G Movie Reviews

While I watched "Faces Death", I felt that it was a much lighter version than I what was used to. So, I paused a scene and went hunting for my Key Video of the movie. I put it on and went to the matching scene, then switched back and forth between the VCR and video images. The difference was very pronounced. The Key Video version was darker, moodier and had deeper shadows. I don't know which version should be considered the "better" one, but they are indeed quite different! I enjoyed the commentary and booklet, but, like others here, would have liked to see more (such as the trailers). Overall, though, I am thrilled to see the series on DVD and will buy the next two volumes.

Noted Sherlock Holmes Scholar, Andrew Kemp, was not kidding when he said that these are the best reproductions of these films since their original theatrical release. Digitally restored in 35MM from the UCLA Film Archives prints, they are a joy to behold for those of us who have had to make do with ratty and incomplete public domain copies. MPI has again done Holmes fans a great service by making this fine and popular film series available once more. I say "again," because they have also released the much respected Granada TV series featuring Jeremy Brett.

Previous reviewers have already commented on how Universal moved Holmes ahead into the WWII era, and had him chasing down Nazi's, spys, and assorted modern "evil-doers." Never-the-less, the series appeal lies not in the historical context, but in the charisma of Rathbone and Bruce as the series' Holmes and Watson.

These films are not great cinematic milestones, but they are great fun - pure entertainment, and as each new generation discovers Holmes, they always key in on this series as the all-time favorite. If you haven't seen these films before, or even if it's been awhile since you saw them on TV as a kid, do yourself a favor and pick this set up - you won't regret it.

I just finished watching the movies in this collection, and over all I am very pleased. The restoration was very well done. The picture is clear and sharp, and the sound is excellent, especially when you compare it to the other Basil Rathbone Sherlock Holmes DVDs that were previously available. There is not much to say about the extras, as there is not much in the way of extras. The first three movies are of the ultra patriotic Holmes V.S. the Nazi variety, and those have never been my favorites. The last film in this collection is much better, and while it is set in "modern times" (That is to say 1942) the war is in the background and it's the mystery and detective work that is on display. While all the movies are not my favorites I do like all of the series and I am very pleased that these sets are finally being released, as it brings back memories of the Saturday afternoon movie matinees on the local independent station from when I was a kid. If you are a fan of the Basil Rathbone\Nigel Bruce films this is a must buy for you.

Charlotte Church's current popularity clearly shows the public's general distaste in classical music. Any vocal pedagogist or singer, from watching this video, could sit down and write a substantial critique of everything the young Welsh soprano does wrong.

The human voice is a fragile instrument indeed. Used properly, it can create a beautiful sound. Used in the manner of the young Miss Church, one will experience general fatigue and laryngitis in extreme cases.

Hopefully, there is a pedagogue out there who can correct Miss Chruch's vocal issues, and help her to achieve the status that the public places her in. Otherwise, she will continue to develop techincal problems that will eventually prematurely end her career.

IF YOU DIDNT BUY THIS TAPE YET DO IT, VOICE OF AN ANGEL IN CONCERT IS GREAT. MISS CHARLOTTE CHURCH OUT DID HER SELF IN THIS. HER VOICE HAS GREATLY IMPROVED, OVER THE LAST YEAR OR SO. THIS 13 YEAR OLD HAS THE WORLD IN HER HAND. SEEING HER ON STAGE HEARING HER BEAUTIFUL VOICE, SEEING HER BEAUTIFUL FACE,AND SMILE,AS SHE SINGS. MISS CHURCH IS GOING TO BE AROUND FOR A LONG TIME. MY FAVOURITES ARE (IN TRUTINA) (DANNY BOY) CHARLOTTE CAN SING DANNY BOY SO BEAUITFUL, (PIE JESU) (MY LONGAN LOVE) AND LAST (SUO GAN)WITH THE IRISH BAND BEHIND HER THAT IS ALLSO SO BEAUTIFUL.

I fortunately caught a sampling of Charlotte Church from a news-type broadcast and was immediately interested in hearing more from this young talent. I purchased the CD first and the video not long after that. The video is truly captivating from start to finish. The voice that comes from this sparkling 13-year old is... well, like an Angel! You tend to forget how young she is until her bubbly youth takes over between songs.

The segments after her performance was about the best I've seen done on anyone. It puts you right into Charlotte's world and let you experience her life just as she sees it... through the eyes of her personal video camera. It's amazing how far this young girl has gotten while maintaining such a both-feet-on-the-ground, "typical teenage girl" kind of character. She's fun to watch and a joy to listen to.

Charlotte is truly a captivating person with a remarkable voice and I highly recommend this video as well as her CD to anyone and everyone. I'm sure you'd agree that she truly has a Voice of an Angel!

This entertaining little melodrama does a decent job of moving Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson from the Victorian comforts of Baker Street into the WWII London of blitzes and blackouts. I have been watching this movie off and on for over 30 years, and it has never looked as crystal clear as it does in UCLA's stunning print. Sound is sharp and clear, too, with some lines of dialogue understandable to my ears for the very first time. Speaking of dialogue, it's quite an indictment of today's Idiots-R-Us culture that a cheap B-movie from 60 years ago sounds like Shakespeare now. For example, when Basil Rathbone's Holmes reminds Thomas Gomez that the English believe every life has value, the sweaty little Nazi sneers "A quaint notion of an even quainter nation." Not bad. The plot purports to be based on Sir Arthur's wonderful endpaper Holmes story "His Last Bow," but it uses nothing beyond the villain's last name and the great closing lines. In its day, the British were outraged at this movie, with its suggestion of treachery and treason at the highest levels of government, and the country owing its salvation to the noble bravery of a prostitute. Doesn't sound so shocking now, does it?

I am writing this pre-review to express my Great Expectations and excitement over the upcoming DVD release of the 14 Sherlock Holmes movies made by Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce.
For those of us who have loved and worn out our VHS versions of these films, I am sure that I speak for many of us in expressing incredible anticipation and near shock that someone has finally recognized the need to release a "restored version" of these timeless classics.
We are told that they have been "Preserved and restored in 35mm by the UCLA Film and Television Archive." This is marvelous and I have already pre-ordered Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 from MPI Home Video.
I so hope that the entire 14 movies, are ultimately released in restored condition. Especially the rarest of them, "The Scarlet Claw" which has rarely been shown on televison and only been available on VHS sporadically.
To me and many others I know, Basil Rathbone is the definative Holmes. Not just because he looks alarmingly similar -as much as is humanly possible- to Sidney Pagets drawings of Holmes from the Strand Magazine illustrations, but mostly we love Rathbone because he portrayed the same Holmes that we as readers get through the buffer of Dr. Watson explaining away not magnifying Holmes' shortcomings.
Jeremy Brett chose to amplify every negative aspect of Holmes' personality that in the written versions Watson explained away. Rathbone's Holmes has been demeaned visciously over the past years and hopefully the respect and dignity that he gave his portrayals will be seen in all their accuracy and glory with these new digitally restored releases. ... these will have to be the best quality versions of these classics ever released...so for all of us who have cursed the incomprehensibly awful releases of these films over the years...our time has almost come. Show your support for this effort by ordering a restored version of American Film Histroy.
Much Thanks to UCLA, MPI, and Whoever was ultimately responsible for the idea of doing this!!!!

Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson are at it again. This time they are trying to figure out a murderous voice (The Voice of Terror). Basil Rathbone is as good as ever as Sherlock Holmes, while Nigel Bruce is still exelent as the bumbling Dr. John H. Watson. This film might feel slow at points but makes up for the fact with some good twist and turns in the plot. After seeing it more then ten times the story gets old, but you start picking up on little thing. Look at Rathbone's face as Nigel Bruce acts like an bafoon...He's smiling!!

This isnt a cheap sounding and fuzzy looking concert. This is a big budget DVD with great production. Steve Walsh (unlike many other classic rock singers), still sounds awesome. Phil Ehart is possibly the most underrated rock drummer ever. There are no weak songs here. From great first album tunes like JOURNEY FROM MARIABRONN & BELEXES through the 80's hits PLAY THE GAME TONIGHT & FIGHT FIRE WITH FIRE to the recent ICARUS II, Kansas plays with great passion throughout.THE PREACHER (including a choir), CHILD OF INNOCENCE, THE WALL & CHEYENNE ANTHEM are all highlights. The stage looks great with laser lights included. Kansas fans shouldn't think twice about getting this great DVD.

This is one of the best, if not the best, concert DVDs I have ever seen. The editing is superb. There is nothing worse than watching a DVD of a band you love and having the camera locked on the lead singer during a guitar solo. There is none of that on this fine DVD.

Before this DVD, my favorite concert DVD was from Dream Theater, which excels on sheer musicianship alone. But the production quality was dismal. Not so with the this Kansas DVD. I was very impressed with the camera work that would slowly rotate around Robbie as he sang and played against the starry background. The lighting, special effects and computer animations were complementary and not distracting.

The playing was nearly flawless. Seeing Steve Walsh playing Kerry Livgrin's parts, you really start to appreciate just how talented he is. Although Walsh doesn't have the range he once had, he proves that he is still one of the best voices in rock. Phil Ehart also demonstrates that he is the most underrated drummer in rock. I've only listened in Dolby stereo so far and the sound quality is fabulous. The violin and keys were a little low in some parts but still very distinct. The band plays new arraignments of familiar songs including the addition of a string quartet on "Dust in the Wind" and turned the "Howling at the Moon" section of Magnum Opus into wonderful standalone song. Overall, this is outstanding concert DVD.

This is a great Kansas concert. I think they are closer to what they were in the 70s than in the 80s and 90s.
The selection of songs is great, though I would of left out the 80s stuff and put other great songs from their golden-era.
Steve Walsh's voice is better than in the 90s, like a reviewer quote, he has re-invented his vocals succesfully.
I can't believe some reviews in here, complaining about Steve Walsh's pants??? The look of Robby Steinhardt??? The weight of Rich Williams??? OH MY GOD, what the heck has that to do with the music folks? Do they think that Steve Walsh would play or sing better 'cos of different clothes? How much sence does that have please. Be quiet people, don't be so silly now.

I'm pleased with this DVD and I only hope that some day, we can watch a DVD quality concert of Kansas in the 70s. I have non-official videos of them performing at Don Kirshner Rock Concerts 1974/1975 & Live In Houston Texas, 1980; and some others rare things like Carry On Wayward Son live in 1976 somewhere in the US and promo films. Of course, their quality are not the best, so c'mon people related to Kansas, do some effort to put out now a great LIVE DVD with 70s footage ;-) please !!!! Kansas at their very best and Steve Walsh's voice so superb that make him my ALL-TIME fave singer.

This low-budget movie delivers! I rented this movie becuase I am a Michael Caine fan, and was surprised by this little film's big-time merits. The film is very, very British, and is filled with the bizarre high-low humor that is the British tradition. As far as I am concerned, this is Caine's best performace since Woody Allen's "Hannah and Her Sisiters," which came out thirteen years ago. He won a Golden Globe but was not even nominated for an Oscar, but Brenda Blethyn was, and Jane Horrocks should have been. This was written as a stage play, with Jane Horrocks in mind for the role of L.V., and her performance is exceptional. She performed all of her own songs in the film, perfectly imitating Torch greats like Shirley Bassey and Billie Holiday. See the movie, and buy the soundtrack.

The most remarkable aspect of this movie is the great performance of all main actors: Jane Horrocks, Brenda Blethyn and Michael Caine, each one of them as impressive as possible and it is hard to say whose act is the best; is it the surprising wonderfully voiced Jane Horrocks, who makes this movie such a satisfying entertainment, Michael Caine who plays all nuances of the greedy agent (one who knows how to psychologically manipulate mother and daughter) or the great Brenda Blethyn whose every twist of face and body is an act of its own. Mari talks all the time, but in the few instances when she has no words - Brenda Blethyn's face says it all. I am not sure that Mari deserves all that she gets in this movie, but she is punished for all her doings in the unforgettable words she hears from both agent and daughter.
Throughout the movie I was expecting some sort of reconciliation between mother and daughter or some recognition from mother towards daughter, some kind words... appreciation...but none of this is here and there is no attempt to cover the real-life truth. This is even sharpened when one understands that yes, the mother is jealous of her daughter and no, the daughter is not just "naturally shy". All falls to place at the movie's climax moment and all is understood.
Although Mari's character is unpleasant, she is so wonderfully portrayed by Brenda Blethyn that I was unable to feel any contempt for her character because above all she is a human being to whom you feel a mixture of both anger and pity.
The second aspect of Little Voice is the music - Jane Horrocks honors the great singers (Shirley Bassey, Marilyn Monroe and Judy Garland) with her performance that tries to bring them as they were and not to glorify herself. This is quite a contradictory statement as the film was built around Jane Horrocks unique talent - but this is only "behind the scenes" knowledge and not what you feel when you see her on screen. Not a "big" movie and does not intend to be one. The splendid perfomrance makes it worth your time.

I wasn't expecting great things when I first sat down to watch "Little Voice". My God, was I blown away. What a movie! What a cast! And Jane Horrocks (Bubble from "Absolutely Fabulous") what a voice! A shy, young introvert (Horrocks) locks herself away in her room where she mimicks Judy Garland, Marilyn Monroe and Shirley Bassey in an attempt to escape her over-bearing, loud, common mother (played to the hilt by the brilliant Blethyn). Enter a sleazy, slimy talent agent (Caine) who discovers her and tries to cash in on Little Voice's amazing talent. I won't say too much more except you MUST buy this movie to add to your DVD library! If only to hear Horrocks' voice. Yes, she actually sang all the numbers herself in this movie....AMAZING! Why didn't this movie win an Academy Award for something? Who votes in the winners? Are they blind as well as deaf? What's wrong with Hollywood today?

This a pleasant and moving little film. Its strong points are the sence of place and the landscape. The sountrack is the Lark Ascending by Vaughn Williams. Although English music it captures the feel of the Australian country side wonderfully.

The hero of the film is a young boy of 15 who fall in love with an older girl from a poorer family. She is involved with an older kid who is always getting into trouble. The 15 year old watches the tragedy which unfolds from a distance. Around him live adults who have lived damaged lives.

"The Year My Voice Broke" is a touching coming-of-age film from Australia. Set in the 1962 in a small Outback town in New South Wales, the title refers to Danny Embling (Noah Taylor), who has always been in love with the beautiful but independent Freya Olson (Loene Carmen). They have been friends since childhoo, but, unfortunately, she falls for Trevor (Ben Mendelsohn), the school's star rugby player who has a taste for running afoul of the law. Writer-Director John Duigan must be working from material close to home here, because he does an excellent job of catching the pain and torture of teenage longing, especially in the scenes where Danny followz Freya and Trevor on their dates. The ending for the film is certainly not a happy one, but what is important is that it certainly rings true. "The Year My Voice Broke" is as bitter-sweet as you would expect from the title. Standing out in the supporting cast is Bruce Spence (from the "Mad Max" movies) plays Jonah, a railroad signal man who is writing the first truly erotic Australian novel. This 1988 film won five Australian Film awards including Best Picture.

I tremble as I write this review, for fear that I cannot put into words how I feel about this movie. This film...touched me in a way no other film ever has. I watch it endlessly, studying every detail, every nuance, every line of dialogue. This film is so beautiful, every aspect. The acting, the script, the photography, all of it. Danny Embling stands next to Holden Caulfield as one of the greatest fictional characters ever created. This movie has inspired me so much, every time I watch it I am still deeply moved. The final scene where Danny sits, smoking the cigarette and looking out at the landscape uttering the last words of the film will always haunt me. I hope someday to get to Willy Hill.

Very good informative voice over and pictures of the rosary. A wonderful DVD for parents to watch with their children and to discuss the life of Christ and the prayers of the Rosary.

but if you are after the history, and more about the life of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, it is worthwhile. There are only snippets of his concert performances (really only one in particular) which as a whole, make this DVD fall far short of what I was looking for......

This Dvd has a few good moments.The picture quality was very good too.Sadly there was not enough footage of nusrat himself being interviewed before his death or peforming.The sound qaulity of nusrat singing was bad most of the time.Although this documentary possess a thrilling performance of nusrat's brother singing in great natural sound.One interesting moment was a rare interview with nusrat's widow.Overall this dvd was pretty okay,but could have been better.Still,I recommend this dvd.It's still worth seeing,cos there's not much available footage in the western world of this late master of the art of vocal music in the quwaal style.Nusrat is truely a voice from heaven.

"A Voice from Heaven", a 75 minute film by director Giuseppe Asaro, serves as an oblique portrait of the late Qawwali singer Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. Qawwali is a classical music of the mystic Sufi traditions. It has a history, spanning some 600 years, which places a strong emphasis on improvisation within musical performance. It perhaps shares similar goals with American Gospel music: to inspire a devotional ecstasy among the assembled listeners.

Qawwali music is indigenous to South East Asia. The songs we hear in this video originated in Afghanistan and then migrated to Northern India and Pakistan, as a way of sharing the Sufi spiritual aesthetic.

Nusrat's ensemble is comprised of a lead singer and sometimes a secondary singer, both of whom play the Harmonium, along with junior ensemble members that provide rhythmic accompaniment through the clapping of hands.

In 1983, singer Peter Gabriel recorded this music for his Real World record label and introduced Nusrat's sound to a small international audience. In the 1990's, a musical collaboration between Western musicians and Qawwali voice, for director Tim Robbins and his movie "Dead Man Walking", brought this music to the attention of a wider American public.

The final fifteen minutes of the disc are dedicated to the story of how Rahat Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan [ Nusrat's Nephew ] was chosen to continue as leader of this Qawwali ensemble after Nusrat's death in 1997 at the age of 48.

The captivating cinematography of Pakistan, India, Canada and the United States, along with documentation of the visible passion of these musicians and their audience, will make this DVD a great resource for those interested in the various cultures of our diverse planet.

Dan (Greg Harrison)gets kicked off the force for brutality, he's also suicidal and he wants to beat women during sex just like his father did with his mother. When he goes back to his home town he starts working at his deceased father's garage and falls in love again with his high school sweetheart Brenda, but he's afraid of intimacy with her because he will no doubt beat her so when Dr. Claire Archer comes into the picture as a radio host he turns to her for help and she decides to give it to him. She lets him reveal all of his desires and whilst in the process of trying to cure him she gets obsessed with him, which later on turn out to be Dan's downfall when he tries to back out on her. Doctor/patient relationship oversteps boundaries, nudity is limited yes Greg flaunts his naked butt in this a few times, but the ending was bad even though the plot started off good. I don't intend to see the other sequels to this movie no thank you!

just one of the best dvds i have ever seen

You can tell this was a VHS transfer to DVD. The picture kind of has that fuzz look to it, I don't mean it is horrible, but is definitely not up to DVD standards. You can tell its older, Which stems my complaints: I really wish they would have had more songs from Litany on this DVD. Let me be correct, there is songs from litany on here, but its on the bootleg bonus stuff which has such terrible picture and sound quality you will never watch it! I guess Im a guy that was more familiar with Vader's newer stuff when I bought this, so I was expecting much more, it is more rough / deathier than their newer stuff (they are still death metal, but anyone that hears old and new Vader knows what I mean.) Anyway, 4 stars for their litany album, and only 3 for this.

It is really awesome to finally have a death metal dvd in 5.1 dolby digital it has 13 live songs taped in poland in that sound format than about seven live songs bootlegged from some festival crappy sound and picture but its a bonus so its cool than there is also three rare videos ,an interview with frontman Peter in Polish(English subtitled)If you enjoy death metal or the band Vader this is a must!!!!!!!KEEP SUPPORTING DEATH METAL!!!!!!!!