Lost Horizon

Amazon.com essential video

James Hilton's novel Lost Horizon proposes a perfect hidden community within the uncharted Himalayas, a land where peace reigns and the inhabitants live for hundreds of years. So indelible is this mythical land that its name has entered the culture: Shangri-La. Director Frank Capra, riding high during his mid-'30s hot streak, spared no expense in creating Hilton's paradise onscreen, taxing the coffers of Columbia Pictures and the patience of mogul Harry Cohn. The results, however, are magical: shimmering, seductive, and maybe a bit foolish, truly the creation of an idealist (understandably, the spectacular art direction won an Oscar). And Capra's hero is an idealist, too. Ronald Colman, at his most marvelously elocutionary, plays a wise diplomat whose plane crashes in the snows of Tibet. He and the other survivors are guided to Shangri-La, where they wrestle with the invitation to stay. The young Jane Wyatt plays Colman's love interest, but leaving a more lasting impression are H.B. Warner, as the benevolent Chang, and Sam Jaffe, in great old-age makeup, as the wizened High Lama. This version has been restored as closely as possible to Capra's original cut; the film had circulated for many years in a trimmed form. Lost Horizon was remade, notoriously and hilariously, as a big-budget musical in 1973; it was a complete flop. --Robert Horton

Customer Reviews:

A gem of a movie........2007-09-03

It's been decades since I last saw this movie. This DVD, except for the footage that could not be reproduced/digitized, was as if I saw the movie yesterday. This was an excellent purchase.

Paradise lost.......2007-07-31

In 1933, when James Hilton's utopian novel LOST HORIZON was published, the threat of the world again at war was such that novel about finding a hidden and peaceful paradise could become a bestseller in the United Kingdom and the United States (it was, incidentally, the first contemporary novel to become a Penguin paperback because of its popularity). It was inevitable that it would become a movie, and Frank Capra was probably the ideal person to direct it, given his interest in happy endings and his previous film on war-torn China THE BITTER TEA OF GENERAL YEN. His 1937 LOST HORIZON evokes that earlier film in its superbly suspenseful opening scenes on a Chinese airfield as its city is overrun by invaders. These early scenes and the subsequent sequence on a hijacked plane (which Steven Spielberg clearly did homage to in INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM) and the subsequent sequence with the pane's crashing in the Himalayas, and the passengers making passage through the mountainous waste to the hidden haven of Shangri-La, are about as fine as anything Capra ever did in terms of sheer suspense, and could scarcely have been bettered. It's only once we get to Shangri-la itself--which, as Graham Greene famously noted, looks like a film star's Beverly Hills mansion--that the film runs into trouble. The tedious scenes with Sam Jaffe as the High Lama passing on wisdom to the film's hero (Ronald Colman) are just about insufferable, and paradise hardly seems the best topic for a film (it inevitably looks pretty boring, as Shangri-La does here). But Colman and the rest of the cast are in fine form; few directors could get such consistently strong and naturalistic work out of their actors as could Capra. Colman is superb, as are John Howard (as his dissatisfied brother George) and Margo (as a Russian woman eager to leave Shangri-la); Jane Wyman does a fine job with the awful role of Sondra, who was born and raised in the mountain enclave, and she gets a sexy nude swimming sequence that must have been inspired by Hedy Lamarr's work a few years earlier in ECSATSY.

The film was notoriously and fatally trimmed soon after its release, but eventually the entire soundtrack was restored and most of the missing film sequences; those few sections still missing the actual film footage are allowed to run with the soundtrack and stills to show what happened. The cinematography is excellent. Much of the outdoor scenes in the Himalayas were clipped from the German Bergenfilms on the 30s, but Capra at least had the wisdom to steal from the best: some of the shots are absolutely breathtaking especially given their age.

Beautiful .......2007-07-02

A beautiful story I can watch over and over that always leaves me feeling good.

Another Frank Capra Masterpiece..........2007-06-04

If you're bored with the notion of Shrek 329 or Mission Impossible 741 - if you're looking for something more challenging in movies than special effects, then you may be in the market for Frank Capra's "Lost Horizon", made in 1937. The 1930s generated more movie classics than almost any period in motion picture history - either before or since. In that context, make no mistake, Lost Horizon is not just a classic, it is a movie masterpiece.

In one interview, Frank Capra remarked that one of the most difficult things to achieve in film was to make the passing of time and distance plausible for the movie viewer. It was Capra's mastery of making time and distance pass, coupled with his innate sense of understanding of human nature, that made him a genius, and nowhere was this better exemplified than in Lost Horizon. The film completely draws you in. It takes you on an extraordinary journey which begins with a plane flight that spirits you away from a war weary world to the utopian world of Shangri-La. Ultimately, the film is a metaphoric exploration of what happens to different people when they are exposed to utopia - some have the intellect to understand that it is what they have been seeking; some refuse to accept it; some adapt to it and some learn to embrace it.

The cast will be familiar to Frank Capra fans and includes H.B. Warner as Chang(brilliant); Thomas Mitchell (outstanding), and of course the charismatic Ronald Colman (also brilliant). The high-lama, played by Sam Jaffe, is extraordinary. The sets are visually stunning; the movie is haunting, enchanting and intellectually challenging. One of its characters ultimately summarizes the possibility of Shangri-La's existence with the statement "...I believe it because I choose to believe it..." After you have seen Lost Horizon, you may also choose to believe it. Buy the movie, don't rent it - this isn't Shrek or Mission Impossible - this is something you will treasure and will watch over and over again.

One of the best.......2007-04-25

I first got to see this in about 1987 or '88, when I was in high school. I fell in love with the story in general, and also the idea of Shangri-la. I think that's what draws most people to this movie; the idea of an ultimate Utopian society. The special features are also an added bonus. What really struck me about this was the one conversation Conway has with the High Lama. Now I have probably seen this movie one time since high school and didn't remember it very well. But, the High Lama is talking about all the problems in the world, and how mankind is going to destroy itself. The remnants of humanity will then want their knowledge and the people of Shangri-la will be there to greet them and help them. The chilling part of the whole thing is how much it sounds lilke what is happening today. The ultimate message is as relevant today as it was 70 years ago. This is very worth the watch.

On the Road With Bob Hope and Bing Crosby Collection (Road to Singapore/Road to Zanzibar/Road to Morocco/Road to Utopia)

Average customer rating:

Four roads to fun
A RETURN TO NORMALCY
So Happy
On the Road...
Enjoyable!

On the Road With Bob Hope and Bing Crosby Collection (Road to Singapore/Road to Zanzibar/Road to Morocco/Road to Utopia)
Starring: Bing Crosby , Bob Hope , Dorothy Lamour , Una Merkel , and Eric Blore
Director: Victor Schertzinger , David Butler , and Hal Walker
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
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ASIN: B0001FGBZW
Release Date: 2004-05-04

Description

They are some of the best-loved film comedies ever created. Now, four of the most popular "Road" pictures, starring the unbeatable screen duo of Bob Hope and Bing Crosby, are here together in this deluxe DVD collection. Join Bing and Bob as they travel the world and experience rollicking, fun-filled misadventures in the company of the alluring Dorothy Lamour in such screen gems as Road to Singapore, Road to Zanzibar, Road to Morocco and Road to Utopia. You'll laugh yourself silly with four of the titles that made Hope and Crosby one of the most successful comedy teams of the 1940s and which continue to charm and entertain audiences of all ages today.

Customer Reviews:

Four roads to fun.......2007-07-29

There are many great comedies nowadays, but there are very few great comedy teams. In the old days, you could have the Three Stooges, the Marx Brothers, Laurel and Hardy or Abbott and Costello: teams that were greater than the sum of their parts. (What was Abbott without Costello or Moe without Curly and Larry?) Bob Hope and Bing Crosby, on the other hand, each were successful on their own, yet they are also recognized as a team in a way that even modern combinations like Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson are not. And the series of films that made them a famous team were the Road Pictures, the first four (of seven) of which are on the DVD On the Road with Bob Hope.

Actually, the Hope/Crosby team was actually a trio, with Dorothy Lamour as the woman who always came between the two. In the first Road movie, Road to Singapore, she is an island girl taken in by the two of them after they get her away from her nasty employer. The two are sailors fleeing commitment in the U.S. by taking refuge on a tropical island. In the second movie, Road to Zanzibar, they are showmen in Africa who escort Lamour and Una Merkel through the jungle, unaware that the two women are actually con artists.

In Road to Morocco, the two find themselves in a desert nation. Crosby sells Hope into slavery, which turns out to be a lot better than it sounds, when it turns out he has to marry a princess played by Lamour. What Hope doesn't know is that her first husband is destined to die, clearing the way for a long second marriage; what Lamour doesn't know is that the prediction is based on faulty information. Though Hope always seems to lose Lamour to Crosby by the end of the movie, Road to Utopia shows Hope and Lamour old and long-married before flashing back to a time when they were in Alaska looking for a gold mine.

Plot is almost incidental in these movies, merely a means to move from one gag to another. Although I doubt they were the first to do so, they often seem to recognize that they are in movies. For example, in Road to Utopia, Hope calls a mountain his bread-and-butter: it suddenly gets a circle of stars and becomes the Paramount logo. Anything can happen - even animals talk - and it is all a lot of fun. Not every joke works, but Hope and Crosby's chemistry carry the films. For some silly, old-fashioned movie comedy, this foursome fits the bill nicely.

A RETURN TO NORMALCY.......2007-06-08

HAVING SEEN ALL OF THE ROAD MOVIES IN YEARS PAST, IT IS A GREAT PLEASURE ONCE AGAIN TO HEAR WONDERFUL VOICES, & COMEDIC ACTING AT SUCH A HIGH LEVEL. MUSIC & COMEDY DOES NOT HAVE TO BE VULGAR TO BE ENTERTAINING. WHERE HAVE YOU GONE BING CROSBY?

So Happy.......2007-04-27

I looked for the Road To movies a few years back with no luck. I checked back recently, and was pleased to find this collection of the first four- and, arguably, the best four- films in the series. The package is nice, and the movies are on one double-sided DVD, which is a nice change from the unnecessarily disc-heavy sets we see so often. The transfer of the movies isn't perfect, but they're old, and it's still fantastic in both sound and picture. All four movies are wonderful, though Road To Singapore is a bit slow in coming off the ground. Hope and Crosby are revered as one of the best comedy duos of all time, and this set proves why. I'm young, and I love these movies. They're great fun for all ages, and I highly recommend getting them. Especially for that price!

On the Road..........2007-03-10

Including four of the seven films in the series, "On the Road with Bob Hope and Bing Crosby" is a collection that I'm proud to own. The Bob Hope and Bing Crosby "Road" movies are a set of classic comedy musicals that are pointless but funny! This can only be appreciated by someone who understands the relationship between Hope and Crosby and the jokes that apply to the era. A great collection for the Hope, Crosby, or Lamour fan.

Enjoyable!.......2007-01-12

Couldn't wait to get this DVD and it was worth the wait. Got a charge out of seeing Bob and Bing together. Must order the other "Road" films.

Average customer rating:

Great Movie
the Beach
Great movie .... interesting and different.
"Kentucky Fried Mouse"
Compelling, But Far From Perfect

The Beach
Starring: Robert Carlyle , Joshua Cole , Leonardo DiCaprio , Tilda Swinton , and Virginie Ledoyen
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
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ASIN: B00003CWM3
Release Date: 2000-07-25

Amazon.com

Leonardo DiCaprio sought to distance himself from the purity of his character in Titanic, and his role in The Beach is in many ways a polar opposite. As Richard, a young American seeking to "suck in the experience" of freestyle travel in Thailand, he's a chronic liar, a pot-smoking hedonist, an amoral lover, and ultimately an unstable snake in a doomed Garden of Eden. This crazy descent might be expected from the filmmakers of Trainspotting, but The Beach is a movie without a rudder, venturing into fascinating territory, promising a stimulating adventure, and then careening out of control.

After receiving a not-so-secret map to a secluded island from a stoned-out loony (Robert Carlyle, full of dark portent and spittle), Richard sets out to find the hidden paradise with a young French couple (Virginie Ledoyen, Guillaume Canet). What they find is a tropical commune existing in delicate balance with Thai pot farmers, and before long--as always--there's trouble in paradise. There's trouble in the movie, too, as DiCaprio is reduced to histrionics when the plot turns into a muddled mix of Lord of the Flies and Apocalypse Now, with shark attacks tossed in for shallow tension. Director Danny Boyle attempts perfunctory romance and a few audacious moves (notably DiCaprio's vision of life as a violent video game), but what's the point? Tilda Swinton registers strongly as the commune's charismatic leader, but her character--and the entire film--remains largely undeveloped, and pretty scenery is no guarantee of a laudable film. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

Great Movie.......2007-08-26

I really enjoyed this movie. The island was beautiful and the story was believable.

Corey Cotta, Author of All of Yesterdays Tomorrows.

the Beach.......2007-07-10

Leonardo DiCaprio can make any movie a delight. If you don't love him, then perhaps this is not the movie for you. If you hang on his every expression, then buy it quick and play it 40 times.

Great movie .... interesting and different........2007-06-27

Have viewed this movie several times and just continue to come back and watch it over and over again. Things that were missed during the last viewing are seen for the first time. Great movie.

P.S. This is from one copy that was on loan. Purchased 2 copies, but haven't received them yet. Not sure why?

"Kentucky Fried Mouse".......2007-06-13

The Beach was a bit of a disappointment, considering the presence of Leonardo DiCaprio (!), Robert Carlyle (the Full Monty), Guillaume Canet (Vidocq), and Tilda Swinton (Constantine), among others.
A young American finds himself walking the streets of Bangkok, Thailand, where he encounters a mentally disturbed Englishman who hands him a map of a mysterious island. Things quickly become more complicated when the Englishman turns up dead following an apparent suicide, and the mysterious island turns out to be off limits to the public...
In short, the acting is pretty good (though nothing great), the setting is BREATHTAKING, the music is GREAT, while the plot and the dialogues are average and below average.
It seems as though the actors/directors/producers went to Thailand on vacation separately. While there they met up with each other at the hotel lounge over drinks, and then decided, on the spot, to make the best of their stay by doing a quick and easy film on the side for some extra cash/spending money.
Though the potential for a good movie was definitely there it fails to take off, primarily due to the writers.
In a nutshell, it's a mediocre movie and that's about it; no masterpiece here...

Compelling, But Far From Perfect.......2007-03-26

I remember, years ago, wanting to see "The Beach" as it was just hitting movie theatres. I saw it about a year later on HBO during a night in a motel and I remember thinking that it was less-than-superb. Images from the film have remained in my memory over the years though and I figured I'd watch it again, since my taste in movies has changed significantly over the years. "The Beach" still is not a perfect movie and there's still many things wrong with it, but I found it entertaining and compelling, although it overstays its welcome. Three-time Oscar nominee
Leonardo DiCaprio plays Richard, an American tourist trying to find a paradise. For some reason, he's currently in Bangkok. One night, while staying in a motel, he meets an insane man ironically named Daffy (Robert Carlyle) who tells him about a secret island, a beach, that is perfect for the seeker of paradise. The next morning, Daffy is dead and has left a map for Richard. Rounding up two French guests at the motel, Etienne and Francoise (Guillaume Canet & Virglile Ledoyen), to go with him; Richard sets off to find the beach. I want to say that the first 37 minutes of the film (that is, until they arrive in the civilization) is the best part; Compelling, entertaining, and suspenseful. The rest has its moments. Anyway, eventually, Richard and company have reached their destination and are welcomed into the mixed civilization with open arms. Especially by the leader Sal (Tilda Swinton), who takes a particular liking to Richard. The rest of the film goes for a "Lord of the Flies" vibe, but never really captures what the initial 37 minutes did. One scene, where Richard pretends he's in a video game is ridiculous but pretty short so it doesn't become annoying. There's also a stretch in the film where Richard goes all "commando" before realizing he's not as stealthy as he thought. "The Beach" is directed by Danny Boyle, a director who is always trying something new. He made his name with the British drug-drama "Trainspotting" and has more recently directed the family movie "Millions." "The Beach" easily falls into the category of experimental movie. It's trying to relay an important message about humanity, as well as present a plausible and enjoyable film. It doesn't completely succeed. I liked the dynamic between Richard, Etienne, and Francoise; I loved the cinematography and art direction, which combine to make the film wonderful to look at. But the film goes on a little to long and is filled with unsympathetic characters. I can guarantee that many images from the film will remain in your mind long after you viewed the film, but I can also guarantee that there's a lot of people who won't even make it through the entire movie before turning it off. The only reason people still talk about the movie today is because of how poorly reviewed it is. It's hard for me to really make a recommendation with this film, all I can do is state my opinions and make you either want to watch it or not. It's not terrible, I think it's worth one viewing if you're really interested, and it's a beautiful film...That's all I got.

GRADE: C+

Average customer rating:

Zardog is the Most Interesting Movie You've Never Heard Of
Up, Up And Away...
Zardoz???
Mix of laughable and unforgettable
Sean Connory breaking out of the chains of Bond, a classic movie

Zardoz
Starring: John Alderton , Daisy Boorman , Katrine Boorman , Telsche Boorman , and Niall Buggy
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B000059HAE
Release Date: 2001-03-27

Amazon.com

A bewigged Sean Connery is Zed, a savage "exterminator" commanded by the mysterious god Zardoz to eliminate Brutals, survivors of an unspecified worldwide catastrophe. Zed stows away inside Zardoz's enormous idol (a flying stone head) and is taken to the pastoral land of the Eternals, a matriarchal, quasi-medieval society that has achieved psychic abilities as well as immortality. Zed finds as much hope as disgust with the Eternals; their advancements have also robbed them of physical passion, turning their existence into a living death. Zed becomes the Eternals' unlikely messiah, but in order to save them--and himself--he must confront the truth behind Zardoz and his own identity inside the Tabernacle, the Eternals' omnipresent master computer.

A box office failure, John Boorman's Zardoz has developed a cult following among science fiction fans whose tastes run toward more cerebral fare, such as The Andromeda Strain and Phase IV. An entrancing if overly ambitious (by Boorman's own admission) film, Zardoz offers pointed commentary on class structure and religion inside its complex plot and head-movie visuals; its healthy doses of sex and violence will involve viewers even if the story machinations escape them. Beautifully photographed near Boorman's home in Ireland's Wicklow Mountains by Geoffrey Unsworth (2001), its production design is courtesy of longtime Boorman associate Anthony Pratt, who creates a believable society within the film's million-dollar budget. The letterboxed DVD presentation includes engaging commentary by Boorman, who discusses the special effects (all created in-camera) as well as working with a post-Bond Connery. --Paul Gaita

Description

Two societies, one intellectual (the Eternals) and the other physical (the Brutals) live side by side but never meet. Sean Connery is a Brutal out to shake things up.

Customer Reviews:

Zardog is the Most Interesting Movie You've Never Heard Of.......2007-04-19

Zardoz is the most important movie nobody (I know) has seen. Forget that there is a lot of nakedness and topless women; or, that you get to see a super-buff, 1974-era, Sean Connery running around for more than two hours in a pair of underwear; this is an important movie or utopia gone terribly distopian. Zardoz is written and played out like a broadway musical, with lithe dancer-actors, it is presented like a play. This is not a sophisticated movie but it will surely make you think. I would say that Zardoz is both brilliant and campy; insightful and kitchy, and brutal and actually very good at dealing with the concept of balance: in order to grow as men and as a society, one cannot -- must not -- merely separate physically from poverty, ignorance, sickness, and death; but, rather, integrate, integrate, integrate -- or perish. Bravo! See it.

Up, Up And Away..........2007-03-01

Zed (Sean Connery) hitches a ride inside of a giant, flying, stone head. Once aboard, he shoots it's occupant dead and flies off to "The Vortex", a place where the "Eternals" live. This is a land full of men and women who have no sense of what real living is all about. They just loll around, musing and pontificating about nothing. Zed spices things up for these immortal buffoons by being different and, oh yeah, by having a male organ that works! I kid you not! The rest is mainly Zed finding out that what he thought would be heaven is actually pretty dull. Unfortunately, so is this movie! John Boorman (Deliverance, Excalibur) wrote, produced, and directed this elephant tranquilizer. Although, it does get an extra star for that hilarious flying head...

Zardoz???.......2007-02-24

The name says it all. From 007 to Savage. If you are a Scifi lover, you will really enjoy this one. Watch if for nothing else other than to figure out the name. Interesting storyline.

Mix of laughable and unforgettable.......2006-09-29

In about three hundred years, after some catastrophe has virtually wiped out our civilization, two branches of humanity remain to sparsely populate a now pristine Earth. The "Brutals" are uncivilized apes - ruled by an army of gun-toting, loincloth-wearing "Exterminators" who kill with little compunction. The Brutals are themselves on a divine mission, ordained by the great god Zardoz to cleanse the world "of the plague of men". Taking the form of a huge, flying stone head, Zardoz lands amid gangs of Brutals, preaching genocide and spitting huge piles of guns and ammo at his gleeful followers. "Go forth, and kill", spake Zardoz, even as his gun-firing followers fill his head with crops harvested by Brutal slaves. Zed (Connery), one of the Brutals, stows away as the stone head floats away, thinking it will bring him to the after-life known as the vortex. Zed - as the story will show - has already been infected with some form of heresy that Zardoz is not what he seems to be.

Thanks to a pre-credits monolog, we already know that Zardoz is a false god, an alter-ego of Arthur Frayn - himself a magician by inclination, and immortal by association. Frayn belongs to that other surviving branch of humanity, the undying and telepathic "Eternals". Ruled by a new age computer called the Tabernacle, Eternals use Zardoz to make pawns of the Brutals, who in turn harvest the world and feed them. Otherwise protected from the Brutals' world by an impenetrable field, the Eternals live an apparently idyllic yet emotionally and physiologically impotent existence within a reserve ironically known as "The Vortex". The Eternals would just as soon kill Zed, holding him little higher than an ape. However linked by the Tabernacle, dissension in the ranks over what to do with Zed allows him to learn the secret of the Eternals' existence and destroy it, while himself evolving beyond his murderously wanton origins. It turns out that the immortals have had enough of their lifeless survival, and now long for death (or at least mortality). But what force drives Zed, and what turned him against Zardoz?

It's hard to answer those questions, because so much of this movie is incomprehensible (including how many of the plot's enigmas were intentional). The script is full of laughably arch dialog and self-aware or simply laughable imagery. (You may recall a movie starring Sean Connery running around in a red diaper, wondering what that movie was - "Zardoz" endeth the lesson!) All the costuming is laughable, consecutive scenes don't lead into each other, the society of the Eternals is never really explained (the Eternals are immortal, yet not quite indestructible; it's never clear just how the Eternals are trapped into immortality) and there's way too much interest in the male anatomy. Worse than that, the movie is incredibly slow, and it's often difficult to understand just what's going on.

Yet, "Zardoz", for all of it's arch self-awareness is still a cut above Boorman's other losers. It still doesn't touch "Excalibur", though it does hint at Boorman's interest in Arthurian legend, with its rural and pre-modern looking settings, the Eternals at one point gathered at a round table; Zed's search inverts the legend of the Holy Grail - he seeks the cup that destroys immortality. Despite its flaws, the flick never loses its sense of enigma, and though it pains me to say, I found the overwhelming desire of the Eternals to die (and their ultimate denoument) gave the story an emotional coherence that nearly makes you forget everything laughably bad about the movie.

Sean Connory breaking out of the chains of Bond, a classic movie.......2006-07-29

This movie is one of the Genre of the post apocalytic, overlycontrolled society, but a different twist than many of the others. Based as a world of outlanders and the society, Zardoz plays more on the class differences and higher society comming together to "set the standards" and control or crush everything else. Connery plays a "brutal" from outside the Vortex, which is a society set up by elite in which science and itellectuals combined to explore the human potential and eventually gain inmortality. These intellectuals prey on the outsiders to gain supplies by using "zardoz", a flying large head. Connery stoes away in this flying head and enters the Compound, where he is studied, but eventually he aids in the fall of this Utopia. Definitely something different than the "big brother is watching" films of sci-fi, this film was different,and that is what makes it a definite pick for anybody who like the sci-fi genre, must see, even better to own now that its on DVD.

Average customer rating:

Recomended for any Masamune Shirow fan
Movie review
Excellent Blend of CG and anime storytelling
AMAZING from beginning to end!!
WOW!

Appleseed (Widescreen) (2004)
Starring: Ai Kobayashi , Jûrôta Kosugi , Yuki Matsuoka , Asumi Miwa , and Akimoto Tsubasa
Director: Shinji Aramaki
Manufacturer: Geneon [Pioneer]
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0007OY31G
Release Date: 2005-05-10

Amazon.com

The 2004 Appleseed feature is a reworking of the earlier video based on the manga by Masamune Shirow (Ghost in the Shell). In 2131, most of humanity has withdrawn to the glittering city of Olympus after a devastating war. When the curvaceous Deunan Knute comes to Olympus, she encounters her former comrade Briareos, now a cyborg, and the lovely android Hitomi. The fate of Hitomi, Olympus, and humanity rest on the lost "Appleseed" technology that Deunan's mother helped to develop. A standard series of chases, mecha battles, and confrontations leads to a predictable ending. When the original Appleseedappeared in 1988, it felt like a summary of anime's past, while Akira pointed the way to the future. This new version feels like a mishmash of Ghost in the Shell, Akira, Jin-Roh, Evangelion, and other, more exciting works. The motion-capture CG is typically weightless, and the mecha look oddly squat. (Rated R: violence) --Charles Solomon

Description

Earth's last city, Olympus, rose from the ashes of a global war on the backs of Bioroids, artificial clones who make up half the city's population. Under the strict guidance of a supercomputer, humanity's last survivors enjoy an idyllic peace, but only on the surface Human terrorists within the military seek a return to power and clash with the government's ESWAT forces lead by the legendary soldier, Deunan Knute, and her boyfriend who is 75% machine. Retrieving the Appleseed will end the conflict, and Deunan alone holds its secret. The outstanding feature film based on the manga by SHIROW Masamune (Ghost In the Shell), directed by Shinji ARAMAKI (Bubblegum Crisis), and produced by SORI (Ping Pong) features a soundtrack by Boom Boom Satelites, Paul Oakenfold, Basement Jaxx and more and will be available from TOFU records. The DVD will feature high quality video encoded directly from the HD master in 16:9 anamorphic widescreen with 5.1 English Dolby Digital and DTS audio as well as the original Japanese 2.0 stereo and 5.1 DTS Dolby Digital soundtracks! This DVD also features commentary from both the director and the producer!

Customer Reviews:

Recomended for any Masamune Shirow fan.......2007-09-06

a fantastic, cleaver and exciting film. intense and spectacular action sequences blended with a sophisticated and complex story line.

i really enjoyed all the characters in this film, and it really brought the comic book to life for me

Movie review.......2007-08-25

Thought the effort and lengths gone to, to estabilish a good story line while not drowning the film in too much graphic detail was well balanced. The graphics used throughout were well above average and i recommend this film to anyone who is a fan of anime.

Excellent Blend of CG and anime storytelling.......2007-08-05

The look and feel of this movie is really spectacular, a good blend of anime and cg without the cheesy cg look. the story is compelling, twisting, touching and the action is intense. The action really supplements the story instead of being action for action's sake.

The story as compared to other animes is pretty easy to go with as long as your remember that "bioroids" are really just a name for advanced human clones and not the robots you see like bretarius. Also "gaia" is just the name of the computer the elders use to consult with. The heart of the story is really our ability (human and clone) to overcome our difficulties and make the future what we want it to be. No spiritual energies, or mother gaia gods just a human story with some really awesome tech.

Nice addition to an anime collection.

AMAZING from beginning to end!!.......2007-06-08

I knew nothing about Appleseed before catching this movie on cable. I couldn't look away and remember turning to my wife (who also enjoyed it which surprised me!) and saying, "This is the coolest thing I've ever seen!".

Truly, one of the most visually amazing movies I have ever had the pleasure of watching.

I'm disappointed that I never got the chance to see this on the big screen - that would have really been a treat. If you haven't seen this and are thinking about buying it - do it. I wouldn't usually say that, but this is not your usualy movie. 5 stars all the way.

*** WARNING! My version of the Special Edition DVD came with a gold action figure - as soon as I pulled it out of the package, small parts fell off of it. Definitely not for kids. *****

WOW!.......2007-05-07

State of the art animation with a SOLID story to give the viewer a look at what animation could be. It ROCKS!!!

Average customer rating:

Great Acting, Lousy Movie
The troubled inventor ...
One of the Best Damn 'Classical-American' Films Ever Made
He dropped out of Harvard - to get an education...
Warning!! Not a happy ending!

The Mosquito Coast
Starring: Harrison Ford , Helen Mirren , River Phoenix , Conrad Roberts , and Andre Gregory
Director: Peter Weir
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0000399WB
Release Date: 1999-12-14

Amazon.com essential video

A year after his American film debut, Peter Weir reteamed with his Witness star (Harrison Ford) for a tricky adaptation of Paul Theroux's novel of a modern man who takes his family into the jungle. The results are mixed, but the film is galvanized by Ford's atypical performance as inventor/madman Allie Fox. Paul Schrader's script sets up Allie as a man who follows his idea: that America is dying and the real "four-in-the-morning courage" is found in returning to the essence of life, here the jungles of a fictional Central American country (it was shot in Belize). With his family in tow (including Helen Mirren and River Phoenix), Allie creates a utopia when his inventions create a local sensation, but seedier elements from bandits to evangelicals (led by Andre Gregory) take their toll. Certainly, it's hard to root for a central character who is unpleasant ("a know-it-all who is sometimes right," as one states), and the film's second half is not as interesting. But Weir's film is logical and true in its progression and, as usual, is beautifully crafted (he also reteams with the cinematographer, editor, and composer of Witness). Ford's rawness is reminiscent of many an actor's foray into the meaty role of an independent film--which this film is certainly not--and, unfortunately, it was not the direction he ultimately pursued. --Doug Thomas

Description

Harrison Ford gives one of his most powerful portrayals as an obsessive inventor whose dream of creating a jungle paradise erodes into a survival-of-the-fittest nightmare. Year: 1986 Director: Peter Weir Starring: Harrison Ford, Helen Mirren, River Phoenix

Customer Reviews:

Great Acting, Lousy Movie.......2007-08-23

Although some of the acting is excellent, the movie becomes boring about half way into it. I can't tell you it is a lousy story because I'm not sure that is the problem. I do know the crazy man Ford plays and the whole movie gets a little tedious after he drags his family into the deepest jungle to build a giant ice machine. I have all Ford's movies but this one so I hope that tells you something. I do not recommend you buy this before you rent it.

The troubled inventor ..........2007-06-13

The movie is based on a book by the prodigal Paul Theroux. It is centered around Allie Fox (Harrison Ford) and his family's migration to the remote and enigmatic Mosquito Coast. The tropical jungle gives Allie a virgin ground for creating a superior civilization. Surprisingly, he thinks ice is synonymous with civilization and builds a monstrous machine that generates ice, air-conditioning and condensed water. The ice-making machine is called Fat Boy. It is a giant manifestation of his creative genius. He hikes (lugging ice blocks) to remote Indian villages to proudly show them ice that he created. Not surprisingly, the Fat Boy initiates the sudden collapse of his remote & superior civilization. Thereafter, he gets madly obsessed to create another (more elemental) civilization on an unmapped place and exposes his family to great peril, hardships and hunger. He nurtures a strong dislike towards the missionaries operating in rural-rural Mosquito. His dislike towards them and the disappointment of failing in multiple attempts to create & sustain a civilization leads him to burning down a mission city. The reprisal is strong and he is shot & fatally wounded.

If you've read the book, then (subconsciously) you'll be trying to relate every scene to the book and will always be disappointed because the movie seems to move very fast. At times it'll be digressing from the book's story line and other times, it'll be an exact enactment. The mental picture painted by the mind while reading the book is very vivid & colorful compared to the scenes depicted in the movie.
I think movies based on wonderful & compelling books/novels should spend some time building the initial story (as in the book). In the movie, it would have helped if the director would have spent some more time showing Allie, his family members, his creational genius and his plot to migrate to the Mosquito Coast. The director should not assume that everyone watching the movie has read the book. That is the best approach for a mixed audience (folks who have read the book & folks who have not).

Nonetheless, the movie is watchable. Harrison Ford (as Allie) shines and the dramatic Mosquito Coast scenery & rugged jungle beauty is alluring and well shot. I particularly liked the shots of the tiny boat coasting upstream amidst thick jungle whilst being bathed in tropical sunshine. Fat Boy's manifestation is very impressive. The movie will leave you with a very strong afterthought about the manmade creations. To be honest, we are in very many ways (despite the luxuries) a forsaken captive of our own creation.

The movie's background score is lackluster. A good music score would have complemented the jungle backdrop.

One of the Best Damn 'Classical-American' Films Ever Made.......2007-03-26

I am disgusted at editorial reviews of this film that claim Allie Fox to be eccentric, mad and obsessive- do not be fooled by the rambling of these idiots.

This film is not about a madman, it is about an idealist. If you believe America to be the Land of Oppurtunity- not the Land of Result, if you believe in hard work; if you believe in technocracy; if you believe that a mans destiny is determined by what he makes it, that that destiny is not to be left alone to God, but that God made Man intelligent and strong so that he could survive and better his world; if you believe that a mans efforts, thoughts and struggles are the things which compose his body, blood and soul- that these efforts are worth dying for, that they are a mans life and that those who would take them from him are taking no less than his life and are no less than murderers and thieves; if you believe these things to be true then this movie is for you. On the other hand, if you're a mosquito and any of these things make you feel uncomfortable then this movie was not meant for you- however such evil creatures as yourself may find the film enjoyable as you may choose to morbidly relish in the struggle and pains of the protagonist.

The film is deep and intelligent and riddled with powerful lines and scenes; the details of which I wouldn't dare reveal to you. I will say that The Mosquito Coast is a tragedy that brings some comfort in knowing that one is not the only one who thinks as one does- that the world of Good Men is not entirely lonely. I more than highly recommend The Mosquito Coast- it is a film not to be missed.

He dropped out of Harvard - to get an education..........2006-12-30

This movie not only has one of the best actors ever taking the lead role - it has a great storyline. Harrison Ford's character is a little on the weird side, but is also very easy for the viewer to relate to in one way or the other.

How many people living in America have thought about the possiblity of leaving the country? How many people would love to experience what a more simplistic way of life could be without feeling bogged down by all of our modern technologies and so-called advancements? Yet very few ever take the risk...

Although Allie is disenchanted with what America has become over the years, he is also psychologically fitted with a traditional protestant work ethic; the same mindset upon which America was built - this irony is seen by the decisions he makes throughout the film, and this drives him to insanity.

The characters surrounding Allie create the conflict within the film, most notably his son Charlie (played by River Pheonix), who narrates during the film and tells the events from his point of view. Charlie respected his father but also was able to recognize the progressive decay of his father's mental health. As the oldest (there is a younger son and daughter), Charlie takes a role of leadership within the family and sometimes has to stand up to his own rolemodel.

Allie's wife (whom he refers to as 'Mother'), is played by Helen Mirren. Her struggle in the film is seen by her submissiveness to Allie and her dedication to him often blinding her to the sickness of her husband, and thus preventing her from not allowing her family to make correct decisions.

There is a missionary whom Allie argues with which adds to the film's philosophical tension. At times you wish different descisions had been made, the direction of the storyline may frustrate you, but I believe this was the filmmakers intension - human nature can be unpredictable, untrustworthy, flawed.

Faith vs willpower, simplicity vs complexity, technology vs nature, self- fullfillment vs group responsibility...this film has it all. A MUST SEE!!!

Hopefully I have left the storyline somewhat ambiguous for those who have not seen this movie, and perhaps those who haven't seen it in a long time. I will finish this review with one of my favorite quotes from the film to further convince you of the brilliance of 'The Mosquito Coast':

"We eat when we're not hungry, drink when we're not thirsty. We buy what we don't need and throw away everything that's useful. Why sell a man what he wants? Sell him what he doesn't need. Pretend he's got eight legs and two stomachs and money to burn. It's wrong. Wrong, wrong, wrong." -Allie Fox (Harrison Ford)

RECOMMENDATION: If you are looking for some other great films from 80's with great acting and storytelling then 'Gorillas in the Mist' should be next on your list. Sigourney Weaver gives her best performance in this film that is based on the real life events of the scientist Dian Fossey. Filmed on sight in Africa with the real mountain gorillas that Dian studied...BEAUTIFUL, MOVING, BRILLIANT.

Warning!! Not a happy ending!.......2006-10-14

This is one of those thoughtful, well acted movies with a deeply unsatisfying conclusion. If you like such things, have at it. If you like happy endings, avoid it.

Average customer rating:

Recomended for any Masamune Shirow fan
Movie review
Excellent Blend of CG and anime storytelling
AMAZING from beginning to end!!
WOW!

Appleseed (Limited Collector's Edition)
Starring: Ai Kobayashi , Jûrôta Kosugi , Yuki Matsuoka , Asumi Miwa , and Akimoto Tsubasa
Director: Shinji Aramaki
Manufacturer: Geneon [Pioneer]
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0007OY31Q
Release Date: 2005-05-10

Amazon.com

Description

Customer Reviews:

Recomended for any Masamune Shirow fan.......2007-09-06

Movie review.......2007-08-25

Excellent Blend of CG and anime storytelling.......2007-08-05

AMAZING from beginning to end!!.......2007-06-08

WOW!.......2007-05-07

State of the art animation with a SOLID story to give the viewer a look at what animation could be. It ROCKS!!!

Average customer rating:

A Faustian dilemma
PBS Special from 1979 Reissued
All We See or Seem is But Dreams Within a Dream ???
I Thought This Film Had Been Lost Forever
The Haber Institute of Oeinerology plays God

The Lathe of Heaven
Starring: Bruce Davison , Peyton E. Park , Niki Flacks , Kevin Conway , and Vandi Clark
Director: David R. Loxton , and Fred Barzyk
Manufacturer: New Video Group
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00004U8P6
Release Date: 2000-08-29

Amazon.com

"Antwerp!" For science fiction fans, the long-awaited VHS and DVD release of The Lathe of Heaven is a dream come true. This haunting adaptation of Ursula K. Le Guin's genre-classic novel was broadcast but once on PBS in 1980 before rights and other legal snafus relegated it to the archives. Reportedly PBS's most requested program, the made-for-TV film was at last rebroadcast in 2000. Set in Portland, Oregon, in the near future, The Lathe of Heaven stars Bruce Davison as George Orr, who, to put it mildly, has a dream problem. Not only do his dreams come true, but they "change reality back to the Stone Age."

Kevin Conway costars as Dr. Haber, a dream specialist who instantly recognizes George's gift and tries to harness it to make the whole world right. But, as George notes, "Unlimited power means unlimited danger." The increasingly megalomaniacal Haber uses George to try to cure the world's ills, from overpopulation to war, resulting in, for starters, a devastating plague and even alien invasion.

Many in this production went on to projects familiar to audiences: Cowriter Diane English went on to create TV's Murphy Brown; Scott Rudin, credited with "Principle Casting," is now one of Hollywood's most formidable producers; Margaret Avery, who costars as a skeptical lawyer who comes to believe George's incredible tale, was nominated for an Academy Award for her performance in The Color Purple. For those who have only been able to see this now-legendary production on poor-quality bootleg tapes, this release will be sheer heaven. The DVD contains an interview with Le Guin conducted by Bill Moyers. --Donald Liebenson

Description

For George Orr, sleep is not a respite. For Dr. William Haber, dreams are tools. For sci-fi fans, the wait is over. Praised as "rare and powerful" by The New York Times, Ursula K. Le Guin's THE LATHE OF HEAVEN is one of the most celebrated science fict

Customer Reviews:

A Faustian dilemma.......2007-08-08

When I read Ursula K. Le Guin's "The Lathe of Heaven" I was immediately captivated with it. The idea that someone could change reality (George Orr) with dreams and moreover, get caught up in the megalomania of changing the world for one's personal gain (Dr. Haber), makes for a compelling story, if not an ethical one. It reminded me of Goethe's Faustian dilemma - how much power, how much knowledge is enough.

Naturally when "The Lathe of Heaven" first appeared on PBS in 1979 I was attracted to it. I watched it with fascination like most of the reviewers here, and I viewed it anew last night on DVD with equal curiosity. Does the story still have validity today? Yes, it does; the message is as timeless as Goethe's. Is the DVD transfer good? Well, to be fair, the producers tell us at the outset the digital transfer of the colours may be dark and imperfect from the only surviving two inch video tape. Even some of the special effects seem dated now. And the cover version of the Beatles' "A Little Help From My Friends" pales by comparison to the original airing. But these are minor distractions; the story and its moral still make it a brilliant and relevant film.

Would I recommend it? Yes, "The Lathe of Heaven" is a science fiction film that belongs with classics like "Metropolis", "2001: A Space Odyssey " and "Star Wars". Buy it. Watch it. Add it to your DVD library.

PBS Special from 1979 Reissued.......2006-11-25

I saw this on PBS in 1979 and it stayed with me for years. I don't have a problem with the production values, not being that impressed with computer special effects in place of human narrative anyway. The film still moves me. Watch for UKL in the cafeteria scene.

All We See or Seem is But Dreams Within a Dream ???.......2006-10-01

This first made for Public TV movie is an excellent adaptation of the singular "speculative fiction" novel, "The Lathe of Heaven", by the well known and talented author, Ursula K. Le Guin. Like the novel, the movie has a fluid fast pace, but with plenty of appropriate details of character, foreground and background. This gives a rich and vivid quality to the changing course of the flow of the plot, via colorful and creative sharp screenplay. However, as the motion and emotion move along, they are not overdone, giving a balanced "realistic" feel to such a "dreamy" story. Again, like the novel, the movie can be followed in a number of "symbolic" ways. It could be "objective" allegory, dealing with common human and world themes of mystical religion. Or, it could be "subjective" allegory dealing with a "typical" dreaming series of a "typical" human, with the main "personas" representing the major "parts" of the human psyche. Yet, it could be a "singular" metadream of one individual, a unique "just so" adventure of one George Orr.

In any case, this viewer feels that the novel was indeed successfully transfered over into the movie, which seems to be rare for "speculative fiction", and especially for such a surrealistic type. Amazing, that such a "verbal" media work can be rendered so well as a "visual" media work. Ursula K. Le Guin was on site as the movie was made, in only a few weeks with only a quarter million dollars. The DVD has an interesting and informative interview, with Ursula K. Le Guin, as one of the added features. No wonder then that this movie has been one of the most requested reruns of cinema and television -- and certainly a favorite of Public Television +++

I Thought This Film Had Been Lost Forever.......2006-09-12

I had never heard of this story or the film when I happened to watch it by accident on PBS late at night by myself over 25 years ago. It was such an incredible story. I still remember it to this day. I was going to go to bed, but I couldn't leave my TV set - I was transfixed by the story.

Until I read this website and the other reviews, I had no idea why I never saw the movie again.

The release of this DVD after so many years makes me grateful that this extraordinary movie has not been lost, that I wasn't the only one who thought he saw something really unusual, and that now others can see it too.

The Haber Institute of Oeinerology plays God.......2006-06-27

The Greatest Good for the Greatest Number! What can I say about this brilliantly plotted work of literature brought to life though a cheaply budgeted but great film? Essentially a Dream Psychologist discovers that his assigned patient is telling him the truth when he is informed that the patients effective dreams can change reality. Haber uses this talent to re-create the world in the images that a smart scientist believes best. First he creates the means by making his status in society important with the creation of a new institute dedicated to Oeinerology (dream research) and uses George Orr's mind to increase the power of his augmentor machine. This done, he begins to change the world through dream suggestion to make the world right in a matter of weeks that thousands of years of history could not do. But because of the mind of Mr. Orr, both positive and negative things happen. Haber is not thwarted by this but pressures Orr to perfect his augmentor through dreams so that he can change the world without Orr's mind. The only problem is that he discovers a great secret when he finally ventures into the Lathe of Heaven. He discovers that all existence is in the mind of Orr and that the world had really ended some time ago due to Nuclear armageddon. Orr, a staggering survivor nearing death by radioactive poisoning, willed the world back into an existence that is really an effective dream of his own making!!!

Average customer rating:

This isn't even a movie
Bull Fight
Not that good.
Hardcore art.
hot erotic, but ultimately sad classic tale of passion's fate when obsession takes over

In the Realm of the Senses
Starring: Tatsuya Fuji , Eiko Matsuda , Aoi Nakajima , Yasuko Matsui , and Meika Seri
Director: Nagisa Oshima
Manufacturer: Fox Lorber
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 6305049378
Release Date: 1998-07-28

Amazon.com

Nagisa Oshima's sensational, 1976 film concerns a woman (Eiko Matsuda) whose obsessive sexual relationship with her husband (Tatsuya Fuji) crosses the line from passion into the territory of life and death. One of the most sexually explicit films ever to play in mainstream theaters (though it did run into legal trouble both in the U.S. and Japan), it has an air of palpable doom, suggesting that sex can be a doorway to suicide. Lest this sound like grunge-era noodling over dreams of self-destruction, be assured that the Kyoto-born Oshima (Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence) takes a somewhat formal, middle-aged perspective on the conjunction of various mysteries of existence. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

This isn't even a movie.......2007-08-04

Ok, just so you know, I'm a fan of all things Japanese. I speak the language, and I have absolutely nothing against porn. I also love good movies. This movie is neither of those things, unfortunately. It tries to walk a fine line between porn and "art" and in doing so, fails miserably at both. For people who are saying it has such a great "story" I'm not sure what movie they saw, but it wasn't this. There is LITERALLY no story to speak of, other than the last five minutes, really. The remainder of the movie is a string of sex scenes (which ironically would have been better if they had just accepted this was basically a porno and done them right) which are held together by meaningless, short dialogue, usually about their sexual life together.

As I said, a full on porno would have been much better, and it would've only been a fraction of a step off what this was. If you are going to make a movie, at least give us something along the lines of dialogue, motivation, SOMETHING. This was a monumental disaster.

Bull Fight.......2007-07-28

In 1965 Oshima Nagisa directed a film called The Pleasures of the Flesh. Within this film Oshima stretched limits of how much sexuality could be displayed on screen. Because Japanese censorship laws prohibited showing pubic hair and genitals in coitus other displays of sexuality such as sadomasochism became more of a standard in Japanese pink films that actual sexual intercourse. Oshima desired to direct such a film that gave its all to sexual expression, and with the additional push of a decaying film market, the director jumped a the opportunity to direct a film produced by the Frenchman Anatole Dauman who expressly wanted Oshima to direct a pornographic film. Oshima had little difficulty finding an actress to play the role of Abe Sada, but he had quite a bit more difficulty finding an actor to play the male role because most of the actors were concerned about their "equipment" appearing to be small on screen. Eventually the role went to Fuji Tatsuya who also appears in such films as Kurosawa Kiyoshi's Bright Future (2003) and quite a number of the Stray Cat Rock films of the early 1970s. After the movie was filmed in Japan, the unprocessed film was edited and processed in France. Oshima was taken to court because of the lewdness of the film's screenplay and fought for free expression in film. Until this day, the unedited version of the film has never been shown in Japan although it did attract the attention of quite a number of Japanese living or working abroad.

The film itself takes place in the year 1936. A time in which Japan's military was becoming more and more enmeshed in fighting bother abroad and at home. However, for Ishida Kichizo this matters little. Instead he spends most of his days making love, drinking sake, and enjoying the entertainment provided by geisha. Within the hotel that Kichizo owns work a large number of pretty young women with the prettiest being a young woman named Abe Sada who had earlier been a prostitute. Stimulated by watching her master make love to his wife, Sada's desire for Kichizo grows and after he discovers her the two begin to make love frequently. At first, Sada is ashamed that she reaches orgasm much quicker than Kichizo, but he continuously tells her that his main desire is to fulfill her desires. The two continuously make love and eventually servants do not want to enter the room because Sada is constantly performing fellatio on Kichizo. It soon becomes evident that the power dynamic is switching from Kichizo to Sada and as her jealousy grows so does the danger...

In the Realm of the Senses contains many situations of coitus, fellatio, a young girl being forcibly penetrated with a dildo by older geisha, an egg being pushed into Sada's vagina, a young boy's penis being tugged on by Sada, strangulation, and castration. Obviously with such scenes the film does not make for Saturday afternoon fare with the whole family. Oshima was criticized because many people believed that the film was nothing more than a means for Oshima to film pornographic material and because of this film Oshima is often labeled a director of porn in the West. While I do not see this film reaching the same heights of his films directed in the 1960s, I can still see that this film has some value outside of just its sexual content, which are bit more grotesque than stimulating which make them similar to the literature of Tanizaki Junichiro. Kichizo and Sada's indulgence in sex and the pure, unadulterated pleasure and self destruction they receive from it is a form of "protest" against Japan's military and police forces which tried to control the lives of the Japanese people with an iron grip.

While not for the squeamish, In the Realm of the Senses is a worthwhile film for those interested in the films of Oshima Nagisa, controversial Japanese film, or for those interested in film that walk the fine border between "art" and "trash."

Not that good........2007-07-09

Not for me. I was sorta interested, then I saw him taste her... and I could not watch the picture anymore. It was already kinda slow begining, then it just became dull and vulgar and weird... How can you combine dull and weird? In other words, to each his own, this one was just not for me.

Hardcore art........2007-07-05

In the Realm of the Senses (Nagisa Oshima, 1976)

What is the difference between art and pornography? (Thesis: the idea of a fixed definition for the term "pornography" depends on an impossibility: a fixed definition for the term "art." Discuss.) That's a question you're likely to find yourself asking pretty much constantly while watching In the Realm of the Senses, Nagisa Oshima's infamous 1976 feature that takes the "Banned in Boston!" cliché one better--it really was banned. But, of all places, it was banned in New York. Now that takes some doing.

Based on a true story, In the Realm of the Senses is the story of Sada (Eiko Matsuda), an ex-prostitute who goes to work as a servant in the house of Kichizo (Bright Future's Tatsuya Fuji). Kichizo takes notice of her, and it doesn't take long before that notice becomes something more. Kichizo spirits Sada away to another city, where he sets her up in a different house and carries on life as a bigamist. Sada, however, is the jealous type, and eventually begins to resent Kichizo's other family.

Perhaps the big difference between art and porn is there there's an actual story. (Or the surprisingly small number of close-up shots so common in porn.) And there is one, here, though if you find yourself with a dubbed version, you'll spend half the time you watch it snickering at the silliness of the English voices. (The other half, of course, you will spend happily fapping away and wondering how this movie managed to get out of Japan without those silly blurring effects over the bits you're not allowed to see in Japan.) But pay attention, will you? Obviously, in any film that aspires to be porn, something must be sacrificed, and much of the time, that something is character. And it is true that our main characters here are, perhaps, l