The Mists of Avalon

Amazon.com

This adaptation of Marion Zimmer Bradley's sprawling and perennially popular book, whose retelling of the Arthurian legends focused on the role of powerful females, compresses a wealth of mysticism, family intrigue, and bloody swordplay into three hours. While the plot can meander slowly and can sometimes seem, well, mystifying, the work of three notable actresses holds the production together, and the numerous complications do eventually get resolved. As Viviane, the Lady of the Lake, Anjelica Huston endeavors to perpetuate the old religion as pagan Britain comes into contact with Christianity. The scheming Morgause, played to evil perfection by Joan Allen, conspires to her own ends. And Avalon priestess Morgaine, played by Julianna Margulies, travels the heroine's journey, overcoming tragedies, injustice, and all manner of obstacles in her duty to both "the goddess" and her younger brother, King Arthur. Although the action lags at times, the production is quite lavish for a made-for-television feature and the film is ultimately entertaining. --Robert J. McNamara

Description

The King is dead, long live the King, but who will it be? The answer is found on the battlefields and in the mystical and powerful manipulations of fate emanating from the women of the legendary isle of Avalon in this intrigue-filled retelling of the King Arthur/Camelot legend. Starring Julianna Margulies, Anjelica Huston, Joan Allen, Caroline Goodall, Edward Atterton, and Samantha Mathis.

Customer Reviews:

Morgan leFay finally tells her side of the story.......2007-09-09

Feminine power of the sisters of Avalon dominates this story, and rightly so, since the intention is tell a story otherwise told by men for hundreds of years. Story is organic and as such the essentials of plot can be retold by a teller to effect a different understanding of the way things are. While I have loved the Arthurian tales all my life, and particularly the stories of Malory in all the grand knightly language, I enjoyed delving more deeply into the complex female characters and their struggle to endure. Perhaps it goes a bit farther into more contemporary, conventional understanding of the pagan rituals, stylizing what was probably more raw and barbaric; still, it is a lovely film and worth watching if you enjoy a well-woven tale.

Longed for the Movie.......2007-08-25

I had read the book, and thoroughly loved it! Heard the movie was coming out and couldn't wait. But it was a let down. If you haven't read the book, the movie is good to see. But if you've read the book, well, the movie was a dissapointment to me.

Great Movie.......2007-08-23

I enjoyed this movie. It was an excellent adaption of the book. I do wish that it had stayed more true to the novel, but then that would have made for a very long film.

Just because I love it..........2007-08-22

does not mean that in any way I think this is a good movie. Nor do I think it is a good representation of the book. Actually, in both regards, this movie comes up incredibly short. But yet, I love it. A lot.

This movie introduced me to two people who have led me to things I'm passionate about. The first is Juliana Margulies, who, as a miscast and lacking Morgaine (I still love her in this movie), led me to ER. The earlier seasons (the only ones I watch), featuring her as the well-cast and well-acted Carol Hathaway are my favourite bits of television. The second person probably changed my life. That would be Loreena McKennitt, whose enchanting song 'The Mystic's Dream' is featured in this movie. To make a long story short, her music is one with my soul, and I can't help but thank this movie for completing me.

Anyway, this is a miscast and lacking movie that has infectious qualities and is based on the most wonderful book I've ever read. Read the book. Love it. Watch the movie. Scoff at how little it follows the book. Learn to laugh at it and love it for what it is. Good times will certainly ensue.

Good movie, Good story.......2007-08-14

I remember seeing this movie when I was younger, it instantly became one of my all time favorites. Anyone interested in movies that have abit of legend mixed with war,religion, cultural changes, drama should buy this movie. It doesn't overdo any aspect and does a good job at portraying one aspect of the legend of king Arthur. It does have its moments where it can seem unnatural and disgusting but that doesnt subtract at all from the overall movie. I would recommend it to anyone that wishes to have a good all around movie based on a legend and historical accounts(limited) and with a good story line.

Average customer rating:

Zardog is the Most Interesting Movie You've Never Heard Of
Up, Up And Away...
Zardoz???
Mix of laughable and unforgettable
Sean Connory breaking out of the chains of Bond, a classic movie

Zardoz
Starring: John Alderton , Daisy Boorman , Katrine Boorman , Telsche Boorman , and Niall Buggy
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000059HAE
Release Date: 2001-03-27

Amazon.com

A bewigged Sean Connery is Zed, a savage "exterminator" commanded by the mysterious god Zardoz to eliminate Brutals, survivors of an unspecified worldwide catastrophe. Zed stows away inside Zardoz's enormous idol (a flying stone head) and is taken to the pastoral land of the Eternals, a matriarchal, quasi-medieval society that has achieved psychic abilities as well as immortality. Zed finds as much hope as disgust with the Eternals; their advancements have also robbed them of physical passion, turning their existence into a living death. Zed becomes the Eternals' unlikely messiah, but in order to save them--and himself--he must confront the truth behind Zardoz and his own identity inside the Tabernacle, the Eternals' omnipresent master computer.

A box office failure, John Boorman's Zardoz has developed a cult following among science fiction fans whose tastes run toward more cerebral fare, such as The Andromeda Strain and Phase IV. An entrancing if overly ambitious (by Boorman's own admission) film, Zardoz offers pointed commentary on class structure and religion inside its complex plot and head-movie visuals; its healthy doses of sex and violence will involve viewers even if the story machinations escape them. Beautifully photographed near Boorman's home in Ireland's Wicklow Mountains by Geoffrey Unsworth (2001), its production design is courtesy of longtime Boorman associate Anthony Pratt, who creates a believable society within the film's million-dollar budget. The letterboxed DVD presentation includes engaging commentary by Boorman, who discusses the special effects (all created in-camera) as well as working with a post-Bond Connery. --Paul Gaita

Description

Two societies, one intellectual (the Eternals) and the other physical (the Brutals) live side by side but never meet. Sean Connery is a Brutal out to shake things up.

Customer Reviews:

Zardog is the Most Interesting Movie You've Never Heard Of.......2007-04-19

Zardoz is the most important movie nobody (I know) has seen. Forget that there is a lot of nakedness and topless women; or, that you get to see a super-buff, 1974-era, Sean Connery running around for more than two hours in a pair of underwear; this is an important movie or utopia gone terribly distopian. Zardoz is written and played out like a broadway musical, with lithe dancer-actors, it is presented like a play. This is not a sophisticated movie but it will surely make you think. I would say that Zardoz is both brilliant and campy; insightful and kitchy, and brutal and actually very good at dealing with the concept of balance: in order to grow as men and as a society, one cannot -- must not -- merely separate physically from poverty, ignorance, sickness, and death; but, rather, integrate, integrate, integrate -- or perish. Bravo! See it.

Up, Up And Away..........2007-03-01

Zed (Sean Connery) hitches a ride inside of a giant, flying, stone head. Once aboard, he shoots it's occupant dead and flies off to "The Vortex", a place where the "Eternals" live. This is a land full of men and women who have no sense of what real living is all about. They just loll around, musing and pontificating about nothing. Zed spices things up for these immortal buffoons by being different and, oh yeah, by having a male organ that works! I kid you not! The rest is mainly Zed finding out that what he thought would be heaven is actually pretty dull. Unfortunately, so is this movie! John Boorman (Deliverance, Excalibur) wrote, produced, and directed this elephant tranquilizer. Although, it does get an extra star for that hilarious flying head...

Zardoz???.......2007-02-24

The name says it all. From 007 to Savage. If you are a Scifi lover, you will really enjoy this one. Watch if for nothing else other than to figure out the name. Interesting storyline.

Mix of laughable and unforgettable.......2006-09-29

In about three hundred years, after some catastrophe has virtually wiped out our civilization, two branches of humanity remain to sparsely populate a now pristine Earth. The "Brutals" are uncivilized apes - ruled by an army of gun-toting, loincloth-wearing "Exterminators" who kill with little compunction. The Brutals are themselves on a divine mission, ordained by the great god Zardoz to cleanse the world "of the plague of men". Taking the form of a huge, flying stone head, Zardoz lands amid gangs of Brutals, preaching genocide and spitting huge piles of guns and ammo at his gleeful followers. "Go forth, and kill", spake Zardoz, even as his gun-firing followers fill his head with crops harvested by Brutal slaves. Zed (Connery), one of the Brutals, stows away as the stone head floats away, thinking it will bring him to the after-life known as the vortex. Zed - as the story will show - has already been infected with some form of heresy that Zardoz is not what he seems to be.

Thanks to a pre-credits monolog, we already know that Zardoz is a false god, an alter-ego of Arthur Frayn - himself a magician by inclination, and immortal by association. Frayn belongs to that other surviving branch of humanity, the undying and telepathic "Eternals". Ruled by a new age computer called the Tabernacle, Eternals use Zardoz to make pawns of the Brutals, who in turn harvest the world and feed them. Otherwise protected from the Brutals' world by an impenetrable field, the Eternals live an apparently idyllic yet emotionally and physiologically impotent existence within a reserve ironically known as "The Vortex". The Eternals would just as soon kill Zed, holding him little higher than an ape. However linked by the Tabernacle, dissension in the ranks over what to do with Zed allows him to learn the secret of the Eternals' existence and destroy it, while himself evolving beyond his murderously wanton origins. It turns out that the immortals have had enough of their lifeless survival, and now long for death (or at least mortality). But what force drives Zed, and what turned him against Zardoz?

It's hard to answer those questions, because so much of this movie is incomprehensible (including how many of the plot's enigmas were intentional). The script is full of laughably arch dialog and self-aware or simply laughable imagery. (You may recall a movie starring Sean Connery running around in a red diaper, wondering what that movie was - "Zardoz" endeth the lesson!) All the costuming is laughable, consecutive scenes don't lead into each other, the society of the Eternals is never really explained (the Eternals are immortal, yet not quite indestructible; it's never clear just how the Eternals are trapped into immortality) and there's way too much interest in the male anatomy. Worse than that, the movie is incredibly slow, and it's often difficult to understand just what's going on.

Yet, "Zardoz", for all of it's arch self-awareness is still a cut above Boorman's other losers. It still doesn't touch "Excalibur", though it does hint at Boorman's interest in Arthurian legend, with its rural and pre-modern looking settings, the Eternals at one point gathered at a round table; Zed's search inverts the legend of the Holy Grail - he seeks the cup that destroys immortality. Despite its flaws, the flick never loses its sense of enigma, and though it pains me to say, I found the overwhelming desire of the Eternals to die (and their ultimate denoument) gave the story an emotional coherence that nearly makes you forget everything laughably bad about the movie.

Sean Connory breaking out of the chains of Bond, a classic movie.......2006-07-29

This movie is one of the Genre of the post apocalytic, overlycontrolled society, but a different twist than many of the others. Based as a world of outlanders and the society, Zardoz plays more on the class differences and higher society comming together to "set the standards" and control or crush everything else. Connery plays a "brutal" from outside the Vortex, which is a society set up by elite in which science and itellectuals combined to explore the human potential and eventually gain inmortality. These intellectuals prey on the outsiders to gain supplies by using "zardoz", a flying large head. Connery stoes away in this flying head and enters the Compound, where he is studied, but eventually he aids in the fall of this Utopia. Definitely something different than the "big brother is watching" films of sci-fi, this film was different,and that is what makes it a definite pick for anybody who like the sci-fi genre, must see, even better to own now that its on DVD.

Average customer rating:

Love the book and the movie
sucks
WHAT?!?!?!?!?
Horrible beyond description, but you should see it.
A Classic for all Times

Battlefield Earth
Starring: Michael Byrne , Kim Coates , Sean Hewitt , Michael MacRae , and Michel Perron
Director: Roger Christian
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00003CXIV
Release Date: 2001-01-16

Amazon.com

When Battlefield Earth was released in May 2000, this inept sci-fi epic qualified as an instant camp classic, prompting Daily Variety to call it "the Showgirls of sci-fi shoot-'em-ups." Other reviews were united in their derision, and toy stores were left with truckloads of Battlefield Earth action figures that nobody wanted. As the film's star and coproducer, John Travolta must have felt an urge to enlist in the witness protection program.

Recklessly adapted from the novel by sci-fi author and Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard and set in the year 3000, the film is no worse than many cheesy sci-fi flicks, but the sight of Travolta as a burly, dreadlocked alien from the planet Psychlo provokes unintentional laughter from first frame to final credits. As Terl, the Psychlo security chief who conquers Earth and hatches a secret scheme to steal all the gold from Fort Knox (which sits conveniently in wide-open vaults), Travolta hams it up as if he knows he's in a camp-fest. (In a cameo as a long-tongued Psychlo seductress, Travolta's wife, Kelly Preston, only adds to the absurdity.) Barry Pepper (the praying sharpshooter from Saving Private Ryan) tries his best to convey charisma as Jonnie, the human slave who leads an uprising against Terl's tyranny, but he's adrift in a foolish plot that makes even smart humans look stupid.

The decrepit look of a dreary future is convincingly established (the ruins of Washington D.C. recall Logan's Run on a grander scale), but in the wake of its ludicrous climax, the best that Battlefield Earth can hope for is a Dune-like fate: it might improve in a longer director's cut--but that's wishful thinking. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

Love the book and the movie .......2007-08-11

I know I'm in the minority here ... but I read the book at least once a year and that's no easy thing since it's about four inches thick. Plus, I've watched the movie several times and really enjoy it ... I just wish there had been a sequel so they could have filmed the second half of the book. I even enjoy the Psychlos... aliens kind of like Klingons, but with dreadlocks. All in all, it's a great piece of science fiction.

sucks.......2007-07-16

if aliens ever attacked earth, we could show them this movie and they would leave.

WHAT?!?!?!?!?.......2007-07-11

Looking at reviews for this film, I saw that others actually gave it MORE than 1 star!

I would give it ZERO if I could!

This was absolutely one of the VERY WORST movies I have ever seen! I had read the book TWICE and absolutely loved it, so when the movie came out, I was very excited to go see it. Very few disappointments in my life were as bad as this one.

The first half of the movie is more or less faithful to the book, but the second half totally abandons the book and becomes a brainless shoot-em-up film that has no heart, no plot, and no style.

I can't believe that people actually want to OWN this film.

Yuck.

Horrible beyond description, but you should see it........2007-06-04

When I walked into the video store to rent this vid, the guy at the counter said "I heard that this was a really bad movie..." I looked him squarely in the eye and told him "Yeah- I've heard that this is the WORST movie ever made- that's why I need to see it."

Comparisons between "Battlefield Earth" and Ed Wood's "Plan 9" are inappropraite. Plan 9 was so bad that it was actually fun to watch- Battlefield Earth, however, is sorta like watching a close-up video of eye surgery- however, this film's abysmal awfulness is unique, in its own way...

The shock of the horrible acting, cheesy costumes, terrible direction, and puke-inducing cinematography never wears off- just when you think your intelligence and sense of aesthetics cannot be further insulted, this movie slams you again- and again- and again.

This is a film to be endured, rather than enjoyed- if you can survive a viewing, you'll feel stronger for it.

A Classic for all Times.......2007-05-27

A true timeless classic, right up there with "I Dreamed of Africa."

The Barbarian Invasions (Les Invasions Barbares)

Average customer rating:

NOT made in America
Seminal Quebecois movie
Vive La Diference
An Inadvertent Warning Regarding Nationalized Health Care
A Much Better Than Average Death

The Barbarian Invasions (Les Invasions Barbares)
Starring: Dorothee Berryman , Isabelle Blais , Markita Boies , Denis Bouchard , and Toni Cecchinato
Manufacturer: Miramax
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0001XAPWE
Release Date: 2004-07-13

Amazon.com

The intriguing Denys Arcand (director of Jesus of Montreal and Stardom) returns to the lusty, cantankerous intellectuals of his first film, The Decline of the American Empire. Remy (Remy Girard), a history professor, is dying of cancer, and his estranged and financially successful son Sebastien (Stephane Rousseau) returns to care for the old man. With the power of money, Sebastien cuts through bureaucracy and the law to give his father some comfort--comfort that Remy accepts with reluctance, because in his eyes the unintellectual Sebastian has betrayed all of Remy's principles. Old friends arrive and soon the conversation turns to sex, religion, history, sex, academia, sex--The Barbarian Invasions isn't very focused, but the very breadth of its ideas makes it worth seeing; few movies even try to grapple with morality or the state of our culture, let alone with this kind of intelligence and grace. --Bret Fetzer

Description

Academy Award(R) winner for Best Foreign Language Film in 2003, THE BARBARIAN INVASIONS is a provocative look at the many ties that bind a group of friends and lovers. It's not easy for a narrow-minded professor (Rémy Girard) to reconcile with his equally stubborn son. But soon, father and son find themselves gathering with their wide and colorful circle of family and friends to confront their differences, confess their secrets, and celebrate life! Winner of the Best Actress (Marie-Josée Croze) and Best Screenplay awards at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival -- critics everywhere hailed this outstanding motion picture as one of the year's best!

Customer Reviews:

NOT made in America.......2007-07-23

First-rate! This movie shows how to live and die and love and play; how to seek redemption and forgive. May I learn from this film which has so much to teach.

Seminal Quebecois movie.......2007-06-07

This was a great movie. I found it to be very philosopical and nostalgic. There was a point int he movie where you heard them talk about their various philosophical turns from Maoism to feminism to Quebecois separatism. The movie's title represents different invasions. One invasion was the Muslim invasion of the West(which he jokes about when he talks about them as rabid Mohammedans in the movie), especially concerning September 11,2001 and Quebec's immigration when all the main characters reminisce about the past. Another one was the sickness that had come to the elderly father in the movie that had made him a barbarian when his son had come to aid him. The conflicts that arise in this movie are numerous and the issues that arise out of them may represent an invasion to the confronted. When these issues are resolved, you see a passionate and loving story behind this scary title. This is a little slice of French culture that makes them so admirable. The writer deserves my highest regards no matter what interpretation you may see from me or other reviewers.

Vive La Diference.......2007-04-26

I honestly did not know what to expect with "The Barbarian Invasion". Heck, it took me about a half hour to figure out it was a Canadian movie rather than the French movie I initially thought it was. I had trouble, at first, knowing when to take a scene seriously or satirically but I was catching on and finding myself enjoying every step of the way. There is a lot of political comment in this movie and the health care system in Canada and the labor unions come under the severest satire. The squemish may object to the sexual innuendos whether they be blatant or merely suggestive but, I have to admit, there was a lot of red-faced humor in this movie. Somewhere along the way, we glimpse some serious commentary about life, death, and relationships with one another. The element that raises "The Barbarian Invasion" above crude sexual slapstick and up to the level of respectability is the relationship between father and son. The way the film stays with that metamorphisis of anger and resentment into love and forgiveness is the beauty of "The Barbarian Invasion". The path that leads us there is riddled with so much gratuitous humor and political satire (as well as insight) that it's hard, sometimes, to stay on track. The ending, as objectionable as it may be to many, also serves as a reminder to how love can compromise standards to achieve the needs of a loved one. In that way, "The Barbarian Invasion" mirrors the strength of "Million Dollar Baby" in a most complementary manner.

What had me stumped the most about this movie was the meaning of the movie's title. I accepted it to mean the effect on the son when he tried to come to the rescue of the father. Although I understand the objections many may have, this is a skillfully made movie that tells a powerful message.

An Inadvertent Warning Regarding Nationalized Health Care.......2007-04-25

"Barbarian Invasions" revolves around the final days of a decadent and third rate scholar dying from cancer. Remy is in his mid-fifties and his self indulgent lifestyle has destroyed a marriage and alienated a son and daughter. Remy's students apparently see through the man's shallowness and barely give him the time of day. Fortunately, the son Sebastien never embraced the father's immature socialist economic theories. He is now an affluent businessman able to spend money to help Remy experience a more pleasant death.

It leaves one speechless observing Sebastien's struggles with the Canadian public healthcare system. It is downright awful---and thoroughly corrupt. Patients are crammed together in small rooms. Thievery is rampant and hospital administrators are afraid of the unionized workforce. Bribes must be paid under the table to get anything done. Remy and Sebastien are even compelled to travel to the United States for advanced medical testing. Is Canada a Third World nation? This sure seems to be the case. Do you know anybody who is infatuated with taxpayer funding of health care? If so, make sure they see "Barbarian Invasions." This could turn them into hard core Republican voters before the end of story. No, this is not a great film. It is not for everybody. But there's enough here for those wishing to more fully understand the moral and intellectual bankruptcy of today's leftists. They truly number among the barbarians of our age.

A Much Better Than Average Death.......2007-01-24

While the surface plot is certainly of the typical dying father/prodigal son format, and surely other writer/directors have explored the inextricable link between life and death, I found LES INVASIONS BARBARES to far exceed the commonplace in this work. Others here have summarized the plot, but it is the many background stories that have caused this film to capture my admiration and I can easily place it on my all-time top ten list.

I will admit that I'm a sucker for entourage films, yet this is one of the best of its type due to the many inadvertent interactions between the cast. The character of the son, Sebastien, played by Stephane Rousseau, perfectly captures the emotional distance, as it breaks down, between father and son, not through any of the philanthropic acts, but through a mutual understanding and respect, that the viewer can rightly imagine has been kept dormant all along.

The Story of Civilization - Romans and Barbarians

Average customer rating:

The Story of Civilization - Romans and Barbarians
Starring: Romans & Barbarians
Manufacturer: Kultur Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000GPPPOU
Release Date: 2006-08-29

Description

The mighty legions of Rome marched all over Europe to chase glory and conquer lands for their Emperor. This is the story of the Roman invasion of Britain, the weapons and tactics that made the legions so feared and the culture that has endured to the present day.

Amazon.com

The 1981 feature Arcadia of My Youth (Waga Seishun no Arcadia) reveals the past of Leiji Matsumoto's celebrated trio Captain Phantom F. Harlock, technological wizard Tochiro (with whom Matsumoto is said to identify), and free trader Emeraldas. Harlock is not a pirate, but a rebel defying the Illumidus Occupation Force and the quislings who aid their occupation of Earth: his skull and crossbones banner symbolizes his dedication to fight to the death for his beliefs. Harlock's efforts to aid the people of the planet Tokarga, whom the Illumidus have used and plan to discard, becomes a baroque sword-and-spaceship epic in which heroic men weep, women display steely courage, and everyone follows a bushido-based code of honor. During the adventure, viewers discover how Harlock lost his right eye and Emeraldas acquired the trademark scar across her face. A must-have for Matsumoto's many fans. (Rated 13 and older: violence, alcohol use, minor profanity) --Charles Solomon

Customer Reviews:

Deserving of a better release!!.......2005-12-01

I remember the first time I saw Arcadia of My Youth. It was a VHS copy by a small company called Best Video. The audio was a bit scratchey, the English voice acting was labored to say the least, and the picture was dull as can be expected from a VHS tape. Now after all these years a company called Animeigo has released Arcadia of My Youth on DVD. But was to be elation soon turned to somewhat of a let down. Which left me saying that this film should have seen a better quality DVD.

Arcadia of My Youth is the origin of Captain Harlock. Defeated by the invading Illumidas, Harlock has returned to Earth in shame. He soon sets out on his endless journey through the sea of stars. The film is a landmark in anime history. Harlock is one of most reverred and celebrated characters in anime and manga. And this film shows you exactly why. Harlock is a man who is the definition of integrity. Though a solitary figure, he soon befriends a technician who becomes his first mate on the Arcadia as well as his best friend, Tochiro. During the film Harlock and the people of Earth are faced with life under an enemy occupation. The inspiration for the story comes from the post World War II years in which creator Leji Matsumoto spent living with under occupying American forces in Japan. Though a brooding and heavy story, it never drags. The film moves at a nice pace through the end.

Though the film is outstanding, the DVD is somewhat lacking. The first thing I noticed was that there was no widescreen presentation (not to mention the cheesey box art). Why, I'm not sure. But a film of this stature should have been presented in widescreen. Secondly, the picture quality isn't quite what I expected. Where the film The Castle of Cagliostro is actually older, it looks alot crisper and cleaner on DVD. The picture actually doesn't look all that different from a high quality VHS at times. The colors in Arcadia of My Youth are very dull and the sound, presented in Dolby Stereo, is flat and lifeless. A few years ago there was a laser disc release of Arcadia Of My Youth. I have never seen it, but I'm thinking that even a mastering from a laser disc would have looked a lot nicer. The menus are nicely laid out. There are animated menus and scene selections. There are trailers which are a great treat. There's also a text interview with Leji Matsumoto. All of the extras are great. But unfortunatley none of them are very well transferred to the DVD format. The film is presented in the original Japanese voice track with English subtitles. Occasionally a pain to keep up with, but it's great to hear the original voice acting.

Arcadia of My Youth is still an excellent film. The technical problems with the DVD aside, it's still a must own for any anime fan. It's a great introduction to the world of Matsumoto and Captain Harlock. I'm hoping that eventually a better quality DVD surfaces. It's too good a movie to be treated like this.

"At the end of the journey, all men think that their youth was Archadia.......2005-09-07

Classic story of a space pirate Harlock and his group of freedom fighters who try to liberate earth from alien control.

Though 'Waga seishun no Arcadia' is old movie and has excessive melodrama, it's basic story and message are still stronger than in many modern day animes.

See it, so you can understand it.

My Rating: 9/10

The shows rating 13 and up: violence, alcohol use, minor profanity

All Brave Men Dream of their Youth in Arcadia.......2004-09-23

Captain Harlock is perhaps the greatest creation of anime legend Leiji Matsumoto's , the creative mind behind classics like Space Battleship Yamato (known as Star Blazers in the U.S.). Harlock is really to me the quintessential anime hero (anti-hero?). He's stoic. He's cold and aloof. When challenged to a duel, he doesn't even blink. But deep in his soul the fires of his lost love and eternal courage burn deep. This character has been duplicated numerous times (check out captain Nemo in Nadia: Secret of the Blue Water or Alex Row from Last Exile). The original series that put that character on the map has long since disappeared unfortunately, and is impossible to find in America as far as I know. All is not lost however, as the spectacular story of the origins of Captain Harlock is told in this exquisite movie.

The film starts with one man's fight against the elements and ends with one man's journey across the sea of stars flying under his own flag. Arcadia is a place of Viking legend, and references are made to it through the movie. The reason hinted at is that Harlock is a man out of his time, and comes from a long line of men out of their time. Harlock is one-time soldier of a planet now defeated and enslaved. When his true love puts up the only resistance to the misery and hatred spread all around, it stirs something deep inside of him. He soon finds himself allied with the scientist Tochiro and the space trader Emeraldas. Despite betrayal by his own race and government, Harlock and his new friends decide to use a ship that Tochiro has built in a desperate attempt to save a planet from destruction by the hand of the same race that have enslaved the earth.

That's putting it in simple terms. This is a complex movie with visuals that range from good to breath-taking (thanks in no small part to a marvelous restoration for the DVD, but marred somewhat by a lack of widescreen), a soundtrack that is downright haunting in its beauty, and themes of tragic loss, remembered innocence, and eternal hope that will always ring true. In fact, if this film has a flaw, it's that it may be TOO heavy for some, TOO melodramatic. Personally, I don't think so (: I'm just warning those who like fast, fun, popcorn flicks :) Of course, there are some people who will find some of the film rediculous (Tochiro having a spaceship on hand, and life-energy pull of the Stanley Witch of Space come to mind). I love these very same elements. They aren't supposed to be realistic, and the whole story has the air of a legend which grew and exaggerated through time like the ancient legends the film keeps making reference to. If you like your stories to take on mythic proportions, you may find yourself agreeing.

If you want to see something really GOOD that Leiji Matsumoto made, if you're just dying to know how Harlock lost his eye and got his ship, who Harlock's first true love was, how Emeraldas got her scar, and in general the COOL stuff about the origins of Matsumoto's greatest characters... this movie is for you.

Matsumoto at his Best.......2004-06-17

My introduction to Captain Harlock (Arcadia of My Youth) came by a rather unusual route. As a young fan (12yrs) of the Americanized syndicated series "Starblazers" (Spacecruiser Yamato), I stumbled acrossed another Animee series running on the CBC French channel at the same time that was very similar in style which was named, in French, "Albator". Even though my French was very limited, I became a big fan (the animation was beautiful, and, I have to admit, the air of mystery was enhanced by my very basic comand of the French language :-)).
So... after all these years, my brother bought the "Starblazers" (one of my all-time favorite series) DVD on line. & I thought to my self, "perhaps If that's available, I might find 'Albator' on line as well...", and I eventually came across this...
If you are an Animee fan, especially of the Matsumoto/Starblazers variety, you will LOVE "Arcadia of My Youth". This film is beautifully rendered from the original in both audio and vidio, and more than that, is a wonderful story that is very skillfully told. Captain Harlock is a fully realized 'hero' in the literary sense- with a perfect mix of passion, restraint, and sensitivity, and even chivelary (god forbid in this day and age!) that keeps him steady upon the 'middle path', the path that instinctively generates faith in the viewer that his goal will evenually be reached, no matter how arduous the path. This disciplined, Campellesque type Hero, whose exterior mission is an element of the interior (yet the former justifies the latter, for the mature individual) is today a rarity in an any film genre, and is refreshing to see so well realized. The soundtrack is gorgeous, and very apropriate. What more can I say? I bought this several days ago, received it today, and have watched it twice already. It is even better than what I expected it to be... And if you love symbolism.............

"It takes a man to understand these feelings...".......2004-05-11

Captain Harlock epitomizes what the Japanese call the "Hard School" of heroes. He is stoic and strong, unmoved by weak emotions and undistracted by women. Yokio Mishima ("The Sailor Who Fell from Grace With the Sea") would give a silent, grim salute to this space sailor, who coasts the pure and cold ocean of stars, accompanied by his boon companions who he shelters from the storms. High melodrama, complete with capes and scars.

There is no film that captures this essence more than "Arcadia of my Youth." Of all Matsumoto adaptations, this one remains the truest to the core of his work.

Here we get the origin story of Space Captain Harlock, most recent in a long line of Pirate-Knights sailing in ships they name "Arcadia." A manly heritage of struggle and stamina passed from the original Phantom F. Harlock to his descendants, across 3,000 years. Along with Harlock is the origin of many his familiar characters, such as Emeraldas, the female proponent of the hard school, and Tochiro, the diminutive mechanical genius looking for a hero to follow. A Wagnerian tale to be sure, a true Space Opera.

The DVD is an excellent presentation to this ode to the hard school. The animation is a bit dated, but not yet marred by the distracting CGI found in later Matsumoto adaptations. The original and uncut version is presented, as it should always be in every release. The extra features are enjoyable, but nothing spectacular. The main star is the movie itself.

Be sure to put on your most stoic face when watching "Arcadia of my Youth," and know that life is born of struggles and sacrifice and challenge. As Captain Harlock says, "It takes a man to understand these feelings..."

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Charlie Rose with Allan Sloan, Bethany McLean, Peter Elkind & Kurt Eichenwald; Ken Auletta; Dan Abrams (February 19, 2004)

Manufacturer: Charlie Rose, Inc.
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

( C ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
All Titles | Charlie Rose Store | Television | Genres | DVD | Video
ASIN: B000HBL1O6
Release Date: 2006-11-02

Description

A discussion of the indictment of Jeffrey Skilling, former CEO of Enron, with Newsweek's Allan Sloan, Fortune Magazine's Bethany McLean and Peter Elkind and The New York Times' Kurt Eichenwald. The discussion continues with Ken Auletta of The New Yorker. Finally, MSNBC's Dan Abrams on the Martha Stewart trial.

The Decline Of The American Empire / The Barbarian Invasions (Original French Version)

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The Decline Of The American Empire / The Barbarian Invasions (Original French Version)

ProductGroup: DVD
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Decisive Battles - The Gothic Invasion of Rome

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Decisive Battles - The Gothic Invasion of Rome

Manufacturer: The History Channel
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

DVD+R format
Detailed computer re-enactments bring these pivotal moments to life.
Examine the greatest conflicts in history.
Military historians, archeologists and other experts share their insights.

ASIN: B000G2LUDI

Product Description

Crumbling from within, the Roman Empire sends its Legions to a fateful encounter on the Turkish plains. The Roman Empire is crumbling. The once-mighty power has been split in two and the barbarians are literally at the gates. The ravages of the Hunnic hordes behind them mean the Visigoths are forced to beg Rome to let them cross the Danube. Corruption drives this hungry horde to rebellion, and pride drives the Emperor Valens to take them on without support. On a blisteringly hot day in Turkey the battle comes to a head.

Charlie Rose with Ron Brownstein; Mark Halperin; Jai Rodriguez; Ted Allen; Carson Kressley; Thom Filicia; Kyan Douglas; Denys Arcand (February 18, 2004)

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Charlie Rose with Ron Brownstein; Mark Halperin; Jai Rodriguez; Ted Allen; Carson Kressley; Thom Filicia; Kyan Douglas; Denys Arcand (February 18, 2004)

Manufacturer: Charlie Rose, Inc.
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

( C ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

General | Educational | Genres | DVD | Video

Description

Ron Brownstein of the LA Times and Mark Halperin of ABC News share thoughts on the Democratic primaries after Wisconsin. Then, Jai Rodriguez, Ted Allen, Carson Kressley, Thom Filicia and Kyan Douglas discuss the success of their show, Queer Eye For the Stright Guy. Finally, filmmaker Denys Arcand and his new project, The Barbarian Invasions.

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