Collecting Movie Reviews

I found "The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp" to be a haunting story, rich in story and superbly acted. I found the film to be a very private experience - one that you will be thinking about for a long time.

I really can't add anything to the comments made before other than to say that this is the type of film that makes Criterion a special mark. I would question many of their choices, films are available in other formats and of questionable importance (e.g. "Armageddon", "The Royal Tennanbaums" and "The Rock"). "The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp" probably would have been lost forever (or show up as a $...DVD on a "Bargains" rack) without the work put in by Criterion and the "legitimacy" conferred on it by being recognized by the brand.

myke

The fascination of Powell and Pressburger began many years ago and their films never seem to fail to entertain, allure pondering, and engage creativity. This film has all of the same characteristics that sign a film by Powell and Pressburger, and this time they have done it with an old fashioned military officer, Clive Candy (Roger Livesey), who is comfortable with his own opinions and traditions. The very same opinions and traditions will come under close scrutiny by an entertained audience that will have to contemplate the insightful development of the film as well as the outcome of Clive Candy. In the end, Life and Death of Colonel Blimp will have proven itself to be an outmost terrific film.

How wonderful it is to have this unique movie beautifully restored to its original length and scene order by the British Film Institute.

Until about ten years ago, I had never seen this film. I had never rented the cut, reconfigured tape, because I didn't think I'd like the film (in any form). But the L.A. County Museum of Art had an Archers' retrospective several years ago that included the BFI restoration print. Despite many of there pictures being among my favorites, I still thought I was in for a hoary WW II propaganda film. I could walk if I didn't like it.

Was I ever wrong. I came out considering it among The Archers best works. which in my book, means one of the finest films ever.

"The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp," in the original version, is a brilliant mix of WW II propaganda, an often whimisical loving satire of the system. It is ultimately one of the most winning anti-war films ever. In a different way, as good as "Grand Illusion."

This low-key epic begins with the Boer War, when Blimp is a young (too) gung-ho officer to the time the film was made--mid-war 1943. The cast is superb. Roger Livesey gives one of the best performances imaginable. Deborah Kerr (18) at the time, gives a tour-de-force performance as the three different women Blimp falls for in the 40-year span of the film. Anton Walbrook Is so brilliant in this film. This man I am now convinced was one of the greatest actors of the 20th Century. His controversial character is a German officer Blimp befriends in the Boer War and they become life-time friends, with Blimp vouching for him being permitted to stay in England during WW II. Walbrook's scene explaining why he has left Germany is as great, if not greater than his curtain speech in "Red Shoes." Most other actors would have turned this into maudlin sentimentality. Walbrook instead gave me a giant lump in my throat. I don't lump easily.

If you've never seen the complete, uncut and untampered with film and are Archers devotee, this is the version for you.

The extras are uniformly fine. The commentary track with Martin Scorsesse and director Michael Powell, from a recording he made on first viewing the restored film, is sharp and perceptive. He sounds very old and can be hard to understand because of it, but it is worth the extra effort to hear him comment on one of his personal favorites.
There is also an excellent half-hour or so documentary, that includes Emeric Pressburger's grandson, that helps explain why and how the film was tampered with and almost never seen as a result of Prime Minister Winston Churchill trying to ban it. No luck in England. J. Arthur Rank released it in his English theatres and advertised "See The Banned Film." And it was a huge hit. The "banned" got the initial audiences in, word-of-mouth made it the movie too see. Winnie also failed in his attempts to stop exportation to other countries.

One of the most intelligent, witty,serious, breathtakingingly beautiful Technicolor films ever released.

Get this Criterion treasure now. It also includes several Colonel Blimp "original" editorial cartoons, by Blimp creator David Low. Some are timely today and could run with the names changed to suit today's political and military madness. The editorial cartoons were a revelation to me.

Archer Fans, order now and have a really complete collection of these unique gems.

The chap from England, below, is absolutey, right.

I simply enjoyed each and every DVD out of the 5 DVDs.
It is a must have box set. I loved the part when BBC
production sensored the mating scene among primates. I can
watch the box set with my sons.

OK, if you are reading this you must know how incredible these programs are. But one thing is necessary to say: the show must go on! After watching these BBC series all you want is MORE, MORE, MORE! I also would like to thank every man/woman who were involved in this big project. You guys did a great job! So, when comes the next? Many dinosaurs and other prehistoric beasts are waiting for their "special programs" too. And so are we, dino lovers.

Brilliant is an understatement to describe the best produced/animated "history" of the planet's prehistoric inhabitants. Vividly real creatures populate a landscape of constantly changing proportions.

And the makers of the series have even given the animals "personality" as they go about their daily struggles for survival in harsh and developing times.

This is a set for those that want their science informative and entertaining; in other words, a must-have for the student and the teacher.

Dark Shadows continues with DVD Collection 4 (VHS Volumes 21-28)! The storylines really pick up the pace in these episodes as young David Collins continues to have nightmares about vampire Barnabas Collins. As Barnabas wants to become human again he orders Dr. Julia Hoffman to accelerate her experiments to cure him. However, the treatments backfire, causing Barnabas to age rapidly to look like a 200-year-old man. Barnabas attacks and takes control of Carolyn Stoddard in order to become "young" again. Later on in this Collection, the Collins family begin to believe that David's claims may be true, and they hold a seance to contact the spirit of Barnabas' younger sister Sarah. During the seance, Victora Winters mysteriously disappears and discovers that she has travelled back in time to the year 1795.

Bonuses for this disc include interviews with producer Robert Costello, writer Sam Hall, make-up artist Dick Smith (probably the best interview I've seen on a DS set) and actress Lara Parker, who plays the role of the evil witch Angelique when the series shifts to 1795.

Another great collection of the Dark Shadows series.

I can probably count on one hand tv series that I would buy on DVD...and Dark Shadows is one of them ! Yes...they borrowed storylines from classics including "Frankenstein"..."Dr Jekyl and Mr Hyde"...and "The Wolfman"....they left in flubbed lines...had on camera miscues...many of the individual scenes dragged out way too long...and the cast probably earned plenty of frequent flyer miles with all of their trips back and forth into the past and future...but these things give Dark Shadows it's charm ! The sets were absolutely awesome...professionally designed and built by architects and craftsmen...the music soundtrack is very beautiful... the quality is great on DVD...and the interviews with cast members and others involved at the end of each disc are excellent additions! It was also the start for sucessful actors like David Selby (Quentin Collins)...Kate Jackson(Daphne Harridge)...John Karlen(Willie Loomis)...and Roger Davis(Peter Bradford)...it featured familiar faces like Joan Bennett(Elizabeth Collins Stoddard) and Dennis Patrick(Jason Mc Guire)...and actors who came out of nowhere to steal the show...like Lara Parker(Angelique the witch) Louis Edmonds(Roger Collins)....Thayer David (Ben Stokes)Jerry Lacy (Reverend Trask)...and Nancy Barrett(Carolyn Stoddard) ! Buy all of the sets...but I'm reviewing here because Victoria Winters' accidental trip to 1795 via seance' is the most well written and best acted segment of the entire series...as good as most of them were ! Enjoy...Dark Shadows truly is a classic...and my order is up to date through Collection 9 ! Start right now with Collection 1...the first appearance of last but not least...Barnabas Collins...played with all of his heart and soul by Johnathan Frid....a must own DVD collection that won't take too big of a bite out of your budget !

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 5 DVD 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!

It is fair to say both Herzog and Kinski are insane people. Why? Because they chose to work with one another five times. Herzog is a great director with a great vision, but is obsessive and it is hard to decipher his wicked humor from truth. He once said he regretted for not having accepted the offer the Indians gave to him during the shoot of "Aguirre: The Wrath of God" in the Amazon of killing Kinski because Herzog needed him for a couple more shots. Or when he threatened to shoot Kinski if he left the filming of the movie. Funny but disturbing remarks. Truth or lie...we don't know. Klaus Kinski is also an odd character, and it is best exemplified through his energetic and chaotic personality of his characters. Due to his eccentric traits, it is no wonder Kinski has only worked with directors for only one time; except for Herzog; whom he worked with five times. It is fair to say both of them are quiet insane. Yet, they produced some of the richest film in cinematic history. Starting with "Aguirre: The Wrath of God," one of the greatest visionary movie that can truly be termed "epic." Then there is "Fitzcarraldo," with its magnificent view of the boat being dragged up a mountain, and also "Nosferatu," perhaps one of the greatest remake. Then there are the good but not great pictures such as "Woyzek" and "Cobra Verde." Nonetheless, this collection is a must own because Kinski and Herzog are one of the best collaboration of director/actor. It includes the documentary "My Best Fiend," which is about the relationship of both these extraordinary and unique human beings. I recommend true moviegoers to at least view one of Herzog and Kinski's movie together and you will immediately be dragged into their odd world of hatred and spite and respect towards one another. It is a shame not many recognize Werner Herzog because he is one of the greatest directors and his new film "Invincible" is one of his very best and is in my list as one of this years best picture. Kinski is not the greatest actor, but his duet with Herzog brings out the best in him. His performance in "Aguirre: The Wrath of God" is one of the greatest and bids comparison with Maria Falconetti in "The Passion of Joan of Arc," Brando in "The Godfather,""Last Tango in Paris," and "Apocalypse Now," and De Niro in "Taxi Driver," just to name a few. But not many have witnessed this picture and that is a shame. This collection is a great way to start the exploration of Herzog and Kinski; an actor who's as crazy onscreen as he is offscreen, and a director who is willing to kill to fulfill this vision...

I'd like to add some technical details for this DVD-set:

This DVD-set can't be with region 1 code, because my DVD-player is with region code 2 and plays this DVD-set complete. It must have region code 0.

This is a gift from the Gods. All the combined works of Kinski and Herzog in one packaged set. I pre-ordered it the minute I saw it. Just having "Nosferatu," "Aguirre," "Fitcarraldo" and "My Best Fiend," in a set would be cause enough for joy. But ALL of their movies together is fantastic. If you are a film fanatic, you cannot live without having this most shining moment of German film. If it ever goes out of release, you will be able to sell it for a fortune as a collector's item, if you can bear to part with it. I separately review the movies in here under their own titles so will not attempt to do that here.

As mentioned by many before my, this show concentrates on the realities of coldwar espionage rather than the fantasies. To some extent, it has been used by the CIA to educate wannabe James Bonds, and show them what the situation was really like.
The first episode is a little heavy on expositions and meetings, but don't let that turn you off.
"Can I buy you a drink?"
"I have nothing to celebrate."
"Nontheless, I would still like to buy you a drink."
"Herr Torvick, if I had a glass in my hand right now, I'd shove it down your throat."

"Shall we walk"
"I'd rather be carried"

The paranoia over the Soviet Union seems sad, pathetic, and dated now, but captures the genuine flavor of the era.

Simply put, this is the finest television show in the history of the medium. For realism, it goes all the way. Sure, TV shows today are more 'violent', meaning that there is guns and blood shown, but even the hardest core show that I can think of, 'Oz', comes off like sentimental hogwash by comparison. If you doubt me, watch episodes 'Is Your Journey Really Necessary?' (Set 1) 'A Special Relationship,' (Set 1)or 'At All Costs' (Set 2) and tell me if I'm not right. I won't describe what happens, which would spoil the enjoyment, but suffice to say that many hard decisions are made and many sacrifices are necessary. This is a hard-edged, realistic look at a secret service. The writing and acting is Incredible across the board. Roy Marsden is superb as the thin, cold leader, Neil Burnside. The inner-office politics are great fun to watch, as Burnside and his immediate superior, SIS deputy Chief, Matthew Peele vie for power and control. Just a great production from beginning to end.

Better than any other espionage series (and better than most espionage movies), "The Sandbaggers" focuses on the ongoing tension between bureaucratic administration of covert operations and the desperate life and death struggle of those carrying out these operations. Magnificent scripts--heavy on careful expository dialog and wry character development.

There is as much strength in this group of episodes as in those packaged into "collection #1." (Please see my review of that.)

If you are a TZ fan, this merits your attention. If you are exploring TZ, try a small, inexpensive sampler, then step up to this when you are ready. Seriously consider this, also, for those on your gift list who have everything and/or are difficult to buy for.

This is hands-down my favorite television series, and now it's on DVD in superlative form. You can't go wrong with any of the five collections.

Having had a partial collection on video for many years now, I anxiously awaited the release on DVD. Finally! The complete series (156 episodes) has finally received the treatment it truly deserves. This series has held up well for 40+ years, and I have no doubt it will make it for at least another half century. Television writing was at its peak with this show, and the evolution of television filming (and videotaping) techniques is obvious over the course of this series. And the trademark twists at the end of each episode still take me by surprise!

Technically, the digital remastering to DVD has brought new life to Rod Serling's brainchild. The video presentation is crisp and well defined, bringing out the subtle details so well, that you will find yourself completely absorbed in the nuances of Serling's vision, and the outstanding production values for this early 60's series (just keep in mind that this is pre-Computer Generation era). The audio was clear, and blissfully noise free, but a bit low on the volume when compared to the title and menu audio tracks (both on the geyeballh version of the earlier disks, and the intro sequences on the later disks). The shows are presented in their original format, so no widescreen version is necessary. And television always translates well to...well, television. Although the extras include a Rod Serling bio, a brief synopsis of each of the 5 seasons that the series ran, and a Twilight Zone history, these features are identical on each disc. The true gem of the extra features is the episode synopsis and review. Each disc is unique in this respect, with a plot summary and some background "inside info". Although mostly taken from the book "The Twilight Zone Companion," I found this feature to be the most interesting.

Each collection has its ghitsh and gmissesh, but the series is, overall, a rewarding experience. The only "disappointments" that I found were the collection's lack of a subtitles option (which I really would have appreciated), and the fact that the episodes are not in order (which slightly detracts from observing the actual progression of growth within the series). That makes this more of a 4 1/2 star rating (but you can't do that, can you?). If you have ever enjoyed even one episode of this legendary series, you will not regret buying these collections. And if you've never seen it, give it a try...you'll be hooked.

This is a great set to own - 4 of Kurosawa's great films in one reasonably-priced box set. Criterion does a great job with the bonus stuff, and quality of film transfer. The sound on these is mono, so there's not much more tweaking that Criterion could have done in that department.

My biggest qualm is that 2 of the 4 films are not Anamorphic. Those of you who have widescreen tvs will know what I'm talking about. YOJIMBO and SANJURO, both 2.35:1, are not presented with an Anamorphic (or "enhanced for widescreen TVs") option.

HIDDEN FORTRESS is Anamorphic.

SEVEN SAMURAI is 1.33:1 standard format, so it will appear "square" anyway.

I was very disappointed to discover this after I bought the set. I understand that Criterion is now trying to release their titles in Anamorphic format. However, I wonder if they'll ever go back and re-release YOJIMBO and SANJURO this way?

That's right, these ARE some of the greatest Japanese films ever made and are especially wonderful samurai movies!

By now you know abouth the movies that are included so let me make some technical reference to the DVDs.

In terms of picture quality, Seven Samurai has been restored to present the best presentation of the film to date. Yojimbo features a fine 2.35:1 non-anamorphic transfer of the film. Don't get me wrong, it is quite good, especially for a film of its age, but you won't be writing home about it. Sanjuro (my favorite of the bunch) is presented in a non-anamorphic 2.35:1 aspect ratio and starts off poor. The film looks worn for the first few minutes and shapes up after that. Overall, a very good transfer. Hidden Fortress has the best picture of the bunch, having been mastered from a pristine interpositive to a high definition transfer!

Sound on the disc is as follows: Seven Samurai features a restored mono track and is a improvement over the old video tape I used to watch! Yojimbo's sound isn't quite as good. There's a hiss throughout the Japanese 2.0 Mono track. To sum it up, it is fair. Sanjuro, happily, doesn't have the hiss present in the Yojimbo track. It is a pleasant Japanese 1.0 mono track. Hidden Fortress gives the viewer the choice of a 1.0 mono track or a 3.0 Dolby Digital track.

Extras? Seven Samurai features audio commentary by Japanese film historian Michael Jeck which offers insights into Kurosawa's work, the film and Japanese culture which combine to make a highly engaging commentary. Also included is a theatrical trailer. Yojimbo is pretty much a bare bones disc, including only the trailer and liner notes. Sanjuro has the same features as Yojimbo. Theatrical trailer and liner notes. Hidden Fortress includes a theatrical trailer and an eight minute interview with George Lucas who discusses Kurosawa's influence on him as a filmmaker.

In conclusion, these are excellent films with presentations that I'm sure are the best we will ever see for them. Don't hesitate to add these to your film library!

Don't let the flimsy box deter you from picking up this bargain set of the Criterion Collection versions of four films by one of the best directors in cinema history. Japan's Akira Kurosawa was influenced by John Ford and other directors, and in turn influenced the work of George Lucas, Stephen Spielberg and many others. Kurosawa used techniques and shots that are still used and, as a true auteur, his vision can be felt in every scene. The four films here are all samurai films and all star Toshiro Mifune, a national treasure of Japan and a real joy to watch.

SEVEN SAMURAI tells the story of a village of desperate farmers who hire the samurai to defend them from a horde of roving bandits. Mifune as Kikuchiyo, the clownish and crazy misfit, and Ko Kimura as Katsushiro, the new samurai just learning his trade, experience the most change in the film. The 1988 commentary track by Michael Jeck is just wonderful; we learn a lot about Kurosawa, Mifune, the actors and techniques, and other films, as we listen to it.

THE HIDDEN FORTRESS tells the story of a princess and her protector as they move through enemy territory and encounter two bumbling thieves. An eight-minute featurette shows George Lucas talking about Kurosawa in general and this picture, in particular, as influencing Star Wars. YOJIMBO and SANJURO tell the story of a samurai who means well as everything around him seems to go wrong.

All four are heard in Japanese with optional English subtitles. The Criterion Collection treatment, as usual, results in crisp, clean prints with great soundtracks. All four films are accompanied by their trailers, and in the case of SANJURO, that includes tantalising bits of behind-the-scenes footage.

This set may not be worthwhile if you already own two or three of the Criterion versions, but if you have pre-Criterion prints you want to replace, or if you only have one, this would be very worthwhile for you. Wonderful prints of four great films by an amazing director.

A young dreamer, Billy Fisher, lives a boring life in a small town of England. When he does not have to do anything he dreams of being someone in his fantasy world, Ambrosia. In the real world he has committed some petty misdemeanors and these are now about to catch up with him. In order to stay afloat, Billy has been forced to lie, but the lies have begun to accumulate and could slap him in the face at any moment. Thus, he is patching up his lies with other lies until he is so deep that there is no return. Billy also dreams of being a script writer for a famous comedian in London, but no one really believes him because he has been caught in his lies too many times. One day when an opportunity surfaces where his dream of script writing can become reality, he is put on a crossroads. Will he have the courage to see through it, or will he remain a dreamer? Billy Liar is an exceptionally fascinating story that is depicted with clever thoughtfulness, which leaves the audience with an extraordinary cinematic happening.

"Billy Liar" was made in 1963 three years after my birth and I can just remember Britian being like this; but it is not just a nostalgia trip. This is a beautifully executed piece of film making works from the opening, when we see a nation's homemakers brought together by the BBC's "Housewife's Choice", to the end when the battered and degected Billy walks up the hill to his parents semi-detached house at the head of his make believe army.

In between we get to witness Billy's fantastic imagination at work vividly brought to life in mock news-reel form and the chaos of his real life as his past mistakes catch up and eventually overwelm him.

The central problem Billy faces is one that most if not all young people experience at some time; the desire to do something great and become important and the feeling that they are being constrained and inhibited by the older generation's lack of vision.

It is not easy to distinguish who is responsible for what. The writers Wallis Hall and Keith Waterhouse obviously deserve a great deal of credit as they also wrote the novel and stage play but John Schlesenger's direction and the superb cast bring the film to life.

Schlesenger came from a BBC television background and the opening sequence as well as the Danny Boon character seem very authentic. Danny Boon, played by Leslie Randall, is the type of British comedian that used to and in some cases still does, present game shows on television in the UK complete with irritating catch phrases and over fimiliarity with middle aged women. Intrestingly Wilfred Pickels, who plays Billy's father, was previously best known for his radio quiz show "Have a Go" but he is now best remembered for his roll here.

The great dicovery of the film has to be Julie Christie who breezes in and sweeps all before her checking her make-up in a C&A mirror (their last store closed in the UK this year) and swinging her handbag as she walks down the street. But it is her scenes with Tom Courtney's Billy where she comes alive. Although the makers regard her as fantacy figure in fact she is the only one who accepts him for what he is and offeres him a means of escape. The fact that he can't quite go through with it tells us so much about the diffidence that is at the centre of Billy's personality.

Criterion have given us an eccellant quality DVD with a superb director and leading actors commentry as well as a BBC documentary that puts the film in it's context of the British Kitchen Sink dramas that started in the late 1950's and echoes of which are still present in films like "The Full Monty" and Billy Elliot. Watch and enjoy.

I am full of admiration for Schlesinger's film. It stands in a tradition of many great British movies that managed to make something truly cinematic out of stage material (another outstanding example would be David Lean's 1945 'Brief Encounter').

The film follows a young man of 19 by the name of Billy Fisher. In the small Yorkshire town of Stradhoughton (fictional I am sure), Billy copes with the mundanity of everyday life by creating for himself an inner world of fantasy to which he retreats continually. Courtenay is superb as the perpetual liar and daydreamer, and the supporting cast is equally excellent. Denys Coop's photography. Is reminiscent of the French New Wave, particularly the opening scenes which echo the opening of Truffaut's 'Les 400 Coups,' the beautiful scenes of Julie Christie as she skips her way through the streets, and the final shots of Billy's street which have a 'cinema verite' look. The editing, especially in the fantasy sequences, brings a uniquely cinematic dimension to what could have easily been done in a more cliched style.

Schlesinger presents a very moving, and very human, fable. Towards the end, as Billy marches through the empty streets, humming the last post, following the death of his grandmother, there is a real air of pathos. Similarly, we get interesting insights into the character of Billy as, waiting to board the train to London, he clutches two cartons of milk to his chest, a touching maternal symbol. Again, there are clear echoes of the scene in Truffaut's 'Les 400 Coups' in which the young Antoine Doinel steals, having run away from home, steals a bottle of milk from a doorway.

This is not to say that the film is an incredibly sophisticated look into characters and personalities, but it touches upon some very human and profound moments. This is also a tremendously witty film, not losing on iota of the humour and irony of the original book by Keith Waterhouse (and subsequent stage play co-authored by Willis Hall). There are scenes of laugh-out-loud hilarity, and many of Billy's fantasies will strike a chord with many of the more imaginative of us, perhaps making us uncomfortable as we see a reflection of ourselves, albeit on a bigger scale.

20th Century Fox's Charlie Chan series was a gold mine for the studio, which produced dozens of films starring first Warner Oland and then Sidney Toler as the Hawaiian-based but globe-trotting Chinese detective. Extremely popular throughout the 1930s and well into the 1940s, the Chan series spawned two imitators: Mr. Moto, starring Peter Lorre, and Mr. Wong, starring Boris Karloff. Neither series had the staying power of Chan, and after a few films both were discontinued, faded into obscurity, and were soon forgotten.

Only a small number of Chan films and one Mr. Moto film--all on VHS--are available to the home market today. But this double DVD collects all six of the Mr. Wong films, and presents them in near-pristine condition: there are occasional scratches, blips, and one or two breaks in the films, but for the most part these transfers are as good as they get, and although not as sharp as the visuals the sound quality is quite good too. The entertainment value of the individual films, however, varies a great deal from title to title. The best of the collection are the first two titles, MR. WONG DETECTIVE and THE MYSTERY OF MR. WONG; the third title, MR. WONG IN CHINATOWN, is also quite good. But the second disk titles are increasingly uninteresting--and PHANTOM OF CHINATOWN can scarcely be called a Mr. Wong film at all, for the film (which is arguably the least interesting in the series) features Keye Luke instead of Boris Karloff in the title role.

Like the Charlie Chan series, Mr. Wong films have several disabilities. From a modern standpoint, the idea of a white European or American using stereotypes and heavy make-up to play an Asian might be considered distasteful by some--but in defense of this I note that such was standard practice at the time, and the stereotypes involved are never mean spirited and the detective is always shown in a positive light. The films are also cheaply made, the direction is at best so-so, and the cinematography extremely static. But for the most part, the Chan films generally manage to rise above these issues; they are essentially "B" movies that attain an "A" level through a clever mixture of mystery, comedy, expert performances from the entire cast, witty scripts, and a rapid pace. The Mr. Wong films, however, are "B" movies that stay "B" movies. Boris Karloff is extremely entertaining as Mr. Wong, but the plots (even in comparison with Chan, which was no paragon on this point) are extremely transparent and gimmicky, there is little humor, the supporting casts are weak, and the scripts are ho-hum. And they run at a much slower pace.

Although the quality transfers are to be applauded, the entertainment value of the films are such that I consider the set over priced. I myself have enjoyed them quite a bit, but I suspect the Mr. Wong collection will appeal almost exclusively to film buffs and fans of Karloff and 1930s B mysteries--most casual viewers are likely to be disappointed. Recommended, but to serious collectors of the genre only.

It's exciting to have the entire Mr. Wong series on one DVD. They're all very good movies.

Boris Karloff, although not convincing as a Chinese detective, is a graceful performer as always. The real star of 3 of the movies is Marjorie Reynolds as reporter Roberta Logan. She shows style and great wit. She was known later as the wife in the television series The Life of Riley. Keye Luke in the 6th and last film as Mr. Wong is a great treat, as well.

If you're a fan of the old detective movies such as Charlie Chan and Mr. Moto, these are knock-off versions, but entertaining in their own right. I highly recommend this DVD set.

A fine series of whodunits that I had never seen before. Karloff is excellent. He makes no effort to fake a Chinese accent, but he does come across as an intelligent detective. His foil, Grant Withers, sometimes overdoes it as the brash, no-nonsense police captain forever dependent on Wong to solve crimes for him, but overall his interplay with Wong and a number of female leads is fun. I found several of the mysteries really engrossing and the quality of the images excellent. The last entry, with Keye Luke, either as a younger Wong or an offspring of the character Karloff was playing (though Withers is still approximately the same age) is a bit weaker. While there are plenty of suspects, the mystery itself did not keep my interest and the plot twist at the end was only mildly diverting. A good deal is instead made of Wong's budding relationship with a somewhat mysterious Chinese woman who had been working for the deceased. Nonetheless, putting this whole set in one package was an excellent idea. I found it very entertaining and look forward to watching the series again.

After taking a look at the final two DVDs that make up the Robotech saga, I found myself pleasantly surprised. For a DVD series rife with intermittent picture quality (good & sharp on one disc, deplorably muddy on another), I found these last two platters to be among the top of the pile in terms of picture clarity & sharpness. True, there's still quite a bit of graininess & the occasional scratch, but that's due more to the condition of the source film. The sound quality, however, is only above average.

Then there's the bonus DVD: much like the picture quality of the regular discs, I found the extra features included in this series to be a hit-and-miss affair-I found some of them intriguing, and others kinda weak. Fortunately, this particular extras disc was more towards the intriguing side of the spectrum. There's several photo presentations of various Robotech™ merchandise, including the Robotech™ Fan Club starter packet, the novelizations, toys, fashion doll accessories, and other tchotchkes I never even knew existed before! Also included is a Spanish Pepsi® Robotech™ fountain glass ad, and (once again) snippets from the show dubbed in various different European languages. I also found the demos from the Robotech™ video games to be pretty neat, if somewhat primitive-looking by today's PC video game standards. Unfortunately, I discovered that that the RoboCon 10™ footage that was allegedly included with this platter (at least according to the copy printed on the gold box edition I received) is absent. Thanks to my fellow Amazonian reviewers, I discovered the reason why (thanks, guys)! Fortunately, I found a quasi-Easter-egg-sorta-thingy that helped ease the disappointment little: click the Mospeada™ logo on the lower right part of the bonus disc display screen, and you'll see a two minute-long Revell™ promo.

Finally, there's the main event: the plethora of snippets that were trimmed from the original Japanese shows. Although some of them were taken out because they were considered too violent or naughty for U.S. kidvid (Note to you anime horndogs out there: sorry, no nudies in this batch of excised scenes), there're many more that were rather innocuous, and were removed simply for pacing reasons. Especially notable is the infamous part cut from Roy Fokker's death scene in 'Macross', featuring the bloody entrance wounds in his back that led to his demise. This particular bit has pretty much put to rest assertions made by some elements of the 'Techie Nation that this particular bit was actually shown in 'Robotech', but was cut from subsequent broadcasts.

Speaking of cut-down footage, I've heard that all three of the original series that make up the Robotech™ epic will be making their way to DVD uncut and in the original Japanese dialogue (with English subtitles, 'natch)! And you know what THAT means: it's got all of the extra violence, naughty bits, and mature themes & situations that make the medium of anime so inviting! Well, inviting to ME, anyway. Key-yool...

'Late

This boxed set is generally great, however, there are two major problems with it.

Firstly, if you're planning to get a first edition version, gold box version of ther Legacy Collection 7 (New Generation), be aware of two flaws:

(1) The other box for New Generation Legacy boxed set (#6) is green. The gold box for #7 is mistake, and ADV will be re-releasing a second pressing with a box in green that matches soon.

(2) Any references on the first printing to convention footage in the extras is incorrect. They couldn't get the rights. It's not included and the packaging and advertising is wrong. This will be corrected in the second printing (green box version)

Secondly, my extras disk had a weird problem with it under the Southern Cross deleted scenes. One deleted scene, a long shot of Nova Satori, was set at the end of track. My Sony DVD player hiccuped on it and wouldn't display it. I don't now if this is a problem with my DVD, my DVD player or the DVD pressing itself.

I suspect strongly that it's the DVD itself, possibly with a screwed up pressing, as my DVD player had no problem with the rest of the disk, and since it occured at 0:00 left on the track (as per my display). I think the Master disc may have been defective, especially given all other mistakes on the gold box release.

My advice - wait for the green box re-release. I hope ADV will have fixed all these bugs in that version.

(More info on these problems can be found on Robotech.com)

Good storyline, nice drawings (considering that this came out more than 20 years ago).

For any Robotech fan, this last series is probably the most interesting. Though technically, it's not really related to Macross or Southern Cross.

You have to get these two volumes Legacy Coll. 6 and 7