The Battle of Algiers - Criterion Collection

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Director Gillo Pontecorvo's 1966 movie The Battle of Algiers concerns the violent struggle in the late 1950s for Algerian independence from France, where the film was banned on its release for fear of creating civil disturbances. Certainly, the heady, insurrectionary mood of the film, enhanced by a relentlessly pulsating Ennio Morricone soundtrack, makes for an emotionally high temperature throughout. Decades later, the advent of the "war against terror" has only intensified the film's relevance.

Shot in a gripping, quasi-documentary style, The Battle of Algiers uses a cast of untrained actors coupled with a stern voiceover. Initially, the film focuses on the conversion of young hoodlum Ali La Pointe (Brahim Haggiag) to F.L.N. (the Algerian Liberation Front). However, as a sequence of outrages and violent counter-terrorist measures ensue, it becomes clear that, as in Eisenstein's October, it is the Revolution itself that is the true star of the film.

Pontecorvo balances cinematic tension with grimly acute political insight. He also manages an evenhandedness in depicting the adversaries. He doesn't flinch from demonstrating the civilian consequences of the F.L.N.'s bombings, while Colonel Mathieu, the French office brought in to quell the nationalists, is played by Jean Martin as a determined, shrewd, and, in his own way, honorable man. However, the closing scenes of the movie--a welter of smoke, teeming street demonstrations, and the pealing white noise of ululations--leaves the viewer both intellectually and emotionally convinced of the rightfulness of the liberation struggle. This is surely among a handful of the finest movies ever made. --David Stubbs

Description

One of the most influential films in the history of political cinema, Gillo Pontecorvo's The Battle of Algiers focuses on the harrowing events of 1957, a key year in Algeria's struggle for independence from France. Shot in the streets of Algiers in documentary style, the film vividly recreates the tumultuous Algerian uprising against the occupying French in the 1950s. As violence escalates on both sides, the French torture prisoners for information and the Algerians resort to terrorism in their quest for independence. Children shoot soldiers at point-blank range, women plant bombs in cafés. The French win the battle, but ultimately lose the war as the Algerian people demonstrate that they will no longer be suppressed. The Criterion Collection is proud present Gillo Pontecorvo's tour de force—a film with astonishing relevance today.

Customer Reviews:

Terrorist Prime.......2007-08-20

Gillo Pontecorvo is one of the most intense of the so-called "political directors", and he has been described as a "volatile maverick". A former Communist and resistance fighter (WWII) himself, his first foray into directing films was as a documentarian; much like Werner Herzog. He won some acclaim for his film KAPO (1959) with Susan Strasberg. It was not uncommon of him to spend several years doing research for one of his films. He turned down twice as many films as he directed, only credited with 20 films from 1953-1997. After THE BATTLE OF ALGIERS (1966), he went on to direct QUEIMADA (BURN) (1969) with Marlon Brando. Another fine film came later, OGRO (1979), about resistance during the Franco regime. But oddly only ALGIERS and BURN are available in DVD or VHS.

Pontecorvo could have been a film composer as well, and again like Herzog he spent a long time working on the film scores with whatever composer he hired. For ALGIERS he hired the young Ennio Morricone, and then fought with him the entire time. They did come up with a very haunting and subdued score however. Pontecorvo was working initially with Franco Solinas on a script called PARA, for paratrooper. The main character was a European who got caught up in the Algerian war for independence. Paul Newman was being considered for the part. But then Yacef Saadi, the former FLN leader, came to them with his script about the Algerian struggle -but they had to rewrite it. It was presented mostly as a political manifesto. Interestingly, Saadi was hired as a technical consultant, and got to play himself in the film.

Pontecorvo was very fond of the Neo-realist cinema of post-WWII Italy, the films of Rossellinin, De Sica, and Fellini. He especially liked BICYCLE THIEF (1948). He decided to cast mostly non-actors for THE BATTLE OF ALGIERS. When he wrote a character, he had an image of their face in his mind. The Algerian who is being tortured in the opening scene of the film was a petty thief in real life, but the director "liked his look". The condemned criminal in the prison sequence, who yelled "Vive Algeria!" was actually a condemned criminal who later was guillotined. He only used one professional actor in ALGIERS -the French actor Jean Martin to play Col. Mathieu. Brahim Hadjudj, who played the street thug and boxer, Ali La Pointe, had a great face. His piercing looks seemed to burn holes in the camera lens, much like a young Brando in VIVA ZAPATA (1952) -a classic film directed by Elia Kazan about another revolution, shot in black and white, using many unknown faces; like the uncredited Henry Silva.

In 1965, Pontecorvo, squired about the Casbah by Saadi, was treated like a hero; all doors were open to him. It really was a remarkable achievement to film this movie only three years after the Algerians had won their independence. The movie was banned in France for over 10 years. At the Venice Film Festival, the entire French delegation walked out because of this film. In 1974, director Louis Malle screened the film in four theaters, and it became an instant classic. THE BATTLE OF ALGIERS (1966) remains a film like none other, a kind of reliving of the Algerian revolution, made with many of the participants. In 2003, the Pentagon screened the movie for our military and civilian "experts" in Iraq. The flyer for the screening read, "How to win a battle against terrorism, and lose the war of ideas."

Gripping movie about two opposing forces without any real choice.......2007-07-24

Watching this, I could not help but observe how "Homeric" the film is -- i.e. both sides, the French general and the FLN leaders, seem to recognize quite distinctly what the broad progression of events will be and say so repeatedly. The general speaks about "the inevitable phases of revolutionary warfare", while the Algerians are also quite sure what the next step taken by the French will be at any moment.

The Algerians apparently have to use terrorism to jumpstart the whole process (as the political will in this case seems to require the social will of the populace first), the French have to use torture to get information and so both sides go on provoking each other more and more and the situation escalates. The (real) events unfold(ed) as if in a script, but the movie itself feels realistic, spontaneous, and unscripted. How ironic...

At the outset it is pretty much clear what will follow, both to us and the characters, with the French quelling the rebellion in the short run by sheer military force, but the Algerians eventually winning in the long run through superiority of numbers and patriotic determination. But the characters act as if they have free will, and they do, but not enough to change the bigger flow of events. But maybe that's not what they are interested in, anyway.

I guess that is similar to what the Greek heroes did -- even if they knew exactly when and how they were going to be killed, far from being demotivated by this knowledge, they continued their struggle. Jaffar (played by himself) is the only character who decides in the last minute that saving his life is more important than being blown up for the cause and somehow that decision does not quite fit the tone of the rest of the movie.

But basically this movie is a good opportunity to reflect on how it is part of a soldier's job to fight even if he knows the end result will not change one bit. And in this case we have soldiers on both sides, even if only side wears uniforms. The label "terrorists" does not quite apply, at least after the initial bombings are over.

Another observation is that the documentary-style filmmaking works well here, because the dialogue (or lack of it) complements the visual style. Hollywood has too often in recent years tried to do more "gritty, authentic" movies (and this was of course already tried in the 1970s with countless closeups of sweaty faces in "Dirty Harry", etc.), but these efforts (like "Memento") usually fall short because, even though the picture is grainy and apparently filmed with a Shakicam(TM), the dialogue is the usual Hollywood, Disneyland-esque, schmaltzy, excessively emotional tripe it always is. Form and content have to go together, and they do so beautifully here.

Many of the key scenes have no dialogue at all, while Jean Martin gets to spout fittingly existentialist monologues, perhaps more suited for the stage. But this at all times distances us from the action and keeps us a more or less impartial observer of two sides at war, where the end justifies the means, and the result is clear before the game has even started.

A Masterpiece.......2007-07-18

My review is based on the film alone, since I have not seen the extras included in the Criterion edition.

This film was commissioned, according to IMDB, by the Algerian government. And yet it is, in my opinion, balanced, nuanced, and complex, not propagandistic. Crimes against innocents are committed by both sides, and are portrayed with the gravitas of a Biblical epic or Greek tragedy. If an objective movie about any revolution could be made, it would look like this. The filmmakers did not preach, did not lead viewers to preordained conclusions based on flimsy caricatures of difficult people. Was Ali La Pointe a hero? Yes, and an anti-hero as well. French Colonel Mathieu was also hero (he was in the Nazi resistance, after all) and anti-hero (he orders torture, but will not call it that). The people of Algeria wanted their independence from France as passionately as the people of India from England and the people of the American colonies from England. Who was a freedom fighter? Who was a terrorist? Jaffar, one of the revolt's leaders, says (I'm paraphrasing) that terrorism is an effective way to begin, but after that the people have to commit to a revolution, and after the revolution is won, the hard work begins.

If current affairs seem to you to be a clear case of right and wrong, black and white, I highly recommend this film. It throws a stark light on the struggle between law-and-order and freedom-and-justice: the two principles do not always live comfortably together. It will remind you of The Godfather, of Citizen Kane . . . and any other film that boldly shows that nobility and barbarity thrive in both the best and the worst of us. As other reviewers, and even the Pentagon, have recently noted, this film is highly relevant to today's world. Not many peoples will welcome, or even tolerate, an occupying force for very long. When they decide to throw off that yoke, the occupying country is in for a very difficult time.

Oldie but Goodie.......2007-05-26

By Far the best movie to document the algerian war. A Must See for Film Buffs

Lessons of history indeed!.......2007-05-11

This film now being touted as a 'lesson in history' (even though there is little comparason to the Iraq war)it is indeed a lesson in history.

Almost every war/civil war since the Algerian war of independence has been veiwed through the eyes of the Algerian war, even Robert Fisk during the recent Algerian civil war gave us the idea that the civil war was something of a 'continuation' of the initial F.L.N struggle. It should be kept in mind however, that this film was and always has been the darling of the far left and has little if anything to do with recent Islamist movements.

Regarding the historical lessons there are many to gather, the use of bombing campaigns against civiliam targets (a cafe in one scene) The use of females to carry bombs past checkpoints because the French would "not dare to search an Algerian woman" On the part of the French, the enclosing of entire sections of the city turning them into impoverished ghettos, torture to 'gather information', target killing of leaders asuming that this will 'quell the rebellion'

Lessons indeed, not least events that followed in Algeria, how those who fought for independence turned a country into their own personal property, a military that cancelled a legitimate election, lessons indeed not just for Algeria but for Africa and the Middle East. The same lessons have not been learned Zimbabwae being the perfect example, ex revolutionary turns dictator.

While the film surrounds the life of an ex petty criminal turned revolutionary (how very leftist!) and attention is given to the lives of ordianry people in the Arab quarter, how marriages were conducted under the terrible conditions of near seige and not least how the F.L.N. began to administer their own law within the lawless Arab quater. Little is given to the rural battles where some of the bitterest fighting took place and while many today may think there are some comparasons with the current situation in Iraq please keep in mind, this film along with Land and Freedom was the film to watch if you were a young left wing student it's hardly a blueprint of current conflicts.

An interesing film but would be far more useful if watching wishing to learn something of the struggle for independence and the post independence struggle in what is called the 'developing world', something that continues to this day.

Average customer rating:

way more than bugs bunny led us to believe
Buy the other DVD version!
CHEAP PRODUCTION
"Take me to the Casbah" - unspoken quote says it all
Fidelity to the model

Algiers (B&W)
Starring: Charles Boyer , Sigrid Gurie , Hedy Lamarr , Joseph Calleia , and Alan Hale
Director: John Cromwell
Manufacturer: Alpha Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00006II5I
Release Date: 2002-08-27

Customer Reviews:

way more than bugs bunny led us to believe.......2007-03-21

"take me to the casbah"; pepe le moko; hedy lamarr & charles boyer. i had always assumed this moviewould just bea joke, but it turns out to be a first-rate crime thriller. one would wish that the print were in a bit better shape, but the movie is great fun.

Buy the other DVD version!.......2006-10-20

After reading the EXTREMELY bad reviews here of this DVD copy, I bought the other version (ASIN: B0002CR4GY) for sale here on Amazon.
The other version has none of the quality problems reported here. Don't be fooled into thinking this is a better version just because the photo on this DVD case is in color and the other in black & white. See my review on the other version for more information.
BUY THE OTHER DVD VERSION THAT AMAZON SELLS!!!

CHEAP PRODUCTION.......2006-07-03

I love the movie "Algiers". For those who know, there are some authentic touches through gestures and through music of old Algiers. And, any fan of the Charles Boyer/Hedy Lamarr foreign intrigue/exotique film genre will enjoy it immensely. But, this copy might as well have been bought on the streets of Shanghai. The quality of the copy is extremely poor and even more offensive, midway through the film another conversation keeps taking over, what is it? "DARK SHADOWS". No mistaking the "Dark Shadows" music or Joan Bennett. I recommend that Amazon drop this vendor.

"Take me to the Casbah" - unspoken quote says it all.......2006-03-24

[This review is based on a VHS copy, which doesn't have the quality problems the DVD apparently has.]

Charles Boyer plays arch jewel thief Pepe le Moko, hiding out from the police in the Casbah section of Algiers. Tourist Heddy Lamarr falls in love with him, and the passion really heats up. When Lamarr is tricked by the police into thinking Boyer is dead, she stays away from the Casbah; they know he'll come after her, and when he does they nab him. Joseph Calleia does a great job as the detective who patiently waits for Boyer to take the bait before netting him. The movie has lots of atmosphere and kitchiness, and the love scenes between Boyer and Lamarr are hot stuff, but the original [PEPE LE MOKO] starring Jean Gabin is a tad better, though the approach is much different. A classic from the 30s, it's worth a watch.

Fidelity to the model.......2005-07-14

Hollywood's remake of the french classic directed in 1937 by Julien Duvivier " Pepe le Moko " . Produced just one year later and directed efficiently by today almost forgotten american director John Cromwell ( " Dead reckoning "," Of human bondage " ," Caged " ), " Algiers " copies almost dialogue by dialogue and shot by shot this fatalistic and romantic french melodrama about a parisian jewels thief hidden in Algiers' Casbah who falls in love with a gorgeous tourist, born as him in Paris, that returns to him his hope of freedom. However, without forget in none moment we are talking about an almost literal remake, Cromwell's version benefits of an stylish and thick atmosphere that increase the tone of ironic fate that cross over the film since its begining. Charles Boyer replaces Jean Gabin in the role of Pepe,a character so ambiguous and elegant as his relationship with the inspector Slimane, a man whose higher ambition is to capture Pepe le Moko.

I highly recommend this film,but not this copy. Look for another better.

Average customer rating:

.......Sigrid Gurie is the SHOW in this Film.....
Buy THIS copy not the other!

Algiers
Starring: Charles Boyer , Charles D. Brown , Joseph Calleia , Gino Corrado , and Claudia Dell
Manufacturer: Miracle Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B0002CR4GY
Release Date: 2004-09-28

Product Description

Pepe Le Moko ( Charles Boyer), a thief who escaped from France with a fortune in jewels, has lived in the impenetrable Casbah ( the "native quarter" of Algiers) for two years. A French official insists that he be captured, but sly Inspector Slimane knows he need only bide his time. The suave Pepe increasingly regards his stronghold as his prison, especially when he meets a beautiful Parisian visitor ( Hedy Lamarr), who reminds him of the boulevards to which he cannot return.

Customer Reviews:

.......Sigrid Gurie is the SHOW in this Film............2007-04-18

For this 1938 movie, the reproduction [DVD] is fine with no major flaws or annoyances as stated by my colleague; however, I found this movie to drag on in a very depressive enviroment, but that is, the Casbah....no wonder Boyer wanted to crash out at all costs...the talented, Sigrid Gurie, steals the show with her professional acumen as a wonderful actress and she is beautiful with all the accolades due her cunning/performance of a rejected lover...as for Hedy Lamarr, I was disappointed in her role and the poor use of camera/angles [her face] from the camera/man, Hedy's true, pure beauty was not exploited and she deserved better...but just seeing her move about was good enough for this admirer of Hedy...Mr. Boyer looked the part of the true Frenchman he is and he made the name of Pepe Le Moko a household name across our land; nonetheless, "Algiers" was a huge success at the boxoffice and that's covers alot of sins to the studio bosses like Walter Wanger who was big medicine in the late 1930s and throughout the WW2 years...as Variety would brandish for a front page headline, "Algiers is Boffo" [ Big $$$,$$$'s]....so be it!!....SSGT CHRIS SARNO-USMC FMF

Buy THIS copy not the other!.......2006-10-20

Apparently Amazon sells two DVD versions of this movie. I bought this version because the reviews of the other version (ASIN: B00006II5I) reported extremely poor video and audio quality, and warned people not to buy it. This version has none of those reported problems.
As far as video and audio quality, it is obvious that this DVD was recorded directly from one of the old 1938 copies of the film. It has NOT been restored in any way. You see a few scratches in the film every so often, and there is a slight hiss in the audio just as you would expect while watching a movie this old. If you went to an old theater and they were running one of the original 1938 copies of this movie, this DVD is exactly what you would see. It's a matter of personal choice if you will like the authentic look of this DVD or prefer your old movies to be visually restored with enhanced audio.
The movie itself is a classic. It's a "must own" for anyone who is a collector of 1930's movies or a fan of Charles Boyer/Hedy Lamarr. This is the movie that really introduced Hedy Lamarr to American audiences after she moved to the U.S. and left her Ecstasy days behind.

Sherlock Holmes Collection Volume 3 (Dressed to Kill/In Pursuit to Algiers/Terror By Night/The Woman in Green)

Average customer rating:

Dressed for terror
Satisfied but Bewildered
Most favorite Holmes movies.
Worth the wait !
Fantastic quality - classic films!

Sherlock Holmes Collection Volume 3 (Dressed to Kill/In Pursuit to Algiers/Terror By Night/The Woman in Green)
Starring: Basil Rathbone , Nigel Bruce , Hillary Brooke , Henry Daniell , and Paul Cavanagh
Director: Roy William Neill
Manufacturer: Mpi Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B0000EMYKY
Release Date: 2004-01-27

Description

The master detective Sherlock Holmes (Basil Rathbone) and his faithful cohort Dr. Watson (Nigel Bruce) are back, preserved and digitally restored in 35mm to original condition by the UCLA Film and Television Archive. This newly restored version of the classic film includes the period war bond tag, studio logo and credits from its original theatrical release. Filled with ominous shadows and interesting camera angles, the visual beauty of the film in 35mm is stunning. Volume 3 contains: Sherlock Holmes In Pusuit to Algiers, Sherlock Holmes Dressed to Kill, Sherlock Holmes Terror By Night, Sherlock Holmes and The Woman in Green

Customer Reviews:

Dressed for terror.......2007-02-06

Basil Rathbone is one of the two great Holmes actors in movie history (the other being Jeremy Brett). And he was in fine form in "Sherlock Holmes Collection Volume 3," which varies from merely okay to absolutely brilliant.

"Dressed to Kill" has a friend of Watson's (Nigel Bruce) telling Holmes of a bizarre crime -- someone broke into his house, and stole a worthless music box from a valuable collection. Then the man is murdered -- and three plain little music boxes are the key to solving an elaborate mystery.

"Terror By Night" has Holmes hired to look after a valuable diamond belonging to a wealthy woman, as she travels back to Scotland. Of course, the diamond gets stolen and the woman's son is murdered in the attempt, and now Holmes discovers that the murderer is an old enemy.

"The Woman In Green" deals with a serial killer -- four women have died, and each time a finger was removed. The police think that it's just a baffling series of crimes, but Holmes knows better -- and he suspects that his old, supposedly-dead nemesis Moriarty (Henry Daniell) is involved.

Finally there's "In Pursuit to Algiers," in which the king of Ravenia has been murdered -- and now his son is in danger too. On the cruise to his homeland, the young king pretends to be a relative of Watson's -- but Holmes still has to guard him against an array of potential murderers.

These were some of the later Holmes adventures, often not based (or loosely based) on Arthur Conan Doyle's works. But even the weakest ("Dressed to Kill") is still an enjoyable mystery, with some amusing moments and unexpected twists. They're just not as brilliant as Doyle's, that's all.

And they are solidly written and directed, with plenty of interesting settings, from the claustrophobic train to Scotland to a hypnotists' society. And the filmmakers throw in some wonderful little twists, such as a switcheroo Holmes plays on his enemy in "Terror By Night."

Rathbone is still best known for playing Holmes, and he does it well -- cool, cerebral, but with a gentle humor and warmth in scenes such as the little girl's rescue. Bruce doesn't fare as well, since the capable Watson is portrayed as a kindly bumbler, but he does a solid enough job with a poorly-portrayed character.

"The Sherlock Holmes Collection Volume 3" is a bit less solid than the other collections, but still very nicely done. Definitely worth watching.

Satisfied but Bewildered.......2004-12-17

After having spent years watching all 14 of the videos from Key, I recently purchased volume 3 of the Sherlock Holmes Collection. Everything they've said about the enhanced picture/sound quality is true, however, the DVD extras are missing. Am I the only one? The DVD extras promoted on the back of the case include: audio commentary with Stuart Davies, footage of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, production notes by Richard Valley and Photo Gallery/Original Movie Posters. I don't have any of the extras. It's still worth the buy and a five star gem.

Most favorite Holmes movies........2004-04-24

I couldn't wait to get this set of Holmes. My all-time favorite is Terror by Night. They are super quality and even better than the Key Vidio editions. This volume is NOT COLOR...it's B & W. Amazon...PLEASE CHANGE THIS ASAP!!!! It's deceiving!!! I would have bought it from you but it said that it was COLOR. I went and called Suncoast Pictures and they said it was B&W so I got it there. Fans...it IS B & W. What would a Rathbone, Holmes movie be without it being B & W.

Thanks Amazon,

Larry

Worth the wait !.......2004-02-05

IF the house were burning down, I'd grab these 3 DVD sets of Sherlock Holmes on my way out !! Thanks to those who made these restored versions possible, they are wonderful. All of these are far superior to any entertainment made today.

Fantastic quality - classic films!.......2004-02-02

The films on this collection are of truly stunning quality, in comparison to the diabolical Region 2 set by Orbit Media Ltd. Truly fantastic quality. If you are a Basil Rathbone fan, you *must* get this set. I cannot recommend it highly enough. A definate must-buy product. Elementary, my dear Reader.

Average customer rating:

No bad, but not the best
This one has something special
Pursuit to Algiers
An oddity - but not an unpleasant one
Very good movie

Sherlock Holmes in Pursuit To Algiers
Starring: Basil Rathbone , Nigel Bruce , Marjorie Riordan , Rosalind Ivan , and Morton Lowry
Director: Roy William Neill
Manufacturer: Mpi Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0000EMYKN
Release Date: 2004-01-27

Description

Pursuit to Algiers (1945) begins as Holmes and Watson learn that the King of a Ravenia has been assassinated and his son Nikolas is now a marked man. The great detective and his comrade are pressed into service to protect the life of the soon-to- be crowned monarch. The detective and the good doctor take to the sea in order to safeguard the young heir on his journey from London back to his homeland and throne. The soon-to-be king poses as Dr. Watson's nephew while a number of the SS Friesland's passengers appear eccentric, suspicious and downright sinister. The ship makes an unexpected stop in Lisbon and Holmes is presented with yet three more mysterious passengers.

Customer Reviews:

No bad, but not the best.......2006-08-18

I mainly got this DVD becasue it completes my SH collection. But it is not one of their better movies.

This one has something special.......2006-03-23

I will not tell you what the "something special" is, but it was a delightful surprise to me. The plot is good, not the best of all the other Basil Rathbone-Nigel Bruce Sherlock Holmes' movies, but it has the surprises and excellent supporting cast that these movies all have in common. I enjoyed it very much, and think that the "something special" toward the end of the movie is worth the wait. Hint it has to do with Dr. Watson!!!

Pursuit to Algiers.......2005-08-09

Another entertaining Sherlock Holmes movie. Rathbone and Bruce are by far and away the best Holmes and Watson there is. Thoroughly enjoyed the movie and it completed the series for me.

An oddity - but not an unpleasant one.......2005-02-25

Were it not for "Sherlock Holmes in Washington," "Pursuit to Algiers" would no doubt be considered the very strangest of the Universal Holmes series. The initial mystery at the start of the film is completely obliterated by a plot that is little more than a thriller set on a cruise liner. Ever seen Sherlock Holmes play bodyguard for a foreign dignitary? No? How about his clever defeat of not one, not two, but three expert assassins? Never seen that, either? Well, now's your chance!

In all fairness, it's not that bad - it just doesn't feel like a Sherlock Holmes story. For better or worse, with this film the Universal series is heading into its final decline, and the writers have abandoned all hope of making the films so much as resemble a real Conan Doyle story. As a result, they're resorting to things like cruise liners to liven up what's becoming a somewhat flat formula. It's not a bad idea, but unfortunately, it does away with most of the fog-and-darkness mystique that everyone loves about Sherlock Holmes.

Basil Rathbone himself is, by now, starting to seem very tired. For most of the plot, he stays rooted in a sort of bored, dour mode, only occasionally shifted by a moment such as his (unusually amused) appraisal of Watson's choice in women. Nigel Bruce, on the other hand, is having a ball. Thankfully, he's less embarassingly inept than in the previous film, "The Woman in Green," and more bizarre still, he's actually the focus for much of this picture. Watson is genuinely concerned for Holmes early on, grieves for him when he's believed dead, has a couple of nice comic moments, and - best of all - gets to sing "Loch Lomond." (I'm fairly sure that's Nigel Bruce's actual singing voice, too. Great timbre.) All in all, it's probably Bruce's best outing since "The Scarlet Claw."

There may not be much mystery here, but the thriller aspect is not done poorly; there are some very fun scenes of Holmes matching wits and banter with the villains. There's also a real surprise at the end - a shocker for one of these Holmes pictures, actually - that helps to raise the film up from the rather lacklustre story.

This picture has, with its eleven fellow films, been painstakingly restored by the UCLA Film and TV Archive for the DVD release. It has a few quality problems, and is singled out for that in the "Sherlock Holmes Collection: Volume Two" restoration featurette, but most of the trouble comes at the very beginning and (quite abrupt) ending of the film. For the majority of its length, it looks fine, albeit with the occasional flicker, and I found it far less distracting than the variable picture on "The House of Fear."

All told, this is a fun and watchable entry in the Universal Holmes series, but not one of the essentials. If you're going to buy it for completeness' sake, go with MPI's "Sherlock Holmes Collection: Volume Three" set; otherwise, casual fans should stick with a rental.

Very good movie.......2004-08-02

This is a good movie. Just got it in the mail the other day, and my son and I loved it. Basil Rathbone was wonderful in his role as Sherlock Holmes. I'm glad we ordered it.

Average customer rating:

Entertaining French Foreign Legion Western

Fort Algiers
Starring: Robert Boon , Raymond Burr , Anthony Caruso , Henry Corden , and Michael Couzzi
Director: Lesley Selander
Manufacturer: Geneon [Pioneer]
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B000BGH2K4
Release Date: 2005-11-22

Customer Reviews:

Entertaining French Foreign Legion Western.......2006-03-30

The fort in FORT ALGIERS is like a fort in any American western, however, this time it has been transplanted to Algiers, with the French Foreign Legion as the cavalry saving the day. Cliches like bullets fly left and right, but it is still fun to see oily smooth villain Raymond Burr (vintage 1953) and lovely singer/spy Yvonne De Carlo in action. An entertaining 76 minutes, directed by one of the most capable, but often overlooked Hollywood contract directors of B westerns, Lesley Selander. Selander's crowning achievements, among numerous lower budget films, in my opinion, are the two B+ Rod Cameron westerns: PANHANDLE (1948) and STAMPEDE (1949).
I will bestow 3 stars upon FORT ALGIERS for entertainment value, but must absolutely insist on adding another star for the pristine pictorial quality of the DVD. Geneon has released a flawless black and white print, clean and sharp. Even Criterion could not have done better. The disc has no extras, but for the condition and low price, FORT ALGIERS is a B movie treasure.

Average customer rating:

ONE OF HOOT'S BEST!

Wild Horse (B&W)
Starring: Hoot Gibson , Alberta Vaughn , Stepin Fetchit , Neal Hart , and Edmund Cobb
Director: Richard Thorpe , and Sidney Algier
Manufacturer: Alpha Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00007G1T5
Release Date: 2002-11-19

Customer Reviews:

ONE OF HOOT'S BEST!.......2007-07-19

According to the Alpha dvd jacket sleeve Hoot Gibson "...considered his part in the fast-paced western WILD HORSE to be his favorite among all his starring roles." I would have to agree with the HOOTER. A HUGE star in the silent era, Hoot Gibson was one of the few cowboy heroes whose screen presence benefited from the arrival of sound, although his career did not. The major studios felt westerns had no place in talkies and Universal dumped Hoot forcing the star to hang on with poverty row studios. Ensuing court battles kept Hoot off the big screen for a couple years and by the time he was ready to hop back into the saddle singing cowboys were becoming the craze. Hoot, Ken Maynard, Tom Mix, Tim McCoy, Buck Jones & others were suddenly old-timers.
WILD HORSE is one of the truly GREAT low-budget B-Westerns! And Alpha's dvd print is outstanding! Some minor speckling, some scratches, some noise distortion, nothing to distract from viewing enjoyment. This print is beautiful, especially for a film released in 1931. Sharp, crisp images with background depth, clear and detailed...a visual treat!
Hoot and sidekick Skeeter try to capture the wild Devil Horse for the rodeo, but Edmond Cobb kills Skeeter and steals the horse leaving Hoot to be blamed for murder. This could well be Cobb's best preformance in a B-Western. He gets lots of screen time in a meaty role.
Likeable Bill Robbins who plays unlucky Skeeter was unlucky in real life as well, being killed in an automobile accident shortly after this film was made.
Stepin Fetchit's humor is embarrasing and could be done without.
Hoot is simply great, as quick with his wit as with his gun. Silent films could never showcase Hoot's humor to such an advantage! And it's Hoot's humor and line delivery that make this film seem so fresh, even today.
WILD HORSE is a must see for fans of B-Westerns and Hoot Gibson, and the Alpha dvd is the one to get.
My HIGHEST RECOMMENDATION!

Rossini - L'Italiana in Algeri (The Italian Girl in Algiers) / Weikert, Soffel, Kannen, Gambill, Schwetzinger Festspiele

Average customer rating:

Charming in Every Way
Funny with decent singing
Intimate production, very well performed
SHUFFLING FEET
Perhaps the best Rossini DVD available

Rossini - L'Italiana in Algeri (The Italian Girl in Algiers) / Weikert, Soffel, Kannen, Gambill, Schwetzinger Festspiele
Starring: Doris Soffel , Robert Gambill , Günter von Kannen , Enric Serra , and Nuccia Focile
Director: Claus Viller
Manufacturer: Arthaus Musik
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000056PPF
Release Date: 2001-02-20

Amazon.com

L'Italiana in Algeri (The Italian Girl in Algiers), Rossini's first real hit as a writer of comic opera, is one of those almost unsinkable works difficult to get entirely right. Michael Hampe's production for the 1987 Schwetzinger festival captures both its charm and its sense of menace--the court of the Bey is both a setting for farce and a place in which the Italian characters are at the mercy of a despot who will not necessarily find things funny. Gunther von Kannen's Mustafa is a convincing Bey of Algiers, while his adversary, the tough, witty proto-feminist Isabella, is given real presence in Doris Soffel's performance. The slightly effete tenor of Robert Gambill as her lover Lindoro makes him a perfect partner in intrigue for her. Conductor Ralf Weikert is particularly fine in the complicated finale of Act One with its imitations of bells and drums and its complicated vocal lines. --Roz Kaveney

Customer Reviews:

Charming in Every Way.......2006-03-29

This is a small, beautifully designed, lovingly executed production, helmed by two talented young singers. No expense has been spared (particularly with the costumes) and director Michael Hampe obviously has a great affection for and understanding of the material. His command of the stage action is perfectly matched by conductor Ralf Weikert's jaunty conducting. Doris Soffel makes a spirited Isabella, and one can certainly understand why she's pining for Lindoro, as played by the boyish, slightly goofy Robert Gambill. They both sing beautifully, although now and then I did worry that Gambill's delicate voice wouldn't make it through the performance. (Watching young singers such as these struggle a bit really makes you appreciate the power and skills of true opera stars.) Gunther von Kannen is amusing enough as Mustafa, although the voice, unfortunately, is all bellow. You may want to wait to see if a starrier "L'Italiana" comes out in future, but for now this a charming, more than professional example of a small company at its very, very best.

Funny with decent singing.......2005-12-26

This is a pretty nice video of this opera. There is only one real disappointment: The Mustafa has very little coloratura capabilities. His voice is a pleasant deep bass. The other singers all do fine with the coloratura requirements. The Isabella has a strong edgy mezzo with nicely blended registers. The Lindoro has a nice bright sound with easy high notes. The Taddeo and Haly have pleasant voices. The Elvira has a strong bright edgy soprano. The sets are nice with realistic looking ocean in the background. The costumes are nice. My only qualm about the directing is the little guy dressed in a chimpanzee costume supposedly as a pet of the Mustafa - seemed a little distracting. All in all, this is a good representation of the opera, notwithstanding some of the Mustafa's singing.

Intimate production, very well performed.......2005-07-05

The smallness of the theater and set accentuate Rossini's delicate music. The singers are all very good, committed and believable in this crazy story. The conducting and orchestral sound are outstanding. A delightful DVD.

SHUFFLING FEET.......2002-05-07

I suppose what the other reader reviews have said is true, BUT:

I was unimpressed by the small stage, scenery, and the acting.

If you turn off the video to just hear the music, you will be treated to an inordinate amount of foot shuffling and strange bangings from the chorus.

I've watched it three times and my opinion remains the same.

Perhaps the best Rossini DVD available.......2001-08-26

L'Italiana in Algeri is Rossini at his very best. First performed in Venice in 1813 when Rossini was but 21 years old, this most enchanting opera buffa soon took Europe by storm. Arthaus offers a production conducted by Ralf Weikert that captures magnificently the hilarity and madness of Rossini's first comic masterpiece. The singers and orchestra are magnificent, as are the costumes, sets and props--the live monkey adds a most comical touch! Watching the act 1 finale alone is worth the price of this DVD. Without doubt this would be a terrific first opera for the opera curioius, especially for anyone thinking that opera is always tragic and deadly serious. This production is a real treat, and only gets better with repeated viewings. A bubbling performance all around!

Average customer rating:

Terrorist Prime
Gripping movie about two opposing forces without any real choice
A Masterpiece
Oldie but Goodie
Lessons of history indeed!

The Battle of Algiers (PAL format)
Starring: Brahim Hadjadj , Jean Martin , Yacef Saadi , Samia Kerbash , and Ugo Paletti
Director: Gillo Pontecorvo
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0000DZRNS

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

Terrorist Prime.......2007-08-20

Gripping movie about two opposing forces without any real choice.......2007-07-24

A Masterpiece.......2007-07-18

Oldie but Goodie.......2007-05-26

By Far the best movie to document the algerian war. A Must See for Film Buffs

Lessons of history indeed!.......2007-05-11

Average customer rating:

Algiers/Strange Woman
Starring: Algiers Strange Woman
Manufacturer: Pop Flix
ProductGroup: DVD
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Film Noir Classic Collection, Vol. 4 (Act of Violence / Mystery Street / Crime Wave / Decoy / Illegal / The Big Steal / They Live By Night / Side Street / Where Danger Lives / Tension)

ASIN: B000FKO3CG
Release Date: 2006-06-13

Description

THE SULTRY SCREEN SIREN SETS THE SCREEN ON FIRE IN TWO CLASSIC MYSTERIES! Total Running Time: 3 hrs 15 min

Algiers (1938) 95 min B&W
Starring: Charles Boyer, Hedy Lamarr; Director: John Cromwell

In this romantic thriller, cunning criminal Pepe Le Moko (Charles Boyer) hides in the Casbah, safe from French authorities. However, police inspector Slimane keeps a close eye on Pepe, waiting for him to falter. Pepe lets his guard down when he falls for an alluring tourist named Gaby (Hedy Lamarr). Algiers was nominated for four Academy Awards: Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Cinematography and Best Art Direction.

Strange Woman (1946) 100 min B&W
Starring: Hedy Lamarr, Gene Lockhart, George Sanders, Director: Edgar G. Ulmer

In the logging town of Bangor, Maine, young and beautiful Jenny Hager (Hedy Lamarr) marries a businessman twenty years her senior. However, that doesn't stop her from conquering the affections of his son and the local woodsman. Raised in poverty by an abusive alcoholic father, the now-wealthy Jenny has compassion towards those less fortunate than her. Torn between a sense of public duty and her own selfish desires, how will Jenny fare?

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