Black Snake Moan

Amazon.com

The lurid scenario--a nymphomaniacal white trash nymphet (Christina Ricci) is held prisoner by a bitter bluesman (Samuel L. Jackson)--gives way to an affecting tale of redemption in Black Snake Moan, writer/director Craig Brewer's follow-up to the acclaimed Hustle & Flow. Lazarus (Jackson, Jungle Fever, Pulp Fiction) finds Rae (Ricci, Monster, The Ice Storm) beaten unconscious on the road in front of his backwoods house. After bringing her inside, he learns of her wanton ways and decides to exorcise his own demons by curing Rae of her sexual compulsion. Black Snake Moan could have been terrible, but Brewer takes his story seriously enough to dig into the genuine emotions of such a situation (though along the way he certainly flirts with sexploitation overtones--several scenes look like they were plucked straight out of a hitherto unknown 1970s trash classic). Ricci, Jackson, and the supporting cast (including pop star Justin Timberlake, giving a surprisingly good performance as Rae's boyfriend) treat the characters with respect, honesty, and humor. The result is off-kilter and maybe a little too fond of its sleazy cinematic forbears to truly hit the emotional notes it's after, but Black Snake Moan has considerably more substance than its marketing would suggest. --Bret Fetzer

Beyond Black Snake Moan

The Soundtrack
More Music Stars on DVD
More DVDs with Samuel L. Jackson

Stills from Black Snake Moan (click for larger image)

Customer Reviews:

An improbable association.......2007-09-16

The talented Samuel L. Jackson and Christina Ricci both shine brightly as the main characters in the unlikely union of two abandoned individuals in the Craig Brewer directed drama, "Black Snake Moan".

Jackson stars as religious Southern farmer and erstwhile blues guitarist Lazarus who has been cuckolded by his wife for his brother. Jackson finds the severely beaten, half naked Ricci lying unconscious beside the road near his house. Ricci playing the lewd, lascivious town trollop Rae has been for years subjected to physical and sexual abuse. She'd also been abandoned by ber boyfriend, the anxiety ridden Ronnie played nicely by Justin Timberlake.

Jackson takes Ricci in determined to heal her and also exorcise the demons within her making her nymphomaniacal. Chaining her to the radiator he along with lifelong friend and preacher Reverend R.L. played by John Cothran Jr. strive to use religion to cure Ricci.

Ricci and Jackson provide each other with solace and rejuvenation as Jackson once again picks up his long forgotten guitar and Ricci is on her way towards normalcy in her life.

The movie which ended in satisfying but incredulous fashion provided for closure in the revitalization of two potential wasted lives.

D.A.M. is all I can say............2007-09-15

and that is an acronym for dumb @ZZ movie. Jackson and Ricci's performances were on point. Timberlake's was only so-so but at least he was believable. Actually, the only problem that I had with this movie was the writing and the jumbled plot. The cast was there but the writers and the directors must have been on vacation. So much more could have been done with this film. I was just not impressed. I give it 2.5 stars for the cast.

The Odd Couple.......2007-09-13

Samuel L. Jackson and Christina Ricci are two of my favorite screen actors. They're both quirky iconoclasts who occasionally make studio films, but always seem to really shine in offbeat, smaller pictures. The relationship between their two characters, Lazarus and Rae, is the heart and focus of this film. Both characters have been wounded by sex in ways that strangely complement one another: Lazarus has been betrayed by his cold, promiscuous wife, and Rae's history of sexual abuse has brought about her character's uncontrollable sexual compulsion.

Lazarus and Rae meet when Rae is beaten and left unconscious by the side of the road after humiliating one of the many suitors who take advantage of her compulsive promiscuity. Lazarus nurses her back to health, and then feels a self-righteous desire to "cure" her of her "illness", however, it is clear that he is trying to save himself somehow as much as he is trying to save her.

As much as Ricci and Jackson carry the film, a lot of credit is also owed to the soundtrack. The blues music wonderfully complements the emotions and circumstances of the two tormented characters. The songs speaks of sex, betrayal, sadness and redemption; the perfect musical complement to the themes of the film.

Different.......2007-09-07

Jackson was very good, as usual, but the plot was pretty contrived. I found I was paying more attention to the sound track (which is outstanding) than the story line.

Simmering Deep South Style.......2007-09-04

Once you get over the initial seemingly ridiculous plotline of this film there is a lot of enjoyment to be had. Christina Ricci plays an incredibly brave role as a nymphomaniac who is left for dead on the side of the road after one two many sexual trists. Samuel L Jackson plays the damaged but moral rescuer who chains her to the radiator in his house and attempts to cure her wicked ways. There is some great tunes in this film with ol Samuel belting out some of his own along the way which i must admit is pretty darn good. Justin Timberlake again impresses as the anxiety ridden and troubled boyfriend of Ricci's character whose actions will have consequences for everybody. As silly as it sounds this film is well written and terrifically performed and has a very moral and decent undercurrent flowing throughout and has a lot to say about the healing power of love and care and redemption. Recommended for those who are after something a bit different and not just an excuse to watch Christina Ricci wonder around half naked for most of the film.

Average customer rating:

Polished Acting from Poitier
POITIER PLAYS THE TEACHER THIS TIME AROUND! A CLASSIC!
Mr. Poitier simply owned Hollywood in 1967!
Sidney Poitier is Excellent !
Love this movie, Love Sidney in this movie and you will too.

To Sir, With Love
Starring: Sidney Poitier , Christian Roberts , Judy Geeson , Suzy Kendall , and Lulu
Director: James Clavell
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
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ASIN: B00003L9C1
Release Date: 2000-02-01

Amazon.com essential video

Novelist James Clavell wrote, produced, and directed this 1967 British film (based on a novel by E.R. Braithwaite) about a rookie teacher who throws out stock lesson plans and really takes command of his unruly, adolescent students in a London school. Poitier is very good as a man struggling with the extent of his commitment to the job, and even more as a teacher whose commitment is to proffering life lessons instead of academics. The spirit of this movie can be found in such recent films as Dangerous Minds and Mr. Holland's Opus, but none is as moving as this one. Besides, the others don't have a title song performed by pop star Lulu. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

Polished Acting from Poitier.......2007-09-03

In 1967 Mark Thackery is in England and unable to find a job as an engineer. To make ends meet he begins teaching in an east end school in London for problem children. He takes over an unruly class of difficult teenagers but instead of giving up works to open them up. Thackery takes them to outings and expands their minds while teaching them life skills to be adults. The class blossoms and Thackery gains their trust. When graduation day comes he ends up not taking an engineering job in the midlands opting to stay and reform more trouble East End London kids.

POITIER PLAYS THE TEACHER THIS TIME AROUND! A CLASSIC!.......2007-08-15

Highly entertaining drama about a new teacher who's first teaching job is at a rough London school. Poitier played a street tough in an earlier film called "Blackboard Jungle" which was very similar to this film. This time he is the teacher! hmmm......Karma? This is a true classic with great music from LuLu and Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders. Poitier is at his best here and this should not be missed. The DVD transfer in very good.

Mr. Poitier simply owned Hollywood in 1967!.......2007-08-15

Has there ever been actor who had a better year than Sidney did in 1967? It's hard to believe that he wasn't even nominated for an Oscar that year. The man starred in three classic films - "In the Heat of the Night", "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner" and of course this enjoyable, little gem - "To Sir With Love" all in 67.

"To Sir With Love" is one of those films that is almost impossible not to like. You may argue if it deserves the label of a true classic, but there's no denying how sweet and entertaining this fine film is. Based on the true story by E.R. Braithwaite (I highly recommend the book as well), Sidney Poitier absolutely shines in the role of Mark Thackeray (a.k.a. 'Sir'), a young man who after searching unsuccessfully for work as an engineer opts to take a job as a teacher at a rough, East End London high school. The rookie teacher immediately finds himself in a hornet's nest, as his poor, obnoxious students try their very best to break the man. However, Sir is not a man to be broken, and eventually he is able to transform the beastly brutes and tasteless tarts into real gentlemen and ladies. Poitier simply lights up the screen as 'Sir', a man who is able to teach these troubled, frustrated, angst-ridden youths what it means to be a dignified, respectful member of the human race.

I love this movie. Yes, it's a bit dated, and those churlish of critics might wish to scoff at it being too schmaltzy and saccharine for their tastes. However, even the most callous of critics agree that as overly sweet as this film is, it's still thoroughly enjoyable. On top of the great work of Sir Sidney, you've got the adorable Judy Geeson turning in a fine performance as Pamela Dare, the class beauty who can't help but fall head-over-heals for the sophisticated 'Sir'. Lulu may not be the greatest of actresses, but she sure can sing and who among us doesn't love that unforgettable title song. "Why is it Sir, that children grow up to be people one day..."

Just a side note, in the actual book by Braithwhite, Sir and Gillian Blanchard (played by the stunningly beautiful, Sharon Tate look-alike Suzy Kendall) fall in love and end up getting married. However, we all know that Sidney and Hollywood were already pushing the envelope that year with "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner". So in this film, the two remain close friends, but there is unfortunately no romance. Alas, another sign of those turbulent times of the 60's...

This is a film that your whole family can watch and enjoy together. It's a shame they don't make 'sweet' movies like this anymore. Every once in a while, we disenchanted folk need upbeat, cheerful films like this to keep us sane and bring us a little good cheer. This one I can guaranty will put a smile on your face. And that is worthy of five stars alone!

Sidney Poitier is Excellent !.......2007-08-11

This is a very moving film ,Sidney Poitier as a teacher who does not accept defeat.

Judy Geeson is perfect as the smitten student who gets to dance with Mr. Poitier. Lulu sings the theme song with heart and soul.

As the rough students begin to understand and respect mr. Poitier , you realize they're not so bad after all.

They all have a heart.

Love this movie, Love Sidney in this movie and you will too........2007-07-11

I don't "LOVE" many movies. This one I do LOVE. Intelligent, warm, sassy, with fine acting from the young English cast. This movie just dosen't age. Same problems and teenage angst, nothing really changes, does it? Sidney is an Engineer by trade, can't seem to find a job in his choosen profession, so just for now he takes a teaching position in a low end neighborhood in London. At first the kids give him a rough time, until he realizes these kids need rules and respect for themselves. So he makes everyone in his class address each other with the suffix, Mr. or Miss, a small beginning, but it works. And little by little he grows to like the kids and they learn to respect him and themselves. So many "teenage" movies today are terrible, they don't show consequences for violence, consequences for teen murders, consequences for teen sex and pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. Instead they glamorize things that shouldn't be thought of as hip and trendy. See it,let your children see it.

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Johnny Belinda
Great movie...
A Poignant Masterpiece
An enjoyable movie!
"Stop puttin' those grrrand idears into her head"

Johnny Belinda
Starring: Jane Wyman , Lew Ayres , Charles Bickford , Agnes Moorehead , and Stephen McNally
Director: Jean Negulesco
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
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ASIN: B000BYA4JC
Release Date: 2006-01-31

Amazon.com

Jane Wyman won a Best Actress Oscar for her strong performance in this touching drama of a deaf-mute girl (Wyman) and a doctor (Lew Ayres) who works closely with her. The story (based on Elmer Harris's play) seems intent on dumping one grievance after another onto the poor character, from rape to community pressure to give up the resultant baby, plus a terrible loss sustained somewhere in there as well. But Wyman and director Jean Negulesco manage to make the film more than the sum of its perils, and the texture and atmosphere of the town is particularly effective. --Tom Keogh

Description

Life is hard on MacDonald farm in stony, windswept Nova Scotia - and harder for young Belinda, a deaf mute whose affliction has been confused with mental deficiency. Then the town's new doctor takes an interest in helping her break out of her silent prison. Jane Wyman won the Best Actress Academy Award for her sensitive portrayal of Belinda, capturing the girl's affecting isolation, awakening desire to learn and ultimate triumph. Directed by Jean Negulesco and co-starring Lew Ayres, Charles Bickford and Agnes Moorehead (all four Oscar nominees* for their fine work), Johnny Belinda (nominated for a total 11 Oscars including Best Picture) blends atmosphere, nuance and high drama into a heartbreaking classic.

Customer Reviews:

Johnny Belinda.......2007-06-25

Jean Negulesco's stunningly shot drama is by turns touching and gripping, as we rejoice in Belinda's progress, then recoil at the vicious crime visited on her. Though the story veers towards melodrama, injecting one too many calamitous plot twists, this is a small quibble given the revelation of Wyman's Oscar-winning performance. Her rich characterization relies solely on facial expressions, yet the full range of her emotions shine through with delicacy and the ring of truth. Ayres makes a gentle, encouraging mentor, and Bickford and Moorehead, also Oscar-nominated, are both superb.

Great movie..........2007-05-28

This is a winner. I've seen this movie many times over the years. Jane Wyman does a wonderful job and Lew Ayres was much underappreciated as an actor - he does a terrific job in this movie. Highly recommended for movie buffs of all ages.

A Poignant Masterpiece.......2006-08-09

There are very few films that have literally brought tears to my eyes. They must be films of uncompromising emotional power. Films like Magnolia, The Passion of the Christ, and now Johnny Belinda.

It is the story of a deaf and dumb young woman named Belinda. Treated as an unintelligent workhorse all her years, Belinda's life changes forever when a lonely new doctor moves into her small coastal Nova Scotian port town. He takes an immediate liking to her and, proving to her family that she is not the "dummy" they think, he teaches her to read lips. But after a drunken sexual assault leaves her pregnant, rumors begin to fly throughout the small town, and both Belinda and her loved ones must fight for what's right.

The performances are wonderful. Of course, Jane Wyman simply steals the show in her Oscar-winning performance. She brings an incredible heart, warmth, and emotional resonance to the character of Belinda, and she does it without ever saying a word. The rest of the cast is marvelous as well, especially Charles Bickford, who lovingly portrays Belinda's father, and Stephen McNally, who turns Belinda's attacker into one of the most easy to loathe characters ever put on celluloid - yet the film still brilliantly keeps him at the level of a realistic personality - no one is a caricature.

Director Jean Negulesco brings an understated visual beauty to the film reminiscent of the silent ages, when one had to use aesthetics to make up for the lack of aural stimulus. Every shot is a perfectly composed work of art, turning every moment of Belinda into a masterwork of lighting and raw, majestic nature. The seaside settings are utilized so well that they put Johnny Belinda in league with such legendary jaw-droppers as L'Avventura and Black Narcissus.

But this film is much more than just visual appeal. It is both heartwarming and heartbreaking, often simultaneously. There are so many thought-provoking themes to gnaw on in Johnny Belinda - the way people view the handicapped, the bonds of parenthood, the power of rumors, the justification of violence as self-defense, and overall morality and humanity. Even the film's setting could be considered an allegory on Belinda - the brutal waves of the ocean constantly pounding against the serene shores.

The film is also, as I mentioned before, emotionally overwhelming. While it certainly has a focused narrative, Belinda is foremost a progression of feelings, and they are so well conveyed that I was simply overcome with joy, pain, heartbreak, and hope. While the film is often described as a melodrama, it is far from a soap opera. There are no miraculous moments of sudden verbal triumph for Belinda, no ridiculously overacted moments of teary-eyed abandon - Johnny Belinda is a terribly real experience. There are aspects of the story that remain unresolved - not loose ends, but difficult problems that would most likely also remain unresolved in reality.

However, I don't want to give the impression that Johnny Belinda is depressing. I felt uplifted and rapturous just as often as I felt overcome by grief and fear. I felt so much for these characters and I wanted so sorely for things to turn out a certain way - but I won't reveal whether they do or not. I will say that the film ends on a note of nearly unbearable poignancy, and this is the moment that massaged my tear ducts.

My only complaint concerning the film is Max Steiner's score. He is perfectly suited for epic films like King Kong and Gone With The Wind, but here it feels somewhat overdramatic and occasionally awkward. He tends to play up the melodramatic angle and spot score in a ubiquitous manner, which simply doesn't fit with a film like Johnny Belinda. Still, it tends to work more often than not, and it is not a major enough problem to work seriously to the film's detriment.

This picture is a true gem. It has been unavailable for years, but thanks to Warner Brothers, it finally has a DVD release, and the restoration is simply glorious - it more than does justice to this cinematic treasure. Do yourself a favor and see Johnny Belinda.

An enjoyable movie!.......2006-06-17

I came across this name of the movie when I went to a Deaf History tour at University of Iowa library last Feb., otherwise, I wouldn't have known about this movie. I wrote down the name of the movie, so I can find the movie to see it and came across Amazon.com that are selling one on DVD with closed-captioned which was a plus.

Since I know sign language, it was very interesting to see a big change from the signs in the movie during 1948 to the same words comparing to now in 2006. I can see most of them are different and a couple of them like 'thank you' are still the same. I guess time have changed from 'old-fashioned' signs to 'modernized and simple' signs. It would be interesting if I could talk to Jane Wyman herself in today's sign language and see if she can understand some or not. I wonder if she knows some or have forgotten completely?

It was an enjoyable movie with excellent acting by Jane Wyman and Lew Ayres (bless his heart!). I'm sure I will watch the movie again later.

"Stop puttin' those grrrand idears into her head".......2006-06-12

Jane Wyman one the Best Actress Oscar - and rightly so too - for her sensitive and touching portrayal of a deaf mute who blossoms under the attentions of a compassionate young doctor on a Nova Scotian farm. Dealing with the themes of rape, teenage pregnancy, single-motherhood and small town intolerance, Johnny Belinda was probably quite sensational for the late 1940's, the period in which it was made.

The film begins as the gentle Dr. Robert Richardson (Lew Ayres) moves to a windswept coastal Nova Scotia town to escape from a spoiled relationship. One night, he is asked to deliver a calf and upon visiting the farm Black McDonald (Charles Bickford), she meets Belinda (Jane Wyman) a young deaf girl, whose unofficial name is "dummy" and is treated like some kind of serving wench.

Apparently her mother died giving birth to her and since then her Aunt Aggie (the great Agnes Moorehead), has been holding it against her. Neither her father nor her aunt ever actually believes that there's a sharp mind and deep emotional intuition behind Belinda's innocent façade. But Robert sees something quite magical in the girl and he takes the time to teach her sign language and how to read lips when no one else will.

Her progress is astonishing, and soon she's altered from a dirty and overworked rapscallion into an attractive and spirited young woman. In fact, she's so pretty that she even attracts the attentions of the town's local bad boy Locky McCormick who gets rotten drunk one night and brutishly rapes her in the McDonald's barn. Belinda internalizes the experience, keeping it a secret.

When Robert takes Belinda to see a specialist in the city, he discovers that she is pregnant Unfortunately Belinda ends up pregnant, a fact that Robert discovers when he takes her to a hearing specialist in the big city. Because Belinda won't name the man who attacked her, the townspeople - who are mostly a bunch of god-fearing, intolerant old biddies - quickly assume that Robert is the father.

Everything comes to a head when Locky realizes he is the father of the baby now named Johnny Belinda and tries to talk his fiancé Stella (Jan Stirling) into obtaining custody. What could have been an unadulterated, over-the-top weepy is actually played out in an understated and minimalist way.

Wyman avoids going for the grand gestures, playing Belinda with a mixture of quiet sensitivity and respect, and her supporting cast are equally as strong, especially the wonderful Agnes Moorehead who steadily warms to her vulnerable young niece as the story progresses.

Of course, due to the censorship restrictions of the time, the handling of the darker themes are a rather whitewashed - we never actually see Belinda when she is pregnant and her delivery of Johnny is so shrouded in mystery it merely looks like she is laying in bed with a severe case of the flu. But the issues of the rape and its consequences are shockingly audacious. Also, the actions taken by the townspeople "on behalf of" Belinda, whom they see as some kind of feral animal, are especially bleak.

Johnny Belinda definitely belongs to the stunning Ms. Wyman. She really manages to capture the sensitive heart and soul of Belinda. But the picture is also notable for its stunning exterior shots, the landscapes which run down to the sea's edge, village streets, fishing boats and weathered barns look as though they might be indigenous to Cape Breton Island and they really give you the feel that you are actually struggling to live a hand-to-mouth existence along with these people. Mike Leonard June 06.

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

Malcolm X
Starring: Angela Bassett , O.L. Duke , Al Freeman Jr. , Sonny Jim Gaines , and Albert Hall
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00002ND77
Release Date: 2000-01-18

Amazon.com essential video

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

Product Description

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

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

Format: DVD MOVIE

Customer Reviews:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A born again African-American Christian.

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BLU RAY TRANSFER
Cant miss
snakin' good movie!
WOW
Jules Winnfield Sings the Blues

Black Snake Moan [Blu-ray]
Starring: Jr. John Cothran , Samuel L. Jackson , S. Epatha Merkerson , Christina Ricci , and Kim Richards
Director: Craig Brewer
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: Blu-ray

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ASIN: B000Q6GURU
Release Date: 2007-06-26

Amazon.com

Beyond Black Snake Moan

The Soundtrack
More Music Stars on DVD
More DVDs with Samuel L. Jackson

Stills from Black Snake Moan (click for larger image)

Product Description

Paramount Black Snake Moan (Blu-ray)
When ex-blues musician Lazarus (Samuel L. Jackson) finds the town nymphomaniac Rae (Christina Ricci) left for dead on the side of the road, he vows to nurse her back to healthand cure her of her wickedness. Until then, shell be chained to the immovable radiator in hishome. But Lazarus has demons of his own: his wifejust left him for his own brother. While Lazarus and Rae struggle to fix their broken lives, the situation threatens to explode as Rae's boyfriend Ronnie (Justin Timberlake) a roughneck soldier just back from Iraq comes searching for his missinglover.

Customer Reviews:

BLU RAY TRANSFER.......2007-09-16

AS A BLU-RAY & HD DVD PLAYER OWNER I ENJOY EXCELLENT CRISP TRANSFERS TO THE HI DEF FORMAT. THIS ONE IS EXPECTED TO POP A HDTV.(5 STARS)DEMO QUALITY TO SHOW OFF THE 1080P SET.

Cant miss.......2007-08-23

A must see for any Samuel Jackson fan.Really a must see if your a Ricci fan.

snakin' good movie!.......2007-08-08

great movie. Samuel L. Jackson does an excellent job in this one. i thought it was very interesting and continually exciting. good blu-ray quality!

WOW.......2007-08-02

I guess in this day and age its ok to make a movie about a black man keeping a white half naked girl chained up in his house for her own good but if it had been a white man keeping a black girl in the same situation this movie would have been protested to the ends of the earth and most likely never released in this PC world

Jules Winnfield Sings the Blues.......2007-07-10

Oh my! Has little Wednesday Addams The Addams Family / Addams Family Values grown up or what? Wow.

In Black Snake Moan Christina Ricci is a sex-addicted Southern Girl that crosses paths with an aging Blues singer that takes her in and tries to get her life turned around...albeit against her will. Now that might not sound like the most thrilling movie of the year, but up until the last 20 - 30 or so minutes of the movie I was thinking that Black Snake Moan should get a Globe or Oscar nod.

An air of suspense throughout the film never lets up with that something-really-bad-is-about-to-happen feeling. And indeed sometimes something bad does happen, but ultimately Black Snake Moan turns into a feel good movie (for adults). It's sometimes warm and funny, and it certainly has its violent moments...not to mention some pretty strong sex scenes that you don't normally see a leading lady like Ricci participate in on film.

While the movie won't lead to a Samuel L. Jackson singing career, he ain't that bad of a blues singer. Funny thing about Jackson is that he plays pretty much the same character in every single movie that he's in...which is such a cool character; it just seems to work in everything he does from Pulp Fiction to Star Wars to S.W.A.T. to Black Snake Moan. In Black Snake Moan it's like watching an aged Jules Winnfield Pulp Fiction (Two-Disc Collector's Edition) singin' the Blues.

The final quarter of the movie seems hastily put together and a bit predictable. And the entire movie is a little bit of stretch considering how receptive Ricci's character (and others) becomes to her forced situation with Jackson's character.

But overall, the movie is very good. It may not be a collector, but it's a rental that might be one of the best I've looked at this year.

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spike lee's masterpiece
Do the Right Thing
maybe he shouldve stocked some nice rainbow ices ...
Boycott the Motherf**ker That Don't Like This Film!
Powerful Film

Do the Right Thing
Starring: Danny Aiello , Rick Aiello , Paul Benjamin , Ossie Davis , and Ruby Dee
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
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ASIN: 0783227949
Release Date: 1998-07-22

Amazon.com essential video

Spike Lee's incendiary look at race relations in America, circa 1989, is so colorful and exuberant for its first three-quarters that you can almost forget the terrible confrontation that the movie inexorably builds toward. Do the Right Thing is a joyful, tumultuous masterpiece--maybe the best film ever made about race in America, revealing racial prejudices and stereotypes in all their guises and demonstrating how a deadly riot can erupt out of a series of small misunderstandings. Set on one block in Bedford-Stuyvesant on the hottest day of the summer, the movie shows the whole spectrum of life in this neighborhood and then leaves it up to us to decide if, in the end, anybody actually does the "right thing." Featuring Danny Aiello as Sal, the pizza parlor owner; Lee himself as Mookie, the lazy pizza-delivery guy; John Turturro and Richard Edson as Sal's sons; Lee's sister Joie as Mookie's sister Jade; Rosie Perez as Mookie's girlfriend Tina; Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee as the block elders, Da Mayor and Mother Sister; Giancarlo Esposito as Mookie's hot-headed friend Buggin' Out; Bill Nunn as the boom-box toting Radio Raheem; and Samuel L. Jackson as deejay Mister Señor Love Daddy. A rich and nuanced film to watch, treasure, and learn from--over and over again. --Jim Emerson

Customer Reviews:

spike lee's masterpiece.......2007-07-08

put simply this film is one of the best ever made. it has true character and meaning and is delivered with slap you in your slapstick cheeck intelligence.
bonus features are out of this world with massive insights into the methods of one of contemporary cinema's most talented minds.
check THIS one out.

Do the Right Thing.......2007-07-06

A brilliant, thought-provoking view of contemporary race relations, Spike Lee's breakthrough feature powerfully articulated the kinds of sentiments that were (and still are) verboten in mainstream Hollywood movies and polite social discourse. Shot on location in Brooklyn's famous Bed-Stuy neighborhood, this explosive film is a tour-de-force work of innovative cinematography, confrontational dialogue, and first-rate acting from the ensemble cast. Standouts are Rosie Perez (as Mookie's petulant Puerto Rican girlfriend) and Giancarlo Esposito (as Buggin Out, the comically radical activist whose boycott of Sal's causes tensions to boil over). Smart, funky, and in your face, "Do the Right Thing" is a bold film that really will make you sweat.

maybe he shouldve stocked some nice rainbow ices ..........2007-06-11

poor spike lee: for 20 years now he has been trying to live up to the promise of this early movie -- but sad to say, two decades down the line, there wasnt as much there as people thought there was. the imagery of the streets (based on the real life howard beach horror) is a trifle too parochial, and the actions of the protagonists just a bit too easy to project before they occur. i honestly can say i didnt like a single person here; in attempting to show their flaws, lee ignores their decency. that aside, there are images that will stay with you a long time -- but as i said earlier, this should have been the heralding of a directorial career, not the peak.

Boycott the Motherf**ker That Don't Like This Film!.......2007-05-08

Sizzling hot! Music by Public Enemy, and a film by the great Spike Lee. And it's all set in the middle of summer, on one of the hottest days ever (Spike would return to this theme again with "Summer of Sam"), and with the coolest cast ever!
Look here, string-cheese head motherf**ker: Rewind it and watch the s**ts again and again! Boycott the motherf**ker who doesn't like this film!
This is a milestone in filmmaking, it's reality...It's the Powers that be!
WAY ahead of its time, speaks to many generations to come, and excellent, awesome filmmaking with never a dull moment.
I would give this film 10 stars if possible...Classic!!
And, that's the truth Ruth!

Powerful Film.......2007-02-16

I remember not saying a word for at least fifteen minutes after watching this film..It was one the most powerful films I've ever seen and makes the viewer reach inside his/herself and examine their attitude toward racism...

Average customer rating:

Honest movie opinion
Good debut from Shakur
Juice
Arguably the rise and fall of Tupac Shakur......................
Knowledge ,Money, power, respect: NYC

Juice
Starring: Omar Epps , Tupac Shakur , Jermaine 'Huggy' Hopkins , Khalil Kain , and Cindy Herron
Director: Ernest R. Dickerson
Manufacturer: Paramount
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ASIN: B0000541AK
Release Date: 2001-01-16

Amazon.com

Spike Lee's longtime cinematographer, Ernest R. Dickerson, made his directorial debut with this violent story about four Harlem teens whose lives are changed when a store robbery goes wrong. The film has been likened to an urban The Wild Bunch, but it is far too artificial for that. With Dickerson's eye, Juice understandably looks great, but at the end of the day it is only a slightly better version of the heavily clichéd crime movies that have artificially dominated perceptions of black cinema in the U.S. in the '90s. Rap fans might enjoy seeing some familiar stars on board, including Queen Latifah and Tupac Shakur. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

Honest movie opinion.......2007-05-30

I choose this movie because it's a movie that I can relate too going threw my teen years in the early 90's.

Good debut from Shakur.......2007-05-17

Made in 1992, the clothes, hair and music all cry early 1990s. Ernest Dickerson's gritty street drama about four friends who grew up together in Harlem is emotional, convincing, yet not complete. Epps is great and the highlight of the film as `Q' the man in the crew which is skeptical about robbing a grocery store. Shakur gives a convincing over-the-top performance as `Bishop' the instigator and heart of the group, although Shakur has done better in films such as `Gridlock'd' and `Above the Rim'. Jermaine Hopkins and Khalil Kain were also good as the other two members of the crew. Samuel L. Jackson also gives a very cool performance as trip a local bar owner. Overall a good film, with some not so realistic plot turns, but still great message and characters.

Juice.......2007-04-24

I like this movie alot it has betrayal, friendship,and excitement its an all around great movie

Arguably the rise and fall of Tupac Shakur.............................2007-04-19

More than a few people will agree that Pac's on and off screen demeanor changed dramatically after this movie was released.

Knowledge ,Money, power, respect: NYC.......2007-04-05

Pac was way ahead of his time. Rapper, Actor,Producer!! And not like all these fac wanna act rappers wanna be. Pac was a true actor and everything he did was from the heart that is the reason why he was and still is the realest aka Makaveli Da Don R.I.p ............. Overal this is a hot movie based on a group of friends from N.Y.C and what happends when a robbery goes wrong. A fight for Money,power street cred and respect. This film gets 5 out of 5 in my eyes 100%

Average customer rating:

I'm like Halle in Monster's Ball, Jada in SET IT OFF!
Set It Off
Set it Off
"Queen Latifah was awesome"
These four outrageous woman share one thing in common..... their desperation

Set It Off
Starring: Van Baum , Vincent Baum , Thomas Jefferson Byrd , Natalie Desselle , and Dr. Dre
Manufacturer: New Line Home Video
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ASIN: 6305505799
Release Date: 1999-09-14

Amazon.com

Even when it misses a dramatic opportunity in favor of generic action, Set It Off benefits from a sharp understanding of its well-drawn central characters. They're a quartet of young African American women in Los Angeles (Jada Pinkett, Queen Latifah, Vivica A. Fox, Kimberly Elise), all struggling against a system that seems designed to prevent them from realizing their dreams. The movie establishes their plight with credible attention to emotional detail, making their decision to rob banks believable enough to give the ensuing plot its inevitably tragic momentum. Cowritten by the screenwriter of What's Love Got to Do With It?, the film conveys genuine compassion for its characters, and the ensemble cast is uniformly strong--especially Queen Latifah as a brash lesbian whose fate is as certain as her forceful attitude.

Set It Off expresses a real sense that these women have been close friends for years, and that gives the film additional impact, even when their transition to crime and violence feels somewhat forced and superficial. A romantic subplot involving Pinkett and a social-climbing banker (Blair Underwood) is too contrived to be convincing, and director F. Gary Gray (Friday) tries too hard to combine hard-hitting action with social relevance (a weakness shared by Gray's following film, The Negotiator). Still, Set It Off effectively avoids passing judgment; its emotional complexity transcends simple notions of right and wrong, injecting vitality--and a kind of renegade integrity--into the traditions of a familiar plot. --Jeff Shannon

Product Description

Four women take the law into their own hands and try to get some pay-back by robbing the city's biggest banks in this riveting action drama starring Jada Pinkett, Queen Latifah, Vivica A. Fox, Kimberly Elise and Blair Underwood. Directed by Gary Gray.

Customer Reviews:

I'm like Halle in Monster's Ball, Jada in SET IT OFF!.......2007-09-02

"Set it Off" is an action-packed, graphic, innovative motion picture about four women who are frustrated with aspects of their lives, and who need currency to stay afloat. Stony (Jada Pinkett-Smith) lost her parents in a car accident and opts to be a motherly figure in her brother's life. She wants her brother to go to college, but doesn't have the finances to send him, so she does something that is totally against her will to acquire the money, only to find out that he wasn't accepted to the university in the first place. Early into the movie, her brother is gunned down because he is mistaken for a criminal because they had the same letters imprinted on their heads. Cleo (Queen Latifah) is a seemingly naturally reckless individual. If you aren't a friend of hers or she doesn't know you personally, she doesn't mind hurting you to get what she wants. TeShawn (Kimberly Elise) is mildly retarded, so her friends make sure no one attempts to take advantage of her. She has a son. Since she cannot afford a babysitter for him, she brings him to work. While she is laboring, he drinks a household cleaner and is poisoned. Social workers intervene and take her son into custody because they feel she is unfit. Unless she can make better money, they will keep him in custody. Finally, there is Frankie (Vivica A. Fox.) Frankie was employed at a bank until the bank is robbed and she is accused of being surreptitiously involved in the robbery. Although in reality she had no involvement in the robbery, her supervisor opts to terminate her from her position. Since Frankie was once employed at a bank, she knows the procedures when they are robbed...which will make it that much more easy for she and her cohorts to "Set it Off." Queen Latifah and Kimberly Elise played their roles the best. Vivica was really good as well. But there were times were Jada was weak in her performance.

The four ladies plan a detailed scheme as to how they will rob banks. They use wigs, masks, and sunglasses to disguise themselves and guns for protection. They rob two banks successfully until the LAPD finally catch up to them and disaster strikes. Throughout the film, the women have the typical catfights that occur among women, but they always reconciled, which illustrated loyalty.

Stony gets involved with a fellow who works at a bank (nice touch), and when the women suggest they rob the bank he works at, she immediately dismisses the thought. Although she is against the thought, her friends outnumber her and she is forced to join them as they attempt to take on the bank he works at. He finds out soon enough, but it doesn't necessarily change his feelings about her. The only other relationship in the film is the lesbian courtship between Cleo and her girlfriend, Ursela.

Overall this movie is great for viewing. This subject matter has never really been touched and it was intriguing to see four WOMEN live a life of crime.

My few criticisms are as follows: Why would they go into the bank while they are still going over their plan, right in the middle of public? Someone could have easily been on to them, eavesdropped on their conversation, and their robbery would have been doomed before it began. Also, during one of their robberies, there were police right outside trying to take down a criminal, and they didn't even notice the mayhem going on right inside of the bank. Forgive me, I just wanted to provide food for thought.

I recommend this movie to anyone who wants to see something cinematically different. As previously stated, the notion of four female bank robbers hasn't really been touched in the past. Get some popcorn and watch these ladies SET IT OFF.

Set It Off.......2007-05-20

This is one of the best movies I have ever saw in my life!

Set it Off.......2007-02-25

I have never seen such powerful female characters before, each one had their own dynamic personality and tragic reason for entering a life of crime by robbing banks. It is bascially non-stop action and excitement but this film still makes room for a little romance between Pinket and Underwood.

"Queen Latifah was awesome".......2006-07-09

A very depressing movie that showed how poverty caused 4 women to live a lifestyle that was doomed from the start.

All of the actors were great but "Queen Latifah stole the show" with her portrayal of a "hard core woman" especially at the end.

This movie again, to me was very depressing because at the end I wish all of the women would have made it. Even though what they did was wrong, they paid with their lives and to me that was very sad. At least Jada Pinkett made it but even she went through alot.

These four outrageous woman share one thing in common..... their desperation.......2006-06-24

Although the film is heavily stylized in gangland culture it's still very accessible. You could put this story into any situation and it would still be believable and credible. Yet there's one thing that puts "Set It Off" into a league of it's own, and that's the four central performances.

Jada Pinkett makes a great leading lady as Stony, full of power and hope. Queen Latifah makes you fall in love with Cleo, definitely the most humorous character of the quartet but also very troubled. The scene where she tells Stony and Frankie to get out of the getaway car is heart-wrenching. Vivica .A. Fox should be a Hollywood superstar by now, her portrayal of Frankie is mesmerizing. Finally, Kimberly Elise makes a moving debut performance as Tisean, the most timid of the group, yet also the most surprising. Underrated John C. McGinty was quite effective in these supporting roles. Blair Underwood, who I like, was sort of wasted as reverse eye candy. The love story sub plot was a bit if a distraction, only in a minor way. But at the core of this film was the bond between these ladies, all driven to rob banks for various reasons.

From Frankie's troubles, to Stony's hardships, there is plenty in this movie to keep your mind in motion. If you want a change of pace "Set it Off" is great movie to see. The writers did such a good job of weaving in the background of the characters and letting the movie play out, the quality of this film is quite impressive and I'm quite sure that you will be too! One that I'll never forget.

Average customer rating:

Man's search for dignity...
Essential cinema: De Sica's 'Ladri di biciclette.'
White hot moral thriller
Cinema will never forget such movie like this.
Self-Interest in The Bicycle Thief

Bicycle Thieves (Criterion Collection)
Starring: Lamberto Maggiorani , Enzo Staiola , Lianella Carell , Gino Saltamerenda , and Vittorio Antonucci
Director: Vittorio De Sica
Manufacturer: Criterion
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ASIN: B000KRNGO0
Release Date: 2007-02-13

Amazon.com essential video

Vittorio De Sica's remarkable 1947 drama of desperation and survival in Italy's devastating post-war depression earned a special Oscar for its affecting power. Shot in the streets and alleys of Rome, De Sica uses the real-life environment of contemporary life to frame his moving drama of a desperate father whose new job delivering cinema posters is threatened when a street thief steals his bicycle. Too poor to buy another, he and his son take to the streets in an impossible search for his bike. Cast with nonactors and filled with the real street life of Rome, this landmark film helped define the Italian neorealist approach with its mix of real life details, poetic imagery, and warm sentimentality. De Sica uses the wandering pair to witness the lives of everyday folks, but ultimately he paints a quiet, poignant portrait of father and son, played by nonprofessionals Lamberto Maggiorani and Enzo Staiola, whose understated performances carry the heart of the film. De Sica and scenarist Cesare Zavattini also collaborated on Shoeshine, Miracle in Milan, and Umberto D, all classics in the neorealist vein, but none of which approach the simple poetry and quiet power achieved in The Bicycle Thief. --Sean Axmaker

On the DVD
The two-disc Criterion DVD of Bicycle Thieves is most significant for its fine digitally restored print quality, a marked improvement over previous video editions of the film. Now the beauties of this devastating masterpiece of Italian Neorealism shine through anew: the richness of the locations, the simple clarity of the performances, the heartbreaking details of the daily lives of the dispossessed. No commentary track, but a first-rate booklet gives a primer on the movie, with critical appreciations (including a classic take by Andre Bazin), a bell-ringing Neorealist manifesto by screenwriter Cesare Zavattini, and a variety of memoirs on the making of the film, including one by director Vittorio De Sica. A second disc has three well-chosen extras. Life as It Is: The Neorealist Movement in Italy is a useful 40-minute intro to the general subject of postwar Italian cinema. Working with De Sica is a 22-minute doc with reminiscences from surviving members of the Bicycle Thieves cast and crew, including Enzo Staiola, the unforgettable little boy who was plucked out of a crowd to star in the film. A 55-minute documentary on the life of Zavattini, made for European TV, gives background on this feisty leading light of Neorealism; testimony is offered by Bernardo Bertolucci and Roberto Benigni, among others. By the way, for years the film was known in the U.S. as The Bicycle Thief, but if you re-visit it you'll be struck by how shatteringly appropriate the restoration of the original plural is. --Robert Horton

Description

Hailed around the world as one of the greatest movies ever made, Vittorio De Sica's Academy Award-winning Bicycle Thieves defined an era in cinema. In postwar, poverty-stricken Rome, a man, hoping to support his desperate family with a new job, loses his bicycle and main means of transportation for work. With his wide-eyed young son in tow, he sets off to track down the thief. Simple in construction and dazzlingly rich in human insight, Bicycle Thieves embodied all the greatest strengths of the neorealist film movement in Italy: emotional clarity, social righteousness, and brutal honesty.

Customer Reviews:

Man's search for dignity..........2007-08-08

Vittorio De Sica's 1949 film is a definitely a cinema classic! It is a truly moving story about a man (Ricci) in hard time Italy trying to get a job to support his family. He lands a good paying job, but he must have a bicycle. Sometime before, Ricci pawned his bicycle to feed his family. His loyal wife pawns her sheets to obtain the money to get the bike back. He gets his bike and the job, but the first day on the job his bike is stolen. The rest of the movie takes us on a journey of how Ricci and young son, Bruno desparately try to find the stolen bike so Ricci could have the job to care for his family. We feel sorry for Ricci. His desparation to recover his bike leads him to steal another man's bicycle. He is caught and humiliated in front of his son, Bruno. My favorite scene is where he takes his son into a restaurant with the little money he has. They order a meager lunch. Sitting next to them was a wealthy family. The rich little boy was trying to show off with all the good food he had. Bruno took his mozzarella toast and made it look like it was the best meal ever---his smile back to the rich kid said it all! This is a definite buy! Only one minor fault, the subtitles, at times, went to fast and you were constantly having to choose between reading or watching.

Essential cinema: De Sica's 'Ladri di biciclette.' .......2007-07-21

Based on a novel by Luigi Bartolini, Vittorio De Sica's (1901-1974) Italian neorealist film, The Bicycle Thieves (Ladri di biciclette) (1948), tells the story of a father, Antonio Ricci (Lamberto Maggiorani), who searches the streets of Rome with his son, Bruno (Enzo Staiola ) for his stolen bicycle. So that Antonio could start his new job posting Rita Hayworth flyers, his wife Maria pawned their wedding sheets for money to get the bicycle from the pawnbroker. Desperate to support his family, Antonio eventually attempts to steal another bicycle, but is caught and humiliated in front of his son. Realizing he is not morally superior to the thief, Antonio faces a bleak future in Italy's depressed post-World War II economy.

The Bicycle Thieves is perhaps the best known film of the neorealist film movement, which sought to bring realism to cinema. Using documentary-style camera work and ordinary people with no training as actors (Lamberto Maggiorani was a factory worker), De Sica shot his film entirely on location in the streets and alleys of Rome. De Sica refused to cut two scenes from the film which were considered obscene at the time. In the first, Bruno attempts to relieve himself against a wall. In the second, Antonio finds the thief into the kitchen of a brothel. Hollywood nevertheless awarded the movie a special Oscar.

Rich in human insights, The Bicycle Thieves will steal your heart. It is among my all-time personal film favorites. The two-disc Criterion edition offers a first-rate, crisp digital transfer of the film with a clear soundtrack. The second disc includes three extras: Life as It Is: The Neorealist Movement in Italy, a 40-minute introduction to postwar Italian cinema; Working with De Sica, a 22-minute documentary featuring surviving cast members and crew; and a 55-minute documentary on the life of Zavattini.

G. Merritt

White hot moral thriller.......2007-06-19

I saw this movie as a child and somehow understood it to be a movie about a stolen bicycle.... Now that I have finally seen this fantastic new Criterion release, I can tell you that I was wrong. "The Bicycle Thieves" is a white hot moral thriller where a series of bad decisions compound on one another from bad to worse and not stopping for ninety straight minutes showing that no matter how deep you are in the hole, you can always get deeper. No matter how much you've lost, you can always loose something else, something much more valuable, something you do not appreciate until you have lost it. While worrying about the wrinkles in a poster, Antonio looses the bicycle which is required for his livelihood. In his desperate search to recover his stolen bicycle, he looses his decorum, his principles, and ultimately the respect of his son; he harms his marriage and his relationship to his son, perhaps irreparably; and he almost looses his son to a pedophile, to drowning, and then to speeding cars. To say any more would spoil the movie for you. Suffice to say that behind the "simple plot" perceived by children, this is one of the best movies ever made, a searing moral thriller, and Criterion has finally provided us a worthy transfer. Bravo Criterion! Bravo Vittorio De Sica!

Cinema will never forget such movie like this........2007-05-12

Simpley it is an advantage to every cinema lover to have this great film in his/her archive. One of the most remarkable movies of europian cinema, directed by Viterio Decica.

Self-Interest in The Bicycle Thief.......2007-05-06

This story begs the question: what would you do to support your family? It forces the audience consider poverty and unemployment, issues that we must confront even today. As we sympathize with Antonio, possibly attempting to justify his actions in our mind, we must then analyze the young thief who stole Antonio's bike, the cause of our frustrations from the beginning of the film, and give him the same sympathy. Perhaps he was only trying to feed his family as well. Nevertheless, that didn't give him the right to steal another's livelihood, to put Antonio's family at risk. In the same way, Antonio's desperation doesn't give him the right to potentially put another man's family at risk by stealing his bike. Owning a bike becomes the conduit through which selfish survival instincts allow man to exploit man. It also leads us to ask questions like: Does one society's need justify the misuse of another society? De Sica presents these questions to his audience by creating characters with which one can easily identify, and whose actions can be easily interpreted. It is through our reflections and interpretat