House of Flying Daggers [Blu-ray]

Customer Reviews:

If you have the DVD, don't buy the Blue-ray: Terrible image quality!!!!.......2007-08-23

The PS3's images are too bright and blurry. I have to change the TV video mode from Vivid to Standard. The DVD upconverted to 720p/1080i from Zenith DVB318, looked BETTER than the 1080p image coming from the PS3 through HDMI!
Sony should recall this Blue-ray . . . .
Kung Fu Hustle Blue-ray looks/sounds excellent.

Poor Blu-Ray Transfer.......2007-07-06

I think Sony should remaster this film. The blu-ray transfer quality is very poor. On 50" plasma, it look much worse than other WB blu-ray movies. The video quality is only slightly better than the regular DVD.

Terrible image transfer quality. Don't purchase........2007-06-07

This is listed on many sites as having among the poorest image quality of all Blu-ray disks (bottom tier). It's a real shame, too, because this movie is filled with stunningly gorgeous shots filled with color and life. It looked to me as if the transfer was done from a poor-quality copy of the master. I am almost certain they will re-release this on Bluray one day with better picture quality, as has already been done with 5th Element and Superman. Don't buy this unless they do!

This HD sux.......2007-05-08

I got this dvd because i was excepting sweet HD and didn't get it. The quality of the picture wasn't much better than a DVD. The storyline was okay but as far as next gen disks go it lacked.

An unexpected love story.......2007-03-09

I purchased "Flying daggers" thinking it would be an interesting and beautifully filmed action movie. while it is that, I was surprised at the depth of the love story that propels this movie forward. It seems more a fable of old, a story meant to convey a moral lesson and it does and I found myself truly enjoying (and missing) this genre. I would highly recommend this movie. Just be aware that it is not an all-action tale but rather an very sweet love story with some very cool fight scenes.

Average customer rating:

Book Into Movie
Koreans Do It Better
What the...?
Great Intro into Asian cinema
grusomely great

Battle Royale Directors Cut
Starring: Tatsuya Fujiwara , Aki Maeda , Taro Yamamoto , Chiaki Kuriyama , and Takashi Tsukamoto
Director: Kinji Fukasaku
Manufacturer: Toei
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000F4LPJ6
Release Date: 2004-06-15

Amazon.com

With the Japanese currently leading the way in thought-provoking cinematic violence, it's only fitting that Kinji Fukasaku's Battle Royale is being touted as a Clockwork Orange for the 21st century. Based on the novel by Koshun Takami, the film opens with a series of fleeting images of unruly Japanese schoolchildren, whose bad behavior provides a justification for the "punishments" that will ensue. Once the prequel has been dispensed with, the classmates are drugged and awaken on an island where they find they have been fitted with dog collars that monitor their every move. Instructed by their old teacher ("Beat" Takeshi) with the aid of an upbeat MTV-style video, they are told of their fate: after an impartial lottery they have been chosen to fight each other in a three-day, no-rules contest, the "Battle Royale." Their only chance of survival is through the death of all their classmates.

Some pupils embrace their mission with zeal, while others simply give up or try to become peacemakers and revolutionaries. However, the ultimate drive for survival comes from the desire to protect the one you love. Battle Royale works on many different levels, highlighting the authorities' desperation to enforce law and order and the alienation caused by the generation gap. Whether you consider the film an important social commentary or simply watch it for the adrenaline-fueled violence, this is set to become cult viewing for the computer game generation and beyond. --Nikki Disney

Customer Reviews:

Book Into Movie.......2007-09-15

I saw the movie which got me interested in the book. The movie was gerat, but the book was better. This movie is a MUST SEE!!!!!! One of my favorite movies, it is a fun movie for all those people who like violent japanese movies. The only thing i do not like about it, is the cover art. :P

Koreans Do It Better.......2007-09-13

Just as the Korean Version of the ring (ringu) and The Grudge were superior films to their Johnny-come-lately English counterparts, Battle Royale is superior to every single American Made film in the "most dangerous games" motiff.

Trust me, I bought them all; The most dangerous game, Bloodlust,Hard Target, the Running Man, Game of Death 1+2, Series 7, Surviving the Game and scores more including the new release of the Condemned, which is the American version of battle (in my opinion).

I am not going to give spoilers, if you have read this far you know damn well what it is about. I am going to say that it is the best subtitled film I own and a top twenty staple in my collection. The characters are lifelike, the action is more raw than any big budget, overproduced American film of the genre because of little nuances such as the fact you can't tell what is going to happen next by the musical cues. And perhaps most importantly, you will never guess who will live through this thing, by now I can usually pick a winner and this film proved me wrong and I love it for beating me at my (it's) own game, so to speak.

As most Asian movies it's suggestive as torn lace, but ultimately sexless. Yet the violence which is both premeditated as it is random and horrific make this worth owning. So enjoy this movie of hapless indivuduals thrust into an all or nothing game of survival, but as Letterman used to say...Please no wagering!

What the...?.......2007-09-13

WHY DIDN'T ANY OF MY FRIENDS TELL ME HOW AWESOME THIS IS?!? Oh wait, several of them did. WHAT TOOK ME SO LONG TO TAKE THEIR ADVICE?!?

This is just pure brutal creative genius. A country stricken with problems--overpopulation, unemployment, apathy...It is determined that the youth need a wakeup call. What better way than to trap them on an island and make them fight to the death.

killkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkillkill

Japanese horror at its finest

Great Intro into Asian cinema.......2007-09-13

Having never seen any Asian based films, I was skeptic of actually making this purchase. However, after hearing many great things, I decided to check this out, and was I glad. Likened to the asian version of Lord of the Flies, this film contrasts both teenage violence with a great storyline. A great film!

grusomely great.......2007-09-04

great movie. alot of parts are different from the book but its still a great movie. alot of blood, grusome.

Average customer rating:

Gorgeous cast, beautiful production
almost romantic.
Unrealistic
The House of Flying Chaos.......
Beautifully styled film that makes up for what it lacks in breathtaking visuals...

House of Flying Daggers
Starring: Takeshi Kaneshiro , Andy Lau , Ziyi Zhang , Dandan Song , and Hongfei Zhao
Director: Yimou Zhang
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0007Q6VXC
Release Date: 2005-04-19

Amazon.com

No one uses color like Chinese director Zhang Yimou--movies like Raise the Red Lantern or Hero, though different in tone and subject matter, are drenched in rich, luscious shades of red, blue, yellow, and green. House of Flying Daggers is no exception; if they weren't choreographed with such vigorous imagination, the spectacular action sequences would seem little more than an excuse for vivid hues rippling across the screen. Government officers Leo and Jin (Asian superstars Andy Lau and Takeshi Kaneshiro) set out to destroy an underground rebellion called the House of Flying Daggers (named for their weapon of choice, a curved blade that swoops through the air like a boomerang). Their only chance to find the rebels is a blind women named Mei (Ziyi Zhang, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) who has some lethal kung fu moves of her own. In the guise of an aspiring rebel, Jin escorts Mei through gorgeous forests and fields that become bloody battlegrounds as soldiers try to kill them both. While arrows and spears of bamboo fly through the air, Mei, Jin, and Leo turn against each other in surprising ways, driven by passion and honor. Zhang's previous action/art film, Hero, sometimes sacrificed momentum for sheer visual beauty; House of Flying Daggers finds a more muscular balance of aesthetic splendor and dazzling swordplay. --Bret Fetzer

Customer Reviews:

Gorgeous cast, beautiful production.......2007-09-15

Decades of fine Chinese film-making seemed to have reached a peak when "Crouching Tiger" was embraced so completely by the American film-going public. (The Chinese thought it was mediocre and couldn't understand the fuss.) Director Zhang Yimou has made fine films for years, and 2 of them, "Hero" and "House of Flying Daggers" reached American shores in 2003. "House" made more top 10 lists, but "Hero" was the official Chinese entry for the Oscars. "House of Flying Daggers" is a wonderful action piece beautifully embracing a terrific love story. Yimou's trademark use of gorgeous color schemes is again awesome, and the casting of Takeshi Kaneshiro, Andy Lau & Ziyi Zhang has to be the most pretty trio of actors put in any one film. Ms. Zhang is indeed luminous. Mr. Yimou's later "Curse of the Golden Flower" was disappointing, though still pretty to look at. The Tang Dynasty seems to appeal to Mr. Yimou, allowing him to create his image of that most opulent period.I was highly entertained.

almost romantic. .......2007-08-28

On the surface, this thing is awesome eyecandy. lush scenery, beautiful costume, fantastic action sequences, blah, blah, blah, blah. Yes, it looks exquisite in all its widescreen delight and the sound is incredible. But... just beneath the thin, oh so slick veneer, is the over the top melodrama, the very one dimensional bad guy, the doomed romance, and all the cookie cutter disposable solidiers. This was a whole lot of fun to watch, and very moving at times, but on closer review it starts to resemble something like bamboo. Solid to a point, but hollow on the inside, and very likely to split apart when over used. Visually superb at times? of course. Entertaining? sure. Satisfying as a story? well...almost.

Unrealistic.......2007-08-27

First of all, let me explain. Yes, I know this is a fantasy tale that where we are supposed to suspend belief in order to enjoy the film, but I think these Chinese films take things a bit too far. For example, even in Spiderman where we are given a superhuman man with spider powers BUT his movements, his actions, his jumps seem to be what a person with his stregnth and abilities might be able to do. Ultimately the laws of physics are loosely followed. I understand it's a Chinese martial arts movie and the characters will do some incredible things, which is great but they do things that are completely and utterly impossible. Um... float for no reason. Prop themselelves between two bamboo stems even though in reality the pressure would push the bamboo sticks away from each other. Stuff like that just makes it hard for me to enjoy the movie.
Beyond this, the characters are cold and we are never really given a reason to care about them. Yes, the movie is beautiful at times and perhaps this is the only thing that saves it. Even the story isn't that bad but it needed to be developed and the characters needed to be fleshed out.
If you want to see a really good Chinese movie then I suggest you see "Together" by Hong Chen. Enjoy.

The House of Flying Chaos..............2007-08-12

I was a great fan of CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON, so, when I heard that another wuxia film was being brought to the United States, I flocked to the movie theater to see this one. Director Zhang Yimou (HERO) sets the scene for us with broad use of color and drama. I can't argue that the opening dance sequence with the blind courtesan (Ziyi Zhang) isn't pretty eyepopping. However, the convoluted plot left MUCH to be desired. Granted, I am up for an intriguing plot centered on a battle of wits anyday (I loved HERO), this film was, for me, one melodrama after another. Without giving away too much of the plot, I will say that I was particularly offended by one depiction of rape and abuse that then blossoms into a relationship between victim and victimizer. Also, there were some scenes intended to be highly dramatic in tone, and I recall several members of the audience giggling over the absurdity of the thoroughly unbelievable acting and the stylized violence (a familiar sequence in Chinese wuxia cinema is that where you see blood dripping from the slain/maimed individual's mouth). There aren't really heros here--just different degrees of villainhood, and, for the most part, it's a battle based on manipulation, and it all stems from the society of the House of Flying Daggers and interrogating those possibly affiliated with the organization. I would advise you to skip this one. It's just a little too much......I can't imagine how it transfers to the small screen, as a DVD, but I would imagine it just looks absurd on a smaller scale.

Beautifully styled film that makes up for what it lacks in breathtaking visuals..........2007-08-09

`House of Flying Daggers' is truly no `Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon'. That's in no way to say it's not visually stunning and engrossing, it just lacks a little of that flare and a lot of that plot that made `Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon' so brilliant. Director Zhang Yimou keeps his film heavy on the action but very light on substance. It still delivers, don't get me wrong, and I was not entirely disappointed while it's credits began to roll but I will say that when you've been spoiled with something like Ang Lee's `Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon' you begin to wish that every Asian film could be that wonderful.

The film centers around a group of rebels referring to themselves as the House of Flying Daggers, or more specifically around one of their members, a blind woman named Mei posing as a showgirl. This rebel group is in direct conflict with the government and so two officials, Leo and Jin devise a plan to infiltrate the rebel's lair. Jin disguises himself as a lone rebel himself, rescues her from the hands of government officials and offers to escort her back to her group. Along the way though, they are met with adversity. The governor, unknowing of Leo and Jin's plan, has sent out his best soldiers to track down and kill Mei and Jin. The fight sequences that follow are brilliantly choreographed and directed. In fact, I'd be tempted to say they rival or maybe even transcend those in Lee's lauded film, but I haven't seen `Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon' in a few years and so I'm not the best judge at the moment. The fight within the trees alone though is breathtaking.

As has been mentioned, the use of color within this film really takes it to another level. The fight sequences are even more spectacular thanks to the wide range of reds and greens, whites and yellows all wrapped up within the natural backdrop to the scenes. It's beautiful to look at, elegant and effortlessly put together. The actor's movements are so well calculated, so controlled, and they perfectly complement the mood each scene intends to portray.

`House of Flyer Daggers' fails in the one aspect of plot, for everything else is truly splendid. The above plot in itself would have sufficed, and it does have more twists and turns than an episode of `The Sopranos' but it tries a little too hard to transfer into a love story and it's there that it falls flat. I don't want to give away too much of those `twists and turns' but I will say that it loses it's focus towards the end, and instead of delivering a final battle between rebel's and government (a battle I was salivating over in expectation of) it gives us a battle between star-crossed lovers that delivers in beauty but fails to deliver in emotional depth and thus becomes just another fight.

The acting is decent all the way around, but Ziyi Zhang is truly the standout. Her performance is so tempered, so controlled it transcends the performances of her cast mates and becomes award worthy, Oscar nomination worthy even. She's the only actor in the cast that is able to really connect with the audience, in such a deep way that even though I found the love story aspect a little phony and unbelievable I believed her character, I believed her side of that love and that in itself was a major accomplishment for Zhang. Ziyi has got quite the resume going for herself, and she has all the potential in the world to be an Oscar winning actress. Once the academy learns to embrace her stylized performances over her more Americanized (say `Memoirs of a Geisha') then they will see the beauty and grace that we all see.

The film, while far from perfect, still offers quite a bit for the far on this form of martial arts film. The direction is top notch and the scenery just as breathtaking as the choreography. I surely enjoyed myself and would watch this film again. So sit back and enjoy, just don't expect anything too deep emotionally, just some beautiful, graceful and in the end brutal battles that more than make up for what this film lacks.

Average customer rating:

you'll never again see an egg yolk w/out thinking of this!
Distinctive, Warm and Wonderful
Food, food, food!
Completely concerned with food. Oh, & sex & life too.
Great Movie

Tampopo
Starring: Ken Watanabe; Koji Yakusho; Nobuko Miyamoto
Director: Juzu Itami
Manufacturer: Itami Productions
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000GG4RMU
Release Date: 2005-05-22

Customer Reviews:

you'll never again see an egg yolk w/out thinking of this!.......2007-08-31

Well, maybe you will but there are lots of scenes that frequently come to mind and I haven't seen it in more than a dozen years.

This review is of the movie - NOT the DVD. I'm waiting for a better release but I saw it twice in the theater and once on VHS. I can wait another couple of years.

Distinctive, Warm and Wonderful.......2007-08-07

Tampopo is a rare thing indeed: a film with a brain, a heart - and a stomach!

Milk truck driver Goro and his friend Gun stumble across a sleepy noodle bar while out working. The owner of Lai Lai is the widow Tampopo, for whom times are hard. She's not helped by the fact that, frankly, her noodle soup isn't so good. So, in the spirit of Shane, Goro decides to help Tampopo make the perfect noodle soup.

This is the main thread of the story, but weaved in amongst it are a succession of stories that show the role of food in Japanese society. Some are funny, some touching and some revel in the sensual pleasure that eating can bring.

Standouts include lunch in a French restaurant for a group of salarymen, a teacher at a finishing school showing a group of young women how to eat spaghetti Western style, a family sharing their last meal with their ding mother and the infamous scene with the gangster, his girlfriend and a raw egg yolk.

Each scene is insightful in some way about the role of food in Japanese life. The role of women in this is also explored too;each time something positive or good happens, somewhere a woman is involved.

I first saw this film nearly twenty years ago and am glad to have finally found a chance to watch it again. I recalled it as one of my favourite films and time has, I'm glad to say, not dimmed that recollection: it's every bit as good as I remember. Sound and picture quality are pretty good overall, with english subtitles available. There are few extras (only really the trailer) and the chapter menus, for example, are entirely in Japanese, suggesting that little has been done to the release when brought into the US. This is not a bad thing, to be honest, and adds something to the disc's character.

Food, food, food!.......2007-08-03

This is a total classic... a must-see for all food-lovers: and who doesn't like food? Food prep, food enjoyment, food and sensuality, food and business, food as a martial art/budo... It's all here. Enjoy!

Completely concerned with food. Oh, & sex & life too........2007-08-03

This is on my top ten list of the funniest, most delightful movies of all time. The main plot line is a loving satire of the "adult" western of the fifties - "Shane" in particular - where the hero drifts into town, helps the poor widow get her life together and beat the bad guys, then drifts out again. Tampopo, the heroine, must make the best noodle soup in town to overcome the villainous other noodle houses.

But what makes this movie extraordinary are the vignettes, both within the plot-line and outside it, that mingle food, sex, cultural hangups, life and death in hilarious and sometimes very touching combinations.

The movie succeeds not only because of its marvellous material and fine actors but also through excellent direction and cinematography. For example, the scene toward the end where Tampopo & Goro are eating companionably in a restaurant: notice the camera movement from the food to the people; the positions of the actors conveying clearly the ambiguity of the relationship and their attitudes to each other; how at times Goro actually has his back to the camera; the cut to the symbolic passing train, nicely understated; the whole scene is an example of effective simplicity in movie-making.

This movie is ultimately unclassifiable; it is itself, funny, sad (sometimes both at once), shocking, absorbing; but above all funny. I have never seen another film quite like it, and it stays in the memory like the best of Fellini.

Great Movie.......2007-07-27

I really enjoyed the movie. At first it seemed a little cheesey, but after having a few scenes explained to me, I thought it was hilarious. This is a great movie no matter what language you speak.

Life as a House (New Line Platinum Series)

Average customer rating:

Tear Jerker
family drama
Why you'll love Life as a House ... if you're over 40!
Great movie excellent seller
If You Only Had 45 Days Left - What Would You Do... MUST SEE!

Life as a House (New Line Platinum Series)
Starring: Kevin Kline , Kristin Scott Thomas , Hayden Christensen , Jena Malone , and Mary Steenburgen
Director: Irwin Winkler
Manufacturer: New Line Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00005YUPC
Release Date: 2002-03-26

Amazon.com

A respectable tearjerker, Life as a House is a welcome throwback to angst-ridden family dramas like Ordinary People and Terms of Endearment. It falls short of those modern classics, but you'll probably still need Kleenex if you appreciate Kevin Kline's underrated dramatic skills. As the title suggests, Kline's project is a broad metaphor for repairing damaged lives from the foundation up. Playing an architect with terminal cancer, he gives an Oscar ^®-caliber performance, reaching out to his estranged, nihilistic son (future Star Wars star Hayden Christensen) and ex-wife (Kristin Scott-Thomas) as he wrecks and rebuilds the Malibu cliff-top home that contained his most painful memories. Director Irwin Winkler's flair with actors helps to minimize lapses in a script (by As Good As It Gets scribe Mark Andrus) that occasionally borders on maudlin. Overall, this is a fine reminder that Hollywood hasn't lost its soul to action and special effects. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

Tear Jerker.......2007-08-01

Everyone in my household, cried throughout this whole film. It was extremely moving. The second time we watched it we cried a bit less. Still its a very enjoyable movie.

family drama.......2007-05-13

Kevin Kline plays a father learning to live with his mistakes and trying to connect with his addicted,near suicidal,son and estranged wife while dealing with his oncoming death.
Using a house as a metaphor in tearing down then rebuilding his family was very clever and allowed a family dynamic to be studied during reconstruction.
The cast made this story very sentimental but with a strong portrayal of their faults.
I highly recommend this movie.

Why you'll love Life as a House ... if you're over 40!.......2007-02-26

Sure, people discovered Hayden Christensen after it was announced that he was Darth Vader. But some of us saw him before that in "Life as a House," which is NOT about teen angst but more about aging and regret. Kevin Kline is brilliant as a frustrated architect at the end of his life, trying to correct a life littered with mistakes: career, family, personal feelings. The story chronicles his attempts to reconnect with his estranged son, makes amends to his ex-wife and leave behind something positive and tangible to record his presence on earth. There's laughter, tears and a lot of catharsis.

Great movie excellent seller.......2007-01-19

Purchased this for my wife at Christmas. Received it in perfect condition and on time. The movie is a great Kevin Kline film and in my opinion very underrated. Great chick-flick for a guy.
Thanks

If You Only Had 45 Days Left - What Would You Do... MUST SEE!.......2006-12-01

Kevin Klein plays the lead role of a character that is 45 years old, emotionally wounded from a number of bad circumstances in his life, and distanced from his detached and dark 16 year old son who lives with his ex-wife. He decides to take his son for the summer, tear down down his shack of a house (ie. destroy the bad things in his life), and build a new house with his son (ie. Create a house that represents what he would have liked to have done in his life).

This is an emotionally powerful movie, that will make you cry, and motivate you throughout the movie. I was personally moved when my 17 year old son told me that the Kevin Klein character reminded him of myself, and that he has seen the movie dozens of times.

Absolutely entertaining cast, in situations that make you reflective of what you should be doing in life!

Average customer rating:

Fright Night
More Solid 80s Vampire Fare
Good movie
Perhaps the Greatest Vampire Movie of all Time
Classic Horror, 80s Cheese

Fright Night
Starring: Chris Sarandon , William Ragsdale , Amanda Bearse , Roddy McDowall , and Stephen Geoffreys
Director: Tom Holland
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 0767817664
Release Date: 1999-09-07

Customer Reviews:

Fright Night.......2007-09-14

This movie was one of the best horror movies ever, especially in the 1980s!
The brief nudity can and should be skipped with the dvd remote.
The story line was deep and full of depth.
This movie would change the outcast life for the better because he or she would see that excelling in school, having personal, amitious goals that fulfill one's life, brings joy that others, increases their i.q. and enriches them to becoming successful through a positive path is better than be competitve in a low-pay minimum wage part time job where ne'er do well jealous, greedy, selfish, psychotic psychopaths work and put people in trouble so that they are the only ones that remain.
Forget about dead end part-time minimum wage jobs that have a jealous, greedy, selfish, psychotic, psychopath who likes to put people in trouble as your way of life. Focus on a better education, excelling in school, having positive, amitious, personal goals that will enrich you, increase your i.q. and be your successful path in life, that is so much better then that lousy part time job with that ne'er do well loser!
There was great rock n roll music in this movie.
There was an interesting cast.
The movie shouldv'e had better special features such as cast interviews, cast bio, etc.

More Solid 80s Vampire Fare.......2007-07-29

If you're into 80s horror movies--especially vampires ones, once you've had enough of Freddy and Jason--then FRIGHT NIGHT needs to go on your required viewing list. Like its younger brother, THE LOST BOYS, this movie is campy as often as scary (which is a minor critique, but a critique nonetheless), but it is also far more traditional.

Rather than the contemporary pack-o-vampires motif so prevalent today (see "TEETH", by yours truly, if you don't mind another gratuitous plug), FRIGHT NIGHT comes back to the single domestic vampire with a servant or two, a motif established by Bram Stoker and, more recently, revisited by Stephen King. So, what you have, basically, is a classic tale in modern dressings, decent special effects, and pretty good acting all around. The standout in this movie is Roddy McDowell, who plays Peter Vincent, the vampire killer. Somewhere out there, Buffy's got to be giving this man his props (or at least laying roses and garlic on his grave).

My only lament for this, and its 80s brother in vamping, is the "safeness" of the tone. There's so much comedy in both, you often forget to be really scared. Fun stuff, but easy to watch with the lights on or off.

(This review has been posted by Marcus Damanda, author of the afore-mentioned vampire novel, "Teeth: A Horror Fantasy.")

Good movie.......2007-07-08

Fright Night is a really good movie for those who like horror movies. I liked it a lot.

Perhaps the Greatest Vampire Movie of all Time.......2007-06-12

Fright Night is a horror movie in its most simplistic form. A teenage boy named Charlie Brewster (William Ragsdale, "Herman's Head") believes that his next door neighbor Jerry Dandridge (Chris Sarandon, "The Princess Bride") is a vampire. Of course no one believes him, especially his girlfriend Amy (Amanda Bearse, "Married with Children") and his buddy "Evil" Ed (Stephen Geoffreys, "Heaven Help Us"). Oh by the way, Evil Ed's classic line in this movie is, "Oh you're so cool Brewster."

Amy and Ed are concerned about Charlie's well being and figure humor his claims that his neighbor is a vampire. So Amy and Ed go to speak to Peter "The Great Vampire Killer" Vincent (Roddy McDowall, "Planet of the Apes"), a burnt out horror movie star turned late night T.V. show host for campy horror films (mainly his own). Charlie is a huge fan of Peter Vincent's work and conceders him a hero. This is why Charlie's friends seek Peter out. On the flip side, Amy and Ed are thinking Charlie's imagination is running amuck about Jerry because of all of his Peter Vincent viewing. Anyway I digress; Amy and Ed talk to Peter about their friend Charlie and the obsession that Jerry is a vampire. Now how two teenage kids are able to convince a movie star (burnt out or not) to speak with their "potential" insane friend, still befuddles me. Anyway, after some pretty definitive proof, it is discovered that Jerry REALLY IS A VAMPIRE! Charlie's confirmation is now fact and the other characters are quite shocked at this finding.

I will not give away any details or spoil this flick for anyone who hasn't seen it yet. Fright Night is really a fun movie and yes it does have some creepy and scary parts to it. I will also add that the movie has some pretty good special effects, they really aren't that cheesy. This movie was also made in 1985, which is the zenith of the 1980s, however this movie really doesn't seem dated. As a matter of fact, it is quite possible this movie is as relative today as it was back in 1985. The one part of the movie that could be abased for having a 1980s flare is the night club scene. There is the peachy music, "colorful" outfits and the hair sprayed hair. Then again, 1980s fashion is somewhat neo in these contemporary times, so it might not seem so dastardly. Ultimately, this movie isn't overshadowed by the fact that it was made in the 1980s.

Now when I say that this is the best vampire movie ever made, that is exactly what I mean. This movie has nothing to do with Dracula it is a basic vampire movie, so any comparisons with a Dracula is dubious. Hence Fright Night it is a marvelous vampire movie, not a marvelous Dracula Movie.

The acting in this movie is also really good; Chris Sarandon is smooth and suave as a vampire. He makes being a creature of the undead look like a lot of fun. Roddy McDowall is awesome as Peter Vincent (I love the throwback to Peter Cushing and Vincent Price in the character's name); he is dichotomy in his grapples with believing in vampires and faith. I think this was a bold performance by McDowall. William Ragsdale did a good job as Charlie. He looked a bit older than a 17 year old teenager, but then again this type of realism isn't why I am watching Fright Night. If that was the logic, then Elizabeth Shue was way too hot to be a hooker in Leaving Las Vegas. Consequently, these are the little persnickety thoughts I place into the box labeled "it is only a movie". Amanda Bearse was also fine as Amy, being both reserved and sexy. Stephen Geoffreys was also quite vexing in a jovial sort of way in his performance as Evil Ed. I also like how Jerry's "roommate" looks like a Xerox of Bill Paxton. Did anyone else notice that or was it just me?

As for the DVD itself, it is presented in letterbox/widescreen. There are several subtitles that can be utilized, so it is foreign speaking friendly. The original preview/trailer is included, which is somewhat a disappointment. It seems rather a mundane promotion for such a great movie. Nevertheless, it is cool that the trailer itself is included on the DVD.

Fright Night is great horror movie period. It also spawned a pretty good sequel in Fright Night 2. However, Fright Night stands fine by itself and I wish future vampire movies would use this movie as a paradigm. Mainly by having a basic story, good characters/acting performance and special effects that don't totally rely on computer graphics. Overall, a timeless piece of horror cinema which I am sure will still be enjoyed for many years to come.

Classic Horror, 80s Cheese.......2007-06-08

Ol' Charlie has a new neighbor and he turns out to be a blood sucking monster. No one believes Charlie. Not his mother, the police, or his girlfriend. They all believe he is crazy. If only they were right.

This is a horror classic from the mind of Tom Holland (Child's Play). If you've never seen this 80s incarnation of vampire cinema then you've been deprived. Before Vamp and the Lost Boys was the original horror comedy involving teens and the undead.

The Valentino Collection (The Young Rajah / Stolen Moments / A Society Sensation / Moran of the Lady Letty)

Average customer rating:

Valentino really is forever!

The Valentino Collection (The Young Rajah / Stolen Moments / A Society Sensation / Moran of the Lady Letty)
Starring: Various
Manufacturer: Flicker Alley
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

ASIN: B000UW4X9M
Release Date: 2007-09-11

Product Description

As one of the most iconic personalities of the silent film era, Rudolph Valentino achieved an unprecedented level of fame, due in part to his exotic good looks and a magnetic personality that leapt from the screen. His undeniable cultural resonance, coupled with his untimely death in August of 1926, has made him a recognizable and still-relevant figure throughout the world. Flicker Alley s 2-Disc THE VALENTINO COLLECTION is the definitive DVD compilation featuring digital reconstructions and home video premieres of four previously unavailable Valentino films a new digital reconstruction of two lost films: The Young Rajah (1922) and Stolen Moments (1920), featuring new musical scores by Jon Mirsalis, A Society Sensation (1918), featuring Bob Mitchell at the pipe organ, and Moran of the Lady Letty (1922), featuring a restoration of the film s original intertitle text and tinting and a new score by Robert Israel. The collection boasts an extensive assortment of bonus short films (with new musical scores), rare audio recordings, previously unpublished photos, promotional materials, production photos and other rare items detailing several aspects of Valentino s remarkable life and legacy, sure to fascinate film fans and scholars alike. DVD FEATURES: *All new, speed-corrected film transfers and new digitally recorded music for all featured films and silent shorts Five Vintage Bonus Films: Rare silent shorts featuring new music scores by Bob Mitchell at the pipe organ, including A Trip to Paramountown, Screen Snapshots, and Character Studies. In addition, two more sound films: Round About Hollywood, an early Cinecolor travelogue, and Rudolph Valentino, an early memorial tribute film Additional Rare Footage: Unique Valentino (and Valentino-related) film clips, including a newly-uncovered, original 35 mm tinted nitrate fragment from Stolen Moments Valentino In Memoriam: An exceptional collection of rare images and vintage audio recordings, including an exclusive audio interview with the original Lady in Black, Ditra Flame Valentino Forever: A new short film by author and historian Tracy Ryan Terhune documenting the Valentino memorial services and the history of the Lady in Black Valentino Landmarks: Explore significant locations of Valentino s life in Hollywood, featuring an interactive video tour of his Falcon Lair estate, slide shows of his Whitley Heights residence and personal belongings, and historic descriptions of the Formosa Apartments and Lasky Studios. A Friend Remembered: A fascinating collection of over 75 captioned behind the scenes and candid images (many never-before-published) photographed by Valentino s close friend, Paul Ivano Who's Who In Hollywood: Over 80 pages of biographical information and unique photographs of the major performers and technicians involved with the four featured VALENTINO COLLECTION films, as well as key persons in Valentino s life Virtual Scrapbooks: Over 175 historical documents from the four featured VALENTINO COLLECTION films including lobby cards, poster art, advertisements, production stills, and other surviving promotional materials Two Remarkable Slide Show Presentations: Valentino The Athlete and Valentino and His Beloved Pets feature two different sides of the Valentino persona New Booklet Essay: DVD introduction by Emily W. Leider, author of Dark Lover - The Life and Death of Rudolph Valentino

Customer Reviews:

Valentino really is forever!.......2007-08-29

What a fabulous job Jeff Masino of Flicker Alley and his co-producer on this project, Tracy Terhune did for this beautiful 2 DVD set devoted to the silent hero and hearthrob Rudolph Valentino.

For the Valentino fans who have been waiting for this set, I am certain that I am preaching to the choir here, but let me tell you that you will not be at all disappointed when you put in either of the 2 DVDs into your player.

There are four films in the set, and as Emily Leider wisely notes in the booklet, this does cover important periods in Valentino's ascent on the road to stardom.

In chronological order then:

A Society Sensation predates Valentino's stardom, he was a contract player at Universal and not quite on the brink of stardom. He plays a young American which was quite the change for he was typically cast as a villain at this stage of his career.

Stolen Moments captures Valentino just before his meteoric rise to fame in The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (hello, Warners, this film NEEDS to be on DVD), he is a slick villain and it is clear, he is taking a great delight in the thankless role, so smooth and despicable he is!

Moran of the Lady Letty is a sleeper hit from 1921, filmed after Valentino made a splash as The Sheik and it is a real sleeper in the way of Valentino films. Valentino plays a young and weathy dandy of San Francisco society who ends up being shanghaied and becomes a man, and finds love with his unlikely sea captain, Moran of the Lady Letty. Valentino gives a very naturalistic performance and it's worth it to see him looking every inch an able seaman swabbing decks.

Of the films, the disappointment to some will be the restored portions of The Young Rajah. But, let's face it folks, it's all we are likely ever to get on this film. The care that went into trying to recreate the experience of the film is not to be sneered at. Cinematically, the print leaves one wanting, but there is gold in there, too.

I cannot even go into the extras, there are so many. The photos and memorabilia and fabulous to see, even the DVD menus are done with great care and attention to detail. There is much rare candid footage of Valentino, footage of his former home Falcon Lair and an incredible collection of photos from Valentino's close friend Paul Ivano, none of which have seen the light of day prior to this DVD. There is also a new documentary on Valentino Forever and the history of the annual memorial services in Hollywood. I could go on and on, if you love silent film, if you love Valentino, this is a terrific set to have.

This set is 100% worth every penny, and then some, as there is so much to it. It will keep a Valentino fan happy for many many hours. Do not hesitate, this is so worth having. As a Valentino fan you owe it to yourself, and a silent film fan, you owe it to yourself and if you wait to receive it as an Xmas gift, you will be sorry you waited.

Valentino in this set truly is forever.

Average customer rating:

A tale of two horror stories
Chillingly/funny
Oh my beautiful Marie Antoinette....
Two spooktacular movies for the price of one
PLEASE RELEASE THIS IN ANAGLYPH!

House of Wax
Starring: Vincent Price , Frank Lovejoy , Phyllis Kirk , Carolyn Jones , and Paul Picerni
Director: André De Toth , and Michael Curtiz
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00009NHBC
Release Date: 2003-08-05

Amazon.com

House of Wax brought Vincent Price into the horror genre, where he fit as snugly as a scalpel in a mad scientist's hand. A remake of the 1933 film Mystery of the Wax Museum, this entertaining Gothic shocker casts Price as a sculptor of wax figures; his unwilling victims--er, "models"--lend their bodies to his lifelike depictions of Marie Antoinette and Joan of Arc. The film was one of the top 10 moneymakers of its year, thanks in part to the 3-D gimmick, which explains why so many things are aimed at the camera (why else would the paddleball man be there?). Footnote to history: director Andre De Toth was blind in one eye, and thus could not see in three dimensions.

Not at all a musty relic of the early-sound era, the original Mystery of the Wax Museum (shot in a soft, trial version of Technicolor) is saucy, pre-Code fun. As corpses disappear from the morgue, Lionel Atwill's wax museum adds to its displays. Coincidence, or the work of the hideously deformed fiend stalking the Manhattan night? Most of the snappy dialogue comes courtesy of reporter Glenda Farrell, a vintage wisecracking dame. --Robert Horton

Description

Museum fire turns handsome man into human monster who steals bodies from morgue to create lifelike images in wax.

Customer Reviews:

A tale of two horror stories.......2007-09-16

I'm not sure which of the included films - 1953's House of Wax and 1933's Mystery of the Wax Museum - is the best version of this tale. To me, they both have their strengths and weaknesses.

Mystery of the Wax Museum is one of those rare depression-era films that availed itself of two-strip technicolor. It is a good example of a saucy pre-code film with dicey language that has a journalist investigating what turns out to be a horror story. In this way it compares well to 1932's "Doctor X". In this version, Glenda Farrell is really the lead as the fast-talking journalist who just knows that a recently opened wax museum is behind disappearances in the local morgue, and is out to prove it. She plays something you won't see for another 30 years in American cinema starting in 1934 - a hard-boiled girl with an equally hard-boiled mouth. For example, while searching for clues she walks up to a cop friend of hers, grabs the magazine from his hand and asks him "How's your sex life?". The more famous Fay Wray actually has a minor role as the beautiful girl friend of the apprentice sculptor at the wax museum who is selected by the mad and horrifically burned Igor to be his replacement Marie Antoinette in his gallery. Other than acting the part of damsel of distress at the end of the film she really has little to do here. Farrell carries the lead role well, but I kept thinking that if Ginger Rogers had been available she could have really made this role sizzle.

The 1953 version, unlike the 1933 version, is set in Victorian times. With the motion picture code in full force, you have nothing to lose by taking the story out of modern times. Here the protagonists in the film are the apprentice sculptor and his girlfriend. From the beginning they suspect something fishy is going on when the wax figure of Joan of Arc seems to bear an uncanny resemblance to our heroine's murdered roommate. Also, this version uses a gimmick that was popular with audiences of the 1950's - 3D. It was the two-strip technicolor of its day. The main attraction in this film is the charismatic Vincent Price. In the 40's he played a series of supporting roles in some noirish Fox films, and here he is just getting started in the horror genre. He breathes real life and brings range to the role of the mad murderous sculptor that Lionel Atwill didn't seem capable of delivering in the earlier version. Also, I like the fact that in this later version we actually get to see Price confront the former partner who left him to perish in his burning museum.

I think both films are horror classics and it's great having them both here to compare. This DVD has no real extras, just the films themselves.

Chillingly/funny.......2007-08-23

A typical Vincent Price vehicle, slightly over the top and tongue in cheek. I loved it!

Oh my beautiful Marie Antoinette...........2007-08-06

This classic horror film was made in 1953. It stars Vincent Price as Jarrod, a wax sculptor. Jarrod's most precious works, included that of his beloved Marie Antoinette, were destroyed in a fire set by Jarrod's business partner for insurance purposes. The fire causes permanant damage to Jarrod's hands so he cannot create any more wax sculptures. But of course he finds a way... This also stars Carolyn Jones (most of us remember her as Morticia in The Addams Family) and Charles Bronson (given screen credit as Charles Buchinsky). Originally done in 3D.

The addition of the Mystery of the Wax Museum was an added bonus. The story line was the same, but it was done 20 years earlier. The eerie music adds to the effects of this great film, showing how earlier filmmakers had to rely on other methods to create horror. A great buy for any classic film buff or horror fanatic.

Two spooktacular movies for the price of one.......2007-07-15

I love truly 'classic' horror, both literature and film. There are very few movies that would qualify under this title, among them: Bela Lugosi's Dracula, Karloff's Frankenstein, Lancaster in The Island of Dr Moreau, The Invasion of the Body Snatchers. The House of Wax I can now add to the list. Vincent Price is perfect in his role, the mood set by the movie is almost out of Sherlock Holmes with the gaslit streets and Hansom cabs on cobblestone roads.

A suprise to me was how good the bonus feature was. The original Mystery of the Wax Museum from 1933, done in Technicolor. I have to admit, it was even better than House of Wax!

PLEASE RELEASE THIS IN ANAGLYPH!.......2007-05-28

This movie was originally shot in 3D, and is one of the classic 3D movies with pretty good 3D when presented well-- I have an old VHS recording of House of Wax transmitted in anaglyph over broadcast TV from a decade or two ago, and it still looks pretty hot with red-blue glasses.

However, 3D with shutter glasses is now essentially useless. Most new TVs that people will buy will be LCD and most DVD players progressive scan, which just don't work with 3D. On the other hand, anaglyph should still work on LCD and computer screens. Since this is a black and white movie anyway, anaglyph isn't a bad choice for this movie (the only release I know of currently is "The Bubble" which isn't nearly as good as House of Wax). We need some good anaglyph 3D movies released on DVD, and this is a prime candidate. At any rate, this movie is well worth viewing in 3D anaglyph, and I'll keep watching my old VHS copy while waiting for it to be released in DVD anaglyph 3D.

Average customer rating:

The Boss's Bedroom
Starring: Boss's Bedroom
Manufacturer: Trinity Home Ent
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000C1VAGK
Release Date: 2005-01-24

Description

Bridgette, a lonely executive, has been dealing with a client over the phone named Sam. Desperate to meet Bridgette, Sam cooks up a scheme to surprise her., Bridgette decides to thank Sam by inviting him over to her remodeled apartment. When the two meet sparks fly and Bridgette seduces Sam into her new sexy bedroom.

Average customer rating:

Pool, A Gay Man's Dream
Pointless
A Great Find

The Pool (gay)
Starring: Pool
Manufacturer: Greenwood Cooper Homevideo
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000FW45Y0
Release Date: 1998-12-31

Product Description

Tom Bianchis most stunning and arousing photo shoots yet. Gorgeous men with amazingly sculpted bodies take it all off and enthusiastically work together. Even Tom Bianchi bares it all in front of the camera with these hunks. Running Time:

Customer Reviews:

Pool, A Gay Man's Dream.......2007-09-05

Set by a beautiful pool (probably in California)a group of handsome, extremely well built men show off their hot muscular bodies.
You can see that these men are enjoying themselves (with the other men) and basically want you to enjoy their fully nude (yes, their man-muscle is on display as well)bodies and the water.
Hot, tan, glistening male bodies...this DVD has it all!

Pointless.......2007-08-19

This 'film' is a complete waste of time and money. The models are fine, the production is fine if unimaginative, so what? Boring, boring, boring.

A Great Find.......2006-11-08

Tom Bianchi is at his best with the filming of the photo book. Any fan of erotic will love this title.

DVD:

DVD

DVD