American History X

Product Description

Edward Norton's Academy Award nominated role as a White Supremist who sees the error of his ways while jailed for murder. Unfortunately, he leaves prison to find his brother (Edward Furlong) heading down the same path.

Amazon.com

Perhaps the highest compliment you can pay to Edward Norton is that his Oscar-nominated performance in American History X nearly convinces you that there is a shred of logic in the tenets of white supremacy. If that statement doesn't horrify you, it should; Norton is so fully immersed in his role as a neo-Nazi skinhead that his character's eloquent defense of racism is disturbingly persuasive--at least on the surface. Looking lean and mean with a swastika tattoo and a mind full of hate, Derek Vinyard (Norton) has inherited racism from his father, and that learning has been intensified through his service to Cameron (Stacy Keach), a grown-up thug playing tyrant and teacher to a growing band of disenfranchised teens from Venice Beach, California, all hungry for an ideology that fuels their brooding alienation.

The film's basic message--that hate is learned and can be unlearned--is expressed through Derek's kid brother, Danny (Edward Furlong), whose sibling hero-worship increases after Derek is imprisoned (or, in Danny's mind, martyred) for the killing of two black men. Lacking Derek's gift of rebel rhetoric, Danny is easily swayed into the violent, hateful lifestyle that Derek disowns during his thoughtful time in prison. Once released, Derek struggles to save his brother from a violent fate, and American History X partially suffers from a mix of intense emotions, awkward sentiment, and predictably inevitable plotting. And yet British director Tony Kaye (who would later protest against Norton's creative intervention during post-production) manages to juggle these qualities--and a compelling clash of visual styles--to considerable effect. No matter how strained their collaboration may have been, both Kaye and Norton can be proud to have created a film that addresses the issue of racism with dramatically forceful impact. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

Revolutionary filmmaking that grabs you and never lets you go..........2007-07-12

Fueled by a powerfully convincing Oscar worthy performance, `American History X' is probably my favorite movie of the given year. It's an intense portrayal of hatred and racism and the causes behind it as well as the horrible consequences that spawn from it. In its gritty black and white sequences it establishes an air of hostility and vindictive fervor, but what's strangely enamoring about this film is that, with all it's shocking violence and hate filled propaganda, it raises a level of sympathetic understanding that you'd never expect to find nestled underneath it's repelling shell. Through the eyes of Derek Vinyard we begin to realize his struggle and understand his viewpoints, no matter how wrong they really are. The reasoning behind his hatred is explained with such conviction and assurance that he begins to sell the audience. This is important because Derek is a man we're supposed to connect with and sympathize with, and without understanding him that becomes impossible and he remains a monster to us.

So then, much praise must be heaped upon the amazing Edward Norton who completely devours his role here. His performance is one of the most impressive and earth shattering portrayals of the human heart I've seen in years, perhaps forever. His control over his character is incredible. His conviction, his determination, his grip on his characters reality is so strong it's engrossing and absorbing. Derek Vinyard is a revelation. As the film shifts from present time, with Derek being released from prison and trying to put his family back together, to past tense, where in that gritty black and white we see the rise and fall of Derek's Nazi days, we are invited into this mans world, and effortlessly we see Norton shift from a man determined to hate to a man determined to fix the mess he started.

The film focuses mainly on the relationship between Derek and his younger brother Danny, played brilliantly by Edward Furlong. Upon arriving home from prison Derek sees that Danny has now fallen just as deep into the race hating ways he was once privy to and he realizes he has his work cut out for him. Having been reformed while behind bars Derek is now a much different man than he once was and he begins to try and reason with his brother, prove to him that the life they are leading is one only destined for failure and doom. Unfortunately Danny has fallen into ties with Cameron, the leader of a group of Neo-Nazi tyrants who once worshiped the ground Derek walked on. Breaking Danny of this pact would not only result in Derek's segregation but could result in his death.

Tony Kaye does a fantastic job directing this film, creating an unsteady air about the scenes that adds layers to the message behind this film. The film is forceful and blunt but it manages to invest itself so deeply in the audience that we become invested in the film and thus and compelled to keep watching despite the at times very harsh sequences of events. `American History X' may not be the easiest film to sit through, but it's easily one of the most important films to ever address the bounds of racism. Highly superior to the Oscar winning `Crash', `American History X' sets a profound statement that not only rationalizes with the villain but breaks down his barrier and exposes the scared little child growing within him. Thanks in large part to the Oscar robbed Edward Norton, this is one of those films that will move you to rethink everything you think you know about the ones you think you understand and realize that maybe, just maybe, you don't know as much as you give yourself credit for.

American History X.......2007-07-11

Tony Kaye's hard-hitting, frighteningly credible look at racism and aggrieved adolescence smoothes over nothing in its depiction of angry working-class California youth who find pride and camaraderie under the aegis of a White Power demagogue (Stacy Keach). But "X" owes its extraordinary power to the super-charged, Oscar-nominated performance by Norton, beefed up and seething with monstrous hatred in the film's many flashbacks. With Norton so convincing in balancing Derek's obvious intelligence and charisma with his more noxious Nazi persona, "American History X" is a raw, engrossing tale of a pained conscience turned inside out.

Painfully searing and thought provoking.......2007-06-27

I really can't remember a more emotionally charged movie. American X will make you feel angry, frightened, uncomfortable, shocked, sad, and hopefully introspective. It plunges deep into the heart of racism and ultimately exposes the ignorance that fuels it.

Edward Norton is scary. He received an oscar nomination as he became fully immersed in this role as Derek, an angry white supremist.

One of the scenes I found most profound was a glimpse of his upbringing. He is having a conversation with his father, explaining his admiration and respect for his school teacher, who happens to be a black man with two Phds. His dad drops subtle little hints and discriminatory remarks to discredit the man, and his son takes it to heart.

That's really the point of this whole movie, that nobody is born with hatred. Sadly, sometimes it is learned.

This movie is filled with intense moments where the rage and racism are much more blatant. Derek's hatred for all minorities keeps growing, even though he doesn't bother to get to know any of them. Until he goes to prison, and his work partner shows him the error of his ways.

Although this plot development is predictable and Derek's complete change of heart unfortunately seemed a little forced, this still is an exceptional movie. There are so many human frailties exposed and subjective topics examined. It is an obvious message film with high aspirations.

What king of response it triggers depends on you.

Wow... Just Wow.......2007-06-22

A good friend of mine suggested this film, and I really didnt know what to expect going in, but after this film was over, I sat in stunned silence. I knew that racism was horrible, but I found through this film that it does not come without a terrible price..the loss of love, friends, family...and the realization that everything that you believed to be true isnt always the way things are. Edward Norton's performance takes the viewer through this journey, and its not a pretty one. He goes from an bright young man, to a vengeful bigot, to a remorseful excon with a brothers life in jeopardy, and you feel as though you are looking in on someones life in the course of 2 hrs. All of the acting in this film is first rate, and the ending wasnt quite as predictable as others might have you believe...it is quite shocking, as is much of the film. It causes quite a debate on the way people view others whos skin color is not the same. As Dr. King said, judge me not on the color of my skin, but on the content of my character. I live with racism, because I am a black man living in America...it exists, but if we educate ourselves like the main character in AHX, it wont stay around for much longer.

Makes you think!.......2007-06-10

I was skeptical when I first heard about this movie, as I was originally mis-informed as to what it was really about! I am definetly glad I finally sat down and watched this film.

After seeing this film, it has quickly become one of my favorite films that I have ever seen. As others have said, Edward Norton plays his role so well, you may actually find yourself partly agreeing with what he says. The message of the film is very well done, and the ending is one of the most shocking I have seen.

Excellent acting, directing, and story-telling. This is a film to own, and a film that has become a classic within the world of movie-making!

Average customer rating:

I Love This Movie
"We asked you to leave, now yooz can't leave,"
Amazing!
A Bronx Tale
If you love Goodfellas!

A Bronx Tale
Starring: Patrick Borriello , Lillo Brancato , Francis Capra , Clem Caserta , and Robert D'Andrea
Manufacturer: Hbo Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Crime & Criminals | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Murder & Mayhem | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $9.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

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

ASIN: 6304884419
Release Date: 1998-05-27

Amazon.com

Chazz Palminteri wrote the script for this excellent story of an Italian American boy (Lillo Brancato) who grows up in the 1960s caught between the strong influences of his blue-collar, straight- arrow father (Robert De Niro) and a Mafia chieftain (Palminteri) who is his all-purpose mentor. De Niro makes his directorial debut with this production and, except for a little stiffness, does very well by the characters and their world. The story does not go precisely where one might expect it to go: Palminteri knows better than to force the central figure to choose between the two most important men in his life, and he doesn't fill time with stock drama about crime or family conflict. Joe Pesci makes an extremely effective and uncredited appearance at the end as a man who doesn't have to do more than speak softly to communicate how dangerous he is. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

I Love This Movie.......2007-09-15

My daughter and I watch A Bronx Tale at least twice a week. I have loved this movie every since I first saw it on AMC. Chazz Palaminteri and Robert De Niro both did great jobs, as well as all of the other actors. Robert De Niro plays a bus driver named Lorenzo Anello. He and his wife Rosini and their nine year-old son, Calogero are living in the bronx. Calogero is fascinated by mobster, Sonny, who is a fixture in their neighborhood. Lorenzo is trying to keep his son away from people like Sonny, but the young boy ignores his dad and befriends Sonny. Calogero witnesses Sonny doing something that he refuses to admit to the police. A bond is thereby created between the young boy and the mobster.
I like how Sonny teaches his young friend, Calogero, who he gives the nick-name of "C" to not try and live the same life that he is living. He tells him to stay in school, stay away from bad company, and know who your real friends are. Calogero loves his father, who is also teaching him to be respectful and hardworking, but he also looks up to Sonny, and picks up a lot of "street smarts" along the way.

"We asked you to leave, now yooz can't leave,".......2007-09-10

"You open the car door for her and then you walk around the back of the car to see whether or not she unlocks the car door for you, that's how you tell whether or not she's a good girl." That may not be the exact quote, but you get the gist. If you didn't know that was the world's perfect litmus test before seeing the movie, you have the most amazing ah ha moment when you first here it explained in the movie. And when you start to think about it, that's when you remember, he's right. This a great movie!

Amazing!.......2007-07-17

This is one of my all time favorite movies! My friend made me watch it and I wasn't too thrilled about it. I read the back of the case and thought it just wasn't my kind of movie. Totally wrong! This movie is pretty much amazing!!! Now all my friends have watched it and not one can say they didn't enjoy it. Watch it! I swear you'll like it!

A Bronx Tale.......2007-07-11

Adapted from a one-man show written and performed by Palminteri, De Niro's directorial debut resembles another coming-of-age New York mafia drama: "Goodfellas." But "Tale" is more nostalgic and less brutal than Scorsese's film, telling the simple story of a teen whose respect for his father's principles conflicts with the allure of a gangster's swaggering charm. Anchored by two excellent performances from De Niro and Palminteri, the film examines issues like family bonds and loyalty in the context of the socially turbulent '60s, when racism and xenophobia were rife--all underscored by C's fledgling romance with a black girl (Taral Hicks). De Niro has a real feel for period details, too, which gives additional lift to this absorbing character study.

If you love Goodfellas!.......2007-06-15

You'll love A Bronx Tale too! A little less shoot em' up and drug laced. But a great coming of age a la' mafia style flick!

Average customer rating:

Another excellent 10 Minute Solution
Good Workout
No Surprise--Amy Has Done It Again!
Great workout ;-)
Bye bye trouble zones!

10 Minute Solution: Tone Trouble Zones
Starring: Amy Bento
Manufacturer: ANCHOR BAY
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Special Interests | Genres | DVD | Video

Fitness | Fitness & Yoga | Genres | DVD | Video

Stretching | Fitness & Yoga | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Fitness & Yoga | Genres | DVD | Video

10 Minute Solution | Fitness & Yoga | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $9.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

Product Features:

No time to exercise? 10 Minute Solution is all you need
Fitness Professional Amy Bento will lead you through five complete, 10 minute routines
Dynamic muscle sculpting makes a 10 minute routine completely effective
Tone and reshape your entire body with compact, ultra-efficient workouts
FREE Body Band (Resistance band) included with your purchase!

ASIN: B000RIWASK
Release Date: 2007-08-07

Product Description

This DVD includes: ARM & SHOULDER SCULPT BUTT & THIGH BLASTER SLEEK & SEXY ABS TOTAL BODY TONE ZONE 10 MINUTE STRETCH

Customer Reviews:

Another excellent 10 Minute Solution.......2007-09-16

I bought this for Lady Hardbody, for the days that I don't train her (e.g. am on travel/whatev). The 10 Minute Solution series is a superb way to plan workout sessions, and even to integrate various elements of fitness from several conditioning platforms (e.g. flexibility, strength, cardio). The only "beef" I have with this DVD is that the resistance band that comes with the DVD is pathetic. Expect to have to go out and buy a stronger one.

Good Workout.......2007-09-12

This is a good workout that makes great use of the resistance band. I didn't think the leg section was as challenging as the abs and arms segment but overall it was a decent workout. I would recommend for lighter days.

No Surprise--Amy Has Done It Again!.......2007-08-25

Amy Bento's workouts are consistently top-notch, and this one is no exception. Whether your a beginner or advanced, 10 Minute Solution: Tone Trouble Zones will provide you with a solid, well-rounded workout.

As owner of Advanced Workouts, I've been in the fitness industry for over fifteen years, and am at a very advanced fitness level. Even so, I found this workout quite challenging. Working your muscles in a variety of different ways that traditional free weight training cannot provide, the use of the resistance band will create that much sought-after "muscle confusion" to help fuel and propel your fitness level no matter your degree of fitness training. You'll break through plateaus and create more lean muscle.

In addition, Amy's typical personable attitude and encouragement makes this DVD enjoyable and motiviational. A must-have for my immense exercise DVD library, for sure!

Great workout ;-).......2007-08-22

This is another fantastic workout from 10 Minute Solution. There's no excuse for not doing some form of workout when there are these kinds of workouts on the market. This particular dvd is really good and will definately help to get rid of your trouble zones.
Each of the segments uses a resistance band to help you sculpt various areas of your body - you get a 6 foot band with the dvd. When you change your hold on the band, you get different intensity with every move you do. You can make up your own routine by mixing up the order in which you play this. There is the usual upper body, lower body, abs, arms and shoulders and a complete body segment. Amy is a brilliant instructor who is enthusiastic and encouraging, but not annoying. She cues really well and that just makes this whole workout that much better.
If you are short on time, then this is for you. You can do either 10 minutes alone or join a couple of segments together to get a longer workout. You will have to combine this with some cardio, but I can't recommend this highly enough because of the fun factor and the fact you can fit this in on any day. I love it.

Bye bye trouble zones!.......2007-08-09

This dvd will really banish your trouble zones. The band give extra resistance to the exercises and the moves are unique, which makes doing it fun. The instructer is good, she is motivating without being irritating. I love how I can design my own workout and if I am short on time can do one or more depending on my schedule. This is a great addition to my collection and I highly recommend it!

Average customer rating:

Well worth watching
the trouble with angels
The Trouble With Angels
Haley Mills very funny movie
Trouble with Angels

The Trouble with Angels
Starring: Rosalind Russell , Binnie Barnes , Camilla Sparv , Mary Wickes , and Marge Redmond
Director: Ida Lupino
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

School Days | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

Comedy | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $14.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

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

ASIN: B0000CDRW2
Release Date: 2003-11-11

Amazon.com essential video

Actress-writer-director Ida Lupino got one of her unfortunately rare opportunities behind a camera making this 1966 family comedy about two mischievous students (Hayley Mills, June Harding) making life difficult for the nuns at a girls' convent school. Rosalind Russell has a fine part as a mother superior vexed by their pranks and outwardly chilly until the girls catch her in a more private moment of emotional release. The script has an anecdotal structure--it's sort of one thing after another with Mills's and Harding's troublemakers--but there is a rising sense that these two kids gradually develop some awareness of the pain and sacrifices of others. A fun and touching movie all around, with a nice twist at the end. --Tom Keogh

Description

Hayley Mills and June Harding act up in this affectionate comedy as two juvenile pranksters at the St. Francis Academy for Girls. It is up to Rosalind Russell, starring as the patient and understanding Mother Superior, to show them the right path. Starring Rosalind Russell and Hayley Mills.

Customer Reviews:

Well worth watching.......2007-08-22

The Trouble with Angels is a fine movie, well worth your time despite being offered in a full screen format. Lupino does an excellent job in directing, and she handles the comedy with a soft touch. Nowadays juvenile comedy is done with such exaggeration and explosive special effects that any snse of realism is destroyed. For instance, in the 1998 version of "the Parent Trap" (which I liked) the trap one twin plays on another in the camp bunk room is so elaborate and sophisticated only the concerted effort of a big budget special effects team could have thought and constructed such an effort. The trouble Mills gets into is much more realistic. We don't get long scenes of Rosalind Russell chewing out the troublemakers. We usually just see them doing dishes as punishment. Lupino doesn't need to beat us over the head to make a point. Gradually we get to see what really motivates the characters, nuns and students alike. Mills and Russell are excellent in their roles, and play with understatement. The Catholic faith is also shown in a positive light, and the call to vocation is also presented in a good light. As others have commented, women are presented in a positive light, while men for the most part are not. Mother Superior would like to kick Mills out of the boarding school, but keeps her because she would rather not have Mills exposed to her uncle, who is a playboy who uses women. I was really much more impressed with this movie than I thought I would be. The acting by almnost all the characters was superior, and the motivations and plot developed gradually. Too bad the Catholic church got rid of it nun's habits and traditions, and substituted horrible services and music. Today it seems stuck in the hippy-ish 60s after abandoning centuries of tradition!

the trouble with angels.......2007-07-16

I received this very quickly. It was excellent quality. I would buy from this dealer again.

The Trouble With Angels.......2007-07-15

I really enjoyed this movie.The overhaul quality of the movie was very good and delivery was prompt. This is just one of my all time favorites. Thanks Sharon

Haley Mills very funny movie.......2007-05-13

Cute funny movie, about girls, but my boys think it is funny. A nice wholesome movie for anyone.

Trouble with Angels.......2007-05-12

This movie is a classic of all ages. A fond memory from my childhood.

Alfred Hitchcock - The Masterpiece Collection (Psycho / Vertigo / Rear Window / The Birds / Shadow of a Doubt / Family Plot / Frenzy / The Man Who Knew Too Much / Marnie / Rope / Saboteur / Topaz / Torn Curtain / The Trouble with Harry)

Average customer rating:

Necessarily flawed
A GREAT SET FOR THE PRICE! MISSING SOME GREAT FILMS!
Pick this along with the Signature Collection and you're done!
5 Stars for the movies, 1 Star for the packaging
Poor packaging.

Alfred Hitchcock - The Masterpiece Collection (Psycho / Vertigo / Rear Window / The Birds / Shadow of a Doubt / Family Plot / Frenzy / The Man Who Knew Too Much / Marnie / Rope / Saboteur / Topaz / Torn Curtain / The Trouble with Harry)
Starring: Alfred Hitchcock
Manufacturer: Universal Studios Home Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Classics | Genres | DVD | Video

Mystery | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

( A ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Mystery & Suspense | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

Classics | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

ASIN: B000A1INJE
Release Date: 2005-10-04

Product Description

14 of the finest works from the universally acclaimed Master of Suspense come together for the first time in one collection. These captivating landmark films boast three decades of Hollywood legends, including James Stewart, Grace Kelly, Anthony Perkins, Sean Connery and Doris Day. The premium packaging and collectible book make Alfred Hitchcock: The Masterpiece Collection the must-own, definitive anthology of gripping works by a true genius.

System Requirements:

Running Time 1630 Min

Format: DVD MOVIE

Amazon.com

Masterpiece indeed. With 14 films, each supplemented with numerous documentaries, commentaries, and other bonus materials, Alfred Hitchcock - The Masterpiece Collection will be the cornerstone for any serious DVD library. Packaged in a beautiful, conversation-starting velvet box, the individual discs inside come four to a case, decorated with original poster art.

No doubt opinionated fans will argue about what should fall under the rubric of "masterpiece" in Hitchcock's body of work, but with the bona fide classics Vertigo, Psycho, and The Man Who Knew Too Much, there's plenty of timeless movie magic here. Eye-popping transfers and gorgeous sound make this set one of the must-have releases of the year.

Should the Hitchcock fan have the energy for more after imbibing on the movies themselves, a bonus disc provides additional documentaries. These include a revealing interview in which the master of suspense discusses, among other things, how much he dislikes working with method actors, going so far as to name names (we're talking about you, Jimmy Stewart and Montgomery Clift). In an American Film Institute lifetime achievement ceremony, the master of suspense is praised by the likes of Stewart and Ingrid Bergman, and seems to be suffering from severe boredom as celebrities pile on the flattery. Then Hitchcock opens his mouth to accept the award, delivering an endlessly witty stream of perfect bon mots that prove once again that he was a master of high comedy as well. Revealing documentaries about the making of Psycho and The Birds round out the feast of extras. The 36-page booklet, filled mostly with stills and poster art, provides little new information about the films.--Ryan Boudinot

Films Included in Alfred Hitchcock - The Masterpiece Collection

Saboteur
Robert Cummings stars as Barry Kane, a patriotic munitions worker who is falsely accused of sabotage, in this wartime thriller from Alfred Hitchcock. Plastered across the front page of every newspaper and hated by the nation, Kane's only hope of clearing his name is to find the real villain. The script as a whole is a clever one--Algonquin wit Dorothy Parker shares a screenwriting credit, and her trademark zingers make for a terrific mix of humor and suspense. Saboteur is a pleasure whether you're a die-hard Hitchcock fan or just someone who likes a good nail-biter. --Ali Davis

Shadow of a Doubt
Alfred Hitchcock considered this 1943 thriller to be his personal favorite among his own films, and although it's not as popular as some of Hitchcock's later work, it's certainly worthy of the master's admiration. Scripted by playwright Thornton Wilder and inspired by the actual case of a 1920's serial killer known as "The Merry Widow Murderer," the movie sets a tone of menace and fear by introducing a psychotic killer into the small-town comforts of Santa Rosa, California. Through narrow escapes and a climactic scene aboard a speeding train, this witty thriller strips away the façade of small-town tranquility to reveal evil where it's least expected. And, of course, it's all done in pure Hitchcockian style. --Jeff Shannon

Rope
An experimental film masquerading as a standard Hollywood thriller, Rope is simple and based on a successful stage play: two young men (John Dall and Farley Granger) commit murder, more or less as an intellectual exercise. They hide the body in their large apartment, then throw a dinner party. Will the body be discovered? Director Alfred Hitchcock, fascinated by the possibilities of the long-take style, decided to shoot this story as though it were happening in one long, uninterrupted shot. Since the camera can only hold one 10-minute reel at a time, Hitchcock had to be creative when it came time to change reels, disguising the switches as the camera passed behind someone's back or moved behind a lamp. James Stewart, as a suspicious professor, marks his first starring role for Hitchcock, a collaboration that would lead to the masterpieces Rear Window and Vertigo. --Robert Horton

Rear Window
Like the Greenwich Village courtyard view from its titular portal, Alfred Hitchcock's classic Rear Window is both confined and multileveled: both its story and visual perspective are dictated by its protagonist's imprisonment in his apartment, convalescing in a wheelchair, from which both he and the audience observe the lives of his neighbors. Cheerful voyeurism, as well as the behavior glimpsed among the various tenants, affords a droll comic atmosphere that gradually darkens when he sees clues to what may be a murder. At deeper levels, Rear Window plumbs issues of moral responsibility and emotional honesty, while offering further proof (were any needed) of the director's brilliance as a visual storyteller. --Sam Sutherland

The Trouble with Harry
A busman's holiday for Alfred Hitchcock, this 1955 black comedy concerns a pesky corpse that becomes a problem for a quiet, Vermont neighborhood. Shirley MacLaine makes her film debut as one of several characters who keep burying the body and finding it unburied again. Hitchcock clearly enjoys conjuring the autumnal look and feel of the story, and he establishes an important, first-time alliance with composer Bernard Herrmann, whose music proved vital to the director's next half-dozen or so films. But for now, The Trouble with Harry is a lark, the mischievous side of Hitchcock given free reign. --Tom Keogh

The Man Who Knew Too Much
Alfred Hitchcock's 1956 remake of his own 1934 spy thriller is an exciting event in its own right, with several justifiably famous sequences. James Stewart and Doris Day play American tourists who discover more than they wanted to know about an assassination plot. When their son is kidnapped to keep them quiet, they are caught between concern for him and the terrible secret they hold. When asked about the difference between this version of the story and the one he made 22 years earlier, Hitchcock always said the first was the work of a talented amateur while the second was the act of a seasoned professional. Indeed, several extraordinary moments in this update represent consummate filmmaking, particularly a relentlessly exciting Albert Hall scene, with a blaring symphony, an assassin's gun, and Doris Day's scream. The Man Who Knew Too Muchis the work of a master in his prime. --Tom Keogh

Vertigo
Although it wasn't a box-office success when originally released in 1958, Vertigo has since taken its deserved place as Alfred Hitchcock's greatest, most spellbinding, most deeply personal achievement. James Stewart plays a retired police detective who is hired by an old friend to follow his wife (a superb Kim Novak, in what becomes a double role), whom he suspects of being possessed by the spirit of a dead madwoman. Shot around San Francisco (the Golden Gate Bridge and the Palace of the Legion of Honor are significant locations) and elsewhere in Northern California (the redwoods, Mission San Juan Batista) in rapturous Technicolor, Vertigo is as lovely as it is haunting. --Jim Emerson

Psycho
For all the slasher pictures that have ripped off Psycho (and particularly its classic set piece, the "shower scene"), nothing has ever matched the impact of the real thing. More than just a first-rate shocker full of thrills and suspense, Psycho is also an engrossing character study in which director Alfred Hitchcock skillfully seduces you into identifying with the main characters--then pulls the rug (or the bathmat) out from under you. Anthony Perkins is unforgettable as Norman Bates, the mama's boy proprietor of the Bates Motel; and so is Janet Leigh as Marion Crane, who makes an impulsive decision and becomes a fugitive from the law, hiding out at Norman's roadside inn for one fateful night. --Jim Emerson

The Birds
Vacationing in northern California, Alfred Hitchcock was struck by a story in a Santa Cruz newspaper: "Seabird Invasion Hits Coastal Homes." From this peculiar incident, and his memory of a short story by Daphne du Maurier, the master of suspense created one of his strangest and most terrifying films. The Birds follows a chic blonde, Melanie Daniels (Tippi Hedren), as she travels to the coastal town of Bodega Bay to hook up with a rugged fellow (Rod Taylor) she's only just met. Before long the town is attacked by marauding birds, and Hitchcock's skill at staging action is brought to the fore. Beyond the superb effects, however, The Birds is also one of Hitchcock's most psychologically complicated scenarios, a tense study of violence, loneliness, and complacency. What really gets under your skin are not the bird skirmishes but the anxiety and the eerie quiet between attacks. Treated with scant attention by serious critics in 1963, The Birds has grown into a classic and--despite the sci-fi trappings--one of Hitchcock's most serious films. --Robert Horton

Marnie
Sean Connery, fresh from the second Bond picture, From Russia with Love, is a Philadelphia playboy who begins to fall for Tippi Hedren's blonde ice goddess only when he realizes that she's a professional thief; she's come to work in his upper-crust insurance office in order to embezzle mass quantities. His patient program of investigation and surveillance has a creepy, voyeuristic quality that's pure Hitchcock, but all's lost when it emerges that the root of Marnie's problem is phobic sexual frigidity, induced by a childhood trauma. Luckily, Sean is up to the challenge. As it were. Not even D.H. Lawrence believed as fervently as Hitchcock in the curative properties of sexual release. --David Chute

Torn Curtain
Paul Newman and Julie Andrews star in what must unfortunately be called one of Alfred Hitchcock's lesser efforts. Still, sub-par Hitchcock is better than a lot of what's out there, and this one is well worth a look. Newman plays cold war physicist Michael Armstrong, while Andrews plays his lovely assistant-and-fiancée, Sarah Sherman. Armstrong has been working on a missile defense system that will "make nuclear defense obsolete," and naturally both sides are very interested. All Sarah cares about is the fact that Michael has been acting awfully fishy lately. The suspense of Torn Curtain is by nature not as thrilling as that in the average Hitchcock film--much of it involves sitting still and wondering if the bad guys are getting closer. Still, Hitchcock manages to amuse himself: there is some beautifully clever camera work and an excruciating sequence that illustrates the frequent Hitchcock point that death is not a tidy business. --Ali Davis

Topaz
Alfred Hitchcock hadn't made a spy thriller since the 1930s, so his 1969 adaptation of Leon Uris's bestseller seemed like a curious choice for the director. But Hitchcock makes Uris's story of the West's investigation into the Soviet Union's dealings with Cuba his own. Frederick Stafford plays a French intelligence agent who works with his American counterpart (John Forsythe) to break up a Soviet spy ring. The film is a bit flat dramatically and visually, and there are sequences that seem to occupy Hitchcock's attention more than others. A minor work all around, with at least two alternative endings shot by Hitchcock. --Tom Keogh

Frenzy
Alfred Hitchcock's penultimate film, written by Anthony Shaffer (who also wrote Sleuth), this delightfully grisly little tale features an all-British cast minus star wattage, which may have accounted for its relatively slim showing in the States. Jon Finch plays a down-on-his-luck Londoner who is offered some help by an old pal (Barry Foster). In fact, Foster is a serial killer the police have been chasing--and he's framing Finch. Which leads to a classic Hitchcock situation: a guiltless man is forced to prove his innocence while eluding Scotland Yard at the same time. Spiked with Hitchcock's trademark dark humor, Frenzy also features a very funny subplot about the Scotland Yard investigator (Alec McCowen) in charge of the case, who must endure meals by a wife (Vivien Merchant) who is taking a gourmet-cooking class. --Marshall Fine

Family Plot
Alfred Hitchcock's final film is understated comic fun that mixes suspense with deft humor, thanks to a solid cast. The plot centers on the kidnapping of an heir and a diamond theft by a pair of bad guys led by Karen Black and William Devane. The cops seem befuddled, but that doesn't stop a questionable psychic (Barbara Harris) and her not overly bright boyfriend (Bruce Dern, in a rare good-guy role) from picking up the trail and actually solving the crime. Did she do it with actual psychic powers? That's part of the fun of Harris's enjoyably ditsy performance. --Marshall Fine

Customer Reviews:

Necessarily flawed.......2007-09-14

The best this set rates is 3 stars, and not only for packaging issues previously mentioned.

It's unfortunate that a deal couldn't have been worked out with MGM/UA so that NORTH BY NORTHWEST might have been included here rather than the boring TOPAZ. Even better would be the inclusion of such great WARNER BROS. titles like DIAL M FOR MURDER instead of MARNIE, THE WRONG MAN rather than ROPE and STRANGERS ON A TRAIN as replacement for TORN CURTAIN.

Let's tell it plainly here. This is not so much a "masterpiece collection" as it is the best Hitchcock titles that UNIVERSAL/MCA has in their vaults (along with some less-than-great filler). With such a substantial project as this, perhaps the various studios owed it to Hitchcock to cooperate. And if they had, wouldn't the four substitutions suggested above TRULY make this DVD set Hitchcock's masterpiece collection?

ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS - SEASON THREE features some of the best TV episodes from the Master of Suspense.

A GREAT SET FOR THE PRICE! MISSING SOME GREAT FILMS!.......2007-09-08

I didn't have any of these films on DVD so,..... When I saw it on sale for around $65.00 I thought it was a great deal for 14 films with some extra material. I would have liked to see a few different films in this set,but they ended up putting most of those in another DVD set with the exception of "LifeBoat" and "Notorious". I think all "Hitches" missing films should be put into similar sets. This is a nice set, but wait to see it at the right price. These will be dropping way down before you know it. The transfers look very good!

Pick this along with the Signature Collection and you're done!.......2007-08-23

First things first - This collection is brilliant and the packaging is also good. Its a velvet box containing 4 DVD boxes, each box containing 4 or 3 discs/films and a booklet with a short writeup on each film.

When it arrived, one of the 4 sets was missing, and one was duplicated.
That is: I had 2 sets of the same films, and one set was missing.

I wrote back to the Amazon Customer Support and got an immediate reply saying they will replace it.

This set does not include certain must-have classics like
Strangers On A Train
North By North West
Dial M For Murder
Foreign Correspondent etc.

All this is available in the Signature Series which I picked up from here.

So if you buy these 2 box sets, you're done!!!

5 Stars for the movies, 1 Star for the packaging.......2007-08-13

I would love to have most of the DVDs in this collection, but I won't get it because of the poorly-designed packaging. I don't want 4 DVDs crammed into one case with the artwork reproduced one-quarter size and overlapping. I want each DVD in its own case with full-sized artwork on the cover. If the idea was to make it more compact, the space saved is insignificant. I think the real reason is corner-cutting to save a few bucks. The other Hitchcock set did it the right way- 1 DVD per case. This is very disappointing. For a lot of us, aesthetics count for a lot. Actually, my ideal preference would for all box sets to be packaged chronologically, in the order each film was released.

Poor packaging........2007-06-01

This is a great set minus the annoying packaging. As someone mentioned earlier the DVD cases are fitted to go in a certain order and if they don't go in in that order then they get stuck and the edges of the DVD cases get frayed. The corners of the cases get frayed anyway because the cases are a paper and cardboard-based binding with the plastic DVD holders glued on to them. So I put them in spine first now. Open and close them enough times and you get those white, worn edges on the spine. Another problem with the cases is that the plastic glued on part that hold the DVDs in place are notorious for getting de-glued. Yet another thing. . .one disc is now not holding in the case properly. How could I remedy this problem? Buy an entire new set??? The door on the velvet box doesn't snap shut in anyway so if you hold the wrong side down. . .the DVDs will fall out. So watch out. The velvet box looks and feels nice but it collects dust very easily and is not easily cleanable. I tried to brush off some of the dust and the silvery logos and such began to flake off.

Average customer rating:

Great movie but horrible sound quality
A Collaboration Of Talents Onscreen And Off
The Emotional Ride
Bravo
Bittersweet and adventurous; a summer-viewing essential!

Stand By Me (Special Edition)
Starring: Scott Beach , Marshall Bell , William Bronder , John Cusack , and Dick Durock
Director: Rob Reiner
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Comedy | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

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

( S ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Special Editions | Fully Loaded DVDs | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

ASIN: B00003CXIP
Release Date: 2000-08-29

Amazon.com essential video

A sleeper hit when released in 1986, Stand by Me is based on Stephen King's novella "The Body" (from the book Different Seasons); but it's more about the joys and pains of boyhood friendship than a morbid fascination with corpses. It's about four boys ages 12 and 13 (Wil Wheaton, River Phoenix, Corey Feldman, Jerry O'Connell) who take an overnight hike through the woods near their Oregon town to find the body of a boy who's been missing for days. Their journey includes a variety of scary adventures (including a ferocious junkyard dog, a swamp full of leeches, and a treacherous leap from a train trestle), but it's also a time for personal revelations, quiet interludes, and the raucous comradeship of best friends. Set in the 1950s, the movie indulges an overabundance of anachronistic profanity and a kind of idealistic, golden-toned nostalgia (it's told in flashback as a story written by Wheaton's character as an adult, played by Richard Dreyfuss). But it's delightfully entertaining from start to finish, thanks to the rapport among its young cast members and the timeless, universal themes of friendship, family, and the building of character and self-esteem. Kiefer Sutherland makes a memorable teenage villain, and look closely for John Cusack in a flashback scene as Wheaton's now-deceased and dearly missed brother. A genuine crowd-pleaser, this heartfelt movie led director Rob Reiner to even greater success with his next film, The Princess Bride. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

Great movie but horrible sound quality.......2007-09-17

Stand By Me is a great movie with solid performances all around including several future stars like Kiefer Sutherland and River Phoenix, in one of his final roles. It is truly a excellent adaptation of Stephen King's "The Body". However, I can't believe they even bother making DVDs (especially "Deluxe" editions) without including a 5.1 dolby digital audio track or even better, a DTS digital audio track. This edition of the movie only qualifies as a 2 star because of the ridiculous mono soundtrack. What were they thinking? What a joke, the soundtrack CD has better quality sound! A fun movie which would have been 4 stars with a decent audio transfer.

A Collaboration Of Talents Onscreen And Off.......2007-09-01

Rob Reiner and Stephen King collaborated on this classic and the wealth of their talent resulted in the sort of movie that's good every time it's seen. Based on The Body, one of King's novellas from his early `80's collection Different Seasons, and staying mostly faithful to the King tale (with the inexplicable exception of changing the setting of Castle Rock from Maine to Oregon) Stand By Me features a gifted cast of young actors who get the most out of a story that was already rich and multi-faceted. Concerning itself with a quest undertaken by four boys moving through the gray zone between childhood and adolescence, all of them seeking to locate the body of a missing local boy whom they know to have been struck and killed by a passing train, Stand By Me, as with The Body before it, is actually so much more than its surface plot, and is nothing short of a coming of age masterpiece that examines loss, destiny, and the journey toward a deeper understanding of human life. This is one of those movies that captures the story on which it was based, learns from it, and becomes something great indeed. At times funny, awkward and carefree, at others frightening, poignant, tragic, and starkly realistic, Stand By Me Is probably the best adaptation of a Stephen King work that's ever been done.

The Emotional Ride.......2007-08-10

Stand by Me, was the second film, directed by Rob Reiner, son of Carl Reiner, known best for his television work in the US and for launching the career of one Steve Martin.

Reiner was faithful to what Stephen King wanted, he was familiar with the material that could work and wouldn't. He made subsquent trimmings on the novel, so that the most important things for example, outlying the real friendship between Chris and Gordie being dominant, the way they communicate and approach their troubles in white-collar broken families with hard drinking fathers, which they refer to as "their old men". The film does not detact from Gordie's nostalgic narration as an adult, it is in some ways, tighter and easy to follow than the novel in this case.

A good tip, i will offer is, it is better to read the short story, The Body upon what the material is based on. There you will understand deeper the character of Chris Chambers; his father's binges; why his brother was known as "Eyeball" Chambers; his discontent for School; also indulge in Will's ambitious writing talent and their continuing friendship long after this episode which is very benefital as important. You will really enjoy it more, honest, i have.

Stand for Me, follows in particular, a young boy known as Gordon "Gordy" Lacha, who after losing his brother to a tragic accident, goes on an adventure with his best friend, Chris and the two pals they hang around with, Teddy and Vern, to retrieve the body of Ray Brower, a missing boy out for a raspberry picking.

This is effectively a character driven piece, with a great stunt piece, the runaway train sequence, the confronations between the friends, trying to abine and then drift apart as friends do, when they feel they have nothing left to prove and the jokes shared and the mere messing around.

This is Phoenix's shining performance, that makes this one. He plays Chris Chambers, who knows he is "able" to make a difference, when Gordie's anxiety with his parents wears him down, he is more than eager to show him, that if he doesn't listen to what is right, then he could lose his most valved dream of all. Chambers on the other hand, knows he has to help, but doesn't know how to do it properly, he is frightened he could hurt Gordie and that was point, he was making.

Stand by Me is also a film, where youngsters have to face up for their future, in a world of uncertainy, dreams broken and lies discussed, people who have to grow up on their own with or without their friends.

Stand by Me was a sleeper hit, it did manage to reach number tweleve on the top box office receipts of 1986 in the US, but in recent years, since Phoenix's passing, the film has become a reminder of how sad life can be and so unfortunate to so many people, it has hence become more powerful, it's popularity has continued to flourish on it's dedicated cult base and will continue to do so, as long as people have a dream for desire.

Bravo.......2007-07-19

Like Shawshank Redemption, this is a great film based on some of Stephen King's best work. It is poignant, nostalgic--and hilarious at times. (And some of us may never wade in ponds again because of it!)

Bittersweet and adventurous; a summer-viewing essential!.......2007-07-12

We've all been there. It's summertime, when you're with a few, great friends and wanna go on a big adventure. Well, that's what "Stand By Me" is about; a brilliant mix of laugh-out-loud humor and introspective moments of awe, it's a movie that never wears thin.
The overall plot is that four boys, from ages twelve to thirteen, hear of a dead body and go searching overnight for it. There's plenty of summer adventure in it, big laughs among friends, and that feeling of living in the wild, if only for about forty-eight hours. And then, there's that feeling of change that, for at least one point in our life, we get nervous about. That necessity of holding onto friends even as you get separated from there. It puts you in such a state, as it's displayed in such an honest, realistic way that it captivates you all the way through.
What impresses me a lot about "Stand By Me" is how it just seems to carry on at full speed. There never seems to be a dull moment and by the time it's over, you may feel astonished that it's already done with. Like with a lot of other, great movies, this one has many, sub-situations the four guys get themselves into, and if it's not enough that they're racing a gang of older guys and outrun a junkyard dog, need I say more than such things as "campfire stories" or "a lake of leeches"? *shudders*
Without revealing the resolution, the ending shows the adult Gordie, who has been narrating the whole thing. The ending is very powerful and moving, and as the credits roll, the '61 song "Stand By Me" plays.
This is an excellent summer movie that goes by quickly, but leaves such an impression on you that you'll remember and love it forever. But through all the drama and action, it's a definite work of art that's sure to please anyone who sees it.

Average customer rating:

The Outsiders
well...
The Outsiders
Great Movie
Better in moments, but soundtrack is terribly distracting

The Outsiders
Starring: Matt Dillon , Ralph Macchio , C. Thomas Howell , Patrick Swayze , and Rob Lowe
Director: Francis Ford Coppola
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Murder & Mayhem | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

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

All Deals | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

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

ASIN: B00002E237
Release Date: 1999-11-30

Amazon.com essential video

Director Francis Coppola's adaptation of the popular S.E. Hinton novel about the price of rebellious youth is notable chiefly for the stunning cast of young actors who went on to rich and varied careers. In supporting roles, the film features the likes of Tom Cruise, Patrick Swayze, Diane Lane, Rob Lowe, Emilio Estevez, and Tom Waits, among others. The story centers on two rival gangs in the early 1960s Midwest, and the violent turf wars that escalate and tragically claim young lives. C. Thomas Howell plays the central character who yearns to prove himself and be accepted by his older brothers' gang, while at the same time finding his first love and dreaming of a life beyond his dead end existence. Geared toward the teenage crowd, the film nonetheless features some fine direction from Coppola in a story that evokes memories of the classic coming-of-age films of the 1950s. --Robert Lane

Amazon.com

No one was surprised when Francis Ford Coppola revisited Apocalypse Now, but his overhaul of The Outsiders raised a few eyebrows. Here was a modestly successful film better remembered for its Brat Pack cast than its Oscar-winning director, but The Complete Novel succeeds in bringing more of S.E. Hinton's young adult classic to the screen along with Coppola's epic vision. The story remains the same: The working class greasers and wealthy Socs ("Socials") of Tulsa, OK, circa 1966, are at war. Despite the bigger names in the cast--Patrick Swayze, Emilio Estevez, Rob Lowe--the friendship between C. Thomas Howell's Ponyboy and Ralph Macchio's doomed Johnny is still the focus. If anything, Tom Cruise, as an obnoxious greaser, gives the least promising performance, while Matt Dillon (Crash) as the unpredictable Dally and Diane Lane (Unfaithful) as the beautiful Cherry provide a taste of the mature work to come. Aside from 22 minutes of restored footage (including a prologue and epilogue), which add heart and grandeur, The Complete Novel includes several new rock and roll tracks, most by Elvis Presley. In the end, the revamped Outsiders still plays like a cross between Rebel Without a Cause and The Last Picture Show--and that's a good thing. --Kathleen C. Fennessy

Customer Reviews:

The Outsiders.......2007-09-16

Great movie with a stellar cast. Fun to watch with adolescents who recognized these "old" stars.

well..........2007-09-07

This is a pretty good movie. Not near as good as the book, The Outsiders though! That is true with most books turned in to movies. So read the book...One bad thing about the movie is that I don't think they developed Soda's character very well, which is disappointing, because in the book he's a major character.

The Outsiders.......2007-09-04

Great copy, but not compatible with the South african region. However we can play it through our computer.

Great Movie.......2007-08-17

The movies of the 80's can't be beat and this is one of the very best.

Better in moments, but soundtrack is terribly distracting.......2007-07-28

First the Good:

I am a teacher and my students complain every year that the "Ponyboy gets jumped" scene is not in the original. I thought the extra footage in the beginning really helped a lot. It stayed much closer to the book, but with anything the book is always better. Read it. I really liked the character development. The original movie stands well enough on its own, but if you hadn't read the book there are definite gaps.

The Bad:

The new soundtrack is awful. I am no Stevie Wonder fanatic, but this retro 60s music did NOT fit the mood in many places. It was so distracting that I almost turned it off. (hence my 3 stars and really thought about 2 stars)

With all the extras I would have liked to see a flash back of Johnny getting beat up and more "bonding" time between Cherry and Ponyboy while they were in line. The book develops this so much better.

I also did not like Ponyboy and Cherry meeting up at the end and she ignores him. The book leaves that much more open ended and in fact implies that Cherry and Ponyboy are the true "Outsiders" because they can see "outside the box" of their respective gangs. Randy and Johnny also fit into that category.

I have never liked the Dally death scene in the movie. In the book it was more suicidal and he was in control of his own death and the movie makes him out to be a victim.

All in all I wish they would have alternate sound tracks so I could play the original score, or they could have just hired someone to write a new score. The movie and book have sold enough copies that they should have gotten in right.

I plan on showing the old version to my students or possibly show the first 20 min of this one and then pop in the old one.

Average customer rating:

Accurate but for one fatal flaw
crash lite
Havoc (Unrated Version)...
Raw
havoc

Havoc (Unrated Version)
Starring: Anne Hathaway , Bijou Phillips , Shiri Appleby , Michael Biehn , and Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Director: Barbara Kopple
Manufacturer: New Line Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Crime & Criminals | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

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

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

ASIN: B000BBOUUE
Release Date: 2005-11-29

Amazon.com

After making her name in The Princess Diaries, Anne Hathaway takes a radical detour with this edgy independent drama. As Allie, a wealthy gangsta wannabe, she makes no excuses for her delinquent behavior: "We're just teenagers and we're bored." When her Pacific Palisades posse, including pal Emily (Bully's Bijou Phillips), starts hanging out with a Latino gang (including Six Feet Under's Freddy Rodríguez), they learn what thug life is really about. Hathaway couldn't be more game: She swears, she fights--she disrobes (several times). Written and directed by Oscar winners Stephen Gaghan (Traffic) and Barbara Kopple (American Dream), Havoc plays like a B movie, in the vein of the superior crazy/beautiful, and was released straight to video. For Hathaway fans, it's a chance to see this young talent in a very different light, but for Gaghan and Kopple followers, this lurid morality tale is sure to come as a letdown. --Kathleen C. Fennessy

Description

A group of wealthy Los Angeles teenagers try to become part of the "gangsta" lifestyle but soon run into trouble when they come face to face with a real gang of Latino drug dealers.

Customer Reviews:

Accurate but for one fatal flaw.......2007-09-17

This film would like you to think the hip hop, ghetto gang bangers young teenagers are enticed by are beaners. I think most people are going to see through this and laugh their way into turning this DVD into a Frisbee. Having lived in the Hispanic ghetto for seven years, I can tell you white girls do not flock to either the Filipino or Hispanic parties. I think, by process of elimination, you can do the math and figure out which ethnicity I'm talking about. Hint: It's not the Caucasian gangs, either. Clearly this minor (sarcastically rolls eyes) fact was altered to be more politically correct. Personally, I think the hip hop culture needs a swift kick in the bollocks. If done accurately, it would have been a bunch of 11 to 16 year old cute suburban white girls smoking pot and being gang raped (statutory or otherwise) by a bunch of...well, you know where I'm going with this. Before you call me a racist, remember I lived it and you did not, and your emotional response to what I'm saying is the same reason the film makers were compelled to take the "less offensive" route. Apparently they don't think Mexicans feel offense, I guess. The idea that any kind of genuine romance actually blossoms out of this rotten scene is clearly more Hollywood marketing fluff. Reality is far more insane and extreme than this film achieves, but you get a taste for the general behavior, at least. Lastly, I feel sorry for Bijou Phillips constantly being exploited like this. Hopefully she has more talent than this and her career can develop beyond this typecasting.

crash lite.......2007-08-11

just see it for the ladies, because other than that it is like crash. Well wait this came out before Crash so..oh who cares. end result is the gang bangers bump heads with the wanna be gb's and it all goes downhill from there. Bayou Phillips is hot and so is Hathaway if you know what I am talking about so if you are looking for that kind of action it is here. Really now, good acting and neat story. Just that, well kind of not realistic, like the girls trying to get into a gang and stuff. Any teen that does something THAT dumb needs to start over in the first grade or just be admitted into an asylum.

Havoc (Unrated Version)..........2007-08-11

Overall, I found this film, adequate. A few notes:

1. Girls looking for thrills/excitement in East L.A.? I don't think so. Go rolling to East L.A. in a convertible Mercedes or SUV? Can you say car-jack victim? I can...without any bias whatsoever.

2. The initiation scene is somewhat realistic. It has been said that in order for girls to join certain male dominated groups (gangs, etc.), that they must submit themselves to the 'group.' That has been documented in the press...any teenage girls out there? Well, beware!!

3. As a person who has been to Palisades High School in West Los Angeles (yes, folks, Pacific Palisades High School is real, just minutes from the beach!). You do indeed see kids immersed in the hip-hop culture. The difference? Some of these kids' families are very well-off. That part of the movie comes through very well. Families with the kind of money depicted in the film are usually quite busy making money, and not home for their kids...well, you know the rest.

4. Finally, the scene where the Palisades boys go to look for the gang-bangers that ravaged their friend was just unrealistic. These guys would have been seen a mile-off and would have been dealt with accordingly. Strangers in a strange land, would be an adequate description.

Again, I found the movie...adequate, decently acted, but not much more. Rent (or borrow) a copy and judge for yourself. Three stars...

Raw.......2007-07-13

Raw script and raw acting. To watch how teens descend into a path of decadence so easily seems almost surreal. And such a fine line that separates the glamour and bummers in Hollywood.

havoc.......2007-07-07

hi guys the movie havoc i myself liked the movie.i like anne hathaway and to be honest i dont mind her being nude in the movie.but anne can act the movie aint disney but anne is grown up and this is a movie that shows anne as an adult.the movie is gritty,it has drug use violence.and nudity anne can handle adult movies roles. so for the older anne hathaway fans who want to check out the adult anne check out the movie.so if you buy the film purchase the unrated version more bang for you buck plus more anne.duane

Average customer rating:

Another Del Toro's Spanish Civil War story with supernatural elements
THE STORY THAT DEFIES ALL BARRIERS!!
Bonus Features
The Devil's Backbone
kiddie movie

The Devil's Backbone (Special Edition)
Starring: Marisa Paredes , Eduardo Noriega (II) , Federico Luppi , Fernando Tielve , and Íñigo Garcés
Director: Guillermo del Toro
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Art House & International | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Horror | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Foreign & International | Stores | DVD | Video

General | Indie & Art House | Stores | DVD | Video

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

( D ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Special Editions | Fully Loaded DVDs | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

ASIN: B000274TLW
Release Date: 2004-07-27

Amazon.com

Seething passions, wandering ghosts, and an unexploded bomb fill this beautifully filmed tale of war and suspense. Though The Devil's Backbone was advertised as a horror movie in the States, it's really more of a drama that happens to have ghosts in it. During the Spanish Civil War, young Carlos is abandoned at a completely isolated orphanage. The tensions therein have been building for years, exacerbated by the unexploded bomb resting menacingly in the courtyard. Bullies scheme, tempers flare, and a ghost that visits Carlos's bed seems to be the key to it all. The movie is full of excellent performances, especially by Marisa Paredes as the gruff-but-kind headmistress, Eduardo Noriega as the handyman with secrets to keep, and Federico Luppi as the benevolent professor who likes to keep deformed fetuses in jars. A rich, satisfying drama with some good, spooky fun thrown in. --Ali Davis

Customer Reviews:

Another Del Toro's Spanish Civil War story with supernatural elements.......2007-09-13

This is a good movie, but I have seen it after seeing the more recent (and really brilliant) Pan's Labyrinth, so it's hard to be objective and judge the Devil's Backbone on it's own merits. However, all the necessary elements are there (the story is interesting, main characters are introduced with enough care, the ghost and the sectrets arount it is getting reveiled as the movie goes on), so it's a good movie for people who like to watch drama with ghost/fantasy elements. I found it not as stylish and frightening as Others (some people obviously did, according to the reviews printed on the back of the DVD box), but it's definitely worth watching.

THE STORY THAT DEFIES ALL BARRIERS!!.......2007-09-07

this movie was almost perfect. there could have been some changes here and there, but overall it was beautifully done. guillermo del toro does some wonderful stuff, and this film is proof. the story was great, the setting was brilliant, and the characters did they're best. it showed and although the language is in spanish you can't help but be intrigued and drawn in to the devils backbone. a story about an orphaned boy who sees this ghost who's bent out on seeking vengance, so the boys of the orphanage must get along to help this ghost boy find what or who he is seeking, all the while a backstabbing handyman turns on them because of his greed. their only protection, the headmistress, and the old professer. although spooky at times, it's filled with drama, and i really enjoyed this. it's hard to come across movies such as these.

Bonus Features.......2007-07-29

The movie is thoroughly engrossing, unpredictable, and worthwhile, as most of the reviews here attest. But the bonus features on this edition are worth the price of admission as well. Like Kevin Smith and a handful of other active directors, Guillermo del Toro makes an admirable effort to add value to his DVD releases with thoughtful extras for fans and film buffs. Excerpts from the director's notebook, storyboards, even the ubiquitous Making Of documentary all add more substance than the usual PR filler material. Of particular interest here is del Toro's commentary, which goes beyond the usual behind-the-scenes anecdotes to delve into the artistic and historical roots of the creative decisions he made in the film. From the history and conventions of the gothic romance to fine art and architectural influences, del Toro is like an unusually entertaining and articulate college professor with near-encyclopedic knowledge. The extras enhance an already excellent film viewing experience.

The Devil's Backbone.......2007-07-25

A shudder-inducing treat that shows artful restraint in the telling. Del Toro evokes the hard price of war in the school's run-down state and the frayed nerves of the adults who run the place, played by veterans Federico Luppi and Marisa Paredes. The ghost of Santi (Junio Valverde) is presented at intervals to jolt us back to a state of fear, but we also know Santi holds a key to the story's bigger mystery. Finally, a huge unexploded bomb is embedded in the center of the school's courtyard, an ingenious visual device that presages explosions yet to come, explosions you won't want to miss.

kiddie movie.......2007-06-26

gave it 5 stars -this is a great movie But for kids between 12-16yrs old.

The Lost Boys (Two-Disc Special Edition)

Average customer rating:

MTV meet Vampires
The Lost Boys
Great DVD and extras!
D & D geek's best friend!
"I Was a Teenage Vampire" for the 80s

The Lost Boys (Two-Disc Special Edition)<