Dynasty - The Second Season

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"That's a lie," an outraged Blake Carrington, on trial for murder, insists to his attorney, "She's lying." "She" is Blake's despised ex-wife, who has resurfaced in court to testify against him. And Blake, you'd better get used to it, because as Dynasty's second season unfolds, perjury will be the least of her offenses. Joan Collins joined the cast as the vengeful, scheming and manipulative Alexis Carrington and immediately put Dynasty on the map as a formidable ratings rival to Dallas. It doesn't take long for Alexis to literally make herself right at home. She moves back into her former art studio on the Carrington estate and insinuates herself in the tumultuous lives of her ruthless ex-husband ("'Don't' and 'Can't' are not in my vocabulary," he proclaims), his "ever so noble" new wife, Krystle (Linda Evans), her sexually confused son, Steven (Al Corley), and her spoiled, resentful daughter, Fallon (Pamela Sue Martin).

Events transpire in this instantly addictive sophomore season at a fast and furious pace beginning with Alexis's divisive return and the verdict in Blake's trial, and proceeding with familial estrangement; calamitous accidents; shocking revelations; pregnancies; sexual shenanigans; infidelity; temporary blindness; a suicide attempt; and a kidnapping. And did we mention the introduction of luscious Heather Locklear as golddigger Sammy Jo, who marries Steven, or Alexis and Krystle's first "cat fight," a pillow-walloping, vase-throwing, furniture-crashing smackdown? The writers oblige their game cast with delicious, menacing exit lines along the manner of "I won't rest until I pay you back." Another collateral pleasure is Brian Dennehy, devouring the scenery as the prosecutor out to get Blake (the line forms behind Alexis). For all its scandalous goings-on, Dynasty seems almost quaint today (in the courtroom, the word, "homosexual" triggers a maelstrom of shocked murmuring). A blast from the "Greed Is Good" decade, Dynasty has lost little of its luster. It's wicked fun. --Donald Liebenson

Customer Reviews:

Catty and contagious..........2007-09-16

I only got to see Dynasty when it was at its highest peak, that being the 1984-85 season. By then, the show was campier than ever ("the Moldavia massacre") and Pamela Sue Martin had left the series, only to be replaced by Emma Samms.

The second season of Dynasty showcases the show at its very best, when the series didn't venture into over-the-top and preposterous storylines, and the catfights between Krystle and Alexis were still fresh and invigorating. And on top of that, you had Sue Martin, who stole every scene she was in, along with Collins. The mother/daughter pair truly energized the show with their witty lines and naughty behavior. Both Sue Martin and Collins had chemistry with every actor they worked with, and they gave the show the extra something it needed.

The only drawbacks were that Steven's character became less interesting, and more confused (his homosexuality was treated as a past indiscretion) and Lloyd Bochner's acting veered too much into camp territory to take him seriously as the show's villain.

But leave it to Sue Martin and Collins, and the growing cattiness between Krystle and Alexis to keep you entertained throughout this box set.

BEST DRAMA SHOW EVER IN AMERICA............2007-09-14

DYNASTY WAS MY FAVORITE DRAM SHOW IN TELEVISION WHEN I WAS A TEENAGER AND I WAS SUCH A FAN, AND HAVING THE SERIES AVAILABLE 24/7 IS SUCH A PLEASURE, THANKS. Luis Q.

Reviewing Dynasty Season 2.......2007-09-11

This was an amazing season, it was great with Joan Collins, I can't wait until the release season 3 which hopefully, will be out before Christmas. It was the best, the only thing that it lacked was special features or upcoming storyline from the next season. Season one had a lot of extras and was put together beautifully, so hopefully CBS/Paramount can take a hint from that. When Season 3 comes out it will be just as successful as this one was. It really was great...

dynasty 2nd season.......2007-09-10

i love watching dynasty. when will the other seasons be available thanks so much virginia kirlis

Great season, Bad dvd release.......2007-09-08

This season deserves 5 stars but i am disappointed in the dvd packaging. All of the discs in a tiny case and NO extras at all. Season 1 had great extras so what happened here? They definitely should and could have gotten commentaries and other extras. A bare bones set.

Average customer rating:

Important film that didn't age well...
A good introduction to the "Heroic Gun Play" genre
Not the "Ultimate" but Awesome Nonetheless
One of the greatest action films of all time
Nice enough release of this Hong Kong classic.

Hard Boiled (Two-Disc Ultimate Edition)
Starring: Chow Yun-Fat , Kwan Hoi-Shan , Cheung Jue-lin , Tsang Kong , and Philip Kwok
Director: John Woo
Manufacturer: Dragon Dynasty
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000N4SHNK
Release Date: 2007-07-24

Amazon.com essential video

Masterful Hong Kong action director John Woo (The Killer, Face/Off) turns in this exciting and pyrotechnic tale of warring gangsters and shifting loyalties. Chow Yun-fat (The Replacement Killers) plays a take-no-prisoners cop on the trail of the triad, the Hong Kong Mafia, when his partner is killed during a gun battle. His guilt propels him into an all-out war against the gang, including an up-and-coming soldier in the mob (Tony Leung) who turns out to be an undercover cop. The two men must come to terms with their allegiance to the force and their loyalty to each other as they try to take down the gangsters. A stunning feast of hyperbolic action sequences (including a climactic sequence in an entire hospital taken hostage), Hard-Boiled is a rare treat for fans of the action genre, with sequences as thrilling and intense as any ever committed to film. --Robert Lane

Description

A tough-as-nails cop teams up with an undercover agent to bring down a gun smuggling ring. Features some of the most amazing and influential action set pieces in cinematic history.

Customer Reviews:

Important film that didn't age well..........2007-08-12

When Hard Boiled came out as a theatrical release I was blown away. It was utterly unlike any other film I had seen up to that point. Now though it's been imitated so many times, both by Hollywood and by Woo himself, it just doesn't hold up. It plays almost as a parody of itself.

It's worth seeing because it is such an important milestone, but don't be surprised if your memory of the film is stronger than the film itself.

A good introduction to the "Heroic Gun Play" genre.......2007-08-12

This was my first experience with a movie from the "Heroic Gun Play" genre. I'm not a fan of American action pictures, so I had always shied away from John Woo's Hong Kong action flicks. I now see that I have definitely missed some great movies (I'm female, so a bunch of guys shooting guns at one another was never something I thought I would get into). I decided to give the movie a look because Tony Leung is my favorite actor at the moment and I knew that he co-starred in the film. Actually, Leung and Philip Kwok Choy (the killer Mad Dog in the film AND the action director) steal every scene they share with Chow Yun-Fat. Now I want to check out some of the Shaw Bros. films Kwok Choy was in to see more of this martial arts actor.

Maybe it is the surprising emotional complexity Leung brings to the film and the exhilerating action sequences (and that the killing looks so fake), but I thoroughly enjoyed the film. As a neophyte, the commentary and 3 interviews added to my understanding and enjoyment of the film. Since this is a cult film, I understand that die-hard fans of Woo and this particular film might be disappointed in various aspects of the presentation (this isn't a Criterion 2-disc premium treatment, afterall). But, as an introduction to this film, to Woo 's heroic gun play pictures and to the world of Hong Kong action films, it is as good a place to start as any. I am definitely looking forward to viewing other John Woo HK films.

Not the "Ultimate" but Awesome Nonetheless.......2007-07-31

For those of you lucky enough to own the Criterion Collection edition of this movie, you might want to hold onto your copy as none of the extras from that edition are included on this one. That being said, the video and audio on this version easily surpass any previous Region 1 incarnations making this edition a must-have for fans of the movie.

The first disc features an audio commentary by Hong Kong cinema expert Bey Logan. He shows off his impressive knowledge of HK geography by pointing out which locations in the film don't exist anymore and their significance in the country's culture. Logan also dishes out interesting factoids, like the teahouse in the opening sequence was going to be demolished and this happened right after they filmed the last scene in the place! As with other commentary tracks that he has done his encyclopedic knowledge about the film and HK cinema in general is quite impressive, making for an informative track.

Disc two starts off with "A Baptism of Fire: A Featurette with Iconic Director John Woo." He was a big fan of Steve McQueen in Bullitt and Clint Eastwood in Dirty Harry and with Hard Boiled; he wanted to create his own Dirty Harry. Woo wanted to make Chow Yun-Fat like Eastwood's iconic character but with the Asian actor's warm charisma.

"Partner in Crime: An Interview with Producer Terence Chang." He talks about how he met Woo in the late 1970s but that they didn't start working together until ten years later. Chang also talks about the genesis of the film which was originally a psycho who kills baby (?!). Fortunately, after they filmed the teahouse shoot-out, Chang convinced Woo to discard this idea.

"Art Imitates Life: An Interview with co-star Philip Chan," the actor who played Tequila's boss in the film. He was real policeman before getting into film and brought that authenticity to his role. He actually ran a team of undercover cops and speaks admiringly of working with Woo.

"Mad Dog Bites Again: An Interview with Leading Villain Kwok Choi." He talks about working with Woo on the film. Originally, he was hired to only design the action sequences but Chow Yun-Fat recommended him to play the villain's right-hand man.

"Hard Boiled Location Guide": takes us on a fun, fascinating tour of many of the locations from the movie. Some places, like the teahouse (which is now a mall), don't exist anymore and a little historical background is given to some of the places.

Also included are two trailers, the U.S. and Hong Kong versions.

Finally, there is "Stranglehold Video Game Mini-Making Of." This is the John Woo-approved sequel to Hard Boiled that allows you to play Tequila. This extra shows how deeply involved he was in the game's production with Chow Yun-Fat returning to provide the voice for his character!

One of the greatest action films of all time.......2007-07-29

Undoubtedly one of the finest action films ever made, Hard Boiled tops every single slam bang, big budget, mainstream action film you have ever seen. Chow Yun-Fat stars as a super tough cop on the trail of the murderous triad, only to learn that an up and coming triad soldier (Tony Leung) he has his sights set on is an undercover cop who gives the term deep cover new meaning. As loyalties shift and the bullet and body count rise, the two team up and help provide some of the most dynamic and exciting action scenes ever put to film, including a standoff at a hospital that concludes in a barrage of blood, bullets, glass, and incredible carnage. Before he came over to America and helmed watered down mainstream action films like Broken Arrow, Mission: Impossible 2, and Paycheck (personally, the only film of his I've liked that he's made over here is Face/Off), John Woo crafted the amazing action scenes that you've heard so much about with this film. This double disc Ultimate Edition released under the Weinstein Company's Dragon Dynasty label features a nice selection of extras (yet no commentary from Woo or Chow Yun-Fat) including an examination of how much Hard Boiled has influenced the action genre over the years. To this day Hard Boiled remains a masterpiece, and if you're an action junkie who has never seen the film before, you need to pick this up immediately.

Nice enough release of this Hong Kong classic........2007-07-25

Forget the reviewer claiming that they cropped the picture and then stretched it back out. He probably doesn't know how to work his wide screen TV or hasn't set his DVD player to enhance anamorphic DVD's. Cropped and stretched? What a silly notion. And as for the subtitles, they seem to be pretty much the same as the Criterion version which wasn't bad, but not anamorphic. Unless you speak fluent Cantonese, how in the hell could you ever know which version was the most accurate? This release has the best transfer of the film to date, and I've owned four copies of it including this Dragon Dynasty edition. The colors are rich and the the images are sharp. This is the best version for your money, unless you want to wait for the Blu-Ray edition. I hate it!!!

Average customer rating:

If you have the DVD, don't buy the Blue-ray: Terrible image quality!!!!
Poor Blu-Ray Transfer
Terrible image transfer quality. Don't purchase.
This HD sux
An unexpected love story

House of Flying Daggers [Blu-ray]
Starring: Takeshi Kaneshiro , and Andy Lau
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: Blu-ray

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ASIN: B000EZ7ZYK
Release Date: 2006-06-20

Customer Reviews:

If you have the DVD, don't buy the Blue-ray: Terrible image quality!!!!.......2007-08-23

The PS3's images are too bright and blurry. I have to change the TV video mode from Vivid to Standard. The DVD upconverted to 720p/1080i from Zenith DVB318, looked BETTER than the 1080p image coming from the PS3 through HDMI!
Sony should recall this Blue-ray . . . .
Kung Fu Hustle Blue-ray looks/sounds excellent.

Poor Blu-Ray Transfer.......2007-07-06

I think Sony should remaster this film. The blu-ray transfer quality is very poor. On 50" plasma, it look much worse than other WB blu-ray movies. The video quality is only slightly better than the regular DVD.

Terrible image transfer quality. Don't purchase........2007-06-07

This is listed on many sites as having among the poorest image quality of all Blu-ray disks (bottom tier). It's a real shame, too, because this movie is filled with stunningly gorgeous shots filled with color and life. It looked to me as if the transfer was done from a poor-quality copy of the master. I am almost certain they will re-release this on Bluray one day with better picture quality, as has already been done with 5th Element and Superman. Don't buy this unless they do!

This HD sux.......2007-05-08

I got this dvd because i was excepting sweet HD and didn't get it. The quality of the picture wasn't much better than a DVD. The storyline was okay but as far as next gen disks go it lacked.

An unexpected love story.......2007-03-09

I purchased "Flying daggers" thinking it would be an interesting and beautifully filmed action movie. while it is that, I was surprised at the depth of the love story that propels this movie forward. It seems more a fable of old, a story meant to convey a moral lesson and it does and I found myself truly enjoying (and missing) this genre. I would highly recommend this movie. Just be aware that it is not an all-action tale but rather an very sweet love story with some very cool fight scenes.

Average customer rating:

Gorgeous cast, beautiful production
almost romantic.
Unrealistic
The House of Flying Chaos.......
Beautifully styled film that makes up for what it lacks in breathtaking visuals...

House of Flying Daggers
Starring: Takeshi Kaneshiro , Andy Lau , Ziyi Zhang , Dandan Song , and Hongfei Zhao
Director: Yimou Zhang
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B0007Q6VXC
Release Date: 2005-04-19

Amazon.com

No one uses color like Chinese director Zhang Yimou--movies like Raise the Red Lantern or Hero, though different in tone and subject matter, are drenched in rich, luscious shades of red, blue, yellow, and green. House of Flying Daggers is no exception; if they weren't choreographed with such vigorous imagination, the spectacular action sequences would seem little more than an excuse for vivid hues rippling across the screen. Government officers Leo and Jin (Asian superstars Andy Lau and Takeshi Kaneshiro) set out to destroy an underground rebellion called the House of Flying Daggers (named for their weapon of choice, a curved blade that swoops through the air like a boomerang). Their only chance to find the rebels is a blind women named Mei (Ziyi Zhang, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) who has some lethal kung fu moves of her own. In the guise of an aspiring rebel, Jin escorts Mei through gorgeous forests and fields that become bloody battlegrounds as soldiers try to kill them both. While arrows and spears of bamboo fly through the air, Mei, Jin, and Leo turn against each other in surprising ways, driven by passion and honor. Zhang's previous action/art film, Hero, sometimes sacrificed momentum for sheer visual beauty; House of Flying Daggers finds a more muscular balance of aesthetic splendor and dazzling swordplay. --Bret Fetzer

Customer Reviews:

Gorgeous cast, beautiful production.......2007-09-15

Decades of fine Chinese film-making seemed to have reached a peak when "Crouching Tiger" was embraced so completely by the American film-going public. (The Chinese thought it was mediocre and couldn't understand the fuss.) Director Zhang Yimou has made fine films for years, and 2 of them, "Hero" and "House of Flying Daggers" reached American shores in 2003. "House" made more top 10 lists, but "Hero" was the official Chinese entry for the Oscars. "House of Flying Daggers" is a wonderful action piece beautifully embracing a terrific love story. Yimou's trademark use of gorgeous color schemes is again awesome, and the casting of Takeshi Kaneshiro, Andy Lau & Ziyi Zhang has to be the most pretty trio of actors put in any one film. Ms. Zhang is indeed luminous. Mr. Yimou's later "Curse of the Golden Flower" was disappointing, though still pretty to look at. The Tang Dynasty seems to appeal to Mr. Yimou, allowing him to create his image of that most opulent period.I was highly entertained.

almost romantic. .......2007-08-28

On the surface, this thing is awesome eyecandy. lush scenery, beautiful costume, fantastic action sequences, blah, blah, blah, blah. Yes, it looks exquisite in all its widescreen delight and the sound is incredible. But... just beneath the thin, oh so slick veneer, is the over the top melodrama, the very one dimensional bad guy, the doomed romance, and all the cookie cutter disposable solidiers. This was a whole lot of fun to watch, and very moving at times, but on closer review it starts to resemble something like bamboo. Solid to a point, but hollow on the inside, and very likely to split apart when over used. Visually superb at times? of course. Entertaining? sure. Satisfying as a story? well...almost.

Unrealistic.......2007-08-27

First of all, let me explain. Yes, I know this is a fantasy tale that where we are supposed to suspend belief in order to enjoy the film, but I think these Chinese films take things a bit too far. For example, even in Spiderman where we are given a superhuman man with spider powers BUT his movements, his actions, his jumps seem to be what a person with his stregnth and abilities might be able to do. Ultimately the laws of physics are loosely followed. I understand it's a Chinese martial arts movie and the characters will do some incredible things, which is great but they do things that are completely and utterly impossible. Um... float for no reason. Prop themselelves between two bamboo stems even though in reality the pressure would push the bamboo sticks away from each other. Stuff like that just makes it hard for me to enjoy the movie.
Beyond this, the characters are cold and we are never really given a reason to care about them. Yes, the movie is beautiful at times and perhaps this is the only thing that saves it. Even the story isn't that bad but it needed to be developed and the characters needed to be fleshed out.
If you want to see a really good Chinese movie then I suggest you see "Together" by Hong Chen. Enjoy.

The House of Flying Chaos..............2007-08-12

I was a great fan of CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON, so, when I heard that another wuxia film was being brought to the United States, I flocked to the movie theater to see this one. Director Zhang Yimou (HERO) sets the scene for us with broad use of color and drama. I can't argue that the opening dance sequence with the blind courtesan (Ziyi Zhang) isn't pretty eyepopping. However, the convoluted plot left MUCH to be desired. Granted, I am up for an intriguing plot centered on a battle of wits anyday (I loved HERO), this film was, for me, one melodrama after another. Without giving away too much of the plot, I will say that I was particularly offended by one depiction of rape and abuse that then blossoms into a relationship between victim and victimizer. Also, there were some scenes intended to be highly dramatic in tone, and I recall several members of the audience giggling over the absurdity of the thoroughly unbelievable acting and the stylized violence (a familiar sequence in Chinese wuxia cinema is that where you see blood dripping from the slain/maimed individual's mouth). There aren't really heros here--just different degrees of villainhood, and, for the most part, it's a battle based on manipulation, and it all stems from the society of the House of Flying Daggers and interrogating those possibly affiliated with the organization. I would advise you to skip this one. It's just a little too much......I can't imagine how it transfers to the small screen, as a DVD, but I would imagine it just looks absurd on a smaller scale.

Beautifully styled film that makes up for what it lacks in breathtaking visuals..........2007-08-09

`House of Flying Daggers' is truly no `Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon'. That's in no way to say it's not visually stunning and engrossing, it just lacks a little of that flare and a lot of that plot that made `Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon' so brilliant. Director Zhang Yimou keeps his film heavy on the action but very light on substance. It still delivers, don't get me wrong, and I was not entirely disappointed while it's credits began to roll but I will say that when you've been spoiled with something like Ang Lee's `Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon' you begin to wish that every Asian film could be that wonderful.

The film centers around a group of rebels referring to themselves as the House of Flying Daggers, or more specifically around one of their members, a blind woman named Mei posing as a showgirl. This rebel group is in direct conflict with the government and so two officials, Leo and Jin devise a plan to infiltrate the rebel's lair. Jin disguises himself as a lone rebel himself, rescues her from the hands of government officials and offers to escort her back to her group. Along the way though, they are met with adversity. The governor, unknowing of Leo and Jin's plan, has sent out his best soldiers to track down and kill Mei and Jin. The fight sequences that follow are brilliantly choreographed and directed. In fact, I'd be tempted to say they rival or maybe even transcend those in Lee's lauded film, but I haven't seen `Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon' in a few years and so I'm not the best judge at the moment. The fight within the trees alone though is breathtaking.

As has been mentioned, the use of color within this film really takes it to another level. The fight sequences are even more spectacular thanks to the wide range of reds and greens, whites and yellows all wrapped up within the natural backdrop to the scenes. It's beautiful to look at, elegant and effortlessly put together. The actor's movements are so well calculated, so controlled, and they perfectly complement the mood each scene intends to portray.

`House of Flyer Daggers' fails in the one aspect of plot, for everything else is truly splendid. The above plot in itself would have sufficed, and it does have more twists and turns than an episode of `The Sopranos' but it tries a little too hard to transfer into a love story and it's there that it falls flat. I don't want to give away too much of those `twists and turns' but I will say that it loses it's focus towards the end, and instead of delivering a final battle between rebel's and government (a battle I was salivating over in expectation of) it gives us a battle between star-crossed lovers that delivers in beauty but fails to deliver in emotional depth and thus becomes just another fight.

The acting is decent all the way around, but Ziyi Zhang is truly the standout. Her performance is so tempered, so controlled it transcends the performances of her cast mates and becomes award worthy, Oscar nomination worthy even. She's the only actor in the cast that is able to really connect with the audience, in such a deep way that even though I found the love story aspect a little phony and unbelievable I believed her character, I believed her side of that love and that in itself was a major accomplishment for Zhang. Ziyi has got quite the resume going for herself, and she has all the potential in the world to be an Oscar winning actress. Once the academy learns to embrace her stylized performances over her more Americanized (say `Memoirs of a Geisha') then they will see the beauty and grace that we all see.

The film, while far from perfect, still offers quite a bit for the far on this form of martial arts film. The direction is top notch and the scenery just as breathtaking as the choreography. I surely enjoyed myself and would watch this film again. So sit back and enjoy, just don't expect anything too deep emotionally, just some beautiful, graceful and in the end brutal battles that more than make up for what this film lacks.

Average customer rating:

Soapy but fascinating near-history
Makeup by Play-Doh
excellent and timeless
I, Claw..Claw..Claudius is no fool
I Claudius looks good

I, Claudius
Starring: Derek Jacobi , Siân Phillips , Brian Blessed , George Baker , and John Hurt
Director: Herbert Wise
Manufacturer: Image Entertainment
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ASIN: B00004U12X
Release Date: 2000-08-15

Amazon.com essential video

This superbly acted, mordantly funny romp through 70 years or so of Roman history is one of the best-loved miniseries ever made, and deservedly so. Derek Jacobi plays Roman Emperor Claudius, who reflects in old age on his life and his remarkable family, giving us a history lesson that's unlike anything you learned in school.

The story begins in 24 B.C. during the reign of Augustus Caesar, Rome's first emperor, and ends in A.D. 54 with Nero on the throne. In between, I, Claudius details the scheming, murder, madness, and lust that passed for politics in the early years of the Pax Romana. The biggest worm in the Roman apple is Augustus's wife, Livia (the superb Siân Phillips), whose single-minded pursuit of power shapes the destiny of the Empire. With a carefully planted rumor here and a poisoned fig there, she gradually maneuvers her son, Tiberius, toward the throne, creating an atmosphere of suspicion and treachery that starts Rome on its helter-skelter slide into bloody chaos. Phillips somehow makes us understand this extraordinarily wicked woman. As she ages and her carefully wrought webs begin to unravel, it becomes clear that Livia has been as thoroughly poisoned by her own ambition as her victims were by her carefully prepared meals.

Further acting honors go to George Baker as Tiberius, who resists but eventually succumbs to the destiny forced upon him by his mother, and to John Hurt as a hilarious and absolutely terrifying Caligula. In one breathtakingly tense scene, the mad Emperor performs a dance in drag, then asks Claudius to critique it, perfectly capturing the horror of a world where one wrong word means death, or worse. Jacobi is the perfect Claudius, hiding his intelligence behind a crippling stammer and shuffling around the edges of events--until he finds himself pulled to the very center. His wry comments give shape to the tangled story of his family and help the audience make sense of a dauntingly complex cast of characters.

I, Claudius might seem a little studio-bound to viewers brought up on more recent big-budget costume dramas, but the topnotch cast and the incident-filled plot are more than enough to hold the attention through almost 11 hours of gripping, deliciously wicked Roman follies. This boxed set also includes a documentary entitled "The Epic That Never Was," about Alexander Korda's failed attempt to film I, Claudius in 1937. The film, directed by Josef von Sternberg and starring Charles Laughton as Claudius and Merle Oberon as Messalina, was abandoned unfinished, and it remains one of Hollywood's great lost movies. --Simon Leake

Description

Roman history comes alive in this magnificent 13-part series. "I, Claudius" (1976, 668 min.) ranks among the most acclaimed productions in BBC history. Tracing the lives of the last of the Roman emperors, it's an epic of ruthless ambition, shocking debauchery and murderous intrigue set in one of history's most fascinating eras. Bearing witness to the saga is Claudius, whose stutter and limp have marked him a fool--yet whom prophesies have foretold will one day rule Rome. This collector's edition set includes a unique documentary feature, "The Epic That Never Was" (1965, 71 min.), a remarkable behind-the-scenes look at Alexander Korda's ill-fated 1937 screen adaptation of "I, Claudius." Starring Merle Oberon and Charles Laughton, the chronicle of this uncompleted masterpieces is an unforgettable coda to one of the greatest stories ever told.

Customer Reviews:

Soapy but fascinating near-history.......2007-09-16

I didn't follow this TV series on its first go-around in 1976, because I thought it would be little more than an historical soap opera. I have not changed my mind about that, but the quality of writing and acting is, of course, far superior and the stories are much more compelling. I found myself watching all thirteen episodes straight through over a single weekend.

History it isn't, and there is a tendency for people to forget that a movie or TV program doesn't portray reality. But though the accounts of Tacitus and Suetonius may differ from those of Robert Graves in terms of what actually happened (if any truth can be found at all within contemporary documents), they all certainly must agree on the tone of the times and the character of the personalities involved in this era of the first four Roman emperors.

Historians say that it is unlikely that Livia was the poisoner she was cracked up to be, and Claudius probably wasn't the poor tormented sweetie -- but, then, without all that, there would be much less of a story to tell. Oh, well, not only must the needs of drama be served, but also it is human tradition for history to be slanted by its writers. Is a modern historical novelist or TV/cinema scriptwriter really any different from an ancient archivist twisting events into sycophantic paeans dedicated to some victorious strongman?

Regarding the video itself, I concur with other reviewers' complaints about the poor sound quality and the dreadful make-up (latex attachments that are all too visible in close-up), although the color seems to have been restored very nicely.

The hidden jewel in this boxed set is the documentary on Disc Five called "The Epic That Never Was". This treasure is worth the price of the whole series, preserving beautiful, precious footage of the aborted 1937 Sternberg version. I was especially captivated by the deliciously oily portrayal of Caligula by Emlyn Williams, whose work both as an actor and as a playwright has been sadly eclipsed all these years.

Makeup by Play-Doh.......2007-09-05

Truly a must see. Outstanding acting and absorbing dialogue. I also liked the DVD extra content. However, I found the makeup extremely distracting. I can't imagine what they were thinking. On many characters it looks like it was clumsily applied with a trowel. So bad I find it downright distracting at times.

excellent and timeless.......2007-08-01

About as faithful to the books as you could be, although it is helpful to read the books and then watch the series.

This series was tremendously ahead of its time when it was broadcast. For some reason being on BBC-PBS and all those togas made the fact that what most of the characters are doing is really evil palatable.

Excellent and enjoyable in every way, with stunning performances by the best classically trained actors.

I, Claw..Claw..Claudius is no fool.......2007-07-15

This has to be one of the best BBC productions I've ever seen. You will absolutely be blown away by these actors and the quality of the screenplay. I read "I, Claudius" some years ago and admittedly, it didn't form much of an impression on me. This production caught me completely off guard. I can't believe I bought this from a used-seller for $40 and was given such a treat to watch all these master-class Shakespearean actors. Why have I not heard or seen Sian Phillips before this? She's absolutely wonderful. She's such a wicked woman but intensely amusing. You get to see decades of her misdeeds, all in the name of Rome of course, but even I pitied her during her death-bed scene. There's so many brilliant characters, several who are just so wonderfully hateful, especially John Hurt as Caligula. I read somewhere that most of what we know about Caligula is rumor, that his actual recorded history is unfortunately lost. There's some concurrance though, that he was either mentally ill or suffered from epilepsy. This production however, doesn't give him an ounce pity. He's depicted as as vile and grotesque, a "monster," even as a young boy. I couldn't stop watching him or feeling afraid for any other person he came in contact with. No one was safe or able to speak out against him. John Hurt was I think only 36 at the time of this production, but he made the wisest choices as an actor. At the center of this family firestorm of murder, intrigue, and debauchery is our little Claudius. It's amazing to watch him survive through one clamity after another with barely the perception of his idiocy keeping him alive. I was a bit conflicted as to how I felt about him, though. On one hand I felt pity for him and his afflictions, and how he was mistreated by practically all his family. He was charming, loyal, and intelligent but unfortunately, too trusting. On the other hand, he barely had a back-bone. It's in his nature not to make trouble and he tries not to get involved, but sometimes that choice makes him gutless esepcially when innocent people need help. Even with some production, visual and sound problems with this DVD, I would still give this series higher than 5 stars if I could. I count myself very fortunate to have seen this. It's given me enthusiasm to buy other films and books centered around Imperial Rome. This DVD series is an absolute treasure, you wont be disappointed.

I Claudius looks good.......2007-07-14

I didn't watch it originally. Now, I think Derek Jacoby is brilliant. And the boxed set is terrific.

Average customer rating:

A definitive staple of Kung Fu cinema gets the DVD it rightfully deserves!
It's the duty of Shaolin to vanquish evil
Fight'n the Man
kong fu fans will love this
Review

The 36th Chamber of Shaolin
Starring: Gordon Liu , and Lo Lieh
Director: Lau Kar Leung
Manufacturer: Dragon Dynasty
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ASIN: B000MM0LEG
Release Date: 2007-06-19

Amazon.com

A pure old-school martial arts movie, beloved by aficionados, that also appeals to nonfans simply as a rousing action film. The often-imitated fact-based plot (see The Karate Kid) centers upon the rigorous training process undergone in the mid-19th century by the anti-Manchu Chinese patriot San Te (Gordon Liu). It's depicted as a grueling voyage into the unknown. Cast out of his home village when he stands up to the cruel warlord (Lo Lieh) who slaughtered his parents, the refugee seeks out the martial monks of the Shaolin Temple, who steer him through a torturous series of "chambers"--horrendous ordeals designed to build strength and agility--before he's even allowed to study boxing or swordfighting. Finally he defeats a rival by inventing a brand-new weapon, the three-section chain-linked staff. But innovation can be carried only so far; when San Te suggests opening a "36th chamber" in the temple that would teach Shaolin techniques to the populace at large (so that they can fight the nasty Manchus) he is drummed out of the corps. Naturally he returns to his home village, slaughters the baddies, and prepares to open China's first public Shaolin-style kung fu school. Many of the pupils San Te recruits in the final reel became legendary martial artists in their own right, the "Fathers of the Church" of the Chinese kung fu tradition. This is strong action entertainment with real historical resonance. --David Chute

Description

(Action) A young man on a mission of vengeance trains at Shaolin Temple to become a kung fu master, evolving into the legendary monk San Te (Gordon Liu), who introduces Shaolin kung fu to oppressed Chinese.

Customer Reviews:

A definitive staple of Kung Fu cinema gets the DVD it rightfully deserves!.......2007-09-12

Dragon Dynasty has been releasing lots of great martial arts films uncut and polished up lovely with great extra features... and was there any more deserving out there than this!? The fantastic journey of an ordinary student who loses everything and seeks out the Kung Fu training attainable only at the Shaolin Temple. After the setup it's train, train, and train some more through the different chambers of Shaolin, which tests everything from your skill with a staff to your ability to strike heavy bags with your head to how quick your eyes can follow an object (plus LOTS more). Gordon Liu is great as this is the role that he was obviously born to play and one of the factors that make this Lau Kar-Leung movie the classic it is. Though mostly a training film there are some great fights here including an enjoyable (although one-sided) finale versus the one and only Lo Lieh! Another joy is watching Liu master the 3-section-staff especially in his first fight against a fellow monk with double knives (brilliantly performed by Lee Hoi-San). For martial arts fans it's officially time to throw out those janky bootleg quality copies that we were forced to endure for so long and put this version right at the head of your collection... where it deserves to be.

It's the duty of Shaolin to vanquish evil.......2007-08-18

San Te is a student that finds himself rallying behind his teacher in resistance to the Manchu government. When many of his friends and family die as a result of the government's ruthless tactics San Te tries to become a Shaolin monk in order to learn Kung Fu in order to gain revenge on the Manchu officials.

36th Chamber is a brilliant martial arts film. It is artfully directed and edited and endlessly entertaining containing some of the most interesting "training scenes" that I have seen in a martial arts film, or any film for that matter. The fight choreography is almost completely flawless throughout and each fight seems to tell a story or have a purpose in the overall narrative. There isn't fighting for fightings sake. While that may sounds like a drawback it certainly isn't. Also, while seemingly a revenge flick 36th Chamber is more about the power of learning and teaching. The vast majority of the film contains some element of teaching or implementing teachings in one form or another.

The brilliance of the directing and editing is that one San Te starts learning to become a Shaolin monk he has to pass 35 Chambers to do so. Now obviously showing all 35 Chambers on film in their entirety would probably make for an exorbitantly long film here the first 6 or so chambers are focused on showing San Ta's tackling of the "easiest" of the chambers to increase his strength and dexterity. The later chambers are handled more quickly and the process of each is shown through other character enduring the tests while San Te is shown to be mastering them. Seen in its entirety this entire section of film is quite brilliantly directed and edited. In addition, later when San Te exhibits the different things he has learned in his fights it is down without a "remember that?" type flash back like other films have done. The film assumes we are smart enough to remember or merely uses similar camera cuts and angles from the training sequences to aid in recall.

I really can't recommend this film enough.

Fight'n the Man.......2007-07-26

Hands down one of the best old school kung fu movies ever made. The acting is good (except for the main villian, but he is rarley seen) for a kung fu movie and if you ever wanted to know how to start a popular uprising, this is the standard template. If you are a martial artist, this movie is great for getting the juices going, if your not one, you might start taking lessions!

kong fu fans will love this.......2007-07-20

this is a classic movie, thoroughly enjoyable for kongfu fans. lovingly transferred to dvd, good production qualities. the training scenes are memorable, there is enough humor in it to sustain a good time, and the fight scenes are creative,fast, and well choreographed.

Review.......2007-07-17

This movie is what made watching saturday afternoon kung fu flicks as a child enjoyable. The movie has held up pretty good and the dvd transfer is very clean. The only knock on the dvd is the subtitles which are often mispelled, but not enough to detract from reading and watching the film at the same time. I only saw the movie once as a child, but it obviously made an impression. A great martial art film to add to any movie collection.

Average customer rating:

Dynasty season 1&2
As soaps go, the cream of the crop (along with Dallas).

Dynasty - Seasons 1 & 2
Starring: Geoffrey Scott , William Beckley , Ben Piazza , Jessica Player , and Jim Ishida
Director: Gabrielle Beaumont , Richard Kinon , Gwen Arner , Dwight Adair , and Kim Friedman
Manufacturer: Paramount Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000QUEQ72
Release Date: 2007-08-14

Customer Reviews:

Dynasty season 1&2.......2007-09-17

The glitz, the glamour, the catfights. I remember it all so well and now I can relive them again and again with the complete seasons of Dynasty. Can't wait for the rest of the seasons to be released.

As soaps go, the cream of the crop (along with Dallas)........2007-05-29

001 "Oil - Part 1" Original airdate 12 January 1981
Wealthy oil tycoon Blake Carrington prepares to marry his former secretary Krystle.
002 "Oil - Part 2" 12 January 1981
Things get even more complicated when an old friend of Matthew's, Walter Lankershim, approaches Matthew about forming a business partnership. But Matthew says his loyalties lie with Blake -- until Walter's oil well is sabotaged and it looks like Blake was behind it.
003 "Oil - Part 3" 12 January 1981
As Blake and Krystle recite their wedding vows, Walter arrives with a gun determined to get revenge.
004 "The Honeymoon. 19 January 1981
The honeymoon is cut short when Blake's Middle East oil business runs into trouble.
005 "The Dinner Party" 26 January 1981
When Blake throws an elaborate dinner party and invites Matthew in hopes of luring him back to Denver-Carrington, Fallon overhears Matthew telling Krystle he still loves her.
006 "Fallon's Wedding" 2 February 1981
007 "The Chauffeur Tells a Secret. 16 February 1981 Michael finds out about Cecil's deal with Fallon and tells Blake.
008 "The Bordello" 23 February 1981
Blake attempts to save his business by putting key holdings in Krystle's name, Krystle pawns an
expensive necklace to help Matthew.
009 "Krystle's Lie"2 March 1981
Matthew discovers one of his own workers was paid by Blake to sabotage the oil rig and blame it on
Steven. Blake goes into a rage when he finds Krystle's birth control pills.
010 "The Necklace" 2 March 1981
Michael tells Fallon that Krystle sold an emerald necklace and gave the money to Matthew. Claudia
picks up a young man at a singles bar but when she changes her mind and calls Steven to come get her, they end up spending the night together.
011"The Beating" 9 March 1981
Steven moves out of the mansion then tells Blake he'll come work for Denver-Carrington. Lindsay finds out her mother slept with Steven, and Blake has Michael beaten after learning he slept with Fallon.
012 "The Birthday Party. 16 March 1981
Michael tells Blake that Krystle pawned her necklace and gave the money to Matthew.
013 "The Separation" 23 March 1981
Fed up with Blake's games, Krystle leaves. Steven also plans to leave Ted, but Ted tracks him to the Carrington mansion where their good-bye hug leads to disaster.
014 "Blake Goes To Jail" 13 April 1981
Krystle returns to stand by Blake after he's arrested for the murder of Ted Dinard.
015 "The Testimony" 20 April 1981
Back at the mansion tempers erupt over Steven's testimony. When Claudia is called to the stand,
forcing her to reveal her affair with Steven, Matthew is outraged and attacks Blake. But all this is just a warm-up to the prosecution's surprise witness.

Season Two (1981-1982)
# Title Original airdate
016 "Enter Alexis" 11/4/1981
017 "The Verdict" 11/11/1981
018 "Alexis' Secret" 11/18/1981
019 "Fallon's Father" 11/25/1981
020 "Reconciliation" 12/2/1981
021 "Viva Las Vegas" 12/9/1981
022 "The Miscarriage" 12/16/1981
023 "The Mid-East Meeting" 1/6/1982
024 "The Psychiatrist" 1/13/1982
025 "SammyJo & Steven Marry" 1/20/1982
026 "The Car Explosion" 1/27/1982
027 "Blake's Blindness" 2/3/1982
028 "The Hearing" 2/10/1982
029 "The Iago Syndrome" 2/17/1982
030 "The Party" 2/24/1982
031 "The Baby" 3/3/1982
032 "Mother And Son" 3/10/1982
033 "The Gun" 3/24/1982
034 "The Fragment" 4/7/1982
035 "The Shakedown" 4/14/1982
036 "The Two Princes" 4/28/1982
037 "The Cliff" 5/4/1982

NBA Dynasty Series - Chicago Bulls - The 1990s

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Da Bulls
NBA Dynasty Series - Chicago Bulls - The 1990s
The Best of The Bulls
Everything is there.
Bulls teams were better than this set

NBA Dynasty Series - Chicago Bulls - The 1990s
Starring: Michael Jordan , Scottie Pippen , and Phil Jackson
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Product Features:

922:00 Mins
Arguably the best basketball team ever.
Enjoy over 15 hours of spectacular highlights.
Highlights from all six championship seasons.
Includes the Bulls' greatest championship games.

ASIN: B0001Z37IQ
Release Date: 2004-06-01

Product Description

Discipline, dedication and desire were the hallmarks of the Chicago Bulls of the 1990s. Capturing six NBA titles between 1991and 1998, the Bulls were the most dominant and arguably the greatest basketball team ever assembled. Enjoy over 15 hours of spectacular highlights from those Championship seasons on four discs. And for the first time ever on DVD, see the greatest Finals games in Bulls championship history. Reference ID:TC01-DVD-0959

Amazon.com

Over the course of 15 hours on four double-sided DVDs, Chicago Bulls: The 1990s documents the Bulls' incredible run of six NBA championships in eight years led by the game's greatest-ever player, Michael Jordan. Like the earlier DVD release Ultimate Jordan, it collects a number of programs originally released on VHS, in this case the yearly highlight videos that summarized each of the six championship seasons, plus a five-minute introduction that covers the franchise starting in the 1960s and ending with its drafting of Jordan.

Where the NBA Dynasty series (the other initial entry is the slightly meatier Los Angeles Lakers: The Complete History) outdoes Ultimate Jordan is in the six playoff games--one for each year--as they were originally broadcast, minus halftime and commercials. Having the nearly complete game (usually running 90-100 minutes, from the TV introductions to post-game interviews) means you can skip straight to John Paxson's clutch basket or what was expected to be the final shot of Jordan's career. Or you can savor each game in its entirety, all the better to appreciate the artistry of Jordan in his three-pointer barrage against Portland or his "flu game" against Utah. You can see other great players too, of course, including Jordan's teammates--Scottie Pippen, Horace Grant, Dennis Rodman--and those opponents unfortunate enough to face the Bulls--Clyde Drexler, Charles Barkley, John Stockton, Karl Malone, and others. Because these are all NBA Finals games, you won't see Jordan's shot over Craig Ehlo or his 63-point coming-out party against Boston, but the 1990s Chicago Bulls were a team for the ages, and merely having their games--some of them all-time classics--available for home viewing is a major milestone in archived sports. --David Horiuchi

Customer Reviews:

Da Bulls.......2007-05-07

If you enjoy basketball, especially with some of the best players to grace the game, you will enjoy these DVD's.

NBA Dynasty Series - Chicago Bulls - The 1990s.......2007-01-29

Bulls dynasty just like I remember it

The Best of The Bulls.......2007-01-28

I suggest this to anybody who is interested in the Era that was the early 90's...When Jordan was in his prime dominating the league and winning 6 NBA Titles. I recommend this to anybody who is a fan of basketball. It is a great buy and includes the bulls best games in their entirety.

Everything is there........2006-08-03

I'm an italian fan of NBA. My favourite team is LA Lakers and I thought there would be no such a period like the 80s with Lakers-Celtics finals!
Well maybe there is: it's the 90s with the Bulls domination and MJ show. The DVD collection is complete and the bonus games are well choosen.

Bulls teams were better than this set.......2006-07-05

First of all, each of the 6 Chicago Bulls championship teams were great teams. The DVDs are perfect for lazy evenings or age-group team barbecues, but I do have two complaints:
1) The games are not in fact "complete" or "as it happened" - significant chunks are cut out of the games, especially 1998 game six. Several minutes are skipped. (On the other hand, I really appreciate the lack of commercials during the time-outs.)
2) These may be Jordan's best games of each series (I'm not even sure about that), but they are not the team's defining games. For instance, from the Lakers series I would have preferred game 2, where the Bulls found the answer to Magic Johnson won their first finals game; from the Blazers series, game 6, where Pippen lead the reserves in a great 4th quarter comeback to win the series. On the other hand, the 1993 (Paxson's 3) and 1998 (Jordan on Russell) selections are spot-on.
Nice set but I'm docking two stars for these issues.

Jackie Chan's Police Story (Special Collector's Edition)

Average customer rating:

Whether you like Chan or not (and who doesn't really?)... you gotta see this!
police story 2
Classic Jackie Chan
Jackie Getting Started
Absolutely Chan-tastic!

Jackie Chan's Police Story (Special Collector's Edition)
Starring: Maggie Cheung , Brigitte Lin , Jackie Chan , Bill Tung , and Cho Yuen
Director: Jackie Chan
Manufacturer: Dragon Dynasty
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ASIN: B000HC2M3Y
Release Date: 2006-12-19

Amazon.com essential video

This classic Jackie Chan picture opens with one of the wildest police action set pieces ever filmed, an extended chase that includes the total destruction of a hillside shanty settlement, as fleeing crooks and pursing cops crash down through it with their vehicles. Overall, however, the picture is an awkward mixture of clashing elements. At first it is a little strange seeing Chan playing it (mostly) straight in a hard-edged police thriller. The fights are all extremely ferocious and real-looking, without the lighthearted slapstick stylization that leavens his best period vehicles, like Project A, Part II. The comedy elements (especially a recurrent cake-in-the-face gag) seem to come out of nowhere; they are no longer integral to the spirit of the movie. But there are wonderful set pieces, stunts, and action scenes, including Jackie struggling to answer a dozen jangling phones at once, when he's left alone at the police station, and the all-out, glass-smashing fervor of a climactic battle royal in a shopping mall. --David Chute

Amazon.com

Jackie Chan has become a genre unto himself, and watching Police Story, you'll understand why. The plot is minimal: Chan is a hero cop involved in a raid that goes wrong. He's assigned to guard a witness, the kingpin's attractive female secretary (Brigitte Lin). For the rest of the film, Chan's protecting himself from the secretary, from the gangsters out to silence her, and from his own jealous girlfriend (Maggie Cheung). But watching Chan for plot is like watching porno for existential themes. While most modern action films steal cues from Westerns, Chan condenses those open mesas into the dense throngs of modern Hong Kong--and tosses in Buster Keaton slapstick. For example, when the opening raid goes haywire, there's an unbelievable car chase through the steep huddle of a hillside shantytown. That's through. No roads, just shacks. Flimsy shacks. As the film progresses, Chan scales a speeding bus using an umbrella, uses cow dung as an excuse to break into some Shaolin moonwalking, and transforms an urban shopping mall into a demented gymnasium (think clothes racks, escalators, and lots of plate glass displays). Chan is amazingly versatile both physically and emotionally--and he's a secure enough star-director to let his costars shine, too. --Grant Balfour

Amazon.com essential video
This classic Jackie Chan picture opens with one of the wildest police action set pieces ever filmed, an extended chase that includes the total destruction of a hillside shanty settlement, as fleeing crooks and pursing cops crash down through it with their vehicles. Overall, however, the picture is an awkward mixture of clashing elements. At first it is a little strange seeing Chan playing it (mostly) straight in a hard-edged police thriller. The fights are all extremely ferocious and real-looking, without the lighthearted slapstick stylization that leavens his best period vehicles, like Project A, Part II. The comedy elements (especially a recurrent cake-in-the-face gag) seem to come out of nowhere; they are no longer integral to the spirit of the movie. But there are wonderful set pieces, stunts, and action scenes, including Jackie struggling to answer a dozen jangling phones at once, when he's left alone at the police station, and the all-out, glass-smashing fervor of a climactic battle royal in a shopping mall. --David Chute

Description

Police Story breaks new ground with its breathtaking fights and incredible stunt sequences. Featuring a top-notch cast, which includes multi-award winning actresses Brigitte Lin & Maggie Cheung, director Chan combines a compelling storyline of an honest cop on the run from a false murder charge with dynamic visuals and full-blooded fight action which is electrified with emotional underscoring. In the case of this particular project the price of excellence was high, with many of Jackie's elite stunt team being seriously injured during the course of principal photography.

Customer Reviews:

Whether you like Chan or not (and who doesn't really?)... you gotta see this!.......2007-09-12

At least once, although after seeing it... once is never enough! So this is the action/martial arts hybrid movie that has set the gold standard for all the others to come. Many have tried to duplicate it and few have rarely even come close (even it's sequels pale in comparison). Jackie stars and directs masterfully pushing the limits of exciting camera work and of course action and stunts. There are plenty of scenes here worth mention but I think it's best to go in without any forewarning of whats to come. Dragon Dynasty has put out another great DVD (although the picture is a little grainy) with some fantastic bonus features. One of Jackie Chans finest moments and in a career full of them this is a can't miss.

police story 2.......2007-09-02

it has lot of action never a dull minute. if u have missed seeing police story 1, u need to see it too.. police story 2 is an excellent choice for your jackie chan collection.his movies keep u on the edge of your seat.

Classic Jackie Chan.......2007-04-06

French film-maker Jean-Luc Godard once said that the best criticism of one film is to make another. Jackie Chan was so dissatisfied with his experience on the cop drama The Protector, his second staring lead in an American film that he decided to make his own Police Story under his underused vanity label Golden Ways Films Ltd. In Hong Kong, he would have much more control over script, stunt coordination and direction (he made sure he would direct this film) that if he was going to flounder it would be on his terms. The result of his efforts is one of my favorite action films as well as Jackie's personal favorite amongst his modern fare.

Jackie Chan plays Chan Ka Kui a model Hong Kong cop who gets involved in a police procedural code named Operation Boar Hunt to take down a triad led by Chu Tu (prolific director/actor Chor Yuen). This operation begins in a shanty town specifically built for the film. The detail is extraordinary in the design and like everything created for an action film it is short-lived. In one of the most awesome car chases I have ever witnessed on screen (up there with Bullitt and The Blue's Brother's mall scene) Chu Tu after being cornered by the police decide to drive through the hovels instead of being captured and Chan decides to chase after. The juxtaposition of having the camera in the vehicle and long shots in which stuntmen are scurrying to avoid being hit (several stuntmen were injured in this scene) are sagacious in displaying the maelstrom of destruction. That and it's pretty damn cool.

Most films would have given a respite after that tumultuous scene of car and house derby but as soon as Chan finishes the car chase he goes into foot mode while running after a double-decker bus that Chu Tu and a few of his cronies hijacked. In several of these scenes as he catches up to the bus he is literally hanging by an umbrella as he holds unto the outside of the bus trying to climb his way in while fighting people who do not want him aboard as well as dodging traffic as the bus speeds along. Two of the stuntmen got hurt at the end of this scene where Ka Kui forces the bus to stop and as they flew out of the top windows they were supposed to land on top of the car that was stopped in the middle of the road but the backward momentum of the brakes as the bus rocked backward after stopping made them undershoot the stunt and land on the road.

Police Story has a stronger storyline than most Chan movies to connect the action scenes. After the arrest of Chu Tu, Inspector Li sets up his secretary Selina Fong (Brigitte Lin Ching-Hsia) by letting her go free of all charges to try to pit her against her boss. Ka Kui is assigned to protect her (several scenes of this scenario were cut out of the film). This, of course, will interfere and cause problems with his girlfriend May (Maggie Cheung Man-Yuk whose relationship with Jackie is underplayed though that would change in the sequel). Chan tries to trick Selina into trusting him by pretending to save the day when Mars attacks Selina in her apartment. What ultimately happens because of this is predictable as well as the cop working for the triad but these are mere trifles.

The comedy is underrated in this film. There is a great sequence in which Jackie is assigned to the Sha Tau Kok Police Station, a rural area in the north eastern corner of Hong Kong, after he completely messes up the prosecution of Chu Tu. He deftly tries to answer several phones and juggle several conversations at the same time while not being really successful in solving any of them. Like Project A, his influence by silent film comedians is shown in how he performs this skit with physical perfection. This scene is so sublime I cannot fathom why this was missing in older American prints. I also enjoyed a nice little scene where Jackie does this beautiful car-slide stunt by doing the ultimate parallel parking literary by sliding the car parallel into a spot barely bigger than the car.

Another highlight of this film is the final sequence named "glass story" by the stuntmen. It takes place in a mall where Jackie has cornered Chu Tu and his cronies. It is 10 minutes of excellent martial arts, stunts and action. Some of the highlights is some great fights by Jackie with clothes racks, Brigitte Lin doing her own fighting, Chan doing a great jump into moving stairs, lots and lots of broken glass and the famous multi-story slide down a pole. Jackie severely burnt his hands on his slide down, partially attributed to the wrong voltage being set on the lights attached to it and it is also mentioned on several web sites and his own autobiography that he injured his spine and hip on that drop. This is a bit doubtful because on a camera with an alternate angle from the floor (shown in certain deleted footage) shows him bouncing up after the fall and slugging a stuntman (and according to Fung Hak-On hurting him). If you have ever had a back injury (I have several times) you usually do not do get up after it happens or beat up your stuntmen.

This movie not only influenced the Hong Kong action picture, it would also influence American action pictures. Sylvester Stallone would use the bus scene in Tango and Cash, several early scenes were copied in Rapid Fire, Brett Ratner took so much from this film in making Rush Hour (self-admitted in commentary in Rush Hour as well as Dragon Dynasty's Police Story DVD) and countless other action choreographers and directors would be directly or indirectly affected by this work. This movie was created because of the visionary ideas of Jackie Chan and also because of the backbreaking effort of Sing Ga Ban - Jackie Chan's Stuntman Association and their every increasing effort to out due rival stuntman association led by Sammo Hung. Their backbreaking effort helped make this a hit (26 million HK dollars and win the Best Film for the Hong Kong Film Awards) and became the favorite of action auteur directors everywhere.

DVD Notes: I was happy to get a R1 version of this film when Dragon Dynasty put out the DVD. The quality of the picture could be better (Police Story 2 has a much better print) but overall I am satisfied with it. The commentary with Hong Kong action movie expert Bey Logan and director Brett Ratner (Rush Hour) was decent with Logan pointing out small tidbits of information like how Sammo Hung asked Bill Tung for horse advice during shooting, pointing out the cameo by Clarence Ford (Naked Killer) as the photographer and also pointing out who every person acting was (sometimes this got annoying). I did wish he would have put more info about one of my favorite actors Fung Hak-On who helped with the stunt choreography and played Danny Chu. Ratner would talk about how this movie influenced him and occasionally get his facts wrong (confuse Brigitte Lin with Maggie Cheung) and was completely ignorant about many Jackie Chan films (Winners and Sinners and every other early Jackie Chan film except Drunken Master) but was still decent to listen to.

Jackie Getting Started.......2007-02-17

Mostly a dated Chinese action movie. Some fun to be had - but mostly a lot of really stupid people running around firing pistols badly. To be fair, you can see how Jackie Chan was perfecting the special style that he brings to the big screen so effectively in his recent movies. See this flick once and move on.

Absolutely Chan-tastic!.......2007-02-08

Jackie Chan demonstates in this film that not only is he a great martial artist and dare-devil, but also a great director and a good actor. He wanted to prove that Hong Kong could produce movies as good or better than Hollywood for less money. I think in some ways he succeeded in that goal.

In an interview on this dvd, Jackie says that the financial constraints made shooting stunts more dangerous, because they couldn't rehearse them as much.

Another interesting fact from the interview is that Jackie's house in this movie was his house in real life.

This dvd is great as many others have attested. Regarding the dubbing, I doubt it would have been possible to retain the old English dub as this version is longer than the old vhs version. However, it would've been better if they had gotten an actor who sounded more like Jackie.

Depite a few slapstick scenes, this movie has a very real feel. The bad guys are not catoonish, and the action is not on a stage or in front of a blue screen. When you see somebody falling off a roof, it is a real person risking his or her life to make a stunning scene.

I personally agree with others that this may be Jackie's best movie. However, I must admit that my wife hated it. She thought the slapstick scenes were just dumb, and she is less impressed with stunts. So, you can't please everybody.

Average customer rating:

Damn that's a good movie!!!!!!!
I agree with Jamie Kendall,
Good Movie, Great Martial Arts
LAW & ORDER MEETS CHINA TOWN
Kill Zone

Kill Zone
Starring: Donnie Yen , Sammo Hung Kam-Bo , Simon Yam , Jacky Wu , and Kai Chi Liu
Director: Wilson Yip
Manufacturer: Dragon Dynasty
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Crime | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B000GFLKDU
Release Date: 2006-09-12

Description

In this good cop versue bad gangster action thriller, Dectective Chan (Simon Yam) relentlessly pursues the vidious crime boss Po (Sammo Hung) but eventually gives up in frustration and looks toward retirement. His replacement, Ma (Donnie Yen) is a principled committed cop who is skilled in martial arts and has a reputation for violence. The death of a cop who was planted undercover in Po's gang causes further unbalance between the sides as the cops seek justice for the loss of their brother

Customer Reviews:

Damn that's a good movie!!!!!!!.......2007-08-30

killzone was great. It could have had a little bit more action, but what fights there were, were very good. I did like how the build up between Yen and Sammo was handled. You knew at the end that they would tear the house down, and yes, i gasped whn i saw how the fight ended. Some of the scenes were really good, like the crazy hired gun guy killing the guy right after he got his fathers' day gift. that was great. I didn't see too many flaws with the film. I just wanted more of what i got. thsi si a definite buy. you won't be sorry. The Donnie Yen uppercut on the guy onto his car is worth the price of the dvd alone!

I agree with Jamie Kendall,.......2007-06-16

The description hit it right on the head if you ask me. There are really only 2 fight scenes. Donnie Yen gets 5 stars, the movie gets 2. This will not make it into my martial arts collection of movies.

Good Movie, Great Martial Arts.......2007-06-03

donnie and sammo together!! enough said...fight choreagraphy was awesome! donnie's skillz always nothing but the best...sammo simply legendary, never disappoints, still moves great for his age and size.... wish the fight scene w/ donnie and sammo was longer...

LAW & ORDER MEETS CHINA TOWN.......2007-06-03

It takes a round about way of getting to the point but KILLZONE pays out at the end of the film. This movie has sevrall actors who we are used to seeing in the GOOD GUY rolls playing some very NOT good rolls. Sammo Hung plays a mob boss who is driven not only by his desire for more power but vengence and the desire to do right in the eyes of a little girl. The multi-talented Donnie Yen plays a hard nosed detective who has to walk a fine line as he watches his own team of detectives become more and more thug like in the name of de