The Sally Lockhart Mysteries - Shadow in the North (2008) Review

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(More customer reviews)I am sure that this is great but having seen the BBC version versus the PBS version, let me just say that the very critical scene of Fred proposing and her accepting is not in the PBS version. It isn't like you saw anything bad. But you did get to see Fred and Sally having a romantic moment, when she confesses that she didn't realize she is more with him than without. I refuse to buy this version.

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Lord Peter Wimsey - The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club (1973) Review

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(More customer reviews)As many of us that were eternally grateful to Acorn Media for reissuing after too many decades the Lord Peter Wismey "Clouds of Witness," just so many and perhaps more can welcome back with the incomparable Ian Carmichael whose idea it was to film the series in the first place and who almost did not get the part!
Like the other four in this series, this is a low budget, shot mostly in the studio, affair; but it is impeccably "period" in décor, dress, and even idiom. The plot involves at first not a "who done it?" but a "when was it done?" Since the vast inheritance depends on the timing of the deaths of an elderly brother and sister, the hour if not the very minute of the former's demise is the Big Question. Surprisingly, that mystery is revealed half way through the story; but by then we have a murderer to find and...well, I will not spoil things for you and urge you to see for yourself.
Carmichael's Wimsey is ever the aristocrat, here ready to quote W.S. Gilbert and W. Shakespeare (though not nearly as frequently as Rumpole will quote his favorite poets), even though he must apologize now and then for being over the heads of some of his less well-educated acquaintances. In this story the grinding poverty of one of the interested parties is shown in striking contrast to Wimsey's luxurious accommodations and ability to be very generous with his money (which after all was never earned by any workaday sweat of his brow exept when he posed as an employee of an advertizing agency).
As with all of this series, the minor characters are extremely well drawn, right down to a patron of a tea shop who becomes all flustered in meeting "a lord." While the two opposing lawyers might border on the Dickensian, they are both shown to be intelligent and honestly working for the good of their clients. And even the villain is basically a very Good Person in all other respects! But such is the universe created by Dorothy Sayers and it is treated with respect and intelligence in this fine series.
Now we can only hope that Acorn Media will accelerate the releases of "Murder Must Advertise," "Five Red Herrings," and "The Nine Tailors."
Oh by the way, they are releasing at the same time some of the Poirots that have been butchered by A&E to make room for their insultingly frequent and overlong piggyback commercials. See the webpages for those. And by the way again, a comparison of Poirot and Wimsey would make a fascinating study.

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The Amateur (1982) Review

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(More customer reviews)Though this movie is now nearly 20 years old, it is still extremely watchable. It does not rely on special effects. It, rather, relies on the development of Hitchcock-like suspense.
In the movie, the magazine reporter fiance of a CIA computer specialist is executed by terrorists via random drawing while she is on assignment in europe. This infuriates the main protagonist of the movie -- the CIA employee. He collects enough information on CIA sensitive activities to blackmail the agency into allowing him to go into eastern europe so he can locate and eliminate the terrorists that killed his fiance himself.
He is the amateur in a professional's game. The plot is believable, the suspense is tangeable, and the story line not predictable.
I promise that if you like suspense movies, you will love this one! The acting, from main and supporting characters, is good. I particularly enjoyed the character who played the father of the murdered fiance. CIA officers and execs also play their roles (though perhaps a bit stereotyped) quite well.
5 stars.

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Lord Peter Wimsey - The Complete Collection (1973) Review

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(More customer reviews)Finally, finally, the full set of this series is on DVD. (Individual titles have been trickling onto the market for years.) These engrossing, spirited productions are the major detective-fiction product from a distinct period and style of British productions that gave the world some enduring classics: Upstairs Downstairs, its sequel The Duchess of Duke Street, Poldark, Danger: UXB, and of course (by informal consensus the best TV series ever made), All Creatures Great and Small. These 1970s productions share a look and feel that is quickly recognizable (with videotaped interior and filmed outdoor scenes, and a pool of outstanding actors, in the British tradition, many of them famous in higher-budget theatrical films also). They all aired in the US when they were new and occasionally later, and captivated audiences, who have looked eagerly for them since. (And who were, therefore, all the more disappointed with a later, 1990s re-make of some of Sayers's Wimsey stories, slick but without the heart and energy of this 1970s classic series with Ian Carmichael.) The original stories by Sayers are themselves very entertaining; she was one of the most intellectual, and certainly the most hard-working, of the British detective-fiction writers who flourished between the wars. (One of her stories turns on the gender of a definite article in French; another, relying on details of architecture, sent her studying the subject for six months so that she would know what she was talking about -- modern best-seller writers, please note.) Her fondness for and knowledge of the Church of England informs a number of the dramatizations, especially The Nine Tailors, thought by many people (including me) to be best of them -- certainly its plot is a lollapalooza. But they are all very good.

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The Infernal Comedy: Confessions of a serial killer - featuring John Malkovich; Laura Aikin; Aleksandra Zamojska; Orchestra Weiner Akademie (2009) Review

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(More customer reviews)The 2009 play "The Infernal Comedy" - confessions of a serial killer by Austrian dramatist Michael Sturminger is a "comedy" only in the most dark and ironic sense. Based on the true events surrounding the conviction, release and recapture of Jack Unterweger, this is a strangely compelling vision. John Malkovich created the role and is, essentially, talking to his audience as if they are witnessing a lecture and book signing from the "Vienna Woods Killer", back from the dead. The drama and vision are made more complete and surreal by having a Baroque orchestra accompany two sopranos as a form of commentary throughout the monologue. The arias are chosen carefully for their depiction of various operatic women in abused, subjugated, disadvantaged and mistreated roles. The two sopranos, Laura Aikan and Aleksandra Zamojska, perform wonderfully and also serve to act as if they are but two of Unterweger's many victims. In real life, Unterweger had written a book, gone on tour, exhibiting the same charm that no doubt gave him access to women, all while still executing an additional nine women, only to commit suicide while awaiting trial in prison. The irony and the palpable "deadly charm" that Jack Unterweger probably possessed are carried off brilliantly by Malkovich, who excels at portraying unusual characters in intense ways. The opera extracts and the performances by the sopranos - musically and dramatically - actually highten the mood and make one want to learn more about this strange case. The orchestra, playing period instruments conducted by Martin Haselbock plays wonderfully and this play/opera/commentary makes a fascinating addition to anyone's collection. The "comedy" is present, especially in some of Jack's almost "throw away" dialogue (like his disgust with the laptop computer provided him) but ultimately the realization that this man was real and notorious and scarily unique make the comedy less funny and more - infernal.

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'The Infernal Comedy' is a stage-play for a Baroque-Orchestra, twoSopranos and one actor. It is based on the real-life story of JackUnterweger, a convicted murderer, acclaimed imprisoned poet, pardonedand celebrated author and journalist, notorious womanizer,and prime example of reintegration, who gradually was suspected ofkilling a growing number of prostitutes in Vienna, Graz,Prague and Los Angeles, later vanished from Vienna, fled into theU.S, got arrested in Miami, transferred to Austria, accused and finallycommitted suicide after being convicted of homicide in eleven cases.'If you wear this name, women will love you or hate you - call you a liar or pervert - but they will never leave you alone.'BONUS: inside THE INFERNAL COMEDYThe deceitful criminal history of Jack Unterweger, the prisoner convicted of killing a woman who subsequently became aliterary sensation and was considered to be a model of rehabilitation, is the true source and subject of the musical theatrepiece for Baroque orchestra, two sopranos and an actor. This role is perfectly impersonated by John Malkovich. Observationsat the rehearsals for this unusual and genre-leaping theatre evening are interwoven with historic background information.

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Summer's Lease (1989) Review

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(More customer reviews)I caught this mini-series on PBS in the 80's and I have never forgotten it. I have, in fact, longed to see it again so much that for years I searched the internet for copies of it and hassled the people at Scarecrow Video. At last, I saw that it was available and snatched it up as soon as I could. Not only was I NOT disappointed with the show, I was even more intrigued and enchanted by the mystery and the wit and of course the lucious scenery of the Tuscan villa and surrounding landscape. Its a wonderful blend of Italian and English sentiment and character. While waiting for this to be available I read the Mortimer novel on which it was based and even that paled in comparison to this production!

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Lord Peter Wimsey - Clouds of Witness (1973) Review

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(More customer reviews)I am so glad to see this on DVD, and those who have it on VHS will be surprised--it looks fantastic! You'd never know this was done in 1972.
The picture is crisp and clear, even when switching from video to film (a common practice in those days--film outdoors, and videotape indoors). The sound level is a bit low, but it is not a problem--turning up the volume does not distort the sound in any way.
Lord Peter Wimsey (Ian Carmichael) must find the evidence to clear his older brother, Gerald, the Duke of Denver (David Langton) from the charge of murder. The victim is the fiancé of Gerald and Peter's sister, Lady Mary Wimsey (Rachel Herbert).
There is much conflicting testimony amongst the witnesses, and Lord Peter, ably assisted by his faithful manservant Bunter (Glyn Houston) and Inspector Parker (Mark Eden), does his best to save his brother.
The script is well written, and well paced. We get to see a trial in the House of Lords, something most viewers have perhaps heard of, but never have witnessed. We see the Wimsey family (Lord Peter, the Dowager Duchess, Lady Mary, and the Duke of Denver), and their friends (the Arbuthnots and others), in an excellent adaptation of what life was life in the upper-crust families after World War I.
The cast is first rate, as is the story and the quality of the DVD. There are extras (an interview with Ian Carmichael from September of 2000, information on Dorothy L.Sayers, a trivia quiz, and filmographies of the principal players) that make a nice addition to this slipcovered two-DVD set. Acorn Media has done a splendid job--highly recommended!

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This classic mystery just keeps getting better. A top-seller on VHS, it's now available for the first time on a feature-rich DVD. Ian Carmichael stars as Dorothy L. Sayers' aristocratic sleuth taking on his most personal case ever. When his sister's fianci is murdered during a family gathering, Wimsey's brother, the Duke of Denver, is charged with the crime. Wimsey must race the clock and risk his own life to exonerate him.

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Painted Lady (2009) Review

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(More customer reviews)"Painted Lady" is 100% unpredictable. This one is impossible to get to the root of (solve) the mystery till the very end, so don't cheat yourself and skip immediately to the last scene selection. The facts behind who-dun-it and the ever changing mystery of why, are what makes this movie. That is why the Chicago Tribune labeled it "Deliciously Complex." That it is. For 190 minutes of its 198 minute length, you'll constantly wonder who or why.
Helen Mirren, is wonderful, in and out of her clothing. Her character, ex-singer Maggie Sheridan, seems to make friends with many, but it is the murder of Sir Charles, whom Maggie considered "like a father", that sets her on the hunt for the killer. And a search for a lost painting. The mystery becomes a tapestry of clues related to drugs, homosexual activity, murder, art trade (legal and illegal), and robbery. Maggie uses anyone and everyone in her quest. All she seems to find are more questions. She uses anyone, legal or illegal, man or woman, crook or cop, enemies and family, in her search for answers. She uses her own created alias of an art-loving rich countess. Her sister helps her learn a bit of art history, but just enough to get herself into many fixes.
The movie does get a little graphic in places, so it's not for the squeamish or the kiddies. Nothing like an attackers brains being blown across her pretty face to wake up Maggie to more danger. In Maggie's effort to help Sir Charles' son with his financial woes, he gets strung up clad only in his briefs, then used for crossbow target practice. Well, get the picture? This British mystery, unrated, is NOT G. The cover includes a splat and run of blood in the upper right corner--there's a reason for that.
Extras include subtitles although even though most of the activity takes place in England, it is easy to understand, not strong accent. Helen Mirren also has a written bio to read and a huge list of credits to her career.
Painted Lady is more than just a robbery gone bad ending in a murder. It is about the mysterious discoveries of a half dozen or more characters involved with the mishap. Each new discovery leads to who? what? when? where? and why?
Well, I tried to leave you a warning for those needing it related to nudity, blood, and sexual situations. But, also I'd encourage mystery fans. Bet you won't solve it any faster than Maggie did.

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As seen on Masterpiece Theatre
Semi-retired, with wine glass in one hand and cigarette in the other, former '60s rock singer Maggie Sheridan (Helen Mirren, Prime Suspect, The Queen) seems resigned to life on a crumbling country estate, ruminating about her past. But everything changes when a botched robbery leaves her friend Sir Charles Stafford dead and one of his prized paintings missing. Determined to retrieve the masterpiece and find the killer, Maggie plunges into the murky underworld of the art trade. Posing as a wealthy Polish countess, she sets off on a treacherous path from Ireland to London to New York and back again. Meanwhile, Sir Charles's troubled son, Sebastian, embarks on his own path of discovery. Where the two trails meet, life begins to imitate art to deadly effect.
Oscar®-winner Helen Mirren delivers a tour-de-force performance with strong supporting turns by Iain Glen (Adam Bede), Lesley Manville (All or Nothing), Michael Maloney (Truly Madly Deeply), and Franco Nero (Camelot).
DVD FEATURE INCLUDES biography of Helen Mirren.
Nudity and sexual situations

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Street Thief (2007) Review

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(More customer reviews)This is honestly a great movie, I first say it on A&E and thought it was such a smart movie, weather it's a documentry or a mocumentry, it's a good film to see. You can't find it on Netflix and they arn't showing reruns anymore. Free Shipping? Good deal.

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Stone (2010) Review

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(More customer reviews)STONE is dubbed a "psychological duel", and it is. Robert Deniro plays Jack, a parole officer who holds all the cards in the life of Stone (Edward Norton) a convicted arsonist who is pleading his case to be released from prison, back into society. Stone will stop at nothing, including using his wife to manipulate Jack.
The movie leads you to believe that you know and understand all the characters involved but they go different directions as the movie goes along. It does a pheonominal job of progressing its characters and revealing more and more about who they were and who they are becoming.
With guys like Robert DeNiro and Edward Norton and a superbly underated and fearless actress Milla Jovovich, STONE is an outstanding character study and may hit home with a lot of people who could be going through life in an unhappy marriage or living life without hope. It is impossible to give too much insight without giving away important elements to the story. The story elements and plots changes are so subtle they don't actually hit you until the afterfact, which is brilliant.
I'm afraid that STONE has a lot of machinery and mechanics going on, only to drive to nowhere. Or maybe that's the whole point. Maybe it is supposed to go to nowhere because that's the whole message that looms over the movie from the opening sequence to the finale. Jack lives a soulless existence and he can't escape. Unfortunately, that message also leaves an empty feeling with the audience and makes STONE just an average movie experience.

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Academy Award winner Robert De Niro and Oscar nominee Edward Norton deliver powerful performances as a seasoned corrections official and a scheming inmate whose lives become dangerously intertwined in this 'gritty and engrossing thriller" (Steve O'Brien, WCBS-FM).Jack Mabry (De Niro), a parole officer days away from retirement, is asked to review the case of Gerald 'Stone" Creeson (Norton), in prison for arson. Now eligible for early release, Stone needs to convince Jack he has reformed, but his attempts to influence the older man's decision with his wife Lucetta (Milla Jovovich) have profound and unexpected effects on them both.This tale of passion, betrayal and corruption skillfully weaves together the parallel journeys of two men grappling with dark impulses, as the line between lawman and lawbreaker becomes precariously thin.

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Shattered Review

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(More customer reviews)Please keep in mind that I am one of a handful of people that saw this film ON THE BIG SCREEN IN A MOVIE THEATER instead of just on TNT, butchered for television, with commercial interruptions. It is much better the way it was intended to be seen. After seeing the film twice ON THE BIG SCREEN during its limited release, these are my comments:
Imagine a Yuppie Gerard Butler. Great looking. Confident. Successful. Gorgeous wife. Beautiful sweet daughter. The perfect life in upscale suburban Chicago. Enter mysterious menacing stalking stranger and their worst nightmare begins. He threatens the life of their daughter as insurance for their obedience to his demands.
Sound like the typical 'kidnapped kid' flick? It's not.
It's taut, suspenseful, edge of your seat storytelling combined with good solid performances by all, especially Bello and Brosnan. Butler is very good, but I've seen him better. I believe he filmed this on the heels of the grueling demands of 300 and it shows a bit. He may not be at the very top of his game here, but he still performs well.
Brosnan upped his credibility as an actor for me in this film. He played the menacing stranger perfectly. Just the right tone of voice and facial expressions, joined with his eyes and body language, spoke in unison to perfection in every scene. I'd really like to see more from him, he is a very good dramatic actor. I like him better as an older, mature man. More gritty, less suave.
Maria Bello is perfect as the mother held hostage by mother love and the need to protect her child at all costs.
I loved the score. Where you might expect a really intense, gritty score, this one opts for a quieter one with a hint of bluesy undertones and it works. It intensifies at the right moments, but never takes a front seat as often happens in thrillers. It melds with the action and helps makes each scene into an audiovisual, emotional emulsion.
In fact, the whole film is just quieter than one would expect, given what is usually served up with films of this genre. There are no car chases, no last minute rescues, no heroes. It never goes over the top. It has its feet on the ground and its eyes on what's human and real.
This film is no dud. Even though it had a very limited release, it is not the fault of the filmmakers or the actors. It is good movie-making. You may not think it's one of the best films you've ever seen, but there's a good chance you'll be satisfied that you got your money's worth. I give it a definite thumbs up.
Scale of 1-10? I give this an 8.
Warning: DON'T read much about this film. DON'T watch the trailer over and over. The less you know going in, the better your experience of it will be. Because of one seemingly innocuous remark made by someone who'd seen it, I guessed the ending about halfway through. I wasn't even trying. But things we hear stick in our minds whether we like it or not. I sincerely wish I had not guessed correctly. The rest of the film lost it's suspense for me.
Hint: This is a two timer. It's even better the second time.


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SHATTERED - DVD Movie

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Deathtrap (1982) Review

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(More customer reviews)When DEATHTRAP was first released, the poster--reproduced on the cover of this DVD--offered a graphic akin to a Rubik's Cube. It is an appropriate image: originally written for the stage by Ira Levin, who authored such memorable works as ROSEMARY'S BABY and THE STEPFORD WIVES, the play was one of Broadway's most famous twisters, and under Sidney Lumet's direction it translates to the screen extremely well.
DEATHTRAP is one of those films that it is very difficult to discuss, for to do so in any detail gives away the very plot for which it is famous. But the opening premise is extremely clever: Sidney Bruhl (Michael Caine) is the famous author of mystery plays, but these days he seems to have lost his touch. After a particularly brutal opening night, an old student named Clifford Anderson (Christopher Reeve) sends him a script for a play he has written. It is called "Deathtrap," and Sidney recognizes it as a surefire hit. Just the sort of hit that would revive his career... indeed, a hit to die for. And when Clifford visits to discuss the play, events suddenly begin to twist in the most unexpected manner possible.
Like Anthony Shaffer's equally twisty SLEUTH, DEATHTRAP is really a story more at home on the stage than the screen--to reach full power it needs the immediacy that a live performance offers. Still, under the expert guidance of director Sidney Lumet, it makes a more-than-respectable showing on the screen. Much of this is due to the cast, which is remarkably fine. Michael Caine gives a truly brilliant performance, Dyan Cannon is funny and endearing as Sidney's relentlessly anxious wife, and Christopher Reeve gives what might be the single finest performance in his regrettably short acting career. If you can't see it in a first-rate theatrical production, this will more than do until one comes along.
Unfortunately, the DVD does not offer the film in its original ratio--it's pan and scan here, and that's a clear strike against the DVD so far as I'm concerned. And sadly, although this is an ideal subject for them, there are no bonuses of any kind. But even so it is DEATHTRAP, and it is DEATHTRAP very expertly done, the perfect movie to curl up with on a dark and stormy night. Keep the lights on!
--GFT (Amazon Reviewer)--

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Ira Levin's cat-and-mouse Broadway suspense smash about a playwright's deadly game of murder gets diabolically comic screen treatment.

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Sally Lockhart Mysteries - Ruby In the Smoke (Masterpiece Theatre) (2007) Review

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(More customer reviews)I happened to catch the TV promotion for this before it aired and decided to watch partly because it had Billie Piper in it. I like British period detective dramas anyway and I wanted to see if she was good at something other than "Rose Tyler" from Dr. Who. I thought the story was pretty good, and the look of just about everything was wonderful- almost like being there.
Unlike the first review and at least the first comment I believe Ms. Piper did a good job. I found very little to complain about in this movie, it was a bit rushed towards the finish- 96 minutes would've been better than 86- and I think Sally's photographer friend's work tent was much too light (not dark enough inside it), that's about it.
If more are made in the series I'll watch and buy them.

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Inspector Lewis: Pilot & Series 1 (2005) Review

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(More customer reviews)We fans in North America have been duped by PBS video! It was bad enough that we endure a lazy DVD production that is 2 years behind what's available in the UK and simply applies the "Masterpiece Mystery" broadcast version of the show onto video. That is to say, one must endure annoying PBS ads; a superficial intro by host Alan Cumming; an unacceptable preview that spoils some surprises for anyone hoping to enjoy the episode freshly; and a cruel removal of Barrington Pheloung's end credit theme music for the show, which I've therefore never heard.
HOWEVER, each of these episodes is missing about 10 minutes of story that has been edited out so that PBS can air the show in its 90 minute time slot. I found this out when I realized that my "Inspector Morse" DVDs released by Carleton Video always ran about 1 hour and 34 minutes, and asked PBS if "Lewis" should really be longer than the DVDs' 1 hour and 24 minutes. They had the courtesy to admit the truth. Why it's necessary for PBS (which has long publicized itself as commercial free) to edit out 10 instead of 3 minutes is beyond me, but we're missing out on details and texture in the story telling that is available to UK viewers and DVD buyers.
It is one thing if PBS decided to do this for its on-air version, but Shop PBS hasn't had the decency to restore the original footage back into the DVD release; even more supposedly commercial studios like Fox Home Video treat fans better than this! Yet, what's especially unacceptable about all this is that PBS has made it impossible for a more considerate and honest company like Carleton Video to do the program justice by releasing the full versions of the episodes. This is because, according to ITV America, PBS has acquired exclusive rights to manufacture and distribute the DVDs in North America. So, PBS hasn't just released a bad product for fans of the show, but has prevented other companies from doing a better job. What disgusting and monopolistic behavior for an entity officially dedicated to serving the public. When it comes to Inspector Lewis, it has carried out a willful public disservice!
I ask all "Inspector Lewis" fans to protest to WGBH PBS (feedback@wgbh.org) and to write to ITV.

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John Le Carre's A Perfect Spy (2006) Review

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(More customer reviews)An outstanding adaptation of the Le Carre's book. Long and deliberately slow moving, it may not be for everyone. Very little 'action' as such, but an exceptional character study of what makes a 'Perfect' Spy. There is a certain sadness which permeates the film, and becomes quite powerful at the end. Highly, highly recommended for those who prefer thoughtful, deliberately paced movies.

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What traits of nature and nurture go into the making of a master of deception? British agent Magnus Pym's training begins in a chaotic childhood. His charismatic con man father trades secrets for love, bouncing in and out of jail and his son's life. Schooled at Oxford and mentored by two masters of espionage, Magnus is poised for greatness-except that his mentors are on opposite sides of the battle. With characters drawn from his own life, le Carré weaves a gripping tale of international intrigue brilliantly adapted for the BBC by Arthur Hopcraft, who also adapted le Carré's Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy for television. A Perfect Spy stars Peter Egan (Reilly: Ace of Spies) and Ray McAnally (A Very British Coup) with an exceptional supporting cast featuring Alan Howard, Peggy Ashcroft, and Sarah Badel.

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Midnight Movie (2008) Review

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(More customer reviews)This at its core a supernatural slasher film. Like all slasher films it is required to have a masked killer who uses a specialised cutting implement to dispatch teens in a particular setting. Like most supernatural films it comes with specific rules and otherworldly occurances and lapses in logic to circumvent said killer. The film works in both its horror subgenres.
Now at first glance the basic premise of the film sounds like Bava's gore/monster classic DEMONS. Sure, that's partially true. It's about a group of people going to see a midnight horror film in an old theater, and then having the horrifying images on the screen come to life and effect the audience in gruesome ways. But that's where the similarities end and the innovation begins. While I love DEMONS, I have to admit beyond the monster effects, soundtrack, cinematography and basic premise, the film brings nothing new to the table that Romero hadn't already in his zombie films. The satire about how movie violence effects its audience is there, but Bava was more interested in the grue, so it gets buried. This film leaves out the satire completely but builds a serious thriller out of it.
First let me praise God, Buddha, Allah, and Jesus that I have seen a slasher film with characters that are likeable and fleshed out--for the most part. There not as in-depth as Hamlet but for this genre they seem real enough. All the characters you're supposed to like, you do. Hell, one character, the Biker, starts off as a loathesome character and then turned out to be my favorite character. The best part about this film is that it works at getting you to like the people involved, but doesn't let that influence who lives and who dies. There are some casualties in this film that will really make you wish they weren't. I was very happy to actually watch a horror film not wishing for the characters' death, but rather rooting for them to escape. Sometimes I was disappointed and sometimes I wasn't....just watch it for yourself if you want to catch my drift.
Now the movie is very violent and even has some intense gross out death scenes in it. How it lays out each murder is rather clever. Every time the horror film on the screen switches to the notorious Killer POV, made notorious by all 80's slasher films, the characters are clued into the fact that they may have to start running for their lives. On the commentary track included on the dvd the director notes how each murder represented a different film style of killing people on screen. The first are off-screen with only the aftermath shown. As the bodycount rises so does the gore level. We even get a torture-porn(on my quest to reclaiming that term still)sequence at the end that involves some toes and a lot of unpleasantness. This is a fun concept for horror movie nerds and finatics.
The ending even goes somewhere you weren't expecting. I won't ruin it, but it's fun and creepy and slips all the way into supernatural fantasy. The film runs short, just about 80 minutes. It's the perfect length for this type of film, a fluff terror piece with an original twist on an old concept. I usually yearn for more when these things run short, but this one got it all right in less than 90 minutes: likeable characters, creative kills, an original idea for a new cineamtic maniac, and surprises and twists.
I really liked this film. It's very under the radar so you might pass it by. I only heard about it because it was elected dvd of the month in Fangoria a couple of months ago. Check it out...NOW.

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