People on Sunday (The Criterion Collection) (1930)

**EDIT 6-28-11** The overall quality of the Blu-ray is very good, not perfect, but very good considering the age of the film and the fact that sources of varying qualities were used. A few scenes are obviously from a source that had deteriorated to some extent, but Criterion did an excellent job on the restoration and included the scenes to make the film as complete as possible. Quality-wise, this is the clearest, most crisp version of this film that I have viewed.

Today, People on Sunday (Menschen am Sonntag) is mainly remembered as being a collaboration of several talented filmmakers early in their careers (Billy Wilder, Fred Zinnemann, Robert and Curt Siodmak, and Edgar G. Ulmer). Yes, this part of the production is fascinating, but the film itself is so much more than that. Produced during the latter days of the Weimar Republic with the German Expressionist movement screeching to a halt, this film combines several styles and influences in a unique and innovative way. The filmmakers use techniques of German Expressionism, add a twist of Scandinavian nature films, and top it off with a hint of some of their contemporary Russian directors, such as Eisenstein and Pudovkin (style not content). The creative blend of these styles, along with the amateur cast of locals (using their real names and professions), has been called by some a precursor to the Neorealist movement.

I will very briefly cover the plot, as to not ruin the film for someone who has never seen it before. The film is centered around five young Berliners: friends Erwin and Wolfgang, Erwin's depressed wife Annie, Wolfgang's new girlfriend Christl and her friend Brigitte. After Erwin has an argument with his wife, he and Wolfgang decide to go on a country outing the following day. The friends are then joined by Christl and Brigitte on a train to Nikolassee for a day of fun and relaxation. Following the long day of flirting and lying on the beach, the friends return to the city while trying to figure out their plans for the following weekend. This sounds very simple and empty but the movie will really speak for itself. I'm not saying this will be one of your new favorites, but the overall presentation of the film is unique and enjoyable.

The film addresses such issues as depression, machismo and even infidelity, but, in the end, the main purpose of the film is to portray the happy and carefree lives of 1929 German society. Herein lies the true irony, for within four years, Adolf Hitler was elected German Chancellor bringing the Nazi Party into power. As a result, the Jewish filmmakers who brought us this cinematic interpretation of being a content German were forced to leave the country.

**Special Features and Technical Aspects As Listed by Criterion**

-New high-definition digital restoration, created in collaboration with the Filmmuseum Amsterdam

-Two scores--a silent-era-style score by the Mont Alto Orches­tra and a modern compo­sition by Elena Kats-Chernin, performed by the Czech Film Orchestra--both presented as uncompressed stereo soundtracks on the Blu-ray edition

-Weekend am Wannsee, Gerald Koll's 2000 documentary about the film, featuring an interview with star Brigitte Borchert

-Ins Blaue Hinein, a thirty-six-minute short from 1931 by People on Sunday cinematographer Eugen Schüfftan

-New and improved English subtitle translation

-PLUS: A booklet featuring a new essay by film scholar Noah Isenberg and reprints by scriptwriter Billy Wilder and director Robert Siodmak

Germany

1930

73 minutes

Black and White

1.33:1

Silent

This film, made on the borderline between silence & sound, shows the promise of Wilder, both Siodmaks, Zinnemann et al--

before they became some of Hollywood's best & brightest, "thanks" to the awful conditions in Europe that, in part, account

for the classic era of Hollywood movies. (It's interesting, finally, how different their contributions were.)

But apart from this being a fascinating and essential historical footnote to the later careers of these men,

the movie is also great fun in itself, perhaps because of the sense that there was nothing to lose, no compromises necessary--of, hey,

let's try doing it this way...or what about this? It's like a brilliant home movie, made quickly and independently--very smart about both the lives of people & cities--that eventually became a primer for many cinematic impulses to follow, including Italian neo-realism and the French New Wave.

And it's full of the sense of what it feels like to be young, the energy and possibilities--both within the casual narrative itself and implicit in the making of the film.

One technical observation. I love all the good that BFI does for us, but in this case I think the recently released Criterion Blu-ray is a much cleaner

transfer, with a choice of two soundtracks. (For a comparison, go to dvdbeaver.com.)

Buy People on Sunday (The Criterion Collection) (1930) Now

An intriguing, cynical silent film featuring a wonderful glimpse of life during Weimar Republic-era Germany and created through the collaboration of young German filmmakers who would go on to have successful film careers a few years later.

The film's title "People on Sunday" (Menschen am Sonntag) is a 1930 silent film that featured a collaboration of Curt Siodmak (who would later be known for his "Wolf Man" and "Invisible Man" films), Robert Siodmak (who would later be known for "The Killers", "The Spiral Staircase" and "Criss Cross"), Edgar G. Ulmer (known for his noir films "Detour", "The Black Cat", "The Strange Woman"), cinematographer Fred Zinnemann (known for directing "High Noon", "From Here to Eternity", "The Day of the Jackal"), Eugen Schufftan (known for his cinematography on "The Hustler", "Eyes Without a Face", "Port of Shadows" and "It Happened Tomorrow") and Billy Wilder ("Some Like It Hot", "Sunset Blvd.", "The Apartment", "Double Indemnity"). And the most interesting thing about this film when it comes to its filmmakers is that many of these filmmakers have differing viewpoints on who was responsible for the film and are vocal of who put more work in and who didn't.

But if there is one thing that audiences are in agreement on, it's the fact that this film is a timeless classic and a glimpse to an era that is no more. But the film is also seen as a precursor to independent film. A film created with hardly any financing (financing came from Seymour Nebenzal, a cousin of the Siodmak's and a future collaborator of Billy Wilder), no-name actors and filmed on several Sundays during the summer of 1929. The film was also regarded by film critics as an accurate portrayal of Berlin at the time but with it's final intertitle, an ironic way of words that was meant to be right way to end the film but also could have another meaning for those of us who watch the film and realize what happened to Berlin and many Jews living in Germany several years later.

A film that was created with people who had day jobs which were portrayed in the film, portraying people living their lives in Berlin in the summer of 1929 and pretty much a joint collaboration of a group of friends from Berlin who wanted to make a film together and did it.

Ironically, "People on Sunday" was created back during the Weimar Republic of Germany, and Berlin as shown in this film would drastically change several years later during Hitler's reign in 1933, the filmmakers of Jewish descent, living in Germany, including one of the actresses Christl Ehlers would all flee Germany years after the film was made while some of their family members, especially for Billy Wilder, would die years later in the Auschwitz extermination camp.

So, "People on Sunday" is an important film for it being a cinema film that captured Berlin-life, Berlin youth but also, in every sense of the word, an indie film created with a small budget, no-name talent and yet was able to achieve critical acclaim. And there is no doubt that this silent film is worthy of being part of Criterion Collection's dedication in providing important classic and contemporary films in America.

VIDEO:

It's important to note that "People on Sunday" is a film that presented to those working on the restoration project as challenging and difficult. Presented in black and white (1:33:1), as the original negative had damage, the restoration project had to take parts from other badly damaged versions of the film from different countries and piece each frame together in order to come close to the original film and its duration.

For the most part, the contrast of the film is wonderful. Blacks are nice and deep and the grays and white levels are really good. Not to say that the picture is pristine because it's not. Bare in mind that this latest restoration is the piecing of many frames that came from different negative sources from different countries, you're going to notice a slight bit of flickering, nothing bad. But considering that the film is 80-years-old and knowing a lot of films on nitrate filmed back in the '20s weren't taken care of all that well and the fact that this is not a big budget film with top talent, it's amazing that this film could look so good today!

According to the Criterion Collection, the new digital transfer was created from a 35 mm mute print struck from the restoration negative provided by the EYE Film Institute Netherlands. It was scanned in 2K resolution on a Spirit 4K Datacine played at 24 frames per second and then digitally converted to the EYE Film Institute's recommended speed of 22 frames per second.

Color correction was done using DaVinci Resolve software and thousands of instances of dirt, debris, scratches, splices, warps, jitter and flicker were manually removed using MTI's DRS system while Digital Vision's Phoenix system was used for small dirt, grain and noise reduction.

Also according to the Criterion Collection, the restoration negative used for this release was created in 1997 by Martin Koerber, working at the Netherlands Filmmuseum (now known as the EYE Film Institute Netherlands). A high quality original nitrate print of the Dutch version of "People on Sunday" served as the basis for the restoration. In order to come as close as possible to the original complete German version of the film, shots were also taken from numerous elements at the Fondazione Cineteca Italiana, the Cinematheque royal de Belgique and the Cinematheque suisse.

Koerber's version follows the pioneering work done in the 1980s by Enno Patalas at the Munich Filmmuseum, but he was able to locate and incorporate about 150 meters of additional footage. The restoration negative was printed at L'Immagine Ritrovata in Bologna.

AUDIO & SUBTITLES:

"People on Sunday The Criterion Collection #569' is silent film but you get two scores. One is a silent-era style version (which was my preference) by the Mont Alto Orchestra which was recorded in March 2011 and another that is a modernized version by the Elena Kats-Chernin, performed by the Czech Film Orchestra recorded in 2000.

Personally, considering the fact that a few people that I have talked to, who have watched this film back then, watched it with no music accompaniment. Although I do own a few silents with no music (and some with bad music), I'm grateful for the Criterion Collection for providing two excellent music scores.

It would have been nice to have a third, which would be Trio Bravo+'s score for the 2002 screening of the film but for the most part, I'm quite pleased with both scores, especially the Mont Alto Orchestra version.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

"People on Sunday The Criterion Collection #569' on Blu-ray comes with the following special features:

Weekend am Wannsee (31:14) Gerald Koll's 2000 documentary about the making of "People on Sunday" and features interviews with Brigitte Borchert (who plays the record store girl) and writer Curt Siodmak and Martin Koeber, the film restorer.

Ins Blau Hineien (35:30) A short 1931 film by "People on Sunday" cinematographer Eugene Schufftan.

EXTRAS:

"People on Sunday The Criterion Collection #569' comes with a 30-page booklet featuring the following essay "Young People Like Us" by Noah Isenberg and "Making People on Sunday" with differing accounts by Billy Wilder and Robert Siodmak.

JUDGMENT CALL:

"People on Sunday" is an absorbing form of cinema that attracts different types of audiences. While I can't call it a masterpiece, it is a time capsule that shows us of a Berlin that would no longer be the same a few years later. A film that was built upon friendships and achieving cinema but due to the change of the country's politics and the creation of Hitler's Third Reich, these friends would go on their separate ways as they tried to escape Nazi Germany because of their Jewish descent.

This film is a hybrid silent film and documentary but it has elements that one can easily watch and be entertained.

For those who are wanting a silent film with a storyline, you have a story about two male friends going out with two new female friends for some R&R on a Sunday at a lake and jealousy develops but of course, there is more to this story as one man has a girlfriend that he doesn't treat all that well at home (and oversleeps), while his other male friend, the wine maker who goes after the actress and kisses her but ends up being slapped and then goes for her friend, the record shop girl.

Then you have the Avant-Garde style of filmmaking derived from an Eisenstein style of filmmaking and shots of objects, surroundings that show an artistic style of cinematographer Eugen Schufftan. Also, it's important to note that this is an independent film before "indie" films came to play. These young filmmakers came up with the idea while at a cafe.

And because these filmmakers didn't have much money, they hired everyday people to be part of the film (some who went on to acting and others who didn't) and in the end, the film became a major success for these young filmmakers and eventually each of them went on to bigger film projects.

And for those who are interested in Germany, the film also captures the Weimar Republic three years before it was replaced by Fascism and Hitler's Third Reich. A look at how society was back then, during a period of liberal democracy and its filmmakers (who happen to be Jewish living in Germany) not fully aware of what they captured on film would show a side of Germany which would be gone in three years.

But there are other things about the film that stay in my mind. One scene features Christl Ehlers (who plays the character of a girl who plays an extra in film) sewing on her swimsuit before getting into the water, scenes of older technology with the windup portable record player, scenes showing hints of sexuality, scenes of people not having much money and even splitting cigarettes and sharing wine from the same glass. Of course, the film is quite cynical and is a wonderful look at German youth before the change and because it was made during the Weimar-era, there is no hint of danger or anything of wartime. Just people living their everyday life.

And for me, unlike the Mitchell and Kenyon films where everyone loved to be in front of the camera and would do what they can to be filmed, there is no hint of that in "People on Sunday". It's as if the camera was hidden and people were normal, nor are they looking directly at the camera. Granted, you have random people making faces towards the camera but it's all closeup as opposed to everyone crowding and pushing just to get their shot in the camera.

For silent film fans, whenever you can get a glimpse of society at that time, all captured on film, it's a wonderful experience. But to get documentary-style footage of a Germany post-World War I, early documentaries are something you rarely see from Europe (the best early, silent documentary work showcasing early European society is probably from Mitchell and Kenyon in the UK covering the early 1900's and Marcel Carne's short "Nogent ou l'Eldorado du Dimanche") as a lot of footage is lost or destroyed due to the instability of nitrate film.

But the efficacy of "People on Sunday" is because of its non-traditional style of filmmaking, combining a story with a documentary style footage. Critics loved it back in 1930 and I have no doubt that many of us today will have a sigh of relief that so much has went towards the restoration of the film. I personally have only read about the film prior to watching it and to finally watch it on Blu-ray and to see the wonderful contrast, to hear the beautiful musical scores included in this Blu-ray release is wonderful!

It's important to note that the original German version was no longer intact due to deterioration and from using copies of other versions from different countries (that were equally as bad), fortunately missing footage was taken from those various negative sources and all the elements put together in one film. Of course, since the restoration of the film, more footage has been found (documentary footage) but not added because it is not known of where it should be placed in the film.

But for any silent film fan and historian, the release of "People on Sunday" by the Criterion Collection is magnificent! And equally as impressive are the inclusion of the two special features which include "Weekend am Wannsee", Gerald Koll's 2000 documentary of the film with interviews with Brigitte Borchert (who plays the record store girl in the film) and writer Curt Siodmak. Also, included is "Ins Blaue hineien, a 36-minute short from 1931 by cinematographer Eugen Schufftan which features elements similar to "People on Sunday".

Also, it was great to have two scores included with this release. The Mont Alto Orchestra was my preference as it captured a more silent-era style but you also get a modernized score with Elena Kats-Chernin and the Czech Film Orchestra's score as well.

Overall, "People on Sunday" was a wonderful film to watch and enjoy, not just for its story but its cinematography but also showcasing society. You juxtapose this film with Eugen Schufftan's 1931 short film "Ins Blaue hinein" (which is included as a special feature) and what you get primarily is a lot of trees and neighborhoods, while the former shows society in everyday life in the city of Berlin. While I understand those who are not really into silent films, let alone watching footage of the distant past, But for those who are open to silent cinema and are curious of seeing Germany ala the Weimar Republic era will find this film enjoyable, intriguing and highly entertaining. Also, feeling that this is a release that is a worthy addition to the Criterion Collection.

I personally recommend "People on Sunday" as a must-buy for any cineaste!

Read Best Reviews of People on Sunday (The Criterion Collection) (1930) Here

"People on Sunday" is an amazing achievement in every respect, but i was especially impressed by so much nuance and complexity in a silent movie. I used to expect silent films to be simplistic and melodramatic, Hollywood style, which was recently confirmed by The Artist (2011), a silent movie imitation by French director Michel Hazanavicius, which suffers from all the ills of the real McCoy.

For a film produced in 1930, "People on Sunday" is refreshingly serious, realistic and frank. Even comparing with the movies produced much later, European and Japanese realistic and neorealistic films of the late 40's and even 50's, Siodmak's film doesn't come across as less sophisticated. All the movies, produced by Siodmak, Ulmer and other creators of "People on Sunday" in Hollywood are more predictable and mechanical, conforming to the requirement of maximizing the box office numbers.

Even in comparison with Murnau's The Last Laugh one can easily see brute force of Siodmak's expressive power. Non-professional actors in most of the roles, lots of street scenes beautifully shot by Fred Zinnemann, real people, real relationships, real life instead of Hollywood fakes and sheer entertainment movies of the same period. Surely not everyone would like that, as, again one can see from the frenzied reception of Hazanavicius' The Artist...

Miraculously, this film doesn't look dated at all. To my opinion "People on Sunday" is one of the top achievements of cinematography.

As always thanks to Criterion Collection.

Want People on Sunday (The Criterion Collection) (1930) Discount?

Criterion continues to serve up amazing cinematic treats. People on Sunday is an amazing silent film that even years later causes arguments between filmmakers and critics alike.

The film was shot in 1930 in and around Berlin. The main actors are all regular people who had never been filmed before. There was very little budget, and according to actor recollections, the film was thought out while at a cafe with notes scribbled on napkins. Though there are many famous names attached to this film, it seems that many of these more famous people might have had very little to do with this actual film and later exaggerated their input and influence due to the positive reviews the film garnered. Much of this is explained in the included booklet.

Despite this, the film was beautifully shot. The transfer, even to DVD is amazing. The film looks pristine with most of the noise, dirt, and static removed. Also of note is that Criterion used a Dutch version of the film for the base (the German original having been lost, presumably destroyed). But there was much of the film missing, so Criterion gathered bits from other recordings in Italy, France, and beyond to restore much of the film. Their efforts were mostly successful, though there is a bit that seems to have been permanently lost. A brief introduction provided by Criterion discusses this.

There are two music tracks, one created for a Czech film festival, the other created for the Criterion release. I watched with the Criterion composition. But you can select either. Also of note, there are very few script stills. Many of the stills were edited or lost, and Criterion made every effort to recover the original lines.

The film takes place mainly on Sunday, though we see the events on Saturday leading up to Sunday. A chance meeting between two people leads to plans to enjoy Sunday together. Each brings a friend and it ends up as a double date of sorts. We watch the character interactions and their courting of each other over the course of the day.

The scenes are amazingly shot. The settings chosen are fantastic. At times it's sad to think about what the city will look like 14 to 15 years after the filming...

Many have said that this movie was a precursor to French New Wave or Italian Neorealism, and I tend to agree. Though the French and Italian films have different themes, the core film style is remarkably similar. I don't know if this film directly influenced him, but I see a lot of this film in Truffaut's movies. It may just be coincidence.

A lovely film for students or fans of classic cinema. A masterpiece of silent film wonderfully restored and brought to life by Criterion. Bravo!

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Agent 8 3/4 aka: Hot Enough For June (1964)

Agent 8 3/4 I'm psyched about this comedy/thriller from 1964 finally being released on DVD. Dirk Bogarde plays an unemployed writer who inadvertantly gets caught up in international espionage. Released in Britain as HOT ENOUGH FOR JUNE, this delightful adventure has rarely played on TV ( I only saw it once on a PBS station back in the '70's) and I've been looking for it ever since. Hopefully we'll get a good widescreen transfer on the upcoming release!

Just as a postscript to this review, I recieved the DVD yesterday and watched it this evening. Let me tell you, this WIDESCREEN TRANSFER IS FLAWLESS ! Both in visual and audio, this print looks like it's BRAND NEW!!! The colors are GORGEOUS, the sound is CRYSTAL CLEAR and LOUD, so you don't have to crank up your audio. Frankly, I was floored just amazed as the quality restoration they did on this film. And mind you, this is the regular DVD, so I imagine the BLU-RAY is astounding as well!

"Agent 8-3/4" or (AKA: "Hot Enough for June") was a bit of a diversion for its director Ralph Thomas who also brought us the Eurospy films that brought a definite threat to James Bond in the line of a Bulldog Drummond series starring Richard Johnson as the insurance investigator in "Deadlier Than the Male" (also starring Elke Sommer and Sylva Koscina) and its lesser sequel "Some Girls Do" (with Daliah Lavi) and also rather stodgy affair, "Nobody Runs Forever" with Christopher Plummer and Rod Taylor. In "Agent 8-3/4" he was wise to cast Dirk Bogarde opposite Sylva Koscina as Bogarde is quite at home in droll British comedy and what it develops into, romantic suspense in Communist Czechoslovakia. It is quite handsomely done in a rather low-key fashion. Robert Morley and Leo McKern are also in the cast, with Morley trying to steal every scene he is in. Noel Harrison has a bit speaking part. VCI Entertainment has brought it to us in a beautiful Blu-ray and also in DVD format from the Rank Organization. The original novel is by Lionel Davidson and the screenplay by Lukas Heller. In beautiful Eastmancolor.

Buy Agent 8 3/4 aka: Hot Enough For June (1964) Now

Superb Quality on Bluray in its original 1.85 WideScreen format.

Dirk Bogarde in a good role,before he became a serious actor.

This and Campbells Kingdom are excellent.

Highly Recommended

Read Best Reviews of Agent 8 3/4 aka: Hot Enough For June (1964) Here

When James Bond came along in 1962's DOCTOR NO, he changed the way audiences enjoyed spy movies and the way that filmmakers made them. The success of the franchise also inspired a slew of imitators and spoofs, and one of the earliest and best has just come to Blu-ray disc courtesy of VCI Entertainment: 1964's AGENT 8 3/4 (a/k/a HOT ENOUGH FOR JUNE), starring Dirk Bogarde and Sylva Koscina.

Nicholas Whistler (Bogarde, MODESTY BLAISE) is an unemployed, Czech-fluent writer living in England, when he is completely unbeknownst to him recruited by British Intelligence for a mission to Prague. He thinks he's on a goodwill visit from a London glass manufacturer, but the Czechoslovakian Secret Police and everyone else knows he's a spy. A female Czech operative, the comely Comrade Simonova (Koscina, DEADLIER THAN THE MALE) is assigned to be his driver and keep an eye on him, but before long, she falls for the handsome, hapless writer. By the time that Whistler finally realizes that he is, indeed a spy, he's trapped in Prague, hunted and pursued by the Secret Police, and only the lovely, conflicted Comrade Simonova can possibly help him.

Deftly directed by Ralph Thomas, AGENT 8 3/4 is a breezy, Cold War-era satire that evokes not only 007, but Hitchcock's espionage thrillers, as well. It's suspenseful and even thrilling at times, but also witty and occasionally farcical which is why a lot of modern viewers might not be able to get a handle on it. The script is clever and sharp, and the cast, which also includes Leo McKern and Robert Morley, is exceptional across the board. Bogarde is amusing and convincing as the somewhat clueless unintentional agent who must rise to the occasion when his support system falls apart, and Koscina is just stunningly gorgeous. The cinematography is beautiful, even when portraying the drab, behind-the-Iron Curtain world of Communist Czechoslovakia. Overall, it's a slick, early-Sixties spy-fi spoof and highly entertaining, if you're in the right mindset.

VCI's new Blu-ray disc appears to be the same high-def transfer used by the UK company, Network, presented in 1.78:1 widescreen 1080p HD. Picture quality is astoundingly good with the exception of one or two brief shots, detail and colors appear to be perfect. VCI offers two audio options: Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono and an enhanced 5.1 remix. The only extras are a theatrical trailer (under the original British title of HOT ENOUGH FOR JUNE) and a still photo gallery. The title is also available in standard-def DVD.

AGENT 8 3/4 (I have to say, I like the British title much better) is a great slice of sly Cold War pop culture, and a must-see for fans of 60s spy flicks.

Want Agent 8 3/4 aka: Hot Enough For June (1964) Discount?

I had never heard of this film despite being quite a Bogarde fan in my youth and still living in the UK when it came out. However, after reading the reviews on Amazon I ordered it and we watched it recently. For a film that is coming up to fifty years old it holds up amazingly well. The humour is quite remarkably current, particularly the sublety of Robert Morley's performance hinting at all sorts of things that never really come out. I particularly enjoyed seeing a lot of my favourite British actors of the latter part of the last century, often in very small roles. I really was not able to recognise several of the actors listed at the beginning of the film and one irritation is that there is no list of who played whom at the end. I did recognise John Standing, though, the acting baronet!

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Ship of Fools / Lilith (Double Feature) (1965)

Mill Creek Entertainment offers two wonderful films in lovely sharp finely grained transfers that both look fantastic in the blu ray format. What a great deal, too! I just hope that they continue to produce twofers of this caliber. They have a deal with Sony, whose classic film library is sorely under-represented in the BD form. I'd sure love some widescreen technicolor doubles like TARAS BULBA and KINGS OF THE SUN, SOLOMON AND SHEBA and ALEXANDER THE GREAT, or maybe for Easter, BARABBAS and SALOME. But, beyond wishful thinking, whatever they do in the future will undoubtedly be superior in quality if this is any indication. Mill Creek, you've got a fan in me, and keep 'em coming but, please, more like this for those of us who are classic movie fans.

This is a great two-fer blu-ray of two obscure 60's classics, courtesy of Mill Creek.

"Ship of Fools" stars Vivien Leigh, Lee Marvin, Jose Ferrer, Simone Signoret, George Segal, Elizabeth Asley, Charles Korvin, Michael Dunn and Heinz Ruehmann, and was directed by the great Stanley Kramer.

"Lilith" stars Warren Beatty, Jean Seberg, Peter Fonda, Kim Hunter, Anne Meacham, James Patterson, Robert Reilly and Gene Hackman in one of his first roles.

The PQ and AQ on these are excellent.

Recommended for fans of classic cinema!

Buy Ship of Fools / Lilith (Double Feature) (1965) Now

Who would have ever thought to see Lee Marvin & Vivian Leigh on the same screen together In "Ship of Fools"? There's a healthy smorgasbord of classic actors here in this film as well as some great performances, especially that of little person, Michael Dunn. The camera just loved him. They don't make 'em like this anymore as they say. Cast ensemble pieces as such, written for TV or even the big screen, not everyone can handle. The rythm, pacing, and putting people where they need to be so the material isn't cluttered is so cruicial in assisting the actors in character to help tell the story. No movement is ever wasted in this film. If you understand the film making process this screen work just packs a wallop ever so subtlly. With such a large group of performers and a unique story to tell here, Stanley Kramer though, handled this film with kid gloves. He was a master craftsman as a director and over all story teller. He certainly showed this in when he directed such other films as "On The Beach", "Judgment at Nuremburg," & "It's A Mad, Mad, Mad World." As a director he is certainly missed even to this day, who had such a lasting impact on cinema he made for the big screen. On Blu-ray it looks just beautiful and already I've seen it 4 times on my home theater. The other film on this double feature is called "Lilith" and stars Warren Beatty directed by Robert Rossen. You know it's all there: the acting, directing, camera work. Though the story might not be everybody's cup of tea it's worth a look simply because the performances are quite good. Let's not forget that Rossen directed "All The King's Men", with Broderick Crawford, "The Hustler", with Paul Newman, and "Body and Soul", with John Garfield. Mr. Rossen passed on way too soon. Nevertheless this is a solid film which I've also seen a few times on Blu-ray and am very pleased with.

Read Best Reviews of Ship of Fools / Lilith (Double Feature) (1965) Here

Ship Of Fools is one of the hallmarks of motion picture making as any cinephile will tell you. The cast is absolutely incredible and it features the swan song of Vivian Leigh who will make you believe she knew it at the time of her performance. Some find Stanley Kramer's style of film making a bit heavy handed but in the case of this adaptation of Katherine Anne Porter's hugely successful novel his style served him well in every regard. From the black and white play of light and shadow of the cinematography (the best since Casablanca) to the exquisitely nuanced and finely tuned performances of the actors brought together in 'Grand Hotel' Hollywood tradition you get a slice of time offering a prelude of horrors to come with the rise of Nazism and its effect on social stratum encompassed within the confines of this ship of fools. Shakespearian scale human folly acted out by a dream cast that surpassed the novel in laying bare their foibles before an audience that ate it up in 1965...as well they should have with the likes of Oskar Werner and the great french superstar Simone Signoret in the movies most telling love story lifting the art of acting to new heights (especially Werner)...Jose Ferrer's high handed and often superbly masked gleeful urgency as an anti-semitic ghoul...the wonderful German actor Heinz Ruehmann as the perpetually upbeat Jew effectively providing the thistle beneath Ferrer's facade...a totally surprising turn by Flamenco Dancing great Jose Greco...not to mention Lee Marvin as a has been baseball player delivering a dramatic performance to equal his peers (who would have believed?)...and to me the cleverest turn of all by George Segal and Elizabeth Ashely as cardboard cutout innocents expected in every production of the period and social level the movie is set in and they had the wherewithall to play it straight making them seem out of place and in another movie altogether as they would have seemed at the time... and last but certainly not least in my mentionings...the astonishing Michael Dunn in his Oscar winning turn as the greek chorus to all that happens onboard. The movie is a master acting class on all levels...including the steward level passengers who endure as do the masses through it all (with an incredible bit of acting by Oskar Werner as he witnesses their washing down by the crew) that speaks the message of the movie in bold strokes. But above and beyond it all Vivian Leigh commands your attention in a performance that is a culmination of all the triumphs and tribulations her career had provided her along with all the grief and humiliation with which her private life had lashed her...funneled into a performance for the ages...the grandest diva of them all dissimulating before your eyes even as her deterioration becomes self evident...and her resolve teetering on the brink of madness. Let's just say that Scarlett wars with Blanche and the explosive battlefield can be seen from shore. In the case of this movie Miss Leigh EARNED top billing...and how many actors can truly say that in a cast as talented as this? In case you haven't guessed by now I highly recommend this movie.

On to Lilith (it's as if whoever chose to pair these two features selected as his theme 'Actresses who's private lives were as tragic as their careers were successful). An early Warren Beatty drama with Peter Fonda (showing his acting chops early on) and Jean Seberg who is the poster child for tragic actresses...dying of an overdose at age Forty after 37 movies. Hounded by the FBI into a premature delivery (the FBI spreading unfounded rumors that the father was black in retaliation for her financial support of certain civil rights groups) and death of the child two days later. This moment seemed to have unhinged a part of her and despite her immense talent and beauty she descended into a kind of living hell toward the end of her life being institutionalized several times and marrying men in rapid tandem until she was found lifeless in the backseat of her car clutching pills and a suicide note written in French and in her own handwriting outside her Paris apartment in 1979. Why you ask did I let you in on all that? Because this movie is about a young girl who is a fragile beauty institutionalized and befriended by Beatty who falls in love with his patient and is engaged in a tug-of-war with another patient for her hand (Peter Fonda). It is a love story played out on many levels in an outstanding script. The centerpiece here being the performance by Seberg in a role that she knew far too intimately in what turned out to be a case of art imitating life. The film is hauntingly effective and the leads will turn your head and your heart. Not near the level of Ship Of Fools...but still...in its own right...a classic...and certainly a tragedy for the ages.

Want Ship of Fools / Lilith (Double Feature) (1965) Discount?

This package contains two films that, while not especially well-known today, represent some of the better film-making of the Sixties. Ship of fools already has a pretty good reputation. Lilith is, in my opinion, better than its reputation would have it. Eacj can provide a very good viewing experience.

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Metropolitan (The Criterion Collection) (1990)

This 1990 film by writer-director Whit Stillman is wonderfully refreshing and intelligent. It is sure to please audiences with a taste for the avant-garde or those just looking for something a little different.

The story follows a group of upper-crust New York preppies during the Christmas debutante season. These are kids for whom black-tie balls at the Plaza Hotel and charming little soirees in Park Avenue apartments are serious matters. They are the UHB-"urban haute bourgeoisie"-a social circle carrying out traditions so anachronistic as to seem alien; traditions, in fact, which were outdated before these characters were even born.

A middle class outsider and budding socialist named Tom Townsend (Edward Clements) happens into this elite group and briefly livens things up. He shocks them with his leftist rhetoric (he is a devotee of Fourier) and anti-deb outlook, but they nonetheless find themselves drawn to him. Tom finds a kindred spirit in the cynically fatalistic Nick (Christopher Eigeman). Nick is the most self-aware member of the inner circle and he provides comic relief with his devastating ongoing critique of their lives and behavior.

Stillman's characters seem to have everything going for them. They are bright and educated and come from very wealthy families. We learn, though, that privilege is both their blessing and their curse. These children of status are destined to always remain in the shadow of their very successful parents. As one of them puts it, "We're doomed to failure." We come to realize that even though they are well-off in many ways, they still must struggle with the same insecurities and fears as the rest of us.

The characters in "Metropolitan" are the kind of people that F. Scott Fitzgerald knew so well. Indeed, if Fitzgerald had been a director rather than a writer, this is the type of film he might have made. It is intelligent and literate with dialogue that almost crackles with its liveliness and wit. "Metropolitan" gives us a rare glimpse into a world that scarcely exists anymore, if it ever really did. It is a real treasure.

This movie glistens like a piece of old Belleek. Whether in the subtle gold of an off the shoulder evening gown, or in the vast expanse of a deep, plush, ivory colored carpet, nearly every frame shimmers with champagne like iridescence.

And gold is an apt visual metaphor, particularly when juxtaposed against the black satin of a tuxedo lapel or the wintry Manhattan night scape, for a world seemingly vanishing right before our eyes--a world too sleek, too soigné, too genteel to survive the steam roller of galloping blue-jeaned egalitarianism.

That the denizens of this vanishing breed, as depicted in the film, are themselves, insecure late adolescents, make its departure all the more poignant.

"This is probably the last Deb season..." one of them observes resignedly, "...because of the stock market, the economy, Everything..." Yes, everything...the huge smothering subject that hovers all around the plot itself and from which its characters are only temporarily insulated.

In particular, the focus here is on a group of privileged Eastern Seaboard collegians enjoying the Christmas holidays in a series of Park Avenue, "after dance parties," in which they loll about and ruefully anticipate the disappearance of their youth, their success, and their kind.

That they are one at the same time cerebral, immature, literate, prankish, frightened, polished, well educated but vulnerable and inexperienced, puts them well outside the troglodyte teens that inhabit the deconstructionist zoo in most post 1970 films, (with the exception of a unfortunate and mis-placed "strip poker" sequence which violates the picture's otherwise overall mood.)

Indeed, they seem to exist outside their own time, belonging rather to that group Cecil Beaton dubbed "the smart young things" from the 1920's, in his "The Glass of Fashion." Certainly, one imagines them far more comfortable with Ivor Novello than Mick Jagger. And like many "smart sets" they seem rather a closed corporation.

Until that is, into their number unexpectedly arrives a young man of reduced circumstances, Tom Townsend, (Edward Clements) who by virtue of his sincerity and intelligence, is invited to "sup at their table--on a borrowed pass" so to speak. His romantic misadventures with the beguiling Audrey Rouget(Carolyn Farina)forms the cynosure of the charmingly fragile plot.

Audrey and Tom stand out from the pack, in their earnestess and integrity, though it is assuredly Nick, (Christopher Eigeman) their figurehead and chief quip master who is the groups' un-elected leader. As interpreted by Mr. Eigeman, Nick is the embodiment of the cocktail fueled, cigarette wielding bon vivant--trenchant, self absorbed, far from virtuous, and with a ready verbal arrow that never misses its target. He is George Sander's heir presumptive.

Nick's observations are worth the whole price of admission as they say, whether it be bemoaning the Protestant Reformation, the social climbing Surrealists, or the scarcity of detachable collars.

Since the film's short, bouffant,cocktail dresses and automobiles unmistakably place the film in very late modernity--the Reagan era in fact, and long after the Ray Anthony's Orchestra, top hatted milieu it depicts, we cannot fail to miss the film's core observation--the parallel evanescence of the groups' own social connections, as placed against the simultaneous collapse of civilized life as we once knew it.

As the Christmas season ends, so do the nightly gatherings, and each character is forced to come to terms with impermanence--their own and everything else's. In a melancholy bar scene, an older man warns the youngsters of disappointment ahead, "I'm not destitute but...it's all so mediocre."

That Producer/Director Whit Stillman manages to fuse the personal with the sociological in such and intriguing and entrancing way is a testament to the penetration of his vision.

And, lest we miss the point, he includes a cunning shot of a significant book left on bedside table--none other than Spengler's "Decline of the West."

Buy Metropolitan (The Criterion Collection) (1990) Now

One editorial review remarks "as the innocent, easily manipulated Audrey..". I seriously doubt it. You really must watch this picture several times before the parts fall into place. Take the opening scene when Tom 'accidentally' runs into Audrey's crowd. As the film later reveals Tom was given the ticket and has been sitting behind Audrey's table all night. He even went to the trouble to rent a tux for the occasion! He went to all this trouble in search of a woman by the name of Serena. The film also makes clear that he has never met anybody in the group. It's Audrey who's been looking him over. When Tom finally meets the woman, Serena, he learns that everybody writes to her and she never keeps any of them. She usually reads the very bad or the very good to her girl friends at the dorm but quickly assures him that his letters were always quite good. In fact her roommate liked them so much that she fell in love with him and kept them. Tom is horrified at this lack of privacy then stunned when he learns that Audrey was the roommate! Audrey wasn't an easily manipulated woman. One can only suspect that she manipulated Tom through the movie with the assistance of friends from time to time. Isn't it interesting that she's reading The Rector of Justin in the tanning scene? Or how she's dressed? Audrey deserves far more study in this film. Tom is far more related to Holly Martins of The Third Man. They are both struggling to learn what's happening around them. This film isn't for the one and done club. It needs more than one viewing to fully appreciate it. It was truly well done.

Read Best Reviews of Metropolitan (The Criterion Collection) (1990) Here

Back in 1984, Whit Stillman began work on his screenplay for "Metropolitan", a screenplay that would be completed in 1988. At the time, Stillman ran his own illustration agency but in order to get his screenplay created for the big screen, Stillman sold his apartment in New York for $50,000 and whatever money friends and family could contribute to his project.

"Metropolitan" is loosely based on Stillman's experience while attending his first year at Harvard and while living with his divorced mother during the week of Christmas break. The film focuses on a small group of preps who live in Upper East Side Manhattan and attending the debutante balls during their first year of college. The term "Urban Haute Bourgeoisie" was coined from this film and while many people would consider the film about WASP-students, ironically Stillman's grandfather E. Digby Baltzell was responsible for coining the term WASP.

The film featured intellectual dialogue reminiscent of French New Wave director Eric Rohmer and the film would go on to receive an Academy Award nomination back in 1991 for "Best Original Screenplay", a nomination for Grand Jury Prize (Drama) at the 1990 Sundance Film Festival and winning "Best New Director" at the New York Film Critics Circle Award in 1990.

"Metropolitan" is a film that revolves around a group of Upper East Side Manhattanites who are preparing for a party at Sally Fowler's. Princeton student Tom Townsend (played by Edward Clements) is trying to catch a cab in which the group (known as the Sally Fowler Rat Pack) is also trying to catch. Because Tom allows them to take the cab, Nick Smith (played by Chris Eigeman) invites Tom to join them for their party.

We are introduced to a group of individuals who love to discuss socio-economics, literary discussions, politics and the life of young adults. Tom who is an intellectual himself meets the rat pack leader Nick (who becomes a good friend of Tom and allows him to be part of their circle); the blonde singer Sally Fowler (played by Dylan Hundley); the often-drunk and always sleeping Fred Neff (played by Bryan Leder); the very opinionated Jane Clark (played by Allison Rutledge); the sexy Cynthia McLean (played by Isabel Gillies); the bespectacled and often-opinionated Charlie Black (played by Taylor Nichols) and the sensitive, literary loving Audrey Rouget (played by Carolyn Farina).

After the party is over, it is revealed that unlike his new friends, Tom doesn't live in the Upper East Side. He and his mother try to live with whatever money they have and despite going to a nice college, he tries to conceal his lack of finances by renting tuxedo's and thus he is seen as a man who is skeptical about upper-class values, but even though his new friend Nick figures him out, Nick doesn't mind because of a "severe escort shortage" and that Tom is good in conversations with him and his friends.

Meanwhile, Audrey has fallen for Tom but Tom has always been in love with Serena Slocum (played by Elizabeth Thompson) who is dating a baron named Rick Von Sloneker (played by Will Kempe) who Nick despises.

The film spotlights on the friendship and relationships of Tom and his group of upper-class friends which Charlie has crafted the new name of "Urban Haute Bourgeoisie".

VIDEO:

"Metropolitan THE CRITERION COLLECTION #382' is presented in 1:66:1 color. It's probably one of the few Criterion Collection films that looks its age but considering this was a low budget indie film, I'm not going to be too picky on picture quality. There is a fine layer of grain and I'm guessing noise that can be seen on the print.

According to THE CRITERION COLLECTION, the DVD release is presented in its original Super 16mm. Director Whit Stillman and director of photography John Thomas supervised the new HD transfer, which was created on a Spirit Datacine from a 35mm blow-up interpositive. Thousands of instances of dirt, debris and scratches were removed using the MTI Digital Restoration System.

AUDIO:

According to THE CRITERION COLLECTION, the soundtrack for "Metropolitan" was mastered at 24-bit from the 35mm magnetic stems and audio restoration tools were used to reduce clicks, pops, hiss and crackle. The film is Dolby Digital 1.0 and thus is center channel-driven. I chose to set my receiver to stereo on all channels for a more immersive soundtrack.

Subtitles are in English.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

"Metropolitan THE CRITERION COLLECTION #326" comes with the following special features:

* Audio Commentary Audio commentary by writer/director Whit Stillman, actors Christopher Eigeman and Taylor Nichols and editor Christopher Tellefsen. Informative commentary on how certain scenes were filmed, filmmaking with a budget to reasons why some of the cast was stereotyped and unable to find work after "Metropolitan". A pretty entertaining commentary!

* Outtakes (9:23) Outtakes from "Metropolitan".

* Memorial (1:00) Behind-the-scenes footage of line producer Brian Greenbaum who died in 1992.

* Alternate Casting Featuring two alternate castings that were not used in the film. One titled "Record Producer Allen" starring Lloyd Kaufman (2:27) and the other "Nick Smith" (1:52) featuring Will Kempe (who plays Van Sloneker in the film) playing the character of Nick. An optional commentary is included with Whit Stillman discussing why he changed the cast for those roles.

* Original Theatrical Trailer (2:06) The original theatrical trailer.

EXTRAS:

"Metropolitan THE CRITERION COLLECTION #326" comes with a quad-fold insert featuring an essay by Luc Sante titled "After the Ball".

"Metropolitan" is a fantastic, entertaining and highly enjoyable film that many people have probably not heard of.

And after they see the trailer or read a little about it, I wouldn't be surprised if people tend to pass on the film because of its unknown actors and that it is a film that focuses on upper-class WASP students. Correction... as the Charlie would say, "Urban Haute Bourgeoisie" (or "UHB") students which are neither a preppie or a WASP but a member of a group that because of its specific status, has nowhere to go but down.

It's a film that showcases intellectual conversation, engrossing dialogue and for those who are able to follow it and understand the humor within the film and its witty dialogue, you will easily find "Metropolitan" quite entertaining.

It's pretty interesting because I tend to bring up a film such as Eric Rohmer's "My Night at Maud's" or his earlier films in which the conversations were intellectual and engrossing but its what made Rohmer's films so intellectually stimulating. They weren't meant for humor, "Metropolitan" is well-crafted for one to follow it and just laugh of the exchanges between the characters.

I absolutely enjoyed how the screenplay is written and the conversations that Stillman includes in this film. For example, here is a conversation between the literary loving Audrey and the intellectual, Fourier admiring character, Tom.

AUDREY: I read that Lionel Trilling essay that you mentioned. You really like Trilling?

TOM: Yes.

AUDREY: I think he's very strange. He says that nobody can like the heroine of "Mansfield Park". I like her. And then he goes on, and on, about how we modern people of today with our modern attitudes bitterly resentments for the park because its heroine is virtuous. What's wrong with a novel having a virtuous heroine?

TOM: His point is that the novels premise there is something immoral in a group of young people putting on a play is pretty absurd.

AUDREY: You found Fanny Price unlikeable?

TOM: She sounds pretty unbearable but I haven't read the book?

AUDREY: What?

TOM: You don't have to read a book to have an opinion on it. I haven't read the bible either.

AUDREY: What Jane Austen novels have you read?

TOM: None. I don't read novels. I prefer good literary criticism. That way you get both the novelist's ideas as well as the critics thinking. With fiction, I can never forget that none of it ever really happened, that its all just made up by the author.

This is just but one of the few conversations featured in the film.

"Metropolitan" is probably one of those romantic comedies that definitely does its best in showcasing the life of young Manhattan debutantes. And I have read that because Stillman's father was an attorney for President Kennedy (and his parents was divorced), he had the opportunity to see life in both worlds of rich and not rich at all and definitely provided some insight to the (disappearing?) lifestyle of young upperclass students.

I loved the characters of this film. Personally, with the way the film is ostentatiously written, especially how characters (especially Charlie) who has this opprobrium feel to his fellow upperclass friends, he senses doom. In no different of how a conservative views a liberal. I loved the character of Audrey who is the most reminiscent of early Rohmer films with her discussions of literary likes. And as a person who took part in high school book clubs to have these literary discussions, I have found Tom the most interesting of them all. Not just in regards to his comment of not reading novels and following criticism (because even those of us who review films are guilty of reading reviews and essays from Sarris, Kael, Rosenbaum, Agee, etc. of films we may have not seen yet) but it's his take towards the upperclass and not being a fan of the debutante balls but yet hangs out with the UHB's and thus, there is a hypocrisy that begins to be unraveled as he starts to sort out his emotions and the way people around him have started to have an affect on him.

By no means is "Metropolitan" a film that is pedantic nor does it asks its viewer to be an erudite on literary and socio-economic topics. But it does make for an engrossing film for those who know what the characters are talking about and for the most part, this is an independent film that it so well written and for a low budget film that deals with the upperclass, Whit Stillman has done a fantastic job with this film and definitely helped set things up for the writer/director for his next two films "Barcelona" and "The Last Days of Disco". If anything, it has been over a decade since we have seen anything else from Stillman which is a shame because he is fine director and I hope we continue to see more films from the director.

As for the DVD, it may not be a release that has the typical CRITERION COLLECTION style of being loaded with bells and whistles, nor may it be one of their better looking films in the collection but for those who are fans of Stillman's work or a person who is craving for humorous but smart, engrossing dialogue will find "Metropolitan" to be to their liking.

Overall, "Metropolitan" is a film that I very much love but by saying that, I know this film is not for everyone. But still "Metropolitan" is definitely a DVD release still worth recommending!

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Whit Stillman's "METROPOLITAN" is the brilliant and clever study of late 80s-early 90s youths in Manhattan, living would-be intelligent and affluent lifestyles as they wax philosphical on every topic which lies at their fingertips (ultimately, they just want sex)...

Chris Eigeman is way more charming and funny than he has any right to be as the smarmy and downright obnoxious fraud who one night, by chance ?, befriends a Conan O'Brien look-alike in a baje-colored overcoat.

It's through this meeting that our hero (the carrot top) meets Audrey, a charming and sadly insecure young lady who finds him intriguing, if he would only reciprocate those feelings. Yes, the heartstrings and nerves of these bright young things are very tangled, indeed.

Stillman, who made his fearsome, forceful writing-directorial debut here, has crafted a bittersweet and wonderfully eloquent take on the yuppie lifestyle and the love lives of a particular circle of friends within that strata of society.

The great news: The Criterion Collection, known for their brilliant and astonishing treatments of great films, have wisely decided to release this film for the first time ever on DVD! On 2/14/06, "Metropolitan" will be available to own with, I'm sure, some great extra features! If we could just get another Stillman commentary (like on the "Barcelona" DVD available from Warner Home Video), then we'd be in business. Anything else is just gravy.

This is a masterpiece of ultra-independent cinema, with a young first time writer-director strutting his stuff and leaving an indelible impression of his viewers. This is where Stillman gets a loyal audience. And it won't just be available in the Netherlands anymore!!!

See also: "Barcelona" (1993) and "The Last Days of Disco" (1998), at least while waiting for Stillman to get off his bum and do another film!!!

PLEASE!

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Drumline (Special Edition) (2002)

that's what you'll think when you finish this DVD!

It's a great flick! If you've ever been in a marching band, no matter how long ago, it will bring it right back to you. Now, most of us only dreamed of being in bands the caliber of those featured in drumline. They are the cream....I didn't catch the names of the REAL marching bands that participated in the movie (the college names are fictional, I believe)...but they were the stars of this particular show.

The filmmakers captured the difficulty and exhuberance of being a part of "one band, one music" and the dedication these young people have to being the best at what they do. The only recognizable actor is intense Orlando Jones, as Mr. Lee...and he is very good at what he does.

The plot is pretty typical...boy who is a little different from the crowd has incredible talent, faces adversity, finds love, finds his way back to his dream. The boy is a newcommer named Nick Cannon, who has a real screen persona. He's hard not to like. The real star is the music, and the marching, and the in your face color spectacle of being involved in marching band at the college competition level.

For a real feel-good experience, catch Drumline. It's awesome!

Let me preface my comments with my bias first: I am a graduate of Morehouse College in Atlanta, GA, so the notion of a movie set on an historically black college campus (A&T-filmed on CAU's beautiful campus) gets points out the gate. This movie, however, managed to do something that its ealier predecessor's failed to do: entertain, educate, and rally the audience all at the same time.

"Drumline" is your classic story of a highly talented and cocky freshman coming into his own by bumping heads with authority and consequently learning to respect the differences. Where this movie picks up major points is that it takes you directly into the heart of a culture (HBC bands) and helps to preserve on film to some and present to others something that has an awesome legacy in Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

There is something incredibly awesome about seeing bands battle on the big screen. The adrenaline gets going and you find yourself cheering during the competitions. When I first saw the trailer for this movie, I knew I would have to see it.

Nick Cannon does a wonderful job with the main character, Devin. And less we forget, the extras in this movie were totally on point. I'm so glad that this movie was as well done and well received as it was, and I hope that Hollywood takes note and gives us more movies like this one.

Also worth mentioning, excluding some very light profanity, this is pretty much a good movie for anyone to watch, be it families, dates, or just friends hanging out. I know that this DVD will be the highlight of my collection for a while.

Buy Drumline (Special Edition) (2002) Now

Nothing like a percussion section to dress up a marching band--to give the band some flair and a nice touch of razzle-dazzle. Is it any wonder percussion sections are often comprised of flamboyant, overly-confident, enthusiastic showboaters? And there's nothing wrong with that: after all, these guys have to strut their stuff, entertain the crowd, and hold the band together--all at the same time.

The movie DRUMLINE pays homage to the determined percussionists who entertain college football crowds on Saturday afternoons. The story itself is formulaic and predictable: young Devon (Nick Cannon), a snare drummer with buckets of talent but a serious attitude, is constantly on the outs with his no-nonsense band director, Dr. Lee (Orlando Jones, forever known to me as the 7UP dude). But the story is enhanced by the fascinating trials and tribulations of the (fictitious) Atlanta A&T marching band as it progresses through a long football season. The viewer is privy to the band's countless practices, personality clashes, section challenges, and performances. But the performances make this movie so entertaining; director Charles Stone III and his crew really knew their stuff, as DRUMLINE vividly portrays the gritty and glittery realism of a big-time college marching band.

I even get a nice little workout while I watch this film--especially when Atlanta A&T's percussion section must meet a challenging drumline in a "face-off" to determine the winner of a national marching band contest. The drum cadences, the pounding and clashing rhythms, are so clean, crisp, and compelling that I find myself first bobbing my head to the beat, then swaying and strutting to the delightful sounds. Finally, I'm slapping my beer belly in unison with the cadence (and I keep up pretty well, if I do say so myself). The workout provides a fresh burst of energy, and so does DRUMLINE.

--D. Mikels

Read Best Reviews of Drumline (Special Edition) (2002) Here

My review of "Drumline" is based on what I saw at the theater, not on home video. First of all, the plot is pure formula, inspired by "An Officer and A Gentleman". Remove that complaint, and it's a great film. The movie is highly original in that it shows, (perhaps for the first time on the screen), what it's really like to be in a marching band in college. This film does an excellent job in showing a real-life school, with real people, in a way that should not offend that many people. There's no real gratutious sex, violence, or bad language. What it has is in keeping with it's PG-13 rating. Nick Cannon graduates from a high school in a lower-income neighborhood in New York City. He was raised by his mother, his father having little to do with either one of them. He gets a musical diploma to a college in Atlanta. He has an attitude; he's a great drummer and he knows it. We later find out he cann't read sheet music, (he lied on his college application), but he has the ability to learn very fast by hearing alone. The fact that Nick was raised by a single parent also contributes to his bad attitude towards the world. Nick does have some good morals, but, it takes some attitude adjustment to bring them out. Orlando Jones, the only big name in the cast, is very believable as the musical director who is stuck on out-of-date music, that while nice to listen to, is not winning the big competition with the other schools. The college pricipal really wants a winning band, much like another pricipal would want a winning football team. The movie shows that being on a marching band means being on time, being part of a team, constant workouts, (just as hard as the football players), and when one person makes a mistake everyone suffers. Also there are four levels in the band from the most talented down to the rookiees. A person on a lower lever can challenge a person on a higher level to a one-on-one musical competition for their seat. The nerve-racking fact that college students, many in their teens or early twenties, have to be near perfect in front of a stadium filled with thousands of people is also shown.I doubt if what it really means to be in a band in college has ever been shown in such detail in a movie before. For the record, I was never in a band in school, but those who were, have said what is shown on the screen is very accurate. "Drumline" does have moments when what the viewer expected to happen does occur, but, it has enough surprises to keep the film-goer engaged. The acting, camera work, music, and location filming are all first rate. This is more than a "fish out of water" film, this is a movie about real people at a real college playing in a real marching band.

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Drumline is a heart-thumping, feet-stompin', get-up-and-shake-your-...-and-feel-good type of movie that makes one thankful to be alive. Nick Cannon plays a gifted drummer from the inner city who gets a full scholarship to Atlanta T&T, a predominantly black college which has a long history of having an exceptional marching band.

Most of the characters are black. A few well placed faces are white. The story, of gifted ambition fighting against the system, is universal. Nick's love interest is Zoe Saldana, a lovely cheerleader (whom I had seen in Center Stage and Crossroads). Orlando Jones (Evolution, The Time Machine) plays an overly conservative band director who is challenged to bring more excitement to defeat longtime rival, Morris Brown College, at the upcoming band competition classic.

Nick wears his motor-board and graduates from high school. There's a touching scene where he goes to see his father, who works as a ticket taker and "thanks" him for not being there when he needed him. In college, Nick's rebellious nature gets him into trouble and eventually kicked off of the band. He makes a triumphant return and everyone lives happily ever after (but, of course).

Along the way, however, we are treated to the most exciting display of marching band prowess and drum line percussion riffs I've ever enjoyed anywhere! Take it from me, you'll never in a million years view such an exhibition on Saturday afternoon NCAA football!

The finale is spectacular. On the field, you'd be life-challenged to see black cheerleader mid-driffs more sensual; or black drum beats so inspirational. The bands duel, and tie; and the drum lines face-off for the conclusion. Not a word was spoken, but I've never experienced anything so dramatic; and I literally ended the film with my heart pounding in my chest, and tears streaming down my cheeks.

There's a touching moment in the deleted scenes where Nick goes to thank his father who turned out to offer him a key piece of inspiration in the film.

Drumline is viscerally and emotionally powerful; and it is easily one of the best movies I've seen all year (black or otherwise). I'm sure you'll love it as much as I did!

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Harold and Maude (The Criterion Collection) (1971)

The editor's review of this film is a fair enough description of the plot. One should add that, despite being made in 1971, the movie manages not to look dated, precisely because it makes such fun of the early 70s style, and that the acting by the three main characters (Harold, Maude and Harold's mother) is simply inspired. Ruth Gordon is splendid of course, while Bud Cort gives a lifetime performance, but it is the portrayal of Harold's mother by Vivian Pickles (what a splendid name for someone in the role) that has to be the most undercelebrated aspect of this film. Her breezy blitheness, outraged exasperation, and British sensibility are all just too wonderful.

But before I go on ...

NOTE: It has been been pointed out to me that since some would consider this review to contain spoilers that I ought to warn people ahead of time. However, I'll add that it's hard to say how much spoilers actually spoil this movie; spoilers may help to make the movie's wisdom more readily apparent on a first viewing. In any case, there are several ahead.

ADDITIONAL NOTE: Some Amazonites have complained that they encountered spoilers in my review despite presumably reading my disclaimer and warning (above) that there are spoilers in my review. I find this odder than some of Harold's mother's behavior, and it makes me want to ask, without at all intending sarcasm, "If you didn't appreciate the disclaimer when you read it, how will reading spoilers harm your appreciation of the film?" ... To paraphrase Maude: "Ah people ...." (They're my species.) ... Meanwhile, back at the review:

Filling out a dating questionnaire for her son, in response to the question "Do you find the idea of wife-swapping offensive?" his mother answers, "I find the question offensive." In response to the question, "Do you feel the women's liberation movement has gone too far," she replies, "It cer-tain-ly has." Even "Harold, eat your beets" is delivered so wonderfully that it's memorable. Eric Christmas also makes the bit-part of a priest into something delightful and memorable, principally by one splendid monologue.

But is this really a black comedy? Personally, I think of black comedies as being morbid and mordant, which Harold & Maude certainly has elements of, but also ultimately cynical. One should not mistake grimness in a film as a sign of nihilism; as the Japanese proverb runs, the ending is all-important. The film ultimately is not about an intergenerational love affair (surely the most "shocking" aspect of the film), but about Harold learning to embrace life. And it is precisely to make as effective as possible Harold's decision to live life to the fullest (rather than continue to prefer to be dead) that it is first necessary to make his life miserable.

As insanely amusing as much of the movie is, it is also full of profundity after profundity from Maude, who is a nearly continuous font of wisdom, with laughter and humor being simply the most crucial values in her wisdom. When she asks Harold what he does for fun, he takes her to a picnic in a wrecking yard. She replies, "I'll grant you, it has a certain something. But is it enough?" When Harold declines her offer of wine, she replies, "Oh go on, it's organic." And most beautiful of all, when Harold says, "I don't want you to die, Maude. I love you," she replies with perfect calmness, "Harold, that's wonderful. Now go out and love some more." If you've been caught up in the genuine spirit of this movie, the line will not seem like some breezy brush-off, but may instead bring tears to your eyes.

The scene of Harold's grief after Maude's death, intercutting silent images of him waiting in a hospital room and driving recklessly around the Marin headlands in the Jaguar he has converted into a hearse while Cat Steven's song, "Trouble" plays, is very well-done and sets up the climax of the film beautifully. Cat Steven's soundtrack throughout, in fact, is a splendid selection of songs, and certainly makes clear that, however morbid things might seem, this film is ultimately life-affirming in a very profound way.

Having watched this movie many, many times and having yet to tire of it, it seems to me there is more to it than meets the eye. And not just because, when Harold gives Maude an engraved birthday gift, she says, "This is the nicest gift anyone has given me in a long time," and then throws it into the San Francisco Bay saying, "That way, I'll always know where it is." And not just because one eventually notices, in the briefest of passing shots, the tattoo of a concentration camp inmate on Maude's arm. In the final analysis, it seems to me that Harold is actually already dead. That his theatrical suicides aren't faked at all, but also don't succeed because he himself is not aware that he's actually dead. It's probably more accurate to say that the director pushes the narrative to the point where Harold seems to be actually dead and not just faking, precisely to make his choice of life at the end all the more inspiring.

And inspiring it is. Harold & Maude is not (alas) for everyone. A viewer who is hidebound like the movie's priest, colonel or mother (read church, state, authority) will find Maude's sometimes gentle, sometimes brash mocking of convention more annoying than enlightening, just as the (not depicted) sexual relationship between Harold and Maude is the thing many people who miss the point remember about the movie. To this, Maude might say, as she does to a police officer, "Don't be officious. You're not yourself when you're officious. That's the curse of a government job." Or as she says, when the priest replies that he didn't like the way she'd painted his statue of the Virgin Mary, "Give it time. It'll grow on you. Some things take a while to appreciate."

A lot of great movies have been poorly digitized or otherwise transfered to DVD without sufficient care and attention, but I was pleasantl surprised by the quality of this one. They found (or restored) a very clean and clear original print of the film and then digitally captured it beautifully. The soundtrack has also been enhanced with a remix of the Cat Stevens songs to take advantage of the stereo front speakers and the subwoofer. A wonderful movie, well presented.

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I had heard about this movie through friends but was never impressed by the story. A reclusive anti social kid who befriends and falls in love with an elderly (though young at heart) eccentric. I wrote it off completely til I saw a bit of it on television and thought it was hilarious and as it turns out I rented the movie and was extremely hooked. Harold is a rich kid with a high strung, selfish mother who tries anything to find a suitor for him, in turn Harold escapes from his home to overshadow funeral processions and memorials. At a number of these events, Maude is in attendence and she lights up the scene with her off the wall,and positively upbeat personality that horrifies and amuses Harold. After a while they become unlikely friends. Maude helps Harold live a little and in turn he develops true affection to Maude. With Ruth Gordon's charm and incredible acting abilites, and Cat Steven's classy soundtrack, its not hard to find yourself feeling happy and free after the movie is over. It really teaches you a message about being your own person and enjoying life.

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Harold and Maude is just a delight to see. Somehow, the wonderful acting of Ruth Gordon and Bud Cort seem to get away with their relationship (which at the time, was QUITE a scandal!)

What is so great about this show is that it was written so beautifully and sensitively. I don't know of any other movie that talks about life and death in such a sensitive, but yet lighthearted manner.

My favorite scene is when Harold and Maude are in a daisy field and Maude says: "You know Harold, I'd like to come back as a sunflower most of all. They're so big and hearty. What would you like to come back as?" Harold responds by saying "One of these" (meaning one of the daisies). Maude says "How come" and he replies, "Because they're all alike."

Then comes the Kleenex box when she replies "Oh no, Harold, They're not all alike! You see, some grow to the left, some to the right, some have even lost petals, all SORTS of observer able differences . . . You see, Harold, I feel that much of the world's sadness comes from someone who is this" (she picks a daisy from the field) -"but yet ALLOWS themselves to be treated as that" (gesturing to the entire field of daisies).

You can't beat this show for its marvelous acting by Ruth Gordon, especially. You will also never find another movie that can portray all of these intense subjects in such a carefree way that they seem commonplace.

Get this movie and watch it several times to really enjoy it. I've seen it at least 30 times, myself and have enjoyed it more and more each time.

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If such an irreverently offbeat film were to be made today, I wonder how the putative audiences would react. As was probably the case when the film was released, people would probably find the theme edgy, if not inappropriate. This anti-establishment cult classic quite openly explores themes of suicide, love, death and life with a fresh perspective.

The interesting part is how this film will likely find you. In most societies, an older man will likely fall for a woman years his junior. Here though, Harold (Bud Cort) -a shy teenager with an affinity for death -meets his 80-year-old true love Maude (Ruth Gordon), not at a dance or social event, but at funerals.

I guess 'Harold and Maude' plays on '60s-esque themes of turning maverick, challenging societal moulds, denouncing materialism. The story is strewn with delectable humor, and thankfully is not of your average garden variety. Cat Stevens' open-air, acoustic-driven rock 'n' roll makes for a cherishable soundtrack giving the film an authentic organic sound indicative of its demeanor.

A great movie with a warm heart -required collective for every self-respecting library!

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Tyler Perry's Meet The Browns + Digital Copy (2008)

Short Attention Span Summary (SASS):

1. Angela Bassett stars as a single mother of 3 kids struggling to make ends meet in inner city Chicago

2. A death in the family takes them to Georgia, where they meet the Browns

3. A quick Rick Fox jumps into the crazy clan

4. Over-the-top characters, prolonged punch lines and unnecessary family secrets lead to a predictable ending

This movie has an established talent pool of a cast, and usually they can be depended on to put the "dis" in dysfunctional, but this time the jokes fail to flow smoothly, wasting the comedic talents of Jenifer Lewis, David Mann and Frankie Faison. Tyler Perry appears briefly as his most beloved character Madea, but even this feels like an afterthought in the context of the movie.

Angela Bassett is out of place for this particular role, but excellent actress that she is, her character signifies hope for single mothers everywhere who may be feeling overwhelmed by the pressures of work, home and family.

Some good performances make for a movie with a strong message, but unfortunately it's hard to see through all the noise and confusion.

Amanda Richards, July 20, 2008

I cannot stop playing this DVD. I watched it for the first time on Christmas night and have been thinking about the Browns ever since. I went in expecting to obviously miss the presence of Madea, but I have to say that although I'm interested to know what kind of interaction she would have had with the Browns, Mr. Perry made the correct decision when he decided to give the Manns their time to rightfully shine. It's a wonderful, highly enjoyable play.

Going totally and completely out on a limb, I'm going to say that I think this is probably the best Tyler Perry play I've seen (I've seen 5 of 7, soon to be 8 with the addition of Madea Goes To Jail). To be clear, I'm not talking in terms of outright humor, because I didn't find it to be as funny as the others, but more in terms of better writing, better actors, and better subplots. It also included better singing/songs; this time I didn't fast-forward through any of the singing, which is rare for me, because I don't like musicals and random singing. (Yes, this means I hate Chicago and Mary Poppins.) My favorites would absolutely have to be Tamala Mann and Terrell Carter's solo performances and the final song in which the entire cast sang. Those are the ones I insert the DVD to play whenever I'm home, and those are the ones I find myself walking around at work singing to myself; they actually inspired me to purchase the soundtrack from tylerperry.com. I have to recommend this play to everyone I know (starting with whoever is reading this and hasn't seen it).

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I think Tyler Perry should give himself more time in between movies so that he can make a great movie every single time. I liked Diary, loved Family Reunion and Why Did I Get Married. I didn't care for Daddy's Little Girls nor this movie. It wasn't horrible...I just know he can do so much better.

*** The movie seemed too rushed/hasty and there were some parts that just did not go together. I am still confused how Brenda was able to bring all of her children on limited tickets with her down South. Did I miss it? At the theatre, I had to fill in the blanks myself.

*** I wanted to see more of the Browns. I thought this movie was going to actually be like Meet the Browns the play (which I LOVE) but where were Will and Kim? Sara and LB and Millie? I mean, I know they (I love Avery, lol) and LB were in it but their roles could have been bigger. This was just like What's Done in the Dark...even down to the "Brenda, I make 25/hr," and "I told you to get an abortion,"...Needless to say, I was disappointed.

*** For a struggling mother, Angela's hair was always on point! I love Angela Bassett though. She is an excellent actress who plays this role well but could have been better with more support. Angela speaking slang, however, was a little difficult for me because I don't speak slang and I am a black woman. Plus, Angela speaking slang is just weird. Did she have to? So, is it not possible/believable?? (these are actual questions)

*** I did not like Rick Fox in this role. I don't know why. Maybe the theatre I was in messed up the audio levels but he seemed to talk too soft and low and his grin annoyed me, lol.

*** Sofia Vergara was too extra. I also know she can be better. Plus, I think Mr. Perry should have done more research on bipolar disorder to hit her character just right. I have first hand experience with the disorder and if you go off your meds, holding down a job and retaining friends is next to impossible. Perhaps she is type 2??

*** I didn't like the pimp/ho joke. It was just uncalled for. It was distasteful.

The movie wasn't horrible...I just KNOW it can be better. He just needs to give himself more time to work on them. He is doing too much at once and is gonna run himself ragged!! I love Tyler Perry and his work, however, I am not going to blindly think all of his work is excellent. It's called constructive criticism. :-)

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This is just the same story Tyler Perry does over and over with just a different set of characters. He has another black woman who is horribly mistreated by a man only to be saved by a big muscular hunk. I'm often very unhappy with the sterotypical ways Mr. Perry portrays blacks. The ignorant banter of Mr. Brown sets us back by about 50 years. This time he threw in a loud, obnoxious Latino to add to the sterotyping. I do think I could get over that though if he would come up with a different storyline. I truly don't understand what the love for these movies is all about. They alway deal with poor mistreated woman, a very mean man, a very nice handsome man, a loud obnoxious relative or 2, and a beautiful wedding.

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This was THE BEST show that I have been able to sat down with my children and enjoy. Filled with laughter and real life circumstances with the right solution.

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White Christmas (1954)

This review refers to the Widescreen Collection(Paramount)DVD edition of "White Christmas"...

This DVD should be held up as an example of what DVDs are all about.The transfer and restoration of this 50 year old film is superb. It is the reason we are willing to spend a little more to upgrade from VHS and are awed when we see the wonderful results. Filmed in "VistaVision", the widescreen picture lets you take in every scene of this wonderful classic from edge to edge. The picture is clear, sharp and in glorious technicolor.The colors are beautiful and vibrant.

You have the choice of viewing it in DD5.1 surround or the restored Mono. For those looking for some special features, Rosemary Clooney helps out with a retrospective interview and also commentary. There are English subtitles for those needing them and may also be viewed in French(mono).

The film is a treasure in itself. Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye,Rosemary Clooney,and Vera-Ellen are the stars of this 1954 musical with songs by Irving Berlin that you'll want to sing along with and keep humming long after the film has ended. Directed by Michael Curtiz it's a feel good film that although takes place during the Christmas season, is one that you can pull out and watch anytime of the year.

Bing and Danny were Army buddies, now a successful song and dance team and are out to help their favorite old retired General(Dean Jagger),who is having trouble coping with retirement. The General is now running a country inn in Vermont, but the big problem is there is no snow to bring up the tourists. Bing and Danny to the rescue, as they turn the inn into a showcase of talent, and fall for the Haines sisters along the way. Can these wonderful voices also bring the snow out of the sky?...well..you know.

This film is filled with Berlin's wonderful tunes. When Bing takes Rosemary's little hand in his and croons "Count Your Blessings" to her..well it's movie heaven. Rosemary also treats us to several numbers, Vera-Ellen does some fabulous hoofing, and Danny clowns and keeps us smiling like only Danny can. And how much fun is it watching Bing and Danny do the "Sisters" number together?...alot! Then there's the goose bump evoking, wonderfully nostalgic scene of the four of them singing "White Christmas" together with the Winter Wonderland of Vermont as a backdrop.I would be remiss if I didn't mention the wonderful character actress Mary Wicks, she's a great busy-body who causes misunderstandings, and also keep an eye out for George Chakiris and Barrie Chase.

Thanks Paramount for bringing us this great old classic holiday film on this great DVD...enjoy...Laurie

also recommended:

It's A Wonderful Life (1946)

The Bells of St. Mary's

or both together on DVD:

Christmas Collector's Pack (The Bells of St. Mary's / It's a Wonderful Life)

I do not have to relate the story of White Christmas. Anyone who watches Christmas movies has seen it over and over. It is a highly entertaining film that leaves you with a good feeling inside. The stars, Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Vera-Ellen and Rosemary Clooney are all wonderful.

The new Blu Ray transfer is magnificent. The picture is so sharp, so crystal-clear, so detailed and so alive with brilliant color, that it is hard to believe that the film is over fifty years old. While watching it, I almost felt like I was there in person. Fortunately, the picture was shot in real Technicolor, and was filmed using Paramount's VISTA-VISION, which created a much larger image on the film allowing for incredible sharpness of vision. The newly remastered 5.1 DTS soundtrack fills your viewing room with rich, lush sound and sharp dialog.

You cannot go wrong by buying this new Blu Ray of White Christmas. It's a film the whole family can enjoy.

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Recently, Paramount has offered us wonderful new DVD-issues of classics like To Catch a Thief and Funny Face, both shot in Vista-Vision, and now looking better than ever on home video thanks to Paramount using original camera materials for the transfers. Naturally, I expected that the same loving treatment would be given an old favorite like White Christmas, which was the first feature film shot in Paramount's superb wide-screen process called Vista-Vision.

Not so! This new "remaster" is just as dreary-looking as the older DVD. Grainy and soft with an unstable look and dull colors except in some brightly lit "performance" scenes. Also lots of dirt marks and scattered speckles, plus an ugly splice or two. And NO new extras! Where is the expected featurette about the Vista-Vision system newly made or at least some old promotional reel taken from a shelf in the archives? A huge disappointment! And by the way, where are all the many beloved Paramount classics from the fifties and sixties that have not yet been released on DVD? Not a single title in sight for the coming months. Sad.

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Just so no one else buys this and thinks they are getting a color version of this movie. It's in Black and white. In the descripion on Amazon it says it is in color. The color version is only on VHS.

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WHITE CHRISTMAS remains the all-time classic Christmas movie (not counting IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE). Featuring a fantastic cast and a superb Irving Berlin score, it's a heartwarming and lavish musical.

Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye play two ex-GI's who team up with a sister act (Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen) and help out their old army general (Dean Jagger) whose Vermont ski lodge has hit hard times. They decide to write a new musical and premiere it at the lodge with hopes of going to Broadway.

The performances cannot be bettered; Bing and Rosemary make a delightful singing screen couple; while Kaye and Vera-Ellen make the perfect matchmakers heckling on the sideline. Mary Wickes (SISTER ACT, NOW VOYAGER) is hilarious as Jagger's busybody other half.

Clooney is given the fantastic number "Love You Didn't Do Right By Me", Crosby is affecting in his duet with Clooney "Count Your Blessings Instead Of Sheep", Danny Kaye and Vera-Ellen bring down the house with "The Best Things Happen While You're Dancing" and Vera-Ellen is breathtaking dancing to "Mandy".

The DVD includes an audio commentary from Rosemary Clooney, a retrospective interview with Rosemary Clooney and trailers.

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