The Three Faces of Eve [1957] (REGION 1) (NTSC)

Amazon.co.uk Review

When a psychiatrist (Yves Montand) begins talking to a young woman (Barbra Streisand), he realizes that she can recall a past life while under hypnosis. Although this brash New Yorker is thoroughly modern and somewhat abrasive, he becomes fascinated by the 19th-century English woman who speaks through her. This oddball musical flicks back and forth between period flashbacks and modern times, which may be one reason it never builds up much power in either realm. On a Clear Day You Can See Forever failed at the box office in 1970, one of a number of glossy musicals that could not find an audience in the post-Easy Rider movie world. In fact, one of the film's out-of-place costars is Jack Nicholson, a symbol of the new movies that were making old-fashioned musicals a thing of the past. It didn't help that Paramount severely cut On a Clear Day before releasing it. For all that, the picture is enjoyable and--at the end--really quite touching. Director Vincente Minnelli (Meet Me in St. Louis), then near the close of a fabulous career, maintains his usual careful eye for colour and design, and keeps Streisand relatively restrained--for Streisand, that is. --Robert Horton

Customer Reviews:

Rise and look around you.......2007-08-26

This film was directed by the dame great director of "The Reluctant Debutante" and "Gigi" Vincente Minnelli Born: 28 February 1903, Died: 25 July 1986 (aged 83).

As with many films the story suffers a little form the lack of spontaneity of the Broadway version, yet it holds the essence and was not modified too much for the actors or media type. Some great songs arise from this play adapted to film.

Daisy Gamble (Barbra Streisand) seems extraordinary in such abilities as raising flowers that are unraisable and hearing telephones before they ring. However she needs to stop smoking and turns to hypnosis to help.

Dr. Marc Chabot (Yves Montand) in an attempt to help her discovers a whole new woman and falls in love with this other woman. However the woman is the results of Daisy's regression.

This poses a difficulty. Especially if Daisy finds out.

This is a delightfully entertaining film, buy it!.......2001-03-19

Barbra Streisand is stunning in this fun filled film. Barbra plays a smoking addict with supernatural powers. She discovers she has lived many previous lives, and many lives to yet live. This film is one great reason to stay in with a big bowl of chocolate sweets and enjoy.

Reincarnation . What an interesting concept !.......2000-09-16

On A Clear Day is a brilliant mixture of a gripping storyline, fascinating characters and marvelous actors . The story is about Daisy Gamble , played by the magnificent Barbara Streisand , a cigarette addict who goes to a hypnotist , played by Yves Montande , in order to stop smoking . She couldn't have possibly known that by going to the hypnotist her life would forever be changed . By coincidence , the hypnotist discovers that within Daisy Gamble lies Melinda , one of the past lives of daisy Gamble . Daisy and Melinda possess psychic powers , the only difference is that Melinda's powers are much more advanced then Daisy's . Throughout the movie there are fabulous songs . One of the things I found most enjoyable is the huge difference between Melinda , who is a charismatic and elegant woman , and Daisy who has no personality . To conclude , brilliant performances ( by Barbra Streisand , Yves Montande and Jack Nicholson ) and a gripping storyline . In short a movie YOU WILL NEVER FORGET.

Average customer rating:

Medical Hypnosis (REGION 1) (NTSC)

Manufacturer: Tapeworm Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

DVD | Format (binding_browse-bin) | Refinements | DVD | Video
ASIN: 6309080962
Release Date: 2004-12-28

Average customer rating:

Insaniac [2003] (REGION 1) (NTSC)
Starring: John Specht , Robin Garrels , and Chris Grega
Director: John Specht
Manufacturer: Sub Rosa Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

All Crime, Thrillers & Mystery | Crime, Thrillers & Mystery | Categories | DVD | Video

Thrillers | Crime, Thrillers & Mystery | Categories | DVD | Video

All Science Fiction & Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Categories | DVD | Video

Fantasy & Futuristic | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Categories | DVD | Video

All Horror | Horror | Categories | DVD | Video

DVD | Format (binding_browse-bin) | Refinements | DVD | Video
ASIN: B00006JDU2
Release Date: 2002-10-15

Average customer rating:

Yes, somehow painfully failed but still worth every star

Mesmer [1994] (REGION 1) (NTSC)
Starring: Donal Donnelly , David Burke , Peter Dvorsky , Alan Rickman , and Anna Thalbach
Director: Roger Spottiswoode
Manufacturer: Image Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Period | Drama | Categories | DVD | Video

All Documentaries | Documentary | Categories | DVD | Video

Region 1 | Special Features | DVD | Video

DVD | Format (binding_browse-bin) | Refinements | DVD | Video
ASIN: 6305835551
Release Date: 2000-05-23

Customer Reviews:

Yes, somehow painfully failed but still worth every star.......2004-01-18

First, I understand well, why some people regard this movie as a failure. Something clearly failed here - or wasn't thought through. It's hard to see, why, since the actors are good, there's clearly a lot of money put into the film and I do like Potter's scripts, even this one. Maybe it's just editing. Or maybe all this was left open to let us think.

The movie then... Mesmer really existed and as far as I know, the movie has the basic facts right. He lived in Austria and was deported. How awful his marriage was, I don't know, but in this movie it's clearly an arrangement, money for the doctor and a civilized and apparently younger husband for a rich woman, who already has a grown son. They say mean things to each other all the time and the son seems cruel and stupid. Cruelty, stupidity and abuse seem to be uncovered everywhere around Mesmer as the movie goes on. I've also read, how many people complain about all the open endings in this movie. 'What happens to the girl? What happens to...?' But Mesmer is thrown away from his old life and forced to leave things - and in life that happens: there are no real endings except death. And a lot is expected from the audience here. When Ooms finally regains her sight, it seems to happen because of an accident, but in hypnosis the surprise effect is very important. They didn't know what they were doing, whether to believe or not, so the unconscious mind had to be jolted. Surprised. Maybe that was the failure of this movie: too much knowledge is expected from us.

The technical flaws... At times particularly Rickman's voice was very hard to hear and the plot seems a bit loose. I admit he's got the most expressive face, eyes, voice and hands in the movie business and for once they were very well portrayed. In fact, the movie seems to rely on them. I was a bit confused, what was the point of the movie. Was it a historical piece, romantic story - it even had some comedy, as great tragedies often have. Mesmer seems to fail, although in real life he actually did cure people. And then he said his bit about how much pain there is in the world and how he could not bare not to be able to do anything to relieve it. And there was the point; that's why Dennis Potter, already dying, wrote the script this way. Even the kissing scene, which to many people seems very romantic and sexy, seemed sad to me. As if Mesmer couldn't believe something like that really happens to him. Even the ending made sense, then. This is a man, whose heart is aching to do something good in a world filled with pain and cruelty, selfishness and ignorance, but fails because one man isn't enough. Even the one he cures isn't saved, because the world doesn't understand what he was trying to do, what he was trying to make people see. Dennis Potter's testament, maybe? After I realized this, the silliest, oddest things seemed to fall into place - like Rickman staring at the moon and playing with his musical instrument in the attic, that was shown over and over again. I suddenly remembered: what do teenagers do, when nobody understands them and they can't get away? They go to their room and play music until their mind becomes blank...

Oh yes, Rickman was born to wear cloaks (see Snape and Sheriff of Nottingham) and white ruffles around his throat, Amanda Ooms is lovely and the acting and the sceneries are great. And to remind, why Rickman is so great as a villain, he gets to throw the boy down the stairs. Suddenly a burst of energy and passion, making the character even more complicated, more human - because that's what Rickman does at his best: complete, complicated, deeply human characters.

It's a very different kind of movie and many may not like it, but it's well worth watching. One gets to see an actor like Rickman far too little, and Dennis Potter was an excellent writer, even if this wasn't his best script. I loved it. It was very different from the super hero and cartoon character movies. We need to be reminded of real humanity and the fragility of people this way, because there seems to be very little room for compassion, pity and understanding in today's world.

UK DVD:

UK DVD List

UK DVD