Review of The Best of Chappelle's Show Uncensored (2003)

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $14.98
Sale Price: $11.89
Today's Bonus: 21% Off

Preliminary reviews for this collection say viewers should just buy the two seasons of the show. I agree. But pound for pound, minute for minute, the highlights of this show beat out 95 percent of any year's crop of film or TV comedies. This is two-and-a-half hours of inappropriate race-obsessed laughter. It can occupy the same spot as Late Night with Conan O'Brien The Best of Triumph the Insult Comic Dog as the perfect crack-em-up closer to any party. This is the guaranteed laugh you need when nothing else will do. Skit-based comedy is perfect for repurposing, as "Saturday Night Live" has discovered, and there's no reason there shouldn't be a best-of for "Chappelle's Show" to serve the same function.

Best of all: "Chappelle's Show" wipes the street with the best of "SNL."

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

This is a great (and very cheap) alternative to buying both seasons. Plus, you can cut out all the "extra" stuff less people watch, like the musical performances, etc.

Best Deals for The Best of Chappelle's Show Uncensored (2003)

Fantastic! Dave Chappelle is such a classic comedian and these are some of his best. Dave appeals to such a wide audience and I laughed throughout his entire DVD, especially the scenes involving Charlie Murphy.

If you are thinking about buying this DVD I would highly recommend it. I wasn't disappointed and I don't believe you will be either.

Honest reviews on The Best of Chappelle's Show Uncensored (2003)

Dave Chapelle is a natural funny person, who also addresses real issues but in his language (comedy). His sketches hilarious and i would recommend him and all his standup releases if you're the type that enjoys (open-type) comedy and are not easily offended.

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for The Best of Chappelle's Show Uncensored (2003)

If you like comedy then this is for you. Dave C is the funniest man alive today. Well worth the $.

Gorilla at Large/Mystery on Monster Island (1954) Reviews

Customer Ratings:

This review is for "Gorilla at Large", the reason I bought this disc. In 1954, the 3-D craze was at its' peak--especially with horror films and this included the gorilla movie as scare factor. 1954 saw "Phantom of the Rue Morgue" and "Gorilla at Large" pawing their way into theaters in 3-D and Technicolor, with better than average budgets. "Gorilla at Large" is set in a seedy carnival around a lurid sideshow called "The Garden of Evil" where beautiful trapeze star Mlle. LaVerne ( a young and beautiful Anne Bancroft paying her starlet dues) swings seductively over a gorilla pit where mankiller ape Goliath reaches for her, threatening to yank her down at any moment. LaVerne's troubled and hot-tempered husband (a stoic Raymond Burr) jealously oversees her act and LaVerne. He also manages the carnival. Two problematic things occur: a hunky new stuntman for LaVerne ( a young, hunky Cameron Mitchell) for a dangerous new thrill in her act and a brutal murder. The murder shuts the carnival down and brings in a hardnosed cop (Lee J. Cobb). Everyone suspects Goliath and his sinister trainer when another murder occurs. But there's more than meets the eye in the "Garden of Evil". This is a well made, enjoyable thriller with two gorillas. One a stunt man in a bad gorilla suit and the other being Goliath. The stunt man is supposed to step in at key moments in LaVerne's act when the ape gets too close to thrill the audience. The carnival atmosphere is colorful, lurid and vivid. The acting is above par as is the cast---a young Lee Marvin has a comedy relief role as a dumb lanky cop. The 3-D effects are noticable with Goliath and the dizzying carnival rides. And there's a wonderful scene where Goliath goes on a rampage through the deserted carnival one night inadvertantly setting off the rides, causing the whole park to come alive like a haunted fairgrounds. Later, he reaches through a window for a screaming Bancroft as she lies seductively clad in a sexy negligee. The cheesecake factor with Bancroft is rampant throughout. This IS a beauty and the beast tale afterall but one with a twist---it's also a murder mystery. Who's committing the murders Goliath or someone in the stunt suit? And will Goliath finally have at the teasing seductress LaVerne? See this for cheesy but fun 50's thrills and watch as soon-to-be-stars pay their dues in a gorilla movie. "Gorilla at Large" is a genuine time capsule from the 3-D 50's complete with a better than average cast, in gorgeous Technicolor and preserved in a nice print on this disc. Worth owning for old Hollywood star watchers. Enjoy. And don't make Goliath mad....

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

Midnight Movie Madness continues with great stuff from the past. The movie

mystery on Monster Island is so well preserved that it looks like it was

just recently made. Saw this movie as a kid, and one of the characters is

as stupid as i remember him...but was well worth seeing this movie again.

Nice to see Peter Cushing again...Enjoy

Best Deals for Gorilla at Large/Mystery on Monster Island (1954)

Like the other reviewers here, I really only bought this set because I dearly wanted GORILLA AT LARGE. Honestly, the less said about MYSTERY ON MONSTER ISLAND (1981) the better. Well, at least it stars Peter Cushing but the movie is a complete snooze. Better stick to men in ape suits and Anne Bancroft prancing about in a sexy trapeze outfit.

...which leads us back to GORILLA AT LARGE...

Filmed at the height of the 3-D craze, GORILLA AT LARGE (1954) isn't a horror film as much as it is a mystery crime thriller. Fox contract players Cameron Mitchell and Anne Bancroft star and add lots of extra gloss to this tawdry tale of a series of murders in a circus. The setting is a circus called the Garden of Evil, where the star attraction is Goliath, a gorilla (and played very obviously by a man wearing a chimp suit). Anne Bancroft is Mlle. Laverne, a trapeze artist whose whole act revolves around swinging above Goliath's enclosure. When a series of grisly murders start taking place, all fingers point to Goliath, but things are never what they appear to be, especially in a seedy dive like the Garden of Evil...

Anne Bancroft, paying off her 20th Century-Fox starlet commitments, gives a splendid performance. She's matched every step of the way by co-stars Raymond Burr, Cameron Mitchell and Lee J. Cobb. Co-produced by Panoramic Productions, GORILLA AT LARGE is lots of fun. Extra features include an animated photo gallery, a brief B&W trailer and the original 'Intermission' titlecard.

It's a pity that the only way we can get GORILLA AT LARGE is by buying the hopelessly hokey MYSTERY ON MONSTER ISLAND as well, but just be glad this classic gem has finally surfaced on DVD.

Honest reviews on Gorilla at Large/Mystery on Monster Island (1954)

A real mixed bag here. One awesome flick, one horrible flick. The awesome: GORILLA AT LARGE, a solid circus noir with Raymond Burr, Cameron Mitchell and a very volutuous young Anne Bancroft--who routinely scoffed at the film once she became a "serious" actress--caught up in a clever puzzler involving a killer in a gorilla suit settling old scores on the fairgrounds and an actual gorilla that escapes its handler at suspiciously opportune times. This film, original in stereoscopic 3-D, gained a small second life in the early 80's when it was broadcast on many local American affiliate TV stations in anaglyphic 3-D (ugh!) much to the delight of kids like myself who were armed and ready (for headaches, mostly) with our specially purchased paper 3-D glasses. BWANA DEVIL also got this treatment, but GORILLA's a far more engrossing experience. The Spanish production THE MYSTERY ON MONSTER ISLAND (1981), on the other hand, is an utter waste of time. Peter Cushing and Terence Stamp each take top billing for about eight minutes screen time apiece, although one can't blame the producers for using such a ruse to lure audiences to this undeserving junk. Stamp's "character" appears for most of the film's climax, but he and his men are conveniently clad from head to toe so the producers can simply loop in Stamp's voice while some unnamed schmoe waves his arms around! The real stars are the lamentable non-actor Ian Sera, a regular for director Juan Piquer Simon (PIECES), and British vet David Hatton. Their adventure stranded on an island with an assortment of ridiculous creatures (including one dinosaur thingy that looks rather . . . inflated), an oh-so-clever monkey and a beautiful girl causes so much eye-rolling it hurts.

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Gorilla at Large/Mystery on Monster Island (1954)

This is one sloppily put together Double Feature.

While the packaging is nice,offering two seperate DVDs instead of the usual dual layer format,and both prints for the films are beautiful,re-mastered latterbox prints,neither film goes together with the other.

Gorilla at Large(1954) is a VERY fun timewaster with a great cast,and deals with murders committed at a sideshow.

The second is a 1981 US/Spanish production that features Peter Cushing in a small role in a film,supposedly based on Jules Verne.

Of the two,Gorilla at Large is a very well made thriller about a person committing murders in an ape suit!

Cameron Mitchell is the hero,Charlotte Austin(who will be involved in more monkey business in the Ed Wood written,Bride of the Beast(1958) is his girlfriend.

Raymond Burr plays a red herring,Lee J.Cobb plays a hard boiled detective(very well,too!),Lee Marvin(!) plays a cop on the case and Anne Bancroft steals it as a very sexy lady who has an interesting act with an ape.

Check this one out!

Mystery on Monster island(1981) is a bogus adventure film,set in the turn of the century about ship wreck survivors who get involved in high jinks on a mysterious island.

The film tries to be funny,and while pleasane,becomes something of a chore to sit through.

Before you complain about the monsters on the screen,understand that they are MEANT to be bogus,however,that just causes more problems with the plot.

Despite top billing,Peter Cushing is only in the film in the beginning and end,and dosen't have much to do.

Spanish Horror great,Paul Naschy,is wasted in a two minute cameo in the beginning,getting shot several times before blowing up a cave!(His name is credited as "Flint"!)

The locations are beautiful,but the film is overlong and has no real drive and feels like a waste of time.

Really not much more than could be said about this film.

Buy the double feature for Gorilla at large,but only the curious need see the latter.

Have fun!

Cheap Captains of the Clouds (1942)

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $19.98
Sale Price: $3.48
Today's Bonus: 83% Off

This was a project held in more or less utter contempt by it's star---one more justification for Cagney's decision to bail out of Warners for greener independent pastures."I didn't like this story the last four times I did it,and I don't like it now",said he when exec producer Hal Wallis proposed "Captains"---patriotic considerations may have persuaded him,and the fact it would be his first in Technicolor.This one is a must-see,or rather a must-have.It's Cagney improv---he couldn't care less about the story and doesn't care if we know it.When he's bored with dialogue(often),he breaks into Yiddish--in one scene,hapless Alan Hale's walking across the room and Cagney trips him(you can tell Hale didn't see it coming).Jim was pushing 43 when he made this,so there is at least tacit script recognition of his character's age---still,he's surrounded by an elderly lot of sidekicks---Reginald Gardiner,George Tobias,the aforementioned Alan Hale---these four are like a roving band of vaudevillians in the Canadian wild---one can imagine the group of them whiling away location hours singing "the old songs" Cagney loved so dearly.And,oh yes,they sing in the picture too.Other endearing moments---an extended night club sequence with chorous girls and a rousing rendition of the title song---wonderful! ---were there really clubs like this during the war?---if so,I was born too late.Let's not forget Brenda Marshall---so cold and passionless in "The Sea Hawk"---not here! She's a revelation---hot,sexy,ruthless---I love it when Cagney gives her the pay-off in their "honeymoon" suite---she rips open that cash envelope like a tigress---wowzers!---too bad she dumped the career when she married Bill Holden.There's not much combat in "Captains"---mostly aerial training stuff,but it's fascinating---and the gorgeous color really sugars it up.Cagney made a big mistake when he ditched Warners---his great years were essentially over when he pulled out of Burbank---only "White Heat" lay ahead to remind us of the glory days."Captains Of The Clouds" is a curtain call for the old "fun" Cagney of the thirties---and as such,it's a keeper.

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

This is one of my favorite James Cagney films because it somehow manages to intertwine an intricate plot into a very simple and patriotic story. More important however, it relies on one of my favorite film themes, that of the protagonist (Cagney) not making the transition from one era of personal glory into the next era where he becomes a stranger in his own world which has changed all around him. This film got two Academy Awards nominations for Interior Decoration (Ted Smith Art Direction, Casey Roberts Interior Decoration) and Color Cinematography (Sol Polito). Director Michael Curtiz visually does an excellent job with this script. It starts off in the beautifully filmed Canadian wilderness with Cagney in his usual reckless tough guy form. These early images stand for the strong individual nature of James Cagney's character Brian MacLean that is in itself based on the Cagney mystique. Gradually, MacLean and the other two main characters Johnny Dutton (Dennis Morgan) and Emily Foster (Brenda Marshall) make gradual transitions to reveal personality growth, stagnation and hidden revelations. This is a wartime film made in 1942 and the film intertwines the plot with patriotic sentiment quite nicely but stresses the practicality of creating and maintaining a proficient and professional military force if the job is to get done. The entire cast is wonderful and includes Alan Hale, George Tobias and Gig Young. Composer Max Steiner also once again turns in an insightful and intelligent score. There are some great flying scenes full of bravado, daring do and just plain out foolhardiness with Cagney leading his cronies in and out of the doghouse. This is a very entertaining film.

Best Deals for Captains of the Clouds (1942)

This is definitely a period piece, but well-done and in color as well. It would be of most interest to film buffs but it deals with some interesting history as well.

I write this partly from the perspective of a family interest in the Commonwealth Air Training program which is the focus of the last half of the film and which has many shots of the real personnel. I hoped that I might see my father in this (but didn't). This program was the major source of aircrew for the British Allies, and since the US didn't enter the war until late 1941, and Western Europe was defeated or collaborating, that's all there were fighting the Nazis for quite some time.

It was interesting to see the real Billy Bishop, the WWI Canadian fighter ace and then Marshall of the Air Force addressing actual graduating cadets who hailed from all over the world, not just the old Commonwealth, and included many Americans who volunteered before the US entered the war. It was sobering to realize that these young men were probably in combat by the time the film was released and that some were already dead.

As a plane buff it was great to see the old planes, in large quantity on actual air bases.

This is an early technicolor film and the dvd transfer is of good visual quality. The photography over the Northern Ontario lakes is very scenic. The sound is ok but they didn't have Dolby or even stereo then, did they.

Cagne is an acquired taste which I never acquired. Still he jumps off the screen as a character actor and dominates every scene he is in. With regard to his dislike of the role, the biography of Hal Wallis, the producer, makes no mention of this and Wallis was usually frank about his problems with stars. I couldn't find the Yiddish part but he put on an over-the-top Irish accent as he flew near Ireland.

There are some good extras on the dvd as well.

Honest reviews on Captains of the Clouds (1942)

If you are a pilot or aviation buff,then you have to own this one.I really enjoyed watching this movie,the scenery,the planes and James Cagney was himself,just like his other movies,fast talking and fun to watch,so if you are looking for an interesting and colorful movie with great looking airplanes,then this is for you.

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Captains of the Clouds (1942)

I know a lot about the story of BCATP.

BCATP that British Commonweath Air Training Program during WWII, the big one as Archie Bunker would say.

Of course it's a Hollywood style movie but the planes sequences are just like traveling in time.

Harvards, Ansons, Tiger Moths, Lockheed Hudsons...

For the plane buff.

Discount Yu-Gi-Oh! - The Movie (2004)

Customer Ratings:

Why are there negative reviews about this movie. It was a very fun picture that was filled with action. how can anyone not like this movie, ITS A YU-GI-OH MOVIE FOR CRYING OUT LOUD! I heard from another review that a Director's cut version of th movie may be coming. I would pay to see that. The bottom line right now is to watch this movie because it is a good time.

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

You know people are getting way too much into the movie when:

1) A girl starts crying at the end of the movie because it was over and she didn't want it to be.

2) The promo cards given away at the movies caused multiple fights over them. (This actually did happen when I saw the movie.)

Anyways, this is definitely the best anime movie that I have ever seen. After viewing the abysmal "Enter the Shadow Realm" series, I was doubting whether the movie would be good... but believe me, it was.

Yugi and his friends face their greatest challenge when their arch-rival Seto Kaiba obtains powerful cards from the now retired Maximillion Pegasus. More is at stake this time than a monster card championship, or even the rescue of Yugi's amateur-Egyptologist grandfather. Kaiba's challenge coincides with the discovery of the tomb of Anubis by a team of Egyptian archaeologists. The jackal-headed god is portrayed as an evil sorcerer whom the Pharaoh Yami defeated 5,000 years ago. The resurrected wizard uses Kaiba as a pawn in his plan to destroy the world, with everything hinging on the card game between Yugi and Kaiba. The plot is just one good thing about the movie, though.

Yugi and Joey really develop their friendship throughout Yugi's duel with Kaiba. Also, the action is just plain awesome.

Overall, any fan of the series will love this movie. A definite infinity/100.

P.S. My favorite quote in the movie comes from Seto Kaiba: "Let me get this straight. You're going to defeat me with a creampuff and an elf?" Kaiba does it againmakes you laugh your ass off.

Best Deals for Yu-Gi-Oh! - The Movie (2004)

...but it's still 4Kids, and they make a mockery of Kazuki Takahashi's masterpiece every week, every episode, so...

Actually, even though I don't like what 4Kids does with the anime, I still watched the movie with an open mind, so I found it quite enjoyable. The animation wasn't as crappy as it could have been, the ranting duelists weren't as bad as they were in Battle City, and Kaiba's voice-actor displays definite improvement.

For those of you who don't know Jack 'bout Yu-Gi-Oh, don't start here. Walk into a bookstore, go to the manga graphic novel section, and pick up the Yu-Gi-Oh manga. As I write this, there are fifteen volumes available: Yu-Gi-Oh Vol. 1-7 which form the "Dark Beginnings" of the series and which are 90% Not There in the anime series we get in the States; Yu-Gi-Oh: Duelist Vol. 1-7 which form the bulk of Season One of said anime, in all its uncut glory; and Yu-Gi-Oh: Millennium World Vol. 1, which is a jump all the way up to the Final Season--I recommend you save that one for later. Just stand in the bookstore and flip through the pages, and if you feel even slightly interested in what you find, buy Vol. 1 of the first series, and if you like that, get Vol. 2, and so forth.

If you don't like those, you'll hate this movie, period at the end.

Myself, being a fan of not only the manga but the card game as well, found it quite enjoyable, but to follow the duels you have to know the rules... hence the need for familiarity with the series behind the movie.

I won't waste time or space blabbing out the plot. I'll just give my verdict. It was closer to the original story of the series than most 4Kids rubbish, but only in the fact that the duel was a Shadow Game that leeched the very life from the players as they lost their points. (The manga games are generally dangerous and many of the early games did not involve the card game at all. In fact, throughout the first seven volumes, the cards only appear in one two-part story nine issues into the series and one two-volume story arc in which four issues are occupied by card dueling and most of the rest by various death-games.) The rest remains true to the English dub only, and the discrepency between the movie and Takahashi's original story become evident at the very beginning, where the completion of the Puzzle is re-written to exclude Ushio (see Vol. 1, issue 1) and include a pack of Duel Monsters card-monsters bursting from the Puzzle to devour Yugi. (Yami Yugi, the Pharoah's spirit contained in the Millennium Puzzle, promptly possesses Yugi and firmly orders the beasts to back off.)

The villain, Anubis, was a paper cut-out. If I were to write this movie into a novelization, I could write Anubis out to be the terrifying, deep baddie he should have been, but in the movie, he's a Joke in a Cape. He has a very vague, shallow history, and there isn't much interesting to tell.

As for the animation... it's somewhat better in the movie than many of the episodes (surprise, surprise--to be expected, actually), but not up to any real movie standards.

The voice actors? Well, Kaiba's improved (as I said), and Pegasus is once again alive in living color... but other than that... well, the English dub is NOT famous for it's voice acting, right? Average at best.

The duels? Well, from one who knows how to follow them, they're pretty good. Granted, if ol' Peggy had summoned Blue-Eyes Toon Dragon and Toon Summoned Skull BEFORE attacking Kaiba, he'd have won, and Kaiba could simply have used the effect of Pegasus's Ultimate Offering card (which works on both players) to bring out his Y-Dragon Head and Z-Metal Tank instead of doing that flashy Return from the Different Dimension combo, but I suppose that plot point had to be set up somehow (Return from the Different Dimension is an important card later on). But overall, good duels, good duels. The pacing was better, less ranting, and the cards aren't those idiotic blown-up parodies 4Kids uses in the television series--they're the real cards on display, just like in the Japanese version of the show. And the life-point counters were the same ones used in the Japanese version, too, a nice touch. There are quite a few little things an uncut fan like myself can appreciate.

My advice: if you're not a Yu-Gi-Oh fan, or else a parent with kids to distract, pretend this movie doesn't exist. If you think Yu-Gi-Oh is just some stupid kiddie show already, read the first seven volumes of the manga, and if that don't disillusion you, nothing on Earth will.

And now, I bid you all, faithful movieviewers, a fond farewell...

March of the Wooden Soldiers (3D/BD /DVD) Reviews

Customer Ratings:

There are two versions offered for sale at Amazon. The Koch Vision Entertainment version, despite the description in the technical details, is NOT COLORIZED. The Goodtimes Home Video version version IS colorized. Which you prefer is entirely up to you, but don't order the Koch Vision version if you want the movie in color. The Koch Vision version has an extended silent film extra of the first time Laurel and Hardy appeared together (NOT as a team, however). The extra is interesting, but (by today's standards anyhow) a little slow. The Goodtimes Entertainment (Colorized) version, although a few cents cheaper than the other version, is, in my opinion, a much "cleaner" print. Even with the color level turned down so it appears as the original B&W, the Goodtimes version is sharper and more distinct. March of the Wooden Soldiers, holds up pretty well.

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

The Laurel and Hardy classic, March of the Wooden Soldiers (originally released as Babes in Toyland), was the fantastic result of combining two tremendous talents with a childlike, fantasy world and adult situations (Laurel and Hardy, Toyland and an evil landlord's mortgage conspiracy, respectively). Such rich source material makes for a film of unsurpassed quality: featuring rich and imaginative environments, costumes, sights and sounds. Every fairytale has its day, from Little Bo Peep to the Three Little Pigs to Mother Goose, and even Santa. We all know that the winter months are a time to remember to greatest holiday classics from years past, and March of the Wooden Soldiers is unsurpassed in its genre.

The holidays are associated with bright and festive colors--bright reds, greens, blues and golds--that set a warm and cheery mood, and the movies that we choose to enjoy during this season are no different. Fortunately, this edition of March of the Wooden Soldiers has been colorized, bringing newfound vibrancy to the events on screen and helping to integrate this classic tale with the traditional warmth of the holiday season. Rather than a visually dull grayscale that reminds one of the dour winter weather, toy soldiers shimmer in brilliant red onscreen, and our two comedian leads are further humanized by their newfound flesh tones and colorful Christmas garb.

As colorization efforts go, March of the Wooden Soldiers is a superlative effort, looking as though it was originally produced in the first generation of Technicolor, rather than decades earlier. The producers in charge of this re-mastering effort clearly thought that we would find an "aged color" appearance more acceptable than attempting to make it look completely modern, and this approach works very well. I'm sure you'll agree if you see a preview.

It's worth noting that this disc also includes the black and white version of the movie, perhaps as a peace offering to those of you who might object to the alteration of a classic film. I would go so far, then, as to call this the definitive purchase of March of the Wooden Soldiers, not just because you'll have a choice between color and black and white, but because the first step in colorizing any movie is to "clean up" the pre-existing black and white material as much as possible, and it certainly shows in comparison with other versions available.

In addition to both versions of the movie, this disc's special features really push it over the top. As a media buff, the included classic trailers are a wonderful prelude to the main feature--I like to imagine that I'm getting the same experience as the audiences who first viewed Laurel and Hardy some seventy years ago. And, in keeping with this package's holiday theme, the animated Rudolph the Reindeer movie is thoughtfully included, ensuring that you and your family get the most value out of a single disc.

For any family or fan of holiday cinema, this package is definitely a must-buy.

Best Deals for March of the Wooden Soldiers (3D/BD /DVD)

Wow is all I can say! Laurel and Hardy's March of the Wooden Soldiers (aka Babes in Toyland) has never looked better. Legend Films and Genius Products found rare 35mm film elements and did a high definition digital restoration to create the finest looking black-and-white version of this L&H holiday classic ever seen. And to beat that, they created a stunning new COLOR version on the same DVD with a new Colorization technology. It really looks like it was shot in color. This disc is then jammed full of great bonus features to take any nostalgic viewer down Christmas memory lane. This DVD is FAR superior to the Goodtimes version (I viewed them side by side) and well worth the extra couple of dollars. I highly recommend this new definitive version of March of the Wooden Soldiers (with the Red box) both for yourself or for a gift.

Honest reviews on March of the Wooden Soldiers (3D/BD /DVD)

The "review" from Robert Badgley of March Of The Wooden Soldiers is certainly not the truth and clearly appears to be written by someone with a strange agenda. I suggest he get his facts straight before writing such a misleading, false and defamatory review. Amazon reviews are intended to inform, not mislead and misinform.

I was personally responsible for producing the prior color release from Goldwyn and I am also responsible for producing the current color and black and white release from Legend Films.

This was truly a lost Laurel and Hardy film. Film prints of this movie have gone from distributor to distributor and are well worn. However, both Goldwyn and a renowned distributor and collector provided 35mm material to produce a complete print that is widely recognized to be the highest quality. In my previous colorization company, American Film Technologies, I transferred that 35mm print to analog one-inch video tape. While extremely inferior by today's standards, one-inch video tape was the industry standard in video resolution at the time.

Now, for the FIRST TIME the Goldwyn film of March Of The Wooden Soldiers has been transferred Digitally in High Definition. The black and white High Definition tape, was completely restored using the Legend Films proprietary restoration technology. Then with the latest colorization process the film was colorized in High Definition resolution. This is the same Legend Films process used by Martin Scorsese to produce color special effects for The Aviator. The resulting color frames were then used to create a new High Definition colorized version. So you have on the Legend Films DVD, both the fully restored black and white version and a separate, fully restored color version.

By every measure, I believe the Legend Films DVD release is the highest quality black and white and color version of March Of The Wooden Soldiers that exists anywhere today.

Barry B. Sandrew, Ph.D.

Founder/COO, CTO

Legend Films, Inc.

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for March of the Wooden Soldiers (3D/BD /DVD)

This Laurel and Hardy treasure remains the definitive holiday movie. "March of the Wooden Soldiers" (the original "Babes in Toyland") is a timeless musical-comedy with Stan and Ollie in top form abetted by stylish sets and visual effects. Most "colorized" films are an artistic desecration; however, this particular video is rendered in low-key pastels that resemble early Technicolor. The results are better than expected. Laurel and Hardy fans should be doubly pleased because this uncut version contains a delightful "storybook" sequence which hasn't been shown since the film's 1934 release. There have been several remakes of "Babes in Toyland," but none can match the original's effortless charm.

Cheap Mata Hari (1931)

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $19.98
Sale Price: $8.25
Today's Bonus: 59% Off

Actually, the only real reason I wanted to see this picture was the alluring Greta Garbo. The woman radiates mystery, which in today's cinema is all-to-rare. She is really the best thing about this film, which is kind of cheesy in everything else. The costumes are gorgeous, the sets are well-contrived, but it's the worn story and wooden acting all around Garbo that drag this film down.

This is a Hollywood rendering of a famous spy, Mata Hari, who, on being caught, is executed by firing squad in the end. There is no faulting Garbo's contribution, as she slithers from one scene to the next, fully convincing as the ill-fated, beautiful spy. I only the rest of the cast had put forth that much effort! Ah well.

Fans of Miss Garbo will, no doubt, fully enjoy this film, as Garbo is actually very moving in her scenes. Now don't get me wrong, I actually enjoyed this film, myself. I just wish more effort could have been put forth by just a few more of her colleagues.

I give this film four stars on the basis of Garbo's unique ability to light up the screen whenever she appears, and for the glorious costumes that populate her environment. Just sit back and enjoy the visual treat that was Greta Garbo.

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

Excellent early 30's vechicle for Greta Garbo and Ramon Novarro. Both stars have never been better in both looks and performances. Lighting of the film is a real highlight and it's performances like this that make you wonder why the great Ramon Novarro didn't stay one of the greatest heartthrobs of 30's romances, he is sensational. Garbo as always is exotic, mysterious and totally captivating. Any real lover of Hollywood's glamour era when stars were real stars should purchase this video.

Best Deals for Mata Hari (1931)

This seems like one of those films that sounded better on paper than in the actual finished product. The sets and costumes are gorgeous, the plot (though rather loosely based on the history behind the real Mata Hari) had a lot of potential to be interesting and gripping, and it has four big names heading the bill. Greta Garbo and Ramon Novarro are two of my favorites, and though I haven't seen him in a huge amount of films yet, I've also really enjoyed Lewis Stone in the films I have seen him in. The other big star, Lionel Barrymore, overacts as usual, though he does pull off the role well. (Though I know he was talented in spite of his tendency to overact, it's beyond me why he was once considered a better actor than his brother John.)

However, in spite of the big names, the promising storyline, and the gorgeous costumes and sets, the picture ultimately seems to fall rather flat. Perhaps part of it could be attributed to how this is after all an early talkie, made in 1931; it would take a little bit longer yet for films to lose this stagy feeling, with almost nonstop chatter, and go back to having more freedom of motion and a balance between dialogue and scenes and moments that didn't rely so heavily on constant talk. Many of these lines themselves weren't very dramatic or original, more like empty words used to fill the time. Additionally, it just didn't seem to have a whole lot of dramatic tension or to be a very compelling interesting story till it was well more than halfway over. There's also the problem of how Ramon is supposed to be portraying a Russian aviator. Given his Mexican accent and Mexican appearance, it's not really convincing, though he is as beautiful as always, and does manage to convey his talent and bring depth and emotion to the role in spite of the oftentimes rather lame script. And as in all of her other roles, Garbo also really shines. She always managed to elevate films that would otherwise be outright clunkers to something interesting and at a higher level due to her subtlety and her electric presence, not to mention how beautiful she was even when she had to wear some pretty ridiculous outfits, as she does here (particularly her hats). Basically (in my opinion at least), it's one of those films that one watches just to see the stars of because they made it interesting by their mere presence, whereas, had the leads been lesser-talented and less-captivating actors, one might not be all that inclined to want to watch it.

Honest reviews on Mata Hari (1931)

As MATA HARI, Garbo shows us hints of what was soon 2 come(Queen Christina, Camille) but in THIS film she is a sexy siren. No wonder 20s and early 30s people fell head over heals for her. All other "goddesses" are pale shadows. There was nothing as magical as Garbo. The script is corny at times, Lionel B. hams his part(see Mickey Rooney "do him" in BABES IN ARMS 1939) but the film has a magic air that is spellbounding... In no way a great thriller or a suspenser(laughable when it is attempting 2)but a great GARBO vehicle. Roman Novarro is OK but is ruined with some of the lines he has to say.

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Mata Hari (1931)

This is the Garbo movie I watch nearly every week, and have watched

for years. For one thing, no other Ameican movie so brilliantly

choreographed costumes, decor, lightning,star make-up like this

extraordinary fantasy of the notorious spy. The fact it was made in

l932 is another plus because our movie stars looked so damned glorious

back then. Hours and entire days were spent lighting one

close-up. Adrian came up with knockout fashions for his great star:

fantastic lame capes, sequined/precious stone gowns, fur-lined

greatcoats, hats of all types, ravishing photography by William

Daniels. Garbo is cast opposite a perfect male beauty of that era: the

now forgotten but very sensual Ramon Navarro, who had been a great

silent star like Garbo but unlike her, he was on his way out. He was

later murdered in the early 50s by two neanderthal hustlers who used

the black,art deco dildo given to him by his tragic lover,

Valentino.... Cedric Gibbons designed the high gloss fantasy world of

intrigue in Germany. Camera set-ups and groupings, especially in the

surreal court scene, often looks like a Russian avant-garde

movie. Shadows, Garbo's face painted in ultra white make-up, very

thick eyeliner and false lashes, so that she resembles a symbol,

rather than a person make you realize just how lovingly a screen

goddess was treated in those days. (I mention this movie often in my

book on old Hollywood, "The Kiss of King Kong"). Best scene

is with Garbo at the hospital, visiting her lover, Navarro. Wearing a

stunning 30s hat with a metal pendant, a knock-out furlined coat,

photographed unforgettably by Daniels, you're transported into another

dimension. The final scene of Garbo being led off by soldiers to be

shot is another unforgettable movie moment. Viva la Garbo, Adrian,

Daniels, MGM! Garbo would never look so magnificent and other-worldly.

Reviews of Bad Day At Black Rock (1954) (1955)

Customer Ratings:

"Bad Day at Black Rock" is a riveting suspense thriller with several memorable performances from a first rate cast. Spencer Tracy (in one of his best roles) excels as John J. MacReedy who is in Black Rock to take a medal to the father of one of his wartime colleagues now that the war is over. He encounters unexpected resentment and hostility from some of the residents, in particular from Robert Ryan, Ernest Borgnine and Lee Marvin who make a trio of formidable villains. When threats and intimidation have no effect on Tracy (who doggedly continues to pursue his investigations) the three then resort to violence. Also in the impressive cast are Anne Francis, Walter Brennan, Dean Jagger, John Ericson and Russell Collins. With the help of Brennan and Francis and after surmounting many obstacles Tracy eventually gets the upper hand bringing the film to its exciting climax.

Some favourite lines from the film:

Spencer Tracy (to train conductor): "Oh, I'll only be here for 24 hours". Train conductor: "In a place like this that could be a lifetime!".

Russell Collins (to Spencer Tracy): "Important? It's the first time the streamliner has stopped here in four years".

Tracy (to Ernest Borgnine): "You're not only wrong you're wrong at the top of your voice!".

Dean Jagger (to Tracy): "This ain't no information bureau".

John Ericson (to Tracy): "If you're in such a hurry you should have never got off here". Tracy: "I'm inclined to agree with you".

A brilliant and satisfying film expertly directed by John Sturges who later went on to make other classics including "Gunfight at the O.K. Corral", "The Magnificent Seven" and "The Great Escape". Sturges was fortunate in having such a remarkably good cast Borgnine and Marvin in particular were excellent as Robert Ryan's menacing henchmen and Spencer Tracy was at his peak in one of his most powerful and demanding roles ever. He was in fact nominated as Best Actor for his performance in this film but was beaten by Ernest Borgnine for "Marty".

"Bad Day at Black Rock" is a tense and captivating film with the action taking place over a tight time period of just 24 hours.

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

This is a thrilling suspense film from start to finish. Though set apparently in post World War II Arizona the film has the feel of a traditional western. One could draw parallels to another classic western, "High Noon", in that the film's protagonist MacCreedy (Spencer Tracy) is confronted with sociopathic bullies and has difficulty enlisting the aid of the few people of good will in Black Rock. Whereas "High Noon" was considered a metaphor for McCarthyism, "Bad Day at Black Rock" tackles the theme of racism, in this case the prejudice that was prevalent at the time against Americans of Japanese descent. John Sturges crafts such an effective tale that you don't feel you are being preached to. Tracy is solid as the one-armed inquisitor. The supporting cast is all first-rate with Robert Ryan, Ernest Borgnine, and Lee Marvin especially good as the creepy heavies. Great Technicolor and tremendous use of widescreen on display here. Andre Previn contributes an effective score.

Best Deals for Bad Day At Black Rock (1954) (1955)

It's very satisfying to see a relatively small movie that was made efficiently by pros become so widely liked and respected. It's got just about everything...a gripping story that carries a message, vivid characters but a small cast, a dangerous setting, the plight of a brave loner on the side of justice who beats the odds. And it doesn't have dumb things...an extraneous love story, outraged citizens who meet in a church, excessive violence, time spent on flashbacks. It was a long wait for this one to come out on DVD, but it was worth it.

Among many elements I admire are the three character actors: Russell Collins as the weak, cowardly telegraph agent, Dean Jagger as the played-out sheriff (his humiliation at the hands of Robert Ryan is unpleasant), and, most of all, Walter Brennan as the doctor who tries to push things but isn't dumb enough to push too hard. I think this was one of Brennan's last, really good roles before he turned himself into the toothless old coot or cackling grampa of his later films. In his prime, he was a fine actor. And for vicious bullies I don't think anyone has topped Lee Marvin and Ernest Bognine in their roles. I'd even eat my catsup without any chili at all to avoid a confrontation with these guys.

I have a lot of respect for Robert Ryan but find it sad that, despite a number of opportunities, he never was able to break into the top rank of stardom. Maybe he didn't really want that. Maybe he was too willing to play bad guys. Maybe he lacked some element of charisma or just ambition. He was a fine actor and, from reports, a nice guy.

The DVD transfer is excellent

Honest reviews on Bad Day At Black Rock (1954) (1955)

A nattily dressed one-armed man arrives in a small southwestern town and brings to light a dark, dirty secret the townspeople thought they had buried years ago.

The man is John Macreedy (Spencer Tracy), and what he's doing in Black Rock is slowly very slowly revealed. That presents a challenge for someone trying to write about the movie for someone who hasn't seen it. If ever a movie should be watched with an empty bucket of information it's BAD DAY AT BLACK ROCK. Suffice it to say that many of the townspeople are less than thrilled to see the man-in-black stranger, and his soon-to-be chief nemesis, Reno Smith (Robert Ryan) makes it his business to see that the town's dirty past stays buried, by whatever means possible.

There's a lot more character interaction than straight out action in BAD DAY AT BLACK ROCK. If Ryan's Reno represents an absolute evil, he's abetted by the corrupt (Ernest Borgnine and Lee Marvin, in particular), the apathetic (town doc Walter Brennan), and the used-up (town sheriff Dean Jagger.) Things change, though, and the ground upon which personal relationships are based tends to shift. Those who could abide the town's evil secret find their position less tenable the longer Macreedy sticks around, and BAD DAY takes great delight in chronicling the changes. As usual, Ryan is just right as the thoughtful bad guy. It's hard to find a movie Ryan was ever miscast in. The Macreedy role plays to Tracy's strength in particular his ability to project moral righteousness without sermonizing.

Besides a trailer, the dvd carries a commentary track by film historian Dana Polan. I jotted down three of his comments, more or less at random: "This movie asks the question `what is the western in the modern age?'" "The movie shows that towns are tight knit communities that contain secrets," and "This movie is about fallen characters who are learning how to find redemption." Polan's approach isn't among my favorites for a commentary track. Tying themes and motifs in a particular movie to major trends in films in general is a legitimate way to go about things, but it gets a little wearying after a while. Overall, though, a strong recommendation for this one.

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Bad Day At Black Rock (1954) (1955)

Director John Sturges' "Bad Day at Black Rock" (1955) is the flip side of "High Noon," with one-armed Spencer Tracy defying a corrupt desert town and its ugly secret. A landmark drama that improves with age beautifully filmed in Cinemascope and highlighted by a powerhouse cast. Tracy and Robert Ryan, in particular, have rarely been better. One of the all-time greats.