The Notebook (New Line Platinum Series)

Amazon.com

When you consider that old-fashioned tearjerkers are an endangered species in Hollywood, a movie like The Notebook can be embraced without apology. Yes, it's syrupy sweet and clogged with clichés, and one can only marvel at the irony of Nick Cassavetes directing a weeper that his late father John--whose own films were devoid of saccharine sentiment--would have sneered at. Still, this touchingly impassioned and great-looking adaptation of the popular Nicholas Sparks novel has much to recommend, including appealing young costars (Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams) and appealing old costars (James Garner and Gena Rowlands, the director's mother) playing the same loving couple in (respectively) early 1940s and present-day North Carolina. He was poor, she was rich, and you can guess the rest; decades later, he's unabashedly devoted, and she's drifting into the memory-loss of senile dementia. How their love endured is the story preserved in the titular notebook that he reads to her in their twilight years. The movie's open to ridicule, but as a delicate tearjerker it works just fine. Message in a Bottle and A Walk to Remember were also based on Sparks novels, suggesting a triple-feature that hopeless romantics will cherish. --Jeff Shannon

Description

Behind every great love is a great story. Two teenagers from opposite sides of the tracks fall in love during one summer together, but are tragically forced apart. When they reunite 7 years later, their passionate romance is rekindled, forcing one of them to choose between true love and class order.

DVD Features:
Audio Commentary:2 Commentaries --Director Nick Cassavettes --Novelist Nicholas Sparks
DVD ROM Features
Deleted Scenes:12 Deleted Scenes
Documentaries:Nick Cassavetes Profile Featurette Author Nicholas Sparks Featurette Locating "The Notebook" Featurette Casting Noah and Allie featurette
Other:Widescreen & Fullscreen versions on one disc Rachel McAdams Screen Test
Theatrical Trailer

Customer Reviews:

SAME OLD STORY NEVER TOLD SO WELL!.......2007-09-12

This sweet little love story rises above all it's cliches because of the likable stars and story that moves along briskly. The love story in sad enough, but the Alzheimer's angle really tears your heart out! I watched this because my wife wanted to watch it on our anniversary. I was surprised how much I liked it.....so guys don't squirm too much if your babe wants to watch this one, it's a good story and I admired Gosling's tenacity and devotion to his true love. One of the better romances I've seen in a while, so I rate it 4 stars, but it's definitely a 5 tissue movie! This was mostly because of the Alzheimer's part of the film, it's a tragic disease and having dealt with it in my family it was a little too close to home. The DVD transfer looks very good and the are some interesting extras.

BEST.LOVESTORY.EVER. Ryan Gosling is AMAZING!.......2007-08-31

I fell in love with not only this beautiful story but Ryan Gosling!!!! This is just a fantastic movie and I really can't find better words to describe it. Watch it. Own it. Love it forever!! It is my all-time favorite!!

I'm still a sucker.......2007-08-27

...for these tear jerkers. This movie will go down as a romance classic- a forbidden love about two people from the wrong side of the tracks-Romeo and Juliet for the 1940's, if you will. This film hits all my cheesy love spots and turn up aces with me. McAdams/Goslin were great as well as Garner and Rowland. This is a must see for all Chick movie lovers. Highly recommended.

~Have a box of tissue handy~.......2007-08-08

Although I'm not going to give away any spoilers ... this is a love story like no others. I think that everyone can relate on some level to this movie. You will fall in love with this couple & become drawn in to their story. I recommended this to my mother who after the movie called up crying her eyes out. Even my husband enjoyed this movie. If your looking for a movie that will make you laugh, cry & touch your heart ... this is a must-see.

Beautiful Tale Well Told.......2007-07-25

If you haven't read the book, the movie will not leave you feeling short changed.

A marvellous story about lovers, life and loss.

Highly recommended.

If you're interested, once you watch the movie, read the book The Wedding - it is the follow up from The Notebook.

Nicholas Sparks ROCKS!!

Average customer rating:

This movie is sooo funny!
Funniest Movie I've Seen in a Long TIme
Crazy Monkey
Grandma's Boy
VERY FUNNY MOVIE!

Grandma's Boy (Unrated Edition)
Starring: Linda Cardellini , Allen Covert , Peter Dante , Shirley Jones , and Shirley Knight
Director: Nicholaus Goossen
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000EMGJAO
Release Date: 2006-05-09

Description

Gamers, grannies and stoners unite! From Adam Sandler's Happy Madison Productions comes a raucously funny, "fish-out-of bongwater comedy" (Playboy) that'll have you rolling with laughter! Life is sweet for 35-year-old video game tester Alex (Allen Covert), until he's forced to move in with his overbearing grandmother Lilly (Doris Roberts) and her two roommates: oversexed Grace (Shirley Jones) and overmedicated Bea (Shirley Knight). To save face with his much younger co-workers and super-sexy new boss (Linda Cardellini), Alex brags about the "three hot babes" living with him, but soon that cat's out of the bag?and the real party at Grandma's house has just begun! If you love footie pajamas, techno-talk and karate-chopping chimps (and who doesn't?), grab your buds and watch Grandma's Boy!

Customer Reviews:

This movie is sooo funny!.......2007-09-01

This movie is a riot. I've watched it over and over, and it just gets funnier. Some may find the "crude" humor offensive, but personally, I think it's one of the best stoner movies of all time!

Funniest Movie I've Seen in a Long TIme.......2007-08-25

My sister happened to catch this on cable one night just for something to watch. No one had ever heard of it but by the next day she was telling everyone this was the funniest movie she's seen in a long time. She had said that if I happen to catch this on cable I should take the time and wouldn't be dissappointed. The humor is silly in nature but it's done really well. It reminds me more of classic comedy from the 80s rather than some of the stuff they come up with today. I laughed out loud watching this movie. After my initial viewing of this movie it seemed that I'd always have to watch it if I came across it on cable just "flipping through". I decided I'd miss it once it was out of it's rotation on cable and purchased it to add to my DVD collection. I've told numerous people about this movie all who have seen it (or borrowed my DVD) have to agree it was pretty funny.

Crazy Monkey .......2007-08-24

This is one of the funniest movies from this genre. I loved the characters and the plot was hilarious. The cameos from the regular greats, Spade as the gay vegan, and Rob Schnieder as the landlord were great...Get this and some buds together and party on dude!

Grandma's Boy.......2007-08-24

Product was in great shape... and delivery was on time...

Thank you

VERY FUNNY MOVIE!.......2007-08-17

Maybe not the best movies for young kinds though! I couldn't stop laughing and everyone I made watch this couldn't stop laughing! You have to see this Movie!!!!

Average customer rating:

Love comes softly series
It's a Funny Thing
Christian Love Story
Quality family film! A great staple in my movie collection.
I Love This Movie

Love Comes Softly
Starring: Katherine Heigl , Dale Midkiff , Skye McCole Bartusiak , Corbin Bernsen , and Theresa Russell
Director: Michael Landon Jr.
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B0002IKSFM
Release Date: 2004-09-14

Amazon.com

Writer/director Michael Landon Jr. continues in his famous father's footsteps by creating moral family entertainment set in the early days of the American prairie. Stubborn Marty Claridge (Katherine Heigl, Grey's Anatomy) travels west with her new husband--but after they find a beautiful patch of land, her husband dies in an accident before they've even started building. A man named Clark (Dale Midkiff, Air Bud: World Pup) makes a proposal: If Marty will enter into a platonic marriage with him, he'll pay for her passage back east in the spring. What Clark needs is a mother, however temporary, for his willful tomboy daughter Missie (Skye McCole Bartusiak, Beyond the Prairie, Part 2). Missie fights Marty's presence fiercely while Clark, though supportive, speaks few words, and Marty suspects she's made a terrible mistake--but time reveals otherwise. Love Comes Softly, based on the popular Christian novel by Janette Oke, is a romance, but Landon carefully avoids any bodice-ripping histrionics. Problems get solved perhaps a little too easily, but the movie is cleanly written, pleasantly understated, and respectful to its characters. For many viewers, Love Comes Softly will be a welcome change from overheated secular love stories. --Bret Fetzer

Description

Based on Janette Oke's best-selling book series, and directed by Michael Landon Jr., Loves Comes Softly is inspired story-telling for the whole family. Marty and Aaron Claridge (Katherine Heigl and Oliver Macready) travel west in search of new opportunity. But when tragedy strikes and Marty is suddenly widowed, the young woman must face the rugged terrain, bleak weather, and life among strangers-alone. That is until a handsome widower named Clark Davis ( Dale Midkiff) suggests a platonic "marriage of convenience" until Marty can return home. As the months pass, through, Marty and Clark discover an unexpected new love where there was once only loss.

Customer Reviews:

Love comes softly series.......2007-09-11

My Wife & I enjoyed, Love Comes Softly,Love's Enduring Promise, Love's Long Journey!If you want the typical smut movies of today don't watch this.
How nice to watch a series that you could enjoy with any one,Grandchildren included. There was not the typical today nasty word out of nowhere!
Yes they can make an Enjoyable, Warm, Exciting,Loving, Film's
Thank You

It's a Funny Thing.......2007-08-22

I will say this for the movie. It is a good movie, but it is based on what I think is a better book, and that always messes things up for me. I think if you have never read the book you will love this. If you have read the book then a couple of warnings. Minor or major details missing from this story or altered for some unexplained reason.
They changed Clem's name to Aaron. That didn't bug me so much as he was only in such a small part of it.
They aged Missy. Now, I'd have to check to be sure, but I think she was closer to four than the nine they had her in the movie. Again, I could be wrong.
They changed Clare's name. Now, that one worried me, since Luke is one of my favorite character's in the series along with Belinda's husband, Drew. They named Clare (who was named for Claridge, Marty's last name) Aaron Luke. I have since discovered that they do leave out Ellie and Luke. Probably Nadry and Clae too, but I wasn't looking for them. That is only relevant to the series as a whole, so I'll stop on that.
They left out a story, which I barely remember about a woman, whom I think was named Laura, who had a tragic life.
Like I said, the story as a whole was good, excellent if you have never read the book. The comparison comes up lacking, but franklyif you compare this to other movies they come up lacking. The lack of all sorts of objectionable things is very refreshing. A rarity that I wish I saw more of. As such, I will attempt to watch this series as I have had to watch some other movies made from books, as a simular concept that is good in it's own right, but is not the same thing. If you have or haven't read the book I recomend this movie, but just be warned if you have read it, things will not be the same, and that is a sad thing.

Christian Love Story.......2007-08-13

My wife and I first saw this on television. We both liked it because it represented the Christian lifestyle in a positive, but not preachy, way. We saw a couple of the others in the series, and were taken by them, as well.

We highly recommend these romantic stories to Christian families. There are many fine lessons of love, hope, courage and faith in these films.

Quality family film! A great staple in my movie collection........2007-08-05

The whole "Love Comes Softly" series is heart warming and inspiring. I would recommend any of these movies to anyone. Absolutely wonderful!!!Love Comes Softly

I Love This Movie.......2007-07-18

Great pioneer love story for the whole family. It's great to have a movie that doesn't offend my values. it's also great to see people of faith not depicted as weirdos.

Average customer rating:

A great feel good movie all round!
Great movie...weird format
PASS!PASS!PASS!
Costner is the real Robin Hood
Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves

Robin Hood - Prince of Thieves
Starring: Kevin Costner , Morgan Freeman , Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio , Christian Slater , and Alan Rickman
Director: Kevin Reynolds
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: 630460291X
Release Date: 1997-10-01

Amazon.com

Kevin Costner's lousy English accent is a small obstacle in this often exciting version of the Robin Hood fable. That aside, it's refreshing to have a preface to the old story in which we meet the robber hero of Sherwood Forest as a soldier in King Richard's Crusades, coming home to find his people under siege from the cruelties of the Sheriff of Nottingham (Alan Rickman). After Robin and his community of outcasts and fighters take to the trees, director Kevin Reynolds (Fandango, 187) is on more familiar narrative ground, and he goes for the gusto with lots of original action (Robin shoots two arrows simultaneously from his bow in two directions). Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, as Marion, makes a convincing damsel in distress, and Morgan Freeman brings dignity to his role as Robin's Moor friend. Alan Rickman, however, gets the most attention for his scene-chewing role as the rotten sheriff, an almost campy performance that is highly entertaining but perhaps a little out of sorts with the rest of the film. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

A great feel good movie all round!.......2007-09-13

I love this film, always have... when I saw it was being released again I knew I had to buy it, as the first time it was released you had to flip the DVD in the middle of the film. This one not only gives you the entire film on one DVD, but also includes about 15 minutes of new footage, along with a 2nd Special Feature disc. To be honest the 'new' footage I can see why it was cut out, but the story is still one I love. Every time this is on you can't help to join in and root for Robin Hood. Stellar cast!

Great movie...weird format.......2007-09-05

The most notable thing about this product isn't the movie or special features, but the arrangement of items on the disk. It's a two -sided DVD, which is fine. But what's weird is, instead of putting the movie on one side and the special features on the other, they put the special features on side one with half of the movie. The movie actually stops half way through and instructs you to flip it over so you can finish watching it!! This is definitely a major downside. It's a great movie, so if you haven't seen it yet, I would strongly suggest watching it at some point. But if you're planning on buying it, you might want to wait until a different DVD version comes out, so that you can avoid having to get up in the middle of your movie to flip it over.

PASS!PASS!PASS!.......2007-07-27

I wont bore you with the details...suffice it to say that it was a let down in every sense of the word. View at your own risk....of falling asleep. Its better than Ambien.

Costner is the real Robin Hood.......2007-07-15

I have watched this movie a hundred times - used to use it to fall asleep by every night while going through a rough time - wanted to swing thru the trees in Sherwood Forest with Robin Hood & forget about the rest of the world - Kevin Costner is absolutely fabulous as the Prince of Thieves - would love to be his Marion

Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves.......2007-05-14

Charming love story with a good bit of humor built in. Kevin Costner is perfect for the part of Robin Hood. Not only is he gorgeous, but you truly believe that he's capable of being that hero that Robin Hood was.

Average customer rating:

Kick back and enjoy a good flick.
Incredibly Different!
A Knights Tale
A surprisingly novel approach to this genre
A Fun Film - If You Get the Joke and Don't Take It Seriously

A Knight's Tale
Starring: Heath Ledger , Rufus Sewell , Shannyn Sossamon , Paul Bettany , and Laura Fraser (II)
Director: Brian Helgeland
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00000F4ZY
Release Date: 2002-06-04

Amazon.com

There's no rule against rock anthems from the 1970s in the soundtrack for a movie about a medieval jousting champion, but if you're going to attempt such jarring anachronisms, you'd better establish acceptable ground rules. Writer-director Brian Helgeland does precisely that in A Knight's Tale and pulls off this trick with such giddy aplomb that you can't help but play along. (Upon witnessing a crowd of peasants at a jousting match, singing and clapping to the beat of Queen's "We Will Rock You," you're either going to love this movie or dismiss it altogether.) Other vintage rock hits will follow, but Helgeland--the Oscar®-winning cowriter of L.A. Confidential--handles this ploy with judicious goodwill, in what is an otherwise honest period piece about a peasant named William (Heath Ledger) who rises by grit and determination to the hallowed status of knighthood.

As if the soundtrack weren't audacious enough, Helgeland (recovering from the sour experience of his directorial debut, Payback) casts none other than Geoffrey Chaucer (wonderfully played by Paul Bettany) as William's cohort and match announcer, along with William's pals Roland (Mark Addy) and Wat (Alan Tudyk), and feisty blacksmith Kate (Laura Fraser). Of course there must be a fair maiden, and she is Jocelyn (newcomer Shannyn Sossamon), with whom William falls in love while battling the nefarious Count Adhemar (Rufus Sewell) on the European jousting circuit. Add to this an inspiring father-son reunion, Ledger's undeniable charisma, a perfect supporting cast, and enough joyful energy to rejuvenate the film's formulaic plot, and A Knight's Tale becomes that most pleasant of movie surprises--an unlikely winner that rises up, like its hero, to exceed all expectations. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

Kick back and enjoy a good flick........2007-08-26

This is a great little movie: good script, entertaining soundtrack and good acting. The caveat is that you need to let go the desire to box the movie into a specific genre, because is happily and effectively ignores them.

Incredibly Different!.......2007-08-08

Entertaining is too light a word for "A Knight's Tale", which has become one of my all-time favorites. Not only is the music unusual, yet fitting for the Medieval setting in which the story is set, there is a workin' female farrier/blacksmith who is on equal footing with the male protangonist. Of note, although attractive, the actors, such as lead Heath Ledger, are not the glitzy beautiful we have come to expect in movies. The actors display human foibles and strengths, such as poor choices and loyalty, all truthfully.

There is humor and teamwork and the universal theme of trying to better oneself. Incredible aerial camera shots of the horses, jousting and dancing that I found breathtaking memorable. Watch this movie! It may also become your favorite!

A Knights Tale.......2007-08-08

My son watched this and he wouldnt leave his brothers alone till they watched this He is 15

A surprisingly novel approach to this genre.......2007-07-12

I ran across this movie first on TV, about 1/4 completed and knew nothing about it. I generally love the genre, but did a double-take when the rock music piped up. I wasn't sure I was hearing what I was hearing. But it fit right in. In fact, I would never have thought it could work and probably would have turned up my nose before watching if I had known beforehand (honest admission).

The choice of music is perfect and conveys the right emotional quality. You can't just stick in a rock soundtrack for novelty and hope it will work. The music still has to further the story. When the story in of a different era than the story, the task is difficult. They manage it perfectly.

But don't be convinced that this is all about the music. Though formulaic, the story is well-told, well-acted, well-written and exciting.
We purchased it because we intend to watch again (probably more than most other movies).

I love things new, different and well-done. This is it. By the way, it is a great date-movie. It has a story which appeals to men and women and it romantic (without being drippy and boring).

A Fun Film - If You Get the Joke and Don't Take It Seriously.......2007-06-23

Here is my disclaimer - DON'T TAKE THIS MOVIE SERIOUSLY. I have to admit, when I first saw A Knight's Tale, at first I was a bit put off by the glaring historical inaccuracies and rock music. That is I was until I saw the scene where the herald, Geoffrey Chaucer (Paul Bettany), is getting the crowd fired up prior to a match and it all made perfect sense - Jousting as PRO WRESTLING! What the director and writers have done is a satire, putting the features and passion of pro wrestling (and other fan favorite sports like football) into a medieval setting.

Not to completely rehash the plot, the story is a basic, Horatio Alger rags to riches story. William (Hugh Ledger) is a commoner serving as page for Sir Hector, an aging knight who dies of a heart attack during the course of a tournament. Out of funds, William dons Sir Hector's armor and finishes the tournament. This victory inspires William to try to make a living impersonating a knight. He convinces Sir Hector's other pages, Roland (Mark Addy) and Wat (Alan Tudyk), to join him and with practice, they become successful on the "Jousting circuit" with William creation, "Sir Ulrich von Lichtenstein." Along the way, William defeats the heavy, Count Adhemar (Rufus Sewell), gets the girl (Jocelyn - played by Shannyn Sossamon), and wins the Jousting Championship.

The dialogue is average (although Bellamy shines in the role of the herald) and the directing is adequate (I did like the shots of the jousting) but the real fun in this film is the satire and the music. The musical selection, such as "Golden Years" by David Bowie for the dancing scene or the choice of "The Boys are Back in Town" by (British) band "Thin Lizzy" for the return to London scene really capture the spirit of the action on the screen. Other details such as the Nike "Swoosh" on the armor just add to the "don't take this too seriously" tone.

I suppose from looking at what others have written, this is a love it or hate it film. I think I got the joke and once I started looking at it from that perspective, found the movie very entertaining.

Robin Hood - Prince of Thieves (Two-Disc Special Extended Edition)

Average customer rating:

A great feel good movie all round!
Great movie...weird format
PASS!PASS!PASS!
Costner is the real Robin Hood
Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves

Robin Hood - Prince of Thieves (Two-Disc Special Extended Edition)
Starring: Kevin Costner , Morgan Freeman , Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio , Christian Slater , and Alan Rickman
Director: Kevin Reynolds
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000092T6M
Release Date: 2003-06-10

Amazon.com

Description

For the good of all men, and the love of one woman, he fought to uphold justice by breaking the law. In this richly-detailed, action-packed retelling of the legendary story, Robin Hood must battle the evil Sheriff of Nottingham not only to save King Richard the Lionhearted and England but also to save his love, the noble beauty Maid Marian.

Customer Reviews:

A great feel good movie all round!.......2007-09-13

Great movie...weird format.......2007-09-05

PASS!PASS!PASS!.......2007-07-27

I wont bore you with the details...suffice it to say that it was a let down in every sense of the word. View at your own risk....of falling asleep. Its better than Ambien.

Costner is the real Robin Hood.......2007-07-15

Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves.......2007-05-14

Average customer rating:

location for the picnic scenes.
Full-Screen...YES!!!
Hard movie to find in DVD
Picnic 1955
Desire under the elms

Picnic
Starring: William Holden , Kim Novak , Betty Field , Susan Strasberg , and Cliff Robertson
Director: Joshua Logan
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: 0767827791
Release Date: 2000-04-18

Amazon.com

William Holden is the hunky drifter who rides the rails into a small Midwest town with dreams of landing a "respectable" job with his rich college buddy (Cliff Robertson). Kim Novak is the small-town beauty queen engaged to Robertson who falls for the cocky dreamer, as do repressed schoolmarm spinster Rosalind Russell and Novak's tomboyish kid sister Susan Strasberg. Their unleashed passions reach a crescendo at the Labor Day picnic.

Joshua Logan directed William Inge's play on Broadway and carried it to Hollywood, earning Oscar nominations for Best Picture and Best Director in his screen-directing debut. Holden is years too old for the role but oozes sex appeal and makes a swoony stud when he takes his shirt off (or when, better yet, it's ripped from his back by a boozing Russell), and Novak is a lovely lost girl yearning for something she can't quite grasp. Arthur O'Connell earned an Oscar nomination as Russell's tippling boyfriend. The film was a huge popular and critical hit, but Logan's stiff and strident direction hasn't dated well. He makes his points in big capital letters--subtlety was never his strong point--and loses the natural beauty of the Kansas locations when he takes the climactic picnic scenes into an obviously artificial soundstage. Picnic remains a loved American classic, largely for Holden's tough-guy vulnerability and James Wong Howe's brilliant widescreen color photography. --Sean Axmaker

Customer Reviews:

location for the picnic scenes........2007-09-13

Some or all of the on location actual picnicing scenes were shot in Halstead Kansas. There is a metal plaque attached to a flat rock in the city park commemorating the filming there. There is a small river with a falls and a pedestrian bridge crossing the river. There was a baseball field adjacent the picnic grounds that had high bleachers similar to what Roz and A. O'C. sat upon. I was there about 20 years ago with my brother who was looking for a teaching job in the area. It was a blistering hot summer day and the park was very empty, dusty and neglected. The plaque looked and felt like a gravestone.It was quite a contrast to the polish and shine that the Hollywood production standards brought-- or maybe 30 years had taken its toll. I felt an odd sense of loss. I knew it was just a movie and that Hal and Madge were hollywood actors making alot of money--- but the illusion of the fictional place and people,----the movie illusion, was pretty powerful. No use looking for Mrs Potts, she'd probably passed on by then.

Full-Screen...YES!!!.......2007-09-10

I LOVE the fact that this DVD is a FULL-SCREEN version! I don't know why the studios that produce these DVDs don't come out with discs that are full-screen on one side and wide-screen on the other, like my version of 'Cat On A Hot Tin Roof' and 'Forbidden Planet' are! I'll take FULL-SCREEN any day!
I wasn't going to buy this film until I realized it was full-screen.

Hard movie to find in DVD.......2007-09-05

When I couldn't find "Picnic" locally, I turned to AMAZAON. My order arrived promptly - however when we popped it in the DVD player excitedly, there were weird subtitles. Also, the quality of color could be better. It wasn't until after we watched the entire movie that we discovered it was pre-set with subtitles in Korean. The second time I watched it alone, I had to reset the monitor to "English with no subtitles." There should have been an accompanying note of explanation.

Picnic 1955.......2007-07-05

It's labor day weekend , and fresh off a freight train is Hal Carter (William Holden 1918-1981) , a happy-go-luck drifter looking for a brand new star in life . A robust , handsome show-off , Hal is coming to Kansas to seek gainful employment in his old fratenity brother Alan's ( Cliff Robertson 1925 - ) Family granary but despite his high hopes and expectations , Hal's ambitous plans soon go awrt when his sexuall magnetism attracts every woman in town , including 19-year old Madge Owens (Kim Novak 1933 - ) - the alluring young beauty queen who also happends to be Alan's girlfriend . Also Starring Rosalind Russel (1907-1976) , Arthur O'Connel 1908-1981)Susan Strasberg
1938-1999) , Nick Adams (1931 - 1968) . Picnic was nominated for six Academy Awards . Best Director (Joshua Logan 1908-1988) . Best Supporting
Actor (O'Connel) . Best Music . Best Color Art director and Best Editing . High Quality Trasnfer .

Desire under the elms.......2007-05-17

Years after become famous for his role in the film version GOLDEN BOY, William Holden was still working against being typecast in "hunk" roles, none odder than the drifter Hal in this this beautifully photographed film version of William Inge's famous drama of loneliness in small-town Kansas.There were so many younger fine actors who could have played the part--Brando, Newman, Ralph Meeker (the latter two who played Hal on Broadway)--that it's a bit astonishing to wonder what the studio saw in Holden: he's certainly got the torso for the part, but he's fifteen years older than his love interest in the film (Kim Novak) and seven years older than Cliff Robertson, who plays his college classmate--and he looks it, too. And the role of the boisterous braggart Hal is almost exactly wrong for the ruminative Holden's talents. But he's still fine enough an actor to be moving, and he and Novak have an incredibly memorable slow erotic dance to the tune of "Moonglow" at the Labor Day festivities of the film's title for which alone it is worth seeing the entire movie.

Novak is herself ideally cast as the insecure passive beauty queen Madge Owens, and she has solid support from Verna Felton as the sensible Mrs. Potts and Arthur O'Connell as the bewildered Howard Bevans. As the loud and awesomely lonely schoolteacher Rosemary Sidney, Rosalind Russell is also very well cast, although she tends to overplay her hand too much (as she always did in her later years); Susan Strasberg tries hard as Madge's intellectual sister Millie but is far too beautiful to be taken seriously as a teenage "goon." The screenplay is a bit too worked out and stagey, but the gorgeous James Wong Howe cinematography beautifully displays that midwestern American Gothic territory so peculiar to the work of William Inge--that odd and fascinating combination of wide open landscapes and claustrophobically repressed emotional space.

Average customer rating:

When you take out the trash, please include this DVD!
Great Movie...But Scenes Are Missing!
Horrible
Forever Knight
Decent, but Give Me "Forever Knight"

Nick Knight
Starring: Rick Springfield , Allison Barron , Andree Chapman , Rif Hutton , and David Byrd (II)
Director: Farhad Mann
Manufacturer: Starz / Anchor Bay
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0000844IS
Release Date: 2003-03-04

Customer Reviews:

When you take out the trash, please include this DVD!.......2007-08-31

This movie is the pits! I can't recommend it to anyone. If you're a fan of the "Forever Knight" series, don't ruin it by seeing this pilot movie. What a waste of time. I understand some scenes were deleted from this trash. That's what I call a good thing. The less you have to watch, the better it is for you. Anchor Bay could've put out a better DVD. There was only "play" and "chapters" available as menu options. You see, even they know junk when they see it. But even junk brings a profit. You've been warned!

Great Movie...But Scenes Are Missing!.......2007-08-21

It's sad that Anchor Bay "cropped" or cut scenes from this movie. The part when Nick FINALLY gets the gobblet, or the scene where his curator/girlfriend is a vampire (made by LaCroix), atop Nick's roof glaring down at him in his loft, growling, with her vampire teeth. There's about 2/3 more scenes like those "missing" fromthis movie. Tsk-Tsk...What a shame too.

Horrible.......2007-07-21

Absolutely a waste of time and money. Effects were horrible. If I had not seen the television series first, I would never ever have bothered with this film. It amazes me that such lousy film could ever have been the basis of a successful television series.

Forever Knight.......2007-06-13

I had never heard of this movie, although I had been a fan of the Forever Knight series for years. It was a little odd seeing different actors in the parts, but t was a very interesting look into Nick's early time as a cop. If you are a fan of the series, you will find the movie interesting. I even like Rick Springfield in the part of Nick - and I believed in him. Not the best movie of all time, and the series was better acted, but still fun for Forever Knight fans.

Decent, but Give Me "Forever Knight".......2007-04-28

"Nick Knight" is a cool movie to have and own. It is one that fans of the TV series will want, but it isn't as good as the Ger Davies TV series. There is no Natalie, Janette is unattractive and LaCroix is no where near as cool as he is when played by Nigel. It's not only those shallow points, but there is just no chemistry between the cast and characters. Janette and Nick seem like enemies, and there is no real sense of hate towards LaCroix for becoming a vampire. The entire movie just has a different feel.

The music, I have to admit, is quite good if you like the music from the decade. These were songs I knew very well, so it was enjoyable to hear them in the movie. Overall, fans will want to see this movie, but those who aren't fans may actually like it more. You just can't beat the relationships the characters have on the TV series, and it is obviously missing here-even compared to the "Forever Knight" version of this movie.

Average customer rating:

Classic adventure
The worst book-to-movie adaptation I've ever seen!
Good work
FINALLY... a comment about dvd transfer quality! THUMBS DOWN!
Sie Walter Scott's Ivanhoe

Sir Walter Scott's Ivanhoe
Starring: Peter Needham , Nick Brimble , Susan Lynch , Victoria Smurfit , and Rosalind Knight
Director: Stuart Orme
Manufacturer: A&E Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000062XDO
Release Date: 2002-03-26

Amazon.com

This grand six-part adaptation of Sir Walter Scott's rousing adventure of the Middle Ages makes the most of its generous running time. In the course of five hours, director Stuart Orme tells the epic tale of the idealistic young knight Ivanhoe (Steven Waddington) and his battle against the evil Templar Bois-Guilbert (Ciarán Hinds, whose thoughtful performance gives his dark character a compelling dimension). Caught between the rivalries and religious struggles are Ivanhoe's betrothed Rowena (Victoria Smurfit) and the brave, beautiful Jewess healer Rebecca (Susan Lynch), who wins Ivanhoe's heart with her courage. Set against the historical backdrop of a Britain straining under the corrupt rule of Prince John while Richard the Lionhearted fights in the Crusades, director Stuart Orme makes up for a small budget (the crowd scenes are somewhat skimpy) with sweep, scale, and the lush green British countryside of verdant forests and rolling hills, where ancient castles still stand. While this production can't compete with the majesty of the gorgeous 1952 Hollywood production, Orme creates his own vision in which Merrye Olde England is grounded in earthy colors, creating a country of both sunny fields and dark, dangerous timberlands, open sunlit courts, and cramped candlelit inns. The uniformly superb cast etches vivid characters and the length allows the novel's rich array of subplots to play out (including appearances by Robin Hood and his men and the Black Knight) and slowly wind together for the exciting conclusion. --Sean Axmaker

Customer Reviews:

Classic adventure.......2007-09-13

I have always loved Ivanhoe from the time I first saw Robert Taylor's Hollywood extravaganza. However, after reading the book as a youth, I was glad to see this mini-series expound the story with greater detail and accuracy. I would highly recommend this adaptation to all lovers and students of the classics

The worst book-to-movie adaptation I've ever seen!.......2007-06-19

This movie is good only for its depiction of the midieval period. However, as an adaptation of a classic novel, it is absolutely terrible and utterly disappointing. I loved the BBC's Pride and Prejudice, but what they did to Ivanhoe was a massacre. The plot was changed in so many, UNJUSTIFIABLE ways that they completely took the spirit of the book away. They added a little too much murderous intrigue and too much physical romance between Rebecca and Ivanhoe. That, and while I liked Susan Lynch for her acting, she really didn't look the part of the drop-dead gorgeous Jewess she was supposed to be. (Rowena, however, was pleasantly much prettier than the cover pictures show her to be.)

Overall, the book was an awesome story and needed very little alterations. The BBC took a dependable title and made their own story up, destroying the real Ivanhoe and everything in it. I was disappointed over and over again as I wasted six hours of my life on this movie, and I was relieved when the movie was over.

Good work.......2007-05-09

Without great actors or anything spectacular (no Hollywood style), this movie is a good choice for those who love chivalry and great tales.
It is very well done and has the kind of mystique that makes it worth watching.
I'm completely satisfied with my purchase and actually had seen it more than once.
I enjoyed it very much.
AD

FINALLY... a comment about dvd transfer quality! THUMBS DOWN!.......2007-03-28

I'm amazed that after reading some 40+ reviews here, not one person bothered to comment upon the quality of the video itself, i.e., the quality of the image transferred to dvd. Since the user reviews here have given us a good cross section of opinion about the content quality of this film/mini-series, I'll skip providing you with a review of the adaptation of this story, and limit my observations to the specifics of the dvd release.

This dvd is NOT of good quality. I would call it marginal, 2 out of 5. It looks as if they took a vhs master as their source and transferred it to dvd. As a result, the image is rather poor as far as dvd releases go. Of course, I understand that this mini-series first appeared in the late 90's, but that doesn't mean the dvd transfer couldn't have been done better. Either this was the best source they had available to them, or, more likely, not a lot of care was taken to find the best transfer source before approving this for release.

I suggest anyone who is considering the purchase or viewing of this dvd to do so before you purchase a digital display (plasma, lcd, dlp, etc.), if you haven't done so already. In other words, the flaws of this transfer will be less evident on any older CRT TV. As such, your best viewing experience will on a CRT, which will minimize some of the flaws of this dvd. Once you go to a digital TV, with their higher resolutions and color depth capabilities, the lack of rich detail and color will be painfully obvious. I'm not saying it's not watchable, and I am not a super finicky "videophile" either, but I think this should be said about this dvd release. You will notice a compromise in quality upon viewing this release on dvd, as compared to most other things you view on dvd.

Also, because this production was filmed for standard 4:3 ratio (squarish image, not widescreen like modern films), again, a standard CRT screen is your best viewing method. I won't criticize this aspect, given the era and constraints of the time, before anyone anticipated widescreen televisions increasingly becoming the norm.

I have rated this one "3 stars". While the transfer deserves a "2 star" at best, the content has some merit (I neither loved or hated this film.. it has it's good points, but it's not a perfect film either), so a 'down the middle' approach to rating seemed like the fairest course to take.

Also, I should note that there are a couple mistakes made in the written plot summaries provided on each of the back covers of two individual dvd cases (there may have been some on the carboard outer box too, as shown in the stock Amazon picture, but my set came without it, so I have no way of knowing). Someone didn't bother to proofread, apparently. Again, this suggests that not a lot of care was taken before releasing this to dvd.

Sie Walter Scott's Ivanhoe.......2007-01-20

This mini series closely followed the book. In my opinion this version of Ivanhoe was more realistic than the 1952 movie with Robert Taylor. The acting was also better in the mini series than the acting in the movie.

Average customer rating:

Kick back and enjoy a good flick.
Incredibly Different!
A Knights Tale
A surprisingly novel approach to this genre
A Fun Film - If You Get the Joke and Don't Take It Seriously

A Knight's Tale - Extended Cut
Starring: Heath Ledger , Rufus Sewell , Shannyn Sossamon , Paul Bettany , and Laura Fraser (II)
Director: Brian Helgeland
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000ALM4C6
Release Date: 2005-09-27

Amazon.com

Description

After serving a number of years as a squire, an earnest young commoner poses as a knight and establishes himself in the jousting tournaments of Europe. He and a princess fall in love, but she is unaware of his deceit and common roots. The false knight is estranged from the princess once his true roots are revealed. He struggles to amend their relationship.

Customer Reviews:

Kick back and enjoy a good flick........2007-08-26

Incredibly Different!.......2007-08-08

A Knights Tale.......2007-08-08

My son watched this and he wouldnt leave his brothers alone till they watched this He is 15

A surprisingly novel approach to this genre.......2007-07-12

A Fun Film - If You Get the Joke and Don't Take It Seriously.......2007-06-23

DVD:

DVD

DVD