Twin Peaks - Fire Walk with Me

Amazon.com

Alternately fascinating and frustrating--and no doubt deliberately so on both counts--this controversial Twin Peaks installment (it was roundly booed by mystified audiences at the Cannes Film Festival) appeared in theaters after the series was canceled, serving as both prequel and coda to the whole remarkable Twin Peaks phenomenon. Designed especially for dedicated followers of the series (it would just bewilder anyone else), Fire Walk with Me further investigates the murder of Laura Palmer by exploring events that took place before the series's brilliant debut feature (Twin Peaks: The Premiere), up to and including the long, dark, terrible night of Laura's death. Familiar Twin Peaks denizens Sheryl Lee, Grace Zabriskie, and Ray Wise (as the three members of the Palmer family), Kyle MacLachlan, Peggy Lipton, James Marshall, Dana Ashbrook, Miguel Ferrer, Mädchen Amick, and director David Lynch himself reprise their series roles (with Moira Kelly subbing for Lara Flynn Boyle as Donna Hayward), joined by an equally motley group of guest stars, including Harry Dean Stanton, David Bowie, Chris Isaak, and Kiefer Sutherland. --Jim Emerson

Customer Reviews:

Dumb and Tacky.......2007-08-09

Yo ho ho, and a bottle of rum, with popcorn, served by two squirrels dressed up as boy scouts. Yeah, that's David Lynch allright.
After seeing "fire walk with me" I would gladly ask Lynch "why?"
I saw the tv serie, I engulfed it with pleasure, despite it's sometimes goofy moments. I know that you should never follow up any of Lynch's work under a convencional, sometimes even rational, posture. Lynch is the mastermind of any filmed nightmare and he will never explain his mysteries.
This movie, however, seems to be made by two scholars trying to emulate David Lynch, by having a somehow interesting plot and then twisting it until it hurts and then adding and substracting characters and situations, twist again, shake, eat, throw up, and then put on the screen.
The metaphors and simbolisms are grotesque and utterly tacky, the acting is an insult and a risk to anybody's career and even the music is repetitive and tiresome.
To those who, like me, enjoyed the serie and wanted to know more, I suggest you use your money on something smarter, like burning it. You will maybe get some satisfaction out of it, because the movie delivers none.
David Lynch's movies are only for their fans to bear, as only us can enjoy the torture, but this so-called movie went way to far. I consider it a lack of respect to any DL fan and even to David Lynch himself. He has done much better things. THis is not the work of a genius, it rather appears to be a sick joke from a dumb wanna be director.

Disappointing!.......2007-07-09

I ordered this DVD midway through viewing the 2nd season of Twin Peaks (which we really enjoyed). This movie was a complete disappointment. It was 95% a recap of what was discovered in the series; the new information that was revealed was of no importance and trivial at best. While the show was scary and funny the movie is just drug use and sexual in nature.

The final disappointment is the jewel case which the movie comes in - cardbord.

Do You See Creamed Corn On This DVD?.......2007-05-07

Naturally, it's Twin Peaks fans that will get the most out of this film coz that's the audience this film was made for. Sure, any fan of David Lynch will watch this movie whether they've seen the show or not, but it'll end up being confusing. Even though it's a prequel to the series' events, it's made for those familiar with the plotlines from the show. Characters will appear in one scene and will never be seen again, leaving those unfamiliar saying, "who was that and what the hell did he have to do with anything?" Not to mention Laura's killer not being a secret at all . Even some fans were let down by this one coz many were expecting answers and probably ended up with more questions than anything. Typical of Lynch though, eh? The movie is definitely Lynch all the way. It has the same slow, dreamy feeling of most of his films. Of course it's full of oddball characters who's only purpose is to say goofy things and act weird. But among all this strangeness, there is a story. With an R rating, you get the feeling that this is how the series might have played out if Lynch wasn't bound by the restrictions of network television. The first 40 minutes or so focus on the investigation of the girl murdered one year before Laura Palmer. The investigators are played by Kiefer Sutherland and Chris isaak, who seem right at home in Lynch's FBI world next to characters like Agent Cooper, Albert Rosenfield and Gordon Cole. Once that's done, we jump into Laura Palmer's last few days. My problem with this is the fact that Laura comes across as extremely unlikable. She's always screaming, snorting coke, screwing someone or freaking out somehow. It makes it difficult to work up any sympathy for her considering you kept hearing in the series how loved she was by everyone in the town. I do realize that it was said that in her last few days she began to act strange, and a reoccuring theme throughout the series was that she had a dark side. I guess it does make sense that in her last few days the dark side would be at it's peak, but even with that said, she's still kinda irritating. Also, the appearance of Agent Cooper(the star of the series, but more or less a cameo in the film) seems kinda forced, like he was required to appear coz it's a Twin Peaks movie. His character had nothing to do with anything until Laura Palmer died, but in this film they try to work in some kind of psychic link/premonition thingee with him and Laura that doesn't seem to work so well. Most fans won't care about this though coz they get to spend a little more time with their favorite FBI man. Supposedly Lynch had to leave over an hour of this film on the cutting room floor. In doing this, many characters from the show were completely deleted from the film. Fans have been demanding these lost scenes for years now. I don't know if these scenes would really clear anything up, but they'd certainly be fun to see. Lets hope it happens. All in all, an interesting movie if you've seen the show, and a confusing and seemingly pointless movie if you haven't.

A must have for Twin Peaks fans!.......2007-03-29

If you own the series on VHS, you will want to add this to your collection. I wish as many others do that the publishers would make the series box set on DvD. My VHS tapes are still in exellent condition, but we all know the disc boxed set would last longer & have even better picture quality. They could only stand to profit. I would definitely buy it. If you never watched the series or even if you have but not this movie, know that it deals with, shows the darkest side of a demented man with a heart and soul that is just a cosmic black hole. Not for children of any age.
Kyle McLaughlin is fun to watch in his role in this & the series.
If you like David Lynch, you like this this off & dark movie which shows you the days previous to & the night of Lara Palmers death & killer.

Even the angels can't save me........2007-02-10

I was tempted to hit five stars, but I'll save my gushings for the review. You other Lynch fans out there know what you like and we know what to expect--the unxexpected. When the series, Twin Peaks, came out was when I bought a vcr--so not to miss an expisode, even greived when it went off the air. This movie takes up the last few day of Laura's life and us through a nightmare world of roaring and howling parallel universies that seem the only logical avenue to illustrate the horror Laura goes through. I love what one reviewer said, that Lynch had to love this character to make the viewer so compassionate towards her. Striking soundtrack and cinematography that thrills with the bleakness of the trailer park and the saturation of the "white lodge"?--where Laura ultimately goes. The scene between Laura and Log Lady is magnificent: When the fire starts, all innocence is in danger (my paraphrase of a much better scene)says LL to Laura. And when the siren Julee Cruise sings "Questions in a World of Blue," the angels indeed, as Laura says, cannot help her.(Note the scene when the angel disappears from the stylized picture of the 1940's.) Lynch's dialogue always wows: Donna: "Where are the cookies?" Laura: You mean Fred and Ginger?" Donna: "Ah, dancing." Nobody, but nobody can write such dialogue. I saw Blue Velvet first (maybe my all time fav. movie) and was hooked. Twin Peaks came next. The girl running out of the school building looking like a 1950's scream queen--mainlining Lynch ever since. Lynch is not for every taste, but he sure is for mine.

Average customer rating:

Aimed high and delivered a great suspense
Being John Malkovich
A Star Combination
Good movie with excellent acting
What if you had a second chance?

In the Line of Fire (Special Edition)
Starring: Clint Eastwood , John Malkovich , Rene Russo , Dylan McDermott , and Gary Cole
Director: Wolfgang Petersen
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
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ASIN: B000055Y0Y
Release Date: 2001-02-27

Amazon.com essential video

This smart, tautly directed thriller from Wolfgang Petersen is about the cat-and-mouse games between a Secret Service agent named Horrigan (Clint Eastwood) and the brilliant, psychopathic assassin (John Malkovich) who's itching to get the President in his cross hairs. The back-story--Horrigan is haunted by his inability to prevent John Kennedy's assassination (Eastwood is computer-generated into archival footage)--is more than a little hokey, but the plotting itself is smartly, even ingeniously, constructed. Petersen manages a viselike grip on the tension and Eastwood even gets to deliver an ever-more-timely lecture on the diminished nature of the office of President. Eastwood's as gruff and as infuriating to the by-the-book Powers That Be as ever, and Malkovich oozes delightful menace. Renee Russo capably costars as a colleague with whom Horrigan gets friendly. --David Kronke

Customer Reviews:

Aimed high and delivered a great suspense.......2007-08-08

This was one of the best thrillers to come along in a long time. John Malcovich (a.k.a. Booth) is a wonderful villan in any setting, whether in a period costume drama or a modern day political drama. A movie like this can deliver a great story with minimal violence and excessive swearing like a lot of their contemporaries (ex. the first three Die Hard movies), and deliver smart, witty dialogue along the way.

Clint Eastwood, still Dirty Harry after all these years, plays an aging Secret Service agent who is a little tired but an old pro at his job. He is contacted by a man who claims he is about to shoot the president, and challenges him to not just find him but know him. We soon discover that he is anything but a nutcase trying to get attention, he is a serious nutcase with a plan. The assasin Booth tells him that he knows all about Eastwood's past, that he failed to protect JFK on that infamous day in Dallas, and he plans on repeating it. In a rush to find him before it's too late, Eastwood and his partner attempt to find some kind of paper chase and shadow the president carefully, until he and Booth will inevitably cross paths and the final conflict will take place.

The only critical words I have for this movie are for the addition of Eastwood's parter, his situation was a little too obvious. As a rookie, he was a family man who established his weaknesses early on in the story, and you just knew he wasn't going to survive. And all those old photos of a young Eastwood in Dallas and Malcovich's past were a little too hoaky to be real. Still, it was great suspense.

Being John Malkovich.......2007-07-17

In the Line of Fire should probably be on my Amazon Listmania List of "16 Flicks Guaranteed To Leave A Permanent Impression" (click on my name above and check out my profile if you'd like to see the List). Who can forget the Oscar and Globe nominated performance of John Malkovich as the diabolical assassin with the deadpan delivery and that home-made gun?

And Clint Eastwood, as always, is as fresh as ever...even though this is one of his corner-turning films of the 90s where he started taking on the persona of an "aging" character as opposed to the "middle-aged" tough guy roles of his 80s run.

Rene Russo (who seems to have disappeared from the screen as of this writing) was looking very 2007 Fergie/Drew Barrymore. And there are a ton of other popular character actors that populate the cast of In the Line of Fire that helped make this one of the best movies of 1993.

Wolfgang Peterson -- who has other winners in his stable like Das Boot Das Boot - The Director's Cut , Outbreak Outbreak and The Perfect Storm The Perfect Storm -- directs In the Line of Fire and keeps the action coming and the witty dialogue flowing. There are a few on-foot chase scenes that were very thrilling, but lacked in the that-could-really-happen department.

If you've never seen In the Line of Fire and you like a good Thriller, this will give you 2 hours of thorough entertainment. If the last time you saw it was back towards its 1993 release, you'll enjoy another look as it holds up very nicely almost 15 years later.

A Star Combination.......2007-05-24

Eastwood plays Horrigan a veteran secret service agent, who is trying to stop an ex-cia hitman from killing the President.
John Malkovich plays the assassin and steals the film from Eastwood (and believe me Eastwood is very good).

There are a number of brilliant scenes where Eastwood and Malkovich talk over the phone, playing games of cat and mouse with each other. Credit for these must go to the screenplay by Jeff Maguire, but Wolfgang Peterson's direction is very good as well.
This film will grab you from the first scene to the last and certainly holds up well for repeated viewings. Very entertaining indeed!

Good movie with excellent acting.......2007-01-13

Clint Eastwood and John Malkovich are at their very bests in this spell-binding and original thriller. Eastwood, in a role not far removed from his "Dirty Harry", plays a veteran U.S. Secret Service Agent who is constantly haunted by his failure to prevent the assassination of Present Kennedy 30 years ago. However, Eastwood gets a shot at redemption when a mysterious stranger sets his sights on assassinating the current president. John Malkovich is terrific as the killer: a master of deception who thrives on mind-games and doing more psychological than physical harm to our hero. Plenty of twists and surprises, superb acting and a great script makes In The Line of Fire a fine chapter in the legendary career of Clint Eastwood.

What if you had a second chance?.......2006-12-01

Without hesitation, this film has been one the best achieved ones of the decade; not only because the formidable directorial accuracy (the best film of Petersen after his masterpiece Das Boot) ; there also other highlights such the towering performance of Eastwood as the agent who failed to protect JFK thirty years ago and the breathtaking acting of John Malkovich as the killer, the script is sharp and incisive and explores the undermined conscious filled of a strong sense of missed responsibility at the moment to avoid the inevitable murder in 1963. So in this brilliant thriller we assist once to a cat and mouse game in which one of them will have to fail in order to redeem himself or fail again.

Tense, absorbing and well made thriller.

Average customer rating:

Entertaining Action
disappointing
On balance, not a bad movie.
(2.5 STARS) Mariel Hemingway Is a Secret Service Agent: Typical B Action Flick with a bit of Originality
UGH, ack, pt-ewy!

In Her Line of Fire
Starring: David Millbern , Mariel Hemingway , David Keith , Syd Jackson , and Jill Bennett
Director: Brian Trenchard-Smith
Manufacturer: Regent
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ASIN: B000JJRYDI
Release Date: 2007-01-16

Description

When the Vice President's plane goes down near a remote South American island and he is kidnapped by rebel forces, it is up to his female Secret Service agent and a press secretary to infiltrate the camp and save him.

Customer Reviews:

Entertaining Action.......2007-06-30

"In Her Line of Fire"

Entertaining Action

Amos Lassen and Cinema Pride

Can you imagine Rambo as a lesbian? Not an easy job to do but "In Her Line of Fire" tries hard. This could have been a really good film with a little better editing and a lot more polish. "Lesbianwise" there is something missing. There are a couple of kisses but not much more. "Actionwise" there is plenty--in fact, it is non-stop.
Mariel Hemingway plays the lead but age has not been kind to her--ten years ago she would have been great. She is tough and knows how to handle a gun. Her love interest, Jill Bennett is a brave woman and attractive to boot. The action which is continuous does not allow us to get to know the characters nor does it allow us to see any real romance between the two women. And the plot...the vice president of the U.S. is on a plane which is going down in a storm near an island where mercenaries and rebels have built their training camp. Hemingway is the official body guard of the veep and she is a tough cookie but we know that the Vice President travels with a bevy of secret service when he goes anywhere. As they struggle to get ashore, they are attacked by the militants on the island and the action begins. We never learn why the plane crashed but it obviously had to so we would have a movie.
Like Rambo, the heroine cannot be hurt and never misses a shot. But the main problem with the film is that the filmmaker had to decide whether or not to show a lesbian relationship and the focus of the film becomes lost because of this. Which is more important--the sexuality of the character or the story? Impact is lost and the film goes nowhere. So sexuality is shown but not a major issue of the movie but, on the other hand, the film gains mainstream acceptance (a sellout).
Since the film concentrates on plot, it is violent but that is all.
The members of the cast playing the militants are weak and this hurts the overall characterization. Visually, the movie seems to be made for TV. The key is to enjoy the action--there are guns blazing and chases, tough decisions and old-fashioned fighting action. There is a lot to entertain audiences and aside from the scene in the plane everything is adroitly done. What we end up with is a "B" movie with poor special effects.

disappointing.......2007-06-03

The acting is fantastic by Muriel. The rest of the cast is poor and the plot is ok... The only thing is I kept comparing it to Personal Best

On balance, not a bad movie........2007-04-02

Don't expect too much high quality anything with this film and you should enjoy the action.

Mariel Hemingway could still turn heads and interrupt conversations just by walking in the room and Jill Bennett would get more than her wanted fair share of female attention!

I reckon that it was the hope of the cast and crew that their audience would leave all sense of rationality and believability behind when they pushed the 'play' button on their DVD players. I wasn't expecting Academy Award performances and so found myself pleased with my purchase and a welcome addition to my 'collection'.

One question I found myself asking throughout the film... Why was Jill Bennett wearing a nice bright 'shoot-me-if-you-can' RED shirt when all the other characters were suitably attired in camouflage gear?!? Again, leave your sense of rationality behind.

(2.5 STARS) Mariel Hemingway Is a Secret Service Agent: Typical B Action Flick with a bit of Originality.......2007-03-24

"In Her Line of Fire" (also known as "Air Force Two") is benefited from the strong performances from the leads, especially Mariel Hemingway as touch and no-nonsense Secret Service agent who has to protect the Vice President of the United States (David Keith) from the mercenaries when their airplane went down. David Millburn is Armstrong, psycho leader of the military training camp.

The film's contrived story doesn't bother us much because actions start almost immediately after the plane crush. Not many people, even the guerrillas in the jungle, would shoot an unarmed person as the film depicts, but anyway the film is only trying to do what it is supposed to do.

The actions of the film are not bad, just OK with several familiar set-pieces. At first sight the actions of the film look like those made in the 80s, like Stallone's "Cobra" or Schwartzenegger's "Commando," but they are done with much less ammunition or humor here. Moreover, explosions are substituted by special effects, which most action film fans would find disappointing.

The film's strength is Mariel Hemingway's strong acting. Her relation with a surviving journalist played by Jill Bennett is among the most interesting aspects of the film because of the suggested lesbian theme, but the film does not seem to develop the intriguing subplot much. (Or I may have missed the point.) Anyway, otherwise this is a typical B action film with a standard action plot that is made for action film fans.

"In Her Line of Fire" is not a terrible film as you might believe, thanks to the presence of Mariel Hemingway and her character. Still it is also true that she is the only reason I give three stars which this film itself may not deserve.

UGH, ack, pt-ewy!.......2007-03-11

Murial Hemingway is the only thing worth 5 minutes of your time on this one.

In the Line of Fire: An Interactive Guide to Handling Tough Questions

Average customer rating:

Short, but you get the main points
Outstanding!
Great footage to learn how to field those tough questions: get it ALONG with the book
Wisdom - From a Master
DVD Illustrates Sharp Insights Into How to Handle the Harshest Grilling

In the Line of Fire: An Interactive Guide to Handling Tough Questions
Starring: Jerry Weissman
Manufacturer: Video Arts
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B000A13B96
Release Date: 2005-08-05

Description

Featuring clips of major political debates, press conferences and media interviews...including the 2004 Presidential debates with President George W. Bush and Senator John Kerry.

Sooner or later, every human being on the face of this planet will be confronted with tough questions.

How will you handle them?

In the Line of Fire: An Interactive Guide to Handling Tough Questions, is a companion to the book, In the Line of Fire: How to Handle Tough Questions ... When it Counts, published by Pearson Prentice Hall. This DVD contains illustrative video clips of tough Q&A sessions in the public arena and the lessons you can learn from them.

We've programmed the DVD so that you can watch it straight through or visit ... and revisit... the lessons chapter-by-chapter. To enhance the lessons, we'll be interactive: at several points in the DVD, we'll ask you a question, then pause and ask you to press the pause button on your DVD player or computer and think about the question. You'll get the answer when you press play again.

To focus on the video examples, we've condensed some of the lessons, but you can find all of them in the book, and in greater detail. For best results use the book and the DVD together, but either one will help you stand tall in the line of fire.

Challenging Questions

Why do people in business ask challenging questions? Because they are mean-spirited? Perhaps. Because they want to test your mettle? Perhaps. More likely it is because when you are presenting your case, which is just the case in almost every decisive communication in business...as well as in all walks of life...you are asking your opposite party or parties, your target audience, to change. Most human beings are resistant to change, and so they kick the tires. You are the tires.

Customer Reviews:

Short, but you get the main points.......2006-10-30

Short enought to watch it, learn the key points.
You will need the book however, to see more examples and better understanding.
Perfect complementary to the book ( without book not as useful).

Outstanding!.......2005-12-21

Public speaking is considered one of the most threatening situations you can face in your job. Answering follow-up questions can be even more terrifying. Author Jerry Weissman, an experienced presentation coach, has written a short book to teach presenters specifically how to field tough, even hostile, questions without losing control. This companion DVD provides visual material, e.g. from the presidential debate or public Q&A sessions. Weissman dissects the professionals' answers to show how their responses succeeded or failed, and introduces his own straightforward response technique. To increase the learning effect, the DVD goes interactive so that you can actually practice while you learn. With this training, even the most timid presenter should gain some confidence. We think whoever might end up in a situation where he faces tough questions, will find this helpful.

Great footage to learn how to field those tough questions: get it ALONG with the book.......2005-09-14

I recently finished reading the companion book for this DVD. I must say they truly complement each other. Since the topic they deal with is that of handling tough questions, it is VERY important to be able to see the masters at it, along with those who make mistakes, in action. This is where this DVD does an incredible job: it presents the viewer with the footage for all the examples presented in the book, as they took place and with Mr. Weissman interjecting as the different speakers do their thing, pointing out the details and things you should be on the lookout for.

Is the DVD interactive? It's fairly linear, except for the moments you are asked to stop and consider what is about to happen (what response you think the speaker gave). So I guess you could say it is interactive to a certain extent. However, the real value of the DVD lies in the footage, more than anything else. It's not a substitute to the book, which it obviously quotes and refers to. Don't think this is like the audiovisual equivalent to the book, and try to view the DVD to skip the reading: if you do this, you will miss much. The two complement each other wonderfully. My recommendation is: get both and enjoy their combined power.

Wisdom - From a Master.......2005-09-13

Nearly everyone has found oneself in this situation. Standing in front of an audience, you are blindsided with a question you dread. Even worse, the question is one you have not anticipated.

Whether you are an interviewee, sales person, executive, teacher, student, employee or politician, you are judged on how you handle the situation.

Jerry Weissman, a corporate presentations coach, in this DVD provides the reader with the skills and techniques required to handle these confrontations. A companion to the book of the same name, he shows compelling video studies from Presidential debates, corporate road shows and even a television situation comedy Weissman guides the reader in how to control the exchange.

Using his techniques, the reader learns to avoid evasive, contentious and defensive responses to these difficult questions.

While neither the book nor the video provides the "right answers" to these difficult questions, they arm the reader with an arsenal of skills required to manage adversity and remain in control.

DVD Illustrates Sharp Insights Into How to Handle the Harshest Grilling.......2005-09-06

When it comes to the art of the response and the nuances of body language, author Jerry Weissman knows what he's talking about. Having just read his briskly informative book of the same name, I can tell you that the DVD version is an even more compelling reason to listen to his invaluable tenets on public speaking. Fortunately, as this is mostly a talking-head presentation with video excerpts, Weissman himself is a fine presenter, though it would have been interesting to include actual role playing to see how he would field difficult questions.

Whereas the book is more a transcript of legendary confrontation moments, mostly from televised debates, the DVD includes many of the actual excerpts discussed in the book. This allows the author to analyze the defining moments with greater clarity, even going as far as using slow motion and freeze framing to get his points across. This is well illustrated by the question raised by a woman at one of the 1992 Presidential debates about how the national recession affected each candidate personally. Weissman vividly shows how the senior Bush's fumbling response irreparably damaged his campaign, how Perot's curt reply did nothing for his and how Clinton's masterful empathy seized a defining moment and thereafter boosted his rating dramatically.

Even more effective is the way Weissman breaks down Colin Powell's mastery of "key words" in fielding questions from foreign journalists on American imperialism at the start of the Iraqi War. Watch as Powell dexterously dodges incriminating questions by using Roman columns introduced by the questioners as buffers and bringing the inquiries back to the comfort zone of his response. In the DVD versus the book, the author wisely focuses less on the parallels with martial arts (which could have introduced some potentially silly imagery) and more on the Q&A cycle - open the floor, recognize the questioner, yield the floor, retake the floor and provide the answer.

A true master of the cycle comes across in Norman Schwarzkopf's handling of difficult questions regarding Desert Storm maneuvers. Upfront he manages the expectation of how many questions he would answer and then does not allow follow-on questions. His answers become shorter and shorter until he abruptly concludes, which Weissman recognizes as a special exception given his exalted military standing.

It's great to see many classic moments such as the topspins provided by Lloyd Bentsen to Dan Quayle's self-serving comparison to JFK ("Senator, I served with Jack Kennedy, I knew Jack Kennedy, Jack Kennedy was a friend of mine. Senator, you are no Jack Kennedy.") and Ronald Reagan in his volley to Henry Trewitt's expressed concern about his age ("I want you to know also I will not make age an issue of this campaign. I am not going to exploit for political purposes my opponent's youth and inexperience.")

Unfortunately, due likely to unsecured rights, Weismann was not able to show the classic Bob Newhart Show excerpt where the unprepared Dr. Hartley was grilled mercilessly by a sadistic talk show host in sheep's clothing. It seems pointless to describe it if the viewer has never seen it. The same can be said for the Kennedy-Nixon debates of which we are only shown a still.

The DVD clocks in at just eighty minutes and is a fine summation of the book's most important points, though I can't help but think there is a lost opportunity to make this far more interactive than it is. Weissman does offer a few opportunities to hit the pause button to concoct our own responses to tough questions, but I wish there was a greater sense of participation. Regardless, the author provides a fine resource for those of us who become discombobulated when facing an inquisitive, often aggressive audience.

Average customer rating:

Great documentary
Reveling Production
The Burden of Sturla's Dream!
A Feast For your senses - A Must have - Must See
Exciting and helpful to understanding film.

Wrath of Gods
Director: Jon Gustafsson
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Product Features:

Director's Cut, 72 minutes
2 hours of bonus material
1 hour exclusive interview with Gerard Butler
Additional and extended scenes
Exclusive interviews with the people behind Beowulf & Grendel

ASIN: B000V8VNUM

Product Description

Winner of 4 awards, this entertaining documentary tells the dramatic story behind the making of the epic movie Beowulf & Grendel, starring Gerard Butler, Stellan Skarsgard, Sarah Polley and Ingvar Sigurdsson. When Canadian director Sturla Gunnarsson and his cast and crew, including Gerard Butler and Stellan Skarsgård, set upon Iceland to film Beowulf & Grendel in 2004, they expected the usual complications involved in making a major motion picture. What they encountered was a ruthless Icelandic winter on a foreboding landscape, financing complications and a bizarre run of bad luck that led some of them to believe they were in an epic battle with the Norse gods themselves. Filmmaker Jon Gustafsson was along for the ride. Hired to play one of Beowulfs warriors, hes one set with his camera as the crew battles hurricane force winds and hes in the backroom as the producers scramble to shore up a collapsing deal, creating an intimate portrait of filmmakers fighting the odds in pursuit of a vision. For more information visit: www.WrathOfGods.com

Customer Reviews:

Great documentary.......2007-09-17

The documentary itself is terrific. We don't often get to see the process by which films develop. However, if this is what it takes to get small or independent films made, it's a wonder any get made at all. (The film Beowulf and Grendel was interesting, great in places, and it's too bad few have seen it.) The interview with Gerard Butler seems self-indulgent and would have benefited from a good editing. I would like to have seen more interviews with the rest of those who slogged through this effort. And I wonder what the locals thought?

Reveling Production.......2007-08-27

high lelel of superiority and surprise. background enhancing events of beowulf + grendel. watching the human side of experiencs leads to heightened enjoyment

The Burden of Sturla's Dream!.......2007-08-24

Many MANY years ago, being a dedicated Werner Herzog fan, I went to see the documentary, "Burden of Dreams" which was based on the many trials and tribulations of filming his incredible movie, "Fitzcarraldo" in the jungles of Peru. "Wrath of Gods" could be its Icelandic cousin. There seem to be certain films that fight against their creators. Their directors, crew, and cast must give all they have, and sometimes even a bit more, in order to see their dream realized. Indeed, there are moments during WOGs when the forced smile on director Sturla Gunnarsson's face melts into something sad and desperate; those are among the most beautiful moments in this film, because that sadness and desperation added to the haunting (and I mean that in the most lovely and primal way) beauty of what became "Beowulf & Grendel". There is no happy, storybook ending here; the film did poorly by Hollywood standards, but so what?! The film is ultimately true to the prose, true to the raging, frozen, breathtaking Icelandic landscape where it was filmed, and true to the tale of its anti-hero, Beowulf. It is almost an anti-Hollywood movie, and sometimes, who could ask for more than that? Thank you to the director of "Beowulf & Grendel", Sturla Gunnarsson, to Jon Gustafsson, who filmed its filming, and to the extraordinary cast. Absolutely loved this movie. It has SOUL.

A Feast For your senses - A Must have - Must See.......2007-08-23

Finally the world has the light switch turned on and Wrath is lighting the world on fire.

Got My Wrath DVD ---WOW just does not cover it

I came home to Wrath in my mailbox and I just finished watching it ----WOW!!! Awesome just does not begin to be the tip of the iceberg. Simply a masterpiece. Bravo Jon.

I loved the interview with Gerard, it is so raw and candid and shows alot of soul and gives us an inner glimpse of the many sides of Gerry. I like the part when he mentions how much Iceland means to him and how it has left such an impression on him, just like his homeland Scotland. For Gerry to make the interview while he had a raging headache says lot about him and his passion for Beowulf and Wrath.

Wrath is a must for everyone and you (Jon) must be so proud of your film because it is truly a work of art. It brought it all back for me when I was in Toronto for the World Premiere Of Beowulf and on the Red Carpet.

You go through so many different emotions in this film it is really a roller coaster ride that you hope will never end. It really gives the art of making movies a human touch and gives us all a bird's eye view of what can happen and what can go wrong. it is truly refreshing to get out of the "Hollywood" Mold and step into the real world. Just when you thought things could not get worse, they do and you wonder how everyone made it through filming alive.

So many extras that will leave you breathless and leave you in awe. I cannot believe the amount of extras included, it is amazing!!!

I am so happy Wrath is available in ALL REGIONS. It will become an instant treasure for you to watch again and again, except this treasure is not buried.

Bravo Jon!!!!

I know many more awards are ahead for you and Wrath, you so deserve it.

Alexandria

Exciting and helpful to understanding film........2007-08-22

Ihave always loved the story of beowulf. I was excited to see the movie when it came out, but by the end I was more interested in finding how they ever made the film. The documentary is wonderful. It lays out the reality of making movies and also about following your vision against great odds. The landscape, business, and unexpected pitfalls do not seem to sway people who are passionate about their art. I am so happy this film was made.

Heroes of War Collection - Soldier's Stories (Men of Honor / Courage Under Fire / Tigerland / The Thin Red Line)

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Heroes of War Collection - Soldier's Stories (Men of Honor / Courage Under Fire / Tigerland / The Thin Red Line)
Starring: Denzel Washington , Meg Ryan , Lou Diamond Phillips , Michael Moriarty , and Matt Damon
Director: Edward Zwick , George Tillman Jr. , and Terrence Malick
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

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Action & Adventure | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B000EMGJG8
Release Date: 2006-05-23

Description

Episode Description: GiftSet Includes the Following Titles:

Amazon.com essential video

Between his directorial duties on A Perfect World and The Bridges of Madison County, Clint Eastwood starred in this pulse-racing 1993 thriller. In the Line of Fire was directed by Wolfgang Petersen, the brilliant director of the World War II U-boat masterpiece Das Boot. Eastwood gives one of his best performances as Secret Service agent Frank Horrigan, who still feels responsible for the death of JFK 30 years earlier. Horrigan gets a shot at redemption when challenged by a psychotic but highly intelligent assassin (John Malkovich) who intends to kill the current U.S. president. Tension builds as this intellectual cat-and-mouse game reaches its climactic confrontation, but not before we've seen the killer at work, covering his trail with ruthless precision. Tightly scripted by Jeff Maguire, the film cuts Malkovich loose as one of the most memorable screen villains of the 1990s, and costars Rene Russo as Eastwood's sharp Secret Service colleague and romantic partner. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

Aimed high and delivered a great suspense.......2007-08-08

Being John Malkovich.......2007-07-17

A Star Combination.......2007-05-24

Good movie with excellent acting.......2007-01-13

What if you had a second chance?.......2006-12-01

They Drew Fire - Combat Artists World War II

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Artists in Unlikely Places

They Drew Fire - Combat Artists World War II
Starring: Jason Robards , Richard Gibney , William Draper (II) , Howard Brodie , and Eleanor Roosevelt
Director: Brian Lanker
Manufacturer: Homevision
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Biography | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

Art & Artists | Special Interests | Genres | DVD | Video

World War II | Military & War | Genres | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B0000E1WLF
Release Date: 2003-12-16

Amazon.com

This well-researched documentary revolves around interviews with seven artists who were commissioned either by the U.S. military or the Army magazine Yank to document World War II. A group of nearly 100 war artists produced more than 12,000 paintings and drawings, which have been in storage and largely unseen by the general public since the end of the war. Thomas Hart Benton and Jacob Lawrence are among the best-known artists in this one-hour 1999 production, superbly directed by Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist Brian Lanker. Historical footage of the war, all of which is in black and white, is juxtaposed with the color-filled scenes rendered in the artworks. Most of the artists were also trained for combat, so they experienced the war firsthand. The paintings and drawings vary in style and subject matter, but all are profoundly evocative--the depictions of soldiers' feelings are particularly moving, capturing moments of compassion, shock, misery, despair, and tenderness. Equally intense are the verbal descriptions of the seven surviving artists about their experiences during the war. This program is highly recommended for all audiences, although some may find the depictions of real combat harrowing. --Anne Barclay Morgan

Customer Reviews:

Artists in Unlikely Places.......2007-05-06

Some say humans have a need to produce art. Prisoners make it; rural people with few resources produce it. Thus, it may be unsurprising that soldiers would produce art. However, the jaw-dropper for me was that Eisenhower and top military officials sought out artists and that the American people bought or supported their creations. At a time when both photography and film were available, the country encouraged soldiers to produce paintings and drawings. Wow!

The artists asked and debated questions that even dove artists and citizens have. They asked must one live a scenario in order to render it artistically. Some say no soldier can make art in the middle of an event, but one artist said that's when he'd produce his best work.

This is not a documentary with much narration or a slew of academics. It was mostly film of the war and comments from the artists themselves. Seeing them alive with missing teeth, Parkinson's disease, or legal blindness really helps to date them and may remind many viewers of their older, male relatives. This was not full of the propaganda that you would see in the Bugs Bunny or Popeye cartoons of the time. The artists drew what was around them, not devilish pictures of the enemy's leaders.

They mention a painter "from Harlem" and one painting vaguely included a Black man. However, all the interviewees were white men. Though the military was technically integrated due to the activism of civil rights leaders of the time, many historians say white and Black soldiers would fight each other more than the enemy. This documentary never asks or answers whether Black soldiers were asked to paint as their white counterparts were. The military was beginning to accept women at the time and they are not included here either.

For the most part, these artists said they could portray what they wanted. One man mentioned that his drawing of an executed German soldier was hidden from the public. However, another man said he was ordered to paint no (male) soldier in the nude. He and others said soldiers went nude due to the heat and not because of sexual reasons. Too, the documentary showed paintings where male figures were nude. Still, I wonder if the military was banning nudity in the art in order to erase or avoid homoeroticism. One painter said he painted a nude woman for a fellow soldier and that art was never censored. The American military's anti-gay ban was in effect in the 1940s and the work could have dug deeper into the homophobia of the time, but did not.

On the one hand, this may help Tom Hanks' efforts to honor World War II vets. However, I have a friend who attended West Point and criticized military recruiters for telling recruits they could draw for the military when most likely they're going to be cleaning latrines and worrying about landmines. Most artistic people in the American military will not get the opportunity these featured artists had, so I hope this work, though excellent, does not become a modern recruitment tool.

Krav Maga: Line of Fire--Defending Against Handgun Threats

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Defense against a handgun

Krav Maga: Line of Fire--Defending Against Handgun Threats
Starring: Krav Maga
Manufacturer: Krav Maga Productions
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Crime | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

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Action & Combat | Military & War | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Educational | Genres | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B000246SXM
Release Date: 2004-04-05

Customer Reviews:

Defense against a handgun .......2004-09-24

This DVD concentrates defending against handgun threats. There is one technique for defending against a long gun as an DVD extra, but otherwise all the techniques concentrate on handguns. At the film they mention that they are producing more films in the future that include also defences against long gun threats. As in the previous films, this film starts with 15 minute long introduction, in which they tell principles of gun disarming techniques, give very brief instruction on differences between pistol and revolver, and give some advise on safe practise with firearms.

With some techniques, there is a chapter titled "tactical considerations", in which they discuss tactics associated with given technique. In these chapters they tell some basic principles of combat, but I feel these principles would have been better included into the first (introduction) tape. That way, the intro tape would have included some worthwhile information, and the information would have been presented before any of the techniques.

This film includes fewer techniques than other films. But in the other hand, the instruction in more detailed than in other films. On the downside, they instruct hitting to the head with a closed fist in just about every technique. This is not very good thing, especially if you are a police officer or armed citizen. If you first hit your adversary with a fist, breaking your trigger finger, then you cannot use your own firearm to protect you, even if the situation warranted it.

Run time: 1:17

Investigative Reports - In The Line Of Fire

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Investigative Reports - In The Line Of Fire

Manufacturer: A&E Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

( I ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
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ASIN: B000FKP14A
Release Date: 2006-05-02

Description

A fascinating and frightening study of "Close Protection Experts", highly trained bodyguards who protect the lives of world leaders. Features the human ring of firepower surrounding Israeli Prime Minister Barak; the U.S. Secret Service, which guards the President; and "Force 17", former terrorists who safeguard Yasser Arafat.

DVD:

DVD

DVD