Kakaku：995 saved$9.95
Legend Films
Usually ships in 24 hours IPhone 3G used's review (Stooges in the 21st Century) 『The Stooges' famous intro music, "Three Blind Mice," takes me back to a simpler, happier time. A time without color, a time with grainy film, a time with Shemp...
Well, maybe that wasn't such a happy time after all! But, fear not, your nostalgic fantasies need not go unrealized because of technological limitations, because now you can watch the fabulous Three Stooges shorts in full, re-mastered color! (Nothing can be done, however, about Shemp.)
Classic movie house Legend Films has taken several of the boys' most distinguished shorts, including the fan-favorite Disorder in the Court, applied its trademark colorization process to them, and the result is wonderful. In fact, the colorization is so faithful to reality (through extensive research, I understand) that you might be aghast at the director's use of bright colors, until you consider that they were selected to look unique when shown in the day's standard grayscale.
Though the shorts are billed as being in color, and this is in fact the highlight of this particular DVD, Legend has also provided the untouched black and white versions along with their rainbow-imbued counterparts, so you don't have to make a choice between the new experience and the nostalgic one, you can have both for the same price.』 『A collection of four classic Stooges shorts re-mastered and in color for the first time. The DVD includes both color and black-and-white versions. Disorder in the Court (1936) The Three Stooges are key witnesses in a murder trial, and create havoc in the courtroom. Brideless Groom (1947) Shemp inherits half a million dollars from his rich uncle, provided he gets married-in seven hours. Sing a Song of Six Pants (1947) The Three Stooges run a tailor shop and all hell breaks loose when they try to capture a bank robber to get the reward. Malice in the Palace (1949) The Three Stooges set out to find a hundred-carat diamond from the cursed tomb of King Rutentuten.』 fetish『 What's Love Got To Do With It? 』
『 The Five Heartbeats - 15th Anniversary Special Edition (Widescreen) 』
『 The Color Purple (Two-Disc Special Edition) 』
『 The Temptations 』
『 Waiting to Exhale 』
『 Set It Off 』
Kakaku：500 saved$5.00
Walt Disney Video
Usually ships in 24 hours IPhone 3G used's review (What's Love got to do with It?) 『After selection, the movie was mailed to me in exactly the time frame adverstised. Knowing it was previously viewed I was pleasantly surprised to find the DVD in perfect order and played beautiful. I recently saw Tina live in Houston. I wanted to see the movie again as it is a powerful tribute of where she was, how she got started, and how she was started again. I loved the heartfelt pain and triumped with her as she returned solo and became one of the greatest women of all time.』
(Tina Turner) 『I absolutely love this movie. Have only ever seen it on TV never found the dvd of it. Thanx muchly, gr8 movie.』
(Whats love got to do with it) 『DVD came in great condition, and it also came before the expected delivery date. Amazon were great in tracking my package i knew were it was every minute of the day. And as i say in every review, I will Definatley be shopping with AMAZON again!!』
(We Don't Like This Ike) 『Great performances by Angela Bassett and Lawrence Fishburne. By now everyone knows the story of Ike and Tina's nighmarish marriage, so the question is how well is it told? The story is told extremely well as Tina even supervised in the production. I have heard that Ike accepted a check for $40,000 rather than sue for damages and that this was the last time Ike and Tina ever spoke. Tina is said to have even avoided Ike's funeral. The only thing I would warn anyone about in this movie is that there are several extremely violent scenes which could be disturbing to some people, most notably a horrifying rape scene. The story is told realistically enough. The beginnings show a nervous and inexperienced Anna Mae anxious to please band leader Ike and to blend in with the other girls in the band who warn rookie Anna Mae about Ike's reputation. His girlfriend's bed isn't even cold before he starts romancing Anna Mae. Ike's ex-girlfriend, Lorraine threatens to shoot Anna Mae, but changes her mind, turning the gun on herself instead, but is so drunk she botches her own suicide attempt. Lorraine goes to the hospital, (she's ok) but Anna Mae is frightened and Ike is upset that Lorraine is just one more person who has turned against him. This sort of becomes a little song and dance that Ike likes to play for people when things don't quite go his way. He tried to help people who have turned on him and each time he tells it, it loses credibility as most of the time it seems to be Ike who turns on others. However, at first, Anna Mae seems to think she is only seeing a more sensitive side of Ike who is still little more than a perfect stranger. Early on in the movie, the band struggles to get gigs and rookie Anna Mae still feels uneasy around the others, but eventually she is accepted into the band, and even becomes Ike's legal wife, a decison she lives to regret as we all know. The band starts to climb the charts, the gigs get better, the money increases, as does the pressure to produce hits. Ike's drug abuse escalates as well as his jealousy at Tina's new found confidence and favor with audiences and producers and fans. While Tina and the others seem to be enjoying the success, Ike spends long hours at the piano and in the studio trying to come up with new hits. Again Ike becomes increasingly difficult to work with and eventhe other band members have a difficult time ignoring the growing tension between Ike and Tina and Ike and themselves, and Ike and the whole human race for that matter. Things seem to come to a screeching halt after a recording session with legendary producer Phil Spector who wants to work with Tina only, an ugly incident in a restaurant and on board an ariline, as well as Tina's unssuccessful attempt to take the kids and go back home, a rape and susequent suicide attempt lead Tina to divorce court. Tina files for divorce and wins easily while Ike is convicted of income tax evasion and possession of narcotics. Tina revives her career solo and the movie ends with 80s Tina making her comeback and winning Grammy Awards in the process.』
(what,s love got to do with it) 『thank you amazon.com,for (what,s love got to with it), I am enjoyed it very much, TINA TURNER with be in NEW YORK, DEC, 1. 08 I would like to go but the ticket are very high in order to get a good seat, she is 68th and look good for her age. been she is four older than me.thank you, thank you, please let me know when you get her CD for the concert in NEW, YORk.』 『Experience for yourself the powerful true-life story of Tina Turner -- rock 'n' roll's remarkable and talented superstar. Laurence Fishburne (THE MATRIX) and Angela Bassett (HOW STELLA GOT HER GROVE BACK) deliver winning performances as Ike and Tina Turner -- whose turbulent relationship eventually forces Tina to leave and face the fear, pay the price, and find the courage to believe in herself. Don't miss WHAT'S LOVE GOT TO DO WITH IT -- the amazing and uplifting story of one of the world's most exciting, high-energy entertainers!』 『Tina Turner, that dynamic diva of pop/soul/R&B from the '60s to the '90s, sings like a woman whose life story is every bit as rough and tough as her voice. AndWhat's Love Got to Do With It, based on her autobiographical account (inI, Tina, written with Kurt Loder) of her years under the iron fist of her abusive husband and musical partner/Svengali Ike, is further proof of what we've always known about Tina: She's what you call a survivor. The movie is sort of the Disney version of Tina Turner's story--a glossy but thoroughly enjoyable, old-fashioned showbiz biopic with laughs, tears, great music, and outrageous (but faithful) period decor, costumes, makeup, and hairstyles. Our Heroine triumphs not only over the rigorous demands of her career in the music business, but finally manages to bust out of her troubled, violent marriage as well and become her own person. This is a movie that'll have you shouting at the top of your lungs: "You go, girl!"--Jim Emerson』
Kakaku：998 saved$9.98
Timeless Media Group
Usually ships in 9 to 11 days IPhone 3G used's review (Amazing WW II battle footage in color) 『I purchased this box set when I was looking for color footage of WW II. However, when I got it in the mail, it turned out that these were documentaries made in the 1940s and most of them were shown in movie theaters as a tribute to the American troops fighting oversees and to get more people to enlist. When I learned of this, I was a little disappointed. After all, how good could 65 year old documentaries be, compared to the recent ones they show on the History Channel or National Geographic? The answer is: VERY. I own a lot of DVDs wth color footage of the Second World War but "World War II in Color" is by far the best of them all. Almost all of the action images of Allied fighter planes and bombers taking on Axis aircraft that you see in the History Channel's excellent "the Lost Color Archives" series are taken from the films you'll find on these discs. Most of the other color documentaries I've seen show amateur pictures taken by army officers or civilians that shot street images of marching soldiers, occupied cities or the ruined landscape and towns after the actual combat. Not so in this two disc box set. These pictures were shot by professional filmmakers who more often than not had earned their stripes in Hollywood or have had succesful careers in the movie industry after the war. The result of the life threatening risks they took to film this extrordinay footage is absolutely amazing.
John Ford's "The Battle of Midway" tells the story of one of the greatest sea battles in history. You see battle ships and allied fighters defend themselves against the relentless Japanese kamikaze attacks. Although this is my least favorite documentary, due to the rather silly sense of humour that is sometimes present, it does provide us with plenty of breathtaking color images of the courageaous American fighter pilots in their quest to gain control over the Pacific.
"The Memphis Belle" is my absolute favorite WW II documentary. It tells the story of an Allied bomber making its 25th and final flight across the English channel to wreak havoc on the German industry. We are shown how the pilots are debriefed: what flight formation they need to maintain, what their targets are, etc. We are introduced to the crew and are shown what it was like for these men to travel to enemy soil and how a bombing actually takes place. We witness some awesome aerial images of an entire fleet of Allied fighters and bombers, see the gunners fight off Nazi airplanes and the downfall of one of their own bombers, all while we are privy to internal radio communication over the intercom. The tension and anxiety is clearly present in the crew's voices but they still keep their head cool and get on with their jobs under life threatening circumstances. Afterwards we see the often damaged bombers return to English soil and witness the terrible images of men wounded in aerial combat and having their often crippled bodies taken care of by the medics.
"Report from the Aleutians" shows American forces fighting just as hard against nature as against the enemy. You see Allied fighters take of under the most dire circumstances and try to land wounded planes after the fight. This documentary may not feature the most impressive fighting images, but it does give us a good idea of what men had to endure on an island which has no peace time value whatsoever, since its harsh climate is unable to sustain human life, but wich became invaluable in wartime because of its strategic location. At the start of the War in the Pacific, this was as close as the Americans could get to Japan's home islands.
"Eyewitness to War" shows us who the brave men were who shot the images we see in World War II documentaries. This was actually a series of images shot and commented on by a professional film maker, hired by the US Army to shoot black and white pictures of the events from the Normandy landing to the fall of Berlin, so the military leaders could study their own tactics and improve them for future battles. The color footage you see was shot by the fillm maker with his own camera so he could show his family and friends back home what he witnessed in occupied Europe. We see images of the citizins of London who try to lead normal lives during the nightly bombings that occured every day, the boarding of ships and landing vessels bound for France, the Normandy landings and the soldiers' daily routines while fighting their way to Berlin with mention of the people in the film who did not make it back.
"The Fighting Lady" is a military documentary about airplane carriers during the War in the Pacific. We are introduced to the crew and get detailed information about the carriers themselves and what it was like to live inside them. There's a lot of footage of fighters taking off from the carriers and wounded ones trying to make it back. Some do and some don't, which provide spectacular pictures. There are also a lot of images shot by cameras that are mounted on the fighters' guns so we get a good idea of what it was like to engage enemy fighters and strafe Japanese airfields, with detailed explanation of what exactly is taking place.
"The 6th Marines at Okinawa" is a documentary about the capture of this Japanese island. Besides impressive jungle warfare images, it contains footage of the interrogation of POWs and striking pictures of an enemy soldier who has had to amputate his own leg to survive.
"The Last Bomb" tells of the fight of the American forces against the Japanese home islands. The documentary contains fascinating footage of dog fights with enemy planes, the bombing of Japan, some beautiful close-up shots of the P51 Mustangs and the B29 bombers in action and the drop of the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
In my opninion, this is a must have DVD box set for all World War II buffs. Especially if you like action shots of period American military aircraft, war ships, aiplane carriers, jeeps, tanks, halftracks and army trucks, you will not be disappointed.』 『When the war came to America in December of 1941, the film industry went to war along with the rest of the United States. These award-winning documentaries are the work of some of Hollywood's finest producers and directors. Among them are John Ford's classic "The Battle of Midway", "Report From the Aleutians" by John Houston and William Wyler's "Memphis Belle". Shot at the front, with some of the filmmakers facing the same dangers as the fighting men, you will also see some of the war's most memorable war correspondents, Ernest Hemingway and the GIs favorite, Ernie Pyle. These films, bursting with patriotism, are the filmmakers definitive legacy to the American servicemen and women who fought in history's greatest conflict.』
IPhone 3G used's review (9-Ball, Corner Pocket) 『Just as a note--my review comes shortly after the death of Paul Newman, and in a sense this is my way to pay tribute to one of the greatest actors of all time. He will be sorely missed.
Fast Eddie Felson (Paul Newman) was once a great pool shark, but that was 25 years ago. Now he's selling liquor, ironically in pool halls, until he stumbles onto Vince (Tom Cruise), an arrogant, young pool hustler. Felson tries to be his mentor, show him the ropes and teach him a thing or two about what it means to be the best. The desire to play was too much for Felson so he pulls a quick one on Vince, and in a turn of events, competes against him in the nine ball championships.
"The Color of Money" is a truly enticing picture. It has a lot going for it...great direction from Scorsese, a magnificent script and brilliant acting. The legendary Paul Newman was so convincingly smooth and charming with his liquor sales pitches that you'd be convinced to buy his booze. In fact, his entire performance seemed to have that quality.
Being that this is a Scorsese picture, you know what to expect in that sense. The cinematography was intriguing and flawless and the entire cast was truly captivating. It's a must have for your DVD collection.』
(Damn good! (But doesn't entirely fulfill its promise)) 『There's an admirable economy in the set-up. We see right away that Fast Eddie (Newman, in a reprise of his role from 1961's The Hustler) is still hustling, now off-brand liquor instead of pool, from which he retired long ago. At the same time we meet his love interest, conveniently doubling as the object of his liquor hustling, trying to break through the sales pitch to reach Eddie. We soon see cheap liquor has brought him good money, but it isn't made to appear all that glamorous or enriching in other ways. At the same time we're introduced to Vincent (Cruise) and his girlfriend/manager Carmen (Mastrantonio). The sound of Vincent's "sledgehammer break" (the break being the first shot of the cue ball into the group of nine balls) distracts Eddie from his pitch, and after observing Vincent, Eddie moves in to make a pitch of an entirely different kind. For a few minutes we're being hustled along with Vincent and Carmen. Carmen isn't really so dumb, though, and soon we wonder who will end up hustling whom.
With Eddie as manager/teacher, the trio go on the road where Vincent is to learn to hustle as they work their way to a big score at the national pool championships. Along the way Eddie's own passions, and pride, are rekindled, and he starts to believe he should be pushing the cue stick himself. The trio splits up, to meet again at the nationals.
Among the virtues of the first part of the film, in addition to the very tight script and editing, is that the three main characters are well balanced, each with an interesting and important kind of power and weakness. The emphasis is on psychology and character. As the film enters the final third, there is a shift to the kind of build-up to a show-down that we might have expected from the start. Mastrantonio's character becomes less important, and what replaces the earlier psychological tensions doesn't pay off as well either in terms of depth or excitement. To be sure, there is character development at the end, but some of it's pretty barely sketched. And there's plenty of excitement leading up to the climax, with some impressively edited pool sequences, but the very end is more of a whimper (almost literally, as there's some near-begging) than a bang.
Bottom line: this is an excellent film in most respects, with fine acting from all involved, interesting ideas, intelligent dialogue, exciting sports, and a mixed pay-off. Well worth seeing and owning. The currently available DVD is nonanamorphic widescreen, meaning it has its complete original image but will have black bars on the sides on a wide-screened monitor. The image quality is good; the stereo sound was a bit jarring at first (to me) but quickly became enjoyable in its brightness and fulness. Good music from Robbie Robertson and others.
Some notes. A number of reviewers complain of Cruise's acting, and he often divides audiences in that regard. I think he was a natural for the role, and filled it very well. (I also thought he had the more difficult role in Rain Man, and was every bit as good as Hoffman, maybe better.)
The film avoids almost completely the truly dark side of gambling/hustling, to the point that Eddie openly hands Vincent an envelope clearly stuffed with money at a key point in a way that would have led to investigations, broken kneecaps or worse in real life. Vincent's hustle that led up to this didn't make much sense to me, given the other options available, and not letting Eddie in on it made more sense as a way to heighten the drama than as a rational decision.
The film doesn't draw attention to the different moral/sporting issues involved in different kinds of hustles. Some hustles are used only to build up the bets, but sporting skill is still relied on to get the pay-off. There seems a big difference between that and actually winning money by throwing a game, especially in a major tournament where others rely on everyone bringing their best.
That Eddie had to repeatedly ask a certain character if he was a hustler rang false to me, as the excellent actor who played the character was making it clear to us he was hustling. More subtle direction would have helped make the scene more believable.
About the ending, lack of resolution or open-endedness isn't a problem for me, but it just didn't fit the build-up. Another reel fleshing out the end with material as good as the first part of the film would have made this film great.
I'm among those who would love to see a sequel in Cruise's later years where he passes on the legacy to another hot newcomer.』
(Great movie, Poor DVD) 『The movie itself is great. However, the DVD is of poor quality. It does not have any "extras" either.』
(Great Product) 『The movie I bought was in fantasic shape I would buy from this shipper again.』
(A great sequel) 『A sequel of sorts of Newman's 1960 THE HUSTLER, and a great one. Newman, long out of the pool game now, but still unable to forget it, finds Tom Cruise shooting the daylights out of the game one night and talks the brash young kid into going on the road and becoming a hustler, with Newman as his mentor. Then halfway through the picture Newman gets the bug to play again. He and Cruise meet up in Atlantic City in a match and Newman wins, only he learns that Cruise lost on purpose to collect a bigger debt. Although it's just an example of his pupil learning his lessons too well, Newman is crestfallen; but he refuses to share in the money - thus he's purified under fire and comes away clean. It's a bit of a shock to see the movie shift from Cruise to Newman halfway through, but the ending redeems it. Both Cruise and Newman are simply mesmorizing to watch. Everything in the movie seems to work perfectly: the gritty pool-hall settings, the minor characters (especially Forest Whitaker as a hustler) - everything. Definitely worth a watch.』 『Martin Scorsese handles directing duties in this 1986 sequel to the classic 1961 filmThe Hustler, which marks the return of Paul Newman to the role of pool shark Fast Eddie Felson. Anxious to break into the big time again, Eddie finds a talented protégé (Tom Cruise) to groom; but with the addition of the latter's manipulative girlfriend (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio) and the wild streak in Cruise's character, the trio make for a fascinating portrait in group psychology. The cast is brilliant, the script by Richard Price (Clockers) is a paragon of tightly controlled character study and drama (at least in the film's first half), and Scorsese and cinematographer Michael Ballhaus make an ornate show of the collision and flight of pool balls through space--something of a metaphor for the dynamics among the three principals. The film is generally regarded as weaker in its second half, and rightly so, as everything that was interesting in the first place disappears. Still, Newman won a deserved Oscar for his performance.--Tom Keogh』
Kakaku：449 saved$4.49
DVD)
Usually ships in 24 hours IPhone 3G used's review ("Boy, would I love to borrow a cup of that sugar!!") 『XXXXX
"Runnin' wild, lost control Runnin' wild, mighty bold Feelin' gay, reckless, too Carefree mind all the time, never blue Always goin', don't know where Always showin', I don't care Don't love nobody It's not worthwhile All alone Runnin' wild."
The above is the lyrics to one of the songs sung by Marilyn Monroe in this classic film (directed by Billy Wilder) with an emphasis on comedy but that also has elements of romance and crime drama.
Briefly, 1929 Chicago musicians Joe (Tony Curtis) and Jerry (Jack Lemmon) accidentally witness a gangland shooting ordered by mob boss "Spats" Colombo (George Raft, who is perfectly cast). They thus quickly board a train to Florida, disguised as "Josephine" and "Geraldine" (later "Daphne"), the newest members of an all-girl jazz band. Things really get hot when the band's ukulele player Sugar Kane (Monroe) falls for Cary Grant sounding "Shell Oil" Junior (Curtis again) and a relic playboy named Osgood Fielding III (Joe E. Brown) falls for "Daphne." Complicating these budding romances is "Spats" Colombo who also is in Florida looking, with his henchmen, to snuff out the only two witnesses of his gangland shooting.
There is unforgettable and hilarious dialogue between Osgood and "Daphne" at the end of the movie. As well, the most unforgettable line in this entire movie is the very last line and it's delivered by Osgood. (After this last line is delivered, the screen fades to black with jazz music blaring.)
All actors do a good job in their parts. There is a fantastic chemistry between Tony Curtis (who plays Joe/ Josephine/ "Shell Oil" Junior) and Jack Lemmon (who plays Jerry/Geraldine/Daphne). (Note that Tony Curtis' "Josephine" voice was dubbed by another actor as Curtis couldn't speak high enough.) I have to give special kudos to Jack Lemmon who, in my opinion, does an outstanding job throughout this movie. (He's the one who says the line that titles this review.)
This movie has lots of energy from its opening credits to its end. This is partly due to the acting but also partly due to the distinctive jazz music that can occasionally be heard in the background.
There are ten songs in this movie, four performed by Marilyn Monroe. (Note that this movie was released three years before Monroe's death.)
Finally, the DVD itself (the one released in 2001) is perfect in picture and sound quality. It has one disappointing extra of Billy Wilder movie trailers. (I'm not judging the DVD on this since extras are optional not mandatory.) Also, be aware that there are no English subtitles but there is closed captioning.
In conclusion, this is a hilarious classic comedy starring the legendary Marilyn Monroe!! I guarantee that if you see this movie, you won't get "the fuzzy end of the lollipop."
(1959; 2 hr; 16 scenes; black and white; wide screen)
<>
XXXXX 』
("Hot and Bothered") 『One of the funniest movies ever made. To see Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis in drag is in itself, sweet, but the whole story is side-splitting. Jack's and Tony's characters must dress as women and join a girls' band to escape being massacred by mobsters. Marilyn is one of the band members and immediately starts getting very chummy with them, explaining all kinds of personal information under the category of "girl talk." These two men are drooling over her and she is none the wiser. Then a wealthy elderly man (Joe E Brown) falls in love with one of the "girls" and his attempts to seduce "her" is hilarious. You must re-view this film every few years to have a "complete life."』
(THE GREAT COMEDY) 『I'm still floored. This film is pure magic. Amazing script, hilarity, tense drama, romance. This film really shook up gender roles in American culture. So many comedic cues live on in modern comedies still being made. Lemmon gets every laugh, Curtis plays both parts flawlessly and Monroe is cute and as charming as any actress could be. One of the films you don't want to end, but it'll end on a classic note. I love this film and I know it'll live on forever.』
(Story of my life. I always get the fuzzy end of the lollipop.) 『 1959's classic Some Like it Hot is one of the best movies of all time, the end.
When Joe(Tony Curtis) and Jerry(Jack Lemmon) two best friends and musicians, accidentally witness a mob murder, they've got to drop everything and run away to the next best thing; which in this case happens to be dressing up as women and stowing away on an all women's band traveling to Florida.(of course!)
"Don't look now, the whole town is under water."
On the train they meet Sugar(Marilyn Monroe) the most beautiful disaster of a singer, who becomes great friends with them when Daphne(or known previously as Jerry) saves her from getting in trouble for carrying a flask.
If that wasn't enough Joe's falling for Sugar, and in his desperation dresses up as a billionaire in order to woo her; While at the same time Jerry seems to have forgotten he's really a boy, and is engaged to a millionaire himself!
A tale of great web tangling, lying, deceit, love, and a great, great deal of comedy.
A classic by any definition.』
(This movie is HOT, HOT, HOT...) 『I'm a recent member of the Billy Wilder fan club, but I'm quickly rising in the ranks for in all honestly I have yet to see a film he has done that has not met with my wildest of expectations. At the moment I've only seen four, but all four (`Sunset Boulevard', `The Apartment', `Double Indemnity' and now `Some Like it Hot'; in that order) are five star films and would most likely make my top 100 films of all time.
`Some Like it Hot' has been a film I have been itching to watch for a long time now. I remember seeing the stage production quite a few years back (at a dinky dinner theater at that) and I remember loving it, even if the production values were a little weak. The story was cute and well executed and I just knew that the film must be stellar, especially with Lack Lemmon in the lead (just love that guy). Still, I had never pushed myself hard enough to actually see the movie. That is until the other night when it was playing on TCM and I just knew I had to take the opportunity to actually watch this classic. I was so pleased with the end result, a comedy that works on every level brilliantly, that I had to watch it again immediately after the credits began to roll (the beauty of a DVR).
`Some Like it Hot' tells the story of two band members, Joe and Jerry, who wind up on the run after witnessing the St. Valentine's Day Massacre. With no where to go they decide to don drag costumes and join an all female band on the road to Florida. Once there both Joe and Jerry (or should I say Josephine and Daphne) meet many obstacles in their hideout, not the least of them is lead singer Sugar Kane Kowalczyk, the boozy blonde who has sworn off love until the right type of millionaire comes along. While Joe tries to become that millionaire, Jerry finds himself dodging the advances of Osgood Fielding III, a skirt chasing divorcee (multiple times now) who is enamored with Daphne's feminine charm. Couple this with the advancing threat of gangster and you have one perfectly complete comedy that hits its mark every single time.
The script is flawlessly crafted, delivery smart and sassy dialog as well as off the wall gags and brilliant character development, allowing us to get to know everyone in the cast and grow to appreciate their predicaments.
The script is embellished by the stunning cast. In all actuality it stuns me that only Lemmon was singled out as Oscar worthy (he was the only actor in the bunch to receive an Oscar nomination; losing to Charlton Heston) when in fact the entire cast is flawless. Yes, Lemmon is the comedic highlight, and his antics are surely best-in-show, but Tony Curtis should have also received a nomination alongside his screen partner for delivering a truly tender and believable performance as the lovelorn Joe. Marilyn Monroe, who won the Golden Globe for her performance, should have also received a nomination, for her performance is iconic. She is the superlative example of what an enticing ditzy blonde should be, and she sets the standard that so many other actresses have failed to live up to. Joe E. Brown steals every scene he's in as Osgood, and his lack of an Oscar nomination is truly saddening.
But this movie is all about Billy Wilder, a director who understands his actors and understands his material and works to deliver a complete film, one that covers all the bases so-to-speak and lives up to his name. So far I've seen four masterpieces by this man, and I have a feeling that the rest are just as impressive.』 『When Chicago musicians Joe (Tony Curtis) and Jerry (Jack Lemmon) accidentally witness a gangland shooting, they quickly board a southbound train to Florida, disguised as Josephine and Daphne, the twonewestand homeliestmembers of an all-girl jazz band. Their cover is perfect...until a lovelorn singer (Marilyn Monroe) falls for Josephine, an ancient playboy (Joe E. Brown) falls for Daphne, and a mob boss (George Raft) refuses to fall for their hoax! Nominated* for 6 Academy Awards(r), Some Like It Hot is the quintessential madcap farce and one of the greatest of all film comedies (The Motion Picture Guide). *1959: Director, Actor (Lemmon), Adapted Screenplay, Cinematography (B&W), Art Direction (B&W), Costume Design (B&W, winner)』 『Maybe "nobody's perfect," as one character in this masterpiece suggests. But some movies are perfect, andSome Like It Hotis one of them. In Chicago, during the Prohibition era, two skirt-chasing musicians, Joe and Jerry (Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon), inadvertently witness the St. Valentine's Day Massacre. In order to escape the wrath of gangland chief Spats Colombo (George Raft), the boys, in drag, join an all-woman band headed for Florida. They vie for the attention of the lead singer, Sugar Kane (Marilyn Monroe), a much-disappointed songbird who warbles "I'm Through with Love" but remains vulnerable to yet another unreliable saxophone player. (When Curtis courts her without his dress, he adopts the voice of Cary Grant--a spot-on impersonation.) The script by director Billy Wilder and I.A.L. Diamond is beautifully measured; everything works, like a flawless clock. Aspiring screenwriters would be well advised to throw away the how-to books and simply study this film. The bulk of the slapstick is handled by an unhinged Lemmon and the razor-sharp Joe E. Brown, who plays a horny retiree smitten by Jerry's feminine charms. For all the gags, the film is also wonderfully romantic, as Wilder indulges in just the right amounts of moonlight and the lilting melody of "Park Avenue Fantasy."Some Like It Hotis so delightfully fizzy, it's hard to believe the shooting of the film was a headache, with an unhappy Monroe on her worst behavior. The results, however, are sublime.--Robert Horton』
Kakaku：246 saved$2.46
FIRST RUN FEATURES
Usually ships in 24 hours IPhone 3G used's review (Nazi TV way back when) 『I thought this DVD, (Television Under the Swastika) was very well handled. My only real complaint was that it was not anywhere near long enough! They had thousands of feet of film to possibly use, so I think that cutting all down to about an hour is just too much! The quality of what they did use was great, and the narration was very good. It was good of them to include English sub-titles so we could actually understand what was being said. I recommend it, though it could have been a lot longer.』
(Before Roger Ailes, Karl Rove and Fox News Channel; before bin Laden and al Zawraa; there was Joseph Goebbels and Third Reich TV) 『The phenomenon of the far right using television as a propaganda tool did not begin with Roger Ailes and his Fox "News" Channel; 24-hr anti-American/anti-Semitic television did not begin with al Qaeda and the al Zawraa network; the idea of using a full-time government propaganda minister did not begin with the Bush Administration's use of Karl Rove. As early as the 1930s, Adolph Hitler and his Reich Minister of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda, Joseph Goebbels, took a nascent, inchoate technology and turned it into a powerful and effective tool of deception and fear.
In this re-release of the 1999 documentary, Das Fernsehen unter dem Hakenkreuz (Television Under the Swastika), we see the genius of Nazi Germany's Ministry of Propaganda (the Third Reich predecessor to the current White House Offices of Political Affairs, Public Liaison, and Strategic Initiatives). While the programs appeared, on the surface, to be covering "everyday life" in Germany between 1935 and 1944, their true, sinister purpose was to bombard the masses with the Nazi message. Hitler saw propaganda as Television's highest goal. The music&arts programs, garden shows, fitness programs, interviews and public events programs were only intended as a backdrop for the, sometimes subtle, other times not-so-subtle, propagation of the pro-Aryan, Nazi agenda and the misinformation campaign of Hitler and the Third Reich. Of course the "news" programs were not intended to inform and, not surprisingly, were very carefully scripted and were often pure fiction sprinkled with a few random, innocuous facts thrown in as a condiment.
Hitler and Goebbels had already, successfully, made use of radio broadcasts. Part of this radio-based propaganda campaign included the development of the very affordable volk-radio which Goebbels hoped would bring the radio into the homes of the German masses, as well as to the peoples across the border that the Nazis had hoped to conquer. While television took this campaign to a new level, the high cost of a set made the dream of bringing TV to masses in their homes unattainable. Only members of the Nazi Party elite had TV sets in their homes. However, the TV broadcasts were available at public "television parlors", in hospitals (to raise the morale of troops), and at public gathering sites.
There is a big difference between merely opinionated journalism and sheer propaganda. Although some modern-day broadcasts, such as Al Jazeera or MSNBC, possess an editorial bias towards a certain point-of-view, they do in fact, they do broadcast actual News with objectivity and journalistic integrity as well as presenting a balanced mix of opinions. On the other hand, Nazi TV's sole purpose was propaganda and only propaganda (more along the lines of the modern-day 24-hr "news" networks such as al Zawraa or Fox News Channel). All programs were filtered through Hitler and Goebbels, and, along with the Nazi owned press, were the only sources of "information" available to the "volk" under Hitler's rule. This had the desired effect of keeping the people uninformed and ignorant. (Think how ignorant American would be, today, if they relied on FNC as their only source of "information" and you will get an idea of just how powerful TV was as a weapon in Hitler's arsenal. Fortunately, here in America, we can change the channel. Germans did not have that luxury in the 1930s).
Beyond political motivation for offering TV broadcasts in the first place, the development of televison as a new technology is also very interesting. A portion of this documentary covers this topic.
As the documentary explains, the crude nature the new technology made live broadcasts very difficult to produce. Live broadcasts were of very poor quality. Indoor (studio based) broadcasts were limited to a very small, and uncomfortable room and the results were always unsatisfactory. The rare broadcasts of outdoor events were of poor quality, as well.
Since the crude technology of the time made live broadcasts difficult and limited, most programs were put onto film first and broadcast later. While the live broadcasts have been lost, an archive of the filmed programs has been found. This DVD documentary offers an interesting selection of excerpts from these programs, including a musical entertainment show with a definite, underlying agenda; man-in-the-street interviews; sporting events (highlighting Aryan superiority); and some seemingly innocuous entertainments with both subliminal as well as blatant racial themes.
With our current knowledge of the truth about that dark time, watching this documentary can be chilling at times. But it's a very entertaining and informative look at this period as well as an indication of how easily TV can be turned into a weapon. The technology of television broadcasting has reached levels they could only dream about in the mid-20th century, and the range of programming is vast. However, television as propaganda continues to thrive today and the parallels between television under the Third Reich and modern broadcast propaganda (al Qaeda's 24-hr television station, al-Zawraa in the Middle East and Ruppert Murdoch's FNC in North America, just to name two) are startling.
This is an important and thought provoking documentary that any student of history, psychology, propaganda, politics or broadcasting should not miss.
= = = = Some recommended related Videos and Books:
FINAL ENTRIES 1945: THE DIARIES OF JOSEPH GOEBBELS Doctor Goebbels: His Life&Death The Third Reich in Power, 1933-1939 The Third Reich: Politics and Propaganda The Architect: Karl Rove and the Dream of Absolute Power Machiavelli's Shadow: The Rise and Fall of Karl Rove Media Control, Second Edition: The Spectacular Achievements of Propaganda (Open Media) Outfoxed: Rupert Murdoch's War on Journalism - Fox Attacks Special Edition The Box: An Oral History of Television, 1929-1961 』
(The Birth of Television) 『"Television Under the Swastika"
The Birth of Television
Amos Lassen
Many of us believe that television began here in the United States in the 1950's but the truth is that its origins began further back. German leaders were determined to beat England and the United States began Greater German Television in 1935. Michael Kloft uses 225 reels of film which were found in the Federal Film Archive in Germany to fashion his documentary, "Television Under the Swastika", which looks at the world's first broadcast television network. It not only looks at the beginning of television but the programming that the Nazis chose for it. At the start of World War II, television broadcasts were primarily used for the entertainment of German troops and TV sets appeared in hospitals hoping to raise the morale of soldiers so that they would return to fighting. TV broadcasts continued until the Allies closed in during September 1944. There were sets in the homes of the upper echelons of the Nazi party and there were television parlors in public places. Whatever was broadcast included Nazi propaganda and there were vaudeville and cooking shows, sporting events, interviews and even self-help shows. Kloft discovered footage of the 1936 Olympics, exercise shows, original dramas and political shows. The movie features interviews with German television pioneers who explain the early technology. Is it no surprise that we were never taught that the greatest invention of modern times was developed by the Nazis? 』 『Legend has it that the triumphant march of television began in the United States in the 1950's, but in reality its origins hark back much further. Nazi leaders, determined to beat Great Britain and the U.S. to be the world's first television broadcaster, began Greater German Television in March 1935. German viewers enjoyed their TV broadcasts until September 1944, as Allied troops closed in. Making use of 285 reels of film discoveredin the catacombs of the Berlin Federal Film Archive, "Television Under the Swastika" is a fascinating look at the world's first television broadcast network. It explores both the technology behind this new medium and the programming the Nazis chose to put on it. "Television Under the Swastika" is required viewing for anyone interested in the history of television, the intersection of media and propaganda, and the inside story of Nazi Germany.』
『Unlike the original Saturday Night Live cast, the In Living Color ensemble was definitely ready for prime time. But, was prime time ready for In Living Color? This subversively funny 1990 sketch-comedy series boldly went where SNL feared to tread, particularly in matters of race relations and cultural stereotypes. Series creator Keenen Ivory Wayans was hot after his hilarious blaxploitation spoof, I'm Gonna Git Ya Sucka. But In Living Color was hotter. According to a "Looking Back" segment included in this three-disc set, it took him a year to sell the pilot. He fronted a young, gifted, and mostly black cast, including David Alan Grier, Tommy Davidson, Damon Wayans, Kim Wayans, and T'Keyah "Crystal" Keyman. "James" Carrey and Kelly Coffield were the white Garret Morrises.』
IPhone 3G used's review (Bad idea with a silver lining) 『It seems pointless for there to be yet another release of the four public domain shorts, and with colorised versions no less, but this time the issuing company actually got it right. While the print quality on the numerous other releases varies from bearable to downright horrible, here they're the most stunning restored versions I've yet seen. Apart from a handful of lower-quality frames, they're absolutely pristine, making the umpteenth reissue of these shorts everyone has seen hundreds of times really worthwhile.
One can't say the same for the colorised versions, though. While it looks somewhat more natural than the colorisations of the Eighties, it still looks and seems wrong for the Stooges to be in color. It changes the whole experience of watching them. They exist in black and white, not artificially-created color. And since the color process used on this disc isn't the same one used on the (poorly-selling) colorised Columbia discs, not all of the colors are the same. So much for the claims of both groups that they did extensive research into the clothes and props that were used! There are still a lot of greens, purples, and yellows instead of a more lifelike color spectrum.
The colorised versions also include wraparound segments from the hosts of Mystery Science Theatre 3000. They're not nearly as funny as the comments they make on their own show, and pretty much detract from the overall viewing experience. Additionally, a lot of the attempted humor is incredibly immature, cruel, over the top, and in very poor taste, such as the scene where Kevin dresses up as a woman. Even I would have to agree that this particular segment isn't really appropriate for very young kids. The Shemp-bashing segment is also really cruel, over the top, and in bad taste. If you're going to be making comments on a disc that contains three of his episodes, you should at least like and respect the man and his contributions to the team instead of trashing on him just because he wasn't Curly and because he wasn't exactly conventionally good-looking. Basically the hosts come across as having no respect for or understanding of the very comedians they're claiming to love.
It's a good disc to have if one is interested in copies of the public domain shorts that look like they were actually carefully restored instead of just randomly grabbed out of the bottom of a barrel, even with the unnecessary colorisation and mean-spirited puerile "humor" of the film crew, but it appears as though the need for it will be obsolete soon with the release of the chronological Stooge boxed sets.』
(Great service) 『This movie arrived in a timely manner-actually a little earlier than I had expected. Of course it arrived in perfect condition too!』
(A Must-See, But B/W Still Rules) 『The Disorder In The Court woman dancing never looked so good!, as if it was filmed yesterday. The color and cleaning up brings the performance to life like you've never seen it. (I barely noticed her before, or at most she was annoying) Beyond that, the rest was like seeing color TV for the first time. The stooges oddly, seemed "less funny" in color. Anyone else get that? I found that interesting. But here's the thing... the evaluation of the original stays unchanged in my mind, even after knowing about the color version. A note to the color restoration people, No way Curly's suit was that hideous color. That nauseous shade alone makes it hard for the episode stay "funny", as one is annoyed with yellow/green. Try not to notice it..... bet you can't.. As for the narration.. It was insulting to the point of - Why?. These guys just didn't like much about much. Better would have been to use a straight man, all dry and serious to introduce them. So -- If you get the DVD, and DO!-- know this-- at least the dancing chick from the 1930's will surprise you. That and a scar on Curly's face. Where was that before? Most interesting to see in color. Give it a go. Everyone's reaction will be unique. Had the narrators not been so uninteresting and some of the colors not so distracting, it would have been a 5 Star.』
(GET STOOGED........IN COLOR) 『The stooge purist in me say's absolutely no way to the colorized shorts.But after watching this dvd i have warmed up to the three stooges in color.The studio did a great job with this one and the price is very reasonable.You get four classic three stooges shorts in all new color versions plus the same four shorts restored and remastered in b&w.Included on the dvd are trailers,wraparounds by the mystery science 3000 crew and film crew easter egg.I didn't particularly care for the wraparounds or the mystery science 3000 guys.The same four shorts presented have been released many times over the years in the public domain,but i've never seen them look so good. 』
(SLAPSTICK REIGNS) 『While colorization opponents may find this a sacrilegious venture, THE THREE STOOGES IN COLOR is still highly entertaining. The colorization is quite good, achieving a sometimes comic book flavor. As for the stooges, they continue to reign as the crown princes of unabashed silly slapstick. With four classic shorts and some ridiculous introductions by members of Mystery Science Theatre 3000, viewers are treated to "Brideless Groom," "Disorder in the Court," "Malace at the Palace" and "Sing a Song of Six Pants." Unfortunately, Curly is only in one of them, with the less effective Shemp trying to fill the void in the other three. Stooge vets Christine McIntyre and Vernon Dent show up and if you're a fan of the trio (as I am) you'll find yourself laughing out loud at these classic comic geniuses.』 『A quartet of Three Stooges shorts, with a 3-to-1 balance tilting toward Shemp over Curly. The 1936 "Disorder in the Court" is definitely an honor-roll Stooges entry, with Curly providing testimony in a murder case. Note to prosecutors: Do not bring a vise into the same courtroom as Curly Howard. The other shorts shift to the late 1940s, adding (and highlighting) returning Howard brother Shemp in place of Curly. "Brideless Groom" has Shemp inheriting a half million dollars if he can get married in a few hours. As Moe observes, this should be a snap: "When Shemp pours on the charm, no dame can resist." Ooof.
"Sing a Song of Six Pants" is a lesser outing, with the boys running a tailor shop and getting mixed up with gangsters. It does provide an illustration of that Stooges truism: when a beartrap is located anywhere nearby, the law of probabilities favors an eventual convergence with Moe's backside. "Malice in the Palace" takes place in an Arabian café, where Moe, Larry, and Shemp are waiters. The best sequence has the boys and their diners convinced that Larry has sacrificed a dog and cat for the evening's entree.
This Fox DVD offers colorized versions of the shorts, but like the 2004 Columbia colorized discs, it also features the original black-and-white versions. The fake color looks pretty bad, with the lurid shades of the Arabian nights episode especially glaring. Stick with the improved black-and-white versions of these familiar shorts. Wraparound introductions are provided by Mike Nelson and a couple of theMystery Science Theater 3000crew--they're hit and miss, but their mockery of poor, sputtering Shemp Howard is just a bit cruel.--Robert Horton』
