Il Postino

Amazon.com

Italian star and filmmaker Massimo Troisi was dying of heart failure even before this film, his dream project, began production, and he prevailed upon British director Michael Radford (White Mischief) to see him and the film through to the end. (The 40-year-old Troisi, a beloved comic actor in Italy, died the day production wrapped.) Based on true events, Troisi plays a shy postman who strikes up an unlikely friendship with exiled Chilean poet Pablo Neruda (Philippe Noiret). Through Neruda's example and tutelage, the hero learns to think of his Italian fishing village in lyrical terms, as well as how to talk to women and even find the strength to take his political stands. Sweet as it is, the film finally pushes beyond its charming borders to become an even more complex and poignant story about the pain of growing into one's destiny. --Tom Keogh

Description

Cheered by critics and audiences everywhere, IL POSTINO (THE POSTMAN) is the record-breaking Academy Award(R)-winning (Best Dramatic Score, 1995) romantic comedy that delivers heartfelt laughs! Mario is a bumbling mailman who's madly in love with the most beautiful woman in town ... and who's too shy to tell her how he feels. But when a world-famous poet -- Pablo Neruda -- moves into town, Mario is inspired. With Neruda's help, he finds the right words to win the woman's heart! This unforgettably funny comedy proves that passion ... with some artful deception ... can win the most improbable love!

Customer Reviews:

A real keeper........2007-09-05

First saw this film several years ago. Enjoyed it then. Still enjoy it now. Loverly.

Very disappointed!.......2007-08-30

After reading the reviews for this film, I had high hopes for an enjoyable evening--with popcorn and cokes at the ready. However, this move fails in many ways. It is not about Mario's romance (as described) but about his relationship with the famed poet. When Mario speaks, he mumbles, slurs his words, and often does not face the person listening to him. In addition, he speaks so slowly that all sympathy for him is lost. No one watching the film with me found anything funny in the film, yet it is described as a "romantic comedy." Other parts of the film are predictable and boring. One person with me fell asleep watching it. Another spent time petting the dog. As for myself, I was continually angry at the advertising deception used to market this film. Compared to U.S. films, it rates an 8 on a 10 scale. The plot is good, and of course the scenery is nice. As a watchable film, however, it rates about a 2, or perhaps 1.5 on a 10 scale compared to international films.

The Postman delivers!!.......2007-08-23

Have not seen this movie in a long time and loved it as much as the first time I saw it.

Postman to Postman.......2007-07-04

I see all Post Office related movies.I am a Mailman. This film,unlike Kevin Costners, is pure Quality. Terrific,heartwarming,touching. All that makes a perfect film. See it,soon.

Best Acting Ever.......2007-05-20

Wonderful movie, brilliant actor. A legacy to the world, left by a kind and gentle spirit. One of my all time favorite movies.

Average customer rating:

Too long but....
postamn dvd
what is important enough to hope for? does it matter if it is true?
The critics are idiots!
Ignore the Critics

The Postman
Starring: Todd Allen , Scott Bairstow , Annie Costner , Charles Esten , and Shawn Hatosy
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
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ASIN: 0790736500
Release Date: 1998-06-09

Amazon.com

Falling from the Oscar-winning glory of Dances with Wolves to the opposite end of the critical and box-office scale, Kevin Costner must have been deeply humbled when this three-hour postapocalyptic tale--his sophomore effort as a director--was greeted with a critical thrashing and tepid audience response. One of the most conspicuous flops of its decade, the 1997 release must have seemed like a sure thing on paper: a kind of futurist Western starring Costner as a charismatic drifter-turned-hero who leads the resistance against a military tyrant (Will Patton) by reviving the long-dormant postal system to reunite isolated communities in their fight for freedom. The movie bombed, but, like many audacious failures, it's got qualities that make it at least partially endearing, and its earnestness (although bordering on corny) keeps it from being entirely silly. Faint praise, perhaps, but Costner's ode to patriotism is occasionally stirring and visually impressive. The dual-layered, widescreen DVD includes a documentary segment about the creation of the film's special effects sequences, featuring a running commentary by the special effects creators. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

Too long but...........2007-09-04

We watched this movie again yesterday, and just like I remembered, it is too long. But I still like it better than the book, which I also liked with reservation.

Here's the thing, you don't have to pay over-much attention of this film to get the good part, which for me, is the message that people need hope, and more than that, anyone who helps give hope to others is a hero.

But that's just me.

postamn dvd.......2007-08-03

I really enjoyed this movie the first time I saw it. I have been looking for it ever since. I would reccomend this movie. I love Kevin Costner movies and feel this is a good movie.

what is important enough to hope for? does it matter if it is true?.......2007-07-19

movie review -- the Postman
I saw it when it first came out, had the opportunity to watch it again this evening.
It's the motivation for hope that interests me most about the movie

The movie is about hope, the kind of hope and strength that comes from believing in something worthwhile and greater than yourself and your immediate gratification.
What is curious is that the plot really proposes a hope in hope, akin to the modern ideas of a faith in faith itself. The content of either is really kind of unimportant, the only thing that seems important is the strength with which you hold to the hope or faith.

He is a fraud. A mild con man, out for a meal and a warm place to sleep. The post system is build by a teenager with a strong hero worship and a great imagination. He too is a fraud, making up letters from the postman to set rules and motivate the postal riders. In some magic way this hope in hope, this faith in faith, transmogrifies itself into a heroic army that sweeps down on horseback to blow the bad guys away. phoey! doesn't it matter if people believe a lie or believe the truth? isn't the content of hope, the object of faith important?

It is a clever plot with enough action and adventure to involve people in watching it. It's not a bad movie, but it really is indicative of the current mentality that faith, hope and love will conquer all, no matter what the content of either is. The orange army, the bad guys, had hope as well. Hope to live another day, hope to watch the flicks that night, and the hope for some loot in raiding the rest of the devastated and depopulated countryside. The leader, the general of the bad guys really had the most hope of all-hope that he would rule and impose his will on everyone around him and knock down anyone who dared stand up to him.

I propose that the object of love, the reason for hope and the content of faith is important. Many of the most motivated and evil people that ever lived had lots of hope, lots of faith, often in themselves and as much love as the next guy. I suppose that those men that devastated this apocalyptic world had lots of hope that they were right, the enemy was wrong and their case just and they virtually destroyed their world. It's all too much like the proverbial airplane pilot that reports to the passengers that he has good news and bad news. The good news is that they are making excellent time, the bad news is that they are hopelessly lost. Great hope and faith in the service of evil is more than wasted it is what makes for so much conflict and evil in this world. People who are completely convinced that their hope and faith is something that i must share or .... . The content of faith, the object and reason for hope is important.

The movie tries to make the connection between home and hearth, between a warm bed with a beautiful wife and the patriotic feelings towards the national state. But it is a sleight of hand trick, the nation state, the big conglomerates of power, this belongs to the evil, orange soldier guys, not to peaceful farmers or really small communities. I can't help but think of the book: The Parable of the Tribes, those evil ones who fight to control and rule over others, they change and shape the world into their image, as force seems the only way to meet force, violence the only way to defeat the violent. It's a stirring enough movie, but it is misdirected, hope and faith are important things, but the object of those very necessary and very human strivings are likewise important.

It is necessary not just to have hope, but to have hope in things that are true. It is necessary to love, but to love the right people for the right reasons. It is necessary to have faith, but the object and content of the faith must be in real things, things that are worthwhile having faith, hope and love place in them, or towards them. Faith in faith, or hope in hope may very well motivate people to rise above themselves and do heroic things, but it also is fraught with potential to me misguided or worse yet manipulated by those evil ones. Everyone in the orange jumpsuits wasn't impressed and forced to be there, some were there genuinely because they loved, hoped and had faith in their leaders and in their cause. This is the way faith, hope and love are double edged knifes, you can and do have people who are sincerely and whole heartedly committed to false and ignoble causes, ready to die, and worse yet kill for their objects of their misplaced but certainly bold faith.

Well, it's just a movie and not a philosophic treatise, although it is nearly as long as some. But it is worth thinking about and considering, good and evil, the constant battle that swirls around and often through us, the sides don't really differ in the intensity of their desires, but only in the object of them.

The critics are idiots!.......2007-07-15

This is a prime example why I never believe a critic. I loved this movie. It has it's little weird moments, which is why I didn't rate it 5 stars. All in all an excellent movie and worth the long watch.
Again, the critics missed the boat on this one!

Ignore the Critics.......2007-07-04

I've enjoyed this movie so much over the years that I found myself adding it to my personal DVD collection - and I am very selective in what I add. Yes it's long, but it's also exciting, moving, and inspiring in turns. This is a movie that features adventure and explores themes of courage, commitment and patriotism. It's also the best movie Costner's ever done.

Average customer rating:

A Good Remake But the Original is a Classic
A POTBOILER
Underrated; Haven't Seen the Original Though
Steamy and deffinately not for the faint hearted
PAN & SCAN MARGINALIZES THE PRESENTATION

The Postman Always Rings Twice
Starring: Jack Nicholson , Jessica Lange , John Colicos , Michael Lerner , and John P. Ryan
Director: Bob Rafelson
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ASIN: 079073219X
Release Date: 1997-08-20

Amazon.com

In The Postman Always Rings Twice Jack Nicholson teamed up again with his Five Easy Pieces and King of Marvin Gardens director Bob Rafelson for this 1981 version of James M. Cain's hardboiled novel of lust and murder. This version takes a much grittier (and sexually explicit) approach to the material than the slick 1946 MGM version starring John Garfield and Lana Turner. Nicholson plays Frank Chambers, a drifter who happens upon a roadside diner run by Cora Papadakis (Jessica Lange) and her swarthy Greek husband, Nick (John Colicos). Sparks fly, and before you can say l'amour fou, Frank and Cora are making the beast with two backs on the kitchen table. One thing leads to another and they conspire to murder Nick. The movie is still a little too cold and distant to fully convey a hot-blooded passion that leads to murder, but it is a strangely haunting and disturbing film nevertheless. The screenplay is by David Mamet, the photography is by the great Sven Nykvist (Ingmar Bergman's cinematographer), and watch for Anjelica Huston in a supporting role. --Jim Emerson

Customer Reviews:

A Good Remake But the Original is a Classic.......2007-08-05

I saw the 1981 "Postman" when it first came out. The period recreation and photography are excellent. Moreover, the performances are convincing and the sexual heat can be felt. Lange, who hit major stardom the following year with "Tootsie" and "Frances," has been a top notch actress ever since her arrival in Hollywood. Here, she gets her first high profile dramatic role. In her prime, Lange was an incredibly sexy woman. Hot with a capital "H." In this version, Rafelson and company are true to the ethnicities of Cain's characters. Nick is Greek not English and the lawyer is Jewish not Irish. Another reviewer, Dennis Littrell, suggested that 1946 Hollywood was afraid of being offensive. Littrell is mistakenly applying modern PC concerns to the past. Unflattering and even offensive potrayals of different races and ethnic groups were commonplace at the time. Even though Jews of European descent largely ran Hollywood, they were convinced that many audience members didn't want to watch anyone that might be a little different from them. Of course, John Garfield was Jewish but he wasn't playing a Jewish character. Although certain forties films like "Gentleman's Agreement" addressed the issue of bigotry, it wasn't until the fifties that people of different races and ethnicities were up on the screen more often. Nonetheless, the 1946 version with sultry Lana Turner and ruggedly handsome Garfield really captures the era and the tragedy of these doomed characters.

A POTBOILER.......2007-08-03

I admit to being a film noir fan of long standing. Maybe it was the fact of growing up in the time of black and white television and watching all those late night movies which were freely available at the time. Maybe it was that tight, if improbable, dialogue, the relatively simple plots and the dramatic effect of the shadows of black and white photography on mood. In any case, the Postman Always Rings Twice fits nicely into that mix. The plot line is fairly simple- unhappy California house wife, an older overbearing, uncaring lout of a husband and a younger man at the door who turns out to be handy with a wretch- all the ingredients for a murder. Of course, as always the guilty parties will have to face justice. You know this is a modern morality play, after all. This remake, in color, starring the always watchable Jack Nicholson and forbiddingly sexual Jessica Lange is probably truer to Cain's wicked designs but to my mind the old noir classic black and white starring John Garfield and Lana Turner is the definitive Postman. In any case one should read the book by James M. Cain to get a better feel for the language, the steamy sexual tension and better insight into the motivations driving the characters to their fates.

Underrated; Haven't Seen the Original Though.......2006-09-17

Director Bob Rafelson reunited with his "Five Easy Pieces" star Jack Nicholson on this film, which also stars Jessica Lange, Anjelica Huston, and briefly Christopher Lloyd (also reunited with Nicholson from "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest"). When Rafelson set out to make this film (which had already been adapted from the novel into a 1946 film starring Lana Turner), he wanted to take a detour from the original. In 1946, you weren't really allowed to show sex so the film had destroyed the whole vision of the novel. So, Rafelson has been adamant about not calling this a remake. I've never seen the original or read the book, so this is my first exposure to the material. Having said that, there's something about this film that's kind of funny...There is no postman. When we meet drifter Frank Chambers (Nicholson), he just scammed a restuarant owner named Nick (John Colicos) out of a free meal. About to leave, Nick offers him a job and Frank accepts. Problem is, Frank can't contain his feelings for Nick's wife Cora (the beautiful Jessica Lange). After Nick and Cora begin having an affair, Cora tells Nick that the only way they continue is if Nick is killed. After a failed attempt, they cool off for awhile...But eventually realize that it's something that must be done. The first hour of the film is spectacular, it sags a little in the second hour (causing me to almost give it 4 stars). But the performances are so good and the ending is so beautifully done (some complain it's abrupt, but it works to suit Nicholson's character). I don't know how this film is compared to the book and movie that inspired it, but it's a great movie. For people just looking for nudity, this isn't your movie. The sex scenes are pretty graphic, but the only nudity is Anjelica Huston side-boob.

GRADE: A-

Steamy and deffinately not for the faint hearted.......2006-07-03

Quite a different interpretantion in comparison with the version with Lana Turner. This is deffinately for people who are not conservative when it comes to sex, hate, disloyalty, etc. The performances are excellent. Jack Nicholson has always been my favourite actor and here he is his old evil self. Jessica Lange is very sensual and acts her part well. A very satisfying film when it comes to substance and something more than just sensation. Highly recommended for the serious movie fan.

PAN & SCAN MARGINALIZES THE PRESENTATION.......2006-02-26

Unfortunately, the image is cropped to full screen. Ironically, the trailer included on the disc is in 16X9!

Average customer rating:

Green for Danger
Excellent Mystery
A Traditional Murder Mystery Set In World War II England--Familiar Story, Classy Execution
" That Dear Old Menace, Alastair Sim"
Best of the best

Green for Danger - Criterion Collection
Starring: Sally Gray , Trevor Howard , Rosamund John , Alastair Sim , and Leo Genn
Director: Sidney Gilliat
Manufacturer: Criterion
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ASIN: B000KRNGNG
Release Date: 2007-02-13

Amazon.com

Writer-director Sidney Gilliat isn't the household name he deserves to be, so his film Green for Danger--once an art-house perennial--qualifies as one of the major, and surely most delightful, (re)discoveries of the season. Its cunning blend of character-driven mystery, gothic dread, and inveterately English gallows humor makes for sheer movie-movie pleasure.

There's a perfect fusion of storytelling and moodmaking, plot and setting. The time is 1944, when Hitler was attacking the British populace with V-1 flying bombs. Under this ongoing siege, at an Elizabethan country manor made over as wartime hospital, someone among a half-dozen doctors and nurses is up to something sinister. Which one is anybody's guess, given the adroitly suggested crosscurrents of loathing and desire, suspicion and jealousy animating the company. After a mysterious death on the operating table, followed by a second death that's unmistakably murder, Scotland Yard enters the picture in the perversely antic form of that long drink of wormwood, the definitive Scrooge, Alastair Sim. (Actually, Sim's sepulchral voice deliciously narrates the film from the beginning.)

Gilliat, with his partner Frank Launder, had written Alfred Hitchcock's The Lady Vanishes (Hitch signed on after their exemplary screenplay was done) and its de facto sequel, Carol Reed's Night Train to Munich. The same talent for drollery without sacrificing tension is abundantly apparent in Green for Danger. As added inducements, the cast includes Trevor Howard and Leo Genn; the artfully shadowy cinematography is the work of Wilkie Cooper. --Richard T. Jameson

Description

In the midst of the Nazi blitz, a postman dies on the operating table at a rural English hospital. But was the death accidental? A delightful and wholly unexpected murder mystery, British writer/director Sidney Gilliat's Green for Danger features Trevor Howard and Sally Gray as suspected doctors and Alastair Sim in a marvelous turn as Scotland Yard's insouciant Inspector Cockrill. A screenwriter who had worked with Hitchcock on such classics as The Lady Vanishes and Jamaica Inn, Gilliat slyly upends whodunit conventions with wit and style.

Customer Reviews:

Green for Danger.......2007-06-22

Director Gilliat fashioned this atmospheric, intelligent murder mystery, beautifully restored and available for the first time via the Criterion Collection. "Green" maintains foreboding throughout, leavened by the superlative Sim's dry wit. Though his on-screen entrance occurs well into the film, Sim's Cockrill, a fearless detective who becomes terrified at the sound of buzz-bombs, still dominates the proceedings through his methodical paces to uncover the whys and wherefores of the case-and nab a murderer.

Excellent Mystery.......2007-05-02

This review is for the Criterion Collection DVD edition of the film.

Green for Danger is a film set during World War 2 in England. In the film a man is wounded and later dies during surgery. It is thought that he was murdered but it cannot be proven. Later suspects are interrogated in attempt to find out what happened. The film has been compared to the work of Alfred Hitchcock and I would say it is very Hitchcockian

This film depicts rural England during the war quite well and has numerous scenes of the German V1. The film contains an interview with British film historian Geoff Brown and optional audio commentary by film scholar Bruce Eder.

I highly recommend this film

A Traditional Murder Mystery Set In World War II England--Familiar Story, Classy Execution.......2007-04-05

While I see many here hailing Sidney Gilliat's "Green For Danger" as a long forgotten masterpiece, I'm afraid they might be setting the mark a bit high for those yet to discover this enjoyable film. Basically, this movie is a classic drawing room murder mystery--but instead of an estate, the action is centered in an isolated English hospital near the end of World War II. But all the familiar elements are in place--five suspects with secrets to hide, clandestine relationships, appropriate melodramatics, an endearingly oddball investigator, and the big finale that puts all the primary characters together for the big reveal. Don't get me wrong, I thoroughly enjoyed "Green For Danger" in the way I enjoyed many mystery stories from the same time period. But it's not revolutionary, it's just well executed.

The film begins with an ominous voice-over--one that portends of impending murder. We are introduced to the man who will become the first victim. Then we are briskly introduced to the staff at the hospital. There are six individuals, one we're told is a murderer and two others will die by his/her hand. It's a great start to a fun adventure. As we spend time in the hospital, the first murder is set up and executed. Suspicions abound. But when one of the six announces that they know who the killer is--it leads to dire consequences and a visit from a Scotland Yard inspector. Taking it's cue from dozens of other stories, the inspector starts working the suspects until it's time to gather them together for the shocking revelation.

What distinguishes "Green For Danger," first and foremost, is the terrific performance of Alistair Sim. His inspector breathes much charm, much humor, and much subtlety to the proceedings. As the various suspects seethe, argue, and carry on histrionically--Sim can calm things down with a sly look and a quip. It's a bravura performance that is fun and beguiling. The film looks and sounds great, with plenty of shadowy images that set the appropriate tone. And the setting is novel. Having the action take place between bombing raids adds an element of seriousness, it ups the stakes. The script is witty and sophisticated, while the mystery itself is intriguing. It may not be resolved in the most believable way, but that is somewhat common for films of this type.

By all means, check out "Green For Danger!" It's a fun lark. It's all very British, and that's definitely a compliment. But again, approaching the film with moderate expectations may increase your enjoyment of the film's smaller scope. There's nothing you haven't seen before, at least plotwise, but this traditional mystery is still worth a look. KGHarris, 04/07.

" That Dear Old Menace, Alastair Sim".......2007-03-27

There's no denying "Green For Danger" is a winning, particularly witty murder mystery, a genre the Brits do markedly well. What singles this effort out more than anything else, I'd say - and in agreement with most earlier reviewers here - is the presence, odd character and extraordinary voice of Alastair Sim. His police inspector is a wonderfully sarcastic fellow yet, as a human being, oddly detached. As Leo Genn and Trevor Howard begin a serious fight, for instance, rolling about on the floor of a hospital room and possibly about to do serious damage to one another, Sim, with great delight, pulls up a chair so he can more closely watch and enjoy the violence. What an unusual detective, this! Vocally, too, it's a joy to hear his plummy, over the top savoring of every syllable he utters. His voice, like Edith Evans,' is one of the great (here preserved) treasures of English stage and screen.

Best of the best.......2007-03-25

Well criterion has done it again....the film looks terrific and im really glad they window boxed this so now you can view this film like it was intended...with that said the great Alister Sim as inspector cockrill and a bunch of worthy suspects that keep you guessing right till the end. If you haven't purchased this title i only have 1 thing to say....WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR????

Average customer rating:

One of the best
The Postman Always Rings Twice
a very sexy example of the film noir genre, at its best.....
Tale of Obsession
One ofthe best of its kind

The Postman Always Rings Twice
Starring: Lana Turner , John Garfield , Cecil Kellaway , Hume Cronyn , and Leon Ames
Director: Tay Garnett , and David Heeley
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
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ASIN: B0000EYUCU
Release Date: 2004-01-06

Amazon.com essential video

Even under the heavy censorship of 1946 Hollywood, Lana Turner and John Garfield's libidinous desires burn up the screen in Tay Garnett's adaptation of James M. Cain's torrid crime melodrama. Platinum blond Turner is Cora, a restless sexpot stuck in a roadside diner married to mundane middle-aged fry cook Nick Smith (Cecil Kellaway) when handsome drifter Frank (Garfield) blows her way. It's lust at first sight, a rapacious desire that neither can break off, and before long they're plotting his demise--but in the wicked world of Cain nothing is that easy. Garnett's visual approach is subdued compared to the more expressionistic film noir of the period, but he's at no loss when he films the luminous Turner in her milky-white wardrobe. She radiates repressed sexuality and uncontrollable passion while Garfield's smart-talking loner Frank mixes street-smart swagger and scrappy toughness with vulnerability and sincere intensity. Costar Hume Cronyn cuts a cold, calculating figure as their conniving lawyer, a chilly character that only increases our feelings for the murderous couple, victims of an all consuming amour fou that drives their passions to extremes. --Sean Axmaker

Description

Adapted from James M. Cain's story, the film relolves around the destructive relationship of two lovers whose troubles mount after they do away with her husband.

Customer Reviews:

One of the best.......2007-07-28

I watched both 1946 version and 1981 version. In general both versions are good, but I much more like this 1946 version. First of all, the 1946 version exactly coincides with the novel the film based on. Secondly the actress and the actor in this version are extremely suitable for the characters. On the contrary, the actor in the 1981 version seems a little too old. The end in the 1981 version is rash too. However, the 1981 version is in color and has some expose which some people may like.

The Postman Always Rings Twice.......2007-06-25

Tay Garnett's sizzling "Postman," adapted from the pulp novel by James M. Cain, concerns fate, temptation, and the kind of irrational urges that drive people to murder. A gorgeous Lana Turner bewitches as the femme fatale, and enigmatic, underrated actor John Garfield plays the regular Joe who falls into her clutches. Garnett's direction is solid and tantalizingly suggestive, as when Frank spots a lipstick rolling across the floor moments before he lays eyes on Cora. Garnett's "Postman" delivers the goods.

a very sexy example of the film noir genre, at its best............2007-05-20

Cora (Lana Turner) is a very beautiful and frustrated woman, married to middle aged fry cook, Nick (Cecil Kellaway), residing with him in a small town that seems way too small for her tastes. Enter Frank (John Garfield), a handsome loner, who arrives at their door, one day. Cora and Frank are instantly drawn to each other, of course. The problem that stands in their way is her husband. What a pesky problem! Together, the two plot to murder Nick, so they can be together. Of course, this does not go according to plan.

This grizzly, sexually charged story said so much with so little (back at a time when even depicting "so little" granted you a firm rap on the knuckles from the MPAA censorship board). Lana Turner glows in a series of white ensembles that she clearly fills out quite pleasingly. What's more, no one ever made lipstick look so sexy before. In fact, Lana Turner's character made lipstick even more popular, after this film came out! Just a little trivia. The acting is wonderful, the plot is engrossing and there is a delicious feeling of dark forboding from this film, one of the best example of sexy film noir (literally, "black film") stories ever! This puts the murder mysteries of today to shame.

Tale of Obsession.......2007-04-19

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

James Cain's tale of lust, murder, and retribution has attracted the filmmakers in different countries in different times. It's been adapted in France in 1939 by Pierre Chenal as "Le Dernier tournant" aka "The Last Turn" with great Michel Simon as a husband who was an obstacle for his young wife's and her lover's happiness. Luchino Visconti told the story in his "Ossessione" (1943) aka Obsession (how appropriate). The novel was also adapted in 1998 by the Hungarian director György Fehér in the movie Szenvedély (1998)aka "Passion". Hollywood has made two films based on Cain's novel of passionate obsession; both are titled "The Postman Always Rings Twice" - in 1946 by Tay Garnett with Lana Turner in her star making role as Cora Smith and John Garfield as Frank Chambers, a drifter who looked for a job but found something completely different and in 1981 by Bob Rafelson with Jack Nicholson and Jessica Lange. I've seen later movie many years ago and all I remember well is the very hot scene between Nicholson and Lange. The earlier film that I saw few weeks ago for the first tine is different. Turner and Garfield are sizzling and although there is no single sex scene between them, the movie is genuinely sexy and perfect in creating the atmosphere of obsession and desperate desire to change the lives no matter what the price would be.
4.5/5

One ofthe best of its kind.......2007-02-25

This is one of the best film noir that was evr made. The plot is captivating, the atmosphere unique and you can feel the sensuality and tension that Lan turner and John Garfield give out. The story is very well known- a hitchaker that stops at a restasurant, falls in love with the owner's wife and they plot to kill him. Extremely well acted and with an also excellent directing and photography this is a must.
Enjoy it.

Average customer rating:

CLASSIC
Santa Claus is coming to town
The best Christmas movie ever!!!!!
I have this version, just toss Mariah
Hey Sony/Classic Media! Please re-release these holiday specials properly!

Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town
Starring: Fred Astaire , Mickey Rooney , Keenan Wynn , Paul Frees , and Joan Gardner (II)
Director: Arthur Rankin Jr. , and Jules Bass
Manufacturer: Classic Media
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000A345EE
Release Date: 2005-09-06

Customer Reviews:

CLASSIC.......2007-08-04

Just like I remembered it when I was a kid. My son (11) also enjoyed it alot! The figures are still a great way to do animation.

Santa Claus is coming to town.......2007-02-08

The kids don't know who the characters are, but what the heck...they love it. Maybe, just maybe some kid will want to see some other work of these guys.

The best Christmas movie ever!!!!! .......2007-01-16

This movie gives you the history of santa in a fun and enjoyable way, by having random outbursts of song and dance. Dont be fooled by the cover anyone of any age can enjoy this clay animation film. Not only does this movie teach us about christmas but it also teaches us how to care for others by sharing. If your a fan of christmas movies than this is a must have classic!

I have this version, just toss Mariah.......2006-12-27

I understand and relate to the people who complain about the Mariah Carey "extra" with this video. Yes, it stinks, and they should release these old shows as they were intended to be seen WITHOUT the modern "extras". But, in my version it is a separate disk, and I just tossed the thing in the trash. As far as I can tell, otherwise, this is the original version I saw as a child. Of course, by the late 70s, I'm sure my version was chopped up for commercial television. Anyway, I think the video is fine, and you don't HAVE to watch the disk with Mariah Carey's song. Use it as a coaster, or toss it in the trash, or let your 2-year-old write on it with permanent marker. Its a good show for this time of year, and I'm glad I bought it.

Hey Sony/Classic Media! Please re-release these holiday specials properly!.......2006-02-18

I AM NOT RATING SANTA CLAUS IS COMIN' TO TOWN WITH 1 STAR BECAUSE I THINK THIS SPECIAL ALONG WITH RUDOLPH & FROSTY ARE EXCELLENT HOLIDAY SPECIALS WITHOUT A DOUBT!!! I WOULD HAVE RATED THIS WITH 5 STARS IF IT WASN'T FOR THE $UCKY MUSIC VIDEOS THAT SONY/CLASSIC MEDIA KEEPS RELEASING ON THIS AS WELL AS THE RUDOLPH DVD'S. WHOEVER FROM SONY/CLASSIC MEDIA KEEPS COMING WITH THESE STUPID EXTRAS SHOULD BE FIRED! BRING BACK THE DVD RELEASES THAT WERE OFFERED BEFORE THE YEAR 2004 BECAUSE THIS MARIAH CAREY & DESTINY'S CHILD IS PURE CRAP AND I THINK ALOT OF THE DIE-HARD RANKIN-BASS FANS ARE FED UP WITH THESE STUPID-ASS SO-CALLED MUSIC VIDEOS!!! DO US A FAVOR SONY/CLASSIC MEDIA AND RELEASE THESE WITHOUT THE DUMB VIDEOS!

Dylan Thomas' Under Milk Wood (Special Collector's Edition)

Average customer rating:

Plays better As Theatre
Three Stars for Dylan's Glorious Language, But....
Praise the Lord we are a musical nation !
Confused
Our Town

Dylan Thomas' Under Milk Wood (Special Collector's Edition)
Starring: Richard Burton , Elizabeth Taylor , Peter O'Toole , Glynis Johns , and Vivien Merchant
Director: Andrew Sinclair
Manufacturer: Sundance Channel Home Entertainment
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ASIN: B0009WFFHM
Release Date: 2005-08-09

Amazon.com

Under Milk Wood is an imaginative, cinematic rendering of Dylan Thomas's famous "play for voices," typically read on stage by a handful of actors expressing the dialogue of more than 50 characters living in a small, Welsh fishing village. Filmmaker Andrew Sinclair sets the story in a real seaside community and visually complements the text's lengthy, opening narration by enlisting Richard Burton both for his brooding voiceover and a mysterious, on-screen role as a drunken gadabout soaking in the very soul of the town Thomas' words describe. Once the narration ends, the film breathes freely with a succession of lively vignettes, some funny, some dramatic, but all rooted in the peculiar circumstances of characters who either feel trapped by or ensconced in their home. Peter O'Toole plays the wizened, blind Captain Cat, haunted by memories of drowned sailors but so attuned to the sounds of village life outside his window he can identify the children screaming in a park. Elizabeth Taylor (Burton's wife at the time) makes a brief appearance as Rosie Probert, and the other players include Glynis Johns, Vivien Merchant, and Victor Spinetti. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

Plays better As Theatre.......2007-08-06

Cast and production are fine given the material which still doesnt stand up in time to the medium of film.
Having portrayed parts in same production for stage it played much better even though the dialouge for a just trained actor caused me much greif until finally by performance night it took-off and an extended season ensued. A Successful financial-run in 95'@www.darlinghursttheatre.com I feel based on the originalmaterial that was somewhat edited down was far superior albeit in theater form with cast of unknowns and expertly directed by Glenn Terry whom knew and understood the script, while I had never read nor was familiar with the lyrical and poetic dialouge just how well it has been done since.
But Film is a different medium and therfore by comparrison only still has this been done more successfully on stage and it goes without saying no big names are required to breathe life into this somewhat repressed and semi-dark daydreams of a small-village town druggery gone mad if not the dialouge is beautifully spouted if not harder to enact and speak to audiences unfamiliar with Dylan Thomas works of "Under Milkwood"

Three Stars for Dylan's Glorious Language, But...........2007-05-16

This adaptation itself is a pretty soggy affair. Ploddingly literal more often than not, giving you an image that matches exactly what the text is describing, though the occasional bad idea from director Andrew Sinclair makes you wish he'd stuck to ploddingly literal. The design of the film's a mess, as well; the villagers seem to wear fashions from 1918 or so through the 60's, with the latter hideous beyond belief. As in the equally misguided Burton/Taylor FAUSTUS, La Liz doesn't bother with period hair, make-up, costume, or an attempt at a characterization (although her Welsh gurgle has to be heard to be believed -- sounds like someone's strangling a cat). Presumably she had a nice location holiday during the shoot (although even that's not apparent from her dim, studio-bound scenes on display here). Veteran favorites like Vivien Merchant, Victor Spinetti, Sian Phillips and Glynis Johns aren't onscreen long enough to brighten the proceedings much. And the top-billed stars, Burton and O'Toole, alternate between blank stares and bouts of scenery-chewing. In spite of all these negatives, the film can't completely choke the life out of Thomas. His wit, poetry and passion for the smallest detail of everyday existence poke through, perhaps here with the bedraggled air of a daisy growing in a cement sidewalk, but bringing pleasure nonetheless. At least, the film's likely to send anyone stumbling across it at their DVD rental outlet racing to the library shelf to try and figure out what the devil THAT was supposed to be. And for such crumbs, we must be grateful.

Praise the Lord we are a musical nation !.......2007-02-01

One day in a small village along the coast of Wales, a fishing harbour that is surviving in coming modernity that is going to destroy it and later on transform it. The film enables the director to create a real world extracted from Dylan Thomas's words, and the general description of the historical heritage of the village can be uttered by some guide on a bus half full of old ladies touristing around the country and the conclusion is the village can get levelled down no one would protest. That was a long time ago. Since then these small fishing villages on the Welsh coast have become seaside resorts for all kinds of rich people. Dylan Thomas tries to recreate the life of the village the way he remembers it. The film shifts the observing eye from the author to first a couple of unnamed male strangers going through the village and saying absolutely nothing, hence being pure creations in this film to focus especially on one observer, through whose ears and blind eyes we can discover everything, Captain Cap. This is also a great shift in the point of view of the poem. The medium is the message and the camera imposes its own point of view. I will definitely say it is a good thing to visualize the poem that is otherwise difficult to follow, but at the very same time it is imposing one interpretation, one reading onto the poem, a linear reading that does not accept contradictions and multifariousness. Personally I think a poem should not be visualized on a screen. It must remain language. A recording of this language is already reducing the number of possible readings, but it cannot really reduce it to one reading. Images often do because no matter what you may say, it is them that will come out first and last, dominant, number one. You may call a fish a cat, it will be what the image says and if the image is that of a fish, it will not be a cat. Whereas the word can accept metaphorical transpositions and displacements and even distortions. Images do not accept metaphors very easily except through ellipses, which are more metonymies than matephors, whereas words can easily express sleepless green ideas that sleep furiously. Yet the film is interesting because the editing makes us jump from one place to so many others with hardly one blink of one eye that we get a little bit dizzy and that is supposed to create in us a certain nostalgic feeling for the past, the long gone and forgotten and lost past.

Dr Jacques COULARDEAU, University of Paris Dauphine & University of Paris 1 Pantheon Sorbonne

Confused.......2007-01-21

I am supposed to have received a credit on this item which I returned about 4 weeks ago.

Our Town.......2007-01-20

This film adaptation of Dylan Thomas' wonderful "Under Milkwood" has dozens of characters, the most famous of whom are Richard Burton, Elizabeth Taylor and Peter O'Toole-- one of the problems with this production. There are simply too many characters to keep up with. The other problem is that the Welsh accents are difficult to understand. The play works better when performed on stage with a few characters reading several parts. On the other hand, the photography of the village and seacost is beautiful beyond words. And speaking of words, hearing Thomas' alliterative plumy language makes up for whatever failings this film may have otherwise: "the dawn inches up," "the tidy wives," and the village at night described as "a hill of windows," etc., will make your heart leap up. Mr. Burton's delivery of the long narrative passages is not to be missed.

The CD has a short interview with Mr. Burton and a longer biography of Dylan Thomas, constructed in most part from his beautiful poems. Both inclusions are an added bonus.

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Things are not what they seem to be
Ossessione
visconti's debut
Glowing with perceptive light and smoldering heat
Il Postino always rings Twice

Ossessione
Starring: Clara Calamai , Massimo Girotti , Dhia Cristiani , Elio Marcuzzo , and Vittorio Duse
Director: Luchino Visconti
Manufacturer: Image Entertainment
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ASIN: B0000687DE
Release Date: 2002-07-16

Amazon.com

Ossessione isn't just the finest film version of The Postman Always Rings Twice, James M. Cain's classic tale of murder, betrayal, and erotic obsession; it's also the first masterpiece of Italian neorealism and a key historical precursor of film noir. A handsome drifter (Massimo Girotti) fetches up at an isolated roadhouse, gets mutually besotted with the proprietor's sultry wife (Clara Calamai), and has soon carried out a plot to murder the older man in an apparent off-road accident. That's only the beginning, of course. In his directorial debut, Luchino Visconti weaves a sensuous, tragic spell, born equally of the stark, sun-struck settings--especially those utterly realistic yet somehow otherworldly highways, elevated above the surrounding marshland--and a dynamic camera style that lifts the storytelling to operatic heights. Yet another layer of erotic complication is added by the presence of "La Spagnolo" (Elio Marcuzzo), a philosopher-king of vagabonds who--like the director--is at least as infatuated with Girotti's studly beauty as the heroine is. --Richard T. Jameson

Description

Passion turns deadly in this controversial neo-realist classic from acclaimed director Luchino Visconti (Death in Venice), adapted from James M. Cain's "The Postman Always Rings Twice." Beautiful hotel owner Giovanna ("Deep Red's" Clara Calamai) is hopelessly drawn to Gino ("Last Tango in Paris'" Massimo Girotti), a handsome drifter. They decide to kill off her spouse and collect his hefty insurance premium, but soon the lovers are trapped in a spiral of deception, jealousy, and fate. Banned and censored for years, "Ossessione" profoundly affected generations of audiences after causing a stormy religious and political scandal in Italy, and is now available in its original, uncensored director's cut.

Customer Reviews:

Things are not what they seem to be.......2007-06-28

Many years ago I saw a movie on TV entitoled "Obsession" It made an impression on me. I have since tried to find a copy of it anf thought this was it. It was not! This movie was passe. It was a waste of money.

Ossessione.......2007-06-25

In 1943, still under the nose of fascist censors, the great Visconti directed this sizzling, unauthorized adaptation of James Cain's novel "The Postman Always Rings Twice," which would finally get made in America three years later. Often referred to as the first neo-realist film, it comes off more as earthy, tingling melodrama. Regardless of how you categorize it, "Ossessione" stacks up admirably against later versions of this definitive "crime of passion" story.

visconti's debut.......2007-03-02

ossessione is perhaps viscont's most important film.. it ushered in a new era of cinema.. it was the first of the neorealist films.. besides that, it is simply a great movie.. visconti's debut does not feel like a debut.. the camera movements and placements are perfect.. the cast and the story are marvelous.. this is visconti's first movies but it is also one of his best adaptations..

Glowing with perceptive light and smoldering heat.......2007-01-09

"Ossessione" may possess a few blemishes, but director Luchino Visconti achieves nearly ideal results, rendered from modest resources, in scene after scene throughout the entire length of the film. It is the first movie Visconti made, yet it is an original masterpiece of instinctive genius and technical skill, melded with a mature understanding of human nature. "Ossessione" is the earliest cinematic adaptation of "The Postman Always Rings Twice" and, it may indeed be the finest version as well, because it portrays all its characters through clear-eyed vision that is both wise and compassionate. Though we recognize these people are ill-fated, we never consider them to be mere dupes in a noir-ish morality play. We feel in earnest for these individuals, whose sorrows and aspirations resonate realistically -- and sympathetically -- with our own disappointments and dreams.
It can also be said that "Ossessione" is exactly the type of film that most deserves to be safely archived forever, in digital format like DVD. It is a small miracle that this movie still exists for us to admire intact. Visconti's working budget was so spare that he could not afford to purchase the screen rights from "Postman" author James M. Cain; consequently, copyright protections blocked the picture from being shown outside Italy and, these legal difficulties held it in limbo for decades. Within Italy itself, "Ossessione" was censored and banned. Both the Catholic Church and Mussolini's government declared it unwholesome for Italian audiences, and only allowed severely edited versions released or, kept it out of movie theaters altogether. While it's evident that the print preserved in this edition has suffered wear over its 60 difficult years, the pure artistry of this movie always shines through undiminished, so that image flaws never become a concern (at least not for this viewer) and it is truly gratifying to witness this splendid movie in its full length. As I am deeply enamored of such handsome, vintage films I feel blessed that "Ossessione" has survived to offer all its treasures to us now. Even its rough qualites seem in keeping with the fluctuating destinies of its protagonists.
This picture has such a wealth of nuance and detail that I am almost at a loss to adequately recommend its virtues to intrigue the prospective buyer. Somehow, with graceful prowess, Visconti has translated a classic American crime thriller into the local features and native inflections of 1940s Mediterranean culture, so that freshly imagined Italian verismo episodes keep greeting our eyes and, there is scarcely a single moment that seems contrived or implausible. Moreover, Visconti has managed to create another layer of poignant complexity within the plot by introducing an entirely new character, a street magician named Spagnolo ("The Spaniard") whose mercurial presence adds immeasurable depth -- and heartache -- to this tale. All of these attributes are conveyed with such subtle yet salt-of-the-earth realism (including the virile appeal of the leading actors) that this movie abundantly rewards our careful attentiveness. But, it could also strike the too-casual viewer as being a rather sparse and unremarkable affair. If you are the sort of movie lover who delights in the riches of finely wrought cinematic craft, please do not hesitate to avail yourself of this worthy, historic gem. It is still as darkly lustrous and vital, in its own way, as John Ford's "The Grapes of Wrath", Billy Wilder's "Sunset Boulevard" or Jean Cocteau's "Orphee", and it has lived on, despite formidable odds, to be appreciated by us today.

Il Postino always rings Twice.......2004-12-30

It is difficult to review this movie without comparing it to "The Postman Always Rings Twice" (TPART). That's because both are based on the same novel by James Cain. I had heard of "TPART" for years before I finally saw it for the first time earlier this year. My impression was that it was a good movie but, having waited anxiously for so long to see it, it was something of a let down. Last night I was tired and looked forward to watching a good movie. I chose "Ossessione" but almost changed my mind when I saw it was based on "TPART". After all, I'd recently seen that and didn't think it such a great story to see again so soon. Fortunately, I gave the movie a try and was quickly absorbed into it.

What seperates "Obsessione" from "TPART" is the quality of the acting and the excellence of the directing. There is a feeling to this movie that is lacking in the John Garfield/Lana Turner version. We seem to know what everyone is thinking and feeling without depending on obvious dialogue. There is a series of scenes, for example, involving a character by the name of Spangnolo who becomes involved with Gino, the male lead. There are any number of ways that you can interpret him and his relationship with Gino. From fellow vagabonds to a political theorist and his understudy to homosexual lovers. Visconti gives us so many subtle hints that it's up to the viewer to decide for themselves (disappointedly, I assumed the latter relationship). The way everyone interacts with one another is so impressively done and the passions they emote really reach out and touch us. The fact that it is in Italian doesn't hurt its' passionate nature. I have a theory about foreign language movies; they require your constant attention since you don't want to risk missing a critical subtitle. As a result, we come away more focussed on every aspect of the movie and this tends to make good movies even better.

I don't want to disparage "TPART" since it is a good movie. However, "Ossessione" stands so much taller in so many ways that I'm not sure I'll ever feel the need to watch "TPART" again. Take that as praise for "Ossessione" rather than a knock on "TPART".

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Pure Ursula
"Everything Goes From Bad To Worse"
Great little film.
Pretty good crime drama -- but avoid the DVD

Stateline Motel
Starring: Eli Wallach , Ursula Andress , Fabio Testi , Massimo Girotti , and Howard Ross
Director: Maurizio Lucidi
Manufacturer: Telavista
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B0001DCYNW
Release Date: 2006-07-18

Description

In this heist thriller, Fabio Testi and Eli Wallach are in cahoots as thieves who rob a jewelry store in Toronto, then separate to elude the authorities. Carrying the booty, Testi stops at a countryside motel where he meets and gets involved with gorgeous Ursula Andress. Eventually, Wallach shows up, but when the jewels are discovered missing, there's a frantic search for them. With Barbara Bach, Massimo Girotti.

Customer Reviews:

Pure Ursula.......2007-09-06

Ursula's pressence gives this movie an international flavor. A true beauty who clearly demonstrates what it is to be a moody movie star in this flick. Few may know her life partners changed during this movie.

"Everything Goes From Bad To Worse".......2006-12-29

In a few obvious respects the storyline of this somber film recalls the classic film noir "The Postman Always Rings Twice" which starred Lana Turner and John Garfield. "Statelin