V for Vendetta [HD DVD]

Product Description

Warner Brothers V For Vendetta - HD-DVD
Set against the futuristic landscape of totalitarian Britain, V For Vendetta tells the story of a mild-mannered young womannamed Evey (Natalie Portman) who is rescued from a life-and-death situation by a masked man (Hugo Weaving) known only as "V." Incomparably charismatic and ferociously skilled in the art of combat anddeception, V ignites a revolution when he urges his fellow citizens to rise up against tyranny and oppression. As Evey uncovers the truth about V's mysterious background, she also discovers the truthabout herself - and emerges as his unlikely ally in the culmination of his plan to bring freedom and justice back to a society fraught with cruelty and corruption.
Running Time: 133 min.

Amazon.com

"Remember, remember the fifth of November," for on this day, in 2020, the minds of the masses shall be set free. So says code-name V (Hugo Weaving), a man on a mission to shake society out of its blank complacent stares in the film V For Vendetta. His tactics, however, are a bit revolutionary to say the least. The world in which V lives is very similar to Orwell's totalitarian dystopia in 1984: after years of various wars, England is now under "big brother" Chancellor Adam Sutler (played by John Hurt, who ironically played Winston Smith in the movie 1984) whose party uses force and fear to run the nation. After gaining power, minorities and political dissenters were rounded up and removed; artistic and unacceptable religious works were confiscated. Cameras and microphones are littered throughout the land, and the people are perpetually sedated through the governmentally controlled media. Taking inspiration from Guy Fawkes, the 17th century co-conspirator of a failed attempt to blow up Parliament on November 5, 1605, V dons a Fawkes mask and costume and sets off to wake the masses by destroying the symbols of their oppressors, literally and figuratively. At the beginning of his vendetta, V rescues Evey (Natalie Portman) from a group of police officers and has her live with him in his underworld lair. It is through their relationship where we learn how V became V, the extremities of the party's corruption, the problems of an oppressive government, V's revenge plot and his philosophy on how to induce change.

Based on the popular graphic novel by Alan Moore, V For Vendetta's screenplay was written by the Wachowski Brothers (of The Matrix fame) and directed by their protégé, James McTeigue. Controversy and criticism followed the film since its inception, from the hyper-stylized use of anarchistic terrorism to overthrow a corrupt government and the blatant jabs at the current US political arena, to graphic novel fans complaining about the reconstruction of Alan Moore's original vision (Moore himself has dismissed the film). Many are valid critiques and opinions, but there's no hiding the message the film is trying to express: Radical and drastic events often need to occur in order to shake people out of their state of indifference in order to bring about real change. Unfortunately, the movie only offers a means with no ends, and those looking for answers may find the film stylish, but a bit empty. --Rob Bracco

Customer Reviews:

Standing on its own I thought it was a fantastic movie........2007-09-12

This is one of my favorite all time movies. Its not designed for children as it doesnt contain that kind of hero. I cant think of any other movie so loved and hated at the same time! Politics aside I thought it was a very good movie and without a doubt is different then all the other movies out there. I can understand why people can hate this movie based on todays political environment but I feel its unjustified. This is a movie that will last the test of time and will be considered one of the greats 10 years from now.

Excellent Movie! Excellent HD-DVD.......2007-09-10

I don't know if you guys have priced HD-DVD's locally at places like Best Buy, but the prices at those retail stores are CRAZY! If you browse the HD-DVD's here on Amazon, you'll notice most are around $19.99. Well I went to best buy and the absolute cheapest one was $24.99 and most were $29.99 and up! You just can't go wrong with buying HD-DVD's at Amazon. And no i don't work for them....I've just already done the research...so you don't have too!

Back to this particular movie on HD-DVD. Looked great to me on my Toshiba HD-A2!

George Orwell, 1984, Alan Moore, and V.......2007-09-10

I read the graphic novel of "V for Vendetta" when it was originally released in the mid 1980s. Right from the beginning, I could see that this was Alan Moore's homage to Orwell and "1984" - he was most likely inspired by the book as the title's date approached and Moore observed Thatcher's England and Reagan's America unfold. What an amazing story "V for Vendetta" told. Alan Moore saw that Fascism was still alive and well in the world of 1984 as it was in Orwell's Post WWII 1940s.

Jump forward 20 years, and we have a retelling of this amazing story, but this time on film instead of the comic panel. In this day and age of Terrorism, the fear of Terrorism, and the Fascist use of that fear, the story is more important than ever in Bush's America/World. Fear is the most powerful tool of the fascist as has been demonstrated in both the real world - Nazi Germany and Post 9/11 America - and in fiction - "1984" and "V for Vendetta". "V for Vendetta" capture's this by potraying a not-to-distant future where plague and terrorism have crippled the world and are cooped by the fearful conservative right (where all fascism is born as they are similar psychoses) to control the masses and "protect" the people.

Though Moore set "V" in his native England, 20 years after its writing it could have been set in Post 9/11 America where even treehugging is consider terrorism by the ruling administration. Yes, this film portrays a terrorist as the "good guy", but it actually delves deeper into the heart of all of us; and it challenges every one of us to stand up for ourselves BEFORE we would need to resort to acts of violence to safeguard our freedoms - or worse have to reclaim them. Watch this film to be inspired for what we have to loose, before it becomes what we have lost.

A final note on Alan Moore not endorsing the film...Moore doesn't endorse any of his works being made into film. But, I would like to think that he will see it and see his vision properly realized; this is what I saw in the film...his vision on screen (though I was disappointed that the musical numbers found in the graphic novel were missing!). With this film, I await "The Watchmen" even more.

Natalie Portman.......2007-08-26

Natalie Portman with her best British ascent is great in this movie. Britian has become a fascist state in this tale of the future.

Corey Cotta, Author of All of Yesterdays Tomorrows.

haunting.......2007-08-17

I haven't made up my mind if I like this or not. I watch it once and awhile because it has a haunting quality to it. Love Portman.Can't get the lines by V out of my head.Has some truths in it that you can't forget.

V for Vendetta (Two-Disc Special Edition)

Average customer rating:

Standing on its own I thought it was a fantastic movie.
Excellent Movie! Excellent HD-DVD
George Orwell, 1984, Alan Moore, and V
Natalie Portman
haunting

V for Vendetta (Two-Disc Special Edition)
Starring: Natalie Portman , Hugo Weaving , Stephen Rea , Stephen Fry , and John Hurt
Director: James McTeigue
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000FS9FCQ
Release Date: 2006-08-01

Amazon.com

"Remember, remember the fifth of November," for on this day, in 2020, the minds of the masses shall be set free. So says code-name V (Hugo Weaving), a man on a mission to shake society out of its blank complacent stares in the film V for Vendetta. His tactics, however, are a bit revolutionary, to say the least. The world in which V lives is very similar to Orwell's totalitarian dystopia in 1984: after years of various wars, England is now under "big brother" Chancellor Adam Sutler (played by John Hurt, who played Winston Smith in the movie 1984), whose party uses force and fear to run the nation. After they gained power, minorities and political dissenters were rounded up and removed; artistic and unacceptable religious works were confiscated. Cameras and microphones are littered throughout the land, and the people are perpetually sedated through the governmentally controlled media. Taking inspiration from Guy Fawkes, the 17th century co-conspirator of a failed attempt to blow up Parliament on November 5, 1605, V dons a Fawkes mask and costume and sets off to wake the masses by destroying the symbols of their oppressors, literally and figuratively. At the beginning of his vendetta, V rescues Evey (Natalie Portman) from a group of police officers and has her live with him in his underworld lair. It is through their relationship where we learn how V became V, the extremities of the party's corruption, the problems of an oppressive government, V's revenge plot, and his philosophy on how to induce change.

Based on the popular graphic novel by Alan Moore, V for Vendetta's screenplay was written by the Wachowski Brothers (of The Matrix fame) and directed by their protégé, James McTeigue. Controversy and criticism followed the film since its inception, from the hyper-stylized use of anarchistic terrorism to overthrow a corrupt government and the blatant jabs at the current U.S. political arena, to graphic novel fans complaining about the reconstruction of Alan Moore's original vision (Moore himself has dismissed the film). Many are valid critiques and opinions, but there's no hiding the message the film is trying to express: Radical and drastic events often need to occur in order to shake people out of their state of indifference in order to bring about real change. Unfortunately, the movie only offers a means with no ends, and those looking for answers may find the film stylish, but a bit empty. --Rob Bracco

On the DVDs
On disc 1 is a 16-minute documentary "Freedom! Forever!: Making V for Vendetta" with discussions on the movie's origin and themes by the principal cast and crew (no Alan Moore or Wachowskis, to no one's surprise, but the graphic novel's illustrator David Lloyd is on hand to call the movie "a very good version"). On disc 2 is a 17-minute production featurette, a 10-minute history of Guy Fawkes, and the 15-minute "England Prevails: V for Vendetta and the New Wave in Comics." Lloyd and others from the comics industry such as Paul Levitz and Bill Sienkiwicz talk about the graphic novel and how it appealed to a different, older audience. The second menu of the second disc also has an easy-to-find Easter egg of a rapping and swearing Natalie Portman on Saturday Night Live. --David Horiuchi

Beyond the Film

The graphic novel by Alan Moore and David Lloyd
More by Alan Moore
From Graphic Novel to Big Screen

More by Natalie Portman
More by Hugo Weaving
More by the Wachowski Brothers

Customer Reviews:

Standing on its own I thought it was a fantastic movie........2007-09-12

Excellent Movie! Excellent HD-DVD.......2007-09-10

George Orwell, 1984, Alan Moore, and V.......2007-09-10

Natalie Portman.......2007-08-26

Natalie Portman with her best British ascent is great in this movie. Britian has become a fascist state in this tale of the future.

Corey Cotta, Author of All of Yesterdays Tomorrows.

haunting.......2007-08-17

Average customer rating:

Standing on its own I thought it was a fantastic movie.
Excellent Movie! Excellent HD-DVD
George Orwell, 1984, Alan Moore, and V
Natalie Portman
haunting

V for Vendetta (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Natalie Portman , Hugo Weaving , Stephen Rea , Stephen Fry , and John Hurt
Director: James McTeigue
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( V ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

ASIN: B000FS9FCG
Release Date: 2006-08-01

Amazon.com

"Remember, remember the fifth of November," for on this day, in 2020, the minds of the masses shall be set free. So says code-name V (Hugo Weaving), a man on a mission to shake society out of its blank complacent stares in the film V for Vendetta. His tactics, however, are a bit revolutionary, to say the least. The world in which V lives is very similar to Orwell's totalitarian dystopia in 1984: after years of various wars, England is now under "big brother" Chancellor Adam Sutler (played by John Hurt, who played Winston Smith in the movie 1984), whose party uses force and fear to run the nation. After they gained power, minorities and political dissenters were rounded up and removed; artistic and unacceptable religious works were confiscated. Cameras and microphones are littered throughout the land, and the people are perpetually sedated through the governmentally controlled media. Taking inspiration from Guy Fawkes, the 17th century co-conspirator of a failed attempt to blow up Parliament on November 5, 1605, V dons a Fawkes mask and costume and sets off to wake the masses by destroying the symbols of their oppressors, literally and figuratively. At the beginning of his vendetta, V rescues Evey (Natalie Portman) from a group of police officers and has her live with him in his underworld lair. It is through their relationship where we learn how V became V, the extremities of the party's corruption, the problems of an oppressive government, V's revenge plot, and his philosophy on how to induce change.

Based on the popular graphic novel by Alan Moore, V for Vendetta's screenplay was written by the Wachowski brothers (of The Matrix fame) and directed by their protégé, James McTeigue. Controversy and criticism followed the film since its inception, from the hyper-stylized use of anarchistic terrorism to overthrow a corrupt government and the blatant jabs at the current U.S. political arena, to graphic novel fans complaining about the reconstruction of Alan Moore's original vision (Moore himself has dismissed the film). Many are valid critiques and opinions, but there's no hiding the message the film is trying to express: Radical and drastic events often need to occur in order to shake people out of their state of indifference in order to bring about real change. Unfortunately, the movie only offers a means with no ends, and those looking for answers may find the film stylish, but a bit empty. --Rob Bracco

Beyond Vendetta

The graphic novel by Alan Moore and David Lloyd
More by Alan Moore
From Graphic Novel to Big Screen

More by Natalie Portman
More by Hugo Weaving
More by the Wachowski Brothers

Description

Set against the futuristic landscape of totalitarian Britain, V For Vendetta tells the story of a mild-mannered young woman named Evey (Natalie Portman) who is rescued from a life-and-death situation by a masked man (Hugo Weaving) known only as "V." Incomparably charismatic and ferociously skilled in the art of combat and deception, V ignites a revolution when he urges his fellow citizens to rise up against tyranny and oppression. As Evey uncovers the truth about V's mysterious background, she also discovers the truth about herself - and emerges as his unlikely ally in the culmination of his plan to bring freedom and justice back to a society fraught with cruelty and corruption.

Customer Reviews:

Standing on its own I thought it was a fantastic movie........2007-09-12

Excellent Movie! Excellent HD-DVD.......2007-09-10

George Orwell, 1984, Alan Moore, and V.......2007-09-10

Natalie Portman.......2007-08-26

Natalie Portman with her best British ascent is great in this movie. Britian has become a fascist state in this tale of the future.

Corey Cotta, Author of All of Yesterdays Tomorrows.

haunting.......2007-08-17

Average customer rating:

not quite the forsyte saga
Cold Comfort Farm
Dull
A wonderful, quirky comedy that holds up to many viewings-
Sorry if my review isn't "helpful" (i.e., you don't agree with it) -- but this film is NOT FUNNY

Cold Comfort Farm
Starring: Eileen Atkins , Kate Beckinsale , Sheila Burrell , Stephen Fry , and Freddie Jones
Director: John Schlesinger
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
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Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00009IB1D
Release Date: 2003-07-01

Product Description

From Academy Award winning director John Schlesinger comes a brilliantly witty film. Starring Kate Beckinsale (Pearl Harbor) as Flora Poste, a London society girl, and Joanna Lumley (Absolutely Fabulous) as Flora's friend and mentor, this heartwarming comedy is full of charm and clever satire. Recently orphaned, Flora ignores the sage advice of Mrs. Smiley (Lumley) and moves to the country to live on a decrepit farm with her eccentric relatives. Fancying herself a writer, Flora encounters perfect material for her novel in the humorously odd collection of rural characters. In her own inimitable way, Flora insists on creating order out of their chaos, and in the process, she fills their lives with light and laughter. Also starring Rufus Sewell (A Knight s Tale), Ian McKellen (Lord of the Rings), Stephen Fry (Peter's Friends) and Eileen Atkins.

System Requirements:

Starring Joanna Lumley, Kate Beckinsale, Eileen Atkins, Rufus Sewell, Ian McKellen

Directed by John Schlesnger

Running time: 1 Hour 45 Minutes

Amazon.com

This hilarious spoof on British costume dramas based on great literature stars Kate Beckinsale (Much Ado About Nothing) as a strong-willed, young woman named Miss Flora Poste, who finds herself orphaned and without means in the 1930s. Moving in with some half-savage relatives on a country farm, Flora is hardly daunted by their primitivism (as she might have been in a novel by Thomas Hardy) but instead takes charge and imposes hygiene, order, and good manners on the dirty, superstitious lot. John Schlesinger directs this brisk, infectious adaptation of the 1932 novel by Stella Gibbons. Beckinsale is wonderful, and the rest of the savvy, inspired cast perfectly send up a host of literary clichés. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

not quite the forsyte saga.......2007-06-11

a change of pace from director john schlesinger, more familiar for dark pieces like "darling" or "sunday bloody sunday", this is one of those off-beat british comedies wherein a supposedly "normal" person (herein kate beckinsale as an impoverished smart set 1930s girl) gets plopped down in the midst of a parochially isolated village replete with quirky characers. while lacking the bite of bill forsyths "local hero", it holds up quite nicely among the genre, and if you enjoy this type of movie, you will enjoy this one.

Cold Comfort Farm.......2007-05-14

I loved this film! I had made copy at one time from watching it on the telly, but decided that I needed my very on good copy. I recommend it for any and all who enjoy British sense of humor.

Dull.......2007-05-11

Amazon.com recommended that I watch this movie because I like I Capture the Castle. Amazon could not have been more wrong. It was so dull that I didn't even finish the DVD. I hope the book is more ingenious than this.

A wonderful, quirky comedy that holds up to many viewings-.......2007-05-08

The cast could not have been better! I try to loan this to friends that
need a few laughs. The relativly quiet start to the plot has a truly good payoff!

Sorry if my review isn't "helpful" (i.e., you don't agree with it) -- but this film is NOT FUNNY.......2007-05-03

I looked forward to COLD COMFORT FARM since I love British humor, and I love Joanna Lumley in AB FAB. I also liked Kate Beckinsale in HAUNTED. But this film ... what a disappointment!

COLD COMFORT FARM has a thin, empty, insubstantial quality. It no doubt imagines itself as witty, in an Oscar Wilde sort of way. Not!

The humor is best exemplified by the scene wherein the boyfriend tells the heroine that he owns a plane.

"You own a plane?" she asks. "Whatever for?"

"I think everyone should own a plane," he jokes.

"Oh Charles!" she laughs.

Yeah. Funny stuff. Real witty.

The "humor" is arbitrary, is based on nothing, and goes nowhere.

The film tries to build suspense about the dark deed that was done to Robert Post, but we never learn what it was. What's more, by the end of the film, I don't give a damn.

The heroine "solves" everyone's problems effortlessly, all the pieces falling into place. For instance, she invites a bigshot Hollywood producer for a visit. The producer is conveniently seeking a British farmboy type, yet he can't find one from among the tens of thousands of wannabes in Hollywood. He spots the perfect farmboy (the heroine's friend), who seems asleep when he's "discovered" as though he expected it and doesn't much care.

Of course, a silly non-plot may suffice for a comedy if it were a funny comedy, which this isn't. No laughs. Not even a polite chuckle. Maybe a half smile. A highly talented cast gone to waste.

The funniest scenes are when the heroine struggles to write a novel, and she keeps writing about those "golden orbs" (her metaphor for the sun). Ironically, her failed novel is funnier than this film.

Average customer rating:

A means of losing yourself to daydreams
great
My daughter's favorite movie - one year & counting
A True Classic!
I love this movie I watch it all the time. Thank you Amazon!!!

A Little Princess
Starring: Liesel Matthews , Eleanor Bron , Liam Cunningham , Rusty Schwimmer , and Arthur Malet
Director: Alfonso Cuarón
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
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ASIN: 6304698623
Release Date: 1997-11-19

Amazon.com

After the critical success of 1993's The Secret Garden, Warner Bros. returned to the novels of Frances Hodgson Burnett to create this 1995 adaptation of A Little Princess, which instantly ranked with The Secret Garden as one of the finest children's films of the 1990s. Neither film was a huge box-office success, but their quality speaks for itself, and A Little Princess has all the ingredients of a timeless classic. A marvel of production design, the film features lavish sets built almost entirely on a studio backlot in Burbank, California. The story opens in New York just before the outbreak of World War I, when young Sara (Liesel Matthews) is enrolled in private boarding school while her father goes off to war. Under the domineering scrutiny of the school's wicked headmistress, Miss Minchen (Eleanor Bron), Sara quickly becomes popular with her schoolmates, but fate intervenes and she soon faces a stern reversal of fortune, resorting to wild flights of fancy to cope with an unexpectedly harsh reality. Rather than label her fanciful tales as escapist fantasy, A Little Princess actively encourages a child's power of imagination--a power that can be used to learn, grow, and adapt to a world that is often cruel and difficult. It's also one of the most visually beautiful films of the '90s and creates a fully detailed world within the boarding school--a place where imagination is vital to survival. A first-class production in every respect, this is one family film that should (if it's not too stuffy to say it) be considered required viewing for parents and kids alike. --Jeff Shannon

Description

The beloved story from the author of the Secret Garden becomes 1995's best reviewed film. A young girl must rely on her wits and imagination when she is separated from her soldier father and sent to a strict boarding school. Year: 1995 Director: Alfonso Cuaron Starring: Eleanor Bron, Liam Cunningham, Liesel Matthews

DVD Features:
Production Notes
Theatrical Trailer

Customer Reviews:

A means of losing yourself to daydreams .......2007-09-08

I have absolutely adored this film since I first saw it at the age of 8, and it thus holds that special place in my mind, as a sort of magical and daydreamy tale. Upon renting it again recently, I was pleased to find that the cinematography still remained impressive and the stylization and story still highly engaging. Though it may be a tad overacted,I think the general message of the story still shines through. I imagine that it's not solely about deserving to be a "bratty princess", but more about building a sense of personal self-worth and realising that everyone is entitled to be treated as, well, a human being, regardless of form or status.

I personally would not listen to the naysayers, whom are namely book purists, and unable to appreciate the film in and of itself, as opposed to just a "butchered" extension of the book; as if simply reading a novel entitles you to suddenly become an expert on anything whatsoever. Please look past the minute differences in detail and recognize the film for its worth on its own.

great.......2007-07-30

A great movie in great condition. A must see for all girls regardless of age.

My daughter's favorite movie - one year & counting.......2007-07-18

My daughter started watching this movie when she was almost 5 and it instantly became her favorite movie. For days on end she watched it everyday while all her Disney Princess movies collected dust. She was just so fascinated with "Sarah", the Little Princess and by the time she turned 6 she had memorized all the lines. I highly recommend this movie for little girls. It's beautiful and timeless!

A True Classic!.......2007-07-02

I thoroughly enjoyed watching this movie, set in nineteenth century America.
Lisel Matthews renders a stirring performance as the only daughter of a wealthy military officer. Spirited, intelligent, and highly imaginative, Sara Crewe must deal with living in a foreign country,(her native country is India), adapting to a strict school run by stern school marme Miss Minchin (Eleanor Bron),and handling the deployment of her father, whom she loves dearly, into active combat during WW2. How Sarah manages, while keeping her humor and her dignity is what makes this revised version so enjoyable. I actually enjoyed it more than the original, starring Shirley Temple(1939). But the best reason for watching it, is the message it has infused into my daughters psyches', the idea that they are both princesses! This is a true classic.

I love this movie I watch it all the time. Thank you Amazon!!!.......2007-06-02

Thank you amazon

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (Widescreen Edition)

Average customer rating:

Amusing in places, but thin
My guess is that you should read the book.
HEY! are all those other movies boring you? watch this one instead!
OUTSTANDING REMAKE
Fun Adventurous Movie

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Bill Bailey (IV) , Anna Chancellor , Warwick Davis , Mos Def , and Zooey Deschanel
Director: Garth Jennings
Manufacturer: Buena Vista Home Entertainment / Touchstone
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000A283AW
Release Date: 2005-09-13

Product Description

Here's the absolutely hysterical, wonderfully wild, cosmic adventure comedy THE HITCHHIKER'S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY. Based on Douglas Adams' worldwide best-selling novel, and starring an outrageous intergalactic cast, this is one ride you don't want to miss. Seconds before Earth is destroyed to make way for a new hyperspace express route, mild-mannered Arthur Dent is whisked into space by his best friend (an alien posing as an out-of-work actor). And so the misadventures begin as he and fellow travelers, including the cool but dim-witted President of the Galaxy, the Earth girl Trillian, and Marvin the paranoid android, search for answers to the mystery of Life, the Universe, and Everything.

System Requirements:
Starring: Sam Rockwell, Mos Def, Zooey Deschanel, Martin Freeman, Bill Nighy, Warwick Davis, Anna Chancellor, Alan Rickman, Helen Mirren, Stephen Fry, John Malkovich, Simon Jones, Thomas Lennon
Directed By: Garth Jennings
Running Time: 109 Min.
Copyright Buena Vista Home Video 2005

Format: DVD MOVIE

Amazon.com

Don't panic! After twenty years stuck in development (a mere blink compared to how long it takes to find the answer to life, the universe, and everything), The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy has finally been turned into a movie. Following the radio play, TV series, commemorative towel, and books, this latest installment in the sci-fi-comedy franchise is based on the screenplay and detailed notes by Douglas Adams.

Hitching a ride.

For those unfamiliar with the story, everyman Arthur Dent (Martin Freeman) wakes up one morning to discover that his house is set to be demolished to make room for a bypass. Little does he know the entire planet Earth is also set to be destroyed for an interplanetary bypass by the Vogons, a hideous and bureaucratic race of aliens realized in the film by Jim Henson's Creature Shop. Whisked off the planet by his best friend, alien-in-disguise Ford Prefect (Mos Def), Dent embarks on a goofy jaunt across the galaxy accompanied by his trusty Hitchhiker's Guide, which looks like a really fancy PDA.

The guide itself provides some of the funniest bits of the movie, little animated shorts that explain the ludicrous life forms and extraterrestrial phenomena our heroes encounter. Along the way Arthur meets the two-headed party animal/president of the galaxy Zaphod Beeblebrox (Sam Rockwell) and develops an unrequited crush on fellow earthling Trillian (Zooey Deschanel). The creatures and sets are inspired and answer to the sci-fi fan's primal need to see lots and lots of cool stuff. In particular, there's John Malkovich's creepy, CGI-enhanced Humma Kavula. He's a guru leading a religion that worships the gigantic nose that allegedly sneezed the universe into existence (naturally all their prayers end not with "Amen" but with "Bless you.") The aliens the team encounters are inspired creations, eminently worthy of action figure-ification, and the sets belie an attention to detail worthy of freeze-framing. Fans of the other Hitchhiker manifestations, namely the British TV series, will be amused by a number of in-jokes sprinkled throughout the movie.

Concept art: The Heart of Gold pod on the planet Vogsphere

Where the story stumbles is in the telling--as books, the Hitchhiker's Guide was foremost about goofy and brilliant ideas that raised questions about our place in the universe while getting a laugh. The cast seems at times bewildered, at least when Sam Rockwell isn't picking pieces of scenery out of his teeth, perhaps a natural reaction to an adaptation of a book with no traditional plot. The movie has enough trouble figuring out how to get the characters from one fantastical location to the next that Adams's funniest concepts often feel left in the dust. While the reverence the filmmakers felt toward Adams's legacy is apparent, one wonders what we could have expected had the creator of this science fiction universe lived to see it with his own eyes. -- Ryan Boudinot

A Guide to the Guide

The Soundtrack
The Radio Play (CD)
The TV Series

The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide (Deluxe Edition)
The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide (Paperback)
The Filming of the Douglas Adams Classic (book)

Interviews with The Cast and Director

Watch our interviews with the cast and director of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and find out what they think of other DVDs and books:
high bandwidth
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Customer Reviews:

Amusing in places, but thin.......2007-08-15

I never read any of Douglas Adams' books, so I approached this movie with an open mind. My wife and I both found it mildly amusing, but no more than that. The plot, such as it is, is episodic and skimpy. There are some funny bits, and the visuals are nice, but there's not much character development or real substance. There are better sci-fi comedies, and worse.

My guess is that you should read the book........2007-07-14

This was the book all the geeks and nerds middle school read back in the mid 80's. I can remember people cracking jokes out of this book, and talking about "42". Its kind of like Monty python to many of the band and drama people of high school would blab about. Well, I never read the book, tried, but lost interest within the first couple sections. So I though I'd finally check out the movie. Lately movies have been sticking closer to a books original story line. And guess what, its still as dumb as it was when I was younger. Just don't care for the humor. I can see how true fans of the book are bashing this film, it so short and jumpy, i can imagine how much it must have cut out of the orininal tale. And it ended so abruptly, what the heck about the second head, and the gun...oh wait, who cares is the ultimate question. 42 is the answer....some 42 year old virgin sitting in his parents basement with their star wars collection (or star trek) quoting monty python and talking about band camp. I would have to say get the book, at least you are reading and building an imagination, this movie is just not good.

HEY! are all those other movies boring you? watch this one instead!.......2007-06-15

it goes without saying: the more original the novel, the higher expectations are for the movie adaptation. douglas adams shares the rarest of company, with vonnegut being the only contemporary peer and source of inspiration that im aware of (if you know others, please recommend them!) thankfully, hitchhikers delivers on screen, accurately capturing the feel of the book, even with the standard deviation and dilution of plot and character. narrated excerpts from the guide, necessary for an authentic hikers experience, are brilliant in content and execution. if i really wanted to find fault, id say that zaphods part was a bit overacted and marvins a tad underacted. but the film is so much fun that its easy to overlook any minor shortcomings. how often do you find a movie with above average intelligence that doesnt take itself too seriously and makes you laugh for days after its over? also contributing greatly to my judgment of overall satisfaction and life enhancement is the fact that many lines are conveniently quotable when a) goofing off with a few friends, b) taking a shower (with or without a few friends) or c) begrudgingly dealing with the everyday frustrations and activities of an all too banal, conformist society, which elevates vacuous filth and garbage above anything of actual merit or significance.

if youre not familiar with the hitchhikers guide, id describe the movie as somewhat of a marriage between "i love huckabees" (more of the intellectual approach) and the tv series "scrubs" (more on the goofy side, as if you didnt know) with a sci-fi setting. take note: the emphasis is on the fiction, with the science being loosely (albeit cleverly) applied, so dont take it too seriously! if you start analyzing everything as if its star trek, youll completely miss the point, only part of which is to poke fun at the constipated nature of the sci-fi majority. and if you like the movie, by all means read the book. its 2764.31910283387400183401448308238532722014869088173775898283 times smarter, funnier and betterer...

OUTSTANDING REMAKE.......2007-06-13

The original BBC Hitchhikers guide was wonderful fun with a low budget. This film gives it the updated graphics and more to make it even better. A funny adventure from beginning to end. Martin Freeman plays Arthur Dent perfectly. The entire cast performs so well and have great chemistry. Mos Def as Ford was brilliant and what more can be said for the President of the Galaxy. The humor and the graphics make this a perfect movie to see for all sci fi lovers.

Fun Adventurous Movie.......2007-06-12

First off, I am not going to give a synopsis of the movie - then you wouldn't need to watch it. I will say that based on the reviews I have read, if you liked the book or Mini-Series, maybe you should shy away from this movie. I myself have not read the book so I am like most people. My entire family loved this movie and my kids watch it over and over again. This is good news given that my kids are usually bored 5 minutes into any task they take on. The characters in this movie work well together and the movie makes you feel good from start to finish.
As a lover of all things Sci-Fi I found this movie to fit the bill perfectly. It would be a shame if you didn't watch this movie simply because the original book fans were disappointed. Try it out, and I would bet you like it (better the second time around).

Charlie & the Chocolate Factory [HD DVD]

Average customer rating:

Engaging, but don't know what to make of it...
Yet another remake
Brave performance
GREAT MOVIE AND DVD
charlie and the chocolate factory

Charlie & the Chocolate Factory [HD DVD]
Starring: Johnny Depp , Freddie Highmore , David Kelly , Helena Bonham Carter , and Noah Taylor
Director: Tim Burton
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: HD DVD

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ASIN: B000E5KJHA
Release Date: 2006-10-10

Amazon.com

Mixed reviews and creepy comparisons to Michael Jackson notwithstanding, Tim Burton's splendidly imaginative adaptation of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory would almost surely meet with Roald Dahl's approval. The celebrated author of darkly offbeat children's books vehemently disapproved of 1971's Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (hence the change in title), so it's only fitting that Burton and his frequent star/collaborator, Johnny Depp, should have another go, infusing the enigmatic candyman's tale with their own unique brand of imaginative oddity. Depp's pale, androgynous Wonka led some to suspect a partial riff on that most controversial of eternal children, Michael Jackson, but Burton's film is too expansively magnificent to be so narrowly defined. While preserving Dahl's morality tale on the hazards of indulgent excess, Burton's riotous explosion of color provides a wondrous setting for the lessons learned by Charlie Bucket (played by Freddie Highmore, Depp's delightful costar in Finding Neverland), as he and other, less admirable children enjoy a once-in-a-lifetime tour of Wonka's confectionary wonderland. Elaborate visual effects make this an eye-candy overdose (including digitally multiplied Oompa-Loompas, all played by diminutive actor Deep Roy), and the film's underlying weirdness is exaggerated by Depp's admirably risky but ultimately off-putting performance. Of course, none of this stops Burton's Charlie from being the must-own family DVD of 2005's holiday season, perhaps even for those who staunchly defend Gene Wilder's portrayal of Wonka from 34 years earlier. --Jeff Shannon

Description

Fantasy Adventure. Acclaimed director Tim Burton brings his vividly imaginative style to the beloved Roald Dahl classic Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, about eccentric chocolatier Willy Wonka (Depp) and Charlie, a good-hearted boy from a poor family who lives in the shadow of Wonka's extraordinary factory. Long isolated from his own family, Wonka launches a worldwide contest to select an heir to his candy empire. Five lucky children, including Charlie, draw golden tickets from Wonka chocolate bars and win a guided tour of the legendary candy-making facility that no outsider has seen in 15 years. Dazzled by one amazing sight after another, Charlie is drawn into Wonka's fantastic world in this astonishing and enduring story.

Customer Reviews:

Engaging, but don't know what to make of it..........2007-08-24

No need to rehash the plot (as other reviewers have done it) - - Here's my opinion - -Don't know what to think of it.... All in all it seemed to me that that there were two elements to the movie that held it together: First the story... On one hand its written in the tradition of a classic children's fable that teaches that greed is bad, and in the end nothing is more important than family... on the other hand, the story is told with a psychedelic twist, and I assume was meant to be an analogy of the generation gap in the era it was written. - - Of course, even with that era long done and over with why not a film where "family values" perserveres in the end... but not prior to an acid like trip to a land of Oz serving as a mind blowing mix of retro-mod graphic design and taking advantage of the latest computer technology to bring a world of fantasy and imagination to life as they've never done before - - GREAT IDEA ! ! but...
Here is where I think the film took a wrong turn:
The mix of "mod" and "grunge" - - The cheery (yet bizarre) "flowers and incense" look... yet the DARK "Batman" like BGM as well as strange dance numbers that seem either stylistically forced or stylistically out of place and made me take the film less seriously... Some numbers seemed too stupid for an adult film, yet other elements seemed too grotesque or elaborate for a children's film.... - - Yet still, the mix of fantastic ideas, imagery and an amazing journey through a land of oompa-loompas and chocolate make the film work. However, it seemed to me like the creative team involved in the project weren't all on the same the page... yet Burton managed to string everything together.

There was another surprize though (I wonder if I am the only person who feels this...)
I felt Willy Wonka was miscast.
Johnny Depp is great at playing weird and intense characters, but I felt this Willy Wonka has more make-up than charisma going for him, and I could have just as easily seen someone like Steve Buscemi or Geoffrey Rush playing the role...
Whatever, at times I felt that Depp got a kick out of the idea of doing the film, but just didn't have much to work with beyond going along for the ride...

In conclusion, I have NO REGRETS watching the film, and recommend it, but I don't think I'd watch it again even though the LOOK of the film was definitely groundbreaking. Great story, great cast, great feel... yet certain stylistic inconsistencies lost me at times.

Yet another remake.......2007-07-16

Here Burton goes again remaking a classic. What's with that? In my opinion, he's overrated as a director. Why can't he and his team come up with anything original? Johnny Depp gives a great performance as usual though. Unfortunately, that's probably the only reason to see it. It just doesn't come even remotely close to the classic from 1971 - Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory. In C&TCF, the Oompa Loompas are played by one guy wearing a red jumpsuit. The Oompa Loompas were much much better in the earlier version WW&TCF. And painted a much different image for the viewer. They had orange skin and green hair and had the charm and charisma lacking in this later version of the story. I chuckled a couple times though, so I'm giving it 3 stars.

Brave performance.......2007-07-12

2.5 stars. I had long thought that Depp was a remarkable actor. I remember over a decade ago when I shared that thought with some movie friends and was literally laughed at, now it's an accepted fact. Woo hoo for me. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is just another shiny example of the risks Johnny is willing to take to bring us unique characters and one of the things about this film I like is his total committment to his performance. Course there was something inconsistent about an arrested developed man seeming to not like children. Given his history with his father, I could understand him not liking parents, but in the movie, he really seemed to get along with them better. Still a good Michael Jackson impersonation. And for that I say Bravo. The other great things about this the movie are the wonderful sets for Willy Wonka's extraordianry chocolate factory. They are literally eye candy for the movie audience. But as a whole, I can't say that I was blown away by this movie. In fact, there are portions of the movie where I was bored and was entertaining doing a few house chores instead--and I HATE chores. Anyway, this goes to show that sometimes even great performances can't save a movie. Overall: watch at your own risk.

GREAT MOVIE AND DVD.......2007-07-05

The quality of this movie is second to none. I suggest that if your DVD collection does not include Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, your collection is not complete.

Peter Thiele

charlie and the chocolate factory.......2007-06-15

director: Tim Burton Warner Brothers pictures

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory 115 minutes

ISBN 1-4198-0231-3

In the movie Charlie and the Chocolate Factory five ordinary kids get the once and a lifetime opportunity to visit Willie Wonka's(Johnny Depp) candy factory. These five kids are Charlie Bucket, Violet Bourigard, Mike T.V., Veruca Salt and Agustace Gloop. These children are all brats and greedy all that they want is the special prize at the end all but one. This crazy insane tour lead by Mr. Willie Wonka is laugh out loud funny. The best parts though are when the oompa loompas sing the funniest songs in the world! Fallow this tour as things go unplanned.

I loved this movie since I first saw it in the theaters and I know the whole movie by heart but it never gets old. I think that it is the best movie in the world.

This is a movie that the whole family will enjoy. There is something that everyone in the whole family will love. From the songs to the jokes you will find your self laughing so hard that tears will roll down your cheeks and your stomach is about to explode.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Widescreen Edition)

Average customer rating:

Engaging, but don't know what to make of it...
Yet another remake
Brave performance
GREAT MOVIE AND DVD
charlie and the chocolate factory

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Johnny Depp , Freddie Highmore , David Kelly , Helena Bonham Carter , and Noah Taylor
Director: Tim Burton
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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( C ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
ASIN: B000BB1MI2
Release Date: 2005-11-08

Product Description

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

Engaging, but don't know what to make of it..........2007-08-24

Yet another remake.......2007-07-16

Brave performance.......2007-07-12

GREAT MOVIE AND DVD.......2007-07-05

The quality of this movie is second to none. I suggest that if your DVD collection does not include Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, your collection is not complete.

Peter Thiele

charlie and the chocolate factory.......2007-06-15

Average customer rating:

Deceptive Sales Tactic - No Widescreen Versions
Fullscreen Only
A Girl's Treasures
Love it
A Little Princess is a Royal Gem

A Little Princess / The Secret Garden
Starring: Liesel Matthews , Eleanor Bron , Liam Cunningham , Rusty Schwimmer , and Arthur Malet
Director: Alfonso Cuarón , and Agnieszka Holland
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000E0WJOG
Release Date: 2006-01-31

Description

Two of Frances Hodgson Burnett's most treasured children's novels come to the screen in wondrous adaptations. Alfonso Cuaron (Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban) directs A Little Princess, the magical story of a girl who uses her powers of imagination and zest for life to overcome hardships at a stern boarding school. And three lonely children are forever changed as they learn to trust each other while restoring and taking refuge in The Secret Garden. Agnieszka Holland (Europa Europa) directs and Francis Ford Coppola executive produces a luminous film in which magic and hope bloom.

Customer Reviews:

Deceptive Sales Tactic - No Widescreen Versions.......2007-06-22

The movies are great, but these reviews are also about the product itself and this Double Feature product sucks because it says it contains the Widescreen versions of the films, but it does not - it only has the full screen versions. If you're a big DVD buff, this will not be good enough for you as it was not for me!

Fullscreen Only.......2007-06-14

Despite the claims on the packaging that this includes both widescreen and fullscreen versions of each film, it only includes the fullscreen versions.

With as visual of a director as Cuaron, "A Little Princess" should only be seen in its original unmodified presentation. Seek out the individual releases for each of these instead, to get them in their proper aspect ratio.

The graphic novel by Alan Moore and David Lloyd	More by Alan Moore	From Graphic Novel to Big Screen
More by Natalie Portman	More by Hugo Weaving	More by the Wachowski Brothers

The Soundtrack	The Radio Play (CD)	The TV Series
The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide (Deluxe Edition)	The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide (Paperback)	The Filming of the Douglas Adams Classic (book)