The NeverEnding Story

Amazon.com essential video

Wolfgang Petersen (In the Line of Fire) made his first English-language film with this 1984 fantasy about a boy (Barret Oliver) visualizing the stories of a book he's reading. The imagined tale involves another boy, a warrior (Noah Hathaway), and his efforts to save the empire of Fantasia from a nemesis called the Nothing. Whether or not the scenario sticks in the memory, what does linger are the unique effects, which are not quite like anything else. Plenty of good fairy-tale characters and memorable scenes, and the film even encourages kids to read. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

Imaginative story that keeps our child's interest.......2007-08-25

This movie is great for kids who have no problem with imagination and who like to READ. Our four-year old can get bored with some movies since they are not as good as a book (his words!) but this movie keeps his attention just fine. It does have some rather scary parts in it but nothing graphic or poor language and as long as you are watching TOGETHER and explain what is happening, there should be no problem with fright or nightmares. We bought the three-part movie series to our delight.

Neverending Enjoyment.......2007-08-24

The Neverending Story has been a perfect childhood movie since it's induction into the greatest kids' movies of all time. I've watched this movie growing up and continue to share it with the younger friends and family.

Love this movie, but where's the special treatment.......2007-08-17

This was a seminal movie for me in my childhood (along with The Labyrinth, The Dark Crystal, Goonies and others) and I love it to this day. The only thing I'm disgrunteled about is it's poor treatment on DVD. I want a special edition: with a making of documentary highlighting the whole process from the actual book to the script, character sketches and concepts, set design, creature design and building, and all the goodies real film enthusiasts love to watch. And interviews! I mean, even if there is no older footage of the process of making the film can't the people responsible put something together to honor this film. Atleast a director's commentary or something. I love this film and I will continue to watch it from time to time...I just wish that the DVD editions had just a lil' bit extra for all the fans and enthusiasts of this wonderful fantasy.

Great movie.......2007-07-28

Great movie, one that you can watch over and over for many years. But if you want the full experience, you should read the book by Micheal Ende.

They don't make movies like this anymore...........2007-07-06

Remember that moment at the end of Wizard of Oz when the Good Witch tells Dorothy she's had the power to go home all along? Remember the collective "What the (BLEEP)..." from everyone watching, regardless of their age?

I had a very similar reaction when I reached the end of this movie.

That's not to say I was disappointed. Quite the contrary. It was like a slap in the face of "why didn't I think of that?" Often times the best endings are so obvious you overlook them and this movie is a testament to that fact.

That having been said it's also one of the best fantasy rides you'll ever take in 2 hours. A turtle whose shell is an island. A talking wolf. A luck dragon. Two sets of sphinx like characters, both offering riddles. A horse whose own sadness nearly is is undoing... oh and a rock biter.

These are just a few of the fanciful elements that make this very under-celebrated movie worth high praise!

If you saw it as a child and you now have children, show it to your children. Make it something you share for generations. You'll be glad you did.

They don't make movies like this any more. The more we can teach our children to have imaginations, the more likely they are to dream big dreams... and the more likely they are to turn those dreams into reality.

Average customer rating:

Good wine takes time.
What Has Happened to Warners?
Poor Edition
Deceptive Advertising
Deceptive Cover: Not Enhanced for Widescreen TVs

How the West Was Won
Starring: Carroll Baker , Lee J. Cobb , Henry Fonda , Carolyn Jones , and Karl Malden
Director: Henry Hathaway , Richard Thorpe , and George Marshall
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000O599V2
Release Date: 2007-05-22

Amazon.com

The first feature film to be photographed and projected in the panoramic three-camera Cinerama process, this epic Western is almost as expansive as the West itself, chronicling a pioneering family's triumphs and tragedies in numerous episodes spanning three generations and a half century of westward movement. Divided into five segments directed by veteran Hollywood filmmakers Henry Hathaway, George Marshall, and the legendary John Ford (and including uncredited sequences directed by Richard Thorpe), the film was one of the most ambitious ever made by the venerable MGM studio. Its stellar cast reads like a virtual who's who of Hollywood's biggest stars. Debbie Reynolds plays a sturdy survivor of many pioneering dangers, and the eventual widow of a gambler (Gregory Peck), who is later reunited with her nephew (George Peppard), a Civil War veteran and cavalryman who heads for San Francisco as the transcontinental railroad is being built. Many more characters and stories are woven throughout this epic film, which is dramatically uneven but totally engrossing with its stunning vistas and countless outdoor locations in Illinois, Kentucky, South Dakota, Monument Valley in Arizona, California, Colorado, and elsewhere. --Jeff Shannon

Description

From 1839 to 1889, this epic story follows four generations of a courageous New England farm family as they travel to the fertile Ohio Valley during America's westward expansion. This wondrous historical saga is set against the Louisiana Purchase, the Civil War, buffalo hunters, the Pony Express and the first transcontinental railroad. How The West Was Won won three Academy Awards for Best Screenplay, Best Sound and Best Editing.

Customer Reviews:

Good wine takes time........2007-07-19

This is NOT the restored version we are all waiting for. The long awaited print is not due until very late 07 or early 08 (Hopefully in "Smile box") but to the best of my knowledge, it is nearly ready, they are still working on the extras.......be patient.

What Has Happened to Warners?.......2007-06-05

I didn't buy this, thank goodness, because I was suspicious after being burned by another recent Warner release. The double feature disc of "Kelly's Heroes/Dirty Dozen" has a similar issue with "Dirty Dozen" being incorrectly labeled as being a 16x9 transfer and containing special features that are not actually on the disc. It is also an old master with the Turner logo at the beginning.

Poor Edition.......2007-06-02

This review is about the 2007 'John Wayne Collection' DVD edition of the film. New packaging, same sorry edition contained on other DVD (even Laserdisc) editions and further more the packaging claims "Enhanced for widescreen TVs" not true! The picture quality is terrible. Considering the DVD technology that exists today there is no reason the print couldn't have been cleaned up. Also, the two lines that appear in the middle of the screen (from being filmed in the Cinerama process) could have been eliminated. This is a great classic film that deserves a deluxe DVD edition. I expect more from WB with their long line of quality product not this horrible DVD transfer repackaged for an unsuspecting public! Avoid this until a better DVD edition comes along.

Deceptive Advertising.......2007-05-26

If you have been anxiously awaiting the release of HTWWW in anamorphic wide screen - as I have been - the wait continues. The box for this latest (5/07) release claims the film is "Enhanced for widescreen TV's". Not true!! False advertising. In fact it's merely "letterboxed", and better yet, it's the same transfer used for the Laserdisc version years ago - including the old "Turner Home Video" tag when Turner controlled the MGM library. I'm returning my copy to Amazon for a refund!

Deceptive Cover: Not Enhanced for Widescreen TVs.......2007-05-25

I took a chance on buying this DVD because it said it was enhanced for widescreen TVs, in other words, it was supposed to be anamorphic. It definitely is not. It is non-anamorphic, letterboxed on all 4 sides if you have an HDTV. It is also a very poor print. I took it back to Best Buy, arguing that the advertising on the box is a lie, and they gave me my money back with no questions asked - as if they had heard this story before. A shame, a real classic like this and it receives, once again, shoddy treatment.

Average customer rating:

war classics 50movie pack collection
I'd give it 10 stars if I could.
War Classics 50 Movie Collection Pack
On a 1 to 10 scale, this collection is rated: 6.4
Well Worth It

War Classics 50 Movie Pack Collection
Starring: Ronald Reagan , and James Stewart
Director: Frank Capra
Manufacturer: Mill Creek Entertainment
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ASIN: B0001HAGWO
Release Date: 2004-09-28

Product Description

The War Classics 50 MoviePack features an incredible mix of stirring war movies and fascinating documentaries that detail the greatest battles and campaigns of World War II. Stars like Sidney Poitier, Van Johnson, John Ireland and Montgomery Clift bring t

Customer Reviews:

war classics 50movie pack collection.......2007-06-17

Highly recommened!I spent the whole saturday sitting in front of the battle action.What a great way to spend a day! To many stars to list ,but I'm sure you'll find someone you like in there.Its the who's who of the 1940's .These film are great for a rain filled day,so you can watch as much as you want,or the wife will allow.

I'd give it 10 stars if I could........2007-06-12

The documentaries are awesome. Really. The movies are ok too but the Official stuff is awesome. There are Russian, German, and British films here and it is unbelievable. Really.

War Classics 50 Movie Collection Pack.......2007-05-07

The documentaries are great. The movie selections are far reaching, some real classics and some vague titles that leave a bit to be desired. All in all well worth your investment, and own a nice pack of war and war related movies.

On a 1 to 10 scale, this collection is rated: 6.4.......2007-04-18

The "classics" in the WAR CLASSICS 50 MOVIE PACK must surely be the many contemporary documentaries included in this set. These chronicles of a war in progress are both American and foreign made-- the most unusual for Western eyes being those from the USSR. The theatrical films included here aren't blockbusters by any means, yet they should still have appeal to fans of the war genre.

The 1 to 10 rating for this box set was determined by accumulated pollng data located at a film resource website. Based on these numbers, the current average score for WAR CLASSICS is: 6.4.

The alphabetized program list that follows includes individual poll scores, country of origin (if other than USA), year of release and principal actors.

(6.7) The Adventures Of Tartu ("Sabotage Agent") (1943) - Robert Donat
(4.1) After Mein Kampf (1961-doc.)
(6.9) Appointment In Tokyo (1945-doc.)
(7.3) Attack In The Pacific (1944-doc.)
(6.9) Attack! The Battle For New Britain (1944-doc.)
(???) The Avenger (Yugo/Italy/France-1962) - Steeve Reeves
(7.9) The Battle Of Britain (1943-doc.) - d. Frank Capra
(7.3) The Battle Of China (1944-doc.) - d. Frank Capra
(7.4) The Battle Of Russia (doc.) 1943 - d. Frank Capra
(7.7) (The Battle Of) San Pietro (1945-doc.)
(6.3) The Big Lift (1950) - Montgomery Clift/Paul Douglas
(6.3) Blood On The Sun (1945) - James Cagney/Silvia Sidney
(5.4) The Bushwhackers (1952) - John Ireland/Wayne Morris
(4.7) Captain Scarlett (1953) - Richard Greene
(6.1) Combat America (1943-doc.) Clark Gable
(6.8) December 7th(, 1941) (1943-doc.) - d. John Ford
(7.5) Desert Victory (1943-doc.)
(4.0) The Devil's Cavaliers (Italy-1959) - Frank Latimore
(7.4) Divide And Conquer (1943-doc.)
(7.0) Eagle In A Cage (USA/UK/Yugo-1972) - John Gielgud/Ralph Richardson
(2.9) Escape From Angola (1976) - Stan Brock
(5.7) Flying Blind (1941) - Richard Arlen
(6.8) Go For Broke! (1951) - Van Johnson
(???) The Great Battle Of The Volga (USSR-1962-doc.)
(6.0) Gung Ho! ("The Story Of Carlson's Makin Island Raiders") (1943) - Randolph Scott/Noah Beery
(4.8) Hell In Normandy (Italy/France-1968) - Guy Madison
(5.9) Kansas Pacific (1953) - Sterling Haydn/Eve Miller
(???) The KGB Connections (1982-TV doc.)
(8.3) The Last Chance (Switz.-1945)
(6.9) (With The) Marines At Tarawa-Return To Guam (1944-doc.)
(4.5) The Mark Of The Hawk (1957) - Eartha Kitt/Sidney Poitier
(7.7) The Memphis Belle: A Story Of The Flying Fortress (1944-doc.) - d. William Wyler
(7.3) The Nazis Strike (1943-doc.) - d. Frank Capra
(6.7) Nuremberg Trials (USSR-1947-doc.)
(???) Payoff In The Pacific (1945-doc.)
(7.3) Prelude To War (1943-doc.) - d. Frank Capra
(3.4) The Proud And The Damned (1972) - Chuck Connors/Cesar Romero
(6.8) Report from The Aleutians (1943-doc.) - d. John Huston
(9.0) The Secret Life Of Adolf Hitler (1958-TV doc.)
(5.3) The Stilwell Road (1945-doc.)
(???) Submarine Warfare (1945-doc.) - n. Gene Kelly
(5.6) This Is The Army (1943) - George Murphy/Joan Leslie
(7.3) Three Came Home (1950) - Claudette Colbert/Patric Knowles
(7.7) Thunderbolt (1947-doc) - d. John Sturges/William Wyler
(7.7) To The Shores Of Iwo Jima (1945-doc.)
(5.7) The Torch (Mex./USA-1950) - Paulette Goddard/Gilbert Roland
(8.2) The True Glory (1945-doc.) - d. Garson Kanin
(7.0) Tunisian Victory (1944-doc.) - d. Frank Capra
(5.2) Warhead (1972) - David Janssen
(3.6) Yellowneck (1955) - Lin McCarthy

Well Worth It.......2007-02-18

The documentaries are infinitely more interesting than the jingoistic, low budget and mostly rather bland soldier flicks. The subject is war in general but the vast majority of the docs and many of the fictional flicks are abt WW2 one way or the other. The docs are fascinating as the show WW2 propaganda as it really was during and just after the war. Kind of a peek behind the curtain at how Americans on the homefront really thought and were made to think during the world's greatest cataclysm.

Average customer rating:

Bells Rung Sweetly
Movie was good...but......
Bells of St. Mary's
Bells of St. Mary's Review
The Miracle at St. Mary's

The Bells of St. Mary's
Starring: Bing Crosby , Ingrid Bergman , Henry Travers , William Gargan , and Ruth Donnelly
Director: Leo McCarey
Manufacturer: Republic Pictures
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ASIN: B0000EMYML
Release Date: 2003-09-23

Amazon.com essential video

The Bells of St. Mary's works much better for its battle of wills between a parish priest and a head nun than the dopey musical interludes that pepper it, but Bells is still a winning, emotionally satisfying film. This sequel to Going My Way has Father O'Malley (Bing Crosby) taking over the St. Mary's parochial school and finding himself at loggerheads with Sister Benedict (Ingrid Bergman, looking gorgeous even in a habit). There's a wonderful balance to all of this: O'Malley takes a more worldly approach to administration and is wrong just as many times as the nun is when she insists on a more biblical approach. About four subplots suffuse the film, including the story of a young charge from the wrong side of the tracks, and the deteriorating state of St. Mary's in the shadow of a brand-new building (the owner is played by the avuncular Henry Travers). A dear film. --Keith Simanton

Customer Reviews:

Bells Rung Sweetly.......2007-06-08

This version of the Bells of St. Mary is a clear, restored cut of the original version. Crosby and Bergman shine brightly in the staring roles of Fr. O'Malley and St. Bernadette. Leo McCarrey's script is a winner as is the supporting role played by Henry Travers.

A feel good movie for the whole family. So let those bells "Proudly ring out As we sing out Hail, Hail, Hail!"

Movie was good...but.............2007-05-20

I always have enjoyed this movie while growing up...was a holiday tardition along with Going My Way....

Unfortunetly..the seller sold me a black and white movie and not a colorized one..that was my only complaint..:(

Bells of St. Mary's.......2007-01-19

I loved watching this movie when I was a kid. I wanted to share it with my children too. My kids loved it. I thought it my not hold their interest, but they watched the whole thing. A true classic.

Bells of St. Mary's Review.......2007-01-15

This is a classic Bing Crosby "Father O'Malley" Movie. It is the original
black and white uncut movie. This classic movie has been shown on tv numerous times in several versions. It's a joy to see it in its original
form. It is the heart warming story of a new priest and a fiesty nun trying to save an old parish school in the 1940's.

The Miracle at St. Mary's.......2007-01-11

Father O'Malley arrives at the parish and learns the previous pastor had been taken away to "Shady Rest". [The lighting tells you this is a stage set.] He meets Sister Superior Benedict and the other nuns of the parish school. Earthly honors and rewards are not for them; they do God's work. The children recite the Pledge in the new fashion, hand over heart. The school has no playground; they had to sell it to raise money for repairs to the school. [The Great Depression.] Mr. Bogardus tells Father O'Malley that he wants their school; if they don't sell the Town Council will condemn it (eminent domain or zoning). A woman arranges for her daughter to be boarded at school; she needs special help. A new boy gets into trouble. What is the proper way to handle interpersonal conflicts? The Sisters visit a sporting goods store (remember them?) To gain knowledge on a non-scholastic subject. Father O'Malley helps a young girl with her homework.

Young Patricia's essay hints at help from an adult. Young Eddie has profited from his extra-curricular education. The Christmas play put on by first-graders shows elegant simplicity. Mr. Bogardus explains his need for their school property - his workers need parking for their cars (a comment on the return of prosperity). The Sisters tell Mr. Bogardus that they want him to donate his new building to their school! [The war time shortages of materials like glass are referenced.] The stress is harming Mr. Bogardus. A long-lost husband is reunited with his wife, and we hear another song. There is a question of school policy as to passing students who are not academic high performers. What is the purpose of schooling? Isn't it a means to an end, not an end in itself?

Mr. Bogardus suddenly turns over a new leaf, and donates his building to St. Mary's! It's a miracle. The doctor has bad news: Sister Benedict has TB in an early stage. [This diagnosis was often a death sentence before the 1950s.] She must be sent away for a rest cure, but she cannot be told to keep her spirits up and effect a cure. Patsy meets he reunited parents, and things will be different. Patsy graduates to move on to High School. [In earlier times those who finished Grammar School went to work at age 14; their education continued in the workplace.] Was life really so simple in those times? Ingrid Bergman shows her acting ability as Sister Benedict.

I remember another version of this film that may explain Mr. Bogardus' generosity. His plant was land-locked, even if he got a new parking lot. But if he was able to buy a large property outside of town he would have more than all the space he needed, and lower taxes too. No traffic problems either. So Father O'Malley arranged a deal that was a win for all concerned. The availability of plentiful food has put an end to TB in America. From about 1860 to 1950 it was the major cause of death in America. Did we end up with an epidemic of obesity? Its better to die of a heart attack at 60 than of TB at 30. Your results may vary.

All Quiet on the Western Front (Universal Cinema Classics)

Average customer rating:

English teacher gives this DVD an A
The Best War Film Ever Made
It is on the short list of best films ever made.
" Saving Private Ryan", this isn't.
The brutal poetry of war

All Quiet on the Western Front (Universal Cinema Classics)
Starring: Louis Wolheim , Lew Ayres , John Wray , Arnold Lucy , and Ben Alexander
Director: Lewis Milestone
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000KGGJ0Y
Release Date: 2007-02-06

Amazon.com essential video

If a classic movie can be measured by the number of indelible images it burns into the collective imagination, then All Quiet on the Western Front's status is undisputed. Since its release in 1930 (and Oscar win for best picture), this film's saga of German boys avidly signing up for World War I battle--and then learning the truth of war--has been acclaimed for its intensity, artistry, and grown-up approach. Director Lewis Milestone's technical expertise is already stunning in the great opening sequence, as a professor exhorts his students to volunteer for the glory of the Fatherland while troops march past the windows. Erich Maria Remarque's novel is faithfully followed, but Milestone's superbly composed frames make it physical: the first battle scene, with the camera prowling the trenches as they fill with death and chaos, was surely the Saving Private Ryan of its day. The cast is strong, with little-known Lew Ayres finding stardom in the lead (Ayres became a pacifist and conscientious objector during World War II; although he served in battle as a medic, the stance harmed his career). This DVD has no extras beyond a vintage re-release trailer and Robert Osborne's useful introduction, but the main draw is the excellent picture and sound quality of the print--the movie looks better than it has in years. Those indelible images are now clear enough to cut glass: Ayres' lonely look back at the disappearing troop truck; the blinded soldier who runs into enemy fire at night; the fine pair of boots wasted on a boy with an amputated leg; and the final, devastating seconds, arguably the defining cinematic image of war in the 20th century. --Robert Horton

Customer Reviews:

English teacher gives this DVD an A.......2007-08-31

Generally I prefer the most recent version of movies for my students, as I feel they can relate more to the action onscreen if they get the sense that it is something current, relevant to modern times. Black and White movies are a tough sell for the teenagers in my class (as I found out today while airing "Twelve Angry Men"), because they feel as if they're watching some exhibit in a museum, rather than an interpretation of the literature they have just read. I know there is a more modern version of "All Quiet" starring Richard Thomas (and I actually remember watching it as a high school freshman), but given the choice between the original and the remake, I would opt for this (Lew Ayres) version.

It's not that the remake is bad (In fact, it is quiet good); it's just that the original is a classic, a masterpiece. The cinematography is excellent. Many scenes (No Man's Land; Bauer's teacher's recruitment lecture; the raw recruits marching off to the front; the ending) will remain etched into the memory of the viewer. Just beautifully shot. Great artistic feel to the movie.

The acting is a bit flat by today's standards but that does not draw from the power or impact of the film. In fact, a nice feature of the film is that all the actors are roughly the age of the characters they play (19-21) so their ordeal is that much more believable.

As mentioned in other reviews, this DVD does not contain any bonus features other than a small filmography. Notwithstanding, this is a great film and definitely worth the money. If kids can get past the B&W, I think they'd like it too.

The Best War Film Ever Made.......2007-08-24

The Thin Red Line comes in 2nd, and Saving Private Ryan is 3rd; but AQOTWF is better in many ways. The acting is somewhat stilted in a few scenes (after all the film WAS made in 1930), but overall the acting is superb. The direction and effects are monumental; the story is as moving and gripping as any modern film. Unlike most films of this period the soldiers don't do out like light bulbs when shot - they crawl, cry and suffer first. There is one scene where the troops are moving through a quiet village that suddenly gets bombarded that has to be seen to believed. It was made in 1930!!! How did they do that???

Saving Private Ryan is a memorial film, while The Thin Red Line is metaphysical essay; neither are anti-war war films as is AQOTWF. That's one reason why it's the best. Catch 22 is in the same category, but not in the same league. Don't get me wrong; RYAN and REDLINE are great films but I saw this film recently on TCM, and I was simply amazed. I HAD to buy it afterwards.

We keep making the same mistakes...

It is on the short list of best films ever made........2007-08-06

I will keep this review short but sweet:

The book is a classic and this 1930 film adaptation is as good as the book but maybe even better, because any film is easier and faster to consume than any book. I read the book first. THe book is great but if you are short on time or reading skill then by all means just watch the movie and you will get 98% of the story in 10% of the time.

Now here is the main thing about the story itself:

As you start to follow the story, you will not know what it is about, if you were like me. Stuff seems to just happen, and you don't know where it's all going. It's a worm's eye view, so you see what the soldier sees. Bad stuff happens in war so you knew what to expect, and bad stuff happens to the main characters of course.

However...

The last minute of this film is where it really starts to hit you. Everything up to this point was not too tough to handle. Then it really hits you hard at the end. You will hate the last minute of the film because it will really mess you up. But that's nothing, hold tight, it gets worse AFTER the film is over.

Then you start to think about everything that happened in the earlier parts of the film. You will get a light bulb about now, as you quietly sit and ponder the film that you just finished watching. Everything becomes clear, the whole film becomes connected. And at this point, it will mess you up even more. A ton of bricks slams into your brain, it's not really a light bulb.

I have to say, the last minute of the film is crucial and watching the whole thing is essential otherwise you may not ever figure it out. It's sort of like the other movie Sixth Sense which also comes together at the very end in a big way.

This is not a feel good film, not even close. You will feel bad, no way around it. THis film is from a worm's eye view, and I'm talking about soldiers here. It's a classic because this film might keep you messed up the rest of your life. Not kidding.... This film will crush some people. This is not really a bad thing if you think about it.

" Saving Private Ryan", this isn't........2007-07-19

Even Spielberg knew better, than to try to remake this. Although, he comes the closest, at showing the brutality of war, with this 1930 classic, you get the picture. All of it. The truth, and reality of all wars, is simple. Young men, die. No glory, no meaning, just that.

The brutal poetry of war.......2007-06-10

Ah, the 1930's. The first full decade of sound for pictures. The advent of Technicolor. The full-flowering of Hollywood, bringing escapist entertainment to a world gripped by the Great Depression.

Many great movies were made in the 1930's. "The Adventures of Robin Hood", "Gone With the Wind", "Snow White", "The Wizard of Oz" were all great films from the late 1930's, which many people have refered to as the best time for cinema.

But the early 1930's, though often overlooked by modern audiences, contains such wonderful films as "M", "Frankenstein", "Dracula" and "All Quiet on the Western Front".

This film won the Oscar for Best Picture of 1930. It's well-deserved. The movie plot follows basically the same plot as the novel; centering around a group of young German soldiers going on the grand adventure of war. Whipped into a patriotic frenzy, they enlist, head to the front, and start dropping like flies.

The movie beautifully encapsulates the horror of war. The acting (particularly from Lew Ayres in the staring role), writing and directing are all top-notch. Put the film in color, and it could almost be a movie from this era, rather than one that's almost 80 years old.

The DVD version of this movie is... well, nothing to write home about. Not too many extras, though the comments from Robert Osborne are welcome. No chapter selection for some odd reason, but otherwise... it's ok.

Modern audiences don't really know too much about World War One. It's a largely forgotten war in our national conciousness. As I write this, we're 89 years out from the start of the war. Further, according to Wikipedia's "Surviving Veterans of World War One", there's only 28 veterans left world-wide. Twenty-eight. That's it. One less than when I looked last week, and almost certainly several more than we'll have by next year. Only three of the veterans left are from the USA.

If for no other reason than expanding your knowledge about this horrible, meaningless, stupid war, I strongly recommend this movie.

As a side note: if Universal still owns the rights to the novel, they need to be pressured to make a new version of this film in time for the 100th anniversary of the start of the war. Get the young teeny-bopper/teen-idol actors of our era (the Zac Effrons of the world), and let modern audiences see the beauty of youth twisted by war.

It's a lesson no one should ever forget.

Average customer rating:

The First and Best
A HOMICIDAL COMEDY
Best Scarface
SKIMPY...WHY?
An early gangster film and a cinema landmark

Scarface (Universal Cinema Classics)
Starring: Paul Muni , Ann Dvorak , Karen Morley , and George Raft
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000N3T0H8
Release Date: 2007-05-22

Amazon.com

Howard Hawks's Scarface was one of the first "talkies" to reclaim the fluidity of the late-silent masterpieces, while also tapping into a feral new energy that came with talking smart and moving smarter on the motion picture screen. Outgunning such contemporaries as Little Caesar and The Public Enemy--in terms of both its ferocious death-dealing and dynamic style--the movie was interfered with by censors and kept out of circulation for decades thanks to its eccentric producer, Howard Hughes. It remains the gold standard among classic gangster pictures. Paul Muni's portrayal of Al Capone surrogate Tony Camonte etched a screen original: a merciless assassin who's not only reflexively criminal but pre-civilized, almost pre-evolutionary, a simian shadow ready to rub out the world if he can't have it for his own. This is still one of the greatest, darkest, most deeply exciting films American cinema has produced. Those demonically ubiquitous X's--starting with that titular scar gouged into Tony's cheek--rival "Rosebud" for resonance. --Richard T. Jameson

Description

Generally regarded to be the best of the classic gangster films, Scarface tells the exciting story of organized crime's brutal control over Chicago during the Prohibition era. Oscar winner Paul Muni gives an electrifying performance as Tony Carmonte, an ambitious criminal with a ruthless drive to be the city's top crime boss. Produced and directed by the legendary Howard Hawks, Scarface was a groundbreaking film which established both Paul Muni and George Raft as major Hollywood stars, while influencing all gangland films to follow.

Customer Reviews:

The First and Best.......2007-08-23

This Howard Hawks directed gangster film, which a thinly disguised story of Al Capone is much, much better than the Pacino mess, with much less violence ( the film IS violent for its day ) and a " weird " subtext. Paul Muni is great as the mob boss of Chicago, Ann Dvorak is outstanding as his sister, as is Karen Morley as " Poppy " Tony's ( Muni's ) girlfriend, and both ladies are very hot, especially Ms. Dvorak, real name Ann McKim. Ben Hecht, a former Chicago newspaper man, wrote the script, along with W.R. Burnett, Seton Miller, and John Lee Mahin, Howard Hughes Produced.

A HOMICIDAL COMEDY.......2007-07-13

Like the Brian DePalma remake, Howard Hawks' original 1932 "Scarface" is a comedy with bullets telling the tale of the rise and fall of one Tony Camonte, an apish thug whose motto is: "Do it first, do it yourself, and keep on doing it." As he effortlessly rises to the top, climbing over such lesser lights as the cowardly Lovo played by Osgood Perkins--Anthony's father and a renowned stage actort in his day--and the hot-headed Gaffney--Boris Karloff, accent and all--he accidentally or purposely loses his friends, the coin-flipping Guino Rinaldo (George Raft in his star-making role), the bumbling Angelo (Vince Barnett), the icy-hot blonde Poppy (Karen Morley) and the sister he not-so-secretly lusts after (Ann Dvorak). When all are gone and he stands alone, he's an actor without an audience and the show is over.
Don't bother trying to decide which version is better--both are execllent genre entries in their own way. But be aware that Hawks' film caused as much outrage in 1932 as DePalma's version did a half-century later--and for good reason.

Best Scarface .......2007-07-13

Great movie. Better than the 'other' Scarface. Amazing film, never slowed down. Very highly recommended.

SKIMPY...WHY?.......2007-06-12

With such an historic and classic film, that really deserves a commentary track or maybe two, (one, on the films making and importance by film historians, and two, by gangster historians, to elaborate just how close to the truth this film was at the time). It is the same version that came out a few years ago in that SCARFACE box set (exclusive). At least it is out for the people who did`nt want to pay that high price. I did`nt get that then, and I`m not getting this now, since I`ve had this on VHS for a number of years now. I`ll wait for the special edition, or the collectors edition, or the anniversary edition, or the extended edition, or the directors cut edition. PS. I can probably build a whole library of first edition DVDs (sans frills), that were made obsolete when the special editions became available. Tomorrow the special edition two disc version of The Hustler is coming out, OH BOY, maybe I can decorate my Xmas tree with all the first editions.

An early gangster film and a cinema landmark.......2007-05-26

I see reviews here dating back to the year 2000. This review is for the Universal Cinema Classics release of Scarface that came out in May 2007. First off, the video and audio on this print are excellent. There is no hissing in the audio, and there are very few artifacts in the video. The extras are another matter. First there is an introduction by TCM host and film historian Robert Osborne who provides the same excellent short introduction that he would were Scarface playing in prime time on TCM and he were introducing it there - no more, no less. The only other extra is an alternate ending scene for Scarface. There is no commentary track, which is a shame considering this film, along with "Little Caesar" and "The Public Enemy" form the founding trio of the gangster film in the sound era of the motion picture.

As for the movie itself, it is based on real events that happened in the criminal career of Al Capone, although Capone's criminal career had already ended with his conviction on charges of tax evasion six months before this film was released in April 1932. You know you're watching a Howard Hughes production when, during the first scene, a bar employee is sweeping up after a party held by one of Chicago's big gangsters and finds a bra among the confetti. The film shares some aspects with its gangster film predecessors - Tony Camonte is motivated by a desire for power just as Edward G. Robinson's Rico was in "Little Caesar", and also like Rico takes over the gang from a boss he perceives as weak. However, Camonte doesn't seem to have the pent-up rage of Public Enemy's Tom Powers. When Tony performs acts of violence it is usually related to gangland business. The actual deaths are strictly business, but the execution of the killings themselves are something Tony takes pride in - a sort of work of art on his part. Like Tom Powers, Tony Camonte is given a family background, but unlike Tom Powers, Camonte's family is a completely dysfunctional one. What is unique in this gangster picture is Tony's trio of love interests. He wants his boss' girl, Poppy, as a status symbol. He also seems to have a love affair going with the machine gun, acting like he has discovered America the first time he shoots one. Finally, Tony is in love with his own sister Cesca. Tony's only true fits of rage occur when he sees her with another man, and it is this loss of emotional control over this one issue that is ultimately his downfall. George Raft, an ex-gangster of sorts himself, is terrific as the smart and level-headed Guino Rinaldo, Tony's right-hand man. Finally there is Vince Barnett as Tony's extremely inadequate secretary in a bit of comic relief turned tragic at the end of the film. This film is truly a classic. I just wish Universal had put in a commentary track, for such a cinema landmark is certainly worthy of one. Highly recommended.

Average customer rating:

Very fine acting...but a flawed movie
For Whom the Bell Tolls
"Any Man's death diminishes me "
Excellent Hemingway historical fiction
for whom the bell tolls

For Whom the Bell Tolls
Starring: Gary Cooper , Ingrid Bergman , Akim Tamiroff , Arturo de Córdova , and Vladimir Sokoloff
Director: Sam Wood
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 0783229488
Release Date: 1998-11-17

Customer Reviews:

Very fine acting...but a flawed movie.......2007-07-03

Review of DVD: This is a nicely restored version of the film, with reasonalbly good color (a bit contrasty sometimes), with good sound. DVD extras are adequate, but sparce by modern movie standards.

All the principles did give fine performances. While Katina Paxinou gives a fine, Oscar winning performance, I believe Akim Tamiroff as the undependable and annoying Pablo is the finest in the cast. But Pilar is a much more likable character.

Discussion of the movie: Cooper and Bergman are fine, independent of each other. But the romantic attraction did not seem believable to me, especially how quickly Bergman's character was smitten by Cooper's. Cooper looked, well, middle aged, when younger men were available (a rivalry might have added something here). Fortunately, while young, she doesn't look 19 (oooh!). Remember, her character is falling for Robert Jordan, not Gary Cooper. There was absolutely no suspense in what was going to happen between these two. For me, the romance story simply got in the way of action, and the Pablo/Pilar conflict. What was Pablo going to do? Can he be trusted?

For Whom the Bell Tolls.......2007-06-22

A splendid adaptation of Ernest Hemingway's novel, this rousing, romantic adventure tells the tale of a love between a Spanish-born guerilla and an outsider who's joined the cause out of political solidarity. Featuring solid performances by Cooper and the ravishing Bergman--who gets off one of cinema's most famous kissing lines ("I always wondered where the noses went")--Wood's film is an absorbing treat. Katina Paxinou even picked up an Oscar for her fiery performance as de facto rebel leader Pilar. This "Bell' tolls for thee.

"Any Man's death diminishes me ".......2007-04-01

"Because I am involved in mankind;
and therefore send to know
for who the bell tolls.
It tolls for thee."

Spain 1937. Robert Jordan (Gary Cooper) came to Spain o fight for "The Republic" (a nice way to say for the commies) and against nationalists. He also had a dislike for Germans and Italians. His assignment was to go behind the nationalist lines and blow up a bridge at a strategic moment. There this stoic hero meets a peasant girl (a much too young for Gary, Ingrid Bergman) with a bad haircut and that barely escaped a train ride. They naturally fall in love which complicates things. Will this jeopardize the mission? Do we care?

Along with this we have the classic mixture of characters that you can not tell if they are the good guys or the bad guys. The two that stand out besides the hero and his girl are Katina Paxinou (sort of a female Antony Quinn) as the doyenne, and Akim Tamiroff as the once good guerilla who may be bad or just self-centered. Who they were and how the acted was quite a predicable formula.

The story is an adoption from the Ernest Hemingway novel. Of course they could not put everything in the story and too a few liberties. We also miss the dialog that people read Hemmingway for.

The initial credits are in some annoying script (Parchment) make it hard to read at a glance.

Excellent Hemingway historical fiction.......2007-01-13

This movie was very well done in all respects. The two main actors, Gary Cooper and Ingrid Bergman, were chosen by Ernest Hemingway, whose novel was the basis of the movie, which followed closely to the book. It received several Academy Award nominations in 1943 and the Oscar was presented for Best Supporting Actress. The acting, direction, screenplay and setting contributed to excellent character development. The intrigue of the story kept your attention throughout the film.

for whom the bell tolls.......2006-11-10

A hollywood classic at it's best. Ingrid Bergman displays innocents, warmth and the sincerity of a woman coming to terms with the cruelity of war. Gary Cooper is the hero, brave true and uncompromising in the face of danger...Their love story is beautiful to the eye and raises the spirit of human courage to new heights...

Invasion of Astro-Monster (aka Monster Zero)

Average customer rating:

rubber suit classic
A CLASSIC GODZILLA FAVORITE
Classic Godzilla well handled
ONE MOUTH, TWO VOICES & THREE HEADS
Aliens from planet X, Ghidorah, Godzilla does the jig, what more could anyone need?

Invasion of Astro-Monster (aka Monster Zero)
Starring: Nick Adams , Akira Kubo , Kumi Mizuno , Haruo Nakajima , and Takamaru Sasaki
Director: Ishiro Honda
Manufacturer: Classic Media
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000OCY7IK
Release Date: 2007-06-05

Description

(Sci-Fi) Invasion of Astro-Monster/Godzilla vs. Monster Zero -- Aliens from Planet X borrow our monsters for a little extermination project, but they've got something else up their sleeves: world domination! Using mind-control technology, these vinyl-and-sunglasses wearing spacemen turn Godzilla, Rodan and King Ghidorah loose in Japan, demanding Earth's surrender! It's up to American astronaut F. Glenn, his galaxy-trotting buddy Fuji, and nerdy inventor Tetsuo to break the aliens' hold on the monsters and save our planet from certain doom.

Customer Reviews:

rubber suit classic.......2007-07-16

This movie, being the "Sequel" to Ghidora, the three headed monster, surpasses that movie in both action shots and story. for those into classic Godzilla movies, this is a must have.

A CLASSIC GODZILLA FAVORITE.......2007-07-05

I love that these old monster flicks are being produced on good, quality DVDs. CLASSIC MEDIA has done a wonderful job!

Classic Godzilla well handled.......2007-07-05

This is a sillier Godzilla then in the previous movies of this series. However, it is still entertaining. Classic Media does a wonderful job with the commentary on the American version and by having the Japanese version as well.

ONE MOUTH, TWO VOICES & THREE HEADS.......2007-06-09

Classic Media has to be applauded for the effort not only given to presenting the best versions of INVASION OF ASTRO-MONSTER possible (and they truly are some of best I've seen in a long, long while), but also the work that went into the case design. The box is striking, the artwork clever, clear, nostaligc and retro-future at all the same time. It's an attractive and eye catching design that demands (and gets) a second look. My copy has been picked up, picked over, and pick-pocketed a few times off my shelf already and throughly enjoyed.

But, having said that, I must admit that INVASION OF ASTRO-MONSTER is one of my least favorite GODZILLA films, yet one of my all time favorite TOHO movies. Truth be told, Godzilla here is at best a supporting player in a much larger and more complex story that could have done away with Godzilla and company and still have been just as compelling. Much like THE FIFTH ELEMENT fashion and design triumph over story and plot. This is one good looking movie. From the sets (wide open, with some of the most creative future computer and advanced table top technology), to the costumes (the aliens not only sport the expected antenna atop the head, but tight pants, trim sunglasses, and high useless collars), to the spaceships (which look exactly like spaceships should look), it's all here, and it's all a lot of fun.

It is something of a minor disappointment that Godzilla has been pushed to the margins here and used simply for effect than being the engine that drives the story. Godzilla, Rodan and King Ghidorah do loom large on the stunning minature sets on both PLANET X and Earth, and their battles are worth the long delay between the first and the last, but it does leave you wanting more. But, this does not stop INVASION OF ASTRO-MONSTER being a true gem.

The prints are the best possible and the extras are well done... although the commentary by Stuart Galbraith IV, while informative, fact filled and trivia stuffed is delivered in such a slow and measured way, that it sounds and feels like he's in fear of tripping over his own words if he talks too fast. Be prepared to feel like a five year old at some points when he wants to to Understand. Clearly. What. He. Is. Saying. To. You. So. You. Had. Better. Listen. While strange, it is a trip, and you will learn a thing or two.

Classic Media has done a great service to not only the fans of Godzilla, but to all those fans still to come. These DVD releases, like King Ghidorah, manages to wear three crowns and wear them well... they are entertaining, history and art all rolled into one.

Aliens from planet X, Ghidorah, Godzilla does the jig, what more could anyone need?.......2007-06-07

I am very pleased that Classic Media have released this long desired Godzilla movie on region 1 dvd. Having seen only the Simitar Dvd release, which actually was a fairly clean print, but left a lot to be desired, not the least of which was the original Japanese language track.

Well finally it is now here for all to enjoy.

There is a lot to like here. The packaging, extra features, sound quality and of course the movie itself are all pluses for this release.

Also, the picture quality is outstanding. leaps and bounds above the older Simitar release. A very clean print, with very very few scratches or blurs. Sharp image with an appropriate amount of contrast. Color is excellent.At times it can be a bit too bright or dark, but not so much so that it detracts from the overall presentation. Considering the original elements are nearly 40 years old, it will satisfy and perhaps exceed most viewers of this genre type movie's expectations.

I wholeheartedly recommend this release and am quite sure most fans of cheesy old sci-fi will truly get a kick out of the alien storyline and low budget space effects.

As for the movie itself, Nick Adams is especially good as Glenn, and the story and production while quite "hokey" and "cheesy" is still very enjoyable. The commentary and documentary of Tomoyuki Tanaka are both worthy bonuses. The Tanaka doc is particularly interesting, especially if you are a fairly long time fan of Godzilla films. His journey from ww2 propaganda films until reaching a creative peak with Toho studios is enlightening and quite inspiring.

So, lose yourself in the cold war era threat of the aliens from Planet X, the reapperance of Ghidorah, the hamminess of Nick Adams and company, and of course that unforgettable iconic Godzilla as he dances to his heart's content. The origin of that dance by the way, is mentioned during the on film commentary.

Enjoy "Invasion of Astro Monster", now available in the U.S. for the first time in it's originally intended Japanese language incarnation.

Average customer rating:

The Birth of a Nation
Yes, 5 stars ... but with a disclaimer.
The American "Triumph of Will"
For study, not entertainment.
Flawed by weird outlook of Director / Producer, but more timely than 'political-stupidity' of today!

The Birth of a Nation
Starring: Spottiswoode Aitken , Mary Alden , George Beranger , Elmer Clifton , and Miriam Cooper
Manufacturer: Image Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 6305130949
Release Date: 1998-11-17

Amazon.com essential video

A pivotal moment in film history. After The Birth of a Nation, nothing was the same: not the way audiences watched movies, not the way filmmakers created them. D.W. Griffith's jumbo-size saga of the Civil War expanded the boundaries of storytelling on the screen, conveying a richer, more complicated (and certainly longer) tale than anyone had seen in a movie before. The delicate relationships, the sad passage of time, the spectacular battle scenes all look as fresh and innovative today as they did in 1915. So do Griffith's brilliant actors, most of them--including favorite leading lady Lillian Gish--drawn from his regular stock company. What has become increasingly problematic about The Birth of a Nation is Griffith's condescending attitude toward black slaves, and the ringing excitement surrounding the founding of the Ku Klux Klan. Griffith, whose political ideas were naive at best, seemed genuinely surprised by the criticism of his masterwork, and for his next project he turned to the humanist preaching of the massive Intolerance. Despite protests, Birth sold more tickets than any other movie, a record that stood for decades, and President Woodrow Wilson famously compared it to "history written in lightning." That judgment has lasted. --Robert Horton

Description

Based on a play called "The Clansmen," D.W. Griffith's three-hour Civil War epic traces the development of the Civil War itself, the assassination of Abraham Lincoln and the rise of the Ku Klux Klan through the lives of two families.

Customer Reviews:

The Birth of a Nation.......2007-08-31

A good educational film for "the way we were" Definitely a must for film makers

Yes, 5 stars ... but with a disclaimer........2007-08-10

The use of changing camera angles, breathtaking battle scenes involving literally hundreds of actors and extras, and manipulating colored lens filters to alter the mood were revolutionary techniques during an age when moving pictures was still in its infancy, as the 1915 film is a visual masterpiece.

Sadly, beneath this masterful portrayal of the Civil War and the ensuing Reconstruction period lies a treacherous ulterior motive: To serve as justification for the formation and existence of the Klu Klux Klan, a white supremacist organization that uses terror, violence and murder to advance its racist agenda.

The three-hour silent film has two acts - much like a theatre production with an intermission - the first of which begins by introducing main characters and setting the stage for the War from the social and political perspective of the Confederate South. However, from almost the first frame the wheels of propaganda begin to turn. Immediately following the introductory titles, words on the screen claim that Africans brought "disunion" upon the country, incredulously blaming the victims for their own enslavement. Then, the audience is introduced to the blissful Cameron family, a brood of Southern planters living in the proverbial lap of luxury. Repeatedly, the audience is shown harmonious imagery, to suggest once-happy times and to foreshadow the figurative storm just over the horizon: Family members embracing and kissing each other repeatedly, a hinting at future romance in the cotton fields (as smiling slaves work dutifully in the background), even frolicking pets on the front porch.

Then begin the truly disturbing images. After a title screen that mentions a "two-hour interval" for dinner for the slaves - perhaps to suggest by some bizarre logic that they were somehow fortunate in their enslavement - we are shown a boisterous scene in which Africans have congregated outdoors en masse to dance and play uproariously, with exaggerated smiles and motions to possibly suggest an innate immaturity that requires paternalism on the part of the white South for their continued survival. The scene concludes with a gleeful handshake between a black and a white, as if sealing the unspoken agreement of race roles: master and servant, superior and inferior. The underlying message here is such: Once upon a time, We (the white South) were happy, the slaves were happy, a kind of "Don't fix it if it ain't broke" mentality.

But then, from the film's perspective, the North proceeds to break it. We see Abraham Lincoln bowing under the pressure to sign a law authorizing the federal government to intervene in the affairs of the states on the issue of abolitionism, with scores of politicians hovering over him like vultures as he readies his ink quill pen. Afterwards, as the men recede into the background, the President dabs his forehead and eyes with a handkerchief, to suggest his inner disapproval. Next, we are introduced to the "villain" in the story, a Thaddeus Stevens-look-alike who bumbles with his hairpiece and falls prey to the charms of a female mulatto housekeeper, a vindictive character thus proven by her spitting at the back of an unwavering male that spurns her advances. Her involvement as an influential "devil" on Stevens' shoulder is cemented later on, in the second act of the film.

At the prospect of future conflict with the Northern aggressors, the South romanticizes war by staging bonfires and hosting extravagant ballroom affairs on the eve of battle, to again suggest the pageantry and purity of the Southern way of life. The following morning, the Confederate troops depart amongst cheering and waving onlookers (even their slaves cheer in approval) with bugles blaring. Accompanied by a triumphant musical score playing in the background, an affectionate father points out a patriotic banner to his adoring child over a threshold, which reads: "Our cause is just."

Two years later, the war is going badly for the Confederates. The Southern town of Piedmont is raided by black troops (who appear childish and poorly-trained) led by a white "scalawag" sergeant, the Cameron home is invaded and trashed, and the family females hide in a storage room in the cellar, fearful for their safety. As expected, the Confederates honorably come to the rescue, storm the house and restore order to the town, symbolically saving the sexual purity of Southern women, a theme that is heavily relied upon in Act Two.

The film then transports us to the warfront, which titles promote as "the breeder of hate" and "useless," where the "Little Colonel" - one of the three Cameron sons fighting on behalf of the South - shows such heroism and bravery on the battlefield that even the Unionists applaud his efforts, an opposing officer sparing his life out of sheer doting admiration. Obviously, the point of all this is simple: To clearly define the "good" and "bad" sides, to suggest that men as honorable and self-sacrificing as the Little Colonel - which implies the Confederates and their cause - could not possibly be on the wrong side of history, conveniently ignoring the immorality of slavery itself. The film goes as far as to bring the divine into the fray, as just prior to the Colonel charging off into certain death at the hands of the Union forces, the camera cuts to the Cameron patriarch praying on a Bible, suggesting that it was "God's Will" that the Confederates prevail in this battle, or perhaps worse: That God had a grander purpose in sparing the life of the Cameron son, so that he would one day form the Klan.

In Act Two, the racist stereotypes and innuendos increase tenfold. The opening title of the second act begins with a quote from President Woodrow Wilson, praising the KKK. President Lincoln, oddly portrayed as the "Best Friend of the South" (considering the earlier scene in which he approved the legislation that started the war) and the final buffer shielding them from Northern Radicals like Stevens, has already been assassinated. As a result, Stevens - or Stoneman, as he is called in the film - becomes a "king" and bane of the South, promoting the mulatto housekeeper to a higher position of trusted confidant, perhaps lover. In his chambers with his loyal Northern minions, Stoneman proclaims a male mulatto named Lynch (coincidence?), "the equal of any white man" and summarily dispatches him to Piedmont to tell the Freedmen to stop working, show disrespect to the white man, call for black suffrage and advocate interracial marriage, which reflects a deep-seeded racist fear of black sexuality that is a repeated theme in the second half of the film, and will be addressed again later.

The pace increases, and so do the stereotypes and historical inaccuracies. Freedmen get the vote, and black troops are shown forcefully discriminating against whites at the voting booth to put blacks in office. These newly-elected Freedmen representatives are shown sleeping in their seats irresponsibly, drinking alcohol and cheering uproariously at the passage of a bill that would allow intermarriage, again aiming for that age-old racist nerve. Then, in an unrelated scene, a black magistrate appeals to an all-black jury in a court of law over the fate of a black suspect, who they let free, making two libelous insinuations simultaneously: One, that Freedmen would allow criminals to roam the streets unchecked to commit future crimes on the basis of race, and two, that Blacks are simply not suited to serve as either judge or jury, the exclusive territory of the white man. Speaking of territory, Lynch shows a libidinous interest in a white woman - who also happens to be the love interest of Colonel Cameron, which establishes a love triangle to further justify white reaction in response - but this is minor compared to the introduction of the character of Gus, the black sexual predator.

Unintentionally, the film serves to expose the true character of white racism, in that it depicts the ultimate motivating fear behind the hatred, at its core: The threat of sexual relations between black men and white women. This is never clearer than when Nation reveals Gus, a white actor in blackface, stalking the Colonel's younger sister. Emboldened by Lynch and the new law allowing intermarriage, Gus lurks in the shadows seedily, waiting for the prefect opportunity to pounce. Eventually, a chase scene on foot ensues to the edge of a cliff, from which the sister would prefer to jump to her death than submit to Gus' advances, an "honorable" choice. As a result of this and all the aforementioned "injustices" perpetuated against the white race, the honorable Colonel forms the Klu Klux Klan to restore the honor of the South and that of white womanhood, and the film effectively makes heroes out of villains.

In conclusion, a technical masterpiece ... but a historical travesty.

The American "Triumph of Will".......2007-06-14

Viewing this movie is kind of like what it would be to see a sculpture by Michelangelo glorifying rape or verse by Shakespeare aggrandizing murder...

To say today that we cannot recognize the wrongs of the past or their depiction in art or literature is not an elevation of free speech but rather a limitation on our free speech.

We not only have the right but the duty to recognize what was wrong in the past and call it for what it was.

In this film D.W. Griffiths attempted to dramatically portray the justifiable rise of the Ku Klux Klan. Its release and presentation resulted in a sort of segregationist passion play that both spiked Klan membership (which peeked at over a million in the mid 1920s) and reinvigorated violence against African Americans (including a sharp rise in lynchings in the American south).

The film premiered during the administration of Woodrow Wilson who resegregated the American military (which had originally been desegregated under Abraham Lincoln and would not again be desegreated until the administration of Harry S Truman). It accompanied a phenonomenal rolling back of the clock for American egalitarianism and helped set the stage for what would become an