Father Goose [VHS]

You looking to find the "Father Goose [VHS]" Good news! You can purchase Father Goose [VHS] with secure price and compare to view update price on this product. And deals on this product is available only for limited time.

Price: $532.49   

Father Goose [VHS] Review

If you liked the original The Odd Couple - slob and compulsive neatnik thrown together in the same apartment - or Heaven Knows Mr. Allison - tough guy WWII Marine marooned on an enemy-held South Pacific island with a pretty nun, then you should enjoy FATHER GOOSE starring Cary Grant, Leslie Caron and Trevor Howard. I saw it once again on the telly this past weekend while doing the ironing, and I'm fortunate to be old enough to have an appreciation of all three films.

Grant is Walter Eckland, an antisocial, unkempt escapee from "civilization" that spends his time bumming around the South Seas on an old yacht. At the start of WWII, he's coerced into service as a "coast watcher", an observer stationed on a remote island as a lookout for Japanese planes or ships, by the wily and dry-witted local Royal Australian Navy authority figure, Comdr. Houghton (Howard). Eckland is bribed with booze to perform in His Majesty's service. One of his first assignments is to boat over to another island and rescue a fellow coast watcher. But, on arriving, he finds only his colleague's grave and the Caron character, Catherine Freneau, the daughter of a French government official, who's been stranded with a bevy of underage schoolgirls of which she has charge. Walter naturally takes them back to his island and his hovel, where the differences between the two adults soon surface. To Eckland, Freneau becomes "Goody Two Shoes", while, to the latter, her knight in stained armor becomes the "Filthy Beast".

While admittedly silly entertainment, FATHER GOOSE is a delightful romantic comedy that doesn't, like some of the current Tinseltown offerings, rely for laughs on sensitive body parts being caught in zippers, bodily fluids masquerading as hair gel, or carnal knowledge of apple pies. This film has Class, chiefly due to the presence of Grant, who character demonstrates more suavity unshaven and without socks than any one of today's crop of male actors dressed up in a tux. (Perhaps only Sean Connery, Robert Redford and Paul Newman are close to being in the same league.) Caron's strong-willed and very feminine Freneau is more than a match for Eckland's obstinately boorish masculinity - a pairing made in heaven, or at least Hollywood.

Perhaps my high esteem for this film is more a function of nostalgia. But there're a lot of other films from that same period of my youth that are eminently forgettable, so I have to think that FATHER GOOSE is a cut above.

Most of the consumer Reviews tell that the "Father Goose [VHS]" are high quality item. You can read each testimony from consumers to find out cons and pros from Father Goose [VHS] ...

Fear of a Black Hat [VHS]

You looking to find the "Fear of a Black Hat [VHS]" Good news! You can purchase Fear of a Black Hat [VHS] with secure price and compare to view update price on this product. And deals on this product is available only for limited time.

Price: $508.38   

Fear of a Black Hat [VHS] Review

When a friend reccomended this movie, some time ago, I was kind of reluctent to rent a movie about a rap group that has a thing about hats. I eventually broke down and did rent it. This movie is a great satire/parody of rap and its' various movers and sometime shakers. The obvious comparison between this movie and This is spinal tap begins and ends with the music element. Fear of a black hat hits every social/cultural hot button there is while streaming along with truly funny developments that mirror real life events. In short buy this movie and laugh your ass off.

Most of the consumer Reviews tell that the "Fear of a Black Hat [VHS]" are high quality item. You can read each testimony from consumers to find out cons and pros from Fear of a Black Hat [VHS] ...

A Simple Wish [VHS]

You looking to find the "A Simple Wish [VHS]" Good news! You can purchase A Simple Wish [VHS] with secure price and compare to view update price on this product. And deals on this product is available only for limited time.

Price: $484.02   

A Simple Wish [VHS] Review

This is a really great family movie. I recommend it for anyone to watch. It is really cute and the music is really great throughout the film. I just wish that they would make a soundtrack of the whole songs. I would certainly buy that. It is a must see.

Most of the consumer Reviews tell that the "A Simple Wish [VHS]" are high quality item. You can read each testimony from consumers to find out cons and pros from A Simple Wish [VHS] ...

The Hallelujah Trail [VHS]

You looking to find the "The Hallelujah Trail [VHS]" Good news! You can purchase The Hallelujah Trail [VHS] with secure price and compare to view update price on this product. And deals on this product is available only for limited time.

Price: $538.79   

The Hallelujah Trail [VHS] Review

If you can imagine a comic twist on Wild West legends, it's probably in this film. Burt Lancaster shows a part of his talent that few are aware of: he is a superior comic actor. A sprawling lampoon of Calvary vs Indians, whiskey-swilling miners vs temperance workers and man vs woman, the Hallelujah Trail is a mad-cap roller coaster ride through the back trails of the classic western. If you love boots and saddles, comedy or Burt Lancaster, this is a must see. Just keep the tissues handy and find a soft place for falling out of your chair or off the couch. They don't get much better.

Most of the consumer Reviews tell that the "The Hallelujah Trail [VHS]" are high quality item. You can read each testimony from consumers to find out cons and pros from The Hallelujah Trail [VHS] ...

Mr. Arkadin [VHS]

You looking to find the "Mr. Arkadin [VHS]" Good news! You can purchase Mr. Arkadin [VHS] with secure price and compare to view update price on this product. And deals on this product is available only for limited time.

Price: $478.17   

Mr. Arkadin [VHS] Review

Orson Welles wrote and directed "Mr. Arkadin" based on 3 episodes of "The Lives of Harry Lime" (1951-1952) radio show, in which Welles starred as antihero adventurer Harry Lime, reprising his role from the 1949 film "The Third Man". Guy Van Stratten (Robert Arden) -con artist, "petty adventurer", and, according to himself, "the world's greatest sucker"- was smuggling cigarettes with girlfriend Mily (Patricia Medina) in Naples harbor when a man named Bracco (Gregoire Aslan) was stabbed on the dock. Bracco whispered 2 names to Mily with his dying breath. One name was Gregory Arkadin (Orson Welles), a fabulously wealthy international financier. Thinking that Bracco's dying words might be worth something to Arkadin, Guy tries to ingratiate himself with Arkadin's daughter Raina (Paola Mori), while Mily uses her charms to get close to him. Disapproving of Guy's relationship with Raina and realizing his ambitions, Mr. Arkadin proposes to pay Guy to investigate his past in exchange for Guy abandoning Raina. Arkadin claims to suffer from amnesia, knowing nothing before he found himself in Zurich in 1927 with 200,000 Swiss francs in his pocket. With this information, Guy criss-crosses Europe trying to reconstruct Arkadin's past. (4 stars)

"Mr. Arkadin" has been called a burlesque and a pastiche of Orson Welles' earlier films. It's not clear whether to take it literally, figuratively, or as satire -although the film's outrightly comic scenes are its best. Robert Arden's performance is often considered the weak spot in the film, because he doesn't make Guy Van Stratten sympathetic. I think Arden portrays Guy's clumsy, obnoxious ambition rather well actually. He's not a sympathetic character, but a junior Mr. Arkadin. There are many wonderful supporting performances. The weakness is Mr. Arkadin himself, who is a caricature rather than a character. Called "the ogre" by his daughter and a "phenomenon of an age of disillusion and crisis" by his enemies, Mr. Arkadin has a ridiculous appearance and manner, and his actions rarely make sense. A large man with a conspicuously coiffed hair and beard, he is simply absurd. Welles' keen sense of the absurd comes through in canted camera angles and lavish, chaotic art direction. The seemingly modern tale is set before an intriguing medieval backdrop of castles, peasants, and religious ritual. The Goya-inspired masquerade ball adds a touch of grotesque to the already unsettling tone.

Adding to the absurdity, Welles often changed his mind about structure and dialogue, forcing some scenes to be dubbed later. Welles himself dubbed several parts, including Bracco and The Professor. That was probably for technical reasons, but it's unfortunate. Scenes dubbed out of artistic whim are recognizable for speech that doesn't match the actors' lips. Welles lost control of the film in the editing process, as usual, ultimately resulting in several different versions of "Mr. Arkadin". Producer Louis Dolivet, a stealthy character himself, took the film away from Welles, because he was editing only 2 minutes of final product per week. Louis Dolivet was a communist who had been Welles' political mentor for a few years in the 1940s. Dolivet later had colorful career as a Soviet espionage agent, but insofar as "Mr. Arkadin" was concerned, he did the capitalist thing and sued Welles. The Criterion Collection offers 3 versions of the film in this "The Complete Mr. Arkadin" set (5 stars). Optional English subtitles are available.

DISC 1: The "Corinth Version" (99 minutes), discovered by Peter Bogdanovich in the early 1960s, is thought to be the last extant version to be under Orson Welles' control. Welles stated that the editing within scenes is true to his intentions. This version isn't horrible, bu it cuts to Guy and Zouk in the Berlin apartment repeatedly in such a manner as to disrupt the flow of the film. Arkadin's rendition of the scorpion-crossing-the-river story is the worst that I have seen, and it spoils his entrance. Bonus features on Disc 1: There is a nice audio commentary by Welles scholars Jonathan Rosenbaum and James Naremore. They discuss the film's origins, visual style, themes, performances, and Welles' directing methods. "The Lives of Harry Lime" (90 min) includes the 3 radio show episodes (audio) on which the film was based, for play on a computer, DVD or MP3 player. The sound quality is not very good. "Reviving Harry Lime" (20 min) is an interview with Harry Alan Towers, who created and produced the radio show. He recalls how Orson Welles came to work on the show, putting the show together, and who may have actually written the 6 episodes credited to Welles, namely Ernest Borneman. There is also a "Stills Gallery" of production stills and behind-the-scenes photos.

DISC 2: The "Confidential Report" version (98 minutes), or the Louis Dolivet edit, which was released in 1955 in Great Britain. This version has the best picture quality, but it's the worst edit. It assumes that the audience will not be able to follow the story unless it is spelled out. The flashback structure is simplified, which at least eliminates choppiness. But the audience is guided by an overburdened voiceover narration. Extraneous scenes are included, particularly in the first 15 minutes, while more interesting material was cut. The introductions to both women, Mily and Riana, make them out to be weaker characters than they are. The scene on the dock with Bracco is longer, contains more explication, and a different intent. The bonus feature on Disc 2 is "Men of Mystery" (25 min), an interview with Welles biographer Simon Callow, who talks about Orson Welles, Louis Dolivet, actor Michael Redgrave, and includes some interview tapes with Robert Arden.

DISC 3: This "Comprehensive Version" (105 minutes) has recently been assembled by film historians/archivists Stefan Drossler and Claude Bertemes from 5 different versions of the film based on comments that Welles made in the years following the film's original release. It is an attempt to create a Welles edit, not the best edit. Although we may know Welles' intentions, it is impossible to know what he would have done had he had the footage in front of him. This version is superior to the others, because the elaborate flashback structure has been restored to working order. But it errs on the side of including too much. For example: Additional footage of Guy approaching Zouk's apartment house gives that scene an inappropriately leisurely pace. In one scene, Mily's dialogue is interrupted then resumed, apparently a mistake. A clip of the plane crashing makes little sense, because it is a subjective camera in an empty plane. Bonus features on Disc 3: "On the Comprehensive Version" (20 min) in which Drossler, Bertemes, and Peter Bogdanovich explain some of the decisions in the new edit. "Outtakes and Rushes" (30 min) are from footage found at the Cinematheque de Luxembourg. "The Spanish Actresses" are alternative scenes with the Baroness Nagel (4 min) and Sophie (7 min) shot specially for the Spanish language version with Spanish actresses Amparo Rivelles and Irene Lopez Heredia.

Most of the consumer Reviews tell that the "Mr. Arkadin [VHS]" are high quality item. You can read each testimony from consumers to find out cons and pros from Mr. Arkadin [VHS] ...

Millennium [VHS]

You looking to find the "Millennium [VHS]" Good news! You can purchase Millennium [VHS] with secure price and compare to view update price on this product. And deals on this product is available only for limited time.

Price: $478.17   

Millennium [VHS] Review

I would have never seen this movie had my girlfriend not have picked it out of the cheapie bin, 'cause she saw it years ago, and was surprised I'd never heard of it.

The plot is about a cop (Kris Kristoperson) who is investigating a plane crash & finds some weird things from the crash site. Time travelers from the future come back to rescue people, but during one of their procedures, something goes wrong and one of them is killed and accidentally drops a futuristic device. Once they return to their future, a paradox shift in the universe rumbles through them and they realize they must send someone back to retrieve the device before someone works out how to use it and 'causes more ripples in the universe. (Creating more paradox's) One of the time travelers is Cheryl Ladd (Charlies Angels) she is sent back to retrieve the device and also try to stop Kris from investigating the plane wreck on a certain day. However when she thinks she failed, she then returns to the future, but if she had of stayed 10 more seconds she would have succeeded, so more ripples occur and so on.

I thought it was interesting to question what would happen if time travel was actually possible. Then depending on WHAT you change in the past, how does that affect the future? I must say it's not as funny as when Homer Simpson traveled through time with his toaster and kept changing things, but on a more serious level I thought it was interesting where this movie went with it's approach.

The special effects aren't too bad, considering it is a late 80's movie. A few people criticize the future scenes as being ugly.... They're supposed to be! The future in this movie is a dirty place, polluted so badly that smoking cigarettes is a breath of fresh air. (Now do you get it?). The elders where being kept alive in their tubes and that future is erased by the end of the film so that it never happened anyway which is what every futuristic movie needs to do because anybody's vision of the future will always be highly criticized for numerous reasons.

BONUS FEATURES:
Look Ma, someone decided to talk about them!

The bonus features contain a trailer, a biography of the actors, and production notes. What I found to be very unique about the bios and notes was the text on screen is actually read to you! I've never seen that on any other DVD before, and I think more DVD's should have that on them.

On the production notes, when you reach the last page, there is an option to view the alternate ending. I give that bonus feature 1 star for the way it's shown. It spends 5 minutes showing the end scene again until they show about 2 seconds of what they call the "alternate ending". If anybody skips the production notes they wont even know there is an alternate ending on the DVD. And if they read the cover that says it's on there, they'd probably wonder where it is? Either the cover shouldn't have said it and it became an EGG or they should have made it a proper (easier accessible) option.

People who criticize this film are just showing their lack of understanding a plot that went right over their heads. The idea to show scenes again from a different angle is interesting, and seeing a women come back from the future and reacts to things she has never done before, is also pretty interesting... sure, they could have expanded further with all that, but this film is what it is and as long as you sit down with an open mind and stop concentrating on nitpicking how un-logical things are in this film (yet you probably think the Matrix makes sense) just watch the story unfold instead of worrying about how YOU would have directed things, why not just watch it for fun instead of looking for flaws, you might actually enjoy the film!

Most of the consumer Reviews tell that the "Millennium [VHS]" are high quality item. You can read each testimony from consumers to find out cons and pros from Millennium [VHS] ...