Into the Blue (Masterpiece Theatre) (1997) Review

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(More customer reviews)For those who know John Thaw as the prickly Inspector Morse, you will enjoy this mystery almost as much as an episode of Morse. British mysteries do tend to be more involved than others and it is probably not a good idea to try and watch this one while you are catching up on your Spanish homework. All in all a enjoyable viewing. I only wish it was available on DVD.

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The Heat of the Day (Masterpiece Theatre) Review

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(More customer reviews)This film stars Patricia Hodge, one of England's most beautiful and competent actresses, and Michael Gambon, one of the greats. Michael York plays a pivotal role but the film really belongs to Hodge and Gambon. I have been trying to secure a copy for my own library to no avail. If you ever have the opportunity to see the film don't let the chance pass you by. It is suspenseful to the very end. And even then the viewer isn't exactly sure how it ends. Hodge and Gambon play against each other in a way that you will never forget. The beauty and the "beast".

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Flambards Collection Set Review

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(More customer reviews)Have you ever encountered a TV series which, from the first episode on, became an irreplaceable part of your identity, moving you in ways impossible to describe but felt profoundly? FLAMBARDS was that beautiful a series. Set in the years surrounding the First World War, the story depicts how Christina, a young orphan sent to live with her cousins and uncle at a decaying country estate, Flambards, comes of age amid the conflicts, passions, loyalties, and tragedies which follow from her new life. Her uncle Russell, wheelchair-bound for life due to a fox-hunting accident, compounds his misfortune through heavy drinking by the fireplace, and takes his sole pleasure in life from the vicarious adventures in the hunting field which his rugged son Mark shares with him. They are callous to their servants, and cannot understand anyone who does not share their absorption in the world of hunting, hounds, and endless leisure. Mark's brother William could not be more different. Gentle, sympathetic to the servants and the plight of their class, and passionately devoted to the design, building and flying of planes, he too is injured while engaging in the one sport he hates - fox-hunting - and must now walk with a limp. Christina, in her late teens like William, prefers his gentle company, yet thrills to the excitement of the fox-hunt. And she soon learns that her ample inheritance, due when she is twenty-one, has been earmarked for the restoration of Flambards - and that she is to marry Mark, who, among other brutalities, has provoked the firing of Violet, the kitchen maid, after making her pregnant!The rest of the series portrays the growing attraction of Christina and William, their escape from Flambards into the world of the early aviators, and the disruptions in their new life resulting from the epic slaughter of the First World War. Everything in this series is just right: the casting of Christine McKenna and Alan Parna by as Christina and William, the stirring footage of restored early airplanes in glorious flight (set to the haunting background music of David Fanshawe, itself worth the eleven-and-a-half hours you'll spend loving this series), the tenderness of the scenes where William and Christina discover their love for each other, the portrayal of a bygone age of English social life help make FLAMBARDS a series with something for everybody. But what lifts this series into the realm of the extraordinary for me is its unaffected embodiment of human goodness and innocence, of nobility and the heroic, and of how these qualities can move us still, in a time when we need them more than ever.I've seen dozens of TV shows since I first caught episode 6, "Cold Light of Day," on PBS during a collegiate summer vacation almost twenty years ago. None have found their way as close to my heart as FLAMBARDS. I hope you agree. And I wish you the very best. END

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Behind the Burly Q (2010) Review

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(More customer reviews)In the golden days of entertainment when it appeared that the moving pictures were threatening to kill the live vaudeville show, the answer seemed clear. Give audiences something they couldn't see in the movie house. And so burlesque was born. Keeping the variety and comedic elements so crucial to vaudeville, burlesque merely upped the skin quotient by adding a strip, a tease, and a striptease. (The film taught me the three didn't always go together!) And a new era of entertainment and a new style of celebrity were born. The colorful documentary "Behind the Burly Q" examines this historical phenomenon and stands as a unique and important look back through history. Filmmaker Leslie Zemeckis deftly weaves archival footage with contemporary interviews to give an exclusive peek at a nearly forgotten art form. And now, if ever, is the time--while there are still first hand accounts to add depth and dimension to the discussion.
Although there were some downbeat components to burlesque--in fact, many of the earliest performers hailed from difficult or abusive backgrounds--the film doesn't' wallow in negative. The ladies interviewed seem to be proud of their status and contribution, as if the stage offered them an escape and not merely exploitation. In those days, it could lead to power, fame and (most importantly) financial stability. And it wasn't just about baring it all, there was an artistic component and outlet involved. I kept thinking about the musical "Gypsy" and the number You Gotta Get A Gimmick (and indeed, the real Gypsy Rose Lee is featured in the film's background material), and the individual ladies often did have a singular claim to fame. One example is the acrobat who moved to the burlesque arena that eventually went on to be the first theme park Tinkerbell flying over nightly crowds at the country's largest attraction (hint, it involved a Magic Castle)!
The real treasure with "Behind the Burly Q" is the preservation and assembly of the performances. The film is noteworthy for that alone. But to get the feedback and additional insight provided in the interviews, this presents an element that might have been lost without this documentary. Even Alan Alda chimes in, his father Robert was big on the vaudeville circuit and was present for the transition into burlesque. The contemporary influence that burlesque has had is unquestionable, and this film is an insightful and entertaining look back through entertainment history. KGHarris, 3/11.

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Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice (6 Piece Collector's Box Set) (1996) Review

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(More customer reviews)I cannot say enough good things about this film. As a movie buff and English teacher I can honestly say that this is the finest film adaptation of any classic novel ever made. The screenplay is remarkably faithful, the costuming and settings are breathtaking, and the casting presents the strongest and most consistent ensemble I have ever witnessed. All this coming from someone who has never seen a good film version of any novel to the extent that I no longer thought it possible. Ladies beware, Colin Firth as the definitive Darcy will make you swoon. Jennifer Ehle, as Lizzy, has stolen my heart. Please don't tell my wife but I have never been so deeply in love with any actress. Her inspired interpretation of Elizabeth Bennet does Austen's brilliant satire great credit. No one has ever rendered Austen's sardonic character studies more vividly than Simon Langton's production. Persuasion was wonderful, Sense and Sensibility was remarkable, but this rendition of Austen is absolutely sublime. Without a doubt one of the best things I have ever seen on the silver screen. An absolute MUST for all Jane Austen fans.

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Hailed as "the best Austen of all" by The New York Times and deemed"one of the best things ever done for television anywhere" by Sneak Previews, thisbrilliant adaptation of Jane Austen's classic novel is A&E's most popular title ever. Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth (Shakespeare in Love) star in this Emmy-winningproduction.

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Shakespeare in Love (Miramax Collector's Series) (1999) Review

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(More customer reviews)Shakespeare in Love is a film for anyone who loves art and literature
with a passion. Aside from being a beautiful love story, the film
itself is a "love letter" to the arts. I can only describe
it as a "golden" film, because that's what I think of when I
picture scenes from the movie...pure gold. I love Shakespeare, and
the brilliant screenplay manages to make a flesh and blood person out
of such an enigmatic historical figure - it may not be real, but it's
a lot of fun nonetheless. The acting is superb - Gwyneth Paltrow is
glorious, Judi Dench is fabulous, Geoffrey Rush is hilarious, and
Joseph Fiennes is the hottest thing to come along since his older
brother! I love the ending especially - Twelfth Night is my favorite
Shakespearean play, and the last line just speaks volumes: "For
she will be my heroine for all time, and her name will be Viola."
Perhaps the best thing about the film is the way it blends comedy and
tragedy together in such a bittersweet way.
One final note: I too
was surprised that this film won Best Picture, because I also loved
Saving Private Ryan. Both films were cinematic masterpieces of very
different kinds, and both were equally worthy. I'm glad the Academy
shook things up a little.bfounded while the final credits rolled. Marc
Norman and Tom Stoppard must have loved their subject matter,
researched the period with zeal as well as having the ability to
create a moving romantic drama.

The whole thing was created
out of the barest glimmer of fact concerning Shakespeare's life. It
focuses on the gap between his marriage in London as a young man and
his eventual return to London as a successful playwright. The theory
states that "suffering is the mother of creativity", so
Young William must have had a great deal of hardship indeed. Hence,
the opportunity for a wonderful movie to be made.

A handsome
young Shakespeare is introduced to us during a black period of
writer's block. He is portrayed as any other writer we could imagine;
poor, horny, suffering from professional jealousy and not particularly
respectable. He's over-committed to two theatres and selling vaporware
for all he's worth. Poorly named vaporware at that, "Romeo and
Ethyl the Pirate's Daughter".

But fate has more in store
for this hopeful scribbler than even he would dream. Enter stage left,
the love of his life, in the guise of an actor, shyly auditioning for
a part in his new play. (Shades of Blackadder here). He is immediately
taken by this youthfull stage strutter because of a seeming preference
for Bill's work over that of the leading playwright of the day,
Christopher Marlowe.

This interest takes him to the actor's
home, where Tomas Kent transforms himself into Viola De Lesseps the
refined daughter of a wealthy merchant. This magic act is only
possible because of the artful protection offered by Viola's nurse and
part time confidant, played by Imelda Staunton. And as with Clarke
Kent, no one can penetrate the cunning disguise of Mr Thomas Kent,
except for a friendly ferryman. And it is this very ferryman that puts
William on the right path in his pursuit of the lady Viola.And so we get the privilege of watching William Shakespeare give
birth to the Famous Romeo and Juliet as a counterpoint to his torrid
and dangerous affair with a woman betrothed to Lord Wessex; one of the
most influential and powerful men in the city. The ups and downs, ins
and outs of this relationship, and its eventual end, are all
delightful to watch as well as being grist for the mill of
Shakespeare's future plays.

For anyone that has even a passing
familiarity with the Bard's work or just likes a good romance, take
the time to enjoy this special movie. In fact, take a few times
because it gets better with every viewing.


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Triumphant winner of 7 Academy Awards(R) -- including Best Picture -- this witty, sexy smash features Oscar(R)-winning Best Actress Gwyneth Paltrow (SLIDING DOORS, THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS) and an amazing cast that includes Academy Award-winners Judi Dench (Best Supporting Actress), Geoffrey Rush (Best Actor -- SHINE), and Ben Affleck (GOOD WILL HUNTING, PEARL HARBOR). When Will Shakespeare (Joseph Fiennes -- ELIZABETH) needs passionate inspiration to break a bad case of writer's block, a secret romance with the beautiful Lady Viola (Paltrow) starts the words flowing like never before! There are just two things he'll have to learn about his new love: not only is she promised to marry someone else, but she's successfully impersonating a man in order to play the lead in Will's latest production! A truly can't-miss motion picture event with outstanding critical acclaim to match its impressive collection of major awards -- everyone will love this funny behind-the-scenes look at the writing of the greatest love story ever told!

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The Rivals Review

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(More customer reviews)Although I am hardly an authority on the theater, it does not take a genius to see that this production is something special. The acting is wonderful, the camera work is excellent (especially compared to most recordings of stage events) and the play itself is amazing. The performance was done in period costumes, just as it was when it was in 1775, and the language of the 1775 text is retained just as Sheridan wrote it. I have noticed nothing in this performance that detracts from Sheridan's original vision.
I can guarantee you will have a great time watching this; it is completely worth the money to have this gem.

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Apartment Zero Review

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(More customer reviews)What makes this film so good is how dangerous it is. It teeters on the edge of homosexuality and true friendship and at the same time casts Colin Firth as almost a damsel on the edge of madness to Hart Bochners rogue character. This movie is set in Buenos Aires and and creates a political climate, a delicate madness and an under current of so many divergent sexualities that fuel the film and keep pulling the rope taunter and taunter.
What makes this film so good is how eventually Firth's character expresses his love for a man who is a ne'erdowell and always will be. He goes to the brink of madness and violence but never of sexuality which is what twists this fikm in upon itself. Eventually it seems as if the relationship between the two becomes too fraught with peril for sex but all of there actions for each other are sexualized.
What I find interesting about this movie is that it in no way compromises its sexuality to be politically correct and instead challenges the watcher to stick with it thru a byzantine plot of identity that switches the nerd for the rogue and then the rogue for the nerd. Both men ultimately have no identity. firth's character by harsh abuse racked upon him by his family and currently dementia trapped mother and Bochner thru the way he must live for his terrorist lifestyle.
In the end Firth learns to absorb Bochner's character to have an identity and Bochner hesitates and theefore loses his own. The best movies are about things that are intangibly exchanged thru the physical world of actions representing so much more.

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APARTMENT ZERO - DVD Movie

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Lost Empires (3 DVD Set) Review

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(More customer reviews)Granada Television's 1986 "Lost Empires" is a series that proves that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Starring a sullen young Colin Firth, this eight-hour, three DVD set has held a place in my heart for the last 16 years. It was with much anticipation then that I opened this package and watched it anew with my family. Would it stand the test of time? Was it as great as I recalled?
Based on the novel by JB Priestley, LE chronicles the adventures of young Richard Herncastle (Firth), an aspiring landscape painter, who in 1913 accepts an offer from his hard-nosed Uncle Nick (John Castle II) to join his magic act and tour the great `empire halls' on England.
Uncle Nick promises "I'll show you the world lad!" In the process young Richard gets more than he bargained for in the way of life adventures. . Firth's Herncastle finds himself thrown together with magicians, dwarfs, sad-sack comedians, flirty torch-song singers, suffragettes and aging Sir Lawrence Olivier. And he also quickly becomes the lightning rod that somehow touches all their lives.
The first half of LE, featuring Sir Lawrence Olivier as pathetic comedian Harry Barrard, Carmen du Sautoy as sultry Julie Blaine, John Castle's riveting Uncle Nick and Beattie Edney as love interest Nancy Ellis is where Lost Empires shines! We feel the whole world opening up for Richard as he is torn between Nancy and Julie. Every night this travelling company performs authentic song and dance numbers as we see World War I looming in the background.
Of special note is John Castle. Playing master illusionist "Ganga Dun" Castle's Nick Ollanton creates a character so vivid and steely that he virtually steals the DVD.
The second half of LE slows down a bit after young Richard has learned a few life lessons the hard way. The vibrant personalities of first half give way to more outrageous, less believable ones.
The DVD transfer is what you'd expect from most Granada product of the 80's: film grain is a bit much, but the colors are good, and I quickly "saw beyond" the grain of film. The sound is actually quite clear and vibrant with a large dynamic range. I frequently was "riding" the volume control to back off the volume when the director cut from quiet dialog scenes to the Empire performance scenes. There is no info booklet to speak of with the three discs which was a bit of a letdown (Brideshead Revisited ships with a rather informative booklet by contrast.) ...
If however you are looking for a group of clearly drawn characters desperate to hold onto a way of living, performing and loving as "The New World" is about to crush them under war and the onset of "talking movies" then LE is for you. If you've got the dough to spare, get it. If you're unsure, pick up Brideshead Revisited instead.
Me, I'm happy now that my "Masterpiece Theater" DVD shelf contains the three things I've always wanted: Brideshead, Prime Suspect and now Lost Empires.

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