Treasure Island

Amazon.com

Strap on your pantaloons and prepare to travel with Jim Hawkins and Blind Pew to one of the most famous fictional islands in history. Walt Disney's 1950 adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson's swashbuckling masterpiece has held up extremely well, with action and characterizations that feel freshly minted (although it's unlikely that the Mouse of today would sanction the high level of booze flowing throughout the picture). Great fun, with nary a wasted frame and, in the character of Robert Newton's much-imitated Long John, one of cinema's most boisterously crowd-pleasing villains ever. (Proving that you can't keep a good--er, bad man down, Newton would return with director Byron Haskins for the enjoyable sequel, Long John Silver.) Watching this classic is like having a flashback to some perfect Technicolor childhood. --Andrew Wright

Description

Ahoy, mateys! Come aboard the good ship Hispaniola and set sail in search of buried treasure in one of Disney's most critically acclaimed adventure classics -- presented in its original, uncut theatrical version! In his first all-live-action feature, Walt Disney has vividly brought to life Robert Louis Stevenson's timeless tale of buccaneers and buried gold. Authentic locales, rich color photography, and musket-roaring action set the stage for the stouthearted heroics of young Jim Hawkins (Bobby Driscoll) -- and the skullduggery of that wily, one-legged pirate of all pirates, Long John Silver. Aye, for the kind of excitement that only treasure and treachery can bring, there's no better destination than TREASURE ISLAND!

Customer Reviews:

Treasure Island.......2007-09-07

This summer I read Treasure Island to my six-year old grandson. The Treasure at the end of the book was this movie. This was the first book with no pictures he had ever read (listened). The book and the movie paralell closely. Much of the dialogue was Stevenson's prose from the book. The combination was fun for both young and old.

Lots of fun.......2007-07-20

I saw both this version and the classic Wallace Berry, Jackie Cooper version of Treasure island as a child in the 1950's. I have seen and owned copies of the Berry/Cooper version over the years and had thought that this would probably be a sanitized Disney remake. After hearing several reviewers praise this version, I purchased a copy from Amazon. What a joy. My wife, 22 year old son and his wife sat down with cokes and popcorn and were more pleased than we had any right to be. Wallace Berry is one of my favorite actors from silent and early talkie films and nobody plays Wallace Berry better than Wallace Berry. However, Robert Newton has to be the definitive Long John Silver while Bobby Driscoll makes a terrific Jim Hawkins. The rest of the cast while not as distinguished as in the earlier version were excellent in each of their roles. Wish Disney had not taken the liberty with the ending, but other than that, very true to Stevenson's book. Picture and sound quality were excellent. Highly recommended.

satisfactory, but disappointed.......2007-07-06

The movie/disc itself was fine. But the case was damaged and won't stay closed. Not what I expected when paying for a "new" movie.

Treasure Island.......2007-06-27

Byron Haskin's definitive film version of Stevenson's salty tale stands out for Newton's glorious, scenery chewing performance as Long John, the most charming and devious cut-throat sailing the seven seas, and Driscoll also holds his own as Jim. The Disney studio spared no expense in bringing "Treasure" to the screen again (it was previously filmed in 1934), as both production design and color photography are first-rate. To would-be pirates of all ages, all aboard for this flavorful, exciting adventure.

Classic.......2007-06-27

Classic Disney import from England with excellent actors. A Treasure for everyone of every age.

Average customer rating:

Treasure Planet
This is a GREAT IDEA!!!
My favorite Disney movie
totally underrated movie
Argghhhhh

Treasure Planet
Starring: Roscoe Lee Browne , Corey Burton , Joseph Gordon-Levitt , Tony Jay , and Michael McShane
Director: Ron Clements , and John Musker
Manufacturer: Walt Disney Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00005JLR2
Release Date: 2003-04-29

Amazon.com

This kid-friendly disc serves as an advance for the DVD release of Disney's Treasure Planet feature, while emphasizing the story's roots in the written word. The main attraction is the movie's story, which can be read aloud in five different languages while viewers watch successive, still images from the original animated film. Sound strange? Sure, but the process is engrossing for children--a natural audience for storytelling. Also on board is a multilingual vocabulary experience, in which you can hear words associated with Treasure Planet's story (e.g., "chest") in Spanish, Italian, French, etc. Two songs from the film, written and performed by Goo Goo Dolls icon John Rzeznik, also get the image-by-image treatment, though the disc also includes a powerful, ghostly celestial music video for Rzeznik's "I'm Still Here (Jim's Theme)." There's also a game compatible with Playstation 2 (and other gaming consoles with DVD drive). --Tom Keogh

Description

From the directors of Disney's ALADDIN and THE LITTLE MERMAID comes a spectacular new motion picture for the entire family. Buckle up for thrills and excitement as a classic story of friendship, courage, and self-discovery gets an incredible futuristic twist for an all-new generation. It's "another jewel in the crown of Disney animated classics" (Clay Smith, Access Hollywood). A secret map inspires a thrilling treasure hunt across the universe as young Jim Hawkins and a hilarious cosmic crew headed by the daring Captain Amelia set off in search of their destiny. Aboard a glittering space galleon, Jim meets the ship's cyborg cook, John Silver, who teaches him the value of friendship and the power of dreams. Jim soon teams up with his crazy new robot pal, B.E.N., and the shape-shifting Morph to discover a treasure greater than he ever imagined. Featuring an all-star voice cast including Emma Thompson, Martin Short, David Hyde Pierce, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Brian Murray, and Michael Wincott -- TREASURE PLANET is "a magical, inventive, and utterly delightful movie" (Paul Clinton, CNN).

Customer Reviews:

Treasure Planet.......2007-09-14

This video is AWESOME. Talk about bring a book to life! My grandchild and I watched it 3 time the first night1 Wonderful script & story board, real life issues dealing with single parents and lonely/loning children to have an adult role model in their lives! Can't get enough! The artwork is wonderful,colorful & the story is both funny & enjoyable!!!!

This is a GREAT IDEA!!!.......2007-06-30

For Disney to make a movie like this. This is a very imaginative movie that stretches your mind to the limits of animation in a very "science fiction" sort of way. I do enjoy Disney movies because they are very orginal in their stories and characters and every movie is very unique. I do think that this one will be a classic before long for both young and old. I highly recommend this one to anyone that loves Disney movies!!!

My favorite Disney movie.......2007-06-12

I don't know what it is that pulled me into this movie. I think it's the futuristic setting along with Jim. I really like his character and I like Silver's too. Everyone keeps saying that it's more of a "teenager movie" instead of a kid movie. The thing is, kids are going to grow up and I think that this would be a great movie for them to watch to help them to follow their dreams. Anyway, that's just my outlook on it. Overall, I just really love this movie.

totally underrated movie .......2007-05-05

Treasure Planet is by far one of my favorite Disney movies of all time. I'm so shocked it gets such bad reviews!

It's a classic story of adventure and coming-of-age, adapted from the novel "Treasure Island" by Robert Louis Stevenson. No, it is not a direct interpretation! But that's ok. The characters and the story are adapted from the novel to fit with the culture and imagination of today's world, and given a magical twist, as if 1800s England had special sci-fi technology.

In this version, Jim is a boy of fifteen whose father-angst has left him committing crimes and having trouble at home and at school, much to the pain of his young mother, Sarah. A chance meeting with old Billy Bones, former cabin-boy to the dreaded pirate Captain Flint, ends with him being given the map and key to Treasure Planet, a fabled place that contains the Loot of a Thousand Worlds, taken by Flint. This begins Jim's chance to set out on his own and learn about the world and who he is, and what potential he has.

The relationship between Silver and Jim is similar, but not exactly the same. It becomes a deep father/son relationship, with Jim finding in Silver what he always wanted from his deadbeat father. Silver is enigmatic, double-faced, and powerful, but grows a deep, unexpected soft spot for Jim that changes his mind about the treasure he's always sought.

Overall, I think the movie is fantastic. The animation is buttery smooth and is visually stunning, the characters are unique and interesting and all have a history long before the story takes place, and the adaptation from the original novel is very clever and updates the story well. The music, done by James Newton Howard and Johnny Rzeznik, is absolutely gorgeous, with a touch of Celtic influence added to the powerful orchestrations and themes. The story is heartwarming and powerful.

Argghhhhh.......2007-04-11

What a wonderful twist on the classic Treasure Island. Silver is a cyborg and young Jim is a typical teen looking to find his place. Morph is a wonderful addition and will grab you and pull you into the adventure and fun.

Average customer rating:

What's not to like?
The Boring 20s
Great unwatched movie
supurb
EXCELLENT!!!

The Newton Boys
Starring: Matthew McConaughey , Skeet Ulrich , Ethan Hawke , Vincent D'Onofrio , and Gail Cronauer
Director: Richard Linklater
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
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ASIN: 6305364559
Release Date: 2002-05-21

Amazon.com

The Newton Boys were the most successful bank robbers in the history of the United States. They never killed anyone, never snitched, and only robbed banks (just bigger thieves, in their opinion), until their final deal, which was a botched train robbery for $3 million. Engagingly played by Matthew McConaughey, Ethan Hawke, Skeet Ulrich, and Vincent D'Onofrio, the Boys don't have the kind of flaws of more brutal criminals that make for more volatile dramas. The film ambles along in a leisurely way to tell its story of the Newtons' bank-robbing career, with an ever-present air of reverent Americana. This may make some viewers impatient, and cause a glow in others. It seems like a departure for director Richard Linklater (Slacker, Dazed and Confused)--a costumer to be sure, but Linklater's deliberately amiable pace perfectly balances the Boys' personalities. You may wander into this movie and feel right at home. The golden-hued cinematography of Peter James (Driving Miss Daisy) adds a level of comfort that makes everything warm-like. The end credits intercut archival footage of two of the real-life Newton boys toward the end of their lives, one from a 1980 appearance with Johnny Carson on The Tonight Show. --Jim Gay

Description

It seems the only way "The Newton Boys" can make good is by goin' bad! Faster than you can say "nitroglycerin," they've knocked over more than 80 banks from Texas to Canada. Now their sights are set on a multimillion-dollar Federal Reserve train robbery, but the Feds are about to turn up the heat!

Customer Reviews:

What's not to like?.......2006-12-06

I saw this on HBO recently when I was home sick. What a fun farce! The four Newton boys and a safecracker manage to bumble through 80 bank robberies. But things get serious when they try to pull of a "big" job.

The acting is outstanding, but Dwight Yoakum and Skeet Ulrich turn in phenomenal supporting performances. Yoakum plays the hypochondriac safecracker and Ulrich is youngest brother Joe. Ulrich has the most to do as he matures from baby brother to convict, while serving as the conscience, worrier, romantic, and accountant of the group.

The Texas accents were great. Never once were the accents or speech distracting from the movie itself. The music is also perfect for this movie. It intensifies for a moment as something blows up, or you think something bad is about to happen, then it goes back to bum-bump.. dee bum bum bum-bump.

Whoever thought the line "You're mean, you know that?" was dumb, is missing the point. These boys had guns full of bird shot. They had no intention of hurting anyone, and when they were caught in the act and this lady wouldn't shut up, they worst thing they could think to do was call her mean. Hilarious!

I think the film missed some opportunities for character development. Doc was underdeveloped and Vincent D'Onofrio underutilized. There was a subtle resentment from Jess towards Willis that could have been brought out. I didn't like the stylized introduction. But overall this movie was a blast.

The Boring 20s.......2006-11-06

Who can forget The Roaring Twenties, aka, The Jazz Age; that storied slice of American pie characterized by flappers, bathtub gin, exuberance, prosperity, good-natured entrepreneurial adventurism, debauchery, and crime? Apparently Richard Linklater could. As co-writer and director of The Newton Boys, he has given us a soporific portrayal of the nation's most successful bank robbers so drenched in warm sunlight and loving backwards glances it would be comfortable on the Hallmark channel. That was no roar you heard from these 20s, that was a yawn.

The Newton Boys is a departure for Linklater who usually makes precious films that struggle to be avant garde and succeed in consuming a great deal of dialogue without generating substance, (Tape, Waking Life, Before Sunrise). This film is different in that it has something resembling a plot, although these affable Newton boys seem to meander through events with no particular motivation.

The gang's leader, Willis, is played by Matthew McConaughey, arguably the luckiest man in Hollywood. McConaughey smiles a great deal and lets the camera admire him, which is the closest he will ever come to acting. Never once do we get the sense that Willis has the requisite grit for brazen crime, indeed, it is hard to imagine him ripping the tag off a mattress.

Ethan Hawke is also in The Newton Boys, frankly, I wouldn't be shocked to see Ethan Hawke in Linklater's baby pictures. Hawke is workmanlike, and was very good in Training Day, but why must Linklater use him in every film?

One of the most interesting actors working today, Vincent D'Onofrio, is completely wasted. D'Onofrio brings menace and unpredictably to every part, here his talent is squandered to the point where his time might have been better spent painting props.

Good period recreation, trains, cars, clothes, and hats - but ultimately, empty suits. Imagine a Coen brothers picture without the wit, intelligence, sly humor, unexpected twists, interesting characters, quirky sensibility, and strong motivations that drive people to extremes - and you're still imagining a better movie than this.

Perhaps Linklater wanted to make an authentic picture about an actual family of guys who really were as dull as library paste with the emotional range of fish who just happened into the bank robbing business the way other people happen into accounting or auto sales. Assuming for the moment this is the case - he didn't even do that.

Great unwatched movie.......2006-02-20

This is one of those movies that it seems nobody ever heard of but if you haven't seen it yet, you've missed out.

supurb.......2006-02-05

I saw that someone said that they are not heros. And they were disapointed about it. They were bank robbers. Thier not suppose to be heros.If you want heros watch mighy mouse. I read all the reviews and no one else said anything about that. I've never wrote one of these things before but I had to set the record straight for that guy.

EXCELLENT!!!.......2005-07-20

im not long winded so i will keep this short. this is one of the best westerns i have seen. Excellent acting, good plot, and overall excellent performances. If you like westerns you will love this movie. Vincent D'onofrio was Phenomenal!!

Average customer rating:

Rent but Don't Buy
Better than it has a right to be
Yay or Nay? An undecided vote.
Solid story line, with significant current implications
Not About Underwear

Poster Boy
Starring: Karen Allen , Michael Lerner , Matt Newton , Jack Noseworthy , and Valerie Geffner
Director: Zak Tucker
Manufacturer: Regent
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ASIN: B000HLDFMM
Release Date: 2006-11-14

Description

The gay son of a powerful right-wing Senator has finally come out…but only at his college. His father's campaign is threatened when his son's secret is revealed. -Limited theatrical release (8/11/06) -Strategically released around the 2006 elections -Loaded with bonus features, including commentary with Director Zak Tucker

Customer Reviews:

Rent but Don't Buy.......2007-07-08

I'm not bothered by the amateurish camera work. Whether it was a deliberate attempt at realism, or just rank, it didn't affect the story. However, the writing is also amateurish, which does ruin the experience. Every character is a stereotype, from the overbearing father, to the passive mother, to the overcompensating AIDS activist. Everyone imagines that rightwingers have a secret in their closets. That horse has already been beaten to death. However, the reason that i recommend seeing the movie is that some of the actors were able to transend the limits of their roles. I especially enjoyed Matt Newton (Henry Kray), who seemed so natural in his role, emotionally broad and with a youthful charm. Jack Noseworthy (Anthony) also seemed to be a real person, not just a part. They are worth renting the movie.

Better than it has a right to be.......2007-01-22

I was expecting a little bit of fluff, but "Poster Boy" turns out to have an involving story and some wonderful performances. I actually didn't know how it was going to turn out until the very end. This is a low-budget, independent film. The camerawork may be a little unsteady (although I thought it gave an up-to-date feel to the picture) and the sound may be a little erratic, but I found this story to be gripping from beginning to end. Well worth seeing to decide on your own.

Yay or Nay? An undecided vote........2007-01-11

I recently bought this DVD with some apprehension, because I had heard varying opinions on it. The verdict: Good story & acting, but flawed. The film has the hand-held camera feel of a Steven Bochco T.V. series, which, depending on your preference, either brings realism or detracts from the dramatic scenes. Actually, this film felt like more of a "dramedy" than a drama---humor kept creeping in to certain scenes. I empathized with Matt Newton's character of Henry Kray, a closeted son of a high-profile senator. He conveyed the agony that his character felt, being constantly controlled (or abused) by his father and frustrated by having to hold others back at arm's length & cloaking himself in anonymity, particularly Jack Noseworthy's character of Anthony, a liberal activist whose personal involvement with Henry becomes far more complicated than he would've ever imagined. Karen Allen injects the same appealing feistiness into her wife-of-a-senator role just as she had done as Harrison Ford's leading lady years ago in "Raiders of the Lost Ark". Michael Lerner makes his character a man you'd love to hate, someone who expects all--his family & entourage--to jump whenever he snaps his fingers, to dance to his tune. His portrayal is both a blessing and a curse--I felt he was TOO easy to despise. Yet, I'm sure there are real political figures who get "lost in the game"; they lose sight of who, and what, is more important in their lives. In politics, image & morality are everything, and as this story demonstrates, the "game" can have brutal consequences. The Skip character--who comes to retrieve the wayward son--is a spineless character, a hypocrite, a brown-noser. Just when you think he has befriended Henry, he turns on him near the end, siding with the father on how "disgusting" Henry's lifestyle is, although he accompanied Henry to a gay bar earlier on!
However, that coming-out kiss that Henry & Anthony share before a stunned press conference--and senator Jack Kray--made me want to cheer. Jack Kray DESERVED to have his family walk out on him; in a way, this is the film's weak point, as it becomes too obvious that the story is coming to this conclusion. Some plot points are too methodical; I could see them coming a mile away, and this is the movie's main flaw.
This movie has a strong theme reflecting on our current headlines: the closeted children of political figures, or even the outing of those officials themselves. If you can forgive its slight budget and obvious plot twists, "Poster Boy" can be a powerful drama.

Solid story line, with significant current implications.......2007-01-01

This is a nicely done story that could easily be about major U.S. politicians of today. While most of the acting is monolithic, Matt Newton presents a gut-wrenching emotional scene that "made" the film for me, while Karen Allen supports the entire film with a character having many facets and plenty of depth. Michael Lerner's character is easily hated, and rightly so, for a stunning portrayal of a do-as-I-say-not-as-I-do, belligerent, self-absorbed politician.

Not About Underwear.......2006-12-28

"POSTER BOY"

Amos Lassen and Cinema Pride

"Poster Boy" (HereTV!) is a timely, accomplished, wonderfully acted little film that will be released on DVD on November 11. The story of a closeted son of a right wing politician from North Carolina who becomes sexually and romantically involved with a liberal gay activist has plenty to watch.
Henry is a determined college student and the son of U.S. Senator Jack Kray (Michael Lerner) who is waging a battle for reelection. Henry who cannot abide his father falls for Anthony (Jack Noseworthy) who is a young, angry, radical queer activist whom he meets at a party that he and his (girl)friend Izzie crash. At the party there is a sexual liaison between the two guys and Henry realizes that a spark has been ignited. Anthony, upon discovering who Henry's father is, unites with a campus group which plans a disruption of the Congressman's campaign visit to be held on campus. Through mysterious circumstances and an amazing twist, Izzie is hit by the Senator's car as it approaches the college ad what ensues is fascinating. The climax of the movie is full of surprises as family values and the issues of love and honesty explode and are tested.
The film plays homage to the radical queer groups of our past and aligns itself to the political problems of today. There is a certain parallelism to the story of Mary Cheney and the senator's wife. Kray, the senator is nasty, rude, and hypocritical and the rest of the characters are beautifully developed.
The acting is incredible, the photography which is sometimes murky adds to the tone of the theme of the movie and I found an explanation as to why politicians cannot be trusted. There is a lot here to think about.
When I first heard a movie entitled "Poster Boy" was coming out, I have to admit I was expecting a comedy, perhaps something about Marky Mark and Calvin Klein underwear ads. What a surprise this movie turned out to be. Many of the gay films lately have been comedies so I was pleasantly surprised as I began watching this. It is a amazing film-moreso because it deals with the way we live today.

Oliver Twist (1948) - Criterion Collection

Average customer rating:

Dissapointed
Oliver Twist
A Gift Purchase
THE GENIUS OF DAVID LEAN
The best version of Dickens' immortal story on film.

Oliver Twist (1948) - Criterion Collection
Starring: Robert Newton , Alec Guinness , Kay Walsh , Francis L. Sullivan , and John Howard Davies
Director: David Lean
Manufacturer: Criterion
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ASIN: B00000F17A
Release Date: 1999-01-12

Amazon.com

David Lean's 1948 version of Charles Dickens' classic novel begins with a bang: the young hero's pregnant mother fighting her way through a storm, a perfect metaphor for Oliver's difficult road ahead. Set in a world of slums in the shadow of Victorian England, the story traces the boy's life in a workhouse and then with a gang of little pickpockets. A stark but good-looking film shot around some impressive sets, Lean's immortal adaptation is perhaps best known for Alec Guinness's remarkable (and slightly controversial) performance as Fagin, the old mentor to the gang of boy thieves. --Tom Keogh

Description

Expressionistic noir photography suffuses David Lean's Oliver Twist with a nightmarish quality, fitting its bleak, industrial setting. In Dickens' classic tale, an orphan wends his way from cruel apprenticeship to den of thieves in search of a true home. Here Alec Guinness is the quintessential Fagin, his controversial performance fully restored in Criterion's new digital transfer.

Customer Reviews:

Dissapointed.......2007-09-07

Ever since I saw the BBC version of Oliver Twist, I've been searching for a faithful adaption that I could watch in one night. Judging by the overwhelming popularity of the David Lean film, I thought this might be what I was looking for. Dissapointed. In this nearly two hour film, Oliver has almost no lines at all, and his personality is lamentably underdeveloped. (Sweet and naive was all I got). Rose, Harry, Mrs. Maylie, and their family Docter were left out, and Monks -- a fascinating, eccentric character from the book and the BBC film -- was poorly potrayed and given altogether only about ten minutes of screentime (!) I WAS impressed by Mr. Lean's directing ability and how gracefully he paced the movie . . . no jumping around, no boring lags, etc; etc. Eceptionally good interpretations of Sykes, Fagin, and the Artful Dodger also add interest, and this Mr. Brownlow was the best I've seen in any Oliver Twist movie. Nancy was good, but has such a small part that I couldn't get "attatched" to her. All in all, however, I feel like I wasted my money. Too many of my favorite characters and parts were either left out or watered down. David Lean should have called it "Fagin's Gang" and made Oliver a subplot character.

Oliver Twist.......2007-06-25

This masterful adaptation of a Charles Dickens novel was the second for Lean, who abridged the author's long-winded story about a young orphan's changing fortunes in Victorian England into a beautifully paced two-hour film. Among a splendid cast, Guinness and Robert Newton are truly exceptional, respectively playing the captivating Fagin and his evil accomplice, Bill Sikes, with gusto. Also fun to watch is young Anthony Newley as the Artful Dodger. Essentially a tale of triumph in a world of degrading poverty and repellent class bias, "Oliver Twist" is a first-rate drama brimming with hope, pathos, and fury, from opening shot to last.

A Gift Purchase.......2007-06-01

I purchased this for my son-in-law's birthday. He is very happy with it and consideres it the best version of "Oliver Twist" that he has ever seen!

THE GENIUS OF DAVID LEAN.......2007-04-25

David Lean is best known for his super epics, like Lawrence Of Arabia, Doctor Zhivago and Bridge On The River Kwai. But earlier in his career, he did some outstanding films based on the plays of Noel Coward (like Brief Encounter) and on the works of Dickens (like Great Expectations). His film Oliver Twist, from 1948, is an early masterpiece.

You can see the genius of Lean in every frame; but there is one scene in particular that stands out. It is the one in which Bill Sikes is beating Nancy to death for giving the names of him and the rest of their gang to Mr. Brownlow. Lean doesn't show the actual beating, but he shows the reaction to it by someone else in the room: Bill Sike's dog. All you hear are the girl's screams and all you see is the dog, terrified, frantically trying to get out of the room by clawing his way through the door. It is one of the most terrifying scenes I've ever watched, and yet you don't see one bit of violence. It is incredible.

Eventually, Sikes lets the dog out, and he leaves in a panic. Later, Sikes finds the dog in the streets, and he cowers before his master. I've never seen a dog tremble like he does in this scene. It, too, is incredible, and the dog should have gotten an Oscar.

Genius finds new and more effective ways to accomplish things that would normally be considered distasteful or inappropriate.

The other scene that stands out to me is near the end, when the crowd is coming to get Sikes. It is the climax of the film, and it is powerful. I've never seen a crowd scene more spectacular, or a climax more suspenseful. There's also never been a more terrifying villain than Bill Sikes (played menacingly by Robert Newton), especially in the eyes of a boy. He contrasts nicely with Oliver Twist (played by John Howard Davies) and his innocence.

Oliver Twist was banned in this country (it's British) when it came out in 1948 because the Film Board felt Alec Guinness' portrayal of Fagan was anti-Semitic. It is over-the-top, especially the nose. But Guinness is genius. Kay Walsh as Nancy, Francis L. Sullivan as Mr. Brumble, Henry Stephenson as Mr. Brownlow and Anthony Newly as the Artful Dodger are also outstanding.

Waitsel Smith

The best version of Dickens' immortal story on film. .......2006-07-12

This film of Dickens' "Oliver Twist" from 1948 is still the best that has ever been done. The choices made to tell the story in two hours are quite amazing in the detail and sub plots and choice dialogue from the book that they still keep in. David Lean can do all this because of his masterful work with the camera. The scenes are so evocative of London Dickens paints in the novel. There is faceless barren despair in the workhouse, smoke and decay in London slum near St. Paul's Cathedral, and the light and beauty of Clerkenwell (that was back then) where the wealthy Mr. Brownlow lives.

The black and white filming actually adds to the light and shadow of the story and helps evoke the right moods as much as any musical score. I think it is actually a plus for this film even though it is a bit of a chore getting young people to cue in on the contributions of black and white over color pictures. Still, my youngest son could clearly see why this was a great telling of the story.

Here we have a thirty-three year old Alec Guinness made up in a way that probably would not work nowadays and emphasizes Fagin's Jewishness, but doesn't make Fagin out to be anything more than he is as a person. Guinness does NOT make Fagin out to be bad because he is a Jew, but rather that he is a miserly criminal who happens to be Jewish. It is a fine portrayal of Fagin and masterfully acted.

Robert Newton is very threatening as the monster Bill Sikes. He pulls the job off quite well and we get a very complex picture of his attitudes towards Fagin, Nancy, and the world. As an aside, Newton was a very popular actor who harmed his career and shortened his life with drink, as did Oliver Reed who portrayed Sikes so well in "Oliver!". Just a strange coincidence.

Kay Walsh does a fine job with Nancy, who is portrayed more as she is in the book rather than the heroine she is made to be in the musical and in some sloppy versions on film or for TV. She was married to Lean at the time although they divorced in 1949. John Howard Davies really does look the part of the small and slight Oliver Twist and acts out the role quite well. He had a fine career but mostly as a director and producer including Monty Python's Flying Circus in 1969.

We also get to see the young Anthony Newly (all of sixteen) as the Artful Dodger and many other wonderful character actors as well as a huge cast of extras. Remember, this was only a couple of years after World War II and there were a lot of people grateful for any kind of work for any length of time.

This is an immortal story that millions still love to read, hear, and see. This is a telling of the story that is awfully good. While I still recommend the book most of all, if you are going to watch a film version, this is the one I would start with and recommend most highly.

Average customer rating:

Tomorrow, The World!
fine wartime drama with a political slant
Tomorrow - The World
Preview of the Marshall Plan?
Extremely entertaining propaganda!

Tomorrow - The World
Starring: Fredric March , Betty Field , Agnes Moorehead , Joan Carroll , and Edit Angold
Director: Leslie Fenton
Manufacturer: Image Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Classics | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Drama | Military & War | Genres | DVD | Video

World War II | Military & War | Genres | DVD | Video

( T ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Holocaust | Jewish Heritage | Specialty Stores | DVD | Video
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ASIN: B000056N94
Release Date: 2001-02-06

Description

Emil Bruckner, a young German boy who has been indoctrinated in Nazi propaganda, is sent to live with his mild-mannered American uncle (Academy Award winner Fredric March) in this critically acclaimed World War II classic. Now a rigid proponent of the Third Reich, Emil wreaks havoc on the whole community while his family struggles to counter the insidious Nazi influence. Based on the prize-winning Broadway play, the film remains a fascinating look at the battle between bigotry and tolerance and movingly portrays the personal effects of Hitler's chilling declaration: "Today Germany, Tomorrow the World."

Customer Reviews:

Tomorrow, The World!.......2007-07-30

A very watchable film. Worth the time to watch. It would be interesting to see how it would be remade today. The actor that played the evil little Hitler youth, Emil, did such a good job I wanted to beat the stuffing out of him myself.

Is this film a warning for the future of this country? It could be if the IslamoNazi's aren't held in check and some people in this country keep their head's buried in the sand. You can bet young people like Emil are already here just waiting for their order to attack.

fine wartime drama with a political slant.......2007-07-30

Tomorrow-The World gives us a fine drama with even some thriller aspects set in America during World War II. The plot moves along at a good pace although there are some times when the movie could have been trimmed a bit here and there. The choice to film this movie in black and white will enhance the overall emotional effect it has on its audience.

The action begins in a "typical" American household that isn't actually so typical: wartime scientist Mike Frame (Fredric March) is about to marry his Jewish girlfriend Leona Richards (Betty Field). Mike has a daughter, Pat (Joan Carroll), presumably from a previous marriage and they have a German-American housekeeper as well. Just when everything looked rather rosy right before Mike and Leona's wedding, in comes Emil Bruckner (Skippy Homeier), a young 11 year old boy from Germany who is Mike's nephew.

And that's where trouble quickly starts. Emil has been brainwashed by the Nazi party in Germany that his father was a traitor and that all Americans will inevitably be conquered by Hitler's regime. Emil starts upsetting people the first day he arrives by coming downstairs for lunch in a Nazi uniform complete with swas****. Emil soon alienates the other children at school; and Emil tries desperately to ruin his uncle Mike's plans to marry the Jewish Leona Richards.

Some people believe that to some degree this is a propaganda film. Yes, there is indeed an undercurrent of that flavor. The American family is remarkably pure and civilized--they don't believe in beating children (which still happened plenty in 1944, the year this film was made); and marriage between a Jew and a Christian seems not to bother anyone. Naturally, in 1944 mainstream America might not have approved of such a marriage. The striking proof that this is an unusually progressive family comes when Emil notices that Mike's daughter Pat calls her father by his first name! Now THAT'S not so common even in OUR times! Of course, the Nazi child Emil has blond hair and blue eyes; a rather mean stare on his face; and he wants to cause as much heartache as he can for the Americans in order to honor Hitler.

Emil Bruckner (Skippy Homeier) truly DOES steal the show with his excellent, convincing acting--and the ending scenes with Emil once again prove his competence as a fine actor. Fredric March turns in a great performance as Mike Frame who tries so hard along with the other Americans to be patient while Emil "adjusts" to American life--even though his "adjustment" and de-brainwashing remains highly in doubt at many times throughout the picture.

Actualy, there's much more to the plot but I hate to put in too many spoilers--just get this film and watch it! They did a great job with the cinematography; and the choreography shines in crowded classroom scenes and other scenes that are designed to have an emotional impact on the viewer.

In short, Tomorrow-The World represents a great period piece about the Nazis and the Americans who want to help Germany overthrow and overcome its domination by an evil dictator. The fine acting holds your attention even if at times they could have left a little bit more on the cutting room floor. The incredibly pure and good Americans want so desperately to change Emil for the better they come off looking like Saints even though they have their occasional human frailties!

I highly recommend this film for World War II buffs and anyone who cares to enjoy a fine drama about people as they cope with the strife caused by that war. Fans of Fredric March and Agnes Moorehead will enjoy seeing their idols on the screen; and the children's acting remains very impressive to this day.

Tomorrow - The World.......2007-01-04

A glimpse into yesterday ... and maybe even tomorrow.

Excellent film.

Preview of the Marshall Plan?.......2005-11-10

I watched this movie the other day because I noticed that it starred Fredric March. He's made some pretty good movies over the years in large part because he's a very good actor. I didn't recognize any of the rest of the cast but the plot synopsis looked somewhat interesting. As I watched the movie unfold, I couldn't believe what I was seeing. This young German boy is brought to America to stay with March (a widower, from what I could gather) because March had been a student of the boy's German father. The kid makes an immediate bad impression and it goes downhill from there. This kid is probably how Goebbels would have portrayed an American youth "rescued" to Nazi Germany. He is anti-semitic (March's finace is Jewish, of course), sexist, full of distain for fellow students of "lesser" European heritage, etc.. He spys for Hitler and tries to develop a Nazi Youth group after school. In addition, he violently attacks fellow students under the slightest provocation. After his arrival he dresses up in a brand new Nazi Youth outfit and is excused by March's fiance because "the poor kid probably had nothing else to wear". It was too much. The ending was too much as well. I guess I shouldn't spell it out but see if you would have handled the kid the same way. If you would, I hope I never live in your neighborhood!

I feel that I have a fairly good appreciation of WWII era movies and cartoons. I appreciate the not-so-subtle propaganda for what it was intended. Stereotypes abound in such media and that's easy to understand; there need be no confusion at home as to who is the good guy and who is the bad guy. However, "Tomorrow the World" can't hide its' mediocrity behind purposeful propaganda. This movie is so outlandish that no excuse can justify it.

I noticed references to the movie "The Bad Seed" in some of the reviews. I admit that the image of Patty McCormick came to mind while I watched "Tomorrow the World". I don't buy the comparison even though it came to mind. "The Bad Seed" was a psychological exploration of the origin of evil. It had a legitimate proposition whether you agree with it or not. Comparing that movie to "Tomorrow the World" is like comparing Shakespeare to the Bowery Boys. I understand that there is an element of some legitimacy in the movie. It has to do with how does good handle evil. However, putting other innocent children at risk is not the answer. If "Tomorrow the World" has any redeeming value, it would be that it is so bad that it may develop some sort of cult following. Apparently it may already have done so.

Extremely entertaining propaganda!.......2002-10-16

Made during WWII to show American audiences what their boys were fighting against, the Nazis brainwashing children into godless, goosesteppers of death, "Tomorrow the World" attempts to show what would happen if one of these children of Hitler was let loose upon Smalltown USA.

As a film, "Tomorrow the World" is pretty pedestrian. The usually terrific Frederic March and Agnes Moorehead are really constrained by their weakly written characters. The direction is bland. The sets are cheap looking. And the melodramatic musical score is just awful! Overall, this is a grade B wartime propaganda movie with the usual white picket fence, mom's apple pie view of America and Americans.

However, there is one thing that keeps this movie eminently watchable and entertaining long after its propaganda purpose has ceased to exist and that is the over-the-top performance of Skippy Homeier as the Nazi orphan from hell, "Emil Bruckner." This kid is one bad apple. He walks around in his Hitler Youth uniform while spying on his relatives. He threatens a classmate, whose father is a POW in Germany, by claiming that he can have her father killed if she informs on his wickedness. He writes graffiti that says his teacher and soon-to-be aunt is a "Jewish tramp." He clubs his cousin over the head with a fire poker. He tries to knife a boy, but then, in the most vicious fight I've ever seen between two child actors, gets pummelled unconscious by his intended victim. And, finally, his own uncle tries to strangle him to death. Normally, watching one child knock out another child with repeated blows to the face and then seeing an adult try to strangle a child would cause revulsion, but Mr. Homeier's character is such a detestable little weasel that you'll be cheering as he gets physically assaulted. It takes one heck of a performance to overcome one's digust at child abuse and Skip Homeier delivers it in this movie.

I did not know that Mr. Homeier was a child actor before I saw this movie. I'm mostly familiar with him as a young man when he played the detestable, punk, wanna-be gunfighter in the terrific 1950 western- "The Gunfighter" with Gregory Peck. Boy, that kid knew how to play creeps!

Average customer rating:
Charlie Rose with Larry Gelbart; Anne Rice; Richard Linklater (March 24, 1998)

Manufacturer: Charlie Rose
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

( C ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
All Titles | Charlie Rose Store | Television | Genres | DVD | Video
ASIN: B000JCF2ZM
Release Date: 2006-10-05

Description

First, an interview with writer Larry Gelbart about his memoir, Laughing Matters, as well as his fifty-year career. Then, an interview with author Anne Rice who speaks about her latest book, Pandora, which returns to the subject of vampires. Finally, an interview with filmmaker Richard Linklater about his newest film, The Newton Boys, and his cast.

Average customer rating:

Sincere performances rescue a very weak script

Redeemer
Starring: Matthew Modine , Obba Babatundé , Michele Greene , Terry Simpson , and John Topor
Director: Graeme Clifford
Manufacturer: Lions Gate
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

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

( R ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
ASIN: B000087F5R
Release Date: 2003-03-18

Amazon.com

When a Black Panther raid on the house of a dope dealer goes awry, an innocent young man is killed and the leader of the raid team, a Panther named Charles Henderson (Obba Babatunde), is sentenced to life in prison. Bestselling author Paul Freeman (Modine) offers a creative-writing class in Henderson's prison, initially looking for a story for his next book; but when Henderson becomes his student, Freeman starts to investigate Henderson's case and becomes convinced that, after 20 years, Henderson deserves to be released--but the next step is convincing the sister of the man whose death Henderson is responsible for. Redeemer is a bit obvious, but the script does tackle its subject from a variety of perspectives, the direction is clean and straightforward, and the performances have commitment and energy--Babatunde is particularly compelling. --Bret Fetzer

Customer Reviews:

Sincere performances rescue a very weak script.......2005-10-29

A former Black Panther (Obba Babatunde) is put in prison for taking part in a botched robbery attempt of a dope house
in which he was the leader. During the botched robbery, a white unarmed college student was
accidentially murdered. 20 years later, the slain victim's sister writes letters to every parole hearing
admonishing them to prevent Charles Henderson's release. Highly protective of her daughter and living
in a gated community, she lives in a bubble world with 4 locks on her front door.

The monotony of prison life is interrupted when Paul Freeman (Matthew Modine) enters the prison as a creative writing teacher.
In reality he is an international best selling author in search of material for his next book.
During a class assignment Matthew Modine learns that one of his students, a writer with talent,
may be wrongfully imprisoned and deserve release. He investigates the prisoners past and uncovers
disturbing facts which he believes are proof that he was set up on the night of the botched robbery.

Matthew Modine learns more about Charles Henderson and realizes he's a decent man. He has 2 sons
outside the prison walls that visit him, a former wife, and he's a talented writer. He is genuinely remorseful
for what happened, and demonstrates a strong sense of Fatherhood to his son who is in college.
He delivers books in the prison and has his son bring in specially chosen books for him to read.
Motivated by these facts, and by Charles Henderson's future as a successful writer, he confronts anyone
who could assist in having him released from prison. Charles Henderson has served 20
years in prison in the Dalesboro Correctional Facility. He confronts the sister (Michele Greene)
to the murdered college student and asks for her to help him at the parole hearing to have
Charles Henderson released, on the grounds that he has a son to raise and is a decent man who is remorseful
and served his time.

I like the film because it went where it was expected to and the film is about forgiveness.

However, the performances were generally bland. The one that stands out is by Michele Greene who played
the slain college student's sister. The film was at times more about her character than the
inmate Charles Henderson or the teachers (Matthew Modine) struggle to get him released.

This film works because of the sincerity in the performances, not the story or plot.
The film is very predictable, and you know the ending from the first scenes.
Although it's predictable, the films ending has some very good, positive messages and some touching scenes.

The film uses flashbacks to the crime as it was happening several times in the film, so if you
don't like films that go to the past and back to the present, be warned. This film doesn't make
heavy use of them though, so it's not distracting.

The theme of black oppression is in the film but not in the melodramatic or oscar intended way
that a lot of other films are. There are no money shots or long sermon like sequences.
The film does not have an accompanying soundtrack which is also refreshing.

The presence of the black panthers is story driven, and character based.

It's nice to watch a prison film with none of the cliche scenes of gang wars, turf battles,
rapes, home made shanks and idiosyncratic lifers.

Criticism
There were a couple of loose ends in the film that showed very weak writing. In my opinion, the
inmate Charles Henderson was a stronger writer than the screenwriter who authored this script.
The screenwriter could have taken some of the classes Matthew Modine was teaching.
The writing was very weak because the slain sister's daugher's relationship to her murdered uncle
was never explored; the confrontation with the black panther who set up the
arrests was left unexplored; and the motives for Matthew Modine's character were never
really explained. Other areas of the script that didn't go anywhere - the warden,
the bitter detective on his porch, and the lawyer who defended Charles Henderson.

All in all, a very weak script, saved by sincere performances.

Alternative Recommended Films: For superior films about innocent men put in prison, check out "An Innocent Man" with
Tom Selleck, and "The Shawshank Redemption" with Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman and "The Hurricane" with
Danzel Washington.

Average customer rating:

What's not to like?
The Boring 20s
Great unwatched movie
supurb
EXCELLENT!!!

The Newton Boys [Region 2]
Starring: Matthew McConaughey , Skeet Ulrich , Ethan Hawke , Vincent D'Onofrio , and Gail Cronauer
Director: Richard Linklater
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Westerns | Genres | DVD | Video

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

ASIN: B000260QIS

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

What's not to like?.......2006-12-06

The Boring 20s.......2006-11-06

Great unwatched movie.......2006-02-20

This is one of those movies that it seems nobody ever heard of but if you haven't seen it yet, you've missed out.

supurb.......2006-02-05

EXCELLENT!!!.......2005-07-20

Average customer rating:

Sincere performances rescue a very weak script

Redeemer
Starring: Matthew Modine , Obba Babatundé , Michele Greene , John Topor , and Gouchy Boy
Director: Graeme Clifford
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

( R ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
ASIN: B000089Q9H

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

Sincere performances rescue a very weak script.......2005-10-29

DVD:

DVD

DVD