The Big Sleep (Theatrical Version)
by Humphrey Bogart Lauren Bacall
Director: Howard Hawks
Average Customer Review:
VHS Tape (07 March, 2000)
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Editorial Review

Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall made screen history together more than once, but they were never more popular than in this 1946 adaptation of Raymond Chandler's novel, directed by Howard Hawks (To Have and Have Not). Bogart plays private eye Philip Marlowe, who is hired by a wealthy socialite (Bacall) to look into troubles stirred up by her wild, young sister (Martha Vickers). Legendarily complicated (so much so that even Chandler had trouble following the plot), the film is nonetheless hugely entertaining and atmospheric, an electrifying plunge into the exotica of detective fiction. William Faulkner wrote the screenplay. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

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Reviews (90)

Sets the Bar for Coolness
The Big Sleep is so cool, it doesn't even need a plot.Even Raymond Chandler freely admitted the story made no sense when followed logically.Who cares?Its mostly just an exercise for Bogie and Bacall to strut their stuff.Plenty of tough talk, great one liners, sultry dames and pistol waving.Noir with class and sense of humor.

Try to keep awake
The plot of the theatrical release grows from blackmail to a half dozen murders in less than two hours while Bacall courts a resistant Bogart. It is so labyrinthine that in the end even Bogart said he'd have to make up something when the police arrived.

Despite the awkward development of events for the sake of mystery and suspense, Boggie's fearlessness and Bacall's flirtations are worth watching. The witty jabs they take at one another are salvation for the aimless plot.

Classic Noir
Read all my reviews at www.midnitcafe.blogspot.com

This classic film noir has very few of techniques generally associated with noir. It contains no skewed camera angles; and though it is darkly lit, it is not overcome with murky, obscuring shadows. The hero is not down-and-out, poor, or desperate. There is no retrospective narration, or flashbacks. Yet, the Big Sleep is widely considered to be one of the very best of this genre. It is a cynical, perverse, murderous world filled with loads of confusing action and unknown motives. It is, in fact, one of the great films of one of the screens greatest actors (for my personal top 10 actors list, click here), and most talented directors.

It was directed by Howard Hawks fresh off of the successful pairing of Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Becall in To Have and Have Not. The two star here again and it is easy to see why they made another two films together. Based on a Raymond Chandler novel of the same name, many people complain that this film is incomprehensible. Somewhat famously it is reported that Bogart and Hawks, after arguing over who killed one of the characters, called up Chandler to get the correct answer. Chandler didn't have the slightest idea, for the novel is rather vague on this point. It's true that both the novel and film leave many plot points as to who did what to whom more than unclear, but there is so much style in both that it's hard to make a convincing argument against them.

A good deal of the confusion within the film comes from the production codes in effect at the time it was produced. Chandler's novel deals with murder, homosexuality, heterosexuality, and pornography. At the time, these things were deemed unfit to show on a movie screen and so Hawks had to hint at them using various subtle methods. For instance, when Carmen Sternwood (Martha Vickers) is found by detective Phillip Marlow (Bogart) in the novel she is completely nude and sitting posed for a hidden camera. Since pornography is explicitly against code, in the movie she is dressed in a silky, Japanese gown. There is still a hidden camera, and its missing film becomes a catalyst for much of the action in the film. We must infer from the exotic nature of the gown that there was more than just pictures of a woman in a gown going on. There are many similar instances in the film like this. For an audience member who has not read the book, they must pay close attention to the subtext, or the film will seem baffling.

Personally, I am very much a fan of the book, and all of Chandler's work. While I appreciate that some of the finer plot points are a bit vague in this film, I also understand that the film succeeds not in the details of the story, but in a sinister sense of style. The film oozes with a dark, disquieting atmosphere. Nearly everyone Marlowe meets is hiding something, and is of less than upstanding moral character. Hawks does a great job of keeping nearly every scene in the dark or in the rain, or both. There are so many characters coming in and out of the shadows and with their own shady character that it is difficult to keep up.

Bogart, of course, does a marvelous job as Marlowe. He seems to understand a lot more information than the audience is ever given. Chandler wrote Marlowe as a detective who sticks by his own set up morals, remaining somewhat of a noble creature trying to stay afloat amongst the muck and sewers of the city. Lauren Bacall does a very good job portraying Vivian Sternwood Rutledge, in a role that is much different than the one in the book. Like many films from this era, they create a romance that wasn't really in the source material. I don't mind though, because Bogart and Bacall really sizzle.

What can I say that hasn't been said before? This is really classic noir at its best. It's got Bogart and Bacall. It was directed by Howard Hawks, written by William Faulkner from a novel by Raymond Chandler. What more could a lover of classic cinema want?

More reviews at www.midnitcafe.blogspot.com ... Read more

Asin: 0790749653
Subjects:  1. Mystery / Suspense   

True Romance
by Christian Slater Patricia Arquette
Director: Tony Scott
Average Customer Review:
VHS Tape (01 October, 1996)
list price: $9.94 -- our price: $9.44
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Editorial Review

It was directed with energetic skill by Top Gun Tony Scott, but this breathtaking 1993 thriller (think of it as an adolescent crime fantasy on steroids) has Quentin Tarantino written all over it. True Romance is really part of a loose trilogy that includes Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction, with a crackling Tarantino screenplay that rides a fine line between raucous comedy and violent excess. Christian Slater plays Clarence, the comic-book lover who meets a beguiling prostitute named Alabama (Patricia Arquette), confronts her vicious pimp (Gary Oldman), and embarks on a cross-country odyssey with $5 million worth of Mafia cocaine. Mayhem ensues, culminating in a favorite Tarantino climax--the "Mexican standoff"--in which a roomful of guys are pointing guns at each other, waiting to see who shoots first. Brutal, profane, and totally outrageous, True Romance is not for everyone, but with a supporting cast that includes Dennis Hopper, Christopher Walken, Brad Pitt, and Val Kilmer (as the ghost of Elvis!), you can be sure this movie will never be boring. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

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• Color
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Reviews (190)

True Romance
This movie is pretty good. It has a lot of bloodshed and a new use for an old corkscrew. Has some great lines...and the sweetest couple under the milky way.

A title for my review
This is the best film ever made by Tony Scott. Actually this ain`t much of a special film but it helped to launch Tarantinos career. His trademark , this so called "machine-gun-dialogue", just didn`t got the kick at this point.

One Of Tarrentino's Shining Moments
One of Quentin Tarrentino's finest film works (though Tony Scott directed it), "True Romance" is a beautifully written and brutally violent look at the American dream in the eyes of two young Americans. Often overlooked in naming Tarrentino's best works, it really ranks right up there with "Reservoir Dogs" and "Pulp Fiction".

The film begins when prostitute Alabama (Patricia Arquette in a heavily stuffed bra) visits birthday boy Clarence at a Detroit movie theater. What is supposed to be a one - night stand turns into a true love affair. When Alabama reveals her true identity to him and how she was treated by her boss Drexl (a dreadlocked Gary Oldman), he decides to go and kill him. His plans succeeds and he decides to steal a briefcase that he thinks is filled with money but is instead packed with cocaine. They soon learn they are targets of Drexl's henchmen, including Christopher Walken and James Gandolfini.

What ensues is nonstop action and typical Tarrentino humor. They have some great action sequences, including the shootout at Drezl's club and the shootout at the end in the movie studio. But the best part in the film is the one - on - one standoff in the motel room with Arquette and Gandolfini beating the crap out of each other until they are near death.

In addition, this film has huge star power. In addition to Slater, Arquette, Oldman, Walken and Gandolfini, this film also features Dennis Hopper (as Slater's father), Samuel L. Jackson (who appears almost to briefly), Bronson Pinchot and Brad Pitt (who is hysterical as stoner Floyd). Overall, an excellent film. ... Read more

Asin: 6302968100
Subjects:  1. Feature Film-action/Adventure   

To Live & Die In L.A.: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (19 March, 1996)
list price: $6.98 -- our price: $6.98
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Editorial Review

Director William Friedkin knows a thing or two about innovative, genre-bending film scores. He commissioned edgy modern-jazz player Don Ellis for his classic The French Connection and reworked Mike Oldfield's "Tubular Bells" into the haunting soundtrack for the blockbuster The Exorcist. But even veteran film buffs were surprised when Friedkin turned the scoring chores for his taut 1985 forgery-ring thriller To Live and Die in LA over to British pop stars Wang Chung. Though they're still best known for their perennial rock-of-the-'80s hits "Dancehall Days," "Everybody Have Fun Tonight," and "Let's Go," Friedkin's early admiration for the band's often underrated musicality paid off with a tense, rhythmic soundscape that crystallized the era and locale of the film. And, though synth-pop has gained ill repute as a cheesy 1980s cliché, this album ably proves that it could rise above its stereotype in dramatic fashion. The Jack Hues-sung title track was also a minor pop hit. --Jerry McCulley ... Read more

Features

• Soundtrack

Reviews (26)

Edgy, Energetic & Lush. A Vital and Memorable Soundtrack.
Director William Friedkin chose Wang Chung to score "To Live and Die in L.A." on the strength of the band's debut album "Points on the Curve". Wang Chung's techno rhythms, lush interludes, and ironic lyrics turned out to be the perfect sound for Friedkin's complex, cynical neo-noir masterpiece and one of the most evocative film soundtracks of the 1980s. This CD includes 4 vocal tracks and 4 instrumental tracks.

The soundtrack kicks off with the film's title song "To Live and Die in L.A.". William Friedkin had asked Wang Chung not to use the movie's title in a song. But Jack Hues and Nick Feldman did it anyway, and the result is terrific. -And Friedkin liked it. The immediately recognizable percussive "clicking" of the second track, "Lullaby", was effective in heightening moments of relative silence in the film. "Wait"'s tentative, anxious rhythm and lyrics create palpable tension. This embodiment of the film's angst and unease may be its best vocal track. The first instrumental track, "City of Angels", is also the longest track at 9:17 minutes. "City of Angels" is an unforgettable composition for an unforgettable scene. Its energetic techno beat help make "To Live and Die in L.A."'s counterfeiting scene legendary.

I mention "To Live and Die in L.A.", "Lullaby", "Wait", and "City of Angels" because they are the most evocative of the film's tone. It would have been nice if "Dance Hall Days" were included, since it is featured briefly in the film -and that's one reason I give this soundtrack 4 stars. This is good work by Wang Chung, without which one of the most memorable films of the 1980s would not have been as memorable. The soundtrack is invaluable to the film, but well worth listening to on its own.

"Lullaby" Rule OK!
Unlike the rest of the fans here,
I'm not ga-ga about Wang Chung, or this movie, or this album. It's all a bit too much techno & drum machine than I'd like. So I'm frustrated, since the songs "To Live and Die in L.A." and "Lullaby" are both excellent, up there with "Big World" and "Everybody Have Fun Tonight" as WC's very best numbers. Yet they'd both be better (IMHO) with less synthesizing, and with less oppressive drum machine clutter-- and with a real live breathing drummer!

So why do I pipe up? Just to say that "Lullaby" is Wang Chung's most sweet and romantic tune, and deserves more recognition. It's the song which is missed the most on their "best of" compilations. Isn't it?

So where was it in that brutal, cynical and un-romantic film?? I can't recall! Missing in action...

Best Soundtrack by a single band or artist EVER!
Okay, okay...I know it's Wang Chung. This soundtrack album really helps make the movie as cool as it is. Put most simply, this is absolutely my very favorite soundtrack ever performed by one band or musical artist. The first 4 songs have vocals, and the second half are instrumental. These guys are at the top of their game with this album, even if not everyone heard the soundtrack. Definitely a must own CD for musicians or movie fans. I'm a musician and EXTREMELY picky about what I do and don't like. This I love. :) ... Read more

Asin: B000000OY3
Subjects:  1. Dance-Pop    2. New Wave    3. Original Score    4. Pop    5. Pop/Rock    6. Soundtracks & Film Scores   

Pulp Fiction
by John Travolta Samuel L. Jackson Bruce Willis
Director: Quentin Tarantino
Average Customer Review:
VHS Tape (06 April, 2004)
list price: $9.99 -- our price: $9.49
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Editorial Review

With the knockout one-two punch of 1992's Reservoir Dogs and 1994's Pulp Fiction writer-director Quentin Tarantino stunned the filmmaking world, exploding into prominence as a cinematic heavyweight contender. But Pulp Fiction was more than just the follow-up to an impressive first feature, or the winner of the Palme d'Or at Cannes Film Festival, or a script stuffed with the sort of juicy bubblegum dialogue actors just love to chew, or the vehicle that reestablished John Travolta on the A-list, or the relatively low-budget ($8 million) independent showcase for an ultrahip mixture of established marquee names and rising stars from the indie scene (among them Samuel L. Jackson, Uma Thurman, Bruce Willis, Ving Rhames, Harvey Keitel, Christopher Walken, Tim Roth, Amanda Plummer, Julia Sweeney, Kathy Griffin, and Phil Lamar). It was more, even, than an unprecedented $100-million-plus hit for indie distributor Miramax. Pulp Fiction was a sensation. No, it was not the Second Coming (I actually think Reservoir Dogs is a more substantial film; and P.T. Anderson outdid Tarantino in 1997 by making his directorial debut with two even more mature and accomplished pictures, Hard Eight and Boogie Nights). But Pulp Fiction packs so much energy and invention into telling its nonchronologically interwoven short stories (all about temptation, corruption, and redemption amongst modern criminals, large and small) it leaves viewers both exhilarated and exhausted--hearts racing and knuckles white from the ride. (Oh, and the infectious, surf-guitar-based soundtrack is tastier than a Royale with Cheese.) --Jim Emerson ... Read more

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Reviews (630)

Hamburgers! the cornerstone of any nutritional breakfast!
This movie is my favorite movie.It's long, but it's still good to watch over and over again.This is Tarantino's best work.Here is sort of what happens:

Two gangster loansharks, Jules and Vincent, wake up one morning, and they have to regain possession of their boss's suitcase.The great part is we never learn what's inside of this magical suitcase.They drop buy this apartment, and then Samuel L. Jackson proceeds to business, after firing off possibly his best lines ever.Then they have to go clean up their car accidentally shooting somebody in it.Then they go have breakfast, where their venue gets held up.They have a busy day, and that's just part of the story.

Samuel L. Jackson does possibly his best acting in this movie.He is uproariously funny.From his burger line to his "****, man, what'd you do to this towel?!"John Travolta doesn't end up with as much to do during the Jules-Vincent scenes, but gets his chance when he must entertain his boss's daughter, Mrs. Mia Wallace.THis scene is great, especially because we know that, if he screws up, his boss will kill him.Bruce Willis does a good job as Butch, as well.

Tarantino shows all of his trademarks, from Uma Thurman's bare feet, to his extra-long shots.This movie outshines his others in terms of funniness, but isn't erm quite as gross as some of his others (I'm still getting over that ear thing in Reservoir Dogs), although it earns its R rating in almost every way possible.

This DVD set is loaded with special features.I spent one morning watching most of them, and some of them were great.There are about 6 deleted scenes.All in all, this is a great movie with a good director's thing.

Tarantino In A Nutshell
"Pulp Fiction" is an American icon, epitomizing the feelings of the nineties and pointing the Gen-Y generation in the direction it has ended up in now. Is the film entertaining? Absolutely. Tarantino is a master of witty repartee, his characters engaging in a number of entertaining conversations. However, many of these serve merely as entertainment, and don't reveal much in the way of character or story. Much has been made of the "royale with cheese" conversation, but there's really not much to it if you're looking to dive deep into the characters.

Many of these are fascinating, however, in the way they reveal small truths about life to which we can relate. My favorite is Travolta and Thurman's conversation about how people should just sometimes "shut the f**k up". However, this proves to be a reflexive move, as many times I found myself thinking the same thing when the characters rambled on far too long.

Much has also been made about the broken narrative structure of the film. It works here mainly because of Tarantino's objective: to tell stories like the pulp dimestore novels he read as a kid. However, the fragmented narrative doesn't really further the story any.

The performances are fun to watch, particularly Samuel L. Jackson. This is HIS movie, and his dialogue and mannerisms are so in tune with Tarantino's writing, you wonder if this is how Jackson really is in life (hope not). Travolta, Thurman, Willis and all are entertaining as well.

Here are the reasons why I dislike this film, and most of Tarantino's films. First, his characters have little depth. Jules (Jackson) has a great moral arc, as does Travolta. The other characters don't really amount to much. I still wonder why Uma Thurman's character is in this movie, as it seems merely to serve as a slick, hip bit of cinematic cotton candy: fun to watch but not particularly gripping, moving or profound.

The same feeling applies to Tarantino's dialogue. They all spout hipster wisdom: the royale with cheese in France, the bit about Madonna in Reservoir Dogs by Tarantino himself. I enjoy it, but it's kind of like listening to that kid you knew in high school who thought he knew everything about everything, and couldn't stop telling you about it. You get sick of it after awhile.

Still, for all it's faults, "Pulp Fiction" is a lot of bloody, coarse-mouthed fun. Tarantino isn't for everyone: his penchant for profanity, over-the-top violence and quirky narrative structure either annoys or astounds.

I'm in the middle. Personally, I think directors like Scorsese and Coppola pull off the crime genre with greater maturity, grace and depth of character.

Tarantino is ultimately the cinematic version of some trendy nightclub. Everyone looks cool, talks cool and does hip things, but the pathos, or the "why" never really comes out.

Was okish... not as big as hype...
Maybe it is that I just dont like Quintent Teritino... wow... I cant spell his name.
It wasnt bad though... if it wasnt for all the hype my friends made of it, I might have loved it...
there were like, 4 or 5 scenes that were totally awesome, but then there were alot of boring or just stupid parts.
Worth a watch to see all the hype, and for the several awesome scenes... but be careful when you fast-forward... some of the good scenes sneak up on you... and are dialouge... ... Read more

Asin: 6303953425
Subjects:  1. Feature Film-action/Adventure   

American History X
by Edward Norton Edward Furlong
Director: Tony Kaye
Average Customer Review:
VHS Tape (02 September, 2003)
list price: $6.93
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Editorial Review

Edward Norton was nominated for a 1998 Best Actor Oscar for his role asDerek Vinyard, a thoughtful kid turned neo-Nazi after his father is slain.Edward Furlong plays his younger brother, Danny, determined to follow in his brother's footsteps.The easy routes the film seems prepared to take never materialize.It continually makes Derek's transformation both in and out of his racist beliefs believable and persuasive.Stacy Keach is given the head vampire role of the local skinhead chapter, Cameron, and he's the closest this film comes to an overt overstatement.Norton, however, is fantastic, embodying a person who roller-coasters through hatred like he can't wait to ride again.His diatribes are not unlike what can be heard on any given conservative radio station on any given day, but he doesn't spew them as cant or screed.Only when his violent emotions take charge, negating any sense or stand, is the underlying fallacy and nature of his beliefs made plain. This film was undermined by the film's own director, Tony Kaye, who made such a braying ass of himself and his work that it distorted the public's view of what is an interesting social and psychological lesson in the war between ideas and ideologues, reason and racism. --Keith Simanton ... Read more

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Reviews (575)

astounding
In American History X, Derek Vinyard, a skinhead(Norton), is imprisoned for gunning down 2 black guys trying to break into his car. After his incarceration, his younger brother, Danny Vinyard (Furlong), writes a paper titled "My Mein Kampf". His principle is appalled, and having taught Derek, instructs Danny to write a paper on Derek. Throughout the movie, you see images and events leading up and during his imprisionment. He befriends a black inmate and gets brutally asaulted in the shower by a gang of white nazi skins he previously associated himself with. His younger brother gets invited to a party full of skinheads Derek knew. Some scenes are rather disturbing to watch but they play a vital part in the story line. In the end. while Danny is in the bathroom, his earlier good samaritain attempts at helping a young student from getting bullied by a couple of black kids backfires on him and the black kid shoots Danny. His paper on Derek was in his hand. Derek rushes to Dannys side at hearing word of what happened. This movie is truly compelling and gives a real life perspective of Skinheads in todays socity, and not just giving them a bad name

wow!
The firts time i saw this movie was three years ago.I was simply astounded.Then the more i saw it, the better it got.i personally did not consider Edward Nortan one of the better actors of our time, but after this movie, he defenetly proves himself.This movie deals with one of the biggest problems of our era: racism.It shows the perspectives of both sides of the mirror. While watching the movie, you knew that what Derek Vinyard (Norton) was doing was wrong, but you understood his rage.I personally think this movie is more worthy than many other movies of the same year. Basicly, the moral of the story is "Hate is Bad" (Furlong)



P.S Dont listen to what other say, the ending is the best ending ever directed

Great film, but ending leaves people with wrong message.
This is a great movie, don't get me wrong. It was well written and the cast was exceptional. The only reason I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 is because of the ending. I'm sure many people have written about the end of this movie and why it seems so wrong. The whole movie basically centers around the fact that racism is wrong and then at the end a black kid has to kill Daniel, who has struggled the whole time realizing that racism is wrong. What is the point? This only shows the ignorance that many people have, which is sad because it is true. Racism is not only white against black - it goes both ways. ... Read more

Asin: 0780625129
Subjects:  1. Feature Film-drama   

The Doors: Dance on Fire
by Doors The Doors
Average Customer Review:
VHS Tape (30 July, 2002)
list price: $9.98 -- our price: $9.48
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Reviews (8)

a slim serving of the Lizard King mystique
The Doors was all about Jim Morrison; it was his throaty voice, a strange grace which was rather like a newborn colt, and his charismatic talent that carried the group to fame, despite the able and sometimes brilliant musicianship of Ray Manzarek (keyboards), Robby Krieger (guitar). and John Densmore (drums).
There is a lot of "filler" and not enough of Morrison in this collection of song clips, which are interspersed with voice-overs of Morrison reading his poetry, and images of "related" subjects, like Native American dancers shown while "Wild Child" is playing, and even though the producers have put his face on the cover, they did not give him credit anywhere on the video box (at least the version I own) by name, which is a huge oversight.

The songs:
"Break on Through", from an Elektra Records promo clip.
"People are Strange", includes footage taken on the streets of New York City.
"Light My Fire", from the Ed Sullivan Show telecast. The sound is not good on this one, and the atmosphere somewhat strained, as if they were given limits to what they could do.
"Wild Child" has a few clips from a recording session.
"L.A. Woman" is pretentiously labeled as "a new film directed by Ray Manzarek". It is actually random shots of the Los Angeles area and a few clips from the past with the song as "soundtrack".
"The Unknown Soldier" was supposedly banned for a time. It shows Morrison being bound and "shot" on Santa Monica beach, and some gooky stuff emerging from his mouth. Raspberry jam perhaps ? Chocolate pudding ? It's awfully thick and rather gross. Also includes a few gory war scenes.
"Roadhouse Blues". Clips from the '68 tour.
"Texas Radio and the Big Beat/Love Me Two Times". Includes clips from a live performance for Danish television. This is one of the better selections.
"Touch Me" is from a Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour telecast, where they have given Morrison a brushed hairdo and tanned pancake on his face, leaving his neck white. The Doors have a back-up band for this, giving it added interest.
"Horse Latitudes/Moonlight Drive", from a Jonathan Winters Show telecast, with a bit more of the makeup thing.
"The End". This is a song that is shown in full and is focused on Morrison, and therefore probably the most substantive part of this video, and was filmed at a '68 Hollywood Bowl concert. In this piece, as well as the other clips, he seems to be in a total chemical haze, a poster child for substance abuse...rather like a young and very beautiful Ozzy, and it is rather sad to watch.
"Crystal Ship" is from American Bandstand, and from the early days; more puppy dog than Lizard King.
Tomasso Albinoni's "Adagio in G minor" theme is used as the music for some clips of the group sailing.
"Riders on the Storm" is played during the end titles.

This is good for a trip down memory lane for those of us who were young in the late '60s, but are glad we grew up. It does not have much Lizard King content, and musically it is choppy and the sound often fuzzy. I'd recommend a CD instead. Total running time one hour and 5 minutes.

Excellent Compilation of The Televised Performances
If you love The Doors like I do than this video is an absolute must for your collection. This one includes most if not all of their television appearances including the live performances of "Light My Fire" and "People Are Strange" from the Ed Sullivan Show in 1967. One of my favorite performances is when Jim and the band perform "Love Me Two Times" in black and white from a TV program in Denmark. I really like this performance of the song because in this one Jim mixes the poem of "Texas Radio and The Big Beat" in the middle of the song and it sounds really cool. Another song that I love is "Touch Me" from the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour. In this performance the band perform the song with a full orchestra, it sounds very nice. Overall this is a great video and you will enjoy it very much especially if you're a Doors fan and even if you aren't one after seeing this great video you will become one.

Nice Look AtAn Awesome Rock Group.
I'm an 18 year old straight up rock fan.I love this music and it was nice for me to see one of my all-time favorite rock bands perform some of my favorite songs live and the music videos were cool too. I especially liked it because I'll never get the chance to see them in concert any other way. Break on through rocked! It doesn't hurt that Jim was so goodlooking either!Not only that but this group has raw talent and depth that today's teen pop groups can't touch! I'm glad there are videos like this one to bring The Doors to a younger generation. Me and my friends appreciate it! ... Read more

Asin: 1558803947
Sales Rank: 6274
Subjects:  1. Music Video - Pop/Rock   

Chinatown (25th Anniversary Edition)
by Jack Nicholson Faye Dunaway John Huston
Director: Roman Polanski
Average Customer Review:
VHS Tape (23 November, 1999)
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Editorial Review

Roman Polanski's brooding film noir exposes the darkest side of the land of sunshine, the Los Angeles of the 1930s, where power is the only currency--and the only real thing worth buying. Jack Nicholson is J.J. Gittes, a private eye in the Chandler mold, who during a routine straying-spouse investigation finds himself drawn deeper and deeper into a jigsaw puzzle of clues and corruption. The glamorous Evelyn Mulwray (a dazzling Faye Dunaway) and her titanic father, Noah Cross (John Huston), are at the black-hole center of this tale of treachery, incest, and political bribery. The crackling, hard-bitten script by Robert Towne won a well-deserved Oscar, and the muted color cinematography makes the goings-on seem both bleak and impossibly vibrant. Polanski himself has a brief, memorable cameo as the thug who tangles with Nicholson's nose. One of the greatest, most completely satisfying crime films of all time. --Anne Hurley ... Read more

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Reviews (149)

Polanski's Noir masterpiece
Sheer cinematic perfection. Roman Polanski'stotal mastery of direction and details. Jack Nicholson at his sexiest with an unmatched cool ( a far cry from the scene-stealing ham/clownsince the 80's)and the ultra divine Faye Dunaway at her most mysterious as the glamorously dangerousEvelyn Mulwray who is living with a startling secret. The best art direction, cinematography and the higest production. A classicnoir experience filled with intrigue and a solid plot.

"You know what happens to nosy fellas?"
"They lose their nose!"One of many great lines in Robert Towne's script to Roman Polanski's masterpiece of filme noir. A great film of mystery and drama in which John Huston himself starred as one of the main characters: certainly a film he approved of and found comparable to his many works with Humphrey Boggart.

J.J. Gittes (Jack Nicholson) is a nickle and dime P.I. who discovered more than he wanted to in a routine spouse surveillance job.He begins to uncover strange clues about the Water District, its boss Noah Cross (John Huston) and his daughter Evelyn Mulwray (Faye Dunaway.) As he descends into this world of intrigue, he realizes that he might be over his head.

This film is an absolute masterpiece in the genre of filme noir and far surpasses the later released 'L.A. Confidential' in terms of mood, depth, and acting. A magnificent screenplay, a great script, brilliant direction, and first rate acting makes this classic film a must for everyone's collection.

A First Rate Film Noir Classic
Chinatown is a classic in the original sense.It's brooding and often dark plot offer's a real treat for any fan of film noir.Save only that it is in color instead of black and white.But this fact does not detract from this being a great film.This is, perhaps, one of Jack Nicholson's greatest film roles. ... Read more

Asin: B000025RAU
Subjects:  1. Feature Film-drama   

L.A. Confidential
by Kevin Spacey Russell Crowe Guy Pearce Kim Basinger
Director: Curtis Hanson
Average Customer Review:
VHS Tape (04 September, 2001)
list price: $12.94 -- our price: $12.29
(price subject to change: see help)
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Editorial Review

In a time when it seems that every other movie makes some claim to being a film noir, L.A. Confidential is the real thing--a gritty, sordid tale of sex, scandal, betrayal, and corruption of all sorts (police, political, press--and, of course, very personal) in 1940s Hollywood. The Oscar-winning screenplay is actually based on several titles in James Ellroy's series of chronological thriller novels (including the title volume, The Big Nowhere, and White Jazz)--a compelling blend of L.A. history and pulp fiction that has earned it comparisons to the greatest of all Technicolor noir films, Chinatown. Kim Basinger richly deserved her Supporting Actress Oscar for her portrayal of a conflicted femme fatale; unfortunately, her male costars are so uniformly fine that they may have canceled each other out with the Academy voters: Russell Crowe, Guy Pearce, Kevin Spacey, and James Cromwell play LAPD officers of varying stripes. Pearce's character is a particularly intriguing study in Hollywood amorality and ambition, a strait-laced "hero" (and son of a departmental legend) whose career goals outweigh all other moral, ethical, and legal considerations. If he's a good guy, it's only because he sees it as the quickest route to a promotion. --Jim Emerson ... Read more

Features

• Color
• Closed-captioned
• Dolby
• Special Edition
• NTSC

Reviews (265)

A great trip to a foreign land (The Past)
As someone who lives in LA, it was a flash to the past with this film. I can not recommend this film too much! Some films just seem to have the magic touch, where everything seems to push it toward excellence. The writing , photography, location selection, musical score, direction, the selection of the cast,the actors dedication in this film are top drawer. This film just shows what Hollywood could do but usually does'nt.
This film I believe will stand the test of time as one of the great classics of film.

A Complex and Absorbing Thriller!
Manohla Dargis, a film critic for The New York Times and former editor for the L.A. Weekly film section, presented L.A. Confidential, one of her favorite movies, for the Cal State Northridge Cinemateque Critics Series, where I saw this film a few weeks ago. The film was followed by an insightful Q & A between Dargis and David Kipen, a book critic for the San Francisco Chronicle, and continued with answers to questions from members of the audience.

As mentioned by Dargis, L.A. Confidential was released in 1997 to huge critical acclaim. It went on to be nominated for nine Academy Awards and is now considered a key film for the 90s. In fact, in answer to a question from an audience member, Dargis feels that had Titanic been released another year, L.A. Confidential would have garnered all the major awards of 1997. Although it didn't, it is still widely regarded as one of the best movies of that year.

Based on the novel by James Ellroy, the film is a dark and gritty noir set in 1950s Los Angeles and deals with police corruption and Hollywood sleaze. The seemingly idyllic Los Angeles of the early 1950s provides the glitzy backdrop for the grisly crime that is the focus of the story: a bloody shotgun slaying of the patrons at an all-night diner. One of the victims was Dick Stensland, a subpar police officer forced into retirement after a drunken brutality incident not long before his death.

Heading the investigation are three very different cops. Stensland's former partner, Wendell "Bud" White (Russell Crowe), a man willing to break the rules to seek justice; Ed Exley (Guy Pearce), an ambitious but naive golden boy who is willing to do almost anything to get ahead; and Jack Vincennes (Kevin Spacey), a slick operator who collaborates with a celebrity magazine to insure high-profile arrests.

What follows is a powerful and stylish mystery with an ever-twisting plot that continually surprises the audience without insulting its intelligence. The compelling blend of L.A. history and pulp fiction makes for an intense and fascinating film that definitely deserved more audience attention than it got.

This is my second viewing of the film, but my first as a student of film. With Dargis' commentary following the feature, I now have a deeper appreciation for this unique motion picture and liked it even more upon second viewing. A rich and complex mystery full of astonishing performances (including an Oscar for Kim Basinger's supporting role), this will definitely be remembered as a landmark film for the 90's. Its comparisons to Chinatown are inevitable. This is modern noir at its finest.

One of the top films of the decade...
Winner of two Academy Awards, and nominated for seven others, LA Confidential was the surprise thriller of 1997. Prior to American Beauty and Gladiator, Kevin Spacey and Russell Crowe starred in this seedy crime and suspense film - one of the best of the decade. Set against the backdrop of 1950's Hollywood and the celebrity culture of that era (quite indistinguishable from the celebrity culture of this era), LA Confidential projects a LA police department filled with corruption and a town obsessed with acquiring fame, money, and celebrity at any cost.

When members of imprisoned mob boss Mickey Cohen's gang start showing up dead, it's up to three cops on the LA police force to get to the bottom of the mystery. Their superior, Capt. Dudley Smith (James Cromwell) convinces wiseguys from other parts of the country to go home. It seems that someone is moving in on Cohen's underworld territory, but who? The police are led to the home of wealthy developer Pierce Patchett (David Strathairn), who runs a prostitution ring of Hollywood look-alikes.

The investigative task falls to three cops, each of whom goes about his business in a different way. Deputy Lt. Edmund Exley (Guy Pearce) is a by-the-book officer, following in the footsteps of his dead father - a former cop himself who was mysteriously murdered. Officer Wendell 'Bud' White (Russell Crowe) is a vigilante agent of law enforcement who believes in personally exacting justice and punishing those who fail to subscribe to his own perceived morality. As the son of a wife-beater, White has zero tolerance for abusers of any type. And rounding out the three is Sgt. Jack Vincennes (Kevin Spacey), a self-absorbed cop in search of Hollywood celebrity (he consults for TV shows on the side) and money. In the end, these three men of differing realities must come together if they hope to uncover the truth surrounding these mysterious killings.

In the meantime, the conflict between the three men and Capt. Smith heats up. Each must wage a personal battle against the fraternity culture of the police force, the bureaucratic machine, and the rampant corruption that infests every corridor of city hall. Along the way, Bud White strikes up a relationship (as does Exley) with one of the prostitutes from the investigation, Lynn Bracken (Kim Basinger), which complicates the investigation and compromises his judgment. But when a break in the case takes place, Exley and White put their differences aside and work together to solve the case...

With a surprise ending that's one of the best of the decade, LA Confidential is a cinematic masterpiece. Wrought with symbolism, and sporting a well-written screenplay, the film captured critical acclaim as well as box office success. Highly entertaining, and dripping with suspense, LA Confidential more than qualifies for its designation as a must-see film. If you haven't seen it, then don't wait another minute longer...

The DVD Report ... Read more

Asin: 0790738139
Subjects:  1. Feature Film-drama   

The Player
by Tim Robbins Greta Scacchi
Director: Robert Altman
Average Customer Review:
VHS Tape (04 June, 2002)
list price: $9.94
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Editorial Review

A wicked satirical fable about corporate backstabbing--and actual murder--in the movie business, The Player benefits from director Robert Altman's long and bitter experience working within, and without, the Hollywood studio system. Rising young executive Griffin Mill (Tim Robbins) is tormented by threats from an anonymous writer.The pressure and paranoia build until Griffin loses control one night and semi-accidentally kills screenwriter David Kahane (Vincent D'Onofrio), who may or may not be the source of the threats. From that point, Griffin's life and career begin to fall apart. In keeping with the ironic spirit of the film itself, Altman's scathingly funny attack on the moral bankruptcy of Hollywood was embraced by many of the same people it was intended to savage, and restored the director to commercial and critical favor. Michael Tolkin adapted the screenplay from his own novel, and the movie is studded with cameos by famous faces, many of whom appear as themselves. The digital video disc includes a commentary track with Altman and Tolkin, some deleted scenes, a documentary about Altman, and a key to help identify more than 50 of the picture's big-name cameos. --Jim Emerson ... Read more

Features

• Color
• Closed-captioned
• NTSC

Reviews (66)

Something for everyone...
Everyone else here sums up the plot, so I'll try to sum up the appeals...

It's as sophisticated as you could want it to be, but also funny and with plenty of celebrity cameos for casual fun.Granted, though, it IS especially SMART humor, but with its share of laugh-out-loud moments, if you're looking for those.(John Cusack and Burt Reynolds each deliver among the most hilarious cameos, and Whoopi Goldberg has the most hilarious "real" part.)

It'll play well to watch once, or live up to endless repeated viewings, if you like to take in a movie's layers.It can be a great thriller at face value, or self-conscious and aware to a staggering depth of complexity.

It's easy on the eyes and frequently sexy, and yet the filmwork and craftsmanship is virtually flawless.The whole production (and soundtrack) is seamless perfection, living up to both Hollywood's "plastic" standards but also the most critical devote' of film.

All the performances are slickly believable, and Tim Robbins' in particular is downright sublime.Peter Gallagher is also an underrated talent here - the power struggle between their characters and how it plays out is among the most brilliant dimensions of the picture.

As a mystery and murder drama, it'll keep you guessing but satisfy you in the end.Despite Altman's neat trick of never explicitly solving the mystery for you, but giving you the clues to figure it out for yourself.(By the end of the picture, the mystery itself has become secondary to the solution, so he can leave it be for YOU to solve.)

But mostly, this picture pulls off the most rare of film accomplishments, a Hollywood picture through-and-through, with all the niceties we expect from mainstream films (sex, violence, suspense, humor, love, etc.), and yet an undeniable and profound work of art.

Film and series about Hollywood become ever more the rage, but this historic picture really set the bar.The Player will be a wild ride for anyone keen on a good movie for its own sake, but absolutely irreplacable for anyone intrigued with Hollywood and its own market-driven hypocrisy.

So it's a rock-solid movie for an average moviegoer, but as artful, dark, and cynical as a more demanding viewer could hope for.

WHY DON'T THEY MAKE MORE OF THESE?!
The first time I saw this film I was in shock.Was it for real?Was it a spoof?Of course it was!It was one of the most enjoyable films I've seen in a long, long time.The casting was superb.Everyone was totally believable.Vincent D'Onofrio is my favorite actor.He is fantastic in every role he plays.Tim Robbins was wonderful.I kept saying to myself: Has this actually happened out there?Well, of course it has.But Hollywood is a world unto it's own and many souls are spared their bad deeds.I watch this film at least four times a year.It rocks.

Altman's apotheosis!!!
On the whole, Altman's best film, and that's really saying something. Along with Goodfellas, one of the best films of the 90's -- American or otherwise. Funny, incisive, byzantine and brilliant. ... Read more

Asin: B000006HTG
Subjects:  1. Feature Film-drama   

The Prophecy II
Director: Greg Spence
Average Customer Review:
VHS Tape (05 August, 2003)
list price: $9.99
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Features

• Color
• Closed-captioned
• HiFi Sound
• NTSC

Reviews (35)

Check Your Brain at the Door
The first film was pretty good and creepy but then they got all big headed and came up with a few sequels that damaged the original. There are some decent moments of horror in here but it all dies in the final moments of the film. If you can rent this cheap, go ahead, but I wouldn't pay above $1.00 for this.

what the hell happened?!
Jennifer Beals stars as Valerie Rosales, a young woman who encounters a man named Danyael, played by Russell Wong, after he falls from the sky and hits her car. Danyael and Valerie get their freak on and she suddenly gets pregnant. This brings back Chris Walken, Gabriel from hell and he tries to stop this baby from being born. The boy is the Nephilim, half angel, half human who will stop the angel war. There's other things but I dont want to explainbecause it might confuse you even more. Walken is still Walken and he has little to do here. Beals is too constipated in her role. Wong needs to speak up more and learn to act and Brittany Murphy as Izzy and Eric Roberts as the angel Michael are wasted in small roles. Tries too hard and turns way too sour. Where the hell is Jesus? You had Lucifer in the first one (A very good Viggo Mortensen) but they never bring Jesus in. why not? HE would of layed the smack down on Walken's ass.

Yup :-)
I'm speaking of the 3 movies I've seen in this series of movies, Christopher Walken is one of the best actors I have seen and this roll is his apex in my mind, totally funny + he gets weirder as the movies go along, the writers know what they are doing + christopher playes it perfectly + adds his amazing performance in a perfect roll for him. Top Rate! ... Read more

Asin: 6304707045
Sales Rank: 7618
Subjects:  1. Feature Film-action/Adventure