Home Movie Reviews

Family movie reviews for "Home" sorted by average review score:

The Long Way Home Project

Released in DVD by (31 January, 2002)

MPAA Rating:

Director: Calvin Crane

Average review score:

Giving our Viet Nam veterans the honor they deserve.

The Long Way Home Project should be required viewing for every American. Each and every myth about the Viet Nam war disseminated by the American media and the educational establishment is systematically demolished, one by one, with the facts. The best and the brightest from our nation served honorably and won that war, only to have the true villains here at home snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. Be prepared to have the politically-correct cobwebs cleansed from your mind. After viewing The Long Way Home Project I can understand why the left-leaning History Channel refused to air this documentary.

An important piece of historical filmmaking

For those of us in the younger generations, this series will offer a view of the war that we have been denied in our schoold and films for too long. The series captures the essence of what we, as sons of Vietnam veterans, have known all along; that are fathers actions in this war should be noted in history as being as worthy as any other military campaign. I am proud to call my dad a Vietnam veteran, and after watching this series, you too will be proud to thank a veteran of that war, be it an American soldier, or one from the misrepresented south Vietnamese army.

A story that needs to be told

My dad gave me these DVDs to watch when I mentioned that I had been reading a lot about Viet Nam, and war in general, trying to understand what it was all about. He said that he learned a lot from watching this, and I understand why now that I've seen it myself. There's a lot of flag-waving sentiment that sometimes paints a prettier picture than I think really happened, but there are plenty of anti-war movies you can watch to get that point of view. I'm glad someone decided to produce The Long Way Home Project.

Lost Empires (3 Volume Boxed Set)

Released in DVD by Goldhil Home Media I (14 October, 2003)

MPAA Rating: NR (Not Rated)

Average review score:

One of Masterpiece Theater's best

I originally saw Lost Empires on public broadcasting and it became one of my favorites, right up there with I Claudius and The Duchess of Duke Street. The cast is exceptional especially John Castle as Uncle Nick (why oh why do we so little of this wonderful, sexy actor?). The entire production is glorious, taking the viewer right back to the days of pre WWI.

Lost Treasure is more like it.

What a pleasure to watch these dvds. The story flows and moves gracefully through each chapter. Firth is magnificent. Awards should have been given for this production. All the actors put so much into their performances. And to have Colin Firth narrating the entire story was music to my ears. We need more Colin Firth.

a "must-have" for Firth fans

This one ranks up there with "Pride and Prejudice" for the true Firth fan! You must have it in your collection. Colin Firth is young in this one..but there are definite signs of the smoldering Darcy we all know and love. Best of all, he is in almost every scene...hours and hours of hot, hetero FIRTH! (By the way, when is somebody going to realize this guy sells movies to woman of all ages? Get him some good roles!!)

Lotte Berk Method for Beginners

Released in DVD by Goldhil Home Media I (01 April, 2003)

MPAA Rating: NR (Not Rated)

Starring: Lotte Berk

Average review score:

Tones and lengthens muscles

I bought this set about 2 months ago and I do one of the workouts every other day (each dvd is 30 minutes long). I really love the Lotte Berk Method- it is very different from anything I've done before. It focuses on toning the muscle and then stretching right after to result in long lean legs and arms.

The instructors are great- not annoying at all. The workouts fly by so fast but you will feel the effects right away and the next day of course.

These workouts do not have any cardio in them but they do make you sweat if you do the excercises right - which is easy. I have noticed that my arms are definately more defined- especially my triceps. I am short but I notice a huge difference in how my legs are looking- slimmer and lean. There is no doubt that these workouts produce results but the trick is to stick with it. Consistency is key.

Awesome set of DVDs

This is one of my favorite sets of DVDs. It is very ballet oriented it seems with a big emphasis on strength and stretching during the workout. This might be hard on you if you have problems with your knees because there are lots of plie like movements. It relaxes me as well as helps with the flexibility and lengthens the muscles.

Great set for any level

I recently got this set of DVDs. I have been doing workouts on video like the Firm, Cathe, Pilates and Yoga for some time and I was looking for something different. These workouts are along the same lines as yoga or pilates in that they are lower impact and rely on the weight of the body for muscle shaping. Stretching is also an important factor in all of the workouts. Some of the workouts use weights to enhance the results and they all use a bar but the bar is not necessary and can be replaced by a piece of furniture or even a body shaping stick or other weighted balancing bar.

The DVDs include a special Blast section which is actually a separate workout (not just a compilation) and it is a higher intensity short piece that is great to use to compliment your workouts or to do on their own.

These workouts are great to do on their own or do combine with other activities that you may already be doing. They will enhance almost any exercise routine by adding some variety and extra challenges for the muscles.

Merce Cunningham - A Lifetime of Dance

Released in DVD by Winstar Home Entertainment (10 July, 2001)

MPAA Rating: NR (Not Rated)

Starring: Merce Cunningham

Merce Cunningham's revolutionary take on modern dance is brilliantly explained in A Lifetime of Dance, which places interviews with the master, and footage of his work, front and center. It's also one big breathtaking performance piece, with endless film of his many abstract works, intercut with thoughtful comments by early members of Cunningham's dance company (founded in 1953), and dance critics and historians. John Cage, whose percussive compositions became a hallmark of the Cunningham style, is fondly recollected by troupe members and Cunningham ("John Cage was just a plain bright soul"). It's tremendously educational, whether presenting historical footage, offering remarks by Cunningham about his obsession with movement, or bringing his work into the '90s, when he was once again considered radical for incorporating computer technology into choreography. Above all, it's enchanting, and simply fun, to view the dozens of clips of Cunningham and his company, always humorously at work. --Valerie J. Nelson

Average review score:

American Masters Presents Merce Cunningham

This 90-minute film by Charles Atlas[ who also directed "Hail the New Puritan" (1986), "Put Blood in the Music" (1989) and "Son of Sam and Delilah" (1991) ] was created as a co-production of seventeen international television stations. It was conceived for the 16:9 aspect ratio format, but will appear in 'letterbox' on a standard 4:3 ratio television screen.

"A Lifetime of Dance" functions as an artistic biography of this now legendary choreographer. The first fifty minutes of the film detail Mr. Cunningham's life from his birth in Centralia, Washington in 1919 to the early 1950's and the founding of the Cunningham Dance Company, after a summer of experimentation at Black Mountain College.

Archival film and video footage provides documentation of approximately forty-five different dance works. The footage is shown in edit lengths of between 5 and 20 seconds duration. These excerpts are then intercut with the comments of friends, family members, dancers, composers, art critics and also of Merce himself, who provides anecdotes at each stage within the chronology of the biography.

The audio that accompanies these dance works, as an atmosphere or perhaps as a weather event enveloping the performances, was created by at least seventeen different avant-garde composers. These include founding Cunningham Dance Company member and musician John Cage, electronics guru David Tudor, the minimalist LaMonte Young and downtown NYC performance artist Meredith Monk.

In the film, we find that Mr. Cunningham draws his inspiration from movements of any kind, including those of animals, birds and the ordinary movements of people involved in a range of typical activities. He feels that dancers live not just to do these movements, but to 'exist' in performance and to come to realize their own unique identity through the act of dance.

The film closes with an extended discussion of the work "Biped"(1999), which describes the incorporation of three dimensional computer graphics into the context of a live electronic music and dance event.

This DVD does not contain any 'bonus' features, but it remains a wonderful media resource for fans of contemporary art.

dance teachers need this!

i am a dance teacher who works with students at many different levels, and this video can be helpful for all sorts of classes... this is a great historical resource, and it does a good job of sampling cunningham's work. it also explains his significance to dance history and development. be warned that there is more talk and commentary than performance, so if you want choreography you may be disappointed. i recommend this dvd to dancers, dance teachers, dance historians, dance critics (who often know very little about the work upon which they are thrusting their commentary), and anyone else interested in modern dance history, collaborative processes, and avant garde music.

Excellent Overall Review of Cunningham's Life and Work

An Excellent resource for the dance teacher at any level. Of specific importance is old film and video footage translated to the DVD medium. Very Broad overview of his work and company-an excellent starting place to present his work and contributions to the field of dance and collaborative arts.

Project Gemini - A Bold Leap Forward

Released in DVD by Twentieth Century Fox Home Video (19 August, 2003)

MPAA Rating: NR (Not Rated)

Mankind's greatest adventure is remembered for the digital age. The DVD format changed the way we look at movies and especially TV series, with massive complete-season sets. That concept is spectacularly taken one-step further with Spacecraft Films' definitive collections of the Gemini and Apollo space missions, stuffing in nearly every scrap of TV transmissions and on-board footage. The three- to six-disc sets use the full functions of the DVD format; see a liftoff in six different angles (some remixed with 5.1 sound) or listen to a mixture of air-to-ground communications, official NASA narration, or post-flight debriefings, most often carefully synched to the exact moment of footage seen. Like any good research paper, every bit of footage may not be interesting, but taken as a chronicle of history, it's irreplaceable.

The two-man Gemini missions are the forgotten cousin of the space program; Mercury (The Right Stuff) and Apollo (From the Earth to the Moon) have been chronicled in popular books and film for years. This 6-hour set rights the wrong, illustrating how the ambitious program (10 missions in 1965-66) developed most of the key attributes to go to the moon (including long-duration flight, space walking, rendezvous, and docking). Every single bit of onboard camera footage is here, and yes, that includes periods of fumbling cameras and poorly lit sequences. But it also allows for some of the most gorgeous space footage ever shot, starting with Ed White's Gemini 4 spacewalk (America's first), which one can now view in its entirety. Another high point is the rendezvous of flights 6 & 7, with a soundtrack that combines the air-to-ground communications and post-flight news conferences. Each mission is broken down with footage from the spacecraft preparation, launch, on-board film, and recovery. Unlike other Spacecraft sets, there's an original documentary, an hourlong survey of Gemini written by Andrew Chaikin (author of A Man on the Moon). The documentary certainly whets one's appetite for the rest of the set, but perhaps only the true space junky will want to watch footage from two unmanned missions, a lengthy look at the archaic instrumental panel, and a flight or two that seem like a repeat of a previous mission. --Doug Thomas

Average review score:

Stunning footage from the all-but-forgotten Gemini Program

"Project Gemini - A Bold Leap Forward" was the second of 5 purchases I made from the wonderful Spacecraft Films series, and it remains far and away my favorite. Unlike the sets covering the Apollo missions, this edition contains a fine documentary (written by "A Man On The Moon" author Andrew Chaiken) that covers the whole of the Gemini program, in addition to each mission's individual film footage. While the presentation of raw, unadulterated images of NASA's quest for the moon is one of the series' distinguishing features, the context provided by the docuementary is invaluable. Without the it, for example, all the drama behind the images of Gemini VI's failed first launch attempt would be lost on most viewers.

Also interesting is the editor's decision to lay voice recordings of the post-flight astronaut press conferences over much of the mission footage. Some of it (the Gemini IV section, for instance) is synched to reflect exactly what the press would have viewed on the projection screens in the briefings while the astronauts commented on the images. It's almost like having a NASA press pass in 1965.

The most compelling thing for me about this particular set, however, remains that 100% of the footage is shot in 16mm color film (there was no TV on board Gemini). The images are simply stunning, even if the frame rates are relatively low. While the eerie black and white TV images of the early Apollo missions are haunting in their own way, they can't match the sheer beauty of film. Viewing the footage makes it quickly apparent why many Gemini images came to symbolize mankind's exploration of space.

Spacecraftfilms setting the new standard in docu-DVD

Without Gemini there could be no Apollo. Finally the forerunner to Lunar Landings, Project Gemini is given the documentation it deserves. This is such a nice package as it really is pioneering vintage space travel. I can imagine these discs being used in 100 years time as a guide to how the first travellers went about doing their trips.

As always, the quality is awesome. The attention to all things minute gives the pacakge that typical Spacecraftfilms labour of love feel to it. Some missions have a post-mission debrief soundtrack, and some have actual mission audio. All launch angles are there, as is all extraneous and bonus material.

Similar to the space mission progression, you cant have the Apollo discs without having the Gemini discs. Wow great set, and again well done Spacecraftfilms for this fantastic effort!

A must have!

This DVD set is a real must have for all space-enthusiasts. A real jump into the past, a breath-taking account of the dawn of american space era.

Little House on the Prairie (A Christmas They Never Forgot/The Craftsman)

Released in DVD by Goodtimes Home Video (01 March, 2001)

MPAA Rating: NR (Not Rated)

Directors: Lewis Allen, Leo Penn, William F. Claxton, Alf Kjellin, Victor Lobl, Victor French, Michael Landon, Joseph Pevney, Maury Dexter, and Michael Ray Rhodes

Tenderness was never in short supply on Little House on the Prairie, but this double feature got an extra sprinkling. In "A Christmas They Never Forgot," the entire extended Ingalls family (including Mary and Laura's husbands, this being a later-season show) gathers round the fire to swap tear-stained holiday memories. First up is gentle, soft-spoken Ma, who waxes sentimental when Esther Sue inquires about the "most unusual" necklace she's wearing--turns out it's a relic from Christmas past, a peace offering from a new step-pa whom Caroline, as a broken-hearted little girl, rejected outright during his first Christmas with his new family. Later, Laura remembers Mr. Edwards's snow-soaked adventure as a surrogate Santa to the girls--something that ingratiated him to Ma, who up to then eyed her daughter's wild-bearded spitting coach suspiciously. Then, Esther Sue meets up with her own pa during a sad stroll down a memory lane lined with racial prejudice. The same hackles-raising theme of prejudice is piped into the next episode, "The Craftsman." Here, Albert accepts an apprenticeship with old man Isaac, coffin supplier to the mercantile and the town's sole Jew. Despite the old man's peaceful, kindly nature, Albert is tagged a "Jew lover" and bullied by shortsighted farmers' sons. Being a boy of superior stock, he's nonetheless loyal to the old man, something he's grateful for when it comes time to visit the sage carpenter's own coffin. Throughout this episode, dear old Isaac dispenses the sort of wisdom--"Never be ashamed of work you've done, only be ashamed of what you haven't done"--that endeared this series to parents during its original run. With this release, the nostalgic can get weepy, as well as emotionally awoken, anew alongside younger generations. -Tammy La Gorce

Average review score:

An Episode I'll Never Forget

A must-have for any real Christmas video collection. Each story told by the cast members of a long-ago Christmas is heartwarming and moving. A nice touch is the beautiful carols sung acapella by a choir as background music. For me, it belongs on that list of movies watched every year at Christmas...along with 'It's A Wonderful life', 'A Christmas Story', etc. Michael Landon will always be remembered in my home, as this movie will be played every year.

One of a Kind Family Entertainment

My favorite show of all time is "Little House on the Prairie." It was always on television until just recently. I was so excited to find that Amazon.com had the DVD's to purchase. I want my children to grow up with the down home, wholesome, family show of Little House. I was so upset that it is no longer on my cable system's networks but now I know that I can find the love of the Ingalls' family right here on Amazon.com.
Thanks!

Two Heartwarming Stories to Savor

This review refers to the Goodtimes Double Feature DVD.. "Little House on the Prairie..A Christmas They Never Forgot/The Craftsman".....

Two wonderful stories from the Little House series to warm your heart and make you smile are to found on Goodtime's great transfer of the beloved TV series.

In "A Christmas They Never Forgot", Laura and Mary are now grown and married, and are visiting Ma and Pa Ingalls along with Hester Sue. The whole family gets snowed in the tiny house and while the youngsters worry about Santa's arrival, the grown ups, each take turns telling heartwarming tales of special Christmas' of their youth. It's a wonderful episode to watch at holiday time or anytime and will have you running the usual range of emotions we are always treated to in these wonderful stories.

"The Craftsman" is the poignant and touching tale of Mr. Singerman. An old, lonely Jewish expert woodcarver, who takes Albert under his wing, to teach him the craft. Albert is then subject to harrassment and harshness from the other kids as being a "Jew Lover". But he develops a strong bond and deep admiration of the older gentleman. Laura also learns the value of tolerance. Although a dramtic episode, there are some priceless humorous moments, and Mr. Singerman's little gems of wisdom are fun as well.

Some of the guest stars you'll find in these two episodes are Newell Alexander, Tom Lester, Alvin Kupperman, Frank De Kova, Don "Red" Barry and of course Victor French as "Mr. Edwards". The music by David Rose is as always, stirring and perfect in setting the tone.

A nice sharp picture and good colors, with very good sound that is always distinguishable, makes for a great view of these classic TV programs. Each episode runs about 45 minutes, and they are both on the same side of the disc, so you can just enjoy for about an hour and half.

It would be nice if Goodtimes would issue more of these episodes and put more 4 pks together( there is one avaiable now) for those of that that just can't get enough of these entertaining and enlightening stories that deliver a great message of life and family values along the way.

Recommended for the whole family to enjoy together....have fun...Laurie

The Mighty Ducks Boxed Set (All 3 Films)

Released in DVD by Buena Vista Home Vid (03 September, 2002)

MPAA Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)

Starring: Emilio Estevez

Average review score:

A rollercoaster of emotions and a lot of fun!!!!

If you like films that are a lot of fun, make you cry in places and even have a moral then these are the films for you. If you really want to laugh I suggest you watch the first two films but if you want to get your frestration out then you should watch the 3rd (the last) film.
I have watched these films since they came out and I was quite young and they never get old. Even though I hate sports films, these are funny sports films that should be put in there very own genre.
These films aren`t just for the blokes either if you want to sit with your friends and watch some films then I recomend these. I have watched them with my brother and we both find different things funny.

hott!!

ok, i read other reviews of the mighty ducks 1-3, and some of them were good. i personaly think that if you like movies that are full of fun and sports, this movie is for you. not only does it contain cute EE, but also very cute joshua jackson(charlie conway). Joshua was cute as a kid, but since being on Dawson's Creek, he grew into his looks. I gave this movie 5 stars b/c i like the movie and i'm a big EE fan and an even bigger Joshua Jackson fan!!
Joshua Jackson is HOTT!!

The ducks rock..

As a child of the 80/90 EE was my hero, and the Mighty Duck movies never get old..

Mr. & Mrs. Bridge

Released in DVD by Warner Home Video (13 February, 2001)

MPAA Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)

Director: James Ivory

Starring: Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward

Masters in depicting the superficial machinations of England's repressed upper classes, director James Ivory and his partners, screenwriter Ruth Prawer Jhabvala and producer Ismail Merchant, take on the American middle class in Mr. and Mrs. Bridge. Paul Newman and wife Joanne Woodward play the eponymous main characters: a patriarch and wife of a well-to-do family, whose members are struggling to define themselves under their father's undefiable command and the changing times.

With one daughter who wants to become an actress in New York, another who chooses the "wrong" kind of man to marry, and a son who quits school to join the Air Force during World War II, Mr. Bridge finds that his control over his family is slipping. Spanning the 1930s and '40s, the film presents nuances in how both the dramatic and the smaller moments are woven together. Weddings and arguments are no more important to capturing the essence of the Bridge family then are their moments of daily reverie.

A quiet film that succeeds in establishing its characters' intimacy, with themselves and each other, Mr. and Mrs. Bridge owes much of that success to Woodward. While Newman doesn't always seem comfortable as the stern ruler of the Bridge household, Woodward steals the film as the long-suffering woman whose identity is precariously built on her ascribed roles as mother and wife, taken for granted and often overlooked by the family she truly loves. --Natasha Senjanovic

Average review score:

A movie with memorable moments

This is one of those films with a lot of those "Memorable Moments" that you will remember years after viewing it. The scene where Mr. Bridge refuses to let a dangerous storm spoil his dinner. The hotel bedroom scene where Mr. and Mrs. Bridge find themselves sleeping akwardly in front of a mirror. The scene where Mr. Bridge takes Mrs. Bridge to a cabaret in France filled with scantily clad women doing the Can-Can and the priceless look that Mrs. Bridge has on her face.

It's about two traditional people thrust into a new world filled with free thinkers and sexual awakenings and the honest, but humerous reactions as they try to deal with it all. Everytime I watch this film I'm suprised at what I didn't catch before, and even the scenes I remember always seem to catch me off guard.

The humor comes from the humanity within the two main characters, and it's often more funny than the best comedies you will ever watch.

Highly recommended!

Oh my God it's my Aunt Marjorie!

Anyone who is originally from the Midwest has a Mrs. Bridge in the family, maybe not as affluent, but just as dippy and helpless. Mrs. Bridge knows enough to resent vaguely her helplessness and the fact that Mr. Bridge makes all of her decisions for her. The viewer is sympathetic with her plight and starts to feel that Mr. Bridge is indeed being mean & unfair to her...but then Mrs. Bridge goes and does something that underscores her inability to cope for herself.

There were more scenes than I can count that just made me cringe, because I recognized my dippy Aunt Marjorie, again & again, in Mrs. Bridge. The spirit of Mrs. Bridge remains alive and well, even today.

This was a great character study of the two Bridges. The other members of the family, and some of the friends of the Bridges, are a bit fuzzier in their definition, but that is not all that important. This is a very engrossing movie in many respects.

2 thumbs up

If you are looking for violence, lots of sex and fast cars, wrong movie! But if you are looking for a thought provoking, tender, poignant and often funny story, you've hit the jackpot. I am running out of adjectives for my two favorite actors (Newman and Woodward ought to be declared America's royalty) They shine here. Much deserved Oscar nomination for Woodward and should have been one for Newman, who never ceases to amaze. Blythe Danner is a plus as well. I thouroughly enjoyed it.

Mr. and Mrs. Bridge

Released in DVD by Buena Vista Home Vid (06 May, 2003)

MPAA Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)

Director: James Ivory

Starring: Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward

Average review score:

A movie with memorable moments

The humor comes from the humanity within the two main characters, and it's often more funny than the best comedies you will ever watch.

Highly recommended!

Oh my God it's my Aunt Marjorie!

2 thumbs up

The Rifleman (Vol. 1)

Released in DVD by Mpi Home Video (26 June, 2001)

MPAA Rating: NR (Not Rated)

Directors: Ida Lupino, James Neilson, Montgomery Pittman, Paul Landres, Richard Donner, Lewis Allen, John Rich, Paul Wendkos, Arnold Laven, and Joseph H. Lewis

A widower rancher and single father ain't your typical TV Western hero. But put a Winchester in his hands and he becomes the Rifleman. Chuck Connors may have struck out as a major-league baseball player, but he was a hit as Lucas McCain in this classic 1958-1963 series that was reportedly Leonid Brezhnev's favorite American TV show. When the former Russian leader visited the U.S. in the early 1970s, he requested to meet Connors. This DVD contains the series' first four episodes, in which McCain and his idolizing son Mark make a fresh start in the "new and mighty fine country" of North Folk, New Mexico. The Wild Bunch director Sam Peckinpah wrote the first two episodes. In "Sharpshooter," McCain takes on the corrupt businessman who has rigged a turkey shoot (that's Dennis Hopper as McCain's competition). In "Home Ranch," henchmen of cattleman Oat Jackford drag McCain from a horse and burn his ranch to run him off his property. Peckinpah is at the reins of the episode "The Marshall," which introduced series regular Paul Fixx as redeemed sheriff Micah Torrance. The Peckinpah touch: one character is blown away with wind-tunnel force, and McCain himself is gunned down. "End of a Young Gun" guest-stars a pre-Bonanza Michael Landon as a bank robber who re-evaluates his life while recuperating from an injury at McCain's ranch. A bonus episode features veteran character actor Jack Elam as a local bully who is taught a lesson by a visiting Italian count. These episodes are surprisingly gritty and brutal. When McCain gets fired up, he goes ballistic. "I'll kill your stock and burn your barns," he threatens Jackford in "Home Ranch." But when things really get tough, he still takes time to teach Mark the story of Job. --Donald Liebenson

Average review score:

The Rifeman...The story begins.

"The Rifleman" was on TV before I was born, and though I dimly remembered the show growing up, I really became acquainted with the program when it was carried for a time on the Family Channel a few years ago. I enjoyed the program immensely, attracted by the relationship between Lucas McCain and his son Mark. Wonderful acting by the tough as nails Chuck Connors, and the adorable Johnny Crawford. Time really flies watching this program, it seems that it has only just begun, and then suddenly it's over. The same can be said of this DVD, as the episodes seem to quickly slip by one after another.

McCain is a single father, trying to find a new life with his son in North Fork. His goal is to teach his son what he needs to know to survive in the old wild West. McCain's methods are basic "tough love", and may seem harsh by today's standards. But underneath the gruff exterior, is the true warm love of a father for his son. A similar treatment is applied to others undergoing life crisis, like the alcoholic Micah Torrance, and Michael Landon's outlaw character, as well as many others in future episodes in order to help them see the error of their ways.

Issues of morality are typically presented as black and white, compromise is usually out of the question. Justice is often administered by McCain's tricked out Winchester lever-action rifle. Some episodes (particularly Peckinpah's), not necessarily in this collection, are particularly violent. The violence is treated as necessary, but the dead are not dwelt upon, and therefore the effect is softened, and passes as we fade to the commercial break. McCain kills only when forced to, and as a last resort.

Others may not agree, but "The Rifleman" is a show about men, primarily for men. Sure, it will find an audience with some women, but this show definitely has a masculine view of the world. In the wake of the recent terrorist attacks, there may more of an audience for a program where moral issues are clear, and justice is swift.

My only complaint is that there is not enough material included. Five episodes is good, but six, seven, or eight would have been better. Sorry, but I'm greedy, and don't want to buy an excessive number of DVD's to complete a series (like Star Trek or Twilight Zone). Volumes 3 and 4 already scheduled for release, so we can look forward to more Rifleman DVD's. Picture quality is excellent, and Elmer Bernstein's moving music comes in at all the right moments.

Whether you are not familiar with this series or not, this is definitely the place to begin. And thanks to MPI Home Video, there will be many more adventures on DVD to look forward to. This collection is highly recommended, and the best is yet to come.

The Rifleman Vol 1 - A Revisit after forty years

I first saw " The Rifleman " series in Singapore in the mid 1960s. My family enjoyed watching this show. In particular, my elder brother and I grew up with the western films - on screen and TV. After more than 40 years, I still remember vividly Chuck Connors as the super-hero Rifleman. I really enjoyed this DVD and saw all 5 series in a row. I long for more, as the Rifleman is a different kind of hero from the modern hero I see today. The Rifleman balances both compassion with justice in withholding right values against wrong.There is a sense of genuinness when he fought for justice compared with today's heroes.
The 5 shows are very clear with superb sound and voice clarity. Till today, Chuck Connors remains my favourite hero and justice icon.

Terrific, Peckinpah-Directed Episodes Best

The first episode (pilot episode) is the best. Episodes handled by Sam Peckinpah are the best because they have a somewhat harder "edge" and never get "sappy" as this series did in its last year or so (this DVD has the most Peckinpah episodes).

Too bad we get shortchanged, this DVD needs at least two more espisodes. DVD's longer service life makes it worthwhile to upgrade to have the best episodes of the best western series.

"The Rifleman" is superior to the other westerns of its era, nearly 30 years after its debut, this series was a prime component of one cable channel's lineup. Surprisingly, Conners began a short-lived attorneys series immediately after "The Rifleman" went off the air. This series was a coming together of talented actors with good chemistry together, mostly good scripts, and the best music of any TV show ever.

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