Batman Begins [HD DVD]

Amazon.com

Batman Begins discards the previous four films in the series and recasts the Caped Crusader as a fearsome avenging angel. That's good news, because the series, which had gotten off to a rousing start under Tim Burton, had gradually dissolved into self-parody by 1997's Batman & Robin. As the title implies, Batman Begins tells the story anew, when Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) flees Western civilization following the murder of his parents. He is taken in by a mysterious instructor named Ducard (Liam Neeson in another mentor role) and urged to become a ninja in the League of Shadows, but he instead returns to his native Gotham City resolved to end the mob rule that is strangling it. But are there forces even more sinister at hand?

Co-written by the team of David S. Goyer (a veteran comic book writer) and director Christopher Nolan (Memento), Batman Begins is a welcome return to the grim and gritty version of the Dark Knight, owing a great debt to the graphic novels that preceded it. It doesn't have the razzle dazzle, or the mass appeal, of Spider-Man 2 (though the Batmobile is cool), and retelling the origin means it starts slowly, like most "first" superhero movies. But it's certainly the best Bat-film since Burton's original, and one of the best superhero movies of its time. Bale cuts a good figure as Batman, intense and dangerous but with some of the lightheartedness Michael Keaton brought to the character. Michael Caine provides much of the film's humor as the family butler, Alfred, and as the love interest, Katie Holmes (Dawson's Creek) is surprisingly believable in her first adult role. Also featuring Gary Oldman as the young police officer Jim Gordon, Morgan Freeman as a Q-like gadgets expert, and Cillian Murphy as the vile Jonathan Crane. --David Horiuchi

Batman at Amazon.com

All Batman DVDs
Batman Begins 101: A Comic Book Primer
Where Have I Seen Christian Bale?

All Batman Comics and Graphic Novels
Batman Toys
Batman Begins Soundtrack

Stills from Batman Begins (click for larger images)

DVD Features

The first disc is filled out by the theatrical trailer and a Jimmy Fallon-starring Batman Begins spoof from the MTV Movie Awards. The second disc consists of eight featurettes (about 105 minutes total) on a variety of topics. "The Journey Begins" covers the early stages of the movie, including the casting and how director/co-writer Christopher Nolan brought in co-writer David S. Goyer for his comic-book expertise. "Shaping Mind and Body" covers Christian Bale's fight training, and other featurettes discuss the sets (the Batcave is shown being constructed out of wood and sheets), the Batman costume, the Batmobile, the monorail sequence, and the hazards of filming in Iceland. All the behind-the-scenes featurettes are solid but somewhat routine, and while "The Journey Begins" is the widest overview, there's not really any centerpiece documentary (all are 8 to 15 minutes, and there's no Play All option). Interviewees tend to be the same throughout: Nolan, Goyer, Bale (the only cast member to get much face time), and other crew members (it's nice to hear from the stunt people).

Potentially more interesting to fans is "Genesis of the Bat," which covers the comic books that influenced the film, including The Long Halloween, Neal Adams's Ra's Al Ghul from the '70s, Dennis O'Neill and Dick Giordano's The Man Who Falls, and Frank Miller's Batman: Year One and The Dark Knight Returns. Interviewees include DC Comics editor Paul Levitz and artist Jim Lee, but the latter's involvement eventually degrades the featurette into a pitch for DC's All-Star Batman line. A nice bonus to the Deluxe Edition is a mini comic book (DVD case-sized) that has Batman's first appearance (Detective Comics #27), The Man Who Falls, and a 48-page excerpt from The Long Halloween. (Once you get a taste of Halloween, you'll want to pick up the full-length, full-size version.) Filling out the disc are overviews of four gadgets and eight characters, DVD-ROM features, and a variety of poster-art concepts. To get to the features menu, you have to scroll through a multi-page Goyer-scribed comic book, which is a good read, but you can't skip it the next time you want to watch the second disc. Note that the comic book is also viewable in French, and the second disc offers a French menu and French (but not English) subtitles for the featurettes. --David Horiuchi

Description

Batman Begins explores the origins of the Batman legend and the Dark Knight's emergence as a force for good in Gotham. In the wake of his parents' murder, disillusioned industrial heir Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) travels the world seeking the means to fight injustice and turn fear against those who prey on the fearful. He returns to Gotham and unveils his alter-ego: Batman, a masked crusader who uses his strength, intellect and an array of high tech deceptions to fight the sinister forces that threaten the city.

Customer Reviews:

I liked American Psyco better.......2007-09-12

I got that batmobile for my son thats probably the best part of the movie. They need to make that next movie they hinted at in the end with the joker. Bottom line- roof top batmobile chase, more please, Christian Bale batman eeeygh I don't think so.Batman Begins Deluxe Batmobile Vehicle

Batman Is Worth the extra cash for this HD-DVD.......2007-09-11

Batman Begins as a movie is great. The plot and settings of the movie really makes it feel like a real batman movie. Not colorful and very dark. The HD DVD transfer is amazing, with black levels beyond belief. If you have the standard def version and compare it to the HD version, you will notice a huge difference on any size high def t.v thats over 27 inches. I recommend this to any HD DVD owner, even if you have the standard dvd. a must.

Deffects Absent.......2007-09-06

Tim Burton's original Batman was truly groundbreaking and did deserve the huge amounts of praise it recieved (I never really cared for any of the sequels. While the Joker was surreal, at least he was accetable. Batman Returns carried the unreality a little far). However, it was flawed. Mainly, it was small things that caught my attention, such as the fact that Batman's suit was so stiff that he could hardly fight in it (did it bother anybody else that he couldn't even turn his neck?) and the movie made me wonder how organized crime could realisticly be so obvious in a city and no one do anything about it. Batman Begins makes the corruption of Gotham's judicial system and police department very real and makes you realize that an independent like Batman, as unlikely a hero as he is, is badly needed. And instead of skirting around the issues with the batsuit we finally see every part of it explained from the horns on his head to the reason for the design of his cape and(GASP!) it actually seems plausable, even almost likely. Other pluses include: Unlike in so many other movies, the special effects are not just there for themselves, but really add to the story. Other portrayals of Batman make him seem unstable and even dangerous to those he is supposedly protecting, while here he is an immovable, if dark, force for good with solid, sain reasons for doing what he does. (This movie just goes to show how adaptable Batman really is. There are so many good ways to portray him!) The villains, too, are unbelievably lifelike considering their origins (like Batman, the comics), good acting and a well devised plot draw you in and keep you wide-eyed, and, though some may say the movie was just too long, I loved every minute of it!

One of the best to show off your HD system!.......2007-09-01

I've noticed that everyone wants to review the film but nobody talks about its HD muscle. After buying many HD-DVDs I will say that Batman Begins is the overal best combination of amazing picture and fire setting audio! The Dolby TruHD audio track is stunning and somehow manages to make your house sound more like a movie theater than anything else out there. 100% recommended

Chris Nolan's Superhero Film Noir Restarts The Franchise.......2007-08-23

When I was a kid, I'll admit that I kind of hated Batman, thanks to reruns of the 1960s television series. On TV, Batman was sanctimonious, shallow and corny. In 1989, however, the advent of Tim Burton's Batman movie exposed me to a whole new side of Batman: a flawed, moody outsider who lived in a corrupt, gothic metropolis, and who was more than willing to act lethally if he felt it was needed. Batman became a huge success, and was one of the first "summer megahype movies" to benefit from the new Hollywood press machine. While the movie may have emphasized style over substance, seeing Michael Keaton's Batman (using an arsenal of high-tech vehicles and gadgets) take on Jack Nicholson's deformed Joker was pure entertainment. Batman fever reigned high at the time, but Burton's sequel, "Batman Returns", couldn't match the freshness of its predecessor, despite being a quite solid effort. Keaton and Burton left the franchise, leaving Val Kilmer in the unenviable position of tackling the role of Bruce Wayne in Joel Schumacher's inordinately campy "Batman Forever". Val Kilmer's almost psychadelic take on Batman wasn't enough to overcome the gaudy neons and cartoonish portrayals which plagued the movie; nonetheless, the movie was financially successful. With George Clooney as Batman, 1997's "Batman and Robin" was the inevitable straw that broke the camel's back, and was so terrible that it stalled the careers of Chris O'Donnell and Alicia Silverstone, and led Clooney to admit that he "was the guy who screwed Batman up". It looked like the franchise was dead, and the Batman movie license languished for years in development hell. After some false starts, "Memento" director Chris Nolan was the guy who was to revive the Batman franchise with this movie, which chronicles the very beginning of Batman's career.

While it has become fashionable to subscribe to the revisionist position that Tim Burton's "Batman" was a bad movie, the truth is that Nolan was clearly inspired to some degree by Burton. The look of Batman's armored outfit, the militaristic motif of the Tumbler (aka the Batmobile), the gritty take on city corruption- these are all clearly derived from Burton's work. However, Nolan's Gotham, while still dark and menacing, is not steeped in gothic fantasticism, but rather in a slightly more modern take on the classic noir urban setting of the mid 20th century. The characters are all portrayed and explored much deeper than the 1989 movie, and both the hero and villains behave more realistically.

The storyline hews closer to the various Batman comic books as well. The movie begins with Bruce Wayne (played by "American Psycho" star Christian Bale) locked in an Asian prison, being recruited by the enigmatic Ducard for the League of Shadows, a mysterious organization of vigilantes run by the even more mysterious R'az Al Ghul. Wayne trains to become a crime fighter, and through flashbacks, we see Bruce Wayne's childhood shattered when his wealthy and well-intentioned parents are killed by a desperate mugger. After college, he returns to Gotham City to kill the mugger, who is about to be released in return for testimony, but is beaten to the punch by Carmine Falcone's mob organization. Realizing that mere revenge is a doomed path, Wayne disappears to live life as a criminal, and gain insight. Back in the present day, Wayne is about to be inducted into the League, but things turn sour when he learns their true plans. Barely escaping with his life, Bruce Wayne returns to Gotham with an idea in his head- to create an alter ego which will strike fear into the hearts of criminals. Back in Gotham, he finds his father's company is in danger of losing its way, and is about to go public, thanks to the machinations of Earle, who was trusted with the company. Wayne finds allies in family butler Alfred, Lucius Fox, a former Wayne Enterprise executive who was demoted to a dead-end job in research, Rachel Dawes, his childhood friend turned idealistic assistant D.A., and Sergeant Jim Gordon, an honest cop in a district overrun by corruption. However, things are about to get "complicated", with both Carmine Falcone and corrupt Dr. Jonathan Crane (whose alter ego is the Scarecrow) acting as pawns for an even more sinister force preparing to unleash hell on Gotham.

First off, with the exception of Katie Holmes' flat portrayal of Dawes, the acting is top notch. The cast is a treasure trove of outstanding actors, including Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Liam Neeson, Morgan Freeman, Rutger Hauer, Tom Wilkinson, Cillian Murphy, and Linus Roache, to mention a few. While some may object to the slower pacing of the movie, it works well, and creates tension. The movie is saturated with browns, yellows and oranges, creating a warm glow to contrast with the sinister atmosphere brought by the story, while the minimalist soundtrack is appropriately gothic when needed. The movie seems busy at times, with not one but three main villains, and the requisite goons. The action sequences are presented at a frantic pace, and some may take issue with Nolan's filming of fight scenes in such an "indirect", chaotic manner. But in the end, this is a superhero movie of the highest order, which tries to balance the fantastic with the realistic, and usually succeeds. The movie viewer has been pretty fortunate with comic book movies as of late, with Superman Returns, the X-Men movies, and the Spiderman movies. By returning to the noir roots explored by Tim Burton, yet filming things his own way, Chris Nolan managed to restart the franchise without disrespecting what was done well in past iterations.

The single disc DVD version has literally no extras, whatsoever. However, the movie was so good I'll overlook it....this time. Whichever version you get, the movie is outstanding.

Average customer rating:

This is a must-see documentary
Islam: What the West needs to know
Very insightful
All Americans Should Be Taught What This Film Teaches
Educational and enlightning

Islam: What the West Needs to Know
Starring: Robert Spencer , Walid Shoebat , Bat Yeor , Serge Trifkovic , and Abdullah Al-Araby
Director: Gregory M. Davis , and Bryan Daly
Manufacturer: Quixotic Media, LLC
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B000PE0GQO
Release Date: 2007-07-17

Description

An examination of Islam, violence, and the fate of the non-Muslim world.

Virtually every major Western leader has over the past several years expressed the view that Islam is a peaceful religion and that those who commit violence in its name are fanatics who misinterpret its tenets. This claim, while widely circulated, rarely attracts serious public examination. Now, the question is finally being asked, "Is Islam itself violent?"

Through an examination of the Koran, other Islamic texts, and the example of the prophet Muhammad, this documentary establishes, through a sober and methodical presentation, that violence against non-Muslims is and has always been an integral aspect of Islam. "Jihad," while best translated as "struggle," as represented in the Koran and the life of Muhammad, means nothing less than organized warfare against unbelievers. Relying primarily on Islam's own sources, this documentary demonstrates that Islam is a violent, expansionary ideology that seeks the destruction or subjugation of other faiths, cultures, and systems of government.

The documentary consists of original interviews, citations from Islamic texts, Islamic artwork, computer-animated maps, footage of Western leaders, and Islamic television broadcasts. Its tone is sober, methodical, and compelling.

Features interviews with noted experts on Islam including Robert Spencer, Serge Trifkovic, Bat Ye'or, Abdullah Al-Araby, and former terrorist Walid Shoebat.

Customer Reviews:

This is a must-see documentary.......2007-09-08

I rarely review things on Amazon, but this DVD practically inspired me to run to my computer. I've read several books and articles on Islam. I've seen a couple of documentaries. But this DVD blew me away.

The format is excellent. Throughout the video you are shown clips by world leaders, politicians, etc., who chant the "Islam as a religion of peace" mantra. Then you are shown interviews by leading authorities in the study of Islam (men and women whose credentials are unassailable). These interview clips clearly and convincingly refute what the cultural elites and media are saying. The interviews are punctuated with quotes from the Koran and Haddith. Occasionally they also show clips from Muslim sermons, rallies, etc., that are quite disturbing.

I can't imagine someone watching this DVD and not coming away convinced that Islam is inherently a political ideology akin to Communism--i.e., not a "personal religion" like us Westerners view every other religion--, with clearly distinguishable dogmas that advocate physical jihad (not "spiritual jihad against one's passions") against unbelievers, the goal of which is to usher in a global theocracy of Shariah Law.

This movie should be watched by every sober-minded Westerner. Our politicians need to wake up, study these issues, and become intellectually honest in their portrayal of Islam. We have for too long been led astray by the "Islam is a religion of peace" propaganda. It is not too late for America, though it is probably too late for Europe (which Bat Ye'or has rightly dubbed "Eurabia").

See the trailers and other clips at [...].

Islam: What the West needs to know.......2007-09-07

I found this DVD very informative. The only people that would not like it are those who are only trying to lie to consumers about True Islam. There are some that are peaceful Muslims, but only through their ignorance of this religion. The Experts in this DVD are true Experts who look at Islam honestly. Islam has the goal to take over the world and to rule it with the sword. This DVD agrees with many other programs I have watched and books I have read including the Koran itself. You will not be disappointed!

Very insightful.......2007-09-06

Facts are presented from the Koran and Hadith in a very straightforward and unbiased method. Everyone in America and Europe should watch this video.

All Americans Should Be Taught What This Film Teaches.......2007-09-03

This film (somewhat biased against Islam) teaches from the Koran and from former Muslims how Islam began and what it stands for. Americans will be surprised to find out that Islam is not only a religion, but a system of government which is focused on spreading its system throughout the whole world (which apparently belongs to Muhammad), converting people to the religion of Islam or making them second class individuals, and killing any Jews or Christians that they come accross along the way. The experts explain this from the Koran itself.

Educational and enlightning.......2007-09-03

I've already read Robert Spencer's book "The Truth about Muhammad", and have recommended it to others, but I found this video an even better tool with which to open the eyes and gain the interest of others as to the truth of Islam. After watching this all of those I've shown it to have gone on to purchase Robert's, Walid's, and/or Bat's books. Wonderful work guys.

Average customer rating:

I liked American Psyco better
Batman Is Worth the extra cash for this HD-DVD
Deffects Absent
One of the best to show off your HD system!
Chris Nolan's Superhero Film Noir Restarts The Franchise

Batman Begins (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Christian Bale , Michael Caine , Liam Neeson , Katie Holmes , and Gary Oldman
Director: Christopher Nolan
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00005JNJV
Release Date: 2005-10-18

Product Description

Running Time 140 Min

Format: DVD MOVIE

Amazon.com

Cowritten by the team of David S. Goyer (a veteran comic book writer) and director Christopher Nolan (Memento), Batman Begins is a welcome return to the grim and gritty version of the Dark Knight, owing a great debt to the graphic novels that preceded it. It doesn't have the razzle dazzle, or the mass appeal, of Spider-Man 2 (though the Batmobile is cool), and retelling the origin means it starts slowly, like most "first" superhero movies. But it's certainly the best Bat-film since Burton's original, and one of the best superhero movies of its time. Bale cuts a good figure as Batman, intense and dangerous but with some of the lightheartedness Michael Keaton brought to the character. Michael Caine provides much of the film's humor as the family butler, Alfred, and as the love interest, Katie Holmes (Dawson's Creek) is surprisingly believable in her first adult role. Also featuring Gary Oldman as the young police officer Jim Gordon, Morgan Freeman as a Q-like gadgets expert, and Cillian Murphy as the vile Jonathan Crane. --David Horiuchi

Batman at Amazon.com

All Batman DVDs
Batman Begins 101: A Comic Book Primer
Where Have I Seen Christian Bale?

All Batman Comics and Graphic Novels
Batman Toys
Batman Begins Soundtrack

Stills from Batman Begins (click for larger images)

Customer Reviews:

I liked American Psyco better.......2007-09-12

Batman Is Worth the extra cash for this HD-DVD.......2007-09-11

Deffects Absent.......2007-09-06

One of the best to show off your HD system!.......2007-09-01

Chris Nolan's Superhero Film Noir Restarts The Franchise.......2007-08-23

Average customer rating:

Blue-Collar Comedy
Great Comedy
One Laugh After Another!
You Gotta Love The Outdoors!!!
Great Movie

The Great Outdoors
Starring: Dan Aykroyd , John Candy , Stephanie Faracy , Annette Bening , and Chris Young
Director: Howard Deutch
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 0783227884
Release Date: 1998-07-01

Amazon.com

This hit-and-miss 1988 comedy pairs John Candy and Dan Aykroyd in a story of one family's summer vacation all but ruined by the uninvited appearance of another, more loutish family. Howard Deutch (Some Kind of Wonderful) directs from a half-hearted John Hughes script, which reduces Hughes's jokes-and-epiphanies formula (The Breakfast Club, Home Alone) to true gaudiness. On the other hand, Annette Bening makes her screen debut here. The DVD release has a widescreen presentation, production notes, trailer, optional French soundtrack, and optional Spanish subtitles. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

Blue-Collar Comedy.......2007-08-12

This movie isn't some cutting edge, high brow comedy. What this movie is, is a throwback to those summer vacations you spent with your family in the north woods. You remember those summer vacations where you dad picked the woods, or mountains for vacation. You may not have been thrilled because you wanted to go to myrtle beach, but you went. Well, that's what happens with the characters in this movie, but they (unlike you and I) get into a few misadventures. In the process, you get to watch several entertaining episodes. You'll laugh and be thankful your trips to the woods weren't this strange. All in all, the movie is a good time, and one the few instances in which dan aykroyd is watchable. A good blast from the 80s, so enjoy!!!!

Great Comedy.......2007-07-08

This is not Academy Award material....it is not PC, not an epic, not a critically aclaimed educational biography, not an "uppercrust" movie.
It is.....totally funny, entertaining and has great scenery. It is what the "All American" person goes to see to be entertained, laugh, forget their problems (for the moment) and just be emersed in a wonderful movie.
It is John Candy and Dan Aykroyd at their best. Between the actors, the raccoons, the Big Bear, it has the whole enchilda. Believe me....this is one you can watch over and over again and not be bored.

One Laugh After Another!.......2007-02-07

This film cracks me up! I have watched it numerous times over the years and I still find every scene just as funny as I did the first time I watched it!

Two families come together to make this a great film. John Candy plays the kind, caring family man out to enjoy a family vacation with his wife and two sons at a cabin out in the wilderness in an area he enjoyed staying in as a boy with his family. Dan Aykroyd and his wife and two daughters decide to surprise Candy and his family by joining them on their vacation. Candy's character and Aykroyd's character are brother-in-laws and they are complete polar opposites in every sense of the word. Aykroyd's character is an annoying creep that thinks he's better than the next guy and is always doing the oneupmanship thing whenever he can. Mix Aykroyd's character and that of Candy's character and you have one laugh after another! Sit back, watch and enjoy this film!

You Gotta Love The Outdoors!!!.......2007-01-10

I think this is another one of John Candy's really funny movies!! I can't stop watching it!!!

Great Movie.......2007-01-10

If you like John Candy then you will love this movie - a true Candy Classic.

Dracula (75th Anniversary Edition) (Universal Legacy Series)

Average customer rating:

"OPTIONAL GLASS? THANK YOU UNIVERSAL STUDIOS"
See what music they make....
The Classical Dracula
Legendary
Dracula 75th Anniversary Edition Great Historical Info

Dracula (75th Anniversary Edition) (Universal Legacy Series)
Starring: Bela Lugosi
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000GPIPSS
Release Date: 2006-09-26

Amazon.com essential video

When Universal Pictures picked up the movie rights to a Broadway adaptation of Dracula, they felt secure in handing the property over to the sinister team of actor Lon Chaney and director Tod Browning. But Chaney died of cancer, and Universal hired the Hungarian who had scored a success in the stage play: Béla Lugosi. The resulting film launched both Lugosi's baroque career and the horror-movie cycle of the 1930s. It gets off to an atmospheric start, as we meet Count Dracula in his shadowy castle in Transylvania, superbly captured by the great cinematographer Karl Freund. Eventually Dracula and his blood-sucking devotee (Dwight Frye, in one of the cinema's truly mad performances) meet their match in a vampire-hunter called Van Helsing (Edward Van Sloan). If the later sections of the film are undeniably stage bound and a tad creaky, Dracula nevertheless casts a spell, thanks to Lugosi's creepily lugubrious manner and the eerie silences of Browning's directing style. (After a mood-enhancing snippet of Swan Lake under the opening titles, there is no music in the film.) Frankenstein, which was released a few months later, confirmed the horror craze, and Universal has been making money (and countless spin-off projects) from its twin titans of terror ever since. Certainly the role left a lasting impression on the increasingly addled and drug-addicted Lugosi, who was never quite able to distance himself from the part that made him a star. He was buried, at his request, in his black vampire cape. --Robert Horton

Customer Reviews:

"OPTIONAL GLASS? THANK YOU UNIVERSAL STUDIOS".......2007-09-16

Although I have not actually seen this latest version, I grew up in the 30's and 40's saving my allowance up to go to the Frankenstein, Wolf Man, Dracula and Mummy movies. As soon as they were available on tape, I added them all to my video library. When Dracula was re-issued with the Philip Glass soundtrack I had to have it. One viewing was all I could take of the intrusive, repetitative, distractive "sound"track noise I could take. I was disappointed that a true classic such as this was subjected to a remake with this as a background. It was promptly donated to the local library. Where this latest version is "Glass Optional" I may again restore The Count to my library. I noticed one reviewer claim that the Glass soundtrack was OK, but they preferred the movie without it. Me too!!!
Well, that's my say on this and the previous remake of a fine classic. Happy neck biting, all and enjoy that glass of wine.

See what music they make...........2007-09-10

The way Dracula should be! Bela provided the perfect mix of malice and attraction and forever changed the way people would see vampires. A masterful portrayal, Bela personified the evil of his character and showed no mercy at a time when Hollywood was brimming with feel good flicks. Over the next few years a new horror would arise...a real horror, a man who personified evil and showed no mercy...a man named Adolph Hitler. Watching him speak in public one can only wonder if he had watched Bela's portrayal of Dracula and modeled himself after it. The five stars I gave this film are based on Mr. Lugosi's performance. He was so terribly convincing.....in fact, I thought I saw a shadow moving on the wall just now....but that's absurd, it couldn't.........be???

The Classical Dracula.......2007-09-07

The 75th Edition has two movies. The English version with Bela Lugosi that we all know about. And the Spanish version. While the 2 disc set has tons of extras I wish to focus on the films.
The English version and the Spanish version were both made using the same script and props and setting but after that they seem to go their own ways. You see, the English movie was made during the day and than the Spanish crew and actors came in, and filmed theirs in the evening. But they were able to watch the dailies from the English version and say to themselves, we can do better than that.
I am going to go out on a limb and say the Spanish movie is slightly better. The acting and camera work has more energy. The Spanish actresses are sexier, which is important when you're dealing with a vampire story, and the English version feels like a silent film much of the time.
While I think Bela Lugosi did a great job I feel that the rest of the crew, the director and the caste of the English version were not up to the mission of bringing Dracula to the big screen. I have to declare the Spanish one the best Dracula film brought to the big screen so far.

Legendary.......2007-07-18

Really makes you understand why Dracula became an icon. Bela Legosi gives what has to be one of the best performances of all time.

Dracula 75th Anniversary Edition Great Historical Info.......2007-07-12

Want to know about Bela Lugosi his life and his co-stars in the movie "Dracula!" I learned many things about each category that I did not know before! Very detailed account of Bela and how he became "Count Dracula" that I am sure a true fan would find most interesting. Best of all, the classic movie "Dracula" plays on Disc 1. The true fan can really appreciate how the movie has been re-mastered. This movie is worth buying and not a disappointment.

Average customer rating:

The Bat Within...
a different kind of batman

Beast Within/Bat People
Starring: Beast Within , and Bat People
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000UDGOAM
Release Date: 2007-09-11

Customer Reviews:

The Bat Within..........2007-09-17

First, THE BEAST WITHIN is a great, bloody piece of cinematic slime from the early 80s. Ronny Cox (Robocop) is a father out to find out the horrible truth about his "son". You see, junior is the spawn of the mutant-rapist that attacked his mum 17 years earlier. Now, several grisly murders may be connected to this awful past event. TBW is memorable for the hideous transformation scene, where the killer's head expands into a beachball-like size and shape! Yecch! If movies like EVILSPEAK or XTRO tickle your gore-spot, then TBW will be a thrill! L.Q. Jones (Brotherhood Of Satan), R.G. Armstrong (Evilspeak, Race With The Devil) and a young Meshak Taylor also star. THE BAT PEOPLE is the add-on feature here, w/ Stewart Moss (doing his best Bradford Dillman immitation) as the odd Dr. Beck. Beck is bitten by bats in a cave, causing him to become a bloodthirsty maniac. If you enjoy movies like HIDEOUS SUN DEMON or TRACK OF THE MOONBEAST, then this one might be for you. If not, it could be quite an effective sleeping aid. Still, THE BEAST WITHIN is worth the price of this DVD on it's own infamous merit...

a different kind of batman .......2007-09-04

looking for fun on a rainy night ? the bat people is a forgotten little film from the seventies with the always underrated michael pataky .
a scientist is bitten by rabid bats that transmit a virius transforming him into a half man half bat .
there is a weird sexual tension in the film between the scientist and his wanting to be pregnant wife . the film today in the wake of the aids epidemic plays differently and adds depth that wasnt there when the film was made .
that said this is a mildly entertaining film with all the grindhouse horror cliches of the 1970s . a fun little film .
the second feature is not worth mentioning needless to say more transforming teenagers out looking for revenge . tired .

Average customer rating:

Much better than most schlocky family films
In the jungle you must wait, untill the dice reads 5 or 8
I love this
Unique ...
Wild Story!!!!!

Jumanji (Collector's Series)
Starring: Robin Williams , Jonathan Hyde , Kirsten Dunst , Bradley Pierce , and Bonnie Hunt
Director: Joe Johnston
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000031EGV
Release Date: 2000-01-25

Amazon.com

After the success of Jurassic Park in 1993, the floodgates opened for digital special effects, and Jumanji is nothing if not a showcase for computer-generated creepiness guaranteed to give young children a nightmare or two. Whether that was the filmmakers' intention is up for debate, since this is a PG-rated adventure revolving around a mysterious board game that unleashes a terrifying jungle world upon its players, including gigantic spiders, huge mosquitoes, a stampede of rhinos, elephants, and every other jungle beast you can imagine. Robin Williams plays a man-child who's been trapped in the world of "Jumanji" for 26 years until he's freed by two kids who've discovered the game and released its parade of dangerous horrors. A chaotic and misguided attempt at family entertainment, the movie does offer a few good laughs, and the effects are frequently impressive, if not entirely convincing to the eye. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

Much better than most schlocky family films.......2007-09-15

Just a few hours ago I finished watching this for the first time since it was released on those ancient things called VHS. Back then I loved it, but that was 13 years ago, I was 10, so, take that into consideration.

But now I'm 23, and a cinephile to say the least. I can appreciate a good movie for just being a movie, mindless entertainment, and Jumanji worked for me in that respect. On top of that I go through these phases where I have to watch movies with specific actors or actresses in them, last time it was Michael Keaton, then Rick Moranis, now it's Robin Williams (Dead Poet's Society is one of my absolute favorites.)

Like I said, it's mindless adventurous fun for the whole family. I caught myself laughing at moments I wasn't supposed to, since I like , meant in mock tone, "sophisticated" comedies, but I can't help it, Williams is great.

In the jungle you must wait, untill the dice reads 5 or 8.......2007-04-22

I saw this movie for the first time when I was like 9 or 10. I was so into it. I went out and bought the game right after seeing it. It all starts out with a little boy "Alen" is having a tough time. He is poicked on at school, does not have any friends and his parents want him to go to a school in which he does not want to go. Then one day he goes to a place where there is a company doing construction. He hears drums playing. He finds a game called Jumanji. He runs home and hides it. Then his parents leave to do something and him and a girl start playing. Things start to happen as they do. Bugs start flying around and bats start flying. The game comes alive. Then the boy rools something and the game bord tells him "in the jungle you must wait until the dice reads 5 or 8. He is sucked into the game. The girl gets so affraid that she runs out of the house with bats chasing her. Like 20 years go by and a lady and her sisters 2 kids (I think it was her sister) move in. The kids find the game and start playing. One of them rolls a 5 or 8 and the man is set free. He has aged as the time has gone by. He ends up playing the game with them to finish it. But he needs to get the girl whom played with him all those years ago to play as well because it is her turn. She screams when he arrives to ask her and he tricks her into playing. They all play the game and alot of crazy exciting things happen. I can not tell you what happens because that would ruin it for you. Buy this movie. It is well written. Has good acting from people such as Robin Willams, Kirsten Dunst, and Bradley Pierce. It will make you laugh and suck you in just like the game did Alen.

I love this.......2007-03-10

I like pretty nearly anything Robin Williams is in, but this was great for the whole family - a perfect vehicle for Williams' brand of slapstick humor.

Unique ..........2007-01-29

... is, I think, the best word for this film. As stated in an earlier review, most films are take-offs on dog-earred, thumb-smudged plots and tend only to restate what has been done before. This is especially true of many of today's productions where the film is an out-and-out remake of the earlier film. Often the title is not even changed.

But this story is different. I can't remember any film which has the same idea -- of a boy finding a board game and playing it with his friend only to unleash dire results.

The tale has been recounted in other reviews, so no need for me to restate it. Let's just say that this is a refreshing breath of air in an industry which has become stale in it's repeatition. Visuals are nice, but one can tell they are computer generated.

Older kids and adults will enjoy the story, I think, though I would be cautious about very young children watching. The movie could easily inspire dark dreams for those under age 8 (or so).

The film flows and has a really nice, unexpected twist at the end. Well worth the build up. I think most who watch the movie will like it. And of course it features Robin Williams.

*** Recommended ***
~P~

Wild Story!!!!!.......2006-12-12

A boy is sucked in to a game, now he and his 3 friends must finish the game. Robin Williams it is one of the greatest!!!!!
This is for all the Family.

Average customer rating:

A precious, precious movie!
A sensitive moving story
"With God's Help" ~ A Jewish Teaching On Hospitality, Anger, Forgiveness And Temporality
Delightful human story
This is a great movie

Ushpizin
Starring: Shuli Rand , Michal Bat-Sheva Rand , Shaul Mizrahi , Ilan Ganani , and Avraham Abutboul
Director: Giddi Dar
Manufacturer: New Line Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000E8QVAQ
Release Date: 2006-04-04

Amazon.com

A cinematic fable set in the orthodox Jewish world, Ushpizin follows a poor childless devout man named Moshe (Shuli Rand) and his wife Malli (Michal Bat Sheva Rand, Shuli's real-life spouse) who can't afford a succah, the temporary dwelling required by the Succoth holiday. Suddenly a friend helps them find a succah and an anonymous donation rescues them from debt; Moshe believes the Lord has smiled on him at last and celebrates by buying a particularly beautiful citron (a lemon-like fruit) for the Succoth observations. But when a couple of escaped convicts appear--one of whom knows Moshe from his old neighborhood--they insinuate themselves into Moshe and Malli's hospitality and quickly abuse it, threatening the couple's marriage and testing their faith. Like many Jewish stories, Ushpizin balances an almost fairy-tale story with psychologically real characters (made all the more vivid thanks to the uniformly excellent performances) and complex social conflict. The movie provides a fascinating look into a closed community--though its insider's perspective may seem initially opaque to many viewers, the personalities and conflicts soon become accessible to anyone. A unique, intriguing film. --Bret Fetzer

Description

Winner of the 2004 Best Actor award at the 2004 Israeli Film Academy for writer-star Shuli Rand, Ushpizin is a heart warming and light hearted look at the daily lives of ultra-Orthodox Jews learning, living and loving in modern-day Israel. Following the story of a family facing hardships, they must rely on their faith for miracles to happen during the holiday season. Inspiring, heartwarming and uplifting, Ushpizin is a critically acclaimed film that regardless of faith or religion, everybody can enjoy.

Customer Reviews:

A precious, precious movie!.......2007-09-15

I really enjoyed this movie! Although it is in Hebrew, I believe, the subtitles were easy to follow and the story easy to understand. It helps to have some background in spiritual principles and Scripture. Still, it is enough to understand love, desire, and the capacity for being human striving for personal and spiritual growth.

This movie is precious, and will stay with me for a long time, I think. I fell in love with the characters and their spiritual journey. You will, too.

The Chosen

Fiddler on the Roof (2-Disc Collector's Edition)

A sensitive moving story.......2007-08-12

I'd heard a lot of good things about this film, and wasn't disappointed. And it's quite a refreshing change to actually see a film wherein the Hassidic/Hareidi characters are portrayed in a sensitive balanced realistic way, instead of like one-dimensional cardboard cutouts, bigoted sexist Medieval fanatics, fodder for a bunch of cheap "jokes," or doing things that anyone who's familiar with their culture and theology knows they just don't do (such as the offensive and massively inaccurate depictions of Hareidi life in 'A Price Above Rubies' and 'Kadosh'). The interplay between the husband and wife is made even more effective knowing that they're married in real life; the actor, Shuli Rand, returned to acting after becoming frum just to make this film, and on the condition that his real-life wife Michal Bat-Sheva be his screen wife, since to act with any other woman would be to violate the laws of negiyah (touch) and yichud (being alone in a closed area). For a first-time acting role, Mrs. Rand is incredibly convincing, as though she were a professional actor. All of the other major Hareidi roles were also played by people who are observant in real-life, giving the picture even more of a feeling of authenticity.

The week-long festival of Sukkot is coming up, but Moshe and Malka (Mali) Belanga, who are ba'alei teshuvah (newly-observant people), are so hard up for money that they're looking at the very real possibility of not being able to afford anything for the holiday--the four species (etrog [citron], lulav [date palm], aravah [willow], and hadas [myrtle]), a sukkah (the temporary booth which one lives in during much of the holiday), or even food to prepare festive meals. All they have are their faith and their love, but even those things are being sorely tested by their poverty, particularly because they've been married nearly five years and yet are still childless. However, a series of miracles occur that enable them to enjoy the holiday properly, and they feel that perhaps things are finally looking up for them, until a friend from Moshe's far-from-frum past shows up, along with a friend of his whom Moshe doesn't know. When both of these men, escaped convicts, show up at the Belangas' sukkah, they can't be turned away because of the tradition of hospitality and because of the importance of having guests (ushpizin) in one's sukkah, but their presence quickly turns a happy holiday into a very tense stressful difficult time. The miracles that enabled Moshe and Mali to have a happy holiday also start to seem more like curses in disguise as the holiday wears on. They also have to deal with personal issues that are exacerbated by these outside forces, and along the way all of the main characters have to confront their own demons and learn some important lessons about things like pride, faith, love, hospitality, tolerance, and acceptance.

As fine as the film is, though, I thought it could have afforded to go on maybe another 10 or 15 minutes. While I did love the ending, it seemed as though the story was wrapped up a bit too neatly and quickly. There were a couple of plot points that weren't really resolved. Overall, though, it's a very moving and balanced portrayal of Hareidi life in Jerusalem, showing the viewer that these people, apart from some surface differences, aren't really too different from people in the outside world. They have the same hopes, dreams, and fears, such as money difficulties and love for their spouses, and there are many people like the helpful well-meaning Ben Baruch, the wise old rabbi who is a lot more understanding and non-condemnatory than some other people in the neighborhood, and the enthusiastically pious Mali. Though it is a religious story, the underlying themes could be of interest to anyone.

"With God's Help" ~ A Jewish Teaching On Hospitality, Anger, Forgiveness And Temporality.......2007-07-29

Note: Hebrew with English subtitles.

Synopsis: The '04 Israeli film `Ushpizin' (meaning "Guest") takes place in a Orthodox Jewish neighborhood in the holy city of Jerusalem. As the story unfolds we discover that things are not going well for the main characters Moshe (Shuli Rand) and his wife Mali (Michal Bat-Sheva Rand). Succah is only a day away and they have no money to properly prepare for the religious celebration. When an unexpected financial blessing occurs after much soul searching and prayer they are convinced that surely a miracle has taken place. However when two unexpected guests appear and begin to cause problems the spirit of holiness begins to dissolve. Soon Moshe and Mali begin to doubt God's blessing and wonder what the Almighty has in mind.

Critique: `Ushpizin' is one of the rare films that succeed in not only entertaining but also instructing. At first the audience will expect a comedy largely due to the fact that Shuli Rand looks exactly like Tevye from `Fiddler on the Roof.' However that initial expectation soon disappears and a serious drama unfolds as the two main characters grabble with the situation at hand, their own personal problems and the Jewish concepts of hospitality, anger, forgiveness and the temporal nature of life. As Moshe says, when all is said and done "There's only God."

Delightful human story.......2007-06-16

Well done, entertaining and inspiring too. I was skeptical about watching this movie since it is a) foreign, b) about Jewish people and c) religious, all things I am not, however I was very glad I did watch it.

First, the acting was good, both the emotion and humor translated well through the screen, especially in the character of the wife who I particularly enjoyed watching. I thought the lessons and the trials that the main characters faced, a husband and wife who have unexpected guests drop in for a special celebration, were universal in nature. I could relate to how often when we are reaching for a goal it seems that life tests our resolve in ways that can be both heart breaking and comical.

This movie shows all of that and more without being preachy or taking life too seriously.

This is a great movie.......2007-06-12

This is a really good movie.
It is very nice and has a good ending.
I definitely recommend it.

FernGully - The Last Rainforest (Family Fun Edition)

Average customer rating:

Fern Gully
Beautiful childrens' movie
Great Movie
Good intentions, disappointing result
Fantastic movie and good DVD

FernGully - The Last Rainforest (Family Fun Edition)
Starring: Tim Curry , Samantha Mathis , Christian Slater , Jonathan Ward , and Robin Williams
Director: Bill Kroyer
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Animation | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B000A9QK78
Release Date: 2005-10-18

Amazon.com

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