Cheap Crusades (1935)

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Cecil B. DeMille has always been an unfairly regarded Producer and Director with the majority of his work dismissed as lavish hokum with no real value as cinema art. I believe that is a very unfair judgement on the man who really made the "Epic Production", his own in a long series of films stretching from the silent era right through to the mid 1950's. His role call of magnificent cinematic efforts is in my opinion an illustrious record and none shines better from that list than his lavish production of 1935, Paramount's "The Crusades" starring Loretta Young and DeMille regular Henry Wilcoxon.

Judged as hopeless history and romantic froth I appreciate this wonderful film from the point of view of its romantic story, terrific recreation of medieval times, costumes and superbly staged battle scenes,pagentry, and respectful dialogue that never once really belittles the serious and dark times this story is set in. "The Crusades", focuses in actual fact loosely on the third crusade that involved most of the major powers of Europe in a joint struggle to try and free the Holy Land from the clutches of the dreaded Saracens. The central story of the film while certainly fictionalised, is nevertheless well told and deals with King Richard (the Lion Hearted)of England who to avoid an unwelcome marriage to the Princess Alice (Katherine DeMille) of France and spurred on by a determined hermit (C. Aubrey Smith in a terrific performance) who is instilling the fighting spirit in all the countries of Christendom, takes up the sword to lead the crusade to the Holy Land. On the journey in order to feed his starving men he reluctantly agrees to a sham marriage with Berengaria, Princess of Navarre. What starts out as a hate at first sight relationship softens into a real love for both Richard and Berengaria in particular when after doing battle with the Saracens at the gates of the city of Acre Berengaria is captured by the besotted Sultan of Islam, Saladin (Ian Keith in another of his very fine supporting performances). Faced with loosing the one who's life now means everything to him Richard goes through a change of heart and rather than using the crusade as just an excuse to get away from more serious matters really begins to see the real reason for the campaign and the true value of those around him.

Henry Wilcoxon as King Richard and Loretta Young as Berengaria are both in top form here and indeed Wilcoxon, a DeMille regular in such great films as "Cleopatra", the previous year has never been better than here as the first uncouth head strong King who gradually develops a real soul and feeling for others. Loretta Young has a most untraditional character for the times to play. Her Princess is at times a feisty, determined, and brave young woman who creates a new life for herself with Richard despite the unpromising person she first encounters on the way to Jerusalem. Resplendant in medieval flowing robes and long blonde wig Loretta Young has one of her best roles of the 1930's decade and really blossoms under DeMille's direction. No DeMille production would be complete without a sterling supporting cast and "The Crusades", is no exception. The always excellent Ian Keith is Saladin Sultan of Islam, and he has a most interesting character who is depicted as a cultured man of feeling and not simply a bloodthirsty warrior out to kill and plunder. Katherine DeMille is suitably icy as the spurned Princess Alice of France and the always superb Joseph Schildkraut has one of his best 1930's roles as the devious Conrad, Marquis of Montferrat who through his treachery with Richard's brother John pays dearly for his disloyalty at the hands of the Arabs. Alan Hale is suitably boisterious as Richard's friend and musician Blondel and much of the comic interludes in the story are centred on his bluff character.

I have great admiration for all of the work of Cecil B. DeMille. He was without a doubt the great showman of movie legend and "The Crusades" like all of his epic productions is full of stirring speeches, lavish sets, enormous crowd scenes involving huge numbers of extras, and battle scenes on a scale that literally dwarf the story they are depicting. This all adds up to top notch entertainment of the very best kind that Hollywood could offer at this time. For exciting story telling on an epic scale DeMille is unsurpassed and "The Crusades" is unique in being both rousing entertainment and surprisingly quite poignant drama in it's quieter moments. If you enjoy movie making on a grand scale with every scene literally a feast for the eyes then you need go no further than Cecil B. DeMille's epic 1935 production of "The Crusades".

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I rented this movie because my three-year-old nephew has a fascination with suits of armor, but I came away a fan myself! Henry Wilcoxin makes a great Richard, a young Richard who only goes on crusade to evade one arranged marriage, and then enters into another only to gain cattle for his band of soldiers. The movie concerns how Richard slowly comes to respect marriage and to understand "the true meaning" of the crusades, but only at the ultimate cost for his pride and his heart. Of course, I think anyone would come to respect marriage pretty darn quick if they learned the lady in question was Loretta Young, resplendent in her blond wig. She turns in an undated performance as a woman who loves one man but appreciates another, in this case a sexy Saracen who knows how to compliiment women. One of my other favorite characters was The Hermit aka The Holy Man, played by C.Aubrey Smith. I especially liked his staff, which has a rather unique crucifix carved into it. The Hermit is probably the bravest character in the movie, defying the Saracens even though it eventually costs him his life. And of course, then there are the lusty battle scenes, replete with boiling oil and flaming catapults. So, if you want to watch an excellent old spectacle, you won't be sorry to go on this "Crusade" with Wilcoxin and Young.

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I know that many critics or fans will not be agree, but I think this is the best film by mr. De Mille. It is real cinema. The cast is terrific. Not only Loretta Young or that gorgeous Henry Wilcoxon, but C. Aubrey Smith, funny Alan Hale and so on.

De Mille knew how to create tension, but also intimate scenes. True that from an historic point of view is not a very good film. but the spirit is there. The spirit of what a film must be.

Today when epic films are so "in", I recommend to some directors to watch films like this. He was a craftsman who needed few special effects to make a film interesting. And spent no time in long , boring speeches or interpretations to make the audience connect with his heroes.

Honest reviews on Crusades (1935)

A holy man known as The Hermit arouses all the kings and princes of medieval Europe in a crusade to wrest the dominion of Jerusalem and the Holy Sepulchre from the Saracens. Richard the Lion-Hearted, King of England, having spurned the French princess Alice, accepts betrothal to Berengaria, whom he has never seen, in return fo subsistence for the Crusade, and she is formally married to his sword..................Synonymous always with all that the name DeMille stands for in relation to mighty, colourful pageantry and spectacle, massive settings and accoutrements, it tells a story of several of the early crusades. In 1935, DeMille was peerless in bringing the panoplied splendour of the past into torrential life upon the screen. As a picture, THE CRUSADES is historically worthless, didactically treacherous, artistically absurd. But none of those defects impaired its entertainment value. There are three main features which distinguished it from previous DeMille dillies: It was the noisiest, the biggest AND it had no bath scenes! As a footnote, Loretta Young was pregnant here with her daughter by Clark Gable, Judy Lewis; they had an affair during the making of CALL OF THE WILD earlier that year the results of the affair was one of Hollywood's best-kept secrets.

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Watching "The Crusades" I alternate between cringing at the glaring ignorance and disregard of history and the ridiculous activities proceeding on screen and being amazed at the grandeur of the spectacle and some of the masterfully composed shots.

Scourge of Worlds - A Dungeons & Dragons Adventure (2003) Review

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If you enjoyed those 'Choose your own adventure books' when you were a kid, or your kids read those now, and you like fantasy, this dvd is for you.

As far as games go, its very simple. You watch a small cinematic and then choose what you want the group or character to do from a given menu of options. Thats really it. Don't expect more than that.

The graphics are pretty. The characters personalities are sorta campy, but all in all a pretty good effort.

Supposedly there are 990+ combinations of stories. I have not, nor will I ever see them all. However, that isn't such a bad thing as I can come back to this DVD time and time again and the story will probably change every time.

Its a nice thing to have for game night as it provides a short break from what ever games your group normally plays.

If you like to watch movies more than once, and enjoy choose your own adventure, this is a great dvd for you.

If you expect gripping combat and lots of action, this will not do it for you.

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Having seen the final version of this DVD at the GAMA trade show (a trade show for game manufacturers and retailers), I must say that I am blown away by the innovative use of DVD technology here.

Basically, what this company has done is made a D&D themed, fully animated (using motion capture for realistic movement think Gollum in the LotR movies) "Choose your own adventure" style DVD.

You dictate the path of the main adventuring party (comprised of iconic D&D characters) as they try to unravel a mystery behind a group of elves, a cleric, and a key. Choose correctly, and you will save the world. Choose poorly, and you will die.

Common run time start to finish is about 45 minutes, but this can be longer or shorter depending on the path you take. I was told that there are TONS (I believe the number was in the hundreds) of distinct paths you can take from start to finish, and the overall quality of the graphics, voice acting and animation are GREAT!

I plan on getting this as a thing to do during those late night parties. Yelling at the TV and telling the characters what to do will become a staple entertainment again in my house.

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Concept:

Although touted as an "Interactive Video," a better name for it would be, "An Endless Quest DVD."

Storyline:

You play a Human Fighter, who, along with his Elf Mage and Halfling Rogue companions, are on a quest to stop a Lawfully Good Cleric who's been duped by a Lawfully Evil Cleric from obtaining an evil weapon of immense power.

Note:

This Endless Quest Adventure requires some background knowledge of AD&D in order for it to be truly enjoyable. Elementals, Beholders, Druids, Stinking Clouds, Magic Missiles, Fireballs, and the like are used throughout the adventure, but none are explained.

Graphics:

The scenery, characters, and special effects are about the same quality as in the AD&D computer game "Pool of Radiance: Ruins of Myth Drannor."

Audio:

The audio quality is excellent, and the dialog has the typical bravado that fantasy games and movies usually have.

Dynamics:

As a movie, the constant breaks for decisions can get annoying.

Each section runs anywhere from 1-9 minutes.

As an Endless Quest Adventure, it follows the genre quite faithfully, and succeeds as such.

Opinion:

As a fan of the old "Endless Quest" novels, I really enjoy this DVD.

(Many of my "Endless Quest" novels have begun falling apart from the constant flipping back and forth through their pages.)

And, as with most "Endless Quest" Adventures, dying is the easiest thing you can do.

I've run through the entire adventure in as little as 20 minutes, and as long as 50 minutes.

The characters run the gammit of the types one expects in the AD&D universe.

The Fighter is boulsterous, the Cleric is Righteous, the Elf Mage is wise, the Halfling Rogue is witty, the Druid is single-minded, etc.

All-in-all, a fun group to adventure with.

Conclusion:

I highly recommend this DVD to fans of the old "Endless Quest" novels.

For other AD&D fans, the adventure may be to short, and probably, even a bit dull.

But for those who are new to AD&D, it will give some basic insights into the AD&D universe, and help one to understand the appeal of the game.

Additional:

There ARE 4 endings, contrary to what other reviewers have said.

(If you skip through the chapters you will never see the 4th ending.)

1st Ending: EASIEST :Everyone Dies, and the Evil Cleric gets the weapon.

2nd Ending: MEDIUM :Good Cleric Dies, and the Evil Cleric doesn't get the weapon.

3rd Ending: HARD :Everyone Dies when the weapon is activated.

4th Ending: VERY HARD :Everyone Lives, and the Evil Cleric doesn't get the weapon.

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I am curious as to whether or not any of my fellow reviewers have ever actually played the game? This movie was not made to stand on its own, it was made as a supplement to the D and D universe. The characters of Mialee, Lidda, and Redgar are iconic characters who have been known to D and D gamers for several years. The story is not really meant to tell the background of the characters or how they got together, rather it is designed to tell a part of their story, one of the many of adventures that the group had together. Personally, I liked the movie. Yes there are only 4 endings but, what do you want from them? This is the first D and D choose your own adventure DVD, and in fact the first choose you own adventure DVD I have seen. I have watched the story 6 different times each time garnering new information and have yet to get to the forth ending. If one was so inclined they could go through the movie a dozen times and still probably not see every scene combination available. As for people who buy it and are dissapointed because its a poor game, news flash...its not a game. It is a DVD choose your own adveture story based on a game. I liked being able to watch the movie and recognize Mialee casting a fireball, or the group fighting a earth elemental summoned by a druid. Yes it is a very basic concept of the game but, thats all it was meant to be. A first time shot in the dark to see how people react to such a concept. Anyways I highly reccomend this movie to anyone who plays D and D or similar fantasy RPG's. Just keep it mind this isn't the best fantasy story out there but its is definatly a good start to the choose your own adventure genre.

Calsun

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I have been a fan of choose your own adventures since the earliest novels I read as a kid. I still own those books, and I will cherish them always. Though this DVD isn't as memorable as those novels, it is a great way to spend a few hours.

This DVD makes use of your remote to allow you to choose from a number of different story paths. Though the package states there are 900+ combinations, it would be better said that it is about 4 hours worth of viewing. In my eyes, this is a huge amount of time for such a simple, yet interesting story.

Like any first attempt, Scourge could have used more options and a more detailed plot. However, I think the best addition would be to not stop the action while making choices, but to have the characters continue debating or the fights continue while you decide what to do. The pauses are annoying because they detract from the pacing of the movie, but these stops can be overlooked in light of the uniqueness of this DVD.

All in all, Scourge of Worlds is a great first attempt at creating a movie that the viewer can control, but it is a movie that will be watched once then gather dust on a shelf. Due to this, I would highly suggest renting it if possible.

Discount Zero Dark Thirty (Blu-ray/DVD Combo + UltraViolet Digital Copy)

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ZERO DARK THIRTY REVIEW, by Jordan B. -5 / 5

"I'm not your friend. I'm not gonna help you. I'm going to break you. Any questions?"

The ten-year manhunt for the world's most wanted terrorist leader is a story we all followed and one whose ending will likely go down in history as one of the twenty-first century's most triumphant moments, both for America and for many others across the globe. With ZERO DARK THIRTY, director Kathryn Bigelow and screenwriting partner Mark Boal have taken those ten years and condensed them into 157 very deliberate, riveting, and powerful minutes. Much like the manhunt itself, ZERO DARK THIRTY is a powerhouse, a thrilling and winding tale that requires patience but arrives with an ending worth waiting for.

September 11, 2001 was a Tuesday. ZERO DARK THIRTY begins with a bone-chilling opening sequence that brings us back to that dark day. Bigelow shows us nothing but black, and layers tens or perhaps hundreds of audio recordings of phone calls from hijacked-airplane passengers and those trapped in burning towers to their respective loved ones and to emergency operators. It is a stark, stripped sequence that is ultimately extremely affecting.

But so, too, is the next extended sequence, one that takes place in 2003 and shows a terrorist at an unnamed detention facility relentlessly tortured by a member of the CIA, Dan (Jason Clarke), and his colleagues. Wanted is information that will hopefully lead to the capture of Osama bin Laden, but given is nothing. And so the torture continues.

Many have condemned Bigelow and Boal for these extended torture sequences, with some critics and viewers claiming that it glorifies torture and intelligence officials stating that it incorrectly implies that these "enhanced interrogation techniques,", such as water-boarding and sleep deprivation, garnered key information that led to bin Laden's capture.

I will briefly take an aside and add my two cents with this: 1) I don't agree that the film takes the stance that torture is "good" or permissible, and 2) I don't agree that the film implies that the torture of CIA detainees directly led to the capture of Osama bin Laden. But I digress.

The rest of the film follows newcomer CIA agent Maya (Jessica Chastain) and her colleagues as they sift through years of intelligence data, with more coming in than they can handle and most of it a paper trail leading to dead ends. That is, until Maya follows a lead that, with her undying confidence and ruthless conviction, garners a name to follow and eventually a location to scope out: the Abbottabad, Pakistan compound that housed Osama bin Laden and his all-important courier.

ZERO DARK THIRTY closes with a thrilling raid that will surely keep you on the edge of your seat, or bobbing your knee up and down, or biting your nails, or whatever your nervous tick may be. Bigelow creates tension that is palpable, even though we already know the outcome.

Much like David Fincher's 2007 crime-thriller ZODIAC, ZERO DARK THIRTY is a cold, calculated procedural of whose beginning and ending we are fully aware but whose events in-between we might not be. ZERO DARK THIRTY sheds light on these in-between events via first-hand accounts of the manhunt for bin Laden, dramatized to ensure full effect on-screen. Though obviously condensed, the film is certainly compelling, and unfolds swiftly and with ease.

The success of ZERO DARK THIRTY as a motion picture rests on the shoulders of two very capable women: Academy Award winning director Kathryn Bigelow and Academy Award nominated star Jessica Chastain.

Bigelow's execution here is nothing short of masterful. The film is 157 minutes long but plays like a 100-minute thriller due to Bigelow's ability to pack as much punch in each moment as humanly possible. And yet, with all this information to present, she never forgets that there is a very real human element behind all that intelligence.

Enter Chastain as Maya, a tough-as-nails woman who takes on the ball-breaking task of finding bin Laden with fierce tenacity and exciting verve. Chastain, in a word, is exceptional. She plays the role close to the chest, wearing Maya's emotions on her sleeve and crafting a performance that never feels forced. It simply feels real, as though Chastain is her true-life CIA counterpart. And there is no better acting than acting that feels real.

ZERO DARK THIRTY is perhaps 2012′s most vital film, not because of the politics people try to pull from it but because of the story it tells, or rather, the story Bigelow and Boal allow to tell itself. This is a satisfying procedural at its finest, a gripping, compelling, dramatic thriller that begs to be seen and discussed. It's a story our nation remembers, and one we will never forget.

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"I want to make something absolutely clear. If you thought there was some working group coming to the rescue well I want you to know that you're wrong. This is it. There is nobody else hidden away on some other floor. There is just us and we are failing." -CIA Officer

There's a reason Zero Dark Thirty was nominated for Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay, the movie is just that good. It may not be a movie for all audiences. If you go see this movie expecting to see a movie that looks like a James Bond or Jason Bourne action extravaganza, you might find yourself sorely disappointed. Likewise it's not a Tom Clancy techno thriller. Zero Dark Thirty is an honest drama showing the CIA's decade long struggle to find the mastermind of the 9/11 attacks.

The main character of the movie is CIA analyst named Maya (played by Jessica Chastain); no last name is given. Maya enters the hunt for Osama Bin Laden at an undisclosed CIA facility where captured terrorists are being held and questioned. She arrives to witness the "enhanced" interrogation of Ammar, a courier for Saudi terrorists. Through Ammar's interrogation and many others, Maya begins to piece together information on Osama's network, learning of a senior courier named Abu Ahmed who had direct access to Bin Laden. Finding Abu Ahmed in Pakistan is like looking for a needle in a haystack. But look Maya does, every spare moment, for a decade. Even though she's an analyst, not a field agent, the mere presence of an American woman in Pakistan puts her in danger. She survives an assassination attempt by Islamist gunmen. Some of her friends aren't so lucky.

As I said earlier, don't expect this movie to be like most spy stories where enemy agents give themselves away and intricate conspiracies unravel before the hero's brilliance. Maya and her colleagues must sift through thousands of hours of interrogations and millions of "facts" to find just the ones that are true and relevant. It's no easy task. Just getting Abu Ahmed's real name takes years of painstaking research. Meanwhile, more attacks take place inside Pakistan, Afghanistan and Europe. Actual news footage of those events serves to show the passage of years. Once Abu Ahmed's name becomes known, there's still the matter of finding him in areas of Pakistan where American's are likely to be shot on sight. Kathryn Bigelow does a masterful job of showing the long hours and hard work behind the search. After 2 hours watching the un-glamorized process of intelligence gathering, the actual SEAL Team 6 takedown of Bin Laden could have been just an afterthought. But Bigelow's documentary-esque style gives the commando sequences an added authority.

"I'm going to put you in that box, let me be honest, that box sucks, you don't want to go in that box."

There's been some hubbub claiming that the movie is pro torture. I'd just like to point out that director Kathryn Bigelow is hardly a Joel Surnow (24) or John Milius (Red Dawn, Dirty Harry). She a graduate of the San Francisco Art Institute and Columbia University who personally studied under liberal icons Susan Sontag and Milos Forman (Hair, People vs. Larry Flint, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest). Much of her work before the Hurt Locker was decidedly feminist. She hardly fits the profile of someone out to promote torture. But she had done thousands of hours of research for a film project on the Battle of Tora Bora. When word of Bin Laden's death became public, she shelved her completed screenplay for that movie and started on Zero Dark Thirty. The hours she spent researching Bin Laden, the CIA, Pakistan and Afghanistan for the unmade movie situated her ideally for telling the story of the CIA's hunt for Bin Laden. Add to that the unprecedented access to information she got from the Obama Administration. So much of the information comes from the "highest sources." It's also confirmed by much of the written record including exhaustive work done by journalist Mark Bowden (The Finish: the Killing of Osama Bin Laden).

Because of the controversy, I doubt that Zero Dark Thirty will sweep the Oscars. It may not be an easy movie for some people to watch. But it is a riveting, true-to-life, account of a piece of American history that deserves to be told. And director Kathryn Bigelow did a masterful job telling it.

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I have read and heard so much about this movie in the last 3-4 months, including that fantastic trailer, that I literally couldn't wait to see it for myself. I saw it this past weekend here in Cincinnati.

"Zero Dark Thirty" (2012 release; 157 min.) brings the story of "the greatest man hunt in American history". As the movie opens we hear (but don't see) voices in distress as 9/11 is happening. The movie then moves to 2003, to a CIA "black site", where we get the first of a number of "enhanced interrogation scenes", including the infamous waterboarding techniques. We get to know Maya (played by Jessica Chastain), a young CIA operative who is tasked with trying to find Bin Laden. The years come and go, with very little progress. Then finally comes a breakthrough. Even though you know how it all ends, I don't want to give further plot details as it really woudl ruin your viewing experience.

Several comments: the last hour and 10 min. of the movie is nothing short of riveting, truly the best movie-viewing you can get, but I felt that the first hour and a half were a bit excessive in length, and had that been edited tighter, it would've made for even a better movie. The "enhanced interrogations" scenes have proven to be quite controversial for many, but I thought it was an eye-opener to see what 'waterboarding' actually is. That aside, I am really glad that the movie makers have kept the politics out of the movie, and strictly focus on the nitty-gritty details of the hunt for Bin Laden. Last but not least, the real heroes of the movie are of course the Navy SEALs who come in at the end and take care of business, seemingly without as much as breaking a sweat. We owe these guys a ton of gratitude! Bottom line: even though it's a bit long for its own good, "Zero Dark Thirty" is a MUST-SEE movie, period.

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This was an interesting view into some of the background and details on how things played out in the hunt for Bin Laden. Are they all accurate details? That's probably debatable, but I went away thinking that it was probably more accurate than not. I appreciated how it was made to be more realistic than most of the crash-em-up, shoot-em-up action films produced today. If I could I'd give this movie 3 1/2 stars, because even though I enjoyed it for the reasons above it wasn't necessarily the best made film. Mainly because the timeline of the story was often a bit hard to follow and not well developed, and the depth of the characters in the story wasn't all that well developed either. In the end it was worth the rental, but I was glad not to have spent more by going to see it in the theater.

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Much has been written about the torture scenes if they really happened, if we should rely on torture as a reliable way to extract information and ultimately if we, as a freedom loving democracy, should even use torture. Every moviegoer can answer those questions in there own way. The movie certainly doesn't gloss over the torture scenes, make light of it. Beyond that the movie is riveting. The first 90 min. concerns itself with the tedious but vital intelligence gathering of the 9 1/2 years leading up to locating OBL. The female CIA agent played by Jessica Chastain (The Help) works tirelessly on this. She becomes convinced that OBL's courier is the way forward. After she becomes convinced of his whereabouts she reports this up the chain of command. Her superiors become choked with caution as weeks and months go by before the strike is finally ordered. The last 45 minutes are truly intense as the Navy Seals make their move. This is where the movie shines.

IMAX: National Geographic Extreme Review

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I saw this film six times when it played in IMAX theaters about seven years ago, often taking friends who had not seen it. Since then I have been annually pestering the people at Extreme as to when a DVD might be available. This year's email turned up gold; it's out!

I think this film is utterly extraordinary. To me it's actually a serene meditation on art, beauty, elegance, and the human spirit. I'd been hoping for a DVD release because I periodically felt a need for an Extreme "fix"; and it simply has not been available at regional IMAX theaters anymore. I would love to see it occasionally when I need reassurance as to what is worthwhile in the human spirit!

The previously released soundtrack is also one of my favorite albums. And the pairing of that music to the film is unbelievably inspired, For example, Morsheeba's "The Sea" is played during a snow/mountain episode, not during the surfing -and it works so PERFECTLY! Whoever coordinated the soundtrack is a genius imho! It's right up there with "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly" and just a handful of other movies as having perfect soundtracks (again: imho!). Along these lines, when the film was showing at our local IMAX theater, a reviewer wrote a basically good review -except that he criticized the soundtrack. He said the music should have been more driving -hard metal or some such. I just shook my head and wondered at how he could so totally and utterly miss the point of "Extreme." I guess he thought it should have been some kind of testosterone fest with pounding music to drive home the point. I'll stick with my assessment of the film as a meditation!

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I saw this film six times when it played in IMAX theaters about seven years ago, often taking friends who had not seen it. Since then I have been annually pestering the people at Extreme as to when a DVD might be available. This year's email turned up gold; it's out!

I think this film is utterly extraordinary. To me it's actually a serene meditation on art, beauty, elegance, and the human spirit. I'd been hoping for a DVD release because I periodically felt a need for an Extreme "fix"; and it simply has not been available at regional IMAX theaters anymore. I would love to see it occasionally when I need reassurance as to what is worthwhile in the human spirit!

The previously released soundtrack is also one of my favorite albums. And the pairing of that music to the film is unbelievably inspired, For example, Morsheeba's "The Sea" is played during a snow/mountain episode, not during the surfing -and it works so PERFECTLY! Whoever coordinated the soundtrack is a genius imho! It's right up there with "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly" and just a handful of other movies as having perfect soundtracks (again: imho!). Along these lines, when the film was showing at our local IMAX theater, a reviewer wrote a basically good review -except that he criticized the soundtrack. He said the music should have been more driving -hard metal or some such. I just shook my head and wondered at how he could so totally and utterly miss the point of "Extreme." I guess he thought it should have been some kind of testosterone fest with pounding music to drive home the point. I'll stick with my assessment of the film as a meditation!

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This looked a lot more interesting than it is. This is an extremely short movie with very little substance to it. It looked all right on a 52" Samsung but for some reason the picture was very small.

Very glad I bought it on a Lightning Deal or I would have been that much more disappointed.

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Great photography, fascinating film but rather short. Looked fantastic on a 63" Samsung plasma. Scenes of windsurfers were really awesome.

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I recently upgraded to a blu-ray player and then the decision was what would be the first discs that I would want to be the start of the new library. This movie was one of the first things that came to my mind because the photography and action is truly amazing. Something I will definitely watch many times. If you love the outdoors and incredible settings, buy this disc!

Reviews of Mark Twain's America (IMAX) (2005)

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You really can't get into this movie. It's too short, and could have been more in depth.

That's not to say it's not interesting...I just wish it could have been longer, and I wish the producers would have taken better advantage of the IMAX techology...

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In middle school, we cover a unit on Mark Twain and this video is the best one I have found that depicts America during his lifetime and gives students a visual and auditory view of history and his life. It truly held their interest and could be shown in one class period. It was so detailed and interesting that I was able to create a quiz that corresponds with it very easily to assess my students' interaction with it. Also, the history included in the video coincided well with their history class.

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A the very start, of the narration, I could tell this was below average. The actor tells of a village on the banks of the Mississippi, Hannibal, "a little democracy which was full of liberty, equality, and the forth of July". Not a quote I would choose for accuracy, even if those were Twain's words. You have to imagine how former slaves recalled that village, however few slaves it had.

Speaking of the actor, his attempt to sound old got old right quick. I'd sooner hear more of Twain's words than his voice.

Many of the old photos seemed to have barely any connection to Mark Twain. For example, black and white children together on a donkey. I'm not convinced young Samuel ever saw that happen.

Some of the modern scenes were interesting, I have to say, but they don't save the final product. BTW, contrary to the editorial review, there is no scene selection.

I don't know why anyone, myself included, ever thought this was an IMAX subject. Never the Twain shall meet IMAX and mix well.

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I had owned the 33 1/3 album ( Columbia Masterworks, the 1959 41st street Theater in NewY York) for many many years, gotten rid of all phonograph players and wanted to present this performance to the English classes at the school where I am the Library Media Specialist. Finding this wonderful DVD was most thrilling and became useful and appreciated.

Bill Stoll

Reviews of Fractasia 3-D

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I happened to find a copy of this somewhere and thought I'd review it. It's interesting for those who are into digitalized visuals. Some of the fractals are superimposed with real scenes and look rather like they were created in terragan or bryce. It's very 90's in feel and the classical music goes well with each design viewed. :) It also comes with rainbow prizm glasses that spread the picture out a bit and make it seem 3D at times but they are not necessary for viewing the movie. If you can recall the old sand / water shakeable slates that made images or you like lava lamps, this video is for you. :)

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Reviews of Bob's Girlfriends Forever: Nylon Couples

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Bob Alexander, the director / producer, is a maker of amateur-style girl-girl videos from the 90's and 2000's. His `Girlfriends Forever' is his premium line. I had seen Bob's videos before and generally liked `em. I thought I'd check this episode out.

As additional info, I might mention that Bob has also been known to indulge in a few unusual preferences, namely ladies' underwear. This movie deals with just such a topic women's nylons. The females wear them in every scene, even while making love or lounging by the pool. They play dress-up with some in another. And they tantalize each other's centers with nylon stocking covered feet in the last. If that's your cup-of-tea, you might be in for a very heady treat.

This movie features six name adult actresses: Samantha Ryan, Amy Reid, Laurie Wallace, Angel Cassidy, Isabella Camille and Penny Flame. The scenes were shot between 2002 and 2005, but the quality of the video photography is remarkably good.

There are four enchanting vignettes. Penny Flame and Isabella Camille appear as lovers in two of them, the opener and the finale. Penny, who reminds me of Lindsay Lohan, the actress appears unbelievably young in this release. She also does all of the work servicing Isabella, or so it seems. Isabella is a gorgeous brunette -who looks every bit as Italian as her name might imply.

Laurie Wallace and Angel Cassidy, both blondes, dress and undress trying on different combinations of lingerie and stockings. They lounge on the sofa and touch each other's intersections through their clothing with nylon enrobed toes. Laurie has a truly fantastic `pair,' which we get to fully admire. Nice legs, too.

Samantha Ryan and Amy Reid lounge by the pool in lingerie and thigh-highs. Gee, I wonder what kind of tan they hope to acquire. Realizing their lunacy, the ladies retire to the shade and admire each other's costumes while sharing a swinging hammock. Samantha appears here as a blonde. Amy's bra pushes her wondrous set up and out. With her rounder features and curly brown hair, she reminded me a little of Jennifer Lawrence, the actress (Silver Linings Playbook).

Penny returns in the finale wearing the sexiest, low-cut little-black-dress. Her girlfriend, Isabella, rejoins her and the two women make out on a walnut colored dining table. Penny leaves lip prints all over Isabella's neck and chest. Cute. Their second interlude is rather brief, but satisfying nonetheless.

As extras, there's a slide show that starts automatically after the end of the final scene. If you're looking for a visually relaxing girl-girl display, and you happen to have a weakness for women's stockings, then this movie might be perfect for you. Enjoy.

FYI, here is another title from Bob's 'Girlfriends Forever' series: OUR LITTLE SECRET:GIRLFRIENDS FOREVER

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Buy Please Don't Eat the Daisies (1960)

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Based on the popular book by Jean Kerr, PLEASE DON'T EAT THE DAISY is probably the best of Doris Day's 1960s comedies--and it finds her surprisingly paired with David Niven. While the two may seem an unlikely couple, they have extremely good on-screen chemistry, and the film neatly balances its story between the two stars so that neither overshadows the other.

Day plays Kate MacKay, mother of four hellions and the long suffering wife of esoteric drama critic Larry MacKay (Niven.) With her husband under seige by every actor, director, and producer in town, Kate decides to move the family to a home in the country--and in the process leaves her husband open to the temptations of Broadway star Deborah Vaughn (Janis Paige.) Before too long, Larry's swelling ego threatens their happy home.

The cast is expert, with both Day and Niven extremely enjoyable and Janis Paige memorable as the Broadway siren who attempts to lead Niven astray; the supporting roles are also expertly handled by a cast that includes Spring Byington. The script is witty with a dash of sophistocated sparkle, and unlike most of Day's later comedies manages to avoid the feel of frantic farce. A truly enjoyable outing; pure fun all the way.

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Featuring Doris Day and David Niven in a brilliant screen pairing, PLEASE DON'T EAT THE DAISIES is a fresh and breezy family comedy, filled with lovely performances. When theatre lecturer Larry Mackay (Niven) becomes a critic for a very important New York newspaper, he soon begins to alienate all those around him, not least of which his ever-patient wife Kate (Day) and their four small children affectionately referred to as "The Monsters"! A move to the country becomes the answer to their problems, but when Larry's New York schedule and ego starts running riot, Kate decides to take action...

This film was based on Jean Kerr's bestselling novel of the same name. Kerr's book was somewhat autobiographical. She was the wife of famed (and feared) New York theatre critic Walter Kerr, and their family did indeed move to a rambling old mansion in upstate New York. Jean Kerr, a famed author and playwright in her own right, also penned the long-running Broadway play "Mary, Mary" (a success on the stage for Barbara Bel Geddes; and later a film with Debbie Reynolds in the lead).

In PLEASE DON'T EAT THE DAISIES, Doris Day leads the charge with several musical numbers, including the Title Song, "Any Way the Wind Blows", and "Que Sera Sera" (which she had introduced the previous year in Hitchcock's remake of "The Man Who Knew Too Much"). She delivers a coyly-comedic turn as the flustered stay-at-home mother, and much of her performance still rings true today.

The supporting cast includes priceless performances from Richard Haydn, Patsy Kelly, Spring Byington; and the delicious Janis Paige, who plays the diva-esque leading lady of a Broadway musical who comes under the wrath of Niven's poison-pen! In reality, Paige had starred in "Romance on the High Seas" (the film in which Doris Day made her Hollywood debut), and she had made a big splash on Broadway in "The Pajama Game" (she was ironically replaced by Day for the film version). The Mackay children are played by Charles Herbert, Stanley Livingston, Flip Mark, and "Baby" Gellert.

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I actually do like this movie. I love anything Doris Day has ever done and own all of her titles. The only thing contrary I can say about this particular movie is that I felt David Niven was way too old to play her husband... he was supposed to be her one-time college professor, so I guess that part of it makes sense, but these two married people want such different things out of life! He's having some sort of cranky mid-life crisis and wants to stay in the city with his newfound recognition as a famous play critic. She wants a full time father for her four young sons and a husband who's happy to live in the suburbs and volunteer at the local elementary school. How could anybody make this crazy scenario work? I dunno. But since it's a cute story line and especially well acted plus it stars Doris I would still recommend adding this film to your collection if you are a fan of hers.

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MGM's domestic comedy, "Please Don't Eat the Daisies" was the Easter, 1960 attraction at NYC's fabled showcase, Radio City Music Hall. It repeated it's success there, nationwide, becoming MGM's second highest grossing film of the year. It's easy to see why after viewing this delightfully charming comic gem.

Based on an amusing book by Jean Kerr, wife of famed theatre critic Walter, it is loosely based upon their own misadventures. The film version, produced by Joe Pasternak and directed by Charles Walters, relates the story of husband and wife David Niven and Day who, with their brood of children, decide to relocate to the suburbs after Niven nabs a position as theatre critic with a NYC newspaper. Adjustments are in order for all, and the laughs flow fast and free. Niven almost falls under the spell of seductress Janis Paige but returns to home and hearth by the final reel.

Doris Day is, as always, a delight. She acts with warmth and skill, playing a mother with the same level of expertise she always displays when playing a successful career woman. She even sings a couple of songs in her usual top-notch style. In particular, her rendition of her hit, "Que Sera Sera", to Niven in an Italian restaurant, is very affecting in it's simplicity.

Niven is polished and urbane and the supporting cast, which includes Paige, Spring Byington, Jack Weston, and Patsy Kelly keep the fun going at a rapid fire clip.

An interesting side note: Paige was the female lead in Day's 1948 film debut, "Romance on the High Seas", which made Day an overnight star, many critics barely noting Paige's participation in the film. Paige originated the role of Babe in "The Pajama Game" on Broadway, which Day later received acclaim for in the 1957 film version. In "Daisies", Paige, in a supporting role, makes a very memorable comedy appearance.

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Compared to ghastly films like Prudence and the Pill, David Niven must look back on this film as one of his better efforts. It's a good enough entry in the Doris Day canon, and there is unmistakable chemistry between Day and Niven. That said, it falls short of Jean Kerr's bestseller on which it is based by missing the tone. The later TV show to my mind more captures the sense of the book, although usually movies come closer with the follow up TV shows a pale imitation of the original book.

My title comes from the book Kerr wrote after Please Don't Eat the Daisies, both books being unaccountably out of print. Both books also, in my opinion, being well worth tracking down. With this film out on DVD, the TV series, and maybe even the revival of Kerr's books, may not be far behind.

Best Michael Flatley Returns as Lord of the Dance (2011) Deals

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To start off M.F. is up to his high standard of dance. He is totally rocking it once again! I have the original Lord of The Dance on VHS and the Feet of Flames. Sorry but Feet of Flames is the best out of the three it gets a 5 star! This newest production would have been awesome to watch if it wasn't for some of the camera angles and way too many cut a-ways at very integral moments in the dances. The slow motion shots are really annoying. It also seems to me that this is not just one show that was shot. If you watch closely you will see Bernadette Flynn on the stage left then all of sudden she is stage right before coming to dance in the middle. Also on the "Planet Ireland" performance she seems to be missing in some shots then back again. As I was watching it all the way to the end I was wondering where the "Siamsa" number was. I found out it is a DELETED SCENE! Why?! It is one of my favorite parts. For those who have never seen one of the Lord of the Dance productions it is a really good start. I encourage though to get the older ones too. Guess I have been spoiled with the previous ones.

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It's impossible to review this video without referencing the original production of 20 years ago. I have watched that video many times, and have seen it live three times (once with Flatley, twice without); needless to say, I'm a fan. There is no doubt that the audio and video on this disk are both spectacular. And Michael Flatley certainly still has "the chops" to pull off the dancing; in fact virtually the entire company is flawless. Then why only four stars? The new production. There is soo much flash from the lighting effects, it's sometimes difficult to see the dancing. The costumes are also a bit strange (especially for the men) and, as with the lighting, distract from the dancing. Also, three scenes were cut from the main production (the two soprano solos and the "Siamsa" dance routine). These ARE included in a "deleated scenes" section, but I don't know why they were cut in the first place. Bottom line: I'm sure that I will watch this many times in the future but if they ever release a remastered Blu-ray version of the original, it will be my hands-down favorite.

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I am speechless (and breathless) after watching the latest reincarnation of The Lord of the Dance. Flatley is no spring chicken but is a cardiologist's dream in form and stamina. He dances with the vigor and precision of a 20 year old. The production is vibrant, colorful and endlessly inventive as it evolves from scene to scene. The direction of the film version seen here, the technical excellence visible throughout, the perfection of the dance and dancers; sorry to gush but as a long time fan of Flatley, I never thought I'd see the day when he would out-do himself. Dancers, actors, musicians, techies, rabid dance and theatre fans --order this today. You won't regret it. What a glorious experience!

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This dance show has a storyline that will occasionally have you going, "What the -?" If you go in hoping for Riverdance Part 2, well, you kinda get that but under unusual circumstances. Apparently, the Lord of the Dance (Michael Flatley, who even wears a belt that says he is) is out to conquer the evil forces that descend upon Planet Ireland. No, don't ask.

The evil is represented by a masked leader ans his dozen soldiers dressed in something between Rollerball outfits and riot gear uniforms. They may try to appear terrifying, but it is hard to fear these stormtroopers when they do an Irish jig. Often when they are on stage, the background projection shows a devil's head or a death skull. It is a bizarre show concept for family viewing.

I am not saying the show is not without its entertainment. Michael Flatley is past his prime, but he is still an exceptional dancer. That is, when he isn't trying to milk applause from the audience. The rest of the cast are very good, including almost twenty attractive female dancers who look exceptionally sexy in 3D.

(By the way, if you are a guy whose girlfriend is making you watch this video, practice now to keep a non-excited look when you get to 33:47; otherwise, you will suddenly sit up and cry out, "Yes!! Thank you, Michael Flatley!!")

The 3D runs the gamut from very good to extraordinary (at one point, you can count the bangles on a jester's hat). The black areas of the screen never achieve a respectable full darkness, but there is enough good 3D to make up for that. (This stage show was filmed in high def 3D cameras.)

Audio is good, not exceptional.

Though the extras are minimal (a "making of"), I give this extra points because there are four deleted scenes from the film, all in 3D.

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Id never really seen a full lords of the dance show and had only seen it being performed at gala evenings etc so i wondered how they were going to pad out a whole show. Wonder no more as the show was spellbinding from start to finish with excellent 3D and a scorchingly clear 7.1 audio soundtrack, i will watch this again and again as it gives goosebumps every time, absolute perfection!

E.T. (VHS Tape) (1982) Reviews

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Let me explain something that I feel a lot of people are forgetting. This set doesn't only include the new version, but the old as well. That's a great deal, since you can choose which one you would like to see. If you hate the new effects and CGI, don't watch it. It's that simple.

Now don't get me wrong. I think the newer version is very silly, and I wonder if Spielberg really thought it looked good when he did it. Maybe if he were to do it in around 10 years, it wouldn't look so animated.

I did like the deleted bathroom scene though, even though it was done with CGI. It would have been nice to have seen that in the original, but I guess that would be having my cake and eating it too.

There is nothing flawed about this set, it simply just gives some options that not everyone will want to choose. If you enjoy the movie, you will enjoy this set. It's a classic that hasn't lost it's flavor after all these years.

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Both versions of Steven Spielberg's masterpiece are available on this limited edition DVD of E.TTHE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL. The original 1982 and the 2002 re-mastered version are equally impressive. The minor cuts and restored footage doesn't add much. Sure, the CG E.T is impressive and there are some great moments put back in that make the film feel more complete. But the heart of the film stays the same. Differing from Spielberg's more strident films (JAWS, the INDIANA JONES films and JURASSIC PARK), E.T is the simple story of Elliot (Henry Thomas) who finds a friend from space and helps him to find his way home, hence the oft-quoted line "E.T phone home!". The iconic image of Elliot riding past the moon is one of the most memorable movie moments in cinema history, accompanied by John William's whimsical score (Another coup-de-grace par-excellence). The film itself is still emotionally involving and the peformances of the principal actors, especially Henry Thomas and Drew Barrymore are fantastic. Regardless of the film's 2002 theatrical dissapointment, Spielberg's masterful storytelling holds up to this day. One of my all-time favourites, E.T will always be remembered as one of the greatest cinema experiences in film history.

The DVD extras are very impressive. Startting off with Disc One, the 2002 version has an introduction by Steven Spielberg, a live performance of John Williams conducting at the 2002 premiere and an "exciting space exploration". Disc Two has the 1982 version. the extras include a "Spotlight on Location" featurette, The Reunion: The cast and filmmakers talk sbout the film. The Evolution and Creation of ET: hundreds of production photographs, conceptual drawings and original advertising in an interactive environment. Also included are theatrical trailers and DVD-ROM features. A must have DVD.

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First, I want to make it clear that I'm reviewing the DVD here, not the original film. I liked the original; it's a good movie. Not as fantastic as it is hyped to be, but good enough to have on DVD for an occasional viewing. I give the film 4 stars.

I have BIG problems with what's behind this DVD, and the "special edition" of ET that's on it.

The 2002 edition of ET is just absurd. As others pointed out, CGI ET looks silly, and isn't consistent with the "old" scenes that include ET. His stiffness was part of his physical character. Making him more "jar-jar" just doesn't make sense. It's an example of "lets do it because we can". There are lots of thing we "can" do that we "should not" do, and this is one of them.

But much worse than this is the digital removal of the guns. Not only was this poorly done (from a technical point of view), but it's an example of Political Correctness(tm) gone mad. Guess what: government agents and cops carry guns, and they point them at people/things that they are trying to stop/apprehend. Get over it.

I hate to see a work of art like ET defaced just to appease a loud, misguided minority of people who believe in political correctness. Bowing to this minority was a cowardly act.

Finally, the packaging Universal has chosen is obnoxious. The only way to get the original film is to buy a very expensive "gift boxed set", filled with things I do NOT want. I'm willing to pay for a boxed set, but only if it contains the following items: Original movie with original 5.1 sound track, commentary track(s), deleted scenes, making of and/or retrospective featurettes. That's it. This would probably fit on one disc, making a boxed set unnecessary. ...

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This is the first thing I want to say about the 2012 Blu-ray Release of "E.T., the Extraterrestrial:" it's back, in its original form. Yes, every frame, the terrorist gag, guns back where they need to be, the musical score in the farewell scene restored to its original grandeur, and no digital shilly-shallying. What a delight! Big thanks to Mr. Spielberg for finally recognizing the deliciously imperfect perfection of his original creation.

I've seen this film approaching 70 times, and I know where the beats are, top to bottom. I was looking for changes, and could detect not a one. Even the slight jump-cut as ET indicates the closet as "home" is restored. The original ILM animation of the bikes in flight is back. The string passage during the final embrace is right where it should always have been. All the terrible tampers have been removed.

The transfer, from original 35mm elements, is as flawless as can be. The look and feel of the theatre experience fills the eye and the ear and, as always, the heart. Welcome "home," E.T., and thanks, Universal, for a job well undone.

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As a "Star Wars" fan, I have to admit, George Lucas' 1977 grand epic movie DID NEED to be fixed, Lucas totally buffed up its Special effects, which it needed, SW Special Edition is phenominal compared to its original version, however I don't feel the same way about E.T., I mean what really needed to be fixed????, SW was Sci-Fi, so naturally it needed it, E.T. had very little effects in the way of visuals, I don't know what Speilberg is thinking, I mean, is he trying to compete with Lucas in a friendly way??, You can bet I will be watching the 1982 version, this film really is a timeless classic about an alien left behind on earth who soon befriends Elliott, a 10 year old who lives in what appears to be the valley of Los Angeles, Elliot & E.T. share a special bond, it is every lonely kid's dream, I was 11 when I first saw it, it hit home, because at the time I was new in my neighborhood, & my mom had just gone through a divorce too, I was an only child too, so you can imagine, E.T. always heightened my spirits, this film is great in that it shows what a fun character E.T. could be, the original puppet used was by all accounts well done, why they felt the need to digitally enhance E.T. is beyond me, we have never seen Jar Jar Binks as a puppet, so we don't think much about it, but E.T. you do, had digital technology been possible in 1982, then maybe it wouldn't matter, but now it does, another flaw is the removed guns from the government agents, (another mistake), why be politically correct??, I mean lets face it, agents hell bent on capturing an alien would not be so kid-friendly, in all reality they would be pursuing with guns, not walkie-talikes!..., Speilberg should have left this treasure alone, I can understand Lucas' argument on SW, but this one had little in the way of visual effects, I say stick with the original version & skip the 2002 version, the original may cost more, but it is worth it.

Cheap Gamer 3D (2009)

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Gerard Butler with dirty muscles and a machine gun, need I say more? Seriously though, I think people are overthinking the premise of what is largely total fiction. If you take it for what it is which is 90 minutes of light entertainment where there is eye candy and things get blown up, alot, it is not a bad movie! I have never understood people who look too deeply into what is essentially an action movie..... What more do you want from it?

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I could give a synopsis of the film but there are plenty so far. So I'll fill in where the other reviews seem to lack.

Gamer is filmed in basically 3 different settings: SLAYERS game world (think call of duty style first person shooter, very dark), SOCIETY game world (The Sims/Second Life type world, very colorful), and reality (which is nowhere near as dark or bright as the gamer world, no suprise).

In my own opinion, I think this was a gamer's game. Why? Because, first and formost, this is like the future wave of gaming, true 3 dimensional gaming (don't believe me, go look at Project Natal by Microsoft or the type of gaming Xbox envisions in the future-THE ISLAND quite blatantly shows xbox's projections)

Yes, you had the "gratuitous violence" of SLAYERS that you would expect if it was real humans participating in the game, because that's what it is. You have the perversity in SOCIETY that is rampant in SIMS and SECOND LIFE if they could get away with it (come on, who doesn't try to get the Sims to make WooHoo at least once, be honest!) and the creepy 500lb guy pretending to be a hot young chick that EVERYONE hears about on the online world.

You have a genius human being who is a little power mad and more than just a little crazy and self absorbed. Which isn't bad until you try taking over the world. You have a hard yet loving hero who was wrongly accused. A wife from who everything was ripped away from her and lives a life of destitution and prostitution. There's even a small group of people who rebel and fight the system, trying to overthrow "the man". And there's the gamers, from the kid controlling the hero to the really creepy fat guy who play games for different reasons: fun, control, getting their kicks. But all are desensitized to the games and the fact that these are real actual people they controlling and forcing to do what they (the gamers) wish while (the gamers) themselves are safe and comfortable at home. And yes, there were some cliche moments and the side stories weren't ever really gone into exhaustive detail about. Much like cut-scenes in a video game actually. It was furthering one story line, one hero, one main plotline, to defeat one mega-boss at the very end. Try not to kill too many civilians on the way there.

It was horrifying at points. I'm not going to lie, I was seriously disturbed by SOCIETY. But isn't that what humans do? I'm not saying everyone or even a majority, but some people in society are obsessed with situations of a sexual nature and it's represented in video games (often rated M for Mature, but some slide under the radar or be easily perverted) and in real life as well (the booming porn industry). And the violence in society was that much more horrifying because the actors couldn't even protect themselves from it and the gamers controlling them didn't even bother protecting them. SLAYERS? It was pretty gory and gruesome, but the horrifying part there wasn't the slayers themselves, it was all the non-fighters who only had to survive one game for freedom. They didn't have a player to control them, couldn't defend themselves or break away from their programming. None of them ever survived or made it.

This was filmed in with RED ONE cameras, which are just freakishly amazing in the fine details (digital stills instead of 35mm, ). So visually, content aside, the shots were so detailed and amazing. One reviewer did mention about the tatoo on his arm at the beginning of the film which you couldn't read until nearer the end, but it seemed more of an intentional focus issue, as when they defocused on John Leguizamo's face severely in the jail, because he was a dead man. When the tatoo was next really shown on, it was focused on severely so that you could see and appreciate the message later on. Yes, the fact that the makers of CRANK is evidenced clearly in some scenes, so if you suffer from seizures or epilesy or anything like that, do not suggest.

And the dance scene was perfect for the character who did it by the way! Because all of it truly WAS a game to him. He didn't care about anything but seeing things happen that he wanted to see happen. (sorry, had to mention it)

If you refuse to play violent video games, avoid morally disturbing images, or wondering if this is something you want your 15 year old to see, don't. Just NO, don't watch it, don't rent it, have nothing to do with it because you will end up back at this review page leaving a bad review and you are not the intended audience (no offense).

I don't like morally disturbing images (I was kinda doing the horrified peeking-through-fingers before ducking behind my hoodie at some parts), don't really play uber violent games (I like multiplayer First Person Shooters but don't really play the campaigns or the GTA series), and I haven't been 18 for quite some time.

Who was it that said you could judge a society by the games we play? Isn't it true, at least to some degree? Or by the internet sites we visit, the people we interact with in life, and what we choose to do with the knowledge we have? Does that not have any bearing on that judgement?

I think it was an excellent movie. Not because I agreed with everything that happened in it or thought the characters/acting was superb (though the actors did a very good job in this video game of a movie). But this movie actually makes one, especially the intelligent gamers out there, think for a moment about how far we are willing to go for our entertainment. Definately worth watching.

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The true test of any work of satire is how many people it upsets at a fundamental level. In that regard, "Gamer" is glorious! I can't remember the last time I saw a sci-fi movie that seemed like such an accurate prediction of our future, warts and all. The "game" worlds displayed -Society and Slayers -are ridiculously over the top while still feeling very possible. In the future, we will not only be enslaved by a digital totalitarianism, we'll gleefully slap on the chains ourselves.

What really makes this film work is that the writer/director team of Neveldine/Taylor clearly did their homework. Anyone familiar with online first-person shooters will recognize everything from camera angles to teabagging in the Slayers world. Similarly, even a passing familiarity with Second Life (a hive of perversion that they actually toned down for the film) makes the grotesque free for all of Society that much more plausible. This is where the satircal edge of the film comes in -and it's a razor. You'll never win any friends on the internet by speaking the simple truth -"Why yes, screwing off for hours on end with virtual sex and ultraviolence IS a disgusting way to go through life," -so I say God bless anyone who does!

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Unlike the repetitive, stereotypic, mundane, noncreative, dumbed-down, made-for-money flicks that inundate the Hollywood movie-making business, this directing/writing team has the intestinal fortitude to be different; to be experimental and to be leaders in taking the "action" genre into a somewhat different, novel, thoughtful and creative future. Sure, this is gun-totin' violence; explosions and crashes but you will not feel as if you've seen it done like this before. This movie is simply ENGAGING, particularly for you action and gaming aficionados. And, for the rest of you just appreciate the film-making artistry.

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Neveldine/Taylor Cranked out this Sci-fi action film about a plugged in future and the games they play. Looking and sounding flashy, trashy and rude; it is a slick demo disk with body parts, live and lost. Fun, if you get in the spirit. Shallow, graphic, CGI 4 fun, over the top and under the radar. And it's decent fun... for some.

BD is so powerful; it will make up for any other discs that don't cut it.

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Dana Andrews is excellent as the Captain of a downed Army Air Corps B25 bomber over Japan. These US Flyers are captured and put on trial in a civilian court in front of the international press for suppossed "crimes against humanity". The Japanese secretly torture the Airmen one by one trying to discover if they came from a land base or a carrier. The story basically revolves around whether or not the American Airmen will tell the Japanese what they want to know. The final minutes of the film are quite stirring. The film music master, Alfred Newman did the score for the film and cleverly chose not to use very much underscoring music until the final scene in the film. Although the music he uses is borrowed and not original his adaptation of it is powerful!

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The movie is a bit dramatic at times, but those who have studied the Doolittle raid and the treatment of the 8 men captured know it does not tell the American public enough about the terrible way humans treat other humans. If the Americans had been able to know how badly their prisoners were being treated, the Japanese Island might not be there today. Read Four Came Home for the best view, or study other exerpts of various items on the internet. I am writing about Dean Edward Hallmark, a graduate of Paris Junior College and one of the three who were executed.

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Most reviews miss what was for me, as a child, the most inspiring portion of the film. I would choke -up at the final scene, when the crew having decided to not tell the details of the raid leave the courtroom to face death, marching down the hallway with smiles on their faces to stirring music. It still grabs me today.

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Although AMC has the gall to call it "racist propaganda" and portray the Japanese as vicious, Japanse veterans from WWII all tell the same story: how they were, themselves, beaten by their officers, and how they were taught that the Americans were lower than animals, and no cruelty was considered unfit for the Americans.

The movie intimates the brutality and does not show what the Japanese actually did to these brave airmen.

Japanese wartime mentality was animalistic. The rape of Naking, as well as the treatment of American POWs are just two examples of the brutality of these people pre WWII.

Gen. MacArthur, though widely criticized for not prosecuting the Emperor, who had full complicity in war crimes and in the war of aggression, used Hirohito to bring peace. He brought over missionaries and set them up as school teachers, and did an amazing job in de-militarizing the Japanese people and bringing peace to a people who were raised on pagan Emperor worship. He changed their society from the ground up.

No Hollywood movie, thus far, has truly shown how brutal and animalistic the Japanese military were, and this movie is no exception. They did a mock trial and executed these brave men.

For AMC to call it racist propaganda because the judges cheered when news that MacArthur had left Corigidor shows only that they care more for political correctness rather than factual correctness.

don't miss this movie. Never forget what foreign aggression did to our nation while sleeping peacefully on a December Sunday morning, in 1941. Don't forget the bravery of the Doolittle raid, nor of the countless sacrifices made by young men to stop imperialistic barbariansism.

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This is an inspiring movie to ALL Americans at this stage of the war vs Japan...in reality, three [3] of the captured USAAF crew were beheaded, others tortured unmercifuly...3 survived at war's end...with the release of, "The Purple Heart" at Christmas time [1944] well after the Gen Doolittle raid in April 1942, it hit home and in our hearts to the heroics of our courageous United States Army Air Force and Naval Forces in harm's way...this movie depicts Japan for all of her quick grabs in the Pacific War; yet, Japan was wide open and vunerable to air attack...it helped lift our morale to perservere, sacrifice and no more surrenders, ultimately paving the way for Japan's unconditional surrender forevermore in Aug/1945...it was NOT a propaganda movie; conversely, a cornerstone film for total victory over Japan who was our most formidable and cunning enemy we ever faced on the sea and on the land...Dana Andrews stirring lecture to that Japanese judge rang true as the "USAAF will blackened your skies, day and nite we'll come to burn your cities to the ground and wipe your dirty little Empire off the face of the earth"...that was a TRUISM and justly so...sadly, today's liberal Americans can't relate or comprehend to just what a UNITED effort it took to bring the Japanese Militarists to extinction in Aug/1945...the Japanese got what they readily deserved with A-Bomb interest...this movie was a harbinger of what was to come to the home-islands of Japan...WW2 was a great American lesson to America's enemies...I loved this wartime 1944 film about wartime April/1942....SSGT CHRIS SARNO-USMC FMF

The Amazing Adventures of the Living Corpse (2013) Reviews

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Highly recommended to any person interested in a kick ass animated film. The violence is not that intense as an R rating is led to believe. Great story and visuals. Cool score and wicked end credit song. Based on an awesome graphic novel The Living Corpse by Ken Haeser and Buz Hasson. I have three kids that were able to enjoy the movie (4-7) and they were not bothered by it one bit. It's animated and resembles a video game in some instances. This is why I'm puzzled by an R rating. Still highly recommended if you want an enjoyable movie. It comes with a digital copy of the newest Living Corpse book as well. What a value!

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Being a huge fan of horror films, I never thought an animated horror film would bring such suspense and thrill. I definitely recommend this one for any horror movie fans out there!

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Taylor's family is killed by zombies. His dad is a zombie who develops a conscience and rescues his son from those other zombies. Dad goes to the underworld while Taylor is sent off to a special school where he is bullied. The film consists mostly of zombie dad rescuing his son and fighting all kinds of monsters.

The film is entirely in comic book style animation and looks like it would make for a decent video game, except where does one go when one dies in hell? Detroit?

I got very bored after 30 minutes. While rated "R" for violence, the film's real appeal is with those too young to see it.

Parental Guide: No f-bombs, sex, or nudity.

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I watched this on a recommendation from a friend and wasn't disappointed. Granted it's not the best Zombie flick I've ever seen but I really liked that it was a new take on the genre. I'm glad somebody actually made a zombie the hero for once. It is animated which might put some people off but I think it gave the makers a little more creative license. I gave it 4 stars for the effort.

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I really like the Amazing Adventures of The Living Corpse, while not big budget Pixar movie, I found it fun, campy and cool. I later learned it was based on a little known comic book character of the same name. I recommend this film for

comic book and zombie fans. The comic book creators are very artistic, check out their Facebook artwork as well. It's amazing too. The Amazing Adventures of the Living Corpse [Blu-ray] www.facebook.com/LivingCorpseMovie