Wholesale and Distribution Movie Reviews

Well, This movie is cheesy and the fx are laughable, but it was made in 1965, and that says it all. I feel that the original Godzilla movie was, in comparison, a more professional production than this one in the fx department as well as overall structure.Anyway this is the one that started it all, and that is the way this movie should be looked at. Overall: FAIR (considering.....).

The first of the famed turtle's movies (later changed from Gammera to Gamera), this movie is a bit cheesy looking, but if you compare it to most monster movies of the time, it's not that bad. Appearance wise, the film is scratchy, but it was made in the 60's, afterall. So, try to remember that and hopefully it won't to ruin your experience. The movie itself has a kind of original "Godzilla" feel, since japanese scenes are intermingled with American scenes, with each side speaking their native language and they seem to know what the other is saying. The giant turtle looks a little goofy; he seems to be unable to lower his head in walking scenes and it bobbles like he has little control if it.

Still, if you're a Kaiju fan, the cheesiness and all it's other faults will mean little to you. Gammera is still Gamera, and, even without the giant enemy to battle with, you root for the turtle and want to see the next installment.

Gammera's been rudely awakened from his nap (buried under an arctic glacier) by an atomic explosion; and man, is he ever pi$$ed! He immediately begins his world-threatening rampage, causing the UN to argue incessantly (in the dull, tedious parts of the movie). Thankfully, there are lots of explosions and tons of building smashing action! Enough to get me rooting for our beloved reptile, while praying for the poor shmuck in the rubber suit! There's also a turtle-obsessed kid who befriends Gammera. He's annoying like a mosquito buzzing in your ear! Listen for the nifty theme song! Pure cheese! Check it out...

I bought this DVD actually thinking I was buying a different movie that I loved a few years ago. Besides the disappointment that it wasn't the movie I thought it was. STILL, the acting is just plain BAD. Ice-T was even a terrible actor in this film. And I like Ice-T as an actor! 95% of this film takes place in an abandoned warehouse and just drags on and on. The plot is so simple, how can anyone screw it up? BAD ACTING! Don't waste your time. Unless you have too much time on your hands...

I'm here today reviewing the Hiest starring one of today's leading action moguls Mr. Luke Perry. Put it up! Yes kids I'm back, they tried to silence old Donny Mac here but I'm here to stay this time. Ok lets get down to business. The Hiest encompesses all the needs of an action movie; Luke Perry, Ice-T, and some others which will remain nameless. Never before have I been so drawn to an action flick since the likes of Death Ring. Perry graced the screen in rare form this time. Never has his washed up, ungroomed self performed on this level. Well he had some amazing moments on 90210, yeah don't act like you don't watch it. If you appreciate Perry's constant whispering, then The Hiest will lay it down for you like never before. Also we were lucky enough to see Ice-T in yet another B classic. This man deserves some kind of recognition from the academy. He's on the cover of almost every new action release in the video store, he's in 90% of all B movies of today. But of course he won't wim an award from the academy. These are the same clowns that have kept Don Swayze and Chad Mcqueen out of the Hollywood "Spotlight." Well no matter how currupt the acedemy is Donny Mac isn't. I'm a give it to you straight. 5 cans of...never mind you people wouldn't get it, so lets say 5 stars for the non stop Perry in The Hiest. Rent it, buy it, do somethin to let Luke know you still care. Well kids Don has to get going now, the bill collector is at the door and I've gotta sneak out the back window. See you real soon, no matter what your friends tell you.

Ice T and Luke Perry and David Faustino are in this movie where a money transport truck gets stolen and taken to a warehouse. One of the crooks had 'arranged' an ice-cream truck to transfer the loot in. Everyone is starting to distrust each other. This movie has suspense, action and a couple real funny moments.

Don't be fooled by video box blurbs or other references--Alan Ladd is NOT in this movie. His name was mistakenly listed in the cast through a clerical error in publicity material and this started the inaccurate use of his name in connection with the movie. Some video distributors have tried to make it look like Ladd co-starred in the movie, by playing up his name on the box. But don't strain your eyes looking for him. He's not in it. It's a fast-paced, fun B-Western, though, and John Wayne ought to be enough for any Western fan.

This "B" western has a solid, well moving plot that peaks in a rescue showdown in the best tradition of these movies.Supporting cast members include able performers such as Monte Blue and James Craig.The film is also bolstered by the undercurrent of mild conflict between John Wayne and Johnny Mack Brown who must learn to respect each other in order to prevail against cattle rustlers and crooked gamblers.Cinematography and musical score are above average.Perhaps Wayne's best "B" western, and then there are Syd Saylor and Marsha Hunt in vital roles.

This is John Wayne's best film up to the time it was released. Great acting by the Duke. Charles Barton was wounderful directing this movie. I think any John Wayne fan will love it!

Both of the movies on this DVD appear to be classic black cinema. That is, films made for black audiences of the '30s.

The fist film, "Hi De Ho", Cab Calloway plays himself in a very poor vehicle about the rise to fame of a bandleader. Grade Z acting is the order of the day in this one, but the real reason to watch is Cab's music. There's also a great tap dance routine in the finale. Although he plays "himself", Cab gets involved in a gunfight and even smacks his girl around! Certainly an odd proceeding for the bandleader.

"The Duke is Tops" is much better, and better produced. Lena Horne makes her film debut in this story about a show producer who feels he is standing in Lena's way. He loves Lena so much he steps aside so she can have her shot at stardom while he fades into obscurity, eventually working with a travelling medicine show. This film is the more enjoyable of the two.

Included with the two movies is a color cartoon from the forgotten Van Beuren Studios, featuring "Mr. Bang", a perpetually angry and argumentative character, and a foreign woman named Katrinka with superhuman strength. Van Beuren Studios went belly up in 1936, having failed to create any lasting characters of note. A strange, but somewhat useful inclusion on this disc for the film student.

There's also a newsreel with footage of Hitler, the Hindenburg disaster, and Joe Louis preparing for a fight.

The disc is an interesting slice of 1930's black cinema, which no student of film history should pass up. Of course, Cab and Lena's music are the real prize for the collector.

The Duke knew he had a sensation, he just never allowed her to fly to new hights; until he encouraged her to go and adventure out on her own. But he had to trick her, in order for her to take him seriously. He knew she would knock them dead with her beautiful singing voice. Ms. Lena Horne did just that. The Duke also knew that he wasn't a good show producer without her. This is a must see film. Done in 1938, the picture is a clear b&w classic.

This is Lena Horne's first movie. In it she plays a singer, the Bronze Nightengale or Bronze Venus, who partners with the good-hearted Duke of the title. This is not Duke Ellington; the role is played by Ralph Cooper. It is fascinating to compare Lena's somewhat tentative performance in this movie to her confident and dynamic appearances in later movies such as Stormy Weather and Cabin in the Sky. This movie is characterized by a good, sound plot in which Duke and Lena are forced to split up for business reasons. I expected it to be one of those typical plots where the woman learns to know her place, and realizes that she shouldn't put her career ahead of her love-life. I was pleasantly surprised. Ralph Cooper does a fine job playing Duke, and we also get to see him at work as a band leader. There are several other thoroughly enjoyable characters as well, such as Duke's humorous con-man buddy who becomes Duke's partner after he splits with Lena. The scenes where Duke and the con-man sell patent medicine in small southern towns are really funny. We also get to see some fine musical performances not only by Lena Horne and Ralph Cooper, but also by an obscure but wonderful group called The Cats and the Fiddle, who resemble the Mills Brothers. This is a movie that I enjoy watching again and again. The sound isn't too great in the beginning (maybe that's just my copy), but then it improves after the first few scenes. I highly recommend this movie, especially if you are, as I am, a fan of early jazz and African-American cinema.

After finally succumbing to the allure of a DVD player, I bought this film noir gem for a song. I had heard about it for years but
could never find it on VHS. A perfect bank robbery netting $1.2 million goes astray when framed patsy John Payne goes after the real criminals. He discovers that the crooks were masked from one another and only the mysterious "Mr. Big" knows who they are and where the money is. Can John Payne break up the perfect crime and end up with Colleen Gray?
(What do you think?)

Director Phil Karlson (whose best-known work is probably the 1972 crime drama "Walking Tall")switched from being a decent director of routine films to one of the most innovative and influential crime film directors of them all with a remarkable series of tough,distinctive thrillers beginning with this one in 1952 and going on to include "99 River Street" in 1953, "The Phenix City Story" in 1955, and "The Brothers Rico" in 1957. "Kansas City Confidential" follows the pulling off of a well-planned and executed robbery that's been carefully thought out by an embittered ex-police officer. He plans it so that Joe Rolfe(played by John Payne) will be framed for the robbery. Rolfe is a WWII veteran who has some problems with the law in his past. After being grilled and ultimately (and grudgingly) released by the police,he pursues the thieves to Mexico,looking for revenge. Payne is fine in a sharp turnaround from the lightweight roles he usually played in the 1940s. Preston Foster is also good as the mastermind of the robbery, as is Coleen Gray as his daughter, a bright,decent young woman. The best performances however,are those given by three of the greatest heavies in movie history: Jack Elam,Neville Brand,and Lee Van Cleef,in the roles of the thieves who pull off the robbery. Elam,who is first seen sweating heavily and rifling through an overflowing ashtray in a dingy hotel room,looking for a cigarette butt with a few puffs left on it,is particularly good, but Brand and Van Cleef ooze menace and bad blood in just about every scene they're in. The film is filled with close-ups,tough,terse dialogue, and brutal (at least for its time) violence. The payoff of the film goes kind of soft, after what's come before, but this is still a first-rate example of cold,tough 1950s film noir,from a real master of the genre.

A great, great noir film starring John Payne(HELL'S ISLAND, 99 RIVER STREET). But the cast doesn't stop there! It also stars Lee Van Cleef, Jack Elam and Neville Brand. This really is a gritty little crime caper flick. If you watch it, it will be difficult to ignore how the film might have influenced a guy like Quentin Tarantino in the conception of RESERVOIR DOGS. Great dvd!

This one truly is an unforgettable mishmash... really enjoyable bad film with lots of laughs in the store for the one who dares. But: this release as depicted above (red cover) is using incredibly poor source material. Amazon.com also sells another version: Navarre Corporation/Reel Values Triple Feature Horror Classics Volume 9 (wow! sounds like a British address!) features The Maniac which looks much better. It's almost as cheap, but it comes with two other flicks which are mediocre but quite watchable. Recommended!

If you are looking at this review you probably already know the story of the fim, Maniac. A film you have to see to believe. A sampling of the things that happen in this 1933 film: A woman is brought back to life, an unemployed actor kills an insane scientist, a man plucks out a cat's eyeball then eats it, a crazy man is injected with Super Adreniline, a man rapes the woman who was brought back from the dead, there is nudity, there are misspelled words in the pseudo scientific inter-titles, a man is walled up ala Poe's the Black Cat, etc. AND, this all happens in 51 minutes!

Alpha's release is not great, but watchable. If you are curious about this title, then spend the $.... If you like it, then wait and perhaps some company will release a nice print. As I suspect this will be unlikely, go ahead and take a gamble on the Alpha release. There are no extras on the disk and is contains only 4 chapter stops. Hey, what do you expect for $...?

This came recommended by a fellow Amland reviewer recently. All I can say is that there is a reason the reviewer styles himslef Darkgenius! This movie had me rolling on the floor. My viewing experience was online, but as far as complaints about the DVD quality are concerned, I can only say, who is concerned with quality in any connection with this Mondo Trasho extravaganza?

I say the grainer and more poorly lit the better! Sound? Forget about the sound. Do what I did and watch it to the accompaniment of whatever industrial music band CD you have on hand. In my case, I was listening to Kraftwerk's "Musique Non Stop," which provided absolutely synchronous viewing/listening pleasure. I used to try this technique out in the '70s, watching movies and listening to Frank Zappa albums. Trust me. It's the only way to go here! Who wants to hear that abysmal dialogue, anyway? I promise, it will provide you a MST3000 experience, at a very cheap price.

BEK

Definately a big improvement over the WoW Gospel 2001, the 2002 DVD is getting better. However, if these are the best music videos in Christian music, then I dont want to see the second best ones! Also, whoever is leading this 'coalition' needs to work on using the DVD format to it's fullest. Subtitles are missing still, and with Music videos of live events the WoW people could make use of the angle button everyone has! Anyway, its still getting better- hope 2003 brings the glory of god to everyone again!

I was just looking for some gospel on DVD when I ran accross this WOW 2002 DVD... It starts out w/CeCe Winans and gets even better.... 'bout halfway through ... you're lifting your hands in praise with Yolanda Adams...Swaying in the Spirit with Fred Hammonds, Stompin with John P. Kee and dancing with Bishop T.D. Jakes & Richard Smallwood.. Indeed this DVD... was More Than What I wanted and everything i ever had...

I must tell you that this DVD is slamming!! I was really surprised at the selection. Being that this is the first DVD in my gospel collection, it's was a great introduction to some of the artists in Gospel arenathat The Live performances from the various artists were very uplifting and spirtually charged!! I have already recommended this DVD to a few people who have also felt blessed by it. My children (6 & 13) love to hear the songs over and over...of course they have their favorites. My 6 yr old loves "I Believe" by John P. Kee, and my 13 yr old loves "Calvary" by Richard Smallwood w/Vision. To tell you the truth, I love the entire DVD, and I'm sure you will too!!

Like some other BBC early-TV classical music presentations, this one is earnest and dull. Beethoven's "Spring" Sonata especially lacks vitality. Be warned that (1) the very detailed mono sound is recorded on the left channel only--the right channel is soundless--and (2) the Brahms Concerto bonus consists of the third movement alone. Oistrakh is more commanding in the shorter pieces on this disc.

75 minutes is too short?

Well, yes and no. Yes, who wouldn't like more? And no, because we are almost given everything we could possibly expect from any DVD.

The photography of this DVD is most excellent, even better than the Menuhin issued in the same year. The crews here obviously knew a lot about music: how we play a violin and the piano. It's filmed from an angle that is most natural. The studios in Paris were so homely. In Spring Sonata, the room was well furnished, decorated with one or two portraits of Beethoven, and there was even a vase full of blooming flowers in the background!

There are also reasons to believe that this was filmed not only for amusement but also as a teaching aid. Very often , we can see Oistrakh's fingerings, phrasings, vibratos, bowings sometimes at the same time and occasionally from a most illuminating angle!

The photographer obviously understood that it's a Sonata for both the violin and piano. There are also close-ups of the pianist ( sometime including and sometimes just his hands and fingers like doing the staccatos, legatos and legatos on repeated notes etc) wherever appropriate. The pianist was Lev Oborin, the first Chopin Competition gold medalist and teacher of Ashkenazy. Both played beautifully and poetically. Every minute is enjoyable, no matter it was the painist or the violinist or both. It's so close to Rachmaninoff/Kreisler, and any difference is really marginal (I mean both parts, and the latter was recorded in 1930's and we only have audio CD.) To those who have been listening to Oistrakh's Beethoven Sonatas for years, it would certainly be a joy to see him playing it. Spring Sonata alone is worth every cent of the money, the rest is gratuitous!

Their Schubert is likewise superb. I am enchanted by Busch/Serkin's Schubert and also by Cortot/Thibaud. This one is no less enjoyable, particularly so when we can see exactly how they're playing it. And Oistrakh's Clair de lune and Prokofiev's Melodies are all wonderful stuff: they are each a jem in their own right. The latters were accompanied by Bauer instead where we scarcely have any close-ups of the accompanist: quite right. For his Bach and Brahms Concerto, he was supported by different English Orchestras, under different conductors, the first one under Sir Colin Davis.

I don't exactly like his son's playing: the difference is just too obvious even though his son also became a professor in violin in a renowned Russian Conservatory. Fortunately, it's very short, only a few minutes. The rest of the repertiore is very enjoyable too.

My real complaint about this DVD being it's sound. It's exactly like Oistrakh's audio (EMI) Beethoven Sonatas: nothing less and nothing more. Why aren't they redigitalised? The result, we hear a voilin sound that is so opulent that almost borders upon the sound of a viola. But look, the balance between the violin and the piano is so perfect, so much so that we wonder if that is, as a whole, part of the later Russian style. It's quite different from Busch, Szeryng, Milstein or Heifetz. But I do remember Heifetz's sound wasn't so lean in the LPs. It was rather different from the CDs.

Black Heat is not as hard to find as one might think. I was in Hollywood video browsing the action section and it jumped off the bottom shelf and kicked me in the shin. It hurt like a muther!

Yet another pick from classic 1970s blaxploitation. It's definitely not Dolemite, but it had enough action to keep me occupied for all 96 minutes. This one's hard to find in regular video stores. Amazon is about the only place I know that even carries this film. A great addition!

DeNiro was only in the movie for a few moments but George Segal is the star and he gives a harrowing and brilliant performance as a hundred dollar a day heroin addict. The film is funny and sad unfortunately utterly truthful. This film forshadowed a whole generation of films about lost souls adrift in our blasted urban landscapes. Its a bit on the morbid side at first but will please you towards the beginning of the second half.

This movie is excellent if you have the chance to see it in an uncutted version. The DVD I bought misses a very nice scene - girl on the balcony was cut down because of showing to much skin for the US version - this is to bad because it embezzles another great pointe of the movie.

Very good music and great acting.