Yotsuya kaidan [VHS]

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Yotsuya kaidan [VHS] Review

Plot Synopsis: "This horror tale relates the consequences of a Japanese legend which tells of a man who has to betray his wife in order to achieve power. In Japanese with English subtitles. 100 min. produced in Japan, released in 1968. Black & white film"

From the Internet Movie Data Base

Set bound in the tradition of "Kwaidan" with a similar spooky traditional Japanese music soundtrack, Illusion of Blood is a competent and atmospheric period ghost story.

Set in an unsettled time in Japanese history, Tatsuya Nakadai plays a ronin who's wife is ordered back home by her father after he's lost his job as a samurai. Starving and forced to make paper umbrellas for a living, the ronin, Iuemon almost sells his sword but renege on the sale and decides to claim his wife back. Unfortunately her father is a cad and is forcing his daughters to prostitute themselves to feed him as he's a ronin also. The father reveals that he'll never agree to let his daughter back and he also knows that Iuemon stole money from their lord. Iuemon cracks and kills him. Meanwhile Iuemon's best friend has eyes for Iuemon's sister-in-law and he kills her husband the same night. Iuemon and his friend use the bodies to concoct a crime scene that points to an fictitious assailant. A changed man, a sulking, guilt ridden Iuemon mistreats his wife and his newborn baby. He connives to dump her so he can marry into a rich family and regain a samurai position. He obtains a "medicine" that causes instant facial deformity (!) and give it to his wife. The idea that if she's hideous he can dump without guilt. The medicine works too well and she dies in agony. The infant dies as well. This sets the stage for ghosts and haunting for the rest of the film.

Like many other Japanese films, there are few "good" guys to be found in this particular world. The two sisters are essentially the only good people but are endlessly abused and tormented by the evil around them. Another character can only do good when forced to the edge of terror or guilt. The film is very dark, much of it happens at night or indoors in shadows. The sets are very obvious and the special effects will be laughable to some. The story calls for rats. And for the rats to do things that real rats wouldn't do so there's a number of rat dolls being pulled around by wires. What carries the film is the performance of Tatsuya Nakadai. He is fascinating to watch. The story is contrived with way too many plot point coincidences but on an enjoyment level it comes out reasonably well. The film is a bit long at 105 minutes, I can't see what would be in a 190 minute version. I have doubts that there is one.

Interestingly the ending bears some similarity to another Tatsuya Nakadai film from the same year, "Sword of Doom".

Interestingly bleak film, you might like it. The director's "Portrait of Hell" is a better film.

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Girl with a Pearl Earring [VHS]

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Price: $493.67   

Girl with a Pearl Earring [VHS] Review

The shimmering city of Delft leaps from the pages of Tracy Chevalier's delicately descriptive novel onto the screen in the film 'Girl With a Pearl Earring'. 17th century Holland is recreated with breathtaking splendor. From the folds of the dresses to the attitudes of the day, the film stays in character and does not add Hollywood gimmicks to modernize the tale. Servants are servile and illiterate, though not necessarily unintelligent. The titular teenage maid does not have an insolent attitude.Scarlett Johansson plays the young Griet, the daughter of a former tile painter who is sent across town to serve the Vermeer household. Johannes Vermeer (Colin Firth), a painter, is drawn to Griet's quiet loveliness. Though few words pass between them, their mutual eye for aesthetics develops into strong attraction and deep appreciation. Her pure complexion also attracts Vermeer's vulgar patron, Van Ruijven (Tom Wilkinson) and the young butcher Pieter (Cillian Murphy).

Each frame is a painting within itself, supported by a charming score (though some have called the music obnoxious). Though every scene is beautiful, Griet's position is not romanticized; her arduous labor is evident throughout the movie. Instead of altering the story to conform to a 95 minute film, sections of the story are simply deleted or unexplained. Particularly the character of Tanneke is underdeveloped, compared to the book character.The acting is dramatic yet understated. Expressions are affectively portrayed without losing subtlety. Johansson expressively displays the young, almost timid side of Griet. Colin Firth is an attractive Vermeer; he has natural and exciting reactions. Tom Wilkinson is surprisingly low key as Van Ruijven, compared to the character in the novel; however, he still manages to be repulsive. Essie Davis's performance is also a standout as Vermeer's insecure wife, Catharina.'Girl With a Pearl Earring' establishes its setting in an unforgettable light, and the story has enough magic to satisfy the patient viewer. Might I add that Cillian Murphy is beautiful. Help other customers find the most helpful reviews Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Report abuse | PermalinkComment Comment (1)

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The Heroes of Telemark [VHS]

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The Heroes of Telemark [VHS] Review

You know Great cast, great movie But, I think if I had a good VHS copy I could do a better job transfering it to disk. Picture and sound quality are terrible. it looks like some went into a movie threater with a camera and microphone. really a disapointment. I think amazon should ban this distributor.

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Narc [VHS]

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Narc [VHS] Review

"Narc" is one of those films almost everyone missed in theaters - and yet - through the magic of video, is destined to join the short list of the greatest crime thrillers ever made.Because its plot has been previously discussed so wonderfully by other Amazon reviewers, I won't add anything more beyond saying writer-director Joe Carnahan has crafted one of the most taut and wrenching screenplays in recent memory, complete with a shocking ending that has you sighing in amazement.You think you've seen everything in cop thrillers, and in many respects, you have indeed with "Narc." Yes, this is a story about two tarnished cops. But what's compelling and different are the spectacular, wondrous performances by Ray Liotta, Jason Patric and the entire supporting cast. Everyone associated with this production (who reportedly worked for near nothing), should feel proud of their efforts. You never get the feeling "Narc" is a low-budget picture. It feels like a big studio film, with one huge difference. Instead of a conventional and commercial narrative with everything tied at the end, you get something more believable.Without giving away the ending, which initially feels baffling - when you think about it some more, you come away knowing that a legacy associated with a "horrifying yet humane" secret buried by one cop for puzzling reasons - is inherited with greater clarity - by the other cop for eternity.Hands down, this is a film driven by fabulous performances, a complex script and a free-wheeling, dangerous atmosphere offering the grittiness of the best crime films made during the 1970s. If you like films like "The French Connection," "Dog Day Afternoon," and "Serpico" - or more recently - films like "Goodfellas," "Casino" and "Training Day," you will love "Narc."Yes, Jason Patric is fantastic. But Ray Liotta deserves special mention. In my mind, Liotta lays down the best performance of his career, better than his more memorable turn in Martin Scorcese's "Goodfellas." He's absolutely electric and so suited for this role that it's impossible to think of anyone topping it. It's a letter-perfect, towering role that feels improvised from beginning to end. When he's on screen, you can't take your eyes off him. When he speaks, you're mesmerized. The experience is like watching Gene Hackman come alive for the first time on his own in 1971's "The French Connection." The "R" rating is for violence and profanity. There's no sex, no gratuitous, over-the-top filler and nothing that makes you groan with that "I've seen it all before" disgust. Even if you disagree with the plot, what remains is acting fireworks impossible to dismiss. No one is trying to hard to win awards in "Narc," yet in retrospect, it deserved so much more from Academy members who missed it. It even plays better, emotionally, than "Traffic," another fine film that won awards but had its energy dissipated across a huge ensemble cast. That's OK. A lot of films become "classic" without winning a thing. "Narc" will be one of 'em. Wait ten years and you'll see. Help other customers find the most helpful reviews� Was this review helpful to you?�Yes No Report abuse | PermalinkComment�Comment (1)

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The Marx Brothers in a Nutshell [VHS]

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The Marx Brothers in a Nutshell [VHS] Review

I don't mean to get personal here, but I can't figure out what's wrong with that last reviewer. Among Marx Brothers fans, it's hardly controversial that "Nutshell" is far and away the best documentary on the Marx boys. In fact, when this film first aired on PBS (I was 12), it made me a lifelong fan. I had this film on VHS for years and was SO happy when it finally came out on DVD last year. No Marx fan should be without it.

Regarding the last reviewer, I wonder if he got ahold of some weird re-edited bootleg. First of all, the "chapters" on the individual brothers only comprise the opening minutes of the show, and it's a brilliant way to familiarize you with their individual personalities, before launching into the chronology of their stage, film and TV career. The weirdest thing he complained about was the repetition of clips. I know this film backwards and forwards and I challenge anyone to find ONE CLIP that repeats itself. There aren't any! What was he watching?? Then he goes on to recommend "Inside the Marx Brothers"?? Ecchhh. Scratchy clips from trailers, re-hashed photos, interviews with meaningless subjects, and NO production value. "Nutshell" was produced when key witnesses were still alive: writers(Morrie Ryskind, Robert Pirosh, Irving Brecher), co-stars, family members. Even George Fenneman from "You Bet Your Life," Dick Cavett & Woody Allen.

This film was obviously authorized by the surviving Marx family, and the filmmakers had access to clips from all their best films, as well as rare clips I've never seen anywhere else. They also let the scenes play out, instead of just excerpting a few seconds for the short-attention-span crown. Most of the prints are beautiful... in pristine condition.

If you look at the credits, the writer and editor was Joe Adamson who wrote the best book on the Marx Brothers ("Groucho, Harpo, Chico & Sometimes Zeppo") and the producer is Robert Weide, the same guy who directs "Curb Your Enthusiasm." According to the IMBd, he's won 3 Emmys and was nominated for an Oscar for a Lenny Bruce documentary. The narrator is movie legend Gene Kelly.

Looking for the one documentary to own on the Marx Brothers? Is this the one? You bet your life! (P.S.: There's a reason this one is more expensive than the other Marx docs: It's WORTH it!)

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Platoon [VHS]

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Platoon [VHS] Review

"I think now, looking back, we did not fight the enemy. We fought ourselves. And the enemy was in us."Thus the summation of Private Chris Taylor (Charlie Sheen) at the end of this film, a film about war, hate, self-realization, and survival. PLATOON tells a powerful story that moves beyond the horror and gore of the Vietnam War, a story that ultimately depicts the demise and disintegration of a dysfunctional combat unit. We see young Chris change before our very eyes, from a green, idealistic "grunt" to an embittered, disillusioned soldier. Chris' platoon is dominated--and subsequently divided--by two strong, yet very different men: Sergeant Barnes (Tom Berenger) and Sergeant Elias (Willem Dafoe). Barnes is cold, calculating, brutal, intolerant; Elias is compassionate, humanistic. The battle of wills between these two men is just as challenging as the Viet Cong out in the bush, and just as deadly. The film's climatic ending is powerful, spellbinding.I dismiss naysayers of PLATOON as a soapbox for writer/director Oliver Stone's political agenda just as much as I dismiss Mr. Stone's politics. PLATOON hits you between the eyes with its depictions of warfare and human conflict, again and again. There's nothing to feel good about by watching this movie, just as there is nothing to feel good about by fighting a war. It is a dark, negative film--a negative film that happens to be compelling, thought-provoking, and very riveting. Help other customers find the most helpful reviews� Was this review helpful to you?�Yes No Report abuse | PermalinkComment Comments (24)

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Nightmare [VHS]

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Price: $478.17   

Nightmare [VHS] Review

I love this movie and I think it is the most underrated and under recognized slasher film of the early 1980s, which is saying alot because there are dozens of good horror films from the first half of the 80s that have slipped into obscurity. This one can only really be found on VHS in some of the older mom and pop video stores here in the US. I heard that Code Red is working on a DVD release but still no word on a release date.
The plot is very interesting and is not at all a typical "slasher by numbers" flick, and is not predictable. There gore is pretty insane and gruesome, and Tom Savini was the make-up effects consultant. This is one of my favorite slasher films of all time, and I would consider it comparable to Maniac or The Prowler. There is a tense, uneasy feeling throughout the film, and some very memorable scenes showing how disturbed the killer is, like the part at the peep show in NYC where he gets so aroused he has a seizure. Pretty crazy stuff. Highly recommended!

Note: The VHS tape of this movie is available under a number of different titles such as "Nightmare" (don't confuse it with the other films with that title), "Blood Splash," as well as "Nightmare in a Damaged Brain," and with several different versions of cover art, but they are all the same movie made in 1981. The cover of the version I got titled "Nightmare" has a guy with a knife in a trench coat and a hat, wearing a halloween mask, stepping through a mirror.

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