Mahogany

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One simple question, people: Do you know where you're goin' to? And furthermore, Do you like the things that life is showin' you? These questions are posed in the unavoidable theme song (a huge Seventies hit) from Mahogany, a splashy, diva-sized vehicle for Diana Ross. Miss Ross was hot off her unexpected and critically approved starring role in Lady Sings the Blues when she embarked on this musical, a rags-to-riches saga of a Chicago girl who dreams of being a fashion designer but becomes a supermodel instead. Original director Tony Richardson was replaced behind the camera by Motown founder and puppetmaster supreme Berry Gordy, who knew something about turning Ross into an idealized vision of femininity (for more on their relationship, check out the fictionalized version in Dreamgirls).

Ross looks a little overwhelmed by the plot machinations, which take her from the orbit of a regular-guy activist (Billy Dee Williams) into the glam world of European fashion--the latter courtesy of a cranky, unstable photographer played by Anthony Perkins. Perkins is sky-high fun in this thing, as though he suspected the movie was in trouble and decided to let the tics and nerviness fly. These days Mahogany is treasured either as a fond childhood memory or as a ripe camp-fest, and that's probably about where it belongs. Still, it looks positively restrained next to the other big diva musical of the same historical moment, Barbra Streisand's 1976 A Star is Born. --Robert Horton

Customer Reviews:

A milestone in Bad Cinema that will leave you wet with hysterics!.......2007-09-11

"Flash that baby grand of yours you call a smile," Diana Ross coos at Billy Dee Williams in Mahogany, the one about the goody-two-shoes ghetto girl who becomes a supremely jaded jet-set celebrity (gee, Diana, anyone we know?). You can guess what you're in for from the opening scene, when top clothing designer Ross (yes, named Mahogany) receives a standing ovation from the fashion press (!) for a parade of dresses that are kimonos trimmed with lit neon tubes. (Talk about your Method acting: to get into her role, Ross personally designed every costume in the movie, which is one thing, but took credit for it, which, once you've seen them, is another thing altogether.)

Early on, Ross is happy so she dons a rainbow-hued gown and dances among bare white department store mannequins; later, Ross is sad, so at a Roman orgy she drips hot white candle wax onto her tawny bare skin.

This film (with a line of dialogue that instantly entered the annals of kitsch back in '75: "Success is nothing without someone you love to share it with") was the beginning of the end of Ross's brief movie career (The Wiz polished her off). It had no less than three directors: one died during production, one was fired, one came in late but took all the credit (no one really came out ahead).

Anthony Perkins gives a loopy kick to his line readings as "Sean," a control-freak fashion photographer who makes, then wants to break, Ross; he literally tries to drive her crazy, trapping her in a speeding sports car as he shoots photos of her hysterical fear, until the car crashes. From her hospital bed, Ross coolly eyes the 8 x 10 blow-ups of her face in terror, muttering dryly, "Sean wanted to see death -- and he did." (If you miss that throwaway line, Perkins just seems to... disappear.)

Ross reforms before the end credits roll, so the social climber gets a social conscience -- and Billy Dee Williams, too.

love it or hate it...........2007-09-09

keeping it simple...if you are in the right frame of mind, this movie is wonderful in it's simplicty and positve message. if you are feeling cynical and negative, there is plenty to complain about, get over it, and enjoy a wonderful fairy tale about love and dreams and success and failure.

MAHOGANY.......2007-09-07

EXCELLENT MOVIE...RECEIVED IN NEW CONDITION IN A MATTER OF DAYS...I WAS VERY SURPRISED...THE MOVIE ITSELF BROUGHT BACK MEMORIES...DIANA ROSS LOOKS LIKE MY MOTHER WHEN SHE WAS YOUNGER...SHE IS DOING SOME SUPERB ACTING IN THIS MOVIE..I'M VERY HAPPY WITH THE PURCHASE

Mahogany is not a musical, it's a drama..........2007-09-05

I generally read reviews for items I want, not items I own, but for some reason, I read some of the Mahogany reviews.

Someone referred to this movie as a musical, but it's not. It's an interesting drama. It is the "rags" to riches story. I put quotations around "rags" because, truly, Tracey Chambers was not in rags, she was just in the wrong line of work.

She did become a fashion model, but along the way, fell in love with a politician and the crux of the movie is the struggle for her to gain her own career and not become the silent supporter of her man's career.

In the end, she chose to come home and be with her man because she realized that "success means nothing if you have no one to share it with" which is what Brian, her man, says to her.

This is one of my favorite movies, but also a movie that pisses me off because Brian, the politician, spends a lot of time demeaning Tracey's choice of work and her career ambition, only to tell her that his job is more meaningful.

enjoy it for what it's worth.......2007-08-30

Mahogany tells the story of Tracy Chambers (Diana Ross), a young woman from the Chicago ghetto who dreams endlessly of being a world-renowned fashion designer. The men in Tracy's life bolster Diana Ross as the film's leading actress. Far from being the perfect Ross vehicle I remembered it to be, when I watched this film this afternoon once again after many years, I found it somewhat superficial--even when showing Tracy's on-again off-again romance with political activist Brian Walker (Billy Dee Williams).

The action starts when Tracy is working in a department store--going nowhere fast. By luck she is noticed by famous and influential fashion photographer Sean McAvoy (Anthony Perkins). After some twists and turns in the plot, most of which serve only to extend the movie's running length, Tracy is fired from the store and she decides to join Sean McAvoy in Rome to be a designer instead of staying with the man who really loves her, Brian Walker.

Unfortunately for Tracy, the minute she arrives in Rome trouble slowly but surely creeps into her life. McAvoy is a callous brute who names his models after inanimate objects to depersonalize his relationship with them. Sean's insecurity and insanity also slowly begins to show: Sean slashes pictures of his last greatest fashion model and he becomes desperate to prove his manhood to Tracy. When Brian loses the election for Alderman back in Chicago, he tries to join Tracy in Rome and live her lifestyle without much success.

Of course, there is much more to the plot. Tracy (Mahogany) takes a big chance and wears her own fashion creation instead of the dress she was to wear at a major fashion show. What happens next provides some meat to the skimpy plot. The wealthy fashion--and women--loving Christian Rosetti (Jean-Pierre Aumont) enters Mahogany's life.

How will this change Sean's relationship with Tracy? Will Sean and Brian get along when Brian arrives in Rome to try to share life with Tracy on her terms? How far with Christian go to help Mahogany? What does Christian want from Mahogany? Why is he so interested in her? No spoilers here, folks--you'll have to watch the movie to find out the answers to these questions including the big question as to how the story finally ends.

The choreography works wonders for the fashion show scenes and the scenes in the department store early on in the film are thoughtfully presented. The excellent cinematography really shows in the car racing scene and the scenes in which Sean McAvoy takes seemingly endless photos of Mahogany.

Overall, this film is just about as pure 1970s "lite fare" love story as you're ever going to get. I agree with some reviewers who write that the film could have been shortened a few minutes here and there to make it tighter and better. I highly recommend this film for fans of Diana Ross; and people who like fairy tale type love stories in a modern day setting will enjoy this film, too. It may not be the best flick I've ever seen; but Mahogany pulls its weight without creaking--at least not too loudly.

Three and one half stars.

All the Mornings of the World (Tous les matins du monde) Two-Disc Edition

Average customer rating:

All the Mornings of the World
misleading reviews of a flawed masterpiece
Beautiful but empty
A serious flaw
Period romance - true basis

All the Mornings of the World (Tous les matins du monde) Two-Disc Edition
Starring: Jean-Pierre Marielle , Gérard Depardieu , Anne Brochet , Guillaume Depardieu , and Carole Richert
Director: Alain Corneau
Manufacturer: Koch Lorber Films
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ASIN: B000CSUNRU
Release Date: 2006-03-07

Description

In the dazzling tradition of Amadeus, Tous les Matins du Monde is a seductive tale of music and passion set in provocative 17th century France. Academy Award® nominee Gérard Depardieu (Best Actor - Cyrano de Bergerac) stars in a fascinating story filled with romance, lust, desire, devotion, revenge and intrigue. A reclusive composer and his two beautiful daughters' lives are forever changed by a flamboyant young student who enters their lives. See for yourself why critics and audiences alike are applauding this magnificent film and celebrated winner of 7 César Awards including Best Picture!

Background on the Film The film is the result of the collaboration between novelist Pascal Quignard, director Alain Corneau and musician Jordi Savall who wanted to do a film on music. Quignard wrote and adapted the book to a screenplay.

The film was a phenomenal success and sold 2 million tickets in the first year and was distributed in 31 countries. The soundtrack was certified platinum (500,000 copies) and made Jordi Savall an international star.

Customer Reviews:

All the Mornings of the World.......2007-07-18

Corneau's sublime meditation on music as all-consuming force is exquisitely realized, with outstanding set and costume design and jaw-dropping cinematography. Depardieu "pere et fils" both excel as Marais, but veteran player Marielle steals the show as St. Colombe, the forbidding, tortured musical genius, who still experiences visions of his departed wife years after her death. Don't miss this ravishing ode to the pain of lost love and the solace of music, a visual and aural feast you're bound to digest with pleasure.

misleading reviews of a flawed masterpiece.......2007-07-18

Another reviewer wrote that "none of the actors is a musician, or even a viol player". Let us hope, first of all, that this was supposed to read "let alone a viol player".

This reviewer went on to say "thus, the two Depardieux and especially Marielle underwent several months of serious training on the instrument. The results are that the fingerings on the frets of the viols follows precisely the music being played".

This is frankly rubbish. Guillaume Depardieu (who I believe plays the cello in real life) makes a damn good job of miming. Gerard is not bad. Marielle, however, is appalling to the extent of destroying the carefully built-up atmosphere on several occasions.

Terminology:

Other reviewers (and the subtitles of the Jordi Savall documentary) have made the mistake of referring to the instrument as the "viola" (even the "baroque viola" in one review). The correct term in English is "viola da gamba" or "gamba" for short (not "viola" - this is the alto/tenor member of the violin family, the tenor/bass being the cello). It can also be referred to as the "bass viol" - or just "viol" for (there were also such things as, for example, treble and tenor viols, but the bass was the main instrument of the family).

Trust me, I'm a musician (and play four sizes of viol as well as baroque violin and viola, among other things).

Having said this, the film is beautiful and well worth repeated watching.
The music is stupendous.

The Savall documentary is also pretty good - apart from the subtitles.

Beautiful but empty.......2007-06-19

In a town where I once lived there was a French bakery that produced the most glorious confections man has ever seen. Each was a work of art, so lovely and sculpted that lowly mortals would have felt ashamed to break or bite them. The window was more inviting than the magazine covers in Interstate gas stations--one gorgeous spectacle next to another, murmuring "Come on big boy!" When we finally plunged in, we experienced one of the biggest disappointments in our lives. The pastries were dull. My wife and I had four of them between us, planning an orgy of delight, but all four were mediocre. Not bad...no, no, not bad. But not very good either. Some were sweet but without flavor, some were neither sweet nor tasty. But none of the four offered much pleasure.

This movie is much the same. I don't care whether Jean-Pierre Marielle effectively fakes playing his instrument. What I do care about is that this film offers glorious music, a spectacular look, wonderful acting, great sets, brilliant filming and editing, and no content. What's the big theme here? Did Marais compromise some special artistic soul by becoming the king's lackey while Sainte Colombe remained true to some higher self? Nope, not at all. Marais is an arrogant jerk, whether he works for the king or the local pig farmer. He uses people for his ends. Sainte Colombe is a selfish self-absorbed man who sacrifices his daughters for his music. I know the world venerates those who create art, excusing Picasso and Thomas Wolfe their boorishness since they left masterpieces behind. I don't buy in here, as a man's relationship to the people he created trumps any relationship to things he created. But Sainte Colombe made no effort to leave anything behind. He spent his time alone, wallowing in self-pity and anger, allowing his children to fend for themselves. Art for art's sake? Come on...if he had locked himself up to watch porn or play video games, most folks would be on the phone with DFS in a heartbeat. But because he's an artist some special rules apply? Two weak and vain men destroy their world because they place art above people. I don't.

A serious flaw.......2007-03-31

While other reviewers have offered glowing reports of this film, they have clearly overlooked a fatal flaw: Jean-Pierre Marielle (as Sainte Colombe) is hopeless at miming the actual playing of his instrument. I am a professional musician and I found his inept fiddlings at the fingerboard to be so distracting that it diminished any profound effect the movie may have had.

His movements do not even approximate the actual music being played. One has only to watch the excellent documentary on Disc 2 about Jordi Savall to see what a real master of this instrument actually looks like. I had to constantly suspend disbelief in order to immerse myself back into the story.

Remarkably, Marielle tells us (on Disc 2) that he spent 4 months learning how to pretend to play the viola da gamba! I'm shocked that neither the director or musical supervisor allowed this travesty onto film. Where the audience hears a fast trill, Marielle is moving slowly or not at all. Where the soundtrack has a long sustained note, Marielle moves his fingers in a fast trill ! The only possible excuse is that the film's editor is at fault for not synchronising the correct shots.

The younger Depardieu fares far better - one believes that he is actually playing the instrument. Depardieu senior and the 2 women also appear to have taken the trouble to at least move their fingers in sync with the passages played.

This undermines the entire intention of the film - to portray a master of an instrument and of music.

Beautiful camera work, sublime music - appalling miming.

Period romance - true basis.......2007-02-24

A marvellous experience - great characterisation - beautifully filmed and worth seeing for the wonderful music alone. The music was written by the central character portrayed. Based on a true character. Typically over-
powering French period film as only they can do.
Allow quiet viewing period for absorption and impact.

Average customer rating:

"It was so boring, that I could scream!"
the best of those english working class films of the era
when too much was never enough
Was she really darling?
"I don't get into taxis with whores!"

Darling
Starring: Laurence Harvey , Dirk Bogarde , Julie Christie , José Luis de Villalonga , and Roland Curram
Director: John Schlesinger
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
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ASIN: B0000CNY4S
Release Date: 2003-12-02

Amazon.com essential video

Julie Christie's miracle year of 1965 (she was also in Doctor Zhivago) was capped by a best-actress Oscar® for this sardonic take on Swinging London. Looking about as gorgeous as women get, Christie ascends the ladder of social success, trampling everybody in her path--an ascent that allows writer Frederic Raphael and director John Schlesinger to slash away at the morally bankrupt world that would enable such a person to triumph. Cynics might suggest that Schlesinger's approach, rife with the experiments of New Wave filmmaking, is nearly as empty and showy as the world it describes... which may be why this movie seems more dated than, say, Richard Lester's films from the '60s. Still, with Christie getting generous and suave support from two of the top British stars of the day, Dirk Bogarde and Laurence Harvey, Darling remains a watchable missive from a volatile era. --Robert Horton

Description

Julie Christie turns in an astonishing, OscarÂ(r)-winning* performance in this "sensitive and stunning tale" (Cue) about wanting it alland getting exactly what you wish for. Directed by John Schlesinger from an OscarÂ(r)-winning* screenplay by Frederic Raphael, Darling is "a slashing social satire loaded with startling expositions and lacerating wit" (The New York Times). Ambitious model Diana Scott (Christie) uses her relationships to turn a low-rent career into a high-gear smorgasbord of jet-setting, love-making and the pursuit of hedonistic happiness. But as she moves from one fiery tryst with a TV writer (Dirk Bogarde) to another with a suave playboy (Laurence Harvey) and yet another with a crown prince, she finds that happiness is the one thing that may elude her forever. *1965: Actress (Christie), Original Screenplay, Costume Design

Customer Reviews:

"It was so boring, that I could scream!".......2006-10-26

This line, spoken by Julie Christie to Dirk Bogarde in "Darling" just about sums up my feelings towards this movie. Although I am halfway done with this movie I think this is one of the most boring films I have ever seen and I am stopping this movie when it gets to the scene where Christie looks at herself in the mirror as she removes her clothing. I am done with this movie (believe it or not) and it only got worse: Christie's character Diana Scott marries an Italian man who hello, is old enough to be father! And oh yes, he's an aging prince (in what had to be a ripoff of what happened to Grace Kelly and what would happen to Jacqueline Kennedy and the announcer in the newsreel that calls her "Princess Diana" almost made me laugh). That nearly made me grab a gun and shoot my TV (a la Elvis Presley) considering that this is the same setup that occurs in "Georgy Girl" and that is spoiled British girl living in Swinging England marries older man (Three words: Anna Nicole Smith). Also, I would like to know what are these reviewers smoking in saying that Christie deserved the Oscar for Best Actress? She didn't at all because it should (and I mean SHOULD) of gone to Julie Andrews for "The Sound of Music" (my pick for the best movie of the 1960's) because not only did she overtake her performance of "Mary Poppins," for which she won the Oscar, she pulverized every performance by a female that year including Christie. And there's a problem with the Academy: They can't seem to pull the trigger in giving back-to-back Oscars to the same person.
I'm not alone in this arugment: In Danny Perry's book "Alternate Oscars" he picks Andrews for Best Actress of 1965 and states that the reason why the AMPAS gave the Oscar to Christie was not because it was 'The British Invasion,' but they saw it as a way to give an Oscar to Christie's other film "Doctor Zhivago" which was T.S.O.M.'s rival and added to the fact that "Zhivago" had no acting nominations. There's another Oscar problem: They don't know when to be hip.
Also, does it seem like Dirk Bogarde and Lawrence Harvey were the two worst actors in film history? Because it seems to me that every movie that I have seen with them are bad; weather it was this movie, or "The Manchurian Candidate" with Harvey, or "Modesty Blaise" with Bogarde.
In conclusion, I think some moviegoers should change their mind about buying this movie because this has to be the worst performance ever to win an Oscar. Or as what Bogarde said to Christie: (a fitting way to close this review since that I end where it begins) "I don't take taxis that are filled with whores!"

the best of those english working class films of the era.......2006-05-04

this one was a shocker to me, especially after my usual ranting against the english movies of this period, and anything with laurence harvey in particular. that said -- i loved this movie, and damn if julie christie didnt DESERVE that oscar over julie andrews! she is great as a vapid self-involved ditz who uses her looks in climbing up the social ladder, finding herself in progressively more vile situations. dirk bogarde is one of her lovers, laurence harvey another, but the movie really is the property of miss christie, who gives a performance as breathtaking as her looks.

when too much was never enough.......2006-04-05

The explosive creativity of the Sixties, favored by a booming economy, was nowhere stronger than in London. And London is the set of this fine movie, showing us Sixties-girl Julie Christie greedily using the great opportunities of her times.

Destroying marriages and betraying other affective human relationships, nothing holds the restless 'Glowgirl' back in her climb upwards. However, by doing so she increasingly gets captured in her own public image. When she comes to realize this, damage has been done and the way back is cut off.

With excellent acting by Julie Christie, Dirk Bogarde and Laurence Harvey, 'Darling' pictures this process very well - rewakening an era that has been history for a long time.

Was she really darling? .......2006-03-15

This movie was a good example of what was swinging at the time but not great. I saw Shampoo at the same time, oh my. Worth seeing however.

"I don't get into taxis with whores!".......2005-10-20

Forty years later and Darling is still as hip, daring, and as acerbic as ever. The absolutely ravishing Julie Christie won her much deserved best actress Oscar in 1965 for her role as Diana Scott a brazen, fickle, and swinging Londoner who is discovered by a reporter when she does a street interview, then rises through the European modeling/acting world by sleeping with every man she meets.

Light on plot but incredibly strong on character, Darling takes us from Diana's humble beginnings as she manipulates and connives her way up the social ladder, eventually becoming a darling of the jet-set high society. Diana has no specific ambition; and she has no particular talent; all she knows is that she refuses to be limited. She just wants to be happy, unfortunately though, she looks for happiness in all the wrong places.

Following the break-up of a teenage marriage, Diana drifts into the world of modeling and acting, where she meets television news reporter, Robert Gold (Dirk Bogarde), who leaves his family for her. They both find it terribly easy to cheat on their respective spouses with Diana admitting in a voice over that she did it because she can, and that she always places her momentary needs first.

Robert introduces her to a more powerful and wealthy set and soon she's fraternizing with somebody much more attractive: the cynical public relations mogul Miles Brand (Laurence Harvey). She becomes bored with Robert's bookish, raffish ways, preferring to hang out with Miles's vapid trendsetters, fashionistas, and pretentious artists. Robert eventually wises up to Diana's philandering ways and realizes she's using the same shabby trick against him, and there's nothing he can do about it.

Diana runs off to Paris with the utterly selfish Miles Brand, participating in an orgy, and when her feeble attempts to fool Robert don't work, she pretends she doesn't care. The moment he's too occupied with work to devote himself to her, she's off again getting into even more trouble. She even gets pregnant and is at first excited, but when she realizes that a baby would jeopardize her career, she ends up having an abortion because anything that interferes with her lifestyle has to be gotten rid of.

As she drifts backwards and forwards between Robert and Miles, she befriends a young photographer Malcolm (Ronald Curram) a gay guy, who promises to be her best friend in the whole world. After a round of shoplifting and an evening of drunken revelry, she takes him to Italy and he becomes the only man who she's capable of being honest with.

Diana is so busy taking; she never has to learn the lesson of what giving is. By the time she realizes that she has an attachment to Robert, it's just too late. He's gotten over her cruel rejection and has no further need of her. She's frantic for someone to lean on, so in desperation, she marries Cesare (Jose Luis De Villalonga), an Italian nobleman, and becomes a "Princess Diana." He keeps her at his villa with his children while presumably visiting girlfriends on the side. For Diana, this doesn't exactly spell true love or happiness.

Director, John Schlesinger perfectly captures the mood of the swinging sixties, brilliantly skewering the generation and decade itself -- innocent and guileless, but ultimately self-destructive. Christie is absolutely radiant as the modern jetsetter for whom beauty is the only ticket to fun and thrills. She's the embodiment of amorality and selfishness, but it is exactly this amorality that leaves her in an existential limbo of her own making.

Schlesinger and screenwriter Frederick Raphael don't exactly condemn Diana making her choices or for taking the route that she does, but they haven't anything positive to say about her either. Christie plays her as a spoilt, petulant little girl, too totally amoral to feel anything honest or meaningful for another person, or for that matter, to elicit a strong feeling from us.

Christie is eminently watchable and her stunning beauty carries the film. In fact, she's so pretty that her flaky character remains always interesting. Dirk Bogarde goes from happy to neurotic to vindictive, and Laurence Harvey maintains a smug winner's superiority that's very off-putting. If there is any downside to Darling, it's that there's ultimately nobody on screen worthy of our sympathy.

But Darling is ultimately a searing indictment of Sixties superficiality, all dressed up to look chic and sophisticated, in which the surface of things is readily available from a deluge of media outlets but nothing is explored in depth. It is indeed a classic film and can be viewed again and again.

By closely studying and scrutinizing Julie Christie's character, Raphael and Schlesinger were able to focus on poster girl, the pretty face we encounter every day on television that seduces us into buying products we neither want nor need. Perhaps the ultimate statement, and the theme of the movie, is that this type of character is as empty as the image itself.

At one moment, as she is caught by a camera from precisely the right angle, Diana Scott displays an almost classic beauty, startling in its intensity; a second later, all sorts of sordid, superficial emotions cross over her face, making her appear cheap and ultimately quite vacuous. Perhaps it's a testament to Ms. Christie's fine performance that she can make these emotions appear so real. Mike Leonard October 05.

The Island at the Top of the World (30th Anniversary Edition)

Average customer rating:

I finally found it.
good family fun
A great film? No. Great fun? Yes!
Nice Idea; Weak Execution
Back when Disney was fun.

The Island at the Top of the World (30th Anniversary Edition)
Starring: David Hartman (II) , Donald Sinden , Jacques Marin , Mako , and David Gwillim
Director: Robert Stevenson
Manufacturer: Walt Disney Video
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ASIN: B0001I55XI
Release Date: 2004-09-07

Description

There's magic in the memories as great Disney moments are captured right here for you and your family to enjoy. An American archaeologist joins a rich English businessman, an eccentric French inventor, and an Eskimo trapper on an awe-inspiring search for a long-lost son. What they discover is a world forgotten by time in the grand fantasy adventure tradition of Jules Verne and H.G. Wells, and alive with Disney's trademark spectacle, romance, and comedy!

Customer Reviews:

I finally found it........2007-06-28

I saw this film years ago. To tell the truth, I was 5 years young back then when they brought it to the cinemas. There were neither VCRs then nor color TVs in Israel,mind you. So as a small kid watching this fantastic film stretched so widely on the big screen with the icebergs, the Zeppelin, the volcanos, the huge dark whales and the barbaric vikings running around...wow, that was an overdose. After 32 years, those very same pictures were all that I could remember. I didn't know the title of the film; I knew nothing about it except for the icebergs, the Zeppelin, the volcanos...you get my drift. The 21st century with its much improved search engines has brought this film back to me, and it is here to stay. Now my children, my wife and I can relax and see it again.

good family fun.......2006-11-15

I happened on this film at a local video store and remembered on a hollow earth conspiracy list that this film was based upon the Eskimo legend that the lost viking colony of Greenland actually did not die out, but went north where there was more game and food.
In any event I did enjoy the film and reminded me of the caliber of films that made movies like "The sound of music" such enjoyable family fun. Yes, there are plot holes, and the acting is not perfect - but this is not the point since kids really aren't that picky when it comes to these kinds of things. And I as an adult still liked this film as well. It is a good story, with good set design. Perfect for elementary school level kids and up.

A great film? No. Great fun? Yes!.......2006-07-15

There are some films you love but you can't really justify. Still, I'll give it a try with The Island at the Top of the World. I can understand why a younger generation probably have a hard time taking an adventure movie with action icons Donald Sinden, David Hartman and Jacques Marin seriously. And yes, the once state of the art special effects do look quaint these days, not least Donald Sinden running furiously on the spot to outrun backprojected lava in a shot that elicited roars of laughter from audiences at the time. Maybe it's because it's one of those films I grew up with. In the pre-Star Wars seventies there weren't that many kid-friendly adventure movies, what with nihilism, Vietnam and post-Watergate cynicism setting the screen agenda, so a film that offered airships, volcanoes, killer whales, Eskimos (as we still ignorantly called them in those days), the North Pole and a lost colony of Vikings (in what looks so suspiciously like the Shangri-La of the previous year's Lost Horizon remake that you keep on expecting them to start singing The World is a Circle) was like Christmas come early.

The plot is the standard three-act lost world model - spend a third of the movie getting there, a third finding out what it's like and the last third running for their lives as they attempt to escape - but Disney's now forgotten A-list director Robert Stevenson keeps it moving swiftly along, Peter Ellenshaw's Oscar-nominated production design and Alan Maley's matte paintings give it a storybook quality and it also has a beautiful Maurice Jarre score which has sadly never been released as an album. Dammit, I still enjoy it!

Disney's 30th anniversary edition is the one to get. The extras aren't as lavish as the Vault Disney series, but there better than the pevious R1 and overseas DVD releases - a 1968 presentation reel for the film, a vintage behind-the-scenes featurette, 4 TV spots, 2 trailers, camera dailies and a surprisingly good stills gallery. It's just a shame they didn't carry over the isolated score from the laserdisc issue.

Nice Idea; Weak Execution.......2005-10-25

I have always been a big fan of Disney movies. When this movie came out in the 1970s I chose to spend my money on this movie rather than other (better, as I found out later) movies. I was somewhat disappointed at that time that the movie was relatively cheesy in the special effects department. I had to wonder whether my perceptions had changed in 30+ years.

The story begins with a lot of promise. Sir Anthony Ross (Donald Sinden) is on a mission to find his son, who was lost on an Artic expedition. He "recruits" Professor John Ivarsson (David Hartman) to go on the trip. Ivarsson is an American archeologist who also happens to speak the language of the Vikings. Sorry. He has read the language of the ancient Vikings.

Sir Anthony has commissioned a motorized balloon to take his search to the Arctic. While there are a few places where the balloon is readily discernible as a model, the balloon was one of the most charming features of this movie, and one of the best special effects.

Sir Anthony's modes of operation include all manner of highhanded and arrogant activities. In addition to coercing Ivarsson, he is dictatorial with Captain Brieux, the pilot of the balloon, he kidnaps Oomiak (Mako), an Eskimo who was with Donald Ross (David Gwillim) when the great blizzard struck, and generally acts like an arrogant jerk through most of the movie. I began to cringe every time he opened his mouth, and I suspect you will too.

Sir Anthony's expedition reaches a lost colony of Vikings on an island they call Astragard. Fortunately, Professor Ivarsson speaks the language. Of course, Sir Anthony's son would have learned the language by then as well, not to mention having fallen for Freyja (Agneta Eckmeyr), a local blonde lass. Of course there are obligatory moments of tension as the adventurers are accused of being invaders, the mandatory execution, the escape, and all the excitement that goes with a Disney showdown between the bad guys and the good guys.

The movie has high moments. I was fascinated when a propeller broke over the ocean. Nearly every scene with the balloon was a winner. Some of the scenes on the lost island of Astragard were very good, including portions that looked suspiciously like they were "inspired" by "In Search of the Castaways."

The acting was uniformly poor. David Hartman's face was deadpan through the entire movie. His face actually showed emotion in the final scene for the first time. I found Sir Anthony to be obnoxious. I wondered whether the director was poking fun at the English by having the American counsel caution and attempt to be tactful while Sir Anthony was worse than a bull in a china shop. Many of the supporting actors were just as weak, often looking like they were waiting for their cue to speak, standing in place unnaturally. However, the cast had two characters I enjoyed. Mako was good as long-haired Oomiak. The movie was much more interesting because of the addition of Oomiak. I also liked Captain Brieux. Of course, Oomiak and Captain Brieux appeared to have honest emotions, and the two of them together had more emotions that the rest of the cast put together.

There were many places in the movie where the special effects were obvious. The mattes, lava flows and blue screen effects were nearly always painfully obvious. Each time I watch one of the running scenes against a blue screen I wonder how the actors kept from being completely embarrassed. I will refrain from describing how poor the killer whales appeared in their attack scene.

This 1974 movie had a chance of being as good as Disney's adventure movies of the 60s. However, there were too many things going against it. The acting was weak, the plot was excessively derivative, and the special effects were poor even by Disney's standards. In spite of all the bashing, I am actually fond of this movie. It has a certain cheesy charm that allows me to watch it after having seen it several times over the years. I am hesitant to recommend this movie because of its weaknesses, but if you are looking for another movie in the style of "In Search of the Castaways" and the Disney version of "Swiss Family Robinson," then you may want to give this one a try.

Back when Disney was fun........2005-03-17

Island at the Top of the World was probably not one of Disney's better live action movies.Most of the fans saw it back when they were kids in the early 70's and it has managed to hang in a few peoples memories. The acting isnt bad save for David Hartman who is barely believable. The story isnt bad but not very believable either. Still, you really have to appreciate the large matte paintings used for backdrops and sets. They must have been difficult to make.You also have to give Disney credit at the time for not making the lost Norse tribe speak English.With all the costumes and make up and sets it definitely feels like a '70s movie.

Surprisingly Disney managed to put some extras on this dvd. One short documentary, made just prior to the films release, is included. You have to laugh when the narrator says things like "this film is destined to become a classic movie" and "If X and Y and Z had happend, then a tribe of Norsemen could still be living today". Oh please!

Buy it if your nostalgic,or you appreciate the effort of movie makers back then, you wont be disappointed. Rent it if you have never heard of it.

Dixie Chicks - Top of the World Tour Live

Average customer rating:

I can't believe I watched the whole thing...and enjoyed it all!
There's a reason there's so many bad reviews of this DVD...
Dixie Chicks - Top of the World Tour Live
Dixie Chicks Concert Film
Picture Quality not good

Dixie Chicks - Top of the World Tour Live
Starring: Dixie Chicks , and Natalie Maines
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0000E1WNW
Release Date: 2003-11-21

Amazon.com

A Dixie Chicks in-the-round stadium concert is a visually bold and captivating enterprise, one quickly discovers watching Top of the World Tour. An unusual record of the rousing band's 2003 sweep through giant North American venues, Top of the World freely mixes and matches images culled from multiple shows, demonstrating how Natalie Maines, Emily Robison, and Martie Maguire electrify cavernous spaces as surely as they do smaller ones. Still, size doesn't matter where the Chicks' full-bodied, engaging bluegrass, anthemic country pop, and flat-out rock is concerned. "Longtime Gone" and "Tortured, Tangled Hearts" sound like the polished but authentic roots music one expects from the Chicks. "If I Fall You're Going Down with Me" is a flavorful rocker, while the feminist anthem "Wide Open Spaces" still gets women hopping in the aisles. In a quieter vein, the moody, powerful "Godspeed (Sweet Dreams)" hushes the masses like nothing else. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

I can't believe I watched the whole thing...and enjoyed it all!.......2007-08-18

Since I'm just a moderate fan of the Chicks, I only rented this, and their previous PBS concert ("An Evening With..."), to see them sing "Goodbye Earl" and "Wide Open Spaces". These were the only two songs I knew by name, before I watched the Dvd's.

I started watching the first one, "An Evening With..." (it's in full-screen, with some widescreen shots mixed in), but found it a bit too slow, so I switched to the "Top of the World Tour Live" (which is in widescreen). I was a little confused at first, because I wasn't sure if Natalie's clothing kept changing, or if I was just imagining it? Or maybe, they were just quickly cutting to the other blonde Chick? Anyway, I jumped forward to chapter 4, and when Natalie said, "Well, hello Houston...Cleveland...Boston, etc., I realized what they were doing. Why they didn't start off with chapter 4, first, is beyond me, but I then went back and watched the entire concert! Without the shots of the different clothing and hairstyles, I would have skipped many of the songs.

Yes, some of the edits were too quick, but the quick edits were much less frequent, when the slower, softer songs were sung. I also wish they would have had fewer shots of Natalie wearing black, or sporting her crazy Mohawk hairstyle. To counter this, I just briefly looked elsewhere (on the screen), and waited till the next edit came.

I then watched "An Evening With...", and enjoyed Natalie's humor and sweetness. In addition, I enjoyed seven of the songs, and no longer found it too slow. I liked both concerts equally, but for different reasons.

"Top of the World Tour Live", had more style and flash; while "An Evening With...", had much more charm and humor.

I guess it's true what they say..."The Chicks Rule!"

There's a reason there's so many bad reviews of this DVD..........2007-06-26

and it has nothing to do with politics or country music bashers stopping by to drop a 1 star bomb. Simply put, this thing is horrendously edited.

The decision was made by someone on the production team to shoot several cities (I believe about 12 based on a section where you see Natalie saying "Well, helllllooooo (name of city here)" to various audiences.) on the Top of the World tour and use footage from each. That wouldn't be an issue if they selected,say, the best performance of "Sin Wagon" from the 12 and used it in full. But what they choose to do is slice shots from EACH performance and slap 'em together.

This gives you the equivalent of a 90 minute music video and it is extremely tiring to watch. You're watching Natalie in a black top under a blue spotlight, suddenly the perspective changes and Natalie's now in a Nudie shirt under a yellow spotlight.

BOTTOM LINE:
Everyone complaining about this video is correct. It's not the Chicks' fault, it's bad editing. While I can't vouch for AN EVENING WITH yet (still waiting to get it from NetFlix) I CAN tell you this is a definite waste of hard-earned money. Do NOT buy this.

Dixie Chicks - Top of the World Tour Live.......2007-05-13

The product is what I expected. It arrived on time and in the condition advertised.

Dixie Chicks Concert Film.......2007-05-13

First, I am an unabashed, doting fan of the Dixie Chicks--I love their songs, and I love their feisty attitude, their superb musicianship, and of course, their right-on politics and moral courage in the face of hysterical abuse from brainless rednecks...

Nevertheless, this concert film was a bit of a bore. The performances are, as always, superb--just seeing these three dynamic, enthusiastic ladies interact joyfully on stage and get down with their fiddle and banjo is a pleasure in itself. But the editing tricks, whereby various clips of performances of each song are spliced together so that the staging and costumes seem to change with each new line, are quite distracting and irritating. I realize that concert films have a limited range of cinematic possibilities, but I would have preferred that each song be recorded all the way through at a given venue, before switching to another. And I would have liked to see the performances interspersed with a few informal shots of these ladies getting on and off tour buses, interacting with crowds, or simply chilling and chatting in the green room before a performance. Instead, the whole video is just one fragmented performance after another.

If you want a really good Dixie Chicks video, get their documentary, "Shut Up and Sing," not this one (even though "Shut Up and Sing" lacks complete performances of any of their songs). I hope, however, that someone does a video that blends concert performances with narrative--more like the recent Bob Dylan documentary that Scorsese did.

Picture Quality not good.......2007-02-22

I was suprised to find that this dvd is non anomorphic. For those of us with a 16:9 HD TV the PQ when upconverted is lacking. For a fairly new disc not to be "enhanced for 16:9" TVs is a crime.

Average customer rating:

More?
More real than Project Runway...

Seamless
Starring: Anna Wintour , Lazaro Hernandez , Pharrell Williams , Karolina Kurkova , and Arthur Elgort
Director: Douglas Keeve
Manufacturer: Arts Alliance Amer
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000DN5VFS
Release Date: 2006-02-28

Product Description

Having immortalized designer Isaac Mizrahi in his award-winning documentary UNZIPPED, director Douglas Keeve takes another behind-the-scenes look at the intensely competitive world of the fashion industry with SEAMLESS. Like a grittier version of the reality-television series PROJECT RUNWAY, the film follows ten fashion-design hopefuls as they vie for top-prize in a contest created by Vogue magazine and the Council of Fashion Designers of America. Focusing equally on the art of fashion design as well as its more cutthroat business demands, Keeve's thought-provoking doc is bolstered by cameos from real-life fashionistas Anna Wintour, Vera Wang, and the irrepressible Mizrahi himself.

System Requirements:

Running Time 75 Mins.

Format: DVD MOVIE

Customer Reviews:

More?.......2006-09-25

As a fan of Project Runway, I was thrilled to learn about Seamless, a documentary of the fashion world and young designers.

I truly enjoyed Seamless as it did portray the reality of the fashion world and struggles of the young designers to make it. (Like Heidi Klum always say, "one day you're in; the next day, you're out".) These designers are aware that fashion is highly competitive where many don't make it or experience short-lived success before folding. Those that are still existing and struggling, especially after 9/11, are in dire need of finances or mentorship. This is where Vogue, noted fashion designers and other "head honchos" come in to help out, via competition.

I do wish that the documentary was longer by following the other designers or by covering more aspects of fashion designing, production, etc. I liked how the documentary followed their personal lives, which made them like regular people... Doo-Ri and the fire, Alexandre and his transcontinental separation from his wife, and Lazaro and Jack's adjustment to one's relocation.

Overall, I truly enjoyed Seamless as it was educational yet entertaining.

More real than Project Runway..........2006-07-03

I'm a fan of Project Runway and found I liked this little documentary very enjoyable. Seamless gives us a very real look into a struggling fashion designers world, no 8 hour challenges, no making clothes from flowers; just real people trying to get their struggling business to become a thriving, money making business. The 3 featured designers/design partners had all different personalities and made me want to go research them more.

Average customer rating:

onassis dvd review
Truncated Version Terrible
Interesting but the casting left something to be desired
The uncut version needs to be released

Onassis: The Richest Man in the World
Starring: Francesca Annis , Dimitra Arliss , Richard Chaves , Beatie Edney , and Raul Julia
Director: Waris Hussein
Manufacturer: Direct Source Label
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B000F4RHSO
Release Date: 2006-04-25

Customer Reviews:

onassis dvd review.......2007-03-18

I have been looking for a dvd version of this movie for some time
.....the story and legend of this man is amazing

this dvd shows his full life story ...from his humble beginnings to the opulent life style he had as the then richest man in the world

a great movie...well worth watching

Truncated Version Terrible.......2007-02-13

I agree with the reviewer who noted that the original mini-series was more like 200 minutes long & included a lot more interesting background. I recorded the original broadcast, & was very disappointed in the abbbreviated version. Hopefully the longer version will be released on DVD before my VHS copy wears out....

Interesting but the casting left something to be desired.......2006-10-17

I watched this on the WE station 10/16/06 with commercials. I must assume it was not the abreviated version as there was Part I and Part II. Seymour was very good, altho when I saw her in the credits I could not believe she would be playing Callas. Onassis was a short, not too handsome a man and the casting was not good here altho a fine actor, J. is tall and handsome. The contrast between Onassis/Jackie would have been more real with another actor nearer to Onassis' looks/stature... The Jackie actress was super.

Young Onassis had a gay affair with the Turkish soldier for self preservation? Has this been known?

I agree the reason for Jackie marrying him was known but well scripted in this movie. I thought Onassis' quote (I assume) that women all marry for money was interesting. In Jackie's case it was a matter of price.She ended up living in NY and without fear.

Worth a look. Rent if you can. A bit different than the Anthony Quinn/Bisset TV movie.

The uncut version needs to be released.......2006-08-29

According to a couple of internet sources, this DVD is a drastically truncated version of what was originally a 200 min. miniseries. This could explain many of my problems with the film, which seems to skip briefly over the biographical and emotional high points of Aristotle Onassis's life, without giving us much insight into his character or much depth to his romantic relationships. Jane Seymour won an Emmy for her portrayal of Maria Callas, but I suspect that much of her performance that prompted the award has been cut from this DVD, leaving mostly over-the-top moments (even in the context of the character being played) from this usually very subtle actress. While I admire Raul Julia's body of work, I think he may have been miscast as Onassis. While, again, more subtle, character revealing aspects of his performance may show up in the full version of the film, his acting choices here were awkward and abrupt, and he never convinced me that Onassis was anything more than a shallow, unpleasant, not particularly interesting character who never would have a film made of him were it not for his wealth and taste in women. Anthony Quinn (who here is cast as Onassis's father), at a (not too much) younger age would have done a better job of portraying what I suspect the scriptwriter wanted us to see in Onassis: a charming, often likeable rogue. The most powerful emotional moment on this DVD came from Francesca Annis as Jacqueline Kennedy, who convincingly conveyed what was probably the core reason for the latter's marriage to Onassis: stark fear that her entire family would share the same violent fate as John and Robert Kennedy, resulting in her search for protection. I hope that a full version of this miniseries will be released on DVD, so that viewers can discover how much more depth to Onassis's story might be found in the missing 82 minutes.

Muhammad Ali - Through the Eyes of the World

Average customer rating:

good dvd to get to know more of ali's life as a boxer!
The Thriller Boom in my Living Room
Comprehensive documentary on The Greatest
Loved it

Muhammad Ali - Through the Eyes of the World
Starring: James Earl Jones , Billy Crystal , Richard Harris , and Rod Steiger
Director: Phil Grabsky
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00005RIIX
Release Date: 2002-01-29

Product Description

Muhammad Ali Through the Eyes of the World presents an unparalleled, celebrity-filled tribute to one of the most extraordinary personalities ever to capture the public s imagination! Discover the powerfully moving story of how Ali s fight for glory in the ring transformed him into an international hero whose achievements resonate with millions around the world.

BONUS MATERIALS
Through the Eyes of the World
Unseen Interviews
Stills Gallery
Music Video
Fight Chronology
Ali Center Promo
Ali Featurette
Trailer

System Requirements:

Running Time 104 Min

Format: DVD MOVIE

Amazon.com

Muhammad Ali's grace, charisma, and remarkable bravado shine through in this affectionate look at his life and career. Muhammad Ali: Through the Eyes of the World takes a fairly straightforward documentary approach, chronicling Ali's life and career through film footage and interviews with journalists, loved ones, and a few bizarre commentators, like Scottish comedian Billy Connolly. The film does an excellent job of conveying both Ali's genuine importance as a historical figure and his incredible personal magnetism. Though the documentary doesn't shy away from his faults, Ali is simply impossible to dislike. Most importantly, the film's commentary and carefully selected fight footage make it clear even to those who don't follow the sport what a remarkable boxer Ali was. At one point, Lennox Lewis refers to the "sweet science" of not getting hit, and watching Ali dodge a barrage of punches, we understand exactly what he means. Muhammad Ali: Through the Eyes of the World doesn't pack quite the dramatic wallop of When We Were Kings, but it is a compelling look at one of history's greatest athletes. --Ali Davis

Customer Reviews:

good dvd to get to know more of ali's life as a boxer! .......2007-01-19

a bit disappointing...! Hoped to get more archive-information and images of all the fights which ultimately got him to the top and made him world-champion, again and again!

The Thriller Boom in my Living Room.......2003-12-31

What an outstanding DVD (4.75 stars) -

I was really skeptical at first because the price was so low and I just thought this was going to be one of those cheap and poorly put together Muhammad Ali pieces. I put it on my Holiday Wish List and I figured 10 bucks is pretty cheap for a family member and it's a DVD I want to check out...Maaaan did I get lucky!

Lots of great, fun and rare footage. Some great interviews and thoughts and memories from some pretty interesting people and a hilarious story from Billy Crystal in the Special Features section (the only good thing about that section otherwise it's pretty lame)

Great for any Muhammad Ali fan! - The price for this DVD is absolutely outstanding!

Comprehensive documentary on The Greatest.......2002-01-22

Muhammad Ali was recently named the "Sportsman of the Century" by Sports Illustrated magazine. "Muhammad Ali Through The Eyes of the World," which comes out on January 29th, tells the amazing story of this great athlete, political figure, and celebrity and you can easily see why Ali might have been chosen for this great honor. After all, he always knew he was "The Greatest" - something he claimed about himself from his earliest days of boxing.

"Muhammad Ali Through The Eyes of the World" is a documentary without a narrator. It basically is hundreds of short clips of interviews of everyone from childhood neighbors, former trainers, boxing opponents, friends, family, celebrities, etc. All of these are held together and made cohesive with clips from various sports and boxing historians. The number of voices making up the documentary, though, is really stunning! About the only one they didn't get a current interview from was Ali himself, but given that he suffers from Parkinson's disease now, that would probably have been fairly difficult.

As most people born before 1985 know, Ali was born Cassius Clay in Louisville, Kentucky. His start in boxing came from his bicycle being stolen. He told his father that he was going to "woop" whoever it was when he found out who had stolen his bike. His father asked if he knew how to fight and Ali said no, so his father took him to the local boxing ring and thus was born one of the greatest if not THE greatest boxer ever. What he did in the ring was revolutionary for a heavyweight, as he danced around with the agility of a Barishnikov ducking and bobbing and getting in a punch here and there till he finally bested his opponents either by out and out knockout or by TKO. At least this was the case in his early days. This documentary covers all of his fights, and although there was only an average of 10 or 15 seconds of footage of each fight (save for his fight with Spinx where there is only a still image), at least there was footage of each and lots of commentary about each fight from various people.

Ali was great not only for what he did in the ring, of course, but for his behavior in the public eye. He was a showboater and braggadocio, of course, but he backed this up and was a gracious looser the few times this happened. Nevertheless, more importantly he was outspoken about his own political and moral beliefs. Most people know that he converted to Islam and changed his name to Muhammad Ali, and subscribed to many of the stances of that organization, at least initially. But what many don't know is that Ali was outspoken even before this. For example after coming back from winning the gold metal for boxing in the 1960 Olympics, he through his metal into the Ohio River to protest the racism that was still blatantly prevalent in his home town.

The documentary does not shy away from the controversial aspects of some of what made Ali a complex individual, although it definitely puts his flaws in a positive light, as if to make excuses for them. For example, although a wonderfully supportive father, Ali had 4 wives, and apparently quite a few affairs on top of this. While he divorced one wife apparently because she did not want to cover herself in the way that the Nation of Islam would have proposed (as well wanting to dance, smoke, etc.), Ali was seen escorting new girlfriends on trips while still married. The only family members actually interviewed were one his former wives and one of his daughters. Both are very favorable towards Ali, and his daughter actually says she's glad he was so prolific with relationships or she and all her brothers and sisters would not be around.

The documentary is almost two hours long, so has quite a bit of great footage. Universal presents it in anamorphic widescreen (1.78:1), and transfer is wonderful - at least as far as the modern interview clips go. Of course earlier footage of fights, interviews, etc. from the '60's and 70's are flawed, but there's not much that could have been done about these. The audio is almost primarily dialogue and so the 5.1 Dolby Digital Soundtrack really doesn't get a chance to show off, but the dialogue is crisp and clean for what its worth. One would not expect to see extras on a documentary, but Universal has provided a decent array of bonus material, although each one is fairly small in length. I actually preferred this after watching the 114-minute documentary! Included is a music video, stills of the artwork of Leroy Nieman who did live work during Ali's fights, additional interview outtakes, and a very short "featurette" which could have been simply inserted into the documentary itself without seeming out of place. Also there is an Ali Center Promo: The Ali Center is being built in downtown Louisville and will promote learning and striving for excellence in all areas for youth based on Ali's own life experiences. Finally, there is "Through the Eyes of the World" which has short clips from the "man-on-the-street" but also some boxing professionals on what Ali means to them. I would have liked somewhat longer clips for these as they were only about 10-20 seconds each, but there are so many (10 countries are represented), that having clips that were much more than a couple of minutes per country would probably have gotten a bit tiresome, especially after the fairly long documentary. All these extras and the documentary itself make a really good value for even the list price..., let alone for discounted copies!

Overall, "Muhammad Ali Through The Eyes of the World" is a very comprehensive documentary. It tells a complete story of a great figure, both within sports and outside, from so many different perspectives, with so much old and newer footage, and with so many voices, that you can't help to come away from it feeling like you've really learned a great deal about Ali, and why he himself as well as so many other still consider him to be "The Greatest."

Loved it.......2001-12-07

This is the greatest Ali movie ever made. Period

Average customer rating:

RICHARD BRANSON: THE TOP OF THE WORLD

Manufacturer: A&E Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000E37236
Release Date: 2001-05-30

Description

He is one of the world's most successful, and outrageous businessmen. His life is a series of adventures, and with each success, he sets his goals higher.Richard Branson is a rare combination of mogul and daredevil, a shameless self-promoter who has risked his life to raise the profile of his professional endeavors, and who has raked in the rewards of his unconventional approach. Here, childhood friends and family members, including his father and mother, provide intimate insights into Branson's full-speed-ahead personality. We'll see how he dropped out of school at the age of 16 to start a popular youth magazine before moving into the record business, where he struck gold with artists like Boy George and Phil Collins. And, of course, BIOGRAPHY® charts his high-flying endeavors, from launching a trans-Atlantic airline to attempting to circumnavigate the globe in a hot-air balloon.Britain's answer to Ted Turner is the living embodiment of the maxim that to reach the pinnacle of success, one must be willing to risk all.

Average customer rating:

Dominique Swain

Intern
Starring: Kathy Griffin , Peggy Lipton , Joan Rivers , Samia Shoaib , and Dominique Swain
Director: Michael Lange
Manufacturer: Allumination
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0009NCPME
Release Date: 2005-07-26

Description

Jocelyn (Dominique Swain) has always wanted a career in publishing. At last, she lands an internship working for an ultra-hip magazine and finds herself knee-deep in the crazy, fast-paced world of high fashion, icons and egos. When Jocelyn comes across evidence of a spy at the magazine, she teams up with the art director to uncover the truth, only to find herself falling head over heals in love.

Customer Reviews:

Dominique Swain.......2007-04-12

Dominique was fantistic In Intern, I love her in that one, She is one of the best actresses i know. If i had her address or e-mail address i'd let her know how much i love her movie's and her. Rick

DVD:

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