The Biggest Winner - How to Win by Losing: The Complete Body Workout (5-Disc DVD Set: Shape Up - Front, Shape Up - Back, Cardio Kickbox, Maximize - Full Frontal, Maximize

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Shape-up Front

Jillian Michaels, the trainer from NBC's The Biggest Loser and self-proclaimed "TV's toughest fitness guru," runs through circuit training like a drill sergeant on caffeine. Her theory is to keep moving in between exercises to burn twice as many calories, so she cycles her team through sumo squats, mountain climbers, jump ropes, shoulder raises and bicycle moves without taking a breath. If she doesn't think one of her comrades is picking up his knees high enough, she makes everyone do 30 more, with a sadistic grin. As a result, you can almost literally watch the muscle burn. Michaels' Shape-Up Front DVD works out the chest, shoulders, triceps and quads. It also requires two props: a bench-style exercise step and light dumbbells. The DVD features include printable diet/exercise logs, nutrition tips and recipes. Despite a lower-level option, it isn't for anyone looking for a low-impact aerobic workout.

Shape-Up Backside

Look no further than Michaels's Shape-Up Backside exercise DVD for an intense high-impact workout. Michaels keeps your body moving (though she herself skips out on half the exercises) with hammer curls, oblique raises, step ups, planks, and a move called The Superman destined to tone your back, biceps glutes, hamstrings and abs. There's a lower-level option, but Michaels likes to "kick your butt," as she says, to get you to feel the burn. Shape-Up Backside's DVD features include printable diet/exercise logs, nutrition tips and recipes. It requires two props: a bench-style exercise step and light dumbbells, which may make it difficult for beginners. But if you give it a try, even in the comfort of your living room you'll think you're in a gym -- trainer yelling in your ear and all. -- Ellen A. Kim

Description

Jillian Michaels, TV's toughest fitness guru, delivers a high-energy workout designed to keep viewers on track with their fitness and weight loss goals! Each of these high intensity DVDs will help get viewers moving, accelerate their fat-burning potential, and tone muscles through a series of creative cardio and weight training sessions. Her self-affirming blueprint for weight loss breathes life into her viewers' workout regimen through genuine, supportive guidance backed by her impressive credentials. Jillian Michaels holds personal training certificates from the renowned National Endurance and Strength Training Association (NESTA) and the American Fitness Association of America (AFAA) certification program. Additionally, Ms. Michaels has extensive experience in the martial arts practice of Muay Thai and Akarui-Do, in which she holds a black belt. Ms. Michaels was recognized by The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) for her accomplishments in both Advanced Exercise Nutrition and Supplementation for Training and Performance.

Customer Reviews:

Awesome Workout.......2007-09-14

This set of DVD's are awesome. I work out 5 days a week and own quite a few workout DVD's. These are only about 25 minutes of actual workout compared to my others which run around 45 minutes, but they work you out just as hard in less time. I am in pretty good shape and I was tired when I got done. I love doing them on days when I'm short of time because I know I'll burn just as many calories during Jillian's workouts as I would the longer ones. I would not recommend them for a beginner though because she moves really fast from set to set and there really aren't any breaks so you have to work hard to keep up with the group.

Jillian RAWKS!!.......2007-09-14

These DVD's are excellent! If you're at a plateau & need a kick in the backside, Jillian can do it!

Horrible.......2007-09-06

I hardly broke a sweat with this DVD! Michaels doesn't count or keep in beat with music, or even keep you moving the whole time. And she's too busy laughing and flirting with her crew to even keep you interested. She is definitely not good at leading a cardio workout whatsoever! Save your money!

Tough but Good.......2007-08-31

This set is tough but does not over do it. I like to workout regularly but don't do anything strenuous. The sets move very quickly and you are not stuck doing a move for a long time so I find I can hang in there until she moves into the next exercise. I find I have to pause the CD before the cool down and stretching though because I have to catch my breath. I always feel like I got a great overall workout and that I kicked butt. I like her style and format. I enjoy the way she leads you through without being obnoxious or peppy. She is a tomboy and I appreciate that. She is no nonsense but still remains compassionate and encouraging.

Definitely a Winner.......2007-08-31

I consider myself very fit and I work out 5-6 days a week with different DVDs and I also run. I was getting used to the DVDs I had, so I looked around for a new one. That's when I found "The Biggest Winner."

Each DVD is approx. 30 minutes, but those 30 minutes are intense. I am out of breath after every workout and I usually am never out of breath after working out!

Jillian Michaels is a tough trainer, but motivates you to keep going.

The DVDs are easy to follow and anyone can do them, some people may need to alternate versions of the exercises, but even beginners can finish the DVD.

I highly recommend this set of DVDs if you are looking for something new to add to your exercise regime.

Average customer rating:

Great job, from 1979
Great War Film!
The "Johnboy" version of AQWF is truly awful
All Quiet on the Western Front
ALL QUIT ON THE WESTERN FRONT

All Quiet on the Western Front
Starring: Richard Thomas , Ernest Borgnine , Donald Pleasence , Ian Holm , and Patricia Neal
Director: Delbert Mann
Manufacturer: Lions Gate
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0000639EU
Release Date: 2002-04-23

Amazon.com

Taken from the novel by Erich Maria Remarque, All Quiet on the Western Front is a devastating portrait by Delbert Mann (Desire Under the Elms, Marty) of a small group of German soldiers throughout the World War I.

The star-studded cast is headed by Richard Thomas (The Waltons) as Paul Baumer, and includes such award-winning actors as Ernest Borgnine, Ian Holm, and Patricia Neal. As both narrator and star, Thomas occasionally seems to reincarnate his familiar John-Boy persona, but creates a character that has many more levels than that television alter ego. Watching Paul as he watches all of his high school buddies die is a highly emotional experience. He returns to his home a different person, conflicted in his feelings about the Army and war, evolving from an idealistic schoolboy to a fearful and humble veteran.

The scenery and costuming in this period piece are well done, and surely contributed to its winning the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture Made for TV. Also contributing to the greatness of the film are the exceptional cinematography and special effects that, while realistically gruesome, truly emphasize the horrors of war. --Zachary Lively

Product Description

A devastating story of war and a generation destroyed. In 1914 a group of German schoolboys, idealistic and inflamed with youthful patriotism, set off to fight in the "glorious" war. During their brutal basic training disenchantment begins; then, boarding a train for the front, they see the wounded being rushed back to hospitals. They begin to grasp the grim reality of war.

On their first night in action they come under heavy attack. In the trenches, they begin to fall. Their youth is stripped away by the violence, and the boys become as sullen as veterans.

When Paul (Richard Thomas) shoots a Frenchman and watches him die, he realizes the futility of the war. Wounded, he returns home to a different world, a place where he cannot fit in. Sent back into battle, he meets destiny on a day when the German High Command Communiqu states simply, All Quiet On The Western Front.

System Requirements:

Running Time 131 Min

Format: DVD MOVIE

Customer Reviews:

Great job, from 1979.......2007-09-12

This movie is very well done. I understand it was shot in the then East Germany or maybe Poland (?). Uniforms are correct, and it follows the book plotline pretty well.
It doesn't get the critical reviews that the 1930s film does, but I think that may be due to the wide acclaim that old classic has - and maybe due to some effects like the 1979 version being in color whilst the book never mentions colors - in fact, one can almost feel that era was all gray or black & white (and the 1939 film follows that theme, by necessity).

I think this film should be better known than it is, especially with some of the re-newed interest in the Great War after so long being overshadowed by WW2 and Vietnam...but understand, the book is not a happy one - its about hopelessness. This film version 'almost/sort of' tries to sidestep that, which is really impossible given the theme of the original book.
I wonder if it will ever be filmed again ??

Great War Film!.......2007-05-25

This is one of the best war films ever made. I've seen the first version also. This film is an improvement over the original although the original was done well with what they had back in early years of film. What really makes this war film great is that it doesn't glorify war at all but shows you the death and destruction of war. This film should be mandatory in all high schools! The book is very good also. The book is more descriptive than the movie. What happens to Paul in this film is happening to our young men and women in Iraq right now!!

The "Johnboy" version of AQWF is truly awful.......2007-05-01

This film might be okay for the general public or high school classroom, but this film brings almost nothing to the table for WWI buffs or lovers of the novel. It's hard to mention anything good about this film other than the fact that it is not as dated as the original film and is also in color.

Earnest Borgnine's casting as Kat is simply laughable. The boys' mentor in the trenches, the "old man," was "old" only in comparison to the teen-aged boys who surrounded him. The battle scenes do not inspire fear or horror. Equipment, uniforms, and sets are inaccurate and "made for TV quality" at best. The acting is wooden and hallow.

This film is a waste of time and is scornfully referred to as "the Johnboy version" by WWI buffs. It is universally reviled.

All Quiet on the Western Front.......2007-01-18

Great war documentary of WWI, there is very little available that shows this period in history on the front, but this one is a classic.

ALL QUIT ON THE WESTERN FRONT.......2007-01-17

I really enjoyed this movie. Not the typical "John Boy" movie. I have not seen the original, although I have recently purchased it. I will be able to make a better comparison once I have seen it. By itself, however, it holds it's own.

The American Girl Movie Collection (Samantha - An American Girl Holiday / Felicity - An American Girl Adventure / Molly - An American Girl on the Home Front)

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Wholesome family entertainment
American Girl Movie Collection
American Girl Movies
American Girls DVDs good family viewing
Daughter loved these movies.

The American Girl Movie Collection (Samantha - An American Girl Holiday / Felicity - An American Girl Adventure / Molly - An American Girl on the Home Front)
Starring: Mia Farrow , AnnaSophia Robb , Michael Kanev , Jackie Brown (IV) , and Kelsey Lewis
Director: Nadia Tass , and Joyce Chopra
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
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Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000HEWEIU
Release Date: 2006-11-28

Customer Reviews:

Wholesome family entertainment.......2007-09-06

We bought these movies as a gift for our neice and goddaughter, and then kept one for ourselves. Our entire family enjoyed watching these wholesome, moralistic movies with great acting and well known actors. The American Girl products are very popular with girls, and it eases my mind as a parent to know that these items have some "substance" behind them.

American Girl Movie Collection.......2007-07-30

This collection is a wonderful way for children to learn about the life of children from different time periods. I found the stories delightful, informative, and historically correct. Personally I enjoyed Samantha most, but I don't want to short change the others. Hopefully the other stories from The American Girl series will also be made into movies. As a teacher, I would encourage parents to make these movies a must for their child to see, boys as well as girls. This is great family entertainment.

American Girl Movies.......2007-07-05

Each of these movies is excellent! All based upon the books from the American Girl collection, they are beautifully written and directed . . . very poignant . . . a great way for young girls 7+ to learn about historical time periods through the eyes of girls near their own age. My daughter and her friends all love these movies and so do I!

American Girls DVDs good family viewing.......2007-05-15

We love the books - the DVDs are equally as entertaining. My daughter who is reading the books loves the movies and they are suitable for my 5 year old to watch without worrying what they will see or hear.

Daughter loved these movies........2007-04-27

Good family movies with no foul language or anything obscene. My daughter loved the books and has enjoyed the movies. If it gets girls interested in reading the books and therefore enjoying reading more...then great.

All Quiet on the Western Front (Universal Cinema Classics)

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English teacher gives this DVD an A
The Best War Film Ever Made
It is on the short list of best films ever made.
" Saving Private Ryan", this isn't.
The brutal poetry of war

All Quiet on the Western Front (Universal Cinema Classics)
Starring: Louis Wolheim , Lew Ayres , John Wray , Arnold Lucy , and Ben Alexander
Director: Lewis Milestone
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
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ASIN: B000KGGJ0Y
Release Date: 2007-02-06

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If a classic movie can be measured by the number of indelible images it burns into the collective imagination, then All Quiet on the Western Front's status is undisputed. Since its release in 1930 (and Oscar win for best picture), this film's saga of German boys avidly signing up for World War I battle--and then learning the truth of war--has been acclaimed for its intensity, artistry, and grown-up approach. Director Lewis Milestone's technical expertise is already stunning in the great opening sequence, as a professor exhorts his students to volunteer for the glory of the Fatherland while troops march past the windows. Erich Maria Remarque's novel is faithfully followed, but Milestone's superbly composed frames make it physical: the first battle scene, with the camera prowling the trenches as they fill with death and chaos, was surely the Saving Private Ryan of its day. The cast is strong, with little-known Lew Ayres finding stardom in the lead (Ayres became a pacifist and conscientious objector during World War II; although he served in battle as a medic, the stance harmed his career). This DVD has no extras beyond a vintage re-release trailer and Robert Osborne's useful introduction, but the main draw is the excellent picture and sound quality of the print--the movie looks better than it has in years. Those indelible images are now clear enough to cut glass: Ayres' lonely look back at the disappearing troop truck; the blinded soldier who runs into enemy fire at night; the fine pair of boots wasted on a boy with an amputated leg; and the final, devastating seconds, arguably the defining cinematic image of war in the 20th century. --Robert Horton

Customer Reviews:

English teacher gives this DVD an A.......2007-08-31

Generally I prefer the most recent version of movies for my students, as I feel they can relate more to the action onscreen if they get the sense that it is something current, relevant to modern times. Black and White movies are a tough sell for the teenagers in my class (as I found out today while airing "Twelve Angry Men"), because they feel as if they're watching some exhibit in a museum, rather than an interpretation of the literature they have just read. I know there is a more modern version of "All Quiet" starring Richard Thomas (and I actually remember watching it as a high school freshman), but given the choice between the original and the remake, I would opt for this (Lew Ayres) version.

It's not that the remake is bad (In fact, it is quiet good); it's just that the original is a classic, a masterpiece. The cinematography is excellent. Many scenes (No Man's Land; Bauer's teacher's recruitment lecture; the raw recruits marching off to the front; the ending) will remain etched into the memory of the viewer. Just beautifully shot. Great artistic feel to the movie.

The acting is a bit flat by today's standards but that does not draw from the power or impact of the film. In fact, a nice feature of the film is that all the actors are roughly the age of the characters they play (19-21) so their ordeal is that much more believable.

As mentioned in other reviews, this DVD does not contain any bonus features other than a small filmography. Notwithstanding, this is a great film and definitely worth the money. If kids can get past the B&W, I think they'd like it too.

The Best War Film Ever Made.......2007-08-24

The Thin Red Line comes in 2nd, and Saving Private Ryan is 3rd; but AQOTWF is better in many ways. The acting is somewhat stilted in a few scenes (after all the film WAS made in 1930), but overall the acting is superb. The direction and effects are monumental; the story is as moving and gripping as any modern film. Unlike most films of this period the soldiers don't do out like light bulbs when shot - they crawl, cry and suffer first. There is one scene where the troops are moving through a quiet village that suddenly gets bombarded that has to be seen to believed. It was made in 1930!!! How did they do that???

Saving Private Ryan is a memorial film, while The Thin Red Line is metaphysical essay; neither are anti-war war films as is AQOTWF. That's one reason why it's the best. Catch 22 is in the same category, but not in the same league. Don't get me wrong; RYAN and REDLINE are great films but I saw this film recently on TCM, and I was simply amazed. I HAD to buy it afterwards.

We keep making the same mistakes...

It is on the short list of best films ever made........2007-08-06

I will keep this review short but sweet:

The book is a classic and this 1930 film adaptation is as good as the book but maybe even better, because any film is easier and faster to consume than any book. I read the book first. THe book is great but if you are short on time or reading skill then by all means just watch the movie and you will get 98% of the story in 10% of the time.

Now here is the main thing about the story itself:

As you start to follow the story, you will not know what it is about, if you were like me. Stuff seems to just happen, and you don't know where it's all going. It's a worm's eye view, so you see what the soldier sees. Bad stuff happens in war so you knew what to expect, and bad stuff happens to the main characters of course.

However...

The last minute of this film is where it really starts to hit you. Everything up to this point was not too tough to handle. Then it really hits you hard at the end. You will hate the last minute of the film because it will really mess you up. But that's nothing, hold tight, it gets worse AFTER the film is over.

Then you start to think about everything that happened in the earlier parts of the film. You will get a light bulb about now, as you quietly sit and ponder the film that you just finished watching. Everything becomes clear, the whole film becomes connected. And at this point, it will mess you up even more. A ton of bricks slams into your brain, it's not really a light bulb.

I have to say, the last minute of the film is crucial and watching the whole thing is essential otherwise you may not ever figure it out. It's sort of like the other movie Sixth Sense which also comes together at the very end in a big way.

This is not a feel good film, not even close. You will feel bad, no way around it. THis film is from a worm's eye view, and I'm talking about soldiers here. It's a classic because this film might keep you messed up the rest of your life. Not kidding.... This film will crush some people. This is not really a bad thing if you think about it.

" Saving Private Ryan", this isn't........2007-07-19

Even Spielberg knew better, than to try to remake this. Although, he comes the closest, at showing the brutality of war, with this 1930 classic, you get the picture. All of it. The truth, and reality of all wars, is simple. Young men, die. No glory, no meaning, just that.

The brutal poetry of war.......2007-06-10

Ah, the 1930's. The first full decade of sound for pictures. The advent of Technicolor. The full-flowering of Hollywood, bringing escapist entertainment to a world gripped by the Great Depression.

Many great movies were made in the 1930's. "The Adventures of Robin Hood", "Gone With the Wind", "Snow White", "The Wizard of Oz" were all great films from the late 1930's, which many people have refered to as the best time for cinema.

But the early 1930's, though often overlooked by modern audiences, contains such wonderful films as "M", "Frankenstein", "Dracula" and "All Quiet on the Western Front".

This film won the Oscar for Best Picture of 1930. It's well-deserved. The movie plot follows basically the same plot as the novel; centering around a group of young German soldiers going on the grand adventure of war. Whipped into a patriotic frenzy, they enlist, head to the front, and start dropping like flies.

The movie beautifully encapsulates the horror of war. The acting (particularly from Lew Ayres in the staring role), writing and directing are all top-notch. Put the film in color, and it could almost be a movie from this era, rather than one that's almost 80 years old.

The DVD version of this movie is... well, nothing to write home about. Not too many extras, though the comments from Robert Osborne are welcome. No chapter selection for some odd reason, but otherwise... it's ok.

Modern audiences don't really know too much about World War One. It's a largely forgotten war in our national conciousness. As I write this, we're 89 years out from the start of the war. Further, according to Wikipedia's "Surviving Veterans of World War One", there's only 28 veterans left world-wide. Twenty-eight. That's it. One less than when I looked last week, and almost certainly several more than we'll have by next year. Only three of the veterans left are from the USA.

If for no other reason than expanding your knowledge about this horrible, meaningless, stupid war, I strongly recommend this movie.

As a side note: if Universal still owns the rights to the novel, they need to be pressured to make a new version of this film in time for the 100th anniversary of the start of the war. Get the young teeny-bopper/teen-idol actors of our era (the Zac Effrons of the world), and let modern audiences see the beauty of youth twisted by war.

It's a lesson no one should ever forget.

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The Soldier's Perspective
War From the Inside
real war by real people
The soldier's perspective of the Iraq war
The Real Lives of Today's Soldiers

The War Tapes
Starring: Steve Pink (II) , Zack Bazzi , Mike Moriarity , Ben Flanders , and Duncan Domey
Director: Deborah Scranton
Manufacturer: Docurama
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

ASIN: B000O76ZOY
Release Date: 2007-05-15

Amazon.com

Reduced from some 800 hours of raw footage to one compelling, 96-minute film, The War Tapes, while not the first documentary about U.S. soldiers deployed in Iraq (cf. 2006's Off to War, which covers similar ground), is unusual insofar as it was shot entirely by men on active duty in Iraq--specifically three National Guardsmen (or "citizen soldiers," as they call themselves) from New Hampshire who served in that benighted country in 2004. The three are by no means alike. Spc. Mike Moriarty is a patriot who, much to the dismay of his family, re-enlisted after 9/11 and frankly hopes to be "someone's hero." Sgt. Steve Pink is motor-mouthed wiseacre who grows increasingly cynical as his tour plays out. Sgt. Zack Bazzi, a Lebanese-American who speaks fluent Arabic, reads The Nation and doesn't much care for George W. Bush, but is nonetheless ready to fight. Yet despite their differences, their experiences are similarly grim. After some training at home, we see them arrive in the Mideast, where the first words they hear are, "Welcome to Iraq. Only one year to go," followed shortly by a mortar explosion near Camp Anaconda, their base. Thereafter, we see them in a variety of settings: in Baghdad and Fallujah, on the road (their duties include escorting truck convoys), fighting insurgents (several of the battle scenes are very intense and fairly graphic), in the camp cafeteria (where one of them excoriates Halliburton, who seems to have a hand in every aspect of the war effort, for charging the government $28 for a single styrofoam plate), in their quarters (their idea of recreation is staging a death match between a scorpion and a spider), and so on; we also visit their families back in New Hampshire. What emerges from all of this is a striking portrait of bitterness, resignation, and outright hostility, especially towards Iraqis on both sides. Moriarty perhaps sums it up most succinctly when they return to the States: "I'm so glad I went. I hated it with a god-awful passion, and I will not go back... I've done my part... It's someone else's turn." Nearly two hours of bonus material includes extended outtakes and extra footage, follow-up interviews with the three soldiers, and more. --Sam Graham

Description

Directed by Deborah Scranton, and produced by Robert May (The Fog of War) and Steve James (Hoop Dreams), THE WAR TAPES is Operation Iraqi Freedom as filmed by Sergeant Steve Pink, Sergeant Zack Bazzi, and Specialist Mark Moriarty. Steve is a wisecracking carpenter who aspires to be a writer. Zack is a Lebanese-American university student who loves to travel and is fluent in Arabic. Mike is a father and resolute patriot who rejoined the Army after 9/11. These soldiers captured over 800 hours of footage, providing a glimpse of their lives in the midst of war. The result is a raw portrait of three men--and their families--as they face, and struggle to understand, their duty.

Customer Reviews:

The Soldier's Perspective.......2007-08-05

Having grown up in a career military family, I must applaud this film. The fact that it was commissioned and sponsored by the U.S. Army National Guard is a positive sign that the military is attempting to ease the transition of fighting troops back into normal civilian life.

What are the messages of this film? According to the Extra Features:

1) Understand what we soldiers have been through in service to our country.
2) We were sent to Iraq to kill people. Right or wrong, that was our mission, and we did it to the best of our ability. Judge us on that basis.
3) Support our troops without asking whether the Iraq War was necessary. That question only demoralizes us and makes our job more difficult.
4) Don't blame us the way you did the Vietnam veterans. We are all wounded warriors, emotionally if not physically. Welcome us home as heroes.

I served in the Army as a medic during the Vietnam conflict. When I returned home from overseas, I was confused and depressed for six months. I needed to talk with my family about what I had experienced, but no one seemed to understand or even wanted to listen. The soldiers in this film said it was very helpful for their families in understanding "why I am the way I am since I returned."

This film may not be considered a true "documentary" in the sense that the cameramen said all the tapes were turned over to Command for their editing and approval. The sergeant described that when he started thinking of himself as a photojournalist and asking other soldiers what they thought about apparently inane orders on camera, his commander called him in and warned him these were actions unbecoming a non-commissioned officer.

If you are looking for a film that says "The Iraqis are real people and they are suffering too," this is not it. But this film supports the troops without question, helps their families to understand what they went through for us, and they deserve this and a lot more from the American public.

War From the Inside.......2007-07-04

In 2004 Deborah Scranton was invited to join a New Hampshire National Guard unit being deployed to Iraq as an imbedded journalist. She and producing partner Charles Lacy had a different idea: why not provide the soldiers with miniDV camaras and let them record what they experienced. What resulted was some 800 hours of footage that was edited into the brillant 97 minutes of the War Tapes.

The story follows the day to day lives of three soldiers from training to return from duty one year later. Mike Moriority is a hard line patriot who wanted to be deployed to Iraq as a result of what he saw at 9-11. Steven Pink is a wise cracking college graduate who thinks service will make him a better man. Jack Bazzi is a Lebanese emigre who uses his knowledge of Arabic to give us a unique view of the culture.

Through these men we see the horror of war close up. The footage is graphic and haunting and is not always easy to watch but it is essential. There is more to be seen and talked about here than in 10 conventional war films. Whether you are pro war or antiwar there is something here that you can take in and discuss with others. The essential question is the age old one:why are we fighting. To some it is to bring democracy to the Iraqi people to others the ony real reason is for the oil and to make money for corporations like Haliburton.

Do yourself a favor and seek this one out and make the choice for yourself. Excellent and well recommended.

real war by real people.......2007-06-09

John Burns, the Baghdad bureau chief for the New York Times, calls this film "the single best document (book, film, or article) you could see on the war in Iraq." Director Deborah Scranton taught three soldiers from New Hampshire's National Guard --Steve Pink, Mike Moriarty, and the Lebanese-American Zack Bazzi who is fluent in Arabic --how to use a camera, then edited their 800 hours of war footage down to 97 minutes. The result is a first person visual narrative of the war in Iraq. It's probably about as close as you can get to experiencing war vicariously-- the chaos, bravado, feelings of helplessness, fear, vulgarity, boredom, and cynicism. Endless rows of charred vehicles in an equipment vehicle. Security escorts protecting convoys of Halliburton trucks carrying septic waste ("follow that shit truck!") or cheese cake. Children everywhere. And yes, IEDs and daily mortar attacks lobbed into Camp Anaconda. The film documents the stories of the three soldiers from their deployment to their return to their families and post war symptoms, including several takes with their wives back home interspersed throughout the film. Parts of this film are very hard to watch.

The soldier's perspective of the Iraq war.......2007-05-17

`The War Tapes' is a unique documentary recorded by 3 soldiers in the New Hampshire Army National Guard during their one year deployment in Iraq. Using cameras mounted on vehicle turrets, dashboards, and helmets along with utilizing night vision devices and thermal imagers, this compilation is assembled from over 800 hours of footage. Sergeants Steve Pink and Zack Brazzi, along with Specialist Michael Moriarty are the central characters that carry the cameras and capture the images.

Almost from the first day on the ground in country, powerful and unsettling footage is shown from mortar attacks, ambushes, firefights, explosions, and injuries sustained from soldiers and civilians alike in Iraq. The video is graphic and intense and it leaves a serious impression about what soldiers have to endure in Iraq. You can get a sense of the underlying tension and anxiety experienced by these soldiers as they narrate what they've seen and felt. Also shown are their attitudes and thoughts regarding why America is in Iraq and the consequences of the war.

In-between segments of the documentary, footage is shown with Michael Moriarty's wife, Zack Bazzi's mother, and Steve Pink's girlfriend. They all put on a brave face but you can sense the emotional turmoil of having loved ones so far away in such a dangerous environment. The families at home also share their mixed feelings about the American involvement in Iraq and the difficulties of being on their own. Upon re-deploying back to the United States, there are physical and emotional changes evident in the returning soldiers and it is significant in how this affects a person's lifestyle and relationships.

`The War Tapes' is a well produced documentary, in my opinion, and delivers a thought provoking, important, and sometimes disturbing look at many aspects dealing with the war in Iraq. To compliment the main program, there are 2 extra features on the DVD that are worth checking out. One is a collection of interviews lasting just under 30 minutes and the second is 80 minutes of additional material covering several different and interesting topics.

The Real Lives of Today's Soldiers.......2007-04-30

`War Tapes' is a great documentary because it is made and narrated by the soldiers fighting in Iraq. Three men from New Hampshire share different backgrounds but one purpose: To win the war in Iraq, but each states his own personal motivation well. The film has three different aspects: the battles, the family life at home, and life in the army in Iraq. There are three main participants: Steven Pink, who has most of the cameras and a girlfriend, Lindsay, waiting for him at home; Zach Bazzi, a Lebanese émigré, whose mom is devoted to her soldier son; and Mike Moriarity whose wife and children wait on pins and needles for his return. At times the documentary is composed. We hear the thoughts of loved ones, torn by separation anxiety, pride, and love. The soldiers testify to their sense of purpose. Then, we get harrowing battle scenes with tanks going through the unstable streets of Fallujah. We hear them work as a unit fighting the insurgents with appropriately shaky cameras and thundering ammunition. Their candor is almost groundbreaking. The disdain for the enemy and the opportunism of war purveyors KBR and Halliburton are telling. Seeing soldiers train Iraqis, sorely needed recreation, and the aftermath of the men's sacrifices are key highlights. Whether or not you support the war, this film shouldn't be missed for supporting and understanding the soldiers. Sometimes funny, often unsettling, but always interesting, 'The War Tapes' is a rewarding and informative film.

Molly - An American Girl on the Home Front

Average customer rating:

Wooden acting, unlikeable characters
A Perfect Family Movie
Pretty bad; disappointing
Molly American Girl DVD
Stupid-Compared to the books

Molly - An American Girl on the Home Front
Starring: Alex Steele , Josette Halpert , Hannah Fleming , Audrey Twitchell , and Geri Hall
Director: Joyce Chopra
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000HEWEFS
Release Date: 2006-11-28

Amazon.com

Molly, a spunky heroine in the wildly popular American Girl series of books and characters, is a typical tween living in an atypical time: 1943, the height of World War II. In An American Girl on the Home Front, Molly and her friends are dimly aware of the war and the occasional hardship it can mean, but Molly (played with grace and bravado by Maya Ritter), like most kids, really hasn't had occasion to pay attention ("She just doesn't understand rations, Mom," her sister snipes). This film follows Molly as the war begins to hit home; her father is shipped overseas and her mom (a delightful Molly Ringwald) becomes a temporary Rosie the Riveter. Molly bravely rolls with the punches, yet her life is still leavened with fun, like learning to tap dance for the local Miss Victory competition. Then a young refugee from England, Emily (Tory Green), comes to stay, and Molly's, and young viewers', consciousness is raised. As always with American Girl heroines, Molly is a great role model with strong values, but never a goody-two-shoes. The period touches, including clothes, movie-reels, and background music, are well done too. Extras include a compelling documentary, Uncle Sam Wants You... to Tap Dance, featuring an interview with Mitzy Scott, an 88-year-old former USO dancer and hostess, relaying her personal history of dancing at home and with soldiers on leave, making something personal and dear to her--dance--into the ultimate patriotic act. --A.T. Hurley

Description

The doll you love comes home on DVD in a full-length, live-action movie. Molly: An American Girl On The Homefront has all the joy, excitement and you-are-there history of the best-selling books about Molly McIntire. Molly McIntire is a girl growing up in 1944. The world is at war, and she misses her father who is overseas caring for wounded soldiers. Molly doesn't like many of the changes the war has brought, like rationing rubber, eating turnips for dinner, and not seeing her Dad on Christmas. But she learns the importance of getting along and pulling together, just as her country must do to win the war! Lively and lovable, she is the star of her story. Cast includes Molly Ringwald (Pretty in Pink, Breakfast Club, Sixteen Candles)

Customer Reviews:

Wooden acting, unlikeable characters.......2007-06-28

Okay, I admit it, I'm not your average American Girl viewer... I'm much older, but I liked the first film so much, that when I saw this film available I was eager to watch it. First, I was pleased by the war setting, the pretty costumes and the historical setting. But I was less impressed with the acting. I felt that Molly's acting, her mother, and the teacher were quite wooden. The little British girl was well done... But overall I felt the acting was quite mediocre.

I found Molly to be unlikable. She seemed very modern and bratty. Her concerns seem really superficial in lieu of the events going on around her. That's okay to begin with, but it took a while for her to become more sympathetic. Watching Molly pout about eating turnips and having no ice cream when there is a war going on seemed petty.

The plot was fairly straightforward and should be easy for children to grasp, but unlike Samantha there was no real sense of jeopardy or hardship (other than what she eats) for Molly to go through, and her life seems fairly privileged... As her family can afford a housekeeper whilst most families could not. 2 stars. Perhaps children would like this film more than I, but I was underwhelmed.

2 stars.

A Perfect Family Movie.......2007-06-14

Four generations of us watched Molly at a family gathering: the ages ranged from 9 to 91. It held everyone's interest - and at the moving end of the film, the two youngsters gave their dad a big, spontaneous hug. There are lessons and values, but Molly is never preachy. The acting is first rate - performances range from spirited to deeply touching. And there's genuine humor. The writing is especially wonderful. We all responded to the way in which the characters interact and grow. The oldies in our group were as captivated as the kids, and the youngsters grasped and responded to the movie's serious themes.

Pretty bad; disappointing.......2007-04-26

My 9 yr. old son has been reading his big sisters' Molly books, and he wanted to see this movie, so we borrowed it from Netflix. What a disappointment! Sure, the girl looked liked Molly, but the similarity ended there. In the books, Molly is a happy, spirited, spunky girl who is cheerful and happy to do her part for the war effort. In this film, she was depressive, negative, selfish, a whiner, etc. The actress was probably chosen for the look-alike feature alone, because she was a HORRIBLY BAD BAD actress!!! She was very wooden and stiff, showed zero emotion vocally or physically. Really, she was awful, and pretty hard to watch. Molly Ringwald as the mother wasn't very good either; it seems people nowadays just don't know how to act.

What bothered us was the major changes in the story. The books are so nice as they are, and I think children expect to see the books played out in the movie. The changes were not necessary, and it was like a different story. My son kept saying he wanted to see the Halloween stuff, the camping stuff, and Christmas how it was in the book. I really can't understand why they changed it so much. I was glad when it was over, because this Molly was not the happy and cheerful Molly we know from the books; she got old pretty fast.

We have seen the Samantha movie, and that was pretty good. We haven't seen the Felicity one. We think it would be fun if they did a Kit movie, but hope they don't bother if they are going to change the story and use some girl that can't act.

Seems like they could have done a "mini series" on Molly, so they could use all the books. But perhaps this wouldn't have worked since this actress is way over 10 yrs. old anyway.

I can't believe how many reviews I have read on this movie praising it so highly. It isn't a one star movie (torture to watch) but it was pretty close to it. I guess people don't know what makes a "good" movie anymore. Give me the movies from the 30s, 40s, and 50s anytime! Even the silents offer so much more than this modern stuff. At least I only borrowed it and didn't waste money buying it. My advice is to read and enjoy the books instead. They are much, much better.

Molly American Girl DVD.......2007-04-02

Another good video from American Girl Company. Molly shows us some of what Americasn went through on the home front in WWII>

Stupid-Compared to the books.......2007-03-02

This movie is not very good compared to the wonderful books. They cut 3/4 of the books and added a bunch of stuff that wasn't so great. The other two American Girl movies were better.

Average customer rating:

Mystery Inspector Lewis
EXCELLENT SHOW
"People do just die, every day, for no good reason."
It isn't Morse but I like what I saw
This is the rare sequel that is as good as the original

Mystery!: Inspector Lewis
Starring: Kevin Whately , Jemma Redgrave , Clare Holman , Jack Ellis (III) , and Laurence Fox
Director: Bill Anderson (III)
Manufacturer: WGBH Boston
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000FNNHZC
Release Date: 2006-09-12

Amazon.com

Inspector Lewis is a very satisfying follow-up to the legacy of Inspector Morse, the late investigator (played by John Thaw, who died in 2002) beloved by many a fan of British television mysteries. Lewis (Kevin Whatley) was Morse's right-hand sergeant. Following the elder sleuth's death, Lewis was promoted but then faced the sudden and unexpected loss of his wife. Inspector Lewis catches up with him upon his jet-lagged return from a two-year assignment in the British Virgin Islands. Destined to be put out to pasture as an instructor at detective school, Lewis instead gets caught up in a murder case that overlaps with an old, strangely yet apparently unresolved investigation by Morse. Joined by a new character, Detective Sergeant James Hathaway (Laurence Fox), Lewis looks into the murder of a brilliant American student at Oxford and her connection to the survivors of a racing legend killed, years before, under questionable circumstances. A coffee-stained, cryptic note in Morse's hand could provide a valuable clue, but fans of Morse holding any doubts about a possible new series built around Lewis will see this determined and hugely likable fellow come into his own. Lewis's emerging partnership with Hathaway is one of the real delights of this drama. The younger man, a former seminarian, and Lewis, who lost religious faith following his family tragedy, manage to find some ground for mutual respect and appreciation. --Tom Keogh

Description

MYSTERY! presents a gripping detective drama featuring echoes of the past, as Kevin Whately returns as Robbie Lewis, former sidekick to the legendary Inspector Morse. Inspector Lewis is an intelligent contemporary crime story set once again against the beautiful backdrop of Oxford, England. Following a family tragedy, Inspector Robert Lewis has been on a two-year assignment in the British Virgin Islands. Now he's back in the familiar territory of the English university city - five years after the death of his long-time police partner Morse. Teamed up with the much younger Detective Sergeant James Hathaway (Laurence Fox; Gosford Park, Island At War), Lewis doesn't even make it home from the airport before he is pulled onto a murder scene. As Lewis and Hathaway join forces to investigate the death of American college student Regan Peverill (Sophie Winkleman), they are led to another student, Danny Griffon (Charlie Cox; Casanova), a man with a family secret whose previous brush with the law was investigated by a certain Inspector Morse.

Customer Reviews:

Mystery Inspector Lewis.......2007-09-10

I liked the movie very much. I hope there will be more Inspector Lewis movies. I also liked Inspector Morse very much.I am a great fan of Lewis.

EXCELLENT SHOW.......2007-07-30

I didn't see this show when it came out, but I certainly hope they made a lot more than one episode. Anybody who was a fan of Morse surely must be interested in the career and life of Morse's long-suffering assistant. This is the promotion Lewis and Kevin Whately deserve -- the leading detective, the star of the show. This mystery is absolutely up to the standard set by Morse, a series I was sorry to see end. Lewis' assistant here is the more intellectual and educated of the two men, whereas Morse was the more sophisticated man in the prior series. Lewis, however, is a clever man; and where cleverness leaves off, hard work and determination take over. Actually, Lewis is more sympathetic than Morse and more approachable. Yes, this one is a keeper, a film to enjoy for years to come. Let's hear it for Detective Lewis!!!

"People do just die, every day, for no good reason.".......2007-06-29

Inspector Robbie Lewis arrives at the Oxford Police Department to a whole new regime when he returns to Oxford after three years in the Caribbean. He has been trying to come to grips with the death of his mentor, Inspector Endeavor Morse (whose series, including specials, ran from 1987 - 2000), and of his wife Valerie, in a London hit-and-run accident. The Chief Superintendent is now Jean Innocent, an abrupt woman who immediately assigns Lewis to a senior training post, though he wants to get back into action. Reluctantly, she allows him to manage a new murder case, but only for three days.

A young math student has been shot in the head at close range while at an Oxford sleep lab to which only a few people have access. The suspect is Danny Griffon, a disturbed but brilliant fellow-student, and the heir to a sports car company which the Japanese are in the process of buying. Lewis (Kevin Whately) and his partner, James Hathaway (Laurence Fox), a former seminarian, investigate this death and several others which occur within the next few days.

Those who loved the Inspector Morse series and who mourned not only the death of Morse, in the final episode, but also of actor John Thaw, in 2002, will be delighted by this spin-off, which gives Morse's sidekick his own series. Actor Kevin Whately continues his self-effacing role, but he also conveys a sense of competence, and his relationship with Hathaway reminds one of Morse's relationship with Lewis. Whately has obviously aged in the seven years since the end of the Morse series, and this serves him in good stead here, providing a sense of gravitas.

The wonderfully intricate plot to this pilot, as good as the best of the Morse series, keeps the viewer totally involved, and the occasional references to Morse, including a poignant visual reminder via a crossword puzzle which retains the outline of his coffee cup, add to the sense of continuity. The photography is outstanding, though not as dramatic here as it was in the Morse series, and Barrington Pheloung, who did the brilliant music for the Morse series, returns for this series. In England, this pilot was followed by three more episodes in February and March, 2007, and one can only hope these will be made available soon to those of us who long for more of the clever mysteries and wonderful characters we enjoyed with the Morse series. n Mary Whipple

It isn't Morse but I like what I saw.......2007-04-08

I didn't even know there had been an "Inspector Lewis" story out until I saw it mentioned in a mail order catalog I get. Amazon had a much better price so I bought my copy here just based on the old Morse stories I'd seen.

Kevin Whately, as Inspector Lewis, might be a smarter man than the old character but he does a good job and I certainly love seeing Oxford again. One or more other reviews write about a different pacing to the show- I didn't really notice that. I did like the way several false leads were given to the viewer, you really have to pay attention to the story.

I saw several links to the old Morse stories starting when the jetlagged Inspector Lewis is almost run down by a Jaguar of the same model and similar color to the car Inspector Morse used to drive, some I didn't pick up on until a day or so later after a llittle thought.

The show is very well done and I'll watch more episodes if PBS ever gets more of them (I think season 1 of the Inspector Lewis series is now out at AmazonUK- if it isn't it will be soon, you'll need something that can play region 2 PAL format to watch those)and I'll buy them somewhere even if there isn't a U.S. market copy available.

This is the rare sequel that is as good as the original.......2007-02-07

This show is extremely well-written and should not be missed by any fan of Morse. I put off watching this for a month because I thought it would be depressing - Morse dead, Inspector Lewis widowed, and now he's been promoted. Would he be turned into a brooding sort of person, or perhaps another Morse? Would the sidekick take on the personality of Lewis? Would they bumble along without leadership? Would it be a sad farce of the Morse series?

Well, not to worry - it is WONDERFUL. They were true to the original characters, with a couple of new ones added that bring forth all sorts of future possibilities. The sidekick is absolutely perfect - intriguing, intelligent, subtle, and with a very understated but devastating wit. As for Lewis, even though he's mourning his departed wife, he never strays from the fundamentally optimistic character that we know and love. He's older, more mature, still wounded, but not bitter.

The subtle references to Morse are delightful: the anonymuosly funded "Endeavor" scholarship, the comment about no one knowing the first name of Morse (ah, but Robbie Lewis actually does, and so do you, if you've watched the one Morse episode where Lewis overheard Morse reveal it), the old crossword filled in by Morse with cryptic comments, the references to Hamlet, the ring of stain from a Morse beer glass, and the sidekick banging on the window of Lewis' house to awaken him. The mystery part is well up to the Morse standard; the characters are very three-dimensional; and the scenery is as gorgeous as ever.

I hope they make more like this one, and I hope they keep the same great combination of writers, actors, and all the rest. You can really tell that this is a winning team, right out of the gate.

Average customer rating:

this might have been the greatest generation, but it certainly wasnt because of this tripe
Waste of time and money!
A MOVIE STILL TRUE TODAY
Since you went away
A sentimental, loving, inspiring, and charmimng film of 1944.

Since You Went Away
Starring: Claudette Colbert , Jennifer Jones , Joseph Cotten , Shirley Temple , and Monty Woolley
Director: John Cromwell
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0002KPHZ6
Release Date: 2004-10-19

Amazon.com

A three-hour weepy extraordinaire, this 1944 offering from producer David O. Selznick (who also wrote the screenplay) was a tribute to all the families who stayed behind while their men went off to fight in World War II. Claudette Colbert is the mother of daughters Jennifer Jones and Shirley Temple; first seen coming home after dropping her war-bound husband at the train, she becomes the model of courage and strength on the homefront. The plot has a Saturday Evening Post feel today, as it follows the family's day-to-day life and struggles, whether with a crotchety boarder (a delightfully starchy Monty Woolley) or oldest daughter Jones's doomed romance with departing serviceman Robert Walker. They don't make them like this anymore and it's too bad. Nominated for a fistful of Oscars, it took only one, for its shadow-drenched black-and-white cinematography. --Marshall Fine

Description

Nominated* for nine Academy AwardsÂ(r), this heart-warming, soul-stirring (Variety) portrait of life on the homefront during World War II is a magnificent picture rich in humor and poignant with heartbreak (The Hollywood Reporter). Claudette Colbert heads an all-star cast,including Jennifer Jones, Joseph Cotten and Shirley Temple, in this beautifully produced picture that gets into your heart (Los Angeles Examiner). With her husband Tim off at war, Anne Hilton (Colbert) struggles to be a pillar of strength for her daughters Jane (Jones) and Bridget (Temple). During America's darkest hours, she bravely steers her girls through heartbreak and hardships as she eagerly awaits news from overseas and wonders if life will ever be the same. *1944: Best Picture, Actress (Colbert), Supporting Actor (Monty Woolley), Supporting Actress (Jones), Cinematography (B&W), Art Direction (B&W), Editing, Music Score (won), Special Effects

Customer Reviews:

this might have been the greatest generation, but it certainly wasnt because of this tripe.......2007-04-25

an attempt at an american "mrs miniver", and 60+ years later it falls just as flat. the usually vibrant claudette colbert gives one of her stiffest performances, with insufficient support from a list of otherwise usually reliable castmates, e.g. joseph cotten, jennifer jones, hattie mcdaniel, &c. the one solid performance is from agnes moorehead as the town biddy, and theres a major curiosity performance by a teenaged shirley temple, long past her age of appeal. perhaps this bucked up people on the homefront during ww2, but it does little to inform &/or entertain today.

Waste of time and money!.......2007-03-13

Don't purchase this one. It's a pointless, plotless waste of time and money. It goes absolutely nowhere for 3 hours. From the write-up, we thought it was going to be a good movie. Wrong! It turned out to be a total waste of our family's time. We threw the DVD in the trash.

A MOVIE STILL TRUE TODAY.......2007-03-09

PURCHASED THIS MOVIE FOR MY WIFE THAT SHE HAS SEEN SEVERAL TIMES OVER THE YEARS, BEGINNING WITH THE OLD "MILLION DOLLAR MOVIE". HAVE SEEN QUITE A BIT OF THIS BUT NEVER SAT TO WATCH IT IN ONE SITTING. IT'S REALLY MY WIFE THAT REQUESTED IT. CONSIDERING THE WAR OF TODAY, WITH THIS TAKING PLACE ON THE HOMEFRONT IN WWII, THE IMPACT ON THE FAMILIES OF THOSE SERVING STILL HOLDS TRUE TODAY.

Since you went away.......2007-02-20

I am a Shirley Temple collector, movie was great. They do not make good movies anymore like they use to. She is my favorite actresses. I was impressed to have it on DVD. Excellent movie.

A sentimental, loving, inspiring, and charmimng film of 1944........2006-07-04

"Since You Went Away" was a film that revealed the other side of war. It showed the emotions of the families who had to struggle with, or without a family member going off to fight, and how people coped with the daily life. The most touching scene of the movie, was when the train slowly chugged down the dark tunnel, into complete blackness, knowing that her husband is never returning. I can't really say that this movie will bring you to high spirits (Especially if you're very emmotional), yet it does tell an incredible story. Everybody in "Since You Went Away" is extremely talented, with much skill, although Shirley Temple wasn't as convincing in her role as her other co-stars, and leading actors. This movie is NOT cosidered an old fashioned "Chick Flick." It is a family film for everyone to enjoy. Although the producer of "Since You Went Away" wanted this movie to be just as great as "Gone With The Wind," it (unfortunately) didn't quite make the cut, yet it was a definite success of its time, and still continues to be a family favorite. I would HIGHLY recommend you see this film: rent it, or surely buy it. I hope this review has helped.

Cross of Iron (Widescreen Special Edition)

Average customer rating:

Essential
Peckinpah's antiwar classic - hasn't aged well
Much better than the fullscreen version
NOT ONE OF HIS BEST BUT STILL WORTH A VIEW
Cross of Iron

Cross of Iron (Widescreen Special Edition)
Starring: James Coburn , Maximilian Schell , James Mason , David Warner , and Klaus Löwitsch
Director: Sam Peckinpah
Manufacturer: Henstooth Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000E5N63Y
Release Date: 2006-04-18

Description

Widescreen Special Edition DVD Features include:
Audio Commentary by film scholar Stephen Prince, author of Savage Cinema: Sam Peckinpah and the Rise of Ultraviolent Movies
Original Theatrical Trailer
Photo Gallery of German Lobby Cards
Language Options: English, French
New Widescreen 16:9 Anamorphic Transfer

Customer Reviews:

Essential.......2007-08-27

Cross of Iron is still, nearly 30 years later one of the great (anti) war movies. Its 1943 and the Germans are being overrun on the Russian front. Peckingpah's trademark slow motion is used to good effect in the battle scenes. Yes this being Peckinpah the battle scenes are very well done.
The cast give marvellous performances:
Maximilian Schell as Captain Stranszky perhaps steals the acting honours as a cowardly Prussian seeking the Iron Cross.
Coburn pushes him close as the officer hating Steiner.
In a supporting role an ageing James Mason gives a seemingly effortless demonstration of how doing very little can amount to a superb performance.
There are occasional lighter moments, but mostly this film is relentlessly grim. Even if you don't see their deaths, you know that all the characters will die.
Strangly though this is a film I want to watch again (and look forward to watching). This is because the main characters are so well drawn (and acted) and as I said above you don't see them all die.
In a typically perverse move Peckinpah ends the film on a moment of black comedy relating to Stranszky's incompetence; Steiner can't stop laughing. A great film.

Peckinpah's antiwar classic - hasn't aged well.......2007-04-04

Sam Peckinpah's attempt to make a graphic, violent antiwar film has not aged well. This is a story of a German recon platoon in the south of Russia in 1943 after the debacle at Stalingrad. The platoon is lead by Cpl (later Sgt) Steiner, played by James Coburn (probably one of the best roles in his illustrious career). After an opening action scene in which Steiner and his men eliminated a Soviet mortar battery, Steiner meets his new company commander, Capt Stransky (played by Maximillian Schell). Stransky is a Prussian aristocrat who requested transfer to the Russian front so that he can earn the Iron Cross, but doesn't really want to risk his neck to earn it. Steiner is the grizzled veteran who has received every award available, is sick of the war and the leadership, but continues to fight nonetheless. In the mid-70s this film may have been considered cutting edge, but I think that to modern audiences, the violence and action seems will seem highly stylized. As a war film, it carries little of the emotional impact of more recent films. The slow motion camera shots really give this film a dated feel. Some of the other reviewers state that this film is made from the `German perspective'. This is not really true in my opinion, I think a better characterization would be to state that it is `not unsympathetic' to the Germans. Steiner and his men are portrayed as soldiers simply doing their duty in a war they don't believe in. This latter point is one of the strengths of the film, the German soldiers are not portrayed as mindless Nazis, but with more sympathy and complexity. A second strength of this film is that it doesn't descend into simplistic rantings about Nazi racial policy in Russia, Nazi war crimes, etc. This would have banished the film to cliched oblivion in my view. There are some great shots of WWII era hardware (like T-34/85), even if everything is not entirely historically accurate. This is a decent (anti)war film, but will, I believe, seem tame and not particularly meaningful to modern viewers.

Much better than the fullscreen version.......2007-03-18

"Cross of Iron" has always been one of my favorite movies. It was the first Peckinpah movie I ever saw, I was fifteen, and it forever convinced me of the futility of war. So a couple of years ago I bought the Hentooths's fullscreen version of this movie and I was absolutely apalled by the poor quality of the image and soundtrack: the DVD is so bad that you might not even finish watching the movie. Still, this being one of my favorite movies, I decided to run the risk of buying this widescreen special edition when it recently came out, since it promised to be better, and it was. Not great, I should say, but better. So if you're convinced, as I am, that this is the best war (or anti-war) movie ever made, I recommend you buy this DVD despite its technical limitations. If you have never seen this movie, you should see it a couple of times before making your mind of what you think of it. This is because, like all of Peckinpah's movies, it is full of subtleties that you will not get on just one run (I've seen this movie seven times and still find new new things in it), including a brilliant subplot on male camaraderie and (overt and repressed) homosexuality. But this is also the one Pekinpah movie where ultra-violence is handled mastefully: the first time you watch this movie, you will be in shock before long and unable to follow the nuances of the plot. So sleep it off for a couple of days and watch the movie again. In my opinion, in this movie you will also find the best performances ever by both James Coburn and Maximilian Schell.

NOT ONE OF HIS BEST BUT STILL WORTH A VIEW.......2007-03-09

The rest of the reviews on this movie sum it up - you have a director who was spinning downward into addiction while attempting to make an epic war movie. Most likely it is only through the sheer talent of the director, the people around him, and the actors in the movie that this movie is watchable.
You have some strange choices in where the story goes and how it gets there - it lurches from the examination of homosexuality in the military, the horrors of war and the mental health of the survivors of war, into guys on patrol / trying to get home story. The action scenes, as with almost any Peckinpah movie, are exciting and horrifying. A "Ballet of Violence" as John Woo would say. The acting and dialogue is all over the place- but Coburn and Schell love to chew the scenary and do it soooo well. You get Coburn with guns in a war and slow motion Peckinpah violence with an anti-war message to boot = not a bad way to spend a few hours = 3 1/2 stars

Cross of Iron.......2007-01-13

Cross of Iron although it starts out with great action and plot, becomes a bit odd after James Coburn's character suffers shell shock. It has its moments, but over all it seems to be lacking something. It is worth watching, but I was somewhat disappointed after reading its rave reviews.

Average customer rating:

One of the greatest adventure films of all time...
I love this movie!
A Great Movie
Great old war film
Zulu

Zulu (Michael Caine)
Starring: Stanley Baker , Jack Hawkins , Ulla Jacobsson , James Booth , and Michael Caine
Director: Cy Endfield
Manufacturer: Front Row Video, Inc
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00004WLYG
Release Date: 2001-02-02

Amazon.com essential video

"Sentries have come in from the hill, sir.... They report Zulus to the southeast. Thousands of them." One of the best pure action movies ever made, this rousing adventure recounts the true story of a small 18th-century regiment of British troops (including a very blue-blooded turn by a young Michael Caine) endlessly besieged by an seemingly unceasing number of fierce attackers. Although the basic premise has since been executed with more technical skill and panache (most notably by Aliens and Michael Mann's The Last of the Mohicans), it's unlikely that anything will ever top the utter spectacle and, above all, sheer unbelievable size of the combat scenes that almost wholly comprise the last half of this film. A gloriously exhilarating essential for anyone looking to get lost in the heat of cinematic battle, topped off with a healthy dose of gallows humor. Not to be missed. Richard Burton voiced the stirring narration. Zulu was followed by a slightly dry but still recommended prequel, Zulu Dawn. --Andrew Wright

Customer Reviews:

One of the greatest adventure films of all time..........2007-09-07

...but not one of the greatest DVDs of all time, which is the only reason this is rated four stars instead of five. MGM/UA's transfer is a definite improvement over the atrocious Diamond public domain release, but compared to Paramount's Region 2 PAL disc, which includes new documentaries and origina