Murder by Death

Amazon.com

Neil Simon wrote this 1976 spoof in which virtually every famous fictional detective of the 1930s and 1940s congregate at the home of a mysterious fellow (Truman Capote) to try and solve the mystery of who's trying to kill them all. Simon's jokes are mostly obvious, and the film's real appeal is the clever concept matched with fine--sometimes legendary--actors. Peter Falk plays a very Bogart-like Sam Spade equivalent, James Coco is a Hercule Poirot wannabe, Peter Sellers does a Charlie Chan bit, David Niven and Maggie Smith are reflections of Nick and Nora.... You get the picture. Lighthearted and silly, this is cotton-candy comedy for the cast as well as viewers. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

Love this one!.......2007-07-22

This is a really funny old movie! A great mystery/comedy that is more about the individual, funny personalities of the detectives mixing with the others then the mystery it's self. The totally different types of detectives makes this such a funny movie.

Great Classic Comedy.......2007-07-13

We have been enjoying this movie annually since 1976! It is a fun family tradition & we're grateful to have this movie on DVD.

Murder by Comedy.......2007-07-10

Great cast and funny dialogue make this movie a treat. I chuckled throughout the movie because of the funny lines. Listen carefully and you won't be disappointed. Fans of "Clue" should enjoy it. The story is rather predictable based on previous movies like "And Then There Were None", but that is part of the point to be predictable, it is the Neil Simon dialogue full of puns that is the real treat.

FAST shipping!.......2007-05-18

Good price - got here in GREAT time, even with super saver shipping... The movie is hysterical and timeless.

One of the all-time classics!.......2007-03-27

My daughter and I have loved this movie since she was little and we still catch ourselves quoting our favorite lines from the movie! It is such a great spoof on old detective movies and there are so many of our favorite, big stars in it! It is really a fun movie!

Barney - Best Manners (Invitation To Fun)

Average customer rating:

Good manners can be fun!
2 Years
Good One
My 16 months old doesn't like it much
Score another hit for the purple guy!

Barney - Best Manners (Invitation To Fun)
Starring: Barney
Manufacturer: HIT Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0000A14TK
Release Date: 2003-08-26

Amazon.com

Learning about etiquette can be fun, especially with the help of Barney and his friend Miss Vera Goode's "Book of Manners for Children." This 48-minute, never-televised program shows young children how to cooperate, share, use the magic words "please and thank you," and generally exemplify good manners. Barney and his five young friends experience the topsy-turvy tea from Alice in Wonderland firsthand, then practice their manners and get dressed up for a celebratory party at Vera Goode's mansion. Song and dance abounds as Barney and his crew discovers that practicing good manners can be unexpectedly fun. Barney features a somewhat improved singing voice in this production thanks to voicing by Dean Wendt and is joined by Vera Goode (voiced by Gretta Muller) in several musical duets. (Ages 1-6) --Tami Horiuchi

Description

When a surprise package arrives from Miss Vera Goode with her new "Book of Manners for Children," Barney™'s friends questions why minding their manners is so important. Barney explains that they have the perfect opportunity to be on their best behavior because they're invited to a party! Then their polite purple pal helps his friends brush up on the rules of etiquette by brining Mother Goose rhymes to life and taking the children on a magical trip to Alice In Wonderland's "Mad Team Party." Whether it's sneezing, sharing, cleaning up or using good table manners, Barney helps them discover that using their best manners is fun!

Customer Reviews:

Good manners can be fun!.......2007-07-23

My 2 1/2 year old daughter LOVES this DVD! She's an afficianado of Barney, but this is by far her favorite to date. She knows all of the songs and loves to use her good manners just like Barney does. It's a wonderful compliment to parents who are teaching "please" and "thank you".

2 Years .......2007-03-19

I can honestly not give it a rate at this time (I guess I have too)
my daughter is only 2 years old and she just
started to be a little afraid of person with Mask.
And there is a part in the movie where the children
are dressed up with mask, and she asks me
to take it off.
But keep in mind BARNEY in general is a
very educational and entertaining movie for the kids.

Good One.......2006-12-14

My son likes this so much and he is totally attracted by the messages passed through the nice songs. He has been watching this since he was 18 months and still (he is 3 now). It is so interesting especially with its lovely songs. However in addition to being so interesting and exciting it teaches the toddlers the main manners in an indirect way.

My 16 months old doesn't like it much.......2006-03-03

Probably she's still too little to enjoy it, but this one doesn't make her sit still for long, compared to ABCs and Numbers DVDs. Hopefully, that'll change when she gets older.

Score another hit for the purple guy!.......2005-08-03

Perfect for teaching toddlers about good manners - they always listen to Barney! Not only is it the usual Barney and friends fun, it helps little ones to remember to say "please," "thank you," inside voice/outside voice and cleaning up after yourself. My 2-year-old has so much fun watching it - and is learning good manners too! The "Please and Thank You" song is very catchy, and everyone is on their best behavior at the fantastic party. The "Topsy Turvy Tea" from the Alice in Wonderland sequence is also a favorite... including a hilarious one-liner for the parents!

Average customer rating:

Very good lesson
missing pieces
for beginnners only
Invitation to Dance: Ballroom
Very clear, thorough and easy to follow

Invitation to Dance: Ballroom
Starring: Various Artists
Manufacturer: Bci / Eclipse
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0000950ZN
Release Date: 2003-05-20

Customer Reviews:

Very good lesson.......2007-05-19

This is a great DVD that I use to review and practice with the things that I learned at my lessons. It is included in the box set "Dance the Night Away" also. The individual DVD included a CD of music to dance to.

missing pieces.......2006-12-04

I read the other reviews here and was compelled to add my two cents. If this is the best out there in instructional video for ballroom dance, we really need to change that by begging those polished, thoughtful teachers out there to PLEASE create something for the dedicated desperate students seeking decent instruction! Not everyone has access to top teacers in their home town and something has to give.
This dvd was disappointing at best. The skill level and grace of the 'teachers' seemed totally lacking. They seemed to stomp through the mechanical indications of the various steps...but there was no style to be seen. I am not suggesting that an instructional video needs to showcase the narcissistic vanity of some performer teacher; but a nice clean basic technique should be essential.

Common sense also seemed to be lacking in this presentation as well. When there is an able bodied woman right there, why does the the male teacher need to demonstrate her part???? I found this frustrating to watch.

Overall: don't waste your money on this one.

The cd included with the dvd also falls short of the satisfactory mark. It is outdated and reminds me of elevator music.

for beginnners only.......2006-06-04

If you are an absolute beginner and have never danced at all before, then you may find this course to be helpful. Otherwise, there are better instructional videos out there. The technique and style demonstrated are not of professional calibre. Also, the course claims to demonstrate 30 patterns. The number is nowhere near that, and is closer to 15, total (almost 5 basic patterns per dance). I say almost, because in one of the patterns, he calls the exit of the step by another pattern name. Sadly, the pattern name he uses is nothing like the pattern known in most dance circles. However, the audio CD which is included is quite good.

Invitation to Dance: Ballroom.......2006-03-16

My partner and I did not know how to dance and we find this instruction excellent and easy. We were able to pick basic steps immediately.

Very clear, thorough and easy to follow.......2006-02-27

Our first dance lesson DVD and we were skeptical at first - but after a short while my wife and I realized that we were actually dancing. The dvd is clear and easy to follow. We are having fun. The instructors are normal people who are interested in teaching -- not showing off.

Average customer rating:

Line Dancing

Invitation to Dancing: Line Dancing
Starring: Various Artists
Manufacturer: Bci / Eclipse
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000095J00
Release Date: 2003-05-20

Customer Reviews:

Line Dancing.......2007-01-11

This video is not what I thought it would be. They take you through steps real quick and expect you to keep rewinding the tape to learn the dance steps. It really sucked. I would not recommend it to anyone.
I thought they would have music that played the whole song after you learned the dance -- it would have been nicer at a slower pace.

Average customer rating:

It's not over 'till ya pull that trigger boy
Loved Peter Cushing . . .
"One of you is a werewolf !"
"In this world you're either the hunter or the hunted."
Modern Werewolf Story With "Whodunit" Elements That Keep You Guessing

The Beast Must Die
Starring: Calvin Lockhart , Peter Cushing , Marlene Clark , Anton Diffring , and Charles Gray
Director: Paul Annett
Manufacturer: Dark Sky Films
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B0007VY558
Release Date: 2006-07-25

Description

Wealthy big game hunter Tom Newcliffe (Calvin Lockhart) has tracked and killed practically every type of animal in the world. But one creature still evades him, the biggest game of all - a werewolf. Tom invites five guests -- Dr. Christopher Lundgren (Peter Cushing), Paul Foote (Tom Chadbon), Bennington (Charles Gray), Jan Jarmokowski (Michael Gambon) and Davina (Ciaran Madden)-- to his island knowing they all are tied one way or another to unusual circumstances of death… and that one of them is a werewolf. Add to the mix Tom's alluring wife Caroline (Marlene Clark) and surveillance expert, Pavel (Anton Diffring), Tom tracks the werewolf but is unable to kill it. One by one the creature kills the isolated guests.

Customer Reviews:

It's not over 'till ya pull that trigger boy.......2006-11-28

This is a landmark movie for a number of reasons;
1. It is the WORST werewolf movie of all time
2. It is the WORST Amicus movie of all time
3. Its is the WORST film Peter Cushing ever made- although he is still good in it.

Amicus have produced some great genre pictures throughout the 60's and 70's. The House the Dripped Blood and City of the Dead are two of my personal favorites. In their hayday Amicus made brilliant films under the direction of many of Englands finest genre directors such as John Moxely and Roy Ward Barker (a Hammer regular).

This film isn't fun, isn't entertaining, contains lackluster direction and a 'star' who hams it up and chews through his scenes like a galloping Elephant. Oh, and the 'wolf' is literally a dog with a wig. "That's allright i bet your thinking. The director was probably clever and shot it with inventive camera angles/clever lighting and edited the film carefully so that you never see too much." WRONG. It looks like a dog wearing a wig. DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME WITH THIS!!!! If you want to see a good english horror film then go watch City of the Dead, Circus of Fear, The Wicker Man, Scars of Dracula...infact pretty much anything!

Loved Peter Cushing . . ........2006-11-10

but hated this movie. What a silly premise - a big game hunter getting together people who happened to be in the vicinity of mutilation attacks on humans - and then he tells them that one of them is a werewolf and that he's going to kill it!!!??? Then, one by one each guest is systematically killed. The movie could have ended 1 hour earlier (I think it's 1 hour 30 minutes long), and had the same, tiring outcome. Very monotonous, and tedious. I wouldn't recommend it.

"One of you is a werewolf !".......2006-09-04

I am a huge fan of werewolves, so THE BEAST MUST DIE DVD was a mandatory purchase for me. Let me assure you THE BEAST is one of the most unusual movies starring a furry predator in the history of film.
The movie's hero is a rich big game hunter, who invites several guests to his remote English mansion. Now rich big game hunters are not unusual in movies, although I bet you rarely have seen a black one, and while he looks like a refugee from one of the SHAFT movies, he has an odd British accent (movie director Paul ANNETT comments in an interview in the extra features section that the character was an effort to cash in on the then popular blaxploitation genre and reveals that actor Calvin LOCKHART was unhappy with the role and felt it unfitting for a black person).
His guests are an odd bunch too, consisting of a lycanthropy scholar (the late great Peter CUSHING, one of Britain`s finest actors), a former diplomat (Peter GRAY, who played 007's nemesis BLOFELD in DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER), a hippie painter and a neurotic concert pianist and his girlfriend. All of them have some skeletons in the closet, and our big game hunter suspects one of them to be a lycanthrope - "One of you is a werewolf!" he announces to his guests and tells them, he will find out who and kill him.
Despite our hero being aided by high tech video and microphone surveillance of the mansion and the surrounding area, a helicopter, and a whole silver bullet firing arsenal, the bodycount soon starts to rise once the full moon shines from the dark nocturnal sky and tensions mount among the survivors. Everybody is suspicous. Can you guess who the werewolf is? And who will survive his rampage?

Now, admittedly THE BEAST MUST DIE is not very scary, but it is charmingly oldfashioned and unusual enough to keep you interested. Yes, the "werewolf" is clearly a German shepherd dog with a big attached fur (specifically evident in a scene were the "werewolf" fights our hero's dog), but personally I did not find it unintentionally funny. Wisely the "werewolf" is seldom shown and mostly relegated to the shadows. Don`t expect a horror film, think of it as a kind of Agatha CHRISTIE like murder mystery with a werewolf. There are lots of red herrings, wrong clues and some quite good unexpected plot twists toward the end (don't worry, I will not spoil them). And of course there is the well-known gimmick of this film, the "werewolf break" - it is so well known that I don't regard it as spoiler to mention it (towards the end the picture freezeframes and to the sight of a superimposed ticking clock you got 30 seconds to figure out who of the remaining suspects is the werewolf). A great idea!
The cast is great, particularly Peter CUSHING as werewolf expert and Anton DIFFRING as surveillance guy Pavel. Overall it is an entertaining fun film that will appeal to fans of murder mysteries and werewolves alike!

I also enjoyed the extra features, which include the film's excellent trailer as well as trailers for ASYLUM and LET THE SCREAMING START. There is also a good picture gallery, consisting of about 20 or so movie stills, posters and lobby cards. Another interesting extra feature is an interview with director Paul ANNETT, where he fondly remembers working with CUSHING, expands on the "werewolf" scenes, expresses interest in a remake, and loathes the "werewolf break" gimmick. There are also excellent liner notes.
Great cover artwork too! I give kudos to Dark Sky Films for this excellent DVD release!

"In this world you're either the hunter or the hunted.".......2006-08-03

From Dark Sky Films comes the DVD release of The Beast Must Die (1974), part of their `The Amicus Collection' DVD series (two other films, so far, include 1973's And Now the Screaming Starts and 1972's Asylum), which I was very excited to see for two reasons, the first being I don't think Amicus has really gotten its due over the years (overshadowed by their competitor Hammer Studios), and the second being my past experiences with Dark Sky Films have been good ones as they seem to put forth an exceptional effort in their DVD releases. Directed by Paul Annett ("Roald Dahl's Tales of the Unexpected"), the film stars Calvin Lockhart (Uptown Saturday Night, Predator 2) and Peter Cushing (Twins of Evil, The Creeping Flesh, Star Wars), who frequently appeared in both Amicus and Hammer film releases. Also appearing is Marlene Clark (Beware! The Blob), Charles Gray (Diamonds Are Forever, The Rocky Horror Picture Show), Ciaran Madden (Swing Kids), Tom Chadbon (Tess), Michael Gambon (Toys, Layer Cake), and Anton Diffring (Circus of Horrors, Fahrenheit 451).

Lockhart plays Tom Newcliffe, an obsessive, wealthy big game hunter who invites a small group of individuals under false pretenses to his isolated country estate as he's out for the biggest game of them all, a real live werewolf...you see, Tom believes one of his guests is, in fact, a werewolf, and he's scheduled their stay during time when he knew there'd be a full moon in the hopes that the individual afflicted would transform allowing Tom the hunt of a lifetime. As the story begins we see some of the precautions Tom's taken in fortifying his estate with security measures including a helicopter, armed guards, hidden cameras and microphones, underground sensors, and so on, all installed and maintained by his security specialist Pavel (Diffring). After revealing his true intent to his guests (most all, including his wife Caroline, played by Clark, think Tom is a bit nutty) and ensuring none can leave, the fun begins as the full moon rises...sure enough, one of Tom's guests is a werewolf, as evident by a large dog draped in a chintzy fur begins prowling the estate. Despite Tom's technological edge, he's unable to pin down the beast (or discern which one of the guests has a penchant for howling at the moon), and things get tense as various individuals meet their untimely demise (Pavel makes a new friend). As the guest list dwindles, Tom gets closer to discerning the real identity of the lycanthrope, but this is definitely one of those occasions where one must be careful what they wish for as the beast seems not only intent on protecting its identity, but its need to consume human flesh seems to be growing to the point where no one is safe...

While I did enjoy this film, some elements didn't work out all that well for me, the main one being the mystery portion of the story. At the beginning of the film a narrator announces this is a detective story and that we, the audience, are responsible for discerning the identity of the beast (near the end there's what's called a `werewolf break', in that the story stops, a clock appears and the audience is instructed to pick whom they believe the beast before it's actually revealed). The problem was I don't believe there were any actual clues (plenty of misleads, though) that pointed towards one individual over another, so it seemed sort of pointless to expend energy on trying to figure out who the killer was, and better to just let things run their course (which I did). I wouldn't have commented on this but the film made such a big deal about it up front. Another element that bothered me slightly was the character of Tom. He was depicted as being a hunter extraordinaire, yet he seemed to have little issue using all kinds of technological hardware to track the beast, which felt like cheating to me...seems to me a certain amount of pride would be involved, and I would think a real hunter would eschew such a huge edge (Tom had the entire estate, including the surround grounds, rigged for sight and sound), instead relying on his own, extensively honed abilities, but given the beast was of the supernatural kind I guess one could make the argument perhaps he viewed using technology as a means to even the playing field (keep in mind I'm not a hunter, so this is speculation on my part). I guess, in the end, it didn't really matter as all his gadgetry didn't really assist him all that much. I did learn quite a lot from this film, including the following...

1. Hunters seem a tightly wound lot.
2. Given a chance a werewolf will eat your eyeball.
3. Drinking and archery don't mix.
4. You can simulate a werewolf by strapping a chintzy fur on a large dog.
5. Paul can't climb a tree for spit.
6. For an expert hunter, Tom is an extremely rotten shot.
7. Dogs and werewolves (or, at least, dogs wearing fur coats pretending to be werewolves) don't get along.
8. Caroline was sure attached to that dog.
9. If you need to pad out the running time in your film, an extensive and relatively pointless car chase sequence will certainly help.
10. I like hearing Peter Cushing using the word `Transmogrification' in a sentence.
11. Tom may have nearly his entire home rigged with video cameras, but he's no voyeur.
12. If you ever get invited for a weekend getaway by someone named Tom Newcliffe, it's probably for the best you decline the invitation.

As far as the things I liked about the movie, well, the inclusion of Peter Cushing seemed a good idea. His part may have not been all that much, but I do enjoy seeing him whenever I get a chance. As far as the rest of the performers, most did well enough although Lockhart seemed a bit overly dramatic at times, even given his character's obvious obsession. At least he was interesting to watch. There is no real werewolf, in terms of a beast creature running around on two legs with fangs and claws coming out the wahzoo, but only a dog dressed up to look like a really hairy dog. I didn't mind this much as the story kept me engaged as once it gets going, it's pretty tight. There was a little bit of violence and a small amount of blood. My favorite bit in the film comes after Tom, frustrated with his inability to bag the beast, returns to the house and fires off a round in the main hall, apparently in an effort to draw the attention of his guest, one of whom he's certain is the killer. As the guest emerge from their rooms, one of them, a somewhat effeminate, snidely artist type named Paul (Chadbon) makes the following off the cuff comment..."It's like living in a shooting gallery." All in all a fun film with a few flaws, but if you're an Amicus fan (like me), this is worth getting.

The picture on this Dark Sky Films DVD release, presented in anamorphic widescreen (1.78:1), looks very clean and the Dolby Digital 2.0 mono audio comes across well. Special features include liner notes by Christopher Gullo, a commentary track by director Paul Annett, a still gallery, extensive cast and crew biographies, a thirteen-minute featurette titled `Directing The Beast!', and a trailer for this film along with two others, one for And Now the Screaming Starts (1973), and another for Asylum (1972).

Cookieman108

Just a note, this film was previously released onto DVD by Image Entertainment, but the version I reviewed was released by Dark Sky Films and features Peter Cushing on the cover.

Modern Werewolf Story With "Whodunit" Elements That Keep You Guessing.......2006-08-03

Amicus Studios were of course best known for their multi Story anthology films such as the classic "The House That Dripped Blood", and "Asylum", however occasionally they moved off into other areas of horror story telling as they did here with "The Beast Must Die". Starring among others the legendary horror great Peter Cushing this production was surprisingly one of the rare occasions where Amicus tackled a werewolf story having dealt with it only once before in a segment of their first production "Dr. Terror's House of Horrors". Being the 1970's however the story has a very different slant to their earlier efforts with a funky 70's sound track and a black leading man in Calvin Lockhart. Despite some of the weak story elements and under use of actors such as Peter Cushing and Charles Gray, "The Beast Must Die", is an atmospheric production that does keep you guessing right up to the conclusion and even includes a bizzare "werewolf break", where the story halts and the viewers are asked to guess who among the characters is the werewolf! Only in the 1970's could this be inserted into a film and it adds to the fun element of watching the film.

Average customer rating:

A Misfire from the 60s
Message received, invitation declined
Jules Garpard d'Estaing - Bast@rd with a Heart
A Deep and Very Dark Western with a Message
Yul Brynner is Magnificent

Invitation to a Gunfighter
Starring: Yul Brynner , Janice Rule , George Segal , Alfred Ryder , and Clifford David
Director: Richard Wilson
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B0007O391Q
Release Date: 2005-05-17

Description

Oscar® winner* Yul Brynner turns in a "great performance" (Los Angeles Herald Times) as a smooth master gunfighter who must do battle with his most formidable adversary - his own conscience - in this gripping, double-barreled western full of blistering shootouts, surprise twists and colorful villainy. In a New Mexico frontier town, Jules Gaspard d'Estaing (Brynner) is hired by the town's boss (Pat Hingle) to kill Matt Weaver (George Segal), a Civil War veteran who returns to reclaim his farm and his woman. But when d'Estaing realizes that Weaver may be the only honest man left, the conflicted hired gun must either kill an innocent man - or destroy his own reputation - in a heart-stopping final showdown.

Customer Reviews:

A Misfire from the 60s.......2007-03-16

Although bold for its time, this film is nothing more than a rather unimaginative 1964 politically charged western. Apart from the novel idea of using the generic gung-ho western style of the day to advance a civil rights theme, this film is simply plagued with an unimaginative screenplay, poor direction, a script full of cliches, and terrible acting.

A small town of Yankees is angered by the return of former confederate Matt Weaver (George Segal) and decides to hire a gunman. Jules Gaspard d'Estaing (Brynner), a creole from Louisianna, is hired to do the job but he is soon found to be a man of conscience and principle. It so happens that the Yankees are the biggots and the southerner the victim with the colored man as the conscience of the film. A predictable love affair also springs up in a vain attempt to relieve the audience from its boredom. This is simply a terrible film with cliched dialogues and situations juxtaposed solely to make a blunt political statement as to diversity, equality, and justice. Yul Brynner is the only good actor in this film and even his performance suffers as a result of this simply atrocious production.

This film hasn't aged well and its subtle attempts at addressing the prevalent social issues of its day are as novel and moving as a Sidney Poitier film. This film is just too antiquated and poorly conceived to be worth owning or even watching.

Message received, invitation declined.......2006-07-18

A run-of-the-mill hired gun oater told from the hired gun's point of view. Yul Brynner stars in INVITATION TO A GUNFIGHTER, a western with a conscience from 1964, a bad time for westerns made in the lower 48. Brynner plays Jules Gaspard d'Estaing (Jewel, for short,) a silk-shirted top-notch gun for hire who's enlisted by a small southwestern town to shoot George Segal, a young man returning from the Civil War who, much to town owner and chief psychopath Pat Hingle's horror and disgust, fought for the Confederacy. Segal returns to town bereft of farm, stolen--- er, claimed and sold by Hingle while he was gone - and sweetheart Janice Rule, a New England lass who married a one-armed piano player out of pity. After Segal tries to take back his farm, rather forcefully and impulsively, Hingle's hatred for all things southern boils over and he hires one of the best guns in the lawless west.

At some point in the movie Brynner's character observes that this cowed frontier town is filled with hens (Civil War widows) and capons (injured vets of that war.) It can be ruled by anyone with enough moxie to take it over, and hence we're given the reason why Hingle's character is named Brewster - well, it rhymes with rooster, anyway, and his penchant for quoting and paraphrasing passages from the Bible is Hollywood's shorthand way of telling us he's either a fraud or criminally demented. In any event, the slave system Segal may (underline and italicize the word `may') have been fighting to protect and defend is clumsily contrasted with the Hingle-led town's treatment of women and resident Mexicans. Neither can vote in town councils, the Mexicans can't buy ammunition to kill game to feed their families, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera.

Which reminds me, Brynner ain't half-bad as the suave and conflicted gun slinger. It probably goes without saying that there was only one man, recently returned from the war, who treated the resident Mexicans with any respect. That fact doesn't escape Brynner's attention, anyway, and it sets up the Big Conflict - does a hired gun let outside factors interfere with his contract to kill? INVITATION TO A GUNFIGHTER would have been a whole lot better if it hadn't tried so hard to prove the town's moral hypocrisy, if it hadn't spent so much time developing a sticky romantic quadrangle between Rule, Brynner, Segal, and the One-Armed Man, and especially if it hadn't loaded a simple story with so much `message.' Westerns, and action movies in general, work best when the connection between motivation and action is simple and direct. In ItaG that connection is hopelessly, and needlessly, tangled. Brynner has a lithe intensity that rises above the material and almost, but not quite, carries this movie along with him.

Jules Garpard d'Estaing - Bast@rd with a Heart.......2006-05-22

This is one of Yul Brynner's best portrayals on the cinematic screen. He plays Jules, a cold-blooded hired gun brought in to snuff out the town's last rebel. Brynner's portrayal of this bast@rd-with-a-heart is electric. He commands the screen even from the shadows. Watch for the hilarious scene where he's introduced to the town boss:

Brewster: Is your name Jewel?
d'Estaing: No.
d'Estaing: My name is [writes his name on a blackboard]
Brewster: Jewels...Gasperd...Die-es-ting
d'Estaing: Jules...soft j, silent s...Gaspard...silent d...d'Estaing...just a touch of dipthong.

A Deep and Very Dark Western with a Message.......2005-08-26

Yul Brynner is a powerful and dynamic actor. He had donned the cowboy hat before in the 'Magnificent Seven' but quite arguably Jules was his greatest role ever.

In the film Brynner plays a mysterious gun fighter hired to kill a rebel who's property was sold in the war. The man demands answers but is shot. Forced to leave he refuses and returns to his farm where a gun is drawn upon him and he has to defend himself. In killing the man he has a bounty placed upon his head and a gunman is hired. But this movie is more than just a simple Western. It is much, much, much more.

In the town the Mexicans are treated as inferiors. The rebel is the only man that treats them decently. And they beg Jules not to kill him. Jules refuses yet Jules has a dark secret of his own that is similar to the Mexicans. Jules is a Creole from Louisana and is half French and African. His father was a slave owner and his mother was a slave. Because of this he was treated as inferior. When his mother argued with his father she was sold away because she was property. So naturally Yules is a cold and very dark because of the hardship and injustices of his past. And in Brynner, the Mexicans, and the Rebel there are three groups that are being discriminated against. The town claims to be against slavery but yet it stands by every injustice outside of it. And we see the conflict that surmonts between Jules, the Rebel, and the Town. So the film shapes into a morality play of sorts like 'High Noon' where the protagonist must choose between right and wrong. Brynner's role is very much like Eastwood's 'Man with No Name'. He is sort of an anti-hero or perhaps a divided one who has to make deep, difficult desicions. Does he do his job or does he do what is right? The film has romance, intensity, and passion and it all plays out well. The film is really a fine example of how great the past generation was in filmmaking. This film makes the viewer think, feel, and rationalize. The characters are very human and that is what I appreciate. Brynner's role is very realistic and intersting as he is more than just a hired cowpoke: he is a deep, complex, and intense. This film is truly a work of art and should be a part of any Western fans collection.

Yul Brynner is Magnificent.......2004-03-16

If you liked Yul Brynner in "The Magnificent Seven" you will love him in this movie. Brynner is cool as they come. This is a great western and should be on DVD.

DVD to accompany Prego! An Invitation to Italian

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DVD to accompany Prego! An Invitation to Italian
Starring: Graziana Lazzarino , Andrea Dini , and Maria Cristina Peccianti
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill Humanities/Social Sciences/Languages
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Laboratory Manual to accompany Prego! An Invitation to Italian

ASIN: 0073266744

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This video stunk
Easy to follow - loved it!
80s style
Out of Date and Misleading
Welcome Addition to My Dance DVD and Book Library

Invitation to Dance: Wedding Dance
Starring: Various Artists
Manufacturer: Bci / Eclipse
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000095IZZ
Release Date: 2003-05-20

Product Description

Your Wedding Dance
Learn how to dance with nationally recognized dance professionals Kyle and Susan Webb. Their acclaimed teaching method has worked for tens of thousands of dance students worldwide. This program prepares you for your wedding day dance. Choose from three simple dance styles and routines (Waltz, Slow Dance, or Rumba) Kyle and Susan have put together three lovely, but simple, routines that are guaranteed to make you look and feel great on your very special day with their easy-to-follow instruction.
Runtime: 60 minutes

The Complete Wedding Album
Track Listing:
1. Cannon in D Minor
2. Fanfare
3. Jesu Joy
4. Trumpet Tune
5. Bridal Chorus
6. Ave Maria
7. Wedding March
8. Largo
9. Adagio Cantabile
10. Winter Four Seasons
11. Adagio Cantabile
12. I Will Always Love You
13. Everything I Do

Format: DVD MOVIE

Customer Reviews:

This video stunk.......2006-09-05

This was the worst dance instructional video I've ever seen. You don't get "instructed" to dance, you watch a bunch of people from the 80's dance; There's no teaching involved.

Easy to follow - loved it!.......2005-06-14

Yes the couple dancing were dressed in outdated clothing. What does that matter? I bought the tape to learn how to dance, not to see what the instructor was wearing. The dances were simple and the instructions very easy to follow. It accomplished what I needed it to accomplish. I will be dancing at my son's and daughter's weddings this summer.

80s style.......2005-03-27

I was so disappointed with the DVD. On the cover was a very modern couple, but when I watched it, I was so turned off. I don't know how else to learn the steps cuz I have to watch the 80s couple's dance steps. The wedding gown was so ancient on the DVD with wings and ugly veil that look like a huge butterfly on her head. Don't get it.... not worth it.

Out of Date and Misleading.......2005-01-21

I completely agree with the other review.
The cover of the DVD has a younger/modern couple.
However the video itself is from the early 90's - seems like 80's though! VERY outdated. You'll know it as soon as the 1st scene!!!

Welcome Addition to My Dance DVD and Book Library.......2004-05-23

I have been dancing a wide variety of styles for a while now and collect dance instruction DVDs and books--as well as have regular private and group instruction. Dance is a passion that I have dedicated myself to.

I love this DVD. It is has good basic and intermediate info, and is easy to follow (at a low price, and with a music CD to boot). I do not see it as a substitute for real good solid one-on-one training with a live dance instructor--but as a nice supplement. And in spite of my dance experience I find that there is always something new that I learn from different instructors than my regular one, and how they explain something in a slightly different way or show some nuance I had not noticed before.

I love Kyle's relaxed, calm, patient style of teaching on this DVD. And I did like the little gentle musical interludes between lessons showing ordinary people dancing, enjoying themselves, and exuding their love of dance. This is what dance is about.

Customer Reviews:

Hurry up and wait, hurry up and wait.......2007-07-02

I might have enjoyed this DVD much more if I was a male/lead. As a female/follow, I found myself getting bored and then frustrated. Each of the dances begins with the male instructor alone showing the basic step for the male/lead in each dance. After going through it about 4 times, he then pulls in a lady from off screen and very quickly shows how her moves fit with his (usually only 2 or 3 repetitions which were not always enough). He then sends her back off screen while teaching the male/leads the different variation of the dance. The instructions and demonstrations were good, but I found myself sitting on the couch zoning out while waiting for my turn to come again and then feeling like I knew the guys part better than my own. It seems wrong to learn a partner dance by having the guy spend half the time cha-cha-ing around the room by himself while the lady waits in the wings. It almost seems as if showing the lady her steps was an afterthought of lesser importance.
To sum up, if you are a male/lead, go for this video. The instruction is good, especially for the price, and you can pick up on a lot of the stylistic elements of the dances if you have good eyes. But if you are a female/follow, I'd pass on this one. I won't be buying any of the other videos in this series. (I recommend the Trautman dance DVDs as my favorite couple friendly alternative.)

Recommended, with a caveat.......2006-08-07

I find it strange that there was only one review of this DVD before I added my two cents. But here it is...

You really can't go wrong with this DVD, especially given its very reasonable price. You also get a music CD in the package, but it's nothing to write home about (I find it makes a handy drink coaster). Buy it for the DVD.

You are taught four steps in Tango and five steps for Rumba (or Rhumba) in part 1. This is followed by five steps for Cha-cha (or Cha-cha-cha) and five steps for Salsa. You start with the "basic" step in each case. The first three dances are done in the American ballroom style (i.e., what Arthur Murray and Fred Astaire dance studios teach, the latter being where I burned though a lot of money - but I digress!). It is not International style. If that doesn't mean anything to you don't worry about it. The Tango, in particular, is not Argentine Tango.

With respect to Salsa...well, this is not your father's Salsa. I'm not sure what it is, as it looks to be based on what is known as the Cumbia back step, which comes from Colombia. I would have expected the Mambo basic from ballroom instructors, which is the basis of the popular "linear" styles of Salsa such as LA and New York. The rest of the Salsa steps they teach look like they derive from Mambo or Cha-Cha-Cha. Note also that what they are teaching is not Cuban or Miami style, such as you'll find on the "Quick And Dirty Guide to Salsa" series. Far from it.

I would, frankly, ignore the Salsa instruction on this DVD and buy something like Hot Salsa Lessons Vol 1 for that (a DVD I rate highly, by the way), assuming you are an absolute beginner. Still, whatever you call what the instructors Greg Cale and Nancy Hays are doing here, they are obviously enjoying themselves. During the Salsa practise segment where they dance together to music they do execute some moves I recognize as "traditional" Salsa, including the cross-body lead (which is fundamentally the same in several latin dances, of course). The cross-body lead is taught back in the Rumba segment but another common Salsa step they execute is not taught anywhere on the DVD. Too bad, as it's the best one.

In general, the instruction is good. Greg first demonstrates the leader's steps alone, with his back to you as if you are standing directly behind him, while the camera concentrates on his footwork. Then Nancy joins him to show the follower's steps. As they dance together, Greg also describes and shows the upper body and arm movements, and the leading. After showing all the steps for each dance they review them in order and then, during a practise segment set to music, show how they can be combined (i.e., they actually dance). I should note that the DVD does not teach much about technique - you really only learn the steps. Unfortunately, Greg Cale's technique while generally sound sometimes seems a little on the sloppy side, so you might pick up some bad habits.

Overall, I recommend this DVD with the exception of the Salsa instruction, which you would be better off learning from one of the better dance instruction DVDs dedicated to Salsa, such as the aforementioned Hot Salsa Lessons or the series put out by SalsaCrazy.

Excellent dancing instruction.......2006-05-09

Well worth the cost. Each dance is organized into basic steps, a review combining all steps and a fully display of the dance with music. Both dancers show a real love of dancing. You'll be dancing with your partner in no-time.

Dangerous Invitations Dvd Shauna O'Brien Beverly Lynne Unrated Uncut Reg 1 Ntsc Import Spanish Cover English Language

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Dangerous Invitations Dvd Shauna O'Brien Beverly Lynne Unrated Uncut Reg 1 Ntsc Import Spanish Cover English Language
Starring: Beverly Lynne , Shauna O'Brien , Jacy Andrews , Angel Cassidy , and Scott Coppola
Director: Edward Holzman
Manufacturer: Zima Ent
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Product Features:

Region 1 - NTSC
Unrated Uncut 1 h 41 min 16 sec (Actual Confirmed Running Time)
English Language
Optional Spanish Subtitles
Import Spanish Cover

ASIN: B000UQY6VS

Product Description

Unrated Uncut 1 h 41 min 16 sec (Actual Confirmed Running Time)*Spanish Cover*ENGLISH audio*Optional Spanish Subtitles*Region 1 - NTSC* This title has been extremely rare worldwide and is one of the most highly sought movies! What Price are You Willing To Pay??? On a vacation getaway, Ethan and Sara experience a night with Sophie, a woman they've just met. But what begins as an adventure to spice up their life turns into their worst nightmare. Having discovered the betrayal, Sophie's husband carries out a plan of revenge that threatens Ethan's marriage, his job, and ultimately his life. Directed by Edward Holzman (The Sex Substitute 1 - Beauty Betrayed - Talk Sex - Night Calls The Movie), you can't go wrong with this one! GREAT Quality Scenes with Beverly Lynne, Shauna O'Brien, Jacy Andrews and Tiffany Mason

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