5/31/2012

Christabel (1989) Review

Christabel (1989)
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While the edits in this DVD version of a 1989 miniseries aired on Masterpiece Theater in the US aren't blatant, to anyone familiar with the original version, they are striking by their absence. And the material that has been cut makes the plot much richer without detracting from the suspense of the plot.
The story hews closely to the biography of Christabel Bielenberg ( available as When I Was a German, 1934-1945: An Englishwoman in Nazi Germany or The Past is Myself, with a followup volume, The Road Ahead), an Englishwoman who marries a German lawyer and makes her home in Berlin in the early years of the Nazi regime. Her husband and their circle of friends deplore the Nazis (anti-Hitler conspirator Adam von Trott, later executed, is one of their circle) and the plot revolves around Christabel's growing recognition that it isn't possible to just live one's private life -- or leave -- when confronted with the kind of evil that the Nazis represent.
Even this edited version presents a kind of viewpoint that is rarely seen of 'ordinary' educated Germans facing the conundrum of how to react to evil and forces us to question how we would have fared in a similar situation. As Protestant pastor Martin Niemoller famously wrote, when the Nazis took away the communists, social democrats, trade unionists and Jews, people didn't speak up because they didn't fall into those categories. "Then," Niemoller wrote, "when they came for me, there was no one left to speak out." This film looks at a group of people who did speak out.
Dennis Potter's imaginative touches (such as the scene where Christabel imagines, in a nightmare, parachutists invading her home and bayoneting her elderly father) make this a rewarding movie to watch, while the recurring echoes of the song to which Christabel listens dressing for her wedding in the opening scenes recurs throughout, sometimes offering an odd or jarring commentary on the scene.
All in all, this is an excellent film of a little-known story. But it deserves to be seen in full, so for anyone who hasn't yet discarded their VHS player, I'd urge you to get the complete version.

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Waiting for Godot Review

Waiting for Godot
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"Nothing happens, nobody comes, nobody goes, it's awful!". That phrase, said by one of the main characters of "Waiting for Godot", somehow sums up the whole plot of this short tragicomedy in two acts. Strange??. You can bet on that!!!. So much that a well-known Irish critic said of it "nothing happens, twice".
The play starts with two men, Vladimir and Estragon, sitting on a lonely road. They are both waiting for Godot. They don't know why they are waiting for him, but they think that his arrival will change things for the better. The problem is that he doesn't come, although a kid does so and says Godot will eventually arrive. Pozzo and his servant Lucky, two other characters that pass by while our protagonists are waiting for Godot, add another bizarre touch to an already surreal story, in which nothing seems to happen and discussions between the characters don't make much sense.
However, maybe that is exactly the point that Samuel Beckett (1906-1989) wanted to make. He was one of the most accomplished exponents of the "Theatre of the Absurd", that wanted to highlight the lack of purpose and meaning in an universe without God. Does Godot, the person that Vladimir and Estragon endlessly wait, symbolize God?. According to an irascible Beckett, when hard-pressed to answer that question, "If I knew who Godot was, I would have said so in the play." So, we don't know. The result is a highly unusual play that poses many questions, but doesn't answer them.
Ripe with symbolism, "Waiting for Godot" is a play more or less open to different interpretations. Why more or less open?. Well, because in order to have an interpretation of your own, you have to finish the play, and that is something that not all readers can do. "Waiting for Godot" is neither too long nor too difficult, but it shows a lack of action and purpose in the characters that is likely to annoy many before they reach the final pages, leading them to abandon the book in a hurry. That is specially true if the reader is a student who thinks he is being barbarously tortured by a hateful teacher who told him to write a paper on "Waiting for Godot" :)
My advice, for what it is worth, is that you should persist in reading it. If it puts you to sleep, try reading it aloud with some friends, and discuss with them the implications of what happens with the characters. This play might not be thoroughly engaging, but it changed theatre and the possibilities opened before it forever. In a way, it provoked a blood-less revolution, and because of that it deserves at least a bit of our attention.
Belen Alcat


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Faerie Tale Theatre - Princess and the Pea (1984) Review

Faerie Tale Theatre - Princess and the Pea  (1984)
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THE PRINCESS AND THE PEA is one of the all-time great FAERIE TALE THEATRE episodes. Featuring a talented cast and brilliant costumes and sets, it's totally adorable.
Prince Richard (Tom Conti) leads a boring and eventless life under the thumb of his controlling mother Queen Veronica (Beatrice Straight). Until, one stormy night, in whirls the vivacious Princess Alecia (Liza Minnelli). But is she really a princess? Queen Veronica is skeptical, so employs a method to test her royalty: she places a tiny pea under 20 mattresses and quilts. If Alecia can feel the pea it will prove beyond any doubt her royal blood.
Will Alecia pass the test? And if she does, will she choose to marry Richard? You'll find out in THE PRINCESS AND THE PEA. Co-starring Jane Alden and Nancy Allen.

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5/30/2012

Faerie Tale Theatre - Aladdin and His Wonderful Lamp (1982) Review

Faerie Tale Theatre - Aladdin and His Wonderful Lamp  (1982)
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ALADDIN AND HIS WONDERFUL LAMP is one of the most enjoyable of episodes from the fabulous FAERIE TALE THEATRE series. Robert Carradine, Valerie Bertinelli, James Earl Jones and Leonard Nimoy lead the strong cast.
Aladdin is played by the appealing Robert Carradine, who offers a fine performance as the resourceful young hero who is thrown into a world of wonder, danger and romance after discovering a lamp which contains a Genie (James Earl Jones) who will grant his every wish. Unfortunately, a scheming magician (Leonard Nimoy) also knows about the magical lamp and will stop at nothing to get it...
Valerie Bertinelli is luminous as the beautiful Princess Sabrina who steals Aladdin's heart. She was nominated for several awards for her performance here. James Earl Jones is an amazing Genie; big and boistrous and very funny!
Directed by Tim Burton, ALADDIN comes to life with sparkling sets and vivid costumes. One of the best. Co-starring Rae Allen as Aladdin's mother and Ray Sharkey as the Grand Vizier.

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Girls Town (1959) Review

Girls Town  (1959)
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Was this bad-girls-in-reform-school flick made in an attempt to cash in on the Academy Award-winning "Boys' Town" or did the studio just happen to have a few dozen nun's habits in their wardrobe department? Tubby, dewlapped crooner Mel Torme frames busty bottle-blonde bombshell bad-girl Silver Morgan (Mamie Van Doren, the poor man's Jane Mansfield) for the over-a-cliff murder of her attempted rapist in this manipulative, cloying 1959 teen-sploitation flick. The cops don't have a thing on Silver but the dead punk's dad commands the usual White Male Reality political pull, sending her to a convent-slash-reform-school "Girls' Town" chock-full-o' tough-as-nails nuns, teen gangs played by 35-year old actors, an "Ave Maria"-singing Paul Anka, a no-hands drag race ending in the usual expected laughably "tragic" result, the Platters, badly-choreographed catfights consistently broken up by beefy security nuns, way too much embarrassingly fake teen slang, and Charlie Chaplin, Jr. (?) Watch out for Silver's creepy reform-school pal Seraphina, a spooky obsessive fan stalking a vaguely stupefied young Paul Anka; look carefully in the drive-in scene to spot the reflections of the director and camera crew in the windows of the cars. "The Sound of Music" this ain't. If you're like me, you saw this given the "Mystery Science Theater 3000" treatment, and were all the better for it...it's even funnier that way, and at least *intentionally* funny.

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Sybil Danning's Adventure Theatre: Seven (1979) Review

Sybil Danning's Adventure Theatre: Seven (1979)
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B-movie veteran William Smith ("Invasion of the Bee Girls", "Grave of the Vampire") stars in this fast moving adventure as the leader of a small team of specialists assigned to break up a notorious Hawaiian crime syndicate.Amazonian action star Sybil Danning introduces the movie.Also starring Barbara Leigh, Art Metrano, Martin Kove, Susan Kiger, Guich Koock, and Richard Le Pore.Directed by Andy Sidaris ("Stacey!", "Malibu Express"). Great movie, must see advanture.

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5/29/2012

Broken Glass: Masterpiece Theatre (1996) Review

Broken Glass: Masterpiece Theatre  (1996)
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This Mobil Masterpiece Theater production of an adapatation of Arthur Miller's play is a gripping look at both the dilemma of being Jewish in pre-war America, as well as a fascinating look at how fear can, literally, cripple a life.
The story revolves around a married Jewish couple, the Gellburgs, in Brooklyn in 1938. Mrs. Gellburg suddenly finds herself unable to move her legs, and becomes the patient of Dr. Hyman, played powerfully by Mandy Patinkin. Mr. Gellburg, in a way, also becomes the patient of Dr. Hyman as Mrs. Gellburg's diagnosis is revealed to be hysterical paralysis -- i.e., it's all in her head.
What Dr. Hyman is left to uncover about the Gellburgs, including both the extremely personal -- their marriage and their identity as Jews -- and the extremely impersonal -- the beginning of the torture and slaughter of Jews in Germany -- teaches great lessons about the choices we make in our lives; when to give in, when to stand up and say, "Enough." Fear can be either a force for change, or an excuse to avoid the inevitable pains of life.
I highly recommend this serious and thought-provoking drama; it provides much food for thought for people of any age or situation.

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Kiss Me Kate (Broadway Revival - PBS Great Performances) (2003) Review

Kiss Me Kate (Broadway Revival - PBS Great Performances)  (2003)
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`Kiss Me Kate', Winner of 5 Tony Awards, 6 Drama Desk Awards and 4 Outer Critics Awards including Best Musical Revival, is a wonderful production with breathtaking performances from a stellar cast including Brent Barrett and Rachel York. What I want to clear up is the criticism of the DVD. I have to disagree with everything negative said - the sound is fine and a pleasant balance of orchestra and vocal with a crisp clarity.
Secondly, the DVD is widescreen and captures a lot of the onstage `business'. Indeed the cameras do follow the main action, but never misses anything. It has been filmed by people who both appreciate the performance, the art and the intention of Michael Blakemore. Since he directed it and then adapted `Kiss Me Kate' for television, surely he of all people knows what needs to be filmed?
Always, the performance has an `on stage' feel and I urge you to ignore the exaggerated views of others here. Sound is good, video is good, DVD menu is good and I guarantee that you'll be as enthusiastic about the DVD as I was today after watching it. Maybe the others need to appreciate that this is a stage `adaptation' as stated on the DVD case.

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The first Broadway revival in nearly 50 years of the musical comedymasterpiece by composer Cole Porter and book writers Sam and Bella Spewack not onlyenchanted critics and delighted audiences, but went on to triumph as one of the biggestprize winners of the 2000 season. Taking its inspiration from Shakespeare, this hilarious romp recounts the backstage and on-stage antics of two feuding romances during an out-of-town tryout for a musical adaptation of The Taming of the Shrew. Sparkling with 18 classic Cole Porter songs including "Another Op'nin', Another Show," "Wunderbar," "So in Love," "Always True to You in My Fashion," "Too Darn Hot," and "Brush Up Your Shakespeare" this is Broadway musical comedy at its irresistible best. Directed by Michael Blakemore, this Tony winner for "Best Revival" stars Brent Barrett, Rachel York (Victor/Victoria), Nancy Anderson and Michael Berresse as the squabbling couples whose offstage disputes entangle them with a pair of song-and-dance gangsters and a pompous U.S. army general.

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Follow Your Dreams: The Bessie Coleman Story (The First African-American Female Pilot) Review

Follow Your Dreams: The Bessie Coleman Story (The First African-American Female Pilot)
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The presentation is very inspiring. The message is educational, positive, encouraging and inspirational message for all. The film tells the story, and it also inspires you to follow your dream no matter what obstacles appears to be in the way, persevere! I can't wait to share with others on how you can...do it. I plan to share this film with the youth group in my church. Thank you for such an inspiring message! I am waiting for the DVD! Great film for all!

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5/28/2012

Riot (1990) Review

Riot (1990)
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Without a doubt, this DVD contains an excellent playlist of Bad Religion songs. Unfortunately, the audio is disappointing. The vocals are often drowned out by the instruments. When I first watched it, I was slightly disgruntled; however, during my second viewing, I turned up the volume and found myself enjoying the experience.
The riot material is pathetic. The camera wasn't inside for the actual riot. You saw the tentative beginnings of one, then the camera footage immediately cut to outside the theater for the aftermath. I felt very misled by the promise of riot material.
I would only recommend this DVD to Bad Religion fans or someone who wants to build upon their collection of punk performances.
Undoubtedly, Bad Religion is an amazing band, but the audio quality on this DVD sells them short.

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Solas - Live (2000) Review

Solas - Live (2000)
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This DVD is a recording of a live concert by Solas, truly one of the most accomplished of the traditional Irish instrumental bands. Energetic reels and jigs are interspersed with tender ballads. Karan Casey's plaintive, heartfelt vocals are a wonderful counterpoint to the viruosity of the rest of the band. I attended this concert, and would highly recommend the DVD/VHS for aficianados of traditional Irish music. Solas is simply great!

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Song list:1. Timmy Cliffords 2. Roger the Miller 3. The Beauty Spot 4. She Is Like the Swallow 5. The Maid on the Shore 6. Crested Hens 7. Big Reel of Ballynacally 8. My Parents Reared Me Tenderly 9. Pastures of Plenty 10. Patsy Touhey's Set 11. The Wind That Shakes the Barley 12. Paddy Taylors 13. The Newry HighwaymanRecorded live March 17, 1998 at the Flynn Theatre, Burlington, Vermont.90 minutes.

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Faerie Tale Theatre - The Nightingale (1982) Review

Faerie Tale Theatre - The Nightingale  (1982)
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THE NIGHTINGALE is one of the all-time greatest episodes of FAERIE TALE THEATRE, featuring great performances, expert direction by Ivan Passer and a heartbreaking musical score.
The Emperor of Cathay (Mick Jagger) lives in a porcelain palace with his courtiers completely cut off from his people. When he hears about a magical bird called the Nightingale and it's exquisite song, he demands an audience with it. The Kitchen Maid (Barbara Hershey) swiftly leads the Prime Minister (Edward James Olmos) to the bird. When the Nightingale sings for the Emperor, it immediately gladdens his heart and giving nature.
But when a mechanical version of the Nightingale is given to the Emperor, he quickly dismisses the real bird. Now ill and close to death, the Emperor needs the love and companionship of the real Nightingale more than ever...
Featuring strong performances all around. Co-starring Bud Cort as the Master of Imperial Music. Look closely and you'll spot Anjelica Huston and Jerry Hall as the fairies Primrose and Pansy.
Highly-recommended

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5/27/2012

KARAGIOZIS ANCIENT GREEK SHADOW THEATRE Review

KARAGIOZIS ANCIENT GREEK SHADOW THEATRE
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This DVD was a great disappointment! It was nothing more than a slide show of random karagiozi images with unrelated music playing in the background. I was under the impression that I was purchasing a series of different Karagiozi skits...not so at all :-( It was definitely not worth the $30.00. It is not even worth $5.

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The Firesign Theatre's All-Day Matinee: Martian Space Party and The Yolks of Oxnard (1972) Review

The Firesign Theatre's All-Day Matinee: Martian Space Party and The Yolks of Oxnard (1972)
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So, I exaggerated. I have not seen the All Day Matinee as a DVD, but don't shoot me just yet, because I HAVE seen both of these video productions, Martian Space Party and The Case of the Missing Yolks, on VHS. They are extremely humorous and differ from the video Everything You Know Is Wrong, because these are more than lip synced videos dubbed to the album soundtrack. Not that the alien invasion epic aforementioned is ruined because of it, it is just that here, in Martian Space Party, the video version of Not Insane Not Responsible, we get a real sense of live performance right before our very eyes and pointy ears. Nick Danger and the Yolks of Oxnard, the Case of the Missing Yolks, IS an actual Firesign Theatre situation comedy movie, not feature length, but album length, with in drag performances by Proctor as the matronly yet out of this world Ma Yolk who gets a dream home of the future as a reward in a sweepstakes and finds out that being a simple American may be the life for her after all because well to do people always have evil villains like Rocky Rococo, also Proctor, in a Fez and goatee, trying to steal their hoity toity lives from them. And most of it, except for a few artsy craftsy visits to Nick Danger and his world of detective story telling is in technicolor. Martian Space Party may seem amateurish at first especially after years of listening to the audio version Not Insane, but that is because of the use of shoulder mounted camera work and the filming of the album as a live experience as if you are attending a beatnik happening that was the result of hiding out in a fail safe bomb shelter after world war three and just as you are about to go totally nuts with claustrophobia and radiation poisoning someone yells, "Hey you freaks, let's put on a show until the all clear lets us out of here". No one ever escapes from Monster Island or the wrath of Glutamoto except for President George Pappoon who blasts off for Mars with the ugly lizard, portrayed as a Craker Jack toy in a sandbox filled with doll houses and train set filling stations, clinging tightly to the President's rocket as he escapes the world of the doomed, the Spider Caucus, the Pets For Pappoon, the Friends of the Martian Space Party and all who entered the hole in the ever widening pyramid to the center of the earth in later albums dug by the big comet. Here's what happened, The Firesign Theatre gathered for a recording one day and found that their producer, who had scheduled open auditions for a cast of hundreds to take part in the album, couldn't be there due to Hurricane Camille or some storm delaying his air travel to the gig, but he did say over the phone, "This is Cyrus, your friend, nothing has happened to my nose, but I do have some dandy grapes. If you record anything out there today or night, you better have some video of the event, the recording, to prove it is you, and your writer, Walter, where ever he is. I'll be there in a couple of days, or I'll see you in Woodstock New York, at the usual studio. Bring proof of your comedy effort there. Keep the crowd of auditioners entertained. I'm sorry I can't be there, but just inform them that I am not responsible for the postponement and not insane enough to fly through a hurricane to get there." So they did. The Firesign Theatre quickly set up cameras and the National Surrealist Party Convention became a beatnik happening. Good thing they had teleprompters, because it is a difficult show to memorise, almost a cult show, rather than an occult show, although a Martian might recognise the magic that was hullabalooing along the San Andreas fault line. You will too. The album was vinyl and finally released in 1972. The videos had to wait until VCRs were perfected, but there could be a rare laser disc, out there, or down there in the hole big whole the comet dug some where on a later album, if you know maybe you don't, but, until you search, Everything You Know Is Wrong. I guess that album will be available on DVD some day too. What ever happened to eight track, Walter? The lizard is licking for that tooo darlin.

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The Masterpiece: A Toymaker's Dream Review

The Masterpiece: A Toymaker's Dream
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I first saw this performed live at Victory Christian Center in Tulsa; where it originated. I then saw it every year following on Easter Sunday until they stopped performing it (wanting to now focus on other performances.)
I bought the videocassete at one of the shows, and have since worn it out watching it over and over. I have probably seen this play 30+ times. It is a wonderful allegorical story of the fall of the angels, the expulsion of Adam and Eve from the Garden, and of the Life, death, and Ressurection of Jesus.
Yes, it's a Christian movie. It is also beautiful, and powerful, and haunting. I wept the first time I saw it. I am still moved to tears at times.
Buy this movie. It is worth far more than the $(...) asking price.

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5/26/2012

No Eres Tu Soy Yo (No Sos Vos Soy Yo) Review

No Eres Tu Soy Yo (No Sos Vos Soy Yo)
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The basic plot of the movie has already been reviewed so this is geared toward the Spanish teacher. Javi is probably 20 years older than 1st bride, Maria, or his second bride, Julia, both in their 20s. His rants about women are going to be beyond the experience of high schoolers. While older viewers will find his dropping in constantly on his best friend, wife, and child funny, younger (under 25ish) won't. The scenes when he's moved back home to his old room, frozen in time at about high school complete with a shark poster on the door, also won't be as funny to younger viewers.
There are some passionate scenes but in most the people are covered with some clothing. Maria (1st wife) runs around in a bra and panties. The language has some terms for body parts and other "bad" language. No drugs. No violence. Javi's parents have become Buddists and a little bit of the religion is discussed. Javi's dog does give birth but nothing really messy to see there. There are scenes with drinking, some to the point of drunkeness.
Overall, with more life experience it's a funny movie. High schoolers haven't lived enough to appreciate it and will be bored.

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Pilobolus Dance Theatre's Dance in America: Monkshood's Farewell, Ocellus, Ciona, & Untitled (1997) Review

Pilobolus Dance Theatre's Dance in America: Monkshood's Farewell, Ocellus, Ciona, and Untitled  (1997)
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I have yet to see Pilobolus live, but I know from their video alone that they are one of my favorite dance companies. Supple, flowing bodies doing things you never knew were possible... tricks on the eye.... gorgeous soundscapes... interviews with the dancers themselves... if you like modern dance which is stunningly original yet crowd-pleasing, rich in athleticism AND thought-provoking, never pretentious, and just weird and wild, buy this video.

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