The Flop of the Daleks

I have to contradict the majority of the other reviewers for this and call it the worst Dalek story in the show's history, and possibly the worst story of the Fifth Doctor's era. Davros has inexplicably risen from the dead AGAIN (why oh why?) for a story so confusing it's like trying to make sense of the mechanics of time travel. The Daleks have a plan for which they make a warp to Earth for no obvious cause, kidnap the Doctor for a reason that goes out the window 5 minutes later (leaving him free to wander round and foil their villianous scheme of course), revive Davros only to try and stab him in the back, a rediculous number of extras get exterminated and someone melts. There's enough unnecessary continuity to sink a flying Titanic and lots of poor attempts to make hardened 'Who fans go 'ooh!' when they're more likely to be groaning with their heads in their hands. The gritty, intriguing scenes on Earth are ruined as soon as they get into space for the first time. I'm a big Doctor Who fan but I just couldn't enjoy this once it got going.

My advice? Skip to the last scene of the last episode when Tegan leaves; it's beautiful Doctor Who poetry at its height, ruined only by the story that preceded it; you can't blame her for wanting to leave after that. Better yet, buy any other Dalek story instead.

A great adventure story that is true!

The Cockleshell Heroes is a great adventure story which just happens to be true. A super Britsh Film. Which I can watch over an over again and not be bored.

Overrated

This lengthy film is one of the most boring I've ever seen. I really can't understand why so many people love it. It's not enough for a film to have realistic scenes such as the all too many and way too long battle sequences in"Saving Private Ryan" Speiberg certainly failed to entertain me, though I'm sure he entertained himself, which should not be the object of the excercise.

Nearly phenomenal!

As with the Binoche/Fiennes version I found this too short, but for different reasons. The Binoche/Fiennes film tried to cover the whole book, but left out considerable chunks of it. This film was too short because it only really covered half the story. But the great thing about this film is that the half of the book it did cover was fantastic!

Oberon and Olivier give brilliant performances as Cathy and Heathcliff and as a result the film is gripping and puts across the true feel of the story. The only disappointment about this film is that it does only cover one generation of Earnshaws and Lintons and at the end you are left with a feeling of dissatisfaction that there is not another hour and forty of this film!

perfect blend of sheer entertainment with subtextual moral relativism

During a span of 51 years, Alfred Hitchcock made 57 feature films, from"The Pleasure Garden (1925)" to"Family Plot (1976)". I've watched nearly one-third of them and should say that"North by Northwest" is the fastest, funniest and most beautiful of his caper/thrillers.

Actually, the premise for"North by Northwest" is nothing new: a case of mistaken identity. An"ordinary man" accused of a murder he did not commit, and he must clear his name by assuming different identities."The 39 Steps","Young and Innocent","The Wrong Man" and"Saboteur" were based on a similar theme. But what makes"North by Northwest" so special is its rarity in combining a twisted plot with a dazzling cast, great action, ingenious direction to create a yummy blend of suspense, adventure, deceit and Hitchcockian style of wry humor. If any movie shall be called"true cult classic", it is"North by Northwest".

Along with lots of deadly one-liners, the film hosts a bunch of the most memorable scenes in motion picture history: the murder in the lobby of the UN building, Thornhill's witty escape in the auction house, the attack of mysterious crop-duster in the middle of nowhere, all scenes on the train, and the climatic chase atop Mt. Rushmore. Hitchcock proves here again he was master of substitution of the language of the camera for words. Take the crop-duster scene. Without any music or special effects, no other director can afford to create such a claustrophobia on an open space in broad daylight just using natural sounds and complex suspense elements in the rhythm of events and cutting.

The film has a strong subtextual ideologic base too. Far ahead of its time in that it captures the political zeitgeist of late 1950s perfectly: moral relativism dominating the Cold War era. Very good epitome of how the State sacrifices the"ordinary man" for secretive causes involving the national interests.

Last word: pure, plain and vibrant. Despite 50 years have passed since its making, it is still fresh and highly watchable.

Perfect in every sense...

I bought this DVD recently having not seen it for at least 15 years. I couldn't have imagined how profound an effect it would have on me watching it now in my late twentys. As a child I remember the colourful characters, catchy tunes and an enjoyable story. Watching it now it's as if all of this has been magnified a thousand times. In a flash everything came back to me but this time I can clearly see the messages of acceptance, loyalty, companionship, courage etc.

It's not difficult to see why this film has survived for so long (since it's release in 1941). It's a simple tale without any complexity but with so much compassion. It's neither too long or too short and every scene focuses on delivering a powerful sentiment without over-doing it. The mother-child dynamic is very touching culminating in an emotional scene where they are briefly re-united. The vigour and energy of Timothy Mouse is a real marvel to watch not to mention his compassion towards Dumbo.

The musical score is a gorgeous accompaniment and really adds to the impact of the scenes. I've since found out the film won an Oscar for its musical score and was nominated for best song with the heart-felt"Baby Mine".

I noticed that there was some stereotyping of African-Americans with the Crow characters which passes you by as a child. However, it's not a negative stereotype at all and in the end the Crows come out looking like heroes for their part in the finale.

This is a film that just couldn't get made today without an audience feeling cynical about it. So I hope this one remains a classic for years to come. After all, films like this are the reason cinema was invented.

Finally, one of the special features is a clip of Walt Disney himself introducing a television screening of Dumbo. He states it is his favourite of the films he's produced and as you might have guessed, I'd have to agree with him on that.

Super

Whisky Galore is a really great film from 1949. Funny and moving. This is a good transfer to DVD and so a really good buy!

A Timeless Classic Feel Good Film for All the Family a gem

George Bailey played by James Stewart is an ordinary guy who wants to rid himself of his home town of Bedford Falls and see the World......Fate however has it that he stays in Bedford Falls and gets married to Mary aka the beautiful Donna Mills and has kids taking on his fathers Building and Loan small business struggling to make ends meet he comes up against a ruthless business shark in Mr Potter played with perfection by Lionel Barrymore....what transpires from here is a desperate man at his wits end looking for an answer only to find it in an angel named Clarence.....will George survive and see the light? It's a Wonderful Life is undoubtedly the best film ever to hit celluloid and probably James Stewart's greatest ever role...This film inspires you to a higher level when watching it ...taking you on an emotional roller coaster ride of life which there is a lot of identification.....The cast is exemplary the storyline oozes class and this film will still be popular in another 100 years it's a gem...

Shockspeare

Having consumed a bottle of red I can't be bothered to write a proper literary review at the moment and being inexperienced in this art I shall leave a more detailed analysis of this work to those more eloquent and informed than myself. However I would like to say that when I first saw this film as a 10 year old child-it gave me the most horrendous nightmares and I might add that consequently it has remained for me the most iconic and unforgettable version of a shakespeare play on film. Definately worth a squizz for those who love their Shakespeare and for those who love film making at it's best.

Not as good as Oliviers version!

I bought this version with a completely open mind having previously seen the Olivier version.It has a brilliant cast of seasoned Shakespearian actors and whilst Branaghs direction is good it seems to have no"pace" unlike the other. The 1944 version also has a proliferation of superb actors but what clinched it for me was the reality of the battle scenes.

the next stage of human consciousness

Kubrick's seminal masterpiece is a true work of art - the cinematic equivilent to Beethoven's 5th symphony or Picasso's Guernica. What Kubrick managed to convey so exquisitely is man's seemingly eternal quest for truth crystalized through the development of human consiousness and evolution - from the dawn of humanity in pre-history through to space exploration, culminating in humanities apparent conquering of technology and, by extension, mortality itself.

Having been removed of his technological armoury by HAL in the final act, man races towards infinity to face his ultimate challenge - death. For what is man without technology?

Finally, man confronts himself on the stage between mortality and beyond. This stage is represented as a white room. Man knocks to the floor a glass of red wine represented as the spirit of man. The wine remains in the glass, therefore the spirit of man continues. The light does not die and man is ready for the next stage of his evolutionary leap. The star child is born.

Kubrick's meditation on the quest for the meaning of existence simply has to be seen.

Anne Boleyn: forever fascinating - a star stutted costume drama winning several awards - even after 40 years worthwhile watching

"Anne of the Thousand Days" is a 1969 costume drama directed by Charles Jarrott. The film is based on the Broadway play with the same title of 1948. It had to wait over 20 years to be filmed because the themes of adultery, illegitimacy, and incest would not have been acceptable to the production code. In the main roles are Richard Burton as King Henry VIII and Genevieve Bujold as Anne Boleyn. Irene Papas plays Catherine of Aragon.

The film received 10 Oscar nominations in 1970, but won only one for Best Costume Design. 7 Golden Globe nominations, winning four, including Best Motion Picture Actress -Drama - for Geneviève Bujold and Best Motion Picture - Drama - already indicates this is a great movie. The movie captivates its audience straight away and befenits from great acting skills and of course the magnificient costumes. It tells the story of Anne Boleyn fairly accuratly and captures the drama of the day the time perfectly. A movie to be enjoyed, even if nearly 40 years old.

Follow the Yellow Brick Road to a children's timeless classic adventure

Dorothy a young farm girl from Kansas played by the fabulous Judy Garland whose recital of"Somewhere over the rainbow" is both touching and heartwarming....is taken in her dreams to the fantasy land of Oz where she meets up with a tin man, a scarecrow, a Lion with good or bad witches along the way to see The Mighty Wizard of Oz....We're off to see the wizard amidst a haunted forest,an evil witch and a quest to reach the Emerald City were great wonders lurk such as the horse of a different colour.....Dorothy(Judy Garland) was made for this role with her superb singing ability and the musical score...The imagination of this tale is brought to the big screen in the most colourful spectacular way possible albeit the first part of the film was made in black and white....This is a film for young and old alike as like so many other films of it's time has stayed popular so much so it is hard to believe it was made in 1939....truely incredible

Perfection is hard to find

I love all the Clint Eastwood films with Sergio Leone. But the cast in this film is better then in any of the three Clint films. Henry Fonda is great but it is Charles Bronson who steals this film. From the opening scene, which must be one of the best opening scenes to a western i have ever seen, Charles Bronson oozes presence. Two and a half hours just fly by as we follow the three main protagonists through to the end of this dance of death. Fantastic ending also... much better then most films, never mind westerns.

The Romantic Tale of a Disconnected Princess

This is a story of a princess who is young to be performing the official duties of the Royal family but loves to experience the outside world. On the night of her visit to Rome, having disconnected from the real world for long, she slips away from her residence. During this little adventure she meets an American news reporter named Joe Bradley (Gregory Peck.) Audrey Hepburn offers great performance as a naïve young woman who wants to be a common person away from the pageantry she is used to. It is a sheer luck that Hepburn was cast for this role. After she auditioned for the movie, a brief chat with director William Wyler convinced him that she is the best for the job. No one has ever regretted this decision as Hepburn went on to win the Academy award. Hepburn is a natural, and remains at ease in her portrayal as a princess enjoying the real world. No wonder Academy awarded the biggest prize in Hollywood even though she was novice to a Hollywood film and this is her first movie. Originally Cary Grant was offered the lead role but casting Gregory Peck was not the best decision one could have made. Peck has made great movies but he does not shine in this film. Shooting of the film in and around Italy adds depth to the story of movie. The princess taking a ride with Bradley in a Vespa motor scooter is an iconic symbol of American cinema. Anyone who has seen the other movie of Hepburn; Breakfast at Tiffany's could see some similarities in the story of these two films as she play a free spirited woman who doesn't know what she really wants in life. The movie was written by a Hollywood Blacklisted author Dalton Trumbo who did not get credit in the original movie but the DVD released later gives credit he really deserves.

Sweeping, flawed epic, but worth a viewing

This is almost a classic war movie, with A Cecil B DeMille"cast of thousands", including a multiplicity of stars as noted by other reviewers. At the time of release (1977), it was critiqued as"an hour too long" by some reviewers, which is too harsh a verdict for such a detailed overview of one of the much-analysed battles of World War 2.

The film has both narrative and action which capture the viewer and character performances which are finally toned, remembering that many of the key participants were still alive at the time of release. The battle scenes are well done, albeit with very obvious use of 1970s artillery pieces and tanks in certain scenes.

The major flaw in the movie is its obligation to the 1970s Zeitgeist of the"all war is evil" movement. In the film, war is effectively presented as an evil unto itself, with neither side any better morally than the other. A monstrous untruth in the context of 1944 Europe and equally false at the time of release, as the West was to find out in 1979 when the Soviet Union attempted to annex Afghanistan, prompting today's conflicts in that area.

Oscar Nomination For Best Adapted Music Score

PAINT YOUR WAGON is a movie about two nineteenth century California gold prospectors in a town where there is a shortage of respectable women. This sad situation forces Lee Marvin and Clint Eastwood into an awkward sharing arrangement with Jean Seberg.

The most memorable scene in the film by far is the marriage ceremony of Marvin and Seberg. A strong supporting cast includes Harve Presnell, Ray Walston and John Mitchum.

The movie was an adaptation of a Lerner-Loewe Broadway musical and it received an Academy Award nomination for Best Adapted Music Score. The actors did their own singing which was surprisingly pleasant. The main competition for Oscars in 1969 came from MIDNIGHT COWBOY, TRUE GRIT and THE PRIME OF MISS JEAN BRODIE.

The Doctor Who Could Have Been

I really have to say that I like Paul McGann as the eighth Doctor. I enjoyed the series of the 8th Doc bookwise, audio cd wise (i.e. Big Finish), and I like this movie. Now I realize that this movie is not perfect. We all know that. So much was thrown into this and well Fox wouldn't allow for a payoff, in my humble opinion, and even worse, it seems that Fox (at least that's what I understand) doesn't ever want this DVD over here in the states, which is a horrific shame. I was able to get it through Amazon.uk seller and I was able to get a regionless DVD player, so I am happy. Still, I think that any Doctor Who library is missing a great point of collection without this DVD. Paul McGann is able to really show what could be, if only he could have been allowed to continue. But at least we have the Big Finish products. Cheers to Paul McGann.

Great Company. Where are the extras?

I thoroughly agree with everything the previous reviewer has said.
Like the previous reviewer, I can't find the extra features. I am particularly keen to see the 38-minute interview with Sondheim. Reading through the reviews on the U.S. amazon site, I notice some of the reviewers allude to the extras, so they obviously do exist! If anyone could shed some light on this, I'd be extremely grateful. Thanks.

So it shall be written, so it shall be done

This film is over 50 years old but it is still mightily impressive,even by today's standards."The Ten Commandments" is an epic film telling the story of Moses from his birth in Egypt right up to his arrival at the Promised Land in his old age. Charlton Heston and Yul Bryner play Moses and the Pharoah Ramses, his great rival, with much aplomb. There is a cast of thousands, still awesome special effects and a familiar, compelling storyline. I thoroughly enjoyed the film and I would recommend it especially to anyone wishing to give their child exposure to some R.E. in a particularly unreligious medium. After watching"The Ten Commandments" I wondered why with all the fantastic CGI effects available to film makers in this century that there have been no new films about the life stories of Moses and Jesus using this technology. There is bound to be a huge potential viewing audience for them , yet none appear to be forthcoming...