Blade Runner (Five-Disc Ultimate Collector's Edition)

Description

Visually spectacular, intensely action-packed and powerfully prophetic since its debut, Blade Runner returns in Ridley Scott's definitive Final Cut, including extended scenes and never-before-seen special effects. In a signature role as 21st-century detective Rick Deckard, Harrison Ford brings his masculine-yet-vulnerable presence to this stylish noir thriller. In a future of high-tech possibility soured by urban and social decay, Deckard hunts for fugitive, muderous replicants - and is drawn to a mystery woman whose secrets may undermine his soul.

Customer Reviews:

Ridley Scott is one of the greats........2007-09-08

This film and Ridley's ALIEN inspired countless other Sci-Fi films with their visionary look at a dark future for earth. These films inspired me to become a special-effects technician and I continue to to be inspired by them to this day. A former boss of mine at Warner Bros. Studios helped to make the cryogenic chamber that the "real" Tyrell was found to be frozen in. I heard that this scene was forever lost, but I hope that this version has that recovered footage. Most people don't know that this scene existed.

vote for the narrated version.......2007-08-22

Obviously one cannot comment on what has not been seen but my vote goes to the narrated version. I did see this version when it was originally released this was the version that made this film important. Say what you will about harrison ford and others opinions on the film these are opinions and at a certain point even scotts opinions are irrelevant. Film has entered a new era where directors have become much like painters who refuse to let a painting leave the studio until all is perfect or all the strokes have been squashed under the pressure of what? THE directors cut.
I fell for this movie bigtime like falling in love and those of us who have fallen never think back fondly and say well it could have been better with just a little more unicorn. love is a Unicorn

The best one yet!.......2007-08-22

It's maybe the best Sci fi film of all time, maybe number two behind Ridley's other masterpiece, Alien. This film depicts a dystopian Los Angeles in November 2019 in which genetically manufactured beings, physically identical to adult humans, called replicants are used for dangerous and degrading work in Earth's "off-world colonies." Replicants became illegal on Earth after a bloody mutiny. Specialist police units -- blade runners -- hunt down and "retire" (i.e. kill) escaped replicants on Earth. The plot primarily focuses on a particularly brutal and cunning group of replicants hiding in Los Angeles and a semi-retired blade runner, named Rick Deckard, who reluctantly agrees to take on one more assignment. This movie I believe helped to inpire many clone and cyborg type movies like A.I. The story is so ahead of it's time and one of those rare movies that is as good today as it was in 1982 and is almost more relivant. Well fleshed out characters, Roy Batty (Rutger Hauer) is a commando, Leon a soldier and manual laborer, Zhora (Joanna Cassidy) a sex worker retrained as an assassin, and Pris (Daryl Hannah) a "basic pleasure model." Bryant also explains that the Nexus-6 model has a four-year lifespan as a failsafe against their developing unstable emotions. Deckard is teamed up with Gaff (Edward James Olmos) and sent to the Tyrell Corporation to ensure that the Voight-Kampff test works on Nexus-6 models. While there, Deckard discovers that Tyrell's (Joe Turkel) young secretary Rachael (Sean Young) is an experimental replicant (who believes she is a human) with implanted memories from Tyrell's niece, which provide a cushion for her emotions. I'm a character guy and believe it is imposable to have a great film without many stong multi fasited characters with more that a few layers. Lastly like any great film it is very thought provoking and leaves a lot to the viewer imagination. Many critics and movie goes hated this film for that reason but for the rest of us the compelling question of weather or not Deckard is a replicant is just that thing that makes the movie great. Oh, just so you know...Of course he is, you silly goose!

This is one of those movies that holds up to almost anything made today. the directing, acting, effects, and characters are all spot on. The movie made Rutger Hauer a career as someone to be afraid of.

This edition could make most fanboys soil themselves, I did...twice. It's a great set. The best "special edition" yet.

Where's info on Vangelis' magical score? .......2007-08-15

As HOT as I am to get my hands on the 5 disc package. I'm getting a little nervous about the gift that Vangelis gave to this incredible piece of art. Nothing given about a possible separate audio track for his music that he truly gave his heart and his soul to. Nothing listed in the documentaries/ alternate features of BR. Was he interviewed for it? Or was he ever interviewed about his luminous score over the 25 years since the films release? With the multitude of tracks available on dvd I'll be PISSED if the five different versions do not contain a single isolated Vangelis track. His score is equally as legend as the film itself.

I'm a fan of both BR and Vangelis. The fans of the Greek Gods' compositions over the years since BR have had an undying will of force to track down anything remotely related to his blissful score layered in rich atmosphere. Like those mysterious alternate soundtracks that used to be found on Ebay until a few years ago. The Gongo release is the second best one other than the 12 year delayed original version by Vangelis, which was released by Warner music.

Warner Bros. has been proudly proclaiming that they have all the rights issues handled to release this the way the filmmakers wanted it. Since they have the film and the score why haven't they included his participation in the upcoming notes? Maybe the fans STILL won't be able to enjoy All These Moments all in one place.

OMG!.......2007-08-13

On December 19th 2007, one day after absorbing all five discs of this ultimate masterpiece...I can, and will, finally rest in peace! Bravo for making it happen guys!!!!!

Blade Runner (Five-Disc Complete Collector's Edition) [Blu-ray]

Average customer rating:

Oh, its an awesome movie...
Blade Runner - 5 discs - I said WOW!

Blade Runner (Five-Disc Complete Collector's Edition) [Blu-ray]
Starring: Harrison Ford , Sean Young , and Rutger Hauer
Director: Ridley Scott
Manufacturer: Warner Brothers
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: Blu-ray

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ASIN: B000UBMWG4
Release Date: 2007-12-18

Description

Customer Reviews:

Oh, its an awesome movie..........2007-09-07

But seriously, you guys know it won't be 5 blu-ray discs, right? That would defeat the purpose of the new formats. Both the blu-ray and hd-dvd versions of Blade Runner will be 1 disc each. The standard dvd will be 4 discs, or 5 in the LE case. Visit the Warner Bros web site as Amazon is not publishing the dvd to get accurate info.

Blade Runner - 5 discs - I said WOW!.......2007-08-05

Blade Runner is an amazing film in many ways. It is very artistic, reflective and overall a wonderful piece of cinema that will hold up over the years despite being released in 1982. Ridley Scott is a superb director and this is one of his best films and is one of my personal favorites. Harrison Ford also does a wonderful job and the story will keep you thinking long after watching this. What is great about this set is that you don't have to worry, "which version should I get?" because it comes with all of them! How cool is that? FIVE DISCS for ONLY 27.95? Amazing. This is THE version of the film to buy, and in high-def. I've been waiting on this for YEARS. Also Blade Runner and music fans, may I suggest the Blade Runner soundtrack by Vangelis. (UPC 0 7567-82623-2 6) The expanded soundtrack features more music from the score not released in the film and is just as powerful and evocative as the movie.

Blade Runner (Five-Disc Complete Collector's Edition) [HD DVD]

Average customer rating:

One of my favorite movies!

Blade Runner (Five-Disc Complete Collector's Edition) [HD DVD]
Starring: Harrison Ford , Sean Young , and Rutger Hauer
Director: Ridley Scott
Manufacturer: Warner Brothers
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: HD DVD

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ASIN: B000UBMZ4S
Release Date: 2007-12-18

Description

Customer Reviews:

One of my favorite movies!.......2007-08-19

An opening crawl following the main titles informs the viewer that advances in genetic technology have allowed scientists to create ultra-sophisticated, biologically-engineered humanoid beings called "replicants". Following a violent revolt that takes place "off world," replicants are declared illegal on Earth.

In Los Angeles, November 2019, Deckard (Harrison Ford) is called out of retirement when a fellow Blade Runner -- Holden (Morgan Paull) -- is shot during a Voight-Kampff test by Leon (Brion James), an escaped replicant. A reluctant Deckard is brought to his old boss Bryant (M. Emmet Walsh), who informs him that the recent escape of Nexus-6 replicants is the worst yet. He orders Deckard to eliminate the four replicants, a process referred to as "retirement". Deckard agrees to help after Bryant enigmatically threatens him.

Bryant briefs Deckard on the replicants: Roy Batty (Rutger Hauer) is a commando, Leon Kowalski (Brion James) a manual laborer, Zhora (Joanna Cassidy) an assassin built for martial arts, and Pris (Daryl Hannah) a "basic pleasure model". Bryant also explains that the Nexus-6 model has a four-year lifespan as a failsafe against their developing unstable emotions. Deckard is teamed up with Gaff (Edward James Olmos) and sent to the Tyrell Corporation to ensure that the Voight-Kampff test works on Nexus-6 models. While there, Deckard discovers that Tyrell's (Joe Turkel) young assistant Rachael (Sean Young) is an experimental replicant who believes she is a human; Rachael's consciousness has been enhanced with implanted memories from Tyrell's niece, an accomplishment that Tyrell himself is quite proud of.

A Spinner flies over the 700-story Tyrell Complex in Downtown Los Angeles, 2019.Deckard and Gaff search Leon's apartment as Roy and Leon force Chew (James Hong), an eye designer, to direct them to J.F. Sebastian (William Sanderson) who can lead them to Tyrell. Later, Rachael visits Deckard at his apartment to prove her humanity to him, but leaves in tears after Deckard tells her that her memories are in fact implants. Clues lead Deckard to a sleazy strip club owned by Taffy Lewis (Hy Pyke), who employs Zhora. A chase through the crowded streets ensues and Deckard shoots and "retires" Zhora. Deckard meets with Bryant shortly after and is told to add Rachael to his list of retirements after she has disappeared from the Tyrell Corporation Headquarters. However, after Rachael saves Deckard's life when he is attacked by Leon, they become close and begin to fall in love. In another part of the city, we see Pris and Sebastian for the first time while she's on the street in search of Roy and company. After she freshens up, Roy arrives: then he and Pris employ Sebastian's help by explaining their plight in a very subtle, yet threatening manner. We then turn to Tyrell's penthouse apartment and see Sebastian and Roy arrive on the elevator. Once inside Roy proceeds to demand an extension to his lifespan and absolution for his sins; upon receiving neither, he kills Tyrell and then Sebastian.

Deckard is sent to Sebastian's apartment and is ambushed by Pris. Deckard manages to get the upper hand and violently retires Pris, just as Roy returns. Roy then traps Deckard in the apartment, playfully hunting him throughout the dilapidated Bradbury Building and forcing him to the roof. As Deckard attempts to escape from the roof, he ends up hanging from a beam. Just as Deckard is about to fall, Roy saves his life. Roy is quickly deteriorating, as his 4-year lifespan is up, and he "dies" up on the rooftop. Deckard returns to his open apartment and finds Rachael alive. As they leave, Deckard finds an origami unicorn calling card left by Gaff and they depart towards an uncertain future together.

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Average customer rating:

Great movie
The most beautiful mini-series
Something different in a world of copycats.
Comes the Kingdom!
Addictive Movie

The 10th Kingdom
Starring: Kimberly Williams , Scott Cohen , John Larroquette , Dianne Wiest , and Camryn Manheim
Director: Herbert Wise , and David Carson
Manufacturer: Lions Gate
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0000648XE
Release Date: 2002-05-28

Amazon.com

This epic 10-hour miniseries from the Emmy-winning writer of Gulliver's Travels was a ratings bust on television, but on video and DVD, where it can be enjoyed at one's leisure, it has a better chance to cast its magical spell. Kimberly Williams has never been more enchanting than as Virginia, a waitress who still lives with her janitor father (John Larroquette) and yearns for something exciting to happen to her. Her wish comes true when she and her father are transported from New York City into a dimension that, with apologies to Rod Serling, can only be called the Fairy Tale Zone; nine kingdoms populated by characters from fairy tales of yore. They team up with a dog who's really a prince--Wendell, grandson of Snow White--changed into canine form by the evil Queen (Dianne Wiest), who plots to usurp Wendell's throne. Father, daughter, and his royal dogness are relentlessly pursued through the nine kingdoms by the Troll King (Ed O'Neill) and his three bumbling and horrible children, and the conflicted Wolf (Scott Cohen), who is allied with the Queen but, with the aid of some Oprah-esque self-help books, tames his inner beast and falls in love with Virginia. The 10th Kingdom is a special effects extravaganza. There is indeed, as one character marvels, magic to behold here. But despite the Hallmark brand name and the presence of a grown-up Snow White (Camryn Manheim) and Cinderella (Ann-Margret), bewitched animals, magic mirrors, and trolls, this is not kid's stuff. It can get scary, surprisingly violent, and quite intense; you know, just like real fairy tales. --Donald Liebenson

Customer Reviews:

Great movie.......2007-08-23

This is a great movie, I received it promptly and in perfect condition, I recommed this to anyone.

The most beautiful mini-series .......2007-08-11

This is the most beautiful mini-series you're liable to see. A modern woman from contemporary New York City still living with her father ends up on an adventure beyond her imagining when a gateway between her world and the strange and surreal world of the 9 kingdoms is opened. The 9 kingdoms is an alternate reality where the fairy tales are strangely true and wolves (werewolves actually) do seduce young women, princes are put under wicked spells and dark, deep secrets are hidden behind the villainous wicked queen. (I won't spoil it for you.)

One character I love in particular in this is the neurotic Wolf. Wolf is a half-wolf (werewolf) and apparently a descendant of The Big Bad Wolf. Wolf becomes the love interest in the story.

There are some amazing acting talents in this mini-series including Diane Weist in her very first villain role. It's shocking to see her out of the sugary sweet motherly role we're used to such as her role as Peg in Edward Scissorhands and the mother role in Lost Boys.

Another thing I like is the beautiful yet full figured woman who played Snow White- the actress from the practice. The writers paid close attention to detail in remembering that the original Snow White story's protagonist was fair and plump and they didn't follow the modern trend of the sickly-thin conception of beauty.

The fairy tales return to their roots with this mature- yet decent enough for people of all ages- fantasy. It's simply beautiful.

Something different in a world of copycats........2007-08-10

What I can't believe is how intricate this whole story is. I really shows a lot of different story lines, characters and twists and turns along the way. It is inventive and enjoyable. I have watched bits and pieces since the first time I watched the entire thing at once. Everytime I watch, I see something I didn't see before.

Scott Cohen as "Wolf" is totally amazing. He is the perfect lead male in a twisted fairytale. He is charming, sexy, daring, and yet flawed in a number of ways. John Larroquette is great as "Tony" and he has the comic timing down pat. Kimberly Williams holds it all together while being brave and vulnerable all at once.

My kids are 10 & 7 and they love it. My Mom is in her 60's and she loves it so it appeals to many age groups.

If you can't handle fantasy, don't watch. If you are sick of the same old formulas, then give it a try for something new.

Comes the Kingdom!.......2007-08-05

This is a delight for anyone who enjoys fantasy and folk lore. In a modern age it is so delightful to find the old stories coming to life!

Addictive Movie.......2007-08-01

This is a very addicting movie! You just can't stop watching. My Aunt had this movie when we went to visit her and we promptly came home and ordered it, my Aunt then watched with me and I had to order it for her too, and she is a teacher. She brought this to class for thier "free Friday's" and now her class has seen it several times. This is a light hearted fantasy type movie. I reccomend it for all ages!

Blade Runner (Five-Disc Ultimate Collector's Edition) [Blu-ray]

Average customer rating:

The FINAL Blade Runner
I'm ecstatic!!!!
Blade Runner finally gets its comeupence
The God of biomechanics has blessed us all!

Blade Runner (Five-Disc Ultimate Collector's Edition) [Blu-ray]
Starring: Harrison Ford , Sean Young , and Rutger Hauer
Director: Ridley Scott
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: Blu-ray

General | Blu-ray | Formats | DVD | Video

Science Fiction & Fantasy | Blu-ray | Formats | DVD | Video
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ASIN: B000R6PKP2
Release Date: 2007-12-18

Description

Customer Reviews:

The FINAL Blade Runner.......2007-09-09

Based on the Blade Runner discussion panel at the recent San Diego Comic-Con, this edition should be the the last word on the Ridley Scott film, Blade Runner. The panel included the legendary director himself answering fan questions. The material on the five discs should be almost all there is, including all 5 versions like the new "Final Cut" that has the recent footage of Joanna Cassidy redoing her death scene where she barrels thru the plate class. The fan favorite "The Work Print" is also included, along with documentaries and 1 disc full of scenes. For the fans of Blade Runner, the film inspired by P.K. Dick's brilliant novel "Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep", the five-disc Ultimate C.E. is a must. And it comes in the neat "Deckard Case", and Amazon has it listed at $69.99 as a pre-order. And that is the Blu-Ray version for $30 less the list price. At that price it's a steal. I just ordered mine, and I recommend any fan to do the same.

I'm ecstatic!!!!.......2007-08-11

I've had this on my wish list for some time and it's finally coming out on Bluray no less!!! One of my all time fav movies and I'm sure all those questions we had will be answered on any of the several bonus discs included. Superb movie no matter which cut you watched...highly recommended to those who have not seen it. If you get a chance, check out the final cut trailer on Youtube.

Blade Runner finally gets its comeupence.......2007-08-10

What better film to sail the Blu Ray market into harbor? I find it absolutely amazing that Blade Runner is finally getting the treatment it deserves. And then some! What an incredible set. December can't come quickly enough.

The God of biomechanics has blessed us all!.......2007-08-06

I will go out on a limb here and be the first to review by intuition what will surly be the best Blue Ray release to date. From what I have read, I am sure this will not disappoint.

I am sure someone will find fault with it though. Someone always does. Ridley Scott himself could come by and re-make the film for some people and they would still not be satisfied. If you are one of those few unsatisfyable souls, please spare us all and stay away from here. Go back to the theater where you originally saw it and wait for Ridley Scott to come by and re-screen it for you. All the rest of us will be home watching this cool film in it's many incarnations.

Average customer rating:

I liked American Psyco better
Batman Is Worth the extra cash for this HD-DVD
Deffects Absent
One of the best to show off your HD system!
Chris Nolan's Superhero Film Noir Restarts The Franchise

Batman Begins (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Christian Bale , Michael Caine , Liam Neeson , Katie Holmes , and Gary Oldman
Director: Christopher Nolan
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00005JNJV
Release Date: 2005-10-18

Product Description

Batman Begins explores the origins of the Batman legend and the Dark Knight's emergence as a force for good in Gotham. In the wake of his parents' murder, disillusioned industrial heir Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) travels the world seeking the means to fight injustice and turn fear against those who prey on the fearful. He returns to Gotham and unveils his alter-ego: Batman, a masked crusader who uses his strength, intellect and an array of high tech deceptions to fight the sinister forces that threaten the city.

System Requirements:

Running Time 140 Min

Format: DVD MOVIE

Amazon.com

Batman Begins discards the previous four films in the series and recasts the Caped Crusader as a fearsome avenging angel. That's good news, because the series, which had gotten off to a rousing start under Tim Burton, had gradually dissolved into self-parody by 1997's Batman & Robin. As the title implies, Batman Begins tells the story anew, when Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) flees Western civilization following the murder of his parents. He is taken in by a mysterious instructor named Ducard (Liam Neeson in another mentor role) and urged to become a ninja in the League of Shadows, but he instead returns to his native Gotham City resolved to end the mob rule that is strangling it. But are there forces even more sinister at hand?

Cowritten by the team of David S. Goyer (a veteran comic book writer) and director Christopher Nolan (Memento), Batman Begins is a welcome return to the grim and gritty version of the Dark Knight, owing a great debt to the graphic novels that preceded it. It doesn't have the razzle dazzle, or the mass appeal, of Spider-Man 2 (though the Batmobile is cool), and retelling the origin means it starts slowly, like most "first" superhero movies. But it's certainly the best Bat-film since Burton's original, and one of the best superhero movies of its time. Bale cuts a good figure as Batman, intense and dangerous but with some of the lightheartedness Michael Keaton brought to the character. Michael Caine provides much of the film's humor as the family butler, Alfred, and as the love interest, Katie Holmes (Dawson's Creek) is surprisingly believable in her first adult role. Also featuring Gary Oldman as the young police officer Jim Gordon, Morgan Freeman as a Q-like gadgets expert, and Cillian Murphy as the vile Jonathan Crane. --David Horiuchi

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Stills from Batman Begins (click for larger images)

Customer Reviews:

I liked American Psyco better.......2007-09-12

I got that batmobile for my son thats probably the best part of the movie. They need to make that next movie they hinted at in the end with the joker. Bottom line- roof top batmobile chase, more please, Christian Bale batman eeeygh I don't think so.Batman Begins Deluxe Batmobile Vehicle

Batman Is Worth the extra cash for this HD-DVD.......2007-09-11

Batman Begins as a movie is great. The plot and settings of the movie really makes it feel like a real batman movie. Not colorful and very dark. The HD DVD transfer is amazing, with black levels beyond belief. If you have the standard def version and compare it to the HD version, you will notice a huge difference on any size high def t.v thats over 27 inches. I recommend this to any HD DVD owner, even if you have the standard dvd. a must.

Deffects Absent.......2007-09-06

Tim Burton's original Batman was truly groundbreaking and did deserve the huge amounts of praise it recieved (I never really cared for any of the sequels. While the Joker was surreal, at least he was accetable. Batman Returns carried the unreality a little far). However, it was flawed. Mainly, it was small things that caught my attention, such as the fact that Batman's suit was so stiff that he could hardly fight in it (did it bother anybody else that he couldn't even turn his neck?) and the movie made me wonder how organized crime could realisticly be so obvious in a city and no one do anything about it. Batman Begins makes the corruption of Gotham's judicial system and police department very real and makes you realize that an independent like Batman, as unlikely a hero as he is, is badly needed. And instead of skirting around the issues with the batsuit we finally see every part of it explained from the horns on his head to the reason for the design of his cape and(GASP!) it actually seems plausable, even almost likely. Other pluses include: Unlike in so many other movies, the special effects are not just there for themselves, but really add to the story. Other portrayals of Batman make him seem unstable and even dangerous to those he is supposedly protecting, while here he is an immovable, if dark, force for good with solid, sain reasons for doing what he does. (This movie just goes to show how adaptable Batman really is. There are so many good ways to portray him!) The villains, too, are unbelievably lifelike considering their origins (like Batman, the comics), good acting and a well devised plot draw you in and keep you wide-eyed, and, though some may say the movie was just too long, I loved every minute of it!

One of the best to show off your HD system!.......2007-09-01

I've noticed that everyone wants to review the film but nobody talks about its HD muscle. After buying many HD-DVDs I will say that Batman Begins is the overal best combination of amazing picture and fire setting audio! The Dolby TruHD audio track is stunning and somehow manages to make your house sound more like a movie theater than anything else out there. 100% recommended

Chris Nolan's Superhero Film Noir Restarts The Franchise.......2007-08-23

When I was a kid, I'll admit that I kind of hated Batman, thanks to reruns of the 1960s television series. On TV, Batman was sanctimonious, shallow and corny. In 1989, however, the advent of Tim Burton's Batman movie exposed me to a whole new side of Batman: a flawed, moody outsider who lived in a corrupt, gothic metropolis, and who was more than willing to act lethally if he felt it was needed. Batman became a huge success, and was one of the first "summer megahype movies" to benefit from the new Hollywood press machine. While the movie may have emphasized style over substance, seeing Michael Keaton's Batman (using an arsenal of high-tech vehicles and gadgets) take on Jack Nicholson's deformed Joker was pure entertainment. Batman fever reigned high at the time, but Burton's sequel, "Batman Returns", couldn't match the freshness of its predecessor, despite being a quite solid effort. Keaton and Burton left the franchise, leaving Val Kilmer in the unenviable position of tackling the role of Bruce Wayne in Joel Schumacher's inordinately campy "Batman Forever". Val Kilmer's almost psychadelic take on Batman wasn't enough to overcome the gaudy neons and cartoonish portrayals which plagued the movie; nonetheless, the movie was financially successful. With George Clooney as Batman, 1997's "Batman and Robin" was the inevitable straw that broke the camel's back, and was so terrible that it stalled the careers of Chris O'Donnell and Alicia Silverstone, and led Clooney to admit that he "was the guy who screwed Batman up". It looked like the franchise was dead, and the Batman movie license languished for years in development hell. After some false starts, "Memento" director Chris Nolan was the guy who was to revive the Batman franchise with this movie, which chronicles the very beginning of Batman's career.

While it has become fashionable to subscribe to the revisionist position that Tim Burton's "Batman" was a bad movie, the truth is that Nolan was clearly inspired to some degree by Burton. The look of Batman's armored outfit, the militaristic motif of the Tumbler (aka the Batmobile), the gritty take on city corruption- these are all clearly derived from Burton's work. However, Nolan's Gotham, while still dark and menacing, is not steeped in gothic fantasticism, but rather in a slightly more modern take on the classic noir urban setting of the mid 20th century. The characters are all portrayed and explored much deeper than the 1989 movie, and both the hero and villains behave more realistically.

The storyline hews closer to the various Batman comic books as well. The movie begins with Bruce Wayne (played by "American Psycho" star Christian Bale) locked in an Asian prison, being recruited by the enigmatic Ducard for the League of Shadows, a mysterious organization of vigilantes run by the even more mysterious R'az Al Ghul. Wayne trains to become a crime fighter, and through flashbacks, we see Bruce Wayne's childhood shattered when his wealthy and well-intentioned parents are killed by a desperate mugger. After college, he returns to Gotham City to kill the mugger, who is about to be released in return for testimony, but is beaten to the punch by Carmine Falcone's mob organization. Realizing that mere revenge is a doomed path, Wayne disappears to live life as a criminal, and gain insight. Back in the present day, Wayne is about to be inducted into the League, but things turn sour when he learns their true plans. Barely escaping with his life, Bruce Wayne returns to Gotham with an idea in his head- to create an alter ego which will strike fear into the hearts of criminals. Back in Gotham, he finds his father's company is in danger of losing its way, and is about to go public, thanks to the machinations of Earle, who was trusted with the company. Wayne finds allies in family butler Alfred, Lucius Fox, a former Wayne Enterprise executive who was demoted to a dead-end job in research, Rachel Dawes, his childhood friend turned idealistic assistant D.A., and Sergeant Jim Gordon, an honest cop in a district overrun by corruption. However, things are about to get "complicated", with both Carmine Falcone and corrupt Dr. Jonathan Crane (whose alter ego is the Scarecrow) acting as pawns for an even more sinister force preparing to unleash hell on Gotham.

First off, with the exception of Katie Holmes' flat portrayal of Dawes, the acting is top notch. The cast is a treasure trove of outstanding actors, including Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Liam Neeson, Morgan Freeman, Rutger Hauer, Tom Wilkinson, Cillian Murphy, and Linus Roache, to mention a few. While some may object to the slower pacing of the movie, it works well, and creates tension. The movie is saturated with browns, yellows and oranges, creating a warm glow to contrast with the sinister atmosphere brought by the story, while the minimalist soundtrack is appropriately gothic when needed. The movie seems busy at times, with not one but three main villains, and the requisite goons. The action sequences are presented at a frantic pace, and some may take issue with Nolan's filming of fight scenes in such an "indirect", chaotic manner. But in the end, this is a superhero movie of the highest order, which tries to balance the fantastic with the realistic, and usually succeeds. The movie viewer has been pretty fortunate with comic book movies as of late, with Superman Returns, the X-Men movies, and the Spiderman movies. By returning to the noir roots explored by Tim Burton, yet filming things his own way, Chris Nolan managed to restart the franchise without disrespecting what was done well in past iterations.

The single disc DVD version has literally no extras, whatsoever. However, the movie was so good I'll overlook it....this time. Whichever version you get, the movie is outstanding.

Average customer rating:

Disturbingly violent ...
For Frank Miller die-hard fans only
Incredible!
A true "Collector's Edition" DVD!!
Relaxing.

Sin City
Starring: Robert Rodriguez , Frank Miller (II) , Jessica Alba , Devon Aoki , and Alexis Bledel
Manufacturer: Dimension
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00005JNTX
Release Date: 2005-08-16

Amazon.com

Brutal and breathtaking, Sin City is Robert Rodriguez's stunningly realized vision of Frank Miller's pulpy comic books. In the first of three separate but loosely related stories, Marv (Mickey Rourke in heavy makeup) tries to track down the killers of a woman who ended up dead in his bed. In the second story, Dwight's (Clive Owen) attempt to defend a woman from a brutal abuser goes horribly wrong, and threatens to destroy the uneasy truce among the police, the mob, and the women of Old Town. Finally, an aging cop on his last day on the job (Bruce Willis) rescues a young girl from a kidnapper, but is himself thrown in jail. Years later, he has a chance to save her again.

Read our interview with Frank Miller.

Based on three of Miller's immensely popular and immensely gritty books (The Hard Goodbye, The Big Fat Kill, and That Yellow Bastard), Sin City is unquestionably the most faithful comic-book-based movie ever made. Each shot looks like a panel from its source material, and director Rodriguez (who refers to it as a "translation" rather than an adaptation) resigned from the Directors Guild so that Miller could share a directing credit. Like the books, it's almost entirely in stark black and white with some occasional bursts of color (a woman's red lips, a villain's yellow face). The backgrounds are entirely digitally generated, yet not self-consciously so, and perfectly capture Miller's gritty cityscape. And though most of Miller's copious nudity is absent, the violence is unrelentingly present. That may be the biggest obstacle to viewers who aren't already fans of the books and who may have been turned off by Kill Bill (whose director, Quentin Tarantino, helmed one scene of Sin City). In addition, it's a bleak, desperate world in which the heroes are killers, corruption rules, and the women are almost all prostitutes or strippers. But Miller's stories are riveting, and the huge cast--which also includes Jessica Alba, Jaime King, Brittany Murphy, Rosario Dawson, Benicio Del Toro, Elijah Wood, Nick Stahl, Michael Clarke Duncan, Devin Aoki, Carla Gugino, and Josh Hartnett--is just about perfect. (Only Bruce Willis and Michael Madsen, while very well-suited to their roles, seem hard to separate from their established screen personas.) In what Rodriguez hopes is the first of a series, Sin City is a spectacular achievement. --David Horiuchi

More Sin City at Amazon.com

The Graphic Novels and Books
Films by Robert Rodriguez
From Graphic Novel to Big Screen

The Soundtrack
Films by guest director Quentin Tarantino
Crime on DVD

Description

An amazing cast of big-screen favorites is directed by Robert Rodriguez (DESPERADO, FROM DUSK TILL DAWN), Frank Miller -- and special guest director Quentin Tarantino (KILL BILL 1 and 2, PULP FICTION) -- in an acclaimed and visually stunning hit that's the coolest movie of the year! Straight from the pages of Miller's hip series of "Sin City" graphic novels, Bruce Willis stars as a cop with a bum ticker and a vow to protect a sexy stripper (Jessica Alba -- FANTASTIC FOUR); Mickey Rourke (MAN ON FIRE) as an outcast misanthrope on a mission to avenge the death of his one true love (Jaime King -- PEARL HARBOR); and Clive Owen (KING ARTHUR) as Dwight, the clandestine love of Shellie (Brittany Murphy -- LITTLE BLACK BOOK), who spends his night defending Gail (Rosario Dawson -- THE DEVIL'S REJECTS) and her Old Town girls (Devon Aoki and Alexis Bledel) from a tough guy (Benicio Del Toro -- 21 GRAMS) with a penchant for violence. Also starring Elijah Wood, Nick Stahl, Michael Madsen, Carla Gugino, and Michael Clarke Duncan.

Customer Reviews:

Disturbingly violent ... .......2007-08-17

The innovative approach to the look of this film is the primary seduction. Studying the visual effects in isolation is reasonable and informative. Regarding the story itself, I found the form and portrayal of violence in the film to be disturbing. While characters are rendered by living actors (certainly some of my favorite), the violence inflicted by characters on each other in many cases is lethal with the film representing it as survivable. The effect is to create a struggle between a sense of realism and its creative suspension that leaves us with a film that is extremely uncomfortable to watch. Unless you are a fan of the graphic novel series from which the story was adapted, I cannot recommend this film.

For Frank Miller die-hard fans only.......2007-08-13

...the rest of us skip this movie. I'll admit the best thing about the movie is the way it looks. Rodriguez did an excellenct job in bring a comic book to life. However, some things need to stick to their original medium. I'm counting these illogical wrecks of mini-stories as those that fit in this catagory. After Micky Rourke's short (the best one, IMHO) I was ready for this movie to end. Clive Owens seemed miscasted, but Benico sort of saved the day on that story, but it was still riding on the so-so part. After that, I'm thinking surely that's the end...BUT NO. It keeps going and going, until I'm practically begging the DVD player, please no more. Then there's just one more bit, that I was so close to pulling my hair out, that I was relieved that it only lasted less than a minute. Oh, Thank God. If over the top violence is what gets you off, then this is the movie for you. If not, please, please avoid this movie.

Incredible!.......2007-08-06

This is what it looks like when you make a movie from a comic book/graphic novel. Period. Everything else is just crap compared to this, when it comes to making movies from comic books/graphic novels. Period.

A true "Collector's Edition" DVD!!.......2007-07-29

This is one extended edition dvd worth purchasing. Unlike other "double dips" that are marketed as special/collector's/limited/extended edition, this is a release that truly delivers. Not only does this dvd contain the extended edition of each story presented in the film, it also contains the original theatrical edition. The Marv and Hartigan storylines have the most material added to them, you can hardly notice the additions to the Dwight storyline. One of the bonus features explains the chronology of the events in the film, for those who were/are confused. If you don't own the movie, buy this edition. If your a fan buy this edition and sell your single disk release.

Relaxing........2007-07-22

I could write a lengthy review.
I will not because this film needs none.
It was dark, erotic, violent, deep, and basic.
It touched the primal parts of my humanity.
So much today is concerned with socialization, cooperation, networking, brownnosing, surrendering, grudging responsibility.
This film shows the true nature of mankind as it was supposed to be.
Strong, honorable, wise, and lustful.

Average customer rating:

From The Director Of "Superman" Comes A Tale Of True Love And Rousing Adventure.
ENTERTAINING
Ladyhawke
Favorite for Years!
LadyHawke

Ladyhawke
Starring: Matthew Broderick , Rutger Hauer , Michelle Pfeiffer , Leo McKern , and John Wood
Director: Richard Donner
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 630469654X
Release Date: 1997-10-29

Amazon.com

This lushly produced fantasy has gained a loyal following since its release in 1985, and it gave a welcomed boost to the careers of Matthew Broderick, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Rutger Hauer. You have to ignore the overly aggressive music score (critic Pauline Kael aptly dubbed it "disco-medieval") and director Richard Donner's reckless allowance of anachronistic dialogue and uninspired storytelling, but there's a certain charm to the movie's combination of romance and heroism. Broderick plays a young thief who comes to the aid of tragic lovers Isabeau (Pfeiffer), who is cursed to become a hawk every day at sunrise and Navarre (Hauer) who turns into a wolf at sunset. The curse was cast by an evil sorcerer-bishop (John Wood), and as Broderick eludes the bishop's henchmen, Navarre struggles to conquer the villain, lift the curse, and be reunited with his love in human form. The tragedy of this lovers' dilemma keeps the movie going, and Broderick is well cast as a young, medieval variation of Woody Allen. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

From The Director Of "Superman" Comes A Tale Of True Love And Rousing Adventure. .......2007-08-26

From the director of "The Omen" and "Superman: The Movie," Richard Donner crafts a tale of lavish fantasy and true romance in medieval France (never named as such, but the name of "The Mouse" and several other characters make it clear that the story is set in France). Teen idol Matthew Broderick, Rutger Hauer (in a rare appearance as a good guy) and the always lovely Michelle Pfeiffer star in this expertly written fantasy from a story by Edward Khmara (who also co-wrote the script with Michael Thomas and Tom Mankewicz, who also served as consultant on this film and
"Superman: The Movie"). The music in the opening credits is amazing. I've always been a huge fan of period/fantasy films, plus the all-star cast (which includes Tony winner John Wood) and director (Donner) intrigued me to see it. Made in the same decade as the so-so "Labyrinth" (the story needed more work) and the even better fantasy-adventure-romance-comedy
"The Princess Bride," the film uses synthesized musical pieces which clash with the period setting, but it is no matter. In fact, the music makes the film even more enjoyable. Great job from everyone involved. My only minor complaint is that the climactic sword fight could have been better choreographed. Minor, but worth noting. Rated PG for some violence.

ENTERTAINING.......2007-08-23

This is a movie after my heart in the romance department, with the trials and tribulations between good and evil.

Ladyhawke.......2007-08-23

Ladyhawke is a fun movie. It has an interesting story line, advenuture, and is enjoyable. Lucille Maimone

Favorite for Years!.......2007-08-21

The plot is explained well in other reviews, but I would like to make a personal comment on this movie.

Ladyhawke has been a favorite movie of mine for many, many years. A friend and I caught it by chance in 1985 at a theatre where we had seen everything else before and I was hooked immediately!! Through the years since then, I found myself continually trying to get other people to see it, but it was only in 2004 that I was able to make a copy of it on VHS to show to friends that also came to enjoy the film.

When I first saw the rave comments listed in this review column, I finally felt vindicated for calling it one of my favorite movies all these years. I'm so excited that there are other people who not only feel the way I do, but are putting the word out for others to check out Ladyhawke. I don't think anyone who does will be disappointed!!!!

LadyHawke.......2007-07-30

I've been looking for this for years!
The photography and story are wonderful, It didn't fail to please.
If anything needs changed or re-edited it's the soundtrack, but I can put up with it. Ruter Hauer at his best, Michele Phieffer is beautiful and Matthew Broderick at the beginning of a successful career.

Blade Runner (Five-Disc Ultimate Collector's Edition) [HD DVD]

Average customer rating:

The Wait Is Over...

Blade Runner (Five-Disc Ultimate Collector's Edition) [HD DVD]
Starring: Harrison Ford , Sean Young , and Rutger Hauer
Director: Ridley Scott
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: HD DVD

Ultimate Editions | Fully Loaded DVDs | Features | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B000R5N1MC
Release Date: 2007-12-18

Description

Customer Reviews:

The Wait Is Over..........2007-08-08

How many films mark an era in film making like Blade Runner? I've been fascinated by this movie since it came out back in '82. I was only 11, but I remember reading the Marvel comic, the novel 'Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep' and eventually in college adding the vcr tape to my collection in it's various released editions. Finally the ultimate collection looks to be available very shortly and I find myself just as excited as when I first heard 'the guy who played Han Solo is in a new movie..!' 25 years ago.

I've seen outtake stills and skimmed through the 'making of' books with much curiosity. Learning behind the scene facts about how miserable it was on the set at times and how Harrison Ford had a reputation for not 'liking' the film. This stuff always fascinated me. To think, that the creation of such a creative project could harbor with in it's working process so many negativities and still come out in my mind as perfect was very interesting to me. Time and again, I'd view this movie and see wires lifting up ships and dialog miss cues (that are apparently to be corrected in this latest version)and think that they were done for effect, not by mistake. I guess that's how much I wanted to love this film and still do.

You can bet I'll be all over this brief case edition. To watch the new version and cherish the old, mistakes and all.

Average customer rating:

Loved it
Merlin The Great
Only One Downside - Missing a Small Scene
Things that Legends are Made of.
THE MAGIC OF DVD

Merlin (Special Edition)
Starring: Sam Neill , Helena Bonham Carter , Miranda Richardson , John Gielgud , and Martin Short
Director: Steve Barron
Manufacturer: Lions Gate
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0002235PS
Release Date: 2004-06-08

Product Description

In the classic tale of good of good and evil, the wise old wizard Merlin recounts how he and Arthur fought to overcome wickedness and defeat Mab, the queen of Darkness.

Bonus Features

5.1 Audio, 2.0 Dolby Stereo

The magical making of Merlin

Director Commentary Steve Barron

Charlotte Church music video

Documentary Featurette and more

Spanish subtitle Available

System Requirements:

Running Time 182 Min

Format: DVD MOVIE

Amazon.com essential video

What kind of guy was the wizard Merlin, anyway? He lives a long time, raises a boy to be a king, props up a Utopian empire with his magic and wisdom, and then watches as it all crumbles under such banal forces as vengeance and betrayal. This four-hour miniseries re-tells the story of Camelot and King Arthur from the perspective of the magic man who sacrifices a great deal to guide mortals toward a better destiny. Sam Neill plays Merlin as an accessible, flesh-and-blood fellow of real passion, powerless to undo the spell of a rival (Rutger Hauer) who has virtually imprisoned Merlin's great love, Nimue (Isabella Rossellini), but gifted enough to counter the treachery of Morgan Le Fey (Helena Bonham Carter) and the wicked Queen Mab (Miranda Richardson). The battle sequences and special effects are striking and original, and it is great fun to see such art-house movie actors as Richardson, Carter, Neill, etc., in fantasy entertainment the whole family can enjoy. (An unrecognizable Martin Short must be singled out, however, for a wonderful, largely dramatic performance as Mab's sidekick, Frik.) Directed by Steve Barron (The Adventures of Pinocchio), Merlin is a nice bit of glossy revisionism of a beloved legend. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

Loved it.......2007-08-14

Ever since i first saw this movie in history class, middle school during our time on legends and myths, i have loved this movie. I never could find it in any store but it always remained a movie that stood at the tops of my favorite movies lists. Good story line with abit of everything for everyone, can seem long and confusing at times but eventually you learn and understand it all. Definatly a must own for any who like medievalish movies with war, love, drama, conflict of any kind and of course arthurian themed times.

Merlin The Great.......2007-08-07

The service was great, and the delivery time was excellent. I am very pleased with this product, and the professional way that it was handled. Thank you so much for that.

Only One Downside - Missing a Small Scene.......2007-07-29

I remember watching this on TV, my mother recorded for me on VHS (how archaic!) and I watched it over and over until I had every line memorized. Then, when my father bought the VHS from the movie store I was told by the clerk that a few scenes were missing from the packaged version. He was partly right, there is only one scene that is missing and it is how Merlin escapes from Mab. The Lady of the Lake speaks to him while he's in Mab's lair and then you see a boat come into the lair which Merlin climbs into. Then you see it gently sail over the lake.

I am kinda sad that this scene was cut, but it doesn't really hurt the plot line too much. Anyway, the missing scene is why it only gets four stars.

Things that Legends are Made of. .......2007-07-14

As a lover of fantasy or in this case legends, I have enjoyed the tales of King Arthur and Merlin over the years, whether watching a movie or reading a book about the subject. Overall I enjoyed this version of the legend, and the DVD was of good quality. I'm not a critic of movies or editing, they should of done this or done that I don't know, I simply enjoyed the tale.

THE MAGIC OF DVD.......2007-06-01

The movie is amazing i could watch it agian & agian its amazing and now a magical dvd set just makes better. I first saw the movie when I was 6 years old and now I am 13.AND I STILL LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

DVD:

DVD

DVD

All Batman DVDs	Batman Begins 101: A Comic Book Primer	Where Have I Seen Christian Bale?
All Batman Comics and Graphic Novels	Batman Toys	Batman Begins Soundtrack

The Graphic Novels and Books	Films by Robert Rodriguez	From Graphic Novel to Big Screen
The Soundtrack	Films by guest director Quentin Tarantino	Crime on DVD