Secret Weapons for the Modern Drummer DVD

Product Description

Filmed in crystal clear digital video and audio and shot at a variety of locations in and around Manhattan, Secret Weapons explains closely guarded and never before published secrets of the great masters as well as Jojo s own approaches with special features like animated graphics, practice exercises and troubleshooting tips that will allow drummers to unlock the inner workings and mysteries of even the most challenging hand movements and guide them through easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions on how to understand and master them. Among Jojo s flawless demonstrations and in-depth explanations, Secret Weapons various chapters feature topics such as: A basic approach to technique and the physics of drumming. Analysis of hand positions, matched and traditional grips, rebound and the fulcrum and the Gladstone, Moeller and finger techniques. Highly-evolved, hybrid techniques such as the push-pull, drop-bounce, reverse stroke and one-handed roll. Exercises to build Speed, Accuracy, Endurance, Power and Dexterity Concepts to troubleshoot and overcome technical barriers. Warm-Up and Practice tips

Customer Reviews:

Makes me want to pratice more!.......2007-09-14

I should've known and shown everything that's been said in this video!
I was always a fan of Jojo since 1995 when I heard him with Screaming
Headless Torsos and always wanted to know how he manage to play the
way he did!

Now I know.....

Outstanding insight into hand technique.......2007-09-14

I've viewed many drum instructional videos during my 25 yrs of playing, but I must say, this DVD by JoJo Mayer is by far the most comprehensive and insightful presentation on hand technique I've seen. The material is presented in an easy-to-understand format, is well produced with great graphics and camera angles, and JoJo shares his insights with a wonderful, engaging sense of humor. What makes this unlike any other I've seen is that his approach is based on the physics of how the human body moves most naturally, with the goal being maximum effect with minimum effort.

He covers the basic grips, the fulcrum, finger exercises, the "free stroke", the Moeller Stroke, the "push-pull" technique, and sooooo much more. Illustrations of JoJo's eye-popping hand technique indicate what's truly do-able & possible if one puts in concerted effort at the drums. The video contains no patterns or `licks', rudimental exercises, independence exercises or foot technique - there are tons of other DVDs and books for that. JoJo focuses strictly on hand technique.

This DVD has sent me scurrying to the practice room, and has reignited my quest to gain greater control of my hands, with the ultimate goal of being able to play whatever I hear in my head. Highly recommended!

SECRET WEAPONS IS FOR YOU.......2007-09-12

WOW WHAT A MASTER OF SPEED CONTROL AND RYTHUM.
IF YOU WANT TO BE INSPIRED AND ALSO LEARN IN DETAIL BY USING JOJO MAYERS
TECHNIQUES THEN THIS DVD IS FOR YOU.
EASY TO FOLLOW STEPS FROM JOJO ON THE DVD MAKE IT FUN TO LEARN AND GAIN INCREDIBLE RESULTS.
YOU WILL BE BLOWN AWAY BY JOJO PERFORMING ON THE DVD ASWELL AND IM SURE HE HAS BIONIC ARMS.
THIS DVD WILL SUIT DRUMMMERS FOR ALL GENRES OF MUSIC.

Definitive video for getting your hands together........2007-09-09

This is the definitive instructional video for getting your technique together in terms of your hands: moeller, gladstone, matched, traditional, finger control... all of it is covered in depth and accurately with multiple angles and beneficial camera work. It leaves no "mysteries" (so to speak) about many techniques and concepts that were previously covered ambiguously in other videos or by other drummers. If you want amazing hands, this is it. Period. It has benefited me immensely. I recommend it to any player, beginner to pro. If you have never seen Jojo play- you are in for it; the guy is flat out amazing and has amassed an unbelievable level of proficiency in his technical ability, as well as his musical use of those techniques.

Jo Jo is a must!!.......2007-09-06

I found this video not only helpful, but very unique. This is not your typical show-off artist trying to impress you with outrageous fills and chops. Jo Jo is a true professional. This video teaches the basic fundamentals of various types of grips and techniques that will improve your coordination and accuracy. Also included, are several exercises to help you enhance your new techniqes. This one is a must for any beginner to advaced drummer.

Good luck,

PM

Superman II - The Richard Donner Cut [Blu-ray]

Average customer rating:

Darker, serious Superman II as the way it should be seen
Theatrical Version Reigns Supreme
Just A Great Movie, Simple As That
"With All This Accumulated Knowledge..."
superan 2 in the original version!!!!

Superman II - The Richard Donner Cut [Blu-ray]
Starring: Ned Beatty , Marlon Brando , Jackie Cooper , Sarah Douglas , and Gene Hackman
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: Blu-ray

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ASIN: B000K4X5XK
Release Date: 2006-11-28

Product Description

Warner Brothers Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut (Blu-ray)
The Version You Have Never Seen!
Unwittingly released from "Phantom Zone" imprisonment, three super-powered Planet Krypton criminals (Terence Stamp, Sarah Douglas and Jack O'Halloran) plan to enslaveEarth - just when "Superman" (Christopher Reeve) decides to show a more romantic side to Lois Lane (Margot Kidder). Gene Hackman (as Lex Luthor) alsoreturns from the first film and with a top supporting cast, witty Richard Lester direction and visuals that astound and delight. "Superman II" saves the day any day you watch it.

Amazon.com essential video

The Richard Donner cut of Superman II is an infamous legend come to life. Director Donner shot most of the sequel at the same time as his first blockbuster film, but somewhere along the line, the producers and studio lost confidence and brought in Richard Lester (The Three Musketeers) to rework the film, and receive sole credit. For years fans speculated on how different the final film was from Donner's original until an underground copy appeared showing a fully formed feature. In an unprecedented move, Warner Brothers officially embraces this alternate version. For those who have not been part of the rumor mill, know that Donner shot all the footage with Lex Luthor (Gene Hackman). You can find blow-by-blow descriptions of what is new/changed elsewhere, but most of the changes deal with Christopher Reeve and Margot Kidder as the comic-book couple. Donner's cut provides alternate scenes for how Lois tests her hunch that Clark is Superman, the moment he reveals his identity, and how Lois unlearns that truth. Thing is, Lester's reshots are stronger, adding weight to the romance between the two, lifting the picture's stature. Lester also added the dandy Eiffel Tower opening. Donner's chief additions are in the Fortress of Solitude, where Marlon Brando returns to teach (Susannah York, as Superman's mom, appears in the Lester cut). The producers cut Brando's footage so they wouldn't have to pay him millions. The Brando/Reeve scenes continue the father/son dynamic of the first film. There is a great lesson in editing--Lester's less is better than Donner's more--when you compare how Kent turns back into Superman after losing his powers. The Donner cut is completely formed but does use some rehearsal footage, new effects, and some pieces shot by Lester. The history of cinema has many of these stories of movies reshot, hijacked, and changed from the original version, but here the underdog wins and Donner gets his chance to change history, even adding a note in the end credits about the use of fur and smoking as regrettable choices of the time.

Director Donner and creative consultant Tom Mankiewicz have a jolly good time revisiting their past on the commentary track. You get a clearer picture of who shot what, but the two have nothing good to say about Lester's edition. Donner doesn't go much into why he was dropped, just a difference of opinion and the need not to pay Brando. He also explains why the déjà vu ending of this edition was used in the first movie and a new ending would have been thought up for part 2. A quick featurette looks at how Michael Thau and a small crew reconstructed the film and compares several scenes from both versions. Also added are additional scenes shot by Donner but not used, most with Hackman. --Doug Thomas

Customer Reviews:

Darker, serious Superman II as the way it should be seen.......2007-09-01

I was amazed at how much different Richard Donner's version of the film was compared to the original Superman II. They basically made a 'new' movie by throwing in as much of his original footage as they could while keeping the overall story consistent and coherent. The mood of the movie is much darker than the original, more serious, but it was the way it was meant to be filmed.
As for the DVD itself, I was a little disappointed that they didn't add any real special features. You open it up and see only a DVD in there; no chapter lists on the side or anything. It's basically a disk with the 'new' movie, an intro by Richard Donner, a short documentary about restoring the footage, and subtitle options. But still; the movie is a masterpiece that would make Christopher Reeve proud if only he were still alive today. The movie is also dedicated to him.

Theatrical Version Reigns Supreme.......2007-08-28

CONTAINS PLOT SPOILERS NECESSARY TO COMPARE/CONTRAST TWO VERSIONS

When considering the value of The Donner Cut, when compared to Superman II (Two-Disc Special Edition), two major issues arise.

Issue A: the controversial decisions behind the movie's production...i.e. the change of director, dissent among cast and crew, cutting Brando, script re-writes, etc.

Issue B: the end results of said decisions, which was initially the theatrical version but now includes this alternative...i.e. which movie tells which part of the story more effectively.

I see little sense in mixing these issues, since an objective view of the two versions (Issue B) becomes clouded when considering the facts (and speculations) of the movie's production (Issue A). In other words, I believe it is more important to look at the two movies for what they actually are, both strengths and weaknesses - NOT what anyone might claim 'could've been/should've been,' based on the differing accounts of the troubled production.

Full disclosure: I am an unapologetic fan of the theatrical release of "Superman II." I loved it as a kid, and I still consider it my favorite Superman movie to this day. Over the years, through repeat viewings, I have come to see some flaws in the storytelling but nothing that significantly altered my appreciation of the movie. Of course, I also became aware of the backstory of the making of the film and was intrigued by the personnel changes (key among them, of course, the firing of Donner).

I have to admit I was hesistant to even watch this so-called Donner Cut. There seems to be an awful lot of group-think regarding "Superman II." Many of the supposed flaws of the theatrical cut - often attributed to Richard Lester - have never made much sense to me. Along with the Salkinds, Lester has obviously become vilified as a bumbling hack by a large portion of the fanbase, while Donner has been elevated to something approaching visionary genious. An objective look at their filmographies reveals Lester as the more influential and distinguished filmmaker, while Donner is more a director-for-hire without any discernable style. Take that for what it's worth, as it doesn't necessarily make either director's vision of "Superman" more valid. I only mention it as a rebuttal for those who are under the impression that a 'great artist' was replaced by a 'talentless automaton.' If Richard Donner is, as seems to be a frequent claim, a great visionary - where in his catalog of films is this apparent (other than, arguably, "Superman: The Movie")?

Having listened to Donner's commentary on the Donner Cut, as well as the Salkind/Spengler commentary on the theatrical version, I see no reason to 'choose sides' over the change-in-directors decision. True, Donner did an excellent job with the first film and doesn't seem to be any apparent reason his sequel wouldn't have been excellent as well. True, Donner seems unwilling to admit any wrongdoing regarding his behavior and working relationships on the production. But it is just as true that the producers feel justified in the decision to replace him. The point is, we'll never know who was "right" - that type of 'truth' is usually so subjective that even the parties directly involved aren't necessarily right or wrong. Filmmaking is a collaborative business, and the money-men are going to say who continues to work on a given project and who does not. Maybe Donner was hell to work with, maybe he wasn't - we, the viewers, are not privy to what actually transpired. That is all part of the aforementioned Issue A...

...bringing me to Issue B: which version is better? The one clear benefit of the Donner Cut is the inclusion of the Brando scenes - it is stronger than the theatrical version's Susannah York scenes. I think that Kal-El interacting with Jor-El makes more sense in the context of the first film than having him talk to his mother. Seeing how Kal-El's powers are restored is better storytelling than having him simply reappear in Metropolis at full-strength, as he does in the thearical version. This is the biggest problem with the theatrical version. Of course, going back to Issue A momentarily, it should be understood that Richard Lester did not choose to remove Brando - the producers did. Why? Certainly not to sabotage Donner's work, but rather they were doing exactly what good producer's do: maximize profits. Paying Brando was going to cost millions of dollars, yet the producers realized that the movie's success was pretty much a given with or without him. But back to Issue B, finishing the Jor-El story arc makes more sense than having him MIA while Superman works things out with his mother. The strength of the Brando footage is the only clear-cut example of the Donner Cut trumping the theatrical cut.

That's largely because the Donner Cut is not a finished movie. There is a fairly considerable amount of Lester-directed footage still present, since the story couldn't be told without the inclusion of at least some of the theatrical cut. I happen to like seeing more of the villians in East Houston, Idaho - much of which has been edited out. I much prefer the Niagara Falls scenes - including Lois in the river, as well as the hand-in-the-fire reveal - to what is found in the Donner Cut. Why would I want to watch early test footage that looks like it came from an entirely different movie? Sure, there wasn't anything else available (for reasons pertaining to Issue A) but the bottom line is that it doesn't look good nor does it play well. Reeve and Kidder hadn't fully arrived at their characterizations as would be seen in the actual movie. From a visual standpoint, it is perfunctorily staged (at best) as it wasn't meant to be included in a final movie. The theatrical version, on the other hand, presents a much better realized scene. And I know I'm skipping around at this point, but losing the Eiffel Tower sequence is shows a major weakness in the original conception. Freeing the villians as a result of the bomb from the first movie isn't exciting - we're watching rehashed flashback footage from the first film as the villians are released. The theatrical version presents an entirely reimagined - and infinitely more engaging - set of circumstances that allows us to see Superman in action much earlier in the film, while providing the same reason for the villians' release.

As explained in the supplementary materials, Superman turning back time was originally planned as the ending for "Superman II." It was used, of course, as the ending of "Superman: The Movie" - so re-using it in the Donner Cut is simply a way inserting something because no ending had been conceived by Donner and Co. There's no ending to the Donner Cut because the "ending" we see would have never been used even if Donner had been allowed to finish the movie. There's no reason to even speculate how Donner's finished "Superman II" would have ended, since it has never existed. Watching the Donner Cut - even as a stand-alone movie - results in terrible disappointment, because turning back time to the very beginning of the movie renders everything we just watched meaningless. It's a variation on the old grade school creative writing cliche "it was all just a dream." In order to make Lois forget that Clark is Superman, the clock is turned back and the whole story we watched was erased. It's a cheat, and it's simply bad storytelling. It also underlines in bold-face that what we have watched is merely a collection of alternate scenes strung together with segments from an actual finished film spliced in to approximate the experience of watching a full movie. The alternate footage is interesting, but ultimately doesn't come close to supplanting the theatrical release.

Just A Great Movie, Simple As That.......2007-08-25

I have to use the old saying but the best word to describes this movie is Amazing (with a capital "A" get it). Superman II is just an overall amazing movie and still hasn't aged after all of these years. The script is so well written, that it is hard to describe in words. It is just a fan boys dream come true and a movie that fans can watch over and over and never get tired of seeing it.

There is just so much emotion that is put into this film, especially between Jor-El and Kal-El. The acting and choice of cast is once again perfect, and Gene Hackman still hasn't lost his touch as Lex (Not so bald in the early films) Luthor. This movie also has the second coolest villain in all super hero movies, Zod. There just so many catchy quotes that come from and are about him. Superman II is a must have movie, you will love it and what Richard Donner has added makes it all the sweeter

"With All This Accumulated Knowledge...".......2007-08-15

Okay, I waited for a long while before writing this because I just didn't want to admit just how disappointed I was with the results. I was "one of those people" who wrote in to Warner asking for the Donner Cut to be finally released. They listened, but not carefully enough I guess. Michael Thau said that he knew what fans wanted and were looking for in a Donner Cut. If only this was the truth, but I guess perception is reality. The final film result should be considered a bonus disc to a film that never existed and probably will never exist. After careful consideration, I personally would have preferred more of a hybrid of Lester's and Donner's version. The title of this review refers to Gene Hackman's line when he walks into the Daily Planet. This was a Donner scene, and one of Luther's funniest quips when he said "With all of this accumulated knowledge,when will these dummies learn to use the door knob." For some reason, Mr. Thau felt the need to cut this memorable line out of the Donner cut altogether. What was he thinking? Also my favorite, very, emotional scene with Margot Kidder, when Superman breaks up with her before he destroys the Fortress of Solitude, was cut practically in half. The best lines, which in my VHS version are spoken very,very clearly by Margot Kidder about the their relationship being like "the Eternal Triangle," and how she has "All of humanity waiting in the next room," were cut out. The same happened with the follow-up scene on her balcony. Very little of those scenes were left in by Mr. Thau. What was left in, was voiced over by some other woman-very poorly.

The editing is extremely choppy, even amateurish looking, which many other reviewers also complained about. The optical effects were also so-so, not even in par with the original 1980 effects in Lester's version. A very sad indication that this project was not given the budget it deserved. This is obvious in the turning back the world sequence and a very bad shot of Ursula flying through the night sky with her head so out of scale with the rest of her body that she looked like a flying "bobble head" doll.

I guess that's it. I just wish that with all the information that Warner and Mr. Thau had, knowing what the fans wanted, that they could have delivered something much, much better than this.

superan 2 in the original version!!!!.......2007-07-24

i an avid fan of superman's godlike power i highly recommend this DVD edition of superman. excellent quality on sound and picture although donner's added motion picture bits are a little bit badder regarding the quality!!!!

Average customer rating:

Darker, serious Superman II as the way it should be seen
Theatrical Version Reigns Supreme
Just A Great Movie, Simple As That
"With All This Accumulated Knowledge..."
superan 2 in the original version!!!!

Superman II - The Richard Donner Cut
Starring: Christopher Reeve , and Margot Kidder
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000IJ79WU
Release Date: 2006-11-28

Amazon.com essential video

Description

In the year of Superman Returns, Superman II starring Christopher Reeve also returns - with a totally different beginning and resolution. With Jor-El (Marlon Brando in recently discovered footage) in key scenes that amplify Superman lore and deepen the profound relationship between father and son. With different Lois Lane (Margot Kidder) schemes to unmask Clark Kent as Superman. With...well, with so many changes, large and small, that this Superman II is an eye-opening alternate experience. Director Richard Donner began shooting his vision of Superman II while concurrently filming Superman The Movie. Now, for the first time, his never-before-seen vision is here. And it's a must for every Superman fan, an important addition to the legend of the Man of Steel.

Customer Reviews:

Darker, serious Superman II as the way it should be seen.......2007-09-01

Theatrical Version Reigns Supreme.......2007-08-28

Just A Great Movie, Simple As That.......2007-08-25

"With All This Accumulated Knowledge...".......2007-08-15

superan 2 in the original version!!!!.......2007-07-24

Average customer rating:

MST3K Fans Rejoice -- Rifftrax is Here!
Decent movie, if you are into James Bond movies on hyperdrive....
Finally - a movie that doesn't skip past violent or sex scenes...
Exciting and well written action flick
Finally...An exciting action flick

XXX (Widescreen Special Edition)
Starring: Leila Arcieri , Asia Argento , David Asman , Joe Bucaro III , and Marton Csokas
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00005JL3K
Release Date: 2002-12-31

Amazon.com

Vin Diesel is no James Bond, and he doesn't want to be. That's why XXX announced Diesel as the adrenalin-junkie Bond of the PlayStation generation, copying the Bond formula so shamelessly that this action-packed silliness would be a Bond movie if it starred Pierce Brosnan. Reuniting Diesel with his Fast and the Furious director Rob Cohen, XXX has an attitude (if not a brain) all its own, plucking Diesel's Xander Cage from his celebrity as an extreme sports renegade, recruited by a National Security Agency big shot (Samuel L. Jackson) to foil a nasty Czech villain (Marton Csokas) who's eager to depopulate Prague with remote-controlled biological weaponry. Toss in a sulky, sultry Russian agent (Asia Argento) and you've got extreme Bond-age for anyone who thinks tuxedos are passé. With a handful of eye-popping action sequences, XXX launched a movie franchise with a cool guy, another cool muscle car, and plenty of box-office sizzle. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

MST3K Fans Rejoice -- Rifftrax is Here!.......2007-08-25

Vin Diesel, the Jean-Claude Van Damme of our time, stars as Xander Cage, an underground extreme sports star who apparently lost all his hair in a tragic skydiving accident. The NSA shanghais Xander to help them bust up a dangerous group of anarchists - and what an amazingly well-organized and thorough group of anarchists they are - by using his skills at pulling the most extremely off da heezy-fo-sheezy stunts ever, bi-atch. Samuel L. Jackson co-stars as Xander's cantankerous boss, made cantankerous, we can assume, by the fact that one side of his face is melted (the result, no doubt, of a mishap while he and his nutty friends were filming a Diet Coke and Mentos stunt for YouTube.)

The film is a perfect fit for Mike's RiffTrax style, what with his deep, deep roots in the underground sports community (once, when he was nine years old, he rode his bike right over a milk carton.)

Decent movie, if you are into James Bond movies on hyperdrive...........2007-05-06

Like the title of my review suggests, this is your classic spy/action/thriller movie that is geared toward the young non-thinking audience.

Having said that, it is still a good movie overall. Now lett's dissect the movie and see how well it does on the essential components of a good spy/action flick.

1. ACTION SCENES: Very good, sometimes bordering into the surreal, like the one in the mountaines where XXX is snowboarding just 30 feet in front of an avalanche, and nothing happens to him but all the bad guys die because they are on slower snow mobiles.

2. CHICK: Yelena (the Russian FSB Agent that is undercover on the Anarchy99 mafia group) is very convencing as a russian agent, a little thin for my taste but quite decent in her "russian accent".

3. THE BAD GUYS: Credible group of ex-Russian Special Forces turned rogue after the Chechen War. The only part that did not fit is at the end, where the leader (who looks like a grunge russian singer from the 90s) turns psycho with his plan to destroy the world's major cities with the "Silent Night" poison gas.

4. THE GUY: XXX does a all right job as the adrenaline junkie that "does not fear death". I find him a little bit too "cliche" for my taste, but I did laugh sometimes with his one liners, like the one when Yelena confesses that she has been undercover with Anarchy99 for 2 years, and he retorts, "what were you waiting for......for them to die of old age".

5. THE BOSS: Standard Samuel Jackson acting of his government agent-supervisor character.

Go ahead, watch it... , decent but not great.

Finally - a movie that doesn't skip past violent or sex scenes..........2007-04-02

I am so sick of movies that skip all the cool stuff! This movie has tons of violence, but not much blood, and LOTS of sex. There's a scene called "Tucking Xander into bed" When he comes in, there's candles everywhere and a drop dead hot prostitute is pole dancing on the bedpost of his canopy bed. Due to a combination of unfortunate and infuriating circumstances, I haven't been able to view past the part when he's walking toward her, taking off his clothes, and she's shaking her butt at him - I can guess what happens. In the next scene, Yorgi's in his room, and there're three naked prostitutes on his bed. They don't cover ANYTHING.

If you like movies that don't hide what goes on behind closed doors and veils, this version of XXX is for you. [I think it would be rated X - it's smart they didn't}

Exciting and well written action flick.......2006-11-19

I saw XXX: State of the Union before watching this, so I wasn't surprised by Xander's death. What did surprise me was how lame "The Death of Xander" sequence was. It made no sense. The way they worked around not having Vin Diesel play the role in the short was creative though.

This really could have been a modern James Bond movie. The opening sequences were exciting and Xander's character traits and growth were developed well. Although incredible, the action sequences in XXX are more credible than some in State of the Union. Sorry they killed XXX off. It would have been interesting to bring him back for a cameo in XXX-3.

I'm not sure how the Uncensored Unrated Director's Cut differed from the theatrical release, but I'd definitely recommend it to all action and secret agent movie fans.

Finally...An exciting action flick.......2006-11-17

The James Bond of the new milliniem, Xander Cage is adrenalin seeking junkie who often finds himself on the wrong side of the law. Persuaded by the US government to participate in a top secret underground mission in exchange for his freedom, Xander is off to Prague to try and foil an attempt by a rogue Russian terrorist to save the world. Sounds simple...it is! Sounds like its been done a hundred times before...it has!
But all the entertainment is in the action and stunts. While they are all unbelievable, Rob Cohen directs a highly addictive action movie that leaves everything else for dead. While Vin Diesel may not light up the screen (females will tend to disagree), most of his scenes are done by a stunt double, his performance as Xander does enough to warm the audience to him. Martin Szorkas plays a very good 'bad guy'. The ending was a bit of an anti-climax but still satisfying.

Average customer rating:

Not much to say...
This is my armor
Different but Enjoyable
Do not be discouraged!
Good anime series gets a decent movie

Escaflowne - The Movie
Starring: Venus Terzo , Kelly Sheridan , and Kirby Morrow
Director: Kazuki Akane
Manufacturer: Bandai
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0001DCY0K
Release Date: 2002-07-23

Amazon.com

Escaflowne is a sprawling adventure saga that infuses sword-and-sorcery and mecha elements into the popular "magical girl" anime genre. The girl is Hitomi Kanzaki (voice by Kelly Sheridan), a withdrawn teenager who wishes she could just leave everything behind and vanish. When she's magically transported to the alternate world of Gaia, she gets her wish--in spades. The dashing Van (Kirby Morrow) of the White Dragon Clan is pitted against his twisted brother Folken (Paul Dobson), the leader of the Black Dragon Clan, in a succession war that threatens the very existence of Gaia. Hitomi is hailed as the long-awaited "Wing Goddess," and her power over the invincible dragon-mecha suit Escaflowne confirms her status. Although the tangled story line has been pared down, the feature remains a reworking of the 26-part TV series The Vision of Escaflowne, which aired briefly on Fox Kids and is available on DVD. Fans of the television series will find that many of the familiar characters have been redesigned and reduced to minor roles, among them Allen, Princess Millerna, Dryden, Merle, Naria, and Eriya. Some of the story's more outré elements have been dropped, but there are still more prophecies, conflicts, and relationships than the filmmakers can resolve satisfactorily in 96 minutes, despite a pat happy ending. Escaflowne boasts some impressive action sequences, which Kazuki Akane directs with panache. The film opens with a spectacular sword fight, as Van single-handedly dispatches the guards on an enemy airship to capture Escaflowne. MPAA rating: PG-13. Contains considerable violence. --Charles Solomon

Customer Reviews:

Not much to say..........2007-08-01

As far as anime movies go this one isn't ground breaking. It has the impact of a feather dropped from waist height. If you purchased the Escaflone series be happy with the great series you just purchased, and let this one sit in amazons warehouse.

This is my armor.......2007-06-13

This anime movie based on the popular japanese cartoon series is one of the best. The armor is amazing and very different from most mechas seen in anime. I give this anime the tops in stars.

Different but Enjoyable.......2007-04-12

Excellent movie! I f your like me and get confused easily I suggest that you watch the series first. The movie is different from the series and many people may not likle the changes of the characters personalities, but I enjoyed the story going in a different direction. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.

Do not be discouraged!.......2007-03-29

The Escaflowne movie is one of the animes that I would definitely advise to see. It is beautiful, has a strong storyline (unlike the tv series), has lovely music and lots of action. Please, do not be discouraged by negative reviews from fans of the tv series, who just cannot seem to understand that 120 minutes of the movie time is not meant to include the character development of the soap opera that is the tv series. I found most of the characters in the movie much more interesting and less annoying than in the series. Except for perhaps Hitomi who is pretty annoying in both. But besides that - a definite improvement from tv series.

Good anime series gets a decent movie.......2007-03-26

I was into the Escaflowne anime series on tv, it was impressive, from the story, to the music, to the battles. For a while, Escaflowne had its anime series on television, on saturdays, and it was a very good alternative to the shallow cartoons that were on. Strangly the show stoped airing over here, just when i was getting more and more interested.
Anyways... i discovered the Escaflowne movie a while ago and recently found it on sale at the store, and i was looking for a good anime film to buy, and i had good memory of Escaflowne as a quality anime show, one of the very few well done animated shows aired in the USA, and id allways wanted to see the movie, i figured it would be epic and powerfull, like award winning.

It turns out that this movie sums up the Escaflowne story. Without giving away anything, it starts out with Hitomi on Earth and somehow being transported eventually, to this other world and meeting these new people. So it doesnt apparently start where the series left off, its the story of Escaflowne condensed to fit into movie form.

The animation is not bad...but isnt exactly theatrical release quality, i was expecting something on the lines of Miyazaki quality, but the animation is just a bit above the anime series, with the characters looking slighty more matured and a bit more well defined. Im not sure, but maybe this was made for DVD, perhaps it didnt get the big motion picture treatment in Japan.

The characters are allright, all the voice actors who did the characters on the anime series reprise their roles i believe for the movie, like Lord Vonn, Hitomi and Meryl, not to mention the villians.

There is battle between Lord Vonn and one of the bad guys, where Vonn uses Escaflowne against the bad guys own armor, right before the confrontation with Lord Vulcan ( Vonns older brother). Its good, but it made me wanna see more. There wasnt much battles in the movie, it was more story driven i guess.

The story is not bad, it just made me feel kinda bored in areas, i didnt feel too involved in it. But thats just me. It just didnt unfold as great or as grand as it seemed it would judging from the movies trailor.

The music in this movie is good, i really like Escaflowne theme that has the choral singing, its one of the most impressive themes ive heard for an anime.

The series of Escaflowne is definatly worth watching if you like this movie but felt it lacked some things or if you felt like you didnt get enuff. The anime series is real well done, and has intense battles, a complex enjoyable story and even more memorable music, like its opening intro music. Very good.

The one thing the movie has over the series is its graphic violence. Its done in good taste, and it is showcased in a powerfull way. The blood that is spilled in this movie is neccasary and respects your intelligence.

So, in the end i think it was an allright movie. I dont see myself watching it again anytime soon in the future, but its an okay fantasy/mecha anime movie.

Average customer rating:

MST3K Fans Rejoice -- Rifftrax is Here!
Decent movie, if you are into James Bond movies on hyperdrive....
Finally - a movie that doesn't skip past violent or sex scenes...
Exciting and well written action flick
Finally...An exciting action flick

XXX (Full Screen Special Edition)
Starring: Leila Arcieri , Asia Argento , David Asman , Joe Bucaro III , and Marton Csokas
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00006WUWM
Release Date: 2002-12-31

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

MST3K Fans Rejoice -- Rifftrax is Here!.......2007-08-25

Decent movie, if you are into James Bond movies on hyperdrive...........2007-05-06

Finally - a movie that doesn't skip past violent or sex scenes..........2007-04-02

Exciting and well written action flick.......2006-11-19

Finally...An exciting action flick.......2006-11-17

Average customer rating:

MST3K Fans Rejoice -- Rifftrax is Here!
Decent movie, if you are into James Bond movies on hyperdrive....
Finally - a movie that doesn't skip past violent or sex scenes...
Exciting and well written action flick
Finally...An exciting action flick

XXX (Unrated Director's Cut)
Starring: Leila Arcieri , Asia Argento , David Asman , Joe Bucaro III , and Marton Csokas
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0007Q6VXW
Release Date: 2005-04-19

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

MST3K Fans Rejoice -- Rifftrax is Here!.......2007-08-25

Decent movie, if you are into James Bond movies on hyperdrive...........2007-05-06

Finally - a movie that doesn't skip past violent or sex scenes..........2007-04-02

Exciting and well written action flick.......2006-11-19

Finally...An exciting action flick.......2006-11-17

Average customer rating:

Continuity from Bush Senior to Bush Junior
TECHNOCRATS
Amateurish
espionage..and the merchants of death
Here's to the engineers

Doomsday Gun
Starring: Frank Langella , Alan Arkin , Kevin Spacey , Michael Kitchen , and Francesca Annis
Director: Robert Young (III)
Manufacturer: Hbo Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000A2XAPA
Release Date: 2005-08-30

Description

Based on the explosive true story of a scientist with one dream: to build the world's most powerful weapon - and he doesn't care who the customer is. But when the Iraqis make the buy, a top secret elite team swings into action. ' 'Compelling - full of real-life mystery.' ' (L.A. Times)

Customer Reviews:

Continuity from Bush Senior to Bush Junior.......2007-08-20

This is an old film that came out in 1994. It was direct propaganda from the Democrats against the Republicans and Bush Senior who had been defeated by Clinton in 1992. As such it revealed the very obscure and twisted policies the United States of Reagan and Bush Senior had had towards Iraq, Iran, Israel and the Middle East in general, not to speak of the world. But what meaning can it have in 2007? In retrospect it shows how the US produced their own enemy and made him as strong as strong could be, how they helped him embezzle enormous sums of money in order to pay for some armament projects that were totally out of proportion but very good for business. And then they had to have a first war to force him out of Kuwait, and then they decided to have a second war to oust him out of power. And they had to lie to the whole world to justify their unilateral decision to invade Iraq. And that war that was supposed to be a joyride because they knew there were no Weapons of Mass Destruction and hence the Iraqis could not resist them, has turned into a nightmare and a quagmire that is swallowing the US like a quicksand trap in the middle of their only way. The Indians and Sinhalas have an interested saying about how an elephant cannot escape from drowning in a pool of mud as soon as they have dipped their first foot in it. If the film demonstrates something it is that when you lie, when you embezzle, when you manipulate people or events or circumstances or whatever, sooner or later you have to pay the bill and foot the expenses. Unluckily the price is paid by the Americans first of all, then by the Iraqis particularly the civilians, and finally by the whole world that is forced into dangerous situations that could and should have been avoided. This film's meaning has completely changed from 1994 with Bush Senior as its intended target to Bush Junior as an unintended circumstantial target. But one element is still true and unchanged: the US have been fishing in very muddy waters over the last twenty years or so and the price to pay will be unimaginably high for everyone.

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

TECHNOCRATS.......2007-07-13

I WAS AWARE OF BITS AND PIECES OF THIS STORY SO I WAS INTERESTED IN SEEING THE WHOLE STORY. THE LATTER WAS WELL TOLD FOR THE TIME AVAILABLE. I ESPECIALLY ENJOYED THE INSIGHTS INTO HOW THE MAN THOUGHT. I WOULD THINK THE FILM WOULD HAVE A LIMITED AUDIENCE; MAINLY PHYSICISTS OR ENGINEERS.

Amateurish.......2006-11-15

This film is proof that an excellent cast cannot rise above inferior scriptwriting, directing and editing. Most scenes of this movie struggle against a script that sacrifices character development to the conveying of information. Mercifully, this is most blatant in the first 10 minutes of the movie in which choppy editing jerks the audience from scene to scene in a series of pogo jumps that instruct us on the childhood aspirations and early professional career of the protagonist, Gerald Bull. The ticker tape of facts continues through what must be the most leaden performance of Kevin Spacey's filmography, as he intones yet more information needed to convince the viewer that this is surely a very exciting film. Add to this the director's dispiriting decisions to have Arab characters speak to each other in English, and to have pivotal moments preceded far in advance by crescendos from the orchestra, and we can only be thankful that the flim provides, at the very least, a useful history lesson.

espionage..and the merchants of death.......2006-09-19

watch this movie closely..It will show you all you need to know of the world of international espionage and those who play the great old game...This Movie truly expains how enemies are not really all that bad and how ones friend can be the monster lurking in the shadows..In my opinion the movies highlights the closing heyday of the Reagan-Bush international crusades and how the foot soldiers in the Intelligence field work ferverishly to fufill their masters agenda....And how a goverment can use, abuse, discredit and discard you if you refuse to play the game their way..This movie had a great cast, and was a real diamond in the rough. It has 2 parts.It highlights the genius of Gerald Bull,, and shows the darkside of a political agenda..

Here's to the engineers.......2005-08-23

As an engineer's son, I have never seen a better portrayal of an engineer's enthusiasm for new problems and new challenges. In one unforgettable scene, Frank Langella brought to the screen for the first time in my opinion what can only be called, "the-joy-of-development."

Too often films that deal with invention focus on that moment when the problem comes together and is solved. What they fail to recognize is the first step, when the men and women are looking at the challenge ahead, has even more emotional potential.

Thankfully the writers and actors in this film did not forget this human truth.

The cast is excellent. The script is uneven, but the only reason this is obvious is because instead of staying mildly good throughout, like most made for cable films, this movie is mildly good with occasional scenes of brilliance; such as almost any moment what Langella or Spacey grace the screen.

If you are an engineer or just have one as a friend or member of the family, see this film. It's a wonder.

Average customer rating:

Cold War Telefilms Are Brilliant
Time capsule
The Coolest Cold War Movie of the 80s

Secret Weapons
Starring: Sally Kellerman , Linda Hamilton , Hunt Block , Viveca Lindfors , and Geena Davis
Director: Don Taylor
Manufacturer: Platinum Disc
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B000096FVK
Release Date: 2002-11-01

Customer Reviews:

Cold War Telefilms Are Brilliant.......2007-07-30

This was a movie of the week on one of the networks. Who knew that the actresses wouldlater become more famous than Sally Kellerman? The dialogue is so camp and dated now. The scenes of winter time in Russia are perfect. It is worth watching!

Time capsule.......2007-02-12

This movie deals with a time period long past, and it is hard to take it seriously. The main character is played by Linda Hamilton, an actress who epitomizes the 1980ies and who I just happen to like. She plays an innocent Russian girl who is recruted into a kind of an academy and turned into a "bait" for Americans targeted for blackmail schemes by the Soviets. Nobody cared about authenticity as far as the Russian settings are concerned, but the moral conflicts the heroine runs into are handled with tact.

The Coolest Cold War Movie of the 80s.......2006-05-27

For you Cold War movies buffs out there, this one is a jem. I saw that as a kid on TV, and since then remembered one of the scences : "What's Americans religion ?" "Protestantism ?" "No, sex". Linda Hamilton, Geena Davis and Sally Kellerman are just great. Here, You have all that so cheesy "80s ambiance" that's SOOO cool. The reason I Put 4 stars instead of 5 is the picture quality, which is terrible and the absence of any bonuses, or subtitles (I'm not native from the US). Besides that, you just have to watch this with friends and have a great laugh.

Average customer rating:

"Secret Weapon (1943) ... Sherlock Holmes ... 20th Century Fox (2005)"
The Secret is Stunning!
SherlockHolmes and the Secret Weapon
Colorized Holmes
Crisp, brilliant visuals

Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon
Starring: Basil Rathbone , Nigel Bruce , Lionel Atwill , Kaaren Verne , and William Post Jr.
Director: Roy William Neill
Manufacturer: Mpi Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Suspense | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

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