Empire of the Sun

Amazon.com essential video

Roundly dismissed as one of Steven Spielberg's least successful efforts, this very underrated film poignantly follows the World War II adventures of young Jim (a brilliant Christian Bale), caught in the throes of the fall of China. What if you once had everything and lost it all in an afternoon? What if you were only 12? Bale's transformation, from pampered British ruling-class child to an imprisoned, desperate, nearly feral boy, is nothing short of stunning. Also stunning are exceptional sets, cinematography, and music (the last courtesy of John Williams) that enhance author J.G. Ballard's and screenwriter Tom Stoppard's depiction of another, less familiar casualty of war.

In a time when competitors were releasing "comedic," derivative coming-of-age films, Empire of the Sun stands out as an epic in the classic David Lean sense--despite confusion or perceived competition with the equally excellent The Last Emperor (also released in 1987, and also a coming-of-age in a similar setting). It is also a remarkable testament to, yes, the human spirit. And despite its disappointing box-office returns, Empire of the Sun helped to further establish Spielberg as more than a commercial director and set the standard, tone, and look for future efforts Schindler's List and Saving Private Ryan. --N.F. Mendoza

Description

Steven Spielberg's epic about a youngster's harrowing and remarkable experiences in World War II-era China after the Japanese invasion. Best Picture,Director/ National Board of Review.

Customer Reviews:

*****.......2007-09-03

Christian Bale portrays Jim a young spoiled British boy living in Singapore before the start of World War II. His world collapses when he is seperated from his parent and intered in a Japanese prison camp for civilian. In this unique environment Jim grows and the war end. The young boy is changed forever by his experiences. Great movie.

Corey Cotta, Author of All of Yesterdays Tomorrows

Super Great Film.......2007-08-31

After viewing the film a couple times I then read most of the reviews. I was astounded that so many reviews didn't pick up on the greatness of the film. But then I read Mike Sobocinski's review. He offered an insightful analysis that suggested to me why so many viewers got lost. I say to one and all future viewers, read Mike's analysis. It will open up a world of understanding about this film. It certainly did for me. Mike's review, however, didn't mention these: 1. The best juvenile performance I've ever seen. 2. John William's fabulous sound track, especially his composition of "Exsultate Justi." 3. The rich treble voice of James Rainbird singing "Suo Gan." I only hope that the famous critics give this movie another look.

A rather remarkable film.......2007-08-17

In 1941, the world changes for a British boy after the Japanese invade Shanghai, China at the height of World War II. His family is forced to flee. But during the chaos that ensues, he becomes separated from his mother and father. His life of wealth and privilege is quickly erased.

Left to his own devices, he then meets two lowlifes - Basie and his sidekick Frank. Against Frank's wishes, Basie takes the hyper-active boy under his wing. But they are soon captured and placed in an internment camp where they spend the next 4 years. During imprisonment, Mr. and Mrs. Victor fill the role of surrogate parents who look after him.

Relics of his recent past often get him into trouble but serve as symbols throughout the story. Going back for his toy airplane (a symbol of his boyhood) is the reason he was separated from his parents in the first place. Another symbol of his past are the golf shoes. When he leaves them behind, it nearly gets him killed.

Near the end, he discards his suitcase filled with personal items marking a break from the past. After the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945, his life takes another turn.

STEVEN SPIELB ERG IS THE BEST.......2007-08-11

THIS IS ONE OF MY ALL-TIME FAVORITES.
EARLY CHRISTIAN BALE-- GREAT ACTOR!

Explanation and analysis.......2007-07-26

It has become clear to me that I need to write a full interpretation of the film in order to help numerous other viewers understand some of the richness of this brilliant screenplay. There is no way to fully do justice in the space allotted for an Amazon review, but here are the most important points.
1. Viewers and critics should be aware that the film is based on a novel, in surreal style, by J.G. Ballard (notice: J.G. - the Jim Graham character in the film), who based the work on his own World War II experiences in the Pacific Theater. I read this novel back before the film ever came out, and it's my assessment that the film is actually better than the novel, although at the time it took me two viewings to start to appreciate what the film did. (The first viewing made me familiar with the surface story and allowed me to start to recognize motifs as symbols and metaphor during the second and subsequent viewings.)
2. Following the surreal precedent of the book, but also meshing very well with the Spielberg style, is that many events are not meant to be taken as a literal presentation of reality. This should be clear as a result of the early presentation of Jim's fantasy flight sequence in the downed plane. In literature, the device would be called an unreliable narrator, but the film has a point of view rather than an actual narrator, and so it takes the form of sometimes presenting things as the character perceives them, rather than how things probably would have actually happened in reality. The car crashing through the boards at the end, for example, is a representation of "the Helldrivers of Shanghai" film that Jim had told Basie about. It makes no sense in reality for a car to be crashed through flaming boards; this is just one of many examples where audiences should understand that we are seeing things through the eye of an unreliable narrator. Another example: Jim admits later that he has even forgotten what his parents look like. If the early scene of being tucked into bed looks too idealized to be true, it is meant to be. The image is a film recreation of an actual painting by Norman Rockwell (the epitome of idealized parents and childhood) and one should notice that there is a weird flutter in that scene, as if some frames had been pulled from the film but the gap "dissolved" over through editing. This is deliberate, since that very image is then carried by Jim in his briefcase, pinned on his dorm walls, etc.
3. The themes: This film is ultimately a sophisticated representation of authentic religiosity (in the sense of a spiritual quest). (Authentic in the sense of innate, rather than claiming that religiosity is the sole domain of one specific faith or that it is wrapped up in specific rituals and doctrine, which is untrue since such ideas and urges pre-date every specific religion that is known today, and are felt across all denominations and religions) the film deals with the subject through symbolism and metaphor. We are awakened to the theme from the very outset, since Jim's character is first seen in church, singing (bored), in a representation of the specific trappings of religion, as a child, before they have gained any true meaning for him. (That they later do is made evident by his recurrent singing in which what was first a mere ritual is gradually imbued with added meaning until it effectively encompasses his entire existence, as at the end even his parents mean very little to him). Jim feels a compulsion, which in his youth is seen as an obsession with flying, that is quickly connected to a spiritual curiosity with the line "If God is above us, does it mean up, like flying?" His mother "I don't know about God" and neither does Jim at first but this is where he starts to learn. Again and again the airplanes are given emotional significance far beyond anything that would be justifiable if it were taken literally. Jim idolizes those who have the chance to fly, yearns to join with the vehicle that allows flight, is enraptured by the waving pilot, refers to the taste of the plane in his mouth, the bones in the aircraft runway, etc. All of this must be viewed in terms of symbolism and metaphor! Only then does the film's meaning, and the emotions of the character's development, become clear.
4. The development: Although in literal terms, Jim is a boy who ages only a handful of years, his character metaphorically represents an archetype of a spiritual seeker, and it appears to me that great care has been taken so that his character during these few years actually represents each phase of a human life, from childhood to death. The busy active adult years start at the film's half-way point as represented by Jim's busy-sequence in the camp and his competitive, dog-eat-dog activities, his elevation of the importance of conformity and material gain, social climbing, etc. A married phase is added metaphorically through the Mrs. Victor character (explaning fully the sensual way that so many of their shots have been set up, including the voyeuristic scene, the kiss effect of Mrs. Victor taking Jim's suitcase, the handling of their characters during the march, after she asks "Jim, where's Mr. Victor?" and the way she drinks the water from his hands - she is effectively treated as his metaphorical wife whom he sees die once they are sufficiently aged, and Jim's own senescence comes with a long sequence of total disenchantment with the world (a long and moving sequence of sad events during the end of the film), a transcendent breakthrough; (the idea of his death is made explicit by the coffin-like suitcase, but the stadium itself is filmed as if they'd passed through a gateway to the beyond) as he returns to the arms of his creator/mother at the end with ever-so-slowly closing eyes before the funeral like waters shot [the symbolism of which had been set up in the film's very first shot])
4. Jim proceeds to become disillusioned by every aspect of material and human culture that he had started with, rejecting each element sequentially over the last half-hour of the film until the only thing that remains is his own self, and the solitary metaphorical journey that he'd felt compelled to undertake from the outset. Basie and the militaristic delusions are rejected (along with the discarded dogtags necklace), those he valued all die or disappear (or, as with the parents, have lost their meaning, notice that one of the few things he retains is a gift from the doctor - the conjugation of the Latin verb for "love" which he recites like a mantra), all his possessions disappear, and he wanders as if through a desert before receiving a manna-like gift from above, in the form of parachuted war rations (note the ecstatic reaction and surreal presentation at that point) that leads to a personal ecstatic rapture unexplainable to other persons because none of it comes from a social/material origin - those were merely forms through which his understanding could grow and through which it could find expression.

This film is a masterpiece; the screenplay is a brilliantly rich work, and the film offers such metaphorical richness that I have gotten new things out of it after more than a dozen viewings. Extensive details and subtleties await the scrutiny and analysis of serious and educated viewers. I have simply given an overview here to guide others.

Average customer rating:

Excellent take on Atlantis
Very authentic source for Atlantean language (Dig Adlantisag)
Does just as much things right as it does wrong
Grand, song-free adventure
Holes in the Plot but Nice to Watch

Atlantis - The Lost Empire
Starring: Michael J. Fox , Corey Burton , Claudia Christian , James Garner , and John Mahoney
Director: Kirk Wise , and Gary Trousdale
Manufacturer: Walt Disney Video
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00005RDSQ
Release Date: 2002-01-29

Amazon.com

The Disney Studio was built on innovation in animation, so it seems ironic that Atlantis is both a bold departure and highly derivative, borrowing heavily from anime, video games, and graphic novels. Instead of songs and fuzzy little animals, the artists offer an action-adventure set in 1914: nerdy linguist Milo Thatch (Michael J. Fox) believes he's found the location of the legendary Lost Continent. An eccentric zillionaire sends Milo out to test his hypothesis with an anachronistic crew that includes tough Puerto Rican mechanic Audrey (Jacqueline Obradors), demolition expert Vinnie (Don Novello), and butt-kicking blond adventurer Helga (Claudia Christian). When they find Atlantis, its culture is dying because the people can no longer read the runes that explain their mysterious power source--but Milo can. Nasty Commander Rourke (James Garner) attempts to steal that power source, leading to the requisite all-out battle.

Atlantis offers some nifty battle scenes, including an attack on a Jules Verne-esque submarine by a giant robotic trilobite and fishlike flying cars. But the film suffers from major story problems. If Princess Kida (Cree Summer) remembers her civilization at its height, why can't she read the runes? Why doesn't Milo's crew notice that the Atlanteans live for centuries? The angular designs are based on the work of comic book artist Mike Mignola (Hellboy), and the artists struggle with the characters' stubby hands, skinny limbs, and pointed jaws. The result is a film that will appeal more to 10-year-old boys than to family audiences.

Suitable for ages 8 and up: violence, scary imagery, tobacco use, and a difficult-to-follow story. --Charles Solomon

Description

From the creative team who brought you THE LION KING and BEAUTY AND THE BEAST comes an exciting quest of adventure and discovery. Join the expedition and search below the sea for one of the greatest mysteries of all time ... ATLANTIS: THE LOST EMPIRE. The world's most highly qualified crew of archaeologists and explorers are led by historian Milo Thatch as they board the incredible 1,000-foot submarine Ulysses and head deep into the mysteries of the sea. The underwater expedition takes an unexpected turn when the team's mission must switch from exploring Atlantis to protecting it. Filled with stunning visual effects, this captivating story is loaded with laughs and messages of friendship and teamwork. Dive into ATLANTIS: THE LOST EMPIRE -- it's an adventure your family will enjoy taking over and over again.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent take on Atlantis.......2007-06-30

I really liked this story from start to finish. I thought it did give a different take on the lost city and how it was lost and possibly forgotten by most. I also did like the part of the story about the "use of crystals" and what message that did send. Don't abuse power, respect and honor it. See this movie for yourself and make your own opinions of it. I liked it very much and will be watching it over and over again!!!

Very authentic source for Atlantean language (Dig Adlantisag).......2007-06-16

The added features have great appeal to those interested the on-going work toward the discipherment and codification of Atlantean, the language made up for the movie.

The journal pages on disk 2 are very legible (compared to the movie) and contain actual Atlantean - just as Don Hahn said in an interview with ReelFilms.Com. And according to Okrand, the written Atlantean that appears in the film is the largest portion of the language exihibited anywhere (as opposed to speaking parts). Other interesting linguist features are "How to Speak Atlantean", the transcription of which can be found online at LangMaker.Com and in the book "Subterranean Tours" on page 61.

The "hub" and archives of most discipherment efforts is the Yahoo Tech Group The Atlantean Language Group. There's also a messy Wikipedia article and many low-profile online webpages. It's a historic conlang with a vocabulary that's primarily Proto-Indo-European and a grammar that's mostly Latin, only with post-positions and no variety in grammatical case endings: there's one declension and no grammatical gender.

Just make sure the DVD you order has no viruses before you send feedback. Mine has a virus that shuts down my computer for long periods of time.

The language is awesome. That's the only reason I'd buy a movie like this. The movie is highly Wiccan in influence and, as such, completely spiritually corrupt and lamentably geared toward children. Buyer, beware!

Does just as much things right as it does wrong.......2007-03-13

When one looks at the studio's Walt Disney-approved output to the recent input, there's almost a kind of "yeah they're good but they're not as good as ". It's quite unfair to continually compare everything they do to their best but when they've done as much popular movies as they have, it's hard not to. We have Atlantis, the first movie Disney has done in recent years that breaks the mold of the so-called "Disney formula": wisecracking comic reliefs, lovable non-talkative pets, songs fit for Broadway and a bit more toned-down as far as violence and scariness are concerned. Maybe that's the reason the film didn't make as big a profit? Or is just simply audiences knew when an okay film was in theatres.

Milo Thatch, a historian/adventure seeker has been searching for the lost continent of Atlantis for years. Being aided financially and a crew, Milo searches for the continent, braving obstacles set in place to dissuade travellers. Eventually the crew reach the lost city and meet Kida, the King's daughter who along with Milo, tries to solve a mystery involving the city and rescue it for those who want to exploit the city itself.

It's always strange but Disney is underrated when it deals with heavy scenes. From Bambi's mother to Maleficent the dragon to Chernabog from Fantasia to my favorite, the Headless Horseman in Legend of Sleepy Hollow, there have been moments of a more darker quality. Yet some of them seemed toned down in fear that kids wouldn't like it. So it's nice to see Atlantis break that tradition a bit. The opening sequence of Atlantis (including a fantastic opening shot, sound and animation-wise), the encounter with a mechanical Atlantis guardian and the ending are just as thrilling for adults but maybe a bit too intense for little kids. Speaking of animation, it's also some of their animators' best from the backgrounds to the art direction and character designs and thanks to a stellar transfer, it allows you to be see their efforts in the best way.

However, the problems come from 2 key areas: the story and characters. I've watched plenty of animes so I'm a bit more receptive to strange plots but this is one of those where at times it's like "uh...I don't get that part." And the film just kind of chugs along, there's no real emotional connection so we go from scene to scene and feeling a bit disconnected. And it's strange that the old Disney films had one-dimensional characters but we still loved them anyway. There's even the Seven Dwarfs that were pretty one-note but each one became a favorite regardless. Aside from a weird dirt-obsessed character named Moliere and the occasional funny line from the bomb-obsessed Vinny, we never really care for anyone.

Finally no songs or cutesyness yet the story itself just doesn't feel right. But at least they had the balls to at least try something new for a change. I love the animation and its tone but the main areas that should've got more attention got shortchanged. Not really a throwaway film, just an interesting flawed one.

Grand, song-free adventure.......2007-03-09

This is one of the few "dark" Disney animated films that have achieved the PG rating (*shudder*). Thus, there are lots of explosions, strange happenings, guns, and other stuff like that. Not your typical song-and-dance-with-animal fare.

The story is about this linguist nerd who wants to find Atlantis, and does. The sidekicks (esp. Vinnie) have some great quips.

If you like steampunk, good film to watch once in a while.

Holes in the Plot but Nice to Watch.......2007-01-09

Throw away those fuzzy slippers and be prepared for an adventure in the tradition of "Swiss Family Robinson" and "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea." A crew of adventurers and a nerdy librarian head deep under the ocean to seek the lost city of Atlantis.

Milo Thatch (nicely voiced by Michael J. Fox) lives in the shadow of his adventurous grandfather. Michael is a sheltered librarian, but he has twinges of adventure. Milo accepts the opportunity to accompany an expedition in search of Atlantis, though Milo requires a little persuasion.

The expedition seems well equipped. The leader of the expedition, Commander Rourke (voiced by James Garner) also seems quite competent, if a bit too enthusiastic. Unfortunately, the expedition failed to prepare for the obstacles they would soon face, beginning with a giant creature (the kraken) guarding the entrance to an undersea cave.

After the encounter with the creature the expedition is several reduced. Fortunately Milo is quite knowledgeable and leads the remnants of the expedition to a great city. Perhaps it would be more accurate to say that the city was once great, because the people in the city seem relatively simple. There is little technology evident and the people seem like simple farmers and fishermen. Yet, Milo's books tell him that the city possesses great treasures and a great secret.

Soon Milo finds himself at odds with Commander Rourke and other members of the crew as they reveal the real purpose they came to Atlantis. Will Milo and the Atlanteans survive the catastrophe that is about to occur? What happened to the technology that Atlantis supposedly has? Will Milo and beautiful Atlantean Kida fall in love? A viewer has many things to discover in this film!

I like this movie though it has a number of issues. The list of problems in the movie is lengthy and has been well covered in other places, so I will not repeat the list here. Some of the problems are very evident; others require repeated watching to spot (unless you have reviewed the list of problems before watching). I still like the movie in spite of the problems.

I have always enjoyed Disney's adventure films (the Davy Crockett movies, "Island at the Top of the World," etc.), but Disney has focused on fuzzy critters and movies aimed at pre-teen girls in recent years. It is nice to see Disney return to its roots with a rousing adventure film. Have fun with the mistakes in the movie and enjoy a bowl of popcorn while spotting them. Fans of Disney's adventure films will like this one!

Enjoy!

Average customer rating:

"Byzantium: The Lost Empire (1997) ... John Romer ... Koch Vision (2007)"
Excellent
Byzantium the Lost Empire

Byzantium: The Lost Empire
Starring: Byzantium-the Lost Empire
Manufacturer: Koch Vision
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000QGE86A
Release Date: 2007-08-14

Description

For more than 1,000 years, the Byzantine Empire was the eye of the entire world - the origin of great literature, fine art and modern government. Heir to Greece and Rome, the Byzantine Empire was also the first Christian empire. Now, after a year of filming on three continents, TLC unlocks this ancient civilization, spanning 11 centuries and three continents. Pass through the gates of Constantinople, explore the magnificent mosque of Hagia Sophia and see the looted treasures of the empire now located in St. Marks, Venice.

Customer Reviews:

"Byzantium: The Lost Empire (1997) ... John Romer ... Koch Vision (2007)".......2007-08-25

Koch Vision presents "BYZANTIUM: THE LOST EMPIRE" (1997) (208 mins/Color) (Dolby Digital) --- Centered around the ancient Greek port of Byzantium, then called Constantinople, the Eastern Roman Empire outlasted the fall of Rome by a thousand years --- A new culture rose to replace the old, sheltering the last vestiges of Western learning during the Dark Ages, thriving off the silk and spice trade from the East, and eventually succumbing to the ruthless advance of the Ottoman Turks --- If you want an excellent survey of Byzantine history done in colorful fashion, this is for you --- This documentary would also be excellent for educators, who are teaching about Roman, or medieval history --- divided into three portions, first dealing with the fall of the Western Roman Empire, the rise of Christianity and the beginning of the Byzantine Empire --- The second section deals with Byzantine diplomacy and the iconoclastic controversy --- the third and final part explains the decline and fall of Byzantium --- shot in several countries, and beautifully integrates Byzantine history into the realities of the modern world, showing the place of this civilization as part of human civilization in general --- Historian John Romer leads a fascinating journey back in time to discover the wondrous treasures of a fallen and forgotten realm --- John Romer is to be credited not only for his excellent production but also for his joyful enthusiasm for the subject which is most refreshing --- President Harry S Truman was quoted, "The only thing new in this world is the history that you don't know." --- how true, how very true!

Great job by Koch Vision --- looking forward to more high quality titles from the BBC Collection film market --- order your copy now from Amazon or Koch Vision where there are plenty of copies available on DVD, stay tuned once again for top notch releases --- where they are experts in releasing long forgotten films and treasures to the collector.

Total Time: 208 mins on DVD ~ Koch Vision KOCV6472 ~ (8/14/2007)

Excellent.......2007-08-08

Simply excellent! Byzantium in all his glory. Only sad thing is that this is only documentary of byzantine history that we have today. I would give 6 or more stars if it's possible.

Byzantium the Lost Empire.......2007-07-30

This is one of the best documentaries ever made on the history of the East Roman (or Byzantine) Empire.
John Romer is a brilliant historian and presents the material in a truly magnificent manner. A must see for anyone interested in the history of Constantinople and the (Byzantine) Empire of New Rome.

Average customer rating:

you have got to be kidding!!!!!
If I EVER get to see it .. I might just like it
Produced by a Tobacco company?...
Lost Empires 3volume boxed DVD
Colin Firth's Big Television Break

Lost Empires (3 DVD Set)
Starring: Colin Firth , John Castle (II) , Carmen du Sautoy , Beatie Edney , and Pamela Stephenson
Director: Alan Grint
Manufacturer: Goldhil Home Media
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000065U2J
Release Date: 2002-05-28

Description

This extraordinary Masterpiece Theatre featured production based on the novel by JB Priestley, and featuring one of the last performances of Sir Laurence Olivier, takes you to the last days of Britain's innocence and the glamorous, magical world of the great music halls - which once brought entertainment to millions. In 1913, young Richard Herncastle, played by Colin Firth, escapes from a stuffy, provincial English background into the glitter and excitement of the theatre world. Funny, sad, and nostalgic, Lost Empires, follows Richard from his naïve, country upbringing to join his uncle Nick Ollanton, a famous music hall illusionist - known as the Indian Magician, Ganga Dun. The mystery of illusions, on and off the stage, is eventually shattered for Richard, whose dream of becoming a famous painter becomes sidetracked while he contends with men gone nearly insane, the lusts of countless women, and a murder that hangs over his head. As Lost Empires opens, looming on the horizon is World War I, which will destroy so much of Britain's tradition, including the great era of the Empire music hall. Soon the cinema will replace the eccentric and colorful performers whose home is the world of variety.

Customer Reviews:

you have got to be kidding!!!!!.......2007-04-23

this is a very good series, however i would not pay over $25 for it. this is not rare or even hard to find! go order it from your local video store it cost $30 from them. but profitering on an item that is not even the least bit difficult to obtain you have got to be kidding!!!!!

If I EVER get to see it .. I might just like it.......2007-02-16

Beware .. I ordered this item November 16, 2006 and I STILL do not have it.. the deadline keeps getting pushed up and I have to keep renewing my order. I am VERY disappointed. If you are planning to buy this for a loved one or a special date, don't bother. I would not be surprised if I don't have it by Fall this year.

Produced by a Tobacco company?..........2007-01-01

It must have been... Characters are CONSTANTLY smoking SOMETHING. Cigars, cigarettes, even a hookah at one point. It seems at times there's barely a moment when there isn't someone smoking in the scene.

However, that's my only complaint-- I thought the plot was unique, it was pretty well executed, and most of the acting is pretty good. I saw the whole thing in two days, 1/2 at a time and was quite engrossed. All in all quite good, but I felt I had to say something about the incessant and unnecessary infusion of tobacco in just about every scene...

Lost Empires 3volume boxed DVD.......2006-05-22

Item of good quality and sent to me securely and promptly.

Colin Firth's Big Television Break.......2006-03-10

Colin Firth's first memorable TV role - and doesn't he look young! This series links the beginning of the decline of the British Empire with beginning of the decline of the British Music Hall - the former with the First World war and the latter with the advent of cinema. The script is superb and Colin Firth and John Castle's performances are excellant. There is a cameo role in the first episode from Sir Laurence Olivier but it is obvious that his skill is in decline.
The main story is Colin's (Richard Herncastle's) coming of age - as he certainly learns about life in the music halls before he is shipped out to the horrors of the War. He loses his love but miraculously regains it in the trenches when fate decrees that she turns up to entertain the troops, Colin gets wounded and she saves him.
It is a wonderful story to get lost in on a cold winter's night and I greatly recommend it.

Average customer rating:

What a fun movie!
DO NOT waste your time...
awsome!!!!!
The Lost Kingdom
Entertainment vs Accuracy

The Lost Empire
Starring: Thomas Gibson , Ling Bai , Russell Wong , Ric Young , and Kabir Bedi
Director: Peter MacDonald
Manufacturer: Lions Gate
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ASIN: B00005COWD
Release Date: 2001-08-14

Amazon.com

This three-hour made-for-television epic based on the classic Chinese story Journey to the West is an engaging mix of fantasy and martial-arts adventure, and it features a veritable tsunami of special effects. The plot involves an American China scholar (played by Thomas Gibson) whose knowledge of Asian mythology becomes astoundingly useful when he is magically transported into other dimensions by terra cotta warriors who come to life. The American scholar soon finds himself face to face with a wisecracking Monkey King (Russell Wong), a mystical warrior whose martial-arts skills are matched only by his sarcastic one-liners. The mismatched heroes have only three days to find an ancient manuscript and thereby save the world from destruction, and they're assisted by the timely interventions of the Goddess of Mercy (played by Bai Ling). The rambling plot puts the characters into confrontations with tigers, dragons, and evil giants, and at times they're joined by such unorthodox allies as a human with the head of a pig. As his quest progresses, the scholar has to learn to think like a warrior, and there are innumerable obstacles put in his path. Even if the plot doesn't always seem terribly coherent, the computer-generated special effects are entertaining, and the film has no shortage of bizarre villains, flashy martial-arts scenes, and sardonic quips from the Monkey King. --Robert J. McNamara

Customer Reviews:

What a fun movie!.......2007-07-25

Chinese mythology, campy modernism, a bit of "stretching", an interesting story line and some not-bad acting combine to make this a movie that the whole family can enjoy. A favorite in our family for many years, we were pleased to be able to add it to our CD collection.

DO NOT waste your time..........2007-06-25

This movie was so bad and yet I watched it all just to see if possibly it would get better. It didn't. The only one that can act is the damn monkey and even then the character development is slim. I always buy Halmark movies, they've been great (10th Kingdom etc) but this one is the worst movie they've ever endorsed. I read all the reviews and decided to give it a chance-save yourself the dissapointment. The movie could have been so good. The plot is quite good but the screenplay, acting, effects, are not. A goddess having a drink at the bar...come on, even I won't watch something that lame. Mythology is something I love but the way these people portray it becomes laughable, and disrespects the story it's trying to tell. Most of all you can't even like the hero because he is so annoying! Buy the Snow Queen, Jack and the Beanstalk, DEFINETLY 10th Kingdom, but don't buy this movie!
(no, don't even think about giving it a chance because it has a cool cover)

awsome!!!!!.......2007-05-31

i liked this movie so much i don't know what to say about it other than it's friggin awsome!!!!! it has a great story line, i liked it so much i bought it. i originally saw it on the scifi channel but didn't get to see the whole thing. if you want something to make you laugh then you ought to get this movie.

The Lost Kingdom.......2007-05-27

Well done modern telling of a classic Chinese tale. Some special effects were not up to todays standards but that did not get in the way of a well done story.

Entertainment vs Accuracy.......2006-12-06

I picked 3 stars as a medium for this movie.

For those of you who enjoy mythical worlds for entertainment purposes, then you might rank this as high as 4 stars. Though the acting by Thomas Gibson (playing journalist Nick Orton, the Scholar) falls a bit flat, Russell Wong makes for an enthusiastic and entertaining Monkey King. The costumes are nicely done, particularly that of Pigsy, and the martial arts scenes are well choregraphed though a little cheesy sometimes. The special effects, while not perfect quality, give the movie character and a touch of humor.

For those of you who favor accuracy, this probably falls as low as two stars. (1 if you are an extremist, but then why did you even bother watching this?) The movie was created with little regard of the historical/modern origins of Buddhist religion. Issues of particular note are:
1. the Goddess Kwan Ying's deception/drunkenness at the begining of the movie and the romantic feelings throughout the film conflicting with the modern view of the holy figure Guan Yin (whom Kwan Ying is based on)**
2. the portrayal of Confucious as greedy and selfish instead of wise
3. (though not a religious issue) there seems to be a little bit of a dig at Chinese communism in the movie's second half which may be too much for the politically sensitive. There is some obvious emphasis on Western values such as individualism vs the collectivism of the Chinese.

** For those of you crying bloody murder over the portrayal of Guan Yin and looking for a warped version of a Christian holy figure, see the movie series 'Prophecy' by Gregory Widen. (Interestingly, Russell Wong is also a lead in Prophecy II as Danyael.) The archangel Gabriel has turned against the Christian God and the humans of God's creation. The warping of holy figures doesn't just happen to those of Chinese origin - it happens everywhere.

Note: THIS IS ***NOT*** A RECREATION OF 'JOURNEY TO THE WEST'!!!

Too many people seem to be expecting this. If you are looking for a retelling of 'Journey to the West', keep going as this is not for you. This is a Westernized story that pulls elements from the story "Journey to the West". You will not find a cast of all Asian characters. You will not find Buddhism or Confucionism presented here accurately. This is an entertainment piece and not a historical one. This was made for a the general American (and European?) audience and not an Asian one.

Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2-Disc Collector's Edition)

Average customer rating:

Excellent take on Atlantis
Very authentic source for Atlantean language (Dig Adlantisag)
Does just as much things right as it does wrong
Grand, song-free adventure
Holes in the Plot but Nice to Watch

Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2-Disc Collector's Edition)
Starring: Michael J. Fox , Corey Burton , Claudia Christian , James Garner , and John Mahoney
Director: Kirk Wise , and Gary Trousdale
Manufacturer: Walt Disney Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00005RDSN
Release Date: 2002-01-29

Amazon.com

Suitable for ages 8 and up: violence, scary imagery, tobacco use, and a difficult-to-follow story. --Charles Solomon

Description

Set your course for the ultimate undersea adventure of discovery and amazement in this state-of-the-art 2-Disc DVD Collector's Edition. Begin your journey by exploring the action-and-effects packed 2D/3D animated feature and awe-inspiring extras on Disc One. Navigate through stunning, never-before-seen bonus features on Disc Two using one of three exclusive viewing modes, a historic first from Disney! Loaded to capacity with technical wizardry, this special Collector's Edition of ATLANTIS: THE LOST EMPIRE sets a course as one of Disney's most exciting DVD creations ever. The journey awaits!

Customer Reviews:

Excellent take on Atlantis.......2007-06-30

Very authentic source for Atlantean language (Dig Adlantisag).......2007-06-16

Does just as much things right as it does wrong.......2007-03-13

Grand, song-free adventure.......2007-03-09

Holes in the Plot but Nice to Watch.......2007-01-09

Average customer rating:

The Ingenuity of the Inca

NOVA: Secrets of Lost Empires - Inca
Director: Michael Barnes
Manufacturer: Wgbh Boston
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B000C8STPS
Release Date: 2006-02-28

Product Description

Nova's team of scientists look at how the Inca tribe survived in the Peruvian Andes 500 years ago.

System Requirements:

Running Time 60 Mins.

Format: DVD MOVIE

Customer Reviews:

The Ingenuity of the Inca.......2007-06-20

If the Incas didn't have wheels, then how did they erect huge walls? If they didn't have writing, how did they keep tabs on things? This documentary tries to answer that. Basically, those filmed try to set stones in a similar fashion and build an Incan bridge. The first project is speculative but the second project is actually done by the Incas' descendants.

Personally, I prefer documentaries about ancient peoples more than about their structures. Whereas ancient Egyptian paintings really grab my attention, I can look at Maccu Pichu (sp?) and be bored visually. This work shows a bit of modern, indigenous Peruvians. In fact, they seemed to be proud to try to discover the ways of the ancients. They showed women carrying babies trying to pull stones with the menfolk; you'd never see a woman with a non-weaned child in a Western construction site. I think the presence of the white academics and the indigenous Peruvians is meant to show something multiracial and coalitional. They show both groups eating cooked guinea pig and I'm almost sure it's shown just to amuse and possibly gross out viewers in industrialized countries.

The work isn't sappy, but it will impress the viewer about how amazing human ingenuity is. People of the past had high infant mortality and low life expectancies, but that didn't stop them from erecting things that can last for centuries.

If your children like the film and Saturday cartoon "Emperor's New Groove," then you may want to let them view this documentary.

Average customer rating:

Anything With Ross Hagen And Robbie The Robot Will Be Excellent, I'm Sure...
What more could you want?

Phantom Empire
Starring: Ross Hagen , Jeffrey Combs , Dawn Wildsmith , Robert Quarry , and Susan Stokey
Director: Fred Olen Ray
Manufacturer: Retromedia
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000AYYVCE
Release Date: 2005-10-11

Description

A group of scientists searching for the lost city of R'lyla face terror when they become unwilling dinner guests at a cannibal feast. But bad turns to worse when they face Zal, the amazon ruler, in her bedroom. Director Fred Olen Ray assembles a seasoned troupe of genre film veterans for this bizarre cinematic coctail.

Customer Reviews:

Anything With Ross Hagen And Robbie The Robot Will Be Excellent, I'm Sure..........2006-12-22

This is a cheapie starring legendary B-movie icon Ross Hagen as a master spelunker, scream queen Michelle Bauer as a "cave bunny," and Sybil Danning as an alien queen. The plot is almost unbearably silly: some explorers and scientists go on a trek to the center of the Earth, where they discover a land of luscious prehistoric cave bunnies who can't speak a word, but who have crafted rather nice bikinis for themselves. The cave bunnies are entangled with a group of underground mutant cannibals (I never knew that when you roasted a live human female on a spit that you left her swimsuit on, removing only the jeans...) and the three parties spend the first half of the film chasing each other around the caves until a laser-wielding Robbie the Robot turns up to try to stop the fight, though he is defeated by the makeup mirror in a woman's compact. (Really. Don't ask.)

Eventually the explorers plus cave bunny Bauer emerge from the cave in (of course) a land that time forgot featuring an evil, but busty alien queen, Sybil Danning, in the most ludicrous vehicle I have seen in a long time. From then on there is a three way struggle featuring the explorers, the Queen and her minions, and stop motion dinosaurs clearly lifted from another movie (I believe they are from the same source as was seen in the altogether more entertaining "Galaxy of the Dinosaurs.") They chase each other around the desert, wrestle, and encounter a volcano (more stock footage) before ultimately carjacking the Queen's vehicle, blowing it up in a cave, and finding themselves free on the other side of the cave with millions worth of diamonds they discovered in the desert. Confused? You will be.

This is essentially low-budget monster movie mayhem, and as such is camp of the highest order. It is stupid, but cheesily fun. I recommend it only to people who like campy, trashy mindlessly silly pictures starring yesterday's favorites from the B-movie circuit. The DVD has several extras including a commentary, and a sometimes (though mostly not) amusing introduction from Director Fred Olen Ray; this is part of his "Nite Owl Theater" series, which I hope he continues in the same spirit of Joe Bob Briggs. The drive in will live forever!

What more could you want?.......2006-07-16

This movie has everything: lost underground "civilisations", cave mutants, bikini clad cave bunnies, Barbeque Girl, Robbie the Robot (back after all these years with a new head and available for rent, cheap), dinosaurs, a spaceship, topless catfighting, swordplay, laserbolts, stock footage of a volcano and Sybil Danning bounding about in, and almost out of, very tight leather. It just keeps rollicking along.

Who cares if it doesn't have a believable plot, a good script or decent acting? If you want a decent laugh listen to the director's commentary and the interviews. Shot in about six days on virturally no budget, nobody took this seriously, and neither should you.

The eye-candy keeps improving as the movie progresses, too. Somebody in Hollywood must have made a fortune making bikinis for movies like this. And Sybil Danning, almost busting out, bounds gleefully around the set, swinging a sword, glowering imperiously down her nose and trying not to laugh as she delivers her lines. Sybil, the Mistress of the Master Race (she is Austrian) plays the Alien Queen. (In this one they didn't let her carry a whip, but at the bequest of the other women on the set she punched out the leading actor.) She is tall, athletic, gorgeous and sexy, which makes her one of my favourite actresses. Who cares if she didn't have to act? I've seen her act in other movies, but in this one, she just doesn't have to.

If you want a movie with reasonable T&A, a fast pace, a bit of a laugh and which requires no use of the grey matter at all, I recommend this. If you want a good movie, forget it.

Lost Treasures of the Ancient World Series 3 - Empires in the Americas

Average customer rating:

Aztecs and Incas Together

Lost Treasures of the Ancient World Series 3 - Empires in the Americas
Starring: Lost Treasures
Manufacturer: Kultur Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B000CQQIYO
Release Date: 2006-01-31

Description

This fascinating program highlights the amazing parallels between the two great American societies of the Aztecs and the Incas - two nations doomed to violent destruction. With magnificent animated re-creations of mysterious lost cities such as Tenochtitlán and Machu Picchu, these are stories of two wealthy, sun-worshipping civilizations that both fell prey to the Spanish conquistadors of the sixteenth century. Features superb 3D graphics, State-of-the-art computer generated animation, all new location footage, and expert commentary and analyses.

Customer Reviews:

Aztecs and Incas Together.......2007-01-30

I've seen many works on the Aztecs and the Incas recently, so this may skew my ideas on this work. Based on the title, I was hoping that the documentary would discuss cultures in what is now Anglo America, but it doesn't. In fairness, works may speak of Aztecs and Mayas simultaneously, but Aztecs and Incas are usually spoken of separately. The work also compares the two cultures. It seems like the Incas were a bit more democratic than the Aztecs. Whereas the Aztecs were disappointed by Moctezuma II, the Incan people stood by their emperor.

The work stands out from others in that astrology is discussed. They state that stars were seen as holy and only certain classes were allowed to study them.

The work has modern people dressed as Natives and Spaniards. However, I wouldn't classify these as cheesy reenactments. The characters stand there; they don't pretend to do anything. This series may stand out for its 3D recollections of Native architecture.

The work does state that the Spanish were ruthless and zealous in ways that the French, British, and Dutch weren't in their colonial dominations. Still, at one point, they say, "The Spanish studied Aztec culture and customs, writing more about them than any foreign culture had been discussed before." Other works say the Aztecs had their own writings, called codices, that the Spanish destroyed in order to dominate them. Much more could have been known about Aztecs if the Spanish hadn't been so merciless. So I do think the work, in this instance, let these conquerors off the hook.

This work is made by Brits and possibly for Brits. The interviewees pronounce words that end with "-a" as if they ended with "-er." They measure things using the metric system, rather than the good-ole, old-school American way. In fact, if you don't understand thick European accents, you might want to avoid seeing this work.

Byzantium: The Lost Empire documentary 2-disc DVD set from TLC

Average customer rating:

Byzantium: The Lost Empire documentary 2-disc DVD set from TLC

Manufacturer: Discovery Channel
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Product Features:

3 hours 29 minutes on 2 DVDs
1997 documentary.

ASIN: B000MU2LY6

Product Description

This is a fabulous two-disc set, "Building The Dream & Heaven on Earth" and Envy of the World & For Ever and Ever." For more than 1,000 years, the Byzantine Empire was the eye of the entire world the origin of great literature, fine art and modern government. Heir to Greece and Rome, it was the first Christian empire, spanning 11 centuries and three continents. In the end, plundered and sacked by invaders, Byzantium nearly became extinct. Now, after a year of filming on three continents, TLC unlocks this ancient region to uncover the great cultures that helped shape the Western world. Pass through the gates of Constantinople, the eye of the world, where East still meets West. Explore the magnificent mosque of Hagia Sophia. Visit the treasury of St. Mark's in Venice and see antiquities never before filmed for television. You'll be transported to a world that history has nearly forgotten. It's a journey you won't forget. Hosted by noted historian John Romer.

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