With Honors

Amazon.com

Joe Pesci gives his most likable performance to date, elevating this predictable comedy-drama. A stuck-up Harvard senior (Brendan Fraser) believes his life is ruined when an educated bum (Pesci) finds his thesis. The bum wants to trade each page for a favor during a harsh New England winter. Of course, the student learns more from his new friend than from the halls of Harvard. Some silly, melodramatic parts including an unbelievable classroom lecture make this comedy tiring at times. But the cast and dialogue ring truer than the tired plot. A solid first feature from Alek Keshishian (Truth or Dare), who graduated with honors from Harvard. --Doug Thomas

Description

Armed with a copy of a harvard student's thesis, a homeless man makes the desperate student an offer: in exchange for food and a place to stay during the harsh winter, he will return the thesis one page at a time.

Customer Reviews:

Write this again...in thirty years.......2007-05-09

This predictable story attempts to be deep, but never makes it past the shallow end. Pesci's great truths to the youth are simplistic, and presented to the students in uninteresting undramatic ways. The students buy into him...only because the script tells them to. I think even junior college students wouldn't take Pesci or his rantings seriously. It's a nice premise, but the script doesn't have the weight necessary. My guess is that the scripwriter was relatively young, and couldn't be expected to present the great essential truths learned from a life lived, when he himself hasn't made that journey yet. A suggestion: "The Paper Chase" with Timothy Bottoms and John Houseman...a much better, satisfying, and involving film about growing wiser while attending Harvard.

A GUILTY PLEASURE.......2007-04-06

What can I say? I like this movie. I know it is manipulative and contrieved. You know how it's going to end, but it is a very entertaining movie! It does have it's virtues though. A very insiteful film that has a lot more going for it than just another college frathouse flick.

Stupid.......2006-12-05

To put it succinctly, Brendan Fraser is a college senior who ends up writing a ridiculously long thesis, which is then swiped by Joe Pesci, the homeless dude who, predictably, is really quite wise. The problem is that his "wise" sayings aren't really too wise; he's like the guy you know who is always trying to sound intelligent, but doesn't really know that much. Joe Pesci's character is pretty annoying. That's probably why he ended up friends with Brendan Fraser's character.

Fraser triumphs as a student who learns the value of an education.......2006-05-11

... a life education, that is. Brendan Fraser has never been one to take on a role with any substance or complexity and this film is certainly not a divergence. I don't begrudge the guy for going for the paycheck -- and he must not begrudge himself either because it seems it's all he does: Dudley Dooright, George of the Jungle, The Looney Tunes Movie, Mummies I & II, Monkeybone, Bedazzled, The Scout, Airheads, Encino Man, etc.

In this earnest to the point of humiliation film, a homeless man throws Fraser's thesis into a furnance. (And as an earlier reviewer pointed out) Let's forget the fact that Fraser is smart enough to get into Harvard but not smart enough to back up or copy his thesis. Because if we were to allow logic into our minds then our hearts would follow. See what I'm saying.

What is an uncanny coincidence is that I brought a homeless man into my thesis defense. Regrettably the man could not enlighten my professors, but he did leave a funny smell in the room after he had asked them all for spare change. This was not one of those "noble homeless" that Pesci portrays here so unconvincingly. It was one of the mentally challenged people whose very existence, is filled with desperation and indignity. And the worst part was that he bit Doc Ahern, took a whole chunk of his ear out.

I only hope this movie does not damage all the progress that the homeless have made in this country. If the average citizen believes that the only thing holding back the homeless is their "live for today, make yourself happy" attitude, then we're in worse shape than I ever thought.

Get That Boy A Floppy Disk..........2006-03-29

I couldn't help being impressed by the favorable comments some of the "citizen reviewers" (as I like to refer to us) have posted below. I sometimes write reviews in a kind of pseudo-professional mode--and sometimes do just the opposite. But it's always interesting to me to see the disparity (and occasional congruity) between the views of the pros (for which nowadays you only have to consult "rottentomatoes.com")and us amateurs (as exemplified here).

But when I am not playing critic, I sometimes recall playing actor, artist, singer or actor myself (done the amateur thing in all of those realms too) and become perhaps a little more appreciative of and grateful for the "non-professional" point of view. Sometimes the non-professional audience "gets" the point of a work more readily and more completely than the more jaded critical corps. I can't help but think of how the filmmakers and the cast members would appreciate some of the kinder comments posted below. It's nice to know that your work touched somebody.

Which is not to imply that WITH HONORS (the movie I am ostensibly reviewing here) is a particularly good film. It really isn't. The filmmakers have their hearts in the right place, but this story of an ambitious young grad student learning some valuable life lessons at the hands of street wise and plain old philosophically wise middle aged bum (Joe Pesci) is fairly predictable and not much to write home (or to write a thesis) about.

Forgive the joke. It is, of course, a college thesis written by college whiz Montgomery Kessler (Frazer) that serves as the keye plot device in this film. Young Monty loses his sole copy of his academic masterpiece (has this genius never heard of FLOPPIES?) only to find that it about to become kindling for the proud,unbowed and self-avowed bum, Simon Wilder (Pesci), who generously offers NOT to burn the young scholar's work in exchange for a bit of help in the food, clothing and shelter department. Montgomery is at first appalled. But you can pretty much guess what's going to happen next. The natural resentment and qualified disgust Monty feels toward Simon will soon enough give way to friendship and respect. And this nose-to-the-grindstone academic noodge will soon learn about *LIFE* from this graduate of the School of Hard Knocks.

Of course, almost no sooner does their friendship take root than it is discovered that Simon also has a fatal disease (asbestiosis, which has its roots in Simon's years in the Merchant Marine--so, you see, he is a victim of the system). He will die--we will soon see--tragically rejected by his own family, but nonetheless embraced by his new-found family (Monty and his housemates).

It's a variation on a theme older than the movies. I note one reviewer defends the film by noting that there ARE some surprises. There may be, but not enough to elevate the film into the "true original" category. But it's reasonably well acted, well photographed and competently directed (not really a bad beginning for first time dramatic director Alek Kesheshian--whose previous work included the Madonna doc TRUTH OR DARE). And while I don't think it deserves kudos, every film finds its audience (well, not EVERY film, but a good many), and for younger viewers who haven't been brought up on a steady diet of hokum, it could even be a refreshing change of pace from their actual steady diet of special effects laden action films.

Sometimes we older viewers tend to forget that our "old hat" may be new for SOMEBODY. This is a film with heart, and that counts for something. As fans of WITH HONORS get older--and perhaps a little more jaded themselves--they might even find that they understand and even begin to agree with the criticisms levied against this sort of film. They will likely see that a film can be simultaneously heartwarming AND manipulative. But they will probably still look back at it affectionately. And they may re-watch it (perhaps furtively). At that point, they might start to consider it something of a guilty pleasure. Actually, it's nothing to feel particularly guilty about. It's an OK film with an OK message and some good acting.

That too counts for something.

Average customer rating:

Excellent Movie!!
Terrible story
An inspiring movie
A good script
Lions touch all mankind

To Walk With Lions
Starring: Richard Harris , John Michie , Kerry Fox , Ian Bannen , and Hugh Quarshie
Director: Carl Schultz
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
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ASIN: B00005LOUN
Release Date: 2002-12-17

Description

Together with his young assistant Tony Fitzjohn, Adamson battles to keep the animals on his game reserve "Kora" from dangerous poachers and deadly "shifta" warriors who are determinded to destroy rhinos and elephants for their tusks, and lions for their rich pelts. Academy Award Nominee Richard Harris of Gladiator and Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone takes you to the wilds of Africa in an inspirational story about one man's magnificent crusade.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent Movie!!.......2007-01-09

Fantastic! Actual interaction with lions.... great story and love the scenery. Love the lions too!

Terrible story.......2006-06-29

I'd give it a zero if I could. I thought it would be a great follow-up to Born Free, but this movie is not for kids. Lots of language, and several "adult" situations - all in the first half hour. I didn't watch any more.

An inspiring movie.......2004-11-02

For those of you who loved and are fans of the movie BORN FREE, this is literally part 3 of that movie after LIVING FREE. I found this movie to be much better and more moving than Living Free.

To Walk with Lions, showcases the true story of George Adamson and his new successor in Africa-Gareth Patterson (who is named Tony Fitzjohn in the movie) on how they fate brought them together and where it took both of them. The various struggles that George and Tony have to put up with the poachers-bandits-Kenyan Govt-village men are shown here.

How Joy and George are murdered too are shown as well as how the real life Gareth Patterson became acquainted with Lions even though he was almost killed by one.

This movie is a must see for all animal lovers particularly those of lions and especially those fans of BORN FREE.

Other recommended animal related movies are Born Free, ROAR, Two brothers, The Ghost & The Darkness, Running Wild, Maneaters of India (Natl Geog docum), Living with Tigers (Discovery Channel documentary).

A good script.......2003-03-03

I have just finished watching this video, and I feel that I have not wasted my time. This film is based on the true story of George Adamson. Adamson became famous as the man who set the lioness Elsa free in a film called 'Born Free'.

In 'To Walk with Lions' Adamson has become an old and eccentric man who lives to free lions from zoos and circuses. He takes in an English milkman, Tony Fitzroy, who needs a job. When the new aide realizes that he is going to replace a workman who was killed by a lion the week before, he wants to leave straight away: He thinks that Adamson is crazy, but after some time Tony decides to stay after all.

This is a beatiful film: The landscape is fantastic and the script is filled with good comments, laughter and exitement. After a short while you start to like George and Tony, even though neither of them can be called 'average guys'. This is a film that I want to recommend. It is great for animal lovers and everybody else who likes to enjoy a good story.

Lions touch all mankind.......2003-03-01

This movie was true and very entertaining, with romance, action, heart and soul. It had a message for everyone, no matter what country you live in. We found hope from the things they are doing today in Tanzania... No movie has touched my husband and I as much as this one. If you can only see one movie this year, make it To Walk with Lions.

Average customer rating:

The end of Hammer
An anti-climactic swansong for Hammer horror
Another Minor Classic from Hammer's Final Days
The Film Itself -- Ehh. The "Making-Of" Documentary -- Outstanding
Hammer's Final Throw Of The Dice

To The Devil A Daughter
Starring: Anna Bentinck , Honor Blackman , Denholm Elliott , Derek Francis , and Michael Goodliffe
Manufacturer: Starz / Anchor Bay
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ASIN: B00005UW7N
Release Date: 2002-10-08

Customer Reviews:

The end of Hammer.......2007-08-17

Having just seen this for the first time I was surprised at just how good it was. Whether those involved realised that it would be the last ever Hammer film I don't know, but it seemed as though a bit more effort was made with this.

Firstly this has an excellent cast and unlike the later Dracula films Christopher Lee has a proper role which makes good use of his screen presence and unique voice. Denholm Elliot is also very good and the rest of the cast do a fine job. In many ways TTDAD resembles 'The Devil Rides Out' because it is also based on a Dennis Wheatley story, but I think the overriding influence was probably Hammers attempt to cash in on the success of the Exorcist and The Omen.

Apart from one scene, which is very unpleasant (although you actually see nothing) this is a restrained and subtle film compared with the extreme violence in some modern horror films. So overall an enjoyable film which was a fine swan song for Hammer.

An anti-climactic swansong for Hammer horror.......2007-06-19

To the Devil a Daughter was Hammer's last horror film, but it makes for a less than grand slice of guignol and pales in comparison to their earlier Dennis Wheatley adaptation, The Devil Rides Out. Richard Widmark is the imported American star battling Christopher Lee's Satanist while trying to protect Nastassja Kinski from becoming host to a demon, but despite a few good scenes the film never really makes much of its premise and the ending is one of the biggest anticlimaxes in the history of horror.

The best part of it is the excellent documentary on the Anchor Bay DVD, which is surprisingly frank about the film's shortcomings - including that non-ending - and Richard Widmark's tantrums on the set. Anchor Bay's transfer is also surprisingly good: unlike the cold and slightly shoddy looking TV prints, this really does David Watkins' cinematography a great service.

Another Minor Classic from Hammer's Final Days.......2007-05-25

"To the Devil..." is marred by a clumsy, rushed ending, but prior to the final four minutes, it's fairly stunning stuff. Hammer films were going out of fashion in the 1970's, but not necessarily for lack of quality. Some of the most experimental, daring stabs at literary, gothic horror came from this era of the studio. This film boasts a nice cast and is one of few films to explore black magic in a detailed and accurate manner. Based on the Dennis Wheatley novel.

Recommended for companion viewing to:
The Devil Rides Out
The Wicker Man (original only)
Demons of the Mind
Captain Kronos Vampire Hunter

The Film Itself -- Ehh. The "Making-Of" Documentary -- Outstanding .......2007-05-09

Occasionally I'm in the mood for an occult mystery/horror film like "Bay Cove," "The Devil Rides Out" (AKA "The Devil's Bride"), "Race with the Devil and (to a lesser extent) "Rosemary's Baby," which explains why I recently picked up this 1976 Hammer film "To The Devil A Daughter" (which was Hammer's answer to American horror hits like "The Exorcist" and "Rosemary's Baby"). Hey, with Nastassja Kinski, Richard Widmark, Christopher Lee and Honor Blackman in the cast, how can you go wrong?

THE STORY: In London, Richard Widmark plays an occult novelist who is asked to protect a man's daughter, a young nun (Kinski), from a cult of satanists led by a malevolent Christopher Lee, who possesses supernatural powers. They need her for some diabolical ritual.

The story is loosely based on the Dennis Wheatley novel. Wheatley was furious with the numerous changes and called the film "obscene."

WHAT WORKS: The picture pretty much maintains your interest as the mystery slowly progresses.

The London (and Germany) locations are excellent. They seemed to have more money to work with in this regard than most Hammer films. Speaking of Hammer, "To the Devil a Daughter" doesn't FEEL at all like a Hammer picture. Don't get me wrong, I love the unique, colorful ambiance of Hammer films, but this is a nice (and unsuspected) change.

For those who care, Kinski is shown completely naked from the front. Unfortunately Lee is also show in the nude, albeit from behind. One thing I never cared to see in my life was Christopher Lee's butt.

There's a fairly shocking, obscene "devil baby" sequence. I'm not sure yet if this scene fits or even makes sense (I'll have to see the film again to decide) but they did a good job with the infant F/X, at least for 1976.

WHAT DOESN'T WORK: Like I said, the mystery has a fairly good build-up but the ending somehow doesn't quite work. Yes, they throw in some bizarre things -- the aformentioned "devil baby" scene and a wild satanist orgy (which is more silly than shocking) -- but, I don't know, I was left feeling a bit disappointed. It should have ended with a bang (at least I expect it to), but it doesn't.

COMMENTARY: This was Hammer's penultimate film and their final horror picture. Surprisingly, "To the Devil a Daughter" was a hit and made lots of money (at least in Europe), but Hammer Studios had debts to pay and the film's success couldn't save them.

BOTTOM LINE: The film itself is just okay, so I can only barely recommend it to those interested in occult/mystery stories, Hammer and the actors involved. What makes this DVD worth picking up, believe it or not, is the excellent 24-minute "making-of" documentary that discusses the film and the demise of Hammer Studios; it's called "To the Devil... The Death of Hammer." The documenary includes interviews with Lee, Blackman, the director, the producer and many more. It's very informative and entertaining. By all accounts Widmark was arrogant and a real bastage to work with. The Hollywood star frequently insulted the English filmmakers (calling the picture a "Micky Mouse production"), walking off the set, arguing, brawling and kicking over expensive equipment (!!). Every aspect of the film is addressed, including changes from the novel, Wheatley's objections, the ending's failure, etc.

Hammer's Final Throw Of The Dice.......2006-12-27

It would be fair to say that Hammer were a little late catching the modern horror train in the 1970's. There response to such progressive films as "Night of the Living Dead" and "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" was a series of curiously flat gothic retreads and a bungled attempt to place gothic iconography and characters in a modern setting. Horror continued to thrive in the UK in the first part of the 1970's despite the financial shortcomings of the British Film Industry and Hammer's total failure to tap into the modern zeitgeist beggars belief considering how well they did it in the late 1950's. Mismanagement aside their final horror entry returned them to the stuffy bourgeious world of Dennis Wheatley and like their previous adaptation "The Devil Rides Out", "To the Devil: A Daughter" just about succeeds. It succeeds because it is trading in a crisis in Christianity which had been highlighted in two huge commercial hits "The Exorcist" and "The Omen". The subject matter was popular amongst audiences, the treatment by Christopher Wicking is typically convoluted (as anyone who has seen "Scream and Scream Again" will testify). Director Peter Sykes however shoots some impressive London landmarks and proudly pushes Hammer into the modern world. Rather than being anachronistic, Christopher Lee produces one of his most consistently chilling performances which is important because Richard Widemark is terribly miscast as occult novelist John Verney. The film generally suffers from visual flatness which makes the occasional burst of violence and special effects more impressive. The films conclusion however is something of a let down.

Return With Honor: The American Experience

Average customer rating:

Not Forgotten
A Very Thorough, Powerful Documentary
Perhaps the best television I've ever seen...
Common Men, Uncommon Courage
An exceptionally good documentary....

Return With Honor: The American Experience
Starring: Kevin McManus (II) , Tom McNish , Ron Bliss , Jeremiah Denton , and George McKnight
Director: Terry Sanders , and Freida Lee Mock
Manufacturer: PBS Paramount
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ASIN: B0007Y08JM
Release Date: 2005-05-17

Amazon.com

Men who piloted the hottest fighter planes in the world found themselves suddenly transformed from hotshots to humiliated prisoners during the Vietnam War. The story of how American prisoners survived in North Vietnam's notorious prison camps is dramatically told in this documentary, an installment of the American Experience series on PBS. The men, who survived appalling treatment, relate their experiences, and vintage footage, including propaganda films shot by their captors, portrays what they endured. A former POW describes how he was coached before being put on public display, yet he spelled out the word "torture" in Morse code by blinking his eyes, a defiant action that can clearly be seen in footage that the North Vietnamese provided to the world's media. Another former prisoner, who somehow survived massive injuries despite being denied medical care, describes how he had to lie on the concrete floor of his cell for nearly a year, just trying to get his arms and legs to function again. These inspirational stories lead up to an emotional climax as the prisoners, including Arizona Senator John McCain, describe what it was like to be freed after their long captivity. This is a deeply moving and inspiring story told by men who overcame great depths of human suffering. --Robert J. McNamara

Description

RETURN WITH HONOR tells the powerful, moving story of American pilots shot down over North Vietnam and their challenge to survive with honor as POW's. A tribute to heroism, endurance, and brotherhood under duress, the film recalls the transformation from top-gun aviators to captives. Told in their words, rich with survivor humor, and complete with North Vietnamese archival footage, the film is a universal story of honor and duty.

Customer Reviews:

Not Forgotten.......2006-07-12

A classic in the genre of Vietnam documentaries. This 1999 film is about American POW airmen, and their ordeal throughout the Vietnam war. What I love about this film is that there is no political angle - these men tell their own stories in their own words, framed by America at the time. No one can walk away from this film and not feel touched.

A Very Thorough, Powerful Documentary.......2005-09-15

It is simply the best documentary on the American POWs in North Vietnam. After reading numerous books on the Vietnam POW experience, this film is very thorough. It gets chilling when the POWs are speaking, then a flashback film footage showing their conditions at the time of their captivity. My anger towards Jane Fonda was heightened as I watched this film. I'll never forget her calling the POWs "liars and hypocrites" and also stated that "history will judge them harshly." She also made the insane claim that they were not tortured. I'm glad they omitted Fonda and her POW role, as she would denegrate this film and the truth it displays.

Perhaps the best television I've ever seen..........2004-02-09

This piece is incredible. I caught it on PBS during one Memorial Day weekend a few years ago and was spellbound. I taped it onto VHS and watch it several times a year. It is an incredibly powerful documentary--the best television I've ever seen (thank goodness it's on DVD now as well).

Common Men, Uncommon Courage.......2003-10-26

Many of the descriptions of the experiences of the POW's of the Vietnam War that I was aware of centered around the torture that they went through. This video gave a fuller description of who our POW's were rather than the specific torture that they experienced. I don't know if enough was said about the leadership of people like Denton, Risner, and Stockdale. I was amazed at how normal the men looked given the horrors that they went through. I heard nothing of permanent damage. There was a brief section on what the wives experienced. I don't remember anything on the diet of the POW's. I never knew that there had been at least one escape (for which the recaptured POW's and remaining POWs paid dearly). I would have liked to know how many POW's died in prison. I was also surprised to hear that some thought their treatment got better after the death of Ho Chi Mihn.

For a full picture of who our pow's were and what they experienced done in a format that was tolerable for the more squeamish among us I think this was very well done.

An exceptionally good documentary...........2003-05-03

In what is probably the most revealing documentary ever created on ex-POW's from Vietnam, Return With Honor is an outstanding testament to absolute courage, honor, bravery, camaraderie, and survival.

Individual interviews woven with footage from United States and Vietnamese archives paint a very vivid and oftentimes emotional picture of the brutal experience suffered by our U.S. servicemen held captive in Hanoi.

Leaving very little to the imagination, this documentary explores the many facets of captivity to include barbaric torture, communication processes between prisoners, coping with solitary confinement, demoralizing loneliness, and inhuman living conditions. Additional interviews with the spouses of POW's reveal their pain and emotion they dealt with on the home front while not knowing the fates of their husbands.

Finishing off with their triumphant return home, it is truly inspirational and heartwarming to see the footage of these heroic men reunited with their families.

This DVD itself has superb sound and video qualities and offers good additional features such as 26 biographies of POW's and interviews with the producers on the making of Return With Honor.

Description

Ready, set - Joe! Joe Pesci (1990 Oscar -winning Best Supporting Actor for GoodFellas) energizes two laugh-getters with his mega-watt comedy talents. In The Super (Side A), you see a squalid apartment house, but slumlord Louie Kritski (Pesci) sees a gold mine. The less he does to improve the building, the more he stands to clear when the rents come due. But that's before a judge orders Louie to live in his own rundown property and shape it up...or ship out to jail. Next, Harvard classmates find it takes more than schooling to make the grade in With Honors (Side B). Pesci plays Simon Wilder, a feisty drifter who insinuates himself into the lives of four students (including Brendan Fraser and Patrick Dempsey). If you want a degree, go to Harvard. If you want an education, go see Simon Wilder!

Customer Reviews:

A GREAT HARD TO FIND COMBO!.......2007-01-19

"THE SUPER" IS ONE OF JOE PESCI'S FIRST MOVIES I HAD EVER SEEN HIM IN AND IS VERY FUNNY, BUT ALSO TELLS A TALE OF HUMANITY, DIGNITY AND A TASTE OF REALITY FOR HIM. "WITH HONORS" IS ONE OF HIS BEST FILMS IN MY OPINION SIMPLY BECAUSE OF THE TYPE OF PERSON HE PORTRAYS AND HIS WISDOM HE INSPIRES IN THE PEOPLE HE MEETS.

Average customer rating:

Crash Course
Starring: Meredith Baxter , Alan Rosenberg , Eric Lively , Richard Banel , and Vik Sahay
Director: Thomas Rickman
Manufacturer: Starlight Video
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00005UM3D
Release Date: 2002-02-12

Description

The story begins with every parent's worst nightmare. Terry Stone (Meredith Baxter, TV's "Family Ties") and her husband Geoff answer an early-morning phone call to learn that their son, Andrew, has been rushed to the hospital after being injured in an automobile accident. They arrive at the emergency room and are told that Andrew has suffered severe head injuries and may never fully recover. Andrew, a college honors student with a bright future, was a passenger in a car that was hit by a young man with a history of drunken driving. Terry watches for many months as her son struggles to hold on to life, and then as he starts to regain the steps of his life back. She is not about to let the driver with a drunken driving history use his family's influence and wealth to escape his justified punishment. But for Andrew, retribution and sympathy are not what he is seeking. His passion is to recapture his lost past, his once promising future, and the person he once was. Andrew and his family pull together, each taking a different route to help heal the physical and psychological wounds of this tragic experience. In a tale of hope and despair, strength and weakness, the lessons learned are not always obvious. There are times when a person needs to fall before he can finally rise. Sometimes justice is best served when forgiveness is granted. Based on a true story.

Average customer rating:

Director, cast and crew combining for a splendid film.
Foreign service coarsens men so

The High Command
Starring: Frank Atkinson , Lionel Atwill , Archibald Batty , Lil Dagover , and Karl Ludwig Diehl
Director: Thorold Dickinson
Manufacturer: Genius Entertainment
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ASIN: B0002XN75U
Release Date: 2004-01-01

Product Description

A decorated WWI Veteran must come to terms with a crime he committed in the confusion of war. Will his sense of honor and duty ultimately be his undoing or can he find a way to ease his emotional pain?

Customer Reviews:

Director, cast and crew combining for a splendid film........2005-06-06

Based upon a novel by Lewis Robinson, who assists with the script, HIGH COMMAND gives us a complex tale of blackmail, murder, and other delights, ranging over two continents and two generations, beginning in 1921 Ireland and concluding in West Africa (most of the film was shot in Nigeria and Gold Coast). General Sir John Sangye (Lionel Atwill), holder of the Victoria Cross and commander of a colonial garrison, in order to help protect his daughter Belinda (Kathleen Gibson) from unsavoury scandal, is forced into making several wrenching decisions, with Atwill giving the finest crafted performance of his career. In his first effort at directing a feature film, Thorold Dickinson displays the fluid work with a camera which marks his distinguished career, and has expertly taken a balance of drama and humour from the script while effectively leading his talented cast into strong performances, notably from Steven Geray, Leslie Perrins, James Mason and Lucie Mannheim. Dickinson, along with cinematographer Otto Heller, benefit from their background in silent cinema, and Ernest Irving's score is adroitly woven into the action, all of which assists in effectuating a masterwork.

Foreign service coarsens men so.......2004-11-02

Entertaining, if dated, tale of honor and responsibility, HIGH COMMAND (1936) is a pleasant surprise.
Lionel Atwill stars as a British officer whose men are ambushed in Ireland in 1921. During the firefight he shoots and kills one of his men. An army doctor collects the bullet along with other incriminating evidence. Charges are never brought against Atwill, but the doctor retains the evidence.
Flash forward 15 years and travel south to the west coast of Africa, colonial Nigeria, where now-General Atwill assumes command of the local military garrison. Coincidentally, the bullet pulling doctor is also newly assigned to the same post.
Having briskly laid a clear foundation, HIGH COMMAND dodders about a bit introducing us to the African cast of characters. Atwill has a step-daughter who would suffer more from the resulting scandal if the incriminating bullet was ever used against him. The local business leader has an oily lack of charm and a beautiful, promiscuous wife. James Mason is a junior officer with a winning smile and the mandatory pencil moustache.
It's in this setting, among these people, that Atwill will ultimately have to redeem and preserve his honor. On one level, all is well. The technology is relatively primitive but an adroit director (Thorold Dickinson) compensates with some slick camera work (i.e., with the freshly extracted bullet in tight focus in the foreground, the door in the far background opens. The camera focuses through the bullet onto the figure in the door, bullet owner Lionel Atwill.) The acting is uniformly restrained and convincing - Atwill is quite good as the somewhat stuff-shirted general.
The biggest hurdle I encountered was relating to any of the characters. I felt the treatment of the native West Africans was so condescending and out of sync with modern values that it was a major distraction. Relating to the leisured colonel class was difficult, as well. I can't fault a movie for being left behind as times change, but its outmoded sensibilities were alienating. Rather than becoming emotionally involved with Atwill's dilemma, which the movie asked of me, I observed his plight from a distance.
I bought this dvd for less than the cost of postage to mail it to me. The cover tells us it's "Sound Enhanced," which is a little vague. Whatever it means, the sound is very good for a film this age. Better than the great majority of dvd copies of films from that era. The picture quality is above average, as well.

Honor Your Father & Your Mother: Walk With Faith

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I Have Never Seen A DVD As Beautiful As This.

Honor Your Father & Your Mother: Walk With Faith
Starring: Honor Your Father & Your Mother
Manufacturer: Allumination
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Christian Contemporary Music | Christian & Gospel | Styles | Music
ASIN: B0007W7H7A
Release Date: 2005-04-26

Description

A new definition in filmmaking brings the scriptures to breathtaking light in this extraordinary series. Beautiful footage of nature combined with contemporary Christian music and readings from the Old and New Testament create a visual masterpiece for the teachings of the 5th commandment.

Customer Reviews:

I Have Never Seen A DVD As Beautiful As This........2005-03-03

This Movie is filmed on breathtaking 70mm film. It is an amazing IMAX quality film. A new definition in filmmaking brings the scriptures to breathtaking light in this extraordinary series. Beautiful footage of nature combined with contemporary Christian music and readings from the Old and New Testament create a visual masterpiece for the teachings of the 5th commandment.

Charlie Rose with Spencer Abraham; Mike Wallace & Allen Mikaelian; Bill Blass (June 13, 2002)

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Charlie Rose with Spencer Abraham; Mike Wallace & Allen Mikaelian; Bill Blass (June 13, 2002)

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

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Description

The United States Secretary of Energy, Spencer Abraham, talks about the prospect of energy independence. Then, a discussion about the book Medal of Honor with co-authors Allen Mikaelian and Mike Wallace. Finally, a remembrance of fashion designer Bill Blass with a rebroadcasted interview.

Average customer rating:

Not Forgotten
A Very Thorough, Powerful Documentary
Perhaps the best television I've ever seen...
Common Men, Uncommon Courage
An exceptionally good documentary....

Return with Honor
Starring: Kevin McManus (II) , Tom McNish , Ron Bliss , Jeremiah Denton , and George McKnight
Director: Terry Sanders , and Freida Lee Mock
Manufacturer: PBS Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Politics | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B00005AAEF
Release Date: 2001-04-24

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

Not Forgotten.......2006-07-12

A Very Thorough, Powerful Documentary.......2005-09-15

Perhaps the best television I've ever seen..........2004-02-09

Common Men, Uncommon Courage.......2003-10-26

For a full picture of who our pow's were and what they experienced done in a format that was tolerable for the more squeamish among us I think this was very well done.

An exceptionally good documentary...........2003-05-03

In what is probably the most revealing documentary ever created on ex-POW's from Vietnam, Return With Honor is an outstanding testament to absolute courage, honor, bravery, camaraderie, and survival.

Finishing off with their triumphant return home, it is truly inspirational and heartwarming to see the footage of these heroic men reunited with their families.

This DVD itself has superb sound and video qualities and offers good additional features such as 26 biographies of POW's and interviews with the producers on the making of Return With Honor.

This documentary comes very highly recommended to everyone and leaves you with a resounding message of patriotism and a deep respect for America and her U.S. servicemen.

DVD:

DVD

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