Shrek (Full Screen Single Disc Edition)

Amazon.com

William Steig's delightfully fractured fairy tale is the right stuff for this computer-animated adaptation full of verve and wit. Our title character (voiced by Mike Myers) is an agreeable enough ogre who wants to live his days in peace. When the diminutive Lord Farquaad (John Lithgow) evicts local fairy-tale creatures (including the now-famous Seven Dwarfs, Pinocchio, and the Gingerbread Man), they settle in the ogre's swamp and Shrek wants answers from Farquaad. A quest of sorts starts for Shrek and his new pal, a talking donkey (Eddie Murphy), where battles have to be won and a princess (Cameron Diaz) must be rescued from a dragon lair in a thrilling action sequence. The story is stronger than most animated fare, but it's the humor that makes Shrek a winner. The PG rating is stretched when Murphy and Myers hit their strides. The mild potty humor is fun enough for 10-year-olds but will never embarrass their parents. Shrek is never as warm and inspired as the Toy Story films, but the realistic computer animation and a rollicking soundtrack keep the entertainment in fine form. Produced by DreamWorks, the film also takes several delicious stabs at its crosstown rival, Disney. --Doug Thomas

Customer Reviews:

The Start of a Great Saga.......2007-08-29

This is the first in a great series of fairy tale parodies! A must buy!

"What kind of knight are you?".......2007-08-18

The answer to the question is that Shrek is one of a kind. Mike Myers is the voice behind the best-known ogre in the movie industry. Shrek lives in a secluded area of the forest, but when Lord Farquaad resolves that all the fairy creatures need to live in this area, Shrek's peace is seriously affected. Thus, he focuses on scaring everyone away, even though at heart he is a big teddy-bear. One day, he sees a regiment from the kingdom of Far Far Away capturing fairies. Lord Farquaad, the leader of the oppressors, thinks that the talking donkey deserves to be incarcerated, but Shrek cannot help himself and rescues the poor thing.

This is not the last Shrek and Farquaad will see of each other. The latter decides that he would like to marry Princess Fiona, but there is a small obstacle in the way. She is held hostage in a castle defended by a fierce dragon and many have succumbed in their rescue attempts. Therefore, Farquaad organizes a tournament to decide who should go to bring back his wife-to-be. You can take a guess as to who the lucky winner is.

This is not your typical fairy tale, and it is definitely intended for an audience a little more mature, but it is an enjoyable one. There is one word that defines this movie to the T: humor. The actors selected to give voice to the characters of Shrek (Myers), Lady Fionna (Cameron Diaz) and Donkey (Eddie Murphy) are perfect for their roles. The writers also did an excellent job in picking the jokes and the funny comments throughout the production are something to cherish.

There is also a wide selection of extra features in the two-disc DVD; including an area designated as Dreamwork Kids that allows you to select you favorite scenes, watch two music videos (Baha Men and Smash Mouth), and play interactive games and trivia. My favorite extra feature was the one that discusses the technical aspects of the animation, because this is one of the most amazing aspects of this film. Nowadays there are many examples of animation of this quality, but when "Shrek" first came out, it was one of a kind. Finally, the music completes the total package, since it blends perfectly with the different parts of the plot and it is catchy and enjoyable. Overall, a great effort that cannot be missed!

Alright Shrek, you and me, bring it on!.......2007-08-02

I've had a bone to pick with Shrek for like, what...6 years now? It's time to settle the score. The Patriarch way!

Shrek is supposed to be a kid's movie. Thus it is filled with bathroom humor and other crude jokes supposed to appeal to a five year old. Also, as with every other "kid's" movie made today, it's filled with jokes only adults would understand. This is what makes the film popular with children as well as adults. This is just wrong though, a lot of these jokes aren't appropriate for children. For example, at the end of this movie, during the credits, an anthropomorphic cat licks it's genitals. This is sick. Having an animal with the attributes of a human lick itself is the same thing as having a human lick itself.

How about the morals this movie teaches. Shrek is a crude, rude, disgusting ogre. A human example of him is that guy that drained your septic that one time and had no qualms about using foul language and farting around you. Or Michael Moore, take your pick. The moral of this story is to see past his grossness and see the good person inside. If it's all the same to you, I don't want my children hanging around with hobos, drug addicts,and trailer trash because this hokey film told them to. In the end of this movie, the princess becomes a disgusting ogre too. So this is supposed to tell my kids, what? That people that look nice on the outside are really disgusting inside? The Shrek generation is going to be so messed up.

I wanted to ignore these grievances, honestly I did. But when they release sequel after sequel, and no matter where I look is Shrek!, I can't hold it in any longer.

I haven't seen the other Shrek films in this series, so I can't review them. I can only imagine how much worse they are however. Shrek 3 apparently has shrek and Fiona having an ogre baby together. Great. Now my kids are going to learn the facts of life from a movie about ogres.

PS: Okay, everybody reading this. I am making this clear-I just coined the phrase, "The Shrek generation." I am going to have this copyrighted. If I ever see a book or movie or documentary, that uses the phrase, "The Shrek Generation" I am going to sue you and demand royalties of some kind.

PPS: This also applies to any variation like, "Generation Shrek" or "Star Shrek: The next Generation"

best movie ever!!!!!!!!.......2007-07-20

Hi well to start This is the funniest movie in the world! It's truely awesome!!!! I really can't describe it it's so awesome!!!! But I can tell you this it's hillarious!! Well hope this was helpful brooke

Entertaining.......2007-07-05

I don't watch many animated features but I did watch Shrek and I thought it was an excellent movie. The actors brought the characters to life and I really liked the movie. In fact we bought the other two Shreks.

Average customer rating:

The Thinking Man's Animation
Great deep messages
The Last Unicorn
Superb, but...
Beautiful

The Last Unicorn
Starring: Alan Arkin , Jeff Bridges , Mia Farrow , Tammy Grimes , and Robert Klein
Director: Arthur Rankin Jr. , and Jules Bass
Manufacturer: Lions Gate
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000KJU128
Release Date: 2007-02-06

Amazon.com

A story line that truly deserves the A-list treatment, The Last Unicorn is memorable for its attempts to stay faithful to its origins, the Peter Beagle novel of the same name. The animation is vintage Rankin/Bass, and that's too bad; but there's an undeniable strength in this tale and telling. A unicorn (Mia Farrow)--she believes herself the last--searches for any others of her kind, while avoiding the malevolent Red Bull, the agent believed to have destroyed the rest of the herd. Along the way, she is mistaken, ignored, attacked, and obsessed about, finally finding help from a magician named Schmendrick (Alan Arkin) and a knight named Prince Lir (Jeff Bridges). A haunting film that pays homage to mythology and the people who love it. --Keith Simanton

Description

Brought to life by the luminary voice talents of Jeff Bridges, Mia Farrow, Angela Lansbury and Rene Auberjonois (STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE, "Boston Legal"), this animated treasure is the story of a lonely unicorn who sets out on an extraordinary quest to find her lost brothers and sisters. Along the way she meets a colorful cast of characters, including a bumbling wizard who magically transforms her into a beautiful damsel. When a handsome prince falls in love with her, he challenges the evil foe who holds her captive. But the task proves harder than imagined, and the unicorn soon discovers that real magic comes from believing in the impossible. Featuring songs performed by America.

Customer Reviews:

The Thinking Man's Animation.......2007-08-25

I have been a fan of this film since I was a child and owned it on VHS in the 80s. Even though the DVD does not have the special features it touts on the backcover, I was just happy to have the film on DVD -I thought they would never release it! The Last Unicorn is about an immortal unicorn who leaves her enchanted forest after learning the rest of the unicorns have vanished from the Earth. On her quest she meets many memorable characters: gypsywoman Mommy Fortuna, Molly Grue, Shmendrick the Magician- to name a few. Molly, Shmendrick and the unicorn ban together, Molly and Shmendrick on their own emotional quests, and journey to King Hagard's castle where the unicorns are being held captive. Along the journey she is almost captured by The Red Bull, King Hagard's demon that holds the rest of the unicorns hostage. If she is captured, their quests ends, so Shmendrick changes her into a human girl so they can get past the bull and enter King Hagard's castle. As an immortal creature she never had to deal with mortal concerns, and as the beautiful woman Amalthea she begins to understand what it means to be human: the serach of identity, love, conflict, empathy. She learns of regret and thankfulness, of life and loss. Like the hobbits from "Lord of the Rings," the unicorn concludes her journey, but is forever changed by the friends she made the experiences she had. The forest will always be her home, but she no longer like the rest of the unicorns, for they will never know what it is to be human. This film is deeper than any animated film has a right to be. It works on several levels, and the older I become the more I see in it. The plot is complex and almost all of the character's are three-dimensional. The characters are voiced by some great acting talent: Alan Arkin (Shmendrick), Jeff Bridges ( Prince Leer), Mia Farrow (The Unicorn)- to name a few. The musical score is very befitting. This is a great film for all ages. Children will love the story, and adults will see the bittersweet, dark chocolate themes that run below its animated surface. p.s. If you like this, then you should try watching the film "Nausicaa"- another animated classic.

Great deep messages.......2007-08-20

I loved it! I felt like a kid again. This is what we need in these times, a little bit of innocence and hope. No matter how old we are, we can still be children again. I enjoyed watching it with my nieces and nephews.

The Last Unicorn.......2007-07-13

The movie was not as good as I had expected & is a little mature for a 5 yr old. I wouldn't buy this again although my grandaughter seemed to like it alright.

Superb, but..........2007-06-08

This film is superb. I watched it many times as a young child, and am thrilled to be able to watch it again as an adult. It's one of the rare few films with more than enough wonder to hold the attention of a child, yet enough depth and honesty to touch the soul of a grown up; a deeply meaningful, poinient animated classic. Another reviewer described it as the "best animated film ever," and while I'm not quite bold enough to echo that sentiment, I can't seem to think of one that surpasses it at the moment.

That said, I'm deeply irritated by the edits that were made. The producers who did it should be ashamed of themselves for altering a single word. Who exactly did they think they were protecting? Or was it just a money thing? Stupid fools. Unchanged, it would get 5 stars, but in good concience, I must give it 4 stars for that reason alone.

Beautiful.......2007-05-21

The presentation (picture and sound) are excellent. The edits mentioned are very annoying (and not edited out of the earlier DVD edition) but the widescreen presentation is much nicer to watch. The extra features are somewhat interesting but do not reveal anything very interesting about the movie itself (story-writing, making of, casting, etc.). Worth getting, but I am also keeping my earlier DVD for posterity.

Average customer rating:

Visually stunning, well acted.
Disliked it five years ago, still don't like it today!
The Director Turned A Simple Play Into Something Amazing!!!
Amazing version, Great for Classroom
A Midsummer Night's Entertainment

A Midsummer Night's Dream
Starring: Kevin Kline , Michelle Pfeiffer , Stanley Tucci , Rupert Everett , and Calista Flockhart
Director: Michael Hoffman
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 6305622876
Release Date: 2003-04-15

Amazon.com

Imagine a work by Shakespeare reduced to one of those pretty, glossy coffee-table picture books that have only a dollop of text alongside its sumptuous photographs, and you might have Michael Hoffman's adaptation of A Midsummer Night's Dream. This all-star version of Shakespeare's comedy is gorgeously shot in Tuscany, complete with a magical forest, breathtaking landscapes, beautiful villas, picturesque villages, stunning period costumes--oh wait, there's supposed to be a story here, too! Hoffman hijacks Shakespeare's basic premise but doesn't instill it with much more than surface shine and transplants it to turn-of-the-century Italy. Ergo, it's left up to the actors to find the heart and soul of this classic play, in which the fairies of the forest play mix and match with four young lovers, courtesy of a magical love potion. Hoffman couldn't ask for better (or better looking) actors to play Shakespeare's dreamlike love games--Michelle Pfeiffer, Rupert Everett, Calista Flockhart, Christian Bale, Stanley Tucci, Kevin Kline, Anna Friel, Dominic West, the list goes on and on--but he sure as heck doesn't know what to do with them, aside from putting them in various states of undress. Only Flockhart (as the lovestruck Helena), Tucci (a sprightly Puck), Pfeiffer (dazzling and funny as the queen of the fairies), and especially the sublime Kline (as weaver-turned-donkey Bottom) seem to connect with their characters in ways that make this adaptation occasionally soar; the rest are inexplicably left to flounder. Hoffman does seem to set himself right with the film's climax, when Bottom's amateur acting troupe hilariously enacts the tale of Pyramus and Thisbe (it helps that the troupe includes Roger Rees, Sam Rockwell, and Bill Irwin). Those searching for a more in-depth exploration of Shakespeare's farce might do better to look elsewhere, but if it's gorgeous actors and scenery you're in the mood for (along with an evocative opera soundtrack), and an all's-well-that-ends-well ending, this Midsummer Night will give you pleasant if weightless dreams. --Mark Englehart

Description

A stellar cast, headed by Michelle Pfeiffer and Kevin Kline, bring Shakespeare's romantic comedy to life. When two pairs of star-crossed lovers, a feuding pair of supernatural sprites and a love potion gone awry all come together in an enchanted moonlit forest, the result is a delightful mix of merriment and magic. Also starring Calista Flockhart, Stanley Tucci and Rupert Everett.

Customer Reviews:

Visually stunning, well acted........2007-07-12

I'm a big fan of Shakespear movies, simply because I like hearing the dialogue rather that reading it. Kevin Kline, Michelle Pfeiffer and Stanley Tucci are superb and pull off their parts with mastery. The set is absulutely gorgeous with whimsical woodland scenes, making you wish you could actually visit such a place. The end scene with Kevin Kline stumbling thru a horrible play is definitely the best part of this adaptation, but all scenes are very well acted and directed. The only thing stopping this from getting 5 stars id the presence of Calista Flockhart, I'm not a big fan, and her chracter is somwhat annoying. All things considered, this is my second favorite movie adaptation of Shakespeare, after "The Merchant of Venice" (Pacino Rules).

Disliked it five years ago, still don't like it today!.......2007-06-13

Saw this when it first came out and hated it; watching it again, in hopes of using it in a class, and again I find it tedious and uninspired. It has all the right parts, in terms of actors (though I must confess to disliking Stanley Tucci's Puck), but the conception is busy, pretentious, and sadly missing the spirit of the play! As another reviewer said, if you haven't read much Shakespeare or seen much on stage, you may like this film. If you have read Shakes, and seen good stagings of this and other plays, you'll find it to be two very tedious hours. I still think I"ll use part of it in class, though, in comparison with at least one other filmed stage performance (the Royal Shakespeare Company's), just to spur discussion about updating and interpreting Shakespeare!

The Director Turned A Simple Play Into Something Amazing!!!.......2007-05-31

We first began to read Midsummer Night's Dream in school a few days ago. Then we watched the beginning of the movie (this one). I found the play extremely bland to read. The actors brought it to life! The director was best though, using modern items while keeping all the original text from Shakespeare, nothing has been orally changed. This movie is PG-13 but only idiots would hold it from anyone over 10.

Amazing version, Great for Classroom.......2007-05-09

This is a great supplement for anyone teaching Shakespeare Comedies. The acting is supperb and the sets bring the story to life. It is great seeing American actors trying their hand with the Bard's craft and doing it well.

A Midsummer Night's Entertainment.......2007-05-06

This film adaptation of William Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream" is a star-studded and workable translation of the original play. It has a movie's freedom of action with respect to sets. The story moves easily from a Duke's luxurious Italian villa being prepared for a wedding, to a forest where two sets of lovers undergo a comedy of mistaken emotions thanks to feuding among groups of ethereal spirits, to the small town outside the villa where a group of workers is preparing a play to present at the wedding. The sets are sumptious, attractive to the eye, and suitable to the story.

The cast is truly star-studded, all with very solid movie credentials, although few with real chops for a Shakespeare play. Kevin Kline easily steals the show as the hapless Bottom, an over-the-top actor who is bewitched by the spirit Puck (played with mischevious good humor by Stanley Tucci) into a love affair with the Queen of the Fairies (played by Michelle Pfeiffer). Rupert Everett is solid as a spirit who while in search of revenge on the Queen unleashes much of the magical mayhem in the forest. Calista Flockheart seems least up to par as an hysterical Helena, one of the star-crossed lovers in the forest,

Perhaps the best portion of the movie is the play within a play, as Kevin Kline and his ham-handed fellow troupers struggle to put together their play. The audience cannot help but feel sympathy as they wrestle with lack of talent, uncooperative sets, and the unintended consequences of improvisation. Their determination is rewarded by an unorthodox but ultimately successful presentation that earns them the sincere compliments of the Duke.

This movie is recommended to fans of Shakespeare who are prepared to forgive the uneven efforts of a large troup of actors for an ultimately entertaining story.

Average customer rating:

The Start of a Great Saga
"What kind of knight are you?"
Alright Shrek, you and me, bring it on!
best movie ever!!!!!!!!
Entertaining

Shrek (Two-Disc Special Edition)
Starring: Mike Myers , Eddie Murphy , Cameron Diaz , and John Lithgow
Director: Andrew Adamson , and Vicky Jenson
Manufacturer: Dreamworks Animated
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00003CXXJ
Release Date: 2001-11-02

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

The Start of a Great Saga.......2007-08-29

This is the first in a great series of fairy tale parodies! A must buy!

"What kind of knight are you?".......2007-08-18

Alright Shrek, you and me, bring it on!.......2007-08-02

best movie ever!!!!!!!!.......2007-07-20

Entertaining.......2007-07-05

The Lord of the Rings - The Fellowship of the Ring (Widescreen Edition)

Average customer rating:

Sets the Bar for Fantasy Movies
MST3K Fans Rejoice -- Rifftrax is Here!
"Q: Where Would You Rather Be? A: Anywhere But Here..."
A bad adaptation of a great book
Best Lord of the Rings Movie ever!

The Lord of the Rings - The Fellowship of the Ring (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Noel Appleby , Sean Astin , Sala Baker , Sean Bean , and Cate Blanchett
Manufacturer: New Line Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00003CWT6
Release Date: 2002-08-06

Amazon.com essential video

As the triumphant start of a trilogy, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring leaves you begging for more. By necessity, Peter Jackson's ambitious epic compresses J.R.R. Tolkien's classic The Lord of the Rings, but this robust adaptation maintains reverent allegiance to Tolkien's creation, instantly qualifying as one of the greatest fantasy films ever made. At 178 minutes, it's long enough to establish the myriad inhabitants of Middle-earth, the legendary Rings of Power, and the fellowship of hobbits, elves, dwarves, and humans--led by the wizard Gandalf (Ian McKellen) and the brave hobbit Frodo (Elijah Wood)--who must battle terrifying forces of evil on their perilous journey to destroy the One Ring in the land of Mordor. Superbly paced, the film is both epic and intimate, offering astonishing special effects and production design while emphasizing the emotional intensity of Frodo's adventure. Ending on a perfect note of heroic loyalty and rich anticipation, this wondrous fantasy continues in The Two Towers (2002). --Jeff Shannon

Description

Based on J.R.R. Tolkien's masterpiece, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring is an epic adventure of good against evil, the power of friendship and individual courage. The saga centers around an unassuming Hobbit named Frodo Baggins who inherits a Ring that would give a dark and powerful lord the power to enslave the world. With a loyal fellowship of elves, dwarves, men and a wizard, Frodo embarks on a heroic quest to destroy the One Ring and pave the way for the emergence of mankind.

DVD Features:
3D Animated Menus
DVD ROM Features:Exclusive online content
Documentaries:3 in-depth programs that reveal the secrets behind the production of this epic adventure, including: -"Welcome to Middle-earth" in-store special as shown by Houghton Mifflin -"The Quest for the Ring" as debuted on the FBC Network -"A Passage to Middle-earth" as premiered on the SCI-FI Channel
Featurette:15 featurettes originally created for lordoftherings.net, which explore the locales and cultures of Middle-earth and include interviews with cast members Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Viggo Mortensen, Liv Tyler and others. Exclusive 10-minute behind-the-scenes preview of the next The Lord of the Rings theatrical release, The Two Towers.
Music Video:Enya "May It Be" music video
Other:An inside look at the Special Extended DVD Edition of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring Preview of Electronic Arts' video game, The Two Towers Double Amaray Packaging
TV Spot
Theatrical Trailer:Original theatrical trailers

Customer Reviews:

Sets the Bar for Fantasy Movies.......2007-09-10

This movie is everything that fantasy should be. What an experience! This a story that has stood the test of time and that has been brilliantly brought to the screen. Worth watching again and again. Don't rent it, own it.

MST3K Fans Rejoice -- Rifftrax is Here!.......2007-08-09

The greatest fantasy epic of all times is at last a RiffTrax! No, not Crossroads - we already did that. And not A Very Unlucky Leprechaun - which we haven't done yet but are seriously mulling over. We speak of course of Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, the thrilling tale of some short guys, some slightly taller hairy guys, some thin, fey, but slightly taller guys, some grungy, somewhat beefier, slightly taller guys, and a frighteningly hairy, older, slightly taller guy with a stick, and their quest to throw something somewhere hot.

Mike Nelson and special guest riffer Kevin Murphy go after the ultimate comedy prize in this very special two-part RiffTrax.

This RiffTrax is only compatible with the Theatrical Release, not the extended edition. It does however, work for both the single side and doubled sided versions of the Theatrical Release.

Viewing Suggestion: This RiffTrax was written and performed with the whole family in mind, so if you are comfortable with your children watching Lord of the Rings, this should be perfectly appropriate for them as well. Skip the endless reruns of The War at Home and treat your whole family to the RiffTrax experience!

"Q: Where Would You Rather Be? A: Anywhere But Here...".......2007-07-20

Follow in "The Lord of the Rings" creator's (J.R.R. Tolkien's) footsteps. Project a malevolent universe. Invent a world and animate it with creatures in conflict. Make the conflict a battle between good and evil, but don't identify clearly the moral value or purpose of either side. In fact, remove morality's essence altogether by eliminating the power of choice for your characters. Emphasize the corruptibility of men. Glamorize the supernatural. Dwell interminably on the preparations for and the wreaking of violence and destruction, on the fragility of hope and happiness. Name the scene of action: Middle-earth. Sound like an environment you'd care to envision? Would you "live" there? If so, fate alone will decide its survival and your own. You can visit this predetermined "paradise" by watching/enduring/suffering Peter Jackson's elaborately filmed adaptation of Tolkien's epic trilogy, which begins with "The Fellowship of the Ring."

I hold it is true that what is not worth contemplating in life is not worth contemplating in art. For its dismaying lack of meaningful moral definition, its pervasive pictorial ugliness, the quantity of its scenes of mind-numbing graphic violence, and its minimizing of the value of happiness, "The Lord of the Rings" films--including this one--ought to be shunned and damned.

A bad adaptation of a great book.......2007-07-10

Let me begin by saying that I have been a Tolkien fan since I was in Jr. High School oh so many years ago. I, along with the rest of the known universe, eagerly awaited the film release of Tolkien's massive epic. To say I was disappointed in the end result is putting it mildly.

I suppose I have only myself to blame. After all, I should have known the cause was lost the instant I learned Peter Jackson was going to direct the trilogy. With all due respect to Mr. Jackson, he does not seem like the kind of person who could even comprehend, let alone translate on to film, the theology and complex allegory that are the hallmarks of the LoTR. After all, anyone who knows the first thing about Tolkien knows that he was a devout Roman Catholic of the pre-Vatican II variety and that his religious views profoundly influenced his writing.

My guess is that Peter Jackson, who would probably make a great Dungeon Master, knows little of and could care less about Roman Catholicism no matter what brand you are talking about. Hence, instead of timeless epic we are stuck with what amounts to warmed over Dungeon and Dragons that is the all too predictable result of his efforts.

Other reviewers have already done an excellent job of cataloging this film's (and the entire trilogy's) many glaring shortcomings so I will not regurgitate them here. What I will say is this. His worst offense in my opinion is not even the barely thought thru script, terrible casting (Liv Tyler, Viggo Mortenson, Cate Blanchett) and huge chunks of the book that were either left out (Barrow Downs, Tom Bombadil, Shelob) or mutilated beyond recognition (Helm's Deep, The Ents, Faramir). His greatest sin is that he manages to take one of the most interesting and exciting stories ever written and make it dull and boring. That for me is enough to warn any potentinal customers away from purchasing this product.

The plain fact of the matter is that the LoTR, because of its structure and length, simply does not lend itself to being made as a feature film. My advice to anyone looking to discover the great treasure of Tolkien's Middle Earth is to purchase the books and read them. You can't do any better than that.

Best Lord of the Rings Movie ever!.......2007-07-06

This version of the Lord of the Rings as a movie is the best ever made.

Okay some "changes" were necessary to make it a commercial successful movie, such as reducing "responsibilities" for events to a minimum (result: somebody was held responsible for things in the movie, where somebody else was responsible in the book), Some characters and events (especially the first third) are just missing (to make the movie not too long and difficult for NON-Book Readers). They did not mention some locations and events from the first book and gave some information, which were not available until book 2 or 3.

Some Characters for Book 2-3 got also a role in book 1 (movie 1) to substitute characters from the original book (to keep it simple). In addition, some dialogs did never take place, but that is understandable, if you want to tell the story in a movie.

Nevertheless, they had to sacrifice something to make a good movie to tell Tolkien's story with real characters.

It is a fantasy world. You cannot expect that somebody spend 100+ million dollars, to make a 1-1 version of a book. A 1-1 version would require making 3 movies with 3-5 hour length. In addition, after part 1 would nobody (who did NOT read the book) go to watch part 2. Final Comment: Read the books! Moreover, if you do not read books, this movie version is the best you can get right now.

(Original review January 13, 2002)

Average customer rating:

A Classic Book Reduced to a Poorly Animated Kid's Cartoon
The Goblin Cleaver
really fun
The Hobbit
The Hobbit: Animated (dvd)

The Hobbit
Starring: Orson Bean , Richard Boone , Hans Conried , John Huston , and Otto Preminger
Director: Jules Bass , and Arthur Rankin Jr.
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00005MP59
Release Date: 2001-09-11

Amazon.com

The J.R.R. Tolkien fantasy classic set in Middle-earth was adapted into this excellent 1978 animated feature first broadcast on television. Codirectors Jules Bass and Arthur Rankin Jr., working from a script by Romeo Muller, are faithful to Tolkien's story and for that alone they get big points. The vocal cast can't be improved upon: Orson Bean is perfect as Bilbo Baggins, the timorous hobbit who grows brave on his adventure with the wizard Gandalf (John Huston). Otto Preminger is the voice of Elvenking, Richard Boone is Smaug, Hans Conreid is Thorin, and Brother Theodore is very effective as the weird Gollum. Terrific for kids and adults alike. --Tom Keogh

Description

A wonderous animated version of J.R.R. Tolkein's classic about the magical world of Middle Earth and the adventures of lovable Bilbo Baggins. Featuring the voices of Orson Bean and John Huston. Year: 1977 Director: Jules Bass, Arthur Rankin Jr. Starring: Orson Bean, John Huston

Customer Reviews:

A Classic Book Reduced to a Poorly Animated Kid's Cartoon.......2007-09-16

As a big fan of J. R. R. Tolkien's classic novel "The Hobbit," I was extremely disappointed after watching this animated version last night.

Released as a television movie in 1978, this animated "cartoon" version of one of my favorite books fails in just about every way possible. From the completely uninspired, low budget TV animation, to the annoying soundtrack complete with horrible songs, this movie completely misses the fun and excitement of the book.

Sadly, Tolkien's wonderful characters are all reduced to dull, unmemorable one dimensional cartoons, and even the voice talents of such people as John Huston, who is the voice of Gandalf, add little to the overall mediocre production.

If you're looking for a nice "kiddy movie" to keep your very young children entertained for a few hours, than maybe this movie will be acceptable. But if you are a serious adult fan of "The Hobbit" I think you will be unimpressed and probably quite bored with this animated version.

The Hobbit is a true classic. It's a wonderful fairy tale, a grand adventure and such a fun book to read as a kid, and again as an adult. I truly hope that one day this book gets the same "live action" film treatment that Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings" has already received. It's long overdue that this story becomes the epic motion picture that so many fans have been hoping for.

Mike

The Goblin Cleaver.......2007-05-31

Pure gold, end of story, a must have for any DVD collection of fantasy fun...dillholes...

really fun.......2007-05-29

I really enjoyed The Hobbit years ago and just as much now. It hits the right high points. Hope we get a live action version of it.

The Hobbit.......2007-02-17

The Hobbit is an excellant family movie, and a must see if you would like to find out how the lord of the rings got started.

The Hobbit: Animated (dvd).......2007-02-04

I was looking forward to watching this animated version, as i havent read the book. I was expecting it to be like the original Lord Of The Rings animated classic... but was dissapointed by a few things. Firstly the animation is aimed at younger children of about 2-5 years old. The songs are really really annoying & too american style, as well as american accents which, i feel spoil it. The atmosphere is great & the backdrops wonderfull. As well as some really beautifull effects....

The main thing i hate is that Golem looks more like a frog than how he is supposed to look.

It great to see The Hobbit on dvd, but i prefer to watch it with the sound OFF.

Why didnt they just make this & "the return of the king" amimation, the same as the original? or mabe just tweak it slightly here & there?

visualy impressive, but a sonic failure.

Average customer rating:

A Must for Any Barbie or Ballet Fan
A Must See!
All time great classic
Great Movie for the young and older
Barbie of Swan Lake rocks! Totally rocks!!!!!

Barbie of Swan Lake
Starring: Kelly Sheridan , Mark Hildreth , Kelsey Grammer , Maggie Wheeler , and Venus Terzo
Director: Owen Hurley
Manufacturer: Lions Gate
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Accessories:

Barbie of Swan Lake

ASIN: B0000A1HW7
Release Date: 2003-09-30

Product Description

Barbie magically comes to life in her third animated movie, Barbie: Of Swan Lake. Barbie stars as Odette, the baker's daughter who follows a unicorn into an enchanted forest. While there, she is transformed into a swan by an evil wizard. Through courage, honesty and intelligence, she will save herself as well as the Enchanted Forest.

Format: DVD MOVIE

Amazon.com

Barbie shines in her third animated movie, an adaptation of the classic ballet Swan Lake. A young girl named Odette (played by Barbie) follows a beautiful unicorn into the enchanted forest and picks up a magic crystal that proclaims her destiny as savior of the enchanted forest. Odette, hampered by an overwhelming sense of insecurity, proclaims herself unfit for the job and sets out to leave the forest when the evil wizard Rothbart (voiced by Kelsey Grammer) turns her into a swan. Bolstered by the powers of the magic crystal, Odette vows to defeat Rothbart. Meanwhile, love blossoms between Odette and the town's Prince Daniel and, eventually, Odette finds a courage within herself that, combined with her intelligence and the true love between her and the Prince, proves powerful enough to defeat Rothbart. The computer-generated animation in this 83-minute presentation is vivid and lifelike, the London Symphony gives a wonderful performance of Tchaikovsky's original music, and the choreography and dancing is nicely done thanks to Peter Martins and the New York City Ballet. (Ages 3-8) --Tami Horiuchi

Customer Reviews:

A Must for Any Barbie or Ballet Fan.......2007-06-10

Much to my surprised my three year old love this gift from a friend. I was also please by the music. The sound track is wonderful and the bonus tracks included on the DVD are worth a look. My three old really enjoy the section when the ballet dances were explained in detail. I am considering buying the rest of the movies in this series.

A Must See!.......2006-12-30

Swan Lake rocks! Barbie stars as a young girl named Odette who works in a bakery with her father. And one day, a unicorn is on the loose in town Babie{Odette} folows her into an echanted forest. The villagers tied a rope around the unicorn. So Odette plucks a crystal out of a tree to cut the rope. Then A magical Fairy queen apears named Theresa and tells Odette about her evil cousin Rothbart."He cast a spell on everyone in the forest". Odette saw children turned into animals."And whoever frees the crystal, will save the forest". "But I'm just an ordinary girl says Odette. So watch this movie to find out each of us is braver than we think.

All time great classic.......2006-12-26

This movie was ok, I guess. I think people loved it so much because the story was tested by time and after so many centuries people still liked the story.
Some of the dialouge was surprisingly similar to Barbie as Rapunzel however.

Great Movie for the young and older.......2006-10-02

I bought this movie for my daughter when it first came out. My daughter was 2 almost 3 and she loved it. She is almost 6 now and still loves to watch it. However, I have to admit I really like to watch it too. It is my favorite animated Barbie movie to date. It is so beatifully done.

Barbie of Swan Lake rocks! Totally rocks!!!!! .......2006-08-18

I Love barbie of swan lake. If you LOVE unicorns,fairys,magic,sparkles, etc. then this is the movie for you! SPOILER!!! First off: Barbie\Odette is a girl that works in her papa's bakery.Also,there is Odette's sister that rides a horse,she only appears a few times in the movie. Odette follows a unicorn,Lila,into the Enchanted Forest. She pulls out the magic crystal from a tree. Then the Fairy queen appears and tells Odette she can save the forest. Odette thinks she is not the right person.But then Rothbart turn Odette into a swan.The fairy queen change the spell and odette is a swan by day/girl at night.She needs to find the book of forest lore,and goes to Erasmus's cave..........Then prince daniel is about to kill Odette :0 but ends up fasinated by her beautiful-ness....fall in love.....etc,etc,etc.....GET THE MOVIE TO FIND OUT! THE ''scary''music actually fits in with the movie. my favorite part of this movie is where the fairy queen tells Odette about how rothbart took over the forest. And then Rothbart has freaky red eyes! SERIOUSLY. RED EYES!!!!! AAACCCKKK. WHY did Mattel PUT IN RED EYES?!?!?! those red eyes are so so................................ugh! Then again,I felt I could sit through it. RED EYES only appear 2 times in this movie.... I mean if I were you I would,on the first time the red eyes come,please turn the volume down,and fast foward or go to ''My favorite scenes'' and choose a different scence.First time I saw it (the whole thing)I COULD NOT BELIVE IT!!!!!!! Then I came to the second red eyes thing,when Rothbart was an eagle....I sat through it and it wasn't to bad. that is what I would do. anyway,I think Odile(Rothbart's daughter)'s laugh isn't that annoying I think some of her lines are funny (''Oh, you are all roadkill!'') This movie is...it ROCKS.THIS MOVIE ROCKS EVEN THOUGH IT HAS A RED EYES AND A EVIL ROTHBART. BARBIE LOVER

Average customer rating:

Epic Movie (Unrated Edition)
Spoof With No Spunk
Just save your money, nothing new here
TRASH!
Not Bad, but Not Great either

Epic Movie (Unrated Edition)
Starring: Kal Penn , Adam Campbell (IV) , Jennifer Coolidge , Jayma Mays , and Faune A. Chambers
Director: Jason Friedberg , and Aaron Seltzer
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000O76ZOO
Release Date: 2007-05-22

Amazon.com

By dint of the inexplicable popularity of their send-up of movie genres in the parody movies Scary Movie and Date Movie, writer/director duo Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer probably got an epic-sized bucket of cash for this hastily stitched pastiche of drive-by entertainment. There's no particular variety of movie they were sent to send up this time, unless big box-office grossers has now become a genre in and of itself. If so, Epic Movie may well qualify as part of that league itself. Very little expense has been spared to make so-called "comic" references to a slew of mostly recent blockbusters--The Chronicles of Narnia, Borat, Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, the X-Men and Harry Potter series, Superman Returns, Nacho Libre, and The Da Vinci Code to name a few--and it's assumed we've seen them all. In a goofy thread of a story about four orphans plucked from some of the above, battle must be done through various bastardized plots from same so that a prophecy can be fulfilled and they can assume their rightful place as rulers of a sacred land. Lots of crotch kicks, fart, urine, and vomit jokes speed by as we pass through Willie Wonka's factory and a magical wardrobe with an unusually interesting assortment of look-alikes and name actors caught up in the gag mix (some of it legitimately funny). Darrell Hammond, Crispin Glover, David Carradine, Kevin McDonald, Carmen Electra, Kal Penn put on game (and sometimes gamy) faces, and it's definitely a hoot to watch comedy improv alums Fred Willard and Jennifer Coolidge as Aslo the Lion and the White Bitch do battle in a Narnian good vs. evil character smackdown. As lame as you already expect a movie like this to be, anything that can throw together an homage to C.S. Lewis alongside MTV's Punk'd in less than 90 minutes can't be all bad. --Ted Fry

Epic Movie Extras

Watch the writers and producer talk about how adding song and dance made Epic Movie a smash.

Beyond Epic Movie

More Comic Spoofs
More Kal Penn Films
More From 20th Century Fox

Stills from Epic Movie

Description

The hilarious hi-jinks begin when a hapless group of orphans from curious backgrounds come together to embark on an adventure that takes them to a special chocolate factory where they fall into an enchanted wardrobe and wind-up in a magical land. Here, hilarity ensues when the bungling bunch run into a colorful collection of characters including a flamboyant pirate and a gang of wizardry-apprentices who they join forces with to overthrow the wicked White Bitch of Gnarnia.

Customer Reviews:

Epic Movie (Unrated Edition) .......2007-09-16

Epic Movie (Unrated Edition)
At first I had visions that this less than "Epic" was on the heels of let us say Mel Brooks, "Space Balls or Blazing Saddles." For its parady, but upon closer examination that film is crude and double untundras and obvious erotic inclinations, make it seem more like a low budget film made in someone dormitory using the theatrical department of an under budget production company. If there is any justice the writers and directors will not be allowed to make any more films, (or be allowed to run with sharp objects).

Spoof With No Spunk.......2007-09-02

For fans of older spoofs, such as "The Naked Gun" series and Mel Brooks' movies, like Spaceballs, I am afraid "Epic Movie" will prove to be an earth-shattering disapppointment. It would be better that you watched some of the above movies again. It will surely entertain more.

The masic plot, (totally derived from other movies almost verbatim and mixed up a little), is that 4 orphans from different movies find themselves in the factory of Willy Wonker, who has some nefarious plans for them. Escaping to the land beyond the wardrobe, you can pretty much guess what happens next with some not-so-subtle alterations.

What you have in this movie is an attempted spoof without any vestige at all of originality or adaptation. While it is hard to say whether this movie reaches the depths of Bewitched (Special Edition), I think it at least runs a close second.

The one startling positive among the sea of abysmal drivel that is this movie was the character of Jack Swallows. This is not because he is hilarious, (nothing of the sort), but I just thought he did a good job of parodying Captain Jack Sparrow of Carribean fame.

Basically, don't waste your time or your money on this one. There are much better spoofs out there. "Epic Movie" belongs on the trash heap of movies that will be forgotten, if we are lucky.

Just save your money, nothing new here.......2007-08-28

This has got to be one of the worst spoof movies I have ever seen, and that is amongst some big bad ones, like the last 2 scary movies, and date movie. they need to kill this series. they have a huge cult following, and I admit, I was a follower. But no more. This was just awful. 4 orphans are given a chance to tour a chocholate factory, where the evil owner tries to imprison them. Low and behold, they escape into a wardrobe where they can become heros. However, they do this through a lot of childish jokes, and just sensless nudity (in the unrated version). either version you rent, theatrical or unrated, just plain pointless. there just wasn't much to laugh at. Save your money, leave this on the shelf.

TRASH!.......2007-08-16

Stupid corny garbage that preys upon unsuspecting idiots. Sucked every bit as hard as Date Movie! It would take five pages to name all the levels this movie fails on! I urge everyone to never watch this movie again, I urge whatever company that is pressing copies of this DVD to take it out of syndication, burn it, and pray that time will mend the wounds of having ever seen this. Let's just pretend this never happened, there just may be hope for the human race yet...

Not Bad, but Not Great either.......2007-08-12

I'm going to have to agree with most of the previous reviewers in saying that this is indeed not the best of films compared to other spoofs out there.
Epic Movie, following in the footsteps of Date Movie, Shriek if You Know What I Did Last Friday the 13th, and the Scary Movie series, is a parody of several films including X-Men, Narnia, Nacho Libre, Willy Wanka, The DaVinci Code, Harry Potter, even Borat, Superman and James Bond (albeit briefly), with the funniest of all being... Pirates of the Caribbean!
It is a humorous movie... at times. The casting is good, though some of the dialogues could have been better. What it comes down to is that they could have worked on the humor much more.
The girls are also a great addition; Carmen Electra was HOT as Mystique and the girls in the brief nude scenes were NICE as well.
What I found very disappointing was the poor choice of music, which was TERRIBLE to say the least!
Overall, far from being a masterpiece, it just might provide for an evening's entertainment if one is in a really silly mood and/or intoxicated.

Average customer rating:

The Thinking Man's Animation
Great deep messages
The Last Unicorn
Superb, but...
Beautiful

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