Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, 2nd GIG, Volume 04 (Episodes 13-16)

Amazon.com

Stand Alone Complex (2nd Gig) continues to grow more pointedly political as it progresses. The agents of Public Security Section 9 discover that the cases they're investigating are linked to the troubled relations between Japan and Imperial America: The latter is attempting to reassert its global military dominance while grappling with its economic weakness. But the prime minister and her cabinet face those problems. Batou, the Major, and the rest of the Section have to deal with unrest among the refugees, suicide bombers, and the Individualists. The members of the Individual Eleven--except for Kuze, their leader--commit mass suicide in a bloody spectacle that recalls the theatrical death of the great Japanese writer Yukio Mishima in 1970. The Tachikoma robots speculate that as they are abandoning collective consciousness and developing individuality, a dependence on the Net is leading humans in the opposite direction. That trend makes people more vulnerable to the micro-machines and cyber-viruses of the Individualist plot--unless Section 9 can thwart it in time. (Rated 13 and older: violence, violence against women, brief nudity, alcohol, drug and tobacco use) --Charles Solomon

Description

Chasing Phantoms While on the trail of Kuze, Section 9 tracks down the person who made his one-of-a-kind prosthetic face. There's only one problem—the designer is dead. And the person who killed him is Paz, or someone who looks exactly like him! And Section 9 has some downtime, which they put to good use. During a friendly poker game, Saito recounts his first encounter with the Major, when they were both looking down the barrel of each other's guns. But there's still a lot of work left to be done, as everyone tries to unravel the mystery of the Individual Eleven and discover the whereabouts of Kuze.

Customer Reviews:

OUT OF THE SHADOWS.......2006-06-02

After the Individual Eleven committed ritual suicide on a skyscraper roof last volume, Section 9 is left with the only one of the members that did not submit to the killing directive. He's the same guy that tried to kill the Prime Minister and his name is Kuze. He has a custom made cyborg body that makes him almost invulnerable to weapons or injury. He also has a very distinctive face, one so distinct that there's only one person in the country that could make it, but he's been killed by....Paz??!! This is just the beginning of Volume 4's focus on the supporting cast, allowing background characters to receive the main focus. Episode 14 is about Saito's first encounter with the Major many years ago when they were on opposite sides of a war. Episode 15 concerns the Tachikoma's creator as he decides to flee to another country, taking his technological expertise with him. It's up to Section 9 to capture him before that happens, but along the way, the Tachikomas begin to question their own individuality and their own feelings(?) about their dad. The last episode brings Kuze's past to light as we get a glimpse of the man behind the mask...literally.

Volume 4, while a great anime, was a bit of a letdown in a way to me. While I liked the focus on some of the minor characters, their stories seemed a little tacked on to me. To me it felt like the creators said something like "Let's write an episode about Saito" without really fitting or adding to the larger story. The writing didn't seem as strong either. How many times have we heard the "Let me tell you about the time...." cliche during Saito's episode? They should have just played the episode with a "10 years ago" subtitle at the bottom instead of making it a flashback. I enjoyed the Tachikoma episode the most because sometimes those robots seem the most human of the entire cast, if that makes any sense. While it was subpar for this series, this volume still blows away most anime out there.

Awesome and I don't care if it is Anti-American.......2006-05-19

As a Journalist in the U.S., I am pleasantly surprised at how close 2nd gig is following real world situations, especially in the area of illegal immigration the U.S. I feel 2nd gig is providing us with a glimpse of the future and what "might" happen if President Bush gets his "immigrant worker status" approved. As far as Anti-Americanism is concerned, more people need to watch the first season and this current season (2nd gig) to understand how nations around the world perceive us. This is a wonderful mature series that needs to be placed along side some of the best movies and television shows that have received critical acclaim.

Re: anti American.......2006-04-06

After watching this DVD I must say I am still very impressed with there work. however another reviewer said something that I believe needs to be corrected. the first and most obviouse error is the American Flag Patches. If you look at any american service man, or woman, you will find there flag is the same way. this is actually the correct way for it to look.

While I agree that "make up" has its flaws in that place, it just wouldnt have been the same exciting ending if it was otherwise.

The tachikomas and a philosophical element to a, for the most part, otherwise psychological anime.

This DVD is deep, and gives you some more back stories to the lesser known characters and I highley recomend it to any fan.

Ghost In The Shell S.A.C. (Vol 4.).......2006-03-22

Production I.G. does it again in Vol.4 this series continues to get better with every volume and every episode. For those of you who have not seen this series I suggest you do so ASAP. Way to go Production I.G.!

Awesome show as always!! .......2006-03-14

Just wanted to point out a couple things quick namely the first review by Dylangump which states he doesn't like the tachikoma voices?? They are the same voices as season 1, and why now of all times do you decide to complain about them halfway through season 2?? As for the anti Amercian pleeeeaaassse! What other countries aren't entitled to there opinion? Plus if you knew anything about the military you would know that the US Army wears there American Flag on the shoulder backwards because it is meant to symbolize how the flag looks when charging into combat! Anyway this is a great show, and fans of the series, or the ghost in the shell movies will enjoy!

Average customer rating:

Not the "Illusion-O" version
a lot of fun to watch
Filmed in glorious B/W and in "ILLUSION-O
a classic ghostly horror flic
Ghostly sitcom

13 Ghosts
Starring: Rosemary DeCamp , Margaret Hamilton , Charles Herbert , Roy Jenson , and Martin Milner
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00005N5RQ
Release Date: 2001-09-11

Amazon.com

This terrific haunted-house thriller proved an unforgettable experience for 1960 audiences. Set in the mansion of a deceased scientist named Dr. Zorba, the story finds the late occult practitioner's nephew discovering a bunch of elusive spooks on the premises that can be seen only through Zorba's ghost-viewing glasses. Produced and directed by legendary showman William Castle, master of such garish, audience-pleasing gimmicks as flying skeletons and electric-shock theater seats, 13 Ghosts was hyped with an innovative process called "Illusion-O." Movie patrons were furnished with special, red-and-blue-colored glasses that allowed them to choose to see the titular specters or not. This DVD does not provide a working replica of the Illusion-O viewer (earlier copies did), but it offers both a straight, black-and-white version of the feature (no viewer necessary) and a version with the film's original tinted scenes requiring the viewer for extra fun. Also included is Castle's own introduction, in which he explains the Illusion-O technique. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

Not the "Illusion-O" version.......2007-08-14

If your looking for the original "Illusion-O" version look somewhere else cause this is the regular movie.

a lot of fun to watch .......2007-04-18

I don't own this one as a DVD but I caught it on digital cable on demand, and I will say William Castle is a damn good director. I would loved to see this one in the theater. The young kid in the film was great and so was the older sister. If I saw this movie if I was younger, I think I would be doing much more with writing ghost stories than I do right now. Coming from an author who writes ghost stories either as a fictional medium or a true medium, one can really appreciate the master of gimmicks.

I saw the remake of this movie too when I was staying at my now apartment, during a party trying to fall asleep (waiting for medicine to kick in at the time since I had a bad case of bronchitis and the flu at the party in 2005.) Though William Castle's been dead for 30 years now it is amazing what the guy was able to do with the genre.

Filmed in glorious B/W and in "ILLUSION-O.......2006-07-13

Some folks may consider this movie over the top, over the hill or just lame but I---who saw 13 Ghosts in real time (1960)---considered it the best of the spooky matinee fare of its day. It had a fantastic built up to the climax of the story. All the actors and actresses were top notch. But the true power of this movie was that it filmed in glorious B/W and in "ILLUSION-O." You can't beat that combination! And those who are critical of this movie ought to take a time out from their self-imposed and sanctimonious attitude and appreciate it; directed and produced by William Castle himself. They don't get any better!

a classic ghostly horror flic .......2006-07-08

i remember as a child of 9 the first time my friends and i went to see this movie it left a lasting impression. i went home that night and certainly did not want to take my 3d viewer with me. ive always been a lover of horror movies but for some reason that one stuck. then when the new one came out so many years later, i couldnt wait to go see it, and ended up quite disappointed ! if they would of kept the same storyline and left out the r rated features, and left in the fright, it would of been 100 per cent better. i would certainly enjoy another remake sticking to more of the old classic film.

Ghostly sitcom.......2006-06-16

William Castle made his directorial career out of spooks and curses -- both human and supernatural. One of his frothier films was "13 Ghosts," which doesn't come near the caliber of his better films, but is still fun to watch as a sort of supernatural sitcom. It isn't hard to imagine this as a TV series.

The Zorba family has just had their furniture repossessed (again) when Cyrus (Donald Woods) receives a letter from young lawyer Ben Rush (Martin Milner). His reclusive uncle just died, leaving the family a mansion and a pair of goggles for ghost-viewing. Grateful for this, Cyrus moves in with his wife and kids, despite Ben's insistence that something evil is lurking in the house.

And soon the Zorba family is being plagued by the twelve ghosts, from ghostly lions to a temperamental chef. Now they want out, and fast -- but they don't realize that Ben wants them to leave so he can find the money hidden somewhere in the house. Will Ben find the money and get away with it? And who will be the thirteenth ghost haunting the house?

"13 Ghosts" is a pretty straightforward film, with straightforward characters in a straightforward situation. Basically, it's like a long sitcom episode with ghosts -- we have your basic 1960s nuclear family (working dad, housewife, two kids) encountering a problem, and sort of bumbling into a solution.

The movie was made nearly fifty years ago, which means that the ghosts aren't too convincing, especially since Castle used a short-lived visual gimmick called "Illusion-O" (which for some reason is still on the DVDs). But Castle makes up for that with some entertaining scenes like the chef-specter flinging knives around the kitchen, and generates some real eeriness in the seance scene.

The acting is pretty good on most counts, with Milner, Woods, Jo Morrow and Rosemary DeCamp turning in solid enough performances. Margaret Hamilton is outstanding as a taut, secretive medium. But Charles Herbert plays a very annoying (and rather stupid) little boy. Did Castle think it was cute to have him call his dad's office and announce "I've got a secret"?

Though it's among William Castle's lesser works, "13 Ghosts" is a lightweight, amusing "horror" movie, with a nice mix of ghosts and treasurehunting.

Average customer rating:

Never go wrong with JS
A softcore, haunted house parody, lesbian fest.
BUY THIS!!!
This is not 3-D at all
Julie Strain the most Beautiful Ghost I ever saw,,,,

13 Erotic Ghosts
Starring: Felony , Richard Gabai , Aria Giovanni , Jay Richardson , and Nicole Specht
Manufacturer: Retromedia
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000AYYV7E
Release Date: 2005-10-11

Description

When a TV crew investigates some spooky goings-on at a creepy old school for girls, they find a bevy of comely apparitions that are all too willing to show themselves in the ectoplasmic altogether. Filmed in 3-D! Stars Julie Strain, Aria Giovanni, Richard Gabai, Jay Richardson.

Customer Reviews:

Never go wrong with JS.......2006-08-11

If you are looking for campy, fun, erotic, beautiful girls ... this is it. You can never go wrong with Julie Strain. If you know JS, then you know what to expect.

I recommend this movie, its what movies ar meant to be, fun and in this case erotic too,

A softcore, haunted house parody, lesbian fest........2006-02-07

13 Erotic Ghost sounded like a real winner. Tragedy strikes at an old girls school, which leaves the place haunted. Fast forward to the present day, when a film crew wants to document the ghosts. So the rest of the movie is just them observing lesbian ghost romps, except for the female member of the crew (Mia Zottoli) who also participates in the action. Overall, it was good, but there was a lot of room for improvement.

There are six sex scenes. Three are girl/girl: Mia and Nicole Specht, Felony and Aria Giovanni, and Felony and Nicole. These are all very good except for some audio problems that I'll comment on later.

Two are girl/girl/girl: Julie Strain and The Porcelain Twinz (Zen and Zero) are in both of these. Unfortunately, these scenes are the weakest in the movie. They are played mostly for comedy and don't really generate much heat.

The final scene is the best and really ends the movie on a high note. Nicole and Felony go at it again, with Mia watching. Quite a few times, Nicole and Felony step over the line into hardcore territory with no hesitation. Then Aria joins in on the action. When her needs are met, Mia decides to jump in too.

All the women are beautiful and hot, I just wish that Julie and the Twinz had been used more effectively. Other than that, the only problem is the audio. During many of the sex scenes, the overdubbing is very poor. The sounds of the actresses don't match up well at all with the action.

The 3D gimmick was a complete waste. With the glasses on, I couldn't see anything that even remotely looked 3D. Fortunately, it doesn't affect the video, and if you watch it without the glasses, it looks fine.

Retromedia has released better videos. However, if you're familiar with their stuff, and you really like lesbian action, I recommend this one.

BUY THIS!!!.......2005-03-14

This movie is great. My wife loved it as well. We had to wait, backorder and all, for 3-4 months to get this dvd. But it was worth the wait. You don't even have to watch till the end...

This is not 3-D at all.......2003-09-03

If you are interested in a silly DTV movie with lots of naked girls (including Julie Strain), by all means this won't disappoint. However, if you are intrigued by the 3-D idea then forget this one. Not one second was actually shot in stereoscopic 3-D at all. What the makers have TRIED to do is exploit something called The Pulfrich Illusion. This technique can give the impression of depth in a flat movie if the camera and background move in different directions. This has been tried, usually without success, in Super Bowl half times, music videos, cartoons, even sitcoms. They did not understand how to do do it and even with the glasses on there is very little if any depth to be seen, and certainly not anything which should be advertised as being "in 3-D". Shoot out the passanger window of a car moving at 25 MPH and then watch the video with the glasses and you will see more of the pulfrich effect than you will in 13 EROTIC GHOSTS.

Julie Strain the most Beautiful Ghost I ever saw,,,,.......2003-05-03

13 Erotic Ghost,is a fantastic movie,,, Julie Strain is at her best in this movie,,,, only Julie can walk into a room and light up the whole room like she does,,,with her radiant smile, her natural wit, and humor,, and her natural beauty,,,,, If you love Julie, like I love her,,, you will want to see this movie,,,It has alot of Lesbian ghosts, doing their thing,, but Julie has a way of introducing humor that makes even their antics funny and humorous,,Julie is such a talented actress; and even though their was not a formal script and the actresses and actors adlibbed, they did a great job, a must see if you are a die-hard Julie Strain Fan like I am....

Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, Volume 04 (Episodes 13-16)

Average customer rating:

A Review of the Special Edition Features
YOU'RE NEVER SATISFIED
Where the line between humans and machines is blurred
Who Is Smarter?
Much better than the average 3.5 star rating

Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, Volume 04 (Episodes 13-16)
Starring: Atsuko Tanaka , Osamu Saka , Akio Ôtsuka , Kôichi Yamadera , and Yutaka Nakano
Director: Kenji Kamiyama
Manufacturer: Anchor Bay Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0006GQMCI
Release Date: 2005-01-25

Product Description

Manga Entertainment along with Bandai Entertainment is excited to bring you the most exciting new sci-fi series of the year! Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex was co-produced by both Manga and Bandai and created by the revered animators at Japan s Production I.G (Kill Bill, Ghost in the Shell). Directed by Kenji Kamiyama (Blood: The Last Vampire, Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade) with music by Yoko Kanno (Cowboy Bebop), the series continues the story of the acclaimed anime feature film Ghost in the Shell which was based on the popular manga by revered Japanese comic book artist Shirow Masamune. Female cyborg Major Motoko Kusanagi and her fellow police officers of Section 9 hunt down a host of criminals in both the real and online worlds.

A band of terrorists claims to have possession of a girl who was kidnapped some years ago. But when Section 9 is called in to resolve the situation, they realize that something is very wrong - the girl is the same age she was when she was kidnapped all those years ago!

Then, Section 9 is assigned to guard a very wealthy and reclusive businessman who has been targeted for assassination by an international crime syndicate. But if they can t even find him, how will they guard him?

Back at headquarters, the Major has become disturbed by the behavior of the Tachikomas. Their AIs are developing too fast; she has doubts about their future usefulness. But Batou has other concerns as he goes undercover to spy on Zaitsev, a former Olympic silver medalist whom he admires. He wants his information to be wrong, for Zaitsev to be innocent. What will his operation reveal?

System Requirements:

Running Time 120 Min

Format: DVD MOVIE

Amazon.com

The search for the mysterious cyber-villain the Laughing Man falls by the wayside in this collection. Mamoru Oshii's original feature focused on Major Motoko Kusanagi; in the broadcast series, Batou emerges as a more complex and compelling character: Episode 16 hints at the complicated past that forged the human-cyborg fusion he ultimately became. In "Machines Desirantes," the Tachikomas, crab-like robots used by Public Security Section 9, appear to be developing individual personalities and a sense of their existence. Not surprisingly, they fear Kusanagi, but like Batou. The Tachikomas also seem to recognize some of the implications of their growing consciousness, and look to Flowers for Algernon and I, Robot for inspiration. However, their cute, childish voices--modeled after the performance of Japanese actress Akiko Tamagawa--sound odd discussing deep philosophical questions. (Rated 13 and older: considerable violence, grotesque imagery, alcohol and tobacco use) --Charles Solomon

Customer Reviews:

A Review of the Special Edition Features.......2006-09-27

I would rate the show as 5 stars, this is a review of the extras and features of the Special Edition issue.
I recently bought all the Special Edition releases of "Stand Alone Complex" after trying to research what I was going to get as extras not included in the regular edition. I found the listings on Amazon's product details to be a little confusing and incomplete on some of the volumes so I decided to write this guide for others trying to decide. I'm not going to review the "Ghost in the Shell" episodes or the series in general because there are so many excellent reviews already on this site, and most of you probably know about this great anime TV series already. There are various other reviews that say that some of the DVD's and CD's have errors on them and Bandai will replace them with corrected discs if you send them in for exchange. I have not ran into problems yet, although I haven't gone through the whole series either. And I will also state that I love the TV series as well as both movies, but I would recommend the Imported Region 2 version of GITS2:Innocence if you have a region free DVD player. Dreamworks really messed up that release omiting the English dub and putting Hard of Hearing subtitles instead of regular ones on the early issues of that movie. Most people find them very distracting and annoying.

First off the discs themselves, you get two DVD discs in each volume with the same episodes on both discs. Volumes 1-5 have 4 episodes each, 6 and 7 have 3 episodes each making 26 episodes total in the series. Both discs are Anamorphic wide screen encoded directly from the High-Definition Masters. Both Discs also have English subtitles. Each set also has two interviews with voice cast or someone associated with the production of the anime, and a printed DVD insert pamphlet or booklet with different interviews and such for each volume. All discs are Region 1.

Disc one has Dolby Digital 5.1 in Japanese and English, and Dolby Digital 2.0 in English and Japanese.

Disc two has DTS 5.1 in English and Japanese and a Dolby Digital 2.0 English track.

Volumes 1 and 2 include soundtrack CD's of the music of Yoko Kanno, the most excellent and versatile composer of the music in the TV series. Anime lovers know her work from the many fine soundtracks that she's done for countless other anime movies and TV series.

Volume 3 has a Black XL Fruit of the Loom Tee-Shirt with the section 9 logo on the front and a Major Kusanagi graphic on the back. Nice shirt!

Volumes 4 and 5 have a collectable I.D. cards for a section 9 member.

Volume 6 has a Black XL Fruit of the Loom Tee-Shirt with the section 9 logo on the front and a Batou graphic on the back, and another I.D. card. Nice shirt again!

Volume 7 has another Tee-Shirt! This time it's a White XL with the section 9 logo on the front, and the Laughing Man logo on the back! Once again nice shirt! It also comes with a tin box that's supposed to hold all 7 volumes of the DVD set. I was excited about getting the box but when it arrived I was disappointed with the design. It's kind of like the rectangular lunch box that you used to take to school as a kid, without the handle and latch. Its also of a thinner metal that dents easily. It has marketing type of printing on the backside that pertains to vol. 7 only, and the DVD cases stack inside one on top of the other. The spines of the cases are not visible when you open the box, only the front of the last case you put in. So you have to take all the cases out of the tin to get to a specific volume. There's also not room for the cardboard sleves that the DVD's were in when you got the individual volumes, and no room for the soundtrack CD's either. All said, I was disappointed with the box. Because of it's odd dimensions it doesn't stack in well with my DVD library. I would have much preferred the normal five sided box that usually comes with DVD sets.

Overall I'd say it's worth it to buy volumes 3, 6 and 7 new to get the shirts if they interest you and pick up the others used if you can to save some money on the series. That is if you're interested in the DTS soundtrack options. I much prefer the DTS mixes to Dolby Digital and wanted the soundtrack CD's as well. Also the cardboard boxes that come with volumes 3 and 6 are better than the tin box to store your set in when you complete the series, if you stack them on shelves one row of DVD's on top of another row, and you can fit the movies into those boxes as well to fill them the rest of the way.

YOU'RE NEVER SATISFIED.......2005-11-30

Section 9 locates a missing girl who was kidnapped years ago and plans to rescue her from an old oil rig that has become an open access black market and a haven for the heavily armed kidnappers. The strange thing is that the girl looked exactly as she did over ten years ago. It's the main mystery as the action-packed episode gets underway. In "Yes" the Major and company are assigned to protect a billionaire from assasination by an internationl crime syndicate. The problems is that he's so reclusive that they can't locate the man they're supposed to protect. And a cyborg killer is on his trail. Episode 15 concerns the growing AI of the Tachikoma tanks as they begin to see themselves as individuals. The creators of GITS did a good job in showing how childlike they are and also showing how they could become dangerous too. In the last episode, and probably the best on the dvd, Batou goes undercover to catch a military spy who just happens to be one of his former sports idols. Will he be able to do his duty when the time comes, no matter his personal feelings?

After the slam bang of the first episode, this dvd really settles into a groove of what the line is between humans and robots (if there is one?) and the dissatisfaction that humans have with their lives. And sometimes the barreness that human life can become without a "ghost". The last episode, especially, was classic human nature as Zaitsev, Batou's sports idol, is not satisfied with his life. Even though he has a great job and family. He just has to make that extra buck for his own greed. You can tell Batou envies his life and thinks he's an idiot for blowing it. Great show.

Where the line between humans and machines is blurred .......2005-11-26

I'll admit to you that I love to watch Adult Swim, and I'll also admit that I like certain types of anime. No, I'm not one of those nerdy card-trading Poke'mon lovers, I'm a young adult who likes to use my imagination in my down time. I like anime that's made for adults like: Big O!, Cowboy Bebop, Trigun, Outlaw Star, Tenchi and Ghost in the shell.

I was watching either watching Family Guy or Aqua Teen Hunger Force when I saw previews for this show start to air on Adult Swim, I thought thought it looked cool, it featured what looked to me like a cool futuristic take on robots and the humans that are seamlessly integrated with cybornetics to make them almost immortal, But I didn't know the half of it.

What I got was a cyber-punk version of the old black-and-white film noir mysteries. The series receives its subtitle from a theoretical mental complex attributed to the adaptation of cybernetics into the mass public. In the story, 'stand alone complex' is said to describe copies with no original and is portrayed by copycat crimes with no original criminal, or in other words, an imaginary criminal. It also refers to the structure of each episode: Each episode can be viewed independently of each other, and there is little catch-up (if at all) given in each episode to keep the viewer up to date.

Taking place in a fictional city of Japan called "Niihama-shi" (New Port City) in the year 2030, Stand Alone Complex tells the story of a special operations task-force called Public Security Section 9, or simply "Section 9". The series follows the exploits of Section 9's agents who range from ex-military to ex-police as they address each case and how it affects them on a personal level, eventually leading to the mysterious figure dubbed by the media as "The Laughing Man".

Public Security Section 9 is an elite domestic anti-crime unit tasked with the charge of preemptive prevention of technology-related acts of terrorism and crime. Their duties include response to serious cyber crimes (i.e. Cyberbrain hacking, cyber-terrorism), investigation of unlawful acts of those in public office and of high profile murder cases. From time-to-time they also serve as protection to foreign VIPs.

If you have seen the movie then you know that the TV series differs from the cinema adaptation in its focus upon issues created by the advance of technology. Instead of the intensely focused and personal examination of technology, presented is a look at society and technology as a larger whole. The series of 26 half-hour TV episodes has a larger budget of time to explore the concepts and ideas found in the original manga. In comparison to the film version, the series is considered by many to be easier to understand. Also, in comparison, the series can be found to be closer to the manga; due to the presence of some humor, the usage of the Tachikomas (Fuchikomas in the manga, and referred to simply as "tanks" in the one scene a derivant version makes an appearance in), the design of the characters, and also, the usage of the characters Paz, Bouma and Saito. Stand Alone Complex exhibits the accumulated experience and expertise of Production I.G. in their application of computer generated imagery. This is evident in their digital color grading, environmental effects, and cell-shaded computer models. Their work has been highly praised for its subtle contribution to a scene, which adds greatly to the atmosphere.

I think a lot of people will try to compare this to Cowboy Bebop as with so many other anime and mangas, but that's foolish. Stand Alone Complex is no better or worse than Cowboy Bebop, it's just a different story, different style, different sets of charactors and there places.

if you like anime or manga you'll definitely like this show. It's complex, has views on modern terrorism and how to deal with it, and not to mention the technology! Even if you don't watch anime just give a chance and take it for what it is.

Who Is Smarter?.......2005-03-11

This set of episodes represent a bit of a change of pace from some of the previous story arcs. Taken individually they are disconnected stories about everything from modern anti-technology terrorists to cyborg philosophy and it is only in retrospect that the connecting thread stands out.

Not Equal starts when a woman kidnapped by terrorists many years ago is spotted n a surveillance film. The story puts Kusanagi and her team on a village which has sprung up on an abandoned oil drilling platform traders on top and Human Liberation Front folks underneath. That action includes what is the best battle scenario of the series so far and some surprising twists at the end.

The Y$S heads in the other direction, when a sting operation in a run down bar reveals a plan to take down a reclusive billionaire with a yen for hoarding gold. An assassin who is fond of killing people with coins is the lead horse in the race to get to the target but, as usual, nobody finds what they expect and the aspect of artificial intelligence haunts the fringes of the story.

In Machines Desirantes the tachikomas try to link to a malfunctioning sniping device and become enmeshed in a philosophical discussion of their own mortality, the nature of humanity, and the possibilities of revolution. The surprise here is Major Kusanagi's reaction to what is essentially a comic situation.

In Lost, Batou finds himself pitted against a boxer that he once greatly admired. This is a spy vs. spy story, but it is oddly disturbing, with a very bitter ending. And I think this is where the story beneath the story finally opens up. While Batou played a supporting role in the original movie, Innocence (the sequel) revealed that his personality had surprising depths. In retrospect, he is the cyborg with the 'ghost' that retains most of its humanity.

Kusanagi, the main character, is actually the colder of the pair, someone who we know eventually was only able to form a relationship with an entirely artificial intelligence that roamed the net. For all her physical attractiveness her nature is that of an effective machine that has human attributes.

Batou, for all his more apparent mechanization houses the more human and emotional spirit, and the last two episodes reveal his unique ability to see the remarkable in both the imitation and the reality of life. This is made more poignant because we know from the feature films what the future of this story is.

On the whole this is a quieter DVD, but it leaves a strong impression. If the story develops from this point I thing we are due for some very interesting moments.

Much better than the average 3.5 star rating.......2005-03-06

I am shocked by the average ratings this volume is getting in the review section. Personally, I found this 4th volume the most absorbing and the best development of plot of the earlier 3.

That being said - for fans of non stop action, take a back seat and allow the storyline to thicken a little bit. Make no mistake about it: "Stand Alone Complex" is heavy on character development and intelligent scripts. Not just action and graphics.

I will admit - the second episode on this disk, "Yes" seems a bit sluggish, and demands your full attention...but after a second viewing, I seemed to have understood what it was trying to convey. Having not seen the entire series, I can't help but think there are some very key moments in this episode regarding "The Laughing Man". Watch it *again*.

**SLIGHT SPOILER - so skip to the lower paragraph**
I can't help but get a little down about the "Machines Desiranes" episode. If what they lead you to believe about the Tachikomas is *true*, I'm really going to miss those little buggers. I was never annoyed by their childlike actions, but really enjoyed the comedic moments they brought to the series, which is rather dark and brooding at times. I hope they come back - but if not, I respect the realistic decision brought on by the production.

In summary - this very well could be the most important volume in the series, even if you think it shys away from its action element a little bit. Its a brilliant series for the intelligent viewer and the action fans alike. Not to be missed !

Average customer rating:

Read the book, skip the movie
Leave it on the shelf, not worth seeing
It put me to sleep!
Visually Appealing But Confusing
Not your cookie-cutter horror movie

An American Haunting (PG-13 Edition)
Starring: Susan Almgren , Gaye Brown , Vernon Dobtcheff , Philip Hurdwood , and Matthew Marsh
Director: Courtney Solomon
Manufacturer: Lions Gate
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000HC2LFS
Release Date: 2006-10-24

Amazon.com

With its brisk 83-minute running time, An American Haunting is compact enough to be recommended as an occasionally spooky sampling of historical horror. Based on Brent Monahan's novel The Bell Witch: An American Haunting, which in turn was inspired by the only known case (from 1818-20) in which the U.S. government officially acknowledged a death by supernatural forces, writer-director Courtney Solomon's film is a well-crafted 19th-century case study involving Tennessee land-owner John Bell (Donald Sutherland), his worried wife Lucy (Sissy Spacek), and the terrifying abuse of their daughter Betsy (Rachel Hurd-Wood) by a malicious poltergeist. Intensified by excessive sound effects and a nerve-jangling score, these nightly hauntings won't scare anyone who's seen The Exorcist, and they grow increasingly repetitious even as Spacek and Sutherland make the most of their underwritten roles. Solomon (who previously brought Dungeons and Dragons to the big screen) seems more interested in visceral terror than fleshing out the details of this interesting story of dark secrets and child abuse, and his over-used bag of tricks includes time-lapse footage, flashes of negative images, black-and-white (to signal an imminent haunting), and a variety of physical effects designed to keep your adrenaline flowing. It works, to a point (although the present-day framing scenes are completely unnecessary), and An American Haunting makes a good double-feature with The Exorcism of Emily Rose, a far better film with similar subject matter. This good-looking, bleakly moody fright-fest is also noteworthy as the next-to-last screen credit for Adrian Biddle, the esteemed cinematographer of such high-profile hits as Aliens, Thelma & Louise, The Mummy, and V for Vendetta, the latter completed just prior to Biddle's fatal heart attack in December 2005.--Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

Read the book, skip the movie.......2007-09-04

I made the common mistake of reading the book this movie is based on first. The movie at points is almost laughable...especially a scene where the demon/spirit is slapping the girl. Anyhow, I advise you to skip the movie and read the book instead. Your imagination will creep out our more than the cheesy acting! If you are into demon posession type movies I recommend the Excorcism of Emily Rose instead...better acting, more twists and turns and plenty of "meat" to debate theologically and otherwise.

Leave it on the shelf, not worth seeing.......2007-09-04

I must say, the only thing that attracted me to this was it was suposedly based on the bell witch story. this was not what I expected. Not a Horror, not even really intreaging, just plain slow, predictable, and I wish they had not had such big name stars like sissy spacek and donald sutherland, because it sucked me in to renting it. Who would have thought two legends would appear in this film. Then you realize, the directors were smart and knew what a bad film they had, so they had to attract people with smoke and mirror. I say stay away from this one. Only redeaming quality in this is some nice camera work, and a few effects, but otherwise, a nap would be more productive and stimulating.

It put me to sleep!.......2007-08-25

I usually don't fall asleep during Horror movies but this one bored me to death.After reading The Bell Witch An American Haunting compiled by Brent Monahan,I realize they could have made it really scary.They took some lines verbatim from the book but they left out too much of the truly horrifying.The book put together by Brent Monahan is an old manuscript of the strange events witnessed by Richard Powell,the local school teacher at the time in Adams,Tennessee.Brent Monahan kept this transcript intact with no literary changes.It is exceptionally scary!Hopefully someone will remake the movie.I should have rented this one before I bought it.

Visually Appealing But Confusing.......2007-08-18

This is a nice movie from a scenery perspective. It's set in the countryside with a lot of farms, forests, etc.. The victim of the attacks is really cute and they wear the clothes from back then.

The problem is there's a hidden meaning to this story but I cannot figure out exactly what it is. They don't take the time to develop the story enough to tell you this. It's like they assume you have already read the book.

It's start out where Sutherland double crosses this lady who everyone thinks is a witch and she tells him that she's going to do something and harm his family. This is exactly what appears to happen. But then later she says she never did put a curse on them. So where did the deamons come from ?

It's a sad story as this girl is the victim of attacks of both the super natural and human types.

I still really don't know what's going on. Something went amiss when they tried to convert this story into a movie. They need a different writer.

Jeff Marzano

The Haunting

The Demonologist: The Extraordinary Career of Ed and Lorraine Warren

Not your cookie-cutter horror movie.......2007-08-17

This is actually a pretty good cinematic look at the different ways in which a person can be "haunted." The existence of ghosts in the real world seems unlikely, but the existence of haunted individuals is irrefutable, so I, unlike most of the previous 106 reviewers, don't see what is wrong with using a ghost as a metaphor for different types of experiences that can haunt people throughout their lives.

AN AMERICAN HAUNTING is dull at times, and the inclusion of a ton of alternate endings is never a sign that the author was compelled to write by a driving vision. Nonetheless, this is a far better piece of filmmaking than the typical, plot-hole ridden monument to idiocy which horror audiences love and which most of the one-star reviewers were no doubt expecting to see. And I write this as a fan of horror movies who is disappointed at the low standards of the genre.

The most valid criticism I have read is that the film takes many historical liberties. I am not an expert on colonial-era Tennessee, but if the screenplay's assertions are indeed unjustified-slanderous as some have said-then the filmmakers certainly should not have purported that the film was based on fact. As a fictional movie, however, AN AMERICAN HAUNTING takes an original and compelling look at the effects of trauma on a person's life.

Average customer rating:

Raiders Of Ghost City (Chapters 1-13)
Starring: Dennis Moore , and Lionel Atwill
Manufacturer: Alpha Home Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000P6R9FS
Release Date: 2007-05-29

Product Description

Gold raiders invade the West in 13 thrilling chapters of this classic serial.

Average customer rating:

Greatr flick
Not Bad
Hellblock 13 delivers.............
Three times the scares
Dr. Lecter's younger sister needs a few lessons.

Hellblock 13
Starring: Gunnar Hansen (II) , Debbie Rochon , Jon Miller (XII) , Brian Kelly (III) , and Jeff Jordan
Director: Paul Talbot
Manufacturer: TROMA ENTERTAINMENT INC.
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 6305763526
Release Date: 2000-05-16

Product Description

Water drips. Bars clank. It's cold. The executioner (Gunmar Hansen, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre's Leatherface) lurches down the cellblock to his next victim, a serial killer, Tar (Debbie Rochon, Terror Firmer, Tromeo And Juliet). But before her final walk, Tara seduces her anxiously brutal executioner with a trio of grisly tales inspired by the souls of inmates past Welcome to the dingy walls of Hellblock 13.

In Watery Grave, young pretty Sherry Simpson is plagued by ghoulish nightmares of her recently missing children. Sherry says they have been kidnapped, but the sheriff is skeptical. Prepare yourself for the shocking climax!

Witness the big-haired, beer-drinking drama of White Trash Love Story, Southern belle Heidi Mae turns to the powers of the occult to rid herself of her overbearing and abusive redneck husband, Joe Mark But too many cooks spoil the broth creating a night of terror in this back-handed tale from the trailer park!

A biker gang (including Roxanne, Terror Firmer) makes a drug run south of the border with its newest recruit, Chaney. Along the way the gang stops to pay mysterious ritual tribute to the late Big Rhonda (J.J. North, Attack of thei60 Ft. Centerfold). Rhonda was the baddest biker chick of all time, killed in an accident years earlier. Through a bone chilling chain of events, the gang learns that Chaney may not be who he happens to be...but neither is Big Rhonda!

System Requirements:

Running Time 90 Min

Format: DVD MOVIE

Customer Reviews:

Greatr flick.......2006-03-19

I had seen the original theatric release of this movie at the Nickleodeon theater in Columbia, South Carolina. I felt that this movie used some real life events in at least two stories. It was neat because, I also lived in the area at the time and knew where a few areas used in this movie actually are in SC.

Not Bad.......2004-04-18

It's an "OK" horror flick. The endings are so predictable, it's not even funny. I swear... so predictable that I thought that the "clues" thrown in were surely meant to throw you off, so that you would really be blown away by whatever surprise twist ending was in store. Not so. The "clues" that are spoon fed to you, are exactly where the stories are heading. Absolutely NO surprises.
However, the story lines (despite the fact that you know where they are going), blood, gore, violence, t*ts and @ss, and overall "mood" of the movie brings it up from what I would consider a 1 star to a 3 star. The predictable endings to all four stories is what ruins it for me. But, this is definitely something I will watch again, in time. Not bad... not great...

Hellblock 13 delivers....................2003-08-07

For only 10 dollars this movie is a must buy. Just to gaze upon the beauty of Tara (Debbie Rochon) is worth {it}.
So the deal is this - Tara is on deathrow awaitng execution. She has penned 3 horror stories that she claims spirits in the prison had told her. She then tells the executioner each of these tales of terror. All three stories are pretty good and funny if you have a slightly twisted sense of humor as I do.
I had never heard of Debbie Rochon before but she certainly cast a spell on me. She seems to be a good actress and is hot as the Texas sun. Her exchange with the executioner between stories 1 and 2 was classic.
The first story is pretty tame but the second has lots of foul language and the third has foul language and some nudity.
Debbie Rochon does NOT show skin but I've got a great imagination.
Bottom line is if you like horror movies this should be in your collection. You will watch it more than once.

Three times the scares.......2000-11-14

This film is a trilogy of tales related by deathrow inmate Debbie Rochon to her executioner Gunnar Hansen (the original LeatherFace. All three stories are excellent, but I especially liked the last one involving a bizarre biker ritual to revive their dead protector played silently by J.J. North. Someone who looks as good as J.J. does not have to speak! The real star is Debbie Rochon. Her character drips violence and the ending will make you say wow. This film was originally shot in 1997. Troma was smart to pick it up. This pic went over big at the annual Chiller Theatre convention in NJ. Joe Bob Briggs loved it, and it will pave the way for Debbie Rochon to climb to the top of the scream queen list.

Dr. Lecter's younger sister needs a few lessons........2000-08-26

A proud serial killer (Debbie Rochon) tells her executioner three gory tales. A mother having nightmares about her missing kids. A southern belle plotting to bump off her hubby with occult help. And a biker gang raising cane, unexpectedly. I'd rather watch Silence Of The Lambs a few hunderd more times!

Average customer rating:

Never go wrong with JS
A softcore, haunted house parody, lesbian fest.
BUY THIS!!!
This is not 3-D at all
Julie Strain the most Beautiful Ghost I ever saw,,,,

13 Erotic Ghosts
Starring: Felony , Richard Gabai , Aria Giovanni , Jay Richardson , and Nicole Specht
Manufacturer: Retro Media
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000065U3G
Release Date: 2002-05-21

Customer Reviews:

Never go wrong with JS.......2006-08-11

A softcore, haunted house parody, lesbian fest........2006-02-07

BUY THIS!!!.......2005-03-14

This movie is great. My wife loved it as well. We had to wait, backorder and all, for 3-4 months to get this dvd. But it was worth the wait. You don't even have to watch till the end...

This is not 3-D at all.......2003-09-03

Julie Strain the most Beautiful Ghost I ever saw,,,,.......2003-05-03

Average customer rating:

Psychological horror is no substitute for the supernatural

13 Curses
Starring: Juan Diego Botto , Ernesto Chao , Marta Etura , Diogo Infante , and Laura Mañá
Manufacturer: Lions Gate
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000ARTMSE
Release Date: 2005-10-18

Customer Reviews:

Psychological horror is no substitute for the supernatural.......2006-04-30

The original title of this Spanish film is "Trece campanadas," which translates as "Thirteen Chimes," and as you watch the prologue the meaning of that title becomes clear. In Europe the English title was "Thirteen Chimes," and that was the title that was used Internationally, along with "When the Bell Chimed 13." So why it shows up on our shores as "13 Curses" can only be explained that such a title better indicates that this is a horror film and not a movie about musical bell ringers or anything like that.

Actually this 2002 film is about sculpture and schizophrenia. When he was a child, young Jacobo (David Alvarez) was being taught by his father, Mateo (Luis Tosar), how to sculpt, but the lessons are not going well. When his mother Carmen (Elvira M?nguez) shows up to take the boy away, there was a struggle between the two and a gun went off. We then jump to the present, with Jacobo (Juan Diego Botto) now a young man who has been called home to Santiago by his foster mother. Apparently he thought both of his parents died, but only his father was shot and killed. His mother has been institutionalized in mental hospitals and is afraid to talk to him, warning him to stay away from Santiago. But Jacobo returns to his father's studio, where all of his work remains, ableit covered in cobwebs.

Jacobo contacts thee curator at the museum, Claudia (Laura Mana), who has been collecting and exhibiting Mateo's work. It turns out she was his father's mistress, and she is interested in having Jacobo complete his father's final project. This is a sculpture of a set of figures intended for the local cathedral. Not only does Claudia want Jacobo to do this, so does Mateo, who begins appearing to his son, saying that he has to use Jacobo's hands to finish his work. This might sound like a good idea, but Mateo has other things he wants to do with his son's hands that have little to do with art.

Directed by Xavier Villaverde ("Finisterre, donde termina el mundo," which was about a family at the end of the world), this Spanish horror film starts off with some closeups of Mateo's statues that suggest what is going to happen is going to be along the lines of "Bucket of Blood." But that proves not to be the case, because "13 Curses" is going in a different direction. Clearly I have come to expect supernatural explanations in such circumstances, but that is reading too much into what is happening this time around. Ultimately the problem is not that what is going on ends up being something of a surprise, but rather that the revelation evokes a response along the lines of, "oh, is that all." This is too bad because the performances are decent enough and Villaverde shows technical competence, although the film relies too much on Javier Navarrete's score to remind you this is a horror film. But while this one gets your interested up front, it fails to deliver on the backside.

Average customer rating:

Mystery Science Theater fodder
Not bad

13 Seconds
Starring: Cole , Rain , and Kuras
Manufacturer: Silver Nitrate
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000H0MN6M
Release Date: 2006-09-26

Customer Reviews:

Mystery Science Theater fodder.......2007-09-03

My first thought as I began watching this was: MST3K--this film is unintentionally funny. Our whole family laughed ourselves hoarse, especially any time anyone opened his or her mouth. We enjoyed the redheaded girl especially. The only annoyance was that at the end of the movie, it abruptly turned into a Chick tract--well, annoying for me, anyway. I was watching what I supposed was a horror film, albeit a ridiculous one, and got blindsided by a turn or burn sermon, and I found that a bit deceitful. But then, I got annoyed when Stargate transformed mid-movie from what I supposed was an intelligent sci-fi film into a glorified Star Wars rip-off. At least anyone reading this review won't get blindsided.

It gets two stars for me, but that's only for the humor value. Watch it if you want to laugh, but don't expect much else.

Not bad.......2006-08-26

This is a great flick during which to do Mystery-Science-Theater-esque jokes. The plot has a few holes, and the dubbing is not the best. The premise is borrowed from Jacob's Ladder tilted with the story of most early 1980's budget horror films.

Much of the acting is a little understated *cough* robotic *cough*. Daniel Rain and Daniel Rowe seem to be the most natural, but Jeff Thomas's character seems a bit difficult to relate to as a lead.

The visuals and sounds seem fairly well-done and the atmosphere and story are fairly intruiging to fans of the genre.

The film is a little upscale of the 80's b-movies, but not quite as well-detailed as most well-circulated indy films. For $5 (the current price as of 8/26/06) it'd be worth any horror fans to pick up.

DVD:

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