Rio Grande

Amazon.com

The last and least memorable of John Ford's famous cavalry trilogy (following Fort Apache and She Wore a Yellow Ribbon), Rio Grande nonetheless has an interesting continuity about the gentlemanly rules of military conduct. Here the focus is on the family. While creating a heated controversy over his handling of the Apache war, John Wayne must also contend with disgruntled wife Maureen O'Hara and estranged son Claude Jarman Jr., a new recruit trying to earn his father's love and respect. Ford seems to suggest that there are two conflicting codes of honor in every cavalry officer's life, the personal as well as the professional, and that it takes an act of heroism to maintain both. It's fascinating to observe Wayne's progression throughout the trilogy, as his personal stakes intensify. Also, this is the first of five onscreen appearances between the Duke and O'Hara, each filled with a competitive spirit and stormy sexuality. --Bill Desowitz

Customer Reviews:

A solid part of the "Cavalry Trilogy".......2007-09-04

John Ford's so-called cavalry trilogy includes "She Wore a Yellow Ribbon" (absolute classic), "Fort Apache" (a terrific movie in its own right), and "Rio Grande" (sometimes looked at as a lesser movie). However, "Rio Grande" holds up nicely on its own.

The protagonist, York, has the same name as Henry Fonda's subordinate in "Fort Apache," also played by John Wayne.

York's son, after failing at West Point, is assigned to his command. His mother, played by Maureen o'Hara, tries to get him out of the service. Of course, the son refuses.

After that, the movie addresses the issue of Native Americans in the United States crossing the Rio Grande to avoid the American Army. General Phil Sheridan (not too well depicted as an oversized figure--Sheridan himself was a small person in stature) empowered York to cross the River--unofficially. Thus, if any problems came up, York would be the fall guy.

Neat scenes: riding horses as "the ancient Romans," young York getting in a fight, the wonderful rescue of the children in Mexico.

Although some see this as the least of the trilogy, it captures a feel and generates some powerful emotional responses. All in all, a fine movie.

A Quite Musical Western.......2007-05-24

One characteristic of this old black-and-white flick is the singing of old folk songs by the men of the US Cavalry. There is also a display of various cavalry skills. For instance, the mounted men must jump over a 6-foot fence.

Lt. Colonel Yorke (John Wayne) has his son in the cavalry unit, but pledges to treat him equally to everyone else. Yorke's son had failed West Point, and now wants to redeem himself in the US Cavalry. His mother (Maureen O'Hara) comes, and tries to have him removed from the unit. The other soldiers think that the son is privileged, and this leads to a fistfight.

The US Cavalry is fighting against the Apache Indians. Yorke is limited by the fact that he is forbidden to cross into Mexico to pursue the Apaches. The Mexicans have the opposite problem. This becomes obvious when Yorke meets with his Mexican counterpart on an isle in the middle of the Rio Grande.

In time, there is a savage Apache attack, and some children are kidnapped and taken across the border into Mexico. Yorke decides to disobey the directive and to cross the Rio Grande in pursuit of the Apaches and their hostages. Will his unexpected move catch the Apaches by surprise? Will he succeed in freeing the hostages? During the operation, he takes an arrow in the chest. Will he live?

Classic Western Movie with an outstanding actor........2007-03-11

This John Wayne Western movie is great.
I intend to make it a part of my DVD library
including other Western classics.

Rio Grande: The start of a great pairing.......2007-03-08

Rio Grande was conceived as a movie to pay for the making of another film. John Ford wanted to make a little film called "The Quiet Man" but Columbia Studios wanted a quick money maker to pay for the next production. The result was "Rio Grande." A classic in its own right, one that should not be missed. Directed by John Ford and starring Maureen O'Hara and John Wayne together for the first time. The story is what hyou should expect from Ford, good action and get characters. Look for many familar faces in this film, like Victor MacLagen, Chill Wills, Ben Johnson and Harry Carey Jr. This film is part of the fabled cavalry trilogy. It is rousing and exciting. Atrue classic, don't miss it.

The most sentimental of Ford's movies..........2006-11-08

Ford's cavalry trilogy is, in its way, just as much Victor McLaglen's trilogy, for he appears once again in 'Rio Grande', still superbly filling the tough-soft sergeant part, still providing the Ford horse-play comedy element with just a touch of parody, still, one might add, probably fulfilling Ford's own particular vision of revering the heroes who have helped conquer the West...

The McLaglen sergeant seems drawn on the spreading of lines, but in retrospect, one realizes that somehow, paradoxically, he has inspired a remarkable degree of realism into the three motion pictures... (They would be not the same without him.)

'Rio Grande' has a very strong domestic flavor...

John Wayne - a casualty of the Civil War - is a cavalry officer, under strict orders, with great family problems... He's a northerner who, not surprisingly, has left his wife, a southerner, because he obediently did his military duty and burned several southern plantations - including the one owned by his wife's family... Maureen O'Hara - bringing a fitting maturity to her stereotyped assignment in the film - never forgives her husband for burning her plantation, and abruptly takes their son and goes away, effectively ending their marriage...

Fifteen years later, Wayne, promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Cavalry officer, attempts to maintain the truce calm at his southwestern post, which is besieged by marauding renegade Apaches who are continually using the border with Mexico as an escape route after their raids, a lost cause since the U.S. and Mexican governments agreed that their military forces will not cross the Rio Grande under any circumstances...

He hurries to put down an Indian uprising when his past and his wife cross his path again... He is confronted by a new recruit: his West Point dropout son (Claude Jarman Jr.) and, later, the arrival of his frigid wife, desperate to buy her son out of the cavalry...

Everything, domestically and militarily is, of course, resolved successfully and, indeed, predictably, but it is the texture of the film that gives it its enjoyment - the gentle study of the reconciliation of a colonel and his estranged wife; the interplay of a father compelled to send his son on a dangerous mission; the peculiar supporting contributions of the 'beloved brute sergeant,' or the cavalry side-kicks, Ben Johnson and Harry Carey, Jr.

The three films (even considered singly) give a feeling of frontier military life, however colored by a director's highly personal viewpoint, that has hardly been approached, let alone surpassed...

There's a beautiful scene in which Wayne and Maureen are serenaded by soldiers of his troop... We can observe a husband meditating about all that went wrong with his marriage, and watch the inclination and desire that exist in his longing sideways brief look at his wife...

With first rate acting and lushly sentimental score, 'Rio Grande' can never be missed... It is the last of John Ford's cavalry movies and the most sentimental...

Average customer rating:

a hit!
spectacular....
Not as good as "Singin' in the Rain"
Great George Gershwin so so Kelly
s'mahvelous

An American in Paris
Starring: Gene Kelly , Leslie Caron , Oscar Levant , Georges Guétary , and Nina Foch
Director: Vincente Minnelli
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
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ASIN: B00004RF9F
Release Date: 2000-06-06

Amazon.com essential video

A GI (Gene Kelly) stays in Paris after the war to become an artist, and has to choose between the patronage of a rich American woman (Nina Foch) and a French gamine (Leslie Caron) engaged to an older man. The plot is mostly an excuse for director Vincente Minnelli to pool his own extraordinary talent with those of choreographer-dancer-actor Kelly and the artists behind the screenplay, art direction, cinematography, and score, creating a rapturous musical not quite like anything else in cinema. The final section of the film comprises a 17-minute dance sequence that took a month to film and is breathtaking. Songs include "'S Wonderful," "I Got Rhythm," and "Love Is Here to Stay." --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

a hit!.......2007-07-31

as with Anchors Aweigh, great music, stars, choreography and sound, all masterfully restored. great fun.

spectacular...........2007-07-18

I remember watching this, as a little girl, sitting back and watching Gene Kelly and the cast just burst with energy, color and life. There is a reason that this 1951 film was the recipient of so many Academy Awards. It was truly a labor of love for Gene Kelly and director Vincent Minnelli. An American GI (Kelly) goes to live and paint in Paris. Though, first involved with an American benefactoress (Nina Foch), he falls in love with a young Parisian beauty (Leslie Caron) who is engaged to another man.

The music and dancing are wonderful here. For starters, the score includes songs like "I Got Rhythm" and "Love is Here to Stay," and secondly, Gene Kelly leaps, spins and glides as if he is suspended in air. The choreography is fabulous and I can't write this review without at least acknowledging the [now legendary] seventeen minute dance sequence, that is a juxtaposition of the paintings that the American GI creates and a sort of fantastical sixth dimension that we get a glimpse of. You must see this film to truly appreciate its place and significance in American cinema, as well is in the hearts of film buffs and Gene Kelly fans alike.

Not as good as "Singin' in the Rain".......2007-05-25

Okay, I know I'm in the minority and this is supposed to be an amazing classic musical that everyone loves, but it didn't really grab me. Here's my situation: my daughter takes tap-dancing lessons and loves them, so I picked up "Singin' in the Rain" on DVD because I thought she might enjoy it. Well, both of us LOVED that movie! Entertaining, funny story, colorful memorable characters, and absolutely breathtaking tap dance numbers.

Since we loved "Singin' in the Rain," I ordered a ton of other Gene Kelly musicals. The first one we watched was "An American in Paris," and honestly, we were disappointed. The story wasn't nearly as good, the characters weren't as likable. Yeah, there's the big ballet in the end, but I'm not into ballet and I don't like overlong numbers like that (in "Singin' in the Rain," I wasn't into "Broadway Melody" either). There are a couple of tap dance numbers in this that were mildly entertaining (Kelly dancing in a funny way to entertain the French kids was cute), but nothing as exuberant and jaw-droppingly amazing as "Moses Supposes" or Donald O'Connor's "Make 'em Laugh", both of which I could watch endlessly.

So speaking totally as a layman who knows nothing about musicals, I can say that personally, I adored "Singin' in the Rain," but didn't enjoy "An American in Paris" nearly as much. (Next up we're going to check out "On the Town," "Les Girls," "Summer Stock" and "Brigadoon.")

Great George Gershwin so so Kelly.......2007-04-02

Jerry Mulligan (Gene Kelly) ex-GI stays in Paris to practice painting. There he is patronized by a jealous Milo Roberts (Nina Foch). Mean time he is trying to make time with a store clerk that is more than she appears to be (Leslie Caron).

Not one of Kelly's best but passable. However even at his best one has to have a taste for that sort of thing. He is sort of a Danny Kay type. His high-water pants are his signature and really looks out of place. He can not sing worth beans. However he did do a good job in "What a Way to Go."

Even though this film is not a notable movie it was directed by Vincente Minnelli (1903-1986.) He directed some great movies and some that you would never suspect such as "The Long Long Trailer."

s'mahvelous.......2007-01-16

I've been watching this movie since I was a little, and couldn't find it anywhere! Gene Kelly is once again wonderful, and his smile still gets me. Leslie Caron aparently made her debut in this and her delicate, beautiful dancing is a joy to watch. This movie does try to be a little more daring and modern in certain scenes than your average musical, but all in all it's great.

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Soldier Blue after 30 years
Soldier Blue, The Original American Indian Sympathy Movie
walk down memory lane
Soldier Blue
Soldier Blue

Soldier Blue
Starring: Marco Antonio Arzate , Candice Bergen , Dana Elcar , James Hampton , and Mort Mills
Director: Ralph Nelson
Manufacturer: Lions Gate
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000ION22Q
Release Date: 2006-12-12

Description

Honus Gent, a U.S. soldier devoted to his duty, and Cresta, a white woman who had lived with the Cheyenne for two years, are the only two survivors of a slaughter committed by the Cheyennes on a cavalry group. Together they are hoping to stay alive until they reach the cavalry's base camp. As they travel, Honus feels a growing affection for Cresta, but he is disgusted with her anti-American beliefs as she has more sympathy for Indians than for the U.S. government. They arrive at the cavalry outpost on the eve of an attack on a Cheyenne village, where Honus will learn who has been telling him the truth.

Customer Reviews:

Soldier Blue after 30 years.......2007-08-24

When I first saw this movie back in 72/73 it was the next big western to the wild bunch but now I must admit it was quite boring in parts and the violent scenes well were a bit kitsch, I mean the Indians looked like the Hollywood stereotypes all clean and the outfit of Ms Bergen's looked tailor made. The film centered around two shootouts the Indian attack then at the end the white mans massacre a little like the the wild bunch this was centered around two shootouts.I also noticed in the whole time nobody really got that dirty Candice with her hippy attitude very prominent for that time, their teeth capped and very white and shiny so I personally found that the film lost quite a bit over the years. This is not to say that the film hasn't made its mark in movie history it was a turning point when it came to show that the Americans weren't nice guys. As always reviews are a personal thing had you asked me the same question 30 odd years ago the answer would be completely different. So I hope I haven't offended anyone but I have seen better westerns.

Soldier Blue, The Original American Indian Sympathy Movie.......2007-08-14

Before Little Big Man and Dancing with Wolves, there was Soldier Blue. I originally saw this movie over 20 years ago. I have always wanted a copy of it since I started collecting DVDs. It has always been my favorite of this gender. It is more explicit and violent than either of the two other movies I have mentioned. Rumors are that it was blocked from being sold in this country because it shows the U.S. Army commiting violent war crimes. I find that hard to believe because there have been so many other movies released that depict U.S. Army massacres. Anyway, it is finally released. I saw no technical problems with the DVD. I feel it is a must see for those who like this sort of thing.

I must also state that I am not trying to insult or degrade the U.S. Army. Because of the open U.S. system of oversight by other areas of Government, problems that are depicted in this and other films will get corrected more quickly than in almost all other countries. The fact that incidents like this are brought out and discussed is one of the bigest credits to the U.S.

walk down memory lane.......2007-07-30

I had'nt seen that movie since I was 18, now I am 50...wow! It remains as poignant for me as when I first watched it. Candice Beren is probably not the greatest actress ever nor was Peter Strauss,however the message is still string and that we should never forget.

Soldier Blue .......2007-06-27

I got this movie for my mother for her birth day. She like it and I don't know if she watch it. I have and it very good.

Soldier Blue.......2007-05-07

It is the Roy Budd's first film music work. We never listen to its brilliant title song in other media, such as soundtrack cd...It's one of the best Roy Budd fan's collector item.

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Allegheny Uprising
All men were brave!
Wayne at his BEST!
allegheny uprising
We enjoyed this movie, but...

Allegheny Uprising
Starring: Claire Trevor , John Wayne , George Sanders , Brian Donlevy , and Wilfrid Lawson
Director: William A. Seiter
Manufacturer: Turner Home Ent
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000O599LW
Release Date: 2007-05-22

Amazon.com

Allegheny Uprising is an engaging blend of historical fiction, boisterous backwoods comedy, and pretty much nonstop rowdydow that qualifies as one of John Wayne's more offbeat vehicles. Made half a year after his stellar breakout in Stagecoach, the picture re-teams Wayne with Claire Trevor as a frontier tomboy who supplies feisty love interest. A decade and a half before the Revolutionary War, a community in south-central Pennsylvania (apparently Chambersburg) stages a principled rebellion against King George III's forces that's more social protest than full-fledged revolt. Wayne plays a thoughtful fellow named Jim Smith who, with his "men of the Conococheague," demonstrates to the Crown that it's bad faith to lend military protection to unscrupulous traders (cue Brian Donlevy) clandestinely peddling firearms and English-made weaponry to the Indians.

Now, there just aren't that many "Westerns" set in Pennsylvania, so Allegheny Uprising gets points for freshness. It also falls into a limbo between A and B movies, coming in at a trim 80 minutes but boasting larger action set-pieces (shot on location in credibly Pennsylvanian pockets of California) than was customary for RKO, a studio that tended toward in-house miniatures; Nicholas Musuraca, a future Val Lewton and film noir mainstay, proves himself a master of sunlit cinematography as well. Director William A. Seiter (with a string of Shirley Temple movies behind him) never finds a satisfying overall rhythm, and there are odd scraps of unrealized intentions in producer P.J. Wolfson's script (e.g., the sudden murder of a captured Indian raider at knifepoint, whereupon Smith ruefully observes, "We teach 'em everything, don't we?"). The most interesting element of the film is George Sanders' performance as an intransigent Brit officer who causes much of the strife with the Colonials, yet discloses unexpected vulnerability in private moments. --Richard T. Jameson

Customer Reviews:

Allegheny Uprising.......2007-08-23

THis was a ecellant movie of the duke in his prime. I would highly recommend this movie to not jus John Wayne collectors, but anyone who likes the movie of the old frontier.

All men were brave!.......2007-08-03

John Wayne leads a bunch of brave men disposed to avoid by all their means the mockeries and corruption of a crooked, ruthless and tyrannical British officer who deals leaving aside pacts and rules in times of Pre-revolutionary colonies.

Wayne's acting is natural, and riveting but Claire Trevor steals the show as an Iris pretty girl who demonstrates more than once to be in love with his male angel, and makes her own epic battle too in order to conquer him.

Go for this one!

Wayne at his BEST!.......2007-07-08

I have to admit it. John Wayne made a LOT of "generic" westerns.

This hides the fact that he really DID provide some STELLAR performances.
And this is one of them.

ALLEGHENY UPRISING, Stagecoach, The Searchers, Back To Bataan and True Grit are ALL John Wayne at his best.

He got the Oscar for Best Actor in "True Grit" but he deserved it more for his performance in "The Searchers." a movie in which he portrays a man dead-set on EVIL revenge.

Allegheny Uprising presents John as an early colonist (before the American Revolution). It tells a fascinating tale of when we were all proud to call ourselves "British" citizens.

No cheesy shootouts or costumes...but an intricate portrayal of the building of our Nation.

Newly out on DVD...it's well worth a watch!

allegheny uprising.......2007-07-08

I had this title on vhs and was up grading to dvd because this is an excelant movie

We enjoyed this movie, but..........2006-11-03

We enjoyed our copy of Allegheny Uprising that was recently purchased on Amazon. We are history buffs, so picking up a few more facts about about US history pleased us. However, the Claire Trevor character was totally un-necessary! We wondered what movie she was acting in because her part didn't fit in at all. Here were these colonial characters talking and then Trevor starts talking a la 1930s movie style. Great for 1939, but not for the 1700s! Kinda reminds one of the bouffant hairdos on the 1960s tv shows like "The Big Valley"! Anyway, if you want something with a plot and is interesting, buy it. Especially if you want to just relax and not worry about something distasteful popping up on the screen -- it won't. Just phase out the Trevor character!

Average customer rating:

Entertaining action film, sufficient plot and charismatic cast
A dark look at US Army life in Germany in the late 1980's
Fighting on Arrival?
Who says soldiers can't be creative, a dark comedy of a soldier pushing the limits.
Muddled black comedy elevated by excellent cast

Buffalo Soldiers
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix , Ed Harris , Scott Glenn , Anna Paquin , and Elizabeth McGovern
Director: Gregor Jordan
Manufacturer: Miramax Films
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ASIN: B0000E32V0
Release Date: 2004-01-13

Amazon.com

Inviting casual comparison to Catch-22 and M*A*S*H, Buffalo Soldiers is an Army-base comedy about soldiers "with nothing to kill except time." It's 1989: The Berlin Wall is falling, completing the cold war's thaw, and Ray Elwood (Joaquin Phoenix)--a clerk with the 317th Supply Battalion, stationed in West Germany--combats boredom with a variety of black-market schemes, from cooking heroin for the base's corrupt MPs to dealing stolen arms to the highest bidder, in addition to having a shallow affair with the two-timing wife (Elizabeth McGovern) of his outgoing commander (Ed Harris). Elwood's new CO (Scott Glenn) clamps down on his illegal activities while protecting his daughter (Anna Paquin) from Elwood's advances. Fine casting and positive buzz couldn't prevent this movie's ironic fate: Acquired by Miramax one day before the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, Buffalo Soldiers--based on the celebrated novel by Robert O'Connor--was shelved for nearly two years, by which time this dark and defiantly amusing exercise in political incorrectness had been overshadowed by world events. --Jeff Shannon

Description

Joaquin Phoenix (SIGNS, GLADIATOR) leads an all-star cast in a wickedly funny comedy that entertains in the edgy tradition of PULP FICTION. A U.S. soldier with nothing to fight but boredom as the Cold War winds down, Ray Elwood (Phoenix) enjoys the rush of trading anything he can get his hands on in West Germany's booming black market ... while his inept commander (Ed Harris, THE HOURS) is none the wiser. Everything is perfect ... until he starts dating the new sergeant's daughter (Anna Paquin, X-MEN 1 & 2). But before he can pull off one last big score, Elwood's escalating personal war with Sergeant Lee (Scott Glenn, TRAINING DAY) will send him deeper into a deadly mess ... that may not have a way out!

Customer Reviews:

Entertaining action film, sufficient plot and charismatic cast.......2007-06-14

BUFFALO SOLDIERS (2001), is of interest to fans of Joaquin Phoenix,
Ed Harris and Scott Glenn, who comprise the star cast of this picture
taking placing in West Germany, before the Cold War ended, as the
Berlin Wall fell. It also is especially entertaining to those having
served in the military.

The story captures well the self-contained world of the military, in
terms of bases, discipline, the constant reminder of belonging to a
group, and the expectations imposed that must be met in terms of
uniformity, and standards that met by all in innumerable aspects of
conduct. The picture shows a few of these: the mess, drills, marches,
deployment exercises, etc. It also brings up the physical and
mental stress of being in a chain of command, where there is no
outsider, per se, who can come to a soldier's rescue, if there is
misconduct, abuse of authority, physical violence, even to one's life
in extreme and rare cases of bullying.

An intriguing suggestion made by the movie, is that the volunteer
nature of enrollment (vs. conscription) has resulted in a lack of
recruited manpower, leading the Army to force convicts to serve, such
that many of these bring their prior shady activities to their new
place of employment. We see drug users and drug labs built on an Army
base, narco-trafficking, as well as black market reselling of Army
commodities. The picture shows the numerous tentacles of those
operations, as perhaps 30 or more are on the take, to look the other
way, or participate actively.

The entertainment goal is met, such as from a few moments of juvenile
humor (a tank runs over a car, gas station), or the mini-romance
with Phoenix and a teenage girl, played by Anna Paquin, but mostly
from thrill and action aspects, culminating in a climax of
explosions, and a fire fight and man-to-man combat.

Some interesting lessons are learned by Phoenix, as he tries to pull
out of his deal, being told by the international arms dealer that he
can't do that, under penalty of losing his life, as up until then he
was small-time, dealing only with commodities, not rifles or grenade
launchers.

The story also underlines how some individuals in the chain of
command (in civilian life, supervisors, bosses, but here, officers,
sergeants) due to lack of oversight can create their own rules, and
get away with it, preparing an ordeal for their rivals in the
organization, such that they are themselves the judge, jury and
executioner, later leaving appearances of either a suicide event or
of an accident of their coworkers.

Overall, this work is entertaining because it intentionally doesn't
take itself too seriously, has a charismatic cast, the required
ingredients for an action film, and a sufficient plot to keep people
interested for 90 mins.

A dark look at US Army life in Germany in the late 1980's.......2007-04-19

Buffalo Soldiers is the story of US Army supply clerk Ray Elwood, played by the handsome and mysterious Joaquin Phoenix. Elwood is one of those go-to-guys who can score anything you need in exchange for the right favor. He has his hands all over the supply chain, drives a sweet German sports car, and knows who to cook up a batch of heroin in spare warehouses. He's a stoic who is well-respected by his peers. He helps his goofball desk jockey boss (played by Ed Harris) keep the base in West Germany in line.

Elwood's life is thrown into personal and romantic turmoil with the arrival of Sgt. Lee (played by Scott Glenn) and his beautiful daughter (Anna Paquin). Sgt. Lee has a personal goal of cleaning house and exposing Elwood's dabblings in the black market. Elwood, of course, decides to antagonize Lee by dating his daughter, and then he falls hard for the young lady. The movie is a dark game of cat and mouse between Lee and Elwood, with the base commander bumbling around in the background in truly comedic fashion. With a few healthy plot twists and elements of both satire and horror, Buffalo Soldiers is a movie to catch on DVD for anyone who likes dark drama/comedy in which the viewer ends up rooting for a handsome "bad guy." Fans of this movie should check out Wonderland and Lord of War.

Fighting on Arrival?.......2007-02-26

Joaquin, dear heart, what were you thinking?

This is another film that had a great cast with no synergy whatsoever. I can't imagine what the original script must have been like to get these talents to sign off on this film, or what must have happened in the process of shooting it that rendered such an awful product.

Who says soldiers can't be creative, a dark comedy of a soldier pushing the limits........2007-02-15

This was an interesting film I discovered by chance, overlooking it on the rental shelf, and hearing about it last year through a friend. Finally I rented it, and now own a copy of it. Joaquin Phoenix plays private elwood, a young man that chose the army instead of jail. Most of the movie takes place in 1989 germany, just before the berlin wall fell. Elwood has managed to make it through training and is now stationed in one of the supply divisions. He manages to become in charge of ordering for his company, and ordering he does. Though paperwork and orderforms, he manages to become a big suppler of goods (cleaners, equipment etc) to many germans as well as the rest of europe, making a few pennies as well. Eventually, he decides to put some other skills he has to use becoming a supplyer of refined heroin, attempting to make one last big profit. Along the way, love is thrown into the mix, and amazingly he falls in love with the worst available option, his commanding officer's daughter, played by ed harris. this doesn't make the boss happy. Well, the movie goes from their, and lets just say elwood's life gets complicated, just a bit. The ending is great. Must watch. you'll be suprised.

Muddled black comedy elevated by excellent cast.......2006-12-16

"Buffalo Soldiers" is essentially a version of Bill Murray's "Stripes," but only told by a guy who is really, really angry. It's still funny - even inspired, at times - but it's a humor fueled by rage. And that rage causes the story to make a couple of missteps.

Set in 1989 (note the perfect use of then-President Bush's plastic grin in several portraits) on an Army base in West Germany, "Buffalo Soldiers" informs the viewer that the majority of our fighting soldiers are simply there in order to escape a jail sentence. As a result, thieves and drug dealers rule the roost - the top MP is a villainous heroin dealer. The only virtuous soldier is the commanding officer, Colonel Berman (Ed Harris), who is a nice, incompetent buffoon more suited to running a vineyard than a regiment. (This is a wonderful supporting performance by Harris, by the way.)

Almost every Army movie has a "scrounger," the guy who can get things done in the cracks of the system and usually with a lot of charm. In "Buffalo Soldiers," that is Private Ray Elwood (Joaquin Phoenix), the company clerk. We see early on how smooth Elwood is as he simultaneously covers up a drug dealing enterprise while protecting the honor of a soldier who was killed playing tackle football indoors while stoned on about ten different substances - including the Pill. Elwood is a small-time heroin dealer who sells black market Mop & Glo and drives a Mercedes. He is one of the princes of the criminal Army.

His little realm gets invaded by "Topper," Sergeant Robert Lee (Scott Glenn, easily the most sinister Sergeant ever). Lee sizes up Elwood in an instant and brings him down about fifteen pegs - look for an inspired scene involving Lee's bullying of Elwood via "target practice." Lee is unbribable, connected to the general, but also dangerous in that Scott Glenn way.

Elwood also has his little world come apart due to a stoned tank crew on maneuvers. Intoxication leads to two dead American trucks drivers and two trucks full of unclaimed assault rifles. Elwood stumbles across the guns and instantly sees an angle. But he is forced by his connection to take raw narcotics rather than cash as compensation. Elwood, who makes his money by cooking the drugs into a distributable product, is soon playing a game that he does not control, and the bodies begin to mount up.

This is not one of those movies that gently mocks the Army while honoring it. There is nothing gentle or honorable in "Buffalo Soldiers." It is funny. It is dark. And it pulls no punches. While not a great satire in the class of "Thank You for Smoking," it is a worthy satire sure to appeal to the wicked sense of humor in all of us.

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The Buffalo Soldiers Danny Glover
Historical but Corny
A Hollywierd production on Buffalo Soldiers
Rating Warning
Ignored chapter of American History...

Buffalo Soldiers
Starring: Danny Glover , Lamont Bentley , Tom Bower , Timothy Busfield , and Gabriel Casseus
Director: Charles Haid
Manufacturer: Turner Home Ent
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000BNTM9G
Release Date: 2006-01-10

Description

This Turner Network Televison movie tells the true story of the black calvary corps known as the 'Buffalo Soldiers.' These troops patrolled America's wild west after the civil war. In addition to keeping the peace, they fought the racism of their commanders and other white corps soldiers.

Customer Reviews:

The Buffalo Soldiers Danny Glover.......2007-01-03

This is a superb film, giving the viewer a great story of a little known period of American history. The battle/skirmish scenes with the Apache were well done and very realistic. I did not let the automobile approaching in the distance in one of the scenes at Fort Craig put me off either.Glad I bought this DVD.

Historical but Corny.......2006-09-04

I like the movie for it's accuracy in uniforms, equipment, and weaponry. I like the scenery in the movie although it is filmed in Arizona and not New Mexico. FT Craig was in an area geographically different from Arizona. I've been there. Also, Rattlesnake Springs that was mentioned in the movie is actually in Texas.

I thought the movie should have been rated PG-13 because of the harsh racial language. I have read that there was a lot of racism by some of the officers who were not convinced that the black soldiers were capable. Many did think that their careers would be tarnished. I think the movie did offer both sides to that argument, showing that there were good officers who were willing to lead.

The end of the movie was really corny. I can't picture Victorio walking up and shaking hands with a soldier who has been chasing him and his starving band of Apaches for miles.

Overall, an entertaining movie with some inaccuracies. For more information on the Buffalo Soldiers, visit http://www.9thcavalry.com

A Hollywierd production on Buffalo Soldiers.......2006-05-29

This movie is very sad. Seminole Negro Indian Scouts only served in Texas, not New Mexico. There are no officers present but Colonel Grierson, only the sergeant major. Grierson is presented as a wimp when he was in reality a hero of both the Civil War and western frontier. No american soldiers would have been able to sneak up on the Apache. No black soldiers ever had to dismount to pass through a western town, this is purely Hollywood. The song that is sung by the black troopers as they are carrying one of there deceased to the cemetary was written in the 1930s. This is one sad movie.

Rating Warning.......2006-02-19

This is more about the rating perhaps than the move...However, I think that it is important to know that this is not,in my opinion a rated 'G' movie! Within the first few minutes, they used prejudicial language and swore-causing me to quickly turn it off in discomfort and disgust. When I think of a rated G movie, I think of something like Lion King, Parent Trap, or other family-type movies that EVERYONE no matter what their age can watch without offense.This movie is not one of those. I purchased this movie believing that I could share with/educate my kids on the historical significance and heroism of the Buffalo Soldiers and instead had to turn it off after 15 minutes due to its inappropriateness for anyone under 15. They were exposed to too much historic accuracy and prejudiced for my taste. We discussed why the movie creators may have added these words and situations (to be historically accurate and show the adversity the Buffalo Soldiers faced), but still felt the story could be told accurately without the use of such a strong and distructive prejudical term. I believe the rating should be changed. While this may be a worthwhile movie to show the plight of the African American in history, I found it to use too realistically harsh language and situations for its G rating. I relied on the previous reviews and the rating in making my decision to purchase and view this movie with my kids. Believe me, I will not make that mistake again.

Ignored chapter of American History..........2002-05-06

This commendable film addresses a shamefully ignored chapter of U.S. history. Freed slaves were enlisted in the military to patrol Western territories. Many served with distinction, as the narrative here takes pains to point out. Thankfully, the film is not unduly preachy, and it is very well acted. But it remains a bit sketchy and is dramatically a bit on the limp side. Well worth watching, but it could have been better developed and edited.

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"He possess great skill !!!"
A Good Example of 80s Action Movies!
"The Black Star Ninja has betrayed the code. "
Good for Martial Arts
Dudikoff, baby!

American Ninja
Starring: Michael Dudikoff , Steve James , Judie Aronson , Guich Koock , and John Fujioka
Director: Sam Firstenberg
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00005N89J
Release Date: 2001-10-02

Description

Get ready for breathtaking action and electrifying martial arts magic as a young American becomes one of the greatest masters of Ninjitsu, the deadliest art of the Orient. American Ninja is entertainment as swift and sure as the flashing blade of a samurai's sword! Stationed in the Philippines, 18-year-old U.S. Army private Joe Armstrong (Michael Dudikoff) is escorting a supply convoy when it is ambushed by rebelsone of whom he recognizes as a Black Ninja warrior. Instinctively, Joe defends himself using the esoteric martial art of Ninjitsuan ability that puts him under suspicion by his commander and fellow soldiers. Alone in his fight against corruption, the boy finally discovers the secret of his mysterious pasta secret that pits him against the evil Black Star Ninja in the ultimate martial arts battle.

Customer Reviews:

"He possess great skill !!!".......2005-12-23

"American Ninja" is one of my favourite 80's actioners produced by the unforgettable Golan-Globus team of "Delta Force" fame.
Though the body count is not massive, there are definitely some stirring scenes, in particular the truck hijack by the black-star ninja and the final confrontation with throwing stars, lasers, mini-bullet firing gloves etc. etc.
Dudikoff is a decent actor, mute most of the time, while the colonel's daughter is just fun.
The reunion with his childhood ninja mentor is high level (unintentional) comedy, "Ninjaish" dialogue galore.
Overall, a solid action film that should be frequently watched and appreciated.

A Good Example of 80s Action Movies!.......2005-06-04

some maybe find this movie an old fashioned, but I'm an 80s action movies fan. I Suck Rambo trilogy, Watched "Big trouble in little china" more than 20 times and still watching the Predator occationally. This is not an old fashioned but a classic 80s action! and a good one, most of us have our best memories from that decade, and these movies help us to remember our childhood and our interests. In 80s, We used to watch G.I.JOE which should probably rated as "R" by these days standards. War and fight was the most important part of our lives in 80s. I bought this movie and many 80s actions and I'll buy any new releases of that good time actions!

"The Black Star Ninja has betrayed the code. ".......2005-02-24

I watched this film earlier today and you know what? For being 20 years old this movie holds up remarkably well. Much better than the previous year's NINJA III: THE DOMINATION, which was instantly dated thanks to the FLASHDANCE influence.

New recruit Michael Dudikoff unwillingly gets mixed up in some illegal arms transaction between crooked Army brass and a group of ninjas. He also accidentally arouses the lustful attention of the Colonel's hot tan daughter! But before he can make sweet love he's got to stop the evil ninja clan!

Some reviewers mention this as a "guilty pleasure" I disagree. With great fight scenes, icky sound effects every time somebody gets stabbed, a fun story and a energetic performance by Steve James there's no way you can classify this as a guilty pleasure. It's too good for that.

Judie Aronson who plays Dudikoff's hot girlfriend gets naked a few times in FRIDAY THE 13TH: THE FINAL CHAPTER.

D: Sam Fastener (NINJA III: THE DOMINATION, REVENGE OF THE NINJA)

Joe Armstrong - Michael Davidoff (BACHELOR PARTY, TRON)
Curtis Jackson - Steve James (I'M GONNA GIT YOU SUCKA, WEIRD SCIENCE)
Patricia Hickock - Judie Aronson (FRIDAY THE 13TH: THE FINAL CHAPTER, WEIRD SCIENCE)

Good for Martial Arts.......2004-09-17

Good martial arts movie. Better than today's versions that are all special effects. Decent storyline but the action was great

Dudikoff, baby!.......2004-02-06

Our buddies at Cannon figured they should strike while the iron was hot and get a little more out of their successful ninja franchise. Having found success with already established action stars, they tried to make their own in the form of MICHAEL DUDIKOFF-THE AMERICAN NINJAAAAAA! Well, Dudikoff never achieved superstardom, but he'll always be recognized as "Joe". His screen presence isn't bad at all. He's got a boyish look and a rather soft spoken demeanor different from most action tough guys. He plays a soldier who, like Rodney, gets no respect. When he finally beats Steve James(a cool sidekick I might add) in a fight, he becomes rather popular. He takes on an army of evil ninjas that threaten the fate of the world! Ther lead ninja is a mean brute who kills his fellow ninjas during routine practices. This movie's fun.....very fun. Sure it's lame as all hell, but someone must have liked it coz it spawned four sequels.

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Knowledge of history....
Not very realistic.
The best of Milius
A sporadically glorious mess - in a slightly different cut to the European version
This should be a classic war-film!

Farewell to the King
Starring: Nigel Havers , Frank McRae , Gerry Lopez , Nick Nolte , and Marilyn Tokuda
Director: John Milius
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B000F1IQIW
Release Date: 2006-06-06

Description

During the Second World War, an American soldier escapes his Japanese captors and flees into the jungles of Borneo, where he is found and taken in by Dayak headhunters. Two years later, British commandos arrive and are amazed to discover that the American has become king of the tribe. Initially reluctant to help the commandos, the king wages an all-out war on the Japanese after the invaders destroy his village.

Customer Reviews:

Knowledge of history...........2007-05-25

Here a 'deserter' finds a way of life more meaningful than that offered by 'civilization'. He is acutely aware of protocol, cruelty, the fragility of family and the inevitable extinction of value in the pursuit of pacification. It's not the greatest anti-war movie made, but it touches upon all the forgotten values of the people that we extinguish in our drive for peace and domination.

Not very realistic........2007-02-01

An American setting himself up as king in the middle of Borneo during WWII? That's a bit of a stretch. Although there was actually a white rajah of Sarawak (Borneo) at the time, who was living in exile, it is really difficult to imagine a GI fleeing the Philippines to wind up in a native paradise. But that's Hollywood...

Overall, unrealistic with good scenery, and a seemingly good ending because the bad guys lose and the good guys win.

The best of Milius.......2006-09-22

Beyond the hyperbole of other reviews (best WWII film?), there is much good to say about this messy but wonderful movie.

Messy? While I love Milius' movies, one must admit they often seem to lack the production quality and polish of typical hollywood fare (the opening rowboat scene and escape while dramatic were poorly dubbed and the cinmatography seems like it could have offered more). This should be excused by the epic storytelling. Milius' movies are like garage band music that compensate in spirit what it lacks in polish.

One might say this is an original story but Milius shows us it's derivitaive nature when one scene describes the narrator's adventures as akin to Conrad or Kipling. Certainly this story is cut from the same cloth as The Man Whould Would be King and Lord Jim. But somehow that still seems to qualify as original in the current Hollywood.

If you are a lover of the aforementioned writers or Milius himself, or you are looking for adventure tales told well, get the DVD. I think it ranks with Big Wednesday as Milius's best movie.

A sporadically glorious mess - in a slightly different cut to the European version.......2006-09-15

Farewell to the King should have been John Milius' masterpiece. Harking back to Joseph Conrad and the days of high adventure so beloved of the writer-director, this WW2 tale of a deserter who becomes a king in Borneo only to lose everything fighting the Japanese and betrayed by the Allies, it seemed made to measure for his brand of bravado and myth making. Even had Milius not ill-advisedly taken Spielberg's advice to trim half an hour from his original cut and the film not been released in two slightly different cuts on either side of the Atlantic, Farewell would almost certainly still have been an awkward and under-achieving film so problematic are many aspects: yet for all its many faults, there's enough there that IS unique to keep on drawing me back time and again. Part old-fashioned adventure, part folie de grandeur, all box-office disaster, it's a mess, but it's an intriguing one that's hard to dislike despite its many flaws, and Basil Poledouris' remarkable score is a thing of wonder.

The performances are variable: Nigel Havers is fine as the narrator who knows that one day he'll have to betray the King, but in a part that really calls for a Steve McQueen or a Russell Crowe, Nick Nolte has a few too many eccentric moments and isn't always able to make Milius' dialog sound as good as it reads (a common problem in many of his scripts). Frank McRae, Marius Weyers and Milius' old surfing buddy Gerry Lopez offer good support, but there's a truly terrible but mercifully brief performance from the future Mrs Milius, Elan Oberon. The film feels somewhat cramped at times due to Milius' decision not to shoot in Scope (he dislikes 2.35:1 despite doing his most visually impressive work in the ratio), although cinematographer Dean Semler pulls off an impressive sequence where a night time ambush goes horribly wrong due to a sudden shift in the weather.

It would have been interesting to see what author Pierre Schoendoerffer would have made of it had he been able to direct it himself. Like Milius an unashamed admirer of Joseph Conrad (the story is basically a WW2 reworking of Lord Jim), the French writer-director's own films, particularly the haunting Le Crabe Tambour, hint at a more melancholy, less gung-ho attack on the material. But Milius' film has enough going for it to make it worth a look.

The US cut recently released on Region 1 DVD by MGM/UA is different in quite a few ways to the European version. For a start, it's shorter, although it has some additional footage: the battle montage as the Japanese retreat is much longer (the entire battle at the river is cut from the European versions), while there's a scene of James Fox reminiscing about a girl he knew in India that is missing from the European cut, as well as a few additional lines of dialogue in some scenes. However, there is a huge and fairly important scene cut from near the end of the picture, where Fairbourne (Havers) visits the Japanese general as he has his last meal before his execution: it's not an entirely successful scene, but the film works better with it than without. There's also a big structural difference, with the US cut showing Learoyd deserting and watching his companions being executed as a pretitle sequence - this footage is in the European cut, but much more comfortably included much later when Learoyd is telling the story of how he became king. Also, the opening quote has been dropped and replaced with title cards specifying the date and location, while the closing narration is longer. On the whole, aside from the missing battle montage footage, the European version plays better.

It was too much to hope for deleted scenes or even Milius' original two-and-a-half hour cut of the film on the R1 disc, but MGM/UA could have at least included the trailer - but unfortunately the disc is completely extras free. The widescreen transfer is good, but the contrast could be better in some jungle scenes. The R2 PAL discs are fullframe without any extras, but do have the European cut of the film.

This should be a classic war-film!.......2006-09-01

This is one of those rare movies one can watch a number of times, and its always a spectacle! An American soldier, utilizing common-sense, flees the Philipines after its conquest by the Japanese forces in the early years of World War 2. In doing so, he avoids a miserable death in a concentration camp, as so many other allied POWs experienced. Instead, he finds himself amongst the indigenous people of Borneo, a culture of warriors and hunters, living as they did for thousands of years in the forests and mountains. They are a people whose hearts and minds yearn for an age of heroic deeds to equal that of their legendary ancestors. They live by the sword, spear, and axe, courage and valor in battle is the highest ideal. The soldier becomes a leader among them, uniting the clans, and lives in peace as the war rages abroad. However, near war's end, he and his new people collaborate with a special-operations team of allied SOE/OSS personnel, who train them to fight a guerrilla war against the remnants of Japanese forces on the island. As a result, the people are subjected to unspeakable atrocities and war-crimes...but the Japanese soldiers soon find they have subjugated a people who will take terrible revenge!

American Experience: The Battle of the Bulge

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A story of courage, suffering and triumph

American Experience: The Battle of the Bulge
Starring: David McCullough
Manufacturer: WGBH Boston
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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