Watch Rooster Cogburn Online

March 12th, 2010 by carlee7437504
Watch Rooster Cogburn Online. Watch Rooster Cogburn Online.

Movie Title: Rooster Cogburn
Average customer review:

Rooster Cogburn is available for streaming or downloading.

Click Here to Stream or Download Rooster Cogburn

I actually prefer this movie to the first appearance of Wayne as Cogburn, “True Grit,” even though he got the Oscar for that while this one seems to have sunk with hardly a critical trace. A sort of Western remake of “The African Queen” (complete with Katie Hepburn as a strait-laced spinster), with murderous outlaws taking the place of the Nazis, it finds Rooster unwillingly joining up with missionary’s daughter Eula Goodnight (”Sister,” as he calls her) to catch her father’s murderers, who happen to be the same gang of ordnance-hijackers he was sent out from Fort Smith to apprehend. Though played much more for laughs than its predecessor (here, as in “McLintock” and “Donovan’s Reef,” Wayne clearly displays an unmistakeable gift for comedy), it’s not without either headlong action, taut suspense, or sexual tension. Admittedly I’m not sure there are any river gorges like these in the *real* (former) Indian Territory, but who cares when the scenery is so breathtaking? And there’s a definite advantage to starting a script from scratch rather than trying to translate Charles Portis’s probably-authentic but somehow not-quite-flavorful-enough dialogue to film. While I never bothered to add “True Grit” to my permanent collection, this sequel is definitely a part of it.

Sometimes a multitude of wrongs can come out right. Hollywood has a penchant for making sequels to successful films, so when John Wayne finally won an Oscar for his performance in “True Grit.” Wayne played Rooster Cogburn, a fearless, one-eyed U.S. marshal who never knew a dry day in his life. Fortunately Hollywood waited six years before making this 1975 sequel. However, at that point they not only hired a novice screenwriter, actress Martha Hyer (”First Men in the Moon”), they let her rip off “The African Queen” and turn it into a western. Fortunately, they hired Katharine Hepburn to play opposite the Duke.

That is what “Rooster Cogburn” comes down to, the chance for John Wayne and Katharine Hepburn to do scenes together; it also explains why the film is also known as “Rooster Cogburn and the Lady.” Hepburn plays Rose Sayer, no, wait, I mean Eula Goodnight, who is the daughter of a minister (Jon Lormer) instead of the brother of a missionary. The gospel is still being brought to the natives, except this time we are set in the Cascades of Oregon rather than the jungles of Africa. The bad guys are now a gang of thieves led by Breed (Anthony Zerbe) and Hawk (Richard Jordan), instead of Nazis, and this time they gun down the minister. So when Rooster comes along to track them down and bring them to his brand of justice, Eula insists on going along.

The plot is predictable in terms of the outcome and familiar when Kate and the Duke end up on the water. But there is fun to be had in these two standing toe to toe, but not jaw to jaw, and going at it. “To whom do you think you are speaking,” she intones frostily. “You is to whom I think I am speaking, sister,” he shoots back. She allows that he is bigger than she is, but only physically. He observes in this situation that should be enough and they continue to have great fun with the dialogue. Wayne has great fun hamming it up and Hepburn enjoys having an actor big enough to stand up to her assault.

The stories from the set were that the two great stars had great fun making this movie. Their politics were at opposite ends of the spectrum so they just avoid the topics and enjoyed being in each other’s company. Wayne was playing a character he had done before in a movie, but then Hepburn’s character is instantly recognizable as well, even if the name is different. The names do not matter. They can call them “Rooster Cogburn and the Lady,” but it is the Duke and Kate, and their fans will not be disappointed by their time together.
Marc Jacobs Bags
Gucci Designer Bags

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Rooster Cogburn | No Comments »

The Day the Earth Stood Still Movie Streaming

March 9th, 2010 by carlee7437504
The Day the Earth Stood Still Movie Streaming. The Day the Earth Stood Still Movie Streaming.

Movie Title: The Day the Earth Stood Still
Average customer review:

The Day the Earth Stood Still is available for streaming or downloading.

Click Here to Stream or Download The Day the Earth Stood Still

Watching this recently, it amazed me how little action there is in this movie, and yet it remains as captivating and enthralling as ever. There are none of the set pieces we have come to expect in modern genre films: no explosions, no gory deaths, one small chase scene. Tension is developed through character development and the wonderful performances of Patricia Neal and Michael Rennie, with some wonderful supporting work from Sam Jaffe and Frances Bavier (Mayberry’s Aunt Bea!)

There are very few special effects: the odd tank disappears in a glow of light, but other than that, this is a film driven by character development. Taut direction by Robert Wise, straightforward writing from Edmund North and impressive cinematography by Leo Tower create an intelligent, literate, adult science fiction film that appeals to all ages.

Special mention must be made of Bernard Herrmann’s haunting score. One of the first film scores to use Leon Theremin’s eerie and eponymous electronic instrument, which unfortunately became a genre cliché, the music adds immeasurably to the tense and unsettling atmosphere.

Modern audiences may find the film’s message heavy handed and obvious, relying on 1950’s atomic paranoia and the absolute power it brought. In fact, Klaatu’s proffered peaceful solution borders on totalianarianism. But these are minor considerations considering this is a simple story stunningly told.

The DVD contains many interesting extras of interest to film buffs and collectors, including a shooting script, extended discussions on the evolution of the film from idea to release, and an odd look at the people fascinated with collecting 1950’s sci-fi film props and paraphernalia.

First and foremost, this is a review for the 1951, black and white, 1.33:1 aspect ratio, 2-disc, special edition DVD and NOT for the remake (Gort! Keanu barada nikto :)

Buy,Download, Or Stream The Day the Earth Stood Still! Click Here

Okay so here’s the lowdown; as I now have both this new edition and the original single, flipper disc, version, and having watched all of the bonus features on the new 2-disc set, I can tell you this: keep the old disc!

Why, because the 73 plus minute, making of, on the original disc is gone, replaced with a new 23 minute fluff piece that only skims the surface of the story, of the making of this film.

Buy,Download, Or Stream The Day the Earth Stood Still! Click Here

Gone are the lengthy on camera interviews with the producer, director and female lead, replaced instead with film historian’s inane babble, with the odd snippet of voice recordings of the director and producer, taken from the 73 plus minutes, making of, from the original disc (without the on camera picture).

Also gone, is the very interesting, “Collectors”, segment, tacked onto the end of the original making of, which had several prominent collectors showing off such treasures as the original flying saucer model and Gort statue, used in the actual film, with anecdotes about the film, and where the props they now owned, had ended up after the filming.

As for the extra stuff added to the 2-disc set, nothing is worth the non-inclusion of the original making of from the first disc (most of the new stuff has nothing to do with the film, but instead conveys the political tensions of the world at that time, which, although slightly of interest, is not worth upgrading for).

And on a new extra note for the new 2-disc set, the reading of, Farewell To The Master, is poorly executed, with a static picture with simple playing instructions, present throughout the entire reading (where as they could of has stills from the film playing throughout the reading, while the soundtrack played quietly in the background) and trying to maneuver through the reading is a nightmare, as there are three chapter stops, which are about 10 plus minutes each, with no way of fast searching through the 10 plus minute segments, so if you stop playing the reading at 9 minutes, you can’t start the playback where you left off but instead have to listen to the whole thing from the start of the chapter (I know this because I stopped the playback for a minute, and when I hit the play button on the remote, the film started to play, so I had to go back to the menu and start the reading again, and listen to the stuff I had already heard. I would have preferred that an onscreen text version of the short (45 pages - not so short in my books) story be included instead).

So unless you are a completes, then this 2-disc version isn’t worth the money, and even if you are looking to buy this for the first time, I’d HIGHLY recommend that you pick up the original DVD release, as the picture quality is the same, and you get the far superior 73 plus minute, making of, along with the director’s commentary, picture galleries and original trailer.
BULGA Designer Handbags
Elaine Turner Bags

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in The Day the Earth Stood Still | No Comments »

Streaming Cinema16: European Short Films Online

March 8th, 2010 by carlee7437504
Streaming Cinema16: European Short Films Online. Streaming Cinema16: European Short Films Online.

Movie Title: Cinema16: European Short Films
Average customer review:

Cinema16: European Short Films is available for streaming or downloading.

Click Here to Stream or Download Cinema16: European Short Films

In the U.S., at least, people who don’t go to film festivals rarely see shorts. “Cinema16″ certainly works as a high-impact advertisement for the art. Every film is worth seeing. No shrug-inducing student films. All have major festival awards as calling cards. Two won Oscars.

Buy,Download, Or Stream Cinema16: European Short Films! Click Here

Most of the shorts have commentaries; a few do not. This makes for two experiences — the viewing, and then the director explaining what was what with the film. Some of these films are abstract or just plain odd, so it’s interesting to put your perceptions to the test right away.

Series producer Luke Morris unspooled the “Cinema16″ DVD series in Europe a few years back, compiling award-winning British shorts and first films from top U.K. directors. His next DVD reached out to European directors. (Neither was region 1). This “Cinema16″ is tailored for the U.S., and it looks like we got the better deal — the double-disc set contains the greatest hits from the first two editions and then some. Eleven European nations are represented.

Buy,Download, Or Stream Cinema16: European Short Films! Click Here

My favorites:

“Je T’aime John Wayne”: Stylized, high-energy profile of a London hipster who fantasizes he’s living in Paris as a way-cool Jean-Paul Belmondo clone — until his mum calls.

“Wasp”: Won the Oscar for short film in 2005. A young single mom of four yearns to party at the pub, but can’t afford to feed her kids, let alone get child care. She cleans up real nice and drags the children to the local bar, where they wait outside while she keeps a date with an old flame. The film’s magic is in its slightly sympathetic portrait of the lousy mother.

“The Man Without a Head”: Everyone needs a head, but our hero is fresh out. A date with a beautiful woman looms; he decides to splurge on a head. So many to choose from …

“Six Shooter”: A man’s wife of many years dies at 3 a.m. The day is all downhill from there. This black comedy is another Oscar winner.

Ridley Scott contributes the tedious student film “Boy and Bicycle.” Lars Von Trier has a so-so tale of a woman terrified of the sun. Christopher Nolan lends a b&w tale of man vs. bug.

There is enough variety here that I can almost guarantee that everyone will find something essential to their collection. Reading the other customer reviews, I see that my preferences are so different that my naming them can only illustrate my point. I will name them anyway.

From the first disc, Roy Andersson’s “World of Glory” and Lynne Ramsay’s “Gasman” are what I would consider the best work on display. But then, I went into it believing them the best filmmakers represented. If, for example, you think Christopher Nolan is a visionary, you will probably find that “Doodlebug” confirms your opinion.

Disc Two has a greater concentration of interesting work. “Copy Shop” shows how a film can be wholly experimental while still being immensely entertaining. “Boy and Bicycle,” made so long ago that director Tony Scott (TOP GUN, etc.) was young enough to play the part of “boy” in his brother’s film, is one of film history’s brave follies, in that it taps Joyce’s ULYSSES as an influence. Sadly, the mumbling stream-of-consciousness voice-over just gets in the way of its eloquent images, more reminiscent of Joris Ivans than of the Scott Brothers’ advertising or feature work. Still, well worth seeing as representing a path not taken.

“Before Dawn” is done in a single, ten-minute take, and is remarkable for it’s interior dramatic construction; “Election Night” is at once excruciating and hilarious; similarly, “Six-Shooter” is a well-constructed drama that mixes hilarity and the macabre in unexpected ways; and finally, “The Opening Night of Close-Up,” shot on video, documents the behind-the-scenes agony of watching Kiarostami’s masterwork open in a London movie house, defining the expression “pearls before swine” to a “T.”
Discount Designer Handbags
Stuart Weitzman Handbags

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Cinema16: European Short Films | No Comments »

Star Wars Trilogy Bonus Disc Movie Streaming

March 6th, 2010 by carlee7437504
Star Wars Trilogy Bonus Disc Movie Streaming. Star Wars Trilogy Bonus Disc Movie Streaming.

Movie Title: Star Wars Trilogy Bonus Disc
Average customer review:

Star Wars Trilogy Bonus Disc is available for streaming or downloading.

Click Here to Stream or Download Star Wars Trilogy Bonus Disc

Back in 2004, this disc was included as the only “bonus” extra in the Original Trilogy’s first DVD release.

Buy,Download, Or Stream Star Wars Trilogy Bonus Disc! Click Here

Sadly, that release was not only a tampered with set (modified even more than the 1997 Special Editions), but it was poorly restored, featuring odd colors and sound gaffes on the English and Spanish tracks of A New Hope. The 2004 box set was also packaged in a rather flimsy cardboard case that was easily damaged, leaving piles of dented and wrinkled cases on store shelves.

Despite these flaws, the highlight of the set for most was the “Bonus Materials” disc, which became a sought after item after it was nixed for inclusion in subsequent sets (the 2005 “Limited Edition” rehash and the 2006 2 disc sets).

Buy,Download, Or Stream Star Wars Trilogy Bonus Disc! Click Here

For folks who wisely waited, now you can avoid any of the awful box sets and buy this disc seperately.

To long-time fans, this set contains some things of interest including the longer version of the “Empire of Dreams” documentary, which, despite including many “revisionist” statements by Lucas and his crew, is quite informative. It spends most of its time on the events leading up to the success of the first movie, and speeds quickly through the rest of the trilogy and the phenomenon that would become the Star Wars franchise to the present day. The other docos are interesting as well.

The disc features extensive picture galleries and nearly every trailer of the three original films ever released (though the quality varies widely).

It’s great to see these unaltered.

The menus are pretty and show us some effects inconsistent with the 2004 versions, indicating that more care was taken with this release or else a very different team handled it than handled the “restoration” of the special editions mark II.

The rest of the material is rather dated now, and may be of lesser interest to Original Trilogy fans:

An Xbox only demo of “Star Wars Battlefront” a mediocre “Battlefield 1942″ imitator. If you’ve already played the game on some other format, this version actually features some things that were cut from the final version of the game on Xbox and PC: the Bothan Spy and the Imperial Officer class (these two were modified and added in the sequel, SWBF2). This is a one level demo, the Battle of Endor, one of the better scenarios out of the video game.

There’s also a trailer for the aforementioned game. Needless to say this game fell far short of my expectations.

There’s a promotional teaser for Episode III, full of gushing and showing us the creation of the “new and improved” Vader helmet and Hayden Christiansen trying it on. I once avoided seeing this for fear of spoilers, but it turned out to just be mostly green/blue screen stuff and fluff.

There’s a promotional video for the “Episode III: Revenge of the Sith” Xbox game, showing early gameplay and more fluff. I never played this game but apparently it was largely overhyped, and while decent by console standards of the day, hasn’t held up well over time, much like the “Enter the Matrix” game.

And finally there’s a hidden “blooper reel” done in the same style as the hidden blooper reels for the Prequel dvd’s. Not hilarious by any stretch, but as entertaining as blooper reels tend to be. It’s nice to see more vintage Star Wars footage, at any rate.

I’d recommend this, and give it 4 stars rather than 5 only because so much space is wasted on extras that nobody cares about now, which could have been better served with more vintage Original Trilogy material, like say, deleted scenes or vintage interviews (say with the late Peter Cushing or Sir Alec Guinness).

This disc was the best part of the terrible 2004 DVD release of the Star Wars Trilogy, which did not have the theatrical cuts of the movies. Empire of Dreams is, for anyone interested in either movie history in general or Star Wars in particular, will lose themselves in this feature-length journey through the creation of a cultural phemon. Other specials on the disc are not as spectacular, but they don’t have to be. In contrast to the vast omnibus of Empire of Dreams, the short docs on Lightsabers and such were a welcome shift.

I would recommend buying this separately, then the 2-disc version of the original trilogy (yes, I know the transfer is not anamorphic, but you can get it to fit on a widescreen tv by fiddling with the settings: it’s not perfect, but it’s the best we’ve had) Anyway, watch this if you can, it’s easily worth it.

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Star Wars Trilogy Bonus Disc | No Comments »

Watch Man on Wire Online

March 4th, 2010 by carlee7437504
Watch Man on Wire Online. Watch Man on Wire Online.

Movie Title: Man on Wire
Average customer review:

Man on Wire is available for streaming or downloading.

Click Here to Stream or Download Man on Wire

I was lured into seeing this film by my teenage son, who is a circus acrobat by genetic conviction as surely as Philippe Petit was a high-wire walker and as I am a musician. I would never have entered the theater if I’d known what I’d be seeing. I have a pathologically empathetic response to films. When I was a little kid, I used to shout out warnings to Tweetie Bird when the cat got near. During fight scenes, my whole body twitches and my wife gets nervous for the safety of the unsuspecting head in front of me. I’m a climber in real life. I’ve been to the summit of Annapurna. But my blood pressure rises and I tremble with acrophobia at Hollywood simulations of climbing. This film Man on Wire took two years off my life, I’m sure. It’s that intense, with its coy intersplicing of still photos and super-eight footage of Petit in mid-air and lovely slow talking-head interviews of Petit and his accomplices, years later, clearly establishing that they all survived to tell the tale.

Buy,Download, Or Stream Man on Wire! Click Here

Those interviews of middle-aged daredevils, reminiscing about their greatest caper, were as intense for me as the dodgy accomplishment of the adventure. It was literally the end of a love affair with life for all of them, something “too hot not to cool down,” an overture too overwhelming to be followed by a mere opera. When Petit’s boyhood friend broke down in tears at the waning of their friendship, when Petit’s wife-the-love-of-his-life felt the reality that his life no longer needed hers, the whole social cost of Petit’s obsession moved me also almost to tears. Hey, I might have cried if my heart had slowed down to twice normal. I felt an urge to grab my son and hug or shake him, saying “don’t let your art be more to you than your life.”

There’s more to this film than a mere victimless heist thriller.

Let me state upfront that I am a sucker for great non-fiction documentaries. I’ve always believed that life is stranger than fiction. And this is just the last (and perhaps best) example of it.

Buy,Download, Or Stream Man on Wire! Click Here

“Man on Wire” (98 min.) tells the improbable story of Phillipe Petit’s dream (and eventual reality) of walking on a high wire between the two WTC buildings on August 7, 1974. The movie starts with his humble beginngins of being a street artist, eventually leading to his wanting to do high wire walks, starting with the Paris Notre Dame, then the Sidney Harbor, and then eventually the World Trade Center Towers. The movie does an excellent job building the excitement into what it took to eventually pull off that implossible event. All of the main players of the event are interviewed now more than 30 years after the event, and Philippe Petit turns out to be a master entertainer and story teller. When you are watching it all unvolve, you can’t but help be in awe of it all. Just exilerating, period.

If this movie doesn’t get serious consideration of being nominated for best documentary of 2008 at the Oscars, there is something terribly wrong with the entire system. This is one of the most enthralling movies I’ve seen this year, and I’ve seen a lot of movies.

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Man on Wire | No Comments »

Stream Harlem Globetrotters - The Team That Changed the World Movie Online

March 1st, 2010 by carlee7437504
Stream Harlem Globetrotters - The Team That Changed the World Movie Online. Stream Harlem Globetrotters - The Team That Changed the World Movie Online.

Movie Title: Harlem Globetrotters - The Team That Changed the World
Average customer review:

Harlem Globetrotters - The Team That Changed the World is available for streaming or downloading.

Click Here to Stream or Download Harlem Globetrotters - The Team That Changed the World

I found this DVD dull. I had expected to see actual games, not just snippets of a great shot or great dribbling here and there. This DVD spends way too much time showing people remembering the GlobeTrotters and not enough time showing actual play (and beloved Globetrotter antics).

Buy,Download, Or Stream Harlem Globetrotters - The Team That Changed the World! Click Here

Very disappointing (unless you are a history buff).

The history aspects of this DVD are okay and cover the main issues with the Trotters, especially with the 1948 Lakers game, the 1952 Berlin Game with Jesse Owens, and the Trotters place in history. However, they could have included some profiles on the classic Trotters such as Goose Tatum, Meadowlark Lemon, Geese Ausbie (who is interviewed) and WHAT? Nothing on the beloved Curly Neal? Like hot dogs without the weenies!

These items would have made good extras, along with some stuff from the HG cartoons of 1970 for a complete portrait.

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Harlem Globetrotters - The Team That Changed the World | No Comments »

Watch Battlefield: Guadalcanal Online

February 27th, 2010 by carlee7437504
Watch Battlefield: Guadalcanal Online. Watch Battlefield: Guadalcanal Online.

Movie Title: Battlefield: Guadalcanal
Average customer review:

Battlefield: Guadalcanal is available for streaming or downloading.

Click Here to Stream or Download Battlefield: Guadalcanal

This DVD gives a spacious overview of the Pacific War starting in August 1942 with the Allied invasion of Guadalcanal all the plot through to the dropping of the Atomic Bomb and Japan’s surrender in 1945. Only the first half actually covers Guadalcanal. As such, the title is quite misleading. With respect to the Guadalcanal share, distinguished of the “footage” is actually taken from the documentary “With the Marines at Tarawa” and is clearly not Guadalcanal. The maps are very general in nature and runt mention is made of the 6 sea battles surrounding Guadalcanal. (The DVD erroneously claims that there were 4 sea battles.) While the USMC did most of the fighting on Guadalcanal, the US Army also had a famous presence and almost no mention whatsoever is given. If you are looking for a more comprehensive DVD about Guadalcanal, I recommend “Guadalcanal: Island of Death”.

As usual Battlefield has done a stout job covering Gaudalcanal. For some reason, videos covering Gaudalanal are had to regain so this one is appreciated. Tall brush coverage is given to the whole war in the Pacific but detailed coverage is given to Gaudalcanal. I am looking forward to buying many more DVDs of theBattlefield series.
Fake Designer Handbags
D&G Dolce & Gabbana Handbags

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Battlefield: Guadalcanal | No Comments »

Watch Time After Time Movie Online

February 27th, 2010 by carlee7437504
Watch Time After Time Movie Online. Watch Time After Time Movie Online.

Movie Title: Time After Time
Average customer review:

Time After Time is available for streaming or downloading.

Click Here to Stream or Download Time After Time

It has been a while since I’ve reviewed something on my lifelong favorite’s list. So I’ve chosen “Time After Time” because it isn’t very well known by younger audiences nor is it necessarily considered a “classic.”

Buy,Download, Or Stream Time After Time! Click Here

However, I instantly fell in love with this movie over 25 years ago–and I still consider it a rip-roaring good time!

Starting out with the most bizarre plot ever, “Time After Time” will keep you enthralled. It is a glorious popcorn flick–fast, light, fun, and exciting in equal measures. Set in 1893, we meet H. G. Wells (Malcolm MacDowell) who is unknowingly friends with Jack The Ripper (David Warner). MacDowell has constructed a time machine which Warner misappropriates as he is fleeing the authorities. He travels to modern day San Francisco where he continues his murderous ways. MacDowell follows him, he must stop Jack The Ripper! He meets up with a local woman, Mary Steenburgen, who helps him adjusts and ultimately gets caught up in his unlikely story.

Buy,Download, Or Stream Time After Time! Click Here

“Time After Time” succeeds in several different genres concurrently. This is a credible sci-fi pic, a sweet romance, a fish out of water comedy, as well as a decent serial killer thriller. I think that’s what I love and respect about this film, it’s out there. There is no way that this picture should work, it should be terrible. And yet, inexplicably, Nicholas Meyer has crafted an intricate and audacious work. Even if I didn’t love this movie, I would respect its ambition and scope. But love it I do, this is one of the most wildly entertaining pictures you could hope to see. Some people might be tempted to dismiss this work as dated or even slight–and yes, you do have to accept that this is a product of the 70’s. There are references to “free love” and other concepts of the era, but at the same time–the film is incredibly prescient about violence in the modern age. Every time Warner describes how he was meant to exist in this future, where killings and debauchery are commonplace, I understand a real truth in his sentiment.

The performances are cracking good. MacDowell is the unlikeliest hero and a refreshing romantic lead. Warner has NEVER NEVER been better. If you are even a passing fan of his, you must see this picture. And Mary Steenburgen is a delight–she doesn’t do enough these days! Maybe this isn’t highbrow entertainment, but it is dazzling fun. Recommended to all without even the slightest hesitation. KGHarris, 12/06.

It’s amazing that with time travel stories having been around for 100 years that we can continue to think of variations. In this case the variation is a good one, perhaps one of the best that has ever been done.

A relatively innocent and naive H.G. Wells, well-played by a Malcolm McDowell very different from the one that played Alex in “A Clockwork Orange”, sets the stage for Jack the Ripper, played by David Warner, to travel forward into 1979 to menace modern San Francisco.

The movie has a few flaws. The special effects of time travel are a bit cheesy. Fortunately time travel is a device to set the stage for the movie, and the weak special effects can be forgiven given the quality of the rest of the movie. As for why the time machine moved from London to San Francisco, there isn’t any really good way to explain how that happened. The best explanation I can give is that the Earth was spinning below the time machine as it maintained a fixed location. However, gravity must have played a role because had that been really true, both Jack the Ripper and H.G. Wells would have ended up in outer space as The Earth and the solar system moved out from under them. If you can suspend your belief in time travel you can also suspend your belief in how the time machine moved.

Getting past the special effects you get to a marvelous early performance by twenty-five year old Mary Steenburgen. She plays a very modern woman to Malcolm McDowell’s Victorian naivete, and while she is very modern, holding an executive position and talking about sexual relationships with the casualness of pre-aids 1979, she also has an innocence of her own that is well suited to Malcolm’s character.

David Warner, who has often played in bad guy roles, moves from relatively restrictive Victorian London to the relatively violent society of 20th century San Francisco, where, as he tells Malcolm McDowell, he fits right in with his violent ways. David projects such a wonderful matter-of-fact evil that is perfectly believable and all the more frightening because he seems so normal except when threatening or killing someone. His casual tendency to bloody violence (which unfortunately leads to more periodic weak special effects when blood splatters) contrast well with the relative innocence of McDowell and Steenburgen.

The entire point of the movie is that H.G. Wells created the time machine that allowed Jack the Ripper to escape to wreak havoc on modern utopian society (so H.G. Wells thought it would have to be), and Wells feels obligated to stop him. Jack must prevent Wells from interfering with his plans, and so must obtain the key of the time machine from him. So each is pursuing the other for the majority of the film.

While the principal story is the chase between McDowell and Warner, McDowell and Steenburgen develop a perfectly matched romance that becomes the secondary and ultimately a very important part of the story. The movie would have survived on the romance alone, but then it would have been very similar to the Christopher Reeve movie “Somewhere in Time” released the year after this movie that was primarily about romance, and relied more on fantasy than science fiction.

The climax of this movie builds until the ultimate showdown between McDowell and Warner that contains enough surprises that all but the most jaded of movie fans should find suspenseful (no, I’m not going to give away the ending just in case you haven’t seen the movie). The first time I saw this movie I know I was surprised by the last 15 minutes or so.

The DVD is filled with a variety of extras that more than make this movie worth the relatively paltry price. Certainly the story makes it a fitting companion to the earlier George Pal version with Rod Taylor taking the lead role.

Almost a 5-star rated movie, be prepared to watch it for McDowell’s wide-eyed innocent view of modern San Francisco as he chases about after someone who has no such innocence. One of the best stories set with a time travel background, and well done by the lead actors.

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Time After Time | No Comments »

Watch Casino Royale Online

February 27th, 2010 by carlee7437504
Watch Casino Royale Online. Watch Casino Royale Online.

Movie Title: Casino Royale
Average customer review:

Casino Royale is available for streaming or downloading.

Click Here to Stream or Download Casino Royale

Finally this comedic consume on the James Bond series makes its diagram onto DVD, and for completists and fans of James Bond this DVD promises not only the 1967 version of Ian Flemings first 007 unique but also an edited down version of the very first James Bond movie, the 1950s CBS TV movie that starred Barry Nelson as James Bond (thats honest, Sean Connery was NOT the first actor to relate 007) . Made for an American audience, the character of James Bond is a CIA agent in that explain and Leiter is the British intelligence agent. That movie, which is listed as a special feature on this DVD, also starred Peter Lorre as the villain Le Chiffre. Made in the days of live television this curious oddity is worth watching for the bloopers alone.

Years later, the rights to “Casino Royale” made it into the hands of another movie producer who, convinced that any attempt to design a serious version of “Casino Royale” would be doomed without the talents of Sean Connery, decided to form the remake as a comedy instead. With Peter Sellers playing James Bond and Orson Welles taking on the role of Le Chiffre everything seemed to be going glorious until a script convey caused Sellers to paddle out on the project. Left with half a movie the producers were in worry and they scrambled to effect their production. One needs to understand this background to the movie to understand why it turned out the scheme it did. In it’s final version it seems truly confused with several actors portraying the role of James Bond and several directors (including John Huston who also cameos as M) taking a crack at it. There is even an early appearance by Woody Allen and musty Bond girl Ursula Andress. For me personally, the Peter Sellers scenes are especially luminous and very laughable and David Niven plays the perfect gentleman glance. The action comes thick and quickly and in addition to Andress there are a number of actors familiar to devotees to the rival EON productions. This movie is truly modern among the Bond canon and should be enjoyed as such.

Buy,Download, Or Stream Casino Royale! Click Here

NOTE: This review is NOT for the “Casino Royale (40th Anniversary Edition) ” DVD despite the fact that Amazon lists the review on the product page for that 2007 DVD (designate the 2002 date of this review) .

Eon Production’s DR. NO was a mountainous hit in the early 1960s, and Eon lickety-split snapped up the rights to the rest of Ian Flemming’s novels about spruce see James Bond–except for the CASINO ROYALE, which had already been purchased earlier by CBS for a 1950s television adaptation. When the property afflict up at Columbia Pictures, they decided to gain the satire to demolish all satires with a host of writers, five distinguished directors, and an all-star cast led by Peter Sellers. But Sellers’ ego reached necessary mass during the production and he was fired mid-way into filming–and suddenly roles that were originally envisioned as cameos had to be expanded to carry out the project. The result is one of the most bizarre films imaginable. The sage, such as it is, finds James Bond (David Niven) called out of retirement to deal with the sudden disappearance of secret agents all over the world. In order to confuse the unknown enemy, Sir James orders ALL secret agents to expend the name James Bond–and before you can blink there are Bonds aplenty running wild all over the globe. Eventually all the Bonds, including (through the magic of editing) Peter Sellers, wind up at Casino Royale, where they confront the putrid agents of SMERSH and a diabolical inflamed man with a space to rule the world.

The status is absolute chaos, but that doesn’t prevent the film from being a lot of fun to glimpse. The entire cast runs wild with some safe over-the-top performances, and whenever the writers can scrape in a gag or a unfamiliar position turn they do precisely that: Bond (Niven) is attacked by decoy ducks; counter-agent Mimi (Deborah Kerr) swings from a drain pipe; Bond’s daughter by Mata Hari (Joanna Pettet) is kidnapped by a UFO; double agent Vesper (Ursula Andress) hides bodies in the deep freeze. And that’s fair for starters.

Buy,Download, Or Stream Casino Royale! Click Here

At one point Niven blows up the locked door of a psychedelically decorated dudgeon with lysergic acid–better know as LSD–and in a procedure this is indicative of the entire film, which was made at the height of the 1960s ultra-mod movement: the whole thing has the feel of a blow-out acid paddle, accurate down to flashing multicolored lights and swinging 60s fashions. It is visually enchanting, to say the least. And then there is that well-known Burt Bacharach glean, easily one of the best of the decade, sporting Herp Albert on the main theme and Dusty Springfield’s legendary performance of “The Survey of Care For.” On the whole, the film is one of the most captivating hodgepodges of talent and weirdness I’ve ever encountered, and it never fails to amuse. As for the DVD itself, the print is expedient and the sound is too. The extras are a bit disappointing, however. The new CBS version, included here, is a bore, and the making-of documentary is essentially a prolonged interview with one the film’s several directors. I’ve found that viewers tend to have extremely different reactions to this film–they either savor it or abominate it, so you may want to rent this one first. But it’s one of my common guilty pleasures, and I recommend it for fans of the unexpectedly unusual.
Marc by Marc Jacobs Bags
Botkier Designer Handbags

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Casino Royale | No Comments »

Portrait In Black / Madame X Movie Streaming

February 27th, 2010 by carlee7437504
Portrait In Black / Madame X Movie Streaming. Portrait In Black / Madame X Movie Streaming.

Movie Title: Portrait In Black / Madame X
Average customer review:

Portrait In Black / Madame X is available for streaming or downloading.

Click Here to Stream or Download Portrait In Black / Madame X

“Portrait in Dark” (1960)

San Francisco cargo ship czar, Matthew Cabot (Lloyd Nolan- Peyton Plot as Dr Swain) finds himself bedfast and slowly dying as his blooming and ultra-glamorous wife Sheila (Lana Turner) becomes more and more desperate to rid herself of a husband, due to his illness, can no longer satisfy her needs! Enter suave and sophisticated Dr. David Rivera (Anthony Quinn), who is overseeing Mr. Cabot’s care, as well as his wife’s desires! “Portrait in Dusky” is one of those toothsome over-the-top glamour-soap-opera’s that you honest can’t support indulging yourself in! Co-starring `60’s teen queen, Sandra Dee as Lana and Lloyd’s daughter, and blooming John Saxon as Sandra’s boyfriend, the cast is marvelous to explore as this romantic drama soon becomes a clever abolish mystery! You know from the moment that the movie begins, with it’s glossy and glamorous color that it’s a Ross Hunter production! Every detail in this film shouts “Ross Hunter glamour!” From Lana’s glowing Oriental inspired wardrobe to the beautifully decorated homes, it’s Mr. Hunter all the plan! With classic romantic dramas such as, “Assist Street,” “Midnight Lace,” and this film’s double feature “Madame X,” to his credit, Ross excelled with this kind of material and made some really intriguing features!

Buy,Download, Or Stream Portrait In Black / Madame X! Click Here

Madame X (1966)

Aristocratic heiress Estelle Anderson (Constance Bennett) is more than a small disappointed with her son, Clayton Anderson’s (John Forsythe) choice for a bride in current girl-next-door Holly Parker (Lana Turner, looking no where advance favorite!) so the wheels commence to be placed in motion to fetch rid of her! Successful rising political star, Clayton Anderson is rising to the top of the politcal arena and the toil of his success is beginning to weigh heavily on his marriage. Despairing of the lonliness of her husband’s long absences, Holly finds comfort in playboy, Phil Benton, (Ricardo Montalban) who falls deeply in adore with her! Holly’s mother-in-law discovers the adultrous relationship and begins to belief a intention to rid herself of Holly once and for all! Holly and Clayton’s young son, Clayton Jr., is in the middle of the battle and is soon without a mother as Estelle cunningly blackmails Holly into disappaearing from all of their lives forever! Burgess Meredith also stars as a down on his luck con artist that tries to spend Holly’s past to blackmail her! Keir Dullea stars as the young adult Clayton Jr in the later scenes who has become a successful lawyer, and unknowingly represents and defends his enjoy mother! The courtroom scene approach the kill of the movie is one that will have you reaching for a hankie! A Ross Hunter glamour flick all the plan! With beautiful homes, lovely fashions, and over-the-top dramatics! A first `class’ production all the procedure!

Buy,Download, Or Stream Portrait In Black / Madame X! Click Here

I highly recommend adding this enormous double feature of “Portrait in Sad” and “Madame X” to any dvd collector’s library! Never was there a more attractive glamour queen, than Lana Turner, and she makes the roles in these films so believable and so mighty fun to gape! I only wish the films could have been made available on single disc dvd editions with some nice commentaries and “gradual the scenes” information and enchanting stories or gossip! I’ve long awaited both of these films appearance on dvd, and am satisfied to finally have them! Now, how about adding Lana’s “By Savor Possessed,”(1961) “Admire Has Many Faces,” (1965) and “Who’s Got The Action? ” (1962) to dvd?!

Portrait in Dim on DVD at last! Finally we can peer this textbook lush Ross Hunter soaper in its legal widescreen format. It’s about flippin’ time!!! A Universal home video VHS of this film that was released about twelve years ago has been out of production for several years now. It had generous relate and sound quality, but it was not, of course, presented in the factual widescreen (VHS tapes never are) . Can’t wait for this.

BULGA Designer Handbags
BULGA Handbags

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Portrait In Black Madame X | No Comments »

« Older Entries