Themes Movie Reviews

As I wrote an extensive build up of these movies, prior to thier release. I am now pleased to say that about 98% of my anticipation was not misguided.
Overall, these are the clearest and sharpest versions I have seen in my lifetime.
In comparison to some of the non Key Video versions that were out on VHS these offerings from MPI are stunning.
My only letdown was, as others have mentioned, is that there could have easily been more additional material offered.
A short commentary was offered on the restoration of Orson Welles' "The Third Man" by Criterion and was fascinating.
Something similar to this would have been easy to produce and Holmes fans like myself who have put up with public domain trash copies for decades would have eaten up such a documentary.
I also have wondered for years if there are any out-takes from the films that still exist.
How fascinating that would have been, and would still be....hint....hint.
At the very least, Filmographies of Rathbone and Bruce, or trivia facts about the series or the actors, or the productions, or at least even the trailers should have been included.
Little things, such as pointing out the appearance of a young dark handsome Milburn Stone in "Faces Death" who later became "Doc" on Gunsmoke.
There are several instances where the Captioning is lazy. Such as in "Faces Death" when Holmes says "anno Domini" in a sentance and the caption writer just put "Domino."
Even with occassional lapses in the captioning, it was indeed nice to have them captioned.
Of all the films in this Volume, the one I found most curious was "Faces Death."
Even after reading the liner notes, I still wonder why some of the extreme deterioration marks on individual frames could not have been repaired by computer.
Much worse deterioration existed on the "Third Man" and it was restored flawlessley. And oddly, there are a few sections of the Key Video version of this Film that are clearer than this MPI restored version.....?....
Was this a real case of Wet vs. Dry printing or laziness on the part of those in the restoration process?
All that said, the other three films are near pristine, especially Holmes in "Washington". I think there will never be another version of these prints released that will surpass the quality of this offering.
Lastly, for the snobby Holmesian purest who nearly worship the Brett/Granada versions of the Holmes stories, I think this offering will go a long way in explaining to many why Rathbone is beyond doubt the nearset thing to Holmes incarnate that has or ever will exist.
The Granda versions are draining, dripping with overcharachterization and forced melodrama...did I mention contrived?
Brett often behaves like a nerotic narcasisstic snot who sees and loves his own image off a distance in a mirror somewhere.
These films with Rathbone and Bruce are timelessly engaging, underplayed, entertaining, perfectly moody and just downright fun in every aspect. Rathbone and Bruce had a chemistry that so completely complimented each other.
Rathbone especially....you never catch him playing Sherlock Holmes...he just "is" Sherlock Holmes.
Now, if we can just get the first two Rathbone and Bruce films restored and captioned and in our libraries....well what's next...Peace in the Mideast?

While I watched "Faces Death", I felt that it was a much lighter version than I what was used to. So, I paused a scene and went hunting for my Key Video of the movie. I put it on and went to the matching scene, then switched back and forth between the VCR and video images. The difference was very pronounced. The Key Video version was darker, moodier and had deeper shadows. I don't know which version should be considered the "better" one, but they are indeed quite different! I enjoyed the commentary and booklet, but, like others here, would have liked to see more (such as the trailers). Overall, though, I am thrilled to see the series on DVD and will buy the next two volumes.

Noted Sherlock Holmes Scholar, Andrew Kemp, was not kidding when he said that these are the best reproductions of these films since their original theatrical release. Digitally restored in 35MM from the UCLA Film Archives prints, they are a joy to behold for those of us who have had to make do with ratty and incomplete public domain copies. MPI has again done Holmes fans a great service by making this fine and popular film series available once more. I say "again," because they have also released the much respected Granada TV series featuring Jeremy Brett.

Previous reviewers have already commented on how Universal moved Holmes ahead into the WWII era, and had him chasing down Nazi's, spys, and assorted modern "evil-doers." Never-the-less, the series appeal lies not in the historical context, but in the charisma of Rathbone and Bruce as the series' Holmes and Watson.

These films are not great cinematic milestones, but they are great fun - pure entertainment, and as each new generation discovers Holmes, they always key in on this series as the all-time favorite. If you haven't seen these films before, or even if it's been awhile since you saw them on TV as a kid, do yourself a favor and pick this set up - you won't regret it.

Thomas The Tank Engine's GREATEST American Collection, Thomas & Friends - Platinum Edition [3 Disc Set] Is Coming This October!!
Includes Best Of Thomas, Best Of Percy & Best Of James In 1 Pack!
Stories Are: Thomas Gets Bumped / A New Friend For Thomas / Thomas, Percy & The Dragon / Thomas Saves The Day / Trouble For Thomas / Thomas & Stepney / A Big Day For Thomas / Thomas Meets The Queen / Percy's Ghostly Trick / A Scarf For Percy / Percy Takes A Plunge / Percy's Predicament / Thomas, Percy & The Mail Train / Percy Runs Away / Percy & The Signal / Percy Proves A Point / Percy's Promise / A Proud Day For James / James In A Mess / Old Iron / No Joke For James / James Learns A Lesson / Percy, James & The Fruitful Day / James Goes Buzz Buzz & Time For Trouble. I Hope You Enjoy This Traintastic DVD Coz It's 2 Thumbs Up [Or In Thomas' Case, 2 Buffers Up!!]

I fell in love with Cowboy Bebop when my roommate first introduced me to it two years ago. It is an excellent story line and I love the characters personlities. I have been in agony not able to see it on a regular basis and being poor(student), I was not able to buy the official disks. I decided to break down and risk the three disk set with extras and no soundtrack cd. Glad I did! It is in perfect order, professional quality, clean, no tears or scratches, great graphics job for a bootleg, and shipping was prompt. I highly recommend this for those of you who can't wait like me.

Cowboy Bebop is great anime and is one of my personal favs. I could never imagine an anime could be so beautifully detailed until I bought and viewed this one. The plot is great the music is beautiful creating intense action scenes. I recommend this for everyone. Especially if you want to be an otaku anime expert!
so what are you waiting for go buy it now!

Cowboy Bebop is not only the high point in Japanese animation but also a landmark in animation in itself. This great and fantastic series only ran for Twenty-six episodes but the impact it had is historic. Spike and the crew are like dear friends once you know them, and the adventures they get into are not only great but touching and action pack all at once.

Don't call yourself an animation fan if you don't own it.

. I had long been curious about "Brief Encounter" because on the old M*A*S*H* TV show, LTC Henry Blake made a reference to it. He was afraid that his wife, Lorraine, back home in Bloomington, Illinois was having an affair! Does anyone remember that episode? "BA" is the story of two VERY respectable English folks, who are married to other people. A chance meeting on a train turns into a harmless, though touching affair. The woman, Celia Johnson is the first to realize it can't last. Henry Blake would have approved! (She was nominated for a Best Actress Award.) The male lead, Trevor Howard, eventually does too. The story, and resolution, is predictable given the setting in the prim and proper mid-40s in England. The staging is first rate. Much action takes place in a commuter train station with the whoosh of steam engines, the shrill conductors' whistles, the dashing up and down passenger ramps, the terse announcements and the ratter and clatter/clickity clack of the passing trains. "Mind the Gap", indeed! The scenes in the snack bar, with the tart tongued bartenderess are sharp and poignant. The supporting cast, all of whom hang in the bar are wonderful in that British "old movie" way. Americans never did scenes like these as well. "BE" won no Academy Awards in 1946. "The Best Years of Our Lives" was too much competition. Those that watched Mr. Howard in the classic The Third Man", are due for a surprise. The stiff- necked British Army officer is gone. In "BE" he plays a sensible, sensitive and caring Doctor obviously in painful love with a woman he can never have. This reviewer would easily give 5 stars to the overall production, the secondary cast, the settings and that black and white filming. It is quite obvious that a very talented Director was at the helm of this one. Still, more suspense and/or angst is required for a 5 star rating. Boy meets girl, boy loses girl has been done so often before and since. One star must be deducted for the foreseeable ending. "BE" is yet one more example of why certain old movies should never be colorized.

This is a wonderful movie - love having it on DVD - again shows how much more effective many of the older films are over the newer ones. All low key - no violence or overt sex - all done by a look, a brief touch, a few words. Wonderful actors - brought the entire range of emotions to this "never to be completed" very brief love affair. The ending was a real heart breaker.

This is one of my favorite films; I never get tired of seeing it. It contains all the elements of a great, yet doomed, romance. I have such sympathy for Celia Johnson's character; I would have fallen in love with Alec, also. He's my kind of man! Great movie!!!

If you can only view or own a handful of "film noir" movies,
this is the one you must have. The story is now well-known and
most movie buffs have seen a copy, but the copies heretofore
available have been so poor, the technical shortcomings almost
made viewing a chore, so it was frequently by-passed.

All previous prints, available in the US, were full of visible
flaws, and, to make matters worse, all US prints had been edited
(mainly by having several scenes shortened, along with a different introduction) so they detracted from the original movie and the vision that produced it.

This new re-mastered DVD version is so sharp, the black and
white seems at times to have a razor-sharp quality, and many of its scenes literally jump out at the viewer, so the improved viewing quality is so pronounced, it may not seem like the same
movie. This restoration could stand as the hallmark of the
point of restorations.

In addition, the British introduction, which is much better and
a little more full, as well as other previously-shortened scenes, have been restored, adding to the enjoyment of this classic.

A fabulous film, now available in an equally fabulous version,
and serious fans need to rush and get a copy of this newly restored version.

This has for 30 years been my favorite thriller or Film Noir. With a script by the extraordinary novelist Graham Greene (who wrote it in novella form, not as a screenplay), exceptional performances, the atmosphere of a bombed out post WWII Vienna, and one of the most memorable scores in all film, its a must see. In addition, Welles wrote (with Graham Green's permission) his famous speech at the amusement park. That scene alone is worth the price of the DVD. The Criterion DVD is definitive - do not get the cheaper versions!

The Third Man is, unquestionably, one of the greatest films of all time. It is probably the greatest British film of all too. Based on a screenplay by Graham Greene, set amidst the rubble of post-war Vienna and starring Orson Welles, Joseph Cotten and Trevor Howard, this one was always going to be good. It was, for many years, regarded as the film noir to beat all others and is my favourite movie. Radical in it's cinematic concept and brilliantly shot by Robert Krasker, the film has more atmosphere than any film I have seen before or since.

It all starts with Holly Martins (Cotten), a drunkard who writes the type of books which used to be known as "penny dreadfuls", arriving in Vienna not long after the end of WWII on the promise of a job. It turns out that his prospective employer, Harry Lime (Welles), has been killed in an accident and Martins has arrived just in time for the funeral. Lime's friends soon make contact with the wayward Martins, who becomes convinced that his friend has been murdered, and eventually through a series of encounters, he winds up in the hands of the Military Police.

In the opinion of this reviewer, this is Cotten's best film and though I've never been a big fan of his, he suits the role admirably. I also believe this is Trevor Howard's finest performance. So good is Howard that there is little doubt over his conviction that Martins is wrong and the scene where all is revealled to him is a feature of the film. Orson Welles was an acting giant in anyone's terms although by this time he was almost universally regarded as box office poison. His characterisation of the psychopathic Lime has been the model for so many film baddies and in may ways is as sinister as Hannibal Lecter.

The cinematography is superb. Shot on the streets of bombed-out Vienna and using minimal lighting, it gives definition to the film noir genre. The lighting reflected off wet cobblestone roads and the hard shadows created by single brute arcs create a cold, stark landscape for Carol Reed's direction and the underlying suspense of the plot. Much of the film; certainly the majority of the interiors as well as nearly all the sewer scenes, were actually shot in studio in the UK but all the location stuff is real, so much so that you can even do a "Third Man" tour if you are in Vienna.

The Criterion transfer is the sharpest B&W I have ever seen and rather than being merely technically precise, really adds to the atmosphere of the film. There was an enormous number of repairs made to the original print (something like 22,000, if my memory serves me correctly) and the ultimate product is almost seemless and has a beautiful grey scale. There are a few added features, including a rather comical short of Anton Karas playing the famous theme on his zither in a London club. Karas, incidentally, a Gypsy who could not read music, was first spotted in a seedy Vienna nightclub and contracted to do the film more-or-less on the spot. It is extraordinary how much the zither adds to the film.

Reckoned by many to be the finest suspense film ever made and containing more cinematic innovation than almost anything which came afterward it, until the arrival of the French New Wave, this film wants for nothing. The acting performances are top notch, the pictures are beautiful and the plot is terrific. There is even a little wry humour at the expense of Viennese society. A cinematic gem not to be missed and essential to any serious film buff's library.

My general comment is that this is a grand and beautiful movie. It is very entertaining. There have been some wonderful dance sequences in the movies, but none have surpassed "The Red Shoes Ballet" within this movie.

The rest of this review is rather esoteric, and I apologize for that, but it may be useful to those interested in Dance.

This is a must-have for anyone interested in Ballet History. While it is not a true story, Boris Lermontov is clearly based on Serge Diaghilev, down to the funny white streak in his hair. Moira Shearer playes the lead ballerina Victoria Page. Shearer, of Sadler's Wells, exhibits her geniune and compelling technique. The Lermontov/Page relationship echos that of Diaghilev and Nijinsky or perhaps Mr. B. and his girls. The crazy genius choreographer and dancer Leonide Massine has a wonderful part, and there is a little cameo appearance of Marie Rambert in the Mercury Theatre. See this movie and watch for other interesting parallels and tidbits!

The Red Shoes was inspired by the dark fairy tale of Hans Christian Anderson. Anderson's story involved a doomed heroine who puts on red shoes and dances against her will until she collapses and dies. This melodramatic tale is taken to 1940's London where Victoria Page (played by ballerina/actress Moira Sheer) meets with the perfectionist and successful impresario of a famous ballet company, Lentmontov. Victoria Page's rise to stardom is a must see for ballet fans. First in the corps de ballet (or chorus line) she meets with Lentmontov's approval and becomes an accomplished prima ballerina. The film is shot in various European locales- such as the Paris Opera in Paris where numerous ballets are performed, as well as the sunny coast of Monte Carlo. The rest of the film deals with Victoria's romance with the composer and orchestra conductor Julian. She is deeply in love with him, but torn between her desire for perfection in her own career (forced upon her by the demanding Lentmontov) and by her heart. Tragically, Victoria's fate is like the titular heroine in Anderson's fairy tale "The Red Shoes" and before our very eyes we are witness to her demise through dance. She literally dances to her death.

Highlights in the film include the various scenes from ballets such as Giselle, Swan Lake and Coppelia, but this film is mot famous for the captivating original ballet "The Red Shoes". Amidst dizzying neon lights and foreboding landscapes, Victoria Page dances with the red shoes until she dies and a funeral procession breaks out. But this, in the context of the film, is merely a metaphor. The Red Shoes represent the ballet, and most directly, Victoria Page's situation. She loves the ballet but she does not want to give up her true love with Julian. According to Lentmontov, one cannot be distracted by love. All that matters is the ballet. Victoria's indecision ultimately costs her life. This film is well made, beautiful to look at and provides us with excellent melodrama. Moira Sheer has appeared in other Powell and Pressburger films such as their version of "Tales Of Hoffman" in early 1950's. Five stars and a must see for ballet fans or just cinema fans interested in classic masterpieces that are not as acknowledged.

How to explain magic? Some movies have it but most don't. When I first saw this film long ago at the Hamilton Theater on the South Side of Chicago, I felt its enchantment almost from the first scene until the tragic conclusion. Frankly, at that age, I really didn't fully understand (much less appreciate) what I had just seen but I knew it was something quite special. And so it remains decades later. To some extent based on one of Hans Christian Andersen's tales, this film examines the brief and tragic career of a young ballerina, Victoria Page (Moira Shearer), who becomes an international celebrity following her performance of The Red Shoes while a member of the Lermontov Ballet Company. Shearer's performance is most credible when she dances, of course, but at least adequate when delivering her lines. The strongest performances are those of Marius Goring (Craster) and Anton Walbrook (Lermontov) who portray men in love with the same woman. The plot is really insignificant to the music and especially to the dancing. I also enjoy the exterior shots in London and Paris in the late-1940s. For me, the 15-minute ballet sequence is among the most enjoyable audiovisual experiences on film and was perhaps an inspiration for the extended dream sequence in An American in Paris three years later.

One final comment. Perhaps I have been spoiled by the quality of other DVDs (sound/image quality and/or special features) but nonetheless share the disappointment of others with the production quality of this DVD. The glitches are minor but a distraction.

Finally the complete film in a 35mm transfer, but...

What was once a glorious sound track with a major
Bernard Herrmann score has been ruined by filtration
and badly judged noise reduction.

Sell your soul to the devil and then get the world's greatest Yankee lawyer, statesman and orator to break the deal in front of a jury composed of traitors, cut-throats and evil-doers from America's past. Almost forgotten, THE DEVIL AND DANIEL WEBSTER (Criterion), based on Stephen Vincent Benet's famous short story, still grips with relevance and wit. Walter Huston is memorably subdolous as "Old Scratch." The transfer is restored and the disc is packed with extras. A great family film.

This is one of the most unusual movies ever made, a true treasury of inventiveness, and only one of about 200 total (out of nearly 20,000 films) to which acclaimed British film critic Leslie Halliwell had awarded 4 stars. Those who know Mr. Halliwell's work will immediately recognize that this makes for a very special film, since he was in his day perhaps the surest guide of all to Golden Age films, as well as being a very tough grader. Hence, a presumptively extraordinary film. In spite of this, the film failed commercially because it does not fit easily into any given category. It depicted a German Faustian theme about a farmer who sold his soul to the devil. Yet it was set in the context of down-home Americana. And it bore the arty qualities of a German expressionism brought to it by its famed director, William Dieterle. Into this mix, one can throw first-class American acting by Walter Huston and Edward Arnold, and the entire package becomes one weird combination for marketing purposes. That having been said, this indescribable mix is an amazing movie: it moves quickly, it is amazingly photographed in moody black and white, it has a first-class score that rivals anything Bernard Herrmann ever did (e.g., Vertigo), it has a lead performance by Walter Huston as the devil ('Mr. Scratch') that ranks among the most memorable performances ever recorded on film, and it concludes a fine and imaginative script with a 'courtroom scene' that is utterly fascinating in its depiction of the most infamous blackguards of American history being summoned from the depths of perdition to stand as jury to determine whether or not the poor farmer who had sold his soul should be held to have a binding contract with the devil. The film is roistering entertainment as well as caviar for the pointy-head crowd, quite a mix by any measure. Not to be missed!

As noted by other viewers, this movie is a lot of fun - sure to be on any Cary Grant or Audrey Hepburn fan's list. I am not writing about the film but about this particular DVD version by d3kfilms-- it is unwatchable, BOOTLEG quality, in my opinion. I had the misfortune of trying to rent this movie on DVD at my local video store, and this is the version they had in stock. It hadn't occured to me that a reputable video store would be stocking poor quality, unofficial versions of films, so I didn't at all expect what I saw when I watched this DVD. The image and sound quality are EXTREMELY bad-- picture is grainy and muddy-looking, with MAJOR scratches and jarring skips in the film. It was as if someone went to a revival theatre showing an extremely worn-out print of "Charade" and recorded the movie as it was playing on screen with their video camera, then burned what they recorded onto a DVD! That is how terrible the quality is, and this classic film deserves so much better. In fact, any film deserves better-- so watch out for DVDs that have this company's name (d3kfilms) on them or that do not have the original, legit studio's name on them. I noticed that amazon.com sells other versions of this movie on DVD-- try those before wasting your money on this one. I'd even recommend buying an official VHS version of the movie over this one. I was so shocked by what I saw that I got a refund of my money from the video store and then felt compelled to go online and warn people about it-- and I've never done either thing before.

Director: Stanley Donen

Stars: Audrey Hepburn, Cary Grant, Walter Matthau, James Coburn, George Kennedy, Ned Glass, Jacques Marin, Paul Bonifas, Dominique Minot, andThomas Chelimsky

Running Time: 113 minutes

Released in 1963

Reggie, played by Audrey Hepburn, finds everything in her home has been stolen and her husband murdered after she returns home to Paris after a ski vacation in the French Alps. Peter Joshua, played by Cary Grant, offers to help her solve the mystery of her husband's death. Working together they find that her husband has hid some money and a gang of his ex-cronies, who also killed him, want it and believe Reggie knows where it is. As the movie progresses and one by one the gang is killed, Reggie starts to believe that Peter might be one of the gang that is trying to murder her. Reggie also finds that she that perhaps the only one to trust is CIA agent Hamilton Bartholomew, played by Walter Matthau. Through out the film Reggie is trying to seduce Peter, but Peter feels he is too old for Reggie and wards off her attempts, while remaining close. The director Stanley Donen, who is famous for "Hitchcock imitations", fills this thriller with just enough fun chemistry between Hepburn and Grant to keep your attention from start to finish.

This is a must have for any Hepburn fan. A star studded cast and the witty dialogue make this a great movie. The Criterion series are a bit on the pricey side but well worth it. I know someone who got a non Criterion version of this movie and it was quality was terrible.

Thank God for Anthony Hopkins, who somehow always delivers an impeccable performance no matter what he is in. He represents the one faintly shimmering star that I have given this movie. That said, the rest of the film is exhausting.
Of course, Brad Pitt is extremely hot. But how long can that distract you from the utter banality of this movie? The plot drags on for hours, interspersed with long, drawn out landscape shots of rolling pastures and mountains until you start asking yourself, "What is this movie about, again?"
It's basically about Julia Ormond falling in love with 3 brothers (alternately, not simultaneously) in the wild, untamed western wilderness during WWI. Mix in a few sympathetic, if stereotypical, Native Americans, a lot of unrequited love, and some convoluted storytelling, and you've got Legends of the Fall. Almost everyone dies (at least once), and those who don't are left behind to woefully mourn their losses and realise, just a few seconds too late, "what could have been".
We're forced to watch the tragic affairs of Julia's love for each of the brothers in succession, as she loses them in various ways (tragically, of course, and not always permanently), and all the time longing for Anthony Hopkins to come back on the screen.
When Brad Pitt finally shows up again after a supposed 10-year-long absence, he falls in love with his almost-sister: a gorgeous, statuesque Native American girl who was a scrawny 10 years old last time we saw her (she dies later, of course). However, (OOOPS!) Brad Pitt (and EVERYBODY ELSE) looks EXACTLY THE SAME as they did 10 YEAR AGO! Well, except for Anthony Hopkins, who tragically has a stroke before Pitt returns and looks much older. But still. Come on, people. Lets keep some semblance of reality here.
Of course, this is an epic in the truest sense of the word. But unlike "Gone With The Wind", for example, it truly fails to deliver. Just when you begin to care about the characters, something so melodramatic, horrible, and implausable happens to them that you start writing them off, one by one, as hopeless causes. Sort of like this film.

I've seen all the reviews -- "overrated", "terrible". I enjoy this movie, but I do so because I watch it knowing that it is a wildly dramatic, romantic, epic tragedy.

If you enjoyed Pearl Harbor, or Gone With The Wind, you'll probably enjoy Legends of the Fall. All of the actors are beautiful, the cinemetography is amazing, and with the exception of Julia Ormond (who plays Susannah as weak and insipid), the actors all turn in great, underrated performances.

Brad Pitt, a fine actor who continues to be punished by critics for his sheer beauty, did a great job with a script that could have easily been over-acted - few actors could portray the depth of emotions he does and still seem masculine. Aidan Quinn was wonderful, playing the pathos of the "second fiddle" character with dignity and strength. He captured the essence of his character in a scene when he confronts his brother (Pitt) with the irony of his life: "I followed all the rules...and everyone still loved you best."

Anthony Hopkins is, as always, a joy to watch, though the scenes after his stroke are a little over-done. His ability to balance the tragedy of this character's illness with his strength is a testament to his talent.

So don't expect something edgy or action-based. Legends of the Fall is a great film, if you're know what your're getting when you buy (or rent) it.

When people ask me about my favorite movies I give them a quick run down of my top ten: 1. The Godfather and The Godfather part II (tie), 3. The Shawshank Redemption, 4. One Flew Over the Cukoo's Nest, 5. Schindler's List, 6. The Silence of the Lambs, 7. Amadeus, 8. The Princess Bride, 9. Legends of the Fall, 10. Goodfellas. I am always surprised when they laugh at the 9th movie on my list. I can't understand why people think this movie is a joke. Yes, it's melodramatic but it works beautifully. Let me also say that I am not the biggest fan of Brad Pitt. His acting pales in comparison to some of the other fine actors of his generation (ie. Ralph Fiennes, Gary Oldman, Sean Penn). That said, he is perfectly cast in this movie. His ruggedness and wildman image were established in 1992's A River Runs Through It and his role as Tristan in LOTF seems almost like an extension of his role in River. I've heard that Johnny Depp, an actor whose talents I find superior to Pitt's, was originally offered the role of Tristan. I'm glad he turned it down for no one other than Brad Pitt could have BEEN Tristan.

I've always appreciated great acting. To me, there is nothing more entertaining than watching a De Niro, Pacino or Nicholson work his magic. There is only one truly great actor in Legends of the Fall - Sir Anthony Hopkins. In my opinion, he should have won an Oscar for this supporting role. A lot of reviewers criticized the second half of his performance (after the stroke) as being a bit excessive. I thought it was necessary in this type of film.

It was because of Legends of the Fall that I took an interest in acting. Not because of Anthony Hopkins...i know I could never be half as good as he. LOTF taught me that it doesn't take great actors to make a great movie. I thought Aidan Quinn, a talented but by no means gifted actor, was brilliant in the film as the tortured victim of unrequited love. It's my opnion that Quinn delivered a top-notch performance in the film, second only to Hopkins. The scene in which Alfred (Quinn) redeems himself in his father's eyes is particularly endearing. Also, the casting of Julia Ormond as Susannah was a stroke of genius. She has such classic beauty and is wonderful at conveying emotions without speaking a word. I often wonder where the hell she disappeared to.

Finally, I cannot say enough about James Horner's breathtaking score. I first became a fan of Horner's when I saw this movie and I believe him to be the top composer in the film-scoring business (yes, even better than the great John Williams).

Don't listen to the critics. This movie is amazing. They just don't make 'em like this anymore.

The problem with this film is that it cannot make up its mind.... is it a kid's movie or a grown up's movie? Too dark and violent for children, and too elementary for adults. This is in essense, a children's story, but Spielberg told it in such a dark, violent manner that it ends up being inappropriate for anyone. The stars do perform well, so if you can overlook the flaws, perhaps you would enjoy this.

HOOK is only notable for its casting of Dustin Hoffman (Captain Hook), Robin Williams (Peter Pan), Julia Roberts(Tinkerbell?), and Bob Hoskins (Smee). The film starts off well with the grown-up Peter Pan (Williams) who is now Peter Banning with no memory of being Pan. He has grown-up problems, is unhappily married, has a couple of rotten kids, and is interested in chasing the big bucks. He goes to London to visit his Granny Wendy (Maggie Smith) to get some advice and recapture his lost youth. Suddenly his kids are kidnapped (by Captain Hook) he is forced to face his past (with the help of Tinkerbell/Roberts) and become Peter Pan and must go to Neverland. This is where the film falls. The children characters are not very likable (if not annoying) and Neverland looks like a cross between Disneyland and the sets of the original Star Trek when Kirk and crew are on some alien planet terrain. Speilberg's direction is haphazard and disjointed in the Neverland sequences as he uses the same type of direction he employed to make another failure of his (the film '1941'). Robin Williams is decent as Pan, but has no chemistry with the children who have no chemistry among themselves. Julia Roberts was truly a marketing ploy, but does a great job as Tinkerbell, and Hoffman has presence in everything he does but the film doesn't gel. Siskel and Ebert commented that Neverland had been explored all ready, so the filmakers should have had an urban/modern setting for the battle between Hook and Pan. That would have been interesting! The film is okay in the beginning exploring the questions of lost youth and the origin of 'Peter Banning', but overall, once the film shifts gears into fantasy, it fails. This is mainly because the 'Neverland'sequences are badly directed, the setting looks cheap, and the whiney children and all the inhabitants of Neverland are all terrible.

One day I got bored and started to watch Steven Speilberg's Hook and ever since me and my brother watched over and over for weeks. I highly recomened this to anyone who likes adventure,fun,fanasty, and a great imagination.I'm not much of a Peter Pan fan but I still love it!But i am a Steven Speilberg fan a REAL BIG fan!I hope you like this movie as much as I do.Wait you have to know that in the begining it is sort of series I guess,but its still entertaining "I think".By the way I wrote 2 other reveiws today Critters 3,and Critters 4 I hope your a fan!I write many reviews on amozon you should too its very fun!My name is Drew Story.