Screamers

Customer Reviews:

For Fans of Campy Sci-Fi and Phillip K. Dick.......2007-03-29

Filmed in the Montreal area during that period of time in the 90s when it was economically advantageous to shoot movies in Quebec, Screamers is a loose adaptation of Philip K. Dick's short story "Second Variety". It is a throw-back to the days when campy sci-fi was still a marketable genre, it feels more late 80s than mid 90s. Peter Weller is seems to fit comfortably into this genre with just enough over-acting to not compromise his integrity.

Personally, I really loved the scenes that involved the screamers themselves: mechanical devices reminiscent of rats sporting razor sharp saw-blades in their heads. They are programmed to eliminate the "enemy" in this post apocalyptic setting, but, in the tradition of all great sci-fi, SOMETHING GOES TERRIBLY WRONG(spoken in classic, cinematic threateningly low voice). All to say that many will end up with severed limbs.

Definately a fun movie to watch, despite its lacking somewhat in the second act. It turns out that two of my wife's cousins were extras in the final act of the movie when dozens of "davids" come marching out of the compound. Makes the whole thing that much more enjoyable for me.

Scott

Loved it!!!.......2007-03-14

I loved this movie for it's sci-fi purity and simplicity. There's military, space, AI, mystery, suspense, nukes, drama, sexual tension, love... I'm planning to read more of the works from the writer that wrote the story the movie is based on. This is a classic sci-fi movie. Add it to your collection and get ready to watch it every 2 or 3 months.

Close to Phil Dicks vision, but not quite.......2007-02-04

I have collected books written by Philip K. Dick for as long as I can remember, including over 100 of his short stories in the original publication edtion going back to 1952. I've got all movies related to him, inluding Barjo, which is really pretty good, as an aside. Even the Valis opera on CD which is kind of strange.

Anyway, this movie, as said elsewhere, is a very good B-movie. There are no A-list actors here, mediocre special effects and some dropped threads in the story line here and there. But in general is the kind of movie I expect to be shown on a Saturday afternoon scary movie matinee.

Don't watch this expecting a high intensity movie. There are parts that are slow, but for the most part it moves along in a fairly steady pace keeping you interested in it long enough to finish your popcorn.

The ending is expected and nothing is really a surprise. Almost looks like a grad school film project, but nothing wrong with that, look at Halloween and THX 1138.

So, neither 1 nor 5 stars, but in the middle. Find it used, well worth 5 bucks.

AVOID THIS PRODUCT!!!!! NOT WIDE SCREEN!!!!.......2007-01-08

AVOID THIS PRODUCT!!!!

IT IS NOT WIDESCREEN AS ADVERTIZED!!!!

I have ordered and returned this product 3 times. It is not widescreen. There is no option to for viewing it as widescreen. Amazon has no explanation for the mistake and unfortunately they will not correct the web page. This leads to an interesting question. Why does Mr. Leach state in his review that the disk offers a widescreen option when it doesn't? Either Amazon is massively screwing up the order or he is not reviewing this actual disk from Amazon. If that's the case, he should not be providing a review on it.

WONDERFUL ADAPTATION OF DICK'S SHORT STORY 'SECOND VARIETY' GETS THE MORBID & PARANOID ATMOSPHERE DOWN COLD.......2006-10-26

FIRST OFF: ALL SCI-FI GETS THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT FROM ME

I must admit that this type of film, gritty futuristic sci-fi set on another planet, would have to be horrid for me to not like it. Nevertheless, I do believe that, objectively speaking, 'Screamers', based on the short story 'Second Variety' by Philip K. Dick, is an excellent and worthwhile film.

***---> $20 MILLION FOR A B-FILM?

It seems rather amazing that by 1995, a 20-million dollar budget would only produce a 'B film' which the critics have referred to as "budget challenged"! I do agree that more effort should have been made to create the setting for this film, but would that really have made it more effective? 'Screamers' still manages to create a rather chilling atmosphere where it feels like something horrible is about to happen, but we don't quite know what. The world of 'Screamers' seems real enough and the bleakness seems totally appropriate to the subject. Nevertheless, there is something in 'Screamers' that seems like it was filmed with the least amount of scenery, and whatever was on hand was adapted to fit the story. Maybe this is true and maybe not. In any event, the film still works and does not feel like it is suffering from a lack of anything, specifically, that a bigger budget would have bought.

***---> IN A NUTSHELL [there may be plot spoilers below]

Here we have a planet that was exploited for a new form of energy which fizzled out as it generated an immense, toxic, radioactive waste as a by-product of its production. Two factions collided over the issue and it is now 20 years later. The year is 2078 and there is little left of the planet Sirius 6B, once a real garden spot, we are told. A lone soldier comes to the alliance bunker where Marshall Joseph Hendricksson [Peter Weller] is commanding, with a message which seems to offer a peaceful solution to the war that has ravaged the planet. From here the story goes on the road, a kind of trek that we have seen in the 'Wizard of Oz'. Marshall Hendricksson departs from the bunker with one new arrival in search of his N.E.B.s counterpart to sort out the meaning of the peace offering.

--- ON THE WAY --- EXPOSITION AS WE HIKE TOWARD THE NEB's BUNKER

Everything you will ever want to know about the situation on Sirius 6B and more is delivered via a thinly-disguised expository lump. This comes in the form of Hendricksson telling the new arrival, 'Ace' [Andrew Lauer], who he has taken with him on the trek, everything WE need to know in order to better understand this rather meandering tale. On the way to meet with his NEBs counterpart, the Marshall and Ace find a little boy who appears to be orphaned, several NEBs stragglers, and an attractive black marketeer [Jennifer Rubin]. All of these people have a distinct and vital role in the story, and little is as it seems.

--- AND OF COURSE THERE ARE SCREAMERS!!!!!

These screamers are the real deal here and we never really know what is happening with them and what motivates them because the Alliance that created them, represented here by Marshall Hendricksson, doesn't know either. We do know that they are evolving and upgrading themselves in many rather scary ways and that nobody is safe as long as they are in the same universe as human beings.

And there lies the heart of the story -- the Screamers. Just what is their significance to the human race????? After you see the film you will know!

Average customer rating:

THE BODY IS GONE BUT THE SOUL LIVES ON!
Great Gothic Gotham Batman!
Rent it--very nice thriller that won't disappoint
Could have been better
Excellent Paranormal Suspense Movie

Gothika (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Halle Berry , Robert Downey Jr. , Charles S. Dutton , John Carroll Lynch , and Bernard Hill
Director: Mathieu Kassovitz
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0001FR3IQ
Release Date: 2004-03-23

Amazon.com

The title of Gothika prepares you for a spooky, atmospheric thriller with an emphasis on supernatural mystery. The best way to appreciate the movie itself is to understand that it's a waking nightmare that needn't make sense in the realm of sanity. Making a flashy Hollywood debut after his superior 2000 thriller Crimson Rivers, French actor-director Mathieu Kassovitz pours on the dark and stormy atmosphere, trapping a competent psychologist (Halle Berry) in the prison ward where she treated inmates (including Penelope Cruz) until she was committed for killing her husband (Charles S. Dutton), who was also her boss. Did a car crash cause her to suffer ghostly delusions, or is a young girl--dead for four years--sending clues from beyond the grave? Berry has to prove her innocence while Kassovitz keeps everything--including the viewer and costar Robert Downey Jr. (as Berry's colleague)--in the dark about just where the nonsensical plot is leading. There's a better movie in here somewhere, among the catwalks and crannies of the impressive prison-castle setting, and Berry gives 100% in a performance that's consistent with the movie's overwrought tone. Attentive viewers will identify the killer early on, and the ending is anticlimactic, but Gothika serves up a few good shocks for ghost-story connoisseurs. --Jeff Shannon

Description

A brilliant and respected criminal psychologist, Dr. Miranda Grey (Halle Berry) is an expert at knowing what is rational. Under the direction of her husband (Charles S. Dutton), Miranda treats dangerously disturbed patients at the Woodward Penitentiary for Women. But Miranda's life is thrust into terrifying jeopardy after a cryptic encounter with a mysterious young girl leads to a nightmare beyond her wildest imagination.

DVD Features:
Audio Commentary
Music Video:Fred Durst music video - "Behind Blue Eyes"
Theatrical Trailer:Fred Durst music video - "Behind Blue Eyes"

Customer Reviews:

THE BODY IS GONE BUT THE SOUL LIVES ON!.......2007-09-14

gothika is a good flick. excellent in so many ways. first off great job casting halle berry, she did a great job she really did her thing. she was composed and educated, but then she was insane with rage, then fearful, then possessed. she did it all, and it was very nice. this is why the woman is well known all over the world. the story is great, of course all of these movies are going to be in some way or the other, like a few others, but that's how it is in this industry. they give and take, but as long as they keep changing it up and adding things here and there, the old or the borrowed can always get better. the whole idea centered around this murdered girl, taking over halle's body and in a fit of rage commits a horrible crime. who's to blame. there are many twists and turns, and you don't know what's going to go down, until the last minute. the ending is a good one, and this movie does creep you out at times. it had many surprises, but it was well acted, and kept me very interested.

Great Gothic Gotham Batman!.......2007-08-27

No, it is Gothika with a K not a C. Well it does not matter how the spelling goes it only is about what the future shows. Berry is sexy in scary delight and watch this to realize what happens in plight. Things in this movie are not what they seem but I would imagine it would help with a little Jim Beam. In the end she is right and the goodness prevails, the real question is are you satisfied with this tale?

Rent it--very nice thriller that won't disappoint.......2007-08-23

Gothika produced by "Dark Castle" was really quite good. Plot with twists and turns and an ending that was remarkably not what I expected. I like those type of thrillers. This movie actually frightened me, not in a "punch in your face way," but a mild, creepy, gets into your head kind of way.Plus, it actually features a for once good performance from Halle Berry (without make-up--YES)
Fantastic cinematography, good use of light to scare you, and a range of actors that are all quirky and have their own agendas.
Dutton, Downey Jr. Cruz, Bernard Hill-all great.

Could have been better.......2007-08-03

This movie had the potential to be much better. I wish they had included more scenes of the husband and what he was about. All that really stands out to me is all the screaming and running Halle did. She's a great actress and was great in this movie but I wish she would choose to make movies with a little more substance. This wasn't her worst. Cat Woman holds that honor, but this was certainly not her best.

Excellent Paranormal Suspense Movie.......2007-05-11

I love Hallie Berry and being scared, and I thought this movie looked interesting from the coming attractions on TV. I was pleasantly surprised that it delivered exactly what I love.

I would not call this horror, not in the sense of blood and gore, as some people believe is the only criteria for horror. This was more of a psychological thriller or a paranormal suspense. You didn't really know what you were going to get. I went into it thinking it may be traditional horror, what with the scenes of the girl in the road with the long, stringy hair in her face (think The Ring), so when I actually got a plot that was well thought out, I was happy.

I thought adding the paranormal aspects kept you guessing a bit. Don't get me wrong, if you looking for answers, you can figure it out before the ending, but it certainly didn't have plot holes. From a writer's standpoint, as I am, I was intrigued with the way they developed the storyline. That's a bit vague, but I can't go into it without disclosing the end, which I won't do.

So, if you are looking for senseless blood and gore, don't buy it. If you want to spend a couple of hours being entertained and enjoy paranormal suspenses then get a copy now. This will be a movie I watch more than once.

Average customer rating:

THE BODY IS GONE BUT THE SOUL LIVES ON!
Great Gothic Gotham Batman!
Rent it--very nice thriller that won't disappoint
Could have been better
Excellent Paranormal Suspense Movie

Gothika (Full Screen Edition)
Starring: Halle Berry , Robert Downey Jr. , Charles S. Dutton , John Carroll Lynch , and Bernard Hill
Director: Mathieu Kassovitz
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0001FR3IG
Release Date: 2004-03-23

Amazon.com

Description

DVD Features:
Audio Commentary
Music Video:Fred Durst music video - "Behind Blue Eyes"
Theatrical Trailer:Fred Durst music video - "Behind Blue Eyes"

Customer Reviews:

THE BODY IS GONE BUT THE SOUL LIVES ON!.......2007-09-14

Great Gothic Gotham Batman!.......2007-08-27

Rent it--very nice thriller that won't disappoint.......2007-08-23

Could have been better.......2007-08-03

Excellent Paranormal Suspense Movie.......2007-05-11

Average customer rating:

Poems that won't move everyone
Naturalistic Reduction of Sanctity to Sadomasochism
THERESE
Love for Christ
Not your usual story.

Therese
Starring: Catherine Mouchet , Hélène Alexandridis , Aurore Prieto , Clémence Massart-Weit , and Sylvie Habault
Director: Alain Cavalier
Manufacturer: Fox Lorber
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00007KK1V
Release Date: 2003-02-04

Amazon.com

The life of St. Thérèse de Lisieux, a young Carmelite nun who died of tuberculosis, is the inspiration for this spare, sincere French film. The obsessively religious Thérèse (Catherine Mouchet) fights to be allowed to join the rigorous order of nuns, taking her petition all the way to the Pope himself. After becoming part of the sisterhood, Thérèse takes joy in the strict rituals and devotions, until she develops tuberculosis and her inner connection with God suddenly leaves her; despite this, she never loses faith, and writes a private diary (which, when published after her death, became hugely popular). The settings of every scene are depicted only by furniture; the neutral background puts all the focus on the rich performances of the actors, including Hélène Alexandridis as a young nun who falls in love with Thérèse. An elegant film, perhaps best appreciated by Catholics. --Bret Fetzer

Customer Reviews:

Poems that won't move everyone.......2007-08-20

I found it very hard to give this movie a "1-5" rating. It isn't that kind of a movie.

This movie is less a movie and more a chronological series of audio-visual poems, done with great care in the technical artistic details. In the craft of it, the movie is extremely well done. Like poems, the more these scenes speak eloquently to some of us, the more they are not going to speak at all or are going to carry an entirely different message to others.

Although millions of Catholics would probably understand the movie reasonably well, I think a person with no background knowledge of the story of St. Therese or of the Carmelite life is either going to be misled or else find the story simply baffling. A great deal of vitally important foundational information is left unsaid. If you didn't understand the rule of life that operates in a Carmelite convent, for instance, the places where exceptions were made would go unnoticed. I don't see how a Protestant who has never read the autobiographical writings of St. Therese could watch this film and not walk away wondering why on earth Therese is so inspirational to so many, let alone why she was made a "Doctor of the Church."

Since all of the actresses dress identically (obviously!), keeping track of which story is which is not a piece of cake. Also, a great many liberties are taken in the story. In order to contrast Therese's simple faith with the real excesses that might have existed within the world of cloistered orders as a whole in her time, stories were made up that probably had no place whatsoever among the sisters that St. Therese actually lived with. The result is to portray her convent as a more or less emotionally and psychologically diseased setting, something not found in Therese's first-hand depiction. The faults of the sisters she lived with, where she depicted them at all, were far more of the common garden-variety human faults that we all know quite well. Her story is one of living a quietly holy life among pious people with the ordinary faults that even the pious struggle with, not one of finding one's way amongst women with, for example, sadomasochistic tendencies. Again, a person who had not read about her writing would have no way of knowing this.

This movie would be a really poor way to get acquainted with St. Therese or the doctrines she developed in her writings. It is, rather, a poetic comparison between true and false sanctity. Taken that way, I can see why some are so enthusiastic about it. As for myself, I couldn't get past the short shrift given the ordinary "little" life that Therese lived and most of us live, a life that she found can offer great opportunties for deep sanctity.

Naturalistic Reduction of Sanctity to Sadomasochism.......2007-07-30

I first watched the Vatican-approved version with Lindsey Younce in the starring role, and while I enjoyed the film as part of my growing admiration for Therese, I felt the film was too emotionally drawn and lacking depth.

This film, evidently directed by an atheist, went to the other extreme...too artsy fartsy. And what's more, the director's atheism portrayed the saint as well as all the other nuns in the Carmel as deranged neurotics with a latent S&M streak.

I'm reading the writings of Therese and those who knew her. That's where you will find her spirit...not in this film.

THERESE.......2007-05-15

IT A GREAT MOVIE AT LEAST YOU CAN SEE A LOT OF THE SAINTS THAT WE HAVE.

Love for Christ.......2006-11-10

Very inspiring on how one is spiritually uplifted to serve Christ at any
cost and unconditional inspite of all the restrictive obstacles encountered in the religious institution. An eye-opener to those who are called to serve the Lord spiritually.

Not your usual story........2006-03-23

First and foremost, this is not a traditional biographical movie. It is a theatrical, artsy, series of vignettes. Very French.

Secondly, there is very little that can be interpreted as being anti-Catholic, or scornful of Therese. The ancient expression of Christ as husband and lover may be surprising to modern ears, but it was part and parcel of Carmelite spirituality.

Likewise, one may not like to see flagellation and self-mortification through pain, but that is part of the tradition of the ascetic life, and not something to be ignored because it's uncomfortable.

Whether you enjoy the film or not, its basic presentation is not anti-Catholic or a betrayal of the life of Therese.

At the same time, you must read her writings yourself if you want to have any sense of this amazing young woman of God.

Average customer rating:

Best Dolph movie
Pretty Ordinary Movie
Better than expected
another failure with Dolph Lundgren
Well done!

Silent Trigger
Starring: Dolph Lundgren , Gina Bellman , Conrad Dunn , Christopher Heyerdahl , and Emma Stevens
Director: Russell Mulcahy
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00005PJ8Q
Release Date: 2001-12-18

Customer Reviews:

Best Dolph movie.......2007-07-31

I started to look out for Dolph Lundgren films after I saw this one. But it is my feeling that none other is better than Silent Trigger. Very stylish, very moody, overacted in a grand way.

Pretty Ordinary Movie.......2007-06-29

Lundgren plays a sniper sent to assassinate a target with a woman spotter. They meet in a half-built building the night before prepare, reminisce and wait for their target the next day. It seems these two are pretty incompetent they have a history of failed missions. Apparently one of the security guards thinks the woman spotter is pretty alright but he doesn't take rejection too well. She thinks Lundgren is pretty alright and do what comes naturally. But don't look for anything new here because you will be disappointed its pretty much the same as any other movie in this genre.

Some things I found quite strange about this movie are:
1. Why would the organization keep partnering these two when they keep failing missions together?
2. Why would the organization keep giving them second chances every time they fail a mission?
3. I don't think Lundgren is taking this movie seriously he just seems to be modeling that sniper rifle he fires twice and plays around with for the rest of the movie.

This movie is not bad and its not good either its pretty ordinary. Why are Lundgren's movies always so ordinary? This is one of those movies you may put on when your bored or on a raining day and it will keep you occupied for a couple of hours or so and you may watch it a couple of times but its not a movie that you will watch very often. I got this with a big heap of movies I bought off E-Bay and I've had for about 3 years and only watched it 4 times.

Better than expected.......2007-03-01

I tend to have a fairly poor opinion of movies of this sort, meaning inconsequential action movies. This category would include the films of Steven Segal, Jean-Claude van Damme, Sly Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and the like. With a few notable exceptions ("The Terminator," for example) these are forgettable time fillers. I was aware Dolph Lundgren made action movies, though I always associate him with his role as the Russian behemoth from "Rocky IV." Little did I realize he is Swedish, not Russian (the name should have been my first clue), is a martial artist and he is reputedly very intelligent; he holds a master's degree in chemical engineering and had a Fulbright Scholarship to go to MIT. Needless to say, I have newfound respect for Mr. Lundgren. Unfortunately, high intelligence does not necessarily always translate into great films. Such is the case with "Silent Trigger," a mostly forgettable tale about an assassin (Lundgren), who has an epiphany, decides he is the bad guy and refuses to shoot a high-profile target. This leads his spotter (played by the marvelous Gina Bellman) to be ordered to dispose of him. We jump forward to another opportunity for assassination, where Shooter and Spotter again encounter one another. I am impressed by some of the cinematography, and the understated, dark atmosphere sometimes resembles a horror or suspense film. The violence is quite bloody and strong in this, which is something to which I am not very accustomed. I primarily watched this to see Gina Bellman, who is so good as Jane on "Coupling." Her physically demanding role here as an assassin is much different, though she is just as likeable. Does Dolph choose roles that do not require him to emote, or is he typecast in these roles? Either way, there isn't much opportunity for him to show his chops here, though we don't go into this film expectin4g as much. The finale is rather satisfying, so I would recommend if you are in the mood for a half-way decent action flick. The DVD offers a good transfer and a few different audio and subtitle options. It is also full screen pan-and-scan, which seems fitting for the caliber of the film.

another failure with Dolph Lundgren.......2004-11-21

Dolph Lundgren (Universal Soldier, Blackjack) plays a man who is hired to take out a primary target and helping him is his old partner, Gina Bellman. Soon things heat up as the two security guards working at the building they are at start to get fiesty and one of them takes drugs and sees spiders and stuff. The 2 are also in a heated romance and get caught in a deadly cat and mouse game of double cross as the agency they are working for want them dead. Another Dolph Lundgren stinker vehicle though Lundgren can't act if his life depended on it. He couldnt pull of He-Man and The Punisher, he can't pull off anything else. Gina Bellman is hot but her acting is horrible as well as the rest of the cast. There's nothing like being hired to kill people and then have sex. Directed by Russell Mulcahy (Highlander). Bottom line is this actioner is a borefest.

Well done!.......2004-07-10

This is probably the best dolph lundgren movie ever made. it has everything. you nee to see it.

Average customer rating:

A visual discussion of man's incomprehension of woman
PHOTOROMAN
Heavy on the Gloss

La Chamade (Heartbeat)
Starring: Catherine Deneuve , Michel Piccoli , Roger Van Hool , Amidou , and Philippine Pascal
Director: Alain Cavalier
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B0000YEEN0
Release Date: 2004-02-10

Description

Parlez-vous seduction? Screen siren Catherine Deneuve sizzles in this vibrant, sexy and deeply moving (The Film Daily) tale of a wealthy man's mistress, a poor man's lover and no man's fool.Brimming with intensity, charm and eroticism (Films and Filming), and executed with elegance and taste (Motion Picture Exhibitor) La Chamade presents a torrid tangle of desire, denial and deception that will leave you breathless! The expensively kept girlfriend of a wealthy older man, Lucille is beautiful, bored and blissfully blind to her shallow existence untilshe meets Antoine. Passionate but poor, Antoine offers a whole new world of experience and kindles Lucille's smoldering desires. But as the charms of Antoine's workaday life begin to fade, Lucille must choose between the love of her life and the love of her lifestyle.

Customer Reviews:

A visual discussion of man's incomprehension of woman.......2006-11-16

Catherine Deneuve is one of film's all time great beauties who has also become a very fine actress. At this point in her career, she was still blank but beautiful. Her Director put this to good use, casting her as a woman who is pampered, spoiled, a woman for whom life has given her so much she is completely lost and has no idea what she really wants, but drifts from vague whim to whim.
Of course, she is such a beauty that she is perfect casting for this kind of woman who has men falling over themselves just to light her cigarette, and the kind of jealousy and possessive controlling impulses beauty brings out in men.
Lightly handled, this film is a visual discussion of the true nature of love, and the tradeoffs we make in finding the right relationship. Money and stability, passion and poverty are contrasted, with some surprising revelations about what makes a love meaningful and lasting. Yves St. Laurent supplies the really amazing wardrobe for the sequences of wealth ( I counted at least 5 really flawlessly coutured coats), which seems at first to make this film very glossy and superficial and "what will she wear next" - but this supplies our framework of seeing how unimportant these things are to her, and also builds a great contrast for the sections of everyday financial struggles.
This film is greater than the sum of it's parts. Great costumes, some postcard style cinematography, and a fine performance by Roger Van Hool as the obsessed Antoine, and an exceptional, nuanced performance by Michel Piccoli as Charles. (He and Deneuve had made several films together by this point, which augments the familiar feeling between them.)
Because DeNeuve is still young here, and the essential capricious coldness of her character, this film does not supply as much emotional connection or depth as it could. We have only Piccoli as a window for that, so this film becomes a man's view of the beautiful woman they adore, and a fine representation of their incomprehension of women. Historically, falling in step with "free love" and early feminism, it is a great representation of that special time when men really could not figure out what women wanted... because women were still trying to figure it out themselves.

PHOTOROMAN.......2004-04-21

Remember those illustrated novellas that our mothers used to enjoy reading.You had the spoiled girl who had an affair with an older man.Usually,she meets a younger man who is less fortunate.The woman to make ends meet gets a job in a library,but it doesn't take long for her to be bored and she returns to the older man who brings her security.This is basically the story of LA CHAMADE.CATHERINE DENEUVE was 25 at the time and she was indeed gorgeous,but that is not enough to save a film that is so predictable.My favorite scene is the one at the airport when LUCILLE is waiting for CHARLES and gets annoyed by another man.She says to him :fichez-moi la paix!If you buy this for the bonus features,don't bother,they did not include a photo gallery of DENEUVE.

Heavy on the Gloss.......2004-02-11

Yet another of Francois Sagan's chic, sleek, and shallow sudsers. Sagan has always examined the sins, immoralities, and weaknesses of privalged parisians, and 'La Chamade' is no exception. Basically, it's style striving for substance. Does it acheive it? No. Is that okay? Yes. 'La Chamade' is an agreeable distraction as it features a Love vs. Money storyline played out against swinging 60's Paris (with a side trip to the Mediteranian!). Catherine Deneuve looks stunning (as always) in a series of late 60s haute couture, the characters thrash about in gorgeous settings, and drive great cars. It's everything one would have watched 'Dynasty' for, however, as the film is in french the subtitles allow you to feel slightly superior and not so guilty for enjoying it!

Average customer rating:

THE BODY IS GONE BUT THE SOUL LIVES ON!
Great Gothic Gotham Batman!
Rent it--very nice thriller that won't disappoint
Could have been better
Excellent Paranormal Suspense Movie

Gothika (Two-Disc Special Edition)
Starring: Halle Berry , Robert Downey Jr. , Charles S. Dutton , John Carroll Lynch , and Bernard Hill
Director: Mathieu Kassovitz
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B0002S65W2
Release Date: 2004-10-12

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Customer Reviews:

THE BODY IS GONE BUT THE SOUL LIVES ON!.......2007-09-14

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Rent it--very nice thriller that won't disappoint.......2007-08-23

Could have been better.......2007-08-03

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Lord Peter Wimsy is afoot!
A Great Collection of Sherlock Stories
NEAT ITEM!
Great, funny, and all out Holmes ! ! ! ! !
A fun take on the Sherlock Holmes stories

The Sherlock Holmes Collection
Starring: Matt Frewer , Kenneth Welsh , Jason London , Emma Campbell , and Gordon Masten
Director: Rodney Gibbons
Manufacturer: Hallmark
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00009YXEX
Release Date: 2003-08-19

Customer Reviews:

Lord Peter Wimsy is afoot!.......2007-03-04

I had thought that, in the wake of Jeremy Brett's brilliant performances as the Dedeucer of Baker Street, nobody would have the cheek to do Holmes again for at least a decade. I had hadn't taken into consideration the quirky Matt Frewer. Fans of Max Headroom will remember him, of course, as will those who've seen his riveting performance as the "Trashcan Man" in "The Stand". He's done the voice of Lord Panic in various Disney productions involving Hercules, and has had roles in a number of off-beat films (including an appropriately deranged Jobe in Lawnmower Man 2).

Probably the only way to succeed in Brett's wake, I suppose, is to do things he didn't. The current collection of 90-minute TV films, produced during 2001-2003, is an interesting demonstration of various ways of doing just that. Interesting, but not necessarily satisfying.

It's part of being literate in the English-speaking world, it seems to me, that one knows Shakespeare, Whitman, and Frost, and is at least acquainted with Doyle, Hopkins (Gerard, not Anthony), and Millay. I therefore put the reader on notice that I'm not going to go over things they ought to know already, particularly plots. That said, we're going to have a few general remarks, a review of the contents, and some final general remarks.

It should be noted that this 4-film collection is the victim of some of the worst packaging I've ever seen. There is no hint on the box nor on the discs as to whom we should expect to see on the screen. The dates of the productions are given only on the discs, and in such small print that even young eyes will likely need reading glasses to pick them out. The picture on the box has something to do with the contents, but that isn't immediately apparent. The DVDs themselves are a bit of a mess, but we'll get into that later.

Matt Frewer's performance will be a sticking point for a good many viewers, although he certainly looks like Holmes. But in performance there are times when it's difficult to tell whether he's doing Holmes or Peter Wimsey. He comes across as a supercilious dilettante, especially in the first-filmed of the 4 stories in this collection. Hindsight tells me that we should have been prepared for this after Brett. One of his greatest strengths is the almost unpredictable quirkiness of his performances. There's no doubt that Doyle meant Holmes to be a certifiable eccentric, and Brett showed us how. Frewer goes further, giving us a Holmes as batty (and as cunning) as Wimsy (or perhaps the Mad Hatter). Give it a little time; it'll grow on you.

Nowadays it's de rigeur to observe in reviews that non-English actors have lousy English accents - as some reviewers on other sites have done regarding Frewer. Piffle. This is usually merely a case of the reviewer wanting something to say and picking an easy target. In point of fact, there are many more English accents than there are American accents (even if one counts Canada). The "bad accent" remark probably has its origin in the believe that "English accent" is something only BBC presenters have.

In terms of the rest of the cast, they range from adequate to quite good. In the latter category is Kenneth Welsh as John Watson. He plays the role steadfastly and with good humor, and is one of the best Watsons on film. Michael Perron appears in 2 of the films as Scotland Yard's Athelney Jones. He certainly looks the part, and plays it with broad enthusiasm ... would that he was given the role of Doyle's Jones instead of some comic strip caricature who goes to hugely unreasonable lengths to ignore and denigrate Homes. The "real" Jones' half-hearted hostility would have been enough.

There are 4 titles in this collection: "The Hound of the Baskervilles", "The Sign of Four", "The Royal Scandal", and "The Whitechapel Vampire": 2 botched reproductions, 1 awkward mixture, and 1 pastiche of whole cloth. Considered only as pieces of theater, and if one doesn't accept the inherent superiority of the Doyle canon as written, these 4 efforts aren't all that bad, and are entertaining enough. (Of course, I got this set for only $7 or $8, so I can afford to be tolerant.)

The first film is The Hound of the Baskervilles. It starts out well enough, and adheres reasonably to the original. No Sherlock Holmes goes whole into the film can, but for quite a while here it appears that no major plot disaster is going to occur. About the worst case is that little details tend to disappear - after all, they only have 90 minutes. But eventually it all goes to pot. When Watson ventures out on the moor, he doesn't find Holmes in his secret lair. There is later no dinner at the Stapleton's house, and Stapleton's wife-"sister" never gets thrust into a locked room - we get as far on former line as a gathering outside the house. The hound then appears and attacks Henry Baskerville, at which Holmes dashes in but fails to get off a shot in the confusion. Stapleton runs off into the moor, chased by the hound, and they get sucked into the quicksand together. Not a very impressive hound, that. It has plenty of panache, but as to dimensions it's really just an ordinary German shepherd. Needless to say, Doyle's development and climax are much better. So are the Brett and Rathbone versions.

The second is The Sign of Four. This, too, has a promising start and runs reasonably true to the original until action begins at the waterfront. By this time we have of course already recognized that the "Athelney Jones" in this operation isn't anyone Doyle would recognize, but on the whole the development of things thus far is OK. When the action reaches the docks and Toby and the Irregulars have found what they were supposed to find, the plot disintegrates into cheap melodrama. There is no thrilling boat chase down the Thames; instead we get a much less satisfying sword fight between Holmes and Small, with Tonga puffing darts about - for which Holmes has gotten chemists at Scotland Yard to cook up an antidote (the Yard must have gotten some 21st-Century men to put on that one). And in the end, when Doyle is licking his not inconsiderable wounds, he receives a massive stab to the back: Mary Morstan - instead of marrying Watson - goes off with the surviving Sholto brother!

Fear not, it gets worse.

The third film is The Royal Scandal, which is actually a melding of "A Scandal in Bohemia" and "The Bruce Partington Plans" which does no particular favor to either. While some elements of the original plots remain, the resulting mish-mash converts 2 classically designed stories into an overly elaborated pastiche. Irene Adler, whom Holmes forever after referred to as "The Woman", becomes in this version a high-class blackmailer. In the film - not the original - he admires her because she had bested him on an other occasion (involving a sizeable theft). The photograph in question, instead of a relatively innocent formal photo of the King of Bohemia and Irene Adler, is made into a clandestine snapshot of a far more scandalous nature. Holmes is determined to obtain this for his client, now the Crown Prince of Germany, while his brother Mycroft wants to get it for his own purposes.

Holmes does his bit with the preacher disguise at Ms. Adler's house, in the end to no avail. As if Ms. Adler's character were not already sufficiently besmirched, her picture and negative found their way into the possession of Mycroft, who sees to it that the Germans receive copies that merely look like the originals - so, unlike "The King of Bohemia", she is unable to make the noble gesture of revealing her own marriage and promising never to use the photo. We may, I suppose, enjoy the joke on the Germans, inasmuch as the Crown Prince is presumably the future Wilhelm II (and is played that way), who is at the very least a right arrogant b*tch. And Holmes' name gets a bit of blackening by the fact that the film shows him stealing a photo of Irene Adler from her home, rather (as in the story) receiving it from the hands of the King of Bohemia as a reward.

We have now reached the nadir of these productions. Any producer who can trash the good name of Irene Adler and even throw a little soot Holmes' way has certainly got the Tabloid Touch. And it was a clumsy job, with muddled motivations and rampant silliness all around.

We now come to an unexpected little gem: The Whitechapel Vampire. This is very slightly related to a 1924 Doyle story, "The Sussex Vampire" and it has an even slighter connection to "The Last Vampyre". But in fact it's a pure pastiche. And it's not a bad one at all.

The plot concerns a co-ed Anglican hermitage in the post-Ripper (1892) Whitechapel district. The story, which Conan Doyle didn't write, contains elements which he would probably never have included. Although Doyle was, late in life, connected with all sorts of superstitious nonsense such as sýances and other modes of communicating with dead people - who are, by definition, not communicative - in his Holmes stories, he (through Holmes) insisted in uncompromising rationality. This Whitechapel story, however, has more the feel of an X-File.

The monastery in question is located in an area populated by a good number of bats, including a "vampire" variety. Studying these bats is a Doctor Chagas, on whom the director tries (and fails) to cast suspicion of guilt. Members of the monastery are being killed by someone claiming to be a "demon" called "Desmodo", who leaves behind "vampire" puncture wounds in their necks. It's immediately apparent to Holmes that there is no mark left by a lower mandible, which is suspicious.

The story is full of effective creepiness, supported by an atmospheric musical score. Holmes investigates in the sure and certain confidence that the culprit is a human being - which, of course, it is. His investigations are impeded by Inspector Athelney-Jones, but of course a cardboard character can't be much more than a nuisance.

The subtext of the mystery is of course superstition. Indeed, a "mystery" was originally a superstition so outrageous nobody even bothers to contrive an explanation. In this case, Holmes must realize that members of a religious order, having already bought into any number of superstitions, would find it easy to buy into another set of them - such as those surrounding so-called "vampires". Of course nowadays there are people who have bought into this sort of silliness to the extent that they imagine they are vampires themselves - without of course being too careful about definitions.

The producers of this film don't do the viewer any favor by introducing a few touches of the "miraculous" into the story, thus muddying the otherwise straightforward confrontation of superstition and rationality. The most overt of these involves a cross carried by one of the nuns. Attacked by a person she believes to be a vampire, she pulls it out in defense. It repels the attacker in a flash of light or perhaps static. This hokey device stems from Bram Stoker's enhancement of folklore regarding vampires and crucifixes. That would be less stupid if the attacker had been a real vampire, but he was just a guy in getup. In any event, this and other strange bits don't faze Holmes: he knows that the technical term for "miracle" is "coincidence".

In the end, reason triumphs over superstition: the Whitechapel "vampire" is unmasked by Holmes and arrested by Jones. The investigation leading up to this is engrossing and interesting, and the guilty party is believably motivated. At least we get no more nonsense with flashing crosses.

As a general observation, production ... or, rather reproduction ... values vary considerably. At times the picture is clear and has good color. At other times it goes all pale and grainy. Not just a little, but a lot. The sound has some variability to it as well. Considering the shoddiness of the packaging, this all fails to be surprising, but it sure is irritating.

On the whole, this is fairly entertaining and worth a small price. Frewer's take on Holmes grew on me as time went on. Welsh's Dr. Watson is admirable and rock-solid. Many other, smaller roles are well-played. This is well worth watching, especially as against dismally stupid "reality" shows and bloodily predictable copy shows.

A Great Collection of Sherlock Stories.......2006-07-05

These four great stories of Holmes and Dr. Watson are some of the best. The one that is closest to the book is The Hound of The Baskervilles. The Sign of the Four is not the same as the book, and The Royal Scandal is a combination of A Scandal in Bohemia and The Bruce Pelllington Plans. Even though they are not that close to the original stories, I really enjoyed these films and would recommend them.

NEAT ITEM!.......2005-07-04

Super seller who delivers a quality product in record time. Many thanks! AAAA++++

Great, funny, and all out Holmes ! ! ! ! !.......2004-11-03

Matt Frewer is a great addition to the line of actors who have played this iconic sleuth. He and Mr. Welsh are very entertaining in their portrayals of Holmes and Watson. And had it not been for this line of tv movies, I might not have ever been tempted to make more of my passing interest in Sherlock Holmes, picked up a novel, and poured through it. It is more than a year later and I have since read every novella and all four novels in the "canon."

Plus have gone on to read Nicholas Meyer's take on Holmes in his three novels, am currently reading The Exploits of Sherlock Holmes, co-written by Conan Doyle's kin. And have also seen many of Jeremy Brett's appearences in the hour length dramas based closer to Doyle's works.

All in all this brings to life a way for the whole family to enjoy the legend of Sherlock Holmes, and has brought it to a multigenerational exceptance, much like Smallville did for another great hero, Superman...

A fun take on the Sherlock Holmes stories.......2004-08-30

Purists who study Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's work will no doubt be dismayed by these four films, and Matt Frewer's portrayal of the world's greatest detective will probably have them running off screaming into the night, but to the average joe these are fun films to watch and serve as a good introduction for young people into the fascinating world of Sherlock Holmes. Frewer's more comedic, eccentric Holmes can be distracting at times, but it eventually grew on me, and his performance does improve as the series goes on. Kenneth Welsh fills the shoes of Doctor Watson quite comfortably and always turns in a solid performance. The production values are always first rate in these films, making them a joy to look at. The best story of the bunch is probably "The Sign of Four", which draws to an action-packed climax. My only complaint of this collection is that "The Royal Scandal" is broken up on discs one and two. I don't understand why the company just didn't put the entire movie on the second disc instead of breaking up the story the way they did. All in all, a small complaint.

CAVALIER KING CHARLES SPANIEL DVD! Includes Dog & Puppy Training Video

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CAVALIER KING CHARLES SPANIEL DVD! Includes Dog & Puppy Training Video
Starring: Pet Video Library
Director: Pet Video Library
Manufacturer: Pet Video Library
ProductGroup: DVD
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Cavalier King Charles Spaniel: Your Happy Healthy Pet

ASIN: B000PC7268
Release Date: 2007-01-02

Product Description

Pet Video Library Books on Video presents the CAVALIER KING CHARLES SPANIEL.

This DVD contains Everything You Should Know about the breed and covers: History & Development - We'll take you through the early history of the CAVALIER KING CHARLES SPANIEL. You'll learn the breed's origin and how they were used in the working world. Characteristics - Discover the behavioral characteristics and temperament of the CAVALIER KING CHARLES SPANIEL. Grooming - Learn basic grooming skills that will keep your dog looking great for years to come. Nutrition - Maintain optimum health with this essential diet and exercise information. Health and Aging - Learn about the special attention and love needed to maintain the health and quality of life of your aging CAVALIER KING CHARLES SPANIEL. Training Tips - Communicate properly with your dog using our helpful tips.

BONUS VIDEOS INCLUDED - This DVD includes INTERACTIVE BASIC OBEDIENCE with renowned Dog Behaviorist Shannon Holstein. She shows you how to quickly and easily teach your dog how to Sit, Stand, Come & Stay. Also included, - PUPPY PLAY DATE - Designed to stimulate and entertain dogs whether you are at home or away! Filled with K9 tested and approved sights and sounds, dogs can't take their eyes off Ozzy and his friends as they spend a sunny summer day romping around their favorite park. This Great Pet sitting video can play on continuous loop.

Description

A young artist (Shannen Doherty),is attacked by a stalker (Peter Outerbridge). She draws the police a sketch of him which helps to put him in jail. Years later, he turns her world upside down. From his cell, he manipulates her life and frames her husband. Can she protect her husband from being murdered, prove his innocence, and protect her own life? Drama. 92 Minutes.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent acting wasted on a B-movie!.......2005-01-08

Warning, this is a frank and honest review of this movie; and even though I am slightly biased, as a Shannen Doherty fan, I intend to be as honest as possible for the benefit of other customers.

This is one of a string of B-movies Shannen Doherty has recently filmed in Canada, the others being 'Striking Poses' and 'Another Day'. In 'The Rendering', Shannen Doherty plays a young artist named Sarah, who gets stabbed by a lunatic named Theodore, played by Peter Outerbridge. 10 years later, Theodore's ready to get out of the slammer, and blackmails Sarah into speaking well of him at his parole hearing. He's framed her husband, Michael, to get him into jail, where Theodore supposedly runs the show, and can have Michael killed at his will. As soon as he gets out, the story begins...

Admittedly, the storyline does sound unlikely. However, it works, it makes you think, and provides for a decent two hours of entertainment. Shannen Doherty does an excellent job with her character (although it seems that she tends to play the same character in all her B-movies) and develops her well. I've always enjoyed her acting; those unbelievers who claim she's a horrible actress need only watch this movie, and watch any episode of 'Charmed' or 'North Shore' to see her talent. She might not be Meryl Streep, but if you put her up against Hilary Duff or Paris Hilton (ugghh), she's the greatest actress to have ever lived. Peter Outerbridge does a terrific job as well; he plays a believable psychopath and contributes well to the suspense of the film. I wasn't all that pleased with John Brennan as Michael, but I do admit that he is a very good actor.

What would I have changed about the movie? Perhaps, perhaps, Shannen's job as an interior designer 10 years later. It's okay, she acts the job out well, and it seems like something Shannen could be doing, but somehow that job doesn't fit into the movie properly -- it seems like it exists just to give Shannen a job. It doesn't tie into the storyline of the movie at all.

However, this was a very minor glitch. All in all 'The Rendering' is a great movie, with a terrific cast that seems almost wasted as a B-TV-movie. Is it worth the approximately $20? If you're a Shannen fan, yes. If you're bored with nothing to do, and feel like watching a suspense film, it's probably a rental.

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