Away from Her

Description

Married for almost 50 years, Grant's (Gordon Pinsent) and Fiona's (Julie Christie) commitment to each other appears unwavering. Their daily life is filled with tenderness and humor; yet this serenity is broken by Fiona's increasingly evident memory loss - and her restrained references to a past betrayal. For a while, the couple is able to casually dismiss these unwelcome changes. But when neither Fiona nor her husband can deny any longer that she is being consumed by Alzheimer's disease, the couple is forced to wrenchingly redefine the limits of their love and loyalty - and face the complex, inevitable transition from lovers to strangers.

Customer Reviews:

'But then that's life...isn't it'.......2007-09-12

AWAY FROM HER is a remarkable film from Canada for many reasons: the subject matter is tough but handled with sincerity and candor, the story from a short story by Alice Munro has been beautifully adapted for the screen by young and gifted director Sarah Polley, and the cast is homogeneously excellent - topped by shining Oscar worthy performances by Julie Christie and Gordon Pinsent. Polley has elected to share this tale of descent into Alzheimer's Disease and it effect on all manner of people by taking a subtle fragmentary approach to revealing the story and character development and in doing so she gives a feeling of how the world slowly loses its sense as the brain bumps around in deepening chaos.

The setting is Ontario, Canada where a couple has lived in a family home for the past twenty years of their 44-year marriage. Fiona (Julie Christie) remains a lovely woman but her memory is slipping and her husband Grant (Gordon Pinsent) adjusts to her diminished ability to cope with compassion and love. Through flashbacks and little moments in the present, the encroaching effects of Alzheimer's Disease become more prominent and together the couple arrives at the decision that placement in Meadowlands, a home of Alzheimer's victims, is necessary. An obligatory separation of 30 days 'while patients settle in' is followed by Gordon's visiting Fiona, only to discover that she doesn't recognize him and has transferred her affection to a mute wheelchair-confined Aubrey (Michael Murphy). Trying to understand this change Gordon visits Aubrey's wife Marian (Olympia Dukakis) and despite the devotion each has for their spouses, they seek some sense of security and rekindled meaning to life by dating. 'It's a strange world' they continue to sigh, struggling to adapt to the life into which they have been thrown.

The cast is brilliant: not only does Julie Christy deliver a carefully studied, nuanced, informed portrayal of the Fiona at odds with diminishing brain activity and Gordon Pinsent matching her with a man torn by the throes of their misfortune, but the smaller roles by Dukakis and especially by Kristen Thomson as the worldly wise and kind nurse Kristy are so well defined they astonish us. The isolation of the story is captured in the snows of Ontario by cinematographer Luc Montpellier and Composer Jonathan Goldsmith has fashioned a musical score that relies inventively and subtly on Bach. Sarah Polley may be young in experience as a director and writer, but if the brilliant AWAY FROM HER is any indication of her talent, we are in for a series of significant films. Highly Recommended. Grady Harp, September 07

How Many of Us Would Settle for What We Eventually Get?.......2007-09-12

There is a line from YOU CAN'T TAKE IT WITH YOU in which Grandpa asks:
"How many of us, when we're young, would settle for what we eventually get?"

What is extraordinary about Julie Christie's performance in this film is that Fiona settles for, and builds upon, what life deals her with a level of emotional discipline half inspiring, half maddening to her husband.

As the husband, Gordon Pinsent delivers a performance as racked with confusion, pain and nuance as any I have seen in movies for years. The complexity of his character is as enigmatic as Fiona's. Together, their love story provides hope for anyone who has stopped believing in love.

While this film sheds light on Fiona's descent into Alzheimer's disease, the film is neither about dementia nor is it about the hopelessness that often surrounds it. It is about the unexpected storms that overtake relationships and the ways in which two good people come to grips with disruption. For Alice Munro, whose story provides the basis of the screenplay, love is riddled with extraordinary pain, but it often conquers the odds.

Gorgeous nature cinematography is a characters in the film. In the opening scene, as in occasional scenes after, the lovers cross-country ski across frozen landscapes suffused with an Alpine glow. They are at peace, saying few words but sharing what could never be spoken.

The scene in which Fiona, sensing her decline into dementia, becomes momentarily lost -- only to become a snow angel, suggests that even early dementia has its respite.

Thre were a number of minor issues that troubled me. Julie Christie's American/Canadian accent wasn't persuasive at the start. The example the director uses to objectify early dementia -- putting an object to be refrigerated into a cabinet -- is too common to be considered aberrant.

The nurse overseeing Fiona's unit delves a to deeply into the history of the couple, more than is believable. In turn, the nursing home admin is just a too evil to fit into the world we know. Many administrators are kind but impotent. Some rage against the undue influence of physicians over their nurses prevails.

Love scenes between unlikely bedfellows seem superfluous here, even though they can and do occur in "real life."

We have dementia in our family and have followed the way down on more than one occasion. I can only hope that if, as genetically possible as it is, I face dementia earlier in life than I would like, my wife will give me half the love and engagement that this husband gives his wife. I believe she will do so.

The final scene, which I will not disclose, is worth the trip. It summarizes, in brief, passionate strokes, what love is, and it does so in terms which are fallible but filled with character.

This very young, gifted director has delivered one hell of a film. It should be required viewing for anyone entering the helping professions, but also the betrothed.

In today's prurient terms, love is not what "they" think, nor it it what most of us think. The director has taken great pains to reveal truths in a manner both restrained and dignified.

By my measure, this is the best picture of the year. And Gordon Pinsent delivers an incredible performance -- which brought tears to my eyes more than once.

Five easy stars, even for its flaws. There is no way to handle such delicate material perfectly, but this ensemble has come close to perfection.

Top Notch........2007-09-11

Brilliant acting. Beautiful locations. Julie Christie. Absolutely remarkable handling of the subject matter. And the saddest movie I think I've ever seen.

Away from Her: hard lessons in letting go........2007-09-11

"Don't worry, I'm just losing my mind."

Inspired by an Alice Munro short story, actress-writer-director Sarah Polley's Away from Her (2007) is a deeply-moving study of the effects of Alzheimer's disease. Retired professor Grant Anderson (Gordon Pinsent) and his wife Fiona (still-radiant Julie Christie) have been married for 44 years when Fiona first realizes she is gradually losing her memory. "I think I may be beginning to disappear," she matter of factly tells her dinner guests. Although Fiona loses most of her short-term memory before moving into an assisted-living facility, she initially retains her long-term memory, including all the pain of her relationship with Grant and his history of infidelities. "I'm going, but I'm not gone," she reassures Grant as he drives her to the rest home. Then, in just thirty days, she loses her memory of him altogether. "Does she even know who I am," Grant wonders aloud. While in the rest home, Fiona develops an "attachment" to a wheelchair-bound patient, Aubrey (Michael Murphy), who has lost his speech. "He doesn't confuse me," Fiona explains. As Fiona's mental condition deteriorates, Grant struggles with grief, guilt, loss, and hard lessons in letting go. He also confronts his own mortality alone. The soundtrack includes Neil Young songs. Polley avoids cheap Hallmark sentimentality in her film, focusing instead on her well-drawn characters and the changing dynamics of their relationship. The result is both powerful and poetic.

G. Merritt

Dance while you can.......2007-07-26

AWAY FROM HER is a film about an elderly couple that copes with Alzheimer's disease. Director Sarah Polley take's Alice Munro's short story, "The Bear Came Over the Mountain," and shows viewers the relationship between Fiona (Julie Christie) and Grant (Gordon Pinsent). Although the film is based on Munro's story, Polley adds more to the film's storyline, such as her focus on Grant's denial and slow acceptance of Fiona's deteriorating condition, and the long drawn out scenes at Meadowlake, the facility where Fiona decides to spend the rest of her life, which adds another dimension to story and the film.

Polley does a fine job in showing the intricacies that may occur in a marriage. The film takes place in Ontario, Canada, where a somewhat remote and snow-covered landscape captures the cold and emotionless feelings between Grant and Fiona. With the use of subtle home movie-like snapshots that capture the couple's past, the images show the irony of their lives; this is yet another film where the dialogue between the characters are short and ambiguous, but their facial expression fill-in the gaps where nothing is said as well as the film's soundtrack which complement the scenes.

The film is purely fiction but interesting. Grant shows his undying love for Fiona by making her as comfortable as possible - he comes to visit her everyday and reads her favorite books about Iceland; she does not remember being from Iceland. And when Grant finds out that Fiona befriends one of the residents at Meadowlake, Aubrey (Michael Murphy), he is somewhat resilient and disconcerted with her behavior, but eventually accepts it in order to make her happy. In turn, Grant has an unusual meeting/affair with Aubrey's wife, Marion (Olympia Dukakis).

Although a few of the scenes may not be realistic, AWAY FROM HER is an intriguing film that confronts the issue of Alzheimer's disease. It is moving and thought provoking, and it will definitely leave a lasting impression on the viewer.

Average customer rating:

Adorable!
One of my favorites!
great fun.....
Oh Gweneth, you have captured Emma!
can't get enough

Emma (1996)
Starring: Gwyneth Paltrow , James Cosmo , Greta Scacchi , Alan Cumming , and Denys Hawthorne
Director: Douglas McGrath
Manufacturer: Miramax
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00000G3AZ
Release Date: 1999-01-05

Amazon.com

Most people didn't mind Gwyneth Paltrow's English accent in this charming, 1996 adaptation of Jane Austen's novel (which also inspired Clueless). But even if it doesn't sound quite right to you, there are plenty of authentic and wonderful Brit thespians in this film by screenwriter-turned-director Douglas McGrath (co-author of Woody Allen's Bullets Over Broadway), including Juliet Stevenson (Truly Madly Deeply), Alan Cumming (Buddy), Phyllida Law (Much Ado About Nothing), Ewan McGregor (the Scots star of Trainspotting), and Sophie Thompson, outstanding and finally heartbreaking as the chattering Miss Bates. Paltrow plays Austen's benign busybody, Emma Woodhouse--so busy trying to arrange the lives of others that she is sidestepping her own. McGrath brings a kind of pretty and light touch to the production, his best move the wise delegation of creative authority to the actors themselves. --Tom Keogh

Description

This delightfully fun and lighthearted comedy is based on the story that inspired the hit movie CLUELESS! Dazzling Gwyneth Paltrow (SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE, THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS) shines as EMMA, a mischievous young beauty who sets up her single friends. Funny thing is ... she's not very good at it! So when Emma tries to find a man for Harriet (Toni Collette -- THE SIXTH SENSE, ABOUT A BOY), she makes a hilariously tangled mess of everyone's lives. You'll enjoy all the comic confusion ... until Emma herself falls in love, finally freeing everyone from her outrageously misguided attempts at matchmaking.

Customer Reviews:

Adorable!.......2007-08-21

I adore Jane Austen and this version of Emma is spot on. The acting is wonderful and the fact that Gwenyth Paltrow is not really british doesn't even come to play because she is fantastic in this. A very witty, charming fun movie that any Austen fan will love. And that Mr. Nightly..........................sigh

One of my favorites!.......2007-08-16

I absolutely adore Emma, it is witty, funny, and adorable. The costumes are excellent (I in fact made a replica of Emma's pink archery gown) and the set is absolutely amazing. Anyone will feel right at home in Highbury with Emma and her friends.

great fun............2007-08-11

I remember seeing this film on the big screen, when it was first released in 1996. I was on a total Jane Austen kick. I think I saw just about every film adaptation of her novels (with the exception of PERSUASION), and was looking forward to how this version would fare. I am happy to say that Gwyneth Paltrow embodies the title character of Emma charmingly. The upperclass matchmaker [and mischiefmaker] proceeds to set people up, shake up naysayers around her and has her share of misadventures. This film will make you smile and is very cleverly executed, and the supporting cast (James Cosmo, Greta Scacchi, and Alan Cumming, among others) are strong and play off of Paltrow's spritely and fiesty Emma delightfully. What's more, cinematographically, this film was shot like a beautiful English landscape and glows with life. Lovely......

Oh Gweneth, you have captured Emma!.......2007-07-22

I had saved this production of Emma for the last and was surprised at what I had missed when reading the book! This was so true to the book and so wonderfully done that I will watch it over and over I am sure. It made the book come alive for me and sparked even more of Jane's meaning for me. I could see how Emma felt through Gwyneth's wonderful portrayal. I have never known Gweneth to be such a perfectionist as this movie truely reveals. Thank you Gwyneth!

can't get enough.......2007-07-18

I finally bought this after renting it about five times. By now I've seen it more than any other movie, I'm sure, and will never tire of it. If I'm ever having a blah week, I pop it in, and like magic, I'm cheered up. It's truly delightful.

Average customer rating:

amazing!
Finally
Very Good, but Could Have Been Great - Blame the Director
Pretty long and slow
Well Spent Time....

The Painted Veil
Starring: Naomi Watts , Edward Norton , Liev Schreiber , Toby Jones , and Diana Rigg
Director: John Curran (II)
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000NOIX48
Release Date: 2007-05-08

Amazon.com

Produced by Edward Norton and Naomi Watts, The Painted Veil works well as a movie--even better as an actor's showcase. The year is 1925. When her domineering mother pressures her to marry, Kitty (Watts) settles for shy bacteriologist Walter (Norton). Then Walter is transferred from London to Shanghai and the lonely and bored Kitty drifts into an affair with married diplomat Charlie (Liev Schreiber). When Walter finds out, he makes a startling proposition: either Kitty accompanies him to the cholera-infested countryside or he'll divorce her. With no other prospects, she comes along on what looks like a double-suicide mission. Based on the novel by W. Somerset Maugham, The Painted Veil was adapted by Philadelphia's Ron Nyswaner (who knows a little something about infectious diseases). As two previous versions made little impact--despite Garbo's presence in the 1934 melodrama--John Curran's film is sure to stand as definitive. Interestingly, Norton, who studied Chinese history at Yale, chose Watts as his co-star, while Watts chose Curran, for whom she appeared in 2004's underrated We Don't Live Here Anymore. Filmed on location, the handsome production is, in many respects, just as old-fashioned as its source material--sex is merely suggested and Kitty is shocked that their English neighbor (Toby Jones) has a Chinese lover--but the ending packs a feminist twist. Mostly though, The Painted Veil is about the acting, and Watts and Norton, along with Diana Rigg as a disillusioned Mother Superior, have rarely been better. --Kathleen C. Fennessy

Description

Based on the classic novel by W. Somerset Maugham, "The Painted Veil" is a love story set in the 1920s that tells the story of a young English couple, Walter, a middle class doctor and Kitty, an upper-class woman, who get married for the wrong reasons and relocate to Shanghai, where she falls in love with someone else. When he uncovers her infidelity, in an act of vengeance, he accepts a job in a remote village in China ravaged by a deadly epidemic, and takes her along. Their journey brings meaning to their relationship and gives them purpose in one of the most remote and beautiful places on earth.

Customer Reviews:

amazing! .......2007-09-11

I couldn't ask for more in a tragic, sweeping, romance. Beautiful cinematography, beautiful love story. I watched the movie first, loved it, then read W. Somerset Maugham's novel. It brought everything alive. I was so impressed with Watson and Norton, although I hadn't really known much about them prior to this movie. Definitely my favorite movie in a long time.

Finally.......2007-09-09

Hooray for a movie about love that lasts and the price that has to be paid to have it!!! I am tired of hook-up movies with their thousands of one-night relationships. In a world were it is too easy to change one's mind about relationships, there is finally a movie which shows that sticking together through thick and thin and getting lost in service to others, attains the greatest union.

Very Good, but Could Have Been Great - Blame the Director.......2007-09-09

2006' "The Painted Veil" has so much going for it, it should have been another "English Patient" -- a retro romance that sweeps awards and captures hearts.

Instead we have that most frustrating creature -- a very, very good movie that just misses the mark of greatness.

Even so - if you like period romances, you may love what is lovable in this movie enough to forgive it its flaws.

What "The Painted Veil" has going for it:

1.) The plot of the Somerset Maughm novel. A nerdy, scientific, cuckolded husband, who knows his beautiful, shallow, society wife married him because she was dangerously close to being an old maid and wanted to get away from her mother, punishes her for an affair by taking her to a remote Chinese cholera epidemic. Yawza! How operatic!

2.) Sky-high production values. "The Painted Veil" was filmed on location in China. Locations were mixed and matched. At one point they were along the Li River, among Guilin's famous karst scenery. Karst is the "lumpy" looking limestone topography. Towers rise abruptly, and weirdly, out of river valleys, fringed by lush rice paddies and bamboo. The village Huang Yao is a five-hundred years old, intact Ming Dynasty town.

3.) Edward Norton is perfection. He gives Walter everything he needs -- as the nerdy, scientist cuckold husband, Walter is, by turns, arrogant, insecure, vengeful, loving, sweet, icy cold, naive, calculating ... you see it all on his face, and fear him, feel for him, and forgive him.

4.) Alexandre Desplat's award-winning score. Minimalist, and yet it conveys the plot's sense of entrapped passions and spiritual dimensions. Very good use is made of Eric Satie's Gnossienne # 1 and "A La Claire Fontaine," a French folksong whose bittersweet lyrics, which can be found on the web, are so appropriate to the plot that they are heartbreaking.

5.) Diminutive blond Toby Jones' depiction of Waddington, a British provincial officer who is just barely keeping up appearances, in his day old stubble, shabby, sweat-stained suits, and live-in Chinese lover, young enough to be his daughter. Jones pumps this small role full of life. In another actor's hands Waddington would have been forgetable; with Jones, he's one of the most interesting features of the movie.

6.) The Love / Sex / Death / Religion / Self-Sacrifice nexus that modern pop culture doesn't even seem to realize exists; any work of art that reminds us that what we love is mortal and that God and Sex live next door to each other in our brains / souls / lives is way ahead of the pack.

7.) A scene from a Chinese opera. A vermilion and turquoise costume. Lin Zheng's brilliant performance.

8.) Anthony Wong as Colonel Yu. Again, a minor part, but Wong is riveting.

What I wish had been different:

1.) Liev Schreiber has an unmistakable earnestness that just doesn't work for him to be believable as a rake, cad, and bounder. He was much better as the earnest, befuddled cuckold in "Walk on the Moon."

2.) Naomi Watts. She's very pretty and very sweet and I just never, ever believed her as a shallow, devastatingly beautiful socialite who could drive two men to irresponsible action.

I kept thinking of Greta Garbo in the original "Painted Veil," or Vivien Leigh as that insufferable monster, Scarlett -- as much as you hate her, you are fascinated. Not so with Watts.

3.) John Curran's direction. This is a MELODRAMA, John. Walter says, "I despise myself for loving you." Kitty says, "If a man doesn't have what it takes to make a woman love him, that's his fault." I mean, how can you direct that so anemically? As if they are asking for change to buy cheez crackers from the vending machine? In melodrama, you have to turn up the heat, send a few lightening bolts across the screen.

4.) The ending. I didn't need a happy or a sad ending. I just needed an ending that would serve the plot, and feel less like a dead end, a flat tire, that drained, rather than contributed, meaning to what has come before.

Pretty long and slow.......2007-09-08

The Painted Veil has it all going for itself. Naomi Watts and Edward Norton leading, two great actors. An interesting theme and issue, Cholera in China in 1920 and a great location to tease beauty from, but none of this is taken to its advantage. The movie was such a disappointment. I honestly thought that since I read so many good reviews of this film, it's going to pick up soon. But it never did. Honestly, the only good thing about this movie was the scenery and acting. That's it. The storyline seemed good, but, was this movie a bore! It lasted roughly two hours, but it seemed like a good five. I was wondering when the heck this movie was going to end. It was so long and drawn out. The entire movie was dialogue. That's it. There was no action whatsoever. I am not a lover of melodramas but if you want to see a good recent one, see The Lives of Others.

Well Spent Time...........2007-09-08

This adaptation of W. Somerset Maugham's novel with the same title is stunning visually, and emotionally wrenching. It ends with brilliant simplicity, leaving your mind and heart still entrapped in the story -- it's the kind of film you'll still be thinking about 2 days later while sipping a cup of tea. Curran creates magic with his sweeping scenery, efortlessly emphasizing the isolation and loneliness Walter and Kitty are facing - both physically and emotionally. Edward Norton truly becomes Walter, somehow managing to make clear Walter's growth through the film without losing the simple, quiet character he is. Norton deserves every one of the awards he won for this movie and many more. Naomi Watts is given the somewhat easier task of presenting Kitty, whose transformation is more active. She too brings her screen persona to life beautifully -- moving from selfish young woman to shattered soul to simple strength without emotional manipulation or losing the essence of the story. The two together bring a chemistry that touches the audience at the core of our being - and does so with a degree of subtlety that is rare today.

If you are a fan of the big budget, overproduced, special effects laden films that are so prevalent today, this will not impress you. The film simply flows -- no forced action or rush. If you are willing to ride along with the current, however, it is unforgettable. This movie is a flashback to a day when films managed to convey in few words much meaning. Curran's cinematography is a blend of a strong, simple script, poignant use of color and camera placement, and powerful actors. With that recipe it is no surprise that for those of us looking for a true experience film, Painted Veil is a hit.

PS-- the title itself refers to a sonnet by Percy Byshe Shelley called "Lift not the Painted Veil," which is well worth googling if you want a glimpse at the movie's depth.

Average customer rating:

Inspiring and witty
Absolutely wonderful movie
Shirley Valetine
Reviewing Shirley
Never a disappointment

Shirley Valentine
Starring: Pauline Collins , Tom Conti , Julia McKenzie , Alison Steadman , and Joanna Lumley
Director: Lewis Gilbert (II)
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000MGBSIU
Release Date: 2007-05-01

Amazon.com

As movie midlife crises go, Shirley Valentine's is a doozy. A bored Northern England housewife, wondering what her life is about and how to navigate around her clueless husband, Shirley would be at her wits' end--except that she knows how to dream big. As played by the incomparable Pauline Collins (who created the role on Broadway, and won a Tony for it), Shirley embraces not only her own constricted life, but the dreams of the big, beautiful world beyond it.

Directed by Lewis Gilbert (Educating Rita), Shirley Valentine is an anthem to the freedom of the soul--with a generous dose of salt of the earth. As she assesses her life, Shirley's humor never fails her: "I think sex is like supermarkets, you know, overrated. Just a lot of pushing and shoving and you still come out with very little at the end." Yet Collins' Shirley gets as much out of defending her right to her dream (a sunny holiday in Greece) as she does realizing it, and that makes for much of the glow of the film. For while Shirley has a cinematic romance on her vacation (Tom Conti plays the dreamboat), the affair is more of a metaphor for what Shirley insists on having in her real daily life. Watch for Joanna Lumley in a delicious cameo, pre-Ab Fab. And embrace this Valentine, and share it with those you love, all year round. --A.T. Hurley

Stills from Shirley Valentine (click for larger image)

Product Description

In the role that won her Broadway's acclaimed Tony Award, Pauline Collins is the hilariously endearing Shirley Valentine, a wisecracking, completely unpredictable English housewife who proves it's never too late to recapture your dreams. Bored with her suburban life, Shirley takes a chance on adventure when a friend invites her on a vacation to Greece. Within no time she's back to her rebellious teenage roots, saying yes to a wild fling with a handsome rogue (Tom Conti) and the life she's always wanted.

Customer Reviews:

Inspiring and witty.......2007-09-14

Pauline Collins does a fantastic job of portraying this middle-aged, bored woman who finds a new life on a Greek island, away from the dreary and mundane existence of her home in England.
She becomes the person she had once been, but only after she leaves her present life behind. When she jumps into the ocean from the boat, it's the start of her transformation.
Sometimes I think I should do the same!

Absolutely wonderful movie.......2007-08-23

I saw this movie years ago and it is as wonderful as I remembered. It is not a "chick" movie. We all have regrets when we look at our lives in middle age. Shirley gets a chance to escape her boring life and reclaim her true fun-loving nature by living out one of her youthful dreams - a trip to Greece. Both Tom Conti and Pauline Collins are perfectly cast.

Shirley Valetine.......2007-08-23

Quite intertaining. Probably more of a 'Chick-Flik' then not, but I would still recommend it. Quite humorous.

Dean475

Reviewing Shirley.......2007-08-10

One of my all time favorites. From the opening song to the closing scene. If you're not inspired by this movie, you need to rewatch it.

Never a disappointment.......2007-08-07

Finally a DVD viewable in the USA. This movie is a favorite of mine, warm, funny, with heart. All positive comments about it are true. I don't have much to add, but it deserves the five-star rating, and more.

Average customer rating:

"Out of Africa": The Movie, the Book, the Feminist
Wonderful movie
A classic!
The Best Movie Ever Made!!
Delight in "Out of Africa"

Out of Africa
Starring: Meryl Streep , Robert Redford , Klaus Maria Brandauer , Michael Kitchen , and Malick Bowens
Director: Sydney Pollack
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: 0783240171
Release Date: 2000-02-29

Amazon.com essential video

Sydney Pollack's 1985 multiple-Oscar winner is a sumptuous and emotionally satisfying film about the life of Danish writer Karen Blixen (Meryl Streep), better known as Isak Dinesen, who travels to Kenya to be with her German husband (Klaus Maria Brandauer) but falls for an English adventurer (Robert Redford). The film is slow in developing the relationship, but it is rich in beautiful images of Africa and in the romantic tone surrounding Blixen's gradual discovery of her life and voice. One downside: while we may all love Redford, he is as convincingly British as Kevin Costner is in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. --Tom Keogh

Description

The most acclaimed motion picture of 1985 stars Robert Redford and Meryl Streep in one of the screen's great epic romances. Directed by Oscar winner Sydney Pollack, Out of Africa is the fascinating true story of Karen Blixen, a strong-willed woman who, with her philandering husband (Klaus Maria Brandauer), runs a coffee plantation in Kenya, circa 1914. To her astonishment, she soon discovers herself falling in love with the land, its people and a mysterious white hunter (Redford). The masterfully crafted, breathtakingly produced story of love and loss earned Oscars for Best Picture, Director, Screenplay (based on material from another medium), Cinematography, Original Score, Art Direction (Set Decoration) and Sound.

Customer Reviews:

"Out of Africa": The Movie, the Book, the Feminist.......2007-09-11

The book, "Out of Africa," is a memoir of the Danish Baroness Karen Blixen's habitation near Nairobi in Kenya from 1914 to 1931 on a fertile 6000-acre coffee plantation, "at the foot of the Ngong Hills" (1992: 3). Blixen writes under the pen-name Isak Dinesen. Karen Blixen went to British East Africa (in a location in present-day, Kenya) to join her German husband (Baron Bror Blixen), and upon separation she stayed in Kenya to manage the farm by herself. The extent of her adventures in Africa, and to what extent she is a feminist is borne out by the book, as well as the film "Out of Africa," that is based on the book. This piece will examine such, as well as comparisons between the book and the film.

Isak Dinesen (Karen Blixen) presents geographical detail, oftentimes comparisons and contrasts within this fertile land of the Kikuyu people that would several decades later be the crux of the Mau-Mau rebellion over whites' displacement and dispossession of natives from their land. Dinesen also compares features with those of her native Europe. Dinesen writes of the equatorial habitat, "Everything that you saw made for greatness and freedom, and unequaled nobility...Up in this high air you breathed easily, drawing in a vital assurance and lightness of heart: Here I am where I ought to be" (1992: 4). Dinesen writes of "heavy-scented lilies," of "long-rains," "ever-changing clouds," of "hills from the farm [that} changed their character many times in the course of the day, and sometimes looked quite close and at times very far away" (1992: 4). Dinesen, in precise and elegant language displays love and fascination for the geography, the clean air, the animals, the beauty of this African environment; she becomes possessed by the place.The movie captures the large, picturesque, mysterious, and varied eastern equatorial Africa where the eland, the buffalo, and the rhino are quite common sights; the movie impressively and unanimously earned, Oscar, "Best Picture of the Year."

In the end Dinesen is forced to give up her plantation, this scenario elicits a heartache and sadness. Dinesen's memoirs, years after she had left Africa could be a reflection of her nostalgic dealing with her loss of the farm as well as overall experiences in Africa. Dinesen stands out as a courageous and strong woman, one who is in the feminist direction. She lost her philandering husband, but stayed on bravely, for nearly 20 years in a foreign harsh environment, one with languages and cultures far-fetched from her own. Dinesen worked well at being appreciative of an environment that was new to her, during an era of colonialism in Africa, a time when Darwinian relegation of black Africans to the lowest of human species and elevation of whites to the upper rung was very strong. Dinesen cuts through the female traditional roles, she tries flying in planes, the goes on safari, she learns how to shoot and even shoots and kills game. She is open and welcomes countless visitors from all over the world to her home and farm. This was an age of exploration and acquisition of "Dark Africa," by Europeans and Asians. Dinesen is quite aware of her feminine strength. She rescues and adopts a wounded antelope she names Lulu; Lulu becomes a celebrity on the farm; Dinesen searches, discovers and celebrates the feminist strength in Lulu: "But Lulu was not really gentle, she had the so-called devil in her. She had, to the highest degree, the feminine trait of appearing to be exclusively on the defensive, concentrating on guarding the integrity of her being, when she was really, with the force in her, bent upon and defensive" (1992: 74). Also, "Lulu of the woods was a superior, independent being...she was in possession. If I had happened to have known a young princess in exile, and while she was still a pretender to the throne, and had met her again in her full queenly estate after she had come into her rights, our meeting would have had the same character" (1992: 78).

The book displays that Karen Blixen exemplified the Europeans with the upper hand in colonial world conquest and politics. It is to be recalled that the three weapons used by Europeans to subjugate Africans were the gun, the Bible, and the anthropologist. Karen used guns to protect herself. Catholic (mostly Belgian and French), Protestant (mostly British), and Muslim (mostly Arabic) agencies vied for power in Africa. The Germans were in present-day neighboring Tanzania (German East Africa) to the south. They would be ousted during this significant, "Scramble for Africa." The book illustrates how Karen Blixen took great interest in which religious group the young natives (some of whom served her) adhered to. Many native followers, taught to kneel and pray to an invisible white Almighty god, became converted to the political/ religious groups, as they became dispossessed of their land resources. The anthropology aspect, as mentioned, involved relegation of black Africans to the lowest rungs of evolutionary mankind...the white was relegated as the superior, the master, the savior, the benevolent, the genius. The movie is great at casting Meryl Streep as the beautiful, rosy-cheeked clean, statuesque woman amidst muddy, black African paradise! The real Karen Blixen likely had more rugged looks and likely often got "down-and-dirty," than is depicted in the movie. An equatorial Africa of long and heavy rainy seasons, of continuous tropical sun, and of limited running water would not leave the Danish heroine so clean and collected.

It is to be recalled that Dinesen is writing from an overly European point of view, hence, negative criticism of her will not be short. Her attitude to black Africans is racist and condescending. In the movie, Denys Finch-Hatton (Robert Redford) rebukes her for instructing native porters to get off her belongings by "shooing," them off!. Finch-Hatton, in shock, remarks to her, "Shoo?" as if telling her, "I do not believe you addressed these people that way!" Finch-Hatton (who became Dinesen's lover) knows the native languages (Kiswahili and Kikuyu), and goes on to communicate her instructions to the porters. Black Africans are prevalently depicted in the movie as poverty-stricken servants, laborers and porters, as helpless people close to animal nature. In tune with the movie, here Dinesen writes, "They were poor people, small and underfed; they looked like a pair of badgers on my lawn...I could hardly distinguish them against the grass. They were sank in deep grief; their bereavement and their economic loss melted into one overwhelming distress" (1992: 108). Dinesen is surprised that the, "Natives," are strikingly open, adapting, welcoming and unprejudiced. Yet, as prevalent in the colonial fashion, she does not attribute this to the inner traditions and workings of indigenous African society, but from influence from foreigners including slavers! "The lack of prejudice in the Natives is a striking thing, for you expect to find dark taboos in the primitive people. It is due...to their acquaintance with a variety of races and tribes, and to the lively human intercourse that was brought upon East Africa, first by the old traders of ivory and slaves...and...by the settlers and big-game hunters" (1992: 54).

Dinesen wishes the natives would understand and appreciate her more. It is always presumptuous to be confident of having fully understood a foreign culture and people; she does not seem to believe she is prejudiced and why the natives to a good extent regard her as a foreigner far different from them, and difficult to comprehend. She writes, "If I know a song of Africa,---I thought,---of the Giraffe, and the African new moon lying on her back, of the ploughs in the field, and the sweaty faces of the coffee pickers, does Africa know a song of me?" (1992: 83). At the same time, Dinesen quite often acknowledges that newcomers from Africa are from a noisy and rushed world, they do not have the patience and connectedness of native Africans. European colonialists imposed on the natives an alien system of forced dispossession and displacement and of monopoly. So much of this colonial intrusion was quite new to the prevalently communalist and family-oriented, egalitarian way of native African subsistence.

Karen Blixen's marriage starts out as more of a convenience than of romance. She left Denmark to marry the German Baron Bror Blixen (Klaus Maria Brandauer) and start a dairy in Kenya. Bror is actually the brother of her lover. Karen is offering her fortune for companionship and adventure (and for the title of, "Baroness") much more than for enjoying the security of a man. So, from the outset, Karen's feminist inclinations are strong. The husband changes his mind about the diary, and instead invests her money in a risky venture of growing coffee. The husband is unfaithful, philandering, gives her syphilis that will disable her from having children; the marriage breaks up. Karen is left to manage the farm, she has to battle with floods and fire. Hardly anything of British big game hunter Denys Finch-Hatton's romance with Dinesen (Karen Blixen), is mentioned in the book; the movie likely borrows from other sources depicting the life of Karen Blixen. Unfortunately the English accent of Denys Finch-Hatton is not conveyed by Redford, compared to Karen's excellent outflow of a Scandinavian accent. Yet, the movie depicts their chemistry, Denys is impressed by her strength and independence, Karen's ability to tell and weave stories, they kiss, and in one scene have sex. Karen does seem to desire long-term companionship and commitment from Denys, desire for a man who will sacrifice to be with her. She stands against having a man like Denys who wants to be "free-wheeling," one who will come and go depending on need and desire, he loves the African outdoors. Finch-Hatton is mysterious, elusive and emotionally distant, but he is miscast in that in the movie: he seems to represent an all-American jock that waywardly found his way into Africa. Karen was wounded before, and this encounter with Denys is only a brief moment of ecstasy, but she bravely soldiers on, appreciating more of what is around her. Karen is indeed confident, stoic and creative in face of the odds. She did resist going on safari with Denys, but she eventually succumbed to his quite undeniable invitation. Eventually, they got closer, she broadened her horizons, she better adapted to and better accepted foreigners and their ways.

In conclusion, the movie emphasizes the romantic issues and episodes in Karen Blixen's life in Africa (romance and sex sells in Hollywood), much more than the book does. The book seems to be constructed from a breadth of notes of what Blixen put together while in Africa, and weaved them into a good fairy tale. The truth is that Blixen dealt with aspects like fluctuating coffee prices, sometimes drought and heavy rains, discontented dispossessed natives, scrambles for Africa amongst several European agencies, African diseases and sometimes unsanitary conditions, wildlife from untamed neighborhoods. The movie does display the exquisite beauty of tropical Africa which Blixen did dwell on, but not on the colonial wranglings. There is lyrical beauty in Blixen's writing, and the movie does elicit an African peaceful mood through the excellent music. Blixen, in both the movie and the book is a strong and opinionated woman, yet flexible and open to ideas, people, and adventure. She is a significant precursor of modern-day feminism.

Wonderful movie.......2007-09-04

I didn't see this movie when it came out in 1985 - but I wish I had !
Fantastic scenery (shot in Kenya) and a terrific performance by Streep, Brandauer and Michael Kitchens.
This was based on a true story about author Isak Dinesen (not certain about that spelling; her pen name was Karen Blixen. Or maybe its the other way around).
It helps to know a bit about the story beforehand; and also something about colonial Africa. Otherwise it may not hold your interest (especially younger adults).
Biggest drawback is Redford's character Denis Finch-Hatton. Finch-Hatton was and Englishman but Redford makes no attempt at a British accent. Redford has the right rugged good looks but the accent messes up the character.
I highly recommend this film.

A classic!.......2007-08-28

One of the all-time best movies!...gorgeous sound track, gorgeous scenery..beautiful story beautifully narrated..top cast. I own it and view it repeatedly.

The Best Movie Ever Made!!.......2007-07-30

So Often when I ask people if they've seen this movie, they say no. I'm shocked at that, as it is, for sure, the best movie ever made. In its day it won 7 Academy Awards! First of all the acting, the scenery, and music are superb. But the story, based on the true adventures of an amazing lady will touch you forever. For Ladies, if you've ever been a woman seeking idealistic love or a woman trying to being successful in your professional efforts, you will relate to Karen, her life, her joys and her frustrations. For men, you will relate to that need men have to keep their safe distance from matters of the heart and to go out and be adventurers. Also, it may help you understand the complexities of women. I warn you both though, this movie will give you a yearning to visit Africa. I recommend you watch the director comments and especially the music comments, then go back and watch it again and again. I recently had the pleasure of meeting director Sydney Pollack and told him i've seen it about 22 times, he told me that was a record!

Delight in "Out of Africa".......2007-07-23

I wanted to update my movie collection by buying a DVD to replace my VHS tape of "Out of Africa." The quality is much better and nicer to watch. In addition, there are "extra features" on the DVD that were added and are interesting to see. For example, Meryl Streep talks about making the movie. Fascinating stuff. What an elegant movie with gorgeous photography and an amazing story of interesting people living in interesting times.

Average customer rating:

Great love story!
Sweet Land - sweet movie
Hypnotically Quiet, but No Less Passionate.
A Smart and Enjoyable Film
Moving, poignant, timely, and a keeper

Sweet Land - A Love Story
Starring: Elizabeth Reaser , Tim Guinee , Alan Cumming , John Heard , and Alex Kingston
Director: Ali Selim
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000P5FH26
Release Date: 2007-07-10

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Adapted from a Will Weaver story, Ali Selim's Sweet Land is a truly sweet story about unlikely immigrant lovers whose struggle for integration into 1920's America earns them a work ethic more American than many of their narrow-minded neighbors. Set in rural Minnesota, the sentimental film focuses on tribulations that Scandinavian settlers experienced, with a cinematic serenity reminiscent of Terrence Malik's Days of Heaven. Norwegian farmer Olaf Torvik (Tim Guinee) invites a non-English speaking German siren, Inge Alltenburg (Elizabeth Reaser), to relocate and marry him, but discovers that neither the town's Lutheran pastor (John Heard) nor the local judge will marry a German into their community for fear of wartime German spies. Inge finds friendship in neighbors Frandsen (Alan Cumming) and his wife, Brownie (Alex Kingston), who disregarding local gossip, welcome her into their home. Finally, Inge proves herself, settling in so that Sweet Land's historical narrative is framed by Inge, fifty years later, speaking to her adult son about her husband's death and their plot of land. This multi-generational tale of social acceptance and land ownership is ultimately the story of America, though the regional specificity of Sweet Land will speak especially to those familiar with Midwestern culture. --Trinie Dalton

Description

Inge (Elizabeth Reaser) is a feisty German mail-order bride who has come to Minnesota to marry Olaf (Tim Guinee), a young Norwegian immigrant farmer of few words. But in a post-WWI, anti-German climate, the local minister (John Heard) openly forbids the marriage. Inge and Olaf fall in love despite the town's disapproval. But when the town banker (Ned Beatty) attempts to foreclose on the farm of his friend Frandsen (Alan Cumming), Olaf takes a stand...and the community unites around the young couple, finally accepting Inge as one of their own.

Customer Reviews:

Great love story!.......2007-09-06

This movie was beautifully written, directed and acted. I was very impressed with the soundtrack as well. Though the movie is not action packed, it is filled with well developed characters and interesting plot turns. The gradual love story that builds through the entire film is entertaining right up to the end. I would highly recommend this movie!

Sweet Land - sweet movie.......2007-08-25

Our family thoroughly enjoyed the steady, quiet, loving pace of this movie. There are many issues of acceptance, faith, and determination that are woven into the story. It is beautifully filmed and we loved the characters. We highly recommend this movie for just about anyone.

Hypnotically Quiet, but No Less Passionate. .......2007-08-24

"Sweet Land" is an unusual love story set among homesteading immigrants in Minnesota farm country shortly after World War I. Olaf Torvik (Tim Guinee) came to the US from Norway in 1910, moved west, cleared some land, and became a farmer. A decade later, his parents in Norway find him a wife. Inge Allenberg (Elizabeth Reaser) arrives by train with 2 suitcases and her indispensable phonograph. But Inge is a German national. Post-war sentiment toward Germans prevent the minister and judge from marrying the couple. Olaf is frustrated by the situation, but Inge is determined to be his wife.

"Sweet Land" director Ali Selim adapted the film from Will Weaver's short story "A Gravestone Made of Wheat". The story of Inge and Olaf provides an window on an American culture rarely seen in film. The farms' placid beauty defies the harsh realities of eking out a living in this fickle environment. I was entranced by the quietness that results from Olaf's laconic nature and Inge's inability to speak English. The actors do a splendid job of conveying Inge's resolve and Olaf's frustrated longing and fear of this stranger with few words. "Sweet Land"'s framing device is awkward, but it does give the story context and leaves the audience satisfied to know how things turned out.

The DVD (20th Century Fox 2007): There is one featurette, a theatrical trailer (2 ½ min), and an audio commentary. "Sweet Land: A Labor of Love Story" (11 min) interviews director Ali Selim about his intentions and talks with the cast about their characters and themes. The audio commentary is by writer/director Ali Selim, actors Tim Guinee and Elizabeth Reaser, editor James Stanger, and producer Gil Bellows. Selim and Stanger discuss the framing device. Selim talks about adapting the story. Also discussed are locations, the score, performances, shooting anecdotes, and the actors share their experiences. Subtitles for the film are available in English, Spanish, and French.

A Smart and Enjoyable Film.......2007-08-13

Sweet Land is a film which is enjoyable time after time for the nuances of the writing, the acting and the beautiful cinematography. Because of the focus of the film on immigrant brides, and the reality of the language barriers, my second viewing was like seeing a sequel. The actors brought real depth to the subject matter and I especially appreciated the development of the relationships in the community. A great film for the whole family.

Moving, poignant, timely, and a keeper.......2007-08-12

A friend recommended we see this movie so we drove 90 miles to the nearest theatre to view this independant flick. Wow! Now, we have the video and are every bit as impressed. Filmed on location in the vicinity of Montevideo, MN Sweetland exudes a rare authenticity that simply grips the heart and soul. Pastoral settings, migrating geese flying by, the harvest the old fashioned way...it's all there, with great magnificence and integrity. We tend to forget life tensions around 1920, emigration pressures, foreign language miscommunications, ostracism, hard work, the influence of the church and minister...While you're immersed in the story it suddenly hits you that certain contempory issues also echo within this unfolding drama. How many films have you seen lately that are bold enough to go a full ten minutes before the main title comes to view? It's 1 hour 50 minutes long. The ten minute behind the scenes feature reveals what inspired the writer and the director, adding additional dimensions to the moving story. We haven't yet taken in the audio commentary, that'll be next. Buy it, watch it, show it to your kids. Keep your hankies close, it'll tug powerfully at your heart, especially so if you have roots in the great midwest. You'll find why the land can be sweeter than money.

Average customer rating:

The best movie EVER!!!
Fun, funny, and wonderful
The Perfect Movie!
YEAH I LIKED IT
Worth watching (maybe even more than once); don't skip this one.

Love Actually (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Chiwetel Ejiofor , Colin Firth , Gregor Fisher , Martin Freeman (II) , and Jill Freud
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00005JMFQ
Release Date: 2004-04-27

Product Description

"Get ready for fun!" (Leah Rozen, People) with the "feel good movie of the year!" (Clay Smith, Access Hollywood) Love Actually is the ultimate romantic comedy from the makers of Bridget Jones's Diary and Notting Hill. Funny, irresistible and heartwarming, an all-star cast (Hugh Grant, Liam Neeson, Colin Firth and Emma Thompson, to name a few!) will take you on a breathtaking tour of love's delightful twists and turns. Fall under the spell of Love Actually and share the laughs and charm again and again.

System Requirements:

Running Time 135 Min

Format: DVD MOVIE

Amazon.com

With no fewer than eight couples vying for our attention, Love Actually is like the Boston Marathon of romantic comedies, and everybody wins. Having mastered the genre as the writer of Four Weddings and a Funeral, Notting Hill, and Bridget Jones's Diary, it appears that first-time director Richard Curtis is just like his screenplays: He just wants to be loved, and he'll go to absurdly appealing lengths to win our affection. With Love Actually, Curtis orchestrates a minor miracle of romantic choreography, guiding a brilliant cast of stars and newcomers as they careen toward love and holiday cheer in London, among them the Prime Minister (Hugh Grant) who's smitten with his caterer; a widower (Liam Neeson) whose young son nurses the ultimate schoolboy crush; a writer (Colin Firth) who falls for his Portuguese housekeeper; a devoted wife and mother (Emma Thompson) coping with her potentially unfaithful husband (Alan Rickman); and a lovelorn American (Laura Linney) who's desperately attracted to a colleague. There's more--too much more--as Curtis wraps his Christmas gift with enough happy endings to sweeten a dozen other movies. That he pulls it off so entertainingly is undeniably impressive; that he does it so shamelessly suggests that his writing fares better with other, less ingratiating directors. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

The best movie EVER!!!.......2007-09-08

There are so many things that I love about this movie... it would take me an hour to write them all out... so I'll sum it up by saying this- this is a movie that leaves you feeling strangely optimistic about humanity. I know that sounds silly to say about a movie, but it seriously does give you a warm and happy feeling. Everyone I've shown this movie has gone out and bought it. Truly fantastic.

Fun, funny, and wonderful.......2007-09-07

I smiled, I laughed and I thoroughly enjoyed this movie! (I must be a closet romantic.) "Love Actually" runs the gamut of love stories by having several different love stories running at the same time. Each one is enjoyable. What I enjoyed the most was spotting each plot in the other stories and how they each were woven into the whole.

The DVD extras and commentary are also entertaining if you're interested in seeing how the director thinks and how each story line develops.

I won't spoil it for you, but it you're looking for a fun movie that you can watch again and again, this is it.

The Perfect Movie!.......2007-08-24

As my review title says - perfect cast, perfect music, perfect writing =
The Perfect Movie. I hope you can't "wear out" a DVD, because I've watched it so much I might just do that.

YEAH I LIKED IT.......2007-08-23

Love Actually is a movie comprised of vignettes. It is basically a story about men, their loves, their losses. The step-father who has lost his wife and his step-son who has lost his mother and who is also in love for the first time. The cuckolded husband, the poor drip who can't get laid, the married man pursued by his ammoral secretary, the new prime minister infatuated with his employee, the man secretly in love with his best friend's girl, the porn body-double who is very much a gentleman, and the aged ex-heroin addict ex-pop star. And then there is the poignant addition of the woman who is doomed to suffer unrequieted love.

The movie is fast paced and the editing of the various vignettes form an interwoven story that is funny, sad and entertaining. Hugh Grant's dance scene and Colin Firth's childish tantrum on the sidewalk when he can't get a taxi are hilarious. It's always charming to watch grown men act like little boys!

This movie isn't for children due to mimed sex scenes and naked female breasts.

In my opinion, the one vignette that stole the entire movie is the one about the aged ex-heroin addict ex-pop star staring Bill Nighy. They could have made an entire movie about this character. Most of the laughs are generated by this character as he tries to make a half-hearted come-back with a remake cover of an old song called "Love is All Around." I usually don't find older men attractive but Bill Nighy is so wonderfully weird, strange and clever in his role, that I couldn't help but find him a little bit sexy as the burned out old pop star trying to market his pathetic "turd" of a Christmas song.

This isn't Shakespeare, it's just pure, goofy fun. I'm sure if you watch this film you will be attracted to more then one of the characters and maybe even relate to them in some way.

Worth watching (maybe even more than once); don't skip this one........2007-08-22

So I don't really dig lovey-dovey movies, but this one made the cut. "Love Actually" is a pulp-fiction style movie that deals with how much love bites, but that sometimes, just sometimes, it all turns out ok. It's very well done and will likely leave you feeling better about love, life and relationships. If you check it out, be forewarned that it does have some nudity/ sex scenes, but probably not like you've ever seen before. The movie could have gotten along ok without them, but it's more meaningful than you might first suspect. Pornography IS the most impersonal, irreverent, pernicious form of nudity known to humanity. But this movie capitalizes on that fact by having two porn stars' most intimate, most sincere moment with each other develop with ALL of their clothes ON, on a doorstep, via an awkward chicken-peck on the cheek. It's brilliant. And if you pay extra close attention to the male character's dialog later on, you learn that he's really a virgin anyway. Absolutely brilliant.
If you're a thinker and a lover (and I know you can be or wanna be) you'll dig this movie.

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Steel Magnolias
All time Favorite
Ooky Terri DelCampo loves Steel Magnolias Special Edition
Worst movie ever.
An Outstanding Movie!

Steel Magnolias (Special Edition)
Starring: Sally Field , Dolly Parton , Shirley MacLaine , Daryl Hannah , and Olympia Dukakis
Director: Herbert Ross
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00004TJKK
Release Date: 2000-07-25

Product Description

Six divas of the silver screen -- Sally Field, Dolly Parton, Shirley MacLaine, Daryl Hannah, Olympia Dukakis and Julia Roberts -- come together as bosom buddies in this hilarious and heartwarming story of life, love and loss in a small Louisiana Parish. At the center of the group is Shelby Eatenton (Julia Roberts), newly married and joyfully pregnant, despite the fact that her diabetes could make childbirth life-threatening. Terrified and angry at the possibility of losing her only daughter, M Lynn Eatenton (Sally Field) looks to her four closest friends for strength and laughter as she battles her deepest fears of death in order to join Shelby in celebrating the miracle of new life.

System Requirements:
Starring: Olympia Dukakis, Sally Field, Daryl Hannah, Shirley MacLaine, Dolly Parton, Julia Roberts, Dylan McDermott, Kevin J. O Connor, Sam Shepard, and Tom Skerritt.
Directed By: Herbert Ross
Running Time: 119 Min., Color.
This film is presented in "Widescreen" format.
Copyright 2000 Columbia TriStar Home Video.

Format: DVD MOVIE

Amazon.com essential video

Based on Robert Harling's play, this comedy-drama directed by Herbert Ross (The Turning Point) follows several years in the lives of women who regularly see one another at a beauty shop in their small Louisiana town. The story deepens as Julia Roberts, playing a serious diabetic and the daughter of Sally Field, goes downhill in her health. But as an ensemble piece, this is one of those enjoyably lumpy tearjerkers with many years' worth of stored truths suddenly being shared between the characters, lots of grievances aired, that sort of thing. Daryl Hannah and Shirley MacLaine assume the most eccentric roles, Dolly Parton the most fun, and Olympia Dukakis the most dignified, while Sally Field essentially provides the moral and emotional center of the movie. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

Steel Magnolias.......2007-08-06

Tear Jerker! Sally Field never fails to deliver a phenomenal performance! The cast of actors worked well together. The movie left you wanting more.

All time Favorite.......2007-07-07

Never fails... as many times that I have watched this movie, I always cry at some point. The friendship these ladies share and the southern ambiance is great!

Ooky Terri DelCampo loves Steel Magnolias Special Edition.......2007-06-20

Steel Magnolias is one of my very favorite movies. I am replacing my VHS tapes with DVDs and it was one of the first ones I replaced. I love the special edition DVD because it told the story of the writer's sister who died young. It gives the movie even more special meaning knowing that it's based on a real life situation rather than one that's completely fictitious. Five Stars!

Worst movie ever........2007-05-27

Yeah I know, most won't agree.
This is the most useless excuse for a movie I've ever seen.

An Outstanding Movie!.......2007-05-26

This is one of my favorite all-time movies. It's set in Lousiana. Julia Roberts, Sally Field, Olivia Dukakis, Shirley Maclaine, Dolly Parton, and Darryl Hannah are the main stars of the movie. It starts out as a group of women in a beauty salon getting ready for Julia Roberts' character's wedding. We meet Darryl Hannah's character in the beginning as she comes by looking for work and a place to stay. The story goes over a period of time from Shelby's wedding to the birth of her son and her kidney transplant and her death. At the end of the movie, it shows Darryl Hannah's character heading off to the hospital to have her baby. During the movie, Darry's character went to beauty school, fell in love, got married, and became pregnant. Too bad that a sequel was not made.

Average customer rating:

The King and future Princess
Gary Cooper's Oscar winning performance was well earned for this movie.
HIGH NOON, 1 OF HOLLYWOODS GREATEST WESTERNS
AS GREAT AS MOVIES GET!!!
A Classic & Inspiring Hero Movie

High Noon (Collector's Edition)
Starring: Gary Cooper , Thomas Mitchell , Lloyd Bridges , Katy Jurado , and Grace Kelly
Director: Fred Zinnemann
Manufacturer: Republic Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00006JMRE
Release Date: 2002-10-22

Product Description

Gary Cooper won the Oscar for the Best Actor in this classic tale of a lawman who stands alone to defend a town of righteous cowards in the greatest showdown in the history of cinema. The film also stars one of Hollywood's most beloved and prolific actors, Lloyd Bridges, and marks the first starring role foria beautiful young actress and internationally adored screen legend--Grace Kelly.

System Requirements:
Starring: Lloyd Bridges, Lon Chaney, Gary Cooper, Katy Jurado, Grace Kelly, Thomas Mitchell
Directed By: Fred Zinnemann
Running Time: 84 Min., Color
Copyright Artisan Home Entertainment 2003.

Format: DVD MOVIE

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One of the greatest Westerns ever made gets the deluxe treatment on this superior disc from Republic Home Video's Silver Screen Classics line of special-edition DVDs. Written by Carl Foreman (who was later blacklisted during the anticommunist hearings of the '50s) and superbly directed by Fred Zinnemann, this 1952 classic stars Gary Cooper as just-married lawman Will Kane, who is about to retire as a small-town sheriff and begin a new life with his bride (Grace Kelly) when he learns that gunslinger Frank Miller (Ian MacDonald) is due to arrive at high noon to settle an old score. Kane seeks assistance from deputies and townsfolk, but soon realizes he'll have to stand alone in his showdown with Miller and his henchmen. Innovative for its time, the suspenseful story unfolds in approximate real time (from 10:40 a.m. to high noon in an 84-minute film), and many interpreted Foreman's drama as an allegorical reflection of apathy and passive acceptance of Senator Joseph McCarthy's anticommunist campaign. Political underpinnings aside, this remains a