Once Upon a Time in America (Two-Disc Special Edition)

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This movie has a checkered history, having been chopped from its original 227-minute director's cut to 139 minutes for its U.S. release. This longer edition benefits from having the complete story (the short version has huge gaps) about turn-of-the-century Jewish immigrants in America finding their way into lives of crime, as told in flashback by an aging Jewish gangster named Noodles (Robert De Niro). On the other hand, it's almost four hours long, and this sometimes-indulgent Sergio Leone film is no Godfather. Still, it is notable for the contrast between Leone's elegiac take on the gangster film and his occasional explosive action, as well as for the mix of the stoic, inexpressive De Niro and the hyperactive James Woods as his lifelong friend and rival. --Marshall Fine

Customer Reviews:

Make Some Time.......2007-09-03

Once you start watching this movie you can't stop. DeNiro and James Woods are gangsters growing up in New York. One of the best movies I have scene which marks the passage of time.

Corey Cotta, Author of All of Yesterdays Tomorrows

a classic.......2007-08-05

his is an epic, episodic tale of the lives of a small group of New York City Jewish gangsters spanning over 40 years. The movie centers on David 'Noodles' Aaronson (Robert De Niro) and his lifelong partners in crime, Max (James Woods), Cockeye (William Forsythe) and Patsy (James Hayden) and their friends, who all grew up in New York's Lower East Side in the 1920s-1930s. In the late 1960s, an elderly Noodles returns to New York after many years in hiding to look into the past.

Told mostly in flashbacks and flash-forwards, this film is a classic that has us discover great actors, including Jennifer Connelly and Brian Bloom. It features a great cast, like Danny Aiello and Joe Pesci.

One of the masterpieces in film history worth watching.
If you have 4 hours to spare, take your time to watch it. It's worth it - at least once in your lifetime - for the cinematography, the acting, the music, and the directing.

Has there ever been a longer movie?.......2007-07-15

Well, sure. Several.

This movie is looong, and while it deserves to be seen in one sitting, that's not likely.

It's the standard rise-of-a-mob story, enhanced and improved, and even elevated, by the performances of De Niro, Pesci, Woods, and a cast of hundreds.

I admire this film way more than I actually like it. I'm not sure it needs to be owned; rented, perhaps.

Still, it needs to be viewed at least once by anyone who actually loves movies.

Haunting and Brilliant. .......2007-06-19

This is an unbelievably beautiful story which is multi-layered and textured to a great extent. Yes, it certainly is a gangster movie and it also is a love story; although, one about as politically incorrect as they come. Both aspects of the film are conceptually executed well. I can't say the same thing about many of its technical aspects, however. At 3:45, this movie is far too long and moves too slow. It could easily have been just as good if an hour had been cut out of it. Furthermore, Sergio Leone is no Martin Scorsese. There's an element of amateurism inherent to the production as the reunion of Elizabeth McGovern and DeNiro is rendered ridiculous as he was an old man despite her not aging a day after 35 years.

Once Upon a Time in America is a very unique film as unlike a Goodfellas or Casino it is rich in sentimentality and the effect is mesmerizing but also very depressing. Ennio Morricone's musical score adds to the film's melancholic feel. It's not the type of thing you can see more than a couple of times but there's no denying that it's excellent.

LONG AND DRAWN OUT.......2007-06-13

WITH AN ALLSTAR CAST YOU WOULD THINK IT WOULD BE SUPER. BUT IT'S NOTHING MORE THAN A SLEEPER. THIS MOVIE WAS TERRIBLE! I FELT TORTURED SITTING THROUGH THIS BOMB! DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME WITH THIS ONE.

Once Upon a Time in America (Two-Disc Special Edition)

Average customer rating:

Make Some Time
a classic
Has there ever been a longer movie?
Haunting and Brilliant.
LONG AND DRAWN OUT

Once Upon a Time in America (Two-Disc Special Edition)
Starring: Robert De Niro , James Woods , Elizabeth McGovern , Treat Williams , and Tuesday Weld
Director: Sergio Leone
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B000092T6K
Release Date: 2003-06-10

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Description

Robert De Niro and James Woods star in Sergio Leone's award winning epic about a ruthless criminal empire. The original director's version of a timeless movie masterpiece.

Customer Reviews:

Make Some Time.......2007-09-03

a classic.......2007-08-05

Has there ever been a longer movie?.......2007-07-15

Haunting and Brilliant. .......2007-06-19

LONG AND DRAWN OUT.......2007-06-13

WITH AN ALLSTAR CAST YOU WOULD THINK IT WOULD BE SUPER. BUT IT'S NOTHING MORE THAN A SLEEPER. THIS MOVIE WAS TERRIBLE! I FELT TORTURED SITTING THROUGH THIS BOMB! DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME WITH THIS ONE.

Average customer rating:

There is a better transfer!!
Jet Li as the great Wong Fei-Hung !
A good Jet Li film
Entertaining movie
Chinese legend... played by a Chinese legend

Once Upon a Time in China #1
Starring: Jet Li , Biao Yuen , Rosamund Kwan , Steve Tartalia , and Jacky Cheung
Director: Hark Tsui
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
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ASIN: B000050B7J
Release Date: 2001-01-09

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The first of a popular series (six in all) starring the charismatic and athletically adept Jet Li. Li plays legendary folk hero Wong Fei Hong, a late 19th century southern Chinese healer and kung fu master. The story begins with Western powers (American, British, and French) encroaching on the city of Canton. Wong is asked by the Black Flag army to safeguard the town by creating his own militia of kung fu experts. His assistants include the butcher "Porky" (Kent Cheng), a Chinese-American named Bucktooth So (Jacky Cheung), and his westernized "Auntie" Yee (Rosamund Kwan), a non-blood-related childhood friend for whom he holds a special affection. But the Westerners aren't the only problem in Canton. The Sha Ho gang terrorizes local businesses and has begun dealing with the Americans in exporting Chinese for slave labor and prostitution. A down-on-his-luck kung fu master named Iron Vest Yim (Yan Yee Kwan) has decided he needs to defeat Wong to open a school and Leung Fu (Jackie Chan contemporary Yuen Biao), a traveling opera troupe groupie, just keeps getting in the way. This epic martial-arts film showcases Li's amazing fighting and acrobatic skills and established Tsui Hark as a top-notch action film director. The final fight scene between Wong and Yim entails a dizzying orchestration of kicks and punches while teeter-tottering on ladders. The DVD features star bios, filmographies, trailers, and clips from early Wong Fei Hong films that starred veteran actor Kwan Tak Hing. --Shannon Gee

Customer Reviews:

There is a better transfer!!.......2007-09-16

There are actually two separate transfers on this DVD! There is the original theatrical version with Chinese audio, accessible from the main menu (with a running time of 2 hours and 14 minutes. But if you go into the special features, there is a bonus English dubbed version (which is 1 hour and 40 minutes long), and has a different transfer. The transfer itself is far better, and does not suffer from the same video issues. The trade off is that it is an edited version, (and includes English title cards) and the Chinese audio is not an option.
This is also the case in the Once Upon a Time in China 2 DVD.

Jet Li as the great Wong Fei-Hung !.......2007-08-05

I was definitely in the mood for Jet Li, and thus I grabbed "Once Upon a Time in China." The movie is about Wong Fei-Hung (Jet Li) a Chinese martial arts expert who protects the Chinese people from the foreignors (British and Americans) invading his land. Fei-Hung starts a militia to help protect the people, and they wind up getting in trouble by fighting with a local mob group. Fei-Hung also runs afoul with the local Magistrate who is kowtowing to the foreignors. Fei-Hung later fights with another martial arts expert, Iron Vest Yim, who wants to start his own Martial Arts school. All the plots come to a climax on the American base, where the Americans shoot at the British and Chinese, while trying to steal Chinese women to bring back to America. Yes, the plot is a bit out there, but the martial arts scenes are outstanding. Especially the final fight scene between Fei-Hung and Iron Vest!
There is alot of comedy intermixed in the storyline also. One of the funniest scenes, is where a Western camera is brought to Fei-Hungs house, and a picture is to be taken of him, another person and a bird. The camera goes off with a boom, and the bird inside the cage is turned to fried chicken! Pretty hilarious.
The picture quality is not the greatest for a DVD, but still very watchable. How can you not love the martial arts scenes in this movie?
There are some extras on the DVD:

* There is a commentary from martial arts reviewer Ric Meyers.
* 5 movie trailers, including one for "Once upon a time in china"
* Talent files for Tsui Hark, Jet Li, and Rosamund Kwan. The files were a bit underwhelming, and they did not have a full bio for all of Jet Li's movies.
The DVD also has 2 versions. The original Theatrical version and the English dubbed version. I watched the cantonese version, with English subtitles which was fine!

A good Jet Li film.......2007-07-06

Jet Li is Wong Fei-Hung, a Chinese leader, who is also skilled in martial arts. Wong Fei-Hung is seeing the influence of the USA and England in China, and he attempts to learn some things about it in an effort to slow it down, since people he personally knows are enchanted by the allure of advanced technology and gold.

The film is set in the 1900's, as one of the supporting characters uses a first-generation camera for photography. This film is about 20% action, 80% story, so it is not a continuous kung fu fest. Jet Li was in his 20's when he made this film, so if you want to see what he was like before he became a superstar, this film is worth seeing-especially if you consider the low price it typically commands ($7-$10 brand new).

Entertaining movie.......2007-05-07

Jet Li chinese movies are very entertaining. If you don't know this already and like martial arts, get it.

Chinese legend... played by a Chinese legend.......2007-04-02

this is one of Jet Li's first staring role and the role that made him an icon of Chinese cinema. This has some great fight sequences and raised the bar for every martial artist movie that followed. Jet plays Wong Fei-Hong who is revered as one of the most powerful icons of the this era in China. He is the Chinese Wyatt Earp and is beloved in china. Many movies have been made featuring this martial artist legend ( and featuring Wong Fei-Hong father) This is also the beginning of a huge martial arts franchise, the panicle is Part 2 where Li fights Kung Fu legend Donnie Yen. this is a must for your martial arts movie collection and serves as the beginning of many great film by Jet Li.

Average customer rating:

A flawed entry in the OUATIC series but still a fun one
Some bad acting, but still up to par
Once Upon a Time for an Average Sequel
Good ol' fashion super silly kung fu
An interesting, but flawed attempt

Once Upon a Time in China and America
Starring: Jet Li , Rosamund Kwan , Xin Xin Xiong , Kwok-Pong Chan , and Jeff Wolfe
Director: Sammo Hung Kam-Bo
Manufacturer: Image Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: 6305020744
Release Date: 2002-09-24

Customer Reviews:

A flawed entry in the OUATIC series but still a fun one.......2006-12-08

So Sammo Hung decided to put his name into the history books by making the last Wong Fei-Hung movie starring Jet Li. The movie starts off with Wong, Clubfoot, and Aunt 13 travelling across America to go visit Bucktooth at his new Po Chi Lam school. Wong befriends a man named Billy and they become good friends even though they can't speak eachother's language. Billy loves everything abouth the Chinese once he meets them especially their fighting skills. During an attack the group gets split up and Wong hits his head on a rock and loses his memory. He knows how to do everything he did before but he just doesn't know who he is or remember anythign liek that. So Wong lives with Indians for a while before Clubfoot finally reminds Master Wong who he is. As an injected subplot there are robbers who Master Wong, Clubfoot, and Billy have to take on in the final fight.

Overall I was pretty dissapointed in this movie but it still had enough good moments to recommend it to people who have seen the other 4 Wong Fei-Hung films with Jet Li. The movie just really doesn't know what it wants to be. Some parts are over violent and while that wouldn't be so bad, Jet Li and everybody else can't make a single movement without it being wire assisted. This does become bothersome but luckily Sammo slows down on it as the movie moves along. As expected in a Sammo movie, it is hilarious at times but they should have made it just a comedy or a very serious movie and not tried to have a perfect blend of everything becasue they do anythign but. The final fight is good but still below standards of other movies in this series, even the hard to watch #3.

Also this movie has to be the best showcase for Xin Xin Xiong ever right up there with 'Hero of Heroes'. Sadly he doesn't do much in the final fight but it is still a rare showcase for him. Truly one of the best, or would have been if he could have gotten more of a chance.

The version I have of this movie is from China Star Entertainment Group and also has the name of Win's Entertainment group on it. The DVD is somewhat dissapointing with slightly below average picture quality and subtitles that constantly show up 5 seconds after the person has spoken making the dialogue very hard to follow. There is a 30 minute making of on the DVD and even though most of it is is Chinese, about 7 minutes are interviews with Americans and overall it is very fun to watch.

Some bad acting, but still up to par.......2004-06-06

Ignore the bad acting and analyze the action. Even in America Jet is unstoppable in this final film in the OUTIC series. I recommend this to all to Jet fans.

Once Upon a Time for an Average Sequel.......2003-07-15

Well, on the outside, it would appear that Jet Li had made a triumphant return to the series that made his career. In reality, this sequel falls short of the glory of the past titles. You should know that Jet Li was replaced for Once Upon a Time in China 4 and 5. (This being the sixth) Those movies were also very much below the quality of the first two. I suppose this movie does a better job than the Vincent Zhao vehicles that are OUATIC 4 and 5, but not by much. I must say these movies are very similar. I can tell you this, the storyline deals with the whole fish out of water ordeal. The big twist in this movie is that Jet Li bangs his head on a rock and thinks he is a native american indian. Then with some coaxing from his friend, Clubfoot, (read: fighting) he goes back to normal. In my opinion the romance between Jet Li and Roseamund Kwan has never been a strong point in the series. Much like Shanghai Noon, this movie goes out with a whimper, not a bang when Jet Li fights some evil looking goth cowboyesque character on top of a platform. I have to say, the fina fight scene is sub par for any Kung Fu Film and especially Jet Li. So in the end, go enjoy Once Upon a Time in China one and two. Go enjoy the gangster masterpiece Once Upon a Time in America, but be weary of the sub-par Kung Fu/Westerner that is Once Upon a Time in China and America. I recommend "Rikki-Oh" cause as far as Kung Fu movies, it's the poorest produced flick i have ever seen, but it's also the funniest. Check it out now.

Good ol' fashion super silly kung fu.......2002-09-04

who cares about what the indians look like, or the main bad guys overuse of an eyebrow pencil?
This had everything you look for in a kung fu movie: action, humor and NO PLOT!!
All the people watching this who are taking it seriously, are watching the wrong movie.

This is the first movie i saw out of the "once upon..." series. I tried watching the first 3 after this one, and they paled in comparison.

So if you want to watch a first rate, cheesey kung fu movie, this is for you. If you want a documentary on Native American wardrobe, go watch the Discovery Channel.

...

An interesting, but flawed attempt.......2002-08-12

Although they managed to drag Jet Li back to the series for this installment, I personally wish they'd left the saga on the more respectable note that was the fourth sequel. Though the production values are high, with the American locations and actors being considerably better than in most HK films, the movie's plot is the weakest of the lot.
While Sammo Hung's direction makes the best visual use of the settings, it's suprisingly the action sequences that are the biggest let-down. The number of them is fairly frequent and the choreography is reasonable, but they are just too short to hold the attention. The failure to have a strong villian for Wong Fei-Hung to battle is also a major minus point.
There is also no attempt made to develop the characters and their relationships, as it seems the filmmakers think that dumping WFH and the gang in the middle of a Western is enough to justify making the film. It isn't.
It's a shame such a great series of movies signs off with such a weak parting shot. One for OUATIC completists only.

Once Upon a Time in China (Digitally Remastered Collector's Edition) Trilogy DVD Boxset

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Once Upon a Time in China (Digitally Remastered Collector's Edition) Trilogy DVD Boxset

Manufacturer: Fortune Star
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Product Features:

digitally remastered
printed with company's logo
canvas-like-material box cover
non English or Spanish dubbed
3 disc package in 1 boxset

ASIN: B000FT5T84

Product Description

Remastered DVD edition (non dubbed). Canvas-like material boxset. Region ALL NTSC. Printed with company's logo. Non bootleg or copy!

Once Upon a Time in America (Limited Edition Collector's Set)

Average customer rating:

Make Some Time
a classic
Has there ever been a longer movie?
Haunting and Brilliant.
LONG AND DRAWN OUT

Once Upon a Time in America (Limited Edition Collector's Set)
Starring: Robert De Niro , James Woods , Elizabeth McGovern , Treat Williams , and Tuesday Weld
Director: Sergio Leone
Manufacturer: Creative Design Art
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0000C2IS9
Release Date: 2003-09-22

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Customer Reviews:

Make Some Time.......2007-09-03

a classic.......2007-08-05

Has there ever been a longer movie?.......2007-07-15

Haunting and Brilliant. .......2007-06-19

LONG AND DRAWN OUT.......2007-06-13

WITH AN ALLSTAR CAST YOU WOULD THINK IT WOULD BE SUPER. BUT IT'S NOTHING MORE THAN A SLEEPER. THIS MOVIE WAS TERRIBLE! I FELT TORTURED SITTING THROUGH THIS BOMB! DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME WITH THIS ONE.

Average customer rating:

Once Upon a Time in America [Region 2]
Starring: Robert De Niro , James Woods , Elizabeth McGovern , Treat Williams , and Tuesday Weld
Director: Sergio Leone
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00009555U

Average customer rating:

Make Some Time
a classic
Has there ever been a longer movie?
Haunting and Brilliant.
LONG AND DRAWN OUT

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ASIN: B0000CC7GR

Amazon.com essential video

Customer Reviews:

Make Some Time.......2007-09-03

a classic.......2007-08-05

Has there ever been a longer movie?.......2007-07-15

Haunting and Brilliant. .......2007-06-19

LONG AND DRAWN OUT.......2007-06-13

WITH AN ALLSTAR CAST YOU WOULD THINK IT WOULD BE SUPER. BUT IT'S NOTHING MORE THAN A SLEEPER. THIS MOVIE WAS TERRIBLE! I FELT TORTURED SITTING THROUGH THIS BOMB! DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME WITH THIS ONE.

Average customer rating:

Good!!
Double Plus Good
Once Upon a Masterpiece
A true HK classic
Personally, my favorite Jet Li movie

Once Upon a Time in China #1
Starring: Jet Li , Biao Yuen , Rosamund Kwan , Steve Tartalia , and Jacky Cheung
Director: Hark Tsui
Manufacturer: Image Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: 6305235074
Release Date: 1998-11-17

Amazon.com essential video

Customer Reviews:

Good!!.......2002-08-25

This is one of Jet Li's finest movies. He acted as "Huang Fei Hong" who is a famous person in China. He is righteous and always protect the weak from the ruthless. If you want to see real kung fu (not enhance by computers), this is the one to get. Jet Li will put every current kung fu movies to shame.

Double Plus Good.......2002-07-20

This has to be the greatest martial arts film. It has some of the best fighting in all of filmed entertainment history, it has a fantastic story, centering around Po Chi Lam and the hero of legend Wong-Fei Hung. With the greatest martial arts star, Jet Li and Directed by Tsui Hark, this is the definitive martial arts film ever.

Once Upon a Masterpiece.......2000-10-25

This is probably the most all round compelling martial arts film I have ever seen. It combines amazing fight sequences with a complex story and surperb acting. Jet Li plays Wong Fei Hung, a kung fu master who runs a local militia of Chinamen. Tentions are rising as the British and the Americans are entering China to exploit it's resorces. Eventually they boil over and what unravels is what happened Once Upon a Time in China. This story really has it all and Li(in the role that made him a star) is magnificent. I gave this movie 5 stars based on its rank of Hong Kong martial arts flims I have seen. I highly recommend it to any fan of action films and particularly to Jet Li fans.

A true HK classic.......2000-10-24

Once Upon A Time In China is a true landmark in Hong Kong film industry and also Jet Li's best film. It features some of the best Martial arts action ever seen onscreen. The fight between Wong Fei Hung(Jet Li) and Yim Chan Tung is truly amazing and at times surpassing any of Jackie Chan's movies. The film itself has a strong plot and could hold up against some of the best dramas in Hollywood. A for the DVD itself, picture is O.K for a film that is shot 10 years back and it includes trailers and some of Kwan Tak Hing's fight scenes(the 60s' Wong Fei Hung). There's even a booklet surrounding the real person and the actors who potrays him. In the audio department, it's a little dissapointing as some of the sounds sound a bit muffled. Overall this deserves to be in your collection because this is one movie you cannot miss at any cost. Purchase it today!

Personally, my favorite Jet Li movie.......2000-09-23

The plot may confuse some people, but another viewing will clear things up. The first time I watched it, I was blew away by the fight sequences and the cinematography. I saw this movie back in 1993 when I was a kid. I was a fan of Jet Li ever since. I wanted the VHS version, but it was too expensive..so now that the DVD version is out, although it's still expensive I think it's worth it. The part I love most about the movie is how the movie portray the AMERICANS as really DUMB villians. All you see in hollywood today is minorities playing the stupid role of the villian. This is good for a change...hahhaha...

Average customer rating:

Make Some Time
a classic
Has there ever been a longer movie?
Haunting and Brilliant.
LONG AND DRAWN OUT

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

( O ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

ASIN: B0000934BA

Amazon.com essential video

Customer Reviews:

Make Some Time.......2007-09-03

a classic.......2007-08-05

Has there ever been a longer movie?.......2007-07-15

Haunting and Brilliant. .......2007-06-19

LONG AND DRAWN OUT.......2007-06-13

WITH AN ALLSTAR CAST YOU WOULD THINK IT WOULD BE SUPER. BUT IT'S NOTHING MORE THAN A SLEEPER. THIS MOVIE WAS TERRIBLE! I FELT TORTURED SITTING THROUGH THIS BOMB! DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME WITH THIS ONE.

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