The Fog of War - Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara

Amazon.com

The Fog of War, the movie that finally won Errol Morris the best documentary Oscar, is a spellbinder. Morris interviews Robert McNamara, Secretary of Defense in the Kennedy and Johnson administrations, and finds a uniquely unsettling viewpoint on much of 20th-century American history. Employing a ton of archival material, including LBJ's fascinating taped conversations from the Oval Office, Morris probes the reasons behind the U.S. commitment to the Vietnam War--and finds a depressingly inconsistent policy. McNamara himself emerges as--well, not exactly apologetic, but clearly haunted by the what-ifs of Vietnam. He also mulls the bombing of Japan in World War II and the Cuban Missile Crisis, raising more questions than he answers. The Fog of War has the usual inexorable Morris momentum, aided by an uneasy Philip Glass score. This movie provides a glimpse inside government. It also encourages skepticism about same. --Robert Horton

Customer Reviews:

Fog of War.......2007-09-11

As a Vietnam era veteran and amateur historian this film provided an entirely new perspective on an important time in our national history. I would highly recommend it to all.

The strange account of Robert McNamara.......2007-08-11

This is a decent film about a highly important figure from decades ago. It's somewhat flawed, however, in that it's just McNamara's own account. He's the only one giving the last word about himself. And while much of the time he seems sympathetic and highly contrite about the tragedies of the world, there are some moments where his highly educated and knowledgeable facade betrays a certain evil underneath. This is where again, and again, he seems like a perfectly moral man under normal circumstances, but when talking about war he says that things done in war are done wrong because there are no moral rules. What? Where did he get such a blindspot? The history of world is full of "rules" for war and they always include not murdering and terrorizing civilians to get what you want. His personal "fog of war" is an utterly despicable excuse. He's part of the rationalizing warmongers who think it's fine to not have morals in the moment. Nonsense. Pure nonsense. By the end I felt like I'd been roped into watching an old man's last ditch attempt to make himself appear decent.

Morris's best documentary.......2007-08-04

From the soundtrack by Philip Glass to the editing to the archival footage to the recent interviews, Errol Morris does his finest work with this film. Watch it along with Why We Fight, and you will have an eye-opening experience. You don't have to feel sorry for MacNamara, but you owe yourself the chance to listen to him articulate what he has learned and how much he regrets. Not to get too specific, but I think you will see a frightening parallel between the war in Vietnam and more current wars.
This is not propaganda. There is no bias or agenda set down by the filmmaker. You are not asked to sympathize with MacNamara. It's straight talk.

The ability to see two sides of an arguement..............2007-08-01

I watched this document for the first time last night, it drew me in from the 30 minute mark and I could not leave my seat until it was over. Befroe I wrote this review I read others. I wanted to read others who felt differently than I did.
I saw that some were upset at Mr. Mc Namara; for those of you that are upset at his culpability and duplicity in the Viet Nam Action, I ask you to re-examine two points. 1. the president offered him two cabinet spots to which Robert said he was not qualified (for either) but like most men he seized upon an opportunity. 2. Robert told President -elect Kennedy that he should get out of Viet Nam as soon as possible, then Kennedy was killed (and not by Lee Oswald).
For those of you who do not regognize a man feeling his mortality and wanting in some way to explain his folly, keep living. For those of you who believe if you were in the same posistion you would have done something different than follow the instructions of you boss(who knows even less than you) then I laugh at you. The reason America was in Viet Nam is the same reason we are have gone to Iraq. Policy set by a few men and a citizenry too complacent to say enough is enough. Do you see a similarity between our time and theirs. Thank you Mr. Mc Namara, I doubt any of our current leaders in the future will have the courage to document anything.

Fascinating.......2007-07-08

This is DVD gives honest and rare insight into the mind of a person with great influence.

Average customer rating:

Knight Rider
Knight Rider DVD's
Monkey
Great DVD's
Finally, its here in NTSC! - No more importing from the UK!

Knight Rider - Season One
Starring: David Hasselhoff , Edward Mulhare , Susan Norman , Carmen Argenziano , and Eugene Clark
Director: Bruce Seth Green , Harvey S. Laidman , and Virgil W. Vogel
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Television | Genres | DVD | Video

Action & Adventure | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

Television | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $14.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( K ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

ASIN: B00005JLG4
Release Date: 2004-08-03

Amazon.com

"One man can make a difference," intones a dying millionaire--well, one man and a superduper car, backed with millions of dollars! Welcome to the deliciously ridiculous world of Knight Rider, the early '80s TV series that launched the career of David Hasselhoff and his magnificent coif (both later seen in the insanely popular Baywatch). After being shot in the face, detective Michael Long is revived as Michael Knight (Hasselhoff) and partnered with an indestructible talking car called K.I.T.T. (voiced by William Daniels). The duo travel around the country solving crimes--basically, it's The Lone Ranger with the car as Silver and Tonto combined. Supported by finicky British executive Devon Myles (Edward Mulhare) and sexy engineer Bonnie Barstow (Patricia McPherson), Knight and K.I.T.T. take on everything from motorcycle gangs to corporate crooks to K.I.T.T.'s own evil twin, K.A.R.R.

Like any good cheese, Knight Rider has only grown more pungent with age. Decked out in alarming '80s fashions (check out that blue Members Only jacket in the pilot), earnestly spouting some of the worst dialogue in the history of television, the absurdly handsome Hasselhoff radiates the unique charisma that's made him a Teutonic cult figure. In addition to the 21 episodes of the first season, Knight Rider: Season One includes a 1991 TV movie, Knight Rider 2000, that tried to launch a revamped series set in the near future (lacking the cheerful touch of creator Glen Larson, the attempt sank into oblivion) and brief interview footage (including Hasselhoff describing when he read the original script: "It was glowing in my hands. This was gold.") It's unlikely this boxed set will appeal to anyone who didn't become a fan of the show at an impressionable age, but for those fans, Knight Rider: Season One is gold. --Bret Fetzer

Customer Reviews:

Knight Rider.......2007-04-15

Wonderful, Classic, Amazing and Refreshing..... Michael Knight and K.I.T. are amazing to watch together. I love this series adn so will you.

Knight Rider DVD's.......2007-02-06

While some who purchase this first (and often corny) season of Knight Rider are concerned by the audio dubbing, the lack of this and that, and who did what...Do not let them fool you, it is a great buy for anyone who grew up loving the show. Those of us who are not DVDphiles will still enjoy most of what is included. So put the critics to bed and buy it.

Monkey.......2006-11-13

Yeah plenty of the Hoffmeisters crappy 80's acting and tacky fake electronic gizmos , but hey he has a leather jacket and ALWAYS gets the girl - great stuff. Brings back fond memmories .

Great DVD's.......2006-11-06

This is a great DVD collection with commentary from David Hasselhoff. It is well packaged and has the titles of the Episodes on the back cover for easy reference. This is a must for any Knight Rider Fan. I have enjoyed this set very much.

Finally, its here in NTSC! - No more importing from the UK!.......2006-03-24

Ahhh... The early 1980's. Reagan was president, new wave dominated the radiowaves and MTV actually played MUSIC VIDEOS! Ask anyone who grew up during this period what their favorite non-animated show was as a kid and they'll probably say "Knight Rider." KR, as its affectionately called by some fans, may seem quirky and obscure nowadays with its atari centipede sound effects, poofie aqua-net hairdo's, over-acting and "sooo not the original artist" song usage, but we didn't care...

To us this was the best thing on TV besides Smurfs and He-Man and it appealed to our parents as well. KR was like James Bond meets Herbie the Love Bug. While our mothers drooled over the blue-eyed hunky Hasselhoff, we were captivated by the ominous-looking but friendly talking black Trans Am, K.I.T.T. (Knight Industries Two Thousand) we giggled everytime theives tried to steal KITT and failed, and we cried when KITT got destroyed (but they -always- managed to rebuild him).

The visual quality of these discs is damn pretty good. It would've been nice if they had director/actor interviews and maybe some behind the scenes words with George Barris (the guy who built all the KITT cars for the show) I can't say I care for the double sided discs, as they are terribly easy to smudge.

The Life and Times of Allen Ginsberg (Deluxe Two-Disc Set)

Average customer rating:

Howlin' Great
A Very intimate portrait of Allen Ginsberg
A Truly Important Film
My favorite purchase of the year!
fascinating

The Life and Times of Allen Ginsberg (Deluxe Two-Disc Set)
Starring: Allen Ginsberg , Joan Baez , Timothy Leary , William S. Burroughs , and Abbie Hoffman
Director: Jerry Aronson
Manufacturer: New Yorker Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Biography | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

Gay & Lesbian | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

Jewish Heritage | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

ASIN: B000PHX4S8
Release Date: 2007-07-17

Amazon.com

The re-release of Jerry Aronson's biopic, The Life and Times of Allen Ginsberg, timed to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of "Howl," suits this wonderful documentary and proves Ginsberg central to all radical artistic and political movements of the past 60 years. The feature-length film, segmented by decade, provides ample footage of Ginsberg's life; but extras added into this package, including footage of his memorial and 35 interviews with artists inspired by the visionary poet--from Beck to Lawrence Ferlinghetti--solidify Ginsberg as an American cultural icon. The film unravels Ginsberg's obsession for life and death around his mother's nervous breakdown and his father's affinity for poetry. Interviews with Ginsberg from each decade, both amongst his Beat friends like Burroughs and Huncke, and later with talk show hosts William Buckley and Dick Cavett, show the author's progression from sexual politics in the '40s and '50s to the "politics of ecstasy" in the '60s and '70s, when he founded the Flower Power movement with Tim Leary, and later, Naropa Institute. Ample footage of Ginsberg's stepmother provides a sensitive outsider's opinion on how he blossomed into one of the most spontaneous minds of the century. The film transcends simple Ginsberg descriptions by framing his life with historical happenings to contextualize the author's words and actions. The Life and Times of Allen Ginsberg reminds the viewer that there is no better example of an artist devoted to a life of letters, activism, and idealism than the original beatnik. --Trinie Dalton

Customer Reviews:

Howlin' Great.......2007-08-24

Probably the best documentary I've ever seen. Gives you a whole new appreciation for Ginsberg's poetry, especially his wonderful poem "Kaddish." Also, you see all the players: Kerouac, Kesey, Bellows, Cassidy, Dylan -- everyone.
A terrific buy.

A Very intimate portrait of Allen Ginsberg.......2007-08-12

This documentary is a very intimate portrait of Allen Ginsberg, much of the footage I'd never seen before. Not only is the film very well done - taking you from Allen's youth, to his death - but the bonus features are amazing; Ginsberg reading his work, countless interviews with people like Paul McCartney, Yoko One, Hunter S. Thompson, Bono, Johnny Depp and many more, and footage of Ginsberg and Dylan together... I'm a huge Ginsberg fan, and I highly reccomend this documentary.

A Truly Important Film.......2007-07-18

I read that director Jerry Aronson spent 25 years collecting footage for this DVD release, and I believe it. I count almost eight hours of material, and what I've seen so far is both fun viewing and the final word on one of our country's greatest artists. This should be required viewing for everyone: from aging hippies to disaffected youth and everyone in between.

My favorite purchase of the year!.......2007-06-22

A trememdous tribue to the great Allen Ginsberg - full of a such an array of incredible interviews, it is amazing the director captured and compiled them all! A treasure to own and share with friends and family.

fascinating.......2007-06-19

This film totally embodies the beatnic era and really exemplifies how Allen Ginsberg affected the lives of others. Two, no, four thumbs up

Average customer rating:

Imax "Space Station"
I didn't know.
This is a 2d version - take 3D!
It's at least marginally informational.
Absolutely Awe-Inspiring!!!

Space Station (IMAX)
Starring: Tom Cruise , Yuri Pavlovich Gidzenko , Michael E. Lopez-Alegria , James D. Wetherbee , and Scott E. Parazynski
Director: Toni Myers
Manufacturer: Imax
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

Space Exploration | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

IMAX | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( S ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

ASIN: B00080ETMM
Release Date: 2005-07-19

Amazon.com

The partnership with NASA and IMAX films continues with a tour of the next step in space exploration: the International Space Station (ISS). Sixteen countries helped build this giant station (still being built upon the film's release in 2004). We see the first building blocks being constructed, including shots from inside the slick NASA shuttle launches to the friendly informalities of the Russian program. The crystal-clear pictures of the station and the Earth are the best aspects of this film. The entertaining footage delivers human elements, but sometimes the carefulness of experimentation makes for boring photography; a test of a super-cool jet pack has the astronaut moving mere inches. To the film's benefit, the narrator is Tom Cruise with a script tailored to his strong suits (the first line of "What an incredible sight!" is vintage Cruise). The film is also so light on its feet with a nice dose of music, including "Up on the Roof" and the Talking Heads "Naive Melody," that it makes up for the staginess of some of the scenes. The film was shown in 3-D in theaters but only 2-D for home video. --Doug Thomas

Description

SPACE STATION is the first cinematic journey to the International Space Station (ISS), where audiences can experience for themselves life in zero gravity aboard the new station. The audience blasts off into space with the astronauts and cosmonauts from Florida's Kennedy Space Center and Russia's Baikonur Cosmodrome to rendezvous with their new home in orbit 220 miles above Earth. SPACE STATION is a story of challenges, setbacks and triumphs and ultimately, the shared international victory of men and women whose dreams exceed the limits of life on this Earth.

DVD Features:
Audio Commentary:Expedition 7- An Audio Visual Tour of the ISS (TRT 16:07) Narrated by Astronaut Dr. Ed Lu STS-A Audio Visual Tour of the ISS-(TRT 18:40) Narrated by Commander Dom Gorie, Mission SPecialist Dr. Linda Godwin, Pilot Mark E. Kelly, Mission Specialist ISS Flight Engineer Daniel Tani, Former Astronaut Capt. Frank Culbertson Jr.
Featurette:Featurette: Adventure In Space (RT22:29)--Interviews with Tom Cruise, Director Toni Myers, Astronauts Marsha Ivins, Brian Duffy, Susan Helms, Jim Voss and cameraman James Neilhouse
Other:First-Ever True-Life Space Station Movie Shot by Astronauts!
Photo gallery:16 photos (Including Never-Before-Seen photos)

Customer Reviews:

Imax "Space Station".......2007-03-10

If you have ever been fortunate to see this amazing 3D film in an Imax theatre then this DVD relives the experience, from the shattering launch of the Russian rocket to the superb shots of the earth whilst in orbit. The Imax print produces the usual high quality that we enjoy with all these DVD transfers and if you haven't seen it, get an armchair seat in the International Space Station, it's out of this world!

I didn't know........2007-03-01

Unbelievable to learn what we do outside the earths boundries. A little out dated but still great to watch.

This is a 2d version - take 3D!.......2007-01-07

Nice piece of video documentation in real space life.

It's at least marginally informational........2006-12-28

I enjoyed this to a point in terms of the information it presents, but overall it's rather slow and more than a little boring.

Absolutely Awe-Inspiring!!!.......2006-07-20

Sit back and relax. You are about to experience one of the best trips you will ever take...unless, of course, you are lucky enough to actually GO into space.

I wasn't able to see this movie when it was in IMAX theaters because I didn't have a theater near where I lived. I just got the DVD as a gift and, honestly, I would not have minded paying for it myself.

I watched the DVD on my laptop and the quality of the video was jaw-dropping impressive. I then moved over to the TV to watch it and it didn't miss a beat when it came to quality. The visuals are so stunning, I actually took screen-captures and am currently using them as desktop wallpaper. I don't think words can describe how great the DVD was as far as picture quality, so I hope that helped.

If you aren't a big fan of Tom Cruise (like myself), don't worry as his voice isn't in it too much. Although I must admit, he did a great job with his narration. Luckily, most of the narration you get is from the crews that have been on the ISS, which makes it a lot more interesting.

Someone had mentioned that the extras were the best part. While I agree that they were great, I think the whole package is evenly great. The movie itself gives you some awe-inspiring visuals and information about what it is like to live onboard the ISS, while the extras give you more info about the ISS itself (i.e. a tour of the station).

The worst part about this documentary, for me at least, was the fact that I didn't get to see it in an IMAX theater. If you are, or know somebody who is, a space fanatic, or just like IMAX videos, this is without a doubt one of the best purchases you can make.

Average customer rating:

Engaging realism; ahead of its time
A good script!
Excellent story dealing with the morals of war.
WW II counterintelligence drama
Top-notch war thriller!

Decision Before Dawn
Starring: Richard Basehart , Gary Merrill , Oskar Werner , Hildegard Knef , and Dominique Blanchar
Director: Anatole Litvak
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Classics | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Drama | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $9.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( D ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

ASIN: B000EHSVV4
Release Date: 2006-05-23

Amazon.com

Rooting for a German soldier was a daring choice for a movie made in 1951, but Decision Before Dawn justifies the risk; this is a crackling good war movie. In late 1944, the Allies are pushing through Europe but need intelligence behind German lines. Two Americans (Richard Basehart, Gary Merrill) recruit German POWs and enlist them to spy on their former Fatherland. We follow the adventures of one such agent, arrestingly played by the young Oskar Werner, who parachutes into Bavaria and gathers information. (Oddly, the film abandons Basehart and another recruit, marvelously played by Hans Christian Blech, who have also gone under cover.) The well-deployed suspense is accompanied by a constant examination of what it means to be German, and what loyalty to one's country really entails--dutiful devotion or skeptical rebellion? This question doesn't go deep (there's a sense that the movie is a make-nice effort toward a new economic ally), but the film is on solid ground whenever the clockwork suspense takes over. Hildegarde Knef (here billed under her Hollywood spelling, Neff) turns up as a conflicted fraulein. Director Anatole Litvak, shooting on location, gets some amazing shots of bombed-out buildings and ruined towns; in that sense, the film is almost like a documentary record of the postwar landscape. Decision Before Dawn was nominated for the best picture Oscar, but became a lesser-known film in the decades that followed. It deserves a higher profile. --Robert Horton

Description

Richard Basehart and Gary Merrill star in a film that?s ?as stirring a drama as any you'll want to see? (The New York Times). Adapted by Jack Rollens and Peter Viertel from George Howe?s novel Call It Treason, and directed by Anatole Litvak, this riveting World War II drama was nominated for the 1951 Best Picture Oscar®.

As the Third Reich declines in power, the Allies develop a radical new plan ? to employ German POWs as spies. Led by American Colonel Devlin (Merrill), and executed by Lieutenant Rennick (Baseheart), the plan is risky, and the tension builds as the Americans learn whether the former Nazis will help or betray the Allies.

Customer Reviews:

Engaging realism; ahead of its time.......2007-06-17

I'd never seen or heard of "Decision before Dawn" until it appeared in my recommended list on Amazon.com. Released in 1951, it apparently has been on TV a number of times, but I never caught it. Having it on DVD, especially at a bargain price, is welcome, indeed.

There are no big stars in the movie, although Gary Merrill, Richard Basehart, and Oskar Werner are certainly well-known names. The story is rather obscure in that it features Germans who change sides at the end of World War II, and end up spying on and fighting the Nazis. Some of these spies are heroic, like Oskar Werner's character; others are simply mercenary. In any event, we see that there were some good Germans who were loyal to their country, if not to the savage regime that took it over for 12 years.

The movie is in black-and-white, which lends itself well to the feel of the subject. It comes across almost as a docu-drama, to use modern terminology. Many of the outdoor shots feel like how Germany must have been in the latter years of the war after allied bombing had reduced most cities to rubble. You get a sense for the desperation and futility of ordinary people, as well, as the only "love interest" in the show, Hildegard Neff, vanishes almost as quickly as she appears. And she never is seen again.

If you're looking for a film that shows one of the pivotal points of the war, like "The Battle of the Bulge," or "The Battle of Britain," you might be disappointed in this show. But if you want to see a realistic depiction of patriotic Germans who resisted the Nazis and helped end the war, you should be pleasantly surprised. Acting is first-rate and the story is well-written and engaging.

There is not really a happy ending in "Decision before Dawn," unless you feel that the war is closer to its end as a result of what you've seen. In that sense, the movie really seems much ahead of its time and should find a receptive audience. As other reviewers point out, "Decision before Dawn" is really an anti-war film, showing as it does the futility of one group of humans intent on destroying another group.

In summing up, I can't think of another movie to compare this one to. I'd have to say the film is unique and worthy of its place in any World War II collection.

A good script!.......2007-04-05

"Decision Before Dawn" was written by Peter Viertel, once himself a member of the O.S.S.
It's a good script, full of weird characters, played by German actors like Hans-Christian Blech, Hildegard Neff and the famous O.E. Hasse. If you look close enough, you can even spot a very young Klaus Kinski!
The performance given by young Austrian master-actor Oscar Werner is simply superb.
If you like a gripping (anti-) war-movie, you'll be delighted with "Decision Before Dawn".
Watch out for a TV-documentary on the screenwriter Peter Viertel: "PETER VIERTEL: BETWEEN THE LINES". It will be shown in the fall of 2008. Don't miss it!

Excellent story dealing with the morals of war........2006-11-10

Definitely an anti-war classic story. Authentic in every respect and a good view and moral lesson for anyone with an interest in the meaning of loyalty to one's country. R. Woolfe

WW II counterintelligence drama.......2006-10-26

Anatole Litvak's engaging WWII drama "Decision Before Dawn" examines the war from an entirely different perspective. Filmed in the war ravaged remains of Nazi Germany in 1950, the story commences as American troops are poised to cross the Rhine and enter Germany. In the waning days of the war an American intelligence detail lead by Col. Devlin played by Gary Merrill and Lt. Rennick played by Richard Basehart are using captured POW's to act as spys. Using specially trained and suitable German soldiers they hope to gain sensitive information to aid in the war effort. Oskar Werner playing Cpl. Karl Maurer is just such a man.

Werner, an educated son of a physician, and not a loyal Nazi supporter, is a medic in the German Luftwaffe. He and Basehart along with another Nazi traitor code named Tiger and played by Hans Christian Blech are dropped behind enemy lines to determine the location of crack Panzer units.

What makes the film so unique, was that Werner's odyssey through the dying Third Reich gives us insight into the disposition of the German populace. Their downtrodden existence scrounging out an existence in the final months of the war is a disturbing sight to behold.

Litvack's film is a tribute to the nameless German spys who aided the Allied war effort.

Top-notch war thriller!.......2006-10-06

Based on real facts, this movie scrutinizes the ethic side of an idealistic and disappointed German medic / P:O:W: who decides by own will to become spy for his captors. He will be parachuted in order to demonstrate his firm resolution.

This might be the masterpiece of Anatole Litvak and the best performance ever given by Oskar Werner.

Tense, absorbing and high voltage movie.

Average customer rating:

Great clips but too damn Hollywoodized
The Glory of the Beatniks.
A good introduction to Beat influence, but very broad
A little disappointing but still worth seeing
'Source' of Inspiration

The Source
Starring: William F. Buckley , Jack Kerouac , Bob Hope , Richard J. Daley , and Johnny Depp
Director: Chuck Workman
Manufacturer: Fox Lorber
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Biography | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

Art & Artists | Special Interests | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $9.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( S ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

ASIN: B00004STH1
Release Date: 2000-07-05

Amazon.com

This documentary is a treat, a look at the beat writers that benefits not only from a wealth of vital source information, including interviews with major figures, but also from an abundance of intelligence and wit. Interspersed with clips of Allen Ginsberg, Jack Kerouac, Neal Cassady, and William S. Burroughs are brilliant montages of clips that set the beats in the context of their times. The story of how the beats rebelled against American conformity in the 1950s is well known, of course, but this documentary manages to find fresh ways to relate their views on life and writing. Segments in which Johnny Depp, John Turturro, and Dennis Hopper portray, respectively, Kerouac, Ginsberg, and Burroughs may strike some as extraneous, but the good performances redeem their inclusion in the film. As befits the documentary's title, The Source devotes considerable attention to the influence of the beats, and interviews with such notables as Ken Kesey, Jerry Garcia, and Philip Glass, performance clips of Bob Dylan, and news footage from the 1960s establish how the sensibility of the writers trickled into all of society. This is not only a fine introduction to the beats, but those who already revere them will find the profusion of material contained it to be a delight. --Robert J. McNamara

Customer Reviews:

Great clips but too damn Hollywoodized.......2006-02-18

What's good about this documentary is all the great footage of the Beats. There is amazing interview footage of Corso and Burroughs later in life that I haven't seen anywhere else, along with choice clips of interviews of all the Beats that are in the other three or so good documentaries out there. (Really worth seeing are "Kerouac: King of the Beats," "What Ever Happened to Kerouac?", and "The Beat Generation".) It's very worth watching just for this footage.

But unfortunately it tries to be too hip and too cute and ends up just being too glib and too distracting. It jumps frenetically between little swatches of otherwise great archival footage to stupid TV shows of the time, or to unrelated street scenes or bands playing. All of which gives it a distracting Attention Deficit Disorder/MTV music video feel. Very polished and Hollywood and very out of sorts with the Beats focus on authenticity. The film didn't need all this mess. The subjects of the documentary are so fascinating and energetic all by themselves, I don't know why the makers would try to spice it up by interrupting the enthralling footage with endless splices of goofy sounds and images.

Another annoying thing is that the makers work far too hard to draw the lineage between the Beats and the Hippies and the free speech movement. They end up talking about the 60s and to 60s personalities much too long. The connection between the Beats and Hippies is there, of course, but the makers way oversimplify and make it seem as if it's obvious to everyone that the Beats started the whole social revolution singlehandedly. And that's silly. It would have been much more potent if they'd spent less time on all that and instead had shown more of their great interview and performance footage of the main folks.

Again, very worth watching but I sure found the meddling of the film makers frustrating.

The Glory of the Beatniks. .......2005-05-14

This movie is a fast ride and a lot of fun. It is the furthest thing from a slow-moving documentary. The technical style and flair would appeal to practically any viewer. The Source is glossy and gorgeous. The director's clout is also impressive. Johnny Depp gives a performance monologue as Jack Kerouac and John Torturro gives an emotional reading from "Howl." Dennis Hopper imitates Burroughs as well later in the film. Their efforts are impressive.

Just to let the skeptics out there know, there is no room for doubt in this documentary. The beats are heroes and saviors--and not much else is considered. That some of them were minor talents is brushed over. Massive beat generation fans would give it five stars. A totally sanitized version of William S. Burroughs is presented, and it is implied that Kerouac was only a heterosexual, which is something that most commentators would regard as dubious. The film's attitude towards drug use is rather slanted. One memorable quotation was, "you can overdose on anything including sushi." Well no, not really.

It does not matter though, the movie is an amazing sprint and it succeeds in making itself impossible to turn off.

A good introduction to Beat influence, but very broad.......2005-04-25

A documentary that wears its heart on its sleeve, "The Source" is a great collection of archival clips and contemporary interviews. It overreaches trying to connect all of the movement's reference points from Herbert Huncke to Henry Rollins -- the final half hour is a dizzying mix of quick cuts and fleeting words -- though it certainly does indicate the breadth of Beat syle, the film takes on a very slapdash quality. The admirable recreations of Ginsberg, Kerouac and Burroughs seem unncessary when there's so much available footage, especially in a film that runs only 90 minutes. Still, ten seconds of Neal's madcap jitterbugging is worth all the well-intentioned homage. (One final sticking point: an all-inclusive overview of Beat influence that doesn't include Patti Smith, Tom Verlaine or Richard Hell isn't really complete, is it?) Workman did extensive digging in the film archives, however, reminding us that the Beat movement was as visual as it was literary. The final scenes of Ginsberg reading his own words on Times Square marquees is inspired.

A little disappointing but still worth seeing.......2003-10-28

The DVD is interesting, but there is too much of the same old commentary that has been circulating in beat documentaries for years. Many of the folks interviewed weren't all that significant to the movement. However, the Burroughs footage alone is worth the effort - but not nearly enough Jack Kerouac footage - there should have been much more of Jack and much less modern critique by folks who just weren't there. I would have liked to have seen more of Gregory Corso as well, but he has some priceless moments in the film! The Neil Cassady footage is also very good. Ginsberg is Ginsberg. I didn't get the point of the Johnny Depp/Dennis Hopper/John Turturro bits. Although Turturro's performance is by far the best! Overall, it's a nice documentary but not as ground breaking as was hyped.

'Source' of Inspiration.......2002-07-10

"The Source," director Chuck Workman's documentary about the Beat Generation, is as close to communing with a bygone generation as possible. In this examination of the lives of modern American literature's unholy Trinity -- Allen Ginsberg ("HOWL"), Jack Kerouac ("On the Road") and William S. Burroughs ("Naked Lunch") -- and how they unwittingly made thoughts pulse to their own strange beat, Workman's film releases the essence of these legends by casting a spell of media voodoo. Ironically, this same method of divination is responsible for bringing bits of these great personalities into the minds of today's commercially fed youth -- remember the infamous Burroughs Nike ad and the use of Kerouac's image to sell blue jeans?

This look back at the fathers of the Beat Generation was filmed before Ginsberg was silenced by cancer in the spring of 1997, yet the poet functions as a spirit-guide not unlike Virgil in Dante's "Inferno." He gently takes us from the initial meeting of the three writers in 1944 at Columbia University to their inspiration by Neal Cassady through the '50s, the Jazz Age and into the '60s with the youthful interpretation of what they started and how it fomented a revolution.

Like Dante, we are left on our own for much of the documentary to sort through the barrage of incredible footage, interviews and huge cast of players, which Workman must have sold nearly a pound of his own soul to procure. The surreal nature of Burroughs loading his gun or watching Neal Cassady do a jig by a Volkswagen bus, plunges the audience even deeper into the past by humanizing men whose mythic importance is on the same level as JFK or James Dean.

It is these scenes that make "The Source" such a fine record of a lost age. Workman's labor of love is crafted like the best college history courses. We hear exactly what altered the state of the spoken and written word, and the writers' astonishment that they were being emulated and taken so seriously. Burroughs' contempt, Kerouac's confusion and Ginsberg's quiet acceptance of their fame are illuminating to those of us who weren't there or didn't pay close enough attention to the centers of culture.

Workman goes a bit astray with his use of reenactments, a decidedly MTV convention that, for the most part, serve only as a minor distraction. It's easy to buy Johnny Depp reciting bits and pieces of Jack Kerouac's works in what looks like a roadside bar, but Dennis Hopper's attempts at sections of Burroughs' "Junky," "Interzone" and "Queer" are terrible. It might be because Hopper is, in fact, a legend unto himself, and it's difficult to see him as another from the same period. (An excellent Burroughs can be seen in David Cronenberg's "Naked Lunch" starring Peter Weller as an amalgamated William S.). All is forgiven, though, because the fresh memory of John Turturro's visceral rendition of Ginsberg's "HOWL" outside the Rockland State Hospital in New York City is unforgettable and truly inspired.

However, much of the footage is painful, and Workman is determined to present this mythological period by picking at the scabs of time and the recent commercial deification of these people. Scenes of an angry and pickled Kerouac trying to discuss the essence of writing with talk show host Steve Allen -- and then if you can believe it, William F. Buckley -- are quite sobering and make it clear that theirs' was more of a struggle than a party.

Then there are the shots of Burroughs that are about as comforting as the cold sweat that lets the addict know he hasn't killed himself. He's young and dangerous, wielding a knife in one scene and a syringe in the next. And although there is a perverse thrill watching the world-famous junky shoot up for the camera, we also get to see the needles in his eyes filled with scorn for anyone unlucky enough to be on the other side of that camera. One can almost feel him looking through the movie screen, searching for the kind of people who will eventually frequent "art houses" to watch films about things that should be read in books.

Amazon.com

"San Francisco, open your Golden Gate...." If the classic city anthem isn't part of your life already, it will be after a viewing of this 1936 hit, a wonderful blend of cornpone, spectacle, and song. It's set in 1906, the year the earthquake flattened much of Baghdad by the Bay. Like the disaster movies that followed (including In Old Chicago, a Fox cash-in from a couple of years later), San Francisco slowly establishes its characters before unleashing the destruction. Clark Gable is Blackie Norton, a cocky and ruthless Barbary Coast character whose heart is--well, not softened, but at least dented by the arrival of an opera singer (Jeanette MacDonald) looking for a job. He hires her for his rowdy club, while his childhood chum, Father Tim Mullin (Spencer Tracy), disapproves. As they would subsequently demonstrate in Test Pilot and Boom Town, Gable and Tracy have great he-man rapport together (Blackie's rampant maleness is challenged only by the fact that he knows the priest could punch him out). Director W.S. Van Dyke (The Thin Man) keeps everything cracking along, except for those moments when Cultcha rears its head and MacDonald sings an aria. When the quake hits, and the fire follows, the movie uncorks some really quite awesome special effects, including the unforgettable image of a street heaving up and separating under people's feet--much superior to the disaster effects in The Last Days of Pompeii, made just a year earlier. Needless to say, this could only be MGM in its heyday, laying on the big budget, an acceptable level of naughtiness, and a dose of religious turnaround in the end. It worked then; it still does. --Robert Horton

Description

Romantic drama combines with humor, starpower combines with lavish spectacle and the walls come tumbling down! This Academy Award?-winning* extravanganza's street-splitting, brick-cascading, fire-raging recreation of the cataclysmic earthquake remains "one of the greatest action sequences in the history of the cinema, rivalling the chariot race in both Ben-Hurs" (Adrian Turner, Time Out Film Guide). Clark Gable plays rakish Barbary Coast kingpin Blackie Norton. Jeanette MacDonald portrays a singer torn by her love for Blackie and her need to succeed among the operagoing elite. Earning the first of nine career Best Actor Oscar? nominations,* Spencer Tracy is a priest who supplements spiritual advice with a mean right hook. He urges Blackie to change. But if love and religion can't reform Blackie, Mother Nature will.

Customer Reviews:

Gable & MacDonald never better !!!.......2007-07-25

San Francisco is a great film & with Clark Gable & Jeanette MacDonald at the peak of their careers & in fine form. The Story is one you'll never get tired of no matter how many times you watch it. Unlike today's films, once you see them you wouldn't watch them again, unless maybe it was a Denzel Washington, Harrison Ford, Robert DeNiro or even Halle Berry.

Romantic drama, great acting and some of the greatest action sequences in the history of cinema !!!.......2007-05-16

San Francisco remains of MGM's finest movie to this day. The movie boasts an awesome cast with great cinematography and choreography. Just the earthquake scenes alone are more than worth the price of admission!

But I am getting ahead of myself when I mention the earthquake scenes. San Francisco tells the story of a woman named Mary Blake (Jeanette MacDonald) who arrives in San Francisco seeking fame and fortune as a singer. She wants to sing opera; but when work is hard to find she accepts a job offer from Blackie Norton (Clark Gable) to sing in his saloon and nightclub. Of course, this displeases Father Tim (Spencer Tracy) and the tug of war begins between Blackie versus Father Tim--and Jack Burley of The Tivoli Opera House for Mary's employment--and her heart.

Mary Blake's character complicates things by being rather ambivalent; she loves Blackie's looks and charisma much more than she cares to admit, even to herself. Then again, Mary always wanted to sing at a prestigious opera house like The Tivoli. The situation becomes even stickier when Mary's love is also torn between Jack Burley and Blackie.

There's more to the plot; but what I've given you should be more than enough to whet your appetite to see this classic movie. The actors work so hard; and you really believe they are the characters they play because their convincing acting shines brightly. Excellent!

Naturally, there are many questions and problems to be addressed and resolved. Will Mary choose between Jack Burley's love and The Tivoli Opera House or will she ultimately decide to live her life with Blackie and work at his nightclub called The Paradise? Just how rough will things between Jackie and Father Tim get before Mary makes up her own mind? What about Blackie's run for city supervisor which his adversaries are so eager to scuttle? In addition, what happens to them all when the great earthquake of 1906 shatters the city? Will they all survive the quake? No spoilers here folks--watch the film and find out for yourselves! SMILE I don't want to ruin it for you with spoilers.

The choreography and cinematography exceed my expectations for a film from 1936; but, then again, this is MGM in its heyday and so of course these scenes offer some of the greatest of special effects of the day. The acting remains very convincing throughout the movie and the plot moves along nicely so you never feel the slightest bit of boredom.

The DVD comes with several extras; and some are more relevant to the film than others. I especially liked the TNT documentary on Clark Gable's career and personal life; and the TravelTalk shorts entitled Cavalcade of San Francisco and Night Descends on Treasure Island are excellent. There's also a cartoon entitled Bottles, too.

My only complaint ( and this is very minor) is that we hear Jeanette MacDonald sing "San Francisco" a good six or seven times during this two hour picture. By the fourth or fifth time around I had heard it enough. Four and one half stars for this review! (Sorry!)

I highly recommend San Francisco for fans of the great MGM films and for people who enjoy movies starring the immortal Clark Gable. Although Jeanette MacDonald stars in this film I can't quite call it a true MGM musical; there are two or three arias that Jeannette sings that just don't have that infectiously catchy melody to them but again this is minor. In addition, this film will also please people who enjoy drama.

Enjoy!

Gable & McDonald Classic.......2007-05-13

An oldie but goodie; excellent for a film of this era.

A man that goes places he shouldn't.......2007-04-06

The first time I met Charlie Beardsley he was staring intently at the window of a diner at the corner of Market and Larkin St. Inside the diner sat his ex-wife, Sheila, a woman that had engaged in acts with his best friend and then promptly announced to her family that she was a lesbian. She changed her mind only days after the divorce was final and she was now living with the owner of the diner in Pac Heights. Charlie Beardsley had not taken the news well, and spent most afternoons finding different reasons to leave work and stare through the window at the woman he used to spend his days with.

I stood on the corner waiting to cross the street when I noticed him. He turned away from the window and stared out at the street, and then back around and inside. I watched his routine and then couldn't help but walk over and ask what he was doing. As it turns out, he was eager to be lead astray. We walked together towards an unknown destination while he told me his story. He spoke quickly and quietly until he got to the subject of his best friend. "A man that goes places he shouldn't, that argues with people in stores, at intersections, on buses and trains, and curses at children. And yet, she found him attractive." I asked him if he wanted to get a cup of coffee. I'm not sure why I felt an affinity for him. He looked to be older than me by at least ten years, with worn clothing that had, at one time, cost a week's paycheck. He declined my offer and said that he was thinking of leaving San Francisco.

A year later, he was still staring at the window of the diner on the corner of Market and Larkin.

Clark Gable in San Francisco.......2007-03-19

THis is a great movie to have in your collection. Plenty of old fashioned action and the earthquake in San Francisco is very well done for the time. Pity the DVD is B&W as I also have video in colour. The colourised version is quite a good product, better than other colourised films I have seen.

Average customer rating:

A great western movie
Dark, Unembridled Greed
A Search For The Lost Dutchman Gold Mine, With Murder And Greed Along The Way
Great mystery Western

Lust for Gold
Starring: Ida Lupino , Glenn Ford , Gig Young , William Prince , and Edgar Buchanan
Director: S. Sylvan Simon
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Westerns | Genres | DVD | Video

Classics | Westerns | Genres | DVD | Video

Drama | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $9.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( L ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

ASIN: B0007MANZ8
Release Date: 2005-04-05

Customer Reviews:

A great western movie.......2007-07-26

Anyone who lives in Arizona would love this flick, a great story about the Old West.

Dark, Unembridled Greed.......2006-12-04

A rather grim but extremely satisfying Western directed by S. Sylvan Simon, features Glenn Ford as Jacob "Dutch" Walz, a German who discovers "the richest goldmine in the world" in 19th century Arizona. Although not as well-known as other Columbia Westerns, it holds up very well, and is much more appreciated now than it was when it was released in 1949. Juliet Thomas (Ida Lupino) is the cold-hearted woman who pretends to admire Walz as a man, when in fact she just wants to know where his mine is located. She goes so far as to put him up in her home after he collapses in a drunken stupor on the porch of her bakery, and later lets him court her. She pretends to be German (even briefly speaking to him in his native tongue), and feigns ignorance and disinterest in his newfound status as a wealthy citizen. Her pursuit of Jacob only infuriates her estranged husband, Pete Thomas (Gig Young), who wants to be back on her good side (as well as her bed), and so they quietly conspire together to learn the location of his mine and rob Jacob of his fortune. But he is soon onto them and it ends on an interesting showdown on Superstition Mountain.

Despite its serious tone, the film has some light-hearted moments, never more wonderfully presented as Juliet shows Jacob her family album and he comes across a photograph of her as an "au natural" baby, or the moment after Jacob hands off the cookies he bought from Juliet's shop to a young boy, who collapses under the weight of two massive baskets full! And Lupino shows her independent mind and capabilities in this unsympathetic role, while Gig Young's scoundrel manages to gain a little sympathy as the ignored husband. But Ford, who rarely played villainous roles, really brings uncompromising realism as a greedy, self-serving, ill-tempered man (the scene involving the little girl and him allowing her to "play" with his shotgun is a classic example of this). His attempt at a German accent falters in some sequences, but this does not deter from his performance.

This aspect of the movie is actually shown in flashback, the opening being of Jacob's grandson Barry Storm (William Prince) trying to find the mine and solve the mystery of the many puzzling, tragic deaths of those who have attempted to discover it. Fans of the Lone Ranger television series will enjoy the early, uncredited appearance of Jay Silverheels as a deputy.

Now I know why greed is among the seven most deadly sins!

The DVD features a few theatrical trailers.

A Search For The Lost Dutchman Gold Mine, With Murder And Greed Along The Way.......2005-12-13

This forgotten gem is an A movie trying to break out of a B movie's conventions. Even as a B movie, if it had been directed by Edgar Ulmer many people would be raving over it. But it was directed by a man named S. Sylvan Simon who died of a heart attack in his forties. This was his last movie, and it has been forgotten just about as thoroughly as he has.

It's the story of the Lost Dutchman Mine, a rich gold mine lost, then discovered again, and then apparently lost forever. It's the story of Jacob "Dutch" Walz (Glenn Ford), a German immigrant in 1880 who, with a partner, tracks two men to the mine in Arizona's Superstition Mountains. When the men find it, Walz and his partner shoot them down. Then Walz cooly turns his rifle on his partner. It's also the present day story of Walz' grandson, Barry Storm (William Prince), who is searching for the mine again. A generation and a half ago his grandfather disappeared, taking the secret of the mine with him. Storm is determined to find the place, but a killer has been murdering prospectors who have gotten too close to where the mine might be.

The movie is oddly constructed but still works well. Three quarters of the time is a flashback to Jacob Walz, his search for the mine and his entanglement with Julia Thomas (Ida Lupino), a woman as ruthless as he, and her husband, Pete (Gig Young), a jealous and weak man. Bracketing this story is Barry Storm. At first, Storm is following a man who is confident he knows where the Lost Dutchman is located. A rifle shot ends that search and Storm is left with a dead body to explain to the sheriff (Paul Ford) and the sheriff's deputy (Will Geer). At the end of Walz' story we move back to Storm. Now, the killer is tracking him. In a nice twist, the killer is probably not who you'll immediately suspect.

Glenn Ford does a nice job as the grim, mean Jacob Walz. When he thinks Julia may actually love him, he's shy and a little tongue-tied. When he realizes she was using him...well, let's say he gets his own back with her and her husband after he's tricked them into the Superstition Mountains. This is an unusual role to take on for a young and increasingly popular lead actor. After he was established as a major star, Ford didn't often play ruthless bad guys. With this role, he proved he could whenever he wanted to.

Ida Lupino does a great job as the in-it-for-me Julia Thomas. She looks just fine when she's luring Jacob into her web. Later, she's not afraid to look dirty and bedraggled after she's been without water for a couple of days, had to scramble over rocks, been shot at and tossed in the dirt.

The black and white DVD picture is in very good condition. There are no extras.

Great mystery Western.......2005-04-16

In a way LUST FOR GOLD is a "mystery" Western that doesn't lose its real interest after you understand (sort of) the mystery and understand the story. And that says a lot about its lasting attraction and why I am delighted to see it on DVD. The stark but beautiful B&W print lends atmosphere to the "search" for lost treasure, and even the name of the mountain range where the Spanish gold was mysteriously buried, Superstition Mountain, adds to the ambience. This is a truly entertaining oater that will entertain the entire family or friends. Recommended highly.

The Greatest '70s Cop Shows (Charlie's Angels / Starsky and Hutch / S.W.A.T. / Police Woman / The Rookies)

Average customer rating:

A Starsky and Hutch Fan
3 stars if you didn't grow up with these shows
Maybe!
OH.....JUST SHOOT ME!!
More Angie, please...!

The Greatest '70s Cop Shows (Charlie's Angels / Starsky and Hutch / S.W.A.T. / Police Woman / The Rookies)
Director: Ronald Austin , Allen Baron , Richard Benedict , John D.F. Black , and Cliff Bole
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Television | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( G ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

ASIN: B00000F6RL
Release Date: 2003-05-06

Amazon.com

It may sound like a gimmick--The Greatest '70s Cop Shows is a compilation of first episodes from Starsky and Hutch, Police Woman, S.W.A.T., The Rookies, and Charlie's Angels--but this DVD anthology really opens one's eyes to the look and feel of dramatic television during the so-called Me Decade. Except for Angels, which never wavered from its self-mocking, glossy action/stiff exposition playbook, these cop-program debuts (four of them from Aaron Spelling) import much of their fluid camera movement, multiple points-of-view, and dynamic, often wordless storytelling from the era's rough-and-tumble action movies (e.g., The French Connection). Which is to say these shows may be dumb but not necessarily cheesy (except Angels' post-modern cheese). There is a lot to admire about the opening ambush in S.W.A.T.'s "The Killing Ground," the hard-boiled camaraderie of Police Woman's "The End Game," and especially the reckless physicality and ironic jokes of Starsky and Hutch's "Savage Sunday." --Tom Keogh

Description

The definitive collection of your favorite '70s cop shows is finally here! See how all the action started wi