Great Dalmuti, The Movie Reviews

I was one of those people who never had time to catch the series when it was featured on public television due to work constraints. The blessing of technology today has allowed me to "catch up" on this classic courtesy of the DVD's. I really found this "world" relaxing and mildly fun. It is the type of world I remember of sitting in front of a fire, smoking a pipe and perhaps some liquid refreshment at hand talking with friends for hours on end. That is what this show emulates among many visitations to professional veternary emergencies. The characters are lovable, memorable, and reflect a part of the "polite world" which unfortunately today no longer exists. The unhurried atmosphere and the natural beauty of the Yorkshire countryside combine with the lives of rich and poor and animals on the dales. I suggest you read the account by James Herriot first. There is a very good Reader's Digest edition with great illustrations that efficiently condenses and contains the best parts of Herriots original series of "All Creatures Great and Small' books. This will aid you when you see the series because there are a lot of "old world" things that the book will aquaint you with (complete with illustrations that explain what the 'gadget" was used for) and you will see in the show. So you will appreciate the effort of the producers of this series all the more. Robert Hardy is memorable there are also spot characters that make it a very entertaining and wonderful production. You will love this work if you like animals or nature. Well recommended.

My husband and I watched this many years ago. We read the books and loved them. Now that this is available on DVD I bought this for my husband as a birthday gift. We weren't sure the kids would like it, it isn't full of action and adventure, but they all LOVE it! They are 12, 13 and 7. Every night they all ask to watch another show or two - heartwarming, funny, interesting - what more does a family need in a show??

All Creatures Great And Small is by far my favorite BBC series and the #2 with the Christmas segment makes me cry everytime I see it. Set just as WW2 is beginning James is faced with joining the service, and the snow as they head off to midnight mass has begun to fall. The tinkers (gypsies) are camped out in a farmers shed and the young girls pet needs tending but the father doesn't accept charity.......... And then there is the testing the Christmas cake for the senior vet, Siegfried Farnon. The whole cast is 10 star. The main characters are James Herriot (Christopher Timothy), Siegfried Farnon (Robert Hardy), Tristan Farnon (Peter Davison) and Helen Herriot (Carol Drinkwater, later Lynda Bellingham). The series covers the years between 1936 and just after 1950. This is a DVD that everyone in the family no matter the age will enjoy...........

I often watched this movie on Christmas with my children and more recently with my young grandchildren because it touches the very essence of the Christmas season. I've always loved Terry Moore from her serious and not so serious movies (especially Mighty Joe Young) and of course Jimmy Durante is a clown that everyone loved and loves.

I personally feel The Great Rupert should have been produced originally in color and released as a Christmas movie. I'm so I'm so happy to learn it is now considered a Christmas classic and is available in color. Can't wait to see it in color and listen to Terry's commentary.

A Christmas Wish is a heartwarming holiday classic that truly captures the magic of Christmas. This well-written film combines a genial underdog (Durante) whom you can't help rooting for, an inspiring tale of young love, unforgettable comedy bits by Durante, and an irresistible guardian angel who saves Christmas.

The film has a touching love story between Terry Moore (Mighty Joe Young) and Tom Drake (Meet Me in St. Louis). Rupert the Squirrel (created using George Pal's Academy Award winning puppet animation technique) will charm young and old alike. Jimmy Durante shines when he sings Jingle Bells and other Christmas Carols.

Originally titled "The Great Rupert", this film has been restored perfectly and is being released in color for the first time. It looks absolutely beautiful. There also is an engaging special DVD commentary by star Terry Moore (secret wife of Howard Hughes). If you've already seen It's a Wonderful Life and are looking for something charming and new for Christmas, this is the film.

You'd Know Why I've Given This 5 Stars, After You've Seen This!
To MAke The Long Difficult Plot Quick, Rupert Helps 2 Poor Families Overcome Their Obstacles. GREAT FILM! I RECCOMEND TO ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE A GOOD LAUGH AND A GOOD CRY!

Yes, you read correctly: four stars. Not five. Why, might you ask? Am I crazy? No, I am not. At least I don't think I am :)

I am a huge fan of Peanuts. Every year, I look forward to the holiday specials on television. IT'S THE GREAT PUMPKIN, CHARLIE BROWN is one of them. Yet, I must admit: much like A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS and IT'S THE EASTER BEAGLE, CHARLIE BROWN, this show is kind of dated. I do still love it -- the characters and classic Peanuts gags we have all come to cherish. But truth be told, the animation in these earlier specials is sort of crude and the timing between a lot of the dialogue is very very very offbeat. So much so that it can actually get boring at times.

Yet I still love them. There is just something about these shows that we can all relate to again and again. Yes, the later films, tv shows and specials are all better drawn, and the timing is right on the dot; and some have a much smoother feel.

But these, I think, contain a certain nostalgic feeling. And that's why they are "classics."

What's not to like about this treasured Halloween "Peanuts" tale? There's the fabulous piano music score. ... Linus and his blanket keeping watch in the nearby pumpkin patch, awaiting the infamous "Great Pumpkin". ... Sally getting gypped out of "Tricks or Treats". ... Snoopy dueling the Red Baron atop his doghouse. ... And, of course, the hilarity (and sadness at the same time) of watching Charlie Brown accumulate a bagful of rocks on Halloween Night.

These indelible set-pieces make up one of the most endearing, and timeless, holiday classics ever broadcast on television.

"It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown", first telecast way back in 1966, will forever be a holiday favorite...whether it be on broadcast TV (remember the original TV commercials for Coca-Cola, McDonald's, and Dolly Madison Cakes?), VHS Video, or DVD.

Now ... if only some kindly neighbor could just toss a Snicker's Bar (or maybe even a fresh Dolly Madison Cupcake) into Charlie Brown's bag, I think we'd all feel better. :-)

Charlie Brown is one of the iconic figures of our time, and now that his great creator is no longer with us, we must content ourselves by enjoying hugely enjoyable videos like this one. When you next have a Peanuts nostalgia evening, buy this video and watch it with all your friends!

yeah both these are good but its really all about the photo. great to see some of milt hinton's cine footage from the day and other fotos too. the stories are all good from the musicians interviewed even if the photographer does come across a bit of a pratt sometimes. well worth it if you are a jazz fan or appreciate modern history.

This is a documentary about the golden age Jazz greats. These are the stories and sounds of the legends in the Jazz industry. The famous Picture of the great Jazz musicians and singers combined on the sidewalk of a street in Harlem, N.Y.. The kids that were sitting on the curb with Count Basie, wasn't supposed to be in the shot; but was used to add a realistic setting to the picture. Then there was the spitball story, told by Dizzy Gillespie himself. Dizzy was always shooting spitballs on the stage when they would be doing a show. He coaxed another band member into shooting them also, and Cab Calloway knew Dizzy had been shooting the spitballs and gave Dizzy plenty of warnings to stop. In one show, while Cab was on stage singing and dancing with some girls, a spitball landed on stage in front of Cab and the girls; right in the spot light. Mr. Calloway stopped the show and yelled at Dizzy, but it wasn't Dizzy that time; it was the other band member. When the other band member admitted to the spitball, Mr. Calloway still claimed it was Dizzy's fault, and fired him. Mr. Gillespie and Mr. Calloway got into a heated argument. The argument turned into a fight, and Dizzy pulled a switch blade on Mr. Cab Calloway; slicing him on the hand. Mr. Calloway, lunged at Dizzy and banged his leg against a large luggage trunk; forming a large bleeding wound on his leg. Mr. Gillespie said in his own words, "That was the best thing that had every happened to me" The fact that Mr. Cab Calloway fired him from the band, Mr. Dizzy Gillespie went on and formed his own band, and created his own success. This is an historial documentary that shouldn't be ignored. I recommend it.

A Great Day in Harlem: This is a great documentary about one of the most famous jazz photos. With interviews from the photographer, musicians, and even one of the kids sitting next to Count Basie in the front, it gives you a nice background about the photo. Also, there is even some color film footage that was taken by Milt Hinton's wife, along with sequences of photographs that give the feel of motion.

The Spitball Story: A nice mini-documentary about the story behind the spitball that led to Dizzy Gillespie being fired from Cab Calloway's orchestra. Lots of commentary from Diz himself is included (plus Milt Hinton and Jonah Jones), and during the end credits, there's some film footage of Dizzy performing "He Beeped When He Should Have Bopped."

I've seen few movies made before 1960 and fewer silent movies (just Haaxan, Nosferatu (because Shadow of the Vampire and the Herzog remake) and Man With the Movie Camera (because of the recent Cinematic Orchestra soundtrack). Suffice to say, outside of Kurosawa, Ozu, Welles, Hitchcock, and Lean, I havn't greatly enjoyed many of the older movies, The Great Dictator, being one of the few. It's also my first Charles Chaplin movie, mostly because my great fear of the silent picture (which is a bit odd, considering many of my favourite movies have minimal dialogue)- I figured that I'd start with a talkie and work my way back.

Although it drags a bit (maybe should have cut 20 minutes or so) I found numerous humorous moments in the movie (especially the Hitler parody with the beach-ball globe and duck hunting). There's a serious from-the-heart speach at the end, one that's very much out of character (or in character, depending on how you look at it), and, although it lends gravitas to the parodies beforehand, I think it would have been much more appropriate (and scathing to all political nonsense) if it had been done in character.

Anyways, The Great Dictator is a fun movie, that serves as a good introduction to Chaplin (at least, I'm eagre to see more, especially Monsieur Verdoux and Modern Times). The DVD has some nice goodies too, so it's worth a purchase if you want to build up a library, but I can't see myself wanting to watch this again for a long while.

i dont usually write reviews, but i was browsing through and saw that "The Great Dictator" had 5 stars on the overall review, so i felt obligated to keep it up with the 5 stars it deserves.

Here, Charlie Chaplin accomplishes the impossible, by juxtaposing comedy next to horrible tragedy, and having it all work because his positive motivation and wit package the critically important messages in a way that effectively sent the point home to many millions of viewers worldwide. His intent was to favorably alter the course of world history in a very dark era, and he may, indeed, have done it to a degree. The 50-minute explanatory narration covering the historical context of this work is a great asset to the set. It sells at a premium and, if you are a serious film and/or history fan, pay it to get this set. Buy it, also, to appreciate the damage done by the McCarthyist era in this country, which was so bad that Chaplain had to return to his native England.

I've seen few movies made before 1960 and fewer silent movies (just Haaxan, Nosferatu (because Shadow of the Vampire and the Herzog remake) and Man With the Movie Camera (because of the recent Cinematic Orchestra soundtrack). Suffice to say, outside of Kurosawa, Ozu, Welles, Hitchcock, and Lean, I havn't greatly enjoyed many of the older movies, The Great Dictator, being one of the few. It's also my first Charles Chaplin movie, mostly because my great fear of the silent picture (which is a bit odd, considering many of my favourite movies have minimal dialogue)- I figured that I'd start with a talkie and work my way back.

Although it drags a bit (maybe should have cut 20 minutes or so) I found numerous humorous moments in the movie (especially the Hitler parody with the beach-ball globe and duck hunting). There's a serious from-the-heart speach at the end, one that's very much out of character (or in character, depending on how you look at it), and, although it lends gravitas to the parodies beforehand, I think it would have been much more appropriate (and scathing to all political nonsense) if it had been done in character.

Anyways, The Great Dictator is a fun movie, that serves as a good introduction to Chaplin (at least, I'm eagre to see more, especially Monsieur Verdoux and Modern Times). The DVD has some nice goodies too, so it's worth a purchase if you want to build up a library, but I can't see myself wanting to watch this again for a long while.

i dont usually write reviews, but i was browsing through and saw that "The Great Dictator" had 5 stars on the overall review, so i felt obligated to keep it up with the 5 stars it deserves.

Here, Charlie Chaplin accomplishes the impossible, by juxtaposing comedy next to horrible tragedy, and having it all work because his positive motivation and wit package the critically important messages in a way that effectively sent the point home to many millions of viewers worldwide. His intent was to favorably alter the course of world history in a very dark era, and he may, indeed, have done it to a degree. The 50-minute explanatory narration covering the historical context of this work is a great asset to the set. It sells at a premium and, if you are a serious film and/or history fan, pay it to get this set. Buy it, also, to appreciate the damage done by the McCarthyist era in this country, which was so bad that Chaplain had to return to his native England.

I've seen few movies made before 1960 and fewer silent movies (just Haaxan, Nosferatu (because Shadow of the Vampire and the Herzog remake) and Man With the Movie Camera (because of the recent Cinematic Orchestra soundtrack). Suffice to say, outside of Kurosawa, Ozu, Welles, Hitchcock, and Lean, I havn't greatly enjoyed many of the older movies, The Great Dictator, being one of the few. It's also my first Charles Chaplin movie, mostly because my great fear of the silent picture (which is a bit odd, considering many of my favourite movies have minimal dialogue)- I figured that I'd start with a talkie and work my way back.

Although it drags a bit (maybe should have cut 20 minutes or so) I found numerous humorous moments in the movie (especially the Hitler parody with the beach-ball globe and duck hunting). There's a serious from-the-heart speach at the end, one that's very much out of character (or in character, depending on how you look at it), and, although it lends gravitas to the parodies beforehand, I think it would have been much more appropriate (and scathing to all political nonsense) if it had been done in character.

Anyways, The Great Dictator is a fun movie, that serves as a good introduction to Chaplin (at least, I'm eagre to see more, especially Monsieur Verdoux and Modern Times). The DVD has some nice goodies too, so it's worth a purchase if you want to build up a library, but I can't see myself wanting to watch this again for a long while.

i dont usually write reviews, but i was browsing through and saw that "The Great Dictator" had 5 stars on the overall review, so i felt obligated to keep it up with the 5 stars it deserves.

Here, Charlie Chaplin accomplishes the impossible, by juxtaposing comedy next to horrible tragedy, and having it all work because his positive motivation and wit package the critically important messages in a way that effectively sent the point home to many millions of viewers worldwide. His intent was to favorably alter the course of world history in a very dark era, and he may, indeed, have done it to a degree. The 50-minute explanatory narration covering the historical context of this work is a great asset to the set. It sells at a premium and, if you are a serious film and/or history fan, pay it to get this set. Buy it, also, to appreciate the damage done by the McCarthyist era in this country, which was so bad that Chaplain had to return to his native England.

It's Kermit (Jim Henson), Fozzie, Miss Piggy (Frank Oz) and
Gonzo (Dave Goelz) like you've never seen them before! In this film Kermit, Fozzie and the great Gonzo play reporters for "The
Daily Chronicle" trying to find a necklace stolen from Lady Holiday (Diana Rigg) by her brother Nicky (Charles Grodin) and
Marla, Carla and Darla (Erica Creer, Kate Howard, Della Finch).
But at first they think Miss Piggy stole it! There are some funny
parts like when Kermit, Fozzie and Gonzo fall in the water and
fall from their hotel room.
Whenever you watch it you'll be "Steppin' Out With A Star And
feelin' High"
Also Recommended:
"The Muppet Movie"(1979)
"The Muppets Take Manhattan"(1984)
"The Muppet Christmas Carol"(1992)
"The Best Of Kermit On Sesame Street"(1998)
"Sesame Street Presents: Follow That Bird"(1985)
"Muppets From Space"(1999)
"Its A Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie"(2002)
Henson Associates, Lord Grade, Incorparted Television Company,
Jim Henson Video, Columbia Tristar Home Entertainment, 1981,
Rated G

If you have enough guts to appreciate the Muppets, you will love this film (and all Muppet films, for that matter). I am a personal fan of Miss Piggy, and this film shows Piggy at her best. Clever, brilliant and classic. This, along with all Muppet films, is a must-have!

This is a comedy classic up there with the genius output of the Marx Brothers and Woody Allen. It is enjoyable for kids of course, but adults will love it too because a lot of the humour is intended to go over kids' heads. It's just a great film.
...

From the moment this starts it's a treat. It has great animation, a great story and Great Teacher Onizuka, the most comical person ever in the history of TV and film. This Volume is the start of the story and from the outset the misadventures of Eikichi Onizuka, 22 years old, are laugh a minute as he tries to become a teacher. Volume 1 contains 4 episodes, the first of which is a double episode, and each episode is better than the last. The only problem is the fact that as soon as it ends, you wish you had the second one, it's the same problem with the manga. Amazing!

As always my reviews are super short and don't contain any spoilers. GTO is a comedy about a ex-gangsta who becomes a teacher and uses his experience and unique perspectives on life to truly inspire and breathe new life into many of his students. GTO is a hilarious show and I most definitely could not give it less than 5 stars.

It may not quite hang with its bigger, badder, shoot-em-up, slash-em-to-pieces, giant robot anime bretheren, but when it's all said and done, Great Teacher Onizuka may end up being the most addictive anime series ever.

The plot is simple enough: Eikichi Onizuka, a former bike gang member, college karate champ, 22 years old and a bachelor, has taken it upon himself to be the world's greatest teacher. with little or no qualifications, he somehow gets accepted into a prestigious school, is assigned the worst class of delinquents ever, and proceeds to work on taming the adolescent beasts.

Simple plot, complex protagonist. Onizuka is the definition of "man-child," the battle with the man and the child within him always in conflict. This is key as the series plays up the ongoing battle between the students and adults, be it teachers, administrators, parents or politicians. Onizuka is into videogames, internet porn, costumes, launching bottle rockets and ogling schoolgirls. At the same time he has a better sensitivity toward the real causes of the students problems, be it parental conflict, bad past experiences with teachers, money or bullying. Then again, he likes to deal with his problems in the most unorthodox methods, i.e. beating up students.

This volume shows Onizuka first getting used to his methods as a student-teacher. A group of students pull a clever prank, and blackmail Onizuka for a million yen. With the help of some biker gangs and a midnight dipping/drowning at a nearby pond, Onizuka manages to "win over" the males of the group. He take a more subtle approach to Nanako, whose problems stem more from a declining parental relationship, which he creatively remedies.

With that phase over, Onizuka next has to tackle the task of getting into prestigious Holy Family Academy and Class 2-4, the angel-faced, snake-hearted delinquent crew he must deal with for the rest of the series.

The art is on a par with Dragonball Z, and watching this series in Japanese is *necessary*! Not only are their numerous word jokes (Nanako says "Yoo-poo" instead of "yoo-hoo" and Onizuka ridicules her), or that the English teacher struggles with and forces English, the story has pretty significant differences from the English to the Japanese version. The Japanese vocal cast is far superior, and the vocal intonations better match the facial expressions; the storyline and what they say are far more risque and naughtier than the English dub as well.

A great, addicting series, that has up to Vol. 9 (at this point) released in the US. There are only 43 episodes in the set, so it should be coming to a close. Very few extras other than stills and previews on this disc.

Also recommended are the 12-episode GTO Live Action Japanese Drama, a loose approximation of the anime and manga, and the live action movie that takes place after the series.

Not recommended if you can't afford to get the whole thing; no sane person can handle the cliffhangers at the end of each disc.

Of all the superb British productions, none touch the heart quite like All Creatures Great and Small. Certainly, this delightful comedy-drama is one of our entire family's all-time favourites--one which we've watched numerous times and continue to enjoy to this day.

Though the names of people and places were changed, the series is based on the true stories of Yorkshire veterinarian, James Herriot (the nom de plume of Alf Wight, who sadly died of prostate cancer in 1995 at age 78). The series opens in the early 1930s with James (played by Christopher Timothy), a serious-minded and very conscientious newly qualified vet, arriving in the tiny Yorkshire farming town of Darrowby for a job interview at Skeldale House, the home/surgery of veterinarian Siegfried Farnon (Robert Hardy). Siegfried, though a very competent vet and an extremely generous man, is one of the most contrary and mercurial individuals. Heaven help the other members of the practice, who walk on eggshells most of the time as it is, should he get a bee in his bonnet about something! The third member of the practice (if one can call him that, for he's still a veterinary student in the early episodes), is Siegfried's younger brother (and polar opposite in temperament), Tristan (Peter Davison). Tristan is a gregarious, skirt-chasing practical joker and one of the laziest individuals around. Certainly, he'd rather have a pint, play a prank, or chat up the girls than study for exams or be on call at the surgery. The stage is set then for some very comical situations, which are rendered all the funnier and all the more welcome as relief from the very real drama of the stories.

Apart from the vets, the series is peppered with a wealth of memorable characters. There's the Farnons' good-hearted but no-nonsense, mother-hen housekeeper, Mrs. Hall (sadly, the actress portraying her died after the third series); and who can forget the gruff, tight-fisted, cheap-skate farmer, Mr. Biggins--the bane of the practice; or wealthy (and demonstrably grateful!) Mrs. Pumphrey, whose pampered pekingese Tricki Woo suffers a host of complaints related to his rich diet and idle lifestyle. Of course, one mustn't forget James' devoted wife Helen (Carol Drinkwater, who was replaced by Lynda Bellingham in the fourth series)--their courtship provided the basis for much humour in the early episodes--or the larger-than-life Granville Bennett (James Grout), whose veterinary skill is matched only by his hospitality and his ability to consume copious amounts of alchohol (not to mention food!), much to James' immense discomfort and embarassment.

With thirteen 50-minute episodes, this boxed set contains the complete first series. Produced in 1978 and set against the backdrop of the magnificent Yorkshire dales, this is a thoroughly entertaining series which, like the wonderful books that inspired it, takes one through the gamut of emotions--from laughter to tears. It is a series which transports the viewer back to a time and way of life that is, in many ways sadly, gone forever. It is sure to be enjoyed by anyone looking for quality entertainment that the whole family can enjoy, but it will especially be treasured by fellow animal lovers.

There are, at the time of writing, four boxed sets (containing the complete first four series) plus a DVD with two special episodes (its video counterpart only contains the first special, unfortunately), and I highly recommend the entire series. If you enjoy the first boxed set, by all means go ahead and purchase the remaining sets (and specials), as the entire series is outstanding. There are still another two or three series that have yet to be brought to video/DVD, and I know I'm not alone in hoping the BBC will release them sometime soon. Indeed, if ever a series deserved to be released in its entirety, it is this one. Extremely highly recommended!

Amazon also sells the books about Al Whight, the true name of the author of the books about James Herriott.
I have watched this series since I was a little girl, and much like Disney movies, I see different layers of meaning as I move through changes in my own life. The characters growth and love stories, losses and struggles can easily be related to, and are told in a fun, warm and real manner. If you are fond of animals, this series is a MUST. It may seem like a lot of money for this boxed set, but I have watched the episodes so many times, I would have paid much more in movie tickets had this been released in theaters.
Some things just don't get old.
Also, try reading the books the series are based on, I can't read them in bed any more, my sniggers keeps my husband from sleeping. Hillariously funny, especially the cat and dog stories.
The technical quality is very good considering this was shot and filmed so many years ago. The absence of fancy special effects just helps keep the whole series time appripriate.
The episodes can be watched individually and over time, no need to set aside the whole weekend to watch it all at once. But you might choose to once you get started.

When it was on the American PBS series, My wife and I watched it religiously. From the very beginning from getting the job as vet, to the end, driving off to go to war it shows the passion and reality of the peoples lives during that time. In this series you will find tears and laughter, wonder and amazement.

The series is enhanced in that Robert Hardy is one of the greatest actors I have ever seen. He was the backbone of the series.

I have no complaint on the quality of the copies, its really quite good. I have no bad things to say about there being no interviews with the actors, the acting is simple perfection.

If you like to see real peoples lives, watch this series. This isnt Empty Nest stuff, its real.