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Family movie reviews for "Austin" sorted by average review score:
Avengers '66: Vol. 3
Released in DVD by A & E Entertainment (31 August, 1999)
Chicken runs, rounds of Russian roulette, and teetering on ledges are for "thrill-starved teenagers," observes gentleman spy John Steed (Patrick Macnee), and not for distinguished soldiers with chests full of battle honors. So why is a corps of army elite acting "like irresponsible beatniks"? Steed and Mrs. Emma Peel (Diana Rigg) meet "The Danger Makers" in a thrilling episode from the fourth season of The Avengers, directed by A Fish Called Wanda's Charles Crichton. Hold your breath during Mrs. Peel's harrowing initiation into the organization that Steed refers to as "Death Wish, Incorporated," and cock an eyebrow at Steed's provocative suggestion that Mrs. Peel impress the ringleader, a phrenologist, by showing him her "bumps" (Macnee's double take at his own innuendo is priceless). This DVD also includes the episode "A Touch of Brimstone," in which Steed and Emma are put up for membership in the Hellfire Club, whose practical jokes mask a plot to stage "a coup so outrageous the whole country will be up in arms." One Avengers-appreciation Web site ranks this among the top 10 of the Emma Peel era. Reason enough: the too-hot-for-American-television "Night of All Sins" sequence, during which Mrs. Peel reigns as Queen of Sin. Monty Python fans: that's Carol Cleveland as the insatiable Sara. In "What the Butler Saw," someone is leaking defense secrets to "the other side." While gentleman spy Steed goes undercover as a butler to locate the culprit, Mrs. Peel launches "Operation Fascination" to attract the attention of the womanizing prime suspect, Captain Miles. About to meet him for drinks, she is memorably advised by Steed, "Don't do anything I would do." Two notable bits: for security purposes, three defense officials zip themselves up in a ridiculous giant plastic body bag that anticipates Get Smart's Cone of Silence; and Mrs. Peel flees from a pursuer through a succession of doors used to train butlers, a scene echoed in Sam Raimi's Crimewave. --Jenny Brown
Average review score: 
The Danger Makers and other great Episodes1966 was a great year. 'The Avengers" was a popular 1960's British fantasy-adventure series that focused on the exploits of a male-female duo in the service of the British government. The series underwent several changes of its female lead but its one constant male lead was John Steed always portrayed by the debonair Patrick Macnee (Originally the John Steed had two male partners but that format eventually changed). Kathy Gale portrayed by Honor Blackman became Steed's first female partner. However, when Honor Blackman departed the series and Diana Rigg entered as Mrs. Emma Peel, the show became an international sensation. Rigg brought sophistication, wit, charm and beauty, which hid her lethal and highly visual judo and karate abilities. Macnee and Rigg complemented each other beautifully with their carefree witty and charming exchange of dialogue. The show distinguished itself with bizarre and futuristic villains and fantastic plots. Popular at the height of the James Bond craze, the show was able to distinguish itself with its simply over-the-top visual style. Laurie Johnson's catchy and sophisticated main title theme matched the visuals of the show and still conjures up an image of the series when listened to today. When Diana Rigg left the series, Linda Thorson entered as John Steed's new partner Tara King. The series soon went off the air in the United States. It was a shame because the episodes with Tara King were quite good. The King episodes seemed to be a little more down to earth and contained some very good writing and intricate plotting. In any event series definitely left its mark amongst the finest. These DVD copies are gorgeous and 1966 volume 3 is one of the best.
Steel Leather and an UmbrellaIf you relish a series like "Honey West," "T.H.E. Cat" or "77 Sunset Strip" you no doubt know about the content of what you are getting. You are more likely concerned about the quality of the product. Like John might say to Emma, "You scratch my back and I'll scratch your back. Just watch the hat please." John and Emma are back and are here to stay via DVD technology. Being on DVD, the aesthetics about the actual episodes are not in question here. More appropriately one may ask how they look. They look good, very good. Thank Mother because they are much better than the Sean Connery film.
You may find this offer a PeelingYou can look up the individual reviews. This collection will either bring back old memories or create some new old memories. However you will have friends and relatives that will want to remember Mother (Patrick Newell.) A single case makes the movies easier to keep track of and look better on your video storage wall. Being DVDs this is a one-time investment. Buying them individually can add up in shipping and handling. So as Emma says "Always keep your bowler on in time of stress, and watch out for diabolical masterminds." And buy the collection. Also available is Avengers '67 Set 1 Vol 02 (1966).
Avengers '67 Set 1 Vol 02
Released in DVD by A & E Entertainment (16 March, 1999)
Philip Levene wrote the first episode on this DVD, "The See-Through Man," in which a discredited inventor (the delightful Roy Kinnear) sells his formula for invisibility and John Steed (Patrick Macnee) and Mrs Emma Peel (Diana Rigg) believe enemy agents may be using it. Not one of the pantheon episodes, "The See-Through Man" is still quite enjoyable, particularly in its tag scene, which finds our hero and heroine pushing Steed's old Rolls after it fails to start. "The Bird Who Knew Too Much" is a Brian Clemens story in which Steed and Mrs. Peel find carrier pigeons equipped with tiny cameras used to photograph top-secret missile bases. The photography theme extends to some comic moments in which Steed and Mrs. Peel both do a little posing for a fashion cameraman, but there is also some fun with a parrot named Captain Crusoe, who at one point requests political asylum. Also on this DVD is "The Winged Avenger," a truly crafty piece of work by writer Richard Harris, with good tongue-in-cheek references to the influence of comic-book culture on 1960s television. A number of ruthless men are being ripped apart and killed by an unknown assailant, the only clue being that their murders seem to have been predicted in recent comic strips featuring a Batman-like superhero named the Winged Avenger. The zippy climax finds Mrs. Peel and a killer each wearing magnetic boots that allow them to fight on a ceiling. --Tom Keogh
Average review score:
Bring the 67 John Steed and Emma Peel Avengers BackThis was a great TV series. 'The Avengers" was a popular 1960's British fantasy-adventure series that focused on the exploits of a male-female duo in the service of the British government. The series underwent several changes of its female lead but its one constant male lead was John Steed always portrayed by the debonair Patrick Macnee (Originally the John Steed had two male partners but that format eventually changed). Kathy Gale portrayed by Honor Blackman became Steed's first female partner. However, when Honor Blackman departed the series and Diana Rigg entered as Mrs. Emma Peel, the show became an international sensation. Rigg brought sophistication, wit, charm and beauty, which hid her lethal and highly visual judo and karate abilities. Macnee and Rigg complemented each other beautifully with their carefree witty and charming exchange of dialogue. The show distinguished itself with bizarre and futuristic villains and fantastic plots. Popular at the height of the James Bond craze, the show was able to distinguish itself with its simply over-the-top visual style. Laurie Johnson's catchy and sophisticated main title theme matched the visuals of the show and still conjures up an image of the series when listened to today. When Diana Rigg left the series, Linda Thorson entered as John Steed's new partner Tara King. The series soon went off the air in the United States. It was a shame because the episodes with Tara King were quite good. The King episodes seemed to be a little more down to earth and contained some very good writing and intricate plotting. In any event series definitely left its mark amongst the finest. These DVD copies are gorgeous.
Steel Leather and an Umbrella Mrs. Peel?If you relish a series like "Honey West," "T.H.E. Cat" or "77 Sunset Strip" you no doubt know about the content of what you are getting. You are more likely concerned about the quality of the product. Like John Steed (Patrick Macnee) might say to Mrs. Emma Peel (Diana Rigg), "You scratch my back and I'll scratch your back. Just watch the hat please." John and Emma are back and are here to stay via DVD technology. Being on DVD, the aesthetics about the actual episodes are not in question here. More appropriately one may ask how they look. They look good, very good.
You may find this offer a PeelingYou can look up the individual reviews. This collection will either bring back old memories or create some new old memories. However you will have friends and relatives that will want to remember Mother (Patrick Newell.) A single case makes the movies easier to keep track of and look better on your video storage wall. Being DVDs this is a one-time investment. Buying them individually can add up in shipping and handling. So as Emma says "Always keep your bowler on in time of stress, and watch out for diabolical masterminds." And buy the collection. Also available is Avengers '67 Set 1 Vol 01 (1966).
Avengers '67: Set 1, Vol. 1
Released in DVD by A & E Entertainment (16 March, 1999)
Is Venus about to attack Earth? Several members of the British Venusian Society think so, while other BVS devotees are being killed in a rather unearthly manner: hit by some kind of bright light that leaves them shock-white from head to toe. John Steed (Patrick Macnee) and Mrs. Emma Peel (Diana Rigg) investigate and find, naturally, a larger conspiracy than meets the eye. The enticing mystery (written by Philip Levene) is aided by a nifty sound effect (a high-pitched whine that grows stronger just before the burst of light), and Steed's infiltration of the eccentric BVS group is highly entertaining. The second episode on the DVD is another Levene script, "The Fear Merchants," in which businessmen are being reduced to babbling psychiatric patients after being subjected to their worst fears: spiders, birds, fast cars, etc. Steed has to do some fancy footwork to avoid being buried by a bulldozer, and Mrs. Peel--who apparently has no phobias--is nearly subjected to nasty surgical tortures. The satirical element, in which captains of industry are made demented by anxieties, is great fun. The final episode on this volume, "Escape in Time," finds the intrepid Steed and Mrs. Peel hot on the trail of villains who are offering criminals the perfect escape from modern law: a one-way trip to the past, where they can lose themselves in history. Levene's smart script and Avengers designer Wilfred Shingleton make the time-transport scenes convincing in a very economical way--travelers go to sleep in a room at an opulent, old country house and awaken in that same room furnished in the style of the Georgian or Elizabethan ages, etc. When Mrs. Peel takes a trip back to what she believes is going to be 1790, and is confronted by a masked executioner from an older era, it's yikes time. --Tom Keogh
Average review score:
Weird Merchants of Fear and Others Oh DearIf you fondly remember that great British import that we watched on TV way back in the 60s then you no doubt know about the content of what you are getting. You are more likely concerned about the quality of the product. Like John might say to Emma, "You scratch my back and I'll scratch your back. Just watch the hat please." John and Emma are back and are here to stay. Being on DVD, the aesthetics about the actual episodes are not in question here. More appropriately one may ask how they look. They look good, very good, excellent in fact. Still can't get that great theme out of my head.
You may find this offer a PeelingYou can look up the individual reviews. This collection will either bring back old memories or create some new old memories. However you will have friends and relatives that will want to remember Mother (Patrick Newell.) A single case makes the movies easier to keep track of and look better on your video storage wall. Being DVDs this is a one-time investment. Buying them individually can add up in shipping and handling. So as Emma says "Always keep your bowler on in time of stress, and watch out for diabolical masterminds." And buy the collection. Also available is Avengers '67 Set 1 Vol 02 (1966).
One of the best seasons for Avenger's ManiacIt's a pleasure to discover again these episodes
The Greatest '70s Cop Shows (Charlie's Angels / Starsky and Hutch / S.W.A.T. / Police Woman / The Rookies)
Released in DVD by Columbia Tristar Hom (06 May, 2003)
It may sound like a gimmick--The Greatest '70s Cop Shows is a compilation of first episodes from Starsky and Hutch, Police Woman, S.W.A.T., The Rookies, and Charlie's Angels--but this DVD anthology really opens one's eyes to the look and feel of dramatic television during the so-called Me Decade. Except for Angels, which never wavered from its self-mocking, glossy action/stiff exposition playbook, these cop-program debuts (four of them from Aaron Spelling) import much of their fluid camera movement, multiple points-of-view, and dynamic, often wordless storytelling from the era's rough-and-tumble action movies (e.g., The French Connection). Which is to say these shows may be dumb but not necessarily cheesy (except Angels' post-modern cheese). There is a lot to admire about the opening ambush in S.W.A.T.'s "The Killing Ground," the hard-boiled camaraderie of Police Woman's "The End Game," and especially the reckless physicality and ironic jokes of Starsky and Hutch's "Savage Sunday." --Tom Keogh
Average review score:
Back when TV was greatLet me tell you, I LOVE this dvd. I have been waiting for these shows to be released on dvd format for a long time. You get the first episodes of 5 classic 70's cop shows.
1. Charlies Angels
2. The Rookies
3. Starsky and Hutch
4. Swat
5. Police Woman
I love all these shows, but I espacially love Police Woman and Starsky and Hutch. I grew up watching these shows, and there is not a cop show today that can hold a candle to these shows. I have some Charlie's Angels on dvd, and Starsky and Hutch on VHS from Columbia House, but I have missed watching Police Woman in over 25 years. I had a serious crush on Angie Dickinson back in the day. This is a great dvd of classic tv, when tv was entertaining, not all this reality crap that is on now. I just hope they realease more Police Woman and Starsky and Hutch on dvd. Its well worth the price and then some. Get it....
This Is The One I Been Waiting For!!!I am so glad they are bring out those old cop shows out on DVD. I remember watching those shows like Charlie's Angels, Starsky & Hutch,S.W.A.T, The Rookies and Police Woman back then when I was a child in the 70's. I also watched those shows when they were on TVLand til they took all the cop shows off on TVLand. I brought the DVD and I have too tell you this is the best DVD ever!!! My favorite ones on there are S.W.A.T and Charlie's Angels. You Must Buy this DVD to enjoy!!
Great fun!If like me, you're a fan of '70s pop culture...you'll want to add this DVD to your collection. Sure, you'll read reviews that refer to the "cheesiness" factor. Forget all that. I hate the word "cheesy." It assumes that everything that's current and hip will always be cool and in fashion. How short-sighted. But I digress. Watching "The Greatest '70s Cop Shows" brought me back to a time when TV was truly exciting. You get the following first episodes:
"Starsky & Huch" - "Savage Sunday"
"Charlie's Angels" - "Hellride"
"The Rookies" - "Concrete Valley, Neon Sky"
"S.W.A.T." - "The Killing Ground"
"Police Woman" - "The End Game"
My favorite out of this bunch is the "Police Woman" episode. I had not seen that show in at least 25 years and it holds up very well. Angie Dickinson is extremely sexy, sensitive, feminine and tough. What an awesome, groundbreaking show.
The sound on the disc is terrific, the picture is probably the best we're going to get...and the price is right. Never mind those big-budget theatrical versions of these shows...they don't hold a candle to the originals. Buy this and go back to the groovy '70s. You'll have a great time!
Avengers '67 : Set 4, Vol. 7
Released in DVD by A & E Entertainment (27 April, 1999)
The glory years of The Avengers, the stylish British television series starring Patrick Macnee and Diana Rigg as intelligence operatives, are in full bloom in this three-episode volume. First up is "The £50,000 Breakfast," a typically quirky mystery that begins with a Zurich-bound ventriloquist crashing his car and ending up in a hospital--only to be discovered carrying a stash of diamonds in his stomach. The strange circumstance leads John Steed (Macnee) and Mrs. Emma Peel (Rigg) into an investigation of a wealthy financier who may be considering taking his fortune out of England. But that's only the beginning: soon Steed and Mrs. Peel are up to their knees in murder plots and borzoi dogs, all ending in a gift of a Dalmatian-spotted tie. "Dead Man's Treasure" is probably best remembered for a harrowing scene in which poor Mrs. Peel is forced to "drive" a racing car simulator that gives powerful electric shocks when she veers off a virtual road. The simulator is one of the kookier gimmicks in a story about a fellow agent who plants a dispatch box in a car enthusiast's mansion, then arranges for Steed and Mrs. Peel to participate in a treasure hunt for the missing item. Saboteurs abound, but the episode's highlight is the hunt, which finds contestants and their autos subjected to spikes in the road, sugar in their petrol tanks, and misarranged road signs. The action is crisp, the humor cheeky, and our heroic duo sexy and sharp. The final episode begins with one of the most enjoyable stories from the series. "You Have Just Been Murdered" is a clever mystery in which wealthy men are being mock-assassinated by stalkers who shoot, stab, and otherwise "murder" them with toy weapons. The reason is simple: blackmail. If the hidden, insidious mastermind behind this plot can get that close to his victims, he can certainly put them in the grave for good. Enter Steed and Mrs.Peel into the fray, who fail to get much cooperation from the terrified millionaires and have to find their way to the villain's lair on their own. The show ends delightfully with one of the series' best tags: Steed counting his fortune in halfpennies and finding he's just short of a certain goal.... --Tom Keogh
Average review score:
Bring Back John Steed and Emma PeelOne of the best on DVD. 'The Avengers" was a popular 1960's British fantasy-adventure series that focused on the exploits of a male-female duo in the service of the British government. The series underwent several changes of its female lead but its one constant male lead was John Steed always portrayed by the debonair Patrick Macnee (Originally the John Steed had two male partners but that format eventually changed). Kathy portrayed by Honor Blackman became Steed's first female partner. However, when Honor Blackman departed the series and Diana Rigg entered as Mrs. Emma Peel, the show became an international sensation. Rigg brought sophistication, wit, charm and beauty, which hid her lethal and highly visual judo and karate abilities. Macnee and Rigg complemented each other beautifully with their carefree witty and charming exchange of dialogue. The show distinguished itself with bizarre and futuristic villains and fantastic plots. Popular at the height of the James Bond craze, the show was able to distinguish itself with its simply over-the-top visual style. Laurie Johnson's catchy and sophisticated main title theme matched the visuals of the show and still conjures up an image of the series when listened to today. When Diana Rigg left the series, Linda Thorson entered as John Steed's new partner Tara King. The series soon went off the air in the United States. It was a shame because the episodes with Tara King were quite good. The King episodes seemed to be a little more down to earth and contained some very good writing and intricate plotting. In any event series definitely left its mark amongst the finest. These DVD copies are gorgeous.
3 of the Best AvengersSet 4, Volume 7 contains what I consider the best episodes of the series. Patrick Macnee and Diana Rigg are both espionage veterans via "The Avengers" British TV series as well as appearing latter in the "James Bond" series of films. Mrs. Peel and John Steed do make a handsome couple monogynously speaking.
"The £50,000 Breakfast," brings to mind Ian Fleming's "Goldfinger" and that villain's attempt to smuggle gold from country to country. By the way, that's a nice tie John.
"Dead Man's Treasure" is an interesting and memorable episode. Years ahead of its time, Mrs. Peel is compelled (that's putting it nicely) to operate a racing car at the controls of a simulator. If she doesn't keep the car on the road she is subject to electrical shock. This was a similar device used years latter in "Never Say Never Again" as James Bond and Largo "suffer the pains of their armies" on a virtual hologram game for global conquest. I do hope your navigator has a good map. Good hunting!
"You Have Just Been Murdered" is just so bizarre an episode proving that no one can ever be completely safe from would be assassins and death can come from even the most innocent looking childlike device.
Avengers '67: Set 4, Vol. 8
Released in DVD by A & E Entertainment (27 April, 1999)
This special, four-episode volume unhappily brings the Mrs. Peel chapter of The Avengers to a close. "The Positive-Negative Man" is a shocking tale about an electronically charged killer dispatching members of a scientific research team with one touch of his finger. Steed (Patrick Macnee) and Mrs. Emma Peel (Diana Rigg) get a dose of high voltage, and the story is deliciously tense at times (who doesn't remember being a kid and squealing when somebody threatened to poke you with a finger?), but the wacky plot keeps matters from getting too serious. Good surreal fun and delightfully sexy. "Murdersville" is a dark tale about a quiet English town in which nearly all the residents participate in killing for a fee. Mrs. Peel discovers this the hard way when an old friend inadvertently leads her into danger there--some of it quite medieval, as in a tense scene where Emma nearly drowns in a witch's ducking pool. Highlights include a phone ruse in which our beautiful heroine foils her captors by calling her "husband John" to reassure him, and a climactic fight that manages to make pie-throwing a deadly art. "Mission Highly Improbable" follows, a wild story about a miniaturization device being used by villains to shrink their enemies to pocket-size--at which point they can be tossed into the trash or washed down a drain. The action gets even more fun when Steed and Mrs. Peel, at different times, are themselves made tiny and have to make do in a world of giant--though ordinary--objects such as pens and telephones. Finally, there's "The Forget-Me-Knot," in which Mrs. Peel's replacement on the show and in partnership with Steed is introduced: Tara King (Linda Thorson). The script concerns a traitor within the intelligence organization and his henchmen, who are using a memory-killing drug on their victims. But the strongest moment anyone watching this show will remember is a coda in which Steed and Emma say goodbye. Crushing! --Tom Keogh
Average review score:
SHOCKING POSITIVELY SHOCKINGShocking! Positively shocking! No, I am not referring to the comment that Sean Connery made after he electrocuted an undesirable in his bathtub at the beginning of "Goldfinger." No, I am referring to "THE AVENGERS" episode, "The Positive-Negative Man" in this set. I am also referring to the episode, "The Forget-Me-Knot" where Mrs. Emma Peel portrayed by the exquisite Diana Rigg departs from the series and is replaced by Tara King in the person of the lovely Linda Thorson. Shocking! That episode has something to do about introducing memory loss on some unsuspecting chap or something. I seem to have forgotten. Now where was I? Oh yes, poor Patrick Macnee! I don't think that debonair John Steed will ever recover from all these different female partners or should I say work associates! I mean going up and down stairs, forgetting one's umbrella and all that! Really! Good show all around!
Enter Tara King Exit Emma PeelSet 4, Volume 8 contains 4 episodes of the series. "Mission Highly Improbable" is highly inferior to the other 3. Patrick Macnee and Diana Rigg are both espionage veterans via this British TV series as well as appearing subsequently in "A View To A Kill" and "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" respectively. As we see Mrs. Peel make her exit, enter Tara King played by the highly overlooked Linda Thorson in "The Forget-Me-Knot". Electrifying "The Positive-Negative Man" is reminiscent of an animated "Batman" episode. Zap! "Murdersville" is very good and offbeat and leaves the viewer curiously paranoiac. Good luck, Mrs. Peel! I hope see more of Tara soon.
Denise Austin: Power Zone - Mind, Body, Soul
Released in DVD by Artisan (Fox Video) (20 May, 2003)
Starring: Denise Austin
Average review score:
a new level for the mind, body and souli've exercised with denise austin's TV show for a long time, but i wanted something that focused solely on pilates. unfortunately, i bought the stott pilates advanced matwork tape and i ended up hurting my neck and back.
then denise came out with this new dvd and i wanted to give it a try. after doing this program, i realize i never should have veered away from denise. her exercises are always completely safe but extremely effective (you'll feel it and see it!), she has an interesting background, fantastic music, and she looks stunning as always.
when you start this workout your mind will be preoccupied, but after a few minutes you are completely engrossed in following the routine. denise takes you through exhilarating, lengthening stretches (mind); standing pilates that work your arms, chest, butt and legs without hurting your neck and back (body); and invigorating, refreshing flowing motions (soul). incredibly, she kept my abs engaged throughout, which is exactly what i wanted in a workout routine. the best part is that the 40 minutes fly by and then i can't wait till the next time.
i recommend this dvd for any level of fitness: the more advanced you are, the more you'll be able to engage your different muscles while doing the exercises. working out with denise is the fastest and most enjoyable way to a good body.
Fun 40 minute workout!Power Zone by Denise Austin is a very original workout. Denise combines yoga postures, pilates, and a cardio aerobic workout to give you a full body workout that connects the mind, body and soul. At a total of 40 minutes I have found this to be a perfect evening workout video.
Mind-here Denise focuses a lot of breathing and a variety of yoga postures. This is to relax you and get you prepared for a more dynamic workout to come. It's a great opener to the DVD!
Body-This is Denise's standing pilates workout. Standing pilates, your probably wondering what that is. Denise has modified some of J. H. Pilates workouts so that you can do them from a standing position. Some of these can be tough but they all work your core just like standard pilates. This is a great core workout.
Soul-Denise finishes her program with a little salsa dancing routine that will pickup your heart rate but not stress you out. This section might be a little difficult to follow at first but stick with it. It's worth it and is really fun but most importantly completes the full body workout.
I highly recommend this DVD from Denise. It's one of my favorite programs now and one I like to do 2-3 times a week. It truly is a great for in the morning to help wake you up or in my case in the evening to unwind you from a stressful day. 5 Stars!
Donizetti - La Fille du Regiment / Devia, Kelly, Podles, Pratico, Borioli, Rivenq, Renzetti, La Scala
Released in DVD by Naxos of America (20 May, 2003)
Average review score:
Outstanding Rendition of Comic OperaDonizetti was a composer of over 70 operas. Some are outstanding; others less than so. Three of his comic operas, Don Paquale, L'Elsir D'Amore and La fille du Regiment are in the former category. I first saw this work when the Met toured, featuring Joan Sutherland and the young Pavarotti. It was a fantastic performance, and remains the benchmark for me. So how to evaluate this disc?
First, the music: it is a hugely melodic work, with one great melody following another. The plot is somewhat trivial by today's standards, but it still holds together well. The video is full screen and well defined, and the sound allows for DTS as a menu choice. In that mode, the sound is stunning.
The singers are all quite good. No, Paul Austin Kelly is not Pavarotti, but he is an attractive, believeable Tonio, and he can act. He hits all the notes , even the high ones woth clarity and presicion. Bruno Pratico is a competant Sulpice and Ewa Podles is a funny yet well sung Marquise. It is Mariella Devia who steals the show, though. She has a big lyrical soprano voice for such a petite woman, with supple runs and a brilliant top.
I have said repeatedly that the DVD medium is the next best thing to a live perdormance, and this disc is further proof of that. It is also an excellent "first opera" for anyone (including the kids) who is curious about why so many of us love the stuff.
An entirely satisfactory productionOnce available only on recordings in Italian (with an exception on the London label), Donizetti's "La Fille du Regiment" now has several sound recordings in the original French. An old video with Beverly Sills is in English and not very well done, and one from Australia boasts Joan Sutherland (who in no way looks the part but has few vocal problems with it). Now we have a really excellent DVD version put out by TDK (DVUS LFDR) from La Scala under the musical direction of Donato Renzetti and stage direction of Filippo Crivelli.
While tenor Paul Austin Kelly does not hit those 8 high Cs with quite the brilliance that the young Pavarotti was once able to toss off, he is comfortable in the role both musically and dramatically. Bruno Pratico makes a likable Sulpice (very important in this opera), while Ewa Podles hams it up but sings marvelously as the comical Marquise. Soprano Mariella Devia might be the most petite Marie ever, but her clarion notes when she imitates the regiment's trumpets are stunning.
The program notes mention how Zeffirelli designed the costumes and scenery to tone down the jingoism and pro-military sentiment of the original; but during the introductory titles, drawings of battlefield slaughter are shown on the screen and one wonders if those responsible for the video consulted with those responsible for the stage production.
At least there is not too much clowning in the comic scenes and the serious sequences are taken--well, seriously and without camping. I honestly doubt if a better version will appear on video and this is a very good choice for your next opera-video purchase.
The picture is in "full screen" ratio (4:3), and if you wish to use subtitles, they are available in English, French, Spanish and Italian.
Pumpkin Man
Released in DVD by Tapeworm (17 October, 2000)
Jason (Christopher Ogden) used to love Halloween, when he would scare the town together with his dad. However, this year is different because his dad has left home after divorcing Jason's mom (Denise Crosby). Jason's friends help him get over this hump, but it's his granddad (Philip Abbott) who teaches him about how imperfect parents are and manages and how the holiday can still be awe-inspiring. Soon, spooky things happen to this bunch of trick-or-treaters. Like an old ABC Afterschool Special, Pumpkin Man is a well-constructed tale that teaches a quick, solid lesson to kids. Although the 30-minute short is an outstanding tool in helping adolescents understand one aspect of divorce, it has enough Halloween fare to be a good holiday treat for kids ages 6 to 12. --Doug Thomas
Average review score:
Great for kids, not too scary, has a good messageThis is a great story showing how a family and community can come together and help a child in need. And this, unlike most Halloween fare, really illustrates the good natured spirit of Halloween the way it's suppose to be for kids. Thank you.
A sweet and haunting coming-of-age Halloween storyThis is a wonderful Halloween tale centered around a teenage boy who's very distraught by his parents' divorce. As he reluctantly goes trick-or-treating with his friends, he comes upon the magic spirit of Halloween in the form of a Pumpkin and a scary but kind neighborhood hermit who offers understanding and guidance to our young hero. I highly recommend it - it is one of my children (8 & 12) favorite videos and very uplifting.
Chaplin's Essanay Comedies, Vol. 03
Released in DVD by Image Entertainment (28 September, 1999)
Starring: Charles Chaplin and Edna Purviance
Average review score:
A delight!As noted by a previous reviewer, Amazon appears to have mixed up reviews of previous editions of Chaplin's early output which used poor quality public domain footage and cut every possible corner. This edition from Image Entertainment featuring the wonderful restoration work of David Shepard is every bit as good as the first two volumes of the Essanay series. The films presented here show greater sophistication than some of the earlier and shorter films in the series eg. In the Park, By the Sea. I would highly recommend this volume to anyone who has either of the other two in the series and anyone interested in early film.