Decision Before Dawn

Amazon.com

Rooting for a German soldier was a daring choice for a movie made in 1951, but Decision Before Dawn justifies the risk; this is a crackling good war movie. In late 1944, the Allies are pushing through Europe but need intelligence behind German lines. Two Americans (Richard Basehart, Gary Merrill) recruit German POWs and enlist them to spy on their former Fatherland. We follow the adventures of one such agent, arrestingly played by the young Oskar Werner, who parachutes into Bavaria and gathers information. (Oddly, the film abandons Basehart and another recruit, marvelously played by Hans Christian Blech, who have also gone under cover.) The well-deployed suspense is accompanied by a constant examination of what it means to be German, and what loyalty to one's country really entails--dutiful devotion or skeptical rebellion? This question doesn't go deep (there's a sense that the movie is a make-nice effort toward a new economic ally), but the film is on solid ground whenever the clockwork suspense takes over. Hildegarde Knef (here billed under her Hollywood spelling, Neff) turns up as a conflicted fraulein. Director Anatole Litvak, shooting on location, gets some amazing shots of bombed-out buildings and ruined towns; in that sense, the film is almost like a documentary record of the postwar landscape. Decision Before Dawn was nominated for the best picture Oscar, but became a lesser-known film in the decades that followed. It deserves a higher profile. --Robert Horton

Description

Richard Basehart and Gary Merrill star in a film that?s ?as stirring a drama as any you'll want to see? (The New York Times). Adapted by Jack Rollens and Peter Viertel from George Howe?s novel Call It Treason, and directed by Anatole Litvak, this riveting World War II drama was nominated for the 1951 Best Picture Oscar®.

As the Third Reich declines in power, the Allies develop a radical new plan ? to employ German POWs as spies. Led by American Colonel Devlin (Merrill), and executed by Lieutenant Rennick (Baseheart), the plan is risky, and the tension builds as the Americans learn whether the former Nazis will help or betray the Allies.

Customer Reviews:

Engaging realism; ahead of its time.......2007-06-17

I'd never seen or heard of "Decision before Dawn" until it appeared in my recommended list on Amazon.com. Released in 1951, it apparently has been on TV a number of times, but I never caught it. Having it on DVD, especially at a bargain price, is welcome, indeed.

There are no big stars in the movie, although Gary Merrill, Richard Basehart, and Oskar Werner are certainly well-known names. The story is rather obscure in that it features Germans who change sides at the end of World War II, and end up spying on and fighting the Nazis. Some of these spies are heroic, like Oskar Werner's character; others are simply mercenary. In any event, we see that there were some good Germans who were loyal to their country, if not to the savage regime that took it over for 12 years.

The movie is in black-and-white, which lends itself well to the feel of the subject. It comes across almost as a docu-drama, to use modern terminology. Many of the outdoor shots feel like how Germany must have been in the latter years of the war after allied bombing had reduced most cities to rubble. You get a sense for the desperation and futility of ordinary people, as well, as the only "love interest" in the show, Hildegard Neff, vanishes almost as quickly as she appears. And she never is seen again.

If you're looking for a film that shows one of the pivotal points of the war, like "The Battle of the Bulge," or "The Battle of Britain," you might be disappointed in this show. But if you want to see a realistic depiction of patriotic Germans who resisted the Nazis and helped end the war, you should be pleasantly surprised. Acting is first-rate and the story is well-written and engaging.

There is not really a happy ending in "Decision before Dawn," unless you feel that the war is closer to its end as a result of what you've seen. In that sense, the movie really seems much ahead of its time and should find a receptive audience. As other reviewers point out, "Decision before Dawn" is really an anti-war film, showing as it does the futility of one group of humans intent on destroying another group.

In summing up, I can't think of another movie to compare this one to. I'd have to say the film is unique and worthy of its place in any World War II collection.

A good script!.......2007-04-05

"Decision Before Dawn" was written by Peter Viertel, once himself a member of the O.S.S.
It's a good script, full of weird characters, played by German actors like Hans-Christian Blech, Hildegard Neff and the famous O.E. Hasse. If you look close enough, you can even spot a very young Klaus Kinski!
The performance given by young Austrian master-actor Oscar Werner is simply superb.
If you like a gripping (anti-) war-movie, you'll be delighted with "Decision Before Dawn".
Watch out for a TV-documentary on the screenwriter Peter Viertel: "PETER VIERTEL: BETWEEN THE LINES". It will be shown in the fall of 2008. Don't miss it!

Excellent story dealing with the morals of war........2006-11-10

Definitely an anti-war classic story. Authentic in every respect and a good view and moral lesson for anyone with an interest in the meaning of loyalty to one's country. R. Woolfe

WW II counterintelligence drama.......2006-10-26

Anatole Litvak's engaging WWII drama "Decision Before Dawn" examines the war from an entirely different perspective. Filmed in the war ravaged remains of Nazi Germany in 1950, the story commences as American troops are poised to cross the Rhine and enter Germany. In the waning days of the war an American intelligence detail lead by Col. Devlin played by Gary Merrill and Lt. Rennick played by Richard Basehart are using captured POW's to act as spys. Using specially trained and suitable German soldiers they hope to gain sensitive information to aid in the war effort. Oskar Werner playing Cpl. Karl Maurer is just such a man.

Werner, an educated son of a physician, and not a loyal Nazi supporter, is a medic in the German Luftwaffe. He and Basehart along with another Nazi traitor code named Tiger and played by Hans Christian Blech are dropped behind enemy lines to determine the location of crack Panzer units.

What makes the film so unique, was that Werner's odyssey through the dying Third Reich gives us insight into the disposition of the German populace. Their downtrodden existence scrounging out an existence in the final months of the war is a disturbing sight to behold.

Litvack's film is a tribute to the nameless German spys who aided the Allied war effort.

Top-notch war thriller!.......2006-10-06

Based on real facts, this movie scrutinizes the ethic side of an idealistic and disappointed German medic / P:O:W: who decides by own will to become spy for his captors. He will be parachuted in order to demonstrate his firm resolution.

This might be the masterpiece of Anatole Litvak and the best performance ever given by Oskar Werner.

Tense, absorbing and high voltage movie.

Average customer rating:

Good movie, annoying ending
Phenomenal film experience...
L.I.E.
for a lost soldier
L.I.E.

L.I.E. (Unrated)
Starring: Paul Dano , Billy Kay (II) , Bruce Altman , James Costa , and Tony Michael Donnelly
Director: Michael Cuesta
Manufacturer: New Yorker Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000063K0V
Release Date: 2002-06-04

Amazon.com

A remarkable movie. L.I.E. centers on Howie, a 15-year-old boy whose mother recently died in a car accident. Neglected by his father, an unscrupulous contractor who's constantly having sex with his new girlfriend, Howie falls in with a group of boys who break into houses for kicks. After one break-in Howie is caught by Big John (Brian Cox, the original Hannibal Lecter from Manhunter), a former Marine with a taste for young boys. But the relationship that develops between Howie and Big John surprises them both. L.I.E. captures male adolescence more genuinely than any other film in recent memory; the realism of the relationships, particularly between Howie and his father, is completely compelling. The movie affects all the senses; you can practically feel the texture of Howie's blue flannel sheets, smell the greenery that grows along the Long Island Expressway. Amazing performances, vivid direction, smartly written--superb all around. --Bret Fetzer

Customer Reviews:

Good movie, annoying ending.......2007-08-29

L.I.E. is one of those jolly little films that generated entirely too much controversy when it first came out. Much was made of the ephebophiliac nature of the movie (though the sibling incest that's also featured in the film was largely ignored). The controversy and themes likely kept a great many people from seeing it.

And that's too bad, because this is a good movie. It's a very touching and sensative movie as well, basically about a teenage boy who loses everyone close to him over the course of just a few days. It's also about an older ephebophile (not a pedophile, look it up on Wikipedia, kids), who is not always pleased to be what he is.

There's certainly a lot of layers to this film, and to the characters, and no one fits neatly into our little stereotypical view of things. The performances are all top notch, especially by Brian (first Hannibal Lecter), Cox and Paul Dano (who later went on to be in Little Miss Sunshine... still playing a fifteen-year-old boy).

In fact for me the only thing that keeps this movie from five stars was the ending, which I found rather tacked on.

>>> SPOILERS! < <<

At the end, the Cox character gets what many would consider to be his just desserts, as he gets murdered by a former "victim" of his (though really it might be better to describe him as a "jilted lover"), thus leaving young Howie completely without anyone in his life who has any interest in taking care of him.

I thought killing off the Cox character was pointless and seemed like it was tacked on because it's what the audience expects. You can't have a good child-molester, after all. No, they're all evil and deserve death. It's a same, because otherwise the film was quite nuanced.

Regardless, I still recommend seeing it. It's a good film.

Phenomenal film experience... .......2007-07-22

Michael Cuesta has crafted a film of extraordinary intrigue. I'd heard of the film, and finally saw it. I was mesmerized from the beginning.The acting is without fault; Brian Cox is wonderful, as always, and he has gotten most of the praise, but Paul Dano (from "Little Miss Sunshine") is the real star, a remarkable understanding of an impossibly complex role. I can't say more than what has already been said, Everything that could go wrong happens, and the revelations and resolutions are rewarding to the viewer. It's not a happy film, and the ending is a bit unsettling, but life's like that, sometimes. I applaud Mr. Cuesta for presenting to me a terrific, mind-blowing experience. Next to "Boys Don't Cry", I haven't been so totally absorbed in a film about so many damaged people.

L.I.E........2007-07-20

A gritty, take-no-prisoners yarn, Cuesta's "L.I.E" offers no easy answers or resolutions to Howie's plight, and its willingness to paint life's roadblocks in shades of gray is precisely what makes it work. While certainly not for every taste, "L.I.E" is a startlingly original, credible glimpse into humanity's underbelly and the rough and tumble ways of the street. Veteran player Brian Cox is fabulous as usual, as is the young actor Paul Dano, who injects pathos and palpable emotion into his role.

for a lost soldier.......2007-05-30

the best movie i have seen in a long time in this category not dirty just a beautiful story of innocence and caring just two people sharing themselves with each other in times of need

L.I.E........2007-04-06

L.I.E. in my opinion is one of the best films in it's class in the past decade. The actors are particularly good in each role and each one delivers a natural feel to each particular character. Paul Dano is brilliant in his role as Howie, he portrays an innocent need for acceptance and belonging that makes the film so actual and believable. Brian Cox as Big John had to take on a role that is not only difficult to portray but also had the potential of destroying his career. He pulled it of in an exceptional way. It is a film that is hard to watch if you care about the youth of our world. The film is particularly relevant to today's circumstances and problems the youth face. It deserve a place in each one's collection.

Average customer rating:

Another Great Comedy that Almost Nobody Saw
NOT SO POLITICALLY CORRECT
A Very Entertaining Movie!!!!
Underrated Gem
This isn't a remake of the old Amos n' Andy TV show!

Amos & Andrew
Starring: Samuel L. Jackson , Michael Lerner , Margaret Colin , Nicolas Cage , and Dabney Coleman
Director: E. Max Frye
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000059TG6
Release Date: 2001-05-22

Description

Academy AwardÂ(r) winner* Nicolas Cage (Face-Off) and OscarÂ(r) nominee** Samuel L. Jackson (Pulp Fiction) star in this action-packed comedy about a small-time crook anda Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright who bring new meaning to the term "dynamic duo!" Their wild andraucous adventures make Amos & Andrew the funniest, nuttiest, most hysterical comedy since Midnight Run! When a successful African-American author (Jackson) buys a house on an exclusive New England resort island, local law enforcement mistakes him for a thief and nearly kill him in a hilariously bungled attempt to "protect" the estate. But things go from loony to just plainwacky when the town's Police Chief (Dabney Coleman) attempts to cover up the embarrassing details of the event by planting a convicted criminal (Cage) in the house to take the rap! *1995: Actor, Leaving Las Vegas **1994: Supporting Actor, Pulp Fiction

Customer Reviews:

Another Great Comedy that Almost Nobody Saw.......2005-05-31

I don't know how it is that some very good movies get sidetracked when they are first released. This is one of them and it is well worth watching and owning, in my opinion. Of course, as a previous reviewer noted, it is NOT a re-do of the famous radio show and if you expect it to be, you will be very confused by it. No, this comedy is very much its own black-and-white story and a hilarious commentary on the prejudices and preconceived notions that are to be found even among the most supposedly enlightened of us. The whole comedy stems from erroneous assumptions made about a black man seen in an empty house in a posh NY community at night (he is, of course, the new owner). Both Samuel L. Jackson and Nicholas Cage (cast as a down-at-heels drifter pressed into service by the local sheriff) play their parts to perfection and Dabney Coleman and the cast of supporting characters are also excellent in their various roles as bumbling law dogs, neighbors, reporters, etc. In sum, I found this underrated film to be not only extremely funny but a wise and wry social commentary as well.

NOT SO POLITICALLY CORRECT.......2005-05-11

AMOS AND ANDREW certainly doesn't do much to promote a politically correct stance on racism, but for a 1993 comedy, it does have its moments and has some interesting social commentary to make. Samuel L. Jackson plays Andrew Sterling, a wealthy black entrepreneur, who recently had his picture on the cover of Fortune magazine. He buys a summer house at a snooty island community, but no one knows it. While he's hooking up his stereo on his first night in the house, snooping neighbors assume because he's black, he must be a burglar! They contact the local sheriff and he takes a small Army to the house and a mishap by a bumbling deputy triggers an attack on Jackson. Once he finds out his mistake, the politically motivated sheriff (he's running for County Commissioner) decides he needs to clean up his act and does so by making a deal with a second rate criminal (Nicolas Cage) to pretend to be the burglar. Of course, things don't go as planned and there's where we get the rest of this broadly humorous film.
Jackson and Cage do well in their roles, Cage assuaging a restrained swagger and Jackson oozing his indignity as a black citizen in a white world. Dabney Coleman as the sheriff is his typically nasty and manipulative self; Margaret Colin and Michael Lerner are very funny as the couple who call the police; Brad Dourif is hilarious as the inept deputy, and Bob Balaban as a hostage negotiator is very funny too.
The movie is full of stereotypical characters, including Giancarlo Esposito as some kind of minister, and hopefully we have evolved from this racist kind of behavior. But AMOS AND ANDREW is entertaining and worth a look.

A Very Entertaining Movie!!!!.......2004-04-17

I first viewed this movie when it first came out and loved it.I had forgotten all about it untill 2 weeks ago, when while looking on amazon, saw its listing. I ordered it straight away, and would have to say that this is a very entertaining movie. It has a very original story line, and is realy funny. This movie is a must see, rent or buy, you cant go wrong.

Underrated Gem.......2004-02-15

I first watched this movie in the mid-90's at the suggestion of a video store clerk. My one thought when I was done was "Why hadn't I heard of this before?" I recently rented it again to show my highly sceptical wife. She loved it and forced her parents to watch it. We're now 4 for 4 in our family!

This movie sets up a great situation and then does a good job playing out all the threads with its major themes, particularly the preconceptions of the supposedly 'liberal' neighbors. Cage and Jackson play their parts well (and play off of each other well).Dabney Coleman plays his basic mean-[jerk] role and does it well. The supporting cast is all good. If you don't laugh, you're taking yourself too seriously.

This isn't a remake of the old Amos n' Andy TV show!.......2003-07-18

Once you understand that, it makes for a very good comedy or sattire with a title that is reminiscent to the old classic television show.

Samuel L. Jackson plays the role of Andrew Sterling, a rich African-American producer,author, and entreprenuer. He buys a home and moves to a small suburban community that isn't use to seeing people of color. A couple is out walking their dog one night and is suprised to see a black man in the home of their neighbors (they don't know that the house has been sold to Sterling) so of course they call the police. They also think that Sterling must be holding their neighbors hostage. Dabney Coleman (9 to 5, War Games) is the opportunistic police chief who looks at this as a chance to plug his campaign for County Commissioner. After the chief figures out that they've been shooting at Andrew Sterling - in front of his own house - and not a burglar they hatch a crazy scheme to cover up their blunder.

Customer Reviews:

Fascinating and unusual film.......2007-04-08

The Color of Pomegranates (made in 1968, and also released under the name Sayat Nova) is not really a conventional movie. It is more like a series of tableaux "inspired" by 18th century Armenian poet Nova. It is nonetheless fascinating, and should be required viewing for anybody interested not only in Armenian culture but in cinema in general (or, if you wish, the visual arts). This movie has inspired many artists, including some music videos (admittedly not among the arts' highest form), including REM's "Losing my Religion" and Deep Forest's "Sweet Lullaby". There is a heavy homoerotic subtext to many of the tableaux, and as a matter of fact, Paradjanov would later spent several years in jail in the Soviet Union accused, among other things, of homosexuality. Though released under international pressure, it would take him another 16 years to make another movie, shortly before his untimely death in 1990.

An amazing achievement...........2006-11-01

This is one of those films that you can't make any literal sense about it. It's all images. It's like Fellini's Satyricon, Greenaway's Prospero's Books, and, to a lesser extent, Argento's Inferno. But WHAT IMAGES! This is a magnificent, breathtaking beautiful, poetic, painterly masterpiece. You could freeze any frame of this, and they would look like medeval paintings come to life. Paradjanov did not make many films (the Soviet authorities made life a living hell for him because of his outspoken views on politics and his nationalistic leanings), but the ones that he did will always live. No one in this world made films like he does. They are so unique in world cinema. This is an abstract film about the Armenian poet Sayat Nova. It is not a literal biographical film. It is a film that enters into the poet's world. Many have complained about the transfer by Kino. It is not great, but the fact that this film has survived at all is a miracle in itself. And it's Paradjanov's original cut too. The conditions in which it was made were not very good, so it is possible that the film stock Paradjanov shot on was defective, or very worn. One little known problem with Soviet filmmaking was that many crews had to share equipment with each other, and that it wasn't the greatest to begin with. That might be why the film looks faded and old. But the fact that we have it is magnificent enough. The documentary, Paradjanov: A Requiem, is very good. It is not filled with talking heads analyzing Paradjanov's films and life. Most of the film features Paradjanov himself. It contains the final interview he did. He is fully alive and very boisterous during the whole film. He is still very outspoken about life in the USSR (which was falling apart by the time this film was made), and he is just amazing to behold. The film has clips from many of Paradjanov's early work, none of which has ever been released here. This is definitely worth picking up.

"Sing. Sing. Sing. Die" .......2006-07-28

Its unfortunate that there are some bad reviews of this DVD. I suspect that KINO's bad reputation precedes them here. They are, of course, well-known for dishing out a terrible print and charging an arm and a leg for it. This is certainly the case with their Legend of the Suram Fortress/Ashik Kerib release. Those are inexcusably bad.

It is not true of The Color of Pomegranates. For once, KINO has done right, and the negative criticism, I think, is just plain wrong for the most part. This is a film made in the 60s in the Soviet Union by a Georgian film-maker that was cut and then later banned. The chances of a print like this surviving are pretty slim; that it has survived, and in such good condition, is a miracle.

A cleaner, less washed-out print of this film is known, and has been released on DVD in other Regions. What makes KINO's release remarkable, however, is that unlike those releases, KINO's version is Parajanov's original cut of the film, which resurfaced in the West in the 80s.

Other than the colors being a little washed, the image on this disc is extremely clean and clear. The audio suffers at bits, but it isn't terribly distracting. The only real drawback is KINO's consistent problem with burnt subtitles; its impossible to remove those gaudy yellow tags from the image. Fortunately, this is a film with very little dialogue, most of which is spoken over intertitles, so its not a huge drawback.

Beyond that, KINO deserves a lot of praise for serving up some really outstanding extras. A ten-minute short by Parajanov, "Hagop Hovnatanian" is included, also looking quite nice. The short consists mostly of still-photography of paintings and objects; it may have been pulled together from one of projects Parajanov was forced to abandon before Pomegranates.

The second extra is an hour long film, completed just after Parajanov's death. This is worth the price alone for Parajanov fans. Most of the film is narrated by Parajanov himself, from one of his last interviews, put together beautifully with footage from his films, many of them rarely seen. I can't stress what a great documentary this is: Parajanov speaks candidly about his troubled career, his time in prison, the avant-garde in Russian film, his admiration of Dovzhenko and Pasolini ("he is a god to me"), and much more.

Anyway, pick this up without reservation. Credit where credit is due: KINO has put together a great disc here.

Stunning.......2005-08-08

The print is not great but then again I doubt KINO could have afforded to do a full restoration based on 2000-tops sales at $15 a clip wholesale, if even. We're lucky to have this at all.
A beautiful film--I will never forget the non-linear, dreamlike magic from my first viewing years ago.

I notice a resident of Seattle thinks that the director pretty much deserved to be sent to a gulag for his work, and seemingly for his sexual preferences too. Hmmm. The movie seemed to summon up something hateful in at least one viewer. Democracy being what it is, a "Report This" seems in order and I'm sure if Amazon gets a lot of them perhaps the offending comments will evaporate. I only admire the right of free speech when someone has something, let's say, intelligent to say.

A truly extraordinary film........2004-03-04

This really is an absolutely extraordinary film, all the more so when one considers the conditions under which Sergei Paradjanov made it. While it is true to say that the pace of the film is slow and its plot inscrutable there is no denying the absolute genius and vision of its director. It is hard to compare this film to any other but for me I would quote what Stanley Kubrick once said when asked to explain the meaning of 2001: A Space Odyssey to a film critic - "Sometimes the truth of a thing is not so much in the think of it, but in the feel of it". This is how I would approach a film like The Color of Pomegranates for the first time, do not attempt to understand or extract meaning from it straight away but let the film's amazing visual dynamism sink into your sub-consciousness and marvel at the sheer audacity of the director's non-conventional approach to film making. It is such a terrible shame that this amazing artist (for Sergei Paradjanov was not just a film-maker) was harassed and imprisoned on false charges by the Soviet authorities for much of his adult life and denied the ability bring more of his unique visions to life but perhaps such hardships made him utilise his artistic gifts all the more when confronted by such oppression.

Anybody who enjoys this film should also seek out his other films that are widely available for viewing, namely Shadows of Our Forgotten Ancestors (1964), The Legend of Suram Fortress (1984) and Ashik Kerib (1988) for we are lucky to have these few masterpieces of his.

I have only viewed this film on Kino's DVD version so I cannot compare it with any other versions. However, this is the version of the film Paradjanov intended for us to see and in my opinion is preferable even if the print might not be as good a print as the version that was cut/censored and which Paradjanov disowned. It is fortunate that an original print was recovered at all and is now available for us to see. Hopefully a version will be issued someday that will restore the quality of the original print.

As for the argument to the literal translation of the title in the previous reviews I had thought that the original title of the film was "Sayat Nova" and that the title was changed to "The Color of Pomegranate(s)" when the film was cut/censored and that somehow this is the title that has stuck. Either way I have no problems calling the film by either title.

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

Good movie, annoying ending.......2007-08-29

Phenomenal film experience... .......2007-07-22

L.I.E........2007-07-20

for a lost soldier.......2007-05-30

the best movie i have seen in a long time in this category not dirty just a beautiful story of innocence and caring just two people sharing themselves with each other in times of need

L.I.E........2007-04-06

Average customer rating:

STUPID, CHEAP AND JUST INSANE!

Criminally Insane/Satan's Black Wedding
Starring: Greg Braddock , Ray Miles , Lisa Milano , Priscilla Alden , and Michael Flood (II)
Director: Nick Millard
Manufacturer: E.I. Independent
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0009SCV32
Release Date: 2006-02-21

Customer Reviews:

STUPID, CHEAP AND JUST INSANE!.......2006-04-23

ok this review is on the FAT ETHEL CRIMINALLY INSANE films..

The first one didn't look like a home video but the second one did..

Ok just think of this.. a realy fat woman in a night gown goin' nuts eatin' chocolate pudding and killing people who dont' want her to eat..

end of story.. can't even remember how these films.. not sure if I watched all of either

Pretty sure they used red finger paint for blood..

and I specifically remember an insne scene in the second one (home video looking one) where Fat ETHEL was just sorta dancing around her front yard with a butcher knife all MAMA CASS style laughing for like ten minutes and then dropping the bloody knife into the ground.. and laughing at it.. that may be when I shut off the video!

BUT.. for some odd strange reason I still liked it all..

kinda like the spice girls.. no one wants to admit they liked them but they did.. don't lie.. you liked it! :)

So hit the crack pipe and enjoy..

Average customer rating:

Gone
Starring: Aaliyah , Eazy-E , Notorious B.I.G. , 2 Pac , and Big L
Manufacturer: Music Video Group
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Musicals & Performing Arts | Genres | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B000N2H8XW
Release Date: 2007-01-10

Product Description

GONE, Aaliyah: If I, Back In One Piece, Back & Fourth, Rock The Boat Eazy-E: Too Eazy, Eazy Mother F***, It s Mine, I Got What You Need, Big Pun: Punish Me, That s How We Roll, Pordarico, Living Large, B.I.G.: Barbershop, Give Me One More Chance, I Love It, Time To Get On, Here Comes, Bigger. 2-Pac: California, Dear Mama, I Anit Mad At You, Father Gone, How Do You Wont It, No Tears, Big L: Da Block, M.V.P. LUTHER VANDROSS, TLC, THE LOST BOYZ AND MORE.

Average customer rating:

Better Than Expected
cremains
CREMAINS
A mixed bag
Cremains (2001) d: Sessions, Steve

CREMAINS
Starring: Kimberly L. Cole , Lilith Stabs , Jeff Dylan Graham , Wanda Plimmer , and Christopher David Williams
Director: Kimberly L. Cole , and Steve Sessions
Manufacturer: E.I. Independent
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00005NVWY
Release Date: 2001-08-03

Customer Reviews:

Better Than Expected.......2002-07-18

Cremains is a low-budget but better-than-expected anthology-style horror program. In the first episode, a woman travels to the haunted town of Wyndham, Mississippi (evidently the Arkham of the Deep South), to become the sacrificial victim of a sinister force that emerges only once in a blue moon--literally. The second episode is non-supernatural, with a serial kiler stalking and murdering teen-age boys. The third episode features everyone's fave horror theme, lesbian vampires. And the fourth episode involves an experiment in necromancy that goes horribly wrong (and also provides the basis for the framing sequence through which the four stories are told).

There are some technical lapses, as noted in the other reviews, mostly with the sound, but I give this movie credit for attempting something more than the usual rehashed EC-style horror tales.

cremains.......2002-07-05

... no actually it's not to terribly bad. i was expecting a lot worse but it wasn't to bad of a movie. had 4 short stories like such movies as creep show, nightmares, terror tract and so on. two of the short stories were pretty good and one was just an excuse for a ridiculous amount of nudity. but all in all it's worth checking out, decent flick for an independent film.

CREMAINS.......2001-12-04

If you like the coziness of those old time B-movies, this is it. There is a certain romantic charm to independently made movies. This particular gem touts 4 different mini horror stories rolled into one--& it's on DVD with all the fixin's: behind the scenes, trailer/advertisements, etc. Must have.

A mixed bag.......2001-10-20

I bought this DVD based solely on the creepiness of the female vampire featured on the cover. I honestly didn't know what to expect. Here's what I got...

The "film" quality was horrid. The movie seemed to be filmed with a home camcorder, including terrible lighting and poor sound quality. Some of the dialogue sounded like it was recorded on a tape deck with a hand held microphone jammed into the actors mouths.

Acting was sub par all around. At times the cast overacted (the interrogated man) or passively drone out their lines (the haunted blonde).

Now, before you begin to think I have nothing nice to say about the film, let me assure you that it does have some redeeming points. The brunette vampire was very good and seemed to enjoy her part. The efx, while hampered by an obviously low budget, were convincing. The blood was a very, very realistic color. It may seem like a small thing, but believe me, off-color blood can ruin a scene's believability quicker than bad acting.

As some other reviewers mentioned, the stories were pretty original. I especially liked the one about the lady in the car and the vampire tale. It is unfortunate that Steve Sessions used black and white for the vampire scene, thereby losing the effect of those great red contact lenses.

I give the film 4 stars for story, 2 stars for quality, and 3 stars for acting. A 3-star average. Rent it if you can. Then, if you enjoy it, consider purchasing it. It includes some behind the scenes features including better shots of the vampire girls.

Cremains (2001) d: Sessions, Steve.......2001-10-16

An amazing anthology of horror shorts similar to Creepshow (1982) or Tales of the Crypt (1989). A funeral director accused by unseen investigators of mixing the ashes of cremated bodies, tells them many tales of horror that he has collected while in the death business. The shorts include: A women chosen for sacrifice while driving through a small rural town, and my favorite piece about a killer of depressed teenagers, who have all called the suicide help hotline. Writer / director Steve Sessions should be congratulated for such excellent story ideas. Looking forward to seeing more from him. "...Horrifying stories feature demented serial killers, lesbian vampires, brutal bondage murders, town sacrifices, and a resurrection gone unspeakably wrong."

Dead and Gone Music Videos by 2Pac, Eazy-E, The Notorious B.I.G., Aaliyah, Big Pun, and Big L

Average customer rating:

Dead and Gone Music Videos by 2Pac, Eazy-E, The Notorious B.I.G., Aaliyah, Big Pun, and Big L

Manufacturer: Music Videos
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Music Video & Concerts | Genres | DVD | Video

Notorious B.I.G. on DVD

Product Features:

Rap & Hip Hop Music Videos on DVD

ASIN: B000N7E128

Product Description

Assorted Rap & Hip Hop Music Videos on DVD by deceased artists: 2Pac, Eazy-E, The Notorious B.I.G., Aaliyah, Big Pun, and Big L.

Average customer rating:

Another Great Comedy that Almost Nobody Saw
NOT SO POLITICALLY CORRECT
A Very Entertaining Movie!!!!
Underrated Gem
This isn't a remake of the old Amos n' Andy TV show!

Balaban, Bob | ( B ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

Cage, Nicolas | ( C ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

Coleman, Dabney | ( C ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

Colin, Margaret | ( C ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

Devine, Loretta | ( D ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

Dourif, Brad | ( D ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

Esposito, Giancarlo | ( E ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

Graham, Aimee | ( G ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

Jackson, Samuel L | ( J ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

Lerner, Michael | ( L ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

Long, Jodi | ( L ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

Lund, Jordan | ( L ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

Ross, Chelcie | ( R ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

General | Comedy | Genres | VHS | Video

Satire | Comedy | Genres | VHS | Video

Comedy | Today's Deals in Video | Features | VHS | Video

All Deals | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0792837711
Release Date: 1998-01-13

Customer Reviews:

Another Great Comedy that Almost Nobody Saw.......2005-05-31

NOT SO POLITICALLY CORRECT.......2005-05-11

A Very Entertaining Movie!!!!.......2004-04-17

Underrated Gem.......2004-02-15

This isn't a remake of the old Amos n' Andy TV show!.......2003-07-18

Once you understand that, it makes for a very good comedy or sattire with a title that is reminiscent to the old classic television show.

DVD:

DVD

DVD