Farscape: The Complete Season Three [Blu-ray]

Farscape comes into its prime
The third season of "Farscape" captures the show in its prime; the various story arcs developed here are better than anything that came before. The writing and character development is, for the most part, top notch. Season three features the unusual episode "Revenging Angel" where the bulk of the episode occurs in a Looney Tunes Road Runner/Wile E. Coyote type of cartoon with Crichton and D'Argo. "Infinite Possibilities" another two parter features one of the Ancients appearing in the form of John's dad. They unlock the secrets of wormhole technology in Crichton's mind to prevent the Scarrans from escaping with a dangerous new weapon.

The stand out episodes in my mind that signify this development is the two part ""Into the Lion's Den" from the conclusion of the season. Crichton agrees in this episode to help Scorpious achieve his dream of wormhole technology. Scorpious plans on using it to develop a weapon of mass destruction that can be used against the Scarions. In...

As great a season as any in the history of television
Warning: Spoilers galore! Free roaming discussion of the season story arcs!

First, before proceeding to heap excessive amounts of praise on this extraordinary season, I have to express my extreme anger at the ongoing refusal of the owner's of the series copyright to make it available to the public at a reasonable or even affordable price. I do not own this set on DVD and do not plan on doing so as long as they continue pricing it as such absurd levels. I'll struggle along with my tapes for now. I'm not angry only because their price means I can't afford it; I am angry because the price keeps a host of would-be fans from discovering this remarkable series. There is simply no excuse for the way they have gone about the DVD releases for FARSCAPE. I thoroughly encourage anyone who loves Sci-fi or quality TV to explore this series-I promise you will be delighted with it-but I also encourage everyone to avoid purchasing this set at this price. As consumers we need to let...

Farscape achieves perfection
Since it's inception, the Sci-Fi Channel's Farscape was one of the most original and mind bending shows to hit the genre in years, and in it's third season, Farscape achieved perfection. With a much darker tone, and the major arc that would shape the series until it's end taking shape, it is clear that this is sci-fi TV at it's best. Crichton (Ben Browder) returns to his old self, while Aeryn's (Claudia Black) life hangs in the balance. Scorpius' (Wayne Pygram) obsession with wormhole technology is revealed in it's entirity, while Dargo (Anthony Simcoe) and Chiana's (Gigi Edgely) relationship takes a turn for the worst when Chiana begins an affair with Dargo's son Jothee. The third season of Farscape also the sacrifice of a character who has been here since the beginning, as well as the tragic losses of a few others while introducing new heroes and villains; culminating in a clone of Crichton and Aeryn consumating their relationship with tragic results. Like the above Amazon...

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Stories Behind Alabama Football Bundle

Great Gift For A Bama Fan
I really enjoyed watching Saban take over the role of Head Coach, and turning the Tide at Alabama. The other side of this package includes five of the defining moments at Alabama... Like The Takeaway, where an underdog Bama takes on an unbeatable Miami (according to all the press)and wins the National Championship... with all the interviews with coaches and players, its something every Bama fan will enjoy. Roll Tide Bama Fans





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Pond Hockey (Two-Disc Combo: DVD + Digital Copy)

Takes you back
Growing up in Buffalo, New York it wasn't hard to find something frozen to skate on between December and March. The movie makes me proud of the fact that I am of a generation that learned so much from the outdoor game. You learned to skate on the slightly rougher surfaces of a pond or backyard rink. You stayed outside hours upon hours, working on stickhandling or your wrist shot....when you got your skates sharpened and first went out, those first few strides were euphoric! You would watch the Sabres or Hockey Night in Canada the night before and the following morning YOU WERE Gilbert Perreault or Bernie Parent. The movie takes you into the cold....into the friendships, into the endless energy you find. It was cold outside but you never got cold. This movie, quite frankly, is incredibly warming. "PondHockey" is innocent and beautiful in it's own way. The father's who put much time into flooding their yards and maintaining a rink for the neighborhood is practically unheard of today. (I...

"Iced it"! Pond Hockety
I first saw the film "Pond Hockey" in Iowa City, Iowa this summer at the Landlocked Film Festival and loved it! Having lived in upstate New York, which is also "hockey country", I was fascinated to watch the story unfold. This film was not just about following the National Pond Hockey championships, it was addressing the concern about the disappearance of the culture of pond hockey. The minute I viewed this film, I knew that it was a great film to buy for my brother-in-law who constructs his own pond to play hockey on each winter. When he unwrapped his Christmas gift, he was delighted and my sister reported that he watched the whole movie immediately and shared it with other pond hockey lovers in the family. In 28 years, this was the first time ever that I "iced it" when selecting a gift for my brother-in-law. Our family highly recommends this film to everyone who loves hockey and those who want to "catch their passion"!

A Must See!
Its hard to do a sports movie right, but these guys nailed it.This is one of those great rare finds. It's a must have for hockey fans, but also anyone who likes a great movie.

Pond Hockey captures the essence of what really matters most when playing a sport with friends. Movies like these get me excited to have my own children someday, and share this movie with them.

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Back at the Barnyard: Season 2

Brilliant show, but no on-demand dvds for me!
First, decide which media device you want to watch these episodes on. If you want to watch them on your computer, you get the view-on-demand option that lets you watch on your computer -- but not your TV of course (unless you can run a cable from your computer to your TV) -- or you can get the "burn on demand" option here that lets you watch on your consumer electronic DVD player but NOT on your computer. Seems like a scheme the gophers would come up with.

My kids love this show, and do their "screen time" on the computer, so there's really no need for this. If you are a dedicated consumer electronic DVD player person, then these work, but it looks like there are no special features. Just be sure of what you're buying before you click "buy".

Barely worth watching if you're a prime member
This season was not as good as the first season. This season is OK at best, and definitely something I would not pay to see.

I don't know why this show is so funny
But it is. I watch it with my nephew and find myself laughing out loud at plenty of the jokes and gags. I liked the movie, and this series is clearly more lighthearted and humorous than the movie and not really meant to be taken too seriously. And I like that. I like that it's focused entirely on being entertaining, because that is what a kids' show is supposed to do.

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The Gospel Guitar of Mississippi John Hurt

5 Star Teaching
Although not familiar with the instructor, I found his teaching to be straight forward, easy to follow, and clear. Being a gifted musician does not necessarily mean a gifted teacher, yet here we have both, the player and the teacher. He breaks down the parts of the song carefully and slowly, and his performance to open the song is inspiring to the student. Although this is a Level two to Level three teaching, (meaning advanced beginner to intermediate level) advanced intermediates will also enjoy making the beautiful and recognizable Mississippi John Hurt thumb style polished completions. Excellent teacher, well chosen songs (my favorites include "Mary, Don't You Weep" and "Blessed Be the Name"), solid camera work all come together for a must DVD for fans of fingerpicking, Mississippi John Hurt, and country gospel music. I look forward to future teaching DVDs from Tom Feldman. His low key approach is helpful and enjoyable.

Awesome!
I love thumb-picking, so I naturally love these songs. They are soulful and super fun to play and I am so happy I purchased this DVD. Many of the songs are just the chorus and verse repeated over again for instrumental breaks, meaning there is less to memorize and therefore quicker to learn. Beginning fingerstyle and thumb-picking guitarists will find these pieces perfect challenges for them, while the intermediate fingerstyle and thumb-picking guitarists will feel right at home and at relative ease. The advanced fingerstyle and thumb-picking guitarists will enjoy the simplicity as these tunes provide awesome melodies without the intricate fingerwork needed for a variety of advanced arrangements. Overall, this DVD is good for all levels (though primarily intermediate I would think, but still good for all) and I can't stress how fun these songs are to play! The best instructional guitar DVD I've probably ever purchased. If you're on the fence, jump to the "buy it" side, because you...

husband loves it
Bought this as a gift for DH who is into gospel and blues. He loves it. Says the instructional part is very good.

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Jean Harlow 100th Anniversary Collection (Bombshell / The Girl from Missouri / Reckless / Riffraff / Suzy / Personal Property / Saratoga)

Dumped into the Warner Archives
With so many of Jean Harlow's films - even gems such as "Bombshell" - still missing on DVD, fans have been hoping the long-promised boxed set would finally arrive this year. A boxed set of her own on pressed DVD to celebrate her one hundredth birthday. Instead, what we get are a few overpriced DVD-Rs in the Warner Archive series and this boxset - on DVD-R as well. Surely this is very bad taste. Shame on you, Warner! A few of these films ("Reckless", for example) have been available on DVD in Europe for a while - but not in the United States. Isn't it strange how the American cultural heritage is neglected by that company? Whoever is responsible for releasing this on DVD-R, must have written "unprecedented ignorance" as their main qualification on their application form. I don't like this product => only two stars. Jean Harlow deserves better than that.

JEAN HARLOW'S BELATED 100TH BIRTHDAY PRESENT
About a year ago, Warner Home Video released one of their "TMC Classic Film Collections" in honor of Jean Harlow and I reviewed that(as did many others) as a poor representation of this great star from Hollywood's Golden Era(1930's)considering that 2011 was her Centential year and she deserved much better treatment. I wasn't alone. Many Jean Harlow fans felt the same and voiced their opinions that her work at MGM(she made 16 films for that studio between 1931 and 1937) deserved at least a box set or even two. Well, the people at Warner must have been listening, because they have now released that box set titled: "Jean Harlow: 100th Anniversary Collection" thru their Warner Archive Collection. And that's the problem. While one could be thankful that the seven films in this collection cover her most important films, I have mixed feelings about this set after spending days watching these films(in the order that they were made). I suppose Warner Home Video considers this to be a companion...

About Time!!!
Seeing so many so-called "Platinum Editions", it was deplorable that among them, there wasn't any good "Platinum Girl Edition" - until now!!! It was about time to honor Jean Harlow's Work which is now done with a 100th Anniversary Collection. This Collection features seven Harlow Classics formerly difficult to get in good quality: Bombshell (1933), The Girl From Missouri (1934), Reckless, Riff Raff (1935), Suzy (1936), Personal Property, Saratoga (1937). Some of them are rather weak movies, but even in those, Harlow is not only of a radiant and unique beauty, but offers a remarkably elaborated and distinguished performance which is worth watching. In other words, even a bad Harlow movie gives us the opportunity to see Harlow as a real actress and not only as a sex bomb. Every Harlow movie has some magic moments, and the magician is one of the most underrated actresses ever. And at least two movies ("The Girl From Missouri" and "Bombshell") are real Harlow Classics and much more than...

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Lon Chaney: The Warner Archive Classics Collection (He Who Gets Slapped / Mockery / The Monster / Mr. Wu / The Unholy Three / The Unholy 3)

DVDs meant as Bern Act rebuke/not for Chaney fans.
Shame on you Warner Brothers for releasing these DVDs simply to keep Lon Chaney fans from trading copies over the internet. A little background:
The now infamous fan DVD compilation, The "Lost" Films of Lon Chaney, was sold online by a person who spent untold years gathering the best possible reels of Chaney's films and making this compilation of Lon's movies, which were not previously available for sale. Citing the Bern Act (which allows for the trade of personal copies in lieu of official product for sale by the copyright owner), this person sold The "Lost" Films of Lon Chaney, an 11 DVD set featuring all of LC's unreleased films, for $50. If you only figure cost of materials, shipping, and labor (in making the actual copies), this person probably made only a few bucks. But if you figure the cost he incurred acquiring the prints and time spent editing various prints of the same film to attain the best possible transfer, he LOST money on this endeavor.
Warner Brothers,...

hold your horses, don't expect restorations here
Let me state that I owned the laserdiscs of both Unholy 3's, He Who Gets Slapped, The Unknown, West of Zanzibar (in fact, I sold them to Crispin Glover after I burned DVDs for my collection). For those movies, what you are getting are the exact same masters that MGM used back in the 1990s. For Tell It to the Marines, Mockery and The Monster, which I burned off of TCM back in the 1990s, again these DVDs are from those masters. Realizing that the market for these Chaney films is a limited one, I cannot fault WB for using the existing video masters (in the case of The Unknown, they used the only known surviving print of the movie). My guess is that the nitrate negs were trashed long ago with no safety copies made (after all, these ARE silent films, and no studio head was going to allow the use of good funds to copy these on safety film when there was no obvious market for silent films after sound pictures took over).

So as a realist, I accept that these movies are 90 years...

A Great Collection of Lon Chaney!
I purchased all of these discs separately from the Warner Archive section at the WBshop Website. The discs were made to order in DVD-R format. I've had the discs for at least three years now. These are the same discs but in a set, which makes it that much better...and cheaper!

Well, I don't expect any more or any less from DVD-Rs as long as the quality is the same that I saw on Turner Classic Movies. It is exactly the same quality. All six of these movies are classics that I will cherish for a lifetime. I've watched each one several times. "Mockery" and "He Who Gets Slapped" are my two favorites of the set. If they ever release these in Blu-ray format, I will be buying them again.

I've read the other reviews. All I'm going to say is if you are OK with the quality on TCM, you'll love this set. I highly advise any Lon Chaney Sr. enthusiasts to take advantage of this low price for these six beautifully restored movies. No, they are not perfect, but what do...

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Coast

NEIL OLIVER NEVER DISAPOINTS
I ordered this because I liked the History of Scotland so much. This one is good too. I think the thing that makes his work so good is the fact that he is interested in the same things the general public is interested in. He asks questions we would ask. The quality is great as usual and the other presenters are interesting and funny and make it a joy to watch.

If your an Anglophile you'll love it
Great aerial photography of UK coast and other countries coasts that influenced UK such as Ireland, France, Norway, Denmark, Tell interesting historical stories of the area being explored in each episode as told by several different correspondents. They look at sealife above and below, coastal geology and tides, historical sites and villages, industrial/business changes over time. Relate unique features and occupations of coastal communities.

Coast review
The product was delivered promptly. Coast is an extremely interesting series. Not only does it portray the magnificent coastlines of the British Isles and Europe, but also historical and current life in the areas visited. I would definitely recommend this set if DVD's to people of all ages.

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Rusty Cooley Arpeggio Madness3 Dvd Set

It Doesn't Get Much Better Than This!!!
So I have at least 50 instructional books, and some dvds about advanced stuff like arpeggios/scales/licks etc etc on and on. Some are great, and some are duds. But this 3 DVD Set (which comes with a 104 page book in pdf file format) blew my mind. Well, I say the first DVD is kinda for beginner to intermediate players for sweeping to get things started. The second DVD gets a little better with some cool licks and string skipping sequences etc, but the 3rd DVD is just mind blowing to me. Especially the 3 note per string triad licks (wide stretching with the left hand) which is like playing a chord scale as if it was a normal 3 note per string scale as arpeggios ascending all 6 strings!!! Wicked!! and some wicked licks! and shows you about every arpeggio shape possible (in a nutshell). This will definitely give you some new ideas. I say buy it for sure!

rusty cooley
rusty cooley takes you back to shred school. great player
for that style of shredding(less melodic/scale oriented)
but this guy is super fast which to me is always cool!!!!

Great DVD course for the advanced guitarist
I highly recommend Rusty Cooley's "Arpeggio Madness."

An "arpeggio" is the sounding of the notes of a chord individually, one after the other, ascending or descending, perhaps spanning more than one octave. This course will help program your fingers to rapidly play arpeggio patterns (patterns that hit on the notes of a chord); this skill will greatly improve your ability to play lead throughout the changing chords of a song.

This three-DVD set is cheap: you would need to spend many hundreds of dollars to receive this training from a guitar teacher. But then, how many guitarists who play at this level (like Rusty) are willing to teach this material? Not many. Rusty is really generous to offer this training to us mere mortals.

"Arpeggio Madness" is for advanced guitar players; before you start this course, you should have previously learned all of the following.
- Instant note recognition of all notes on the fretboard
- Keys (notes in every...

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Hung Gar

Dire need for more Hung Gar DVDs.
It's unfortunate that the author isn't too conversant in English. Plus the sound volume is too low to make what he said understandable. This DVD is a seminar where much time was spent trying to make himself understood by the foreign students. A pity because clearly Lee Yun Fook is an expert in Hung Gar. It would be excellent if he could make instructional DVDs on Hung Gar Kung Fu. I would be among the first to purchase them.





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Filipino Martial Arts Inosanto #1

preview DVD
Hi,

This is a preview DVD for all other DVD 2-6. It gives brief examples from each type of arts - knife, stick, empty hands etc. Good to see the overall picture but not enough for practice in detail.

BR,

Jo





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Mr Big- Back to Budokan [Blu-ray]

Great!
Great performance of the musicians... Great video and sound quality! Mr. Big in great performance in Japan... Excelent production... It Rocks!





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Rulers of the Ancient World: Tyrants, Conquerors, and Heroes

Objective facts and critical analysis
The boxset is great, it has a lot of content concerning Rome. As both a history buff and someone who studies warfare I was greatly pleased with the in depth and detailed look at the life of history's greatest generals. Not only was the their a lot of info, but it was unbiased for the most part. Most documentaries rely on myth when talking about ancient figures, but the history channel did it's research and challenged traditional belief with hard evidence. The best example of this is with their analysis of Nero; many consider him one of the most vile emperors in history, but the historians were careful to only rely on facts and not bias accounts left by history and gave an extremely credible and fair analysis of Nero as not just some madman but as an artist and a victim of fate while not completely dismissing his evil acts. If you love history and want a fair and unbiased documentary that is fun to watch and very reliable, look no further. This is by far the best source you can find on...

Ruling Elite Intoxicated by Power
History gives its audience a nice overview of good and really bad rulers of Antiquity. The series of eight rulers behaving badly stands out because of the in-depth analysis of their respective psychological profile in addition to the narrative of their deeds. The documentaries "Herod the Great," "Constantine the Great," "The Soldiers' Emperor," and "The Queen Pharaoh" are also noteworthy for their content. In conclusion, History gives its viewers the opportunity to get a better appreciation of what these rulers accomplished or failed to accomplish during their lifetime.

NOT a complete series..only a "Collection" of different documenteries by History Channel
I only watched 2 of these and i just decided that i did not want to watch anymore. I may have watched the worst one...and maybe the rest are great..but "Ancients Behaving Badly"..has to be about the worst of any of the History Channel documentaries I have ever seen. (I will admit that i am not at all a fan or regular viewer of History Channel documentaries however, and i did leave a review on this particular documentary on its specific display on amazon.. But will just say that i was disappointed with this "Collection"...due to that particular DVD. And nowhere does it mention on this website advertisement for this collection of DVDs that it is a "collection" of different documentaries by the History Channel. it is kind of a false or tricky advertisment.

I will just summarise a few things that i didnt like about "Ancients Behaving Badly".

1. very dumbed down content which will show an ancient site..and then switch the camera to maybe some scientists dressed up in...

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Teaching Physical Science

Physical Science at your fingertips
Run Time : 35 Hours

"HISTORY presents the world of Physical Science at your fingertips! Students will explore the methods and discoveries of noted scientists and inventors, including Newton, Einstein, Edison, Pascal, and Tesla, gain an in-depth understanding of elements and compounds such as Carbon, Iron, Salt and more, and witness the practical application of scientific laws and principles through the ever-changing world of technology. Set includes 43 full-length documentaries, video clips and more!

Topics Covered:
* The Nature of Science
* Energy, Forces and Motion
* Electricity and Energy Resources
* Energy and the Environment
* Energy on the Move
* Elements, Compounds and the Nature of Matter

Classroom Materials include: Printable Periodic Table, Teacher's Guides, images and more!
Programs Include: Isaac Newton: The Gravity of Genius, Albert Einstein, Measure It, Secrets of the Sun, Gravity, Super Hot, Breaking...





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Pie in the Sky Complete Collection

Series 1-5, a COMPLETE way to DINE with CRIME
The twist of discovering crimes while being chef at his restaurant Pie In The Sky, brings a fresh new/delicious plot concept. Perhaps 5 season of DI Henry Crabbe (Richard Griffiths-`Harry Potter') is not enough. But beware, DVDs come with NO recipes. Maggie Steed (`Clatterford') is wife Margaret and prominent, often getting involved in Henry's cases. Malcolm Sinclair as ACC Fisher, always in Crabbe's face, never allows Crabbe to retire. Nick Raggett (Henderson the restaurant's veggie grower and kitchen help) & Nicholas Lamont (Chef Gary) are well done, excuse the food pun. DS Sophia Cambridge (Bella Enahoro) is Crabbe's assigned aide in crime fighting, and beautiful waitress Nicola (Samantha Womack-"EastEnders") is the best looking dish in the restaurant. Guest stars too, like Michael Kitchen (`Foyle's War') to mention only one of many.

All 40 episodes have SUBTITLES and multiple plots with crime and restaurant action. Sit back and enjoy the humor, detective work,...

I love PIE
While watching Doc Martin DVDs my husband and I saw the ad for the "Pie in the Sky" series. Without having seen even one episode we took a chance and bought this collection. At this point in time we've watched approximately 10 of the episodes and are completely smitten with Henry, Margaret and the rest of the cast. Wonderful characters and plots. I now have a fantasy of having my own chicken coop, complete with music loving hens, in my backyard.

Absolutely Delicious!
As I stated in my Amazon UK review, I originally ordered a region free DVD player so I could get this series! Now it is available in the USA, AND with sub-titles for us folk who have difficulty with English accents. (Why can't the English learn to speak...?)

Seriously, this is a refreshing series and I fully and whole-heartedly(and stomachly) agree with the previous reviewers. This splendid series makes you want to open a specialty restaurant, solve a crime and raise chickens all at once! If you read this while Amazon is giving a 64% discount and do not buy this set- then shame on you!

Terrific cast! Is anyone more adorable than Richard Griffiths? I THINK NOT!
And Maggie Steed and everybody else is just wonderful. Lightweight fun and worth watching over and over again. Make sure you have some tasty snacks on hand.

Signed
An enthralled viewer of all things British(Benny Hill excluded).
PS What's this thing Henry has with "The Chicken"??

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Amagami SS Collection 2

the better half (of the series)
Part two of Amagami picks up where part one [product link] left off. Again we follow TACHIBANA-kun through three narrative arcs, this time with the quiet but determined NANASAKI Ai, cheerful childhood friend Rihoko, and the brilliant, driven and mysterious Ayatsuji. Though I am a fan of the Kaoru arc in part 1, these three stories are, in my mind, the best of the bunch. NANASAKI's arc is fantastically cute, ends well, and reveals a slightly more stalwart TACHIBANA Junichi than in many of the early arcs. The Rihoko arc plays out pleasantly, with a more subtle love story than in the other arcs. Lastly, the Ayatsuji storyline seems to be the central arc in the series as it is the most complex. Ayatsuji's character provides for easily the most dramatic of plots, as Junichi is drawn into her warped psychology and significant personal demons and, through it all, drawn to her. There is also the extra KAMAZAKI Risa storyline which is easy to spoil so I won't say much. But we do learn more...

A keen variation on the harum genre
In this genre I find myself rooting for one of the girls, and usually I a go for the looser. That is part of the fun of this genre. Although the living of multiple lives in one world is later lamely explained, I think they could have just left it as it is to leave us guessing. If you like harem, you will love this.

When Can I Buy The ENG DUB Version??
When Can I Buy The ENG DUB Version??

I really like watch JP Anime in ENG Dub

Hope that day is coming soon....

wait for EngDub version...

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It's a Wonderful Life Giftset (Blu-ray + Bell Ornament)

Why is this the BEST release of "It's A Wonderful Life" in DVD history?
Rather than review the content of this almost universally beloved film, I'm just going to comment about the quality of the 2006 60th Anniversary Edition DVD itself. I've since written an updated review about a new edition of this title, now available in a "Two-Disc Collector's Set." Please find that review -- which was posted on December 13, 2008. (Amazon has posted my 2006 review in both places -- even though the "60th Anniversary Edition" DVD is DIFFERENT from the "Two-Disc Collector's Set". Read my write-up for the "Two-Disc Collector's Set" -- again, it's DATED 2008 and too early to rank among the "most helpful" reviews -- to better decide which product you prefer.)

I've owned nearly...

Why is the Two-Disc Collector's Set of "It's A Wonderful Life" special? It has the best "color" hues to date!
On November 4, 2006, I posted a review noting the side-by-side differences between the "60th Anniversary Edition of It's A Wonderful Life" - vs. all other editions of this film released on home video during the past 25 years. I still stand by that review.

The "Two-Disc Collector's Set" is a different product. While it contains the same 60th Anniversary DVD in pristine black-and-white - is ALSO includes a second DVD - a colorized version of "It's A Wonderful Life" that boasts the best color hues I've seen to date!

If you're like me -- and you prefer black-and-white films to stay black-and-white - fine. But I bought this 2-disc set because I was curious about how FAR digital image technology has come - since the controversial practice of colorizing black-and-white films began more than two decades ago. In short, the colorization here is spectacular.

-----

DISC ONE --...

It's A Wonderful Blu-Ray
If you are reading this review you likely already know and love this movie. For me, it is the epitome of holiday movies with great acting along with a terrific script and tight direction. If you have never seen it in some ways I envy you - just buy it and enjoy!

As I was growing up this film was shown repeatedly on television as it had lapsed into the public domain. Somehow, it was retrieved from public domain with some legal wrangling - and though at first I thought of that as a bad thing the quality of the film has benefited now that there is money to be made on this old classic. The initial DVDs available for this film from the public domain era were very poor quality and only recently were better scans completed. That process has been taken to "the nth degree" for the blu-ray release.

For this review I did watch the first few minutes of the Republic Pictures DVD version which last time I checked into this was the best transfer available. I recall when first...

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Beast Wars: Transformers - The Complete Series (1996)

Time to Maximize Your Viewing Pleasure! Beast Wars - The Complete Series
Previously, on my review of Beast Wars Season 1: Put away the 80's synthesizer and pull out the 90's generic rock guitar! Created by the same company that created Reboot, this classic Computer Generated series is the follow up to the original Generation One Transformers. Beast Wars in America, Beasties in Canada (Canada has a rule that no show aimed at children can have war in the title, go figure). An enjoyable series that had previously been released in bare bones sets by Rhino (which I own and are now discontinued), it has now been rereleased by Shout! with new extras! Beast Wars has finally gotten a more deserving release!

1st Season:

Beast Wars (1)
Beast Wars (2)
The Web
Equal Measures
Chain of Command
Power Surge
Fallen Comrades
Double Jeopardy
A Better Mousetrap
Gorilla Warfare
The Probe
Victory
Dark Designs
Double Dinobot
The Spark
The Trigger (1)
The Trigger (2)
Spider's...

It's Just Prime!
This is the best transformers series there is. Unlike the others, this one keeps the main plot and main characters while adding acceptable additions. While it is targeting kids, it still has great humor every now and then."This guy's got bearings of chrome steel". If you loved it as a kid, buy it.

Great re-issue of a great show
Rhino put out a solid DVD collection of this great series some years back. ShoutFactory! puts out nice DVD boxsets (nice art, nice packaging, nice bonus features, etc.) and looks to be carrying the mantle that Rhino used to carry given the depth and breadth of their offerings. I love this show so much I bought this 2nd issue to have as backup and available for lending to any family or friends who I can convince to give it a try. This isn't just a great kid's cartoon but a flat out great out sci-fi series. Turns out Larry DiTillio and Bob Forward had worked together on SheRa: The Princess of Power and Larry did a bit of work on Babylon5. Larry also wrote some of the more amazing episodes of the overall amazing 1984 Filmation HeMan and the Masters of the Universe cartoon series. Simon Furman- a revered writer of transformers stories for the UK comics- was even brought in to pen a great episode. Top writing. The voice acting is as amazing as it can get in any cartoon (thank you...

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Brideshead Revisited: 30th Anniversary Edition [Blu-ray]

The finest film made for television that I have ever seen.
Brideshead Revisited is the finest film made for television that I have ever seen. It is true to Evelyn Waugh's great novel. After watching this movie I bought the book and liked it as much as the videos. For those viewers who like to read, if you enjoyed the film you are almost certain to love the book.

After reading the novel, I viewed the tapes a second time and discovered that the movie was even better than I first thought.

What makes this video series great? The performances by a top flight cast are superb and the story is compelling. Jeremy Irons plays the part of Charles Ryder, an artist in search of his soul. His paintings are technially brilliant, but something is missing from them. An eccentric friend characterizes Ryder's work as full of "charm," and this evaluation is true -- the paintings are stylish, but soulless.

Anthony Andrews brings to life Ryder's Oxford college friend, Lord Sebastian Flyte, a spoiled aristocrat trying to...

No Improvement Over 2002 Acorn DVD Release
The only difference between this set and the original Acorn DVD release of 2002 (which was beautifully done) is the addition of the "Revisiting Brideshead" documentary and outtakes. The documentary is awful; the kind of thing that trivializes the work by superficial, self-inflated explanation from literary and media "experts" of things perfectly obvious to anyone who watches the series. I don't need a media critique telling me how perfect Anthony Andrews' performance was--I watched the series and saw so myself. I don't need to be instructed about the religious and sexual tension in the story--its there if you watch it. I was hoping the documentary would be conversation from the actors and crew about the filming, but I guess that would have been too simple. In fact, the several screens of text in the original DVD release that tell the story of the filming are much more interesting. This documentary is depressing, condescending and just stupid--I would skip it altogether.

As...

The Brideshead DVD Box Set is Excellent...
Through my own connections, I was able to obtain this item a month before its street date so you all get to know what you're getting.

The Brideshead DVD Box Set, while not perfect, is indeed excellent and I'll explain why.

As is increasingly the case, the actual disc carriages are part of a three leaved slide-out assemblage which folds up and then is stored in a case, just like with the Godfather DVD Box Set.

These case formats are an excellent way to fight piracy and look great but are not the best in in terms of long term box preservation as cardboard and photo-printed cardboard will degrade.

This release of Brideshead is the 660 minute version of the mini-series and I believe this is the longest and most complete version ever released!

The episode menus and scene selection are pretty, functional and fairly rudimentary, nothing exceptional here.

A little booklet with some director's commentary and info on Evelyn Waugh and the episodes is included.

There are no real...

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Tango 3.0 Live at the Casino De Paris [Blu-ray / DVD Combo]

Awesome
Import Blu-Ray/Region All pressing includes bonus DVD version. Gotan Project's 2011 live performance at the Casino de Paris is captured here in High Definition. Their live show is a heady mix of sensual music, sharp dressing, intense video projection and clever stage choreography. A Gotan Project show is a total sensual experience, enhanced by the stunningly evocative visuals of Prisca Lobjoy, whose work as Gotan Project's artistic director has played an integral part in shaping the Gotan aesthetic right from the start. This sensational package, which also includes two-music videos and some of the original short films made for the live performances as well as an interview with the artists themselves gives you the opportunity to judge for yourself, sit back and enjoy the total Gotan experience!

Another great Gotan Project concert video
Saw this last night online and it is terrific. Can't wait to get the DVD. What a classy and inventive group the Gotan Project is.



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Planet Earth & Blue Planet: Seas of Life

Absolutely awesome
This is a very smart purchase. when i first ordered, i was under the impression that i was getting the entire planet earth series plus extra footage and a few episodes of blue planet. i was completely wrong! it comes with the entire series of both shows and extras for both shows. everyone will find something to enjoy in one if not both of the shows. i highly recommend it!

Highest artistic standard and truely enlightening content!
I watched many Planet Earth episodes on TV and when the combined series came out, I bought them in a heart beat.
Everytime I watched an episode, I felt an overwhelming sense of appreciation of this rich and spectacular place we live in and a strong conviction of helping to make sure that the beauty and the uniqueness of this place is preserved and cared for. The people who made these two series deserve the best credit for their high artistic standard, great technical execution and genuine communication of the facts.

Sir David Attenborough's narrative is great
I bought this set for my daughter, not realizing there was a difference between the BBC version (narrated by Sir David Attenborough) and the US version (narrated by Sigourney Weaver). She loves Attenborough's voice and presentation; much better than Ms. Weaver's, though hers is certainly well done.

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Pat Petrillo's Learn To Read Rhythms Better

Excellent, very thorough, and very good value
the package that you pay for (for only a little more than the price of one lesson with any local drum teacher) gets you two DVDs which are interactive. The lessons are very well graduated. and you even get MP3s and a truly excellent 100 page ebook on the 2nd DVD.
Each example that Pat plays and counts over (with a moving Red arrow to show where he is) is played at a two tempos (Tempi?? reminds me of that great larson gag with the octopus at the podium)
One to clearly understand what is going on, and one more challenging and faster one to get the sound into your ear.
This is the kind of material with aspects that can become baffling when it's only in written form. Just having the whole audio-visual thing going on is enormously helpful because Pat demonstrates by talking about it i.e explaining, showing it, playing it and (most importantly) counting it correctly out loud.
You can replay each example as many times as you like. It's critical you get this as the DVDs...

DVD is GREAT!!!
I studied with Pat at The Collective, and this is exactly what we learned. This is the easiest way to learn to read rhythms quickly.
I now teach this method to all my students. I currently teach 41 students a week and they all have benifited from the sound pictures concept that Pat uses. It just works. I will be recommending this DVD to all of my students and all the teachers I know. This is simply a full curriculum for learning to read rhythms fast. Pat is a good guy, and great teacher, support him by picking up this product. YOU WILL LOVE IT!!!!

Pat's "Sound Picture" works fast!
I'm an old guy who has played drums for many, many years, but had very limited reading skills until now. This DVD is the answer. Pat's system gets to the heart of reading in a very clear and concise manner. AND, I'm learning that being able to read will allow me to up my game significantly. Buy it! You will not regret it. Thanks Pat!

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Farscape: The Complete Season Four [Blu-ray]

Don't be a frellnick, buy this set!
Now that word has arrived that we have the concluding mini-series (and thanks to all of my fellow 'scape fans for writing to Sci-Fi channel without which this would never have happened), I decided to take the plunge and buy season 4 to refresh my memory of what happened to Crichton and his merry band of pransters. Man what a great season. For those that need to know, this boxed is only different in one way from the individual two disc sets with season 4 episodes. It's cheaper. No other extra features besides a nice little box to put them inside. A pity I was hoping for something extra but, hey, with gas prices I'm happy I could save a few bucks. There are a number of strong episodes this season (and only one or two that I thought was absolutely lame)

In "Crichton Kicks" we are introduced to a new recurring character Sikozu as she crashes into the ship Crichton has taken refuge on in order to escape pirates interested in harvesting Leviathans. He's just about gotten his...

The best season of one of the greatest series of all time.
We all know how badly it sucks that Farscape was abruptly cancelled. BUT, in season 4 you get the brilliance of an amazing, complex show, truly hitting it's stride. They nailed this, it's one of my favorite single seasons of all time.

The acting and directing is phenomenal. You can sense that cast and crew have learned how to trust each other, and that they are not afraid to take risks. Both acting and directing is confident, intense, and also not afraid to be playful. They made me cry, they made me laugh, they made my jaw drop open. Multiple times.

The special effects and costumes and set design remain some of the most impressive ever on TV, and superior to many movies. That they were able to make this much magic 22 hours a year (7 years ago) blows my mind. And season 4, of course is the best ever for visuals and effects. They all have the basic visual language down cold by now, so they are able to polish and enrich existing props (notice how much more...

The last stand (well, almost)
The fourth, and ultimately final, season of Farscape saw astronaut John Crichton (Ben Browder) and Aeryn (Claudia Black) end up together as the seeds of what will be an uneasy alliance between Crichton and Scorpius (Wayne Pygram) are planted when Scorpius saves Aeryn's life. War begins to brew as the reptillian-esque Scarrans now seek the wormhole technology Crichton knows to rule the universe, no matter the cost. The series finale, appropriately entitled "Bad Timing", ends on a heck of a cliffhanger and both Crichton and Aeryn are blasted to bits, leading way to the recent, and outstanding, mini-series Farscape: The Peacekeeper Wars. While the fourth season of Farscape wasn't the best the series had to offer, it was still exceptional sci-fi TV that continued to soar in new and innovative directions. In the end however, despite suffering the untimely fate of cancellation, Farscape did what shows like Babylon 5 and the various Star Trek series' couldn't do: continue to be original,...

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Turandot [Blu-ray]

Wonderful production of Turandot!
Just from the cover - Turandot, Maria Guleghina, the Arena Di Verona, and staged by Franco Zeffirelli - this DVD said "buy me" right off the bat. And was I ever grateful to receive it and pop it in my DVD player. It is excellent from start to finish.

Puccini's music is captivating and emotionally draws the listener in, and conductor Giuliano Carella's interpretation is just fantastic. I was already familiar with Maria Guleghina's abilities, having seen her in a previous production of Turandot, but here performance here is filled with nuances that really enable the viewer to empathize with her, particularly when Liu meets her untimely end and Turandot realizes what she has really done. Salvatore Licitra's performance as Calaf is very, very good, and it was refreshing to see him doing an encore of the Nessun Dorma as he did it so well - this type of encore being something not often seen in the United States where I live. And I don't know where to begin talking about...

Not as good as the "old" Met production with Eva Marton
I have both this production on Blu-ray and the old Met version from 1987, both staged by Franco Zefirelli. Both have Italian subtitles. The new version was filmed at the Arena of Verona and is spectacular. But I prefer the older version: Eva Marton is really the ice-cold princess while Maria Guleghina looks not just like an old maid, but also like an old woman (Blu-ray shows a lot that might better remain unseen). Placido Domingo is a better actor, sure of himself as a man. Leona Mitchell is the better Liu, ready to die for her love, and her death is far more moving that that of Tamar Iveri.

There are two awkward moments in the Verona production. The first one after Nessun Dorma: first the orchestra stops, then the public understands that they are supposed to applaud wildly, and they do; this seems pre-arranged to enable the tenor to get his fill of applause. The aria is then repeated. The second awkward moment is when Calaf kisses Turandot. He is a couple of inches...

Opera Reviews
I purchased this because I have bought other operas done in the same venue. The expansive setting was a wonder to behold, especially when the royal palace appears. Unbelievable gold and lighting of that set. So expansive. I have no arguments against any of the singing. I was only too happy let the prince answer the three questions. If I had to do so, I would have lost my head.

When I purchase an opera, I look for the staging, sets, and the camera work as well as the singing/orchestra. This met all those criteria.

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Aaron Copland - Music in the 20's

Insightful commentary on an important time for music
The description above tells us the facts about this excellent set. Copland was always a fine explicator of music, and he comes across as very personable here. He discusses the significant aspects of the music on a level that would have been comprehensible to a literate music lover of the time (though, sadly, it's probably over the heads of most listeners today). The musical selections are very well chosen, especially since they were logistically limited to nothing larger than a chamber orchestra. The performances by a group of crack Boston musicians, with some bigger-name soloists, are splendid, and Copland shows that he was an excellent conductor. An interesting feature is the abstract stage sets, which usually relate in some way to the music. It's also interesting to see how the perceptions of trends and composers, and their importance, have changed in the last half-century. All in all, a most enjoyable set of programs, and recommendable to anyone interested in the development of...

Copland lectures
An excellent survey of the music produced in the 20's, primarily in Paris, by one who was part of it and met most of the composers who were part of it. A unique opportunity of getting musical history first hand.

Classic footage, great music
This superb 3-DVD set contains all the half-hour TV episodes from the mid-1960's WGBH-produced survey of music composed in the 1920's, written and hosted by Aaron Copland. His wry and informative analysis of the many musical developments during this decade is reinforced by in-studio performances that serve as superb illustrations of a particular composer and/or trend. The performances feature a great Boston-based pickup band that is joined by a famous guest performer or soloist. This classic footage of the many well-known performers, as well as Mr. Copland's conducting (in fine mid-60's form) is invaluable.

For curious musicians, this is a major historical document, and well worth the price.

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Weill: Rise & Fall of the City of Mahagonny [Blu-ray]

Good La Fura dels Baus production
When it was originally composed in 1930, Kurt Weill and Bertolt Brecht intended Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny (Aufstieg und Fall der Stadt Mahagonny) to be as much a satire of opera and a reaction to the state of the Weimar Republic. Now, when taken alongside such like-minded work contemporary works by Hindemith and Berg, it just sounds like great opera - but it still functions as a scathing satire on all the subjects it deals with, particularly the nature of capitalism, on which it still has very relevant points to make. You can call it music theatre if you like, but Weill's score for Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny is considerably more sophisticated than that, working in a variety of styles to create a deliberate alienating effect, drawing on specific references, creating dissonance and unsettling arrangements, using unexpected plot points to keep the listener engaged and keep them from complacently and unquestioningly accepting operatic conventions.

If...





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Looney Tunes: Platinum Collection, Vol. 1 [Blu-ray]

Hi-def masters for the Golden Collections get a Hi-def Blu-ray release. Disc 3 is Standard Definition.
***** - the films
***** - the discs

This review may seem contradictory, this is a five-star set of cartoons presented in a five-star Blu-ray release, and I have to rate this set on those merits. But there are some things not five-star for those of us who have been collecting the Golden Collections on DVD.

O.K, , you are probably saying "These Looney Tunes Blu-ray titles seem familiar", that is because just about all of them have been released on the DVD Golden, Oscar, & Superstars Collections. Why? Because when they were restored for those Collections they were restored in Hi-Definition 1080p, so Warner had an easy Blu-ray release here with out spending much money for new film transfers.

This means that unlike the "Wow" effect we got when we first saw the Golden Collection DVDs after watching washed out Laserdiscs & VHS tapes, this time we will see the same film transfers with improved restoration in 1080p resolution. I have seen the Blu-ray...

Spectacular collection with many essentials
You wouldn't buy or download a CD without knowing what was on it, would you? So why would you buy this DVD collection without knowing its contents?
So first off, its contents. Why Amazon doesn't list this info is beyond me. This is a collection of 50 vintage Warner Brothers cartoons, many of which are classics.
Disc 1
Hare Tonic
Baseball Bugs
Buccaneer Bunny
The Old Grey Hare
Rabbit Hood
8 Ball Bunny
Rabbit of Seville
What's Opera Doc?
The Great Piggy Bank Robbery
A Pest in the House
The Scarlet Pumpernickel
Duck Amuck
Robin Hood Daffy
Baby Bottleneck
Kitty Kornered
Scaredy Cat
Porky Chops
Old Glory
A Tale of Two Kitties
Tweetie Pie
Fast and Furry-ous
Beep, Beep
Lovelorn Leghorn
For Scent-imental Reasons
Speedy Gonzales
Disc 2
One Froggy Evening
Three Little Bops
I Love to Singa
Katnip Kollege
The Dover Boys at Pimento...

Fans of Marvin the Martian or Taz? This set has got you covered!
The main draw for me to purchase this set was that it included the complete collection of Marvin the Martian and Taz cartoons, as I already have the 6 Golden Collections and all the Superstars discs. Well after getting it and watching some of the cartoons my mind was blown as to how well the cartoons look on a 1080p set. The colors pop as if they were produced just yesterday. Although in some of the cartoons scratches and dust are more noticeable (one has to remember that these cartoons were made around 60-70 years ago), but it does not detract from the overall experience.

Also included in the collector's set is a certificate of authenticity,a framed lithograph titled "The Looney Tunes March," a tin sign that features Bugs and Daffy, and of all things a Bugs Bunny shot glass. According to the box, only 36,000 of these sets were produced, so for die-hard Looney Tunes collectors this might be right up your alley!

Disc 1 contains a random assortment of goodies from...

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The Little Mermaid [Blu-ray]

A modern masterpiece
Dance theater at its best. Beautifully filmed with great sensitivity to the complex and multi-layered choreography. John Neumeier is a force of nature and this ballet is perhaps one of his very best. Very few, if any, choreographers today are able to sustain a 2 hour story-based ballet, while creating a self-contained universe on stage that brings the audience to an overwhelming emotional climax - as it is the case with this great work of art. His commission of a brand new musical score that is able to sustain and enhance the emotional impact of the choreography so organically was a stroke of genius. This is the future of dance theater and without a doubt a modern masterpiece.

Simply amazing!!!! I loved it!!!
Absolutely love this DVD!! I saw this production live in San Francisco War memorial Opera House about a year and half ago, and really enjoyed it. Finally I get to have the DVD. Yay!!! The principal ballerina Yuan Yuan Tan is truly amazing, and role fits her perfectly. It seemed as if the role was created just for her!!!! I really wish to see more of her DVDs as I no longer live in San Francisco, but really want to see her dance. The entire cast was just as wonderful. The camera work was great, and the costumes were colorful and creative. This is definitely a DVD or blue-ray to own. I'm also thinking about buying a Blue-ray as well since sometimes DVDs wear out over years of playing, and the edition could be out of print by then. I would like to keep this production in my library forever.



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The Try: Reclaiming the American Dream (Book and DVD)

Excellent: I love it.
Excellent content and a very strong positive message that can be used in any walk of life at any age.





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Kinshasa Symphony [Blu-ray]

The joy of creating music
Kinshasa Symphony is an amazing film about the challenges of building one of the most complex systems in human cooperation in one of the most chaotic cities in the world - a symphonic orchestra and choir in Kinshasa, DR Congo. It is about Kinshasa and the daily lives of its people, it is about making something work with very little, it is about the joys of rehearsing and performing Beethoven's Ninth and other classical music. Anyone who has ever played in an orchestra or sung in a choir, anyone who has ever been to Africa or is interested in Africa, anyone who has faced challenges with little on hand will greatly enjoy this movie.

Inspiration Beyond Words
This truly remarkable documentary about the Democratic Republic of the Congo's sole symphony orchestra powerfully depicts the collective challenges facing the 16-year-old organization of amateur, mostly self-taught musicians, including: internal and external wars, widespread sexual violence, poverty, disease and famine. The filmmakers balance this overall perspective with a sharp focus on a half-dozen individual musicians whose dedicated efforts to sustain and improve their artistry while struggling to make a living are representative of all 200 members. What the film does best, however, is capture the pure, transforming joy of creating music, no matter the circumstances or setting. To their credit, the filmmakers never preach or try to manipulate the viewer's emotions; they simply let the strength and resilience and ambition of the musicians speak for itself. Their collective story is heartbreaking, eye-opening, surreal, often funny and profoundly uplifting.

Amazing
If you want a blessing this is it. If you want to learn gratitude for what you have this is your lesson. If you want to be amazed by passion and ingenuity and a sense of community come visit people who live and think outside the box and make music of it.

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6 Ed Sullivan Shows Starring The Rolling Stones / [2 DVD]

Brilliantly restored and as easy to navigate as a magic carpet ride.
P.S. Colbert, DVD Verdict --The half-dozen appearances the filthy five made on The Ed Sullivan Show certainly weren't the group's most revelatory television spots--only vocals were performed live, and even those were abetted by pre-recorded backing tracks--but they may have been the most important. Remember this same variety hour formally introduced The Beatles to America, effectively ushering in our second "British Invasion."

Just as they did for The Fab Four, the good folks at SOFA Entertainment have packaged the whole kit 'n caboodle of meetings between The Stones and Sullivan (easily the most ill-suited man to ever host a variety show), presenting each episode in its entirety, including commercials for Hai Karate after shave, Aerowax floor shine, "Medically Tested" Proslim reducing pills, Vivarin Stimulant Tablets, and the occasional health advisory: "If you're not taking color pictures with the new Polaroid Colorpak camera, there's something being left out of your...

Great set on the cover but not the original episodes
After the great set of Ed Sullivan Shows of the Beatles featuring the four originals episodes(but slightly edited of the cigarette commercials and one performance of Mitzi Gaynor edited for whatever reason), the three originals episode of Elvis Presley with magnificiant remasterisation of the picture using VidFire that allows kinescope telerecording to be finally viewed like it was when originaly broadcast in semi video quality. Here we have the six appearances of the Rolling Stones on the Ed Sullivan Show. I don't say originals because it is not the original episodes as broadcast. All of the episodes have something missing here and there, Tom Jones original song in that episode is "It's not unusual", not "Whatcha gonna do about it" taken from another episode June 13, 1965, Dusty Springfield original song is "All Cried Out" not the badly edited second song of a medley taken from an episode of May 1964!!!. The most weird is the Franco Corelli & Renaldo Tebaldi number (replacing a...

Best Set of Live Stones Performances
This collection from The Ed Sullivan Show has the best collection of live Rolling Stones performances. This captures the Stones when they were young, raw and making name for themselves in the US. In my opinion, the best music from The Rolling Stones came in the mid to late 60s when Brian Jones was still part of the band. Really happy to see this collection available.

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Strauss: Die Liebe Der Danae

Rediscovered masterpiece
Die Liebe der Danae was completed by Strauss in 1940 and had five Librettists-Hofmannsthal,Zweig,Gregor,Krauss and himself.The offical first performance of the opera was at the 1952 Salzburg festival,three years after Strauss's death.Since then there have only been 20 performances.Possibly the libretto was seen as out of touch with the times. Also,Strauss stated about the opera" that he sought not lyricism,not poetry,not sentimentality,but a theatre of reason,full of brains and dry wit"The music is mainly light in texture ,but in the last act Strauss regains the warmth and richness of his last works, Capriccio and the Last four songs,and throughout the opera, looks back at Daphne.Jupiters Renunciation stands alongside his most beautiful pieces he ever wrote.

This opera is right in tune with today. For example, Act one, Scene 1: The throne room of King Pollux. A state crisis:there is no money in the coffers.To soothe his creditors, King Pollux sends his four nephews to King...

GOOD DVD
I partially agree in some points with the previous two reviewers.In a nutshell,this is not a bad DVD and perhaps the only one we're gonna come across of this forgotten opera by a long shot,that is in the commercial market,of course.
Granted,the production is silly,score sheets instead of gold rain,Midas in trenchcoat and shirt and so on. But basically regisseur Kristin Harms respected the main elements of Gregor's libretto and transported the action from mythological times to an undetermined timeframe.That doesn't bother me that much. Even the suspended piano represents for her the state in which art found itself in the time of the composer. This last detail is completely unnecessary,yet not quite frugal.

In terms of the singers: Regarding german soprano Manuela Uhl,I beg to disagree with the previous reviewer.She navigates through the tough role with easiness,and she seems to have learnt from having sung it for many years,i.e. the previous CPO
audio set where she...

lyrically luscious, visually vacuous
Richard Strauss's rarely performed penultimate opera here makes its commercial DVD debut. The true star of this release is Strauss's seamless, rhapsodic score, thrillingly conducted by Andrew Litton with an assist from the sonics, heavily balanced in favor of the orchestra though never drowning out the soloists. Of the 3 principals, Mark Delavan excels as the Wotanesque Jupiter, Matthias Klink's Midas is pleasant to look at & listen to, while Manuela Uhl, who was also the Danae in the opera's 1st commercial CD release (on cpo), is often troubled by a pronounced wobble, even more noticeable in this 2011 performance than on the CD set recorded in 2003.

But it's the staging that makes viewing this CD so disconcerting, the mythical characters in ugly modern dress, principals moving this way & that with no dramatic logic, pages of music score somehow representing both golden rain & a gold hair-clip, other objects referred to in the text but nowhere in sight &, above all (in...

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Portrait of a Lady

True to James' novel
This movie has haunted me since I first saw it in its theatrical release. I hadn't read the book when I saw the movie but corrected that after viewing. The movie is mysterious at the end and I hoped to gain some insight in reading the book. I did. The movie is very true to James' novel which ends ambiguously. The movie slowly unfolds and for some there won't be enough action but if you like period pieces that are very literary and allow one to think during scenes you will like Campion's direction of this story.

Forget the book, watch this movie
I purchased the Henry James novel, Portrait of a Lady, several years ago and what I remember most about the book is that I could not manage to remain interested long enough to move beyond the first few chapters. During his lifetime, Williams James criticized his younger brother's novels for, in so many words, containing too much tedious detail that only stood in the way of the plot. I could not agree more, However, what Director Jane Campion has done with this story is anything but tedious. She begins with rich settings and unusual camera angles then brings the characters to life with a very convincing all-star cast. Nicole Kidman does a fabulous portrayal of Isabel Archer, the independent-minded and impetuous young American heiress who is so intent on remaining single - if only to avoid marriage to a 'proper man of means' because it is what's 'expected' of her - that she finds herself running from the one man who, out of genuine love and concern, pursues her across an ocean...

Excellent performances but curtailed ending
First of all, no adaptation can ever equal the great book by Henry James. He had a gift not only for writing about displacement but also for writing complicated women - women who strive for a better place, a better solution and a better role to fill than the limited one afforded to them by society. Isabel Archer is one of his greatest creations and I thought she was wonderfully played by Nicole Kidman. This is a difficult role and it could not have been easy for her to take it on as Isabel runs the gamut of emotions from start to finish. She inhabits the role of Isabel - of being that woman who longs for something more, something elusive, something different. Her co-stars provide her with the very thing she longed for, to the ultimate sad outcome.

Martin Donovan and Barbara Hershey deserve extra accolades for the believability they lent to their characterizations of Ralph Touchett and Serena Merle. Ralph is the unacknowledged heart of the story until his sad demise and...

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Band of Drivers

Just plain funny.
Shocking! Bizarre! Funny! A great cast of hilarious characters in a wild, insane, off the wall movie. If you've ever delivered pizzas you can relate to this film.





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Berliner Philharmoniker & Yutaka Sado [Blu-ray]

Visuals 1: CDs and downloads yet to score
I've just been very rude in a review of the two-CD set of this concert, not because of the musical content but because of the impact of the visuals on this DVD.

If ever there was a piece which demonstrated that CD-only and downloads of music have had it - or are on the way out - then the Takemitsu performance on this DVD goes some long way to showing why.

CD freaks, test yourselves. Buy the CDs [at incredible prices] or listen to this DVD, to be played with the visuals off. Play the Takemitsu - just over half an hour - and enjoy. It's a haunting, moving piece, but stick with it if you're not used to a fine composer [I've loved him since Ozawa's November Steps, issued first on LP]. Then beg, borrow or steal a DVD player, and watch the Takemitsu.

If your comprehension of the music, your delight in its development, your admiration for the master musicians involved are not increased a thousandfold, then by all means lead the poor, insufficient life...

Marvelous Shostakovich Five
If you are looking for a marvelous Shostakovich Five, here it is. Yutaka Sado and the Berliner Philharmoniker - in superb form all the way - give a smashing performance of the composer's answer to Stalin and arguably his most popular work. From the brooding Moderato through the sarcastic Allegretto and the beautiful though utterly desolate Largo to the martial and ultimately "triumphant" Allegro non troppo, everything is done with enormous energy, with subtlety and the "right" tempi throughout. Listening to this is an emotional experience of the first order: you will be deeply touched by the performance. Yutaka Sado is a new name to me, and I will be sure to keep an eye on his outstanding talent in the future. The Takemitsu piece for five percussionists and orchestra is certainly intriguing. I hope that repeated listening will help me find my way into its exotic realm. For now, I welcome the challenge. Add excellent audio and video and you have a clear winner in this disk.

Incredible sound and video
As the British would say "That was bloody brilliant!" In truth, I don't know where to start on a list of superlatives. To begin with, this is by far the best audio recording on Bluray that I've heard to date. It sounds like very close miking, because all instruments are highlighted.The shear power of the cellos and basses at the start of the second movement of the Shostakovich puts me in mind of the Decca audio recordings of the sixties.( This is the sound I wanted to hear, but didn't, in the recent Chailly Mahler 2 at the very start of the symphony.) The last movement took my breath away, and had me leaping up off the couch to conduct! The very last bars with the combined timpani and bass drum will blow you away. Contrast this with the almost inaudible timpani on the Tilson Thomas recording, now sounding pretty limp by comparison to this one.

The Shostakovich 5 is a super reading, with the first and third movements very persuasively done, in a very layered fashion. As...

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Posture, Get It Straight! DVD

Excellent program that works
I actually bought the original DVD of Janice Novak's posture program two years ago, which I loved (and did a review of here on Amazon). I noticed, however, that I wasn't doing the program as regularly as I should be since the main DVD is almost 90 minutes long. I would try to do the exercises on my own, but I like having something to follow along to, and I got lazy about fast-forwarding through all the explanations. I did a search the other day to see if any new posture DVD's had come out, and was excited to see that Novak had released an exercise-only disk.

When I looked at Novak's website, it seemed as if Disk 1 in this two-disk pack was different from the original DVD (which is why I ordered this two-disk set), but they are the same. *So please note that if you already have the original DVD, then you do not need this two-pack set, but should instead buy the exercise-only DVD (disk 2) that is sold separately.*

That being said, this program WORKS! I...

Extremely pleased with this brilliant program!
I went from a vulture-headed, slouching posture, which I thought was impossible to change, to someone who now gets compliments on my posture. This is an ingenous program that was really easy to implement. The 'Standing Alignment' section contains invaluable information that had me standing straighter immediately. The exercises to correct specific posture problems are easy to do and helped me get remarkable results. This program really delivers. There is no denying - I have really good posture now. Many people have noticed and commented. I love the 'exercise-only' disc. I can pop it in, skip to any section I want and exercise along with. There is also a free resistance band included for added value. I would recommend this two-disc set to anyone who wants to improve their posture because it really works.

From "Ouch" to "Ahhh"...
When I first saw the package for Janice Novak's Posture Get It Straight 2-set DVD, I thought if even one of the nine techniques improves my posture, I would be the winner.

I was the poster child for the effects of bad posture from being slumped over my computer: headaches and neck problems, and those ever-present aches in my back and shoulders. Until I looked at this posture issue as affecting my breathing, circulation and digestion, I didn't realize that is what was causing my stomach problems. I was a mess. Now with those short 10-15 minute exercises, I am feeling-and looking much better. I DO look taller, thinner and younger, and I did it myself.

I like that I am in control of my health and my time as I can do these exercises quickly and when time permits, in my own home. I keep the resistance band by my computer and several times a day I do some stretches. Even that simple effort has made me feel so much better.

As I watch young people playing...

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WWE Best of Raw & SmackDown Collection (Amazon Exclusive)

The Longest Running Weekly Episodic Television Shows In History
This is a special collectors pack where various past DVD sets are put together as one with a common theme & in this case, it's the WWE flagship shows of RAW & SmackDown. It should be noted that these are the regular versions of the DVD sets & not the Blu-Ray.

RAW "The Beginning" - Best Of Seasons 1 & 2:
The show that eventually became the longest running episodic television show in history" had to start somewhere so on this collection goes back to where it all started in the early days of RAW. Now this is one of those "no-frills" collections in that there isn't a host & you don't hear from any other wrestlers or talents looking back at the show, you just get the moments & matches with a special fact regarding either the performer or incident beforehand. (like finding out one of the "RAW girls" who held up the signs before the matches went on to become a member of the U.S. Senate).
Various matches include Koko B. Ware vs. Yokozuna in the first ever match on RAW,...

Great Savings!
This is a Great Way to save money in your WWE Dvd Collection, get it will is low, and have plenty of fun.



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Three Colors: Blue, White, Red (Criterion Collection)

The Trilogy DVD set from Miramax
The late great Polish director Krzysztof Kieslowski cleverly "adapted" the three French ideals -- liberty, equality, fraternity -- into three thought-provoking modern-day dramas about people who cope with personal losses and tragedies. In BLUE, the first of the trilogy, a widow tries to set herself free (and gain liberty) from her emotional baggages. The second film, WHITE, is about a jilted man's outrageous plot to get even (thus, equality) with his ex-wife. The last film, RED, which is also Kieslowski's final film before he died in 1996, is about a lonely old man who is embittered by the memories of his youth and finds accidental companionship (fraternity) with a young model. All three films are understated in their tone, economical in their dialogs, elliptical in their editing and plotting (there are some mind-boggling flashbacks and flash forwards in WHITE), and haunting in their atmosphere.

The references to the three French ideals are actually quite tenuous, and in fact...

Review of Criterion's Blu-ray Edition
*** 11/26/11: ADDED REVIEW OF CRITERION BLU-RAY EDITION ***

The late great Polish director Krzysztof Kieslowski cleverly "adapted" the three French ideals -- liberty, equality, fraternity -- into three thought-provoking modern-day dramas about people who cope with personal losses and tragedies. In BLUE, the first of the trilogy, a widow tries to set herself free (and gain liberty) from her emotional baggages. The second film, WHITE, is about a jilted man's outrageous plot to get even (thus, equality) with his ex-wife. The last film, RED, which is also Kieslowski's final film before he died in 1996, is about a lonely old man who is embittered by the memories of his youth and finds accidental companionship (fraternity) with a young model. All three films are understated in their tone, economical in their dialogs, elliptical in their editing and plotting (there are some mind-boggling flashbacks and flash forwards in WHITE), and haunting in their atmosphere.

The...

One of the greatest cinematic experiences of the 1990s
The Three Colors Trilogy comprises 3 superb films (Bleu/Blanc/Rouge) by the late, great director Krzysztof Kieslowski. The films use the symbolism expressed by the colors of the French flag for their themes (liberty, equality, fraternity). The Three Colors is Kieslowski's crowning achievement, and Rouge, his final film, is probably his masterpiece. That's saying something, because some of his previous films (Decalogue, The Double Life of Veronique) are among the greatest films of the last 20 years! I saw Bleu (with Juliette Binoche) a long time ago and was very impressed. It's a sad but beautful movie, about a composer's widow and how she copes with life after his death. Blanc (with Julie Delpy) is about life for a man after he is unceremoniously dumped by his wife; it's the lightest and most comedic of the three films. Rouge (with Irene Jacob) is my favorite and explores the melancholy (and platonic) relationship that develops between a young lady and an older man. Jacob is quite...

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Symphony 2 [Blu-ray]

Rising to the Level of the Indispensable
All of a sudden, in this centennial year of the death of Mahler, there are now four Mahler Seconds on Blu-Ray.
ABBADO's Lucerne performance of 19/20 August 2003 was the first to appear on Blu-Ray. There was a sound problem with the initial release, but it has been fixed. My copy forms part of the boxed set of the first seven symphonies, where the First and the Second are combined onto one disc, the Third and Fourth on another, the Fifth and Sixth on another, while the Seventh is sole occupant of another disc. It is wonderful to have all the Mahler symphonies out on Blu-ray already so early in the life of the format, and the bulk of them presented by Abbado's handpicked Lucerne players. The contributions of Berlin veterans like clarinettist Sabine Meyer and flautist Emmanuel Pahud are highlighted in the Second, and their presence is missed in the First, which was recorded later. The blu-ray sound of the Second is astonishingly better than on the prior DVD release, and reveals...

Huge improvement over dvd release
This performance by Boulez has always been a yardstick against which other versions are measured. I will not try and repeat the essence of the several excellent reviews of the original dvd. I will point out some important differences between this and the competition by Chailly, Abbado and Gilbert now that we're on a level Bluray playing field.

Firstly, the improvement in both sound and video in this bluray over the dvd is mind boggling. Even though this recording is now over six years old, the picture quality is impeccable, every little detail visible. The sound is downright scary in its power (I used DTS MASTER audio). One of the biggest differences is the cellos and basses, particularly in the opening bars. The close miking here gives exactly the impact you want in this entry. Likewise, throughout the piece, because of Boulez's regard for lines and counterpoint, everything is heard in all its glorious detail. By contrast, Chailly does not bring the basses properly to the...



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El Rey León (The Lion King) (Spanish Edition)

Yes, buy it.
Disney's The Lion King is finally available on DVD. Considered the cream of the crop of all the Disney animated features by many, it is definitely worth owning. I don't think I'll go into the story, which I'm sure most of you know. Chances are you've already seen the movie and are just waiting to own it on a piece of media that won't rot like your VHS tape that probably fell apart by now. Even if Disney released a sub par release of this movie, you'd buy it.
Luckily, this is one of the best releases ever.

Video and Audio is supreme in this release. Especially vibrant is the 5.1 sound. Of all the older Disney releases, this one benefits the most I think, with the powerful music and sound effects present in this release. Hearing James Earl Jones as Mufasa blaring in thunderous 5.1 sound is quite amazing. Likewise the excellent music, such as the opening Circle of Life. Present in this release is the original theatrical version as well as a version with new music/song...

Movie 5 stars, 3D -- only about a 2.5
I own a quite a few 3D movies, so perhaps my expectations were too high, but despite some stellar reviews on the 3D on this product by some other reviewers, I have to tell you the quality is FAR less than made-for-3D movies such as Despicable Me.

Do you remember those "3D" games/cartoons where the "3D" effect as you were supposedly either walking, or in a car, going along the road was the part closest to you moved slow, then there was a part in the middle that moved a bit faster, and then the part near the top of the screen moved the fastest? This is only a step above that. It is more like layered 2D images than true 3D. Yes, there are a few parts where true 3D is apparent, but those are few and far between.

Sorry, I can't help but think that some of the people have either let their love of the movie color their perception of what good 3D looks like, or they simply do not have many 3D movies to compare to.

I actually found the 2D blu-ray disc, or...

probably THE BEST ANIMATED FILM !
After the movie Little Mermaid came out, Disney would make 3 other animated masterpieces: Beauty & the Beast, Aladdin, and The Lion King, that would change the way we looked at animated films, somthing new, something wonderful.But of all these 4 great animated films, in my opinion The Lion King was the greatest. The music was just, beautiful, and Scar was probably the most EVIL Disney villain the was ever drawn on a piece of paper.You hated him, but you almost liked him, because he was so great. But probably the best part of the movie was Simba's pal's Pumbaa and Timon, the BEST Disney characters EVER!!! The scene where Timon was doing the hula, I thought I was going to die from laughing. Anybody from toddler to 10 year old to 60 year from boy to old woman to teenager and so forth will, without a doubt, LOVE this movie, everyone.

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