David Lynch's Inland Empire (Limited Edition Two-Disc Set)

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Though Inland Empire's three hours of befuddling abstraction could try the patience of the most devoted David Lynch fan, its aim to reinvigorate the Lynch-ian symbolic order is ambitious, not to mention visually arresting. The director's archetypes recognizable from previous movies once again construct the film's inherent logic, but with a new twist. Sets vibrate between the contemporary and a 1950s alternate universe crammed with dim lamps, long hallways, mysterious doors, sparsely furnished rooms and, this time, a vortex/apartment/sitcom set where rabbit-masked humans dwell, and a Polish town where women are abused and killed. Instead of speaking backwards, mystic soothsayers and criminals speak Polish. Filmed on video, the film's look has the sinister, frightening feel of a Mark Savage film or a bootlegged snuff movie. Constant close-ups, both in and out of focus, make Inland Empire feel as if a stalker covertly filmed it. A straightforward, hokey plot unravels during the first third of Inland Empire to ground the viewer before a dive off the deep end. Actor Nikki Grace (Laura Dern) is cast as Susan Blue, an adulterous white trash Southerner, in a film that mimics too closely her actual life with an overbearingly jealous and dangerous husband. When Nikki and co-star Devon (Justin Theroux) learn that the cursed film project was earlier abandoned when its stars were murdered, the pair lose their grasp of reality. Nikki suffers a schizophrenic identity switch to Sue that lasts until nearly the film's end. Suspense builds as Nikki's alter ego sleuths her way through surreal situations to discover her killer, culminating in Sue's gnarly death on set. Sue's actions drag on because any sign of a narrative thread disappears due to idiosyncratic editing. Non-sensical scenes still captivate, however, such as when Sue stumbles onto the soundstage where she finds Nikki (herself) rehearsing for Sue's part. In this meta-film about identity slippage, Dern's multiple characters remind one of how a victim can become the hunter in their fight for survival. Lynch's portrayal of Nikki/Sue's increasing paranoia is, in its own confusion, utterly realistic. Laura Dern has created her own Lady Macbeth, undone by her guilt over infidelity. Even though Inland Empire is too long and too random, Laura Dern's performance coupled with Lynch's video experiments make it magical. --Trinie Dalton

More Films from David Lynch

Wild At Heart
Mulholland Drive
Blue Velvet

Product Description

Laura Dern in a virtuoso performance plays an actress whose latest role sends her through a Lynchian looking glass of dark dreams and transformation

Customer Reviews:

Indeed.......2007-09-14

This film certainly won't please everyone. That said, I found it absolutely mesmerizing, from the first blurry, subtitled exchange to the whacked out dance party during the credits. I think INLAND EMPIRE is a display of David Lynch's creativity given completely free rein, and the result is a devastating portrait of fame and image, intimacy and isolation. Admittedly, it is also very abstract and its logic is twisted to the point of contradiction at times. Seeing it in the theater, I saw an amusingly high percentage of the audience get up and leave in apparent disgust over the course of the three-hour running time.

Beware the nay-sayers (and the fanboys, too), and judge this one for yourself. Even if you don't dig the overall presentation, the scene-by-scene writing is fantastic and entertaining, and Laura Dern's performance is worth three hours of your time on its own.

Another Great Lynch Movie.......2007-09-13

Up until about 2 years ago - I had never even heard of David Lynch. A co-worker told me about Eraserhead and after watching that movie, I was hooked. No matter what Lynch movie I watch, I know I am in for a twisted, brain warped, multi dementional adventure. The special features on this DVD are just as odd as the movie itself. Can't wait to see what he comes up w/next!

Bizarre.......2007-09-13

David Lynch has always had a flare for the bizarre, but this movie is over the top. For hard core David Lynch fans, this movie is a must - for others, it's not critical to have in your library.

No "There" There.......2007-09-13

I love David Lynch movies, and I'm a very patient movie watcher. I don't have to understand a film to enjoy it, and figured out long ago the best way to enjoy a David Lynch film-- savor the creepy atmosphere, dark humor, and great set pieces. Unfortunately with Inland Empire, this time around, there's just no "there" there. When I saw Inland Empire in a theater, I was ready to leave after an hour and a half but toughed it out to completion because I knew I would never make it that far again. Intellectualize it all you want, make all the excuses you need, work up a rationale that makes you feel better about it, but this is just three hours of David playing with a digital camera. Nothing interesting happens, there are very few if any of those great Lynchian moments to savor as in his other films, and the actors seem to be pretty much as baffled as we are as to their motivations and actions. Kudos to Laura Dern for giving it a great effort. Here's hoping the next film is less self-indulgent and more fulfilling. I'm giving it two stars only because I can't bear to give anything less to one of the greatest filmmakers of our time.

Lynch at his best. Bizarre and Beautiful.......2007-09-13

At three hours long, the wait is over. Lynch at his best. It was worth the wait. True lynch fans will enjoy this mind-bend. Watch it again and again and more is revealed. the soundtrack is great with lynch vocals on one of the tracks. Laura Dern and Cast give amazing performance's

Trust and Enjoy the ride.

Star Wars Trilogy (Widescreen Edition with Bonus Disc)

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One of the Best...Ever
Star fest
What can you say - Star Wars Trilogy is great
The "Not Quite So" Original Trilogy Finally Hits DVD
Star Wars Trilogy- Full Screen + Bonus Disc

Star Wars Trilogy (Widescreen Edition with Bonus Disc)
Starring: Carrie Fisher , Peter Mayhew , James Earl Jones , and Harrison Ford
Director: George Lucas
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00003CXCT
Release Date: 2004-09-21

Product Description

Episode IV A New Hope Eighteen years later, Luke Skywalker, a young farm boy on Tatooine, is thrust into the struggle of the Rebel Alliance when he meets Obi-Wan Kenobi, who has lived for years in seclusion on the desert planet. Obi-Wan begins Luke's Jedi training as Luke joins him on a daring mission to rescue the beautiful Rebel leader Princess Leia from the clutches of the evil Empire. Although Obi-Wan sacrifices himself in a lightsabre duel with Darth Vader, his former apprentice, Luke proves that the Force is with him by destroying the Empire's dreaded Death Star. Episode V The Empire Strikes Back Three years later Imperial forces continue to pursue the Rebels. After the Rebellion's defeat on the ice planet Hoth, Luke journeys to the planet Dagobah to train with Jedi Master Yoda, who has lived in hiding since the fall of the Republic. In an attempt to convert Luke to the dark side, Darth Vader lures young Skywalker into a trap in the Cloud City of Bespin. In the midst of a fierce lightsaber duel with the Sith Lord, Luke faces the startling revelation that the evil Vader is in fact his father, Anakin Skywalker. Episode VI Return of the Jedi In the epic conclusion of the saga, the Empire prepares to crush the Rebellion with a more powerful Death Star while the Rebel fleet mounts a massive attack on the space station. Luke Skywalker confronts his father Darth Vader in a final climactic duel before the evil Emperor. In the last second, Vader makes a momentous choice: he destroys the Emperor and saves his son. The Empire is finally defeated, the Sith are destroyed, and Anakin Skywalker is thus redeemed. At long last, freedom is restored to the galaxy.

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Running Time 387 Min.

Format: DVD MOVIE

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Was George Lucas's Star Wars Trilogy, the most anticipated DVD release ever, worth the wait? You bet. It's a must-have for any home theater, looking great, sounding great, and supplemented by generous bonus features.

The Movies

The Star Wars Trilogy had the rare distinction of becoming a cultural phenomenon, a defining event for its generation. On its surface, George Lucas's story is a rollicking and humorous space fantasy that owes debts to more influences than one can count on two hands, but filmgoers became entranced by its basic struggle of good vs. evil "a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away," its dazzling special effects, and a mythology of Jedi knights, the Force, and droids. Over the course of three films--A New Hope (1977), The Empire Strikes Back (1980), and Return of the Jedi (1983)--Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher), and the roguish Han Solo (Harrison Ford) join the Rebel alliance in a galactic war against the Empire, the menacing Darth Vader (David Prowse, voiced by James Earl Jones), and eventually the all-powerful Emperor (Ian McDiarmid). Empire is generally considered the best of the films and Jedi the most uneven, but all three are vastly superior to the more technologically impressive prequels that followed, Episode I, The Phantom Menace (1999) and Episode II, Attack of the Clones (2002).

How Are the Picture and Sound?

Thanks to a new digital transfer, you've never seen C-3PO glow so golden, and Darth Vader's helmet is as black as the Dark Side.

In a word, spectacular. Thanks to a new digital transfer, you've never seen C-3PO glow so golden, and Darth Vader's helmet is as black as the Dark Side. And at the climactic scene of A New Hope, see if the Dolby 5.1 EX sound doesn't knock you back in your chair. Other audio options are Dolby 2.0 Surround in English, Spanish, and French. (Sorry, DTS fans, but previous Star Wars DVDs didn't have DTS either.) There have been a few quibbles with the audio on A New Hope, however. A few seconds of Peter Cushing's dialogue ("Then name the system!") are distorted, and the music (but not the sound effects) is reversed in the rear channels. For example, in the final scene, the brass is in the front right channel but the back left channel (from the viewer's perspective), and the strings are in the left front and back right. The result feels like the instruments are crossing through the viewer.

What's Been Changed?
The rumors are true: Lucas made more changes to the films for their DVD debut. Hayden Christensen (Anakin Skywalker) has been added to a scene in Jedi, Ian McDiarmid (the Emperor) replaces Clive Revill with slightly revised lines in Empire, Temuera Morrison has rerecorded Boba Fett's minimal dialogue, and some other small details have been altered. Yes, these changes mean that the Star Wars films are no longer the ones you saw 20 years ago, but these brief changes hardly affect the films, and they do make sense in the overall continuity of the two trilogies. It's not like a digitized Ewan McGregor has replaced Alec Guiness's scenes, and the infamous changes made for the 1997 special-edition versions were much more intrusive (of course, those are in the DVD versions as well).

How Are the Bonus Features?

Toplining is Empire of Dreams: The Story of the Star Wars Trilogy, a 150-minute documentary incorporating not only the usual making-of nuts and bolts but also the political workings of the movie studios and the difficulties Lucas had getting his vision to the screen (for example, after resigning from the Directors' Guild, he lost his first choice for director of Jedi: Steven Spielberg). It's a little adulatory, but it has plenty to interest any fan. The three substantial featurettes are "The Characters of Star Wars" (19 min.), which discusses the development of the characters we all know and love, "The Birth of the Lightsaber" (15 min.), about the creation and evolution of a Jedi's ultimate weapon, and "The Force Is with Them: The Legacy of Star Wars" (15 min.), in which filmmakers such as Peter Jackson, Ridley Scott, and James Cameron talk about how they and the industry were affected by the films and Lucas's technological developments in visual effects, sound, and computer animation.

The bonus features are excellent and along the same lines as those created for The Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones. Each film has a commentary track, recorded by Lucas, Ben Burtt (sound design), Dennis Muren (visual effects), and Carrie Fisher, with Irvin Kershner joining in on the film he directed, The Empire Strikes Back. Recorded separately and skillfully edited together (with supertitles to identify who is speaking), the tracks lack the energy of group commentaries, but they're enjoyable and informative, with a nice mix of overall vision (Lucas), technical details (Burtt, Muren, Kershner), and actor's perspective (Fisher). Interestingly, they discuss some of the 1997 changes (Mos Eisley creatures, the new Jabba the Hutt scene) but not those made for the DVDs.

There's also a sampler of the Xbox game Star Wars: Battlefront, which lets the player reenact classic film scenarios (blast Ewoks in the battle of Endor!); trailers and TV spots from the films' many releases; and a nine-minute preview of the last film in the series, Episode III, Revenge of the Sith (here identified by an earlier working title, The Return of Darth Vader). Small extra touches include anamorphic widescreen motion menus with dialogue, original poster artwork on the discs, and a whopping 50 chapter stops for each film.

"The Force Is Strong with This One"
The Star Wars Trilogy is an outstanding DVD set that lives up to the anticipation. There will always be resentment that the original versions of the films are not available as well, but George Lucas maintains that these are the versions he always wanted to make. If fans are able to put this debate aside, they can enjoy the adventures of Luke, Leia, and Han for years to come. --David Horiuchi

Customer Reviews:

One of the Best...Ever.......2007-09-04

The Star Wars Trilogy is still one of the best trilogies ever made. Three of the best movies ever produced. Wonderful and took the world by storm in the late seventies. A cultural icon that propelled George Lucas into stardom.

The magic is still here 30 years later. I don't care if you don't like them or not, you owe it to yourself to watch these movies. I did and I loved them.

Each movie features a commentary track with a number of people. The Bonus Disc features a few documentaries and featurettes I suggest that all fans should view.

Highly recommended.

Star fest.......2007-09-02

Compelling space saga with charismatic heroes, comely heroine and superb, creepy villain. State of the art (at the time) special effects. The work of a master movie maker. Kudos!

What can you say - Star Wars Trilogy is great.......2007-08-29

What can you say - Star Wars Trilogy is great.

Sure the acting is subpower in all the Star Wars movies IMHO. But the story line is awesome.

The "Not Quite So" Original Trilogy Finally Hits DVD.......2007-08-16

It's hard to believe that it's been only 30 years since the original Star Wars (now known as Star Wars- Episode IV- A New Hope) was released, thus changing the movie industry as we know it. Sure, Jaws is considered the "original" summer blockbuster, but it was Star Wars which introduced the concept of a larger-than-life, over-the-top movie that wasn't based on a Biblical story, which would resonate with the public in a massive way. Indeed, Star Wars may have been indirectly responsible for the decision to revive Star Trek, as science fiction and fantasy suddenly became a viable commercial proposition. After letting the original trilogy languish on VHS and laserdisc for years, George Lucas finally relented, and released this DVD boxed set in 2004, which includes all 3 movies and a bonus disc. However, these aren't exactly the movies people might remember from long ago, which I'll get to in a bit.

If you're a newcomer to Star Wars, I'll try to cut to the chase about what made these movies special with the Reader's Digest version. A young filmmaker from California, having had some modest success with his coming-of-age nostalgia flick "American Graffiti", decided he wanted to make a movie based on the old "Flash Gordon" serials. Finding that the rights had already been taken by someone else, Lucas decided to instead make his own sci-fi/fantasy story, and forged a vast array of influences, including "The Lord of the Rings", Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa's feudal epics, 1930s serials (such as "Flash Gordon"), World War 2 movies, and much more, into what would become Star Wars. The creation of the original Star Wars was plagued by problems, including financial problems, a general lack of faith by some crew members, encroaching deadlines, hostile weather, and Lucas's own near-breakdown from the strain. Lucas's team had to literally invent new types of special effects in order to avoid a "Plan 9 From Outer Space"-type disaster. When the movie was finally released, cast members actually did a double take, as their experience during the filming never indicated that the result would be so incredibly dynamic. "The Empire Strikes Back" and "Return of the Jedi" both served to expand the scope of the Star Wars universe, and solidified the series as what Joseph Campbell would term "modern day myth".

"A New Hope" establishes the main characters and the primary struggles of the original trilogy, some of which already have been introduced to some degree by the subsequent prequel films. Droids R2D2 and C3PO escape a besieged ship carrying a rebel leader, Leia Organa, and end up on the desert planet of Tattooine, while Leia is captured by the Empire's sinister Darth Vader. When the droids are bought by Luke Skywalker's aunt and uncle, Luke finds that R2D2 is carrying the plans to the Empire's gigantic and deadly space station, the Death Star. Recruited by Obi-Wan (Ben) Kenobi, a former Jedi Knight and master of the mystical "Force", Luke and company engage the services of rogue space pilot Han Solo and his furry Wookie co-pilot Chewbacca to try to get to Alderaan. From there, the film builds up to a climactic battle over the Death Star as our heroes get into one sticky situation after another. There's a reason that this movie defined the "event movie" from that point on: off the cuff, natural delivery of dialogue, fantastic special effects, creation of a living imaginary world, and very effective, if archetyped, characters. In Lucas' latest tinkering for , he tries to half-way amend for the "Greedo shoots first" gaffe of the Special Edition version, by having both Han Solo and Greedo shoot at almost the same time. While this won't appease everyone, it's still enough to keep the scene from looking silly (as was the case with the Special Edition edit). The crude computer effects from the Special Edition are also touched up, resulting in Jabba appearing much less like a crude, mid '90s Playstation cutscene relic.

"The Empire Strikes Back" picks up months after the original film, with Vader, who survived, obsessed with finding Luke, who along with Leia, Han, and a contingent of Rebels, is hiding on the frozen world of Hoth. Luke, after surviving a near-death experience at the hands of a monster, is told by the spirit of Kenobi to seek the Jedi Master Yoda in order to master the Force. Unfortunately, Vader's massive fleet has located the Rebels, and launches an attack on Hoth. In the confusion, Han, Chewie, C3PO and Leia are chased by the Empire across space, while Luke trains under Yoda on the swamp world of Dagobah. Eventually, Luke confronts Vader in a dramatic duel, where he learns a terrible fact about their true relationship, while Han and Leia fall in love, but are tragically separated. "Empire" is cited by most fans as their favorite, perhaps in part due to not only the darker tone of the movie, but also due to the fact that it truly expanded the scope of the Star Wars universe. Most of the changes made in this movie are minor cosmetic changes, with the exception of the re-dubbing of bounty hunter Boba Fett's voice (by Temura Morrison, who played Jango Fett and the clones in the prequels), and a partial reshoot of Vader talking to the Emperor, with Ian McDiarmid being inserted in this scene with revised dialogue.

"Return of the Jedi" begins with an extended sequence detailing Luke and Leia's rescue of Han from Jabba on Tattooine. When all is said and done, our heroes emerge victorious, but find themselves facing a much bigger conflict. The Rebel Alliance has found that a new Death Star is being built, and that the Emperor himself is overseeing the construction. Luke and friends are tasked with destroying the protective shield generator on the forest world of Endor, but find themselves walking into a trap, while the Rebel fleet finds itself cornered by the Empire. In the end, Luke must confront Vader and the Emperor, and take on the role of the last Jedi. Of all the original trilogy movies, this one suffered the most from Lucas' tinkering, in the form of the horrid "Jedi Rocks" musical sequence. Incredibly, Lucas is apparently blind to how hated this "Muppet Show" sequence is, and has not altered it, or restored the original version of the scene. The other major controversy in this version is the removal of Sebastian Shaw from the final shot of the "Force ghosts" at the end, and the insertion of Hayden Christiansen, who played Anakin Skywalker in the prequels. This change is nowhere near as unforgiveable as keeping "Jedi Rocks", which came this close to making the movie unwatchable. While the film itself is the weakest of the three, with Harrison Ford sometimes pretty much phoning in his performance, "Jedi" still ends on a positive note, and wraps up the whole saga nicely, if a bit abruptly.

All changes aside, the video quality is pretty good, although you can sometimes see blatant matte effect squares around TIE fighters in "A New Hope". Lucasfilm was meticulous about removing dirt and age effects from the films as much as possible. In terms of extras, the bonus disc includes a number of short features, and a definitive Star Wars documentary titled "Empire of Dreams". The commentary tracks for the movies are entertaining and pretty informative, being certainly more dynamic and insightful than much of the commentary for the prequels. The audio is also pretty good, although the actual sound quality in "A New Hope" is markedly duller and more muffled than in any of the other Star Wars movies (either an unfortunate byproduct of the original masters degrading, or of the equipment used circa 1977). The simple truth is that, unless you are someone who dislikes any kind of speculative fiction/fantasy movies, you must have this in your collection. I should note that Lucasfilm re-released the Original Trilogy in 2006 in a collector's format, containing both the current versions and the "pre-Special Edition" versions of the movies. However, this is more costly, and the "original unaltered" versions of the movies were not properly cleaned up or adapted for the DVD format, so for the less hardcore fans, you'll be fine with the 2004 boxed set.

Star Wars Trilogy- Full Screen + Bonus Disc.......2007-08-10

Product arrived quickly and is in great condition! Our whole family loves it! Would order from this company again.

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"Out of Africa": The Movie, the Book, the Feminist
Wonderful movie
A classic!
The Best Movie Ever Made!!
Delight in "Out of Africa"

Out of Africa
Starring: Meryl Streep , Robert Redford , Klaus Maria Brandauer , Michael Kitchen , and Malick Bowens
Director: Sydney Pollack
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 0783240171
Release Date: 2000-02-29

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Sydney Pollack's 1985 multiple-Oscar winner is a sumptuous and emotionally satisfying film about the life of Danish writer Karen Blixen (Meryl Streep), better known as Isak Dinesen, who travels to Kenya to be with her German husband (Klaus Maria Brandauer) but falls for an English adventurer (Robert Redford). The film is slow in developing the relationship, but it is rich in beautiful images of Africa and in the romantic tone surrounding Blixen's gradual discovery of her life and voice. One downside: while we may all love Redford, he is as convincingly British as Kevin Costner is in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. --Tom Keogh

Description

The most acclaimed motion picture of 1985 stars Robert Redford and Meryl Streep in one of the screen's great epic romances. Directed by Oscar winner Sydney Pollack, Out of Africa is the fascinating true story of Karen Blixen, a strong-willed woman who, with her philandering husband (Klaus Maria Brandauer), runs a coffee plantation in Kenya, circa 1914. To her astonishment, she soon discovers herself falling in love with the land, its people and a mysterious white hunter (Redford). The masterfully crafted, breathtakingly produced story of love and loss earned Oscars for Best Picture, Director, Screenplay (based on material from another medium), Cinematography, Original Score, Art Direction (Set Decoration) and Sound.

Customer Reviews:

"Out of Africa": The Movie, the Book, the Feminist.......2007-09-11

The book, "Out of Africa," is a memoir of the Danish Baroness Karen Blixen's habitation near Nairobi in Kenya from 1914 to 1931 on a fertile 6000-acre coffee plantation, "at the foot of the Ngong Hills" (1992: 3). Blixen writes under the pen-name Isak Dinesen. Karen Blixen went to British East Africa (in a location in present-day, Kenya) to join her German husband (Baron Bror Blixen), and upon separation she stayed in Kenya to manage the farm by herself. The extent of her adventures in Africa, and to what extent she is a feminist is borne out by the book, as well as the film "Out of Africa," that is based on the book. This piece will examine such, as well as comparisons between the book and the film.

Isak Dinesen (Karen Blixen) presents geographical detail, oftentimes comparisons and contrasts within this fertile land of the Kikuyu people that would several decades later be the crux of the Mau-Mau rebellion over whites' displacement and dispossession of natives from their land. Dinesen also compares features with those of her native Europe. Dinesen writes of the equatorial habitat, "Everything that you saw made for greatness and freedom, and unequaled nobility...Up in this high air you breathed easily, drawing in a vital assurance and lightness of heart: Here I am where I ought to be" (1992: 4). Dinesen writes of "heavy-scented lilies," of "long-rains," "ever-changing clouds," of "hills from the farm [that} changed their character many times in the course of the day, and sometimes looked quite close and at times very far away" (1992: 4). Dinesen, in precise and elegant language displays love and fascination for the geography, the clean air, the animals, the beauty of this African environment; she becomes possessed by the place.The movie captures the large, picturesque, mysterious, and varied eastern equatorial Africa where the eland, the buffalo, and the rhino are quite common sights; the movie impressively and unanimously earned, Oscar, "Best Picture of the Year."

In the end Dinesen is forced to give up her plantation, this scenario elicits a heartache and sadness. Dinesen's memoirs, years after she had left Africa could be a reflection of her nostalgic dealing with her loss of the farm as well as overall experiences in Africa. Dinesen stands out as a courageous and strong woman, one who is in the feminist direction. She lost her philandering husband, but stayed on bravely, for nearly 20 years in a foreign harsh environment, one with languages and cultures far-fetched from her own. Dinesen worked well at being appreciative of an environment that was new to her, during an era of colonialism in Africa, a time when Darwinian relegation of black Africans to the lowest of human species and elevation of whites to the upper rung was very strong. Dinesen cuts through the female traditional roles, she tries flying in planes, the goes on safari, she learns how to shoot and even shoots and kills game. She is open and welcomes countless visitors from all over the world to her home and farm. This was an age of exploration and acquisition of "Dark Africa," by Europeans and Asians. Dinesen is quite aware of her feminine strength. She rescues and adopts a wounded antelope she names Lulu; Lulu becomes a celebrity on the farm; Dinesen searches, discovers and celebrates the feminist strength in Lulu: "But Lulu was not really gentle, she had the so-called devil in her. She had, to the highest degree, the feminine trait of appearing to be exclusively on the defensive, concentrating on guarding the integrity of her being, when she was really, with the force in her, bent upon and defensive" (1992: 74). Also, "Lulu of the woods was a superior, independent being...she was in possession. If I had happened to have known a young princess in exile, and while she was still a pretender to the throne, and had met her again in her full queenly estate after she had come into her rights, our meeting would have had the same character" (1992: 78).

The book displays that Karen Blixen exemplified the Europeans with the upper hand in colonial world conquest and politics. It is to be recalled that the three weapons used by Europeans to subjugate Africans were the gun, the Bible, and the anthropologist. Karen used guns to protect herself. Catholic (mostly Belgian and French), Protestant (mostly British), and Muslim (mostly Arabic) agencies vied for power in Africa. The Germans were in present-day neighboring Tanzania (German East Africa) to the south. They would be ousted during this significant, "Scramble for Africa." The book illustrates how Karen Blixen took great interest in which religious group the young natives (some of whom served her) adhered to. Many native followers, taught to kneel and pray to an invisible white Almighty god, became converted to the political/ religious groups, as they became dispossessed of their land resources. The anthropology aspect, as mentioned, involved relegation of black Africans to the lowest rungs of evolutionary mankind...the white was relegated as the superior, the master, the savior, the benevolent, the genius. The movie is great at casting Meryl Streep as the beautiful, rosy-cheeked clean, statuesque woman amidst muddy, black African paradise! The real Karen Blixen likely had more rugged looks and likely often got "down-and-dirty," than is depicted in the movie. An equatorial Africa of long and heavy rainy seasons, of continuous tropical sun, and of limited running water would not leave the Danish heroine so clean and collected.

It is to be recalled that Dinesen is writing from an overly European point of view, hence, negative criticism of her will not be short. Her attitude to black Africans is racist and condescending. In the movie, Denys Finch-Hatton (Robert Redford) rebukes her for instructing native porters to get off her belongings by "shooing," them off!. Finch-Hatton, in shock, remarks to her, "Shoo?" as if telling her, "I do not believe you addressed these people that way!" Finch-Hatton (who became Dinesen's lover) knows the native languages (Kiswahili and Kikuyu), and goes on to communicate her instructions to the porters. Black Africans are prevalently depicted in the movie as poverty-stricken servants, laborers and porters, as helpless people close to animal nature. In tune with the movie, here Dinesen writes, "They were poor people, small and underfed; they looked like a pair of badgers on my lawn...I could hardly distinguish them against the grass. They were sank in deep grief; their bereavement and their economic loss melted into one overwhelming distress" (1992: 108). Dinesen is surprised that the, "Natives," are strikingly open, adapting, welcoming and unprejudiced. Yet, as prevalent in the colonial fashion, she does not attribute this to the inner traditions and workings of indigenous African society, but from influence from foreigners including slavers! "The lack of prejudice in the Natives is a striking thing, for you expect to find dark taboos in the primitive people. It is due...to their acquaintance with a variety of races and tribes, and to the lively human intercourse that was brought upon East Africa, first by the old traders of ivory and slaves...and...by the settlers and big-game hunters" (1992: 54).

Dinesen wishes the natives would understand and appreciate her more. It is always presumptuous to be confident of having fully understood a foreign culture and people; she does not seem to believe she is prejudiced and why the natives to a good extent regard her as a foreigner far different from them, and difficult to comprehend. She writes, "If I know a song of Africa,---I thought,---of the Giraffe, and the African new moon lying on her back, of the ploughs in the field, and the sweaty faces of the coffee pickers, does Africa know a song of me?" (1992: 83). At the same time, Dinesen quite often acknowledges that newcomers from Africa are from a noisy and rushed world, they do not have the patience and connectedness of native Africans. European colonialists imposed on the natives an alien system of forced dispossession and displacement and of monopoly. So much of this colonial intrusion was quite new to the prevalently communalist and family-oriented, egalitarian way of native African subsistence.

Karen Blixen's marriage starts out as more of a convenience than of romance. She left Denmark to marry the German Baron Bror Blixen (Klaus Maria Brandauer) and start a dairy in Kenya. Bror is actually the brother of her lover. Karen is offering her fortune for companionship and adventure (and for the title of, "Baroness") much more than for enjoying the security of a man. So, from the outset, Karen's feminist inclinations are strong. The husband changes his mind about the diary, and instead invests her money in a risky venture of growing coffee. The husband is unfaithful, philandering, gives her syphilis that will disable her from having children; the marriage breaks up. Karen is left to manage the farm, she has to battle with floods and fire. Hardly anything of British big game hunter Denys Finch-Hatton's romance with Dinesen (Karen Blixen), is mentioned in the book; the movie likely borrows from other sources depicting the life of Karen Blixen. Unfortunately the English accent of Denys Finch-Hatton is not conveyed by Redford, compared to Karen's excellent outflow of a Scandinavian accent. Yet, the movie depicts their chemistry, Denys is impressed by her strength and independence, Karen's ability to tell and weave stories, they kiss, and in one scene have sex. Karen does seem to desire long-term companionship and commitment from Denys, desire for a man who will sacrifice to be with her. She stands against having a man like Denys who wants to be "free-wheeling," one who will come and go depending on need and desire, he loves the African outdoors. Finch-Hatton is mysterious, elusive and emotionally distant, but he is miscast in that in the movie: he seems to represent an all-American jock that waywardly found his way into Africa. Karen was wounded before, and this encounter with Denys is only a brief moment of ecstasy, but she bravely soldiers on, appreciating more of what is around her. Karen is indeed confident, stoic and creative in face of the odds. She did resist going on safari with Denys, but she eventually succumbed to his quite undeniable invitation. Eventually, they got closer, she broadened her horizons, she better adapted to and better accepted foreigners and their ways.

In conclusion, the movie emphasizes the romantic issues and episodes in Karen Blixen's life in Africa (romance and sex sells in Hollywood), much more than the book does. The book seems to be constructed from a breadth of notes of what Blixen put together while in Africa, and weaved them into a good fairy tale. The truth is that Blixen dealt with aspects like fluctuating coffee prices, sometimes drought and heavy rains, discontented dispossessed natives, scrambles for Africa amongst several European agencies, African diseases and sometimes unsanitary conditions, wildlife from untamed neighborhoods. The movie does display the exquisite beauty of tropical Africa which Blixen did dwell on, but not on the colonial wranglings. There is lyrical beauty in Blixen's writing, and the movie does elicit an African peaceful mood through the excellent music. Blixen, in both the movie and the book is a strong and opinionated woman, yet flexible and open to ideas, people, and adventure. She is a significant precursor of modern-day feminism.

Wonderful movie.......2007-09-04

I didn't see this movie when it came out in 1985 - but I wish I had !
Fantastic scenery (shot in Kenya) and a terrific performance by Streep, Brandauer and Michael Kitchens.
This was based on a true story about author Isak Dinesen (not certain about that spelling; her pen name was Karen Blixen. Or maybe its the other way around).
It helps to know a bit about the story beforehand; and also something about colonial Africa. Otherwise it may not hold your interest (especially younger adults).
Biggest drawback is Redford's character Denis Finch-Hatton. Finch-Hatton was and Englishman but Redford makes no attempt at a British accent. Redford has the right rugged good looks but the accent messes up the character.
I highly recommend this film.

A classic!.......2007-08-28

One of the all-time best movies!...gorgeous sound track, gorgeous scenery..beautiful story beautifully narrated..top cast. I own it and view it repeatedly.

The Best Movie Ever Made!!.......2007-07-30

So Often when I ask people if they've seen this movie, they say no. I'm shocked at that, as it is, for sure, the best movie ever made. In its day it won 7 Academy Awards! First of all the acting, the scenery, and music are superb. But the story, based on the true adventures of an amazing lady will touch you forever. For Ladies, if you've ever been a woman seeking idealistic love or a woman trying to being successful in your professional efforts, you will relate to Karen, her life, her joys and her frustrations. For men, you will relate to that need men have to keep their safe distance from matters of the heart and to go out and be adventurers. Also, it may help you understand the complexities of women. I warn you both though, this movie will give you a yearning to visit Africa. I recommend you watch the director comments and especially the music comments, then go back and watch it again and again. I recently had the pleasure of meeting director Sydney Pollack and told him i've seen it about 22 times, he told me that was a record!

Delight in "Out of Africa".......2007-07-23

I wanted to update my movie collection by buying a DVD to replace my VHS tape of "Out of Africa." The quality is much better and nicer to watch. In addition, there are "extra features" on the DVD that were added and are interesting to see. For example, Meryl Streep talks about making the movie. Fascinating stuff. What an elegant movie with gorgeous photography and an amazing story of interesting people living in interesting times.

Average customer rating:

Underrated
Excellent movie - great on Blu-ray
Give it a chance you just might like it
King Arthur
King Arthur comes to Life!!

King Arthur (Director's Cut) [Blu-ray]
Starring: Clive Owen , Stellan Skarsgård , Ken Stott , Til Schweiger , and Ray Stevenson
Director: Antoine Fuqua
Manufacturer: Buena Vista Home Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: Blu-ray

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ASIN: B000MQ58WC
Release Date: 2007-04-03

Description

From the producer of PEARL HARBOR and the director of TRAINING DAY, the Extended Director's Cut of KING ARTHUR explodes onto Blu-ray Disc® in a blaze of hard-hitting action and glory not seen in theaters. Prepare for unsurpassed thrills as history's greatest legend roars to life in this astonishing new format. Now the adventure is longer, grittier and more explicit in this valiant tale of Arthur (Clive Owen), Guinevere (Keira Knightley), Lancelot (Ioan Gruffudd), and the Knights Of The Roundtable. Behold the pageantry and power of every fierce battle in spectacular 1080p, while swords clash and fortresses are pounded in thunderous 5.1 48 kHz, 24-bit uncompressed audio. Catapult your entertainment experience into another realm with Blu-ray™ High Definition!

Customer Reviews:

Underrated.......2007-08-18

This movie was underrated and underseen. A fantastic movie and a very original adaptation of the famed tale of King Arthur.

King Arthur, played by Clive Owen, is charged by the Papal leadership of the Roman Empire to guard Hadrian's Wall. The Saxons are moving toward the Wall. The Saxons are a Huns-like army of barbarians that destroy, pillage and rape what they conquer. The Pope has orders to withdraw from what is present day known as the United Kingdom, without a care for the natives of the area. King Arthur is the pillar of virtue between the proverbial rock and a hard place. On one side is the corrupt, "civilized" papal states of Rome. On the other side is the uncivilized barbaric Saxons. Will King Arthur follow his orders and clear the area leaving the natives unprotected? Or will he stay and fight?

All the normal players of the famed legend is present. The knights of the round table (gallahad, tristan, lancelot, et.al), Gwynevere(grittily played by the ever-beautiful Keira Knightley), Merlin. But whereas previous version of the story takes a more fantastical approach. This movie takes a more historic approach. Let's say the movie isn't just a myth but actually a true story. This is the approach the creators took. The fantasy is gone. And this approach works GREAT.

Like his brother's(Ridley Scott) Kingdom of Heaven, Tony Scott depicts a corrupt Papal nation. Where benevolence is not the states' motive, but rather greed is. And less like Tony Scott's older works(Top Gun & Days of Thunder), but more like his more recent works(Deja Vu), King Arthur is gritty and filmed with a lot of atmospheric effects. Maybe he's learned the use of fog and weather to set the mood from his older brother (think Blade Runner, Alien, and Black Rain). And I'm glad he learned it. You can feel the dank, dreariness of the region.

Like his brother's Kingdom of Heaven, King Arthur has a very cynical view of the Papal Leadership. The Pope, although not present in the movie, leading the Roman Empire at this point, is driven by greed rather than benevolence. The bishop, sent as an emissary by the pope, is depicted as cold and heartless. The Scotts quite obviously have a distrust of the Catholic Establishment. If you are Catholic, don't be offended. If you have studied the Papal States and the Catholic establishment, you know that the Papal States, the vatican and the Catholic establishment haven't always been motivated by virtue, but often times by greed.

The HD translation is good, not great. The problem I have with current HD/Bluray movies is that the movies obviously weren't filmed in high definition. Sure you can see every pore on Clive Owen's face,. But think of when you put your TV setting on 100% sharpness. You get a grainy image with a lot of picture noise. This translation is definitely better than regular DVD, but I can't wait for the day when Hollywood actually films the movies using HD cameras.

This movie is FANTASTIC. If you haven't seen it, SEE IT. If you don't own any version of it, GET IT. IF you own the DVD already? eh...don't bother with this bluray version. You have a good enough copy. But if you LOVE this movie as much as I do, then get the Bluray even if you already own a copy of the DVD.

Excellent movie - great on Blu-ray.......2007-08-06

I really enjoyed this movie. I like it so much, I think I've viewed it 3 times. The picture quality on Blu-ray is excellent! It has a good story, good acting, and lots of great action scenes.

Give it a chance you just might like it.......2007-06-27

If you like movies produced by Jerry Bruckhiemer you should enjoy this movie. I found it a very entertaining telling of King Arthur and his knights. There are no shockers just a good blockbuster. Clive Owen does a good job as do the other Knights in the movie. In fact the other knights make the movie more enjoyable and don't forget about Keira Knightley in 1080p!
The movie looks great on blu-ray some scenes are a little soft but if you watch the sd-dvd you will see the same thing. The sound was good, though I can only comment on the DD 5.1. I am sure the uncompressed track is even better.
Don't go nuts picking it apart just pop some popcorn and enjoy, thats the point of movies after all.

King Arthur.......2007-06-24

Nice movie. Not one of the best out there but I definitely did enjoy this. A somewhat more realistic view to the tale of King Arthur and his legend. It's predictable but the actor / actress were entertaining. Nice picture and sound on a plasma TV.

King Arthur comes to Life!!.......2007-05-13

The Director's Cut of King Arthur on Blu-Ray disc has needle sharp video and a bursting soundtrack. The image is a bit on the dark side but this renders a superb color saturation througout the film. A real exciting story about my favorite legend, to be enjoyed even more in 1080p.
King Arthur - Extended Director's Cut [Blu-ray]

Average customer rating:

Don't Waste Your Money
Great Movie - But Very Sad
Top Ten
one of the best movies ever made
Gladiator - Widescreen Edition review

Gladiator (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Russell Crowe , Joaquin Phoenix , Connie Nielsen , Oliver Reed , and Richard Harris
Director: Ridley Scott
Manufacturer: Dreamworks Video
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00009ZYBY
Release Date: 2003-08-19

Amazon.com essential video

A big-budget summer epic with money to burn and a scale worthy of its golden Hollywood predecessors, Ridley Scott's Gladiator is a rousing, grisly, action-packed epic that takes moviemaking back to the Roman Empire via computer-generated visual effects. While not as fluid as the computer work done for, say, Titanic, it's an impressive achievement that will leave you marveling at the glory that was Rome, when you're not marveling at the glory that is Russell Crowe. Starring as the heroic general Maximus, Crowe firmly cements his star status both in terms of screen presence and acting chops, carrying the film on his decidedly non-computer-generated shoulders as he goes from brave general to wounded fugitive to stoic slave to gladiator hero. Gladiator's plot is a whirlwind of faux-Shakespearean machinations of death, betrayal, power plays, and secret identities (with lots of faux-Shakespearean dialogue ladled on to keep the proceedings appropriately "classical"), but it's all briskly shot, edited, and paced with a contemporary sensibility. Even the action scenes, somewhat muted but graphic in terms of implied violence and liberal bloodletting, are shot with a veracity that brings to mind--believe it or not--Saving Private Ryan, even if everyone is wearing a toga. As Crowe's nemesis, the evil emperor Commodus, Joaquin Phoenix chews scenery with authority, whether he's damning Maximus's popularity with the Roman mobs or lusting after his sister Lucilla (beautiful but distant Connie Nielsen); Oliver Reed, in his last role, hits the perfect notes of camp and gravitas as the slave owner who rescues Maximus from death and turns him into a coliseum star. Director Scott's visual flair is abundantly in evidence, with breathtaking shots and beautiful (albeit digital) landscapes, but it's Crowe's star power that will keep you in thrall--he's a true gladiator, worthy of his legendary status. Hail the conquering hero! --Mark Englehart

Customer Reviews:

Don't Waste Your Money.......2007-09-10

In one scene early in the movie, General Maximus (Russell Crowe) is a prisoner who is about to be executed. He is kneeling, with his hands securely bound. His executioner stands behind him with his sword-point on his neck, about to sever his spine. The next instant Crowe is on his feet, sword in-hand and with both hands free. What utter nonsense!!! The only reality in Hollywood today is that today's movies have none. This movie, like most today, is annoyingly unrealistic. How can one possibly be "entertained" by such mindless garbage?

In another scene, the Emperor (Joaquin Phoenix) tells Maximus that before his soldiers murdered his wife they raped her repeatedly, and she begged them for more. Today's Hollywood loves to wallow in such filth! I do not, and I sincerely hope you don't either.

In short, this movie insulted my intelligence and assaulted my conscience, which is why I am giving it one star. Frankly, much of it doesn't deserve that.

BTW, I fully expect the negative responses to this review to outnumber positive responses seven to one, which is yet another indication of the serious trouble our culture, and our country, are in today.

Great Movie - But Very Sad.......2007-08-28

Though this is an OUTSTANDING movie it is a tragedy; and will leave you with that tragic feeling. You definitely root for Russell Crowe's character and you want to know what happens to him; which keeps you glued to the story. There are "highs" in the movie. You really want Russell to succeed and be redeemed. There is "Justice". I give it 4 stars even though its a five star movie because it leaves you with that down feeling.

Top Ten.......2007-08-26

One of my favorite movies. Russel Crowe is General Maximus. He battles emperor Commodus in this epic movie. Roman is fascinating and this movie takes you back to its history of internal conflict even though Maximus is a fictional character.

Corey Cotta, Author of All of Yesterdays Tomorrows.

one of the best movies ever made.......2007-08-23

i think this movie is diffeniately of epic porportions and is the epitome of great movie making with a colidoscope of emotions. great movie!!

Gladiator - Widescreen Edition review.......2007-08-14

Ridley Scott did an amazing job here, with an equally amazing effort from cast members Russell Crowe and Joaquin Phoenix. If you do not know what it is about maybe you are living under a rock, this was the movie of the year when it was released. Gladiator is a phenomenal film that portrays the Gladiators in all their guts and glory. Within the walls of the coliseum, the final scene plays out with superb, hard-hitting drama. This movie is not just about fighting it has other aspects to enjoy. There is family and loyalty, and also a love interest within the story. Epic, Surreal and Amazing eye candy for any viewer, this film is a modern day classic! Considering how many movies cannot be in that category for judgment to begin with, that is saying something in this day and age.

Gandhi (Widescreen Two-Disc Special Edition)

Average customer rating:

a majestic masterpiece.........
A treasure to own
Beautiful Film
Watched this when
Gandhi

Gandhi (Widescreen Two-Disc Special Edition)
Starring: Ben Kingsley , Candice Bergen , Edward Fox , John Gielgud , and Trevor Howard
Director: Richard Attenborough
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000KX0IOA
Release Date: 2007-02-20

Amazon.com

Sir Richard Attenborough's 1982 multiple-Oscar winner (including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor for Ben Kingsley) is an engrossing, reverential look at the life of Mohandas K. Gandhi, who introduced the doctrine of nonviolent resistance to the colonized people of India and who ultimately gained the nation its independence. Kingsley is magnificent as Gandhi as he changes over the course of the three-hour film from an insignificant lawyer to an international leader and symbol. Strong on history (the historic division between India and Pakistan, still a huge problem today, can be seen in its formative stages here) as well as character and ideas, this is a fine film. --Tom Keogh

Stills from Gandhi (click for larger image)

Beyond Gandhi on Amazon.com

Other Oscar Winners at Oscar Central
More Biographies on DVD
The Films of Ben Kingsley

Description

A critical masterpiece, GANDHI is an intriguing story about activism, politics, religious tolerance and freedom. But at the center of it all is an extraor- dinary man who fought for a nonviolent, peaceful existence, and set an entire nation free. Winner of 8 Academy Awards® including Best Picture, Best Director (Lord Richard Attenborough) and Best Actor (Sir Ben Kingsley), GANDHI's highly acclaimed cast also includes Candice Bergen, Edward Fox, Sir John Gielgud, Roshan Seth and Martin Sheen.

The extras include more than 90 minutes of new material, including interviews with director Lord Richard Attenborough; actors Geraldine James, Saeed Jaffrey, and Edward Fox; Diana Hawkins (Director of Publicity), Terry Clegg (Executive in charge of production), Billy Williams (Cinematographer) and Stuart Craig (Production Designer). The DVD includes a Director's commentary with Attenborough, who also filmed a personal introduction to the film. The featurettes include In Search of Gandhi, Reflections on Ben, Madeleine Slade: An Englishwoman Abroad, The Funeral, Shooting an Epic In India, Looking Back, Designing Gandhi (3 mini featurettes) and From the Director's Chair (2 mini featurettes).

Customer Reviews:

a majestic masterpiece................2007-09-09

GANDHI is nothing short of a beautiful work of cinematic art. Director Lord Richard Attenborough beautifully recounts the life of the late, great Mahatma Ghandi. His journey as an aspiring young lawyer in South Africa is forever changed when he is thrown off of a train for being a "kaffir" (a pejorative term for dark-complected South Africans). It was then that he realized just how biased the laws were against Indians, and, thus, began his life long dedication to non-violent protest as well as working as a proponent of the campaign to emancipate India from the oppressive British rule.

Ben Kingsley beautifully portrays the title character and won a well-deserved Academy Award for his performance. The cinematography is gorgeous, the supporting cast works great together as an ensemble, and the production truly honors Gandhi and his message. This film is one of the most important historically-based biographical films out there. See this today.

A treasure to own.......2007-08-26

I was born many decades after the Mahatma's passing, and was privileged to see this picture when it premiered in our town in India. I bought the DVD so my children could learn of the man who played a central role in setting India free.

It is in some sense, entirely befitting that the movie was made by a Britisher, and an actor of British/Indian origin in the lead role. Other reviwers have complained of a bias -- I see none, except perhaps a bias towards the deification of Gandhi. I would have liked to see more of the human side of the Mahatma in the movie.

The DVD has been beautifully mastered, and plays very well on an HDTV. It definitely has a place in the library of anyone else interested in the impact of Gandhi's principles on history.

Beautiful Film.......2007-08-24

The film opens with Gandhi's assassination. The next scene, his funeral, is one of the greatest scenes in cinematic history. Attenborough managed to recreate Gandhi's funeral on January 31st, 1981, the 33rd anniversary of the actual funeral. It is estimated that nearly 400,000 people were on hand to be a part of the filming the recreation. This film was made before CGI, so the funeral scene is probably the last live action crowd of that magnitude that will ever be filmed.

Chronicling the rich, unforgettable life of a one Mohandas K. "Mahatma" Gandhi - played to shocking perfection by the wonderful Sir Ben Kingsley -this is a film that I can say really, deeply affected me with its power, its scale, and of course, its timeless message of love and non-violence. As a matter of fact, ever since I first saw the film, and became much more aware of the back story, I can also say that Gandhi is now one of my biggest role models in life. I cannot fully express how much this great man's way of thinking - his words, his struggles, his accomplishments - has affected my own.

Ben Kingsley played Gandhi. He was the perfect for the role. He resembled the real Gandhi. He was young enough to portray Gandhi as a young man. He is a British actor that nailed the British influenced Indian accent. He is a wonderful actor that was patient and humble with such an important part. And he was a relatively unknown actor at the time, so the "big-time actor" persona did not get in the way of viewing the film.

No other film biography I ever have seen works so well. It will stand the test of time and inform multiple generations.

Watched this when .......2007-08-14

I was younger and was bored out of my mind. Watched it this evening and was enthralled. A very good film about Gandhi. Excellent movie showing the truth about his life and struggle to bring independence to India and freedom to humans.

Gandhi.......2007-07-06

The multiple-Oscar-winning "Gandhi" explores the life and principles of an extraordinary man who became an enduring example of holiness, humility, and humane resistance. Ben Kingsley inhabits his role with saintly authority, brilliantly conveying Gandhi's charisma and unwavering courage, while Candice Bergen (as photographer Margaret Bourke-White) and John Gielgud (as Lord Irwin) also shine in their respective roles. Melodramatic epic sequences--especially the Salt March and massacre scenes, which required Attenborough to direct 300,000 extras--are handled with graceful verisimilitude. A deeply moving, masterful epic.

Average customer rating:

"Every family has its ups and downs"
Envy all who get to watch it for the first time...
The Royal Dysfunctional Family and the Height of Entertainment
Katharine Hepburn and Peter O'Toole sizzle in this fiery production.....
Greatest Acting Ensemble

The Lion in Winter
Starring: Peter O'Toole , Katharine Hepburn , Anthony Hopkins , John Castle (II) , and Nigel Terry
Director: Anthony Harvey (II)
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B000056HEA
Release Date: 2001-06-19

Amazon.com

In this 12th-century version of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Henry II of England (Peter O'Toole) and his wife, Eleanor of Aquitaine (Katharine Hepburn), meet on Christmas Eve to discuss the future of the throne. These two are having slight marital problems, as she is kept in captivity most of the year for raising a rebellion against him, and he flaunts his young mistress. Then there are the problems raised by their three treacherous and traitorous sons.

James Goldman won an Oscar® for the brilliant screenplay, based on his Broadway play. It is a tad wordy, as the action is kept to a minimum, but those words are sharp as daggers. The humor is wicked and black and delivered with very dry, dead-on precision. Sparks fly and the screen sizzles whenever Hepburn and O'Toole tango, which is often. Both were nominated for Academy Awards® for their vigorous performances. (She won; he didn't.) There's also an infamous homo-erotic exchange between Philip of France (Timothy Dalton) and Richard the Lionhearted (Anthony Hopkins). Both actors were making their feature-film debuts. --Rochelle O'Gorman

Description

Katharine Hepburn delivers an amazing (Variety), OscarÂ(r)-winning* performance 'that must be seen to be believed (Boxoffice) in this dazzling (Los Angeles Times) all-star film that is not to be missed. Behind the great stone walls of an English castle, the world's most powerful empire is in crisis. Three sons struggle to win their father's favoras well as his crown. King Henry II (Peter O'toole) and his queen, Eleanor (Katharine Hepburn), engage ina battle of royal wits that pits elder son Richard (Anthony Hopkins) against his brothers, while the cunning King Philip of France (Timothy Dalton) takes advantage of the internal fracturing in his bid to destroy their kingdom. *1968: Actress

Customer Reviews:

"Every family has its ups and downs".......2007-09-09

This is one of the witty lines Katherine Hepburn delivers, as she's lying on the ground after one of the many long, dragged out battles with someone...can't remember who. They all hated each other so after a while I lost track.

I thoroughly applaud the brilliant acting, the smart script, great photography and even some lovely music. However, watching and listening to three hours of family members scheming and screaming just made me tired. Maybe it was only two hours but it seemed like much much longer. Tacking a "happy ending" on after all the psychic bloodshed was really ridiculous.

If this is your cup o' tea, then enjoy! Frankly,I can think of much better uses for this great cast.

Envy all who get to watch it for the first time..........2007-08-30

The Lion in Winter is one of those movies where points of plot and dialogue make you swing your head wildly to the person next to you in compulsive `did you see/hear that', `wasn't that great?' glee. Out of consideration, may want to watch it alone.

And it deserves ceremony. I tell friends to play it on a stormy night, get under the blanket, have some hearty soup with some suitably chunky, unrefined bread... and enjoy.

At one point O'Toole, torn between loyalty and selfishness throws his arms out in surrender to the night and says "the sky is pocked with stars". Rewind, play again, swing head wildly.

The Royal Dysfunctional Family and the Height of Entertainment.......2007-08-22

This is an unbelievably well acted movie with Katharine Hepburn and Peter O'Toole, whose characters are Eleanor of Aquitaine and Henry II, King of England. Included in this cast is Anthony Hopkins as an uncrowned Richard the Lion-Heart, and Timothy Dalton as King Philip II of France, and Nigel Terry as the ambitious but foolish Prince John. With the addition of the Geoffrey Duke of Brittany played by John Castle the group set themselves against one another seeking to manipulate and use whatever political means available to secure the throne of England when Henry II, finally falls. Each character is antagonistic towards the other and will stop at nothing at receiving the coveted prize.

Their hatred for one another is expressed in their endless plotting and continuous insulting of one another through witty sarcasm, and venomous spewing. The dialogue is truly what makes this drama entertaining, coupled with the each character's attempt to dominate the other through secrecy and political intrigue. In their desire for blood, the pain of each character emerges through their acknowledgement of such, which has fueled the hatred which has embittered their lives. The cast truly engages with one another which truly engages us. It is both a riveting story and an interesting piece of historical fiction.

Note: The Lion in Winter has inspired many to discover more about Eleanor of Aquitaine (myself included). She was a woman who was a legend in her own time so much so that history has always referenced her to being of homeland, Aquitaine, rather than the Queen of England or France, both of which were titles she possessed in her lifetime.

Katharine Hepburn and Peter O'Toole sizzle in this fiery production............2007-08-22

THE LION IN WINTER succeeds on so many levels as a wonderful example of historically-inspired filmmaking, at its best. For starters, the casting is impeccable, with Katharine Hepburn as Eleanor of Aquitane and Peter O'Toole as Henry the II. The estranged couple only reunites during one fateful Christmas season, where the two must decide how to divide the inheritance amongst their sons. Their scheming eldest child, Richard the Lionhearted (Anthony Hopkins), is devious, duplicitous and deceitful and butts heads with Philip of France (Timothy Dalton) whose goal is to ultimately destroy the kingdom and take everything for himself. Secondly, this gives you a taste of English history and insight into how turbulent the monarchy has ALWAYS been. Eons before Prince Charles and Princess Diana, there was Queen Eleanor and King Henry. The lively scenes are brilliantly directed and Katharine Hepburn won a well-deserved Academy Award for Best Actress in this wonderful film. Don't miss out on this one.

Greatest Acting Ensemble.......2007-08-07

This is the greatest collective display of acting since Lumet's "Long Day's Journey Into Night" and it's no accident that Hepburn leads it again. With crackling dialogue and moody photography, this film sets a standard in play adaptation that has never been surpassed. O'Toole proves that he is a legend, and, in his film debut, Hopkins proves himself ready to be his equal. But, it is Hepburn who sets new standards: her 'mirror' scene is one of the greatest examples of internal life ever caught on film. Everyone who loves quality drama should have this disc.

Chariots of Fire (Two-Disc Special Edition)

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Inspiring Story of Commitment, Faith and Glory
Chariots of Fire
Courageous men
Chariots of Fire
Fantastic!

Chariots of Fire (Two-Disc Special Edition)
Starring: Nicholas Farrell , Nigel Havers , Ian Charleson , Ben Cross , and Daniel Gerroll
Director: Hugh Hudson
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0006HBLUA
Release Date: 2005-02-01

Amazon.com essential video

The come-from-behind winner of the 1981 Oscar for best picture, Chariots of Fire either strikes you as either a cold exercise in mechanical manipulation or as a tale of true determination and inspiration. The heroes are an unlikely pair of young athletes who ran for Great Britain in the 1924 Paris Olympics: devout Protestant Eric Liddell (Ian Charleson), a divinity student whose running makes him feel closer to God, and Jewish Harold Abrahams (Ben Cross), a highly competitive Cambridge student who has to