Camp Nowhere

I have been reading the reviews, most of which are obviously written by teenagers or preteens.

My husband, also 30something, tuned into this on cable the other night. and we both sat and watched the whole thing. It's "Lord of the flies" set in modern day, but much more fun to watch.

Christopher Lloyd, best known as "Reverend Jim" on t.v. show Taxi, and "Doc Brown" in the Back to the Future movies is the only known star that shows up in most of the movie. He plays the authority figure throughout the film when the parents' aren't.

It's a "let's see how much we can get away with while the parents aren't looking" movie. and I have to admit, it was pretty cool..Both my husband and i were thinking: That is cool..I wish I could've done that. It's a fantasy for younger teens. Basically, some rich kids pool all their summer camp money together and create their own fantasy camp and their parents think that they are all at the camps they were originally supposed to go to for the summer: fat camp, computer camp, drama camp.. instead, it's just 'HAVE FUN ALL SUMMER camp..OR Camp Nowhere at some run down land that Lloyds' character finds.

The teens all come together and help Lloyd from going to jail.

It's a cute little film that certainly isn't one of the most classic of the teen genre, but certainly is entertaining enough.

A lot of silliness goes on, and eventually chaos!!! the parents want parents day..of course, they have to get caught eventually, right?

check it out...

This movie is great. It is very hilarious and well worth your time. It is almost a five-star movie in my opinion, but I can't give it more than four because some of the scenes are just plain corny and/or ridiculous. And yes, as one reviewer mentioned, the parents are represented wrongly, in that they never suspected anything, which does not seem real.

On the other hand, that same reviewer mentioned that he did not finish watching this movie because of cursing. I seriously do not know what he is talking about. I only remember very occaisional and rather mild swearing.

All in all, this is a great movie that is definitely worth watching more than once. I definitely recommend at least renting it, if not buying it.

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I recently rented Camp Nowhere. Best movie I have seen in my life. It is SO funny. It is all about this group of four teens {two girls, two boys} whos parents are making them go to summer camps in which they do not want to go. They find Dennis Van Wilker {Christopher Lloyd} and they scam thir parents into this camp. Along with many other kids, all summer this "camp" which is really just a big party, goes great. In August, all the parents want a Parents Day, so they pull of "the GREATEST scam of all time" At the end, the truth is revealed, nothing bad happens. The whole movie, Mudd and Gabby have a little crush going on and wont admit it to each other but at the end Mudd and Gabby have a nice wet kiss.

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CAMP NOWHERE has been one of my favorite flicks for a long time. I just saw this flick again for a second time on TV today. Although I'm 17 years old, I still find this movie very enjoyable. It's about this geeky kid named Mudd (Jonathan Jackson) and three other kids (including Andrew Keegan), who come up with a plan to make their summer vacation the most fun vacation they've ever had by creating their own camp called Camp Nowhere, with the help of an ex-drama teacher named Dennis (Christopher Lloyd). The camp was just supposed to be for the four of them, but then a bunch of other kids find out about the camp and they end up going to the camp, too! It's a wild and crazy summer for the kids with no rules or responsible adults. The kids get to do whatever they want, while their parents think they are away at computer camp, weight-loss camp, military camp, or drama camp! And of course, they've got megabucks to spend on whatever they want from the money their parents paid for the camps. But then their parents come for parents' day and they have to prove to them that they are really at the camps their parents thought they were!

This movie is very hilarious and fun to watch with your friends. You can watch it over and over again without ever getting tired of it. With an allstar cast including Jonathan Jackson, Andrew Keegan, and Christopher Lloyd and a great script, how could you go wrong? If you haven't seen CAMP NOWHERE, I definitely recommend that you do. You must buy this movie 'cause it's da bomb! And Jonathan Jackson is really cute in this movie, too!:-)

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This movie was the reason I joined up with Amazon, thus, as everyone can guess, it can't be bad. Right? Right!

Let's start with the movie: it's very amusing. While there are only very few truly funny scenes (most notably the car wash scene with Cristopher Lloyd), the whole movie is lighhearted and easy going, with nice characters with whom you can identify. And altough there are a bunch of them the most important are 5: Mud, Gaby, Trish and Zach the 4 main kids who originate the camp idea and the adult they blackmail into helping them, Dennis. All have their quirks, all come to terms with them. And some come together in the process, which you, as the viewer, will if not love, then atleast like a lot. All in all I can say this is one decent family movie, which both the kids and the adults ought to like.

In other words highly recommended!

Lets go to the next part the packaging. While the extra features are few (Spanish audiotrack + chapter menu) the enhanced 16:9 transfer is excellent. You'll probably enjoy it even on a computer, as the final resolution is big enough for even 19" monitors. The sound... well, this is the only detail I can complain about the package carries a "Dolby Digital Surround Sound" notice, which ain't true both audiotracks, while in Dolby's format, are only stereo. But as this ain't really a movie where you can do much with surround sound then this shouldn't be a reason why to skip this release. Besides the number of channels audio is fine.

So, to take it all together: very nice movie with very good picture and more than decent audio. And while there are practically no extras it's no reason why your family shouldn't own a copy of this DVD.

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America Lost and Found: The BBS Story (Head / Easy Rider / Five Easy Pieces / Drive, He Said / The

The film opens with Nicholson in a tight shot talking to someone. We aren't sure at first to whom he's talking or why. From that opening scene I was hooked. Nicholson is a radio personality (David) who one day gets a phone call from his brother Jason (Bruce Dern) who is in jail. Jason is basically a big-time loser who has been trying all his life to make something big happen. His latest scheme is to encourage his brother to join him and his female companions (played by Ellyn Burstyn and Julia Anne Robinson) in Atlantic City while contemplating the purchase of an island near Hawaii. Many strange events happen along the way, not the least of which finds the two women competing for Jason's affection. A very strange scene occurs involving a fire on the beach. Without giving too much away, I will say that this is a turning point that has tremendous impact later in the story. So few films today have even slightly interesting characters. These characters are so vivid and interesting that you can't help but be intrigued, wondering what's going to happen next. Each scene seems to have no rhyme or reason, until finally the pieces fall into place. When the pieces do come together, you realize that you've witnessed something very unique, original, and haunting.

The four leading actors are all at the top of their form. I have never seen Nicholson timid, unsure, or at a loss for words before. Dern is hopelessly reckless. Robinson is an innocent in an evil environment. Burstyn is perfect as the key to the whole story, which is one that I'll never forget. You'll think about this quiet little film long after the credits are over.

Since I am mostly commenting on the "HEAD" portion of this set, I should include that already having "Five Easy Pieces" in a restored version on DVD and "Easy Rider" has been reissued numerous times with not much bonus material here, this print of "HEAD" is from the original 35mm negative! Where-as the awful DVD release from Rhino, who lies in a leader frame that the Full Frame format is how the film was meant to be seen! I beg to differ and bow to Criterion for releasing this incredible movie in glorious widescreen and in a true 5.1! Don't worry, those purist that still listen through a Stereo Reciever (because MOST humans only have 2 ears),like myself..the stereo seperation will blow you away, especially if you have the inferior RHINO release, you need not do a side by side comparison! Not only are the songs in true stereo but the entire soundtrack through-out the entire movie. Including the closing credits (Known on the Colgems soundtrack as "PLus Strings") by Ken Thorne. Which also gives RHINO another bad mark. In October, RHINO released a "HEAD Deluxe CD boxset" and list the "Plus Strings as "stereo" and they are most certainly not, yet Criterion goes the extra mile and finds true masters to all the Stereo songs plus Ken thorne's excellent incidental music! "Porpoise Song" has the nice deep low ends and crystal clear highs. Special credit with the live "Circle Sky" and "As We Go Along" where the vocals were burried on the RHINO release. Not so on this print. You feel as if the movie were filmed yesterday! Not bad for a 42 year old film! The colors are vibrant and the print is so sharp you may want to keep your hands away from the screen! Criterion deserves an award for thier excellence!

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I hadn't heard about this collection until i ran a search for Head on Blu Ray here at Amazon. At first I was ecstatic that it was on Blu Ray but dismayed that it was only available as part of a collection. When I saw the other films included coupled with the price being right i decided to buy it. I have now watched all the films and wasn't disappointed. Criterion does an excellent job with the HD transfers and the extras on each film.

Head was a lost gem I first saw on the CBS Late Movie in the early 1970s. To understand it, it helps to have some background about the Monkees and the myths surrounding them, as well as their desire to be taken seriously as a 1960s rock group. I already owned the Rhino DVD version, which professed that the 1:33 to 1 aspect ratio was original intended version. Nothing could be further from the truth; here it is presented in its original 1:78 to 1 aspect ratio (16:9 in the parlance of our times). The extras are very informative as is the commentary by Michael Nesmith, Peter Tork, Davy Jones and Micky Dolenz. Finally, an honorable version of this wonderful cult film!

I have seen Easy Rider several times over the years; the last time I saw it was a DVD presentation and I found it to be somewhat dated. However, due to the excellent HD transfer I was less focused on the lingo of the day and more on Laszlo Kovac's excellent cinematography. It's amazing how great the film looks with a proper transfer and it gave me a greatly renewed interest. Again, the extras are top-notch and very informative. It's equally impressive how much "bang for the buck" BBS got from all their films.

Five Easy Pieces was another film I already owned on DVD but again, this version looks wonderful.

The Last Picture Show is one of my favorite 1970s films and I never owned it before now. Again, the extras are excellent and the transfer is impeccable.

I had never seen the remaining films. A Safe Place and Drive, He Said were my least favorites though they are certainly interesting curious from the era. Sometimes films like these require repeated viewings to be fully appreciated though the acting in each were superb and both were original and imaginative. The King of Marvin Gardens was excellent and I'm surprised it didn't do well in its theatrical release years ago. Still, Criterion gave all the Class A treatment with high quality HD transfers and informative, interesting extras.

Criterion must be commended for their great efforts on this set. It's well worth purchasing and will provide several hours of viewing pleasure.

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With so many surprising and great releases, I've come to take Criterion for granted. But then comes the announcement of "America Lost and Found: The BBS Story" and I'm like an excited kid on Christmas morning. Amazon has done a comprehensive job listing the contents of this impressive set, so I'm going to direct my comments at the eclectic mix of films provided. The BBS story is no less than a film revolution that occurred in the late sixties to try to foster younger artists to the industry and cultivate younger, more adventurous film goers. All films within "America Lost and Found" were produced between 1968 and 1972 and represent a challenge to the conventional film narrative of that period. In retrospect, some of the films have been proclaimed classics while others have become somewhat obsolete. But all are fascinating examples of an artistic rebellion that influenced the film industry for years to come (all the more astounding as much of the company's financing came from the funds generated by the Monkees).

My personal favorite within "America Lost and Found" is Peter Bogdanovich's "The Last Picture Show" which has been begging for a better DVD release. An evocative look at a dying small town, this gorgeous black and white film is supremely entertaining and boasts a spectacular cast. Desolate and spare, the film tells the story of Sonny and Duane who as they approach manhood must face the harsh realities of life, love, and friendship. Nominated for eight Oscars including Best Picture, the film won supporting statuettes for Ben Johnson (a career high) and Cloris Leachman. Jeff Bridges and Ellen Burstyn also received nods as did Bogdanovich for Directing and Screenplay (which he co-wrote with the incredible Larry McMurtry).

Two other undeniable classics in counterculture are Dennis Hopper's "Easy Rider" and Bob Rafelson's "Five Easy Pieces." "Easy Rider" picked up two Oscar nods (including Jack Nicholson's first) and tells the simple story of two motorcyclists' journey across America. Capturing a specific time so perfectly, the film seems to embrace the anti-establishment freedom of its leads (Hopper and Peter Fonda) while making the compelling argument that ultimate freedom is an illusion and that choosing to challenge societal norms thus becomes the norm. And "Five Easy Pieces," another of my all time favorites, was nominated for 4 Oscars (including Jack Nicholson and Karen Black). Another journey picture (both in physical travels as well as in the spiritual/psychological realm), Rafelson's landmark has one of Nicholson's most iconic performances in a film that is immensely angry and riotously funny by turn. The chicken salad sandwich scene is an undisputed classic in American cinema!

Bob Rafelson's well regarded "The King of Marvin Gardens" is also included. An underrated gem set in Atlantic City, this tale of brotherhood and dreaming big casts a realistic light on a get-rich-quick scam gone wrong. Nicholson and Burstyn are on hand, as is Bruce Dern--and this compelling quasi-masterpiece shows the three on disparate (and times desperate) paths toward redemption. Rafelson also supplies this collection with the bizarre "Head," a meandering and psychedelic excursion into the minds of The Monkees. With a documentary feel, the film follows The Monkees on numerous and random musical encounters and celebrates their celebrity while at the same time seeming to indict the culture who embraces such excesses. Jack Nicholson makes his directorial debut on the uneven "Drive, He Said"--noteworthy mostly for the Nicholson credit. Depicting the college experience in the sixties, "Drive" tells the story of a disaffected basketball player. Introducing many plot threads, the film fails to follow an effective through line and is a fairly disjointed (though interesting) effort. And lastly there is Henry Jaglom's "A Safe Place," another oddity of interior monologue with Tuesday Weld descending into a world of fantasy.

Many of the films in "America Lost and Found" share a thematic connection. The films eschew conventional plot driven narratives in favor of character study. These directors wanted to present a realistic portrait of the era in which they lived and not an idealized film world. And many of the central characters in all the works are seeking to identify their place in the modern world or, indeed, determine if they have a place at all. The BBC story, through film, is an intriguing and progressive one in that it functioned in the studio system. Independent cinema of today still reflects many of the same ideals. A must have collection for film lovers. KGHarris, 10/10.

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For anyone who loves New Hollywood cinema that kicked off in the late 1960s and ran through most of the 1970s as documented in Peter Biskind's book Easy Riders, Raging Bulls: How the Sex-Drugs-and-Rock 'N' Roll Generation Saved Hollywood, this new box set from the Criterion Collection is essential. The extras for this set are something else and will keep you busy for countless hours.

On the Head DVD is an audio commentary by The Monkees Micky Dolenz, Davy Jones, Michael Nesmith, Peter Tork. Rather appropriately, they talk about how they got their own television show and then the film. They are all pretty candid about how badly the film performed at the time and how it was their attempt to trash the image of the band from the show.

"From The Monkees to Head" is an interview with director Bob Rafelson. He talks about the genesis of the T.V. show and how The Beatles influenced it with A Hard Day's Night. He goes on to talk about how the show led to the film and how everyone around him told him not to make it.

"BBS: A Time for Change" is a 30-minute featurette on BBS, an independent production company that existed from the late 1960s to the early 1970s. This is an excellent look at the genesis of this company and its place in cinematic history.

There are screen tests for all four Monkees that were done before the T.V. show. They were integrated into the pilot episode and helped launch the show. Their personalities really come out in this footage. We also see two of The Monkees paired up with two other guys that never made the final cut.

"The Monkees on The Hy Lit Show, 1968" is a rare T.V. appearance by the band to promote Head. It takes place next to a boxing ring (?!) and it is interesting to see them try and explain their film.

"Promotion" includes several theatrical trailers, T.V spots and radio spots for the film. Also included is a collection of stills and behind-the-scenes photographs.

On the Easy Rider disc, there is an audio commentary by co-writer and director Dennis Hopper that was recorded in 2009. He kicks things off by talking about the genesis of the film. He also talks about his motivation for making the film and what he was trying to say with it. He points out bits of dialogue and visual inserts that were improvised. There are several lulls throughout as Hopper tends to get caught up in watching the film.

Also included is a 1995 commentary by Hopper, Peter Fonda and production manager Paul Lewis. This is a much livelier track as everyone shares filming anecdotes like Phil Spector lending his limousine and bodyguard to the film. They also point out where various scenes were shot and how also just how stoned Jack Nicholson was during the famous campfire sequence.

There are two trailers.

The second disc starts off with a 30-minute BBC2 documentary entitled, "Born to be Wild". It features Hopper, Fonda, Karen Black and cinematographer Laszlo Kovacs. Hopper and Fonda talk briefly about how Roger Corman taught them to make a film fast and cheap. Of course, they address the casting of Nicholson and how Hopper didn't see him in the role. Everyone tells some good filming anecdotes in this highly enjoyable extra.

Carried over from the 35th Anniversary Edition is "Easy Rider: Shaking the Cage," an hour-long retrospective documentary featuring new interviews with Fonda, Hopper, Seymour Cassel (who worked on the crew) and Black. Hopper says that the film was an attempt to counter the mainstream fluff like the Frankie and Annette beach party movies that ignored sex, drugs and contemporary rock `n' roll. This is a top-notch look at all the wild stories of filming Easy Rider, including the infamous Mardi Gras shoot.

"Hopper and Fonda at Cannes" features a segment from French T.V. of Fonda and Hopper at the 1969 Cannes Film Festival with their film and they briefly talk about it.

Finally, there is an interview with Steve Blauner, one of the founders of BBS. He talks about the genesis of the company and about their start in T.V., creating The Monkees. He points out that the money from the show paid for Easy Rider.

If you own the Easy Rider (35th Anniversary Deluxe Edition) of the film you might want to hold on to as the commentary that Hopper does on it is not included, nor is the excellent BFI Modern Classics book on Easy Rider by Lee Hill or the bonus CD with select songs from the film.

The Five Easy Pieces disc starts off with an audio commentary by director Bob Rafelson and interior designer Toby Rafelson. Toby points out that the entire film was shot on practical locations. Originally, she didn't want to do the film but Bob convinced her when he told that he was going to use their own furniture (!). By keeping it under budget and on time, he had final cut and could also cast whomever he wanted. Naturally, Bob talks about working with Nicholson on this engaging track.

"Soul Searching in Five Easy Pieces" features an interview with Rafelson where he talks about the film's development. He was nervous about doing Five Easy Pieces because it was the first time he worked with actual, serious actors. He had written two screenplays but didn't like them. He showed them to screenwriter Carol Eastman and she threw them out and wrote her own.

"BBStory" is a 2009, 46-minute documentary about BBS Productions and features the likes of Rafelson, Peter Bogdanovich, Jack Nicholson, Karen Black, and several others. It starts off with the social and political conditions that gave birth to the company. The studio system was collapsing and BBS made films that reflected the times that people were living in.

"Bob Rafelson at AFI" features excerpts from an audio recording of Rafelson speaking at the American Film Institute. He talks about his career and the films he made for BBS.

Finally, there are two teaser trailers and one full-length trailer.

Drive, He Said starts off with "A Cautionary Tale of Campus Revolution and Sexual Freedom," a featurette where Jack Nicholson, Bruce Dern and co-producer Harry Gittes talk about making this film. It was about college campus revolution and at one point during filming a real riot broke out on the campus they were at. They went ahead and filmed it without permission. Nicholson talks about shooting the basketball sequences and how he cast actual players.

Also included is a trailer.

A Safe Place includes an audio commentary by director Henry Jaglom. He points out that the film was originally a play starring Karen Black. By adapting it into a film he wanted to make it more abstract, exploring the internal nature of Tuesday Weld's character. Jaglom is quite eloquent and engaging on this track.

"Henry Jaglom Finds A Safe Place" sees the filmmaker talking about the influence of improvisational theater and the New Wave of European cinema. He was interested in creating stories about the inner lives of women.

"Notes on the New York Film Festival" sees Jaglom and Peter Bogdanovich talk with film critic Molly Haskell about The Last Picture Show and A Safe Place in 1971. It's great to see them all in their prime talking so confidently about their work. The two directors banter playfully with each other in this enjoyable extra.

Also included are outtakes of Orson Welles blowing his lines and four screen tests.

There is a trailer as well.

The Last Picture Show includes an audio commentary by Peter Bogdanovich and actors Cybill Shepherd, Randy Quaid, Cloris Leachman and Frank Marshall. The director explains why he shot the film in black and white and says that the town was divided about them filming there. He goes into the casting choices with some interesting stories. Shepherd says that she never acted before doing that film and gives her impressions of working on it as do the other participants.

Bogdanovich returns for another commentary, this time by himself. There is some overlap from the previous track making it kind of redundant. Not surprisingly, he dwells on the nuts and bolts of filmmaking and discusses its themes.

Also included are two trailers.

The second disc includes "The Last Picture Show: A Look Back," an hour-long documentary made in 1999 with most of the key cast members and Bogdanovich and author Larry McMurtry recalling their experiences of making the film. It takes us through the genesis and filming to its reception. There is a fair amount of crossover of information from the commentaries but if you're not into listening to commentaries then this is for you.

"A Discussion with Filmmaker Peter Bogdanovich" sees him talking about how he got into show business, what directors influenced him and, of course, The Last Picture Show.

"Picture This" is a documentary about Bogdanovich and key cast members reunited to make the sequel, Texasville while also talking about their experiences making the original film. It also paints a fascinating portrait of the people that lived in the town.

Also included are 16mm screen tests of several actors in the film.

There is location footage that Bogdanovich shot while scouting places to shoot for the film.

"Truffaut on the New Hollywood" features filmmaker Francois Truffaut talking briefly about the New Hollywood directors in 1972 on French T.V. He also offers high praise for The Last Picture Show.

For The King of Marvin Gardens, there is a selected-scene commentary by Bob Rafelson. He talks about some of the stylistic choices he made. After Five Easy Pieces, he wanted to make a more abstract film. He talks about the film's style and comments on the characters.

"Reflections of a Philosopher King" sees Rafelson and actress Elle Burstyn talking about the characters in the film and how they came to be and evolved over the course of filming.

"Afterthoughts" features Rafelson, cinematographer Laszlo Kovacs and actor Bruce Dern talking about the style of the film and how it was achieved and why. There is some overlap from the previous extras but Dern and Kovacs' comments are quite good and funny as hell.

"About Bob Rafelson" is brief text biography of the man's career.

Finally, there is a trailer.

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Train of Life (1998)

The comparison to Life is Beautiful is inevitable. The only similarity that I can see is that both are a comedy that encompasses the biggest horror in humanity: the Holocaust. Whereas La Vita e Bella is a one-man show, this is a story about a community that has to deal with the crisis in their own unique way.

When the Germans are approaching the little Jewish village in France, the village votes to purchase a train, a German train rather, and a group of the villagers would pretend to be German soldiers accosting the condemned Jews to the concentration camp. On their way to Russia and safety, one thing after another goes bad, there is the dissension in the rank by the "Communist Jews", there are a French soldiers who really think that the train is a real German train and try to bomb it to save the Jews. Then they meet up with real German soldiers and the adventure continues. Whether they make it or not, you would have to watch it yourself, I won't ruin your ending.

The comedy is rather heavy-handed, along with the amusing adventure, you learn about the passengers, their hopes and dreams. At times it almost falls into drama while quickly making a retreat back to the comedic genre. A light-hearted comedy this is not, at every misadventure they come to, as an audience, your heart jumps along. You wonder if they will make it past this obstacle. You predict that they will, since it is a comedy after all, then again you probably remember how Life is Beautiful ends. Can you really make a pure comedy out of such tragedy?

This is the aspect that keeps the movie rolling. The anticipation of what is going to happen next. The movie contains enough moments to keep you laughing. However, it is during the moments when nothing happens and the passengers deal with their own issues, that the movie gets interesting.

without being biased (since I'm Romanian) I have to admit that the movie is simply great! the comic part just wants to shift the accent from the extremely sad situation to a rather pleasent occuring... all the twists and turns give the movie its capability to keep you seated until you see what happened to them. like many other European movies it is a greatly phylosophical movie as well and it is far from the ordinary comercial movies that bring in the money for box offices.

the actors are great. the picture is also amazing...

WATCH IT!

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I've had this movie stolen from me three times. It's better than Life is Beautiful! It's amazing. Without giving away too much of the story, I will say, pay attention to the words of Schlomo the village idiot. His monologues are profound. Pay attention to the transformation of the "Nazis" who struggle not to become their uniform, and I promise you the last 30 seconds of the film will take your breath away.

An amazing movie that has not gotten nearly enough attention in the United States. This movie deserves a full run. It may be overlooked but it can never be anything less than what it is; one of the best movies ever made.

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I wholeheartedly second the review by 'Mt.Healthy Mountaineer "intrepid reviewer"' but would like to note that he has the geographical details all mixed up: the film DOES concern the fate of a little Jewish village as the Nazis approach, but the village is NOT in France. There have never been any little Jewish villages in France. This village is quite clearly set in Eastern Europe (Poland, Romania, Lithuania...), where such villages were actually to be found. I'm guessing Romania, because the director (and writer, if I remember correctly) of this film is himself a Romanian. And for all the elements of farce in this film, it has about it the unmistakable LOOK of authenticity.

What made the previous reviewer think that this film was set in France? Simple: it happens to be a French-LANGUAGE film (with English subtitles, of course), and its actual title is "Train de Vie".

So now the story line begins to make sense: News reaches the little Jewish village in Romania that the Germans are approaching (from the West), and that all the citizens of the neighboring villages have been put on trains and shipped WEST toward Germany...and not one of these Jews has ever been heard from again. In desperation, they hatch a plan to buy an old train, paint it to look like the trains the Nazi's are using, disguise some of themselves as Nazi officers and the rest as their prisoners, and "deport" their whole village...no, not West, toward Germany, but EAST, to neighboring Russia, where they believe they'll be free and from which some of them might eventually even head for Palestine.

(Of course, had the village really been in France, then heading East would have taken them right to...Germany.)

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This is a World War II Jewish Holucaust comedy, if you can believe it. It is in French w/subtitles and it concerns a little French Jewish village that knows the Nazis are coming to deport their village. Everyone is panic-stricken until the village idiot has a brilliant idea the village should get a train and "deport" themselves all of the way to Palestine. The movie is all about their purchase of a delapidated old train, its refurbishment into a Nazi-style train and their escape across Europe and the chase by the Nazis.

Along the way, there are all kinds of humorous encounters with Nazis, the French Resistance, Gypsies and Communists. Parts of it are "Keystone cops" and parts of it are "Monty Python-esque".

I will not tell you how it ends, because the ending packs a powerful emotional punch. However, I do whole-heartedly recommend the movie.

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The Darjeeling Limited (The Criterion Collection) (2007)

Wes Anderson is at his best when he explores a small group of people -sometimes family, sometimes not -and explores what makes them tick.

And after the cluttered "The Life Aquatic of Steve Zissou," Anderson returns to those roots with "The Darjeeling Limited." Technically it's an Indian road trip movie, and it's full of his quirky charm... but at heart it's just about three unhapppy brothers with a lot of baggage. Both literally and psychologically.

The forlorn Peter (Adrien Brody) and his luggage barely make it to an Indian train in time to join his brothers, woman-chasing writer Jack (Jason Schwartzman) and bandaged control freak Francis (Owen Wilson). They haven't spoken for a year, and now they're planning to awkwardly bond as they travel to their estranged mother's convent.

But after disasters involving a snake, painkillers and pepper spray, the three brothers find themselves (and their monogrammed suitcases) thrown off the train. As they trek back to civilization, the three men set out on a quest to explore the spiritual, deal with life, death, feathers, man-eating tigers, funerals and their own painful memories... and possibly find their mom.

Nobody in their right mind would expect Wes Anderson to spin up an ordinary good-ol'-boys road trip movie. At least, not the way most directors would. Instead, Anderson crafts this as the baby brother to "The Royal Tenenbaums," exploring a fractured, mildly dysfunctional family with an absent parent.

And the cinematic flavour of "Darjeeling Limited" is much the same as in "Royal Tenenbaums" -bittersweetly funny and arch, with a tinge of poetic melancholy underlying the plot. It would be an endearing movie in any setting, but somehow putting it in the mellow glow of India's dusty roads, bright fields and cluttered shrines makes it even better. The bright, visual richness gives it a sense of whimsy.

For the record, Roman Coppola and Schwartzman helped Anderson out with the script, but there isn't much change. As always, lots of wry, amusingly contemplative dialogue ("I wonder if the three of us would've been friends in real life. Not as brothers, but as people"), though there is some hilarious comedic scenes of sibling infighting. It even gets slapsticky.

Fortunately, Anderson never puts artificial twists into the story, for any extra drama, comedy or thrills; the closest thing would be a brief detour into a child's funeral. The story simply flows by, because it's all about the brothers -and focusing on anything but their self-imposed journey would just be extra baggage.

And the three men playing Jack, Francis and Peter are nothing short of brilliant. Brody is vaguely lost and forlorn, while Schwartzman is a quirky rake who is still haunted by his last girlfriend (played by Natalie Portman in the short intro, "Hotel Chevalier"). But there's something almost painfully wounded about Wilson's reckless control freak, which has nothing to do with his bandages.

"The Darjeeling Limited" is a visually astounding, contemplative little comedy, all about three men who have to deal with the past before they can move on. Put it on the shelf next to "Royal Tenenbaums."

Wes Anderson directs this movie about three brothers on a spiritual journey. In true comedy form, we get to see the brotherly love and jealously that siblings often have for each other. I knew this was going to be a wonderful comedy, but what always takes me aback is the soulful humanity that is in Wes Anderson movies. Once again we get to see Owen Wilson, Bill Murray (in a cameo), Jason Schwartzman, and Anjelica Huston. But we also see the great Adrien Brody playing one of the three brothers. While your laughing, you just might be surprised to find tears falling. This is a wonderful film to share with family.

Buy The Darjeeling Limited (The Criterion Collection) (2007) Now

Synopsis: An ornate and psychedelically colored train known as the Darjeeling Limited transports three estranged brothers; Francis (Owen Wilson), Peter (Adrien Brody) and Jack (Jason Schwartzman) to destinations unknown (actually Francis is attempting to arrange a rendezvous with their constantly disappearing Mother (Anjelica Huston) now living as a nun in Tibet). It has only been a year since their Father's tragic death and each brother carries their own personal heartache over his passing and their Mother's disturbing absence from the funeral.

As one comes to expect when traveling with others, close proximity, annoying behaviors and old wounds eventually surface which must be dealt with as they arise. Add to the mix unforeseen events both aboard the train and at intermittent stopovers along the way and you have the makings of a transformational experience unlike anything the brothers could have anticipated.

Critique: The '07 film `The Darjeeling Limited' begins painfully slow and incomprehensibly weird but if you have the fortitude to survive the first 40 minutes you will eventually find yourself on a delightfully oddball, unpredictable trek across the Indian subcontinent on a spiritual journey in search of physical, emotional and relational healing. Serving as a metaphor for life's journey, one might say that we are all aboard the Darjeeling Limited headed in the same direction to parts unknown. In the final analysis one learns that it's not where you're headed but how much baggage you drag along with you.

There's a lot of food for thought hidden away in this film for those who are willing to put in the effort and watch until the very end. Give it a try if you're in the mood for something obtuse.

Read Best Reviews of The Darjeeling Limited (The Criterion Collection) (2007) Here

The first disc starts off with "Hotel Chevalier," a short film that acts as a prequel of sorts to The Darjeeling Limited and provides a backstory to Jack. In France, he meets with his ex-girlfriend in his posh hotel room. The usually modest Natalie Portman shows quite a bit of skin in this film and shares quite a sensual moment (especially for an Anderson film) with Jason Schwartzman's character.

Also included is a theatrical trailer.

There is an audio commentary by writer/director Wes Anderson, co-writers Jason Schwartzman and Roman Coppola. The three of them start off discussing their writing process and how one's subconscious plays a role. They touch upon various aspects of the production, including production design, cinematography, and so on. Interestingly, the three of them were responsible for their own Whitman brother to write for. A lot of the commentary is spent recounting all kinds of filming anecdotes.

The second disc starts off with a "Conversation with James Ivory." He and Anderson talk about the Indian music used in the film. Anderson was influenced by and used several musical cues from Ivory's films. The veteran filmmaker talks about some of his early Indian films with clips illustrating some of the music from it that Anderson used.

There is a visual essay by Matt Zoller Seitz about the film and how it best sums up everything about Anderson's films. Seitz provides fascinating analysis over clips from the film and the short film as well.

Also included is a 40 minute making of documentary by Barry Braverman. It takes a fly-on-the-wall approach to the production with plenty of footage of Anderson and his crew filming on location. The documentary provides some fascinating insight into what it must be like to make a film there and how Anderson adapted his methods there.

"Sriharsh's Audition" features footage of a child Indian actor trying out for the film.

There is a deleted scene and two alternate takes that run just over three minutes. We see Peter Whitman playing cricket with some Indians. There is an alternate take of the three brothers running down a hill and then one of them trying to board an airplane.

Also included is a clever American Express commercial that Anderson shot around the time of The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou Criterion Collection. In it, the filmmaker slyly parodies the notion of making a film while also paying homage to Francois Truffaut's film Day for Night.

"Oakley Friedberg/Packer Speech" is a slideshow presentation that a boy made while his parents were working on Darjeeling Limited. He and his folks about helped out the locals while they were there.

"Trophy Case" is an amusing little bit about the "awards" that the film won.

"Waris' Diary" is a collection of very brief snippets of behind-the-scenes footage not shown in the documentary. They provide additional insight into the production.

"Stills Galleries" features photographs by on-set photographer James Hamilton and also candid snapshots by Owen Wilson and Adrien Brody's mothers.

Finally, "Sketch by Roman Coppola" is footage of Anderson, Coppola and Schwartzman traveling through India while they were talking about and writing the screenplay for Darjeeling Limited.

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Isn't it the dumbest thing to judge a movie by its title? Well, that's what I had done with this little jewel of a movie. When I looked at the theater schedules, my eyes just skipped this title for whatever reasons. But I should've known better because the famous "never judge a book by its cover" proverb has always been around, hasn't it?

I came across this movie while I was channel surfing and was lucky to catch it just as it was starting. I didn't know anything about it, so it really helped that the initial scene shows no other than Bill Murray riding a cab going furiously fast, through the crowded streets of an Indian city.

Bill Murray's character arrives at the train station and then runs along the platform trying to catch the Darjeeling Limited, a train which is just starting to leave. Then, in a choreographed slow motion shot, we see Peter Whitman (Adrien Brody) catching up with Bill, getting ahead of him, and eventually leaving him behind as he catches the train and boards it through the last car. We won't see Bill's character until a brief scene later in the movie; what we see, instead, is a close-up of Peter lifting his sunglasses and triumphantly looking back at a defeated Bill Murray as he gives up trying to catch the train. This is the beginning of the mesmerizing journey of three brothers, Peter, Francis and Jack Whitman, through interior India, while they look for a reason to be together.

The Whitman brothers share two cabins on the Darjeeling Limited which is loosely based on the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, a legendary train that runs through West Bengal in northeast India. It's been some time since they saw each other and for some reason Peter and Jack have agreed with Francis to take this trip.

As brothers, they have things in common. They like to smoke cigarettes and they share a taste for over the counter drugs and painkillers. They all carry and share an inherited, expensive, Louis Vuitton-like complete luggage set, which is almost a character in itself; and of course, they all share a past of which, luckily, we get to see a glimpse.

They're brothers, but they are also very different. They all wear suits, but when it's time for bed, Francis wears a "Darjeeling Limited" pajama; Peter wears boxers, a dress shirt and a sleeping mask; and Jack wears the bathrobe he brought from his brief stay with his girlfriend at a luxurious Paris hotel. They sleep in these, but they also fight, pray and confer. Unexpectedly, these outfits tell us much of what these characters have been through.

Owen Wilson is perfect as Francis, the eldest, who spends almost the entire movie with his head wrapped in an odd-looking set of bandages. He recently crashed with his motorcycle and was technically dead for a moment. He is single or perhaps divorced, and takes, or tries to take, the role of leader and organizes the itinerary. He is struggling to be the glue that they need to stay together but goes a little over the top and even orders what Jack and Peter are having for dinner.

Jason Schwartzman is Jack, the youngest, a published writer who has a high maintenance girlfriend. His stories, so he says, are based on "fictional" characters, but those suspiciously mirror exactly what happens to him, his girlfriend and his family. Jack is the most candid and doesn't hesitate to say to Francis and Peter: "I wonder if the three of us would've been friends in real life. Not as brothers, but as people".

Adrien Brody plays Peter, the soon-to-be dad who likes to wear his father's prescription glasses although these give him a never-ending headache. Perhaps we get to know the least about Peter, but Brody does an excellent job and with his solemn, woebegone expressions he gets Peter to speak a thousand words.

The screenplay by Wes Anderson, Roman Coppola and Jason Schwartzman is extraordinary. But the absolute beauty of this screenplay resides not in the things the characters get to say, but rather in the ones left unsaid. It is like a fill in the blanks puzzle that Anderson and company have given us to complete. I bet anyone can come up with some interesting theories on what it is that we don't see in this movie. I sure came with mine. Initially, I was trying to think of the most logical plot, one that made sense. However, when I saw this movie a second, and a third time, I stopped trying to connect the dots, forgot about logic, took pleasure in the outstanding performances and enjoyed every moment of it.

This is a tale that can spread over so many things that I'm still overwhelmed. It is a story about faith and fate; trust, relationships, aspirations and frustrations; desperation and death. Conceivably, above all, it is a story about friendship, family and love. I do not deny that the mood you're in definitely affects the way a movie affects you. But in this case, I am sure it must be repeatedly delightful and engaging, regardless of your mood, to witness these three brothers spend a few days together, do good beyond what they initially intended and successfully complete their spiritual quest.

This is a funny, engaging and very well made movie. The cinematography, by Robert Yeoman, is outstanding. Teaming up again with Anderson, Yeoman beautifully shoots it through stunning Indian locations in a yellowish, somber tone, mixes it with some slow motion and every now and then shifts to bright blues, reds and greens. The back and forth through the train cabins and the close-ups of the Whitman brothers give this movie a peculiar and unforgettable feel.

Acting, casting, editing, art direction, production design and specially the music and songs, are all exactly what this film needs. Supporting cast is also vital. Like Bill Murray, Anjelica Houston joins Wes Anderson again, and delivers a solid, key performance. Also, after appearing alongside Jason Schwartzman in "Hotel Chevalier", the 13 minute prelude to the Darjeeling Limited, Natalie Portman can be seen briefly as Jack's girlfriend.

I've always thought that having just up to four stars to rate a movie is like trying to write your full name with just four letters. In this case, "The Darjeeling Limited" gets my highest rating because I could not think of a single flaw in it, nor any way this movie could be better, and most of all, because I really enjoyed it.

"The Darjeeling Limited" might become a "cult" film. Wes Anderson has another couple of "cult" movies to his writing and directing credits: The Royal Tenenbaums and The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou. I've also skipped those in the past. For sure that, soon, will be corrected. And please, never, ever, judge a movie by its title, poster or trailer!

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Deck the Halls (2006)

There are two reasons to see "Deck the Halls," and those two reasons would not be the stars Danny DeVito and Matthew Broderick. This 2006 Christmas comedy was apparently inspired by "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation," or the episodes of "Home Improvement" where Tim tries to outdo the neighbor's Christmas display, or any other movie or television show that is based on the oxymoronic notion of cut-throat decorating at Christmas time, none of which is enough to warrant seeing this film either, especially if you can get your hands on one of those others instead. But still, there are a couple of reasons to check this movie out nonetheless.

Steve Finch (Broderick) is not only the town's eye doctor, he is also Mr. Christmas. However, Buddy Hall (DeVito) has moved in across the street and when he learns that his house cannot be seen from space by an online site that is mapping the Earth, he decides the solution is to deck his house with every Christmas tree light he can get his hands on. Broderick and DeVito can do these roles in their sleep, or at least in low gear, and the script never gives them any reason to rev up their performances. As their respective wives, Kirstin Davis and Kristen Chenoweth, also have little to do until Chenoweth finally gets to sing near the end and serve as a reminder that you just cannot make a living being a singing star on Broadway these days. However, I keep thinking they cast her because she is approximately DeVito's size, setting up the visual humor of their tall blond twin daughters, and not because she is a talented Broadway musicale actress. For that matter, Davis is just spinning her wheels waiting for the "Sex in the City" movie to give her something decent to do.

This is not a particularly funny movie, also hindered by the fact that neither of the main characters are the types you want to identify with, especially in from of family members. However, there are two things this movie--whose winter night scenes were primarily shot during the day in summer (see the special features for the explanation)--got right. The first is that the light display is absolutely awesome. I have seen some impressive things on YouTube and the nightly news showing us what some people have come up with for Christmas in years past, but I do not remember anything coming close to the spectacular light show they came up with for this movie. The least you can do is put this on while you are cooking Christmas dinner and actually watch the part when Buddy puts on the light show for the neighbors. The second thing they get right is when Steve and Buddy have pretty much ruined the holiday for their families and they have to do something to get back in good with their wives. At this point I believe that what is required is a grand gesture, and despite their problems previous to that point in the movie, the boys do come up with something that fits the bill. These two things are not quite enough to justify rounding up, since I cannot really name anything else to recommend seeing this film let along actually buying it to own for Christmases yet to come, but that house alone is enough to rent it or catch it on television sometime.

This film not only missed the mark, it missed the tournament. DECK THE HALLS is a Christmas movie hopelessly in search of a genre. The plot, which should have been simple, leans one way and then the other. At times DECK THE HALLS seemed to be a "Wanna Be" with blatant similarities to other comedies such as RV, CHRISTMAS VACATION, and PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES. Unfortunately the story trips over the holiday holly.

In the story Buddy Hall (Danny DeVito) moves in across the street from Steve Finch (Matthew Broderick). Finch is an upper middle class Massachusetts optometrist who holds the unofficial title as Mr. Christmas in his community. Finch is de-throned by his neighbor when Hall coincidentally decides to adorn his own home with so many lights that it will be visible from outer space. The gaudy Christmas display across the street only serves to push Finch over the edge. Though visitors and reporters gleefully flock to Hall's ever brighter work-in-progress, Finch is not amused by the noise, bright lights, and traffic blocking his driveway.

Finch loses his patience and attempts to sabotage Hall's efforts. Finch's attempts not only backfire, but draw retaliation from Hall. The obsessions of both men, Hall with his lights and Finch with toppling Hall, finally drive the two men's wives and children from their respective homes. The neighbors realize that in their various selfish pursuits they ignored their families. Finding something in common the two make peace, work together to lure their families back, and discover the Yule tide gift of friendship.

Sorry folks. The plot summary is better than the actual film. There were so many missed opportunities in this movie. From the original theatrical trailer I mistakenly thought that this would be a movie about two neighbors competing against each other with holiday decorations. That would have been a good premise. The film could also have gone deeper into Buddy Hall's story. Hall is a man who, as his wife explains in one scene, never finishes anything in his life. The holiday decorating obsession is just one example of Hall's misguided focus on something other than showing up for work every day. With additional concentration on this theme there could have been an entire movie. Instead it falls by the wayside.

Likewise there is no depth to Matthew Broderick's character. Nice family, beautiful home, promising career, spiteful neighbor. The fact that he is irritated by his neighbor's lightshow is one thing, but it is difficult to believe that this otherwise stuffy traditionalist would dress up in commando garb and assault his new neighbor's electrical utility box.

Unlike PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILE's main characters Del Griffith and Neal Page, Buddy Hall and Steve Finch are not nice people. Any sympathy we have for dreamer Buddy Hall is dashed when we see that he swipes Finch's newspaper, illegally patches into Finch's own electrical box to steal power for his light show, and breaks into the Finch house to set up a stolen Christmas tree. It then appears that Hall is trying to make amends by making a gift of a brand new SUV to Finch -only to belatedly turn out that Finch is expected to pay for the expensive fully loaded vehicle. Buddy Hall is no Del Griffith.

Finch is no angel either. When he is not planning commando-style raids on his neighbor's holiday lights he is bombarding the Hall home with an arsenal of fireworks. His negative comments to Hall about Hall's outer space dream are just plain mean. In terms of civility Steve Finch is no Neal Page.

There are some isolated funny moments in this film. I did enjoy the scenes involving Hall's over-decorated home. Otherwise this movie goes nowhere. An added disappointment was that the wide screen version of my movie has a repeated chapter. The runaway Santa Claus sled and its aftermath appear twice. If my DVD bears that defect there are probably hundreds others with the same malady.

Buy Deck the Halls (2006) Now

Great i laughed all the way though. and couldnt stop at all, give it 5 stars and would tell others to watch

Read Best Reviews of Deck the Halls (2006) Here

Christmas movies are either very good, or very bad. Deck the Halls falls into the latter. When Danny DeVito is on the television show 'The View' and expresses how much he hates this movie, you know you are in for a stinker.

I never considered Matthew Broderick to be much of an actor. Nothing against the guy, I was just never a fan. His character is a conservative, nerdy optometrist who deems himself 'The Christmas Guy'. He is very much into traditions, much to his family's pain.

So in comes 'Buddy' played by Danny DeVito. He gets it into his head that he wants a house that can be viewed from space. That's it. That is the only reason the plot moves forward and it is absurd. His hot twin daughters showed him an internet site which shows people's houses from space and his house cannot be seen. If you had a wife that looked like that would you really care?? But this is supposed to be a sappy Christmas story, so here we go.

Matthew and Danny's characters begin to hate each other. Buddy does his house lights that would have made Clark W. Griswald green with envy. He also has a living manger complete with live cows, sheep, and a camel. Matthew is jealous and can't get any sleep at night, so he attempts to sabotage Buddy's electrical system, of course not only does Buddy have a large, noisy portable generator, he's stealing power from his own house to run his insane light show. The final straw comes when Dr. Finch tries to assault Buddy's house with illegal fireworks. The idiot can't even do that right.

Of course the wives get tired of all the foolishness and go to a hotel for the holidays. Buddy and the good Doctor Finch decide to make up, bury the hatchet, and set things right with the wives. This is where it gets even more ridiculous than even I could have imagined.

First off, they decorate the hotel with lights, and have huge Christmas light displays decorating a path back to the house. The town has become a ghost town at this point, the lights do not interfere with traffic, and there is NOBODY else to be seen anywhere. Then they get back to the house

and see that the two husbands have set up a lavish Christmas dinner. This is all very well and good, but come to find out they never eat it and I suppose everything goes bad. They do not eat it because no MTV is at Buddy's house wanting to do a story on the loser who wants his house seen from space.

But of course now he has no lights on his house because he used them all to decorate a five mile path from the house to the hotel (I imagine that must have been wrecked when MTV News crews and the entire town show up all at once outside Buddy's door by the way). So ala 'It's a Wonderful Life', everyone donates lights to Buddy so he can redecorate his house. Boo hoo hoo.

This is a terrible terrible terrible movie.

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The movie has a fast paced beginning and feels like a decent promise.

However, absolutely nothing humourous happens, and there are tons of non-sequiters. The script gets very lazy and just hops from one scene to the next without rhyme or reason. Broderick sleep walks and Devito is rusty.

A big disapointment!

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Army of Darkness (Screwhead Edition) (1993)

Confused by all the Army of Darkness DVD releases (some in print, some out of print, some lingering halfway between)? I know I was. But I've done some research and figured it out, and here's how it breaks down:

1. The original DVD release-was the original theatrical version of the movie with few extras. Good picture, good sound, S-Mart ending. If you just want to watch the best available version of the movie, you might get this one (if you can still find it; it's out of print now). It also has the familiar movie poster cover with an overly muscled Bruce and the hokey "Low on gas" slogan.

2. The director's cut-with the silly Molly Hatchet cover and the original ending. There are many minuses: key lines are changed (not necessarily for the better). Much of the footage looks really horrible, including the entire concluding battle. All the deleted scenes have the feel of an eBay-purchased bootleg. Bottom line: AOD fans will like to see the material, but this is hardly the movie's best presentation. It's still circulating but they're not making any more of them.

3. The special edition-probably the best DVD release of the movie to date. The 2 disc version (which, like the director's cut, is nearing the end of its availability) is great. It features both the watchable theatrical version and the borderline-unwatchable director's cut. It has commentary, unlike every other release, although the commentary is only available when viewing the director's cut. It has a making-of featurette.

The single disc version (now the primary version of AOD available) is only a slight downgrade; basically, it's the theatrical release, lookin' and soundin' fine, with the original ending as an extra, and the making of featurette also included. (The commentary is sadly missing.)

In summary: You can't go wrong with the single disc special edition or the even better double disc special edition. Avoid the director's cut unless you already own the original DVD and just want to see all the new footage in all its grainy glory. The original DVD is a fine purchase if you just wanna watch the movie, already.

2009 edit: to clear up some confusion in comments on this review, I wrote this eight long years ago. "Army" probably has five new DVD editions since then, and I'm sorry to report that I don't care enough to keep buying and comparing them. My experience so far has been that they keep releasing new versions with little regard for what people really want. In my eyes, a definitive version would be:

1. The main feature would be the theatrical version, fully restored and anamorphic.

2. Deleted scenes and the alternate ending would be cleaned up and well-presented as extras I know this is possible because I own an Australian DVD of the movie that has them looking a lot cleaner than I've seen on all the older American versions. It would be also great if they had a menu option to watch the theatrical cut with some of the deleted scenes added back in in particular the longer (and more cohesive) windmill battle with the mini-Bruces should never have been trimmed down; I'd love to see that in full as part of the movie. There's a cut that plays on some TV channel (AMC maybe?) that includes this scene, but unfortunately other parts are changed to their detriment not a great trade-off. I think most fans of the movie prefer the original version of the movie the S-mart ending, the original one-liners, etc. but don't mind seeing some additional scenes thrown in.

3. Commentary, making-of featurette, etc. all included. The track record of this stuff on previous releases has been very spotty.

4. And finally do it right put this version (probably a 2 DVD set) in print and get rid of the other ones, and KEEP it in print. Fans are tired of re-buying this movie just to find out that it's the same damn thing with a line or scene changed... if that. Let's tie a neat bow on this thing and be done with it. I'm as big a fan as they come and I stopped buying the new DVDs a couple versions ago.

2011 edit: Go to this page for a detailed look at all the notable Army DVD editions, including the ones I have not covered (be they Boomstick, Screwhead, or whatever else Anchor Bay/MGM/whoever has decided to foist upon this movie's beleaguered fanbase):

For the sake of clarity, I just want to say that there is no way I could review any version of Army of Darkness without giving it five stars. It is a modern classic which I can watch over and over again. Seeing the Tiny Evil Ashes take on Ash causes me to laugh out loud with every "My fair lady."

Having said that, I can't imagine why they are releasing yet another SE DVD set of it. I own the 2-disc Limited Edition which came out a few years ago. I can't find anything different about this new "Boomstick Edition" that isn't on the old Limited Edition. Both have the original theatrical release and the director's cut with 15 additional minutes of footage. Both have the Men Behind The Army featurette. Both have the Raimi, Campbell, Raimi commentary. The only thing I've noticed so far is that the Boomstick edition comes with some kind of 10 page collectible book which my LE set didn't have. But unless they made some drastic changes to either the video or audio to clear up imperfections which I never noticed in the first place, I couldn't justify buying this new edition. But if you don't yet own Army of Darkness, don't be a primitive screwhead. Click on the Buy It Now link and get it.

Buy Army of Darkness (Screwhead Edition) (1993) Now

*THIS REVIEW IS IN REFERENCE TO THE NEW "BOOMSTICK EDITION" TWO DISK SET*

Ok, if you're on this page, there's a good chance you've already seen this movie and are torn between purchasing another copy or not.

If you already have the Bootleg Edition, or one of the many other editions of this film that have been released over the years, then you're probably going to feel jipped after you read this. Sorry.

Anyways, what this DVD set basically includes is two previously released DVDs in one package. Those being the standard edition and the Bootleg edition. Which, if you're looking to upgrade from your old VHS copy or something, it's a really good deal. Since buying the two DVDs seperately would cost a lot more than just buying this package. For the person who already has an AOD DVD I wouldn't recommend, unless you really want the directors cut version of it since you'd probably end up with two copies of the same DVD. But if you're a hardcore fanatic and are feeling like shelling out the asking price for the nifty new 8 page collectors booklet. Go for it. That's what I'm buying it for. The fact that the "Bootleg" edition didn't come with the theatrical ending is also a reason I'm purchasing this DVD set.

I give it five stars because...Well, it's a great film and though it may be a little late for a release like this, it's the thought that counts. Thanks Anchor Bay.

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This is a review for the Screwhead Edition. First off, I'll start with the cons, and this is about the physical disk release, not the movie itself.

I do think that it's not really anything special to warrant a new edition name. How many editions are there already that have creative names(Boomstick, Bootleg, etc.) slapped on them? If this is just a simple reissue of Army of Darkness for 2010, without any bells and whistles (which it is), then I think it should be better just released as "Army of Darkness". Simply put, if your looking for an updated release of this classic, that provides ample extras, and some fresh new ground that hasn't been covered before, you may be disappointed. There is a measly three extras on the disc, a feature called "Creating the Deadites" which I've read is new, so I guess that counts for something. It's just about deadites though. There are no other extras from the other discs, or even commentary. There's a trailer. Then, there is the alternate ending. Again, if you've already seen that ending like, 2000 times already you may be hard pressed to care. I guess this release is best for people who haven't seen Army of Darkness before, or people who never had any of the other dvds. I bought it because of that, and it was the latest release. But still, for a new "edition" they sure did skimp, and didn't even have a printed photo art on the disk, just red ink of the logo. Not a huge deal, if you just want to watch the movie but...I think that a movie that has become classic and loved by so many people, should get a better new release than this. Maybe some kind of anniversary release, like I see so many other movies get. But I guess it's the rights issues that might hinder that, and lord that's just too much to get into. Also: Clear indication of something "thrown together" and cheaply released for marketing. "From the director of Spider-Man and Drag Me To Hell" is slapped on the cover. Uggh.

Now the pros: Movie is great, I really enjoy it. Although: I'm not generally a fan of slapstick, it's entertaining, but it takes a lot to make me really laugh. That kind of humor for me is ok, and overall if I had to pick the the things that I most liked about this movie, that wouldn't be one of them. What I do like, is fantasy adventure, weapons, medieval time setting; great actors, awesome characters (Ash is the best), etc. all of which this has. So,"Thumbs up" for this one :)

Picture on the disc is really good. Colors are nice. Sound is good. It was remastered, so it's nice enough just to watch and enjoy. As far as that, no complaints.

I'm happy to say that I am happy with this disk. If you are the kind of person that wants a more "complete" edition, then you might want to check the other releases for that, but if you're like me, and don't really care about extra features and the like, then you will be happy with this quality presentation of the movie. ENJOY :D

Want Army of Darkness (Screwhead Edition) (1993) Discount?

It's hard to say no to another edition of Sam Raimi's comedy/horror cult classic, Army of Darkness. The brand new Screwhead Edition is the film's first release on Blu-ray.

Army of Darkness is the sequel to the comedy/horror classic Evil Dead II and continues the adventures of Ash (Bruce Campbell). After discovering a great evil in the wood and being attacked by a wild (yet quirky) horde of undead (and even having to kill his possessed girlfriend), Ash is dropped into medieval England, where he finds that he evil he experienced in his own time is gaining strength in the Middle Ages. In order to get back home, Ash strikes a deal with the locals, where he must venture into a creepy cemetery and retrieve the Necronomicon.

Unfortunately, the recovery mission doesn't go as smoothly as planned, and Ash unleashes the forces of the dead. In order to fix his mistake, get back to his own time, and save his medieval girlfriend, Ash teams up with a group of medieval screwheads -complete with epic one-liners, boomsticks (retails for about a hundred and nine, ninety-five... shop smart, shop S-Mart), gory she-bitches, chainsaws, and corny special effects filled with awesome.

The picture quality here is phenomenal. It is so crisp and clear -the light colors have absolutely no blemishes, and the dark colors are deep and true. I've never seen this movie presented with such perfect picture and sound quality. This version makes all previous editions, even the DVD edition, look gritty and low quality by comparison. The picture is so clear that it emphasizes how corny the special effects are -which I think adds to the overall experience of the film and keeps it true to Raimi's original intent.

I was particularly impressed by the sound quality. I felt like I was completely enveloped in the universe of Army of Darkness. Danny Elfman's "March of the Dead" theme has never had the same kind of power and pure epic sound to it than in this release. I could see the speakers shaking with intensity at nearly every note. It was the most amazing Army of Darkness viewing experience I have ever had. With a 1080p high-definition presentation in 1.85:1 widescreen and master audio in 5.1 surround sound, it's easy to see why. There are even Spanish and French subtitles available.

However, I was very disappointed in the selection of bonus material here. While viewers do have the option to turn on interactive production stills during the movie, which is kind of fun, there's not much else. Viewers have the opportunity to go online and get other film information, but it's not very complete (and frankly, this involves too much effort). The disk includes the alternate ending, the theatrical trailer, and a feature on the creation of the "deadite" special effects. The feature is really interesting and includes some great interviews with special effects experts and some hilarious and informative footage from the original filming. It's really interesting to see all of this, but I would have liked to have seen more of the original footage since some of it has obviously survived. There aren't even interviews with Sam Raimi or Bruce Campbell here. Some fans may think that this would be unneeded because they have talked about Army of Darkness so many times, but if I'm going to plop down extra money for this Blu-ray, I would have liked to have more.

It's difficult to say whether or not the Blu-ray edition of Army of Darkness is worth it, especially with so many other editions out there. If you are looking for flawless video and audio quality, then the Blu-ray is the perfect choice, but if you want bonus features, the items available here are practically the same as the others out there. Despite the lack of additional material, I couldn't help but stare in awe at how gorgeous this movie looks.

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