Classic Albums: The Making of The Dark Side of the Moon

Amazon.com

The most phenomenal recording in rock & roll history is thoroughly examined in Pink Floyd: The Dark Side of the Moon. The Floyd's 1973 masterpiece remained on bestseller charts for nearly 14 years, and its enduring importance is honored here by all four members of Pink Floyd and key personnel (engineer Alan Parsons, mixing supervisor Chris Thomas, sleeve designer Storm Thorgerson, and others) who played essential roles in the landmark album's creation. Produced for the Classic Albums series that originally aired on VH-1, this thorough and thought-provoking study highlights a track-by-track dissection of the LP's master tapes (including the spoken-word passages that bookend the album), superbly interlaced with archival footage, early demo tapes, concert animations, and latter-day acoustic performances by David Gilmour, Roger Waters, and Richard Wright to demonstrate each track's contribution to the final mix--a sonic exploration that extends to the illuminating bonus features. Informative interviews abound (including Rolling Stone senior editor David Fricke), and much-deserved credit is given to saxophonist Dick Parry, solo vocalist Clare Torry, and former Capitol Records chairman Bhaskar Menon, who fostered the album's U.S. commercial success. For Floyd fans, musicians, and studio technicians alike, this is a must-have addition to any DVD library. --Jeff Shannon

Description

Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon" Classic Album is the creative story behind the masterpiece: "Dark Side Of The Moon". "Dark Side Of The Moon" transformed Pink Floyd from art house favorites to global, stadium superstars. Prior to 1973, Pink Floyd maintained a relentless gigging schedule and by the time they came to record "Dark Side Of The Moon" had already created many of the basic tracks. "Dark Side Of The Moon" would be the first Pink Floyd (post Syd Barrett) album where Roger Waters would supply all the lyrics around a concept: The Circle of Life. With the timeless qualities of its production and musicality, allied to the hypnotic evocation of its central themes - alienation, paranoia, madness, war and death, "Dark Side Of The Moon" would become the album that would dominate the 70's and 80's (with a record number of 741 consecutive weeks in the Billboard 200). This program takes an in depth look at the making of the 1973 album. All four members of the band Roger Waters, David Gilmour, Nick Mason and Richard Wright are featured in exclusive interviews. Roger, David and Richard play songs and demonstrate themes from the album. Alan Parsons (the original engineer) takes you through the multi track tapes giving a unique insight into the musical fabric of the record and the program is illustrated throughout with archive footage. "Dark Side Of The Moon" with its combination of great songs, inventive effects and one of the best known sleeves ever, tapped into the world's collective subconscious and became a landmark in Rock history and a truly Classic Album. Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon" Classic Album is the creative story behind the masterpiece: "Dark Side Of ThThanks for all your help.e Moon". "Dark Side Of The Moon" transformed Pink Floyd from art house

Customer Reviews:

You won't "fritter and waste" money on this. Essential documentary........2007-09-09

First, the director of "Live At Pompeii" prob. had no idea at the time that he was filming one of the best selling albums of all time. The footage, filmed in the same studios The Beatles had recorded their classics just a few years prior, show Pink Floyd working (prob. aware of the cameras) on songs we now know by heart. The director had also said that what was in the movie was all he had.

Unfortunately, there is little concert footage filmed, there are bootlegs, but as far as a full length concert, it's either been lost in time (strange considering how multimedia focused they were), or you'll have to settle for "PULSE" and "In The Flesh" and somehow edit them together. Or still hope they do the one show together.

One thing Gilmour and Waters have been great about are doing interviews about Pink Floyd. Nick Mason and Rick Wright also contribute to the story of how this album came together. We learn that this was something they worked out on the road and that the actual studio time wasn't all that long, it was just a matter of PF getting studio time in.

We also get Alan Parsons explaining his part in putting the album together, by no means a small part. Add to that each of PF playing parts and dissecting the songs, and a demo of "Money".

The documentary is under 90 minutes, which is the right amount of length you need to cover the story behind making this album. AND there's bonus footage, so any fan of Dark Side of the Moon will want this. I've watched it more than once, so to me it warrants a purchase and not a rental.

I do hope one day for a "Dark Side of the Moon" DVD because there's enough footage to do it.

The best in the Classic Album DVD Series.......2007-09-04

I have watched several of the Classic Album DVD's, including Steely Dan/Aja (which is excellent, and probably my favorite band/album), The Who/Who's Next (which is OK), and Cream/Disraeli Gears (which even though I'm a big fan, was not that great). Anyway, this one, Pink Floyd/Dark Side of the Moon is by far the best. It just grabbed me and had me mesmerized from start to finish. The scenes with David Gilmour playing solo electric and pedal steel versions of Breathe, and Us and Them are so amazing, I can't even find the right words to describe it. Gilmour is hands down the best guitar player in the classic rock genre. I was also impressed with the solo piano playing of Rick Wright as he talked about coming up with some of the chord changes and turnarounds in Breathe and Us and Them. But, I think what really blew me away the most was the thoughtful and interesting perspective that Roger Waters puts on the whole project throughout the documentary. Watching this DVD has convinced me that it is definitely no accident that this album spent something like 741 consecutive weeks on the Billboard charts. Just remember, "there is no dark side of the moon, really, matter of fact it's all dark...." Grab this one, you won't be disappointed.

dark side of the moon.......2007-08-26

as if the album wasn't awesome enough, now you can get a good look at how the best album of all time was created with all the interviews from the band.

batcall.......2007-08-09

The Beatles opened the doors for rock'n roll, but Pink Floyd went from an RnB band to Progressive rock. This LP is their Sgt. Peppers. There are not too many living legends as great as this group.

Awesome!.......2007-07-30

The way this 'documentary' was put together is very slick. They blend/match the members of the band playing their parts of the music with archived footage from 30 years ago. David Gilmour and the others are very thoughtful in their memories/summary of the experience. A very classy tribute to one of the greatest, music changing albums of all time.

Average customer rating:

HAS BEEN A FAVORITE OF MINE FOR A LONG TIME
Heavenly Nightmarish Fun !
Tremendous Fun
Elvira - Love her or Hate her she is the 80s
Ease of buying

Elvira, Mistress of the Dark
Starring: Cassandra Peterson , William Morgan Sheppard , Daniel Greene , Susan Kellerman , and Jeff Conaway
Director: James Signorelli
Manufacturer: Starz / Anchor Bay
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Horror | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

4-for-3 All DVDs | 4-for-3 DVD | Stores | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( E ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

ASIN: B00004Y6BX
Release Date: 2001-08-28

Customer Reviews:

HAS BEEN A FAVORITE OF MINE FOR A LONG TIME.......2007-09-07

I GET A BIG KICK OUT ELVIRA'S CAMPY HUMOR. THIS MOVIE IS WELL WORTH WATCHING. I ORDERED A COPY FOR MY MOTHER AS WELL.

Heavenly Nightmarish Fun !.......2007-05-17

If you were a teen growing up in the 80s and also growing up watching "Movie Macabre" (or "Movie Mac" for short to fans of the show), then you pretty much known who Elvira is. I love this movie and always enjoy watching it today as i did then when movies didn't cost an arm and a leg. If your a huge fan of Elvira, you'll love this movie!. Highly Recommended!!

Tremendous Fun.......2007-05-06

Cassandra Peterson originally created Elvira as the television hostess of late-night horror films, and when the character proved unexpectedly popular she suddenly found herself doing everything from beer commercials to spots on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. She reached the peak of her popularity in the late 1980s, and the film ELVIRA, MISTRESS OF THE DARK was the result.

The plot is flyweight. Television horror film hostess Elvira dreams of success in Las Vegas. When her great aunt dies, she travels to New England in hopes that the estate will provide enough money to back a stage show; she is disappointed to find she has inherited a rundown house, a poodle, and an old book. It happens that the town is puritanical beyond all description, and she provokes righteous indignation everywhere she goes. It also happens that her great uncle is secretly an evil warlock and very intent on laying hands on "the old book." Throw in a few teenagers, a stud muffin, and a hateful woman with falsies and there you go.

No one would accuse it of being a cinematic masterpiece, and it does drag now and then. But Cassandra Peterson demonstrates tremendous flair from start to finish: squirmy, sexy, and mixing lowbrow humor with flashes of sharp comedy, she dances through the film like a ringmaster in a circus of corny and often self-mocking jokes. From a FLASHDANCE disaster to witchcraft craziness, she is never less than wildly entertaining. It's a tremendous amount of fun, and the film's conclusion even manages to generate considerable suspense. Will Elvira best her evil uncle and save the day? Well, I don't want to give anything away, so let's just say you'll have a lot of fun finding out.

DVD quality is okay and there's little in the way of bonus material, but if you're in the mood for something silly this one is sure to answer the urge. And if you've never seen tassle-twirling, you're in for a treat. Recommended.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

Elvira - Love her or Hate her she is the 80s.......2007-01-12

Anyone familiar with Elvira knows you aren't watching this because you are a bastion of good taste. She was high camp and this movie was the high point of her career. From the one liners to the sight gags this movie is a romp on the wild side. She takes pot shots at other movies popular at the time and takes her audience on a fun ride all the way through. This is the sort of movie you sit down to when you want a good laugh and your horror on the light side. Can't say I've ever heard anyone not enjoy the movie. You have to see the "baby" Elvira if nothing else that alone is worth the viewing. Enjoy.

Ease of buying.......2006-11-15

The product was delivered in a timely manner in good condition as expected. The ease of buying this product from Amazon.com is a plus.

Average customer rating:

The Murky Depths Above
An uncompelling and BORING movie...and NOT scary at all.
THE DARKER THE BETTER!!
Thought Japanese Version Was Better
Read before you watch

Dark Water (Unrated Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Jennifer Connelly , John C. Reilly , Tim Roth , Dougray Scott , and Pete Postlethwaite
Director: Walter Salles
Manufacturer: Buena Vista Home Entertainment / Touchstone
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Horror | Genres | DVD | Video

Suspense | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

Mystery | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

( D ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

ASIN: B000AWYOGE
Release Date: 2005-12-26

Amazon.com

In many ways Dark Water improves upon the memorable Japanese film it's based on. The earlier version was directed by Hideo Nakata (whose excellent shocker Ringu was remade in America as The Ring), but in the hands of director Walter Salles (The Motorcycle Diaries) and screenwriter Rafael Yglesias, this psychological horror story gets an intelligent and more chillingly effective overhaul. The story is rooted in themes of love and loss that Yglesias similarly explored in his excellent screenplay for Peter Weir's Fearless, here focusing on young mother Dahlia (Jennifer Connelly) as she endures difficult divorce proceedings and settles into a low-rent apartment in New York's cramped Roosevelt Island community, near Manhattan, with her young daughter Cecilia (Ariel Gade). Amidst seemingly endless rainfall, Dahlia's world slowly unravels, and Connelly is superb as a woman seemingly on the verge of a nervous breakdown. Or is she? Could it be that Cecilia's imaginary friend, and the apartment's persistent leaks of dark, dripping water, are the ghostly manifestations of a young girl who had been abandoned by the previous tenant? Creepy atmosphere and high anxiety are expertly maintained by Salles, and supporting roles for Tim Roth, John C. Reilly and especially Pete Postlethwaite give the film an added edge of mystery. The tension builds slowly (gore-mongers and action fans may be disappointed), but the cumulative effect is palpably unnerving, inviting favorable comparison to Rosemary's Baby. Unlike some other remakes of Japanese horror hits, Dark Water doesn't feel redundant; it stands on its own thanks to the impressive work of everyone involved. --Jeff Shannon

Description

Far more terrifying than what was seen in theaters, this special unrated version of DARK WATER is a thoroughly absorbing, suspense-filled thriller starring Jennifer Connelly. Dahlia Williams (Connelly) and her 5-year-old daughter are ready to begin a new life together. But their new apartment — dilapidated and worn — suddenly seems to take on a life of its own. Mysterious noises, persistent leaks of dark water, and other strange happenings in the deserted apartment above send Dahlia on a haunting and mystifying pursuit — one that unleashes a torrent of living nightmares.

Customer Reviews:

The Murky Depths Above.......2007-09-11

Based upon a Japanese film of similar name, DARK WATER stars Jennifer Connelly as Dahlia Williams, a recently divorced woman who is trying to make a new life for her and her daughter, Ceci (Areil Grade). An ongoing custody battle with her ex-husband, Kyle (Dougray Scott) hasn't left Dahlia with much money, but she is able to find an inexpensive apartment on an island across from Manhattan. The apartment is small and somewhat dingy, but the landlord Mr. Murray (John C. Reilly) seems quite helpful, the building is close to the school, and it's in Dahlia's price range. So she takes it.

At first she doesn't pay attention to a small water stain on the ceiling of the bedroom. Then Dahlia notices that the stain grows larger and is dripping dark water. Then Ceci finds a little girl's backpack on the roof of the building and later her schoolteacher informs Dahlia that Ceci has been speaking with an imaginary friend named Natasha. The apartment makes strange noises and Dahlia thinks she sees strange kids running around on the abandoned floor above. Her migraines become more intense and she starts having more frequent nightmares about her own troubled childhood. Dahlia believes that it's all connected and investigates into the root cause of all the problems.

DARK WATER was marketed in the U.S. as a horror movie. I'm not really sure why because the film isn't a horror movie. It does have a gothic tone and is suspenseful, but that's about the only connections to the horror genre the film has. The movie reminded me most of some of the suspense films of Alfred Hitchcock.

The biggest complaint I have about DARK WATER is that it moves at a very slow pace. The slow pacing augments the gothic tone of the movie, but it also makes the movie very difficult to watch all the way through in one setting. What I enjoyed most about the film was the actual story and the acting. The lovely Jennifer Connelly is brilliant as ever and John C. Reilly does a great job as the landlord.

If you can handle the slow pacing DARK WATER is an average suspense film that is particular fun to watch on a rainy day.

An uncompelling and BORING movie...and NOT scary at all........2007-09-09

In "Dark Water", a mother and her little girl move into a terribly depressing apartment building in an attempt to build a life together. The mother is caught in a custody battle for her little girl. Strange things start happening in their apartment with the appearance of dark water. A rather morbid mystery lies deep within the walls of this apartment building and the mother and her daughter get caught in the middle of it.

Evidently, this is an American remake of the Japanese version of this film also called "Dark Water". I saw some of the Japanese film and could not get into it. Interestingly enough, I had a hard time getting into this version as well, but I did sit through it. To say "Dark Water" is not scary would be an understatement. Although the acting is decent, the atmosphere in "Dark Water", while certainly present, is largely ineffective at producing any horror or scares in the audience resulting in a totally uncompelling attempt at a horror movie.

Some people may argue that "Dark Water" is more of a suspense/mystery movie (I agree) rather than a horror movie, but the movie comes off as incredibly boring and predictable in that regard as well. The only thing that even raises an eyebrow is the ending, and even that was rather anti-climactic. If you're interested in the suspense-thriller with some elements of horror, I recommend watching "The Ring" instead, which is clearly superior to "Dark Water" in every conceivable way. To be perfectly frank, "Dark Water" is one boring movie for this horror movie lover...sorry, just didn't do it for me. Connelly does a decent job as the mother, but certainly not enough to save this watery mess.

THE DARKER THE BETTER!!.......2007-09-04

i give it lots of credit because it's not very often they come out with something like this. it wasn't scary, but it was a thrill and suspenseful as well. the mother and daughter both seemed lost. they have to move on, hopefully to better things, but it's not so. the mother is haunted by her own past, as well as a haunting in her present. she thinks she's losing it, but she feels there's something more. her daughters in the middle, then in the end she pays the ultimate sacrifice for her little girl. now she must become what she onced feared. good plot and nice twist. although personally i wish it would have ended differently. jennifer connelly did a very good job, playing this woman, who thought she had control of her life, but not so.

Thought Japanese Version Was Better.......2007-09-03

I watched this version first and thought it was ok...but then I saw the Japanese version and it put this one to shame. Definitely see it to see it, but also watch the other version.

Read before you watch.......2007-08-12

When it comes down to horror movies, you can either have the types that are more preoccupied with portraying creepy atmospheres and foreboding tension. But then you get the type, which is kind of where we're stuck now, where violence is emphasized - more specifically, graphic carnage-like violence. So when you see a film like Dark Water, you get the feeling that you're going to watch the former right? Well turns out you're getting something a little different and if you're aware of this before watching you might like it.

Dahlia Williams is a recently separated woman in a custody battle with her husband over daughter Cecilia. Getting an apartment on Roosevelt Island, Dahlia's problems seem to get worse as the apartment is in rather poor condition, notably a leak in the bedroom. But then, Cecilia starts to talk of an imaginary friend and the apartment upstairs seems to be frequently full of movement and water. But with a husband out to gain sole custody, is she just made out to look crazy or is there something upstairs?

Watching a horror film, you genuinely want to feel creeped out and almost be on edge. I'm sure I'm not the only one who felt strange after watching a horror movie, like noises aren't just simply noises and whatnot. Dark Water on the other hand is not a horror movie so much as it is a psychological kind of film where it's a more slower-based tension and relatively light on jump scenes. In fact, what little scares there is they feel somewhat, excuse the pun, "watered down", as if the studio didn't want the film to be too scary or more focused on boo scenes than atmosphere. While the film does have a more slower pace which is rather atypical of the more wham-bam style that we've been seeing lately but it feels like a psychological film mixed with a horror film but trying to figure out which one to use when. As such it feels sort of disjointed and pulled from 2 directions.

But just because it might not fit a horror or thriller genre doesn't mean it has to have bad acting too. Led primarily by Jennifer Connelly, she's given the most screen time and luckily she's sympathetic and able to lend gravitas to a character when they're normally known for being either shrieking violets or just sad sacks that cry all the time. It helps too that she's supported by known character actors such as John C. Reilly (Boogie Nights), Pete Postlethwaite (Usual Suspects) Dougray Scott (Mission: Impossible 2), Tim Roth (Reservoir Dogs) and Camryn Manheim (tv's The Practice). They're not really flashy roles but they don't feel useless either.

Is it a film that you should check out? Well, that is if you know what you'r'e getting into. Wanting to see a horror movie, or a character-based psychological film? If it's the former, you'll be disappointed but it's the latter you might find that you'll like it.

Average customer rating:

STRANGE YET HAUNTINGLY BEAUTIFUL
A creepy and tragic story
Hideo Nakata is amazing!!!
Curse of the Backpack
Dark Water (Japanese Version)

Dark Water
Starring: Hitomi Kuroki , Rio Kanno , Mirei Oguchi , Asami Mizukawa , and Fumiyo Kohinata
Director: Hideo Nakata
Manufacturer: Adv Films
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Art House & International | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Horror | Genres | DVD | Video

J-Horror | Horror | Genres | DVD | Video

Drama | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Foreign & International | Stores | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( D ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

ASIN: B0009KA2UO
Release Date: 2005-06-21

Amazon.com

Dark Water is Japanese horror auteur Hideo Nakata's return to the genre after his Ring cycle made you too scared to watch television ever again. Where Ringu dealt with a supernatural force wreaking revenge via technology, this film is a much more traditional ghost story. After winning a custody battle for her daughter, single mother Yoshimi moves into what she thinks is the perfect apartment with her daughter Hitomi. No sooner have they unpacked than strange things begin to disturb their new life. A water leak from the supposedly abandoned apartment above gets bigger and bigger, a child's satchel reappears even though Yoshimi throws it away several times, and she is haunted by the image of a child wearing a yellow mackintosh who bears a striking resemblance to a young girl who disappeared several years before. The conventional narrative follows Yoshimi's increasingly desperate attempts to discover who or what force is haunting her daughter, but the story's execution is far from predictable. Nakata is the master of understated suspense: there's always a feeling of motiveless malignancy that runs like an undercurrent through his films--far more frightening than out and out shocks--and here he also practically drowns his audience in water imagery. The film is saturated; the relentless dripping in the apartment, the constant rain outside and the deliberately washed-out photography make any color, such as the yellow coat, seem incongruous and unsettling. Nakata also clears the film of unnecessary characters--this is an almost deserted Tokyo--preferring to concentrate the action on Yoshimi's rising hysteria as she struggles to understand what is happening and how to save her daughter. Granted, the special effects are somewhat unconvincing and the ending confused, but even so the result is a stylish and disquieting chiller that will do for bathtubs what his Ring films did for video recorders. --Kristen Bowditch

Description

No one loses their mind instantly - Sanity seeps away one drop at a time. Yoshimi simply wanted a better life - for both herself and her daughter Ikuko. Unfortunately, such wishes may sometimes be hard to come by. The custody battle has grown embittered and hurtful, her new job is less than desirable, and Ikuko's schoolwork has taken a turn for the worse. But, Yoshimi has something bigger to worry about. Something upstairs. Something cold and dank. Something that should have never been.

Customer Reviews:

STRANGE YET HAUNTINGLY BEAUTIFUL.......2007-06-26

I loved this movie. The mother's devotion toward her child was so strong and intense that I found myself crying at the end. The plot is this: Ghost wants Yoshimi (mother) to be her mother and is jealous of Ikuko (the daughter). Yoshimi is paranoid about what ghost is going to do to Ikuko. However, it's really not that simple afterall. It's riveting to watch as the story unfolds and you find out the history behind the ghost. In fact it's sad. Horribly sad. The cinematography is effective in that it's rather monochromatic -- lending a somber tone to the film.

Yoshimi is over-stressed. She is recently divorced, going through an ugly custody battle, she has to find a job and a new place to live. And then there's the ghost to deal with.

The ghost to me was more of a sad little creature than a menacing threat. But Yoshimi does not see things that way and ultimately sacrifices herself to save her daughter.

I owned this DVD long before the American version came out and I am happy that was the case. As usual, American film-makers bastardize incredible Asian movies, simplifying them to the point they are not even interesting. Such is the case with America's Dark Water.

If you want to truly enjoy this movie, buy the Asian version and watch it in the original language with English subtitles.

A creepy and tragic story.......2007-06-04

Having watched both the Japanese and Hollywood remake of Dark Water, I prefer the Japanese version [though the remake is watchable]. The Japanese version just seemed more creepy, and the acting was a whole lot better. The story centers around Yoshimi [Hitomo Kuroki], who is in the midst of an acrimonious divorce and heated custody battle with her soon-to-be ex-husband over their 5 yr old daughter, Ikuko [Rio Kanno]. Having no stable income of her own, Yoshimi is forced to lease an apartment in a run-down apartment complex. Almost immediately, they experience strange things like a dark, wet stain on the bedroom's ceiling that never seems to dry up. Complaints to the management elicits no follow-up action and so Yoshimi tries to solve the mystery on her own. By this time, she has also found a job in a publishing firm and is trying to get her life on track, but the sinister goings-on at her apartment cause Yoshimi to question her sanity. Her daughter Ikuko keeps finding a red backpack that Yoshimi comes to fear for she instinctively realises its menace. At heart, this is not so much just a horror story but that of a mother-child relationship, played out both in the real world inhabited by Yoshimi and Ikuko, and also the world of the ghostly entity that has focussed its attention on Yoshimi. The struggles of a single parent are very well-explored here, and both the actresses who portray Yoshimi and Ikuko do a great job of portraying the mother-daughter dynamics. Yoshimi feels she is not a good mom for not being able to better provide for her daughter and another instance when she is late picking her daughter up from school. This is resolved in an ironic manner at the end...how far would a mother go to show her love for her child and protect her? A beautifully made movie, with an element of horror that not so much as startles you, but slowly and insidiously creeps up on you. A great addition to the J-horror genre.

Hideo Nakata is amazing!!!.......2007-05-17

He did it again! Hideo Nakata makes some of the best movies. No other director can set the mood like he can. He makes you feel so cut off from the rest of the world and that loneliness mkaes the movie that much more intense. The story is about a single mother going through an ugly divorce. To keep her daughter she must get a job and find a place to live. She settles for a somewhat run down apartment and from their strange things start to happen to the point where she questions her own sanity.

Great movie, great ending, just great you will not be let down

Curse of the Backpack.......2007-05-16

If Japan has their own version of Lifetime: Television for Women, this movie would run on there. The story was so dragged out, predictable and tired. I knew she fell into the water tank. I just knew it. Not scary. Red backpacks with bunnies are not frightening.

There is nothing unnerving about a puddle unless you have a sick dog in the house. Ok, you are a single mom who loves your kid so much you'll do anything for her-- including taking the place of a drowned girl's mother and care for her ghost forever to spare your child! Bravo! Mom of the year. I am not that in tune with Japanese ghost lore but I imagine little drowned girls with stringy hair play a big part of it because so many movies center around that theme.

I don't believe all horror needs gore to be scary, mind you but it would have helped this turkey fly. I really appreciate a good ghost story like the original version of The Haunting but haven't seen a Japanese film of that ilk to compare it to. If you want to see a cool Japanese horror movie try Ichi the Killer or Infection. Ichi for the gore if you like that sort of thing and Infection for a truly spooky mindbending experience.

I gave it two stars for being Asian horror because lord only knows how terrible the American version could possibly be. (I shudder to think)

Dark Water (Japanese Version).......2007-04-12

I had seen the film a couple of times before but never got the chance to see it beginning to end. I did very much enjoy this version. It tends to have a more dark and gloomy feeling to it. You're able to watch the movie in Japanese language with english subtitles, or if you prefer you may select to watch it in english dubbed. Either way, you'll enjoy the flick. I recommend this if you're into any of the Japanese horror, suspense, and mystery films.Ringu Anthology of Terror (Rasen/Ringu/Ringu 2/Ringu 0)

Average customer rating:

Great directing, very good movie, average adaptation. Blu Ray: less than average

Dark Water [Blu-ray]
Starring: Bill Buell , Jennifer Connelly , Shelley Duvall , Elina Löwensohn , and Camryn Manheim
Director: Walter Salles, Jr.
Manufacturer: Buena Vista Home Entertainment / Touchstone
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: Blu-ray

General | Horror | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Blu-ray | Formats | DVD | Video

Drama | Blu-ray | Formats | DVD | Video

Horror | Blu-ray | Formats | DVD | Video

Mystery & Suspense | Blu-ray | Formats | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

ASIN: B000H7J9R6
Release Date: 2006-10-17

Description

The terror of DARK WATER reaches new heights on Blu-ray disc. Starring acclaimed actress Jennifer Connelly, the film "Rolling Stone" calls "a torrent of suspense" is a visual and auditory wonder in this revolutionary high-definition format. Life becomes a living nightmare for Dahlia Williams and her daughter when their new apartment begins to take on a life of its own. Experience every heart-stopping moment in razor-sharp 1080p, and feel the grip of every blood-curdling scream delivered in 5.1 48 kHz, 16-bit uncompressed audio. See, hear, and feel the excitement with Blu-ray high definition.

Customer Reviews:

Great directing, very good movie, average adaptation. Blu Ray: less than average.......2006-11-25

Mr. Salles show his growth in this movie. He and the brilliant Mrs. Connely lead the movie to a high place. There's grat actors but the movie is in the Connelly's shoulders, and she didn't dissappointed us. Beside her beautiness, she is one of the best actress around.
Blu Ray tech is a promise yet. The image is not better than the DVD through HDMI. If you are a very good DVD player you didn't notice wich tech is better. I watched "The Last Samurai" HD-DVD edition and it seems to be better. Much better. Let's see what happens in the future.

Average customer rating:

The Murky Depths Above
An uncompelling and BORING movie...and NOT scary at all.
THE DARKER THE BETTER!!
Thought Japanese Version Was Better
Read before you watch

Dark Water (Full Screen)
Starring: Jennifer Connelly , John C. Reilly , Tim Roth , Dougray Scott , and Pete Postlethwaite
Director: Walter Salles
Manufacturer: Buena Vista Home Entertainment / Touchstone
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Horror | Genres | DVD | Video

Suspense | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

Mystery | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( D ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

ASIN: B000AWYOG4
Release Date: 2005-12-26

Amazon.com

Description

Customer Reviews:

The Murky Depths Above.......2007-09-11

An uncompelling and BORING movie...and NOT scary at all........2007-09-09

THE DARKER THE BETTER!!.......2007-09-04

Thought Japanese Version Was Better.......2007-09-03

I watched this version first and thought it was ok...but then I saw the Japanese version and it put this one to shame. Definitely see it to see it, but also watch the other version.

Read before you watch.......2007-08-12

Average customer rating:

Dark Waters of great horror.
EXCELLENT HORROR
Brooding, "Lovecraftian" Nightmare
what are your choices?
Italian Euro-Horror film ripe for discovery

Dark Waters

Manufacturer: Noshame
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Art House & International | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Horror | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $9.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( D ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

General | Foreign & International | Stores | DVD | Video

General | Indie & Art House | Stores | DVD | Video

ASIN: B000HEWEXU
Release Date: 2006-09-26

Amazon.com

Young Italian director Mariano Baino may hope to be the new Dario Argento, but he isn't there yet. In this cool box set that includes the cement medallion from Dark Waters, the feature, Dark Waters, is actually a weak link. Broaching the Italian Catholic subject of mysterious, demented nuns, Dark Waters tells the story of Elizabeth (Louise Salter), a sexy Londoner whose father has died and requested that she donate a portion of her inheritance to an isolated monastery in the Black Sea where her mother used to live, and where she was born. When Elizabeth visits, she becomes stranded, discovering that the nuns make blood sacrifices to appease a water demon, and her only confidant on the island, friend-turned-nun Sarah (Venera Simmons), turns out to be equally psycho. Candlelit sanctums, chanting, blind nuns, and bloody crosses liken this nunnery to a torture chamber, but the clichés ruin scary moments. Slow pacing in Dark Waters also lowers the scare factor. That said, the second disc featuring Baino's early shorts, is full of brief, eerie spectacles. "Never Ever After" is about a girl whose wish to rid herself of her body results in her beheading. "Caruncula" stars a grizzly serial killer, who is transformed into TV dinner upon encountering his match, a seemingly harmless young lady. In "Dream Car", a young man's demise is attributed to an evil red sports car. In these shorts, plots move along and gore happens faster, their ideas concise, original, and nightmarish, making the Dark Waters box set satisfying on the whole. --Trinie Dalton

Description

A remote, storm-swept islandÂ… a population of evolutionary throwbacksÂ… a forbidding Medieval monasteryÂ… a strange religious orderÂ… ancient, undying evil. After the death of her father, a beautiful Londoner travels to a desolate island to investigate the dead man's bequest of a large sum of money to be paid annually to the reclusive nuns of a local convent. Given little information from the secretive sisterhood or their blind Mother Superior, Elizabeth strikes out on her own with the aid of a helpful noviceÂ… and discovers the convent serves as a prison for an ancient aquatic demonÂ… whose awful wrath is held at bay only so long as the fragments of a stone amulet bearing the monsterÂ's horrific likeness are kept separated. The first feature film by Mariano Baino is an unabashed love letter to the strange stories of H.P. Lovecraft and the color (and blood) drenched films of Mario Bava and Dario Argento. Filmed on location in Ukraine and making atmospheric use of the famed Odessa catacombs, DARK WATERS is an undeniably audacious debut Â… a sumptuously unsettling smorgasbord of disconcerting visuals and unnerving sounds that must be seen to be believed. DARK WATERS stars British actress Louise Salter (INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE) and Soviet performer Mariya Kapnist (Naina the Witch from Aleksandr PtushkoÂ's RUSLAN AND LYUDMILLA) in her last film role.

Customer Reviews:

Dark Waters of great horror........2007-05-05

I love finding these off-beat low budget horror films. The acting, script and direction for this film is supereb, considering the limited budget of the film. It is done in the old style od Argento and fulchi, with creepy, craggy, rainsoaked locations, evil nuns, and a very well written diolouge between the two main female charachters throughout the film. It is tense at times and really takes you into a sinister world of lies and satanic treachery.
True the ending is somewhat weak, but if you allow the director some room considering he had no money, it all works pretty good.
A four stars for this one. I'm going to order a copy now.

EXCELLENT HORROR .......2007-03-30

It's funny but two films came out in the same time period - "Dust Devil" and "Dark Waters". Most seem to consider Dust Devil the perfect horror film of that time and while I really enjoy that film also I find Dark Waters a much better film.

To give you an idea of the story and feel mix the amazing film "The Sentinel(1977)" With Stuart Gordon's masterpiece "Dagon" as if it was directed by Argento or Fulci and you get a sense of "Dark Waters".
It has a very strong Giallo feel and look to it, VERY italian horror with the music, atmosphere and shots. The film is shot very well and has that true sense of foreboding. It is a definite ode to H.P Lovecraft and the italian horror shockers of the 70s/80s. If you like any of this stuff then Dark Waters is for you!

There are three editions to choose from. (the single disc, double disc and special edition with the amulet replica). If you are a fan of italian horror and H.P Lovecraft then this is a must buy!

Brooding, "Lovecraftian" Nightmare.......2007-01-26

From the previous reviews, it seems that one either really likes this film or really detests it. After a bit of reflection, I'll have to count myself in the first camp.

"Dark Waters" is definitely not a usual off-the-shelf, paint-by-numbers horror film. Its appeal (from my viewpoint) is more subtle and mature by far than the hack-'til-you-drop gore-fare that some use to define "horror" today. For me, the dread and horror in "Dark Waters" developed gradually as the film slowly brought the viewer to the point of realizing that he (or she) is inexorably entangled in the tentacles of an inescapable living nightmare. I found myself thinking that if H.P. Lovecraft had nightmares, and if a film crew could enter into them and capture their essence visually and psychologically, the result would not be unlike "Dark Waters."

The film certainly isn't for every taste. If you like lots of violent action, tons of gore and quick gratification, "Dark Waters" will be unsatisfying. But if you enjoy being slowly drawn into a vortex of nightmarish hopelessness in a setting very reminiscent to haunted Innsmouth (with truly crazed nuns perhaps standing in for the depraved Cult of Dagon), then I think you might give "Dark Waters" a viewing.

what are your choices?.......2007-01-22

Keeping in mind that this obscurity was made on the cheap in Russia in the early 90s, there are a lot of positives here. The director tried to make a straightforward atmospheric ode to Lovecraft in a style influenced by the Italian greats, no ironic postmodern jokey humor here to dilute things. There are too few horror films of recent vintage with that kind of lofty ambition and so I give the movie an extra star for that. Some of the other reviewers have complained that the movie is way too derivative: there's really no question that Suspiria, Inferno, and Phenomena in particular influenced the makers of this movie and there are a few obvious/deliberate visual swipes/hommages here and there, but I don't see that as a problem myself. I'd rather see work by a filmmaker perhaps overly influenced by great work than one by someone who's imitating a bunch of crap.

Several of the sequences have nicely done and memorable imagery, are well lit and shot, and overall the movie looks pretty darn good for the low budget. The look of it (lots of rain in an old remote seacoastal town populated by sinister natives) sort of made me think of Stuart Gordon's later Dagon, though the two have a very different approach in tone. The acting is surprisingly not bad: the lead, Louise Salter is pretty and talented and it's a shame that this seems to be really her only movie (and the director's as well). The problems? Well, there are many awkward transitions and moments of poor plot/factual exposition which gives the film a somewhat random cobbled together feel (although the same charge can be said of Argento or Bava or other Italian greats to be fair); some scenes particularly in the middle drag quite a bit; the whole thing should probably have been quite a bit bloodier honestly; the low budget is a problem in a few key places; and unfortunately, the director cannot resist the temptation to include some creature effects toward the end that wind up bringing the whole thing down rather than doing anything positive (Didn't anyone learn from Curse of the Demon? Many other films of course make this same mistake: see Carpenter's Mouth of Madness for another Lovecraftian style narrative from this time period that also blows it badly by showing more than it should).

Bottom line, if you are a fan of serious 70s/80s euro-horror (particularly of a supernatural bent), you should probably give this a shot and watch it (perhaps rent first then decide on a purchase). After all, despite the shortcomings, there haven't been that many films made for those with these tastes in recent years, so it's not like there's a ton of other choices waiting.

Italian Euro-Horror film ripe for discovery.......2006-11-02

Superior 2 disc limited edition set (complete with resin amulet & 48 page booklet) from NoShame films - they have done this little seen, little known gem up right. Disregard that 1 star rating and review, and I couldn't disagree more with that statement that "Dark Waters" was trying to be the new "Suspiria"? I will say it is much more in the tradition of Bava-Fulci-Argento horror and Italian horror of the 60's & 70's then horror stylings of today.

An atmospheric, dreamlike, disjointed film (in the best tradition of Italian horror) with excellent photography, settings and sound that demands multiple viewings to fully appreciate it - one must remember this was filmed in the Ukraine just after the fall of the USSR on little to no budget so the results under such conditions were/are outstanding - the director is Italian, but based out of England so the dialogue was filmed/spoken in English - this is not a dubbed or subtitled movie. Highly recommended, esp. for those horror, euro-horror fans who have grown tired of the onslaught of joke horror, slasher horror, torture/gross-out horror and Japanese remakes of recent. Buy this set while you can - limited to just 3000 produced.

Average customer rating:

Let's Throw Sin A Curve ...
Originality , how refreshing!
hilarious
weird
changed my life

Ultrachrist!
Starring: Samuel Bruce Campbell , Elizabeth Cooper (IV) , Tara Cullen , Samantha Dark , and Jen Deaderick
Manufacturer: Eclectic DVD Dist.
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( U ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

ASIN: B0001XASC6
Release Date: 2004-06-15

Product Description

What would Jesus (Jonathan C. Green) do if he returned to Earth and discovered that he was wildly out of touch with today's youth? In Ultrachrist!, he dons a Spandex costume and goes out into the streets of New York City to fight sin wherever it rears its ugly head. His disapproving Father (Don Creech) wants him to minister as he did 2000 years ago. The Antichrist, in the guise of the New York City Park's Commissioner (Samuel Bruce Campbell), resurrects a legion of famous sinners to destroy him. And when the beautiful seamstress Molly (Celia A. Montgomery) tempts Ultrachrist with Earthly love, his own inner hang-ups guarantee that redemption will not come easily.

Format: DVD

Customer Reviews:

Let's Throw Sin A Curve ..........2006-08-29

Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's ...ULTRACHRIST!

Flipping religion on its head, Ultrachrist seeks to enlighten the follies of following scripture to the letter by returning Christ to Earth 2,000 years after his death. Oh! And he's come back to usher in peace for all mankind. The trouble is that he's completely out of touch with modern society. As soon as Christ returns to Earth (ala The Terminator style), he realizes many things have changed: clothes, personal philosophy, neon signs, and, oy!, religion.

Christ (Jonathan C. Green) gets a crash course in what the world wants by first bellying up to a bar with a drunken man and discovering what's become of humanity. Discouraged but not deterred, he soon runs into Molly (Celia A. Montgomery), a young seamstress who falls for Jesus and decides to help him regain his ministry on Earth. She makes him a superhero spandex costume and poof!, the Ultrachrist is born. Running around New York in his new outfit, Christ diverts sin wherever it appears, but no one is heeding his words...

Perhaps sin needs redefining.

God (Don Creech, GOOD NIGHT, AND GOOD LUCK) doesn't like what his son is doing on Earth so sends down Ira, the Patron Saint of Erotic Massage, to get rid of Jesus' ridiculous costume and to set his son back on the path of righteousness. But Ira's attempts are hindered by his own Earthly desires and by The Devil (aka, The Parks Commissioner).

Satin (Samuel Bruce Campbell, THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH), not happy that Jesus has finally returned, resurrects some of the meanest and most evil people the world has ever known (from Hitler to ...uh ...Jim Morrison?)

But Beelzebub is the least of the Ultrachrist's problems. He must overcome the "sin of sex," something he's been unable to do since witnessing his mother "get-down" with another man (if Jesus gets "excited", his hands bleed).

With Ira's, Molly's, and his father's help, Jesus changes the sin rule book and thus helps banish all of the foes thrown at him by Lucifer.

This low-budget flick isn't for everyone. Those who find religious satire revolting or insulting most certainly should NOT watch it. If you don't like B-movie production standards, avoid it. But if you like to chuckle at the ridiculousness of religious fanaticism, this is something you most surely should check out.

The production standards are okay but nothing to praise. The acting is equally tepid. The script, however, is quite good. Ira belongs on the set of Seinfeld, and Jesus would be right at home in a rough Brooklyn neighborhood (i.e., his accent). But these things also added to the humor of the movie. It's not supposed to be taken seriously and doesn't attempt it ...which I found absolutely great!

If you've seen and enjoyed FILM GEEK, SPACEMAN, or other minimal budget films, this one is right up your alley.

Originality , how refreshing!.......2006-04-20

A lot of laughs!
When I came upon this little film (and it is little- your eye must adjust to the results of a low budget, but eventually that aesthetic only adds to its charm) I was delighted by its humor and innocence. Essentially it is a film about a nice Jewish boy in spandex who is trying to make the world better, and about the various (and oddly random) archenemies who attempt to thwart him. Particularly winning are the sparkly Jordan Hoffman as Archangel Ira and Dara Schindler as a reporter on Jesus' trail. Jonathon Green is oddly compelling in his cluelessness; one wonders at times if that was intentional or a lucky accident. Whichever, his affect is disarming and adorable, and serves the film well.
Mostly, I enjoyed its originality. I am the sort who is allergic to cliches, even the whiff of one sets me off on a diatribe. What a delight to find a movie that is genuinely quirky and tells a story that hasn't been told. Further, having stumbled on something new, the filmmakers do not attempt "hipness," which results in a farce free of camp. The film does not knowingly, cynically make fun of itself or its style, it bravely tells its story in a straightforward manner, which makes it hilarious, as it is not a story that anyone can take seriously. Its unstudied style is refreshing.
The film does suffer from a few juvenile misfirings (no pun intended.)But its only real handicap is its budget, which at times masks the quality of the screenwriting and performances. All in all, viewing this film is time well-spent. I highly recommend!

hilarious.......2006-01-30

the title should get your attention. jesus is a superhero in a hero comedy. very funny and recommeneded. im not a christian and i liked this movie...and you will also wonder why the crucifix is the symbol of christianity. haha

weird.......2005-08-29

There is just no other word I can use to describe this film. While I like offbeat movies, this one takes the cake. The concept was ok but the idea of a whiney Christ put me off. Overall I did not like it. If you like offbeat Christ movies then I would suggest Jesus Christ Vampire Slayer, at least the Christ portrayed fights for justice not sulks and whines about how no-one likes him.

changed my life.......2004-12-06

i always had trouble believing that jesus could do all that was said of him in that book...but thanks to Ultrachrist, i'm a true believer in the man in the spandex.

the entire movie was fantastic, but when jesus says, "the crucifix is the symbol for christianity? i hated that thing, OUCH!" i lost it...ranks up there with citizen kane for greatest movies ever.

Average customer rating:

A Fine Swamp Noir, With A Gloomy Mansion, Quicksand, Dark Intentions And, Perhaps, Madness
Good Gothic Drama
One of the best classics
An excellent noirish thriller with an all-star cast!
Dark Waters

Dark Waters
Starring: Merle Oberon , Franchot Tone , Thomas Mitchell , Fay Bainter , and Elisha Cook Jr.
Director: André De Toth
Manufacturer: Image Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Classics | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Drama | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $9.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( D ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

ASIN: B00000ILEL
Release Date: 1999-06-01

Amazon.com

Love film noir? Here's an exotic variant--call it "bayou noir." Leslie Calvin (Merle Oberon), an oil heiress, is in shock several times over, having been run out of her East Indies home by Japanese troops and then losing her parents during a disaster at sea. Seeking safe haven, she looks up her only known relatives--whom she's never seen--an aunt (Fay Bainter) and uncle (John Qualen) who have just taken up residence at Rossignol, an unused sugar plantation in a remote Louisiana bayou. They seem harmless enough, albeit aggressively eccentric. But what to make of the eternally smiling, white-suited houseguest, Mr. Sydney (Thomas Mitchell), or the creepy Cleeve (Elisha Cook Jr.), a caretaker with nothing to take care of? Soon Leslie is hearing voices in the night, plus sinister stories from a former servant (Rex Ingram) who keeps popping out of the underbrush. Far from recuperating in peace, she fears she's sinking into madness, from which not even the kindly young local doctor (Franchot Tone) can rescue her....

Sounds like a backwater Gaslight, or a swampland Manderley without a Rebecca (and as a matter of fact, Rebecca veteran Joan Harrison worked on the script). Director André De Toth pumps up the atmosphere despite limited independent production resources, and he creates an unsettling mise en scène in which the heroine is either effaced by off-kilter camera angles or utterly isolated in vulnerable closeup. Unfortunately, Merle Oberon, notwithstanding her heartstopping Eurasian beauty, is about as expressive as a marble paperweight, and the screenplay doesn't so much advance as sink into the neighboring quicksand. Still, De Toth's inventiveness, Miklós Rósza's score, and some filigreed lighting by Bride of Frankenstein's John Mescall keep you watching. --Richard T. Jameson

Description

A fake aunt and uncle attempt to drive a nervous young heiress to suicide in order to collect her estate. Aided by the bayou, the would-be killers implement a series of terrifying ploys to suffocate the young girl in her own madness. Andre de Toth (House of Wax) directs Merle Oberon and Elisha Cook Jr. in this excellent melodrama set in the dank, forbidding Louisiana bayous, the perfect aid to the mystery and violence of the story.

Customer Reviews:

A Fine Swamp Noir, With A Gloomy Mansion, Quicksand, Dark Intentions And, Perhaps, Madness .......2006-04-23

To grab your attention, there's nothing quite like a screaming face with bulging eyes slowly sinking under quicksand. Few actors could bulge and scream as well as Elisha Cook Jr, and in Dark Waters he's given every opportunity to deserve his fate. Please note that while elements of the plot are discussed, we know the whodunit within the first 15 minutes of the movie. It's the whydunit combined with swamp atmosphere and movie-making craftsmanship that make the movie as good as it is.

Leslie Calvin (Merle Oberon) was one of four survivors of a sub attack during World War II. She and her parents were returning to America from Batavia. She wakes up in a Louisiana hospital, distraught, anxious, knowing no one and afraid she's losing her mind. She remembers a sister of her mother, and her doctor encourages her to write. She eventually receives a letter inviting her to stay with her Aunt Emily and Uncle Norbert at a plantation house on Bayou Grandterre, near the small town of Belleville, Louisiana. She sends a telegram saying when she will arrive, but when she gets off the train no one is there to meet her. Her anxiety kicks in, she faints from the heat, and wakes up in the train station being attended to by Doctor George Grover (Franchot Tone). He drives her to the mansion, gloomy and colonnaded, where she meets her aunt and uncle (Fay Bainter and John Qualen) and a Mr. Sydney (Thomas Mitchell). Sydney seems sympathetic and caring; he also seems to run the plantation and to run Aunt Emily and Uncle Norbert. He always wears seedy-looking white suits. He regrets not receiving Leslie's telegram, and Aunt Emily says she doesn't understand what could have happened. Leslie is welcomed warmly and shown her room. Dr. Grover cautions Mr. Sydney on how precarious Leslie's mental health is. As Grover drives off, Mr. Sydney takes Leslie's telegram from his pocket, wads it up and throws it in the trash.

And now in this gloomy mansion on the edge of a swamp, Leslie begins to experience unsettling things...a shutter banging in the night, a lamp she turns off which later comes on, a voice softly calling her into the swamp. Her aunt is sympathetic but dithering. "You're not eating, dear," she tells Leslie. "I do think you should have a hot biscuit." Her uncle is preoccupied. Mr. Sydney is avuncular and watchful. Before long, she also meets Cleeve (Elisha Cook Jr.), the man Mr. Sydney hired to oversee the plantation, a man who urges Leslie to have fun with him, who likes to touch her arm, who blinks a little too fast when he's excited. "It must be awful drowning in quicksand," Cleeve tells her one day. "Water's cleaner at least...faster." "Cleeve," Mr Sydney says, "please...think of Leslie." All she has to depend on is George Grover, a man who is falling in love with her but who may not believe her suspicions. The climax comes in the bayou at night, where the dark water is choked with swamp grass and a solid path can lead to a slow, strangling death in quicksand.

If there's a category called swamp noir, and I see no reason why there shouldn't be, Dark Waters would be a leading example. The film's atmosphere is dark, humid and filled with dread. The mansion not only has seen better days, but so has the old sugar house nearby. It's derelict now and sits right on the edge of the swamp with only a narrow passage leading from shore to the boat dock. Much of the action takes place at night, when many creeping things can hide, a path can be mistaken and a corpse hidden. Merle Oberon and Franchot Tone do fine jobs in the lead roles, but what makes this movie work so well are Mitchell, Bainter, Qualen and Cook. The four never go over the top. While we know bad things are happening, and we know they are part of it, we never find out just how bad things are until the end. Mitchell and Bainter are particularly good. What also makes this movie work is the efficiency and craftsmanship of the screenwriters and the director. They take less than five minutes to establish Leslie's situation, less than 15 minutes to place her in the middle of the plot. From then on, they steadily increase the dread and unease. And then, right in the middle of the movie, they take 10 minutes to put Leslie and George in a Cajun fais do-do, with fiddles, accordions, lots of dancing and the kids of a Cajun family that Leslie met the previous day. It's a great device to ease up on the plot a little and then bring things back with even more tension afterwards.

This is a first-rate and largely forgotten movie. If you like noir and are fond of excellent character acting, this would be a film to add to your collection. The DVD visual and audio are not perfect but much better than you might expect. The DVD is easy to watch. It has no extras.

Good Gothic Drama.......2006-03-02

Though the suspense is on the low burner in this Andre De Toth film starring beautiful Merle Oberon and Franchot Tone, those who enjoy a good gothic drama will find much to like here. Nice camera work from Archie Stout and John Mescall and a fine score from Miklos Rozsa help create a mood that is sustained throughout the entire film.

When tragedy aboard a ship during WWII leaves young Leslie in a fragile mental state, wondering why her parents drowned and she survived, she has nowhere to turn until a letter arrives from an aunt and uncle inviting her to stay with them in Louisiana. But the Rossignol estate holds unforseen danger for Leslie, and the peculiar things happening around her cause her to question her sanity.

The beautiful Rosignol is located in the middle of the bayou and the light and shadows of the swamp add to her sense of losing touch with reality. Her aunt and uncle seem strange somehow and Elisha Cook Jr. borders on creepy. Lights go on by themselves at night, a radio not plugged in begins to play, and a voice keeps calling her towards the swamp. Only the budding romance with the country doctor, George (Franchot Tone), offers her any fun and normal moments. Her visits with him to the large family down the road and their happy time at the town dance keep her going.

A turning point comes, however, when Pearson Jackson, a kind long time employee at Rosignol recently fired by Elisha Cook Jr., hears the voice in the swamp calling her name too, and Leslie begins to suspect she is not losing her mind at all. When her aunt, Emily (Fay Bainter), slips up and talks on about what a fine dancer Leslie's mother was, the pieces fall into place. She must get George to believe her before it's too late.

Joan Harrison, who worked on several Hitchcock films, including Rebecca and Suspicion, had a hand in the screenplay here. Those expecting edge of your seat tension will be let down by this offering. If you enjoy a good gothic drama which is more atmosphere and romance, however, you'll like this one due to the attractive cast and good ending. A fine film for a rainy night.

One of the best classics.......2005-10-20

This was one of the best classic films I've seen recently. I rented it on a whim and was very pleasantly suprised. Merle looks beautiul and Franchot's acting ability shines through. This film keeps you in suspense the entire time with some elements of "Gaslight". Even the ending is good.

I also wanted to point out that the reviewer who said this was a bloody movie must have been reviewing a different film. This is very low on the violence meter.

An excellent noirish thriller with an all-star cast!.......2005-05-24

Merle Oberon stars as Leslie Calvin, a shipwreck victim who visits her aunt and uncle (Fay Bainter and John Qualen) in the Louisiana bayous in an attempt to recover from the tragic ordeal she's been through. She's driven there by the kind Dr. George Grover (Franchot Tone), who is instantly attracted to her (Gee, what a surprise!). Also staying with her aunt and uncle are a mysterious houseguest, Mr. Sydney (Thomas Mitchell) and the creepy caretaker, "Cleeve" (Elisha Cook Jr.). You will never think of veteran character actor Thomas Mitchell ("Gone With the Wind", "It's a Wonderful Life") in the same way after watching his chilling performance in this movie!

What was supposed to be a safe haven ends up being a living nightmare for Leslie. She hears frightening sounds during the night, lights turn on and off, doors slam shut, and a mysterious voice calls her name, but always the answer from her seemingly loving relatives is the same: "I didn't hear anything" or "You were just having a nightmare, Leslie". Leslie's only joy comes whenever Dr. Grover comes to visit her, and they both fall in love. Leslie quickly realizes that Mr. Sydney, Cleeve, and her "aunt" and "uncle" are in reality all con artists out to get her inheritance. The scheme is the brainchild of Mr. Sydney, who uses Cleeve to do his "dirty work" and the "aunt" and "uncle" to trick Leslie into trusting them.

Pearson Jackson (Rex Ingram), the former caretaker of the house, tries to help Leslie but is brutally murdered and dumped in the swamp by Cleeve. Desperate for help and fearing for her life, she calls Dr. Grover, who rushes over to help. However, Mr. Sydney has his own sinister plans for Leslie and George (the swamp is a large place after all!) and will stop at nothing to get the money from her estate. Will Leslie and George be able to escape from these cold-blooded people? Watch and find out! I won't spoil the ending, but simply put it is very exciting and suspenseful. The all-star cast in this stylish classic was fabulous, especially Merle Oberon and Franchot Tone. And of course bug-eyed Elisha Cook Jr. played the creepy psycho to perfection!

1944's "Dark Waters" is a superb noirish thriller that reminds me of "Gaslight" and other similar classics. Disregard Leonard Maltin's review of this movie, as it's just furthur proof that he's an arrogant snob! In my opinion the only weak scene in the movie is when Dr. Grover and Leslie visit the Boudreaux family, but other than that it is a riveting suspenseful classic. The dvd from Image is a sad disappointment, though. The movie hasn't been restored well at all and it is painfully evident in both the picture and sound quality. There are absolutely no bonus features (unless you count scene selection!), not even a trailer. Thus the dvd seems very overpriced and my advice is to buy it used or wait until a restored version is released (Criterion Collection hopefully!).

Dark Waters.......2001-12-20

From the opening scenes you?re engaged. Merle Oberon is the beautiful but mentally shaken oil heiress Leslie Calvin. Leslie's mental health is fragile because she and her family had to flee their East Indies home due to a Japanese invasion during the hell that is WWII. Then the ship that she sails away on is torpedoed and sunk by a German U-boat. Virtually every passenger (including Leslie's parents) is killed in this incident except Leslie and 3 other survivors. Leslie Calvin has had an incredible run of bad luck and it's going to get worst.

In a New York hospital Ms. Calvin's New York doctor (played by Batman's Alan Napier) feels that Leslie would probably recuperate a lot faster if she were to stay with family. Unfortunately the only family Leslie has now is an Aunt (played brilliantly by Fay Bainter) and Uncle whom she has never met who live down in the Louisiana bayou on a sugar plantation called Rossignol. Leslie follows her doctor's advise, which is a bad idea, as Leslie's Aunt and Uncle aren't exactly as they seem and embark on a deadly plan to get Leslie out of the way in order to claim her inheritance. Suddenly Leslie hears voices in the night, lights mysteriously flicker and her "relatives" can't stop talking about Leslie's personal tragedies, which her bayou doctor played by Franchot Tone had instructed them not to do. The cruelest scene is when her relatives take Leslie to the movies to see a war picture complete with U-boats sinking ships and death.

One of the most moving scenes is where a depressed Leslie feels that she is losing her grip on her sanity. She feels that she does not deserve the love of her doctor (who had just proposed to her) because she feels that she is going mad. She feels that she should have died like her parents and be, "under the water with my mother and father."

When Leslie begins to realize that something is amiss with her aunt and uncle she forgets her fears regarding her mental state
and becomes the answer-seeking heroine. Leslie enlists the doctor's aid and they set off to solve the mystery of Leslie's strange aunt and uncle, which leads to deadly consequences for all. At the end of the film Ms. Calvin and the doctor triumph and the good doctor ask Leslie if she all right, and Leslie lights up with the realization that she is indeed all right and she is a survivor.

Dark Water Rising: Hurricane Katrina Animal Rescues

Average customer rating:

very good overall
An interesting perspective

Dark Water Rising: Hurricane Katrina Animal Rescues
Starring: Dark Water Rising: the Truth Behind Katrina Animal
Manufacturer: Shidog Films
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Art House & International | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

Art House & International | Independently Distributed | Stores | DVD | Video

Documentary | Independently Distributed | Stores | DVD | Video

General | Foreign & International | Stores | DVD | Video

Independently Distributed | Indie & Art House | Stores | DVD | Video

( D ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items: