Collecting Movie Reviews

The greatest American film director of all time is Woody Allen. The guy has made more masterpieces then I have fingers (Hollywood Ending, The Curse of the Jade Scorpion, and Small Time Crooks are the first that come to mind)and Fellini throughout his entire career tried to live up to Allen, tried to be like him, but failed miserably. Fellini should have stuck to action pictures; he is a strong director visually but he can't tell a simple story or make you feel for his characters like the Wood-man can. His films were always in Allen's shadow. Now I didn't see this movie but I read the summary of it, and it sure sounds boring. But I'll give it two stars just because I feel bad for the old coot.

I have long anticipated the Criterion Collection DVD release of La Strada, and now its available on an excellent two disk set, and it doesn't disappoint. This film was Fellini's first successs, and won best foreign film Acadamy Award. Picture Quality on this DVD is breathtaking; virtually no grain, dust, or scratches. Audio is clear in both original Italian or English, and it also features informative commentary. Other great features include the English trailer and a documentary on the life Of director Fellini. Another fine entry in the Criterion Collection that will remain in my permanent personal collection.
La Strada is the heartbreaking story of Gelsomina (played with great subtlety and tenderness by Giulietta Masina) who is sold to the mean and unloving performer Zampano (a fine preformance by Anthony Quinn). Then the story follows the two performing artists through their many adventures and misadventures, and that is what becomes the brillance of La Strada. A classic neorealest tale of compassion and of how everything and everyone has its purpose in life. A great film from one of the greatest, eccentric, and most versitle directors of all time, Federico Fellini, before his work became extremely outrageous and surreal (like Roma and Satyricon). La Strada is not one of those indulgent films, which, in their own way are brilliant, but don't think that La Strada is one of those, and don't let Fellini's later work deter you from seeing his better earlier masterpieces.
Finally I would like to highly reccomend Fellini's Nights Of Cabiria, also staring Masina and available on a great Criterion DVD. Cabiria is one of my top 20 favorites and should be seen with La Strada not for their similarities, but for the fact that they complement each other extremely well. Masina will make you laugh at her silly dancing and emotional outbursts and make you cry (as I always do) at her misfortune. She is a survivor who believes in love and life even after her greatest let downs. A character unlike the unconfidant but lovable Gelsomina in La Strada. Both films are true classics that must be seen by any film lover.

For the fellow from Washington to compare Woody to Fellini is like comparing Kraft Mac & Cheese to a dinner at La Scala. He must be joking, to get a rise out of people (as he did out of me) or he is truly a moron. Fellini did not make action pictures, he made works of art, La Strada being foremost among them. Woody has made a few classics, too, though the ones mentioned (Hollywood Endings, Small Time Crooks, and the lamentably bad Curse of the Jade Scorpion) are the sad measure of his slow decline as an artist. But finally to trash Fellini and then admit to not having actually watched La Strada makes his opinion laughably absurd. La Strada, Nights of Cabiria, I Vitteloni, Juliet of the Spirits and others will still be around long after Woody's lesser films have been utterly forgotten. For Woody's classics, try Annie Hall, Hannah and Her Sisters and Zelig. Also, to insinuate that Fellini tried to "live up" to Woody shows a complete lack of knowledge about cinema history. Fellini made nearly all of his great films before Woody made his first, in 1967. So get it together, dude.

LONESOME DOVE ~ This may be the greatest movie ever made. Both Robert Duvall and Tommy Lee Jones give the performances of their careers as retired U.S. Marshals Gus McRae and Woodrow Call, and the rest of the star-studded cast shine, as well. The unique scenery of the film is absolutely breathtaking to behold. And the music . . . . . . . Basil Poledouris composes what may very well be the greatest film score of all time!! (In my opinion, the works of Mozart and Beethoven don't compare to this!) Director Simon Wincer went on to helm such fantastic Westerns as QUIGLEY DOWN UNDER, CROSSFIRE TRAIL, and MONTE WALSH. I could go on forever praising this gem of a film, but there are two other movies to review. So I'll sum it up in four words: sheer and utter perfection.

STREETS OF LAREDO ~ Though it can't possibly compare to it's predecessor, this makes for enjoyable Western fare. James Garner does a great job as Captain Call, though he can't quite fill in Tommy Lee Jones' shoes. The cast is above average here, too: Sam Shepard is awesome as Pee-Eye, and no matter how brief Randy Quaid's screen time, you can't take your eyes off him. However, I found Sissy Spacek to be whiney and quite annoying. I just recently found a similarity between this and the first film, plotwise: both update old, cliched Western plots (the cattle-drive in LONESOME DOVE and the bounty-hunter-gone-after-vicious-killer here) and update them with fine form. But this sequal doesn't do it nearly as well as the first. Oh, and that whole relationship between Call and that little girl was just weird and extremely out of place.

DEAD MAN'S WALK ~ Here's an idea: make a prequal to the Emmy Award-winning LONESOME DOVE. While this may work on paper, it doesn't on film. Mainly because you'd have to find actors who could successfully portray younger versions of Robert Duvall and Tommy Lee Jones. David Arquette and Johnny Lee Millar just can't do that. While their performances are decent, you just can't manage to firmly believe that these two boys are Gus McRae and Woodrow Call. And who the hell made the casting decision for the younger Clara (excellently played by Angelica Huston in the first film)? She ... like few actors I have ever had to watch. Funny, though; all the lead actors are sub-par, but the supporting cast rules; F. Murray Abraham, Brian Dennehy (who is killed off far, far too quickly), and Edward James Olmos included. Though the music in this movie is good, it feels out of place. But by far the worst thing about this film is the ending; the last twenty minutes may be the most godawful I have ever seen. It totally ruins the whole dramatic impact of the actual Dead Man's Walk scene that takes place before it. This scene is without a doubt the best part of the movie, and is one of the best, most powerful I've ever seen. They should've just ended the movie after this scene, right before that final twenty minutes or so. It would've been a much better movie.

In the end, it might be a good idea to just pick up a copy of LONESOME DOVE (be sure to buy the two-disc edition, which has far better picture quality than the single-disc flipper) rather than this entire boxed set. On the other hand, it looks great on your shelf, and comes with a free copy of the soundtrack to LONESOME DOVE.

LONESOME DOVE: * * * * *
STREETS OF LAREDO: * * * 1/2
DEAD MAN'S WALK: * * 1/2

Lonesome dove is a keeper and true to the book; streets of laredo feels too much like a made for tv movie; but the series is redeemed in dead man's walk. If you are a fan of the series, it is worth the price. The special features are disappointing as you have to read the features, there are no clips or photos to go with the information.

My wife and I sat down to watch Lonesome Dove the other night at 7:30 pm. With two short breaks, we finished up at almost 2:00 am. The time on the box states "240 minutes". Now, I am not a math whiz, but I think that comes out to 4 hours doesn't it? It was more like 6 hours.

That in itself is a testament to how good this movie is. My wife usually nods off after about an hour of ANY movie. She stayed awake the entire time for this one!

I love westerns when they are realistic. To me, this series does not try to sugar coat anything, It also does not have any of the "cutesy" stuff that the John Wayne westerns have. When these guys decide to go somewhere, it is not just a few hours ride, it is days or weeks before they get there. That was the real west folks. Thre weren't many towns close enough to ride to in a few hours. And if you DID make the trip, you stood the chance of getting robbed or killed.

This is the absolute BEST western series/movie I have ever seen. I highly recommend it to ANYONE who likes westerns.

LONESOME DOVE ~ This may be the greatest movie ever made. Both Robert Duvall and Tommy Lee Jones give the performances of their careers as retired U.S. Marshals Gus McRae and Woodrow Call, and the rest of the star-studded cast shine, as well. The unique scenery of the film is absolutely breathtaking to behold. And the music . . . . . . . Basil Poledouris composes what may very well be the greatest film score of all time!! (In my opinion, the works of Mozart and Beethoven don't compare to this!) Director Simon Wincer went on to helm such fantastic Westerns as QUIGLEY DOWN UNDER, CROSSFIRE TRAIL, and MONTE WALSH. I could go on forever praising this gem of a film, but there are two other movies to review. So I'll sum it up in four words: sheer and utter perfection.

STREETS OF LAREDO ~ Though it can't possibly compare to it's predecessor, this makes for enjoyable Western fare. James Garner does a great job as Captain Call, though he can't quite fill in Tommy Lee Jones' shoes. The cast is above average here, too: Sam Shepard is awesome as Pee-Eye, and no matter how brief Randy Quaid's screen time, you can't take your eyes off him. However, I found Sissy Spacek to be whiney and quite annoying. I just recently found a similarity between this and the first film, plotwise: both update old, cliched Western plots (the cattle-drive in LONESOME DOVE and the bounty-hunter-gone-after-vicious-killer here) and update them with fine form. But this sequal doesn't do it nearly as well as the first. Oh, and that whole relationship between Call and that little girl was just weird and extremely out of place.

DEAD MAN'S WALK ~ Here's an idea: make a prequal to the Emmy Award-winning LONESOME DOVE. While this may work on paper, it doesn't on film. Mainly because you'd have to find actors who could successfully portray younger versions of Robert Duvall and Tommy Lee Jones. David Arquette and Johnny Lee Millar just can't do that. While their performances are decent, you just can't manage to firmly believe that these two boys are Gus McRae and Woodrow Call. And who the hell made the casting decision for the younger Clara (excellently played by Angelica Huston in the first film)? She ... like few actors I have ever had to watch. Funny, though; all the lead actors are sub-par, but the supporting cast rules; F. Murray Abraham, Brian Dennehy (who is killed off far, far too quickly), and Edward James Olmos included. Though the music in this movie is good, it feels out of place. But by far the worst thing about this film is the ending; the last twenty minutes may be the most godawful I have ever seen. It totally ruins the whole dramatic impact of the actual Dead Man's Walk scene that takes place before it. This scene is without a doubt the best part of the movie, and is one of the best, most powerful I've ever seen. They should've just ended the movie after this scene, right before that final twenty minutes or so. It would've been a much better movie.

In the end, it might be a good idea to just pick up a copy of LONESOME DOVE (be sure to buy the two-disc edition, which has far better picture quality than the single-disc flipper) rather than this entire boxed set. On the other hand, it looks great on your shelf, and comes with a free copy of the soundtrack to LONESOME DOVE.

LONESOME DOVE: * * * * *
STREETS OF LAREDO: * * * 1/2
DEAD MAN'S WALK: * * 1/2

Lonesome dove is a keeper and true to the book; streets of laredo feels too much like a made for tv movie; but the series is redeemed in dead man's walk. If you are a fan of the series, it is worth the price. The special features are disappointing as you have to read the features, there are no clips or photos to go with the information.

My wife and I sat down to watch Lonesome Dove the other night at 7:30 pm. With two short breaks, we finished up at almost 2:00 am. The time on the box states "240 minutes". Now, I am not a math whiz, but I think that comes out to 4 hours doesn't it? It was more like 6 hours.

That in itself is a testament to how good this movie is. My wife usually nods off after about an hour of ANY movie. She stayed awake the entire time for this one!

I love westerns when they are realistic. To me, this series does not try to sugar coat anything, It also does not have any of the "cutesy" stuff that the John Wayne westerns have. When these guys decide to go somewhere, it is not just a few hours ride, it is days or weeks before they get there. That was the real west folks. Thre weren't many towns close enough to ride to in a few hours. And if you DID make the trip, you stood the chance of getting robbed or killed.

This is the absolute BEST western series/movie I have ever seen. I highly recommend it to ANYONE who likes westerns.

I remember seeing this movie on halloween night of 2002 on IFC when they were playing the most beautiful and bizarre films ever made, after watching a lot of classic american horror films, i was already bored of watching them, because i already knew what was going to happen. I remember it was around 8 pm, noone home i was on the computer typing something and figure it wouldnt be worth sitting down watching these movie, until this movie the first of the six movies they were playing. The credits alone at the beginning of the film and the music made me want to watch it and discover what this fascinating piece of art was, i wouldnt even consider it a film, its more of 4 storys of art. So beautiful, i read somewhere that it was the first color japanese film in Japan and thats the reason why there is so much color. Something this beautiful can only be watch on a good dvd at night to see this dazzling piece. If you like this movie, check out the movie others the director did, i seen them all and they are very good.

I just loved this movie after I finished watching it. That old-japanese-movie-style was perfect, showing and reiterating over and over again the great devotion that the Japaneses have to their culture.

This movie was mainly based by two things:

1- The typical Asain superstition

and

2- The more than enthyusiastic and amazing stories of the samurais.

From this movie, my favorite story was the last one, which was about a blind man who was offering his services to the temple, since he knew how to play excellently the japanese instrument, which I completely forgot its name. A ghost, an antique warrior from one of the first battles between two important clans, came to visit Oichi (who was the blind man) by being so that he could tell the history of that battle to warrior's queen, who was ghost as well... For many nights, Oichi went to sing the battle to the queen. Until one night, that the priest, that Oishi was working for, discovers that Oichi was singing for the ghosts... Finally, a helper from the priest writes the sacred text all over Oichi's body. Alas, the helper forgets to write it on Oichi's ears, so when the warrior came to visit Oishi one last time, he was able to see his ears, so he decided to cut them off...and Oichi finally becomes, Oichi the Earless.

The great screenplay for each of the stories was just sublime! Very well-done, full of details... A must-see even if you aren't a lover of Asian movies!

Spoilers --yes, it is important always to announce coming spoilers because there are still people who haven't seen this film. (After hearing about it for a decade, I hadn't seen it till this past week.)

There is surely little I can add to what's already been said here about this film. So maybe what I have to say boils down to a YES vote for the pacing, atmosphere and story content of Kwaidan. But I will venture a few comments.

Unlike some other reviewers, I don't consider the first two tales, Woman of the Snow and The Black Hair-- nor the last tale, In a Cup of Tea-- negligible. Your pulse and breathing slows, the pitch of your senses drops an octave and even time seems to step off its treadmill to oblivion as you enter into the warp and weft of Kwaidan through The Black Hair. Over all, the director showed great ingenuity in the way he 'shot around' moments that could have been sunk by the formative level of special effects at that time. (How many films of this vintage are ruined for modern viewers by the universal presence of the veritable zipper in the back of the monster suit? Nearly all. This film avoids that pitfall, and yet still manages to give you something awesome to look at. --In other words, the director didn't just lazily avert his camera's gaze, as low budget horror films of the time often do, and fall back on what became an abused old saw that "the audience can always supply stronger horrors in their mind than I could for them." The director gives us plenty to look at and remember visually later.)

Woman of the Snow develops a poignant relationship between a wife-- who is not what she appears-- and her husband. Their story is sweet. You hope they prosper as a family, while you fear otherwise. A tone that is basically domestic and anti-horrific is set. When the serenity of their lives is climactically shattered, it is doubly hard to watch. You feel pity and sorrow for the man, and even for the monster, more than horror. There is no gore. A beautiful way of life is dissolved forever by a careless word, a moment of candor with a loved one that prompts unforeseeable consequences. That is real horror.

Hoichi is probably the standout story, if only because it is given the full space in time for which storytelling at this sort of pace begs. The visual effects in those scenes involving Hoichi's visits to the dead are handled with incredible deftness. They are the best this pre-cgi, pre-morph technology era could have hoped to achieve and they still stand up amazingly. I fairly gasped when I saw these scenes.(The most beautiful use of what are essentially dissolves I have seen.) This segment makes some of the best use of silence and near silence also. As the ghost assaults Hoichi, there are sparse, muted musique concrete plocks and bings on the soundtrack. The effect is suffocating. No flurry of Wagnerian sturm und drang could have worked as well for this rending scene.

After the breadth and luxury of the Hoichi segment, In a Cup of Tea may seem a little abrupt. This is not a bad thing. Hoichi was allowed enough latitude that they even managed some rare comic relief there. A Cup of Tea is a tart, terse afterword of a segment. It's like an episode of the half hour Alfred Hitchcock Presents in that it explodes the surprise at the very end, then exits with no comment at all. This is perfectly in keeping with Hearn's source stories or a John Collier or W.W. Jacobs short story. --Anything written in the form after Poe, really. Everything builds toward the final effect.

If you haven't seen Kwaidan, I recommend it. You need a grey day, first of all, or a night to view it. You need to banish all your irreverant, overly-ironic friends who might surprise you and 'get it', but as likely won't. And you have to want to like it. If all these conditions are in place, I can almost guarantee you'll be very glad you invested the time in the film.

One of the most brilliant films ever made. you'll want to move in to Grey Gardens.

Personal tragedy, extreme eccentricity and isolation are the ties that bind an elderly mother and her aging daughter to their decrepit estate in the Hamptons. Edith Bouvier (the daughter) is first cousin to Jackie Bouvier aka Jackie Kennedy but something bad has happened to this side of the pedigree. The money seems to have run out, the house in sympathy with the general state of affairs is in rapid decline and taking the grounds with it. The women, ostracized by the Hampton elite, must feed off each other for companionship telling the same stories, expressing the same pain over and over - until that is the film crew shows up. Edith (a woman in her 60's) begins to blossom, flirt and dance with and for the camera. Having a fresh audience Edith, inbetween costume changes, coyly tells the camera her family secrets. While the mother, also named Edith, lays in bed with her numerous cats and tells a different tale. Rather then take you out of their world the camera crew acts as a liaison between the cloistral world of mother and daughter. Grey Gardens is the reason I love documentary film making - for the pure voyeuristic pleasure of people watching.

Being a biography buff, I was familiar with Kennedy-Bouvier lore but somehow had skipped right over any reference to Big and Little Edie. When I saw the documentary on Sundance Cable and ordered the DVD I instantly became enthralled with these two fascinating characters. I have watched the film many, many times, and feel that I have discovered friends that I want to protect and care for (although reality forces me to accept that they are gone forever, and it is as if family members have left me). After each viewing I don't want to leave their home and presence. The emotion I feel for them is amazing, running amok. That the Maysles have been able to capture real lives and real character this way is phenomenal. You will love the Beales, be entertained by them, then suffer and hurt for them. With all your heart you want them to be okay and you make yourself believe that somewhere Big Edie sings a melody written in adoration of her by Gould while Little Edie dances, with her scarf made of rainbows fluttering about her head of glorious hair.

Watch the interview with Bergman and his red-headed friend, whats-his-name, to get an idea of how big a jerk this guy is. Listen as he proudly discusses the fact that he was a rotten husband and absentee father who cared only for his work. What a guy...

As for the movie, it strikes me as something that you may want to [fall asleep] to.

Although I am usually strongly opposed to Top Ten, Best of the Year, and All-Time-Favorite lists in film, music, and literature (Hear that, Modern Library?! Just because you're so hot on the works of James Joyce doesn't mean everyone else thinks they're worth the paper they're printed on--but I digress...), I'll make an exception in the case of Cries and Whispers, which has earned every one of its superlatives and acclaims. Along with Persona, it reflects a more adventurous side of the somewhat conservative director Ingmar Bergman--and both films are stunning successes.

The ostensible narrative is as follows: Two sisters, Karin and Maria, return to their family estate to keep vigil over their dying sister Agnes. While the two are quite capable and willing--out of duty, perhaps--to attend to Agnes' physical needs, they find themselves ill-equipped to console her or to offer her the emotional support that the quiet, simple household servant Anna devotedly provides. Through their particularly harrowing encounter with Agnes' death--and by inference, of course, with their own--the three survivors are forced to confront their memories, fantasies, and most repressed feelings toward one another.

Apart from the largely linear main narrative, three segments of the film are demarcated from the rest by red-hued shots of the faces of Maria, Karin, and Anna, respectively, each staring forward, engaged in the act of remembering and imagining. Between these establishing shots, we enter three ambiguous dream-like settings from each of these women's points-of-view. Each of these three scenarios appears to be a composite, to varying degrees, of actual and imagined events, the latter seemingly motivated by--or a projection of--the repressed feelings of the particular woman. These segments provide powerful insights into the characters of each of these women and further elaborate on their often strained and erratic relations with each other.

The cast features three Bergman mainstays: Harriet Andersson (Monika, Through a Glass Darkly) as Agnes; Ingrid Thulin (Wild Strawberries, Winter Light) as Karin; and Liv Ullman (Persona, Autumn Sonata) as Maria. All three are at their absolute best together in this film, and Kari Sylwan, as Anna, delivers a quietly resigned but expressive performance. One of many remarkable moments of the film comes during Agnes' death throes, which are harrowing and relentless--to the extent that she cries out: "Can't anybody help me?" I believe this is one of the most disturbing confrontations with death in all of cinema, and it is because of Andersson's abilities that this sequence is so effective. Ingrid Thulin gives a similarly harrowing performance as Karin, the steely, emotionally-absent sister whose repressed fear and rage gradually escapes from her typically staid demeanor.

The ending of Cries and Whispers deserves a special mention: It isn't a shocking conclusion, a surprising revelation, or even a tidy resolution... but it's sublime, bittersweet, and--in spite of all the human misery which the audience has just witnessed--serenely hopeful.

POSTSCRIPT: On the Criterion edition, as an "extra," there is a relatively recent interview with Ingmar Bergman and Erland Josephson (who appears in Cries and Whispers, as well as in other Bergman films like Scenes from a Marriage and Fanny and Alexander). While I admire Bergman's work, he is unfortunately not a terribly likable man, and this particular interview offers little in the way of insight into his filmmaking. It concerns, to a larger extent, his personal life, his general outlook, and his attitude toward death. All of this discussion does little more than re-emphasize the impressions left by his autiobiographical work The Magic Lantern and other interviews: that Bergman is a somewhat arrogant and cold man... But nevertheless, buy the Criterion edition for its exceptional quality--and ignore this self-important, unenlightening interview.

Cries and Whispers is an intense mediation on life, death, and how we squander our brief lives by succumbing to our inner demons. The Criterion edition is flawless, but if I remember correctly, some scenes seem to be missing or shortened. But no matter, this is a harrowing exploration of the depth of human pain, brilliantly created.

Perhaps the previous reviewers admire an adherence to Sayers' prose. Can't say--never read the stories, just watched the foppish Ian Carmichael version. Here, both the visual images and character portrayals of Peter and Harriet are very washed-out. Wimsey's wit, eloquence and energy is almost lost in conflictedness and malaise. Bunter is multi-talented, but without a Jeeves-like irony. Parker almost vanishes into the wallpaper. Perhaps you can still enjoy the scenery, or try Campion.

Dorothy Sayers was truly a master in her genre and the BBC did a superb job at bringing the Peter/Harriet books to life (unfortunately leaving out "Busman's Honeymoon).

In particular, Edward Petherbridge was so well cast as Peter Wimsey that even Sayers herself would no doubt stand up and applaud. He is handsome, slightly nervous yet full of sang froid, and appealling insecure about Harriet - but very sexy, magnetic even, while in pursuit of her.

My problem was with Harriet Walter in the role as Harriet Vane. In the books, Harriet was deep, vulnerable, wounded, and passionate. Harriet Walter, by contrast, is a reactive, edgy, and angry character. Most unforgivably, her behavior towards Peter is very inconsistent; punishing one minute, smiling and conspiring with him the next. She comes across as far more neurotic than alluring.

As such, the chemistry that was so pervasive in the books is very much absent between Petherbridge and Walter. And it is sorely missed: the romantic dimension to their partnership was one of the greatest in mystery fiction.

Also, although I realize that we American viewers are used to perhaps overly beautiful performers, I'm sorry the BBC didn't cast a more attractive actress to play Harriet Vane. For one thing, Walter's voice is extremely high-ptiched and grating (the nails on a blackboard type). And her hair is so unruly and badly cut that it's actually distracting. That type of short and waved bob was popular in that period but it could/should have been managed more tastefully.

These complaints about Harriet are the only ones I have about the series and otherwise ratify previous viewers' excellent comments.

Just want to add my enthusiasm for this marvelous series of Lord Peter Wimsey and Harriet Vane (and no less important, M. Bunter). The actors have all done an exquisite job and I treasure these films. I am also very impressed how entire passages of Dorothy Sayer's writing is lifted from the pages and used as dialogue. (Very unusual!) I would LOVE to see Harriet Walter and Edward Petherbridge and Richard Morant do "Busman's Honeymoon" - slightly revised to accommodate the time gap. It COULD be done!

When this set first came out a few years ago, I was reluctant to buy it, secretly hoping that these three holiday classics would soon be re-released with special features.

Well, I waited. And waited. And waited. And finally, out of complete desperation, I just bought it.

Granted, none of the three main programs in the set are the greatest (I'm still waiting for the movies -- especially my favorite and the all-time greatest, Bon Voyage, Charlie Brown! -- and the masterfully done episodes from The Charlie Brown & Snoopy Show). And there aren't any extra features (unless you count the second episode on each disc).

But it's a great way to get all three of the first wave of holiday releases at once.

Even at $39, the box set is definately more expensive than if one were to purchase the DVD's individually. But if you search around, the set can easily be found for much cheaper.

Heck -- if you don't find a better deal, just pay the $39. It's expensive, but definately a box set to cherish.

Just please: don't pay the retail! It's not worth it.

I gave this four stars only because of the cost, which I feel could have been lessened by putting them all on one dvd. The price may be steep for a collection with no extras other then a bonus movie on each disk, but for a fan of the peanuts it's well worth it. I have never gotten to enjoy these movies without the interruption of commericals. I was pleased with the quality of the DVD's, which made it worth my money. I was happy to find out that the bonus movies were of the same quality as the three more popular ones. I also do perfer the Mayflower voyages over A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving, which another reviewer also mentioned.

Charles M. Schulz (1922-2000) will be forever remembered for his endearing Peanuts comic strip characters. They include the unselfconfident Charlie Brown, the egocentric Lucy Van Pelt, the blanket-carrying Linus Van Pelt, Charlie's little sister Sally, the aspiring pianist Schroeder, the ever-messy Pig-Pen, Charlie's highly-intelligent dog Snoopy, the self-assured Pepperment Patty, the whiz-kid Marcie, etc. The popularity of his comic strip led to the filming of numerous animated shorts for television and several feature-length animated films. Of the animated shorts for television, three classic holiday shorts and three newer shorts (for a total of six) are included in this set of three DVD's. Most of the shorts were directed and co-produced by Bill Melendez, who also usually did the voices for Snoopy and Woodstock.

Disk 1:

"It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown" (1966). Charlie Brown is delighted to be invited to his first Halloween Party. He goes trick-or-treating with Lucy, Violet, and several other children and gets rocks while everyone else gets candy. To Lucy's dismay, Linus has chosen to wait in a pumpkin patch all night for the Great Pumpkin to emerge.

"You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown" (1972). Charlie Brown is discouraged from running for school class president after Lucy conducts a poll; so Linus decides to run instead.

Disk 2:

"A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving" (1973). Charlie Brown is dumbfounded when Pepperment Patty invites herself and two other friends to Charlie Brown's home for Thanksgiving dinner. Charlie, Linus and Snoopy speedily put together a holiday feast, but it isn't what Pepperment Patty was expecting.

"The Mayflower Voyagers" (1988). The Peanuts gang portrays the first pilgrims that land at Plymouth Rock. They learn about the hardships of colonial life and have the first Thanksgiving.

Disk 3:

"A Charlie Brown Christmas" (1965). Charlie Brown is elected to direct a Christmas play for his school. After being asked to buy a big and beautiful Christmas tree, he returns with a puny one and is ridiculed by everyone. In the meantime, Snoopy is busy decorating his doghouse for the annual, neighborhood decoration contest. Of all Charles M. Shulz's shorts & feature-length films, this is the only one that contains a religious tone that non-Christians may or may not enjoy.

"It's Christmastime Again, Charlie Brown" (1992). Arguably not as good as the original, the message from this short is not as intense as the original. It focuses on Sally's minimal role in the annual Christmas play (as well as Pepperment Patty), and Charlie Brown wants to raise money for his girlfriend.

Though not all of the shorts contained in this three-DVD set are equally good, children and adults alike will more than likely enjoy Charles M. Shulz's legacy of characters brought to life in them. Therefore, I rate this three-DVD box set with 5 out of 5 stars.

* Akira Kurosawa's 1963 thriller movie HIGH & LOW begins with
Mr. Gondo (Toshiro Mifune), more or less the vice-president
of manufacturing of Japan's biggest shoe company, engaged in
a takeover bid for the company. At the worst possible time, he
is forced to deal with a devious and ruthless kidnapper who is
determined to ruin him. Gondo calls on the law for help and
a team of detectives helps him deal with the kidnapper.

HIGH & LOW, based on the Ed McBain novel KING'S RANSOM, is clearly
one of Kurosawa's lesser works. Kurosawa films tend to be
slow-moving, and of course Kurosawa fans accept this, but that is
not such a problem with an epic such as, say, KAGEMUSHA, as it is
with a thriller. HIGH & LOW is over 140 minutes long and by
modern standards it simply drags, and it is less successful at
promoting tension than it is at demanding patience.

This is not to say that this is a bad movie. Even a lesser
work by Kurosawa is still far from mediocre, and HIGH & LOW
particularly shines with Toshiro Mifune's strong performance
as Mr. Gondo, an aggressive and proud man who proves to have
a conscience, in contrast to his jackal-like peers at the
shoe company. The viewer also gets a subtle, possibly not
deliberately drawn, sense of Mr. Gondo's impressive self
confidence, in that he can accept reversals because he knows
that he will prevail over the long run. The detective they
call the Bosun also puts on a good performance, though not

with anywhere near the prominence of Mifune's; overall the
detectives are a nondescript lot.

The production values of HIGH & LOW are mixed as well. It
is competently put together (in black and white) but only
infrequently becomes striking, for example in the Tokyo night
life scenes at the end. The general feel of an early 1960s
Japan -- where housewives still wear kimonos as a semi-regular
practice -- is interesting.

Overall, I would recommend HIGH & LOW mostly to someone who
is a Kurosawa fan, as it would make a good if not spectacular
addition to a collection of Kurosawa works. I would not
recommend HIGH & LOW to a general movie viewer who wasn't
all that specifically interested in Kurosawa. Probably
YOJIMBO or THE SEVEN SAMURAI would be a better introduction.

And I thought Kurosawa was big on Samurai movies. This is a stunning cop thriller grounded in real-life Japan of the 60s.

Toshiro Mifune is an honest and hugely successful businessman who loves his job as a shoe factory exec and is in a battle for corporate control against a pack of hyenas. He has mortgaged and borrowed and scraped to raise the money for a surprise coup to takeover the firm. Until his son is kidnapped.

But then there is a major plot twist: it is not his own son who was taken but his son's friend, the chauffeur's kid, and the ransom demanded is atrocious. If he forks the dough, he stands to lose everything he has worked so hard for, but can he simply sacrifice the chauffeur's child because it is not his? From here on High and Low (perhaps better translated as Heaven and Hell) is a riveting "police procedural."

Watching Kurosawa's maestro camerawork is a rare, almost unique experience, he is a man in complete control of his visuals and his subject matter. The DVD is letterboxed and the print B&W. This not only lends beautifully to a cinematically compelling human drama, but it also draws you into the theme emotionally.

A superb film, captivating from start to finish. Highly recommended!

"High and Low," Kurosawa's 1963 crime film begins in the peaceful mansion of Gondo (Mifune), who is involved in shoe production. Kurosawa immediately introduces this character to us, showing how he has a passion for his work, and how his work is part of his life. He will not let himself be bought out by the new generation of businessmen who are in it just to make money. Gondo makes it very clear that the shoes they are making are junk and are not delicately handled like they should be. Gondo is against these businessmen and refuses to work with them.
Gondo wants to break free and work on his own branch out of the shoe company. He reveals to his family and assistant, Kawanishi, that he is ready to do so with 30 million yen, money he has been saving up for years. Things change, however, when he receives a phone call that his son has been captured. Gondo will do whatever it takes to get his son back. However, he finds out that the kidnapper has taken the wrong child; the child is actually the son of a close friend who was with Gondo and his wife at the time. Gondo is now in a dilemma.
What follows is the police investigation as we meet the chief inspector (Nakadai, a Kurosawa regular) and the other investigators. Kurosawa makes this film a deep interesting character study right from the start, as we begin to understand the kind of person Gondo is. Gondo's dilemma is vividly shown and Mifune does a great job helping us understand his plight along with Kurosawa's great script.
The second half is mainly police investigation but is so fascinating and compellling in the style by which Kurosawa strucutres it. He uses flashbacks, wipe dissolves, lighting, closeups, and music all to his advantage. Kurosawa once again proves that he as great an artist as he is a storyteller, and maybe, the finest storyteller in film. The film's detailed locations are well balanced, from Gondo's peaceful and wealthy mansion perched up on a hill, to the hot and humid investigation room, to the streets of Tokyo, and to the crack houses in the urban slums. Kurosawa makes use of all the actors effectively, particularly Mifune and Nakadai. The film is a journey through crime, tension, reality, and Kurosawa leads us every step of the way to a powerful climax.

Kurosawa and Mifume make a memorable film on what could have been just standard material. Mifume is the samurai in the middle of a political struggle who uses his cunning and honor to defeat the treachery of the power hungry wannabees. I'm impressed with how good Mifume is each time I see him. Here he commands the screen through his silence as well as his actions. And boy how his actions make this movie rock.

For all the action there is still plenty of fools for comic effect. And there is a great standoff between Mifume and his main adversary at the end. This is a must see for any Kurosawa fan.

Yet another fine example of how films should be done, Sanjuro is a continuation of Yojimbo; I hesitate to call it a sequel due to the common belief that sequels are always inferior to the original.

In Sanjuro we find Toshiro Mifune reprising his role as Sanjuro Tsubaki(Sanjuro has a habit of changing his last name to whatever is around him at the time.) Sanjuro yet again wanders into a dilemma and has to lead a group of "pretend" samurai to set things right.

The first and last lessons about being a samurai are both "the life of a samurai is far from glamorous". at the beginning, sanjuro runs into the young samurai and begs, the young samurai scold him so Sanjuro prooves his skills, and becomes the master to the naive children. Sanjuro fixes the problem, all the while cracking jokes at the expense of his students. When it is time to leave, Sanjuro teaches his final lesson, in a surrealy ultra violent finale.

Who would have thunk you could have a funny samurai movie? I guess you can have comedic westerns, so why no a humorous samurai? The samurai genre is the Japanese western, after all.

Here, Yojimbo (Mifune) comes upon 9 bumbling samurai who are caught up in the crossfire of a political coup in their clan. Trying to sort out who is what is half the fun. Mifune tries to get these guys out of several jams, but each time they do something to get him into even more trouble.

There are several nice comic touches of the old woman who wants the samurai to rescue her husband without being too violent because killing can become a habit. My favorite is the enemy guard who is kept in a closet, but who comes out when he has some commentary to contribute and then walks back in and closes the door. I don't want to spoil to joy of these scenes by telling you too much about them.

There is some good samurai action and one particularly gory scene that you will have to discover for yourself. But this is a very enjoyable film that is put on this very nice transfer by Criterion with a number of interesting extras.