Collecting Movie Reviews

the better track list should be like this!

1 - Lucky Star
2 - Borderline
3 - Like A Virgin
4 - Material Girl
5 - Crazy For You
6 - Into The Groove
7 - Live To Tell
8 - Papa Don't Preach
9 - True Blue
10 - Open Your Heart
11 - La Isla Bonita
12 - Who's That Girl
13 - Like A Prayer
14 - Express Yourself
15 - Cherish
16 - Oh Father
17 - Vogue

Don't get me wrong, this video collection is awesome. I previously only had the VHS video. After getting the DVD and seeing the so-called "extended version" of Lucky Star, I was REALLY disappointed. This is a REMIX video people. They totally cheesed up this video and made it look so much more dated by adding dumb effects. They shold have put in the VHS version. Also, they should have put Justify My Love on this DVD. Anyway, Madonna's videos (the original versions!) are awesome so of course she gets 5 stars.

The Immaculate Collection was released in 1990 to accompany the album of the same name. The two went hand in hand as a celebration of Madonna's incredible achievements from 1983-1990, and sold by the million. The Immaculate Collection CD sold inexcess of 22 million worldwide and is considered by many to be one of the most accomplished and essential greatest hits collections of all-time. The album was so successful that the video of the same name often gets left in the shade, which is a great shame as it contains some of the most thought-provoking and controversial works of music video art of all-time. In this review of The Immaculate Collection video, I will be rating the videos out of ten - firstly on the song, then on the video...

The Immaculate Collection opens with Lucky Star (9/10, 7/10). This amazing dance/pop song was taken from Madonna's self-titled debut album in 1984. The video isn't very good, but music videos didn't need to be in the early days of MTV. It basically consists of a white background as Madonna dances around with a few dancers. We then move onto Borderline (10/10, 9/10), a much more accomplished video. The video features Madonna aimlessly walking around the streets following the man of her dreams - yet everytime she tries to get with him, he walks away. The next video is Like A Virgin (10/10, 10/10). This was the song that made Madonna the superstar she is today with its cheeky and saucy suggestions. Madonna prances around on a gondola in Venice trying desperately to shock the world and maintain a sex-kitten image - one that would have a much greater impact seven years later! This video is followed by Material Girl (10/10, 10/10). Madonna was being compared a lot to Marilyn Monroe in the early 1980's, so she decided to encorporate this into the video for Material Girl. She re-inacts Monroe's famous scene from the 1950's classic Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. Clad in a pink boob-tube gown and showered in jewellery, she is followed around by a legion of men. A very good video - and a classic, well it is Madonna! The next three videos are from Madonna's third album, 1986's True Blue. Papa Don't Preach (10/10, 10/10) is the fifth video on The Immaculate Collection. This worldwide No.1 smash dealt with the teenage angst and heart-ache of an unwanted pregnancy. Madonna sells the song from the bottom of her heart and the video is absolutely superb - definetly one of Madonna's greatest songs/videos ever. This video is followed by Open Your Heart (9/10, 8/10). This controversial video shows Madonna as a stripper in a peep show on a chair. This was the first time the world got to see Madonna's now legendary conical bra on full show with its gold tassles! The seventh video is La Isla Bonita (10/10, 9/10). This Spanish-influenced classic track has some beautiful lyrics and superb beats. The video is set in Spain (or Latin America) and sees Madonna in a stunning red and black polka-dot Flamenco dress. Probably the most relaxing and beautifully produced video of them all...

The Immaculate Collection continues in true Madonna style with the video to Like A Prayer (10/10, 10/10). Easily the most controversial music video of the 1980's, Madonna decided to explore themes such as a black Jesus, stigmata, interracial kissing, burning crosses and statues crying blood in her video for Like A Prayer. The controversy surrounding the video only saw record sales soar as the Like A Prayer album shifted more than 15 million copies worldwide. The video recently landed at No.2 in VH1 USA's 100 Greatest Videos Of All-Time, behind Michael Jackson's Thriller. We then move onto Express Yourself (10/10, 10/10). This huge video cost $1 million to make and was the second most expensive music video of the 1980's - second only to (again!) Michael Jackson's Thriller. In the video, Madonna is the boss of a huge company as she sits up on her pedestal with her cats, smoking cigarettes, dancing while taking the mick out of Mr Jackson (crotch grabbing, ahem!) and exploring her sexuality by getting what she wants - a real girl power video that shows women can be all the things men get praised for. The tenth video on The Immaculate Collection is Cherish (10/10, 9/10). Taken from the Like A Prayer album, this superb song is deserving of praise all-round because of Madonna's sunlight and valentine lyrics on an otherwise dark and mysterious album. The video is black and white and was directed by legendary photographer Herb Ritts, who went on to direct other famous beach videos such as that of Britney Spears' Don't Let Me Be The Last To Know. This video is followed by another black and white video, Oh Father (9/10, 8/10). This was another controversial video, condemned for its child violence. The song is about Madonna as a child and how her strict upbringing often caused her misery and pain. The final video in this collection is Vogue (10/10, 10/10) - another black and white video! This song is officially Madonna's biggest selling single to date - a record that still stands 13 years later! Madonna is seen in her famous conical bra and pays homage to 16 of her idols. The video also came in a No.8 on VH1 UK's list of the 100 Greatest Videos Of All-Time.

OVERALL GRADE: 10/10

I often regard The Immaculate Collection CD and video to be one of the most essential pieces of merchandise around. Just like the Erotica album and the Sex book, this collection is a must for every Madonna fanatic. To miss out on this video collection would be to ignore some of the most thought-provoking, celebrated and controversial works of music video art of all-time. Anyway, The Immaculate Collection is a must have for all you mad fans on Madonna - buy it now...from Amazon of course!

This collection of Dark Shadows episodes, the first in the ongoing reissues, has a special charm, not lost in the later episodes, but viewable here in its primal state. These episodes are very visual: perfectly choreographed images of Barnabas in the shadows, at the window of the Old House, that ironic smirk of his when he's said something with multiple meanings (lots of that going on), the painting of Barnabas, looks of fear and mystery and horrible nightmares, etc. The fact that this is all happening in black and white serves to intensify the gothic mood of horror, all of it building at a slow but powerful pace, creating the sense that the characters are all moving slowly but inescapibly towards some tragic destiny.

One highlight of this set (and collection 2) is the conflict between Elizabeth and Jason. This brought out the best acting in Joan Bennett, with many impassioned and electrifying exchanges ensuing between the two. Dennis Patrick's acting is always pleasant to watch. The Irish dialect and the irony present in his veiled threats are perfectly executed. (It's a shame to learn the actor died recently.) And Jonathan Frid is always at his eeriest best.

Another highlight is episode 233, Barnabas describing Josette's death. You may want to return briefly from the 1795 flashback (collection 6) to rewatch this. Unfortunately, you will have to wait until episode 264 (collection 2) for the powerful confrontation between Barnabas and Jason.

I started watching Dark Shadows the first time around in the late 60's and followed a rebroadcast in the early 80's of the episodes in this collection. But it unfortunately ended before the storyline with Maggie was resolved. I had to wait twenty years to finally find out what happened! By now I'm up to collection 7 and probably won't stop.

If you are going to purchase this set, be advised: you must eventually buy collections 2 and 3. In my opinion collection 3 ends at a good breaking point, wrapping up Willie Loomis' fate, and not yet establishing the new storylines. Special note for non-US buyers: all of my sets (1-6) have been in code 0, not code 1 ... I have had no problems viewing these on PCs or any European DVD players, assuming there's anyone in the world who hasn't yet gotten around the problem of the codes.

At long last, one of the most unusual and enduring soap operas has arrived on DVD...Dark Shadows! This is great news for all DS fans. I had taped nearly every episode off of the Sci-Fi Channel, but over the years, the tapes have been worn out and the reception is very poor. But now, us fans have a collection of DS that we can preserve and collect...not to mention, these small DVD cases save a lot of room from those boxes of VHS tapes.

Dark Shadows DVD Collection 1 is equivalent to VHS Volumes 1-4. Normally the DVD Collections will contain 8 VHS Volumes, but this one only has 4, because the DVD episodes are not edited, whereas the VHS episodes are edited. When comparing the DVD to VHS, you'll find that the storylines are fleshed out more. This will only happen for Collection 1. A standard collection contains 10 episodes per disc, with 4 discs included, so you get 40 un-cut episodes. The overall picture quality looks great, considering this was a low-budget series. Like the disclaimer says, every possible effort was made to give the best quality, and it shows. The sound is pretty good and overall, much better than on VHS. Also included in the DVD is a postcard with a picture of a selected scene, and a booklet which gives brief episode summaries. The DVD's contain full screen credits at the end of each episode (something we never saw on Sci-Fi) and the opening titles with the waves crashing into the rocks. DVD Collection 1 is entirely in black and white, except for the menus of course, which are very easy to navigate through. At the end of discs 2, 3, and 4, there are 5-minute interviews with the actors: Jonathan Frid (Barnabas), Kathryn Leigh Scott (Maggie), and John Karlen (Willie).

The DVD Collections start with the introduction of Barnabas Collins, so like in the first VHS volume, it has a brief 15 minute summary of the first 209 episodes. This collection features Willie Loomis releasing Barnabas Collins, a 175-year old vampire, from his chained coffin. He introduces himself as a cousin from England. While the family reacts to his great resemblance to the portrait of his "ancestor," they do not realize that he is the same Barnabas Collins who lived in the 18th Century. The story will then follow into the next storyline, with Barnabas kidnapping Maggie Evans and trying to turn her into his long lost love, Josette.

This is a very addicting show. Once you watch an episode, you'll want to watch the next one right away. I have just finished Collection 1, and I can't wait to get my hands on Collection 2, not to mention to see the entire series on DVD. So enjoy, AND LONG LIVE DARK SHADOWS!!!

There are grand operas, horse operas and soap operas. But we're not horsing around when we say that there's only one grand, gothic soap opera --- the indestructible "Dark Shadows."
Premiering on ABC in 1966, it ran for five years, chalking up 1,225 episodes. And now it's time, once again, to sink our teeth into one of TV's more quixotic offerings. Pass the garlic, please.
And pass the DVD sets issued by MPI Home Video, dedicated folk who have worked tirelessly to bring the series out of its forgotten shadows and into an era of rediscovery. Each of the sets contain 4 discs, a chronicle of "Dark Shadows" episodes --- approximately 75 hours of our favorite fanged ghoul, Barnabas Collins, and the dark doings set in the small fictional fishing village of Collinsport, Maine. Be forewarned, however, that as much as we have a stake in the revival of the series, we question why MPI only included episodes #211 to
#412. (We asked the question, but they never answered. Talk about being kept in dark shadows.)
The late '60s were an odd time in our cultural history, a kind of a maturation into reality after the bland '50s and a precursor for the entitlement and permissiveness of the '70s. Violence permeated our society and its entertainment ... and escape was the order of the day. Dark Shadows brought us
to a strange set of performers playing even a stranger set of characters. Grayson Hall and Joan Bennett came from the movies, Jonathan Frid and David Selby came from the stage, and they were supported by actors and actresses who had spent literally decades gracing some of the most popular soap operas from radio and television.
Adding to the escapism was the time element. You were never quite sure what century you were in while visiting the New England branch of Transylvania. It could be modern-day Collinsport, or it could be the late 18th century. Performers could be playing the present-day characters, or their great
grandparents. Still, one thing was sure: High on Windows Hill stood the family manse, Collinswood (the name most likely came from Wilkie Collins, the author whose gothic gems graced book stalls in late Victorian times), and, regardless of the century, it was here that the haunted Collinses plied their depraved trade.
"Dark Shadows" had a narrative link in a way, but the performers never seem to know exactly where they are, were they've been, or, most importantly,where they were going. To be sure, there were the normal and accepted gaffs of daytime television, such as a boom mike boinking a performer on the head or people tripping over cables. But, there was the added zest of poor Joan Bennett looking confused, calling performers by their real names, and trying to cover rising panic with a look of sheer exotic boredom. Bennett made her first film well before the talky revolution, but she hadn't seen or heard everything yet, until she sojourned into daytime television.
As a matter of fact, the growth and development of the television show parallels to a greater or lesser extent the growth and development of theater of the absurd in America. The players and the set remained basically the same, but the period and action varied wildly. And, ultimately it didn't matter where you were, or where you thought you were, or where you thought you were going, because you were under the spell of the Collinses, in Collinsport, and they were in control. If the reality seemed fractured, hallucinatory and vaguely scary, well,
then, wasn't life exactly like that?
Dan Curtis, who also brought us "War and Remembrance," "The Winds of War," "The Night Stalker," "Dracula" and "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" (both with Jack Palance) and the cult film "Burnt Offerings," spawned the series. But the greatest
success of this veritable one-man cottage industry is undoubtedly "Dark Shadows." The brooding gothic setting, the sprawling, elephantine plot twists and the idiosyncratic, not to say colliding, acting styles come together to create something unique and strangely satisfying.
For the last 20 years, there has been an annual Dark Shadows Festival, held either in the Los Angeles or New York area. This year, it will be held in Brooklyn at the end of August. An ominous press release informs us that this
year marks the final full fledged festival, the last of its line.
Knowing the denizens of Dark Shadows, we don't believe it for a moment!

A lot of the people here give this movie glowing reviews, not in small part due to the cinematography. Basically, who cares if the filmwork is pretty if the movie stinks? The biggest problem with the movie is that EVERYONE behaves irrationally and there's no reason given. You go through the movie scratching your head and wondering when they're going to get around to explaining WHY these people are doing what they're doing. They never do. Plus, for nuns running a convent, there sure seems to be a lack of any sense of God or religion in their lives (i.e., there's none). I also wasn't impressed with the technical aspects of the movie. Most of the actors stink (it reminded me of an old Sinbad movie), there doesn't seem to be any plot or theme, and whoever wrote this has some really odd ideas of the climate at 8,000 or 9,000 feet in the Himalayas. The "climate" stuff is especially jarring. Most of the time, everyone's on a rocky crag with wind whistling around. Yet, the leading man runs around in shorts throughout. Then there are scenes where it looks like a lush, lowland, tropical garden. At one point, one of the characters runs off and is suddenly in the midst of a fog-enshrouded, moist bamboo jungle. There's also the beating jungle drums and the tropical birds cawwing in the background. I was wondering if Tarzan was going to swing in from darkest Africa. In short, I can't think of a single redeeming quality in this movie. Stay far away from it.

Not only is this the most erotic British film ever made... it is one of the most erotic films ever and in terms of understanding what IS erotic, is a pre-eminent example of 'less is more'. It has been remarked about some famous religious art works that there appears to be a conjunction between the face in a moment of religious ecstasy and the face in a moment of sexual ecstasy. Mr Powell and Mr Pressburger understood that entirely and made a feast of it. Just to consider the use of red: blushing nuns, red flowers, blood on a white habit, cherry lipstick, magenta dress, ruby shoes, a maroon compact... Combine this with the pulsating drums, everpresent wind, the oiled bodies of the "natives" and images of a booted foot hovering near the prostrate body of one of the nuns and you have a film of extraordinary sexual power. Never have the bare legs of a male, from just above the knees down, looked so provocative as they do in this film. But this is just part of this magnificent work. To own.

Visualy perfect, colorful, brilliantly directed and acted. My favorite Criterion Collection DVD. Only gets better with each viewing. One of the most beautiful DVD transfers I have ever seen. Only equaled in it's use of color by Micheal Powell and Emeric Pressburger's other color films like THE RED SHOES. A must have.

As I look at all the 5 star reviews that others have given this film I wonder if I am being foolhardy in daring to say something to the contrary. I am and have been for many years a Bergman fan. I eagerly saw most of his films as they were released. I love nearly all of them - this one being an exception.
Certainly the film is worth seeing - any Bergman film is. But this one is often cited as his best, and there I would strongly disagree. It is about an academic and although professor Borg has to face some of his demons, he comes out on top in then end. I understand why this film is so popular. Academics see themselves in professor Borg and academics have a lot of infulance on what is considered art and what isn't. Borg ends up looking good at the end of the film, and academics, although they have their faults like anyone else, like to think that they are worthy of respect that their position commands. In many cases they are and this is not a diatribe against academics. I just think that Bergman let this character off too easily, particulary when you compare the way he treats his other characters in movies like "The Hour of the Wolf", "The Silence", "Shame" and so on. He plumbs the depths of the soul and takes no prisoners. "Wild Strawberries" starts out that way, when the professor flashes back to the key points in his life where he turned away from love, life and reality in favor of academic honor. But ultimatly he backs down. The professor, having seen the errors of a lifetime in a few short hours, is shown to be wiser and a better man now as he receives his honory award. Bergman does not do this in his other films. For me this gives a certain falsity to "Wild Strawberries" that I don't see in "Persona" for example.
Well, everyone will probably disagree with me, - this is such an acclaimed film - but sometimes it is valuable to hear a contrarian opinion even when you don't agree with it.

Although Ingmar Bergman is justifiably regarded as one of the great filmmakers in film history, this could be his most beautiful and moving film. It is the story of Professor Isak Borg as he journeys from his home to Lund University to pick up an honorary degree. Very often in film, a journey can stand for so much more than just a trip from one place to another, and so it is in this movie. The journey roughly parallels Borg's own life, and plays much the same role in causing Borg to reevaluate his life choices as the three ghosts in Dickens's A CHRISTMAS CAROL. Like Scrooge, Borg's life is one devoid of the most important human qualities, and like Dickens, Bergman has a happy story to tell. Although we normally associate Bergman with bleak and despairing themes as found in such films as THE SILENCE or PERSONA or WINTER LIGHT, in this film Bergman holds out hope. As Borg encounters individuals in his trip and struggles with painful memories of the past, he realizes the emptiness of his life, despite his many accomplishments, and comes at the end to embrace life and find love through rediscovering the bonds with his family members.

At the center of the film is the magnificent performance by celebrated Swedish director Victor Sjöström. Although not well known outside Scandinavia, Sjöström was one of the greatest Swedish directors before Bergman. After he ceased directing, he embarked on a distinguished career as an actor, but this, his final role before his death in 1960, is perhaps his finest role. Balancing Sjöström is the remarkably beautiful Bibi Andersson as Sara, the young girl he gives a lift to. In addition to the wealth of memories that are continually assaulting his psyche, it is the unexpected friendship he finds with Sara that seems to make possibly his redemption at the end of the film. Bergman regulars, such as Ingrid Thulin, Gunnar Björnstrand, and Max von Sydow, fill out the rest of the cast.

I am not going to summarize the plot. Amazon.com's editors do a good job of that.

I watched this, Wild Strawberries, right after viewing of The Seventh Seal. Both films have extremely strong visuals and both deal with similar themes--Bergman remains convinced that there is nothing beyond death and hence his characters are symbolizations of the director's existential angst. However, while the characters in The Seventh Seal are archetypal and theatrical, Isaac Borg is extremely human. He is real and so are his emotions and sentiments (with which Bergman so passionately sympathizes). This makes the film touching and Borg's failures and triumphs become our own.

There is another review of this film by a customer (Brian Ridge), which claims that the reason he liked the film is because he is (or was) a film major, which makes it difficult for the rest of the "mainstream" to like this movie. He is mistaken, Bergman's films were very well recieved by the American "mainstream." Indeed, it was Bergman who pioneered the American foreign film market.

Secondly, the films which he names as being similar to this one are, quite frankly, just some movies by major international directors--Bunuel, Bergman, Kubrick, Allen, Scorsese, etc. These are all great directors but that does not make their cinema "similar." Each had their own cinematic concerns. The only similarity between these directors is that one does not need a film degree to appreciate them!

I can't tell you whether or not you'll enjoy the show--and let's face it, if you're buying the DVD's you probably already saw it, right? Anyway, a few technical points for anyone interested in buying these DVDs:

Each episode is one whole chapter, thus although there are about 4 hours of viewing time per disc, there are only four chapters by which you can skip ahead in the storyline--this makes for a lot of fastforwarding if you want to find a certain scene or watch only part of an episode, which can be irritating. Really irritating.

The audio commentary--well, it's not great. Actually, I can't think of any DVD on which it is worse. This may be a matter of personal taste, but to have the commentators constantly asking one another, "what scene is this?" "Do you remember shooting this? Because I don't...." "Which episode is this?" "Now why are these two mad at each other?" "who is that character?" was annoying. I can respect that for the commentators these scenes were shot years ago, and I can't and don't fault anyone for forgetting this stuff, but as that's the reality of it, why include commentary at all? It seemed like a bit of a jumbled waste.

The extras: these are included on disc 6. Neither the box nor the discs themselves give you, the humble viewer, any clue as to where they might be. Like an idiot I went through every disc until I got to the last one and figured it out. Somewhere out there a graphic designer is laughing at me. The extras themselves are really nice inclusions--especially the Emmy parody. The background info on the casting and the unaired pilot give some added insight into the creation of the show. I was not interested in this, but these segments are very well done and I think avid fans would find them worth watching.

Sound quality is pretty good, picture is great, subtitles in English or Spanish. Some people wrote about the changes to the music, I didn't notice it too much.

Hope that helps someone,

me

The reason why I loved Felicity was because I could identify with the characters and always wanted to know more about them. I loved the way the story wasn't just about romantic relationships but had a great big deal of so much other stuff like school problems, friendship, roomates issues, etc, etc. On the second year the characters changed a lot (and the reasons for that are unclear) and the story focused too much on guys. I didn't like this new direction but I still think it's a great show.

I've just received my Felicity Season 2 Set and i started to watch it! It's just a great show in every single thing, even the music (i watch it in Spanish because i live in El Salvador) has not been changed for the Spanish Audio Track. I can't wait any longer to preo-order seasons 3-4, Amazon.com hurry up please!!!

Criterion laserdiscs used to be top of the line. Their transfers were solid and their committment to extra features very compelling. One didn't mind shelling out upwards of a hundred dollars (or perhaps did, but simply reasoned the issue internally)because what you got for your money was far above what other studios were offering at the time. However, their DVD transfers have faired less well. Often Criterion is using the same tired print bootlegged from their laserdiscs, ditto for the extras)and this has yielded less than stellar results on the DVD viewing format with its higher resolution.
Hamlet is no exception. By now it seems a mute point to have to explain the tale of the Danish prince who would be king, if only he could figure out how to avenge his father's death and kill his own uncle. Royalty does have its problems!
This Academy Award winning Best Picture - produced, directed and starring Sir Lawrence Olivier is still considered by many (present company excluded) to be the definitive version of Shakespeare's master work. (I prefer the Kenneth Branagh version to this one.)
TRANSFER: The gray scale is good but the print elements lack fine detail and suffer from low contrast in many of the darkest scenes. Age related artifacts are everywhere. Edge enhancement and shimmering of fine details crop up now and then and is very obvious to the naked eye. The audio is MONO and well balanced, though there is a considerable amount of background hiss throughout.
EXTAS: An audio commentary and some junket stuff that really doesn't warrent the price tag on this disc.
BOTTOM LINE: Criterion should reconsider their stance in the DVD market. With every studio now offering special editions, Criterion's usual cluster of extra features seemed to pale in comparison. This disc is nothing to get excited about!

the text is butchered worse than elsewhere. And Olivier is just not the best Hamlet. The thunder during the tobeornotobe soliloquy that accomponies "ay theres the rub" and him shouting that line(?) are just plain corny and yuck. Branaghs a much better blonde and makes this film completely obsolete and useless.

I also never like seeing that soliloquy come AFTER the fight with Ophelia, as it does here. The H+Gertrude exchange is a little sexier than most, and I like it.

A few weeks ago I felt like watching a classic movie. The movie rental store offered a wide selection of classics but I remembered Hamlet with Sir Laurence Olivier from many years ago. So, Hamlet it was.

As I stated earlier, I saw this production of Hamlet before. Also, I saw many other outstanding productions of Hamlet performed by top actors from many countries. I thought I knew Hamlet in details and did not really know why I rented it again. But, let me tell you, Sir Laurence Olivier knew and felt Hamlet better than anyone else. He did not play the role, he lived it. It was so good that I watched it twice in the same day and once more next day for the good measure.

If you have seen it, you should see it again and, if you nave not, you must see it.

"The Lady Eve" is one of director, Preston Sturges' sinful, guilty pleasures. The plot involves a man-eater, played to perfection by Barbara Stanwyck, who sets her sights on dim-witted millionaire, Henry Fonda. After nearly wooing him into signing over his fortune, Fonda discovers the truth about "Eve" and retreats to his country home to convelesce. But Eve's scheming doesn't end there.
Criterion has redefined what is meant by their tag line on the back slip of this DVD packaging when they state "Sparkling new digital transfer". There is nothing new or sparkling about the print used in the mastering of this DVD. It is faded, worn and exhibits nearly every ravage of time, including tears, chips, scratches and water damage worthy of a complete restoration effort.
Worse, the DVD mastering is shoddy, with an excessive amount of edge enhancement, aliasing and fine detail shimmering that completely distracts one from enjoying the performances. Film and digital grain is excessive and distracting. Tiling in the background information is also glaringly obvious and present throughout. The gray scale of this disc reads more like a muddy haze of undistinguished tones in which all of the fine details get buried under and lost. The audio is mono and strident, scratchy and worn.
Extras: A Lux Radio Broadcast of the movie for those who want to turn off their television and just listen to the movie and an audio commentary that is really bare bones.
BOTTOM LINE: Criterion's penny pinching is not reflected in their price. This is a DVD you shouldn't even consider, much less buy.

Preston Sturges' "The Lady Eve" is a romantic battle of the sexes done screwball style. Yet, to classify it solely as a romantic or screwball comedy would be a mistake. For "The Lady Eve" was a transition film set between the pure screwball comedies that preceded it and the more conventional romantic comedies that followed. It relied on pratfalls and misunderstandings like its predecessors but also added an additional level of wit and sophistication that downplayed the more juvenile aspects of the screwball genre.

"The Lady Eve" is about the complicated boy-meets-girl-boy-loses-girl-boy-meets-another-girl-who-turns-out-to-be-the-same-girl relationship between beer company heir Charles Pike (Henry Fonda) and crafty con artist Jean Harrington (Barbara Stanwyck). They first meet on a cruise ship where Jean pegs Charles as just another victim. However, she soon falls in love with him only to be tossed aside when Charles finds out about her true vocation. Jean bides her time, patiently waiting for an opportunity to exact revenge on the man who jilted her. The opportunity soon presents itself but Jean's romantic feelings get the best of her once more. After deciding to leave behind her fake Eve personage, she chooses true love over the con game and hooks up with Charles again.

Fonda is superb at playing the sincere but easily victimized Charles. Those familiar with him only through his dramatic roles will find that he can be just as home in a comedic part. Yet, it is Stanwyck who steals the show. At different points of the film, she is called upon to be vile, sweet, clever, or heartbroken, and she pulls off each new demand placed upon her effortlessly. Stanwyck remarkably manages to create a multi-dimensional character that you loathe and love at the same time. The supporting cast is also strong with Charles Coburn, Eugene Pallette, William Demarest all contributing winning performances. There's much to enjoy about "The Lady Eve" but perhaps the most important message to take away from it is that it is never good to have five aces in your hand.

For those who already know that this is a delightful film: the print quality isn't awful, but it isn't as flawless as some of Criterion's other transfers. The transfer of Hitchcock's "Rebecca", for instance, looks much richer because there seem to be more shades of gray. Also, I was much more impressed with 20th Century Fox's restoration of "How Green Was My Valley" (same year as "The Lady Eve") than with this particular work. On the other hand, it doesn't look nearly as grainy as Criterion's transfer of "Trouble in Paradise" (1932), an older film.

This film is hailed as a masterpiece, and I agree the direction, cinematography, acting, and the concepts and ideas portrayed are very good, but the film moves at such a slow pace, for so long, it becomes quite boring. I found myself waiting anxiously just to arrive at the end of the film. The film compared to others, isn't actually that long, but because of the slow pace, it feels that way. I feel the story could have been changed to add some fresh material to quicken it up a little, but still keep the same issues on screen.

The film begins as Anna, her boyfriend Sandro, and her good friend Claudia go on a trip in a yacht with their friends. Anna is afraid to loose Sandro, but she wants time alone, as she cannot seem connect with him anymore. Soon Anna is found to be missing, and they all search for her, Sandro and Claudia spending more time with each other. Sandro falls in love with Claudia but she does not accept him. After a while, she does, and they forget all about Anna. The rest of the film shows their relationship, and how quickly and paradoxically our opinions and feelings can change.

The characters are empty, they feel nothing. All they trick themselves to believe they are feeling is just an illusion. They do not understand themselves, and as a result they do not understand their relationships. Their emptiness is well portrayed, as is their selfishness. The acting is well done, and directing is superb. When this film was released in 1960 it was very influential. There are no real happy moments in this film. There is some romance but it is all for the characters to gain for themselves, it is not true love. If these situations interest you, and you can stand extremely slow, and long films, you may want to check this out. But I feel this is too overrated. 3 stars.

No film is more pure in the cinematic sense than L' AVVENTURA. L' AVVENTURA is nothing like you've seen. It may be more than 40 years old and it still feels amazingly modern and refreshing. The first time I saw it when I was 18, I hated it ... it was so slow and dull and it was impossible to relate to any of the characters. But 15 years later, I came across the DVD and the picture of Monica Vitti with the "pyramid" in the backround evoked a very strangely powerful wave of images, sounds, and words. So I decided to give the film another chance. It was too beautiful and hypnotic that I couldn't stir for nearly 2.1/2 hours. After I got up from the couch, the world never looked the same again. I woke up the following morning feeling like a new person. I think the most perfect time to watch the film is around midnight when everything is quiet and dark. Turn off your phones and lock the doors. Turn off the lights and close the curtains. Push the "play" button and then the film will transport you to a totally new world that will haunt you eternally. But I think the film will work even more powerfully and beautifully if you wait for a week or two and watch it again. Most people I know "clicked" with the film during their second or third viewing. If you find yourself puzzled or even disappointed when L' AVVENTURA ends, that's okay. Don't give up. Wait for a few more weeks or even a year; then view the film again. You won't regret it; I can promise you that. The audio commentary by Gene Youngblood is magnificent. Make sure to listen to it. L' AVVENTURA is not called the landmark film for nothing. The Criterion Collection's treatment of the film is perfect - just like the film.

May 2002: I purchase Roger Ebert's book THE GREAT MOVIES. Order the dozen or so I haven't seen to get caught up (so to speak).

December 2002: "L'Avventura" arrives.

December 2002: I view "L'Avventura". Suddenly, and without warning, I was blown away. I spend consecutive days rewatching the film, treasuring it more and more each time. It was all I could ever wish for in cinema, and more.

January 2003 & Beyond: "L'Avvnetura" continues to haunt & resonate throughout my waking hours. Reflective, I ponder the life-changing impact this film has in regards to my love of film & cinema. All must now be reassessed & placed in perspective.

Curious about "L'Avventura"? You should be!

Such a great anime collection.Story is great with superb animation.Keeps you in constant suspense. Only downfall is that the ending was a little weak as if the writers were just hurring to finish the story,but not weak enough to take way from the rest.

Magic,swords,some comedy ,heh who wouldnt like to see this anime it most definately should be on everyones list you might like this anime

Bastard!! is an ironic choice of titles for an anime film (this coming from a guy who thinks "Cowboy Bebop" sounds quite normal). This being said, this DVD gives the essential version of Bastard!! that is required for the highest level of pleasure in viewing.

Bastard!! is the classic story of an anti-hero evil wizard who changes over time to defend a kingdom he once tried to destroy.

If you are new to fantasy or anime, I hightly recommend this DVD to wet your feet.

Such a great anime collection.Story is great with superb animation.Keeps you in constant suspense. Only downfall is that the ending was a little weak as if the writers were just hurring to finish the story,but not weak enough to take way from the rest.

Magic,swords,some comedy ,heh who wouldnt like to see this anime it most definately should be on everyones list you might like this anime

Bastard!! is an ironic choice of titles for an anime film (this coming from a guy who thinks "Cowboy Bebop" sounds quite normal). This being said, this DVD gives the essential version of Bastard!! that is required for the highest level of pleasure in viewing.

Bastard!! is the classic story of an anti-hero evil wizard who changes over time to defend a kingdom he once tried to destroy.

If you are new to fantasy or anime, I hightly recommend this DVD to wet your feet.