Mandingo

Product Description

Spain released, PAL/Region 2 DVD: it WILL NOT play on standard US DVD player. You need multi-region PAL/NTSC DVD player to view it in USA/Canada. Languages: o Spanish (Dolby Digital 5.1) o English (Dolby Digital 2.0) Synopsis: Richard Fleischer directed this lurid historical drama based on the novel by Kyle Onstott. The story begins on a run-down plantation lorded over by Warren Maxwell (James Mason) and his son Hammond (Perry King). Hammond travels to New Orleans where he buys a top-of-the-line slave, Mede (Ken Norton), at an auction. Hammond is proud of his purchase, hoping to bring in money by training Mede to fight his other slaves. Hammond returns with Mede to the plantation, where he has to contend with his sex-crazed wife Blanche (Susan George). Hammond looks upon Blanche as damaged goods since he discovered her to not be a virgin on their wedding night. Instead, Hammond prefers erotic pursuits with his slave Ellen (Brenda Sykes). Blanche licks her lips at the sight of Mede, and seduces him to get revenge on her husband. Blanche soon becomes pregnant and gives birth to a half-black baby. Enraged, Hammond comes after Blanche, poisons her, and then the child bleed to death before going after Mede. Special Features: o Biographies o Interactive Menu

Customer Reviews:

MANDINGO - RAW - BRUTAL - DARK - GREAT!! .......2005-08-14

If you like your movies to transport you to an era that feels like reality rather than Hollywood, a movie where each of the characters are filled with human flaws and weekness - MANDINGO is a must see. Not a film for those who like happy endings, not a film for those who seek an inspirational hero or heroine, not a film where good triumphs over evil - just an extremely raw view of the pre-civil war South. I first saw this film in college in the 60's and it has stayed with me ever since. No glory here, the plantation is falling apart - and the main characters fall apart morally even quicker. If you want a movie that will you will remember for a very long time - this is it!

Average customer rating:

Untrue Story
A Classic Which Deserves To Be Anamorphic
The Bruce Lee Story
Imitating Bruce....?
Excellent Movie

Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story
Starring: Aki Aleong , Eric Bruskotter , John Cheung , Chao Li Chi , and Sam Hau
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: 0783226985
Release Date: 1998-07-01

Amazon.com

This enjoyable and touching biography of martial-arts film star Bruce Lee stars Jason Scott Lee (no relation), an actor with a lively face and natural intensity, who makes every moment of this film compelling. Directed by Rob Cohen, Dragon traces Bruce Lee's slow rise over myriad obstacles--most of them race-based--to become an international superstar in films. Lee's origins are oddly set in San Francisco instead of his real home in Seattle, but then again there is plenty of artistic license going on as Cohen explores the actor's psyche through some powerful fantasy sequences. Lauren Holly is good as Lee's wife, Linda (whose book about her late husband inspired this movie). A scene involving Bruce's rescue of son Brandon (who died in a filmmaking accident in 1993) from a murderous spirit is plain spooky. The special-edition DVD release has a widescreen presentation, director interview, featurette, screen tests, closed captioning, optional French soundtrack, and optional Spanish subtitles. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

Untrue Story.......2007-08-07

I have to say this movie is terribly exaggerated and untrue. Especially the scene in the movie where Bruce Lee is getting beat up and has to fight for his life in the ice house. This part of the movie never happened. Bruce Lee never got beat up and he never fought the gung fu San Francisco man's brother. Bruce Lee also never got his back broke in a fight. Bruce suffered a pinched nerve in his back through improper weight training. Any true Bruce Lee fan knows this movie is not accurate. If your going to do a movie about Bruce Lee at least make it accurate. I gave 2 stars instead one out of respect for Bruce. However I don't believe Bruce would have ever approved of this film.

A Classic Which Deserves To Be Anamorphic.......2007-07-07

There are a handful of classic movies which I pull off the shelf every couple of years (when there is nothing else of quality to watch) and sit down with some popcorn to appreciate. Dragon is one of those movies. Well acted, solid cast, great script and extremely insightful, Dragon has stood the test of time.

Dragon really is a love story, but also touches on subjects of how the Chinese experienced racial diversity (in the 60's USA) and also deals with Lee's struggle to franchise martial arts (like Mc Donald's).

Only downfall? And this is an important one... IT"S NOT ANAMORPHIC. If you can overlook this tragedy (and heck, it's only priced at $7), this is a crucial addition for anyones dvd collection and a good temporary dvd until they sort out the format issue.

Well done Rob Cohen you have done the great Bruce Lee justice in this poignant and touching movie.

Now where's that popcorn...

The Bruce Lee Story.......2007-06-09

Story was well written, and Bruce's part was portrayed by his son, who is the most qualified to play his part.

Imitating Bruce....?.......2007-03-19

Well lets start this by saying no one can can emulate Bruce Lee!!!! But, u gotta give Jason Scott Lee props for doing this movie ( plus he can act)....he did a great job considering the pressure he was under. Yeah we know that there are parts that inacurate but, remember it didn't say the true story! Great acting, Great fight scenes (could've had more) but very well put together...it's still a collectors item ! Plus i gotta give any of my fellow Jeet Kune Do' brothers props for portraying the art of JKD' so people will better understand what Bruce Lee went through to share his art with the world! Put this one in ya collectors group!

Excellent Movie.......2007-01-19

I love this movie. I'll never get tired of this movie. Don't be fooled because it is the Bruce Lee Story. This Movie has more than just martial arts. I recommend it to everyone

Average customer rating:

Jet Li Thumbs Up! DMX Thumbs Down!
So so on drama, great action!
Movie Lover
pure action and good comedy...thats about it
Who Knew DMX Could Act?

Cradle 2 the Grave (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Jet Li , DMX , Kelly Hu , Anthony Anderson , and Tom Arnold
Director: Andrzej Bartkowiak
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00009Q98I
Release Date: 2004-06-01

Amazon.com

The intriguing cross-pollination of rap and kung-fu continues with Cradle 2 the Grave, co-starring high-profile rapper DMX and Hong Kong superstar Jet Li. Master thief Fait (DMX) hits a diamond exhange but comes away with a bag of black gems of mysterious origin. When a crime kingpin steals the gems from Fait, an international arms dealer kidnaps Fait's beloved daughter--and Fait can only get her back with the help of Su (Li), a Taiwanese intelligence agent tracking the gems himself. A summary of the plot doesn't do Cradle 2 the Grave justice; while the basic story elements suggest a dozen generic action flicks, the cast (including Anthony Anderson, Gabrielle Union, and Kelly Hu) has genuine charisma and the movie layers action on top of action to strong effect. All in all, a much more engaging thrill ride than you'd expect. --Bret Fetzer

Description

When his daughter is kidnapped and held in exchange for diamonds, the leader of a crew of highly skilled urban thieves (DMX) forges an unlikely alliance with a Taiwanese Intelligence officer (Jet Li) to rescue her. Their race against the clock to find the precious stones ultimately unravels a plot to distribute a deadly new weapon of war.

DVD Features:
Documentaries:"Ultimate Fighting Champions": Profiles on the martial artists and how they were incorporated in the movie "Choreography of the Camera": includes multi-angle car chases
Featurette:"The Descender Rig": Features camera invention that was made for the movie
Music Video:DMX's "X Gon' Give It to Ya"
Other:2 Hidden Bonuses: "Time Lapse Montage" Behind-the-scenes footage and "Rear Projection" featurette on the subway sequence
Theatrical Trailer

Customer Reviews:

Jet Li Thumbs Up! DMX Thumbs Down!.......2007-08-11

I enjoyed watching this movie, but like most movies of this genre, certain parts left much to be desired. However, I love Jet Li and many of the actors in this movie, and thus I still rate it a 4!
Jet Li is Su, a Taiwanese Intelligence officer who is trying to recover stolen "black diamonds" to bring back to his country. DMX is Tony, who is a master thief, whom steals the black stones from a diamond exchange only to lose them on a subway train trying to save his girlfriend Darryl (Gabrielle Union). The stones eventually wind up recovered by Mr. Chambers (Chi McBride: who does not get any credit at the movie's end?), who hides them in his Club, now run by Odion (Mike Jace from the Shield). Also helping out DMX is his brother, and Tommy ( the great Anthony Anderson)! Anthony is hilarious in this movie! Eventually terrorists led by Ling (Mark Dacascos) and Sona (Kelly Hu) kidnap DMX's daughter to get him to turn over the stones to him. Li and DMX team up to try and recover the stones from Chambers, and then recover DMX's daughter. Tom Arnold has a great role as a comedic arms-dealer, who helps out DMX and Li.
I know some people hated the underground fight scene, but I loved it as it had Chuck Liddell and Randy Couture fighting Jet Li. I wish I could have seen Li bash Tito Ortiz's head in, but unfortunately the director made Tito tough for once in this scene. I kind of smirked when there is a scene of Ortiz defeating Liddell in the cage, which of course never happened in real life!
The chase scene featuring DMX eluding police on an all-terrain vehicle is more comical than exciting. Especially when DMX is hopping from building roof top to roof top!
Jet Li is once again such a great artist to watch. He is so fast and fluid taking out his opponents in this film. The final fight scene between Li and Dacascos is pretty cool, and the finality of the scene would not be a fun way too die! DMX was okay, but I believe he should stick to singing rather than acting or fighting.
Special Features of the DVD:

* Ultimate Fighting Champions: Features the UFC fighters in the film, and how they interacted with Jet Li.
* Choreography of the Camera: features how they used many cameras to film the different angles and scenes of the film, especially the fight scenes.
* DMX video "X Gonna give it to You"
* Cast/Crew
* And the Theatrical trailer of the film. Would have been nice to seen some trailers of other Jet Li films.
Overall an enjoyable action film to watch!

So so on drama, great action!.......2007-03-23

Jet Li and a very familiar supporting cast put on a lackluster story and dialog, but the action somehow makes it all worth it.

Movie Lover.......2007-02-10

Great action movie. Both Jet Li and DMX are enjoyable martial artist performers.

pure action and good comedy...thats about it.......2006-12-01

Not the best Jet Li movie, but Cradle 2 The Grave turned out to be one of the most fun and enjoyable Jet Li movies I have seen, combining lots of varied action and good doses of comedy and humor.

Cradle 2 The Grave has a decent lineup of action stars, including Jet Li, DMX, Mark Dacascos and Kelly Hu. This is the only movie to have a Jet Li vs Mark Dacascos showdown, thanks to fans who voted for the matchup before the movie was created. Mark Dacascos plays a good villain, a lot better in the acting department since his villain days in American Samurai, nearly 10 years earlier. His skills are still great and the fight between Mark and Jet is a great scene that is even and skillful.

The action in Cradle is not limited to fight scenes. There is a great chase scene with DMX on a 3 wheeler, pursued by cops and a coupe of dirt bikes, in and out of buildings and around town it goes. Its a lot more fun than a typical car chase scene. There is also a great scene involving Jet Li against real-life underground cage fighters. The scene in the movie is an illegal underground cage fights arena, and not before long the Jet Li character gets dragged in and ends up kicking all their butts at once.

There is a geat deal of humor spread throughout the movie thanks to Anthony Anderson and Tom Arnold. Personlly, I thought Anthony won the comedy award in this movie, he kept me laughing.

The story to Cradle is eh. Nothing exciting but thats ok cause the rest of the movie does well. Its a great entertaining flick that should still please all.

Who Knew DMX Could Act?.......2006-06-13

I happened to catch this movie on TV. I stopped flipping channels because I saw Jet Li. I thought it was Romeo Must Die but it wasn't. I was pleasantly surprised at DMX's performance as the father whose daughter was kidnapped. He was determined to do what it took to get her back. I got my own copy of this movie and suggest you do the same. It is a good movie with some of the best fight scenes I have seen in awhile.

Average customer rating:

Interesting experiment
Pretty good movie...
off the Geezy.
I thought the movie was pretty good
SOMETIME'S THE GRASS "ISN'T" GREENER...

G.
Starring: Richard T. Jones , Blair Underwood , Chenoa Maxwell , Andre Royo , and Andrew Lauren
Director: Christopher Scott Cherot
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
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ASIN: B000E5KUJW
Release Date: 2006-03-28

Amazon.com

G. is an engrossing update of The Great Gatsby, set in the Hamptons and starring Richard T. Jones as Summer G., a self-made, millionaire head of a hip-hop label. Having risen from obscurity to make his fortune, Summer pines for just one thing: Sky (Chenoa Maxwell), the woman who dumped him back in college to marry the brutal, philandering Chip (Blair Underwood). Sky's feckless cousin, Tre (Andre Royer), a pop journalist, sets her up in an assignation with Summer, leading to predictable conflicts but with unexpected consequences. Co-written and directed by Christopher Scott Cherot, G. is also an interesting portrait of American wealth, particularly the collision of old and new money in the form of a biracial aristocracy coming to terms with a hip-hop elite. Strong performances alone are enough to recommend this feature. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

Interesting experiment.......2007-07-04

As the Great Gatsby is one of those classics that everyone claims to love but not many are familiar with, this is an interesting updating. Instead of a bootlegger made good, the current Gatsby (or G) is a hip hop mogul who has no problem playing up the gang banger lifestyle, except where the original Jimmy Gatz is a cheap little hood that's trying hard to become an elite socialite, G (or Summer G) is a sensitive mogul - perhaps too sensitive - trapped in the criminal image that made him his fortune). As with the original, the other man is a bully, but Blair Underwood is a much more emotive and desperate bully than the character of the book. THis is mostly because the "Daisy" character is much more conflicted than in the source material. Whereas Fitzgerald eventually makes it obvious that she's just as heartless as her rich husband, the director of this piece gives a woman that's a little more conflicted and much more in love with G (Gatsby) than she wants to be.

While that makes things more complicated, it also makes things more safe. The fact that everyone is integrity free in this piece comes as a bit of a shock when the original book was a vicious attack on the nouveau rich. This movie plays it more like a romance. Although there are some nice bits in the hiphop and the Hamptons racism (where the white people appreciate rap because they are as far away from the gangsters as they can get.) Beyond that, it's an interesting movie. Worth a look, but nothing special.

Pretty good movie..........2007-05-13

'G" was a pretty entertaining movie. Beauifully filmed and casted with some gorgeouse black actors and actresses. The story line was current and plausible and reflective of the present Hip Hop times.

off the Geezy........2007-04-16

I have to say that I just love Richard T. Jones so I may be judging it on him. But I do like this movie a lot and could watch it everyday. I have bought it like 3 times already. Can't loan this one out cuz it's costing me to replace it.

I thought the movie was pretty good.......2007-04-06

But the ending left me hanging. For the most part the movie was visually stimulating with beautiful actors. I'd like see Chenoa in more movies. I think she's a great actress as well.

Not much else to say, but it was good to watch and I love scandal so it fulfilled that part of my guilty pleasure.

SOMETIME'S THE GRASS "ISN'T" GREENER..........2007-03-16

I truly enjoyed this movie. I loved Richard T. Jones as Summer G. He made me feel his love for Sky (Maxwell). Not to mention the tension between him and Chip (Underwood) was believable. I dind't care much for Chip...he's a violent, cheating, manipulative and mean spirited person. But I guess he represents a large percentage of people.

Sky was conflicted and torn, but it was of her own doing...her own greed is what placed her in the position she found herself in.

Overall, it was a great movie (but are people really as guilable as Tre and Craig?). Although it isn't quite up there with the best for me, it was engaging and romantic...in a twisted sort or fashion and I recommend others watch for themselves...

Average customer rating:

A True Macho Man's Movie
Comedy-action
MUCH BETTER THAN I ANTICIPATED!!
fight scene rip off
Not bad.

Love and a Bullet
Starring: Anthony 'Treach' Criss , Kent Masters King , Charles Guardino , Shireen Crutchfield , and Sam Scarber
Director: Ben Ramsey , and Kantz
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00006LPC3
Release Date: 2002-11-26

Amazon.com

Love and a Bullet has a sly satirical tone that lifts it above the common herd of would-be Quentin Tarantino movies. Rap star Treach plays Bishop, a hit man who declares, "The world is full of people that, quite frankly, we all could do without." But his rationalizations start to fall apart when he's assigned to kill a woman who, in his eyes, deserves to live. Plus, he suspects that his boss--who runs an elite team of assassins--may have killed Bishop's own lover, a beautiful government agent. Naturally it's all building up to a typical spectacle of over-the-top violence with some gratuitous skin along the way (including full-frontal nudity from the very buff leading man), but what makes Love and a Bullet work is that the filmmakers use its absurd reality to make sneaky comments about race relations and job satisfaction. --Bret Fetzer

Customer Reviews:

A True Macho Man's Movie.......2007-07-26

This was one of the most funny and action filled movies that I had seen in a long time. I love the dialogue amongst the actors with the narration in the backdrop. Most of the profanity was funny but the movie could have been just as entertaining without as much cursing.

Comedy-action.......2007-06-19

A noteworthy entry into the 'action-comedy' genre, of which there are few laudable examples. Though not one of the best, this movie, which at times includes some of the best, is fun enough to enjoy.

More comedy than action, and a genuine twist near the end of the movie. An excellent way to spend an afternoon.

MUCH BETTER THAN I ANTICIPATED!!.......2006-11-24

I thought this action-packed film was quite good. I've read quite a few reviews on this film over the years and I'm still not understanding all of the over-analyses over whether the script is racist in its treatment of African-Americans as killers. I've never been a fan of what used to be called "blaxploitation" movies. I came of age during the initial release of such films as "Super Fly", "Foxy Brown", and "Sweet Sweetback's Badaass Song". I missed them all and haven't seen too many of their contemporary counterparts and I don't think that I am any better or any worse for the experience (although I strongly believe that "blaxploitation" was then, and is now, a misnomer). However, when I accidently came across this movie on cable late one night, I was hooked!! I always thought Treach was sexy, but he laid it down in this flick! His portrayal of Malik Bishop, a hit man with a heart, is rivoting. What some people refer to what they call stilted acting by all the actors, I found it to be merely tongue-in-cheek camp satire. Although violent at times, none of the scenes are gratuitous or out-of-context. After all, the film IS about a contract killer with a conscience who is looking for the love of a good woman. So what if she's at the "executive level of execution" while he's still a "murderous mailboy"? She handles an assault weapon in her 4" Manolo Blahniks while carrying a back-up rocket launcher tucked away in the zippered compartment of her Birkin bag. Her hits exhibit much better strategic planning than those of her "future baby daddy". But don't most females take the lead in traditionally male-dominated positions? Isn't it the same in "Mr. & Mrs. Smith"? With the exception of the races of the killer couples, weren't the story lines similar? Yet, no one had anything fundamentally negative to say about the "Brangelina" film. Both contain bullets, big guns, buffed bods, and big lips. However, one film is a hit while the other goes straight to video. If you watch this film while keeping in mind that nothing in it is meant to be serious, then you will find "Love and a Bullet" to be a film rich in satirical black comedy (and I'm referring to the literary genre, not race). The film only fails with some of the principle characters. Kent Masters King was horribly miscast as a kept woman. She is just not sexy enough in this role to be believable as the potential victim of a jealous rich lover. Even her clothes were frumpy. Kelly McGillis was hotter as an Amish woman in "Witness"!! Why waste a hit man of Bishop's caliber on this woman when Shug Knight is out of a job right now? Now let's talk about what's really going on - the MALE NUDITY, albeit brief. Wow, it is refreshing to see a man "drop trou" for a change - and Treach IS the man for full-frontal nudity. Is that your gun, Mr. Treach or are you just happy to see EVERYONE?!? I burned my DVD player up, rewinding and freeze-framing his ripped abs and everything "South of the Border". Yeah, I'm down for "O.P.P."! You know me!!

fight scene rip off.......2005-11-13

No complaints here, save for the fight scene with the martial arts hitman...I'd say about 90% of the action footage is directly taken from Jackie Chan's "Legend Of Drunken Master".

Not bad........2005-02-14

You really don't expect much
from movies where rappers receive
top billing, but this movie
manages to stand apart from the genre.
Not only is this a fantastic action film,
but it also successfully combines
elements of comedy, social satire,
and blatant stereotype.
The absolute best thing about this movie
is the script. Eloquent, funny, intelligent,
and full of surprises.

Since I'm a person with an overactive mind
and short attention span, I'm always quick
to note which movies are able to maintain my
interest throughout the entire film. This film
does that and never disappoints.

I highly recommend this movie for purchase or rental.

Above all, I'm glad at least ONE rapper has turned out
to be a good actor.

Cradle 2 the Grave (Full Screen Edition)

Average customer rating:

Jet Li Thumbs Up! DMX Thumbs Down!
So so on drama, great action!
Movie Lover
pure action and good comedy...thats about it
Who Knew DMX Could Act?

Cradle 2 the Grave (Full Screen Edition)
Starring: Jet Li , DMX , Kelly Hu , Anthony Anderson , and Tom Arnold
Director: Andrzej Bartkowiak
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Crime | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

Thrillers | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

( C ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
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ASIN: B00009Q98J
Release Date: 2003-08-12

Amazon.com

Description

DVD Features:
Documentaries:"Ultimate Fighting Champions": Profiles on the martial artists and how they were incorporated in the movie "Ultimate Fighting Champions" is a registered trademark of Zuffa LLC. "Choreography of the Camera": includes multi-angle car chases
Featurette:"The Descender Rig": Features camera invention that was made for the movie
Music Video:DMX's "X Gon' Give It to Ya"
Other:2 Hidden Bonuses: "Time Lapse Montage" Behind-the-scenes footage and "Rear Projection" featurette on the subway sequence
Theatrical Trailer

Customer Reviews:

Jet Li Thumbs Up! DMX Thumbs Down!.......2007-08-11

So so on drama, great action!.......2007-03-23

Jet Li and a very familiar supporting cast put on a lackluster story and dialog, but the action somehow makes it all worth it.

Movie Lover.......2007-02-10

Great action movie. Both Jet Li and DMX are enjoyable martial artist performers.

pure action and good comedy...thats about it.......2006-12-01

Who Knew DMX Could Act?.......2006-06-13

Average customer rating:

A must have for Jackie Chan fans!
Jackie Chan and the big pile of mud
old "skool" kung fu
MASTERPIECE
A little-known classic

The Young Master
Starring: Mui Sang Fan , Feng Feng , Hark-On Fung , Hoi San Lee , and Li-Li Li
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B0001NBMOY
Release Date: 2004-05-25

Amazon.com

The Young Master (1980) marks the first film Jackie Chan starred in (and also directed) for Golden Harvest, the film company that made Chan classics like Drunken Master II and Police Story III (a.k.a. Supercop). Chan plays Dragon, a student whose martial arts school is in competition against a more affluent rival school. The two groups face off in an annual lion dance competition in which Chan finds himself up against his own schoolmate Tiger, who is secretly being paid to perform for the rival school. When Tiger is found out and ejected from the group, Dragon goes after him. Tiger gets deeper into trouble, taking part in a robbery and jailbreak of the rival school's crooked headmaster, Kam. Through a series of mixups, Dragon is mistaken for Tiger and he has to clear his name in a final showdown against Kam (Whang Inn-sik). The last 30 minutes of The Young Master consists of nonstop fighting scenes, the first with Chan donning a makeshift dress to employ skirt-style kung fu. The second fight sequence is a 20-minute showdown of Chan vs. Whang, which showcases Whang's talents as a master of hapkido (a Korean style of martial arts). The opening scene is equally stunning, with the two lion dance teams playing chicken on a six-inch-wide plank suspended in midair. The Young Master broke all box-office records in Hong Kong upon its release, solidifying Chan's position as a star and setting a high bar of action sequence and stunt standards for his many films to come. --Shannon Gee

Customer Reviews:

A must have for Jackie Chan fans!.......2006-11-22

Jackie Chan had already established himself in Hong Kong as a box office champion with 1978's Drunken Master and 1979's Fearless Hyena, but he was not getting his fiscal due from Lo Wei Productions. So he opted out of his contract with Lo Wei and was hired by Golden Harvest. The Young Master was his first picture under that studio. The film was interrupted several times because of the contract dispute with Lo and a Triad that wanted a stake in Jackie's fortune. This was eventually settled with help by Jimmy Wang Yu whom Jackie would owe (along many other actors) several favors. Even with all this chaos, Jackie was still able to create a memorable and must-have film, though the movie is marked by continuity problems.

Jackie stars as Ah Lung a mediocre student (funny he doesn't seem so in the film and that point is soon forgotten) who loses in a beautifully choreographed lion dance competition because his fellow adopted brother Jing Keung (Wei Pei), faked an injury and competed incognito for the Wei Yee school. Lung and Keung's sifu Master Tien soon finds out of this deception and this betrayal leads to Keung leaving the school. After an impassioned plea from Lung, Tien gives Lung his blessing to find his brother. Jackie takes his big white fan (important plot point.) Jing looks for work at the Wei Yee school, but is turned down when he is found to have helped the Wei Yee school win the Lion Dance competition. He is then recruited with two others, including Fung Hark-On (aka Fung Ke-An who was the martial arts consultant with Jackie) who has a large mole on his face - reminiscent of Jackie's mole in Police Woman, to free Master Kim (Hapkido expert Whang In Shik.) Jing uses his big white fan to help Kim escape. So Ah would later be mistaken for his brother and sought after by the local police inspector and his son (played by Hong Kong regulars Shih Kien and Yuen Biao.) This would lead up to an awesome fight scene between two of the Seven Little Fortunes, Yuen and Jackie. Yuen would expertly use a bench and you get to see Jackie use a pole again.

Even with the continuity problems (even admitted by Jackie, including one scene where Jackie is fettered and the next he is not) and the overuse of sped-up footage and zoom shots (including one that is parodied in Kung Pow), this is a fun film to watch.. The high points of this movie are the Cantonese comedy and the sublime martial art scenes. In those fight scenes you get to see him use many props such as sword, pole, bench and even a skirt, a skill he learns from his encounter with the Police Chief's daughter played by Lily Li. The high point of the film is a showdown that involves an 18-minute plus scene between Jackie and Whang (Jackie in his autobiography "I Am Jackie Chan" considers this his ninth best fight scene.) I do not want to describe this sagacious scene too much, because it has to be seen. I will say that I have never seen Jackie get beat up so much in any other movie and most of it is shot with wide-angle lenses with few cuts. Even his solution to winning is unique.

This movie is a must buy for Jackie Chan or Hong Kong film fans. The most important decision in buying this film on DVD is what label/version you purchase. There are many shorter versions out there, even several that are widescreen, but the scenes that are taken out are mostly from the action scenes! But, Fortune Star puts out a 106 minute version that is digitally remastered and has the Cantonese (along with dubbed version) audio. Though there is one caveat, many of the cheaper versions have a huge benefit that the Fortune Star DVD does not - Jackie Chan singing in English at the end of the film. Even without that benefit the Fortune Star release is by far the best version of an excellent Jackie Chan film.

Jackie Chan and the big pile of mud.......2006-07-04

Early Jackie Chan, some good kung-fu, not much plot, and what there is, is kind of confusing. oh you can follow it, but why bother? the dragon fight at the begining is quite good.

old "skool" kung fu .......2006-05-12

I though this particular jackie Chan's flick was a little different from the rest, since his choreography/ comedy are usually the same. Simply, you see one Chan's flick, and you see them all. This one however was different, and interesting from the word "GO"!!
I though he performed beautifully,,and not the same old same old. The villain was equally impressive, with his amazing foot works. He captured the audience's attention from the moment he escapped incarceration, and was set free by his buddies,,definately a fight scene to be remembered!!!

If you're a true Chan's fan, rest assured,,,you will not be dissapointed. Truly one of chan's best earlier flicks,,,,would make a great addittion to the collection!!

MASTERPIECE.......2006-03-03

I can't believe people can't give anything else credit in this movie besides the martial arts. Every scene that leads up to the fight is good. The martial arts in this movie is definitely chan at his best, but I personally thought that this was one of the funniest movies ever. From the part where the baddie from enter the dragon tells chan all about this "criminal" he is looking for to chan's master beating the crap out of all his students to Li-Li-Li asking chan who he is and chan telling her he's a man. Oh yeah, Li-Li-Li is in this, and she looks hotter than ever, I would buy this movie for her scenes alone.

FAv dubbed line of the movie.

MASTER-"Tiger, why did you betray us, why?
TIGER-"Because Master, I betrayed you, I'm leaving.

Also look out for chan's sob scene, this is truly a movie of epic proportions on every level

A little-known classic.......2003-05-09

This is a great Chan film with great choreography and some really great comedy. I'm surprised by how unknown it is... I rarely see it for sale or rental in the stores, but it really is on par with films like Drunken Master or Fearless Hyena. If you liked those films check this one out!

Average customer rating:

WWE Survivor Series 2005;/The Undertakers return!
2006 predictions
2006 Predictions
WWE Survivor Series 2006 Predictions
Survivor Series 2006

WWE Survivor Series 2005
Starring: Shawn Michaels , Paul Wight , Chris Masters (II) , Carlos Colon Jr. , and Randy Orton
Director: Kevin Dunn (III)
Manufacturer: World Wrestling
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000AOEPUM
Release Date: 2005-12-27

Customer Reviews:

WWE Survivor Series 2005;/The Undertakers return!.......2006-08-09

Here are the results of Survivor Series 2005;

Best of 7 Series for the U.S Title
Booker T w/Sharmell defeated Chris Benoit to take a 1-0 lead in their best of 7 series matches for the U.S Title.

WWE Womens Title match;
Trish Stratus w/Mickie James defeated Melina w/Joey Mercury and Johnny Nitro to retain the WWE Womens Title.

Triple H defeated Ric Flair in an "last man standing" match.(Good ***** match,Triple H and Ric Flair put on an good show!).

The Cutting Edge Segment;
Edge and Lita interviewed Dmitri Young of the Detroit Tigers(baseball).

WWE Title Match;
John Cena defeated Kurt Angle to retain the WWE Title.Daivari was the guest referee.(Cena won after an FU and after referee Charles Robinson made the three count.Did any of you ever notice Daivaris nose?He and Triple H both look like Pinnochio).

Theodore R.Long w/Palmer Cannon defeated Eric Bischoff after the Boogey Man interfered and cost Bischoff the match.(The Boogey Man will soon be returning to the WWE....and he's coming to getcha!).

Team Smackdown(Batista-World Heavyweight Champion,Rey Mysterio,JBL,Bobby Lashley and Randy Orton w/Bob Orton)defeated Team Raw(Shawn Michaels,Kane and The Big Show-World Tag Team Champions,and Carlito and Chris Masters in an Traditional "5 on 5" Survivor Series Tag Team Match.
Here are the order of eliminations;

1.Bobby Lashley by Shawn Michaels
2.Kane by Batista
3.Batista by The Big Show
4.The Big Show by Rey Mysterio
5.Carlito by JBL
6.Chris Masters by Rey Mysterio
7.Rey Mysterio by Shawn Michaels
8.JBL by Shawn Michaels
9.Shawn Michaels by Randy Orton(This has been the 3rd year in an row that Randy Orton was the sole survivor of an survivor series elimination match;2003/2004/2005.He pinned Shawn Michaels in the finals twice;2003/2005).

The Undertaker returned after the match in an casket carried by druids.He attacked several SmackDowwn superstars after the match except for Randy Orton and his father Bob Oron who escaped.Eddie Guerrerro was originally supposed to be on the p.p.v but he died a couple of weeks before the event.

2006 predictions.......2006-07-27

Survivor Series Classic Match
Team WWE vs. Team ECW
Randy Orton, John Cena, Lashley, Rey Mysterio, + Batista vs. RVD, Big Show, Sabu, Kurt Angle, + Sandman

WWE Championship
Edge vs. Triple H

Tag Champs vs. Tag Champs vs. Tag Champs
London and Kendricks(SD!) vs. The Highlanders(Raw) vs. Test and Mike Knox(ECW)

Womens Championship
Mickie James(WWE) vs. Jazz(ECW)

United States Championship
Mr. Kennedy vs. Chris Benoit

Intercontinental Championship Ladder Match
Carlito vs. Nitro vs. Shelton Benjamin

2006 Predictions.......2006-07-26

Triple Threat Survivor Series Elimination Match (RAW vs. SmackDown! vs. ECW):

RAW: Orton, Triple H, Shawn Michaels, Edge, Cena
SmackDown: Undertaker, Batista, Lashley, Booker, Mysterio
ECW: Big Show, Angle, Rob Van Dam, Sabu, Sandman

Intercontinental Title:
Carlito vs. Masters

US Title:
Finlay vs. Kennedy

World Tag Titles:
Highlanders vs. Test & Mike Knox

WWE Tag Titles:
Pitbulls vs. London & Kendrick

Women's Title:
Melina vs. Mickie James

WWE Survivor Series 2006 Predictions.......2006-07-25

Traditional Survivor Series Elimination Match: Team WWE (Randy Orton, John Cena, King Booker, Rey Mysterio, and Batista) vs. Team ECW (Rob Van Dam, Big Show, Kurt Angle, Sabu, and The Sandman)
Prediction: Team WWE (Orton, Cena, Booker, Mysterio, and Batista).

WWE Championship Match: Edge (c) vs. Triple H
Prediction: Edge (still WWE Champion).

Inter-Promotional Match: Undertaker vs. Kane
Prediction: Undertaker.

WWE Women's Championship Match: Melina (c) vs. Jazz
Prediction: Melina (still Women's Champion).

United States Championship Match: Bobby Lashley (c) vs. Chris Benoit vs. Finlay vs. Ken Kennedy
Prediction: Ken Kennedy (new United States Champion).

Intercontinental Championship Match: Carlito (c) vs. Chris Masters
Prediction: Chris Masters (new Intercontinental Champion).

If all these matches come true, this will be the best Survivor Series of all time!

Survivor Series 2006.......2006-07-17

TEAM WWE VS. TEAM ECW
RANDY ORTON, REY MYSTERIO, JOHN CENA, UNDERTAKER, SHELTON BENJAMIN(TEAM WWE) VS. BIG SHOW, RVD, KURT ANGLE, SABU, TOMMY DREAMER(TEAM ECW)

WWE CHAMPIONSHIP
EDGE VS. TRIPLE H

WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP TRIPLE THREAT
BATISTA VS. KING BOOKER VS. MARK HENRY

UNITED STATES CHAMPIONSHIP
LASHLEY VS. CHRIS BENOIT

WOMENS CHAMPIONSHIP
MELINA VS. MICKIE JAMES

INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIP LADDER MATCH
CARLITO VS. NITRO

Average customer rating:

An intriguing and magical cinema serial
"another great feature from the King of Serials on DVD...VCI Entertainment"
Presto-Chango Serial-O Okay-O
Ace Columbia cliffhanger; top print but repairs in Chapter 1

Mandrake the Magician
Starring: Warren Hull , Doris Weston , Al Kikume , Rex Downing , and Edward Earle
Director: Norman Deming , and Sam Nelson
Manufacturer: Vci Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00008YLUE
Release Date: 2003-05-13

Description

The Wasp, the crafty head of an underworld gang, is on the hunt for a radium-energy machine developed by Professor Houston. The Wasp will stop at nothing to steal the scientist's invention. His evil machinations to obtain the device include blowing up a radio station, a power plant, and a dam. Fortunately, his dastardly deeds cause only minimal damage because of the timely intervention of the quick-witted Mandrake, a world-famous magician, who has vowed to stop The Wasp. Will Mandrake finally capture the master villain and his gang, thereby saving the world from the sting of The Wasp? And will Mandrake be reunited with Professor Houston's lovely daughter Betty? Well, you'll have to watch all twelve thrilling chapters to find out! This colorful King Features newspaper comic strip hero was brought to the big screen by Columbia Pictures. Bonus Features: Poster Gallery| Bios| Bonus Cliffhanger Trailers. Specs: DVD9 + DVD5; Dolby Digital Mono; 215 minutes; B&W; 1.33:1 Aspect Ratio; MPAA - NR; Year - 1939; SRP - $19.99.

Customer Reviews:

An intriguing and magical cinema serial.......2006-01-08

"Mandrake, the Magician"(1939 - 214 minutes - 12 episodes), is one of the classics B&W cinema serials of Columbia, directed by Sam Nelson and Norman Deming. Based on the known Comics created by Lee Falk and Phill Davis in 1924 and written by Joseph F. Poland, Basil Dickey and Ned Dandy. Mandrake (the actor Warren Hull) is a sagacious detective who is traveling in a maritime cruise when he knows the professor Hudson (the actor Forbes Murray), the author of a machine that uses the energy of the radio waves. Developed for the good, the powerful device becomes a dangerous weapon when it falls in the hands of an evil genius known as "Wasp". Mandrake and his faithful assistant, Lothar (the actor Al Kikume), will fight Wasp and his gang, living an intensely battle between the good and the evil. The Mandrake's dress style with the black and red layer, ternary and top-hat, had immortalized the figure of the magician. The English word "Mandrake" is the name of a root that was always associated with magical powers and miraculous cures. Lothar was an African prince and one of the first black character treated in a serious way in Comic books, he was always considered as an intelligent and loyal ally. With original special effects for that time, the film deserves reverence to the great performance of Warren Hull, that gave life to one of the biggest icons of the Comic books of all times.

"another great feature from the King of Serials on DVD...VCI Entertainment".......2005-10-02

VCI Entertainment and Columbia Pictures present Lee Falk and Phil Davis comic strip King feature "Mandrake the Magician" (1939) (Dolby digitally remastered), 12 Chapters of vintage serial loaded with action sequences...story line thus far has our favorite magician doing battle with "The Wasp", who is out to steal another scientist invention...will our villain of villains succeed in taking the radium energy machine and use it against Mandrake...can good triumph over evil...with Mandrake's assistance can Professor Hudson keep his invention out of the clutches of the henchman sent to do him in...will "The Wasp" blow up a dam, a power plant, a radio station and the entire sound stage at Columbia Pictures before he's stopped...does Hudson's daughter Betty have her sites set on Mandrake, well that may be more dangerous than "The Wasp" ever was...don't even think about touching that dial...there's more to follow and it gets better with every episode.

Under director's Norman Deeming and Sam Nelson, producer Jack Fier with screenplay by Ned Dandy, Basil Dickey, Lee Falk (comic strip), Joseph F. Poland, original music by Sidney Cutner, Floyd Morgan and Morris Stoloff (musical director)...the cast Warren Hull (Mandrake the Magician), Doris Weston (Betty Houston), Al Kikume (Lothar, Mandrake's Assistant), Rex Downing (Tommy Houston), Edward Earle (Dr. Andre Bennett), Forbes Murray (Professor Houston), Kenneth MacDonald (James Webster), Don Beddoe (Frank Raymond), Dick Curtis (Dorgan - Henchman), John Tyrell (Dirk - Henchman), George Chesebro (Baker - Henchman), Tom London (Mill River Inn - Henchman), Tom Steele (Powerhouse - Henchman)...great stunt work by George DeNormand stunt double for Warren Hull, Eddie Parker stunt double for Al Kikume and Chuck Hamilton who performed all the rest of the stunts...entire cast brings to life the characters based upon the King Features Newspaper...can't wait for next weeks episode at your favorite neighborhood theater.

CHAPTER TITLES: (Disc One)
1. Shadow on the Wall
2. Trap of the Wasp
3. A City of Terror
4. The Secret Passage
5. The Devil's Playmate
6. The Fatal Crash

SPECIAL FEATURES: (Disc One)
BIOS:
1. Warren Hull
2. Doris Weston
3. Al Kikume
4. Rex Dowling
5. Sam Nelson (Director)
6. Norman Deming (Director)

PHOTO GALLERY (Disc One)
(stills from "Mandrake the Magician" serial & Lobby Cards)

VCI CLIFFHANGER TRAILERS: (Disco One)
1. Zorro Cliffhanger Collection (Reed Hadley, John Carroll & Linda Stirling)
2. Radar Men from the Moon (Clayton Moore & Roy Barcroft)
3. Mysterious Mr. M (Richard Martin, Dennis Moore & Pamela Blake)
4. Dick Tracy's G-Men (Ralph Byrd)
5. The Royal Mounted Rides Again (Bill Kennedy, Milburn Stone & Robert Armstrong)
6. The Hurricane Express (John Wayne & J. Farrell MacDonald)
7. The Shadow of the Eagle (John Wayne)

CHAPTER TITLES: (Disc Two)
7. Gamble for Life
8. Across the Deadline
9. Terror Rides the Rails
10.The Unseen Monster
11.At the Stroke of Eight
12.The Reward of Treachery

SPECIAL FEATURES: (Disc Two)
BIOS:
(Same as Disco One)

PHOTO GALLERY (Disc Two)
(Same as Disc One)

VCI CLIFFHANGER TRAILERS: (Disco Two)
(Same as Disc One)

If you crave action, drama and plenty of adventure then this is the place for all of the above...if you enjoyed this serial check out another release from VCI Entertainment and Columbia Pictures present "Captain Video: Master of the Stratosphere" (1951) (digitally remastered), 15 Chapters.finally for the first time on video the really great Columbia Serial that broke the mold...we have everything a serial fan would want...the tinted sequences by Cinecolor and unique inventions that were unlike any other serial out there in the '50s...get out there as they're going fast, this is the one you've been waiting for.

Great job by VCI Entertainment for releasing the digital transfers with a clean, clear and crisp print of "Mandrake the Magician"...looking forward to more of the same from the '30s & '40s vintage serial era...order your copy now from Amazon or VCI Entertainment, stay tuned once again with a top notch serial from VCI...just the way we like 'em!

Total Time: 215 mins on 2 DVD's ~ VCI Entertainment 8349 ~ (4/29/2003)

Presto-Chango Serial-O Okay-O.......2004-11-15

Okay, I'm going to start this review by admitting that I never liked heroic magicians in fancy suits, top hats, and tails. Even Zatanna, who had great legs, grated on me. So MANDRAKE THE MAGICIAN began with a strike against it. On the other hand, it has Warren Hull, who was so excellent in THE SPIDER'S WEB (and pretty good in THE GREEN HORNET STRIKES AGAIN, too). And of course Mandrake himself was created by Lee "The Phantom" Falk, so that's a third hand. And if you think that's impossible, well, he IS a magician.

A mysterious arch-criminal known as "The Wasp" (he actually wears a rather effeminate silk mask and cape, not a fierce-looking wasp get-up, unfortunately) is after a new invention that can... well, it can do something pretty terrible, I'll bet. Into the fray stumbles Mandrake, who, with his faithful giant African manservant Lothar, foils the various machinations of Mr. Silky Drawers. Only Lothar is, not a muscular ebon giant, but instead a rather doughy guy who looks like a Philippino and dresses like an extra in a Sinbad picture.

I liked the first couple of chapters; Mandrake does a magic trick or two, and occasionally tosses those nifty little smoke capsules and then sprints out of the room, leaving the villains wondering how the heck he did that. It gets tiresome, however, and pretty soon even Mandrake loses interest, tossing the capsules and then just standing there, waiting for the smoke to clear and the fisticuffs to continue. Not long into the serial, the magic angle is completely forgotten, the eveningwear goes in the closet, and for all intents and purposes Mandrake turns into Dick Tracy.

Ultimately, the darn thing is disappointing. A Mandrake serial should have done more with the mystical aspect of the character, even if only having its hero pull bunnies out of his hat to throw at the villains. It runs out of steam midway through, and - although at 12 chapters, it's the shortest of the 57 Columbia chapterplays - becomes rather tedious in the second half. Co-directors Sam Nelson and Norman Deming did one more serial together (OVERLAND WITH KIT CARSON) and then Columbia dumped them and handed over the serial reins to James W. Horne, who directed the next ten Columbia serials all by his lonesome.

VCI's DVD is good, not great. Some of the soundtrack of chapter one has decayed over the years, and voices were overdubbed for the DVD release, but if you cared about stuff like that, you wouldn't have read this far into the review anyway. Bonuses include a poster gallery, biographies, and serial trailers.

Ace Columbia cliffhanger; top print but repairs in Chapter 1.......2004-02-12

Columbia's cliffhangers tend to be campy or silly by serial standards, but this early effort (1939) is a very enjoyable adventure. The personable Warren Hull is excellent in the title role. Movie buffs will recognize many of the cast members from Columbia's "B" pictures and Three Stooges movies. Slick production and good direction by Sam Nelson and Norman Deming (who were usually assistant directors) push this one head and shoulders above the general run of Columbia serials. (Watch for a beautifully staged wrap-up in the last chapter, when the masked villain finally gets his!) A note about this video edition: the soundtrack of Chapter 1 was damaged, so the video producers hired actors and technicians to fake a new synchronized soundtrack. The repair job is rather distracting (the suave, pencil-mustached Kenneth MacDonald suddenly has a twangy Texas tenor), but it only lasts a few minutes; the rest of the serial is fully intact and the source print is in top shape. Picture and sound are excellent. The 2-DVD set also includes a selection of trailers from Mascot, Republic, and Universal serials. Highly typical of Saturday-matinee adventures, and a fine choice for first-time serial viewers or for fans who've never seen this long-unavailable film. (Let's hope VCI or Columbia will release the even better "Spider's Web" serial to home video.)

Average customer rating:

Best Version Available
Where are the last six chapters?
Non-stop action...really!
Lugosi's Finest Serial

SOS Coast Guard (1937)
Starring: Ralph Byrd , Bela Lugosi , Maxine Doyle , Richard Alexander , and Lee Ford
Director: William Witney , and Alan James
Manufacturer: ROAN
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00003RQOZ
Release Date: 2000-02-08

Customer Reviews:

Best Version Available.......2007-03-28

As far as picture quality goes, not only is this the best version of SOS I've seen, it's currently the best looking DVD of any Lugosi serial. Roan tends to do excellent work at great prices, I've never seen a Ron dvd with a bad picture. Mine does have all 12 chapters, the previous reviewer may have gotten a defective copy.

Where are the last six chapters?.......2000-08-13

This is one of the first cliff hangers available on DVD, and (I truly hope), one of many future Republic Studios serials. It is quite good for the genre and evokes the pre-War atmosphere of America, as well as the old autos, fashions, argot and naive fears of things scientific in the late 1930's. However, try as I may, I cannot access the last six chapters. I have checked the case the DVD came in for another disk, tried the single disk on the other side, tried to scroll down after Chapter six on the single disk, but I cannot (or do not have)the last six chapters.

The VHS reviews do not mention any trouble with subsequent chapters. I cannot locate a website for Roan Group Archival Entertainment. Has Roan neglected to add the last chapters, or am I a dolt? Please send advice to me at jsmarr@javanet.com. Thanks, jsmarr

Non-stop action...really!.......2000-06-14

S.O.S. COAST GUARD is a flavorful 12-chapter serial featuring Ralph "Dick Tracy" Bird as eager Coast Guard Lieutenant Terry Kent and Bela Lugosi as his adversary Boroff. The nasty Boroff has invented a disintegration gas and is trying desperately to sell it to foreign powers. Boroff employs the services of Thorg (Richard Alexander), a burly henchman with a good talent for swimming. On Kent's side, ace reporter Jean Norman (Maxine Doyle in a spirited performance) and photographer Snapper McGee (Lee Ford providing comic relief) help move things along.

The plot may be simple, but it's perfect serial stuff. Boroff is a clever foe, but human (in other words, he's not "supervillain" material) and almost likeable. Kent is a live wire, like a butterfly he never settles in one place very long. Along the way we're treated to wall-to-wall action, and that's really no exaggeration. Boat crashes, car and motorcycle chases, underwater fights, gunboats firing, buildings disintegrating... it's all here, along with more male fistfights than FIGHT CLUB.

In comparison with FLASH GORDON, another serial with which I am very familiar, S.O.S. COAST GUARD's action and adventure is just as exciting, just far less sci-fi-fantastic thanks to its earthbound setting. Whereas a boy could only imagine himself to be on one of Ming's spaceships, he could actually find himself on a boat, dock or in the mountain valley in which once stood Lt. Kent fighting the evil Boroff. Nevertheless, there is a certain element of science fiction in Boroff's disintegrator gas and Lugosi himself fulfills this standard "evil scientist" role more than admirably. I very much enjoyed the special effects showing the gas doing its work - the scene with the mountains melting, for example, is quite simply but very effectively done.

The chapter lengths vary; Chapter One is about thirty minutes long while later chapters can be as short as fifteen minutes. The total running time is approximately 3 hours 40 minutes and each chapter is presented with full opening titles, recaps and end cards. Chapters are spread over both sides of the single-DVD release. Picture quality is good; not as sharp as the FLASH GORDON serials but clear and with good contrast. I did notice a bit of pixelation at times, but it certainly did not detract from my enjoyment. Chapter stops are a bit odd - they use multiple titles (for example, the serial's Chapter 3 might be coded as Title 2, Chapter 1) but you have the option of selecting any chapter individually or playing them all straight through.

S.O.S. COAST GUARD is one of the best examples of the world of movie serials, full of excitement and adventure. With this DVD and the excellent Image FLASH GORDON discs leading the way, I'm hoping we'll see many more of the classic chapterplay films released in the future.

Lugosi's Finest Serial.......1999-10-05

"S.O.S. Coast Guard" is one of the finest Republic serials and a terrific showcase for Bela Lugosi. Most of Lugosi's serials were low-budget affairs -- except for this 1937 effort. In "S.O.S. Coast Guard," Lugosi plays the diabolical Boroff, who wants to control the world with his deadly disintegrating gas. He certainly gives the heroic Ralph Byrd a run for his money in 12 episodes of serial excitement. Lugosi is in his element as Boroff and the action scenes are first-rate. Bela never made a better chapterplay than this one.

DVD:

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