F Movie Reviews

Another unbiased look at our american past by Ken Burns. Very well done.

This was an excellent portrait of Huey Long. Specifically, the documentary does very well in presenting both sides of Long from the people who loved him and the enemies who loathed him. Burns shows that while Huey used powers that often bordered on the dictatorial, he did a lot for his state during the Depression and was loved by the poor who had been ignored for years.

After watching it, I was must struck by the vicious hatred aristocrats and others had for the Kingfish. These people expressed glee at Long's assasination and noted that many of them had plotted to kill him on numerous occassions. The reason that this is so noteworthy is because Long is often savaged by historians (such as Arthur Schlesinger on the DVD who labeled Huey "sinister"), but they often fail to mention that Huey needed to be politically heavy-handed to deal with the similarly powerhungry artistocrats and machine politicians that had total control of Louisiana before the Kingfish was elevated to the governorship.

All in all an excellent look at Huey that I highly recommend to anyone with an interest in politics or history.

I attended a convention in the city of New Orleans once where I saw two memorable things. First, was a bus named Desire (the streetcars no longer run). Second, was a political commercial in which one candidate suggested people should not vote for his opponent for sheriff because the man was a convicted felon. My immediate thought was how in the name of perdition does a convicted felon get to run for public office? Then I remembered that I was in Louisiana and that the legacy of Huey Long is alive and well.

"Huey Long: A Film by Ken Burns" provides just what you would expect from America's premier documentarian: extensive archival footage mixed with recollections from Louisianans who knew Long and commentary from celebrated talking heads such as historian Arthur M. Schlessigner, Jr., journalist I. F. Stone, and, of course, author Robert Penn Warren, whose novel "All the King's Men" was a fictional retelling of the rise and fall of Huey P. Long. The balance between Long's supporters and opponents, between his own rhetoric and the verdict of history, and between his political accomplishments and his quest for an American dictatorship, is quite impressive. As a viewer you understand why the man was so popular with his "Every Man a King" and "Share-the-Wealth" programs and also how dangerous he was as a political demagogue.

Huey Long's quest for the White House remains one of the great "what ifs" of American politics in the 20th century. My opinion has always been that Long could not have mounted a successful challenge to FDR in the 1936 election. The techniques of bribery, intimidation, and coercion that Long used so effectively in his home state to be both Governor and U.S. Senator at the same time, would not have worked outside the borders of Louisiana (although I have little doubt he would have tried). Long would also have to contend with Roosevelt's own formidable charisma as well as the machinery of the Democratic Party and the enmity of every other Democratic politician in the rest of the country. However, this point is certainly debatable and one of the reasons Long remains such an intriguing figure, especially when you are considering the American variant of fascism from the first half of the 20th century.

This 88-minute documentary is nominated by David McCullogh, and there is a point where "Ashokan Farewell" pops up and you have to remind yourself that this documentary on "Huey Long" came out before "The Civil War" made Ken Burns a household name. This is a first rate documentary that provides a fairly objective portrait of a complex and controversial man, as well as the era in which he lived and the power politics that made Long a legend.

Let's Get Lost is one of the most haunting, visually evocative films ever made. It transcends genres. It is simply criminal that there is not a crystal clear, remastered dolby 5.1 surround version of this remarkable film on DVD! I would buy it for myself and send it as a gift to all my jazz and/or photographer friends!

A year after Chet Baker's tragic death, I remember watching, spellbound, Let's Get Lost, a video format documentary of Chet's life from a handsome, care-free young man in California playing lyrically on his horn to a gaunt-faced middle-aged man obviously ravaged by drugs but still performing with extra-ordianry brilliance only a few months away from his death. One of the most touching moments in the that documentary was a scene where his mother, wife and three kids gather in front of a record player listening to his recording of Blame It On My Youth. I am waiting for the release of a DVD format of this documentary which, sadly, is hard to find even in video format.

I saw Let get lost back in 1988 in denver at the ogden theater there was only two of us in the theater what a perfect setting for a perfect movie , well not just a movie a veiw into the world of a very lost soul i was captivated and am still to this very day .chet baker is a wonderkin a natural mistake a musical genius what has jazz become without him ? a wasteland of generic artificial elevator music how sad it is to hear people say they love jazz and when i ask them who their favorites are they tell me "kenny g" and noname non descript people i care not to remember what i'm trying to say is what happened ?where did we go wrong ? Chet the jazz world of today has forsaken you and the rest of us who really know what jazz was and is , raw ,absolute and our best freind , and demon .
please release lets get lost so the masses can sink their teeth into something juicy and way too rich !

finally someone has hit the nail on the head for our little ones!
i hope we can look forward to seeing more of these wonderful characters and the places they take our children...

GO BABIES!!!

My 3 year of daughter loves to sit down and watch Alphabet Road. The unique characters and fun songs keep her attention for hours. Thank you, I could not have asked for a better video for her.

Alphabet Road "F is for Farm" is a big hit in our home. It is wonderfully entertaining and engaging. The video is as educational as the best episodes of Sesame Street and the puppets are as endearing, too. My 2 1/2 year old knows the Alphabet Road song by heart and will spontaneously start singing it. We can't wait to buy more episodes. As a busy working mother who values education (and a free moment), I have purchased many other videos and, of all, this is our child's favorite!! I highly recommend it for you and your young child.

"The Ben Stiller Show" was a hidden treasure on the then-fledgling FOX Network. Around the time of the equally funny sketch show, "In Living Color," it helped make FOX *the* place for comedy.
Some of Ben Stiller's most popular impersonations got their genesis here: Tom Cruise, Bono (the MTV Mock-umentary of U2 is hilarious), even Eddie Munster (as Eddie in "Cape Munster"). And boy did he know how to surround himself with good people. The regular ensemble cast of four is filled out by Bob Odenkirk, Andy Dick and Janeane Garafalo before anyone knew exactly how cool she was. All those MTV Movie Awards skits... their birthplace is on this show. Every episode also features a special guest, ranging from Ben's dad, Jerry Stiller, to Bobcat Goldthwait and the late Sam Kennison.
Unfortunately, only thirteen episodes of the series ever made it to air. Shortly before "Mystery Men" was released in theatres, the FX Network aired all the episodes in a Sunday Marathon. I've had them on tape ever since. I definitely look forward to replacing them with this DVD collection.

This is the series that I've always hoped would be released on DVD. This set is being planned as a huge special edition with commentary tracks, deleted sketches, and more. Much of the humor revolves around the time, but it doesn't feel dated. There are many spoofs of movies and tv shows that were popular when this aired (Fall 1992). There are just too many great moments to mention, some of my favorites are "Creepy Board," "Low Budget Tales of Cliched Horror," "Ask Manson," "Cape Munster," there are just far too many great moments. Fans of Mr. Show will want to check this out (Bob Odenkirk was a regular cast member, David Cross was a writer and appears in a few sketches), as will fans of the cast, sketch comedy, and things that happened in 1992.

Sadly this was before cable gave an outlet for great shows like this. Ben Stiller had his own show and it was good! It's a collection of great skits. I will never forget the scene where he plays Tom Cruise on the pro bowling circuit.
Just pure brilliance.

This film was a very good in-depth look at the people who were most responsible for bringing radio to the masses. However, I find it distressing that Nikola Tesla was never mentioned once in this documentary. Everyone remembers Marconi as the "father" of radio, but it was actually Tesla, in his experiments with the wireless transmission of power, who invented radio and who was the true father. Ken Burns would have done good to at least mention that fact. Other than this discrepancy, the documentary is a very good look into the early history of radio.

This documentary skillfully tells the story of the three men most responsible for what radio has become today. It is also the story of radio.

Burns portrays brilliant yet egocentric FM radio inventor Edwin Howard Armstrong as the centerpiece of his film. Armstrong's friendship with RCA Chairman David Sarnoff and his personal and legal troubles with Lee DeForest and later Sarnoff are really the center of the documentary.

While Armstrong's story is somewhat heartbreaking, Sarnoff's story is alternately despicable and inspiring. It shows his rise from a Russian immigrant selling papers on the street to become, at his death, one of the most cutthroat and powerful people in entertainment.

Then, there's Lee deForest. He's portrayed as a flamboyant self promoter that built his life and career on the backs of others including Armstrong.

With the stories of these three men is also the story of radio from its early days. Burns weaves together old-time broadcasts and many interviews with popular public figures, people who knew Armstrong, deForest, and Sarnoff, and individuals associated with early radio. I acknowledge the earlier review that says the movie slights Tesla...it does. The documentary probably should have mentioned Tesla in some way, but the focus of the movie is more on the lines of the three men that made radio what it is today.

You will laugh at Lee Deforest, and you will feel deep sorrow in your heart for Edwin Armstrong. You may even hate David Sarnoff a bit. Ken Burns is a great filmmaker, and he's working with great material here. He clearly has a message in this movie. I wish Hollywood would get ahold of this book and make it into a feature-length movie. The documentary based on the book is really and truly a masterpiece. I recommend this documentary to anyone interested in the medium of radio or television. I also recommend this film to anyone interested in inventing or the history of inventing in general.

I first saw "Empire of the Air" on PBS when it debuted in 1991. At the time, I was a junior in high school and I had heard that there was going to be a program about Radio on PBS. All I can say is this is a great program for anyone who loves Radio and Television, and it really captures not only the history behind Broadcasting and Broadcast engineering, but it also examines the lives of the great men who built the legacy of the Broadcast industry into what it is today. I also have the book that this program is based on, and it is excellent too. Ken Burns has a unique way of telling a story and taking a viewer into another place and time that few documentary filmakers today are really able to do. The late actor Jason Robards narrates this film, and he was the right guy to have as a narrator for this production. Ken Burns proved with the Civil War series that he is a master storyteller, and I will also be buying "The Civil War" DVD set in the near future. I have a degree in Broadcasting from Eastern Kentucky University and we watched this program in a couple of my classes. One professor I had told us that the film could tell us more about the history of Radio and Television in two hours than he could ever hope to. That is saying a lot, because it was coming from a professor with a PhD. who had been teaching Broadcasting for probably 20 years. I am also an amateur radio operator, and there is a little of the history that ham radio operators played in the role of Broadcasting depicted in this film as well. I have been waiting for about 4 years for PBS to finally release "Empire of the Air" on DVD, and I will be buying this title shortly. I highly recommend this video, it is able to take the viewer to another place and time before the age of entertainment that we know today when families would gather around the radio for their news and entertainment. It is really a shame in some ways that we have lost a lot of the kind of closeness that Radio brought to families so many years ago. All I can say is Ken Burns is a genius!

"Sunrise" is a simple, touching story, beautifully told, about betrayal and redemption. A farmer, tempted by his sophisticated mistress from the city, tries to kill his wife, but at the moment of truth he cannot do it. The farmer and his wife rediscover their love, but then Nature throws in a surprise twist to test their happiness. Within this framework, Murnau throws in bits of humor and imagination-- the knocked-down statue which they think they have broken because it doesn't have a head, the drunken pig which the farmer chases through the carnival. Throughout, Murnau hardly needs intertitles because the visuals are so effective.

About the DVD: I received it through Fox Studio's free offer in 2003. The quality of the print is uneven and much more grainy than Fox's restorations of later films. Sometimes it appears to be free of artifacts, but often you can see the scratches and blotches from the film negative. There are two soundtracks. The original score is in mono and the sound quality is decent. The new score is in Dolby 2.0 and sounds much clearer. Both scores match the movie very well and are worth listening to.

The DVD also has a lot of extra features. The audio commentary by the cinematographer John Bailey is technical but informative. For writers, you have the original scenario by Carl Mayer, along with the final screenplay. Most uniquely, Fox has also included what remnants are available from Murnau's "lost film" called "The 4 Devils." The narrated essay pieces the film together from production stills, drawings from the art director, and the screenplay, which is also on the DVD.

Overall, a masterpiece of visual storytelling and an oustanding DVD. Kudos to Fox Studios.

It is sad that most copies of this great film are from a bad master that leads one to believe that "Sunrise" was meant to be a murkily shot movie. Nothing could be further from the truth. I am waiting for the DVD to come out so that we all can enjoy this incredible film. Director Murnau made a film full of magic through the skilled use of sets (with forced perspective), lighting, camerawork, and great performances (George O'Brien is terrific). Probably the best use of film to make what amounts to a visual poem. Now all we need is a good, clean DVD copy with a cleaned up soundtrack (or even a re-recorded soundtrack). Trivia: The man who yells in the traffic scene (the only human sound in this early silent/sound movie) was Gibson Gowland, the star of Stroheim's "Greed".

A movie of huge issues, betrayal of love, seduction, temptation, and ultimate reconciliation. A simple farmer (George O'Brien) from an island village, someplace, anyplace -- the setting, though European in appearance could represent anywhere, for this is a universal story -- has become entangled with a Woman From the City (Margaret Livingston), who tries to persuade him to d-r-o-w-n his wife (Janet Gaynor) -- the title card used here, "Couldn't you just drown her?" melts and drips off the screen. Run off with her, she beckons, as a super-imposed shot of a bustling city plays above the couple trysting in a sheltered marsh. The farmer tries to go through with this plot, entangled as he is, so much so that when he looks at his wife the other woman appears as a sort of doppelganger, clinging to him in another remarkable super-imposed shot. He can't go through with it, but the damage has been done. His wife, in the boat for what she'd thought was to be a joy ride -- and such joy she'd displayed while preparing for this ride -- cringes in utter terror. The rest of the movie plays as a kind of dance of reconciliation, a step-by-small-step, agonizing process which takes place in a fantastic city of delights and wonders that contrasts vividly with the simple couple from the country. The couple reunites, in fact they are ectastic in their rediscovery of each other, only to be torn apart once more while returning home when a violent storm threatens to drown them both. So knotty is the plot, so huge in scope, and yet Murnau successfully distills these immense conflicts into succinct, moving, amazingly stylistic vignettes. The look of the film, the feelings evoked, this was of greater importance to Murnau than were words, and in fact he utilizes very few title cards. Poetic, human, very beautiful. Timeless and powerful indeed. One can see oneself in this film, can be brought to feel as do the characters. And that, without a doubt, equals cinematic triumph.

As a born again Christian, lover of history, beauty, & courage, Esther was such an inspiration to me. A few liberties were taken (ie. God is never mentioned in the Book of Esther, while He is in the movie.) But these liberties actually succeeded in bringing out the meaning of the Biblical story. Some of the acting done by the actors playing the eunuchs was a little stilted, but it also didn't damage the progression of the story. This movie is an excellent teaching tool to get people interested in the Bible. It tells a story of a young woman who is an example for women of all ages. Esther is courageous, honest, graceful, empathetic, & a woman of integrity & dignity. Through her bravery, faith, & wisdom she brought the enemy of her people down & gained the respect & love of her young, impetuous, & immature husband who was a reluctant king. Because of her qualities Esther didn't have to use ruthlessness & vulgarity, or dishonesty to bring down her & her people's enemies. Because of her dignity she won the place as partner with her husband in ruling Persia, & certainly her husband needed someone who could help him in his responsibilities & help him to grow up & rule responsibly. So many girls & women in our society could use Esther as their role model. She was Every Woman & a Lady! She was truly a "Liberated woman."

With so much tasteless stuff comming out of hollywood these days this movie was a refreashing change. I enjoyed the fact that it remained with the biblical storey of Esther...ever so much portraying the king as a flake. Great movie and well done just like Jacob, David, Abraham and the rest of those movies that have been recently produced. Louise Lombard was perfect for the part of the biblical Jewish Queen Esther.

Esther shines as a light in a dark place, and the story follows closely the biblical account in a beautiful way. Esther is portrayed radiantly, as is her uncle Mordecai, played with intensity by F. Murray Abraham. History has shown what the consequences of her actions were - "how God has allowed you to live in such a time like this." It's a wake-up call for us all.

This is the last volume in the series. For those of you still looking for episodes not in the numerical series, they may be on "More Treasures of the TZ" or "Tresures of the TZ" which were produced prior to Vol. 1.
While two of the episodes on this DVD are found elsewhere in the series, the other two are not. However, there are a couple of surprises on this disc which make it important to history buffs and die-hard fans. "A World of His Own" is one of my personal favorites. It has the most "unique" ending of any episode, as it should -- it was the final episode of the first season.

Am I the only person who knows what episodes are on this DVD. All the reviews I have read doesn't mention the episode that are on this volume. Well I guess I will have to give them. Below are the episodes of this volume: 1)"Where Is Everybody?" (Episode 1- Oct. 2, 1959) 2)"The Eye Of The Beholder" (Episode 42- Nov. 11, 1960) 3)"A World Of His Own" (Episode 36- July 1, 1960) 4)"A Thing About Machines" (Episode 40- Oct. 28, 1960) Those are the episodes in this volume. This is a great volume of the Twilight Zone. It is so great that we should at least let people know what episodes are on this volume.

Got all 43 DVDs (45 if you include the 2 "Treasures"). They are great and ALL 156 episodes are represented. The last reviewer somehow miscounted and thought two were missing. They are not missing. The "Passersby" is on DVD #6 while "Come Wander With Me" is on #41. Its terrific to finally have this great series on DVD, I just wish they appeared in order of release.

Columbia continues its downward spiral where its classic DVD output is concerned. "On The Waterfront" is not only a great Academy Award winning film, it's an American icon. The plot concerns itself with a union stooge (Marlon Brando) who finally realizes that the intimidation racket he's got himself into is all wrong. Also stars Eva Marie Saint, Rod Steiger and Carl Malden.
Quite simply: this transfer is worn. Contrast levels are extremely low, fine details are lost in video noise reduction enhancements and digital grit, grain and noise are detected throughout. Scratches, chips and distortions in the original camera negative still stick out like a soar thumb. The audio is mono and undistinguished. It's not a bad mix, though there are moments where a slight background hiss crops up. No extras! Oh, come on Columbia. This is one of your BEST PICTURES and it gets this kind of treatment on DVD?!? It could'a been a contenda'!!!

...was how much this movie reads like a TV play. So stark is it in its simple, high-key lighting and documentary-style cinematography that it faintly resembles another Rod Steiger character piece he did just a year earlier, the television performance of MARTY. (Both Steiger and newcomer Eva Marie Saint came from live television; the TV anthologies so popular at the time spawned many a future film star, and one can't help but wonder if Elia Kazan himself originally directed plays for television.) And of course, Actors' Studio champ Marlon Brando gives probably his most stunning performance- a tad more subdued and less studied then even the performances in both STREETCAR and GODFATHER, IMHO. The film even has a tremendous music score by Leonard Bernstein. A must-see. And it *does* have class.

"On the waterfront" was shot literally there, not in a studio, and has the reality and invigorating freshness of a true story of a man winning a victory for him and for mankind.

Marlon Brando, the greatest American actor, plays a plain, down beaten boxer, almost innocent, who slowly realises the extend of his abuse by the people he considers his friends, a criminal gang that has been abusing a dock-workers' Union as a cover for its money and power amassing activities. The gang is led by a "self made" ruthless murderer who has already "eliminated" several workers, suspected to "pigeon"( testify) in the criminal proceedings, pending against him, in a Court of justice.

Our hero is faced with a series of moral dilemmas, which he would have rather avoided, but eventually he comes to take the big decision to stand up against these powerful enemies and fight for his fellow workers, his friends and relatives --and defend his humanity.

Love for the sister of a friend, to whose death he unwittingly becomes instrumental, puts our hero in conflict with his actions. This strong love becomes a humanising factor, a compass in the maize of contradictions of attachments and loyalties in his life.

Out of this social jungle, there also emerges a priest, as true shepherd, who tries to uphold the word of worth he preaches to his demoralised and dispersed flock, with his personal guidance and involvement against that evil, mainly their fear and isolation...

Our hero goes through a process of self realisation and consciousness, and, as he is a true fighter, he challenges his enemy, beats him and is beaten by his; but the people like him see and take courage from his actions, and the carton-paper tiger of an omnipotent and unshakable criminal order of social arrangements at "the Waterfront" is exposed in the real light, for what it is, and collapses. There is a memorable sequence of tragic height, of the corrupt "Union leader" trying, yet again, to hang on power by his threatening tactics, but the people go past him, in peace. The people are free.

So, was it all so easy, to disarrange all this gangster brutality, inhumanity and injustice that terrorised and mesmerised a whole community at "the waterfront", the brutality, inhumanity and injustice that tantalises still, more than ever, our own privy world and humanity, in an age that we are aggressively deluged with all sorts of demoralising news about our humanity's crucifixions, around the globe? Kazan's answer is a great affirmation: Human liberation is possible, as in the story of the film, which is a true story.

There is a positive moral, a reinforcement of belief in the great myth of human progress; and in the Fifties this optimism was a tradition in the American cinema. But the great contribution of this classic American film, is the realism with which this is rendered: The realism of the waterfront, of the chorus of people around the protagonists, and of the hero himself; an artistic challenge set by the genius of Kazan and so happily matched by the genius of Marlon Brando.

Marlon Brando conveys the ethos of a plain man, who is content to keep the place he was allowed, unquestioningly. His self-abandonment evolves through the conflicts between the people he loves, in a crescendo, until he is confronted with his brother pointing a shotgun at him. We follow his agonising spiritual development; as he is forced to make judgments of right and wrong, and choose his stance, to testify for the crimes, take sides and find the courage to stand up for his choice, finally fight for his humanity and for his freedom to work. Alone at the turn point, he has to carry the weight of his choice all by himself, as his testimony against his criminal "friends" is regarded by his peers as unacceptable collaboration with an extra communal authority; but we feel satisfaction as we see the tide of sympathy turn his way, as the dockland community gathers courage and dignity by his courage, to fight against the tyranny of gangsters. As long as people love freedom, we will be always glad to hear this kind of news!

Brando's face in this film is a box- fighter's disfigured face, but no disfigurement can shadow the light of human kindness that shines through, as the invincible Helios. It is a good thing that there was a camera around to memorise this, and we can see it. This actor has achieved the ethos of this role as naturally as if it were his own self.

A mythical film, with exemplary interpretations by very talented actors. It is vitally uplifting for the viewer, too-- and I am sorry to have to underline this, as these days this quality is a rarity in the industry...

I grew up watching the reruns of Little House on the Prairie every day when I got home from kindergarten. My mom taped them, so my family owns 170 of the 200 episodes, from Episode 1, "Harvest of Friends," to the final episode, "Hello and Goodbye." Somehow, however, we missed taping "Premiere," so when I bought this DVD, I had never seen it. Well, I was a bit disappointed that in two hours the Ingalls family never reaches Walnut Grove (I was looking forward to seeing introductions of our favorite characters!), but I'm still very glad to own this gem. I know from experience that VHS tapes degrade with time and many viewings, but DVD will last forever. The pilot introduces Mr. Edwards (with a much thinner beard!) as well as the Ingalls family and includes some memorable moments between Pa and Laura. Probably the best scene of all is the classic "Errand for Santa," featuring a snow-caked Victor French who braves a blizzard to get his Christmas gifts to their recipients on time. Overall, a beautiful beginning to an endearing show.

This review refers to "Little House On The Prairie...The Premiere Movie"(Goodtimes Video DVD)

Get ready to go from a good cry, to a big grin and back again on this very enjoyable and heartwarming family TV program. It's the beginning of a classic series that stands the test of time, and should be shared with a new generation.

"The Premiere Movie"..a double length feature that will introduce you to the Ingalls family and their harrowing journey to make a better life for themselves. You'll also meet Jack the dog and Mr. Edwards(Victor French) for the first time. When Charles says "Caroline..were home...".have the kleenex ready! It stars Michael Landon(who also directed many of the episodes), Karen Grassle, Melissa Gilbert and Melissa Sue Anderson.

Goodtimes DVD has done a nice job of transfering these 70's TV classsics. They look great. Nice color and sound. There is some occasional flickering but a very enjoyable view overall. It's nice to be able to enjoy them whenever the mood hits and without all the commercials!.If you really love these stories, you may want to consider buying the 4 pack. It includes this one,a double length feature "The Lord Is My Sheperd"(Little Laura runs away to be closer to God),"The Collection"(guest starring Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash), and "Laura Ingalls Wilder"(Laura and Almanzo finally tie the knot), another double length feature.

You'll laugh, you'll cry!...enjoy...Laurie

The Pilot film of "Little House on the Prairie" was what made Little House as it is today. It was first aired in 1974 on NBC-TV. Millions of fans gathered around the TV to watch it and now years later it is still a hit. Watch this great movie and enjoy it on DVD with your family for years to come! I have seen it several times and each time I see it I see somthing new that I have forgotten or that I have'nt seen before.