Arts Movie Reviews

Arguably the best crime film of 1968, and certainly one of the most influential films of the genre...."Bullitt" established new directions in the mood and style of crime thrillers, and firmly established McQueen as one of the key anti-hero stars of the 60's. Based on the gritty novel "Mute Witness" by Robert L. Pike, this was the first, and only, time McQueen portrayed a police officer (albeit a maverick one) in his movie career. In 1968 Steve was then riding high on the success of his previous crime film, "The Thomas Crown Affair", and "Bullitt" just propelled his star even higher into the heavens !

The plot is tight, economical and well crafted....taciturn, moody Detective Frank Bullitt (McQueen) is charged with the protection of a key witness vital to an upcoming trial involving Mafia connections. Whilst hidden away in a supposed secure location, the witness and his police guard are brutally gunned down by unknown assailants. The heat is turned up on Bullitt by his tough Captain (Simon Oakland) and the manipulative, opportunistic politician Walter Chalmers (Robert Vaughn) to come up with the right answers fast ! Between the draining investigation, Bullitt struggles to maintain his relationship with his cultured, sensitive girlfriend, Cathy (Jacqueline Bisset)

Primarily coming from a TV series background, Englishman Peter Yates (directing his fourth movie) did a commendable job as director on "Bullitt"...producing a complex, intense crime thriller with a unique style that would ultimately influence many other films. Yates would later to go onto direct Robert Mitchum in the excellent "sleeper" crime film "The Friends of Eddie Coyle" !

And of course "Bullitt" is reknowned for it's now legendary car chase between Frank Bullitt's 390 GT Mustang and the two hitmen in their black, Dodge Charger 440 Magnum barrelling through the city streets and highways of San Francisco....just don't pay too much attention to how many times they pass that slow-moving, green VW Beetle !!

The DVD transfer is excellent in both sound and picture quality, and the Limited Edition Set with the extra goodies (Single sheet poster, shooting draft, lobby cards etc.) is a real bonus for keen film fans !!

One of my favourite cop thrillers....McQueen sizzles on screen !!

Well I couldn't get warm with this DVD.. it actualy is more or less a taped capoeira class. While this isn't a bad thing it's just not enough...

Positive things about this DVD:
+ good feeling of how a Capoeira class looks like
+ some cool movements
+ some good games
+ good capoeira music

Negative things
- bad camerawork, shacky pictures wich often don't show the full action
- fast movements look blurry so you can't always figure out what the guys are doing.
- almost no comments to what is going on, on the picture.
- most of the fighting techniques seemed to be from boxing and jui jitsu

So this DVD shows a realistical view of Capoeira and leave you with quiet a good feeling, but it's defenitaly lacking on the technical side (Camera, camerawork) and Content (as it just doesn't explain anything...)

Very exciting actions throughout the entire movie. This DVD shows very unique & deceptive capoeira techniques; shows you how to string a berimbau also. The music is very spiritual and energetic. Excellent rodas plus maculele and samba. A must watch, the best out there! Congratulations to Raizes do Brasil Capoeira by this very well done piece, representing our art!!

Excelent DVD overall. Exciting roda, decent techniques,
very energetic capoeira music, nice moves. Even though the camera work isn't so great, the capoeira in it makes up for everything.

I looked forward to seeing this DVD based on reviews I read in Amazon.com. The costuming, sets, lighting and dancing are quite fine and the choreography is....spectacularly unimaginative...I kept waiting to see SOMETHING that was remotely compelling and creative and the "techno" dance sequence came closest to providing that. Everything else, however, seemed to be a process of finding a movement and repeating it ad naseaum. Watch Bob Fosse's choreography for "Sing, Sing, Sing" sometime and compare.

"Burn the Floor" (DVD), is a film of the stage play "Burn the Floor" and burn the floor they do. Wow! It's a year 2000 salute, a tribute to dancing couples. Many of the dances are interpretations, abstractions of the milestone dance styles of the 20th Century, performed by 23 couples, the world's newest crop of ballroom champions.

The choreography is brilliant and dazzling, with each couple sharing the limelight in individual routines, but somehow it works together, as one. A time machine that whisks the viewer back to the smooth waltz, Hollywood and Broadway of the thirties, the Lindy, Fred Astaire, World War II and Glenn Miller. Then the Jitterbug, Zoot Suit, Reet Pleat and right cuff to look sharp enough to see your Sunday gal. Holy Moly Batman, we eventually zoom back to the 21st Century.

"Hot", the finale, is a hand-clapping, finger snapping, mind boggling Mambo/Salsa of the 21st Century. It is all new, fresh, sexy, wet and hot. The music, the moves, the artistry of the dancers and the ambiance of the stage, draws the spellbound viewer into the action. After seeing this film, many will browse the Yellow Pages in search of dance lessons from their nearest studio. This DVD is a keeper: you can play it over and over and never tire of watching it.

Take the world's best dancing couples from 16 countries with the energy of 44 dancers, 618 brilliant costumes, 342 shoes, highly choreographed heels clickin' and hips swayin' and you have Burn The Floor!

Captured on film, you will see jumpin, jivin, jitterbug, swing, Lindy Hop, waltz, mambo, salsa, tango, flamenco, cha cha, and sexy hot, sweaty ballroom with rock and roll.

This concept of this $10 million extravaganza was conceived at the 50th birthday of Elton John in 1997. It is said that the crowd went wild. The seed was born. You won't see better performers than here. They are young, and they are fast, with ballroom expertise magnified like never before. To watch these phenomenal dancers in such amazing costumes cover a time or a place that is nostalgic or with a high tech twist. It's these numerous costumes that highlight top of the line choreography of director Jason Gilkson, Australia's premier World Championship dancer. It is said these group of best dancers are from around the world while none from the United States.

From "In the Mood" "Jump, Jive and Wail" to top hat and tails and dance to Irving Berlin, salsa your way to Latin sizzle, you will see the best as these dancers all take stage together it is a nostalgic trip complete with poodle skirts, zoot suits, navy suits, petticoats and pig tails and plenty of polka dots, it visually takes you to this Big Band era.

That Hot Sexy Finale, Wow!
To see the finale is worth the price of the videotape. This is called the all-white costume set with a mixture of dances from a cowboy salsa, snappy jazz, contemporary and back to the jump, jive and wail. It is fast with great sound, high steps, kicks, spins, and just great dancing.

If you like dance, see it ....MzRizz