Heaven & Hell: Live from Radio City Music Hall

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Comprised of former members of Black Sabbath, Heaven & Hell grew out of a 2006 reunion of post-Ozzy frontman Ronnie James Dio, guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Geezer Butler, and drummer Vinny Appice for the purpose of recording new tracks for a Sabbath compilation called The Dio Years. Heaven & Hell then toured, drawing deep from the Dio-era Sabbath catalogue. The masterful Heaven & Hell: Live from Radio City Music Hall is one result of that rekindled partnership, a two-hour, Gothic metal marathon filmed in 2007 before a thrilled New York City audience. Largely comprised of classic Sabbath material, the show unfolds with a deceptive ease. The seasoned bandmates play with graceful concentration even as they plunge into the maw of doomstruck power chords and grinding riffs, the wiry Dio stalking Heaven & Hell's swampy sound like some fusion of a crow and benevolent overlord. At times, it's impossible not to contradict oneself while trying to describe the group's intricate, paradoxical sound: "Children of the Sea," for instance, is somehow both a snaking and watery mystery. "E5150/After All (The Dead)" is equally epic and nonchalant. "I" is a show-stopping, nightmarish blues that leans toward the anthemic, while "Falling Off the Edge" is highlighted by a molten rhythm and Dio's taut vocal. This is a fine outing from a historic ensemble. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

Pure class...Top notch in every way!.......2007-09-15

All pistons were firing the night they shot this show as the band showcases their great songs from the past and present. DIO sounded fabulous and I loved how they warmed up the audience with the moody and powerful After All from Dehumanizer. When DIO unleashes his howl and they rip into Mob Rules the crowd just goes nuts. And why not? This historic band looks and sounds terrific and their stage set and lighting are brilliantly matched to the music. The second half of the show is even better than the first and Iommi just shreds on guitar. Lonely is the Word and Falling Off the Edge of the World were awesome. Geezer and Vinnie are also in fine form and perfectly in synch. We even get treated to an old fashioned drum solo from Vinnie, who still has a few tricks up his sleeve. Hats off to the director and video editor for allowing us to experience this show without cutting the action so fast. Beatifully planned out and put together. I'm 41, but felt like a teenager again jumping up after every song making the sign and howling, "YEAH!"

THE BEST METAL.......2007-09-13

THIS CD IS THE BEST HEAVY METAL LIVE CD RELEASED IN YEARS BY ANY BAND
THE SOUND OF DIO,APPICE,IOMMI AND BUTLER IS VINTAGE HARD ROCK AT ITS FINEST. YOUNGINS TAKE NOT THIS IS HOW YOU DO IT AND DO IT WELL!

WOW! True Metal is Back!!.......2007-09-10

Are you a fan of true heavy metal? Are you a fan of Black Sabbath with the great singer frontman Ronnie James Dio? If you are, buy this historic DVD. THis was the Dio led Sabbath's first show in the USA in 15 years. It was as if they never had separated. Dio's voice at 65+ is still one of the best rock and roll and heavy metal have ever heard. He can still hit the notes,high, low and menacing. This DVD is not only entertaining, but historic. We may never see this powerful lineup again on stage after this current Heaven and Hell tour. My suggestion is buy this DVD and if you get a chance to see them, DO IT!

Butler's bass work is fantastic, Appice is a master on the drums, and Iommi is a true metal god on the guitar. He is the master of heavy metal riffs. From the menacing and plodding After All ( The Dead) to the last track, the great Neon Knights, his talent shows through. One thing I enjoyed was that Dio is a true gentleman, unlike many modern metal singers,he shakes hands with the crowd, introduces the tracks, and gives his thanks and appreciation to the crowd. He related in the "Extras" section of the DVD that the fans are everything, and his and the rest of Sabbath's performance show it. Overall a great DVD.

They hold the key to the gates of hell.......2007-09-04

Saw Heaven & Hell "Live" at the Challenge Stadium in Perth, Australia on the 2nd of August. Their performance were brilliant and Dio's singing is worth the trip to hell. I am buying this DVD to re-live that moment in time. Give me Sabbath with Dio anytime.

YAH KNOW, IT'S NOT BAD AT ALL.......2007-09-03

I've been of the opinion (and many will disagree with me and try to run me off the planet) but Black Sabbath has always been about Ozzy. Until he was forced out of the band, Ozzy was the show. Sure, there were three guys behind him, but everyone watched Ozzy. So, when Ozzy left Black Sabbath, Iommi, Butler, and Ward knew they needed a frontman who was as engaging a presence as Ozzy. I guess they must have thanked their lucky stars when Ronnie James Dio got the boot from Rainbow. Dio is a dream of a frontman. With a powerful voice and a flare for the dramatic, Dio redefined that Black Sabbath and their music. However, when Dio sang the old Black Sabbath standards, they just didn't sound right. Those songs were Ozzy's and he owned them. By the same token, there's no way Ozzy could sing anything from the Heaven and Hell/Mob Rules era because Dio owns those songs in every respect. It was fitting that when this lineup regrouped as "Heaven and Hell", it was only the songs that had Dio's stamp on them that were played. This performance, like the one I saw, is pure power. I was skeptical about seeing another reunion of a bunch of guys cashing in on their former glory. I was wrong -- oh so wrong. From the opening shot of "The Mob Rules", Dio rips through these songs with Herculian strength. He is a passionate and energic performer with few rivals. As for Iommi, Butler, and the wildly under-rated Vinnie Appice, they deliver strong workmanlike performances that never fail to please.

Andre Rieu: Radio City Hall Live in New York (2007)

Average customer rating:

Pure joy from start to finish!
Very Disappointing
Andre Rieu in New York 2006
Andre Rieu is always a good show!
Andre Rieu, The Music Man

Andre Rieu: Radio City Hall Live in New York (2007)
Starring: Andre Rieu
Manufacturer: Denon Records
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000S6M1YO
Release Date: 2007-09-04

Customer Reviews:

Pure joy from start to finish!.......2007-09-17

I have several of Andre Rieu's DVDs and while most of them are enjoyable, this one is the best so far, in my opinion. Unlike one of your previous reviewers, I thought the Harlem Gospel Choir was great and suited a concert recorded in New York at Radio City Music Hall very well. I also like to see the audience and all the featured soloists so I enjoyed the way it was filmed. You almost feel that you are there! The repertoire was a 10 ... all among my favourite pieces and well chosen to capture many moods. Everything was played beautifully with contagious enthusiasm. This is definitely a keeper. You can't help but feel great after playing it.

Very Disappointing.......2007-09-10

I saw part of the PBS broadcast and I ordered this DVD even though I had to wait several weeks for it. I was very disappointed. I enjoy watching and lisenting to Andre and his orchestra, not watching them take a back seat to the performers, soloists, etc. They (the singers and choirs)are all very talented, but I wanted to see and experience Andre. I have several of his earlier DVD's that do not rely on outside talents, and I enjoy them so much more. Andre, go back to your roots!

Andre Rieu in New York 2006.......2007-09-10

I have almost everything Andre Rieu has and this was just passable. The Harlem folks are the ones that messed it up. Their music has no business being with Andre Rieu, who has class. I bought the DVD and am happy that I can just jump to the next track to avoid the Harlem music (if that is what you call music). Would I buy it again, well yes, but still with the opportunity to jump past some of the tracks. And Andre seemed to be "out of place here" and I think he was glad it was over. And there was only one song played by the little boy, disappointing.

Andre Rieu is always a good show!.......2007-08-13

I don't know how Clayton G. Anderson's panties got in such a twist! (The one star review!) I have to whole heartedly DISagree with his review! If you are an Andre Rieu fan, this DVD is another excellent showing by Mr. Rieu. What Clayton must not understand is how Andre loves not only beautiful music but also bringing it to the masses! To me the real show is seeing how much he enjoys bringing entertainment to his audiences!

I am an upbeat kind of person. I enjoy watching people have a good time. When you watch this DVD enjoy how much, not only the audience or Andre, but his orchestra enjoys the evening.

This is another beautiful show. I have all of them and enjoy them over and over again! (I really love Carla! LMAO)

Andre Rieu, The Music Man.......2007-08-11

Taped in July 2006 at the Radio City Music Hall, this exuberant concert starts with a grand entrance set to "76 Trombones." The glittering show is occasionally interspersed with wonderful scenes of New York in Summer, with its amazing diversity and energy, and the "Godfather Theme" includes some sunny footage from Italy. The superb musicianship of Rieu (who now plays a 1732 Stradivarius), along with his unique and terrific Johann Strauss Orchestra and Chorus, always keep a light heart and a touch of humor while they perform pop and classical favorites. Guest artists are the Harlem Gospel Choir and 5 year old child prodigy Akim Camara.

The old time razzle dazzle aura of the Radio City Music Hall is a perfect setting for Rieu, who has perfected the fine art of schmaltz down to the last note, and never fails to delight us with his entertaining offerings. The concert includes the following numbers:
"76 Trombones"
With Akim Camara: "Dance of the Fairies"
With the Harlem Gospel Choir: "Amen," "I Will Follow Him," "Nun's Choir," "Oh Happy Day," "When the Saints Go Marching In"
"The Life of the Artist"
"Blaze Away"
"My Way"
"Godfather Theme"
"Singing in the Rain"
"The Washington Post"
"Music of the Night"
"Don't Cry for Me Argentina"
"Hallelujah Chorus"
"Radetzki March"
"A Bright Young Man"
"America the Beautiful"

Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds: Live at Radio City Music Hall

Average customer rating:

Stunning performance and "how does he do that"
Possibly the most moving...
Bummer vibes, too much talking, but Great Music
Magical
I am hooked!

Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds: Live at Radio City Music Hall
Starring: Dave Matthews
Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000SQL4ZQ
Release Date: 2007-08-14

Customer Reviews:

Stunning performance and "how does he do that".......2007-08-25

While I am a casual fan of DMB, I have always enjoyed his work with Tim Reynolds.
This DVD is absolutley one of the best purchases I have ever made. The performances are stunning, the musical connection between Reynolds and Mathews is unbelievable and borders on clairvoyant. The song selection and production are among the best of any concert DVD I have purchased and as I watch I am constantly saying "how does he do that" about Reynolds guitar prowess.

Possibly the most moving..........2007-08-22

This concert is outstanding. The quality is amazing. This DVD has the BEST sound quality of any previous release. The camera work is great. I have been a huge fan of the Dave Matthews Band since I heard "What Would You Say" on the radio back in the early 90s. I thought Live at Luther College was wonderful, but Live at Radio City Music Hall shines in many many ways.

The sound is really like being there. Even the video quality is extremely clear. The track listing is nearly perfect for a newer release. Not too much old stuff, not too much of the crappy stuff, and some excellent new material. I have to say how wonderful it is to witness Tim Reynolds play the guitar. I've only imagined it since their last release in the late 90s. To not only hear him, but see him play will leave you with your mouth open.

To hear Dave tell the stories he has to tell is a real treat. I always enjoy his ramblings, because sometimes, even if they seem like they aren't going anywhere, they always end up of some importance to the next song. The story about "The Bushmen" is entertaining and interesting as he goes into Eh Hee. Also the performance of Crush could be the most moving version I've ever heard.

Overall, I this should be on the top of any fan's list of what to buy. If you're choosey about buying the many live discs the group puts out, buy this one without second thought.

Bummer vibes, too much talking, but Great Music .......2007-08-16

When I listen to music I want to be left feeing high, this dvd was a tad depressing ...Musically, it is great, Reynolds is a wizard on the guitar and the chemistry is awesome. I just don't wanna hear Dave babbling on about mistreated soldiers, blah, blah, blah...the dvd comes with the story in print, which *should* be read and brought to people's attention, just not during what should be an uplifting experience, who wants to hear depressing stories @ a concert, it left me feeling like i had just watched a benefit show for wounded vets....In other words, don't watch the dvd on any type of mind altering substances, or you may have a bad trip....I sure hope they edited all of Dave's banter out of the cd, especially the wounded soldier rap....Just shut up and Play Music.

Magical.......2007-08-16

This DVD is amazing. Dave is such a great artist and Tim backs him up very well.

I am hooked!.......2007-08-16

This is my first experience with a Dave and Tim show. I must say, it is nothing short of spectacular. There is a chemistry between them that is incredible. I think this is the best I've ever seen and heard Dave. I'm just sad that I wasn't there that night.

Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds: Live at Radio City Music Hall [Blu-ray]

Average customer rating:

Great reference disc for Blu-Ray
WOW
A High Def Experience That's Hard To Top!!!
This was a great concert, but it is undeniably spectacular on Blu-ray

Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds: Live at Radio City Music Hall [Blu-ray]
Starring: Dave Matthews , and Tim Reynolds
Manufacturer: Rca
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: Blu-ray

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ASIN: B000T4SWXO
Release Date: 2007-09-04

Product Description

In April 2007, Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds embarked on a 3-city theatre tour, culminating with a performance in the intimate confines of Radio City Music Hall in New York City. Due to the smaller sized venues and extremely limited number of dates, tickets were practically impossible to get, making this new 2 disc Blu-ray set all the more desirable to the huge Dave Matthews Band fanbase. LIVE AT RADIO CITY marks the first time in almost ten years that Dave and Tim have released an album. Their last album was the wildly successful, multi-platinum LIVE AT LUTHER COLLEGE. This is the first-ever Blu-ray Disc released by the duo. LIVE AT RADIO CITY features over 2 1/2 hours of music, capturing all 26 songs of Dave and Tim's performance. The performance includes numerous songs that have never been recorded by the two, including Crush, Grace Is Gone, Don t Drink The Water, Gravedigger and many more.

Video/Audio
9-camera, HiDef shoot
Full 1080P24 HD resolution
16:9 Wide screen format
PCM Stereo Sound (48kHz/24bit)
Dolby TrueHD 5.1 Surround Sound (96kHz/24bit)
Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound (640 kbps)

Customer Reviews:

Great reference disc for Blu-Ray.......2007-09-14

I recently had a Pioneer 6010FD, Denon 4306 AVR, and Samsung BDP-1200 installed. I put this disc in to demo the new home theater setup for my wife. To say she was blown away is an understatement.

My AVR doesn't decode TrueHD. However, the PCM 2.0 was incredible. The clarity of the music was unbelievable. The music just seemed to fill the room and take your breath away. Sound seemed to be coming from everywhere.

The video wasn't shabby, either. In 1080p you could even read notes that Dave had written on his hand.

If you want to showcase your new system, this disc is tops for showing the capabilities of the audio and does a fantastic job with the video as well.

WOW.......2007-09-07

Video
------------------
1080p, VC-1

Audio
------------------
English Dolby TrueHD 5.1

Main feature
------------------
Stunning.

With stunning video and audio, this is one of the finest releases on Blu-ray. HD-DuD fans are drooling at the mouth right now, and rightfully so.

A High Def Experience That's Hard To Top!!!.......2007-09-07

My friends and I grew up with Live at Luther. When I found out Dave and Tim were releasing a new show on video, I went crazy. Then I found out it was coming to Blu Ray, so I didn't buy the DVD and waited. My friends all bought the DVD the day it came out, and I couldn't help but cheat and watch it with them. I was amazed! My friend did not have surround sound but did have a 42" LCD, and the picture was great for a DVD. This got me so excited to see what the Blu Ray would look like in HD. WOW! I am so glad I waited!!!

The Blu Ray has a perfect high def picture!!! On top of that, the Blu Ray features lossless DolbyTrueHD Surround Sound(96 kHz/24bit) and PCM Stereo Sound (48kHz/24bit), and I can honestly say it's the best sound quality I've heard on any concert disc. I have a nice 5.1 surround sound setup, and it's had many concerts played on it, but nothing like this!!! Compared to the DVD, I also noticed that when Tim speaks, it can actually be heard clearly on Blu Ray (and he says some pretty funny stuff). On the DVD, it just sounds like he mumbles. They might not have put his audio track on the DVD. The concert is incredible, the bonus material is incredible, and best of all, the quality of audio and video make the Blu Ray version of this show a must own for anyone with an HD setup and surround sound!

This was a great concert, but it is undeniably spectacular on Blu-ray.......2007-07-25

With lossless 5.1 24-bit/96kHz Dolby TrueHD, lossless 2.0 24-bit/48kHz PCM and a high bit-rate pristine VC-1 1080p picture, this marks not only the first time a Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds show is being released on a video format, but the first time we have a lossless surround mix of these two great musicians.
You can read the tracklist to see what is on this disc. D+T shows are always pretty special if you're lucky enough to get one.
Is the difference worth spending $3 more than the DVD? Only if you have a Blu-ray player or a Playstation 3, then you would be foolish to NOT buy it. Even if you don't have an HDTV the high bitrate VC-1 encode will look far superior at 480i on a standard television set than the DVD will.
If you do pick this up, get ready to experience Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds like never before.
As Peter Bracke said on High Def Digest about this release "the TrueHD is without a doubt the best audio presentation I've yet heard on a next-gen release. I mean it -- it's that good."
Do you hear that people? The best audio presentation of any Blu-ray or HD DVD disc to date.
Enjoy. =D

Average customer rating:

A Big Disappointment
Eddie Raw
Raw stupidity
ANOTHER GREAT SET FROM MURPHY IN HIS PRIME!
DO NOT BUY THIS VIDEO

Eddie Murphy Raw
Starring: Eddie Murphy , Carol Woods , Leonard Jackson , James Brown III , and Deon Richmond
Director: Robert Townsend
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00005JMHL
Release Date: 2004-09-07

Amazon.com essential video

The audacious concert film Eddie Murphy Raw rubbed some people the wrong way upon its release in 1987, but there's no denying that between Murphy's more insensitive bits about women and gay men is some of his most inspired material. While the young comedian indulges an unattractive homophobia and rants about the sexual manipulativeness of all females, he makes up for it with an amazing story about being chided by Bill Cosby for obscene humor and does a great impression of Mr. T falling under the spell of a Jedi mind trick. The best stuff comes deep into the show, particularly a long tale of being pressured into a fight at a club, resulting in a phone call to Murphy's drunk father, the latter in the middle of a verbal attack on his wife. The scene is genuinely horrifying and funny, testament to Murphy's early reputation as heir to Richard Pryor's mercilessly autobiographical brilliance. --Tom Keogh

Description

The record-setting number one concert film, EDDIE MURPHY: RAW shows Eddie Murphy doing what he does best: making people laugh. Filmed live at New York's Felt Forum, Murphy delights, shocks, and entertains with celebrity impersonations, observations on 'love, sex and marriage in the 80's, a remembrance of Mom's hamburgers and much more.

Customer Reviews:

A Big Disappointment.......2007-09-06

Taped it off of cable but wouldn't pay maoney for it. The problem is that this is where Eddie is now a star and thinks or seems to think that everything that comes out of him is funny. "Delirious" was new and fresh and Eddie cames off as suprisngly likeable and cocky and talking about things that are genuinely funny anyway like relatives and family outings, Elvis, etc. whereas this just sounds like Eddie yanking his own chain, trying to convince himself or someone that he's "made it" to the star ranks with Michael Jackson and Mr T and instead of 18 year olds getting their first experience we hear about Hollywood lifestyles and so forth. This is less funny and basically Eddie should follow his own advice and squeeze some jokes in inbetween the cursing.

Eddie Raw.......2007-08-01

Eddie had two great live stand up DVD this one and Delirius. Both a must see if you like Eddie and/or great stand up.

Raw stupidity.......2007-07-10

One word that best describes Eddie Herpes as a comedian: OVERRATED! This sap is a better actor than he is a comedian and to tell you the truth, His R&B album, Love's Alright(yes he actually had the hubris to put out an R&B album) is funnier than any of his standup routines. The first time I watched Raw I felt as if I had taken a shower in raw sewage. This Village People reject is dumber than dumb and Raw proves my point perfectly. Telling jokes about all Men being dogs, calling African women b*****s with bones in their noses, the obnoxious and ignorant humor is all a recipe for disaster. Those are just jokes you say. You cant package poison to me in the form of humor and think that I will accept it. Eddie Murphy is the King of all minstrel clowns and his so-called jokes(which is pretty much s***talking)are nothing more than coon humor used to appeal to simple-minded sheeple that dont know any better and refuse to know any better. I find it funny that he bags on the homosexuals yet he wears their clothes so elegantly(skintight lavender jacket with skintight pants and skintight gloves to match. Priceless). In short you need to start supporting comedians who give you something other than the main material. If they cant infuse some gems into their acts, then you should avoid them like pitbulls foaming out of the mouth. Eddie and the rest of those unfunny comics never showed me that they have evolved one ounce. Just chittlin circuit after all these years. Pitiful little creatures just like the fools that support them. The fact that we had an anniversary celebration for Delirious(minstrel humor at its worst) is proof that we are in sad shape.

ANOTHER GREAT SET FROM MURPHY IN HIS PRIME!.......2007-06-24

It may not be as great as Delirious,but that is a matter of opinion. It might make a difference which one you see first. It is still a classic comedy stand-up!

DO NOT BUY THIS VIDEO.......2007-06-20

FOUND THIS VIDEO OF EDDIE MURPHYS RAW A REAL DISAPPOINTMENT. FIRST HOUR HE CONCENTRATES ON THREE DIFFERENT SKITS AND MANAGES TO STRETCH IT OUT. LAST 30 MINUTES THERE IS MORE VARIETY BUT AT THAT POINT IT DOESNT MAKE UP FOR THE LOST FIRST HOUR. SAVE YOUR MONEY, GET DELIRIOUS IT IS FUNNIER AND HAS MORE VARIETY IN SKITS AND WORTH THE MONEY. I AM GLAD THAT I GOT THE RAW VIDEO USED SO I DIDNT LOSE TO MUCH MONEY.

Average customer rating:

Malcom X
A triumph....
X
Malcolm X
Overlooked And Underrated

Malcolm X
Starring: Angela Bassett , O.L. Duke , Al Freeman Jr. , Sonny Jim Gaines , and Albert Hall
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00002ND77
Release Date: 2000-01-18

Product Description

Filmmaker Spike Lee, actor Denzel Washington and other top talents vividly portray the life and times of Malcolm X. "Here s a man who rose up from the dregs of society, spent time in jail, reeducated himself and, through spiritual enlightenment, rose to the top," Lee says. Academy Award winner Washington was an Oscar nominee and the New York, Boston and Chicago Film Critics choice as 1992 s Best Actor.

System Requirements:
Starring: Denzel Washington, Tommy Hollis, Ernest Thomas, James McDaniel, Angela Bassett, Albert Hall, Spike Lee, Delroy Lindo, Al Freeman Jr., Theresa Randle, Lonette McKee, and Kate Vernon.
Directed By: Spike Lee.
Running Time: 201 Min., Color.
This film is presented in "Widescreen" format.
Copyright 2000 Warner Home Video.

Format: DVD MOVIE

Amazon.com essential video

Just as Do the Right Thing was the capstone of Spike Lee's earlier career, Malcolm X marked the next milestone in the filmmaker's artistic maturity. It seemed everything Lee had done up to that point was to prepare him for this epic biography of America's fiery civil-rights leader, who is superbly played by Oscar-nominated Denzel Washington, from his early days as a zoot-suited hustler known as "Detroit Red" to his spiritual maturity after his pilgrimage to Mecca, as a Black Muslim by the name of El Hajj Malik El Shabazz. Do the Right Thing climaxed with the photographic images of Malcolm X and Dr. Martin Luther King engulfed by flames of rage; Malcolm X explores the genesis and evolution of that rage over Malcolm's lifetime, and how these two great figures--held up to the public as polar-opposites within the African American human rights movement (King for nonviolent civil disobedience, Malcolm for achieving equality "by any means necessary")--were each essential to the agenda of the other. Lee careens from the hedonistic ebullience of Malcolm's early days to the stark despair of prison, from his life-changing conversion to Islam to his emergence as a dynamic political leader--all with an epic sweep and vitality that illuminates personal details as well as political ideology. Angela Bassett is also terrific as Malcolm's wife, Betty Shabazz. --Jim Emerson

Customer Reviews:

Malcom X.......2007-07-13

Built around a commanding performance by Denzel Washington, Spike Lee's "Malcolm X" is the writer-director's most ambitious, impassioned film to date, as it presents a turbulent and eventful life filled with self- transformation. The Oscar-nominated Washington never lets you forget his hero's fiery charisma, the emotional impact and candor of his speeches, or the resentment he faced from both sides of the racial divide. With a top-notch cast, and Ernest Dickerson's fluid camerawork creating immediacy, "Malcolm X" bristles with energy and impact.

A triumph...........2007-07-03

The end of this movie closes with a bunch of people (mostly children) from around the world boldly declaring "I am Malcolm X". The symbolism was not lost on me. Malcolm X spoke to more than just a generation. He speaks to us from the grave even now. The fire and passion that colored his early religious segregationist speech died out shortly before he was murdered, tempered by a tolerance the world would be forever denied.

It is unclear what sort of mark Malcolm X WOULD have made on society had he lived, but what IS clear is that the influence he held on the civil rights movement is undeniable. His fire and the passions of men like Martin Luther King paved the way for some of the most historic moments in American history.

But this movie doesn't stop with painting that well-known picture of Malcolm. We see Malcolm in his early days as a street hustler. We see him courting his beloved Betty and eventually fathering some four children. We see him as the protector and provider for his family. We see him as inquisitive and stern. Self-assured with a desire to know everything. Curious but confident. Influential but, at times, easily influenced by circumstances in which he found himself.

Malcolm X was undoubtedly a profoundly flawed human being. But it is that same humanity that allowed him to reach such greatness. It is that humanity that we celebrate today, regardless of our own skin color.

While I'm certain some literary license was taken where necessary, I do believe this movie was about as accurate a depiction of Malcolm X as you can make, without running the risk of being disrespectful to the memories of Malcolm and his beloved Betty.

X.......2007-06-29

This is a landmark in world film, and I recommend the two-disc DVD version for its special features and excellent, sharp transfer.

Watching this finally made me understand why Malcolm X was the way he was. It distinguished Malcolm X from the Nation of Islam quite clearly and showed the amazing transformation from his beginnings as a poisoned hoodlum to a clear-minded speaker for Elijah Muhammad to a spiritual, independent leader and voice for the true Islam. Particularly effective is the sequence involving his pilgrimage to Mecca at the time of his separation from the Nation of Islam in 1964. Brilliant filmmaking and editing.

Visually, this is brilliant, thanks to some beautiful cinematography by Ernest Dickerson, and very true-to-life costume and stage design.

The acting is solid throughout. Denzel Washington obviously deserves the most credit for his seamless presentation of Malcolm X, both visually and verbally. He became Malcolm. Kudos as well to Delroy Lindo, Angela Bassett, Al Freeman for some equally solid performances.

If I had to pick a criticism, it is that, the rhetoric in the film is very heavy-handed and forced at several points in the movie. For example, the police captain who says (artificially), "That's too much power for one man to have", or the alleged speculation that the CIA was involved (wiretappers remarking in an aside, "compared to King, this guy's a lamb")-- maybe they were, but it didn't really add to the story in the way that they presented this subplot, or the attempt to try to put a happy ending on the film (kids standing up and shouting, "I am Malcolm X!") just didn't resonate well with me. Minor points, but worth noting.

In contrast, however, the opening sequence, although very heavy as well (with Malcolm's strong rhetoric superimposed over a burning American flag and the Rodney King police beating in LA) worked well as a powerful point of departure for the controversy and image of Malcolm X and a brilliant image of the history of race relations in America.

Some claim that the movie's length is excessive. I disagree. To reduce the complexity and history of Malcolm X to a convenient 1.5-2 hours would've been an injustice. The movie, at 3+ hours, feels as seamless and as significant as another memorable film, Gandhi.

At the time that this was released, I was put off by Spike Lee telling children to leave school to watch this film, and by the aggressive clothing marketing campaign as well (remember all the Malcolm X baseball caps in 1992?), and I equated it with self-promotion and corporate greed. Unfortunately, that put off my seeing this until it came out on video (and later, DVD).

Fortunately, this is 2007, and the film holds up very well today, and I'm assuming that it will stand on its own 50 years from now equally well, if not moreso. Unfortunately, this is 2007, and I think that Malcolm X's message of self-determination and dignity from 40-45 years ago is largely unrealized. Get the 2-disc DVD, but don't skip school to view it. ;-)

Malcolm X.......2007-05-30

It's really an amazing film in which Mr. Freeman does an magnific interpretation. It hit you in your stomach the way it present the black people in the american society and really think.

Overlooked And Underrated.......2007-05-24

Spike Lee's masterpiece, and visually one of the best films ever made. Denzel Washington gives his best performance by far, and probably should have received that year's Academy Award for Best Actor. Losing to Al Pacino for "Scent of a Woman." Though as Mr. Washington once expressed, if he had to lose to someone that year, it should only have been to Mr. Pacino for his powerful performance in that film. And until recent years, Hollywood and the white viewing public just weren't ready for a story like "Malcolm X", and the effort to confront centuries of racism in America. Even denying it any other well deserved Academy Award nominations.

But to all true fans of cinema, do yourself a favor and view this film, if you haven't already. You will have to agree; powerful film making, even if the subject matter is not to your liking. Some scenes will be offensive to Christians, though we must understand where people are in the world.

A born again African-American Christian.

Average customer rating:

Fantastic
The Birth of the Dark Knight
DO YOU REMEMBER THE HYPE?
Batman and The Joker a classic showdown.
Enjoyable but Batman Begins is way Better.

Batman (Two-Disc Special Edition)
Starring: Michael Keaton , Jack Nicholson , Kim Basinger , Robert Wuhl , and Pat Hingle
Director: Tim Burton
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
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ASIN: B000B5XOY8
Release Date: 2005-10-18

Amazon.com essential video

Thanks to the ambitious vision of director Tim Burton, the blockbuster hit of 1989 delivers the goods despite an occasionally spotty script, giving the caped crusader a thorough overhaul in keeping with the crime fighter's evolution in DC Comics. Michael Keaton strikes just the right mood as the brooding "Dark Knight" of Gotham City; Kim Basinger plays Gotham's intrepid reporter Vicki Vale; and Jack Nicholson goes wild as the maniacal and scene-stealing Joker, who plots a takeover of the city with his lethal Smilex gas. Triumphant Oscar-winning production design by the late Anton Furst turns Batman into a visual feast, and Burton brilliantly establishes a darkly mythic approach to Batman's legacy. Danny Elfman's now-classic score propels the action with bold, muscular verve. --Jeff Shannon

Description

Jack Nicholson is the Joker, who emerged from a horrible accident as a maniacal criminal. Michael Keaton is the Caped Crusader, who emerged from a childhood trauma to become a masked crimefighter. Kim Basinger is Vicki Vale, the talented photojournalist desired by both men. And Batman is the movie, the all-out spectacular directed by Tim Burton, set to songs by Prince and a music score by Danny Elfman, and an Academy AwardO winner* for Best Art Direction/Set Decoration (Anton Furst and Peter Young).

DVD Features:
Audio Commentary:Commentary by director Tim Burton
Documentaries:Legends of the Dark Knight Shadows of the Bat: The Cinematic Saga of the Dark Knight Parts 1-3 Beyond Batman Documentary Gallery
Featurette:On the Set with Bob Kane Shadows of the Bat Pts. 1-3 Batman: The Heroes and Villains Gallery
Music Video:Partyman by Prince Batdance by Prince Scandalous by Prince
Theatrical Trailer

Customer Reviews:

Fantastic.......2007-09-17

I won't claim this movie is better than Batman Begins, but in my opinion it is definitely just as good. Both movies have pros and cons. One thing I liked better about Tim Burton's film is the Bruce Wayne character. Chritian Bale's version, in public at least, is rather snobby and pretentious, whereas Michael Keaton depicts a likable man. On the other hand, Batman Begins tells the story of the Dark Knight himself whereas in Tim Burton's version the Joker rather than our hero is the focus of attention. Both movies though are very dark and heavily influenced by Frank Miller's comics Batman Year 1 and the Dark Knight Returns and are nothing like the monstrosities Batman Forever and Batman and Robin in which Joel Schumacher tried his very best to completely destroy everything that is Batman and that was brought to life so well in the 1989 and 1992 movies. If only Tim Burton would ever be given a chance to go ahead with his original plan to make a film out of the Dark Knight Returns starring Mel Gibson or, why not, a return of Michael Keaton.

The Birth of the Dark Knight.......2007-09-11

There are rumors of a six-foot bat in Gotham City. Whispers. Suggestions. Nothing concrete. But all that changes after the Batman confronts Carl Grissom's men at Axis Chemicals and Grissom's top hood, Jack Napier, gets dropped into a vat of chemicals, transforming him into the maniacal Joker. Discovering he had been set up by his boss to take a fall at Axis, Joker takes over Grissom's operation, in turn allowing him to try and take over Gotham City itself, with only the Dark Knight to stop him.

This was the film that gave us the "movie Batman" we know today: dark and armored. If it wasn't for director Tim Burton's gothic and grim vision of crime-ridden Gotham City and its brooding protector, I suspect the edgy superhero movies of today wouldn't exist.

Michael Keaton takes on the title role as billionaire playboy Bruce Wayne and his rubber-clad alter ego Batman, delivering one of the greatest Batman performances that many, at the time, hadn't expected from "Mr. Mom." And after his memorable line during the opening rooftop scene, "I'm Batman," from that moment on he had you sold that his version of the Dark Knight meant business and quenches any lingering thought that Batman, thanks to the 1960's TV series, is a campy superhero.

Stealing the stage is Jack Nicholson as the Joker. Basically take the Jack from One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and crank it up to 100 and you have the Joker. Nicholson does a brilliant job of blending the serious and twisted Joker while also playing the crazy, laughing machine. I'm sure when Batman: The Animated Series came along, Nicholson's Joker was the template for Mark Hamill's performance as the voice of the character. Awesome.

Danny Elfman's haunting and lonely score only adds to the movie's eeriness.

My only problem with the film was there wasn't enough Batman. I remember that bothering me as a kid. Batman shows up all of four times in the film, the first being something like only for a minute. Each subsequent time gets progressively longer, thankfully.

Bold, atmospheric and downright fun, Batman is one for the ages. It was where the modern dark superhero movie started.

Language warning: Cursing and blasphemy

DO YOU REMEMBER THE HYPE?.......2007-09-03

Are you at least 25 years old? Do you remember the big promotional campaign and the anticipation? I remember going to the theater every week for months before this movie came out just to see the trailer. Sometimes I stayed and watched the feature I paid for. Sometimes I walked out half way through. A lot of movies should be thankful to the first "serious" big screen Batman movie. The Batman trailer boosted box office sales for many otherwise less than appealing movies. I was telling everyone I knew and complete strangers that BATMAN is going to be the greatest movie ever made. I even came to terms with them hiring a short guy to play Batman/Bruce Wayne because they hired a short guy to play Joker/Jack Napier. I was so excited to see this I asked my boss for the day off. Then finally came the big day. There I was standing in line outside the theater. I convinced my then wife to come along, first off to show her there's more to movies than cheap teen flicks and secondly to trade off restroom time without losing our place in line. Finally we get in. After butterflies and darkness the movie begins. A rousing theme song encompasses the theater seats and a bizarre looking city is shown on the giant screen. A crime is committed and Batman shows up to teach the bad guys a "lesson". Unfortunately he doesn't show up while the poor family is being mugged. If he had he may have looked more like a hero. The rest of the movie is filled with alot of interesting scenes that hold your attention but no real plot exists. Eventually Joker tricks Vicky Vale into meeting him at the museum because she thinks it's Bruce Wayne who sent the message. Batman shows up crashing through the glass ceiling. (an impressive entrance) Now I'm reminded of SPACEBALLS with Dark Helmut playing with his dolls. In a nasally voice saying "I'm here to save my girlfriend, Hi honey!" Batman's best line. "You weigh a little more than a hundred and eight" Joker's best line. "Bob? Gun. Without even looking at him (POW) shoots Bob. Anyway because of all the hype and my big mouth, I had to save as much face as I could by focusing on all the positive aspects I could. But when people kept bringing up how Batman missed Joker with a barrage of ammunition and Joker knocked the Batwing out of the sky with one bullet (Joker didn't have a "The" in front of his name for this movie.) I used to say it wasn't really Joker but a projected image and the bullet was really a small missile. That's why the gun barrel was so long. I stopped covering up and came to grips with that this was not the greatest movie ever made. Nor was it the worst. It was just a movie that fell far below expectations because of too too much hype. I remember the hype... Don't let my review throw you off. I do recommend this 2 disc set to own. It is still a fun movie to watch, despite it's shortcomings and the bonus features are plentiful. Or you can get the 8 disc Anthology. That's the one I got. The choice is yours. I love all things BATMAN, even when I hate it.

Batman and The Joker a classic showdown........2007-08-06

Batman is a great comic book movie. The pace keeps it from dragging. Jack gives an inspired effort as the Joker, Michael Keaton does well as Bruce Wayne and Batman. The supporting cast do a good job Jack Palance stands out. This is a dark violent film. The Jokers warped sense of humor gives enough laughs to to break the tension, the gadgets, weapons and vehicles are inovative. Batman has never been done better.

Enjoyable but Batman Begins is way Better........2007-07-15

It's a pretty good movie with all the right actors. Michael Keaton is a good Batman and I love Jack Nicholson as the Joker because he always makes me laugh.I like how the film is dark and scary but sometimes when you see the city it's not realistic.I hate the way Batman kills villians in the movie.He would never do that in the comics.Batman Begins is way better with better acting and a better cast but I think this is one of the best Batman films evermade.

Average customer rating:

SPIKE LEE'S CROOKLYN
*Re-living Back In The Days*
Another great film by Spike Lee
[3.5]--Warm and bittersweet film
in my opinion a classic movie by da underrated delroy lindo and alfrie woodard

Crooklyn
Starring: Vondie Curtis-Hall , N. Jeremi Duru , Frances Foster , Zelda Harris , and David Patrick Kelly
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 0783230524
Release Date: 1999-02-23

Amazon.com essential video

Spike Lee's semiautobiographical, 1994 film about the good and bad times for a Brooklyn family in the '70s has passion and nostalgic good feeling, but it is also a mess of random reflections and arbitrary storytelling. The centerpiece of the movie is a little girl (Zelda Harris) who views the ups and downs of her parents' experiences (mom and dad are played by Delroy Lindo and Alfre Woodard), and who navigates the life of her neighborhood. Lee tosses in a lot of '70s detail (watching The Partridge Family) and other diversions (Harris's journey through suburbia), but he has no master sensibility controlling the flow of it all. The film is more wearying than anything, although bright spots include Lindo's fine performance as a talented man suffering from irrelevance. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

SPIKE LEE'S CROOKLYN.......2007-04-14

This Spike Lee joint tells the funny, but also sad story about life growing up in Brooklyn in th Early '70's through the eyes of a no-nonsense mother, a struggling-musician father and their 5 children. The music of that time was great and you get to hear some of it throughout the movie like The Stylistics, The Staple Singers & Aretha Franklin just to name a few. Also, clips from nostaglic commercials and TV shows like The Partridge Family and Soul Train (the first season) are also featured in this story that makes this movies worth watching.

And I think the formula used for CROOKLYN may have been some sort of inspiration for the 2002-2005 NBC show AMERICAN DREAMS since they were both produced by Universal Pictures.

*Re-living Back In The Days*.......2007-04-12

The movie was awesome. It had a great story line. Also it takes you back to the late 70's and the early 80's. Spike Lee definitly did a good job with the clothing, the scenary, and the music. It is a great family movie.

Another great film by Spike Lee.......2007-02-27

The first time I saw this film, I was at my aunt's house. Each character had their own uniqueness, especially Troy. I loved her. The film is one of those timeless classics. Growing up in Brooklyn, this has to be one of my favorite films. I was born in 1982, but the film still resonates with me, because it shows me how life was back in the 1970s. Spike Lee, when is Hollywood going to give you an Oscar?

[3.5]--Warm and bittersweet film.......2007-02-16

Crooklyn, which Lee co-wrote with his siblings Joie Lee and Cinque Lee, marks a departure for Spike in its subject matter, offering a warm, tragicomic look at growing up in Brooklyn in the early 1970s, when the main drugs parents had to worry about their kids falling prey to wasn't crack or heroin but television and sugar. Alfre Woodard and Delroy Lindo head the Carmichael clan, a family of seven loosely based on the real-life Lees.

Woodard plays Carolyn, who teaches school and tries to keep the house in order, including her husband Woody (Lindo), a musician trying to stay true to his art even if that means placing his family in a financial strait-jacket. Crooklyn takes the point of view of the family's only daughter, 9-year-old Troy (Zelda Harris). While the film certainly looks through her eyes, it doesn't seem to be a strong enough viewpoint to carry the film's whimsical meandering. While Woodard, Lindo and Harris all give solid performances, the four brothers tend to disappear into the woodwork, never really developing into characters in their own rights. Subplots about a neighbor (David Patrick Kelly) and two glue-sniffing street kids (one played by Spike Lee) appear but never really go anywhere, though the glue sniffers do provide some funny camera angles. There aren't many overt flaws in Crooklyn. All but the most comic of urban violence has been removed, and we're left with a somewhat-idealized view of an early-70s Brooklyn.

Lee is as talented as any director is capturing an era, and some of the early scenes perfectly recall the mood of the time. The pop soundtrack may be a little too obvious, but it gets the job done. As usual, Lee has assembled an excellent cast. Alfre Woodard and Delroy Lindo do tremendous jobs. David Patrick Kelly provides a little comic relief as the white next-door neighbor who annoys just about everyone. Then there's Zelda Harris, whose unaffected performance is the glue that holds the picture together.

Crooklyn turns out pleasant enough, but by the end, it feels as if something has been left out and it just stops. The world of a child -- especially one pushed all-too-soon into adulthood -- is never easy, and this film captures the facets of Troy's odyssey. Beneath the surface of this deceptively simple motion picture lurks a keen insight.

in my opinion a classic movie by da underrated delroy lindo and alfrie woodard.......2006-06-28

this is one of my all time favorite movies produced by spike lee i would watch this film when i was about to go to harlem, new york to visit my family since crooklyn was a new york joint the movie starts off very funny when delroy blew his horn to call his children in for dinner however the ending is one of the most depressing finishes in film history when alfrie passed on i craved to witness crooklyn 2 to see how was the family doing a couple of years later that would have been nice to watch it could have starred almost the same cast but also included a few new faces eddie murphy as the next door neighbor since he is from brooklyn richard pryer or bill cobsy as the children's grandfather and rube d as the grandmother crooklyn was a black version of the brandy bunch from the ghetto because delroy and alfrie had a lot of children their daughter troy was the only girl in the house therefore alfrie decided it would be best that troy went to virgina to spend half the summer with her aunt, uncle, and girl cousin so would have someone the same sex as her she can relate with so as u can probably tell troy was the third person to still in this movie after delroy and alfrie

Average customer rating:

No future in feudalism and slavery
Everthing and everone he knew is gone
The End of Max?
Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome
Lush continuation of 'The Road Warrior'. Buy It.

Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome
Starring: Mel Gibson , Tina Turner , Bruce Spence , Adam Cockburn , and Frank Thring
Director: George Miller (II) , and George Ogilvie
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 0790731932
Release Date: 1997-07-30

Amazon.com

Although Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome, the third part of George Miller's post-apocalyptic Mad Max trilogy, is certainly the least of the bunch (Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior is the undisputed masterpiece, and maybe the best action movie ever made), it has still got a good share of imaginative industrial-wasteland-pastiche imagery. And casting Tina Turner as Aunty Entity, the queen of Bartertown, was a masterstroke. Mel Gibson's character Max is pitted in a battle to the death against the bizarre Master Blaster in the Thunderdome, flying around on rubbery straps inside a sort of gigantic overturned colander with bloodthirsty spectators clinging to the outside. Miller's producing partner, Byron Kennedy, was killed in a helicopter crash while scouting locations for this film. Miller was devastated, only agreeing to direct the action sequences--and, somehow, you feel his heart wasn't entirely in it. --Jim Emerson

Customer Reviews:

No future in feudalism and slavery.......2007-08-13

The motor vehicles are going to be there, even a plane. The desert is going to be there too. But the whole world has regressed for a reason we don't know - but do we care? - losing all its technology and its energy. But Mel Gibson takes the orientation that humanity will not regress in inventiveness nor even in intelligence, which means it will reinvent some kind of civilization by developing new sources of energy, this time the energy that can be produced by pig slime, the gas that comes out of it that can be used in plenty of machines and for might. Thus they reinvent a civilization based on pig slime (and that is a Pauline element that must not be neglected: it is neither Jewish, nor Moslem) as the source of energy of their society. That's the positive point. But there is another side that is less positive. The necessity to establish some protective body and some protection against the outside world and outsiders that may try to intrude, some captured power and established their absolute authority over the others in a society that cannot afford the luxury of democracy, just some kind of rules that are not really written but chanted at any crucial moment like a performative prayer. Hence they reinvent feudalism for most people and slavery for some. They reinvent circus games to entertain the masses and control human emotions and passions. Gladiators reappear as such public performances: two men go in and one leaves, provided he kills the other one before. If he does not then he breaks the deal and has to face the wheel that can give him any kind of violent end, death by what ever torture you may imagine, the best choice (at least you survive some time without any direct physical torture and maiming) being the Gulag: to be sent in the heart of the desert and die there, at best of thirst. But Mel Gibson is already taken by the divine devil of some religious vision more or less inspired by the Bible. So the whole story is told by the survivors a certain hero-messiah-savior has helped escape this hell in order to move back to the derelict and ruinous cities of the old days. And this salvation is in fact a union of him, Mad Max, with these outcasts in order to re-enter Bartertown, the city of the dominant society that lives on pig energy. There they are able to recapture some vehicles to escape this world, at first a "train" that runs on rails, and, at the end of the tracks, a plane that was waiting for some opportunity to serve, with its pilot and a kid enjoying their permanent idleness. A rainbow alliance of all against this tyrannical society of Bartertown. And they manage to escape except Mad Max who has to sacrifice his own life to enable the others to fly away. And he will be left there in the middle of the desert to die of thirst probably. But what can we say about this vision of the future after the final catastrophe that will bring humanity back to antiquity? First the tyrannical society is led by a woman, mind you black, and she is a more violent and exacting leader than any fascist leader you can have met in history textbooks. Women, and black women at that, are not representing a soft and comfortable future. But maybe only black women will be able to govern the people to survive these dire straits? That's an idea. Especially since the one who is telling the story of Mad Max the Savior is a woman too, though white. Maybe after all women have to become central because of their role in procreation, and surviving in difficult circumstances is not a question of sex, or sex does not make the slightest difference, and yet the gladiators are men (listen to the chant) and the savior is a man. Is there some sexism and a touch of racism in Mel Gibson's vision? What's important after all is to be able to impose the discipline necessary to survive as a group with some indispensable hierarchy. Humanity will not regress to any inferior level of intelligence, as H.G. Wells had thought for example in The Time Machine. What will regress is the social order, the mode of production. No more supermarkets for humanity but only bartering. No more democracy but feudalism. No more free labor market but slavery and serfdom for most. No more virtual games and entertainments but real gladiators games and fights to the death. And no escape from this hell on earth but thanks to a savior that will lead the outcasts of this society to a migration back to the old cities and skyscrapers of the past where they will have to reinvent what is indispensable for humanity to become better, a religion based on a human savior who is also divine since he was the savior and died in his self-imposed mission. We can smile at the naivety of the idea, but it is inescapable and true that there cannot be any real humane civilization without a spiritual ideology or attitude, and that is called a religion or a philosophy, and these civilizing factors are based on the personality of one person, a savior in the Christian tradition, a prophet in the Jewish or Moslem tradition, or a founder in the Buddhist tradition. And it does not matter whether it is a myth or whether the action of the man has been distorted to stick to some kind of rite. What is important is that such a figure is the inspirer of humanism and human life. Humanity cannot be human without a religion of some spiritual belief.

Dr Jacques COULARDEAU, University Paris Dauphine & University Paris 1 Pantheon Sorbonne

Everthing and everone he knew is gone.......2007-06-06

He had a wife and son, both gone. I like that is set in parts of Austraila.
Tina Tuner, Mel Gibson

The End of Max?.......2006-09-24

The original concept for MAD MAX BEYOND THUNDERDOME didn't even include Mad Max. The original idea was about a group of orphaned children living out in the wild alone and a man who finds them. Then someone came up with the idea of Max being their "savior" and the film soon became a "Mad Max" project.

In MAD MAX BEYOND THUNDERDOME, Max is left alone to "die" in the desert. He makes his way through and comes to Bartertown, a city of last resort that has been able to maintain some of the technological capabilities of our former civilization. Bartertown might have been influenced by old Western bordertowns, but it reminded me of a poor-persons version of Mos Eisly from STAR WARS. Anyway, Max finds himself in the middle of a power struggle in the town and ends up fighting in a Coliseum like place called the Thunderdome, but people in Bartertown don't fight fair and after the fight Max is banished from the city into the desert. There he is found by a group of orphaned children who believe he is the pilot of their plane that crashed many years ago. Some of the children believe it is time to leave and return to their true home and they follow Max, but before they can return to their place of origin, they have to go through Bartertown.

MAD MAX BEYOND THUNDERDOME had the biggest budget of any Mad Max film. It re-united star Mel Gibson with director George Miller and a second director was hired so Miller could focus on the vehicle chases and action sequences. The film also has Tina Turner playing the villain, Aunty Entity. With all that going for it the film should have been something extraordinary.

Instead MAD MAX BEYOND THUNDERDOME ended up being the least thrilling of the Mad Max films. There's more action in the film than in the previous films in the series and Aunty Entity is a nemesis with more character than ones we've seen Max face before. And of course there's an awesome chase sequence at the end of the film.

The major problem with MAD MAX BEYOND THUNDERDOME is that there is too much going on in the film. ROAD WARRIOR had a very strict plot and even MAD MAX with all the back-story and character build-up had a fairly simple plot, but BEYOND THUNDERDOME is filled with all sorts of convolutions. The movie opens promising enough with a little bit of humor (the opening scene reminds me of an INDIANA JONES humorous moment), but when the action moves to Bartertown things get complicated. First there's the whole idea of how Bartertown is operated. Then there's the power struggle that we have to be acquainted with. There's also the concept of the Thunderdome and the purpose it serves and why it exists. Along the way we also discover that there's a entire class system to Bartertown: the lower classes and untouchables are forced to work in the sties of pig poop that power the city and they are on the verge of revolting. Had the action been confined to Bartertown, things wouldn't have been too bad. But just as one thinks the movie is ending and entire new element is added: the orphaned children living in the wild who think Max is Captain Walker come back from the land beyond to save them. Of course, after the kids are introduced you just know that they are going to end up fighting the evil overlords of Bartertown and they do. The lost kids really screwed with the movie big time. In MAD MAX the bad guys ran over children for pleasure. In BEYOND THUNDERDOME we sense that these baddies are bad, but not bad enough to actually kill the kids. They just want to enslave them or raise them up as heirs. So, instead of enriching the movie, the second act ends up twisting it; think of INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM and how all those stolen children screwed up that film. Of course, there's also the problem of Tina Turner. She's about as convincing as an evil powerful warlord as Paris Hilton is as a spokesperson for being celibate.

Still, MAD MAX BEYOND THUNDERDOME does have its moments. George Miller knows how to film chase scenes and the final chase that makes up the last act of the movie is an extraordinary bit of filmmaking involving a flying machine, a train, and lots and lots and lots of other cars and motorized vehicles. Of course, there's also Mel Gibson as Max. ROAD WARRIOR was a superior movie, but the Max in BEYOND THUNDERDOME is the most likeable; he has all the wisdom and experience from the first two films, but regains the compassion and joy he had during most of the first movie. Maybe Max isn't so mad anymore.

Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome.......2006-08-10

so far so good . Have not watched it yet. Ocean7739

Lush continuation of 'The Road Warrior'. Buy It........2006-08-05

`Mad Max, Beyond Thunderdome', directed by Kennedy - Miller, and starring Mel Gibson and Tina Turner, is an obvious and explicit sequel to the iconic sleeper, `The Road Warrior'. In many ways, `...Beyond Thunderdome' is a better movie, but when all is said and done, `...Beyond Thunderdome' does just a bit too much copying of its precursor to stand on it's own two feet, like `Aliens', as an independent movie.

Some of the many things which are better are the acting, the believability of the heavies and their back story, the sound track, including two terrific performances by Tina Turner, and the subplot involving the gang of `lost boys' in the second half of the movie.

And yet, the story seems just a little contrived. Both the master-blaster character pair and the `lost boys' story seem just a bit too contrived. On the other side of the coin, the development of what may be called `The Lord of the Flies' premise, where children are left to their own devices, is masterfully done, enhanced so well by morphing the language from modern Australian slang to something bordering on a new dialect makes one want to check that the script wasn't written by Anthony Burgess (see his `Clockwork Orange', as realized by Stanley Kubrick).

My primary objective in writing this review is to celebrate my adoration for this movie, which affected me almost as much as `2001' and `Lord of the Rings', even though these are far superior movies overall. A fairer comparison is to `Silent Running', the ecodisaster story featuring Bruce Dern and a soundtrack of Joan Baez songs. Both movies simply struck a chord with their very effective warnings about how mankind may shoot itself in the food.

Unfortunately, both movies are also not strong enough to sustain an effective suspension of disbelief to last beyond the walk to the theatre doors after seeing them for the third or fourth time. Where `Alien' and `Blade Runner' work, these work just a bit less well.

But they are still important films.

Average customer rating:

A CLASSIC! CAGNEY & BOGART?...........AND THERE'S MORE?
Another great James Cagney movie
Great Nostalgia!
A very New York movie
"Whaddaya Hear, Whaddaya Say?"

Angels With Dirty Faces
Starring: James Cagney , Pat O'Brien , Humphrey Bogart , Ann Sheridan , and George Bancroft
Director: Michael Curtiz , Bobby Connolly , and Robert Clampett
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0006HBV28
Release Date: 2005-01-25

Customer Reviews:

A CLASSIC! CAGNEY & BOGART?...........AND THERE'S MORE?.......2007-07-07

This has been a favorite of mine for many years. I wish they would released "Crime School" on DVD! What is the problem?? The whole cast is great in this tale of two childhood friends who take two very different paths as the result of a dumb idea and one of the boys getting caught by the police. They just don't make them like this anymore! No wonder today's youths of the world have no character! I know, I don't want to see who's running this world in 50 years! The DVD boost a nice transfer and some cool extras. This is also available in a Gansters box set(well worth it!)If you haven't seen this film,your missing the best of the best! Bring "Crime School" to DVD please!

Another great James Cagney movie.......2007-05-29

This is a superb movie. James Cagney was awesome. Dead end kids are all dead now, I think. Very good old time movie. It actually had a moral to it's story. Today's filmakers and actors should take note.

Great Nostalgia!.......2007-04-16

I purchased this movie for my husband, who collects antique radios. We merely wanted to see the bar-radio. We enjoy all things Art Deco and vintage, particularly 20-40's. We realized that we were really enjoying the movie! It's a bit sappy, but weren't all movies from the era?

A very New York movie .......2007-04-08

(To Kristopher Haines) you asked "What did audiences see in these kids?" Many kids in the northern cities saw themselves, or knew of wise guy tough kids just like the Dead End Kids. They also knew or knew of a 'Father Connelly' who would try and set neighbourhood tough kids on the right path in life.

If you were a New Yorker you might have been similar to one of the kids depicted in this film yourself. In 1938 many actors & actresses in motion pictures were from New York, thus Hollywood made movies with the New York viewing audiences in mind. That's why the movie going public liked their antics.

After the war when the East End Kids evolved into the The Bowery Boys their fan base grew even larger. Today they have a substantial following amongst old movie fans, and yes many of these fans are from the Tri-State area (NY/CONN/NJ), Philly, Boston, Providence, Chicago etc, since those fans related to the Boys growing up, or watching their re-runs on TV.

[[ASIN:630695001X Key Largo/Angels With Dirty Faces]]
The Warner Gangsters Collection (The Public Enemy / White Heat / Angels with Dirty Faces / Little Caesar / The Petrified Forest / The Roaring Twenties)

"Whaddaya Hear, Whaddaya Say?".......2007-03-14

Rocky Sullivan (James Cagney) was always a troublesome kid, but what do you expect from a guy who grew up in the slums? The only difference between him and the man who became the preacher (Pat O'Brien) is that Rocky got caught stealing and the preacher didn't. So Rocky went to juvenile detention and graduated to the slammer thanks to his ties to bigshot gangsters. He agreed to take the fall for them at the advice of his lawyer (Humphrey Bogart) at the promise that he'd jump right back in with them when he got out. What a sucker he was.

When Rocky gets out, he finds that his old friends have turned on him and used up his money. He doesn't take lightly to that and uses his intelligence to outsmart them time after time. In the meantime, upon returning home, Rocky meets up wi