Recreation Movie Reviews

Joan Wulff is, in my opinion, one of the very few true authorities on the physics and dynamics of flycasting. Her teaching style is clear and concise, and her methods for understanding what is happening with your flyline makes it all come together very successfully. To top it off, how can you not like Joan Wulff? What a great lady! This is a VHS or DVD that is money well spent if you want to learn to cast, get out of some bad habits, or imoprove your skills.

Great instruction! Very entertaining! You will watch it again and again!

I think this video works on many different levels. First, it is a wonderful introduction to the grace and elegance of fly fishing by one of its masters. Joan Wulff is so tiny and her casts are so huge that you know you are dealing with a special instructor when you watch her lessons. The background on the origins of fly fishing is fun, too. Second, this tape is a great instructional tape on the art of casting. You can find all the answers to those casting problems that have bugged you for so long. The DVD version makes it easier to watch key casting tips over and over again. Give a tape or DVD to a novice for a great introduction into the magical world of fly fishing. Keep one for yourself for an easy reference for all your casting problems. Play it for your relatives during the holidays because even non fly fishers find this tape entertaining. Available in both VHS and DVD, it is a classic.

So much information, and so much of it is practical stuff... the kinds of things you'd only learn by doing it wrong the first time! We thoroughly enjoyed picking out chapters here and there that interested us, even though we are only "arm-chair" boaters. We especially enjoyed the trip to the Exumas -- a place we will probably never get to, but still love to dream. This would be a great gift for anyone who has a boat.. or even dreams of having one.

I love Charles S. Chaplin. In the sixties, TV sets were not so common as they are today and the only way for me to see films then was to be invited to go to the movies or to attend the weekly movie of the school's cine-club. Fortunately, our teacher had a good taste and I had the luck to discover Buster Keaton, Harry Langdon, Charles Chaplin and many others during this period. OK ! It was Nostalgy time and it's over.

The overall quality of Madacy's CHAPLIN #2 shows a little improvement in comparison with the #1 that was one of the worst DVDs I have seen in the streets. Not that Madacy has suddenly decided to clean the copies but because I suppose that the available copies were simply in a better shape. It's always under-average quality but let's rejoice anyway ! Furthermore, the music is rather agreeable this time. At last, the program presented here is very interesting and cannot be compared with the three shorts presented in the first volume.

CHARLIE'S RECREATION (1914) allows us to see Chaplin before the tramp disguise and creation that will make a star from him. But it's WORK (1915) that, alone, justifies the US$ 7 you will have to pay for the DVD. One of the first masterpieces of the genius.

A DVD for the archeologists ones.

First of all, I am reviewing the Image dvd of Chaplin's Essanay Comedies, Vol. 02. The Madacy product that this review might appear on is grossly inferior to this edition, and is to be shunned with all your might.

We have here five Chaplin films and a guest appearance. The guest appearance is forgettable, as is the rest of the movie that the appearance is in. Two of these films are Chaplin treading water, "By the Sea" and "A Woman". "A Woman" is only important for trivial reasons, because Chaplin makes his last appearance in drag, with astonishing results.

The other films, though, are key to the Chaplin legacy. "Work" is his most political statement yet, with it's condemnation of bosses and managers via Charlie's boss, who sits in the back of a cart while Charlie draws it forwardthrough streets and up impossible hills. This film is so ridiculous that you wonder how on earth it came together to fit so well.

"The Bank" is important in that we have a truly sad ending, with Charlie's unrequited love rejected twice, and reasons for his hopes to get up twice too.

"The Tramp" is Charlie's most important Essanay film, the one that establishes his tramp as a character with depth. This film is more than a collection of gags, it's a story, and the ending is a shock. Chaplin would later learn how to engender his audience's sympathies before the end of the film, but in this film, we cannot help but feel sorry for the tramp, as he walks out of the picture in one of his most famous scenes ever.

These films were painstakingly restored by David Sheperd's "Film Preservation Associates" after a ten-year search for footage. What we have is the most complete versions of the Chaplin Essanay films possible, something that hasn't been seen in almost 80 years. This means, however, that sometimes the scene in a film will change dramatically, from a clear, good print to a worse, grainy, and scratchy print, and back again. But we must put up with such defects if we expect to enjoy these films at all, for the alternative is to see prints which, while consistent, are missing somtimes 20% of the footage originally in the film

The scores are well done, and the video compression is excellent.

And now for the rant, hinted at above...

It is possible to see these same films in a much cheaper edition from Madacy or Koch video, or numerous other companies. Don't do it. These companies have taken poor quality sources, sometimes cutting out a fifth of the frame, added lousy soundtracks, and thrown their product out in nice looking packaging for low prices. This product is unsatisfactory, though, as it is difficult to watch, and really doesn't show Chaplin in a good light. Do search out dvds made by the Image company, or tapes made by Kino, becuase these companies have the restorations that are worth watching. You will be glad you did!

I am only a teenager and like most boys my age I love toilet humor.
So when my Social Studies teacher said we will be watching some Charlie Chaplin videos I was a little closed minded like everyone else.
The video we watched was Work, and just after about 5 minites of watching I was a Chaplin fan. The gags in the short little flim are ever bit as fun and funny as the day they were released. Some of my classmates just fell asleep, because they're too closed minded, but I would still recomened this stuff to any person young and old. He will give an ear to ear grin on the front of your melon. Chaplin rules.

A great way to get excited about mountain biking. Easy to learn tips for the beginner, female or male, from world class mountain biker, Sue Haywood. Will help you conquer your fear of riding off road. Laid back friendly feel of the participants lends a unique perspective not usually seen in training videos. Definitely worthwile for the novice off-road rider!

This DVD was terrible, I bought two DVD about Mt Rainier and this one was terrible, the sounds was horrible pictures are bad and the information worse, I would recommend other DVD on Rainier.

Being a novice climber and wanting to climb Mt. Rainier I found this DVD extremely helpful. It includes great route decriptions with some fun interative maps, 360 degree views etc. I feel this DVD is well worth purchasing for anyone interested in attempting Rainier ... or even if you're just into some great footage of a spectacular mountain. I look forward to the next addition .... Ascend Mt. Baker!

What makes this DVD great are the interviews with Eric Simonson, mixed with video footage of the routes. Together, you really get a sense of what it's like up on the mountain. Not to mention, you get Eric's years of advice and knowledge.

If you are aspiring to climb Mount Rainier, or just want to know what it's like up there, the Ascend Mt. Rainier DVD will satisfy your coursity and inform you along the way.

Happy climbing

I bought the DVD and feel cheated. The fire scenario is pleasant enought, but evidently the DVD was made from the VHS tape version since the resolution is far below DVD quality. All the videos are fuzzy; even worse than the VHS format since they were made from that generation copy. Why couldn't they have done this DVD right and used a high-quality digital source instead of re-copying their old tape? Could it have cost significantly more? No. It only takes a simple digital camcorder.

I HAVE THE VHS FIREPLACE BUT WANTED SOMETHING BETTER. I LIKE THIS ONE BECAUSE I JUST USE IT AS A BACKGROUND AND NOT AS A MAIN
FOCAL POINT IN MY LIVING ROOM. I ENJOY HAVING IT ON AS I READ,
BUT I LISTEN TO OTHER MUSIC INSTEAD OF THE MUSIC ONE THE DISC.
I RECOMMEND THIS DVD AND THINK IT WILL BE ENJOYED ESPECIALLY
DURING THE CHRISTMAS SEASON.......

Reading the first review above entitled "Not DVD Resolution" I was puzzled! Does rdfarr think that everying on DVD is reshot via digital cameras? Since I bought this DVD "The Original Video Fireplace" I was curious. So I contacted the makers of the DVD through their website. Here's what they told me: There are many analog videos that have been transferred to digital formats for distribution as DVDs. When that is accomplished, the original analog version is color corrected and undergoes noise reduction and then is "authored" into a digital master. I love this DVD as it is. I use it for fun and pleasure and my guests and family always ask me to play it when they visit.Do I recommend it? I'll say I do. And a word to rdfarr. Chill out! Relax. Remember, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Not in a technical assessment.

Although this is the only fireplace video I have ever purchased I have to believe there are better ones out there. Why? Here's the scoop. It has two different types of fire scenes you can view. One of them starts from the beginning with the sound of a match being struck. The fire builds and starts to roar. About 10 minutes into it, just when it gets really going, it comes to an end. If you have it in loop it starts over again from the match striking etc. I don't know about you but once I get a fire (fake or not) going I want to sit down for an hour or so and enjoy it. I found starting the fire over again and again from scratch over a short time period to be disrupting to what sould be a pleasant experience. Another fire scene lasts longer, about 20 minutes, and then if in loop mode starts over again. However in this one the fire is always roaring, not started again from scratch. This one is better but it is not real attractive. The logs look like railroad ties (square) and are not stacked in a very attractive manner. They have music to play with the fire but it is mediocre and gets old real fast. The candle scene they included is tacky. And the saucy fire is psychedelically wierd. All in all, I would recommend you look around for a different fireplace dvd than this one. There HAS to be a better one.

Not a bad kitsch gift---I have to agree with some of the other reviewers-this is obviously a gas fire that starts up pretty quickly! I do think the flames part-which is another type of fire with no fireplace just burning logs is okay and I really like the rotating candles----good with XMAS music but why did they add the fire noise from the fireplace to the candles? I have been watching the candles to my favorite holiday music and turning off the sounds that came on the dvd. It is good background video for the holidays-If you want something really good get REAL SANCTUARY its fabulous or le peuple migrateur--these are different genres but GREAT!

and I liked it. The visuals are nuts in the one fireplace mode and the sound is pretty dope when you run it through a 5.1 system.

I didn't really dig the candles, kind of weak, but maybe you'd like it, I dunno. Also, the card inside with pick up lines...hmmmmmm...not the funniest out there, but I guess you can't be all Martin Lawrence on a PG item...but it was aight.