Alison Krauss & Union Station Live

Amazon.com

If you love concert DVDs that offer first-rate music, excellent sound and picture, a beautiful setting, and substantial bonus features, then Alison Krauss and Union Station Live is destined to become your new favorite. It's not just for bluegrass fans either, as proven by Krauss's crossover success on the smash soundtrack of O Brother, Where Art Thou? as well as her pop-oriented hits such as "Now That I've Found You." That song plus "The Lucky One," "When You Say Nothing at All," and others are the perfect showcase for Krauss's meltingly gorgeous voice, and admirers of the concert's two-CD set will also find out how funny she is in her between-songs banter. AKUS has never been all about Krauss, however, so there are also instrumental jams plus featured spots for other members, including Dan Tyminski on O Brother's rousing "I Am a Man of Constant Sorrow."

The second DVD offers 50 minutes of interviews in which all five members plus drummer Larry Atamanuik discuss their influences, their instruments, and their favorite songs. There's also backstage and road footage, baby pictures, and more. Perhaps the only disappointment is that two songs from the CDs are not included in the concert: "Down to the River to Pray," which is heard over the end credits but not shown on stage--presumably because the CD version was not taken from this 2002 Louisville show--and "There Is a Reason." --David Horiuchi

Customer Reviews:

Live Performance Is Excellent on DVD.......2007-07-23

I have seen Alison Krauss and Union Station four times in person, and in between I get my fix watching this DVD. The video is excellent quality and the music includes nearly all of her greatest hits. The quality of the music recording is at least as good as any CD when played through a stereo system. Each of the musicians is top notch and gets a time to shine on this DVD. I especially enjoyed Ron Block's terrific guitar and banjo pickin' and his rendition of "Faraway Land." Alison does a special job with "The Lucky One," Let Me Touch You For Awhile," and "Ghost of A Chance." If you have seen Alsison Krauss in person, you know that she likes to joke with her audiences, and much of that is also included on this DVD. If you enjoy Alison's brand of bluegrass and ballads, you need to own this DVD and Rhonda Vincent's - Ragin' Live!

Fell in love with Alison Krauss and Union Station after seeing this DVD.......2007-07-17

I was not very interested in AKUS until I saw this DVD. Now I find myself humming her songs around the house and at work, and have gone out and bought several additional AKUS CDs.

The video quality is spectacular, and the recording quality makes you feel like you were right there in the theatre in Kentucky. I especially like the wide screen aspect ratio, which looks great on my widescreen TV

The most wonderful thing about the DVD is both seeing and hearing the intricate details in each of the songs. Each member of the group is highly skilled and plays an instrument with unique personality, which when blended together is simply amazing.

AKUS DVD (live).......2007-06-27

I really enjoyed watching this video.
The music is very skillful and delightful to hear. Bluegrass & ballad style. Alison has a laid back and humorous manner, and she has a very clear and beautiful sounding voice.

Alison Has a New Fan.......2007-06-16

I saw this same presentation on HD Net and was floored by this incredible talent. Later I found the concert was on DVD (received a Grammy for best live concert, you will hear why) and got it. I'm not a fan of live concert recordings, but this one was different. It is so good, I use it now as a system demo. There is no center front channel in Dolby 5.1 (Dolby 4.1 really) or DTS (both soundtracks are selectable), but I think this is an advantage. Spatial relationships are maintained between the two front mains and the rears provide the auditorium ambience. Audio and video are spotless.

Alison Kraus and Union Station Live.......2007-02-13

Anyone who is an Alison Kraus and Union Station fan will love this DVD. Recorded in hi-def and 5.1 surround sound,you almost think you are front row at the concert. Alison's band Union Staion are excellent top notch musicians. Alison has the voice of an angel,it doesn't get any better than this one if you are an Alison Kraus fan. I recomend this DVD very highly.

Average customer rating:

Holy Action!!
Lollerblades
Are you kidding? This is like a gift from the Hollywood Gods!
Horribly overrated
Belongs Under Comedy/Fantasy not Action/Drama

The Boondock Saints
Starring: James Binkley , Matthew Chaffee , Billy Connolly , Bill Craig (III) , and Willem Dafoe
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
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ASIN: B00005PJ8R
Release Date: 2002-05-21

Amazon.com

Charismatic young stars Sean Patrick Flanery and Norman Reedus play two Irish brothers, Connor and Murphy, who believe themselves ordained by God to rid the world of evil men. Their first killing is in self-defense; but after that, they start killing with devotion, gunning down a summit of the Russian mafia. Willem Dafoe plays a gay FBI agent (he listens to opera while examining crime scenes) who knows what the boys are doing but feels that their vigilante tactics are necessary. There's not much plot to The Boondock Saints--it's mostly a series of violent scenes in which the boys are partially ingenious and partially lucky. The movie seems to want to provoke debate about vigilantism, but the scenario is too implausible to stir any real controversy. The peculiar mix of earnestness and machismo will not appeal to everyone, but it's certainly unique and may acquire a cult following. --Bret Fetzer

Customer Reviews:

Holy Action!!.......2007-09-05

The Boondock Saints (italicize), released in 1999, could possibly be described as a "cult flick," since it never saw intense gains at the box office during its theatrical release. However, it is a fantastic drama with both memorable characters and fantastic performances from some up-and-coming Hollywood names.

Sean Patrick Flannery and Norman Reedus star as devoutly Irish Catholic twin brothers, Connor and Murphy McManus, whose chance bar fight with Russian mobsters leads them to killing two peons in self-defense. After spending a night in jail and being released without charges, the two come to believe they are supernaturally appointed to enact God's justice on evil men. A virtual slaughter of vigilantism ensues, with the brothers and their new recruit, David Della Rocco, taking out all that is evil in South Boston. When the killings begin to hit closer and closer to home for infamous mafia don "Papa Joe" Yakavetta, he secures the release of an old family hit man, the mysterious "Il Duche."

Willem Dafoe gives a smashing performance as Paul Smecker , the anomalous FBI agent assigned to investigate the mob-related killings. His uncanny detective skills soon have him hot on the trail of the two brothers, and once Smecker realizes the particular brand of vigilantism the brothers are executing, he must make a choice to either take them down or enable their continuance.

With choppy dramatic sequencing including flashbacks and layered scene cutting, a few critics have compared the style of The Boondock Saints to that of Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction. Some even write it off as a cheap imitation. However, the memorable characters, unique humor and religious twist of The Boondock Saints ensures that it holds its own place in the line of "shoot-`em-up" mobster movies. Don't miss out on the Saints phenomenon.

Lollerblades.......2007-07-19

Wow, I can't believe how many 1 stars this movie has produced. Ever since the movie came out, I haven't met ONE person that thought so negatively of the film, and I know a LOT of people from a LOT of places. I guess there just has to be haters of everything on this planet.

It's just a movie anyways, and there are TONS of movies out there WAY worse than this one could ever dream up to be.

Are you kidding? This is like a gift from the Hollywood Gods!.......2007-06-19

I cannot believe that a movie with so much intelligence and gnashing bite made it through the editing room to my home theater. Two Irish-Catholic brothers that fall into vigilantism so effortlessly and do it so well, that is a recipe for a plot that fuels this amazing film. Do yourself a favor and watch this over and over.
~Charlie Will

Horribly overrated.......2007-06-07

As another reviewer put it, this is one of those movies that is unintentionally funny. The acting is awful and the plot nonsensical. I originally got it because of all its rave reviews here, of which I no longer trust. This one has all the acting and plot of a late-night straight-to-TV flick. I had a hard time making it all the way through. This one is a real stinker, if you want Boston-style mob violence save yourself the trouble and watch the horribly depressing (but much, much better) The Departed instead.

Belongs Under Comedy/Fantasy not Action/Drama.......2007-05-08

This self-indulgent caricature of a movie was just plain awful. I admit, the story intrigued me; two shanty Irish vigilantes from Southie killing bad guys in the name of God? OK, I'll give it a shot, plus I heard all these rave reviews about it. Boy was I in for an unpleasant surprise. The acting was horrible and most of the characters were so ridiculous that I couldn't even take them seriously. This is one of those films that is unintentionally funny. All kidding aside, this is literally how I think a 13 year old would visualize a good action/drama film. So unless you have the mentality of a pre-teen or can enjoy this movie for what it is, a comedy/fantasy, I would suggest you don't waste your time. For a decent movie about South Boston, go watch The Departed or even Southie instead.

Average customer rating:

Complete, Interesting, Emotional - Wonderful !
I Really Enjoyed This DVD Set
Titanic was out of luck, so was I
Compelling and Fascinating
Great detail...fascinating!

Titanic - The Complete Story
Starring: David McCallum , Wyn Wade , Eva Hart , Ken Marschall , and Dot Kendle
Director: Melissa Jo Peltier
Manufacturer: A&E Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00005UW79
Release Date: 2002-02-26

Product Description

The unsinkable Titanic was a dream come true: Four city blocks long and a passenger list worth 250 million dollars. But on her maiden voyage in April 1912, that dream became a nightmare when the giant ship struck an iceberg and sank in the cold North Atlantic. More than 1,500 lives were lost in one of the greatest disasters of the 20th century. Now, the complete sensational history of the premier liner is recounted in TITANIC: THE COMPLETE STORY. Using newsreels, stills, diaries, and exclusive interviews with survivors, TITANIC: THE COMPLETE STORY charts the fateful history of the ship and its passengers as well as providing an overview on the popular culture phenomenon that this tragedy has become.The definitive story in 3 feature-length programs:DEATH OF A DREAM--The largest ship ever built is Christened in Ireland before a cheering crowd of 100,000. Witnes the disaster this trek becomes as numerous iceberg warnings go unheeded and the ship sinks in the icy North Atlantic.THE LEGEND LIVES ON--Overpacked lifeboats edge away from the crippled liner as futile SOS signals flare into the night--leaving 1,500 passengers to a watery grave. Also, witness the courageous deep sea expedition to unearth Titanic's secrets.BEYOND TITANIC--Explore the aftermath and the legacy of the most momentous shipwreck of all time, taking viewers through the entire popular phenomenon surrounding one of the most outsized events in modern history.

Format: DVD MOVIE

Amazon.com

Of all the many documentaries that have been made about the Titanic disaster, this two-part, 192-minute film, produced in 1994 for the Arts & Entertainment network, remains the most thorough, authoritative, and fascinating chronicle of the Titanic tragedy. Written, produced, and directed by Melissa Jo Peltier and elegantly narrated by actor David McCallum, the film utilizes thorough research, archival films and documents, and expert testimony to span the entire history of the legendary S.S. Titanic. From blueprint design and construction in Ireland, to the ill-fated maiden voyage and the lasting legacy of Titanic's fateful sinking, no detail has been neglected in the film's meticulous description of events. Part 1, "The Death of a Dream," builds dramatic momentum to the ship's collision with an iceberg in the freezing North Atlantic, including detailed accounts of the agonizing two-hour sinking and the rescue of survivors. Part 2, "The Legend Lives On," explores the investigation into Titanic's sinking, the impact on later ship design and the dramatic rediscovery of Titanic's ghostly remains on the ocean floor. Parts 1 and 2 include abundant interviews with such noted Titanic authorities as Don Lynch and Ken Marschall (consultants on the blockbuster movie Titanic), and several Titanic survivors who have since passed away. The cumulative effect of this detailed film is a complete appreciation for the sheer irony, drama, and magnitude of the Titanic disaster. The James Cameron film was certainly entertaining, but this superior documentary proves that truth can be every bit as absorbing as fictionalized history. It's an essential addition to any Titanic buff's library. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

Complete, Interesting, Emotional - Wonderful !.......2007-06-06

This is by far the best Titanic documentary I've seen, and I have seen quite a few. To me, it is more entertaining than any of the Titanic movies, or any of the other documentaries; And, it can take you from a Titanic novice to an expert in 3-4 hours.
The expert accounts are plentiful - from survivors to historians and enthusiasts. The son of Stanley Lord even has a spot in there.
If you find Titanic interesting, you must have a copy of this set. It is the most complete account of the Titanic story that I have found. I loved it!

I Really Enjoyed This DVD Set.......2007-01-09

After seeing the Titanic Exhibit in Las Vegas, the tragedy of the Titanic was brought to life to me.

I love the 1997 film, but I knew very little about the real story of the Titanic.

This set is a fantastic introduction to anyone who wants to know more about the Titanic and needs a starting point.

Each of the 3 DVDs is informative and interesting.

It was chilling to see and hear the survivors of the disaster and to hear interviews of leaders of the search for the wreckage and the authors of books.

I also love the paintings of the disaster. They are beautiful and seem to bring that fateful night to life!

I strongly recommend this series for any interested adult like me or for educational purposes.

This set would be a great library addition for anyone homeschooling their child.

It belongs in every public library and school.

One other item: The 1997 film is quite accurate as far as the story goes -- of course there were no Jack nor Rose.

Titanic was out of luck, so was I .......2006-05-30

I ordered and received a copy of this DVD boxed set. When it arrived I found that there were 2 DVDs, played the first it was good. My wife and started to watch the second DVD and found that the second disc was identical to the first. Sent them back and asked for replacement set. They arrived. You guessed it, same story again. Amazon let me keep this set and credited my Visa A/C. Seems like poor quality control at A&E. I just want a complete set. Anyone else had this problem?

Compelling and Fascinating.......2006-02-21

The Titanic is a compelling film about the real life story of H.M.S. Titanic. The story is detailed and moving and provides Titanic lovers with a perspective of the agony and suffering that passengers of this great ship endured during its last moments. For those interested in maritime safety or just interested in knowing the story behind the Titanic tragedy, this is a highly recommended movie.

For those not familiar with the history of this great liner, a brief narration may help. The Titanic was launched in Belfast in May 1911. A magazine at the time described it as "practically unsinkable".

The liner was impressive in its size and features. She was 269 metres long, 28 metres wide and as tall as an eleven storey building. The luxury of the ship was unique and unparalleled at the time. Among the luxury features was a swimming pool for first class passengers, the first to be built on a liner.

The Titanic set sail from Southampton on 10 April 1912. On 14 April 1912, a look out man sounded the alarm bells and announced an iceberg just ahead of them. Unfortunately, it was too late and the ship collided with the iceberg and within some few seconds, the starboard side of the liner was torn open and seawater poured in.

Sadly, there were not enough lifeboats on board and only a small fraction of the passengers (largely those travelling first class) were rescued and almost all those in third class were not rescued. The ship's band continued to play during the commotion that followed and as the stern of the ship rose high and the ship began to sink. Over 1500 people perished in this accident.

Among the critical lessons that we learn from this tragedy is the need to have an effective safety management system. Thankfully, many of the lessons learnt in the tragedy helped the regulatory authorities, manufacturers and ship owners to come up with design and operational features that have made liners much safer.

Great detail...fascinating!.......2005-05-02

I purchased this for my 9 year old as he is obsessed with the tragedy of the Titanic sinking in 1912. We both were fascinated by it. Great Job A&E. I watched it with my son and have already repeated watching the second disc the very next day myself! It is awesome and really detailed. It is hard to believe some of the facts that had to do with the "times" such as class distinctions, also equally disturbing that even that as gallant as it was and appropriate in those times for "women and children first" to be saved, the tragedy left the rescued women instant widows in a time that was very difficult as it was pre-sufferget, also not to mention fatherless children and the horrible fact that most 3rd class passengers (if not all of them) perished, women, children and men. They left no stone unturned in this presentation. I would highly recommend this DVD to anyone really seeking facts about that night and the history and politics involved afterward, with the trials of Ismay and also Captian Lord (Captain from the ship accused of not responding to the Titanic's distress flares). It takes you from the beginning of the Titanic in Belfast Ireland to the sinking and rescue of the survivors in the life boats and bringing them to New York. There are personal quotes from passengers as written to loved ones and still photographs taken on the ship prior to the night of April 14th. The show also includes footage of commentary from living survivors today, that add another dimension to the presentation, which makes it so much more real, as well as commentary from Titanic historians and book authors (one inparticular Walter Lord "A Night To Remember" who had interviewed survivors years ago before some of them passed away). Then leads you up to the finding of the sunken ship in the 1980's. I think they covered it all. It is the most complete account in every way of anything I have seen or read on the Titanic so far. Excellent!

Average customer rating:

Drama masquerading as film noir
No Way Out
Not Film Noir but not bad.
Strong Dialogue & Characterizations Are Still Compelling Today.
No Way Out

No Way Out (Fox Film Noir)
Starring: Richard Widmark , Linda Darnell , Stephen McNally , Sidney Poitier , and Mildred Joanne Smith
Director: Joseph L. Mankiewicz
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B000CNE08S
Release Date: 2006-03-07

Description

Nominated for the 1950 Oscar® for Best Writing, Story and Screenplay, this intense drama about racial hatred pulls no punches. When a white patient in a hospital dies under the care of a black intern (Sidney Poitier), the victim?s racist brother (Richard Widmark) seeks to destroy the doctor?s career. Although the hospital?s idealistic Chief Resident (Stephen McNally) tries to diffuse the escalating tension, the victim?s ex-wife (Linda Darnell) seems to go along with the vengeance-seeker?until she realizes she?s on the wrong side.

Customer Reviews:

Drama masquerading as film noir.......2007-09-13

One of the more interesting of the 1950 film noirs is this drama starring Richard Widmark, Linda Darnell and, in his screen debut, Sidney Poitier whose West Indian accent shows up here and there to let the closely-listening viewer know he's black, but definitely not American.

Be that as it may, this is a solid, well thought out piece of filmmaking co-scripted and directed by Joseph Mankiewicz. The powerful social theme of racism is a major one in this film--so much so that the "N" word is used quite a few times--and there's a full scale race riot depicted as well, which is, needless to say, really daring for a 1950 film.

The only real reason this is labelled film noir is that the Richard Widmark character, Ray Biddle, is a criminal who, along with his brother John, was both shot (in the leg) and caught by the cops, then put up in the local hospital where Luther Brooks (Poitier) is the most promising intern in the place--according to the chief surgeon, Wharton (Stephen McNally).

Widmark, as usual, turns in a fine performance, but the real stars of the show are, it seems to me, Linda Darnell and Sidney Poitier. Darnell is interesting here because unlike her typical femme fatale role, she plays down (to whatever extent she can, which is tough) her obvious feminine features by wearing dowdy clothes and de-emphasizing her makeup, and is really convincing as a tough broad living in a neighborhood about one level above Skid Row--maybe two. Poitier has a strong screen presence and even with some awkwardness here and there is more than convincing as a man torn between his ethnic heritage and his obvious intelligence in his demanding profession.

Widmark's character Ray Biddle is a vicious racist and blames Dr. Brooks (Poitier) for his brother John's death, which was clearly caused by a brain tumor--totally unrelated to his getting shot in the leg by the same cop who shot Ray in the leg. Ray incites the male residents of Beaver Canal--the one-level-above-Skid Row neighborhood--to go after the blacks in their neighborhood; hence, the riot.

The four stars are primarily for the startling degree of foresight and boldness of subject matter, as well as the strong performances by Poitier and Darnell, as well as Widmark. This is a surprisingly good movie--not what I would personally call film noir, but which has lasted the test of time with that monicker stuck to it.

Whatever category you put it in, it's definitely worth seeing.

No Way Out.......2007-06-26

A tense, hard-hitting social drama that earned an Oscar for Best Screenplay in 1950, Mankiewicz's pioneering film looks squarely at the ramifications of racial hostility while keeping audiences on the edge of their seat. Poitier is magnificent in his debut role, the epitome of coolheadedness and quiet self-regard, while Widmark seethes in a typically explosive role. Mankiewicz builds suspense inside and outside the hospital, and the effect is riveting. Keep an eye out for actors/civil-rights activists Ruby Dee and Ossie Davis, playing Luther's brother and sister-in-law in a tandem debut. A potent powder keg of a film that hasn't lost its bite--or its relevance.

Not Film Noir but not bad........2007-05-18

Far too often DVDs of 1940s & 1950s films are labeled as being Film Noir only to help sell the product. Such is the case here. There is no way that "No Way Out" qualifies as "dark cinema," however, it still rates as a very good movie. Controversial when released, some of the drama seems forced at times but the story still entertains. The acting is first rate, especially by Sidney Poitier in his first role (and a starring one at that). Also making their debuts were Ozzie Davis and Ruby Dee.

Strong Dialogue & Characterizations Are Still Compelling Today........2007-03-07

"No Way Out" raised the bar in the social conscience film trend a few years after "Crossfire" and "Gentlemen's Agreement" received multiple Oscar nominations for condemning anti-Jewish prejudice in America. This is an assuredly heavy-handed polemic on racism that nevertheless stands the test of time. Luther Brooks (Sidney Poitier) is a young black doctor who has resisted his family's pressure to go into private practice in order to get more experience at the county hospital. One fateful evening, he replaces a sick intern in the prison ward. The intensely racist Biddle Brothers, Ray (Richard Widmark) and Johnny, are brought in for treatment of gun shot wounds to the legs. But Johnny is confused, unresponsive, and clearly suffering from some neurological malady. When he dies during Dr. Brooks' attempt to diagnose him, Ray accuses Brooks of murdering his brother and determines to muster all the racial hatred in his neighborhood to avenge Johnny.

"No Way Out" is sometimes called "film noir", but I take issue with that classification, because this is not even a crime film. And Dr. Brooks, though trapped by unfortunate coincidences and events beyond his control, is too squeaky clean to be a noir protagonist. But I do think that the "noir" elements help "No Way Out" overcome its dated proselytizing and idealized conceptions of Dr. Brooks to remain truly compelling even 60 years after it was made. This was Sidney Poitier's first film, so he was not given billing above the titles in spite of his starring role. Richard Widmark and Linda Darnell are no less the stars of "No Way Out", though. They have the best lines and pivotal scenes. Richard Widmark took the role of racist Ray Biddle reluctantly, as he was leaning toward leading man roles at this point in his career. But Widmark played some of the most memorable villains in cinematic history. Vile, vicious, and supremely manipulative Ray Biddle is no exception. Widmark's ability to convey uncertainty and insecurity with just his eyes is extraordinary.

Linda Darnell plays Johnny Biddle's ex-wife Edie whom Dr. Brooks and the Chief Medical Resident (Stephen McNally) implore to convince Ray to allow an autopsy on his brother. In some sense, this is her film, as Edie is the character who has an arc. She's white trash from the rough Beaver Canal neighborhood who has moved only one step up and out, always in danger of succumbing to her roots. Darnell looks great and spouts some terrific hard-boiled dialogue. The dialogue in "No Way Out", co-written by Lesser Samuels and director Joseph Mankiewicz, vacillates between the hardened, cynical repartee of film noir and loaded speech that the actors struggle to deliver with credibility. There is more than one social ideology represented: The ideas that Edie can overcome her roots and that Ray is a product of his environment join the calls for racial equality. But the dialogue and characterizations of "No Way Out" are so compelling that we don't mind the lack of subtlety in the social message.

The DVD (20th Century Fox 2006): Bonus features include a "Publicity Gallery" of 15 b&w ads for the movie, a "Photo Gallery" of 44 production and publicity stills, 2 short "Fox Movietone News" segments, a theatrical trailer (2 1/2 min), and an audio commentary by film noir historian Eddie Muller. The "Fox Movietone News" segments are coverage of Linda Darnell selling tickets to the New York premiere of the move (30 sec) and of Richard Widmark imprinting his hands in cement outside Grauman's Chinese Theater in Hollywood (20 sec). Eddie Muller leaves more "air" in his commentary than usual so that we don't miss the dialogue that was so controversial in 1950. It's a good commentary that discusses actors, performances, and themes scene-by-scene but is not as packed with information as Muller's commentaries sometimes are. Subtitles are available for the film in English and Spanish.

No Way Out.......2007-01-13

That movie was horrible!!! Nowhere in the reviews did it inform the consumer that it was a film about such hatred!!!!! It should've said something like:

WARNING: The following movie contains ONE of the most offensive words spoken!!! And it was used 26 times!!!

This movie offered no redeeming value whatsoever. I hated it!!!!

Average customer rating:

oh yes tis a great movie
I Had Heard Too Much
They loved it

The Boondock Saints
Starring: James Binkley , Matthew Chaffee , Billy Connolly , Bill Craig (III) , and Willem Dafoe
Director: Troy Duffy
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
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ASIN: B0000AC8LP
Release Date: 2002-05-21

Customer Reviews:

oh yes tis a great movie.......2007-05-13

I love the scene we he is tied to the toilet. Yes there is alot of shooting, but this is done well. William Dafoe does a good job as the detective assigned to get the two brothers.

I Had Heard Too Much.......2006-12-25

I had never seen this movie until about 2 months ago. As soon as I watched it once I was on amazon purchasing a copy. There is so much in this movie that will have most action type people in the mood. There is mystery, action, a little twist, and the little guy standing up for what is right. This is all done with little animation which makes it seem more real. You might even be asking yourself at the end.... do I agree.

They loved it.......2005-07-09

I've never seen the movie but my step-son (22) and husband loved the movie--so did many of their friends. They give it two thumbs up!

Average customer rating:

This was one of the one's that inspired me to start breakdancing!
Rare Laserdiscs-dvds Movies Collector
ONE OF THE CLASSICS
verite narrative
Not As Great As All The Hype

Wild Style
Starring: Sandra Fabara , K.K. Rockwell , Carlos Morales (IX) , Kara Vallow , and Master Rob
Director: Charlie Ahearn
Manufacturer: Rhino Theatrical
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00006L938
Release Date: 2002-10-22

Customer Reviews:

This was one of the one's that inspired me to start breakdancing! .......2007-02-07

You can read about this movie on all the other reviews. I have nothing to add! I want to promote the 2 videos that helped me really start to dance like this though! How To Do The Robot - Breakdance Instructional DVD or Top 20 Breakdance Moves, both available on Amazon. Check em out so you can dance like they do in this movie!

Rare Laserdiscs-dvds Movies Collector.......2006-04-30

Wild Style's one of my greatest movies ,I Own the dvd And you Should too...you wont regret addin' it to your Collection :P

ONE OF THE CLASSICS.......2006-03-28

I see some people saying this movie was not all it was said to have been. But you definately had to have seen this during the early 80's to relate to it and it was only meant for the people that actually lived in this time era. For most of you seeing it for the first time in 2006, it wont make sense to you and seem outdated. If your recollection of Hip Hop is N.W.A. or the likes, you will know nothing about this movie or relate to it in anyway - this is raw Hip Hop.

verite narrative.......2006-03-13

The historical importance of this piece is clear. In addition, DV filmmakers should own a copy to study the method. First: know someone who knows everyone at the center of a cultural explosion in its early days. Second: give them creative license. Third: film all their friends. Fourth: stage an amazing concert in an abandoned amphitheater without a permit. Fifth: film everything. I love this movie.

Not As Great As All The Hype .......2006-02-24

I hear all the time as i read hip hop mags and articles
all about how great Wild Style IS THE BEST HIP HOP movie
ever. Well I purchased it at the first of the year and guess
what it cant't hold Beat Street and Breakin or Krush Grooves
jockstrap. I think the movie Rappin or even the not so get
Lorenzo Lamas Hip Hop movie Body Rock has moments that's
even better than Wild Style. People who read this will
probably say what gives you the right to think you know so much
well me being 30 years old you can do the math. Thats around when the Hip Hop movement started. So if your a movie collector.
Go ahead and buy it but if you want a good movie to watch.
Then purchase somthing else.

The Val Lewton Horror Collection (Cat People / The Curse of the Cat People / I Walked with a Zombie / The Body Snatcher / Isle of the Dead / Bedlam / The Leopard Man / The Ghost Ship / The Seventh Victim / Shadows in the Dark)

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Val Lewton gives us a new genre: Endearing horror films
The Val Lewton Horror Collection
The Val Lewton Horror Collection
Quintessential Lewton...
Elegant horror

The Val Lewton Horror Collection (Cat People / The Curse of the Cat People / I Walked with a Zombie / The Body Snatcher / Isle of the Dead / Bedlam / The Leopard Man / The Ghost Ship / The Seventh Victim / Shadows in the Dark)
Starring: Simone Simon , Kent Smith , Tom Conway , Jane Randolph , and Jack Holt
Director: Jacques Tourneur , Robert Wise , and Gunther von Fritsch
Manufacturer: Turner Home Ent
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000A0GOEQ
Release Date: 2005-10-04

Amazon.com

Val Lewton's name is synonymous with the subtlest, most mysterious brand of horror filmmaking in Hollywood's golden age, and the nine horror classics he produced at RKO between 1942 and 1946 constitute the most remarkable cycle of creativity in B-movie history. (For the record, the Lewton/RKO legacy also includes two non-horror entries, Youth Runs Wild and Mademoiselle Fifi.)

Before becoming a film producer, the Russian-born Lewton was a prolific writer of pulp fiction, nonfiction, and a couple of pornographic novels. He also worked for years as assistant to David O. Selznick, a legendary producer with a distinctive personal signature--and a flair for grandiosity Lewton himself never emulated. It's ever so revealing that, on Selznick's Gone With the Wind, it was Lewton who came up with the idea for the famous rising shot of the Atlanta railyard filled with Southern wounded, with the Confederate flag streaming above--only he idly proposed it as a joke, never imagining that anyone would actually film such a spectacularly ambitious scene.

In 1942 Lewton left Selznick to undertake a series of horror films for RKO Radio Pictures. The studio would give him a budget around $200,000 per picture and a title RKO deemed to be grabby; Lewton would have a free hand as long as he stayed on budget, used the title, and gave the studio a salable movie of second-feature length (around 70 minutes). Over time, Lewton would increasingly have trouble with studio supervisors, but RKO was the right place for him. Although low in the pecking order among Hollywood majors, the studio made up for its lack of MGM-style glamour and Warner Bros. grit-and-gusto by working in a finely filigreed, almost miniaturist style. The art department under Van Nest Polglase and Albert S. D'Agostino was capable of exquisite artisanry, and in Nicholas Musuraca, a master of low-key cinematography and supple camerawork, Lewton found an invaluable collaborator in creating moody shadow-worlds where what you couldn't see was more disquieting than what you could.

He was also fortunate in having Jacques Tourneur to direct his first three efforts (they had teamed years earlier on the Bastille-storming sequence for Selznick's A Tale of Two Cities). They scored first time out of the gate with both a popular hit and a masterpiece: Cat People (1942). The story involves a pretty young Serbian woman in Manhattan (Simone Simon) convinced that her ancestors had practiced animal worship during the Middle Ages--and that she herself might shape-change into a lithe, ravening panther if her passions were aroused. The film is uncannily successful in keeping the viewer guessing whether this is a phobia borne of morbid obsession and sexual repression, or a genuine, horrific possibility. There are two sequences of matchless artistry and almost unbearable suspense--a lonely, echoing walk through pools of lamplight alongside Central Park, and a late-night swim in a deserted indoor pool--that build to throat-grabbing climaxes and remain milestones in the history of screen horror.

Many critics feel that the second Lewton-Tourneur endeavor, I Walked With a Zombie (1943), is both men's finest work. The title is so lurid that the heroine-narrator (Frances Dee) must shrug it off with her very first words, yet the movie is an amazingly delicate and poetic piece of spellbinding--nothing less than a reworking of Jane Eyre on a voodoo island in the Caribbean. Other horror aficionados prefer the more mainline ferocity of The Leopard Man (1943), an adaptation of a Cornell Woolrich story about a serial killer strewing corpses along the U.S.-Mexican border. Although on one level this is the Lewton film that veers closest to conventional mystery-suspense, there's no end of unsettling ambiguity (another black panther on the loose!) and hints of occultism and religious mania.

RKO promoted Tourneur to A-movies after this; Lewton would never again have so masterly a directorial partner. Yet in a weird sense (which is only appropriate), this underscores how much Lewton--with his wealth of arcane historical lore and storytelling archetypes, his quiet, patient attention to detail, and his taste for oblique narrative--was the essential auteur of all his films. Promoting first Mark Robson and then Robert Wise from the editing table, Lewton went on to make the deeply mysterious The Seventh Victim (1943) and The Ghost Ship (1943), two films in which such grotesque elements as Satan worship and murderous psychopathology are folded away inside eerily drifty, almost becalmed sleepwalks into eternal night. The Seventh Victim--a movie populated with more walking dead than Lewton's out-and-out zombie picture--is one of the cinema's supreme meditations on the ways lives brush against one another in the spaces of a great, impersonal city. And The Ghost Ship (the rarest of Lewton's films, owing to a ruinous copyright suit) is like a fever dream from which the viewer never awakens.

That's enough for a legacy, surely. Yet there remain The Curse of the Cat People (1944), a sequel that is not quite a sequel, a pretend-horror movie that's really a contemplation of the fragility of childhood; Isle of the Dead (1945), a doomed reverie about travelers who escape the Goya-esque chaos of a 19th-century war only to be beset with plague on a miasma-shrouded island; The Body Snatcher (1945), an atmospheric Robert Louis Stevenson adaptation that invokes the grisly history of graverobbers Burke and Hare, and supplies a together-again-for-the-last-time occasion for Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi; and Bedlam (1946), the Hogarth painting come to life to portray the real-life horrors of an 18th-century insane asylum. Bedlam's critical and box-office failure ended Lewton's quasi-independent status at RKO; he would live to make only three other, unsuccessful films.

James Agee, the premier American film critic of the 1940s, reckoned that Val Lewton was one of the three foremost creative figures in Hollywood--an assessment yet more impressive when we consider that the other two were Charles Chaplin and Walt Disney. His greatest films--Cat People, I Walked with a Zombie, The Seventh Victim--are towering achievements, and even his half-realized projects are haunting experiences, the products of an utterly distinctive sensibility. This is an extraordinary collection. --Richard T. Jameson

Description

Val Lewton, a famous RKO Radio Pictures producer, redefined the horror genre with low-budget, high-box office films. Now available are nine of these horror classics on DVD in the all new Val Lewton Horror Collection. Exclusive to the collection are a new documentary on the producer and 3 of the 9 films.

DVD Features:
Audio Commentary:Greg Mank with Simone Simon on Cat People and Curse of the Cat People, Kim Newman and Steve Jones on I Walked With a Zombie, Steve Haberman with Robert Wise on The Body Snatcher, Tom Weaver on Bedlam, and Steve Haberman on The Seventh Victim.
Documentaries:Shadows In The Dark: The Val Lewton Legacy
Theatrical Trailer

Customer Reviews:

Val Lewton gives us a new genre: Endearing horror films.......2007-07-19

Val Lewton was that Hollywood anomaly: A creative producer, but whose talents never exceeded the B-movie environment in which he operated. The result was a series of horror films made fast and on the cheap but which, 60 years later, still have enough interest to qualify for their own genre: The endearing horror movie. Through the happenstance of Lewton's ability to attract and work with some talented (and inexpensive) directors and writers, we now have the opportunity to watch these nine movies. Some, notably Bedlam and The Body Snatchers, are very good. Some, like The Leopard Man, are eerily satisfying. Sit back and enjoy.

CAT PEOPLE:
Says psychiatrist Dr. Louis Judd to Irena Reed, his reluctant patient. He is describing the things they have just talked about. "...and the cat women of your village...women who in jealousy or anger or out of their own corrupt passions can change into great cats, like panthers. And if one of these women were to fall in love, and her lover was to kiss her and to take her into his embrace, she would be driven by her own evil to kill him." As we can tell, Irena may have a problem. Her husband may have an even worse one.

THE CURSE OF THE CAT PEOPLE:
Great potential within limited means, and then the slow leak of air from the balloon. The Curse of the Cat People pulls together Simone Simon, Kent Smith and Jane Randolph from Cat People. This time, however, despite great photography and some eerie situations, the pieces simply fall apart. There is some tension and suspense, but to no great purpose. We just wind up knowing more than we want to about the needs of lonely children.

I WALKED WITH A ZOMBIE:
"Everything seems beautiful because you don't understand," says Paul Holland (Tom Conway) to nurse Betsy Connell (Frances Dee), on their voyage to Haiti where she will take care of his seriously ill wife. "Those flying fish, they're jumping in terror because bigger fish want to eat them. That luminous water...it takes its gleam from millions of tiny dead bodies, the glitter of putrescence..." If that attitude isn't enough to be off-putting, Betsy discovers that Holland's "ill" wife may well be a zombie. The movie veers into melodramatic silliness; still, there's plenty of eerie atmosphere.

THE BODY SNATCHER:
For a low-budget, B movie horror quickie, The Body Snatcher holds up remarkably well. The horror is in the situation, not the actors' make-up or the staggering around of corpses. Corpses there are, but they're freshly dug up, and their purpose is not to grasp and choke, but to be dissected by a complex and morally ambiguous surgeon. We're watching a duel, as director Robert Wise says, between the two lead characters. Henry Daniell, the surgeon, and Boris Karloff, who provides bodies, pull off the trick of combining distaste, arrogance and mutual need.

ISLE OF THE DEAD:
This programmer is a good example of why B movies are B movies. The story could be interesting: A small group of people in an isolated setting are forced to deal with a threat to their lives. In the course of the movie some will live and some will die, some will prove brave and some will go mad. "The vorvolaka still lives," whispers the crone of a housekeeper, "rose-cheeked and full of blood!" Even with ripe dialogue like this, the movie becomes predictable.

BEDLAM:
Bedlam was not successful at the box office yet was probably the best constructed of Lewton's films. Along with The Body Snatchers, it stands up as a compelling story with solid dialogue and better acting than we've come to expect from Lewton's films. Boris Karloff, in a performance of skill and complexity, plays Master George Sims, the ruler of St. Mary's of Bethlehem Asylum in London...a forbidding hulk of a stone building. Bedlam, for short. The time is 1761. Bedlam is the place where the insane are sent, as well as inconvenient or embarrassing relatives. Nell Bowen (Anna Lee), is the smart, privileged and arrogant protege of a fat English lord. When she meets Sims, her dislike is instant. Before long, Mistress Bowen finds herself committed to Bedlam and must find a way to expose Sims. Bedlam is a clever and well-made film.

THE LEOPARD MAN:
Sure, The Leopard Man is a cheap B movie, but I like it a lot. It only runs 66 minutes and it packs a lot of craftsmanship into that time. What seems unusual to me is that the film, made to be filled with dread, is also filled with regret. "What sort of man would kill like a leopard and leave traces of a leopard..." says one character. When we find out, we're a little saddened. This was no raving monster with steel claws taped to his hands, just a quiet guy who was the victim of his nature and his obsessions.

THE GHOST SHIP:
This quickie is the story of a mad sea captain who has become fixated on doing away with his young third officer. Most of the action takes place on ship as the young man tries to convince the crew that the captain is mad. There is no style to the movie and the acting is just passable.

THE SEVENTH VICTIM:
This programer is noteworthy for just three things. First, an atmosphere of creepy mystery. Second, some effective characterizations by actors who never escaped from B-movie purgatory. Third, and by far the most important, an excellent performance by Kim Hunter in her first movie role. The movie has to do with a coven whose members seem to believe in death...for others.
--------
All the movies look just fine on their two-to-a-disc DVDs.

The Val Lewton Horror Collection.......2007-06-25

-------------------------------------------------------------
"Cat People"
What you can't see "will" hurt you

A man marries a strange woman with a European accent. She seems shy, but she actually carries a secret. Seems she knows she came from a line of "Cat People" and passion can bring out her claws. This is reinforced in a scene at a restaurant where another one of her kind recognizes her. She also suspects her new hubby's female friend has designs on him. So we get a spooky scene at a swimming pool at night alone in the gym.

There was not enough money or sufficient technology to show scary cat people. They tried people in cat suits, but they just looked cutesy. So they decided to just show shadows and sounds. The rest was up to your imagination. It is a psychological movie with a touch of film noir. ---------------------------------------------
"The Curse of the Cat People"
In many ways superior to the original

The Curse of the Cat People (1944) is not really sequel to Cat People (1942) as much as a stand alone physiological thriller that just happens to be an extension of the original characters. We have seen the formula before but you may not have seen such a presentation; a lonely child Amy Reed (Ann Carter) seeks a playmate that understands her. Who best but the spirit of Oliver's dead wife, Irena (Simone Simon) one of the cat people. Naturally this upsets the parents. Toss in Amy's new relation to reclusive neighbor Julia Farren (Julia Dean). Julia has problems of her own relating to her daughter. The story just gets complex from there.

The question is, is it dangerous to fantasize that much and what will become of the characters in the end.
-------------------------------------------
"I Walked with a Zombie"
A classic Val Lewton production

We are treated to exotic titles and expectations with titles such as "I walked With a Zombie." My only encounters with Zombies are those that process in an UNIX operating system that can not be killed. I also watched "Weekend at Bernie's II."

As with other Lewton productions he got a way with a psychological thriller in the guise of a monster movie. In the days of sailing ships a nurse (Frances Dee) is employed to go to San Sebastian to look after a plantation owner's wife (Christine Gordon.) She fined that her charge is more than just a victim of a disease that heft her without will. Turns out if you cut the wife she does not bleed. We all know what that means.

The true story is the relationship to man and wife, man and nurse, nurse and wife, brother and brother, brother and wife, need I say more? Could it mean that there is nothing supernatural or is love moving in mysterious natural.

Can this all be straightened out or is Jessica Holland the wife destined to be zomiated for ever and the nurse must learn to love from afar?

Yeah Lord pity them who are dead and give peace and happiness to the living.
--------------------------------------
"The Body Snatcher"
Based on a short story by Robert Louis Stevenson

"It is through error that a man tries and rises. It is through tragedy he learns. All the roads of learning begin in darkness and go out into the light." Hippocrates of Gos

This film has the psychological complexity of a Val Lewton production but is a lot more graphic than most of his productions where he just implies violence. He even takes it out on innocent dogs. I feel that some one was pushing Lewton from behind to be more vicious with this film.

A young student (Russell Wade) wants to become a doctor like the great Dr. Wolfe 'Toddy' MacFarlane (Henry Daniell.) Little does he know what it will entail?

The DVD has a voiceover commentary from the late Director Robert Wise who directed "West Side Story" and "The Sound of Music." Surprisingly he said that the original basic script was written by Philip MacDonald.
--------------------------------------
"Isle of the Dead"
"There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,

than are dreamt of in your philosophy."
WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE / Hamlet Act 1. Scene V abt. 1601

`Under conquest and oppression the people of Greece allowed their legends to degenerate into superstition; the Goddess Aphrodite giving way to the `Vorvolaka.' This nightmare figure was very much alive in the mines of the peasants when Greece fought the victorious war of 1912."

Gen. Nikolas Pherides (Boris Karloff) is an experienced watcher. That is he must watch over his troops to be sure the do what they are supposed to and survive to win the day.

Finding some time take a war correspondent (Marc Cramer) to visit the grave yard island where his wife is buried. There he meats a strange collection of people and an unseen enemy that is much deadlier than any bullet. Will he be able to fight it logically and scientifically? Or will his cultural fears lead him to see the truth?

Once again we see that Boris Karloff can act and that Val Lewton can take a scary title and turn it from a cheap horror movie into a classic Psychological Thriller.
---------------------------------------------------
"Bedlam"
Story suggested by The William Hogarth painting Bedlam plate 8 "The Rake's Progress

Once again Val Lewton takes what would have been a second rate horror story and turns it into a sit on the edge of your seat psychological thriller. The basic question of the story is the same as the one in his movie "Ghost Ship"; that is, is man fundamentally good and helpful of others or is he so self centered that he will act even to his own ultimate demise? An added element is that of not quite being granted all mental faculties.

The year is 1791 Lord Mortimer (Billy House) is just one of the upper class (Wiggs) that gets his kicks from watching the loonies of Bedlam loon. His protégé (Anna Lee) is discussed at the treatment of the "guests" by the head apothecary, Master George Sims (Boris Karloff who can actually act). She attempts to correct this to the detriment of Lord Mortimer. So Lord Mortimer and Sims invite her as a guest to Bedlam.

Will she ever get out or just go crazy. While there she applies a theory supplied by a Quaker (Richard Fraser), one of the Society of Friends if this works the tables may turn on Sims. What can Sims say in his defense?
------------------------------------
"The Leopard Man"
All or our lives are like the ball bouncing at the top of the fountain

Rival entertainers meet in a club in New Mexico Kiki Walker (Jean Brooks) brings in a leopard to upstage Clo-Clo (Margo). But Clo-Clo gets the last laugh when she chases the leopard off with her castanets.

All is fun rivalry until people start dying. Naturally the local authorities think it is the leopard. But Jerry Manning (Dennis O'Keefe) who rented the leopard has a theory that this is the work of a demented person. This theory is sort of supported by Dr. Galbraith (James Bell) the local museum curator. To make matters worse the leopard's owner, Charlie How-Come (Abner Biberman) does not remember where he was at the time.

As with the cat people it is what you don't see that can harm you. And the simile turning of a card can mark you for death.

You may recognize Dynamite the leopard that was also used in the movie "Cat People".

Produced by Val Lewton (7 May 1904, Yalta, Crimea, Russian Empire (now Ukraine) ) whose story telling device is unique in that this is more of a psychological film that does not focus on any one person as they are all pawns in a much larger story. Some time it verges on the surreal.

Now that you have seen the film read the book "Black Alibi" by Cornell Woolrich.
----------------------------------
"The Ghost Ship"
A new third mate on his first long sea voyage in introduced to captain and crew. Before he steps on bard he is warned by a blond man. He runs into a mute. And before they even leave port Jensen is found dead, just a heat attack. "With his death the waters of the sea are open to us. But there will be other deaths and the agony of dieing."

Don't go looking for anything supernatural as this is a Val Lewton movie. I would pay close attention to the characters. One of them may be a bit unhinged. The big question in this story is man's nature to help or ignore their fellow man.
--------------------------------------
"Shadows in the Dark"
This is more of a Val Lewton biography with more emphasis on his producer years.

The Val Lewton Horror Collection.......2007-06-25

While the plots alone are enough to distinguish Lewton's brand of horror from other practitioners--a mysterious Serbian beauty might or might not have the ability to transform herself into a panther in "Cat People," a death-haunted New York woman is pursued by a cabal of satanists in "The Seventh Victim"--these films are also masterpieces of noir atmospherics. Karloff, an intellectual bored by ghoulish makeup, emerged from semi-retirement to make three pictures with Lewton: "Bedlam," "The Body Snatcher," and "The Isle of the Dead," with Bela Lugosi. It was a fruitful relationship. And this omnibus collection amply demonstrates Lewton's pulpy, lurid genius.

Quintessential Lewton..........2006-10-31

I've read the other reviews, and agree with most. Still, my favorite is "Curse of the Cat People". I've always been fascinated by (good) films that see life through the eyes of a child.Next to "To Kill a Mockingbird", I can't think of another film that brought me back to those simple, sweet times that adults just didn't get! (Except for Atticus, of course). I was also annoyed that the collection was in a tall box that would never fit on my shelf; I hate to separate them to fit on my shelf, alphabetically. Lewton had that wonderful idea, realized by Tourneur, with the glorious black & white photography, crisp and clear as a bell, and much appreciated by those of us who love outstanding film-making. I enjoy this collection a lot, but wish I could put it on the shelf with my other "collections", in a nice box.

Elegant horror.......2006-10-30

Steven Spielberg and Brian DePalma should be locked in a closet with a projection screen and forced to watch these films repeatedly until they swear an oath to imitate them. Made on what Tom Cruises' cleaning bill for one day's shoot would be adjusted for 1940 dollars, and infinitely superior to anything they have done. "Curse of the Cat People" and "The Seventh Victim" are largely unknown but the best and most subtle of these works. Less is more, I only wish there were more of them.

Average customer rating:

Taut, gritty adaptation is a small-budget winner
Pointless
Kevin Bacon is such a good actor
the past isn't over
Not worth the money

The Woodsman
Starring: Kevin Bacon , David Alan Grier , Eve (II) , Kyra Sedgwick , and Benjamin Bratt
Director: Nicole Kassell
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
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ASIN: B0007PID84
Release Date: 2005-04-12

Amazon.com

Kevin Bacon gives one of the best, most nuanced performances of his career in The Woodsman, a daring and thought-provoking drama he co-produced with his wife, Kyra Sedgwick. In portraying a convicted pedophile named Walter, recently released from prison and struggling to rebuild his life, Bacon and writer-director Nicole Kassell (making her feature-film debut) do a remarkable job of exploring all facets of this troubling yet very human character, from his continuing criminal impulses to the despair he feels over having to conceal his horrible past. Sedgwick costars as the one woman who appears willing to accept Walter, secrets and all, and while The Woodsman takes a few regrettable shortcuts in illustrating Walter's quest for the good man he can be, the film deserves to be seen and discussed as a provocative yet admirably humane study of an individual whom society may too quickly label a "monster." The film allows for different interpretations, and that complexity--along with Bacon's performance--makes it worthy of a wide and hopefully understanding audience. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

Taut, gritty adaptation is a small-budget winner.......2007-08-24

Writer/Director Nicole Kassell has fashioned and brought to life a taut, gritty adaptation of Steven Fechter's play. There's great acting in this small-budget winner. Kevin Bacon turns in one of his best performances here. It's fascinating to watch him act with real-life spouse Kyra Sedgwick - Sedgwick's is a juicy blue-collar role that she plays to the hilt...deliciously. Also good in a smaller role is the always underrated Benjamin Bratt. This guy brings likability and a sense of ease to whatever he does. There's a pivotal moment in the film where Bratt's character (he's the brother-in-law to Bacon's deeply troubled character) has to react and break from his till-then friendly interactions with Bacon. It's one of the film's pivotal scenes. Great stuff from Ben Bratt.

It was also neat to see Carlos Leon in a small but important role. Hmmm, I thought while seeing the credits: the Carlos Leon that is Daddy to a certain Lourdes Maria Ciccone Leon? Yes, that one.

Pointless.......2007-04-05

I found this movie pointless, devoid of story, dull and sick. I couldn't feel for the poor sick, child molesting man. I couldn't like the woman for caring about him. And when the molester wanted the little girl to sit on his lap, I wanted to jump into the film. Please avoid this film. There is much better in the sea of movieland than this stinker.

The movie attempts to build sympathy for a child molester. One scene the molester is trying to entice a child, and the next the molester beats up another molester.

Regarding Kevin bacon's acting performance - the entire movie he remains quiet, looking depressed. That's it. Very few lines.

This film left me sick to my stomach and bored to tears.

Kevin Bacon is such a good actor.......2007-03-13

This film really deserved better press and exposure than it got.
Kevin Bacon is just sensational in this film.

I really wish that all the deleted scenes would have been left in,I think
they tied up the film in more of a complete film.

It really is one of the top acting jobs of the season,yet was virtually
ignored. The soundtrack was very,very good also.
I don't think that Mos Def is an actor..how on earth does he get film roles??

Kevin and his wife were just so good and believable,and really looked good together in this film.
The close up filming of this film was so good in studying Kevin's face,the folks that made this film deserve alot of credit on that.

the past isn't over.......2007-01-25

Not until the final sentence or two of this film does The Woodsman reach anything like dramatic resolution, and even then it is a resolution of the sort befitting the deep complexity and ambiguity of its subject matter. The film begins when Walter is released from serving 12 years in prison for his conviction as a sex offender, and he tries to make a new life for himself. He takes an apartment across the street from an elementary school (yes, a bad choice), and rides the bus to his job at a lumber yard. Except for his therapist, all those outside of and around Walter ostracize him as a monster and a freak. His sister refuses to talk to him or allow him to see his niece, a detective monitors his every move, and when his work colleagues discover his past they "out" him in a most bizarre way. Within himself another war rages. Neither Walter nor the viewer really knows to what extent he has moved beyond his past and is, therefore, safe. Involuntary hallucinations plague him, and poor choices born of habit implicate him. Three important sub-plots, all revolving around child molestation, contribute to Walter's unfolding narrative. Watching this film I was reminded of Faulkner's unnerving observation that "the past isn't gone; it isn't even past." Still, and not to reveal too much, this incredibly tense and powerful film ends on a hopeful note that is nevertheless sobering for all of us who seek redemption this side of eternity.

Not worth the money.......2007-01-04

This movie is somebodies idea of what it would be like to be a person with this type of horrible past. It has no bearing on reality. Do not waste your money unless you have money to waste.

Average customer rating:

Well crafted and executed film
This beautiful film sort of frightens me a bit with its dramatics'
Smart, racy and unpredictable...everything you'd ever want in a movie...
"Dot the I" is a fabulous movie!!!
Wow!

Dot the I
Starring: Gael García Bernal , Natalia Verbeke , James D'Arcy , Tom Hardy , and Charlie Cox
Director: Matthew Parkhill
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
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