The Lion in Winter (2004) Review

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(More customer reviews)The 1968 screen version of THE LION IN WINTER (Lion1) is the most excellent film I've ever seen, or likely will see in my lifetime. But, I've a lot to say about various aspects of this new version (Lion2), so I'd better get on with it. I'll make an effort to be evenhanded.
First, a concise history lesson in the context of the film.
King Henry II of England is also overlord of Wales, Scotland, Ireland, and half of France. Henry keeps his wife Eleanor, the Duchess of Aquitaine and the former first wife of King Louis VII of France, under house arrest in Salisbury Castle for revolting against him. In better times, Henry and Eleanor had, in addition to three daughters, five sons: (in order of birth) William, Henry, Richard, Geoffrey, and John. William died at age three. Henry, the anointed heir, died aged 28 in the summer of 1183. It's now the Yuletide season of that year, and Henry II is holding Christmas court at his French stronghold, Castle Chinon. (To be accurate, there's no record of a Christmas court at Chinon in 1183, but that's irrelevant to the essential theme and tone of the story.) Joining him are his surviving sons and, released from confinement for the festive occasion, Queen Eleanor. An aging Henry wishes to cement his succession. His favorite is John. Eleanor's is Richard. Geoffrey, nobody's favorite, maneuvers to get what he can. Complicating the gathering is the presence of Princess Alais and King Phillip II of France. Alais, Louis VII's daughter by his second wife, was betrothed to Richard by treaty between Henry and Louis when she was but a child. Alais has been living at the English court for years, and is Henry's mistress. (Author Sharon Kay Penman in her book Devil's Brood effectively argues against Alais having been Henry's mistress. But, no matter; it adds to the film's plot.) Phillip, aged 18 and King since 1180, is Louis VII's son by a third wife. Phillip either wants the marriage of Alais and Richard to take place, or Alais's dowry, the French province of the Vexin, back. Phillip hates the English monarch, and will use Henry's sons against him any way he can. The holiday skullduggery is so thick as can be pierced with a backstabbing dirk.
The music score is positively anemic compared to John Barry's original. Of particular note in Lion1 are the vaguely menacing "Main Title" that serves as introduction to the destructive passions in the plot, the elegant "Eleanor's Arrival", which accompanies her regal progress up river by open boat to Chinon, and the finale - "We're Jungle Creatures" - that underscores the approaching end to Henry's reign, but the beginning of the great Plantagenet dynasty.
Costuming and sets are too pretty and finished. In Lion1, the interior of Chinon is gloomy, cold, rough-hewn, and smoky (from the torches) - perhaps to be expected in a 12th century pile. And the clothing, even for the royals, wasn't elegant by any stretch. (My favorite scene in the original has Henry casually throwing on a crown and royal cloak over otherwise plain garb before striding through the mud, dogs, chickens and peasants in the castle courtyard to greet the arriving Phillip.) In Lion2, the costumes are too fine and the castle interior, especially the main circular staircase, is too obviously a film set.
The dialogue, perhaps the best ever heard on the Big Screen, is virtually the same in the two productions. However, the nuances from facial expressions, body language, and timing raise Lion1 to the realm of the sublime.
The scripted action is also pretty much identical in both, except for three unnecessary sequences: an opening scene of Eleanor's failed rebellion in 1174, a silly shot of Richard riding his horse up Chinon's circular stairs, and another of Richard attempting to escape house arrest by rappelling down Chinon's walls.
And how about the acting?
In Lion2, Yuliya Vysotskaya as Alais is at least the equal of Jane Merrow's original. Yuliya presents as a slightly stronger personality, and it doesn't hurt that she resembles a blonde Audrey Hepburn. And the new Phillip (Jonathan Rhys-Meyers) does a different and perhaps improved take on a relative youngster striving to be a King in the face of the formidable Henry, whereas Timothy Dalton in the role came across with the unscrupulous venom of a misplaced older man.
Rafe Spall as the latter-day John occasionally overacts, in my opinion, almost to the point of parody, unlike Nigel Terry's right-on portrayal of the pathetic youngest Prince. John Light is relatively sphinx-like as the contemporary Geoffrey compared to the sardonic and clever schemer revealed by John Castle. Andrew Howard as the new Richard, whatever the real-life man may have been like, didn't strike me as Lionheart material. The superficial trouble was the actor's unimposing voice. Anthony Hopkin's Richard, I think, would've wiped up the floor with the new guy.
Lion1 starred Peter O'Toole and Katherine Hepburn as Henry and Eleanor. Both received Oscar nominations, and the latter won her category. Only in the last third of Lion2, with Patrick Stewart as Henry and Glenn Close as Eleanor, does the power of their paired performance achieve that of Peter's and Kate's tour de force. Stewart and Close seem too amused with the familial dysfunction of their characters, almost playing them for laughs, especially in the early going. Whatever humor the audience perceives in the dialogue - and there's much, the real Henry and Eleanor, and O'Toole and Hepburn, squabbled over the succession with deadly seriousness. Also, Lion2 portrays both as white-haired ancients. In fact, Henry was only 51 at the time, though Eleanor was 11 years older.
Had I not seen Lion1, I would've given Lion2 five stars. But the former is so superlative in all respects that I cannot.
Finally, let's return to the historical record. A weary Henry, perhaps the greatest of England's monarchs, died of illness in July 1189, two days after being forced by the allied Richard and Phillip to accept humiliating terms ending a war. Richard succeeded to the throne, to be followed by John in 1199. (Geoffrey had died in 1186). Eleanor survived until 1202. John lost virtually all of his father's vast French holdings to Phillip. Alais returned to France to wed another.


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Brian Sewell's Grand Tour of Italy (2006) Review

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(More customer reviews)BRIAN SEWELL'S GRAND TOUR OF ITALY is grande indeed. TEN episodes show what the upper-teenage British nobility route that might have been taken plus the sights seen. This recreation of a "Grand Tour" trek (via car, not carriage) was researched from books and diaries left behind 300 years ago by the young men who set out to finish their education in Italy. The trip took months, a year, or more. It was designed for the gentlemen to see the best art (and purchase some), architecture, experience the Italian culture, learn the language, and experience the female "freedoms".
Over 24 cities and small towns are passed through and filmed. Beautiful. Local people open their hearts to the film viewers. Every stop is another historical moment in the lives of the Grand Tourists. Each displays paintings, architecture, and/or artifacts that can be seen up close as well as from a picturesque nearby hillside. IT IS AN ADVENTURE WITH ITALIAN PAINTING, ARCHITECTURE, RAPHAEL, TITIAN, MICHELANGELO, & an intense view of the cities of FLORENCE, ROME, AND VENICE (just to name 3).
Your filmed Grand Tour has as its guide, famous & controversial art critic, Brian Sewell. So why 4 stars, and not 5?
Sewell often rubbed me the wrong way. But he's won reviewing awards; I have not. At times I wished I could pay a few extra Euros and get a new tour guide. Perhaps one as knowledgeable as Sewell is tough finding. Honestly, there is a lot of intellectual wealth from Sewell.
What's wrong with Sewell? Often his personal taste, conservative to the n-th degree, has him putting down much Italian art, architecture, life, wine, food, etc. and using terms as "It's awful!", "Reduculous", "Awful". Sometimes he's wrong, I've been to Italy. Just outside of the Pompeii digs gate is the best pizza in the world (my opinion). Sewell refused to eat Italian pizza, and made fun of most of what he did eat on film. Italians will never buy this DVD set.
At a Renaissance church in Todi, (he nicknamed "Pepper Pot"), he stated upon exiting, "Well, dear, oh dear and lawks a mercy. that's a bit of a dog's dinner. Pedigree chum, but still a dog's dinner." When Sewell abounds in intellect, he fails in tact.
Perhaps Sewell wants to comically portray the manner and breadth of the Grand Tourist's educational aspect regarding the bird and the bees. It sounds more like he's hung up in some perverted way with classical nude painting and sculpture, fixing on "buttocks" and other personal body parts. "Gosh!" (his word). And then he's a bit over the top with his gestures, overly dramatic speech, and his white umbrella. Perhaps I'm just too picky nicky. "Gosh!" "Awful."
Aside from Sewell's quirks and humor bits, this is "bloody good" viewing.
The 4-DVD set is really very good, highly recommended. Educational, pleasant to the eye and ear, historically wonderful, and cheap. It costs less than the price of a pair of passport photos.
....Bonus Features add additional facts on Italian artists of the period, explanations of terms and tidbits like fancy dressed "macaroni", map, list of what the rich tourists packed, and more.
....THANKS ATHENA FOR THE SUBTITLES. Very helpful for names & places.
....And a Biography of Brian Sewell explaining why my opinion of him is certainly not acceptable to the British.
This is Italy like I've never seen it on film prior.

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Famed British art critic leads the ultimate Italian adventure
In the 18th century, well-bred English gentlemen would undertake a Grand Tour of the Continent for refinement--as well as for drinking, gambling, and sexual adventures--before assuming their place in society. Now, Brian Sewell follows the footsteps of those young aristocrats through Italy, exploring the art and architecture, manners and mores that shaped European civilization.

With unmatched erudition and understated wit, this distinguished British art critic lovingly examines Italy\'s grandest cultural treasures. His journey takes him through Rome, Florence, Venice, Naples, Siena, and Milan, with plenty of stops along the way. More than a mere travelogue, this fascinating series showcases the country\'s dazzling cathedrals, palazzos, paintings, and sculptures while also giving insight into the travels and travails of tourists past.

Brian Sewell writes for the London Evening Standard and advises museums on three continents. His numerous awards include the Hawthornden Prize for Art Criticism and the George Orwell Prize for cultural commentary.

SPECIAL FEATURES

Julia McKenzie and Agatha Christie biography, Photo gallery, Cast filmographies

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The Crown Prince (2006) Review

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(More customer reviews)The story of the final decades of the Habsburg empire is a haunting one, the 600 year old dynasty rushing to an ignominious end amidst family strife, mental illness and personal unhappiness. Empress Elizabeth ("Sisi") and crown prince Rudolf are among its more intriguing characters, and the story of the latter's suicide has great film potential. But that isn't realized here. On the contrary, one feels the production team has been grappling with stuff way too dark and complex for both their abilities and intentions. Rudolf is portrayed as a slick playboy who suffers from sudden bursts of interest in revolutionary politics and then, inexplicably, starts shooting morphine, and kills himself. Only the barest inkling is conveyed of his deeply troubled relationship with his mother, whom he worshipped, only to be ignored by her in favour of his younger sister. We do not get any sense of his sharp intellect and significant scientific efforts, nor of the mechanisms that slowly turned his quiet melancholia into self-destructive despair. Even his political leanings are explained only in the most superficial manner (the prince walking in on a scene of Dickensian squalor in a Prague slum); in actual fact it was a volatile mix of revenge on his forbidding father and a remarkably astute, almost prophetic assessment of the empire's dire prospects. Nor do we get a real feeling for the callous, arrogant egotist Rudolf most certainly also was. This was a man who kept a `register of conquests', meticulously detailing characteristics of each lady, with entries in red ink denoting virgins. In the film, much is made of the silver cigarette box he gives Helene Vetsera; in fact he handed those out as a souvenir to his each and every mistress (the fact that the inscription varied very precisely in accord with the social rank of the lady also makes short work of Rudolf's supposed democratic leanings).
This production is insuperably saccharine, ponderously slow and plagued by amateurish acting (and badly glued moustaches to match). Don't be fooled by the gratuitous moment of nudity barely 15 minutes in: this is nothing but a very expensive episode of Beverly Hills 90210. The involvement of historian Brigitte Hamann must have been a token affair, for you can't even trust all the factual details to be right. Opportunities to show the real life drama are missed at every turn. The fateful conversation in which the emperor tells his son he doesn't think him fit to succeed actually took place, but wasn't nearly as quiet or civilized a meeting as shown here. In fact, Rudolf's shouting could be heard in the anteroom, and Franz Joseph was so overcome with emotion that he fell into a swoon. The makers have romanticized even the double suicide itself. The servants outside hear two gunshots in quick succession, as if the act were carried out as intended. In actual fact, after shooting Mary, Rudolf fell prone to second thoughts, and it was not until after a night of heavy drinking that he eventually shot himself the next morning. One of his letters of goodbye intimated that he no longer wanted to, but was left with no choice, as he had now become a murderer.
Silliness is not entirely avoided. Rudolf and Prussian crown prince Wilhelm are constantly visiting brothels, apparently for the sole purpose of engaging in heavy-handed politico-historical debate. Sandra Ceccarelli exerts herself to look like a tormented Elizabeth but merely succeeds in making you think she needs to visit a dentist. To make sure the viewer knows what is going on, characters are explaining the obvious to each other over and over again with great insistence.
How much better could this have been if the makers had refrained from sugercoating the real story. How much more alive would it have been had something of Rudolf's relation with his sisters been shown, and his infatuation with `mad' King Ludwig II of Bavaria. How much more might have been conveyed of the stifling ceremony of the Viennese court - even the 50s "Sisi"-movies succeed in getting that right. How much more of the weirdness of it all might have been captured had something of the bizarre aftermath been included (Mary's corpse was whisked away from Mayerling in a coach, in the dead of night, all dressed up and tied to a broomstick to make her sit upright and seem alive to overly curious passers-by. Two nights after Rudolf's burial superstitious Elizabeth descended into the Kapuzinergruft and tried to conjure up the spirit of her dead son. When at another séance she was told that he dwelled in a place `worse than hell', she was devastated.)
None of that. All we get is eye-candy. Most of the film was shot at the appropriate historical locations, and the costume department has visibly outdone itself to squander its share of the 11mln euros available. Enough to feast the eye on. The casting director has made sure this goes for the lead characters too; Jeremy Irons look-alike Max von Thun certainly is a lot easier on the eye than the real Rudolf was, and in order not to disguise the fact he has to make do without the beard that Rudolf always wore (he needed it to camouflage the nervous twitching of his face). In all, this is a missed opportunity and frankly a waste of your time.


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Indelibly linked to the Mayerling tragedy, the story of Crown Prince Rudolf still evokes mystery and conspiracy, thwarted hopes and unfulfilled love. After entering into an unhappy marriage of convenience, the young heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne begins a fateful affair with the Baroness Mary Vetsera. She, along with the other women who influenced his life, has inspired this sweeping mini-series shot on location in Austria and featuring an illustrious cast that includes Klaus Maria Brandauer, Christian Clavier and Omar Sharif.

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Inside Deep Throat - Theatrical NC-17 Edition (2005) Review

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(More customer reviews)Enormously entertaining, and extremely enlightening, Inside Deep Throat is so much more than just a documentary on the 1972 skin flick Deep Throat. The film also presents - in often candid and lurid detail - the moral and censorship battles - that have constantly defined American popular culture for more than thirty years. In one pivotal scene, an elderly woman is asked why she went to see Deep Throat, and she replies by saying that she wanted to see a dirty movie, she enjoyed it, and that she didn't want government or anyone else dictating what she should or shouldn't see.
Herein lies the essential argument of this colorfully entertaining, sexually explicit, and occasionally perceptive movie that takes the viewer on a journey from the innocence of the early seventies, through the tumultuous, politically wrought censorship battles of the eighties, to the present day where the adult film business is now a multi-million dollar industry, and where professionalism and money seem to be the name of the game.
Inside Deep Throat uses a mixture of original footage from the film, interviews with the people who made Deep Throat, and questions a number of counterculture types, such as Gore Vidal, John Walters, and Annie Sprinkle, who comment on the effects of the film, past and present. Divided into two distinct parts: the first half is about the making of the film, while the second deals the ramifications of its release, the effect Deep Throat ultimately had on its stars, and the U.S. Government's desperate, and often successful attempts to have the film banned.
It's probably a bit of a stretch to say that Deep Throat single-handedly changed the nature of the industry. But the film definitely served a purpose and came along at a time when the sexual revolution was changing the way people thought about sexual activity. After hearing Johnny Carson's jokes about the movie on the Tonight Show - middle-aged, older, and intrigued suburbanites would line up at seedy theatres all across the country just to get a glimpse of Linda Lovelace's oral abilities. An act that had previously been considered an obscenity and socially forbidden, had now gained a glimmer of respectability- the New York Times even labeled the movie the new "porn chic."
Inside deep Throat does a great job of showing how the movie's fame and notoriety ultimately lead to the victimization and ill treatment of its stars. Linda Lovelace spent her life constantly vacillating between being proud of what she did, and later becoming a spokesperson for the feminist revolution against pornography by claiming that her performance in Deep Throat constituted rape. Approaching middle age and penniless, she desperately cashes in on her fame by appearing nude in an issue of Playboy.
Harry Reems, the hot, young male star who, at the last moment, shed his title as a production assistant to become the primary object of Linda's affections, initially enjoyed celebrity, but found fame and recognition fleeting. Deep Throat had branded him, and he found it impossible to be taken seriously as an actor. Harry faced serious jail time in a federal trial, and spiraled downwards into alcoholism and drug abuse when he couldn't get any conventional acting jobs.
Of course, the advent of the VCR in the late seventies meant that people could watch adult movies in the privacy of their own homes, and the moral crusade against hard-core adult entertainment in movie theatres somewhat tempered. Sharply edited, with a great sense of pacing, and often very funny, Inside Deep Throat is recommended for anyone who lived through the freewheeling, hedonistic days of the seventies. The movie also serves as a reminder that the culture wars, social morality, and issues of censorship are still as relevant today as they were thirty years ago. Mike Leonard February 05.


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It was banned in 23 states. The government didn't want you to see it. Deep Throat was more than just a titillating curiosity, it was the sexually explicit film that ignited a social and political firestorm. Inside Deep Throat examines the politics and the payoffs, the porn stars and persecution of the cultural phenomenon that remains just as highly controversial today. From Oscar-winning producer Brian Grazer comes this probing look at the sensational adult film that launched a sexual and cultural revolution.

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Alexander Hamilton (2007) Review

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(More customer reviews)PBS has assembled absolutely some of Broadway's most talented stage actors today to recreate, based upon the diaries and writings of the time, an intensely engaging and extremely informative look at arguably one of the most important and influential founding fathers, Alexander Hamilton.
Hamilton is studied and dissected from his most ignoble birth as an illegitimate from the West Indies to his rise to fame as leader pro-temp of the American Revolution and his ultimate death in a duel. There is nothing candy-coated about PBS's approach to Hamilton, superbly acted by Tony Award Winning stage actor Brian O' Byrne (DOUBT,FROZEN).Hamilton is presented in an extremely fair and unbiased way as the genius that he was, the braggart and irascible pain he could be,as a dutiful husband, as an adulterer, as an abolitionist,as a friend to Washington and as a foe to Jefferson.In other words, Hamilton will be seen with all of his bravado and all of his warts. Even the most amateur psychologist would have a field day with Hamilton!
The pace is brisk and lively and informative.There is nothing boring or overly documentarian about this PBS special.History becomes VERY ALIVE with this interpretation of Alexander Hamilton. The times, the people and the historical events are portrayed accurately and with real panache, perfect for teaching or simply informative viewing.You will learn about the struggle to bring the Constitution to law, the founders who opposed it and why, and that a lot DOES NOT change to the present!!! A MUST SEE AND HAVE FOR THE SERIOUS VIEWER!
A great companion film would be the Ric Burns' 5 or 7 set NEW YORK which contains a lot of info on Hamilton.

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One of the most controversial men of his age Alexander Hamilton was a gifted statesman brought down by the fatal flaws of stubbornness extreme candor and arrogance. His life and career were marked by a stunning rise to power scandal and tragedy. He had one of the most notorious love affairs of any public figure in American history and met his death in a startling act of political violence the famous duel with Aaron Burr. But his contributions as a statesman survive. As first Secretary of the Treasury during the tumultuous early years of the republic Hamilton led the transformation of the young country into a commercial and industrial powerhouse. He was the one founder who had a vision not of what America was but of what it could become. This two-hour AMERICAN EXPERIENCE tells the story of the underappreciated genius who laid the groundwork for the nation s modern economy including the banking system Wall Street and anopportunity societyin which talent and hard work not birth determined success.System Requirements:Running Time: 120 Mins.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre:DOCUMENTARIES/MISC. Rating:NR UPC:841887052108 Manufacturer No:705210

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Los Borgia (The Borgias) (2006) Review

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(More customer reviews)First, a few clarifications. Although the "Product Details" section says the film is 120 minutes in length and is presented in a "full screen" version, it actually runs over two hours and twenty minutes and is in a wide-screen format(it looks to be about 2.35:1 to me). Yellow, English subtitles are also available.
Now for the movie itself. I'm not an expert, but the film seems to be fairly accurate historically, especially for "movie history". This is most apparent in the depiction of Lucretia Borgia, played by Maria Valverde. She is not the murderous poisoner of legend, but a pawn of her father and brothers who is married off so the Borgias can create political alliances with other powerful families. There are some liberties taken with historical facts in order to tighten the narrative and make events less confusing. For example, in reality, Lucretia was only thirteen years old at the time of her first marriage. However, there's plenty of corruption, intrigue and assassination to keep the film interesting. Late in the film, when it looks like it might be slowing down a bit, Paz Vega shows up as sword-wielding Borgia opponent Caterina Sforza and gives the film a shot of adrenalin.
The movie is beautiful looking with lucious sets, costumes, and photography. It's fortunate that the film is presented in widescreen so this can be fully appreciated. The acting is also fine. The film has many virtues, but for me, comes up just short of those other Renaissance films QUEEN MARGOT and the first ELIZABETH with Cate Blanchett. That said, it's still a fine, entertaining film and well worth watching.

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Juan, Cesar and Jofré, the three sons of Rodrigo Borgia, are headed to Vatican City where it is being held the papal conclave to choose a new Pope. Upon arrival, they will be informed that his father has been elected "Pontiff" with the name of Alejandro VI. The new Holy Father dreams with expanding the Vatican territories in all possible ways. Meanwhile between brothers a great rivalry erupts, as the family enemies are waiting for any opportunity to stop the dominance of The Borgia's in Rome.Juan, César y Jofré, los tres hijos de Rodrigo Borgia, se dirigen al Vaticano, donde se está celebrando el cónclave para elegir nuevo Papa. Allí se enteran que su padre acaba de ser elegido pontífice con el nombre de Alejandro VI. El nuevo Papa sueña con aumentar los territorios del Vaticano de todas las formas posibles. Entre los hermanos comienza una gran rivalidad, mientras los enemigos de la familia aguardan cualquier oportunidad para impedir la hegemonía de los Borgia en Roma.English Subtitles

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Jumong Vol. 1 (2007) Review

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(More customer reviews)I normally don't watch historical dramas. However, I was actually on vacation in Korea for several weeks and got swept into watching this drama. Despite what the other reviewer writes, I can't emphasize enough that this is a DRAMATIZATION of history. No matter what your ethnicity, it's a fun DRAMA. I've watched over 75 Korean drama mini-series and have recommended only a small handful. Most are predictable with similar plots (love triangle; deadly disease with a miraculous happy ending; tragic). This drama is worth watching. However, even if your semi-fluent like me, you're gonna need subtitles to watch this drama due to the use of old-fashion Korean.

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JUMONG VOL 1 - DVD Movie

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Gangs of New York (Two-Disc Collector's Edition) (2002) Review

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(More customer reviews)One of the big controversies surrounding this film was that Martin Scorcese was forced to cut nearly an hour of footage from his final vision in order to get the studio to release it. That's understandable, as not many people will be willing to sit through a 4 hour movie in theatres. So with the release of it on DVD, we should get the complete version, right? Well... it doesn't seem so.
The details on this DVD mention nothing about extra footage. Isn't one of the benefits of the DVD format that we get to see what the director intended before politics and marketing step in? I for one would like to see the COMPLETE movie, the movie that Scorcese wanted to make, rather than the movie which was released, even though that movie was quite good.
I have a feeling that the studio is just doing the usual DVD scam of releasing the theatrical version as soon as possible to catch people while they are still hyped on this movie from the theatrical release and post-Oscar boost. After a few months, hopefully they will release a director's cut, causing many people to go back and buy the DVD a second time. I, for one, will wait as long as it takes until the full version comes out. I'm sick of getting scammed by these studios into buying one version, and then seeing a "special edition" with all sorts of extras come out a few months later. Not gonna happen this time, buddy-boy.

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This motion picture event from acclaimed director Martin Scorsese earned 10 Academy Award(R) nominations including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor, along with 5 Golden Globe Award nominations for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actress, and Best Song! Leonardo DiCaprio (TITANIC), Cameron Diaz (CHARLIE'S ANGELS), and Daniel Day-Lewis (THE BOXER) star in this epic tale of vengeance and survival! As waves of immigrants swell the population of New York, lawlessness and corruption thrive in lower Manhattan's Five Points section. After years of incarceration, young Irish immigrant Amsterdam Vallon (DiCaprio) returns seeking revenge against the rival gang leader (Day-Lewis) who killed his father. But Amsterdam's personal vendetta becomes part of the gang warfare that erupts as he and his fellow Irishmen fight to carve a place for themselves in their newly adopted homeland!

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Wide Sargasso Sea (2006) Review

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(More customer reviews)"Wide Sargasso Sea," a new television production by BBC Wales, based on the esteemed novel of the same title Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys, has been broadcast in the United Kingdom, but has not been broadcast here. Nevertheless, lucky us, this sexy, tragic tale is now available for the first time for purchase on these shores. The film, as the novel on which it's based, functions as a prequel to famed British 19th century novelist Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre (Penguin Classics). And oddly enough, though "Jane Eyre" has been filmed many times, for big screen and small, this is only the second take of "Wide Sargasso Sea;" another, Australian-made version,Wide Sargasso Sea, intended for the big screen, came and went without notice in 1993, though it featured several big-name stars.
This TV version is filmed, like its predecessor, in the fantastically beautiful green island of Jamaica, and it's certainly beautiful to watch. It stars several lesser-known young performers; as the young Englishman Edward Rochester, Rafe Spall( Masterpiece Theatre: Room With a View; Shaun of the Dead,); as beautiful Creole heiress Antoinette Cosway, Rebecca Hall ( The Prestige); and as obeah woman/servant Christophine, Nina Sosanya, (Peter O'Toole's recent TV film Casanova (Masterpiece Theater)). All inhabit their roles fully, giving us a well-balanced cast. The film script follows Rhys's book in shifting the action of Bronte's from the 1810s to the 1830s, shortly after slave emancipation. It was adapted for the screen by Stephen Greenhorn; directed by award-winning Brendan Maher ("The Road from Coorain"). It tells the unhappy backstory of West Indian heiress Bertha Mason, as she was to be known in her later life, the first Mrs. Rochester; the madwoman in the attic whom Jane Eyre must defeat in order to become the second Mrs. Rochester.
Surely, in the history of Western literature, there can have been few more inspired ideas than that of Rhys's; to develop the tragic kernel at the heart of "Jane Eyre," and few writers better equipped to do it. Rhys, a twentieth century novelist, was herself born in Domenica, a British colony in the West Indies; she was the daughter of a Welsh doctor, and a third-generation Creole woman of Scottish descent. She knew the snobbish, repressive, patriarchal culture very well; and also the uneasy social position of the Creole woman - generally understood to be not necessarily entirely of white ancestry, but accepted as such for necessary social reasons. (At one point in the story, a servant calls Mason a "white cockroach," a slur that I understand was frequently directed at Rhys in her own early life.) This dichotomy, of course, creates a tension that will be very difficult for such a woman to handle, and can be seen as a major cause of Mason's madness; in addition to the fact that she fails to understand England, or the English, properly: she just cannot see that Rochester is a typical proper Englishman of his time.
Rhys, born in 1890, led a wandering, alcoholic, bohemian life all over 20th century Europe. She is widely esteemed as a feminist author these days, as are all her works, but most particularly "Sargasso," and its heartbreaking tale of a woman at sea in an alien culture. She had an affair with noted novelist Ford Madox Ford, reputedly had a threesome with him and his Australian wife, published a novel Quartet (Norton Paperback Fiction) about it all, and certainly benefited from his literary advice. She also had a relationship with omnisexual British jazz singer/author George Melly; she and his bandleader John Chilton wrote a sardonic song about it: "Living with You." Most of her books utilized modernist techniques and West Indian sensibilities, to deal with wandering penniless women, no longer as young and pretty as once they were, seeking one more generous man. As a writer, Rhys fell silent for many years mid-career, until she published "Sargasso" in 1966. The novel won the prestigious W.H. Smith Literary Award, also the Royal Society Literary Award. She said about it, "It has come too late." She was made a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature in 1966, and a Commander of the British Empire in 1978, a year before her death.
Mind you, this is not to take anything away from Bronte, herself, also a deservedly feminist icon these days, as is her Jane. Both remind us that it was possible for women to snatch achievement from even the most patriarchal culture. Furthermore, Bronte may have written a great romance; but she was realist enough to recognize that it was built on the misery and misfortune of the shadowy madwoman in the attic.
We have here a great, fresh story, well-told, that was filmed alongside a new version of "Jane Eyre;" and adds a lot to it. You should see them together if you can manage (and, thank goodness, it's got subtitles).


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"Beautifully acted" -- The Independent (U.K.) As imagined by Jean Rhys, the villainous madwoman in Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre becomes an innocent, born into two cultures but belonging to none. The exotic Caribbean confounds young Englishman Edward Rochester when he arrives in 1830s Jamaica to pursue his fortune. Nevertheless, he finds nothing to fear in beautiful Creole heiress Antoinette Cosway. She eagerly succumbs to his courtship, entrusting him with her dowry and her destiny. In the intoxicating surroundings of their honeymoon house, ecstatic lust turns to suspicion and betrayal as her world and his disastrously collide. In this passionate and heartbreaking love story, the shadowy character created by one brilliant novelist becomes fully realized in the hands of another. Rafe Spall (The Chatterley Affair) and Rebecca Hall (The Prestige) star in a fresh adaptation that captures all the sensuality, suspense, and nuance of Rhys’s masterpiece. DVD SPECIAL FEATURES INCLUDE biography of Jean Rhys, SDH subtitles, and cast filmographies.

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Pompeii - The Last Day/Colosseum - A Gladiator's Story (2004) Review

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(More customer reviews)A realistic docu-drama, this is a telling of the building of Rome's Colosseum which started under the rule of Emperor Vespasian and was completed by his son and heir Titus in 80 AD. It also shows the training of the gladiators, many who were slaves, but a few who would trade their liberty for a period of time for money, and sometimes fame.
The decadence and brutality of the Roman games, as well the brave and desperate men who were the entertainment, make for a riveting story;
The central figure is a historical gladiator by the name of Verus, who was a slave working in a quarry when chosen for the arena. Robert Shannon is good in the part, exhibiting much physical prowess, grace and style.
Filmed in Tunisia, it boasts the latest technological wizardry to duplicate the Colosseum and the audience, using matte paintings and crowd replication among other techniques.
Produced and directed by Tilman Remme, the dialog is in Latin, and the narration by Liev Schreiber, whose modulated voice is always a pleasure to listen to.
Having seen the empty shell of what is left of this extraordinary structure as it stands today, I found this recreation fascinating and informative, with enough drama and action to make it interesting for repeated viewings.

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POMPEII:LAST DAY - DVD Movie

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Jumong Volume 2 (2007) Review

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(More customer reviews)Started watching the Korean dramas on TV and was looking for a good one to buy. Checked the reviews on Jumong and purchased Volume 1. I enjoyed it so much that when I started the last cd I got back on line to Amazon and ordered the remaining 3 Volumes (2-4). Expensive? Yes! But for me, it was well worth it. Fact is, it was very hard to stop once I got started, but getting up way before dawn, I had to force myself to stop each night. Needless to say, a few weekends not much got done around the house. Well, I did take a putt over to my HD dealer for morning coffee on Saturday mornings b'fore starting up the day watching more episodes.
A few days later I started back at Volumn 1 and since I knew the characters, things made more sense (to me). I'll be watching this series completely through again in the future. Oh yeah, one nice thing is that there are a couple of booklets provided. I read part of them at first, but read them through once I completed the last volumn. One other item I really appreciated is that the captions in English were on long enough for me to read. I've never like captions in the past, but I've enjoyed the Korean dramas so much that I've gotten used to and appreciate them being there (wouldn't understand a thing otherwise).
If you like these types of dramas, you will not be disappointed with this one.

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The Legend Continues...Never before has a TV drama series captured the richness and excitement of Korean history quite like Jumong. Follow the paths of Jumong (Song Il-Kook, Emperor of the Sea), Sosuhno (Han Hye-Jin, Be Strong Geum Soon!), and Daeso (Kim Seung-Soo, One Million Roses) as they face the inevitable conspiracies and hardships in bringing freedom to the ancient people of Korea. Sword-fighting competitions, marriage proposals, military attacks, and revelations of significant secrets all await you in Jumong Volume 2 (episodes 21-40). YA Entertainment is honored to present Jumong on DVD with English subtitles, a true cultural phenomenon and a defining event in Korean television history!

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Julius Caesar (2003) Review

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(More customer reviews)This TNT production on the life of Julius Caesar is a well made attempt to historically portray the life of one of history's greatest leaders. Starring Jeremy Sisto, it follows the life of the future Dictator of Rome from his relative obscurity to his death at the hands of his peers on the Senate floor on the Ides of March in 44BC.
The story covers the highlights of Caesar's life including his exile during the rule of the cruel dictator Sulla, his patronage under the capable General Pompey, his brutal but victorious campaigns against Vercingetorix and the Gauls, and his love affair with the beautiful and scheming Egytian queen Cleopatra. Caesar's great ambition ultimately lead to his own murder by members of the Roman Senate who fear his ascendency, but ironically bring about the rise of the Empire.
There are many political complexities that are touched upon in this film that give a good idea of the kinds of power plays that lead to Caesear's rise and fall, many of them including betrayal and murder. The film depicts the Gallic Wars in good detail and gives an understanding of the turmoil that faced the Roman Republic in its last years before the rise of the Empire. Caesar is portrayed as a intelligent human figure who is struck down by tragedy and overcome with amibition which ultimately leads to his own death. The irony of Caesar's murder is that it was ostensibly to preserve the Republic, but rather hastened the foundation of the Empire. While not a great movie, it is entertaining and provides a good introduction to Roman history as well.


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The Widowing of Mrs. Holroyd (2008) Review

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(More customer reviews)D.H. Lawrence's play by the same name was not widely received nor did he even see it when it was first dramatised, and this is unfortunate because he seems to have understood the suffering of women in the confines of marriage-a theme in much of his work. Set in a mining town, Zoe Wanamaker plays the lonely and miserable wife of a violent, alcoholic brute played by Colin Firth. Unfortunately, this films' title is absolute poison--it basically ends the story before it begins. The audience has to at least believe that this unhappy woman might have a chance to begin life with a man who will love and respect her-a man, played by Stephen Dillane, who gives her this opportunity. This drama, though well-acted, did not transfer well to this production and needed a lot more character intimacy to keep it from playing all one note. On the other hand, another D.H. Lawrence story "The Rainbow," is an incredible, three-part "bonus feature" included on side two of this disc. Why "The Rainbow" is not sold on it's own is unusual because this is the more developed production. It was initially banned by the government because of it's sexual themes, but is more about the spiritual frustration of Ursula, played by Imogen Stubbs. She's a very brave actress considering some of the content in this film but she captures the characters' eccentricity who feels imprisoned by an unemotional and heartless society. She wants complete freedom but also to be loved-two ideals that cannot exist together. All things considered I was disapppointed with "The Widowing" but "The Rainbow" was an unexpected pleasure.

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DH LAWRENCE:RAINBOW/WIDOWING OF MRS H - DVD Movie

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Princes in the Tower (2005) Review

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(More customer reviews)This DVD is pretty close to a dramatized documentary. If you are looking for a movie, this isn't for you. However, if you like historical documentaries, this is a fascintating retelling of the mystery of the Princes in the Tower and what became of the younger prince, Richard, who later emerged as the pretender to the throne.
Most of the story unfolds as a re-enactment of a supposed interrogation of Richard IV by the Tudors, specifically Margaret Beaufort and company.
This DVD would be more interesting to people very well versed in the War of the Roses and Henry VII's reign. If you aren't familiar with Henry VII's reign and the Perkins Warbeck affair, you might not enjoy it that much.

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The mystery surrounding the disappearance of 12 year-old King Edward V and his brother Richard, Duke of York has been the cause of speculation and fascination for over five centuries. In 1491, eight years after the Princes in the Tower were presumed murdered, a young man told an astonished world that he was Richard, back to claim the throne of England. Was this man Richard, Duke of York, or was he Perkin Warbeck, a brilliant imposter? There are many versions of what might have happened during his final interrogation in the Tower of London. This riveting drama presents one of them.

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The Royal Diaries (2000) Review

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(More customer reviews)I was a big fan of the Dear American Diaries and the Royal Diaries when I was younger. This adaptation includes three short episodes: Cleopatra, Elizabeth I, and Isabelle of Castille. The acting really isn't bad, and neither are the story lines. The costumes and settings are quite believable, but the music score leaves something to be desired. I did wish accents were present in the Cleopatra episode. These are brief stories about girls who could not just be carefree teenagers, but had to face serious situations while still quite young. Perhaps these films would be useful for educational purposes--a theatrical glimpse of real historical figures.

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Adapted from the beloved Scholastic Book Series, Dear America, The Royal Diaries focuses on the diaries of three real princesses in three separate adventures. Each story is an accurate depiction about what life would have been like in the era covered by each story and as seen through the eyes of teenage girls. The Royal Diaries mixes the magic of storytelling with historical events, bringing these unique girls to life. Let these teen princesses surround you with the adventures, struggles and responsibilities of being part of a royal family while still being true to themselves.
Includes 3 Stories: Elizabeth I: Red Rose of the House of Tudor Isabel: Jewel of Castilla Cleopatra VII: Daughter of the Nile

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Masterpiece Theatre: Elizabeth I - The Virgin Queen (2005) Review

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(More customer reviews)This is a very interesting programme, produced in Britain and originally shown on the PBS series, Masterpiece Theatre.
This miniseries was directed by Coky Giedroyc, a veteran of television productions in Britain, including another royal-themed miniseries, 'William and Mary', in 2003. Giedroyc brings an interesting modern twist to the series - rather than filming things in majestic, sweeping camera pans with classical music as a background, and rather than having the dialogue (and acting) be in a stilted, falsely formal style, Giedroyc incorporates modern music with medieval and Celtic flavouring to it (both of which have experienced a renaissance of sorts in the past decade), and the situations are decidedly modern without being out of place in their own times.
This presents the life of Elizabeth from her young adulthood under Queen Mary, as a supposed participant in intrigues against the Catholic Queen, through to her death after serving decades on the throne of England as the Virgin Queen, the queen who never married. In fact, the miniseries plays a tantalising game with Elizabeth's virginity, showing her desires (as well as those around her) without ever giving up the game of 'was she or wasn't she?' Anne-Marie Duff plays the part of Elizabeth, and does a remarkably able job for such a complex figure. Duff won the Irish Television award and was nominated for the BAFTA award for best actress in a television drama in another series, 'Shameless', last year.
Duff is joined by Tom Hardy, who plays the role of Robert Dudley, the favourite of Queen Elizabeth. Dudley is also an extraordinarily complex role, as he played several sides in the political struggles during Elizabeth's early reign, and was part of a family well experienced in regal intrigue - Robert Dudley's family had tried to manage the reign of Elizabeth's brother Edward, engineer the accession of Lady Jane Grey (placing Guildford Dudley on the throne with her), and is sometimes referred to as 'the uncrowned kings of England'. In fact, perhaps the most stunning single scene in this miniseries is after Elizabeth has elevated Robert Dudley to the earldom of Leicester, and during her illness, he sits upon the throne as the protector of the realm. Hardy is well suited to this role, and plays it with skill.
The sets are appropriate to their time period, neither too ornate nor too medieval; the costumes also have a touch of modernity to them, but are still primarily of the period. The situations presented give good insight into the overall pattern of Elizabeth's reign and some of the principal concerns during that time period, although to compress such a long reign into such a short time frame as a four-hour miniseries by necessity means that the history has had to be selectively chosen. Elizabeth faced problems from without and within, many of which were far more complex and pressing than her marriage issue. In the end, Elizabeth made the right decision for the time, if not for the future.
This is a great production for television, and holds up well against other major productions featuring the Virgin Queen Elizabeth of a few years ago.

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As The Virgin Queen begins, a young Elizabeth is imprisoned in the Tower of London by Queen Mary, charged with conspiracy and treason. Both women are daughters of the ruthless and oft-married Henry VIII, who plunged England into turmoil by breaking with the Roman Catholic Church. Mary wants to reunite with Rome, while Elizabeth is determined to stand by her Protestant faith--a potentially fatal choice. But Elizabeth’s life takes an unexpected turn when Mary dies, leaving no heir to the throne. As the new queen, Elizabeth discovers the harsh realities of ruling a religiously divided nation and must learn to outwit her enemies and charm those who conspire to their own ends.Soon under pressure to secure a politically advantageous marriage, the coquettish Elizabeth rejects a string of eligible royal bachelors from abroad, openly preferring the burning affections of her childhood playmate, the athletic, handsome--and married--Robert Dudley. But is she toying with him as she is with her other suitors?Starring Anne-Marie Duff (The Aristocrats, The Magdalene Sisters) as the shrewd and captivating queen who defended her throne amidst an atmosphere of plotting and intrigue, torture and murder, The Virgin Queen is a riveting drama that explores the fascinating 44-year reign of Elizabeth I.

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Nero Wolfe - The Complete First Season (2001) Review

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(More customer reviews)I have been a fan of Rex Stout for a long, long time. One reason I often dislike seeing books made into movies, or at least feel the movie pales when compared to the books, because often people see things differently. So when a beloved set of characters such as Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin is brought to film, I automatically cringe, because I am rarely pleased with the results. They tried in the late 70's with Thayer David playing Wolfe and Tom Mason as Archie. Excellent casting, but was a little late. Thayer David, a Sydney Greenstreet type actor, was perfect casting for Wolfe - the 1/7 of a ton genius detective that detects while never leaving him home. Only David was already ill, dying of cancer, so the weight loss and lacking of strength sadly hurt his performance. Later it was redone with William Conrad as Wolfe and too sexy Lee Horsely as Archie. Sorry, the series had Wolfe pacing when expounding to suspects and sitting on the corner of his desk. It made you wonder if the writers ever read Stout's books. So, when
Timothy Hutton stepped into Archie's shoes I had mixed reservations. I love Hutton, son of the brilliant Jim Hutton. While you see a lot of his daddy in him, he is definitely his own man, and cuts a smart style when fleshing out his roles.
So I thought, okay, he would make a good Archie. Then I wondered what about Wolfe? They cast Maury Chaykin. Brilliant! Wow, someone actually loved the books enough to follow them.
A&E is to be commended in letting Hutton run with the series for two seasons. They are to be CONDEMNED for canceling it because they deemed it too expensive to make. Shame on them! The series was a class act all the way. A delightful ensemble cast who changed roles episode to episode gave it a theatre feel.
The costuming is great, the acting divine and the stories - well, I actually KNEW what book they were based on! It was HEAVEN.
So A&E I thank you for putting out these wonderful episodes so we Archie Addicts can enjoy them again. And go take a flying leap for canceling what is nirvana in detective land.


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Studio: A&e Home VideoRelease Date: 07/27/2004Run time: 600 minutesRating: Nr

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