Customer Reviews:
Sex & Drags & Wreck & Roll (Part 1).......2008-02-19
Not to be confused with this years Oscar winning sensation, you can't help but conclude that Crash 2005 must be referencing its older namesake with the opening dialogue... "We're always behind this metal and glass. I think we miss that touch so much that we crash into each other just so we can feel something." Crash 2005 is a blockbuster on the controversial subject of racial tensions in Los Angeles.
Crash 1996 was just plain... controversial.
A decade ago the British press ran a series of front page appeals for governmental pressure to ban a new film which they'd described as "Beyond the bounds of depravity."
The 1973 J.G Ballard novel, on which the film is based, had long been a favourite of mine but as the controversy raged on throughout the summer of `96' it became apparent that the film may never be shown in the U.K. Crash had already been released in France, so by the time this idiocy hit the point where an audience of paraplegics were invited for a special screening to see if they were offended or not, I had no choice but to leave for Paris where exactly one year later Ballard's `cautionary tale' of car crash celebrity deaths would reach an apotheosis of sorts in an underpass at the Pont D'Alma.
Described by its author as "the first pornographic novel about technology" the book is about a group of car crash survivors who, led by deranged T.V scientist Vaughn, see the car crash as a new form of sexual perversion. Vaughn's ultimate fantasy is to die in a head-on collision with the actress Elizabeth Taylor who, throughout the 60's and 70's was the Princess Diana of her day; constantly hounded by the press and ultimately crucified on the beam of her own celebrity.
The film adaptation, directed by David Cronenberg, avoids the heavy traffic of `serial bride' Liz's potential legititive clout and instead becomes `a futuristic love story set in the present'. James (James Spader) and Catherine (Deborah Kara-Ungar) are a married couple so filled with inertia that they are desperate for some emotional connection by any means necessary. After a series of extra martial encounters they find themselves attracted to a group of disturbed members of a bizarre car-crash sect who enact famous car crashes for kicks. The pair soon find themselves willing accomplices in a tableaux of violence and desire until finally they attain some provisional approximation of actual love.
Kara-Ungar's portrayal of Catherine exemplifies perfectly the icy detachment of a woman who appears to be observing herself from another galaxy. Unfortunately, the film hinges on a moment where the groups leader Vaughn, played by Elias Koteus who explains his philosophy of auto-geddon as a fertilising event rather than a destructive one to his disciple James. Koteus' delivery is addled and Spader (understandably) laughs; blowing the scene and almost the entire film with it.
Nevertheless Crash is, above all, a brave attempt to explore an almost un-bearable subject - the death of affect and our unconscious desire for violence. As we're bombarded with pseudo-events and war entertainment - designed to make us consume in ways that are of optimum benefit to multi-national conglomerates who really (forget governments) walk where the power is - Cronenberg's Crash is as much a road sign warning of our impending emotional bankruptcy as it is to the sexual ambiguity of the highway pile up.
Customer Reviews:
Heart rendering.......2004-01-12
This is a film that the world needs more of. How often in the world now do we see films with a real, true, sensitive yet gripping storyline. Very rarely. It is sad, happy and moving all at once. A must see
Amazon.co.uk Review
Based on James Lee Burke's bestseller, Heaven's Prisoners is a sweaty revenge thriller with a twist. On the Louisiana rivers, Dave Robicheaux (Alec Baldwin) is an ex-cop and ex-alcoholic with a boat business hiding him and his wife Annie (Kelly Lynch) away from the world. When a light airplane crashes into the water right in front of them, and Dave rescues the surviving little girl who happens to be an illegal immigrant, all the peace and quiet is dashed away. Embroiled in an underground criminal element, Dave is forced to face the demons of his past all over again. Along the way he reunites with Bubba Rock (Eric Roberts), a high school classmate who turned into the local heavy, his scheming wife Claudette (Teri Hatcher), and boozy strip dancer Robin (Mary Stuart Masterson). These three character cameos are enormous fun to watch, as are the oily New Orleans street locations. Even if the revelation of who's behind all the skulduggery isn't all that much of a shock, the movie still has plenty to say about the emotions of family loyalty that drive us.
On the DVD: The DVD release includes the trailer, a five-minute featurette, a brief look behind the scenes and interviews with cast and crew. --Paul Tonks
Customer Reviews:
Happy with purchase.......2005-10-27
Someone had been looking for this item for some time and i saw it on Amazon (used) very cheap. Immediate delivery. Very happy.
New Orleans Thriller Classic.......2001-07-29
Imagine it, a thriller based in hot and sticky New Orleans, with a cop who has taken a back seat, but is forced back into the fray. Makes for a great book, and in this flick, a really good transfer.
The pace of the movie is just like good old Orleans, smooth yet punchy, and the characters are really woven together well.
I wont give away the plot, but its not difficult to figure out some of the ingredients, however, it has some excellent twists, and its all underpined by some first class acting.
Definitely one for a barbeque weekend in the back garden. Top class hidden beauty.
Amazon.co.uk Review
Though this graphic 1996 version of HG Wells' The Island of Dr Moreau was roasted by critics, it's an utterly fascinating failure, largely due to the performances of David Thewlis, Val Kilmer and especially Marlon Brando in the title role as a mad (and in this case outrageously bizarre) scientist whose experiments in crossbreeding humans with animals have gone terribly awry. Thewlis plays the wayward scholar who is rescued at sea by Kilmer and brought to Moreau's island to discover the doctor's unnatural "children". Fairuza Balk plays Moreau's half-cat daughter, but it's Brando and Kilmer (in one scene doing a killer Brando impersonation) who steal the show, along with the astounding make-up effects created by Stan Winston. A guilty pleasure by any measure, this movie has definite cult-favourite potential. --Jeff Shannon, Amazon.com
Customer Reviews:
Give it to somebody u don't like.......2007-12-23
H.G. Wells would punch John Frankenheimer right in the mouth if he could see this Godawful adaptation of his novel. Poorly designed and beyond daft, this wastes the interesting premise and settles instead for hammy performances, lousy make-up. What should have been a dark horror about the dangers and moral implications of genetic engineering is instead a horrific movie mutation
Under-rated, thought- provoking film.......2001-10-19
As I first sat down do watch the Island of Dr M. I had relatively low expectations. I was therefore, presently surprised when I discovered it to be excellent in most respects.
The film gradually becomes more and more menacing and by the end, I felt genuinely scared! Furthermore, it raises a number of interesting questions about humanity. Such as, 'are we inherently violent creatures?' and most centrally, 'can our most base instincts be controlled.'
I would recommend this film to anyone who appreciates films that do more than simply tell a story. If you like cube, the pledge, American beauty or momento, then you will love this. Just watch it. Now. (Are you still here??!)
ps: BUY IT NOW!
A new age version of: "Lord of the Flies".......2001-01-26
This film contrary to the superficial interpretation of it, leads to how we (the human race) are no better than the animals we tame amongst us, in fact worse. This film has a very similar linking between "Lord of the Flies" (by William Golding) and "Animal Farm" (by George Orwell), since they both take a strong political side to them where the quest for leadership gets out of hand with primate minds. The film is very well structured and is ideal for those viewers who can use a little imagination to aid the concept of the film.
Only for Monster Makeup Students.......2000-12-03
This disaster only deserves a star for the sensational creature makeup. The plot just drags along with low-witted archetypical characters and dialogue. Marlon Brando's Dr. Moureau seems like a fat old lady but conveys little menace or credibility. Val Kilmer's character is poorly concieved, written and dreadfully acted. It just makes no sense. The marrow of this complete waste of time, is a metafore about humanity as subtle as a chainsaw.
If you dare to buy this in DVD format, do not worry. It has plenty other uses, such as a freesbie to play with your dog.
![Alaska [1996] (REGION 1) (NTSC)](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/21HW23A4ZVL.jpg)
Average customer rating:
- Brilliant Movie...Great Film To Watch On A Rainy Day...
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Alaska [1996] (REGION 1) (NTSC)
Starring:
Thora Birch ,
Vincent Kartheiser ,
Dirk Benedict ,
Charlton Heston , and
Duncan Fraser (II)
Director:
Fraser Clarke Heston
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD
All Action & Adventure
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Action & Adventure
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DVD
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Video
All Family Favourites
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Family Favourites
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Children's DVD
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Video
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Children's DVD
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DVD
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Video
Region 1
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DVD
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DVD
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Amazon.co.uk Review
Director Fraser Heston captures the danger and beauty of Alaska in this adventurous family film about two kids who embark on a very personal rescue mission. Former 747 pilot Jake Barnes (Dirk Benedict) moved away from a fast-paced Chicago lifestyle with his two children, Jessie and Sean, after the death of his wife. While daughter Jessie thoroughly enjoys and excels in her new surroundings, son Sean's moodiness and homesickness escalates. One stormy night Jake's small plane crashes during an emergency flight, leaving him stuck on a treacherous cliff with a broken leg and no radio. The local search and rescue team soon gives up, prompting Sean and Jessie to kayak, hike, canoe, and rappel their way over many lush and snowy miles to save their dad.
Younger kids will enjoy the antics of Cubby, the baby polar bear who befriends the youthful trekkers and eventually leads them to their father. They'll also enjoy the good-natured sibling rivalry between the tough but tender-hearted Jessie (Thora Birch of Now and Then) and Sean (Vincent Kartheiser of The Indian in the Cupboard) and a chance to hiss at the two evil poachers (including the director's father, Charlton Heston). Parents, on the other hand, may feel compelled to explain etiquette around wild animals, the dangers of hypothermia, and how to pack for a long hike. But the scenic Cook's tour of Alaska and British Columbia makes some of these otherwise corny elements tolerable to grown-ups. --Liane Thomas
Customer Reviews:
Brilliant Movie...Great Film To Watch On A Rainy Day..........2007-01-21
I recently watched this film on tv having never even heard of it, so this was my first time, I was in tears, my nerves were fraying, my fingers were crossed, and I absolutely fell in love with it's story...It's a real tearjerker of a film...and I would recommend this film anytime anywhere...
How they managed to train the bear to do the stunts...It's JUST FABULOUS!!
BUY IT...YOU'LL LOVE IT...
Chris Jones
Customer Reviews:
Heart rendering.......2004-01-12
This is a film that the world needs more of. How often in the world now do we see films with a real, true, sensitive yet gripping storyline. Very rarely. It is sad, happy and moving all at once. A must see
Customer Reviews:
Funny man who did not sound Scottish in those silent films.......2005-05-05
If you have seen any of the twelve two-reelers that Charlie Chaplin produced between 1916-1917 for the Mutual Company, then you have probably seen Eric Campbell, who played the menacing villain to Chaplin's Tramp in all but one of those silent comedies ("One A.M."). Campbell provided Chaplin with his most memorable foil, not only because of his immense size and fierce looking makeup, but also because of his comic ability, honed on the music hall stages of England with Fred Karno's company. "Chaplin's Goliath: In Search of Scotland's Forgotten Star," written and directed by Kevin MacDonald, traces the actor's brief film career, which was cut short by a car accident in December 1917 when he was doing his first dramatic film with Mary Pickford. But as this 1996 documentary evidences, Campbell's career will forever be identified with that of Chaplin.
"Chaplin's Goliath" uses rare footage and historical documents, along with interviews with Campbell's granddaughter and such Chaplin experts as biographer David Robinson, to tell the actor's story from his roots in Scotland to his long delayed burial in a Hollywood cemetery. Indeed, the documentary essentially begins and acts with the placing of plaques commemorating Campbell in those two locations. The result is not only a compilation of pretty much everything that is known about Eric Campbell, but a look at what comedy was like during the silent film era, especially when Chaplin had become the most famous face on the planet. There are film clips of music hall comedians of the period and not only of some of the comedians who impersonated Chaplin (e.g., Billy West), but poignant screen tests of Chaplin trying to find a replacement for Campbell and no less a film icon than Oliver Hardy doing an impersonation of Campbell is a silent comedy.
Of course, there are also clips of Campbell's best scenes with Chaplin from "The Immigrant," "Easy Street," and other Mutual comedies. Like "Unknown Chaplin," MacDonald takes advantage of outtakes that survive from those films to show how Campbell fit into Chaplin's creative process. The prime example is that Campbell was not originally cast as the waiter in "The Immigrant," and so we get to see before and after footage as Chaplin tries to make a scene work and gets what he wants once Campbell becomes part of the comedic equation. If watching this documentary makes you want to check out both the original Mutual comedies and the three-part documentary looking at the painstaking creative process by which Chaplin created his films then you should go with the impulse, especially if for some strange reason you are interested in "Chaplin's Goliath" having never seen them in the first place.
The documentary also tells about Campbell's personal life, which included lying about his age to get married, the sudden death of his first wife, and the rather strange marriage and divorce that followed. Unfortunately Campbell's life had become unstable at the point when he was killed and while we would like to believe that he would have gone on to a long and successful film career, it is just as likely that he was in the process of self-destructing and that the accident ended what his behavior was already destroying. This is especially true when you get to the story of what happened to Campbell's ashes, which provides his life store with a final tragic touch as one of the larger real-life Pagliacci's of the silent comedy era.
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