The Contract

Product Description

The only thing standing between an assassin and his target is a father who must protect his son.

While on a hiking trip to reconnect with his son after the death of his wife, Ray Keene (John Cusack) stumbles into a nightmare scenario of paid assassins and ex-military guns-for-hire. Frank Cardin (Morgan Freeman) is attempting to fulfill a contract to assassinate a high profile businessman when things go arwy and he ends up in the custody of the U.S. Marshalls. After an ill-fated attempt by his compatriots to free him Frank finds himself in the custody of ex-lawman Ray and his son (Jamie Anderson). As the trio tries to make their way back to civilization they are relentlessly pursued by Frank's friends who are intent on freeing their leader in order to collect on the contract. But one pursuer may be more foe than friend.

Customer Reviews:

Bruce Beresford directs Morgan Freeman and John Cusak in an uninspiring thriller.......2007-09-06

I could not find any box office information for "The Contract," which is interesting because you would not think of either Morgan Freeman or John Cusak as doing direct to video movies. The same would be said for director Bruce Beresford, whose "Breaker Morant" has always been a personal favorite and who was not nominated for an Oscar for directing "Driving Miss Daisy." But the explanation for this anomaly is that this 2007 film comes from Millennium Films, which is the theatrical wing of Nu Image and the fact of the matter is that I only checked out "The Contract" because it had both Freeman and Cusak (although I will admit that having either one of them would normally be a good enough reason to check out a film). But despite their presence and something of little twist regarding the plot in the end game, this movie never really commands our attention as it keeps itself to doing things by the numbers and never offering the sort of memorable moment or thrilling sequence you would like to see in such a movie. At least Freeman and Cusak got to spend several weeks in Bulgaria making this film.

Freeman is Frank Cordell, who is not merely a professional assassin: he and his team kill their targets by making them look like accidents. This could be pretty cool, but the script by Stephen Katz and John Darrouzet keeps things fairly simple for the two examples we get to see of Cordell and his team doing their jobs. However, keeping things simple does not pay off this time as Cordell is captured and his team comes up with a plan to get him back. Meanwhile, out in the forest is Ray Keene, played by Kusak, a man who has lost his wife to cancer and has taken his son, Chris (Jamie Anderson), camping. They are not getting along and Ray is hoping some time together will help them bound, but apparently he has no other ideas on how to reconnect with the boy. The next thing Ray knows he and Chris meet up with not only Cordell, but also a dying FBI agent who gives Ray his gun and tells him to get his prisoner to the authorities. Obviously, this is going to be a most unusual camping trip.

Fortunately, Ray used to be a cop, although when he announces the fact it is news to us. Cordell tries to reason with Ray, explaining that his guys are coming and Ray does not stand a chance. Of course the good guys are coming too, but there are more plot complications to come because Cordell has another job to do and being captured greatly impairs his ability to do his job. The supporting cast is pretty good, but except for Freeman, none of them are given anything interesting to say, let alone do. Alice Krige plays one of the suits in Washington, D.C., with a vested interst in what is going on, and Megan Dodds, looking considerably more like a human being than she did as the wicked step sister in "Ever After," plays Sandra, a woman they meet in the woods who gets caught up in the misadventure. Bill Smitrovich plays the local cop, who alternates between being a shade too smart or a step too slow in dealing with the developing situation.

Yet despite the cast, "The Contract" is a wash as a film. If Freeman was not in it, I might have fallen asleep while watching it, because even if he was not being given anything really interesting to say he is of the class of actors that make the recitation of the phone book compelling. I can even make the argument that the title gives away what should have been the twists and turns in the final act that changed everything and made this film more interesting. Maybe having a first class musical score would have punched up things some more, but "The Contact" does not have that either. Ultimately, a film begins with the words on the script, and beyond the basic plot that somehow got this cast to sign up, there is simply nothing there to help the director and cast get this thriller to a level where it would be worth watching twice, let alone once.

Take out a contract on this movie.......2007-09-04

Bad script. Incredibly disappointing as one is desperately craving intelligent and strategic thinking in a movie such as this, but it stumbles right out of the gate. I mean, Freeman would never have even gone off with Cusack in the first place, he would have just sat on his butt awaiting his associates. Also, all the rambo scenes with the gym teacher were way over the top. And let's not even talk about the ending where the coach and the two hit men all meet in the woods at the same instant, please. There's tons of other non-sequiters in this movie too. Freeman and Cusack must have really been bored to dive into this stinker.

I like it..........2007-08-29

I love this movie. John Cusack's character could have been developed a bit more but other than that it is a great thriller/drama. There is a nude scene and language that keeps it from being a family film.

By the end of this movie, the assasin as definitely met his match!

A Must NOT See!!!!.......2007-08-26

This film is extremly crappy. i thought that it would be good since it had Morgan Freeman in it and I haven't seen a film that he's been bad in yet, but this movie just proves that wrong. The movie is just really bad, it makes no sense, there is no real action in it, and for the most part I really didn't understand it. It was poorly done. I can't believe Morgan Freeman was in a movie like this. the movie itself was probably about an hour and credits ran for maybe 30 minutes because it also seemed rather short. i would not waste money to buy this. you will be rather upset.

surprisingly poor movie.......2007-08-25

I thought with Freeman, Cusack, and the wilderness as ingredients,this movie had to be a winner. It was just so made-for-TV, B-movie kinda quality. Then there's the bizarre political message involving stem cell research. Three stars is actually probably generous of me.

Average customer rating:

PAUL WALKER RULES THE SCREEN!!!
Excellent thriller!
I really enjoyed this movie
Complex and Scary
GOOD ACTION FILM MUCH BETTER THAN AVERAGE

Running Scared
Starring: Paul Walker , Cameron Bright , Vera Farmiga , Chazz Palminteri , and Karel Roden
Director: Wayne Kramer
Manufacturer: New Line Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B000F5WR4W
Release Date: 2006-06-06

Amazon.com

Trying to explain the wildly accelerated plot of this non-stop action thriller would be like convincing Quentin Tarantino to retell the saga of The Sopranos in 15-minutes or less. Don't misunderstand, Running Scared wastes little time on the nuanced details that make the violent, narratively precise, and intricately characterized world of The Sopranos so stylish and compelling. But boy, does it have style to spare, not to mention plenty of violence, narrative, and a cast of characters that all engage in a heady battle for your attention. Paul Walker has the unenviable task of fleshing out the role of a low-level mob flunky who's assigned to get rid of a gun that was involved in a bloody drug deal gone bad. When he botches even that little job, it's not just his wife who gets mad at him. Creepily threatened kids, put-upon women who save the day, and an array of pimps, hookers, sleazy gangsters and dirty cops straight ouuta central casting are all part of the intricate jumble of the story (not to mention bullet-time close-ups and a nifty scene that imparts the inherent danger of hockey pucks in a whole new light). It's hard to believe this outlandish piece of ultraviolence came from writer/director Wayne Kramer, the same creative mind that gave us the smooth little caper flick The Cooler. Don't think about that too hard though. Considering the madcap rush of Running Scared's wicked fun and inspired lunacy, you won't have the time to anyway. --Ted Fry

Description

Slick, fast-paced and brutally shocking, this gritty actioner will jolt your senses like nothing else you've ever experienced. Struggling mob hand Joey Gazelle (Paul Walker) finds his life turned inside-out when a "hot" weapon he's in charge of concealing goes missing. With two mafia families and a team of crooked cops watching his every move, Joey sets out on a chilling, bloody pursuit, maneuvering his way through a horrific web of creeps and criminals, praying he can retrieve the gun and make it home to his family -- alive.

Customer Reviews:

PAUL WALKER RULES THE SCREEN!!!.......2007-09-05

this movie gives you a rush! you feel like your on a high! this a great movie, truly spectacular, very well made. deserves all the stars it can get. paul walker really shines on here. very good acting, the intensity that he brings to you is crazy. did not expect it to be as good as it was, but he made this movie memorable. extremely impressed. there was so much going on and all of it thrilled you and all of it you understood, all that can happen in a day. crazy. they give you everything in this movie that you can possibly have in an action thriller. it took me on an excellent ride, and it took me a while to get over it. sweet movie, with mobsters, crooked cops, a nasty pimp, and the ladies of the night. nicely done, can't wait to see another along these lines. this is what paul walker does best no doubt.

Excellent thriller!.......2007-08-23

This is the frist and only movie of Paul Walker, which I really liked.
I think he stars much better in this urban, dark thriller then as the usual sunny-boy.
It`s suspenseful, unpredictable and shows a good performance of all actors involved.
Absolutely recommended!

I really enjoyed this movie.......2007-08-13

Thank goodness I didn't read any reviews on this movie before I had the chance to see it. If I had, I would have missed out on a really interesting, gory yet entertaining movie. If it were a book, I would say I couldn't put it down. I guess I could say I couldn't turn away or couldn't turn it off. I tried, because it was on pretty late the night I saw it, but the second I hit the record button on my DVR so that I could turn the TV off, it got really good.

Yes, this is a dark, violent, disturbing movie. I worried about the kids in the movie being exposed to such horrible things. But even with that, I still liked the movie. I had to see what would happen to everyone and how it would all end and I was so happy that I did. The surprise revelation at the end made sitting through the blood and guns all worth it.

And if I'm being completly honest, Paul Walker was another reason to sit through the movie. He's incredibly gorgeous, but he's surprisingly good at the action movie thing. I thought he did a great job conveying the desperation of a man whose life is on the line and he's only got a few hours to fix the big mess he's created. And again, the ending was awesome. I also got an incredible amount of satisfaction from the scene with Joey's wife and the weird perverted couple.

Complex and Scary.......2007-08-05

Good Grief, this thing was kind of like a combination between Crash and Reservoir Dogs, with a whole lot of other things thrown in. In that case it is almost too much to swallow, but it is still worth viewing.

This film just starts out nice and easy, until a pistol comes up missing. Suddenly there is a chain reaction that happens in regards to the pistol's past and different reasons people need to find it. The plot thickens, and I mean it gets thick. More and more players come into the fold and the chase is on. A lot of mysteries as many of the characters have interlocking lives that really make for a complex plot. Some wicked shootout scenes in the end and some right vs. wrong and such play into it as well.

I am not familiar with Paul Walker as an actor, but from viewing this film he was pretty convincing in the stressful situations that his character was facing. That made it all the more intense and real in my mind. Just hold on to your hat people, because this one is a wild one!

GOOD ACTION FILM MUCH BETTER THAN AVERAGE.......2007-05-31

This movie is way better than I expected.The action never stops and the story is interesting enough to keep you in the groove. The DVD transfer is excellent and is a worth a look for sure.

Average customer rating:

Morgan Freeman and John Cusak make a good combination!

The Contract [HD DVD]
Starring: John Cusack , Morgan Freeman , Cory Hardrict , Doug Dearth , and Lonny W. Waddle
Director: Bruce Beresford
Manufacturer: FIRST LOOK PICTURES
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: HD DVD

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ASIN: B000P0I4OY
Release Date: 2007-07-24

Product Description

The only thing standing between an assassin and his target is a father who must protect his son.

Customer Reviews:

Morgan Freeman and John Cusak make a good combination!.......2007-07-19

I'm a big fan of Morgan Freeman anyway, and his typically first-class performance was in evidence in The Contract. This movie hits on all four cylinders: Great acting, great script, good directing and beautiful scenery. There were some sub-plots that deserved more direction and development and I saw a couple minor plot holes but that aside, I thoroughly enjoyed the movie.

Another plus is that it wasn't as horrifically graphic as many of this genre typically are. Yeah, people get shot and things explode, but it's not too awful (compared to typical hollywood horror).

Bad-guy Morgan Freeman explains to an inquiring teen what he does for a living. He explains that he's a professional assassin and "removes obstacles" to help advance governmentally-ordered progress. When asked further about his moral code, Morgan Freeman responded, "There are things I wouldn't do. I have my limits. I just haven't found them yet."

I don't have the time to watch a lot of movies so I'm pretty discerning about how I kill two hours of time, but The Contract was a worthy flick. I may even watch it a second time.

Average customer rating:

Stop..You're Making Me Hungry
Tension from start to finish!
Terrible!
The film gives us the most ruthless and disgusting gangsters the screen has yet seen...
Amazing movie that makes you think

The Desperate Hours
Starring: Humphrey Bogart , Fredric March , Arthur Kennedy , Martha Scott , and Dewey Martin
Director: William Wyler
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00008Z44E
Release Date: 2003-06-10

Amazon.com

Humphrey Bogart is at his villainous best in William Wyler's taut home-invasion thriller, The Desperate Hours. Sharply adapted by John Hayes from his own fact-based novel and Broadway play, this marked a slight departure for Wyler, whose celebrated versatility is on ready display as Bogart--leading a panicky trio of escaped convicts--seizes control of a suburban family in the (dis)comfort of their own home. The domestic terror (similarly dramatized in the 1954 potboiler Suddenly) escalates as cautious patriarch Frederic March waits for an opportunity to retaliate, while the police (led by Arthur Kennedy) close in for an ambush. Viewers may recognize the home's exterior from TV's Leave It to Beaver, while its interior gives Wyler a sealed chamber for nail-biting advances and setbacks--and Bogey was rarely better at portraying ruthless, unpredictable menace. Poorly remade in 1990, The Desperate Hours remains a potent precursor to the many similar films (like Panic Room) that followed its enduring example. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

Stop..You're Making Me Hungry.......2007-06-11

Hammy and cheesey. Very midcentury family values. Home invasion movies were somewhat popular then. Sort of a fantasy of average man rising to the occassion. That's not necessarily a bad thing just a sign of the times. Bogie snarls and March glares and acts indignant. Not a bad movie but only for Bogie fans.

Tension from start to finish! .......2007-04-28

What a pair: Humphrey Bogart and Fredric March face to face as mortal enemies. Good vs. evil. We know who will win but we don't know how. The excellent twists and turns keep us forever surprised. Spencer Tracy originally declined the role opposite Bogart because he refused second billing.

All acting is superb, though a bit of overkill with the 2 hysterical women captors. The child actor is a marvelous spunky character who never rose to deserved fame as did other kid actors.

As one reviewer wrote, What indeed would we do in this same situation, where Bogart & his 2 prison cronies hold a suburban family hostage. Fredric March, with his "clickety-clickety" mind, as Bogey calls it, is constantly trying to outwit the brutal escaped convicts once they escape from their jail like uncaged lions.

This is actually a great family action film where true loyal family values dominate, unlke today, and the starring family actually sits down for meals together and lovingly communicate with one another.

As a point of interest, the story is loosely based on the eponymous novel. The original story was covered in Time Magazine. The family held hostage sued Time - apparently there was never a settlement - but the lawyer representing the family was none other than Richard Nixon, an attorney in private practice between campaigns.

Terrible!.......2007-03-14

Unlike many other reviewers, I found this movie TERRIBLE! If it were newly released today, I think people would laugh at it, as I often did during its playing time.

The story is HIGHLY contrived, and, unless you leave your brains somewhere else, you can't help see the countless illogical occurrences in it. These contrivances make the story increasingly unbelievable--so much so that you can't suspend your belief that this is a movie. It's one plot hole after another--characters being forced to do this and that to obtain a particular effect. And on and on of the same foolishness.

The acting is pure ham--especially bogart, who is a highly overrated actor, who does not act. He just plays himself and presents what he believes the character should sound like. He does not, and cannot, enter deeply into any character he plays (except those who resemble his own life character). In other words, he presents a stereotype or charicature of a character, never really understanding it. His tough guy personna is the same old Humphrey but with a tough-guy tone and accent. It's laughable. Even the lowest level TV actor on the soaps today is far better.

The other actors are just as characaturish--the brave, concerned mom, the tough dad, the cutsy kid, the pretty daughter. Just a perfect household of nice goody-goody people who don't have a flaw in them, supposedly making them worthy of being rooted for. They don't feel their lines but try to act them, as if they were reading from a script. This makes them non-credible, hollow, distant. I felt no relationship with any of these so-called victims and didn't care if the cops saved them or not.

The directing was formulaic to the max, far below today's director standards. The name WYLER doesn't automatically mean good movie direction. There was nothing unique, awesome, or compelling about his style of moving from scene to scene.

DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY ON THIS--IT IS HIGHLY OVERRATED. In its time it may have had some pizzaz or sparkle, but by today's standards it's an insult to anyone who uses even the least intelligence to follow the story.

The film gives us the most ruthless and disgusting gangsters the screen has yet seen..........2006-12-26

"The Desperate Hours" is a towering achievement in suspense films... It was cast to perfection, written and directed by a meticulous, serious artist...

Its basic situation - of a family trapped in their home for 36 hours by an utterly ruthless gang - was not new... What was new and immeasurably compelling was the fact that these were not simply "good guys" and "bad guys," but all were real, breathing, vulnerable human beings... They all knew how to hate and to be afraid, and to want to kill and want to love... There were no supermen either... They got hungry, and irritable, and tired, and they showed hesitation and uncertainty as well as pure courage...

It began as an ordinary day for the Hilliard family in their pleasant home in Indianapolis... Eleanor (Martha Scott) gave breakfast to her family and saw them off - husband Dan (Fredric March) to his job in a store, pretty daughter Cindy (Mary Murphy) to her office desk, and ten-year-o1d Ralphie (Richard Eyer) to school...

Turning on the radio, she paid little attention to the news item, about the escape of three desperate criminals from jail: ruthless Glenn Griffin (Humphrey Bogart), his younger brother Hal (Dewey Martin) and the brutish Sam Kobish (Robert Middleton).

These three needed a safe hideout while they awaited the arrival of some expected money and they chose the Hilliard home... They were installed and completely in command when Dan and the two youngsters came home - and there the family was trapped, under the gangsters' order to "make it normal" and with no doubt of the consequences if they did not obey...

As the major tensions mounted - the money did not arrive and the police closed in - there was a fascinating interplay of lesser conflicts:

- The father urgently trying to repress his rage to save his family - until his final gamble...

- The schoolboy unable to believe that the guns and bullets are real - and unable to understand why his adored father is apparently submitting without a fight...

- The wife fighting hysteria in an attempt to live normally in such circumstances...

-The spitfire daughter and her boyfriend (Gig Young), whose impatient courtship almost causes disaster...

- The youngest criminal coming to see in the quiet normality of the lives he has invaded a message of the waste of his own...

- The deputy sheriff (Arthur Kennedy) leading the hunt and knowing he has been marked out for murder...

- The gang leader, played by Humphrey Bogart with an intelligence to match his deadly ruthlessness, with a shrewd instinct for discovering others' weaknesses... and torn when his own younger brother quits, finding himself as much a prisoner in the house as his hostages... Once before, in "The Petrified Forest," Bogart gave us such a man, but that performance was relatively restrained compared to this beast at bay...

Amazing movie that makes you think.......2006-06-07

This movie was amazing and makes you think what would you do if cold blooded killers took over your house and used your family as leverage. Bogart was excellent and the cast was to.

Average customer rating:

Excellent
Lone Wolf And Cub Installment Number Three: A Definite Must Watch!
I have the "red sun" version of this which is basiaclly a replica of the animeego one
This blade for hire
an exotic, lush, exaggerated world of Japanese and Samurai absolutes

Lone Wolf and Cub - Baby Cart to Hades
Starring: Tomisaburo Wakayama , Go Kato , Yuko Hamada , Isao Yamagata , and Michitaro Mizushima
Director: Kenji Misumi
Manufacturer: ANIMEIGO
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B0001E7LMA
Release Date: 2004-05-11

Customer Reviews:

Excellent.......2007-05-07

Classic feudal japan and samurai flick blended with modern weapons of the time. Well made.

Lone Wolf And Cub Installment Number Three: A Definite Must Watch!.......2007-01-03

Yes, they do get more violent. In fact, they are all violent. Yet their fun as hell to watch. If you are not one of those who likes violence in a film, and think that these films will be your usual fare of samurai action films, then you will be in for quite a surprise. Tomisaburo Wakayama continues where he left off: A one man army of destruction. As the third episode opens up, we find Ogami (Tomisaburo Wakayama) and his son Diagoro headed for their usual mayhem: embroiled in a power struggle with a landlord and governor during the feudal era of Japan. And although Ogami is an assassin in the true sense of the word, remorseless in his killing, he is also a man driven by a warrior code which compels him to seek out a sense of justice: Albeit his sense of justice.

This is one of the better ones of the 6 episode series. And although I have not veiwed the final two episodes in the series recently [somewhere in my vast storage] when I viewed this episode a few nights ago, I couldn't help enjoying this particular film, and would have to say it was the best of the four episodes that I have viewed recently. I would highly recommend this film to all viewers, as I have always found the Lone Wolf and Cub series to be a truly fascinating look at Japanese cinema during the early 1970s. Also, I think this episode is probably one of the better ones, however, don't stop there. View them all, starting with the first to the last. They are all interesting and fun. [as long as you don't mind the violence]. But hey, that is the nature of the characters in the film. Highly recommended.

I have the "red sun" version of this which is basiaclly a replica of the animeego one.......2006-08-06

The picture quality is as good as it gets and is anamorphically widescreened. It also has liner notes like the others in the series and lets you in on semi-important things like the Blackened Teeth. Time to upgrade your video tape and get this in the new and used section for $5.99 like I did.

I have to say that this is by far the most graphic in violence of these movies I have seen. And while one scene I didn't think was needed, it was worth it to see the aftermath.

This movie I would say is overall the best of the 3 I have seen. When Ogami is being tortured, I think it is my favorite scene of Lone Wolf and Cub. How many dudes do you know of on screen that can be beaten down until unconscious and you still think they are tougher becuase of it? But then when he starts slicing people up again, you know why you felt that way about him. And when Ogami has to face an entire army, will he stand a chance?

I have to say that I wasn't expecting this to be a shoot-em-up, it still hasd plenty of action and holds the spot for my favorite of the series so far.

This blade for hire.......2006-06-19

Ogami Itto is an expert swordsman, a ronin, an outcast mercenary who once served as the official executioner of the shogunate. Then something happened - I believe his wife was murdered, although the movie doesn't give details - and Itto, the Lone Wolf, now travels the countryside with son Daigoro, the Cub, in a niftily tricked out baby cart, selling his services to the highest bidder.

LONE WOLF AND CUB: BABY CART TO HADES is the second Lone Wolf & Cub movies I've seen and I've enjoyed both of them tremendously. Even the confusing stuff doesn't really get in the way of appreciating this great action movie. Not only aren't we told why Ogami (Tomisaburo Wakayama) is an outcast, the film also throws a lot of feudal Japanese history at you, not a whole lot of which sticks. Japan, as I gather from the story, is a political hodge-podge, with a distant shogun and a number of local feudal lords, one of whom Lone Wolf is engaged to assassinate - for his standard fee of 500 pieces of gold. There are other bad guys who carry repeating pistols, so I guess this takes places sometime during the mid-19th century. Ogami is a samurai, though, and the Code as developed through him in this movie disdains guns. The True Warrior doesn't use them. My favorite mystery, though, concerns the different techniques used by samurai. Ogami uses the Suiouryu Style, or the Horse-Slaying Technique. The identification of it is used by his enemies to tell when he was the one who made one of the numerous corpses that populate this film.

The plot is functionally unexceptional. Ogami travels with Daigoro. While at an inn Ogami defends a young woman who murdered a man who was going to sell her into prostitution. To save her, Ogami undergoes a ritual torture in her stead. His torturers want a local governor murdered. This blade for hire. The governor has resources of his own to call to his defense - sleek and silent ninjas, samurai, gunners, archers, and hordes of sword wielding foot soldiers. Can our baby-toting hero match an army sent to stop him?

LONE WOLF AND CUB: BABY CART TO HADES is pretty nonstop, exotic and engaging, with a charismatic star and son. In many ways it's similar to the proficient gunslinger coming into and cleaning up Dodge City, with the advantage of the expanded cinematic possibilities offered by sword fights. I can't wait to watch the rest of this series. Highest recommendation.

an exotic, lush, exaggerated world of Japanese and Samurai absolutes.......2005-07-06

In many ways, this is my favorite of the Lone Wolf & Cub movies. It was the first I ever saw, wherein I was trying to figure out the whole premise as it went along.

This one starts on a river trip, scenic, but I had no idea where it was going. I could not BELIEVE it when the hero cut down the first 3 assassins in the first 5 minutes... in an otherwise quiet forest, where he and his son were taking a "bathroom break". I replayed the scene twice, including slow-mo on the flourish with which he clears the blood from his sword and sheaths it.

I LOVE these movies and have watched them again and again. The photography is bright and lush when our heroes are traveling in the country. The spoken Japanese is abrupt and guttural (men) and pitched and inflected (women), and subtitles are placed well for non-distracting readability. I find myself grunting monosyllables (ooshh! yyoot!) in empathy. The costumes and side characters are bright, colorful, and medieval-Japanese folkloric (i.e., like watching "authentic" costume in a Shakespeare play).

It's an exotic, lush, exaggerated world of Japanese and Samurai absolutes that never really existed was but whose principles still appeal to some part of us. Lone Wolf & Cub are unique among Samurai movies for their exaggeration AND their not taking themselves TOO seriously.

I particularly like two things in this movie. The first is the touching interactions between father and son in simple settings like eating or washing. The second is the woman leader of the entertainment band which recruits the hero's help. She has got the best accent and attitude I have ever seen in a Japanese woman character! For that matter, NONE of the women leads in Lone Wolf & Cub movies are exactly shy, retiring types.

Be warned all the Lone Wolf & Cub movies have graphic gore (spraying blood, death throes, severed heads) and sex (rape scenes, bare bosoms).

I agree that internal and night scenes are darkly lit, but I found only a few hard to follow.

Average customer rating:

Universal problems.

Bullet Boy
Starring: Claire Perkins , Curtis Walker , Chris Callendar , Luke Fraser , and Jadiel Vitalis
Director: Saul Dibb
Manufacturer: Image Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000FUF71W
Release Date: 2006-08-08

Product Description

In one of East London's most volatile neighborhoods, pride, rivalry and revenge are the only codes on the street. Touted as a British Boyz in the Hood, Bullet Boy is a gripping and authentic drama that takes an unflinching look at two troubled, street-smart boys. Fresh out of jail, 18-year-old Ricky (Ashley Walters, Get Rich or Die Tryin') and his 12-year-old brother, Curtis, struggle to walk the straight and narrow when a minor street clash escalates into an all-out neighborhood war. For Ricky and Curtis, friendships, family and loyalty will be tested to the extreme in a world where guns are a fact of everyday life and boys try to be men before they're even teenagers.

System Requirements:

Running Time 89 Mins.

Format: DVD MOVIE

Customer Reviews:

Universal problems........2006-08-21

Made by BBC Films, this has something of the feel of well made television drama. The story is simple, and quite familiar, but still manages to raise questions as to how a person's decisions are not radically free - perhaps an obvious point, but one that seems to bear repeating, especially given the context, namely, a released convict from an underprivileged background. For Ricky, starting afresh means rejecting not just his own past misdeeds, but also his friends - and rejecting his friends (whatever there unfixable faults) is not just difficult, it also comes close to being immoral, so Ricky is truly torn.
*
The influence of family is also well presented, and some of the gaps speak as loud as the presences, for instance the lack of a biological father in his life. The social realities are shown matter-of-factly and the film stops well short of being preachy.
*
Curtis, as the twelve year old brother, is a charismatic figure, as is his friend Rio, but some of the other actors struggle to bring their characters to life - at times it's a little bit too obvious that they are 'acting'. The camerawork, editing, and music all have a suitably 'realistic' English TV aesthetic.
*
Perhaps not a classic, but worth a look.

Average customer rating:

Hunting and Non-Hunting Perspectives
The most excellent video on Hunting ever produced.

In the Blood
Starring: Tyssen Butler , Robin Hurt (II) , Theodore Roosevelt , R.L. Wilson , and Webster Kalipswa
Director: George Butler (II)
Manufacturer: Central Park Media
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0000C52GH
Release Date: 2003-10-14

Customer Reviews:

Hunting and Non-Hunting Perspectives.......2000-06-03

This documentary is a boy's story about his African Safari. It provides an excellent insight into hunting, particularly African hunting and how it relates to the preservation of game. Not only does it present some interesting historical ties and rarely seen footage to Teddy Roosevelt's famous 1909 safari, but it also accurately depicts important issues of past and present game management issues. I highly recommend this film for the hunter and non-hunter.

The most excellent video on Hunting ever produced........1999-02-09

Although the video captured today's East Africa, it is a combination of old and new. Using Roosevelt the Greater as the focal point, this video does more to explain the mystery and charm of hunting as anything I have ever seen. I love animals better than most people but Hunting is in the absolute core and makeup of mankind. To ignore this is a tragedy. Whether you comprehend my plea or think it foolish, see this video. I have my copies.

Average customer rating:

Itto, you better find the guys who took the special features.
The First Episode Of The Lone Wolf And Cub Series!
My first time seeing lone wolf and cub
You can buy his sword but never his honor.
Kogi Kaishakunin

Lone Wolf and Cub: Sword of Vengeance
Starring: Tomisaburo Wakayama , Fumio Watanabe , Tomoko Mayama , Shigeru Tsuyuguchi , and Tomoo Uchida
Director: Kenji Misumi
Manufacturer: ANIMEIGO
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0000B1ODQ
Release Date: 2003-08-26

Amazon.com

"Child and expertise for rent," reads the banner flying from the wooden cart of rogue samurai Itto Ogami (Tomisaburo Wakayama). With his infant son and a baby carriage stocked with a veritable arsenal in tow, Ogami rents his services for 500 pieces of gold while awaiting his revenge on the corrupt clan that murdered his wife. Director Kenji Misumi draws his distinctive graphic style from the legendary manga series written by Kazuo Koike (who adapted his own work for the screen) and adds an inspired cinematic device: when Ogami enters battle, the world falls silent, literally, until his sword strikes. The fights are savage--blades slash, limbs fly, and blood spurts like geysers--yet the film relaxes in moments of serenity and tenderness as the cooing baby boy marvels at the wonder of the world. An essential of Japanese action cinema, it launched a classic six-film series. --Sean Axmaker

Customer Reviews:

Itto, you better find the guys who took the special features........2007-06-19

The comic series Lone Wolf and Cub is one of the most epic, action packed, and respected series of all time. It's influenced many artists and writers, while at the same time been copied by countless people who overdo it more often than not. It quickly got a few movies due to its success, and did fairly well, though there's a lot of criticism that the later installments tried to one-up the first couple volumes (I'll see about that soon enough). But there are still a lot of people unfamiliar with Lone Wolf and Cub, by that name at least. If you mention Shogun Assassin around more mainstream samurai movie fans, they're sure to know exactly what you're talking about. Shogun Assassin was a movie composed of the first two Lone Wolf and Cub movies, edited together to appear as one movie. And the thing is, it worked pretty well. Heck, that's how I got into everything. After watching the first two volumes of Lone Wolf and Cub, it's astonishing how much they were able to edit out for Shogun Assassin but still keep the plot intact and not exactly lose anything in the process. But that sounds like I'm disrespecting the movies in whole. Lone Wolf and Cub: Sword of Vengeance is a fantastic start to an epic series, even if some parts haven't aged too well. And the dvd itself? Solid.

Ogami Itto, a skilled warrior with no equal, is the Shogun's Assassin. He is hated by the allies of those he executes, as seen in the beginning as he executes a very young boy of about 4 years old as his followers curse Itto. He has a son, Daigoro, and a wife that he cares for deeply without making it too obvious as to keep his cool exterior. Tragedy strikes one day as several men break into his home and murder his wife, as well as leave a tablet in his shrine with the icon of the Shogun's enemy. Sure enough, his employers come over to inspect his home after several men commit seppuku, leaving notes about Itto being a cause for it. They find the tablet in his shrine and all hell breaks loose. Itto is given another day before they make a final verdict on what is to become of him and Daigoro, which can't be good news no matter what decision they reach. Itto presents Daigoro a ball and his sword, telling him that if he chooses the ball, he'll join his mother and be happy. But should he choose the sword, he'll travel with him to avenge her death. Obviously, Daigoro goes for the sword, resulting in a moving moment with Itto. The higher officials come back soon after, and find the two in ceremonial death robes, making note that Itto is faithful even to the end, about going by the books. But they've bit off more than they can chew when Itto says he's no longer a human, but a demon with nothing but the intention of getting revenge on those responsible for killing his wife, who just so happen to be linked to his now-former bosses. Itto dispatches many a solider, but is outnumbered. Just then, he throws off his white robe and reveals another underneath with the logo of the Shogunate. No matter what, you would NEVER do anything to defile something with the logo on it (similar to disgracing your country's flag), and they give him an ultimatum. Itto will fight against their best man. If he loses, he dies of course, but if he wins, he is free to travel the land without being attacked by his boss' men. It's obvious what the outcome is, since there are 5 more movies in the series, but hey, it's still suspenseful.

The first thing that I loved about Lone Wolf and Cub were the fights, of course. There's a lot of style going on with some moves, but all of it is very real. Wakayama does an excellent job with sword techniques, from drawing it, to stealthy slashes, and putting the sword back in its sheath. Where many samurai movies and shows (animated or otherwise) these days will rely on lame "ultimate attacks", Itto does none of that, usually going for the perfect strike like most samurai would. Think some of Kurosawa's later samurai movies and not Seven Samurai where they'd wildly slash in some scenes, and you'll have a good idea of what to expect, only cooler. There's a lot of tactics involved with the opposing forces, which was good to see as well. Another thing that impressed me about Wakayama was how he -looks- like a wolf. Just look at any close up shot of the guy and you'll see for yourself. He really fits the part, and is able to act perfectly as well. Tomikawa as Daigoro is excellent as well, and isn't an annoying child actor for once. He's often quiet, and sometimes all he needs to do is a facial reaction in order to get his thoughts across. Also, honorable mention goes to Oki as Retsudo. The guy looked creepy in the comics, and Oki does him justice, though I don't know if that's a compliment...The whole movie moves at a fairly steady pace- when there's no fighting, the plot is solid and if you pay attention, you'll get some good lessons about that time in Japan and just how loyal you had to be to your clans before risking death. And some of these guys get it pretty bad too. This leads me to my only gripe- a lot of the dismemberment and deaths are a little too fake for their own good. Don't get me wrong- I'm well aware that the movies were made in 1972, but some things are on par with the opening zombie attack in the original Dawn of the Dead, orange blood and all. What gets done right looks good, but every few kills has a pretty goofy one, and I could easily see watching this with a group of people getting at least a few laughs when they show up. Otherwise, there's nothing wrong with Sword of Vengeance- it kept my attention from the beginning to the excellent final fight, which was just genius.

Sadly, the picture quality doesn't seem to be touched up very much, if at all. There's a lot of issues, from grain, halos around people and faded colors. It looks slightly better than vhs quality, so I imagine that if Lone Wolf and Cub were released for Betamax or Laserdisc, it looked the same on those. It's presented in an anamorphic transfer, and it's obvious that some things are cut out on the sides, but nothing too important. The audio is a mixed bag. At first, I thought there was a problem with the disc since there's no sound effects in many scenes: only the slashes of weapons, but I hear that this was intentional. So when you don't hear Ogami's footsteps when he's running on a wooden deck, or people running through water, don't fret. It's still weird, but you get used to it. Everything's loud and clear for the majority of the movie, with a little fuzz during death screams. There are two subtitle options as well- full and limited. Full give you the descriptions of certain Japanese words that may go over the heads of viewers who aren't familiar with older Japanese culture. Limited didn't work for me on this disc- it kept taking me back to the main menu, so I can't comment on it. I'd imagine they'd just be subtitles for the dialogue and no extra notes though. The subtitles are extremely accurate, and I was impressed that almost every word was properly translated. Good job AnimEigo!

Special features-wise, they really skimped out. Aside from the original trailer and stills from the movie, there are "just" linear notes. These are actually VERY insightful and will give you a great lesson in feudal Japanese history if you read through them all (26 pages!), but I can see a lot of people skipping over them because of how much text there is. Almost every scene that you could question is explained here, like what I mentioned about defiling an object with the Shogunate symbol on it. However, it's not like you couldn't just find the same info online, so this feature is slightly redundant in that sense. I would've really liked some behind the scenes featurettes or something like that, involving the cast and crew, or showing how they did some of the fight sequences when limbs would be lopped off. A commentary is pretty much impossible to ask for at this point in time, especially with the main star, Wakayama, since he sadly passed away of a heart attack in 1992. Since there's already a box set of all the movies out, I don't see much of a chance of the movies being rereleased as a special edition box set with the extras it deserves.

If you're a fan of the comics, give the movies a shot to see how well they translate to the big screen. If you're a fan of samurai movies or have only seen Shogun Assassin, you're in for a treat with Sword of Vengeance. It won't appeal to everyone, since most people have their own mindset of what a samurai movie's "supposed" to be about, but the majority of people I've talked to have nothing but good things to say about the series. For the movie, it gets an easy 4.5 stars out of 5. But this is the dvd overall, and with the lack of special features and the picture quality leaving more to be desired, I can't help but give it a 3. But don't let that stop you from getting into everything- if you like it, you'll be hooked. As of right now I've only seen the first 3 movies and they've doing a great job so far. I can't wait to see how they do the final one.

The First Episode Of The Lone Wolf And Cub Series!.......2007-01-03

This is the first episode of the "Lone Wolf and Cub" series. And if you have never seen any of these episodes, then you are in for a treat [Providing you don't mind a lot of violence in films]. However, the violence is necessary in order to advance the film's plot. The main protagonist(s) in the film are Ogami (Tomisaburo Wakayama) and his infant son (Akihiro Tomikawa). This first episode sets up the events which will lead Ogami and his infant son on a trek of vengeance and violence as they fight off the Yagyu clan. Ogami was the offical executioner of the Shogun. In a side note: The late Tomisaburo Wakayama was the elder brother of Shintaro Katsu of Zatoichi fame.

However, Ogami Itto's wife is murdered and he is framed as a traitor by the Yagyu clan. They want Ogami, who is the Shogun's official executioner to be forced to commit seppuku [ritual suicide] by the Shogun. However, Ogami sets off in the Japanese countryside as a Ronin [masterless samurai] and commences to kill off as many of the Yagyu clan that he comes across. And he is very efficient at this. The film is full of action and does not disappoint. Wandering around Japan, with his infant son in tow [in a baby cart] Ogami is an efficient killing machine, and his sons baby cart is stocked full of weaponry. There is plenty of blood in this film, as the director, Kenji Misumi does not spare any amount of blood to get his point across.

I noticed in one of the reviewers reviews that he saw many of these films [Japanese] in Los Angeles during the 1970s at the Toho Labrea Theatre. So did I, and this is also where I saw many of the Zatoichi episodes. But also at the now defunct Fox Theatre, in Venice, California. And I agree with his veiwpoint that one cannot compare these films to a Tatsuya Nakadai, or Toshiro Mifune type of film. Each of these Lone Wolf and Cub films have a unique quality to them. [Not that I am comparing these to those great Japanese legends]. However, these films are also highly entertaining too. I know many who disparage the Zatoichi films, which I grew up with, and it is irritating to listen to people knock these types of films, which I find extremely entertaining. I also love the early classics too! You can like them both, as they are both entertaining genres. I highly recommend this film, and recommend that you delve deeper into the series, and also take a look at the Zatoichi films.

My first time seeing lone wolf and cub.......2006-07-16

Absolutely breathtaking. I thought it was a bit too violent, a bit too sexual, and a little weird. But all of these things only added to the experience. This is a movie truly for comic book fans. But then again, I like serious movies that are extremely violent and well, it looks like I am watching the right type of stuff. I got a version distributed by red sun but it has the animeego logo all over the menu screen. An anime company rerleasing real movies, I wasn't sure about this. But I thought the liner notes were an awesome extra as it took me about 15 minutes to read it all before I watched the movie.

Now the story is so captivating, it is the first time in a while that I was watching an asian film and was really excited, but patiently waited and watched with great interest as the story unfolded. The final battle of the movie was great and really has you saying, "man, I hope this story continues". And ALL of the characters are wonderful as they are bursting with character in their appearence. The acting is also superb.

The version I got from red sun is anamorphically widescreened amd the picture is remastered very well. The sound cuts out a few times in the movie, but it happens a couple of times early on and doesn't end up making a big difference. And overall the sound is very good.

You can buy his sword but never his honor........2006-01-06

Ogami Itto, the official executioner to the Shogun, is falsely accused of treason and ordered to commit ritual suicide. Yet, this man who holds the harsh code of Bushido above all else, refuses and goes on a quest, a journey, to get revenge. Not only for his lost honor and position but for the murder of his wife.
But he is not alone, for his tiny son must take the same path of honor and death. A ronin and his son. Lone Wolf And Cub. Both are for hire.
The movie is faithful to the manga because the manga was designed to be easily transfered to the big screen. Actors and actresses were perfect for their parts. Lots of violence, nudity and sex scenes - what more can you want? Runs about 83 minutes and the plot moves well, so you never feel bored or feel like there is dead space. A must for any Samurai library.

Kogi Kaishakunin.......2005-12-20

This series of films have been among my absolute favorite since I first saw them more than 30 years ago.

I can remember my first experience with Kozure Ohkami as a young Japanese American youth in early 1970s Los Angeles. One day my friend's dad piled a bunch of us young "JAs" into a Mercury Montego and took us to see the fourth movie in the series, Baby Cart In Peril at the long gone Toho LaBrea Theater. One thing nice about growing up in LA in the '60s and '70s is that we got to see a lot of movies unavailable to many people outside of Japanese American communities during the pre-VCR days. While I grew up watching The Man From UNCLE and Gilligan's Island like all my friends, I also had the bonus of being able to enjoy the exploits of Ogami Itto, Zatoichi and a host of Mifune and Nakadai movies.

During my high school years, my friends and I eagerly awaited each pending showing at the Toho. Parts 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6 were in heavy rotation during the mid to late '70s, but a part 3 was never shown. It wasn't until the mid '90s when AnimEigo released the series on VHS and laserdisc that I was sure that part 3 was in fact Lightning Swords of Death which was released as a dubbed movie for the mass American public in 1975 during the height of the martial arts craze.

When Toho closed down in the late '70s and became a Korean church Itto, Daigoro and the cart-o-fun moved to the Kokusai in West LA. And when Kokusai closed its doors in the late 1980s, the movies were being shown at Little Tokyo Cinema in downtown LA. By then the prints being shown were completely trashed and it was obvious that for years it was the same prints being circulated for 20 years. One second, amidst a smoking overcast field Itto would be facing Yagyu Gunbei, then the next he would be sitting with Daigoro in front of a cooking pot. Three great fight scenes and about 30 minutes of film had been permanently lost.

During the late 1980s I met a fellow at the Japan Expo who had secured the rights to release the Zatoichi series in the US. I asked him if the Sword of Vengeance series would ever become available. Every year I went back to the Expo and asked him the same question, and every year he told me the same thing. He said he was working on it, but since Katsu Shintaro's [Zatoichi himself] company had gone bust, ownership of the 6 Baby Cart films had been dispersed and it would be difficult to gain the rights to all of them. He said he couldn't just go to one person, but had to deal with many different people.

Well imagine my joy when AnimEigo began making these available. During the mid nineties they were released one episode at a time about every two to three months. When the DVDs were released not too long ago I noticed they appeared very different from the laserdiscs. A scene I had mentioned earlier in which Itto fights assassins in a shrine looks entirely different from VHS and laserdisc to DVD. The VHS and laserdisc depict this scene as being very dark. The interior is dimly lit as one would expect of a musty, little used indoor temple. The people are difficult to make out which adds an air of uncertainty and desperation to the fight sequence. However, on the DVD this same scene is extremely bright and well lit. Blood stains that appeared like dark crimson smears on the laserdisc are bright glowing red on the DVD. It struck me as being artificial looking. To be honest, it has been so long since I saw the original in the theaters, I can't remember which is correct. It's probably somewhere in between. But I will say I greatly prefer watching these movies on laserdisc. They appear more film-like, while the DVDs in spots seem overly contrasty and bright. I wonder if this was done intentionally during mastering. Were certain scenes color adjusted just for the DVD? I also noticed that the English translation is different from the theatrical versions to those released by AnimEigo. I had my father, who was born, raised and educated in Japan watch a series of scenes where I remembered the original theatrical subtitles. We then compared them to the subtitles in the current releases. In the instances I could remember the old subtitles, my dad felt the new releases had the more accurate translation.

Some reviewers on this site have commented that these films don't deserve to be mentioned in the same sentence with greats like Seven Samurai or even deserve a 5 star rating. I can certainly understand that viewpoint, but I choose to rate films on how they affect me and what they mean to me, not in the overall scheme of movie history. So with that in mind can you imagine the lasting impression a close up of Oyuki's beautiful tattoed breasts made on a young lad in the midst of puberty? Or the shock and repulsion of seeing Retsudo behead his loyal quick change artist and the gushing fountain of blood that ensued. Scenes like that would convince anyone that Japanese have the highest blood pressure of any ethnic group around. I love it!

These films are a look into the morals and trials of Samurai bound to the codes of Bushido during 17th century Japan albeit with a bit of James Bond [especially part 6] mixed in. They're also not too unlike the classic movie Harakiri, in that they focus on the corruptibility of people in high places and the consequences those actions have. Educational and fun! All these films are beautifully photographed, and shot on locations not like the artificial sets of Hong Kong action movies or Japanese Chambara TV serials. Some scenes are unforgettable such as in part 1 when Itto and Kurando face each other in preparation for a duel at sunset in an open field. This scene is also a cinematic example how he who has the advantages of nature does not always prevail in a duel. Another striking image is from part 4. In one scene there's a camera view down on Ogami Itto pushing the cart-of-goodies. The neat thing is that 95% of the screen is filled with a large tiled roof, while Itto and Daigoro only occupy a corner of the frame. On the other hand, action scenes such as when Itto is fighting a large assembly of various Yagyu warriors in a debossed mini maze showcase battlefield swordsmanship in its starkest and most brutal fashion. Many Michael Myers' Halloween techniques are utilized here. In part 1, during a pivotal scene in which Itto and son are seemingly ready to commit seppuku, the subsequent fight is filmed in an eerily silent manner. Ogami Itto runs slently through his house cutting up the Shogun's officials. You hear no foot steps, no screams, no grunts. All you see is the frantic battle and the sound of the blade cutting through flesh. There is some supernatural jumping in these films, but very little flowery swordplay and posing ala Crouching Tiger nor is the fight choreography presented as an effortlessly balletic dance as that of Nakadai Tatsuya's Tsukue Ryunosuke from Sword of Doom. The techniques in Kozure Ohkami are powerful, direct and meant to kill. Instantly. This isn't Kendo. It is a closer to Batto Jutsu which is a modern practice with roots in the battlefield tested techniques of pre-Tokugawa era warriors. Sure there are some flourishes thrown in for effect, but overall the viewer is hit with the powerful and deadly swordplay of Wakayama Tomisaburo. And in that there is great beauty. Even Itto's sword is the famous Dohtanuki which was a beefy, heavy battlefield sword. Definitely not one for the limp-wristed swordsman.

I truly believe these movies are a must see for any western foley effects artist not familiar with the way Japanese weaponry sounds. I don't think I've ever seen an American film get the sound of a katana right. As much as I liked The Last Samurai, I cringed every time I heard a sword being drawn in that movie. Japanese swords are in wooden scabbards [saya], so the sound is metal against wood, not metal-on-metal as in movies about medieval Europe. This may seem like nit-picking to many, but to me it would be like watching Roman Holiday with the voice of Fred Flintstone coming from Audrey Hepburn. It just isn't right!

It's interesting. Until a few years ago I had no idea these films were originally a manga series. And it is nice to know that the people who are fans of Koike Kazuo's books are pleased with these movies. There was an attempt in the early 1980s to adapt the movies to a weekly television series. The show starred Yorozuya Kinnosuke, but I could never get into them. They had a completely different feel from the movies and lacked the over-the-top charm of the 6 originals. I'm also aware that modern movie versions were made and one even has a conclusion to the series. I bought these versions on Ebay several years ago, but still to this day haven't gotten around to watching them. I think that in itself reveals my devotion and narrow-mindedness where these films are concerned.

I hope you enjoy them as well.

Average customer rating:

Excellent, but not for everyone
guns and talks
..................................
Beware Hollywood, the Koreans are here!!!
Dissapointing

Guns & Talks
Starring: Hyeon-jun Shin , Ha-kyun Shin , Bin Won , Jae-yeong Jeong , and Jin-yeong Jeong
Director: Jin Jang
Manufacturer: Tai Seng
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00006L93J
Release Date: 2002-11-26

Customer Reviews:

Excellent, but not for everyone.......2006-08-02

I loved "Guns and Kills". It's basically a movie that revolves around four guys who are assassins. You get a glimpse of their daily life and you get to see how they kill people. These four guys are actually average joes. You've seen their personalities at work, school, or even at home. They just kill people, and they're actually quite lovable.

The movie seems to take everything in moderation. The action is nice, but doesn't get your blood pumping like Tarantino. The content of the film is thought-provoking, but not too though-provoking to make it one of those art house films like Di-Duk's ("3-Iron", "Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... And Spring") works. The humor frequently appears, and it's delightful... But I can't really call "Guns and Talks" a comedy.

I've read a lot of complaints about the pacing of this movie. I found it satisifactory. If the pace were to be slower or faster, I would've have a lower opinion of this movie. The pace is what makes this movie so good; it lets you explore the characters a little bit, and interpret each scene slowly and carefully. To give you an idea about the pace, it's probably about the same as "Lost in Translation. Those who like their movies a little bit faster, go watch Chan-Wook Park's revenge trilogy (Sympathy for Mr. Vengence, Oldboy, Sympathy for Lady Vengeance).

One major thing to be warned about: The humor is more funny if you understand Korean. I have a good grasp of the language (elementary grade, and a few swear words) and the culture. If you're clueless to both elements, YOU'LL STILL FIND THE MOVIE FUNNY. However, you probably won't find some things as funny as others do.

guns and talks.......2005-09-09

This movie SUCKS. Extremely slow pace, boring, uninspired acting. Totally lame and weak.

.........................................2004-08-16

Very entertaining, good-spirited, and generally lighthearted.

It is not weighed down by an overt pursuit of thematic ambitions that are usually associated with assassination movies, so, while it lacks the punch of something else with any apparent ulterior motive (maybe the recent Assassination Tango would be a good example), it floats free... I was able to laugh without wondering why or feeling guilty about it... and while confronted with the characters sometimes ambiguous feelings about their jobs at times, it's kind of matted over with a general feeling of good cheer and "hey, let's not get too serious". Stylistically it's not as admirable as other films in the similar genre and spirits like Leon (though it does make a cheeky reference to it).

Overall, though it leaves me not wanting to dismiss it as fluff or some "feel good movie", I can't help but feel that it is... so I'll call it very enjoyable "borderline fluff" comedy.

Beware Hollywood, the Koreans are here!!!.......2003-07-05

I've seen good Korean movies, and I've seen VERY good Korean movies... this one is VERY good. The idea of the movie isn't too original, but it doesn't matter because the actors are great (i.e Shin Hyun-Joon) and there's plenty of great humor. This movie made me laugh harder than almost any "comedy" I've seen.

There's not much camera trickery, but the movie is still very stylish and looks good enough. Even tough the movie is about killing other people (well... that's not the POINT of the movie), I found this movie to be fun, heartwarming and smart. It's not like the Tarantino (or Tarantino-wannabe) movies, where every character is a very ANNOYING person and you can't relate to ANYONE on screen.

I recommend this movie to ANYONE, who enjoys action and humor in one shiny package.....

Dissapointing.......2003-05-16

I purchased the korean version of this film, under the impression it was a like a korean "Tarantino" or "Guy Ritchie" movie. Needless to say, it was not. While this ordinarily wouldn't be a problem, the film you do get simply doesn't hold up. The "stylish cinematography" I was told to expect wasn't very, and the action sequences just didn't feel very solid. It's got an amusing moment or two, and the three-way time lapse cut was pretty unique, but this doesn't save barely on par acting built on a mediocre script. Go watch Lock Stock again.

Average customer rating:

A good look at the first Western and cowboy film star

The Son-of-a-Gun!
Starring: G.M. Anderson , Joy Lewis , and Fred Church
Director: Jesse Robbins
Manufacturer: Unknown Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0006PWM6O
Release Date: 2004-11-22

Description

After becoming a film favorite in the nickelodeon era as "Broncho Billy," G.M. Anderson left the movie business for a couple of years while pursuing other business opportunities. They didn't pan out very well, so he returned to the screen in 1918, producing a series of western features. Judging from the surviving material, they were terrific films, but problems arising from skimpy distribution cut short Anderson's comeback.

"The Son-of-a-Gun!" was the second film in the series, and it's a real delight. Here he plays a trigger-happy drifter who practically terrorizes a western town with his rough and rowdy ways... but proves to be a hero in the end. Sadly, this is the only film of the series that survives intact, but it's a testament to the talent of the screen's first cowboy star. You don't need to be a fan of westerns to enjoy the wit, the characterizations and the honest sentiment of "The Son-of-a-Gun!" Organ score by Bob Vaughn.

Supplemental material: Anderson's next film was "Shootin' Mad" (1919). It was ultimately condensed into a two-reel short, and it's presented here in that length. It's another example of a tightly-plotted, fast-paced western that was dumped into the independent distribution market, and few people ever got to see it. It's a real treat, though, with Anderson starring as his usual rough-around-the-edges western hero, who cleans up the town with both guns blazing!

Customer Reviews:

A good look at the first Western and cowboy film star.......2005-05-17

This is a pretty good mid-price DVD showcasing probably the best feature film by G M Anderson who had found fame as the screen's first cowboy, in particular the character called Broncho Billy. In the years 1911-15 he was producing, directing and starring in around 50 one and two-reelers (15-30 minutes in length) a year, mostly as Broncho Billy - which equates to a popular TV series of weekly episodes, so he was certainly a very busy and productive man! No doubt he made the mould for Westerns and cowboy films to follow, and this feature film of 1919 shows him at his best. He's probably the ugliest leading man and good guy you've ever seen, but what Anderson lacks in good looks he definitely makes up for with a unique, dynamic style. His acting is very expressive and there's a nice hint of comedy, as well as a kind of genuineness about him that makes him stand out and steal the show. As `the son-of-a-gun' he plays a rowdy and trigger-happy cowboy who terrorizes his town, but he means no real harm and in the end manages to put the bad guys in their place and save the day. He's loud and obnoxious, but turns into a meek lamb when he sees a pretty girl, thus showing different sides and some depths to this Son-of-a-Gun character. The story is quite interesting with a dramatic climax and a moral principle to be learned, and overall it contains the typical Western fare: even a scene where he rides into a saloon on his horse to introduce himself to a new town!

This DVD starts off with another Anderson feature film of 1919 which was condensed to two reels, namely "Shootin' Mad", but even in this shorter version there's a good story as well and, above all, Anderson's captivating presence. Unknown Video has also supplied some good and informative notes at the outset of each film, along with the standard organ score. Picture quality is also very good, and I'm sure this DVD would be a real treat to Western fans in particular. Personally, I enjoyed getting to know G M Anderson and Broncho Billy, the first cowboy star, as well as the entertaining stories of both films generally.

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