Marlene Dietrich - The Glamour Collection (Morocco/ Blonde Venus/ The Devil Is a Woman/ Flame of New Orleans/ Golden Earrings)

Amazon.com

Marlene Dietrich was one of the cinema's glorious creatures, an elegant arrangement of bone structure and silver light, blessed with a sly sense of humor. Marlene Dietrich: The Glamour Collection assembles five titles featuring la Dietrich at her best, with a special emphasis on one of the great Hollywood director-star collaborations.

Dietrich and director Josef von Sternberg met in Germany when he plucked her from obscurity for the starring role of The Blue Angel, after which she came to America and instant stardom. A string of films with Sternberg created her image as an exotic source of fascination, both ethereal and sexually knowing. Three of those outings are included in this package. Morocco, their first Hollywood movie together, is a delirious look at a cabaret singer taken with a Foreign Legion soldier (the young Gary Cooper). Dressed in masculine clothes for her act, Dietrich already displays a sexual confidence that fairly burns off the screen. Blonde Venus has a soap opera-ish plot about a woman's fall and rise, but Dietrich's commitment to the part is complete; plus, there's an outrageous faux-African number that begins with Dietrich dressed in a gorilla costume. Cary Grant looks on in astonishment.

The Devil Is a Woman is an unmitigated Sternberg-Dietrich masterpiece, and their final movie together. Here Marlene is a Spanish vixen making life exciting and miserable for Lionel Atwill (a lookalike stand-in for Josef von Sternberg himself). The film is an eye-popping light-painting draped with feathers, mesh, and confetti, all of which are in service to a fundamentally serious inquiry into the knotty business of men and women.

Putting three of the Paramount Dietrich-Sternberg films in this collection and leaving out the other three is either carelessness or marketing strategy. In any case, the other two movies in this package are not at the same level, but certainly good fun. The Flame of New Orleans, director Rene Clair's first Hollywood picture, is a gorgeously photographed comedy with a delightful role for its star. Dietrich is stuck choosing between aristocrat Roland Young and rough sailor Bruce Cabot. The look on her face as she listens to helpful advice about wedding-night conjugal realities from a matron is a riot of erotic mischief. Golden Earrings is a crazy story about Ray Milland getting stuck behind German lines in the early days of WWII, and being taken in by gypsy girl Dietrich. Even here, nearly 20 years after her first stardom, she's still Dietrich. The hair may be dyed black, but the cheekbones are unmistakable. --Robert Horton

Description

Undeniably one of the most beautiful and dazzling actresses to ever grace the silver screen, Marlene Dietrich was renowned for her sultry voice and her alluring "bedroom eyes." This unprecedented 5-movie collection pays homage to the legendary Oscar®-nominated leading lady whose extraordinary talents revolutionized cinema and inspired passion in audiences around the globe. See Marlene in her American movie debut as a glamorous cabaret singer in Morocco; experience the heart-wrenching anguish of a woman torn between two men, her successful career on stage and her child in Blonde Venus; join in the mystery and mayhem of Spain's Carnevale in The Devil Is a Woman; hit the road to jewels and jeopardy in The Flame of New Orleans; and be seduced by a lusty gypsy on a secret mission during World War II in Golden Earrings. It's a stunning tribute to a screen siren who remains one of the most fascinating women of all time.

Customer Reviews:

Good prints, variable films, lousy packaging.......2007-06-21

This is a very cheap DVD set so you get what you pay for - 5 films of the legendary Marlene Dietrich in excellent condition with no extras except a couple of trailers and poor packaging with no labels and 2 disks, one of which has a blank side. I don't mind the lack of extras at the price but the confusion in locating each film is a pain and the DVDs are "sticky" due to the cramming.

As for the films themselves, the selection is fair with 3 from the Von Sternberg era in the early thirties and 2 from the forties. It is arguable whether Dietrich was ever much of an actress, certainly not in the same league as her contemporary Greta Garbo. She came to America with the same aura of mystique but during the war, she came down from the pedestal. She was best in comedy, with a great dry irony, and most often cast as a trollop.

Here is what the DVD provides:

- In 1930, Dietrich was brought to Hollywood from Berlin with her Svengali, Joseph Von Sternberg, and rushed into "Morocco". The film was released at the end of 1930 and watching it today, it probably would have been better as a silent. In fact, I would suggest that it can be viewed more enjoyably with the sound turned off because the ponderous dialogue is irrelevant and the film moves at a snail's pace. Von Sternberg's art was visual and there are numerous shots carefully lit and posed of the languorous Dietrich. Acting does not really come into it but her performance is convincing simply by how she is presented. Gary Cooper, cast as a French Foreign Legionnaire, looks the part but every time he opens his mouth, he is absurd. The best moment is the end of the film - no dialogue, an archway, Dietrich, buffeted by the wind and sand, walking into the desert with the camp followers. Note also the film is pre-code and there are some provocative suggestions concerning Dietrich's sexual preferences in her night club act.

- By 1932, Dietrich was established in Hollywood, having been re-groomed into a much sleeker creature than in "Morocco". Von Sternberg cobbled together an unbelievable yarn in the mother love/self sacrifice genre which was popular at the time. "Blonde Venus" stars Dietrich as a wife who sacrifices herself to playboy Cary Grant to pay for the operation needed to save chemist husband, Herbert Marshall, from death due to radium poisoning. When Marshall returns from recuperation, he rejects Dietrich who plummets the depths to keep her son. The film ends with a completely unconvincing reconciliation. Dietrich underplays well and establishes a very believable relationship with her son, Dickie Moore, a very natural child star. Grant too is excellent and credible as an extremely sophisticated playboy. Herbert Marshall is unable to rise above the clichés and offers a very dreary unconvincing performance. The photography and sets are spectacular and Dietrich sings 3 songs in her usual intriguing manner. "Hot Voodoo" is very famous because she steps out of a gorilla suit. The film was a box office failure at the time, not the least because it was an expensive production but it can be enjoyed today for the superb lighting, sets, costumes and staging.

- the last of the Dietrich/Von Sternberg collaboration is the 1935 "The Devil is a Woman". Dietrich plays a heartless Spanish woman who destroys all the men with whom she comes in contact. The plot and treatment are really like grand opera without the music. Visually, the film is a masterpiece and she looks superb. She is more animated than in the former films and a very young Cesar Romero is very romantic opposite her. This is a film you either love or loathe. It certainly leaves an impression and it does contain my favourite Dietrich number, the funny and cynical "Three Loves have I" which she delivers with a great sense of irony.

- in 1941, Dietrich was guided by the famous French director, Rene Clair, in a throwback role to the Von Sternberg days. She plays an adventuress in New Orleans in 1841 who plots to marry a banker but departs at the altar to marry a sailor. Dietrich is really too old for the part and the light touch Claire tries for fails whether it be due to the censorship of the time or the plodding pace. The costumes are spectacular but there are too many shots of Dietrich, prettily posed, acting coy (very unconvincing) and lit for maximum visual effect but minimum dramatic or even comedic and by 1941, this was dated and tiresome. The sets are often 2 dimensional and some of the process shots are poor. Bruce Cabot is her less than magnetic leading man and Roland Young is miscast as the banker. One unintentionally funny moment - Cabot and Dietrich on the railing of the ship in the early morning and ships sails moving past behind them; you can visualise the film crew pushing the cardboard cutouts!

- The last film in the collection is the bizarre "Golden Earrings", released in 1947. The film is a wartime thriller but plays best as a comedy. Dietrich is very entertaining as an earthy gypsy who helps British agent Ray Milland, hide from Nazis. The film is beautifully made by Mitchell Liesen but Milland looks very uncomfortable and apparently loathed the experience. The scenes with Germans are surprisingly convincing and the film is good fun even if it is absurd and overlong.

All the prints are in great condition and with the Von Sternberg films, this is particularly gratifying since the photography and art direction are so good.

Marlene Dietrich film collection.......2007-05-07

Just love watching the movies of the 1930's with their stories, elegance, and sense of drama. Marlene Dietrich shows many facets of her personality in this collection.

Excellent Marlene Deitrich Movies........2007-02-15

If you like Marlene Dietrich, you will so love this collection!!!

Slap in the face to a movie icon!!!.......2007-01-27

I give it five stars for the movies,but 0 stars for the extras. I loved every movie,but no extras other than trailers. It is also on two sided discs. To watch Dietrich is a great experience. Especially those eyes and face. She along with Garbo have a one in a kind look. Never again will two people steal the screen like those two ladies.They were awesome vamps. You would think such a great icon would deserve a better remembrance. This set is truly a slap in the face. But buy it for the films,which are great. Also buy the Scarlet Empress,which features her own daughter,playing her as a child. If you like Garbo,get her box set,which is a tribute to a legend.

bad luck or bad service?.......2007-01-10

I never received the purchased items. I've sent you an email regarding this "loss". You did not answer my email with complaint.

The Shaw Collection (Pygmalion / The Millionairess / Arms and the Man / The Devil's Disciple / Mrs. Warren's Profession / Heartbreak House)

Average customer rating:

Classics -- Done Right
The Shaw Collection
Masterful productions of Shaw Masterpieces
Shaw for More
More Shaw than you can shake a stick at

The Shaw Collection (Pygmalion / The Millionairess / Arms and the Man / The Devil's Disciple / Mrs. Warren's Profession / Heartbreak House)
Starring: Cheryl Maiker , Ian Richardson , Patrick Newell , Mike Gwilym , and Patrick Stewart
Director: David Jones (IV) , Cedric Messina , and William Slater
Manufacturer: BBC Warner
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B000E8QVAG
Release Date: 2006-05-16

Description

Six acclaimed adaptations bring to life the memorable characterizations, brilliant command of language, and dazzling wit of Shaw's classic plays, highlighting the vitality of his work, as well as the ideas and critiques embedded in it. Titles included are: Arms and the Man, starring Helena Bonham Carter; The Devil's Disciple, starring Patrick Stewart and Ian Richardson; Mrs. Warren's Profession, starring Coral Browne; Pygmalion, starring Lynn Redgrave; Heartbreak House, starring John Gielgud; and The Millionairess, starring Maggie Smith and Tom Baker.

Customer Reviews:

Classics -- Done Right.......2007-03-13

Bernard Shaw in my mind is the greatest playwright we've ever had. I prefer him even to Shakespeare (but, shoot, we can have 'em both, so why quibble?). This collection offers a simply great Devil's Disciple and Arms and the Man plus a Heartbreak House to die for. Mrs. Warren's Profession is good, and I have not yet seen The Millionairess or Pygmalion, but I imagine that they, too, are quite up to snuff. If you love Shaw, this is a must for your library. And you'll want your kids and theirs to share it, too. These plays can be watched again and again without tarnishing their greatness.

The Shaw Collection.......2007-03-09

I love - love - love this collection. Most of these 6 plays contain "Bonus Plays" - including the play ANDROCLES AND THE LION which is very dear to my heart. Further, there are Bonus Programs included. If you are a Shaw fan at all - this set is a MUST. You won't be disappointed! Well done!

Masterful productions of Shaw Masterpieces.......2006-08-01

All-star productions rarely seen in this country of some of Shaw's best plays: worth watching again and again.

Shaw for More.......2006-07-22

If you have any interest in Bernard Shaw this is a must package.
The plays presented here are well acted and directed. As a collection they present a wonderful overview of Shaw's developement as a playwright and thinker. Although not a bomb in hand revolutionary Shaws was presenter of words and ideas. Thesew presenments help to make him the father of the modern English drama. These plays are little gems filled with wit, insight and hold up quit well on this age of shock for shock sake.

More Shaw than you can shake a stick at.......2006-05-29

With the 150th anniversary of George Bernard Shaw's birth fast approaching (July 26), BBC Warner celebrates the Irish playwright by collecting together ten of his most famous and representative plays, produced by the BBC during the 1970's and 80's with some of the finest British actors of the age, and making them available on six DVDs which also feature documentaries on his life and works. With a total run time of over 11 hours, this collection also represents an excellent bargain at $7 per disc or approximately $3.76 per hour. Where else can you find entertainment at this level of writing, acting, directing, and producing for even twice the price?

The only caveat may be the lack of a live theatre audience. I'm assuming most people watching these DVDs are alive, but will probably not watch them in a theatre with others. The absence of this live theatre audience, especially one schooled in the particular genres popular to theatregoers of Shaw's time, may prove somewhat alienating for some, especially as the dialogue and plot recall a more literary era with social conventions that are no longer conventional. We still produce Shaw, however, because his irony, wit and verbal agility were never ends unto themselves, even if they sweetened his less-palatable moral truths. Shaw the playwright was never far removed from Shaw the polemicist, and we would honor him best on this anniversary by remembering this.

Devil Hunter Yohko: The Complete Collection

Average customer rating:

Short but sweat
Solid anime...but
Good anime
Bad Anime
i love an anime that has the word devil in it.

Devil Hunter Yohko: The Complete Collection
Starring: Devil Hunter Yohko
Manufacturer: Adv Films
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00074CBPG
Release Date: 2005-02-08

Description

Demons and devils beware, the sexiest slayer to ever swing a soul -sword is back! Yohko Mano has just learned that she comes from a long line of professional devil hunters. And before she learns how to use her powers, her 16th birthday will turn into a domonic bloodbath and a grueling trial by hellfire!

Customer Reviews:

Short but sweat.......2007-08-04

Devil Hunter Yohko is about a girl named yohko that on her 16th birthday she finds out she comes from a long line of devil hunters and that she is the next and in the whole anime she is fighting demons and trying to lose her virginity it is a really funny anime a whole lot of nudity and there is a some-what hard core sex scene in the first episode. you should add it to your collection.

Solid anime...but.......2007-03-22

The story was good, but there was way too much frontal nudity. This film is a high level "R" film (not quite NC-17, but close). The nudity almost ruined (for me) what is really a fairly nice piece of anime (I was tempted to turn it off several times). Parents should be wary of this film.

Good anime.......2007-01-10

Although it's rated 14 and up, I think they should've maybe rated it 16 and up. This was an awesome anime. The animation was poor at first (it started out in 1990, so that's why) but it gradually got better. By the last episode, it was looking really good. I would definitely recommend this.

Bad Anime.......2006-08-12

The only reason anyone should have to buy this pathetic anime, is if they enjoy very old anime who's only audience was buidt upon nipple and panty shots.

Do not buy this unless you have seen it already and liked it.

i love an anime that has the word devil in it........2006-07-06

A teenage girl name Yohko doesn't know it yet but, she's #107 in a long and venerable line of demon hunters! But after her school principal sics a monster on her in the swimming pool and she's nearly seduced by a possessed classmate, her granddaughter decides it's time to bring her up in true "Mamono Hunter" style!

Hollywood's Legends of Horror Collection (Doctor X / The Return of Doctor X / Mad Love / The Devil Doll / Mark of the Vampire / The Mask of Fu Manchu)

Average customer rating:

A couple of gems, a couple of rarities and 2 duds
Pre-Hays Code Wildness, Camp and Hilarity!
Good collection of horror films at a great price
My kind of Entertainment...
THE DREAM TEAM FOR NIGHTMARES

Hollywood's Legends of Horror Collection (Doctor X / The Return of Doctor X / Mad Love / The Devil Doll / Mark of the Vampire / The Mask of Fu Manchu)
Starring: Lionel Atwill , Fay Wray , Lee Tracy , Preston Foster , and John Wray
Director: Michael Curtiz , Vincent Sherman , and Karl Freund
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Horror | Genres | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B000GRUQJW
Release Date: 2006-10-10

Amazon.com

Universal ruled the monster movie in the 1930s, but this hugely enjoyable DVD set offers a counter-argument from MGM and Warners. Its half-dozen horror titles run the gamut from classic vampirism to baroque romanticism, and gather horror luminaries such as Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi, and Peter Lorre.

The greatest film of the bunch is Mad Love (1935), a rich and oft-imitated bit of perversity with a deeply romantic streak. Concert pianist Colin Clive (from Frankenstein) has his hands wrecked, and his actress wife (Frances Drake) turns to the obsessive Dr. Gogol (Lorre), who has long worshipped her. But the doctor replaces the pianist's hands with those of a murderous circus knife-thrower! Superbly directed by Karl Freund (The Mummy), this eerie film is shaped by Lorre's subtle, uncannily sympathetic performance.

Karloff reigns in The Mask of Fu Manchu (1932), which offers more minute-for-minute lurid action than any other movie in this set. Connoisseurs of horror will be well pleased by the roster: a crocodile pit, deadly snakes and spiders, poisons, various forms of torture including a man strapped beneath a giant reverberating bell, and Fu Manchu's sexy daughter (Myrna Loy). MGM designer Cedric Gibbons runs wild with a wonderfully daffy Deco-meets-Orientalism scheme. There are some undeniably racist epithets thrown in the direction of the evil Dr. Fu Manchu, but he gives as good as he gets, and the character is ultimately as irresistible as any evil mastermind. Karloff gives one of his juiciest performances ever.

Doctor X (1932) is presented in a recently-restored 2-strip Technicolor process (a lot of throbbing greens and oranges), which gives the movie an antique appeal. Doctor Xavier (Lionel Atwill) brings his colleagues together to figure out which of them might be the Full Moon Killer; daughter Fay Wray and reporter Lee Tracy (a typical fast-talking role for this fun actor) tag along. Michael Curtiz directed; he also did the similar Mystery of the Wax Museum, again with Atwill (available on the House of Wax disc). The Return of Doctor X (1939) is more of a curio than a full-fledged horror movie, as it has Humphrey Bogart, resplendent in a Bride of Frankenstein hair streak, in a rare supernatural outing.

The other two films are directed by Tod Browning. Mark of the Vampire (1935) is a clear example of MGM trying to ride the Dracula gravy train, with plenty of smoky graveyards, scuttling possums, and Lugosi in a tuxedo striding through giant spider webs. Lugosi is peripheral here, as Lionel Barrymore hunts down the blood-suckers. It's slow going, but the touches are wonderful and there's a spooky vampiress. Browning makes The Devil-Doll (1936) a memorably oddball thriller, with Barrymore a wronged man seeking revenge--and exploiting a device that allows people to be miniaturized. All the films have lively commentary tracks, except Devil-Doll. Overall this is a very neat package; even the inclusion of Return of Doctor X makes sense as a pairing with its original. MGM and Warners seemed embarrassed by the horror genre in the thirties, but these examples prove they could rise to Universal's game. --Robert Horton

Description

Doctor X/The Return of Dr. X Mark of the Vampire/The Mask of Fu Manchu Mad Love/The Devil Doll

Customer Reviews:

A couple of gems, a couple of rarities and 2 duds.......2007-08-22

This collection from the vaults of Warner Brothers and MGM, studios more famous for other film genres, contains some great stuff but it could have been better with a few changes.

First, the good - the prints are generally excellent, the theatrical trailers are included and the commentary for "Fu Manchu" is outstanding, with "Mad Love" and "Doctor X" close behind. "Mad Love" benefits from stunning camera work, not surprising when the director is the famous cameraman Karl Freund.

Second, the mediocre - the print of "Doctor X", an early example of 2 strip technicolour, is probably as good as it gets but that still does not make it clearly visible. "The Return of Doctor X" is a B film and the plot is dumb in a typical B way. It does not really justify a commentary except that the director was still alive so we get a few first hand comments from the geriatric Vincent Sherman.

Third, the bad - "The Mark of the Vampire" was butchered before release and the film is arrant nonsense, a remake of a lost Lon Chaney film. The theatrical trailer promises much more than the film delivers. The commentary attached to the film is appalling so at least the commentators have matched the film.

As for the films themselves, "Mad Love", "Devil Dolls" and "Doctor X" are ripping yarns with excellent casts and good scripts. "Fu Manchu" is an outrageous pre-code gem and best, of all, the DVD has been cut from the original print with all the censored bits restored.

The Set is good value but I would have flicked "Mark of the Vampire" and included Michael Curtiz's "The Walking Dead", a far superior film. Also, a good commentary about "Devil Dolls" would have rounded out the set nicely.

Pre-Hays Code Wildness, Camp and Hilarity!.......2007-06-27

These films are such gems, each of them, and the restored prints are so beautiful, that this collection should not be missed whether you are a seasoned archivist or just discovering the Universal Horror Canon. The bonus features are sparse, comprising mostly commentary tracks from film historians and critics (although one,The Return of Dr. X, which stars a very creepy Humphrey Bogart, has commentary that includes the 100-year-old director!) and sometimes the theatrical trailer. But The Mask of Fu Manchu alone is worth thet price of the set for the chance to see, uncut, its pre-code craziness, high camp and very overt erotic and sadomasochistic overtones!
Barrymore, Atwill, Karloff, Lugosi, Lorre, Myrna Loy, Fay Wray... the list goes on. Whatever they're asking for this delightful box set, it's a pittance. It doesn't get much better than this.The Boris Karloff Collection (Tower of London / The Black Castle / The Climax / The Strange Door / Night Key)The Bela Lugosi Collection (Murders in the Rue Morgue / The Black Cat / The Raven / The Invisible Ray / Black Friday)

Good collection of horror films at a great price.......2007-06-13

Rather than just focusing on a few horror franchises and milking them for all they were worth with five or six B quality sequels apiece as Universal did with Frankenstein, Dracula, the Mummy, and the Invisible Man, in the 30's and 40's Warner and MGM would usually take just one good idea and make just one good horror movie. This is a collection of six of Warner and MGM's better excursions into the horror genre during that era.

Everyone else has gone into the plots of these movies in detail, so I will not do the same. Let me point out, though, that "Return of Doctor X" is not really a sequel to "Doctor X" at all. The two stand alone. The only thing they have in common is the theme of a wise-cracking reporter on the trail of what turns out to be a mad doctor. As far as transfer quality, "Mad Love" has noticeable artifacts in the video, at least through the first half of the movie. It's nothing too distracting, though. With "Doctor X" you have to get used to the peculiarities of two-strip technicolor which includes occasional green skies and also green skin tones when people are shown in the dark. The rest of the films look quite good, and the audio quality is very good on all of the films. The extras that come with the films are as follows:

Special Features for Mark of the Vampire:
Commentary by genre historians Kim Newman and Steve Jones
Theatrical trailer

Special Features for The Mask of Fu Manchu:
Commentary by Greg Mank, author of Karloff and Lugosi: A Story of a Haunting Collaboration

Special Features for Doctor X:
Commentary by horror scholar Tom Weaver
Theatrical trailer

Special Features for The Return of Doctor X:
Commentary by director Vincent Sherman and Chronicles of Terror author Steve Haberman
Theatrical trailer

Special Features for Mad Love:
Commentary by Steve Haberman, author of Chronicles of Terror
Theatrical trailer

Special Features for The Devil Doll:
Theatrical trailer

Although not really a complaint, the packaging of this set somewhat surprised me. In particular, each DVD comes in a slim case rather than the thicker and sturdier keep case in which most of the DVDs in Warner DVD sets are packaged. At any rate, the set is a great deal for the money and I highly recommend it.

My kind of Entertainment..........2007-02-05

I won't go into the plots of all of these fine films, but will say that I bought it because of "Devil Doll". Those special effects are amazing. None of the films could be considered "Horror", though they all involve some terrific mystery plots. I was especially impressed with "Mad Love", and Peter Lorre was a very underrated actor. (See "The Beast with 5 Fingers" to verify this.) Early experiments with color also enhanced "Doctor X". This is, indeed, an excellent mystery collection, and any aficianado of the genre should have this in their collection.

THE DREAM TEAM FOR NIGHTMARES.......2006-12-07

This set has nice clean video, and of course you can't lose with the actors and titles. One of the most interesting to watch is MAD LOVE which was Peter Lorre's US film debut. The devotee of the old Universal Horror movies will see certain scene similarities to The Phantom of the Opera, The Bride of Frankenstein, The Mummy, and Dracula in Mad Love, and the commentary track picks up on some (not all) of this. Interesting when you consider this is an MGM work. The only downside to this set, and it is a minor point, is the commentary track for Mark of the Vampire, where two obnoxious brits talk over each other saying little of worth. (I've noticed that on DVD commentary tracks when you put brits together, they continually talk over eachother, and it's hard to understand what they're saying. Perhaps that's why we won the Revolutionary War).
Anyway, if you love old horror movies, if you remember Famous Monsters of Filmland, if you want to see the US film debut of the man who said "You deespize me Reek, don't you?" in Casablanca--buy this set.

TCM Archives - The Laurel and Hardy Collection (The Devil's Brother / Bonnie Scotland)

Average customer rating:

Hey Hallmark, this is how you do it....
Give us more, TCM...
THE DUO AT THEIR BEST
On Yonder Rock Reclining......
Laurel, Hardy, and MGM ==Possible Spoilers in this review==

TCM Archives - The Laurel and Hardy Collection (The Devil's Brother / Bonnie Scotland)
Starring: Stan Laurel , Oliver Hardy , Dennis King , Thelma Todd , and James Finlayson
Director: Hal Roach , Charley Rogers , and James W. Horne
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B000E1MXTQ
Release Date: 2006-04-18

Product Description

They were one of the movies' most successful and best-loved comic duos, probably because their irresistible slapstick antics were underscored by an indomitable optimism. Beginning with shorts made at the Hal Roach Studios, Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy struck a universal chord by sharing a contentious yet benign friendship that always survived whatever indignities their mutual bumbling brought upon them.

This TCM Archives two-disc collection focuses on the team at their zenith during the sound era and spotlights two features produced by Roach for MGM. The Devil's Brother (1933) (also known as Fra Diavolo) is a laugh-filled adaptation of the Auber operetta in which "Stanlio" and "Ollio" tangle with a notorious robber baron. The delightful Bonnie Scotland (1935) is a misadventure that takes the boys to Scotland and India.

Format: DVD MOVIE

Amazon.com

Unlike many silent screen comedians, Laurel & Hardy made a seamless transition to talkies, and this TCM Archives double-feature showcases some of their funniest work from the early 1930s. As always, TCM/Warner has packaged this must-have set for true film buffs: The prints are pristine, image quality is crisp and clean, sound quality is the best available (allowing for some hiss and minor drop-offs due to the age of the soundtracks), and bonus features have been chosen with care and authority, including several highlight excerpts from Laurel & Hardy short subjects. While continuing to enjoy their priceless partnership with producer Hal Roach, Stan & Ollie were at their sound-era peak in The Devil's Brother (1933), a hilarious adaptation of the Auber operetta Fra Diavolo (also the film's alternate European title), in which "Stanlio" and "Ollio" find themselves entangled in the exploits of the Marquis de San Marco, a notorious singing bandit named "Fra Diavolo" (played with adequate panache by Dennis King) who's set his sights on the lovely Lady Pamela (played by '30s screen queen Thelma Todd). Plots in Laurel & Hardy films are almost always perfunctory, but this is one of the better ones, lending Stan & Ollie ample opportunity to cut loose with Roach-invented gags and trademark slapstick. The highlight has to be Stan's drunken laughing fit, a miraculously sustained bit of hilarity (with Ollie eventually joining in) that's absolutely infectious and irresistible--it's impossible to watch without laughing right along with Stan.

Bonnie Scotland (1935) finds L&H in Gunga Din territory (or if you prefer, The Lives of a Bengal Lancer) as they arrive in Scotland hoping to collect "MacLaurel's" inheritance, only to end up recruited into a Scottish infantry regiment in the Indian desert. The comedy is mildly compromised by a standard-issue romance plot involving costars June Lang and William Janney, but whenever Stan and Ollie are onscreen, the laughs are consistently plentiful and timelessly entertaining. Adding expert context to the comedy, audio commentaries by film historians and lifelong L&H fans Leonard Maltin and Richard W. Bann are packed with knowledgeable information out each film, the careers of the cast members, working methods at Hal Roach studios, shooting locations, and fascinating anecdotal details (such as the fact that long-time L&H supporting player James Finlayson was the direct inspiration for Homer Simpson's beloved exclamation, "D'Oh!" on TV's long-running animated sitcom The Simpsons. The package is rounded out by "Added Attractions: The Hollywood Shorts Story," an excellent TCM feature-length documentary, narrated by Chevy Chase, that extensively chronicles the many varieties of short subjects produced during the 1930's and '40s--essentially an extension of Vaudeville and newsreels that gave rise to many of Hollywood's finest performers during the golden age of the studio system. All in all, this is a perfect DVD set for longtime Laurel & Hardy fans, or newcomers to their classic brand of comedy. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

Hey Hallmark, this is how you do it...........2007-07-03

Turner did an excellent job with this. The prints are beautiful, and the second disc contains clips that would be difficult to find otherwise. lnstead of sticking us(L&H's loyal and knowledgeable fanbase)with a careless,sub-par product, they have put together an outstanding collection. lf you're on the fence or don't know about L&H, then don't be afraid to start here. Well worth it.

Give us more, TCM..........2007-06-25

These are perfect, gorgeous prints. Excellent indexing, too! Although amazon.co.uk offers a 21-DVD set of "remastered" L&H films (almost their complete Hal Roach oeuvre), the prints are not at all good like the ones on these DVDs. So we are all still waiting for a truly decent set of "The Complete L&H" to come out. I do highly recommend this release.

Devil's Brother is self-recommending, and if you've ever been a little embarassed by HOW dopey Stan can be, here he shows how clever and physically deft he is.

There is more controversy over Bonnie Scotland. This much-criticized film is actually filled with good things: it has an absolutely darling June Lang in the subplot; it has L&H stepping blithely into the picture to the tune of a village blacksmith inadvertently pinging away the Koo Koo theme on his anvil(!); Ollie sneezing the water out of a stream; L&H setting their bed on fire (and Ollie as well); a warm and memorable shot of L&H and William Janney jaunting off to a big adventure; a "musical mirage" (with Marvin Hatley!); Stanley readjusting the march-step of an entire regiment; a delightful and satisfying L&H dance, complete with a good comic ending; one of the most heart-tugging goodbyes ever committed to film, but which is so funny you can't cry; and a spectacular ending with pandemonium overtaking all.

Critics write that the romantic subplot is left unresolved, but the resolution is so obvious that I never questioned it as a kid, and still don't. My only criticism is that the secondary story is not happy, and I wish its scenes were shorter. But it does add to the continuity and dramatic arch of the movie. A little editing could make this a classic.

The second DVD has hard-to-find L&H excerpts from 3 non-L&H films of the 1930s, and they're all good. My only gripe here is that the very last and important few seconds of the Banditos clip from Pick A Star is cut out. I also wish that instead of a boring documentary, they had included the Stolen Jools, and the entire re-edited version of Pick A Star, which was released in the 1950s as A Day at the Studio, and which is supposed to be a pretty good tightened-up version. But this second DVD is a bonus, anyway, so it doesn't reduce my star-rating.

THE DUO AT THEIR BEST.......2007-04-02

THIS IS LAUREL AND HARDY AT THEIR BEST,THE DANCING IN BONNIE SCOTLAND IS BY FAR THE FUNNIEST THING I HAVE SEEN. IF YOU WANT TO LAUGH GET THIS DVD.

On Yonder Rock Reclining.............2007-01-19

Laurel & Hardy are at their best in these two Hal Roach comedies. Behind teh subplots, and inconsistent plot lines of lovers, devils brothers, and thieves, Laurel & Hardy are at their magical best. Their scenes in both "The Devil's Brother" and "Bonnie Scotland" are filled with the charm and wit that made these comedians the best in their business.

Warner Brothers has definitely scored high for me. The extras filled in this DVD include scenes from the various cameos they were in, as well as the only color extract known from "The Rogue Song." Truly a treat for all Laurel & Hardy fans.

My only with is that Halmark would get on the bandwagon and release the rest of the films that they own. Even Fox and MGM have now released their Laurel & Hardy movies (which were post-1940, and not the team's best films either).

Laurel, Hardy, and MGM ==Possible Spoilers in this review==.......2006-11-19

Way back in the 80's there were only two Laurel & Hardy movies to be found on video tape; "Utopia" and "Flying Deuces", both released by a multitude of cheapy video companies. And then finally MGM/UA home video released a third, "Bonnie Scotland". This would be followed by CBS/FOX's Playhouse Video released a couple of their 20th Century Fox movies, and Nostalgia Merchant did us all a favor and released 9 volumes of their sound shorts ( one volume more and they would have completed the task ) as well as several of the Hal Roach L&H feature films.

It wasn't long before MGM /UA realized that L&H sold well on video. And it was just their luck that they had the video rights to 2 of their movies. So in the 90's "Bonnie Scotland" was re-released marked down from $70 to $20, an "The Devils Brother" was also given a release at the same price. These movies made such a profit that MGM/UA continued to release any L&H movies they could get their hands on.

As it turned out, Laurel & Hardy had made two movies for MGM studios after they split with Hal Roach studios. "Air Raid Wardens" and "Nothing But Trouble", while the stronger of their post Roach movies, were still regarded to be substandard. Ultimately that did not stop MGM/UA from releasing them, or putting such phrases as "..hilarious..." and "...laughed packed 1944 film".

MGM/UA continued to try to milk the L&H cash cow dry with two more video releases; "Laurel & Hardy's Laughing 20's" and "Hollywood Party". The former was another Robert Youngson composite movie released by MGM that is best remembered for preserving most of the pie fight from "Battle of the Century". The later was a 1934 MGM all-star disaster that featured Laurel & Hardy in only a few segments. But that did not stop MGM/UA from prominently featuring Laurel & Hardy on the videos box.

It would have been nice if MGM had continued and paid for the rights to release several other L&H movies, but at the time they were only interested in releasing the movies they already owned the rights to. Now nearly 15 years later Warner Home Video is once again re-releasing the MGM owned Laurel & Hardy movies on DVD. While this set only contains their two Roach features, good sales could see the re-release of all the MGM owned material. ( I would actually like to see a DVD release of "Hollywood Review of 1929" as I am also a Buster Keaton fan. The only other release of this movie on home video was part of an expensive Laser disc set with a lot of other early musicals I was not interested in. )Hopefully this could also result in a release of other Laurel & Hardy movies through Warner & TCM.

As for the movies in this set, they are not the best that Laurel & hardy had to offer. At the time "The Devils Brother" was made Hal Roach felt that they had to beef up the feature films with what was selling tickets at the time, namely romance and music. As in movies like "Swiss Miss",
"Bohemian Girl", and even "Babes in Toyland", a sub plot revolving around a romance between two characters tends to take over the movie. As do singing numbers that do not involve Laurel or Hardy. They are by no means marginalized as Abbot & Costello were in many of their films, but the padding is still obvious. However, since Stan and Babe had less to do with the film it gave them more time to work out the gags in their individual scenes. And The Devils Brother does offer up a few comedy gems such as the "Earsy-Kneesy-Nosey" game ( which, by the way, quickly became a fad shortly after this film was released )

The plot is simple. L&H play Stanlio and Ollio, two failed bandit's in Europe around the 1700's. They are forced into service with Fra Diavalo, a notorious leader of a gang of bandits, after Stanlio and Ollio attempt to rob them. Disguising himself as a nobleman, Fra Diavalo infiltrates the home of Lord Rocburg and woos his wife in order to locate his money. A second sub plot is introduced where if Captain Lorenzo cannot capture the bandit Fra Diavalo he will never be able to marry his true love. Throughout the movie Laurel & Hardy are forced to help Fra Diavalo in his plot, but at the same time are interested in turning him in for the reward. Eventually they end up getting both Fra Diavalo and themselves caught and nearly shot by a firing squad. That is until Stanlio causes a distraction that allows them all to escape.

Bonnie Scotland, besides its name, barely takes place in that country. Stan & Olly travel to Scotland for a reading of a will where they are only left a snuff box. They end up enlisting in the Scottish army and for the bulk of the movie are in India. The sub plot here is one of Laurels relatives, Laurena MacLaurel, is brought to India by her guardian, and her boyfriend enlists in the same regiment as Stanly & Olly to be with her. In the end of the movie the subplot is abandoned without resolution as Stanly, Olly, and the boyfriend are all sent on a mission to infiltrate some insurgents. As they are about to be killed Stanly knocks over some bee hives which aids in their escape, but also sends swarms of bees to sting everyone. It is there the movie ends abruptly, leaving i=us to assume that somehow the romantic subplot was resolved, and at the same time not caring if it was or not. As in all the Roach movies, strong material from Laurel & Hardy, but ruined by dull padding with the lame subplot. And the second most misleading title in comedy history ( the first being "Abbot & Costello go to Mars ).

The disks also include some good extras, including their segment from "Hollywood Review of 1929" as well as their segments from "Hollywood Party" and their scenes from "Pick A Star". I suppose this is MGM's way of saying they are not going to be releasing those films, but here is all the L&H footage so you are not missing anything. And I agree, it will now be hard for them to sell those movies at a latter date. ( then again, Hollywood Party also has segments by Walt Disney and The Three Stooges, so perhaps they could afford to still release it.)There is also the existing fragment of Laurel & Hardy footage from the otherwise lost "Rouge Song". But one puzzler is a documentary on short subject films. One would think that this is just included as filler. But since the extras also boasts the scenes from the other films mentioned, throwing this documentary in does not seem necessary. It is almost as if it was tossed in by accident and was meant for another DVD set. And who knows, maybe in the near future a box set of random short movies released by Warner Brothers will include a documentary on Laurel & Hardy as an extra.

The Devil & Daniel Webster - Criterion Collection

Average customer rating:

This Version Is The One To See
4 Star Movie 2 Star Presentation 0 Star Price
Old New England Wisdom stirs the spirits.
The Price of Wealth
"all that money can buy"

The Devil & Daniel Webster - Criterion Collection
Starring: Edward Arnold , Walter Huston , Jane Darwell , Simone Simon , and Gene Lockhart
Director: William Dieterle
Manufacturer: Criterion
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0000AKY54
Release Date: 2003-09-30

Amazon.com

Stephen Vincent Benet's timeless 1937 short story gets the red-carpet treatment on Criterion's feature-packed DVD of The Devil & Daniel Webster. William Dieterle's inspired film remains the classic it always was, proving that Citizen Kane wasn't the only cinematic marvel to appear in 1941. It's a sturdy, stylish rendition of Benet's original narrative, beginning when a luckless farmer (James Craig) strikes a Faustian bargain with the devil incarnate Mr. Scratch (Walter Huston at his devious best), trading his soul for seven years of prosperity, during which he grows corrupted, despised, and regretful of his mistake. To Scratch's chagrin, legendary orator Daniel Webster (Edward Arnold) intervenes with a triumphant defense, and Dieterle's brilliant direction gives the proceedings a light, economical touch of supernatural mischief.

To complement the cleverness of the film adaptation, this delightful DVD also includes a playfully expressive reading of Benet's original story by Alec Baldwin, and vintage radio performances of two of Benet's three "Daniel Webster" stories. The film and radio plays were scored by legendary composer Bernard Herrmann, whose Oscar®-winning film score is examined in an interactive essay by Herrmann expert Christopher Husted. Excerpts from an earlier preview version of the film (then titled Here Is a Man) reveal creepy, negative-image shock-shots of Mr. Scratch that were later removed, but they further demonstrate Dieterle's willingness to experiment. With additional essays and archival materials, Criterion's superb DVD shows how a great story can lend itself, with consistent success, to a variety of mediums. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

This Version Is The One To See.......2007-09-06

First off, let me state that after viewing both versions of this film: the 85-minute and the 106-minute ones, both have their merits. For VHS, I recommend the shorter version. If you have the Criterion DVD with a 106-minute one, however, you have the best. I had seen both on tape but when I saw the longer version with a great DVD transfer, it convinced me the longer one is the version you want to see. It also seemed to improve the whole movie.

The Criterion DVD helped me appreciate the underrated black-and-white cinematography in this movie. It simply looks super, and even the special-effects are still pretty darned good considering the year this was made.

Character-wise, as so often is the case, the bad-guys are the most interesting in the movie. The best was Walter Huston playing "Scratch" (the Devil) and Simone Simon playing a female helper of his. Simon has the allure in this story to drive leading character "Jabez Stone" away from his sweet wife "Mary" (Anne Shirley).

Overall, this is a different story than anything you've seen. It's interesting, nicely directed by William Dieterle and photographed by Joseph August. Sadly, the latter died later in the 1940s with a heart attack. His last picture was another visual wonder: "Portrait Of Jennie."

4 Star Movie 2 Star Presentation 0 Star Price.......2007-07-07

37 bucks for a poorly restored pretty good movie. Who is fooling who? The audio is a travesty and the print barely acceptable. This isn't a 90 year old foreign silent movie where there's only so much that even state of the art restoration can do. This is a WW2 era major American studio release. No excuses. One wonders if they simply copied an old vhs tape onto a dvd and called it a day. The price is simply absurd, even by Criterion's usual hold-the-good-films-hostage-for-high-ransoms business practices. Extras are cool but they don't justify highway robbery. One would think they would see the wisdom in long term gains to be had from a reasonably priced product. I would love to own many Criterion movies but the prices force me to be extremely picky. Lower the prices and I'll buy at least twice as many as I already have. Do the math. Would you rather sell 20 products at $30 or 40 at $20? The movie itself is an interesting, if somewhat unimaginative, Faustian morality tale with an American slant, a great performance by Walter Huston as the devil and a few neat camera tricks. Basically, an above average product of Hollywood's contract era movie studios. Hardly Seven Samurai, Wild Strawberries or Citizen Kane level of excellence here in the first place and the nonexistant restoration and outrageous price assure I will never own it.

Old New England Wisdom stirs the spirits........2007-05-07

Ah! Here is a journey back in time to the values that built the nation. A blend of history, folklore, humor, and morals entertains us a curious way. This is one the whole family will want to see more than once.

The Price of Wealth.......2007-04-04

This film is from a short story by Stephen Vincent Benet that considers the morality of wealth. It tells of the economic troubles in the early 19th century that affected farmers and mechanics. One young farmer has more than his share. Then a stranger shows up and offers to make him "lucky". "You don't get rich by working hard but by working other people hard" says Old Scratch. Jabez Stone signs in blood (no Miranda warning), and becomes lucky by finding hidden gold. Jabez pays off his mortgage, his debts, and buys new things. This film shows village life in the 1840s, horse-drawn carriages and wagons on dirt roads. Daniel Webster had passed a law to benefit the farmers of America.

Jabez uses his wealth to lend seed to other farmers. As they prosper, he takes his cut of the harvest. But a hailstorm ruins the crops of many farmers. They now have to work to make Jabez rich. The harvest dance shows them happy in this celebration. Jabez avoids church to drink and gamble on Sunday. [Is he going to the Devil?] The villagers gossip about Jabez and how he has changed. Jabez now has a big mansion and a mistress, and dresses like a lord. He gives a party, but the invited guests don't show up. Jabez learns what is really important in life, but he has signed a contract.

Lawyer Daniel Webster will fight the devil for the soul of Jabez Stone. Can an American serve a foreign prince? The judge and jury, all Americans, will decide on the validity of the contract. Webster speaks to the jury and appeals to them so Jabez will not make a mistake. "Don't let the country go to the Devil!" The jury quickly arrives at a verdict. Then it is morning again in America. [Any contract that violates public policy is null and void.]

The people in those days had to worry about the weather, not about factories being shut down for private advantages and profits. We see how an economic depression is used to increase the wealth of a few by taking wealth from the many.

"all that money can buy".......2007-03-05

Jabez Stone (James Craig) is plagued with problems, his dog goes wild, is pig breaks a leg, his wife Mary (Anne Shirley) is unseated, he can't pay his mortgagee and he lets his seed fall to ground. For two cents he would sell his soul to the devil. Enter Mr. Scratch (Walter Huston.)

Later, if he realizes his folly who can save Mr. Stone from paying his debt? And at what cost? As we learn that a man's soul is his own.

Simone Simon is perfect as Bella Dee, the temptress from over the hill. She made me want to go over the hill. See her again in "Cat People" (1942).

There are some great film advances for the time including, lap dissolves, montage, and narrative shorthand. Make note of the use of shadows. Periodically there are long passages of dialog reminiscent of Ayn Rand. Poignant music by Bernard Herrmann such as "the miser's waltz."

Working title "A certain Mr. Scratch", Based on a story by Stephen Vincent Benet, a one act opera, and screenplay by Dan Totheroh.

This is more of a commie movie than and American movie, as you ether are a stingy money grubber capitalist or a pour saintly commune, oops I mean grange member.

William Dieterle was suspect in the 1941 red scare. He helped bring Kurt Weill, and Bertolt Brecht to this country. Jeff Corey who played
Tom Sharp (The character that was always trying to get everyone to join the grange) was brought up before the house on un-American activities for attending commie meetings.

Be sure to watch the Criterion 106 minutes presentation.

Average customer rating:

More Misty Where It Counts
Don't waste your money.

Misty Mundae Euro-Vixen Collection
Starring: Misty Mundae , Darian Caine , Syn DeVil , and Katie Jordon
Manufacturer: E.I. Independent
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B0009Y275I
Release Date: 2006-02-21

Description

Popular Seduction Cinema actress, late-night cable TV sensation, and `B' movie starlet Misty Mundae is instantly recognizable as one of the most talented and seductive women working in the genre today thanks to star performances in cult classic erotica hits including Play-mate of the Apes, SpiderBabe, Lord of the G-Strings and Gladiator Eroticus. Her innocent, doe-eyed beauty and girl-next-door allure have charmed, excited, and enticed millions of fans across the United States…and around the globe! The Euro-Vixen 3-Disc Collection proudly presents the alternate - and hotter! ¬- European cuts of four Misty films…versions never-before-seen in the U.S. They amply attest to Misty Mundae's international sex appeal and stunning popularity overseas. Includes Roxanna "Euro," Satans School for Lust "Euro," Vampire Vixens "Euro," Mummy Raider "Euro".

Customer Reviews:

More Misty Where It Counts.......2007-02-27

Basically, every Misty vehicle I've seen is quite poor in terms of quality. You watch them for her - she's always cute, and often funny. These are more explicit versions of her films, meaning the editing disregards pacing for extended raunch. The Mummy film here is particularly eyebrow-raising in that sense. Don't trust the low ratings for this one, none of her films deserve high ratings in the conventional sense.

Don't waste your money........2007-01-06

Misty M. is a bad actor and why she is in so many movies is beond me ?

TCM Archives - The Garbo Silents Collection (The Temptress / Flesh and the Devil / The Mysterious Lady)

Average customer rating:

Unforgiven!!!
Another excellent set from TCM Archives!
Garbo Returns!.
The almost perfect GARBO SILENTS collection

TCM Archives - The Garbo Silents Collection (The Temptress / Flesh and the Devil / The Mysterious Lady)
Starring: Robert Anderson (III) , Lionel Barrymore , Steve Clemente , Roy Coulson , and Roy D'Arcy
Director: Mauritz Stiller
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0009S4IKG
Release Date: 2005-09-06

Amazon.com

After her debut in Europe and before she famously talked in Anna Christie, the most enigmatic of all movie stars, Greta Garbo, made 10 silent films at MGM. This DVD collects three of the group, a representative look at Garbo as unspeaking icon. The jewel in the batch is Flesh and the Devil, the gorgeous 1927 hit that partnered her with John Gilbert (a box-office tandem that lit up the end of the silent era). In this one, Garbo threatens the lifelong friendship of dashingly romantic Gilbert and wealthy Lars Hanson; the high melodrama culminates in a gallant duel and (literally) thin ice. Clarence Brown directed Garbo for the first of many times.

The Temptress (1926) is wilder, with Garbo as a man-killer who follows Antonio Moreno to the romantic plains of Argentina. The opening sequence, as she and Moreno fall madly in love during a Gatsby-esque party, is like a thumbnail of the exotic, heady Garbo appeal--instant, head-over-heels amour amongst the marble statues and champagne. There's also a bullwhip duel that must be seen to be believed. The Mysterious Lady (1928) is an even better vehicle for her, a tight lady-spy number that emphasizes Garbo's sultry, remote appeal. It's marred only by poor print quality. But at least The Mysterious Lady exists, unlike Victor Sjostrom's The Divine Woman, a Garbo film that survives only in an intriguing 9-minute scene, which is included on the DVD. "Divine" and "mysterious"--how better to start the conversation about Greta Garbo? --Robert Horton

Description

This TCM Archives 2-disc The Garbo Silents Collection focuses on Garbo's earliest years in Hollywood. In The Temptress (1926, Disc 2) Garbo establishes her magnetic screen persona as a vamp who destroys the lives of men who cannot resist her charms. In Flesh and the Devil (1927, Disc 1), she is an irresistible vixen who comes between lifelong friends John Gilbert and Lars Hanson, and in The Mysterious Lady (1928, Disc 2), a Russian spy who seduces her victims. Each film contributed mightily in building the Garbo legend that still manages to fascinate audiences almost 80 years later.

DVD Features:
Alternate endings:Alternate Ending on The Temptress
Audio Commentary:Commentary on Flesh and the Devil by Garbo Author Barry Paris, on The Temptress by Greta Garbo: A Cinematic Legacy Author Mark A. Vieira, and on The Mysterious Lady by Film Historians Tony Maietta and Jeffrey Vance
Documentaries:Settling the Score Goes Behind the Scenes of the TCM Young Film Composers Competition and the Scoring of Notable Silent Movies,Including These Garbo Classics

Customer Reviews:

Unforgiven!!!.......2005-10-06

Of course is a pleasure to see these brilliant silent films starring the great GARBO. "Flesh and the Devil" and "The Mysterious Lady" was part of my VHS collection. But "The Temptress" is a real surprise. Thanks to TCM for this and I (we) am waiting for "The Torrent" and more.
UNFORGIVEN: What happened with the Garbo pics collection? In the middle of one of the portraits montages there is a TALLULAH BANKHEAD picture. I don't understand! Who made the montage? Obvioulsy not a Garbo fan!

Another excellent set from TCM Archives!.......2005-09-18

I had been waiting for some of the late silent era's best films to be released on DVD, in particular those with Greta Garbo, and while hoping that there would be more, I'm still very pleased with the 3 Garbo films in this set. The picture quality of "The Mysterious Lady" is not much better than my old VHS, but apart from this, I'm very pleased with the overall quality on these discs, particularly the wonderful musical scores for each one, some unusual and inventive photo montages and other special features. Anyone interested in music would probably also find the half-hour documentary "Settling the Score" an unexpected and rewarding highlight, as I did. It depicts the TCM Young Film Composers Competition, some work from each entrant and how the final score for "The Temptress" was done. It helped me get a lot more insight into this challenging and fascinating work, and it left me with a much deeper appreciation and respect for good silent film scores.

No doubt everyone has one or more Garbo favourites, and perhaps TCM had trouble deciding which ones to include in this set. For some powerful emotional drama, "Flesh and the Devil" is probably one of the best and a good choice, especially as it features the two biggest stars of the time who were drawing large audiences: Garbo and John Gilbert. For a love story with espionage and suspense, it doesn't get much better than "The Mysterious Lady", and finally, "The Temptress" shows an interesting angle on Garbo's character. Her sensuous and alluring beauty brings men's lives to ruin, but she is unaware of any wrong-doing on her own part; and in fact, when she does see what problems she has unintentionally caused, she ends up a pathetic alcoholic on the streets of Paris, making one last sacrifice out of love. This story intrigued me the most, in fact, as it has some depth and an angle that might not be so obvious at first. There is also an alternative happy ending which was shown to other audiences; also an interesting point to consider. Each film on these discs has an optional commentary by 3 different experts, covering all kinds of background information, some gossip and other insights to give a more in-depth and complete picture of Garbo and these three particular films. No doubt there's something for everyone here, both for silent and general film or Garbo fans alike.

Garbo Returns!........2005-09-09

Although part of the large scale GARBO:THE SIGNATURE COLLECTION featuring 7 of her 1930's films, THE GARBO SILENTS is available seperately for the silent film enthusiast or for those who don't want to purchase the whole package. It joins the sets of Buster Keaton and Lon Chaney films released earlier by TCM Archives. As with those sets the production values are high, the extras plentiful, and the set offered at a reasonable price considering what it contains. I do however have a few issues with this new release. First up is the exclusion of the new documentary GARBO from this set (it's part of THE SIGNATURE COLLECTION). It is listed as being included according to the TCM website but instead there's a documentary on the recent rescoring of the movies by a group of young composers. While that is interesting and important, the documentary on Garbo is more important and would get more people to buy the set. The packaging is annoying too with two of the three films presented on a double sided DVD (which can come apart) although I suppose it does keep the price down. Then there's the choice of films. I'm sure every Garbo fan has something to say about this. I would like to have seen WOMAN OF AFFAIRS included as I think that remains one of her very best silents with fine work from a young Douglas Fairbanks Jr. I also wish that they could have used the tinted