The Sound of Music (Two-Disc 40th Anniversary Special Edition)

Product Description

Shot in Salzburg against the majestic Bavarian Alps, THE SOUND OF MUSIC is considered one of the greatest screen musicals ever made. Winner of five Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director (Robert Wise), the film, based on a real family and their true events, tells the story of a young postulate, Maria (Julie Andrews), who, after proving too high-spirited for the Mother Abess and other nuns, is sent off to work as a governess to seven unruly children. The Von Trapp family is run, in military style, by the seemingly cold-hearted Captain Von Trapp (Christopher Plummer), a lonely widowed naval officer. Seeing how badly he and his children need companionship, he proposes to the Baroness Schraeder (Eleanor Parker), a calculating, mutual friend of beloved family friend Max Detweiler (Richard Haydn). It is the baroness who soon realizes that it's Maria--with her warmth and love for the children--the captain really loves. It is nearly bliss for the newly formed family who loves to sing together--except for the cloud looming over their beloved Austrian horizon: Hitler is ascending to power, forcing Von Trapp to decide whether to join the Nazi party--which he loathes--or force his family to leave their home forever. One of the most memorable scores ever written (by Rodgers and Hammerstein) and breathtaking performances by Andrews, Plummer, and the seven children mark this classic as one of the world's most favorite films.

System Requirements:

Running Time 174 Min

Format: DVD MOVIE

Amazon.com essential video

When Julie Andrews sang "The hills are alive with the sound of music" from an Austrian mountaintop in 1965, the most beloved movie musical was born. To be sure, the adaptation of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II's Broadway hit has never been as universally acclaimed as, say, Singin' in the Rain. Critics argue that the songs are saccharine (even the songwriters regretted the line "To sing through the night like a lark who is learning to pray") and that the characters and plot lack the complexity that could make them more interesting. It's not hard to know whom to root for when your choice is between cute kids and Nazis.

Read our interview with
Charmian Carr, who played
Liesl von Trapp in The
Sound of Music.

It doesn't matter. Audiences fell in love with the struggling novice Maria (Andrews), the dashing Captain von Trapp (Christopher Plummer), and, yes, the cute kids, all based on a real-life World War II Austrian family. Such songs as "My Favorite Things," "Do Re Mi," "Climb Every Mountain," and the title tune became part of the 20th century Zeitgeist. In addition, The Sound of Music officially became a cult hit when audiences in London began giving it the Rocky Horror Picture Show treatment, attending showings dressed as their favorite characters and delivering choreographed comments and gestures along with the movie. So why resist, especially when the 40th Anniversary Edition is the best DVD yet.

The DVDs
As if the direct involvement of Julie Andrews weren't enough, the 40th Anniversary Edition of The Sound of Music is a must-have for fans because of the fond sense of nostalgia that will touch all but the worst cynic's heart. Andrews introduces both discs and contributes a commentary track on the film. It's a joy to hear her speak about the film (for example, she explains how she solved her dislike for the lyrics of "I Have Confidence"), and also heard are remarks by Christopher Plummer (who at one point refers to his being 48, which if true would mean his comments were made in about 1975), Charmian Carr (Liesl), choreographer Dee Dee Wood, and Johannes Von Trapp (the real-life Maria Von Trapp's youngest son, who admits that his father did have a whistle but claims that he was not as stern as portrayed in the film). Even with all those people involved, there are still significant gaps of silence, however. Retained from the previous two-disc editions is the commentary track by director Robert Wise, which during the musical numbers becomes an isolated score with no vocals. Also new are sing-along subtitles in English, Spanish, and French, which allow you to have your own sing-along at home. In addition, the film's remastering shows off a truer and much warmer sense of color.

On the second disc, Andrews participates in a new 63-minute documentary "My Favorite Things: Julie Andrews Remembers." But it's really a general making-of documentary with contributions from a number of principals, including director Robert Wise, who died in mid-2005 (not surprisingly, some stories are repeated from the commentary track and from the 87-minute documentary on the previous DVD). Andrews also shares a warm 19-minute sit-down with Christopher Plummer. Carr, who over the years has become the film's biggest advocate, narrates a new 22-minute documentary, "On Location with The Sound of Music," in which she revisits the places in Salzburg where the movie was filmed, and even joins one of the "Sound of Music tours" that have become a booming industry. And acknowledging another big industry, there's a 12-minute featurette on the sing-along phenomenon, focusing specifically on the audience, costumed and otherwise, that attended a sold-out Hollywood Bowl sing-along in 2005. Making special appearances at the event are four von Trapp great-grandchildren and all seven of the actors who played the children. Thankfully, those actors also appear in a 33-minute documentary "From Liesl to Gretl: A 40th Anniversary Reunion," in which they explain what they do now (many are still in show business) and share stories about the film, who was afraid of Christopher Plummer, and what they feel is their responsibility to the film's passionate fans. What's touching is how the group still considers themselves a family so many years later. Other material includes an A&E documentary on the von Trapps, Mia Farrow's screen test for the Liesl role, and a restoration comparison.

What's Missing?
If you already own the previous two-disc editions, you'll want this 40th Anniversary Edition as well, but you might not want to toss those versions. Probably the most significant omission from this edition is the original 14-minute documentary Charmian Carr made in 1967, "Salzburg Sight and Sound." Carr's new documentary includes only a couple clips from the vintage piece. It's not a great work of art, but it's a notable loss and would have made a good contrast with the new documentary. In addition, the new making-of documentary is about 24 minutes shorter than the old one. Also missing are the audio-only features--the interviews, the radio programs, the Ernest Lehman spotlight--and the historical still gallery examining the history of Salzburg and the film. Granted, this material probably got the least play of any of the old features, but completists might want to hold onto their old discs for it. It would have also been nice to have screen tests other than Farrow's. Tests for all the children and for Christopher Plummer (including singing in his own voice before he was dubbed for the film) were included on Hollywood Screen Tests and Rodgers and Hammerstein: The Sound of Movies. Again, they're not critical but it would have been nice to have them all in one place. So maybe the 40th Anniversary Edition isn't the complete package on The Sound of Music, but it's the most satisfying edition yet, with enough new material to please even the veteran SoM DVD watcher. --David Horiuchi

Customer Reviews:

The cheesiest, corniest yet funny and romantic movie of all time.......2007-09-10

I just bought this version and haven't had time to play all of the special features, but there seems to be a lot of commentaries and less behind the scene videos. I would love to see the deleted scenes or video of the actors while filming this movie, but I think it's too much to ask since this movie was made in the mid 60's. They did a great job in restoring it though. The quality of the picture is very good, almost as if it was recently made, which led me to discovery of why all actresses back then looked so beautiful and their faces looked perfectly smooth and wrinkle-free... LOL.

However, I think this is by far the cheesiest, corniest yet funny and romantic movie I have ever seen.
The funniest scenes are when the Captain blew his whistle to summon his children and when Maria blew her whistle to ask for Captain's own signal. The look on his face was priceless.
The most romantic scene is the Laendler scene, where their relationship started to bloom.
The cheesiest and corniest scene is the gazebo scene between Maria and the Captain. Somehow, I don't see any chemistry between them. Maybe it's the way the Captain touched Maria or his exaggerated voice when asking for Maria's relative to ask permission, I'm not sure. To me the Laendler scene is more convincing in showing their blooming romance.
The most unforgettable songs are Edelweiss and Do re mi (even my 2yo loves these songs and can sing to them).

Overall, I love this movie, especially the handsome Captain, played effectively by Chris Plummer. I think he should be nominated for Academy Award instead of Peggy Wood who played Reverend Mother... But this is different story.

I feel kind of sorry for the Baroness, since she's not a real villain, but someone who traveled all the way to Salzburg to get acquainted with her beau's children only to be intercepted by their governess/charmer. However I don't disapprove of Maria and Georg's romance, since that's the plot... LOL. Eleanor Parker was convincing in her role as Baroness.

Julie Andrews was also effective in playing a cheerful, innocent and outspoken governess with a gifted voice. It was a little bit disappointing when after the wedding, she suddenly played a role of a doting but reserved and obedient wife.

As for the dubbing issue and the apathy from Chris Plummer... I don't really care. They shouldn't have dubbed his singing since it was fine... Although it was a bit shaky, it sounded sincere and more realistic coming from someone who hadn't sung in years. Perhaps, this (and the fact that he was somewhat limited to similar roles as Captain von Trapp after this movie) is why he dislikes this movie so much up to this day.

Magnificent!.......2007-09-09

I saw this movie as a child, at the cinema.
Now I returned to it and got even more pleasure.
Fantastic performance, marvelous music, beautiful locations.
Gourmet's choice!

For use in Czech Republic.......2007-09-04

This was purchased for a gift to someone in Prague and we find out that their system will not permit them to play the DVD. Is there an other way to get this to play European style?

"Fa, a long, long way to run..." (if you're from Boston).......2007-09-03

THE SOUND OF MUSIC is incredibly entertaining and incredibly effective despite the fact that it is incredibly hokey. THE SOUND OF MUSIC may actually be the source of all known hokeyness in the universe. Still, despite it all, this film leaves nuclear waste long-haul truckers and oil-rig wildcatters singing, "How do you solve a problem like Maria?" with a smile on their grizzled faces.

There's a lovely innocence to this film that touches everyone who sees it. Julie Andrews as Maria essentially reprises her MARY POPPINS role as the magical governess who brings happiness to a houseful of lonely children being raised by an overly stern but loving father.

THE SOUND OF MUSIC is more or less the true story of the singing von Trapp family who fled anschluss Austria to escape the overwhelming shadow of Nazism. Christopher Plummer plays Naval Captain Georg von Trapp, a rather benevolent despot of a parent who is mismanaging his children with brisk military efficiency when Maria appears. The new Nanny is a reluctant Novice at the local convent, sent out into the world by the Reverend Mother to measure her devotion to the cloister. She soon falls in love with the children and they with her. As Maria and the children bond, the Captain and Maria are drawn to one another. They eventually marry, and as the Germans occupy their country, they flee over the mountains to Switzerland.

Most of the musical numbers in THE SOUND OF MUSIC have become true standards, including, "The Sound of Music," "Sixteen on Seventeen," "Do-Re-Mi" (AKA "Doe a Deer"), "A Few of My Favorite Things," and "Edelweiss" (which is NOT the national anthem of Austria). Rodgers and Hammerstein contributed their best and last to the libretto. Musically, the 1965 movie varies somewhat from the 1959 stage play, but this only means there are more classics to be had in enjoying them both.

Certain scenes have become classics in and of themselves: The opening scene of Julie Andrews flinging her arms and pirouetting joyfully on the slopes of the Unterberg is instantly recognizable. The chorus of smiling nuns is equally recognizable. The gazebo scene and gentle dance between the eldest daughter, Liesl and her boyfriend Rolf, still leaves the viewer with wet eyes. Plummer and Andrews' wistful last scene on stage in Salzbug is moving.

Affection for this staid but singular film has led to it being often parodied (i.e., "The Sound of Murder") and picked on (viz., "The Sound of Mucous"), and it is awfully easy to goof on the dialogue and songs, but nevertheless, we keep coming back to it.

When released, THE SOUND OF MUSIC became the top-grossing film of all time, and, inflation adjusted, it still stands in the top ten. The continuing popularity of this film is amazing, especially considering that four decades later the movie musical is all but dead. There are no dramatic special effects, no car chases, no explosions, no T & A, and not a foul word in this film. No doubt, this combination of elements accounts for its success. The political yahoos who grow fat on trumpeting "Family Values" could do more good by encouraging people to watch this film than by all the other anti-whatever they hypocritically babble about. Of course, that assumes they really believe what they're saying in the first place.

THE SOUND OF MUSIC is true G-Rated quality family entertainment, an artifact of a gentler age.

The greatest movie ever made.......2007-08-31

Every moment in "The Sound Of Music" is magical, the music is incredible, it touches your heart and soul.This is my all-time favorite movie.

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The Final Installment Of "Prime Suspect" Is A Great Tribute To One Of TV's Best Characters And The Incomparable Helen Mirren
Jane Tennison's Last Hurrah
Just fantastic

Prime Suspect 7 - The Final Act
Starring: Helen Mirren , Stephen Tompkinson , Laura Greenwood , Eve Best , and Gary Lewis (III)
Director: Philip Martin (IV)
Manufacturer: Acorn Media
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B000R349HU
Release Date: 2007-09-11

Amazon.com

Detective Superintendent Jane Tennison (Helen Mirren) has dedicated her life to pursuing criminals and, as she nears retirement, the stresses of the job and of proving herself in the man's world of law enforcement have taken their toll: she has virtually no life of her own as well as a serious alcohol problem. Ever dedicated to her job, Tennison is determined to solve one final case, that of a 14-year old girl Sallie Sturdy (Maxine Barton) who's gone missing, before she retires. Even as Detective Superintendent Tennison's father takes seriously ill and alcohol-induced blackouts hinder her investigative capabilities, Tennison remains resolute in her determination to solve the case. As the investigation progresses, Tennison develops an unusually close relationship with the missing girl's young friend Penny Phillips (Laura Greenwood), seeing much of her younger self in the headstrong girl, and struggles to maintain her focus and use her crime-solving instincts and sharp eye for detail to bring Sallie's killer to justice. In the end, Tennison must also find a way to come to terms with her own alcoholism and impending retirement.

Prime Suspect was a groundbreaking British television series because of its portrayal of a powerful woman who dared to aspire to a leadership role in the man's world of police detective work. In the 15 years the series ran (1991-2006), every season tackled politically volatile subject matter, from sexism to racism and homophobia, while maintaining an intense attention to detail and a steadfast commitment to the accurate portrayal of law enforcement's investigative process. It was, one could argue, the precursor to modern crime series like CSI and Law and Order. Fittingly, these final episodes in the Prime Suspect series deal head-on with the controversy of inappropriate relationships between minors and adults. Oscar-winner Helen Mirren gives an incredibly strong performance and is backed by the considerable talents of Laura Greenwood, Stephen Tompkinson (as Sean Phillips), and the rest of the cast. Bonus features include a 45-minute behind the scenes featurette about the entire series, photo gallery, and cast filmographies. --Tami Horiuchi

Beyond Prime Suspect 7: The Final Act

Essentials by Actress: Helen Mirren
British Mystery Theater
The Prime Suspect series

Stills from Prime Suspect 7: The Final Act (click for larger image)

Product Description

"Perhaps the greatest role and performance of a female police detective, ever"--San Francisco Chronicle

In yet another subtle, powerful performance, Oscar® winner Helen Mirren truly inhabits the role of Detective Superintendent Jane Tennison. The Final Act finds her searching for Sallie Sturdy, a 14-year-old girl presumed murdered. Facing the hospitalization of her father, descending deeper into alcoholism, and resisting pressure to retire quietly, Tennison vows to bring Sallie's killer to justice before ending her career. Along the way she forges a surprising friendship with Penny Philips (Laura Greenwood), the missing girl's best friend. In the teenager's longing and fierce independence, the aging cop sees something of her younger self.

Jane Tennison emerges as a deeply flawed but ultimately sympathetic human being--one who accepts responsibility for her choices, knowing full well the price she and others have paid for each. The Final Act serves as the perfectly fitting conclusion to what some critics have called the best crime series ever televised.

DVD SPECIAL FEATURES INCLUDE 50-minute behind-the-scenes feature, photo gallery, and cast filmographies.

Some coarse language and graphic content

Customer Reviews:

The Final Installment Of "Prime Suspect" Is A Great Tribute To One Of TV's Best Characters And The Incomparable Helen Mirren.......2007-07-14

"Masterpiece Theater" has long been a benchmark in bringing quality British TV to American viewers. With a prestigious history, some legendary programs--including "Upstairs, Downstairs" and "I, Claudius"--have found acclaim, awards, and international audiences. Of late, "Masterpiece Theater" has been showcasing some ambitious literary adaptations with mixed results. Last season's high point, and a must for any lover of film, was the flawless adaptation of Charles Dickens' "Bleak House." A triumph in every regard, and featuring Emmy nominated turns by Charles Dance and Gillian Anderson, this program should be essential viewing for those that value literate, classy and wildly entertaining TV. This season's offerings have included "To The Ends Of The Earth" (an adaptation of William Golding's seafaring trilogy--'Rites Of Passage,' 'Close Quarters' and 'Fire Down Below'), a robust new version of Charlotte Bronte's "Jane Eyre," a reimagining of Bram Stoker's "Dracula," and the swan song of Helen Mirren's Jane Tennison in "Prime Suspect 7-The Final Act."

Unlike most entries in the "Masterpiece Theater" library this year, "Prime Suspect 7" is not a literary adaptation of a classic work. Instead, it is the final installment of the wonderful "Prime Suspect" series which began 15 years ago. In 1992, audiences were introduced to Detective Chief Inspector Jane Tennison who was the only woman in a London homicide squad. Passed over for promotion due to her gender, her big break came when another DCI suffered a heart attack. Stepping up as the leader of the squad, she encountered disdain and ridicule from the men of the unit--but through the years has garnered a grudging respect due to her investigative skills. Now, in "Prime Suspect 7-The Final Act," Tennison faces her final case and her impending retirement after a cumulative 30 years working for the police.

When a high school girl goes missing, police are quick to question possible suspects--from her parents, to a coach she may have been involved with, to a secret boyfriend. Learning more about the girl, it seems as if she was not the innocent most people believed her to be. Tennison befriends another young girl, a potential witness in the case who happens to be the victim's best friend. As Tennison faces retirement, she is still battling many demons--an estrangement from her family, a father in the hospital, and her alcoholism. Her friendship with the girl is a way for her to grasp the remaining part of her humanity, and to get some kind of understanding for the hard choices that she has made to further her career. Not to be dismissive of the actual police procedural--but in all honesty, it's not that hard to figure out. But you know what? Doesn't matter in the slightest.

This program, more than any other in the "Prime Suspect" series, is a love letter to Helen Mirren. Tennison is easily one of TV's most difficult female characters--she is a mass of flaws and an absolute mess in most regards. Mirren has evolved with this character, so it's fitting that the final installment features Tennison at her most vulnerable. In a year where Mirren has won every award conceivable for both "Elizabeth I" on TV and "The Queen" at the movies--this, to me, (although not a royal) is her crowning achievement! It's a fitting tribute to a complex character and an opportunity for Mirren to grace us with another tour de force performance (she has previously won Emmy accolades for prior "Prime Suspect" installments). Recommended highly (but 4 stars due to the rather routine resolution of the film's central mystery), I will miss not having Jane Tennison to look forward to any more. A great series, a great good-bye. Buy them all right now! KGHarris, 02/07.

Jane Tennison's Last Hurrah.......2007-06-10

The best Prime Suspect was definitely saved for last. In Prime Suspect 6, Jane Tennison rose to an entirely new level as she fought insubordination and calls to retire, while solving a complex international murder. In Prime Suspect 7, Jane Tennison faces new challenges, but most of these challenges come from within, as she struggles with alcoholism and the death of her father, all while trying to solve her most challenging case yet. The drama and suspense of Prime Suspect 7 is as great as we have seen in the past, but what makes this Prime Suspect the best yet is the extraordinary depth of Jane Tennison. Helen Mirren delivers yet another brilliant and masterful performance in the role that has defined her career.

Just fantastic.......2007-06-10

I've just seen this episode in french and it's fantastic.Helen Mirren is a gem.The suspense is gripping.I'm looking forward for the release on DVD.I have the other six episodes.It's a shame this is the last one.Bravo Dame Helen.

Sex and the City - The Complete Series (Collector's Giftset)

Average customer rating:

For all you fans who are affraid to buy...
DVD's dont play!
english subtitles?
The perfect package!
So much "Sex", so little time . . .

Sex and the City - The Complete Series (Collector's Giftset)
Starring: Sarah Jessica Parker , Kristin Davis , Cynthia Nixon , and Kim Cattrall
Manufacturer: Hbo Home Video
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Lovely by Sarah Jessica Parker for Women 3.4 oz Eau de Parfum Spray

ASIN: B000ASDFJU
Release Date: 2005-11-01

Amazon.com

Sex and the City is based on Candace Bushnell's provocative bestselling book. Sarah Jessica Parker stars as Carrie Bradshaw, a self-described "sexual anthropologist," who writes "Sex and the City," a newspaper column that chronicles the state of sexual affairs of Manhattanites in this "age of un-innocence." Her "posse," including nice girl Charlotte (Kristin Davis), hard-edged Miranda (Cynthia Nixon), and party girl Samantha (Kim Cattrall)--not to mention her own tumultuous love life--gives Carrie plenty of column fodder. Over the course of the first season's 12 episodes, the most prominent dramatic arc concerns Carrie, who goes from turning the tables on "toxic bachelors" by having "sex like a man" to wanting to join the ranks of "the monogamists" with the elusive Mr. Big (Chris Noth). Meanwhile, Miranda, Cynthia, and Samantha have their own dating woes.

The second season builds on the foundation of the first season with plot arcs that are both hilarious and heartfelt, taking the show from breakout hit to true pop-culture phenomenon. Relationship epiphanies coexist happily alongside farcical plots and zingy one-liners, resulting in emotionally satisfying episodes that feature the sharp kind of character-defining dialogue that seems to have disappeared from the rest of TV long ago. When last we left the NYC gals, Carrie had just broken up with a commitment-phobic Mr. Big (Chris Noth), but fans of Noth's seductive-yet-distant rake didn't have to wait long until he was back in the picture, as he and Carrie tried to make another go of it. Their relationship evolution, from reunion to second breakup, provides the core of the second season. Among other adventures, Charlotte puzzles over whether one of her beaus was "gay-straight" or "straight-gay"; Miranda tries to date a guy who insists on having sex only in places where they might get caught; and Samantha copes with dates who range from, um, not big enough to far too big--with numerous stops in between.

The third season was the charm, as the series earned its first Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series to go along with its Golden Globes for Best Comedy Series and Best Actress (Parker). One of this season's two principal story arcs concerned hapless-in-love Charlotte and her pursuit of a husband; enter (if only...) Kyle McLachlan as the unfortunately impotent Trey. Meanwhile, Carrie has a brief but memorable fling with a politician who's golden, but not in the way she anticipated. She then sabotages her too-good-to-be-true relationship with furniture designer Aidan (John Corbett) by having an affair with Mr. Big (Chris Noth), who himself has gotten married. Like I Love Lucy, the series benefited from a brief change of scenery with a three-episode jaunt to Los Angeles, where Carrie and company encountered, among others, Matthew McConaughey, Vince Vaughn, Hugh Hefner, and Sarah Michelle Gellar.

The fourth season is just as smart and sexy as ever, mixing caustic adult wit and sharply observed situation comedy on the mean streets of Manhattan, though this time the quartet of singleton city girls must endure even tougher combat in the unending war of love, sex, and shopping. Carrie finally seems to have found her ideal life partner when she is reunited with handsome craftsman Aidan. But can their relationship survive trial by cohabitation? Meanwhile Charlotte seems to have both her dream Park Avenue apartment and a solution to her marital problems with Trey. But when the subject of babies comes up, everything starts to unravel for her, too. It's not just Charlotte who has baby issues either: after what seems like an eternity of enforced sexual abstinence Miranda is horrified to discover she's pregnant. And as for the sultry Samantha, she's on a quest for monogamy, first with an exotic lesbian artist, then with a philandering businessman, with whom to her utter dismay she just might have fallen in love.

It was a short but sweet fifth season, as HBO's resident comediennes found themselves affected by forces beyond their control--the pregnancies of both Sarah Jessica Parker and Cynthia Nixon. A truncated shooting schedule to accommodate the actresses forced this season to be reduced to a mere eight episodes, but they and creators forged ahead, creating a handful of episodes that if short in content were long on emotion and laughs. Carrie and Miranda wrestled with their solitary lifestyles, albeit with new attachments--Miranda had new baby Brady and single motherhood, while Carrie found herself in the world of publishing as the author of a real-life book of her columns. Charlotte wondered if she'd ever find another man, while Samantha finally got rid of the one that had been vexing her far too much. If the season as a whole felt less than the sum of its parts, those parts were some of the best comedy in the show's history. The season's climactic episode, "I Love a Charade," was one of the series' best episodes ever, equally touching and funny, and grounded the show in an emotional maturity that announced that after all their wild travails, these women had truly grown up.

After a long wait--like the entire fifth season--Carrie is dating again. The sixth season starts with Carrie and her sparkly new potential, Berger (Ron Livingston), trying to leave past relationships and hit it off, with mixed results. Meanwhile Carrie's friends seem to be settling down, relatively speaking. Miranda decides that her affair with TiVo cannot compete when Mr. Perfect (Blair Underwood, at his most charming) moves into her building. Charlotte's feelings for her "opposites attract" boyfriend (Evan Handler) deepen, but they still have a few things to iron out. Most surprising is Samantha's hot relationship with waiter-actor-stud Smith Jerrod (Jason Lewis) taking on something resembling love, despite Samantha's best intentions. Before the sixth season started in the summer of 2003, a bombshell hit: it was announced that this would be the finale. But it would be a long season, and these 12 episodes plant the seeds for the final 8 airing the following winter. These dozen episodes illustrate the maturity of the show: there's not a bad one in the bunch, and the show is still flat-out funny. The comedy blends serious points of how we perceive singles, couples, and parents (and the gifts we lavish on the latter two). Carrie's method of celebrating her singlehood is just another gem in this treasure of a series.

With the last eight episodes of the sixth season, HBO's grand sitcom concluded, leaving untold numbers of women--and many men--feeling deprived. The six-year series certainly did not outlast its welcome; the final season is some of the best TV had to offer in 2004. In many ways, the eight episodes served as a single finale, with all four characters approaching a kind of destiny and happiness, the theme of this last half-season (which aired weeks after the first half). Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker) continues her romance with Russian artist (Mikhail Baryshnikov), a flippantly arrogant man who's been around the block, but able to supply Carrie's needed desire for magic. Miranda (Cynthia Nixon) has settled down with Steve (David Eigenberg), but there is more that will change with her, including her address. Charlotte (Kristin Davis) continues to make baby plans now that the husband slot is filled quite nicely (Evan Handler). Going down the final stretch--and Samantha's (Kim Cattrall) cancer--gives the series a more serious tone, but there's always a jab to tickle the funny bone: Miranda's awkwardness with happiness, Charlotte's latest passion, Carrie typing someplace new, and Samantha getting into Paris Hilton territory. Like any series winding down, there is a wedding, a baby, old faces popping up, and some star-ladened new ones. In the final two-part episode, "An American in Paris," Carrie faces her romantic destiny, but also solidifies herself as a fashion icon, an Audrey Hepburn for 21st-century television. In the penultimate episode, she asks her friends an emotional question: "What if I never met you?" Certainly fans can ask of themselves the same question and reminisce how much better TV became since they first tuned in these four women of the City.

Description

For six seasons Carrie Bradshaw and friends Samantha, Miranda, and Charlotte offered us their hilarious, outspoken and outrageous look at dating, mating and relating in the big city. Celebrate the show that explores the day-to-day -- and night-to-night -- world of single women in this, the definitive collector's edition.

Customer Reviews:

For all you fans who are affraid to buy..........2007-09-15

This review is for all you Sex and the City fans who are thinking about buying this but are affraid to because of reviews about troublsome disks...

I my self am a huge fan and love the idea of a complete collectors set but I was afraid to purchase this because of all the negative reviews about the sets DVDs that would skip or just not play at all. There's nothing like spending $200.00+ on something that doesn't work.

Well finally my need for hanging with "the girls" won out and I purchased the set just in time for the long Labor Day weekend. I settled in for a "Sex and the City" marathon and watched all six seasons. I am happy to say, there were NO problems what so ever!!! Even with season 3, which had gotten a lot of complaints in other reviews. Everything was crystal clear and the bonus disks are even great too!!!

The only thing that's a little dissapointing is that there are no episodes with a comentary option until season 3. I thought for sure they would offer commentations on the first episode at least...

Other than that it's a beautiful set and now I can meet "the girls" in the coffee shop for fun and laughs anytime!

DVD's dont play!.......2007-09-14

I have been waiting for this and finally received it. Ok but I am on my replacement set that ALSO wont play. I am frustrated and disappointed. So now what, do I buy each season individually???!

english subtitles?.......2007-09-14

I am planning to buy this product, but it will all depend if it has english subtitles. Can anyone who owns it please let me know? Thanks much.

The perfect package!.......2007-09-11

This attractive box set is great for keeping all of the Sex and the City DVDs together and organized in one place. Before I got this set, I had all of the individual seasons on seperate dvd's which took up a lot of space and wasn't very convenient for taking to parties or lending out. The art in this collection is also great, with pictures of all of the actresses and blurbs and quotes from each episode. This is very helpful when you're looking for that one particular episode that you want to watch!

So much "Sex", so little time . . ........2007-09-09

After two years of wanting this DVD set more than I wanted anything else, I finally have it. And, after finally having it, I spent nearly 50 hours watching every single episode back to back to back. I barely left my room, I barely talked to my friends, and I loved it.

There are some definite drawbacks to the set, it's true. However, unlike many here, I actually didn't have a problem with the packaging. I admit that the height is a bit of a problem, because even though my shelves are extra-large, it doesn't fit in with the rest of my DVDs. That's actually okay by me, because it just means that they'll get a place of honor all their own on another shelf. And I don't mind that they're in cardboard slots in a binder. It's good quality, stiff cardboard and there's no reason it won't last as long as you're taking care of your set. The main issue I have with packaging is that the set comes in a plastic case that actually broke during transit, so that I no longer have anything to keep the dust off the velvet cover. Oh well, c'est la vie. I'm not sending the whole set back just for a broken case that may well break again when they send me another one.

The reason I bought this set is because of the television show, which I adore. I never thought I could forget how great this show was, but apparently I did, because watching it all together like I did really made me see it with new eyes. I found myself looking at it from a completely different perspective, especially now that I have two years of my own experience to add to it. I was surprised, for instance, by how much I dislike Carrie Bradshaw now, as a character. When I watched the show season by season, she just seemed like a fun, flawed character. But once I saw how screwed up she really was as a person, most of my sympathy for her went right out the window. Luckily, as the seasons went on, it became clearer and clearer that she wasn't the main reason to watch. She didn't evolve or change as a character at all, but everyone around her did. And maybe that was the point.

Unfortunately, I'll never know for sure if that was the point or not, due to the laziness in putting this "Collector's Giftset" together. The extras compiled here are definitely the most pathetic extras I've ever seen. There are some silly and poorly constructed games (The one where you choose which SATC man you're most compatible with doesn't even make any sense. Play it and see.), some thoroughly pointless and badly edited clip packages and a bunch of other extras that might have been useful *IF* anyone had actually put some thought into them.

For instance, there's a guide to all the men the women dated on each episode. But they don't give the name of the actor, in case you want to look him up. And when they tell you what disc to put in to watch that episode, they do it numerically: "Insert Disc 11", etc.. However, the discs aren't actually numbered that way, so you'd have to sit there and count every disc in order to figure out which one was the right one. They DO give the names of all actors who play the main men, but that's nothing you can't easily find on IMDb, so that's a cop-out.

Also, the discs themselves have been re-printed with new pictures on the outside, but they have the same exact layout and content as the discs from the individual seasons. It's a cheap and lazy ploy, and it's outrageous that for $200, HBO couldn't be bothered to get the main actors, writers and producers into a studio to record some fresh commentary tracks. I've already heard all these commentary tracks, so none of this is new. It's outrageous, but it's not surprising. HBO has a long history of gouging people for as much money as they can in exchange for as little content as they can get away with, so it's buyer beware, at all times.

Yet, in spite of all this, I still think the show is amazing, and I'm still so thrilled to finally have it all at my fingertips that I'm willing to overlook just about anything. After all, I didn't buy this for the extras. And neither should anyone else. If you already own every other season, throw out your cheap plastic packaging and invest in a nice CD wallet to hold your discs, but don't throw out all the discs just to buy this set. It's not worth it. (And if you only own a few seasons and are looking to this to complete your collection, you're better off just buying the ones you're missing on their own. Trust me.) However, if you don't own ANY of the discs, then by all means, invest. I can't think of a better way to spend $200 and 47 hours.

Average customer rating:

In summation: Outstanding
WOW
So funny!
Always a great movie!
Good, could have been great

Mulan (Special Edition)
Starring: Miguel Ferrer , Harvey Fierstein , Freda Foh Shen , June Foray , and James Hong
Director: Barry Cook , and Tony Bancroft
Manufacturer: Walt Disney Home Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00024I2Z4
Release Date: 2004-10-26

Amazon.com

Solid entertainment from a new group of Disney animators. The story source is a Chinese fable about a young girl who disguises herself as a man to help her family and her country. When the Huns attack China, a call to arms goes out to every village, and Mulan's father, being the only man in the family, accepts the call. Mulan (voiced by Ming-Na Wen, sung by Lea Salonga) has just made a disastrous appearance at the Matchmaker and decides to challenge society's expectations (being a bride). She steals her father's conscription notice, cuts her hair, and impersonates a man to join the army. She goes to boot camp, learning to fit in with the other soldiers with some help from her sidekick, Mushu, a wise-cracking dragon (voiced by Eddie Murphy). She trains, and soon faces the Huns eye-to-eye to protect her Emperor.

The film is gorgeous to look at, with a superior blend of classic and computer-generated animation. Directors Tony Bancroft and Barry Cook make the best of it: a battle in the snowy mountains is as thrilling as the best Hollywood action films. The menacing Huns are not cute but simple and bad. The wickedness is subtle, not disturbing. The film is not a full-fledged musical, as it has only five songs (the best, "Be a Man," is sung during boot camp). Eddie Murphy is an inspired choice for the comic-relief dragon, but his lines are not as clever as Robin Williams's in Aladdin. These are minor quibbles, though. The story is strong, and Mulan goes right to the top of Disney animated heroines; she has the right stuff. --Doug Thomas

Description

1. "An impressive achievement ranking with BEAUTY AND THE BEAST and THE LION KING!" -- Roger Ebert 2. Deleted Scenes -- Never-Before-Heard Song; Alternate Openings 3. Songs of MULAN 4. Music Videos Featuring Jackie Chan, Raven, And Christina Aguilera 5. "Discovering MULAN" -- Embark On A Behind-The-Scenes Adventure With The Filmmakers 6. Early Presentation Reels 7. Progression Reels 8. DisneyPedia: "Mulan's World" -- Explore The Fascinating World Of Ancient China With Your Host, Mushu 9. MULAN Fun Facts 10. Audio Commentary 11. Storyboard-To-Film Comparisons

Customer Reviews:

In summation: Outstanding.......2007-07-13

This is the best animated movie Disney ever made, bar-none. The sum total is greater than the parts, which are oustanding: story, music, artwork, voices, characterization, etc., etc. After umpteen viewings I still laugh at Mushu's zingers. I appreciate even more the un-politically-correct [yuch] honesty: why the culture is male oriented, Mulan's dillemma, her conflicted path and the ultimate truism: nothing succeeds like success.

WOW.......2007-06-27

This is probabily the second best film in the world-next to Pocahontas that is. The songs are all really catchy and the animation is spectacular.

So funny! .......2007-05-23

This is probably one of my favorite Disney movies. (This and Emperor's New Groove). I love when Disney has a sense of humor and you can clearly see it in this one.

Always a great movie!.......2007-05-13

I loved this movie when I was a kid. Even now, when I watch it again, it still is just as great. Perfect for the entire family!

Good, could have been great.......2007-03-19

Being Chinese, I really wanted to love this movie, but it lacks a few key story elements that set "Masterpiece" animated features such as 'Beauty and the Beast' and 'Aladdin' apart from the rest. The animation and sound are fine as they should be and the mountain pass scenes are really cool, especially the part where the huge Mongol hoard comes charging down towards the protagonists in an endless wave of cavalry. The main musical theme "Reflections" is also well written and expresses Mulan's feelings and desires with emotion.

My issues with the movie:

1) The bad guy is certainly bad. He looks bad and he acts bad. However, there isn't really any clear logic or motivation to why he is doing what he's doing. In Beauty and the Beast, Gaston is driven by his egomaniacal desire to have Belle, the one woman in the village who shows no interest in him at all. In Mulan, the bad guy rapes and pillages China because... well... just because. There doesn't appear to be any goal or motivation for him. He destroys simply because he can, which is certainly possible, but makes for a rather flat character. Gaston, Jafar, and Ursula are much more interesting villains.

2) Mulan's romantic partner is kind of a "himbo". He's a pretty boy who doesn't really do much and isn't all that bright. It's not clear to me why Mulan would really want to get together with him other than the fact that he's a good looking dude. Besides that, he doesn't add much to the story. Which leads to my next issue:

3) In the other great Disney features, the lead and their romantic interest share in the resolution of their conflicts and defeat the villian as part of the resolution of the conflict in their romance. In Aladdin, Jasmine and Aladdin battle Jafar together as part of the resolution of the problem where Aladdin lied about being a poor street kid because Jasmine is the Sultan's daughter. Ariel and Eric battle Ursula as part of the romantic conflict brought on by the fact that he is human and she is a mermaid. Eric sees that Ariel is a mermaid in the end and doesn't care. He still risks his life fighting Ursula together with Ariel. In Mulan, it's pretty much just her and the romantic part of the story is an afterthought and they never really get into the issue of resolving that she is "doing a man's job" and shouldn't be in the Chinese army as part of their romantic conflict. It just gets OK'd in the end because she saves the emperor. They don't resolve it between themselves as individuals. Actually, up until the end he still does not accept her until the emperor accepts her. Not very romantic.

4) Finally, the supporting characters don't add much to the story either. The dragon and cricket add a little comedy here and there, but not much else. Some of the soldiers in Mulan's unit had potential, but don't really fully get there.

So, overall I liked the movie, but I didn't love it. This could have been one of their classics if they spent a bit more time developing the story and characters. It looks great, but needed some more under the hood of the story.

The Fog of War - Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara

Average customer rating:

Fog of War
The strange account of Robert McNamara
Morris's best documentary
The ability to see two sides of an arguement.......
Fascinating

The Fog of War - Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara
Starring: Barry Goldwater , Lyndon Johnson , John F. Kennedy , Nikita Khrushchev , and Curtis LeMay
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0001L3LUE
Release Date: 2004-05-11

Amazon.com

The Fog of War, the movie that finally won Errol Morris the best documentary Oscar, is a spellbinder. Morris interviews Robert McNamara, Secretary of Defense in the Kennedy and Johnson administrations, and finds a uniquely unsettling viewpoint on much of 20th-century American history. Employing a ton of archival material, including LBJ's fascinating taped conversations from the Oval Office, Morris probes the reasons behind the U.S. commitment to the Vietnam War--and finds a depressingly inconsistent policy. McNamara himself emerges as--well, not exactly apologetic, but clearly haunted by the what-ifs of Vietnam. He also mulls the bombing of Japan in World War II and the Cuban Missile Crisis, raising more questions than he answers. The Fog of War has the usual inexorable Morris momentum, aided by an uneasy Philip Glass score. This movie provides a glimpse inside government. It also encourages skepticism about same. --Robert Horton

Customer Reviews:

Fog of War.......2007-09-11

As a Vietnam era veteran and amateur historian this film provided an entirely new perspective on an important time in our national history. I would highly recommend it to all.

The strange account of Robert McNamara.......2007-08-11

This is a decent film about a highly important figure from decades ago. It's somewhat flawed, however, in that it's just McNamara's own account. He's the only one giving the last word about himself. And while much of the time he seems sympathetic and highly contrite about the tragedies of the world, there are some moments where his highly educated and knowledgeable facade betrays a certain evil underneath. This is where again, and again, he seems like a perfectly moral man under normal circumstances, but when talking about war he says that things done in war are done wrong because there are no moral rules. What? Where did he get such a blindspot? The history of world is full of "rules" for war and they always include not murdering and terrorizing civilians to get what you want. His personal "fog of war" is an utterly despicable excuse. He's part of the rationalizing warmongers who think it's fine to not have morals in the moment. Nonsense. Pure nonsense. By the end I felt like I'd been roped into watching an old man's last ditch attempt to make himself appear decent.

Morris's best documentary.......2007-08-04

From the soundtrack by Philip Glass to the editing to the archival footage to the recent interviews, Errol Morris does his finest work with this film. Watch it along with Why We Fight, and you will have an eye-opening experience. You don't have to feel sorry for MacNamara, but you owe yourself the chance to listen to him articulate what he has learned and how much he regrets. Not to get too specific, but I think you will see a frightening parallel between the war in Vietnam and more current wars.
This is not propaganda. There is no bias or agenda set down by the filmmaker. You are not asked to sympathize with MacNamara. It's straight talk.

The ability to see two sides of an arguement..............2007-08-01

I watched this document for the first time last night, it drew me in from the 30 minute mark and I could not leave my seat until it was over. Befroe I wrote this review I read others. I wanted to read others who felt differently than I did.
I saw that some were upset at Mr. Mc Namara; for those of you that are upset at his culpability and duplicity in the Viet Nam Action, I ask you to re-examine two points. 1. the president offered him two cabinet spots to which Robert said he was not qualified (for either) but like most men he seized upon an opportunity. 2. Robert told President -elect Kennedy that he should get out of Viet Nam as soon as possible, then Kennedy was killed (and not by Lee Oswald).
For those of you who do not regognize a man feeling his mortality and wanting in some way to explain his folly, keep living. For those of you who believe if you were in the same posistion you would have done something different than follow the instructions of you boss(who knows even less than you) then I laugh at you. The reason America was in Viet Nam is the same reason we are have gone to Iraq. Policy set by a few men and a citizenry too complacent to say enough is enough. Do you see a similarity between our time and theirs. Thank you Mr. Mc Namara, I doubt any of our current leaders in the future will have the courage to document anything.

Fascinating.......2007-07-08

This is DVD gives honest and rare insight into the mind of a person with great influence.

Average customer rating:

Plain fun!
Super!
love this movie
Love it!
Movie Review

Super Mario Bros.
Starring: Bob Hoskins , John Leguizamo , Dennis Hopper , Samantha Mathis , and Fisher Stevens
Director: Roland Joffé , Annabel Jankel , and Rocky Morton
Manufacturer: Walt Disney Video
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ASIN: B00008979N
Release Date: 2003-06-03

Description

Buckle up and hang on tight -- the discovery of a parallel universe launches you into the adventure of a lifetime! Mario and Luigi, two wacky plumbers, undertake a daring quest to save a princess in "Dinohattan" -- a hidden world where the inhabitants evolved from dinosaurs! Mario (Bob Hoskins -- WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT) and Luigi (John Leguizamo -- REGARDING HENRY) face deadly challenges from a diaboloical lizard king (Dennis Hopper -- HOOSIERS) and must battle giant reptilian goombas, outwit misfit thugs, and undermine a sinister scheme to take over the world! Blast off for nonstop excitement with SUPER MARIO BROS., the live-action thrill ride that dazzled moviegoers everywhere!

Customer Reviews:

Plain fun!.......2007-09-13

I first saw this movie when I was about eight years old. I was a big Mario fan back then, loved him, Luigi, the games and the genre to bits; and let me tell you, to see this movie for the first time was thrilling. I didn't even care if King Koopa was in the form of a human or not, or that Yoshi wasn't green. All I could think was "Oh gosh, that's them! It's the Mario Brothers, and King Koopa!" (Squeal, squeal.) I guess the point I'm making is that it did a pretty nice job of real-world reinterpretation. There's so many things I like about the movie that I don't even want to take the time to type all of it out.
The reason that it only has four stars instead of five, despite how I've always loved it, is that it isn't in fact the best movie I've ever seen. It's among my favorites, yes, but it doesn't make my eyes pop out quite as much as it did back when I was a serious Mario gamer (and a child).

The opening scene with the cartoon dinosaurs was a bit silly, and I think the film could have done well enough without it. The scene where King Koopa turns into the Tyrannosaurus of his ancestry was plain too short, as well as King Koopa himself... I mean, the bottom half of his body must have been two feet tall for him to fit so well in that crane bucket. There was also no real threat involved: the bucket was quite a ways away from Mario at the time, and Koopa couldn't have jumped over if he'd tried.

Also, the inhabitants of Dinohattan could have had more reptilian features, even as small as those scales that you see on one or two of them early on. (And yes, I do remember that weird guy who is practically a walking lizard, even down to his delighted growl of pleasure at the smell of a piece of food he's holding in his hands.) I'm not saying go all-out with tails and claws, but let's stay a little more faithful to their dino ancestry.

Oh yes, and another small detail that keeps the movie from sitting among my mental list of Best Movies of All Time: humans apparently being descended from monkeys. That's one detail that I simply cannot wrap my suspension of disbelief around. Apes, monkeys and humans descended from a common ancestor, if evolution scientists haven't determined wrongly.

Anyway, just to end my review up on a positive note: my favorite characters are...
Mario, Big Bertha, The Old King, Yoshi, Iggy, Spike, and Daisy. Peace!

Super!.......2007-09-11

You will love this movie. It has such an involving plot. Iv'e never seen any movie like this before! Mario and luigi meet soemone named daisy. She is kidnapped by henchman working for the evil koopa king and taken to a parrelel demension because she has a rock that allows him to rule both demensions! Mario and Luigi must save her in their biggest adventure yet (there's more to the plot than that)! ITS A BLAST!

love this movie.......2007-07-05

i'm so very happy that i've got this movie now. i saw it when i was little, i liked it, and even now i always remembered it and wanted to get it. i know that it doesn't go exactly like the games do, but that doesn't matter to me. there's times when they can't make movies/shows based off of games or books the way they should be, so i'm ok with this. Yoshi did look weird *even back then i thought he looked weird* but hey, it was still funny.

Love it!.......2007-05-10

This is an AWESOME movie! I've looked for it everywhere and yes, I may be silly for saying this was an awesome movie, but I was a kid when it came out so, blame that! Quick shipping, perfect quality! Will definitely buy from these guys again!

Movie Review.......2007-05-09

If you love Super Mario, then this is the movie for you. It's a live action movie staring the Mario Brothers!

Average customer rating:

Awful waste of time. Worse soundtrack than "The Firm". I am not kidding.
John Grisham wrote it. Enough said.
RECEIVED TWO DAMAGED DVD'S
Classic Grisham thriller
The Pelican Brief

The Pelican Brief
Starring: Julia Roberts , Denzel Washington , Sam Shepard , John Heard , and Tony Goldwyn
Director: Alan J. Pakula
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
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ASIN: 0790731525
Release Date: 1997-06-25

Amazon.com

Another John Grisham legal thriller comes to the screen, pairing Denzel Washington and Julia Roberts in a film directed by Alan J. Pakula, who is known for dark-hued suspense pictures such as Klute, The Parallax View,All the President's Men, and Presumed Innocent. The Pelican Brief isn't up to the level of those films, but it is a perfectly entertaining movie about a law student (Roberts) whose life is endangered when she discovers evidence of a conspiracy behind the killings of two Supreme Court justices. She enlists the help of an investigative reporter (Washington) and the two become fugitives. The charisma and chemistry of the leads goes a long way toward compensating for the story's shortcomings, as does a truly impressive supporting cast that includes Sam Shepard, John Heard, James B. Sikking, Tony Goldwyn, Stanley Tucci, Hume Cronyn, John Lithgow, William Atherton, and Robert Culp. --Jim Emerson

Description

A New Orleans law student finds herself embroiled in a terrifying web of intrigue extending to the highest levels of government after she writes a speculative legal brief exposing the activities of a powerful oil magnate.

Customer Reviews:

Awful waste of time. Worse soundtrack than "The Firm". I am not kidding........2007-07-23

Implausible story line: Supreme court judges are gunned down because some rich guy wants a right-of-way through government land and these justices might rule against him (because they were in favor of the environment, imagine that!). Rich guy figures the sitting prez (his good buddy) will nominate environment hating tools to replace them.

You can see how this storyline was ripped from today's headlines. Hardly a day goes by that we don't hear of somebody trying to kill a supreme court justice.

Enter Julia Roberts. A couple years back she watched a news program about a lawyer who supposedly committed suicide (the lawyer's parents didn't think he did, because he'd been taking medication for black depression for awhile now). This leads her to suspect someone close to the president killed the justices. Why, it's so obvious, the connections should have been obvious to anybody, except the CIA, FBI, local police, and newsmedia heroes (like intrepid Denzel) didn't watch that particular show, so out of millions of lawyers, it took a law student to figure it out.

(Reality, which struggled vainly to have some control over what happens in this movie, at this point in the story shrugged its shoulders and potted off to read a Nelson DeMille novel.)

Anyway, the usual hijinks ensue: exploding cars, parking lot chases, people dying everywhere.

As a bonus, add a horrible soundtrack that uses pounding pianos to keep you awake and you've got a guaranteed time waster on your hands. Aren't there some windows that need washing in your house or a good book you could read instead of frittering away 140 minutes you'll never get back?

John Grisham wrote it. Enough said........2007-03-28

As an owner of and multiple time reader and watcher of every Grisham book and movie made from those books, this one may be at the top of my list. Note that I said May Be, because they are all unique and first rate. A lawyer myself, I have always been struck by the authenticity of his treatment of the subject matter in his books and by the way he takes a hands off attitude with the making of them into movies, which have all turned out well in my opinion. This one is no exception. It is intriguing, hair raising, clever, full of great acting and dialogue which Grisham is so adept at using to weave his stories. You won't be sorry you bought it. It is a top notch movie you will want to see multiple times.

RECEIVED TWO DAMAGED DVD'S.......2007-03-27

AND I HAVE NOT RECEIVED A REPLACEMENT FOR THAT DISC NOR A RE-IMBURSEMENT. wHAT IS UP WITH THIS COMPANY THAT THEY CANNOT SEND YOU YOUR MONEY BACK. IN SEPTEMBER OF 2005 I ORDERED A BOOK WHICH WENT THRU A SUB-COMPANY. WELL, AMAZON CHARGED ME TWICE, $12.71, FOR A TOTAL OF $25.42. I NEVER RECEIVED THE BOOK BECAUSE THE COMPANY NO LONGER HAD IT IN STOCK AND AMAZON DID NOT SEND ME A REFUND. I DEAL WITH AMAZON ALL THE TIME BUT THERE IS NO COMMUNICATION THAT IS SATISFACTORY FOR WHEN THEY TAKE YOUR MONEY..

Classic Grisham thriller.......2007-03-09

The movie does justice to Grisham's novel. Plausible plot; a genuine thriller. I like it.

The Pelican Brief.......2007-01-12

Living in the area, I love to view the scenery and enjoy the atmosphere of New Orleans so I never get tired of looking at The Pelican Brief. I even have friends that appear as "extras" in this movie. I am extremely disappointed in the DVD. It has to be truned over to view the second half of the movie.

Average customer rating:

The Bodyguard (Special Edition)
Whitney's Dubious Dramatic Debut
WHITNEY WHEN SHE WAS A SUPERSTAR
You'll watch it over and over
The Bodyguard

The Bodyguard (Special Edition)
Starring: Kevin Costner , Whitney Houston , Gary Kemp , Bill Cobbs , and Ralph Waite
Director: Mick Jackson
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
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ASIN: B0006N2EZ0
Release Date: 2005-02-01

Amazon.com essential video

This 1992 crowd pleaser made almost as much money for Whitney Houston as its chart-busting soundtrack. A high-wattage star vehicle as only Hollywood can make, The Bodyguard stars Houston as a pop-music diva (now there's a stretch) and Kevin Costner as the stern bodyguard who is assigned to protect her after the singer receives some nasty death threats. Pop star and bodyguard don't hit it off at first, but they wear down each others' defenses, and before long Houston is baring her tonsils with a rousing rendition of the Dolly Parton chestnut "I Will Always Love You." The film, written by Lawrence Kasden, was originally intended for Steve McQueen, but the script languished for years before Houston took an interest in the project. A proposed sequel would potentially have starred Costner and Princess Diana, until Diana's tragic death precluded that possibility. --Jeff Shannon

Description

The Bodyguard stars Whitney Houston as a pop-music diva and Kevin Costner as the ultra-serious bodyguard assigned to protect her in teh aftermath of several death threats. Initially repelled by each other like water and oil, a passion ignites between them as teh danger increases, transforming them as everythign around them explodes.

DVD Features:
Audio Commentary:Commentary by Director, Writer, Producer, Houston and Costner
Interviews:Never before seen on set footage and interviews with Kevin and Whitney
Music Video:Houston's remake of Dolly Parton's "I Will Always Love You"
Theatrical Trailer

Customer Reviews:

The Bodyguard (Special Edition).......2007-09-06

I still love this movie no matter how many times I watch it. However on the QUALITY of this dvd; I am a bit dissapointed - it froze on a particular sceen - that one where Whitney Houston performed on stage in front of a rowdy crowd. The scene kept on freezing no matter what I did. I had to skip the entire scene to finish the rest of the movie.

Whitney's Dubious Dramatic Debut.......2007-06-20

Fans of Whitney Houston will certainly enjoy this movie. It captures her at close to her career peak and features a few of her better known hits (including her version of "I Will Always Love You" and "I Have Nothing"). Neither she nor co-star Kevin Costner fare as well on the acting end. Since Houston later proved to be effective in WAITING TO EXHALE, I would guess that she either suffered from first film jitters or that she needed better direction--or both. The script is generally weak and the dialogue is stilted, and there are moments when the line readings are so off, you almost wonder if the stars' first language is something other than English. And if the mark of a good director is the ability to coax a credible performance from a child actor, then Mick Jackson's abilities could be questioned on that basis alone: the young actor playing Whitney's son is stiff and awkward. But given his "mom's" stilted line readings, it could be viewed as some kind of genetic condition.

Amazon reviewer Jeff Shannon above jokes that Whitney's role as a show biz diva must have be a real "stretch" is clever. But it's just possible that Whitney might have fared better with a role that was less close to her own life experience. Getting out of high show biz mode seemed to help her performance a few years later in EXHALE, although it could also be the case that she was simply a bit more comfortable onscreen by that time.

The supporting cast is also just OK, for the most part, although many have done better work elsewhere, so you do know they can act. Ralph Waite, as the Costner's dad doesn't have a lot to do, but he brings a certain gravitas to his small role. Probably the only performer who gets to shine in a real emotive moment is Michele Lamar Richards who plays Whitney's sister and manager. Even that moment may strike some as a bit overdone, but at least you know that this is an actress who can summon real tears when they're needed.

It's very easy to come away from a movie like the BODYGUARD feeling like you've been manipulated, but actually, it would have been naive to expect much else. Hollywood movies about Hollywood life have an odd tension in them. On the one hand, they can poke a few jabs at the superficiality and the glitz of So. Cal. "culture," on the other hand they assume that the dream factory really is the object of fascination (and dreams) of their audience. And maybe they're right to an extent. But watching this movie some 15 years on, I couldn't help flashing on some of Ms Houston's subsequent career set backs and thining that this '92 film really is a sort of (inadvertant) indictment of show a biz culture that spoils and corrupts its "players" no matter how talented they are and, rather than fostering the creative process, actually works AGAINST it.

WHITNEY WHEN SHE WAS A SUPERSTAR.......2007-05-28

The Bodyguard (Special Edition)

Highly entertaining musical crime drama. Whitney's songs, including a few super hits like "I Will Always Love You" are terrific. Whitney in ultra hot costumes and Kevin Kostner with short hair and a buff body both look great. Kevin and Whitney are sizzling with electric chemistry. Highly engrossing finale with a psycho murderer trying to kill Whitney at the Oscars. THIS IS A MUST OWN CLASSIC.

You'll watch it over and over.......2007-05-23

This was Whitney Houston's debut film and she did herself proud. And here's the thing about Kevin Costner--he plays his characters so naturally that you don't realize he's really a brilliant actor. He just seems like a normal guy on screen. Here, you just believe he is that troubled bodyguard. I loved this film. I saw it plenty at the theatre in 1992 and I've played it plenty on both VHS and DVD over the years. It's just a great chick flick--so many great scenes even in addition to the many vocal performances by Whitney. If you like a who-done-it film, amazing music, watching Kevin Costner, as well as just the right mix of romance and damsel in distress, you've got to get The Bodyguard (and get the sound track while you're at it).The Bodyguard: Original Soundtrack Album