Veronica Mars - The Complete Third Season

Description

Hearst College, jewel of the Pacific. A citadel of higher education set amid rolling lawns and swaying palms. But since Hearst is in Neptune, California - and since Veronica Mars is among its incoming freshmen - you know it's also a noir netherworld of lies, betrayal, secrets and (of course) murder. Veronica, Logan and more of your VM favorites join cool new characters for a Season 3 of seething mystery and sardonic wit. College is indeed a learning experience as Veronica aces a crim class led by a hunky prof, solves the case of on-campus rapes that began in Season Two, and gives a grad seminar in sleuthing when two faculty members take sudden, eternal early retirements. Frosh year is gonna be freaky!

DVD Features:
Deleted Scenes
Featurette
Gag Reel
Other

Customer Reviews:

This is a show that should be still running........2007-09-16

I discovered Kristen Bell at a convention before my wife and I ever saw the series Veronica Mars. We bought the first two seasons and had to go through them non stop as they are fantastic. One of the best TV shows we have seen and we are in our seventies. The third season is on order and we will watch Heroes just because of Ms. Bell. Her film "Gracie's Choice" is also tops.

Great Show! .......2007-09-12

My husband and I thoroughly enjoy Veronica Mars from week to week. However, Season 3 was what I would call mildly disapointing. Still great to watch and get into with its whitty scripts and lovable character profiles, but too many doors were open in the last half of the season that hadn't been explored.

Even through the disapointing ending of our favorite show, we are still big fans and will undoubtedly purchase the 3rd season on DVD to complete our collection.

WHAT HAPPENED?????.......2007-08-28

Based on a lot of the reviews that are already posted here, I don't think there are a whole lot of people calling it like it is. So, I will take it upon myself to be the voice of truth about VERONICA MARS season 3. There are 5 star people raving about it because they love the show and are unwilling to accept the truth and there are 1 star people who aren't giving the 3rd season a fair assesment.

There is not a single show on TV, not a single one, that my wife and I don't flock to week to week, other than VERONICA MARS and the 3rd season was no exception. As the 3rd season played out, we found ourselves completely involved as we had been the previous 2 season, all the way up to the midseason cliff hanger. A serial rapist. A murder on campus. All the suspense and mystery was in tact and juicy as ever.

Then, when the show started back up, all the things that we had gotten involved in were solved in the first handful of episodes. The following episodes were, for lack of better words, UNEVENTFUL. All the way up to the odd and uncomfortable season finale that ended with the yawning cast of a vote.

Even my wife was shocked at the abrupt and uneventful ending. What did they do? What happened? Did the writers lose interest? Did the network pull the plug on the show before they wrote the final episodes? This is what I think. Personally, I believe the only thing that explains the weak ending of the 3rd season would be that the writers and producers knew that the CW had given up on them. So, they in turn, gave up on the CW.

All speculation aside, VERONICA MARS fell off the table halfway through the 3rd season. The charm and personality of the characters and actors involved was still intact, but the stories being told were in par with a fledgling show instead of a show that has given us some of the best television moments around over it's 2 1/2 prior seasons.

The CW just needs to face the facts. The ratings that they're suffering aren't because of quality of show, but because of lack of STATIONS and lack of bribing the NIELSON and ARBITRON companies... like the big boys do... cause we're watching... and unfortunately, we're not watching VERONICA MARS anymore.

Third season not a charm.......2007-08-26

While the first season of Veronica Mars will go always be one of my favorite seasons of any show, the latter years just cannot compete. I found the second season too convoluted, and I thought Veronica's likeability was starting to fade. The third season, however, is much too simplified. And the worst offense? Veronica Mars, the title character, becomes a complete Mary-Sue. Her sleuthing skills are nowhere near the vicinity of season one, yet everyone falls in love with her and superior "gift." Her college professor wants to vouche for her for an FBI internship, and the college dean writes a glowing letter of recommendation. She's able to stay on top of her college grades while working cases and cooking dinner for her father, and she requires no time or adjustment to do so. And not only does she have Logan Echolls madly in love with her and willing to do anything to protect her, but now we have the annoying character of Piz (Wallace's college roomie) following after her.

Veronica has always been an attractive and smart character, but these things continue to happen despite her coldness, her smugness, her arrogance. You wait and wait, expecting her to be set up for a fall so she can see the error of her ways, but it never happens. It's obvious that the creator of the show is head-over-heels for his character, and it feels like he's lost the necessary objectiveness. Veronica is right, you're wrong. Even if you're a member of the audience.

This would be more bearable if there wasn't SO MUCH Veronica this year. The first two seasons did a much better job of balancing screentime, so even though it's a show with a title character, it felt like an ensemble cast. But this year, the amazing talent from the rest of the actors was wasted. Logan had no real storyline outside of Veronica, Wallace all but disappears for episodes at a time, and Weevil is hardly ever on-screen. The utter waste of Jason Dohring (Logan) hurts the most, as Logan is transformed into the "boyfriend" character, and his sickle wit dies with his screentime. In the end, it's just too much Veronica and not enough everyone else, coupled with a dumb-downed version of a once very smart show.

veronica you will be missed.......2007-08-05

i loved this show it was one of my favorites from the 2006-2007 season. season three i have to say is the best season of this show(thats not to say there not all good this one is just better) again i loved this. i will miss watching some of my favorite characters every week(logan,mac an wallace i will miss you all almost as much as veronica) never have i been so sad to see a show go as i was to see buffy the vampire slayer(favorite show ever) and this is a credit to the writes and actors of this show. so just to leave off if youve never watched this show buy the first season you wont be diisapointed and lastly dont buy into the taglines on the back of the dvds "a little bit buffy,a little bit bogart and a dash of nancy drew" veronica is more than that shes her own character and its amazing. see ya v!

Average customer rating:

WOW
One of the best performances I have ever seen
Great movie... great extras
Becket Review
Brilliant and Long Overdue

Becket
Starring: Richard Burton , Peter O'Toole , John Gielgud , Donald Wolfit , and Martita Hunt
Director: Peter Glenville
Manufacturer: MPI Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00007G1WH
Release Date: 2007-05-15

Amazon.com essential video

Made in 1964, but set in 12th-century England, this is the fact-based story of Henry II (Peter O'Toole) and his dear friend, the Archbishop of Canterbury (Richard Burton). When the king appoints his former drinking buddy to the high religious office, he believes he has placed an ally into power. Instead, he learns that Thomas very much takes his job to heart, prompting Henry to ask that fateful question--"Will no one rid me of this meddlesome priest?"

This won an Academy Award for Best Screenplay, and it is a strong example of finely tuned performances--both leading men received Academy Award nominations for their roles. There is much passion and rage on the screen, but the beauty of their performances is that we always know that love is there as well. The film, shot on location in England, is also visually appealing. Trivia buffs may be interested to know that Peter O'Toole played Henry II four years later in The Lion in Winter. --Rochelle O'Gorman

On the DVD

The primary bonus feature is a treat: a feature-length commentary by Peter O'Toole, accompanied by a moderator. With only occasional gaps of silence, the still sharp and well-spoken O'Toole recalls the making of the film, how he didn't research the historical King Henry ("The author has made the character; that's his job. My job is to play it."), and his memories of Richard Burton, both personal ("We found that we both enjoyed rugby, we both enjoyed songs, and we both enjoyed drinking, and got along very well.") and professional ("he had an astonishing presence on the stage"). There are also two archival interviews with Burton from 1967 and 1977 (26 minutes total), in which he doesn't discuss Becket, but he does say a lot about his life on stage, he recites some lines, and speaks candidly about his drinking problem.

Don't skip over the interviews with the film's editor Anne Coates and composer Laurence Rosenthal. Coates (7 minutes) has some good stories, and Rosenthal (12 minutes) discusses the influences on his Oscar-nominated score and how he had to teach Gregorian chant to Burton ("He was one of these people whom you really can't teach anything. He had this characteristic that you can only remind him of something he already knows. But he didn't know how to sing Gregorian chant."). In addition to a photo gallery and the four-and-a-half-minute theatrical trailer, MPI's long-delayed DVD looks better than many major-studio classics. --David Horiuchi

Beyond Becket

Other Peter O'Toole Films
Other Richard Burton Films
More King Henrys on DVD

Stills from Becket (click for larger image)

Customer Reviews:

WOW.......2007-09-14

I'm so glad this one's finally on DVD. What awesome performances! Watch it together with "The Lion in Winter". A vast and sweeping epic.

One of the best performances I have ever seen.......2007-09-10

It is hard to believe this is the same guy that played the somewhat peculiar Lawrence of Arabia, which is one of my favorite movies. Richard Burton was good in this movie, don't get me wrong, but I was blown away by O'Toole. He is mesmerizing in practically every scene and completely dominates the screen and the movie. I do not own the DVD, I actually saw it on AMC, where I learned that O'Toole was only 32 years old when he filmed this movie...Wow!!

I am not a history buff so I cannot comment on the historical accuracy of this movie, but I can comment and will applaud what I have to say is one of the best performances I have seen. The scenes with O'Toole are somewhat reminiscent of a stage play where pure acting is required...and he delivers an incredibly powerful performance.

The movie is very entertaining, the dialogue is great, and Geilgud's small part is very good. I thought the costumes, scenery and setting were very well done. I was thoroughly pleased with this movie.

I will now be looking for more O'Toole movies in the hopes they are half as good as this one.

Great movie... great extras.......2007-09-05

Two Richard Burton interviews from two different eras, the flyer and advertising art from the film... great stuff.

Becket Review.......2007-08-29

A Great film. Great quality. I did not have to clean this disc to get it to work right.

Brilliant and Long Overdue.......2007-08-28

Becket sits as a classic, historical parrable of conscience and character, in the same genre as "A Man For All Seasons". Richard Burton (as the title character) and Peter O'Toole (as Henry II) lend marvelous weight to their characters. Burton, the friend who puts moral conscience and religious belief above King and Country. O'Toole, a monarch driven by dynasty is ever mindful of Becket's influence... both as a personal friend and as the conscious of the kingdom. Frustrated, the king's knights take literally Henry's loose wish to be rid of the meddlesome priest. Becket pays with his life but, ultimately Henry with his soul. Based on historical fact, Becket is not a swashbuckler but a more thoughtful film considering the primacy of church v. state. It is well deserving two hours and long overdue on DVD.

The Adventures of Ma & Pa Kettle, Vol. 1 (The Egg and I / Ma and Pa Kettle / Ma and Pa Kettle Go to Town / Ma and Pa Kettle Back on the Farm)

Average customer rating:

Country style humor at its best
Ma & Pa Kettle - Vol 1
Love it!!!
Nice to go back
All time favorite movie

The Adventures of Ma & Pa Kettle, Vol. 1 (The Egg and I / Ma and Pa Kettle / Ma and Pa Kettle Go to Town / Ma and Pa Kettle Back on the Farm)
Starring: Marjorie Main , Percy Kilbride , Richard Long , Meg Randall , and Patricia Alphin
Director: Charles Lamont , and Edward Sedgwick
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0000WN0O6
Release Date: 2004-02-10

Description

When it comes to homespun fun, the Kettles rule the roost, and now four of their hillbilly tales, including The Egg and I, The Further Adventures of Ma and Pa Kettle, Ma and Pa Kettle Go to Town and Ma and Pa Kettle Back on the Farm, are together in a spanking new collection, The Adventures of Ma and Pa Kettle: Volume 1. Whether they're hobnobbing with city folk, or tangling with newfangled appliances, Ma (Majorie Main) and Pa (Percy Kilbride) always stay true to their country roots as they try and make sense of our crazy world. Pa might be a tad too gullible, and Ma might be a bit too feisty, but they always seem to get the best of every zany situation with luck, pluck and a whole lot of good old-fashioned love. From beginning to end, it's total madcap adventure and country corn at its finest.

Customer Reviews:

Country style humor at its best.......2007-08-12

This family is part of rural Americas upbringing. The humor is timeless and of a laid back style that was the envy of us all as children.

These films bring out family values that are missing in so much of the world today.

The memories that will come back are priceless.

Best quality rating for clarity of both sound and picture.

Ma & Pa Kettle - Vol 1.......2007-08-09

What a joy to return to a simpler time. Wonderful for children of any age - sure to stir lots of questions from the younger set - if you can just get them to sit still long enough to get started. Highly recommend it.

Love it!!!.......2007-08-07

I love it! It's so funny. I have been watch it with my dad since I was teenager and finally got this for my own.

Nice to go back.......2007-05-13

Excellent restoration of some of the funniest pieces of cinema ever produced. Yes, you have to somewhat be a fan but seeing Ma & Pa getting their start in The Egg and I makes each addition a laugh a minute. Granted, things might not be politically correct by today's "standards" but if you want good clean comedy, this set is for you.

All time favorite movie.......2007-05-07

This is a clean movie without the cursing, vulgar, and sexual content that movies contain these days. My three children loved it and Would recommed this movie to any one that is looking for a good family movie.

Average customer rating:

An amazing film; probably the best drama ever
DiCaprio all grown up
Hoo Boy !!
Better Than The Book
Exciting, political --- a movie with a message.....

Blood Diamond (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio , Djimon Hounsou , Jennifer Connelly , Kagiso Kuypers , and Arnold Vosloo
Director: Edward Zwick
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B000MZHW40
Release Date: 2007-03-20

Amazon.com

Leonardo DiCaprio puts a handsome face on an ugly industry: In parts of Africa, diamond mining fuels civil warfare, killing thousands of innocents and drafting preteen children as vicious soldiers. DiCaprio (The Departed) plays Danny Archer, a white African soldier-turned-diamond-smuggler who gets wind of a large raw jewel found by Solomon Vandy, a native fisherman (Djimon Hounsou, In America) recently escaped from enslavement by a brutal rebel leader. Archer offers a deal: He'll help Vandy find his war-scattered family if Vandy will share the diamond with him. Drawn into this web of exploitation is journalist Maddy Bowen (Jennifer Connelly, Little Children), who agrees to help if Archer will tell her the details of how conflict diamonds make their way into the hands of the corporations who sell them to the Western world. DiCaprio is compelling because he never flinches from Archer's utter ruthlessness; Archer ends up doing the morally justifiable thing, but only because his desperate greed has led him to it. Hounsou and Connelly, though saddled with all the moral and political speeches, rise above the cant and keep the movie's treacherously formulaic plot rooted in human characters. But in the end, the story won't stick with you as much as the dead stillness in the child soldiers' eyes; the horror of African civil strife refuses to be contained by Blood Diamond's uplifting message--and the movie is all the more potent as a result. --Bret Fetzer

Description

An ex-mercenary turned smuggler (Leonardo DiCaprio). A Mende fisherman (Djimon Hounsou). Amid the explosive civil war overtaking 1999 Sierra Leone, these men join for two desperate missions: recovering a rare pink diamond of immense value and rescuing the fisherman's son, conscripted as a child soldier into the brutal rebel forces ripping a swath of torture and bloodshed across the alternately beautiful and ravaged countryside. Directed by Edward Zwick (Glory, The Last Samurai), this urgent, intensely moving adventure shapes gripping human stories and heart-pounding action into a modern epic of profound impact.

Customer Reviews:

An amazing film; probably the best drama ever.......2007-09-15

I saw this movie when it was released in December 06 and was blown away. Dicaprio was spectacular with his South African accent and Djimon Honsou should have gone to the Academy Awards. When I saw it I expected that it would be just another action film but it far exceded my expectation. My only complaint is that the dvd has not enough making of features. Instead it is over crowded with a documentary about diamonds. Still a great movie. I know good and this film is good!

DiCaprio all grown up.......2007-09-14

This movie was on my watch list for quite a while. Just think of the cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Djimon Hounsou and beautiful Jennifer Connelly. It is a story about diamonds collected in Sierra Leone - scenery of Africa we have not seen since "Out of Africa movie" with all the cruelty it comes with: children oldiers, killings, white mercenaries from Rhodesia, South Afrika and other former colonies. It is a story of greed, fatherly love and love in all the wrong places. It is political satire (one minor character says at one moment "We are lucky they did not find oil here - imagine what mess we would be in?") and also morality tale to about conflict that comes with beauty of the diamonds. This is multi-dimensional movie and it does deserve the praise that it got at the Academy awards. It is also fantasic to see two characters played by Leonardo and Djimon bond althought they could not be more different from any point of view. Although difficult to watch at some moments, it is definitely a gem of a movie I have seen lately.

Hoo Boy !!.......2007-09-09

When you have anyone like DiCaprio playing a lead in a movie like this then you know that someone was out to lunch in the casting department. Leo's baby face does not fit the character. The beautiful journalist type female is not realistic and screams Holywood too. Awful storyline - too much graphic violence ( have'nt we had enuff ? ), and some bad casting. Another 2 hours of your life wasted if you see this one. Another way you can tell this is bad ? There are 132 of these USED at $5 on AMAZON !! Get it ?

Better Than The Book.......2007-09-08

My job takes me to Africa, and I travel there for pleasure as well, so my B.S.-radar was "on" throughout the film, watching for Western cliches and the liberal drivel that tainted the book. But the movie delivered as both entertainment and is a more reasoned presentation of the problems caused by the African diamond trade.

DiCaprio, Connelly, and Hounsou were all excellent in their roles, but it is definitely DiCaprio as the Rhodesian exile that makes this film compelling. Also, the outrageous chase scenes that many movie-goers are so tired of are well done and more palatable in an African setting where gunfights are a believable occurance. Being stopped at a checkpoint by ten year-olds armed with AK-47s is not Hollywood fantasy.

There remains an underlying message condemning the world's diamond trade. It's a political statement that has some merit, but is overblown (as it was in the book) in identifying its true culprits. DiCaprio's character delivers some lines that give more than lip-service to other reasons for the bloodshed; his dialogue with an American reporter knocks the book's overly-simplistic views back on its heels.

Exciting, political --- a movie with a message............2007-09-05

It is hard not to have some sympathy with the current trend of making political issues palatable by grafting a star and a story on to a real-life cause for concern. Give us a thrilling story, good acting, pretty people to look at, and we can get the message out to millions. In recent years, Nicolas Cage has tackled gun-running ( Lord of War) and George Clooney the Middle East ( Syriana). Now it's the turn of DiCaprio and the illegal diamond trade, which has funded civil wars in Africa.
Very good movie......

The Dark Crystal (25th Anniversary Edition)

Average customer rating:

A Live-action Puppeteering Masterpiece!
As much as I wanted to love it...
Remastered and with extra features

The Dark Crystal (25th Anniversary Edition)
Starring: John Baddeley , Robbie Barnett , Sean Barrett , Charles Collingwood , and Barry Dennen
Director: Jim Henson
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000R8YC1I
Release Date: 2007-08-14

Product Description

Enjoy incredible footage from the Henson archives in this 2-disc 25th Anniversary Edition of The Dark Crystal. Travel back in time to the faraway planet of Thra. Cheer on the Mystics as they fight to overthrow the evil Skeksis and take back control of their planet! When Jen, a member of the Gelfling tribe, sets out to find the crystal's missing shard, his dangerous journey brings him face to face with monsters at every turn. Determined to restore peace to their planet, Jen will not back down! From the brilliant imagination of Jim Henson, this masterpiece of animation recounts the timeless tale of good vs. evil and has become a cult favorite of children and grown-ups alike!

Customer Reviews:

A Live-action Puppeteering Masterpiece!.......2007-07-30

Organic over CGI any day! There is an intimate feeling in this fantasy film that is all too often lost in the sterility of computer animation these days. Even with texture rendering abilities breaking new ground everyday, in my opinion there's still nothing comparable to the soft magic which Jim Henson has created here. A team of creative wizards, free from the bonds of a cubicle, are literally submerged into the world of their creation. The Dark Crystal changed my understanding of puppetry forever....Previously associated with the more simplistic creations viewed on television shows like Sesame Street & The Muppets, their full potential is revealed here! Some how, the more bazaar and unusual the characters become, the more real they seem to be.
Enjoy this film; it may be one of a kind!
This 25 year Anniversary Edition should be something Special! Damn...was it really that long ago?

As much as I wanted to love it..........2007-07-07

This certainly is a one-of-a-kind movie, and its unusual production actually works in its favour, adding another layer of melancholic remoteness.
It certainly stands as a singular achievement of its time, and also as a milestone in the development of film puppetry in general.
On the strong side are also some great moments in collaboration with the soundtrack and the unusual sense of reality that comes with the intricate puppet technology.
The movie's biggest problem on the other hand is that so much creativity seems to have been invested into making things look ugly. Not only are the Skeksis a bunch so awful to watch that they could give normally sensitive viewers a cramp in the stomach, it is also the action itself (how they crumble to dust, drain sweet innocent beings from the soul and drinking the juice, feast in the most awful possible way) that are hard to bear, could give children nightmares and leave you with a strange feeling in your belly.
That being said, the movie certainly has a pretty unique look to it, and it makes some fun to figure out how they might have shot each of the scenes (how it may have actually looked like on the set).

As much as I love this kind of speciality movie from the early 80ies (another gem from this period is TRON, for example) I would not want to watch "The Dark Chrystal" again any time soon - once was enough.
I might want to maybe steel from the soundtrack though (e.g. the boating scene with the two Gelflings)

Remastered and with extra features.......2007-07-02

This movie is Jim Henson's magnum opus. There isn't a fantasy movie out there that brings you to a whole different reality like The Dark Crystal does. Yes the movie is all performed entirely by puppets and yes there isn't a human being in site. That's the beauty of it. With a combination of an excellent story, innovative (for its time) animatronics, beautiful sets and cinematography you get a truly dazzling experience that any fantasy fan would be a fool not to miss.

The biggest aspect of Dark Crystal is the setting. They created a whole different world with its own animals, plants and terrain. The level of detail put into creating this new world is staggering and you get some good scenes to soak yourself up in it. From the rock caves of the Mystics to the jagged spires of the Skesis castle to Aughra's planetarium to every landscape in between. You will get drawn into this alien world. The beauty of the sets and location shots is only enhanced with some fantastic cinematography and conventional effects.

Since we are essentially talking about a puppet show brought to you as a feature film let's talk about the puppets. Granted they might seem a bit archaic by today's standards, they were nothing short of incredible back in 1982. To have puppets act and react in such an organic and lifelike fashion was never done on film before. This is the first movie where you get that sort of eye and mouth movements we have come so used to with current animatronics. Famed artist Brian Froud created all of the creatures and characters for Dark Crystal and if you're a fan of his work you will definitely see it. When you look at the majesty of the Mystics you forget they are just people covered in foam latex.

Of course having a truly creative setting and truly creative characters would not be enough to make a great movie. Lord knows fantasy fans have seen plenty of examples that prove that point. However this movie has a story that is as classic as any fable you have read before. By the time you finish this movie if will feel like you just read a grand fairy tale... only about wondrous and fantastic creatures never seen before. It's not deep storytelling. Then again it shouldn't be considering the mythical theme.

The original release of this DVD had a host of wonderful extras that made it the only DVD you would ever need... UNTIL NOW! This DVD has everything that made the original release great plus a good deal more. Here's what you get:

REFLECTIONS OF THE DARK CRYSTAL - Two-part featurette (Shard of Illusion [16 minutes] and Light on the Path of Creation [20 minutes]) with more recent interviews from writers, directors, and performers including co-writer David O'Dell, conceptual designer Brian Froud, and Jim Henson's son Brian. These featurettes also include newly discovered test footage from Jim Henson's home in England.

WORLD OF THE DARK CRYSTAL - The most amazing "making of" documentary one can ever ask for. It details over an hour of footage regarding conceptual design, character creation, production, cinematography, the philosophy behind the creation of this movie and the world it is based on, and more. This documentary was made while the Dark Crystal was released so you get interviews with the man himself, Jim Henson at the time of the movie along with scores of others involved in the movie. Most "making of" documentaries that come out with movies these days are little more than lip service to help promote the movie. I wish they would follow the model done on THIS documentary.

WORK PRINT SCENES - The original concept of The Dark Crystal was to have many of the creatures speak their own language, which we would get subtitles for, in order to further put in that different world. I think that would have been a cool way to see the movie and with this footage you get an idea of Jim Henson's original concept. Keep in mind this is not fully produced footage and it's not the same as seeing the end product. Namely the character Augra is being dubbed with Frank Oz's Miss Piggy-esque voice over and of course there is no music or post-production. Still it's interesting to get a taste of what the movie could have been like.

Top all of that off with a newly remastered high definition print, dolby digital sound and an audio commentary by Brian Froud and you have the new winner on which is the definitive Dark Crystal DVD. The only thing I can't confirm is whether or not this DVD includes the deleted scene that the first DVD had. If not no big deal. It's a Skeksis funeral scene and there is good reason why it was taken out of the movie.

I will admit that some people might be put off of this movie due to the lack of human actors in front of you and the fact the puppet animatronics might feel dated. It's a shame people would feel that way because The Dark Crystal is fantasy storytelling at its finest. If you are a fan of the genre this movie is an absolute must. If you're a Muppet fan... well these aren't Muppets so don't expect Fraggle Rock when you see it. Any fan of grand storytelling who wants to be whisked away to a strange faraway land will find what they are looking for in The Dark Crystal. Do yourself a favor and check this movie out.

Average customer rating:

Revisionist History of Camp 16
awesome
William Holden on the River Kwai
Best Film Ever, Test Of Wills & Character.
The bridge on the river kwai

The Bridge on the River Kwai
Starring: William Holden , Jack Hawkins , Alec Guinness , Sessue Hayakawa , and James Donald
Director: David Lean
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
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ASIN: B00004XPPC
Release Date: 2000-11-21

Amazon.com essential video

Director David Lean's masterful 1957 realization of Pierre Boulle's novel remains a benchmark for war films, and a deeply absorbing movie by any standard--like most of Lean's canon, The Bridge on the River Kwai achieves a richness in theme, narrative, and characterization that transcends genre.

The story centers on a Japanese prison camp isolated deep in the jungles of Southeast Asia, where the remorseless Colonel Saito (Sessue Hayakawa) has been charged with building a vitally important railway bridge. His clash of wills with a British prisoner, the charismatic Colonel Nicholson (Alec Guinness), escalates into a duel of honor, Nicholson defying his captor's demands to win concessions for his troops. How the two officers reach a compromise, and Nicholson becomes obsessed with building that bridge, provides the story's thematic spine; the parallel movement of a team of commandos dispatched to stop the project, led by a British major (Jack Hawkins) and guided by an American escapee (William Holden), supplies the story's suspense and forward momentum.

Shot on location in Sri Lanka, Kwai moves with a careful, even deliberate pace that survivors of latter-day, high-concept blockbusters might find lulling--Lean doesn't pander to attention deficit disorders with an explosion every 15 minutes. Instead, he guides us toward the intersection of the two plots, accruing remarkable character details through extraordinary performances. Hayakawa's cruel camp commander is gradually revealed as a victim of his own sense of honor, Holden's callow opportunist proves heroic without softening his nihilistic edge, and Guinness (who won a Best Actor Oscar, one of the production's seven wins) disappears as only he can into Nicholson's brittle, duty-driven, delusional psychosis. His final glimpse of self-knowledge remains an astonishing moment--story, character, and image coalescing with explosive impact.

Like Lean's Lawrence of Arabia, The Bridge on the River Kwai has been beautifully restored and released in a highly recommended widescreen version that preserves its original aspect ratio. --Sam Sutherland

Customer Reviews:

Revisionist History of Camp 16.......2007-08-29

The film shows a tropical jungle, then we see a railroad. There are graves along the railway. There is a settlement, these workers are captured British army men. A new group enters the camp whistling a song. The Japanese Colonel Saito welcomes them and tells how they will build a railroad from Bangkok to Rangoon. Escape is impossible. "Be happy in your work." There will be no escape committee, the odds are against it. The British commander will cooperate with the Japanese since they were ordered to surrender.

There is a crisis when the British commander Colonel Nicholson refuses to order the officers to perform manual labor, even after a deadly threat. They are left standing in the hot sun without water or food until they are sent to the punishment hut. But a few try to escape across the river. Their bodies are brought back, except for one man who fell into the river. Trees are cut to build a timber bridge. The project is behind schedule, Colonel Saito blames the workers. Saito makes an offer to Colonel Nicholson: cooperate or the hospital will be closed.

Commander Shears makes it to a village and is rescued. Colonel Saito proclaims a holiday and gives the prisoners Red Cross parcels (saving them from starvation). There is a problem in building the bridge. Colonel Nicholson is brought to meet Colonel Saito, and they reach a "proper solution" after a dramatic confrontation. An amnesty ends the stalemate. Work will continue with the British officers in charge. [The film claims the British could do a better job than the Japanese through organization and efficiency. The future would tell more about this.] New plans are adopted.

British Force 316 asks Shears for help with their project. Major Warden explains their use of "plastic". This force will parachute a team to destroy the bridge. "Commander Shears" explains himself, and gets another unexpected surprise. "Good Show!" Back at the prison camp they are all happy in their work, morale is high because they are doing a proper job. [Sarcasm here?] Force 316 parachutes into the jungle, but there is a problem. They must take a roundabout route to their destination. [This is also safer than a regular path.] Colonel Nicholson is totally devoted to finishing the bridge, he even asks patients from the hospital to volunteer! Birds fly into the air, the unexpected happens. They arrive at the bridge and plan its destruction. They must wait until the scheduled train arrives on the bridge. The sentries pacing over the bridge add to the suspense. Nature presents a complication. Colonel Nicholson sees a strange object and follows the lead to an ironic ending.

Pierre Boulle wrote many novels. What changes were made for this film? Does the bridge resemble the famous railway bridge on the Firth of Forth?

awesome.......2007-07-31

This is what my husband wanted and he loves it. I thought it was a little pricey.

William Holden on the River Kwai.......2007-07-14

The movie is just as I remembered it. A wonderful movie that won many academy awards. A must see.

Best Film Ever, Test Of Wills & Character........2007-05-06

This unique film had everything you could want except romance. Action, suspense, special effects, an intruiging story, themes, cinematography, diection, & locales. This is the story of a Japanese POW camp in Burma in World War two. Commanded by Colonel Saito {Sessue Hayakawa}, the mainly British captives are being used as slave labor for the construction of a railroad bridge that will link malaysia to Rangoon over the river Kwai. The Japanese commander's life depends on it's successful completion. Colonel Nicholson the British commander is a stickler for rules & when Saito declares that officers will work as well as enlisted men, he sites the Geneva Convention restrictions on officers doing manual labor. When they refuse to work, Saito has them thrown into ovens, metal containers that bake in the tropical sweltering heat. After much angst Saito relents since the bridge is behind schedule. There's a fine mix of camera shots from all possible angles showing the grinding heat draining the overworked & malnurished men, as well as breathtaking panoramas. Above all positives of this excellent film were the performances by all concerned. Alec Guinness as Col. nicholson was beyond "PERFECTION." He totally absorbs the characters essence & then manifests it. I can't think of any actor who deserved his/her OSCAR more. William Holden is also superlative in his scenes, as were stern Sessue Hayakawa & the enigmatic Jack Hawkins. The destruction of the bridge & train was a one shot chance done very well. I saw this film on TV as a young boy. Now seeing it again on DVD, it was as enthralling as ever. Buy it, you won't be disapointed.

The bridge on the river kwai.......2007-04-02

Classic movie and glad it finally came on DVD

20,000 Leagues Under The Sea (Special Edition)

Average customer rating:

Arronax Redux
excellent
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
Great Movie!
Great !

20,000 Leagues Under The Sea (Special Edition)
Starring: Kirk Douglas , James Mason , Paul Lukas , Peter Lorre , and Robert J. Wilke
Director: Richard Fleischer , and Charles A. Nichols
Manufacturer: Walt Disney Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00005JKU0
Release Date: 2003-05-20

Amazon.com essential video

The swashbuckler genre bumped into science fiction in 1954 for one of Hollywood's great entertainments. The Jules Verne story of adventure under the sea was Walt Disney's magnificent debut into live-action films. A professor (Paul Lukas) seeks the truth about a legendary sea monster in the years just after the Civil War. When his ship is sunk, he, his aide (Peter Lorre), and a harpoon master (Kirk Douglas) survive to discover that the monster is actually a metal submarine run by Captain Nemo (James Mason). Along with the rollicking adventure, it's fun to see the future technology that Verne dreamed up in his novel, including diving equipment and sea farming. The film's physical prowess is anchored by the Nautilus, an impressive full-scale gothic submarine complete with red carpet and pipe organ. In the era of big sets, 20,000 Leagues set a precedent for films shot on the water and deservedly won Oscars for art direction and special effects. Lost in the inventiveness of the film and great set pieces including a giant squid attack are two great performances. Mason is the perfect Nemo, taut and private, clothed in dark fabric that counters the Technicolor dreamboat that is the beaming red-and-white-stripe-shirted Kirk Douglas as the heroic Ned Land. The film works as peerless family adventure nearly half a century later. --Doug Thomas

Description

Climb aboard the Nautilus ... and into a strange undersea world of spellbinding adventure! Kirk Douglas, Paul Lukas, and Peter Lorre star as shipwrecked survivors taken captive by the mysterious Captain Nemo, brilliantly portrayed by James Mason. Wavering between genius and madness, Nemo has launched a deadly crusade across the seven seas. But can the captive crew expose his evil plan before he destroys the world? Disney's brilliant Academy Award(R)-winning (1955, Best Art Direction and Best Special Effects) adaptation of Jules Verne's gripping tale makes 20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA a truly mesmerizing masterpiece!

Customer Reviews:

Arronax Redux.......2007-08-27

20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA was the most expensive movie ever filmed at the time of its 1954 release. A great adaptation of Jules Verne's surprisingly prescient 19th Century novel, LEAGUES stars James Mason as the cultured, world-weary cynical genius Captain Nemo, designer and builder of the nuclear submarine "Nautilus." The cast is rounded out by Kirk Douglas as macho harpooner Ned Land, Paul Lukas as Professor Arronax, and Peter Lorre as Conseil, all of whom have been taken prisoner by the half-mad Nemo.

James Mason is perfect as Nemo. A romanticist and a scientist, Mason's Captain Nemo is brother to Walter Pidgeon's Doctor Morbius of FORBIDDEN PLANET (1956). Nemo, the custodian of arcane secret knowledge, has lost faith in humanity, and has isolated himself aboard his self-sustaining leviathan-like submarine. Half Cutty Sark and half Martian spacecraft (the set design is very reminiscent of George Pal's 1953 WAR OF THE WORLDS), the "Nautilus" boasts a library full of classics, a Grand Saloon full of art masterpieces, and a full-sized pipe organ upon which Nemo plays Debussy's "La Mer" all day long.

Without a hope for humanity, Nemo's own humanity is hopelessly stunted. He routinely attacks ships of all types, sinking them with abandon, and putting surviving sailors to death. Although he briefly considers sending Arronax back to the family of nations with the news of his many discoveries, his innate cynicism overtakes him.

Nemo and his ship are attacked by a giant squid in a classic film sequence. It is the unpolished, ill-regarded Ned Land, whom Nemo despises, who saves him. In the end, Land's efforts come to naught as Nemo takes his secrets to a watery grave.

In this amazingly memorable film, Disney literally spared no expense in providing the viewer with gorgeous and never-before-attempted underwater photography sequences, with a fascinating rendering of the "Nautilus," with an adapted storyline which still holds its own 53 years later, and with a rock solid cast.

This is GREAT family entertainment.

excellent.......2007-06-27

What else can you say about a movie with James Mason and Kirk Douglas set beneath the sea. Excellent story, effects, acting etc......

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.......2007-06-25

Rich rendering of the classic Jules Verne tale by Walt Disney was, at the time, the most costly picture ever made, and it shows. The re-mastering of this beloved fantasy adventure is visually breathtaking, with vibrant colors popping off the screen unlike films half its age. Veterans Lukas and Lorre are solid, and Douglas is amusingly over the top as Ned (he even sings!), but the brooding Mason inhabits Nemo like a second skin, carrying the movie. Imaginative and exciting, "League" does full justice to its venerable source, and constitutes top family viewing.

Great Movie!.......2007-06-07

Amazon had what I wanted and the movie was just terrifc! My husband loved this movie when he was a child and I was so pleased Amazon had it to purchase! We got the movie well before it was promised!

Great !.......2007-05-25

This book is the first science fiction I read as a child. The first time I watched this movie I was about 10 years old. Since then till date, I have not forgotten a single scene or dialogue of the film. This is a superb film and quite advanced technically, for it's time. James Mason is the perfect Captain Nemo!

The Adventures of Ma & Pa Kettle, Vol. 2 (At the Fair / On Vacation / At Home / At Waikiki)

Average customer rating:

Wow, they did it again !
Ma & Pa Kettle - Vol 2
EXCELLENT!
Ma & Pa
family fun

The Adventures of Ma & Pa Kettle, Vol. 2 (At the Fair / On Vacation / At Home / At Waikiki)
Starring: Marjorie Main , Percy Kilbride , Lori Nelson , Byron Palmer , and Russell Johnson
Director: Lee Sholem , Charles Barton , and Charles Lamont
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0001FGC06
Release Date: 2004-05-04

Product Description

America s favorite country couple are back together again in a brand new collection featuring four of their all-time favorite films. Ma & Pa Kettle (Marjorie Main and Percy Kilbride) continue to charm audiences with their down-home humor and hilarious antics, inspiring in The Adventures of Ma & Pa Kettle: Volume 2, featuring Ma and Pa Kettle at the Fair, Ma and Pa Kettle on Vacation, Ma and Pa Kettle at Home, Ma and Pa Kettle at Waikiki. Join the Kettles this time as they travel the globe, getting involved in everything from international spies and pineapple plantations to harness racing and hurricanes in this delightful special collector s set.

System Requirements:

Running Time 316 Min

Format: DVD MOVIE

Customer Reviews:

Wow, they did it again !.......2007-08-12

It is amazing that people making these films could place this country bumpkin family in any situation and their humor just falls in like it belongs there.

This second set of DVDs is just as great as volume one was. A must have addition to any good collection of family humor of rural country America at it's best.

I never thought I could enjoy a black and white movie again till I came here and purchased these masterpieces of movie making from the past.
Again they bring back priceless memories.

Ma & Pa Kettle - Vol 2.......2007-08-09

Continuing joy! Who can forget any of these classics? These movies were an anniversary gift that will be enjoyed and loved in the years ahead. So wonderful to find movies just as you remember them! Good family fun!

EXCELLENT!.......2007-08-06

I GREW UP WATCHING THE RERUNS OF THESE MOVIES AND HAD LOVED THEM. BOUGHT ALL OF THEM AND MY 5 AND 12 YEAR OLD LOVED THEM! CLASSICS!

Ma & Pa.......2007-07-28

These movies are some of the few good memories from my childhood. While not exactly of Academy Award quality, they were hilarious! My family had 12 kids and these did remind me of alot of aspects of growing up. No violence, cursing, or sexual references are not necessary in these type of films. The whole family can sit back with soda, popcorn and each other and enjoy these family classics. I also bought Volume 2. They are all very funny. I just ordered Vol. 1-4 of Abbott & Castello classic films. I expect them to be as good as The "Kettles" films. As Ma Kettle would shout "Come and get it"! Enjoy! Papa Larry

family fun.......2007-05-24

This is a movie you can watch with your family. You can look back to movie fun from our past. I feel so lucky I can find these old movies on Amazon. LOVE IT, pat

Average customer rating:

An amazing film; probably the best drama ever
DiCaprio all grown up
Hoo Boy !!
Better Than The Book
Exciting, political --- a movie with a message.....

Blood Diamond (Full Screen Edition)
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio , Djimon Hounsou , Jennifer Connelly , Kagiso Kuypers , and Arnold Vosloo
Director: Edward Zwick
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000MZHW4A
Release Date: 2007-03-20

Amazon.com

Description

Customer Reviews:

An amazing film; probably the best drama ever.......2007-09-15

DiCaprio all grown up.......2007-09-14

Hoo Boy !!.......2007-09-09

Better Than The Book.......2007-09-08

Exciting, political --- a movie with a message............2007-09-05

The Wild Geese (30th Anniversary Edition)

Average customer rating:

Great War Movie
Great Quality
Absolutely Perfect
The Wild Geese Fly Again
Silly, but good fun

The Wild Geese (30th Anniversary Edition)
Starring: Richard Burton , Roger Moore , Richard Harris , Hardy Krüger , and Stewart Granger
Director: Andrew V. McLaglen
Manufacturer: Tango Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Thrillers | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

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Action & Adventure | Independently Distributed | Stores | DVD | Video

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