen this film, but I realize that the actress in the short segment titled "Apples, Knockers & the Coke Bottle" is being advertised as Marilyn Monroe. For a long time, it was thought that it was indeed Monroe, but the actress who appears in is actually a woman named Arline Hunter. Hunter does bare a striking resemblance to Marilyn, but be assured it is not Marilyn who appears in this film.

A Marilyn Fan

A Strange Mix.......2004-01-06

This is an unusual disk in that the contents are not really of the same theme.

First we have the Wild World of Jayne Mansfield. Jayne was a very intelligent beauty who excelled at playing the dumb blond. This film shows Jayne touring Europe after her nude Playboy appearance. But just when you get used to seeing things through her eyes, the film switches scope as we reach the point of her death in a car crash. The film then becomes a retrospective showing her widower, children, and her mansion. The film really ends on a rather sad note.

The second film is The Labyrinth of Sex, a supposed documentary on sexual deviation. This is more a collection of vignettes with a doctor lecturing between them. There is an operating room scene that is not for the squeamish. All in all the film seemed like something that was done just because it could be.

Parisian Rendezvous is one of the short films included on the disk. Two lovers circle the glob in opposite directions rushing to be back in each other's arms. This film has some of the sadness of the Jayne Mansfield film.

Finally we have The Apple Knockers and the Coke. This is a silent striptease short staring Marilyn Monroe. A fake apple tree, a bottle of coke and Marilyn's attributes star in this multi-part short.

All in all an unusual assortment of films with each aiming at a different audience.

A very interesting movie!.......2003-12-22

If you like Jayne Mansfield and her bizarre life and world this is your movie. Maybe she was not Marilyn or Taylor but after see this movie I can tell she is and always be ........... and nobody will be as Jayne Mansfield.........ibem if you are a normal person.......
I am looking for more movies of Jayne, thanks to Amazon.

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