Beauty and the Beast (Disney Special Platinum Edition)

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The film that officially signaled Disney's animation renaissance (following The Little Mermaid) and the only animated feature to receive a Best Picture Oscar nomination, Beauty and the Beast remains the yardstick by which all other animated films should be measured. It relates the story of Belle, a bookworm with a dotty inventor for a father; when he inadvertently offends the Beast (a prince whose heart is too hard to love anyone besides himself), Belle boldly takes her father's place, imprisoned in the Beast's gloomy mansion. Naturally, Belle teaches the Beast to love. What makes this such a dazzler, besides the amazingly accomplished animation and the winning coterie of supporting characters (the Beast's mansion is overrun by quipping, dancing household items) is the array of beautiful and hilarious songs by composer Alan Menken and the late, lamented lyricist Howard Ashman. (The title song won the 1991 Best Song Oscar, and Menken's score scored a trophy as well.) The downright funniest song is "Gaston," a lout's paean to himself (including the immortal line, "I use antlers in all of my de-co-ra-ting"). "Be Our Guest" is transformed into an inspired Busby Berkeley homage. Since Ashman's passing, animated musicals haven't quite reached the same exhilarating level of wit, sophistication, and pure joy. --David Kronke --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Customer Reviews:

One of my all time favorites.......2007-08-23

This is up there for the best Disney movie. The animation is astounding, the music, perfect. Its an unforgettable classic that everybody should watch, if they have yet to do so.

A "tale as old as time" breathes new life into Disney.......2007-08-23

This is the film which set the high bar of standards for all other animated films to try to meet. After Disney's success with 1989's "The Little Mermaid", the studio was quickly on the road to recovery after a dismal record of not-so-great productions (anyone remember "The Black Cauldron"?). Then came the masterpiece: "Beauty and the Beast", a handsomely detailed film that's satisfying on all levels of story, animation and music.
How good is it? It's the only animated film (so far) to have received an Oscar nomination for Best Picture, so you know that this film lives up to all the hype surrounding it.
This quaint period story begins with Belle, a young woman in a close-minded French town whose people label her "odd" and "loony" for spending her time reading books. Constantly pursued by a swaggering, loutish, narcisstic brute named Gaston to marry him, Belle finds shelter within the pages of her books, expanding her knowledge and imagination. But her life changes forever when her eccentric inventor-father stumbles upon a dark castle while lost in the woods. There, he encounters the hideous, frightening Beast, who imprisons him for trespassing. Belle agrees to remain as a "guest" at the castle in exchange for her father's freedom. As the narrator tells us at the beginning of the film, the Beast was once a handsome prince whose uncaring vanity forced a sorceress to place a powerful curse upon him and his castle, which can only be broken by true love. And there begins the heart of the story, as Belle attempts to reveal the "beauty" within the Beast and forge love & understanding between them (which, of course, turns out to be not-so-easy!).
Robby Benson & Mary Kay Bergman voice the title characters (who would've guessed such a soft-spoken actor as Benson would possess such a powerful lower register?). The supporting cast includes a wide assortment of talking, dancing & singing household items (the Prince's servants transformed under the curse), brought to life by such wonderfully diverse voice talents as Angela Lansbury (Miss Potts), the late Jerry Orbach (Lumiere), and David Odgen Stiers (Cogsworth).
The songwriting team of Ashman & Menken compose a musical score for a Disney film that's the most memorable ever. I dare you not to tap your foot while hearing such tunes as "Be Our Guest" or fall under the spell of the title song.
And the film helped launch Disney into sort of a "renaissance" period as they followed with one great film after another: "Aladdin", "The Lion King", "Pocahontas", "The Hunchback of Notre Dame", "Hercules", "Mulan" and "Tarzan".
Sometimes haunting, sometimes frightening, and often joyous in its imagery & storytelling, "Beauty and the Beast" is Disney at its peak of perfection. No Disney collection would be complete without it!

A masterly musical rendering of the classic story.......2007-08-03

"Beauty and the Beast" is one of the treasures of the Disney catalog.

Anyone who wants to see where great Broadway musicals were being written in the 90s should look at this film. The songs by Alan Mencken and Howard Ashman are masterful.

The classic story is beautifully realised by directors Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise. Beautifully sung and voice-acted by the talented cast. You would have to be hard of heart to not be moved by the finale.

Coming after "The Little Mermaid", the success of this "traditional" animated film inspired the resurgence of the previously moribund animation genre in the 90s, which has continued through until today.

My favorite movie. EVER........2007-07-19

I grew up on the Disney movies, ranging from Snow White and the Seven Dwarves to the Lion King. While both earn my utmost respect, there has always been one that stuck with me in both heart and memory- Beauty and the Beast.

You see, I'm 19 now, almost 20 and this is one movie I've always cherished since childhood. When the narration begins about the Prince,goes to the title, and on, the movie hooks me into a realm of fantasy and romance.

While I'm not too big on romance stories in book form, Disney does it right in this film. A raging, yet sorrow-filled beast who secretly falls in love with a strong-willed woman. First off, they don't like each other, but the relationship blossoms and grows up to where they fight for each other- this is true love in its purest form.

I admit with pride, that I cry at certain scenes, mostly the Transformation scene at the end of the film. The music is lively, the acting is superb, and the memories that remain in my heart are fond.

Parents, please, please, PLEASE show this film to your children- I firmly believe that they, like myself and many others will fall in love with this film, and many other Disney classics. I give Beauty and the Beast 10 out of 10 Stars. This is my favorite film of all eternity. EVER.

ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE!!!.......2007-06-30

Tal como lo dijeran los Beatles, "todo lo que necesitas es amor"; hasta los seres mas horripilantes, pateticos y groseros necesitan sentirse amados...y el amor puede hacer maravillosos cambios en el caracter de todo ser humano; esto es lo que nos muestra uno de los cuentos mas clasicos llevados a la pantalla por la factoria Disney, en una obra de las mas espectaculares que se ha visto en la animacion; esta es una de mis favoritas de Disney (incluso tuvo un Oscar), nos cuenta la historia de como una engreido y grosero principe es hechizado a causa de su pesimo caracter y transformado en una horrible bestia, y como solo el beso del amor verdadero lo puede salvar... es entonces que aparece Belle, una encantadora mujer aldeana pero con muchos sueños e ilusiones; en el momento en que ambas vidas se encuentran, una transformacion permanente se dara en ambas, llegandose a conocer tan intimamente que terminan descubriendo como con el amor TODO ES POSIBLE; hay en la pelicula tanto momentos divertidos (protagonizados por un candelabro y un reloj) como tristes (cuando Belle y la bestia se despiden), y es una pelicula CANDIDATA A SER UNA DE LAS GRANDES DE TODOS LOS TIEMPOS.

Monsters, Inc. (Two-Disc Collector's Edition)

Average customer rating:

Wish there were a sequel!
WOW!! What a great movie.. This movie should live on FOREVER!!!
Power-ful Kiddie Entertainment
Pixar Created A Classic!
Great movie

Monsters, Inc. (Two-Disc Collector's Edition)
Starring: Jack Angel , Bob Bergen , Samuel Lord Black , Rodger Bumpass , and Steve Buscemi
Director: Peter Docter , David Silverman , and Unkrich, Lee
Manufacturer: Disney/Pixar
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00005JKDR
Release Date: 2002-09-17

Amazon.com

The folks at Pixar can do no wrong with Monsters, Inc., the studio's fourth feature film, which stretches the computer animation format in terms of both technical complexity and emotional impact. The giant, blue-furred James P. "Sulley" Sullivan (wonderfully voiced by John Goodman) is a scare-monster extraordinaire in the hidden world of Monstropolis, where the scaring of kids is an imperative in order to keep the entire city running. Beyond the competition to be the best at the business, Sullivan and his assistant, the one-eyed Mike Wazowski (Billy Crystal), discover what happens when the real world interacts with theirs in the form of a 2-year-old baby girl dubbed "Boo," who accidentally sneaks into the monster world with Sulley one night. Director Pete Doctor and codirectors David Silverman and Lee Unkrich follow the Pixar (Toy Story) blueprint with an imaginative scenario, fun characters, and ace comic timing. By the last heart-tugging shot, kids may never look at monsters the same, nor artists at what computer animation can do in the hands of magicians. --Doug Thomas

Description

From the Academy Award(R)-winning creators of TOY STORY comes the computer-animated film that captured the hearts of fans and critics everywhere. MONSTERS, INC., is "visually dazzling, action-packed, and hilarious" (Boston Herald), featuring groundbreaking animation, imaginative storytelling, and unforgettable voice talent. John Goodman stars as the lovable James P. Sullivan (Sulley) and Billy Crystal as his wisecracking best friend, Mike Wazowski. Top scarer Sulley and his enthusiastic Scare Assistant Mike work at Monsters, Inc., the largest scream-processing factory in Monstropolis. The main power source of the monster world is the collected screams of human children. Monsters believe children are dangerous and toxic, however, and they are scared silly when a little girl wanders into their world. Sulley and Mike do their best to return the girl home, but they face monstrous intrigue and some hilarious misadventures along the way. MONSTERS, INC., is "supremely clever -- fun for kids and adults alike" (CBS-TV). Treat yourself to the most entertaining movie of the year with all-new exclusive bonus features and animation for monster laughs and monster fun.

Customer Reviews:

Wish there were a sequel!.......2007-06-28

It was that good! Unfortunately they didn't leave a door open for a sequel. Great story about the Monsters all little kids fear in their bed at night, and their interaction with those kids. It gives you the persepective from the other side of your closet door where the Monsters live. The characters are very lovable. Great, great comedy sequences, you will be laughing out loud! Unique story line. "Loving" out-come. Enjoy!

WOW!! What a great movie.. This movie should live on FOREVER!!!.......2007-06-22

This movie was great and it was really enjoyable and funny. I have had this movie since it came out as I went to see it in the movie theater. This would be my favorite movie of all time. Sulley(James P. Sullivan) and Mike Wazowski (the main characters of this movie) are my favorite characters in this movie and are my two favorite characters in any movie. Randall Boggs would be my third favorite character in the movie because he makes me LAUGH!! But he gets destroyed into a trailor during my favorite part of the movie which is when Mike and Sulley are hanging or flying on doors to try to get Boo home. Boo is my least favorite character in this movie because she CRIES a lot during the movie and just not my favorite. Celia, who Mike is in love with isn't all that great too. But I think Roz is great. She makes me laugh when she tells Mike that he didn't turn in his paperwork. and Mr. Waternoose would be my 5th and last most favorite character in this movie till he gets arrested by the CDA. Also, the part where Mike and Sulley go to Himalayas is great because they're in a BLIZZARD!! The worst part of the movie is when Sulley and Mike take Boo home that's when I feel to cry. But overall, this is a really great movie which I wish I could give this 10 stars. Please get this movie but Shrek s$cked!!!
Best film of the year.

Power-ful Kiddie Entertainment.......2007-06-21

Some of the best stories for children have presented their worst fears only to have the menace brought down to size. "Jack and the Beanstalk" works that way perfectly. 'Monsters, Inc.' helps to tuck the kiddies in and give them the giggles, too. Taking near day-glow colors, the Monsters in this fluid Pixar picture are hideously cute. They live in a "green" world where the renewable resource of children's fright powers the Monster community. Looking like the sorts in (Lucas Films, Ltd. is credited here) a 'Star Wars' bar scene, the film's focus is on the power company where the employees go through magic doors, their portals to children's bedrooms where the fright factor generates their power plant.

Heading the troops is big blue "Sully" (John Goodman) a good natured monster, proud of his ability to be the equivalent of "Employee of the Month". Keeping track of his generating power, he is out to set a plant record. His green, one-eyed sidekick, Mike Wazowski, (Billy Crystal) has a Martian appearance, but his voice couldn't scare a mouse. He is smitten by one-eyed purple princess, Shroopsy with hydra hair (snake braids). They all face their competition with rascally Randall, (perfectly villainous, Steve Buscemi) the salamander-like monster with invisible capabilities. Pivotal to the plot is Mr. Waternoose, (James Coburn) a tycoon who resembles a tarantula in a three-piece suit. In the causality is 'Silkwood'-like contamination if any child or remnant remains in the Monster world. (In other words: Just like parents often say about insects or some animals: "They're more afraid of [children], than [they] are of them.") Sully and James come across "Boo" whom they find in their best interests to return to the dark realm of her own bedroom.

Formidable to the fore, 'Monsters,..." takes a premise that could have been a dumb non-starter, and provides supporting plot structures with enough heft to turn the adventure on. With Pixar animation, the movement is flowing enough to take the technological edge off the look, and Andrew Stanton and Daniel Gerson's screenplay keep the dialogue fresh and funny. Director Pete Docter gives the movie proper assembly. 'Monsters, Inc.' is therapeutically good for children's dreamscapes as well as their funny bones. (Highly recommended to rent and to own.)

Pixar Created A Classic!.......2007-06-14

Monsters Inc is a great piece that your family will love! Loveable monsters are brought to life and make you laugh a lot! Laughter is more powerful than screams you know. A loveable classic for any collection!

Great movie.......2007-06-13

Hey it's Mike,
Wow!! What a great movie this is. This is by far my favorite movie due to the presence of Mike and Sulley. There is not a lot of great movies out there, but this one is one of the very best!! Sulley, Mike, Randall, Roz, and Waternoose are all great characters and 3 of them are really funny! Boo and Celia are my two least favorite characters in the film. The best part of this movie is the Flying on Doors part where Randall gets destroyed.
The end is the saddest part of the movie when Sulley and Mike take Boo home.

Well this movie is the best as I wish that I can give this much more than 5 stars like a million stars. Please buy.

Beauty and the Beast - The Second Season

Average customer rating:

The Loveliest Story Ever Told Gets More Lovelier!
Where is the 3rd/Final Season???
Impatiently awaiting Season III to be released!!
Great
One of the Best ever on TV.

Beauty and the Beast - The Second Season
Starring: Roy Dotrice , Jay Acovone , Ren Woods , Jason Allen , and Cory Danziger
Director: Beth Hillshafer , Victor Lobl , Gabrielle Beaumont , Alan Cooke , and Daniel Attias
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000OONQ9Y
Release Date: 2007-07-10

Amazon.com

Though set in the late-1980s, Beauty and the Beast plays like something from another era. There's no irony, cynicism, or hip quips to break the spell of the fantasy (though a little humor would've been nice). Catherine (Linda Hamilton) loves the beastly, if beneficent Vincent (Ron Perlman) with all her heart--and vice versa. Together, they're TV's most soft-hearted crime fighters. To the show's credit, however, they aren't infallible, and there are a few problems they're unable to solve, whether the issue is drug addiction ("Chamber Music"), infectious disease ("Ashes, Ashes" with Highlander's Adrian Paul), or murder ("The Hollow Men").

In retrospect, it's clear that Beauty and the Beast was a reaction to the "greed is good" era. Vincent and his cave-dwelling compatriots represent a more compassionate alternative to "topsider" corruption. Yet all is not harmonious below either. Seriously injured the previous year, Paracelsus (Tony Jay) becomes a Phantom of the Opera-type figure, who aims to destroy Vincent's candle-lit utopia. In addition, a less civilized group of outcasts arrives in "The Outsiders." Fortunately, Vincent has Father (Roy Dotrice), Mary (Ellen Geer), Mouse (David Greenlee), and Pascal (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine's Armin Shimerman) on his side.

Unfortunately, they won't be able to prevent the tragedy that occurs in "The Rest Is Silence." Suffice to say, the season finale sets the scene for a new direction (more is revealed in the third-season opener). Consequently, Beauty and the Beast was canceled the following year, but still managed to rack up 18 Emmy nominations (winning six), spawning a soundtrack, and even inspiring some Saturday Night Live spoofing--a sure sign it had struck a chord. While the first season was devoid of extras, Perlman and Hamilton introduce six key episodes on this set. --Kathleen C. Fennessy

Product Description

The Beauty and the Beast TV show was a fantasy series about a man-beast (Vincent) and his love for a beautiful assistant district attorney (Catherine Chandler). Vincent lived in an underground world beneath New York City where his gruesome looks were less important to his peers than were his caring and benevolent personality. Together, Vincent and Catherine had many adventures both above and below ground level and their love for each other continued to grow.

Customer Reviews:

The Loveliest Story Ever Told Gets More Lovelier!.......2007-09-13

So far I have only seen two episodes of the second season and I am so impressed with the exploration into the darker side of the world around lovers Catherine Chandler, the tough assistant DA of New York, and the gentle yet protective Vincent.

Raw emotion is presented as Catherine and Vincent "begin" their official relationship-- going to concerts by hiding near drainage pipes, planning vacations to isolated spots, dreaming of things that seem possible but just aren't. Meanwhile, they're still trying to save the people around them from immpossible situations while being there for each other.

I like that the fact that in this season (so far) there are no neat and tidy endings and sometimes love cannot truly conquer all (example being the first episode, "Chamber Music.") In all aspects of this, Catherine and Vincent's strong love for each other still shines and actually makes them stronger as a couple. They come to realize that sometimes you can't really help someone, but you can let them know you're there. That, in itself, is more than needed.

The cinematography is terrific and the dialogue, while poetic and lyrical, fills the story with flavor and provides art through the tough stories. I still love Catherine; I'm still in love with Vincent. My only complaint is that this series didn't last any longer than three. But, it's a beautiful journey all in all, and I hope you dare to take it.

Where is the 3rd/Final Season??? .......2007-09-11

Loved the series at the time and totally enjoying the DVD's. Just finished Season #2 - Vincent is down in the catacombs, Catherine followed him down.... Shreaking & wailing... Where is the final set???

Impatiently awaiting Season III to be released!!.......2007-08-31

I received the product in a timely fashion. I have watched the set in its entirety and have enjoyed every minute. I am impatiently awaiting for the release of Season III.

Great.......2007-08-25

This was my favorite tv series of all time. I now have two seasons and am waiting for more. It was recieved when promised and in excellent condition.

One of the Best ever on TV. .......2007-08-22

I am really crazy for this series. From the pilot to its untimely end, I hardly ever missed an episode of this remarkable series. The 1st Season was a cut above ordinary TV--but the 2nd Season--truly magnificent. The episodes that I recall as really memorable such as 'Orphans', or 'Brothers' are inspirational. But what I really am captivated by are the trilogy that end the 2nd Season. Beginning with 'What Rough Beast', continuing with Ceremony of Innocence', and then ending the season with 'The Rest is Silence' we come to the conclusion that this was no ordinary series---this is dramatic Literature, plain and simple!
I highly recommend this DVD from Beauty and the Beast 2nd Season. It will rarely disappoint!

Average customer rating:

awesome!
Not as good as you remember . . .
best cruise movie
One of the best fantasy movies ever made
I love this movie

Legend (Ultimate Edition)
Starring: Tom Cruise , Alice Playten , Billy Barty , Cork Hubbert , and Peter O'Farrell
Director: Ridley Scott
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000063UR2
Release Date: 2002-05-21

Amazon.com essential video

This strange, 1985 experiment by Ridley Scott (Blade Runner) starred the up-and-coming Tom Cruise in a fairy-tale world of dwarfs and unicorns and demons. After the horn of a unicorn is broken, darkness and winter descend upon the world. Cruise's character, helped along by a magic sprite played by David Bennent (The Tin Drum), descends into hell to save paradise. This movie is almost a classic case of art direction gone amok. The somewhat amorphous Cruise doesn't lend much dramatic focus or artistic definition, but the drama between Tim Curry's satanic majesty and Mia Sara's character, who becomes a sort of princess of the netherworld, is pretty captivating. A mixed experience all around that makes one wish it had been more successful. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

awesome!.......2007-09-12

i don't care how old this movie is it rocks!! If u havent seen it you need to!!

Not as good as you remember . . . .......2007-09-08

Some films are better left in the recesses of your nostalgic memories. Legend is one of them. Great art direction, costumes, cinematography and direction can't save a story with no action and unappealing characters. Re-watching this after not having seen it for about a decade, all I kept thinking was, "What a waste!" The sets, the special effects, everything is very nice for the time but totally squandered on a very loose story with little thought put into creating an authentic or detailed fantasy world. I think Ridley Scott wanted to make a Lord of the Rings-type epic but didn't bother to investigate why or how successful fantasy stories work.

best cruise movie.......2007-09-01

wow , i did'nt even know this movie was on dvd , my vhs went bad so i started looking and here it was on amazon , i LOVE this movie and the dvd is great , it even has two versions one with the origanel sound track (witch sucks) and one with the tangerine dream and the guy from yes sound track (kicks butt), if you like fantasy movies this is one that you MUST have in your collection !!

One of the best fantasy movies ever made.......2007-08-24

Wow, I love this movie. The setting is enchanting and there is an innocence about the movie. I love how serene and beautiful the forest looks, with details like floating particles (makes me want to quit my deskjob and go hiking). There isn't a huge amount of story or dialogue, but I think that is why I like it. Tom Cruise does a great job and Mia Sara is extremely beautiful (even when singing)

I bought this version because I really like the director's cut. I haven't actually seen the US theater release since I was a kid so I honestly don't know how much better it is.

Legend is timeless. This is a movie I will show my kids (once I find a girl that will bear my children).

I love this movie.......2007-08-21

I remember seeing this movie when I was much younger and I still love it. Even now, its not as cheezy as a lot of other older fantasy movies. The acting was great and you gotta love Tim Curry in this.

Average customer rating:

This version is better than Disney's.
Perfect for the youngsters
Would Give it More Stars if More Than Five Were Possible
This is the one you want
terrific, original story

My Neighbor Totoro
Starring: Noriko Hidaka , Chika Sakamoto , Shigesato Itoi , Sumi Shimamoto , and Tanie Kitabayashi
Director: Hayao Miyazaki
Manufacturer: Walt Disney Home Entertainment
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ASIN: B0001XAQ0A
Release Date: 2006-03-07

Amazon.com essential video

My Neighbor Totoro is that rare delight, a family film that appeals to children and adults alike. While their mother is in the hospital, 10-year-old Satsuki and 4-year-old Mei move into an old-fashioned house in the country with their professor father. At the foot of an enormous camphor tree, Mei discovers the nest of King Totoro, a giant forest spirit who resembles an enormous bunny rabbit. Mei and Satsuki learn that Totoro makes the trees grow, and when he flies over the countryside or roars in his thunderous voice, the winds blow. Totoro becomes the protector of the two sisters, watching over them when they wait for their father, and carrying them over the forests on an enchanted journey. When the children worry about their mother, Totoro sends them to visit her via a Catbus, a magical, multilegged creature with a grin the Cheshire Cat might envy.

Unlike many cartoon children, Satsuki and Mei are neither smart-alecky nor cloyingly saccharine. They are credible kids: bright, energetic, silly, helpful, and occasionally impatient. Filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki makes the viewer believe the two sisters love each other in a way no American feature has ever achieved. My Neighbor Totoro is enormously popular in Japan, and some of the character merchandise has begun to appear in America. The film has also inspired a Japanese environmental group to buy a Totoro Forest preserve in the Saitama Prefecture, where Miyazaki's film is set. --Charles Solomon

Description

Critically acclaimed as one of the most delightful and charming family films ever, MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO is a stunning animated treat full of magical adventure from Hayao Miyazaki. Follow the adventures of Satsuki and her four-year-old sister Mei when they move into a new home in the countryside. To their delight, they discover that their new neighbor is a mysterious forest spirit called Totoro, who can be seen only through the eyes of a child. Totoro introduces them to extraordinary characters -- including a cat that doubles as a bus! -- and takes them on an incredible journey. Full of wonder and heart, this spectacular 2-disc set features the voice talents of Dakota Fanning and Elle Fanning. MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO is a magical experience for the whole family! © 1988 Nibariki • G

Customer Reviews:

This version is better than Disney's........2007-09-14

I like this version a lot better than the one that Disney recently released. I own them both and this is the one that I watch. The Disney one has its benefits; you can view the film in the original Japanese language and you can watch it in Widescreen. However, the voice over done on the new Disney one is terrible; it sounds really "acty". I am not fond of Disney's decision to try to sell Miyazaki's movies based on WHO does the voice over as opposed to HOW WELL they do the voice over.
This movie was my introduction to Miyazaki many years ago and is one of my most favorite animated films. Every child I have ever know that sees this movie loves it.

Perfect for the youngsters.......2007-09-08

The Japanese origin of this film gives it a refreshing look compared to American animation. The story is delightful, and for a change a girl has the lead role. Kids will love the landscapes and the characters. Good, clean fun.

Would Give it More Stars if More Than Five Were Possible.......2007-09-06

Have probably watched this movie at least fifty times with and without my daughter either all the way through or just for 10 or so minutes here and there. It's safe to say that nobody in my home has shown the slightest capacity to lose any interest in this totally brilliant-but-understatedly-so movie. If I could only recommend one thing of all the things I've ever purchased on Amazon it might just be this movie. Can't recommend it highly enough.

This is the one you want.......2007-07-30

This is the definitive English-dubbed version. You've got to have it.

Steer clear of the Disney product. They butchered Totoro.

I concur that a full-blown multi-disc DVD would be nice, but then you might be settling for Disney dubbing. And all the good Fox version DVD's will be bought up and no longer available. Or they will be $200 collector's items.

I truly hate what Disney does to Japanese film. All the film's messages are reduced to a slow 1st grade reading level. Americanisms are substituted for Japanisms. Famous AMerican actors are used for the voices. Very distracting.

Get a clue, Disney. I'm trying to watch a Japanese film so I can see a Japanese film. I don't need it dumbed down and Americanized.

Note that the above criticism is directed agaist the Disney product.

This Fox product is great. Whatever anime you can get your hands on that Disney hasn't touched, congratulations.

I hate what Disney does to anime ever more than I hate Ted Turner for colorizing everything, but it's the same kind of hate.

terrific, original story.......2007-07-26

very nice to have little girls as the primary characters. Well written dynamic between the sisters, showing how a big sister tends to look out for her younger siblings, and how very young children feel about being told what to do. The magical world and characters that the girls discover at their summer home is a great connection to the imaginary play that I see in the younger children. Its a little long for the little ones(3- 4.5 yrs) but my 5 year old enjoys the whole movie on an indoor day or long trip. We watched Sprirted Away first, another great movie, but its not really for little ones (some "scary" characters and a separation from parents).
In this movie, the girls' are concerned about their mother who is recuperating, but that is not the focus of the story, and I think its good to present the idea that little kids could sometimes have an ill or recuperating parent. (Instead of just dead, like so many of the princess movies)

Beauty and the Beast - The Complete First Season

Average customer rating:

beauty and the beast
It's About Time
My favorite love story becomes a lovely series
Beauty & the Beast-Season One
bring them back!

Beauty and the Beast - The Complete First Season
Starring: Ron Perlman , Linda Hamilton , Ren Woods , Jason Allen , and Cory Danziger
Director: Beth Hillshafer , Victor Lobl , Gabrielle Beaumont , Alan Cooke , and Daniel Attias
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000K7UBX4
Release Date: 2007-02-13

Amazon.com

"Once upon a time... in the city of New York." So begins this unique fantasy-crime series. Catherine (Emmy nominee Linda Hamilton, The Terminator) is an assistant DA who's attacked one night by strangers. When she wakes up, her face is covered in bandages. Someone named Vincent (Golden Globe winner Ron Perlman) has been taking care of her in his home beneath the subway. When she removes the dressing, she finds that he's a man-beast, but fear turns to trust when she becomes convinced he has her best interests at heart. As she states in the introduction, "We have a bond stronger than friendship or love." As the season unfolds, Vincent frequently comes to Catherine's assistance. As an empath, he knows instinctively when she's in trouble. When he needs help, Vincent turns to Father (Roy Dotrice), the doctor who raised him after he was abandoned at the hospital after he was born. His origins are unknown. Together, Catherine and Vincent are like the detectives of Remington Steele, except no one knows she's part of a team, since they're only able to meet in secret. Vincent's underground companions, however, get to know Catherine well. Just as Vincent comes to her aid as needed, she does the same for his community.

Although Beauty and the Beast has little in common with the Jean Cocteau film or Disney animated picture, the appeal is similar. Cynics may find these do-gooders sentimental, especially when Catherine utters lines like, "And although we cannot be together, we will never, ever be apart." But romantics made the CBS drama successful--at least until Hamilton left in the second year--and launched the Emmy-nominated Perlman into cult favorites like The City of Lost Children. Oscar winner Rick Baker (An American Werewolf in London) also deserves credit for his convincing make-up effects. --Kathleen C. Fennessy

Beyond Beauty and The Beast

The Soundtrack
More `80s TV Series
More TV Series on DVD for the First Time

Stills from Beauty and The Beast: The Complete First Season (click for larger image)

Description

Customer Reviews:

beauty and the beast.......2007-09-04

I was very sorry when this series was taken off the air but was elated when i saw it on Amazon. Very good esp. if you like good love stories.

It's About Time.......2007-08-23

I have been collecting the few video tapes available on this series willy-nilly for some time. It's great to see them finally start releasing the series on DVD. This was quality TV!

My favorite love story becomes a lovely series.......2007-08-17

I was four years old when this show came out (I actually remember the commercials!) and I got around to renting it on Netflix because Beauty and the Beast is all all time favorite story.

Maybe it's the sappy romantic in me, but this show makes me feel like there's magic in the air. The unconvential couple (Linda Hamilton as assistant DA Catherine Chandler, and the awesome Ron Perlman as the lionesque Vincent) moves from an impenetrable castle to the upscale New York life and the secret, underground tunnels below, where Vincent and his "family" make their home.

As the story goes, this contemporary beauty and the intelligent beast fall in love but can't be together (and they really can't, what with Vincent looking the way he does). This setup is masterfully done without being over the top. They don't keep it a secret that they truly love and care for each other or complain that "our love is not meant to be." They pretty much tell that thought to go to heck and stay there.

I adore Catherine-- she's clever, alluring, and can defend herself if put in tough situations (she's a really hands on assistant DA.) She has some pretty funky fashion sense, but all is forgiven when it comes to her cracking cases and putting the bad guys away. Her friendship and deep love for Vincent is refreshing. Linda Hamilton does a stellar job in portraying Catherine. She's a very fine actress- (long live Sarah Connor!)

And Vincent... where do I begin? All I can say is I love him! He's sensitive, bright, protective, naive yet cultured, and he's not against killing anyone who would harm Catherine or his family. When you don't condone someone who does that, you know he's a winner. His innocent yet strong love for Catherine is bittersweet and totally compelling. Ron Perlman has this wonderful ability to bring a favorite character to life--Vincent's a breath of fresh air in a stuffy world of tortured, brooding, whining heroes. More heroes should be like Vincent.

Okay, so some of the quality from the film is in need of series clean up and the part about Vincent being able to sense when Catherine is in trouble is kind of cheesy, but I am totally buying the power of their relationship and the cases which make them stronger.

I don't give five stars out to anything very often, but I will gladly do so with this series.

Beauty & the Beast-Season One.......2007-08-08

this is by far the best in the genre of improbable love stories! Catherine & Vincent share a love, if only in the land of television make believe that people could spend their whole lives searching for. The story & the drama combine for a tremendous hour of escaping what has become unbearable reality!!

bring them back!.......2007-08-04

Here's what I think. Bring Ron and Linda back in a movie and rewrite the ugliness of the series ending into something that sees them stay together and raise their son. Who cares how the old one ended, it could have been a psycotic, drug-induced hallucination that we can see Vincent wake up from to find Catherine and his son safe beside him- why not???? I'll write it. I'm an award-winning, produced, published playwright- working on turning a play of mine into a film with a production company right now. I would so love to see them older, together below with father a grandfather now, dealing with the antics of their child who would be a fractious teen now. What do you think???
elliemy@netscape.com

Average customer rating:

a different kind of batman

Beast Within/Bat People
Starring: Beast Within , and Bat People
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000UDGOAM
Release Date: 2007-09-11

Customer Reviews:

a different kind of batman .......2007-09-04

looking for fun on a rainy night ? the bat people is a forgotten little film from the seventies with the always underrated michael pataky .
a scientist is bitten by rabid bats that transmit a virius transforming him into a half man half bat .
there is a weird sexual tension in the film between the scientist and his wanting to be pregnant wife . the film today in the wake of the aids epidemic plays differently and adds depth that wasnt there when the film was made .
that said this is a mildly entertaining film with all the grindhouse horror cliches of the 1970s . a fun little film .
the second feature is not worth mentioning needless to say more transforming teenagers out looking for revenge . tired .

Phantom from 10,000 Leagues/The Beast with a Million Eyes

Average customer rating:

another good pairing in the MGM/Fox Midnight Movies series

Phantom from 10,000 Leagues/The Beast with a Million Eyes
Starring: Kent Taylor , Cathy Downs , Michael Whalen , Helene Stanton , and Phillip Pine
Director: Dan Milner , David Kramarsky , Roger Corman , and Lou Place
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000UDGOB6
Release Date: 2007-09-11

Customer Reviews:

another good pairing in the MGM/Fox Midnight Movies series.......2007-08-15

Thanks again to MGM and Fox for resurrecting this DVD line. Here we have a couple of extremely low budget American International Pictures films (back when they were still known as American Releasing Corporation - in fact, I think these were the first two sci-fi/horror films put out by the legendary studio) that go perfectly together. Is either film great, even good? Not by a long shot in conventional terms, but these should be judged on a different standard than your average A movie. The point is, they're both a lot of fun in that way only drive-in movies from the era could be, and these two are an inspired pairing, rightly aimed directly at those of us who either saw the movies at drive-ins back in the 50s, who (more likely) saw them Saturday creature features matinees on TV, or who have recently discovered the wonders of cheap 1950s horror and science fiction and are rabid for the opportunity to finally see them. Fox and MGM, great work and please keep these Midnight Movies coming until you've exhausted your libraries. Two that you might consider (both available elsewhere on DVD, but they need the quality treatment): Dementia 13 and The Terror.

Average customer rating:

Blair witch meets Little red riding hood
Not my favorite by director, but still worth 5 stars
Love this movie
We can mover towards hope
artistic touch

The Village (Widescreen Vista Series)
Starring: Jayne Atkinson , Adrien Brody , Frank Collison , Jesse Eisenberg , and Brendan Gleeson
Manufacturer: Buena Vista Home Entertainment / Touchstone
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00064LJVE
Release Date: 2005-01-11

Amazon.com

Even when his trademark twist-ending formula wears worrisomely thin as it does in The Village, M. Night Shyamalan is a true showman who knows how to serve up a spookfest. He's derailed this time by a howler of a "surprise" lifted almost directly from "A Hundred Yards Over the Rim," an episode of The Twilight Zone starring Cliff Robertson that originally aired in 1961. Even if you're unfamiliar with that Rod Serling scenario, you'll have a good chance of guessing the surprise, which ranks well below The Sixth Sense and Signs on Shyamalan's shock-o-meter. That leaves you to appreciate Shyamalan's proven strengths, including a sharp eye for fear-laden compositions, a general sense of unease, delicate handling of fine actors (alas, most of them wasted here, save for Bryce Dallas Howard in a promising debut), and the cautious concealment of his ruse, which in this case involves a 19th-century village that maintains an anxious truce with dreadful creatures that live in the forbidden woods nearby. Will any of this take anyone by genuine surprise? That seems unlikely, since Emperor Shyamalan has clearly lost his clothes in The Village, but it's nice to have him around to scare us, even if he doesn't always succeed. --Jeff Shannon

Description

M. Night Shyamalan (SIGNS, UNBREAKABLE, THE SIXTH SENSE), the director who brought you the world's greatest thrillers on DVD, now creates his most thought-provoking triumph yet ... breaking international records and dazzling audiences around the globe! THE VILLAGE is a smart, edge-of-your-seat chiller crawling with terrifying surprises and frightening twists and turns. An isolated, tight-knit community lives in mortal fear of an oppressive evil inhabiting the forbidden forest just beyond their tiny village. So frightening that no one ventures into the woods ... until one villager dares to face the unknown. With unforgettable performances from Joaquin Phoenix, Sigourney Weaver, William Hurt, Adrien Brody, and newcomer Bryce Dallas Howard, this powerful motion picture is one of Hollywood's best psychological thrillers and ranks with the best of Hitchcock!

Customer Reviews:

Blair witch meets Little red riding hood.......2007-09-05

A silly fear-fest that manages to be completely un-scary, the Village looks good but fails to deliver on its promising setup. Despite its attractive production values and cast, I just don't see how this film could work at any level. I will say that this film does end exactly as it should with the moral that lies lead only to darkness. Maybe instead of filming, Mnight should have just told the story around campfires to Girl-Scouts.

Not my favorite by director, but still worth 5 stars.......2007-09-04

After having seen "Unbreakable," "Sixth Sense," and "Lady of the Water," I've become a fan of this film's director. I made efforts to look up all of his works and watch them. Though this is my least favorite of them, his work so exceeds my thoughts on other movies that this is still a "5 star" movie for me. As always, this wasn't predictable, which is why I am such a fan. Indeed, it is slow-paced, but I enjoy the leisurely story-telling atmosphere he usually creates. There is one very minor logic issue that didn't ruin the movie for us, and I won't describe here in detail because it would be a spoiler for those who haven't watched yet and for those who aren't as nit-picky as we are. As is typical for his movies, the violence level is quite low and not graphic. Bryce Howard is an excellent actress. I look forward to seeing more from her!

Love this movie.......2007-08-30

I was seriously scared by this movie until about half way through. Then I could relax and wonder what the twist would be this time. And even though I figured it out, it was so well done that I wasn't disapointed.

Casting here is just great. All the characters are human, well-written and fit perfectly into the world created. And, like everyone else, I found Bryce Dallas Howard's Ivy charming.

With most of M. Night Shyamalan's movies, I enjoy them but don't feel the need to watch them over and over - once you see it and then watch again to pick up all the clues, that's pretty much it. But the characters of "The Village" are so engaging that this was one we actaully bought.

And what is the deal with "Lady in the Water" having a highter rating??

We can mover towards hope.......2007-08-30

Everyone lives a full life in a self-sufficient 1800's village. We live in a symbiosis with a mysterious species. However we also live free form the evils that permeate those other villages beyond the forbidden forest. So what happens when we violate the truce with the other species?

The film is produced by M. Night Shyamalan; so there is no surprise in the formula or big picture. It is not hard to figure out the premise shortly into the story. However there are several surprising twists on the way.

The acting was surprisingly exceptional. We have well known actors that have the ability not to let their personalities overwhelm their characters.

The sets and period costumes were superb. You can see that there was a lot of time and money that went into them. You have the feel that you are there.

Although this film may not have achieved the potential in many eyes it is probably one of the best balance and almost believable stories Shyamalan has shown us. It is more than just a tale as we se how people relate and can relate under stress and great joy.

The archetype for the movie could have been lifted right out of a Joseph Campbell's book "The Hero with a Thousand Faces" (1949). The four stages making up the cycle of a monomyth are "passage: separation-initiation-return:"
The Hero with a Thousand Faces: Commemorative Edition (Bollingen Series (General))

artistic touch.......2007-08-15

The previews of this film may miss lead you ... It's not a gore flick.

In this film I enjoyed the character development and the ideation. I liked the artistic touch, the cinematography and the music that carries the movie. Actually the music is very excellent. The symbolisms and the overall message was just great.

This movie probably isn't for the average movie Joe. There is more under the surface that can be appreciated.

Average customer rating:

Suprisely Good
A Good Independent Film!!!!!!
You have to come better than this! Really disapointed despite the hype
SHOTTAS "Definately a classical film"
de greatest

Shottas
Starring: Ky-Mani Marley , Spragga Benz , Paul Campbell (IV) , Louie Rankin , and Wyclef Jean
Director: Cess Silvera
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000JRYOPG
Release Date: 2007-01-02

Amazon.com

In Jamaican patois, a gangster is a "shotta" or "shot-caller." Like The Harder They Come and Third World Cop, Cess Silvera choreographs his crime drama to a reggae beat. Bob Marley's son Stephen provides the music, while Wyclef Jean drops by as a dealer. The saga begins in late-1970s Kingston. Teenagers Biggs (J.R. Silvera) and Wayne (Carlton Grant Jr.) have had their fill of poverty, so they get a gun and start looting and shooting like the shottas they idolize. Flash forward 20 years and Biggs (Stephen's actor/musician brother, Kymani Marley) has just been deported from the States. He picks up where he left off, joining Wayne (DJ Spragga Benz) and the psychopathic Mad Max (Paul Campbell, Dancehall Queen) in the thug life. As with Pacino's Tony Montana, Miami is their ultimate port of call. Silvera acknowledges the debt to Brian De Palma's Scarface, but there isn't as much drama here--just a lot of violence (spurting blood is a running motif). Cinematographer Cliff Charles uses all manner of visual trickery to lively up the joint, like grainy black and white, slow motion, and jump cuts. The soundtrack also helps to keep things moving, but it's hard to feel sympathy for those who feel no sympathy for anyone but themselves. Vicious as he was, Montana still had a smidgen of sensitivity. As with The Harder They Come, this English-language production is subtitled due to strong accents and pervasive slang. --Kathleen C. Fennessy

Amazon.com

In the tradition of Scarface and The Harder They Come, Shottas is an unapologetic raw urban drama about two friends raised on the dangerous streets of Kingston, Jamaica. Biggs (Kymani Marley) and Wayne (Spragga Benz) take on the "shotta" (Jamaican term for gangster) way of life to survive. As young boys, they begin a life of crime, eventually moving to the U.S., where they begin a ruthless climb from the bottom to the glittering top of a criminal enterprise in a Miami filled with fast cars and gorgeous women. The two men remain fiercely bound by their shottas loyalty as they aggressively take control of the Jamaican underworld.

Beyond Shottas at Amazon.com

Another Film from Jamica
More from Wyclef Jean
Other Gangster films

Stills from Shottas (click for larger image)

Customer Reviews:

Suprisely Good.......2007-08-09

I wasnt expecting to much of this movie but it turned out to be really good. Ky-Mani and Spragga did a great job imo. Its kind of like a Jamaicanized Belly. Everyone has already told you what its about so I'll skip all that but I really enjoyed this movie and ended up buying it

A Good Independent Film!!!!!!.......2007-07-17

This was Cess Silva's 1st film and it was a very good movie, it explores the life of two Jamaican childhood best friends who grew up dirt poor & raggedy in the slums of Kingston, Jamaica. The friends (Biggs & Wayne)shared common goals, and each wanted to be rich with money, power & respect and wouldn't stop until they got to the top and had the best life possible. The movie takes you on a roller coaster ride while it explores friendship, loyalty, ambition, crime, pain, love, deceit/betrayal and teaches you a lessons. The loyalty, love and respect Wayne, Biggs & Mad Max have for one another as friends is almost farfetched nowadays, no one got jealous of the other one, no hating or backstabbing, just true brotherly love. They were down for each other and fearless. At the end Biggs learned a painful lesson when his demons finally catch up to him and he has to pay in many ways that money nor fine luxuries can't buy. I'll admit it was an underground movie and leaves alot to be desired which may come if there's a sequel, but being this is the director's first movie, I give him 5 stars for effort and for the delectable eye candy (Kymani Marley & Spragga Benz). In his next effort I'm sure he'll have a plot and other essentials in a good movie.
This is a good movie and anyone from the hood, the Caribbean and born African American can definately relate, I feel as though this movie is just as good as Scarface, The Godfather and Belly for that much, these rappers and artists that have no formal acting coaching did a superb job!

You have to come better than this! Really disapointed despite the hype.......2007-05-20

Shottas was passed around more times in swap meets,flea markets,and your local corner store so much it became an underground ghetto classic. For all the hype its a big disapointment,and I am glad I did not waste my $19.99 or even $10.00 for the bootleg. I often wonder if everybody endorses this movie primarily because everybody else likes it.

Certain tibits might be gleaned about street life and even the dope game, but its riddled with cliches to the point it becomes too over-the-top. How about making a realistic movie about Shotta culture without comprimising the quality?

Even The Harder They Come,which I didn't particulary like, was done better with a smaller budget for the era.

the saving graces of Shottas was both Louie Rankin and Paul Campbell. Paul Campbell who played Mad Max deserves more screen time and could should play chracters in better movies. Louie Rankin,although a punk in this movie, provided the few moments of comic relief and entertainment in the movie. The next Guy Ritchie produced film entitled RudeBwoy would benefit from the pressence of both actots,and especially Rankin.[just a suggestion if you reading this Mr. Ritchie which I doubt you are but whatever]

I wish the director Cess Silvera much luck in the future but if you expect me to support your film projects please come better than this. We already have The Harder They Come,and there can only be one Scarface,so please make an original film. Otherwise, I will keep my hard earned $19.99 for much better movie choices.

SHOTTAS "Definately a classical film".......2007-05-12

The authenticity of this film is outstanding and gives you a perfect look of a Shotta's life in Jamica. Shottas keeps the full attention of the viewer with intense scenes that will certainly leave you talking to your friends about for months.

This film is recommended for any 'Gangsta