Girl, Interrupted

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Based on Susanna Kaysen's acclaimed journal-memoir, Girl, Interrupted bears inevitable resemblance to One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, and pale comparison to that earlier classic is impossible to avoid. The mental institution settings of both films guarantee a certain degree of déjà vu and at least one Oscar winner (in this case, Angelina Jolie), since playing a loony is any actor's dream gig. Unfortunately, director James Mangold seems to have misplaced the depth and delicacy of his underrated debut, Heavy, despite a great deal of earnest effort by everyone involved. It's easy to see why Winona Ryder chose to star in (and executive-produce) this nearly worthy adaptation of Kaysen's book, since it's a strong vehicle for female casting and potent drama. Mangold certainly got the former; whether he succeeded with the latter is not so clear.

To be sure, Ryder conveys the confusion and chaos that signified Kaysen's life during nearly 18 months of voluntary institutionalization beginning in 1967. But the film seems too eager to embrace the cliché that the "crazies" of the Claymoore women's ward are saner than the war-torn world outside, and lack of narrative focus gives way to semipredictable character study. Susanna (Ryder) is labeled with "borderline personality disorder," a diagnosis as ambiguous as her own emotions, and while Jolie chews the scenery as the resident bad-girl sociopath, Ryder effectively conveys an odyssey from vulnerable fear to self-awareness and, finally, to healing. The ensemble cast is uniformly superb, making this drama well worthwhile, even as it treads familiar territory. If it ultimately lacks dramatic impact, Girl, Interrupted makes it painfully clear that the boundaries of dysfunction are hazy in a world where everyone's crazy once in a while. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

Susanna Kaysen's darkest days.......2007-09-05

Girl, Interrupted is an exceptionally superb film. The cast is superb and the story is done exceptionally well. Winona Ryder may be the star but Angelina Jolie steals the show. She's uncredible effective in every scene, making her performance all the more real.

The movie details the time writer Susanna Kaysen spent in a mental hospital. It features her day to day ordeal and the many different people she encountered. It's a delight of a film.

A shocking and well acted film. Not as good as the superior One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (Two-Disc Special Edition) but a definite delight.

The DVD features a commentary, a couple deleted scenes, a small featurette, and some trailers for Ryder and Jolie pictures.

Highly recommended.

NEVER LOSES ITS APPEAL.......2007-07-23

This is one of those rare movies that never loses its appeal. The actors do their jobs so well they are each memorable in their individual roles. Angelina Jolie gives a powerful performance as Lisa and Winona Ryder is fine as Susannah. I always laugh, tho', at the beginning of the movie when the character of Susannah narrates: "...have you ever stolen something when you had the money to pay for it..." or something to that effect. Considering this movie was made well in advance of Winona Ryder's shoplifting escapade the statement is more than ironic.

The depiction of the psyche ward appears physically correct. I guess back in the '60's things were more lenient tho' with the smoking in the ward and lack of apparent structure in patient routine.

Jared Leto has an impressive albeit brief part and Britney Murphey is very convincing as the vulnerable and hopeless "laxative junkie." Whoopi Goldberg turns in a fine performance as Nurse Valerie.

All in all the cast is what makes this picture so good. If you haven't seen, it is a must see.

Angie gives us an almost FLAWLESS performance........2007-06-18

This movie is what REALLY introduced me to the intoxicating world of Angelina Jolie. Her acting is enthralling, and at times, I cannot take my eyes off of her. That's a REAL actress for you. I had seen her previously in the Tomb Raider series. But that was nothing compared to this masterpiece. Another work of art in the Jolie realm is 'Foxfire.' Check that out after this one!! I recommend this to anyone with an open minded sense for stories and characters outside the box...

Boring, self-indulgent.......2007-06-15

Probably if one read the book, a lot of things would be explained that are confusing and poorly spelled-out in this film. As it stands by itself, though, the movie is dull and seems to go nowhere worth getting to. The two hours passed at a tortoise pace and you found yourself wishing the characters would just o.d. and end their torment and yours.

The characters are universally unlikeable. Both Ryder and Jolie seem spoiled and self-indulgent (their characters and the actresses). I'm really surprised Jolie won an Oscar for this role when all she does is perform Acting 101 hystrionics. Even when her acting is turning you off, however, you find yourself fascinated and repulsed by her mutant lips.

As I said, I'm sure the book approaches this topic in a much more coherent and sympathetic way. Having wasted two precious hours watching this movie, I'm not at all tempted to find out if this is true or not. But for the sake of the author, and for anyone suffering from borderline personality, I hope it is so. Both deserve better than this snore-fest.

WOW DANG ONE OF THE BEST MOVE.......2007-05-08

NOW I COULD EASYLY SAY THIS WILL GO DOWN AS ONE OF THE GRATEST MOVE EVER MADE IN THE WORLD THAT IS SO FOR SHORE

Average customer rating:

Tries hard but doesn't succeed.
Love Among the Ruined
a movie that is about so many things..
good chemistry between Bogard and Gloria Grahame
Classic psychological thriller

In a Lonely Place
Starring: Humphrey Bogart , Gloria Grahame , Frank Lovejoy , Carl Benton Reid , and Art Smith
Director: Nicholas Ray
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B000087F79
Release Date: 2003-03-18

Amazon.com essential video

One of Humphrey Bogart's finest performances dominates this unusual 1950 film noir, which focuses less on the murder mystery at the center of its plot than on the investigation's devastating effect on a fragile romance. For Bogart, already a noir icon, the Andrew Solt script afforded an opportunity to explore a more complex and contradictory role--an antiheroic persona in line with the actor's most accomplished and absorbing triumphs throughout his career.

For maverick director Nicholas Ray, the film posed the challenge of taking crime dramas beyond their usual formulas and into a more mature realm, as well as a chance to cast a jaundiced eye on the film industry itself. Its protagonist is Dixon Steele, a Hollywood screenwriter with an acerbic wit and a violent temper. Tasked with adapting a bestseller, he meets a hatcheck girl who's read the book, hoping to glean its highlights before writing the script. When she's found murdered, Steele becomes the prime suspect, and a tightening knot of suspicion forms around the writer.

Steele's only, inconclusive witness is a pretty new neighbor, Laurel (Gloria Grahame), and the couple fall in love even as the pressure mounts. At first the new relationship is a tonic to the hard-boiled writer, who plunges into his script with a renewed vigor and discipline. But as the police continue to shadow him, Steele's own penchant for violence erupts against friends, strangers, and even Laurel herself, whose feelings are increasingly eclipsed by suspicion that her lover is a murderer, and fear that he'll harm her.

Bogart conveys Steele's world-weariness and underlying vulnerability, and manages the delicate task of making both his romantic yearning and sudden, murderous rages equally convincing. Ultimately, that performance and Grahame's sympathetic work elevate In a Lonely Place into what has been called "an existential love story" more than a crime drama. --Sam Sutherland

Customer Reviews:

Tries hard but doesn't succeed........2007-08-23

An ambitious movie, but not one of Bogart's better ones, mainly because of the story and timing. Classified as a noir, although it never occurred to me while watching. Bogart is a Hollywood script writer with a bad temper and a tendency to violence. Suspected of a murder he didn't commit, he falls in love with his neighbor, Gloria Grahame, in one of her bigger roles. Their relationship is tortured by the murder suspicion and Bogart's temper, which eventually destroys the relationship. An unhappy ending. A tragic love affair. The movie focuses on the "complex" psychology of the tortured antihero, but it never really works.

Love Among the Ruined.......2007-07-30

Nicholas Ray will be cemented in pop culture history, anonymously, as "the guy who directed REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE." This is a travesty on two levels: One, REBEL isn't even Ray's best movie, and two, because many think that the aching heart came from James Dean's raw performance. While Dean is heartwrenchingly good, REBEL would not have half of its power without Ray, a maverick American director whose best and most personal films would sympathize with the loners and rebels always living by night and outside of conformity. Many critics of Ray's times thought his films were melodramatic and very few were financial successes. However, like all amazing directors, Ray's films were about 20 years ahead of their times--the themes of a man alone and paranoia would become relevant with 70s films such as Scorsese's TAXI DRIVER. Ray saw the future in 1950, and indeed, IN A LONELY PLACE stands the test of time today.

The incomparable Humphrey Bogart plays Dix, a talented but violent and washed-up screenwriter given the dull task of adapting a trashy novel to the screen. Instead of reading the thing, he asks a hatcheck girl to summarize it. The next morning, she is found murdered and Dix is the prime suspect until his cool neighbor Laurel (Gloria Grahame, Ray's estranged wife at the time) clears him. Despite Laurel's guarded demeanor and Dix's deep internal demons, the two fall in love and find inner peace with their blossoming relationship. But their love cannot last long (this wouldn't be a true Nicholas Ray film if everything wrapped up in a nice pink bow), as distrust on Laurel's part and Dix's paranoia due to the ongoing murder investigation threaten their last chance at happiness and love.

Like all amazing movies, IN A LONELY PLACE has so much more than what meets the eye, full of sometimes violently true observations on love and paranoia. Often considered an underrated masterpiece of noir, that is both valid and false. True, there is a crime that steers the plot forward, but the murder is a MacGuffin so that these two bruised souls can find each other. And yes, Laurel is a cool and mysterious blonde, but she becomes Dix's savior and redemption, not his undoing. This movie had the bad luck of being released the same year as ALL ABOUT EVE and, more famously, SUNSET BLVD., all three scathing looks at celebrity. Although this movie was actually released before the other two, perhaps the subject matter was just too dark--did anybody really want to see Bogart as a potential murderer in a day and age when actors were movie stars first, selling variations of their personas? Dix's disillusionment comes both from the script but also from Ray; a talented director, he was a victim of the studio system and was forced to make projects that are obviously beneath him (indeed, the novel Dix is hired to adapt can be seen as a variation on Ray's "woman's picture" BORN TO BE BAD, which bears little of his fingerprints), and even his personal project ON DANGEROUS GROUND was cut up by Howard Hughes and slapped on with an uncharacteristic happy ending. This film can be seen as a thesis on a system that is only interested in selling popcorn over making something personal, which is what made Ray so appealing, and what solidified his status as an auteur.

Off-screen, both Ray and Bogart were vehemently against the HUAC Communist witch hunts (Ray would further develop this theme with JOHNNY GUITAR), and the murder investigation and the tension it causes is an obvious--and, in 1949, early--allegory for the Red Scare. Instead of dating this movie further, it only enriches its effectiveness. After all, we live in a post-9/11 world where we accept the fact that surveillance and spying is a part of everyday life, and fear leads to violence.

Though filled so many underlying themes, it's impossible not to notice the external aspects of the film--most obviously, the acting. As said earlier, Bogart came from an era when recycling your personality was considered acting. That routine became dull very quickly, but when an actor dared to do something different, there was instant magic. That magic happens in this dark gem. You can almost see the tough facade cracking under the pressure, the undeniable vulnerability. It's hard to think of how many actors of any era could pull this off, making us root for a potentially murderous man, even when we don't entirely trust him. The movie never illuminates what makes Dix so violent, never showing the roots of his internal demons. There are only subtle clues dropped; we know that Dix is a war veteran. His faithful agent Mel tells Laurel in a moment of doubt that Dix, whom he's known for 20 years, has a violent streak that is as a part of him "as the color of his eyes or the shape of his head." And it is this ambiguity that is also the glory of the movie; there is no flashback to a troubled childhood or combat duty. For all we know, Dix could've been like this his whole life. Bogart, through impeccable body language, shows us how his creativity and passion lies right next door to his exploding temper; even as he professes his love for Laurel, his hands possess her neck as if he is ready to strangle her, a foreshadowing to the pessimistic climax. He shows us that Dix's very temperament stems from his insecurities and very human desire for love. You feel the heaviness of Dix's emotional baggage, and never before was Bogart more world-weary and exhausted in a movie. Never again would he come this close to a complete performance.

The role of Laurel Gray was one clearly intended for Lauren Bacall, Bogart's off-screen wife. As the executive producer, Bogart naturally wanted his wife opposite him, but Warner Bros. refused to release her from her contract. There's no doubt that she would've made a fine Laurel, but Gloria Grahame gives an air or worldliness that Bacall could never have alluded to. Besides, would audiences even have wanted to see (in the original shooting script, at least) the beloved Bogart kill Bacall in the heat of the climatic argument? Grahame more than makes a great Laurel, a woman at once strong, vulnerable, guarded and sly. She and Bogart make an amazing duo, regularly passing witty comebacks, then slowly seeing the distrust and insecurities in each other. She and Nicholas Ray quietly separated during filming; this movie is a testament to their professionalism under a tough situation. In a role that relieves her of playing the lovable floozy, this may also be Grahame's best performance.

While all three are known for bigger movies (Ray went on to direct REBEL while Grahame and Bogart would go on to win Oscars), their professional peak may have been this gem. It is because of the actors' trust in Ray that he was able to craft such deep performances, and their own bravery to play such flawed yet real characters that we remember--and still root for--Dix and Laurel's tragically doomed love affair in which nobody walks away a free man and humans are prisoners of their own fate. There is no ray of hope, only Nicholas Ray's powerful and ageless beauty of a film.

a movie that is about so many things.........2007-07-14

In a lonely place is not a very typical movie of the early 50's.. Often people have said that it was nicholas ray's indictment of the film industry.. In any case, it is an excellent film which is not really about a murder so much as a relationship.. Boogie's role as a famous hollywood screenwriter is one of his best most subtle roles and he really does come accross quite well as the hair-trigger tempered talented yet extremely needy writer.. and his moodswings often show us just what a fine line some people walk on from being relatively normal and being a crazed murderous lunatic..
Nicholas Rays direction really captures the living surroundings well.. most of the movie takes place in dix steele's apartment with a few interesting scenes set by the beach, in a bar, and at the police station.. One of the scenes that really stands out is the scene in the car after leaving the beach - where bogie's character projects his anger on to an innocent person on the road.. Road rage apparently has been around for years and is merely another guise for internal problems which are projected upon a convenient victim..
Though not at all what i expected this film noir to be - I was very satisfied with the extremely tense performances and direction of this fine film and i would really like to watch it again as i think there are a lot of subtleties that i missed out on...

good chemistry between Bogard and Gloria Grahame.......2007-06-25

Both are fine. Unusual role for Bogard as a Hollywood screewriter suspected of being a serial killer. Gloria Grahame, the woman next door Bogart is dating, starts having suspicions of her own about him.

No point going further into the plot, since it's been covered by others. Will only say it's a love story/murder mystery for grownups: Is he the killer, or isn't he? And if he is, will he end up doing away with his lovely neighbor Gloria?

Movie is slightly different from the book. Still, certainly worth seeing. For fans of Bogart, Nick Ray--and Gloria Grahame.

Classic psychological thriller.......2007-06-15

A down-on-his-luck screenwriter's (Humphrey Bogart) violent, antisocial temperament makes him a prime suspect in the murder of a cocktail waitress and ultimately alienates the woman he loves (Gloria Graham). Bogart's performance is sometimes perfunctory and unconvincing in the fight scenes, but he projects a frightening intensity in numerous intimate confrontations with other characters. He creates a character that Graham could believably fall in love with and then just as believably begin to fear later.

Average customer rating:

Frances McDormand shines in a movie filled with one-dimensional characters
East Coast establishment encounters West Coast crazies
All-around great
PUT THIS IN YOUR PIPE AND SMOKE IT
Laurel Canyon

Laurel Canyon
Starring: Frances McDormand , Christian Bale , Kate Beckinsale , Natascha McElhone , and Alessandro Nivola
Director: Lisa Cholodenko
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00009MEKN
Release Date: 2003-07-15

Amazon.com

When young psychiatrist Sam (Christian Bale), the son of record producer Jane (Frances McDormand), brings his girlfriend Alex (Kate Beckinsale) to stay at his mother's house, he's expecting that Jane will be gone--but a delay in finishing an album with a British rocker named Ian (Alessandro Nivola) has kept her there. Instantly, the tensions of Sam's counterculture childhood set off a series of betrayals and attractions that threaten to wreck Sam and Alex's relationship. Director Lisa Cholodenko has a keen eye for the behavior, delineating doctors and musicians by the ways they talk and greet each other--it's an almost anthropological study of different tribes. Laurel Canyon lacks the focused story of High Art, Cholodenko's previous movie, and some viewers may find the ways the characters change too subtle to be rewarding; but for others, the rich, detailed performances will be a pleasure worth having. --Bret Fetzer

Customer Reviews:

Frances McDormand shines in a movie filled with one-dimensional characters.......2007-06-14

In Laurel Canyon, Christian Bale plays Sam, a man working into his thirties to escape the chaos of life with his rock-star mom, Jane (Frances McDormand). He finished Harvard medical school and picked up fiancée Alex, a dual PhD/MD (played by Kate Bekinsdale). Sam and Alex plan to stay at Jane's Laurel Canyon home while he completes his residency. Sam tries to shield Alex from Jane's casual parties and hipster friends, but Alex is drawn to the life of excess, and Sam faces losing yet another aspect of his life to his larger-than-life free-spirited mom. At the same time, however, Sam is madly infatuated with a drop-dead gorgeous foreign second-year-resident at his job.

Frances McDormand carries the entire film as the aging hipster mom (she's hot, she's rock n' roll, and she doesn't give a damn what anyone else thinks), but the brilliance of her acting job is counterbalanced by the one-dimensional nature of the fiancée/future daughter-in-law character. The viewer is never convinced of Alex's attraction to Jane's sex, drugs, and rock n' roll lifestyle. For that matter, the viewer is never convinced of Sam's attraction to his co-worker on anything other than an animal lust nature, which seems to go against everything Sam stands for.

McDormand plays a woman who finally matures in her late forties, and who, by the end of the film, has taken baby steps to repair her relationship with her son. The other characters are mere shadows around Jane's transformation. The movie has an ambiguous ending that leaves much to be desired--it is as if the filmmakers felt tying it all up would be too challenging, so the work is left to the viewer.

East Coast establishment encounters West Coast crazies .......2007-02-06

Uptight girl from Harvard Med School travels with her boyfriend to LA to stay at his Mom's house and while there faces the temptations resulting from exposure to West Coast free-spirited pot smoking types. Almost destroys relationship. Sound trite? It is. Characters lack depth with the exception of the Mom played by Frances McDormand and the ultimately the film takes itself way too seriously.

All-around great.......2006-07-06

Killer soundtrack, cast, writing... you name it. As a lover of both indie music and indie film, I've had this movie as one of my favorites for a long time now. The songs chosen were an introduction for me to a lot of great lesser-known indie bands.

PUT THIS IN YOUR PIPE AND SMOKE IT.......2006-06-22

Frances McDormand (FARGO) is the big star in this tale of culture clash via generations. She portrays Jane, the tough, pot-smoking record-producing mother of conservative son, Sam, who just graduated as a shrink and now works with psychotics. Sam brings his girlfriend to stay at his mother's house. In a reversal of generational roles, Sam does not approve of his mother's lifestyle and history with multiple lovers. So, after a few days with mum, he decides to seek quarters elsewhere. Before they can escape his mother's digs, complications pop up and Sam's inexperienced girlfriend becomes seduced by the wilder goings-on surrounding Jane while Sam catches the eye of an attractive co-worker. LAUREL CANYON is basically an eventless movie and more a character study. Or perhaps an examination of artsy life in Laurel Canyon. As such, it is pretty decent with some very natural moral statements made by director Cholodenko. The performances are good and the direction and production values excellent. For a laid-back film experience put LAUREL CANYON in your pipe and smoke it.

Laurel Canyon.......2006-06-16

"Laurel Canyon" is an unexpected, low-key, and marvelous film with an awesome cast that is just really a good movie. The film stars Oscar Winner Frances McDormand (Best Actress, Fargo) as Jane, a record producer who lives on Laurel Canyon. Christian Bale (Batman Begins) stars as Sam, Jane's son who happens to be a doctor. Kate Beckinsale (Underworld, The Aviator) plays Alex, Sam's fiancee. Anyway, for a reason I forget; Sam and Alex move into the house with Jane, who appears to be (what to me would be) a really cool mom...Sam doesn't see it that way and is worried about Alex's reaction. It doesn't help that a rock star named Ian (Alessandro Nivola, who gives an inspired performance) lives there while he records an album with his band and has sex with Jane. The movie has a few weird turns and goes into quite a few directions; but the dialogue is so good, the acting is so great, and the story is so interesting...It really doesn't matter. I'd say, although this isn't really a good reason, the only downside to the movie was the lack of nudity. But, this is a good movie and I highly recommend checking it out.

GRADE: A-

Average customer rating:

True story?? ...hmmm....
Spectacular
No more Sands please...
Europe's first serial killer -- a look at the man inside the wolf
Crazy movie!

Werewolf Hunter - Legend of Romasanta
Starring: David Gant , Julian Sands , Maru Valdivielso , Gary Piquer , and Luna McGill
Director: Paco Plaza
Manufacturer: Lions Gate
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ASIN: B000BBOFBS
Release Date: 2005-11-22

Description

Multiple mutilated cadavers have been found in the forest. Precise surgical cuts mixed with savage gashes have the authorities perplexed and the villagers of Allariz frightened to enter the woods. An unknown traveling soap vendor, Manuel Romosanta, is captured and confesses to the murders using the victim's body fat to make his soap. The investigation digs deeper when he proclaims his innocence due to the curse of Licantropy -turning him into a werewolf

Customer Reviews:

True story?? ...hmmm...........2007-06-23

When I tried to google Romasanta , all my links went to sites discussing this DVD, and they just repeat the claims made on the back of the box : That there was a Romasanta, and he claimed to be a werewolf.Nor could I find him in any of my books devoted to true crime, serial killers, or werewolves.

Now, does this prove he never existed? No...But it is odd that 19th century killers like, say, Joseph Vacher have multiple pages , but a search on this killer doesn't pull up any information-...except about the DVD based on his (allegedly) true story.

This does not prove that Romasanta is fictional. I am inclined to believe there was a Manuel Romasanta-but the most abominable features of his serial killer career sounded suspiciously like what certain 16th and 17th century German and French "werewolves" did. I suspect that Romasanta's crimes were "jazzed up" with details from the atrocities of the "tailor of Chaluns" and Garnier and Grenier.

Be that as it may, I enjoyed this film, and I think it's a shame that it was marketed with such a hokey title. As we can see from the other reviews, it angers the horror fans who feel tricked, while turning off the true crime/psychological study aficionado. This film has decent acting , an absorbing story,realistic 1850s sets and clothing, and it was shot in some very beautiful countryside-you could find a much worse way to spend an evening than enjoying this moody ,at times almost surreal film .>

Spectacular.......2006-09-07

Though not born in time for the 1980's werewolf phenomena I have always been an avid lover of the beasts. I rented Werewolf Hunter from Blockbuster one evening believing it was another werewolf B movie to suffer through for the sake of my passion. Oh how wrong I was.

Not being a traditional werewolf movie in any sense of the term, I can understand how a number of werewolf cinema buffs would not like this movie. It lacks any really memorable werewolf moments until near the end. Those who are interested in pre-modern serial killers or are more educated on the historical aspect of lycanthropy however, will be in for quite a treat.

Though I do not believe Julian Sands was the best choice for the portrayal of Romasanta, I believe he still did an excellent job and held my interest the whole way through. Some reviewers might not like his work (to say the least) however I enjoyed his roll both in this movie and in Rose Red.

The first half of the movie plays predominantly on building the scene and on explaining the nature of Romasanta's killings. I found the fact that he uses his victims' body-fat to make soap a very interesting twist to the tale. Though hardly scary in the least and lacking of any real 'action' the plotline is still very engrossing. The only downside is that it makes writing a positive review rather difficult without giving away a number of spoilers/enjoyable twists.

Where the first half of the movie shows you all the pieces the second half is what puts them all together. The movie plays heavily on the early use of lycanthropy to rationalize the existence of serial killers, albeit in a time period a century or two after it's popularity. It also includes the common element of mental illness amongst werewolf cases.

Historically Romasanta appears to have been the one with the mental illness, making up his story about being a werewolf to explain why he had done what he'd done. In the movie however, it makes his fantasy into a reality and it is not he but his partner who posesses the mental illness.

The writer of this movie obviously did quite a bit of research on historical werewolf accounts although, as most of Hollywood does, did not use it in an entirely correct manner. Despite all the flaws (only one real werewolf scene to mention) I believe this movie is still incredibly worth watching. Perhaps not worth purchasing at the price amazon is asking, but if you are a diehard werewolf fan like I am you'll want to get it anyway.

No more Sands please..........2006-09-05

I like werewolves but I don't like this movie. This movie is more akin to werewolf dung than to werewolves. I also think Juilan Sands is a bore. How he is able to singlehandedly ruin a movie time after time confounds me. And what also confounds me is that he even gets hired to ruin a movie.

Europe's first serial killer -- a look at the man inside the wolf.......2006-04-17

Werewolf Hunter: Legend of Romasanta (aka Romasanta: The Werewolf Hunt or The Werewolf Manhunt) isn't your typical werewolf movie, as it focuses more on the man inside the wolf than the wolf inside the man. It also, almost by necessity, leaves open the question of whether or not the subject is indeed a werewolf. That's because the story is built upon the real-life story of Europe's first serial killer, traveling salesman Manuel Blanco Romasanta, the "Werewolf of Allariz" who confessed to killing thirteen people and using their body fat to make soap. Strangely enough, his confession that he suffered from the curse of lycanthropy helped him avoid execution and may well have resulted in a regal pardon had he not died soon after his conviction. Werewolf Hunter weaves a tapestry of fact and imagination, blurring the edges between the two, introducing a romantic angle to the story while also putting forth a purely fictional ending. I don't think it truly succeeds in its exploration of the mind and soul of this mass murderer, however; instead, it only muddies the waters of truth and speculation.

It's certainly a beautiful film, set against the Gothic backdrop of mid-19th century Gallicia, and it features strong performances by Julian Sands as Romasanta and Elsa Pataky as Barbara, the young woman he grows to love. Many of the locals of Allariz have gone missing in recent weeks, and the bodies so far recovered are rather baffling, for alongside the terrible gashes seemingly caused by a wolf are disturbing signs that a human removed most of the body fat for his own reasons. After her sister and niece are killed in horrible fashion, young Barbara develops a relationship with Manuel, a well-known traveling salesman who seems to offer her security and love. Manuel has a dark secret, though, which Barbara soon discovers. As soon as she learns that her lover is responsible for the deaths of her family, her affection turns to rage as she helps authorities track down and capture this hateful man. I thought Elsa Pataky was excellent in her role, but the romantic spin introduced into this story just didn't ring true to me, especially as Manuel's emotional U-turn seemed to come out of thin air.

If you're looking for one of those famous transformation scenes, you'll need to look elsewhere. The only such change in this film is a mud-covered one which may or may not have even happened, given the perspective of its presentation. You also won't see any first-hand kills; while there are a few good shots of gnawed human limbs, the vast majority of the blood and violence is implied. There is one case of male nudity that really should have come with some kind of warning, but that's it in terms of bare flesh. The film is officially unrated, but I believe there's a decent chance it might have received a PG-13 rather than an R rating from the MPAA.

In the end, we still haven't learned very much about Manuel and his motivations. We see the changes in his demeanor and hear the regrets he utters in the end, but it's impossible to determine which of his two natures is the true one. I guess that's really the point of the entire movie, to a large degree, but I would have liked to see this storyline wound a little bit tighter. I don't particularly like the "Legend of Romasanta" subtitle, either, as this film differs far too much from historical fact to deserve such a description. All in all, though, Werewolf Hunter is a darned good film that really stands apart from other entries in the werewolf genre.

Crazy movie!.......2006-01-10

So I saw this movie right after I finished watching Mindhunters, and this was Werewolf hunter, so I got a double crazy movie treat in one day!

Set in the mid-19th century Europe,the movie is based on the true story of one of the earliest serial killers on record, perhaps one of the better movies with werewolf themes, since they have an actual historic backdrop to these brutal deaths commited. The message behind this movie is a mad man who killed women in a way that only an animal could have done it. It's not about a guy in a dog suit, this was deep.

The main reason why I saw this movie was that I fricken love werewolf movies, nothing creeps me out that a hairy beast, and that I loveded the Warlock movies with Julian Sands, and guess what; he plays the perfect bad guy AGAIN in this very movie!

Sands plays Manuel Romasanta, a charming and flirtatious man who seduces women only to leave a trail of corpses and scared animals who run away from him. He meets his own girm fate then one of his victims realises he did soemthing tho her sisters that cannot be forgiven , after she falls in love with him she starts a merciless hunt after him.

I really liked the movie, the woods, eerie darkness and violent scenes made this more of a serious movie. Usually werevolf movies are gory eye candy, that really dont need any plot, this was not the case.

THere is a bit of nudity, I was suprised to see so much naked flesh running around, but it was not over the top and it blended with the raw organic feeling of 1800s without looking cheap. I also loved the cinematography, this movie looked great on the screen, it did not look like actors in costumes, their faces, clothes, homes, and their whole world was old and forsaken, it was perfect.

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The best film you've never heard of
An elegy for small-town faith
Intense... but no shouting
Director's commentary is extraordinary
The Eye of God Sees Nothing....

Eye of God
Starring: Mary Kay Place , Nick Stahl , Chris Freihofer , Woody Watson , and Martha Plimpton
Director: Tim Blake Nelson
Manufacturer: Lions Gate
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B000087EZ9
Release Date: 2003-03-18

Customer Reviews:

The best film you've never heard of.......2006-12-06

This is easily one of my favorite films, and every aspect of the filmmaking is done to perfection. The climactic scene is nearly as powerful as anything I've seen in film. I also love the quietness of the film. From the softly spoken voiceover at the beginning to the gorgeous Lucinda Williams song that plays over the end credits, the lack of noise evokes the film's small town setting and adds to its emotional impact. I think the non-linear storytelling is a great quality too; not just a cheap gimmick, it actually enhances the experience of watching the story unfold. And Martha Plimpton's performance! To watch her in this movie is to forget that she's an actress. She deserves an Oscar for this role. I think it's tragic that this film is almost completely unknown. I hope that it has at least found an audience since its DVD release.

An elegy for small-town faith.......2005-08-28

This is a wonderful study of the face of evil and its impact upon the lives of its characters. The narrative is nonlinear and may be confusing at first if one is not warned, but once a viewer is aware of this he/she should have no difficulty understanding the film. The storyline is initially split and follows two seemingly unrelated characters, which are somehow (at first we don't know) linked through a third subplot involving a small-town sheriff and some crime which has yet to be revealed. One storyline involves a teenage boy who has experienced the worst type of loss and is now emotionally alone in the world. And there is a small-town waitress who has established a relationship with an ex-con over years in a pen-pal program. The waitress has a glass-eye which is a symbolic reference to the movie's title. This glass-eye exists in the world of the inanimate, and the scenes of human despair and sorrow are reflected in and across it without judgment, action, or recourse, as the Eye of God viewing this world exists totally separated of its theater. At the film's end we are reminded of the story of Abraham and Isaac and that the actions of any Judeo-Christian god are very seldom held up to the same standards to which he holds his people. This movie took my breath away and haunted me for days after I initially saw it. It's memory still haunts me.

Intense... but no shouting.......2005-01-14

An unsung, minor masterpiece of independent cinema from director Tim Blake Nelson. One of those rare films that mananges to say EXACTLY what it means to say-no more, no less (i.e., no pretension, no padding, no hammy grandstanding). Nelson tells his tale in less than 90 minutes, but the film will haunt you for weeks. The creators of the overblown, overlong and overacted "21 Grams" and "Mystic River" could have gleaned a few lessons from studying Blake's lean yet boundlessly deep screenplay about the dichotomy of good vs evil in us all. Nelson is obviously an "actor's director", and inspires lead actress Martha Plimpton (of the Carridine dynasty) to deliver her most accomplished performance to date as a somewhat dense but sweet small town waitress. Ample support is provided by Kevin Anderson as Plimpton's ex-con husband who has rushed her into marriage after a sight-unseen "pen pal" courtship. Anderson's character has "seen the light" and appears to be on the road to making a solid citizen of himself (then again, appearances can be deceiving). The under-appreciated Richard Jenkins (the father's "ghost" on HBO's "Six Feet Under") is a standout as Anderson's parole officer, as is a very young Nick Stahl (another HBO star-currently the lead character in "Carnivale"). Veteran thespian Hal Holbrook deserves a mention, with one of his better latter-day performances as the world weary sheriff. Lucinda Williams' aching cover version of Nick Drake's "Which Will" opens and closes the film; an interesting choice of music as it works perfectly in both setting the tone for the story and providing a fitting coda to the emotionally devastating final shot. I can't recommend this one enough. I also second the motion with the reviewer who pointed out that the director's commentary on the DVD is atypically insightful and Zen-like (like the screenplay!).

Director's commentary is extraordinary.......2003-11-08

EYE OF GOD is a wonderfully directed and acted film. But, the real revelation for me is Tim Blake Nelson's commentary track on the DVD. Its a crash course for any film maker who wants to understand both the technique and philosophy of making a movie.
Nelson has a Zen-like clarity in describing how his film was made. Absolutely brilliant.

The Eye of God Sees Nothing...........2001-09-20

Though non-linear, with numerous flashbacks, this film is extremely well-structured, as it tells the story of three people: an ex-convict who has embraced fundamentalist Christianity with a zealot's devotion, a young woman from an abusive background who befriends the ex-con, a teenager who has experienced the worst kind of abandonment and separation anxiety with far worse to come, and a sheriff narrator, whose cynical attitudes toward God are based on the experiences he reveals.

The young woman has a glass eye, the result of a youthful accident. The glass eye, of course, sees nothing, just as the woman herself cannot see the evil descending upon her until too late. And the eye of God -- symbolically made of glass too, also sees absolutely nothing as it allows evil to flourish in God's own name. (I doubt this movie is on Jerry Falwell's Top Ten List, and, if it were, he wouldn't be Jerry Falwell.)

The acting by all the principals and the directing are superlative. I hope someday this slice-of-life crime drama will receive the recognition it deserves and be released in a DVD version.

Description

Catherine Deneuve - Special Gift Set, Titles Included: Kings and Queen, Place Vendome, Dangerous Liasons, Pola X

Customer Reviews:

More of the same.......2007-07-31

Outside of Place Vendome and Liasons, I don't know why someone would purchase this set. It has none of her most impressive work other than Place Vendome. It would have been much nicer to find the 40th Anniversary edition of Belle de Jour, Tristana, Les Voleurs, or Belle Maman. This is more of the same, and those of us that own countless Deneuve films want new remastered releases and films that have never before been on DVD. The Screen Icons collection at Amazon UK, which is released by Optimum is a much better collection. I myself own it, and it has one film that most Deneuve fans have probably never seen, Manon 70.

Not a great "collection".......2007-07-29

For the Deneuve fan, this really isn't the best collection of her work. "Place Vendome" was a terrific film, there's no doubt about it. "Dangerous Liaisons" was ok, but not the creme de la creme of definitive Deneuve. "Pola X" was a wretched film that Deneuve is only in for about 5-10 minutes in the beginning. And while I have not seen "Kings and Queen", I'm told that her screen time is minimal. How is a Catherine Deneuve Collection not going to include an Oscar nominated performance in "Indochine?" If you want the best of Deneuve, you're better off buying individual copies of "Indochine," "Place Vendome," "Repulsion," "Belle de Jour," "East/West," and even "Belle Maman" if you can get your hands on it.

Average customer rating:

korean or japanese?

Run 2 U
Starring: Jeong-an Chae , Kazuya Takahashi , Tetsuo Yamashita , Maju Ozawa , and Ho-jae Lee
Director: Jeong-su Kang
Manufacturer: Tai Seng
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Oldboy

ASIN: B0000DJF46
Release Date: 2004-11-11

Customer Reviews:

korean or japanese?.......2005-04-30

I'm totally confused about this film. Half the movie is in Japanese and the other half is korean. I'm japanese so i could understand half of it? hehe. Well compared to some of the japanese film releases in the united states, I must say, at least this film is more recent.

For a Yakuza movie, I will admit that its a little thin on realism. This is definitely more of a korean dipiction of the japanese mob.

Having said that, the girls are so attractive it makes up for the lack of realism. Most asian movie buffs buy films for action, or the girls. This one is definitely a pick for the girls.

Unlike HK movies, there is more depth and death.

I would give this 3 stars.

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teriffic TJ
A Dangerous Place
Very good movie
The biggest Joke of movie ever with the worst Actor.....
If your looking for a good martial arts film you have found.

A Dangerous Place
Starring: Ted Jan Roberts , Corey Feldman , Mako , Erin Gray , and Marshall R. Teague
Director: Jerry P. Jacobs
Manufacturer: Madacy Records
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00009V7SG
Release Date: 2003-06-24

Customer Reviews:

teriffic TJ.......2005-12-16

There is no doubt that TJ Roberts would never have been the next Ralph Macchio in the acting department, but that's not the reason to be watching this movie.
A Dangerous Place does offer up some very exciting action and a great opportunity to see Corey Feldman playing a cardboard cutout adult action movie baddie trapped in a teen boy's body. The story is good but predictable, the acting fair at best, but the martial arts talent of TJ is what clearly shines here. Some well cut together scenes and slow mo shots of young 13 year old TJ in action rival many other movies with adult actors, including the overrated Jet Li. TJ's style, grace, poise and overall positive energy plays off perfectly to Feldman's rigid, streetfighter type mode of martial arts. No wires or computer generated effects needed here, these guys DO the work, and its literally breathtaking to watch at times.
Bottom line here: If you want a truly heartwarming film about an underdog kid beating the odds and coming out on top, see the Karate Kid for the 300th time. TJ is no underdog, he has true black belt talent that shines through in every scene, in every way. If what you are looking for is a great martial arts movie with more of a storyline than many that stars someone with real talent in martial arts, not just movie magic simulated butt whippings, then A Dangerous Place is for you.

A Dangerous Place.......2005-10-27

I am into Martial Arts movies and crazy about them. I really enjoyed this one not only martial arts but he got revenge on the people who killed his brother and you could not ask for a better movie to watch and the actor that was the main star of this movie I think this was the best movie that he played in and starred in thank you.

Very good movie.......2005-06-17

I'm a very big Martial Arts crazy fan. I love alot of them, hate alot of them. But this one, is one of my favorite films. Has a good climax and plot to it, and has some good fighting in it. This is a good movie and T. J. Roberts is a good actor, to me would have been a awesome upcoming Martial Arts star.

Now, the 1st review on this movie is totally uncalled for. This is a good movie, maybe even a great movie. It is actually better than alot of HIGH class martial arts movies. T. J. Roberts is a good martial arts star in this movie and all of is other 4 movies. Wish he'd continued to make them, shame he didn't. But I know he would have if he could have. And I would so recommend watching the Magic Kid 1 & 2 along with The Power Within and Tiger Heart movies. Tiger Heart is probably his best, I loved it. So pay no attention to the 1st comment, which shouldn't have been posted because of rude comments and just plain down right mean.

But this movie is about a boy that took karate off his older brther. Then his brother dies at high schoool, so its up to T. J. Roberts to find out what happened to him. So he goes undercover I guess you'd say, and some fighting takes place. Just a really good movie, great plot and climax to this movie. Great story behind it. Better than most.

So all in all, I would recommend watching this movie, and all of T. J. Robert's movies. They are all good. You won't forget them, tell you that much.

The biggest Joke of movie ever with the worst Actor............2004-11-12

I cant believe that hollywood would release such joke of a film. It stars this little pint size dork who makes zoolander faces and thinks he is some karate master. That kid couldnt beat a fly on his best day. Total disaster but a good laugh if you want to see why hollywood hasnt cast a moron like this in another film since 1902. Someone needs to tell this kid to find another job.....

If your looking for a good martial arts film you have found........1999-08-25

Its about a young boy (t.j.Roberts) who takes karate with his big brother but misteriously his brother was found dead in his high school gym.He must find out who did this and why.This movie is fun and very entertaining.

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Snake Skin Jacket
Starring: Michael Bonnabel , Joseph Pilato , Patricia Place , Silas Cooper , and Rupert Green
Director: Norman Gerard
Manufacturer: Vanguard Cinema
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0006J28FK
Release Date: 2005-02-22

DVD:

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